[POV: Wyliame]

It only makes sense for me to be the one who dies. After all, who would even cry for me? Mya? Lorelia? Onas? I doubt it. I’ve only known them for two days. These soldiers on the other hand… They all have families and siblings at home. They have people who would mourn their deaths. I’m just a parasite who happened to be reborn into this world.

“No… Wyliame… it can’t be you…” Jil mumbled.

Rose stepped in and shouted, “Everyone, he’s just a kid! What the hell are you guys thinking?”

But her cries did not reach the warriors. They kept their glare on me, pressuring me to take a step forward to sacrifice myself for the gateway.

“I said it once, and I’ll repeat it! It’s because he’s a kid that we’re killing him off! He can’t fight! He won’t help us win the war!” one of the men shouted.

“Yeah! Sacrifice the child!”

“Do it!

“Us warriors need to live!”

But as much as I wanted to call them cowards, they were absolutely right.

“Hahahaha!” Zilnus roared. “I was planning to use you guys as warriors for the Sapphire Army, so I’d like to keep the warrior’s casualties to a minimum.

Indeed, it would be best for the little kid to die. I have no use for him, and my Kingdom doesn’t either.”

I turned to Rayder, but his heavy eye contact on me made me know instantly that there was no changing his mind.

Hah… I honestly can’t believe it. I’m really going to die already, huh? In the end, Goddess Emma’s gift of blessing me with another life was all just a waste…

…

God damn it… I really, really don’t wanna die… I really don’t. It’s even worse that I have no memories of my previous life. This feels like my first death.

I stepped closer to the teleporter in front of us. It was sealed completely shut- but it was my duty to open it with my blood. I glanced back at Rose and Jil and noticed that neither of them were looking at me. They were too ashamed of themselves to even make eye contact.

Everybody took a step back, leaving Zilnus and me standing face to face.

“Heave-ho!” Zilnus chanted as he lifted his hammer into the air, hovering it over my head. “Any last words, my dear boy?”

“...”

“C’mon, say something! I’ll even relay your words to the king if I get the chance to!”

By itself, as if by pure instinct, my mouth opened and whispered to Zilnus, “”

Zilnus’s eyes widened for a slight second, but that was the last thing I saw before his hammer crashed down into me.

…

…

…

The surroundings instantly became pitch black. I was no longer in the snowy forest. The giant was gone, and Rayder and his men were gone as well. Even Rose and Jil- they’ve entirely disappeared.

…

…

…

I guess I really am dead this time, huh?

…

…

…

Hah… no, that can’t be it. My consciousness is still alive. This feels… familiar. This feels like the time when I was speaking to Goddess Emma.

…

…

…

<”You. You’re not Merth… who the hell are you?”> a voice echoed throughout my mind.

I opened my eyes, but yet, everything remained pitch black. My consciousness had sunken into the darkness.

“Goddess Emma? Is that you?” I called out.

<”Goddess Emma? I haven’t heard of that name in millenniums.”>

“You’re not Emma?”

…

The voice that reached out to me stayed silent as if she was confused by my presence. What’s going on? Who’s speaking to me?

After a few seconds, the voice eventually uttered, <”Your soul is tainted in light and hope… you’re definitely not him. What the hell did you do to Merth?”>

Merth…?

“Who are you?” I questioned.

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The voice became audibly frustrated as she let out grunts of confusion.

<”My name is Yris. I am the goddess of darkness, gloom, and shadow, and the one who gave birth to the demon race and dark elves.>

What…? A goddess that’s not Emma?

<”I can tell. You’re not from this world, are you?>

“...um…”

I hesitated for a second, but I knew that there was no point in lying if she genuinely was a god. “Yeah. I was reincarnated by Goddess Emma from another world.”

Although I couldn’t see the goddess anywhere, I could tell that she was surprised by her loud gasp. Did I say something wrong?

<”I see. So Emma has become a Fallen God after all, huh? Tch… she was the last person I’d ever expect to violate the natural laws of the world…>

“Um… If you don’t mind me asking, what is this ‘Merth’ that you’re looking for?”

<”He’s not a what, he’s a who. Your body belonged to a boy named Merth. But If what you said about goddess Emma transferring your soul to this world was really true, then I could only assume that Merth is long gone now. You’ve taken over his body”>

I’ve taken over his body…? Was that why I was reborn as an eight-year-old…?

“So… what exactly is your relationship with this Merth? I’m just wondering since you obviously care about him so much and all.”

<”Merth was my vessel. He was the boy that I contracted with. From the moment that he was born, I was the guidance that led him through life.”>

“What? Contract? A normal human and a god?”

