It didn’t take more than a few minutes of walking for Joe to start to get nervous. It was finally beginning to occur to him how completely out of his depth he was.

He had never even held a sword, let alone fought with one.

What if he dropped it?

What if he looked like an idiot?

His ability to summon weapons and armor was constantly there, tempting him. If he used it, he could practice. Make sure that he knew what he was doing. If he didn’t… he’d only embarrass himself.

The one hesitation he had was the daily cooldown. Would they disappear after a few minutes if he used them now? It didn’t say anything about that in the skill description.

His anxiety built until he simply could not wait a moment longer.

He reached into that strange spot inside him where the skill seemed to exist and activated it. A rush of energy flowed from his body, swirling in the air before coating his body, where it thickened and shaped itself into armor. Finally, the energy, which he assumed was mana, faded.

Joe stared in wonder at the iron and bronze sword in his hand. It was an actual sword, just like the ones he saw in the fantasy movies. A shield was strapped to his other arm. It was shield-shaped, like the ones on a coat of arms. Looking down at himself, he found a simple chest plate, chain leggings with bronze plate, and even shin and armguards in iron and bronze. Sturdy Iron boots had enclosed his sneakers, which he could still feel on his feet.

A quick examination of his head discovered a circle of bronze and iron bands.

And none of it seemed to weigh a thing other than the sword and shield.

Joe tentatively tapped the chest plate, feeling it was solid and real.

He supposed the armor was weightless by design?

He focused on his armor, trying to discern its nature,

Armor of the Chosen Paladin

Durability: 100/100

Weightless

Summoned Item, will vanish if removed.

“Yes!” Joe hissed, shaking his sword in celebration. It was not going anywhere unless he took it off.

With that worry behind him, Joe began to practice. As he moved along the road, he swung his sword, raised his shield, and even did a few dodges and rolls. It was all just stuff he had seen in movies or games, but it was better than nothing. He assured himself that it must be good stuff; after all, he was starting to acquire skills for it!

He had already discovered Dodge, Sword and Shield Mastery, Block, and even Taunt when he accidentally banged his shield with his sword. The shield had rung loudly, and it just popped up. Each skill seemed to have its own level, and he felt more in control with every level they got.

Jumping, running, and several other random attempts did nothing but tire him out. While he was taking a short rest, sitting on the stump of a mushroom stalk he had cut down with three swings of his sword, he heard the sounds of running feet.

Joe jumped up, heading determinedly towards the source of the noise, which approached rapidly from around the corner ahead of him. He heard the steps falter and the sound of something heavy hitting the floor before he heard the snarling hiss of… something.

“No! Get Away!” A male voice, thick with panic, called in horror. “GET AWAY!”

Joe hesitated, hiding behind a thick mushroom stalk. Maybe he should try and be a little more cautious here.

A pulse of pain ripped through his chest. It was from the same place where he had felt the urge to walk down this road.

Deciding he had little choice, Joe stepped out from the stalk and faced the road with his pulse pounding.

Joe saw a middle-aged, slightly overweight man lying on his back and scrabbling away from a creature that was stalking towards him.

It was a strange thing, with leathery skin that was almost see-through. It looked like a fox with four spider-like legs that rose on either side of it before returning to the ground. And between the body and the legs was a thin grey membrane of skin, like a wing, but way too thin to fly with. The fur was wiry and as grey as the skin.

Lvl 4 Shroom Stalker

A wild animal Native to the vast Shroom-Forrests of the valley region.

Hunter-Scavenger

The creature was nearly twice the size of an Earth fox, but most of that was legs. It was also fast, legs blurring as it scuttled forward, nipping at the frantic man.

Blood was already flowing from his legs.

Joe slammed his sword against his shield, immediately jumping Taunt to level three as the Stalker ran over the man to get to him.

The fox-thing leaped at Joe, its front legs showing a row of serrated bonelike spikes hidden beneath the membranes. The legs hit the shield as he raised it in front of him, more out of an instinct to protect his face than any form of actual thought.

The legs slammed down, their serrated spikes scraping down the shield with a loud metallic screech. Before the front legs could clear the shield completely, Joe pushed it away out of revulsion at the creature's stench.

The move knocked the creature off balance, causing it to flail as it tried to not fall onto its back. Joe hacked at it, his sword slicing deeply into the creature. There was no strategy and none of the fancy moves he had imagined and practiced. Instead, it was a brutal act, using the sword as much like a hammer as anything else.

Blood poured from its wounds, one front leg almost severed at the shoulder, and screaming horrifically, the Shroom Stalker tried to run. Limping off towards the mushroom stalks around it as fast as it could go. Almost frantic with the adrenaline, Joe leaped after it, driving his sword point first through the spine just below the neck.

Chosen Paladin of the Goddess Lvl 2!

