Prologue : Dead but Alive

"AL!"

My head spun as I caught a glimpse of her body. Based on her horrified face and tone, I assumed that something was terribly wrong. Her left arm pointed at something behind my body. My entire upper body turned towards that direction, but it was too late. My chest began to erupt in pain as I pathetically staggered a couple of feet backwards.

I placed my right hand over the source of pain. When I pulled it out, a clear crimson red liquid greeted me. My gaze fell on the 8 mm hole in my torso. Trickles of blood fell from the tiny cavern on my chest as I jerked my head upwards. My peripherals caught a man with a handgun pointed directly at my head. In less than a second, the last bullet flew from the gun. It's tiny whistling sound was drowned by the loud gunshot. I tilt my head and saved my brain from popping out of my skull. But, the lightning bullet tore a piece of my ear. A flurry of pain appeared on my ear as blood fell from it, the horrible smell made me lose balance, causing me to trip on my own foot.

I crashed on the concrete road, upon colliding with the floor all the muscles of my body relaxed. The blood from my pierced chest and bloody ear bathed the rough surface as the light on my eyes began to fade. Screams erupted here and there resulting in mass pandemonium. The woman who screamed my name a while ago ran towards me as tears flooded her eyes.

"Albert! Al! Don't die please! Al please!" Reena begged.

Her formal attire was stained by the puddle of my blood. Suddenly, my cold left hand was bathed by the warmth of both her hands. My head tilted and I saw the person that shot me, he was pinned down to the ground by a duo of tuxedo-wearing men. Dark sunglasses covered their eyes as their stares pierced the pinned man. These two well built men were my bodyguards, they were supposed to stop cases like these, but I guess there isn't a point now that I'm dying. Atleast they caught the bastard who shot me.

With the miniscule amount of energy I had remaining, I turned my head towards Reena. Who knew I was going to die beside my childhood friend. I just hoped she'd live her life to the fullest, even without me. I stare towards her eyes as the never ending river of tears dilute her beautiful green pupils. Her short black wavy hair bounced here and there as she scanned the surroundings screaming for help.nI don't know if I'm an idiot or not, but why is it only now that I really see Reena's beauty? Why is it that when I'm dying I realized that Reena was the perfect woman. Was I blind because of work? Is it because of stress?

Just like me, at a really young age Reena was exceptionally gifted with knowledge. But what sets us apart was that her beauty was unparalleled, people her age went head over heels for her, except for me. Moreover, she was incredibly charismatic and friendly. But why is it now that I really see her dazzle? Ugh, it is as the saying goes; you only find the importance of something when you lose it. In this case, I'm going to lose Reena when I'll die.

"T-Thank you for everything R-Reena." I said my final words as I managed to muster up a faint smile.

"N-no no no no! Don't say that! I'm going to get you h-help!" her words were filled with panic, but they were drowned with sorrow.

She stripped herself of her blazer and used that to stop the bleeding, but that attempt proved to be futile. The bullet stiked my lung perfectly so my death was now set in stone. Each passing second my breathing became harder and my body felt weaker. Finally, a brilliant light dazzled infront of me as I felt all the worries I had in the world wash away. So that was the "light" that people see when they die. I closed my eyes and plunged into the eternal darkness.

"Al don't leave me please!" those were the last words I heard from Reena.

Now, there was nothing. No screaming. No pain. No Reena. Just me, alone, floating in a dark expanse. I tried to move my limbs, but nothing responded. I had no body, it seems I am now just, nothing. I feel nothing. Forever floating into the pitch black void. So this is what it feels like to be dead?

Although I was an atheist, I still respected the beliefs of other religions. I would never try to debunk the religion of another person even if they would be disrespecting me as an atheist. But, it seems strange that I'm not in Heaven nor in Hell. There wasn't a council of men to judge me in the underworld. A dog-person wasn't here to take my belongings. Were all those religions, wrong? I questioned the beliefs of people even though it completely opposes my morals. Then, something felt odd, I felt a tiny tug But, I was so deep in my thoughts that I just left it as it was. Then, I felt more tugs. Each new one was stronger than the last. The tug eventually transitioned to a pull, a strong one at that. And yet, I found myself still doing nothing.

After seconds of being slowly dragged, I felt something. My arm, then my torso, then my head. I opened my eyes and gasped for air the moment I escaped the nothingness. I stared at where I came from, it was a black portal of somesort. Then, my gaze fell on the golden string attached to my waist. I was being pulled from the nothingness.

When my last foot finally escaped that dark space, the portal vanished into thin air. The moment I laid eyes on the area where I was, I nearly forgot to breathe. It was truly breath taking. The entire region was pure white as far as the eye can see. I've been to many places before, but I've never been to a place as empty and as white as this. I spun my head as I scanned my surroundings to see if there was some thing else that dwells in this vast space. When my head was about to stop it's spin, my peripherals caught a figure, female. A woman standing 10 meters behind me, facing my back.

"Welcome Albert Neilman. I am Era, the goddess of the planet 'Erevus'." the woman spoke in a light tone as her mouth bent, forming agentle smile.