Illusionary Assassin

A confused expression appeared on Maxwells face when he looked at Azriel walking away. ”Where am I supposed to go when Im already dead? ”

Azriel stopped walking and turned his head to look at Maxwell. And they both stared at each other for a few seconds filled with absolute silence before Azriels pale face cringed a little as he burst out laughing.

Regaining his composure, he stopped laughing. ”Well, that would be my bad for not telling you, so let me explain your options now. ”

I have options to choose from? Maxwell got even more confused, not understanding what options he could have after death, but didn think much about it and just got his resolve ready to hear the news.

Seeing his attitude, Azriel started speaking about his options without letting Maxwell utter a word of response for the entire explanation.

As Azriel kept speaking, Maxwells expression changed from indifference to disbelief. And then, the realization of what he had just heard hit him as his brain short-circuited, unable to withstand the shock.

Looking like a statue, Maxwell tried to find a single response to what he had just heard ”Cou…you… could you please repeat everything you just said? I don think I managed to catch all of it. ” after that, he got lost in thoughts once again.

Seeing his reaction, Azriel chuckled. ”I can repeat it, but you must follow me back into the mansion. Its going to be raining soon, right take the pillow with you. The chessboard can be left outside. ”

Moving his head up, Maxwell saw black clouds coming toward them; standing up, he took the pillow into his hands. While staring at the mansions door, a tiny rain droplet hit him right on the nose and slid down his face only to fall onto the ground.

Placing the pillow under his arm, Maxwell started walking towards the double door of the mansion where Azriel was putting a key inside the middle of the door and opening one side of it as the rain fell faster.

After going through the open door, Maxwell found himself standing on a long red carpet with Azriel closing the door behind them and putting on some slippers.

Looking around, Maxwell started admiring the mansions interior. There was a shiny dark wooden floor, classy-looking furniture made from dark wood to complement the floor, and a giant red carpet connected with the stairs leading to the second floor.

With his eyes bulging, Maxwell thought to himself, still amazed by how beautiful it was inside, an expression of awe hanging on his face. Guess I shouldn judge the book by its cover. To think that a place that looks like a ruin from the outside can look like this inside. What an incredible mansion this is.

Feeling a slight tap on his right shoulder, he looked to the side and saw Azriel staring at him with a pleased smile like he could read his thoughts and knew how amazed Maxwell was at the moment.

”Please come into the living room where we can talk again about your predicament. Right, would you like some coffee or tea before we start talking? It might take a while for us to go through all the options. ”

”Coffee, please, and there is no need for pleasantries. Im the guest, after all. ” Maxwell responded while being guided to an old-fashioned living room.

Inside it, bookshelves were around the rooms walls, and two armchairs were standing before a fireplace burning with blue flame while candles were floating in the air, lighting up the darkness inside the room.

Sitting in one of the armchairs, he started waiting and sorting out everything that had happened. So after being burned alive and dying, I got pulled out of the soul river by the aspect of death, who calls himself Azriel. What a crazy day it is. I think Im going crazy.

Exhaling, Maxwell closed his eyes and relaxed on the armchair, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. And wondering what would happen if he just played it differently while being chased inside the hotel. Was there a chance for him to live?

…

Walking into the room with two cups of freshly brewed coffee still emitting steam on a shining silver plate, Azriel placed the tray on a vintage coffee table standing between them and sat on the armchair opposite Maxwells.

”Enjoying your stay? ” He asked Maxwell, whose eyes were closed and probably didn even notice that Azriel had entered the room a while ago.

Startled, Maxwell opened his eyes only to notice he was spacing out on the armchair, either from the mental exhaustion he accumulated before dying or the comfort he felt after sorting all of his thoughts out and relaxing to the sound of the fireplace crackling in the corner.

Taking the cup of freshly brewed coffee into his hands and taking a sip, Maxwell got himself together. ”Yes, thank you, its very comfortable here. I spaced out a little. ”

After a few more sips of coffee, he started noticing the rich and sweet flavor of the freshly brewed coffee beans still lingering inside his mouth.

Maxwell began comparing it to the coffee he drank on earth. What an incredible coffee. I still remember most of the flavors I drank, and none could compare to this one. They are leagues apart from each other.

Being a coffee lover in his life on earth, Maxwell drank most of the exotic caffeine beverages while assassinating different people worldwide. He was almost in all the countries around the world, and still, no coffee he drank there could compare to the one he was drinking right now.

”You wanted me to repeat the options I told you before, right? ” Azriel asked, wanting to start the conversation.

