I found myself back in Arisu and Kei's quarters, a sanctuary of familiarity in this foreign place. The wooden walls, though humble, offered a warmth I had grown to appreciate.

I moved swiftly to the window, drawn by an unshakeable intrigue. Their murmured words, their huddled forms, their frequent glances—all punctuated with urgency.

Outside, children—about seven or eight of them—had congregated. Their heads bowed together in hushed discussion, and the late afternoon sun painted their silhouettes on the ground.

"They're discussing something..." My voice broke the silence in the room. As I leaned closer to the window, the children's discussion became animated, their gestures exaggerated.

Arisu, ever the peacemaker, approached me. "Shall we seek the outdoors, clear our heads, and maybe understand what’s amiss?" Her voice was like a gentle brook, always calming, always reassuring.

Wordlessly, I agreed.

Stepping out, the village's vibrancy struck anew. The sun cast a golden hue, children played, and elders conversed—yet today, an underlying restiveness tainted the atmosphere. Upon seeing us, the huddle of children, previously animated, grew tentative.

Emerging from their midst, a young girl approached. Her hair, a striking amalgam of red and black, flowed wildly, evoking memories of my own youthful exuberance.

She introduced herself as Kurochi.

She hesitated for a moment, her voice soft yet filled with conviction, "We, um, heard... destruction. It came from the direction of the forest. The one everyone calls 'sacred'."

Arisu played the ignorant card perfectly, “Oh? We hadn’t noticed.”

Kurochi, hesitating yet determined, added, "We were playing near the forest and saw this... shadow. Huge and dark. It was frightening."

"From my claw, perhaps." I pondered, remembering the damage I caused before I fainted.

Arisu's voice was barely above a whisper; she nudged me. "This isn't good."

Arisu inhaled deeply, her gaze shifting from the children to me. The village’s hum wrapped around us, but the weight of the moment anchored us in place.

Arisu took a deep breath, turning her attention to Kurochi. "We'll look into it. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Also, remember, being near the forest is forbidden. Please don't do it again." She knelt, locking eyes with Kurochi.

Kurochi nodded,

The children seemed placated, at least for the moment. As they scampered off, Kurochi threw a lingering, almost knowing glance my way.

Back inside, Arisu's face was a mix of concern and exasperation. "This is precisely what we were trying to avoid."

I straightened, defiant. "It wasn't my intent."

Her response was sharp: "Intent doesn't change reality."

The tension in the room was palpable. The warmth of the wooden walls was in sharp contrast to the cold uncertainty that had settled within me.

Arisu paced the floor, her usually light footsteps now seeming heavy. Kei, a silent presence until now, leaned against a wall, his usually unreadable face revealing a hint of worry.

The village buzzed with rumours as evening approached. I, keen on understanding more about her surroundings, decided to explore.

Arisu, ever the protective figure, offered a final piece of advice: "Be careful out there. And about the forest... I trust you'll make things right."

I gave a firm nod.

Arisu was then called by another villager, and she waved to me as she left.

Within moments of stepping inside their quarters, Arisu's words reverberated in my mind. I melded into the village's pulse, careful to appear as an observer, not an intruder.

I sat back, recalling my bizarre journey. "I was executed; denied the afterlife; reborn in this strange place; and even accidentally tarnished part of their sacred forest."

A moment of silence. "Sacred forest... what makes it so?"

Emerging from the quarters, the village's heartbeat was tangible, the hum of life palpable, even if tinged with a hint of apprehension.

Arisu's advice resonated with each step I took—stay hidden, observe, and most importantly, make amends.

Children's laughter, the distant chatter of elders, the scent of food being prepared—everything was overwhelming in its normalcy.

In contrast, I felt anything but normal.

My eyes were always drawn to the dense line of trees marking the sacred forest's boundary.

Arisu and Kei's words haunted me, punctuated with urgency.

In the evenings, villagers congregated, their conversations rich with superstition and tales of the sacred forest's power.

"It provides our food, our shelter, and our livelihood. It's sacred because it gives."

"The forest protects us from the darkness beyond. It's a beacon."

"They say it's inhabited by celestial beings. Beings of light, not flesh."

"Our ancestors have worshipped the forest for generations. It's part of our identity."

Their voices washed over me, and their superstitions were both intriguing and comforting.

How would I rectify the damage? I wondered.

And I would.

I set out to explore and assess the sacred forest, attempting to rectify the damage I had caused.

As I entered the dense line of trees, a hush fell over the village. I walked, feeling the earth beneath my feet, the breeze on my skin, and the canopy of trees above.

It was a breathtaking sight.

As I ventured further, the sacredness of the forest became palpable. The air was thick with magic, and the trees were ancient and imposing.

In the distance, I spotted a clearing.

