(Nox) “Good morning, will you let go of me now?”

?!?!?!

I woke up lying next to Nox, Why?!

Last night! What happened last night?!

I cried then… nothing? AH, I fell asleep! Hugging Nox…

(Nox) “Stella, if you don’t want me to leave the bed- Wha?! Ouch.”

I immediately panicked and pushed him as hard as I could. He fell off the bed and landed on his back. Seeing that, I started to feel bad.

(Stella) (Did that hurt?)

(Nox) “Hey, you finally spoke! Maybe I should tease you more often.”

But I didn’t speak… telepathy? I finally used it! Wait, he’s going to do what?!

I glared at him and tried to ‘speak’ again.

You just think it's fun to make fun of me!

And I failed miserably.

(Nox) “So, I should? Well, if you insist. It sounds like a lot of fun, at least for me, anyway.”

He said with that annoying grin on his face.

So it is for fun!

I just continue to glare at him while yelling at him in my mind.

(Nox) “Well, enough of that for now. I will go out for a bit, so you, stay here and rest. I’ll be right back with something I need you to see.”

Then he got up and left without even waiting for my reply.

I wonder what he’ll bring back?

I lay back down on the bed for a few minutes before...

I’m bored. He told me to rest, but after that wake-up, I am wide awake.

So, I got up to explore this ‘gods’ house.

I just realized that I've never looked around this place before. I wonder what a god has lying around his house?

First, I looked through the kitchen. It’s just a normal modern kitchen… though I can’t open the fridge for some reason. I can't see any lock on it, so maybe it's magic?

Next, I looked through that ark by the side of the room that's been bugging me. I can see a gigantic flat screen TV in front of me as soon as I walk into the room. Who knew gods watch TV? The couch facing the TV looks sooo comfortable. The left wall is practically a bookshelf that is so filled I can't find any gaps. The right side has 2 smaller bookshelves on either side of a window, both of them are just as full.

I went over to the window and looked outside.

So pretty...

Outside the window is a small flower garden. All of the flowers are either white or black, but they go well together. Seeing it from here makes me think those flowers may have a pattern. If only I could see them from above.

The sound of the door being closed woke me up from my daze, Nox had come back.

(Nox) “I’m back! Stella, come here for a bit.”

I walked out of the TV room and over to the door where Nox was standing.

(Nox) “Outside there is someone who wants to meet you. Don’t worry, I will be right behind you the whole time.”

What do I need to be worried about?

I got my answer as soon as I opened the door.

And I froze.

...

(Silva) “I am so sorry for yesterday.”

What is he doing here?! No, wait, he said sorry?

(Silva) “Nox came over to explain the situation to me… I never even considered that you couldn’t talk… I got overly excited when I met my first human and wanted to talk to you, so when I thought you ignored me I got mad and took it out on you… Sorry.”

(Nox) “Now, why don’t you come in and talk? We can't stand here all day.”

I didn’t know what to do, so I just followed Nox as he walked inside and sat down at the table.

(Nox) “Stella, can you let go of my shirt now?”

When did I?!

I let go quickly and looked down, embarrassed, and probably with a red face…

I hope he won't tease me about this… why did I grab his shirt? Was I that scared?

(Nox) “Silva, you too, sit.”

(Silva) “Yes…”

Now that we are all sitting at the table…

*Silence*

(Nox) “*Sigh*, Silva, even if Stella can’t talk, you can.”

(Silva) “Yes…”

*Silence*

(Nox) “Ok, this is getting nowhere... Silva, why don't you come back tomorrow after you've calmed down and thought about what you want to talk about?”

(Silva) “Ok…”

He then quickly gets up and walks out the door.

What was that?

Nothing else happened for the next week. I didn't want to go on walks, so I stayed inside while Nox tried to teach me telepathy with a bit of success. It's nothing major, but I can now answer with a few words like a 2-year-old… At least it's an improvement.

Silva also kept showing up, but we just stayed silent for about a half an hour before he left. No improvement there.

I also started eating food again. I can only eat soup now, but Nox said I can soon eat solids. He also said I will be getting a new body after my soul is stable, and that I will go to a fantasy-like world. I’m not getting reborn, just sent there.

Luckily, I will be able to talk to any god I want once I’m there. Even if I die, I will just be sent back here… but most ways of dying are painful, so let's hope that I can die of old age.

It's not like I didn't ask why I couldn’t reincarnate like my parents, but Nox wouldn’t tell me. He would try and change the subject whenever I brought something like that up.

Nox said his mom will explain more when I get my body. I’m not sure I want to meet her though, she is part of the reason that I… anyway, that is for the future.

Today something different happened.

*Knock, knock*

(Nox) “Silva, come in.”

(Silva) “...”

(Nox) “*Sigh* Today, I’m leaving you two alone, so at least try and talk to her Silva. Bye.”

(Silva) “Wait!”

But he was already gone…

What just happened? Did I get abandoned?!

(Silva) “...”

…

(Silva) “...”

…

(Silva) “...”

…

(Silva) “Want to play a game?”

I slowly nodded… this is awkward.

We walked to the room with the giant flatscreen TV.

(Silva) “Do you like video games?”

I nodded and he went towards the left bookshelf.

So that’s what that was, Nox doesn’t come in here often so I thought he didn’t like TV but if that shelf is full of games then… I wonder why we didn’t play any?

(Silva) “Then... how about this one? Our mother made it a long time ago in case we wanted to manage the believers under our domains. She wanted us to know how much work it takes. That makes a great game if we can turn it off whenever we want, but reality is much more difficult. Still, this game is one of the best mother has ever made.”

He must really like games, that’s the most I’ve ever heard him talk... eternal deities playing video games…

(Silva) “What do you say? Do you want to play?”

I nodded and he touched the game to the flatscreen. The game got absorbed and the TV turned on…

Then he handed me a PS4 controller… not what I was expecting.

(Silva) “Here’s your controller. I’ll help you with the voice commands.”

WHAT?! What kind of game is this?!

And so, we started the game.

[1 hour later.]

(Nox) “I’m home!”

(Silva) “We’re in the game room!”

So it was a game room…

(Stella) (Nox… Why…)

That was the best I could do, but Nox can understand me for the most part because all we did in the last week was talk. Who knew there was a better alternative like gaming? Yes, I’m mad at Nox for not telling me.

(Silva) “You spoke?! I thought you couldn't speak?”

(Nox) “She can’t, I’ll explain to you later. Stella, I didn’t let you play because I wanted you to talk more and go outside.”

I would play games all day if given a choice so I have no way to argue. I still want to play though...

(Silva) “Is that what she asked you? All I heard her ask was ‘Why?’.”

(Nox) “Yeah, that is why I want her to talk more. If she talks more she can get used to it faster.”

(Silva) “I see. Then why don’t we all play and ‘talk’ about how to deal with that corrupt pope.”

(Nox) “I… Ok, you win. We can play games while discussing strategies, but Stella, you need to go on a walk at least once a day. We can see nearby scenic spots or just explore nearby, but you need some fresh air. Got it?”

(Stella) (Ok.) yay, video games!