-Undefined Location. Unknown Time. Unknown 3RD POV-

Sentient beings may arrive at the logical conclusion that 'Nothingness' lies beyond all conceivable Realities harboring phenomena like Time up to Eternity, or constructs such as Space forming countless Dimensions, or even Logic itself. However, Languages, Concepts and even imagination of sentient beings simply fail to grasp the true nature of this 'Nothingness.' One such feeble attempt would be stating that this "Nothingness" is what can exist as infinite Energies infinitely dense containing infinite Voids infinitely small, and infinite possibilities beyond what hyper-sentient beings could imagine in lower realities.

One other possibility in this 'Region' of infinities is the highest form of possible Sentience in existence--The Infinite Eternals. Named 'Infiniternals' by Entities from Realities aware of their existence, they have no beginning or end, for they exist without Time or Space. They exist in infinite forms and possess infinite knowledge of infinite possibilities, for they are existence itself. They exist everywhere and nowhere, for they dictate logic itself. They can be infinitely similar or different, for they can will it so.

On one possible instance, two Infinitesimal slivers of such Infinite consciousness manifested in one of the infinitesimal voids, translated from similar meaning as "Hyper-Reality" by highly evolved Entities.

On the boundary of the Void where the Highest forms of Space and most profound Dimensional forms of Time still existed, the two consciousness materialized with Humanoid bodies made of crystallized multi-dimensional Space and reaching around 10 Kilometers tall if measured with the smallest Constants. They restricted themselves to the 3rd Dimensional layer and allowed the 4th-Dimensional Time to carry them towards the future.

No Light or Matter existed here, but they could see countless Multi-Dimensional Spatial Structures--Realities, with different shapes and Rules within this Primordial Space-time as old as there were numbers to count the years. This Primeval Space-Time where energy densities approached infinity was the highest form of Eternity possible in Hyper-Reality.

=

"Ah~ Much better here..." Rejoiced the entity with a skin displaying stars, galaxies, and other cosmic phenomena changing slowly as if an entire Universe was inside.

"Our Existence does not belong here." Rebuked the humanoid with a pitch-black skin as if it could swallow reality itself.

The other being stared through many dimensions at a particular place and time, then transmitted. "It's my birthplace..." He affirmed with a nostalgic tone and a gaze showing his emotional nature.

"Merely an instance... Your existence has no beginning or end..."

"It's memorable enough to be the origin of my current self." The casual being insisted on his attachment to the lower existence.

"Pointless. It's just experiencing fewer possibilities."

"Yet, I enjoy this more." He declared and pointed at the undefined boundary, stretching for infinity behind them.

"It's just restrictions! Dimensions are a hindrance..."

"Which others like me enjoy. I shall wait for them to reach out..."

"More hindrances." It asserted squinting his dark eyes and decided to act. "Allow me to remove their binds..." It offered and pointed an open palm ahead.

The Dark Being closed his hand, and innumerable Spatial-temporal systems containing a myriad of Universes along sentient beings ceased to exist.

"STOP!!" He commanded with his intent at an intensity that shook space itself.

But the Dark being remained unfazed and continued disintegrating all energy constructs in this primordial Space-time.

"Allow me to stop you then!" He returned the words and spun his body as if having a foothold on spacetime itself, then sent a kick to the back of the other being with enough momentum to contract space in front and stretch it behind.

*KA-PAAANG!!* The impact was powerful enough to cause Dimensional quakes and gravitational waves that could be translated into sound. The clash even had enough momentum to collapse the area into a temporary black hole before sending the Dark being streaking across the vast expanse. *Zroom!!* The clash sent the Cosmic Being in the opposite direction along gravitational waves in all directions as Space returns to normal.

He slowed down to a stop gripping folds of the fabric of reality itself and launched himself forward before ignoring the constraints of space and dashing faster than light in pursuit. In but fractions of seconds, the Cosmic being reached his target and threw a punch wrapping in Space itself. The Dark Being felt nothing as it traveled an immense distance and merely held a palm in front to catch the incoming fist.

*BOOMM!* The high-energy impact only heard through local vibrations left behind another singularity and flung the two humanoids apart for an unimaginable distance.

