I stood as the ultimate lifeform and the rightful sovereign of the multiverse. Possessing more power than any other being, I had no time or interest in dealing with the affairs of mere mortals.
They were disorderly, reckless, and destructive creatures. When faced with opposition, they resorted to conflict; when offered something, they exploited it. My superior kin shared similarities with those wretched mortals in some aspects but lacked their negative traits.
'Speaking of mortals...'
One stood before me, er, not quite.
Devoid of free will, the mortal served as a test subject for The Doctor, as he now called himself. Used in scientific experiments to create the ultimate warrior who would execute my every command and help govern the cosmos with an iron fist.
Despite being the first successful subject to survive the experiments, the mortal proved exceedingly feeble. He could not even challenge that blasted Demon King; to be fair, only I could challenge him and come out on top.
He could have achieved greatness with proper training, time, and different scenarios surrounding his life, but alas, he was merely a pawn in a larger scheme, my scheme.
Adam, my one true friend, brought him before me and requested to bring him into the next cycle.
"Why?" I questioned.
What was worth saving from this broken-down husk of a creature? His body was beyond the concept of restoration, even if the blasted Demon King held back not instantly killing him.
The only way to save him would be for me to reconstruct his body or throw him into a new body in the next cycle. But why should I? I had no love for the mortal.
I could care less if one mortal died to accomplish my goal; in fact, I would sacrifice billions to ensure my eternity.
Meeting my questioning gaze, a wide assortment of emotions could be felt as he confidently answered.
"Because I believe he has the potential to bring about positive change for humanity and all of creation. That is why," Adam replied as if it was a fact.
I waved him away, "If that is what you wish, then so be it; bring him to Uztia, and she shall handle the rest."
"As you wish, Lord."
Despite sending him off, Adam remained by my side, his head bowed respectfully.
I gazed down at him, curiosity sparkling in my eyes. Adam had always been the one to challenge my views and give a new perspective to the current ones I held. He raised questions that I either ignored or overlooked.
It made sense; after all, Adam embodies the mortal spirit I once possessed.
"Do you truly believe that my way of ruling over mortals is flawed?" I asked, my voice calm and composed.
Adam hesitated momentarily before responding, "Lord, I can see the reasoning behind your choices and ideals. However, I believe there might be a more compassionate approach to governing them."
Raising my hand, I stopped him before he could continue.
"You have been whispering into man's mind since their creation trillions of years ago, and where has it gotten you? Mortals and even godlings are tempted by desire; that is how they live through their passion for things.'
I changed my voice to mimic one of the mortals Adam loves dearly, this time an elderly woman: "If I want to eat, I eat; if I want to kill, I will kill."
Now, in my normal voice, "All beings do this, but the mortals take it a step further; they kill, pillage, lie, and violate their kind for their selfish ideals and beliefs. They warped the line between what is right and wrong when |_ _ _| gave them free will. That mistake was given to mortals, and only when that abomination is gone will it disappear."
I let out a sigh as I proceeded.
"I understand your affection for mortals; after all, I assigned you the duty of supervising them and ensuring they do not stray and transform into something they are not meant to be. You know them better than I do. However, the difference between us is that I am not interested in instructing them to improve. Let them remain under my influence, under my firm control."
Switching voices again, this time to a young child, I continued my rant.
"Why bother teaching a dog a trick if it refuses to learn it?"
Returning to my original voice, "That is a saying from the mortals you care more for than your existence."
Adam gazed up at me, and I noticed a look of sorrow I had never witnessed before. Rising to his full height, he met me at eye level.
"I do comprehend the virtues and vices of mortal kind. I am aware of the good they can accomplish with proper guidance and the atrocities they can commit if not educated. You have witnessed firsthand what immortals are capable of as well, like the dragons and like |_ _ _|. No being is flawless; you and I are no exception. We make errors and learn from them. That is what it means to be alive, and the sole difference between mortals and us is that they lack the wisdom to comprehend the bigger picture and the consequences of their actions. Please, stop this madness."
The sorrow in his eyes was not for himself but for... me? Was he shown a vision of fate? Why wasn't I shown if he had? No, maybe that's not it.
If not, then what was causing him to behave in such a manner? Could my eternity lead to my downfall? No.. that is inconceivable! I cannot be mistaken! I am NEVER wrong.
Adam must be mistaken in his judgment. Unless he isn't... no. I am correct, and he is wrong. Nothing more to it.
"I have one final question before I send you away: What did you see to beckon this conversation in the first place?"
Adam's expression was one of deep apprehension, as if regretting his following words. The weight of his thoughts caused him to hesitate; his lips pressed tightly together.
