It’s cold, is hell normally cold or hot? I wasn’t a theologist so I don’t know much about it, I just know hell is where people like me deserve to be in.

But is this really the case, my hand, it’s still gone, it didn’t seem to want to come to hell with me. Quite understandable to me. If you were the hand that commanded thousands to kill millions, it’s understandable.

Haa, if I’m going to be judge hurry up already. I sighed.

Oh, Really now Human?

I heard a sudden voice, it was in a very low-toned voice, by the sound it was quite far away from me, I heard an echo before hearing the real sound wave through my ear.

Curiosity got me and opened my eyes, to which I stood straight in the middle of darkness, it wasn’t hell nor heaven, it was neither. Looking at my surroundings there was nothing more than an endless void of darkness.

You’re in shock? Not your expectations?

I forgot there was somebody talking to me, this place just took most of my attention, I looked in front to see nothing, amidst my dark surroundings there was nothing but darkness, that was until my vision aligned with the darkness, there was a massive and tall throne, it was painted in pitch black or maybe the darkness itself, it was impossible to see it.

Noticing that the throne was high above me I looked up, and there I saw nothing I had seen before, it had a dark entity sitting on the throne wearing a cloak, a pitch black one, that made him blend with the dark surroundings.

But that wasn’t what caught my interest, the being or entity was high above the sky, the hood of its cloak covered its face, making me unable to see anything other than darkness that was on his face. By its height it was taller than the Eiffel tower in Paris or the Burj Khalifa hotel.

“You… what even are you?”

I asked in a confused manner, it wasn’t Satan nor God, it was just a tall entity with a cloak surrounding his body, just what is he.

A God.

It said straightforwardly, not giving any riddle or hints that would lead to a grand answer. Its answer was both shocking and believable, given the state of this void and him being the only living entity inside here besides me, it was an honest answer.

“Then, Mr. God, I am a soldier as you would see, I respect you and all since you respect me.”

Yes, I do respect you, to think you would be granted the name of my right hand.

Right hand? What does he mean? If I remember correctly I wasn't a saint.

I asked myself, while it was true some gods did have aides and loyal followers and right hands, my name wasn’t on that list, Theo or Holland, I don’t remember being named as an apostle or anything.

The Grim reaper is my right hand, to think a human would have been somebody that was able to hold that title.

He said to me, it was then I noticed he wasn’t talking physically using his mouth, but he was speaking with me mentally or using telekinesis, to be precise Telepathy. If he talked like that with the scientist at my world, they would obviously die before making the god even finish what he was about to say.

The Grim Reaper, that couldn’t be, that name is acquainted with death, wouldn't that mean.

I thought in my mind, the Grim Reaper was a powerful aide to only one god and entity, and that was…

Yes, The God of Death.

He said before I could finish my thoughts, it was no doubt he can hear my thoughts, I needed to be careful with my thoughts, but isn’t it a badass way to die, when you get to personally killed by the God of Death Itself.

“I see, then with all due respect, Death, what is my purpose here?”

I asked politely, but deep down I had something else in thought, I had a feeling he would change the topic and then kill me for copying his right hand, god’s hate being looked down upon or imitated by their own creations if I am to be precise. As I thought that the Grim Reaper was also a powerful entity, for somebody that took souls, it was obvious he can do whatever he wanted with such powers, even prolonging death.

You see, Human, I don’t personally like doing this, but you were an option I couldn’t leave...

Option?

I thought, I was an option for what exactly, though I wanted to die, I also wanted to find the reason why Death Itself asked me to be an option he couldn’t personally let go of.

“Death, then may I ask a question?”

You have balls to interrupt me, Human.

He said in a threatening manner at me, though I couldn’t see his face, I felt his presence near me and his voice communicating through my mind was also a factor. He was an entity that could kill me with just his voice, it alone made me tremble like I haven’t before.

But for someone who saw death and even embraced it, his threat was more of a relief for me, I wanted my life to end, I wanted everything to end. I only had one choice in mind for that to happen, that was to insult and anger him.

“Then, I’ll stop with the formalities thing. You’re a god and I’m a human, there is only one thing for this to end with me being cursed for eternity and suffer… Correct?”

I said blatantly, both insulting him and digging my grave, but it was okay, my life was the least I could care for, but he laughed.

You are a funny one, human… that’s why I couldn’t let go of this option.

What, just funny? I’m not a clown.

To think he would even praise my attitude, I literally insulted his title, role and existence as a god. And his reason for picking me as his ‘choice’ was literally because I was funny.

He didn’t get insulted nor mad, but praised and explained why he chose me. For the god of death, he is mostly acting like one of my subordinates when drunk. Was there something in my personality that got the God of death’s own curiosity, I didn’t know.

