Darkness swallowed him whole. No sound, no air, no heartbeat. Just endless nothing.
Then came the whispers.
"…chosen…"
"…divinity…"
"…a new world…"
Kairos floated in the void, weightless. His first instinct wasn't fear—it was irritation.
"Great," he muttered. "Either I've been hacked, or I'm hallucinating. Figures. About time life tried to be interesting."
The darkness trembled. A blinding light split it open, tearing the void apart.
When his vision cleared, Kairos found himself standing inside a hall so vast it made skyscrapers look like toys. Pillars of fire and crystal stretched into infinity, holding up a ceiling that wasn't a ceiling at all but a living night sky. Stars burned, galaxies spun, rivers of light flowed beneath a glass floor.
And he wasn't alone.
Hundreds of figures appeared all around him—men and women, young and old, ripped from their beds, offices, and classrooms. Some collapsed in shock. Others shouted. A few clawed at the floor as though trying to escape.
"Where the hell am I?!"
"Is this a dream?! Someone wake me up!"
"What kind of sick joke is this?!"
Kairos narrowed his eyes, scanning the chaos. His lips curved into a half-smile. "Looks like global chat just went live."
The Voice
The air rippled.
Every mortal froze as a voice boomed from nowhere and everywhere, shaking the stars themselves.
"Mortals… no. Former mortals. Hear me."
The voice was calm, vast, and cold. It wasn't human. It wasn't alive. It was something that made the hall itself tremble when it spoke.
"This is no game. This is your reality. You chose this the moment you answered. You desired a new world, and now you stand in it."
Confusion and panic erupted again.
"What do you mean reality?!"
"Send me back! I didn't ask for this!"
"Why us?!"
The voice cut through their noise like a blade.
"Why you? Because you chose. Some of you out of greed, some from curiosity, some from despair. No matter your reason—you all accepted rebirth. Now, you are candidates for godhood."
The Rules
A massive sigil formed in the center of the hall, glowing with colors that didn't exist on Earth. Its shape shifted endlessly—sometimes a serpent devouring its tail, sometimes an infinity loop, sometimes nothing at all.
"From this point forward, I will not interfere. My role ends here. You will live, fight, and die as gods by your own hands. If you fall, it will not be by me—it will be by one stronger than you."
The crowd stilled. Even those who had been shouting minutes ago fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.
"Powers shall be granted according to your nature—your essence, your flaws, your will. Some of you will wield dominions of fire, light, storms, or steel. Others will inherit darker dominions—fear, shadow, hunger. These reflect not chance, but who you are."
Light screens formed in front of each person. Words burned across them:
[Dominion Assigned]
[Power Granted According to Your Nature]
Gasps filled the hall as powers awakened. A boy staggered as fire erupted from his arms. A girl screamed as wings of ice burst from her back. Another laughed wildly as lightning coursed through his veins.
Some cried. Some roared with triumph. Some simply stared at their hands in disbelief.
Kairos tilted his head, unimpressed. "So it's randomized loot, huh? Guess we'll see if I get a legendary drop."
Kairos's Dominion
His screen burned brighter than the rest.
Infinity.
Chaos.
Nothingness.
Serpents.
The words seared into his mind. Power surged through him. His skin scorched with phantom fire as tattoos of coiling serpents etched themselves across his arms and chest. His purple eyes slit into serpent-like pupils, glowing like molten amethyst. His black locs lengthened, golden beads shimmering like distant stars.
On his forehead, the infinity symbol ignited, burning with cosmic light. His aura erupted—purple and black energy writhing like serpents, bending the very air around him.
The nearest candidates stumbled back, clutching their chests.
"What is that?!"
"His aura—it's swallowing the light!"
"He feels… wrong—like he's erasing everything around him—!"
Kairos smirked, meeting their fearful stares. "What? Never seen someone pull a rare class before?"
The Entity's voice echoed again.
"Some of you are given power that inspires fear. Infinity, Chaos, Nothingness, Serpents… such dominions are dangerous. Use them well, or be consumed by them. Your fate is your own."
The Thrones
Above the hall, twelve massive seats of light, flame, bone, and shadow manifested in the sky. Their sheer presence made the floor vibrate.
"These are the Twelve Thrones. They are the pinnacle of godhood, the highest seats of eternity. Whoever claims one shall stand above all others."
The seats pulsed with divine authority, filling the candidates with both awe and greed.
"But know this—the Thrones are not safe. Other gods will hunt you for them. Those who sit upon them will always be challenged. Ambition has no end. Divinity has no peace."
A hush fell. Some swallowed hard. Others clenched their fists, eyes blazing with determination.
Kairos? He grinned.
"Sounds fun."
The Departure
The Entity's final words thundered through the hall:
"Your rebirth is complete. From this moment on, I will not guide you. I will not protect you. What you build, what you conquer, what you destroy—will be your choice alone. Go, Chosen Divinities. Your new world awaits."
The floor cracked like glass. Starlight shattered beneath their feet.
Screams rang out as the ground gave way, pulling each candidate into their own realm.
Kairos didn't scream. He laughed, arms spread wide, serpents of void coiling around him.
"Finally," he said, eyes burning with violet fire as the abyss claimed him. "A game worth playing."