The Immortal Mortal

In the beginning, it was said there was darkness and nothing else. Nobody knows what happened before. My story begins similarly.

Darkness for the longest time and then

Different voices cloud my head

'I'm sorry, I was not able to save you.'

is that me?

'can you hear me? I know you are lost.'

who is this white-haired woman?

'Foolish mortal'

'Destiny has picked you as its successor. Do not make us regret it.'

us? who is that? What are all these voices?

' Farewell, Destiny always comes.'

I awaken

‘Hello, do not be frightened.’ a voice proclaims

‘Where am I!’ I yell as I sit up. All I see is white.

I awake in a white cloud to a voice talking to me

‘You are where destiny has landed you’

I open my eyes and see a man with a glowing multi-colored fox mask covering his face with a sword in a sheath on his back. His muscles crease the bright sky blue robe and hood he is wearing.

'What type of cryptic puzzle is that?'

'Do you remember your name?'

'No, not at all.'

'It is Neon. Remember it well.'

I reply

‘Who are you?'

The man laughs and steps back

‘I am Alpha a powerful god’

‘A god? Like the ones in the sky?'

‘Hmmm, Basically.'

Hmm, I can't seem to remember any gods on my planet of... Wait where am I from?

'What does a god need with me and why can't I seem to remember anything?'

'Good question. I need your help to save a world named Pride. In exchange, I will give you back your memories if you succeed.'

'A god is holding my memories hostage?' What a crazy scenario

He lets out a hearty laugh again.

'Well, when you put it that way it makes me sound bad. I like the sound of "God inspires and helps mortal to save a planet" better. Much better for my image.'

' Well, I don't mind since I assume if a god needs my help the people must be suffering in some terrible way like a tyrant?'

'Spot on. I'm starting to think you might have been from Pride.'

'No, I'm from...' I shrug 'Well I don't remember.'

' Well if you succeed you will remember. For now, I will fill you in on the details.'

He holds his palm open and an orb of light shows a world.

He continues with his speech.

'Let me ask you a question. When you think of a utopia where people don't worry about violence what comes to mind first?'

What an interesting and weird question.

'Well if everyone on the planet was peaceful then probably a place with no weapons since there is no need.'

'That does make sense. However, that is a naive assumption. Even if we ignore the fact that a place with no violence is almost impossible. Since you have no weapons, that also means no research into making them better or cheaper or making new ones and no training warriors. Essentially your technology for weapons comes to a complete halt. Would you agree?'

'Yes, that sounds right. But you wouldn't need them if nobody committed any violent acts.'

'True but that's only if you count the violence that the people born on the planet commit and well unfortunately in the case of this planet. The universe keeps going on with its weapons research and its training and a rogue Disciple of Wind who acquired a God Rite went to Pride and took it over with ease. Your task will be to take him down and reclaim the plan- I mean save the people.'

What did he say?

I respond with an extremely puzzled look

'Hmm well first question what is a disciple and how does it turn into a god?'

He pauses for a second then sighs.

'Hmm, I suppose I should explain how that works. Basically in this universe, everyone can acquire titles. Titles give you powers. You can have many titles at once. A Disciple is a title that someone gets when they train under a God of an element like Wind or Fire. They get bonuses like faster learning gain compared to normal. There are many other titles in this universe. God gets their titles from God rites which are glowing orbs they absorb. That's the simple version.'

'So even though he was not a god he can turn into one? Aren't Gods divine beings born into it?'

Or at least that's what I thought

'Well turns out that's a good way to put it in stories. I mean if I told you some people who were just powerful became gods you would be more worried than accepting.'

'That is extremely worrying.'

'Anyhow anyone can become a God in a multitude of ways. But I'll list some to illustrate a better example. You can find a trial circle on most planets that have a specific God rite of an element that gives you the God Rite after completing a trial but the amount of God rites in those are limited and can run out. You can have a God give you theirs and they would lose it and last and the most extreme. You can kill a God and take it. Those are all the most common ways at least. But that's the basic rundown..'

Well that solves that

'Alright, my second question is how do you expect me to fight a God? I can't remember much but I don't feel like I am strong enough to fight a god. Unless I get trained by gods.'

'Don't worry you are the chosen one destined to save this universe.'

'Really?'

That's insane.

Alpha laughs again.

'No, but we can have you train with Gods on a planet called Orakolos, and to make it better you have a special ability that nobody has.'

Well, I guess it was unlikely. But this special ability sounds promising maybe I get strong extremely fast.

'Whats the ability?'

'Well, your current title is Mortal. Which gives no bonuses at all and when you think of mortal what do you think of?'

'Ability to die compared to an immortal who can't die.'

'Precisely.'

'So I am immortal?'

He replies dryly

'Yes and No. You are an Immortal Mortal.'

...

what

My mouth is open in confusion

'What does that even mean?'

'Well, whenever you die you will come back. Since you are forever mortal. You will always be in a state where you can die and since if you die you are no longer able to die you will come back.'

' What?'

Alpha pauses for a second and then says

'Alright, when you die you are no longer mortal, since mortal means ability to die right? You are forever Mortal so you will always be able to die. However, it's not like you just keep reviving on the spot. You just resurrect here.'

'So infinite resurrections?'

'I guess but I personally call it Immortal Mortality.'

'Well, that just sounds like immortality right?'

'It kind of does. However, in this universe, there is a title called Immortal. And it gives you a bunch of bonuses like a learning boost and extreme resistance to most natural problems like hunger, disease, thirst, sleep, and aging, along with increasing your stats. While it doesn't make you unable to die from other people you basically won't die from aging or natural things and you get a bunch of other bonuses. Like a Natural Immortal.'

'And I get those right??'

'Well no. You get none of those and to make it even better. You can't gain the title of immortal ever under any circumstances. If you get it you will instantly lose it and become Mortal again since they are conflicting titles. The title of Immortal is seen as the mid-way point to becoming a God and usually, if you somehow don't have it when you become a God you could probably easily get it with how strong you should be. It is also able to be obtained through a trial circle on planets and they never run out of immortality rites.'

'How does that make it better?'

'It doesn't but at least it will keep you humble.'

'So basically I have to fight a God who is an immortal who has all these bonuses and I'm just a mortal with no bonuses. But I'll be alright cause I can keep coming back and fighting him? Won't I just keep losing?'

'Well don't worry too much. He is a disciple and since he doesn't know how to do the ritual to make his god rite activate he isn't even a god yet. Or an immortal. He just killed a god while he was sleeping and stole it from him.'

'He doesn't instantly turn into it when he gets the rites?'

'Well, you don't if you are gifted them. You have to do a spell that activates them but he probably didn't know that.'

However, he is decently strong for a mortal who is just a disciple. He is extremely arrogant and cocky. This is only made worse by the fact that the planet he is on is filled with people who couldn't probably even get a scratch in on him since they are so weak. You can use this to your advantage. The arrogant never expect to lose.'

'Well, I can train on that planet with the gods so at least I have that going for me.'

I am worried of course but this ability will at least make it so I can't die. Well permanently

'I will send you to Orakolos and just train for now.'

Well, how could this go wrong? I have a planet with Gods that will help me and all I have to do is get trained by them to become strong and he will be a weakling compared to me.