Chapter 4
No Pain, No Life
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There are different types of fear that people in my world have discovered. The fear of heights, the fear of bugs, and even the fear of the outside. But most of those fears are grounded in one instinctual fear that makes most people dread it the most, and that is the fear of death. I've never really thought about that fear while I was still alive and well. It's not something you think about in your daily life, or maybe you did and you just learned to tune it out.
However, now that I've died, the prospect of death is more frightening than before, and it's not the fear of death anymore. Now, I fear the pain that death brings. That soul-crushing feeling when you hear the news of your uncle's passing, the pain that you feel before dying, and the pain that you feel when you are decomposing and being eaten by wildlife.
I consider myself to have a pretty high threshold for pain, mentally and physically. But the fear of pain is still something that never goes away even after death. Once, it was an instinctual fear that let you avoid death. Now though? It is just an instinctual fear that lets you know of the impending agony that you will be subjected to. Hence, I am now furiously pleading and bargaining again with the god beside me.
WAIT WAIT WAIT! Wait a minute! Can't you just revive me?! You're THE God of Death, right? There's no need to make me into an undead creature, yeah?
"Callum, did you not hear me just a minute ago? I can't meddle with your soul with you being an Otherworlder. This is the only way to rise from the dead." Thellius said with exasperation.
Then won't that happen with the people that you're transporting here?!
"Being transported while being alive and being transported at death's door are two different things. Your soul has been contaminated by the void in transit after you got the critical condition label on your status screen. Nothing I can do about it."
Then why do I need to be in pain just to be alive?!
"Can you use your other skills other than your tolerance ones?"
Opening my status screen and looking over my skill section, I frantically read and reread the available skills that I can use.
I can't use [Cooking I], [Iefir's Quest System I], [Inventory I], and even my [Landscaping I] because of my current condition. But there is still hope!
I have two skills that I'm actively using right now that aren't considered tolerance skills! I quickly yelled in my mind.
"Oh? And what would that be?"
[Othim's Myriad Tongues I] and [Undead's Oculus I]! There's got to be a way to level those up, right? No need to go through more pain now that we've got something here.
"Oh Callum, I may not be able to touch your soul and resurrect you, but I am still a god. And nothing stays hidden under a god's gaze. Do you think that I didn't consider those skills when thinking about the fastest way to bring you back?" He said, irritation coming out of his voice.
Then why did you ask me if I have tolerance sk-
"Look, Callum, do you even know how leveling works?"
No. I said in defeat after a few seconds of hesitation. Why change the subject though? Did he just forget that he can see through my status?
"Ahem...There are multiple ways to level yourself up, and the most common way is to actually gain experience. And to gain experience, you need to be subjected to something. Whether it be through battle, crafts, or by learning new skills. Now, the reason why your tolerance skills are being used in leveling you up to make you into an undead is because it is the easiest and fastest way to level. Do you have a method to level up your translation skills?"
If you can speak in a different language, then maybe-
"See, that's why it won't work. I am literally a god, Callum. And being one has its pros and cons. I can't actively help you gain levels in any way, or else, you and I are going to be under heaven's ire. Meaning, zap zap, I get crippled, your soul disintegrates, and everyone has a bad time, although, I can give you some system knowledge and great relationship advice, but that's beside the point. The same goes for your sight skills. The only way for you to gain more levels in that skill is to actually explore the world, and I can't see you doing that in your current state. Hence, the tolerance skills.
"If gods can just help willy-nilly, then this world would have been filled with war and chaos. Imagine millions of people at level 100 duking it out in this world. It would have led to the end of times, which I would say is one of my domains, but without life, there's no death, so I'd pass on that."
But if you can't actively help me gain some levels, then what will you do?
"Tsk tsk tsk. It seems that you haven't put it together yet." He said, with smugness on his face.
And what is that? I thought, annoyance evident in my tone.
"Cheating the system, of course! I can't actively help you, but that doesn't mean that I can't. I have minions to do the work for me, and you being my prophet are more than enough to use a loophole in the system. Remember, I can't actively help you in any shape or form, but that doesn't mean that my reapers can't do the job. I'll just leave a suggestion that you are to be punished for trespassing into our world, and bam! You become a full-fledged undead."
And why specifically do I need to be punished? I thought with exasperation in my voice.
