I was flying in my private jet with my plan fully in motion. I looked at my watch and it was currently 13:57. Three minutes left until I would face my untimely demise. I can’t wait for it.
I could tell I was smiling but I didn’t exactly know how that looked on my face. I remember cockishly smirking in the face of a lot of my opponents just to piss them off but I don’t remember ever having a sincere smile on my face…
Wait no. I do remember. But every single one of them was from a time when my sister was still alive. And that was a long time ago. Forty two years. I really got old didn’t I?
Back then my sister was neglected by my parents who were disappointed in her not being a genius like myself. Fuck them! She never blamed me for it. We actually got along really well. My father once told me to stop talking with my sister too much. I was fourteen and had done martial arts for two years now. My dad should be glad he only got off with nothing but a broken nose and arm because I personally would have loved to kill him at that point in time.
The police tried to get involved but unfortunately or fortunately depending on whether they were the kind of cops that enjoyed their jobs or not a threat here and a bribe there and they were out of the picture. Of course it wasn’t my parents that did that. It was all me. My parents couldn’t wipe their own asses after taking a shit if I wasn’t their son so I could wipe it for them.
But really the only person who enjoyed my company not because she wanted to get close to the world-class genius with a bright future but because she actually loved me was my sister. Sure she was proud of having me as her brother but it was a different kind of pride than the one my parents had that made them more and more useless.
Her pride made her try harder so she could be like me. I knew she couldn’t quite be exactly like me and I also knew she shouldn’t aim for being like somebody else not to mention being like someone with a heavy case of misanthropy or as pulled straight out of my memories of what I read about it on the internet – hatred, contempt or even disgust towards the human race or human nature in general.
I helped her with her schoolwork but never just did it for her. I rather taught her the parts she didn’t understand or she couldn’t do herself. I really did have fun while hanging out with my sister. Those were the brightest times of my life. Until…
shook my head trying not to remember what came after those happy times putting my genuine smile back on my face before looking at the watch on my wrist again. 13:59. Whoops. Looks like I indulged in memories a bit too long. 3… 2… 1…
*BOOM*
Ah yes that sound was certainly music to my ears. Ignoring the heat of the fire coming from behind me I closed my eyes and indulged myself in my happy memories once again, waiting for the plane to crash and my life to be over.
“Today is truly a happy day.” (Old happy tyrant)
*SPLASH*
*BOOM*
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I was floating in pure darkness. I could see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing. I couldn’t even feel or see my own body. Did I even have one at this point? Death is interesting.
Wonder if I could do something in here. I tried concentrating and “feeling” the world around me like some monks or martial artists would do if they wanted to attune themselves with nature. I didn’t do much of that. I didn’t have the affinity for it. I did a lot of stuff to try and alleviate my boredom during my life as a tyrant. Games, books hell I even got into anime at some point but meditation was never something that interested me.
Now though. What was really stopping me when everything else I could do involved floating in a void of darkness? And with that thought in mind I meditated. After a while I started to feel a light. How I felt a light I have no idea. It was a weird, hard to explain feeling. But I definitely felt it.
The light. I think it was coming from where my body was supposed to be. Was that light me? Maybe it was my soul? I had been floating here for who knows how long meditating and eventually I could feel another light and then another and another. After a while I could feel all of the lights around me and I felt like the previous darkness was a joke.
Of course it wasn’t. None of those lights could feel me or any of the other lights themselves. I was a little sorry for them. But as I was thinking that another light came into view. A bigger light. Not like the ones in here that were barely holding on to their own existence and from time to time disappeared. This light was big. Bright. It was like the sun. I hated it. I never had liked the sun after all.
“Oh don’t be like that. I actually quite like you.” (Bright light)
Why is it even speaking to me anyway? Wait… I didn’t really say that last part out loud did I? Could I even? Can this thing read my mind?
“Sure can little tyrant.” The bright light spoke to me. I swear I could feel the grin on its non-existent face as it was too. “Haha. Well you would be right at the fact that I would be wearing a big smirk on my face right now but it’s not as if I’m making fun of you or anything. I’m just glad I could finally find and speak to you.” (Giant light)
Great. I’m almost honored for a giant ball of light to come all the way over to this part of the void just for my sake but I don’t feel like holding a conversation right now. You see I was actually enjoying the peace and quiet while watching all the other lights flickering in and out of existence. I was truly a little annoyed at this light. It really did ruin the rest I had so patiently waited for all my life.
