Page 2 of The Don's Soulmate

"Please, Jupiter! Have mercy! Return me to my love!" she wails, but her cries go unanswered, for I have no intention of granting her or him any reprieve from their torment.

Days turn into weeks, and the earth, save for the animals, is bereft of all human life, barring one man and one woman. For a while, it is amusing to witness him walking for miles on end, fighting off beasts he’s never seen in hopes of finding her. I laugh as I watch her pluck leaves and use her blood as ink to write messages of love and send them floating down a river on small makeshift boats.

Little do they know how vast their world is and the chasm between them truly is.

Soon, only a shell of their former self remains. Day by day, they learn to forge a path on their own, getting stronger at walking on only two feet, watching out for danger with one face, and fashioning weapons and tools with only two hands. Their quest for redemption, revenge, and love fades into obscurity as they become more self-reliant. Before long, they eat and sleep away their days in a quiet, depressed lull.

As I continue my self-appointed task as celestial overseer, the air around me chills. The breeze ceases, and the light rain recedes, replaced by an eerie silence that only one being could command. My brother, Pluto, materializes before me, a slight smirk on hisface, his three-headed dog Cerebrus by his side, spit and ash dripping from his three mouths.

"Brother," he bellows down from the sky, his black robes flying in the wind, his beard merging into the finely woven cloth. "You have gone too far this time."

"Ah, Pluto," I reply with a smirk of my own, "I was wondering when you would make an appearance.”

Pluto frowns. “I’ve watched to see what you’d do next. Alas, it’s come to be known amongst us gods that this is how you intend the world to remain.”

“I do,” I kick a cloud mindlessly, already bored with this conversation, as well as with the two puny humans below.

“The balance of the world has been disrupted, and our fellow gods are displeased."

"Let them be displeased," I snap, my mood darkening. "It is not your concern what I do to those who defy me."

"Perhaps," he concedes, a sly smile gracing his lips. "But I come bearing a proposition, one that may bring some semblance of entertainment back to this dreary world you've created. Our days have turned futile, for nothing stirs the order of events. We need mortals to command our powers. What are we without them?"

"Speak then," I relent, for he does speak the truth. A god is only a god as long as he has worshippers.

"Allow the soulmates a chance to find each other and mend their suffering. Make it a game, a challenge for them to overcome. If they bear a child, the curse shall be lifted. Can they turn the tables? Come together as one? Give birth to a life to reverse their fate? The gods will be amused by watching their efforts, and the world can regain some sense of balance."

I consider his words, weighing the potential gaiety against my desire to see these insolent mortals punished. "Very well," I agree, at last, intrigued by the prospect of a new game. "But know this: They will not find solace easily. Their journey will be fraught with peril, and I shall take great pleasure in watching them fail, time and time again."

"Agreed," Pluto says with a nod, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let the games begin."

I relish in the thought of countless mortals cursed to wander the earth, their hearts aching for the one they can never find. "But I shall give them a chance, however slim it may be. Let them strive to overcome the obstacles I set before them, and if they succeed... then perhaps their suffering will be alleviated."

"Your generosity knows no bounds," Pluto remarks dryly, though I detect a hint of satisfaction in his tone.

“But what if you allowed some of them to remain close to each other and enjoy the gift you have given them? This way, otherscan see this and know what they are really missing. This will increase their longing,” Pluto suggests.

“Excellent idea. It shall be so,” I nod.

With a wave of my hand, I summon forth the power of creation, feeling the rush of divine energy coursing through me. In an instant, thousands upon thousands of half-beings take shape across the land, each bearing the mark of their unique torment – the absence of their other half.

I watch as they rise to their feet, stumbling back down again, touching their faces, their hands, and their feet, all the while wondering where they came from and why there’s an innate hollowness in their bones.

The world is soon filled with cries and wails, the animals rushing away to hide from these unknown creatures. And with that, the curse for a soulmate is forged anew, ensuring that their pain will persist until the end of time.

"Remember, Pluto," I caution him, barely concealing the menace in my voice. "This game is mine to control. They may be granted the hope of finding their soulmates, but I will ensure that it remains just that: a fleeting, unattainable hope."

"Understood," Pluto says, bowing his head ever so slightly. "But there is one more condition I have yet to share, Jupiter."

"Speak your piece," I command impatiently, eager to witness the fruits of my cruel endeavor.

"Those you have just created," he begins, a sly grin spreading across his face. "I have granted them the gift of reincarnation. Upon death, they shall be reborn into new forms, their memories wiped clean, but their souls still yearning for their lost counterpart."

"Reincarnation?" I echo, my voice laced with fury as I realize the implications of his words. I wanted to see them in perpetual misery, yet he gave them unending hope of breaking the curse. "You dare tamper with my creation, Pluto?"

"Consider it... an added layer to our game," he replies smoothly, unfazed by my wrath. "Now, these half-beings have not only the challenge of finding one another in a single lifetime but across countless lives and ages. Surely, that will provide even greater entertainment for us and our fellow gods."

My anger boils within me, threatening to spill over – but with gritted teeth, I accept this unexpected twist.

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