With a calmer mind and a flicker of hope in his heart, Endri finally had a moment to breathe. His desperation had faded, replaced by curiosity. Words from the guide echoed in his thoughts—newborn God, Godhood, dimensional void, ruled dimensions.
Not truly understanding them, he didn't hesitate to ask aloud, his voice steady yet uncertain.
"You keep calling me newborn God. Why?"
The mystical guide stirred, and the black ink on its pages began to shift and form new words.
"You are a being reborn within this dimensional void as a divine vessel carrying divinity. Therefore, you are a God. However, having lived less than three thousand years, you are considered a newborn."
Endri froze, eyes widening in disbelief. Out of all the absurdities he had experienced—the endless cosmos, the sentient guide, the possibility of his own death and rebirth—this one struck him the hardest.
Until now, he had thought all of it must be some cosmic phenomenon or the whim of a merciful being. But this… this was something else entirely.
He had always been a frail mortal—a chronically ill boy who had lived his life bound by weakness and pain. The words carved into the parchment echoed in his mind like thunder.
How can someone as weak as me… be a God?
Fear and confusion clouded his thoughts. Pointing at his almost comedic puzzled face, he stammered out the question that clawed at his sanity.
"A… a God? Me?"
The book shimmered faintly as it responded in calm, deliberate strokes.
"Yes. Any being that possesses divinity is considered a God. Though your divinity is faint, it exists within you. Hence, you are a God."
Still staring blankly, Endri muttered, "But I don't feel anything divine… and I'm the farthest thing from omnipotent or omnipresent. Clearly, I'm not a God."
The ink rippled once more.
"You seem to misunderstand the nature of Godhood. Only the highest of divine beings are omnipotent or omnipresent. The rest, though limited, are still Gods. To explain your current attainment of divinity, I shall now begin the true contents of this guide."
The book paused briefly, allowing him to absorb the message. Then, with a soft flutter, it turned a page and continued to inscribe its glowing script.
"All Gods possess divinity; however, not all Gods are equal. The path of Godhood is divided into five major stages, each containing several minor stages. These serve as the steps through which a God increases their divinity, authority, and power."
The elegant ink flowed seamlessly, each word carrying a sense of ancient knowledge.
"You currently reside at the lowest minor stage of the first major stage—the very foundation of divinity. This stage is known as the Divine Vessel, where a God awakens their divinity, authority, and powers."
"Within the Divine Vessel stage are five minor stages. You, Endri, dwell in the first of them: the Sleeping Vessel."
Endri tilted his head, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Sleeping Vessel…" he murmured, trying to interpret its meaning. When no realization came, he returned to reading.
"The Sleeping Vessel stage is reserved for Gods who cannot yet perceive their own divinity—such as yourself."
Understanding dawned on him at last.
If this is true, then I'm a God who can't even sense his own divinity… which means I'm basically at the bottom of the divine hierarchy.
Even now, doubt lingered. He wanted to ask more about what this meant for him, but before he could open his mouth, the book began to glow once again.
A brilliant silver light flared across the parchment, forcing Endri to squint. The entire guide trembled softly as glowing silver words inscribed themselves onto the page in that same elegant, divine font.
As the light faded, he read the shining words that would mark the first step of his new journey:
"Step One Toward True Godhood: Sense your own divinity."