Riku was still plunged into total darkness.
No sound, no scent… nothing that could tell me whether I was alive or dead.
—
He recalls the moment he drove the knife into his own neck, just before being swallowed by the darkness.
—
I went through with it. I'm probably dea—
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Riku found himself suspended in space. The sudden change made him jump.
"What the hell!?" he exclaimed, looking around.
He realized he wasn't alone. Others were floating alongside him. But what immediately caught his eye was a gigantic arch filled with chairs and thrones, almost swallowed by the void.
What is—? he wondered, before being hit in the face by a punch, sending him crashing into a nearby boy.
"Ouch…" Riku muttered, struggling to get up, holding the point of impact.
"Entschuldigen Sie! Alles in Ordnung?" A girl approached him, speaking in German.
Riku was confused, then lifted his gaze to see her face, captivated.
She was tall, with piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She wore athletic clothes, highlighting a disciplined physique.
"I don't understand, can you speak English?" Riku asked.
The girl blinked in surprise, then hesitated. "Uh… yes?"
Riku looked at her, skeptical. I don't think so…
She glanced around, taking in the situation, clearly shocked. "Woah!"
She only notices now!? Riku thought.
After a moment, Riku remembered the other boy he had bumped into.
"Sorry! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…" The boy scanned the surroundings, confused. "What place is this!?"
"I don't know…"
The boy stepped closer, and Riku noticed his unusual height.
He's tall. No—extremely tall.
Dark eyes matching his short hair, muscles rippling even beneath a hoodie and long pants. Riku felt intimidated, looking away and confusing the boy.
Am I the only one who doesn't work out?
Meanwhile, more and more people began appearing around them. The crowd grew from hundreds of thousands to millions.
The terrified, confused masses produced a deafening roar that annoyed Riku.
How did we even get here!?
An individual descended the archway stairs in front of everyone.
He cleared his throat firmly.
"Mortals!"
His shout silenced everyone instantly. Millions of voices fell into total silence.
Riku marveled at it. How did he… just by raising his voice, I felt hushed and watched?
The man continued descending, a light illuminating him as if appearing from nowhere.
He was not young, but his age did nothing to diminish his authority: a long silver beard framed his face. His measured steps commanded attention, and his presence alone dominated the space.
He reached the last step and looked over everyone with a sincere smile.
"Welcome to the Divine Space! I am Bragi, the god of poetry and music, and I will guide you through this new chapter of your lives!"
The silence remained, now one of pure astonishment.
"Did he say god…?" the boy whispered to Riku, who looked at him puzzled.
"Since when do you speak Japanese?"
The boy blinked. "Never learned…"
Bragi snapped his fingers, indicating the two.
"Good question. I will now answer your doubts."
Suddenly, an aura of darkness formed around them, illuminating only the two, making them feel humbled.
"The matter is simple. We made it so that all of you speak a single language… the language of the gods!"
We...? Riku thought, doubtful.
An angelic chant echoed through the void.
In an instant, all the chairs and thrones filled with figures. But what drew everyone's attention was an intense light at the top of the stairs Bragi had descended.
Riku tried to look at it, but the brightness was blinding—far denser than the sun.
Bragi clapped his hands to regain attention.
"Mortals! Before you are the deities who dwell in the Divine Space, and at the very top sits the Supreme God! You are here to decide the successor who will take this role!"