Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 134: Godwyn

Uriel’s eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat.

The old man met his gaze, its azure depths suddenly seeming like an infinite cosmos; never-ending stars and worlds swirling in silence.

The fabric of the world around them melted, turning into a grotesque fusion of reality and void, laws and runes breaking apart into a chaotic expanse that would drive any mortal mad.

Sweat soaked Uriel’s back. He found himself unable to breathe, unable to move, barely able to think, fear rising from somewhere deep within to overwhelm him.

’...God?’

Not ’a’ God, but ’the’ God? What did that even mean? How was he supposed to react to something like that? Why was—

The old man observed Uriel’s reactions, his gaze piercing past the physical and into his very soul. He remained silent for long moments, letting Uriel drown in his own spiralling thoughts.

"..."

Then, suddenly, he threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

The pressure that had frozen Uriel vanished into thin air, and he collapsed onto his knees, breaths laboured and heat thundering through him.

In a single breath, the world returned to normal, the eldritch expanse fading as order reasserted itself.

The old man laughed so hard he clutched his stomach, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. The booming cadence of his lungs left the cave trembling, atmospheric aether collapsing and harsh winds whipping about alongside soul-shuddering echoes.

Uriel managed to steady his breathing and rose back to his feet, lips pressed thin and jaw clenched.

Run? How would he even begin? The man’s aura alone was horrifying beyond words. He was completely outclassed.

In the worst-case scenario, the best he could hope for was that cooperation might grant him a painless, swift death.

But maybe...

’Ah, who cares.’

He suddenly relaxed, all worry draining from him as he exhaled and straightened his back.

He looked at the man and crossed his arms. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Minutes passed before the man’s laughter finally died down. He wiped tears from his face and exhaled, smiling brightly.

"Apologies, apologies," he said at once, placing a hand on Uriel’s shoulder. "I’m not actually God."

"Though a man can always dream, don’t you think?"

Uriel nodded. "If not dreams, then what do we have?"

"Ah, see? You understand. To speak your dreams into reality is to already be halfway there, haha!"

"Mm." Uriel nodded again. "And this must evidently begin by putting the fear of god into me, yes?"

"Oh, come on, surely you can’t be mad about—"

"I am, though," Uriel insisted. "What if I killed myself?"

The man blinked. "W-what?"

"If you were to face a possibly malevolent god, would your first instinct not be to kill yourself? I’m sure I could’ve done it before you reached out."

"How would that make any sense? Supposing I am indeed a malevolent god, I’d simply bring you back to life. And in what world would you be able to kill yourself before a god could react?"

"If you brought me back to life, I’d kill myself again," Uriel replied without backing down. "And I’m sure I could act before you managed to get a hold of me."

The old man found himself at a loss for words.

In what world was this conversation relevant in any conceivable way?

And how had he so abruptly shifted from a mysterious, divine figure, one who nearly shattered Uriel’s mind, to someone Uriel could...chastise?

He truly had no answer.

He breathed out slowly, inwardly amused. Most mortals would have collapsed upon sensing his presence, their bodies twisting into horrors of flesh. Yet Uriel had not.

In fact, he had recovered almost instantly.

’Hm. I should’ve expected as much.’

"Alright, alright," he said, patting Uriel’s shoulder with only the faintest fraction of strength. "I apologise."

Though it was nothing more than a sliver of his power, Uriel felt as if the man’s hand carried dozens of oceans, heavy as the world itself and as inescapable as fate.

It didn’t damage his body, yet it hurt in a way that bypassed flesh entirely.

"Let’s begin properly. I am Godwyn, the Legacy Guide of this space, the Tropis Ant Legacy Event Space."

Uriel’s curiosity sharpened. ’Tropis Ant...’

Godwyn patted his shoulder once more. "And you are?"

Uriel looked at him and shook his head. Carefully, he removed the man’s hand from his shoulder.

"I understand. You’re a big, strong man who can kill me with a casual pat and a flicker of your thoughts. Your core must hold an absurd amount of aether, I imagine."

"But it still hurts, so please stop. I’m actually drowning in deep agony as we speak," Uriel added evenly, his tone completely at odds with his words.

Godwyn’s lip twitched, though he gave no overt reaction.

"My name is Uriel. Nice to meet you, Mister Godwyn. I assume you came to me for something specific? Let’s not waste any more of your precious time, good sir."

Godwyn nodded and folded his arms across his chest, leaning back slightly. "Yes, of course."

"You might be wondering why I left you in this cave for so long without any information—"

"Not really."

"—and fret not, I shall answer all your questions." He turned toward Uriel’s camp. "Come, let’s sit and talk for a bit."

He snapped his fingers, and the world blurred as they teleported across the cave. Godwyn seated himself on one of Uriel’s chairs, while Uriel dragged a stool closer and sat facing him.

"My Gods, is this Isharian Wool? Where did you..." Godwyn cleared his throat and refocused. "Now then. Why did I allow you to remain here alone for so long?"

"You may or may not know this, but typically upon entering a Legacy Event, participants are immediately confronted with a series of trials and forced to compete for the sponsor God’s favour."

"It is not meant to be a relaxing retreat or a casual endeavour, as you’ve experienced it thus far." He paused briefly. "In greater worlds, Legacy Events demand decades of preparation and attract the greatest geniuses across entire continents."

"And even then, most still perish. Those who survive receive immense boons and go on to become Legends. But I digress."

"My duty is to ensure your trials proceed accordingly, that you receive your rewards and that the Gods are satisfied. Do you understand?"

Uriel nodded.

"You made my job nearly impossible."