In a twilight of memories, my mind is lost in the myths of Greek mythology, where gods from legends dance among the golden threads of fate. From the impetuous rebellion of Cronos, whose dark ambition swallowed the skies, to the vibrant revolt of Zeus, the herald of storms who raised Olympus. In this realm of immortal epics, myths weave a tapestry that transcends time, an intricate web of divine love, revenge, and the epic battles between monsters, gods, and mortals. Allow me to guide you through this tale, where the stars are verses, and the clouds bear witness to an era where gods shaped the destiny of mortals.
And the story begins more or less with a mortal who has just died!
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"Okay, so I'm dead." Thought a spiritual form. He was dead, one moment he was walking down the street listening to music, and the next, a flash of light, followed by indescribable pain, and then he was here, staring at this... thing.
"Yes, struck by a divine lightning bolt." Though the being seemed otherworldly, it had the clearest voice one could imagine.
"How?" he asked, curious, angry, sad, wondering how he had been struck by divine lightning. At that, the being vibrated, and suddenly a wheel appeared, which wouldn't look out of place on a game show, and then it spoke in a tone that could only be described as childish excitement.
"Well, first I spun this wheel that has all the universes, then I chose randomly, and the name that came up was yours. I killed you, brought you here, and this conversation started." Even though he couldn't begin to comprehend this being, the man could hear the smile in its voice.
The man was dumbfounded for a moment before speaking.
"Why go through all that effort... just to kill me?"
"Why go through all that effort?" everything quieted for a moment.
"To tell you the truth, I was unbearably bored, so I thought of it." It pointed to the wheel, then sighed and shook its head before adopting its jovial tone again.
"But enough about me, let's reincarnate you!" As soon as the being said that...
"Why me?" he questioned the indifference of the being—no, the GOD before him.
"Because you had a good life, lived in a small town where everyone knew each other, so it was hard to have crimes. Your family wasn't rich or poor; you lived well with your parents and siblings. You were going to get married, have a happy life, and die with a big, loving family... and that would be so BORING. So, I did you a favor and killed you in an accident, and now you're here, and we're having this conversation, like I said!" The god explained cheerfully and indifferently.
"But... my family? They'll worry about me!"
"And them? Oh, relax... I killed them all."
"What?" I... couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"What? If I sent you where I want, you'd try to return, which I don't want. I want you to entertain me, so after you died, I made sure to kill them with an earthquake and sank your town. Also, just to be sure, I had an asteroid hit your planet. So, zero survivors, and I also erased their souls, so you can't even try to find them in the afterlife. You're welcome." The being finished, raising its hands joyfully, as if it had done me a favor.
"Y-YOU!" I had never felt such anger in my soul as for the being before me.
"What are you going to do, KID? I'M A GOD, DAMN IT! You're just a human! And why shouldn't I do that, huh? Because you're human? Please, you judge and oppress animals, kill them for sheer pleasure or because you want to, just because you think they're less intelligent than you. So, tell me, why shouldn't I do the same? After all, you don't even know 0.001% of what I know. If we were to compare, I'd be a human and you'd be ants! I'm conscious and omniscient of everything in the Omniverse, while you barely understand your own mind and world! So why should I feel pity for killing monkeys less evolved and intelligent than me? After all, don't you do the same with animals?"
"..." I couldn't respond because... he was right... we humans judge other species as lesser and inferior to us, and he was a god, he had every reason to think of himself as superior.
Ignoring my mental breakdown, he summoned countless roulette wheels, though four were placed directly in front of the dead man, labeled "POWERS," "APPEARANCE," "VERSE," "TIMELINE," and "UNIVERSE VERSION."
"So... everything will be decided by these wheels?" I was still affected by everything, but numb, as if my emotions had been stripped away, likely by that damn god.
"Exactly," he said, agreeing with both my thoughts and what I had said. For the first time since the conversation began, he seemed serious before turning cheerful again. "Now!" he shouted dramatically, "Spin the wheels!" Even though it was open, I knew the being wanted me to do it in order, and he wasn't willing to be hurt again.
So, controlling my numbed emotions, I walked to the "POWER AND APPEARANCE" wheel, and with all the strength of a man whose entire existence was riding on these spins, I spun the wheel.
And as the wheel spun and spun, the sound it made only seemed to heighten my nerves and the god's joy.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
Each click was terrifying, thousands of different scenarios of how bad this could get flashing through my mind, until it landed...
ASTERIUS/MINOTAURUS
Instantly, I transformed into Asterius, standing just under three meters tall. Though not a complete hybrid between man and bull in appearance, I possessed animalistic features, such as horns, a mane of wild white hair, and inhuman eyes.
I was wearing iron armor, much like a corset, over my bulky, scarred body, iron rings around my arms, a red cloth from my waist down, split into two sections. Around each ankle was an iron ring with a chain attached, linking heavy metal orbs that I seemingly had no trouble using. In each hand, I held an axe with an incredibly long shaft.
