Life After Death in Another World

June 9th, 2021

Austin, 30 and unmarried, worked as a pharmacist at one of the country's top hospitals. On his way to work, a deafening, thunder-like sound shattered the morning air, making his heart race. In an instant, everything around him plunged into darkness. Emptiness and silence swallowed him.

"So dark. What happened? Did I go blind?" he wondered aloud.

As he strained to see, a tiny light flickered in the distance. That faint glow pierced the void, bringing an unexpected sense of relief to his trembling soul. "A light! At least I'm not blind," he thought. "Okay, calm down. Think, don't panic. I was just walking on the sidewalk to work when everything went dark and silent. I'm not dreaming, but this doesn't make sense. How could everything disappear so quickly? This is bizarre... That light... Is it safe? Should I approach it?"

After weighing the pros and cons, Austin decided to approach the tiny light. However, he soon discovered he couldn't move at all. He tried several times, but to no avail-he was completely helpless. To his shock, he realized he had no physical body.

"What the hell is happening? Am I hallucinating?" he exclaimed.

He had only seen this kind of situation in some fantasy stories, but never would he imagine he would encounter it himself. Despite his confusion, he wasn't scared. In fact, he felt a spark of excitement. As a fantasy aficionado, he was open-minded about bizarre phenomena. He knew that anyone else in his situation would likely freak out, but not him.

Excitement aside, Austin knew he needed to figure out what was happening and how to escape this predicament. He tried to approach the light again but made no progress. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind.

"I don't have a physical body, but I'm conscious. Maybe I can control my mind," he murmured to himself.

Without hesitation, Austin focused on controlling his mind, imagining himself slowly approaching the source of the light.

"It actually worked! The light is getting closer!" he exclaimed, thrilled that his idea had worked.

An hour passed, and Austin finally reached the source of the light. It was a translucent, fist-sized orb, glowing like a light bulb and illuminating the surrounding darkness. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a familiar scene playing inside the crystal ball. "Wait, that's me!" he gasped.

A wave of shock swept across Austin's features as he gazed at the scene unfolding within the orbuculum. The vivid display of himself strolling along the sidewalk felt like peering through the lens of a cosmic observer.

"Incredible! Can I witness what transpired after the explosion?" Austin pondered aloud, his curiosity ignited by the lingering mystery surrounding the event.

As the scene unfolded, Austin's reluctance grew palpable. There he was, struck by lightning, his body crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap amidst a throng of concerned onlookers. A profound sense of emptiness gnawed at his core, grappling with the surreal realization of his own demise.

"I'm... I'm actually dead?" Austin's voice wavered with disbelief, his mind struggling to grasp the gravity of the revelation. "So, this current existence... it's just my soul?" His words hung in the air, echoing in the strange realm surrounding him.

With a bewildered glance around, he ventured to ask, "Then where... where exactly am I?"

Austin stared into space blankly, lost in thought when suddenly, the orbuculum's radiance intensified. The brilliance was so overwhelming that it threatened to sear through the fabric of reality itself.

"Choose."

The voice, resonating from within the pulsating light, pierced through Austin's reverie, jolting him to attention. Fear gripped his heart, and he instinctively cried out, "Who's there?!" But his voice was swallowed by the vast emptiness surrounding him.

As the light subsided, Austin's gaze shifted, and he noticed four colossal doors looming nearby, each towering as high as a three-story building and constructed of different materials. To his right stood a door crafted from pristine marble, followed by one of gleaming steel, then one of rugged iron, and finally, a door hewn from ancient stone. Etched upon each door were intricate symbols: a book, a coin, a clenched fist, and a perfect circle, respectively. Each symbol seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy, beckoning him to decipher their meaning.

As Austin pondered the significance of the doors and the enigmatic directive he had just heard, a sense of bewilderment crept over him. "I'm starting to get confused. If only there was someone who could explain to me what's happening," he murmured to himself, longing for guidance in this surreal realm.

In the next moment, before he could even finish his thought, tiny fragments of light began to dance and swirl like fireflies on a moonlit night. His eyes widened in astonishment as the luminous particles converged into a singular point near one of the doors. Mesmerized by the spectacle unfolding before him, Austin could feel a palpable magic in the air.

The gathering light continued to coalesce, taking on the form of a human figure. Austin watched in awe as the ethereal silhouette solidified, revealing a being bathed in radiance, its features softened by an aura of wisdom and mystery.

