Edwin gasped and whirled around looking for anything. But as he saw nothing, he was left breathless from the wave of pure power washed over him from The Voice. It chuckled at the man’s response, “You have nothing to fear, Edwin.”
Breathing deeply, he called out, “Who are you and where are you?”
“You know who I am. I am the Omnidei. I am the one who created this world. I am the one who created everything within this world. I am the one who brought the heroes to this world. I am the one who brought you to this world.”
The Omnidei spoke with absolute certainty and authority. As if every single word and individual syllable was made reality simply with their utterance. Every hair stood on end and every nerve in his body was tense in anticipation. Edwin had the thought of remarking how no words were being minced, but just as quickly decided this was not the time for jokes. However, a completely separate issue felt sufficiently prudent to broach.
“Why am I here? You just mentioned that you’re the one who summoned the other twelve heroes. Isn’t that enough? Why summon an extra at all? There’s so much I don’t understand.”
The young man was still standing there in the void, seemingly alone, but the presence around him was very real. Despite there being no other form within, he got a feeling that a pair of hands were being gently yet firmly placed upon his shoulders.
“There are certain things that it is still not time for you to know just yet. But you will still have the truth known to you.”
This was, Edwin lightly snorted at the realization, the moment of truth.
“You have been brought to my world as a contradiction, a stumbling block. Through falsehoods that I will guide you towards, you will show the world the lies that have hidden what I established. You will embody everything this world of mine has come to reject. Your strength will lie within weakness. The truth I will have you reveal will be obscured within confusion and secrecy. Victory will be achieved through brokenness. By my power, given to you, darkness will be driven from where the world believes it dwells within a stronghold. Light that has been deprived from shining through deception shall pierce the darkness. Lost will be found. Memory will be reclaimed. The familiar evil of this world will be brought forth, tearing at all that dare to declare what it really is, though the chaos will erupt, heroism bastardized, and nothing will save the world.”
Silence. That was the only constant Edwin had since he arrived in this world. Silence about his true purpose. Silence about where he would be assigned. Silence when people were confronted with his mere presence as an unknown variable. Even from the Voice of the Omnidei itself, had been almost reticent in guidance. But in this moment, that same constant came not from lack and instead from the poor human’s mind being unsure what to think or how to react. The revelations he was being confronted with, it was almost too much.
‘What’s happening’, Edwin mentally panicked, ‘What does He mean? Contradictions, weakness, memories, victory… Nothing can save the world?’
A thrum of power shot through Edwin’s mind, snapping him back to reality, “Fear not, young human. There will always be much cause for fear, but if there were not equal cause for hope and courage, you would not have been summoned.”
“But why me? Out of all the other twelve. They seem like good people. I know now that I have some kind of power, but everyone already knows them. The others are what a hero should be, they’re powerful, bright, personable… a whole lot of good things. I fell flat on my face with everything I tried and then they tried to kill me.”
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Through the coldness of uncertainty, the Omnidei’s voice was volcanically blazing in its response, “The Twelve once had their purpose within me, but they have become as much of a curse as the very darkness they once fought against. With every generation, the truth grows further from them, and the more deaf they grow. They represent the different parts of the world I built. But you are my emissary. You carry my authority. You will be the one to bring back the truth of how this world was meant to be. You will be the one to walk onto my land, the land the demons claimed as theirs seven centuries ago. You will drive them out, trample them into dust, evil will feel terror at the mention of your presence. But be forewarned, with my authority, power without accountability, as you will learn, leads only to abuse. When you exercise my authority you answer to me.”
Like gazing out at a stormy ocean, the sense of possibility and yet the very real danger of consequence loomed before Edwin. The Omnidei’s decree was as impossibly heroic and esoteric that the rusty headed man couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten at the thought of the odds so huge, calling them a million to one would be the understatement of a lifetime. The demonic continent was just that, a continent. Whatever lay in wait there was surely something too evil to the point the nations of the world were too scared to invade.
“But how am I supposed to invade that continent? That’d take hundreds of thousands of soldiers, there’s food, weapons, and- and so much to figure out and using Your Authority. I don’t even know how-”
“Do not be afraid of what I have set before you. Where you need to go I will guide you. What it means to exercise My Authority, I will show you. The power given to you, will be trained into what I intend for it to be. All that remains is for you to carry it out. Make no peace with evil.
Do this, and no matter the pain or despair that comes to you, victory will follow. And when everything is finished, you will be rewarded.”
That final statement was so different from everything Edwin had been hearing, the tonal whiplash blanked out any thoughts he previously had. He knew nobody ever did a job for free and he knew he was no different. But something that puzzled him as the seconds ticked by, he came to an unusual realization, he had no idea what to ask for.
“I-I don’t know what could be a reward for me. I know there’s plenty of things anyone would ask for, but most of it is stuff I wouldn’t have a use for”, Edwin pondered aloud to the Omnidei as a vague idea floated into his mind, “My memories. They’ve been missing since I arrived in this world. Are my memories to be my reward?”
Edwin heard the Omnidei chuckle. It was such a different sound compared to the commanding voice he had been exposed to, but it was no doubt from the same entity. The laugh reassured him, making him feel like fear was a foreign concept.
“Your memories are not a reward. I took them for a purpose you will learn about in good time.”
Now, the rusty headed man was indeed drawing a blank, “Then I’m not sure what to ask for. I swear I’m not being humble, I just don’t know.”
Once more, despite there being none, Edwin felt like a gentle but strong hand was being placed on his shoulder, “Then when you arrive at the answer, call on me. I am The All. Everything in this world is mine. I see all, hear all. Call out and I will answer. When you reach the answer, I will listen, and I know you will think of something quite creative.”
Both Edwin and the Voice of the Omnidei chuckled in thought of whatever the future held. The future that had felt so blank merely a day ago now was so… more. Edwin didn’t know how else to describe it. Where uncertainty crept, now determination led.
“Enough talk. It is time for action. Awake, go with Pradip. I will tell him what must happen next and you will be tested with how to use the ability you have been granted. Go, and never forget that I walk with you.”
In the blink of an eye, Edwin was gone from the void. Snapping his head back and forth, he was indeed back in the forest, his knees still crossed in front of him, and Pradip still deep in meditation.
A moment later, the veiled man also came out of his meditation and flexed his hands. In the East, the first rays of the sun were beginning to appear. Rising gracefully to his feet, Pradip faced the growing light and gestured for Edwin to stand beside him.
