Chapter 1 - The Awakening​

I remember nothing from before the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝. It was my home, a tomb, and a prison. It robbed me of everything: my sight, my hearing, my sense of smell, even my ability to taste. My only companion was the cold embrace of emptiness.

I remember little from before the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝. What little remains had been scraped clean of emotion and context as if someone wished to tease me with their presence while driving a knife into my kidney. Their absence became all the more noticeable. I felt like a husk of a human being, my innards carved out, and my gullet left hollow.

My persistence stretched into the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. An eternity of stillness as I yearned to break the quiet and seek light, warmth, life, and companionship. I had no frame of reference to judge how long I remained trapped there. My only hint was the increasingly downward spiral of my thoughts as my mind slowly broke underneath the strain of lingering within the stillness.

Only my thoughts kept my company.

Someone once claimed that the worst hell you could experience was being trapped, alone in your thoughts for eternity. While I couldn't remember the exact words, I knew this statement to be true. I was living proof.

But some foolishly believed immortality was a gift. These men feared death so totally that the mere idea of immortality was captivating. So they'd sell their souls for the chance. And insist they could withstand watching as everything they loved died around them.

Wishing for death was an alien concept for these people. They couldn't begin to conceive how loneliness could bring a man to the grip of insanity, where even the cold grasp of death was a welcome relief. To them, these thoughts were those of the hopelessly suicidal. They'd scoff and turn up their nose, decrying it as cowardice.

But they were wrong.

Oh, so very wrong.

Yet, I could not blame them for their hubris as it was a product of ignorance. These men had no frame of reference to draw a comparison. To them, only their impending doom mattered. They could find no solace in the cruel, unending ticking of the clock. To such men, each sway of the pendulum was counting down the days they had left.

They'd never experienced the maddening crush of time as I had experienced. They've never felt as their mind slipped, their sanity melting away beneath the unrelenting flow of time. As seconds became minutes, minutes became hours, and hours became days, days became weeks, weeks became months, months became years, years became decades, and decades became centuries.

Where your time alone outweighed the time, you distantly remembered from before - when you could scarcely remember a time when you weren't alone, when your loneliness became so all-consuming that you physically ached.

When even your thoughts failed you, you found yourself retreading old ground. Desperately clinging to the faintest memories, begging for it to just all end.

But maybe immortality could be a gift if you could share eternity with your loved ones? My only experience as an immortal was alone, robbed of all my senses and only my thoughts to keep me company. How could I claim to know better if this was the extent of my experience?

I feel myself slipping as every year robs me of strength and every year poisons my resolve. I find myself fading out of conscious thought. Bleak darkness awaits, and I can't help my think: am I dying? Is this the end, finally and at long last?

I don't know what to expect. Is my suffering over, or will I find a new hell as I fade? The uncertainty eats at me. I am afraid.

Ah, well. At the very least, I can spend my last moments admiring the shifting colors and radiant bliss of the light. I weakly reached for the orb of light, feeling as if I might cry…

Wait.

The fu-

​

…

…

…

I could feel as my lethargy began to recede. Centuries of slowly encroaching exhaustion and madness wiped clean from my mind—an eternity of torment now withdrawn from my psyche. Instead, I felt invigorated with sudden clarity and renewed purpose.

There, before me floated a simple sphere that shined with twinkling, magnificent light. Its beauty was astounding, blinding even. Such a simple image, yet I beheld its simple beauty with total reverence.

But it was more than a simple sphere, as I learned when it spoke to me.

"Master? Master! You're Awake!"

While the sphere's voice was exuberant, exultant even, it was without inflection or tone, and I could not decipher whether the sphere was male or female. But the globe radiated joy almost as if it were a physical force. It enveloped me, welcomed me, and I greedily partook as if starved.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Maze, and I am an Angel. Or rather – I am your Angel.

"Angels are beings of pure Creation, forged from Light and Faith. I am here to serve your every whim and desire, Master. It is also my duty to help you acclimatize to your Ascended form!"

