Dungeon Grand Prix

Chapter 3: Reincarnation

Brent stepped up to window fifteen and slid his ticket under the slot, showing that his number matched the one that had been called. He stood there, waiting, a sense of numbness settling over him. He now understood the lifeless expressions on the others in the waiting room. This felt worse than the DMV. At least there, you were still alive, and after an hour or two of waiting, you could leave. Here? Time had no meaning. He could have been standing there for weeks, for all he knew.

As he shifted his weight, a thought crossed his mind. He hadn’t needed to use the bathroom or eat or drink. It was an odd realization, but it made sense. What use did the dead have for sustenance? As soon as he thought about it, a phantom need to pee came over him, but he quickly squashed it. That would be a ridiculous problem to have now, after so long without the urge.

A cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts. “Hello, sir!” A young woman, who couldn’t have been older than her mid-twenties, stood behind the plexiglass divider, smiling too brightly for the bleak atmosphere. "My name is Stacy, and I’ll be your reincarnation specialist today. I’m so sorry to hear about your demise, but don’t worry, we’ll get you all set up for your next life in no time!"

Brent forced a half-smile, his spirit crushed under the oppressive weight of this bureaucratic afterlife. "Thanks, Stacy. So... what exactly am I in for here?"

Stacy tapped a few keys on the computer behind the counter, her eyes darting across the screen. “Well, normally, we’d offer you a few different options to choose from, but we’ve had an unusually high influx of new arrivals today. I’m afraid, since you died a little late in the day, we only have two options left.”

Brent’s heart sank at the word "only." He felt a flicker of life return to him—a small, angry flame of indignation. "Two options? How many was I supposed to get?"

Stacy gave him an apologetic look. "Normally, you’d get five options. But we’ve had an unexpected surge today. Tuesdays, right?" she added with a chuckle. "So, all I can offer you is Eternal Purgatory or reincarnation as a Dungeon Core."

Brent blinked, processing the choices as Stacy continued to tap away at her keyboard. Despite the absurdity of the situation, he noticed she at least seemed genuinely apologetic. It was a small comfort, considering he was dead.

"Can you explain the options?" Brent asked, trying to remain calm. "This being my first time being dead and all."

Stacy looked up, her smile unwavering. “Oh, I doubt it’s your first time,” she said casually. "But it looks like your memories were wiped after your last reincarnation on Earth—that’s typical. No worries! I’ll explain the choices."

Brent’s brow furrowed at the thought of having died before. That was a lot to unpack, but Stacy was already moving forward.

"Eternal Purgatory is just what it sounds like. Your soul will be transported to a space where you can exist for the rest of eternity. No more cares, no danger, no death, no despair... no emotions at all, really." She smiled wider, as if this were somehow a positive. "It’s a popular choice for people who’ve had... let’s say, particularly traumatic death experiences. After multiple painful deaths, it’s quite appealing."

Brent recoiled slightly. “That sounds horrible.”

Stacy nodded sympathetically. "I understand how it might sound that way if you don’t remember all your previous lives. But imagine dying in brutal, torturous ways for the fifteenth or twentieth time in a row. Purgatory starts looking like a sweet vacation."

Brent paused, trying to imagine the horror of carrying memories of multiple agonizing deaths. "Okay, fair point. But since I don’t remember all that, I’m not sure if it’s the right choice for me."

Stacy nodded again, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. "Makes sense. Your other option is reincarnation as a Dungeon Core. This one’s a bit more hands-on and creative. You’ll be reborn in a world that has dungeons, and you’ll be the core of one. You’ll have the freedom to design your dungeon, create monsters, traps, treasure—all the fun stuff. Adventurers will come through, and you’ll get to watch them challenge your creations. It’s a pretty fun gig for people who like games and world-building."

Brent perked up at the mention of designing a dungeon. He’d spent countless hours on Earth playing video games, including dungeon crawlers. He’d often criticized developers for their dungeon designs. Maybe this was his chance to finally do it right.

