1. Tristan: A Deal with the Devil

  When Tristan woke up, he realized he wasn’t dead.

  But he wasn’t alive either. That much was obvious.

  He floated in a vast, endless cosmos, surrounded by darkness so deep it swallowed everything. He expected to feel cold, to shiver from the void pressing against him, but there was nothing. Not temperature, no weight, no sensation at all.

  He felt nothing.

  Then he looked down. Or at least, he thought he did. The instinct was there, but the response wasn’t.

  And there thing that wasn’t there was his body. His arms, his legs, his torso – all gone. There was nothing but consciousness, drifting through the emptiness.

  He felt like a pair of floating eyes.

  And then, before fear could take hold, something else appeared. A pair of actual eyes.

  They were massive, floating in front of him. Yellow in color and elongated in their shape like those of a cat – slitted, sharp, and unnervingly intelligent. Despite being just a pair of eyes, they seem to encompass an entire expression – a curious one.

  The gaze fixed on him. “So?”

  The voice boomed from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

  Tristan stiffened – if he had a body, it would have tensed. That voice. He had heard it before. Just before he died.

  “I thought I imagined it…” He whispered, uncertain if everything around him was even real, or just a bad dream.

  “It is real.” The yellow eyes gleamed. “And it can stop being real if I decide you are unworthy of my time and send you to your death.”

  Tristan’s non-existent heart clenched. Death loomed over him. He didn’t know what lay beyond, and he didn’t want to find out. The thought of what came after scared him.

  “Wait, wait, wait!” Tristan called out hastily. “I’m just…adjusting. What is this place?”

  “It’s my domain.” The eyes replied smoothly, looking smug. “Your soul was headed for limbo, but I heard your dying cries and decided to intercept it.”

  Tristan hesitated. “Who…no – what are you?”

  “That does not matter, Tristan Clark. What matters is what I can offer you.”

  A shiver – not physical as he lacked skin – ran through him. This being – whatever it was – knew his name. That only deepened the surreal weight pressing down on him.

  “You can offer me a second chance?” Tristan asked, his voice cautious, connecting the pieces and already bracing for the inevitable catch.

  “Indeed.” The eyes narrowed, as if they were smiling. “What say you?”

  Tristan had been through enough in life to know nothing was ever given freely. “What would that entail exactly?”

  The voice chuckled, pleased. “Straight to the details. How fun.” It paused before continuing. “I’ve seen your suffering – your life. You’ve died young, full of promise and wasted potential. I can change that.

  “You’ll be born into a loving and caring family.”

  Suddenly, the space around Tristan shifted. Darkness turned into light, revealing a sequence of visions. A newborn cradled in the arms of two loving parents. A father teaching his son how to throw a ball, how to ride a bike. A mother wiping away tears on his first day of school, helping him with homework in the afternoons. He realized it was him. In a home warm with love, laughter, and safety – everything Tristan had wished for, but had lost so long ago.

  “Your childhood sweetheart – the love of your life – will become your wife. Your love will be straight out of a fairy tale.”

  The scene changed to a high school prom, where Tristan danced with the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Then, a wedding. His new parents beamed with pride, overjoyed. And then…children of his own.

  “A perfect life.” The yellow eyes summarized.

  It was everything. Every single thing he had longed for. But…something was missing – someone was missing.

  “Where is my brother?” Tristan asked, his mind racing.

  “Ahhh.” The being sighed teasingly. “You see, that is where the price I mentioned before comes into play. For this perfect life to exist, the cost will be your brother’s permanent death. His soul will be denied reincarnation for all eternity.”

  “No deal.” Tristan’s response was immediate, fierce even. “And if that’s the price you were thinking about, you can send me to my death right now. So long, prick.”

  The eyes…laughed. A deep amused sound that echoed around Tristan. “Relax, Tristan. I already knew you would refuse.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Tritan scowled. “Then why bother?”

  “Because I have another suggestion. One I’m rather curious about.”

  “Which is?”

  “What if it were the other way around? What if I gifted this perfect life to your brother instead, in exchange for – “

  “Yes. In a heartbeat.” Tristan cut in without hesitation – without ever letting the eyes finish. He would give everything for his brother. Over and over again.

  The being laughed again, harder this time. “Beautiful. Humans always romanticize the love between partners, but I find brotherly love – sometimes bound by blood, sometimes not – is just as profound.”

  Tristan ignored the musing. “Well? Are we doing this or not? I told you, I agree.”

  “Not so fast, Tristan Clark.” The yellow eyes glowed brighter. “I have a third proposition. One that might interest you more.”

  Tristan narrowed his gaze, untrusting. “If it has something to do with sacrificing my brother – “

  “No. It does not.” The being cut him off. “My last proposition is this: Your brother will live. He will survive the car crash, he’ll be treated in the hospital and released without punishment. He will go on to live a better life, become a famous musician, and always remember you fondly, even naming his firstborn after you.”

  Tristan held his breath. It wasn’t as good as the perfect life deal. But it was still better than Kal dying.

  “And you?” The voice dropped, almost teasing. “You will be reborn into a new world. A different world.”

  The being’s words shook Tristan. It made no sense to him. It was talking about prices, but this…seemed like a win-win situation.

