Pain.
All i felt before blacking out was pain. The sensation of being struck violently in the ribs and having my skull damaged by falling onto the cold, hard ground, as guts and blood splattered around filled my vision. No other sound was heard despite the sharp cry of a woman on the lane, and the once warm body of a girl like me turned cold, succumbed to something i have never experienced in my life. Maybe it was called death, like most would have guessed. The reason i was so calm about it? I don't know. Yet, I'm sure there's no way that I'd be alive right now. Who would be considered alive if they're looking at their dead body from the sideline?
My 17 years old schoolgirl self died that day. No regrets or collections of the life i had just left behind. Status: Deceased, indeed. I checked the surroundings. No one seems to notice me even when i walked past them. I looked into the mirror. No reflection. When I touch people, my hand goes through them. Looking down at my hands, it became transparent and similar to human-shaped vapors which continued to float above the ground. I can see and talk, but no one would hear my voice, or even acknowledge my existence.
Official ghost, huh. I shrugged. My mentality must be on the weird side here. Even when standing a few feet away from my body, which was totally out cold, didn't bring any feeling into me. Was everything used to be this dull? My senses were reduced to the near point of nothingness as i tried to comprehend why did I become so emotionless, and why am i standing here in this kind of ghostly appearance? Am i actually...?
"You're dead. That's natural."
Even when you told me tha - Wait what? Who is talking?
"Let go of your past and come to me, as i am speaking to you, mortal. Bulainn - Zeruwado."
My vision of the scene in front of me twisted in all angles, then, with a sudden booming sound, broke off in pieces like mirror shards, before being replaced by a dreadful darkness similar to the underworld theme portrayed in literature. The dimensional stress was evident even to the dead, as chills creep through the fragments of my soul and sent me to a quivering fit. All of my being trembles under an unknown presence up ahead, which was probably the source of the voice i heard not too long ago. It's powerful enough to make the area grew dense, almost suffocating in a chaotic manner where their aura is radiating off on. Dark, endless spaces laid bare in every crooks and corners around me made it hard to tell where the voice came from. Not able to move freely by invisible bindings, i remained standing while averting my attention to a strange, contorted shadow as far as my vision allows me to. Where am i? What is that thing?
"Welcome to the final shore at the end of your Earthling's life. We are in one of the central gateway connected to other worlds, as you may call it. Nameless that i am, you can address me in your words."
In the distance, a silhouette shrouded in tattered red cloak stood with a wooden oar in its right hand slowly closed the distance between us. Its voice sounded genderless and ageless, if i am describing it properly, and their only recognizable feature from this position is those burning charcoal colored orbs. The otherworldly being, maybe not some weird evil god, decided to stopped short when our faces (do i even have a face anymore?) are inches apart, and I lost my thoughts momentarily when looked straight into their eyes. Their tantalizing orbs twisted in an odd angle when they were observing me, and soon i heard a raspy chuckle evaporated in the atmosphere. The pressure is still activating, yet I can't sense any malice from them. Was it because i died that i became numb to emotions? Why am i able to sense them without my physical body?
"Lucky for you. You have the affinity to be transferred to World #10867. None of your kind has been reincarnated there before. As the one in charge of your new journey, I will give you a few things to live in the new world. Ah, and you're not able to choose what i give to you. You will be able to have 3 privileges of your liking afterwards."
Huh. So it's just the same system like most visual novels about reincarnation that i read back when i was alive. No wonder it feels damn familiar. As if ignorant to my thoughts, the being in front me shifted to the side and waved its pitch black hand in the air, created several holographic spheres with foreign languages inscribed on the surface and began to change their internal structures. Their slender fingers danced somewhat beautifully as the lights dimmed and lit inside different spheres, almost like a festival of lights back in my old world.
To be honest, i was accepting all of these information very well. The fact that i died, and then chosen to be reincarnated into a different world. It's as if I expected it to happen at some point, but the thought alone was impossible so i let it slide. I... simply accepted it. I can't recall my life before the accident, but it must be shitty enough that I cannot help but blank out in the middle of the road and got run over like a rag doll. Would life in another world be better than the world i left behind? What is it like? What are the things that they said they would give to me? Why am i not able to talk but they can still understand what I'm saying? More importantly, why am i always asking questions?
"You humans are troublesome, that's why. Now, state the kind of privileges you desire and we will acquire the basic setting. Your stats are ready to be implanted in the system along with the equipments."
Wow! They work fast. Now to the answers... I had an idea of what I'm going to ask for, but not sure whether it will work the way i wanted. Even without a face, they seemed to be patiently waiting for me, and only shuffled to let those ethereal spheres float around the uncertain shape of my soul. It was as if.... i am being channeled, tuned with them?
"Indeed."
The deep, guttural voice replied so calmly. Their shadowy hand wafted to the center, instantly enchanted something to the ultimate core - which i can tell by an indescribable express of the spirit's language. It flashed bright red and almost exploded , before shimmering away and fused inside. A constant reminder that i have been tampered with made me feel uncomfortable. What are they, exactly?
'You said i am given 3 privileges.... What does the system of the world i am going to be reincarnated in value the most?'
"Same as your old world. Though, there is no need to fret over it."
The wooden oar in their hand then handed over to me, placed somewhere you would call an inventory in term of speaking. In such a dimensional bag where everything seems to be all jumbled up, i can make out the shape of a few more equipments provided. Maybe it would not be so bad, i think, to completely let go and start a whole new life. This being is kinder than it looks.
'............Then, please let me be in constant touch with you, first of the privileges. Second, i would like to be able to comprehend any languages exist in that world. Third, let me be born somewhere with fields and close to the ocean.'
It just came naturally. For all i could know, there could never be anything else i would prefer over those. Privileges of these i mentioned shall suffice whatever is to come. And about that part where i wanted to stay in touch.... it seems to surprise the shadow-like creature. The burnt charcoal orbs shifted to where my eyes should be, closing the distance as their tattered red cloak flutters. Wait, is there even a small blow of wind inside this place?
"Such an Earthling you are, to request permanent communication with someone like me...."
Smoky black shape of their hand raised to make contact against the side of my spiritual body, drawing complex circles and intricate designs which i never known of. Tugged at where my heart should be, they fused into one with the faint, pulsing lights inside, quickly providing a haze of knowledge to my blank slate of a setting.
"Very well. Although it's not common, tis the request that shall be completed. Thee may call upon my presence in times of need."
A subtle noise of excitement came from me.
'Thank you.'
"That is my duty. You need not thank me."
'Still, i am thankful. And please, call me Enni. It is a name i have thought of to use in the new world.'
Feeling somewhat better now that i had an acquaintance, i sent a cheerful wave of energy towards them. The mysterious being replied with a chuckle, as some sort of portal opened below my vision.....Eh? Now that i think about it, how am i gonna be sent there?
"Enni, is it? Have a good journey."
The last words they said, as harsh currents of pitch onyx color enveloped my spirit. At least warn me before hand, Nameless!
