Calypso, Goddess of Reincarnation, slumped across her cosmic throne. Her silver hair spilled over one armrest while her legs dangled over the other. The divine seat—designed to inspire awe in passing souls—now served as her personal lounge chair. She flicked her finger at the soul-viewing screen floating before her, scrolling through thousands of mortal lives like a bored teenager checking social media.
"Boring. Predictable. Seen it." She tapped past life after life.
The Liminal Space—that sacred bridge between life and death—had transformed under her 300-year tenure. Gone were the austere white halls and solemn marble pillars of Adonis's era. Calypso had renovated extensively. Now, holographic cherry blossoms perpetually drifted through the air. Crystal chandeliers hung from impossible heights. Plush velvet couches dotted the space for souls awaiting processing. A massive roulette wheel dominated one wall, segmented into different life paths. The once-sacred Hall of Judgment now resembled a luxury casino crossed with a Japanese arcade.
"Akemi!" Calypso called out, voice echoing through the divine space.
A small fox spirit with nine tails materialized, wearing tiny spectacles and carrying a clipboard. "Yes, Lady Calypso?"
"I'm bored."
"That's not a divine emergency, my lady."
"It is when I say it is." She flipped upside down on her throne, hair cascading toward the floor. "Remember when this job was fun?"
The fox spirit sighed. "You ask this approximately once per decade, my lady."
"Do I?" Calypso pouted. "Well, it was fun once."
***
247 years earlier
"Oh my gods, this office is so stuffy!" The newly-appointed Goddess of Reincarnation spun around in her predecessor's chair. "We're definitely redecorating."
Adonis, the retiring god, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Calypso, this is a sacred duty, not a—"
"Makeover opportunity?" She grinned, already mentally replacing the somber tapestries with something more her style. "Too late! I'm thinking cherry blossoms. Lots of pink. Maybe some gold accents?"
"The souls who pass through here have just experienced death," Adonis reminded her. "They need compassion and guidance, not... whatever this is." He gestured vaguely at her enthusiasm.
Calypso rolled her eyes. "Death is such a downer. Why can't the afterlife be fun?"
The ancient god looked exhausted. After three millennia of guiding souls, he'd finally found someone willing to take over—though "willing" might be an understatement. Calypso had campaigned aggressively for the position, promising the Divine Council she'd "revolutionize the whole soul business."
"Just... try to remember the gravity of your position," Adonis said, heading for the door. "You're not just sending them to new lives. You're shaping the very fabric of mortal existence."
"Yep, yep, super important, got it." Calypso was already rearranging furniture with divine magic. "Quick question—can I add a chocolate fountain?"
Adonis closed the door without answering.
The moment he left, Calypso squealed and clapped her hands. "Finally! My own domain!"
She'd spent five centuries as a minor goddess, blessing and cursing love affairs, watching mortals make fools of themselves over romance. It had been amusing, but limited. Now she had real power. She could send souls anywhere. Any time. Any reality.
The possibilities were endless.
A soft chime announced her first soul.
Calypso straightened her divine robes and practiced her serious face in a quickly-conjured mirror. "Enter," she called, trying to sound appropriately divine.
A bewildered-looking human soul drifted in—a middle-aged woman who'd died in her sleep.
"Welcome to the Liminal Space!" Calypso announced. "I'm Calypso, your new Goddess of Reincarnation. You're dead, but don't worry—I'm sending you somewhere new!" She beamed.
The woman's soul flickered with confusion. "I... expected someone older."
"Rude. I'm five hundred and forty-seven, thank you very much." Calypso floated from her chair. "Now, traditional rules say you get three wishes for your next life. But that's so boring, right?"
"I... suppose?"
"Exactly! So here's what we're doing instead." Calypso snapped her fingers, and a large wheel appeared. "Spin for your destiny!"
The soul looked horrified. "You want me to gamble for my next life?"
"It's not gambling if it's divine intervention," Calypso winked. "Come on, it'll be fun! You might get to be a dragon!"
***
Present day
"The first century was amazing," Calypso sighed, now hanging completely upside down off her throne. "So many souls, so many possibilities. Remember when I sent that baker to that world with the sentient pastries? Classic!"
Akemi consulted her notes. "That was the Breadpocalypse incident. The Divine Council issued your forty-third formal reprimand."
"Worth it." Calypso flipped right-side up. "Or that time I created an entire world where everyone communicated through interpretive dance?"