For a fleeting moment, Austin was rendered speechless, utterly captivated by the ethereal spectacle unfolding before him. He watched in rapt attention as the shimmering fragments coalesced into a towering figure, standing resolute amidst the radiant glow, its presence exuding an aura of divine power so profound that it seemed to beckon reverence.

"Human, do not fret. I've come to help you," echoed the familiar voice, cutting through the silence like a gentle breeze.

Austin's gaze shifted towards the luminous silhouette, hesitant yet drawn by an inexplicable sense of trust. With bated breath, he waited, allowing the sacred moment to unfold before daring to speak.

"Please forgive me for my ignorance, but I'm confused right now," he began, his voice trembling slightly with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. "I died, and now I'm here. Is this my resting place? And those four doors... do I choose one to leave?" Each word carried a weight of apprehension, a longing for clarity amidst the swirling confusion that engulfed him.

"Human, you were chosen for this gift. Your death was a necessary step to receive it," the human silhouette replied, its tone gentle yet imbued with a sense of solemn purpose.

As the realization dawned upon Austin, he couldn't help but question the nature of this so-called gift. 'Death is a gift?' he pondered silently, grappling with the profound implications of the deity's words.

"It is not your death that is the gift, but what lies beyond these doors," the silhouette continued, its outstretched hand indicating the four imposing portals. Austin's astonishment deepened as he realized the deity's ability to perceive his innermost thoughts. Yet, despite this newfound revelation, he remained clueless as to the significance of the doors before him.

"These doors will determine your fate, your destiny," the deity declared, its gaze penetrating Austin's very soul with an uncanny insight that left him awestruck.

With a sense of urgency and longing for understanding, Austin beseeched the celestial being before him, "Please, holy being, help me understand."

"Very well," the human silhouette replied, its voice carrying a soothing reassurance that eased Austin's apprehension. As the divine figure began to elucidate, Austin listened intently, his mind racing to grasp the significance of each door and the promises they held.

"Each door represents a distinct gift," the silhouette explained patiently. "The marble door, adorned with a book, promises boundless knowledge upon entry. The steel door, marked by a coin, offers untold wealth. The iron door, etched with a fist, grants unparalleled power. And the stone door, with its enigmatic circle, remains a mystery. After choosing, you will be reborn."

As the concept of "rebirth" echoed in Austin's mind, a surge of excitement coursed through him. 'Rebirth? I will be reborn? Amazing!' he marveled silently, his heart brimming with anticipation at the prospect of realizing the fantasies he had long dared to dream.

"Yes, after receiving your chosen gift, you will be reborn to experience its fruition," the deity affirmed, its words carrying the weight of undeniable truth.

'Oops, I forgot, he could read my mind, but thanks to that my questions have been answered,' Austin found solace in the deity's unwavering guidance, each doubt dissolved by the clarity of its wisdom.

Intrigued by the enigmatic allure of the stone door, Austin sought further clarification from the divine entity. It was revealed that the last door held the promise of anything conceivable, a manifestation of fate itself. Whether this gift bestowed fortune or adversity would hinge upon Austin's own fortune, a testament to the unpredictability of destiny.

After careful contemplation, Austin resolved to embrace the uncertainty and take the leap of faith. Recalling the deity's instructions, he understood that all he needed to do was voice his decision. "I have decided to go for the stone door," he declared with unwavering determination.

As his words echoed through the ethereal chamber, a resounding BOOM reverberated from within the depths of the door. With a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, the door began to creak open, unleashing a rush of warm breeze and radiant light that bathed the chamber in a celestial glow.

Meanwhile, as the human silhouette prepared to dissolve into the ether, it imparted its final wisdom to Austin. "Your gift for choosing the Stone door is Multipotentiality skill," the deity intoned, its voice carrying the weight of divine decree. "You will inherit a multitude of aptitudes for learning, business, magic, and beyond. Furthermore, as a testament to your bravery in choosing the stone door, you shall receive an additional gift. Your memory and physical strength shall be enhanced, as well as your appearance and temperament. You will be reborn into another world, where magic is not only natural but also commonplace. Embrace your gift, and may fortune favor your journey."

With those parting words lingering in the air, the human silhouette dissolved into shimmering fragments, leaving Austin standing on the threshold of a new beginning, ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure beyond the confines of the known universe.