Human, your very existence has got my full attention.

What does he mean, he left me puzzled and confused, why won’t he just get to the point, I can’t anger him because he has high regard for me, that I didn’t even know the reason.

If you were given another chance to live, would you take it?

What? Second chance?

I, myself was puzzled, he was a god, I knew that, but for him to give a lowly human scum like myself a chance to return to life, it was impossible, a dream. He is the God of Death, he won’t give anything for free, he wants his client’s soul and life for him to do it, and his title or name gave away any possible factor for me to accept.

I wanted to accept any proposals he offered me, because I knew the God of Death would ask for my soul and life, but for him to give me a second chance, that I didn’t expect.

Yes, but not in your world, I will give you the chance to live in a world more vast, bigger, and intriguing than your previous world.

He said in his cold and low voice, before adding.

This world is a world only you can label as ‘Fantasy’, not Reality...

“So, what does that have to do with me? And why such an offer? You know I want to die, I will agree to sell off my soul just to die.”

I interrupted him before he finished, and as soon as I interrupted him, he stopped his sentence, if one thing I could expect, he was pissed, I was always a defiant officer that didn’t care of the higher ups, now I defied and insulted a God.

Human… SILENCE!

As he finished shouting his voice, in the dark void of darkness, I was impaled in the center of my body, my abdomen to be precise, it surprised me as I looked high above the throne to get the glimpse of the god’s death, that I didn’t notice my impaling or even the ground rising.

It was a sudden large pointy rock piercing the inside and outside of my abdomen, it pierced so quickly that it went through me and outside my body, it was something I had been waiting for, but something was off.

I wasn’t dying, I felt the pain and agony from the spike through my body, my blood left my body at a rate that would identify as impossible for a human being. Because of the sudden shock, I lifted my hand onto the pointy rock, my remaining hand was shaking like crazy, the spike must’ve damaged my motor veins. 

I’m not dying… but I’m feeling the pain and agony of it, it won’t stop…

You learned your lesson human? I am the God of Death, I can bend everything as I wish, life and death? That is nothing for me.

He said in an ominous voice, obviously stating that I was just an insect he could stomp on anytime and whenever he wants, he wanted me to suffer, I thought it would’ve ended me in a quick death and my soul being his souvenir, I didn’t know he could still make me live longer even with all this physical damage and suffering.

You also miscalculated, Human, for a military officer you must need to know your enemy to achieve your objectives. You were correct with angering me to kill you, but this is where you miscalculated, human… You were already dead to begin with, even if you were alive, I can still resurrect you as long as I want.

He continued.

As long as you’re in my domain… I could do whatever I want.

He said, before slowly pushing the rock that impaled my chest further into and outside my body. I felt all of it, it moved slowly whilst scraping my insides, I felt it piercing my my remaining bones at my ribcage, my remaining organs, my muscles, everything.

It kept continuing to be pushed through my body and kept scraping my organs and interior, until my tears became blood, my mouth flooded with my own blood. It was hell, the feeling was utter hell, pain, suffering and agony and by this time the normal human body must be already dead, even if it was just the impalement, but I was still alive and I felt the miserable suffering and agony.

I Groaned in agony, but I didn’t hear or feel my voice coming out, I then knew my voice was gone, dead silent, my blood kept spilling off, it was like I had an unlimited amount blood.

Have you learned, Human? You must know your place.

Like hell I’ll ‘know my place’ you’re a god I’m a human, of course I know my place, but as long I live, I’ll fight!

In anger I yelled inside my mind, before remembering he could read minds. That was when I knew I fucked up, big time. He would obviously do more excruciating pain to me.

That was what I thought, until, the rock that pierced my abdomen retracted itself and back down into the ground, due to the force of its retraction it pulled me forward and downwards before making my body fall onto the cloud-like dark floor.

I knew my body had a large hole exposed at my front and back, the result of my impalement. I still spilled my blood and it kept overflowing outside my body, creating a massive puddle, the only other color in the dark void, I was trapped in.

That’s exactly why I chose you, human, to fear nothing even when Death itself has challenged you.

Fuck you…

I said in my mind, since my voice was gone, I just conversed with him through my mind, in the end I was suffering too much that I had no more thought process and just went on to barrage him with insults.

You must be angry, human? You must loathe me? But I know you, I’ve seen what you actually are, I’ve been watching you, over the countless battles you fought on, you always left with mountains of corpses, a vast field of only corpses and the dead, with a sea of blood at the bottom.

He keeps explaining this and that to me, though most of it was praises, and it was actually quite a good amount of positive and badass praises, it's like he was a fan, I was kind off getting annoyed before I finally heard something that shocked my pitiful state.

I want you to be my pawn, I want you to be somebody feared, I want you to be... the Grim Reaper.