"Ara~ Ara~ (oh my), look who we have here today…"
A voice, soft and teasing, echoed through a haze of swirling light and strange colors. My eyelids fluttered, the world around me fuzzy and unreal.
"Eh? Where am I? Heaven?" I murmured, trying to push myself upright.
But instead of the fluffy clouds and harps I expected, I blinked hard and found myself staring straight at… a tree. Not just any tree—this one was enormous, its silver leaves shimmering like tiny stars under a deep violet sky. The bark glowed faintly, casting soft light that danced on the ground around me.
Before I could even process what was happening, a small figure popped out from behind the tree trunk—a little girl with pure white hair that shimmered like moonlight. She sat cross-legged on a sturdy branch, smiling mischievously at me.
"Ah, you're finally awake. Welcome to the Judgement!" she chirped cheerfully. "The stars will choose your fate. Oh! And I'm Luna!"
Her smile was bright but had an uncanny edge, like she knew more than she was letting on.
I squinted at her. "Weirdo…"
Suddenly, she tilted her head and frowned.
"Oi! I can hear your thoughts! Hmph, so mean!" Luna scoffed, crossing her arms and sticking out her lower lip.
I smirked, unapologetic. "Sorry…" I muttered, but my tone was anything but sincere.
Luna giggled, hopping down from the branch with a soft thud. "The stars have spoken, and your fate has been chosen. Mm, interesting… finally, we have a successor for that old hag's legacy."
Before I could respond, the scenery shifted dramatically. The silver leaves faded, replaced by the polished grandeur of an enormous hall. I found myself seated at the head of a large rectangular table that gleamed under the crystal chandeliers overhead.
Seven figures sat opposite me, each radiating a distinct aura—ancient power woven into their very presence.
Am I really in heaven? Or some kind of cosmic court?
The tallest figure leaned forward. An elderly man with long white hair and a flowing beard that shimmered like stardust spoke in a voice that rumbled like distant thunder.
"This is the Table of Judgement. Here, we shall declare your fate."
His eyes bore into mine with unsettling intensity.
He turned to the six others, who all nodded solemnly.
Then he faced me again.
"Watashiwa Azelarion. Leader of the Major Seven Heavens, god of Creation, Space, Time, and Starlight."
The weight of his title settled on my chest like a mountain.
"You have been fated to be transported to this world to live your life to the fullest. You are indeed a special case. Till the very end, you still cared so much about your adopted parents. You also have a strange obsession with stars, I see…"
He paused, as if scrolling through some cosmic dossier.
I blinked. "Resume for my past life?" I asked, dryly.
Azelarion chuckled softly. "Something like that."
He finally tucked away the glowing scroll and looked up with a sly smile.
"Now, we give you two choices: live in heaven, which is not as comfortable as you might imagine these days, or live a second life as my successor."
I leaned back, considering. "You want me to live this second life, right? That's exactly how you phrased it."
He nodded slowly.
I smirked. "Fine. But on one condition—you make my life interesting."
Azelarion put on his tiny round glasses, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oh yes, we will make your life VERY interesting. So interesting that even if you die, you will not forget."
His smile made me uneasy.
Luna appeared suddenly beside me, as if from thin air.
"Now, introductions!"
Azelarion gestured grandly to the others seated around the table.
"To my furthest right, Ignarion, god of Fire."
A tall man with flaming red hair and eyes like molten lava nodded solemnly.
"Next, Eiralis, goddess of Water."
A woman with flowing blue hair, eyes like glaciers, gave a serene but sharp smile.
"Then Sylphael, god of Wind."
A lithe figure surrounded by a swirling breeze, hair white as clouds.
"To my furthest left, Gaiadros, god of Earth."
A towering man whose skin resembled living stone, voice deep as the mountains.
"Then Nyxaria, goddess of Shadow Arts."
A mysterious woman cloaked in darkness, eyes glowing violet.
"And lastly, Iscalon, god of Healing."
A gentle-faced man with emerald eyes and an aura of calm.
Eiralis's voice rang out, icy yet melodious.
"In your life below, you will encounter our successors. Train them well. Unlike you, they do not know they are our chosen. Make sure they prove worthy of our sight."
The other gods nodded gravely.
I frowned. "What do you mean? What are you planning?"
Azelarion chuckled, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, we can have a lot of fun with this one. Kid, remember to create some nice things we don't have here."
He laughed, a deep sound full of secrets.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the tension.
"Guys, time's up! You took too long on this one!"
I whipped around—Luna was behind me again, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.
Before I could react, she grinned mischievously and pulled a lever embedded in the floor.
The ground beneath me gave way with a terrifying rumble.
"WAIT, WHAT THE HELL?!" I shouted, falling through the void.
"We will meet very soon… bye, kid." Azelarion's voice echoed, smug and distant.
"Sayōnara, bye-bye!" Luna called gleefully.
"Ahhhh! You b*tch! I'll never forgive you!!!" I screamed into the endless dark.