Death: A Second Encounter

Death – A Second Encounter is a standalone excerpt from a much larger story I’m currently writing — a universe shaped by sacrifice, identity, and the quiet collision between destiny and free will.

In this world, every living soul is born with Essence — a force drawn from willpower, spirit, and purpose. It fuels growth, strength, and change. The more determined the soul, the greater its Essence. Some learn to shape it. Others are consumed by it. And a few, like Artemis, live because of it.

This chapter follows Artemis — a man rebuilt from ruin, kept alive by sheer will — as he faces Death not for the first time, but at the turning point of everything to come. You don’t need to know the full story to begin here. Just know this:

Death is not the end.
And Artemis… is not just a man.

As the rest of the story unfolds, some parts of this chapter may be revised for continuity. But the core of it — this moment between Artemis and Death — will remain.

Thank you for reading.

— Joel Thomas