The belief in life after death is a fascinating and diverse theme found in various religions and mythologies around the world. Each belief system offers unique insights into what happens to the soul after it departs from the physical realm.
In Christianity, the prevailing belief is that the soul faces judgment after death and is sent to either heaven or hell. Heaven is described as a place of eternal joy and communion with God, while hell represents a state of punishment or separation from God, reserved for those who led sinful lives.
Hinduism, in contrast, follows the principle of reincarnation. According to Hindu beliefs, the soul is reborn into a new body after death, based on its accumulated karma from past lives. The ultimate aspiration is to break free from the cycle of birth and death and attain moksha, a state of liberation from worldly existence.
Buddhism also focuses on ending the cycle of reincarnation. Buddhists strive to achieve enlightenment and escape suffering by following the teachings of the Buddha. Attaining enlightenment leads to the cessation of rebirth and the ultimate state of nirvana.
In Islam, it is believed that after death, the soul enters a phase known as the Barzakh, where it is judged by God before proceeding to either paradise (Jannah) or hell (Jahannam) for eternal reward or punishment, respectively.
Ancient Egyptian mythology vividly depicts the afterlife as a journey to the underworld. The heart of the deceased is weighed against the feather of Ma'at, symbolizing truth and justice, to determine their fate. If their heart is lighter than a feather, they are granted eternal life; otherwise, they face annihilation.
In Norse mythology, fallen warriors are believed to go to Valhalla, a majestic hall where they prepare for the epic battle of Ragnarök. On the other hand, those who did not die heroically find themselves in Hel, a realm associated with more ordinary souls.
Native American mythology and Chinese mythology offer diverse perspectives on the afterlife. Different tribes and regions hold their own beliefs, with some envisioning an afterlife where souls journey to a spiritual realm or dwell with their ancestors. In Chinese mythology, concepts of judgment, reincarnation, and ancestral spirits coexist, emphasizing the significance of rituals for the deceased.
What if, instead of succumbing to oblivion, the departed souls were destined for an extraordinary journey of rebirth, not in this universe, but in a realm teeming with wonders beyond imagination? A place where every fiber of existence pulsated with the allure of the unknown, promising adventure and discovery at every turn.
Granting them access to newfound abilities and knowledge that surpassed their earthly understanding. But for every breathtaking marvel, there lurked formidable dangers that tested the courage and resilience of the reborn souls. Forces of darkness and unfathomable mysteries loomed on the horizon, challenging the very essence of their being.
Nobody knows.
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The Waiting Room:-
As the boy opened his eyes, he blinked a few times, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He had no memory of who he was, where he came from, or why he was in this strange room. The only thing he knew was that he was alive and breathing.
The room was empty except for a lady who sat behind a plain table, watching him with a curious expression. “Hello,” said the lady, smiling warmly at him.
The boy opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He frowned, realizing he didn't even know how to talk.
“It's okay,” the lady said, noticing the boy's confusion. “You don't need to worry. You're safe here.”
The boy looked around the room again, trying to make sense of the sterile surroundings. There were no pictures or posters on the walls, no curtains on the windows, no plants or flowers in sight. It was like a blank canvas, devoid of any personality or warmth.
“Where am I?” the boy managed to ask, surprised at the sound of his voice.
“You are in the afterlife," the woman replied. Her words were accompanied by an air of mystery and an enchanting presence. "But do not fret; there is much more to this realm than meets the eye."
The woman was petite in stature, with a commanding presence that belied her size. Her chair was positioned higher than usual, giving her a sense of authority over the room. She wore a sleek black blazer that hugged her frame, paired with a deep navy-blue silk blouse. The top buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing a hint of décolletage that added a touch of allure to her otherwise professional attire.
Her blonde hair was expertly styled in a low bun at the nape of her neck, with a few loose tendrils framing her face. She wore a delicate diamond pendant necklace and matching stud earrings that glinted in the light, adding a touch of sparkle to her ensemble. Overall, her appearance exuded an effortless sense of chic sophistication, making her the center of attention in the room.
The boy's eyes widened in shock and confusion at the woman's words. Afterlife? Death? What was she talking about? He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers, trying to make sense of everything. But there was nothing there, no memories, no emotions, no sense of self.
