Chapter 2: The Deities and Punishments

Inside the void lives the two creators of the world of oblivion. In this world, creators are called deities, and the gods are from the deity of life, Aether. A never-aging body, flawless face, flowing pink hair and eyes, she is indeed a bright deity with a lonely life with her twin, Zutomei, the deity of death.

Unlike Aether, who has petite bright features, Zutomei is the epitome of gloomy. Pale skin, hourglass body, black wavy hair, and eyes. Their principles contrast with each other. Aether believes that there is good in everyone, and they should give and give without asking for anything in exchange. While Zutomei thinks that if there is good, there is bad; if someone gives, they want something in exchange.

"Do we have to punish him?" Aether asked with a worried look, as she looked back and forth between Zutomei and a man that resembles her.

Long black hair with red tips, black eyes and long eyelashes, pointed nose, and sharp jawline. His facial features are the embodiment of symmetrical and perfection. Broad shoulders, strong arms, six-pack abs, muscular thighs, and legs; the ideal physique of every man and admired by every woman.

"He might be my son, but he broke one of our rules. Trying to revive a dead human by attempting to return her soul to her body? That's stupidity," Zutomei coldly replied, disgust and disappointment written all over her face. Sebastian, son of Zutomei and the first demon king, Damien. He fell in love with a dying human and tried to bring her back to life.

Reviving someone is not allowed since they would reincarnate after years or decades. Lives are given and taken, but second chances will always appear. It is the first rule made by the twin deities. Breaking the law made by them will immediately send you to the Oblivion palace, inside the void.

"Mom, is it a sin to fall in love?" he asked, his eyes looking for comfort. His heart was torn apart, seeing how his lover died in his arms, and his mom punishing him because of his desperate Love.

"Love is not a sin, but the things it makes you do is. A reminder for you, falling in Love is not a choice, but staying in Love is. Don't let it overpower you, or you will destroy yourself. See this punishment as a lesson from a concerned mother," Zutomei said, her voice was cold, but her eyes are full of warmth.

"What will be his punishment then?" Aether asked, knowing that it's hopeless to argue. Sebastian somehow cheered up at her mother's words, but there was still a lingering pain in his chest.

"How about being a Grim Reaper? Since the last one has ascended, how about it? The first soul you have to take is... the princess of the Nether Kingdom, Lareia. All you have to do is take her life, the king of the Nether sentenced her to death, and it was her destiny to die, but she defies her fate. Human souls either become a netherian or valhallian, while the Grimm reapers take the other races. Also, you must get to know her, her weaknesses and power, then punish her accordingly before taking her life. I won't accept any rejection or complaints," Zutomei explained, ending it in a challenging tone.

"I have no choice then. Do you have any information about her?" He asked reluctantly.

"Here are all the basic information about her. You can find out the others yourself," Zutomei replied as a couple of scrolls darted towards Sebastian and stopped inches away from his face. Grabbing the scroll hastily, he glared at Aether, who is suppressing her laughter.

"Your surprised face is so cute!" Aether squealed and burst out laughing. Zutomei smiled while Sebastian relaxed and ended up smiling.

Snapping back to reality, "Aunt, stop teasing me. It's annoying," he stated, his tone was threatening. Aether stopped laughing and scratched the back of her head, looking at him apologetically.

"Forgive this aunt of yours; you're simply adorable! Now go and prepare while your mom and I have a little chat," she said in a sweet tone, making shooing gestures at him.

"Alright, then. I shall excuse myself, enjoy your talk." He kissed their cheeks before leaving the dining room. As the door made a clicking sound, Aether turned to Zutomei, a snicker on her face.

"So, my dear sister, is a matchmaker now?" She asked mockingly.

Zutomei smiled, "I'm only doing what is best for my son. They are destined together... but mysteries surround the princess, so Destiny decided to turn things in a different direction. It's a good thing that my daughter-in-law is brave. This made an opening for their relationship to bloom. I hope that the mysteries will be solved before they fall in love with each other. I don't want my son to suffer." Her voice was cold, yet full of warmth.

Aether embraced her sister tightly, proud of her maturity. "You're always the mature one between the two of us, so I always rely on you. How I wish I could see my son..." She trailed off as tears formed on her beautiful orbs.

"Still a crybaby? Wipe those tears, and trust the kids. They will break that curse, and we can be a family again, alright?" She tried to assure her by talking slowly and patting her head.

