The sound of rushing water filled his ears. A sensation of weightlessness enveloped him as he floated in an endless void, suspended between existence and nothingness. For eons, Genesis Kael had been everything: creator, ruler, destroyer. But now, he was something entirely new.
Kael's golden eyes fluttered open. The blinding light of a midday sun greeted him, its warmth unfamiliar. The air smelled fresh and earthy, a far cry from the sterile perfection of the divine realm he once called home.
"Where… am I?" he murmured to himself. His voice, deep and resonant, felt strange—more mortal than godly. He glanced at his hands. They were smaller, more fragile.
It worked. I've done it, Kael thought, the faintest hint of satisfaction curling his lips. For the first time in countless millennia, he felt limited—and alive.
Kael found himself in a dense forest, the canopy above alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. He wore simple robes, his divine armor and regalia stripped away during his rebirth.
"This is the world I shaped," he muttered, running a hand over the bark of a towering tree. "And yet, it feels so… distant."
Suddenly, a low growl shattered the tranquil silence. Kael turned, his sharp gaze landing on a massive wolf emerging from the shadows. Its eyes glowed red, and its fur bristled with unnatural energy.
"A shadow beast?" Kael muttered, his brow furrowing. "In my forest?"
The wolf lunged without warning, its powerful jaws snapping at Kael's throat. He sidestepped gracefully, his movements precise despite his unfamiliar body.
Instinct took over. He raised his hand, and a small, crackling orb of light formed in his palm.
"Radiant Lance!" Kael commanded, releasing the spell.
The light shot forward, striking the beast in its chest. The creature howled in pain, its body disintegrating into ash.
Kael frowned as he lowered his hand. The spell had drained him far more than it should have.
"So this is what it feels like to be mortal," he mused. "Even my simplest spells take effort now."
As Kael continued through the forest, he came across a small village nestled in a clearing. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and the air was filled with the scent of baking bread.
He approached cautiously, noting the worn stone walls that surrounded the settlement. A pair of guards stood at the gate, their spears glinting in the sunlight.
"Halt!" one of them barked. "Who goes there?"
Kael inclined his head slightly, a gesture of respect. "I am but a traveler, seeking shelter and information."
The guards exchanged a glance. Kael's appearance—his tattered robes and disheveled hair—did little to inspire trust.
"Traveler, eh?" the second guard said, his tone skeptical. "You look like trouble to me."
Kael resisted the urge to smirk. He could obliterate the village with a mere thought, but that wasn't the path he'd chosen.
"I assure you, I mean no harm," Kael said evenly. "Perhaps I could speak with your elder?"
The guards hesitated, but the conviction in Kael's voice seemed to sway them.
"Fine," the first guard said. "But if you try anything, you won't leave here alive."
Kael followed them into the village, his eyes taking in the bustling activity. Children played in the streets, merchants hawked their wares, and farmers carried bushels of wheat to the mill. It was a simple life, yet vibrant in a way the divine realm could never replicate.
Kael was led to a modest house at the village's center. Inside, an elderly man with kind eyes and a long white beard sat by the hearth.
"Welcome, traveler," the elder said, rising to his feet. "I am Aldric, the leader of this humble village. How can I help you?"
Kael inclined his head. "I seek knowledge, Aldric. I have been away from this world for a very long time. What can you tell me of the current age?"
Aldric stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Much has changed in recent years. The kingdoms are in turmoil, and dark forces have begun to stir. Shadow beasts, once thought to be mere legends, now plague our lands. Some say they are harbingers of a greater evil."
Kael's eyes narrowed. Shadow beasts should not exist in his creation—not without his will.
"Where do these beasts come from?" he asked.
Aldric shook his head. "No one knows for certain. But there are whispers of a powerful sorcerer in the north, one who commands the shadows."
Kael's expression darkened. Zarathus Primus.
It had to be him.
Kael stood, his presence commanding despite his mortal guise. "Thank you, Aldric. You've been most helpful."
The elder nodded. "Will you stay the night? We could offer you a warm meal and a bed."
Kael hesitated. His instincts told him to move quickly, but he knew better than to rush into the unknown.
"I accept your hospitality," he said finally.
That night, Kael lay awake in the modest bed provided to him. The sounds of the village drifted through the open window—laughter, music, the gentle hum of life.
For centuries, he had watched over this world as a distant, untouchable deity. But now, as a mortal, he felt its pulse in a way he never had before.
Zarathus Primus was out there, twisting the balance of his creation. Kael would stop him, not as the omnipotent God of Creation, but as a man—a man who would rise again.
"I will reclaim my throne," Kael whispered to the night. "And this time, I will do it with my own hands."
End of Chapter 1