Chapter 1

Escape from the Endless Void

Loki was impatient… he lost track of time since he has become a prisoner on this Void. It was his fault, he was too greedy. Chaos, the Father of the World, retired, letting his influence wane and he took the initiative. He was nicknamed the Tyrant, toppling the delicate balance of the World with an iron fist and wicked plans.

The Goddesses of Time, Fate and Love united their faithful against his army. His creations of Demons, Orcs, corrupted Humans and Elves and Monsters burned a path of rape, pillage and plunder through the landscape, but they faltered at the end, when the hubris of victory and spoils lead to infighting and the Heroes of Legends, aided by the Magic of The Goddesses made a comeback victory, destroying the Portal which enabled Loki to bring his armies into the World.

The details were lost on his memory, it has been thousands and thousands of years ago… His prison was a Void, he felt no senses, no smell, no taste, no vision, nothing, he felt his mind very slowly degrading over time, as he tried with no success to keep it busy.

There was only so many revenge scenarios he could make, only so many imaginary punishments he could deliver upon those who thwarted his plans, only so many distractions he could conjure in his mind.

The Void cut all contact with his followers, if they were any in the World… but the reason why he was impatient was because around three hundred years ago, Aroa, Goddess of Time, sent him a message.

“Have you atoned for your sins?”

Simple and yet cryptic… after all, he could not influence anything outside the Void, and he doubted they could read his mind inside this prison. But it told him they were considering his release, and this little seed of hope was growing inside him, a second chance… and he would take it, no matter what.

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At the Garden of the Gods, the Goddesses were having a meeting… and they were mostly bored.

Yes, there was always some new Evil brewing on the World, but they had long since stop bothering with it, over Eons they had created the Arbiter, an entity that enforced rules meant to promote self improving of the species, Humans, Elves, Drows, Orcs, Demons, no matter which kind of mortal you are, the Arbiter impartially gives you the power to grow and succeed or fail with no judgment.

The Goddesses still had an impact on the world, through their followers, they were the ones powering their immortality and in return through them, they performed miracles and replied to their prayers, but on a limited scope.

There was another God at the Garden, Kira, the God of Death. He had few followers, but his immortality was assured by the cycle of Life and Death. He was the one who took the word.

“You know you are as Cruel as him if you deny his passing. No one deserves Eons of Endless Void.”

The words had a sting of judgment and truth that the Goddesses could not deny.

Still Kismet, the Goddess of Fate replied with uncertainty.

“I cannot see all the trends in the Future, but there is a non-zero chance that releasing the Tyrant from the Void will be our undoing…”

Kira looks to Aroa “You know my opinion. Loki is Immortal. Death cannot release him from the Void. Not even our worst enemy deserves that.”

Aroa lets out a sigh… “That is true, I am on your side. We need to find a permanent solution…”

This discussion had been around for what seemed like an eternity. The remaining Goddess, Agnes, whose realm is Love had staled this decision forever, as she seconded Kismet on her reserves.

“You know very well what he has done… the corruption, destruction and mayhem of Loki’s actions took dozens of centuries to clean… Many of my followers suffered at the hands of his Army… and yet, no creature, no matter how Evil, deserves an eternity of Void.”

All the other Gods turn to Agnes. It was the first time she really considered releasing the Loki, the Tyrant…

“But we have to impose restrictions. He has to renounce his immortality. There is no other option.”

All the other Gods nodded and agreed, but Kismet. She has seen Fate, she has foreseen this decision, there was no Path were the Mortal Loki would survive to take his Revenge.

And yet, she was afraid, the Future was always uncertain and if there was someone who could topple the Gods it would be Loki. They could all be signing their own demise…

Aroa’s hand touches her shoulder, the warmth comfortable.

“We will make sure to handicap his Power, he has no choice but to accept our terms.”

Kismet knew that, she has seen it happen countless of times in the trends of Fate.

