Raden collapsed weakly onto the floor. Slowly, he peeled his eyes open.
Where... am I? Am I dead?
His inner thoughts echoed loudly. His voice seemed to resonate in the air.
He looked around to see the space crowded with the spirits of the dead, all waiting in line. They were a pale, translucent blue; their bodies and faces were distinct, yet ghost-like. At the front of the queue sat a judge—a massive, imposing figure who towered over the souls. He sat calmly, weighing the spirits before him, a gavel resting in his hand, ready to strike.
The judge turned his gaze toward Raden. Raden's face twisted in panic.
He swallowed hard, convinced he was about to be judged just like the souls waiting in that long line.
"Raden, it is your turn. You must confront one of the spirits responsible for his own wrongdoings," the judge announced. His voice was heavy, booming through the atmosphere.
The judge then dragged a spirit forward, an old man with a mustache and a scruffy beard and threw him before Raden. The spirit kept his head down, refusing to look Raden in the eye.
The judge turned his attention back to Raden.
"Raden, you are now in the Astral Realm. Here, I am responsible for all the souls of the dead. However, the incident that befell you, the death of your parents on Earth was a grave violation committed by a dead soul. He stands before you now, filled with guilt. I have summoned you here to decide the appropriate punishment for this spirit. You must choose now: do you wish to annihilate this spirit completely, or do you wish to send him to hell? The decision is yours."
Hearing the Astral Judge's explanation, Raden stared at the spirit before him with pure rage.
"You! You're the b*stard who killed my parents?!" Raden screamed, stabbing his finger toward the spirit.
"I'm sorry... I didn't realize I was dead. I thought they were my enemies," the spirit said, his tone weak and pathetic. He still refused to look Raden in the eye.
"I think you deserve to be tortured in hell for eternity! Even hellfire isn't enough to burn a sou-"
"Enough, Raden. This is not a space to vent your lust for anger. I understand your feelings perfectly. However, you must decide quickly: total annihilation, or hell?" the Astral Judge cut in firmly.
Raden tried to suppress his emotions, but his mind raced, weighing the options for punishment. The spirit finally worked up the courage to look up at Raden's face.
"Raden... half of my soul contains the soul of a demon. I can give you power to protect yourself from the dangers that await you on Earth."
"What do you mean? Killing my parents wasn't enough for you? Now you're trying to bribe me with power?" Raden shot back, glaring cynically at the spirit.
"I understand, Raden. I truly understand your resentment. Once again, I beg for your deepest forgiveness. But are you sure you can live a normal life after this without protection? Who will protect you later, other than yourself?" the spirit asked, staring down at the floor, which was made of clouds.
Raden fell silent, stunned by the spirit's words. He looked at the spirit with weary eyes.
"Are you sure this power can protect me? How?"
"Yes, it will protect you from danger. If you accept my contract, you will inherit my soul and the half-demon soul within me. Your rage and my rage will channel into that demon soul. From that anger, you will inherit speed and strength far above that of a normal human. It is called 'Astral Rage'."
Raden's eyes widened at the explanation.
"Well, Raden? Are you interested in the spirit's offer?" the Astral Judge asked, watching him closely.
Raden's eyes darted left and right.
He looked at the judge, swallowed hard, and then stared deeply at the spirit again.
"I..." Raden's heart pounded against his ribs. His breath came in short, fast bursts. He swallowed one more time. "I agree to the offer, oh Judge."
The Astral Judge banged his gavel three times. The sound was loud enough to make the other queuing souls turn their heads.
"In that case, you two now have an agreement to ratify. You must press your right palms together and swear that this contract is valid and agreed upon by both parties. There is no coercion from either side. And this agreement cannot be contested or canceled. Is my explanation clear?"
"Yes, your explanation is very clear, oh Judge," Raden said, and the spirit before him repeated the words.
"Good. Now, press your palms together."
Raden and the spirit pressed their hands together. Raden looked seriously at the figure in front of him and said, "We swear that this contract agreement is valid and agreed upon by both parties. There is no coercion from either of us. And this agreement cannot be contested or canceled."
The spirit repeated Raden's words.
Moments later, their hands began to tremble. Smoke curled up from their necks. A tattoo burned itself onto the neck of each. Raden pulled his hand away, and the spirit was instantly sucked into Raden's body.
"If you ever attempt the final stage of soul fusion, I will obliterate two of the three souls residing in your body. Which two souls vanish will depend on the weight of the sins they carry," the Astral Judge warned.
Raden's body suddenly felt incredibly heavy. His limbs went weak. He collapsed onto the clouds beneath his feet.
---
Raden's eyes snapped open wide.
He tried to take a breath, but it felt heavy. He stood up. His hands were still covered in blood. A tear rolled down his cheek. He looked to the right; red and blue lights were flashing at him from the distance.
The wail of police sirens pierced his ears. The sound was getting louder, clearer, closer.
Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps approached from not far away. Raden whipped his head around, scanning his surroundings in panic. A shadow darted past him, moving impossibly fast. Raden dropped into a defensive stance, fists clenched tight. The tattoo on his neck began to glow red, though he didn't notice.
Then, in a blur, an invisible figure scooped Raden up before he could even react.
The figure sprinted away, with Raden bouncing awkwardly on his back. Police officers were beginning to surround Raden's house, while others started chasing the invisible entity carrying him.
