Prologue
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What use is strength if you outlive everyone you ever cared about?
I mentally repeat the question for what has to be the millionth time. If there is an answer to this question, I haven't figured it out in the past million years when I first asked myself. Is there even a correct answer? A sigh escapes my lips, surprising myself with how ancient and tired it sounds.
The only thing keeping me company in this desolate world are my memories from my younger days, happier days. My mothers smile, my fathers laugh and my sister's compassion.
My many wives throughout the years. I still remember how guilty i felt when I first met my second wife, Ash, like I was cheating on my first even though she had long passed. Maybe I was, but that loneliness, it was suffocating.
I chuckle thinking about my past self. He thought he knew what loneliness was because he had no one to warm his bed. Oh what I would give just to see even a rodent, just something so I'm not alone.
There use to be a few others like me, max level that is.
Four of us in total, brothers for eternity. Or so I thought, but even they slowly fell to the never ending flow of time. My last brother, Simon, passing countless years ago. So I assume anyway, the only body I saw was Simon’s, the others just disappeared.
I can't figure why they passed before me though, I was the eldest.
Status Screen
Name:
Ares
Level:
999
Gender:
Male
Race:
Human
Stats Screen
Strength:
9999
Wisdom:
9999
Agility:
9999
Intelligence:
9999
Vitality:
9999
Charisma:
9999
Dexterity:
9999
Luck
9999
No matter how many times I study my status screen I never find the answer. Guess some questions just don't have answers…
I've seen it all in my life, civilisations came and went like the flicker of a candle in my eyes. That is until they stopped coming. The planet is dying, inhospitable to all life, even vegetation. Humans succumbed like every other species. I'm the last of any life on this planet. Trust me, I've spent countless years searching.
So I sit on this barren land and ask myself for the 1’000’001 time, what use is strength if you outlive everyone?
“Well hello there”
Launching myself 100’s of feet away, I quickly turn around to see the owner of that voice. However, upon turning around I don’t see anyone within thousands of miles. Maybe all this time by myself has finally caused me to go crazy. Maybe, I’ve been crazy this whole time without realising it…
“Woah, didn’t mean to scare you there buddy” I turn around immediately, this time opting not to retreat.
Standing a few feet away from me is a short man, no taller than 5’5. His hair is shaggy and looks as if it hasn’t been cut in centuries, though who am I to talk. A scruffy beard to go along with his head of hair. His clothes are baggy, almost as if he dressed to suit his overall shaggy appearance.
My mind is racing with thoughts and questions. Part of me just wants to laugh in joy at meeting another person in who knows how long, however, logical part is warning me. He snuck up on me not once but twice, within a few feet as well. Even those brothers of mine couldn’t hope to get within a mile of me without my realisation.
“Oh not very talkative are you, well that’s alright. Well the name’s Judah, no need to introduce yourself Ares, already know all I need to know about you.” The scruffy man, I mean Judah, scratched at his beard while introducing himself.
What, he knows me? He’s been watching me and I haven’t been able to notice… how’s that even possible unless he somehow beat the max level. That’s not possible though, my brothers and I spent countless years researching and experimenting but couldn’t beat it.
“Who are you and why have you been watching me?” I asked nonchalantly. As surprising as all this is, seeing as he isn’t hostile, I don’t seem to overly care too much. After living millions of years it takes more than this to truly get me worked up.
“Well you already know how I am, I just told you.” He chuckled to himself. “But that’s not what you’re asking are you. I guess the best way to put it is that I’m God.” He paused, as if waiting for me to act amazed or refute him. However, I truly don’t care.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Oh right, well guess that explains why you’re able to sneak up on me. So why have you been watching me?” It might look from the outside that I’m bored of this conversation, but it does feel good to talk to someone… or something, not to sure on that point.
“Oh you’re taking this easier than the other three. I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little disapp”
“Wait. Other three? What other three?” My voice a little more rushed than normal.
“Oh come on Ares, don’t tell me you forgot them, your brothers.”
“You spoke to them? Are they still alive?”
“Well yes and no. They have long since shed their human bodies and ascended into godhood, in fact that brings me to why I’m here today. Would you like to follow their footsteps and reunite with them?”
“Wait, so they’re gods now? And you want me to join them?” My mind is starting to reel from all these sudden revelations.
“Correct!”
“Why?” Guess even after millions of years I’ll never lose my sceptical nature.
“Well I guess I should explain the situation then. As I’m sure you’ve realised, this world is dying and is soon to be dead. Once the planet is dead, the cycle of reincarnation will no longer exist, and thus countless souls would be wiped from existence. Well someone way higher up than myself has decided we can’t have this, so it’s my duty as the planet manager to shift all the souls into another reincarnation cycle in a different world.” He paused to what I assume is to process the information lest he has to repeat.
“It’s quite an easy and routine job, unless there are people like you. Capable of surviving through the destruction of a planet. This is where things get irksome, because of how strong your soul is. It’s no easy task for me to transfer a soul of your calibre, and I can’t just leave you in case the big boss finds out I left a soul behind. So we opt to recruit you into our ranks, thus making my job easier and creating more man power. Makes sense?”