"And there’s no way to go back to Earth?" he asked, needing to hear the confirmation.

Stacy’s face fell slightly. "I’m so sorry, sir, but Earth is a one-time reincarnation planet. They have... particular beliefs over there, and if people realized how the afterlife actually works, there’d be a mass exodus of souls trying to leave. We just don’t have the capacity to handle that kind of influx, especially with recent budget cuts." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Apparently, millennials have made a disturbing number of social media posts about how okay they are with dying."

Brent chuckled darkly. He remembered seeing plenty of TikTok videos joking about death and reincarnation. It seemed less funny now, though. "Yeah, that tracks."

"So, it looks like you’re down to two options," Stacy said, her tone still polite but businesslike. "Unfortunately, if you don’t act soon, the Dungeon Core slots will fill up, and all we’ll have left is Eternal Purgatory."

Brent’s eyes widened. "What? Uh... okay, fine. Dungeon Core. Let’s do that."

"Great choice!" Stacy beamed. "If you had chosen Purgatory, that would’ve been it—no more reincarnations. But with Dungeon Core, you’ve still got opportunities for growth!"

She typed a few more things into the computer, occasionally clicking the mouse with precise movements. After a few minutes, she looked back up at Brent with a satisfied grin. "All set! Your spot as a Dungeon Core is secure."

Brent exhaled, not realizing he’d been holding his breath. The tension that had coiled in his shoulders finally released. "That’s a relief."

"I bet it is!" Stacy replied, her cheerful tone never wavering. "Now, the next step is for you to select a world that has an opening for a Dungeon Core. Once we know which world you’re going to, we’ll look at the available themes for your dungeon."

She clicked a few more buttons, and suddenly, a new window appeared in Brent’s vision, listing the available worlds.

Available Reincarnation Worlds

Welcome to the Reincarnation World Selection Interface. Please choose the world you would like to reincarnate into. Each world comes with its own unique challenges, environments, and societal structures. Your selection will be final, so please consider carefully before confirming.

1. Murkswallow – Difficulty: Extreme

o A dark, swamp-covered world where survival is a daily battle. The air is thick with poisonous gases, and hostile creatures lurk beneath every shadow. Resources are scarce, and the tribal factions are constantly at war. Expect death to be an almost certainty.

2. Flamescar – Difficulty: Brutal

o A scorched desert world where the temperature never drops below boiling. Civilization exists in scattered, fortified oases, and the dominant species are fire-resistant humanoids. If the environment doesn't kill you, the violent sandstorms or roaming magma beasts will.

3. Ironspire – Difficulty: Harsh

o An industrialized world of towering steel cities and constant smog. The population is divided between the elite, who live in luxury, and the underclass, who work in the dangerous factories. Pollution is rampant, and life expectancy is low, but there is a small chance of climbing the societal ladder.

4. Frostreach – Difficulty: Difficult

o A frozen tundra where cities are built beneath glaciers, and resources are fought over viciously. The world is beautiful, but deadly—long nights of ice storms are followed by brief, harsh sunlight. Life here requires resilience, but strong communities exist if you can prove your worth.

5. Thornvale – Difficulty: Challenging

o A jungle-covered planet filled with dangerous wildlife and unpredictable natural phenomena. Tribes live in harmony with nature, but every day brings a new threat. The flora and fauna are as likely to heal you as they are to kill you. Strong survival skills are a must.

6. Dustveil – Difficulty: Moderate

o A dry, cracked landscape where towns are built around valuable mining resources. Life is tough but not impossible. Bandits roam the wastelands, but civilization thrives in pockets, and there’s opportunity for those willing to work hard and defend themselves.

7. Acredia – Difficulty: Moderate

o A peaceful, temperate world known for its balanced climate and thriving cities. Society values knowledge, art, and exploration. While there are challenges, such as political intrigue and the occasional resource shortage, Acredia offers a stable and fulfilling life for most. It is one of the better options for those seeking a manageable, yet enriching experience.

