Chapter 1: The Awakening

She and I used to be one

But Mankind split us apart

We fought each other

For survival

For the things we represented

With hearts as firm as 'Earth'

Then 'they' arrived

Destroyer of civilizations

They caused chaos

Millions were killed

My children were massacred

And the Gods fell

I lost her

The sorrow awakened something

Something deep within me

These feelings...

—Gaia

***

Armonía village, Spring XXX AD.

Clouds parted in the sky, freeing the sun; it poured streams of gentle rays on the wooden shacks surrounded by wild trees. The village looked crude as it had no boundaries; a bunch of houses stacked together—a common thing in this era.

In the yard outside of a wooden hut quite large in comparison to the others, a boy could be seen. Clutching a wooden handle of an axe over his head with his thin arms.

*Thwack!*

The axe chopped down, cutting into the trunk, and split the trunk into two—a feat unimaginable when taking his fragile frame into consideration.

The boy let go of the axe and rubbed his swollen hands. He swept his crimson hair out of his face and squinted at the glaring sun. The bright star piqued his curiosity each time he laid his eyes on it.

'How far is it? Is it very hot? Will it melt my body?'

These questions occasionally sprang to his mind. The cries of children were ignored as usual. Playing the boring catch him and catch her, chase that cow—the usual games they played bored him endlessly.

"Heyo, Helios, thanks for your work."

An old man called out to him and extended his skinny hand. Helios stared at the cordial smile on his face then the three charred potatoes in his hands—for him they tasted all but delicious.

"I am the grateful one here, gramps." Helios expressed his gratitude and accepted his lunch.

Although Helios had no one that he could call as 'parents', he had managed to 'survive' on the fruits and the food everyone shared with him.

As much as Helios appreciated this, he hated being pitied—something inside him refused to accept this.

Helios shook away the thought and went inside his home—a cramped cottage, and munched on the half-burnt potatoes.

Nothing unusual.

Today was another normal day.

However, he couldn't be any more wrong.

***

In the evening, Helios followed his usual routine of sleeping on a tree on the riverside. The river separated the village from a forest with giant trees. It always gave him creepy vibes, but in recent days, he had gotten used to it.

There were rumors surrounding the forest—that some giant monsters live there or the witches made their lairs in its core.

However, no one had proof.

A baseless myth.

Amidst the crisp air and mild breezes, his eyelids grew heavy.

***

An island hovered in the sky, towering the city below—located at heights where one could reach out and grasp the fluffy clouds. The breathtaking city had a peculiar design with two sides mirroring each other from streets, buildings, and the giant palace. Except for the color—one side was dyed in black and silver while a golden radiance dominated the other side.

*Neigh!*

In the courtyard of the palace stood a chariot connected to four winged horses clad in layers of golden plate armor. The rider, a man clad in golden robes, held the harnesses while his gaze darted across the courtyard.

'Where is this? This place is so beautiful.'

Helios would have admired the scenery for hours if not for something else asking for his attention.

'What happened? Wasn't I sleeping on the tree?'

The horses neighed together and slammed their hooves on the ground. The ground rumbled as the chariot launched into the sky.

The young man might have screamed his lungs out if not for his body refusing to obey. Moving any part of his body appeared to be impossible—he was just a bystander watching everything through this man's eyes.

Helios was standing on a chariot, that much he could discern.

His vision shifted up, his golden eyes piercing straight at the bright star called Sun. Feeling the warmth, a strong urge to reach out and grasp it within his hands engulfed him.

"A last dance together." A soft, unfamiliar voice flowed from his lips.

His hands suddenly pulled the reins, controlling the horses. He peered down at the city where one statue of a man stood.

He could see the people down there expressing awe while kneeling on the ground as if worshipping a God.

A strange smile surfaced on his face as he observed the city with his chest puffed. Only when the chariot took flight did he move his gaze.

The sense of time was lost somewhere as Helios rode on the golden chariot. The sun he chased had long vanished on the horizon.

Judging by the way this man gazed at the sun, he was surely a kindred soul to Helios.

'We both are addicted to the sun.'

Then, everything turned blurry.

"Apollo, I'm stepping down from my position."

"What happened, Helios?"

His surroundings were blurry but Helios could faintly perceive the figure addressing him. But, the one who answered the question was someone else.

"This job isn't suited for a lazy man like me."

"What about your sister Selene? Does she agree with this?"

A chill wrapped him, shaking his heart to the core. The mention of Selene brought out something in him—a warm yet cold feeling, leaving him wondering about the identity of this woman.

"...Just take this."

Helios's hand extended toward the figure He was holding a golden orb the size of a ball. As the figure reached out and touched the orb, it abruptly released a blinding light. 

Helios was robbed of the minuscule vision that he had.

***

*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*

A series of heavy steps woke Helios up. He groaned and rubbed his eyes.

'What was that dream?'

[Awakening the memories.]

"Ugh!" Helios groaned as the agonizing pain assaulted his body. He clutched his head aching as if thousands of needles pricking his head at the same time. Then, tens of thousands of images flashed in his mind, dizzying him to no end.

[Passive Skill: Gaia's blessing activated.]

A blue box with two lines of text appeared before Helios. He winced as a cool sensation flowed through his body, soothing the pain.

He closed his eyes and focused on the images—his sealed memories.

My past lives...

I was a man who died fighting for something I held dear.

That's all I remember.

After my death, I arrived in a white space. She appeared before me and offered me a deal to fight for the world.

Fight the entities aiming to destroy the world. She showed me how that single entity rampaged in the world. It was better to call her a white titan. Fighting her was another giant beast no smaller than her and many smaller beasts.

Yet, the white titan utterly wrecked her and everyone.

I was supposed to fight it?

Me, a human?

She assured me that I would have no limits to my strength if I kept putting effort.

I accepted it.

It was better than rotting in hell that awaited me in my afterlife.

Then came my second life.

A ten winged angel, Azriel.

Born as the lowest class angel, I used the blessing of Gaia to easily rise to the strongest of Ultimate Class, and gained the title 'Seraph of destruction'.

Be it fallen angels or devils, none could stop me. My presence stilled terror into the battlefield.

Normally Angels take centuries to become a Seraph. However, I accomplished it at the age of fifteen, earning the respect of my brethren Angel and enticing the ire of my enemies.

Nonetheless, I made a big mistake. I was too naive—I forgot how wicked a desperate man could get—more so when it came to devils. My potential had forced the fallen angels and devils to side together and attack Heaven.

How naive I was to rush into the battlefield littered with traps. In mere moments, I was isolated and transported through a magical circle.

What awaited me on the other side was a group of four Satans. I could fight and even kill one. But four were too much even with my skills. The three of them blasted their respective magic attacks at me, forcing me on the defensive.

Their leader—watched from the sidelines as the three overwhelmed me easily.

I could do nothing.

Eventually, my HP hit rock bottom.

While my vision started to fade, I burned the scornful gaze of Lucifer into my memories.

"I will come for you…"

He flinched at my last words.

That wasn't a lie. I would really return for him.

And that's how my second life ended.

As incredulous as it sounded, Helios had lived three lives—one as a human which he mostly forgot about, the second as Azriel, and the third as the Sun God of Olympus.

As Helios reached closer to assimilating with the memories of his third life, the wide branch underneath him shook. Not only the branch but the whole tree trembled along with the other trees in the vicinity.

Are those footsteps of someone?

Soon, his question was answered when many shadows came out of the cursed forest.

---

Last chapter was more of a preview. This chapter kicks things up.

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