“And that’s about all I can remember.” I responded, when she asked what I could remember before … before I died… she had explained to me that I had already died and that my soul was transferred to this place.

“It’s good that your memories have returned,” She shifted in her seat as if to make herself comfortable, “Now, I will give you a choice, reincarnate in another world far from your own, or to die normally to whatever afterlife your realm has. Choose.”

“Wait,” I shuffled out of the bed and stood up on the white floor, I look towards her, “Wait a minute, ‘to whatever afterlife your realm has’? Does that mean this doesn’t happen normally?”

“You pick up things fast, don’t you?” She chuckled

“I do get that a lot, thanks.” I scratched the back of my head.

“Well, you are quite correct, I don’t know exactly why but you just suddenly appeared here.” She said and shrugged her shoulders.

“Aren’t you like the god or something? Shouldn’t you know these things?”

“No, Zack. You misunderstand,” She stood up from her seat and walked towards me, the chair disappeared. Yeah, disappeared, like a bubble, poof, it’s gone. “I am not a god, I am above them, we overseers rule over the whole universe, while gods rule over worlds. Most gods does not even know of our existence, and there might even be an entity that is greater than us overseers, and that entity might have sent you here.”

“What the hell? I don’t understand any of this…”I put my palm over my head.

“Zack, not everything can be explained, much less understood,” She continued. She walked nearer towards me and stood by my side, “Now, like I said, I can send you to, what you might call, an alternate or parallel universe, a universe where new components of matter exists, where magic is possible, and to a world of swords and knights. Or. If you choose, I could send you to the afterlife that your realm has. I do not know what your realm’s afterlife is, but each realm can only have one. Some have reincarnation, some have paradise, and some have eternal damnation. Hurry and choose, mortal souls should not stay at this place for too long.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll choose, just… give me minute to sort everything out…,” I gestured for her to stop for a moment and I sat at the edge of the bed, “Can’t you just like, send me back?”

“Zack, you’re dead, I can’t send a dead man back. Everyone probably already knows you’ve died. Your body may have already been six feet under the ground.” She sat next to me and answered.

“Okay, you do have a point… but what does this world you speak of look like? What does it contain?” I turned towards her and inquired, I’m leaning to choosing the other world… I might find a way to go back using that magic that she said…

“I cannot tell you any more information than what I had told you, you would have to choose first.”

“Fine then, I choose the other world. Now, tell me.” I insisted for her to tell me. I won’t risk possibly going to an eternal damnation instead of just living normally.

“Are you sure about your answer?” She narrowed her eyes and looked straight into mine.

“Probably…” I averted my eyes away from hers, it seems like my soul would be sucked into that deep black eyes she had.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She nodded to herself, “Now, this world—Aetheria, looks almost just like Earth, of course it has to be for it to be habitable. Anyway, the only thing that differs is that this world have monumental amounts of mana and it has magical hotspots, these hotspots can range from castles to forests, anywhere that has surplus of Mana.”

“Wait,” I interrupted her, “Mana? Is that what is supposed to be like the ones from RPGs where you need to consume it to use magic?”

“Yes, exactly. In this world, Aether, as a raw material can be converted by humans and other entities and transform it into usable Mana. Just like how a plant converts CO2 into Oxygen. When humans use Mana, the Mana is then released into the atmosphere where it gets converted into Aether. Like a cycle.” She then looked at me.

“Yes, I understand. Please go on.”

“Okay then, now, the inhabitants are humans, but just like I said, they can convert Aether into Mana, something that Earthlings cannot do. There are also different races like elves and dwarves, much like the stories in you world. Your overseer probably incorporated this world into your world’s fantasy literature,” She paused, “Knowledge about these races would be better if you gained them in that world instead of here. What I want to clarify for you is this, much like your games, this world is ruled by levels, statistics, skills and titles. However unlike your RPG games, the statistics in this world always changes, it’s due to the inability to truly judge the abilities and talents of any sentient being.”

“So you’re telling me, even if I’m there I wouldn’t be able use magic? And my stats might just be average?” I interrupted her; this is something I need to clear up.

“Oh, heavens no. That’ll just be rude don’t you think? With monsters around, you’ll surely die too easily without magic and having average statistics. While being sent there, your body will be optimized to suit the planet, the gravity, climate, natural resistances to bacterium and viruses, and the ability to convert Aether to Mana. Your training will not be wasted and will be optimized fully to your stats. You will also receive your acquired, unique and innate skills and titles based on your past life’s experiences, your level will also be increased to optimal. Does that sound good to you?” She looked towards me once again and asked me.

“Yes it’s quite enough, actually. Thanks,” I softly smiled at her,

“Well, that’s good to know, one last thing, I won’t be able to give you currency or living things, but I can grant you something from your world… What do you want?” She managed a smile and asked me.

“My gun, absolutely, grant me my rifle. Please. Oh! And bullets! I can’t use it without bullets.” I grabbed her shoulders and looked straight at her eyes.

“Uhh… umm… okay? Umm…”She looked troubled and her smile turned into an embarrassed one. Oh shit, I got too carried away.

“Ah! I’m sorry… “ I took my hands away and put it up in a gesture of surrendering.

“umm… it’s okay… uh, here,” She snapped her fingers, and a sniper rifle materialized in the bed, “The rifle, it’s a custom Barrett rifle, isn’t it?”

“Yup, Anti-materiel, semi-auto, .50 cal. Sniper rifle.” I picked up the rifle and scanned it to check if it was mine, I was astounded, “This one really is my rifle… “

“Of course it is, there’s probably no problem with it except that it went missing from earth… anyway,” She handed me a small leather pouch, “Here you have one hundred rounds, the pouch is magical, you can store about 50kg more of anything not living, they will be preserved and stopped in time.”

“Whoa, that’s neat, thanks again.” I smiled, grabbed the pouch and put it in my pocket.

“Great, now you’re ready to go” She smiled sweetly and stood up and I followed her lead, we were facing each other when she leaned in closer, closed her eyes, and kissed me on the lips.

I was surprised, very much so.

And then everything went white.