So there are other worlds out there, I wonder what they’re like. I guess if I do become a god I’ll be able to travel and see countless worlds. However, gods obviously live indefinitely… can I bear another million years? Guess I’ll ask some questions before making any rash decisions.
“So there are other worlds, and I assume if I become a god, I’ll have to manage my own planet?”
“Well yes, part of the job.” I can tell Judah is getting impatient… why would a god care for time?
“Also what took you so long to ask me?”
“Yeah well you can blame umm… Simon, that’s it. Yeah you can blame Simon. The other two were happy to become gods but that annoyance, wanted to reincarnate, kept saying how he no longer wished to live for eternity.” Clearly Judah is holding a grudge against Simon.
“That doesn’t explain why you took so long to get to me though?” I push the question again.
“I told you, it takes a lot of effort for me to transfer your souls into other reincarnation cycles. After I had to rest for a short period of time to recover my energy.” He yet again scratches his beard, I wonder if he has flees.
“Now are you ready to become a god? It takes a few thousand years, so the sooner we start, the sooner we’re done.”
“Why are you eager?” I can’t help but ask him, it doesn’t make sense for a god to be so rushed.
“Why am I so eager? Because if it wasn’t for you four lads, especially that Simon, I’d be long done with my job here. Even I get bored with no one else to watch but you. Now are you ready?” He pushed the question yet again.
I guess it’s what I’ve chased all these years, the pinnacle of strength. However, now that it’s placed in front of me, I can’t help but hesitate. If all these years by myself taught me anything, it was that there is only loneliness at the top. I guess my decision’s been made.
“I don’t like the look of your eyes.” Judah stated with a clear frown on his face.
“Sorry, but I no longer desire strength or everlasting life. I’d like to be reincarnated.” I do feel bad for him I guess, but it’s job.
“Arghh out of the four of you, I thought for sure you’d be the done deal. I remember watching you in your starting days, so bloodthirsty. Constantly struggling to reach higher realms in your strength. Slaughtering all who stood in your way.” Yeah, I guess I was a little hot headed in my youth.
“Time moves on, people change. Sorry but my mind is made, please reincarnate me.”
“It’s not like I have a choice.” Judah mumbles. I guess even gods have their struggles.
...
“So what now?” I ask after some time has passed without any sign of movement from Judah.
“Now I kill you, take your soul and begin this pain in the ass of a journey.” I see a flicker in his eyes.
“Okay… so when are we doing this?” I try podding him on.
“It’s already done, look down.”
Now that’s not something you see every day, laying below me is my corpse, eyes still open.
“Alright, no time to waste, off we go.” Judah waves his hand at me, and I feel an invisible force carrying me behind Judah.
“So where am I going to reincarnate?” I ask partly out of curiosity and partly to fill the silence.
“I don’t have any control of that. All I’m doing is pushing you outside of the current reincarnation cycle you’re in, then another cycle will drag you in. Be warned though, it will hurt. When you’re dragged into a new cycle, it will tear away the old cycles mark and place its own on yours.” He pauses in the thought.
“Think of it this way. Those status boxes that show your level and stats are actually apart of this current cycle you’re in. The new cycle will thus burn it off your soul.”
So only our world has status boxes. How strange, it really is a completely different world.
“Well it’s time we say goodbye. I’m going to put your soul in an unconscious state, as your soul wouldn’t be able to handle crossing over awake.” Judah suddenly said.
Well this is it.
“Thanks Judah.”
“Don’t mention it.”
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First Simon and now Ares, those fools really have made me work. Just because I'm a god doesn't mean tearing open a reincarnation cycle is easy.
Look at me, struggling to catch my breath, weakness flowing through my body. It's a horrible feeling, reminds me of before I ascended, pitifully weak.
Well looking on the bright side, at least the hard part’s over. Now I just have to confirm his soul is picked up by another cycle. What's another year or two of waiting.
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22344 years later.
Arghh why the fuck is this taken so long?! All the nearby reincarnation cycles are too weak to claim his soul, but over 20000 years and still nothing!
When this bastard finally reincarnates I'm gonna kill him just out of spite.
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46782 years later.
Finally! Another cycle is claiming that pain in the ass. He's that gods issue now hahaha
Wait, what? His soul is actually fighting the cycle. How's this possible? Look at the size of that cycle, it should be immensely powerful!
What!? His soul entered the cycle without erasing his last cycles mark. How intriguing. He will no longer be under the supression of the cycle either. His potential is limitless now! It's entirely possible I'll be seeing him again... but the next time he'd be the one in power!
Well it's not like I actually care, I'm officially starting my vacation!
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Congratulations! You have just been born
Status Screen
Name:
???
Level:
1
Gender:
Male
Race:
[1] Tailed Fox
Stats Screen
Strength:
3
Wisdom:
1
Agility:
5
Intelligence:
1
Vitality:
2
Charisma:
2
Dexterity:
1
Luck
3