There was always a distinction in the essence of understanding our soul. If a soul reaches a higher state of consciousness, our inherent characteristics and ways of thinking evolve to become more refined and elevated.
What makes a mortal is its failure, and what makes a god is its perfection.
Which leaves two states of beings, the inferior and the superior.
One filled with empathy and change.
One filled with ambition and purpose.
—Journal of The Seer
Time has passed since the day I felt what it is like to be a mortal. I have wandered centuries across the void and seen things beyond mortal comprehension.
I left a trail of swords for the young warriors to follow my ideal wisdom, but here I am standing in the highest heaven, wondering at the frailty of a mere mortal.
I have nothing left but the yearning of the less—worshiped and revered for my prowess.
It’s always been a question from a philosophical standpoint.
What does a mortal gain from a god, and what does a god gain from a mortal?
***
[The God of Eternal and Mortal]
I can still recall the moment when the gods first laid eyes on my ascent to divinity. Their faces were etched with surprise and trepidation. Though I may not have been a god myself, my reputation as a "Mortal God" and "Farseer" had spread far and wide.
Many gods would visit me to seek my insight into the future, earning me the nickname "Farseer." Despite others attempting to replicate my abilities, none have been able to match my foretelling powers. This has given me an unrivaled connection to the gods above.
Their fear was well-founded, for I am truly unassailable, thanks to the vast knowledge I possess. But what the gods and mortals truly know me for is my title, "Mortal God."
Ever since the gods fell from the heavens, I have outlived them all. This event brought forth an abundance of shards, known as "Divinity," which are formed from the remains of the fallen gods.
Each shard has the ability to track the progress of the holder as they traverse through their advancement. Its true function is to give the possessor a certain enlightenment from the previous holder's knowledge.
For a shard to be called "Divinity", it would require the holder to entirely grasp the knowledge contained within it.
Though all shards are similar, there are many variations, with each shard having its ranking.
[Stone Shards] are small, yet surprisingly dense pieces of stone that contain minuscule amounts of the essence. They are commonly found in establishments rich in resources and are sought after by individuals looking to enhance their abilities.
[Crystal Shards] are pieces of divinity shards that contain 1/5th of the essence found in a [True Shard]. They are rarer than [True Shards] and can be reassembled to create a pseudo [Divinity Shard].
[True Shards] are the complete form of their material and offer 100% possession of their abilities. They can greatly enhance an individual's progress, depending on their specialization, and the remaining 10% of their essence can be salvaged for reallocation to other skills. The essence of a [True Shard] is five times more than that of a regular shard.
[Divinity Shards] are the highest form of their material and the origin of godly ascension. Once a mortal reaches the pinnacle of their mastery, they can materialize a blue shard in the shape of a crystal. These shards can only be obtained through bestowal by a god or by falling from the sky.
As I traveled through the vast expanse of worlds, I couldn't help but ponder on the nature of death. Even the gods, who possess immense power and immortality, must ultimately succumb to the same fate as mortals. All are reduced to mere shards in the face of death.
But I am different. I possess a shard unlike any other - a Divinity Shard of unparalleled power and uniqueness. It is a shard that even the gods would covet, for its size and strength far surpasses any divinity shard known to exist.
As an arcanist researcher, I have traveled to countless worlds filled with treasures and anomalies. One of my tasks is to find the source of unstable Rifts, which caused some Rift Dwellers' dimensions and dungeons to drift from the system known as the Escalade - a fortification and control to supervise Rifts and maintain balance for sentient beings to delve into.
This world I stumbled upon was beyond the reach of the Escalade. The creatures here seemed capable enough to learn the arcane masteries left behind by their gods. But what truly astounded me was that their practice seemed to be focused on circulating the essence from the air, rather than absorbing it from a shard. This was a new way of harnessing energy - a milestone for essence breakthrough.
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And for a hundred years, I learned the language of the species home to this world, its central dominion. Which is known for its control over the knowledge of their essence that maintains their practices and the central core of their culture.
The Dominion.
Naming it after the legend of King Aster, the Asterian Sanctuary was built to commemorate the source of their power, the Agrarian Pillar, which was said to house the powerful Seer Stone. But as soon as it was discovered, there was no seer stone to be found, only an empty carved shape in the crystal scraped from the pillar.
Not until I came into its presence, the Agrarian Pillar. The pillar was responding to one of my divinity shards, and when I looked closer at it. I realized the pillar was less or more exaggerated in contrast to its legend.
But rather, it was the technology that the Acolytes had already deciphered long ago after the fall.
The fallen gods know it as the [Glade], but the Acolytes prefer its name to be called Shard Reactor.
The Shard Reactor can change to any form according to the master's wishes. But under a premise, the crystal must be capable of harnessing the essence deep inside the divinity, as well as redistributing its essence to different energy, one of them being Mana and Essence in deciphering the mystery of void.
Once a divinity shard reaches its complete state, the essence in a process will change into a solidified form, with only the exception of the Shard Reactor - reversing it into a liquid form.