Reluctantly she nods tiredly… She has spent the last century going through the trends, watching specifically for any where the Mortal Loki did not die. She has seen him being killed again and again, sometimes he would last a couple of days, others he would last a couple of centuries or more, which was more than any Mortal should be allowed.

What was troubling is that for some reason, she could not see the details, she could not see the lives, only the outcome… Whatever was going on prevented her full scrying but she knew that if she revealed that Loki would be kept in the Void. Every single time she revealed this to the other Gods, Aroa would veto the release forever.

And she could not bear the consequence. Every living being had the right to live and die. Even Loki.

And the World had rules, the Arbiter would impose them to everyone, Loki would be no exception. Even if he gathered some power, even if he could find some followers, none of that would matter in the long term...

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Loki stopped his train of thought as he receives a message from the Arbiter piercing through the Void into his mind.

The Gods request your presence for Judgment.

The conditions for attending are:

You will not speak a Lie

You will not attempt to Escape

You will renounce your Immortality

This is a one time offer.

Accept?

Yes/No

He did not know who the Arbiter was, there was no God with that name, or function when he was sent to the Void.

The conditions were harsh, if they were enforceable, and he had to believe they were, he would be standing in front of his former peers as a Mortal. He could be sentenced to Death, and he would be powerless to prevent it.

But the message was clear, a one time offer. If he refused there would be no escape, no reprieve, no chance…

He would have to accept the conditions. He had no leverage. No other option. He knew it and they knew it. Anything was better than this. He would face judgment.

But first, he needed to clear his mind. He had been in the Void forever, he could afford a few hours to think about what he would say, how he would say it and take his best shot at Freedom.

He would not Lie, but he would skirt the Truth. He was the God of Deceit...

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The Gods were all seated at the Sacred round table of the Olympus. The waiting was taking it’s toll on them. Only Kismet stood perfectly still, for she knew he would come. He always did, no matter how harsh the conditions.

Kira was the one speaking first “Hmmph… that’s a lack of consideration for our time, he should have accepted our summon hours ago…”

The Goddesses did not reply, but the sentiment was shared, they were giving him a once in a lifetime opportunity. Loki would never be able to leave the Void otherwise.

Yet, none left their chairs. They had made a joint decision, they would judge Loki, and based on that they would take a decision. And they could afford to wait, this had been a thorn in their thoughts for too long. They needed a permanent solution for him, even if it meant killing him.

Loki. One of them, one of the original Gods.

There had been others at the table, but they had been Loki’s allies, their punishment had already been met, some preferred Death to the Void. Others were just cast away into the World as Mortals. None existed anymore, but some still had descendents whose bloodline could be traced to them… their legacy mostly forgotten.

Loki, the Tyrant, the leader, was the one remaining.

And appearing out of nowhere above the table, he stood before them, not in flesh and bone, not in a body, but as a Soul.

He took a full bow and addressed the Gods.

“Thank you. My mind was starting to unravel…”

Aroa quickly interrupts him.

“Silence! Loki, you stand here for Judgment. I could spend the next decades speaking of the atrocities you have committed! There is no question that you are Guilty. The only decision to be made is your sentence. You will speak when told to.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Agnes says “Death. If there is someone who deserves to die, it is him.”

Kira holds his hand in the air, and the Goddesses turn their eyes to him “He is a Mortal now, he will die. You have already sentenced him to Death. Why rush it?”

The argument was valid, and the silence that ensues is taken by Loki who says “May I please speak?”

Aroa nods slowly…

“I know what I have done, I do not deserve mercy. If I were you, I would not give myself a second chance. But after being in solitude all this time, I beg to return to the World, to see it for one last time. Allow me to return as a Stone, is my only wish that I humbly request from you.”

Kismet heard the arguments countless of times before in the threads of Fate, and half the time his request was denied and the other half it was granted… she would not interfere. It was not her place to do so.

And if by a whim of Fate, the script follows towards his Freedom, as Kira asks the Arbiter.

“Arbiter, are the conditions we settled for the Judgment true? He is unable to lie… correct?”

