In the boundless expanse of the universe…
Gerald, without a body, without senses, without the ability to perceive anything or do anything, was thinking.
He was thinking as a mere consciousness.
"What in the world?" He looked around. He 'saw' stars and galaxies moving at rapid speed.
Unknown energies, sensations, images, sounds, random mass of information filled his mind.
"Where am I? What's going on?" Gerald couldn't make out anything that was going on. His mind was in great turmoil.
Suddenly, a suction pulled him out of nowhere. It was so strong that he couldn't even resist it. Not that he could in the first place.
The galaxies stretched into infinite lines, without a beginning or end.
"Is this what the afterlife looks like?" Gerald gasped as he witnessed the beauty of the cold and uncaring might of the universe. But that was just his imagination as he currently doesn't even have a body.
He then saw someone in peculiar clothing brewing a potion. He completed it, but he suddenly fell limp like a puppet who lost its strings.
"Who is tha-?" Gerald was going to ask until his vision was enveloped by blinding white light that seemed to consume the entire universe before his vision flashed. When the light faded, he found himself in a physical body in a strange room.
Bam!
Gerald fell on the ground. "Gah! What the hell is happening?" Gerald looked around. He saw the same scene he saw earlier when he was still floating in space. There was a table with the purple liquid inside a glass bottle and a few vials with strange liquid.
He looked around this foreign area and saw that he was in an old cabin in the middle of the woods. There were plants, ores, and strange objects in jars with labels. There was also a furnace, a cabinet full of tools and glass bottles, vials and spoons.
In the middle of the cabin, he saw more equipment and strange items. It was a wide table with a lot of items cluttering the area. He saw a mortar and pestle with crushed powder emitting a red glow alongside other strange stuff.
"Where the hell am I?" Gerald looked at his hands and saw that he was wearing a leather coat and black gloves. He saw a mirror nearby and looked at himself.
What he saw was a tall man, with a strange looking gas mask and a belt around his chest containing vials of different colored liquids.
He breathed in, he could smell the sweet aroma of the chemicals mixed inside the mask's "breathing chamber."
"Is.. is this me?" Gerald reached for the mirror and examined himself. He removed his mask and saw that he was a man with a dirty, stern face that had ugly dark circles under his eyes.
He removed his left glove and exclaimed in shock. "Is this gold?"
His fingers were made of a beautiful and shiny golden material. It didn't look human at all.
In fact, they looked like a golden statue molded by a great sculptor who spent years and years of his life trying to try and perfect all the exquisite details in his fingers.
He removed the other glove and saw that both hands had golden fingers. It was a strange sight.
What's stranger is that he could feel more sensitivity within them. It feels quicker and more controllable than ordinary flesh.
And despite being made of a tough material, they were able to express a great level of flexibility.
He wasn't a biologist, but he understood that the golden parts of his body are a hundred times better than a normal human body part. The experience was alien for him.
"Amazing... So this guy is a chemist of some sort? No no no, an alchemist.." He remembered the weird scene earlier and looked at the concoction that the previous owner of the body was making.
Next to the glass bottle with purplish starry liquid, there was a book. It was a foreign language but he could read it somehow.
Each character starts from either the top right or the top left and is always written rigid, but it becomes swirly and unpredictable before turning rigid once again.
All of the letters and numbers are written with only one to three strokes. What he read from the book was very important information on alchemy.
".. Abnormal Tier, Soul Strengthening Potion, this recipe will give the consumer more affinity to soul related items and creatures, it can also make it easier for alchemists to refine and produce more soul type potions..."
Gerald continued reading the book and he was intrigued. But the more he kept reading, he felt that his head was becoming more and more painful.
A splitting headache started to sprout from his brain. It was a type of pain that wasn't physical. It was something that stemmed from the soul.
"Why am I having a headache out of all things?" Gerald held his scalp in pain. He gritted his teeth and his breathing started becoming more and more rough.
Suddenly, the pain became too unbearable that he fell down the floor and convulsed in pain.
"AAAAAAHHHH, MY HEAD!" Gerald felt as if he was going mad. His veins were bulging and it looked like they were about to burst any moment now.
