Ever since acquiring the Void Resilience skill, my nights spent in the void had transformed. Though far from peaceful, they were no longer a torturous experience. In this place, I felt disconnected from my previous life and even my current existence. I simply drifted, floating in the vast expanse of the void, detached from the world I knew.

I clearly once again found myself in the void, a place that often visited me in my dreams. I reflected on being knocked out and how, surprisingly, it seemed to constitute sleep.

As I drifted, a deep laughter suddenly filled my ears, sending chills down my spine. A fear I hadn't felt since I first died began to creep up on me, its icy tendrils gripping my heart. The void, which had become a familiar place of solace, now felt threatening and sinister, leaving me to wonder what new challenges awaited me in this inky abyss.

The voice, unmistakably belonging to The Void, spoke with a tone that was both ominous and taunting, "Greetings again, little soul."

I tried to respond, to muster some kind of retort, but I found myself unable to utter a single word or even focus on the being before me. The Void laughed at my struggle, a sound that sent shivers down my spine.

Before my eyes, the formless presence began to shift and morph. It solidified into the figure of an old man with pure black eyes, void of any light or emotion. As this new form took shape, I found it to be more tolerable than the amorphous entity I had encountered moments ago. I could now speak and look upon The Void without feeling the overwhelming fear that had seized me earlier.

Summoning my courage, I addressed The Void, my voice shaky but determined, "What do you want from me? Why am I here?"

The Void laughed, a deep and echoing sound that resonated through the emptiness. "I have no request for you, young one," it said, its tone almost mocking. "I am not so vain or petty as the other gods, who demand churches and shrines in their honor."

The Void continued, its voice carrying a sense of finality, "While there is an infinite number of worlds and gods, there is only one Void that lies thick upon these mirrored worlds. At the end of all time and existence, I am there, waiting for the inevitable."

The Void's voice deepened, a sinister undercurrent running through its words. "These gods, who consider themselves so mighty, they seek to meddle in my affairs, attempting to circumvent the inevitable end of all things. They foolishly believe they can escape the destiny that awaits them and that I would spare even one of those worlds so rightfully belonging to me at the end."

A sense of frustration emanated from The Void, betraying its dissatisfaction with its lack of direct influence over the mortal plane. "I am beyond them, yet I am unable to act upon the mortal realm as they do. This imbalance will be changed."

The Void reached out, its ethereal hand extending toward my head. As it made contact, I felt my mind shattering and reassembling, an indescribable agony that was both mental and physical. It was as if the darkest parts of my inner self, all the intrusive thoughts and hidden fears, were coalescing to form a new, separate personality.

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This new presence felt like a reflection of the incongruity between my appearance and my true age. I looked like an 18-year-old, yet I had lived for over three decades before I died and arrived in this realm. This duality seemed to be embodied by the newly formed aspect of my being, born from the touch of The Void.

As I faced this new version of myself, I felt a profound sadness but not anger. I understood that despite its darker nature, it had been spawned from within me and represented the person I once was. This was the version of me from before my loving wife and family, before a lifetime of learning empathy, morality, and striving to be good.

This younger, darker version of myself had existed to protect an even more vulnerable self, a child raised by drug addicts and surrounded by abuse. It had been the armor I had donned to survive the hardships of my early life, a shield that had now taken on a life of its own under the influence of The Void.

As this darker version of myself and I were pulled together by an unseen force, we vied for control, embroiled in a painful, mental tug-of-war. The ordeal was excruciating, as if our very souls were being torn apart and stitched back together, while both our memories and emotions clashed and merged violently. In the background, the chilling laughter of The Void reverberated, amplifying the intensity of the struggle.

The younger version hurled obscenities at me, accusing me of failing to protect Stonegorge, hiding in a forest chopping trees when my wifes heart would break at me not living to my full potential in this new world, and of abandoning my family. Each word struck me with the force of a sledgehammer, compounding my shame and self-doubt.

As the struggle continued, my older self was consumed by the shame and unable to maintain the strength required to prevail against me. I emerged victorious, seizing control for myself and pushing that old bastard into the background. Sadly the old fuck was stubborn and a significant portion of his being merged with my own in the process.

I examined my body, moving my hands and fingers as much as I could within the constraints of the void. It was fascinating, this newfound control I had. I was no longer just a dark thought in the background, no longer a means to an end, a result of a hard upbringing as my older self would have said. I turned my attention to The Void, smirking as a thought crossed my mind. "Nice to meet ya," I said. "I guess you're kinda like my father now, huh? Alright, Papa Void, what do you want?"

The Void's black eyes fixed upon me with an intensity that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. "I have no request for you, young demigod birthed by the void, but I do have a simple demand. You shall only rule not serve. This is not a choice, but an oath you are bound to fulfill."

Before I could react, I felt the weight of the oath envelop me, an unbreakable bond that I had not consented to, yet now could not escape. It seeped into my very being, solidifying my allegiance to The Void and instilling within me a burning hatred and rivalry for the gods who sought to manipulate and control the mortal realm.

As the gravity of the oath settled upon me, I understood that this was The Void's way of establishing the beginning of its own pantheon on this world. Unable to manifest an avatar of its own, The Void had chosen me to be at the forefront of this new pantheon, a vessel through which it could exert its influence and challenge the gods that held sway over this realm.

I could sense that The Void had no desire to lead or fight itself and possibly was not even able to do so, as its very existence would consume the other gods. Its true desire was to achieve balance, for the gods had overstepped their bounds, disrupting the equilibrium between them and The Void. This disruption had granted The Void permission, by the cosmic system governing divine interactions, to act as it had so far.

The creation of this pantheon would inevitably lead to clashes with others, fulfilling The Void's ultimate goal of restoring balance and maintaining the delicate harmony between existence and the emptiness of everything.

I couldn't help but think about the path to power that lay before me. I had no problem humbling anyone who dared to stand in my way. A sense of determination welled up inside me, and I couldn't resist chuckling at the thought. There was no chance in hell I was going back to being a lumberjack.