The darkness and mystery vanished from my eyes as I groggily lifted my head, feeling as if I was under a trance. Strangely, I didn't feel those great, insurmountable presences as I did before. Where were the gods? Had they simply come because they found me of interest? Was it because I didn't belong in this body? Why did the dowsing fountain even bring me to this realm?
I hoped those questions would be answered soon.
A blinding light filled the skies above me, so I looked down to see my feet on cracked gravel— except these weren't my baby feet. They were my real feet.
What?!
I was back?
Standing up straight, I paid no attention to the surroundings. Instead, I brushed my fingers over my body. Trying to look for any puddles of water or mirrors to gauge my reflection, I swiveled my head around— but I was met with a sight much larger than all that.
I was in a giant amphitheater. One woven not from bricks, sand, or stone, but from the blossoming buds of flowers and life, ravaging oceans and storms, swirling shadow, and cracked glass. It all shimmered like a chorus of colorful chaos, making me instantly look down.
Gasping slowly, I felt my breath thrum in my body.
Breathe… I could breathe!
Okay, maybe this wasn't so bad…
Looking up once again, I tried not to stare at the amphitheater. The sky was a brilliant cobalt teal, a light misty blue color with barely any clouds in sight. The clouds that still remained were long and stringy, yet they were somehow still fluffy. On a closer inspection, I saw the frizzy threads of a gigantic gossamer veil. Paying no attention, I let the bright light of the sun cake me in a sizzling warmth. Really, it didn't feel all that terrible! Hah…
But wherever I was, this wasn't the real world.
I could only tell myself that.
Hell, where was I?!
Worry began to seep into my mind as I frantically glanced around, trying to find any glimpse of anything, anyone, when my eyes finally settled on something far, far away in the distance. It was so small, so deep within my vision that I would have ordinarily glanced at it and never looked back.
But there… I saw it.
Squinting my eyes, I stepped back.
A throne. No… three of them.
Although I couldn't tell how the thrones actually looked, or whether there were people in them, those objects were definitely thrones. They didn't seem all that large or royal, but they existed. Turning my body slowly, I discovered that there were clusters of three thrones all around the amphitheater.
Triples… yes, these couldn't be gods.
Gods were gods. Only one throne was sufficient.
Right?
Right.
If they weren't gods, then where was I?
Crack-crackle…
I heard the sound of splintering flames crackling in the distance. Peering at one of the thrones situated behind me, I noticed that it was on fire— completely scorched and burnt, unlike any other thrones. Vines wrapped around it slightly, shielding the other thrones from its demise.
Soot rained down from the sky gradually.
Th-thump! Th-thump! Th-thump!
My heart beat rhythmically against my chest like a drum, almost knocking me off my feet. I frantically lifted myself back up and stood tall, trying to narrow my gaze and let all useless thoughts leave my mind. Letting go of the tenseness in my limbs, I breathed slowly, relaxing.
After waiting a few seconds, I found something high, up in the air. It looked like it could have touched the heavens. What was that… some kind of symbol?
On second thought, it looked very much like a sigil. Spinning rapidly, I watched as light leaked from its surface— although I couldn't tell what the symbol really was, it looked somewhat like a key.
"So you've finally calmed down." A sly voice rang in my ears, but I wasn't surprised. Turning, my heart clenched as I flinched dangerously, realizing that the thrones that were once so far away, were now within walking distance.
"... Who are you? Reveal yourself." I spoke, trying to maintain a steady cadence in my voice. Instead of showing weakness and stepping back, I stood my ground. Long, brittle hair cascaded down to my shoulders.
I wasn't in my tiny infant body any longer.
This was a full-fledged vessel.
And for as long as I had it, I was going to exploit it mercilessly.
"What we are… I can't believe that someone like you could offer such insolence. If not for Her protection… fine. You've heard of the beings known as 'Apostles'... right?" A childish laughter echoed in my mind as my gaze cooled, and I glared at the nothingness between me and the voice. And "we"?
"Are you these so-called Apostles?" I asked, feigning confidence.
Giggles sounded everywhere, all at once.
"Go ahead and guess if you'd like. As two are gone from our ranks, there isn't much we can do to break Her blessing. But, stand proud, as you have received blessings of truth from Them, those who reign above us all!" I felt my heart catch as I realized what these "Apostles" were speaking of.
The gods.
Had the gods really given me something?
I wasn't going to wait to find out.
"Tell me what they are." I said cautiously.
"Of course! But not without price."
"... Price?" I asked, not liking where this was going.
