Welcome to my brand-new story, Arcane sure did leave me a hole that I could never recover, so I took it and wrote down this quick story. Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.

He walked on this journey alone.

A long time ago, there was a man who lived happily with his partner, until a devastating disease took his lover away. Stricken by grief over his soulmate’s death, he yearned to expand his knowledge; he craved to see everything with his own eyes. On his journey, he discovered what could be called the creation of God, an artifact referred to as the curse of eternity. What was it? He didn’t know. But perhaps if he lived long enough, he could find his soulmate again. Thus, he became the Eye of God.

On this never-ending road, he met all kinds of strangers, and learned how to live among them. Using his knowledge of the matter, he tried to expand his reputation, to gain more power in the process. But it was pointless, he said. People lived, and people died. Every triumph, every monumental achievement, eventually crumbled into dust, swallowed by the relentless march of time. It was an unforgiving cycle, a truth he had come to know intimately. Even the reputation he had carefully cultivated—the one that set him apart—felt more like a shackle than a crown. He nearly lost his true self among all the chaos, as well as the purpose of his eternity. So he left, and never looked back. From that point, he referred to himself as the Observer, swore never to interfere humanity if not necessary.

Needless to say, the journey thus far has been fruitless. However, he gained far more knowledge than he ever anticipated and witnessed numerous things he could never have imagined. He faced the seven deadly sins: the destructive force of pride, the insatiable nature of envy, the all-consuming fire of wrath, the paralyzing grip of sloth, the greed of avarice, the excess of gluttony, and the overpowering pull of lust. At the same time, he was touched by the profound impact of love, kindness, and genuine care. He still didn’t lose himself among them, but he could feel something stirred within himself. Maybe he lost something along the way.

But he continued to push on, ignoring almost everything and focusing solely on the most significant task at hand. Despite his relentless efforts, a creeping sense of futility began to settle in. He started to understand that unless he let go of his desires, he might never regain the strength to carry on. What remained was a simple sense of purpose, fragile yet persistent. It was the only thing keeping him going. Immortality, he realized, wasn’t just about living forever—it was about battling against endless time and his own madness. He had often found himself wishing for connection, for the comfort of someone’s presence to guide him before. But now, not anymore.

As he lay there, he pondered whether the choice he had made at the beginning of this tortuous journey was a blessing or a curse. "Maybe it was both," he thought. It took him this long to realize that he had no other option but to push forward. So he did. He began to explore himself and the curse that had been inflicted upon him. It took him almost a decade to barely scratch the surface. However, he accidentally discovered the core of his power: the glass bead. It has a unique connection that resonates deeply within him.

He began to experiment with his newfound power, which he didn’t yet know how to control. Each attempt felt like venturing into uncharted territory, guided by an instinct he didn’t completely understand. Yet, the glass beads seemed to whisper to him, their shimmering depths carrying silent messages only he could hear. As he held one in his hands, its surface cold and smooth against his skin, he felt an inexplicable connection. Slowly, he poured a fragment of his life force into the crystal sphere, watching as it shimmered and pulsed with light. In that moment, the bead became something more—an extension of himself, another eye through which he could see.

It wasn’t just sight, though. It was a memory, vivid and raw, unfolding before him like a dream made real. He could see fragments of the past contained within the glass, moments captured and preserved in time. The images struck him with an ache so profound it nearly brought him to his knees. 

With this power, hope began to burn within him. He could finally search for him. The one he had lost—the one whose absence had hollowed out his heart. Every step he had taken, every risk he had endured, had led to this moment. He clenched his fists around the glass bead, his resolve hardening. He refused to believe his partner’s soul had been extinguished. No, it was out there, somewhere in this cruel, broken world. And with this power, he would find him. He would undo the distance, the pain, and the time that had separated them. Everything he had done was for this. To see him again.

Time marched on, and with each passing day, the influence of the Gods waned, their presence retreating from the land. He could feel it—the cursed blessing within him was slipping away, bleeding out like an open wound. It wasn’t eternal. He needed to be faster.

***

A faint breeze stirred the air, carrying with it a haunting stillness. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim glow of twilight. He exhaled slowly, as if waking from a dream that left fragments of eternity etched in his mind. The weight of the world pressed down on him, and he lay still, listening to the silence that seemed to stretch forever.

His lips parted, a whisper barely audible. "Ben…" His voice cracked as if testing the strength of his name.

Moments passed like centuries before he spoke again, firmer this time. "Ben…" He sat up, the echo of his words lost to the stillness.

The Gods had abandoned this world. He couldn’t fathom why, but the clock was ticking, and he clung to the faint hope that a sliver of their power still lingered.

"My name is Ben," he said at last, his voice steadier, more resolute. "Ben the Observer."