Outside the normal boundaries of time and space, in a place mortals dare not venture, echoes of a great battle ring out and fill the void. Constructs the size of cities lie in ruin. Pools of energy, whose size could put stars to shame, sit around like common puddles after a rainstorm. Cracks that tear through reality itself litter the unbelievable realm. Amidst the chaos, one man floats aimlessly, all alone. His human shaped body is a cross between an ethereal being and a machine. The being has translucent skin that show his metallic bones and circuit like nervous system of golden wires. Rips, tears, and scorch marks mar his unusual body.
An orb of energy that pulses with a comfortable blue hue, materializes next to the man. After floating in place for but a moment it begins expanding. It grows and grows, shaping and molding itself into a human form. As the transformation is completed, and the orb of energy takes on the vague silhouette of a person, it looks down upon the man. Even without any features to mark its face, it appeared to be pitying the being before him.
"Don't you dare… look at me like that…" The man spat out in a raspy, mechanical voice.
"…"
"I'm… Not done… Not yet." Anger takes over the man's face. "The truths of this world… The great questions that have plagued mankind since our creation… I could find those truths! I could answer those questions! But YOU! You deny me that chance... You destroyed everything I have built... And now… Now you look upon me like that. As if you were sad for what you've done… HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME!!!" His seething rage all spills out, emotions he thought had long since been lost flood over him as he looks at the other being with righteous conviction.
"…"
"Say something dammit!"
But there was no reply, just a long silence hanging in the air.
*sigh* The man takes a deep breath as some of his rage begins to fade. "What a selfish god you are."
"You truly are a marvelous being... Even I struggle to erase you completely." The god in question finally speaks to the man. Their calm tone, sounding as if a chorus was singing in perfect harmony, fills the ruined space. "Tell me, what do you plan to do when you find these truths. What are your goals after that?"
"What nonsense are you driveling… that is my only goal. My only desire. What need do I have for anything else?"
"Then you are as foolish as I thought. A human who turned himself into an unholy amalgamation, all for the sake of achieving a singular goal. You gained much during your lifetime, but you lost even more." They let out a small sigh before continuing. "I would like to say more, but I know it will just fall on deaf ears." The godly being turns away from him.
"Now, how to deal with one such as you…" The godly being takes his time pondering his options before he answers in an almost excited voice. "Ah! I can't erase you because you've weaved yourself too deep into the fabric of THIS realm. BUT! If I can't destroy you in this realm, then I will just have to send you to another! Good thing he still owes me a favor." Something akin to a smile appears on their face, just outside of the mans view.
"What are you planning" A hint of confusion overtakes the man's face.
"Oh, you need not worry. Just relax and let yourself fade away."
The man's body slowly begins to fade into nothingness, starting from his feet. "What is this!" Panic begins to set in as more and more of his body fades away. "How are you doing this! It should be impossible!" He shouts violently as more than half of his body disappears.
"Come now, I'm the God of this world. Don't you think you're underestimating me too much?"
"Damn you! I won't let this be the end of me!" He remains defiant even as he is turned to nothing more than a talking head.
"Yes, I know this isn't the end. That is all part of the fun. Your new life will be quite different than this one, but you should try to enjoy yourself for a change." The god turns and flashes him a warm smile.
'New life? ' He thinks to himself as the last bit of his body fades away
Now all alone in chaotic space, the god begins to contemplate what he just did.
"I might have been a bit heavy handed, but it would be a real tragedy to see him become one of us as he is now." The god looks over his realm in tatters. "I suppose I should start cleaning up this mess."
⁘⁘⁘⁘
The pale glow of moonlight snakes its way through the towering trees of the surrounding forest. The loosely packed yet imposing trees reach far into the night sky. Their extraordinary size being a side effect of the magical nature of the forest. Green and red highlights of spirit moss add an extra layer of wonder and illumination to the dark surroundings. This forest, however, was not as peaceful as it appeared. Hidden amongst the serenity of nature, dark silhouettes lurk. They quietly creep through the brush, hunting their unfortunate prey. Only one sound can be heard echoing through this darkness.
"Haa haa haa, aahhh! Haahh!" A small teen boy, covered in a tattered coat, runs through the woods. His breathing is rough and ragged. Scratches cover his lithe body. His lungs burn in his chest, begging him to stop, but he refuses to listen. He knows if he does, he is doomed. He puts every fiber of his being into running, but it's not enough. Slowly but surely the hunting shadows at his rear grow ever closer. At 20 meters he can feel their gaze on his back. At 10 meters he can hear rustling behind him. At 5 meters he starts to feel their hunger, their desire to catch and devour him. He puts the last of his strength into his legs, his body finally reaching its limit. In his mind he starts to beg for something, anything to save him. When that fails he prays to the gods, offering anything and everything if they would just help him, but his prayers went unanswered.
A blunt shadow strikes the boys shoulder blade. The powerful hit sends him tumbling face first, eventually stopping flat on his back. His body goes stiff with fear as he finds himself helpless and surrounded. As he looks around, he can finally make out the creatures that have been tormenting him all night.
"Shadow wolves…" Seven of the beasts surround the boy. The shocking realization makes his blood run cold. Not just because of how deadly the beasts are, but for a far more sinister reason. Shadow wolves are known solitary hunters. The only time they would hunt as a pack is if they have been tamed by someone...
"Gotta admit, you got guts kid." The wolves clear a path in front of the boy, in their place a man seemingly shrouded by the night itself saunters forward. "Now I don't got nothing against you, or mongrels, or anything like that… but a jobs a job." The man continues forward casually and crouches down next to the boy's head. He scratches his own before continuing. "Its not much, but if you got any last words or something, I'll give it a listen."
The finality of the situation finally dawns on the boy. He was going to die. No gods or saviors would be coming for him. His pathetic life was coming to an end. If nothing else, his suffering would finally stop, and so he decided he would accept his fate… after asking the one question burning in his mind.
"Why?" The boy asks, more a whimper than a question.
The man could say nothing in response.
"What have I ever done to deserve this. Did I do something wrong! Is it that wrong for me to just exist?! Why?!?! Whyyyy?!?!?!" Tears begin to stream down his face as he looks to the man for answers.
"Well kid…" The man reaches into his coat and pulls out a cigar as he looks to the sky. He takes his time, slowly cutting the end, lighting it, and taking a long deep puff. "I used to think that everything balanced out. Sometimes good things happen, sometimes bad things happen, but in the end it all evens out… but you know… this world is cruel. It doesn't play fair. If you want something you gotta take it for yourself, risks be dammed. Ya gotta be stronger, smarter, or more devious than anyone standing in your way… Hmph." He lets out a small chuckle. "Or you could be one of those lucky bastards who get the whole world on a silver platter. But sadly that didn't ain't us. Now, you wanted to know why? Well, you just got dealt a bad hand." He takes one more puff of his cigar. "Well that's just how I figure it anyway. Rest well kid. NOBEDELSA!" The man used a quick-chant spell, one that numbs its target from all sensation. It was a final act of kindness from the one about to take his life. "SHADESTERUS AMAS VALERY!" At his command 2 small orbs of shadow formed in the air in front of him. They quickly shot out, piercing his heart and head simultaneously. The boy's life was over in an instant.
As the man puts the cigar back in his mouth, a dull blue light shines from the inner pocket of his cloak. The man recognizes the familiar light as his contract scroll, acknowledging the completion of his dirty job. He tosses a fresh cloak over the boy's body before slowly rising to his feet and walking away, fading back into the darkness he came from.