Divine Amnesiac

Hero is a really stupid name.

This was the thought that first entered 'hero's' head. The second was full of much more profanity. Hero seemed to in a… pretty rough situation.

First, he had a splitting headache and an overwhelming sense that he should empty his guts.

Maybe it's normal for people who've seen a goddess…

Secondly, his left arm hurt like hell. It was almost certainly broken and very bad. Hero couldn't move it if he tried, and he tried. He seemed to be right handed, but this was of little solace.

Some of his pain was alleviated fairly soon, however. He didn't even realize how bad a shape his legs were in until warmth and feeling gradually returned to them. Some minor cuts and contusions on hero's head, right arm, chest, legs, and everywhere else other than his left arm were completely healed within seconds of his 'awakening'. Hell, he couldn't prove it but even his skin felt clearer.

Before it closed, he made note of one particularly heinous wound. One of triangular shape that burrowed deep into his chest right where his right lung was.

That was another thing, hero could see his chest. Hero could see almost all of himself, in fact. All of him was exposed other than a loincloth of surprising quality. Of course, all of him was dirty. He was covered in dried blood and seemed to have been thrown in a ditch. Hero didn't know how long he was in this ditch but it couldn't have been THAT long. So either he was robbed of his possessions after being killed, or he was already in a loincloth when he was ultimately disposed of. Neither option thrilled hero.

After a minute or two of laying in mud, hero quietly cursed himself for whoever he was before now.

Gods damnit… what'd I do to deserve this… I was born like 5 minutes ago…

After a few more moment of what hero thought was well deserved self pity, he finally decided to stand up.

[done waiting around are we?]

Hero immediately jumped at the sudden intrusion of his parley formed thoughts. It was a miracle he didn't fall backwards into the mud whence he came. He looked around slightly panicked before that god awful voice spoke again.

[not even a response? How rude…. Tsk tsk. If I didn't know any better I'd think you hated me.]

Looking around, and, very confused, hero spun on his heels to look for the source of the voice. Unfortunately, he couldn't locate the source of voice. Fortunately, he got a rough look at his surroundings.

Hero was indeed left to die in a ditch on the side of a dirt road. Less than thrilling. South, following the road, there was definitely a town. To the immediate east was luscious green forestry that looked almost too green. Both west and north were both vaguely hilly but the north followed the road the same as the south bordering the forrest. Then, the voice spoke again.

[Do I have to spell it out for you? When did humans get so stupid… I'm the goddess you're goddess you dimwit. I'll accept your praises]

Hero was a little more taken aback than he would've likes to admit.

"Where are you?"

[In your head dimwit. Now stop spinning you're making me dizzy.]

After a second or two, the initial feeling of panic within hero receded, and he walked into the center of the road to begin pacing in circles.

Damnit. What do I do now? What can I do now? The town seems like a reasonable option… no, the only option. Only…

Hero looked down at himself. For lack of a better term, he looked like shit. Not even a pair of clean underwear to his name. He sighed and sat cross legged on the road. He thought that maybe she should ask for guidance.

"Hey goddess-"

[You don't have to speak you know.]

Hero sighed exasperated, and continued to speak aloud.

"What do I do?"

[Well… that's for you to decide. Of course, some things will be set in motion naturally, but I think you ought to tackle those things as they come.]

"Do you know know anything about this world?"

[Only what you do. Well, did, anyway. I've been asleep for a very long time.]

Hero's curiosity was piqued.

"Asleep?"

[Naturally. Well, more dead than asleep, but with gods that's just semantics anyway. Just like the rest of the gods.]

"What happened to them…?" Hero asked tentatively.

[What else? We were killed. Before you ask, by people. Check the back of your hand.]

As hero did, he saw a small crest tattooed there. perfectly circular in design, it was the image of a wreath of flowers surrounding dead rose. he saw it before, but figured it must have been something else he inherited from his previous self. 

Perhaps not? He thought to himself before his question was immediately answered.

[My gift to you. And a gift many others received as well. Of course, I'm not so sleezy a goddess as to give out a blessing to just anyone. The flower will grow as you do. It isn't always a dead flower. More commonly, it is something more like an animal growing from a baby to an adult, or a cup that continues fill up, or an spark that grows into a raging fire. Each represents the capacity one has for growth and how far they've come. one day, blinded by hubris and the limitations we set for you mortals, you used your own gifts against us.]

Hero was... confused, to say the least. He decided to lay down on the dirt road, soaking in some warmth from the sun. Finally, he asked without speaking aloud:

humans can kill gods?

[It is... more complicated than that. In our own hubris, we gave you too much power. Some of the greater of those who were graced were more powerful than weaker deities. Even still... we cannot exactly 'die' per se. But, one who cannot die can be thoroughly enough harmed, I suppose. Those of us who didn't outright lose, put ourselves into slumber in anticipation of the inevitable.]

Hero still had so many questions to ask, and, honestly, was rather surprised by the ease at which he came by the answers to what he asked. He however doubted that he would be able to get any more relevant or recent information for a while. He was disappointed and a little frustrated by this prospect, but that frustration didn't last long as he heard the sound of hooves approaching swiftly.