"How did you know my na…" His thoughts were in chaos and his breathing heavy.
"I know everything about you," the faceless woman chuckled. "Call … hmm… what should I call myself…"
The woman put a hand under her chin, her mind racing to form the right words.
Apollo looked at her behavior strangely. This lasted a few minutes, giving him ti to reflect on everything.
I died because of old age… in the end, even with all that money, I couldn't extend my life, Apollo thought bitterly.
"Call Aster," the faceless woman finally decided on her na. Her hands strumd the strings on the guitar. Compared to the serenity she had just produced before, this ti it was grating to the ears.
Apollo couldn't help but frown.
"Aster… what is happening?" He asked, eager to know everything. His mind, the mont he woke up in this place, was so lightheaded he didn't know what he was doing, but now, his thought process beca normal. The faceless woman in front of him was the only one who could explain everything to him.
"You probably already guessed. You died," Aster said.
"Yeah, then what is this place?" Apollo gestured around.
"Neither Hell nor Heaven," Aster answered, her light voice turning monotone.
"Neither Hell nor Heaven…" Apollo repeated, his breathing turning heavy. He couldn't fully understand what it ant, but he knew it must be sothing that even the world that he lived in didn't know of.
"Before I tell you everything, let's first recap your whole life," Aster strumd the chords, making Apollo frown from the discomfort.
Suddenly, his eyes blurred as sothing materialized from thin air. He was very familiar with what was around him right now. It was a holographic screen. He couldn't count how many of them. He could also see images and videos playing on the screen.
It's him…
"Apollo Leone. One might say you are a child prodigy. Smart, handso, a jack of all trades," Aster remarked as a screen went in front of them.
Apollo saw himself from when he was just a child. He was standing on stage with awards being given to him. The scene changed, and he beca much older. It was still the sa, awards upon awards.
Then he beca an adult where he landed his first job. It was a high-paying one where he didn't have to worry about bills and what he had to eat. But he was not yet satisfied. He wanted more money where he could do whatever he wanted.
So he created his first business.
The screens surrounding them displayed all this.
He instantly beca successful with money coming in. Was it enough? No, still not satisfied, he created another one, until he beca the youngest and the wealthiest person in the world.
Apollo Leone felt bliss seeing his success coming into fruition.
"You lived a good life. Almost perfect… Almost."
The holographic screens changed scene, and Apollo saw himself in the bathroom, throwing up blood.
Then he was admitted to a hospital. With the advancent of technology, he was cured.
Or so he thought.
After a few years, his illness ca back, but fortunately, with the previous success of curing him, he didn't suffer much.
Won, money, and all the hedonistic pleasure that the world offers, he had it all.
Aster also watched all these, though Apollo couldn't see any emotion because she didn't have a face.
"It's an illness that keeps coming back. You lived between a life of pleasure and a curse," Aster turned towards Apollo.
The translucent screens surrounding them now showed Apollo in his sufferings. The ti it took to show how happy he was beca less until he was on his deathbed, where doctors and nurses entered his hospital room to check his conditions.
He saw his children and grandchildren crying. Apollo couldn't help but tear up seeing this scene.
"But you are only focused on yourself. You only see yourself in your own world," Aster shook her head.
The scene changed, and Apollo's eyes widened before they beca bitter.
He was the wealthiest for a reason. He dwelled on the good and the bad, though the bad was in the light.
People suffered from his success. He didn't care about the poor; he just wanted them to work hard to generate more wealth.
The way he did things was frowned upon by others.
Those who suffered from him cheered when they heard of the death of Apollo Leone.
Closing his eyes, Apollo took a deep breath. "I know everything. They're suffering. But it doesn't have to do with . That's what I believe."
"You are not here to be judged on right or wrong," Aster said.
"Then what?" Apollo asked again. The translucent screens surrounding them shattered, and the dark world ca back.
"You are dead and at the sa ti not," Aster said in another cryptic phrase. "Do you want to live?"
"I don't understand everything, but yes!" Apollo answered with enthusiasm.
"You will live again," Aster turned around and walked towards the tree behind her. The tree opened in the middle to reveal a black hole.
Apollo saw her entering while her words echoed in his head. I will live again?!
Excitent erupted from him, so he followed behind her.
His vision swirled, and he saw himself standing in… a universe. "This…"
Apollo couldn't believe what he was seeing. He woke up in a dark world, and now he was standing in the vast universe. He reached out his hand, and it passed through a galaxy, their colorful particles following his hand before they went back to their original form.
Aster waved her hand, and the universe shifted. The place beca a blur; they entered a universe and galaxies until they stopped in front of a planet that resembled Earth.
"This world? It's not Earth?" Apollo realized. He shifted to the faceless woman.
"Yes," Aster nodded. "You will be reborn here."
"Reborn… on another planet," Apollo muttered. He knew what it ant; it's reincarnation. Because Earth's technology is already advanced, much research went into this, though nothing superficial ca out of it.
To think it's real.
"What is this planet called?"
"It has many nas. Depends on what galaxies you ca from, but the people living inside call it Luan."
"Luan… I see," Apollo smiled. "If I can get to live again, even though it's on a different planet, I will cherish it. Besides, with my ability to make money, it won't be long until I beco the top of this world."
His words echoed in the surrounding space.
Aster, who had her back against the ambitious man, turned towards him. "Don't be happy yet. This world is different from Earth. Far different."
"What do you an?" Apollo tilted his head.
"You should find out by yourself," Aster coldly said. "Besides, you will not be reborn without a catch."
Hearing this damped down Apollo's anticipation. He could only smile bitterly as he also thought of this.
"You wanted to be on top? Then you will have to live your whole life as a beggar."
"B-beggar?!" Apollo couldn't believe his ears. "No! Absolutely no!"
"Hehe, I won't take no for an answer. It's taking too much ti. Goodbye," Aster waved her hand.
Before Apollo could protest another word, his vision blurred, and he saw himself falling towards the planet in front of him.
"Ahhh!" He shouted as the fast speed made him dizzy.
His body vaporized and beca a speck of light. It circled around the planet, seemingly looking for sothing.
Aster, who was watching all this, started strumming her guitar. Its grotesque sound spread far and wide, waking up the old folks with a frown painted on their faces.
The light finally stopped and dropped in a specific part of the planet. Seeing this, the faceless woman turned around and went back to the dark world.
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