CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3

A very beautiful woman is now holding my right hand and wants to kidnap me. Yes, I do! I am going with her without any hesitation. I was drooling for her beauty when Death suddenly spoke out of confusion, cutting my daydreaming session.

“Wait, Sophia, how did you get here? And what does this mean? You can’t interfere in this one even though you are a goddess because it's my job to guide souls to Astrum and not you.” Death strongly pulled me towards him. The woman didn't falter and she firmly held my wrist, making me close my eyes while biting my lips because of sudden snap of pain.

Two beautiful creatures are vying for me. I cannot believe it. You have to choose, Princess Maria, and decide now as well. Who are you going with? To handsome Death or to beautiful Sophia?

My gosh! I can't choose. It's as if I'm now choosing for myself what my gender really is. Am I a lesbian or gay? Aist, cut the crap, Princess.

But, I don’t know what to do now. I am deeply attracted to Sophia but I can’t deny the fact that Death is oozing with sex appeal. He is hot and delicious, but Sophia is the epitome of beauty, though. And not to mention her big watermelons in front of her.

Wait, Sophia? Who is Sophia? Do you know who she is? Does her name ring a bell? I don’t know either. So that’s why I was asking you? Death told earlier that she was a goddess. Is this for real? A goddess wanted to have me with her.

All the pressure is on me now and as time goes on the tension between the two of them is getting heavier. Gradually, smoke came out of their bodies, dark blue for Death and golden yellow for Athena—it’s like they are manifesting their aura. They seem to measure their strength and power. Hmmm... I have watched this scene in anime many times.

“Okay, let's keep and settle it this way. I challenge you to a fight. If you lost to me, give her to me. But if you beat me, I’ll let you take her and will give you my sweet kiss as a reward, too,” Sophia suggested and her words were mixed with lustful seduction in her last lines.

"Looks like... I can’t turn that down.” Death accepted the challenge and then they moved away from each other. They simultaneously jumped in opposite directions, creating a powerful shockwave that was enough to push me backwards.

"W-wait ... wait, do you really need—”

I stopped what I was saying when they both stared at me wickedly. A sudden lump formed in my throat. I just covered my talkative mouth with my hands. I still want to live. Ugh, I forgot I’m just a soul now! But I don't want to be a dead meat again. I’ll just let the two do what they want because seemingly, I am in no position to interrupt their match.

Suddenly there was an iron shield in Sophia’s hand and an armor enveloped her body. She also held a long golden spear in her one hand. Death, on the other side, has nothing else in his hand but his long black scythe as a weapon.

In a few moments, they suddenly rushed at each other and started to exchange blows and attacks. My mouth went agape because of extreme astonishment. This is what they called magic. And it really does exist.

A series of shockwaves were created by strong forces resonating from both of them. They were awesome! Both don’t want to give in. They kept on attacking each other.

It felt like I was watching a live action of an anime scene. Just missing popcorn and chairs… and the mood is all set.

“Report: Do you want to activate your unique skill, Limited Horizon?”

Suddenly a man spoke in my mind and then a computer screen—resembling like a hologram—appeared in front of my sight while something was written on it. This voice. This is what I heard when I was on the brink of death. I’m still wondering what this thing is, where it came from, and what are these skills it keeps on blabbering to me?

“Wait, who are you? And What's Limited Horizon first?” I suddenly asked out of curiosity.

“Analysis completed. I am the manifestation of your special appraisal skill, Virtual Assistant. On the other hand, Limited Horizon is your unique skill that puts imagination into reality. But as the name of the skill suggests, it is only limited to some extent. Building a big world and giving life to a dead person or animal with this skill are utterly impossible. It is only applicable for the materialization of non-living things with a maximum weight of 10 tons. Do you want to activate this skill?” the voice responded to me. I just nodded to the things I heard in my head. But still, I didn't get it. What the fudge is going on with me? I was talking to a voice in my head.

“Eh, what should I call you then?” I asked again.

“Just call me anything you want, Master,” the voice answered.

“I haven't came up with a nice name yet. I'll call you Mr. Assistant for the meantime,” I stated.

“Copy that, Master.”

“Okay, Mr. Assistant, show me what you’ve got. Activate Limited Horizon for me. Give me popcorn and a sofa right now!” I exclaimed out of excitement.

“Yes. Popcorn and sofa will be successfully produced in three ... two ... one,” my assistant said and in just three seconds, there was a sofa and a popcorn in front of me.

I just stared at them out of amazement. This skill is amazing. It really works. It is very handy. With it, you can travel to different places even if you don't have anything with you. Just like Doraemon’s pocket. But it also seems useless to give me this ability because I'm dead now. Where will I travel? To hell? What’s the use of these skills? I could not fathom the reason behind acquiring these skills. Nevertheless, I should enjoy the last moment of my life before I got to heaven or Astrum or whatsoever.

I just picked up the popcorn floating on the air and then sat down on the sofa. I just watched Sophia and Death who are still not finished striking, hitting, punching and attacking each other.

