Whispers of a Dead Empire

Chapter 2

Hoi Hoi! I have a large backlog of chapters for this story. Time to upload like a normal human being. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

I really wish I had my phone right now. A flashlight light would have been lovely right about now. I glanced behind me cautiously and then back into the corridor. An itching feeling told me that entering here would be dangerous, but the only way for me to take was forward since the portal behind me vanished. I swallowed the saliva that was building up in my mouth and pressed on. The air was heavy and stale, with just a touch of humidity. The further I went, the more darkness started to consume my vision. I felt stones shift under my shoe with each step I took. I reached out and pressed one of my hands against the stone wall. Each step I took was slow and ponderous. Considering the state of the place, I wouldn't be shocked if there was something for me to trip on. So far, the path felt empty for the most part. I kept walking for an undetermined amount of time before the wall start to curve. I wasn't too scared of anything coming after me. Honestly, the worst part was just the silence that engulfed me. There was nothing but the sound of my breath and the thudding of my heart to keep me company.

Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to have walked through a mysterious portal in the middle of the night, but it was too late for me to go back now. I quietly crept forward until I felt the wall come to an end. I reached out and ran my fingers across the area. I could feel the dry grain of wood and then the cold bite of rusted metal. I slid my hand down and felt another metal ring under my fingertips, and I gave it a hard pull. The door shrieked on its hinges as it swung out. Behind it was a room that was dimly lit. In the center was an orb that rotated on a circular stone platform. Its surface was inky grey with spots of black mixed in that lagged behind the orbs' movements. I glanced around the room and saw nothing else. I stepped forward and observed it for a few minutes. I wonder what it was. The motions it made were enthralling. In fact, they were entirely hypnotic to behold, and before I knew it, I was utterly mesmerized. I reached out to touch its surface. It parted around my fingers like water and heat rushed to my fingertips.

Words began to crawl across my vision, and a wave of panic washed over me as the orb sped up and began to consume my arm. I tried to yank my arm away, but it was glued to the surface. Out of desperation, I placed my feet on the altar and tried to use my entire body to pull away. Pain never once visited me while I struggled to free my arm. Just a loving warmth that slowly spread through my body. Peace and serenity began to well in my chest as the orb moved up my arm and began to devour my shoulder. My mind grew murky, and my body began to go limp. I tried to struggle once more, but I lost the energy to do so. Instead, I pulled inward and tried to mentally fight my encroaching doom. At first, I felt like I was bound and struggling against chains, but the more I fought, the more I felt my restraints began to weaken. Slowly my vision greyed out, and I lost all control of my body, just as I pushed through the last chain holding me back.

More words flashed across my vision, chasing away the darkness that threatened to consume me. But what did they mean? What was all of this? Why was it asking me to choose my affinity? I struggled against the encroaching darkness, and more words started to appear before me.

What was this for? I quickly scanned across the text and saw that I was something called Domain God, but what was that? I have never heard of something like that before? I had so many questions that I didn't have answers for. But one step at a time. I did this to myself, so I might as well see where this takes me. It wanted me to choose an affinity, so I guess that's something that I would be using a lot, so let me make a smart choice. I can panic after all this is over, at least. My eyes danced across the list, and I took all the information in. There was an option for more, but I didn't want to overwhelm myself with it. I would choose from this list alone. The words blinked as they patiently waited for me to make a selection. Initially, it said that I was supposed to be a dungeon core, so if what I am does something like that, my choice will significantly affect me.

Fire felt cliche, and so did ice, though they were too tempting to select, just for the sheer opportunity that it could grant me. Electricity was also excellent cause I could be something like Zeus or Thor. That would be pretty cool. Gravity and space seem like they would be overpowering. Arcane looked to be related to magic, so that was also pretty dope. All of these choices were far too good. There was even sand! I could be like that one sand ninja from that anime I watched while growing up. There was even death, which means that I could be like the grim reaper! The choices I saw made me salivate, but I could only choose one. I looked through them all and eventually decided to go with gravity. I mean, out of all the choices, I feel like this would be the strongest. I selected it, and the words flickered.

What? My gravity affinity was taken from me? I couldn't help but feel disappointed by that. I was actually looking forward to all the possibilities that having a gravity affinity would bring. But I received the undeath affinity in turn. I can't say that I am super disappointed by that. That means zombies and stuff, right? But the question is, what the difference between that and the death affinity? I skimmed over the new text and saw the message about the query bar. I guess I better put that to fair use while I can.

I submitted my question into the bar and waited for a split second.

The response replaced everything else in my vision. So it was called Tenith then. So I wasn't on Earth anymore. Note to self, don't walk through strange portals anymore. On to the next question. One that was burning in my mind like a hot star.

The query bar blinked as the response came in almost instantaneously.

I hate these short answers. Let me try something else to see if I can get a better answer.

This was actually something I wasn't expecting. I walked through a portal, touched a divine spark or whatever it was, and became something like a god. That's something out of a dream. Maybe somebody slipped some drugs into my food or something when I wasn't looking, or perhaps I am losing my mind.

Maybe if I stick with this, I will eventually get to go back. Imagine going back to see my mom or dad as a god. That would be a sight to see. The washed-up daughter coming back as a diety. It made me chuckle before the thought of them stabbed a knife of guilt into my heart. I should have said something to them before I did something stupid like this. Now it's too late.

Well, that was helpful. Maybe it was possible. I got myself into this mess, I will get myself out of it, now onto the next pressing question on my mind.

So, I was going to be a necromancer god? I mean, that doesn't seem too bad. That's what zombies and stuff? Maybe more. I wasn't super against the idea. I was always interested in that sort of stuff growing up, even if it was only superficially. So this works out; I get to sate my curiosity a bit with this and see where it goes, I suppose.