It all started with waking up....

I would say I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, except that there was no bed. No bedroom, for that matter, either. To say I was confused would be an understatement. As my mind started to wake up and process facts beyond the lack of bed and bedroom, the "room' I was in started to come into focus. It definitely was not the couch I likely dozed off on or the bed I sometimes didn't remember getting into. It was a dim but pleasant gray haze like a brighter fog. I couldn't be confident if, where, or how many walls there were or the existence of a ceiling. It didn't feel like a dream. There was only one thing to do, and that was ask.

"Am I dreaming?" My voice didn't even echo, simply disappearing into the haze.

"Not in the slightest," a voice replied. It sounded feminine, but I wasn't confident in that, as hazy as this place was. I looked around and saw a slight darkening in the fog.

"Dead then?" I asked in the direction of the shape.

"Not likely.  But I am Death, so that's not impossible."

The voice was definitely female, lower, with a sultry tone that immediately sent shivers down my spine.

"Death?" I asked at the vague image in the haze, somewhat wary of what might have been a threat.

"Well, the Goddess of Death. And this is not my domain, so you aren't dead, I think!"

With each word, she stepped closer and came into better view. By her last word, I was able to see her fully. She was petite, with ivory, pale skin, and short dark hair just down to her mid-neckline. She wore a short black cocktail dress that fit perfectly and had her finger to her lip, accentuating her thought. Her eyes, though, were deep voids of black that somehow still sparkled with a mischievous glint as she studied me. It was as if she could see right through me, into the depths of my soul. The realization that I was standing face to face with Death herself sent a jolt of fear and curiosity coursing through my veins.

"Then where are we?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she extended her hand toward me. With uncertainty, I reached out and clasped her delicate fingers in mine. A surge of warmth spread through me, calming my racing heart.

"You are not here by accident," she said, her voice carrying an air of ancient wisdom.

"There is a purpose for your presence in this realm." She continued.

I couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and trepidation at her words. What could be so important that Death herself would intervene?

"And that is?" I'm not going to lie. I made a quick glance down just to make sure I was wearing clothes. I sighed with relief--yep, I was not naked. I was in shorts and a nondescript T-shirt.

"I am confident we are in your soul. At least partially. And I do mean 'we'. I am here, not a projection or  some avatar." 

She took a moment to run her hands across her body and through her hair. I couldn't help but watch. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. I looked at her with that same sense of amazement as when I first met my wife.

"wait...soul?....avatar?.....death?...goddess? I'm so fucking confused right now."

"Hrmn.....let me get a good look at you." As she stared at me, I got a better look at her eyes. I might have been staring elsewhere for a bit. Hot girl running, caressing her body, can you blame me? Her eyes were dark voids, not the glossy orbs of a shark, but still very predatory. As she looked at me, they flashed. I am not quite sure how to describe it. The flash was equal parts darker black and a black light. I could swear I also saw a slight flash of bright blue somewhere in the depths.

"ahh...you're an Outworlder! That explains it," she exclaimed.  Her joy soured quickly as confusion and concern flashed across her face. She started to pace.

"But... but....that means. But it's too soon....I just...how? It's not fair!" She started pacing and may have stamped her foot a little on that last part. It was adorable. I walked over and grabbed her arms, gently stopping her pace.

"It's going to be OK. Explain."

"OK...."  As she collapsed onto a heap on the pale ground.

"It's like this. I just became a god a little bit ago. So recently, I haven't even manifested a form yet. Now, an outworlder is here clueless, which means another game is starting, and I haven't even been able to build forces or make deals. I have no chosen, no champions, and most importantly, a paragon. I'm a prime target with no paragon I'm gonna lose. I can't lose. I need a Par.....agon." She looked up at me expectantly with her pause.

"umm.....I don't know what any of that means."

She jumped to her feet, a sly smile on her face.

"I think it means you're supposed to be my paragon. I mean, how else could I have intercepted a transition?  More importantly, how else are you, not a quivering corpse foaming at the mouth? Only a paragon can withstand their god's direct presence."

