"You didn't agree with the universe's choice? And you simply changed it?" Darius said as he could hardly believe what he was hearing.
"Exactly, you really are smart," said the woman sarcastically.
Hearing her confirm that, Darius was stunned, unsure of the identity of the person he was currently talking to.
He had obviously understood that he was talking to someone quite special, but that was the end of it.
He had no idea what strength this person possessed.
"What are you, some type of Goddess?" Darius asked in his astral form, floating in front of her.
"Ah, finally! Took you long enough," she answered, seemingly relieved that he was finally asking about her.
"I am Lilia, Goddess of Life, and it is I who decided to save you," she said proudly.
'Goddess of Life? This is crazy. Are there multiple Gods?' thought Darius, as he had always believed that only one single deity existed, controlling everything as he had known it.
"Yes, there are multiple Gods, but enough about that. It's not like I can keep you here forever; it is quite demanding," she said, complaining a little.
When she said that, Darius actually remembered the current situation. He wasn't on Earth anymore; he was in some astral form that allowed him to see and think even while he was dead.
So many things were strange, but even if he kept thinking about them for many hours, he wouldn't be able to understand anything. That's why, he cleared his mind from all of his useless questions and thoughts.
"Then, why am I here?" asked Darius, understanding that this conversation would most likely determine his future.
"Well, haven't I told you already? I'm the Goddess of Life," she said as she waited for him to have some sort of realization.
And he did; many things clicked in his mind when he heard that—the fact that she had saved him from Hell, transporting him all the way here.
Only a single thought came to his mind: she was here to give him another chance at life.
"Ding, ding, ding! Good job, you're right. I am here to give you another chance at life," she said, reading Darius's mind instantly.
"However, it's not that simple. I'll give you two choices. Ready?" Lilia said.
Darius only responded with complete silence, waiting for her to continue talking.
"I'll take that as a yes. The first option is that you will be reincarnated on Earth under the same name, you will even be able to keep your memories and knowledge. You will basically get another chance in your past life."
'That would actually be perfect to take my revenge,' he thought, already convinced that there was literally no way for him to accept that second choice of hers.
"The second option is that you will be reincarnated; however, the twist is that it won't be on Earth," Lilia said, laughing at Darius's shocked expression.
'Earth isn't the only habitable planet in the universe? Or is it another world entirely?' Darius thought as he once again couldn't believe his ears.
There was so much new information entering his mind right now, however, he didn't have the time to even comprehend them at all. They were more confusing than anything else at the moment.
"Right, there are multiple worlds apart from your precious Earth," Lilia said, laughing, finding the human in front of her foolish for thinking otherwise.
"But it doesn't matter," she said, out of nowhere wanting to focus on the subject at hand. "For the second option, you will be able to reincarnate in a completely different world where different types of power exist, such as shooting fireballs, flying, teleporting—all of that would be possible over there. Only your imagination will be the limit of what you can achieve."
Darius only nodded as he imagined himself flying in the sky, free from everything that surrounded him.
"However, if you decide to go to that new world, you won't be able to recall this conversation or anything that happened after your death, but you'll still keep your memories of when you were alive on Earth," Lilia said suddenly.
The only word that Darius could think of was, why?
"It's just too risky. I can't tell you much, but if you go over there, you will forget everything about me and this conversation between us. But you will remember everything that happened before you entered into your astral form."
Darius then considered the two options carefully, trying to make the best possible choice. He knew that this choice was crucial and would dictate his future for the following years, maybe hundreds of years.
On one hand, he would be able to get his revenge on those who had betrayed him. But as he kept thinking about that, he understood that apart from revenge he wouldn't do anything else.
If he was reincarnated on Earth, all he would be thinking about would be to get revenge, and after thinking it through, he realized that this wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to be free from what he had once suffered; that was what he had promised himself on his last breath and he intended to respect that decision.
"I'll take the second option," answered Darius, making up his mind.
The powers she had mentioned seemed great, and if Darius was going to be able to learn them, then it would be an incredible opportunity.
There was also the fact that he would be living a completely new life, which meant that he wouldn't be tied down by his past, which was exactly what he wanted.
He simply felt it was the better choice, and he was sure of himself in making the right decision, not doubting himself even a little.
"Hmm, I thought you would have taken the first option," she muttered as she started moving her hands in the air in a strange manner.
Darius, seeing her do this, didn't question her as he knew that this process was probably important.
'Should I give him a little something to help him?' thought Lilia, as she made an additional hand gesture that she hadn't expected to make. 'Yeah, that should be good enough,' she thought as she looked directly in front of her, right at Darius's astral body.
"Everything is now ready. I hope that you will have a great second chance at life. Good luck, and I hope that we see each other again," she said as Darius's astral body started to fade into particles, disappearing for good, it seemed.
Then, Darius regained his vision, finding himself in a completely different place.
He raised his head from the bed he was currently on, feeling pain.
"Argh, my head! Why does it hurt so much?" muttered Darius as he realized something.
"Wait, I'm still alive, but how..."