Fifteen doors of various normalcy later I had found the one that looked right. The ubiquitous rope and Ugly guard surrounded what looked like a typical urban family home’s front door. It was a creamy white with a slightly fancy frame of solid wood and brick. What had caught my eye were some subtly differences to the front doors that I recalled from my past worlds. 

First was the door handle. A typical solid brushed silver with a straight lever type handle, but it had a small black panel framed in the brushed silver case right above the lever. The second subtle difference was another black panel set in to the wall next to the door, about head height. It had the same matte black finish as the smaller panel set above the handle. Third was the black domes that were mounted onto the eves, domes that were not producing any light. Last was the lights themselves, and there was a lot of them. From the small faery like lights that twinkled in the shrubs lining the paved walkway, the light that glowed from behind outlining the address sign, to the lights shining down from eves in a long continuous line. The quality and amount of light was striking compared to the apparent size of the source. 

-OK, found my target door. Now do I risk the Soul Inheritance magic here, or do I take the time and walk far enough out beyond where the Uglies bother to guard? 

I put some distance, and a small group of debating people, between me and the Ugly guarding the newly dubbed “Slightly Advanced” door.  

I started to form the twist for my Soul Inheritance, creating a complex spherical tracery in white lines with the use of a small, but complex twist, that created these magic traces. One of the things I “remembered” was this useful trick using both my Air and Lightning twists. Tracing out glowing lines in the air, I could use them to map out the large complex twists that I could not visualize in its entirety. 

 I was just about through the outer shell of the inheritance magic when I noticed several people had gathered around and were watching. I flubbed the "air pen” twist and a spray of luminescence wiped out my work. 

Several people clapped attracting the attention of the rest of the group debating nearby. 

“Wow, you can do that here?”-Onlooker1 

“Were you a magician?”-Onlooker2 

“Is he an Angel?”-Onlooker3 

“He’s dressed in all black and red, obviously an alien pretending to be a devil.”-Onlooker4 

As more people moved away from the debate group the wilder the speculations, and the questions, got to be. When more people started to raising their voices and shouting their questions at me or at the others, I put my hands up. 

“Baw ped- cín lamb!”-Me 

I pointed in the direction of the breeze. 

“Ennas lies cín manadh”-Me 

Then I bowed, turned and walked away trying to keep the crowd between me and the Ugly guarding the “Slightly Advanced” door. 

-I guess that answers the question if I should wait until I’m out of Ugly territory. 

“Hey! Where are you going? Can you understand me?”-Onlooker1 

I looked over my shoulder to see several of the crowd was following me. 

“It probably can. It just wants to appear mysterious and lure us into a trap.”-Onlooker4 

“Then why are you following him?”-Onlooker5 

“To uncover the alien conspiracy of course!”-Onlooker4 

I turned away and rolled my eyes. 

-Just had to be impatient. The crowd will make sure the Ugly can't see you casting magic you thought. Never mind the newly dead humans stuck in a bleak grey waste might be attracted to a  shiny light show! Damn I’m an idiot some times. 

I kept walking trying to ignore the inane babble from the ones that continued to follow. 

“You notice he’s leading us in the opposite direction that everyone else is going.”-Onlooker4 

“Oh yah. I never noticed before. Why is everyone travelling in the same direction anyways?”-Onlooker1 

“Cause we’re all a bunch of sheeple.”-Onlooker5 

“Guess that makes us the black-sheeple of the herd.”-Onlooker6 

“Hey, you can’t say that! It’s racist!”-Onlooker1 

“Why the hell is that racist? Think anyone is going to care now that they are dead?”-Onlooker6 

Some of the inane comments was easier to ignore than others. 

I moved around the ring till I hit a door on my memorized map, then headed in the direction of the Black Gold door. Occasionally reciting the map in Sindarin to make sure I was going in the right direction, ignoring the slowly shrinking group that followed. 

“I wonder if he’s going to cast more magic? That language sounds so, um, mysterious.”-Onlooker1 

“Well, it's not French or Austrian, heard lots of that while I was stationed in Europe.”-Onlooker2 

“Who speaks Austrian anymore?”-Onlooker4 

“Austrians of course.”-Onlooker6 

“There aren’t any Austrians since Europa II”-Onlooker4 

“What's Europa II?”-Onlooker1 

“Huh, the second great European war. Did you skip high school or something?”-Onlooker4 

“I’ve never heard of the European war?”-Onlooker1 

“Thats cause he is pulling your leg. He is referring to WWI.”-Onlooker5 

“No, I was referring to Europa II, WWI wasn’t even in europe.”-Onlooker4 

“Thats not right.”-Onlooker1 

“Way to dedicate to the joke man.”-Onlooker6 

“It is Sindarin.”-Onlooker7 

I stopped, and looked back at the short good looking woman that had guessed the language I had been muttering in. The rest stopped and shut-up, staring between me and the woman. 

