"What the f*ck… where the heck am I?"
"What is this… Holy shit. Is that cosmic stuff? What the hell, am I dreaming?"
A man with a fit body and scars all over stood on the ground, where water naturally flowed in every direction. The place was pitched black.
The water began to carry him away, yet he stood firm, gazing at the roof. There were no clouds, no sun—nothing—except water flowing, just like the ground he stood on.
The stars were scattered everywhere, even between the ground and the roof. Though the space wasn't like a room, it somehow felt like one. Yet it still gave the impression of sky and earth simultaneously.
The man turned around, his face wandering. But as soon as he did, his gaze fixated on a light in the distance.
He slowly stepped toward it, mumbling to himself, "What kinda dream is this anyway?"
The closer he got, the more he felt it was forbidden for him to see the light.
"Is… Is that an angel?" he whispered, staring. The closer he approached, the more vivid the figure became.
The angel had six wings and eyes that seemed to see right through his soul. Fear and awe washed over him.
The man smiled instinctively, though his hand trembled and sweat drenched his back—a sweat that shouldn't even exist.
The light shone so brightly that his eyes could barely comprehend it, and perhaps they were never meant to.
The star-like figure smiled. Though the man couldn't see it clearly, he felt the warmth in his heart.
Suddenly, he could see the full figure of the angel. Its face was more human-like, but the skin looked fictional, almost otherworldly. Its wings were exactly as he had read in novels—angelic and majestic.
The figure spoke with a loving smile as it walked toward him:
"Wandering soul, may you rest in peace in your other life. Welcome to Etherlamenthia."
"What the fuck is going on? Did I die? Wait… Truck-kun visited me not too long ago, so this is just my fantasy reincarnation stuff. Whatever, let's just see this 'Etherlamenthia.'"
He frowned, thinking about his life.
"Of course, I hate that I died without achieving anything. But at least I had a bit of quiet after age 22. I really died young… I was 28. Well, I guess I look more like 18 now. What if… this angel was a man? Hilarious. Why not a woman?"
Despite learning he had died, he felt no fear. He had never taken life seriously; the more he did, the more he realized he was an empty shell, nothing to boast of except the body he was born with.
The angel paused, allowing the man to digest his words. Then it spoke:
"You have been chosen by the angel numbers—the River Paths. The paths want to revive you alive in another world.
The world you came from, Earth, is special. The paths revive souls into new shells with new lives."
The man looked bored. He had read enough novels to know this kind of exposition. Raising an eyebrow, he said,
"So, in short, you want to either transmigrate me or reincarnate me."
The angel smiled again.
"Call it what you like. I am a guidanceer. I guide lost souls; that is my duty. Before you go, you may ask any questions that trouble you."
"First question," the man said, "where are you going to guide me? And why am I chosen by the path?"
The angel's smile softened as it replied:
"Easy. These are two questions. I am guiding you to Etherlamenthia, a world where souls are reincarnated. What awaits you there is not my duty.
The reason you are chosen relies heavily on your past life, which I do not know specifically."
The man's face grew serious.
"Second question: what are the paths?"
The guidanceer noticed the man's mood shifting.
"Every human is born under a path. There are twenty paths. Each path has a God ruling it. They have significant influence over reincarnation.
I know what you're going to ask next..."
"I expect nothing less from a guidanceer. Of course I would ask about the gods—all of them. No one is stupid enough to step on a world full of mysteries not knowing the gods..."
"It will be very long and so tiring just from hearing it, so embrace yourself…
Listen closely:
---
000 / 0000
000: The Nullborn – God of the Void, guardian of emptiness. Maintains the infinite vacuum between worlds, ensuring creation does not collapse into itself.
0000: The Absolute Silence – God of Erasure, the finality of memory. Wipes existence from time when balance demands it, leaving only oblivion behind.
---
111 / 1111
111: The Trinity Flame – God of Creation, beginnings, and unity. Sparks the birth of worlds, guiding life's first breath across realms.
1111: The Pillar of Origin – God of Foundations, the architect of reality's structure. Ensures destiny unfolds along the ordained paths.