Just the fact that I couldn't feel the presence of these beings meant they were close to the level of deities. I wondered… maybe I hadn't felt the entirety of the gods' presence? Maybe they were just so powerful that their existence bled through realms to affect me here?
And these Apostles, while strong…
Maybe they weren't strong enough to affect me?
The thought made me gulp.
"The price of bearing Their 'Mark'. That is the price you must pay. Don't worry, this is more like a gift than a curse… you need only accept one." I watched as fantastical threads of light swam around me, forming several symbols around my body that pulsated as if they were alive.
Above each of the symbols were a single word.
It was strange… I couldn't tell the difference between space and time in this world. I had no way of knowing how large things were, or how long these things had taken to form. It was like I was in a dream…
A dream so blissful..
MY HEART BEAT HEAVIER.
Slapping myself, I regained consciousness.
Fuck, I almost lost myself there… This was dangerous.
Just the fact that such powerful beings as deities would offer me gifts meant that there was something more behind it. The most plausible explanation I could come up with went something like this.
The gods needed something from me.
Something very… important.
Somehow, I was their choice.
"Right?" I taunted the air, breathless.
"How perceptive… Now choose." I heard the voice reply back. My veins instantly froze, and my blood chilled. Eyes widening in shock, I stuttered as I realized that these beings… these fucking things had access to my mind.
Every thought was monitored.
I was… I was being watched.
Not just my body, but me.
The symbols were jumbled, but I could clearly read the words atop them, even though I didn't know what language they were in. As they began to devolve into a mess, I memorized each and every word.
Creation. Change. Mortality. Judgement. Future. Time. Law. Life. Destruction. Secrets. Wisdom. Prophecy. War. Mercy. Balance. Dreams. Storms. Greed. Ruin. And finally, Freedom.
I looked at every single letter, thinking it through. Although I didn't know what each word meant, and why it went with each symbol, I tried to feel for my resonance with the words, with the fantastical picturesque brilliance of them. And in the end… I found that I wanted none of them.
"Choose… no. None of you will give me what I want. I refuse." I spoke harshly.
I knew that such a statement shouldn't be made in front of these powerful beings— yet I had no choice. I knew instinctively that if I picked a mark that I didn't want, didn't feel inclined towards choosing, my future was naught.
Exhaling slowly, my heart beat faster and faster at the response.
As the silence crushed me, I slowly felt clarity in my thoughts.
Like I didn't feel bogged down anymore.
I waited for the voices…
And I waited.
And I…
Where were they?
I realized something…
TH-THUMP! TH-THUMP!
An existential dread filled my body as I keeled backward, feeling my gut clench as I found myself starting to vomit. Controlling myself, I suppressed it while my body trembled and twisted. An uncomfortable haze draped itself over my vision as the surroundings quickly blackened and charred.
Standing in the center of the amphitheater…
There was a being.
This very world seemed to do His bidding— the thrones that were touched by the Apostles all vanished as He, who looked like He was wreathed in the threads of reality, shimmering, beautiful, and incomprehensibly dark, turned His head towards me. And as soon as He turned, I… I resonated with Him.
It was not power that I wished for.
Instead… it was something else.
Like I was in a trance, I lifted my body off the ground. I watched His head tilt, His cheek touch his fist, which He had lifted up in thought. Pressing my feet into the earthen, rocky floor, I took a deep breath… then I pushed.
Bursting off of the floor, the surroundings turned into a blur as I pierced through the air, cutting through the brilliant threads of light and shadow He had woven. I brought back my fist as my body flew straight and true, straight towards…
Him. I want to be close to Him.
As my punch connected with His palm, which He had raised calmly faster than the blink of an eye, my lucidity vanished as the ground trembled beneath me. An unfettered power rushed from my body, a golden wave of strength that shook the realm, sending it spiraling into chaos. As He grabbed my hand, I saw Him smile.
A strand of windswept silver hair cascaded from His covered head.
His lips moved, as He whispered three words to the ravaging winds.
"You are mine."
It felt everything sped up, and I saw the world quickly dismantle itself since time had no cause anymore. The realm shimmered beneath my eyes, which I opened slowly. The first thing I felt was a searing pain in the center of my chest. Grappling with my body, I looked down to see a mark.
A broken black ring etched into me, a twisted spiral rising from its center and jagged branches splitting from it like veins— alive. It was a mark of fate. It was me.
The next thing I saw… was my father, tears running down his face.
His mouth was open with a wide smile, like he was overjoyed.
"T-thank the gods… thank Serynth you're alive…" He said, stuttering.
Father? Since when did you have faith in Serynth?