What does it feel like to be struck by lightning?
Erich couldn't really say. If he had to describe it, it was probably something like cool, soft, and fragrant.
Wait, was something not quite right?
Erich snapped his eyes open.
A pair of golden eyes was right in front of him, quietly looking down at him. Long silver hair fell from both sides, its tips brushing against his cheeks with a faint, ticklish fragrance. Only belatedly did he realize he was resting his head on someone's lap.
It was a girl who looked to be ten years old at most. Her features were incredibly delicate, as if they had been meticulously sculpted stroke by stroke, but those golden eyes lacked any vitality. Incapable of showing joy or anger, she simply kept her head lowered, staring at him without blinking.
Erich felt soft all over, as if his bones had been sucked right out. Since lying down wasn't uncomfortable—it was actually quite comfortable—and he couldn't get up anyway, he simply stayed there and held her gaze.
In a staring contest, the first one to look away loses. Erich held out for a moment but ultimately admitted defeat. Who could withstand being stared at so directly by a pretty little girl? He wanted to turn his head away, but the back of his head was resting on her lap, making it impossible to turn. His field of vision was limited to a tiny area. When he tried to shift his eyes slightly, his gaze drifted down to her chest. Fortunately, it was as flat as a board, so there was nothing inappropriate to see, but staring at a little girl's chest was hardly polite.
Having no other choice, Erich simply closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
But pretending to sleep easily leads to the real thing, and Erich drifted off again.
He had no idea how long he slept, but once the exhaustion completely drained from his body and strength returned to his bones, he opened his eyes once more.
It was still the same golden eyes, the same posture, and the same angle. She didn't seem to have moved at all from beginning to end, watching over him like a porcelain doll.
This time, Erich really felt a bit embarrassed. He pushed himself up from her lap and sat cross-legged on the ground. “Who are you?”
The young girl did not reply.
Erich didn't press her. Instead, he began to survey his surroundings. He seemed to be next to a river, but the water was colorless. Numerous shifting patches of mist floated on the surface, occasionally gathering into vague human shapes before dispersing again, making it impossible to tell what they were.
The river's end was nowhere in sight, and the opposite bank was invisible. Rather than a river, it resembled an ocean. Aside from this river, there was only an empty, dim void all around.
Erich stood up, wanting to get closer to see what the mist in the river actually was. Just as he took a step forward, a voice came from behind him:
“If you don't want to die, stay away from the Soul River.”
The voice was soft and sweet, completely out of place in this cold, deathly quiet space, but the meaning of the words sent a chill down Erich's spine.
The Soul River.
Irene's book clearly recorded that after a person died, the first stop for their soul was the Soul River, after which the Lord of Death would judge their destination.
And he was currently standing by the Soul River.
Which meant... he was dead.
Erich's face turned pale as he froze in place. Had he been struck dead by lightning? He had finally broken through to the second-tier, climbed onto the giant serpent's head, and pulled off an epic move. Yet, before he could even find out if the divine punishment had turned the serpent to ash, had he gone and wiped himself out first?
This was way too pathetic.
The silver-haired girl seemed to read his mind, adding unhurriedly, “Your life will not end here.”
Erich was taken aback. He turned back to look at her. “Who are you?”
The girl tilted her head, and her previously lifeless golden eyes suddenly flashed with light. “You walk my path, yet you do not even recognize me?”
“The Lord of Death?” Erich realized immediately.
“That is indeed what mortals call us.”
With that, she nodded, a hint of pride she couldn't hide showing on her face.
Erich looked at her small face, momentarily at a loss for words. The Lord of Death? This was it? A little girl who barely reached his shoulder? But her tone didn't sound like she was lying, and who else but an extraordinary entity could appear by the Soul River?
Erich wanted to ask about the path forward for a Gravekeeper, but before he could speak, the girl smiled and shook her head.
“Walk your own path,” she said. “Remember three things: survive, beware of the gods, and if there are answers you seek, go to the top of the tower.”
As her voice faded, she reached out and gave his chest a gentle push.
Erich felt himself swept up by a gust of wind. The gray-white ground beneath his feet rapidly receded, and everything shrank into a tiny dot. His vision suddenly went black, and he vanished from the spot.
Leaving only the Lord of Death standing alone by the Soul River, staring blankly at the patches of mist.
Rate on N.U.
