So I died.

A grisly death, actually. A wet road, summer rain and screeching tires. Not really the peaceful, dignified death at old age I had hoped for. But I guess few people get to choose how they go, and I wasn't the type to get hung up over something that couldn't be changed. No, what I was more concerned about was this mass of grey, flat bodies that were shoving me around unceremoniously.

"Watch it there!"

"You're stepping on my foot!"

"We don't have feet, numbskull"

I thought tetchily while being "elbowed" by a homogeneous slab that I assumed was another lost, un-departed soul of the deceased.

A bright flash ahead

"Now, now, settle down, settle down. I see we're all here now."

A creature emerged, clothed in flowing tassels of many colours that moved like liquid, and an aged, bulbous face with glowing golden eyes.

"we are gathered here today to begin anew a task most glorious and... STOP PUSHING! Goodness, I've never tried this with one hundred of you before. Ahem" the divine being - it seemed to me - looked suddenly disheveled at the roiling mass of crowded souls.

I glanced beyond the bumbling bodies to see an unending stretch of grey mist to the horizon, in all directions. I noticed the others were striving to NOT notice the grey expanse. It was a little unnerving, for sure, to be surrounded by so much unending space, like we were suspended in nothing at all. I felt suddenly very small. Meanwhile, the "god" continued:

"I am Pemtehpi, god of balance and rebirth. You all" he gestured at us "have been the lucky recipients of my divine beneficence. A second chance, a miraculous opportunity. You are all dead, as I believe you know"

-angry mutters of denial broke out from the masses. I stayed silent.

.

The angry bubble built louder and louder, almost shouting now.

"YOU HAVE DIED" The being Pemtehpi said with sudden power. His floating, flowing body outlined in the same golden light of his eyes. A sense of... something came off him. Some weight in the air I could taste or smell. The crowds went quiet immediately.

"And you will be reborn in the world of Harabi, a place of many fantastic races, sorcery and intrigue!" he cried, back to his unassuming enthusiasm.

A deathly silence greeted this proclamation.

Pemtehpi lowered his arms, looking a little deflated at the lackluster response. One long, spider-like finger scratching his wooden cheek. "I thought you'd be more happy about this. Haven't you got unfulfilled desires or something? Dreams you hadn't quite reached? Ambitions unattained? Maybe some of you" he peered at us in turn "just wanted to start everything over".

I was temporarily caught up by the idea. Generally, I had just gone with the flow in my *previous* life. I grimaced internally. Maybe there just hadn't been enough friction for me to grind against. You couldn't say that I had caused any sparks in my old life, or even very much heat at all. I'd just fit myself to my circumstances, mostly.

I thought, a sudden urge to reach higher grabbed me

"S-S-Send us back!" someone shouted voicelessly.

"Y-Yeah, I want to back home!" A chorus of agreement greeted these outbursts.

"Look you ungrateful shits, you're helping me with this thing whether you like it or not!" Pemtehpi had changed again, a broiling red glow emerging from his eyes "Now get in line or I'll kill you dead! For good, this time!"

Dejected, the crowd started slowly shuffling forward.

"C'mon, let's go! Let's go! Before the conflagration, if you please!"

The grey, no-faced bodies slowly shuffled towards the frustrated god, mumbling something to him then one-by-one disappearing in a flash of white light. I waited, Of course I was sad and going to miss my friends and family, but I had always been one to languish in depression, and then bounce back quickly.

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More excited than depressed or nervous, I just stood there, wanting to ask this weird, animated god more about our task.

It seemed like forever before everyone else had flashed away. I saw glimpses of royal palaces, giants in polished armor and temples with strangely pulsing runes when the souls disappeared. I thought, an anxious expectation growing.

"Oh, it's you" Pemtehpi said, a little more jocular now he had reached the end of the line.

"Me?" I asked somehow without a mouth to speak.

, I thought ruefully.

"You didn't complain, and waited patiently in line, a laudable attitude and also something I certainly WOULDN'T have done, given the lack of choices left to you"

"That's oka- wait, what?!" I spluttered "You mean, we got to CHOOSE where to go?!"

Pemtehpi burst with laughter, motes of green and gold light whizzing around him excitedly. "Oh yes, young soul. And might I say rather comprehensively, all the good rebirth sites are taken" He shook his head ruefully, wrinkled smile still so bright his face was hard to look at.

My spirit fell.

"Ahm, well" I began, "What's ahh, left to choose from?"

"Just one" The shining god replied gleefully.

I groaned.

Pemtehpi brought up a ledger, taking up the role of a manager or clerk. "You'll be a farmer. Good fields, honest work. Get your hands dirty" He was enjoying this too much.

"Lot's of... ahhh" he flipped invisible pages "...Sheep."

I gaped .

"Where's the nearest..."

"Mage's College? Afraid there's only a Mage's CIRCLE - fundamentally different governing body, you see - and they are faaarrrrrr away from your little - cough - hamlet."

My heart shrunk but he didn't stop.

"Quaint place, really. Although no standing army in the duchy and a stunning lack of any sort of warrior's guild for miles and miles. Too far to go in dangerous lands for a young boy, particularly before he has awoken..."

He trailed off.

"It's a marvel they've managed to survive out there, really. Yes!" He closed the ledger with a snap "probably the least resource-dense area for a young boy trying to get stronger". His smile faded and he looked at me blankly. A friendly face suddenly alien and strange. "And you'll need to get stronger, fast. What I've explained to those other ungrateful brats is that you'll all be called again when you've grown up to assist me, although I wont be there in godform, of course" he waved his had dismissively.

"And this is an approximate time limit, it'll depend on HER movements". His visage darkened considerably.

I was at a loss at his words,

"What I haven't explained to the others, though" he continued despite my mutinous thoughts, "is that their birth places can only get them so far, you'll have to work hard in this world. It's something you'll all have to realise... soon" he faded off, lost in thought.

"Okay" I said, unevenly. Still only slightly mollified.

"Oh! And another thing to help you out!" said the golden god, suddenly jovial again. "Hopefully you'll find a way to awaken it in time!" I felt a wrenching pain in me, I couldn't even cry out, the pain was so great.

"Don't tell those pesky humans" he continued, "not before you can properly defend yourself, hahahaha!" The hysterical laughter of the powerful being gave me shivers and chills.

Pemtehpi waved his hand at me. A white light envelops.

"And remember..." his voice fading as I hear as strange cooing "Don't let the humans know what you are..."

I was flooded in white light, the ripping pain in me disappeared and I cried in relief. Real, physical tears, not the insubstantial representation in that grey soul plane. I felt an immense feeling of safety encompass me. The strange god's warning and my sudden change in circumstance faded into oblivion and I fell into real sleep, warm arms holding me safe.