Rebirth of Nyla Stark: A werewolf Saga

She woke up on a chair with her wrists and ankles secured with something that felt like invisible chains. Save for her head, she could barely move the rest of her body without intense pain piercing her soul. She was in a room all by herself with nothing but the chair she sat on. Not one gatekeeper was in sight. The room was as bright as the hall she had been in.

"Hello? Is anyone there? This is a mistake! Help me!!"

No one answered. She tried to move and instantly regretted it. The pain was so intense she actually cried out.

"Fuck." She uttered as a tear slid down her cheek, a real one. Now, she was truly scared. Was her game up? Could she still play her way out of this? Why was she still existing? Why didn't they destroy her soul instantly? What plans could they have for her?

"PLEASE, GET ME OUT OF HERE! I AM INNOCENT!!!"

Still no response. Chills crawled up her gut as she sensed she was being watched. Her instincts were spot on because behind the walls, the superior gatekeeper in change of the rebirth station stood with his hands behind his back while his nervous subordinates read out Irina's details off a floating clipboard.

"Wraith, you say?" The superior asked calmly.

"Yes sir. She gave a fake name."

"Is that the only reason you have for branding her a wraith? Why not a passenger?" He never broke eye contact with Irina as she heaved with breath and continued to insist on her innocence. All he could think was that he had never met a more persistent soul.

The three gatekeepers, including the newbie who screamed at Irina for being a wraith, traded glances at each other before steering the floating clipboard towards the superior for him to peruse.

"It's not just any name, sir." The experienced gatekeepers replied.

Hesitantly, the superior tore his eyes away from the alleged wraith and peered down at the clipboard. His eyebrows shot upwards. When he grabbed the clipboard, it became tangible in his palms. He studied it properly now and looked back at Irina.

"That's impossible." He breathed. It can't be her seventh time. No way! How could a soul have cheated the system so many times without being spotted? How exactly was he supposed to explain this to the Executives? They would lose faith in his ability to supervise the station. His stellar record as a superior gatekeeper would go up in flames and he would be a laughing stock among his peers who supervised other sectors of the afterlife.

The superior felt fumes coming out of his eyes. His eyes went from red to black as he looked at Irina once more. How dare she keep the lie up?

When the door burst open, Irina was startled in her seat. Again, pain seared through her body to the point where her nose ran with snot while she cried out. Her wrists and ankles were reddened. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. She didn't know how long she could hold it together.

"Name."

The voice was different. It was deep, dangerous and commanding. She looked up at the giant gatekeeper and instantly knew he was a bigshot around here. She had never encountered anyone so imposing. Even through her blurry eyes, she could see that his lips were curled up in anger.

Irina heaved a breath.

"Nyla S-Stark."

She had barely gotten through the last word when a gust of wind blasted in her face, almost blowing her off the chair rooted to the ground. She couldn't breathe while it lasted and the skin of her face almost tore off. By the time it stopped, she couldn't see a thing. Her eyes felt like tiny needles were stuck in them when she blinked.

"Let's try that again." The giant said. This time, she felt his breath on her neck. "Don't you dare test me. Give me your real name."

Irina was quaking visibly now. Her heart pounded in her chest. Blood oozed from her nose and eyes.

"I won't ask you again."

"MY n-name is…N-Nyla S-Stark."

Her resilience managed to infuriate and impress him at the same time. His fingers lit up in flames. With a devious smile, he clamped her shoulder and watched her yelp in pain as he burned her flesh. He toyed with the idea of grabbing her neck. The other gatekeepers scrounged their faces and stepped back as the smell of burning flesh filled the room.

When he released her, her head dropped like lead. She choked and spurted blood on her chest.

"Are you ready to tell the truth now, Wraith? WHAT.IS.YOUR NAME?"

"Nyla." Irina said before vomiting more blood and passing out.

"She's the most resilient wraith I've ever seen." One of the older gatekeepers voiced in astonishment, clutching a hand to his chest. He turned to the superior who stood marveled at Irina's resilience. "Why do you think she's holding on?"

"She must be desperate." The newbie gatekeeper replied when their boss remained mute. "Whatever her reasons are for wanting to be reborn, she's prepared to risk being extinguished. I wonder what it could be." He stroked his chin.

"What if she actually is Nyla Stark?" All heads snapped up to look at the third gatekeeper who dared to say the forbidden name.

"Her desperation seems familiar, don't you think?" He foolishly continued. "Which other impure human creature has beat our system and clinched a rebirth as smoothly as Nyla once did? Who else would be able to successfully pull off six rebirths under our noses if not Nyla?"

The superior charged towards him.

"Are you saying that Nyla's soul has been here six times and we didn't notice? Do you have any idea what would happen to our station if word gets out throughout all the afterlife sectors that the infamous Nyla Stark beat our system six damn times to be reborn on earth after the havoc she wreaked the last time, huh?"

He grabbed the shaking man by the scruff of his neck and lifted him off the ground.

"I'm sorry. It was just a bad guess."

The superior's eyes darkened. "Guess who's about to be extinguished forever." He trained his eyes on the man's forehead to blast him while the man screamed in fear. The superior only stopped himself when the sound of coughing interrupted his focus. Everyone turned as Irina roused awake.

She still couldn't see a thing and a riot of painful sensations began to make themselves known all over her body.

"Fuck." She cussed, spitting out a clump of blood.

The superior released his victim who fell with a thud on the floor, startling Irina. She didn't realize she still had company. So, it wasn't over?

"Shit." She cussed again. A smile crept into the superior's lips. Her utterance only reinforced his conviction; the soul in front of him was not Nyla Stark. Whoever this woman was, she was too crass to be Nyla. Good. At least Nyla hadn't beat their system many times over. The last time was going to stay the last.

But then his intrigue peaked as he wondered who was seated in front of him if not the biggest threat the rebirth station had ever known; Nyla Stark.

Was this a terrifying impure creature who had been emboldened by their idol, Nyla's feat and was attempting to beat the rules of rebirth? No. He had every reason to be more afraid of this soul because unlike Nyla, his prisoner had been reborn six times! She was the first wraith he had encountered in almost seven decades!

With a deep breath, he cupped Irina's chin and yanked it up to face him. He was desperate to know the truth now.

"WHO EXACTLY ARE YOU?"