Prologue
The Wrath of The Eternals
Taken by the icy grip of death, I drift through the emptiness, floating in an ocean of unending darkness, devoid of light and sound. Drifting through the emptiness, I realize there is a large wound where the bandit leader's sword pierced through me and brought an end to my mortal existence. The magic that Alipheese I and Ilias imbued me with proved useless, and instead appeared wasted on my existence. Moving my hands to the wound, I touch the area, but no pain rushes through me and no blood covers my hands. Coming to terms with my death, I sigh and continue to float through the empty vacuum. I drift for what feels eternity, thinking to myself and wondering how long I will be trapped in this void.
"Is this it? Am I dead?" I questioned aloud, but no one answered my call. I continued to drift through the void, wondering if this is how I will spend eternity.
Is there truly nothing after death except this endless void? I thought as more questions began popping into my mind, like popcorn kernels from a hot air popper. Well, I guess this is how I will spend eternity... I mean honestly, what did I expect? Sure, Alipheese I gave me the gift of energy manipulation, but I didn't have nearly enough time to train myself to use it properly. I sighed again, wallowing in my own failure. Maybe if I would've had more time to train, and Luka didn't want to defeat those bandits so soon, we could have been victorious. I'm sure he knew how it would end, that we might have delayed fighting them and gotten stronger before we attacked. I drifted further into the void, letting my thoughts go deeper down the rabbit hole. There's no use thinking about this now, though. I've already died and failed in my mission to help Luka save the world. I thought, resigning myself and allowing my thoughts to flow through my mind like water over rocks in a stream.
Time continues to pass as I drift through the endless abyss, "So… Is there anything here at all? Am I going to be judged, or has my sentence already been decided? Will I ever be sent somewhere else? Heaven? Hell? Limbo? Reincarnation? Valhalla?" I questioned, speaking into the emptiness to no avail. "There isn't much I can do at this point... it wasn't meant to be. I mean, what did I think I could do? A regular human toying with things beyond the mortal realm. I'm not some great hero from folklore. I'm just a regular human, who lacked the training and mentorship required to walk the path of the occultist. Now it seems I am unfortunate enough to have paid the price for messing with forces beyond mortal comprehension with my life." I continued speaking into the emptiness, releasing the pent-up emotions within myself.
Thinking to myself, I began pondering What if this current predicament is because I died outside of my reality? Can my soul transcend the boundary between realities and return itself to its origin?. Time seemed to endlessly pass as I drifted through the emptiness, hoping that anything might happen to put an end to this endless suffering. However, I did not truly know if time was passing in my current location or if it was the sheer emptiness eating away at my sanity. With nothing else to do, I continued to question everything about myself, floating in the empty sea of darkness.
After what seemed like years of being alone in the empty darkness, a light appeared. The light looked far from my present location in the sea of darkness, but then it began moving slowly towards me. A light... in the ocean of darkness... I thought to myself, my mind racing and filling with an uncertain hope. Eventually, the light moved close enough that it was clearly visible to me, a blinding, brilliant glow. Unfortunately, the light did not appear to hold any salvation for me, but instead drove me into deeper despair. The disappointment quickly set in when I looked over the orb of light, and it did not respond to my presence. "Is anyone there?" I asked into the empty, desolate void, hoping my voice may trigger the glowing orb to react. There was no response, and the orb simply continued to glow radiantly without variation.
Moving my hand towards the orb, I could feel a gentle warmth wash over me as my hand touched it. A warmth that was not physical, but spiritual, as the heat that seemed to travel up my arm and throughout my body, deep into the core of my being. As if activated by my touch, the orb began to take the shape of a feminine figure, eventually becoming a young feminine goddess clothed in elegant white robes with golden hair and radiant blue eyes. A pair of magnificent white wings sprouted from her back, completing her divine figure, as a soft glow lit her figure. Radiant light began emanating from her, making her stand out even further from the nothingness around us.
"Hello young human," she said, her voice filling the void and echoing throughout the area. "I am here to answer your questions.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling in fear, but also in overwhelming awe of the divine figure before me.
