"Do the gods create us, or do we create them?"
Trrrring trrrring trrrring trrrring, sounded the alarm at 7:00 in the morning in Alexander Makarov's room. A 24 year old Bulgarian national, he has been living in New York for the past 5 years when he became independent and decided to move to this city.
For the last few weeks, every night he went to sleep, Alexander was having the same dream: huge black wolves, with glowing red eyes chasing him in a dark and sinister forest.
-Tss... The same nightmare again - he thought in disgust.
Not giving it any more thought, the boy got dressed and left for his job as a waiter in an old restaurant on the outskirts of the city.
"Bring me my food, a glass of water please, and my bill? Were the words he was forced to hear during the six hours of work he performed every day.
However, something surprising happened that day. Among so many voices and requests, he suddenly heard an extremely powerful and imposing male voice:
-I have chosen you.
-Who is there? Who are you? -he asked frightened.
-I have chosen you as the bearer of my power," -the mysterious voice spoke again in Alexander's head.
Looking around and without answers, the boy decided to go to the bathroom for a moment to wet his face with cold water.
-Are you a ghost? A demon? -asked the boy, "Am I going crazy!
-Quiet, a demon would be kinder to you. My name is Morpheus.
-Morpheus? -Alexander asked again.
When he lifted his head from the sink and looked into the mirror, he jumped back from the fright he had given himself. In the mirror was his figure, but different.... His eyes had changed from black to a bright red color. His hair was no longer brown, now it had turned as black as coal.
-What have you done to me? -Alexander was alarmed.
-From now on you have my power," -said the voice in his head-. The truth is that you always had it, but now is when I finally reveal all this to you. My name is Morpheus, I am the God of Dreams. Since you were very small I chose you as the bearer of my power, although until now I have not thought I needed you.
-Your power?
He didn't give the boy time to ask anything else, because next to him a shadow with a human silhouette appeared.
-I am Morpheus," -said the shadow. Rather, this is a manifestation of me on earth, since we gods are forbidden to manifest ourselves completely in your reality.
-Gods? Morpheus? What are you talking about? -The questions kept flooding Alexander.
-That's right. Those gods you humans read about in stories and legends, many of us exist," -Morpheus answered. We exist from the beginning of existence, yet even we gods do not know if we created you or if we were created for you. Or perhaps, this is a conversation we should not be having right now.
-I understand," -said Alexander-. But... What do you want from me?
-There are few like you in this world. There are humans who have been chosen by certain gods to store their powers. For a war is coming. A war to get the eye of Arbadan. The only artifact capable of allowing the gods full access to your reality.
-Ohh... I see... This is like an Isekai, but instead of me being reincarnated in the body of a god, the god is reincarnated in the body of a human," -Alexander mocked, unable to contain his laughter. How funny...
-You're making fun of me, stupid! -Morpheus raged.
From the manifestation of the shadow god, a dark and intimidating aura of power emerged.
-Calm down... -the boy tried to calm the situation. It was a joke, I didn't mean to be rude.
Seeing that Morpheus had calmed down, Alexander asked:
-But... Why do I have to fight your battles?
-See, stupid boy, I saved your life, so this is your payment," -Morpheus answered. When you were little, you almost died from a disease, didn't you?
-That's right, I spent most of my childhood in a hospital," -said the boy.
-I saved your life in exchange for giving you my powers to fight this battle for me. However, this is also in your best interest, because this way you save your world. There are gods who do not have the best intentions if they get the eye of Arbadan and pass into your world. Besides... You have the power of Morpheus, the God of Dreams. Basically you're the new king of dreams stupid kid.
-Let me guess," -said Alexander with a wry smile. If I don't accept you'll take away your power and I'll die, right?
-Exactly," said Morpheus.