Wanting to take a step forward, a feeling of uneasiness rushed over me. Before I could even have my boot touch the dirt, a slight breeze brushed passed me, sending shivers down my spine and literally stopping my body in that awkward mid-air position. All my muscles stiffened and my breathing paused, being unable to move even a finger...

Scared... Scared? Didn't I have the Fear resistance though? And why is this feeling so damn familiar? It feels exactly like back then... Is she around?

Thoroughly frightened, I force my head to turn to its left and look at Clara finding comfort in her absolute strength. One could notice the puzzled look on her face after seeing my actions, while she was preparing to back off and watch from the shadows. That means that only I can feel this? Impossible!

"Clara, can you..."

And I stopped again. Or rather, I was stopped again, forced by an eerie sound akin to static on an old car radio, desperately searching for a working channel. It was barely audible and I'm sure anyone could mistake it for the wind... if we weren't inside a cave in a dungeon at this moment.

It doesn't seem to have plans of stopping anytime soon either, as it grew in intensity and volume with each passing second, becoming louder and louder. Sometimes it would briefly interrupt and attempts at words were being made, sending a pulsating ripple from one end of the cave to the other, smashing into everything on its path and utterly terrifying me.

I tried to forcibly calm down my beating heart that appeared to resonate with it but to no avail, as the static easily overpowered my attempts.

(Can...h...e...)

It was really trying to attune itself and the static soon became... drowned by an all too familiar voice making its way through. On my left hand around the scar, one could see how affected I was, through the hair which was fully standing... how could I not recognize it, this voice...

(Can...h...me?)

A question? Unsure, I looked to Clara for help, only to find both her and the surroundings slow down until the point of becoming completely immobile. I could see a group of 5 Kobold Soldiers and the 4 Elites fully stopped nearby some huts in my vicinity, making one believe that they were sculptures made by a God-level craftsman, given how life-like the were. Frozen in time? Heh! I finally lost my shit...

(Can you hear me?)

The pure clarity of the voice brought me back to reality (or whatever this was) and jolted my body awake as well, giving back freedom to my limbs. But I was compelled to reply... I couldn't even begin to imagine the repercussions in case I didn't.

"Mhm... I can..."

The moment the words escaped my mouth, the static disappeared entirely, just like a bad dream. But why was I feeling even more scared than I previously was then? Why was my whole body shaking like leaf in the wind?

Before I could receive an answer, the static returned for a moment and got so loud that it was unbearable, but just for just a second or two, only to fully dissipate once more. Only silence was left...

(FINALLY!)

The voice exaggeratedly yelled in celebration and I almost could see it jump up and down, enjoying its victory. However the moment after, I could sense it locking me down, filled with rage for whatever reason.

(YOU! Just how many times do you plan to play this stupid game of yours with me!? Do you think this is hide-and-seek and I have the time to tag along!? Do you have any idea how freaking hard is to find you!? You need to... fast! We have to... life! FUCK! STOP DOING THAT!)

Needless to say, I was more than a bit baffled. First I'm scolded by this... voice, then I'm being reproached for who-knows-what, then he stops mid sentence and continues like nothing happened, only to get mad at me in the end... Just what kind of bipolar ghost did I piss off this time?

"Uhm... Apologies, but who are you? What do you mean? I can't understand more than half of what you're saying..."

(I didn't expect my ... to be such a snowflake. There you go again! Stop doing that! How many times do you plan to hide here, only to destroy and reco... FUCK! CAN YOU... Oh shit! Stop, stop, stop!)

"Huh!?"

The voice panicked big time and I felt it look up to the ceiling, therefore following suite. The crystals on it shone a resplendent light, unbecoming to the middle of the night and began cracking with a crisp sound akin to glass shattering upon blunt impact. Mesmerized by the light show, we both watched in silent rapture as small fragments began drifting towards the floor like pelting rain, dancing through the unmoving air.

Such 'rain' floated towards the poorly built huts, the stalagmites, the Kobolds, Clara and everything else in sight, bathing them in light.

It looked so peaceful and beautiful that it strangely calmed me down, making me extend the index finger of my right hand, trying to catch one of these sprites. Almost like following my will, it landed on the tip of it and brought it closer to my eyes, in hopes of examining it.

"Rather than rain, or even snow... doesn't this look more like ash?"

The moment the words escaped my lips, through the frozen cave an explosion of light flared out for a fraction of a second and a low glimmer appeared in the air, among the falling ash. The same happened to the one on my finger...

"HOT!!!"

I violently shook my right hand in a panic trying to get rid of the fragment resting on it, seeming like if allowed one more moment, it would surely burn through skin and bone without any resistance. It fell back towards the ground and upon contact with it, it instantly lit up into a small flame burning the ground under it to nothingness.

(Catharsis? How... unoriginal...)

Before any questions could be asked about the meaning behind those words, the entire cave burst in flames, transforming into an raging inferno. The village, the monsters, the surrounding walls of the cave, all became a sea of flames devouring everything in its path. Everything and everyone... everyone...

