I opened my eyes to swirling mists, pale gray in the light of a rising sun. 'What? Where am I?'
Suddenly, I heard a horrible shriek. 'What was that?!' I thought, alarmed. "Hello? Is there someone there?" I called as I sat up, turning towards the eerie black woods to my right. Suddenly, pale violet orbs shone out of the darkness of a forest.
"Are you ready to die?"
"W-what?"
"Are you ready to die?"
"N-no! Stop it!"
A lithe, black lizard-like creature crept out of the shadows. It walked like a massive cat, its scales shining darkly in the rising sun. Its mouth opened, revealing massive serrated teeth... stained scarlet. I paled as I realized what that meant.
"Are you ready to die?"
"I said no!" I shouted, pulling back. I yelped as I encountered a sticky substance. Turning my head, I realized I'd walked into a massive spider web. "N-no... I don't want to die..."
"Are you ready to die?"
"No!"
Suddenly, the creature sat up, tilting its massive head as it watched me unblinkingly. "Why?"
I stared at it. "Why...? Because..." I hesitated. Why didn't I want to die? The first thing that came to mind was my friends, and SPR. But... was that really my reason? Did I just think of it because of how noble it was, to want to live for your family?
"I don't know why. I don't want to leave my family, I don't want to leave my world, I don't want to cause them pain, I don't want to have to give up my future. But... all of that is selfish, isn't it? 'I, I, I, I'... It's what I want..."
"True..." the creature purred. "But, you don't want to cause them pain because you know they don't want to feel pain or lose you, correct?"
"I guess..."
"The same is true for most of your desires... Tell me, Mai, what is a truly selfless person?"
I stared at it again, startled. "I... don't know. Someone who would give their life to save someone is still somewhat selfish, for having the desire not to have to lose them, ne? But someone who wants nothing, gives nothing... they are still selfish, for having what they have and not contributing to the world..."
The creature's eyes softened knowingly. "Indeed, Mai... but you are different,"
"Huh?"
"A truly selfless human does not exist. It is not in human capacity to not want; you are programmed, have evolved, to have basic needs that must be met. The same is true for all the creatures you know.
"But you, you are different. Only one of each species at a time knows this truth, the truth you so calmly related to me.
"All are selfish."
"O...kay... what does that have to do with you asking me if I'm ready to die?"
"Ah, yes... I needed you to consciously grasp the truth, so that you would never be deceived by a net cast over your mind. Many will try to do this in the future. Be cautious, Mai..."
"Okay... I have just one more question,"
"Which would be?"
"Am I dreaming?"
"Yes."
"Who are you?"
"That's a second question."
"Just answer it!"
"I am no one of importance..."
"But-"
"Goodbye, Mai..."
As my eyes slid shut to awaken to the real world, I could've sworn I saw a flash of dark light, and a silhouette of a black-cloaked girl, before I awoke to remember only what the creature taught me...
'No one is selfless...'