So, this is Hell

"So, this is the afterlife?"

Aster would dare say he was a man of religionist beliefs so after dying and being sent to a hazy mist was out of his expectation.

"So, you're him."

"My name even made it here, I should be proud, or scared?" What truly was the right answer in such a situation? Was he meant to be thankful/proud that his achievements in life were remembered in death or be afraid that everything done in life was remembered?

"Depends on how you want to look at. Allow me to ask though, do you believe the life you lived to be worthy of heaven or hell?" The masculine voice inquired.

"I'll answer with my own questions, are the actions in the name of country, seen as sin? Taking one life to save dozens, seen as sin? Is running in fear as those you love die, seen as sin?" Aster's head was downcast as he reminisced over the fate of his life, the mistakes that haunted at every hour of every day.

"That is not for me to decide. I'm not the judge of your life, the best way of defining my role would be a guide."

Unbeknownst to Aster as the two talked the haze around him was becoming thinner, a negligible amount but some nonetheless.

"By my standard, I'm doomed for hell." At his confident answer, the haze grew thicker than before it even started.

"If you're willing to accept such a fate, it is your choice too."

"Is it truly my decision though? It is kind of funny in a way, a mere mortal deciding where he will spend eternity; how many would accept the guilt of life and subject themselves to hell?"

"That is not within my rights to answer."

"I wouldn't expect you to. You're merely my guide through this endless haze, my conscience."

The voice laughed, "A conscience, oh what a wonderful word. I'll have to use that from now on."

"Do you not know much?" Aster sat himself down, why rush his fate?

"You could say I know nothing. I only know what your predecessors have stated. The first one referred to me as their guide and the others never argued with the term." The voice now sounded almost childish have no similarity to how it had started.

"What would like to know?"

"Your story!"

Aster couldn't help but laugh, "You already know my story."

"I've seen highlights of your life, not the causes."

"Okay, where do you want me to start?"

"Why you got involved with them."

"Payments, as known I was orphaned, I was left with another choice and I had an inherent talent for it."

"But why them? You could have done the same with multiple organizations? Why choose to be evil?"

"They came first, I had a built-up hatred for the rest of the world and I lashed out."

"Then why enroll in the army?"

"Repentance, I felt guilty after meeting one of my victim's families and I decided to go the path of penances."

"But you then were fated to take more lives."

"Considered one of the most prolific snipers in history, 4,000m kill and 800 kills. Granted the numbers can be attributed to how long I was active versus other snipers but I can claim to have the record in both."

"Do you believe it helped your repentance?"

"I believed so at the time. I believed I was acting for justice." The haze was growing stronger with his stories.

"How about now?"

"I was the harbinger of death. Is such a title fitting of man on the path of penance? I don't believe so."

"That why it all came to an end?"

"No, it ended because I ran."

"Why?"

"I was in fear of death; the so-called Harbinger of Death was scared. It hit me like a truck, the years of staying in the back row safely behind my scope numbed me to death. As someone greater stood before me, I shrunk back.

Everyone I knew died."

"Did you once more experience guilt?"

"Yes, I then joined the CIA. I had intangibles they said. More repentance I told myself. Then like nothing my life ended. 25 years I was a spy but I never found what I was looking for."

"Do you think you ever would have?"

"For what I've done? No. I've taken too many lives, ruined too many futures, and was too gutless to stand when the going got tough."

"So why be fated to hell?"

"Because my other choice is heaven, and is a man with so such a past truly worthy of a home of perfection? I believe not."

"Everyone has their own way of looking at things.

"That we do, that we do…"

"You said you were looking for repentance time after time, but you didn't go into medicine or law or the standards you decided on spying and killing. Why?"

"What kind of an assassin could be a doctor or cop? I only knew how to kill and hide."

"Your kill count, do you still know it?"

"1,256"

"1,257" The voice corrected him.

"It would be that, now wouldn't it? Ha…" Aster's laugh was hollow as he was engulfed in the haze. As it receded from around him he was left in a void like space no way of knowing anything in the form of directions. He felt this was much more to his expectations of hell, nothingness. He was left for eternity to reminisce on his mistakes.

"Do you wish for escape?" A new voice appeared inside Aster's head.

"No."

"Do you wish for power?"

"No."

"Do you wish for anything?"

"Silence while I repent."

Maybe it was years, maybe it was only days, there was no way to know much time passed before Aster spoke again.

"Come, has it been long enough yet?"

"No."

"Well, you're next in line. So hurry up. I was hoping you would say yes, but no you had to imbue yourself in silence."

"Next in line for what?"

"To be Satan of course!"

"Wait what!"