Hurts…It hurts so much…

Where am I?

Vivia floated in an endless void. Her eyelids weighed heavy like stone, but she forced them open - only to meet a burning pain twisting her body as if something was tearing it apart. Fragmented memories of her painful death rushed through her.

Countless questions swarmed her mind, but the void offered no answers. Amidst this confusion, she noticed a vague shape forming at the far end of the horizon.

Hot! I-It burns…! Ahhhh!

Vivia gasped as if she was plunged into a sea of hellfire. The deadly heat relentlessly gnawed at her soul. Tears welled, but they evaporated before they could fall. With a searing pain that threatened to crush her, she faintly caught an apparition materializing before her path. A woman’s figure stood still, her long dress and hair fluttering gently as if there blew a soft gust of wind.

Who…are you?

The woman softly moved her lips. Vivia strained to hear, but no voice or sound echoed back to her. She couldn't make out her face but what she did see was a small, sorrowful smile stretching her lips ever so faintly.

“Who are you? I cannot hear you…!”

Vivia couldn't question any further as an invisible force yanked her towards the fiery orb at the center. The heat soared beyond her capacity, and the world turned black for her once again.

—

The rhythmic thud of galloping struck Vivia's ears and her brows crinkled. She half-opened her eyes in a daze, blinking against the blur. Cool winds chilled her body, but traces of some warmth from near her also enveloped her comfortably.

She slowly pried her eyes open wider and blinked rapidly. An unfamiliar terrain was rushing past her at an extraordinarily high speed. She looked around and realized she was riding on a horse with a man’s arms firmly wrapped around her waist.

Shocked, Vivia straightened up with a jerk.

“Ouch!”

Her eyes teared up by colliding with something hard, and she looked up toward the culprit. Above her, the man slowly lowered his chin at the same time. Her jaw dropped for two main reasons.

The first was that the man was the very definition of handsomeness. His beauty was certainly unmatched against all of the men she had ever met in her lifetime. His face was carved to such perfection that his allure mesmerized her for a long moment before the second reason dawned upon her for her jaw dropping reaction.

I’m riding a stallion with a demon.

That was clearly evident to Vivia with just one look. The demon had golden irises with black slit pupils resembling that of a cat’s. Slitted pupils were a distinct feature of a demon’s eyes. That second reason broke her daze, and cold beads of sweat prickled on her forehead that even the cold winds failed to dissipate.

Is this a dream or Audreya's curse really turned out to be true!?

The demon acutely studied her as if he would eat her alive the next moment. With a tug of the reins, the stallion came to a stop. Vivia gasped, and her head bumped against his chest.

What am I doing riding with a demon? How did I land up here? And where is this strange place? Wasn't I on the stage-

Ahhh!!! I…I'm supposed to be dead. Am I really d-dead? But why…? Is this…the afterlife?

Vivia jerked up as the harsh reality came crashing, throwing the demon’s jaw upward once again. Color drained from her face as the fatal moment of the arrow piercing through her heart struck her like a blade, her chest aching with a phantom pain.

She scanned the forest around her in a stupor which nowhere resembled her hometown Stras. She then looked up at the demon, and while his neutral expression didn't crack much, he certainly exhibited an unfriendliness that felt sharper than before.

Is he the grim reaper? I didn't know they sent such handsome grim reapers to escort souls to hell. Maybe they show one last pity. Ah. That makes sense since I’m dead…

Convinced that he was indeed the grim reaper and with the resignation over her cruel fate, Vivia said dispiritedly,

“Did I hurt you? Or your stallion? Please forgive me. It took me a while to understand things, but please go ahead. I’m prepared. Not like I've any other choice…”

The demon kept his gaze fixed at her in silence. With him still and unmoved, Vivia frowned. “Aren't we going?”

“Where do you think I’m supposed to take you?”

Her brows scrunched together.

Was this grim reaper not told of his job?

“Hell, where else? Or have I done enough good deeds to go to heaven?”

His brow twitched.

“Why should I be taking you to hell? Or heaven for that matter?”

Vivia was exasperated. She was already struggling to come to terms to her own death, and now the supposed grim reaper had to be spoon-fed his responsibilities too.

“Clearly, you seem to be new at this job. I’m dead so isn't hell where you’re supposed to escort me?”

The demon now arched his brow with interest. “Dead?”

“Yes, dead.”

“Indeed you’re supposed to be dead but for some reason, you aren't, and I wonder how?” His golden eyes narrowed.

Vivia’s heart thumped.

Wait, can a dead heart even beat? Oh yes my heart is skipping its beats since it’s already dead, ahahaha. Ahahaha…

She knelt on her knees in front of the entire cosmos in her imagination the very next moment.

I humbly apologize for my bad humor. But can you really blame me?

The demon observing her thought of something and stepped down from his stallion together with her. He gestured to a nearby lake and said, “Take a look.”

“At the water?” she frowned.

“At yourself,” his mouth twitched incessantly.

Vivia didn't understand his intention and sighed. She wondered if some rituals had to be done before entering hell. She walked towards the lake, a little tired and exhausted. She bent over and stared at her own reflection on the water’s surface.

What is this ritual supposed to do? I mean it's just my own face-

Vivia bent further, aghast.

Wait, whose face is this!? This is not me!