Chapter 181 Beyond Death

Chapter 181 Beyond Death
I opened my eyes. Confused. Shouldn't have eyes. I was dead.
White everywhere. Not bright. Not painful. Just peaceful white.
"Where am I?" My voice sounded different. Clear. Young.
"The between place. Where souls wait." A familiar voice. Impossible voice.
I turned. My mother. Margaret. Young. Healthy. Glowing.
"Mom? Is this real?" I couldn't believe it.
"As real as death allows. Welcome, daughter." Margaret hugged me. Warm. Solid. Real.
"I died. We sealed the Ancient One. Luna Triad sacrificed everything." I remembered. The pain. The ending.
"You did. Perfectly. You saved the world. Became legends." Margaret smiled. Proud.
"Where are Sarah and Maya? Where's Luna?" I looked around. Just white.
"Coming. Everyone arrives at different speeds." Margaret pointed.
They appeared. Sarah. Maya. Luna. All young again. Restored. Beautiful.
"Lita? What is this place?" Sarah touched her face. No wrinkles. Smooth skin.
"We're dead. This is the afterlife." I explained. Understanding slowly.
Through the bond I still felt them. Still connected. Still Luna Triad even in death.
Maya ran to me. Hugged tight. "We did it. We actually saved everyone."
"We did. And we died doing it." I held her. My sister.
Luna looked lost. Sad. "My babies. I'll never see them grow up. Never hold them again."
"You will. When it's their time. Many years from now." Margaret comforted her.
More people appeared. Faces I knew. Faces I'd lost.
Cole. My husband. Young. Strong. Smiling.
I ran to him. "Cole. I missed you so much."
"I watched you. Every day. I'm so proud." Cole held me. Perfect.
My father Thomas appeared. Aria. Even enemies. Brian. Claire. Richard. Everyone.
"Why are enemies here?" Sarah asked. Confused.
"Everyone comes here. Good and bad. All equal in death." Margaret explained.
A powerful presence appeared. Neither man nor woman. Just pure energy.
"I am the Keeper. Guardian of souls. You four earned a reward." The voice was everywhere. Nowhere. Inside and outside.
"What reward?" I asked.
"Choice. Most souls rest here forever. But heroes get to choose. Rest here eternally. Or return to life. Be reborn. Live again." The Keeper explained.
"Return? Go back?" Luna looked hopeful.
"Yes. But as new people. New lives. No memories of before. You'd be babies. Grow up normal. Live differently." The Keeper was clear.
"We'd forget everything? Forget each other?" Maya looked sad.
"Consciously yes. But your souls would remember. You'd find each other eventually. Drawn together. Connected. Bonded." The Keeper promised.
I looked at Cole. At my mother. At everyone I'd lost.
"If I return I leave you. Maybe forever." I struggled.
"Then stay. Be with me. Here. Forever." Cole wanted me to stay.
But I looked at Luna. Through the bond I felt her desire. Her hope. Her youth.
"I want to return. I want to live again. Really live. Normal life. Happy life." Luna admitted.
"Then you should go. You deserve it." I supported her.
"What about you, Mama? What do you want?" Luna asked.
I thought hard. Really hard.
Did I want eternal rest? Or another chance at life?
"I want to return too." I decided. Surprising myself. "I want to live normal. Be nobody special. Just exist peacefully."
Sarah and Maya stared. Shocked.
"Really? After everything?" Sarah couldn't believe it.
"Yes. I never had normal. Always fighting. Always saving. Always sacrificing. I want to try again. Live differently. Be free." I explained.
Through the bond they understood. Accepted.
"Then go. Live. Enjoy. We'll wait here. When you die again we'll reunite." Sarah hugged me. Long. Forever.
"We love you. Always." Maya hugged too.
I looked at Cole. At my mother. At everyone staying.
"I'll see you again. Someday. When I return." I promised.
"I'll wait. Forever if needed." Cole kissed me. Goodbye kiss.
Luna and I held hands. Ready.
"Are you certain? This cannot be undone." The Keeper confirmed.
"We're certain. We choose life." I decided.
The white faded. Darkness came. Not evil. Just transition.
I felt myself changing. Shrinking. Becoming small. Becoming new. Becoming baby.
Rebirth. Second chance. New beginning.
My last thought before forgetting everything.
Thank you. For this gift. For this chance. For this life.
I'll live it better. Happier. Fuller.
This time. For real. For always.
Then nothing. Blank. New.
Lita Dillard was gone. Someone new was beginning.
And the story continued. Somewhere. Somehow. Different but eternal.
Luna Triad ended. But life went on.
Always. Forever. Infinite.