---
222 / 2222
222: The Dual Moon – God of Harmony and Reflection. Balances opposing forces, guarding the hidden duality of souls and matter.
2222: The Mirror of Infinity – God of Resonance. Bends reality to reflect the perfect equilibrium of existence, making all extremes harmonize.
---
333 / 3333
333: The Trickster's Tongue – God of Expression and Chaos. Inspires creation, mischief, and divine improvisation, whispering ideas into mortal minds.
3333: The Chorus Eternal – God of Unity through Speech. Binds all voices into a single cosmic song, shaping reality with the power of sound and thought.
---
444 / 4444
444: The Stone Sentinel – God of Order and Law. Upholds divine statutes, enforcing structure across worlds to prevent chaos from swallowing existence.
4444: The Eternal Fortress – God of Stability. Anchors reality, holding the foundations of creation unyielding, unshakable by any force.
---
555 / 5555
555: The Wanderer's Star – God of Freedom and Change. Guides souls seeking new paths, inspiring exploration across worlds and possibilities.
5555: The Cosmic Nomad – God of Transcendence. Roams the Soul Rivers, reshaping destinies and paths, unbound by law or duty.
---
666 / 6666
666: The God of Desire – God of Temptation and Craving. Forges longing in mortals and immortals alike, shaping ambition, obsession, and lust.
6666: The Devourer of Worlds – God of Consumption. Elevates desire into hunger so great it can reshape or consume entire realities.
---
777 / 7777
777: The Hidden Seer – God of Wisdom and Mystery. Observes the flow of time and souls, revealing truths to those ready to see.
7777: The Veil Unbroken – God of Prophecy. Maintains the hidden threads of fate, masking and unveiling the future as the cosmos requires.
---
888 / 8888
888: The Iron Crown – God of Power and Dominion. Oversees rule, material authority, and the flow of wealth across worlds.
8888: The Empire Eternal – God of Legacy. Ensures dynasties and civilizations persist in memory and soul beyond death.
---
999 / 9999
999: The Final Requiem – God of Endings and Mortality. Guides souls through closure, mourning what must pass, ensuring completion.
9999: The Omega Ascendant – God of Rebirth and Return. Transcends endings, carrying lessons of all past existence into the next cycle.
This should be about enough, but these are not actually the only gods; knowing only this should suffice.
---
"No, I actually want you to tell me about the other gods. Let me guess—they are setbacks or something..."
The guidanceer felt a bit of shock.
"You are really something else, aren't you, wandering soul.
Well, hear me out though:
---
14: The Balancer
Duty: God of Temptation and Consequence. Crafts obstacles from indulgence and overreach. Pushes souls to confront excess, teaching that freedom comes with responsibility. Those who ignore the path of balance face natural setbacks and hardship.
---
16: The Fall and Rise
Duty: God of Humility and Catastrophe. Strikes prideful souls with sudden collapse—loss, failure, or destruction. Its duty is to force growth through adversity; every fall is a lesson, every collapse a natural consequence of imbalance.
---
19: The Cycle Ender
Duty: God of Finality and Reckoning. Oversees inevitable endings and closures. Forces resolution, clearing unfinished paths, breaking stagnation. Those who resist the cycle face karmic resistance, natural roadblocks, and relentless challenges.
They are simply karma.
---
"I know it's a lot of information," the guidanceer said. "But these are gods far above myth. Any questions left?"
The man was expressionless. His mind ran: Does the guidanceer know about our world? Then how does he not know about Etherlamenthia? He doesn't want to answer… Makes sense why this feels so odd—I already know the whole thing.
He smirked, closing his eyes.
"So anyway, I don't care about the path. Tell me—how many people are going into Etherlamenthia?"
The guidanceer closed his eyes, forcing a faint smile.
"No idea. You'll find out when you enter. And I'm afraid you only have one question left."
The man laughed, more arrogant than amused.
"How long are you going to play all high-and-mighty, filthy soul? You really suck at acting."
The angel, six wings perfect, was terrified internally: Did he find out? Who is he? Should I ask him? No… no…
He tried to stay composed.
"What are you saying?"
But the man had already read his microexpression.
"Me… Don't mind me. I'm just a useless author."
---