WHY ME?

WHAT DID I DO?

These questions revolving in Jasvant's mind were like a never-ending storm, swirling and crashing against the walls of his consciousness. At 17 years old, orphaned, and alone, Jasvant had faced more hardships than most could imagine. His parents had perished in a car accident when he was just a child, leaving him to navigate the tumultuous seas of life without a compass.

As if fate hadn't been cruel enough, the universe had one more blow to deliver. A persistent cough and unexplained fatigue led Jasvant to the stark, sterile walls of a hospital. The diagnosis, like a sledgehammer to his fragile world, echoed through the cold corridors: lung cancer. Stage IV, they said, as if the Roman numeral held the weight of his impending doom.

Jasvant, now confined to a hospital bed, felt the icy fingers of despair clutching at his heart. The world outside the hospital window seemed distant and unattainable, a cruel reminder of the life he once knew. He pondered the injustice of it all, grappling with the unfairness that had marked his existence.

Days melted into nights as the sterile hospital room became his new reality. Friends, what few he had visited with sympathetic eyes, unsure of how to comfort a boy who seemed to carry the weight of the world on his frail shoulders. As the pain in his chest intensified and the air grew thinner, Jasvant resigned himself to the inevitable.

One fateful night, as the hospital hummed with the distant sounds of monitors and shuffling nurses, Jasvant closed his eyes for what he believed would be the last time. The steady beeping of the heart monitor began to slow, a somber lullaby signaling the approach of an eternal slumber.

And then, with a gentle whisper, the darkness embraced him.

Cold.

Yet, instead of the expected nothingness, Jasvant found himself engulfed in a surreal landscape. The cold was replaced by warmth, and the oppressive weight on his chest lifted. Opening his eyes, he realized he was no longer in the sterile hospital room, but in a place bathed in ethereal light.

"What do you see?" A voice resounded from all over the place like creaking chains ready to struggle the life out of him.

Jasvant blinked, trying to adjust to the brilliance surrounding him. Standing before him, A figure draped in a shadowy cloak but bare bones could be seen reaching out. It was an imposing presence, radiating both power and ancient wisdom.

"Who are you?" Jasvant stammered, his voice echoing in the luminous expanse.

"I am Thanatos, God of Death," the figure intoned, its voice resonating with an otherworldly authority. "Your time among the living has come to an end, Mortal."

Jasvant's heart skipped a beat. Was this the end? Was this what awaited him after death? A meeting with the god of the underworld?

"Why?" Jasvant questioned, the word escaping his lips as a mere whisper.

Thanatos' hollow eyes seemed to bore into Jasvant's soul. "The threads of mortal life are woven by the Fates, and yours has reached its inevitable conclusion. But..." The god's skeletal hand extended towards Jasvant, a gesture that both comforted and unnerved him. "There is an offer."

Jasvant's eyes widened. An offer? What could a mere mortal have to offer to a god?

"You have shown resilience in the face of adversity," Thanatos continued. "Your spirit refuses to yield even in the darkest of times. I sense a fire within you, a flame that could burn bright even in the realm of gods."

A bewildered expression crossed Jasvant's face. "What are you talking about? What offer?"

Thanatos leaned closer, his skeletal visage inches from Jasvant's. "Reincarnation, mortal. You have the chance to be reborn, to take on a new form and a new purpose. I offer you a second chance at life."

Jasvant hesitated, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. To live again, to escape the clutches of death – it seemed like an impossible dream. Yet, the alternative was an eternity in the cold embrace of the afterlife but-

"What would you get in return for doing this?"

Thanatos' bone-chilling laughter reverberated through the ethereal realm. "Ah, mortal, always questioning the motives of the divine. I gain nothing, for your destiny is not mine to claim. I am but a servant of the natural order, a guide for souls as they journey from one existence to the next. Your reincarnation is not a transaction, but a choice. The question is: will you accept?"

Jasvant's mind raced with uncertainty. The prospect of a new life was tempting, a chance to rewrite his story and leave behind the pain and suffering of his past. But what awaited him in this new existence? Would he be condemned to repeat the same mistakes, doomed to face the same trials and tribulations?

As Jasvant grappled with his decision, memories of his past flooded his mind. The loneliness, the heartache, the unrelenting struggle – it all seemed too much to bear. But amidst the darkness, there were flickers of light. Moments of joy, of connection, of fleeting happiness that had somehow managed to penetrate the veil of despair.

"Ah~ I know that expression, Fear. Fear of unknown territory, fear of what lies beyond the veil of mortality," Thanatos mused, his skeletal grin widening. "But remember, mortal, it is precisely the unknown that holds the potential for greatness."