***
[Mortal Perspective]
As a master of the arcane, the Shard Reactor before me was an enigma unlike any I had ever encountered. The energy and essence it exuded was like a raging fire, swirling with unbridled intensity. Without hesitation, I cast a spell to conceal my presence and followed it up with another spell to camouflage my findings, in case they were to be discovered by the council.
I carefully placed the divinity shard into the reactor and watched as the flames danced around it, absorbing the divine energy from the shard.
[You have awakened unidentified energy from the unknown divinity shard]
As the process came to an end, I knew that to the untrained eye, the reactor appeared untouched. But as an arcanist, I could sense the significant changes that had occurred in the vicinity. To further ensure my discovery to be remained hidden, I left an illusion spell to camouflage the scattered energies that lingered around it.
And with the fruits of my labor, I have finally gained the coveted Destiny shard, a unique divinity shard that grants me abilities once thought impossible: the power of eternity and the ability to see the future. The knowledge contained within it is immense, even for a god, and though I may never fully unlock its secrets, the mere fraction that I have gained from it is more than enough to make me one of the most powerful beings in existence.
Living through the endless passage of time not only gave me the power of eternal life but also caused me to form the divinity of death. Granting me the power of death, predicting all future foreseen events for those I have touched.
And whose death did I learn it from? It was my death, my death... I laughed at the irony of it, to think that even given the gift of eternity, I still haven't escaped the shackles of destiny.
I was haunted by my divinity, nothing but a mortal who has gone beyond the scope of knowledge. But regardless of who I was, it still didn’t change a single thing. I'm still a mortal, weak, susceptible to changes, moods, failures, and opinions.
Eternity is a myth. To those who seek it, they will only find the inevitability of their demise. But, through tireless research and study, I have found a way to release my spirit from the constraints of my divinity. The essence of divinity was born from the death of a god, and I delved deep into ancient texts to sever the shackles of the Eternal Shard.
And that was to understand and comprehend a divinity of my own.
At the moment of salvation, I have finally detached myself from the shard. Though I may have lived an endless life, the mysteries of the universe still call to me. As a researcher and an arcanist, I am driven to uncover the secrets that lay hidden in the depths of the cosmos. For those who seek the truth, life is a precious and endless journey of discovery.
So there's only one thought on my mind. If I wish to transcend death, I have to awaken as death itself.
My shard, though known as eternal, comes with a heavy price. living only an endless life as a mortal stranded by his destiny. A mortal with nothing but endless essence of life and secrets holding the origin of the universe.
And yes, this was the price of my godhood, a power so great that it had come with a price.
I delved into the mysteries of the arcane, studying and experimenting until I discovered a way to free my spirit from the bindings of the divinity shard. I hid the shard in a pocket dimension, ascending to grasp the divinity of death and become a god.
But the secrets revealed to me were not of eternal life, but of my impending death.
And every second I stare at the crystal beside me, it serves as a reminder of my mortality.
***
[The mortality of a God]
I could feel the cold metal of the dagger still buried deep within me, my life slipping away with each passing moment. As my vision began to fade, I couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal wash over me. This man, who I had once considered a close friend, had turned on me in pursuit of his selfish desires.
I tried to speak, to confront him, but the words wouldn't come. My body was growing weaker by the second, and I knew that my time was running out.
But as I lay dying, a realization dawned on me. The man standing before me, a once dear friend, had been consumed by his greed for eternal life. His eyes, once filled with warmth and compassion, now held a glint of malice and avarice. He had betrayed me, in his desperate attempt to claim the eternal shard for himself, securing his immortality.
"Why, of all people, why you?" I asked with disbelief etched on my face.
Without hesitation, I silently constructed a spell in my mind, preparing to seal the destiny shard and transport my spirit form to another location. I turned to face Ragnar and cast time alteration spells to buy myself more time for the spell to be completed.
Ragnar's face turned grim as he activated his bloodline talent, transforming into a dragon. He let out a deafening roar as his immense body broke through my defensive array, which I had arranged long ago. I could only defend and pray for my last array to hold him off long enough.
I remembered watching Ragnar ascend to godhood among his dragon kin after the fall. I cherished the memories of when he was still a wyrmling, running around in circles searching for his mother. But now, all of that was shattered in this single moment and there was no hope of reconciliation.
With my defensive spells proving ineffective against the overwhelming difference in our levels, I knew I had to rely on my last resort.
"What happened to the Fus Koh Dah, Ragnar? I thought it was your favorite memento before transforming," I said with a smile, hoping to remind him of the bond we shared through our memories.
He hesitated for a moment, but then clenched his fist in determination. An immense pressure emanated from his presence, pushing me to the ground.
In an instant, an aura of death engulfed me as I saw a hand emerging slowly towards me, ready to take my life without mercy. But just before it reached me, Ragnar hesitated.
I had gambled correctly. I seized the opportunity and thrust my spell into the sky, evoking the spell I had prepared for this moment.
With all my remaining strength, I unleashed the spell I had prepared for this moment. As my soul shattered and drifted into the void.
I was nothing but more than a mortal, even in the face of death.