The God That Never Was

The air in the ancient temple was thick, a silence layered with memories older than Yrlith itself. Dust and shadows filled the high, arched chamber, but faint remnants of power lingered, humming in the stillness. Eryn walked slowly, his footsteps echoing, though each step felt as if it pulled him deeper into a forgotten past. He couldn't shake the unsettling sense that he’d been here before—long ago, in another life, in a form that wasn’t quite his own.

Golden glyphs and runes covered the walls, glowing faintly as if awakening at his approach. With every passing moment, flashes of memories began to surface. He saw faces, worshipful expressions, crowds kneeling before him in devotion—visions so vivid he could almost hear their prayers, their cries as they called out to him.

"Who was I?" he wondered, a tremor slipping into his voice as fragments of another life slotted into his mind.

The realization came like a storm.

He hadn’t just existed before this life; he had been revered, feared. A god they’d both worshipped and trembled before. He looked down at his hands, feeling the vast, terrifying power within him—a power he hadn’t always controlled, a power that had once torn the world apart. Now, echoes of a forgotten divinity stirred in his chest, each one laced with both reverence and regret.

"Welcome home, Eryn."

The voice slithered through the shadows, bringing him back to the present. Eryn turned, his gaze steely, as Kaelen emerged from the darkness, his smile a mixture of triumph and dark amusement.

"So," Kaelen continued, his eyes gleaming. "The mighty god remembers, at last."

Eryn clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his memories press down on him. "What twisted game are you playing, Kaelen? All this… it’s your doing."

Kaelen let out a low, mocking laugh, shrugging as he circled Eryn slowly, like a predator toying with its prey. "My doing? Hardly. I simply let the truth come back to you. You wanted to know why you were different, why you could tear through reality like it was paper." He paused, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "The reason is simple: you were once a god, Eryn, one that even the immortals feared."

Eryn’s mind reeled, fighting to reconcile this revelation with everything he thought he knew. The memories were there—fractured but potent, each one an undeniable reminder of his past. He’d felt this power before, centuries ago… He could see himself, standing atop a mountain as storms roared, rivers rose, and the earth quaked at his mere thought. The power had been intoxicating, yet it had also brought ruin to those who revered him.

"Even if that’s true," he murmured, his voice tinged with pain, "I left that behind. That life… it’s gone."

Kaelen’s smile grew wider. "Gone? I wouldn’t be so certain." With a wave of his hand, he summoned an image—a reflection of Eryn, cloaked in light, his gaze cold and merciless. This was the Eryn of the past, a god who saw mortals as little more than passing whims, a being whose wrath could wipe entire civilizations from existence.

Eryn took a sharp breath, the weight of this revelation pressing down on him. "I won’t become that again."

Kaelen laughed, a mocking, hollow sound. "You don’t have a choice. This is who you are, Eryn. A god, feared even by the undying. You could bend Yrlith to your will, break every law, shatter every boundary—and yet here you are, cowering from what you could be."

Eryn felt a surge of anger, but there was another feeling, too—one he hadn’t felt in years: fear. Not of Kaelen, but of himself. If he let this power consume him again, what destruction would he bring? He took a step back, steadying his breathing, trying to contain the chaotic storm building inside him.

"I’m not your puppet, Kaelen," he said through gritted teeth. "This power… it isn’t meant to destroy."

Kaelen sneered, shaking his head. "Power is power, Eryn. It has no purpose but what you give it. And if you don’t use it… others will. There are forces out there that would see Yrlith torn to pieces. If you can’t decide what you want, then you’ll simply become fuel for their ambitions."

Eryn's fists tightened, the ancient divinity within him pulsing like a heartbeat. "You think I’ll become what you want me to be? A god without restraint?"

Kaelen’s smirk grew cold. "I think you’ll finally realize what it means to be unbound."

With a sudden gesture, Kaelen raised his hand, and the temple around them shifted. Shadows twisted and solidified, transforming into figures cloaked in darkness. They radiated a cold, piercing energy, each one an echo of the immortals that had once revered him—and later, feared him. Their faces were hidden, but their gaze was unmistakable, their eyes filled with awe, hatred, and terror. They bowed, a twisted reminder of his past life.

"Your followers," Kaelen whispered, his voice dripping with venom. "The ones who once feared you enough to turn against you. They know what you are, even if you’ve forgotten."

The shadowy figures advanced, their hands reaching out, power swirling in the air around them. Eryn felt his own energy respond, a dormant fury rising to meet the threat. Memories surged—he’d once destroyed entire armies, pulled life and death from the void itself, a god whose power had known no equal.

But he shook his head, wrestling back control. "I am no god," he whispered, defiance lacing his tone. "Not anymore."

One of the shadows lunged, striking out with an energy blast that rippled through the air. Eryn reacted instinctively, raising his hand, and a shield of light materialized, absorbing the attack. But the moment his power flared, the temple itself trembled, as if reality buckled under the strain of his godlike essence.

Kaelen watched, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. "See? You can’t deny it, Eryn. Power like this… it was never meant to be dormant."

Another shadow figure launched forward, and then another, each one wielding forces that defied the laws of Yrlith. Eryn dodged, weaving through their attacks, his movements precise, controlled. Each step seemed to draw the temple walls closer, the ancient structure straining under the immense power unleashed within it.

He retaliated, sending a wave of energy through the ground, scattering the shadowy figures. But more took their place, a relentless army bent on awakening his true self.

In a moment of desperation, he called forth a surge of power, a burst that felt both foreign and familiar, one that made his very soul tremble. He could feel the godlike force coiling within him, ready to be unleashed, but he hesitated, grappling with the implications. Would giving in mean abandoning himself?

But the shadows were closing in, and he could sense Kaelen’s mocking gaze, daring him to embrace his past.

"Eryn," Kaelen taunted, his voice a poisonous whisper. "Don’t you see? You’re holding yourself back. They feared you because you alone had the power to change everything."

Eryn took a shaky breath, his gaze flickering between the shadows and the memory of his past self. "Power without purpose is a curse," he murmured.

With a sudden, decisive motion, he unleashed the power—not in a reckless burst, but in a precise, controlled beam that tore through the shadows, scattering them into nothingness. The energy was immense, and he felt it threaten to overtake him, but he held firm, his will steady, guiding the force with careful intent.

As the last shadow faded, the temple returned to its silent stillness. Eryn lowered his hands, his breathing ragged, but his mind clear. He felt the presence of his divinity, yet it no longer defined him—it was merely a part of who he was.

Kaelen stepped forward, his gaze narrowing. "So, you’ve found a balance. Impressive. But do you truly think you can remain like this forever?"

Eryn met his gaze, an unshakable determination in his eyes. "I am not your god, Kaelen, nor am I the god they feared. I am something… different."

Kaelen’s expression twisted into a scowl, the triumph fading from his eyes. He stepped back, retreating into the shadows. "We shall see, Eryn. This world is on the brink, and whether you wish it or not, you will be forced to choose."

As Kaelen’s figure faded, the temple’s lights dimmed, leaving Eryn alone. Yet, for the first time, he felt a strange sense of peace. The divinity within him remained, a reminder of what he had once been. But now, he knew he was more than just a god, more than just an anomaly.

With a deep breath, he turned toward the temple’s exit, his mind clear, his path set.

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