Australia
In an small apartment
The light of the TV was the only thing that illuminated the dark room, the images of a video game flashed. The title screen read “Odyssey Grand adventure 5”
It was a game where the player controlled a young man on a journey to save the world. Along the way he would meet party members that the player can spend time with and even date if they wanted too.
The person who had just started playing was a huge fan of the odyssey games, his room had glass cabinets filled with figures and figurines from the game series.
He waited two years for the game to get released, finally a distraction from the bleakness that was his life.
I wonder if Carmichael is going to show up to work tomorrow. The man thought. Carmichael was a fellow IT worker in the company that the man worked at.
They had their own separate room away from everyone else. Because of that no one really went to talk to them, they felt invisible.
He was probably the only friend that the man had in this day and age that felt the same way as him. He too was a gamer and was awaiting the release of OGA five. Carmichael had been absent last week and wasn’t texting or returning his calls.
Because of this the man was working double to pick up the slack. He wouldn’t mind the extra work if he wasn’t being ignored or berated by everyone else in the office.
No one noticed when he fixed anything they only ever noticed or spoke up to him when an issue they just encountered needed to be fixed.
“Why the fuck isn’t this working?”
“What do they even pay you for?”
“Are you slacking off?”
It was annoying to say the least but the pay was good. It allowed the man to purchase all the anime, light novels, and video games he wanted.
But even so, he was lonely, so very lonely. His parents lived in their own world, any issue or problem he would tell them, they would respond with.
Okay… You're a man right? suck it up. The only person who truly cared about him was his older sister, who moved to England with her husband, leaving him alone. Oh, and Carmichael but that was a mutual understanding of “us IT guys gotta stick together.”
As he played the game he met one of the party members, an elf girl named Makoto, she was so cool and beautiful.
“I wish she was real…” he thought, “ I wish I could be her.”
The man yawned as he took a sip of his coffee, he had stayed up a bit too late playing the game. He was almost late for work today. He decided to wet his face in the bathroom at work, no hi’s or good mornings came his way during the trek to the restroom.
“Did you hear one of our workers died a couple of days ago”
One male and one female worker had been gossiping near the restroom entrance. The man thought about how sad it was that someone had died as he entered the restroom.
He splashed water over his face and then looked in the mirror. The man was very cute, at times you could mistake him for a woman, which has happened many times.
The moment he saw his reflection a great sadness washed over the man. He hated how he was neither masculine or feminine. In his journey of relationships and lov,, the man was always made aware of his status.
In his youth boys would bully him and call him derogatory slurs, women would also bully him and hate on him for looking “cuter” than them. His sister always came to his rescue, it made things worse for a boy to be saved by his sister. At least that’s what men and society thought.
But he knew it came from a place of love and appreciated his sister. That’s why it hurt so much to see her move away.
He was twenty-eight years old and while he had been on flings and dates before, he hadn’t been in a relationship for a long time.
“Sorry, I just didn't feel a connection.”
“You're nice but I want to date a taller guy, thanks for the meal though.”
Rejection after rejection the man believed that he was the problem, maybe he was overestimating his worth. No matter who he dated it was all the same. Why? What was wrong with him?
When he was twenty-one, an old classmate had walked up to him when he was out at a mall. He was one of the few boys that had insulted and bullied him. He mistook him for a girl and tried to flirt with him.
“Guess some things don’t change huh?” The old classmate laughed embarrassed at the confusion.
The man had a small epiphany, why not just embrace it and try to date men? So he did. He was insanely popular in the dating world overnight and while the attention felt good, he was still getting the short end of the stick with his relationships.
“I’m down low, I haven’t come out yet, so I can’t take you out on a real date. But we should meet up tomorrow at a hotel.”
“I’m not looking for anything, just sex.”
Was the man just not good enough? He wasn’t masculine enough for women and he wasn’t feminine enough for men. He was stuck in this in-between of being used by both sexes in their own ways.
He hated seeing his face, he just wasn’t good enough. He felt like he would never be good enough. At least he had his games and Carmichael was a true friend to him. He really missed talking to him.
He looked down at his phone, he had texted Carmichael again but still no answer.
As he headed out he overheard another group of people gossiping around the restroom door.
“Dude did you hear? Apparently one of the IT guys died.”
“We have IT support here? Didn’t know, haha.”
The man’s heart sank. He shouted at them “what's the name of the IT guy that died?” The group of people stared at the man, you can see on their faces the question “who the heck is this guy?” was on their faces.
“We don’t know his name.”
“How do you not know his name?” The man was angry, there were only two IT workers. Someone had to know who they were.
“Listen buddy, you can’t just come in here without any permission. Someone call security.” One of the workers started to dial something on their phone.
“I've been working here for years!“ Tears started to appear in the corner of his eyes, he ran away from the group and headed to one of the manager's office.
When he got there he asked the manager about the person who died and if he worked in IT.