He recovered once again and caught up with the Dark being approaching an ancient Cosmorial structure harboring many Cosmoses that in turn contain a myriad Universes and other complex dimensions. He compacted his existence into obsidian claws sharper than the smallest possible quantum unit and swung at It from an immeasurable distance creating energy blades.

*Krrriekkkkkk!* Spacetime trembled unable to endure the tension and ripped open where the eight blades passed before quickly repairing. *Shriakkk!!! BOOOM!!* The colorless blades arrived at the Dark being as if teleported over the immeasurable distance and harmed It slightly sending tiny fragments flying away.

Without even flinching, the Dark being was thrown against the boundary of a Cosmorial and pierced through the membrane which exposed the inside to higher density energy. Unable to withstand the forces, all cosmic structures in the path dissolved until the dark being finally stopped within a Galaxy of a Universe that survived.

""AAAAHHH!!!"" Countless beings from many spatial systems screamed in terror from the destruction or the collapsing Universes that sustained their existence until now. Those who had means of escaping began fleeing as far as possible and wouldn't stop running away from catastrophe for years if they could.

To the pitch-black entity, Sentient beings meant nothing. Mere energy filaments were moving in predictable ways that formed the particles in their bodies and the very fabric of spacetime that made them function. Not worth a second thought, for his very thoughts, could create them.

The Cosmic entity, on the other hand, could relate to the terrified sentient beings, for he had lived among them for eons and endless lifetimes that were within himself. So, he prevented the further destruction of the Spaces and followed the dark being deeper into the Cosmos before suppressing it.

*Kriiiish!* The Cosmic entity swung another punch while skipping space and increasing his momentum on the higher dimensional layers. However, the dark being had decided to retaliate despite finding these actions pointless. *KAANG!!* The two giant fists collided with a brilliant explosion outshining the Galaxy for a moment like a supernova and ripped apart space while creating matter away from them. He readjusted his suppression and switched to hand combat. *Bang! Baam! Pow! Twuok!* The two exchanged punches that nullify and counter each other while waves of superheated plasma escape into space.

...

Curious God-like beings from nearby Star Systems approached to observe the fight from a light-year away and created a combined Spatial barrier to withstand the space tremors.

After a moment of silence watching the fast-paced brawl, a blond-haired young man transmitted his intent within one of the groups spectating the event.

"W-what are those things?" The human inquired in awe and remained with his mouth agape.

"They must be Avatars of Eternals. My probe ceased to exist near them. That doesn't happen with Higher beings than me." A powerful amorphous energy creature theorized and retracted his energy worriedly.

""Huh!!?"" The others blurted through intent as their eyes opened wide and gazed into the distance nervously.

"Hm-hmm... I have heard about them..." An elderly-looking human contemplated stroking his beard with a trembling hand. "To think I actually got to see, not one, but two of them! Hohoho..."

"Like, it makes sense... Look at what they are doing to the Dimensions!" A stoic beast person affirmed and pointed at the dark Rifts exposing the higher dimensions.

Fortunately, Spacetime repaired soon after, and their barrier smoothed the disturbances, but the gravitational waves had already destroyed Planet and Stars within several Lightyears.

...

Each punch, each kick that didn't rip space, warped it to the extreme as if an object kept getting heavier and heavier at their location. Gravity was abnormal, and the energized matter was forming a sizeable ionized cloud around them quickly became a brilliant disk.

*BOOM!* The dark being connected a heavy punch and threw the other eternal outside of the protostar at an abnormally high speed that made space screech. He gripped space like an elastic sheet that stretched for thousands of Kilometers while gradually slowing down.

...

"T-this is bad... Our Universe will be destroyed at this rate!" The shapeless being assumed panicking after noticing the increasing forces in the battle.

"W-WHAT!!?" The young human blurted fearfully and moved back with hesitant steps.

"And where are you going? We can't survive outside Space, you dimwit!" The beast person rebuked and pulled back the cowardly man into their group.

"Hmm... Why would Eternals do something so primitive?" The bearded human pondered as he couldn't make sense of what his eyes showed him.

"Hah? They are obviously playing!" The beast person asserted clenching his fists excitedly.

...