“Thats Elvish, like form the Lord of the Rings, right?”-Short young woman (Onlooker7) 

“ceri- cin know Sindarin?”-Me 

The young woman smiled and shook her head now, sending her shoulder length straight brown swinging. 

“No. At least not much. I learn some doing cos-play for my, um, stream.”- Short young woman 

“You were a famous Streamer? V-tube? Switch?”-Onlooker1 

“Probably Patron.”-Handsome bowling shirt guy (Onlooker5) 

His leering grin told me that whatever “Patron” was, it probably involved nudity. The young woman’s blush and arms twitching in a false start to cover herself confirmed it for me. 

“Don’t be crude.”-Me  

I glared at the handsome leering man, with my best “Noble looking at the crude peasant”. Surprisingly the handsome guy looked admonished. 

“Hah, I knew it! Your faking, you're probably one of the alien guards!”- Tall thin conspiracy nut (Onlooker4) 

“I’m human, don’t be a fool.”-Me 

The tall thin conspiracy nut’s look of joy wilted along with his pointed finger under my gaze. 

-Full Noble seems to be working unexpectedly well. 

I turned back to the woman. 

“I was speaking Sindarin. I did not know that it was similar to Elvish from the Lord of the Rings.”-Me 

“Are there Elves here? Is that where you learned magic?”-Excited blond kid (Onlooker1) 

I gave the thin conspiracy nut a glare when he was about to say something, he stood with his mouth moving like a fish for a bit, then he looked at the others, then closed his mouth. 

“I have only seen humans, Uglies, and the doors here.”-Me 

“Uglies. Yah that fits. Remind me of eastern European gangsters.”-Fit square shoulders guy (Onlooker2) 

“How?”-Serious looking stylish woman 

Fit square shoulders guy was about to say something then stopped, realising that she wasn’t asking about the entomology of thugs from eastern Europe. 

I turned to the short woman in tall heals, who had stepped forward. She was stylishly dressed in a simple black skirt and an expensive looking jacket. I noted that she had stepped between the young woman and the handsome bowling shirt guy. 

“You will need to be specific. How is rather broad topic here.”-Me 

I gracefully gestured out to the grey expanse. 

-Wha... I’ve never moved my hand that smoothly before.  

“How do you know that there is only us, the guards and the doors?”-Serious looking stylish woman 

“And how did you learn Magic?”-Excited blond kid 

The others all started asking questions all at the same time, getting louder trying to be heard over the others. I snapped my fingers with an extra twist of air magic to amplify the sound. I gave them my best “Unruly children” look. 

-Ouch! My ears are ringing. Practice volume control in future. And damn it! Now my body is doing that graceful thing again. 

I had moved slightly, my legs a measured distance apart. One foot was pointed directly towards the group, the other off at a carefully calculated angle. Knees looked like they were casual, but they were poised to flex. My hips rolled to hold my back a chest at the perfect angle. My head was slightly elevated and turned just slightly to show just a touch of distaste. Every angle, direction I was looking, where I was focusing, the slight down turn of my lips, everything was designed and calculated to show my superiority, and my feelings on their behavior. 

-Forbidden magic and now etiquette that would make the most obsessive compulsive finishing school madam think thing had gone too far. What the @#$% did I do in my last life? 

 The explosive snap of my fingers had shut everyone up, there slightly stunned eyes locked on me. 

“Since you have all asked so very politely, I will answer some of your questions.”-Me 

After a few moments when I could see the embarrassment in their eyes and knew with cold certainty the exact moment to continue. My stance changed, somehow projecting a scholarly proficiency. 

“Miss serious and stylish.”-Me 

My hand, no my whole arm made a graceful gesture to Serious looking Stylish woman. 

“I have wandered a great distance around the grey expanse and have yet to see anything but Humans, Uglies, and the individually unique doors.”-Me 

I gave her a fleeting soft smile, then turned to the boy. My stance changed to studious uncle. 

