A Life Ends, A New Destiny Begins
"I guess… this is the end of my life," I thought bitterly.
It wasn't supposed to end like this. A myriad of regrets gnawed at what remained of my consciousness as my final breath left my body on that cold, indifferent street. I would never see my parents' faces again — never hear my mother's soft laugh or feel my father's steady hand on my shoulder. I would miss my college graduation, a moment I had dreamed of for years; a symbol of stubborn hope that I had clung to through countless sleepless nights.
Worst of all, I would never have the chance to build a family of my own, to hold a child in my arms, to create memories worth cherishing in this fleeting, mortal world.
And yet — saving those two kids from the speeding truck? That was something I would never regret. Even now, as darkness clawed at the edges of my vision and my body lay broken, a single prayer left my lips.
"Please… let them live bright, happy lives."
Then, everything crumbled into endless, featureless white.
At first, I thought it was nothingness — a pure, silent void. But soon, a warmth spread across that emptiness, like a hearth flame in a winter storm. Slowly, two figures began to take shape before me.
They weren't human.
They couldn't be.
One was a vision of infernal majesty, a dark-skinned beauty with skin like polished obsidian and long, silvery-white hair that fell around her shoulders like silk spun from moonlight. Crimson horns curled from her brow, framing a sharp, regal face adorned with an ornate crimson jewel upon her forehead. Fiery red eyes held ancient knowledge and wicked temptation alike. A pair of obsidian wings spread behind her like those of a great devil queen, their edges sharp and commanding. She wore a black and white gown trimmed in gold, clinging to her impossibly perfect form, every motion radiating both seduction and authority.
The other was no less breathtaking. She stood tall, clad in crimson-scaled armor that shimmered like polished ruby, every inch of her frame honed to predatory perfection. Long, dark hair tumbled down her back, and ivory horns rose from her temples like a crown of dragon bone. Behind her, scaled wings unfurled with terrifying grandeur, bathed in the glow of flickering flames that danced and twisted in an unseen wind. Her amber-gold eyes shimmered like twin suns, holding both savage power and deep, almost maternal wisdom.
Both of them gazed upon me as if I were something precious — not a broken soul, but a long-lost friend returned home.
"Who… who are you?" I managed to choke out, my voice a whisper in the endless white.
The silver-haired goddess stepped forward, her voice bypassing sound, speaking directly into the core of my being.
["You saved us."]
Her words carried warmth, like the deep pulse of the earth before a storm. I could feel them in my bones.
["I am Tiamat, Goddess of Dragons."] She inclined her head gracefully, the flames behind her roaring in approval. ["And this… is my beloved sister."]
The crimson-skinned goddess stepped forward, a smirk curling her lips. Her voice was a velvet purr wrapped around a dangerous edge.
["I am Lilith, Goddess of Lust and Life. We are sisters — bound by fate, blood, and dominion alike."]
They exchanged a look — a glance heavy with unspoken history, a bond forged in divine fire — before their attention returned to me.
["Because you died protecting us,"] Tiamat spoke again, her gaze shimmering with emotion, ["You have invoked the highest law of the divine: the Law of Heroic Rebirth. You have earned the right to live again."]
["And not as a mere mortal,"] Lilith added, her grin deepening as she sauntered closer, ["but in a world where humans, elves, beastkin, demons, dragons, and more dwell together. A world governed by ancient powers and new gods — including ourselves."]
I could feel my heartbeat — or whatever passed for it now — quicken.
"A fantasy world…?" I whispered, a spark of disbelief in my voice.
["Indeed,"] Tiamat confirmed, her wings folding behind her as she knelt before me, bringing her golden gaze level with mine. ["A world you've glimpsed in your old life's books, anime, manga, and tales. A land of kingdoms and empires, dungeons and monsters, heroes and tyrants. And gods. Many gods."]
Lilith's voice was silk and smoke as she gestured, and shimmering visions formed in the air around us.
["There is the Harem God, patron of desire and indulgence, whose presence commands all forms of passionate union."] An image of a crimson-haired youth with devilish charm appeared briefly.
["The Goddesses of War, fierce and peerless, embodiments of conquest and valor. The God of Shadows, a being who commands armies of darkness. The Twin Gods of Chaos — beings of unbridled, unpredictable power. The God of Freedom, unbound and untamed, whose spirit breaks all chains. And others still — the God of Magic, the God of the Blade, the Goddess of the Forge…"]
Names and faces flickered before me, each more fantastical than the last.
Lilith's eyes gleamed. ["And in that world, Shin Tempest… you will forge your legend."]
Tiamat's hand rested upon my shoulder, her touch sending warmth and ancient power flooding through my soul.
["You will be reborn with the Lord Talent, a gift so rare it is spoken of only in myth. It will grant you the power to forge your realm, command legions, and shape the fate of nations."]
["And,"] Lilith whispered, leaning in so close I could feel her breath against my cheek, ["within you shall awaken a Lord Core — the heart of your dominion, a nexus of power that grows alongside you. It will evolve, feeding on your victories, your trials, and your desires. It is the foundation of a new kingdom."]
I stared at them both, awe and disbelief warring within me.
"Why… why me?"
Tiamat smiled then — a soft, almost maternal expression that made her seem, for a heartbeat, almost human.
["Because even in death, you chose selflessness. And because your soul resonates with the potential to ascend beyond mortality."]
Lilith grinned. ["And because, frankly, it amuses us."]
I barked a dry, incredulous laugh despite myself. "Of course it does."
["You will not start this journey alone,"] Tiamat promised. ["You will be born into a noble house — ancient bloodlines forged by war and honor. Your new parents shall be two of the realm's greatest generals. They will raise you as their own, and guide you toward the greatness slumbering within your soul."]
The images of a proud, battle-hardened man and a fierce, graceful woman appeared briefly before fading.
Lilith's crimson hair swirled around her, and her voice dropped to a soft murmur.
["You will be cherished as their true son. They will teach you not just strength, but wisdom, love, and loyalty."]
Tiamat's golden gaze softened.
["And you will not remain a simple lord. In time, your name will be spoken in the same breath as gods and kings. The people will rally behind your banner."]
["Legends will be written in your wake,"] Lilith added.
My chest tightened. The weight of what they promised — the impossible, the extraordinary — pressed against me like an onrushing tide. And yet, within it, a spark of hope flickered.
A chance to live again.
A chance to matter.
A chance to forge a destiny not written by fate, but by my hand.
I took a slow breath and straightened my spine. "Then… I'll do it. I'll claim that destiny."
Lilith's grin was radiant, and Tiamat's eyes gleamed with pride.
["Good,"] they spoke in unison, their voices reverberating across the endless white.
["Welcome to your new beginning."]
The world shimmered around me, and the light grew blinding. I felt my soul pulled forward, tethered by unseen forces.
As the last vestiges of the old world faded, I heard Tiamat's final words.
["Shin Tempest — Lord of Realms, Heir to Legends, Child of Destiny… awaken."]
And then, everything vanished.
And I fell, not into darkness, but into the dawn of a new world.
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A/N
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See you in the next chapter.