The Genesis Of A Necromancer

Gods—these were the beings who ruled over the entire universe, commanding powerful forces that shaped existence itself. They were omnipotent, omnipresent, and unknowable. Legends said they had come into existence alongside the universe, their origins as enigmatic as the creation of time itself.

Jack's lips curled into a bitter smile as he thought about these supposed divine entities. Conceitful beings—that was the only way he could describe them. Trusting a god was akin to inviting disaster. He had good reason to feel this way.

Why? Because everything always seemed to fall into their court. The gods were creators, but they were also destroyers. They bestowed life with one hand and snatched it away with the other, often without rhyme or reason.

The thought had haunted him for years, simmering in the recesses of his mind. He could never forget it.

'If they're truly almighty,' Jack mused, 'then why didn't they stop the wars? Why didn't they end the suffering that plagued humanity? Why didn't they save me when I needed them most?'

He had been abandoned—not just by society but by the very world that should have nurtured him. His existence had been discarded, his worth dismissed. He lived a life devoid of purpose, a meaningless drift through time.

Yet, these gods, who were meant to be saviors, had stood by and watched as his life unraveled. They had witnessed him endure humiliation, neglect, and misery—and done nothing. No salvation. No intervention. The conclusion he arrived at was as grim as it was inevitable:

'We're just their playthings. They let us suffer, let us struggle, because it's entertainment for them. They use our lives to settle their petty disputes. At the end of the day, they know we'll come crawling back, desperate for their mercy.'

The realization had darkened his worldview, but now, standing in the presence of Olion and Erebus, he was beginning to see just how accurate his beliefs were. Humanity's misery wasn't solely of its own making. The problem lay with the beings who had created them. But why?

That question gnawed at him, clawing at his thoughts. It was a mystery he intended to unravel—though not right now. Erebus's sudden outburst shattered his musings.@@novelbin@@

"You fool!" Erebus roared, his aura swelling into a tempest of dark energy. "You paired him with me without even consulting me? Do you have any idea what you've unleashed?!"

Jack took a cautious step back, his eyes darting between the two gods. Erebus's fury was palpable, like a storm threatening to tear the void apart.

"Uh... Should I be worried?" Jack asked hesitantly. His gut already screamed the answer: Yes. Definitely yes.

Olion remained composed, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Erebus's wrath. "It was the only way," he replied, his voice steady but tinged with an undertone of weariness. "The only way to ensure he succeeds."

"Okay, hold up." Jack raised a hand, signaling for a timeout. "What does he mean, 'paired'?"

Erebus turned his searing gaze onto Jack, his dark eyes burning with disdain. "It means you're stuck with me, mortal. Congratulations. Your odds of survival just got even worse."

Jack frowned, his confusion deepening. "But… why?"

"Because," Olion interjected, "Erebus is the only one who understands the trials you will face. He is the balance to my guidance—the shadow to my light."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, I've noticed he's great at being a shadow."

Erebus's aura flared again. "And here I was thinking you'd prepared for my return!" he snapped, directing his ire back at Olion. "Do you even understand what chaos this might cause?"

Olion's serene expression didn't falter. "I considered every factor before setting this plan into motion. The other gods will undoubtedly be alarmed by your reappearance. Seth has already corrupted one of my own, if not all of them." He sighed, a weary sound that spoke of battles fought and burdens carried. "The council wanted to destroy your reincarnation cycle, to prevent your soul from recovering completely. I placed this young man's soul into the vessel to disguise your essence. Coupled with that, I intended to pass on my divinity to him. Unfortunately, this has caused... complications on my end."

"And that's why you want to merge my soul completely with that of a human?!" Erebus demanded, his voice sharp with incredulity.

"Isn't that what you had planned before I intervened?" Olion's tone was laced with mock sympathy. "I'm merely assisting you."

Erebus scoffed, folding his arms and looking away. It was clear Olion had seen through his schemes. Erebus couldn't claim the body without Jack's cooperation—not fully. He needed Jack to willingly accept the merger. Only then could he seize control.

Jack narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Is there something you're not telling me about this soul merging?"

Erebus responded with another derisive scoff, refusing to answer. Olion, however, turned to Jack with a faint smile.

"Don't mind him," Olion said. "He always has a scheme. The council feared him because of his power and his... condition. I'm afraid you'll inherit some of his traits after the merging." He paused, his gaze softening. "In essence, I'm only here to ensure my brother honors the agreement you both made."

"Together," Olion continued, his tone shifting to one of quiet intensity, "you will forge a path through the chaos. But be warned: the challenges ahead will test you to your limits—and beyond."

Jack's chest tightened as he stared at the two gods. A sinking feeling churned in his gut. He had already died once; he wasn't eager to repeat the experience.

"Great," he muttered. "More tests. Just what I needed."

Erebus crossed his arms, his expression dark. "You'd better pray you're ready, mortal," he said coldly. "Because if you fail, there won't be a second chance."

