[1] CH2: The Deal Between a Mortal and a God

In the dark and cold endless depth of the lake, Theo woke up, unable to move.

'Cold...' Theo inwardly thought. He couldn't move. The pressure underwater is getting stronger, preventing him move a limb. He is like a statue rapidly falling down towards the depth of the lake.

'Help...' Theo helplessly begged for help as he watched the sunlight from the surface disperse from his vision. He could only see dark figures of underwater creatures as his chest felt heavier and heavier. He doesn't know what mystery was hiding underwater.

'Help me...' Thinking of how deep the lake is, Theo felt an indescribable feeling. Theo was frighteningly terrified.

But suddenly, a soft female voice rang through his ears, "It hath been a long time since a human befell visit me hither at mine domain. Who thou, young lad?"

Theo widened his eyes in disbelief as he looked around, but he couldn't see anything. He panicked and raised his guard in case something attacks him. 'What? Why would there be a voice here? Am I hallucinating?'

"Calm down, mine child." The woman's voice rang once again. The voice's tone was too soft and calm, comforting Theo for a second.

'Huh? W-who are you?' Theo asked. He didn't expect that something or someone was really here. Who would've thought such an idea?

"I be the cosmic god, Stella. Now, mine child. Who thou?" The woman replied in a strange weird of speaking. Looking back to the first two sentences she spoke, they're all similar to something familiar.

'Is she talking the ancient archaic language?' Theo inwardly thought. Ancient archaic language is the ancient English, which they were still using up to this day.

"Marry, mine child..." The voice replied. At first, Theo was confused. But since he realized that she talks in archaic, he realized that 'marry' means 'indeed.' He learned the archaic language from a strange guy he met several years ago, but suddenly disappeared. He thought that this language would be useless since everyone uses English, but now, he no longer thinks that it's useless knowledge.

'I see. My name is Theo Atlanta, your highness. Pardon my rudeness, but where am I, your highness?' Theo calmed himself and realized that he could now breathe underwater. He respired in and out without any water entering any of his orifices.

"H-how can I breathe underwater?" Theo muttered, couldn't believe the phenomenon he was experiencing at the moment.

"I enhanced and enchanted thou to breathe o'er ears permanently. This gift might be beneficial thee 'i the future, mine child." The voice enthusiastically said. It sounds like she was proud of it.

"You enhanced and enchanted me to breathe underwater? H-how is that—never mind. I forgot that your highness is a god." Theo said as he slowly moved his limbs, trying to get used to swimming under intense pressure.

"I also made thy physique capable of handling any environmental phenomena and situation. Hence, thou could now move freely o'er ears like any marine creature." The voice continued. Theo was confused about why did the god do this, but realized that it might be because due to his call for help.

"Thank you, your highness..." Theo gratefully nodded as he slowly put on a better posture.

"Now, mine child. What endues thou hither 'i mine god's domain? No mortal whom fared to enter hither without getting killed by the dimensional rift guardian." The voice calmly asked.

"I only happen to find a lake and got into an accident, making me fall unconscious. The next thing that I know is that I'm in the lake..." Theo honestly replied. He doesn't want to be rude to a god as he fears that she might punish him.

"I see. Do not say to me that thou hast the affinity to handle the mighty power of time and space?" The voice sounded surprised. She didn't imagine that the mortal before her has such a feat.

"H-huh?" Theo confusingly tilted his head. He is clueless about what she is saying. He knew the term affinity, which is directly related to bending.

Suddenly, a dazzling light blinded Theo. The light shrouded and consumed the darkness. When Theo opened his eyes, he saw radiating silver light figure akin to a dragon. A dragon from the western myths.

"A-a dragon?" Theo nervously stared at the terrifyingly gigantic figure. Anyone would be intimidated by a giant creature, especially when it was directly looking at you. It's like she was going to eat Theo alive.

"Yes, I am a dragon. Now doth thou hast an affinity for time and space?" The dragon continued asking. She didn't even realize that the voice she was talking with was intimidating the boy.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, your highness. I'm only a pheasant..." Theo retreated a few meters back as he felt terror from the dragon's presence. It's like he was standing in front of the king.

The dragon finally realized her mistake and frowned, "I apologize for scaring thou, yet 'tis almost impossible for a mortal to hast an affinity for these elements. Art thou haply an irregular to the sacred timeline?"

"Irregular?" Theo curiously asked. He didn't even hear about that term, so he doesn't know what that meant.

"Irregulars were the people whom messed up with the timeline. They are either not from this dimension or traveled through time. These irregulars were often getting eliminated." The dragon explained.

"E-elimination?! I-it's impossible! I apologize for my rude behavior, but I don't know what you're saying. I neither came from another dimension nor traveled through time..." Theo panicked. He didn't expected that he might die by breaking a rule he wasn't aware of.

"All's thou've quoth is true. I doth see the pure heart of a mortal being. Yet, messing up with the sacred timeline means messing with this (1) orb's rule. Hence, 'tis like executing someone whom broke far ranker rule than the humans' hast. These irregulars broke our orb's Code of Eden." The dragon solemnly replied. She became silent for a moment and began thinking.

"B-but I don't even know what I did..." Theo began shaking in fear. He is clueless and helpless, especially if he knew that he might get eliminated for breaking a rule from the orb's Code of Eden.

