Chapter 2: Falling

Eric Xing was falling now.

Endlessly descending into the depths at a speed comparable to if he was in mid air, yet still feeling buoyant and pressured by the surrounding unknown liquid.

'Blood. It's totally blood.'

A soft, yet indefinable voice presented itself to his mind before he could process the odd sensation he was experiencing.

*Are you truly satisfied, half blood?* The neutral voice was almost grating with how calm it was.

'You know, most would take offense to that terminology.' Eric thought lightheartedly.

He was obviously hallucinating in his final moments. Probably due to the ridiculous amount of blood he lost before he kicked it.

The voice ignored his input and repeated the question slowly. *Are you truly satisfied, half blood?*

'You really need to chill with the half blood this, half blood that...'

Eric did reflect on the question this time, however. Was he satisfied?

He lived a successful life until three years ago. He was actually quite famous at one point. He was rich too. Sure, his childhood was difficult. Growing up mixed race in the States was pretty rough, especially as the son of immigrants from two different countries. But it all made him stronger in the long run.

In fact, he could say that life was pretty great until his little brother was killed for no other reason than some sick, arrogant weakling wanting to flex the power he thought he had in order to spite Eric.

Wait, now that he thought about it, his life wasn't actually as good as he tricked himself into thinking.

He was rich yes, but only because he was basically given no other choice than to be a professional athlete. Not to mention the life of an outsider he felt at times. He couldn't save his brother from a guy that he was able to tear apart, bare handed, as soon as he got his hands on. He was praised as the world's best fighter, professionally and in the underground, yet a single stray bullet had turned his near-flawless revenge into a Shakespearean tragedy.

The list grew endlessly...

'No. I'm not satisfied. Not even close.'

Didn't matter either way, he was essentially talking to himself, more than likely the final synapses in his brain firing at unprecedented speeds in order to help him pass in peace...

*Given your answer, would you take a chance at a new beginning, if presented to you?*

'Huh?'

*Given your ans-*

'No no no... I heard you. Just, give me a moment.'

This was nuts... it seemed this voice might not be a figment of his imagination after all. If that was the case, he had to tread carefully. It seemed general thoughts didn't prompt the voice to respond. Deliberate thoughts, however, did.

'It's almost like I'm experiencing one of those fantasy novels... is it because I'm half Chinese?'

Eric shook his head groggily. The why didn't matter at the moment. The question mattered most.

'A second chance... a new beginning.'

Did he have any reason to refuse? He had no family. His friends left him long ago... He was a wanted man with a tarnished legacy.

But what if it doesn't work out? What if he had to suffer even worse this time around?

'Why am I over thinking everything right now?'

It was odd. It seemed whatever state he was in had his gears turning at maximum velocity.

Focus.

'Yes. Yes I would'

*And what is it that you seek?*

'... Freedom, and the strength to protect it.'

*Answer received. Stand by for analysis*

'Yeah no sure, take your time...'

*Analysis complete*

'Or don't.'

*Searching for sufficient fate allowance due to probability... four hundred sixty five results found. Dividing results based on general similarity... ninety one categories formed... Removing all results with survivability less than thirty percent... seventeen results remaining... Selecting fates with the highest concentrations of destiny... Final selections for subject: eight.*

'Eight choices?'

This was actually quite surprising for Eric. He had been lead to believe that fate itself would decide for him and he would be left to make the most of it himself.

'Is there a preview or someth-'

Eight orbs of light instantly appeared before his eyes.

'... Thanks.'

Eric reached out his hands in the direction of the closest orb and it floated quickly towards him, landing in his grasp. The action felt natural and yet odd given the fact that the sensation of falling head-first had yet to stop.

'Now let's see...'

Eric looked at the head-sized sphere in his hands and waited for his eyes to adjust to the sharp glow. It's light illuminating his surroundings, confirming what his senses of touch, smell, taste and sound had concluded.

He was in a sea of seemingly endless blood.

The pure white light was filtered through the thick red liquid and thus presented itself to Eric as a giant, ruby red, shimmering pearl.

Eric's eyes adjusted just enough to be able to realize that the surface was covered in symbols he'd never previously seen... before it was violently ripped from his hand and view.

'Hey what gives!'

The remaining seven orbs had also been whisked away, leaving him in darkness once again. A darkness much more glaring after the previous brilliance.

*ERROR. UNKNOWN INTERFERENCE. ATTEM-*

Silence.

Eric's mind reeled at the sudden loss of sensation.

He couldn't see, a problem exacerbated by his pupils refusing to dilate, though only darkness awaited.

His ears were left ringing due to the sudden volume increase of the disembodied voice, followed by its abrupt departure, with the muffled sound of fluid aiding his sense of pressure.

He felt cold again, he had lost a lot of blood before keeling over, but the orbs had brought a slight feeling of warmth that was unnoticeable previously but was severely felt in its absence.

The taste of iron in his mouth had remained unchanged, it was heavier than what he had tasted before his demise and it kept growing in intensity, even though his mouth had not opened a single time.

The smell baffled Eric the most, the sensory deprivation calling another aspect into question. He was submerged in blood, how could he possibly smell anything without drowning?

'Am I even breathing?'

The dizzying sequence of events lead Eric to an existential crisis that was blessedly interrupted by a distant explosion of light appearing in his view, followed by an unknown force aggressively pushing his falling body towards it at a speed that should not have been possible.

The blinding light lead to a vortex that swirled around at a visibly dangerous pace. The word "visibly" implying that Eric could see it, which his newly contracted pupils could not.

'How many times have I been blinded now? Mother fu-'

The vortex swallowed him whole. Twisting his mangled body and causing it to disintegrate in a fraction of a blink of an eye. Every molecule broken down to its smallest possible size.

The dust that once was Eric Xing swirled within the vortex, leading to parts yet unknown.