RING!

The bell rang for the end of the period. "Alright class, that's all for today! Enjoy your lunch…Itadakimasu!" Asher said. After a few minutes the classroom was empty.

He pulled out his small lunch – a jar of peanut butter, a few carrot and celery sticks, and as a special treat – dango that had just come in the mail from some old colleagues.

Asher reminisced as he took a bite of the chewy delicacy. He spent time in the military, stationed in Okinawa. After, he went to college in Japan, and taught English as a second language.

Sadly, his mother grew sick, and he had to return to The United States to care for her before she passed away. He inherited her small country house, found work as a Physical Education teacher, and petitioned to launch a foreign language studies program.

The school didn’t go for it.

Thankfully, student interest was great enough that he was able to get this one class of Japanese language approved.

He sighed as he ate through his meager meal, not fully sating his hunger.

---

On his way back home, he looked up to the sky as he often did. A few faint stars twinkled in the sky alongside a waning moon… it didn't bring any sense of wonder or joy.

It was just a sign of his loneliness.

Glancing at his phone, the grim reality of his situation was reinforced.

Nearly broke. Living paycheck to paycheck. In poverty.

He looked up at the night sky once more, seeing a streak of starlight that just turned out to be a plane far overhead.

If only wishing on stars worked.

---

RING!

Asher slapped his alarm, quickly went through his morning routine, and drove to work.

I don’t want to be here today.

But, whenever he thought that, he would glance at his bank account balance on his smartphone.

I can’t afford not to be here.

As the end of the school day came, he grinned and went out to the bus stop. Today was the day that he had a rotation for bus duty. That meant extra hours.

That meant a good meal tonight.

He sat at the front and pulled out an older, cherished novel his grandfather had given to him. A student he was passingly familiar with popped his head over the seat and stared at him.

"What are you reading?" He asked.

"The Lord of the Rings."

"Sounds lame."

Asher chuckled, "And what are you doing on this bus ride?"

The kid pulled out his phone, "Watching YouTube videos."

Asher shook his head as the long, two-hour paid duty began.

---

They were arriving at the last stop for the day. A two-lane road at the very end of the bus route.

The kid who had been watching his video without headphones got off the bus and Asher walked him to the stairs. It was policy for the staff member to walk to the front of the bus and stand near the median of the road.

The kid started across the road but stopped to tie his shoe.

"Come on! Get out of the street."

But the kid ignored him. Asher sighed and tapped his foot impatiently.

Idiot. Just wait until you get to the other side.

Then, he heard it.

SCREECH!

He turned his head.

VRRRRR!

Over the curve in the road, a car was approaching - fast. The car’s tire had popped, and the rim was grinding on the street in a shower of sparks. The driver tried to brake, but the car started swerving and going out of control.

Suddenly, another car T-boned the vehicle, sending it rolling down the street on a path to hell. There was no way it could stop in time.

"Damnit! Move!" Asher ran out and pushed the kid out of the way.

THUD!

Asher felt the impact and was flung into the air, crashing into a heap.

His chest caved in as the shock ran through him.

He struggled to breathe as blood spilled into his throat.

At least...I saved…I tried...

The world went black.

Only cold darkness.

---

The blackness gave way to warmth.

A white-orange light beckoned.

He ran towards it.

---

Asher felt himself standing on a smooth stone platform, cool but not cold; a solid firmament that was reassuring.

He was standing in a line with other people. They were silhouettes against the dark space surrounding them; blobs that looked Human but were shrouded in grey.

Ahead was a long, winding road made of white stone that led up to a temple seemingly floating in the void of space; the same warm light at the top of the stairs that had drawn him in his dying moments.

He heard a mechanical whirring and turned as a small butterfly-looking drone made of some yellow and white metal looked at him from a single blue eye.

It seemingly chirped like a bird, wiggling its wings excitedly.

Suddenly, it disappeared from his vision.

The next second Asher was yanked off his feet and flew towards the white temple at breakneck speed. He could hear it flapping above him, but couldn't feel anything, only think, and see.

He wondered if this was what happened after someone passed on. He was never particularly religious but did believe in…something after death.

Maybe I got pulled out of line because I screwed up.