A massive one.

Its ground had become a crater.

It was where I accidentally struck. I looked around, wondering how I was going to fix this.

"My attack did this," I murmured, fingers brushing the ragged edge of the crater. 

"That guide could’ve been clearer when 'guiding' me," I mused aloud. The aftershock of energy still tingled on my skin. "But how did it release such... devastation?"

I looked at my hand, flexing it slowly, remembering the energy pulsing through my veins. My eyes drifted back to the massive crater before me, its jagged edges and dark surface looming like a menacing beast waiting to strike.

It was deep and raw—a wound in the forest's flesh.

I let out a deep sigh. "How will I rectify this?"

As I paced the perimeter, I noticed small buds sprouting from the earth. They were delicate and pure, emitting a faint glow.

"Nature heals—slowly but surely."

I knelt, touching one of the buds. It pulsed with life.

"Maybe no one realises the forest can heal itself?" I mused as I noticed the crater slowly but surely rebuilding itself.

Standing up, I took a moment to survey the sacred forest, marvelling at its beauty and power. The towering trees and vibrant foliage were overwhelming, evoking a sense of awe and reverence within me. Despite any damage inflicted upon it, the forest persisted, standing strong and unwavering in the face of adversity.

The forest's resilience whispered hope—a gentle promise. "Nature might mend this... in time."

Thoughts of the afterlife tugged at my conscience. "If the forest can recover, perhaps my soul can find retaliation, for whatever reason, and I can finally enter the afterlife..."

The trees stood like ancient sentinels, their towering trunks cloaked in the hues of russet and moss, while the leaves, like a chorus of a thousand voices, rustled with an almost mystical harmony, creating an enchanting symphony in the tranquil breeze.

I took a moment to take in my surroundings and let the beauty of the forest wash over me.

The peaceful beauty of the moment captured me, and I found myself taking in my surroundings.

The serene beauty of the forest was astounding, with every tree, leaf, and blade of grass seemingly in perfect harmony with each other.

The soft rustling of the leaves and the distant chirping of birds created a natural harmony that captured my heart and soul.

It was as if the forest was whispering secrets to me, revealing its hidden wonders to me alone.

The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the forest, and I knew it would soon be time to leave.

But I was content to stand there, taking in the scenery and letting my mind wander.

"My soul... craves vengeance... while I crave understanding."

The words echoed through the silence as I considered my next move. And then my mind wandered to Fides, the one who had betrayed me.

"The treachery of it all," I whispered, the weight of betrayal heavy in my voice. "Could Fides really have been swayed by jealousy alone? Or was there a deeper, more sinister agenda?"

In the distance, birds took flight, their silhouettes painted against the fiery horizon.

The soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet accompanied my slow, deliberate steps as I paced, taking in the serene surroundings. The soft rustling of leaves, the distant calls of hidden creatures, and the occasional chirping of birds filled the air.

I dove deep into my thoughts, meticulously weighing the options and consequences of my next move.

"I should probably tell Arisu and Kei about this." I thought.

With a deep sigh, I decided to make the long walk back to the village.

As I made my way to the village, the dense forest that had surrounded me suddenly gave way to a vast, open clearing. The same clearing I woke up in when I first entered the world I was currently in.

The expanse of land in front of me seemed to go on for miles in every direction, and the sheer size of it all was astounding.

Apart from a faint outline of trees marking the edge of the clearing, there was nothing but open space around me.

As I stood there, taking in the surroundings, I couldn't help but feel an inexplicable force pulling me towards the centre of it all.

As the force grew stronger, I couldn't help but feel a pulsing sensation in my abdomen.

It was as if the crystal nestled there was calling out to me—echoing with a deep and mesmerising hum that left me completely spellbound.

Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation in my body, as if a force had taken control of me. I tried to move, but my legs wouldn't obey. It was as if the crystal was controlling my movements.

As I looked around, I realised that the heart of the clearing had revealed the rift I had used to enter this world. 

I was lost in my own thoughts, trying to make sense of the situation, when I unexpectedly felt a jolt in my body. The energy of the rift surged, and its dark tendrils snaked out, wrapping around my legs and pulling me closer to it. The tendrils felt firm but not hostile, and their grip tightened around me.

The world around me began to blur, the fiery horizon and distant trees merging into a cascade of colour. The sensation was overwhelming but not frightening; after all, fear was alien to me.

Space and time became abstract.

The boundaries that defined moments, hours, and days seemed to blur and merge, and I was adrift in an eternal present, struggling to maintain my sense of self amidst the turmoil.

The familiar became strange, and the known unfathomable. The cascading energies swirling and swirling around me threatened to swallow me whole.

And then silence.

Paradoxically, the encompassing void, both boundless and suffocating, cradled me.

