Bathala?!?

"Bathala... BATHALA? Wait! You're the god that we're supposed to meet so we can win the game?" Daniel can't erase the look of dumbfoundedness on his face.

"Hooooh. Do you win if you meet me? I don't think anyone will win if they meet me. Hahahahaha!" Bathala looks amused.

"Well, we're supposed to meet you and be crowned the chosen one of the generation. Can you make me the chosen one of the generation?"

"Definitely! Not! You may have cleared the requirement of meeting me, and yes, there is something you can gain by meeting me, but alas, I can't crown you as the chosen one of this generation. You'll have to find out for yourself how that will happen." Bathala looks as if he knows what's going on.

"Alright. At least that's one thing off my list!" Daniel chuckled.

"Listen, young Gong. Do you really want to win so badly?"

"Actually, I don't care that much since I'll be gone from here in three months."

"I see. If that's so, would you care to indulge this old man and accompany me here on this mountain as you finish your time here? Think of it as a rural vacation." Bathala smiles mysteriously.

"I guess there's nothing much I can do, I don't want to go walking for an extended period of time just to find another village. It's a waste of time. Do you have anything interesting to do up here old man?"

"Well, I can tell you the story of this world. That should be interesting for someone who studies the mind isn't it?" Bathala looked at Daniel sharply.

"How did you---! How did you know that I am a psychologist?"

"Is that what they call your job in your world? Interesting. My age gives me much knowledge in reading people. One of my pastimes in my prime was watching people and beings and learning about them."

"I see. Yeah. If you want, I can give an assessment of your psyche after you've told me your story."

"My psyche, that must mean my greater mind doesn't it?"

"Yes, I think so."

"It would be interesting to hear a human's thoughts on my mind. Alright, I accept."

"Ok then, let's hear your story, old man."

Bathala took a deep breath, looked at Daniel, and said, "Young Gong, we must enter my hut if you want to hear my story. You better be seated and well-fed for this."

"If you're gonna feed me that green soup, I'll just pass. Thank you for the hospitality though."

"You're missing out, it's my newest dish, the 10,000 spices 100-year-old stew. It's very good, you'll get a glimpse of heaven at first bite!" Bathala proudly exclaimed.

"Ehh, no, thank you." Daniel can't hide his disgust.

"You'll warm up to it eventually. Anyway, come inside, young Gong." Bathala opened the door and Daniel saw a glimpse of the interior of the hut.

Upon entering, he saw that the hut was exceedingly bigger than what it looked like outside. The interior is very ornate with designs that look very majestic and dignified. The walls were made of white marble that shines as if it was just recently polished, and the floor was made of rough grey slate, walking on it feels like walking on a very rigid carpet. The ceiling is made of brushed copper, making the overall look of the interior like a hipster bar. It seems like Bathala's style is quite trendy. The kitchen is a bit far away, and Daniel can see some green smoke coming out from one of the rooms, he felt some shivers down his spine as he imagined the taste of the stew.

"Better not enter that place..." Daniel thought.

Bathala gestured towards a couch made of carved wood. Daniel sat comfortably and prepared himself to listen to Bathala's story. The old man found his way to a smaller stool and sat straight, facing Daniel.

"Ahem, ahem. So, where do I start?"

"I would not want to bore you with a blow-by-blow story so I'd just give you a glimpse of what went in my mind when I entered this domain."

"I guess I should start with the beginning. This world was adopted by me and my friends. I was delegated the position of leader because of my powers. Apparently, I am the only one with balanced skills to handle the ever-changing fluctuations of a planet."

"This world is filled with magic and mystery that even I don't know how the full machination of things works. I am able to understand phenomena to a certain extent but usually, I let the unknowable work its own magic. To be honest, I've never had an unresolvable problem because things work out just fine in the end, you just have to enjoy what's currently happening. I think this world can function on its own even without us gods, but what we added to its workings are the flavors. The drama, the tragedy, the comedy, the suspense, the romance, that is our work, that is our legacy."

"When we came into this world, it was a barren landscape where every being simply survived by eating, repopulating, and dying. It was a very boring cycle of life and death. We started giving the beings here their own stories. We created friends and foes, epics of heroes challenging the world to carve out their legacy, songs of beauty and blazing desire."

"The world eventually split up into different factions, different tribes. Each race bonded closer and established its own hierarchies, they elected their kings and queens, whether through bloodshed or diplomacy. They sang praises to their legendary figures and cursed their sworn enemies. Things got interesting when they developed racial relations. Trade between races created strong empires and demolished weak communities. New forms of culture were made and new tales emerged."

"In the first few thousand years, the rise and fall of civilization always happened as we felt that stagnation has been happening. We seldom introduce apocalypse-type events to destabilize the current civilization. Sometimes, we feel like a certain civilization has reached its peak and there needs to be an ushering of a new era, that's where the first idea of monsters came. In order to rise up to a new paradigm, fear can be a good tool. The chosen ones who rise up to the occasion often become god-like entities that shape the stories of the new generation."

"This is where you come in, young Gong."

"You said you are interested in becoming the chosen one of this generation. Believe me when I say that chosen ones don't have a set standard. I've seen them in all shapes and forms. Some preferred to have their stories resound throughout the whole universe, and some prefer to be hidden in the shadows, leaving remnants of their epic legend in myths and symbols. There are others who did the most normal thing at a very special time and spurred the world into action. And there are others who selfishly tried to handle the affairs through their own power and got corrupted in the end. Each one of them definitely had some luck on their side, but it's the perfect timing and the perfect setting that put them on the pedestal of a chosen one."

Bathala came to a pause.

"I think I got off topic along the way but I feel that these are the best words I can give you at the moment." He looked up to Daniel with a knowing smile. "Young Gong, it seems like something is going on in your mind. Have I struck a chord?"

Daniel pondered for a moment. "In my world, there is this idea called the hero's journey. I kept thinking about it as you gave your speech. When you said you introduced stories into this world, I think you put the hero's journey into the minds of the beings here. You basically gave them a reason and a purpose for their lives."

"Correct, only by creating a story will one's life have meaning, and each of us, even us gods have our own hero's journey."

"I have to tell you something, Bathala. I didn't come to this world with a purpose, I came here by accident, it was because I was drunk and got involved with a scheme that made me participate in this game."

"You seem to think that this is just a game, perhaps the people in your world told you that. Believe me young Gong, this is not a game." Bathala's face turned serious, but immediately turned to a smile. "Although, you can definitely enjoy it here and treat it as a game if you like, hehe."

"I don't know whether to take you seriously or not, old man."

"Do you know what my friends call me when we're out drinking for old times' sake?"

"Of course, I don't"

"HAHAHAHA, they call me the trickster god!"

"You definitely give off that "my words can't be trusted" vibe. I believe that you're a trickster god, Bathala." Daniel exhaled with a sigh.

"So, do you even believe that I am called Bathala, young Gong?" Bathala's eyes were glistening.

"To be honest, I don't really care, I'm just here for three months old man."

"Hahahahaha! I really, really, really like you young Gong."