The boys thought they were dead, but they soon found themselves struggling to open their eyes. When they woke, they were lying in a line on the floor of what appeared to be a large hall. It was expensively decorated, as if it was the property of someone who was extraordinarily wealthy.

Liam was aware of his surroundings the quickest, and he sluggishly pulled his body around the fronts of the other boys. “Where are we?” he muttered, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes.

Harry was next, groaning as he sat up. “I have no idea.”

Already, Zayn’s hands were buried in his hair, trying desperately to fix it without the help of a mirror. “What happened to the plane, and the water?” He shuddered as he remembered the feeling of being surrounded by water. The second oldest boy knew he would always fear the water from that moment on.

The rumbling of his voice woke the blond lying close beside him, whose stomach was heard grumbling fiercely. “Would anyone happen to have some food? I’m absolutely starving! I wonder how long it’s been since that snack I had on the plane,” Niall pondered curiously, seemingly the least affected by their predicament.

Finally, Louis rolled over, smacking his face into the side of Harry’s rear. Harry moved over, and the older boy lifted his head as his eyes widened. “Haz? What are you doing sitting by my face, you weirdo?” He shrugged it off, pulling his best friend closer before closing his eyes and resting his head on the curly-headed boy’s chest.

“Boys, do any of you know what happened or where we are? The last thing I remember is sinking alongside the plane, all grouped together. Are we saved? But then, why wouldn’t we be in a hospital? This doesn’t look like what it’s supposed to look like when you die! Wait, how would I know that if I’ve never died? Has my whole life been just a dead dream? Oh gosh, I’m going crazy now,” the most sensible boy let his thoughts run wild on the subject of their apparent rescue.

“Hello, boys,” a firm voice was heard.

One Direction looked around, unsure where the voice was coming from. They glanced at each other; nervous to put a face to the commanding tone they’d just heard.

“Don’t be scared; I won’t hurt you. In fact, I did quite the opposite. You could say… I saved you,” the mysterious voice chuckled.

The boys were once again drawn to the sound, wanting answers to their burning questions.

“Who are you?” Louis wondered. “Is this some kind of joke, like, a last prank before we die? That would be cruel,” he pouted.

The voice seemed to sigh. “I just told you; I saved you. I’m not here to play jokes or harm you boys in any way. I just need to talk to you, and we could possibly strike a deal that is of great importance to you.”

Liam cleared his throat. “What kind of deal would this be?”

“You’ll have to find me and listen to me speak to get your answer.”

Zayn’s head turned from side to side as he imagined ways he could draw the scene later on. He was memorizing their surroundings in the large hall, down to the details in the designs of thin cracks running down the furthest wall. He wasn’t paying much attention to the unknown voice and mysterious presence.

Louis and Harry were grasping each other’s waists, supporting each other as they looked for a sign of life other than themselves and the other boys, but they found none. The pair turned to face Liam and Niall, only to see the source of their confusion.

There was a throne-like chair just at the other end of the hall from where they had began, upon which sat a man draped in concealing attire. His head was the only part of his body entirely visible other than his hands, which were fairly large (though not compared to Harry’s) and were placed on the rests on the sides of his chair. He had a young but aged face, as if he held the wisdom and knowledge far beyond his own time. His eyes shone with intelligence and cunning, exceeding any the five boys standing before him had ever known. He was a powerful man, that they were sure of, but they didn’t recognize his features.

“Hello,” Liam cautiously greeted him, as Zayn returned his attention to present company.

“Hello, boys of One Direction,” the man replied gruffly.

“Who are you?” Niall blurted, and Harry quickly slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Shh, let him talk, leprechaun. Wouldn’t want to interrupt a wise guy, now would we?” Louis cracked a smile at the younger boy’s sarcasm.

“I don’t mind. Welcome to my universe,” the intensity behind the man’s words took the five boys’ breath away for a few seconds.

“What do you mean, your universe? How could we be in a different universe if all that happened to us was drowning?” A confused Zayn murmured.

The man smiled gently. “Ah, and there you are. There are three separate universes: the living, the dead, and the undecided. Humans can be a part of any of the three universes and still interact somewhat with members of the others, but it is the ones in the undecided universe that have the most luck. We get the privilege of full interaction with both the dead and the living, at the same time.”

