《God Island》 Chapter 1: Creation ¡°I am the god of wrath, the raging fire within¡­¡± Darkness had fallen. The world as we know it is no more. It had left a void, hollow and still, where once dreams were made in golden light. Yet, deep within the heart of a god, hope remained. A great light was born. It began filling everything, blinding and all-consuming, until it faded away. Then, there was dawn. The sun rose once again, just as it had so many times before. And beneath it, emerging from the deep blue sea, was the great island. At its highest peak, a small temple lay among the ancient stone. A shrine, with torches burning all around, where a strange ceremony was taking place. The ones who worshipped there appeared humanoid, though they bore little resemblance to ordinary men. Their bloated fish heads glistened under the morning sun, and scales covered their pale skin. They stood by the thousands, armed and arranged in battle-like formations, their glassy fish eyes fixed on the altar that awaited atop a flight of stairs. The sea whispered below, restless and deep, and the torches crackled softly in the mountain winds. It had always begun this way. ¡°All hail his divine majesty!¡± one of the worshippers cried, raising his scaled arms high. The others joined in almost instantly, thousands of voices rising and falling together. All hail his divine majesty! All hail his divine majesty! All hail his divine majesty! They repeated the chant, again and again. Their unblinking, glassy eyes remained fixed on a single point: the altar atop the stone stairs. The chanting faltered when a shadow shifted. A figure rose. Slowly, with measured steps, the figure descended toward the altar. The worshippers fell silent. The only sound was the soft slap of bare feet against stone. ¡°I am fate, bringer of life and death¡­¡± the figure announced, its voice higher than expected but with a tone of forced authority. The torchlight revealed him fully now: a boy, no older than ten. His frame was delicate, almost fragile, dressed in a white toga that seemed too large. A crown of leaves sat crookedly on his head, the edges browned and wilted. He tugged at it absently, scratching his scalp as if the thing had been bothering him for some time. He approached the altar¡ªa simple stone slab. At its center lay a silver plate, covered with a tarnished lid. He stared at it for a long moment. ¡°All-knowing, all-powerful¡­¡± he muttered, but the words sounded tired, almost rehearsed. With a deep sigh, he pushed the lid aside. He stared down, expression blank. ¡°But, of course,¡± he whispered. ¡°Nothing ever goes my way.¡± The worshippers tensed, watching him with wide, unblinking eyes. One among them¡ªtaller, robed, and adorned with shells and bones¡ªstepped forward, bowing deeply. ¡°Glory to the Dawn-Born, bringer of first light!¡± the shaman proclaimed. ¡°Praise to him who rises with the sun¡ªthe divine child-god, Bae!¡± The others answered in perfect rhythm. Long may he reign! Long may he reign! Long may he reign! Bae raised a hand, waving lazily. ¡°Alright, alright, enough!¡± he snapped. ¡°Quiet down! I need a minute to think.¡± The crowd stilled immediately. The shaman stepped once more, head bowed so low his fish-like face nearly touched the ground. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°The eternal child-god graces us with his presence. Surely, he is pleased with our humble offering?¡± Bae pulled the crown from his head, scratching furiously at his scalp. The crown had clearly been irritating him for some time. ¡°Ugh, this thing! Do you have any idea how itchy this is? You¡¯d think divine craftsmanship would be more comfortable.¡± He then fixed the shaman with a flat stare. ¡°Is that so? Pleased?¡± He barked a dry laugh. ¡°Oh, sure. Absolutely thrilled.¡± His gaze dropped to the silver plate. ¡°Except I¡¯m not. Because you idiots seem to forget something pretty important...¡± He leaned forward, his voice lowering. ¡°I¡¯m a god. I know everything.¡± He tapped his temple for emphasis. ¡°Do you get what that means? It means I knew exactly what was under that lid before I even thought of lifting it. No surprises here.¡± He straightened, glowering at the plate. ¡°And this... What the hell is this?!¡± On the plate lay a freshly caught fish, glistening, its eye glassy and lifeless. The shaman lifted his gaze, just enough to see the offering. "O-oh mighty one, it is our most sacred gift¡ª" ¡°A fish?¡± Bae cut him off. ¡°A dead fish? Really? Out of everything¡ªthis is what you came up with?¡± He turned, addressing the entire crowd now, arms stretched wide. ¡°Hey, everyone, big surprise¡ªthey brought me a fish!