Siddhartha
Where am I? Why is it so dark in here? And why am I naked? At least I think I'm naked. In truth, I can't tell. My body is just completely black with a white outline. This is so strange; I feel so calm. I wouldn't expect that I would be this calm. I should be shocked and freaking out, but I'm not. I feel unnervingly calm. The last thing I remember is I got home from work and went to bed, and then I just woke up here, in this dark place. There are these massive pillars in the distance. They are illuminating a bright golden light. It's so beautiful. I can't take my eyes off of it… This pillar is so massive. It stretches endlessly in the sky. Is this really happening to me? This has to be a dream! There is no way this isn't a dream, right? Wait, what was that? I feel something watching! It feels like a malevolent force is watching me, hiding in the darkness. What is it? I want to run, but I can't! Why can't I run?! It's getting closer! I don't know how, but I can feel it getting closer! Wait, what is that?! Its face peered out of the darkness! It looks like a man, or, to be more accurate, it looks like a poor imitation of a man! Its skin was riddled with holes, exposing the muscle underneath, making the thing look like Freddy Krueger! It has three empty eyes that were staring into my soul! A lot of its body is hidden. It's smiling at me, why?! I can't take my eyes off of it! It feels like my heart is going to burst out of my chest! I don't want to move! If I don't move, maybe it won't see me!
"Be not afraid."
It spoke! Its mouth didn't move when it spoke! It just kept smiling! I wish it would stop smiling! Its voice was raspy, making it sound like an old man, but also its voice has this charm to it. Making it sound like an over-friendly salesman… That's it! He sounds like a snake-oil salesman! What is he trying to sell?
"I am your God."
"..." This thing is God?! There is no way that this thing is God! I don't believe it! I will never believe it! I'm not very religious, but even I know that this thing isn't God! It's more like Satan than God!
"Please speak, my child."
"..." What should I say?! Wait, I got it! "Why am I here? Why did you bring me here?" Why did it bring me here? What would a quote-on-quote God have to do with me, a normal human? I am pretty smart, but it's not like I'm a genius or anything. And I'm not all that strong.
"You're here because you died in your previous world—"
"Wait, I'm dead?!" There's no way that I'm dead! This must be some sort of a joke!
"Yes."
"How?!"
"Does it matter? You're dead. Learning how you died wouldn't change anything."
"It matters to me!"
"How dare you speak to your God in such a disrespectful way!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Oh, sorry about that."
"What was that!" I felt like my mind exploded and then was put back together in an instant! I could feel and taste colors! Cold felt hot and hot felt cold! Nothing made sense and everything made sense! The universe spoke to me, and it was angry!
"I'm protecting your mind. I'm a God so your mind can't comprehend that. So I need to prevent your mind from breaking into a million pieces."
What! My mind broke! I need to calm down. If I say or do anything that this God doesn't like, then who knows what he's going to do to me? "So my mind broke?"
"Only for a second."
"That doesn't make me feel better." This is insane! This isn't happening! This can't be happening!
"I wouldn't worry about it."
"That's easy for you to say."
"You seem to talk to me so casually. Maybe I should let your mind break again so that you learn to speak in the way I deserve."
"No, no, no! Please, I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"
"Very well. I will forgive you, for now. Be sure to not forget it!"
"Yes, of course. I will never forget it."
"Good! Now let's get to business. I have brought you here! I've chosen you as my champion!"
"Your champion?"
"Yes, my champion! I have chosen you as my champion! You will be reborn in a new world. A world full of magic and dragons!"
Wait, I'm being reborn in a new world! With magic and dragons?! "Why am I being reborn in a new world?"
"I need you to fight someone for me."
"Fight someone?"
"Yes! I have brought you here for a reason. You need to defeat someone called Uriel! He's like the devil! Someone who is just purely evil!"
"... Why do I need to fight him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, your God? Can't you just kill him?"
"True, but I have a policy to try not to interact with humans. I want you humans to solve your own problems! I want you to grow and change, and if I solved all of your problems, then what would the point be? But there is something else that is preventing me from defeating Uriel. He's strong! Really strong! And if I die, everything dies! And that's Uriel's ultimate goal! To kill everything! I just can't risk it."
