In an indescribable “location,” a young boy, who would soon enter his twenties, stood after awakening. The boy glanced around, displaying slight confusion on his face, it was natural. After all, he was experiencing something entirely new.
He was confused, Not because he found himself in an unfamiliar place, but due to the vast emptiness that stretched as far as his eyes could see.
From his earliest recollections, the boy had never slept beyond the first month of his birth. He had always been conscious, longing to experience sleep once more. Now, perplexed, excited, and curious, he found himself unable to recall how he ended up in this place. Considering the impossibility of forgetting, according to his calculations, he deduced that he must either be in a dream or have recently emerged from one.
The boy, whose reddish hair lightly swayed without any breeze, had no memory of what sleep or dreams felt like. Understandably so, as almost 20 years had passed since his last slumber. Anticipating a significant event that could explain his current situation, his azure eyes surveyed every aspect of the boundless void, while his mind analyzed all available information. It was then that he heard a voice, unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
“I must admit, Arthur, I am thoroughly impressed. But that is precisely why I am interested in you,” spoke the voice, resonating throughout the world—metaphorically speaking. It originated from behind him. Arthur swiftly turned around, his eyes fixating on the voice’s source—a being, if one could even call it that. The figure emitted such a radiant glow that it was difficult for him to sustain direct eye contact. Nonetheless, the void remained as dark and vacant as ever.
“Am I too brilliant for your gaze?” the luminous entity said, seemingly in a sarcastic tone.
Following the unnecessary remark, the intensity of the light diminished significantly, allowing Arthur to comfortably engage in conversation while maintaining eye contact. Or so he thought.
“ …. “ Arthur stared silently for a brief moment, contemplating the appropriate reaction after thoroughly analyzing the figure’s appearance from head to toe, out of habit.
“What’s the matter? Can’t you see me now? Is something wrong?” the entity responded, puzzled.
The red haired boy blinked, snapping out of his contemplation. “No, nothing’s wrong,” he replied, his voice steady despite the unusual circumstances. “It’s just that your presence is so extraordinary, it’s hard to comprehend.”
Whether it was fortuitous or unfortunate, the individual he conversed with appeared to be a young girl of similar age. The girl chuckled softly, the sound echoing through the vast emptiness. “Ah, don’t worry. I understand. I can be quite dazzling for mortal eyes. But fear not, your vision shall adjust as we converse.” She said
As she spoke, Arthur felt a subtle shift in his perception. The overwhelming brightness became more tolerable, allowing him to perceive the intricate details of the girl’s form even more. The entity possessed an otherworldly elegance, with shimmering iridescent skin and flowing robes that seemed to merge seamlessly with the surrounding void.
His curiosity grew with each passing moment. “You mentioned my name earlier. How do you know who I am?”
She smiled warmly. “I have been observing you for quite some time, Arthur. Your ‘life’, your thoughts, your desires, everything about you was extraordinary.”
Despite the gentle vibes she was emitting, her aura set off Arthur’s instincts, warning him of the potential danger he faced. However, those concerns only lingered for a few seconds. Nonetheless, he decided that he had wasted enough time playing around and promptly requested an explanation.
“Well then, would you care to clarify?”
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
“Well then, would you care to clarify?” I asked the girl standing before me, who responded with a grin. She crossed her arms and wore a smile that many would find unsettling. Despite my polite inquiry, she chose not to reply immediately, almost as if she wanted to prolong the suspense. Eventually, she broke her silence.
“Why the hurry? Didn’t you always desire this?” she said, snapping her fingers. Suddenly, the empty void transformed into the scenery of an ancient castle within a fortress, with us standing outside the castle gates. As I knelt down and touched the ground with my hands, filled with the vibrant green grass, an array of new sensations flooded my mind. It was my first time experiencing the feeling of wind, seeing the world through my own eyes, touching the green grass with my own hands, and sensing the warmth of the sun on my skin. It was also my first time escaping the cold confines of my prison-like room. I felt liberated, joyful, and exhilarated. It was truly refreshing.