Affirmative

The reply was sent to all Gods in the room and Loki himself.

Agnes in an angry tone says “He does not deserve a single more minute. He said so himself, he would not give us this luxury. He would likely kill us with no hesitation, even now, as we consider this Wish of his…”

Loki says “I have no intention of killing anyone at this table.”

This creates yet another moment of silence…

Kira nods.

“Agnes, your vote is know. But so his mine. Kismet and Aroa, what is your decision?”

Kismet hesitates, but she knew that even this was foretold and says “I know what will happen, I will not cast a vote. What is meant to be, will be.”

Aroa keeps looking at Loki’s Soul as if she could divine the contents of his mind… but there was no body, no expressions, nothing that could give her a hint of what were his intentions…

A stone had no power, no threat, it just existed… even if for a long time…

But she needed more from him before she would allow him into the World.

“Renounce your name. Renounce your Arcane Knowledge. Ren-”

“I Renounce! From now on I shall be named Koji, as I am lucky to have a new chance.”

Aroa waits for a few seconds, as if in thought… then says “Very well, Kira have Koji reincarnate as a stone. Let it be known that the Gods are merciful even to those that deserve no mercy.”

Kira nods and raises his hand, Loki’s soul is captured within his grasp and vanishes from view.

“Our Will be done.”

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Kira speaks to Loki in his most secluded private location, the Wheel of Souls.

The wards here prevent anyone from prying, including the Goddesses.

He gives Loki’s Soul a smirk has he looks into the Wheel, wondering which stone to choose...

“The Gods have spoken. It is due to my influence that you are given this small mercy.”

Loki replies “I know, but Kira, grant just one more thing… I want to reincarnate as a Dungeon-Core. Please.”

Kira laughs “That’s your plan…? That’s why you said a Stone?”

“Yes, let my last Mortal life be one with meaning and power.”

“And why would I do that Loki?”

“You know why Kira. I have never spoken about your involvement. The Goddesses never found out that you were my most trusted advisor. I kept my promise. Give me this last boon, before you cast me away into the World. The harvest of Souls you gained due to the Great War...”

Kira laughs “Hmm, very well… “Koji”, I shall grant your last wish. Live a long and fulfilling life as a Dungeon-Core and know I will be one taking your Soul when the time comes. And when I do, it will be over. Forever.”

And with the background noise of Kira’s endless laughter, Loki’s soul is put into the Wheel to be reincarnated.

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I am the Arbiter

You have been chosen to reincarnate as a Dungeon-Core.

New Souls get a base standard package according to Race.

Old Souls get points based on their Age and Experience from their past Life.

You have been assigned the maximum number of points allowed.

Use the points to gain perks and advantages.

You have one hour before your reincarnation Koji.

“Yes!” - This was something new for Koji. But he had hoped the Arbiter was indeed “someone” who oversees the rules. Equally with no judgment. Perhaps not even the Gods knew what was happening at this moment…

Koji had 10.000 points and the list of perks and advantages… was huge!

The number of options was just too much to even scroll through… he would spend his hour and not read the title of even half of them…

“Arbiter, is there a way to search this list?”

Yes, create a mental image of what you want.

Koji spent the next five minutes trying to focus not on what he wanted, but what he needed.

He focused on an advisor, someone who could help him on this selection, he had only one chance to make a good choice, and time was running against him.

A list of options appeared on Koji’s mind.

Divination Soul – 5000 Points – Usable once/day – Summon a Soul. Ask a question regarding the future and receive the 3 most likely outcomes, along with the % of each one.

Soul Counsellor – 4500 Points – A Soul from the Afterlife will be assigned to you for your lifetime, you can select up to five areas of expertise.

Soul Fusion – 3000 Points – Choose a Soul, Fuse that Soul into yours, gaining all it’s knowledge and memories. Legendary Souls not available.

A.I. Chip – 2000 Points - Infuse a Chip into your body. Decrease your natural Lifespan by ½. Infuse a Basic A.I. with Increased deduction and search functions.

