“What the hell?!” I screamed as I stood back up, checking myself for injuries. “There’s nothing here? How long have I been out?”

“You must have the wrong idea. You took the longest sleep possible. You’re dead.” A chuckling female voice echoes.

Just then I realized I have no idea where I am. The floor is a very clean white tile, no walls that I can see, and the light is absolutely blinding. The voice seemed to echo from the source of the light itself.

“So, I died? Please tell me they got arrested or something…” I said gritting my teeth. The feeling of rage building up as I remembered everything that had happened is almost too much to bear.

Suddenly, a figure came into existence in the light itself and lowered to the floor. It was a woman, with a feathered wing and what appeared to be something to akin to a demon wing. She isn’t abnormally tall or anything, but her presence is overwhelming. Almost like staring into the eyes of a giant. She gracefully landed, her cloak not even flowing as she fell.

“They did not!” The woman exclaimed with a smile, clapping her hands.

So, she is one of these people too. Figures as much. I swear I need to get back to end those two.

“You really don’t have to be that rude. All I said was nothing happened to them, and they are now out living their best lives so to speak.”

Wait… can you seriously be reading my mind right now?!

“Yes. You can call me Avani. I was what you can consider an old god in my realm.” Avani stated matter-of-factly as she glanced down at the floor. Almost showing that she has some regrets about that portion of her life.

“Alright, I am Damien. What do you want from me?” Even though I am talking with her, I really can’t just drop all of these feelings I have. It’s almost too much to handle, thinking that those two are out happy after ruining, and ultimately ending, my life like they did.

“Damien, I have been watching you for a while. My love, who was my opposite, died long ago. In a similar situation to what you find yourself in. While it wasn’t me who did it, our children did. I escaped, I just don’t have the heart to right the wrongs we created. Regardless of how they act, they are our children in the end.” The goddess slowly walked toward me, outstretching a hand.

“Please, take my hand and let me show you what I mean.”

I reached out and grabbed her hand hesitantly, what could she possibly be talking about? As my hand touched her, it was like I was ripped through reality.

There was a king sitting on a throne, pointing to two statues. One was similar to the goddess, but it seems to have more of a holy look to it. The other, in all honesty, reminds me of the grim reaper artwork you’d see in a horror movie.

The king lifts his hand, and the people in the room destroy the statues and march outside. Behind the king, a woman sits there smiling with her hand over her face. Then… another tear through reality.

Now I am in what appears to be nothingness, but there are people here. A couple men and the woman that was behind the king. They appear to be burning a man that reminded me of the opposite statue that was destroyed. Then, as the man took his last breath I saw the goddess from the statue crying over him, absorbing him into herself.

The goddess looks like she is being swallowed by a torrent of darkness, before coming out looking exactly like Avani does. Then in an instant, I appeared back in the white room.

“What you saw was what happened to my love, the god of death. He was known as Arebos, and I was once known as Elysia. Once the plans of our daughter Aeris came into fruition, it was too late to stop her. It happened exactly as you saw it.” Avani said, staring at the ground. “Now, I am known as Avani, a mix of both my old self and my love Arebos.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I get it, she was betrayed too. The only exception was that it was her own children…

“Please, I beg of you take my life and rebuild the realm Arebos and I loved so dearly.” The goddess begged, tears in her eyes.

I didn’t allow myself to think too much of it, but she is hiding something that she doesn’t want to share. I didn’t ask when Emil—

That bastard knew about it… He knew what was going on but didn’t tell me. How long did he know?!

“Almost a year. However, now that you are free of the life you can start anew. I promise you all the strength I have left. Please take my life and lead our world out of darkness.”

Wait, she said take my life twice now. I tried to ignore that but how the hell is that supposed to happen anyway?

“If you agree, I will exhaust the little life force I have left and let it reside within you. You know the pain of betrayal, but unlike me I am giving you the chance to start anew. Please, Damien!”

Avani was practically in tears. I don’t understand what is going on, but if the alternative is for me to just die then I don’t really have any options here anyway.

“Look, I just need to know will I be alright there? I don’t understand even half of what you are asking but if the alternative is I just die then I don’t see the harm in taking you up on that offer. With one stipulation…”

Avani looked up, “What would that be?”

“I do things my way. I’m not a glorious person, nor am I the best person for the job you are asking. But if I am to do this, I want to do it my way. Are we clear?”

She smiled. “Then that makes you perfect for the job. I agree to the terms.”

“Okay, so what do we need to do for this to happen?” I said looking around. “I don’t see anything I can physically use, so what do I need to do now?”

“Nothing, I am going to die and drift into you. After that, there is one requirement for this resurrection to work. You have to be born from flame.”

“Born from flame?” I said, taken aback. “Am I going to burn once I come into existence?”

“No nothing like that. Much like the stories of a phoenix, you have to be reborn from the ashes of a raging fire. What will happen is the carbon in the ash will allow you to take physical shape."

I smiled, the idea of being born as a phoenix sounds pretty cool. “Alright, let’s do this then Avani. I’ll rebuild what I can, and tear apart anything that needs to go.” I squeezed my fist tightly, “I am ready to do this.”

Avani smiled as she closed her eyes. Her body illuminated like the source of the light, then she disappeared. The only remnants of her that remained are small orbs of light that drifted into me. Then, as fast as the light came, everything went into darkness.

I woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, it definitely isn’t the white room. I could feel the warmth of the ground from the fire that once burned here.

After sitting up, there's only trees around me.

Looks like a wildfire was put out by my reincarnation… nice. Already out here saving the world.

Okay, so now… where the hell am I?

As I stood up to take in my surroundings, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The trees emitted a strange green hue, and the sounds resembled crickets but something was different about them.

I guess the first thing I should do is figure out where I am and try to get somewhere I can stay. Maybe there’s a “starter town” near here where I can join an adventuring guild ha ha.

After enjoying the thought of getting isekai’d into a new world, the reality of this really does weigh a lot more than a game or any of the stories I have heard.

“Wait… I bet those two bastards are just living it up…” The thought of what they did to me still leaves a pain in my chest. Almost a burning hatred, no… not almost. I hate everything that happened to me.

“THIS IS SUCH CRAP!” I screamed, feeling like yelling would help me relieve some of the pain I have been feeling.

I have to pull myself together… deep breaths.

*rustle rustle*

A noise came from the bushes nearby, I turned just in time to see a giant bear-like creature come plowing through the forest towards me.

“RAAAAAAAAHHHH” Standing almost fifteen feet tall, giant fangs dripping saliva, and…

Wait… is it dead already?

The bear-like creature has festering wounds covering its body, and I can definitely see its ribcage in a couple places… yep... a zombie... bear... thing.

“Well… shit.”