I don’t know how it happened, but the last thing I remembered was the sound of an approaching car horn.  That was kind of weird as I was working on the 20th floor of an office building. I hadn’t bothered to look around me, as I was focused on reconciling my project task list against the team’s bug tracker. I was Vincent Vila, a contracted freelance programmer, working as a database consultant for some minor subsidiary of a global corporation. I was pretty normal in all ways, except I liked to think I was a bit above average in smarts. Seeing as I was not a permeant hire, but a 1099 independent contractor, I might have been wrong about that. My task list was not onerous, and it gave me time to read light novels, play video games, and generally be left alone. I wouldn’t say I was a NEET, but that’s because I had graduated from University, I had a job that paid for my expenses, and I was an introvert.  Most NEETs I knew of or read about were disaffected and disconnected youths. I was in my late 20s and as an introvert, I got most of my socialization from the occasional internet posting. I didn’t group up in any of the online games I played, and I generally preferred to solo content, rather than LFG or even try to coordinate with friends. I guess I could have been called an isolated person, but I didn’t feel all that isolated.

Anyway, back to my death. Or maybe it’s the beginning of my transformation? I don’t know. I heard the car horn, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a transparent box truck pass through the cubicle partitions, heading directly towards me. I started to look up just as the truck burst through the partition of my cube, when there was an intense burst of light, followed by darkness. I’m guessing that I lost consciousness then, because the next thing I knew was that I was in a huge dark room.

The room was completely without light, but I knew that the edges of it were quite distant, and at the same time, quite close. Around the perimeter, were a collection of large chairs, almost like thrones. Each had what could only be described as a presence sitting in it. Again, how I knew this, without being able to see was not a major concern to me at the time.

One of the presences leaned forward and glared at me, {THIS IS THE CREATURE YOU WOULD HAVE AS YOUR CHAPMION?}

Another, lesser but sill immense presence rose behind me. {YES. THIS ONE WILL REDEEM MY CHILDREN AND WILL COUNTER THE DAMMAGE DONE BY HERGAL’S CORRUPTION AND GREED.}

A third presence shifted off to the side. {I DON’T SEE WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO SAVE THEM GURIIN. LET THEM DIE OUT. YOU CAN THEN RASE A NEW RACE UP, OR SIMPLY FADE, AS YOU WILL DO IF YOU PERSIST IN THIS FOOLS GAMBIT WITH THE YRCH.}

Many of the still silent presences stirred at these words. Apparently, Hergal had struck a sore point for this gathering.

{I WILL NOT FADE, BROHER. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO BE DESTROYED BECAUSE YOU WANTED THEIR BLOOD TO FUEL YOUR OWN SCHEMES. I WILL REDEEM THEM, AND I WILL RAISE UP ANOTHER RACE TO JOIN THEM. WITH THIS CHAMPION, I WILL RAISE THE CONSTRUCTED TO MY SIDE, AND TOGETHER THEY AND THE YRCH WILL BE UNASSAILABLE. FORGET ME NOT, I AM THE CRAFTER, AND I WILL CRAFT A GREAT NATION THAT IS OPEN TO ALL, DESPITE YOUR PLOTS.} Guriin spoke passionately.

A sibilant whisper spoke out in the darkness, {WOULD YOU HAVE MY AID, CRAFTER?}

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

{XEFARA, I WOULD KNOW WHAT YOU OFFER, AND WHAT YOU ASK IN RETURN,} said Guriin.

{I WILL ADD MY LESSER CHILDREN TO YOUR CAUSE, IN RETURN FOR A RESPECTEED PLACE IN THIS NATION YOU SEEK TO CRAFT.} She spoke.

{YOUR GREATER CHILDREN WOULD BE WELCOME AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT SEEK CONQUEST OR TO DROWN THE WORLD IN DEATH. THAT WAY SENDS US ALL TO FADE WHILE YOU AND HERGAL GAIN ALL. NO. IF THEY ARE TO BE WELCOME, THEY MUST PLEDGE TO AID THE NATION, AND NOT SEEK PERSONAL POWER. THEY MUST SERVE THE LIVING AND SEEK TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF UNDEATH. THE GRAVE SHOULD BE A PLACE OF REST, WERE ALL ARE WELCOME, NOT A PRISION THAT SOME WOULD SEE TO ESCAPE.} He turned to Hergal, {THIS IS YOUR ERROR MY BROTHER. YOU BUILD A PRISON OF THE GRAVE, AND GRASP AT SOULS THAT ARE LIKE THE WIND. THE MORE AND TIGHTER YOU GRIP, THE MORE SLIP FROM YOUR FINGERS.} Guriin addressed the others, {GRANT ME MY CHAMPION, AND I WILL END HERGAL’S TERROR, CLEANSE THE SOUL WELL OF HIS TAINT, AND BUILD A WORLD THAT GROWS ALL OF US, RATHER THAN ONE FILLED WITH CRUMBS FROM HIS TABLE FOR US TO FIGHT OVER.}

