The sun was high and brightly shining. As far as the eye could see was a blue sky. A slight breeze was blowing through my hair. It was such a beautiful day if you ignored the army of giant ants chasing me through the forest. My name is Emily and this is my story. 

It all begins in my previous life. I know how cliche that has come to sound to everyone who has even heard of the word Isekai, but to all others it’s being born in another world. I woke up on a day like any other. Took my time getting ready for work. At that point, I was already late and nothing was going my way. My breakfast had been burnt, my hair wasn’t cooperating, and the right heel of my favorite shoes broke the moment I stepped out the front door. It was as if everything was telling me not to leave for work that day. 

Finally, after getting myself together to some degree, I was able to start heading to my job. It was across town and I had already missed my bus. On top of everything it began to rain halfway there. The cold asphalt streets and concrete sidewalks bustled with cars and people trying to go about their day. Each step in a puddle splashed up my leg. The closer I got to my destination, the deeper the puddles seemed to get. Finally, as I got to the front door of my job I was met face to face with my boss. 

“You’re late!”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.”

“You know you’re not in a position to be arriving this late, Emily.”

“I know.”

“Your performance review is coming up and I can’t say this helps your case.”

“I’m sorry.”

I needed the job. Everyone needed their job, but I had gotten my apartment with the anticipation that this job would be able to cover the expenses and I just was not in the position to be able to lose it at the moment without it directly affecting my living situation to a high degree. I bowed my head and tried to appease the situation so that I could just get inside. I was cold and wet from my journey hear and my boss was baring the gates to let me in. 

It was almost like a light switch had been flicked. My boss looked behind me in horror as I heard a squealing of tires behind me. A woman and her son were right beside me and the look on their faces drew my attention to turn around. A car down the street was losing control and coming at us at a high rate of speed. They were hydroplaning. I looked at the woman and her son and pushed them out of the way as best as I could behind a car that was parked along the street. 

In that same split second, I felt the hands of my manager push me towards the car. I looked over at his face. It showed a look of slight concern as he turned to run further inside the building. I realized what he had done. I was a shield for him. If anything I was just an extra barrier or wall to help protect him. In those few seconds, I looked over at the mother and her son huddled against the parked car. They were safe. A wave of relief came over me as a sharp pain starting from my side, shot down my leg. The side of the building seemed to rise. For a moment I saw the sky in front of me. The cold rain against my face. The pain went away. 

Time sped up again and I landed on the pavement. I felt my body slam hard against the ground. My arm was outstretched. The red coming from my wounds was beginning to mix with the puddles of water around me. I heard the young boy scream as they saw me. I looked at my hand. It was dirty. One of the last things I remember thinking to myself before I shut my eyes was that I was going to be late for work. 

The next moment I found myself in a space filled with a mist. It was a light blue with bright vibrant pink and purple highlights. It reminded me of some clubs I had gone to a little too many times in my 20s. I began to walk forward to try and get my barrings. The mist continued almost forever. Then a light appeared in the distance. The only thing I could think of was one of those angler fish I had heard about on the Discovery Channel. I continued to walk toward the light and I came across what seemed to be a small island with green lush vegetation in the middle of all of the haze. The moment I set foot on the island, the sky around me turned blue and I was suddenly surrounded by ocean. The lapping of the waves and seagulls in the distance calmed me. I looked around and decided that it was a good place to sit and relax for a while. The air blew in my hair, as I brushed it past my ear. The smell of the ocean reminded me of many vacations that I had taken. I didn’t care anymore about anything. I felt it all wash away. My worries washed away with my stress. I didn’t care about work anymore, or my apartment. I just loved this moment and wished it could last forever. 

“It could last forever, you know.” A voice said behind me.

I jumped up and turned around to see a glowing white and blue figure staring at me. In my shock, I stepped backward.

“Don’t worry, lass. I’m here with good tidings.”

“Good tidings?”

“Yes.” It flicked its hand and a seat appeared in the middle of the beach we were on. “This was always one of my favorite places to relax while I watched over you lot.”

“Watched over us?” A realization came over my mind but I was too afraid to ask.

“Yes, some call me that. I am simply, the watcher. We watch over many civilizations across space, time, and memory.”

My knees began to buckle and I sat back down in the sand.

“Now, onto our business. You, ma’am, have had an ordeal. We did try everything to keep you out of that situation but there were some events that we just couldn’t explain or expect. You have died.”

“I’m dead,” I said flatly, not fully letting it register.

“Yes.”

“I’m dead?” The realization hit me more.

“Yes.”

“I’m dead!?” I began to panic.

“Put your head between your legs and breathe. Breathe in and out. This is why I am here. We are at an impasse.”

The being took a moment to relax back into the chair. My heart began to beat faster. The feeling in my chest began to tighten. If I was dead why would I be able to feel all of this like it’s a normal occurrence? 

“It’s part of the transitionary period. It’s quite a shock not to be living. We try to make this part of the process as painless as possible, sort to speak.”

“Please stop reading my mind.”

“Sadly, I can’t. It’s not a personal choice. Now, I do have many of these to get through, and while it does seem that our time is beginning to run short. I have come to you with an offer.”

I continued to keep my head between my legs. 

“Your heroics to save that woman and her child impressed us as you changed the course of their destiny that day by being there in the first place. We have decided to send you to a new world, something fantastical, something with what your culture calls magic.”

More and more, the realization of what was happening began to hit me.

“I’m going to be reborn?” I asked while raising my head.

“Yes.”

“Why me?”

“Because this new world needs heroes like you.” A weird smile appeared across its face.

“Wait. Needs heroes like me?”

“You see. A demon king has begun invading and trying to take over the world. It needs heroes like you to stave off the impending onslaught.”

Suddenly, every cliche story of being reborn in another world with powers beyond reconning to fight demon armies and have harems of girls appeared in my head.

“See, you already get it.”

“No!” My mind screamed at me.

“No?” It said quizically.

“No, didn’t you say I could stay here instead?” Many thoughts raced through my head asking why I would be chosen for something like this. 

“Yes, but this world really needs your help and like I said, we were really impressed by your bravery and this is really a great honor.” It began backtracking.

“I want to stay here.”

“I feel like you don’t understand.”

“You said I had a choice.”

“It was a figure of speech.”

“How is that a figure of speech?”

“Normally, your kind jump at the opportunity for a… what do you call it? Isekai adventure?”

A shudder went up my spine. I never knew I would regret saving people.

“Now, now. Your courage and valor will overcome every obstacle.”

“I don’t have a choice in this do I?”

“Like I said it was a figure of speech. Now our time is up… now for the heroic speech sending you off-”

“I don’t want to go, though.”

“Thank you, Hero. For your courage-”

“How about, no.”

“And your willingness to face any danger-”

“I had an office job.”

“With your strength, Urilio will be saved-”

“Are you ignoring me?”

“We humbly thank you-”

I tried running away down the beach but I began floating in mid-air. 

“Now with your magical crest and blessings.”

“I don’t want to go!”

A tingling sensation went up my spine as my body was stripped of all clothing. 

“Now go forth, hero!”

I was flung through space. Stars flew past me. The infinite blackness enveloped me until a planet speedily appeared before me. It got larger and larger until I entered the atmosphere. This time I couldn’t feel anything. I appeared to be passing through everything. The roof of a house appeared to be coming closer and closer. I held up my hands to protect myself. I passed through the roof and immediately sped toward a woman lying on a bed giving birth. 

My next sensation was a tight pressure, muffled screaming, and words I did not recognize. A few moments later cold air brushed against my skin and the pressure was gone. To my chagrin, I was born again.