The next thing I knew, I was seated in a chair within a magnificent courtroom, with gilded banisters and platinum chairs. There were 13 thrones within the room arranged in a semi-circle. The one in the middle was raised higher than the other 12, which instead resided on the same level of elevation. Before I even had a chance to ask any questions, I heard a grandiose voice call out-

  “Let the trial of the mortal, Samuel Haze, commence!”

  A light flashed, then 13 masked beings appeared on the thrones. Yes, beings. The term “people” seemed like an insult for entities of their majesty and presence. The man who sat on the 13th throne had a mask platinum in color, while the other 12 wore masks made of gold. The 12 golden-masked figures were split into two groups of six that sat on either side of the figure wearing the platinum mask.

  The man in the middle spoke first. “Before we begin judging this poor soul, I would personally like to offer an apology on behalf of the immortal realms. It was due to our negligence that an immortal from the Bloodshadow realm escaped and possessed your body. It is because of this that your soul has been tainted. Due to your soul being in such close proximity with an immortal overflowing with karmic sin, you, over time, gathered karmic sin as well. However, since you, as a mortal, had no ability to prevent this, we will offer you a choice.”

  I was too stunned by everything that had happened that I didn’t know what to say. In the end, I all I could do was focus on the last thing he said and ask about the choices I had.

   “What do you mean? What choices?”

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            Now, I can’t say I asked these questions because I was mature. No, anything but that. I was just too shocked that barely anything he said registered in my mind.

            “What I mean is this…There is only one way to rid yourself of karmic sin, and that is to suffer through horrifying torment for an undeterminable amount of time. Normally, you would be subject to this punishment without a trial. However, due to your special circumstances, exceptions were made. To be honest, choice one is to suffer this torment and cleanse your soul. Your other choice is too be reincarnated with your soul uncleansed. While you will still be covered by karmic sin, you won’t have to suffer. And if I may, there is a chance that you soul will shatter during the cleansing process."

Those last two facts made the choice me. After a moment had passed, I voiced my decision.

  "I’ll choose option two.”

  “Are you sure? The world you will reincarnate into will contain immortals that will undoubtedly kill you if they sense the thick layer of karmic sin around your soul.”

  “I’m sure. I never was a glutton for pain. Plus, why suffer endless torment when, realistically speaking, there is a small chance of me meeting an immortal at birth?"

            “Hahaha! Well said, mortal! I wish you luck! If you become strong enough, maybe we will meet someday. Farewell, Samuel Haze!”

  All of a sudden, the floor underneath me disappeared, leaving me to fall into the endless void…

…

In the courtroom.

The being sitting directly to the right of the platinum masked man continued to stare straight ahead. However, the voice of a middle aged woman rings out-  

“Head Judge, how was he, a mortal, able to kill an immortal from the Ik'tor realm? It defies all logic…”

“Second judge, there are some things that occur in the multiverse that no one can make sense of. I would argue that Samuel Haze’s existence is one of those things…After all, how often does the multiverse take pity on a mortal soul?”