Welcome to the Outerworld.

The words faded away without so much as an echo. It only now occurred to Callan that it was only his voice that bounced through the chamber. The other appeared to be occurring entirely in his head.

Which, you know, tracked with him having gone completely and utterly insane.

He took a step back and sank onto one of the stone benches. “I can’t believe it.”

Yes, this is always a difficult revelation for your species. But do not be alarmed. You will not find this world so different—

Callan ignored the voice, since it was clearly just a manifestation of his shattering mind. He stared at nothing in particular. “I can’t believe I’m actually losing my marbles. This has to be because of the cancer. Or maybe those new pills Doctor Martin started me on. He said there were going to be side effects, but I just assumed he meant, like, my hair falling out. Not... whatever the hell this is.”

Mortal?

“If I’m going to hallucinate, why couldn’t they be the good kind of hallucinations? Filled with parties and girls and video games. Not dank caves and uncomfortable chairs.” He shook his head. “Maybe this is just a dream. I hit my head when I fell on the stairs, and this is what I’m seeing while I’m passed out on the station stairs. Or maybe that homeless guy called me an ambulance and I’m on my way back to the hospital. Damnit, my parents can’t afford for me to ride in an ambulance. This is a disaster!”

Human, if you would just allow me to—

“I really don’t need this. It’s not like my life isn’t hard enough already. What sort of long-term damage is a concussion going to cause? I bet I’ll need a cat scan, plus some lab work. You know, all those expensive animal reports.” He chuckled at the idea of a big black dog wandering into the exam room to look him over. His laughter started to become ragged as his breathing grew faster. Was this a panic attack? Could you have a panic attack inside of a dream?

Yep. He was definitely having a dream panic attack.

Human... Human... HUMAN!

Callan’s head snapped up and stared at the statue. “What?”

You seem to be encountering more difficulty than usual. Come here for a moment.

His breath still ragged, Callan got back up and approached the statue.

Good. Place a hand upon my effigy, please.

“Um...” Reaching out, he brushed his fingers against the statue. He’d already touched it once before and nothing had happened, so he wasn’t sure what exactly the voice was expecting this to—

“Youch!” He yanked his hand back and shoved the finger into his mouth. An electric shock had just jolted through his entire body, like he’d accidentally touched an outlet.

There, is that better, mortal?

“What the hell do you mean, better, you just...” Callan blinked. “Actually, yeah, that is better.”

Suddenly, his head felt clearer than before. His breathing was normal, and despite the pain, Callan found himself grinning.

No, this definitely wasn’t a dream. Nor was it some sort of hallucination, unless it was common practice to use defibrillators on somebody losing their mind.

Actually, didn’t they used to electroshock people they thought were crazy?

Still, it seemed he could rule out this all being an illusion. Reaching down, he felt the stone of the statue’s altar. It was cold and rough to the touch.

He was actually here. Though Callan wasn’t completely convinced that this was another world just yet. Might all be part of some elaborate scam the voice was trying to pull on him.

But he couldn’t deny just how much that shock had clarified his mind. For the moment, he’d just have to roll with it.

I’m glad to see you adjusting to your situation, the voice continued. Not only did the sound not echo around him, but Callan realized it didn’t exactly sound human, either. It was more like the noise of two rocks grinding together just happening to approximate the sound of human language.

Weird that he hadn’t caught that before.

“You said something about needing assistance?”

Yes, but first, I wish for you to know that it was not my choice to draw you from your home, merely an act of desperation. If any other options had remained to me, I would not have risked perforating the barrier between your world and mine.

“Uh, thanks?” Callan wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel about this whole situation. “I mean, so long as you can send me back after I help, I guess we’re square.”

Ah, as to that... it may prove difficult. What powers I still possess allow me to draw objects from your world into mine, but returning them is far outside of my abilities. For now, at least.

“Oh. That’s less encouraging.” He waited, but when the statue didn’t elaborate, he decided it was better to just move on. Sooner done, and all that.

“So, if you don’t mind my asking, what exactly are you? I assume you’re not just a talking statue.”

That would be correct, human. The voice paused a moment, and Callan got the impression it was drawing an invisible breath, preparing itself for some elaborate spiel. You stand before an effigy of the mighty and terrible Xeph-Zul-Karatl, god of stone and mountains. Everything beneath your feet is my domain, and there is nowhere my power cannot reach. Once I ruled over a hundred kingdoms in the Outerworld, and there were none who did not know my name.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Callan blinked. “...Huh.”

You don’t appear surprised.

“No, no. I am. It’s just...” He hesitated, unsure he wanted to risk insulting his captor before better understanding the situation. In the end though, he decided to take the risk. “It’s only, you don’t seem particularly... divine? I mean, you’re down here alone in this hole. I know you said you were the god of stone and all, but...”

Ah yes. It is true that I may have... fallen slightly from my previous lofty heights.

“That’s putting it mildly.” Callan glanced behind him at the near endless rows of stone benches. Most were covered in a layer of dust at least an inch thick.

Noticing the imprint in the bench he’d recently occupied, he patted at his backside, and a small plume of gray rose into the air.

Turning back, he added, “Also, if this is your ‘domain’, why are you only speaking from your effigy? Shouldn’t you be able to go anywhere?

There was no response from the statue. Callan wondered if he’d gone too far. “Look, I’m not trying to offend you, simply better understand the situation here.”

You are not incorrect. While I may inhabit a piece of my domain, it is not my preferred domicile. Once imbued, I cannot leave of my own free will.

That doesn’t sound particularly godlike, either, Callan noted wryly. He kept the thought to himself.

However, should a more preferable vessel present itself, I might again step into the world and flex my awesome might. Then once more the world would tremble beneath my feet, and a hundred kingdoms would be but a drop compared to the heights of my new empire!

