The Unknown

Soren slowly crawled his way to the wall. His legs being broken made moving around irritating, almost disheartening. Leaning against the wall, he listened for the guard's footsteps and voices. From his observations, it appeared they were splitting up into pairs of two each going their own ways. The captain hadn't said any more words other than his initial orders. 

Time passed with him just sitting in the alley, unsure of what was to come, but he was alive. He was waiting until he couldn't hear them anymore and then some.

'It should be fine now. It has probably been around 30-ish minutes, so no one should be around.'

Having thought that, he started inching forward, making his way toward the end of the alley. No one was passing out there anymore. Theoretically, this should have been a safe situation where nothing should have gone wrong. 

He finally got to the end and had just put his hand only a small part into the pathway outside when a boot crashed into his hand.

Already in pain, this didn't add too much to it, but it was unpleasant. He looked up and saw a guard towering above. Someone he did not want to see right now.

Laughing the guard said, "Wow, a lucky catch, and I was just heading back too."

The guard had decided to return and incur the wrath of his captain later. Finding this target was like finding a grain of rice on a football field. 

"Not your day kid but be grateful. I'll be on the captain's good side because of you."

With that, the guard raised his axe and swung.

"Go to hell," said Soren dejectedly as his head found itself rolling on the ground for the second time.

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An impenetrable darkness, so deep and consuming that it seemed to swallow even the faintest hint of light. 

A hint of a wisp appeared in the center. Utterly transparent and adding nothing to the darkness, almost like he wasn't accepted here.

'Go to hell.'

Soren was surprised, he had just got his head swiped off. The last time he died he was thrown into another world right after. This time it was different.

He looked around not sure how as he didn't have any eyes. There was nothing in any direction, not forwards, backward, up, or down. An endless abyss.

'Am I alive?'

'No, probably not. I feel nothing. Not my body nor the pain in either my legs or neck. Then how can I think? Why didn't this happen the previous time I died?'

Being thrown into a void with no knowledge of the place you're at can be confusing and make you want to know more. 

He kept asking himself questions:

'Where am I?'

'What's my purpose here?'

'Is this hell?'

'Will I ever see light again?'

Questions that could not be answered. When people fixate on problems with no apparent solutions, it can cause something similar to despair.

It affects their minds until finally, no questions are being asked and instead, their mind is blank.

This happened to Soren. His mind stopped asking all those pointless questions and just blanked out becoming a peaceful but vacant mind.

Time here was so easily caught and held on to, but so easy to let go as well. 

Days passed in silence until eventually, a click switched in Soren's mind.

'What.. just happened? Why do I feel so lost?'

A hint of understanding took hold in his mind and stopped asking useless questions to himself.

'I need to find a way to leave this place.'

However, as he thought that, a beautiful voice penetrated the void.

"You are stuck though, are you not?" said a female voice akin to a goddess. 

Usually, you can't tell a person's looks by their voice, but he knew. If he saw this goddess, he might prostrate himself on the ground, and become a servant right then and there.

Its voice had echoed throughout the void allowing no part of it, to not hear her.

'What a beautiful voice. Maybe she knows something about this place? I mean, reincarnation is real, so why can't this be?'

"You're right. This is real and I know where you're at. It's a chamber." 

'So, you hear my words through my thoughts, scary. How do I get out then?'

"I am here only to guide you a little, not hold your hand through it. You are also not special, I am split between many chambers."

'I see, well what's my riddle or whatever you're going to give me?'

"No riddle, the way to get out is within you. You just don't know how yet. Now, should you leave a gift will be given to you. It will range from a common to a legendary ability. Best of luck candidate." 

With that, the goddess's voice echoed and disappeared into the endless darkness. As if she were never there. 

'Well then, she certainly has an enigmatic voice. I am curious as to what gift I'll get though if I am able to figure out leaving.'

While he was busy thinking a stream of light appeared, growing brighter and brighter. 

Light filled Soren's mind making the entire void bright and promising. As if this was the natural state of it. Something that was never meant to be undone or changed. However, the bright light only existed for a moment before disappearing and allowing the pitch-black void to return. 

Except this time, there was a small dot of light far into the distance. Almost non-existent in the world of darkness. 

Nevertheless, this small dot carried hope and a taste of freedom for Soren.