My life was coming to its ultimate end. I wished that I could have done more with my life, more for those around me.
I had decided to get out of my shell and do something worthwhile, but that decision had now led to his demise, 'I guess I'm doomed now.'
"You don't have to give up so easily." The man felt an ethereal voice. He tried to open his eyes but nothing, he began to panic and squirm but struggled to do that aswell, "Do not try to struggle, you don't have eyes nor a body, you should already know your situation."
" Am I… dead? Wait, am I about to be isekai'd!"
"Yes, I'm about to give you the premium isekai package."
"Is that an actual thing!"
"Pfft no. But you will be reincarnated. Do you have any problem with that?"
"No, but I want to ask a question." The little soul asked warily.
"Go on."
"Why… me?"
"You have reservations of yourself?"
" I don't believe I am worthy of receiving such grace from a god."
"Why is that?"
"It's just something I've been reminded of my whole life. I never had any friends, no family. I was always considered… a curse."
Ah, the classic ostracised and cursed child, shunned from the world and even those that were meant to protect him, " Need not worry child, whatever you were in your previous life means nothing to me."
" But I can't help but need to repay you in someway. I know I have nothing to offer that's if use to you but please allow me to find some way to repay you!" The soul stood in silence at his words, waiting for a reply.
" Fine then, what I ask in return…
…Is your faith in me."
" That's… all?"
" Yes."
"…Then I allow me to be an object of devotion lord…"
"Pneuma, the god of spirits. Are you ready."
"…Yes. I'm ready, Milord."
"Very well then. From this day forth your past means nothing and your name will become obsolute, your new name will be Gehrman. Time to begin your new life my child."
In a random world in the infinite cosmos, found itself wrapped in fog, separated from the rest of the world's. This fog had silently retreated without anyone even knowing of its presence. The silent cosmic force had only done one thing… and that was to reap one soul.
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Above the sorcerous dynasty of Sarion, the sky twisted into a swirling vortex. The firmament was about to fall and crash upon the world.
The twisting sky finally opened and a storm of grayfog came down until it converged onto one spot. From that spot came a silver haired, red eyed man with only pants, his back had a massive tattoo, a triangular figure composed of three interlocked arcs branded onto his back.
"So this is the Cardinal world lord Pneuma told me about." He looked up at the sky in reverance, he held his hand over his chest with the utmost faith.
" I will make sure that as long as my heart beats, it will forever beat in your name." As he's devotion soared, so did the brand on his back glow brighter with cerulean light.
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"That's way too corny." Shizu said while looking at Gehrman through the gray fog's luminescent screen, "By the way, what is that brand on his back? And don't say it's nothing because it's clearly something."
"It's a triquetra, in our old world, it symbolises interconnectedness and unity."
" That's quite interesting." Shizu was impressed by the symbolism but came too, " But that doesn't answer my question."
I just sighed at her relentlessness, " Those with the mark are connected to me without the need for a soul corridor. The mark itself is my divine protection allowing me to give skills to them from afar and allows those with the mark to utilize the grayfog to a certain extent. It also gives them entry to this place without restriction. Well they can't come to the Astral clocktower, they can only come to the world the tower is connected too."
" And what is this world called?"
"I don't know yet."
"Mm. Well I have to get going to my students now." Shizu got up and walked forward, intending to leave, but then she stopped and turned around to face me.
"Is there something you needed? Oh, wait, you probably want to leave."
"It's…it's not just that. Can I… also get that brand?" Shizu said with a blush.
'Why is she blushing?! Jeez, you could just ask normally.' when he finally lamented the act of his student, she had already gained a triquetra on the back of her hand.
" Now… how do I use this?"
" All you have to do is desire it and you can switch between the cardinal world and the world of IX, but that's the extent of your control over the fog." Upon my words, Shizu closed her eyes to focus and her body disappeared into the fog, returning to the Cardinal world.
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" You are quite the interesting one." Currently Gehrman was sitting Infront of the most important person in the dynasty, Elmesia El Ru Sarion.
The sudden burst from the sky created quite a huge uproar in the dynasty and attracted the attention of the emperor itself, "Your highness, am I allowed to leave. I have to do something to show my lords faith."
" Oh, you already have a master? Despite just being reincarnated?"
" Yes, my lord is the god Pneuma." Gehrman said with uncontained devotion but composure.
Elmesia was surprised by this declaration. Pneuma was the new god whose name had plagued the world, most notably through spirits. Due to the fact his name is spoken through spirits, he has been recognized as a legitimate god by their neighbouring nation of Ulgracia.
" May I ask? Was it Pneuma who summoned you here?"
"Yes. He pulled me from my world upon death and gave me this new body. I'm only basing that on the fact that I look completely different from usual."
"Mhm. Is there any way to speak with your god." Elmesia didn't favour any religion in her country other than one about herself. A way to sever any form of corruption.
" Apologies. I do not know of a current meth-" As Gehrman voiced his thoughts, he felt a transmission from the brand on his back, " Nevermind, it seems that my lord doesn't mind speaking with you."
" Ok then, how does-" Before she could finish her sentence, the brand on his back began to emit a bright light and translucent fog.
Before she could do anything the fog had enveloped her form.