Iris saw a vast expanse of brilliant white stretching beyond her sight.
What even more surprised her was the presence of a person in the middle of the room, even though the distance made it hard to see clearly.
A surge of excitement coursed through her as she realized she had encountered another human being, breaking the endless cycle of silence and darkness.
She hastened, traversing the room for several minutes until she finally stood before the person. However, her own shock almost caused her to stumble and fall upon witnessing who it was.
'G-Gandalf!'
Iris stood in complete shock as she stared at a tall old man with flowing white hair who was wearing a pristine white robe draped to the floor. He stood merely a few meters away from her, resembling Gandalf, the white wizard from the Lord of the Rings movie.
Her body froze in place, yet her eyes remained fixated upon him.
"Miss Iris Gray, please take a seat," the old man's melodious voice echoed through the room. His eyes exuded such a calming presence that Iris felt mesmerized.
A few moments passed, and once again, the older man's voice resounded in her ears, sending tremors through her heart.
"Miss Iris Gray, please sit down!"
His commanding tone seemed to pull at the core of her being, compelling her legs to move involuntarily.
In the blink of an eye, Iris settled in a pristine white chair, facing the older man who sat opposite her. They were separated only by a white table, upon which sat a solitary hourglass, the only item in sight.
Iris patiently awaited the older man's words. Still, he remained fixated on the empty table before him as if seeing something invisible.
Growing increasingly impatient, Iris summoned her courage and asked, "Gandal... Grandpa... No, sorry, I mean, good sir... What is this place? Why am I here?" She asked, confused.
Still vivid in her memory of her death, Eric shoots her mercilessly. And now, in this inexplicable turn of events, she found herself alive and unharmed, clothed in an unfamiliar attire—a loose, long black robe.
"This is a place for the chosen ones," the old man slowly lifted his face, his gaze straight into Iris' eyes. Confusion swept over her as she met his captivating gaze.
Though the concept of being the "Chosen One" confused her, Iris refrained from interrupting him, patiently awaiting his following words.
"You have two options, Miss Iris Gray. Firstly, you can go straight to hell." His piercing eyes caused a shiver to run down her spine, and her throat felt dry.
He continues, "Second, you may return to your world..."
Joy coursed through her veins as soon as she heard the second choice. Suppressing her surprise, Iris maintained a composed expression even though she was ecstatically screaming inside.
Countless scenarios and plots flooded her mind, painting a vivid picture of the life that awaited her on her second chance.
'I'm returning to my second life, where I'll encounter the handsome and wealthy CEO! With my new hubby's help, I'll kill that evil Eric... Thank you, God, for your blessings...' She feels excited just thinking about it.
Iris' smile widened as she imagined her second life. However, her smile quickly faded as the older man's words reached her ears.
"Miss Gray, do you understand the significance of what I have spoken?"
Confusion clouded her mind as she struggled to recall his exact words. "You mean regarding the two choices?" Iris inquired, seeking clarification.
"No, beyond that—"
"I'm sorry, sir. I missed that," Iris scolded herself inwardly for getting lost in her thoughts while the old man explained something to her. "Sir, could you please repeat it? Again!?"
The older man ignored Iris' words. He averted his gaze, focusing on the empty table before him. His finger glides along the surface as if interacting with the embedded digital screen.
"Sorry, miss, but your time is up," he said, pointing to the hourglass.
Iris was shocked as she observed the hourglass—now, the sand above was empty.
Before she could voice her mind, the man resumed his sentence. "Now, make your decision. Do you choose the first or the second choice?"
Iris swallowed silently, her voiceless response lingering in the air.
"Miss Iris Gray?" the old man called out to Iris, his eyes conveying an unspoken message of impatience. It was as if they silently demanded, 'Young lady, stop wasting my time. Make your choice swiftly and depart from my presence!'
"The second choice!" she said.
Iris firmly chose reincarnation. She's coming back for revenge. Kill that devil, Eric!
"Very well," the old man replied, raising his hand slowly into the air, swaying it gently toward Iris.
"Please, sir, wait—" She screams. But it was too late.
In an instant, Iris's vision blurred, and her body felt feeble once more. The last sensation she recalled was her body floating like a drifting paper caught in the wind.
.
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.
After a while,
The bright light had vanished, leaving Iris surrounded by darkness.
She felt a spinning sensation, and soon, her heavy limbs pressed against her as if she were lying on a bed.
She really couldn't move.
'Oh, God! Why am I trapped in this place again?' Iris screamed in her mind.
She longed to cry and shout, but it seemed futile—her frustrations were confined within her thoughts.
'Wasn't I supposed to be reborn? Why am I stuck in this horrible place? Why did that old man deceive me?'
Iris's annoyance grew, realizing she had previously missed a vital explanation from the older man.
Just as she was starting to resign herself to the darkness of hell, she heard a female voice. At first, the sound sounded far away, then gradually approached.
'Huh! This place is different...' She felt her blood rush.
Iris tried to open her eyes, but they stubbornly remained closed. Her efforts to move her arm also fail, as if her hand weighed a ton.
The weight in her limbs made it difficult for her to move, and she found herself wholly drained of strength and energy.
"H-Hello.." Iris tried to speak even though she knew it was useless. She knew no one would hear her, not even if she screamed.
However,
This time, she was wrong!
The female voice she had heard earlier seemed to respond.
"Oh my god! Iris... Iris, you... you're awake—"
The panicked voice, so clear and near her ear, revived her flickering hope.