<”No. He wasn’t just any regular human. Only those who are worthy enough can bear the power of the gods. Otherwise, the power would consume them and they’d die.”>

So humans could make a contract with a god in this world? Wait… is this how Onas got his powers?

<”Merth had something that I wanted. That’s why I contracted with him. He was born into this world engulfed in darkness and evil. We were truly compatible.>

…

<”But thanks to you, he’s gone now”>

Suddenly, from the darkness of the abyss, a ray of purple light gently emitted from nothingness. The light gathered together and began taking shape- first the head, then the body and arms, and lastly the legs.

Eventually, what stood in front of me was the human manifestation of darkness itself. It was a woman with bright, glaring pinkish-red eyes, silver hair with a violet tint, and lavender roses resting atop her head. She was gorgeous. Her beauty was alluring, but at the same time, rather disturbing.

<”I have no use for you. I will destroy your soul and punish you for replacing my Merth.”>

Suddenly, she began to float over to me with her right hand raised. As she gently tapped my shoulder, she mumbled an incantation under her breath.

<”[Terminate soul]”>

?!

“Wait- what’re you doing-”

!!!

“AGHHHHHHHHHHHH ARG… FUCK…. FUCK… SHIT….. AH… HA….. UGH… FUCK IT HURTS IT HURTS STOP STOP PLEASE PLEASE…”

<”May you rest in Tartarus.>

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARGH… AH…”

<”You should’ve been dead in an instant… what the hell?”>

“AGH….. AH…. FUCK! LIFT THIS SPELL OFF OF ME! YOU SCOUNDREL GODDESS!”

<”Die already, you persistent bastard!”>

“STOP PLEASE! I’M… ARGH… I’M BEGGING YOU! ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-”

…

In an instant, the pain completely subsided. The goddess stood there appalled by my reaction to her spell. As I huffed and puffed, she began shaking her head and mumbled,

<”What the hell are you? Your soul should’ve been destroyed instantly! Did I do something wrong?”>

“You’re… you’re goddamn evil for making me experience that pain…”

Suddenly, the goddess’s eyes lit up. <”Wait… don’t tell me…>

…

“What… you’re gonna finish me off for good now?”

<”No, no… I’m just thinking that perhaps… Merth is still alive…? Yeah, that’s gotta be it. That’s the only reason why you haven’t died yet!”>

“What?”

She let out a chuckle. She was happy that she came up with that idea herself.

<”After establishing a contract, a god cannot harm the mortal that they contracted with in any way. I see… that must be it! A tiny part of Merth’s soul is still inside your body! That’s what protected you from death!”>

“Huh? I still feel like myself though? My name’s Wyliame, My name’s Wyliame, My name’s Wyliame.”

<”Shut up.”>

“…”

<”But… I’ve never seen this before! This is awesome! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHA!”>

“What the hell’s so funny?”

<”You. I like you, boy. Make a contract with me this instant.”>

“What? Why the hell would I do that?”

She let out another chuckle.

<”Don’t you remember? You’re dead right now. As we speak, Zilnus the Giant is dragging your corpse toward the teleporter to open it. You’re lucky that I’ve brought your consciousness into my domain.”>

…

<”But I can help you out. Make a contract with me, and you’ll be able to live. You don’t have any other choice, boy. And besides, the previous soul that was within you’re body was highly compatible with me.”>

“There’s a catch, isn’t there? When you said that you made a contract with Merth, you said that it was only because he had something that you wanted. So what exactly is it that you want from me?”

She shook her head, maintaining the stare of her pinkish-red eyes into my soul.

<”Don’t get me wrong, Wyliame. It’s not you that I want. It’s Merth. And if there are any chances that Merth might come back, then I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you alive. So what do you say? Contract with me, or die?”>

…

“I, Wyliame, agree to contract with the goddess of darkness, Yris.”

She smiled, showing the satisfaction of my answer across her face.

<”I, Yris, the goddess of darkness, gloom, and shadow, agree to contract with the human, Wyliame”>

…

“Is that it…?” I asked.

…

…

…

<”Do you believe in fate? Or destiny, even?”> Yris suddenly asked.

“Huh? Um… yeah?”

The goddess then remained silent, not bothering to answer my response.

…

“So… what now?” I asked. “Didn’t Zilnus kill my physical body?”

<”I am Yris, the first fallen god, and the representation of destruction itself. I will destroy the timeline where you’ve been killed. You will be reborn.”>

“Reborn me…? Like Goddess Emma?”

…

<”Wake up, Wyliame.”>