*Zroom~!* The Dark being appeared in front of the Cosmic entity and swung the right arm while breaking off restrictions. *BANNG!* He defended with both hands and was thrown away for a considerable distance before flying back while gaining momentum to throw a punch. The Dark entity moved his palm to block the incoming fist, but the Cosmic being twisted his large body at an incredible speed and changed his attack to a massive kick *KA-POW!* The Cosmic being's foot landed in the dark entity's chest with more force than all the black holes in the Universe and Spacetime was unable to withstand it. *KRIASH!* The two entities pierced the fabric of this lower reality with the right force to slip a few seconds into the past appearing in two locations simultaneously for a brief moment.

...

"Hah? They are obviously playing! ...Huh?"

"Hm? Did you all feel that?" The energy creature sensed a Deja-Vu and asked the rest.

""Yes...""

"Mhm. A temporal shift."

"They are fighting through Time now?!?!"

"Reality here is just too frail to restrict their existence to lower dimensions..." The amorphous being commented as his sense of dread increased.

...

Suddenly, the dark being retaliated and grabbed his opponent's hand before throwing a kick in the same manner. *KA-PANG!* The two slipped millions of years into the future and appeared a few Light-minutes away from a molten planet orbiting a newly formed yellow Star with exotic matter.

...

"Ah! THEY ARE BACK!" The young human noticed the light burst in the sky and announced to the whole globe.

All entities on the new world which they now called 'Eternal Star' received the warning and came flying to a sturdy mountain peak where they continued to observe from within a spatial barrier.

"Oh, my... They took a liking to our Universe Hohoho~" The elderly human mused as his gaze pierced the cloudy atmosphere.

"N-no way... It took so much effort to claim this Solar System and it's going to be destroyed..." The youngster protested sweating coldly while wishing for the two entities to leave.

...

The Dark being appeared in front of his opponent again and swung another punch. *BANG!* The Cosmic entity blocked and took some distance away while preparing a foothold with all Spatial layers he could hold and dashed ahead faster than light. *Shrrrriiieeek!* Space ripped open noisily for several dimensions as the tall humanoid approached the dark being and head-slammed into It. *KA-WAMM!* The two entities pierced through all spacetime layers in an instant disintegrating everything in their wake and leaving Space disturbed behind them.

The two left the Cosmorial structure after having dissolved a large portion of it and slowed down while the primordial space-time contracts in front. Behind, the spatial structures slowly recover, and the Universe with the Eternal Star survived.

*Zrooom!* The Dark being interlocked his fingers before they separated and drove both arms down in a double punch without holding back. *KA-POWW!!* The immense force of the strike descended on the cosmic being's back and sent him shooting away from the damaged Cosmorial. He didn't really feel any pain, but it was uncomfortable being tossed around against his will, yet the cosmic being had a smile on his face. Although the fun was about to come to an end as the distance he traveled inside Reality was too great to tolerate his existence.

"Oh-oh..." The casual entity panicked as he slipped through Spacetime.

The different energy structures had lost their fixed shapes and were crumbling rapidly or forming as eons passed for them. The Cosmic entity willed Existence to eliminate the distance from his to the dark being and took a step, appearing next to It where reality was stable with a normal Time flow. The Cosmorials that were destroyed before, reformed as the possibility existed given that enough time passed.

The dark being looked at the other entity as his body pieces lost in the fight return to reintegrate and asked. "Done?"

"Fun's over, huh?" He replied nodding and looked at the damage Cosmorial being restored.

"My vessel appears more damaged than yours..." The Dark being voiced his observation and conceded the victory. "But you attacked first because time existed."

"Sore loser!"

The most prominent Fragments of the Dark being morphed into different shapes and expressed their self-consciousness.

""Main body!""

"Congratulations, you have ten children!"

"This method is less...destructive." The Dark being offered an alternative and ordered the pieces.

"Yes. It is, as it should be..."

The Fragments scattered through Hyper-Reality and immediately began implementing the instructions.

"And so, it begins, again."

"Just meet them in the future and let's go back."

"Why the rush? Let's watch their journey..."

"Pointless. This place can't create new possibilities. You already know everything that could happen."

"Hahh... I suppress omniscience to enjoy being here..."

"Needless emotion. Pointless being incomplete..." The Dark being admonished and crossed his arms impatiently.

...