“I don't understand,” he finally managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.
The woman leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and interlocking her fingers. “You have died, my dear boy,” she said, her tone sympathetic. “But you have been given a second chance, a choice to make. You can either choose to be reborn and live another life, or you can choose to be extinguished, to fade away into the nothingness that surrounds this world.”
The boy's mind reeled with the implications of her words. He had died? How had that happened? And now he had to choose between life and nothingness? It was overwhelming, and he didn't know what to do.
The woman seemed to sense his confusion and reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. “It's okay, dear,” she said, her voice gentle. "Take your time, but not too much, as many souls are waiting. Think about it. Come, sit here.”
The boy nodded, still unsure of what to do. He looked around the room again, taking in the stark emptiness of it all. If this was the afterlife, it wasn't what he had imagined it to be.
As he sat there, deep in contemplation, a subtle glimmer of something unfamiliar began to stir within him. It was an indescribable sensation that tugged at his heart, like a faint spark of light flickering and intensifying with each passing moment.
The boy realized a profound desire to embrace life in that fleeting moment. Despite his fragmented memories and the mysteries that shrouded his past, he felt an overwhelming curiosity to uncover the truth. The flame of hope burned brightly within him, guiding his path forward.
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However, there was an enigmatic quality to this newfound yearning. It was as if the longing to live originated not solely from within himself, but from somewhere beyond. He grappled with a sense of both self-discovery and a mysterious external force that propelled him toward the unknown.
“I want to live,” he said, his voice stronger this time.
The woman smiled a bright and genuine smile that lit up her face. “Excellent choice, my dear,” she said, standing up from the table. “We'll get you all set up then. Welcome to the world of the afterlife.”
And with that, the boy began his journey anew, his heart filled with hope and anticipation for the life that lay ahead.
“Very well,” she said. “But before we proceed, I need you to pick a new name. Please select two chits from this bowl.”
His heart raced as he reached for the chits. Trembling, he reached into the bowl and selected two chits.
The woman continued, “Now before we begin, I need to give you a brief lecture. Please listen carefully, and do not speak until I permit you.”
“Let's begin with filling out your profile, Zack Ronan. So that will be your name, huh? So, boy, can you see the floating window in front of you?” she said, taking a document from the stack on her right and starting to write.
“Y. Yes, I can see it,” he replied while an unknown floating, see-through window appeared.
The window displayed only a fraction of the information about Zack Ronan. It showed his name, sex, planet, sector, dimension, universe, power level, and other details. Zack was still browsing through the window when the lady called him, and he jolted in surprise.
Name – Zack Ronan
Sex – Male
Planet – Earth.
Sector – 49th
Dimension – 1M25k039 (3rd ).
Universe – 3k049
Power level – Tier -1 1-Star.
Ranking – unranked.
Focus – None.
Skills – None.
Ability – None.
Winnings – none.
“As I have already told you, this place is what we call the afterlife," she began, her voice soothing yet mysterious. "All sorts of people come here after they die in the outside plane. But, for most of the time, these people perish and are converted into sources of energy to be sent back to their respective universes to maintain the energy balance."
Zack listened intently, trying to process the information she was sharing. The concept of an afterlife and the existence of other planes of reality was completely new to him.
“However, there are always exceptions," the lady continued, her eyes glinting with ancient wisdom. "Some individuals, such as you and myself, do not perish in that process. To such lucky individuals, we your predecessors give a chance to either live life once more or to pass on forever."
Curiosity stirred within Zack. He wondered why some souls were granted this choice while others were not. And who was this mysterious lady before him? She seemed knowledgeable and powerful, someone who had witnessed countless souls passing through the afterlife.
“But we humans can’t be the only ones living in the outside plane or just our one universe," the lady added. "Heck, we don’t even exist in more than 40% of universes. Once you go out into this world, you might encounter other intelligent species like dragons, elves, vampires, angels, demons, and many more."
The mention of these diverse beings made Zack's heart race. The outside world was vast and filled with wonders he could not have fathomed before.
"A... are they dance... dangerous?" Zack stammered; his mind filled with images of fantastical creatures.
