I stared down at Caedes as he sank deeper into the ocean, his body battered and bloodied. The sight was almost surreal—he looked as though every drop of blood had been drained from him. A chilling feeling washed over me, but I wasn't sure if it was from the cold water or something else.
Then, an illusionary figure appeared beside him, sinking alongside the dying boy. It looked remarkably similar to Caedes, only older. The figure had wavy white hair, a bit of facial hair around its lips, and wore a futuristic cloak.
Suddenly, the figure's eyes snapped open. The pale green in those eyes glowed eerily in the dark blue water.
"Caedes..."
The figure's voice echoed in the depths. It looked at the boy with a smirk on its face.
"This is when I had died. The point where it all started. Kekeke—You were the reason I suffered. Now try living the life I lived. The life that was forced onto me before I became Jester. The god of death and misery!"
The figure vanished into particles, and I could feel an unsettling joy as the boy continued to sink, a fish brushed past him and then burst into a pool of blood. It was an ominous sign. Did I make a mistake drowning him into the ocean?
The sea creatures around him grew curious and approached cautiously. What followed was a scene unlike anything I had ever witnessed—every creature that touched Caedes disintegrated or exploded into a mess of flesh and blood. But the most astounding transformation was yet to come.
Caedes' skin, wounds, and scars vanished without a trace. If not for the torn pieces of cloth and his black hair stained with blood, one might have doubted the reality of what had transpired.
As he sank deeper, I could feel his desperation. I could almost hear his thoughts—why wasn't he dead? Why couldn't he find the peace he was seeking? His life was a string of broken dreams, of being unwanted and unloved.
I had seen his struggle, his attempts to fight back, and his yearning for a life he could never quite grasp. It was almost poetic in its tragedy.
His thoughts were clouded, drifting between confusion and despair. How could someone survive after dying? Why did he possess these strange powers, and were they connected to the visions that boy named Keiren he had been having? After all, everyone knew Caedes was a mad-man. And his stories about a different world where people awakened soul weapons were nothing more than tea gossip.
I began to question however, were they really just ramblings of a hallucinating man or was there more to it?
The light of dawn broke across the ocean, shattering the darkness. Just as I was about to think more about his predicament, Caedes' body was struck by an immense force. His bones felt like they were being crushed as he crashed into the seabed. A massive octopus loomed over him, its tentacles raised menacingly.
Despite the creature's apparent indifference, it was clear that even it wasn't immune to the strange effect Caedes had. The octopus swung a tentacle at him with force, ripping through his upper body and throwing him back. But to my astonishment, his flesh started to stitch itself back together as if he was regenerating.
"You can also try your luck in killing me, you overgrown octopus…" His voice was cold, devoid of emotion. One that I have never heard.
If you could hear people talking underwater in the first place..Was I dreaming? The voice seemed to touch a nerve with the creature. An imaginary smile seemed to flicker across the octopus's face as it prepared to strike again.
The scene was shifting, and as I watched, I knew this was only the beginning. Whatever was happening to Caedes, it was something beyond mine or anyone else's comprehension and far from over.
***
Caedes' POV
Before I could come to terms with the amount of pain that assaulted my body and the fact that I was currently drowning in water-
I felt the immense pressure of the ocean around me, and as I sank deeper, the tentacles of the giant octopus I had taunted continued to assault me, tossing my body around like a ragdoll. The creature's actions felt deliberate, almost playful, and I couldn't help but think, "You can't have me die, can you?"
The integration between a beast and a human happens when their blood comes into contact and they share the same affinity. Until now, I had never been able to tame a beast, but this time, it happened effortlessly.
Most beasts lacked the intelligence to be a real threat to humans; they weren't considered a race because of their limited understanding and inability to speak our language. But this octopus was different. It defied the norms, showing a level of intelligence that was supposed to be impossible.
"Is this related to my strange blood powers?" I wondered, feeling a mix of fear and confusion.
"This is the major problem," I mused aloud with a smug tone. "As long as the two beings have the same affinity and their blood comes in contact, they will be integrated! So basically, you are now my slave, aren't you?"
The octopus reacted violently to my words, its tentacles whipping around me faster and fiercer. I was tossed around the ocean for what felt like an eternity. I knew the creature wouldn't kill me, though.
There was a rule in place to protect the weaker race. If the weaker one dies, the stronger one faces severe backlash or even death. This rule ensured peace and prevented unnecessary conflict between our races.
Despite the uncertainty of my own will to live, I had little choice. My body seemed to heal mysteriously, and I could cause harm to anything that touched me. What would happen next? Would I venture onto land and risk harming innocent people? No, I resolved to learn to control these powers and never use them recklessly.
"Could the administrator help me?" I thought. "I've heard that 24 hours after integrating with a beast or awakening your bloodline, you're sent to the Ancient God's realm. That might be my best option."
In this world, there are three ways to enter the Ancient God's realm. Humans, as descendants of gods, can tap into their ancestral bloodlines. Another way is using God's essence, which can be extracted from their remains. Lastly, a beast can enter the realm if it bonds with a human. This balance between the races has been crucial to maintaining peace.
The octopus, sensing my internal struggle, asked, "You don't have the will to live… Why?" It was puzzled because, in its experience, everyone faced death with fear.
I countered with a hollow smile, "Neither do you have the will to live, otherwise, you wouldn't be blatantly killing me—your master and bond."
I felt myself being dragged somewhere and had no choice but to follow.
***
In one of the deepest parts of the ocean, a magnificent house made of coral came into view. It was strikingly beautiful, and I couldn't help but think, "If you're planning to enter this house, don't destroy it. My broken heart couldn't bear to see it ruined."
The creature snickered and enveloped itself in a bright white light. As the light condensed, its form became more humanoid. I watched in shock as the light faded, revealing the creature's true form. I tried to step back, but the tentacles held me firmly by the neck.
"Y-You are a girl?!?" I stammered, unable to believe what I was seeing.
***
7 more power stones for a bonus chapter!
Ps: Many new characters will be introduced soon and I would love it if you all- My dear readers could give me some ideas. It could be a name you really like or even a super power you would like a character to have.
Regards,
Bearateme_