2 Death & Rebirth (pt 1.)

Martin Asheville was an African-American Soldier who fought for the American government in the 'War on Terror', he was a squad leader tasked with ensuring his mission completion and making sure his men returned home.

Through his time in service he saw the horrors of war, the deaths of men and women, those in his squad counted among the numbers. Those experiences hardened him, while also teaching him the value of life but also how fragile it could be. Weapons of his government used against his men, fighting for those who are supplying their enemies with weapons. Traces of corruption unearthed and reported, but no actions were followed through. This made him question why he was fighting.

At the age of 28 he was discharged honourably on the grounds of 'psychological trauma', but he was too tired to argue. He decided it was high time he rebuilt his life again, away from the battlefield he returned to his hometown Queens New York where he hasn't been to in 10 years. He left his mother and father Jada and Will Asheville and his younger brother Jayden Asheville, they were a medium household who saved up enough put his younger brother through college while he went to the army where a stable income was guaranteed.

While reunited with his family, he realised how much he's missed them as speaking through the phone is different. He told them of his time there minus the more gruesome details, and his family welcomes him back with open arms. As he hasn't gone to college his options for work were limited, however his father had contacts through his workplace that got him a stable job working as a personal assistant to a manager of a law firm.

Over the years he worked and learned how to perform various tasks in the business. 3 years into the job he met one of the new lawyers, a beautiful Spanish woman, she stood at 5'8ft sun kissed skin with hazel eyes and black straight hair; Eliana was her name and she had a feisty attitude but kept all things professional. It took Martin a while to get through her walls as he understood the complications of having relationships in the workplace but he managed.

After a series of meals, movies and whatever came to mind they gradually developed feelings for each other. Time flew by and they decided to move in together, while his parents were religious and they believed he shouldn't live with a woman unmarried, they have him their support for it was time for him to finally start his own family.

Over the years they had 3 kids, Laura and Salomé were twins that were inseparable ever since birth and were each other's best friends and 2 years later the had a son Julio. Eliana decided that this was enough in terms of children even though Martin wanted more, still he accepted as he wasn't the one going through labour.

They grew up into fine dependable individuals, each with their quirks while living their best lives. Martin chose to enjoy the finer things in life, supporting his family whenever he could and living for the future. At age 89 he felt his time coming, while he didn't achieve everything he set out to, he had his family around him. He was content with where they stood in life and the scores of grandchildren he had always made him happy. Finally as his last breaths left him, he expected to be reunited with his parents in heaven or so he thought.

Eyes still closed he wasn't sure what to expect, but when he heard a voice his eyes snapped open looking for its source. "Hello there" the voice sounded female, soothing like deaths warm embrace, his surrounding a dark void with only the outline of his soul present.

"I see you're handling this pretty well, but I guess I should have expected that" the voice said with a hint of humour. "Hello, would you mind telling me where I am as this was not what I was expecting, and also might I ask who you are" Martin said still trying to locate the source of the voice. "Well I should say welcome to my domain, you can call me the Shinigami"

"The Shinigami, as in the Japanese death god?" Martin asked Intrigued, "I go by many names but I'm mostly called that, it helps with a bit of familiarity", Martin having his interests peaked asked "Well that's interesting I wasn't sure if gods existed, is it just you or are there more" "oh there are many more, but I control a small section of deaths domain as an incarnation, death has no gender but we get chosen to guide souls to the afterlife". "Interesting, however I fail to see why I'm here" Martin asked then suddenly he felt the atmosphere become sombre.

"Yes, through the years I have searched the void looking for an individual with the right qualities to help me with a specific task" "and I take it I'm the one you've chosen" he said more of a statement than a question. "Yes indeed" she said simply, "may I ask what task this is?", the Shinigami suddenly materialised in-front of Martin and she looked like the very goddess he imagined her to be.

"Seeing that you haven't rejected me shows that you are at least interested in hearing this task" She 'walked' around him with an unreadable gaze, "Well if the Shinigami herself has chosen me for a task, I'll at least want to know what it is" this brought a smile to her face which mesmerised him for a second before refocusing on her. She ignored this and continued "do you remember the times of your youth when you watched those works of fiction such as Naruto, well those worlds do in fact exist. Your planet acts as a nexus where those worlds are viewed through dreams and 'imaginations'" she gave Martin a minute to digest those words then he spoke "I'm going to take a guess that you want to send me into one of those worlds" "exactly!".