Ryan Saveric slowly opened his eyes and found himself seated in a plush, cushioned chair. The room exuded comfort, adorned with rich tapestries illustrating a variety of scenes that gracefully hung from smooth wooden walls. A stone fireplace with a roaring fire provided the room with a warm, welcoming light. Luxurious rugs covered much of the floor. A large wooden door on the opposite wall seemed to be the only way out from the room.

Confusion began to set in as he grappled with his unfamiliar surroundings. The last thing he remembered was leaving his house to grab a bite to eat before starting an all-night gaming session. A loud screech across the road quickly drew his attention as he watched a car slam into a giant oak tree. Terrified and shocked, a group of children, who had been playing near the tree, huddled together. The sudden impact left them paralyzed with fear. Cracks and creaks came from the tree, capturing their attention as they helplessly gazed upward at the great oak. While strong enough to stop the vehicle, the tree had been nearly uprooted and began to lose its battle with gravity. It started to slowly tip over and threatened to fall. Without a second thought, Ryan dashed towards the children, pushing them out of the way. As he did, the sound of wind rushing through leaves intensified and the tree’s shadow grew ever larger over him. A searing pain overtook him just before his vision dimmed to darkness.

“The Children!” Ryan's mind raced as he abruptly stood up and hurried toward the door.

As if sensing his panic, there came a soft knock, immediately stopping Ryan before he reached the door. Slowly, the door opened, revealing a tall, fair-skinned being with long, straight, golden colored hair, and almond-shaped eyes that glowed bright blue. His ears, much like the elves in the fantasy stories Ryan had read, were tipped to a point. The elf-like being was dressed in bright blue robes that matched the color of his eyes.

“Greetings, Ryan, I am Kelis. I am sure you have many questions,” he said with a friendly smile.

“The children, are they alright?” Ryan quickly blurted out.

“Oh yes, thanks to you,” answered Kelis. He looked pleased that Ryan’s first thought was of the children he saved.

“Thank goodness,” Ryan murmured, feeling a momentary sense of ease before an unsettling thought crossed his mind. What if Kelis was here to guide him to the afterlife? His last memories of pain and fading vision suggested that the unnerving idea was plausible. “That would explain how Kelis knew my name when he greeted me,” Ryan thought as his began to take stock of the situation he was in. Despite Kelis lacking the typical wings portrayed in most of the illustrations Ryan had seen of beings in the afterlife, Kelis did have an otherworldly sort of beauty. Ryan took a deep breath, seeking to steady himself, and asked, “Did I die? Is this the afterlife?”

Kelis smiled warmly once more; a feeling of peaceful calm seemed to wash over Ryan. “Yes and no. Your selfless act did cause you to perish. No, this is not what you mortals would call the afterlife. This is somewhere in between, a place we call the Spirit realm, our home.

“I see...” commented Ryan. With Kelis indirectly confirming there was an afterlife, did that mean perhaps he was not allowed to move on? This led him to ponder why he was brought here.

As if reading Ryan’s mind, Kelis patiently said, “You are here because we have need of mortals such as yourself. We are offering a second chance at a mortal life.”

“And that need is?” questioned Ryan, wondering what he was about to get roped into.

“Terra, a world we spirits are charged to protect, is threatened by forces who serve our enemy -- one who is intent on enslaving all. Those who resist forfeit their lives. We ask that you help protect the Terran people. Be it a strong sword arm, wielding powerful magic, or even something as simple as crafting weapons and armor,” informed Kelis.

“Magic! Did he say magic?” That alone was almost enough to make Ryan agree on the spot. “Still, it sounds like there is a lot of conflict on Terra.” Speaking up, Ryan voiced a question that had been quietly forming. “Sounds like it might be quite dangerous. What happens if I choose not to take it?”

“You would then move on to the afterlife. If it helps at all, should you regret your decision once there, know that we will not interfere should you want to live a life of peace,” added Kelis, whose words sounded genuine. “Should you agree to this, your memories from your previous life will vanish forever.”

“Forever?” “He said that so casually,” thought Ryan before continuing, "As in never getting them back, not even with my second death?” Seeing Kelis nod in confirmation, Ryan then asked, “May I have time to think it over?”

“Of course, it is a big decision. Take your time. When you have made your choice, simply knock on the door,” stated Kelis.

“Can I leave this room? Walk around to clear my mind?” ventured Ryan. He was wondering if perhaps he was imprisoned there until he chose his fate.

“Unfortunately, that is not possible. A mortal’s soul cannot survive in the Spirit realm. Only specially prepared rooms such as this are safe. I’ll take my leave now. Remember, knock when you are ready,” replied Kelis who then quickly left the room.

