The heavens trembled as Genesis Kael, the God of Creation, stood at the precipice of his throne room. His divine form, once vast and infinite, now seemed diminished in the face of an impending decision that would alter the very fabric of his existence.
Kael's vast domain—an endless cosmos born from his will—hung in the balance. Yet, even as the universe he had crafted with his own hands glimmered around him, a deep emptiness gnawed at his core. For centuries, he had stood alone, the supreme creator, bound by his own omnipotence. But there was something more, something missing.
"I've built it all. Created gods, worlds, life... yet here I stand, powerless," Kael muttered to himself. His voice echoed throughout the infinite expanse, but the words seemed hollow.
The other gods—beings of immense power, born from his will—stood in silence. Each one had their own domain, their own followers, and yet none had the connection he so desperately sought. They were mere reflections of his creation, tools without true understanding. He had no equal, no peer, no companion.
The moment of his fall had arrived.
Kael closed his eyes and felt the rippling energies of the multiverse around him. The truth was undeniable—he could not escape his limits unless he sought the impossible.
"I will become mortal," Kael declared, his voice resonating with quiet determination. "I will forsake my divine power, leave behind the heavens and all their trappings. I will walk the earth as one of them, and through them, I will ascend to greater heights."
His gaze hardened as he turned toward the gods, who now watched him with a mix of reverence and apprehension. He had made up his mind. His will was final.
A divine being known as Eryndor Felbane, the leader of the mercenary forces that served Kael in his more vengeful moments, stepped forward. His usually calm demeanor was replaced with visible confusion.
"Lord Kael... is this truly your wish? To relinquish everything for the sake of... what? A mortal life?" Eryndor asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Kael turned to face him, his eyes cold yet full of resolve. "Yes. To break free of these chains and face the truth of who I am, I must experience weakness. I must learn to fight again, struggle again, like the mortals I once created."
With that, Kael's form began to distort, losing its divine radiance. His body shrank, his immense power condensing into a fraction of what it once was. The divine energy that had once been infinite now trickled away, leaving behind only a mortal shell.
As the transformation completed, Kael—the once almighty god—stood before his subjects as a human. A simple mortal man in ragged clothes, a stark contrast to the god they had once revered.
"You have forsaken everything," Eryndor said, his voice low, almost mournful. "And yet... do you not fear the consequences of your actions?"
"I fear nothing anymore," Kael replied, a wisp of a smile crossing his face. "It is only in this state that I will learn to grow, to evolve beyond the limits that bound me as a god. In the face of true mortality, I will find something that even the heavens cannot give me."
As the gods and his followers stood in stunned silence, Kael began to walk away from the divine realm, a new path ahead of him. His final words echoed through the empty hall.
"I will return... but not as a god. I will rise again, not to create, but to challenge the very forces that shaped me."
Outside the Realm
In the mortal world, the transformation was felt but not understood. Kael—now reborn as a man—appeared in the wilderness, his presence undetectable to most. He could feel the weight of his new life pressing upon him, the need to rely on his own strength rather than command it at will. His mind was sharp, his senses attuned to the world around him, but his power had been reduced to mere fragments.
It was then that a figure appeared from the shadows—Noburu Gamma, a man of humble origins, yet with a spirit as unyielding as the mountains. He had witnessed the downfall of his own kingdom, watching helplessly as it was consumed by invaders. Now, he wandered the land, seeking a purpose.
Gamma approached Kael cautiously, his worn armor clinking softly with each step.
"Who are you?" Gamma asked, his voice cautious but strong. "I've never seen someone like you before. You don't belong here..."
Kael met his gaze, eyes that held the weight of the universe yet spoke the language of mortality.
"A traveler," Kael replied, his voice soft but carrying the authority of a man who had once controlled all of existence. "I've lost everything... and now I must begin again."
Gamma studied him, sensing something more beneath the surface of the strange man's words. "If you're truly lost, then perhaps I can offer you some help. The world is harsh... but I know a way to survive in it."
Kael considered his words for a moment, then nodded, accepting the offer with a sense of resolve.
"Lead the way, then."
End of Chapter 1.