¡± The worshippers remained still. Silent. Watching. Bae¡¯s smile faded. His arms dropped. ¡°Oh, right. Forgot. You don¡¯t laugh. Or speak. Or do anything interesting.¡± He turned back to the shaman, waving dismissively at the plate. The shaman, in return, trembled, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°W-we believed...¡± he began, swallowing hard. ¡°The Dawn-Born would appreciate a gift of our own... flesh and blood. Such offerings have always pleased the divine. Our ancestors gave of themselves to prove loyalty and devotion. What greater gift exists than a part of our own being?¡± Bae stared at him for a long moment, then looked back at the plate one last time. He sighed, deep and weary. ¡°You people are making me sick.¡± With a snort of disgust, he threw the crown onto the altar, where it landed beside the dead fish. ¡°D-does our gift displease his divine majesty?¡± the shaman stammered. Then, turning to the crowd, he declared: ¡°The great child-god disapproves of our offering!¡± Panic erupted. The worshippers began to wail, a shrill, haunting sound that echoed through the island. They slapped their fish faces with webbed hands, some dropping to their knees, others gripping their heads, rocking back and forth. ¡°Oh, no! The child-god is angry!¡± ¡°Forgive us, lord!¡± ¡°We shall prepare a sacrifice worthy of your being!¡± Bae lifted a hand. ¡°No, I just don¡¯t like¡ª¡± ¡°WE SHALL PREPARE A SACRIFICE WORTHY OF YOUR BEING!¡± the crowd screamed. ¡°Stop it!¡± Bae growled. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill yourselves!¡± But it was too late. The worshippers turned on each other¡ªfrenzied, clawing, shrieking. Chaos unfolded. Bae sighed, his eyes closing in weary resignation. With a snap of his fingers, the sky darkened. A volcano erupted nearby¡ªroaring, spewing molten rock. Ash and smoke choked the sky. The screams faded into silence. Darkness fell once more. My name is Bae. This is my world. I¡¯ve been stuck on this island for as long as I can remember. Marooned. Forgotten. Left here by the so-called grand design of existence. You¡¯d think being a god would come with some clarity. Some answers. But I¡¯ve spent ages wrestling with the same question. Why? What¡¯s it all for? What¡¯s the point of it all? From the very beginning, it¡¯s baffled me. I kept thinking, maybe there was some grand truth out there. Something that would finally make it all make sense. But every time I thought I was getting close, every single time¡­ I¡¯d just end up back where I started. Over and over again. And after a while... well, that can make you feel very lonely... ¡°You¡¯re nothing!¡± His shout echoed across the barren island. The earth itself seemed to flinch at the sound, but the figures standing in perfect lines did not. ¡°Worthless! Empty shells! Mindless heaps of hot garbage!¡± Rows upon rows of humanoid beings stood motionless under the pale sky. Their bloated fish heads glistened dully, their unblinking eyes, glassy and vacant, seemed to stare right through him. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna stand there?¡± Bae scowled, fists clenching at his sides. ¡°Say something you hypocrites!¡± Nothing. Not a flinch. Not a sound. His gaze fell to the ground. A rock lay there. Rough, jagged. He picked it up, feeling its weight. ¡°I made you...¡± His voice faltered. ¡°I made you to be more than this!¡± Then, without warning, he hurled it forward with all his strength. The stone whistled through the air and struck the front row of figures. It tore through them like paper. Bodies crumpled, collapsing in hollow heaps against the stone ground. Bae stood still. He waited, watching the dust settle around the fallen bodies. One figure remained standing. The light from the sun caught the curve of its bloated fish head, the glassy sheen of its vacant eyes. A thin stream of blood ran down its forehead, trickling over its rubbery skin It didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t flinch. It just smiled. And stared. Straight at him. Bae swallowed, his throat dry. His lips parted, and when he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. ¡°I... I hate you.¡± He stepped forward, trembling. The tears finally came. ¡°I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!¡± His voice shattered into echoes¡ªraw and desperate. The other figures just stood there. Smiling. Watching. It didn¡¯t matter. Nothing mattered. A long, hollow sigh escaped him. With a slow, almost lazy motion, he raised his hand. Snap. The sound echoed like a closing door. From the horizon, the sea stirred. A shadow rose¡ªa wall of water, towering and dark, dragging the sky down with it. It came fast. Furious. An unstoppable force. Bae didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t blink. He just watched. The wave reflected in his eyes¡ªempty eyes. The roar became deafening. And then¡ª Silence. I need someone who can understand. Someone like me, but... different. Bae stared at the silver plate, his faint reflection staring back from its polished surface. His fingers drummed idly against the cold stone of the altar. ¡°Not another mindless worshipper,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not these hollow shells. They don¡¯t get it. They never did.