GODGEAR - JOURNEY TO SAVE EDEN

The void is endless.

It's the kind of darkness that suffocates, that makes time meaningless. There's no sense of up or down, no body to ground the mind. All that exists is a crushing silence and a growing panic clawing at the edges of thought.

"Where am I? What is this?!"

The last memory is hazy, slipping through my fingers like water. There was a bed… warm blankets… then nothing. Was this a dream? No. It felt too vivid, too heavy, too… real.

"Am I dead? Did something happen?"

Before the fear can spiral out of control, light pierces the darkness. Golden threads weave through the void, stretching and folding until they form a figure—a woman stepping forth as if shaped from the light itself.

Her hair shimmers like molten gold, cascading in waves that seem to defy gravity. Her eyes burn with the same radiance, deep pools of light that could illuminate galaxies, yet there's a profound sadness within them. She is beautiful, but not in the way a mortal could understand. There is fragility to her—delicate, almost breakable.

When she speaks, her voice is soft yet filled with an ache that cuts to the core.

"Oh, dear Hero… you are awake at last."

The words hang in the air, wrapping around everything like a gentle current. Yet they carry a weight, a desperation that sinks deep into my chest.

"Hero? Me? No. No, that can't be right."

The woman steps closer, her golden form glowing brighter against the void. Despite her beauty, there's something weary about her. Her shoulders sag ever so slightly, her hands trembling at her sides.

"Who is she? What does she want from me?"

Her next words make the air still. "I am Astoria, the last Goddess of EDEN."

"A goddess? That's… impossible. There's no such thing. This has to be a dream. Right?"

She seems to sense the doubt, her voice trembling as she continues. "Our planet… our home, EDEN, was once a place of divine beauty, the heart of the cosmos. But we lost the war. The GODGEAR wearers, the greatest champions of countless worlds, fell one by one. I… I was only spared because of my father's sacrifice. He gave his life to send me away, to protect what little remained."

Her words strike like thunder, each one heavier than the last. The image of her standing alone among the ruins of her world flashes through my mind. Her golden glow falters, a shadow of the goddess she once must have been.

"She's… weak. She looks like she could collapse at any moment. This isn't what I imagined a goddess to be."

Astoria bows her head, her voice breaking. "You are the very last GODGEAR wearer chosen. The final hope. If you fail, EDEN falls forever."

The weight of her words crashes down like a tidal wave.

"Why me? I'm not special. I'm not strong. How could I possibly save a planet, let alone a world of gods?"

Tears glisten in her golden eyes as she looks directly into my soul. "Please, dear Hero. Save EDEN. Save us."

Her plea cuts through every thought, raw and filled with despair. Before there's time to process, a searing light erupts from her hand, rushing forward to engulf everything. It burns, it aches, but her words echo in the void, anchoring the spiraling thoughts.

"I can't do this. I'm terrified. But… if I don't try, then who will?"

The light swallows everything. A flash of blinding brightness and sudden, excruciating pain—sharp and all-encompassing—digs deep into my chest. My heart races as my breath falters, and I feel my very soul being torn asunder. Every fiber of my being is wracked with agony as I fall into a strange trance.

I can't move. I can't think.

A new presence fills me. Something ancient. Something powerful. It's too much.

Then, without warning, a wave of heat surges through my body, and everything shifts.

I feel my skin crackling with fire. It's not a burn, but something deeper—something alive within me. My bones groan and stretch as they elongate. My muscles swell, stronger than anything I've ever felt before. I feel scales growing across my skin, sharp and glimmering, almost metallic. Wings—huge, powerful—burst from my back in an explosion of light, unfurling with a force that feels like the heavens themselves are roaring.

"What… what is this?!"

I'm no longer just a human. I can feel the power coursing through me. I look down and see claws instead of hands, long and gleaming with raw energy. My body is a colossal fusion of dragon and man—an unearthly hybrid. My head is crowned with horns, and my eyes—my eyes glow with golden fire.

But... it's not all power. There's a gnawing discomfort, an unfamiliar weight. I'm not used to this form. It feels so new, so overwhelming. My mind spins. Can I even control it?

"A dragon-like humanoid… is this really me? How can this be?"

I try to move, but the sheer weight of my new form is disorienting. I stumble, my massive claws scraping the ground.

"How do I control this? How do I even live with this?"

I'm panicking, heart pounding as I struggle to remain upright. But then... a presence stirs in my mind—deep and ancient. A voice, calm but commanding.

"You are the GODGEAR now, the last of our kind. I am the soul of the Dragon God. Listen closely, mortal, for you must understand your purpose."

The voice reverberates through me, every word vibrating deep within my bones. The Dragon God's soul—alive within me, guiding me.

"To save EDEN, you must cleanse the land. Slay the Demon Generals, the Dukes, the Lords, the Kings—and in the end, the Demon Gods themselves. Each soul you collect will strengthen your own. But beware, mortal. The more you take, the greater the burden. You are not just fighting for your life—you are fighting for the very future of EDEN."

"The Demon Gods… I have to fight them? And collect their souls?"

I clench my fists, the claws trembling in the air.

But then something... unexpected happens.

A shift. A change. My hands begin to shrink, the sharp claws retracting as my body reverts. Slowly, agonizingly, I pull myself back into a more human form. My wings fold back, and the scales fade, leaving me standing with just my normal hands—normal hands that now hold an immense power within them. A gentle warmth runs through me as I return to the human form I recognize.

It's still me. But... not quite.

I stumble, catching my breath. How can I control this form, this power?

"You will learn to wield this power, mortal. But for now... hold this."

Astoria's voice echoes through my mind. I look around, and there, floating in front of me, a sword appears—radiant, brilliant, forged from pure light. It is the GOD Sword, its blade gleaming with untold power, the hilt decorated with ancient symbols.

"A sword... for me?"

I reach out and take it in my hands. The moment my fingers touch the hilt, a surge of warmth flows through me, and I feel the connection. This sword, this power—it's mine to wield.

"Take it, Hero. It is the first step. You are now bound to your destiny. The sword will guide you."

My mind spins, but there's a resolve building in my chest. I can feel it. I have to do this. For EDEN. For the gods. For all that has been lost.

I look at the sword, and for the first time since awakening, I feel the stirring of hope.

"I can do this. I have to....."