Benjamin floated in the abyss.
The darkness was vast and suffocating, stretching endlessly in every direction.
He tried to move, but his limbs — if he even had limbs — refused to respond. His thoughts, however, were sharp and loud, bouncing around in the oppressive silence.
'Am I dead?' He thought again.
The question hung in the void, unanswered. Time seemed meaningless here. Seconds, minutes, maybe hours drifted by, and Benjamin could only think, only exist in this endless black.
'Is this it? The afterlife? Floating around like some forgotten thought?'
He wanted to curse, scream, anything, but the stillness consumed him. Just as despair began to creep in, a faint glow pierced the darkness.
It started as a speck, like a distant star, but it grew rapidly, enveloping the void in a warm, radiant light.
Before Benjamin could comprehend what was happening, the ground materialized beneath his feet. It was soft, cool, and fragrant, like grass kissed by morning dew.
He stumbled, blinking as the darkness dissolved entirely, replaced by a breathtaking garden.
The air was crisp, tinged with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. Trees with shimmering silver leaves swayed gently in an unseen breeze, their branches casting soft shadows on the vibrant carpet of blossoms.
A crystal-clear brook babbled nearby, its waters reflecting a sky so blue it seemed unreal.
Benjamin looked down at himself and froze.
The shirt that had been soaked in his blood was pristine, the hole where the bullet had torn through him completely gone.
He pressed his hand to his chest, expecting pain or even a scar, but his skin was smooth and whole.
"What the hell?" he muttered, his voice trembling. "This has to be a dream."
He turned in place, taking in the surreal beauty of his surroundings. The garden felt alive in a way he couldn't describe, as if the very air thrummed with some unseen energy.
His gaze fell on a figure sitting at the heart of the garden.
She was reclining on a throne of intertwined vines and golden flowers, her presence so radiant it seemed to outshine the very sun above.
Benjamin's breath caught in his throat as he took her in.
Her skin was flawless, with a soft glow that made her seem almost ethereal.
Long, cascading hair — so pale it was almost white but glimmered with hints of gold — flowed over her shoulders, catching the light like a waterfall of silk.
Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of violet, held a depth that seemed to peer straight into his soul.
She wore a gown of shimmering silver and lavender, the fabric delicate as gossamer, embroidered with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and dance as she moved.
A crown of luminous gemstones rested lightly on her head, each jewel glowing faintly, as if alive.
Even her posture was captivating, a perfect blend of grace and power. Her lips, soft and pink, curved into a faint smile as she regarded him.
Benjamin could only stare, struck dumb by the sheer beauty before him.
"Well," she said, her voice smooth and melodic, carrying an unearthly warmth that sent shivers down his spine. "You've certainly taken your time to admire me."
Her words jolted him out of his stupor. He shook his head, trying to pull himself together. "I — uh… Who are you? Where am I? What is this place?"
The woman chuckled softly, the sound like wind chimes in a summer breeze. "So many questions, Benjamin. But I suppose that's to be expected." She gestured to the garden around them. "This is a space between worlds, a sanctuary I call my own."
Benjamin blinked. "Between… worlds?"
She nodded, leaning forward slightly. "You may call me Aria. I am the Goddess of Games, though in truth, I am much more than that. I watch over countless realms, each one shaped by the dreams and imaginations of mortals like yourself."
"The Goddess of Games?" Benjamin echoed, still struggling to process her words. He hesitated, glancing at his chest again. "And… what happened to me? I was shot. I died."
"You did," Aria confirmed, her tone matter-of-fact but not unkind. "Your death was unfortunate, yet it has led you here, to me."
Benjamin frowned, a spark of irritation flaring in his chest. "Unfortunate? I was on my way to class, and now I'm — what? In some fantasy garden, talking to a goddess? You call that unfortunate?"
Aria's smile widened, and for a moment, it seemed like she was amused by his outburst. "Would you prefer oblivion, then? I assure you, that can be arranged."
Her words sent a chill down his spine, and he quickly raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "No, no! That's not — I mean, I didn't mean to… Look, I'm just trying to understand what's going on."
"Better," she said, her voice softening. "I brought you here because there is an irregularity in one of the worlds under my care — a world you are quite familiar with."
Benjamin frowned, the confusion on his face deepening. "A world I know?"
"Yes," Aria said, her violet eyes gleaming. "The world of Eldoria Chronicles."
His jaw dropped. "Wait. What? That's a game! A fictional world!"
"To you, perhaps," Aria replied. "But to me, it is as real as the garden you stand in now. And it is in peril. An imbalance has taken root, threatening the harmony of its design. That is where you come in, Benjamin."
"Me?" He pointed at himself, incredulous. "You're kidding, right? I'm just some college student. What could I possibly do to fix an entire world?"
Aria's smile turned enigmatic. "You underestimate yourself. You possess knowledge of Eldoria that few in that world could ever hope to match. And more importantly…" She waved her hand, and a shimmering golden interface appeared before Benjamin, filled with strange icons and glowing text.
"…you will be granted a gift. The Lust System."
Benjamin stared at the floating display, his brain scrambling to comprehend what he was seeing. "The… what now?"
"The Lust System," Aria repeated, her tone entirely serious. "A unique power tailored to your circumstances. Through it, you will gain strength and influence by forging bonds with the heroines of Eldoria. It will grant you the tools you need to solve the irregularity and shape your destiny."
Benjamin blinked, his face a mix of confusion, disbelief, and a hint of embarrassment. "Wait, you're telling me I'm supposed to — what? Seduce people for power? That's insane!"
Aria shrugged, her expression unchanging. "Call it what you will, but it is a tool, and it will be yours. Whether you use it wisely or foolishly is up to you."
Benjamin opened his mouth to argue, but Aria raised a hand, silencing him.
"This is not an offer, Benjamin. It is a decision I have already made. You will be reincarnated in Eldoria as Lucien Drakemore, a man whose fate was once to fall before the story's protagonist. Now, with your knowledge and the system, you have the chance to change that fate — if you are clever enough."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with finality.
Before Benjamin could muster a response, the light around him began to shift, growing brighter and brighter until it swallowed everything.
Leaving the goddess smiling.