Drowning. My mind is tossed around inside a whirlpool.

  How much longer do I have to stay here? Someone, pull me out—please.

  “Help me.” My voice is once again swallowed by oppressive silence.

  This is the hundredth attempt, and still, no one has come. I’m foolishly hoping for It to return, even though It was the one who trapped me here. I know I’m pying into Its hands, but I don’t care. It’s preferable to being alone with my tortured consciousness.

  My vision is never steady; it morphs and twists. Sometimes, I see my mother, long before she met Father—gentle, kind, and caring. Then, in a blink, I see her decomposing, her body rotting.

  There are no marks or wounds on her wrinkled skin, only a serene expression. She looks worn, but her beauty lingers. I desperately hope this means she died a painless death in her sleep.

  Sometimes, I see my little sister, her face eternally etched with fear and anxiety. I never noticed it before—of course I didn’t; I was a failure of a sister. Now, in death, she still wears that same expression, frozen in constant worry.

  I hope she knows I loathe every fiber of my being for what I did. Even if it grants me more peace than it does her, I’ll never forgive myself. I pray she can.

  And then, sometimes, I see… myself. A hideous creature, twisted and repulsive. But there’s something wrong. Do I really have such long hair? It’s beautiful—strikingly white, reaching down to my waist, and perfectly kept. Why do I have something so lovely? My usual hair is short, grimy, and unkempt—easier to manage. It feels wrong to have something so beautiful grafted onto this abomination. It’s a waste.

  Hallucinations. That must be it. I’m losing my sanity.

  A vignette of blue surrounds my vision, then shifts to crimson, then bck, repeating over and over. I don’t know what it is or why it’s there, but I find it strangely comforting.

  “Help… me…” The 111th attempt. My voice wilts. Even in the Void, my voice can and still weaken.

  I’ll wait… just a little longer.

  ***

  Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…

  “Mhh…?” The sound of time echoes again. Does this mean I’ll leave the Void? That would be nice—finally leaving.

  No. Calm down, Sera. I swallow my excitement and steady myself. Don’t get your hopes up, or you’ll be let down again. That’s something I learned at least, hehe. Time draws closer, its rhythm growing louder, and then… silence.

  My body belongs to me again. I’m no longer bound by the Void, at least for now. Taking deep breaths, I prepare to face It again.

  I open my eyes to see… starry skies? I was expecting the unfamiliar fancy ceiling.

  “Nnhh…” Groggy, I use my left hand to prop myself against the bed frame. It’s harder than I remember—oh, right, I lost my right arm. I’m still getting used to it.

  As my vision clears, a vast, intricate clock comes into focus—like nothing I’ve ever seen. Its face is a masterpiece, a ttice of delicate blue and silver patterns. It’s almost like stained gss, reflecting starlight from all around.

  A single tear rolls down my cheek. I feel powerless, small. Confronted by this cosmic timepiece, those feelings overwhelm me, yet I can’t help but be in awe. It takes me a while to snap out of it.

  Right. The Void no longer controls me. I have to remember that.

  “Is this… Its creation?” I murmur.

  A giggle echoes from the abyss, “Who knows~? Guess.”

  I tilt my head, curious. The voice is soft yet powerful, almost warrior-like. A sharp pang jolts my head, but it’s weaker this time.

  “A warrior…” She hums, seemingly pleased. “I like that, thank you.”

  “No problem.” I shrug. “So, should I call you a goddess now, since I just learned you’re a girl?” I cringe a bit at the word God, but if it keeps me alive, so be it.

  She giggles. “Call me whatever you like. But you’re not too fond of the idea, are you?”

  She knows my hatred for divine beings. So, they’re real after all.

  “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll find I’m not divine. I’m something much, much worse.”

  A shiver runs down my spine, but confusion tempers my fear. Why would She tell me She’s a threat?

  “Thank you? I guess…” I mutter.

  She huffs. “Fine, whatever. Come along when you’re ready.”