What could compel him to behave this way? Surely, it can't be so bad as to warrant such a reaction. Yet, Adam does not exaggerate.
"Speak."
"The path you've chosen leads to your downfall, leaving your city in shambles, your loyal servants dead or lost, your creations turning against you, and ultimately, your demise at the hands of a "mere mortal." This is the vision given to me by |_ _ _ _ _|. Misfortune awaits if you keep-"
A wave of calm anger washed over me as the room started to warp, shake, and dissolve into tiny fragments. My fingers, gripping the armrest of my throne, quivered just a bit as I addressed my friend with a steady voice. "Enough of your foolishness."
I paused, rose from my seat, and took a deep breath to compose myself.
"Any other that would dare utter such things would be erased from existence with no chance of returning. Speaking anymore of this absurdity will have you banished, the lightest punishment I could ever conceive for such foul words. This discussion is over. Leave me, and do not bring up this anymore."
Adam quickly after I finished, taking my desire to speak out loud with him.
Truly despicable words he was spewing, how dare he! Me? Dead? Preposterous! Outrageous! Inconceiveable!
I stood up, leaving my throne behind. Pacing around my glorious seat, I became consumed by my piling thoughts.
'What manner of sorcery is going on here? Adam never lies to me. This is the first time someone has misled him. Yes. That must be it.'
Teleporting to the top of the Divine City, my residence and the birthplace of the gods, I looked down at all of creation from my enchanted castle in a frustrated light.
Mortals were committing foolish acts of sin, as always. Crimes were carried out, both unethical and immoral, every single second.
'Them? Killing me? No, not in their wildest fantasies.'
***
Pain.
Pain was my sole companion in the flightless void surrounding me.
Agonizing cries erupted from my throat, echoing like the battle cries of a charging army. As I clawed at my neck, I could feel the warm, crimson blood trickling from my wounds, transforming me into a canvas of horror.
"Eh? I can't feel it anymore?"
In an instant, the pain vanished, swept away like a mighty tide, leaving me in a serene calm, rescuing me from drowning in my own blood.
'Had I crossed over to the other side? Is this what death is like? I thought it would be more... painful. Seems plausible, I guess.'
As I surveyed my surroundings, I found nothing but darkness. There was no light, sounds, or even a hint of movement - just an overwhelming sense of nothing.
The nothingness was depressing - anyone who was dead and had depression was reeling in agony right now.
'Do I even have a body?'
Looking down, I saw a faint echo of my body, with each movement of my body leaving after images. The blood that once covered me phased through my body, falling into the endless void.
I pressed my finger against my left cheek, curious if I could sense anything after being torn apart by an immortal creature. To my astonishment, I realized I couldn't feel my own body.
"What the?!?"
My finger slipped right through my cheek, reaching to my spine. Panicked, I yanked my finger back, causing me to lean forward and tumble. It felt like my body had no weight at all.
'This is so strange. Am I going to be stuck like this forever?'
Suddenly, as if the void heard my thoughts, a faint light lit itself in the distance.
'An exit? Or is that a person?'
The small white dot slowly grew in size, creeping ever so slightly closer. The next moment, the light hit me faster than I could perceive, knocking me back. This time, I crashed into a white marble floor instead of spinning in the air and trying to correct myself.
'What in the world?!?'
The wind was knocked out of me as I came to terms with the fact that I was touching solid ground again. I'm... alive. I'm alive!
Catching my breath, I slowly pushed myself off the floor and stood up.
As I surveyed my environment, I found myself within an enormous, pristine white Pantheon. Towering white columns supported the mansion-like structure; beyond them, an expanse of white stretched endlessly. Everything around me was a brilliant shade of white—the floor, the columns, the ceiling—everywhere I turned, there was nothing but immaculate whiteness, devoid of any trace of dirt.
Four statues of pristine white marble were flanking the columns, two on either side. Among them were two men and two women, each exuding an aura of majesty, confidence, and courage. One of these figures caught my eye: Michael, the Archangel of War.
'Why is his statue here?'
Just when I was going to walk over to them, a gentle voice swept through the pantheon like a summer breeze:
"Greetings, Alpha. Welcome to the Divine City, home of the divine. I am Uztia, messenger of the gods. I come bearing a mission from God himself. Since he safeguarded you from the Doors of Death, he wishes for you to repay this kindness."
Next to me stood a celestial figure showered in golden light. An elegant woman adorned in a gown of white porcelain, making her fair and flawless skin. She possessed two immaculate white wings that fluttered gently at her sides, while her sleek black hair was neatly styled in a bun, and atop her head rested a dazzling gold crown lined with priceless gems and jewels.