As the door was closing, Ryan was able to glance past him and noted a similar door on the other side of what appeared to be a hallway. He wondered if another person in a situation like his was in that room. He was sorely tempted to open the door, but feared either Kelis would know, or perhaps doing so was somehow dangerous. Ryan then sat back down in the chair; his head tilted up as he sighed. Closing his eyes, he went over the pros and cons of agreeing to Kelis’ offer. Both options seemed equally appealing to him. If the afterlife was anything like it was depicted in religious texts, it would be a peaceful existence in paradise. Then again, he did feel as if he had so many things left to do.

A small pang of guilt formed as sudden thoughts of his parents and siblings sprang into his mind. He was so caught up with the possibility of a new life in a new world that he had completely forgotten about them. Though he knew he couldn't go back to his former life, he felt choosing to begin a new one was selfish on some level. Tears formed as he thought about never seeing his family again. Thoughts of his father’s words brought him out of his grief. He remembered his father telling him to always fight for those who were unable to defend themselves after telling his father about a bully at school. He found his resolve bolstered by his father's words, coupled with his innate desire to continue to help others.

With his mind made up, Ryan rose to his feet. He was happy it proved that Kelis was indeed true to his word, allowing him all the time he needed to decide. He knocked on the door and took a few paces back. Almost immediately, Kelis opened the door and walked in.

Before Kelis could ask for his choice, Ryan quickly volunteered, “I want to help the people of Terra.”

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A bright smile formed on Kelis’ face. “Excellent! I am pleased to hear it. Though I would not have judged you harshly had you chosen otherwise,” he replied.

“What now?” asked Ryan.

“Now, it's time for you to be on your way,” replied Kelis with an assuring yet somewhat cryptic tone. There was a weight to Kelis’ words and an intensity in his gaze. He then raised his hand confidently and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, as if a veil of shadows descended, Ryan found himself engulfed in complete darkness. The transition was swift; the world around him dissipated into an inky void and any sign of Kelis vanished with it. He was unable to discern even the outline of his own hands as he waved them in front of his face. He tried reaching out in all directions, grasping only empty space, as if he was suspended in air. Gradually, a pale light began to form in front of him. As it slowly grew brighter, Ryan could make out what appeared to be a giant scroll. On it were written the words, “Please write a new name for yourself.” A quill pen suddenly appeared in his hand. Considering a few names, Ryan settled on 'Rygic,' blending elements from his first name, 'Ryan,' and his last name, 'Saveric.' This pseudonym was frequently his go-to character name in games. He swiftly wrote down his new identity and took a deep breath, understanding the gravity of his decisions.

Almost immediately after he inscribed his name, the words vanished only to be replaced with the word Terra, written near the top of the scroll. Below it, a map detailing the world slowly appeared. Two colors, blue and red, filled the map. Red, which according to a map legend represented the Kosany Empire, filled the entire southern section and began to creep into the north. The blue section appeared to be made up of many small kingdoms. As if sensing he had enough time to look over the map, the words, ‘Select your starting area’ appeared just under Terra. A series of circles began to appear on different parts of the blue sections. Selecting a circle revealed various information about the local area, as well as which House of Elves lived nearby. “Odd to point that out,” he thought to himself. A region fairly close to the bordering blue and red colors kept drawing his attention. Selecting it revealed a series of texts. The area belonged to the country of Viltis, inhabited by the elves who were members of House Olden. A long narrow stretch of woods called the Wondaeri Forest seemed to border the lands between the Kosany Empire and Viltis.

Selecting Viltis as his starting area, the words as well as the map vanished. The words ‘Are you sure?’ appeared on the otherwise blank scroll. Gripping the quill pen, Ryan wrote the word “yes.” The text vanished, only to be replaced with ‘By selecting yes once more, you are agreeing to forget your previous life. Your memory will only start from the moment you appeared in the spirit realm.’ Ryan hesitated for a moment and closed his eyes. Moments from his previous life echoed in his thoughts. His final memory of that life emboldened his decision. He then wrote yes, with a flourish.

Immediately, the light vanished, leaving him in the dark. Slowly, little pinpricks of light resembling stars began to appear. From the way the lights began to change position, he could tell he was in motion. Soon a huge blue and green jeweled globe came into view, which he assumed was Terra. Steadily, it grew larger as he moved closer to the area he had selected. The Wondaeri forest came into view. As the trees grew larger, he could see a clearing in the form of a circle. In its center, was a flat rock carved with strange symbols, almost flush with the ground. Just before he “landed” a voice that sounded much like Kelis whispered, “Welcome to Terra, Rygic Olden. A guide should appear very soon. Until we meet again, safe travels.”