I, now Asterius, stood there for a few moments, my entire body trembling with fear and excitement before saying:
"You know, this is pretty good depending on which universe I land in. Hopefully, the rest of the spins will be in my favor." Walking up to the "Universe" wheel, I spun once more.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
The wheel had landed...
GREEK MYTHOLOGY/CROSS GODS
Immediately, thoughts of the ultra-powerful and corrupt gods of that world filled my mind.
Not to mention the fact that at any moment, I could be cursed for something I unknowingly did to annoy some random, narcissistic god, or simply be raped or have my partners stolen by the gods, and if I was attractive, risk being kidnapped or worse. But of course,
I'M THE DAMN MINOTAUR! I'LL DIE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING! TO SOME ARROGANT HERO! HahahahhahahHAHAHHAHA HE'LL DIE, HE'LL DIE!!!
As Asterius continued to oscillate between sanity and insanity, the god was looking at a clock, and soon let out a small hum before speaking over Asterius's screams.
"You know, fear and madness took much longer to set in than I thought. Now, what to do while he's like this?"
After an unknown period of time,
The being is seen playing with what looks like a globe, but this is no simple globe. No, it is a universe in itself, and playing with it means unleashing countless horrors across the world before destroying it with a finger, obliterating that universe. A sigh of discontent followed before the feeling of boredom spread throughout existence again.
Just as he was about to summon another universe to play with, he heard the sound he had longed to hear all this time.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
Looking grim but determined, Asterius spun the "POWER PLACEMENT IN UNIVERSE" wheel.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
It stopped on "GOD." Despite Asterius not smiling, you could feel his happiness at not being completely screwed over by the wheels. He would be born as a god, likely a descendant of Poseidon, since it was the god of the sea who created the Cretan bull. With that done, he started walking toward the "DATE" wheel, but in the middle of his steps, he stopped and turned toward the being that brought him here and just stared at it.
Seeing this, the god's feelings spread throughout existence once more, but this time, instead of boredom, confusion was felt. The confusion lasted only a moment before it was replaced by a sense of realization, followed by a small laugh.
"These will dictate when you arrive in the canon!"
Turning to the wheel labeled "BEFORE," "DURING," "AFTER" the Canon, he spun again.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
It landed on "BEFORE," and everything fell silent until he laughed.
ASTERIUS WAS LAUGHING!
"HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAH!"
Madness had set in, he was going insane, going to a moment completely blind.
The being that had killed him
Stolen his fate
Killed his family
His world
His hope
His EVERYTHING.
But all of that was useless.
He felt himself being flayed alive!
Soon, he felt himself being forced to sleep.
"Sorry man, but whether you like it or not, you WILL entertain me…"
"God… I HATE YOU! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! GOOOOOD!"
"HEHEHE good luck…mortal!"
And thus, his inner vision was blinded, and he soon fell asleep. His soul was thrown into the chaotic Greek world, as the new Minotaur, or rather, Asterius.
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In a Greek kingdom of Crete, a prophetic birth was taking place, shaped by destiny.
By the dancing light of candles that adorned the spacious hall, the woman lay in a bed draped with richly embroidered fabrics. Her face reflected determination, while the hands of servants and healers caressed the air thick with anticipation. The midwife, an experienced and serene figure, spoke to her with reassuring words.
Midwife: "You are about to bring new life into this world. Come on, my lady!"
The woman, amidst groans and deep breaths, responded with a determination that emanated from her very core.
Woman: "I can do this. I will do this."
The healers moved skillfully, preparing aromatic herbal infusions that lingered in the air, offering subtle comfort. The servants, silent and attentive, adjusted the cloths, bringing an air of solemnity to the room.
As the contractions intensified, the woman drew strength from the midwife's words and the firm support of the servant holding her hand. The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, mirroring the unfolding choreography of life.
Midwife: "You're doing well. Breathe deeply, Lady Pasiphae."
The woman, now identified as Pasiphae, found solace in the midwife's words amidst the pain and the promise of something new. Her eyes sought those of everyone present, sharing a silent understanding that transcended words.
As the final waves of pain subsided, a soft cry broke the silence, echoing the promise of a new life. A collective sigh of relief filled the room, and smiles spread like rays of sunshine after a storm among the servants.
Midwife: "Congratulations. You have brought a unique light into this—MONSTER?!"
The midwife screamed upon seeing the child in her arms.
It was a dark-skinned child with horns and scarlet and black eyes. A cold expression could be seen on his face, with tears silently streaming down. The midwife could only tremble at the sight.
"Bring my child to me!"
Pasiphae demanded, still in pain.
The midwife, quickly obeying the queen, handed the monstrous baby to her, bracing herself for the screams and outrage.
But the unexpected happened.
"My baby…my little boy~" the mother lovingly ran her fingers over the newborn's face, tracing his eyes and horns tenderly. With a knowing gleam in her eyes, she murmured, "My little prince…as beautiful as your father…your name will be Asterius…my little Prince Asterius..."
Meanwhile, Asterius's mind screamed in indignation at the cursed god who had thrown him here, into a doomed world…he was so unlucky!