"I am the voice of the Eternals." She spoke, the words reverberating through me, sending a shiver down my spine. Her voice resembled a choir of angelic singers, threatening to overwhelm everything with its beauty. She appeared gentle and calming, but simultaneously she seemed to fill me with apprehension.
"The... Eternals?" I inquired, confusion quickly overtaking me.
"Yes, I am the one tasked with speaking to the lesser beings and ensuring that the will of the Eternals is put into action," she replied, her voice having a divine quality that could only be described as heavenly.
"The will of Eternals?... What does that have to do with a 'lesser being' like myself?" I asked, even more confusion filling me and showing my distaste for the designation as a lesser being.
"The will of the Eternals is something that no mortal will ever comprehend, as it is leagues beyond mortal comprehension. My role is to provide you with an offer from the Eternals. You, the human who violated the laws of divinity and left his origin universe, are being given a chance to atone for your transgressions," she
What laws of divinity did I violate? A chance to atone for my transgressions? Left my origin universe... Well, that wasn't exactly my I thought to myself, unaware that my thoughts were heard by the goddess.
The goddess then stated, "You did not just violate a singular law of divinity, but instead violated multiple with your actions outside of your universe. The first of these laws you broke is interacting with lifeforms of your non-native universe without the direction of the divine. Had you been ordered by The Eternals to interact with them... there would be no crime committed, however you did not, and therefore you began to violate the laws of divinity," reading my thoughts and responding to them before I could react.
"Did you just... respond to what I was thinking?" I uttered, shocked at the sheer power of the goddess before me.
"Yes, I am aware of what you were thinking. The second law you broke is the unapproved transfer of information from one universe to another. The transfer of information between universes is strictly prohibited unless the disciple has been given permission to disseminate it by their sponsoring Eternal. Information dissemination can lead to mass upheavals and birth of chaotic beings, which are incredibly detrimental for the continuation of mortal life." She explained, the sound of her voice seeming to echo.
"You expect mortals to know that these laws exist... How can one adhere to them if one is completely unaware of the existence of a set of higher laws?" I replied to her.
"The mortals that need to know of these laws know of them already through their communion with higher beings and their selection as viable candidates for Apotheosis. The third law you broke is your circumventing of the cycle of reincarnation, and after your death in your origin universe, through unapproved means, contacted a being of another universe and had them prevent your death. They prevented your death by making you part of their universe, however this is highly forbidden, and now that universe will be punished for your actions." The goddess continued to explain to me the ways in which I had broken the laws of divinity.
"You mean to tell me that because of the interactions between me and Alipheese I, that her universe is being punished? Does their universe's punishment have to deal with the increasingly dangerous state of their world? I am also including the bandits responsible for my death in that universe." I inquired.
"What is and is not their punishment is no longer your concern, but yes, you are the reason that their universe will experience suffering greater than any of its past cycles. The fourth law you broke and the most heinous of your transgressions is the transfer of Quintessence from a higher being down to a lesser being, causing that lesser being to enter the divine hierarchy. In order for the lesser being to receive Quintessence, their deeds must earn it, and their entry into the divine hierarchy must be facilitated by a higher-ranking deity." she explained, no anger present in her voice but rather calm acceptance and understanding of my current state.
My heart sank as I realized just how serious my crimes against the gods were, and I knew that nothing I could say would resolve this situation in any good way for me. Then it hit me, I remembered that she mentioned a chance to atone before she listed off all of the laws I violated. "Earlier, before you told me how illegal my universe crossing was, you mentioned that I had a chance to atone for breaking these laws. How can I atone?" I asked her, hoping that the method of atonement was something that I could perform, and suppressing the growing dread within me.
