Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Unveiling Reality**

Lucien's heart raced as he stepped through the doorway, expecting to finally break free from the time loop that had imprisoned him for what felt like an eternity. But as the door swung open, his shock knew no bounds. Instead of the familiar hallway of his dorm, he was greeted by an altogether different scene.

Before him stood a formation of cloaked and robed figures, arranged in two symmetrical lines on either side of a path. Each figure wore a hood that obscured their faces, giving them an eerie, otherworldly appearance. In the center of the path, the same masked figure he had encountered a year and a half ago stood, a beacon of enigma.

As Lucien's gaze shifted forward, his eyes widened in awe and trepidation. At the end of the path lay an opulent palace, radiating an aura of grandeur that was beyond anything he had ever witnessed. The palace seemed to be constructed from precious materials, its architecture intricate and divine.

Sitting atop a throne at the palace's entrance was a man who emanated an aura of power and authority. This man's presence sent shivers down Lucien's spine, a sensation akin to standing before the gods he had met before. It was an aura of raw divinity, beyond comprehension.

The man on the throne, who was both young and ancient in appearance, regarded Lucien with a gaze that bore into his very soul. His golden eyes held a mix of curiosity and detachment, as if observing a mere curiosity rather than a fellow being, the man had hanging ear lobes that reached to his shoulders with seven rings on them and a golden staff layed beside him, his body radiated an eerily calming yet fierce glow as the man stared at Lucien.

Lucien's body moved of its own accord, compelled forward as if by some invisible force. Each step he took felt both natural and coerced, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear. The robed figures remained still, silent sentinels, their intentions and identities shrouded in mystery.

As he drew closer to the man on the throne, Lucien's thoughts raced. Who was this man? What was this place? Why was he being drawn to them? And most importantly, how could he escape this nightmarish reality?

Finally, standing mere feet away from the man, Lucien looked into his golden eyes, hoping to find answers. The man's expression remained unchanged, a portrait of placidity. It was as if he existed on a different plane of existence, detached from the turmoil that gripped Lucien's mind.

The silence seemed to stretch for an eternity before the man finally spoke, his voice resonating with a depth and power that sent vibrations through the air. "Lucien," he said, the syllables hanging in the air, heavy with significance.

Lucien's voice trembled as he responded, "Who are you? What is this place? Why am I here?"

The man's lips curved into a faint smile, a subtle indication of amusement. "You seek answers, do you not? Answers to questions that transcend the realms you know."

Fear and frustration surged within Lucien. He wanted to break free from this enigmatic grip, to escape the confines of this reality. "Let me go! I demand to know what's happening!"

The man's smile deepened, his eyes shimmering with a glint of something ancient. "You stand at a crossroads, Lucien. A convergence of possibilities. Your journey has led you here, to the intersection of fate and destiny."

Lucien's mind reeled, his emotions a tumultuous storm. "I don't understand! Tell me why I'm here!"

The man's gaze bore into him, his voice resonating like a cosmic whisper. "You possess a potential that extends beyond the confines of your realm. A potential that has drawn the attention of beings far greater than you can fathom."

Lucien's heart pounded as he absorbed the man's words. His potential? The attention of greater beings? It was all too overwhelming, too incomprehensible.

"Who are you?" Lucien repeated, his voice a mixture of desperation and defiance.

The man's gaze held his for a long moment before he finally spoke, his words echoing in the vastness of the palace and the depths of Lucien's soul. "I am known by many names, but for you, you may call me Buddha."

Lucien's mind spun, his thoughts a chaotic whirlpool. Buddha? What did it mean? What was his purpose in this cosmic game? Before he could voice his thoughts, Buddha's words resonated once again.

"Lucien, your journey is far from over. The choices you make from this point forward will shape the very fabric of existence. The realms, the gods, and even your own destiny – they all hang in the balance."

As Buddha's words reverberated through him, Lucien's confusion gave way to a newfound resolve. He may be trapped in this enigmatic reality, but he refused to be a mere pawn. He would find a way to break free, to reclaim his agency, and to shape his own destiny.

The palace, the robed figures, and Buddha's presence remained shrouded in mystery, but one thing became clear to Lucien – he was in a realm beyond his understanding, facing challenges that transcended his previous struggles. With determination burning in his eyes, he locked gazes with Buddha.

"Tell me what I must do," Lucien demanded,

"before I answer I would like to ask did your gods tell you everything " Buddha looked at him with no expression on his face, Lucien Stepped back and wondered how he knew about the gods, maybe he just felt their divinity, the next words that came out of their mouth left him in shock.

"You serve the forgotten of the Greek, norse and Egyptian do you not?" Buddha said almost as if reading his mind. Lucien became even more frightened and cautious, if he knew about the forgotten then what else does he know, his friends his family were they in danger. But how could he a mortal fight against someone who seemed to be on the same level as the three gods who ruled the forgotten.

"It seems you do, I'm sure they have told you lots about me" Buddha said but Lucien face was ridden with confusion as he stared at him preferring to keeping silent, Buddha eyebrow raised in questioning as he stared at Lucien "So they spoke nothing of me, typical of them, you see Lucien I am Buddha but you can call me 'the watcher' I've seen alot of things as a god as you may already know but you are the most peculiar. From riches to rags and now you are more powerful than you imagined all because of the forgotten, correct? but have they told you everything?", Lucien was still really confused, The watcher that sounded perverted but answering Buddha he said "i Know they left some things out for me and I found out another way", Buddha looked at him and the tone of his voice changed "Good, now you seek information and power very good aspects to have but you are very special you know, you do not have talents or some secret power dwelling in you but you are tenacious, strong willed and you have the remarkable ability to adapt to situations and grow stronger faster than even the gods expect, you see let me tell you, if or when you free the gods be on guard as they have tried to destroy the universe before by challenging Yahweh for his throne, they weren't defeated by the supreme god because he wasn't even there and his avatars was, but, they were still imprisoned by those who swelled on the 7 realm, did your gods tell you about it." Buddha leaned closer as he looked at Lucien with a certain gaze in his eyes, "They told me they were powerful beings that's was all" when Buddha heard his reply he leaned back and laughed, Lucien was startled at the sudden laughter and he soon got his Answer " Hahaha truly powerful indeed" Buddha's turned serious as he looked back at Lucien " Calling them powerful would be an understatement, these beings work directly for Yahweh himself, they are his generals and commanders they are the primordials and archangels, they dwell in the supreme heaven below Gods throne and watch over everything, the strongest of them is archangels Michael, the real Archangel Michael not the knockoffs you see in the lower realm". Buddha suddenly went back to being indifferent, he gaze on Lucien and said in a grave tone " Be careful with your gods boy, their madness knows no bounds" confused even more by the revelation he was enveloped in a glow and before he disappeared he heard the some words left behind by Buddha " I hope to see you in the 7th realms" and then he was gone, soon the palace that was once there was now empty with only the lonely handsome god sitting there watching everything and a long deep sigh escapes his lips "May that boy never see the insanity of the divine" that faithful wish echoed in the silent hall heard by know one but the one who said it.