"Damn this place, curse this job, fuck my life!" says a vagabond who's really good at doing his typical bloody jobs. People call him Soren Tuskmane.
Night has fallen, gusts of winds become harsher, shades of trees turned from calming to melancholic. Soren was hunted, by the duke of Prime Valley. His men were aftering me since dawn.
His crime was clear, he slit the throats of the duke's sons and wife. However, Soren was not tasked on killing him. Perhaps his employer has further plans for the duke himself.
The duke's men are starting to catch up, Soren rides his horse exiting Prime Valley, into the forest before the hills.
"Still two nights of riding away." He mumbles to himself.
Soren had always been forsaken and shunned his whole life, by his past lovers, comrades, even his own parents. Calling him "Misfortune" was their most common way to express their hates on him. So, Soren abandons everything, lives with the thread and needles of life alone.
When the dark clouds reshaped into storm clouds, the harsh winds beckon more things to come. Rain, even worse, thunder storm.
The pathway above the hills becomes too slippery and risky to cross, so Soren decides to make a camp while being hidden from his pursuitors. There are a dozen men armed with pikes and steel armor, the duke must have decided not to let him go away that easily.
He went around from the way to the hills down to the feet of it, where trees enshrouded the place.
Before that, he orders his horse to continue on the pathway, acting as a lure.
Soren ventured into the forest, seeking for shelter, but the rain is too heavy, he need to find a cave or something quickly.
Half an hour passed, he has cut through overgrown bushes and climb some trees for sights, still nothing.
After another half an hour, Soren begin fo feel desprate, he almost fall unconcious due to the cold harsh winds and merciless raindrops.
Before that happen, he spotted a red tailed stone lizard, they usually live beneath rocks within caves. And so, he followed it in the last remaining hope of finding shelter.
The lizard is oddly bigger than usual, but Soren minds nothing about it, he follows it until it went into a thick section of bush and plant life. He intents on cutting through them, but he hasn't enough energy to do so.
He willed himself, rushing through them, many sharp branches cutting and grazing him, but he minds nothing of the pain. It is meaningless.
Then he finally succeeded passing through them, and there, he found a crooked pathway, going towards a thick cloud of mists.
He jogs towards the mist, following the pathway, he do not want to lose the lizard, but is the lizard really following this pathway? In desperation, Soren minds nothing.
Later, he finally got through the mist, and came across a cave. It looks damp from the outside, but inside, it's quite dry and warm.
It is bigger than he expected, and inside, it surprisingly feels intoxicating, the aura of the cave seemsbto be otherworldly. Before, Soren has an urge to collapse to the floor and slumber to recover himself. But now, he feels the need of exploring the cavern.
The deeper he went, the wierder it gets. Soon, the cavern wall isn't rough and ancient anymore, it is polished and smooth, like a temple.
Later, Soren reached the deepest part of the cavern, it is underground now. There, he found an ominous looking gate, it looks creepy and musky. He lockpicked the locks and ventured deeper into the cavern, walked pass the gate, there, he relized something.
"This isn't just some normal cave, it's a catacomb! Or a temple?" He is genuinely confused and frightened by the ornaments on the walls and the gate. The ceiling is inlaid with sharp stones, cave bats are hanging upside down on each of the stones.
He sidles near the side of the right walls, dreading any creature or people who might live in this place.
Suddenly, the gate closes itself, and the locks are setting itself back up. Soren suppresed the urge to shout "NO!" and continue creeping into this place, he found a corridor after a few minute of sneaking.
"This better be worth my while." He mutters.
Suddenly, something is moving from behind one of the pillars.
"Shit!" He seethes, "That isn't human."
The figure disappears into the shades.
"No going back." He says to himself.
At the end of the corridor, he found a staircase down into another chamber.
The chamber is big and dark, after he enters through the entrance, it suddenly isn't dark anymore. The chamber is grand and large, Soren's jaw drops seeing the chamber from the entrance.
Inside, an altar stood tall. And a statue of a woman can be seen peering into the altar.
The altar is somekind of fountain, dry as a desert, dusty as a dune.
The statue's eyes glow in purple, brighter than the entire room and cave itself when Soren entered.
"Must be a statue of a goddess."
Soren doesn't know much about the history of the divine, nor the list of gods who ruled the multiverse. But he had learnt some from his journey back when he was young, this statue emits uneasy and intense aura, cannot be a pleasant goddess.