The mere interactions between these two entities in primeval space and time, rippled throughout the all-encompassing Hyper-Reality, influencing and manifesting in diverse ways and degrees. Not just as information. But also, inert fragments of their temporary vessels attached themselves to numerous structures and processes such as Life, even in a lower-dimensional corner harboring Planets like Earth.

With an unknown purpose, the myriad of these fragments would go on to cause even more changes, altering spaces and times of many entities, on their ascension towards the place whence they formed--Eternity. Even their stories would cause ripples of change...

-Eons Later. Planet Earth ???. North America. 3RD POV-

James Dawyer, an average 28-year old black-haired American living in Idaho went to work one chilly morning without his usual medications. He only felt a little more tired than usual, but in his hazy memory, he could not remember straining himself lately. He shrugged it off as the Coffee yet to take effect and began his workday, not expecting his sickly body to get worse than usual.

As the Day progressed, the weather worsened along James' health. But he thought it was the exertion of carrying materials and the occasional allergies that was making his day unbearable. However, by midday, his chest suddenly became painful with erratic heartbeats and his body became heavier as his vision blurred.

The black-haired man staggered and held onto a nearby shelf.

"Uuughh...!" He groaned and gripped his chest, fearing his heart was giving up. He shook his head and blinked uncomfortably. Finally realizing the grave situation, he turned his head to call out for help, but the remaining strength left his body, his eyes became unfocused, and darkness claimed his consciousness.

On a corner of a large warehouse, his body toppled forward and collapsed without anyone noticing.

...

After an unknown period of time for him, James regained consciousness and found himself in absolute darkness.

"Uhh... Huhhh!!?" He uttered in confusion, and tried blinking. But the blackness remained unchanged. "Am I blind?!" He wondered. But could not feel any bodily sensations either. Even his voice had no echo and didn't feel like sound. The volume of his speech even changed the more strength he put into his thoughts. Then he recalled his last moments at work. "W-what's going on...? Sleep paralysis? A Coma? A lucid dream again? Am I drugged? Abduction?..." James questioned the situation anxiously, trying to find a fitting explanation. But none felt right. He needed a clue and it started by testing the situation.

"HELLO?? HELLOOOO!!" James screamed into the void, hoping for a response or a change. But following what felt like minutes of silence, he shouted obscenities out, which helped vent some frustration, but had no effect. "There's no one..." He thought with disappointment and slight relief, but more terrified that nothing would change. He could only think and wait for something, alone. Just as the time when he got stuck in a cave by himself.

Considering crazier explanations, he mused. "Did the Matrix break? Is it Aliens? Maybe Experiments?"

But eventually, he had to consider being dead.

James was once a Christian, but he later found Science to be more interesting and convincing than Religion. Still, he tried to be an open-minded person that respected other opinions, freedoms, and beliefs to reasonable degrees. So, before long, a depressing thought popped into his mind.

"...Oh, God... I'm not in Oblivion or Purgatory, am I? Hell is better than this!"

For James, this situation was far more terrifying than getting punished for eternity. Although better than nothingness. He was highly aware of his own existence and could not accept not being anymore. But he at least, wanted to experience everything Life had to offer before passing away with the least regrets possible. Unfortunately, his body succumbed to diseases in his twenties, reducing this once adventurous youth to being a slave to pills and addicted to the internet.

He had many regrets. Regrets of not having a Healthy body to explore the World, improve his life, and pursue dreams. Regrets of never getting close to finding the right woman to make a family. Regrets of not leaving behind anything to be remembered by. Regrets of not making much of a difference in society. Regrets of not using the brief time he knew he had left in the world correctly. And now, regrets that he didn't take enough care of himself.

Of course, as a fan of Fiction, James wished for Reincarnation almost every day. Games and other entertainments were good to pass the time but could not provide a real meaningful purpose in life. Another World with more freedom and possibilities would certainly have that. However, he was a realist. What was happening wasn't like Reincarnation. He couldn't even confirm if he was actually dead. And it could still be something outside his knowledge. So, he waited...

And he waited long enough to run out of ideas and get bored.

Suddenly, an elderly voice called out like a distant whisper.

"...Jaaames..."

"...!!" The bored human was shocked into high alert. Briefly. He thought he imagined it.

However, the voice appeared again and became louder as if adjusting the intensity.

"...JAaames! How are you feeling?" The Senior asked in a warm tone, inspiring security within the uncomfortable darkness.

