But my story doesn't end with my death. It is instead where my story truly begins.

Because of my heroic deeds in my life, one would think that I would go to the heavens. However, the spell he cast not only killed me, but it corrupted my soul. And when that happened, I was dragged to a place called Oblivion. This is the place where either you become a demon or your soul dissipates. This is worse than the nine hells. In the nine hells, there is order. There is hierarchy. There are ways to earn less suffering. In Oblivion, there is none of that. Everything is chaotic all the time, everything suffers greatly, and no matter what you do, you only go deeper into it until there's nothing left. But the worst thing of all is that, Oblivion has a way of wiping all memories.

I tried to escape without turning into a demon. I tried to find my pregnant demon and leave with her, but I couldn't find anything. I was brutally attacked . . . I fought. I fought and fought and fought, but . . . my soul was barely held together at all. And I had to make the choice. Do I allow myself to disappear? To have no chance of reincarnation? No chance of knowing love or joy again? Or do I turn into a demon? Preserve what little of me is left? Hope for a better life in the next cycle?

I decided to turn.

My form was truly monstrous. Fitting of one with such corruption. Long horns. Fangs. Deep purple skin. A hulking mass. Glowing, red eyes. I would never be the same again. Could never be the same. I had forgotten everything except that I knew I wanted out.

Thanks to turning, I did have time and strength. And eventually, I managed to break out of Oblivion and enter the Mortal Realm. I had come in just outside a village, and I blinked, trying to get my bearings. Where was I? Why did I want to come here again?

"Demon!" someone cried. The people armed themselves and attacked me, chasing me out of town. I ran. I ran only to run into more people and have to run again. Running, running, running . . . I finally found a dense forest where I could rest. As I settled down there, some of my chaotic energy warped one of the trees. And that's when a flash from my death came back to me. My first memory regained.

I didn't stay in one place too long. If I stayed, the environment would start to become corrupted in a way that wouldn't reverse with time. So I wandered. And as I did, my memories started to return. I realized the world I knew, it was . . . different. Demons wouldn't be automatically considered evil. People wouldn't automatically attack them. People wouldn't automatically try to kill them. We would only go after the ones that actually did evil things.

And then . . . I remembered my wife. My kids. I decided I would try to go back home. If I could just show my wife my memories, she'd help me. We could find a way to turn me back. That was what I thought I needed.

I took the long way home so I wouldn't be spotted on the roads. I thought the whole time about how joyous a reunion it would be. I knew I'd be attacked if I went in the village and anyone saw me, so I decided to sneak in at night. I managed to get home undetected . . . only to find an old, dilapidated building no one had lived in for many years. I managed to keep my tears in. But now I had no clue how to find my family. I decided to try a locator spell.

It led me to the cemetery, to her grave. She'd died of old age while I was away. I wept softly. And then, I saw it. A statue of Braedyn. And at the base was writing. Casualties of the War with the Demons. My name was the first listed. My blood boiled and I let out an enraged cry. We weren't at war with them when I was alive. That's what my death was all about. This is what he wanted. War with demons. And propping me up as a victim of them was how he got what he wanted.

And how I was run out of town again.

I had nowhere to go. So I wandered and wandered. I found myself in an enchanted forest. I could stay in it for a while without having to worry I would corrupt it. The magic within cancelled my own. So, I set up a home there.

And soon, I had adventurers finding their way through the forest, to me, trying to kill me. But it wasn't new and I would simply knock them out without hurting them too badly. Then I'd move their unconscious bodies to the edges of the forest where I could cast some magic. When they'd wake, they'd find a path. The path home. Courtesy of me.

But things change.

One day, as I was gardening, a young man drew his sword at me.

"Hear me, demon!" he declared. "I will strike you down! So when the last thing you see is the blinding light from my blade, you will know I have avenged my mother! This is for you, Mom. I love you." Tears streamed down his face. He trembled with righteous fury. And I knew who he was.

"Wait," I said. Too late. He attacked me. My own son attacked me. I let him. His form was terrible. I was obviously the first real demon he'd ever fought. Still, I let him practice before I finally got in close and mind linked with him, showing him my memories.

"Mom?" He dropped everything, fell to his knees, and wept. "I . . . I almost killed . . . my mom . . . ? But, no. This can't be. Uncle Braedyn said . . . but . . . you . . . how . . . ?"

"It's okay, Jasper. Take your time to process."

"No, it's not! It's not okay! I thought you were dead! We all thought you were dead! And now . . . now you're here . . . like this! My mom, the kindest person I ever knew, is a demon! That's sick!"

"I'm still her . . . you know. I'm right here."

"I'm gonna kill him!"

"No, you're not. What would it accomplish? The war with the demons is still on. If anything, that would make him a martyr and bolster the cause."

"Yeah, but it would make me feel better! And wouldn't you feel better, too, knowing the despicable person who betrayed you is dead?!"

"It wouldn't make you feel better," I said with a sympathetic smile. "Nor would it make me feel better. Because the path to healing doesn't start with murder. He may face the consequences of his actions, or he may not. Perhaps he already has. In any case, it is not on us to impose that. Regardless, I doubt he can ever find himself as happy as I do right now, in this moment! I love you, Jasper."

"I love you, too."

"Besides, he is a stronger fighter than both of us combined."

"I'll expose him, then!"

"Who would believe you? Or me? Besides family."

"So we do nothing?!"

"I never said that." I smiled again. "I think there is one course of action to take. We have to show people that demons aren't some evil monolith. That demons can be good, just as people can. And the only way we can do that is if we enter towns together and stand in solidarity." I then frowned. "But, that will come with its own share of problems. You will face much scrutiny. People might do horrible things to you. On second thought, I'd rather not -"

"That's my choice to make, Mom! And I will! I'll stand with you!"

". . . Okay. If that is what you want." I winked. "I suppose we'll start with our home town . . . later! After you tell me all about what I missed while I was gone! You've grown into an old man, I see!" I laughed.