Chapter Text
• 'Example': thoughts;
• "Example": speech;
• Example*: TBOAH characters;
• Example: LCF characters;
• Example: the novel.
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Prologue.
The war was over in the Lout of the count's family world, the final battle in Puzzle City had come to an end, along with the despair and failed attempts of the Sealed God to break free of his seal.
Cale had already woken up from his swoon, extended Eruhaben's life, talked to Zed Crossman, been told he had been robbed, and a few more things that followed. He was ready to open his arms wide and welcome his dear, beloved, long-awaited lazy life. Of course, before that he needed to go to his Team Leader, so that he could rest with his companions in Mirkwood, growing a few vegetables in an average garden, but that would provide enough food for his sustenance.
Yes, Cale could already dream about his lazy life, waking up later each day, taking care of the field around afternoon snack time, bathing, having dinner and going to sleep after playing with the children for a while. A dream life, without problems, with lots of money and peace.
Of course, first he needed to go after the fake Hilsman and get his retirement money back.
But, after a few days and unbeknownst to him, a meeting in the Death God's domain took place. And something that would get in the way of his plans too, but it's nothing out of the ordinary, maybe it's just his bad luck being a social butterfly and attracting unwanted situations.
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Meanwhile, in the domain of the Gods, where time has a different speed. A small cutscene unfolds in Death's domain.
"You! God of Death! Now things have really crossed the line! Everything is turning upside down and it's your fault, again!" The divine being said as he walked towards the God of Death.
"God of Balance, I may be partly to blame, but the world would meet its doom even if I didn't move." Said the God trying to resist the aura that was repressing him.
Gods have different strengths, with different powers and motivations and personalities, even if humans don't know it. A god's strength, for example, does not come from how many followers or believers he has, just as his doctrine is not imposed on beings just because his attribute is different from theirs. Because of this, some Gods are more likely to give away the aura of a given God. It's like a ladder layout where each rung has a level of strength and superiority.
And in that regard, the God of Balance is above the God of Death.
"But that's destiny! Worlds were born with their destiny determined and we shouldn't interfere with it, it's law!"
'Law? Is it written somewhere? Hmm?' The God of Death would like to ask, but he still yearned for his physical health without being beaten or suppressed (more than he already was).
Well, it is known to the Gods that there are Laws that must not be inflicted, even if they are not recorded in a real place.
The God of Death sometimes wonders who created them, or when and why he created them. Yes, Gods are not omnipotent, but they should at least be allowed to interfere and save mortals, isn't that what they are for? A kind of lifeline and hope?
But that was a subject for another time, another time where he's not being threatened and can think about it and question it all and then some.
"And what? Let everyone die again? In this damn cycle that repeats itself in several dimensions?"
The God of Balance didn't respond, but the way his presence grew stronger was answer enough.
"Hey Balance, you're kidding, right? It's my power, it's a part of my domain to offer deals to people on the brink of death. If the most beneficial deal for me and the other in it is to end up messing with something like transmigration, this is still within my do-" The dry gasp can be heard through the dark space, interrupting the being's speech and being a consequence of a stronger pressure than the previous one.
"God of Death, I understand your job, but MY job is to maintain the Balance, something you are complicating for me. Your deed will have consequences; one of the truths of the world is that the balance is always restored, sometimes in a very poor way. crueler than before."
The air hung heavy, a palpable tension was filling the Death God's domain. He had already been warned once by the God of Balance, but his presence here again only showed that the consequences of his previous actions were greater than the previous God. So much so that he returned again to suppress the God of Death.
He knew that, he knew that Cale wouldn't do anything by halves, that's why that human always impressed him and continues to impress.
"We arranged things ten thousand years ago, even if it ended in thousands of deaths; but you again messed with the Choi decades ago; and now you not only gave up bringing a bachelor, but you regressed and transmigrated two souls. You know what that is." generated? When something like this happens, it doesn't happen in the same world, regression doesn't work like that. Another world was created with the same fate as its twin, but the whole line of fate was broken; two things that shouldn't have happened, happened. Something like this doesn't just affect one world, even more so since the God of Despair was sealed a second time, this time in his pose. What do you think-" The chatter was interrupted by the soft noise that formed next to the dim light.
It was a presence that the two Gods in the resin had felt before, rare as it may seem. And they didn't know why she's here now.
The Goddess of Hope, the one who is ancient and exquisite, who only appears to those deserving and chosen by her, even among the Gods.
"You should be less strict, child." The newest presence said as he stopped by the office desk.
"Hope."
"Balance, some rules need to be broken for greater change to happen."