Aether pulled away and smiled, wiping her tears. "I'll trust you then! Should we go and find Destiny?" She asked, her face became serious in a split second.

Destiny is a deity, making her the youngest of the three. Twins being the giver and taker of life, while she writes every creature's fate. She can turn things around, control the world, but there are limits and a price for changing them.

She can do anything as long as it doesn't defy the rules of the world, nature. Every time she changes someone's fate, her power will rob her out of something important to her. In this case, she slowly lost her emotions and memories.

Losing everything, except for hatred, was torture. She hated her sisters for not having the power she had, for not suffering like her. No matter how hard she rewrites her fate, everything stays the same. With nothing else to lose, she placed a curse on the sisters and their offspring.

"You who dare defy thou shall suffer a greater hell."

Destiny started making others suffer by ruining their fates, so the twin deities attempted to stop her. They succeeded in saving everyone, except for their own. In this world, nothing is for free, so they have to suffer in exchange for Destiny's temporary disappearance. They were cursed, Aether can't meet her son, and Zutomei lost her husband.

Now, she is back and started her revenge by destroying Lareia's life. Either they follow destiny or defy it. If they overcome this, the curse will be lifted, and it will save Destiny.

"We will start the search, but we won't make a move. Not yet," Zutomei replied as her face darkens. Memories of the late king of demons flashed at the back of her mind as she slowly clenched her fists. Aether silently holds her sister's hand and squeezed it in an attempt to comfort her. She understood Aether's actions and did the same, making both of them smile. They gave each other a meaningful look before staring out into the endless void.

Meanwhile, Sebastian packed his things inside a leather knapsack. After packing, he slumped down at the edge of his bed and stared at the scrolls in his hands. "Should I read them?" He thought. Hesitantly, he opened it and read every single word.

The first scrolls are different portraits of her, wearing different clothes and disguises. He was astonished by her ethereal beauty. A woman with long wavy silver hair, blood-red eyes, and a perfect hourglass body. His heart starts to race as confusion swallowed him. Ignoring this, he opened another scroll, and a list of information greeted him as he read through the lines, a frown of confusion formed on his symmetrical face.

Name: Lareia Mishika

Age: Unknown

Specie: Unknown type of demon

Parents: Unknown

Magic: Unknown

Weakness: Unknown

Health Status: Fragile

Titles: Sin of Wrath

Personality: Very mysterious, cold, sadistic

Fears: Unknown

He stopped reading halfway; his mind was in chaos. 'Almost everything about her is unknown, why is that? The only certain thing is she is a cold demon princess that is very powerful but has a weak body. Are they playing tricks with me, or is her personal information hard to perceive? These scrolls should be helping me, not making my confusion worse.'

After a tiresome day, he decided to take a bath to relax his tensed up muscles. Taking off his clothes and letting them fall to the floor, his eyes hooded as he stepped into the tub of warm water. The warmth helped ease his stiff body. However, amid his relaxation, thoughts of the mysterious princess ruined it. The portrait of the woman replayed on his mind like a picturesque movie, making him restless yet excited. He felt confused but non admittedly interested.

Getting out of the warm water, the cold air sent shivers down to his spine. He clothed himself in a short black trouser, white undergarment, and small, black cloak. He paired this with black pants and leather boots that reach up to his knees. Taking his knapsack, he went out and was greeted by the twins.

"Ready for the hunt?" Aether asked, while Zutomei stood still and stares at her son. Studying and taking in every single feature of her son. Her expression remained the same, but her eyes are full of worry and longing.

"Always. Take care of my mom for me, my aunt. Don't cry when I'm gone, alright?" As he uttered those words, his eyes were filled with hesitation and determination. He knew that this is the right thing to do, and he deserves this. Still, the feeling of loneliness lingers inside him.

"Don't worry about us. If you already checked her information, she is a woman of mystery; you should be careful. Alright? You should go now," Zutomei forced herself to speak with full of restraint.

"I'll be going now. See you soon," he stated and hugged them for a couple of minutes. After pulling away, they said their goodbyes, and he departed to the portal to the human world. Leaving the void using the said portal, he was utterly clueless about what will greet him on the other side.

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Hello, the author here! I prepared a mini-quiz in the author's thoughts. Check it out and share your answer in the comments~