My name was Bishop Hayes, and with the final stroke of a pen, I was finally free.
"That's it," the lawyer said. "You're officially divorced. Congratulations."
My ex-wife and I both smiled at each other before saying our farewells.
"Thanks for making this painless," I said. "Say hi to your yoga instructor for me."
"Thanks for giving up the house and the car," she said. "Say hi to your secretary for me."
We chuckled at our inside joke before heading off on our separate ways.
I left the lawyer's office, made my way to the elevator, and took it all the way down to the ground floor before going for a walk. I crossed the street, headed to the park, and picked out a bench overlooking a busy sidewalk where people and cars flowed past like a restless current. I took a seat and slumped onto the bench, releasing all the tension in my body.
"Man, that was more stressful than I thought," I mumbled with a sigh.
Ending an 18-year marriage might have seemed like a waste, but in truth, it had died just 5 years in. The remaining 13 were spent for the sake of the children, and now that they were both 18, we were finally free to have a clean divorce.
No child support or alimony.
My ex-wife and I were both individually well-off, which was why we chose to avoid a messy separation. We built ourselves from the ground up, climbing the career ladder step by step.
Today, I owned a small company that designed, manufactured, and shipped custom-order machines to clients around the world. The profits were steady and the business was stable, so all that was left for me to do was retire and spend the rest of my life in luxury and bliss.
As I sat and thought, a happy family of three walked by. The parents shared a warm smile while their daughter swung joyfully between them, her hands held tightly in theirs.
Judging by their clothes and demeanor, the husband worked in an office, while the wife stayed at home to care for their child. I noticed a faint smear of lipstick on the inside of the husband's collar. It didn't match his wife's shade. He was cheating on her, probably with his secretary.
The wife, though, was on the meeker side, a devoted homemaker who put her child first and supported her husband after a long day.
She probably knew about the affair. She did the laundry, after all. But she stayed silent, afraid of what would happen if she spoke up. Stability mattered more to her now, and the thought of raising her daughter alone was terrifying. Starting over wasn't easy, especially after spending years building a routine around caring for a home.
Based on their current trajectory, the wife would likely divorce the husband once she built up enough motivation from watching dramas and reading romance novels. She would quietly collect evidence of the affair until she was ready, then take him for everything he was worth.
The husband would work himself to the bone until his daughter turned 18, when child support finally ended. But by then, the damage would be done. He would be estranged from his daughter, and his future would be bleak. He would keep working into his 60s just to scrape together enough for retirement.
The daughter would grow up with a fractured childhood, caught between two manipulative parents. The mother would win the tug-of-war simply by virtue of time spent with her. The girl would grow up struggling with trust issues.
As they continued on with their day, another couple walked by, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. Judging by how tightly they clung to one another, they'd likely moved past their third date.
A sudden yet familiar ache spiked in my head, followed by a distinct feeling that they would live happily ever after. They would grow old with three kids, a suburban home, a comfortable retirement, and a love that stood the test of time.
Every now and then, I get these premonitions, flashes of how people's lives might unfold, just from observing their unguarded interactions. It was part of why I'd always loved watching people go about their lives.
I've had this strange talent since childhood, so I turned it into a game. I analyzed people and built entire worlds around them. I guessed their occupation, financial status, sex life, lifestyle, religion, you name it, all to predict where they'd end up.
Some moved with purpose, chasing goals they'd set to navigate the harsh realities of life. Others drifted more freely, unconcerned with the bigger picture, simply living one day at a time. Regardless of their motivations, people wore certain expressions when they were on autopilot, and I found joy in imagining the lives they led as they passed me by.
There was something almost magical about the way people interacted with one another and the world around them. It never stopped fascinating me, which was why parks had always been my favorite place to be. People were at their most unguarded when they were lost in a crowd that seemed just as busy and distracted as they were.
Which was why I hadn't noticed the speeding car swerving in my direction.
"Watch out!" someone in the crowd screamed.
I followed the sound and saw a woman across the street, her eyes wide with terror, locked onto mine in alarm. I turned to the left, just in time to see the car slam into a utility pole, snapping it clean off.
