Darkness. The sort of darkhat nized when one slept, right before they woke up because they realized they were asleep.He was not sure how he was feeling at the moment — a sort of fortable warm, rather than the overly warm, unfortable he usually felt when waking up and as he let his mind wander he could feel his limbs; his fingers and toes but… looking at them he could not see them.

  What?Came the thought, his mind tingling. He blinked, at least he thought he did, and looked at his hands again. I … sort of see them but they're ghostly? What sort of dream…

  ?I'm sorry to say that this is no dream?

  A voice that did not just permeate his mind, but his entire being, spoke; however, the tone was gentle and feminine.

  Oh. Great…The slow, dawning, dread of realization was filling his being. That means…

  ?Unfortunately you're right.? The voice was tender, apologetid he could feel an odd sort of warmth fill him — Care? Love?It struck him as odd, but he did not feel in danger.

  At least I went peacefully, in my sleep, and had a fun night with friends pying games.It was a (rather) small balm of sotion but his feelings were genuine enough at the luck. There ause as a thought came to what amouo his mind at the moment. I don't want to be rude… and there's really no way I segue without a 'but'…

  ?…I doly match up to what you were expeg??, There was a warm chuckle, almost motherly, ?Don't worry, I'm not offended. You have every right to ask questions.?

  Boy, I have plenty of those …He sighed, his 'mind' (because he was a semi-amorphous mass of something and was more scioushan Being) being filled almost immediately with every question he wao ask and trying tahem.

  ?Let's take this slow — the obvious, big one first…?The voice directed gently, and he could swear he heard a smile from the disembodied voice.

  That narrows it down but I still have two or three questions.He admitted, shaking his 'head'. Those being: Who are you? Where am I, if this isn't… you know. And… what is my fate?

  ?Well, taking it from the top: I am Na'at, Goddess of Chaos or, if that sounds too 'evil' for you, Goddess of ce.?

  Goodie~Amazingly he felt a small throbbing in his 'head' and came to the sad realization that even the dead could get headaches.

  ?Watch that tohough there was no malice or venom ione.

  I'm not an expert but I don't recall ever reading about a "Na'at" in mythology.

  ?That's because I'm not from your world's religions.?

  …Alien?

  ?Teically~?

  You're enjoying this…

  ?Perk of being a Chaos Goddess~?

  You mean 'troll'.The thought/words came out before he could stop them and he would be blushing if he had a physical form.

  ?Ow~? Came the feigned hurt, and he could imagine hands over her chest as if c a wound, ?Anyway, I prefer gremlin and you're oo talk!?

  And how do you know me?

  ?I've read your 'file', hun, that's why I'm talking to you now.?

  I don't know if that's good or bad… and I'm holy afraid to find out.

  ?I'm not going to lie. It really depends on how you view your current situation.? There was no tone of teasing in her words this time, but a genuine , ?I am ara-dimensional goddess of chaos and you are not currently in…? The pause only made assed for his heart in this ghostly form jump, ?Oh. Oh, dear. You were a follower of a religion that didn't believe in reination…?

  He could have sworn he had heard papers ruffle as if she were turning pages.

  ?But… you did? How… chaotic~? She giggled.

  Not as chaotic as you'd think, um…

  ?Just call me by my name, dear. I'm far from formal or stuffy and I want you to feel fortable while we, ah, work through this.?

  Well, Lady Na'at, I believed, or hoped, really, in a lot of things because the other option was…

  ?B??

  Sad, actually. That the world we saw around us was… it. Certainly, there are, or were I guess, amazing things in the world but…

  ?Aliens, magic, spirits, dragons and the like…? She giggled, ?…were more fun and iing??

  It meant, to me, that there was something more out there, that maybe…

  ?Maybe you could be more??

  And then I hit 25… then 30… then 40… and then…He imagihrowing his arms out to his sides to make a gesturing motion to the gray void around him

  ?Mh. Your file mentions you tried to do a lot of things but… oh, hun.?

  …Anyway…

  ?I think before we go any further we should have a ge of venue, something more fortable and pleasant than this gray expanse?

  Well, if you wish. I'm fine one way or the other.

  There was a soft 'tsk', like a mother chiding her child, ?I find that hard to believe. We have a lot to talk about, and I want you to be fortable.?

