Reduran and the god... or perhaps goddess... sat in an awkward silence for close to an hour before a notification rose in the form of a blue box to sit about 3/4 an arms length away from the dwarf's face. In this period of time, Reduran had come to terms with his situation and filed it away within his mind, in the form of the ever-so-convient list.

  1: I am in a new world, universe, or it might be one of those plane things those tree-hugging elves adore so much.

2: Gods exist here, yet they are 'different' from those who ruined my home.

3: I am a 'Champion', because of some deal I made with this being in front of me. 4: My family is safe.

5: Some box called a 'System' holds some sort of power over every being in this place(plane?)

6: MY BEARD IS GONE

  However, simply filing away those facts had filled him with numerous questions. What is a 'System'? What is a 'Champion'? Why me? How do I 'spread' a cause? Why is a non-dwarf so damn attractive? WHERE IN THE STONE IS MY BEARD? Questions plaugued his mind, yet he could ask none due to the power of the God in front of him still sealing his mouth from doing so.

  "Ah!" Began the deeper voice, the one that seemed to belong to the God of Metal. "The being awakes, dear sister!"

  A small chuckle escapes the same lips, with the strange bubbly and excited tone the Goddess of Blood seemed to evoke whenever she spoke. "He does do so, dear brother. I do realize dwarves are new to you, but you really must stop refering to him as a 'being'. It is likely making him mad. Dwarves have rather short tempers after all."

  Hearing this, the dwarf's eye twitched, and he found himself able to speak once again. His voice, deep and strong yet somehow quite pleasant, was quickly released. "Our TEMPER is only for those who offend us, o'la. So how about ya get me some damn answers, eh?" His ghostly form shook slightly, fog rolling off of it towards the throne of the God.

  Instead of being offended, the bubbly Caema simply laughed lightly. "Yes, that would be a good start I do believe. Brother, do you wish to start or shall I?"

"Sister, it would be more prudent for you to interact with the... Dwarf. I seem to have offended it."

  "He, Diomek. Now then, Mr. Dwarf before we get things under way, why don't you tell me your name? And what ola means, for some reason the system has deemed not to translate that, yes?" A flawless hand was placed under their chin while she, as the Goddess of Blood and Flesh was undoubtably female, studied the etheral form of Reduran.

  The Dwarf sighed with defeat, he was never good with these kinds of people. Thankfuly, years of life with his wife had taught him to just go along with the flow as resistance tended to be futile and were often followed by a banishment to the forge for a few nights. Reduran met the immaculate eyes looking upon him with unbridled curiosity. "My name is Reduran of the clan Crimson-Axe, within the caste of nobility, fourteen generations of ancestors verify my claim. As for your question, it is o'la, not ola. The word means... It is hard to explain... this may be the best explaination; a being who is powerful but very strange. It is how we Dwarves address new beings, as by bein'able to think they possess the potential to be powerful. Even those tree-humping Elves and scat-loving Goblins were once addressed this way. It is tradition. Now, can I ask my questions?

  The God/Goddess' eyes widen with suprise. "That is... suprisingly lacking the xenophobic tendencies that Dwarves are supposed to have, sister. Are you sure this is a dwarf and not the soul of a short and stocky human?" The being's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

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  "Yes, brother," their eyes return to the glazed look that always appeared when a conversation between the two was commencing "He is from a different world, one where the culture would obviously have developed different." Reduran felt the attention return to him. "Yes, Reduran we can answer at least a few of your questions now, as long as they aren't about the world you will be reborn on, or what exactly the system is."

  'First things first,' thought Reduran before he sputtered out, "Right. NOW WHERE IN THE STONE IS MY BEARD! My face is as naked as a babe's bottom! Why?"

  At this, the gods simply stared wide eyed, before a smile cracked their face and a melding of th two tones quickly broke into laughter. Wiping a tear from their eye, the deeper voice stated, "Perhaps culture is more universal than you believe, sister."

  "You may be right brother, for that is not what I expected. Now, I suppose we must answer the question now." They indicate towards the fog." You are not in a real body for the moment Reduran, it is butfog given form. Your beard is too complex for fog to properly form without much more power than your soul can provide. It is also why you lack the form earned from your hard work as a blacksmith."

  Something was off in that sentence. She shouldn't have known he was a blacksmith, she hadn't even known his name. "How do you know I'm a blacksmith? If it is because I'ma dwarf, you wouldn't be so sure... Is it that 'Champion' buisness? Requirements of some sort?"

A smile blossomed, along with a small amount of shock, upon their face. "Yes, that is correct. I suppose we should start from the top then. My brother and I have been cursed by the belief of mortals into this body, as our sects both slowly died out... before merging. How and why is not important, not yet, however we needed a champion who will celebrate both of our religions while keeping them seperate, so we may free ourselves from this cursed body. However, only creatures of the metal such as golems understood my brother, while I needed a being of flesh. None qualified amoung our few followers, so we had to look... elsewhere. So, by expending the majority of our power we summoned a being who had a connection with metal greater than any other yet still was of flesh and blood. Our power reached you, and the System impaled you with its talons and dragged you to this world. That is as simple as I can make it, and many details are missing, I know, however we would be here for far too long if I explained everything. You must explore the world on your own to fill in the holes."

  With this burst of new information, Reduran understood much more. However, there was much he still did not. "Then... What is the system? How do I 'spread' ya cause?"

  With a sigh, the goddess continued "You will learn of the system through once on the world. We are forbidden from explaining it. However, we can answer your other question. It is quite simple really. You must show the people your power, save lives and become a hero or go on a genocide and make them fear you. Dark or light, good or bad, you must make people believe in us, and preferable worship us. However, we are taking a risk by giving you so much freedom. A god's personality is dictated in part by what they are believed to be. Should you show me as evil... I will join the pantheon of dark. I hope you do not... But we have no choice."

  With tears in her eyes, the goddess stared at him. Somehow, he could tell the god was watching from behind her, as strong as before. "We have little time remaining, now that the system has bonded with you. You will be reborn soon. We have time for one last question."

Slightly shocked, Reduran could only dumbly ask, "Reborn? What do you mean reborn?"

  "Enjoy your second childhood Reduran!" Came out the deep voice of the god. Terror filled Reduran's eyes as he slowly started to fall through the ground.

  "WAIT! NO! DAMN YOU! WHAT ABOUT MY BEARD! A BEARD DOESN-" the Dwarf's mouth sunk below the floor, and everything went dark soon after.