1 Mortal gods

Ethereal... it all felt hazy, like a dreamy reality. 

Weightless in nature, he floated among the clouds. Beautiful color engulfed the area, blending softly into one another. Sounds, distant and muffled, like faint whispers from far away. The surroundings were indistinct, with a soft blur, as if a painter let loose on the canvas of life. It was like paradise...

But then, things became clearer. Slowly, the weight settled in. No longer floating, he struggled to stay afloat. The vibrant colors faded, slipping away like memories. Sound muted itself, leaving only the stark silence of existence.

With a sudden jolt, a frail young man, the color of warm cinnamon, stirred awake—not alone. Nestled beside his hand, a small rodent looked up at the boy before curiously attempting to nibble his fingertips. "Shoo-shoo," he muttered, swatting the pest away. Now fully alert, the boy swung his legs over the edge of his bed—a mere slap of stone on the floor, hardly deserving of the name.

"Children, gather! It's time for our celebration!" The old lady's voice echoed down the decrepit corridors. Rubbing his eyes, the boy left his room and joined other children who had assembled at a long stone table. The surface was pitted and worn, littered with an assortment of cracks and holes, as if it were on its last legs.

At the back, a petite, pale-skinned old lady stirred a pot, her smile framed by wrinkles. "Buni, you made it! You could sit here," she said, gesturing to the center chair.

"It's Uni, Ms. Yanda. U-N-I, how hard could that be..?" he grumbled as he took a seat. Ms. Yanda gasped before chuckling guiltily. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Uni. I promise it won't happen again," she said.

Uni inwardly sighed, a familiar feeling settling over him. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that, I'd be rich, he thought, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. He kept his reaction subdued, choosing silent acceptance.

In front of him were bowls filled with a bland, grayish mixture. The routine of these unexciting meals had become a daily occurrence, met with disappointment.

Uni and Yanda exchanged tired looks, their dissatisfaction evident. "Another day," Uni grumbled.

As they quietly ate their unappealing food, Uni's eyes wandered around the shabby orphanage. It had been his home for 15 years, a place filled with cracks and holes and rats scurrying about. But as his 16th birthday approached, it would be his departure is imminent, as past 16 years, they are considered adult enough to handle themselves.

Sighing aloud, Uni couldn't help but feel indifferent. He thought to himself, 'Turning 16... Are people usually excited for this? When I'm kicked out of here, not much will change... just fewer people around, I guess.'

After finishing his meal, Uni returned to his humble sleeping spot, hardly deserving of the term "bed," and laid there, gazing at the sky through a crack in the building. He sat in silence, observing the tranquil movement of the clouds. Uni understood that despite his imminent eviction from the orphanage and the prospect of sleeping in the unforgiving woods, life would continue.

These thoughts led Uni to reflect on the harsh reality of the world. 'I could vanish tomorrow, and it wouldn't matter,' he thought quietly. 'Even if there's someone out there who cares, the world will keep turning, people will carry on with their work and education, and life will march forward as if I were never here...'

Trapped within a shabby orphanage, Uni couldn't ignore the stark contrast between his own path and the heroic tales of those basking in glory and universal adoration.

This thought led Uni to ponder the concept of Mortal Gods—individuals who forged sacred connections with divine entities. In a voice tinged with curiosity, he mused, "Mortal Gods, huh... What sets them apart? Why do they enjoy power, wealth, abundance, while people like me remain confined in this dilapidated place until we're cast out at sixteen...?"

As he delved into the complexities of the Mortal Gods' existence, Uni grappled with a persistent curiosity, also envying their lifestyle. "So much praise.... I could only imagine love like that. I want to be loved... I want to be praised, I want to be popular, I want to be a Legend.... But that's never happening..." 

With a heavy sigh, Uni rolled over and began to contemplate life's purpose. He couldn't help but dwell on the fact that there were many others like him, living lives that might never amount to much. He felt far from special, realizing that the world wouldn't show him any special favor just because he wanted to vent his frustrations. It was a common struggle that played out everywhere.

The room around him felt suffocating, its aged walls serving as a reminder of years spent chasing unfulfilled dreams. Tomorrow, on his sixteenth birthday, he would have to leave this haven he had created for himself amidst the chaos of life.

A lump formed in his throat as he looked at the few belongings scattered haphazardly on the floor, each one a reminder of his simple life.

He gently picked up a well-worn teddy bear, memories flooding back. The orphanage, both a place of refuge and restriction, had held him close for so long.

Yet, buried within his soul, Uni yearned for something beyond, something that transcended the boundaries of this deteriorating institution. The Mortal Gods, the select few endowed with the ability to commune with divine entities, remained a consistent source of fascination and longing.

"Fantasy... It's all a fantasy, there's no way someone could live such a good life filled with happiness. It's Impossible.... right?" Uni whispered, his voice carrying an undercurrent of unspoken sorrow.

Placing the worn teddy bear back on the bed, Uni felt the weight of his dreams unrealized settling over him like a heavy shroud.

Slipping under the covers, Uni closed his eyes, seeking solace in the realm of dreams.

******

Feeling a radiant beam of light on his face, Uni wriggled and turned in an attempt to escape it. But no matter how he moved, the light stuck to him, refusing to let go.

Reluctantly, Uni opened his eyes and found himself on a surreal cloud instead of his familiar bedroom. The sky above was a burst of vibrant colors as if painted by an imaginative artist. "Is this a lucid dream?" he wondered. 'Yanda might've put something else in the food..."

Curiosity overcame Uni's drowsiness as he sat up, his fingers sinking into the soft cloud beneath him. The cloud seemed to mold itself to his body, providing an unmatched comfort. "I've never had a lucid dream before, I didn't know It felt so real."

It was like discovering a hidden sanctuary, away from the noise of the world below.

With newfound energy, Uni decided to explore. He stood up on the cloud, its softness giving beneath his feet. As he wandered, he came across a tall pillar that seemed to stretch towards the moon.

"What the hell is this?" Uni pondered aloud, and at that moment, The ground began trembling beneath him as if in response.

Turning his attention back to the pillar, Uni watched as it shrank in size, becoming no taller than a walking cane. This intrigued him further. He cautiously approached the now-small pillar, running his fingers over its surface.

As he leaned in, an eerie howl echoed through the sky, drawing Uni's gaze upward.

Perched gracefully on a wispy cloud was a monkey in armor, its presence otherworldly and intriguing.

"Seems like you've finally arrived, boy!" The monkey's voice carried a weight of ages, its resonance filling the air and igniting Uni's curiosity as his words lingered.

"Waiting for 16 years is nothing, especially when compared to the 500 I've spent beneath a mountain," the monkey proclaimed, his words shrouded in enigmatic mystery.

Uni's thoughts whirled like a tempest, grappling with the bewildering events of the past few moments. 'Am I seriously having a conversation with a monkey? I didn't know I had such a strange imagination,' Uni pondered, their gaze firmly fixed on the enigmatic figure perched above.

As Uni attempted to navigate the perplexing situation, the monkey on the cloud descended gracefully, landing in front of Uni with an air of undeniable authority. The armor glinted in the sunlight, adorned with intricate engravings and symbols.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, boy."