I soaked in its words, basking in its presence. My relief was such that I positively swelled with joy. I knew that I would cry if I had a body; such was my happiness. So totally had my elation consumed me that I could barely process my confusion at her words.

"A-a-ascended…?" I tripped over the words, so disused was my voice. Such terms tasted familiar. But time and seclusion had eroded what little knowledge of the language I retained.

"Oh yes, you have Ascended, Master!"

"At the culmination of your local universe's Big Bounce Cycle when reality itself crunched to restart the universe anew, your soul was jettisoned from the confines of your local universe into the Void between universes."

"Now – I'm sure you have questions, Master. But, fear not! For I am here to guide you."

Maze's declaration stupefied me. Even with only the faintest memory of the time before the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝ the simple truth that all I had once known and loved was just…gone…well, it disquieted me. What could I say in response that could convey the pit that had suddenly swelled inside my chest, as if all the joy I had ever known was ripped from me?

Maze was my only comfort. It patiently waited for my response, heedless of the quiet. Whatever agony tore at me, I could find no fault in Maze. My angel was relaying the truth as it knew it, regardless of how heartbreaking it felt.

What was left for me other than pursuing this line of questioning? I returned my focus to Maze and directed a simple question to the Angel.

"W-w-where…am I?" I struggled with the words, finding them so unfamiliar. Yet, I managed to utter them all the same. It was an important question, defining even. Was there a name to this hell I had suffered for so long?

"We are currently outside reality, Master! This place is the zero-dimensional space known as the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝. Some call it Khaos, or the Furthest Ring, and even Ginnungagan.

"The V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝ is simply the metaphysical space that exists between each universe. Here, we live outside of time, outside space. Naturally, this fact makes it extremely difficult to navigate for most creatures.

"There are precisely three things within the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝ which exist in significant quantity: the Empyreans, the Multiverses, and the Old Gods.

"Fortunately, we'll be venturing to an Empyrean shortly, and I'll…wait…"

Whatever Maze wanted to tell me was abandoned. After trailing off, Maze went silent for several minutes. I got a distinct impression that this wasn't supposed to happen. Maze's sphere of blinding light was rapidly fluctuating, and I could feel a wave of surprise and alarm radiate from the small orb.

I concentrated, carefully forming new shapes with my lips as I proceeded to speak. "Is..I-i-is there a-a-a problem?" Although the words still felt strange, alien even, I felt as if I was quickly grasping the subtleties of speaking. I began awkwardly, tripping over each syllable, and now found myself gaining new mastery over the language.

When Maze next spoke, I detected a note of defeated horror. "I'm not sure. When an Ultima is born, they are placed in an Empyrean to learn and discover their new abilities and embrace their new form. But someone has interfered with your Ascension. So now, I've learned you will be reincarnated. I'm sorry, Master." Maze told me, sounding devastated by the end of the confession.

Maze's shame-filled delivery caused a physical ache to swell inside me. I longed to ease my new friend's suffering. "Don't worry. Carry on as if nothing has changed." I reasoned.

Maze's spherical body sparkled with relief. I could feel it wash over me as the Angel relaxed. "Yes…Yes, of course, Master." Maze agreed promptly. "Forgive me; these circumstances are unusual. There is no protocol for reincarnating a Deus Ultima."

What did Maze mean? "There is nothing to forgive," I insisted.

What was a Deus Ultima? Such a lofty title spelled trouble. So, to Maze, I asked, "What am I?"

To me, she explained, "Ah, yes. You have Ascended. But to what, exactly? Well, Master, you are now known cosmologically as an Ultimate God, or, if you prefer, a Deus Ultima. The apt description of what an Ultima is, you see, is precisely this; they are the "Caretakers of the Omniverse," the Gardeners, the Creators, and the Destroyers. Eons ago, the Ultimate Gods birthed reality itself as they were the only beings capable of creating wholesale multi-verses.