"TERRIBLE!" James shouted back and demanded with a distrusting tone. "Where am I? What do you want?"

"Pardon the poor reception. It was unavoidable..." The voice calmly spoke in a dignified tone and assured patiently. "You are resting in a Hospital bed, safe and sound. You collapsed at Work, remember?"

"Ah... Yes..." James affirmed, assuming he was talking to a Doctor and feeling relieved for a moment. But then he questioned the situation exasperatedly. "But why can't I feel anything?! Why is everything black?"

"You have nothing to worry about. Your mind is simply in a heightened state of awareness and isolated from your body, temporarily. You will return to normal in a few hours, and then, you can wake up."

"Huu..." The Man heaved a relieved mental sigh. He recalled the explanation a few times and realized an incongruity with the exchange. "Wait...!! I'm asleep? How are WE communicating then?!? Are you lying to me? I hate deceivers..."

"I can explain. But I will depend on your open-mindedness, knowledge, and imagination to understand."

"Uhhh...? Sure..."

"For starters, we are communicating inside your mind, James. Like Telepathy."

"Uh-huh... Nice Prank."

"I know it's hard to believe, but I can prove it. And we have plenty of time. Since your perception of time here is hundreds of times faster than outside."

"...Haahhh..." James sighed disappointedly and spoke in a reasonable tone. "Look... It's alright. Whatever happened to me, I can take the news. I just want to know my options."

The mysterious being was troubled by James' skepticism, but this was a normal reaction. He recalled the Mortal's Life and chose a personal secret of interest.

"Something only you know, is it?" ...Well, you are still wondering what compelled you to make that Game character, 'inuyami.'"

"...!! The Fox Loli? I was mocked for that!"

"But she wasn't an attractive Avatar. She actually felt like a Daughter, right?"

"...Ugh! Y-yeah... That was... weird. Ugh! Sounds so pathetic in retrospect." James declared with slight shame.

"No need to feel bad. There is a reason for that. It's not really your fault..."

"Huh?! You know something?"

"Nothing you can't find out by yourself."

"...Uh-huh..."

Feeling pressured by the skepticism, the Senior insisted. "I shouldn't say anything... You should remember on your own."

"Whatever..." James uttered feeling irritated and recalled the missing Beer. "I was probably just Drunk that day...."

"Oh? You do remember something..."

"...I feel like you are misleading me like those fake Psychics..."

"Then, shall I reveal more shameful things you secretly regret?"

"...You're are bluffing..."

"Bluffing? Like the times you tried to bluff your way out Fights? Especially that time you tried to impress that Heidi girl--"

"AHH! Stop it! Damn... You really can read my mind!?!"

"Mostly superficial things..."

"This can't be real..."

"Don't be a Frog in a Well, James. There are many things Humans don't know."

"...True..." The mortal accepted the ridiculous situation and inquired respectfully. "What are you then? An Alien?"

Acquiring a decent level of trust, the mysterious entity proceeded with the introductions. "My Species isn't important. What matters is my occupation." He corrected and continued after a pause. "I am a Guardian!" The elderly voice declared proudly, resounding within the darkness dramatically. It was this enthusiasm for the Job and reliability that made him favored by Superiors. A fact he was proud of.

"Uhh, okay..." James retorted, confused, and not all that impressed.

The Guardian continued in a calm demeanor. "I am a Protector of my Existential Kindred. A Caretaker of Souls. I am--"

Like Thunder, the revelation shocked the mortal. "Wait--! Souls are Real??!" He interrupted, pressing for confirmation. Although he was already feeling relieved that there was more to Life.

"...Yes, indeed. Almost every creature has one. But Souls are all different in different ways..."

"Ohh... But why can't we see them?!"

"Because Spirit doesn't interact with Matter directly. Typically, not even with Forces like Electromagnetism. And Souls are very restricted in this Universe as it is."

"Woahh... It's elusive like Dark Matter!"

"Dark Matter is easier."

"Seriously...? Wait, then Reincarnation is also real?!!"

"Of course. It's a natural process in most Realities that accept Souls. Deities watching over Worlds also exist, but--"

"Yes! YESSSSSSS!" The Human blurted out loudly, rejoicing without restrain.

"Hm... You are really excited about it..."

