THE ONE

A brief silence existed between the two as the lord wondered how it ended up choosing this stubborn human for this task, but then remembered this was exactly the reason it chose him. This man was unshaken even in the presence of the most high, with the threat of eternal damnation looming over him. Such quality souls are rare.

"Unfortunately, the chaos about to consume the universe will bring about the gruesome deaths of many." The voice said. "Your parents will not be spared."

Hearing this, Louis's eyes tightened as his hands curled up into a fist while his eyes narrowed.

"Are you threatening me, Lord?" Louis sounded infuriated but in a respectful way.

"Hehehehe… I wish I was, unfortunately, due to the constant traveling and exotic holidays. Your parents got… Physical again and your mother is pregnant for your little sister." the voice said in an amused tone unfitting for a creator. "They planned to break the news to you after your business trip, but things don't go as planned most times." 

Hearing this, the rage boiling within Louis vanished instantly as he was overwhelmed with strange emotions. He was an only child and always wanted siblings, but due to his family's financial situation, they decided it was best not to have more. Now he finally got his wish, he is not even there to celebrate it.

"Even if you have no plans of fighting for the world, I believe your parents and your unborn sister deserve a peaceful and happy ending." the voice whispered those words in his ears. "Do as I say, I will see to it that your family lives a peaceful life and dies in old age, surrounded by their loved ones."

"You failed to protect them while on earth, this is your opportunity to fix that mistake." The voice continued. It was going to continue speaking, but Louis cut it off with a question.

"Are you sure you ain't the devil?" He asked. "Because I'm certain you will do a darn good job if you ever decide to pick up that role." 

The voice chuckles at this question and says;

"Good and evil are simply two sides of a coin. I am everything and everything is me."

Maybe the voice was expecting applause or any form of recognition, but Louis seemed uninterested.

"So what am I going up against and what must I do to save the universe?" Louis asked, but he didn't get the response he expected.

"Unfortunately, even I am bound by the laws of the cosmos. I cannot reveal more than what I have already without breaking the rules I set up, or the others may turn against me."

"The others? Isn't there supposed to be only one God?" Louis asked with a slightly shocked gaze.

"You are smarter than that, Louis. Nothing lives in isolation, if I can exist, so can other Gods." The voice laughed. "Some are just greater than the other. Consider me the greatest." the voice added with a hint of pride.

"Hmph. I'll have to confirm with the others." Louis mumbled.

"Foolish mortal, just do as you are told. And remember, the safety of your parents and sister depends on it!" The voice said in a slightly annoyed tone while Louis' consciousness began to fade.

As soon as Louis was booted out of the realm, the darkness slowly began to fade as countless stars began lighting up, revealing a unique being.

It was a deity clad in gleaming white armor that shimmered with an otherworldly luminosity. The armor was intricately crafted, each plate seeming to glow with an ethereal light, and it fit the deity's form perfectly, heightening its divine presence.

Upon its head rested a remarkable sight, white attachments resembling dreadlocks but with a distinct mechanical quality. 

These "dreadlocks" are not hair, but rather a marvel of celestial technology, resembling a fusion of intricate metallic tendrils and luminescent fibers. They moved with a mesmerizing fluidity, swaying gently with the deity's movements, emitting a soft glow that matched the brilliance of its armor.

"THE ONE…" one of the numerous stars that filled the spaced addressed the deity by its name.

"Are you sure it is safe to entrust this mortal with such an important task?" the star continued. "He is an unbeliever, a beast who is driven by his lust for power. He is evil at heart." 

"That is what makes him qualified to be my chosen." The One responded in a tone of indifference, contrary to how it spoke when communicating with Louis.

"As long as good exists, evil will always remain. It is like Yin and Yang, one cannot exist without the other." The one explained. "You do not try to destroy evil, you control it."

—----------------------

Cough.

Cough.

Louis began coughing aggressively, but the world around him was still dark. He tried to open his eyes, but it felt like they were glued tight, and each attempt was met with a painful backlash. He tried to move his hands and legs but for some reason, his limbs felt frail.

'What kind of joke is this?' Louis barked in his mind as he wrestled with the dysfunctional body.

After a minute or so he was able to win as his eyes yanked open painfully but in an instant it was assaulted by the bright sun rays, invading the room through the window, forcing Louis to shut his eyes again.

At that moment, he heard the door yank open as people rushed in. Judging based on the sound of their footwear, Louis easily concluded that they were mostly women with an aged man whose steps were rather slow. Such distinct hearing capabilities left him shocked, but he didn't get to dwell much on this thought, as joyous feminine voices could be heard.

"He is awake! Young master Sol is finally awake!" 

"Oh, my God, it's just as the seer said. The young master has returned to us. Even the Elders of Aetheria have failed to bring him down!" another lady screamed with joy.

"Hush! Lower your voice before your words fall into the wrong ears, or have you forgotten the seat of the patriarch for the Ark family has remained vacant since the death of our lord?" The aged voice rebuked the ladies. "We cannot afford to anger any one of the alpha families of Aetheria!"