  She sounds disappointed. A first, perhaps. Disappointing a celestial being… I smirk to myself. Even after death, I’m still me. I push myself off the bed.

  “Yeah, sure. I guess I’m ready.” I say, wiping the smirk off my face.

  A simple “Mhm” from Her, and then everything goes bnk—except for the excruciating pain, like my consciousness being ripped from my body.

  When my vision returns, I catch a glimpse of my nerves and organs before muscle and skin encase them.

  Panting, I struggle to speak. “What… the hell was that?!”

  She answers with a ugh, “Teleportation. Fun, wasn’t it?”

  “Telepor—what? No! It was awful!” I shout, my voice muffled by the floor.

  “Oh, feisty today, are we?” Her voice has a low, daunting edge that freezes me. I got carried away.

  “N-Nothing.” My voice quivers. I can’t look up, can’t face Her. “I… I got comfortable with you. Sorry for the outburst.”

  “Comfortable?” She echoes, almost amused. “Interesting. Lift your head, Sera.”

  I do as she says, and when my eyes meet hers, I’m jolted back, heat rising to my cheeks. This celestial being—a thing of beauty and terror. Her body is like gss and light, transparent yet solid, with six arms moving in a hypnotic rhythm. Her face is feminine, but her lips are sharp, cutting.

  “I know I’m mesmerizing, but stop ogling me.” She snaps, and I jolt.

  “Y-Yes!” I stammer, averting my gaze. “It’s hard not to, given how… enchanting you are.”

  She sneers. “Interesting. I’m gd I chose you as my first follower.”

  Her words hit me hard. “Follower…?”

  She grins. “Yes, that’s right. I’ve watched you for so long.” Her cold, warm hand caresses my cheek. “I’m gd you chose to end it early. I was going mad, unable to have you.” Her touch is chilling yet strangely soothing.

  I freeze. I start to question everything—how should I feel? How should one even feel? A goddess wants to own me. Why? I’m a failure, and yet, here she is.

  “Aw, don’t think like that. You’re different from the others,” she murmurs, almost kindly.

  I narrow my eyes. “What’s so special about me?”

  “Let’s see… you’re alive after hearing my voice!” She beams, cpping her hands while stroking my hair.

  Pats… They feel nice. I nuzzle into her touch.

  She giggles. “Not only did you withstand a divine voice, but you didn’t bleed out upon seeing me. You survived teleportation. Be proud, Sera.”

  I smile, still enjoying her touch. I suppose people usually die from this.

  “Exactly, ahh I love how foolish humans are to try to harness the power of space, only to watch in horror as their organs and nervous systems are torn apart from their body and they bleed out~.” Her breathing quickens, her cheeks tinged with color.

  I’m unsure if I imagined her… excitement.

  She coughs, regaining her composure. “Ah, I may have gotten carried away. Pretend you did not saw that. Or not and continue to think about it, up to you.”

  “S-Sure…” I stammer.

  She cps her hands, all six of them, signaling a change. “As my follower, you have one job. Entertain me.” Her voice has lost its warmth, now cold as ice, piercing me to my core. “You are free to entertain me however you wish. Just do it well, Anasera.”

  Entertainment. That’s my new purpose. I suppose it isn’t all that bad; at least someone is willing to watch over me, albeit not for a good reason. Even so, I feel a tinge of warmth seeping through my skin, spreading to my entire being. Happy—that’s the emotion I think I’m feeling. Did this emotion solely comes from me? Or did the Goddess tweak something within me? Either way, I’d like to stay like this. Just a little longer.

  “Good. Always knew you were the type not to ask questions.” She smiles. “Not that it matters. You’ll understand once you arrive at your destination.”

  Destination… So, I’m going somewhere else from here. I want to ask her where exactly I’m headed; I don’t want to disappoint her. Well I already did once, but I’m not willing to push my luck here.

  Sensing my confusion, she adds, “It’s no biggie. I’m just tossing you into the dungeon I’ve created. Try to survive, okay?” Her grin stretches from ear to ear.