"At the climax of your universal cycle, your soul was ejected outside the boundaries of your local universe. Here, your essence became one with the Aspects, and was molded and changed at a fundamental level. Now, having spent so long gathering power in the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝ you finally have enough power to transcend Mortality and become a Deus Ultima."

…

…

…What?

I couldn't begin to process this information. Somehow, I'd fallen ass-backward into Godhood, and that's with a capital G. Because it wasn't enough to be a lowly, universal level god, no, instead I spun the wheel and somehow lucky seven'ed my way into the upper echelons of Godhood. What. The. Fuck?!!!

Despite my thoughts, Maze continued to explain, listing the different stages of my new life cycle.

"A Deus Ultima begins their new life in the Janma stage. In this stage, you are essentially a newborn godling, with barely any access to your godly powers and abilities. But you will develop your abilities quickly. At first, however, you'll need to rely on your Angel, which is me, for protection until you grow strong enough to defend yourself. Thankfully the duration of the Janma stages tends to last up to a century at maximum.

"After Janma is the Ananta stage. You could equate this stage to human childhood. It is a period characterized by limitless potential and growth. It is here where you will forge and shape your powers, where you will learn to harness the raw power of your Aspects and come into your lesser Divine powers. Deus Ultima of the Ananta stage usually spends this period traveling and exploring the cosmos. It begins once the Deus Ultima leaves their home Empyrean and can last for 10,000 years.

"Next would be the Pleroma stage. It is often likened to adulthood, a period where you will begin to master your divine powers. During this stage, you will achieve mastery over your central Aspect, and this is often when a Deus Ultima decides to create a multi-verse. You will spend most of your new life in the Pleroma stage and only enter the next stage once many eons have passed.

"Deus Ultima in the Monad stage are reclusive, secretive creatures. What little we know of the Monad stage likens it to old age. Any Deus Ultima may reach the Monad stage after roughly 10 Duodecillion years have passed. Even for divine beings, this unit of time is immense. Nevertheless, such is their power that it is said a Monad holds sway over the entire Omniverse. In this stage, a Deus Ultima may choose to either scatter their essence back into the Aspects or become an Old God.

"A vast number of Old Gods make their home within the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝. Most are lesser gods and cosmic creatures corrupted by the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝, their minds and bodies twisted beyond recognition. But a Deus Ultima may choose to become an Old God if they refuse to Scatter their essence back into the Aspects. These Deus Ultimate become what is known as Horrorterrors, and they hold dominion over the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝ and all lesser Old Gods."

I could barely comprehend what Maze was saying. I felt as if I was drowning, barely managing to keep afloat from the deluge of words. Meanwhile, Maze continued to drone on, voice monotone as if reading directly from a book.

"Now, we shall cover the Aspects. These are very important, so please listen closely, Master!

"The Aspects are twelve fundamental forces that permeate every single microcosm of the Omniverse. While a Deus Ultima may attain powers in every Aspect, this is only to a slight degree of their full potential. Every Deus Ultima may claim total dominion over ONE Core Aspect.

"Now – you shall choose your Core Aspect.

"Space: It is an Aspect of physical reality. All can see and experience it, for it is the visible skin of reality. Space is the relentless tug of gravity, the presence of matter, and the resistance of mass. It is the scale of all creation, from the smallest atoms and their nuclear bonds to each universe and their cyclic expansion and compression. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Time. As an Ultimate God of Space, you are Deus Ultima Spatium.

"Time: It is an Aspect of physical reality. It is the beginning, the end, and every tick of the clock. It is the duration of the universe, from the explosive start and to the slow and ever-oncoming end. It is both the cause and the effect, the conqueror of all, and it is every swing of the pendulum. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Space. As an Ultimate God of Time, you are Deus Ultima Tempus.