He is standing on a temple with the appearance of a catacomb, so he realized, "Is this the goddess of death... statue of Mihira?!" He whispers aloud to himself, shielding his eyes from the light.
The statue moves, walking towards Soren, slowly and limp.
Then a burst of black water emerges from the altar's fountain, Soren fell to his back, scrambling back up while panicking, this clearly isn't normal.
The statue is closing in, when Soren finally got up to his feet, the exit behind him disappears.
Soren laughs, knowing that this is a stupid way to die. The black liquid from the fountain fills the whole chamber's floor, many whispers can be heard.
"Succumb....." "End of men....." "Mistress of mortals' last breath..... "Breathless and deadly....."
"Helpless...." "Alone....." "No one will come for you..." "Worthless....."
"End is near....." "Soreeen..." "Tuskmane..."
The statue grins, blood is coming out of its hollowed eyes and mouth. Soren screams in terror, his bloodcurling scream echoes through the room.
Suddenly, the dark vague figure that Soren saw earlier appears in the center of the chamber.
Everything goes dark for a moment.
"Sweet release." Soren whispers to himself, in hope for peace.
Soon, Soren is standing in a garden.
The altar is gone, replaced with a fountain, spraying waters. Normal waters. Same goes for the statue, it vanishes. Now before him, it's just a garden, small river encircling the place, plants and flowers enveloping each side. It is admirable.
Soren is speechless, thinking that he was killed back there.
A footstep can be heard, then a woman arrived, she approaches Soren and stares at him curiously, she smirks and bows in courtesy, Soren does the same.
"Who are you?" Soren asks.
"Didn't you see the statue?" She replies.
"Goddess of Death and Rebirth?" Soren surprised by this encounter, his jaw drops but soon he recovers his composure.
"Call me Mihira, Tuskmane." She stoods very tall, staring at me up and down.
"I suppose a goddess would know the name of a nobody like me." Soren says sarcastically and smiles softly.
"A nobody? I think not. Why don't you follow me to my chamber, Tuskmane?" She turned her back and gestures Soren to follow her.
Only a fool would defy a goddess right infront of her, Soren did as she asked.
They enters a chamber, it's dark and peaceful. Mihira waves her fingers and suddenly two chairs appear out of nowhere.
"Sit with me, Tuskmane." She smiles.
"That name is dead, and not mine anymore." Soren grits his teeth.
"No, Tuskmane. Even if the world treated you like the lowest life, you cannot forsake your only name. It's precious." She calmly says.
Soren immediately reply, "What am I here for anyway? We mortals are just a plaything for higher beings, aren't we?"
Mihira's eyes glow in excitement.
"You have such attitude even when you are standing before a goddess. For you question, I cannot deny that. But I'm different, I do not like toying with mortals, rather I like to observe them, and take my part in their stories if it is interesting enough." She says.
"That sounds like toying with extra steps-"
Mihira interrupts, "I aid them. You see, I was looking forward for this meeting."
"Why?"
"I have a blessing to be bestowed on you. Only you, Soren Tuskmane. I have foreseen many great things for you in the far future." She chuckles, playfully grab Soren's chin.
Soren pulls his head back, "What sort of blessing do you speak of, my mistress of malice?" Soren asked suspiciously.
"Tuskmane, you have been exiled, huntedN humiliated, and cursed by countless group and individual, even your parents hates you." She replied, ignoring his question.
"And what does that have to do with anything?" He replied to her.
"You might conclude that my blessing is a curse, I will bestow you immortality, you'll live forever without aging, time cannot reach your soul no more. Also, I foresaw many great outcomes, unfortunately, those will happen after your wasteful death.
She continues, "Tuskmane, my vision will be wasted if I don't intervene." She explained in the most glorious voice.
"What's the price then?" He tilts his head, folds his arm. Observing the towering beauty before him.
Her skin is as pale as the moonlight, her dress is dark with red roses inlaid on top
of it, but still reflects the lights out of the unknown source within this chamber. Dark eyes gazing into him. Her dress falls covering her legs. She purses her lips and continues.
"I'll be watching you, and you will grant me access to your soul and mind anytime, anywhere." She adds.
"Access?"
"I may watch and visit you anytime anywhere." She explained.
He tilts his head and narrows his eyes in doubt.
