“Does it this time? Or are you, as always, unwilling to share what is to happen? You are a powerful god. Fate, future, past, present, all that will be. The gods have grown complacent, and it is time for a change."

While Urien still making a somewhat tired speech about gods and whatever, destiny, maybe, I walked up to the hooded god, whoever he was he must have been pretty powerful, as Urien said.

Without hesitation, I spoke up. "This would really be the perfect moment to blast him," I said, gesturing towards Urien.

To my surprise, the hooded figure nodded in agreement. "In this you are right, mortal Asher," he said, his voice deep and resonant. And with a calm flick of his wrist, a bolt of lightning shot towards Urien.

The power of the blast was unimaginable. It was as if the very fabric of reality was tearing apart at the seams. I could see the sky lighting up with bursts of energy, and I felt the ground shaking beneath my feet. The forces of the world were colliding, all in an effort to eradicate one of their own.

The air was thick with the sounds of clashing forces, one after another. Each god poured their power into the fray.

It was a spectacle beyond comprehension.

Urien fought back with all his might, determined to prove that he was still the most powerful god in existence. But it was clear that he was no match for the mysterious hooded god and the gods which stood behind him.

Was he a god from another realm? A being of pure energy and power? A power from what is ‘beyond’? Whatever he was, he was pretty powerful.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The power faded away, and Urien was nowhere to be seen. It was a solemn moment for the remaining gods, as they realized that they had just killed one of their own.

But there were no screams, no blood was spilled, and no cries of war were heard during what must have been a decisive point in history. It was a solemn moment, as the gods stood there in silence, reflecting on the price of power and the consequences if it is taken awry.

Everything else was undisturbed.

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The hooded figure stood before me, his cloak billowing in the aftermath of the tempestuous battle. And yet, despite the chaos that had just unfolded, he seemed completely at ease, as if he had expected this outcome all along.

Even with my ‘live and let live’ attitude, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. "Isn't this going to mess things up?" I asked. "Death is kind of important for a lot of beings."

"He is not dead," Alexandra said reassuringly. "You cannot assume that ones such as us could ever truly die. But what has been Urien is no more."

"You have done well, mortal Asher," the hooded god said, his voice resonating with a sense of otherworldly wisdom. "You have proven yourself to be a valuable asset in our war against the darkness."

“Well, I really wouldn’t say so.” I shrugged. “I mean, I basically didn’t do anything. Also, you gotta be Fate, right?” I said.

“Fate, destiny, the force which guides the universe, call me what you will.” He said. “But this is not a time for pleasantries, for I have a question for you that even I do not know. Cyrus Kurush, Asher Burell. Would you still consider taking up the mantel of God of Death?”

I was flabbergasted. “Uhm, what?”

“I saw, see, and have seen many things, though the moments after the demise of Urien are still a blur to me, which means that even the powers beyond do not know what is to happen. But I have seen you more than once, so your fate intertwined in his destiny. This may have been all there was. A new Death will arise, with or without you but I cannot be sure, for this is your call now. What say you?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I didn't want to pass it up. But at the same time, I knew that this most likely was the suckiest job in the whole, well, everything; world, universe, existence, whatever you want to call it.

I mean, there was a reason why Urien turned out the way he did, no?

Well, also maybe not. He could have just been a really depressed and edgy emo for as long as he existed. Some people just start out bad and remain so for their entire lives.

This doesn’t have to be like, ‘He was good at the start then turned bad after a while on the job.’

"Uhhhhhh, sure. I'll give it a shot and hope you guys won't have to do me in like you did with Urien. One more thing, though—how?"

Alexandra spoke up. “We will put Urien’s essence into you. You’ve already proven yourself to be a capable vessel for divine power, but I must warn you still, Asher. The person you are right now may not be the one you emerge as after the ordeal.”

“Oh, relax. Can’t be as bad as the things I have already experienced.”

With the matter settled, I suddenly had another thought. "How about I take on a new name? First Cyrus, then Asher, following the tradition of adopting a new name with each rebirth, right?"

I pondered for a moment. "I'd like something cool, something that resonates with me. Something that is not just a reference for weebs.. How about Haym? I don't know if it holds any special meaning, but I like the sound of it.

Yeah, that's it. I am Haym, the New God of Death."