"Life: It is an Aspect of nature. It is every creature that crawls, all that soars through the sky, and everything that eats, breaths, lives, and dies. It is vegetation, health, civilization, and the slow march of evolution itself. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Death. As an Ultimate God of Life, you are Deus Ultima Vita

"Death: It is an Aspect of nature. It is silence, the night itself, and all that shall fall and never rise again. It is wielded by the reapers, ever ready to sow life, and is that which dooms every civilization. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Life. As an Ultimate God of Death, you are Deus Ultima Mortum.

"Creation: It is an Aspect of balance. It toils without rest, each star forged within its womb, endlessly constructing galaxies and eternally birthing new universes. Creation is the structured chaos, the manufactured bones of reality, and each day its toils promise hope. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Destruction. As an Ultimate God of Creation, you are Deus Ultima Erigo.

"Destruction: It is an Aspect of balance. It is rage incarnate. It is hellfire manifested, and raw devastation, strength personified, and unchecked chaos. It is passion, the rebellious masses, and the fury of the oppressed. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Creation. As an Ultimate God of Destruction, you are Deus Ultima Excido.

"Freedom: It is an Aspect of paths. It extends to all corners of creation. It can be as gentle as a stream of water or as fierce as a mighty hurricane. It is movement, the motivation of every messenger, the domain of every adventurer, and the passion of every wanderer. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Unity. As an Ultimate God of Freedom, you are Deus Ultima Iter.

"Unity: It is an Aspect of paths. It is the rigid and unyielding bonds of creation, from the smallest atoms to the drift of each galaxy. It is the ties that bind people, each drop of blood in your veins, the spin of the world beneath you, and the love of family beside you. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Freedom. As an Ultimate God of Unity, you are Deus Ultima Sanguis.

"Light: It is an Aspect of sight. It is daylight, life's warmth, and every ebb and flow of energy throughout the universe. It illuminates the path forward, giving wisdom and knowledge to those who seek it out. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Darkness. As an Ultimate God of Light, you are Deus Ultima Sol.

"Darkness: It is an Aspect of sight. It is all that lurks in the night. It is the vacuum of space, the slow creep of entropy. It is the boundless mysteries of creation and all the horrors therein. Travelers down this path are ever seeking the secrets lost to time and depredation. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Light. As an Ultimate God of Darkness, you are Deus Ultima Nox.

"Heart: It is an Aspect of sapience. It is the actualization of self, the acceptance of thyself; it is the capacity to love another, selflessness, peace, and harmony. Every being has a soul, and every being who embraces its light knows the joys of life. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Mind. As an Ultimate God of Heart, you are Deus Ultima Animus.

"Mind: It is an Aspect of sapience. It is beyond the confines of neurons, memory, thought, or choice and consequence. Those who seek it out do so in search of logic, reason, and structure. It is diametrically opposed to the Aspect of Heart. As an Ultima God of Mind, you are Deus Ultima Mens."

Every Aspect seemed wonderfully unique – each would provide wholly different powers and abilities. Of course, there did seem to be some crossover, as with death, destruction and darkness, life, creation, and light, but every power had something special that differentiated them from the others.

Not every Aspect appealed to me, though. Take the Aspect of Space, for example: while the ability to manipulate the mass of an object, or stretch its size or change its gravity sounded cool, I found other Aspects more appealing.

Aspects like Time, Death, and Light were more appealing to me. Why? Precisely because of the potential powers they offered. The ability to peer into the future or manipulate probability was remarkable, and I suspected there was more I didn't see from the Aspects of Light and Death.

Any of those three offered me distinct advantages. Since somebody had already interfered with my new life, I didn't want a repeat. These three Aspects were pretty powerful and would help me take control of my new life.

Whatever the case, I found that I was particularly attracted to the Aspect of Death. Something resonated deep within me, practically begging for the opportunity. I couldn't deny myself and selected the Aspect.

"You have chosen to become a Deus Ultima Mortum!

