Adrian opened his eyes to a cold wind blowing around him. The once vibrant palace, filled with laughter and life, had transformed into a graveyard.
He struggled to get up, his injuries causing him immense pain. Surrounding him were hundreds, no, thousands of corpses.
Blood covered him, and as he walked past the bodies, he recognized some faces—people who had fought alongside him on the battlefield.
With cold determination, he muttered, "Just wait, Lavian. I will make sure you die by my hands."
But for now, Adrian had another goal. He needed to go to that place. Exiting the king's palace, he made his way to the gate. He vividly recalled the first time he discovered it.
'It wasn't too long ago when I used to investigate gates to find out what quests needed to be done, these investigations were meant to make it easier for others to clear the gates.'
The true nature of a gate only revealed itself when the quest was known.
One day, while investigating a random gate, Adrian stumbled upon a broken temple. As he walked through it, black energy surrounded him, and the family sword at his waist began to shine as if someone were calling him.
The eerie screams grew louder until he had to flee. Just before he could escape, red-blackish flames engulfed him.
When he finally awoke and exited the gate, he received a message from the system:
[You have discovered the hidden gate: "Domain of Space and Time."]
At that moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind, but he kept the discovery to himself.
Now, standing at the entrance of the gate once more, he looked out at the beautiful landscape from the hill and the village below.
All gates were interconnected, and traces of wars from other gates could be seen here.
He stood in front of the broken temple, or more specifically, the 'Temple of Gods.' As a reward for finding this temple, he was given a code.
He approached the altar, dropped some blood, and recited the code.
" ∷ᒷᓭ!¡ᒷᓵℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᔑʖᓭ𝙹ꖎ⚍ℸ ̣ ᒷꖎ|| g𝙹↸ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ ᔑリ↸ ᓭ!¡ᔑᓵᒷ "
Instantly, black clouds engulfed the hill, and high-speed winds began to blow. Blue and purple auras filled the air.
[Who has called us here?] The goddess's voice echoed, causing Adrian to tremble in shock.
[The Goddess of Time is watching you.]
Struggling to contain his emotions, Adrian spoke, "As you know, other gods have begun their invasion. I need your help."
[Why should I help you? Even if we do, what will you give us in return?]
He was taken aback. 'We?' he thought. With a confused expression, he pleaded, "I know I'm not of much use to you, but please help me."
As the Goddess of Time considered his request, another god stepped forward—the God of Space. He suggested accepting Adrian's request under one condition: he must bring them the heart of the God of the Underworld, a nearly impossible task, as no one had the power to defeat a god.
"Are you people really crazy? But I have no choice," Adrian thought.
[You have shown us many interesting things, so you must continue to provide more entertainment. If you fail, we will destroy everything you hold dear, even this Earth, just for amusement.]
"Ah, okay. Can you... cough... turn back time?" Blood trickled from his mouth as he spoke, knowing he had little time left.
[That's an easy task, but remember, after turning back time, the other gods may become hostile towards you.]
"I will fulfill the condition as you have said."
The Goddess of Time cast a powerful spell, causing the space around the temple to collapse into a single point.
Adrian felt his body shrinking, becoming heavy, as the mana within him dissipated.
The Goddess of Time had a reason for accepting Adrian's request. She had watched the mortal realm for centuries, growing weary of the monotonous cycles of power and rebellion.
Adrian's determination and the potential for upheaval in the balance of power intrigued her. She saw in him a spark of chaos that could bring a new era, a source of endless entertainment for the gods.
This rare opportunity to witness such a dramatic shift was too tempting to resist, and so she decided to aid him, setting the stage for a new, unpredictable future.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
He opened his eyes, now much smaller, and smelled the familiar scent of his home.
Relief and happiness filled him, but the feeling was short-lived. In front of him stood someone he didn't recognize.
This person's existence was an enigma, a mystery he needed to unravel.
###Chapter 5 - End###