She looked at me, her eyes like endless blue oceans and said "You will atone using the remainder of your soul. Before you respond, I will explain the current predicament you are in. Your soul was cleaved in half when you died, half remaining in the universe as it became one with it through the actions of the Eternals, as part of your punishment, and the other half is with you here and now. The Eternals desire you to willingly accept the division of the remaining half of your soul into six equal fragments. Each of these fragments will be sent to a universe controlled by a member of The Eternals that has descended and became an Abomination, using its universe only to feed its hunger and grow its Quintessence". Listening to her speak, I knew that my actions and lack of training had brought me to this point, and now I faced a decision to which there was no good answer for me. "Your purpose in these universes is not to overthrow the Abomination, but merely to cause a divergence in the present cycle. If you succeed in these universes, The Eternals will reunite the fragments of your soul, and depending on how the other half of your soul performs in its now grim universe, you may have the chance to become a whole being once more. That however is something far from now, and you must show The Eternals that you are worthy. Do you accept the offer for atonement given to you by The Eternals?", the goddess stated, giving me the ultimatum of The Eternals.
"If my soul is divided... What exactly does that entail for me? Additionally, how will I cause a divergence in these universes?" I asked the goddess before accepting what amounted to an eternity of damnation if I failed.
"A singular fragment of your soul will retain all your personality and memories, while the remaining five fragments will only contain a fragment of who you are at this moment. Each of the fragments will experience their own lives in the universes they are sent to, and it is up to them to cause a divergence in their respective universes. If you accept, I am to tell you more." She declared, telling me only what I was allowed to know presently.
"That's not too reassuring to hear. You mean to tell me that a singular fragment of my soul will still retain my memories and current personality? What is the reasoning for this when earlier you stated it was one of my transgressions to bring information into other universes, unless..." I began to say, pausing as I thought of the potential implications.
"Yes, it is a violation of divine law to bring outside information into a universe without the direct approval of The Eternals. However, the universe that your memories will be sent to will require you to possess them in order to bring about a large divergence in the cycle. The other five universes, you will be reincarnated without any of your memories, but will have vague feelings and inclinations due to their connection to your soul. Regardless, you are guilty of multiple crimes and your time is running short. Do you accept the offer of atonement?", she asked, ending the time for questions and forcing me to make a decision.
"I see no other option than to accept. The alternative appears to be my destruction..." I stated firmly, but still did not like the situation that I was forced into.
The goddess offered me her hand, and I reluctantly moved to take it. However, when I made contact with her, it seemed as if my entire being had been lit ablaze. "The will of the Eternals shall be done. With your acceptance of your trials to atonement, you shall be cursed with immortality, unable to die until the wishes of The Eternals have been complied with. You will never grow used to dying, and the more you die, it will eat away at your mind until you are unable to continue. However, know that there is no escape from this fate until you have been absolved of your deeds and your transgressions rectified," the goddess stated, her hand firmly gripping mine as I writhed in pain from the energy flowing through me.
Within a flash, the pain ended when her hand separated from mine, and in the middle of my hand was burned a ten-pointed star, "I presume this is a symbol of my ownership by The Eternals?".
"The brand that resides on you is one that has been forever burned into this half of your soul. Rejoice mortal, for you have been granted what so many of your kind quest for in every universe. You are now immortal. Enjoy the endless suffering that comes with the curse of immortality and watch as all those around you can live normal lives, grow old, and return to the cycle of reincarnation to begin new lives. When your soul fragments are reincarnated into their respective universes, this curse shall follow them, yet they will be unaware of it however the fragment of your soul that retains its memories will be well aware that in five other universes you are doomed to suffer alone for eternity." the goddess decreed, her voice taking on a dark tone.
Unable to respond to her, I stood there silently feeling the weight of my choices. "... I understand..." I managed to say, the truth of immortality hitting me.
"Do not despair human, for you get to choose an ability for each of your soul fragments to aid them in the universe that they are to be sent to. As I describe the universes to you, they may sound familiar to you, and from this you must make your decision of ability from within that universe," she stated.
"So... I have to decide which abilities I want to give to these fragmented parts of my soul?" I asked her, unsure of how I should proceed.
