The once-brilliant silver light scattered into the vast, breathtaking cosmos, leaving behind a name beautifully inscribed in shining silver. Blinded by the radiance, Endri stood motionless as his vision slowly returned, revealing the renewed lower half of the page.
When his sight cleared, he quietly studied his name engraved upon the parchment. As he gazed at the glowing letters, an unfamiliar sensation stirred within him—something threading through his body and mind, linking him to something distant and unknown. Just as he was about to grasp the meaning of that strange connection, the page began to turn on its own.
The fleeting sensation vanished with it, leaving only confusion in its place.
Was that just my imagination? I'll think about it later. For now, I should focus on what's in front of me.
Setting aside his doubts, Endri turned his attention to the new page. Once again, elegant black ink adorned the parchment in graceful script.
"Congratulations, newborn God, on entering the path to true Godhood. This humble guide shall aid you in steadily advancing through the stages of divinity. Before we begin, I shall answer the questions weighing on your mind."
At last, Endri's chance to understand his situation had arrived. Despite his curiosity about the talk of gods and divine ascension, he focused on what truly mattered—the question that had haunted him since his awakening.
"Is this the afterlife?"
His voice came out calm but uncertain. He waited, eyes fixed on the page, as the black ink began to ripple and reshape itself into new words.
"No. This is not an afterlife, but a dimensional void within a cluster of ruled dimensions—a sacred space reserved for the birth of beings such as yourself."
Half of the explanation went over his head, yet one truth echoed clearly: this was not the afterlife. Hope flared within him.
If this wasn't the afterlife… didn't that mean he was still alive? That there was a chance—no matter how small—that he could return to his loved ones?
Heart pounding, he hastily asked, "If this isn't the afterlife… then does that mean I didn't die!?"
The ink responded swiftly, reforming its message once more.
"That, I do not know. Currently, you are alive. However, the conditions for one's birth as a God vary from being to being. In some cases, a God must first die in their mortal form to be reborn anew."
"If you wish to know the condition of your birth, you must climb the path of God. Only when you have grown strong enough will your memory and truth return to you."
As he finished reading, the spark of hope that had brightened his eyes dimmed slightly—but it did not go out.
So I'm alive… but I might have died first. I don't even know what to feel about that.
Rubbing his forehead, Endri took a deep breath and let the confusion settle. After a moment of thought, he exhaled a soft sigh and came to a quiet conclusion.
Let's look at this positively. I'm alive right now—that means there's still hope. Hope that I might see them again.
Determination replaced uncertainty. His eyes shone with a mix of hope, resolve, and a faint spark of excitement as he turned his full attention back to the glowing book before him.
Unbeknownst to him, that fragile thread of hope would guide him into an unimaginable journey—one woven with joy and sorrow, anger and despair… and the boundless growth of a soul destined for Godhood.