“Oh yes it was quite tragic and sudden. We heard it from his mother. His name was uhhh… Charlie.”
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The man slammed the wall with his fist, he started to cried. This was unbelievable to him. Only two people worked IT here, only two.
“You bastards, you are all fucking bastards.” The man whispered, the manager was visibly frightened and started to reach for his phone in response.
“How could you not even know his name?” He kept crying, “I’m Charlie, the other IT guy is Carmichael.” The manager didn’t know what to say, you can see great shame on his face. Charlie walked away and left work immediately
Charlie was able to get in touch with Carmichael’s mother, she told him that Carmichael killed himself. Left a note that basically said how depressed and lonely he was.
His mother also told Charlie that there was a message for him in the note, she was trying to get ahold of Charlie but Carmichael’s phone had broken during the suicide.
“I’m sorry for leaving you, you were one of my only friends. I wished I had the guts to tell you how I felt this whole time but I was ashamed, ashamed of taking the easy way out. I just didn’t have the will to live anymore. OSA 5 came out right? Beat it for me too, C.”
Charlie went home that day and played Odyssey grand adventure five for the rest of the night. He didn’t go to work the next day, he didn’t go to work at all that week. He just stayed home and played the game.
As the week passed he was on the final level, all the characters spoke to his player character and told them how much they loved him or believed in him.
“Friends to the end, I believe in you” stuff like that was what they were saying. As he beat the final boss and the credits rolled, Charlie didn’t feel anything he just stared at the screen.
His phone vibrated and for a second it looked like a text message, the name had read Carmichael. Charlie quickly grabbed it but his mind was playing tricks on him.
Instead it was a notification of a check deposit, Charlie started to laugh and laugh. His job had given him a check for working his required forty hours. He never told anyone he wasn’t going to work that week.
And no one called him the whole week to ask if he was okay. No one cared about him, he hysterically and maniacally laughed and cried as if every mental scar had finally broken him.
Unwanted, alone, not man enough and not feminine enough. Is this how Carmichael felt? If I was born a woman would my life be different? Could I have saved Carmichael? If I was more masculine could I have had better luck in life?
He looked back at the screen and saw the character of Makoto on the title screen. “I wish I could be you.” Maybe in another life.
He began to write down his own suicide note, no one cared about him. Not even Carmichael did or else he would still be here with him. Charlie laughed, what a selfish thing to think of. He regretted that thought.
He made a makeshift noose and tied it around his neck.
“Maybe in another life I’ll get to see Carmichael again.”
///
Elysium
Ra’s war room
“What? Listen big bird, I’m going to be the strongest retainer, why do I have to wait so long?” Darren shouted.
Darren wanted to enter the fantasia world at birth and try to locate the other retainers before the battles officially started.
“Learn to respect me boy, it’s Lord Ra or Pharaoh.” Ra had become quite agitated with the human.
“It just doesn’t make sense! If everything you say is true with my role and my abilities we should just get it over with quickly and defeat them.”
“I speak from experience, child, you will wait until the starting year. Once the first battle happens in daylight you will make your move.” Ra said.
“Tch, this is bull. I already know I’m better than anyone these other deities send out. I’m going to be a god in this new world”
“DEMI-god, you are near invincible when the sun is out. At night your body will consume the solar energy it had stored up. So we have to plan around that implemented weakness.” Ra said that with distaste.
“But what about our trump card? The ability only we—”
“Don’t say another word!” Ra interrupted “We must keep that a secret between us at all cost, that ability is soul crushing.”
Darren slouched in his chair he looked away to the side as if feeling embarrassed about something. “So when are you going to teach me, deity?”
“When did I ever say I would teach you?” Ra said. He turned his whole body to look at the human. “The deal was that you can use your wish to learn to be a deity”
“Yeah but I’m the retainer, shouldn’t you as my Lord guide me?
“You only have the title of retainer for the sole purpose of this competition. You are no true retainer.” Ra looked away with his eyes closed.
“Whatever chicken…” Darren muttered, he was sulking. He then decided to ask Ra one more thing. “Then teach me about the Egyptian deities.”
The once proud and serious Ra now looked bewildered and shocked. “You wish to know about our history?”
“Yeah maybe it could help me out during the Tryfing. And I always liked history class.” Darren was a proud person, he believed to be better than everyone else. He had no equal in his mind. So here he was being bashful speaking with Ra.
Ra’s face softens up a bit “if that is the reason then... I suppose I could grant that request… for the purpose of winning the Tryfing.” Ra too started being bashful.
Team Ra had started their move.
///
Australia
A small apartment
Freya couldn’t believe what she saw. “This human is… this human is… so weak!” Freya couldn’t believe it.
Charlie Wilson
STR:<0/0/_/_/_/_>
INT: <0/0/0/_/_/_>
ATH: <0/_/_/_/_/_>
RES:
She was told that the Tryfing selection system limited how low someone’s stats could be. Not to mention one of his stats said it was Locked.
