“This is the afterlife”
What? What was this guy saying? I’m not the most religious of persons, but even I know that this couldn’t be it. I was in a barren wasteland; as far as my eyesight reached I could only see death and discord. The sand was darker than black and there was massive skeletons of animals strewn about that I couldn't even imagine. An ominous crimson sky started at me from the heavens and around me were nine other people the likes of which I have never seen before, who looked as dumbstruck as I was. It was one hell of a tense atmosphere.
“Yes, you heard me right. This is the afterlife or the afterlife as I imagine it. There are eight of you, and each of you must entertain me with this game of mine.”
Game, what game? Was this guy crazy? He’s standing in the middle of a dead desert wearing a dark red overcoat, standing on top of a pedestal erected in the middle of nowhere spouting lines about the “afterlife” and “games”.
“None of you are ordinary, of that I’m sure. You have been picked because you were the black sheep of your lot. Here, the ten of you are trapped, and you must kill each other. Yes, kill. It’d be a battle royale, a war to decide which of you is worthy to go back to life. You are the instruments in this ballad of blood that I will relish in. Now entertain me, for the last one standing will be able to return to the life he left behind. Each of you has been restored in peak condition, and have all your abilities given back. Oh, and the time limit’s three hours. If time’s over, all of you die.”
I stared. I stared at for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually a fraction of a second. In that instantaneous moment, my life flashed before me before I felt a tremendous pain surging throughout my body. My lungs began to tear, my bones imploded inside me and my blood rushed through every corner of me as I felt myself twisting and turning through the air. And in that fragmented moment, I found myself falling through a vacuum and landing on the bare earth with a crash.
Damn! That really hurt! What was that about? Damn, I’ve never felt so much pain before, not in any of my near-death experiences.
And then I noticed it. I was nowhere near where I was before. I looked around me, and saw a horde of blackened trees staring back at me. Ghastly fog filled the empty space, and the ground below was as hard as iron. Why was I here? And what was that entire battle royale thing about anyway?
I observed that I was right next to a cliff, and overlooking it was the instantly recognizable pedestal that stretched a mile into the sky. The land below was a colossal blighted desert. Wait, wasn’t I right there a few minutes ago? How did I get here in a second? Wait, was I teleported? Maybe that was what that incredible pain was about. But damn, why did I have to jump off right after that lunatic gave his speech? I had so many questions I wanted to barrage that guy with. What is this game about? Going back to life? Last thing I remember, I was living and breathing as always.
I heard a rustle in the bushes behind me. Quickly I turned, drawing my sword from its sheath held on my back. I aimed it quite carefully where I thought I heard the noise, and cautiously approached. I couldn’t afford to be careless, not when I have my life on the line here. I walked slowly, and shouted out loud, “Who’s there? Show yourself!”
The person that came out was one of the ten weirdest people I have ever seen, and believe me I have seen many. He was somewhat tall, and wore a red vest and, the most unique of all, a straw hat. Was this guy a farmer or something? Who wears a straw hat these days? I noticed that guy had a scar under his left eye.
“You are?”
He raised his fist. Clearly burned into the back of his hand were the number 1 and the label below it read Monkey D Luffy. Wait what? Monkey? Luffy? What kind of a name is that?