[(1) Orb means the world]

"Fear not! Based towards the space and time energy inside thy spiritual body, thou should'st be hither for eleven years. It only consists of one eternal day from the god's domain. I could help thou 'scape from getting executed by other gods, yet I hast a condition." The dragon replied. It would be a waste if a kid like Theo with such a talent would die mercilessly. She was willing to give him another chance.

"H-help me?" Theo asked. It's an opportunity for him as an eleven-year-old kid to live.

"Be the Chosen Savior that I be waiting for millions of millennia. Withal thy affinity with time and space, along with other heavenly celestial elements inside thou, thou should'st be perfect to become one. Thoud'st become the perfect vessel of the star embodiment." The dragon sternly asked.

"M-me, a savior? A hero?" Theo asked.

"Yes, mine child— Though, I shall bring thou back to the timeline thou should'st be living." The dragon nodded.

"B-but how about my family?" Theo immediately asked.

"..." The dragon is silent. She doesn't know how to explain it to him. She could feel the soul accumulating on the surface, which is very bad in this world. When the world was filled with these souls, the realm of the end would open. A realm that brings destruction to the world.

"I feel the god of destruction's wrath nearby. Should I'm not wrong, thy parents are also irregular like thou." The dragon stated.

"W-what do you mean? God of Destruction? My parents are irregulars?" Theo asked in disbelief. He already knew what the god meant, but he wanted to confirm it with her voice.

"I be saying that—your parents are dead..." The dragon sighed.

...

'No, no, no, mom!' Theo's eyes filled with tears and a sad expression. It's like his mind and body was completely broken after hearing what she said.

His mom is the only one he had by his side. He doesn't care about his father, after all.

After the abuse he received from his father, he doesn't even consider his father human, particularly considering his father a monster.

"Young Theo, there's a way to prevent thy parents from dying. Yet, there's an issue." The dragon continued.

Theo's eyes widened as he stared at the dragon in front of him after hearing that there was a way for him to save his mother. No matter what it is, he must take that opportunity!

"I shall bring thou back 'i time a year or two (2) ere thy parents became irregular, yet the issue is, they won't remember thou. They won't remember that thou exist. Hence, thou hast no identity." The dragon continued.

[(2) ere is an archaic or old form of the word 'before.']

"..." Theo silently stared at the god in the form of a dragon with a determined face. If she manages to save his mother in that timeline, she wouldn't able to recognize him as her son anymore. But still, it was his mother—

"No matter what consequences there are, I will save my mother. As long as I can save my mother, I would do anything!" Theo desperately replied.

'This mortal kid—he loves his mother so much. Somehow, I felt envy from his determination...' The dragon inwardly thought.

"Alright, let the contract (3) 'twixt a mortal and god begin!" The dragon replied.

[(3) 'twixt means between]

A large circle with runic letters appeared below the two of them, glowing. The bright light produces purplish light, illuminating the two of them. Theo stared at the gigantic dragon and saw its majestic wings.

It's pressuring and attractive. Once you've seen it, it's like you can't take it off your sight.

The dragon suddenly began chanting as the same runic alphabet from the large circle began surrounding them, spinning around them like a tornado.

It's a magnificent view.

"I, Stella, and the authority are granted by the mortal 'i front of mine presence, Theo, accept the conditions we agreed to each other. Hence, resonate with each other and hast endless years of conquering celestial amon." The light became brighter, devouring and blinding the two of them.

***

When Theo opened their eyes again, he was not at the bottom of the lake anymore. He is now in the middle of a vast space with no end. He could see beautiful clusters of stars from afar and the gorgeous planets nearby, yet Theo focused on staring at what was in front of him...

Strangely, there's an invisible force or energy below him which allows him to walk towards where he was looking, a throne. He saw a throne in front of him.

The throne has a carved sun, moon, and a yin and yang symbol at the headrest. He slowly approached it and immediately felt a connection with it. It looks magnificent.

'W-what is this? It's warm. I am surging with power...' Theo confusingly walked around the throne and observed it for a moment. There's particular energy, which makes him feel strong.

After a moment of silent observation, Theo felt that he should sit there. At first, he hesitated because he knew that something might happen to him. However, he still sat silently as he began bearing for anything to happen.

But nothing happened. Theo only felt comfortable while sitting on the throne properly.

'But something is off—' Theo couldn't find out what's wrong. He stared ahead of him and observed the clusters of stars from afar, admiring the indescribably beautiful scene in front of him.

Then, he began feeling more relaxed. He sat on the throne more comfortably, subconsciously touching the arm of the throne.

[The Chosen sat on the [Star Monarch's Throne]. Unlocking privileges...]

[The authority of the system is transferring...]

[Welcome, Theo Atlanta]

[Notice: The system acquired information of the celestial vow and endless celestial amon. Hence, commencing the time reversal]

'Huh?' With the robotic voice and the blue board in front of him, he's baffled. He only sat there comfortably, but now, there's a voice ringing around his head.

'Did I become crazy after meeting the god?' Theo inwardly thought.

[Notice: The time-reversal is done.]

[Bringing the user back to the year 2022 of the Gregorian Calendar...]

'Huh? Greg—orian—calendar? T–th—' Before he even continued, he fell unconscious as his body shone and disintegrated into nothingness, along with the throne where he was sitting on.