“It’s quite interesting that your current pastime is watching souls either being devoured by the void or being reincarnated. Is it fun just floating here in nothingness with nothing to do but that for all eternity?” (Giant light)
You say all eternity but didn’t you say something about reincarnation just now? Wouldn’t I have to just wait for that? I mean unlike the other lights that are around here barely keeping themselves intact I don’t seem to be having trouble shining brighter than anyone else. It was true among the lights here I was the biggest by far. Of course the biggest except for the giant one in front of me. If the lights around me were candles then I was like one of those huge bonfires that people sometimes made for festivals and the giant light in front of me was, as previously stated, like the sun.
“Right. Reincarnation. You see that’s why I’m here. I’ve called dibs on you so you won’t quite be reincarnated anytime soon unless it’s by me and as you said since your soul is a lot stronger than those around you, you will stay here and you will just float in the void in the meantime.” (Giant light)
Oh? So what? You’ve come to reincarnate me? And what you called dibs? Really? Am I that interesting to you? I was getting more and more annoyed at the light. It had ruined my long-deserved rest to only drag me back into that hellhole of a place. Why should I go back? I’ve done my job in that world now. I had no reason to go back.
“Oh don’t be like that! Sure your old life might have sucked a bit but hey I’m not even gonna revive you in the same world and you’re gonna get some benefits.” (Giant light)
Benefits? That’s nice but I would much prefer it if you just-
“What if I told you, you would be reincarnated as something much more powerful than a simple human?” (Giant light)
…I’m listening. Fuck she managed to get my attention. I couldn’t just ignore the chance of reviving as some kind of an existence that was different and more powerful than humans. Maybe then I could finally not care about them and just live my life for myself.
“You really are someone worth pitying aren’t you? Why do you hate humans so much? I don’t understand it. I understand you hating humanity for what they did to your sister but not to this extent. What I feel from you is greater than hatred. It’s a disgusting mix of hatred, bloodlust and ironically disgust.” (Giant light)
…
“Not willing to talk? No hiding your thoughts? Impressive. Normally a normal soul shouldn’t be able to hide their thoughts from me. Then again you’re not really a normal soul are you?” (Giant light)
Humanity… I don’t really hate humanity. What I hate is … No nevermind. Fuck! Just thinking about it is making me angry. Now I want to go back to life even less! Look if your aim is to convince me to let me reincarnate me then you aren’t doing a very good job of it.
“I’m not? Heh. Well let me explain anyway. You see in the world where I would be reincarnating you I am somewhat of a goddess and you. I need you to become my champion?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Champion? What exactly would that entail? Why should I become your champion when I met you just a few… moments (?) ago. Shit I really couldn’t tell the passage of time in this place. It felt like it could have been decades since I started talking to the self-proclaimed goddess but it also felt like it could be a few minutes. God this place is confusing when you actually have a reason to want to know the time.
“Ignoring your rant about the passage of time in the void.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
If you’re gonna ignore it then don’t mention it.
“Right. Being my champion would mean you get more power than any other of my children could possess. It wouldn’t mean you would be undefeatable but you would definitely be more powerful than any of them. Then again with your talent you would probably be able to surpass them anyway.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Uh-huh. So I would be born as your “child” and be the strongest among them. That’s great and all but I still have no reason to believe you’re just offering that. Again. What’s the catch?
“Always about the catch aren’t you? My children are what people call dragons and-“(Self-proclaimed goddess)
Wait what?
“Dragons.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Dragons?
“Dragons.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
… Dragons… Uh. Right the catch. I’m listening. I totally went out of control for a second there. Fuck. Dragons. Who wouldn’t want to be reincarnated if they were told they could be the strongest dragon ever. Even someone like me who hated life was greatly tempted.
“Back to the catch. You see I would need you to do some things for me once you are ready.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
I swear if I was alive I would have died of the pure smug she exuded that last sentence. Things?
“Things.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
I don’t like how you aren’t specifying what “things” are. Why should I trust you and become your champion if you don’t even tell me what I must do for it? Always read the contract before signing kids.
