‘Wh-Where am I?’

‘What just happened?’

‘Wait, oh right’

‘I died’

‘Well fuck, guess the date’s ruined.’

‘Hopefully, Erin won’t get too mad.’

Silence resumed. Evan felt… conscious. He felt aware of his surroundings, and yet, there was nothing to be aware of. In the completely empty space, Evan simply floated around weightless, freely with no sense of direction.

‘This feels kinda nice. No wonder so many people like being astronauts. A bit chilly though.’

“So you made it here.”

Evan turned around to see an unfamiliar old man with grey hair in a suit approaching him. He projected an aura of confidence around him as we walked in the colourless void. His deep voice sounded oddly familiar to Evan

“I guess I did, wherever here is. Who are you, again?”

“You probably know me here as Lucifer but you can call me David.”

“Lucifer, as in Satan? The Devil? Am I going to hell then?”

“No, it’s just something people decided to call me when they met me. The name stuck around.”

Awkward silence filled the room as Evan tried to scratch his head only to find out that he had no head, nor hands.

“You are currently dead Evan, the form you are currently in is your soul.” David answered Evan’s silent question.

“I see. By the way, why does your voice sound so familiar?”

“Do you remember the voice that spoke to you when you lit your grandfather’s lantern?”

Evan stood up in realization, then he remembered he had no body. David chuckled at the sight.

“Being incorporeal is kinda hard to get used to isn’t it?”

“You! I rejected your offer!”

“Luckily, you won’t have to get used to it. You will be passing on to your new life very soon.” David

said, ignoring Evan.

“I don’t want a new life! Send me back!”

“Can’t. Your soul has completely passed on from your old world. You can’t go back now.”

“You have to take me up on my offer.”

Evan sat- no, floated in silence at the revelation. David waited for him patiently. Evan was his only participant in the games. David had to make sure he participated well or…

“I’ll fucking kill you.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“No, don’t be sorry. It won’t save you.”

“Why are you so angry? Didn’t you want to move on from your old life?”

“You made her cry.”

“Huh?”

Cold.

David felt a chill coming from his newest champion’s soul.

‘Heh, I did not make a mistake choosing him.’

“You made Erin cry. I’ll kill you for that.”

“Speaking of your girl, don’t you want to see her again? You know, if you win the games, you could ask for her to come to your new world.”

“No, it’s fine. She’s better off without me dragging her down.”

David waved his hand over the dark space and an image slowly appeared. Erin was still crying over his dead body as the ambulances finally arrived. She begged for the medics to save him but they knew they could do nothing. Evan teared up at the sight but he had no tears to shed.

“Are you sure about your choice? She cares about you, you know.”

“I’m sure. Someone else deserves her love and care. At least I do not deserve it with how I am now.”

“I’ll prove myself in your game, kill you, then come back to her myself.”

“Good, that’s the spirit you’ll need to survive.”

“Fuck you.”

David smiled at Evan’s resolution and nodded.

“If that is what you wish for, so be it. Alright well I’ll send you off now.”

“Wait! Before I go, I have two questions I want to ask.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What do I have to do in my new life and how do I “win”?”

“Always the guy to focus on his goals, huh? Well it’s not bad, it’s good to focus on a goal when living life.”

“Basically, all we want you to do is be as entertaining as possible.”

“I see.”

“You don’t want any other explanation?”

“No, I think I get it."

"You’re bored. Immortality is great but once you accomplish all your goals, you have nothing else to do. That’s why you set this game up: to watch others struggle to achieve their dreams.”

“Smart.”

David chuckled.

“Alright, happy hunting, Evan.”

…

Evan slowly opened his newborn eyes and immediately closed them again to cry. The blinding lights hurt his sensitive eyes. His tiny ears were also defeaned by the cheers in what he assumed was the maternity ward.

“My baby! Is he healthy? Can I hold him?” A female voice who seemed to be his new mother asked with concern

‘Damn, I’m going to have to learn the language here. I have no idea what they’re saying.’

“Settle down, child.” The midwife said with a chuckle. “People would think with all the fuss you made, you gave birth to the king’s son.”

“It would be revenge for my husband chasing after the skirts of other women.” Her voice oozed with contempt.

“I would never!” a male voice said.

“Oh, so you didn’t stare when Chelsea from the tavern bends over to pick up a napkin you dropped?”

“I’m sorry, dear.”

Evan slowly opened his eyes to see a woman with chestnut coloured hair in a very loose gown folding her arms. She was glaring at a skinny man with curly, black hair who was blushing and looking down at the floor.

‘My dad,’ Evan thought.

There was another person, an old, plump woman with gray hair tied up in a bun.

‘The midwife.’