"Not really, per se, but they are much stronger than us humans," the lady replied, reassuringly. "And please, don’t interrupt me while I'm speaking. Listen carefully."
Zack nodded, eager to absorb all the information being shared. The lady's presence commanded respect and attention, and he didn't want to miss any crucial details.
"Great," she said, satisfied with his response. "As I said, these species are stronger than us. Meanwhile, some species are much weaker compared to us, but that's a topic for another day. For now, just remember that there are other races than humans."
The prospect of encountering these otherworldly beings both excited and intimidated Zack. His mind raced with thoughts of adventure, exploration, and the unknown.
"Now, before I send you away, there are two ways you can start your new journey," the lady explained, summoning two objects and placing them on the table before him.
As Zack examined the items, the lady continued, "We have established an academy to help guide new arrivals like you through this world. It offers teachings in basic history, geography, public skills, as well as some combat skills. However, we cannot force our ideals on you, so we present two choices."
Zack's gaze shifted between the two items on the table, trying to gauge their significance. The idea of attending the academy appealed to him. Knowledge and preparation seemed likewise choices before venturing into an unknown world.
"The first option is to join our academy," the lady explained. "You can attend without payment now, but you will be required to serve in the army for 200 years for free, and another 100 years at half pay, after your training."
The second choice intrigued Zack. "And what's the other option?" he asked, eager to hear more.
"If you choose not to attend the academy, we will provide you with some funds and basic information about the town you will be sent to," the lady explained. "You will have the freedom to explore and build your life as you see fit, but nobody can guaranty your security."
Zack's mind raced with the possibilities. The academy offered security and guidance, while the second option granted him freedom and autonomy.
As he weighed his options, the lady drummed her fingers impatiently. Sensing his hesitation, she spoke again. "Time is of the essence, Zack. You must make a decision."
His mind raced as he weighed my options. Freedom was tempting, but the uncertainty it held made me wary. In the end, he knew that sometimes certainty was the safer choice. Without hesitation, he spoke up. "I like the academy idea." his voice was firm, but he couldn't help the twinge of regret that crept into his heart it was like he didn’t like the idea, it was a strange feeling. The lady's expression softened slightly as she nodded, seemingly understanding my choice.
"Very well," she said, her voice calm and reassuring. "Now, I would suggest you sit still and not jerk away or anything." She stood up from her chair and walked around the table towards him, retrieving a mysterious round device from one of the drawers. As she reached him, she gently placed the device on the boy's head.
The moment the device made contact with his head; it emitted a low humming sound. The boy's curiosity was piqued at first, but within seconds, his expression contorted with pain. He couldn't help but wince as the sensation overwhelmed him, but just as quickly as it had come, the pain subsided, and his face returned to normal.
"What was that?" he asked, rubbing his temples as a slight headache lingered.
"This relic is used to transfer memories," the lady explained. "However, there are limitations to its use. It can only transfer very limited memories, like snippets. Consider it one of the hidden perks of joining the academy. I just transferred some basic memories about how to fight. Keep in mind that they are only basics, and they are all locked. The only way to unlock them is by picking up a weapon."
The boy nodded, taking in the information. The prospect of gaining new skills and knowledge intrigued him, but the thought of unlocking memories through combat also brought a sense of responsibility.
"Rest assured," the lady continued, "the memories won't overwhelm you. They will only be accessible when you need them most."
Feeling a mix of anticipation and determination, the boy settled back into his chair. He was ready to embrace the challenges that lay ahead, knowing that he had the guidance of the academy and the unlocked memories to aid him in his journey.
As he sat there, the lady handed him a small device. "Yeah, take this," she said. "This will be your key to your new life."
The boy accepted the device, examining it closely. It had an intricate design, and he could feel a faint hum of energy emanating from it.
He took the device, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. The small device was a watch, as he took it into his hand the watch attached itself to his wrist.
“This device will be the second most important thing in your life, the first being your life of course, as it will guide you through many things. this device will teleport you directly to your dorm. Press the button on the side for now as you reach your dormitory you will be instructed how to use it. Remember, Zack, you must be mindful of those around you. And welcome to the ‘New World’."
As he pressed the switch he heard fading words from the lady, “Hello! My dear.” She didn’t lie, people were waiting after him.
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