Well, it looks like this God isn't omnipotent. This Uriel guy sounds pretty bad. I don't want to fight him! He kind of sounds like the classic demon lord in average isekai anime. "I see, but do I have any chance of defeating him? If he's so strong that he could defeat you, do I, a mere mortal, have a chance of defeating him?"
"Don't worry. In this new world, you will be able to grow strong enough to defeat him. You just need to train and keep at it."
"Really! It's that easy?"
"For you, yes!"
"Why just for me?"
"Because you are from a different world, it would be easier for you because you already know about magic."
"Oh, I understand. So I'm being reborn in a new world to defeat a guy for you? Did I get everything right?"
"Yes."
It's pretty cool to think that I'm being reborn in a fantasy world. I'm literally an isekai protagonist. I wonder what the world is like. Is it your typical fantasy world, or is it more unique? Wait, is there magic in the world?! I would think so, but I should make sure. "Did you say that this world has magic?"
"What, you don't believe me?"
"What, no! That's not what I meant."
"It's fine. I can show you!"
It put its hand forward, and then flickers of sparks began to form around its hand. Flying around its palm like a fire was being started. Then a small flame formed, quickly growing in size. The divine flame soon grew to unbelievable proportions, lighting up the surrounding area. Revealing hidden truths, then it began to reseed. Just as quickly as it grew, it faded. The flame was back at its original size. Small, barely visible. Then the flame was snuffed out, and the small flicker of light it produced left with it.
"So, do you believe me now?"
"Yes! How did you do that?"
"Someday you will be able to do this as well. But I have a question for you."
"What?"
"Do you understand?"
"Understand what?" What does he mean? It used magic to make that flame.
"Hm, how disappointing."
"I'm confused?"
"Don't worry, it's not important."
"Oh, okay?" I'm so confused. I thought it was showing me magic, but apparently, there was more to it.
"Do you have any questions for me?"
"?"
"Come on, I'm God. You must have some questions for me."
"Well, if you insist. What's the meaning of life?"
"What a boring and pointless question."
"You said to ask. And that's the question to ask. And what do you mean by pointless?"
"It's pointless because if I tell you, it won't have any profound effect on your life. You will just continue to live your life as you always have."
"Well, I would still like to know."
"Fine. At least it has an interesting answer. The meaning of life is suffering."
"... Suffering?!" I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that!
"Yes, suffering."
"Why would you make the meaning of life suffering?!"
"Because suffering inspires the greatest change. If humans never suffered, then you wouldn't push yourselves for a better future. You would never push yourselves to conquer your desires, to have control over your mind, body, and soul. Because suffering inspires the greatest change!"
"I think I agree with you." I never really thought about this question before. This does make me kind of depressed, but it is equally funny to know that everything is pointless. And to know that there are people out there thinking that there is a profound meaning to life. It does make sense. "Even though I agree with you, I do think there is a point to be raised. Not all change is good. People can change for the worse."
"That is true, but that's fine."
Circling back to when my mind broke, it said it was protecting my mind. Is that why I was calm earlier? "Hey, I have a question for you. When you told me you were protecting my mind—"
"Don't worry, your mind is fine, I think."
"You think!" Is my mind permanently damaged?!
"Don't worry about it."
That doesn't make me feel better! "Anyways, is that why I felt so calm earlier?"
"It does have that effect on people."
"I thought so. Final question: What's up with my body?"
"I'm talking with your soul."
The soul does exist, huh. I didn't think it would look like this. "So this is what my soul looks like?"
"No, that is not your soul. You can't see your soul. You look like that because your physical body isn't here."
"Oh, okay. A little confusing, but I think I got it." I don't get it. So this isn't my soul and for some reason I can't see it.
"Well, it's time for you to go. Good luck to you! The next time we talk, the war should have started."
"I'm kind of excited… Wait, what war?!"
"Good luck!"
"Wait, what war?!"
"I will be watching, so please put on a good show."
My vision started to fade, and the last thing I saw was its horrifying smile. And as it said, I was reborn into a different world in a different body with golden eyes.