  I appreciate that, Lady Na'at.

  ?You just call me Na'at, hun. What do we have to talk about? I don't want any titles or anythiing in the way of your real feelings.?

  Oh boy…

  There was a fsh of light and he felt himself blinded for a brief moment, whinoyed him since he did not have physical eyes anymore, and then he found himself in…

  An office?

  He looked around at the ge in ‘sery’ and he was not sure if he would describe it as a therapist’s office or what. The carpet lush, soft (which was an odd sensation since he retty sure he did not have feet any longer), and a rich green in color. The walls were a weird mix of grey and beige, free of any sort of decoration. He could not properly estimate he the room was outside of ‘cozy’ in its size. Though, speaking of ‘decoration’, the ‘office’ was not bare of decor as he had noticed two healthy green, leafy pnts in what he assumed were the ers of the office.There was a small, circur, low-legged table crafted from a light-colored wood set between two wide chairs made of a soft, chocote-browher. Yet agaie being dead and not having a w nose, he could smell the items set upon that table, themselves on a silver tray: a pot of coffee, steaming warm, and two cups of the brew set out for the two of them—also a pte of peared to be fresh chocote chip cookies.

  ?As I said, I want you to be fortable.? Now he could see where the voice was ing from and he was corre that it was femianding before him was an older-looking dy, perhaps in her early forties, with long blue-bck hair that e her calves, her bangs were feathered and 'fluffy' with her dark but sharp eyes reminded him of a raven. That tinued, holy, with her style of dress: a long, off-the-shoulder 'swoopy' gown of bck-blue that closely matched her hair, embroidered such that it looked like actual feathers and gave an appearance of ed or folded wings. Her skin was a dark and dusky ember red and she smiled at him, showing little fangs, when he gave a start at her appearanbsp; ?Sorry if my form surprised you. I , at least, promise you that I am not lying to you — I am ara-dimensional chaos goddess and not a demoness or something.?

  He could only cough embarrassedly.

  ?Oh don't worry, you aren't the first to reae like that.?

  I'm… not the first?

  ?You are not the first from your universe that I've ied with, no. And I doubt you'll be the st.? She motioo one of those wide, cushioned chairs, ?Please, have a seat.?

  He nodded, doing so, and chewing on his lip — or would have had he a body — and g his hands together aing them in his p, watg her as she gracefully moved, gliding over the plush carpet that covered the floor and sat down iher seat. A wave of her hand summoned a rge cup of dark steaming coffee for the both of them, and a tray with milk, sugar, and cookies.She took one of the cookies after adding two cubes of sugar to her coffee and uest.

  Thank you.He took three sugars and a spsh of milk, picked up a cookie, and biting into it, sighed in enjoyment as he tasted the warm feery. ?You're wele.? She sipped her coffee, ?Now, to answer your other two questions: The first is easy. You're in my realm, a sort of iween, but outside-of-space, space between different universes. As for your fate? That will depend solely on you, hun.? She whispered gently.

  I see. I… have to admit, I'm fused. Since I spent my whole life believing…

  ?Oh, I uand. But as you got older you realized, wot twisted and were used to further certain people's agendas, and just because you were told there was only oruth…?

  I see. So the reality is 'all things are real'?

  ?To a point. Again, wet twisted around and not always from malicious i. Differences in nguage, and simply time moving on.?

  I see, I see. That makes sense.

  ?You're taking this rather calmly…?

  …Oh I'm far from calm but there's also no point in losing it…

  ?That is… more than fair.? She smiled, ?So, to your st question: Your fate. Which, as I said, depends solely on yourself. You have a decision to make because I have a request to ask of you.?

  So, naturally, I'm going to listen to your request… but I have to wonder what happens if I dee your request.

  ?You would be re-merged with your other half and you would go on to your afterlife.?

  My… other half?

  ?When I was searg for a soul, I was given choices, and, reading each of the files I was given, I read that you worry about a lot of things. You would likely want to help but worry as I am… shall we say… outside of yious views and you would feel flicted. So a deal was stuck. You are, in essence, a clipping, like a pnt. You came from the person you were, and you are still You so, if you're unfortable with my request, you'll be returned and re-merged bato one being.? Na'at took another sip of her coffee, dunking her cookie, ?If you accept you'll be reborn. You'll still be you with all your memories and personality. I know that's ahing you feel strongly about, your Self, and that's pletely uandable.?

