đ.đ: Imprisoned god III
Cassie's perspective
đe walked in silence at first, my bare feet brushing over soft moss that felt almost like satin.
The atmosphere seemed to shift as we moved, like the entire garden was subtly rearranging itself to reveal new paths just for us.
We passed beneath the shade of trees unlike anything I'd ever seen. Their tall, slender trunks spiraled upward, leaves forming a sweeping canopy of every color imaginable.
Some shimmered like stained glass, others glowed faintly from within, casting soft beams of pink, jade, and gold onto the ground below.
A gentle breeze wafted by, carrying a scent that was both floral and unfamiliarâsweet, like honeyed rain and something... ancient. Sacred.
As we rounded a bend, the landscape opened up to reveal a glistening lake so clear it mirrored the sky with uncanny perfection.
Its waters sparkled like melted crystals, and strange creatures floated across the surfaceâhalf-bird, half-fish hybrid-looking things with long wings that trailed ribbons of light behind them as they moved.
I slowed, blinking in disbelief. Are those even real?
"Yes," the entity next to me replied, a quiet chuckle in his voice. "You're standing in the Garden of Rebirth now. Things exist here that do not obey the rules of your world."
Yeah, no shât. Nothing here made sense. But I'll admit there was beauty to it allâthe haunting kind of beauty.
The nameless man moved with ease, like every root, every pebble, every strange glowing insect dancing past us had long known him.
As we walked, the world almost seemed to respond to himâthe colors around us shifting subtly. The grass grew lusher when we stepped over them. The tree branches pulsed in our direction, as if reaching for us.
In the distance, towering vines wound around floating stones, each one humming a soft melody that vibrated through the air and settle in my bones.
"I suppose you deserve an explanation," he said after that long pause. "You've seen enough to demand one."
I tilted my head slightly, eyeing him. Well, that's the least you owe me, I thought. Especially since you nearly fed me to a hell hound.
He gave a faint nod, no trace of offense in his face. But something in his expression shiftedâhis gaze clouded over, like he was sifting through memories too heavy to name.
"You see," he began, voice low, "this garden... is my creation. And my cage."
I blinked, stunned. Your cage? What do you mean by that? Are you... imprisoned here?
He glanced at me then, and an inexplicable sorrow swam behind the vivid crimson of his eyes. "There's so much to tell, child," he said softly. "Long ago, there existed a pantheon of creatorsâgods, if you willâwho shaped the fundamental fabrics of existence. Among them was a supreme being who ruled above all. Helion, the Sun God."
"He bore four sons through the Moon Goddess, Selara: Skirion, the god of birth and the heavenly realms; Necrosius, the god of death and the underworld; Orvosi, the god of karma and destiny... and Nylos, the Harbinger of Renascence."
He stopped in front of a marble arch half-consumed by climbing ivy, turning to face me fully. "I am Nylosâthe lone offspring of Helion yet to be recognized as a god."
"Originally, my father preordained me to govern the seasons and constellations. A silent, background god. But the plans I had for myself far exceeded his. Helion's concept of life was... rigid. He believed all beings must live once and die once. Even if their lives were cruel or unfair, they were offered no second chances. No do-overs. I found that unjust."
A small frown creased his brow as he continued, his voice distant with memory.
"There was once a boy. A human boy born into miseryâa life no one should endure. And yet, he remained kind. Gentle. He never cursed the world, never gave in to bitterness. One night, he wished upon a shooting star, asking for a better life. I heard that wish. I was still the god of constellations then, still capable of hearing mortal dreams."
"I granted it. I gave him another lifeâbrighter, happier, full of hope. That boy was named Laos."
His voice trembled ever so slightly.
"But my mercy was seen as defiance. For giving one soul a second chance, I was cast down. I lost the favor of my father, the love of my mother, and the respect of my brothers. I was exiled from the celestial realms and bound to this garden. The same one I created for Laos after his passing. A sanctuary... before I sent him off to be reborn."
He turned his face toward the ivy-wrapped arch, the flicker of godhood still lingering in the sharp lines of his profile.
"My father's punishment was simple: remain here until his wrath fades. But it has been over a thousand years. I no longer know if he will ever forgive me. Perhaps I will be here for a thousand more. Or forever."
I stared at him, chest tightening. A thousand years. Alone. For granting a single boy a second chance. That was so unfair.
I'm sorry, I said quietly, my voice barely rising above the whisper of the wind through the flowering vines. You didn't deserve that. You gave someone hope. That's not a sin.
Nylos gave me a small smile, more pain than joy behind it. "Hope is a powerful thing. Sometimes too powerful for gods who fear change."
We stood there for a moment, silence stretching between us like the branches overhead. My mind spun with everything he'd told me. The celestial family. The rebellion. The punishment.
Then a thought struck me. My brows furrowed.
I⊠I'm really sorry for what happened to you. I truly am. But⊠I paused, choosing my words carefully, what does any of this have to do with me?
Nylos's gaze shifted, turning distant again, as though he were listening to something only he could hear.
"Because," he said, looking at me with something between reverence and regret, "you are one of those souls."
My stomach flipped. What?
"You died, Cassie," he said gently, as though breaking fragile glass. "In your world, you were meant to pass on to the next realmâeither to the heavens, or to the underworld. But I intercepted your soul before it could cross over."
My mouth went dry. You⊠brought me back?
He nodded once. "I chose you for rebirth. Just like Laos. You were not meant to end yet. You had more light in you than your life ever allowed to shine. It was unjust⊠and I couldn't watch it happen again."
My breath caught. I could feel it nowâthe strange dissonance that had followed me since waking here. The way the world shimmered around me, how my body felt unfamiliar, lighter, almost new. Because it was.
But⊠why me? I whispered, barely able to comprehend it. Why not someone else?
"Because you matter," Nylos said, stepping closer. "Your story⊠your second life⊠it might be one of the ones to save me."
I looked up at him, stunned. He wasn't just a god seeking redemption. He was hopingâagainst all oddsâthat people like me could prove to his father that the cycle of rebirth meant something. That it was worth fighting for.
"My father didn't give me a number," he continued. "He said, 'If your reborn souls prove to be worthy of their new lives, then I will consider your return.' No scale. No promise. Just... a cruel, uncertain chance."
He turned away, gazing out over the glistening lake where the strange winged creatures still danced on water. "You were chosen because your soul radiated potential even in its final breath. I couldn't let that fade."
I swallowed hard. And if I mess up? If I'm not⊠satisfactory?
He looked back at me, eyes soft. "Then you'll still have lived again. And that alone is enough for me."