Reincarnations, the infinite.

**Chapter VIII - Liberation**

Fascinating how things unfold. There are no coincidences, only the workings of a higher force. Some call it destiny; I prefer to think of it as a divine plan crafted for our existence. Yet, even this plan can be altered. We possess free will and can make choices that suit us. After all, what are the chances of you being here, a medium capable of seeing me? At that moment, I could only think about the day I left my material body: When I passed away, it was supposed to be a normal day like any other. As incredible as it may sound, I don't recall anything about that day, let alone how I died. Perhaps it was a form of trauma since I was in the prime of my life, living the happiest moments, with an expected lifespan of around eighty years or so, as they explained to me later up there.

I only remember waking up in a fetid, dark, and damp place. I cried like a child for days, weeks, months... I lost track of time and space. I felt like a child who had just had a gift forcefully taken from their hands. And it wasn't entirely untrue, as when I was incarnated, I was a true "lover of life." I cherished everything and enjoyed it to the fullest. I laughed in the face of difficulties, and despite not having things so easy, I always found a way. I was an expert in living happily and stylishly.

I constantly thought about the mistakes I made in life. The voices of my conscience told me what to do and how to behave in certain situations, but I refused. When I denied too much, the message was delivered in another way. Either through an illness or a friend saying something like, "Stop making excuses and go do it!!!" Burdens acquired by the body and transferred to the spirit. Everything made sense there, after a while of philosophizing with myself.

After crying a lot, I remembered how I coped with life. I often stumbled from my "blunders," but always rose with praise. I did the same, got up, wiped away the tears, and walked, even feeling pain all over my body. I walked for days and encountered strange and hideous creatures there. Thanks to my Spiritist doctrine in life, I understood that I was in the Umbral! Also called purgatory by some other religions. I realized that I was there for a reason and cried out to the heavens for help. I put my pride aside and decided to ask for assistance. And believe it or not, help came! It wasn't quite the way people say in novels and such. No group of men dressed in white appeared with Samaritan looks, extending their hands to take me to "a better place." What happened was that I saw a great fortress, like the magnificent palaces that permeated my lucid dreams in life, in a place that didn't match the landscape, a true oasis in the desert.

A bunch of beings, some crawling and others, like me, who could move normally but with some difficulty, tried to reach the gates of that fortress. Those who managed to confront it scratched the gates and cursed in various different ways. I found that scene strange, resembling one of those post-apocalyptic zombie movies, but I approached. Some of those beings tried to attack me on the way, but my persistence and will were greater at that moment, and even feeling sorry for those beings, I repelled the attackers with punches and kicks, because only this way did I manage to open a path to the gate.

"Physically," I gained access to the grand white gate of that golden citadel. I pushed away those beings scratching the gates, and when I stood before that wonder, trumpets sounded, and the main portal slowly opened. The creatures I had pushed away a little tried to approach again, but an immense white light made them want to stay as far away from the gates as possible. I covered my eyes and heard a voice:

– Welcome to the Portal of Consciousness. Fortress and relief station of the UMBRAL, more precisely in the valley of suicides. For until here, and especially here, are those who need us the most.

I felt the same as when you wake up and rub your eyes with dilated eyelids, in front of an immense instantaneous light directed at you. Gradually, my eyes got used to it, and my heart filled with hope. I was taken to a large hall that resembled the halls of ancient empires that permeated my best dreams.

– By the way, I've dreamed of this before! This gigantic golden hall is not strange to me. I saw it in my dreams when I was incarnated! The large white pillars that contrast with the gold of the place and go up to the rounded ceiling. The chairs on the sides and in the back, right in the center. Everything as I remember! – I exclaimed enthusiastically.

– Of course. You've been here before! That's why you remember. During sleep, you know very well that your soul leaves the body and comes to visit us. You've finally come home. Come, rest, tomorrow you'll have a long day ahead...

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– Well. From there, a lot happened for me to become what I am today: the demon hunter. But let's take it slow! I know everyone loves a flashback. So let's go back to the present because we're almost there. Please, Eduardo, ask Nakata to park there. – the spirit pointed to a spot very close to the Spiritist Center: Paths of Chico Xavier, where Eddie learned how to control his abilities. Throughout the time from the incident at the city hall to that present moment, the mystical being accompanied Eduardo and Nakata, telling his story as if he were an ordinary passenger in the car. The only peculiarity was that only Eduardo could see and hear the companion

. The two young men stayed silent during the whole journey, with Eddie trying to fight the chills in his stomach, while his Japanese friend didn't know whether to think it was just madness or if they were living in a kind of comic book. Nakata didn't quite understand why he was helping his colleague. Perhaps his curiosity was outweighing common sense.