"Yes, the first universe is one that you will not retain your memories in and is one where humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction. Only a small fragment of humanity survives on a conglomerate of space stations, a fragment on Earth but has reverted to the tribal stage of civilization, and the humanity that does survive is eventually tricked into the hands of Abomination under the guise of ascension. Instead humanity is being harvested cycle after cycle for its Quintessence, the cycle continuing to repeat as the Abomination forces time to rewind and for humanity to forever be its food source. What ability would you like for this universe? It is one that is familiar to you and is controlled by a malicious Abomination, how will you ensure that humanity escapes the clutches of this Abomination?", the goddess asked and I racked my mind for what universe she was describing.
Well I know that Monster Girl Quest was a fictional universe, yet it was the one that had begun this entire thing... This universe that she is describing, I know what is it... Damn. I thought to myself, taking a moment before answering. Hmmm... if it's that universe, then being able to metabolize radiation would be the most beneficial and probably could lend me a lot of assistance when humanity contacts its tribal counterpart on the ground., I continued running over the possibilities in my head.
"Yes, the universe you are thinking of is the one that The Eternals intend to send you to. Now make your choice, for there are 5 other universes and soul fragments that require attention before your soul fragments are reincarnated," she demanded.
"Blood Alteration is the ability that I believe is the most useful to that soul fragment." I replied, giving her the answer she desired, and allowing me to continue assigning the other fragments their abilities.
"Good, that fragment is ready for reincarnation now. The next universe is one where the races of men and mer face extinction at the hands of one another. The soul fragment will not receive any of your memories as well. This..." She began before I interrupted her, knowing the universe she was describing.
"That universe... The ability that I think will best suit me is a perfect photographic memory. There are many ways it should benefit that reincarnation. What is the next universe?" I answered, waiting for the next choice.
"If you are sure that is the most beneficial, then so be it. The next fragment is a universe where the dead walk again and humanity is plagued to become a member of the living dead upon death. There will again be no transfer of memories to this reincarnation, and this universe continues to be an unending source of quintessence for the Abomination that controls it." She explained, and I could not place exactly what universe she was describing.
"There are so many universes that carry that affliction... The only thing I believe will be of use is immunity to the virus that causes the dead to walk again." I replied.
"The soul fragment reincarnating in that world will receive immunity, but that immunity will never be transferable and will bring great suffering to that reincarnation. Are you sure that is your choice?" she inquired.
"Yes, because otherwise if I became a victim of said virus, the curse of immortality placed on me would only serve to benefit the Abomination by driving me to become an un-slayable monster, feeding the Abomination all of the Quintessence from the suffering of humanity." I stated, hoping I did not make an incorrect decision.
"Very well. The next universe is one where humanity has been devastated by nuclear war, brought to the border of extinction through the continued conflict of those that survive. Hideous mutants roam the world and threaten to destroy the humans that live on Earth. The Abomination in charge of this universe derives great pleasure in harvesting the Quintessence of humanity when the bombs fall, and from the continued struggle of those that were unfortunate enough to survive in their bunkers. What shall be your choice of ability?" She explained the next universe, and I needed to think for a moment.
"I believe I think I know which universe you are describing, and the ability to metabolize extremely deadly levels of radiation is the ability that I think will aid that reincarnation best." I replied, thinking that if one could effectively circumvent the radiation plaguing the landscape, it would make clearing out the mutated beings less of a death sentence.
"The next universe that is controlled by a malicious Abomination is harvested cycle after cycle by synthetic beings. Each harvest of the various species in this universe brings large amounts of Quintessence to the Abomination and grows its strength to higher levels. Humanity and the other non-human species are tricked by the Abomination and instead destroy their universe, bringing great suffering and strife to those who survived the harvest by the synthetic beings." She explained, her explanation immediately revealing to me which universe she described.
"True psychic abilities, the ability to influence the minds of others via psychic links, and the ability to psychically interact with objects. That ability exists within that universe, but is incredibly rare if I am correct?" I asked, inquiring if that ability existed within that universe.
