Chapter 1: Reincarnating Into the Wrong World
An empty black space, infinitely stretching in all directions, yet also very small and compact.
Within this vast expanse, a small island could be seen as it was the only thing in existence. There were no other sources of color, or light, beside this piece of land.
The island was beautiful, filled with waterfalls, trees, grasses, animals, stone architecture, and marble statues. It looked very much like a paradise of legends and mythologies.
A young woman in a white-golden dress was sitting under a wooden pavilion located at the top of a lush hill. Her hair was blond and her eyes were a deep shade of red. In combination with the laurel wreath on her head and the pair of white wings in her back, she looked very much like an angel.
Sitting in front of this angelic young woman was an illusory entity. It had no face, no hair, or even wrinkles. It was not particularly tall nor short, neither big nor small. However, based on the bulky shape and muscular stature of the entity, a person can determine that it was in the form of a male human.
Based on the posture and body language of the two people, the young woman was obviously the host while the entity was the guest.
“Welcome to the Empty Paradise, young man. I am Fortuna.” She said while pouring herself a cup of chamomile tea.
The entity did not talk, but nodded his head.
“I understand you must be confused, but don’t worry because everyone who has ever passed here has gone through that. As long as I understand you, everything is fine. I’m sure you are curious, so ask whatever you want.”
Fortuna looked at the entity who gesticulated while communicating with her. She nodded her head with a gentle smile.
“Me? Well, I am a goddess that governs the Empty Paradise and a few other worlds. Your world is under the territory of another god. This island and this void was created by me, a place of me to relax. ‘Empty’ refers to the void and ‘paradise’ refers to this island. Well, I think you could infer that already.”
“The gods? Yes, there are many gods. Many, many gods. There are as many gods as there are sands in the universe. Some are good, some are bad, but most are neutral like your god. I am also a neutral god.”
“Why are you here? Well, you’ve done enough in your world, that’s why. Your many reincarnations have gone through your world too many times. Now, your soul has transferred here so the souls from other worlds could transfer there. Some souls come from worlds of chaos and brutality, so they are given relief by going to a more peaceful world. Other souls come from worlds of bliss and desires, so they are taught a lesson by going to a more sufferable world.”
“Ridiculous? Not at all. It keeps everything balanced, as everything should be.”
Fortuna answered whatever questions the entity had, a conversation that lasted for an unknown amount of time. The concept of day and night did not seem to exist here as there were no sun or moon. However, color somehow existed despite the fact that there were no sources of light anywhere to be seen.
After she answered everything the entity wanted to know, which was not a lot, she said, “Let’s get down to business. Your next reincarnation.”
She flicked her hands and two guidebooks appeared in each of them. “These are two options for your next reincarnation because I need some more souls in these worlds. A lot of souls were cast out from these worlds recently. I need someone to go in and set things in place or else there will be a deficit of souls.”
Fortuna gestured her right hand. “The first one is a guidebook to the world of immortal cultivation. Here, you can cultivate the Dao and become an immortal. Eternal life is the goal, and the Dao is the way to that.”
She gestured her other hand. “The second one is a guidebook to the world of sword and magic. Here you can-"
Swift as lightning, the entity reached out and grabbed the guidebook from Fortuna’s left hand. The entity danced around while holding onto the book.
“Oh? It seems you have a good idea about what that world is about. Well, that’s good. That saves me time from explaining too much. Not that time really matters to me anyways.” Fortuna laughed to herself and waved her left hand.
A dark portal appeared out of thin air. In the portal was a vortex of souls that sparkled like the myriad of stars during a moonless night. It seemed to contain everlasting life and infinite death, a perfect rotation that will never fade as it turns and turns for eternity.
“Go in there. That’s the reincarnation cycle of my many worlds. As long as you carry that guidebook with you, your memories will follow you for your next reincarnation in the world that you chose. Good luck there.I hope you have fun.”
Fortuna smiled and waved her hand at the entity as a farewell. The entity turned its head to somehow look at the Fortuna and nodded its head. Without a moment of hesitation, the entity stepped into the portal, joining the myriad of souls in the reincarnation cycle.
As she stared at the entity step into the reincarnation cycle, Fortuna closed the portal and raised her hands high into the air to stretch her back. She stood up to accompany the sheeps and goats that ate the grasses on the hill.
“Ah. I almost forgot.” Fortuna turned around and grabbed the other guidebook off the table. “Um… this is...“
She opened the guidebook. When she saw the first page, she blinked. Then, she blinked again. And then again, even harder than the last time. She gulped and then turned the other pages of the guidebook. The more pages she turned, the more nervous she felt.
Eventually, Fortuna placed the guidebook down with a dejected face. She quickly opened the portal to the reincarnation cycle again and stared deep into it with her anxious red eyes . However, not even she could see through the vortex of myriad souls that she created.
Grabbing her blonde hair in frustration, Fortuna howled, “I gave him the wrong guidebook!”