A burly man with blacksmith's arms was getting agitated.
"This is madness! We need answers! Someone has to know what's happening here!"
Several others nodded in agreement, their voices rising as they demanded explanations from the empty air.
Li Gao Xiong almost rolled his eyes. 'Brilliant strategy. Make as much noise as possible in an unknown realm. What could possibly go wrong?'
Instead of joining the growing commotion, he quietly stepped back, positioning himself near one of the massive pillars. From here, he could observe without being the center of attention.
"The Judgment Hall," whispered an old woman who had appeared nearby.
"I've heard tales... when mortals die, their souls are brought before the heavens to account for their deeds."
"But I wasn't dying!" protested the merchant, clutching a gold coin like it was his last lifeline.
"I was perfectly healthy! I was just counting my coins when everything went white!"
"I had just gotten married and stepped into the bridal chamber," said the scarred warrior, clutching the veil in one hand. As if on instinct, he pressed it to his chest like a tragic hero, his eyes clouded with the horror of memory.
The crowd leaned in, sensing juicy drama.
"The candles were flickering... the air was sweet with perfume... everything was perfect."
He paused for effect.
"Then I lifted her veil—"
He visibly shuddered.
"And what I saw… was a face not even a mother could love!"
Gasps and chuckles rippled through the crowd.
"My heart clenched. I couldn't breathe! It was as if the heavens themselves struck me down!"
He pointed to the skies in mock betrayal.
"Next thing I knew, I woke up here, in this damned place!"
Someone muttered, "Death by disappointment…"
Another added. "That's why you always check before signing the marriage contract."
"This doesn't make sense," Li Gao Xiong muttered.
"If this is the afterlife, why do I still have the Death Ripper Dagger?"
As he looked around, he realized nearly everyone had arrived with something from their former lives.
The farmer still held tightly to his old hoe. The merchant gripped a gold coin like it was the most important thing in the world. The scarred warrior had a piece of cloth over his shoulder, soft and thin like the veil a bride wears on her wedding day. A woman held a doll, and each time she hugged it, it made a soft crying sound.
More people kept appearing, their numbers quickly growing from hundreds to thousands. All around, voices rose as people started talking, trying to understand where they were and what had happened.
"I was just a farmer," one man said softly. "I lived a simple life. I never harmed anyone. Why am I here?"
A woman wearing thick glasses spoke up gently.
"Maybe this isn't about punishment at all. Maybe... we were chosen?"
"Chosen for what?" demanded the scarred warrior.
Li Gao Xiong kept his eyes on the towering pillars. They weren't just large, they were otherworldly. Rising straight from the ground, they stretched high into the clouds, each one as wide as a house. Wrapped around them were thick, twisting shapes that looked like sharp branches or bony spikes. Every time he looked away, he thought they shifted just slightly, like they were moving when no one was watching.
Nearby, a curious young man reached out toward one of the pillars, his fingers just inches away from the surface.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a calm voice behind him.
The man froze. A scholar stepped forward, adjusting the brush tucked behind his ear. His ink-stained fingers rested lightly on the young man's shoulder.
"Things that move when you're not looking don't tend to be friendly," the scholar added quietly.
The man swallowed hard. He stared at the pillar, then slowly pulled his hand back.
"Right... yeah. Just... looked interesting," he muttered, his curiosity fading quickly into fear.
"Whatever this place is," someone said. "I don't think we're in the mortal realm anymore."
A child's voice suddenly cut through the murmur of conversations.
"Look there!"
Everyone tilted their heads in the direction of the voice. Far in the distance, just barely visible through the forest of towering pillars, something was moving toward them.
Moments later, new figures appeared. Riders on horseback. Their presence was powerful and almost unreal.
The horses' hooves made no sound as they moved across the rough ground, and each rider gave off a strange aura that made the entire crowd go silent.
One of them, a man in a brown leather jacket and a metal breastplate, remained on his horse and strode slightly forward. His voice was calm and official.
"Commander, the final batch of this cycle has arrived from the mortal stream."
A second rider, far more imposing, stood at the center. Clad in silver armor, his face hidden beneath a helmet, only his cold, unreadable eyes showed through the narrow visor.
He looked down at the gathered souls in silence for a moment, letting the weight of the truth settle.
Then he spoke.
"Most of you already have a guess about what has happened. Some of you may still feel confused. But the truth is this. You are dead.
Your souls have arrived at the Borderline. This place is the space between the life you once lived and whatever comes next.
I am Commander Kael, guardian of the Borderline Gate. It is our duty to guide the Departed to the paths they are meant to take. Now, follow us."
Murmurs broke out among the crowd. Some stood frozen, pale and disbelieving. Others shook their heads, muttering questions.
"This can't be real..."
"There must be a mistake."
"Is there no way to go back? I don't want to stay here even for a second. Please, just send me back!"
The man in the brown leather jacket, still mounted, turned his horse slightly toward the crowd and addressed them with a grim tone.
"There is no way back. You are all dead, every one of you. Whether you were cut down, fell, poisoned, or died in your sleep, your soul crossed the threshold. This is not a dream, nor an illusion."
He paused, then added darkly:
"If you linger here, the Spinegnasher will come."
That name sent a shiver through the gathered peoples. The merchant clutched his coin tighter. The young mother pulled her doll closer. Even Li Gao Xiong narrowed his eyes.
"You don't want to know what happens if that thing finds you. Trust me, being shattered into a million pieces would be a mercy compared to being caught by it."
He looked over the gathering with grim finality.
"So unless you wish to be devoured by the horrors that roam the Borderline, I suggest you follow us. Whether your path leads to judgment, a new life, or nothing at all, it is still better than being left behind in this place."