"There are an incredibly limited number of beings that possess those abilities presently however they are an innate part of the universe and if that is your choice then so be it. The Eternals do not require you to defeat the abomination, only to decrease the amount of Quintessence gained by the Abomination in control. The final universe and the one that you will allowed to keep your memories upon reincarnation is a universe very similar to your own, however it is during a period of great strife in the world. The continents fight amongst themselves to bring about the success of their ideology. This universe is ruled by an Abomination that tricks a small segment of humanity into sacrificing others to a malicious deity whilst the majority of humanity has become lemmings allowing themselves to be continuously drained until their existences are meaningless." she continued, giving me the final universe to pick an ability for.
"You mean the only universe in which I can retain my memories is one that nearly parallels my own?" I replied.
"If it did not parallel your own universe, then The Eternals would see that none of your reincarnations received your memories, but it is beneficial for them to retain them. Now pick the ability that you desire for this universe, as it is the final one, and when it is done, the reincarnation process can begin." she demand.
"Well... since it's basically my own universe, the power that I believe will assist me as I am able to keep my memories is the ability to manipulate and control eldritch energies." I stated.
"Seeing as how that is already an ability that you possess, but on a minor level, I can increase it to an effective level where your abilities would manifest themselves into your world. Because of this, The Eternals have informed me that I am able to offer you a secondary ability due to the immense strength of the Abomination in control of this universe.", the female goddess stated, and I felt shocked, but also a sense of dread came over me.
If this universe is like my own, but is that much more dangerous... I dread what horrors I will end up facing in my future. Wait, if they are letting me keep my memories in this universe... they must be instrumental to changing the cycle. Additionally, she communicated with these Eternals in seconds..., thinking to myself and pondering how to best prepare for an unknown fight.
"Since you are allowing me to retain my memories and are offering a secondary ability, it would be logical for me to supplement my ability to recall my own memories. Therefore, the ability that I believe aids that the most is having access to all of my memories in their complete state, all information present and accessible for me to recall. I think that may be the best choice for me", the goddess narrowed her eyes momentarily at me as she listened to my response.
"Excellent, all of your soul shards have been assigned their universe and their universe respective abilities. Your journey to atonement will begin momentarily and you will begin life anew. Although, all of your other soul shards must discover their abilities in order for them to realize that they possess them. There is something more however that your soul shards will endure, all 5 other soul shards will be unaware of their own immortality. The first death will be the most traumatic thing to them, an unexplained curse placed on them preventing them from ever knowing the release of death. Your ability choices are final now and we shall see if you made the correct decisions and how your soul shards far in their lives.", her mouth betraying her enjoyment at the potential suffering my adventures held.
"..." remaining silent, the endless void around us did little to ease the situation, and I began speaking once more "I see... This process of reincarnation, so all of my fragments will begin new lives, and there is no penalty to them for only being a fragment of my soul?".
"No. All of them will function as normal individuals, as in place of the missing soul is the Quintessence that you unlawfully obtained. It will act as the remainder of your soul in those universes and facilitates the abilities granted to them by The Eternals. If there is anything more you wish to ask... Ask now before I begin the process of sending your souls to their universes and reincarnating them.", she stated, giving me the last chance to gain information.
"The other half of my soul, the one that remains in the world with Luka and Alice... What happens if I fail to complete the atonement process? Also, does it possess the same curse of immortality that these soul fragments possess?" trying to gleam the state of the other half of my soul and its predicament.
"The only thing I am allowed to tell you is, the price for failure is beyond the comprehension of your current state, and the half of your soul that is not present here does not possess the same curse of immortality. Now let the process of reincarnation begin...", the goddess declared. The entire area around us filled with blinding light, and then everything went dark.
AN: This story is the linking piece between An Untrained Occultist Using Magic? Nothing could go wrong? … Right? and the other six stories that are to spawn from it. I am not abandoning any of them however please be patient as I write them, the different universes gives me the ability to explore different themes and some ideas that have been floating around in my head while I've re-watched some tv shows and some gameplay. Thanks for reading and any comments or reviews are greatly appreciated. This is cross-posted on Ao3 under the same title