Callan held up a hand. “Wait a second. ‘Preferred vessel’? You don’t mean me, by any chance, I hope.”

I do.

“In that case, I’ll have to decline. I’m not really into giving up my free will—to a god or anything else. Besides, like I said, with my health, you wouldn’t exactly find me the most long-lasting of ‘vessels’.”

You would sacrifice nothing to house me, mortal. An avatar of the gods retains control of their body, to say nothing of the bounties I would bestow upon you.

“Bounties?”

Such as curing this illness that plagues you, for instance.

Callan blinked. “You could do that?”

Possibly. I do not know the nature or the extent of your disease, but given enough time and additional followers, there is little that cannot be accomplished.

Suddenly this whole kidnapping situation was starting to look quite different. Callan felt his heart begin beating faster with excitement. “What exactly would I have to do?”

For now? Simply open yourself and allow my majesty to flow inside of you. Once we are joined, my many bounties will be at your disposal.

“Including curing me?”

In time, yes.

“Time isn’t something I exactly have in abundance.” Callan cracked his knuckles, then nodded. “Alright, Xeph or whatever your name is, I declare myself open. Just don’t make me regret this decision.”

Any regrets will be on you, mortal, Xeph said, his rocky voice taking on a rasp more like sandpaper. Callan suspected that was his version of a soothing tone. However, I suspect you will find the advantages of our partnership outweigh the drawbacks. All that you have ever dreamed of lies within the realm of possibility as an avatar of a god.

“Really? Does mean you can also give me a bigger d—Aaaaaaaaah!”

A shadow had broken off from the effigy and was flitting its way up Callan’s arm. Even as he stared at it, it reached his neck. A tingling sensation began to spread through his skin. Not cold, but like the feel of cold without the chill.

Before he could dwell too long on the strangeness of it, the shadow reached his chin. It moved up to his mouth and slipped inside.

“Bleh! Gross!” The taste of the thing sliding across his tongue was a mixture of sulfur and ash—though how he knew what either one tasted like, he wasn’t sure—then it was gone. A heavy weight settled onto his mind, a sense of something... other.

Ah, this is much better. Xeph’s voice definitely came from inside Callan’s own head now. It has been too long since I felt the press of flesh all about me. It is both liberating and nauseating at the same time.

“Just don’t go throwing up in there.” Callan raised a hand to his face, flexing his fingers. Other than the sense in the back of his skull, he felt the same as usual. No worse, but not any better, either.

In that case, I suggest you refrain from shaking about too much. Now, give me a moment to inspect your body, human. I will see what I can do to mitigate the effects of this disease currently ravaging you.

"Callan. My name is Callan. Might as well get on a first name basis if you’re going to be living in the back of my...”

He trailed off. A box had just appeared in the air in front of him, obscuring most of his vision, though it was just see-through enough that he could still make out the altar and effigy behind.

Name: Xeph-Zul-Karatl (3rd Sphere)

Avatar: Callan Whitlocke (Trueborn Human)

-STATISTICS-

Brawn: 0

Momentum: 0

Fortitude: 0

Concentration: 0

Influence: 0

Piety: 0

-BOUNTIES-

God Bond: Talc – I

Manifestation: Mountainform

Orison slot 1: Shape Stone (Talc - I)

Orison Slot 2: *Locked*

-DOGMA-

Total Followers: 7

Available Faith: 7

Conviction: 0/5

Conviction Rate: 0.5/week

Temples: 0/1

APOTHEOSIS: 0/25%

“That’s... Huh.”

Alright, mortal, I have finished my inspection of your interior compartments. There does appear to be an anomaly that is ravaging your system. I have halted its advancement for now.

“Callan. I told you, my name is Callan.” Reaching out, he waved a hand across the screen hovering in front of him, but nothing happened. The image didn’t even ripple when his hand passed through it. Turning his head, he saw the screen moved right along with. “So you couldn’t actually cure me?”

Not yet. With additional power, I believe it is possible, but the strength I currently possess can do no more than hold it at bay. We will need to sally forth and find more... more... What are you doing?

Callan was repeatedly poking a finger into different places on the screen, seeing if it elicited a reaction. So far, nothing. “What in the world is this?”

Ah, of course. Your primitive Earthling brain would never have seen an interface before. It is the method by which we gods allow mortals to interact—

“Oh, so this is like a video game screen?”

...A what?

“Actually, it’s more like those weird litRPG stories that Lyle is always reading.” He tilted his head, and the screen tilted with him. Oh, that was so cool. Unnatural, but cool.

Who, or what is a Lyle?

“A friend from Earth.” Yeah, it really reminded him of those stories. This whole situation definitely had an isekai-ish feel about it. At least he hadn’t been reborn as a baby or turned into an ugly-ass spider upon arrival.

“How do I interact with it?” he asked, still poking at the screen.

Simply focus your will, and the desired effect will be achieved. Or if you wish, I can make adjustments on your behalf.

“Good to know.” Callan squinted, and with a little mental force the screen winked away. A moment later he willed it back, then away again. On, off, on.

“Hey, this is kind of fun!”

I am pleased you find such a simple mechanism so amusing. Truly your species has made great strides in culture and refinement since I last walked amongst them.

Callan paused, his screen winking away again. “I mean, we did, but have you actually been to Earth? Or do you mean the people here?”

I cannot leave this planet. For whatever reason, it is only organic matter that may pass through the barrier between galaxies. Gods are forbidden from doing so.

“Gods? So there’s more than one of you?”

Oh yes, many more, though fewer now than when I secluded myself, if I had to guess. But we shall speak about that at length later. For now, I think our time would be better spent finding our way to the surface.

“Good point.” Callan glanced around. “Which way do I go?”

Xeph hesitated before answering. That... is a more complicated question.