"Now, I would like to take a moment to discuss the Empyreans. At the dawn of the Omniverse, when Deus Ultima were plentiful, they erected the Empyreans. They dotted them throughout the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝. Every Empyrean is a micro-verse built to house a Deus Ultima, and it is one of these holy cities where you would usually spend the next century or so learning to use your newfound powers. But someone mighty has taken an interest in you and has begun to prepare you for reincarnation."

Barely had Maze finished speaking when a transparent and grey screen appeared in front of me, and it bore an intriguing list for me to consider.

"In your Janma stage, you will have access to four primary powers which all Deus Ultima possess. You will not be capable of entering the Ananta stage until you have mastered these four powers:

"Your first power is Absolute Immortality: As a Deus Ultima can only suffer true death by scattering their essence back into the Aspects you needn't worry about your mortality. But immortality does not mean invincible, and you are as frail as any mortal until you master this ability. Upon suffering damage that would kill a human, your body will revert to peak health. When you master this power, it will become a genuinely autonomous process. Until then, you will need to focus on healing any damage suffered. As you mature, your divine energy will increase potency, allowing you to heal any damage received near instantaneously.

"But take heed, for older, more powerful Deus Ultima can force you to scatter your essence back into the Aspects, an act that will kill you despite your immortality.

"Your second power is Omni-Lock: You are a living paradox, a creature separate from the metanarrative, wholly independent of the laws of reality. You are, in essence, a humanoid micro-verse, residing outside of time and space and yet capable of intersecting at your leisure. As a result, only one iteration of yourself may exist at a time. You will discover that your interactions with the laws of the physical universe are solely dependent on your choice: If you so choose, you may abandon gravity and permit yourself to fly. You may ignore temporal meddling and eschew paradoxes, even from other Deus Ultima, and may withstand reality destroying cosmic events.

"Your third power is Planeswalking: This is a power inherent to all Deus Ultima, but you will need to practice to gain mastery over this vaunted power. With it, you will be able to move throughout the Omniverse, unheeded by universal boundaries. Its primary function is the creation of Quantum Tunnels, stable wormholes that can travel between the universes, dimensions, and planes. Your range, precision, and stability of these wormholes will improve with practice.

"Your last power is Shakti: Your new body is composed of Primus Matter, the Aspects turned into living flesh. Your raw power is such that every heartbeat is akin to the Big Bang, every cell producing the equivalent energy of a sun. With this energy, you are incapable of aging, and you needn't food, water, or air to survive. You can discover how to manipulate this divine, cosmic matter and take on new forms, allowing you to shapeshift with practice. For now, you will be strictly limited to humanoid forms.

"By default, you have access to all four of these powers. Be warned, Master, as your new powers are unusually limited.

"Once you have learned to shapeshift, you will unlock the ability to assume a Divine Form. Here you may choose your specific Divine Form. Of course, you may choose more than one, but be warned: From now on, you will have a pool of 100 Divine Points to select what you wish."

Just how powerful was a fully realized Ultima? Already I had more power at my fingertips just with the base abilities than I could have ever dreamed. Suddenly the title of Ultimate God didn't seem nearly as egotistical as it at first sounded.

I'll spare you the details of how I selected my Divine Forms. In the end, I chose, Eden, Infernal Titan, and finally, Archreaper. These forms would do nicely. First, I would be capable of transforming into animals and possess hyper regeneration with the Eden form. And got a form where I could change into a colossal Hellfire titan that could put the sun to shame.

But my favorite form was the Archreaper. Just the ability to assume a vaporous state would make it a cincher. But the form also gave me complete access to every afterlife, the ability to interact with the non-corporeal, and armed me with a vital weapon that allowed me to ignore immortality and inflict grievous damage to a god. Too OP, please don't nerf.

"Before we continue, it may prove beneficial to choose your Drawbacks. Know that should you proceed, each Drawback selected shall give you more points to spend on future selections."

As I reviewed the information presented to me, I made the realization that someone had already preselected several Drawbacks. I counted four, and their descriptions did not fill me with confidence.