¡± He ran a hand through his hair, still itchy where the crown had rested. ¡°They only see what I am, not who I am.¡± His fingers tapped against the stone. The idea lingered, sharp and clear. Someone like me. But different. Different enough to matter. A slow breath. A moment of stillness. Then, suddenly, he snapped his fingers. The air stirred. ¡°Time to try something new.¡± And for the first time in a long while, Bae wasn¡¯t entirely sure what would happen next. Chapter 2: Mira Water dripped from Bae¡¯s soaked toga. His hair was drenched and sticking to his face, damp and heavy. He scratched his chin, lost in thought, as he watched the figure standing before him. A young girl. Silent. Her white gown moved in the morning breeze. Dark hair flowed over her shoulders, and her eyes¡ªglinting in the sunlight¡ªremained fixed on him. Unblinking. Watching. The silence stretched between them, except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the nearby orchard. ¡°Alright,¡± Bae said at last, his fingers still resting on his chin. ¡°Let¡¯s go over this again. Make sure everything¡¯s understood.¡± He pointed to himself with a quick flick of his thumb. ¡°I am Bae¡ªyour god and sole creator.¡± He looked at her for a moment, searching for something in her gaze, but there was no reaction. He continued. ¡°And you¡­¡± He hesitated, stealing another glance at her. ¡°Your name is Mira. Like the ocean that surrounds the seas.¡± Still, Mira said nothing. The wind tugged at her gown, but she remained still as stone. ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why you can¡¯t speak,¡± he said. ¡°I would be, too. Well¡­ I made sure of that. Not because I didn¡¯t want to hear you, but because some things¡­ some thoughts¡­ should stay hidden. Even from me. Anyway, I guess that settles it.¡± He turned away, running a hand through his wet hair. Mira¡¯s eyes followed him without moving her head. He stopped, turning back suddenly. ¡°Oh! Right. Ground rules. Very important. We should clear those up right away. Huh?¡± His words faltered as she turned¡ªinterrupting him without so much as a glance¡ªand began walking toward the orchard. Bae stared for a moment, his expression frozen. Then, with a soft crackle of displaced air, he vanished¡ªonly to reappear beside her in an instant. He watched, confused, as she reached a low-hanging branch and plucked a red apple. She brought it to her lips and bit into it, calm and content, as though he wasn¡¯t there at all. ¡°The first rule,¡± he said, ¡°is that you do not¡ªand I mean never¡ªignore me.¡± She took another bite. The crisp sound of it cut through the silence. Chew. Swallow. No glance in his direction. ¡°Unless,¡± he stepped closer, ¡°you want to make your god extremely angry?¡± Still, nothing. She continued to eat, slow and unhurried. ¡°Do you understand?¡± He began to raise his voice. ¡°There will be consequences. Substantial consequences. Huge!¡± He swept his arms wide, the gesture meant to be commanding, but Mira didn¡¯t even blink. She chewed the last bite, tossed the core aside, and turned to wander deeper into the orchard, scanning the trees for more fruit. Bae¡¯s face darkened. His fingers curled into fists. ¡°You¡ª¡± he began, the word cutting off with a growl. Raising his hand, he flexed his fingers, preparing to snap them. The air hummed with tension, thick with power. The ground beneath his feet vibrated faintly. But, for a moment, his fingers just hung there in the air. Something¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure what¡ªmade him hesitate. No. Not yet. With a flash of light, he vanished again, reappearing just ahead of her path. ¡°It seems,¡± he said, his voice lower now, ¡°you¡¯ve made up your mind to test me.¡± She stopped. Her gaze lifted to meet his, calm and unflinching. A half-eaten apple glistened in her hand. Her face was blank, offering no explanation, no apology. ¡°Very well.¡± Bae stepped back. Slowly. Purposefully. His arms rose. The air around them tightened, vibrating with the promise of power. His voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°Prepare yourself¡­ Mortal¡­ For my wrath. A thunderous vengeance!