Chapter 1: The Meaning of Death

Much has been said about the meaning of life.

Why we are alive.

What our reason for being is.

Our purpose.

But what about death?

Why do we have to die?

Why is there nothing that lasts forever?

Perhaps it is so we can better appreciate life in its fleeting nature.

Perhaps an endless existence would be a torment.

Perhaps there is no reason, and everything simply is.

In truth, the answer may never be within the reach of mortals.

But…

What of those who are not mortal?

***

“Everything that has a beginning will have an end. Only what has existed forever will remain so.”

Ah…

The hall was immense, filled with countless figures listening in silence.

Ha… ha…

At the front of the hall, atop a raised dais, an old man with a long white beard was delivering a speech.

Ha… haha…

“The Divine Order is one such thing, for it has always been. On the other hand, there is something that is only now taking form, a world.”

Hah… haha… ha…

“Welcome to the Hall of Dawns, chosen souls.”

“Aaaa-HahAhaHAhahAhaHAhahAhaHAhahA—!”

At that moment, everyone present turned toward the source of that strange mix of scream and hysterical laughter.

Near the far end of the hall stood a young man with silver hair falling over his shoulders.

He was staring up at the towering ceiling with his hands raised, and tears streamed down his cheeks from his radiant golden eyes.

“Ahem…”

Up on the dais, the old man forced out a cough while stroking his white beard with his eyes closed.

The young man lowered his gaze and let it wander through the hall with a distant expression. It was so vast he could not even make out the walls, and the columns that seemed to hold up the sky could easily be mistaken for buildings.

His eyes swept across the thousands of faces watching him until, all at once, they widened and his face went pale for an instant, though he quickly regained his composure.

“My sincerest apologies, I had no intention of interrupting…” he said with a practiced smile, rubbing the back of his neck and bowing his head.

What exactly he had interrupted, he had no idea, although what truly caught his attention was how clearly he could see and hear the old man despite the distance between them in that gigantic hall.

The old man, who seemed to be leading that strange assembly, slowly opened his eyes, and his piercing gaze settled on the young man, who felt a chill run down his spine.

“I understand that being chosen as one of the candidates for godhood could excite anyone. But there is a time and a place for everything. Next time, try to choose more carefully when you celebrate.”

Around him, a flurry of quiet snickers and ill-intentioned remarks began to rise, but the young man did not seem to care in the slightest. He could only think about what he had just heard.

“Candidates… for godhood?”

The young man’s murmur was lost amid the chatter around him, though not all of it was mocking.

“Who is he? He doesn’t seem to be a demigod.”

“Are you sure? Unlike most of the idiots laughing like fools, I would have thought at least you had noticed the aura around him. To be honest… it’s rather intimidating.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Not far from the silver-haired stranger, two figures were whispering to each other.

One was an athletic young man with chestnut-colored hair and matching eyes, his gaze calm and steady.

The other was a girl with sky-colored eyes and golden hair tied into a long braid that fell down her back.

Both of them were watching him with unmistakable curiosity.

“That’s exactly what I mean. He doesn’t seem like an ordinary demigod at all… he reminds me more of a…”

“All right, that is enough,” the old man said, raising a hand. Immediately, a powerful invisible pressure fell over the hall, and everyone fell silent at once. “Now that the introduction is over, it is time to begin the explanations.”

The silver-haired young man was not affected like the rest. He looked around in curiosity, not understanding what had just happened to everyone else. Still, he quickly decided to focus on what the old man was explaining.

“Everyone in this hall is permitted to communicate with the Divine Order, but of course, to do so, a tool is necessary. That is where the Godscript comes in. It will present that information in a way you can understand it.”

Many of those present nodded. It seemed that only the silver-haired young man was completely lost.

“The Godscript is your connection to the Divine Order, and it will allow you to access detailed information about yourselves and about the world that surrounds you. Of course, the level of information you can access will depend entirely on you, your capabilities, your skills, and your relationship to the object or being in question.”

Now some of the figures around the silver-haired young man exchanged puzzled looks as well, which made him feel a little less out of place in that situation.

“Do not worry if you do not understand it right now. In time, everything will become clear,” the old man continued. “Now then, try to access the Godscript. Merely wishing for it is enough. I will give you some time to familiarize yourselves with it.”

“Just wish for it? But I don’t even… I don’t even know what it is…” The silver-haired young man looked around. Everyone seemed focused on the air in front of them. “Will it be enough just to think about that so-called Godscript?”