A spear with a rune.
Floating midair in a church-like hall
Golden mist shrouding and dancing around it
"Holy..."
If I wasn't mistaken, that spear in the center of the room, screamed to be a 'divine vault'.
Gulp
I gulped hard and shook my head repeatedly.
'Pfff, as if. Nobody would let something like that float around."
Even thinking about it, it felt absurd. From what I had seen, these things could be anything and they were definitely not the sort of thing you'd find lying around in your average street market.
Overall, everything seemed absurd. The fact that there was magic, this kids father was literally a man with the looks of an universe and that I died.
Then, just for a moment, a face came to my mind.
'Amel...'
For a moment, anger boiled up but it faded into nothingness. Or rather, it was more like I simply couldn't feel it. As if I had been no ability to feel something.
"The Hell?"
Startled, I looked down at my hands. They remained still—no shaking, no twitching—motionless as a machine. Like the hands of a robot. Even more troubling, when I tried to focus on my emotions… nothing came. No anger. No sorrow.
That kid—Wendel—he never showed much emotion either. Like he was pretending. If he did feel something, then it most of the times seemed to be acted and not truthful. If he did, it almost always seemed artificial.
I tried again and again to think about Amel, however nothing. Not even a spec of anger resided inside of me.
Slowly, the more I thought about it, the less I was reminded of Amel but the more my thoughts shifted—to other people instead.
My parents, my friends, grandfather.....
But one memory stood out above all—the final thought I had as I died: I'll do what I want.
At first, it sounded like a whim. However, when looking at everything now, it seemed to be a real option. I had a good life, I did what society expected me to do.
I tried giving, but I never got something in return....
'So why not take this opportunity—and finally live for myself?'
There was nothing left for me to return to anyway.
I stood up from the armchair in the corner of my room and walked up to my bed.
My entire body and mind were tired, which seemed natural. After all, I had somehow gained control of the body of a 12 year old boy, inherited most of his memories and was murdered not even a day ago.
'Not gonna lie. I am surprised that my mind hasn't shattered from either the pain or the overstimulation.'
Puff
Then, I straight up fell onto my bed, which was as soft as an embrace. It seemed like I had landed on a cloud.
My mind slowly began to drift, pulled into the warm embrace of sleep.
------
Whirling winds swept through the forest. Animals as well as monsters were roaming through its dephts. But they all avoided one area—a place marked by an eerie, unnatural stillness.
A small cave.
Once the lair of a Dominus, which most inhabitants of the forest were making circles around.
Now, a lone man in silver armor sat on a rock within it, staring skyward. Beside him, a spear was firmly embedded in the earth.
But he wasn't gazing at stars.
Before him floated a being—shaped like a man, but made from the very fabric of the cosmos. Stars and void swirled within him. He sat cross-legged on thin air, suspended effortlessly.
A dry and irritated voice killed the silence, that surrounded both individuals.
"Why are you here?"
The man in armor narrowed his eyes which could be seen through the slits in his helmet.
"I heard it was normal for friends to meet every now and then. So I thought why not meet my good old friend."
The man made out of galaxies spoke but no motion could be seen. No motion, no breath. A static form with a universe moving within it.
"Tch. Since when are we friends? At best, we're colleagues. So spit it out why are you here?"
"Your help. I need your help."
Natural curiosity could be seen in the knight's eyes.
"I am listening..."
The knight leaned forward, seemingly showing his intention to listen.
"You have to train someone for me. It even is beneficial for you because it is the replacement of Ojer Vita."
"You're kidding..."
"No, no. I am telling the truth, I can't do it and you are the next best choice for it. Afterall who else but the most experienced fighter that I know of."
The man spoke plainly, not showing a hint of emotion or thought, which however didn't suprise the knight. Furthermore, it somewhat reassured him, having known the other individual for years.
"What's in it for me?"
"A third of my side's annual income which I swear upon as the 'Seat Of ██████████."
Silence
Neither moved. Neither spoke.
"Fine, I will be there tomorrow. Now get lost."
