I float, but not following a path, my body just floating. My death slowly reversing itself, reversing the damage from the shotgun blast, my brain chunks and juice slowly reforming back into what it was before. Jump Starting my mind and psyche, giving me back my sentience
I sat up, gasping for air, grasping and scratching my head. After the pain disappeared, I looked around. Or…. At least I Tried to.
My senses don't work. More like this space is the lack of senses.
Does this space even consider the concept of time? I can't tell how many seconds have passed since I revived.
1 second? 2 seconds? 1minute? 1month? 1 year?
How long has it been, it feels like 3 seconds, but also like 55 years? Am I actually alive? Am I just dead and this is my purgatory?
No.
This wouldn't be purgatory; this would be hell. Sometimes I feel something, I SEE something, but when I try to look at it; it fades away. Where am I?
.
.
I don't know how long it has been, I've gotten accustomed to the void, it is… Calming now, the coldness of this... "Plane of reality" you could call it. It feels…. It feels as if the void has stopped trying to suffocate me, and is now trying to let me breathe, giving me a nice feeling, like being in the house you grew up in after years. It feels, comforting in a way.
But suddenly, a couch appears below me, a room appears around me. Solid ground. It's so warm, it feels nice…
"Hello." I hear, I turn around to look at the voice. In a seat with a cup of hot Coco in her hand, there's a Woman with long black hair, and dark, dark, dark, red eyes, closer to black than red. She's sitting on a "chair" it's more of a throne than a chair with how fancy it is. It looks to be made out of onyx and ruby highlights, with a dark black snake wrapping around the ruby parts.
"Hello human. It seems you had a fun time with the void earlier, having your soul played with doesn't seem so nice. Now, what should I do with you? You have broken out of my cycle and messed up the flow of souls, and you have given me at least a millennium of overtime. How are you going to repay me, a goddess?" The woman than stands up from the chair and walks towards me, her stare acting like a 10-ton rock on my back, she starts circling me like a hyena about to pounce on their prey. "Hmmm… hehe, your reactions are cute, that look of despair and fear, I like it. Now what should I do with you? Torture? Turning you into a slave? Maybe turning you into a little doll? Although, all of those would get rid of that expression that I like." She says, putting her chin on my shoulder and looking into my eyes.
"Please… Please don't, I'm sorry for whatever I did, but I didn't mean too." I say, trying to hold my fears back. I can tell she is just trying to get a reaction out of me, and it's working
"Fufu… This is why I love mortals, you're so cute and fragile, yet so smart and determined. Unlike gods you would throw away pride and freedom in exchange for survival, your instincts driving you towards strength, or following those with it. Hm.... Okay human, I've decided, I'll keep and use you as a pet and errand boy, in exchange I'll give you strength and anything you desire, even me if you want fufu~. After all, you're the first mortal since the age of gods I've found interest in. So, my pet, what is your name?" The woman says, going back to sit on her throne.
"…. My... My name is Kazu Ma'am, would you mind telling me yours?" I say kneeling Infront of her, I have no hope of defying her, I will have to lick her feet if I have too, survival is worth more than my pride. And looking at her throne, I can make a guess on who she is.
"Well, I go by many names you see. The Golden Chaos Snake of Egypt, Apophis or Apep, The Norse World Snake Jörmungandr, the "Earth Holder" in Hindu, The Greek god Asclepius, the strongest god, the one who even Shiva is scared of, Mother of 666, God of creation, The cycle of Life and Death, The black snake of infinity, yada yada yada. Though, most just call me ouroboros, although you, my pet. You can just call me Ophis." Fuck, I was correct, I really am fucked.
"Aww. What's wrong~. Are you scared of me, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. After all, what kind of master would I be if I broke my toy the first day I got it? Now how should I make something entertaining? Let me think… oooh…. I have a really good idea, say, do you have knowledge in the field of hero's and their respective mythos'?" She speaks, before standing up and walking towards a table towards the back of the room we are In.
"I would say I have above average knowledge about mythology, especially the obvious ones, like Greece, Egyptian, and Japanese mythology." I say standing up and following behind her. "What if I told you I could make a new world full of these mythologies?" She says, looking back at me with a sadistic smile on her face.
"I... I would say I am afraid and interested."
"Well then, welcome to the new world of Afilia, A world where every mythology can exist at once, where each hero, villain, and God's exist. Now, let's see, since you're at a disadvantage I will give you 3 modifiers you can add to your body, and I will create a new body for you that can handle mana. After all, what kind of story doesn't have magic?" She says turning around and walking towards the couch sitting down and signaling me to sit next to her. "Now if you would, please lay on my lap, face down with your chest on my knees."
"May I ask why?" I say, before doing it anyway. Not like I had a choice anyways. "The human soul is situated in the abdomen, but every being's magic core is in their nape, no matter if they are mortal or God, their nape Is what allows the rest of their bodies to use magic. Of course, most well-informed people would hide their magic core in another dimension, only leaving a tether from their neck to the actual core, it's a complicated process you will have to learn. Now, what are three thing you would like to have for your adventure, although it can't be to strong or unfair, I want to be entertained, and you beating everything with no effort is boring." She says massaging the back of my neck.
"What counts as unfair or too strong?"
"Well let's see, mostly things divine in origin, stuff like Arthurs Excalibur, Ascalon, or Caliburn. Or anything that already belongs to someone, such as Hercules God Hand, or Scathacthes spears, or Ra's eye, stuff like that. You can change your Race, body, anatomy, nationality, anything you want basically. And yes, you will already have my blessing, so no need to ask for that, as for what it does… Well, that's a surprise."
Okay, that makes things a lot more complicated, so I can't ask for anything with divinity, or anything else that belongs to hero's, villains, and Gods. But that doesn't rule out anything that is strong, there are still many things I can ask for, and she said I could change my race… Oh, I just thought of some fun things. Well, they technically don't "Belong" to someone.
"I know what I want." "Okay then, tell me what they are."
"The first I want to change my race to a Dragon, and I want my skin to act like their scales. The second, I want the combined hearts of Y Ddraig Goch, and Albion Gwiber. The Third I want knowledge of ancient Norse Runes." I say, feeling Ophis' hand stiffening, before she goes back to massaging my neck.
"Well, well, well. I have to admit I didn't think of that. Since Ddraig and Albion are technically not a hero nor a villain, and they don't have any divinity. And, although ancient Norse runes come from the right eye of Odin and Yggdrasil, they technically don't count as owned, as anyone can learn of the ancient Runes. You did something very smart; you used your first wish to turn yourself into a dragon, giving your skin immense durability, making your body a vessel, and using your second wish to give yourself the heart of 2 dragons on par within the top 100 strongest beings. Then using your third wish to get one of the strongest powers, the runes using imagination and combination of certain other runes to create many different effects and possibilities. Very, very good. Well, that shall be all for the modifications of you and your soul. Now Kazu let's see how you do when compared to the heroes of the past." Ophis says before sharply jabbing the nape of my neck, making me black out.
[{Sorry if this conversation is too fast and or robotic. People and dialogue are hard to write}]