"B*stard! Who is this? Hey, let me go!"
Raden pounded on the invisible back of his captor.
"Shh! Stop acting like a brat. Shut up, I'm trying to save you," the invisible figure said, picking up speed.
The sirens screamed louder. The police were gaining on them.
Suddenly, while running along the sidewalk, the invisible man tripped over a large rock. He crashed onto the asphalt, sending Raden tumbling as well.
Slowly, his form flickered into view. It was a man wearing a sharp suit, light brown trousers, a matching fedora, black latex gloves, and leather shoes. His hat had flown off. His straight black hair was plastered against the asphalt as he lay there, groaning in pain, trying to get up.
A police officer caught up and aimed his gun at the man.
"Hands on your head!"
The gun was pointed straight at the man's skull. Slowly, the man placed his hands behind his neck.
Raden tried to stand. His vision blurred for a second. He saw the man surrounded by police. Meanwhile, another officer was pointing a gun at Raden's head.
"Hands on your head, kid."
Raden ignored the order. He stood tall, his back to the officer.
"Hey, kid! Hands on your head!" the officer shouted now.
Slowly, Raden placed his hands behind his neck.
But then, he stomped his foot onto the officer's foot with such force that the pavement beneath them cracked. The officer dropped his gun, howling in pain as he clutched his crushed foot.
Raden's eyes were now glowing a fierce red. Devil horns began to protrude from his head. The tattoo on his neck shone bright crimson, and his entire body was wrapped in a blackish-red aura.
Raden vanished in a blur of speed, closing the distance to the man who was currently being beaten by the police. Objects nearby rattled and shifted from the sheer force of the wind he created. Raden moved like a phantom, battering the officers one by one. He struck them with immense power, sending them flying away with every hit.
Raden exhaled sharply, baring wide, razor-sharp teeth. He grabbed the suited man, the one who had carried him earlier and sprinted away at breakneck speed.
The man was coughing, his mouth full of blood, his body limp and helpless. The sirens wailed again. The red and blue lights from the police cars behind them shone brightly. Raden narrowed his eyes, pushing himself to run even faster.
Suddenly, a car with no wheels pulled up alongside him, hovering in the air, blue flames shooting from its exhaust. The driver rolled down the side window and looked at Raden. It was a woman with goggles perched on her head.
"Hey, you're pretty fast, but not faster than my car. Come on, get him in," the woman said from inside the vehicle, looking at Raden who was still running.
Raden glanced at her.
"Who the h*ll are you?"
Raden's voice sounded deeper, heavier than usual. He dodged obstacles in his path, glancing at the woman every few seconds.
"I'm his colleague. You'd better get him inside. You need to get in too."
The woman kept her eyes on the road ahead, handling the steering wheel with one hand.
"I have to get in too? What for?"
Raden was starting to pant. His pace was slowing down. The police sirens, which had faded, were becoming distinct again.
"You ask too many questions. Just get him in. You too."
Raden saw a straight, even fence ahead. The hovering car rose slightly. The woman opened the passenger door via a holographic UI floating in front of her.
Raden leaped into the car, causing the vehicle to lurch. The horns on his head slowly retracted. His eyes shrank back to normal. His veiny, muscular hands returned to their natural state.
Inside, Raden released the man from his shoulders and propped him up in the seat next to him.
The woman focused on the controls. She tapped the holographic UI, switching from normal to turbo mode. The car shot forward with such force that Raden was thrown back against the seat. His head slammed into the roof.
The woman glanced briefly over her shoulder.
"Hey, forgot your seatbelt, didn't you? Haha, idiot!"
---
After about ten minutes, the car came to a halt inside a massive building. The engine wound down with a soft hiss. The doors slid open automatically as the hum of the machine died away. The woman turned to look at the back seat.
"Hey, bring him inside the building. Quickly."
"Me? Why me? Why don't you carry him?" Raden asked, looking annoyed.
The woman slapped her forehead.
"Do you have a d*ck or not?" she asked, her voice rising.
Raden frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything? He's your friend."
The woman huffed.
"My god... are you seriously telling a girl to carry a concrete-heavy man?"
"That's your problem, not mine."
Raden tried to scramble out of the car.
"Hey, wait. Okay, look, how about I treat you to food later?"
Raden stopped in his tracks. He turned back to her.
"F-food?" Raden's eyes went wide.
The woman nodded.
"Yes. Just carry him inside, and I'll buy you a meal."
Raden got back in the car. He hoisted the helpless man up and carried him out. He struggled under the weight but pushed through it. The woman led the way.
They reached a massive, wide door that slid open automatically. The woman directed Raden to lower the man onto a bed in a room filled with medical machinery. Once that was done, they left the room and walked into a vast, open hall. Their footsteps echoed throughout the building. Raden, walking beside her, turned to look at her.
"Um, you promised to treat me to food, right? Where is it?"
"Yeah, we'll go out. But before that," the woman said, stopping abruptly. Raden stopped too.
He looked at her. She had a short black bob with bangs. She wore a formal white shirt with a black tie, layered under a brown jacket with a red stripe. She wore tight black pants and black sneakers. Her body was fit, with curves in all the right places.
"Call me Mora. Welcome to Indi(e)go. This time, my partner and I will be guiding you."
"Huh? Guiding... me?"