"Hello. We regret to inform you that you have died. Please follow me."
Blinking, I looked around. Where was this? "What?"
Around me were unfamiliar surroundings. I was sitting - a luxurious couch was beneath me, extremely comfortable to the touch. The room in which I found myself seemed to be made of some sort of high-quality wood, with dark trim and soft yellow light that lent it a sullen, quiet vibe. The walls were decorated with paintings that depicted various odd landscape scenes that never quite seemed distinct, always just blurry enough to make me wonder if they were changing somehow even as I observed them, like a shitty digital monitor.
At one end of the room was a large door that seemed solidly set into the wall, standing imposingly as the only visible exit from the room. Devoid of almost any other furniture, the only other thing that stood out in the room was a small end table by the door, which had a single lamp sat upon it. Next to it, however, stood a man of indeterminate age in simple white clothing. What looked to be like a wool tunic of some sort adorned his upper half, and a long white skirt went almost to the floor. He seemed to be barefoot underneath, but most importantly, his eyes were pure white. Rather than the milkiness of a blind eye, these almost seemed luminous and uniform, otherworldly.
He didn't answer my query, simply waiting by the door. His demeanor darkened slightly, and he put a hand on the back of his bald head. A frown appeared at his lips.
I took a breath and addressed him again. "You... you claimed I have died. But I feel pretty alive. Where do you want me to go?" This was strange, and slightly scary. As I spoke, I took stock of my own state of being. Everything was there, of course. Arms, legs, head, large gash on my shoulder which was covered in dried blood and ruining her shirt. Jeans... wait, oh shit. Wait, wait, wait. I opened my mouth to speak, closed it, licked my lips, and opened it again. "Oh."
"Indeed," the man spoke, his voice a little softer. It seemed a little more sympathetic this time, lacking the abruptness of the first words he'd spoken to me. "All will be explained, but time is at a premium, so I request that you rise and follow me."
"I... okay." I stood and crossed the short distance to the man. At my approach, he grabbed the handle to the sturdy door and opened it, revealing a fancy-looking hallway beyond. The walls here were similarly adorned with strange paintings, but the biggest change was that the passage lacked a ceiling. It simply opened into an expansive void that twinkled with countless stars, creating a visage awash with light yet also completely dark. It discordantly did not affect the lighting in the hall, which exhibited that same luster that the room had. It was absolutely beautiful, unsettling, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. It made me feel a bit lightheaded for a moment.
With very little aplomb, a strange bat-like creature winged over one of the walls. It was the size of a chicken, with more wing than bulk, and large, sharp talons that were holding some sort of... folder? I took a step back as it approached the man in front of me and flapped its wings in front of him. "Thank you," he said, taking the folder out of its grasp. With an odd chirp, it disappeared again over the wall and was not seen again.
The man took what looked to be some packet out of the folder and began to look at it as he started walking again, motioning for me to follow. With little context, I complied, feeling a bit small in that moment. The quiet did not last long, as the shuffling of papers slowed and the man once again began to speak. "Allison, daughter of Eva and Mark." He glanced back at me, eyes glittering with some sort of emotion I couldn't determine with the lack of irises or pupils. "Born late 20th century in the United States of America of Earth. Anything incorrect?"
"No," I said, waffling between upset and curious. What the hell?
"Okay, we have the right soul then. You have been chosen by our system for a few reasons, chief among them the fact that you would not panic and break down upon learning of your death and coming to this place."
"So I was chosen because I'm calm?" I wondered what 'chosen' meant, but was a little insulted at what I perceived to be such a minor attribute. Not because I was smart, or clever, or funny? Just, calm?
"In part." The hallway seemed to go on forever, with no doors. The paintings we passed all seemed distinct, and clearly there was motion occurring with the stars moving ever so slightly along their path, but otherwise there was no indication to an end to the hall or any sort of exit we'd access. "It's merely the first qualification. You've also passed the other needs, which can be described as a sort of 'compatibility' and 'malleability.'"