¡± The air ignited with energy as Bae made a sharp sign with his hands. A shockwave exploded outward from where they stood, rushing through the orchard in a perfect circle. The ground trembled. Trees shuddered. Leaves burst into the air like frightened birds. Apples tore free from their branches, spilling to the ground with soft thuds. Mira blinked. Her head turned slowly, watching the apples fall around her. For a moment, she simply stared at them, her face unreadable. Then, she understood. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Soft. Subtle at first. And then she laughed. She clapped her hands together once, then again, stepping in a slow circle as the apples continued to fall. The sunlight caught her hair as she spun, her laughter echoing through the orchard. Her eyes sparkled at him¡ªbright, teasing. Bae stared back, wide-eyed, his hands still half-raised from the display of power he had unleashed. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°This...¡± he managed but a word, almost to himself. ¡°Are you... laughing?¡± Mira stopped spinning and looked at him, her eyes glinting. She nodded¡ªslow and deliberate¡ªbefore resuming her clapping. Bae lowered his hands slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit scared of me?¡± With a swift shake of her head¡ªso sudden her hair whipped across her face¡ªshe gave a clear, unmistakable answer. Bae swallowed. He didn¡¯t move when Mira bent down, picking two apples from the ground. She held them for a moment, examining each one carefully. Then, with the same gentle, unbothered grace, she extended one of the apples toward him. It dropped lightly into his open palm. Bae stared at the fruit resting in his hand. The skin gleamed, smooth and red. His fingers curled around it as he glanced back up at her. She had already turned away, biting into her own apple with quiet satisfaction. ¡°...Thanks,¡± he said after a long pause. ¡°For the apple, I mean.¡± He cleared his throat, standing a little straighter. ¡°Although, I¡¯m not really used to this kind of offering. I mean, usually, it¡¯s grain. Or precious stones. Things worthy of a god. But...¡± he turned the apple over in his hand thoughtfully, ¡°I suppose I could call this a start.¡± For the first time in a long while, a smile tugged at the corner of Bae¡¯s mouth. His gaze softened as he looked at the apple. He turned back to Mira. ¡°You know, looks like we might be able to¡ª¡± He froze. His smile faded. Where the hell is she? The wind blew along the cliff¡¯s edge, carrying with it the scent of salt and earth. Mira walked without hesitation, her white gown brushing the rocky path. The ocean stretched endlessly below, waves crashing far beneath her feet. Behind her, Bae stood, watching as she moved away from him¡ªagain. ¡°Unbelievable,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Still ignoring me?¡± He raised his hands slowly, clapping them together with a sharp, echoing sound. The air shimmered. With a low hum, something began to descend from the sky¡ªglinting, shining. A cascade of pure gold, smooth and flawless, fell from the heavens and landed just ahead of her, catching the sunlight like a beacon. Surely, this would get her attention. But Mira didn¡¯t stop. She didn¡¯t even slow down. Without a second glance at the pile of gleaming gold, she stepped casually around it. Her gaze had fallen elsewhere¡ªa tiny flower, delicate and pale, blooming from beneath a rock. She knelt and plucked it gently. Tucking it behind her ear, she rose again without a sound. Bae stared at her. ¡°Seriously?¡± he whispered. In a blink, he appeared beside her. His gaze flicked from the untouched gold to the small flower in her hair. He stared for a long moment before forcing a smile and folding his arms across his chest. ¡°So¡­ you do like pretty things. Didn¡¯t take you for the sentimental type, but hey, I¡¯ve been wrong before.¡± He raised his hand, and with a single sweeping gesture, color burst from the earth. Flowers of every shade began blooming in neat patterns, spreading out between them¡ªvivid reds, deep blues, soft violets, and bright yellows. The field seemed to come alive, the blooms stretching toward Mira as though reaching for her. She paused, her eyes fixed on the trail of color before her. Then, without hesitation, she began following the path of flowers. She plucked them one by one¡ªcarefully, with purpose¡ªexamining each before adding it to her growing collection. ¡°Huh,¡± Bae murmured to himself, ¡°I think this might get interesting.