I guess him taking his life locked his resolve, she thought. She stared long and hard at the young man.
“Damaris, can you show me this boy’s past?” Freya telepathically asked. Damaris warped in and took a picture of Charlie; she then showed Freya the tablet and pressed play.
Freya went through Charlie’s life, she felt nothing but pity. That’s when she had a plan.
“Thank you, Ms. Damaris, you may leave. I don’t want to take more of your time.” Freya said slyly.
“Okay! If you need anything, holler.” Damaris winked and warped out.
Freya quickly took off her cloak, she twirled the cape in the air using her ather. She then used her ather to have the cloak cover her and Charlie.
“Silence.” Freya whispered in an unknown language. It was a seidr spell, a magic practice that she helped create.
This spell made it so that no outside force could hear what was being said under the cloak. She pulled out a little blue orb and inscribed a rune on it with her finger.
“Oh, noble soul. I ask thy to die in place of this one, that when you return to the Folkvanger, I promise to reward thee.” The orbed lit up to acknowledge the ritual.
Freya placed Charlie on the ground, she also placed the soul insideCharlie. Lights flashed around Charlie’s body. He convulsed for a few seconds and then stopped.
“GASP… why I’m I alive? I was dead. I couldn’t breathe anymo—”. Freya touched the right temple of his forehead. She transferred all the information she knew.
Charlie had calmed down once he saw Freya, she looked strong and beautiful. He wanted to also say a part of her looked handsome but didn’t know how Freya would interpret that.
“I sent you the information you need to know and have a proposition for you.” She said. “I don’t want to win, I enjoy living in Elysium. My best friend Inari is in this competition as well. I want her to win.”
She paused, Charlie looked at her and asked “if she is your best friend and she wins wouldn’t you not see her again?”
“Probably not.” Freya replied with a small hint of sadness. “But I would rather sacrifice that and have her be reunited with her love.” The Norse deity of fertility proudly exclaimed.
She looked Charlie in the eyes “in exchange for letting you reset your life in a new world, I want you to locate Inari’s retainer and help them win at all cost.”
Charlie didn’t have many questions, he already knew when all eight retainers were selected, all knowledge of rival competitors would be gone and only returned once they saw it with their own eyes.
This was so no cheating can happen and allows surprises in battles to come. The only thing retainers and deities know about other competitors is who the deities are and what roles they had but not what they can and can’t do. That information is gone.
He did have one question, one that he thought about immediately after the transfer.
“I can create a new life for me? I can be anything?”
Freya nodded “but only if you accept my condition will I pick you.”
“But I’m not strong. I never even threw a punch before.” Charlie said.
Freya sighed. “Listen, I’m not going to beat around the bush. You’re probably going to be the weakest retainer in this Tryfing”
Those words stung Charlie’s already low self esteem.
“I saw your life, I resonated with how you felt. I created seidr magic to make father proud, but that old bastard ignores us… ignores me, don’t even think he would have cared.” She looked sad “I spent eons trying to get his attention, for him to care.” She had to look away.
Maybe that’s why Freya acted the way she did, she had tried her hardest to be a great deity like her twin brother. To impress someone that, in her eyes, didn’t care about her at the end of the day. Then anger was heard in her voice.
“I’ll never forgive him for what he did to Inari.” She looked at Charlie with a strong resolve.
Charlie looked at her and then looked at the rope that used to be around his neck. A once in a lifetime opportunity not only did he get to have another chance at life. He got to choose what he wanted to be.
But that wasn’t the reason he would accept the call. He too felt pity and sadness when he saw the deity. Listening to her story Charlie thought about Carmichael and his relationship to him.
He didn’t do anything for Carmichael and that was one of the many regrets that lingered in his heart. He wished he acted like Freya did to this Inari. He wanted to be cool, strong and beautiful like Freya. He wanted to be like her.
“This Inari must be someone amazing for you to want to help her.,” he said.
“I want to help her too, I want to be someone like you.” He looked at Freya with determination in his eyes. Freya smiled at Charlie. She pulled down the cloak and ended the silence spell.
“I heed your call and wish to fight for yo—“
“HOLD ON.”
A powerful being warped into Charlie's small apartment. It was Achilles, Freya and her retainer were shocked to see him.
“You can’t choose him, Lady Freya. I forbid it.”
3rd Tryfing
Official judge: Heroic Greek deity, Achilles.
Support judge: Angel, Damaris.
Chosen deities:
Ra:Demi-God: Darren Donaldson
Lugh: Knight: Ariel Morales
Zhong Kui: Exorcist
Inari: Polymath: Kento Sanosuke
Freya: Assassin: Charlie Wilson?
Nuada: Conqueror
Minerva: Tactician
Team Arc-Angel: Hero
Fantasia world: not yet created.
Starting year: not yet decided.
45:53:73