The Meeting II

Arthas wasn't one of those people who were interested in death. He didn't care about what came after one's path ended. His days were consumed by the constant struggle to preserve his existence.

And so, he'd expected angels awaiting him nor an eternal feast among soldiers. Instead, there was only darkness.

The darkness was warm and tender and he was fine with it.

He didn't want to leave it. For the first time in his life, he felt neither anxiety nor unease. That's why he'd been so unhappy when the bright light appeared at the end of the narrowing tunnel.

He didn't want to leave this intimate darkness. He resisted, not wanting to depart this newfound haven, but the force was relentless. It pushed him onward, closer to the scorching brilliance of the white flame.

The white flame consumed him, swallowing him whole in its searing intensity, and all he knew was a sudden blindness

"Welcome! I have been awaiting your arrival," greeted an old man with an air of anticipation, as if he had foreseen this momentous meeting.

Gradually, the glare subsided and when Arthas was able to focus again, he was surprised to find himself standing in a dimly illuminated chamber, greeted by the presence of an enigmatic elderly figure seated before him.

The old man had a wise aura to him. Although his hair was as white as freshly fallen snow, it proved challenging to ascertain his true age. Remarkably, his face bore no trace of wrinkles, lending him an air of timeless mystery. If one were to merely glance upon him, they might easily mistake him for a youth rather than an elder.

However, having spent his life in the underworld, Arthas knew that appearances were often deceiving…a lesson learned after his loving wife's betrayal.

Arrrgh…He decided not to think about that. He had died now. Aleast he thought he did.

"W-Where am I?" he stammered, unable to contain his curiosity.

He had seen people disappearing through the ancient-looking gigantic door, but he never thought he would end up in a place like this.

Casting a wide-eyed and inquisitive gaze around the chamber, he discovered a small study adorned with all manner of books, sacred scriptures, mysterious tomes, and scattered papers. The ground beneath his feet boasted an unbelievably soft, violet-hued carpet, and a comforting fire crackled warmly in the fireplace.

The wise old man sat upon a chair behind a stately mahogany desk, where numerous papers lay strewn about. The man sat gracefully in his chair, just like he saw in those period dramas, his head looking upward, and an old book lay open in front of him.

"Interesting," the old man muttered almost to himself. "It's been a while since I have seen the Sisters' choosing someone."

"Huh? Sisters what?" Arthas asked, confused. As far as he could remember, he was an orphan and had no sisters. So what sisters' this old man was blabbering about.

"Aah, nothing. Forget I ever said that," the old man smiled as he waved his hand in dismissal, "I've just been reading about your life."

"M-My life?" Arthas was startled.

His life flashed through his mind once again, just like a torrent of memories. He didn't know who his father was. His mother died when he was a child. He became an orphan and wandered the streets, begging to make through the day. Him joining the underworld, him falling in love, getting married, having a daughter. And her wife's betrayal. All flashed through his life in an instant.

"Your life was bitter since you were born," the old man said softly.

Yeah, he was right. It was a shitty life.

"However, there is one thing I do not understand," the old man sounded confused. He contninued, "Given your deed, there's no doubt you must have accumulated a lot of bad karma in your past life."

'Indeed,' Arthas thought. But that was if he believed in things like karma and what not. He didn't. He was just doing what he could to survive. And he didn't care if he accumulated bad karma either. His life was already bad as it was.

"Then why did the 'Sisters' chose you?"

Again, he could not make sense of what the old man was saying.

"HuH? What sisters?" It was all he could ask. He had no idea what this old man were talking about.

"Oh right. I forgot a mortal like you don't know about it?" The old man laughed as if he was embarrassed.

"The 'Sisters' are the supreme beings who look after the cosmos. You could say, they are guardians of sorts."

"Cosmos? Guardian? I do not understand a single thing you say." He was confused.

"Of course you won't! You were a frog in a wall. How could you know about the world outside your little well." The old man sighed.

"Then explain to me."

"Haah. Alright." The old man stood from the chair as he said so and started a leisure stroll within the chamber.

"There is life outside your world too. You are not alone in this infinite cosmos." The old man continued to explain, "In the infinite cosmos creatod my Mother, there are hundreds of thousands of world. And you were from one of those worlds."

"H-Hundreds of thousands of worlds." Arthas was shocked, to say the least. He was aghast. So many fucking world. He couldn't even picture such a scenario in his mind.

"Yes. 'Mother' created these worlds and appointed the 'Sisters' to act as guardian. And one of those 'Sisters' has chosen you as The Anoninted."

"Me? Anointed? What's that?"

"Chosen to carry out a certain task."

"And what is that task, if i ask?"

"That I don't know."

"Huh? Then what am I supposed to do?"

"That I do not know either." The old man had an impassive look on his face. It was as if he was a spectator to a play unfolding before his eyes. And he was amused.

"Then what will happen to me now? Where will I go?" Artha was clearly bewildered from the set of events that were happening.

"You will be sent to another world. Since it was the task of the 'Sisters', I personally had to meet you before that happens."

"Sent to another world? Do you mean I have to go through another shitty life? Why can't I just die and be in peace."

There was anger and frustration evident in his voice. He was tired. He wanted to rest now.

"Everyone has to enter the cycle of samsara. You are no exception. Normally, you would have met with the [Judges] instead of me. They would have judged you on the basis of your karma and then would sent you into the cycle of samsara. But since you have come directly to me, there is no such need." The old man chucked.

He then made his way back to the chair and sat down.

Now, there was another question that had been bothering him for quite some time. "Am I going to forget my memories?"

The old man cleared his throat before he spoke, "Yes, that is the norm. We cannot let you remember our discussion and the existence of the cosmos. That will after your judgement in your next life. And regarding your past life, you will forget those memories too."

"Then, may I ask one thing? What would happen to my wife? Will there be any punishment of her? And what about my duaghter?"

Arthas finally asked the questions that had beeing weighing on his mind for some time, He needed to know what happened to them, otherwise he would not be able to find peace.

"That I cannot tell. They will be judged on the basis of their karma."

"Is that so? Hmmm. I understand," Arthas replied in a gloomy tone.

"Now the time for you to enter the cycle of Samsara has come."

"Thou shalt be transported to the realm of Alorin, amidst the shrouded Age of Darkness, where the mists of fate unfurl their veiled tapestry. As time unfolds, tales of thy exploits shall echo far and wide, for they shall be feats unparalleled and beyond mortal imagination, casting shadows of both virtue and malevolence."

"Thou beareth the power to sway Alorin toward salvation or plunge it into ruin, a riddle concealed within the cosmic weave, yet to be unraveled."

Arthas' lids fell half-closed as he felt his consciousness slipping away.

A golden light enveloped him, and he soon disappeared.