Maxwells eyes focused on him after he got woken up from his coffee fantasy, and they started talking again with the background noise of a crackling fireplace and rain pouring down on the mansions roof and hitting the windows.

”Yes, I don think I managed to comprehend everything you told me the first time, so I would like you to tell me my options again if you weren joking back then, ” Maxwell asked, still in disbelief at what he heard outside after the game of chess ended, thinking it was a joke.

”Oh, don worry about it wasn a joke, and no need to be so nervous. After all, you are not the first person skeptical about it and probably not the last one either. ”

Placing the cup down on the table after taking one sip and putting one hand under his chin, Azriel got to the point and started recounting all the options.

”So, as I said, you have three options right now. The first one would be for you to go back into the soul river so it can wipe your memories and reincarnate you somewhere, but remember you won have your present memories. ”

Maxwell shook his head After hearing the details since there would be no point if he were to kill himself by using this method.

”Very well then, ” Azriel responded, seeing Maxwell shaking his head.

”For the second option, you can try to swim up the river of time and go back to the past, but the chances that the waves don erase your existence are minimal. Of course, you will keep your memories, and everything would be like you just went back in time, but if you are not a person desperate for revenge, there is no point in trying this. ”

Well, going back in time does sound tempting, but there is no point in taking unnecessary risks right now, and I didn have much left to do on earth anyway.

”And the third option was for me to transfer you into one of the worlds closer to the Chaos universe where you can start your life again with no consequences like the many people summoned before. You will also awaken and be able to learn mana control like the minority of people in your old world. ”

Finally, after telling Maxwell all the options he could give, Azriels pale white hand reached for the cup full of coffee, and he started quietly sipping on it while having his eyes closed.

So this choice is either option two or three, but thats not even a choice. Since there are no consequences in choosing option three, I should go with it, but there are still some questions I should ask before choosing it.

…

As the rain stopped pouring down on the windows of the mansion with the fragrance of the wet grass spreading around the whole place, two people were sitting opposite each other on leather armchairs inside a classy-looking living room.

”Are you certain about your choice? ” Azriel asked.

”I couldn be clearer about it, ” Maxwell confirmed his choice while smiling.

Nodding his head, Azriel snapped his fingers, and a pure white gate made of different bones wrapped in black chains appeared in the living room. Slowly the chains started unbinding, and the gate doors opened, showing blue flames inside.

”Go in when you are ready. I wish you good luck in your new world. Also, Im giving you this book look through it after you get there. ”

Taking the book into his hands, Maxwell prepared himself for a few seconds and walked straight into the blue flames. Suddenly the gate doors closed, and everything around him turned black. As horrible pain assaulted his soul as he almost instantly lost grip on his consciousness.

…

On a burned patch of grass surrounded by trees from all sides, a skinny youths body was lying with simple leather attire and a rusty knife under his belt, while a small brown book was near him.

Suddenly a curious bird flew down from a tree and stood on the mans head, making his eyelashes flutter and short black move. Then, opening his eyes wide, the man started examining his surroundings.

This mas was, of course, Maxwell.

So Im finally here, a whole new world. Taking a breath of fresh air, Maxwell started checking out his surroundings.

I should check out the book Azriel gave me before doing anything if I don want something to go wrong.

Standing up, Maxwell noticed he was extremely light. ”What is going on? Is this an advantage of awakening? ” He looked down at his body and put his hand on a tree to avoid falling.

Checking his body for a few seconds, Maxwell slumped back to the ground and leaned against the tree.

What the hell did I take over the body of someone else? No, this shouldn be it. But then what is going on? Im sure I can find something about this in the book Azriel gave me.

Looking around, Maxwell soon spotted the book lying on the grass not so far away from where he was.

Coming closer and taking it into his hands, he opened it, his brows furrowed as he stared at one page with scribbles written all over it and only a few readable lines of text that he could decipher.

Meanwhile, under the only page was a small sack with ten silver and 35 copper coins inside, which made the book look thicker than it should.

Ignoring the money, Maxwell started reading the contents silently.

If you are reading this, it means we succeeded. You are now in one of the worlds closer to the Chaos universe. If you want to summon the thing people in your old world called system, you need to think about it or say the chaotic codex, and it will appear before you. It will only be visible to you. Nobody else can see it. Unfortunately, I don know where you are, so there is no way for me to give you any important information. Oh, right, I also made you younger, if you didn notice. Thats your body when you were 19 years old, so your face still looks mediocre, but there is no need to worry. The better control you have over chaotic energy and the larger amount you can hold in your body will make you look better. Oh yeah, chaotic energy is called mana In most places. good luck.

…