I slowly gained consciousness in a featureless void. Looking down at myself I realized I couldn't see anything, no body, legs, or arms. After panicking for a brief moment I calmed down. It doesn't seem like I am hurt or anything.

“Umm hello?” I call or maybe think out to the void.

“Ahh your awake Ehl, are you feeling ready to meet me?” came a soothing motherly voice. Guessing that is Abysia, but I should check just to be sure.

“Are you Abysia, the Goddess I was speaking to before I came… here?”

“I am indeed, however, I didn’t wish to startle you before you had a chance to get your bearings. I have some things to discuss with you before you set foot upon Yenope.”

“Ah thank you Ms. Goddess for the consideration,” somewhat humbled and aware that this being could snuff out my existence with a thought. “I think I am ready to see you and hear what it is you need to tell me. Apologies if I panic I’ve never met a Goddess before.”

A gentle chuckle came from the endless voice. A faint light began to glow nearby. I couldn’t directly look at it, but I saw a feminine figure begin to emerge from it. The light flared briefly forcing me to look away. When it dimmed I looked back to see an odd sight.

A pale woman with long white hair, and solid black eyes. Her teeth were sharp like those of a shark. Her body was tall and willowy, like that of a model. Heavy shackles dug into her wrists and ankles drawing black-red blood from the wounds. The clothes that clung to her body were tattered strips of cloth, something like I recall seeing a banshee or mummy-type figure wearing. I was stunned into silence.

“I am sorry I cannot currently commit to a more pleasing form…” came a somewhat timid voice from the Goddess.

“Beautiful…” I whispered. Abysia seemed pleased but slightly taken aback by my comment.

“Well I am glad you feel so Ehl, and please call me by my name Abysia. I will tell you what I can and answer any questions you may have. Though our time here is not unlimited. Anything you need to ask before I start my explanation?”

I gave a wry grin and shook my head. Or at least that’s what I felt like I did given that I lacked any sort of corporeal body.

“Ehl, I have brought you across a vast… distance for lack of a better word. You are to be my champion on Yenope. I have not had a champion in a long long time. This was perhaps a mistake on my part as the gods of order have attempted to seize total power.” She motions at the shackles binding her.

“My ability to influence the world is limited as I lack an ordinary priesthood, though I am not without some believers. My plan for you is to send you into this world to bring about Change. I do not have any particular wishes for what Change you bring only that you do. The gods of order have had an increasing stranglehold on this world that I believe is to the detriment of all.

To enact the Changes I plan to offer you what gifts I can and my unceasing support no matter what road you may choose. I also understand if this burden is too much and I can attempt to send you back though I cannot be sure of its success. Now please ask me your questions as I am sure you have many.”

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I took a few minutes to gather my thoughts. So she wants me to Change things, her slight emphasis on that word implies a deeper change than swapping an outfit or something. A stranglehold isn’t good, but isn’t order normally good? That seems a bit out of place. Lastly, what about these gifts she mentions? The answers to those questions should help inform me if I want to try to avail myself to return to my previous life.

“What does it mean to Change things versus change things?” I asked hoping to clarify more about what was being asked of me.

“Well a person changes their clothes or changes their hairstyle. However, a new fashion trend adopted by many would be a Change in society. The overthrow of a republic and the estrablishment of a despot would be a Change. As would the defeat of a tyrant and the creation of a democracy. Change is big, and shapes the world.”

“And you don’t care what I Change as long as I Change something?”

“Correct.”

“What if I Changed it so that you lost any power?”

She gave a small smile and said simply. “That would still be a Change and fufill my request.”

I was rather stunned by that. I had poked at her to challenge her and see how she would respond. However, she was neither desperate for assistance nor arrogant in her demands. A type of authority I was unused to given the types of people I had worked for before.

“Why is this stranglehold negative? Where I came from order was considered a positive.”

“Order is good, in moderation. However, some beings want to make things too organized. If you will trust me I can show you what has happened in the absence of Chaos, the absence of Change.”

Thinking about it I give a small nod. Abysia holds out her hand and an image appears above it. I see four humans blink out of the existence of a room with three beings that despite appearing different share some similarities with Abysia. I guess these three must be gods of order.

The one on the left wears a long robe of blue and silver. He has a bald head and a long white beard. A wizened face with piercing blue eyes contemplates the other two. A staff with a scale affixed to the end of it is gripped in his left hand.

The one in the middle wears red and black plate armor. A greatsword is strapped across his back. Above where a human's heart would be is a silver etched sigil of a crossed sword and axe. His face seems much more youthful than the other two, though not what one would call boyish by any means. His solid white eyes do not betray where he is looking.

On the right, there is a heavyset-looking man. He stands with a bit of a hunch and a twisted gleam in his eyes. He wears jewelers glasses and his embroidered green and gold robes seem made of the finest materials.

The heavy-set man leaned back with a chuckle after the heroes disappeared. “Ahh, it never gets old setting those fools off along their path. Remind me Varigoth are the demons supposed to win this time or not?”

The man in the plate armor stirs and responds nonchalantly. “The demons are set to lose this time. Shouldn’t be too hard for those children to win given the tools I and Theren have provided along with your equipment Murrard.”

The heavy-set man chuckled. “And I do so look forward to the earnings from this fine event. Only a few more cycles now before our plans are unstoppable. Theren, any word on that bitch we have locked out? She’s been an awful nuisance these last few cycles.”

The wizened man stroked his beard a bit in thought. “No, though I suspect she is as aware of we are of the circumstances. The wards hold and she has made no movement thus. It seems she is not going to make use of the Hero System she created as far as we can surmise.”

Varigoth laughed. “A fat lot of good it would do her, we would simply turn our heroes and the world against the one she can summon on her own.” Murrard bobbed his head in agreement, but Theren shook his head.

“There is a lot we do not know about the Hero System she created. Certainly, we all had a hand in it, but ultimately it was her brainchild. There is much we and the mortals do not know about it even with the millennia it has been in use.”

“Well no matter,” Murrard waves his hand dismissively. “It would take more than one hero to make any sort of difference to the outcome of our plans even if they might get set back a bit. I need to get back to my merchants and gather the profits. See you all when the heroes begin their journey.” Murrard’s form dissipates. Theren and Varigoth each give another nod of their head before they too dissipate and the image vanishes.