Beginning

A meteor shrouded in shadows streaked across the bleak skies of the Nether.

Heavy clouds hovered under the grey skies giving a monotonic ambiance that made the movement of time hard to determine.

The air was warm as a melancholic white glow illuminated the world beneath; rays of slightly golden, bore at the land between the gaps in the clouds as they slowly—guided by the wind—drifted across the skies.

The tone of the Nether was somber, the weather was bleak, the skies were bleak, even the land below appeared dead.

Jagged rocks littered the lifeless stretch of land casting ominous shadows where the ghastly light couldn't reach. The air had the scent of rot and ash that was carried far into the distance by a howling wind that traversed the land.

It whistled past canyons and mountainous land, it's echo giving an ominous bearing to the already eerie looking place.

Beneath the rocks, hidden from sight by the distance and looming structures, were creatures of all sorts.

From a birds eye view, they were hidden, unseen to the intrained eye. Only upon closer inspection was their presence revealed.

A boom ensued as the meteor cut across the skies patting the clouds; a tail of darkness tracing it's path.

An even louder boom filled the air as the meteor hit the ground in a deafening tremor that tore through the seemingly barren land.

The sound of the impact lingered in the air, it's echo travelling far and wide before everything fell silent and what passed for normalcy returned.

*****

He stirred where he lay, his body aching for reasons unknown to him. A feeling of disorientation and emptiness ravaged his mind as he lay there, motionless, trying to collect himself.

He fought against the fatigue and pain, trying to salvage whatever memory lingered at the back of his mind on what led to his current state.

pain.

betrayal.

anger.

Hate...

...Then the blissful embrace of death.

Beyond that, the memory were like a fog. He pushed his fatigued mind, forcing it to give up what it knew, but that chunk of events remained hidden.

Maybe it would come to him once he returned to his peak condition?

He opened his eyes and was met by an endless expanse of the night sky dotted by countless stars that coalesced into beautiful constellations that calmed his heart and tickled at his curiosity.

Where was he? he wondered and his brain churned harder, cogwheels turning in an attempt to spit out crumbs that would enlighten him on this front.

"What is a Nether?"

He uttered with much difficulty as slowly, pieces of fragmented memory started to flood his mind.

He remembered the feeling of meeting the legacy. The deep sense of reverence that came with the meeting left a sour taste in his mouth, he didn't like that side of himself.

He tried to remember what was the cause of such a deep sense of devotion, but it eluded him. It was akin to trying to remember a dream.

The feeling of being robbed off parts of himself took front seat; it was an uneasy feeling. The violation from being robbed off an essential part of his being made him feel naked. A sense of emptiness overwhelmed him as he perceived the void in his mind.

He remembered vividly his past life and how he had reacted to all that he loved and hated, yet... none of that anger was present now. His heart felt blank and mind in chaos. It made little sense, was this what death did to someone?

"So much for eternal peace", he scoffed yet, wasn't it peaceful to not be burdened by the sentiments of his earlier life? He wanted to puzzle over the matter a bit more but his mind was too tired and body sour to allow him the comfort.

It was hard, where he lay, the night air was cool and the sound of... life filled the air.

Crickets, birds and other creatures sang into the night giving the it an ambiance of life and calm.

His head swung left, then right and beneath the minuscule light of the starry night sky, he perceived green that extended far as his eyes could see dotted by patches of bushes and far off into the distance rising from the ground like pillars, trees, lots of them.

Their density obscured the insides of the forest making it dark and curious.

The green grass swayed in the mercy of the wind, the scent of green permeating the cold night and soothing Michael's nerves.

The immediate ground appeared charred and broken, as if something had impacted with such strength it burnt all life within it's immediate vicinity.

"No wonder my body aches"

Seeing the impact crater around him it baffled him how he was still alive, but he was too exhausted to even dare mule over it.

With great difficulty, he rolled over to his left and proceeded to prop himself up on his right hand, panting heavily with every effort. It was like trying to pick up a truck, his body felt heavy and his sight tunneled from the strain.

After the arduous effort, he managed to get himself on his knees and observe the world clearly.

The beauty of the night soothed his spirit, making him feel safe and relaxed, however, in that same calm, he felt the need to keep his guard up. Staring at the dense forest, his skin crawled as the bushes danced from animals and wind.

The meadow lost most of it's charm as he became apprehensive of everything that moved. The old Michael would have been scared out of his wits, yet all he felt was the hairs on his neck rise and his senses perk up.

He studied the forest and the expansive meadow alike, it was probable that his entry had alerted whatever hid in the forests embrace.

"I have to move", he concluded but his body begged to differ. The mere action of staying on his knees took a toll on his muscles ravaging him with a fatigue like never before.

His sluggish mind tried to contemplate whether to venture into the forest that offered cover and protection from possible threats, or walk into the naked meadow that offered a clear line of sight for any potential threats.

Eventually, his fatigue won out and he slumped back on the ground.

"Maybe rest first", he though to himself as he gave into his body's cries and decided to rest his sour bones.

Closing his eyes, he forced his mind one more time to recall what happened after he died, but it remained blank.

After an arduous minute of thought, he found it prudent to set pondering over the matter aside.

"Maybe I'll remember after I'm rested", he thought uncaring of how dangerous sleeping out in the open would be.

His stomach growled demanding it's due and forcing him to groan even more.

"The best I can do is... take a nap", he half spoke half sighed, allowing himself to fall into deep sleep.

The world became dark once more.