Soon, I saw in front of me three individuals – two men and a woman. They all appeared to be incredibly strong with hard expressions on their faces. As I examined them closely, I noticed that occasionally, their eyes would appear completely blue without any white or black dot in the center; however, this only lasted for a second before they seemed normal again. This occurrence was random and could easily go unnoticed.
One of the men spoke up, revealing himself as their leader. “What do we have here? A lone woman?” he asked. “No,” countered the woman of the group, “she is a fallen goddess like us.” The first man concurred with her statement, saying, “Hmm, how true.” The second man continued, “Perhaps she can join our ranks.” “Maybe,” said the leader again. Curious about their identity I inquired, “Who are you?” “We are fallen gods, like yourself,” explained the second man. “Fallen gods?” I asked them, more confused than ever. “What does that mean? A goddess?” The woman suggested, “Perhaps we should help her. She does not seem to know her true nature” “Agreed,” said the leader.
I hesitated, unsure of what to make of their claims and my own abilities. They seemed to know that I was different somehow? Did my eyes seemed to shift colors like theirs did randomly? Was that a sign I was more than human? It would explain my ability to heal and come back to life, but I was not sure. But at the same time, I felt more mortal than divine but then again, I had no idea how a god felt.
So with trepidation, I agreed to join them in hopes of discovering the truth behind my nature and abilities.
The rewritten text: In the sea, the crew persevered with their voyage. The ocean was tranquil as they smoothly navigated aboard their old ship. After more days of sailing, they found themselves enveloped by a dark ooze in the water, seemingly trapped without an escape route. They searched for a way out but were overwhelmed by the substance that spread rapidly.
Suddenly, there was a thunderous roar from above and fire rained down from the sky, burning away the darkened waters. The sea boiled with intense heat, revealing a shadowy figure resembling a dragon on its surface.
A commanding voice spoke: “To cleanse both water and land, you must locate four objects – the staff of eons, the scroll of purification, the bowl of chaos, and the water of divinity.” The voice fell silent, and the shadow vanished as the seawater cooled down once more.
In the boundless expanse of the cosmos, there was a singular green planet known as Forestia. Entirely covered in an enormous green forest, this world was astonishingly one interconnected living organism. Between these trees flowed numerous interconnected rivers that were intrinsically alive. No animals inhabited Forestia; it was solely home to the thriving, breathing forest and its life-giving rivers. For eons, Forestia remained a serene realm.
However, everything changed when extraterrestrial beings arrived and began indiscriminately chopping down trees and establishing factories that polluted the once pristine waters. The planet suffered greatly under this onslaught, and in response, the forest and rivers defended themselves. Tree branches assaulted the aliens while vines entwined around their bodies, applying immense pressure until they succumbed to their fate. Water from the rivers began flooding the lands, drowning the invaders. Ultimately, the aliens retreated from Forestia, and peace was restored.
Yet, the pollution persisted for a protracted period, taking years before this unique world could purify itself once more.
I trekked for days, journeying eastward. Along the way, I traversed small rivers, climbed hills, and navigated through dense forests. Monsters frequently crossed my path; some were attacking settlements while others roamed aimlessly. In each encounter, I fought them off and emerged victorious, no matter how powerful they seemed to be. No defeat could keep me down for long – I would always rise from the ashes, healed and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
However, it was a shock to discover just how many different monsters inhabited this world, creatures I had never encountered before in my life. The Urakneas were the most common of these beasts. But there were also larger ones: serpent-like monsters with sharp teeth, massive fire-breathing lizards, enormous flying bats with razor-sharp claws, and many more terrifying beings.
People in the settlements I passed through were always grateful for my efforts to rid their lands of these creatures and wished that I would stay among them. Yet, I preferred solitude – I did not want to grow close to someone again only to lose them once more, as it had caused me so much pain before.
Another year passed by, and while taking a break under the shade of a large tree in a forest, I heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.
Being 1: What is the status?
Being 2: Everything is coming along as planned.
Being 1: Good. What about time?
Being 2: It will be shattered as promised. Two eras will collide.
Being 1: Excellent. Make sure the Mages will rise to power and that the dreams will flow through.
Being 2: Of course, as you wish.
Jaleka was once a thriving port city teeming with people from all corners of the world. Now, it lay in ruins and despair, its few remaining inhabitants recounting tales of an ominous cloud that had passed over the land. Anyone who touched this dark entity perished instantly, while others barely survived, appearing as if they'd been ill for years.
The crew was horrified by what they witnessed but were powerless to intervene. Supposedly aid was coming from the capital – food, water, and medical experts were promised to arrive soon. However, Erik knew there were no supplies for them here. “I believe our only option is to seek supplies elsewhere,” he said with determination.
Ella inquired about their destination, seeking answers. Erik replied confidently: “The next port city is Matalen. It's just an eight-hour journey from here.” Ella nodded and the group returned to their ship. Tom was silent but his eyes were filled with sorrow; he longed for home and his family more than ever before.
I had numerous more delightful years with my adopted daughter. However, nothing lasts forever except for my own life, it seems. As time went on, she grew older while I remained youthful as ever. Eventually, both her and her husband passed away. Their children did not know me because explaining immortality to them would be difficult and keeping it a secret was necessary.
Suddenly, I felt very alone. For months, I cried a lot and lost my will to do anything. I began to think that my life was a curse, even contemplating ending it, but that was impossible. It had been about a year since my daughter's death when one day, I realized I could not continue living like this. I needed to make changes in my life and start anew.
I forced myself to get up and clean myself up. Then, I packed everything necessary for the journey ahead. Afterward, I burned down the house where I had lived for so long. Determined to move forward, I left and continued traveling eastward as I did many years before.