"Because it would be helping you if I just told them to level you up so you can turn into an undead. And, it would be entertaining that way."
And here I was, thinking that you aren't a sadist. What a fool I have become. I thought in mock sadness.
"Oh shut it, you were just about to subject yourself to eternal damnation just to save a couple of friends," Thellius said, going along with my quip.
And I've learned my lesson, so please. Please. Is there another way to level me up that doesn't involve pain? I thought in a pleading voice, trying hard to look for another solution to level up and become an undead creature of the night.
"Unfortunately, no. But look at the bright side. You get to live and level up your tolerance to survive in this world. The only way I see this ending is you get more wins at the end of the day...or week.
"Anyways, one of mine will be looking over your revival, so you'll be fine...probably"
Probably? I shouted in my mind. What does he mean "probably"?
"Sorry, gotta go now, works-a-callin. Tah tah." And then Thellius disappeared as if he was never here, not even giving me the chance to ask more about the safety of this endeavor.
What the hell am I supposed to do now? Wait for my inevitable agony? I'd rather get stabbed again than get pecked by Satan's hellspawns. And did he just give his work to someone else? I know now that he can't actively help me, but you know, he could've stayed here and given moral support.
Sighing and slowly accepting the pain that I'll be subjected to, I opened my status screen and looked at my attributes and remaining unspent points. If I'm going to go through intense training, then I'll at least try to ready myself mentally, and physically if that still matters. But holy shit am I pissing my metaphorical pants right now. There's no way that I can endure any pain that goes beyond the runes that were seared into me. Would I even be sane after this? Am I going to break? Is this even safe?
Snapping out of my negative thoughts, I prepared to allocate my points and planned for the worst. First thing first, endurance is going to be needed to get through this for sure, so I'll be adding 5 points into it bringing it up to 18 points. Then, I'll add 3 points to my wisdom stat to see if it would help with my willpower. If it helps, great! If not, then I still have 2 measly points to try and ease the pain. With a plan in mind, I waited for this supposed reaper to come and visit me.
As I waited there, I started to get more nervous by the second, trying to calm myself and failing. To distract myself, I started rereading my status screen.
Status
Condition:
Deceased (January 19, 2023. 7:05 p.m.. Cause: Hemorrhage)
Time after death: 3 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes
Personal Information
Name:
Age:
Race:
Class:
Level:
Callum Hurst Foster
25 (October 12, 1997)
N/A
N/A
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
N/A
Resources
Health:
Stamina:
Mana:
0/28
0/20
N/A
Title
Permanent:
Temporary:
Special:
Transmigrator, Messenger of Death
N/A
Defier of Death
Attributes
Strength:
Dexterity:
Endurance:
Vitality:
Intelligence:
Wisdom:
Charisma:
Unspent Points:
12
10
13 (+5%)
14 (+5%)
8
10 (+5%)
21
10
Skills Ceremony I Lvl 1, Cooking I Lvl 3, Dark Showl I Lvl 1, Death's Shadow I Lvl 1, Fortitude I Lvl 8, Iefir's Quest System I, Inventory I Lvl 1, Landscaping I Lvl 5, Othim's Myriad Tongues I Lvl 1, Pain Tolerance I Lvl 7, Undeath's Oculus I Lvl 1
A lot has changed over my encounter with Thellius, netting me a few more skills and a new permanent title. Squinting and focusing my attention on the title given to me to forget my inevitable hell, a new pop-up appeared next to it.
Death's Messenger
(Divine)
You are the voice of Death, his very prophet. May your followers know the natural course of life and your enemies know the sweet embrace of your God.
Gives the title holder 5 points in Charisma
Gives the title holder the skill [Ceremony I]
Gives the title holder the skill [Dark Showl I]
Gives the title holder the skill [Death's Shadow I]
Gives the title holder the (Death Affinity)
The holder gains a 5% increase in vitality, endurance, and wisdom.
The holder has a 25% chance to come back from the dead. This resurrection cannot be interrupted by any means.
Seeing what the title could do, my irritation at Death lessened, a little bit. It's still there, I'm still kind of angry at the guy, but what can I do? But I guess I should thank him for the title anyway. But looking into it a bit more, doesn't this seem a bit overpowered? Don't get me wrong, I like being strong, but I have no reference to being strong in a magical sense. Being able to come back 1 out of 4 times from the dead is big. That is if I could actually endure the pain and suffering that I'll go through.