She was currently laughing her ass off at the two. She wore a baggy, dark grey uniform similar to what nuns back on Earth used. What interested Evan was the uniform seemed to be decorated with several pictures like a tapestry. Beside her a shorter woman with mid-length black hair coming to her shoulders in a similar uniform, only not so embroidered.

From what he saw, it seemed like his mother was making fun of his father. Pitying the poor man, Evan stretched out his arms towards his mother while pretending to cry. The midwife then handed the baby to his mother, sniggering at the expense of the man. The mother’s gaze softened as she held her baby in her arms, cooing softly at it.

Evan could see his mother closely and was stunned at her beauty. She had a round, perfectly oval face with light sky blue eyes and her chestnut hair felt soft and silky on his face.

‘She looks so young.’ Evan thought

She giggled at the awestruck baby and remarked.

“Well the boy certainly looks like his father when he first saw me,” eliciting another blush from his father.

“Alright, thank you once again for your help, Sister Marcel, Sister Felicia. Leon dear, could you show them out? Little Evan is hungry for mommy’s milk, isn’t he?”

Leon, Evan’s father, could only sigh at his wife, Cara’s indecency and showed the midwife and her assistant out.

As soon as the group left, Evan was left alone with his mother. As he fed, he decided to look around the house to take his eyes off the soft lumps. The house seemed to be straight out of the medieval era with a wooden roof, walls, and a cobblestone floor. His family seemed to be well off as they had some ornaments and decorations of mythical creatures around the room.

Feeling full, Evan couldn’t help but fall asleep in his mother’s arms. Her warm embrace, her kind smile, and care,

‘Mom,’ he thought, as chest tightened. He couldn’t help but let go of any preconceptions about his new family. The ice was melting off his cold heart as it started to beat warmth into his body once more.

Emotions

Happiness

Soon after, Leon returned to the room, smiling at the sight of his new child and mother.

“He’s cute, isn’t he? And small?”

“That’s how babies usually are, dear.” Cara said, rolling her eyes. “Do you think he’ll get along with Zed and Wyra?”

“I’m sure he will.” Leon said, consoling her worries. “The twins get along with anyone and Evan is their brother.”

They sat down together on the bed, holding each other and sleeping together as a family for the first time.

….

When Evan woke up, he found that he was in a different room from the one he first came in. It appeared to be some sort of living room with him and Cara in the corner on a rocking chair. In front of him were two couches with an ornate table and an olive green carpet embroidered with drawings of creatures he did not recognize.

To the right of the table set was a brick fireplace that heated the room. On the opposite corner were several bookshelves and two children reading silently.

‘Are those my… siblings?’ Evan thought.

Both looked around four years old. The boy seemed like the playboy while the girl was more mature. Both had raven black hair and seemed to inherit their mother’s beauty. The boy, feeling Evan’s gaze, looked up from his book and saw that Evan was awake. His eyes opened wide. He tapped his sister on the shoulder who looked up from her book, annoyed.

“For the last time he-”

“Wyra look, he’s awake.” the boy said while pointing at Evan.

Wyra turned to look at where her brother pointed and let out a cute, little gasp.

‘Oh shit, here we go, first contact my siblings. Let’s hope this goes well.’ Evan thought, slightly nervous.

His squirming alerted his mother who was looking out the window beside the rocking chair. She turned to look at her children staring at the newborn addition to their family. She smiled and said,

“Come on, don’t be shy. Say hello to your new brother.”

The twins dropped their books like they were live explosives and ran over to the rocking chair where Evan was.

“He looks so small, and cute.” She said, almost whispering.

“He does, doesn’t he? He has a name, you know?” Cara chided.

Wyra looked down in embarrassment while Zed looked on.

“H-hey Evan, it’s your big brother, Zed.”

Evan looked at his big brother in wonder.

‘He looks pretty shy in front of his own sibling.’ he thought, laughing to himself.

Evan smiled and stretched out a hand towards Zed who promptly took it into his own, smiling at the simple gesture. Wyra looked at the two in envy and asked.

“Mom, can I try feeding him later?” She asked while shooting her twin a smug grin

‘Does she think it’s a competition to earn my favour?’ Evan thought

Zed protested, “Hey, I was going to-”

“Of course not dear.” Cara cut her son short. “He still has to be breastfed. Maybe when he’s older you two can take turns.”

The twins accepted the compromise with a nod. Wyra racked her brains to find something that she could one up her brother. Then, she remembered something Sister Felicia had taught her on her many visits with Sister Marcel, the midwife, to the house. Smiling, she stepped away and stretched out her hand before chanting.

“Nacht Illum Bor.”

Suddenly, the light inside the room dimmed and from her outstretched hand, multiple lights shot out and exploded like fireworks. The three had different reactions to the spectacle. Cara watched her daughter’s performance in magic with pride and joy. Zed watched his twin sister with envy, while Evan was in shock.