I leapt from the bench and onto the road, narrowly dodging the falling pole that landed exactly where I'd been sitting.
Heart pounding, I let out a shaky breath, grateful to be alive, only to take a step and land in a puddle crackling with electricity from the fallen wires.
Everything went black. No memories of what must have been a gruesome death ever surfaced.
The next thing I knew, I stood before a Goddess, seated upon a throne of radiant light in a hall of drifting clouds.
Her golden hair shimmered like sunlight spun into silk, cascading over ivory skin that seemed untouched by time. Her eyes glowed with an inner emerald fire, luminous and all-seeing. She was veiled in sheer white silk that floated around her form like whispers of mist, a vision of divine beauty glimpsed through a dream.
Behind her, radiant beams of light flared outward, forming ethereal wings that pulsed with celestial grace. She was majesty incarnate. Undeniably, impossibly, a Goddess.
She was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on, so far beyond mortal comprehension that calling my emotions love at first sight felt woefully inadequate.
Unfortunately, she didn't look particularly pleased to see me.
"Congratulations," she said, her voice calm but laced with concealed irritation. "I have chosen you as my champion. You will represent me in Gaia to slay a Demon Lord. Your boon will be granted in due time. Now, off you go."
"Wait," I tried to say, but no words came out. I glanced down, startled to find my form now wispy and ethereal.
With a dismissive wave of her hand, the Goddess banished me, and once more, my world faded to black.
"This won't do. I'll need to use another quota," she muttered, summoning another.
The next thing I remembered was a blinding light and voices. I couldn't understand the language, but their tones were bright and full of joy. It sounded like they were celebrating.
I was warm and cozy, wrapped in soft cloth, with gentle whispers brushing against my ears. I couldn't see yet, but I felt it deep in my heart.
I was loved.
With that final, comforting thought, I drifted off to sleep.
-----
"Congratulations, madam. It's a healthy boy," the midwife said, gently handing the newborn to the mother.
"Thank you, Sara. Were there any complications?" asked the young woman.
She had tousled blonde hair and blue eyes brimming with relief. Tall and slender, she looked remarkably well for someone who had just given birth.
"None at all."
"Good. Leave us," said a youthful-looking man beside her.
He had glittering, translucent hair that shimmered with occasional glints of prismatic hues, and deep blue eyes. Standing at 6'7" (2 m), he was built like a mountain, broad-shouldered, with an imposing presence.
"Understood," Sara replied with a nod, quietly exiting the room as the rest of the midwives followed behind.
Once the door closed, the man settled beside the woman and looked down at their child with complex emotions.
"Hopefully, he accepts responsibility so we can finally leave," he said softly.
"Yes. We could finally start a journey of our own. We just need to wait until he graduates from the Royal Academy."
"Only 23 more years."
"Do you think he will accept?"
"None of the others wanted the responsibility, so we can only hope for the best."
"I see... I still feel guilty, leaving them like this."
"There's no other way. We cannot afford to bring them all with us. They might not even want to leave."
"Except for Lucian and Liliane. Have you thought of a name?"
"Bastion. Bastion Diamondhart."
"Bit on the nose, don't you think?"
"He needs to understand his purpose."
"Alright then... let's see his status."
The man retrieved a crystal and gently placed it against the child's forehead. It pulsed with white light before projecting a glowing hologram between the two parents.
[Name]: Bastion Diamondhart
[Age]: 0
[Health]: 1/1
[Mana]: 8/8
[Strength]: 1
[Dexterity]: 1
[Vitality]: 1
[Intelligence]: 8
[Wisdom]: 15
[Charm]: 10
[Intuition]: 50
[Arts]: Earth Magic 2, Light Magic 2, Smithing 2, Taming 1, Cooking 1
After a long, uncomfortable silence,
"He's a hero," the mother said, somberly.
"Yes," the father confirmed, his expression grave.
"We tell no one?" the mother asked.
"We tell no one," the father confirmed.
And so ended the life of Bishop Hayes and began the Great Journey of Bastion Diamondhart.
-----
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