The hot summer sun beat down on Nate as he hefted yet another bag of concrete, sweat trickling down his back at the construction site where he worked. His muscles screamed in protest, but it was the sudden cramp in his leg that finally forced him to stop. He grimaced, rubbing at the tight knot in his calf, completely unaware of the looming danger above him.
Just as Nate began to massage away the cramp, an eerie silence descended. Before he could fully register the shift, a deafening crash shattered the stillness. A massive steel beam, dislodged from its perch, plummeted straight toward him. Time seemed to freeze, his cramp becoming the unintentional reason he didn't have time to escape his tragic fate.
The world blurred, and with a sickening thud, the beam struck, bringing Nate's life to an abrupt and brutal end. In the aftermath, he found himself gazing down at his lifeless body, a pool of blood spreading out beneath it.
"Well, this sucks," Nate thought, resigned to his fate as his soul began to drift away. The world around him faded to a formless void, a sense of timelessness enveloping him. Just as he neared what appeared to be a pool of swirling energy - perhaps the gateway to reincarnation - a colossal hand reached down, snatching him from the brink. Suddenly, he was pulled into a semi-corporeal state inside a strange, dimly lit office that looked suspiciously like the shady lair of a loan shark.
A deep, hearty laugh reverberated through the room. "No need to worry, child. I have no reason to scam you out of anything," came an elderly voice.
Nate turned to see an old man seated at a desk. He had long white hair and an even longer beard, looking every bit the part of a kindly grandfather—if it weren't for the mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Definitely a scammer," Nate thought.
The old man smiled, completely at ease. "Welcome, Nate. My name is Fred, and I am the God of Balance," he announced cheerfully.
Nate narrowed his eyes, sizing up the so-called god. "Fred? That's probably the lamest name for a god I've ever heard," he retorted.
Fred chuckled, unfazed. "We gods like to mix things up now and then. Keeps life interesting," he replied with a wink.
Despite his skepticism, Nate had to admit that his current ghostly state and the quick glance he'd gotten of his dead body made it hard to argue with Fred's claim. "So, Fred," Nate asked, "what do you want from me? Why am I here?"
Fred waved his hand, and a translucent blue screen materialized in front of Nate. It glowed softly in the dim office, displaying the title "Life Customization" at the top. Below, Nate could see various categories: Race, Appearance, Magical Ability, Affinities, and more.
[System Notification: Life Customization Available]
Fred continued, "I'm offering you a second chance. You'll be reborn with your memories intact and, more importantly, you can customize your next life however you like."
Nate arched an eyebrow. The offer sounded way too good to be true. "And the catch?" he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.
Fred leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "I can't tell you everything, but at some point, I'll need you to complete a task for me. It won't be easy, but if you succeed, you'll earn the goodwill of several gods. If you fail..." His voice trailed off, but the weight of his words hung in the air.
Nate considered the offer. He didn't have much to lose—after all, he was already dead. With a resigned shrug, he nodded. "Alright, I'm in."
Fred clapped his hands together, grinning broadly. "Excellent! Now, you have 1,800 points to spend. Choose wisely, as some prices will change based on your selections."
[System Notification: 1,800 Customization Points Available]
Nate turned his attention to the Life Customizer screen, and began looking through it. The first section was focused on race and appearance. As he scrolled, he noticed that while powerful races like dragons cost all his points, becoming a half-breed cut the cost significantly. After some deliberation, he chose to be half-fae and half-random, costing him 200 points. "Fae magic could be useful," Nate mused, "and who knows what interesting abilities the random half might bring?"
[Race Selected: Half-Fae/Half-Random | 400 Points Deducted] [Remaining Points: 1,400]
Satisfied with his decision, Nate moved on to appearance. He selected random for his hair and eye color, thinking it wasn't worth wasting points on looks. However, the next section—attractiveness—caught his attention. The scale ranged from pig-level to Adonis-level, but even a slightly above-average appearance cost a hefty 600 points.
"Fred, this is highway robbery!" Nate complained, eyeing the high cost.
Fred grinned mischievously. "I can't let you be more handsome than me, can I?"
Unbeknownst to them both, the Goddess of Beauty, Love, and Romance—Anuria—was watching. Amused by the banter, she sent an ethereal air kiss in Nate's direction, her magic subtly altering his fate.
Just as Nate was about to select a basic appearance, he felt a light brush against his cheek. A message flashed across the screen:
[System Notification: You have received a minor blessing from Anuria, Goddess of Beauty, Love, and Romance. Your appearance will automatically be set to MAX for your level and race and will continue to update as you grow.]
Grinning triumphantly, Nate returned to the customization. He chose Perfect for his magical ability, costing him 500 points, and selected fae and spatial affinities, spending another 200. "With perfect magic and these affinities, I should be able to handle whatever task Fred has in store," Nate thought, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.
[Magic Talent: Perfect | 500 Points Deducted] [Affinities Selected: Fae, Spatial | 200 Points Deducted] [Remaining Points: 700]
To round things off, he invested 500 points in perfect physical ability and used his remaining 200 points on a random bloodline legacy. "Might as well go all in," Nate muttered to himself, confirming his final selections.
[Physical Ability: Perfect | 500 Points Deducted] [Random Bloodline Legacy | 200 Points Deducted] [Remaining Points: 0]
With his points spent, Fred conjured a glowing golden portal. "Step through, and your new life begins," he instructed, gesturing toward the shimmering gateway. But just as Nate stepped forward, Fred stopped him, tapping his forehead with a blessing.
[System Notification: Blessing of the God of Balance Granted]
As Nate disappeared through the portal, Fred leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. Moments later, the radiant form of Anuria appeared, a playful smile on her lips.
"You tricked me," she said, amusement dancing in her eyes.
Fred grinned shamelessly. "I knew you were watching, so I tampered with the screen to double the prices."
Anuria's smile faded as her expression grew serious. "This is your fifth attempt, Fred. Are you sure this will work?"
Fred's gaze darkened as he nodded. "If it doesn't, we're all doomed."