"Clara!"

Scared, I shouted loudly turning my body to face the beautiful elf once more, only to find her burning away in silence. Her hair that possessed the beauty of nature itself was no more, now charred black, as her pretty visage was also burned full of scorching scars. A smile remained barely visible and a clear pair of clever eyes looking straight into my own. I ran as fast as I could through the unforgiving rain and grabbed her left hand... it was cold and it gave me hope. Pulling her towards me, I felt the same breeze blowing past me once more and then, following my hand that clasped the dainty wrist, shattered the body of the elf into small particles of ash.

After the violent display, I remained motionless, looking at the spot where once Clara stood smiling mischievously in my direction. I didn't know what to make of all this. Was it a dream? Maybe I didn't wake up yet and morning hasn't arrived still... I just... remained there, rooted to the same spot as I watched my surroundings drift away into nothingness, until the point where only darkness remained.

(Haaah...)

The voice let out a loud defeated sigh, turning an almost pitting look in my direction. The sadness I felt was... painful. Seeing such, it started chastising me once more...

(You're doing it again... However, this time, I won't let you run away so easily! I'll see you soon...)

Silence... darkness... nothingness... now that even the voice disappeared, loneliness as well. My eyelids felt heavy, so I allowed them to slowly close. Before I did so completely, I blinked once and the image of a rosy-red pair of lips slightly raised into a demure smile surfaced, then moving slowly it created a string of words: "I'll see you soon...my beloved raven."

"AHHHH!"

[Whoa, whoa there big boy! Calm down will you!? You almost knocked down my teacup.]

"You!? Why? How? Why?"

[Easy there cowboy! Take it slow, I'm not going anywhere. Drink up, it will help you calm down...]

I watched as this gentleman...no, as this artificially created God waved his hand and moved us into the same room with the coffee table between us. I watched my hands which hovered above it tremble, unable to stop myself.

"What was that? Who was that? What happened to Clara and the dungeon? Why did I see her again?"

Thinking up to that point, I started to dry heave and unable to breathe clutched at my neck in a panic. Scared! What just happened? Why I'm I back here? What afterlife? This was just like my own private version of hell...

Seeing that I fell into a rather, unpleasant state, the God in front of me flicked my forehead with his finger, while shaking his head in disappointment. To me, it was just like a bell ringing on Sunday, announcing the beginning of the sermon. It gave clarity and I began to calm down after a couple more minutes. Exhaling loudly, I reached my hand towards the cup of tea and took a sip, unwilling to put it back on the table in case my trembling started once more.

[Good! It seems that you calmed down a notch.]

"Yes, thank you. Can you explain please?"

[Oh, that? That was the ending of the demo.]

"???"

[You know... the trial run? To give you an idea of how the game looks like? You can think yourself as a beta tester if you'd like. I gave you that bit of a walk-through so that you won't be at a disadvantage and the game can be maintained as scale-balanced as possible (as fun as it might be otherwise). Do keep in mind though, that it was that easy in order for you to learn as much as possible, as fast as possible. Also, I intended to make it last 7 days in the beginning, but for whatever reason, you triggered the end of it sooner. Fast learner I guess! Also, 7 days? Get it? Hahahaha!]

"???"

[Ugh... you're literally ruining my vibe here. I get that you haven't still calmed down properly, but think about it! Didn't I told you in the beginning before sending you there? There's a planet without a God. That means an empty seat in the game... I can't play... so...]

"So?"

[Oh come on! I'm I doing a one man show here!? You'll take that place!]

"I'll do what now!?'

Has this God gone mental? He wants me to play along in this 'game' that all Gods of creation invented, not as a soul, but rather as a God myself? And here I thought that I lost my marbles...

"Is that even possible? Wouldn't that breach some unknown rules or something? Plus, the game started nearly 1000 years ago and will soon begin allowing alliances and wars and stuff to happen from what you told me before. Also, not to mention that, I don't know... for example... I'M NOT A FREAKING GOD!"

[Don't fret the small stuff! I'll take care of the legal parts since I'm the administrator..."

"You're planing to abuse your power for your own entertainment!?"

[...and I will also send you back in time to the point where the game began. I'll send a notification to the others that you will participate and that will be the end of it. Anything else before I send you off?]

"Wait! I have no chance in such a thing!!! How the hell can I compete with Gods which hold knowledge accumulated during millions of years since humanity brought them into existence!?"

[Nothing of importance then... Well then, off you go! Have fun and please do your best to entertain me! Buh-bye!]

"You fucking useless and self-centered GAME GOD!!!"

Of course, before I could say anything more or complain further, it became obvious that I had no right or power in making that happen, further enforced by the blue window in front of me.

Welcome to the 'Afterlife - Next World's Auction House' game!

You have been registered and recognized as one of the players.

Would you like to enable the tutorial?

Yes / No

"Fuck..."