3 Chapter 2

In the vast expanse of space, Ralph's soul floated, weightless amidst the stars. The void stretched infinitely, a canvas of eternal night splattered with distant galaxies like pinpricks of hope in an endless tapestry. A profound sense of solitude washed over him, an isolation that transcended any he had felt in his earthly life. Amidst the cosmic dance of celestial bodies, his essence meandered, searching for meaning, for purpose.

Ralph felt his soul suspended in the vastness of space, a speck of consciousness amidst the cosmic dance of stars. The sense of weightlessness was both liberating and terrifying. He was adrift in the infinite expanse, lost between galaxies. Just as the cold emptiness seemed to consume him, a radiant presence approached, an entity that defied his understanding of existence.

A presence, ancient and powerful, materialized. It was a being of ethereal light, its form shifting like liquid starlight. Its aura radiated wisdom and the weight of ages, a cosmic consciousness that dwarfed Ralph's human comprehension. Its light radiated so brightly he couldn't bear to look at it for more than a few seconds.

"Oh Great one, why am I here? I'd like to be at eternal rest or just let me drift off to hell," Ralph said, his humor serving as his coping mechanism.

"YOU DARE MOCK ME, HUMAN?!!" The strong voice of the being resounded throughout the cosmos. Ralph felt a striking sharp pain in his chest, forcing him to get down on his knees and cough out spirit particles. He was screaming out in pain, rolling around on the ground, clenching the right side of his chest. Just as swiftly as the pain started, it also subsided moments later.

"Forgive my manners, O Great one. But how do you expect me to respect you when I can't even look you in the eyes and address you the way I want?" Ralph smirked as he spoke while breathing heavily, as if he had just finished running a marathon.

His eyes had been shut ever since the light attempted to blind him, until the being's light reached for them, sending up particles of that radiance into them, making them adjust and capable of looking directly at it.

"You can open them now," the being suggested.

With a peek at first, followed by a few blinks between intervals, Ralph finally opened them up completely.

"You really are a fearless human, just as I've seen in your past life," the humanoid figure of light before Ralph's soul spoke.

"Before we get to that, do you mind getting me a glass of water? Sir," Ralph asked, his voice reeking with the stench of sarcasm.

Ralph watched as the figure's head tilted to the side and stroked its chin, then it tilted it back and crossed its arms, still speechless.

"I mean I would show courtesy, but I've got no dress. As a matter of fact, I've been standing out here buck naked for God knows how long, in case you haven't noticed, sir, with all due respect."

To Ralph's surprise, the figure burst out in uncontrollable laughter, even patting him on the back a few times.

"You are not just mannerless and fearless, you're also cocky. I like you, human," the shadow chuckled again, patting Ralph's shoulder.

"No amount of sarcasm is going to change what happened to you, I'm afraid. You've impressed me again, as you already have in your previous life. This might be your lucky day, should you choose to accept my proposal."

A chilled glass of water appeared in Ralph's hand out of nowhere.

Ralph gulped it down without even realizing it, feeling the intensity and seriousness in the figure's voice.

"Are you going to send me back?" Ralph spoke with a newfound seriousness that almost matched up to the humanoid figure.

"No. That's something above me, I'm afraid," the figure responded as it shook its head.

"What I can do is offer to send you to another one. One single condition, that is," the figure added.

Ralph's eyes narrowed, a mixture of pain and fury flashing in them as he absorbed what the figure just said. "What's the point of living in a world that my little girl's not in? Just leave me be, man."

A lot of sadness and anguish could be heard in his voice, no matter his efforts in trying to hide it.

The being smiled before replying. "I wasn't finished yet. You might not be able to live with your daughter, but you'll at least be able to see her every once in a while, every winter solstice. Through this." It showed him a small mirror not bigger than the average human hand.

"This is the best anyone can do for you. What's gone is gone; forget about your revenge and live this time to the fullest, without being anybody's lackey. I can help you out, but you have to help yourself first."

Ralph covered his face with his hand, lost in thought as the being spoke.

"But my little girl-"

"I'll help her out too. I'm sure there's something I can do for her," the light figure interrupted and reassured Ralph in an attempt to appease him.

"Move on, Ralph. I'm sure even Anya would want that for you," the figure said again.

"Why do you care so much? Surely you want something big in return," the suspicion Ralph had been suppressing toward the being started to materialize.

It shook its head before replying. "I don't care about you or what you do in this life. And what I'm asking for is nothing to sweat over; you just have to take care of someone important to me."

Ralph squinted his eyes as he looked at the being with further suspicion and confusion.

"Why do you look surprised? Do this for me and I'll back you for the rest of your mortal life. You seek redemption; I give you a chance to go somewhere you can do whatever you want. Think of it this way: you take care of mine, and I take care of yours."

Ralph stood there for hours, pondering what the being had said, reluctant until he finally came to a decision. The being just stood there, staring at him all the while.

"This isn't enough to convince me; my little girl's future is safe with my family. What more do you have to offer?" Ralph finally spoke, his words accompanied by a slightly sly smirk.

"I thought you might say that. Speak three of your innermost desires, and I will grant them, no matter what they are," the being confidently offered.

Ralph was internally having a blast; what he had been planning for the past few hours was coming to pass. It only had over a 5% success rate, which is why he was currently laughing out of happiness internally.

"I refuse," he replied.

"You greedy human. What more do you want?" The being was irate, its voice rising to a sharp, cutting edge.

Ralph's with a sly smirk yet again, proceeded to hold up five fingers. "Five wishes, and you have a deal."

"Oh, YOU GREEDY BASTARD." There were no physical human features on the being, but all Ralph could hear was the sound of the being gritting its teeth in regret.

"You can choose to accept my condition or just let me wander off to hell. I'm fine either way." Ralph yawned with sarcasm.

The being, this time around, made Ralph wait for hours before replying. "I'm doing this for her," he whispered.

"You've got yourself a deal, but fail to deliver once on your end of the deal, and I promise you the pain of a thousand deaths."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Let's just get it over with. Do you mind giving something to write down my demands?" Ralph threw his hand at the figure's face, gesturing him to pass it already.

…

Naked, vulnerable in his soul's essence, he confronted the enormity of his newfound circumstances. His nakedness represented not just physical exposure but the rawness of his soul, laid bare before the cosmic entity and his own internal turmoil.

In the wake of this revelation, a subtle shift occurred. The soul of Ralph merged with the essence of Thomas, the young man whose life had just ended tragically. As consciousness flickered between realities, Ralph found himself awakening in a luxurious apartment. His new form was striking — chiseled features, intense eyes, and hair like molten gold cascading around his shoulders. The reflection in the mirror revealed a stranger, yet an undeniable sense of power emanated from his being.

This moment marked not just a rebirth but a transformation. Ralph, now residing within Thomas's body, was reborn amidst the cosmic dance of stars, his existence intertwined with forces beyond mortal comprehension.