The first presence looked around at its fellows, gauging their mood. {IF GURIIN WANTS A CHAMPION, SO BE IT. I SEE NO RISK IN THIS, AND HIS PROPOSAL HAS MERIT. IF HIS CHAMPION CAN SURVIVE A YEAR, THE CHILDREN OF CEALION WILL ALLY TO THIS NEW NATION.} He shifted focus to Xefara, {BUT I DO NOT TRUST YOU, SISTER DEAR. PLEDGE TO US THAT YOU WILL NOT SEEK YOUR OWN POWER OVER AIDING ALL OF US.}

Xefara laughed quietly. {I SO PLEDGE. I WOULD BE GODDESS OF REBIRTH RATHER THAN UNDEATH.} A deep silence settled into the room, as all the presences stilled. {I XEFARA DO HEARBY BIND MYSLEF AS GODDESS OF REBIRTH AND JOIN MY POWER TO GURIIN TO MAKE THIS CHAMPION MINE AS WELL.}

There was a collective gasp, then a deep sonorous bell tolled three times, the vibrations shaking the room and all in it to their cores. I fell to my knees, which was my first indication that I could move, and I was sure, that the other presences in the room were at least staggered by the sound. The floor seemed to hum in the silence that followed.

Moments later, a slow clapping, petty in it sound after the absolute sound of the bell, disrupted the quiet. {OH, WELL PLAYED, SISTER. WELL PLAYED INDEED.} Hergal laughed. {AS IF ANY OF THEM WILL TRUST YOU, EVEN WITH THAT PHANTASM YOU CONJURED. NOW THEY WILL BE EVEN MORE ON GUARD AGAINST YOU. BUT THE GHOST OF THE POSIBILITY THAT IT WAS REAL WILL EAT AWAY AT THEM. THAT IS THE TRUE SNARE. IF THEY TURN YOU AWAY, AND YOU ARE NOT PLAYING THEM FALSE, IT DRIVES YOU INTO THE ARMS OF A COMPETITOR. BUT IF YOU ARE PLAYING A GAMBIT, THEY ARE HANDING YOU THE KNIFE TO SLIT THEIR THROATS IF THEY WELCOME YOU.} Again, the hollow laughter. {HOW DROLL, TO USE THEIR GREED AND PIOUS MUMMERY TO WORM YOU WAY INTO THEIR CHEST, THERE TO GNAW AT THEIR POWER AND DREAMS. BRAVO, DEAREST SISTER. BRAVO.}

{IF YOU CAN DOUBT THE EVEDENCE OF THE WITNESSING BELL, THEN YOU ARE BEYOND HOPE HERGAL. I HAVE CAST MY LOT WITH THIS CHAMPION OF GURIIN, AND THE DIE IS STILL SPINNING.} Xefara rose slowly from her throne, nodded to the other gods, for that was what they were, and seemed to take a step that was at a right angle to the universe as a whole.

Cealion shifted his gaze to me once again and nodded once. {HAVE YOUR CHAMPION GURIIN, AND HAVE HOPE FOR ALL OF US.}

Guriin bowed his head and held a hand over me. {THANK YOU, BROTHER.} He looked at all the remaining gods save one. {THANK ALL OF YOU. I WILL NOT FAIL IN MY CRAFTING.} He turned his face to me and I felt an inexorable weight seem to press down from his hand. {COME CHAMPION, WE HAVE MUCH WORK TO DO, AND I FEAR THIS WILL BE MOST UNPLEASENT FOR YOU. BUT HAVE FAITH IN ME AND YOU WILL KNOW WONDERS AS A REWARD.}

I felt the darkness swell up around me, promising unconsciousness, but at the very edge of hearing I heard a silibant whisper //A TRUCK? REALLY?//

//PRECIDENTS HAVE BEEN SET BY OTHERS. WHO ARE WE TO COMPLAIN THAT A RIVER FLOWS ALONG THE PATH WE WISH TO TRAVEL?// Another voice replied.

//AND WHO PUT THAT BOAT UPON THE RIVER?//  A third voice spoke.

//ONLY THE ONE WHO TOLLS THE BELL CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION?// The second voice replied.