“I learned magic from an old magnificent lightening wolf. He ran with speed and power through his forest of towering emerald fir trees, abundant meadows, and crystal-clear streams. His howls struck fear in all that heard it, claws and fangs ever defending the pack he called home.”-Me 

I smiled at the gaping boy again. Then turned to the next person. My stance again changed to one of strength. 

“Fit with square shoulders. I once witnessed an Ugly using a man as a club on a crowd of rioters. Uglies are strong, fast, vicious, and hold the only weapons I have seen here. And they will use that strength with sadistic pleasure at the slightest provocation.”-Me 

I nodded once when I saw that he understood the message I was projecting. The Uglies were strong, superior, but might just be beat with cunning and determination. 

-How the hell do I know how to say all that with body language? 

I next turned to crude man. My stance changed again to “friend telling you your being an idiot” 

“You in the Bowling shirt. Yes, I know a way to return to life. You can follow the breeze, listen to the Uglies sweet words, and return to being cattle. Or venture into a door, and into the unknown.”-Me 

My smile softened into a caring “it hurts but you know it’s the truth”. 

My stance changed again. Taking on “disappointed in your decisions" as I looked to the next person. 

“Tall, thin and conspiratorial. The Uglies are aliens, as in the classic interpretation. Strange, frightening, and not from our environment. They are not a hive mind. They answer to stronger Uglies above them, but whether call them Overlord or CEO I don’t know.”-Me 

I turned to the young woman, relaxing into “older brother talking to his favorite sister”. 

“I know Sindarin from one of my past lives, some of which I may tell you about.”-Me 

I finished up with a half turn, a big grin, and looking out of the corner of my eye, “Older brother holding out on his sister to tease her”.  

“Bastard, I'm not a kid anymore!”-Short young woman 

The young woman said it with a big smile which quickly turned to surprise when she realized that she had reacted like a younger sister would. I held up my hand, back into full noble stance, when the others started to talk. 

“I will continue to answer questions when they are not being shouted at me, and while I walk. If you want to hear what I have to say, I will not stop you from following.”-Me 

I turned and started to walk. 

-I should have introduced myself, but I can’t remember my name!  

I concentrated on my memories, searching for names. Nothing from my first two lives, nothing from the Black Gold door. 

-I know I had a name in the after-life with, um, the sergeant and the widow? Mind magic! Must have wiped all the names. “Hi! I'm sorry I seem to have wiped large parts of my brain, but you can trust me!” 

I mulled over what I was going to do about the increasingly disturbing problem of just what my last life did to me, when the young boy caught up to me. 

“Why is your hair like that? Um, I mean, I’ve never seen any guys wear their hair like that. Is it a cultural thing, like Samurai?”-Young blond kid 

I smiled and looked at him while we continued to walk. He was obviously trying to recover from his over excited state and act more mature. He was 168cm tall, dusty blonde hair, with an obviously British accent. 

“It was done by a mischievous sprite while I was meditating. I think she was a bit mad at me since I was too busy to feed her.”-Me 

I leaned a bit closer and lowered my voice just a bit. 

“Never forget about food with women, even the small green fae ones.”-Me 

I stood back up, ignoring the sharp look from the stylish woman who was following. 

“I can't seem to figure out how she did them, kind of feels like she braided or knotted them in place”-Me 

“I like your hair, I mean it looks exotic, but good. It would total go over at conventions.”-Short young woman 

She had caught up to my other side. She smiled up at me and continued. 

“Did you really meet a Faerie? I thought you said there was only us and the Uglies here.”-Short young woman 

I nodded. 

“Humans, Uglies, and the doors are all I have found here in the grey expanse.”-Me 

I pointed towards the closest door. 

“Each of the doors is unique. Some are similar, like the ones behind us, but still vary in their details. But as you get further out, against the breeze, they get wilder.”-Me 

“Did you learn magic through one of the doors?”-Young Blond kid 

I nodded to him, putting my hand on his shoulder. 

“Smart guess. I learned magic, Sindarin, and meet the sprite and others on the other side of the Black Gold door”-Me 

“The Aliens, er, the Uglies won't let anyone near the doors.”-Tall thin conspiracy guy 

“Your correct, and before you start fabrication of an elaborately twisted motivation that ignores reality, you should hear everything.”-Me 

You see the annoyed pout flick across the tall man's face, before being replaced by his usually “superior know more than you” look he normally wore. 

“What is the Black Gold door, and how did you learn magic? Is it even magic, not some hallucinogenic gas released by the frog faced Overlord?”-Chubby joker (Onlooker6) 

The heavy set, 177cm tall dark haired man elbowed tall conspiracy guy while chuckling. I stopped, turned towards him and others currently following. There were not too many left. I held up my right hand and twisted lightening to arc between my spread fingers. 