"What's that mean?" I asked, but cut off saying more as I realized that we'd reached a door. Where had it come from? Just out of nowhere? One moment, the hall was empty, and the next, a door. Clearly, this place played by its own rules. The man reached down at the handle and opened the door, walking inside. Upon his own entry, he gave me a gentle smile and motioned for me to enter as well. I complied once again, stepping into the room beyond. I had little other option here, after all.
Thankfully, this room seemed to have a ceiling on it. "Compatibility means that you can handle the difference in aether on Avare." All along the walls of this new chamber were large armoires, closed and multicolored. They were imposing, to be sure. "Malleability refers to the ease with which your soul can be altered."
Wondering what was inside them, I forced myself to continue questioning. "What is Avare? Aether? Why is my soul malleable?" With these tidbits, a story was beginning to come together in my mind. Death, difference, altering souls. I was no stranger to stories and media, and it was beginning to sound like certain ones.
"It will be simpler if I use our rehearsed introduction. Please, be seated." The man motioned towards a plush chair that had not been present in the moment before. In addition, he was also sitting in another chair that had not previously existed. Though it was still fairly jarring, I was quickly becoming accustomed to being unable to predict what would appear. Was it because of this calmness he spoke about? Or something worse? Shock?
"Okay," I said, seating myself on the chair. I placed my hands in my lap, becoming more and more aware of the feeling of dried blood on my shirt. It was decidedly uncomfortable, but seeing as he hadn't offered me anything else to wear, I felt it best to simply bear the discomfort.
"As I said before, you have died, Allison, daughter of Eva and Mark. It occurred when you were struck by an automobile in a public parking lot, and bled to death before medical specialists arrived on the scene. Ah, I can see you're uncomfortable. I apologize." He waved a hand and suddenly my shirt was repaired, and lacked the huge bloodstain. "There. I had assumed it was some sort of Earth fashion thing." The man cleared his throat. "Your soul, rather than being permanently obliterated within the aether as is the fate of almost all the souls of your home world, has been claimed by a divinity in charge of a different realm. You show a high compatibility that is required for our current Godsgame."
I opened my mouth to ask another question, but the man raised a finger to silence me. "Please." I relented with a squint from my eyes. "Avare has long been without the Godsgame for thirty-four cycles, longer than any other host realm. Most of its people are not aware of the Godsgame. The Godsgame is a contest of proxies. Each divinity chooses a champion to accomplish their goals from the recently deceased. It is on a random timer, so no preparations can be unfairly made. Souls are chosen at the announcement of the Game. There is an order for picking souls. There are many other rules in place for fairness that you do not need to know." The finger lowered, but he continued speaking. "After I have finished my introduction, there will be a period for questions, after which you will be given more information on the specifics of your circumstances."
He sat back, opening the folder he held in front of him again. Despite the conversation, I still could not quite place the accent. Which, in a way, made sense, if he was not from any Earthly place. "Allison, you have been chosen specifically by the divinity Nollnine, member of the Godscore. Nollnine is the divinity of Age, Longevity, and Preservation. Libraries, ruins, and such are places deserving of her attention. You will represent Her will in the world of Avare, accomplishing the goal of her choice. You are not permitted to know the condition or conditions for winning the Godsgame. You are not permitted to know the condition or conditions for losing the Godsgame. You will be fully reincarnated, into a new body, at the start of the Game, in a place chosen by your patron. There are rules for this as well, so rest assured no champion will have too much of an advantage over another. This is the basic introduction. Before you receive information regarding the host world, you may ask questions." With that last word, the man set aside the folder and folded his hands in his lap, waiting patiently.
That was... interesting. They seemed really particular about fairness. I considered what I should ask next. Maybe learn a bit more about this person? "Nollnine. Will I get to meet her?"
"Perhaps, someday. Champions are given means to communicate with their patron eventually, though that will be obscured at the start." He nodded slowly as he spoke. "That will require some measure of success, most likely."
"Success. I don't get to know the goal or the rules." I frowned, and the man nodded his head again in confirmation. "What do I get out of this?"
"This is part of the compatibility we spoke of. Worlds like Earth are full of unfulfilled individuals who wish for a more exciting life, or a different place. After the conclusion of the Godsgame, you will be allowed to live as you wish. To be quite honest, the things that you wish to accomplish to begin with are likely related to my Lady's wishes. You were chosen out of a multitude, after all."