Gerald thought fast and remembered the soul strengthening potion. With all of his strength, he stood up with great difficulty and drank the purple liquid emitting starlight.
Gulp.
He finished everything in one drink. And afterwards, the splitting pain disappeared.
He slumped down the ground after getting through that ordeal. Gradually, his breathing calmed down as well.
Gerald closed his eyes and information that he never had access to, started appearing in his mind like starlight filling up the dark and desolate space.
"What? who's Chrysos Tylo? Oh wait, that's this guy's name before I came here... Hm? A hero? He was betrayed, and was forced into hiding..."
Gerald was receiving every memory that "Chrysos" had.
"Twenty Continents of the Divine Lands, oh wow this world is huge! This reminds me of an MMORPG that I used to play. But seriously, that's a lot of continents.." Gerald wasn't sure if this much surface area of the planet was affecting the gravity in any way.
Like a book the information in his mind began flipping its pages. "...The energy that gave life and existence to all is called Divinious . I'm currently in the third continent, Supremia Aliqierta.. What a strange name. Wait, the twenty continents isn't all there is to the Divine Lands? Those are only human territory!? Just how big is this world??" Gerald was given a shock.
This world isn't what he initially thought it was. Because of the number of continents this world has, he guessed that it was nearing the size of Jupiter! But if that's the case, why isn't everyone being squashed by the powerful gravitational force?
"So this world is called the "Divine Lands." and there's the twenty Spirit Continents. Every continent is unique and has its own specialties. And the way technology here has developed is quite amazing.. humans managed to create tools and machines using magic, it seems."
The way he was trying to explain things to himself was a bit too scientific, but that was because he didn't know how to explain things to himself without it being weird. But all of that effort just made it even weirder for himself.
Images of people using different weapons and occupations showed up in his mind. People who can use the magical energy called Divinious are called 'Awakened Ones.'
And decided from birth, they are assigned a 'Divine Path'
The different melee Divine Paths include, "Warborn, Berserker, Martial Artist, Assassin, Thief, Magic Armorclad, Steel Armorclad, Barbaric Warblood, Rogue, Slasher, and the Swordsman." The swordsman is a recently created Divine Path according to the information Gerald received.
The magical Divine Paths are, "Magic Caster, Shadow Inducer, Illusionist, Spirit Summoner, Necromancer, Psychic, Holy Priest, Sorcerer, Cleric, Shaman." The cleric and shaman are special because a cleric uses the will and assistance of gods through god altars while shamans connect to the Gates of Spirits in order to offer them certain conditions in order to fight for them.
The next one is the ranged Divine Paths, "Archer, Crossbowman, Explosive Archer, Arrowslinger, Bladeslinger, Sniper, Aerialist Archer, Spearhurler." The Aerialist Archer and the Spearhurler are strange ones. The Aerialist Archer is the only Divine Path that allows flight. Meanwhile, the Spearhurler is a path that gives the awakened one ridiculous throwing strength using rocks, bombs, magic, and of course, spears.
Finally, the support Divine Paths. "Miner, Blacksmith, Armorsmith, Weaponsmith, Craftsman, Trapmaker, Alchemist, Herbalist, Potionmaker, Blood Alchemist, Beast Tamer, Hunter, Runesmith, Enchanter, and the Jeweler." The only tricky paths here to understand are the alchemist sub-paths. The Alchemist is well rounded when it comes to brewing potions and creating pills.
The Herbalist mainly uses plants and less Divinious energy, at the cost of more ingredients being used. The Potionmaker needs less ingredients and mainly compensates using Divinious energy.
The Blood Alchemist however, is different. It uses flesh and organic matter to create blood potions that work like normal potions and pills in the form of edible meat. A more grotesque yet effective class.
After that, the stream of information stopped.
Gerald sighed in amazement. "The Divine Lands, huh?" He muttered to himself.
Even though he got what he wished for, a new life, he… was lost.
Gerald knew that he couldn't go back at the moment and even if he found a way back, it would take too long and things might've changed back on earth.