"I guess that makes sense." It didn't

"thank you, by the way," she said with what I swear was a blush (could gods blush?).

"for what?"

"This!" she twirled up on one foot, causing her dress to sway and shift slightly.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her playful enthusiasm. Being the paragon of Death was undoubtedly not what I had expected when I woke up this morning or wherever and whenever this was. There was something about her, something captivating and intriguing, that made me willing to go along with whatever adventure awaited me in this mysterious realm.

"I can feel every part of this body, and it's amazing. I mean, I was pretty before, but I'm now HOT...and, yet, somehow innocent and cute simultaneously."

 I will say she was, without question, all that and more. Each word accentuated and deepened the look. The look on her face when she said 'cute' was irresistible, so naturally, I froze.

"Awe. You're blushing. You made me your version of perfect; you know that, right? Well, almost perfect." she lifted her leg and wiggled her toes at me.

"How about some shoes?"

I knew just the shoes to go with that dress. My wife wore them and a similar dress on our first date. The big problem was how in the fuck do I make shoes.

"Um, yeah...about that. I know the perfect shoes for you, buuuuuutttt.....yeah, have no idea how to create them."

"Silly boy... it's your soul; make it do what you want."

That sounded like a good enough answer, so I thought about the shoes. She was a Goddess, so only the best would do. I concentrated on every detail. I started with the sole pattern and started working through each piece. I hadn't even gotten through the sole, having gotten stuck on the chemical composition of the rubber before I began mumbling aloud.

"It's not a butyl rubber, but"

"Could be natural latex."

This continued for several minutes while the goddess patiently waited, hands clasped behind her back. I continued to mutter and started to pace....

"Laces should be five feet and stretch eight inches, giving them a modus off...." As I started to regret not having a calculator and consequently building one in my head, I noticed a cat who killed the canary smirk on her face. It was that smirk a teenager gets when they have something to tell you that they think will blow your mind. She even did the little sway back and forth.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Umm...Goddess?....do you have something to say?" I chastised myself immediately for sounding like a school teacher.

She bounded over to me, and I immediately noticed her feet. Shod in black and white Chucky Ts, that's precisely how I pictured them in my head.

"How long?" I sighed

"The start... it's within your soul, dear... It understands." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

She bounced back after the kiss. Her sheepish look suggested that it might have been inappropriate. I gave her my best smile.

"I'm glad you like them."

I stood back and admired her petite form. Some part of me had added a pair of black thigh-high fishnets to complete the goth look, the black standing out against her cream-white skin. It was perfect.

Even the room shuddered as if the non-existent walls rippled. Everything felt closer, as if the unfathomable room just got smaller.

"Awe...It looks like we are running out of time. Best if we get started."

"Started with what exactly?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"Your Awakening, silly boy. If you are going to be my paragon, you will be awakened by me and only me." Her voice was booming and clearly possessive, and her eyes flashed once again.

"Come kneel before your Goddess...."

"Pssst... what's your name?" She whispered, looking slightly embarrassed.

"John," I replied.

"Kneel before me, John."

"Pssst... what's yours?" I whispered back as I took a kneeling position before her.

"Vex. Why are we whispering?" She whispered.

"You started it."

"Shush you and kneel." She smiled down at me.

"Already am Vexy." In typical Schoolgirl style, she let out a little giggle.

"John, I'm serious."

We laughed at that for a good ten seconds, which here seemed like an eternity.

 There was another bout of giggles as she saw me hold back the mandatory 'Hi, serious, I'm John' retort. I'm not a dad, but I'm old enough to have dad jokes.

After we calmed down, she rolled her shoulders and touched my forehead. Her touch was still electric. I could feel warmth through it and, at the very edge of it, an abyss.

We stood like that for long enough for me to get uncomfortable. As I started to fidget, I chanced to look up at Vex's face. Her eyes were closed, her nose and forehead scrunched in concentration, and her lips were drawn into a tight line.

