At the end of the paved road, a multitude of rare healing herbs and unknown flowers filled with mana grew magnificently even though it’s winter. The fauna surrounded a large lake with a small island in the middle.

Bea crouched down and plucked a silver flower from the edge of the lake. The petals of the flower curved and shimmered like real silver.

Then, she started picking the 5 petals from the flower.

“Silvio! We’re here!”

She crouched again and offered her back for me to ride.

“Let’s go, I’ll carry you.”

Tilting my head in confusion, she giggled sweetly in response.

“We need to cross over to that island in the middle and it’ll be hard for you to do what I’ll be doing so I’ll just carry you instead.”

Still hesitating, I climbed to her back and wrapped my arms around her neck.

“Hold on.”

As she said so, she blew on a petal that grew bigger and wider, like a silver plate. It floated on the lake and could probably fit 5 people at the same time, but… will it hold?

Then, she jumped onto it and blew another silver petal. It looked fragile but it held us well. After she did this in a total of five times, we finally reached the island.

When I turned to look at the silver petal plates, it slowly crumbled into glittering dust, falling onto the lake.

The island was apparently a huge stone with some parts of it being soil. Different kinds of plants grew on the soil and dimly glowing moss grew from the edges and crack of the stone.

“Silvio!”

She called again, putting me down.

“Where could that idiot be?”

After sighing deeply, she tapped her boot on the ground and part of the stone glowed. Glowing cracks then surfaced and the stone molded into a table and a set of chairs.

“...I would’ve finished my house faster with this… stupid Silvio…”

“You know I’m still a God, right Bea?”

A calming voice of a man called from behind. The man seemed familiar but I can’t remember who he is or where we met, but his knowing smile irked me a bit.

“Do you remember me, [******]?”

As he called my old name, anger welled up deep inside. But before I could say anything, it felt like I was plunged deep into the water, like I was suspended midair where I couldn’t move my body let alone speak.

Unable to move my head, I turned my eyes towards the [man] who called my name and immediately looked for Bea.

Beside me, she stood still and the whole area was still, distorted even.

“Now, now, let’s calm down. I know you’re angry. I myself am very angry at how you were left alone to fend off and destroy the sentient darkness.”

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ANGRY?! … BECAUSE OF YOuuuu…

I felt my head bursting with anger, steaming red in the face. Cold sweat rolled down in fear but my anger kept me from cowering.

Soon, fuming with anger and unable to vent it, tears rolled down my cheeks and my eyes burned hotter than my head, making more tears flow.

“I said, [calm down].”

With a resounding voice, I tried to fend off [his] order with my feeble magic, leaving me feeling like being doused with cold water.

“Better?”

[He] said. Smiling as if nothing [he] did was unfair.

“It was unfair. I know, but that doesn’t matter right now.”

[He] turned to the unmoving Bea and held a lock of her hair.

“Let me tell you a story…”

[He] continued.

“...There was once a young hero, filled with dreams of grandeur and hope, confident that he would save and rid the world of the growing darkness that covered it. He grew and found companions, he led them to glory and continued to vanquish the darkness that continued to fester and grow.”

[He] walked around me as [he] told the story.

“However, as epic as any heroic story would go, this young hero lost everything because he didn’t listen. His friends died, his ‘family’ did too, and as far as glory and prestige go, well... he lost that too.”

Yes, because I know this all too well.

“Because the darkness swallowed everything.

Leaving him alone to wallow in sadness and obscurity.”

I DON’T WANT TO LISTEN ANYMORE!

“But luckily, he found hope. A promise that God gave him even as the God slowly died.”

...promise?

“Everybody knows of the hero’s sacrifice. Nobody can remember who he was exactly but everybody knew that a hero saved this world once, but still, nobody knew about the promise.”

[He] crouched, looking at me with the same level. With [his] silver eyes, [he] smiled and chuckled.

“You’ve forgotten haven’t you?”

[He] placed his hand on my head and my memories played.

“...hey…”

A feeble voice quietly called within the darkness.

“...what will happen now…? I.. failed…”

In that quiet darkness that swallowed everything, a solid voice answered the feeble voice.

[Yes, we shall vanish into abyss as the fate of everything that meets its end.]

“But…? Aren’t you… a God?”

The feeble voice responded with quiet anger filled with frustration, but the solid voice answered in defeat.

[I may be a God, however, I am weak. I am unable to recreate myself in this world, to even save myself. Which was why I chose a soul, who would be able to carry the burden of my power and save this world… to save me.]

Even though no face was matched with the voice, the feeble one imagined a defeated but calm smile painted its face.

[Though this human sought to go against my plans in order to save a small number of his race.]

“That’s unfair--”

[I know.]

As if hearing the feeble one’s anger and frustrations several times already, he sighed as deeply as the owner of the voice could.

[...that is why… I’ve decided.]

With the voice’s conclusion, the feeble one seemed to do his best to sit up and listen intently.

[I shall give you all my remaining lifespan in hopes that you would vanquish this darkness and in return, I shall promise you one thing. So long as we survive this tragedy, I shall bestow unto you your chosen fate on your next life.]

With a bargaining voice, he offered.

“Chosen… fate...?”

The feeble one asked as best as he could. He knew he had a deep wound on his chest and that he didn't have long to live. But if this God, the one who gave him the ability to vanquish the darkness, could help him again…

[Indeed. Any fate, so long as I remain and this world remains peaceful, I shall grant you the fate you desire.]

“If so, then…”

Then a bright imposing yet gentle warm light swallowed the feeble voice. In an instant, it swallowed everything it touched and out came a young boy with silver hair and red eyes.

In him, emanated a growing power no human can bear. But the young boy stood well, walked, confident and with a purpose. In his sights is the beating darkness in front of him.

“...well?”

As I opened my eyes, I saw the [man] smiling as he patted my head.

“You wanted a peaceful life, no?”

Peaceful? [You] mean this life?

“I intend to have Bea here as your mother. However, since another God controls the cycle of life itself, I didn’t have time. Oh, right…”

[He] waved his hands, then my body was released, leaving me gasping for breath.

“...*sigh* what do you mean YOU intend for her to be my mother?”

[His] constant smile annoyed me, but as soon as I tried reaching out to [him]…

“I know you’re a God, but how can you be so annoying?”

Time went back to normal, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth and an itchy empty hand.

“And…? Why’d you stop time?”

I heard Bea’s prickly words and right after she said those words, the air turned cold and I can see [his] face drip with cold sweat.

Did she know what happened?

“I told you before Silvio, I can see the color of magic and time magic has the same color as flowing sand.”

She declared with a smile. But the smile she bore was nothing like the sweetness she usually gives off. She’s smiling but her eyes are clearly angry.

“... wh, whatever do you mean…? Hahaha…”

[He] looked away and as angry as I was with [him], seeing Bea’s reaction made him look pitiful.