After waking up, I knew instantly that something was wrong.

First, I was clad in clothes that screamed luxury, far beyond anything I could afford.

Second, I found myself sprawled on the roof of a medieval castle, the sun beating down through a cloudy sky.

"So, you're awake," a male voice said from nearby.

I sat up and spotted him lounging on the far side of the roof. He was a clear contrast to me in a sharp black and red suit, his dark hair framing a young, handsome face.

I had absolutely no idea who he was.

"Where am I?" My voice, usually confident, came out a raspy croak.

He remained relaxed, his posture uncaring.

"You're atop my castle. My home. I still don't understand why every new god is sent here, but it's annoying."

Gods? What was he talking about?

As I stood, I noticed something different about myself. It was hard to pin down, but I felt...powerful. As if I finally had complete control over my own body, a sensation I'd never experienced before.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. The gods probably don't exist," I joked, assuming he was some kind of religious zealot.

Being agnostic, these kinds of quips were common for me amongst family and friends.

He chuckled. "You fool. You're talking to one right now."

Confusion washed over me. I stared at him, an eyebrow raised.

"And you are one too."

Now I was sure he was crazy. Still, this whole situation was far from normal.

Where did this white suit come from? Why was I on top of a castle with a complete stranger? The questions pounded in my head.

Suddenly, he raised an outstretched hand and clenched his fist. The white clouds above darkened, swirling into an ominous grey.

Crash!

Thunder erupted from a nearby cloud, making me jump.

What is going on? Did he control the weather, or was that just a fluke?

As if reading my thoughts, he lifted his hand again and swirled it in a circular motion. The thunder ceased, and the clouds gradually returned to their original white.

A coincidence? Unlikely.

"Who on earth are you?" I asked, my confidence shaken.

I backed away, glancing over the edge of the roof. We were in the middle of a small grassy field surrounded by trees. The castle was dizzyingly high.

"We are not on Earth," he stated calmly. "And tou stand in the domain of Diogen Grave, the Seventh God."

I didn't want to believe him, but something inside me told me he was telling the truth.

"And you, my friend, are?"

"Fate," I said hesitantly. "Fate Moren."

He nodded and finally rose to his feet. He was about my height, roughly six foot two.

"You are Fate Moren, the twenty-first god. And you have just arrived in what I call, the game of gods."

I listened intently to his every word, no longer caring if he was telling the truth. I just needed to understand what was going on.

"Your last memory was probably of the warmth of your bed on Earth. It was the same for all of us, until we were dragged here for some unknown reason. Only one thing is certain: we are in a new world, and we are gods among its inhabitants."

He joined me at the edge of the roof, gazing out at the grassy expanse.

"Don't bother with disbelief. It's a waste of time. And the more time you waste, the faster the others will pick you off."

"What do you mean, 'pick me off'?"

He chuckled. "Focus. Focus hard. It's the first power of the gods. You can sense the other gods in the world, or at least feel their presence. You only need to will it. Such is our power."

I suspected he was lying, but I decided to try it anyway. I concentrated, focusing on the idea of sensing others like myself.

Shock jolted through me.

Instantly, a presence pressed down on my awareness from right beside me. It was Diogen; I could feel him next to me.

Then, I felt other presences, emanating from all directions. None were as nearby as Diogen's, but one was closer than the others.

This can't be...is he actually telling the truth? Am I a god?

Suddenly, one of the presences intensified, growing stronger and stronger. It felt like it was coming from behind me.

"Seems we have a visitor," Diogen said with a smile, turning to look at the sky.

I followed his gaze. As the presence grew stronger, a small figure appeared, growing larger as it flew towards us.

Is that a woman?

She flew closer and closer before gracefully landing on the opposite side of the rooftop.

She exuded an aura of royalty, as we all did now. Her beauty was striking, with blonde hair like mine and flowing blue robes. Her skin was slightly tanned, and she stood tall, though not as tall as us. A smug look adorned her face.

"Diogen," she said, her voice confident and commanding. "You still insist on protecting the fresh meat. You realize that if it weren't for you, Tielos, the nineteenth god, wouldn't be so powerful."

Diogen waved off her remark. "I cannot kill someone who is innocent, purely because of what they might potentially do."

I was caught in the middle of something I wanted no part in. My instincts screamed at me to use my newfound strength to escape. But I had just seen the woman fly; if she wanted to hunt me down, she'd have no problem.

Unless Diogen was willing to risk his life to save me.

"Well, Diogen," the woman continued, "it doesn't matter what you or I want. Zir, the fourth god, is on his way. I'm sure you're aware of that."

I felt it then, another presence hurtling towards us, closing in fast. My heart pounded, and my nerves frayed.

What have I been thrown into?