In The Beginning C1 Beginning

In the beginning, darkness surrounds me, creating a sense of bewilderment.

"Where am I?" I wonder, perplexed. Despite the obscurity, I perceive my surroundings in all directions, as if I possess eyes everywhere. Yet, only darkness envelops me, with a faint awareness of water beneath.

Suddenly, my voice resonates through the dark expanse.

"Seriously? 'Where am I?' is your first word?" echoes my own voice mockingly.

Startled, I exclaim, "What the heck!? My echo is responding to me!?" A sense of unease creeps in.

What is happening? Why does my voice echo reply to me?

"Of course, I am one with you! I am your 'Word'!" my voice echoes once more.

Perplexed, I retort, "What do you mean? I can't discern the dark surroundings, but you seem to be just an echo of my voice!" I pause, realizing the absurdity of explaining to my own voice echo. Am I high or something?

"I am indeed just an echo of your voice, yet I can easily respond to you in this empty void!" my voice echo explains. "Not only that, I am a separate being while still being one with you in this empty void!"

My voice echo's continued responses bewilder me. What does this mean?

"Don't be confused! I am your 'Word' in this empty void... And do not fear what I am about to reveal, but you are currently here because you are already dead!"

Fear grips me. "What!? I'm... I'm already dead!?"

"Yes! And right now, you are in this empty void with me."

"What should I do!? Am I stuck in this empty void my whole life? Wait, I don't have life anymore... But you get the gist of what I am trying to convey, right!?"

"Cough, of course. But as I said, 'Don't be afraid!'."

"Quit telling me not to be afraid because any normal human being would be if they're in my situation!"

"I know, but just listen to me for a moment!" Then, my voice echo paused and added, "I understand you are currently panicked, but fear not; you are not trapped in this empty void as long as you follow after me."

"Follow after me? What does that mean?"

"By 'follow after me,' I mean, follow the words I'm about to say. Forget it; I'll guide you with what I will say next."

"Oh, okay..."

"Alright, I'll say, 'In the beginning, there is no light. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.' Then you'll say, 'Let there be light.'"

Upon hearing my voice echo's words, a sense of familiarity washed over me.

Wait... I remember! That's from the Bible's Genesis!

"Hey, why are you suddenly reciting a passage from the Bible to me?"

"Cough, don't ask too many questions; just do what I say if you don't want to be trapped here..."

"Erm... Alright..." Did I ask too many questions?

"Okay... As long as you recite 'Let there be light!', you'll be out of this empty void..."

"That's good... Although I have many questions, I'll do as you say..."

"Good... Now let's recite..." My voice echo paused before adding, it recited, "In the beginning, there is no light. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

Hearing my voice echo finish its words, I immediately followed by saying, "Let there be light."

As soon as I said that, faint light slowly seeped from somewhere...

"It's working! It's... Light!"

Gradually, the light entered the empty void, illuminating my vision.

"Wait! I know this! This is from the Bible! This is what God says!" Excitement surged within me as I asked my voice echo, "Don't tell me... I've become God!?" I couldn't help but grow excited. In my previous life, I had read novels where protagonists became gods either through cultivation or after death, gaining the ability to create worlds and be worshipped, but...

"You will be..." My voice echo simply replied.

"What do you mean 'You will be'? Aren't I already?"

"Well... You'll soon understand... For now, let's bid each other goodbye..."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you want to escape this empty void as soon as possible? Your wish is now being fulfilled..."

"Wait! What do you mean? I'm still here! And besides, aren't I supposed to stay here to create the world, the Earth, or something? No! To create the universe?"

"What are you dreaming about? Do you think you can create an Earth with your power? Not to mention a universe?"

"Well, aren't I..." I'm about to say, 'Aren't I God?', but it sounds presumptuous.

"Like I said, 'You will be'..."

My voice echo, the one claiming to be my 'Word,' responded, seemingly aware of my thoughts...

I still don't know what the being is trying to imply. Growing confused, I entertain delusions of being a god, orchestrating the big bang, overseeing Charles Darwin's evolution, eagerly watching my creations evolve from fish to monkeys to humans over hundreds of millions of years... Wait, there were dinosaurs first...

Growing more delusional, the light around me and the empty void intensified.

"It seems we need to adjust the Sun settings, Word?" I inquired of the 'Word,' my voice echo.

"Sun setting? No... It seems it's about time..."

I didn't understand what the 'Word' was trying to convey, but then I heard it say once more, "Let's bid farewell for a while... Bye, Matthew."

"What do you mean-" Just as I wanted to ask, I felt my very being being pulled towards the Light.

"Ahh!!!"

I couldn't help but shriek as the Light pulled me closer, expecting the sun's heat to burn my skin—assuming I had skin. Even without it, I anticipated my very soul to be extinguished.

However, as I was drawn closer, I felt no such heat but instead a comforting sensation washing over me.

"Wait... where am I being led?"

Then, before I knew it, the light gradually faded from my vision. Thinking I had returned to the empty void, I heard voices around me...

They sounded foreign... I couldn't understand them!

---

"Lady Astasia, it's a baby boy," a middle-aged woman said to the beautiful young woman with blonde hair.

"Fufu, a boy who will one day become one of the great gods!" Lady Astasia, with elegance and beauty, responded.

"I'm sure he will, Lady Astasia..." the middle-aged woman in maid clothing smiled.

Both women gazed at the healthy baby, who looked back at them with confusion.