Chapter 147 - Strange Space

It was a spiral of colors. Katherine could see it clearly before her eyes. She also remembered that she had seen it before. Only then, she didn't know what it signified. It was a very beautiful and confusing sight, all those different colors mixing and constantly changing their property.

"I wonder what they are good for", she thought to herself and lifted a finger to touch them. At least, that was what she intended to to. However, her body felt so heavy and sluggish that she gave up on it soon. It was so comfortable just lying about. Why did she even want to change it?

"Whatever, they might not feel like anything great", she consoled herself as her eyes followed a draft of blue that glided through the air like a fabric in the wind. "I still wish they would come here."

Though she had watched the colors for what felt like hours, they seemed to be near and far at the same time, like the stars on the firmament. She doubted she could really touch them. They seemed to be held back by a gigantic white sphere around her. It was like a clear space, not shiny or slight yellow like the light of a fire, neither did it hurt the eyes. It was just... there. Simple. Warm. Breathing with her as if they were one.

She was floating in this white sphere and it seemed to be the most natural thing in the world. She could appreciate this view, if only the sadness didn't hold her in its claws.

She knew that she was dead. This had to be the netherworld.

When she thought back to the moment the wolves attacked her, the pain was unbearable. Since she had seen some wounds, she knew which were deadly. Hers certainly had been.

However, she didn't expect the pain that came with the injuries. In her whole life she had never felt such an amount of physical pain. She thought it would be over once her arteries were cut, but she had felt every bite they took from her flesh, how they gnawed upon her bones.

This was an indescribable painful and disgusting experience. She wouldn't wish this for even her worst foes. Well, maybe for Ethan. She wished she could be so cold to stand by and see him be eaten, but she doubted it. Not after experiencing it herself. After all, she wasn't as emotionless like him, and still remembered their good childhood, even though it didn't reduce her hatred.

Despite the tremendous pain, she had fought for her life against the wolves and called for help the best she could. Even if Ethan's men came, she would be glad to accept their help. But the wolves had been faster. It was nearly laughable that it were wolves who killed her when there were so many more dangerous enemies she had to fight. Well, one never knows if those wolves weren't sent by one of these enemies, but she doubted it. It would be too much trouble to raise and train them.

Shifting her thoughts from the bad past, she wondered what would happen to her now that she was dead. Would she forever stay in this strange colorful netherworld? The belief of the Dragseans was that they would be judged by their god after death and the phoenix would then decide if they were worthy of his fire of rebirth.

Since he was a wild god, whom he chose was not a result of the morality of a person, but rather personal interest. The Dragseans believed that those who led interesting lives were preferred to get a chance at rebirth, regardless of what in their lives caught the phoenix's eye. The other souls were burned, their ashes scattered on the fields of death to nourish the new souls that grew there.

The Icelanders meanwhile had a completely different believe regarding the life after death. In a beautiful palace of ice, their goddess Skadi and her holy maiden would wait for the souls of the dead. They would talk to every one of them and judge them separately. Then the holy maidens would guide the souls into a long sleep. In every ice crystal on the palace's ceiling, a sleeping soul resided and waited for the moment it could wander the earth again. If one was a good person, the rebirth would be soon. Evil souls, however, rested for all eternity. Or at least that was, what the Icelanders believed.

Katherine saw neither the holy fire nor the icy palace anywhere in her surroundings. Though she was surprised, she couldn't say that she was unhappy. Actually, she didn't want to meet any of these gods. Her wish was neither for reincarnation, nor eternal sleep. To her, the phoenix seemed like a whimsy fellow, and the cold of the ice palace certainly wasn't a place where she wanted to stay for long, however friendly the goddess may seem.

Despite the pain and troubles, she had suffered, all she wanted was to go back to her body. She finally married Nathaniel, how could she let go of him now? If there was any way back with her own body and mind, she would take it. Alas, she doubted that it was possible. At least for now, she saw no way out of here.

After some more hours, there was a change. Something touched her hand. She couldn't see it, nor did it feel really material. It was more akin to a strong wind pushing against her hand from both sides. Though she couldn't grasp it, it was definitely there. Somehow, she longed to feel more of it, like it was something she missed but couldn't name.

Alas, whatever it was vanished too soon. Though it was hard to move, she spread and fisted her hand in an attempt to catch it, however, it was like moving through the soil. All her movements were slowed, and the resistance was tremendous. Not only she didn't catch the fleeting feeling, instead she felt like she couldn't even shake hands normally like this.

Discontented, she wondered if this feeling would come back again. Just for the case that it did, maybe she should train moving faster to catch it next time. Yes, she wanted this feeling to stay with her. As for why she wanted this, well, maybe because it was similar to that cold former Earl that always managed to slip out of her grasp. Since she grew up able to get almost anything she wanted, challenges like these only made her more determined.

Yes, moving in this space was hard and exhausting. That's why she had preferred to stay where she was before. It was comfortable. However, now she wondered why she let laziness take her over when there was so much outside to explore. Didn't she want to go back? How would it happen if she didn't even try? Surely, the opportunity wouldn't find her by itself.

"Now", she said to herself, "Let the training begin!"