Finally, she broke.

"I don't know why it's not working. I keep getting a 'not optimum' prompt, and the awakening fails to initialize."

She took a seat on the ground in front of me, legs crossed under her, and hung her head in her hands.

"It should be easy. I've awakened dozens of people over the years. I've never had one fail."

I have experience in helping people overcome struggles.

"You said you were a newish God. How many have you awakened as a God?" I used my most calming voice, like dealing with a straight-A student failing the first time.

"Honestly? You would be the first. But I'm an actual God this time, not a Demi or a basic Awakener."

"It sounds like an ability. And you mentioned 'prompts.' Do you still have the ability?" Again, the consoling voice was used, but the tone was shifted to identify the problem.

"Yeah," she was almost sobbing now.

"Is it any different?"

"It says 'Divine Awakening' now."

"And are you doing the same thing as before?"

"No." Vex turned such a bright shade of pink that it looked like an instant sunburn.

"What did you do to Awaken before?" She actually turned away and hid her face.

"Vex?" I asked again, and all I got was a shake of the head. So, I did what I thought was best. I wrapped her in a light hug. As I embraced her, she started to shake with soft sobs.

I held her tightly, my arms a comforting shield around her trembling form. Vex's sobs gradually subsided, and she sniffled, pushing herself away from me to wipe away her tears. Her eyes, now puffy and red-edged, met mine with a mixture of relief and vulnerability.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice still shaky. "I didn't mean to break down like this. It's just... I thought I was prepared for this moment, but it turns out I'm not."

I reached out to cup her face gently, my thumb brushing against the soft skin of her cheek.

"Shhh...Vex, it's alright. We'll figure this out together. You don't have to shoulder all the burdens yourself. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But. But you'll hate me or worse, think I'm a...." She choked on the last word, but I heard it clear enough 'Whore'.

I reached out and took her face in my hands, turning her head towards mine. I looked deep into the void that was her eyes, searching for the blue I had seen earlier.

"Shush you...I'd never think that of you. You are a Goddess. In EVERY sense of the word." I could feel the tension draining from her, replaced with confidence.

"I wasn't always tied to death. I mean, I had the aspect from the beginning. As an adventurer, it helped."

Her confidence grew with each word. I didn't dare turn away; I knew how critical these moments were.

"One word got out that I could awaken through...*ahem*...intimate encounters, the requests for me from the wealthy and connected went through the roof. Thankfully, the guild turned most away or shunted to other awakeners. My guild mistress always kept an eye out for me. She was a priestess of Lust, so she understood. Still, there were a few that she couldn't refuse. Some of them were nice men, boys, really. They were sweet, and I gladly awakened them even if most would never Ascend. As for the rest that we couldn't refuse? Well, I technically was an assassin, and Kings would go to war before letting anyone kill an Ascended Awakener. It was a delicate balance, but 'he died during the awakening' was sometimes a passable excuse. Enough for others to not look too closely."

She paused for a second, trying to judge my reaction. I just smiled back. My heart broke a little for her, but she had strength from all that somewhere.

"I won't go into all the details, but eventually, I took my shot and made it. Death took me under his wing. He had a perfect spot for me. I helped those who weren't willing to let go of the mortal plane because of lost or unrequited love finally let go. I was a Demi at that point. Umm, 'Demi' is short for Demi-god or A tier." She tacked on like she thought I might have been lost.

"Makes sense. Sounds like you helped a lot of people."

"I did." she smiled.

"Well, eventually, Death was ready to 'retire,' and in the last game, I took his place. It's much more complicated, but we are running short of time." The room shuddered again as if to punctuate her statement.

"Ready to try again? I think I know how it needs to work." She stared at me with a predatory gleam.

I knew what she wanted. I could feel it; It was so palpable I could taste it. I started to think of what to say, a cheezy line. I was frozen. I could barely move. I tried to move closer to her. I budged an inch, still trying to think of what to say.

