The Temple

Once inside the imposing temple, there is an altar throne with several small and large lion statues that look life-like. Around the throne had many kinds of undead and decaying creatures from the lowest of goblins to the mightiest of dragons in a prostrating position. What sat on the throne was a magnificent giant crowned white and black fur lion with demon-curved horns, with a pair of wings with many eyes with a variety of shapes and colors that looked to have been stolen from other beings.

With there being no doubt each eye had its own skill attached to it to be sure. while its main eyes were red purplish in color, while the shape of the ires was made out of the symbol of death. While its paws were covered in white flames with a black tint. Its tail was that of a normal lion's tail but with an unusual red tint at the end.

The priest only came back to his senses when the rat spoke in a loud voice, Master the human is here. Like a bucket of cold water was suddenly dropped on him, the priest noticed all the eyes of the postrating creatures were looking right at him. While trying desperately to not panic or show weakness, the Lion on the throne suddenly spoke in a [Mysterious voice] saying:

well, well, look who we have here, a human and a priest with some regiments of a holy god energy. At that exact moment, the priest found himself right in front of the lion creature. He too was now in a prostrating position, when black chains suddenly coiled themself around him, binding him in places. The lion then roared to the other prostrating creature and said leave us. All the creatures nodded and vanished in red flames.

Now with just the two of them, the lion said I'm sorry for what I'm about to do but I don't not have another choice. I know when you opened the journal and made your way here you were hoping for some gift of some kind or power right? Well don't worry I do intend to give you something, but not in the way you think. Just then the scenery blurred and the majestic lion that was before him vanished and in his place was a Lion locked up in chains much as he was but in worse condition.

The lion had swords and spears and dozens of arrows impaling him into the ground, what makes it worse is that the weapons were all barbed or had weird grooves in them, they were also enchanted with some sort of multi-spell that contained seals and or curse and lastly some pain level increase, hack they were even made out of metals of the gods. That being said, the most shocking thing was that the weapons came from many different empires, some of which the priest recognized to be long gone or well renowned to this day.

After inspecting the weapon the priest's eye then fell on the beast to see that he was missing its wings and one horn and its crown. Its main eyes were even blindfolded and its second pair were gouged out. What you see before you, human is my true self and not the illusion you saw before. I believe you wanted to know why you have never heard of me. Well as you can see the world didn't want another me to be born or inspire others to become like me. After all, those in power fear losing it most of all, in their fear of that possibility they struck my name from history and denounced it as only a legend.

You know in truth I only challenged the world to keep my beloved safe. In the end I not only failed to keep her safe but her whole empire fell because of my nativity, and now her people are enslaved or dead. Sigh… in my many years of solus, I managed to come up with a plan to fix what has happened or going to be. This is where you come in… well not just you but all the others that found my journal, all three thousand of them! Boom suddenly flames erupted in the air above and beside the priest.

As the flames began to die down they started to form strange figures. These figures are the souls of those lucky enough to find the journal that came before you. Their soul will fuel the spell furnaces and your soul will be the spark that sets it ablaze. But, but what makes my soul so special? Didn't I already say it because you have the regiments of a holy God on you? Didn't you read the warning on the back of the journal?

It states that you will lose a connection to your God, but how can a connection be so easily severed especially if one is a priest such as you? During the process, some of it gets left behind, which will in time slowly vanish, as you are not the first holy man/envoy of the god to come here. You see you came at the right time the other souls all lost their regiments for when they came I didn't have enough fuel at the time, but with you, things change.

Your soul plus holy energy is all I need now. uh? Hold on, why do you need holy energy aren't you basically a demigod of death? Another thing, what will happen to us? Well for one Being a demigod of death is exactly why I need you. As you should know already, being a priest, and having control over death magic doesn't mean you can bring yourself back to life, just others, and even then it only animates a dead corpse.

Isn't it ironic that death magic can manipulate other souls but not your own? Here Let me enlighten you, little priest, I will tell you a little secret about why the god of death made it that way. We are not made to replace him, just Judge for him. As for your other question, don't worry too much there will be no pain and I will carry over a sliver of what makes you, you to the other side, as well as them.

Wait, so you're saying you can persevere our consciousness? Yes and no, I will provide you guys with new bodies but I cannot let you keep your current consciousness as you might try something stupid like getting revenge or something. Think of it more as reincarnation, but don't worry you guys will be my most powerful undead minions. In truth, you guys will most likely be either undead elves or spirit beasts.

YO, hey I don't want to be an undead! Hey look, the weak don't get to choose their fate. How about this, I will ask your child to be conscious of what they can be. Well shit! Well anyway, time to get started. Wait wait you never told us what your spell does, I would like to be enlightened before I get fucked! [ all souls in the background nod in unison].

Sigh fine you all deserve that much, you see the spell is to tear open a portal in time and send my soul back three thousand years ago the day I was choosing my own reincarnation form. You see my soul wasn't originally from this world nor was my beloved. When we died in our world our souls were sent here and where I was given a choice of what to be, she wasn't as lucky. Not only was she not given a choice but not much of her memory made it over. Sure you may think I was the more lucky one and in some way, one could see that but When I was given a choice, the choice to pick a humanoid type was not available, only that of a beast.

So I figured out of all the options being a Lion would be one of the best forms to take to protect her, seeing as the other option all had their share of pros and cons. I know what you're thinking, why not pick a dragon or a higher race? Well for one the lion race I chose was of a higher race equal to a dragon, and the second dragon takes years to grow powerful since it is based on how long they lived, once they reach the hard cap, they have to wait years until they can evolve or level up again.

But you see, after having years to think this through I came to the conclusion, that picking a higher race was a mistake, sure you start with better stats and have broken abilities, but the world balances this out by making the wall to evolve too high. You can see how this becomes a problem when people ahead of you in the race to power come knocking at your door before you're ready. So no this time, this time I will choose something different, this time I will choose one of the most unexpecting spirit beasts ever known. And what beast is that? Uhm well, the great Goat of course!