Power: 50 - 55

Mana: 20 - 25

Health: 135 - 140

Joe felt his breath coming in ragged gasps. It was a heady feeling, but nothing like he had imagined. The smell of blood, the leftover fear, and the stink of the creature combined to make him want to vomit.

And he was on the verge of doing that when he heard the cry for help from behind him and finally remembered the fallen man.

“Thank you,” The man sighed as Joe’s Paladin’s Bounty healed the torn open legs.

“You’re welcome,” Joe said, feeling this at least he could do. Grateful people were something he had plenty of experience with. “What’s your name?” People loved it if you showed interest in them.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Cristoff Anders, I’m the Mayor of the nearby village.” He panted, getting his breath back now the pain and fear was leaving him. “I dared the roads to try and get some help.” He grimaced, “It was a bad idea.”

“Seems that way,” Joe said kindly, “But hey, you’re alive, and maybe I can help in some way?”

The man blinked, focusing on a spot on Joe’s chest before blinking in surprise. After a second of confusion, Joe figured out the man must be identifying him.

“A Paladin!” Cristoff gasped. “And a chosen!” He laughed. “The Gods must be looking kindly on us at last.”

“The Goddess of Empathy, at least,” Joe said proudly. “My Patron.”

“Will you come to the village, Paladin?” Cristoff pulled himself to his feet only to immediately kneel in front of Joe. “We are a small place and in desperate need. Without a protector, we will be done for!”

“Of course,” Joe said, preening at the man’s reverence. “My Goddess sent me to your aid.”

“Thank you, Paladin. You don’t know what this will mean to us. A Protector at last!”

Following the now-excited Mayor, Joe learned of his new village. As Protector, it was his to protect, shape, and guide. The name would have to change as soon as possible.

Until then, he would have to put up with being the Protector of Ditch-Water Village.

==============

It was worse than even his most pessimistic predictions. A slumping wooden wall full of rot and holes surrounded a scant dozen low buildings. They weren’t huts, but they were damn close. There was one building that looked like it was stone, but it had been repaired with mud brick so often it was, at best, half hut at this point.

In short, it was a dump, and it was full of equally pathetic-looking people. Beaten down and slumped over, they moved listlessly to and fro with too-thin frames and, frankly, a pervading smell.

Joe wrinkled his nose in distaste as he let Cristoff lead him through streets made of rotten wooden planks to the stone building in the center.

“I’ve been living here with my wife,” Cristoff said. “But of course, it is yours by right as Protector.”

“I’m sure we can work something out that is the best for everyone,” Joe said kindly. He would have said no, but the idea of claiming one of the other huts… was even worse.

“Thank you,” Cristoff bobbed an awkward bow and held open the door. “We best hurry to the claiming, or we may lose the village entirely.”

“Claiming?” Joe asked.

“Your first time as a Protector?” Cristoff asked. “Of course it is, sorry. You need to bind the Village Stone to your influence.” He saw the blank look Joe gave him.

“I’m very new to this world, chosen by the Goddess herself, so I’m going to need your help for a while,” Joe said humbly, but with enough force to remind the man WHO had chosen him mattered more than anything he did not yet know.

Joe was a fast learner; all his teachers said so.

“A Paragon of the Goddess?” Cristoff gaped. “I’d be honored to assist!”

“Good man!” Joe said, giving the Mayor a humble smile.

Binding to the Village Stone was as simple as placing his hand on it. A message asked if he wanted to claim it, and he said yes.

Chosen Paladin of the Goddess Lvl 3!

Power: 55 - 60

Mana: 25 - 30

Health: 140 - 145

And he leveled!

Joe was still celebrating when a wave exploded out of the stone and flowed over the room and out through the walls.

It left the whole place looking a little cleaner, with more stone and less mudbrick.

It was a small change but noticeable.

Looking out of the hole in the wall that served as a window, he saw that wave pass over the entire village, making everything a touch less run down, with neater thatch and the hut-like buildings shifting into actual mudbrick ones.

“What was that?” Joe asked Cristoff.

“Your Influence taking effect on the village.” Cristoff beamed. “I think we better have that talk sooner than later, but let my wife make us some food and drink first.”

“That sounds great,” Joe said, his eyes still fixed on the changes in the village. Several villagers were muttering to each other in groups, pointing at the changes and smiling.

They were the first smiles he had seen from them.

He was in the right place, Joe decided. These people needed him.

“Come, sit!” Cristoff waved him down to a seat and called up a set of rickety stairs. “Annalise! We have a guest!”

“Cristoff?” A woman’s voice called down from above. “You’re back!”

The sound of someone running downstairs ended with a woman laughing as she wrapped her arms around her husband before he could say another word. Joe left it to Cristoff to explain things as he took a closer look at the man’s wife. His mother had always told him that you could tell a lot about a man from his wife.

Annalise was as poorly dressed as the others in the village, but her clothes were mended, she was clean-faced, and her hair was long, in a feminine cut, and a delicate shade of blond.

