I felt a strange sensation, as if I was being pulled out of my body. The unknown energy that I thought was destroying my body, was nowhere to be found.
The room began to blur, and I felt myself being transported to a different realm
I opened my eyes to find myself standing in a desolate landscape. The sky was a deep, foreboding gray, and the air was thick with an eerie silence. I looked around, but there was no one in sight. No humans, no animals, no signs of life anywhere.
Sariel stood beside me, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. "This is your world, Alex. This is what's left of after they took all humanity away, oops, except you of course, hehe"
After finding Sariel was still there standing nonchalantly while teasing me, I feel bad for doubting her a second while ago.
But this small episode of my doubt and guilt was gone, as I saw the scene in front of me. Within this dream-like realm, for some reason, I can see the current situation of the world clearly.
And what I currently see made me feel a chill run down my spine as I began to realize the truth. The world I am currently in is empty, devoid of life.
I saw cities, once bustling with activity, now standing as empty husks. I saw parks, once green and vibrant, now withered and dead. I saw streets, once filled with people, now empty and silent.
Sariel led me on a journey through this desolate landscape, showing me the devastation that had been wrought upon the earth. We flew over mountains, once teeming with life, now bare and rocky. We walked through forests, once green and vibrant, now withered and dead.
As we journeyed deeper into the heart of the earth, I began to notice a strange, dark mist.
It seemed to seep from the ground itself, spreading its dark tendrils across the land. Sariel's eyes seemed to gleam with a sense of foreboding.
"This is the Miasma of Chaos, Alex. It's a darkness that spreads across the land, consuming everything in its path. Just for your information, this kind of situation is actually so common in this vast universe"
I felt a sense of horror as I watched the Miasma slowly spread across the land. I saw plants wither and die, their once-green leaves turning a sickly yellow. I saw animals flee in terror, their eyes wild with fear as the darkness slowly encroached on them, turning them into some sort of abomination where all the features in their body twisted into some sort of dangerous weapon to kill and consume.
Sariel's voice was low as she began to explain more.
"This is what's happening to your world, Alex. This is what I told you about what happened when your universe started to decay. The force of chaos leaves unchecked, and it will turn your world into their breeding ground, attempting to contaminate it with chaos and war" I felt a sense of despair wash over me as I heard Sariel paint about the future of my world.
'The world is dying, consumed by a darkness that seems to have no end. But wait, to think of it, I plan to end my life today right? So whatever happened in this world was not my business anymore….'
But as if she knew what I was thinking of, Sariel only smiled amusingly at me.
Sariel's eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief as she gazed at me, a sly smile playing on her lips as she used her slender hand to cover it.
"Alex, I've been thinking. How have you been feeling lately? Did you feel like misfortune always tried to embrace you?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"Yeah, I've been feeling pretty hopeless."
Hearing my answer, Sariel's smile grew wider.
"I know right? Fate is a bitch sometimes. Anyway, you've been planning to end it all, haven't you?"
I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I realized she had discovered my darkest secret.
"How did you...?"
Sariel chuckled, creating a melodious sound full of mischief that sent shivers down my spine.
"You know what? I've been reading some of the books called light novels in your apartment. and I have to say, I found the idea that these mortals put into their works particularly fascinating."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued with what the direction of our conversation was going.
"What are you talking about?"
'Truth to be told, I secretly have a hobby of reading novels about isekai stuff, so going to isekai is one of my dreams!'
Ironically, instead of getting isekai-ed by the gods like the others, I was forgotten by them instead.
As it was not enough, they are leaving me here alone to die together with my current world.
'What kind of nonsense is this?'
Seeing my funny face who kept on changing emotion, Sariel's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"The concept of leveling up, like in the game, getting cheats from the gods, and getting incredible power easily, who knows that a clueless mortal who never saw a sight of gods have these kind of interesting concepts, you guys are surely interesting"
Hearing something ridiculous coming from her goddess-like mouth, my jaw dropping in shock.
'Who knows that appearance can be deceiving sometimes, this goddess seems like having a peculiar unique taste… as long as she is not reaching the B-..... I mean "forbidden knowledge", she is still not beyond saving yet I guess'
Finding the unexpected side of this unknown mysterious being. I felt a sense of bewilderment. Still, it's not the time to dwell on this.
"What do you mean?"
Sariel's smile grew wider.
"I mean, Alex, that I'm going to give you a way out of your currently hopeless predicament. A way to survive the approaching apocalypse."
My heart skipped a beat as I realized what she was saying.
"You're going to give me power?"
Sariel nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Yes, Alex. I'm going to give you the power to level up, the potential to grow stronger and break your limit, for you to survive in a world that's rapidly falling apart soon, wait calling it falling apart is kinda overboard I guess…"
Dumbfounded, I stared at her peerless flawless figure in bewilderment.
Looking at my expression, Sariel's smile grew wider.
"I know with your cowardice, ending your own life is out of option to you. If you are that brave, maybe I will only find your corpse today"
With a wave of her hand, a shimmering light enveloped me, and I felt a strange energy coursing through my veins. I looked down at my hands, and saw that glowing soft, blue light slowly seeping into my skin, strangely i don't find any change happened to me.
"What's happening?" I asked, feeling a sense of disappointment.
Sariel's smile mischievously.
"Don't think too much, I just force you to sign the contract with me one-sidedly, I mean, it's not the whole me but only a shard of my power"
"huh?"
My expression crestfallen after hearing a ridiculous unethical thing coming from her mouth so lightly.
'Women... Did you ever feel ashamed of yourself?? Forcing someone into a contract without explaining the clause and sh*t?! Are you for real??'
With a face that was torn between laughing or crying, I stared at her pitifully, only getting a beaming innocent smile from her in return.
"Anyway, it's not like I will stay here and be your nanny, guarding you as the apocalypse slowly approaches. Even though I look like this, I am actually a very busy woman, you know" Sariel explained nonchalantly.
"Just take that power as our parting gift, either you survive and become a main character of your story, or death like a loser, just like a side character written in the light novel of yours, is your choice"
"stay healthy Alex, and if fate bring us together again, I will surely give you a surprise as a present"
With her last voice echoing in this dream realm, Sariel's figure slowly disappeared like smoke.
At this time, unbeknown to Alex, Sariel was sighing, and began murmuring to herself as she left the decayed world behind her back.
"How many pieces that you scattered within this countless Eons dear, I wonder if this one will be the one who inherits your will and power?... or just like any countless others, withered by the unending storm, created by that bitch "fate", failed to bloom once again..."