Infinity| A Time After

~Death~

—Arthur's POV—

Darkness. Once again.

I around floated in darkness for the second time. Not alive, but existing.

There was nothing. No smells, taste, sight, sounds or touch.

Nothing.

Then everything.

What I went through, who I'd been, how I died.

I didn't want to die, not like this. Not while leaving everyone else to take care of the war. It's not that I didn't have faith in them, but from what I had just experienced which led to my death—it isn't anything good.

That wasn't something Dicathen alone could fight against.

To many thoughts, to many regrets.

My mother. Ellie. The twin horns. Virion....

Tessia. My unborn child.

I wanted to scream, cry—feel something—

Anything.

My body was gone. Not even half of a life time, gone. I couldn't feel the pain of loss, the fear of the unknown, the frustation of regret, the anxiety of what's to come next if anything happens at all! I simply existed. That's it.

Honestly, if it came right down to it, I would do it all over again.

With that, I let myself drift—was I drifting?

This enormous void was full of uncertainties and time—if that was even relevant here—passed.

It was somewhat peaceful.

Until I felt a pickling sensation, like someone was pricking me with several needles on my arm.

My arm...

Moments later the same sensation happened across my chest. Then my torso. My legs and even my feet. The prickly feeling then spiraled into intense pains everywhere. Though I didn't really care and instead, welcomed the onslaught of pains across my being.

This was proof I wasn't just an existence. I still have a material form. A physical body...

Until a speck of white appeared within my vision. It slowly expanded, getting brighter and brighter as the seconds rolled by.

'Am...am I reincarnating again?! No!!' I thought. Knowing I couldn't do anything about it, I let the light encompass me.

My eyes finally snapped open, and I knew I was ground level. Panic consumed me as I tried to move, to find a way to reassure myself that I wasn't a newborn. My body wouldn't budge at all. Slowly, I lifted my head, only to stop immediately once pain seared through my head and down my body. That...that's not good. It felt like my body wasn't my own. It felt heavy, like lead weights and as stiff as a board.

"Ah...ugh—" I wheezed out, my familiar baritone voice greeting me as I sigh in relieve.

Okay, not dead. Not reincarnated....