Chapter 1- Our Little Game (Part 1)
Time: Unknown
Place: Unknown
In a world, far beyond the mortal eye, hidden within a realm of its own, lived two entities. Entities many across the realms would call 'Gods'. Entities that transcend power, time, and space. Entities that could reshape every realm with a sway of their hands. Their power was endless, and so was their existence, eternal and imminent.
They were the constant amongst the infinite realms that keep changing. The two Gods responsible for the balance of all realms.
However, these two had a very small problem.
***
"Heyyy~ Darling…"
"Hm?"
"I'm bored~"
The location was akin to paradise. A beautiful, green plain that stretches as far as the eye could see, a warm sun that casts its light upon this heaven. Flowers, trees, rivers that cut through this place, and even birds that chirp happily, flying above their heads.
Sitting under what seemed like a beautiful and large Gazebo built out of porcelain and carved with perfection were two people… Two incredibly beautiful people. So beautiful that they would make any mortal who looks at them go blind.
The woman was the epitome of beauty, with midnight black hair, red eyes, and skin so perfect it almost reflected the light of the sun. She had a body so seductive, it would make the purest of hearts shatter.
She was lying on the comfy seat, resting her head on the lap of the man as she kicked her feet up and down.
The man, meanwhile, was reading a book, his eyes calm and serene. His golden hair had a single braid, and his eyes were green as emeralds. He was so handsome that no woman in the world could resist him.
He seemed focused on the book while his other hand slowly rubbed his wife's hair gently and lovingly.
"Stop reading that book and listen to me~" Astra said as she turned around and looked at him with a pouty mouth.
"I'm listening." The man replied calmly.
"I'm telling you, I'm so bored, it's killing me."
"You're immortal, honey. You can't die." He replied calmly.
"Well, immortality definitely didn't account for what boredom can do. Sigh, what do we even do as Gods, Zeph? We can only sit here and watch as the worlds beneath us move. Ages pass, and people come and go, while we never change."
"That's the price you pay for being the strongest, Astra." He replied as he closed the book and looked at his wife. "We are meant to be the ones to keep the order in the realms."
"And why should we keep the order? Who could stop us if we decide to let chaos be?" Astra replied. "Hmph, that would at least be fun to watch."
"And who will clean after that kind of mess? Certainly not me." Zephyr replied as he looked ahead, his eyes filled with endless wisdom.
"Ehhhh, you're always so mature, Zeph. No fun~" She said as she rose from the seat and crept into Zephyr's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes filled with mischief and playfulness. She stared lovingly at her husband.
"Say, darling…"
"Hm?" The man wrapped his hands around his wife's waist as he looked at her. "What is it?"
"I love you very much. You know that, right?"
"I do. And I love you just as much." He replied.
"I adore you, and I adore everything about you." She said with a smile as she leaned in, kissing his lips tenderly.
"Where is all this coming from?" After reciprocating her kiss, he asked with an amused smile. He knew his wife way too well; she was planning something.
"How about we play a game?" Astra asked.
"... No." Zephyr took a second before he replied.
"What?! But I didn't even tell you what the game is to begin with?!" Astra exclaimed with a shocked expression.
"That is because I know what your pretty mind can come up with. The last time we tried to play a game, we almost made one of the realms get incinerated with a flood of magma."
"Ehh, but it was a small accident that you contained quickly~"
"And it shouldn't happen again."
"But, this time, I swear. It's not any of that."
"Hmmmm…" Zephyr thought for a moment before he looked at his wife. "So, what is it? What do you want to play?"
"Well, I have always had this question about you, Zeph."
"Hm?"
"I told you about where I came from and how I reached this place. But you never told me where you came from." She said as she hugged him. "I've always wondered about your story, my dear husband."
"It has been eons, Astra. Is it really that important?" He asked.
"Of course it is! I mean, I would love to know!"
"Well, I could tell you. But, I feel like that isn't what you want." He said.
"Tsk, you know me too well." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm not your husband for no reason."
"Ok, so…" She put her finger on his chin. "I thought. We could put you to the test."
"... What do you mean?"
"Ehem, well, to put it simply. I will transport you to a random world without your powers, and you have to become the strongest individual in that world."
"That's… the game?" He asked. "Isn't that a bit too easy to be fun? Even without my powers, it won't take much time for me to become the strongest."
Zephyr wasn't the strongest simply for his powers; his knowledge alone outweighs every single living being in all realms combined. He would be able to discover every secret and every single loophole to become the strongest with ease.
"That is why there is a twist." Astra smiled cunningly. "You won't have access to your knowledge and… I will be moving things around you a little bit~"
"Astra…" Zephyr squinted his eyes as he smiled dangerously. "What are you trying to say?"
"Hehe, well, I will be trying to kill you, my dear husband~ And you must survive till you become the strongest. If you do so, you win. But, if I kill you before you become the strongest, then I win~"
"..." Zephyr blinked confusedly for a second. Even with all his knowledge, this idea from his wife was rather peculiar, to say the least. "Boredom must be really killing you, Astra."
"It is~ Come on, this sounds like so much fun~" She said. "Would you do it for me? Pleeeeease~"
She started poking and kissing his cheek while begging. Her eyes would melt the hearts of every existence, and her husband was no exception.
"Sigh, fine, fine. But, since it is a challenge. The winner must get a reward, no?" he asked.
"Absolutely. Hmmmmm, well, if you win, you can ask me to do anything. And if I win, I can ask you to do anything. How about that?"
"..."
"Deal?"
"Sigh, deal. But, I have a few conditions." Zephyr said. "First one, no tampering with the Order of the Realms." He said. "You can affect things within a world, but nothing that would anger me."
"Got it."
"Second condition, you must keep it fair and not give me an impossible challenge."
"Is there something impossible for you, my love?"
"Astra."
"Ok, ok, I will make sure to keep it fair."
Squinting his eyes, Zephyr nodded his head. "Good. Third and final condition. You must transport me back the moment I deem it necessary, whether that is before or after I become the strongest. There are things that could get out of control, so you must do that."
"Should we have a keyword for that?" She asked.
"Ok, keyword is 'Imminent'. The moment I utter that word on its own, you must transport me back instantly."
"Roger that~ Anything else?" She asked.
"No. I think that's about it."
"Great! So, shall we start? Oh my, I'm so excited~ I could finally see my Zeph shine and be so cool~"
"Yeah, yeah," Zephyr said as he stood up and stretched his limbs. "You and your little games. I swear, you never cease to amaze me, Astra."
"Hehe, that is why you fell in love with me in the first place~"
Rolling his eyes, Zephyr stared ahead. "Well, I shall give you a nice show, my lady. I hope you have fun."
Astra giggled happily before she pointed her finger at Zephyr. "Let's both have some fun."
Then, she swung her thumb, and the moment she did that, Zephyr disappeared from sight.
The small game between a couple began. Unbeknownst to them, this game was going to change their lives forever.