  “I don’t understand…”

  Then, the being spoke, and it all made sense. “You will not be reborn into a perfect life.” It clarified, its voice slow. “You will live a life of hardships. Of challenges. Of battle. Of struggle. Of blood, sweat, and tears. In short, not too dissimilar to your current one, but at the same time a thousand times worse. But you will have a weapon.” The voice chuckled before it continued. “You will retain your past soul. A head start. If you are clever enough, if you use your skills well, you may carve out a fate unlike any other. You may become a pivotal figure in this new world. Someone everyone knows. Someone everyone respects.”

  It let the offer settle in.

  Tristan analyzed the situation.

  He had always been strong in analytical thinking, but his impatience was his downfall. It often got the better of him, thwarting any attempt of strategic thinking. But now, he took a deep breath and tried to relax – to think things through.

  His brother would live, pursue his dreams. And he? He would survive as well, but in an unknown world, armed with an edge that could become his greatest advantage.

  Living a harsh life wasn’t unfamiliar to him. He already knew how it felt. He could survive this. He will survive this.

  In the end, the choices were simple: 100-0, 0-100, or a 50-50 split. And Tristan felt that the 50-50 choice was the fairest for both of them.

  But there was one thing he couldn’t understand.

  “What do you get out of all of this?” He asked, narrowing his gaze.

  The glowing eyes seemed to smile. “That’s none of your concern at the moment. Just tell me if you agree. If not, we’ll part ways here. Yours and your brother’s souls will rot in limbo for a long time before they’re reincarnated again. Decide quickly. I don’t have all day.”

  Tristan’s mind reeled. But deep down, he had already decided.

  “Okay.” He said at last. “I agree.”

  The yellow eyes gleamed. “So, you agree to be reborn into the harsh life I just described in exchange for your brother being alive as well?”

  Tristan took a deep breath, thinking of his twin.

  ‘Thank you, Kal, for everything.’ He thought, saying his final goodbyes. ‘I’ll never forget you. Please live a better life than I ever could. For the both of us.’

  With his mind steady and his resolve clear, Tristan spoke. “Yes. I agree.”

  The eyes smiled again.

  “Very well, Tristan Clark. Then I shall grant you a second chance.”

  Then, a sudden burning sensation spread through Tristan’s body, and unfamiliar, searing force he couldn’t describe.

  “What is this?” He asked, his voice strained. “What’s happening to me?”

  “It’s nothing.” The being replied. “Your soul is simply being marked by my seal.”

  “WHAT?!”

  “Don’t worry.” The eyes assured him. “In the world you’ll be reborn into, it’s standard practice for a human receiving patronage from a god.”

  “You’re a god?”

  “I’ve said too much already.” The eyes smiled. “Oh, would you look at the time? If I don’t send you away now, you’ll be late for your own birth. So long, Tristan Clark. We will meet again one day.”

  “But I don’t even know your name!” Tristan called out, feeling himself being pulled away – like a vacuum cleaner sucking him somewhere.

  The eyes smiled one last time.

  “You may call me Gartan.”

  Then, Tristan was gone.

  ***

  Gartan, satisfied with his catch, grinned from ear to ear.

  “That wasn’t very nice, Gart.” A pair of blue eyes emerged in the void, their voice carrying a note of boredom. “You lied to the poor sap.”

  “No, I didn’t.” Gartan dismissed the idea. “I never lie, Roxelle. I just…fool people. Lead them into traps they blindly refuse to acknowledge.”

  “It’s still not nice.” The blue eyes seemed to frown, their glow dimming slightly.

  “Well, not everyone was born a saint like you, sister.” Gartan said, rolling his yellow eyes. “Besides, it was his choice in the end. I simply provided the options. It’s not my fault he was pressured so easily and didn’t ask the right questions when it mattered the most.”

  Roxelle exhaled, her sigh reverberating through the darkness around them. “You’re always like this. Playing these little games. Twisting words. Acting as if everything is just one long, elaborate gamble.”

  “And why shouldn’t I?” Gartan asked, amused. “Our world runs on gambles, Roxelle. And Tristan Clark is going to be my Royal Flush.”

  A moment of silence stretched between the two siblings. The void itself seemed to wait for their next words.

  “…He has no idea what he’s truly agreed to.” Roxelle finally said, her voice quitter now. “That his brother is – “

  “No, he doesn’t.” Gartan’s grin widened. “And that’s what makes it fun.”

  “Fun?” Roxelle scoffed. “You think throwing an unsuspecting soul into that world is fun? That world will chew him up and spit him out before he even learns its name. And you also tricked him with his brother.”

  Gartan chuckled, his gaze turning sinister. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure. I already told you – Tristan Clark will be my golden ticket. He has an edge most don’t. He’s been broken before. He knows what suffering is. He won’t shatter the way others did. He will do anything possible to make sure that this life turns for the better.” Gartan’s chuckle now turned into a full-blown laugh. “And when he crosses paths with his brother again…now that would be…unforgettable!”

  Roxelle sighed, tired of her brother’s scheming and ramblings.

  “What now?” She asked, hoping he would reveal more.

  “Now, I wait.” Gartan replied simply, not sharing too many details. “Tristan Clark is an investment. It will take him years to reach his true potential, but I will be here – watching him all the way as he rises higher and higher. Until he reaches the heights mere mortals could only dream of. My beneficiary will make a name for himself, and consequently for me.”

  “And then?” Roxelle pressed on, still sounding uninterested.

  “Then? Who knows?” Gartan replied. “It all depends on Tristan Clark.”

  “And his brother, right?” Roxelle asked, as if making sure.

  The yellow eyes grinned. “And his brother, of course.”