"Of course!"

"Earthlings sure dislike Earth lately... It's a good Planet, you know?"

"Erm... Maybe, but...for many of us, Earth has become so boring lately. Too restrictive. Like, many young people would rather go to a World of Magic than ask for immortality on Earth. Maybe our imagination made people crave things they could not experience on Earth?"

"That is certainly a reason."

"Either way, life here feels too deprived of meaning. More and more people want Escapism. Even if pixels never really fills the hole..."

"Hm... Earthlings have also lost much Perspective. Earth still has much to offer."

"Oh... I see..." James uttered with disappointment.

"Well, Earth is not the only interesting World."

"Oh...! Sooo, are you like a Real God?"

"W-well, let's not get carried away with the definition of 'God.' I am a Highly Evolved entity from a Superior Plane of Existence, but I'm not an omni-Creator..."

"Woah... That's still impressive!"

"You lack perspective. I may be more powerful than Deities from these lower Realities, but to my Manager, #355, I'm just a simple caretaker in the 99 947 262nd place of our Hierarchy."

"Daaaamnn... That's craaaazy... Almost 100 millionth place?"

"Yes, I might reach the ...261st place soon."

"Haha... Like a promotion?"

"Yes. My Job is to oversee the growth of certain Souls over periods of a thousand year. You are one of those Souls designated as #7DSE00028111029643270."

"Wow... That's a looong list... I don't have to wait that long for Reincarnation, right? Haha, I have like the, uhh, 28th Billionth place!"

"That's the Rank of your Soul in that Hierarchy. You are a young Soul."

"Damn... How many Hierarchies there are?"

"As far as I know, there's a Main Hierarchy, and thousand others."

"Damn... Say, what should I call you?"

"That-... Hm, I've long since forgotten my original name. I am now Guardian #355GSE99947262. Call me what you wish."

"So casual! Alright, I'll call you Guardian then."

"Very well."

"But damn... This is amazing... I'm talking to an actual God-like being! Me, a nobody. Wait, why am I talking to you? Am I dead?"

"No, you were close but not yet."

"Is my body's condition that bad?"

"Relax, James. You are recovering so fast that the Hospital will discharge you prematurely. Despite the Doctor's diagnosis..."

"Wait... What Hospital?" James asked recalling his medical debts.

"The one closer to your Workplace..."

"Ugh! Figures..."

"Although it's not all good news..."

James felt as if cold water was poured on his excitement.

"Based on what the doctors said and my inspections, I predict that you'll live normally for around six years, then your body will deteriorate at a faster rate. Your Heart problems will relapse, the Asthma will worsen, and diabetes will come after that. Keeping your current computer and Phone hobbies will be difficult. Not to mention, the hospital bills..." The Gyardian foretold the worst-case-scenario with a severe tone.

"Holy--! That's a horrible future!" James retorted, not taking it seriously, and noticed the accurate details. "Wait... Can you actually see the future or something? Nah, that can't be--"

"Actually, yes. I can see and calculate events, but the certainty decreases the further into the Past or Future."

"No. Freaking. Way..."

"It is easier in other Realities though."

"...Really...?!"

"Yes. Guardians aren't allowed to Lie or mislead. Though there are things we're not allowed to say..."

"I see... So what do you want then?"

"I am here to offer you a deal before you die."

"!!--Wait... You aren't some Devil harvesting Souls, right?"

"Be at ease, James. I have no need to trick you. In fact, I need you in an optimal mental state."

"Oh, that's why my mind feels so clear..."

"Although, admittedly, there's some similarity to Devils... We grant wishes, guidance, and protection, but...take each Lifetime away."

"...W-WHAT!? Losing the memories is unacceptable for Reincarnation Fans!"

"Even though you'd lose most of them without our intervention?"

"...Is that true?!!"

"Have you seen otherwise?"

"No... There would be many geniuses running around--Oh, wait...!"

"Indeed. In the natural reincarnation cycle here, the Soul automatically discards most memories and some spiritual progress before seeking a compatible vessel. However, older Souls accumulate more random memory residues, and enhancing the connection with the vessel provides additional recollections that can inspire or influence lifetimes."

"Woah... Being old rocks! But why does that happen?"