Jack met his gaze, his own eyes hardening with resolve. "I've been through hell before," he said quietly. "What's one more trip?"

Erebus smirked, though there was no humor in it. "You'll regret those words soon enough."

Olion stepped back, his gaze lingering on Jack. "Remember this," he said. "You are not alone. Even in the darkest moments, you will have allies. Know whom to trust, and trust in yourself."

Jack nodded slowly, the weight of their words settling over him like a mantle. The void around them began to shift, its boundaries rippling as if preparing to dissolve. He didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: there was no turning back now.

As silence enveloped the trio, Jack steeled himself. A storm was coming, and he would have to face it head-on.

Jack's mind swirled with a tumult of thoughts, but amidst the storm, the system interface suddenly blinked to life before him, its cold, mechanical message cutting through the chaos like a blade.

[System reset completed]

[Soul syncing will commence]

A quick reminder. The ordeal wasn't over. The strange force that had gripped him earlier still held his soul, the weight of it pulling at him like an invisible anchor.

Olion's gaze shifted toward Erebus, a faint smile tugging at his lips, one full of knowing and quiet defiance.

"I know you're too stubborn to let a human soul completely throw you off," Olion spoke with a smirk, his eyes glinting with some hidden certainty. "So, I know we'll meet again."

Erebus, now standing at the epicenter of the swirling darkness, scoffed, his towering presence unshaken. "Hmph..." His voice was a low, thunderous growl, like the rumble of an approaching storm. "I am the strongest god there is. There's no way a human soul can overthrow me. This is merely a waste of time. If it took the entire council to get rid of me, what hope does one measly mortal have?" Erebus sneered, the confidence in his voice as unyielding as his stone-like form.

Olion's smile softened, a touch of something akin to pity flickering across his face as he turned toward Jack, who had been silently observing the exchange. His lips curled into a subtle smirk as he spoke, his words carrying an unspoken weight.

"I don't think you can say that to someone who stands against the entire world."

Jack's breath hitched in his chest at the words. His heart thundered as his mind struggled to process the vast, untapped power that lay just beneath the surface of his skin. He had no idea where this would lead, but there was no turning back now.

"Haraus has been corrupted," Olion continued, his voice becoming more serious, darker. "And he'll definitely come for you. Not only him, but the other gods will sense your presence, and they'll all want to eliminate you." His tone grew grave, but there was a hint of warning in his words, urging Jack to brace himself. "You're a threat to them now, whether you want it or not."

The bright ball of light that was Olion began to pulse with intensity. His form flickered, and with a soft, echoing hum, he vanished into nothingness—leaving behind nothing but a faint trail of light that seemed to linger in the air before it dissipated completely.

Jack opened his mouth to speak, to ask a thousand questions, but before any words could leave his lips, a pull—a force—gripped him. He felt it in the deepest part of his soul, a violent tug toward Erebus.

It wasn't just physical; it was spiritual. Their souls were drawn together like magnets, and in an instant, the world around Jack dissolved, leaving only darkness. Erebus was there, his massive presence looming before Jack like a blackened star, his form now once again swirling into the familiar, ethereal ball of energy.

As Jack's body involuntarily moved toward the center of that swirling mass, an energy unlike anything he'd ever felt surged through him. His heart raced, pounding in his chest, each beat louder and faster than the last. It felt as though his very soul was being torn apart and remade, the sensation almost unbearable. His skin burned with heat, then went cold, as if some deep, unholy force was pulling him into a realm where nothing but death existed.

The strange phenomenon continued to unfold. Jack's vision blurred as the pressure of the energy intensified. The pull toward Erebus was stronger now, inexorable. He felt like a mere thread being drawn into the eye of a cosmic storm.

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Then, something even stranger happened. Jack's entire body pulsed—vibrated—like a string caught in the wind. The air around him seemed to crackle with raw, ancient power. His muscles screamed as the force overwhelmed him, but he didn't resist.

[Soul essence: +100,000]

[Soul essence: +100,000]

[Soul essence: +100,000]

The numbers flashed before his eyes, each notification more staggering than the last. The essence flowed into him, rushing through his veins like molten lava, filling every part of his being. A powerful surge of warmth began to spread across his chest, and for the first time, Jack felt something utterly alien but strangely exhilarating—he felt alive in a way that was impossible to describe.

He had seen soul essence before, but nothing like this. This wasn't just mana. This wasn't just magic. It was a fundamental shift in his existence. The very essence of life—and death—was entering his soul, flooding it, purging him of everything that had come before. And with each surge, with each wave of dark, intoxicating energy, he grew stronger.

The more it flowed through him, the more powerful he felt. It was as though his body was becoming something else, something more than human. The raw energy surged within him, threatening to break free of its confines. His thoughts fractured and merged with the overwhelming tide of power, and somewhere deep within, a whisper—a voice—began to echo inside his mind.

"From now on," Erebus's voice rumbled, low and commanding, "we're one. You will be the lord of the dead. You will be the new ruler."