Wait, how could I possibly eat this popcorn and sit on this sofa when in fact I am just a soul now? “Report: Sophia, the goddess of wisdom, gave you a temporary physical body before she got into fight with the avatar of death without your notice,” my virtual assistant segued.

My eyes widened as I looked into my hand. Woah! It’s true. I really got my physical body back. But it saddened me when I realized that it is just only temporary. Anyway, why the goddess of wisdom did this to me? And why she wanted to kidnap me from Death?

Suddenly, the whole place shook as consecutive explosions reverberated meters away from me. Sophia and Death’s movements became faster until my eyes could not follow their every move anymore. I can only see yellow and blue lights colliding with each other. But in every collision of the two lights, there were powerful sound of explosions, causing tremors in the surroundings.

“Mr. Assistant, can you do something with Limited Horizon that can give me the ability to follow every movement of Sophia and Death?"

“Report: Please use your imagination so that I can visualize the thing you requested.”

“Ah, okay! Hmmm ... how about it looks like goggles that can zoom in or zoom out something? Or eyeglasses that have the ability to visually slow down the motion of a fast object? Is that possible?”

“Assessing your request. Assessment completed. The creation of anti-superspeed goggles is possible. Creation will proceed. Please confirm it. Yes or no?”

“Sure. Yes! Please proceed now,” I blissfully uttered.

"Creation of anti-superspeed goggles completed successfully,” my assistant said in a computer-like voice. Then, black goggles similar to the goggles used for watching 3D films in the cinema appeared. This is what I imagined and my virtual assistant did not disappoint me.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Assistant!”

I wore my anti-superspeed goggles with excitement. My mouth fell open as amazement took me again. Mr. Assistant made exactly what I wanted to happen at my request. Every move of Sophia and Death slowed down as I watched them.

Sophia’s shield was torn to shreds and her armor and spear were gone but she continued to advance in battle. She now punches Death and the latter is unable to make any counter attack. She's really cool and strong for a beautiful woman like her.

Because I enjoy what I’m watching, I didn't realize that I was cheering for Sophia. The woman stopped and looked at me with a curve on her lips. She winked at me which caused my heart to melt and skipped a beat. I’m freaking nervous. Sh*t. For the first time in forever, there’s a woman who sweetly smiled at me like what Sophia did. Oh my gosh, I think I love her already.

I cheered Sophia again and shouted her name so that she would have the strength to continue beating Death, but I was stoned when the man suddenly swung the iron handle of his scythe towards Sophia's stomach. The latter flew into the air and violently fell on the suspended air. Come on, it’s a foul. Women should be loved, not hurt.

Death approached Athena who was now seductively lying on the floor and seemed inviting the man to lie down next to her. The woman placed her hand on her thigh and then lifted the hem of her torn dress.

Death averted his eyes from her and he seemed to be holding back the temptation seducing him.

“Death, my body hurts. Can you kiss me for a moment before we continue our fight? What if we stop this pointless fight and just go to bed talking about romantic stuffs?” Sophia uttered in a very sweet manner. Death did not speak. He's not moving an inch.

Suddenly, he dropped his weapon and then sat down next to Sophia. He stretched out his hand to hold the woman. I caught him close his eyes and his hand was suspended mid-air.

“What are you waiting for, Death? Hold me. Feel my warm skin wanting to touch yours.” Sophia continued to seduce the man with her sexy voice.

After a while, Death finally gave up and touched the woman's thigh. I just gasped an air because of the tension on the atmosphere.

My breath momentarily stopped as soon as I realized what had happened to Death. The moment his hand landed on Sophia’s thigh, he seemed to be nailed in his place.

Sophia burst out laughing loudly and it looked like it was a laugh of victory.

“You fell into my trap.” She laughed again. “No one or any living creature—be it a woman, a man or a monster—will be able to resist my unique skill, Seduction. When I activate this skill and my target touches me, he will be subjected to my power. At last, you became my slave, Death!” Sophia exclaimed with her eyes sparkling out of joy.

“Princess!” she suddenly called me, making me startled. I came back to my senses and focused my attention on her.

“Y-yes?” I stammered.

“It's time for you to be reincarnated. In your next life, you will have an important mission that you should accomplish. Change this world, unite all races towards peace. This is not a request but an order you must obey. I’m going back to my place now because I need to have my beauty rest. By the way, I am Sophia, the goddess who created the world you are going to change—the world of Artesia,” she disclosed to me, telling me something I could not fathom. My head could not sink in what she had revealed to me.

Few moments later, she was gradually swallowed up by a dazzling light, together with Death.

“W-wait. Why me? There are seven billion people on Earth and why you had to choose me?” I complained before she finally disappeared.

“You are unique and special among others. You have qualities that I have only seen in you,” she replied to me and as time passed by, her voice was fading.

Afterwards, I felt nauseous and lost consciousness again. Is this a joke? Am I living in my imagination? Ugh, I don't know either. I just let myself swallowed by darkness.