“Would you care to test if it is an illusion?”-Me 

I smiled wickedly, the challenge evident in my stance. The joker stood there frozen with his mouth hanging open for a second before he shut it with a snap. 

“AH, no. I don’t think I will.”-Chubby joker 

I stopped the arcing with a final bright, loud snap. I then brushed off the charring on my fingers in a “effortlessly noble” with my right then held up my hand to examine my nails. 

“I always think the pattern that leaves on my nails is quite pretty.”-Me 

I held out my right hand so that the blond kid and the short young woman could see the black crazed spider web pattern etched into my nails. 

“Oh cool!”-Young blond kid 

“The door?”-Stylish woman 

I looked up at her with a smile. I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed that I was delaying, surprised at my electrical display, or jealous that I didn’t show her my nails. She was all cool and professional. 

-I am definitely going to develop a professional office woman fetish in my next life. Damn I hope that’s not showing on my face. 

“That is where I am headed too, out beyond where the Uglies bother to guard. The Black Gold door opens to the after-life of what is best described as a medieval fantasy world. That after-life is dramatically different from this grey waste, though the same basic principles apply.”-Me 

I turned to gesture to the grey land around us, then turned back to look at everyone. I changed my stance to “Noble telling you the ugly truth.” 

“This place is essentially a tediously boring waiting room, which by nature or design, is to drive us into one of the doors where you will be reborn into a new life. The other side of the Black Gold door has a similar, if not more direct, incentive to move you on to your new life.”-Me 

I paused to see if it was too much or anyone was showing denial. So far, they were just paying attention. 

“The Uglies have made it so we only use the door they want us too. If you travel with the breeze you will come to a huge complex surrounding a giant marble door frame. The light from the door is beautiful, comforting, full of hope, and like moths to a flame, draws us in. The Uglies have built a complex around that door, and like sheep, shear every human that walks into their reach.”-Me 

I told them about the dirty grey arches, how it removed every trace of who you were, and the blank souls that herded into the marble doorway. I talked about how the Uglies talk about humans, and what I saw during the riot that let me sneak past them and into the marble door. How the Uglies act when there are few witnesses, or when given an excuse. 

“We are cattle to them, cycling through our lives, lining up in the ques to be harvested for food.”-Me 

There was a pause for a while, then one of the onlookers spoke up. 

“I don’t believe you! God wouldn’t allow that. They were right, you’re a devil sent to temp us away from heaven! I won’t fall for your lies, and the rest of you shouldn’t either.”-Onlooker8 

Several more of the small crowd made similar comments. I looked at them sadly. 

“If you don’t believe me, then why are here arguing with me? Wouldn’t It be better to turn around and find the truth yourself instead of standing here defying me?”-Me 

“Sophistry, trying to confuse us. You're just saying whatever so we won’t find out the truth.”-Onlooker9 

“And yet your still here. You are only arguing with me because you don’t know what to do next, or are too afraid to go find it?”-Me 

“I'm not afraid! You … you look like the devil! I’m leaving!”-Middle-aged sour woman (Onlooker10) 

The Sour woman looked around at the others to see if she had any support. 

“I’m not listening to you anymore! God wouldn’t let our souls be used like this, I’m going to find the gate out of this purgatory, everyone should follow me.”-Righteous fool (Onlooker8) 

The Sour faced woman moved to stand next to Righteous fool. And looked at me with self-satisfied glee. Several more moved to join them. Gathering in a somewhat hesitant group looking to see if any others were going to agree. 

“Were leaving together!”-Sour faced woman 

I looked around where I was standing in a over dramatic fashion. Then turned to them with scorn. 

“Nope, no tail or pitchfork. No sudden reveal of my Demonic plans in the face of your denial. I am neither a devil, nor am I stopping you.”-Me  

I looked at them with “why are you still here?”  

“Come on, let's go!”- Righteous fool 

The group of five people walked back the way we came, some looking back over their shoulders. I waited till they were far enough away and looked at the Stylish woman and rolled my eyes. 

“Less fools and what was that term? Sheeple?”-Me 

I looked over to Chubby joker with a smile. Then turned back to Onlooker9. 

