The Guardian

[Congrats, you have earned 5 qualification points.]

Finally, the qualification points came. I was confused as to why just seeing the Guardian would give me five points, though. Still, I was in the middle of celebrating when I heard a voice coming from the direction of the Guardian.

"Who dares to wake me up?"

The dragon let out a powerful aura. I stood there, not able to move, trying to act tough, but deep inside, I was terrified. His gorgeous eyes radiated dark energy and pierced through my soul. I found myself falling into a deep hole full of blades. I tried to breathe, but the atmosphere surrounding me was full of toxic smoke. I was about to doze off, but then I heard the beautiful voice of Fahima.

[Detected, hostile intimidation aura of sovereignty. The host is advised to protect himself.]

"Fahima, how do I protect myself? I could hardly breathe."

[Calm your breath and state your desire.]

I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. I would face more dangerous and influential people in the future, and I didn't want anyone to be looking down on me. I wanted to be able to use my powers to defend myself. I wanted to rule and leave behind my legacy. The Guardian would be my stepping stone to enter the center stage of this world.

At thiatmoment, I could feel the mighty power inside me start to take shape. Fahima's voice rang out again.

[The Aura of God has been activated]

Dark and powerful energy jumped out of my body; the toxic atmosphere around me became easier to breathe. I opened my eyes and looked toward the Guardian.

The Guardian must have felt a powerful aura coming toward him--his cold eyes looked concerned, and he put up a shield of magic to protect himself, but it was fruitless. The powerful energy pierced through his shield and grabbed hold of him. A drop of sweat dripped off his face. He roared and spoke.

"Interesting, to make me feel fear. I can't remember the last time I felt it, boy. What purpose do you have coming here?"

"My companion told me if I want to get out of this cave, I need to defeat the Guardian."

The dragon laughed. "Indeed, I am the Guardian, but you won't be able to escape the chains of death by defeating me."

"I don't understand. Could you explain to me what this place is?"

"I was once the most powerful creature on this planet," he began. Yet I was betrayed by those I called friends, and they locked me in Lethe, the internal River of Forgetfulness, where sinners of Erebus are prisoned. They made me the Guardian of this place, but I can tell you are not a prisoner here. Who are you?

I was somewhat relieved to know the name of this place and why I couldn't remember anything. If this was the prison of sinners, what did I do to end up here, and the Guardian is proper? I could feel from the moment I woke up that I didn't belong in this world.

"I woke up in this place unable to remember my past self," I explained. "I'm hoping you have answers for me."

The dragon shook his head and stared me down. His beautiful yet dangerous eyes twitched and glowed a bright light.

"Soul Search," he said.

The Guardian launched an invincible attack on my soul. I felt the eyes of the dragon enter my body. Then Fahima spoke.

[The Guardian has used the skill 'Soul Search.' Host, would you like me to cancel it?]

Fascinating--he wass able to search the souls of others. At the moment, I didn't have anything to hide, so I wanted to know what he would find.

The Guardian began to search my soul, but a minute later, he coughed blood, and his tone and demeanor changed into that of a little kid.

"Impossible!" he yelled. "You have the soul of a God who doesn't belong in this world, but at the same time, your body does."

I'd made the right choice to let him search me. Now I knew my body belonged in this world, but the soul didn't. The answers only created more questions, though--what did he mean my soul didn't belong in this world?

I asked him exactly that.

"The Gods of this world are evil and power hungry, and their souls are corrupt, but your soul is clean, and no one in this world has a clean soul."

"No one has a clean soul? What kind of world is this? Everyone's soul is clean when they are born, right?"

"You're right about that, but this world is a dark and cursed one, and everyone's heart is blanched in darkness the moment they're born. Even the nobles like me are born to become evil in the end."

I liked talking to the dragon. He looked cute, and he knew this world. He was an information pool for me, so I decided to negotiate with him.

"Fahima, is there a way I can make him my loyal servant?"

[Yes," she said, "would you like to sign a contract with the Guardian?]

"Yes," I told her. Then I addressed the Guardian. "I planned to defeat you and leave this creepy cave, but I have changed my mind. How would you like to become my companion?"

"It's impossible to get out of here. I have been locked up for thousands of years. Unless you break the chains of death, that is."

"What are the chains of death?"

The Guardian pointed his head down to his right leg. An invincible black chain was wrapped around his it, causing a visible scar. "This is the chain of death that even the Gods can't break."

Even the Gods couldn't break it--interesting. But I would not let this chain keep me from leaving here. "Fahima, can I break this chain?"

[Yes. Approach the chain and state your title.]

"Guardian, would you sign a contract with me? If you do, I will set you free from the chains of death."

"We dragons are noble creatures and don't sign a contracts with everyone, but you have a strange soul. It won't be impossible for you to break the chains. The old me would laugh at me right now, but I have been here for too long. I want to see the sun and fly freely." He let out a long breath. "I agree, but I have one condition."

"Okay, state your condition."

"Thousands of years ago, I fell in love with a human woman, and I was about to marry her, but unfortunately, I was on my way to the human kingdom when my friend betrayed me. In the end, I was locked up here, not able to see her. My condition is to visit the human king."

The dragon put his head down to hide his tears. Love made even a dragon cry. Cute. I had no issue with a man chasing his lover.

"I promise, one of these days, we will visit the human kingdom, but humans have short lives, and I think she's long gone," I said.

"That woman won't die so easily."

I approached the chain of death, but I could feel the dark energy from miles away; I closed the distance between myself and the chain, but I felt like I was walking backward. Then the chain took the shape of a black snake and attacked me.

I did as Fahima said. "I, God of sleep, curse you to sleep for eternity."

The chain stopped its approach and dropped suddenly to the floor.

[Eternal Sleep activated.]

"Impossible. You made the chain of death fall into an eternal sleep." The dragon laughed. "They would cry If they found out their most powerful weapon was put to sleep by a kid."

I was still shocked at what the kid did, but then an even weirder thing appeared before me.

[Would You Sign A Contract With God Of Sleep] [Yes] [No]

"Interesting; yes, it would be fun to see what kind of trouble this kid creates in the future."

[Congratulations, You Have Signed a Contract With Typhon, The Father Of All Monsters]