God Rivalry – Chapter 9: “The Guardians Beyond Time”

  The night was quiet, the only sound the soft ticking of the wall clock in Hirauka’s room. He lay on his bed, drenched in sweat, trembling. Deep gashes, burns, and a crimson stab across his back told the story of the battle he had barely survived.

  He tried to reach the medical kit on the shelf, but his arm refused to obey. Every muscle protested. Blood dripped onto the bedsheet.

  Hirauka (weakly, bitterly): “Guess I won this time… but barely.”

  Suddenly, a small diary-like book fell from the top shelf, landing open on his chest. The text shimmered faintly in green light.

  “The Dagger of Life — a sacred blade forged through will. A strike to oneself restores body and soul, channeling vitality from within.”

  Hirauka: “A dagger… that heals?”

  He whispered the crafting spell on the page. A faint glow formed in his palm. Metal and light twisted together, shaping a small dagger with a green handle.

  Hesitant, he took a deep breath and stabbed the blade into his stomach. Silence… then warmth. The bleeding stopped. Pain faded. His skin glowed faintly.

  Hirauka: “…No pain. Just… gone.”

  Minutes later, fully healed, he stared at the dagger, still pulsing faintly. Flipping through the diary, he discovered descriptions of ancient weapons:

  Infinity Axe — unbreakable, absorbs any form of energy.

  Destruction Sword — obliterates all that stands in its path.

  Holy Hammer — bearer of the Realm of Non-Existence; one strike erases an entity from all timelines.

  Hirauka: “Weapons like these actually exist…?”

  A torn page caught his eye. Only one word remained: ‘Wand.’

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Hirauka (whispering): “A wand… could there be another missing weapon?”

  Shaking the thought, he went downstairs. The house was quiet.

  Hirauka: “Mom?”

  No answer. Only the faint hum of the refrigerator. He found a hamburger, ate quietly, and stared at the wall. Memories of the raid — screams, claws, near-death — crept in.

  Hirauka (thinking): “What if I hadn’t survived? Would this have been my last raid…?”

  The door creaked. Sanae, his mother, stepped in with groceries.

  Sanae: “Oh, Hirauka, you’re home! How was your day?”

  Hirauka: “Can’t say much about that.”

  Sanae: “Something wrong? You look pale.”

  Hirauka: “Nothing big… just a meeting failure at the office.”

  Sanae: “Failures aren’t there to break you. They teach you, help you improve. That’s life.”

  Hirauka (smiling faintly): “Yeah… thanks, Mom.”

  Dinner passed in quiet comfort, grounding him. For the first time all day, he felt human beneath the divine mantle.

  Later, at his laptop, a thought struck him.

  Hirauka: “If God can contact me… why can’t I contact Him?”

  Closing his eyes, he pushed his consciousness outward, focusing all his aura.

  The world faded.

  He opened his eyes to an endless black void, stars and light swirling around him. No sound. No time. No space.

  Hirauka: “Where… am I?”

  A voice echoed, immense and timeless.

  Unknown Voice: “Who are you, mortal? How did you enter the Null Void?”

  Two radiant figures floated before him, beings of pure light and cosmic energy.

  Hirauka: “I’m Hirauka. A raid conqueror, chosen by the God of Weaponry… who are you?”

  Space Guardian: “Raid conqueror… I am the Guardian of Space.”

  Time Guardian: “I am the Guardian of Time. Rare, even impossible, for a human to reach us. You’ve done what even gods fail to do.”

  Hirauka (grinning): “I guess I’m special. Didn’t mean to disturb you — I was trying to contact the God of Weaponry, but… wrong turn?”

  Space Guardian: “Such mistakes are rare — perhaps destined.”

  Time Guardian: “Your willpower is extraordinary. Few mortals could perceive this realm.”

  Hirauka: “It’s an honor to meet the Guardians of Time and Space.”

  Space Guardian: “And ours to meet one favored by gods. You may ask for something — a gift for reaching beyond existence.”

  Hirauka: “I don’t want much… but can I form a link, so I can reach you again whenever I need?”

  Space Guardian (smiling faintly): “Clever request.”

  Time Guardian: “Granted.”

  Space and Time (in unison): “Whenever you seek us, say the phrase — ‘Far from reality, gates of Space and Time open.’ The path will appear.”

  Hirauka: “Got it. Thank you.”

  The figures raised their hands. The realm faded into silver mist.

  Space Guardian: “Until next time, mortal.”

  Time Guardian: “Until time itself bends again.”

  Hirauka opened his eyes back in his room, the clock ticking softly. He took a deep breath, a faint smile crossing his face.

  Hirauka (to himself): “Far from reality… looks like my world just got a lot bigger.”

  The green-handled dagger pulsed faintly beside him. Outside, the night sky shimmered. For a moment, it almost seemed as if the stars themselves were watching.