“Not joining the herd?”-Me 

“I’m not a fool, or a sheep to be sheared. You obviously know something even if you're not going to share it.”-Defiant young woman (Onlooker9) 

I looked at the Defiant looking young woman, noting how she stood, the simple but expensively conservative dress she wore, and the expensive looking but practical shoes. I nodded then turned to continue walking. 

“Your soul image is much younger than when you died.”-Me 

I didn’t need to see her to know that she startled at my comment. Her voice was surprised when she responded. 

“How did you know I don't, uh didn't look like this when, before I came here? ”-Stern young woman 

I put my hand on the young kids shoulder for a moment as he caught up to my left side. 

“This young man is hopeful, excited, and dressed “cheap haphazardly”. Like a teenager. You are suspicious, warry, and dressed expensive, stylish but not sexy, and comfortable. Like a well-off woman that doesn't need to attract male attention. And I know that what we look like here is more about how we think about ourselves than what we looked like.”-Me 

 “So, that must mean you want to be a little girl in ponytails then?”-Chubby joker 

He chuckled with a “got you” grin plastered over his face. 

I looked at him with “Noble looking a dirt”. 

“Oh, that hurt.”-Me 

I looked him up and down with a cold appraising look. 

“I though you would be funnier.”-Me 

I turned away from him, not bothering to see if he got what I was insinuating. I noticed that the some of the others were openly chuckling, even the Stylish woman had an amused smirk. 

“I pointed out Defiant young woman’s appearance to prove that I do know "something”, and for some reason I seem willing to be social and tell you. Well at least the ones that are not fools or sheeple.”-Me 

I gave Tall thin conspiracy guy a “don’t prove me wrong” look.  

“My name is Adriana Kardos, not defiant”-Adriana (Defiant young woman) 

I turn and took the “Noble greeting beautiful woman” stance 

“Eithel govannon-, Adriana Kardos.”-Me 

“I'm Ajay, um, Austin Ajay Sharman. But I go by Ajay.”-Ajay (Excited blond kid) 

I relaxed and smiled widely looking at Ajay 

“Mín gwent na- amarth, Ajay”-Me 

“Daniels Arthur. Just call me Dan.”-Dan (Fit square shoulders) 

I held out my hand to shake his. 

“Mae govannen astaldo er.”-Me 

I turned to the tall thin conspiracy guy with an expectant look. 

“Ah, Jay. Jay Weebs.”-Jay (Tall thin conspiracy guy) 

“Ir dínen cin tur- vedui- na i thúl.”-Me 

The short young woman waved to everyone, giving ever a shy smile. 

“My name is Lana Kawa. Um, Ha na- nin gel na see cin.”-Lana (Short young woman) 

I smiled and gave her an informal bow with my brotherly smile. 

“Muinthel nín -o nin emel.”-Me 

She smiled back.  

The bowling shirt guy Spoke up next. 

“Mon nom est Andor Bandini. I can’t speak Elf but I do know French. Je m'excuse pour mon comportement. I’m sorry for before.”- Andor (Bowling shirt guy) 

He nodded towards Lana. She looked at him a bit then nodded. I nodded to him as well. 

“Cheb- ha in cín hab, mel boui.”-Me 

-Not that any of us have to worry about any procreation related physical reactions in these bodies anyway. 

I turned to the stern stylish woman and bowed formally 

“Cin gar- nuitha nin chwest. Lothron im gar- cín est-?”-Me 

The Stern stylish woman looked at me with a slight puzzled tilt of her head, when she noticed Lana blushing, then her lips lifted in a slight smile. 

“You may call me Miss Oppenhiemer.”-Jessica (Stern stylish woman) 

She walked purposefully past me with what I recognised as “You'll have to try harder if you want my attention” and took Lana’s arm in hers. 

“You can call me Jessica, if that’s alright Lana? Adriana, would you care to join us?”-Jessica 

She swept Lana up and walked off with Adriana far enough that the rest of us couldn’t hear them talk, I heard Lana giggle shortly thereafter. 

“Did she just out snoot you?”-Chubby joker 

“Even death can’t stop some woman’s ability to put men in their place.”-Dan 

“It appears so.”-Me  

I purposely left it vague to who I was agreeing too. 

-Guess I'm not the only one that can do this graceful body language thing. 

“That just leaves me then. I'm Everet MacClellan!”-Everet (Chubby joker) 

He raised his voice at the end so the women could hear him. Jessica gave him a “Yes, I heard you. Now go away I'm busy with important business” wave and returned to her talk with Lana and Adriana. 

“It certainly appears so.”-Me 

I smiled and continued to walk. We were silent for a while.