8. Serenthi – Difficulty: Easy

o A tranquil world with abundant natural resources, minimal conflict, and a generally relaxed society. Technological and magical advancements have made life extremely comfortable, but it is also considered somewhat mundane by those seeking adventure or growth. Ideal for those looking for a peaceful, if uneventful, existence.

There it was again. The window popped up in his vision, just like one of the heads-up displays from a video game. Was this how the rest of the universe operated, and Earth was the weird exception?

Brent sighed. He was delaying, focusing on things he'd likely never get answers to. Shaking off the distractions, he turned his attention to the options displayed before him.

“These descriptions seem more like they’re geared toward adventurers than someone reincarnating as a Dungeon Core,” Brent muttered to himself, scrolling through the list carefully.

Stacy, standing behind the plexiglass divider, nodded with a sympathetic smile. "That’s true! Normally, we don’t run low on reincarnation slots, so most of the options are for adventurers. With all the budget cuts lately, we just don’t have the manpower to go into the System and update the notifications for Dungeon Cores. But, this should give you a general idea of each world’s inhabitants and difficulty level."

Brent ran through the list again and again, trying to make sure he made the right decision. Most of the worlds he could eliminate immediately—anything where survival seemed impossible was an automatic no. He eventually narrowed it down to three options: Dustveil, Acredia, and Serenthi. As if sensing his decision, the window shifted, removing all the other choices and enlarging the descriptions of these three worlds.

“Well, that’s handy,” Brent muttered.

He reread the options, scrutinizing each one in detail. Dustveil was quickly eliminated—bandits didn’t sound like the kind of crowd that would frequent dungeons, and he figured his goal as a Dungeon Core would be to attract adventurers, not thieves. At least, that was his hunch.

That left him with Acredia and Serenthi. He found himself wavering, his mind bouncing between the two options. Serenthi was labeled as the "easiest" world, and part of him wanted to pick the safe route. After all, he had no desire to go through this process again. But Acredia called to him in a way he couldn’t quite explain. Something about it just felt... right.

"This must be why people stand at the window for so long," Brent thought. "This is not an easy choice."

After what felt like an eternity of indecision, he finally made up his mind. "I’ll go with Acredia," Brent said aloud, feeling a strange sense of relief. "I don’t know why, but it feels like the right choice, even over the easier world."

With a thought, he dismissed the window, and it vanished obediently from his vision.

"Ahhh, you heard the call of the past," Stacy said knowingly, her tone a little too wise for comfort.

Brent frowned at discovering something else he didn't understand. "What? What the hell does that mean?"

Stacy chuckled softly. "It’s something that happens to souls when they’ve had their memories wiped. People might call it intuition, but in reality, the System gives you a little nudge toward the best option. Since you can’t remember your past lives, it guides you. You were wise to follow it."

Brent stared at her as if she had just grown a second head. This was a lot to process. Before today, he wasn’t even sure there was an afterlife, and now he was learning there was a whole System governing it, allowing people to reincarnate and even retain their memories sometimes. The idea that there were people out there who remembered their past lives, learning and growing from them—it was too much for him to wrap his head around.

"Sir?" Stacy’s voice broke into his thoughts.

Brent shook himself back to the present, realizing he’d completely zoned out. "What? Yeah, I’m here... sorry, I missed that," he stammered, feeling a bit foolish.

Stacy’s smile widened, though she seemed to expect this reaction. "I asked if you were ready to go now."

Brent hesitated. "Uh, I’m not sure. Is there anything else I should know before I—"

"Yes, lots," Stacy interrupted, still smiling. "But almost none of it is stuff I can tell you. It’s against the rules, and also... not my department." She pressed a button on her keyboard.

"Oh, well, that’s—"

Before Brent could finish his sentence, the world around him disappeared in an instant, yanking him away from the sterile waiting room.