“You’re saying we’re not dead?” Louis asked hopefully.

“No, you are not. You were brought here to either agree to my bargain, or be sent to the universe of the dead. You are probably wondering who I am, to be sitting here before you holding the power of the undecided universe and the intelligence of centuries. I am the Master of Fate, and it is me you must impress to return to life.”

The boys all gasped in unison. “M-master of F-fate? You mean, you decide everything that will happen to us?” the second youngest asked in awe.

“Of course, that would be me. I have watched you boys from the time you were young to these past years and months as stars, and I have to say, I’m somewhat proud of what you’ve accomplished. You’ve gone beyond my predictions and taken over the hearts of the world. You were never fated to be this widely loved, but I cannot say you boys don’t deserve it. You’re just so likable,” he explained.

“Which is why I’ve decided to give you another chance. You boys still have so much left in your lives, and you haven’t gotten the full experience quite yet. The world loves you, and three of you have girlfriends who will be devastated when they receive the news that you have passed away. I have a deal for you, if you would be willing to hear it out,” he proposed.

Liam, Louis, and Zayn nodded immediately, intrigued by the prospect of being reunited with their girlfriends who had been waiting patiently back in the England for their return at the end of their tour. Harry and Niall only hesitated for a second before joining in.

“I will give you full access to the world of the living for 30 days. A single month. Your task will be to find someone to anchor you to the world of the living. If you succeed, you will return to life and be able to enjoy the rest of your time’s experiences. If you fail, I will not be able to argue that you belong in that world any longer, and you will fade into the world of the dead. You may have minimal contact with the dead universe, and I will be watching you at all times. If any of you ever decide you want to discontinue your task and become fully dead, all you would need to do is call for me in your mind, and I would bring you back here to discuss some things.”

The boys stood silently, thinking through the offer. What was the harm in an extra month of life? If all went well, they would even be able to return to their lives and family and friends as they all were craving. There seemed to be no downsides, until the Master spoke again.

“There will be some hardships. People may not believe you are who you claim to be, because by the time your months start you will be announced officially dead. You may not receive the same reactions you’re used to. People may act differently around you, even subconsciously, because you are no longer regular human beings. You will discover hidden powers and enhanced talents throughout this month, which you will not be able to keep if you become anchored to life. Do you all understand the risks you are taking in your commitment to this deal?”

Zayn voiced a question that was on all of their minds. “Aren’t our girlfriends, for those of us who have them, already anchoring us to life? That’s what you’re suggesting, right, that we find someone who loves us beyond the boundaries of life and death? Isn’t that describing our girlfriends?” Liam and Louis perked their eyes, waiting for the answer to this.

“They do have some effects, but their pull is not strong enough. If it had been strong enough at the moment to truly anchor you, then you wouldn’t be standing here now. Your fate would’ve been to find the surface and be rescued. So no, your girlfriends do not count.” The three boys’ faces fell as they considered this.

Liam looked into the eyes of his fellow band mates, assessing their emotions. Harry looked ready for anything to be thrown at him. Niall looked nervous, but determined. Louis looked a bit disheartened, but still confident as ever. Zayn was full of curiosity for the experience of a new type of life.

Turning to face the grand Master of Fate, Liam took a deep breath. “We agree,” he spoke assuredly.

“You know all the precautions I have given you, and yet you still choose to fight for life?” he clarified. The boys all nodded, and his smile grew. “I knew you were a good group of boys. You are truly fighters inside, all of you. I have faith in you boys. Would you like to know where each of you will be starting your month from, once you are transferred to your old world?”

“Louis, you will be placed in London. Zayn, you will be starting in Bradford. Liam, you will go to Florida. Niall, you will find yourself in Hollywood, and finally, Harry will begin in a different part of London than Louis. Are there any final questions?”

The boys smiled anxiously at each other, nervous for their new task. The five boys of One Direction had performed onstage in front of tens of thousands of people, and had sung their hearts out while they knew millions of people across the world had their eyes trained on the group, yet they found their palms sweaty and thoughts clouded when it came to this new objective. They had no idea what was coming, but it was their only good option for the moment, so they were ready to go for it.

Liam, hands shaking, asked, “When do we start?”

The Master of Fate chuckled, sending chills down the boys’ spines. “Now.”

And the boys felt their bodies spiraling away, across the universes.