I couldn't argue with that answer, really. Of course I'd dreamed of travelling to different worlds, experiencing things beyond Earthly ken. "You said most of the people of Avare are unaware of the Godsgame. Are all worlds host realms? Has Earth been a host realm?"
"Once, Earth was a host realm. I do not know the history directly, but it was no longer considered eligible for being a host realm a long time ago. All worlds start off eligible, but I'm afraid I am not privy as to why that changes." He adjusted his sitting position, shrugging a little.
While I considered that, I realized I'd been a bit of an asshole. "I'm so sorry. What is your name?"
A laugh came from the man, a sound that impossibly reminded me of a calm river flow. "I have not been asked that before by a champion. I am Kastris Nollnine. Kastris is my given name, and Nollnine is the Lady I serve."
"Thank you for your time, Kastris." I gave a more earnest smile, starting to become more comfortable. With the initial shock of the situation wearing off, I was starting to become a little more anxious and excited. This is the kind of thing I'd dreamt of! While my manner of death sucked, and my heart panged for a moment when I realized I'd never see dad again, this was certainly better than just dying and nothing else. I frowned, thinking of dad, but pushed the thought out of my mind. "We can process that later," I mumbled to myself as I shook my head and compartmentalized the thought.
"Okay. So... what is the Godscore?" I intended to get as much information as I could, here. It was a golden opportunity, I just had to think of what to ask.
"The Godscore is the pantheon of divinities that hold sway within the aether, and Nollnine is one of twenty. Hence, score." He waved his hand. "I am not permitted to relay information about the other divinities to you," he said preemptively.
I put a hand to my chin. "Okay. Reincarnation, new body - do I get to choose anything or am I at the mercy of fate? Again, I suppose."
"Your preferences have been... taken in mind." Kastris glanced down at the folder next to him. "As all participants are from Earth this time around, all of you will be Human, but each champion has been given some leeway when it comes to their physical characteristics. I don't know the specifics of how you will be created, but rest assured you will be satisfied with the result, I promise."
"Okay." I had to take that at face value, not willing to rock the boat when it came to that. It seemed like it was a common enough question that it had such a specific answer. I really wanted to ask more, but it seemed like he'd said what he would. "Aether. What's that?"
"Aether is... everything. Existence." He raised his arms and gestured around him in sweeping movements. "Your people referred to existence as 'Space-time.' This is mostly correct. However, it is more accurate to say it is 'space-time-intent.' Earth was unable to perceive the soul and the energies that lay beyond that discovery. Souls are integral to existence. The aether, essentially, is the combination of occupied space, the possibility of time, and the power of intent."
"I think I get it?" I cocked my head to the side. "Maybe. I'll probably need to process that for a bit." I shook my head, once again putting my eyes on the man in front of me. "What can I know about the Godsgame?"
"You are in contest with the other Champions, and you represent Nollnine." Kastris gave a wry smile. "Any more is considered cheating."
"Damn. That's strict. I think I'm out of questions, at least for now." I sat back and crossed my arms in a huff. So much I didn't know that I didn't know.
"Excellent." He picked up the folder once again, leaving through the contents until he found what he was searching for. "Avare. The world in which you will find yourself. The days are twenty-four hours, hours are sixty minutes, a minute is sixty seconds, seven days is a week, and twenty-eight days is a month. There are thirteen months in a year, with the final day reserved for recreation and celebration and the beginning of spring."
He listed off more mundane information, all of which described a world very similar to Earth, at least physically. I'd ask about that when I could. Kastris continued, "the main differences from your home realm are significant. First, the existence of magic. Second, every creature in the realm uses a system of levels to mark their power. You should already be familiar with these concepts." He looked at me for a moment before continuing. "Third, many sapient species call it home, some being creations of the divinities and some being spontaneous. These were the main differences. The unanimous age of majority is eighteen. There are different languages, but Commercial is the most widely spoken. Your mind will be changed to understand it as well as your current language. Any questions so far?"
A moment passed while I weighed the knowledge I needed in my head. "It's very similar to Earth." That hadn't been a question, but Kastris obviously understood the implied ask.