Jasvant took a deep breath, steeling himself for the decision that could alter the course of his existence. "I accept," he finally said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that lingered in his heart.

Thanatos nodded, his bony hand gesturing toward the boundless expanse around them. "As you wish. Embrace your new beginning, Jasvant."

A blinding light enveloped Jasvant, and he felt a sensation of weightlessness as he traversed the boundaries of existence. The luminosity intensified, erasing all sense of time and space until Jasvant found himself reborn into a world he couldn't fathom.

***

[Mount Olympus]

In clouds above away from mortal coils and earthly concerns, the gods of Olympus gathered, their divine presence radiating power and splendor. Among them, seated on a majestic throne, was Zeus, the ruler of the gods.

"You should smile, Brother. You are going to be a father soon," A middle-aged man with a trident interrupted, his voice tinged with amusement.

AHHHHHH!!!

A woman's scream filled with agony and pain pierced throughout the air.

Zeus looked down with a bemused expression, "Ah, it seems our newest addition to the divine family is making quite an entrance."

"ZEEEUUUSSS!!! YOU FU*KER," Hera, Queen of the Gods, bellowed from the birthing chamber, her voice echoing through the halls of Mount Olympus.

The gods exchanged amused glances, and Poseidon chuckled, "Well, brother, it seems you're in for quite a ride with Hera's 'good' words."

"Indeed," Zeus replied with a resigned smile, "but it is a small price to pay for the joy of fatherhood."

As the gods chuckled amongst themselves, a bright light emanated from the birthing chamber, signaling the arrival of a new divine being. Zeus rose from his throne, his heart filled with anticipation and wonder. Despite the chaos of Hera's birthing chamber, there was a sense of profound joy that permeated the air.

WAR!!!

Suddenly, the sky turned red and thunder roared through the celestial realm. The gods fell silent, their laughter replaced by a tension that hung in the air like an impending storm.

But instead of subjugating, Various types and sizes of weapons started appearing neatly in the sky as if welcoming the newborn.

Zeus furrowed his brows in confusion, his divine senses heightened by the unusual energy that permeated the atmosphere. The weapons, instead of indicating a threat, seemed to arrange themselves in a display, showcasing an array of celestial armaments.

AHHHH!!! AHHHGGG!!!

With each passing second, the atmosphere turns to an intense battle scene, the cries of war echoing through the celestial realm. Zeus exchanged a puzzled glance with his fellow gods, their expressions mirroring his confusion. What could be the meaning of this?

As the cacophony reached its peak, a blinding light erupted from the birthing chamber, engulfing the entire Mount Olympus in its brilliance. When the light finally subsided, all eyes turned toward the source of the disturbance.

Two female figures came from the birthing chamber, One with bright crimson hair reaching her hips and kind amber eyes with a comforting aura. The other had blonde hair cascading down her back, her eyes gleaming with an unkindled spark of happiness holding a celestial glow.

The newborn in the arms of the crimson-haired woman was a sight to behold. Snow-white hair, eyes were closed probably sleeping, with a serene expression on its cherubic face. The divine energy emanating from the newborn filled the air, resonating with the very essence of Mount Olympus.

The gods, still in a state of bewilderment, looked at the scene unfolding before them. The celestial weapons that had manifested earlier now hovered around the newborn, forming a protective barrier. The atmosphere of war transformed into an aura of tranquility as if the very presence of the child had the power to dispel the chaos.

"It's a boy, Brother." said the crimson-haired woman, her voice carrying a soothing melody.

"Can I hold him, Hestia?"

Hestia, the goddess with crimson hair, nodded and gently handed the newborn to Zeus. The divine infant stirred in his arms, eyes opening to reveal a shade of celestial blue. Zeus gazed down at the child, a swell of paternal pride swelling within him.

"He is beautiful," Zeus murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hera approached, her earlier anger replaced by a maternal tenderness as she reached out to cradle the newborn in her arms. Tears welled in her eyes as she pressed a gentle kiss to the infant's forehead, a gesture filled with a love that transcended the chaos of the divine realm.

"Welcome, my son," Hera whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

The other gods gathered around, their expressions a mixture of awe and reverence as they beheld the newest addition to their immortal family. The celestial weapons that had surrounded the newborn now floated in a harmonious orbit around him, a testament to the divine destiny that awaited him.

"Ares..." Zeus whispered "...that shall be his name," Zeus declared, a sense of prophecy echoing in his voice. The gods nodded in agreement, their attention now focused on the infant Ares.

ARES, THE GOD OF WAR

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[To Be Continued]

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Thanks for reading.