She adds, "It's not as sinister as you thought, champion. The gift I bestowed upon you is already tasking, it'll be a waste if I were to do any harm to you." She soothes, then chants in a language you don't understand, with a low and calming voice.
"What do you mean by champion? Like a champion of yours?" He asked, genuinely confused. He feels like he might be flattered, even.
"Precisely. You've shown me that hidden gems are scattered around the realms, many are unseen even by the gods and goddesses. The rarer they are, the more valuable they become, like you, you're a natural. I have witnessed your victory againts that corrupted critter, the truth is my corrupted followers is the one who summoned it a long time ago." She winked playfully. Her way of explaining this issue is thorough and promising, though without minor details, Soren got a little frustated by this taunt.
"They kidnapped me, thinking I was some depressed stray loner. Easy to be tricked for, wicked rituals." He seethes.
"What's done is done. So, do you accept, Tusk?" She continues her proposal.
"There's nothing left for me to live for, I don't know if I should take this gift, mistress.."
She interrupts, "Your path will be filled with variety of bliss, hinderance, and pleasure. I'll be watching, and also guiding you indirectly. It's a better fate than death!" She raised her tone, perhaps got carried away.
"Sounds lonely." He sighs.
"Aren't you already lonely your entire life? Solitude shouldn't be a problem. And for fuck sake, this is a chance to make some company, to have the light of the day in your life, you can meet people and change your questionable fate, instead of dying alone. This is a chance to work yourself to be your best version." She said with a poker face. Very sinister in Soren's eyes.
"Death is the only way I can escape this mortal cage." He siad hopelessly
"Wasted efforts." She whispers. Clearly angered by that statement.
She clears her throat and continues, "Listen, Tuskmane, I can see your potential, it's crystal clear. There are many things awaiting for you after your death, and you prefer leaving them behind? Isn't that what those people had done to you ever since you were young?" She said sincerely with pity.
She adds, raising her tone now, "Your family, your comrades, your lover, you despised them all. But you turned out to be the same. You are a hipocrite! All mortals are the same, hipocrite!" She roars, it echoes through the chamber, resonates and shakes for a brief moment. Then the silence is back.
"When you put it that way, it feels like many special people, deared to me, is waiting for me in the future where I should have been dead."
She nods.
"Why? And How? Is it really true? How can you be so sure of this?" He asked.
She sighs, "I foresaw many great things, waiting! And bad things too, ofcourse. But at the end of the line, it's your room to improve and build, I shall not interrupt with your progress, growth, and personal life. Rather, I'll give you vague guidance and some council if you really need them.
I'll always be there for you, even when you feel lonely." She humbly approaches Soren.
"One thing though, you won't be fertile." She adds.
"Huh?"
"You can't have any offsprings. That's not an issue, right?"
Soren sighs, "I really don't know." He sadly replies.
"Immortality is a concept of eternal solitude, even if you meet countless partners." She explained
Tuskmane is still speechless, knowing that all good and pleasant things very likely will neved be everlasting. It all will end in inevitable tragedies. Like witnessing everyone passes away, being torn apart from each other, people leaving you behind, again, and again. It is an everlasting deceit.
He can't even leave any single legacy or momento in the future. It really is an eternal solitude where nihilism will take over someday, where nothing matters. So why bother?
She continues, trying to break the ice,
"Unless they are immortal too, they are mere mayflies, live only a day, die tomorrow. You'll find many great things to comprehend, to learn, to build, or to live for.
I believe in you, you have immense willpower, resist the sorrow and admire the beauty in tragedy. Even if the so called tragedy happen and wound you, please, atleast learn from them positively. I love you, champion."
A moment of silence has befallen upon them both. Tuskmane is still pondering about this gift.
Then, he starts talking, "it is settled. I'll play along, Mistress of Rebirth. There is no way going back, right?"
She shakes her head.
"Although it's weighing for me to accept, I am no hipocrite. I accept your offer, my mistress of Rebirth and Death." He smiled softly to her, she smiled back softly, but briefly turned to a smirk.
"Before, I said I loved you. It wasn't a methapore, or said just to soothe you.
I meant it. Carry on life, and spread goods in your way. Death comes with life, and I admire the tragedy that prolongs blossoming stories of this world. Life grows, death follows. And both, is my domains. I'll be watching for you, my dearest. Always." She kissed you, you can't resist, every body parts becomes motionless. Numb and hopeless.
You can't move but stand straight. Then, everything goes dark...