... Just how did it get to this point?

How am I still conscious? I don't think this is how the afterlife is supposed to be, but then again, no one really does.

I floated mercilessly upon a plane of full darkness. There was no light to guide me, nor anyone to talk to, there was just silence. I tried waving my hands in front of me, but the dark was too strong to grant me any sort of sight.

Everything at this point was a blur, but as I started realizing that I still had a mind to think with, the fragmented memories started shifting back into place.

The tip of a sword pointed at the face of the Tyrant, its frame glowing brightly with light made from his own life.

The one wielding it held the sword with one hand, the other broken and bleeding. Yet his face was stoic in the face of an inescapable death. He was prepared. He knew what this kind of sacrifice would breed. The thought of that reaffirmed his desires. It was the end of the line, and that made it all the more satisfying as to not leave anything behind other than regrets.

"My life for the sake of your defeat. I will gladly give it up for the future."

The tyrant looked back at the youth who's collected expression made no sense.

When all hope is snuffed out from someone as easy as one can douse a flame from a candle, they will lose the will to fight and lay down their weapons, hanging their heads low to expose their nape to the sword. But what he was seeing disapproved that notion. He didn't like the resistance that he put up. It should have given him joy the way they squirmed and resisted, realizing after that it had been futile. He was ecstatic at the scene.

The Tyrant raised his blade as well and accepted the youth's challenge with a grim expression that hid all hope of mercy.

"Your death will suffice. To break the hopes of the people, I must erase the ones their hopes are being given to. Only then will they cease having hope."

... Ah, I remember now. I died by his hands, and by my own decisions.

Did I succeed in my endeavors? I hope so. I hope they made it out safely. Parkus, Mors, Dietrich, Asher, and Lucielle. Please live on and save everyone's future. That revelation when we were closest to succeeding, it would have cast an unfathomable shadow over anyone's future intentions. It would make any man give up from any further attempts at the Kaiser's life. I only wish that it wouldn't be the case.

So many things to worry about even after death. Hah... I thought I wouldn't have had to worry about these things afterward, but it seems even the dead have respite.

I feel like if I close my eyes, I would forever keep them close, though there wasn't anything to see in the first place. There was a strange thought haunting me, and that made me never want to close my eyes. But then again, what else was left for me anyway? This was the end of the line. And it would have been doable if Tricia or Julia, but I know that I can't ever hope to be where they are with the sins I've committed. I already knew that and made my peace beforehand.

I have regrets, many. But there's no use mulling them over. There's nothing that can be done about it. All that's left for me here is to sleep for all eternity... Or at least try to.

I've done so at many intervals or so. I started making my own time, having nothing else to do. I made sure to keep careful count of the time as to not lose track of it, not unless I wanted to start over again. Sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours in a day, I kept count as to keep myself occupied.

There's simply one reason I cannot sleep. Every time I tried to sink into that deep slumber that I was supposed to have done already, I hear a voice. But I ignored it thinking that it had nothing to do with me. As selfish as it might seem, it might simply be a temptation luring me to a false sense of security, like the demons extending a hand towards the real afterlife. I was fine with this type of afterlife, and so I didn't want to ruin that for me, though I probably deserve to be there.

The first few times, it seemed like simple banter. It was the voice of a girl that I heard. It recurred time and time again to a point where it got annoying. It wasn't my problem, so I shut myself off from it, though I did find it odd as to why I am hearing these kinds of things.

This time, it stopped for a while. Days passed as I quietly slumbered. But it didn't stay that way for eternity as I expected. I was still waking up as if it were normal. Maybe I just need to let go and allow my consciousness to drift. My habits made it hard to adjust to this new transition, but maybe I can break that habit.

As I began fading along with my consciousness, I heard the sound of someone crying. Sobs made to hide the disappointment of some sort, or sadness stifled in order to be brave. The helpless words she muttered to herself caught my attention this time, and I couldn't ignore them at all for some reason.

The voice again. What is it now this time? It's the same banter again, too. But this time, it's much more depressing and demoralizing than last time.

I wonder what this person is going through to say things like these. More importantly, who is this person anyway?

One odd time, my eyes opened to the sight of a white light in the distance. It was blinding since I was too used to having been in the dark for so long that it overwhelmed me. But I missed it, deep inside. There was a strange feeling in seeing something other than nothing.

"Please, please come, I beg you. Someone, anyone, anything will do! I don't need anything divine, impressive, or surprising, I just want to get this over with! Just hear my plea and answer my call! I'll give you anything I can offer at this point."

So loud. What is she going on about again and again? Wait... Anything? Tempting, but can she really give me what I desire? Is there such a way to break through these bounds that I have in my mind. Though I already find it strange that I'm still conscious after death, it never bothered me that this is what it would be. I thought that it would be way worse, something like hell with people who've committed acts of atrocities and inhumane crimes.

...I can sense it in your heart, Johannes. You desire vengeance still. Your regrets hang heavy upon your heart, and you are kept awake by that as well. I can help you with that.

Who was that?

I turned around and found no one but the usual darkness. I was sure I heard a voice different from the girl that's been echoing continuously for a long while in this empty place.

...Let us try something interesting then. It'll beat staying here for an eternity, I guarantee. Plus, it seems quite entertaining to have a wildcard present on the board.

There it is, that voice again. It giggled like a child, something that seemed familiar in the past life of mine.

I thought eternity is a place of peace and quiet. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

As I continue thinking of those words and from which mouth they came from, I found myself drifting towards the light as it started becoming larger and larger until the light seemed to swallow me up. I felt the pressure of a hand on my back before I was made to drift towards the light. Turning around, I found someone looking at me and waving me away. The girl's voice started becoming louder until I wasn't sure what this feeling was anymore. It was deafening, causing a ringing pain to begin on the back of my head.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?!"

I yelled out, trying to ask for answers which I was sure they had, but I was ignored. I'd like to think that it didn't reach them, but I was sure to have had yelled at the top of my lungs that it would be enough to reach anyone.

Before I knew it, all I could hear was the girl's voice.

"Being from beyond, I implore you to answer my plea! I beseech you to come and cross the plains that separate us and come forth in the name if Althea, the forger of contracts. I call upon you form one with me as your master!"

Master?!