บท 378: Return
For most people, the experience was like a flicker on a screen—a brief, unexplainable moment that left them feeling as if time had skipped. One second, they stood on solid ground; the next, an irresistible force pulled them into the air. It wasn't just strong—it was absolute. Like the force of gravity or the flow of a raging river, there was no fighting it. The pull came from a black vortex that had suddenly appeared in mid-air. Everyone, without exception, was swept into it like leaves in a current, helpless against the swirling power.
Strangely, the process wasn't painful or even physically noticeable. No one felt the sensation of being lifted. Instead, they simply watched their own bodies—and those of everyone around them—float upwards and vanish into the vortex. Had they closed their eyes, they wouldn't have even known it happened.
When the group opened their eyes again, they found themselves outside the temple, standing at its grand entrance. Aliens of various shapes and sizes, each from a different corner of the galaxy, exchanged wide-eyed glances. The shock was palpable in the air. The crowd, once filled with chatter and movement, was now silent, each individual trying to process what had just happened.
But soon, confusion turned to awe. They had been in the presence of something greater than themselves—a god, perhaps, or a force beyond mortal understanding. The experience of being expelled from the temple only reinforced the vastness of the power they had witnessed. Yet, as wonder filled their hearts, realization struck.
Someone was missing.
The green guy—the one who had been with them just moments ago—wasn't among them. The crowd murmured and whispered, their voices growing louder as the realization spread. Why hadn't he been ejected like the rest? The answer seemed obvious: the ancient being inside the temple had deemed the rest unworthy of its attention. They had been dismissed to make way for a private conversation.
Curiosity quickly turned into speculation. Who was this green-skinned figure? What made him special? Why had the ancient god chosen him over everyone else? And what about his companion, the armored figure with the glowing core—what role did he play in all this?
The scene outside the temple erupted with chatter and excitement. For a gathering of beings from all across the galaxy, the event was unprecedented. Stories would be told and retold, passed down through generations. Today's events would undoubtedly become a defining moment in history. The green-skinned man and his metal-clad ally had become legends in a single day, their names destined to spread across the stars.
Inside the temple, the atmosphere was entirely different. Where the hall had been crowded and noisy, it was now silent and still. The towering columns and shimmering walls gave the place an otherworldly quality. The space felt both ancient and alive, as though the very air carried the weight of countless centuries.
Hal, the green-skinned man, stood face-to-face with Jaeger, the ancient god who had only just awakened. Jaeger's expression was unreadable, his gaze piercing as though he could see into Hal's very soul. Despite his youthful appearance, Jaeger carried an air of wisdom and mystery.
Hal listened as Jaeger shared fragments of knowledge—stories and truths that spanned eons. The words should have been comforting, a sign of Hal's new role as one of the most powerful beings in the universe. But instead of feeling joy or pride, Hal felt something else entirely: emptiness.
He walked to a stone pillar near the center of the temple and sat down, letting his legs dangle over the edge. With a deep sigh, he admitted, "Being a god isn't much fun."
Jaeger tilted his head, watching Hal closely but saying nothing.
Hal continued, his voice heavy with frustration. "I thought being a god would mean I could do whatever I wanted. Isn't that the whole point? But here I am, and I still can't do the one thing I want the most."
"What's that?" Jaeger asked, his voice calm and curious.
Hal looked away, staring at the intricate patterns carved into the temple floor. "I want my grandpa back," he said quietly. "But I can't bring him back. No matter how much power I have, it's not enough."
For a moment, there was silence between them. Hal's words seemed to hang in the air, heavy and unresolved. Then he spoke again, this time with a tinge of bitterness.
"Turns out, my grandpa wasn't a good person. Neither was the leader. I wanted to fix them, to make them better, but it looks like I can't even do that. So what's the point of all this power?"
Jaeger remained silent, his youthful face betraying no emotion. Despite his ancient origins, there was an innocence about him—a simplicity that made him seem more like a curious child than a god.
Hal sighed again, his frustration clear. "I don't feel free. Ever since I got this power, it's like something's pulling me—like I'm being told where to go and what to do. It's why I came here to this temple. I didn't know why, but I felt like I had to. Now that I'm here, I feel like I'm supposed to be somewhere else, doing something else. Do you ever feel that way?"
Jaeger's bright eyes focused on Hal, filled with curiosity. "It's like… something's holding you, but you can't see it," he said slowly. "You feel like you have a purpose, but you don't know what it is."
Hal nodded. "Exactly."
For a moment, Hal was lost in thought. He wondered if this was what it meant to be a god in this universe. Were gods nothing more than tools of some higher force, driven by instinct to fulfill a purpose they didn't fully understand? Or was there still a choice—a way to forge their own path?
This moment felt important, as if it would determine not just Hal's future, but Jaeger's as well. It reminded Hal of a decision point in a video game, where a single choice could lead to vastly different endings. Only this time, there was no save file to fall back on. He had one chance to get it right.
He turned to Jaeger and asked, "Do you remember the story I told you?"
Jaeger tilted his head, thinking. "The one about the pilot?"
Hal nodded. "That's the one."
A small smile crossed Jaeger's face. "Yeah, I remember. That was your story, wasn't it?"
Hal smiled back. "It was. Do you remember what I said about being brave?"
Jaeger thought for a moment. "You said you weren't brave because you were strong. You were strong because you were brave."
"That's right," Hal said. He leaned back, letting his gaze drift to the high ceiling of the temple. "When my dad's plane crashed, it changed my life forever. I couldn't stop thinking about it. For years, I was terrified of flying, of reliving that moment. There was a voice in my head telling me to stay away from planes forever."
Jaeger listened intently, his youthful face serious.
"But then I realized something," Hal continued. He held up his hand, showing the glowing green ring on his finger. "I didn't want fear to control my life. I decided to face it, no matter how hard it was. And that decision—to fight my fear, to do what I thought was right—made me who I am today."
Hal turned to Jaeger, his expression serious. "That's the thing about being brave. It's not about being fearless. It's about choosing to act, even when you're scared."
Jaeger looked thoughtful, his bright eyes reflecting the light of the temple. "So… what should I do?" he asked quietly.
Hal smiled. "That's up to you. The question isn't what you're supposed to do—it's what you want to do. You've got all this power, Jaeger. You can be anything you want to be. So the real question is: what kind of person do you want to be?"
Jaeger's blank expression slowly shifted. His eyes lit up with understanding, as though Hal's words had sparked something deep within him. A small, determined smile crossed his face.
"I think I know," he said softly. His voice was filled with quiet confidence, like someone who had just made an important discovery.
Hal nodded. "Good. Hold on to that feeling. It's your path, Jaeger. No one else can walk it for you."
The two of them sat in silence for a moment, sharing the small stone pillar in the vast, empty temple. Outside, the galaxy was changing, and their names would soon echo across the stars. But in that moment, nothing mattered except the choices they made—and the paths they would take.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง