Scream that reached the Heaven.
Ransha's screams reverberated through the bleak vastness of eternity. For centuries, he had traversed this realm—unopposed, immortal and completely forsaken. His eternal flesh bore no marks of battle; however, his soul resembled a warzone strewn with the remnants of hope and faith.
"Why?
he bellowed into the abyss, his voice shattering the tranquility of the heavens.
"Why have you left me behind?!"
But the heavens gave no reply.
Ransha knelt at the heart of the temple he had constructed from the remnants of fallen empires, the stones worn smooth by his incessant pacing. His body trembled, not due to the cold or weakness, but rather from a despair that had hollowed him out. The altar positioned before him remained untouched by time, its edges sharp as the day it was intricately carved; however, it taunted him with its silence. For a thousand years, he had called out to God every day. Each prayer represented a crack in the dam of his sanity, each unanswered plea a stone added to the overwhelming weight crushing his soul. And then, at the moment when his voice had become nothing more than a hoarse whisper, when his knees bled from kneeling on the cold stone and when hope had transformed into a distant memory—God replied. A voice, kind yet resounding, filled the majestic stillness. It was not merely a sound to be heard with ears but one that resonated deep within his very essence even though God knew why Ransha was calling him God asked.
*"What is it, my servant? Why do you cry out to me so?"*
Ransha froze, his breath trapped in his throat. Tears cascaded down his face as he collapsed onto the ground, his forehead pressing against the altar.
"Oh, my Lord," he wept. "Please, take away my immortality. Take away my loneliness. Grant me the selfish desires of my heart and bestow upon me the gift of mortality."
A profound silence enveloped the surroundings, as if the universe itself had momentarily halted its existence. Then, the voice returned, its tone simultaneously kind and resolute.
*"Human, I fashioned you with my own hands, bestowed upon you the gift of eternity and elevated you above all mortal beings. Yet, you seek more? Very well. I shall fulfill your request. However, know this, Ransha—what you seek cannot be reversed. Do you genuinely desire mortality?"* Ransha's head jerked up, his expression a blend of desperation and resolve. "Yes, my Creator. I can no longer endure this existence. Allow me to live as men do and permit me to die as they do." The voice softened, tinged with a sense of mourning.
"Very well, my servant. You shall receive your wish. But this will be the last occasion I address any human. Never again will the heavens respond to the pleas of men. Your immortality will be stripped away. You will live as a mortal and upon your death, your soul shall return to the void. Farewell, Ransha. Live well."As the voice faded, the burden of eternity lifted from Ransha's shoulders. For the first time in a millennium, he sensed the delicate pulse of mortality within. His body aged, his hair turned gray and his steps grew increasingly slow.
He smiled.
Ransha spent the remainder of his days among mortals, reveling in the simplicity that characterized their lives. He loved, laughed and even cried—not tears of despair, but rather those of joy. When his time arrived, he closed his eyes and embraced the darkness with open arms. His tale, although forgotten by the ages, was carried on in whispers and dreams. The god, silent since that fateful day, faded from the lives of men—this was because He was replaced by new names, new myths and new prayers. However, their influence lingered in the fabric of existence, shaping the very essence of humanity.
---
### **The Gods of a New Age**
In the centuries that followed, humanity gravitated towards a pantheon of new deities, each representing the multifaceted nature of their desires and fears:
1. **Faltharine, God of Fate** – The weaver of destiny, whose threads could both bind or sever the lives of mortals.
2. **Illuthra, Goddess of Illusions** – The mistress of deception, who shrouded the truth in beauty as well as lies.
3. **Chorynos, God of the Abyss** – The keeper of secrets buried in darkness, whose gaze could pierce the soul.
4. **Seralune, Goddess of Bliss** – The bringer of joy and comfort, whose light banished despair.
5. **Doloros, God of Suffering** – The eternal martyr, who bore the pain of all who worshiped him.(Proclaimed)
6. **Noctyra, God of the Sea** – The tempest and the calm, whose moods governed the waters of the world.
7. **Ignovar, God of Weather** – The wielder of storms and seasons, whose wrath was feared, yet revered.
8. **Tyrantyos, Demon God** – The fallen one, whose power came at the price of corruption
Often whorshiped by the demons.
9. **Pyrrith, Goddess of Shadows** – The unseen hand, whose influence touched the hearts of both kings and beggars alike.
10. **Somnaris, Goddess of Dreams** – The guardian of the slumbering mind, who granted visions of wonder and terror.
However, this complex tapestry of divine figures illustrates the intricate relationship between humanity's aspirations and their existential dread, for each deity embodies a specific aspect of the human experience. Although these gods were revered, they also served as a reminder of the fragility of life.
Yet, for all their devotion, the prayers of mortals went unanswered; however, the heavens remained silent, just as God had promised. Although the faithful continued to hope, the world turned steeped in shadows and whispers of what once was. This silence, however, became a heavy burden, because it echoed the absence of divine response.