Everything about the woman radiated perfection, like a finely crafted statue. Well, almost everything.
Her expression was disgusted as if she had just encountered something repulsive.
"Thank you for saving me, but I don't care about repaying you guys. I never asked for your help, nor did I want it. Seems pretty self-centered to think only about yourself-"
Suddenly, a colossal, pearl-white hand crashed, trapping me beneath its immense weight. As I fought to break free, Uztia placed her foot and firmly pressed down on the hand I was using to push myself up, leaving me with no chance of escape.
"We don't care for you or your race. We shall use you as we see fit, and I will not allow you to talk back to me. Know your place, fool." I looked up at her and spit at her shoe.
Looking back at this in hindsight, perhaps angering the messenger of the gods was a poor decision. I might not have done this if I hadn't had a one-night trip to the unforgiving world of Hell and its extravagant festivities just moments before.
The hand that had restrained me vanished, and suddenly, I was flung into the air by Uztia's foot gracefully slamming itself into my lower jaw.
Launching into the sky at speeds far beyond the speed of light, everything around me warped, blurred, and trembled violently. Being hurled into the air by a furious deity was anything but enjoyable. The rapid velocity sent my blood swirling chaotically, leaving me dizzy and disoriented from the jarring rush.
As I flew through the space, it felt like the very fabric of reality had been altered. I drifted away from Uztia, yet it seemed as though I remained in the same spot, caught in a strange paradox.
Strangely, just as fast, I was thrown to the ground, forced onto my knees, and crushed by the same white hand moments before.
"I wouldn't even bother with you if it wasn't an order from Lord. I'm not even sure why he thought it was required to have you alive. However, this will be an opportunity to rid yourself of the brand."
"The brand? Oh, you mean this?" I looked to my right arm and saw a tattoo that wrapped around my arm, covering the majority of it.
The tattoo showed a snake skeleton that slithered from my upper right shoulder, winding its way down my arm and finishing on the backside of my hand. It shimmered and rippled like water disturbed by a thrown stone, reminiscent of a mirage shimmering in the heat of the desert. Initially, I believed I was imagining it until the snake flicked its tongue at me.
A dark aura radiated from the tattoo, brimming with a mix of emotions: fury, sorrow, hopelessness, rage, and an insatiable hunger. The sensation of it crawling across my skin made me scrunch my nose in disgust.
"The brand is an indelible mark that remains on the bearer until they eliminate the one who bestowed it. In this case, you must take down Lucifero to rid yourself of it. Lucifero is considered immortal and beyond reach, tormenting us for ages. Your odds of defeating him solo are nonexistent, a point I'll elaborate on later. However, this chance for a new life will benefit us both. You will end Lucifero's existence for the Lord, and in doing so, you will break free from the curse."
"And how can I defeat an opponent that powerful?"
"We shall send you to the time when Lucifero first began his plots to rule the realms. This will be before the time you were born-a time in which some of the strongest humans walked the mortal plane. Time will reset, and your soul will be taken into a new body."
"Why me? Why me, of all the humans that exist? Why not fight him yourselves?"
A troubled expression made its way onto the messenger of the gods, before swiftly leaving.
"Only Lord possesses the true power to confront Lucifero, but he must conserve his energy for her. He is meticulously arranging the world so that every piece of the puzzle he holds will be within reach, significantly boosting his chances of victory. With each effort, he has come closer to achieving his goal of defeating |_ _ _| |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _|. Lord wishes for you mortals to rise up and strike down the tyrant on his behalf, sparing him the burden of doing it himself. While that may be an unrealistic hope, he at least desires for you to inflict serious harm on the king."
Bigger fight? What is she talking about? Who could be stronger than Lucifero?
"What fight are you talking about-"
"Silence! There's no need for you to know. And just to clarify before you ask, yes, he is manipulating all of you mortals. He has no concern for your well-being and never will; after all, why would a deity bother with the insignificant creatures beneath him? If I were to send you with your full power, the Apostles and Disciples of the demon clan would instantly target you. Therefore, you will start life anew. Fate will bring you close to those who will play crucial roles in the unpredictable future. If you have no further questions, I will send you on your way and out of my sight!"
"I have one final question: who was it that rescued me?"
The enormous hand that had been pinning me down disappeared as if it had never existed. For the first time, she gazed into my eyes, and I noticed a spark in her warm brown eyes.
"Someone you will never have the honor of meeting. Now, off with you." Uztia finished as my vision was cut out.