I floated, feeling a sensation of weightlessness in contrast to the resonant hum of my crystal, now a distant lullaby.

"The same void..." I murmured.

The vastness of the limbo void stretched endlessly. But something was different.

As I floated, I found myself surrounded by an ethereal multitude of soul fragments, each one shimmering like the stars on a moonless night, darting and dancing around me. Each pulsating with raw emotion, resonating with my very being.

The whispers of the soul fragments in the limbo brushed against my consciousness, their soft words like gentle breezes on my mind. Their words, soft and gentle, flowed like a river over pebbles, weaving stories of existence, love, despair, and hope.

They were all whispering things to me, but at that moment, I couldn't quite understand what they were trying to say. It was as if they were speaking in a language I had never heard before.

I hesitated, not knowing what to expect. I reached out to a nearby soul, whose essence resembled a delicate, swirling mist. As I made contact, the world around me shifted.

I could suddenly feel a cool, damp, earthy sensation beneath my feet, the gentle caress of a breeze on my skin, and the subtle hum of life coursing through me.

It was as if I had become one with the natural world, perceiving it in a way I had never thought possible.

To think," I mused aloud, "that such sensations could be experienced here, in a place devoid of life and time. It was a paradox to feel the warmth of the sunlight and hear the gentle rustle of the leaves in a place of eternal silence.

Huge, dark mountains rose from the void, their peaks piercing the black sky and their slopes covered in a carpet of grey. 

The rock formations were jagged, the edges sharp and unforgiving.

Skeletons of trees sprouted from the ground, their gnarled branches stretching towards the ravenous horizon.

A faint, reddish, whitish mist swirled around the newly formed area.

Yet amid this creation, I remained at its centre, the orchestrator of this symphony.

I was the master of this world, the one who had given it life and purpose.

Among the souls, I noticed a unique glimmer—the reptile I'd inadvertently extinguished. No remorse, no anger—just pure, unadulterated existence.

I tried to touch it, and that's when the energy of the soul seemed to flow through me, coursing through my veins like a river of light. 

In the presence of so many souls, my connection to the crystal deepened.

The souls fell deep into the ground; they solidified, forming markers—graves marked with crosses. It was a world unlike any other, a place of darkness and mystery.

With each soul that fell into the ground, the crystal in my belly pulsed stronger, as if to absorb the very essence of life from those who had fallen.

One soul, however, remained. I could feel a different kind of energy emanating from it.

As this lone soul hovered, its luminosity grew and captured my attention. 

Drawn to it, I reached out to touch its essence. On contact, I was engulfed in a flood of vivid images—events and moments, each more evocative than the last. 

This visual onslaught stopped abruptly, replaced by two enigmatic, echoing initials: D.K.

The singular soul disintegrated, returned with the others, and sank into the ground.

And yet those two initials continued to echo, though not from the soul.

I walked closer to the tombstones, reaching out to them and absorbing the memories that lay dormant within.

Most were glimpses of life—sounds and feelings.

But among them, two initials persisted, always at the centre. D.K.

After seeing countless souls descend and the initials recur, I realised that D.K. is much more than a person who sends me letters for fun. D.K. is much more than that.

"I need answers. Just who is D.K.? Why do they keep following me?"

I stood there, deep in thought. 

I turned, gazing back at the unending limbo that stretched before me—an abyss of boundless darkness.

The rift I had used to get in and out of here was still there.

Looking through the rift, I could see the world I had left behind, its vibrant colours clashing against the endless darkness of Limbo.

The transition was like stepping from a dream into a waking reality.

Then I looked back at the tombstones.

"My role as the Archon of Death may extend beyond my own quest for vindication. It might also involve tending to the souls I take life from." I contemplated.

I then moved closer to the tombstones that were charged with souls.

"How I can care for the souls is a mystery to me." I thought.

I made the resolute decision to retrace my steps through the rift, returning to the realm from which I had originally entered.

As I emerged from the void, I was greeted by the stunningly vibrant colours of the other realm.

The sun shone brightly overhead, filling the sky with a warm golden light that bathed the land in a glorious radiance.

I quickly mastered the art of sealing the rift to prevent accidental entry or exit.

I planned to track down every soul that had crossed paths with D.K. and investigate their connection to this mysterious individual.

As I looked around, I realised that I was standing in the same clearing as before. The trees towered over me, their branches reaching out like fingers, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves created a dotted pattern on the ground. 

My first thought was to head back to the village.

The journey back was familiar, yet the weight of newfound responsibilities clung to me like a shroud.

As I made my way through the dense forest, the shadows of the trees seemed to stretch out and reach for me like bony fingers. 

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, I made it back to the village. But as I looked out into the distance, I noticed multiple shadows moving in the darkness.