“Okay, okay. You will need to get involved in some dirty stuff… like wars.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
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Wars? Oh come on you can’t mean wars if you say dirty things. You seem to know how many of those I’ve not only been involved in but caused myself.
“Sigh… Nothing manages to escape you does it? Okay I’ll be specific. I want you to exterminate all other dragons amongst other things. But that’s the main thing and is your only true responsibility. The others would be more lie favors you can accept or deny.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
… Just that?
“Just… What do you mean just that?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
I mean… I don’t know that sounds way too simple for what you’re offering in return.
“Believe me it’s not as simple as it sounds. You may have the potential to become the strongest dragon but you won’t be one the moment you’re born.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Well isn’t that obvious? Do I have a time limit or something? Something that you’re keeping out that would make it more difficult than just simply exterminating dragonkind? It really sounded way too simple to be true. Destroying one race was all that was keeping me from reincarnating as a dragon and that sounded like way too good of a deal.
“No. No there is no time limit. As long as you do it before they destroy the other races or something I have no qualms about how long you will take but… do you really feel like it will be that easy? The dragon race are something I’m quite proud of. I don’t think exterminating them will be that easy.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Okay. Now this was interesting. Why would she want me to exterminate something she is so proud of? I was now, way more interested in her reason for asking this of me than the actual mission.
If I had no time limit then I could just bide my time until I got stronger and then hunt them down one by one. Even if they formed an alliance to stop me every army has a weak point and as long as I could exploit that I was sure I would have a chance at defeating them. And if I failed then what? I would die at worst. Even if my soul was truly eliminated somehow since this sounds like a world where things like that are possible then that would be true eternal rest with no one to bother me with bullshit like reincarnation.
“You really are the weirdest-… I swear there must have been a mistake somewhere when you were born as a human.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
I thought the same thing multiple times during my life..
“Right. My reason for wanting to destroy the dragon race is simple. They’ve gotten too cocky.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
What? That’s it?
“It might not sound like much but what happens when one of the most powerful races suddenly become incredibly brutal and bloodthirsty? They kill, pillage and rape as much as they want and nobody can stop them.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Just hearing the mention of rape filled me with a fire. They must die! Rape has always been a pet peeve of mine. Why? Because when my sisters body was discovered I found out she was used to vent the frustration of the kidnappers before… or after being killed. Those guys are currently climbing up to the top of my shitlist. They sounded like a fucking bandit gang! How could dragons become fucking bandits!
“Right? At first I made them proud and mighty creatures that were above all other races but just how the humans in your world regressed so did the dragons in mine. They became selfish and arrogant. And at this point not many remain that would listen to the voice of their own mother. Some of them even took over a country and are living as kings!” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
What after being bandits now they’re a bunch of delinquent teenagers going through puberty? Seriously what is wrong with the dragons in your world?
“Pfft. Could you stop making me laugh when I’m talking about serious stuff please?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Anyway. What about me?
“What about you?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
What about me after I’m done with the dragons. I’ll be a dragon and I’ll be alive.
“I don’t think I have to worry about someone like you regressing to what the dragons have become. You currently might not be the brightest light here but the way you’re not affected by the abyss in the least is incredible. The other souls in here are like lights slowly being absorbed by the void but you’re shooing it away like it’s an old friend you don’t want to deal with right now. Even I can’t resist the void like that.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Now that she mentions it the giant light that was before like a sun had been reduced in size a bit…
“Exactly so you can understand when I tell you that I don’t have all eternity right?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
I wanted to nod but I didn’t have a body to do it with so I went with the next best thing and formed this sentence in my mind to inform the goddess of my understanding.
“Pfft. You know for a cold and emotionless tyrant you sure make me laugh a lot. Are you doing that intentionally?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
…So let’s summarize. You will reincarnate me as the most powerful dragon ever and the only thing you want in return is for me to exterminate all dragons in your world. As long as I do it I can take as long as I want to prepare and after I’m done I would be free to live my life however I want?
“Yes.” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
Sign me up.
