Deep beneath the surface; within the confines of life and death itself, the soul can merely wander.

  And so, until the next world is created, beings of all kinds are thrown into a labyrinth of life.

  If everyone is unique, then why focus on the eyes of a new soul coming into the world?

  Well, there's a simple answer.

  This story has happened before.

  In the infinite curtain of darkness, a soul awaits, eyes drawn to the nothingness before him. He was a mess of humanity—layers of flesh strung together by stitches. Long, black hair with too large bangs that overlapped his shoulders. Perhaps the only human part about him. His elbows hung off of his knees, which were covered by a smooth fabric that stopped at his toes.

  The Soul of Disorder.

  [ 混沌 ]

  KONTON

  “This realm is strange.” He remarked, voice echoing throughout the void. “I can feel the anguish of souls from all over, yet I don’t feel anything. I should love this song, but I can’t get drunk on them anymore. Everything is the same.”

  And as if the universe had answered his words, a flame flickered before him. Through the sound of its vibrant cackling, Konton could hear it. A new tune that set his soul on fire. His lips twisted into a smile, blood trickling down.

  “This symphony…” Konton recognized, standing up and slowly inching towards the fore. “It’s driving my heart in two!”

  For a moment, the flame danced nervously, almost as if it was unsure of its own desire to exist in this state of existence. But, in light of Konton’s excited gaze, its form transformed into something new. The light became brilliant, and ironically, Konton could see an outline through its peerless light.

  A human figure.

  “Don’t be afraid.” Konton assured, extending forth a helping hand that was blanketed in an energy so cold, so pure. A small assertion of his palm, and the evolution of the fire rapidly accelerated, “Don’t you know? This is a world for us souls. They’re plenty of people who are out to kill you, but I understand from your flame that it’s nothing new. You’re emotionless.” … “It’s a natural process, really. We’re all walking our way down the cycle, aiming to live the best lives we can in the new world. You’re new, like me, so maybe you don’t have a desire for that… but it doesn’t matter.”

  Red and orange soon ascended into a pure, white light. Konton smiled, embellished in the brilliance of evolution. This time, the light didn’t bother to be conflicted, and finally gained the humility to reveal its true form.

  The body of a human, one much younger than Konton. A boy with black hair stylized in a long, bob cut, the two ends extending over his shoulders, where his black cape fluttered in an imaginary wind. The long, gray sleeves of his robe, tied together by a black ribbon, hung lifelessly on his arms. Black, baggy pants, perhaps far too big for a child, was his legwear, and below were the shoes that narrowed his feet, classical and black.

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  He took his first breath upon the new world, and it was cold. So, so cold. But he didn’t shiver or show signs of discomfort. He accepted it as it was. Two blinks, and his eyes bore witness to the first soul he would see in his life.

  “Where am I?”

  His first words.

  “The space between life and death, where souls live.” Konton answered, childishly analyzing the new soul up and down. “I take it my words didn’t reach you in the state you were just in?”

  “They did.” The boy answered, gaze downcast, eyes shrouded in confusion. “But I’m unsure. I feel as if… I’ve been here before.”

  “Feel?” Konton raised an eyebrow, “You don’t remember who you were before?”

  The boy ventured deep into his inner world, but it was empty.

  “No.”

  Konton smiled once more, hands on hips as he leaned awkwardly close to the new soul. “Not even a name?”

  “No.”

  “Well,” Konton raised himself back up, staring off to the side. “Looks like we have a bit of a problem.”

  “Hm?”

  “You see, I’m technically not allowed to let you enter.” Konton answered, a small chuckle following. “I have the power to let souls in, but only if they’ve had lives before this. But you,” boop! He booped his nose, “You’re a new soul, with new data. Hell, it’s a miracle you even exist here.”

  “Could there be a reason for that?”

  “So curious already, hm?”

  “I don’t have anything else to go off of.” Said the new soul, “The only path ahead is forward, though that may change if any new developments happen.”

  Konton blinked, his intrigue further developing.

  Interesting. Unlike most souls, he’s not asking the basic questions.

  Good.

  This time, his grin showed his teeth, which for someone like him was strangely clean. “Do you have a name, soul?”

  The boy was silent for a moment, until,

  “Hiro.” He said, gaze astray. “I learned that the moment you mentioned it.”

  “I see, Hiro.” Konton extended his hand once more, “Well, Hiro, I’m Konton.”

  Hiro stared at his hand awkwardly for a moment, trying to decipher the meaning. His brain flashed back to where he was merely a flicker, and instantly, he accepted the hand.

  It was cold. Colder than even the air in this realm. “Hello, Konton—huh?”

  And the cold cooled, as his hand detached from his flesh. Konton was still smiling at him as if nothing had happened. An equilibrium resided in the fact that Hiro didn’t feel any pain either.

  “First lesson,” He chuckled, waving his bloody hand in the air. “Even if we don’t know it, our souls are trying to find the route out of this reality. The end of the route… is Narvinia.”

  “Nar… vinia?” Hiro sounded out.

  “Where we don’t have to be trapped by the rules of reality. Where pain means nothing to us.” Konton gazed deeply into Hiro’s eyes. “Do you feel any pain, Hiro?”

  “Pain?” Hiro scratched his scalp with the hand still intact, his gaze pathless again. He stared at the uneven upheaval of flesh and bone on his arm, trying to spark an emotion… but ultimately, he found nothing.

  So he could only ask Konton..

  “What’s that?”

  And Konton smiled.

  “I ask the same thing.” He said. The gray aura surrounded his hand again, and with a small, cold swipe, Hiro’s hand reappeared. It was the first time he had experienced such a high level of confusion. “I was created from scratch. My soul is only constrained by these layers of flesh… and it’s numb.”

  His hand returned,

  “But you,”

  And this time, he took Hiro’s hand by force.

  “Well, even I can’t see how we’ll turn out. But, I do know…”

  The next second, Hiro was being pulled forward. He found it was wise to not let go, but there was a part of him that simply didn’t want to.

  There was a feeling of wholeness as the two ran through the void.

  Here, in this moment, Hiro accepted that he was doing the right thing, and obeying fate…

  And as the light grew larger and larger, enveloping them both, Konton would release the words he promised.

  “...It’ll be interesting.”