Chapter 4- Purgatory

I was awakened to find myself in a small dark room, in a big comfy chair with armrests next to a fireplace.

With the only light source being the fireplace, I could make out a rug but couldn't see what designs and a table with teacups and a plate of doughnuts.

Across from the table there was another chair with armrests and the strangest man I've ever seen sitting in it.

The guy was wearing a black two-piece suit, but the guy himself was just a white humanoid outline, with just abyss.

He didn't have any features like a nose or eyes, just darkness. As I stared at him, he sits a bit forward in the chair and takes a sip from the teacup.

" Hey, you. You're finally awake, huh?"

His voice carried around the small room, but I felt it reverb throughout my entire frame.

From the brief sentence I understand this guy was powerful. Why else could his voice just shake my core. He motions toward the teacup and doughnuts.

"You're welcome to help yourself, you need a moment to recuperate anyway."

I reached forward to take a sip of the tea, or at least what I assumed was tea, as I didn't really taste anything.

Confused, I then grab a good-looking chocolate glazed with sprinkles doughnut and bite into it. I look at the being in front of me and squeak out,

"I can't taste anything?"

He chuckled then straightened his posture in his chair a bit and replied, " Well that's because your dead, silly. And in a rather depressing way as well. Some could call it basically suicide."

The memories of the mugging and the metal beams flashed through my mind. The acceptance of death. I had questions, but I didn't want to offend him. I was obviously here for a reason.

" Who are you?"

"I've been called many names throughout the many places and years, appeared different forms. Anubis, Hel, Hades, Ah Puch, and Kali are a couple of names I'm sure you've heard of.

The names and what each one does is different but the general idea of what they govern and do are the same. I deal with death, more specifically, I guide souls from one plane of existence to another."

In my classes we learned about some of the names of the gods and goddesses he said. If I remembered correctly Hades and Hel were actually gods over the Underworld.

"So, am I in Hell?"

"Not necessarily, you knew of Hell, but you lack faith.

Therefore, what you see right now isn't Hell. I'd say it more of a Purgatory, a place in between where all souls who lack any religious belief find themselves.

Which leaves me to the matter at hand. As I stated without believing in anything you have nowhere to go, therefore I'm here to offer you a chance at our new program we started eons ago with a hundred percent success rate so far."

Everything he said had my interest piqued and left me with more questions, but I needed to know more of what he was offering and hoped he would allow questions after he was done.

"I'm offering you a chance at another life in a world different from the previous one. A world with magic, monsters, yada yada, you get the drift. I'm going to allow you to ask questions, but I'm a busy god, so I'll only answer three."

It was a lot of information to take in, but it was pretty basic to understand. I've read manga and novels about being reincarnated to another world but to actually get the offer is mind-blowing. Of course, reading the novels taught me what my next three questions should be.

"Can I keep my memories from the previous world?"

He gave another light chuckle. " Oh, you're one of those guys. Tell you what, you can keep them, but you'll understand later that in a lot of cases, like this one you've wished you started anew."

That sounded kind of cryptic, but I continued on the current line of questions.

"Will I get a system or a skill that will help me like infinite magic?"

"No there's already a system on that world so you'll just be a part of that. As for the skill, it'll be in the form of a blessing.

As for infinite mana? Hah. Like I'm the god of death and even I have limits.

The blessing won't deal with death, because you're not one of my followers but will improve something you already have.

You're retaining your memories so I can give you a blessing that can help you filter out information, like forget useless information and remember the helpful.

As a bonus it'll help you think faster as well. I think I'll call it Acute Mind."

That's better than nothing. I also understand what he was hinting at.

I can't be overpowered in the next life, which is slightly disappointing.

I was going to ask if I could use magic as my last question, but I'm pretty sure it was heavily implied I would be able to use it. I decided to use my last question to help ease my living next life.

"Last life I struggled with money a lot and had parents that were next to useless. Anything you can do to help that?"

He paused for a second as he pondered on this question. " Tell you what, I can guarantee you a noble position in your next life. This works out because your Acute Mind would be less suspicious than if you were a commoner." Saying that he stood and brushed the crumbs off his suit.

"Oh, one last thing. You won't return to Purgatory next time. I'll make sure you have someone to believe in your next life depending on your choices.

And I'm going to make you forget this, so you don't try something like intentionally refusing to believe anything. So, without further ado, good luck on your next life Glen." He said as he reached his hand out for a handshake.

I, too, stand and as soon as I make contact with his hand, I black out.