“Pfft. You’re suddenly awfully eager to go through with this aren’t you?” (Self-proclaimed goddess)
*Ahem*
“In that case from today on I give unto thee the name of Vedqothur and the title of Champion of Vozahrah the goddess of chaos, freedom, choice and Mother Goddess of dragons!” (Vozahrah)
The scenery suddenly changed. I again had a body, though it was different than the one in my previous life and in front of me instead of a giant light was standing a beautiful woman. No, to be exact the light was still there but it was something I felt. What I saw was different. The woman in front of me had long crimson hair reaching down to around the middle of her back and eyes of an even brighter crimson color though instead of a pupil that looked human it was slit like that of a serpent. She had features that were a good balance of sharp and soft and had a mischievous smile plastered across her face. She was wearing a white one piece dress that reached down to her knees as well scarlet plate gauntlets and knee-high plate boots. They didn’t look bulky for being plate armor. In fact they were on the small side.
“Impressed?” (Vozahrah)
Sure I guess. I haven’t ever seen a woman as beautiful as you before but I don’t see a reason to be too impressed about it.
“… What’s wrong? Were you that enamored by my beauty that your brain stopped working?” (Vozahrah)
Oh… right.
“Aww well. I could also get used to this. Now then let’s sit down and talk. We don’t have all eternity and I can only answer so many of your questions before you are actually born.” (Vozahrah)
“Oh I see so this is only temporary.” (Vedqothur)
“Correct now then care to sit down and have a talk?” (Vozahrah)
She pointed to a gazebo and not waiting for my answer started walking towards it but there was already another occupant. The girl was small but I could instantly tell she wasn’t anywhere as immature as a girl the age she looked to be. Her hair was platinum blonde and curly, reaching almost her ankles in length, and she was wearing a toga. She looked like she would be a Roman or Greek goddess if she was one in the first place. She seemed to look over at me surprised. I was currently wearing a simple tunic and trousers so I didn’t know what she was staring and… slightly blushing at?
“Oh Renie you were still here? Were you waiting for me or was it just a coincidence?” (Vozahrah)
Looking over at the goddess I would soon be the champion of her smirk seems to have only grown seeing the petite goddess. Maybe it was because she was obviously impressed by my current appearance? Even though I myself had no idea what I looked like other than that it was different from before.
“I was waiting for you. I did want to speak about your champion but… I didn’t expect he would be capable enough for you to bring him here.” (Renie?)
“Oh I was slightly surprised about that at first too but his soul was completely immune to the abyss’ corruption not to mention it was already strong enough for him to be able to enter here as long as he had a personal escort.” (Vozahrah)
Renie’s eyes opened widely as she was obviously surprised at the information she had just received. I guess it was pretty impressive for someone to be immune to something not even the Mother Goddess of motherfucking dragons isn’t but to me it didn’t feel like something I had achieved myself so I wasn’t impressed with it and didn’t even have to try and not let it go to my head.
“That’s certainly impressive.” (Renie)
At this point I was kind of tired of just listening about two people talking about me in front of myself so I made an effort in being noticed.
*Ahem*
“Oh right sorry about that Ved. Let me introduce you. Renie this is Vedqothur my soon-to-be champion and Ved this is-“ (Vozahrah)
“Eirene goddess of peace and innocence and mother goddess of the celestials.” (Eirene)
Ignoring the fact that Vozahrah had already shortened the annoyingly long name she had given me to three letters as if it was a pain to say it all even though she had been the one who thought it up, I made a polite bow towards the goddess of peace. From the qualities she represented as a goddess I could understand why everything felt so at peace around her. I could just sit here gazing at the petite girl all day long and I probably still wouldn’t get tired of it. Peace and quiet are the best after all.
“It is a pleasure to meet you Eirene.” (Vedqothur)
“Haha. See? Isn’t he interesting? This is his first time addressing you and he’s already calling you by your name.” (Vozahrah)
Well I wasn’t about to start addressing someone with respect just because of a title they were born with. It’s the same as expressing respect to a snot-nosed brat who was born into a rich household and spoiled straight to hell. I would properly express respect only to those who managed to earn it from me and my respect was very hard-earned. But… contrary to my beliefs Eirene didn’t seem bothered by it. She actually seemed a bit happy. I see. So she’s the type of person who enjoys being away from the responsibilities given unto her with her title and didn’t indulge in its privileges. She hasn’t earned my respect yet but she sure made a good first expression.
“Well then why don’t you sit down and we can talk until it is time for you to go.” (Eirene)
I nodded my head taking up her offer and sat down on the opposite side of her and next to Vozahrah. This seemed like it would be an interesting little chat and I intended to get some proper information about this world.