"My authority."
The moment the voice spoke, my surroundings shifted once again.
If before it felt like I was standing somewhere above a temple, now it felt like I was within it.
The structure of the place seemed like a Pagoda, I wasn't quite sure.
Not like I paid any attention to architecture or buildings but well, we all had our fortes and flaws so, it wasn't a big deal.
The sound of chains rattled behind me.
And believe me I wasted no time turning and scurrying like a frightened mouse while putting some distance between me and whatever it was that was trying to approach me.
After that embarrassing display, it took a moment to calm myself and when I finally did, I froze.
"A child?"
The child—draped in an oversized robe tilted his head in confusion then his brows arched a bit.
"Hmmm? This form is indeed that of a child, it is the only way I can reveal myself to you without frying your brain."
At his remark, I couldn't help it and an annoyed scoff left my lips.
Bravo, just wonderful.
Wasn't that nice?
I got summoned by a narcissist who thought his presence was so great that I couldn't even get a peek at his true form.
Fuck that!
Me? Unworthy.
Who does this midget think he is!
I saw the all-father! The all-father himself in his full glory, with that overgrown beard and his ridiculous four inches hiding behind the luxurious white toga any thief would want to get their hands on!
Not the point but still, that Zeus, the god of lightning himself had revealed his form to me and this… this… this tainted lad was telling me otherwise.
Blah blah… my presence will fry your brain.
Such blasphemous utterance.
Still I didn't dare voice my opinions, a god was still a god, child-like or not, if he was strong enough to interfere with the system then who was to say that he couldn't end my life in an instant.
Besides I knew I was overreacting, he was a tainted god, those guys were a different breed entirely from gods.
They were literally wrapped in layers of corruption, called void.
And a few, a handful of them actually who had been tainted to the core possessed the ability to manipulate void as well.
Those guys were extremely dangerous, fortunately he didn't seem like one.
Or at least that was what I'd like to conclude.
My mind subconsciously wandered back to the black lake and a shudder rippled through my being.
'Fucking goosebumps, ugh.'
I blinked, once.
And the nameless god was suddenly in front of me, his eyes wild with Innocence masking a deep madness beneath.
I nearly jumped back in fright once again, only… this time I couldn't.
My body was locked in place.
The tainted constellation spoke.
"What is your name?"
I gulped.
His voice, it sounded so child-like yet the undeniable authority was there.
It wasn't threatening, far from that.
He was just genuinely curious and perhaps he understood that I feared him that was why he stopped me from moving.
My lips parted but no words came out.
'Move… Move god damnit move!'
It was a futile effort.
My body betrayed me under the influence of the nameless god.
And so I resigned to my fate.
"Alistar Auditore VI Pierrot."
You might be wondering what a ridiculous name it was, or probably why I couldn't just name my character Alistar.
But that was the thing.
I did name my character Alistar, alone.
However my master and a certain lady I met, who also trained me gave me those names.
Perriot was the surname my master had given me that meant he basically took me in as his son, Auditore on the other hand was given to me by the traveler, the lady who taught me to cast spells like a maniac.
And strangely enough the moment they did the system accepted it as part of my name.
The nameless god stared at me for a while, he didn't speak, he simply stared like he was reminiscing something.
Then he smiled.
"Alistar…" he said. "It's a nice name."
"Oh?"
To say I was surprised wouldn't even begin to cut it, I was deeply disturbed.
'Was this how a tainted was supposed to be? Weren't they supposed to be wild and perhaps unstable?'
I didn't know what to believe anymore.
The nameless god snapped his fingers and a wooden table with a meticulously crafted chair appeared around behind me.
He placed me carefully on the chair then regarded me with a smile.
"Alistar." He mumbled as if he was savoring the name.
I couldn't help but find his actions a bit suspicious.
The freak was treating me the same way a gentleman would treat a princess.
What the heck?
What did he mean by 'that's a nice name'.
If I could move I would've instinctively covered myself with both hands in a defensive stance.
'H-He doesn't swing that way right?'
Fortunately I didn't have to dwell on such thoughts as his voice snapped me out of my reverie.
"The defender of mankind, that's what the name means."
He smiled brightly.
Not the 'I'm scheming type of smile' but the genuine smile of an innocent kid who just discovered something which captured his interest.
'Is he really a tainted god?' I couldn't help but question silently.
Besides… his words came off as a surprise.
Defender of mankind? Me? The mad hound? The maniac almost everyone within the game avoided like a plague.
It was almost laughable because I picked the name randomly and even more amusing because I wasn't selfless enough to sacrifice my comfort to save the world.
"Don't think much of the name" I decided to comment after a brief while of stunned silence. "I'm no hero, neither am I someone who would risk it all for the world, they can go fuck themselves."
He chuckled.
"Understandable."
"The world isn't exactly a forgiving place, it rewards the strong but devours the weak" he added after a pause. "Tell me, Alistar… do you want to be devoured, or do you desire the power to devour."
"What do you mean?"
"It is exactly as I said, I'm offering you my authority, the power to devour anything, to make it a part of you… and to use it."
He let the silence linger before dropping a bombshell.
"I am offering you the authority of gluttony."