2 A Second Chance

Makato stood frozen.

Before him loomed a being beyond human comprehension—a towering figure of vibrant blue skin, a golden light pulsing from his chest like a living star, and swirling darkness shifting around him like a sentient cloak. The sheer presence of this entity wasn't just overwhelming; it pressed against Makato's very soul, as if the fabric of reality bent around him.

"You are here, child," the god said, his voice not spoken but felt, reverberating deep within Makato's mind. "It is sad how you died."

Makato swallowed hard. His throat was dry. "...So, you're a god?"

The figure inclined his head slightly. "Not precisely. But yes, I am the god of this world."

Makato frowned. "Your world? What do you mean—"

"Ohhh, here it comes. The epic backstory!" Ciro interrupted, dramatically flinging his arms open like he was about to narrate a bedtime story.

Makato turned to him, exasperated. "Do you have to do that?"

Ciro smirked. "Absolutely."

The god sighed. "Ciro, contain yourself."

Ciro immediately straightened, clasping his hands behind his back like a disciplined soldier, but his smirk remained.

The god continued. "Eons ago, my father created the universes. Each was given its own balance, its own essence. Then he created us—beings meant to maintain them. This world, Astria, is my domain. And you, Makato… should not be here."

Makato's fists clenched. "Then why am I here?"

"Your soul crossed into my universe upon death." The god's gaze softened. "We are all-knowing, so I have seen your life. I know how much you suffered."

A hand—massive, yet impossibly gentle—descended and patted Makato's head.

The moment the god's hand touched him, a sensation flooded through Makato. A warmth. A calmness he had never felt before. The unbearable weight in his chest—the one that had been there since his mother turned a blind eye to his suffering—eased, even if just a little. His throat tightened.

Tears slipped down his face before he even realized it.

"Shhh, it's okay, my son."

Ciro, who had been standing with arms crossed, suddenly dropped to one knee, bowing deeply toward Makato.

Makato jolted. "H-Hey! What are you doing?!"

Ciro smirked, though he kept his head bowed. "You heard him. You're basically divine royalty now."

Makato's brain short-circuited.

"Wait—what? No, no, no, I'm not—!"

The god chuckled, the sound vibrating through the vast space. "He's being dramatic. However, your soul does not belong to this world. You cannot enter this universe's heaven or hell."

Makato's stomach dropped. "...So even hell doesn't want me?"

Ciro snorted. "Wow. That's the most depressing thing I've heard all week."

The god's voice was gentle but firm. "That is not true. Your soul is pure, my son. But it does not belong here."

Makato swallowed. "Then… what happens to me?"

The god tilted his head. "You can be reborn in my world. However, I cannot reincarnate a soul without purpose."

Makato frowned. "What do you mean—"

"Oh, I got this one!" Ciro cut in.

The god shot him a look. "Ciro, be silent."

Ciro sighed dramatically, muttering, "Man, I never get to do the fun parts…"

Makato felt something tugging at him.

He had been listening, letting these godly beings talk like they had full control over his fate. But now, the reality of it hit him.

He wasn't just being reincarnated for fun.

This god wanted something.

Makato stared at the celestial being. "You're asking me to be reborn… but for what?" His voice was steady now, stronger. "What if I don't want to?"

The god regarded him for a moment. "Then I will not force you. But understand, if you choose to disappear, your soul will simply fade. There will be nothing beyond this moment."

Makato's breath caught. "Fade?"

No reincarnation. No second chances. No existence.

His hands trembled.

He had already lived a life where he felt invisible. Where he wanted to disappear, to be unseen, to stop existing.

Now, standing before a god, he was being given a choice.

Did he want to vanish forever?

Makato's lips parted, but no words came.

The god's gaze was understanding. "Before you decide, let me tell you a story."

Makato blinked. "...Another one?"

The god's glowing eyes narrowed slightly. "Stop reading my thoughts."

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll listen."

The god nodded. "Then let me tell you about the war that changed everything."

Ciro perked up. "Oh! Oh! I get to tell this part, right?!"

The god exhaled, clearly regretting his existence. "Fine. But stay on track."

Ciro lit up like an excited puppy. "Alright, kid, listen up! Because this is where things get awesome!"

Eons ago, before Astria was what it is today, it was a land ruled by beasts and creatures beyond human strength.

Dragons, Sky Whales, Leviathans—things that could obliterate mankind with a breath. Humanity was weak, fragile. They had no power, no way to survive in a world where gods' creations roamed unchecked.

Then, seeing their suffering, the God of Eldraen descended.

He created a second world—Asrria, a planet of pure Eldraen energy. It radiated a power like mana, seeping into Astria, giving humans a chance to fight back.

And then… he sent me."

Makato blinked. "Wait, you?"

Ciro nodded smugly. "I gathered six apprentices to teach them how to wield Eldraen."

Makato squinted. "...I don't believe you."

Ciro gasped. "How dare you—!"

The god clapped his hands. The world around them shifted.

The scenery morphed into a battlefield.

The Final Battle Against Hadeon

The sky burned.

Eldraen energy clashed in massive bursts, shattering mountains. The ground was littered with craters, scorched ruins, and the bodies of fallen warriors. The very air crackled with unstable magic, as if the world itself was struggling to contain the battle.

And at the center of the destruction…

Hadeon.

Once the brightest of the six apprentices, he stood shrouded in dark energy, his crimson eyes burning with raw power. His black robes billowed as his corrupted Eldraen surged, twisting the land beneath him.

And in front of him, the Five Remaining Apprentices stood their ground.

They fought for days. The battle was legendary, destructive, horrifying.

And yet, in the end…

Hadeon was defeated.

But before he died, he cast his final spell.

A resurrection seal.

His soul was never destroyed.

It waited. It sleeps.

Until now.

Back to Makato

Makato exhaled, heart pounding. "So… you think he's coming back?"

The god's voice was solemn. "No. I know he is."

Makato clenched his fists. "And… because I can't go to the afterlife, you want me to stop him?"

The god's gaze was gentle, but firm. "You have a choice, my son. But know this—if Hadeon returns, this world will not survive."

Makato took a deep breath.

Ciro smirked. "Sooo… ready to be reborn as the strongest mage ever?"

Makato grinned.

"Let's do it."