Spiraling again into the thought of more pain than I'm used to, I switched my focus to the skill section of my status. Looking it over, I saw the 3 skills that the title {Death's Messenger} has given me. The first is the [Ceremony I] skill.
Ceremony I Lvl 1
(Rare)
For one to guide the souls of the lost, one must know how to do so.
Lets the user of the skill perform a ceremony in their immediate vicinity that guides the souls of the dead to your God's afterlife.
Every soul that you have guided gives the user experience.
This skill can only be used once a week.
So, from what I'm reading here, this skill is like a funeral, with each soul that I've guided giving me experience that would then level me up. I guess being a grim reaper is a very lucrative job. But why only the dead part? Isn't ceremony a broad term for many celebrations? Wait, aren't celebrations just ceremonies? Or is being dead making me lose my mind on what a ceremony and a celebration are?
Never mind, I'll get to that whenever I'm reborn as a walking corpse. In short, this skill lets me guide the souls of those who have died. Maybe I could use this for any ghosts that I might encounter in this fantasy world. Actually, isn't this the kind of skill that priests have? Isn't this the perfect counter to me since I'm going to be an undead anyway? Ugh, this skill is making my non-existent brain hurt.
After analyzing what [Ceremony I] could do, I switched my focus to [Dark Showl I], giving me the familiar pop-up next to the skill name.
Dark Cloak I Lvl 1
(Rare)
A feature that every reaper of death has, for one should be undetected when guiding those who have passed.
Lets the user of the skill summon a shadowy cloak over their form, covering their features to any physical or magical senses.
The user can use the cloak to blend in with the shadows, becoming undetected to the naked eye.
It really is just a dark cloak that any angsty teenager would lose their minds about. It can be used to hide my rotting face, that's for sure. But it could also be used for stealth, which I would most likely use to hide in the night. I mean, anyone who would know that I'm an undead would kill me unhesitatingly, so having an option to hide my appearance from my captors is a win for me. Maybe if it levels up, I could use the shadows to teleport. That would be awesome. But still, I can't use it if I don't have mana. I'm gonna guess that most of the skills that I have would be mana-intensive, so having that magical resource is a must.
Finishing up my reading with the skill, I moved on to the last skill that the title gave me, which sounds like a summoning skill that lets me call upon Peter Pan's shadow.
Death's Shadow I Lvl 1
(Unique)
The shadow of Death takes many forms, for a reaper should have a companion to seek lost souls.
Lets the user of the skill summon a wisp of Death's shadow, bonding it as your familiar and becoming your own personal shadow.
The user can alter the form of the familiar while summoning it from their shadow. This form can only take shape after the user has encountered that form.
The form of the familiar cannot exceed the user's height.
In short, a wizard's familiar. This really gets my soul pumping with excitement. Like, really? I get to have my own animal companion. Isn't this the most powerful skill that I have? It's a shapeshifter too, so if I encounter a dragon, won't it take that form too? Man, this is the best skill ever. And it's only level 1 so having a shadow dragon is in the realm of possibility. I guess this would be the first magic skill that I'll try out. I mean, who doesn't want a companion that can turn into a dragon? Although, the skill won't let me do that unless I level it up more. But a shadow wolf is still badass. Just imagining myself walking with a dark wolf gets me excited to rise up from the dead. The pain is worth it if I can summon my own familiar.
With my mind abuzz, a sudden chill went through my body. My spherical vision turned blurry, a mist permeating throughout my surroundings. The sound of the rustling trees turned muted, and everything darkened.
The silence was only broken up by a footstep, crunching the grass underneath it. The sense of doom that I felt when talking with death came back, but less strong than before. However, I already knew who it was that was approaching me. It's not even a question of who or what it is that's getting closer, but when they would come near me and my decaying body.
My once bright mood turned gloomy for I know what comes next. A few seconds of silence went by after the reaper got to me, and then a husky voice sounded out beneath their hooded figure.
"Oh dear soul, please forgive me, for my lord has given his verdict upon you." They said with a tone full of sorrow.
It was hard to make the gender of their voice as it was too husky to make out. Their volume is closer to a whisper, making understanding what they're saying a bit difficult. However, their pity on me is kind of insulting, but I guess I'd pity myself too after what I've been through. And so, I thought out loud;
You don't have to be sorry for a lost soul like me. I've known that this was coming, so bring whatever punishment Death has to offer.