  Summoning every ounce of strength in my body, I break free from my frozen state and manage a nod. So, this is what she meant when she said I’d be fighting for my freedom.

  “If I survive, do I get to leave?” My voice is close to breaking.

  She ughs. “Cute. You’re always so cute. I can’t say for sure—that would spoil the best part. All I can say is, figure it out on your own, okay?” She notices my face growing increasingly pale and continues, “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll get a… starter kit of sorts. So you won’t die too quickly!”

  “That doesn’t…” That doesn’t make it better! Is what I’d like to convey to the Goddess, but I’ll refrain from doing so. I’d like my body intact please—minus my right arm. “Okay, that sounds good.” I continue with a shaky voice.

  “Mhm! We have an agreement then! Now let’s move on with the ritual to speed things up~.”

  “Wait what ritua— ah!” Four of her hands lowers to my body and binds them in pce. They all pull me down to the floor with so much force that the floor starts to crack. I think my bones are too. “Goddess? Wh-What is this…?” My voice shrivels even more.

  Her free hand lifts my chin up, forcing me to bore into her icy, ethereal eyes. “This is the ritual. I’ll be marking you as mine. May you be a devout follower.”

  Her face inches closer, and closer.

  The fight and flight responses kick in, my breathing grows ragged. It’s… NO! GET AWAY! I try to shout, but all that comes is whimpers. The more I fight the tighter her grips become. NOT THIS AGAIN, PLEASE! Not this, please, no, no more. I don’t want to be reminded of her.

  As, my struggles are futile.

  Her tongue entered my mouth, before entangling with my own. Tears rolls down my cheeks. I cry, whimper, and yet she continues her assault.

  I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. My mind loops. This is the same when I was with her.

  Why is the Goddess doing this? If she had been watching me, she would’ve known. Did she lie? She lied. I believed her. I’ve been betrayed yet again. I hate it. The tears continue to flow, and her cold, icy tongue pushes deeper inside my mouth.

  An eternity passes, and she lets go. My body slumps, its energy drained. I keep sobbing on the gss floor like an idiot.

  “Raise your head, Sera.”

  As cold and piercing as her voice is, I did not obey. I won’t obey to this person. Never again. I won’t repeat this mistake.

  “Fuck you. No.” I answer in between sobs.

  “Pathetic. Very well, the ritual is done. I look forward for your entertainment.”

  Does she feel no guilt at all? She must have known—known what I’ve been through. Surely, there were other ways to complete this ritual besides… this. She’s a Goddess, after all.

  “And precisely because I am, I feel no guilt,” she replies, as if reading my mind. “I chose the ritual in the way that suited me. I’m pleased I picked the one you enjoyed most.”

  My heart burns. It’s igniting.

  “You…” I stammer, my breath growing unsteady. “…chose it on purpose?” Part of me refuses to believe it. Surely, the Goddess isn’t that cruel. But why do I even hope? Why do I still cling to this belief in the goodness of people… or celestial beings? My chest bzes, a storm raging within.

  She grins, her smile stretching unnaturally wide. “I did. Yes.”

  The fire consumes me. “You piece of shit… I’ll kill you…” My body moves before I can think. I try to stand, failing pitifully at first, before lunging at her.

  I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t even know if I’ll succeed. Landing a single blow would be a triumph for someone as weak as me.

  “Hehe, entertain me well, Anasera.” She cps her many hands, and a rift to the Void opens beneath me.

  “Don’t you fucking dare, you asshole!” I scream, but what can I possibly do against a Goddess?

  Just as my fist is about to connect—the Void swallows me whole. Darkness floods my vision. And once again, I lose.

  Entertainment, huh? I’ll make this fun for you, Goddess.

  ***

  Notes: Hiya, I remembered my password. Yeah, life got a hold of me, for better or worse. But I won in the end, at least for now! Well then, enjoy the next three chapters, I've a ton pnned. <3