Auriel then found himself falling though dimensions as a portal opened up beneath him. The feeling of falling now that his body has been stripped of its divinity suddenly felt scary, a new feeling he had never felt before. So even though he was surrounded in Diran's protective bubble, he couldn't help but think…
'HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!'
Auriel scream-cried the entire freefall to Diran's mortal planet, tears making waterfalls out of his eyes. He fell through multiple layers of atmosphere until he finally could see the quickly approaching ground.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
His scream was cut short when he finally made contact with the ground making him face-plant into the soft cushiony divine bubble. He rolled for several meters before crashing into a large rock formation that finally stopped his motion. Auriel laid out like a dead starfish, his eyes swirling from the tumble he just took.
After a couple minutes Diran's visage appeared before Auriel, he seemed to be lazing around sipping wine in his sleep robe, "Well it certainly looked fun falling through the cosmos. Definitely was amusing to watch, that's for sure…"
Auriel straightened, his face flush with embarrassment as Diran took a sip of his wine as if nothing was wrong. Auriel was sitting there fuming at Diran, "Diran you cocky bastard… You planned this from the start!"
"Well of course, how else would you understand your current mortality if I didn't? I gave you this protective bubble too and you still screamed as if you were going to die." Diran shrugged as if not really understanding what the problem was. It only made Auriel grind his teeth in irritation even more.
Diran looked down at Auriel through his lashes before sighing nonchalantly, "Anyways, I didn't come here just to chit chat. I have information that will aid you in your survival in this world. For instance, the world is called Eden."
Auriel adjusted himself to sit properly as Diran explained different aspects of the world and its inhabitants. At the end of it all Auriel had gained more of an understanding on what he just jumped into. When Diran was finally done with his explanation, Auriel sat for a moment taking it all in.
"Do you have any questions?" Diran asked as if he had something else to attend to.
Auriel thought for a moment before he finally realized something important, "So where's my money?"
Diran blinked, "Huh?"
"You're not just going to leave me broke are you?" Auriel pressed.
Diran sipped his wine looking to the side.
Auriel squinted, "No way. Are you—."
"This protection orb will disappear at sunrise..." Diran cut him off looking up at some trees.
"Hey!"
"Once that happens the challenge starts."
"HEY WAI—!"
"Good luck."
Then with that Diran disappeared, leaving a flabbergasted Auriel. He was about to let out a string of curses when suddenly Diran pops back in right in front of him.
"I almost forgot one thing…"
Auriel jumps back in shock, gold jewelry jingling as he clutches at his silk robe, "You can't do that!"
"I didn't think being a mortal would turn you into a shivering little fawn." Diran smirked.
"Shut up!" Ariel turned away sharply in embarrassment.
Diran chuckled before moving closer to Auriel much more cautiously. He brought his hand up to Auriel's face and a golden glow illuminated his middle and index finger. Auriel looked between the fingers and Diran with a questioning look.
"It's just a fragment of your divinity but you'll need it to find the rest of your fragments." Diran said as he pressed his fingers to Auriel's forehead before continuing, "And just to give you one some help since I am leaving you to fend for yourself… You can use the full power of your divinity just once in this challenge. Anymore than that and I'll consider it as you forfeiting the challenge."
Auriel huffed at Diran's offer, "You think I'll ever be in such a position that I'll need that trump card?."
"Who knows what'll happen during the year? You may just eat those words you profess so proudly." Diran smiled slyly, "Well now, as lovely as it is to see you in such a pathetic state in person, I must leave."
Auriel was about to speak before Diran tossed a sack of coins in front of him. "Make it work, I will not abruptly shift the economy of this world just so you can live leisurely." Then Diran disappeared for the last time leaving Auriel to himself.
Auriel took the bag of coins and opened it up to look within. There were two gold coins, five silver and seven copper coins. The bag also contained some extra supplies like two pieces of flint, a map, a knife, and a water skin. His eyebrow twitched in irritation, 'Diran really skimped out on the resource thing now didn't he…'
Auriel sighed before flopping back on the divine protection orbs cushioned interior and placing the pouch on his lap. The sky was still rather dark but the slightest shift in brightness showed that the sun was starting to rise. Auriel waited calmly in the bubble, the feeling of sleep washing over him. 'I still have a few hours before sunrise. I should probably sleep while I can.' Auriel's heavy eyes closed not a second later and he fell into a blissful sleep.
As the sun started to rise, and the sky started displaying a beautiful azure hue, Auriel dozed comfortably. When the sun started to peak over a nearby mountain and cast its light down into the woods, the light flickered through the tree leaves onto the divine orb. Slowly the orb started to erode away from the light turning into sparkling magicules. As this happened Auriel could suddenly feel the sun's rays dance across his eyes, gently coaxing him from his sleep.
Auriel grunted as he stirred. He tried to roll over and when he did he felt the cold ground instead of a comfy bubble. This sensation made him jolt awake and look around, the bubble was already nearly deteriorated to his sleepy displeasure. Auriel sighed knowing that he couldn't stay like this forever, he rubbed his eyes and stretched. When he finally felt ready, Auriel gathered himself and jumped up with a determined look.
'Let the game begin!'