Guardians of The Damned - Chapter 5: ’Tis time

Riven was a young man with dreams as vast as the horizon, but life demanded sacrifice. To support his struggling family, he gave up his education and ambitions, shouldering endless work to keep them afloat. Yet, his loyalty was met with the ultimate betrayal by his own father.As his life slipped away, Riven awoke in an unfamiliar world brimming with magic, reincarnated by a mysterious system. Gifted with a peculiar mana heart that pulses with untold power, Riven is thrust into a realm of mages, monsters, and ancient secrets.Determined to rise above his tragic past, Riven vows to become the strongest mage in this new world, uncovering the mysteries of his strange mana heart and the enigmatic system that guides him.

Life from birth has been nothing but hell. I lost my parents to some stupid aristocrats whom they offended. Executed for no good reason.

My relatives abandoned me and pushed me aside. They feared for their lives and left me and my sister to starve and wander the streets alone!

No, this is worse than hell!

I watched my sister die of starvation. Her lips were dry and her feet bloody. Her nails were broken and her fingers riddled with cuts. She struggled in my hands and after a few seconds of struggle she passed away. She seemed joyful in death so I prayed mine will come just as swift and merciful as hers.

So I stayed in the alleyway, alone with her rotten corpse awaiting my fate for God knows how long. I could see it already. The darkness encroaching from all sides

Everyone said death is scary but I say it’s the end! Who needs life after death? What is the need for reincarnation?

Who would want to return to this crazy world?

“It’s not yet time for you to go… You have one more task to accomplish as my host” A voice called out to me.

I could barely see or speak but how can I miss such a beautiful face? It was an extremely handsome man who gazed at me with tender eyes.

.....

“Haven’t I suffered enough? Can’t I just rest?” I cried out. Why would I want to stay back in such a cruel world?

“Don’t you want to avenge the death of your parents? Don’t you want to become something greater? I can make that happen!” The beautiful man said with an alluring voice.

“You… Who are you?” I asked with an anxious heart.

My parents always said God is the only one who cares about me! Maybe in my final hours, he has come to save me.

“Call me Death…”

The white lotus, a mysterious artifact rumored to contain the very secrets of the soul, granted its wielder otherworldly power. Countless powerful Magi from all around the universe waged an epic battle over it. When the dust settled from their fierce clash, the artifact disappeared, awaiting to be inherited by one with great destiny.

Adam dreamed of breaking free from the grip of poverty, yearning for a life of riches and comfort. Yet, in a world ruled by arcane spellcasters, achieving such a dream meant becoming one himself. However, learning magic was an expensive aspiration. Not only did it require talent, but also vast resources.

But one day everything changed when he stumbled upon a seemingly ordinary white lotus…

[ Loki, The God of Mischief, Jest, and Woe, is amused. ][ The Goddess of Fate and Luck is annoyed. ][ You are the cause and center of two gods fighting. ]Ethan Cross, a brilliant doctor in a futuristic Earth, was devastated when he realized that his entire life—and the life of the woman he loved—was nothing more than a source of amusement for a mischievous god.But when another god, the Goddess of Fate and Luck, intervened on his behalf, Ethan found himself at the center of a divine battle, gaining a dangerous but powerful gift.[ You’ve awakened the SSS-RANKED SKILL: Fate Breaker! ][ You’ve awakened a system: The Supreme Fate Breaker System. ]For a fleeting moment, hope returned. Ethan was offered a chance to save Claire, the woman he couldn’t bear to lose.[ You’ve been granted God-Level Authority for three seconds. ][ Do you wish to rewind Claire’s soul trajectory?]“Yes!”But fate had other plans.[ Bug detected. ][ Message included with bug. ][ “It’s from me, your favorite god—Loki, the God of Mischief.” ][ 1-second system override has been taken by the God of Mischief. ][ Your soul has been sent to an alternate universe. ]Now thrust into a world of magic and monsters, where gods toy with mortal lives, Ethan must adapt or perish.