Ranean's heart pounded as the words sank in. Three lives? Succeed in all three? Or… go to hell if I fail?
"Exactly," the voice said, almost cheerfully. "Fail, and you're off to a place you won't like. Think of it as… permanent detention with eternal paperwork."
Ranean blinked. Paperwork? Eternal? "Wait… are you serious? Hell has… paperwork?"
"Oh yes," the voice chuckled. "Endless forms, long lines, and the occasional demon who doesn't know what they're doing. Delightful, really. But you don't want that. So focus."
A bright light suddenly enveloped her. It was warm, like a sunbeam giving her a friendly slap. She felt herself being pulled forward, her body tingling in ways that made her knees wobble. Then—THWAP!
Ranean landed face-first in a patch of soft grass. She groaned, sitting up. Her hair was a wild mess, her clothes unfamiliar, and the air smelled like flowers… weirdly sweet, like someone had dumped sugar on the village.
A woman carrying a basket of fruits approached, scowling. "Mira! Mira! Are you daydreaming again? Help me with these baskets, or the market will eat us alive!"
Ranean froze. Mira? That's not my name…
"First life," the voice whispered inside her head. "You are Mira. Live, learn, and don't mess up. Remember… fail, and hell is waiting. And yes, that paperwork is real."
Ranean gulped. Okay… note to self: don't mess up. Also… why am I always picked for the weird stuff?
As she tried to stand gracefully, she stumbled and almost tripped over her own feet, landing directly into the basket of fruit. Apples rolled in every direction. The woman sighed, picking up a pear from Ranean's hair. "Oh, Mira… one day you'll grow up… maybe."
Ranean groaned, rubbing the back of her head. Great. First challenge, and I already look like a fruit salad. And this is only the beginning? Fantastic.
"Welcome to your first life," the voice said, with a hint of amusement. "Let's see if you survive without sending your soul to the fiery office of eternal doom."
Ranean took a shaky breath and tried to straighten her crooked dress. She looked around, taking in the village: wooden houses with smoke curling from chimneys, children chasing each other with shrieks of laughter, and a dog that barked at her as if it could sense her inner panic. Okay… Mira. Be brave. Don't get yourself killed. And please, don't trip into another basket.
The woman clapped her hands. "Come on! We need to get these to the market before the sun gets too high. And try not to squish any more fruit on yourself, will you?"
Ranean nodded. She stepped forward, trying to appear confident, though inside her stomach did a perfect acrobatic somersault. Three lives… survive… don't mess up… fruit… demons… paperwork… She let out a nervous laugh. Somehow, she had to live this life. Somehow.