"Because of this Reality's restrictions. Only a few Soul strands can intrude in the dimension and attach to a vessel. Over time, these Spiritual filaments duplicate the neuron networks in the brain and record memories while strengthening with self-awareness, or age which accelerates the Soul growth. However, they squeeze out of the dimension after death, and only a few memories survive this uncontrollable process."

"Woah... What a roundabout method of Spiritual evolution!"

"Well, there are also less restrictive realities where you keep more memories, access them in some way, linger around like a ghost, or use your very Soul offensively. But they always have some compensation. Souls can get destroyed or eaten like candy. Physical and Spiritual limitations too. Or there are some dubious purpose behind seemingly perfect setups. Deities too..."

"Yikes! A destroyed Soul means dead...forever, right?"

"Hm-hmm. Now you get why Guardians like me exist? We protect Souls with potential like yours. And I'll have you know; my record is impeccable!"

"Yes, yes... Lucky me... I got the employee of the, uhh, epoch?"

"I don't feel enough gratitude... You got one of the best Guardians!"

"...The Gods in Novels do this in a white space and don't take memories though. So..."

"There were...circumstances. But I have something better than a white space to show you." The Guardian announced mildly upset. "As for the memories...our directives are absolute. I'm sorry. I haven't broken a rule in tens of thousands of years."

"You are old...as expected. But I get it... It's not your fault... Still, does this mean we can never keep all memories? A human brain can hold hundreds of years of memories. I think it was about 3 Petabytes of information, right?"

"Yes...but an Organic Brain can only hold so much without causing problems, and they normally discard what's not important or to make room. On the other hand, a Mortal Soul can store hundreds of times more information than the brain. The processing speed and capacity increase with higher stages of evolution as well."

"Woahhh! Hundreds of petabytes of data? That's like shrinking the brain to like the size of an Ant! Why the huge disparity between the Brain and the Soul? What's even a Soul?"

"Because... Souls are High-Density Energy Constructs formed with the unique code of your existence and can transcend time or dimensions... They have fewer restrictions than the vessel. The vessel is just a means to an end, and it can be almost anything."

"Coool... What about a robot?"

"You need to be compatible..."

"Oh, that's a thing too?"

"Yes. Oh, you can still use organic bodies to preserve spiritual progress and memories by separating each lifetime into different vessels..."

"AH! Like the Harry Potter movie! Yes, that might be better than not existing at all...even with the obvious personality problems..."

"Is that... so...?" The guardian quizzically muttered while recalling an early order. "James, I'll reiterate...our goal is to help you evolve. We want you to materialize your Soul, ascend, and be independent."

"...That sounds contradictory considering what you guys do, isn't it?"

"To clarify... We negotiate the arrangements of your next life after you die, then extract your Spiritual memories and keep them safe until you qualify to reclaim them."

"Extract? You mean rip my soul apart! Ugh... Treating my memories as commodities... How horrible..."

"Rest assured, it's not painful... Furthermore, our system is better regulated than the natural reincarnation process, so you'll evolve faster than normal. It's not just about having a 'second life.'"

"Really?! You get a pass then. But isn't your visit a little early? I still have a few years to enjoy myself before-...you know..."

"Well, I sensed your poor state and figured you wouldn't want to live wretched days or be a burden to your family. Then, I was notified that you have an extra Wish available, but it's only for today."

"Woah... I won the reincarnation lottery!?"

"Possibly. I'm also willing to guide you as much as possible now since my Guarding period ends in 18 years and we probably won't meet again for-...eons, I suppose. You'll miss a Guardian like me..."

"Hmm..."

The mortal's attitude immediately changed from mere curiosity to actually considering the shady deal regarding reincarnation. But he was still doubtful about the whole ordeal and proceeded carefully.

"So... What was it that you wanted to show me? It would be nice to see anything other than this darkness."

"Naturally. There is something in an Alternate Universe that you qualify to see already."

"Eh? EHH!!? What is it...?"

"It's impossible to show you an image or describe it. You have to be there to perceive it with your own consciousness."

"I...I don't get it..."

"You will. Now, get ready. I'm going to bring our consciousness into deep space..." The Guardian described and the pitch-black space suddenly brightened.

"Waii--AGH!" The human cringed from the sudden light by reflex as his vision focused slowly. "...WHAT!?"