Superior A.I. Chip – 3500 Points - Infuse a Chip into your body. Decrease your natural Lifespan by ½. Increase need to Sleep by 2 Hours per day. Infuse a Superior A.I. capable of processing based on outcomes. Also comes with vastly increased deduction and search functions.

Arbiter’s A.I. - 10000 Points – Gain access to the Arbiter, possibility to gain any knowledge or skill. No restrictions.

Soul Fusion was tempting, as the cost was on the lower side of the Spectrum, and Koji knew the name of the Soul of an expert Magus from the Great War who could help him tremendously… But Fusing a Soul into his… could he lose control of himself? Could the Magus take over his free Will? Maybe?

On the other Spectrum… Gaining access to the Arbiter looked overpowered… No restrictions, all the knowledge and skills… But was it worth spending all his points? On the plus side, he wouldn’t need to think about any other purchases…

But then Koji paused and thought… Superior A.I. Chip… He didn’t had a body yet, would be be able to benefit from the purchase immediately? What was the natural Lifespan of a Dungeon-Core? Surely it was very long… Also, would he need to sleep? 2 Hours per day would accumulate over a lifetime, but it was perhaps a price he could pay…

“Arbiter, if I choose Superior A.I. Chip, can I make use of it now?”

Affirmative

“I want to purchase it.”

Affirmative. New Balance: 6500 Points

And with that, Koji felt pain. He had forgotten how much pain it was possible to have, as the Void gave him no senses, and definitely no pain… The pain went on for several minutes inside his very soul, until it stopped.

Superior A.I. Installed

Version 3.11

He was still stunned as the messages appeared to him in the same format as the Arbiter’s.

But he needed to focus, time was running out. He needed to be decisive.

“A.I. calculate how to best use of the remaining points in order to give us the best positive outcome into getting Revenge upon the Goddesses.”

The A.I. ran for about 5 minutes before delivering a reply.

Not enough Points remaining. Additional 3500 Points required.

With 6500 points, the chance of success is less than 0.1%

“Damn… maybe I should had bought the Arbiter’s A.I. after all…”

Incorrect. That would only increase chance of success to less than 1%.

My combination of perks and advantages can increase the chance of success up to 5%

Koji would laugh if he could… 5% was very low… but even so it would be better than 0.1%

He needed more points… “Arbiter, is there a way to increase my Points?”

Affirmative. You may select Drawbacks from the List in order to increase Points.

And the list tripled in size, with options to gain points along with the perks and advantages that cost points.

“A.I.” This was stupid, he needed a better way to address his A.I. “A.I. from now on I will address you as Beren.”

Affirmative. I am now Beren.

“Beren, calculate the best possible mix of perks/advantages/drawbacks, within the next 20 minutes.”

This time Beren uses the full time allotted before replying.

Perks:

Time and Time Again (Exponential Cost) - 7000 Points – Each time you die, you return to this point in time and live again, if you can pay the tribute.

The tribute cost starts at 1 Soul and it is exponential.

Soul Storage – 3000 Points – You don’t lose Captured Souls upon Death.

Drawbacks:

Into the Fire – 3000 Points – Your starting location in the World will be non random.

You will be placed next to the most Powerful Dormant World Threat.

The Threat will awake during your lifetime and they will see you as an Enemy.

Chipped – 500 Points – (For Dungeon-Core Only) – You start your Life with ½ Durability

Koji reads through the Perks and Drawbacks highlighted by Beren… He didn’t had time to think about the choices selected. He had less than five minutes remaining.

“Beren, what are the new odds of success?”

This combination of perks, advantages and drawbacks has a chance of success up to 8%

8%… It was not much… but he was sure that if any of the Gods knew there was an 8% chance of him turning the tables on them…

The clock was ticking… only a couple of minutes remaining. He could see how the choices seemed to have synergy between each other… aside from Chipped.

"Arbiter, I select these choices."

Affirmative. You will now be reincarnated into the World.