A Strange Journey
The blood mage stands over the eight year old body of Essly her body clinging to its last breath. All other life on the farm gone like smoke she was the last to be found in the cellar with the roots and cured hams. The self-styled mage Pitch's mouth smiles as he leaves the hole of the body he just ripped the soul out of, unlike other blood mages he eats the souls they cease to exist never to move on never to see the afterlife. He waves his hand at the barn door opening and a gate forms as it winks out Essly body draws its last breath.
Shadow lover appears and reaches for the soul to end the suffering and move her to the afterlife. His eyes spark with rage and he lifts his hand, time stops all life freezes the trees stop there swaying in the breezes the air locked in immovable chains. He picks up the shell of Essly and walks up the stairs to the yard laying her on the grass he stands and calls out Brothers and Sisters. Looking over he sees his sister the Stareyed of the Plains, Saul of Karse, Erril of Iftel, and the Twane twin gods male and female from Rethwellan.
What can we do for you lord death the Stareyed asks with a small smirk.
He points to the child's body and they all move to look the smile falls off her face.
What have you done shouts Erril looking at death ready to punch him in the face?
Death looks at him the brother he least likes, I found her like this. The twins speak in harmony at the same time, the mage had help.
Death looks and tells them yes.
Only you have the power to do this Stareyed looks at him with a frown.
On Velgrath yes but I did not help that evil human do this.
A god from off world? Saul thought to all there. He then looked at the body and traced the timelines forward his eyes glowing like the sun he was the god of. This cannot stand he looks at them and then tells Death to fix this.
That is why I called you all, death tells them, I can't the soul no longer walks the planes there is nothing to call back. Without her this mage may destroy this world.
How can we help brother?
Paul was on the way to work 53 years old and still trying to make a difference working with vets. Many nights going without sleep looking into another way to fund projects that are cut at alarming rates. His mind on the latest disaster budget cuts up to 50% in western MA. Looking back after checking the rearview mirror the car in the oncoming lane is heading at him at 70 miles an hour. Time slows down Paul knows he is about to die people say you see your life flash before your eyes not Paul. His vision tunnels, the lady slumped over the wheel already gone he watches as the cars slam together and his body moves forward, the airbag not deploying and his chest hitting the steering wheel then a bright light. As he looks around he is standing in a vast corridor stretching to infinity the light he saw as he died now down about a mile, which was Paul's guess knowing that measurements meant nothing here. Walking forward he spots a figure standing halfway to his goal. As he reaches the young man dressed all in white he hears a lovely voice almost like music.
A moment of your time Paul, I have a proposal for you. You can proceed to your afterlife and move on or you can go with me and make a difference in the life of an entire world.
Smiling Paul looks at death so you are here to tempt me the serpent offering the apple? We are between time and space only a few can come here and I am not your Satan. Only your Thanatos from your world can tread here.
My world, then where are you from?
A place much like your word only century behind in science, steeped in magic. He waves his hand and I see a side corridor and another light. I have asked for and gotten Thanatos's premising to talk with you and offer a different path.
Paul always loved a good sword and wizard story looked at death and smiles. I can't wait to hear this.
Shadow walker waves his hand and two chairs appear Paul notices' that one chair is in his corridor and one is in the side corridor that death has been in the whole time. He tells him of the young girl and how her soul was destroyed and the great need for her to do great things in his world. Will you take her place?
What do you mean take her place?
Death looks a little bit unconfutable I would place your essence in her body and you would live on my world and hopefully make a difference.
Looking at death I tell him that I do not wish to lose who and what I am.
He shakes his head what you ask for is very difficult to do. There are reasons why we should not do this, the tech as you call it could do more harm than good.
Paul looks at death, a middle ground then, all tech above the level of your world will be removed you can replace it with the closest thing from your world but my memories of people places and things will remain all my skills all my knowledge will remain.
Death shakes his head while we sit here I have five gods holding an entire world motionless you are the only one to come down the hall that is remotely similar to her soul. He raises a hand. So be it, however all conversation and knowledge between the time of your death and waking up in your new body you will forget. All you will know is that you were asked and accepted this duty. You will be unable to tell anyone that you are from another world and at the end of your life you will be judged by the gods of my universe.
Paul stands reaches out extending his hand and Death shakes it. Paul looks and there is only one corridor now the chairs are gone and they are getting closer to the light although they are not moving.
Death looks at him, thank you, you will be in a lot of discomfort I can give you the language but you will be limited to the vocabulary of an eight year old border child. The light engulfs them and Paul sees five glowing figures standing around a small form on the ground.
Stareyed looks at Death and then at the small body on the ground. We are all responsible for this action. A pack then, if she asks for help in our lands we can intervene as we see fit but only to keep her alive long enough to stop this mage and find out who has stepped on our world. If this god aides this human piece of filth we are free to help her in any way we chose. She looks around and all agree then they start winking out and only she is there with death. Smiling she grabs his shoulder interesting solution how did you talk the earth gods into this?
Death looks at the small form; he was an atheist I only had to get Thanatos to agree and he owed me a favor for helping him in Egypt.
Well I dare say he is a believer now, she takes her hand away and is gone.
Death smiles, good luck Paul and time starts up again.