The air was still heavy. Despite being a strong divine being who spoke to himself, the God of Balance still did not relent, did not lower his aura on top of the God of Death or on the surroundings. It was her job, her duty. He has seen it happen in many worlds, in many times, the breaking of laws always ends badly, in death, seas of blood, carnage, pain, tragedy, the lack of hope and the prevalence of despair, pure despair and rage. In the worst case, in given worlds, the War of Good and Evil, the heavenly gates and the demonic gates opened the gates. It's not something that can be left to happen, not when it happens that some meddling Gods think they can be more than others.
He couldn't go easy now and allow something like this to happen again because of a God who cares too much for mortals and decides to interfere more than he should, even though he knew what could happen if he did it too much.
"Balance, you were the same, remember that."
Yes, he was, before he began to realize that no matter what he does, one out-of-the-ordinary move can lead to a greater wave of chaos and doom. He knew this, which is why he has already given up trying and only stops those who try.
Gods cannot die, there is no definitive form of death for these beings yet. That's one of the reasons why the God of Balance had to stop the God of Death, he tried that himself, he was stupid in that same way.
"And that's exactly why I can't allow that to happen, because I know the outcome." The God's aura finally seems to wane, allowing the target of that aura, for what seemed like days, to better suck in air.
"What if... if the two dimensions communicate?" The God of Death said after getting up. But only to return to his knees when the God of Balance's stern aura hovered over him.
"What?"
"Perhaps he is right, Balance." The Goddess of Hope begins, seeking to help the one who will protect the seed of hope. "Two dimensions, worlds that shouldn't know each other, but that are in severe disequilibrium, if they do, they share a part of their own destiny. It could be the solution."
"There's no way it ends well."
"If it continues like this, it will by no means end well, no matter what is done. It's a long shot, an arrow of hope." Said the God of Death standing up.
'Shit, I'm going to be in pain like this. I'd rather get beaten up by Choi Jung Gun than face this guy... no, what am I thinking?"
"The God of Despair is gone, the fate of that world has already been changed. If we put both sides to see parts of the LCF world's past, it might result in something. Two existences, two different dimensions, but at the same time having the same origins, when they meet, they will begin to generate waves and repercussions between themselves. Two things can happen, either they find balance, coexistence, with each other, forming a thin line that will serve to connect and stabilize the two, or the imminent destruction will be advanced." The Death God was already stepping forward, writing down his thoughts on papers and explaining his theory to the other two Gods.
"It's a last option to save these two worlds, to not let it meet its end like the world that Cale Henituse, now known as Kim Rok Soo, found after his regression."
'And to save Kim Rok Soo, now Cale Henituse, my son, from losing everything again and withering for the rest of his existence.' That part wasn't said, but it was one of the Death God's main reasons.
He followed this child's life from a young age, he erased himself, he cares. He will stop looking into your soul only after death, maybe even then he will stop.
The other two Gods were quiet, thinking about what Death had said. It's not certain if it's going to be okay, but it's a possibility.
One that the God of Balance is thinking shouldn't happen, it's against the rules, there shouldn't be so much interaction between mortals and Gods, it goes against the right. It's happened before, in the beginning, and it ended very badly.
"I give my support to the God of Death. Please save the seed that sprouted amidst the chaos." The Goddess of Hope has given her verdict. Millennia. She has waited for millennia to find someone worthy, someone who is the true seed, the true chosen one for this position.
Light grows stronger in darkness, just as hope grows stronger when fear sets in. It may not be noticeable, but it's still there, rooted, pulsing strong with the desire to win, to get rid of despair, anger, fear.
"It's your last chance, Death. If it ends up in destruction being brought forward, you'll never do something like that again, you won't break the rules or do something stupid. You'll accept the twists and turns of fate and keep quiet if you'd rather stay in one piece."
"Balance, what is happening could already be part of destiny, don't forget."
"8 hours." The God of Balance didn't need to say what those eight hours meant, the God who received the message already knew.
Death has eight hours to straighten everything out and bring both dimensions into its domain, nothing more and nothing less.
"God of death." The remaining Goddess left, she also didn't need to complete her sentence for the God to understand her.
"I know."
He had to arrange everything, location, what to react to, what to explain to people, how to bring them all in and at what timing speed match would be best for both worlds.
'I will ensure that my son has a future he can live for, even if I have to pass out after using my powers to the point of exhaustion.'
He was prepared to tire himself and give it his all, the same way humans always do. Those same humans he admires so much for managing to change their destinies, their dates of death and for always surprising him with answers or actions that he doesn't consider normal given the greed, arrogance and thirst for power that everyone has.
Now the God needed to move. He only has eight hours before he gets the perfect situation for the worlds to reach their balance, or TBOAH and LCF may end up like many other worlds in different dimensions: becoming part of nothingness, ending the endless cycle that must happen, generating a break in the creation of another twin world.