A feeling of relief washed over Rygic as he took in his surroundings. Many things appeared familiar to him. It seemed while memories of his previous life were erased, some elements remained. Slowly turning, he noticed he was in an open field surrounded by tall, shadowy trees. The area seemed peaceful and pleasant. Shifting his gaze upward, clear azure skies greeted him. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep, basking in the warmth of the sun and the calming sounds of nature—from the gentle hum of bees drifting among the wildflowers nearby and the rhythmic chirping of grasshoppers in the tall grasses, to the cheerful chirping of songbirds mingling with the rustle of leaves. Opening his eyes once again, he then glanced down at the rock he was standing on and noticed strange carvings. They looked to be a language of some sort. He committed the symbols to memory, hoping to ask his guide about them later.

To better pass the time, Rygic began to explore his immediate surroundings, though never straying too far into the forest. The woods teemed with life. Birds continued to happily sing while squirrels jumped from tree to tree. From time to time, a rabbit would bound from a bush nearby to another. Various plants and berries grew on the forest floor.

Gradually, the sun began to set. With no sign of his guide, Rygic assumed he or she must have been running late. Unsure of how long it might be until his guide showed up, he decided to find a place to sleep for the night. The idea of sleeping on the ground in the center of the clearing did not appeal to him as he felt it was too exposed. Thankfully, the temperature had been quite warm during the day so he hoped it would be warm enough during the night. Picking one of the biggest trees on the edge of the clearing, he climbed up until he found a rather wide branch. Setting his back against the tree trunk, he tried his best to get comfortable and settled in for the night. Although comfortable enough, he had a feeling he was not going to get much sleep.

After continuously tossing and turning to find a decent position to sleep, Rygic was finally starting to nod off when a distant horn pierced through the still night. He jerked awake and looked towards the direction the blare was coming from. Subsequent horn blasts began to sound increasingly more urgent and desperate as if calling for help. With a deep fortifying breath, he climbed down the tree and stood still, listening for any other cues. Could it be his guide? Perhaps he or she was in trouble and was using the horn to call for help. The direction of the horn blasts led further into the dark woods and Rygic briefly hesitated, fearing he would not be able to see well. As he stood there mustering his courage, the horn sounded again; only this time wildly as if the owner lacked the time to properly use it. The desperation of the horn call filled him with courage and his legs began to move before he had time to hesitate any further. He climbed down the tree and made his way toward the direction where he last heard the horn. Though very little light from the moon filtered through the treetops, he was delighted to find that he was able to easily see in the darkness. Instead of colors, he saw shades of grey. He quickened his pace as fast as he dared; though he could see well enough, he was unwilling to risk injury in case he tripped.

It wasn’t long before sounds of yelling and what sounded like metal striking metal could be heard. Some of the voices Rygic could make out well enough, others sounded like guttural shouting. The moonlight above illuminated a dirt road through the trees. Stealthily, he crept up to one of the trees not too far from the edge of the road so he could get a better view of the commotion. Peering around the tree, his eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of a brutish, hulking green creature with pointed ears. The monster's ferocity was evident in its bulging muscles, and the savage, jutting tusks protruding from its powerful jaw as it easily wielded a colossal two-handed axe. Directly across from the creature stood a warrior wearing battle-scarred chain armor with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Even from where he was standing, he could see how deeply fatigued the man was. Behind the warrior was another in robes leaning over a body with outstretched glowing hands. Nearby, several more warriors lay wounded.

Movement off to the left caught Rygic’s eye. Five more of the hulking green creatures walked into view. Judging by the appearance of their armor and the blood on their weapons, they had recently been in a separate battle. A look of defeat briefly flashed on the warrior’s face and his countenance faltered. Taking a quick glance at the wounded behind him, the warrior seemed to steel himself. His expression transformed into one that showed grim resolve.

Rygic’s mind was screaming at him to get away while the creatures were distracted, but his heart was telling him to rush out and help the warrior. Fear gripped him. He knew rushing out there to help would most likely lead to his death. Still, however brief this second chance of life might be, deep down he knew he couldn’t just idly stand by. A plan soon began to take shape as he thought over different possibilities. He reasoned if he couldn’t rush to their aid, perhaps he could draw some of them off as a distraction.

The moment Rygic took a step in the direction of the hulking green creatures and brought up his hands to his mouth to yell, a firm hand gripped his shoulder. “Very brave, but if you get involved now, you will only add to the body count,” someone behind him whispered.