"The Rhythmic Realm. Reprimand number one hundred and twelve."
Calypso waved dismissively. "The council has no sense of humor." She materialized a divine smartphone and began scrolling through her favorite transmigrators. "Look at this one—I sent her to a world where gravity reverses every Tuesday. She's adapted so well! Built her house on a swivel."
The fox spirit adjusted her glasses. "My lady, you have souls waiting for processing."
"They're dead. Not like they have appointments to keep."
"The backlog is reaching critical levels."
Calypso groaned dramatically and floated up from her throne. "Fine! Send in the next boring soul."
A translucent figure drifted through the ornate golden doors. Middle-aged man, unremarkable appearance, confused expression—the usual.
"Welcome, welcome!" Calypso announced, instantly switching to her professional voice. "You're dead! Congratulations on completing your first life. I'm Calypso, Goddess of Reincarnation, and I'll be processing your soul today."
The man blinked. "This... isn't what I expected."
"Let me guess—pearly gates? Judgment scales? Boring old men with beards?" She rolled her eyes. "That's the other department. I'm much more fun."
She floated around him, examining his soul-light. "Hmm, let's see what we're working with." She poked at his essence, causing ripples of memory to surface. "Accountant. Died of... oh, heart attack while filing taxes. That's depressingly on-brand."
The man's soul flickered with indignation.
"Don't worry, your next life will be way more exciting." She snapped her fingers, and a holographic display appeared. "Welcome to Calypso's Premium Reincarnation System! You get five rerolls to determine your next life. Each pull gives you different options for special abilities."
"I don't understand—"
"You will! It's super easy." She guided him toward an elaborate crystal machine that looked suspiciously like a gacha game console. "Just pull the lever, and we'll see what destiny has in store!"
The soul hesitantly reached for the lever.
"That's it! Good soul!" Calypso clapped her hands excitedly. "Now pull!"
He pulled. The machine lit up with flashing colors and chiming sounds.
"Ooh, not bad for a first try!" Calypso examined the results. "You got: Human, standard abilities, fantasy world with magic but—plot twist—you're allergic to magic! That's a solid R-rank option. Want to keep it or reroll?"
The soul looked overwhelmed. "Reroll, I suppose?"
"Smart choice! Four rerolls left."
Three pulls later, the soul had passed on: a mermaid with fear of water, a dragon with hiccups that caused flame bursts, and a wizard whose spells only worked on Tuesdays.
"Two of those were SR-rank options! You're being picky," Calypso pouted. "Last chance. Make it count!"
The final pull yielded a result that made Calypso's eyes widen. "Oooh, jackpot! SSR-rank result! You'll be a human in a cultivation world with a special meridian system that lets you absorb knowledge directly. Very rare! Only one drawback—you'll have an annoying spirit guide who constantly gives bad advice."
The soul brightened. "That sounds perfect!"
"Great! Transmigration processing complete!" Calypso waved her hand dismissively. "Off you go to your new life. Try not to die embarrassingly this time!"
The soul vanished in a swirl of light, heading to its new existence.
Calypso immediately slumped back onto her throne. "That's soul number... what, Akemi? How many have I processed?"
"Seven billion, four hundred twenty-three million, nine hundred fifty-six thousand, eight hundred and twelve," the fox spirit replied promptly.
"No wonder I'm bored! It's the same thing over and over." She materialized a divine parfait and stabbed at it with a golden spoon. "I need a vacation."
Akemi looked alarmed. "My lady, you cannot abandon your divine duties."
"Who said anything about abandoning? I'll just... delegate." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Doesn't Hermes owe me a favor after that thing with the nymphs?"
"Hermes is specifically banned from substituting for you after the 'Frog Incident'."
"Right, right." Calypso sighed. "What about Morpheus?"
"The God of Dreams cannot process actual souls, only dreamers."
Calypso threw her hands up. "There must be someone who can cover for me for just a little while! I haven't had a day off in three centuries!"
Akemi consulted her clipboard. "There is... one option. Clotho has expressed interest in modern soul processing techniques."
"One of the Fates?" Calypso perked up. "Perfect! She already handles life threads and stuff. How different could this be?"
Before Akemi could answer, another chime sounded.
"Ugh, next soul already?" Calypso straightened her robe half-heartedly.
"Send them in."
A handsome young man's soul entered—early twenties, athletic build, smug expression. Different from the usual confused souls.
Oh… now who might you be?