An inch was all it took for the tension to break.

For the first time, I saw her irises. They were so blue that they burned. She put her hands on my shoulders and pushed me to the ground. I started to speak. She places a slender finger against my lips.

"Shhhhh.........Don't fuck this up by talking," she whispered, breathing in my ear.

The rest was lost in a sea of electric blue.

I woke up a short time later, and a glance out of the corner of my eye showed the same gray room. I felt like I had run a marathon, been run over by a truck, and then had a massage.

I felt Vex's weight on my hips. I opened my eyes and was greeted by her familiar face, her eyes still electric.

Her hair was damp with sweat, but her face showed deep concern and worry instead of bliss. She was bordering on panic.

"No...No..No.. Come back, come back." She gripped my face with her hands.

"I'm here," I croaked. My voice, for some reason, was hoarse and cracked. The relief on her face was instantaneous, and she collapsed on top of me.

"I'm so sorry...I..I..I didn't realize. It was too much. You are just a mortal. I thought....I...I thought I had lost you." She cried into my chest. She got up and started to pace.

"It...'s...o...k.....Still here."

I reached up and tried to rub my face. My entire body reacted as if it was asleep. Eventually, I tried to stand. It took a lot of effort, but I made it. I took a deep breath and looked around. The room was still unfathomable as ever, but I could feel it was much smaller now, the size of my and my wife's first apartment. At the thought of her, something inside me broke. What had I done?

From the first moment in the room, I played the situation back in my head. For some reason, my thoughts were super clear.

Everything was.

Even the pain.

It was only there if I thought about it. I focused on the internal turmoil, the betrayal. My eyes caught on Vex's, back to their normal blueless black. She was staring at me, watching for something. Her look mirrored the guilt I felt. There was something else--a connection. A thin thread that felt as strong as a steel cable.

I felt the cable in my mind and thought back to my wife and all our time together: a thousand deep conversations and so many light ones. I snorted a little as I remembered us always joking about situations like this. She would have probably slept with Vex, too. She always had a thing for Emo girls, way more than I did.

Speaking of Emo girls, a very distraught one was pacing in the smallish room.

"Vex"

"VEX"

I felt an unusual power in my voice. She reacted immediately, just not how I expected. It only lasted a second, but I saw it plain on her face....Fear.

"Are you sure you are okay?"

She paused a little on that last word. I was not 'OK'. The roadkill feeling was still there. The headache, too, was getting worse. The post-massage, post-sexy time feelings? Yeah, they were long gone. My vision burned with bright hazes of color at the edges. My body still felt like it was asleep. Coordination was shot. It was taking all my concentration to stay upright. I wobbled a little and lied.

"I feel great!"

It was the right answer.

Her smile lit up the room--literally. For the first time, I could see stone walls. A little pout crossed her face as she glimpsed them.

"No...not now. I have so much to tell you; it will be ages before I can see you again. I need to explain everything."

"I will manage."

I tried to put on my most confident and charming face. I could feel the muscles not working. I managed creepy.

Vex found it funny. Her laugh was as intoxicating as ever.

"I have faith in you...my paragon." The last part came out sultry.

"Now go, oh, by the way, I had to change your name a little."

"Huh? Change? To what?"

"I picked one I found in your head, silly."

"Oh dear god....which one."

"Awe, you called me dear." She smiled. "I went with your best one!"

She defiantly clasped her hands together and twisted her body, reacting to something cute and romantic.

"Just tell me." I could feel the fog dissipating. I knew it would signal the end of this encounter.

"I named you...Aris"

She was right about all my gamer tags and email aliases, not to mention characters and other 'names'; she chose the one I liked the most.

The room shuddered like it wanted us to hurry up and have our moment so it could finally leave.

Her voice took on a power that belied her petite frame.

"Now, Aris, feel free to have fun and enjoy yourself while you are out there, but remember one thing."

"You..."

"are...."

"MINE".

The room gave a final shudder, and I crashed into darkness.