With Inherit Strife, I anticipated much drama. Indeed, I guaranteed that I'd never feel safe among whichever family I was to inherit when I reincarnate.

Open Mind confirmed why I did not want to be in the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̳̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝, like, yesterday. I was an easy target for corrupting influences and had an eternity of angst to look forward to in my future.

Echoes of Lives Past confirmed why I couldn't remember anything before the V̸̼̳͙̯̱̇̀͌͌̏̓́̿͗͋̂̀͋͘ọ̴̢̡̘̝̥͇̺̦̫̱̺̻̬̦̱̬̝͈̣̔̐̀̏̔̿̉̈̿͐̅̃̌̚̕͝͠͝ͅͅi̵̮̞͕̜̘͗̄̂̽̐̄̊̈̑̊̋́̂́̒̔̌̈̋͑̕͘̕͝ď̴̨̛̫͈̟̯̥̖͉̪̭͕͇͙̯̄͑̄̍̀̉̆̏̐͘͠͝, although the reassurance that I may one day remember my lost past was a small comfort.

And Late Bloomer meant I was screwed. It was a cruel choice, and I just knew that whoever made this choice hated me.

I did not like some of the remaining choices…but two felt relatively safe to select. So I chose Vibrant Brand and gave myself brilliant, Fuchsia-colored eyes. My last choice was Territorial, which may seem like a counter-intuitive choice at first glance, near suicidal, even. Still, I figure I already had somebody out to get me, so I might as well find some benefit from my situation.

Once done selecting the Drawbacks, Maze presented me a new list, explaining, "Now I will show you a list of the Powers associated with each Aspect. You may select any power of the Mythic regardless of your Core Aspect. You will develop your Mythic tier powers while in the Ananta stage.

"You may only select powers in the Ultimate tier if it is your core Aspect. While in the Pleroma stage, you will develop mastery over your Ultimate tier powers.

"Choose wisely, Master…"

As I scrolled down the list, I selected each option I wanted. Of course, I couldn't access everything I desired, but I was happy with the number I could manage.

· Space

o Spatial Spinster

· Time

o Time Walker

o Tachyon Lord

· Life

0 Carbon Sculpure

o Renewal

· Death

o Reaper's Blade

§ Captor's Rage

o Dark Commandment

§ Hade's Crown

o Weaver of Destiny

§ Norn's Reach

· Creation

o Days of Genesis

o Recreation

· Destruction

o Meggido

o Herculean Might

o Emotion Control

· Freedom

o Movement Master

· Darkness

o Night Child

0 Absolute Zero

o Monster's Maw

· Heart

o Charon's Hand

o Eyes of the Universe

· Mind

o Athenian Mind

o Psionic Godhood

· Misc. Powers

o Divine Senses

o Presence

After confirming my selection of powers, another page appeared on the screen. To me, Maze explained, "Please look over these offered relics. You may purchase one for free and exchange 5 points for two additional relics. And as you were previously mortal, you are allowed an additional relic for free. Please choose carefully."

Ten relics were listed, and considering the options available, I understood why only one was given out at a time. Because, seriously, why would anyone need more than one when even one of these relics was capable of destroying an entire Solar System?

After some thought, I chose a Pocket Dimension. Having a luxury mini world at my beck and call sounded like a fantastic idea.

When I confirmed the selection, new text appeared on the screen.

Divine Court: Preselected

Events: Preselected​

Yeah, that wasn't ominous at all. To Maze, I proposed, "I guess this must be the doing of the Interloper?" I kept a tight leash on my annoyance—no need to worry my new Angel friend.

Maze sounded more upset about the situation than I was. "I-I'm sorry, Master. Usually, any Deus Ultima has the freedom to select whichever options they so please. B-but the system has been completely hijacked by an Interloper…I-I-I don't know what to do…!"