“Yeah, I always wanted this. But I never imagined it would happen like this,” I remarked. In response, her expression shifted from a grin to one of sadness, pain, and pity. I found no enjoyment in witnessing her transformation. “Can you please stop that? It’s rather uncomfortable.” I added.
“I am sorry,” was all she replied with, her gaze and actions indicating that she understood what I had endured. She even knew my name, though that part did not surprise me.
Few were aware of my existence, and none possessed the abilities demonstrated by this girl. While I wasn’t particularly religious, even someone like me could sense that I had surpassed the boundaries of logic and science to some extent.
“Mind answering some of my questions?” I inquired.
“Sure. I will answer as many as possible,” she responded, not quite in the manner I had expected, but it was for the best.
“Well, let’s start with an easy one. Could you tell me who you are?” I wasn’t particularly concerned about her identity; my curiosity lay elsewhere.
“Hmm… Using your race’s words, I am a Goddess,” she replied.
Although I claimed not to be religious, I had always harbored doubts about the existence of higher beings, ones that some might consider gods. I simply opposed the idea that we were the only intelligent life forms in the vast observable universe as it was, statistically speaking, almost impossible.
“… You don’t seem surprised. Perhaps you don’t believe me?” she remarked.
“No, I do believe you. I just guessed your answer correctly. Anyway, I thought a God is able to read minds and even see the future. Is that not the case?” I asked.
“Yeah, sadly, it is not,” she admitted.
“What is this place? Where are we?” I inquired further.
“Well, you see, this isn’t the reality you are familiar with. It’s a unique domain that exists between dimensions. Think of dimensions as an infinite staircase. I use this void as a barrier to prevent something from falling into another dimension,” she explained, much more straightforwardly than I had anticipated. I had half-expected her to deliberately make it difficult for me to comprehend.
“So, does that mean we are currently between two dimensions? Your description made it sound like that was just one of its many purposes,” I said.
“No, we are not. This void was created solely for the purpose of this conversation,” she clarified.
“I see. And why did you want to speak with me in the first place? You could have talked to me on Earth,” I pointed out.
“Would you believe me if I did? A lady appearing out of nowhere, claiming to be a goddess… Would anyone believe that? Especially you, given your unique circumstances. It would be much easier if it seemed like you were the one transported somewhere else,” she explained, calling herself a lady without a hint of irony. Before I could comment, however, she continued.
“Besides, I thought it would be nice to show you this significant scenery. I felt remorseful because it was my fault that you ended up the way you did,” she confessed, her back turned towards me. It was the first time she avoided looking in my direction. She exuded an aura of regret, pain, suffering, and even a hint of fear. I had never expected a goddess to experience such emotions. Her words implied that she knew about my past, but she only made assumptions; she didn’t truly understand what I had endured, at least that’s what I can get from this exchange of words. Was she afraid of my reaction? Was she regretting whatever actions she had taken that resulted in my loss of freedom?
Ultimately, I couldn’t have cared less. It didn’t matter whether she regretted it or empathized with me. At this stage, it was irrelevant. If she had the power to turn back time and rectify the situation, she would have already done so.
That’s why she feared my response—because she couldn’t change the past. It was a natural reaction. What would anyone do when faced with the person who had upended their life and imprisoned them? Her concerns were valid. However, I was different.
I didn’t blame her, I didn’t hate her, and I wasn’t angry. After ten years of solitude, I had lost the ability to feel anything toward anyone other than myself. She simply didn’t understand me. While she knew about my history, it was just that—knowledge. She didn’t comprehend the depths of my suffering. And she couldn’t have been more mistaken about me.
Interrupting my internal monologue, the goddess turned around, her eyes avoiding mine as she lowered her face and intertwined her hands. Like a father who can sense his son’s need for approval, I knew that she sought my forgiveness.
“I’m deeply sorry,” She whispered.
Please log in to leave a comment.