Below him, he saw what he guessed were other dead people. He guessed they were waiting for some type of judgement. He found his assumption to be correct as it appeared several robed figures sat at the end of many smaller lines that splintered from the main queue. As they waved their hand, the soul would vanish in a flash of white light tinged with cyan and black.

He was taken past all these judges and instead was hauled through an enormous archway behind the robed ones. He flew over a brazier filled with the bright orange flame and he could feel the warmth - the first physical sensation he had had since arriving here but moments prior. The drone set him down gently in front of a large, white throne in a large interior chamber.

The whole throne was made of the same material as the temple - the whole building one monolithic rock, carved from a titanic chunk of some ancient stone.

Seated on the throne was a young adult, no more than twenty. Medium-length, jet-black hair swept back from a visage that looked full of vigor. His blue eyes sparkled with multi-colored flecks and his robe was of a similar shade.

"What do we have here?" The man's voice was youthful, as his appearance was, full of vibrance and tinged with curiosity. There was an undercurrent to his tone – boredom.

The drone started beeping and whirring around this man's head before it was waved away.

"Selfless death. Name?”

Asher felt that he could just think his thoughts and they would be heard - after all, as far as he knew, he didn't have a mouth.

Asher Eisen.

"Asher…interesting name. Do you know where you are?"

Some type of place to judge the dead? I'd guess like Minos in Greek Mythology? Or Saint Peter at the gates of Heaven?

The judge chuckled, "Close. I'm The Arbiter of Souls. My name is Kalinor. Let's see here…"

He waved a hand and a scroll of pure black with golden lines appeared next to him. “Wow, that’s a violent death,” he said with sardonic flair. “Did you think that through?”

The two looked at each other in silence for a few seconds. Asher didn’t know what to say – think – in response.

Finally, the judge sighed and continued, and his apathetic eyes were tinged with pity. "Probably not. Well, a good deed’s a good deed, and lucky you, this little stunt earned you the attention of my assistants. They’re touched. Congratulations.”

Several of the drones that whirred around beeped with satisfaction before flying off to various duties. Asher could swear he even saw two of them high-five with their small wings.

You don't look like any god I've heard of.

Kalinor chuckled, "I am a god from another world. Death is a complicated business, and so many die. I can't be as hands-on with every soul these days."

Asher couldn’t help but wonder how long he’d been in the job if this god was from another world.

How long was the job vacant for?

The Arbiter’s voice changed – the boredom vanishing as curiosity took over. "An astute observation…some time, I'm afraid. I'm working through the backlog of souls, and thankfully time doesn't pass the same for the dearly departed as it does for us living creatures. Well! Allow me to give you your-"

A shimmering golden circle opened next to Kalinor and another man - slightly older than Kalinor - dressed in golden scale armor stood there tapping a foot impatiently on the other side of the glowing doorway. Both powerful beings looked younger than Asher did when he was alive, but they carried the wisdom of millennia upon their shoulders.

"Kalinor, what did I say about working so late? Dinner is getting cold. I spent all day making this bisque, and you’re going to eat it." The voice came out calm and concerned; a deep baritone. But there was a sternness behind it. A dominant force of charisma that drew rapt attention. His gait exuded confidence and authority. A kingly demeanor.

Asher could immediately tell that this new figure was the stronger-willed of the two.

Kalinor blushed as this new figure spoke to him and he rubbed his head as he giggled shyly, blushing a bit. "Sorry, Vythin. I'll be there soon. This is the last one for today, I promise."

This individual called Vythin stepped fully through the circle into this odd throne room and the portal snapped shut behind him. Asher realized he wasn't wearing scale mail - he was some type of Human covered in small scales, with black hair and golden eyes.

Oooh, like a Dragonborn from Dungeons and Dragons! No…more like the Au Ra from Final Fantasy! He thought to himself.

"I'll forgive you since you don't know who I am."

Wait? Can you also-

“Yes. You think, we hear.”

Vythin looked over at Kalinor, "Show me his scroll."

The Arbiter of Souls sheepishly handed the document over to Vythin who scanned it over while Asher stood there silently, sharing a concerned look.

What is it? What's wrong?