“Why?” Tez asked, breaking the deafening silence.

There has come a time in everyone’s life–or lack thereof–when all one can ask is ‘Why?’ The question may seem very vague, but no other question can be asked so haphazardly and still be relevant to the conversation. Toddlers love to annoy their parents with this question so they can know more. Adults ask the question when they wish they could know less.

Never before had Tez felt so powerless. He never had to feel that way before. From a young age, he trained his body to its absolute limits. Obtaining a body with strength equivalent to a Silver-titan, the speed of a Lamatti, and the technique of an Alota. He had the looks too–a blessing from his Mother–that won him the hearts of many maidens. A single grin from him, coupled with his long, black hair, hazel eyes, and chiseled chin, had landed him many erotic nights.

None of the mattered now. Everything that he had done since he was a kid was for naught. He kept repeating the same singular ‘why’ in his head and, unintentionally, mumbling it out loud. Memories of his entire life flashed between each syllable while Panic crept alongside. The flame burning within him slowly being burnt out.

Tez felt no bodily discomfort that typically comes with said reaction–he was dead and only a soul. His soul, however, still maintains his human figure. It takes a bit for the soul to forget the body it was caged in for years.

For example, Tez still felt the need to fall on his knees due to the unsavory news he received, even though he no longer had leg muscles to give out on him. Tez was currently unaware of this fact, but Ei noticed. It was Ei’s job to notice…

…And advise.

“That is the truth, I am afraid,” Ei replied, curtly. Responding a bit less thoughtfully than a parent would.

Ei’s form shifted with less vigor now, maintaining a strictly humanoid appearance. Each face shared the same apathetic grin. Its body never got too large or too small for the cushioned-thrown. Some would say it looked perfectly suited for the throne, and they would be mostly right. Every form it took was the appearance of some royal throughout all of history. Not one royal was ever perfect, but every royal at the same time had to be near perfect.

This was not something that Tez caught onto, but he could sense it. He knew that Ei would not lie to him. He knew it was much more powerful than him. He knew that every one of his ancestors fell to their knees like him in front of Ei when they had died. And maybe, just like them, he felt the flame consume him from within.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Tez got off his knees and, with renewed vigor, stared Ei down. For a brief moment, Ei’s form became completely stagnant. Its lips twitched with the face of a young, royal prince. One with long, black hair, hazel eyes, and a chiseled chin. Then, its form began to shift again.

“Why is immortality a myth?” Tez asked with heat beneath his words.

“As I said before, it is–”

“Why must one die,” Tez added before Ei could finish, “to get ‘eternal life’ here? Aren’t I dead now? How is it life if I am dead?”

“I don’t think you know what you are talking about,” Ei scoffed.

“Maybe not… But I just don’t understand.”

“It is not for you to understand. Not yet, at least. Not until you sign the contract.”

Ei tossed a pen–landing perfectly against Tez’s toes. He looked at the contract that he still held clutched in his right hand and then the pen at his feet, but he made no effort to pick it up.

“What if I don’t want to sign the contract?”

Ei sighed.

“It is in your best interest to sign the contract.”

Tez dropped the contract with zero hesitation. His hand shook lightly–another habit of a recently freed soul–but his eyes flared grit and defiance.

“I swear,” Ei mumbled in annoyance, “no one ever reads the contract.”

It stood from the throne. The back of its robe lifted from the ground and took the shape of large, white, bird wings. In the next moment, Ei stepped into a leap off the top of the stairs and glided down to Tez; who wavered slightly as he watched Ei’s face morph between human and bird.

This wasn’t the first time Ei had done this, Tez figured.

It flew above his head and then arched itself upward with one solid flap of its wings. Tez watched as Ei soared straight into the nothingness above. He felt uneasy but also knew there was no stopping what was going to happen next. Whatever it was going to be.

He continued to stare at the nonexistent ceiling, waiting for Ei to come back down. But it never did. Higher and higher it went until Tez couldn’t see it anymore.

Did it leave me, Tez wondered. Not sure if it gave up on him or something. He looked around to see if there was any exit from the throne room but saw nothing that stood out to him.

There has to be something though, he figured as he stepped towards one of the walls. But before his foot could touch the ground, two firm hands grabbed his shoulders and yanked him into the sky. A startled scream escaped his lips as he ascended into nothingness.

“If you don’t sign the contract,” Ei’s voice said closely to his ear, “you forfeit your right to eternal life.”