¡± The path of flowers led upward, winding slowly along the hillside. Mira followed it without looking back. Bae remained a few steps behind her, his gaze fixed on the silent girl, watching her every move. After a while, the hill¡¯s peak came into view. Bae slowed his pace. At the summit lay a meadow unlike any other. The grass glowed with golden light under the late afternoon sun. Flowers of impossible colors covered the ground, stretching endlessly into the distance. Trees with silver leaves swayed gently in the breeze, their branches heavy with bright fruit. Mira stood at the top of the hill, staring out at the sight before her. For a long moment, she didn¡¯t move. And then¡ª She ran. Her laughter rang out, clear and bright. Arms stretched wide, she entered the field, brushing her fingers against the tops of the flowers, spinning through the color and light. Bae followed slowly after her, watching. When Mira reached a large, ancient tree at the meadow¡¯s center, she stopped. A swing hung from one of its broad branches, the ropes worn smooth from time and use. Without a second thought, Mira climbed onto it, gripped the ropes, and pushed off gently with her feet. She moved back and forth, higher with each pass. For the first time since he had created her, Bae saw her smile¡ªa genuine, unguarded smile, free of the quiet defiance he had seen before. With a faint hum of power, he appeared beside her, seated on a second swing that hadn¡¯t been there a moment earlier. He glanced at her, watching the way she leaned back with each arc, as though trying to touch the sky. ¡°You like swinging too?¡± he asked. ¡°How high can you go?¡± Mira didn¡¯t answer, but she pushed harder with her legs, lifting higher and higher. ¡°Oh, I see how it is.¡± Bae grinned, and with a quiet chuckle, pushed off with his own swing. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s see who gets higher!¡± They laughed together as they raced¡ªhigher, faster, their voices echoing across the meadow. Time passed unnoticed as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Eventually, the laughter faded. The swings slowed. The sun hovered just above the horizon, painting the sea below in marvelous hues of gold and crimson. Bae glanced sideways. Mira sat quietly on her swing now, her hands loosely gripping the ropes. Her gaze was distant, watching the sun as it prepared to disappear into the sea. The smile she had worn earlier had faded. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her knees. A soft sigh escaped her lips. Bae watched her for a moment, the grin on his face slowly slipping away. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, nudging his swing closer with a gentle push. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± No response. ¡°You don¡¯t want to swing anymore?¡± Mira didn¡¯t move. She just sat there, still and silent, the breeze playing with the strands of her hair. Bae leaned back on the swing, letting it sway lazily. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± he said after a pause. ¡°I get it. Sometimes things stop being fun, don¡¯t they?¡± He glanced up at the darkening sky, watching as the last streaks of sunlight bled into twilight. ¡°Even when you have everything you could ever think of. After a while, it all just feels... empty.¡± His swing creaked as he shifted his weight. ¡°Especially when there¡¯s no one around to share it with¡­ No one to laugh with...¡± Bae exhaled slowly. ¡°Guess it works the same way for people, huh?¡± He looked closely at Mira. Something in her eyes had changed. ¡°You know what?¡± he said suddenly. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you need.¡± With a clap of his hands, the air stirred again. This time, there was no shimmer of gold, no explosion of flowers or display of power. Instead, a soft, warm light glowed from beyond the hill. Mira lifted her head slowly. A gentle voice echoed up from below¡ªsoft, familiar, calling out through the evening air. ¡°¡­Mira!¡± Mira turned sharply. Her eyes widened as she looked down the slope. There, in the middle of a field, stood a small house. Smoke came out of its red chimney. The front door was open, and in its frame stood a woman. She waved, smiling, her voice reaching clearly up the hill. ¡°Mira! Come here, my sweet child! It¡¯s getting late to play outside!¡± Mira looked at the woman. Then back at Bae. He met her gaze. ¡°Go,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you.¡± Mira stood still. Then, without a word, she stepped toward him. Gently, she reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek¡ªa soft, fleeting touch. She lingered there for a moment, then turned and ran down the hill toward the house. Bae remained seated on the swing, watching her go. The breeze stirred again, carrying the sound of laughter from the field below. His fingers brushed absently against his cheek where she had kissed him. ¡°I¡¯ve lit the skies with fire,¡± he murmured, eyes fixed on the fading horizon. ¡°Raised mountains, stirred seas.¡± But that¡­ that was the first time I ever felt¡­ complete.