He wasn't excited, he wasn't happy, he felt numb.
He stood there, in this unfamiliar world.
Alone.
"…"
"Gerald, why are you so lost?" He heard a woman's voice behind him. An ethereal yet familiar sound that he hasn't heard for 10 years.
10 grueling years of loneliness and emptiness that he had to endure.
When he turned around, he couldn't believe his eyes. Tears began to stream down his face.
"Mother!" He ran up to her and hugged her only to phase through her. He turned around and clenched his fists. "Why!? Why did you leave me? It was so painful without you! I couldn't do anything… I couldn't do.."
"...Anything…" Gerald slumped down the floor as his tears flowed out.
Carina sighed and stroked his head. "I'm sorry that I left you too early. Just remember that even though I'm gone, I have loved you no matter what happened." She was wearing a casual brown long skirt and a white blouse. She sat down beside him and hugged him.
Gerald cried as he sat with his knees closely and his arms hugging them tight.
Seeing that Gerald was unresponsive, Carina began to speak with her ethereal voice. "First of all, I want to clear up some things with you.. it wasn't your fault that this all happened, and second of all, the death of Chester and others aren't your fault as well. And third of all, I hope that you stop blaming your father for what happened before."
"Why?!" Gerald snapped back as he looked at Carina with his eyes red after crying so much. "Mom, he was never there for me! He was just there to flaunt his achievements without ever considering me! And you're telling me to forgive him!? I'm sorry, but I just can't forgive that… that.." Gerald clenched his jaws so tightly as his tears flowed into his lips.
Carina hushed him. "I know, I know… but you weren't the only one affected by what happened back then.. Daniel was also grieving.. he couldn't handle what happened to me. And I know he made a mistake not tending to you when you needed him the most…" Carina rubbed his back as she spoke.
"So Gerald, my son.. listen to me." Carina looked at him seriously.
Gerald refused to listen and buried his face into his knees.
"Listen to me!" Carina shook him by the shoulders.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't convince him to let go of the idea to make you take over his legacy. It's just, difficult for me to do so.." Carina had a hard time expressing her words.
"But the whole reason he became who he was today is because of his father. Your grandfather, Alexander Greenwood always wanted to have a son that could bring honor to the Greenwood name. But your father was rebellious. He never listened to him and wanted to become someone great like his father expects him to be. He merely wanted to enjoy life for how it is."
Carina sighed. "And that was until your grandfather passed away. Your father, he.. he had a hard time getting over his death. That was what pushed him to become who he is now. And his hard work grew too big that he didn't want to see it fall apart..
Carina then slowly began patting his head.
"And that's when you came in... Your father saw that you could continue his legacy born from his regret and pain. I'm sorry that I couldn't break the cycle and free you from it. I'm truly sorry Gerald. I wasn't strong enough for you."
Gerald was thrown out of his sorrow and looked at Carina straight into her eyes.
"I know that everything went wrong but now what will you do? Are you just going to keep crying here doing nothing?" Carina wiped off his tears using her long sleeved blouse.
"What did I tell you before?" Carina's face softened. "Whatever happens…"
"As long as there's strength within you…" Carina slowly spoke.
"... Keep walking forward." They both spoke in unison.
Carina hugged him tightly. "You're strong, Gerald.. you're stronger than you think.." Carina kissed him on the cheek. "So please, I want you to live on… I want to see you grow even further… even if you're no longer in the same world or universe or anything! I will keep watching over you and my love will never cease for you." Carina smiled warmly.
"Do you understand that?"
Gerald nodded. "I do…" He wiped his tears using his sleeves. "I'll keep going forward… I just want to say..." Gerald's voice was shaky.
"Thank you.. for everything that you've done for me. And please remember that I love you too."
Carina smiled. "I know that.. pursue your dreams Gerald, I will always stay here." Carina pointed at his heart. "I'll be there with you."
Accompanied by the moonlight from the window, Carina's ethereal, translucent body began to fade into silver starlight.
Gerald watched as she slowly disappeared into nothing.
He smiled.
"Thank you…"
"I…"
"Will keep moving forward.. thanks to you."