"Everyone has a purpose."
'I've always believed that phrase for as long as I can remember. But now, I don't know if I can continue believing it...
I mean, I've been on this earth for 17 years. So why? Why haven't I found my purpose?
It bothered me to the point that I asked people online, and I got a few suggestions.
"Try different hobbies."
And so I tried different hobbies.
I tried singing, but even a deaf person would frown if I sang.
I tried dancing, but I was just doing pure bullsh*t.
I decided to try different sports, but the coaches didn't even let me stay for one more day after seeing how unathletic I was.
I couldn't even talk to my parents about it because they were so immersed in their jobs that they barely had time to talk to me.
And then came another suggestion from someone else online.
"Why don't you just try traveling?"
It was a good idea, but there were two problems.
Firstly, I was still in school, and even though school sucked, I couldn't just get up and leave.
Secondly, I was broke.
Even though my parents worked multiple jobs, their income was just enough for food, shelter, and other bills.
So, it all comes down to one question: How do I find my purpose?'
This was the last thought that echoed in Andy's mind before he stepped into the road, failing to notice the car that was zooming towards him.
"Move awayyyyy!!!"
Andy heard the frightened scream of a lady, bringing him back to his senses.
His head snapped to the right, but all he saw was a black object zooming towards him.
Before he could even act...
BAM!
Andy's body flew in the air like a ragdoll, his eyes widening at the same time.
BAM!
Another sound of impact was heard again as Andy's head hit the ground with force.
His body shivered, a sign that he was still alive...barely.
His vision was blurry. He could see the blurry sight of people rushing towards him and someone coming down from the black car.
But at the same time, he could also feel his eyes closing and his consciousness slipping away.
'I won't make it... I won't make it...'
That was the only thought Andy could have.
Until finally...
He stopped breathing.
Andy was dead.
*******
Drip! Drip!
Andy's eyes fluttered open, though his vision was still blurry. He didn't know if it was because of the severe headache he had right now or if his eyes were just struggling to adjust to the light.
He could hear the sound of rain droplets, forcing him to open his eyes fully.
'Wow...'
Andy turned slowly, taking in the wonderful sight.
He was in a meadow terrain. The grasses were swaying slowly in a rhythmic manner.
The sun was up high in the sky, which was kinda weird, considering the fact that it was also raining.
"I thought I died," Andy muttered, remembering the car that hit him.
"Yes, you did."
Andy reflexively turned back, searching for who just spoke.
There was a white table and two white chairs.
A glass jug was on the table, containing something that looked like orange juice, together with two cups.
And seated on one of the chairs was the person who spoke.
She was a lady who looked to be in her mid 20s.
Her long white hair swayed gently, some strands covering her eyes that seemed to have multiple colors.
Her eyes were changing from blue to red, to green, and other colors every second.
She wore a white robe, and she had a certain relaxing aura.
The smile on her face became gentler. "It's alright, you can come."
Andy began approaching her slowly and cautiously.
He stopped a few distances from her and spoke. "Who are you?"
The lady raised the jug and poured juice into the two cups.
"My name is Astrea," she said.
She dropped the jug and continued, "I'm the Goddess of Gishath."
Andy raised a brow. "Gishath?"
"I know you have a lot of questions, but if you sit down, I'll explain everything to you," Astrea said.
Andy locked eyes with her for a few seconds, but knowing that he had no other choice, he began walking towards the table. Moreover, as far as his eyes could see, there was nothing else in this space.
Reaching there, he moved the chair backward a bit, giving himself space to sit.
"You should try it," Astrea said, gesturing towards the cup containing the juice. "It's really good."
"Don't worry, I'm good, thank you," Andy said.
Yes, Astrea had introduced herself as a goddess, and he could even feel it because of how serene this place looked, but that didn't mean he would instantly be comfortable. Heck, he didn't even know how he was still alive after getting hit.
'This looks like something straight out of a light novel, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions yet,' Andy thought.
"So," Astrea began, "this world, Gishath, was created by me. Unknown entities, monstrous beings from another world, found their way into my world, but I blessed the people of my world with the ability to utilize mana, so they were able to control the situation."
She paused for a second, then continued.
"My people had control of the situation for years, and they still do till now."
Andy decided not to say anything yet. He wanted to hear what she had to say and how it was related to him.
"Now, there's a certain God named Ashrik," Astrea said.
Her expression suddenly turned serious, and Andy noticed it.
"He's a God who got corrupt, and he intends to spread his corruption to as many worlds as he can."
She took another sip of her juice and dropped the cup.
Her eyes lingered on Andy, studying his expression for a few seconds.
"If the rain is making you uncomfortable, I can make it stop," she said, crossing her legs.
Andy could feel the rain dropping on his body, but his clothes weren't wet in the slightest.
'I guess this is her doing.'
"I'm fine," he said.
Astrea smiled. "Good to know."
She continued. "Ashrik must have placed his minions in different worlds now. But the problem is, I can't directly interfere with my world even though I'm the one who created it."
Andy raised a brow. "But you were able to bless the people of your world to utilize mana. Wasn't that you interfering?"
"Yes," Astrea answered, "but there's a limit to what I can do.
I won't be able to do something like that anymore, if not, it would ruin the balance of the world. I'll have to try something different."
She stared directly at Andy. "And this is me trying something different."
"What do you mean?" Andy asked.
Astrea took another sip from her juice, letting the silence prevail for a few seconds.
"You actually died in your world," she started. "I wanted to send someone to my world with interesting powers, so I summoned a random soul from the void, and it ended up being you."
"I see..." Andy muttered. "So, are you saying that you want me to-"
"Yes," Astrea said immediately without waiting for Andy to finish.
She stood up from the chair, walked towards Andy, and stood in front of him.
The next moment, she lowered her head, her long white hair flowing to the ground.
A gasp escaped Andy's lips as he stared at Astrea.
"Please, Andy, I need your help," the Goddess said.
"Summoning a soul from the void isn't an easy thing to do even for a Goddess. I won't be able to summon any other soul from the void without a backlash. You are the only hope I have now."
Without raising her head, she continued,
"Please, help me. Help me deal with the minions of Ashrik in my world, and I will figure out how to deal with Ashrik himself. With the powers I'll grant you, I'm sure you'll be able to do it."
Andy's eyes never left her bowing figure. He was genuinely surprised by the urgency in her tone.
'If I agree to do this,' Andy thought, 'then that means I'll have another shot at life.'
'A life with a purpose.'
Andy closed his eyes.
He inhaled, air filling his lungs.
Then he opened his eyes.
He had made his decision.
*
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[A/N: Welcome everyone!! Thank you for taking your time to check this novel out! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Please support with power stones and comments. It will really motivate me! Now, sit tight, and enjoy the ride, because this is just the beginning!!]