Millions of years had passed since my awakening.
Time no longer held meaning to me.
I wandered the endless cosmos, witnessing the birth of stars and the formation of worlds. Though I possessed unimaginable power, a strange feeling remained within me.
Loneliness.
There were countless lives waiting to be born, yet there was no one I could truly speak to.
Until one day.
As I drifted through the primordial realm, I felt something.
Life.
Warm.
Gentle.
Familiar.
Curious, I followed the sensation.
At the center of a beautiful world untouched by time stood a giant tree whose branches stretched across continents. Rivers of pure energy flowed around it, nourishing everything nearby.
And beneath the tree...
Was a woman.
Her emerald eyes shone brighter than galaxies.
Her golden-green hair flowed like rivers, and flowers bloomed with every step she took.
The moment our eyes met, I froze.
Not because of fear.
But because, somehow...
She felt familiar.
The woman looked at me with surprise.
"So, you're awake."
Her voice was gentle and soothing.
I blinked.
"Excuse me?"
She smiled.
"I have been sensing your presence for a long time, Child of Creation."
"My name is Gaea."
The Mother Goddess.
One of the first Elder Gods.
The source of life on Earth.
A being I had only known through Marvel stories in my previous life.
Yet now...
She stood before me.
And she was real.
Gaea tilted her head.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
I quickly shook my head.
"N-No reason."
Though inwardly, I was panicking.
I'm talking to Gaea!
The Mother Goddess herself laughed softly.
To my surprise, it was not the majestic laughter of a goddess.
It was warm.
Human.
"I suppose you're still adjusting to your existence," she said.
I nodded.
"Everything is still new to me."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Gaea extended her hand.
"Would you like some company?"
I stared at her hand.
For millions of years, I had been alone.
Without hesitation, I accepted.
And for the first time since my rebirth...
I smiled.
Over the following ages, Gaea and I traveled together.
We witnessed worlds being born.
We created forests and oceans.
We laughed.
We talked.
And slowly...
Loneliness disappeared.
One day, while watching stars shine in the distance, Gaea suddenly asked,
"Aetherion."
"Yes?"
"Do you ever regret leaving your old life behind?"
I remained silent.
Eventually, I smiled.
"Sometimes."
"But if I had never died..."
"I would never have met you."
Gaea's cheeks turned slightly red.
And she smiled.
"Then perhaps fate was kinder than we thought."
Neither of us noticed the darkness watching from afar.
Deep within the void, another Primordial being opened his eyes.
His aura was corrupted and twisted.
And as he gazed at Gaea standing beside Aetherion, hatred filled his heart.
"Brother..."
"Why does she choose you?"
The dark Primordial clenched his fists.
And thus...
The seeds of the first war among the Primordial Gods were planted.
To Be Continued...