"Oh tha-"
Xiiung
A spear shot through the air toward the galaxy-born figure. But before it could make contact, he vanished—leaving no trace, not even a sound.
The spear continued to fly.
Unhindered, it passed through trees, rocks, and even living creatures, destroying all in its path.
Until finally, a hand caught it.
"Tch. Forgot I threw it…" the knight muttered, then slung it onto his back. "Ah well. I have to get moving anyway."
He turned and walked, leaving behind a trail of torn forest, torn apart animals, and broken rocks.
------
When I woke up, I kept dozing for a few minutes—same as always. Which I also did this time, as I kept having my eyes closed, I turned around several times, till having found a position which seemed comfortable.
'Just like th-'
"Wake up, Wendel."
The moment I heard the voice, I shot upright in less than a second, just to see Father sitting on the armchair in the corner of my room. Not a single movement coming from him.
'How the hell did he get in and why is he in here?!'
From what I recalled, he never really visited Wendel a lot, especially not 2 days in a row. Especially the manner in which he woke me up was also strange for any normal person.
"And you don't even greet your father? Seems like I didn't educate you enough..."
A sinister sensation crept up my back, making it form sweatbeads like nothing. I quickly proceeded to make a small bow and put a hand on my chest.
"I greet you, father....."
".....Better."
He broke the silence and stood up, slowly walking towards me. Even the way he walked seemed methodical and in a way perfect. Not one movement too much. Not a step too many
"You looked quite exhausted yesterday when I introduced you to our colleagues."
'Our what now?'
I openly showed my confusion, as from what I knew, Wendel also didn't know about who these people were, nontheless what his fathers job was.
"Oh, I seem to have confused my little boy. But no worries, I shall explain it to you, after all, today is the day."
I slightly tilted my head in confusion as Father started talking. The more he talked, the more confusing things got.
'What day is today?'
Wendel had no birthday, no special event or anything else. It should have been a plain old normal day like any other day, so why was I in this situation.
Father always gave me and Wendel's body a strange unease. Who wouldn't feel that way? The man looked like a living galaxy.
"But before I even you anything... You have to prepare yourself. Do your hair, Dress yourself with the clothes that I put on your desk. Oh also.....Start smiling a bit and make your father proud today."
Father put his hand on my head and ruffled my hair.
Then he turned and like an illusion he was gone, as if he never had been there. The only feeling that was left with me was his touch on my head from previously.
However, it was different from when I bumped into him
It seemed the same like when my family patted my head as a child.....
With love....
I shook my head a few times, ignoring what I had felt just moments prior and stood up from bed and looked at myself in a large mirror that hadn't been in my room last time I checked.
'He most likely put it there.'
How Father disappeared and appeared seemingly without noise could be thought about later.
I looked at myself and then again saw my body. Greyish or white skin like I was a sick person, snow-white hair, Golden eyes that shimmered like metal and a blank, monotone expression.
Naturally, the fact that I was in a 12 year old child's body still seemed unnatural but one can do nothing against that.
I then turned towards my desk and I felt like the expression in my mind just had it's mouth left hanging open.
On it was an outift that could be best explained like the clothes pope Francis always wore when I was alive just without a cap. However there were some differences. First it seemed like there was thankfully no cap included.
The clothes themselves also had intricate several ornate golden runes on them, that I had previously seen in the book about magic.
The typical short shoulder coat and a black long sleeved shirt with golden buttons. Nontheless, the most out of place thing were my leggins, as they seemed to be more like a white hakama which you would see most of the times on traditional male kimonos.
I slowly walked towards the desk and looked again at the outfit just wondering how much it costed.
"Could it be..."
'Was my father loaded?'
If I hadn't the feeling that I could somehow be watched, I would have now done a little fistbump and jump.
I quickly changed, did my hair so that my strands didn't point towards all directions and walked towards the door.
It opened slowly and standing in front of it was only Father, with nobody else around.
Looking me up and down, he then clapped his hand together but no sound came.
Silence
Then he spoke.
"So son.... Are you ready to become a God?"