Slipping through an unfamiliar void.
Nothing but an endless, suffocating whiteness that pressed against the edges of his mind, yet somehow didn't choke him, He wasn't falling, or floating, he just was, His mind, unanchored from a body that no longer existed, tried to cling to something solid, breath, heartbeat, a sense of weight, but there was nothing left to grasp.
And then, a voice echoed through the emptiness.
"Child."
The single word rippled through him He jolted, at least, the ghost of him did, and turned, if turning was even possible in this formless void, Before him, in the sea of endless white, a being slowly came into focus, or something close to focus, It wasn't a shape, not really, No limbs, no face, just a pair of burning, impossible eyes and a mouth suspended in the blankness. It was both terrifying and oddly calm at the same time.
He wanted to scream, but no lungs meant no voice, except when he tried, words tumbled out anyway, Somehow.
"Where… where am I?" The question slipped from the remnants of his mind.
The being's mouth curled into something disturbingly close to a smirk. "You are dead, Child, This is the space between the afterlife and the worlds"
Dead, The word hovered in his thoughts like an echo that wouldn't fade, He glanced down, where down would be, and found only a thin, ghostly outline of what he used to be.
It should have shattered him, should have made him weep or rage or beg, But instead, all he could do was exhale, a breath that didn't exist.
"What the hell…" he murmured, half to himself, half to the being.
The being, god, demon, whatever it was, let out a low, echoing laugh that seemed to vibrate through the nothingness "As I said, you are dead. Your physical form is gone. Reduced to spirit and thought."
He frowned, if he still had brows to furrow, and shrugged, or at least tried to mimic the gesture. "I see… Are you some kind of god then?"
"Yes," the being said simply, no hint of false modesty.
He snorted, in the abyss. "You'd think I'd be panicking more, huh? Finding out I'm dead and all."
Another laugh, this time louder, like rolling thunder and a soft chuckle at once. "Most mortals do, They scream, They plead, They cling to regrets they can't change, But you…" The glowing eyes seemed to narrow in amusement. "You're oddly calm."
He let out a soft, humorless laugh of his own "No point panicking, Dead is dead, No amount of whining will glue my soul back into a body that's already rotting somewhere Only idiots waste energy on something they can't fix."
The god's mouth stretched into a grin that was somehow both kind and terrifying. "A refreshing perspective, Most who stand where you stand now lack such composure."
He crossed his arms out of habit, ghostly folding in on itself. "So, mind telling me how I ended up here? Or is this where you say it's none of my business and toss me into the void for eternity?"
Another rumble of laughter, deeper this time "Ah, no, You deserve an explanation, It seems… a lower-ranked god, an apprentice, you might say, made an error. A mistake that resulted in your premature death."
He stared at the being for a long moment, If he still had eyes, they'd be blinking in disbelief. "Wait, Hold on, So you're telling me some rookie god just, what? Dropped a cosmic piano on my head? Tripped over their divine shoelaces and wiped me out by accident?"
"Essentially, yes." The god's tone was gentle, but the amusement was clear. "An unfortunate blunder, You were not meant to die."
A strangled laugh escaped him, dry, hollow. "Well, isn't that just my luck? Lived my life dodging all the stupid ways to die, only to get smacked down by divine incompetence." He lifted his hands, misty stubs, and let them fall back at his sides. "So now what? I just drift here until I fade away?"
"Hardly." The god's eyes glowed brighter "Because of this mistake, I am bound to compensate you, You will be given three random boons, gifts of power, and the right to choose the world in which you will be reborn you cannot return to the world you came from, Such interference would unravel many Fate threads."
"Three boons, huh?" He tried to whistle, but no mouth meant no sound "Well… small consolation prize for dying early, I suppose."
"You remain calm."
He shrugged again "What's the alternative? Throw a tantrum? Not my style." He tilted what passed for his head "Alright, let's get on with it, First, the world, I choose Lookism."
If the god had eyebrows, they might have lifted. "Interesting. That world is considered Mid-Tier 10 . Dangerous, unpredictable, but full of potential for one like you."
"Dangerous is fine," he said, a ghost of a grin on his featureless face "Beats drifting here, talking to cosmic being."
The god's mouth widened, showing endless rows of teeth, or maybe just light shaped like teeth "Very well, Because of the nature of that world, I will adjust the settings accordingly, Now, for your boons."
With a sweep of invisible power, a massive spinning wheel materialized before him, towering so high it made him feel like an ant at the foot of a mountain, Symbols he couldn't read glowed on each segment, flickering like dying stars.
"Three spins," the god said, voice echoed "Be grateful for what fate grants you."
The wheel shuddered, then began to spin, slow at first, then so fast the symbols blurred into a halo of light. His soul, if it had a heart, would have been hammering in his chest.
When it finally slowed, the arrow clicked into place with a soft chime.
"Your first boon," the god said, eyes glittering "Perfect Copy, A common power among the reincarnated."
He froze, For a moment, the void seemed to hold its breath with him, As a Lookism fan, he knew exactly how broken that ability could be. "I… I don't even know what to say," he whispered, a grin threatening to split his ghostly face in two.
The god laughed, a booming roar that made the blank void tremble. "I see you are dancing inside your own soul, I approve."
The wheel spun again before he could reply, another roll of fate, another click of possibility When it stopped, the god glanced at it, and his voice dropped in pitch.
"Your second boon: 10x Money Return. Again, not rare, Your luck could be better, child."
He winced, "Figures, Very Usefull, Alright, let's just get to the last one before my luck gets worse."
The god's mouth stretched wide in silent amusement "Very well." The wheel spun one final time, this spin felt longer, heavier, as if the void itself leaned in to watch.
When it stopped, the god tilted his head For a moment, the endless eyes flickered.
"Ah, Now this is an unusual one," the god murmured. "Your final boon: Two Bodies, A rare blessing, You will possess two more separate bodies in that world, living three lives at once."
He felt his formless mind go blank "Wait, Three bodies? At the same time? Isn't that… a little much?"
The god's laughter was quieter this time, more thoughtful. "Normally, yes, But there is a complication, That world already has two bodies lacking synchronization, one wasted potential, But with my blessing to use them simultaneously at once."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, ghost fingers pressing against ghost skin. "So I have to juggle three bodies total?"
"Not exactly." The god's smile took on a mischievous tilt. "One of the two is male. The other is female. As you are now, I will grant the male to you,The female… must be given to another soul, Unless, of course, you wish to keep it for yourself."
He sputtered "Why would I want a female body? I'm fine with being a guy, thanks."
The god's eyes softened "Very well, The female body will be inhabited by another soul who will aid you, obey you, and remain loyal until death, Consider it a companion, a piece of your extended self."
He released a sigh, mental breath once more "Fine, Give the female body to someone else, I'll manage the rest."
The god nodded "Then it is settled."
The void began to shift,The god's final words echoed like a blessing and a command wrapped in thunder.
"Live well, Child, Make your second life worth the mistake that birthed it."
The light swallowed him whole, And then, darkness.