"By design. Most of the realms keep similar calendars."
"Okay." I clasped her hands together to think. "You said I'm familiar with these concepts. Like the games from Earth, right?"
Kastris frowned and looked off in the distance. For a small moment, his strange eyes somehow took on a very distant quality. However, before I could focus on him, he looked back down at me. "Yes." Simple answer.
"So I can expect danger?"
"Somewhat. Probably," he admitted, looking thoughtful. "Though the majority of folk within Avare never find themselves in combative situations, champions often do. It is a rare champion that does not live a life fraught with excitement and danger, at least while the Godsgame is active." He focused his eyes on me. "Yes. You can expect danger."
"How do I interact with these ideas? Magic? Levels?"
"Magic will be felt intuitively, as it is imprinted upon your new body," Kastris responded. "Your level, and status, can be accessed using a certain rune called a Lens. You may have a portable version created or found later, but you will be placed in a location with a Lens to start off."
I looked up at the ceiling. "There's a million more things... but they're just things I'm curious about. How the universe... the aether works. Why this Godsgame is occurring. But maybe... maybe it's more fun to kind of figure these things out?" I brought my eyes back down on the pleasant man. He'd been nothing but polite and helpful. "Last few, I guess. Malleable, I take it that's just my ability to be shoved into Avare." With a stifled chuckle, Kastris nodded affirmation. "How permanent are these levels? How are they influenced? What rules dictate how they work?"
"Interesting. You said you wanted to find things out, but you're seeking specific information on this?" Kastris queried me with a genuine look of askance.
"Yeah. The deeper mysteries, I'm totally down to figure out. But this stuff directly relates to my success, and you know, my survival. Better to be alive to find things out."
"I understand," he responded with a nod. "Levels and the choices you make are permanent. Every odd level you attain after the first earns you a stat increase. Every even level earns you a skill point and a new choice of skill. The skills offered to you may be passive or active in nature, but usually reflect your actions and intents up to that point. It is the aether, after all, that supplies them. Levels are gained simply by living. Fighting, learning, creating, all of them can influence it to some extent, but the ones that directly relate to your Class will be the best for increasing your level. You will earn a proper class at level five, and every ten levels hence will force you to alter that class in some way, depending on how you've lived your life."
"So if I spend a bunch of time lifting weights, I'll get some sort of strength-related skills and or class choices?"
"Indeed."
I considered it. It wasn't so bad. I could just do the things that interested me, and the aether would guide my abilities in that direction. Honestly, it seemed too good to be true. This kind of convenience and catering just sounded ridiculous after my life on Earth. "Is Earth some kind of hell world or something? Because this all seems way too good to be true."
Kastris gave me an inscrutable look. "As I said before, I am not privy to those secrets. I only know that it not eligible to be a host realm any longer. I apologize."
Another question sprang to my mind, out of nowhere. "Will we speak again?" He'd been a nice conversation partner.
A good natures smile graced his features. "Likely not. My work keeps me busy, and I have little time to figure out how to interact with the champions of my lady."
"Damn, you're a nice guy." I gave a smile in return. "A shame. But thank you, then, for your work with me. I hope everyone's said that to you. One last question then. Is there any information I need to keep secret? Like being a champion or something?"
"None," he said. "Most realms are aware of the existence of other worlds, and you are not required to keep your status quiet. However, it might be prudent anyway to keep such information hidden. There are some in the world that may not take kindly to your presence - especially other champions."
A strong point. I wondered how long I'd be able to lay low, however. These stories usually ended up getting big in scale. This wasn't a story though, it was reality. Scary, but exciting.
"I don't think I have any other questions." I said, letting out a deep breath that I'd been starting to build.
"Then with that, I have one last message from my Lady before you begin. It is as follows." Kastris seemed to go stiff for a moment, and opened his mouth to speak again, this time in a stilted manner that almost gave the impression of a puppet on a string.
"I'm dropping you in an old, abandoned temple. It's a labyrinth. I suggest you conquer it before doing anything else. You'll find food and shelter there. No monster can find its way in and no monster can escape. Good luck, mortal."
"What-" I started to reply, but was cut off as my vision went completely white.