I floated through a vast, silent void—an endless realm severed from time, where the weight of mortality no longer mattered. Darkness enveloped me, not with menace, but with a strange, comforting stillness that calmed my weary soul.
"Such darkness, so strangely comforting," I mused, my thoughts echoing faintly in the expanse. "Am I alone? Where has fate led me?"
Time had no hold here. Each moment blurred into the next as I drifted through this boundless sea of nothingness. My consciousness, detached and adrift, wandered without purpose.
Suddenly, a glimmer of light pierced the dark shroud, pulling me toward its source with an irresistible force. I was drawn forward, weightless and effortless, as though an invisible hand guided my path.
The light intensified, revealing a figure emerging from the depths—something conjured from the deepest recesses of my subconscious. A woman stood before me, her presence both ethereal and unsettling, a haunting fusion of beauty and decay. She was like a goddess forsaken by time—ancient, powerful, yet withering beneath the weight of her own existence.
Her attire was a vision of forgotten grandeur. A flowing gown of dark fabric clung to her form, exuding a gothic elegance that whispered of untold mysteries. Adorned in black metal, gleaming like polished obsidian under distant stars, she stood as a relic of an era long past. Crowning her was a diadem of gemstones, each sparkling with a cold, mesmerizing light, as though they pulsed with the very energy of forgotten worlds.
I stood, entranced by her, my senses overwhelmed by the palpable aura of both sorrow and strength. She sat upon a throne hewn from black opal and obsidian, cradling a lantern whose azure flame flickered with a haunting glow. Around her, the void took on a life of its own, a vast ocean of starlight and wandering souls, flickering like the distant memories of forgotten dreams.
"Who are you?" I ventured, my voice barely a whisper, a tremor of both awe and fear reverberating through me.
"I am a goddess of death," she replied, her voice resonant yet soft, like a lament borne on the wind. "One who defies the heavens themselves. Welcome, Yura. You have crossed the rivers of the abyss to stand before me."
My name, spoken by her lips, sent a shiver through my being. "And where, goddess of death, do I find myself?"
Her gaze remained fixed upon me, her eyes gleaming with an intensity that seemed to see into the very depths of my soul. "You stand in my abyssal domain, where even the gods dare not tread. A realm untouched by their light."
I furrowed my brow, the weight of her words stirring an avalanche of questions. "Why have I been brought here? Why do you seem to fade, as if withering before my eyes?"
The goddess sighed, a sound heavy with the burdens of eternity. "I have bent the laws of time to bring you here, delaying the inevitable to offer you a choice—one that will determine the fate of worlds."
Confusion clouded my thoughts. "A choice? What choice could someone like me possibly make that would matter?"
"You are not bound for hell, nor do you belong to the void," she said softly, her voice thick with unspoken sorrow. "I have summoned you because a world beyond your own is in great peril. And you, Yura, are destined to protect it."
I blinked, struggling to comprehend. "Protect it? From what?"
She rose from her throne, her movements slow and deliberate, as though burdened by the weight of her ancient duty. Her hands, cold yet strangely soothing, reached out to cradle my face. Her touch brought with it a sense of purpose—a purpose I had not known in a lifetime.
"Because, Yura, the world I speak of is a prime world—a place of untold beauty and power. It alone, among all realms, produces primal magic—magic that naturally emanates from the very essence of this world. And its very essence is tied to the flow of magic that has existed since the dawn of creation. It is a world of infinite resource, not through exploitation, but through an unbroken cycle of life, death, and regeneration. Its land, its creatures, all contribute to its magic, sustaining a perfect, delicate balance."
Her voice grew heavier, a dread creeping into her words. "But many seek to plunder this world for themselves. Gods, mortals, and demons—they all covet its power. They would strip it bare, reduce it to a hollow shell, and in doing so, upset the balance that sustains not only that world but all creation."
My heart raced as the gravity of her words sank in. "And I am meant to stop them?"
"You must do more than stop them, Yura," she said, her gaze hardening. "You must kill those who would bring chaos and despair. You must destroy those who seek to defile this world's gifts. Even the gods may stand in your path, and you must be ready to face them. For they believe this world is theirs to claim, but it is not. It is a world in perfect stasis—a delicate balance of life, magic, and death—and you are its guardian."
Her tone grew colder, sharper, as though etched in stone. "The gods will come for it, as will beings of chaos. They desire its infinite resources, its unbroken flow of magic and knowledge. But they will only bring ruin. And you, Yura, must be the one to stand against them. To destroy those who would exploit and ravage what should remain untouched."
I took a deep breath, my mind reeling from the enormity of her command. "You want me to kill gods?"
"If they seek to pillage this world, yes," she replied, her eyes never leaving mine. "You must destroy anyone—god, mortal, or demon—who threatens to break the natural flow of this realm. This world is unique, a vital source of life, magic, and knowledge. Without it, the balance of creation itself could unravel."
A surge of righteous anger coursed through me, igniting a flame I had not felt in ages. "Then I will do it. I will protect this world from those who would destroy it."
The goddess allowed a faint smile to grace her lips, though sorrow still lingered behind her eyes. "Then go, Yura. Fulfill your destiny. Guard this world's stasis, protect its people, and ensure that the cycle remains unbroken. Even if it means standing against the gods themselves, you cannot allow this world to fall."
Her voice grew darker, foreboding. "In fifty years, summons from other worlds will descend there, beings such as you once were. If they come, you must be ready to confront them—potentially with lethal force if they misuse their powers. The threat of beings with immense abilities and divine backing could plunge this world, or the cities within it, into chaos."
A heavy pause lingered before she continued. "With power comes great responsibility, and human nature is fraught with flaws. History has shown that power often corrupts, magnifying greed, sin, and the lust for dominion. The more formidable the power, the greater the temptation to abuse it."
Her words struck with a chilling clarity. "It is not merely their strength that is at stake, but the moral decay that can follow. If left unchecked, their influence could unravel the very fabric of society, leading to a descent into chaos and suffering."
I met her gaze, the enormity of my task bearing down on me. "I understand," I whispered. "I will not allow this world to fall into chaos. I will protect it, no matter who stands in my way."
The goddess nodded, a glimmer of pride flickering faintly in her gaze. "Go forth, Yura. Embrace your destiny. And remember, nothing—not even the gods—can stand between you and the world you are meant to defend."