Death smiles at us... the only thing we can do is smile back.
Blake felt regret... regret for breaking his promise. Pain for leaving his family in this cruel world. When the figure had raised their hands, he felt his life flash before his eyes.
He felt the flames converge upon him and eagerly awaited his death. He then remembered the words of the figure that had taken the form of his father. Letting out a chuckle, he couldn't help but muse to himself. Maybe going out this way was set up by the universe.
To pay for my sins.
Yet, he was shocked. The excruciating pain he was expecting never came. Rather, he felt a soothing, calming sensation that spread over his aching body. The heart-wrenching pain that had been ravaging slowly began to dwindle.
He tried staring at the figure's face, but all he could see was a swirling mass of darkness.
Yet even with the soothing sensation, he felt his heart growing colder and each beat of his heart getting fainter. Slowly, he finally began to succumb to the darkness that had been swirling before him. His consciousness waned as he felt his breath come out in short rasps. And then with a last deep breath... he finally gave up.
***
"Is this how death is?" A figure thought floating around.
Blake had appeared in this strange place after passing out. He had remained in this position for a long time now that he had lost track of time. At first, when he first appeared here, he couldn't sense anything. He was just left with his thoughts.
Feeling he was getting overwhelmed by his thoughts, he instinctively opened his eyes. Surprisingly, he did so easily.
Now, with eyes opened, he was at a lost for words at the sight before him.
A void.
It was the simplest way he could describe it. A dark space devoid of light yet filled with countless stars... black stars.
It was both a captivating and mesmerising spectacle to Blake. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The black stars appear to revolve slightly and staring intently. He could tell they were gaining momentum.
Just as he was lost to the beautiful spectacle. The voice came alive.
[The sacrifice has been accepted by the divine...]
[Ritual successful...]
[You've been graced by the divine presence]
From the darkness, Blake was able to make out a swirling mist, which slowly formed into a figure—his replica.
"I see. You were able to make it to this place. Do you know what this place is called?"
"The realm between life and death," he said.
"It was meant to be you. Not those watched out humans. You... one with boundless potential... you're the rightful one to wield this..." The voice sounded distorted as he spoke.
"Me? Boundless potential? Hell no! There was a big mistake here." He wasn't anything special, just some random unlucky teenager with a pathetic and cursed life.
"I'm dead? Why still yapping about boundless potential or whatever you called it?" He said, waving his hand in irritation. "Even one with such potential is nothing when faced with death."
"Sometimes, death is the doorway to a new beginning. A chance of reawakening... a chance to rediscover ourselves..."
"You're kidding," Blake muttered with a frown.
"Don't waste this opportunity..." that was what he heard last as the figure began to flicker before slowly dissipating into particles. "Embrace Death..." And it came as a soft whisper.
"What does that mean? Embrace death?" He thought, racking his head to come to a sensible answer on the last words he heard. But time wasn't on his side. The void began to tremble, and the stars, he noticed, the black stars were falling down like a flaming meteorite and exploding into a swirling mass of dark mist.
The void was now stark dark, with the mist swirling around him. They swirled around him and forcefully entered his body through his orifice. He began to convulse, feeling a strange feeling beginning to surge within. Argghhh!
Screaming loudly, he couldn't hold it in again. The pain was a hundredfold the previous one he had passed through. It appeared this time around a strange force was trying to rip his soul apart. His vision instantly darkened as he succumbed to the unending pain.
***
This time around, the bright light invading his senses was what woke him up. He appeared to be in a large colloseum filled with five large statues, which emitted a strange aura.
Getting off the ground, he stared at the area with a groan escaping his lips. His eyes soon adjusted to the brightness, and before him, he could make out five figures standing before the towering statues.
"What is this place?" That was the first thought that entered his head as he stared around. He felt he had walked into something divine. The runic symbols etched on the pillars placed around to the ethereal glow being emitted by the statues.
Then he felt a sudden sensation. Slowly turning his head, he could see he had been standing before a statue also. Although this one appeared to be a bit different. This one was utterly dark, and the head of the statue appeared to be missing. It appeared as if it had been struck by the wrath of heaven.
[Greetings mortals, you've been graced by the presence of the gods...]
He heard the voice once again and then staring at the other figures, he finally noticed a sign of movement. 'Were they unable to move before?' He thought, finding it strange. Shrugging, his thoughts were soon centred on the words said by the voice.
"Come to think of it, this isn't the first time I've heard that." Back at the void, he had heard the same thing, but his strange situation back then had made him unable to think much about it.
[The Candidates shall now receive their blessings for passing the Tower of Trials]
The lights emanating from the five statues before him shone brightly, momentarily blinding him. The figures standing before were wrapped in a white glow with their irises emitting a white glow also. Their body was lifted a few metres from the ground, and the situation continued for several minutes before coming to an end... and then stillness again.
"Huh?" Looking at his statue, nothing of that sort occurred. "You've got to be kidding!" He thought, biting his tongue.
"You! How did you get here!"
He heard a booming voice in his head, threatening to split him apart, just as he was about cursing.
"You! Did he summon you here!"
"It's impossible! He's been dormant for ages!" Another voice pierce through, although feminine, he could still feel the power in their voices.
"There's no need to think much about it. He can't live here alive! Death is the only path for those brought here by him..."