All in all, she was clearly a step above the others he had seen in the village.

Her means were meager, but her soul was rich. His estimation of Cristoff rose a little.

“A Paragon!” Annalise spun, giving Joe an appraising look. “Here?”

“He was just brought here,” Cristoff said.

“Oh, you poor thing!” Annalise gave him a sympathetic look. “You must be so confused.”

“A little,” Joe admitted.

“I’ll explain things after some food and drink?” Cristoff hinted.

“Oh!” Annalise laughed. “Manners, Anna.” She gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Allow me,” She waved her hands, and three plates of food appeared, with glasses frosted with ice.

The food looked good, with some form of meat and potatoes. The smell alone made his stomach rumble. Yet he remembered his manners, waiting for the hosts to seat themselves before he allowed himself to indulge.

Hungry or not, he had to maintain his image.

“What was your planet called?” Annalise asked once everyone had finished their food.

“Earth,” Joe said. “You don’t seem surprised that I’m not a native?”

“No one is,” Cristof said. “Not that I have ever met anyway.”

“No one?” Joe had to force his mouth closed.

“Allow me,” Annalise said, taking over from her husband before he had a chance to even start to answer the question. With a wave of her hand, a world appeared, rotating slowly above the table.

It seemed to shift wildly between ocean and landmass without rhyme or reason.

“This is the world we are on,” Annalise explained, “But it is not a real world. It was constructed.” She waved her hand again, and the world converted into a long wide strip that hovered above the table.

“Constructed?” Joe asked. “Who by?”

“The Fifteen,” Annalise said, “Fifteen Gods and Goddesses who wanted to play a grand game.” With another wave of her hand, fifteen shadowy shapes bent over the strip of land, each placing things at seemingly random places. “Each searched the cosmos for a group that suited them. And each of those groups was transported here to their very own gameboard.”

Joe watched as the land was divided into thousands of hexagons, with people, creatures, and even whole cities being placed by the Fifteen.

“And so they needed to keep score,” Cristoff added, “Influence is how they do that.”

“Like I used on the Village Stone?” Joe asked.

“Just so,” Annalise confirmed. “Let me show you how it works.” The Fifteen faded away, and the image zoomed in on a quarter of the map. The hexagons were more visible, with colors overlaying them. Fifteen different colors.

“The player characters move,” Annalise made two characters fight until one retreated, “And either gain or lose influence.” The victor got bigger. “Sometimes it is a single person, other times whole armies, but the effect is the same. Once a God or Goddess’ player characters have enough influence, they can take over any and all land not already claimed.”

The hexagons rippled, sections rising and flipping before settling back as a different type. Forests were replaced with lava and stone.

“At midnight, the changes take effect,” Cristoff said grimly. “And will remain for at least one day, or until another Divine Player takes the area.

Joe watched in stunned silence as changes rolled back and forth across the map, with the different environments changing back and forth.

Eventually, they stabilized. Little changed for dozens of cycles.

“This was the great equilibrium,” Annalise said in awe. “They had played each other to a standstill.”

“Growing bored, the Fifteen decided to make changes,” Cristoff said bitterly, “And so they added Non-Player Characters.”

More figures, groups, and cities appeared all over the map.

“The first-generation NPCs did not survive long,” Annalise said sadly. “Without any way to claim land, they mostly died to changes in terrain they could not survive.”

“So they extended the influence system to certain types of NPCs,” Cristoff said in an awed voice.

Joe watched new cities and powers rise on the map, with slow advances in the amount of terrain they controlled.

“Paragons are the latest addition to the NPC lists,” Annalise said. “A hybrid type of design where an NPC is guided, but not ordered by the Divine Players.”

Joe sat in stunned silence.

============

“Midnight in two minutes!” Cristoff called in a voice amplified by his wife’s magic.

The whole village was gathered before the town gates, watching and waiting.

The seconds crawled slowly by until Midnight struck with a single toll of a bell.

The noise was everywhere and nowhere.

“There!” A woman pointed into the distance. A rolling, uneven line of darker shadow against the horizon.

“It’s happening,” Cristoff breathed.

“Cristoff, you would have been out there.” Annalise clung to him.

The line rolled closer until Joe could clearly see as whole sections of the desiccated mushroom forest flew into the air, rolling like dice before setting back, leaving behind… a barren hellscape of rock and dirt with small rivers of lava flowing through it.

“God of the Forge!” Someone called. “It’s the Forgelands!”

There were some relieved sighs and calls of goodnight, sleep well, and so on.

“How can they be happy with this?” Joe asked.

“It could be a lot worse,” Annalise said solemnly. “One day it will come up with the Land of the Dead, and a village like ours….”

“If you hadn’t claimed the village this afternoon,” Cristoff added before he left, “This village would have shifted to match the landscape.”

“I pity the changed,” Annalise said quietly, “But it is better than death.”