Well, it's not like I could really do anything anyway. It is either I get left here rotting while being conscious of my body decaying for all eternity, or I go through intense pain and get to live another time.
Now that I think about it, this deal is better than what I'd hoped for. With all my cowardice gone after knowing I'd get a familiar later, the reaper beside me spoke again.
"I am sorry, but this was my lord's orders. Ziel Legare." After casting its spell, my soul felt every inch of my body much more clearly. I could already sense what my corpse was going through, but this was like putting all of my senses to the max.
My sense of taste was back, letting me taste my rotting gums and iron in my mouth. My sense of vision is entirely gone now, robbing me of my spherical vision of monochromatic sight. My sense of hearing is muted after my ears have been pecked to shreds by Satan's hell spawns. My sense of smell is heightened, letting me get a whiff of my decay. Lastly, I could feel every cell in my body exploding and turning to mush, like a never-ending firework that was happening inside my body. The feeling of pointy grass is like small needles stabbing into my back. The silk in my clothes is rougher and more uncomfortable. Even after my brain is gone, the information that my senses are feeding me is too much, leading me into a sensory overload state. I can't even scream in my mind from the fear of having more information loaded in me.
Feeling like I'm losing my mind from all of these sensations, that chill feeling washes over me again.
"I have bound your soul to your body. Now, Death's judgment could finally be meted." They said, making me want to retch from how loud and disorientating their voice was. What once was a whisper, feels like a booming thunder now with my enhanced senses. Speaking of enhanced senses, another source of information was drilled into my mind, making the situation more unbearable.
Congratulations! You've gained the [Enhanced Senses I] Skill
With the loud notification sounding out in my mind, I finally broke into a screaming fit. I mean, what's there to hear anymore anyway?
"May your soul be purified by the end of death's tribulation." The sound feels like the neverending feedback of a mic next to an amp in my head.
STOP FUCKING SPEAKING! I screamed, hoping for the fucker to stop spouting dialogue like a cartoon villain.
With all my senses back and stronger than ever, the next thing that happened can only be called hell. A thick mist of hot air suddenly washed over me, piercing through my skin and flesh and making my cells feel like bloated water balloons and slowly being destroyed from the inside out. Whatever the mist is doing is most definitely doing its job, because the pain is just a hundred times a thousand. It's comparable to the searing pain that I felt from those runes, but it's wholly different. If that was like your soul being burned in the fiery pits of hell, then this is like frying your soul in an acid bath that could melt steel in seconds.
With more pain and information being fired into my head, another sort of misery encompassed my soul. The steel-like feeling inside me grew hotter and hotter, and then my whole soul was set ablaze. All of me felt like it was turning to ashes. My memories, thoughts, ideas, all of it. It felt like my whole existence had been thrown into a furnace of unimaginable flames, and the only thing that I could think of was pain. But a wave of disgust flowed through me. The feeling of discomfort that I felt before grew stronger and stronger as the pain ramped up to another level.
With two opposing forces clashing in my body, my consciousness gained a small foothold, letting me think of the predicament that I've got myself into. Now that I know that Earth was doomed to be consumed by an eldritch being, I feel a little bit relieved. Even more so that the friends I know can be transported here. Now, I just need to get through this pain and live again. I just need to tolerate it, and that's it.
Tolerate the pain, Callum. You've already gone through beatings since you were a kid, so this should be nothing to you. Uncle would've done the same if he got the chance, no doubt in my mind. I thought with grit.
The pain is still there, but it feels a bit lessened now. However, that doesn't mean that it's not unbearable. The pain is still too real to tune out, but I just accepted it. If I want to get another chance to see my friends when they get here, then this pain is nothing. Moreso if I'd get a chance to ride a dragon made of shadows.
So with that, my being went through hours of hellish pain, which later I learned was just over half a week. It felt like years had gone by with all of the senses and agony that I went through, but I finally did it.
With the last notification resounding in my tired mind, the pain suddenly stopped, and my senses retracted into my mind, making me feel a bit trapped after all my senses were suddenly pulled to normality. Looking over the notification of blue text, I can't help but smile at what I've read.
Evolution into an Undead creature is available.
Evolve now?
YES/NO
Without even finishing the sentence, I mentally said yes. Then everything went black.