BORN IN A FAMILY OF GODS

As Alex and his friend started returning home from the college campus, the descending sun cast a warm and golden glow over the landscape.

Amid casual banter about college happenings, Daniel, Alex's closest friend, couldn't help but notice an unmistakable unease in Alex's demeanor.

With the horizon as his frequent gaze, Alex carried a self-deprecating expression, as if struggling with profound disappointment in himself.

Noticing his friend's subdued state, Daniel nudged him gently, prompting the question, "What's on your mind, Alex?"

A sigh escaped Alex, and he finally voiced out his inner turmoil. "It's Julie, you know? I just can't seem to find the right moment to tell her how I feel."

Having witnessed this emotional struggle for two years, Daniel found himself at a loss for new words of advice.

"You've been carrying this weight for two years, man. Why not just tell Julie how you feel? I truly believe she'll accept your proposal."

As the pavement became a focal point for Alex's contemplation, he confessed, "I don't know. It's like every time I want to say it, the words just vanish. It feels like there's this colossal barrier preventing us from getting close. And what if she doesn't feel the same way I do?"

Daniel, seasoned in consoling his friend through these emotional hurdles, chuckled at Alex's familiar retort. "You won't know until you try, Alex. And it's not like it's the end of the world if Julie rejects you. Trust me, regrets weigh heavier than the fear of rejection."

With a nod from Alex, a mixture of determination and uncertainty flickered in his eyes. "You're right. Tomorrow, I'll find the right moment," he declared.

The friends parted ways, unknowingly stepping into the last day they would meet each other in this familiar world.

Upon reaching his home, Alex confronted the weight of unspoken emotions. The setting sun, usually a comforting presence, now cast an eerie glow on the familiar pathway. Alex, as if to shake off an impending disquiet, slapped his face and entered his home with a forced smile.

Inside, the living room, a space usually filled with the ordinary sights of family life, presented an unexpected scene. His parents, typically the bearers of everyday routine, wore expressions that hinted at something extraordinary.

"Sit down, Alex," his father's tone carried a mix of seriousness and warmth, setting the stage for a dialogue that would reshape Alex's understanding of his existence.

In the soft glow of lamps, the living room became something like a cosmic stage. With a reassuring smile, his mother began, "We've been wanting to share something important with you—something about your birth."

Alex, momentarily distracted from thoughts of Julie, responded in a joking tone, "Don't tell me I'm not your child."

His laughter subsided as he noticed the solemn expressions on his parents' faces. "Is it true?"

His father, a vein pulsating on his forehead as he controlled his anger, continued without giving Alex a chance to speak, "You see, Alex, you're not just our child by chance. You're special."

Alex, perplexed and somewhat embarrassed, retorted, "Well, I know I'm special to you guys, but there's no need to say it like that."

A heavy silence hung in the air before his mother sighed and shared a revelation that transcended the ordinary. "Alex, we do not belong to this world. We are from the world of gods, and what you see in front of us is just a clone of our original body."

The weight of impending revelations increased as she added, "I don't have much time. Very soon, a portal will open, and you will be reincarnated in a cultivation world."

As if the universe itself responded to this revelation, the world around them started shaking tremendously, as if on the brink of destruction.

Alex's face mirrored a profound sense of shock; his widened eyes and shooting eyebrows conveyed his disbelief. In the wake of this unexpected revelation, he stumbled backward, a sudden vortex of energy started enveloping him.

Reality warped and twisted as if the fabric of existence unraveled. With a disorienting force, Alex found himself pulled into a swirling portal, its edges crackling with an otherworldly glow. His surroundings blurred into a chaotic dance of colors and shapes, the sensation akin to being caught in a cosmic whirlwind.

In this surreal embrace of the portal, time lost its meaning for Alex. Weightless and suspended, he tried to comprehend the cosmic forces at play. Unbeknownst to him, his parents exchanged knowing glances, their stoic composure maintained as if anticipating this cosmic event.

His mother, with a mixture of solemnity and reassurance, remarked, "It's time, isn't it?"

His father nodded, a sense of preparedness in his gaze. "He needs to fulfill his destiny, and this portal is the way."

As the energies of the portal intensified, casting an otherworldly glow across the living room, Alex, who had overheard his parents' conversation, struggled to voice his thoughts. Yet, no words came from his mouth, and he gradually succumbed to the devouring force of the portal, leaving him with a simultaneous sense of awe and terror.

The portal's energy surged around him, and Alex felt the ebb and flow of its power. It was as if he was being woven into the very fabric of the universe. As he vanished into the swirling portal, a cascade of celestial energies surged through the living room.

In an ethereal dance, his parents, with serene expressions, began to fade away. Translucent figures bathed in the fading glow of the cosmic rift, they became part of the cosmic tapestry.

His mother, her eyes reflecting a profound understanding, whispered, "It's time to say goodbye to this world."

His father, his form shimmering like stardust, added, "Now we just have to wait and see whether he can go against his destiny and overcome the tribulations of his life."

The living room, once a space of ordinary family life, now stood in cosmic tranquility, the remnants of a departure that transcended the boundaries of mortal existence.