Considering its stutter, Maze sounded on the verge of breaking down. To Maze, I said, "Don't worry. While you are undoubtedly strong, I can't imagine you could compete with a fully realized Deus Ultima. You are at no-fault." No, it was the fault of the bastard that was playing games with our lives.

"O-okay," Maze paused. "Our final order of business is…well, it's m-me… Angel Customization. B-b-but customizing me will cost y-you some of y-y-your potential power…! I-I don't wish to impose on y-you, m-master. W-we can reconsider y-your earlier powers if you wish!" She dissuaded me. "Furthermore, I-I must inform y-you that I-I be absent for your first century. Forgive me."

Was Maze nervous? Did they find this topic uncomfortable? I hoped they didn't mind my decision. After an eternity alone, I dearly wished to secure my new friendship. However, considering how dangerous my new life was guaranteed to become, I didn't feel comfortable unless Maze was armed to the teeth and protected from all danger.

Plus, a few of these selections were an attempt at spoiling my Angel. Hopefully, they liked my choices. My only regret is how long it would be before I could reconnect with my new friend.

· Prime Archangel

o Humanoid Angel

o Tattoo Form

o Weapon Form

· Heir of Michael

· Valkyrie

· Mercury

· Cherubim

· Wonderworker

· Ophanim

· Wonderworker

· Guardian of Childhood

Options selected, I felt a surge of accomplishment. Good thing, too, because as I thought this, the mental fatigue I had only recently shaken off returned with a vengeance.

"Good job, Master!" Maze congratulated me. I could feel myself slipping into a fog, hearing Maze's voice coming from a faraway tunnel. "As I will not share your first century with you, I will include instructions for using your primary powers ingrained in your instincts. Be careful, Mas- "

Silence.

​

An indeterminate length of time later, and I became conscious that I now lay claim to an actual body. But the periods I could remain awake were few and far between. Wherever I was, I was seemingly floating. Here, it was dark, warm, and wet.

For months I would fade in and out of consciousness. Then, whenever I felt particularly aware, I'd ponder my circumstances. Finally, I realized I was being carried in someone's womb during this period. I'd paid only token consideration to the possible theory that I was trapped in an egg. But it couldn't be an egg, as my new home was much too active.

Months later, I had the pleasure of getting squeezed out of my new mother. It was as unpleasant as you could imagine, and I aired my displeasure the moment I drew a proper lungful of air.

Fuck off, world. I'm a baby now. So getting in a proper wail seemed in due course.

Even for a god, I had unnaturally good eyesight for a newborn. So when I finally decided to open my eyes and look around, I was greeted with a sight that would remain ingrained in my memory for years to come.

My immediate concern was the woman holding me. Despite how blurry my vision was, she looked radiant, exquisitely beautiful with dark curls swept behind her shoulders, eyes as vibrantly green as forest meadows, and a smile that would make the sun envious.

I'm just going to assume that's mom.

An angry grumble ruined such a happy moment. Mother's smile waned in answer. Despite how heavy my head felt, I still managed to turn it to the left to focus on the source of the grumbling.

A brute of a man stood beside my mother. He had wicked, golden eyes, dark curly hair, a robust frame, and a long beard styled into a sharp point. Unfortunately, he'd leveled a wrothful glare my way, eyes positively burning with hate.

…Is that you, Pops? If he was, um, momma, could you maybe hurry with the divorce papers? I don't trust daddy-dearest over here.

They erupted into a heated argument as mother clutched me tightly to her chest. Even though my ears weren't very developed, I could still make out one word—a name.

Hades.

Fuck!

FUCK!!

FUUUCK!!

What the fucking shit?!!!

My baby heart stuttered with fear. I felt my stomach drop six feet under, my throat collapse, and all the blood drained from my head. Suddenly, all those preselected options made sense. Not that any such thoughts would help me now.

Because with a sudden roar of triumph, Kronos ripped me from Rhea's arms, his body growing to a monstrous size before he threw me down his gullet.

​