John walked out of the office once again, heading to the busy bus stop, besieged by the relentless assault of rain dancing to the symphony of a thousand cars passing by. He looked up at the night sky, asking himself the same question that’s been on his mind for years.

“why am I here?” His voice was slightly louder than it wanted it to be, but as expected, none of the people around seemed to care.

He knew he had it better than most. He had an apartment to go back to and food to eat, and that was more than many of the poor souls he passed by every day had, but he simply did not feel whole.

He looked to the sky, hoping to see the countless stars of the heavens shining against the black canvas of infinity, but not a single one could be seen, hidden by the thick veil of clouds and smog.

Disappointed, he looked down at his watch and sighed. “looks like I’ll be walking again tonight, I should’ve brought my umbrella”

As he left the bus stop, John glanced back curiously, only to see another person take his spot. Dressed in the same cheap suit, hauling the same bag, and wearing the same lifeless expression as himself. It was as if a clone had taken his place and none of the other bystanders seemed to notice or care.

He walked through the streets of the metropolis he reluctantly came to call home over the years. Assaulted by the heavy rain and suffocated by the smell of car fumes and sulfur, he faced away from the busy road, hoping to find a distraction within the seemingly infinite stretch of houses, shops, garages, and cafes; only to notice that they were all copies of one another, void of any creativity or individuality, much like the people inhabiting them.

In his distracted state, it took him too long to realize the abnormalities occurring around him. The once-busy street suddenly grew empty, and the twinkling headlights of fleeting cars vanished from sight. He was alone, but he only took notice of his abnormal situation when he couldn’t feel the raindrops falling on him anymore.

“w-what the hell?” John meant to look up, hoping to see that the sky had cleared at least, but what he was faced with was unbelievable.

The raindrops stood still in midair, held up by an invisible force that was soon to make itself known to him. The extraordinary sight was interrupted by a screeching noise, so loud it dropped John to his knees in pain. It was a mixture of a woman’s death cry and the mechanical shriek of a machine larger than anything one could imagine.

While he stumbled to his feet, John felt a presence behind him, but as twisted his body around with his hands tightened into solid fists, ready to fight the unknown entity. He found that his own arms had betrayed him, refusing to swing or even move as he came face to face with what can only be described as a goddess.

“Greetings, mortal, I have cometh to ask for thine aid.” The goddess spoke to John in a voice so calming, it instantly healed his aching eardrums. “For I am Yuurena, goddess of a world far from thine.”

It was nearly impossible for John to focus on what she was saying, for neither he nor any other human alive could ignore the splendor of her features.

Her hair, long and golden, hovered freely as if she was standing underwater, each strand of it radiated celestial light against her fair skin, reflecting off her eyes, sparkling as if they were emeralds. She exuded divinity by merely existing, yet John also felt something wrong within the soothing eyes of Yuurena.

“The world I reside over is besieged by an evil unmatched, only thine power can save it.”

John ran through the many novels, games, and movies that told of this magic story. A tale of an ordinary man, whisked away to a magical world to pursue the grand destiny of a hero beloved by all. It was a very alluring premise that he, much like many others, found solace in, but never expected to be offered to truly live it.

His mouth opened, nearly mouthing words of approval before even hearing the rest of the pitch, but something deep within his heart compelled him to hold his tongue.

Something about the goddess was not right, he expected her to feel inhuman, but that was not the part that bothered him. Much like the people he worked with every day, she gave off the feeling of being empty. A husk of a once magnificent being, still wearing the disguise of its former self.

“I will not ask thee to risk thine life without laying eyes on what I want you will risk it for. Here, see mine world.” The goddess smiled, gently laying a hand on John’s forehead.

Suddenly, John was teleported away from atop the wet concrete of the street and into a world so breathtaking in its beauty that he had no words to describe it even to himself.

He saw a sky dotted with endless stars illuminating a world abundant in trees of colors unimagined, spreading their roots into lakes of water so clear he struggled to even see it. Breeds of fantastical animals ran freely through the fields of green, passing by simply made villages, where children ran happily, playing and chasing after each other with gleeful smiles on their faces.

In the distance, he spotted a walled city engulfed in flames. Women and children ran out of its barely cracked gates into the wilderness, their clothing covered in the blood of their husbands and fathers. On their trail were fearsome beasts, bearing fangs and claws the size of which would humble the greatest of tigers he saw on TV.

The fire instantly spread everywhere as he watched helplessly, engulfing the trees and village, burning it all into cinders, leaving behind nothing but the marching beats tearing apart the remaining survivors.

“Does thee understand now? Mine world is doomed without thine power, all of its beauty and life will be stripped away by the vile demons and their grotesque hideous spawns.”

John was suddenly back in the middle of the street, the raindrops above him still frozen in time as if he never left.

“Hero… if thy hand toucheth mine, thou will be lifted from this world, given my blessing, and sent to pursue thine true destiny, however, you may also refuse mine offer, and thou will be made to forget it all and return to thine life.” The goddess extended her hand to John, gently smiling and waiting patiently for him to make a decision.

He wanted to hesitate, he wanted to trust his gut, he wanted to care about the life he built in this world, but he could not. Having seen the world she resided over, the beauty and magnificence of its wilds, and the happiness on the faces of its inhabitants, he could not resist.

He never set foot in that world of hers, yet he felt as if he truly belonged there. He wouldn’t be just another accountant, staring at a screen for hours at a meaningless job, only to go home and do the same. He would be a hero, he would have the opportunity to explore an uncharted land, and he would help people in need while doing so. He, for the first time in his life, would have a purpose.

And thus, he grasped Yuurena’s hand, blinded by the glamour of her offer, never looking back to the world and life he was leaving behind.

Yuurena’s divine light engulfed him in a blinding blanket of warmth. He could feel the presence of the goddess getting further away, but not leaving him without final parting words. “Thou have made a wise decision. I will hand thee to mine loyal subjects in the holy capital of Yara, they shall instruct you on how to proceed and acquire mine blessing. We shall meet again soon, hero.”

John prepared himself, fixing his tie and waiting for the light to clear. He could barely contain his excitement, as images of what awaited him flashed before his eyes. A banquet, a king, and many thankful faces awaiting his arrival, just like the stories he immersed himself in for so long.

But as the light faded, so did his excitement and smile. Because what was revealed to him was not a scene from a fantasy novel, but one from a horror film.

Instead of a beautifully crafted palace, illuminated by magical candles, he found himself standing amidst the dilapidated ruins of what was once a great palace, only lit by the meager moonlight seeping through its destroyed roof.

Instead of a king sitting lofty atop his golden throne greeting him, the frail remains of a skeleton grasping a scepter silently sat atop a destroyed chair, unfit to be called a throne, and instead of a table carrying dishes of meats and fruits, he was greeted by nothing but the wooden remains of a table, its once pristine white surface stained with red so dark it appeared to be black.

“G-Goddess? What is going on? Can you hear me?” fighting through the fear steadily paralyzing his legs, John called out to the darkness of the ruin, praying for the comforting voice of Yuurena to reply with an explanation, but only the echo of his own shaking words answered.

“C-Can anyone hear me? Is anyone there? PLEASE!!” as the reality of his situation fully sat in, he screamed through shaking lips, and after a few seconds of excruciating silence, he finally got an answer.

“Boy, you really need to learn how to keep your mouth shut."