  He sipped at his coffee, also dipping his cookie and then half-shoving it into his mouth.

  ?But, as I said, you'd be reborn. A new body, that you get to choose, as well as abilities and skills on top of my full blessing. If anything, imagine being reinated and keeping your past life’s memories. You’re your old Self and a new Self at the same time.?

  Those are generous gifts, Na'at.He said, musing as he sipped his coffee and, at her insisteook a sed cookie to nibble on. I have to really wonder what that request is then.

  ?A long and difficult task. Ohat you will be duly and properly pensated for; the aforementioned boons and blessings.?

  He nodded, sipping his coffee again.

  ?You would be summoo the world that I am part of the pantheon of.? Na'at expined, ?Ohere you would learn about the world, named Aetyros, while perf the duty you were summoned for which is to be the guardian aor to the Chosen Heroine.?

  Guardian aor to the Heroine… not the hero myself?

  ?No. What's needed is someoo help the Heroine on the right path before they lose themselves, or help bring them back from the darkness. Reading the files I believe that you are just the fit needed.?

  That's one of us … I wouldn't sider myself hero material, and even lesser mentor-to-hero material.

  ?Perhaps you wouldn't… but you were a good person and a good friend. You held strong vis even in your own darkest times. How often did your friends tell you this, and you trusted them, even if your own brain was saying otherwise.?

  Boy, you really do know everything about me.

  ?It's imperative I do, I don't want to send the wrong person. And, not to put too fine a point on it, I think you're that person.?

  I would be reborn. With your blessings and boons…

  ?Yes. Ones you get to choose, remember. And in a body you choose.?

  Being reborn… means I'd… not be me anymore.

  ?No, remember, I said you'd keep your memories and personality. You're being summoned and, well, I want to send you in because they will not expect you. And that's a good thing.?

  Because 'Chaos Goddess'?

  ?You said it, not me~? She grinned from behind her coffee cup, ?You'd be in a physically capable body in your prime.?

  He snorted, bemused. I never really had a 'prime', I was always out of shape and uhy in one way or another.

  ?Well, that ge. Remember, your choice of your new body? She pointed out, ?You could be the pinnacle of fitness if you wao be. Like those…? She picked up a clipboard with a file and flipped through some pages, ?Ah, here we go. Superheroes. Yes, you could have the body of a superhero if you wanted.?

  What is the Chosen Heroine being chosen for?

  Na'at leaned forward and sighed, ?Aetyros is fraught with danger, hun, and none is more dangerous than the DaiMaou.?

  Oh, I know that word… a Great Demon King.

  ?Just so.? Na'at agreed, ?There is a ifluehat happens every two hundred Aetyron years, and you would be summoo a time just before one such vergence. You would have… months… to adjust and, to be blunt, do your job.?

  Months, huh…

  ?You wouldn't be aloher. You would have allies there oyros, as well as myself.?

  You?

  ?I wouldn't punt you into this mess without some backup, as you'd have my full blessing which means you'd basically have a 'celestial hot-lio me, ao you.? She expined, dipping her cookie into the coffee.

  Okay.

  ?Now. I know it's overwhelming—?

  No, I mean "Okay", Na'at. I'll do it.

  ?I want you to take a moment and think this over, hun? Na'at said, ?'Yes' is final… There's no being 'unsummoned' once you get there.?

  I figured not… and you know from my file that I wouldn't… take certain as to escape.

  Na'at nodded, setting her coffee cup down aing the clipboard on her p.

  I 't lie and say this isn't reted to wanting to do Something heroic, like when I was a kid but… Someone needs my help. While others could help them… it sounds like you'd really prefer me.

  ?The DaiMaou and its followers won't be your only obstacle, hun. Just… know that. Yoing into a quagmire of a mess?

  Someone needs my help… and I won't be doing it alone. I accept, Na'at, I'll do it.

  Na'at smiled, ?Then we have some work to do, kiddo? She cpped her hands as she stood up.

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