My (Monster?) Hero Life

Floating in the darkness Kace was entirely at ease. A strange sense of comfort washed over his very soul. 'Yep, definitely dead.' was all that passed through his mind. Surprisingly this revelation did not panic him in the slightest. Instead, a mild curiosity as to how it happened rose in its place. No matter how hard he tried, those memories appeared to be missing. 'I'll just go with the flow I guess,' he muttered to himself. He could feel himself drifting as if being pulled by the current of a river. What seemed like days passed quickly as a multitude of various colours appeared in the distance.

A strange, silvery tree rose before him. To heights that even he could not make out. It's wispy branches stretched out and intertwined like an elaborate pattern. At the end of each branch rested spherical 'fruits' for lack of a better term. Each one glowing faintly with its unique colour. Easily passing into the millions.

As he gazed in awe and wonder a deep, crisp voice penetrated his mind.

'Analysing heroic soul. Conditions met for reincarnation. Personality and Preference system engaged. Analysis complete. Matching. Handover to the system administrator in 3...2...1...'

'HOLD ON!' he screamed in his mind, 'Some kind of explanation would be nice! And why do you sound like a computer!'

A girlish, mechanical giggle interrupted his ranting.

'I am Eve. Your designated navigator for your new life! Welcome 'Kace'!'

Kace would have clicked his tongue if he had one right now. He had been pawned off by essentially a manager to a customer service representative. Typical. The ones at the top never do any real work.

Eve giggled again. 'Your thoughts are quite funny aren't they?' she said rather charmingly. 'Shall we begin then?'

'Your personality and lifestyle have been analysed. To make your new life as comfortable as possible we have chosen a world that is in line with your 'Hero complex' and 'Gamer' lifestyle' Eve giggled wholeheartedly again.

Why did this 'thing' give him the impression that she was having fun at his expense. To which another chorus of laughter resounded in his mind. He mentally sighed resigning himself to his fate.

'So, what's this world like anyway?' he tried asking.

'Oh, nothing much. Just the standard Fantasy setting that you should be accustomed to. You know. Man-eating monsters. Magic. Knights. Beautiful scenery. The world currently seems to be enjoying the beginning of an industrial stage. So there shouldn't be too much inconvenience. There's also plenty of 'Hero' work available. It seems they are pushing to eradicate monster environments as much as possible.'

Kace thought about this for a moment. Where he was from he was certain that every other living thing would consider humans to be the monsters. With the way they destroyed everything. He could not wait though to jump in and be hailed as a hero. Protecting the innocents. Gaining the admiration of young women. Then there was the money! Greed flashed in his eyes, or it would have. If, well you know.

'Oh, now that's very interesting.' said Eve rather mischievously, 'Your data has been updated. I think the new parameters will be much more fun!'

Kace could almost swear he heard the clacking of a keyboard and his dreams already being derailed. What kind of deranged god would change perfect settings just for fun? You know what, don't answer that.

'Bye now. Don't forget to use the help function if you require assistance.' Eve sweetly called out, feeling very pleased with herself. After all, keeping an eye on reincarnates could be so boring. They pretty much did the same thing. Kill monsters. Get the girl or guy. Become rich. It's not like 'Kace' is the only one she has sent there after all. At least he seemed interesting.

For lack of a better word, Kace felt his soul being pulled towards one of the lower hanging fruits that gave off a soft indigo glow. 'Wait!? Are all of these different worlds?' his mind had been blown by this. So much potential! That's all he had time for before he connected with the word 'fruit'. His vision darkening once again.

An image suddenly floated in his mind. He chuckled as he read it. It just simply stated a single word that made him feel nostalgic.

'Loading...'

Feelings of excitement washed over him once again. This was it. The life he had always wanted!

***

In a dark elaborate cave not far from the borders of human civilization a green-skinned muscular orc looked on with an unpleasant face as the goblins shaman gave her speech. He was Kharja. A warlord among the monsters with his domain. Fair enough it was a small domain that only covered the forest and sacred mountain, but it was still his. All intelligent monsters in his domain gave him tribute for protection against the humans. He was at the pinnacle of power. By his strength, he had reached an unprecedented level. Level 3!

Just the other day he had brutally annihilated a group of self-proclaimed human 'Heroes' all by himself. Claiming justice was on their side for all the human piglets they had stolen. This made him furious. He was no thief! It was the god-given right of the strong to take what they wanted. It's not like he killed them. He took them to make them stronger. By gifting them to the goblin shaman Vaskra she would throw them in the birthing pool. It would reshape them, remould them into their truest nature. New goblin soldiers to fight for him!

At the end of her guttural speech, the goblins crowding the cave became overly excited. Some started pounding on the human skinned drums dotted around. The majority of goblins started to do a strange funny looking jig as a couple of bound human children were carried into the room. They were lined up in front of the pool, tears streaming down their faces. Vaskra threw up her bony hands, the sound of the drums halted. Smiling viciously she dropped them. Immediately the goblin warriors shrieked with laughter as they pushed the kids into the pool.

Vaskra smiled to herself. She could not believe she had gotten away with it. A flash of madness appeared in her eyes. She had known for some time that they could not go on the way they had been. The orcs who 'protected' them treated them as slaves. Expendable tools in the skirmishes with the humans. She instinctively knew that the humans had not truly retaliated yet. The death of their heroes would only call upon a disaster to strike this domain. So she had come up with a genius, daring and slightly mad plot. The pools were known to convert the anatomy of the human children who were thrown in using the sacrifices that they used as ingredients. But what if they used other things. Surely it would be possible to create a stronger breed of goblin warrior completely devoted to her. So she had her warriors hunt surrounding mindless monsters and animals to be used in her experiment.

She gleefully cackled to herself believing that this would be the beginning of the Goblin uprising. That she would overthrow Kharja as the new domain ruler and have the orcs serve her.

Everyone looked on expectantly prepared to greet their new brothers and sisters in arms. As time passed and the pool bubbled confusion began to set in. It had never taken this long before. Some began to have doubts. Had the ceremony failed? Had they been abandoned by their god? They stared intently at the totem behind their shaman. Despair set in. All the effort they had gone through to acquire this fresh livestock had been in vain.

Kharja stormed towards the stone platform where Vaskra stood confused. The goblins parting like a hot knife through butter before his unconcealed anger. His nose wrinkled as he neared the pool. It reminded him of the sewage area of the tribe's village. With disgust on his face, he glared beyond the pool and opened his mouth to scream at this little witch, his tusks glaring in the torchlight.

It was then, that like a geyser, the foul liquid burst. Exploding all over those who were nearest to it. Kharja gagged and committed falling on his knees. Having caught a mouthful of the vile concoction. It had a slimy texture as it dripped from him and a taste worse than excrement. He threw and infuriated look at the laughing Vaskra only to realise she was not laughing at him.

In the centre of the pool stood a man, gasping for air. His skin smooth and pink like a human. Completely unrelated to the green-skinned orcs or goblins. Though there was no mistaking that he was not of human origin. His ears were slightly pointed like theirs and he gave off a monsters aura. Kharja gulped, it was not these things that concerned him. It was his eyes. They peered from behind his dark, messy hair. In the form of a wolf's, golden with a pitch-black pupil. Like a predator eyeing his prey...