1 Life, Death and Life again.

I sat on the Doc's table, buttoning my shirt while waiting for her to grow the balls needed to tell me what I already knew. I was dying. Not a terrible surprise. I was sixty and had led a life filled with injuries both lethal and benign. It was a miracle that I had survived this long. I attributed that toward my way of living. Minimal sleep, eight hours of working out a day and eating only what I grew and raised for butchering. Less enlightened people went with another word, or two. The top choices running along the lines of 'Freak,' and 'Monster.' I felt it was jealousy over the fact I was sixty but looked like I was in my mid-thirties.

I saw the Doc bite her lip and look up from the test results at me multiple times. She was a pretty little thing. Twenty-eight and very nubile. I'd been seeing her for the last year and had only given in to her demands for an exam because I finally succumbed to whatever was wrong with me while in uniform. Basically, my partner had hauled my unconscious ass to the Hospital and left before I woke up so I wouldn't shoot him. Thinking I had waited long enough I took hold of the situation, much as I had my life.

"Jessica, what the fuck does that paper say? You've been hounding me for months to come in and take these damn tests, and now that you have the results you're suddenly tongue-tied? Just spit it out." Harsh, yes. Perhaps even cruel. I'd had enough of waiting around though.

I saw those beautiful brown eyes grow moist before she cleared her throat and stood a little more erect. Soft, yet firm. That's the little filly I chose in my twilight years. She read off the results in a monotone voice, trying her best to keep herself under control. Admirable for such a young woman. "Mathias, the tests we ran came back positive for Leukemia. It's rather widespread, the Cancer itself has made its way into most of your organs, including your heart. With treatment we could, theoretically, keep you going for a year, two at the most."

There it is. I knew something was wrong when I started feeling weaker. Weaker than what old age should have brought on. Didn't expect Cancer though, I was thinking more along the lines of organ failure, one of the kidneys or lungs making me go under like that. I nodded to what she was saying, not really listening. She'd gone from Doc to significant other at this point and was trying to show me all the advancements in medicine, the experimental treatments and such that might help. I smiled at the kid because that's what she was.

Ignoring what she was saying, I took the time to really look at her. Young, the rest of her life ahead of her, and she'd been stupid enough to fall in love with an old man like me. I didn't love her back. It just wasn't in my nature. She was a passing fancy, someone to warm my bed over the next year or so before moving on when I grew bored. I was that sort of bastard. I'd been doing it for so long I knew I couldn't change. With the whole Cancer thing, it just expedited what I had planned. Break the girl's heart, let her move on with her life.

I took the small hand placed on my toned bicep and gave it a gentle squeeze, pulling it away from me and smiling at her with as much compassion as I could muster. It wasn't much, the years as an Officer had more or less burned all of that emotion out of me. I dropped her hand when she started to smile back at me and got to my feet, a bit unsteadily, shaking her off when she tried to help me stand. The worried look in her eyes told me she wasn't liking this. I'd been a perfect gentleman throughout our relationship and was suddenly treating her coldly, after finding out I was going to die. She was a smart cookie, she put two and two together.

"Mat" - "Doctor Jacobs, thank you for your information and taking the time out of your day to treat me. I will sign myself out and will be denying all forms of treatment. I wish you the absolute best."

I saw the tears forming as she reached for a walking corpse like me and shut the door in her face. I took a deep breath, ignoring the sudden sobs combing from the other side of the door, quiet enough only I could truly hear them with where I stood and signed all the needed forms to get my ass out of that painted up funeral home.

After leaving the Hospital, I hailed a cab, one of a very few, that was sitting outside along the curb and made a call. The call was to my partner, Frank. He didn't even give me the chance to speak before he started talking, defending himself.

"Before you say anything, listen to me! You fell down on the job. I had to take you there!" He was right. It was both the decent thing to do and his job as Law Enforcement. It didn't really stop me from being pissed though.

"Wrong, you could have left me there like I would have wanted you to do. Instead, you took me to the Docs. It doesn't matter now, but I still plan to deal with that gross betrayal. Your wife know about the mistress yet?"

He paused a moment before whispering "you wouldn't." I smiled, at that hint of fear in his voice. The man was actually the single most loyal individual I had ever met. His 'mistress' was an oddly disturbing habit of playing with puppies at the local shelter. His wife was terrified of dogs and was the irrational sort that made him sleep on the coach and threatened divorce at the mere mention of getting a dog.

"Oh, I would Frank. You see, you made me learn some shit I didn't need to know at my age and end a pretty good relationship in the process. It only seems fair." I allowed a teasing note to go through the harsh tone I had been using. The man had known me long enough in our five years of partnership to realize I was fucking with him, though I was still pissed.

"Not funny Mathias. Not funny. What did the Doc say, and why did you end it?" I shrugged and told him what I had learned and my reasoning. The man sighed at me, "need me to do anything?"

"Keep your mouth shut about it. I'll spend what time I have left ensuring my paperwork is in order and then spend what time I have left doing what I want. Next call is the Chief." Frank knew what I meant though. Living the way I wanted to involved me going out on my own terms after resigning from the force. No need to drag the badge through the dirt by still being an active part of the force itself.

"I still think you're a moron for doing that shit to women, ever since…" - "Watch it." - "Yea, yea. Alright. I'll respect your wishes even if I think you're a moron for this shit. It was a pleasure working with you, Mathias, among other things you were the best TO and CO I could have asked for going through the Academy and during my rookie years. It really was an honor."

"Stop sucking up Frank. Tell Latisha to get over the dog shit, say it's my last wish. She's religious, so it might let you get a puppy."

---Three Months Later, Funeral---

I always knew Mathias was a bit of a man-whore, but this was ridiculous. The funeral had been going on for an hour now, and there was still a train of women between the ages of twenty-four to four-five making their way into the funeral home to pay their respects to the man who had been a second father to me. I couldn't really keep the look of astonishment off my face at a few of the women either. One was the leading newscaster for channel five, literally one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Multiple runway models, two actresses' that flew here to bid him farewell. I looked at my wife, who stood beside me where one's family would normally stand, and saw her shake her head ever so slightly. She was as astonished as I was.

I knew the man since I was eighteen and a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed idiot joining the army. I was thirty now, married to the woman of my dreams, and realized I knew less about this man than I thought. The women aside there was a slew of cops, not shocking there. We were a tight-knit group. When one of us went down, whether on the force or not, we all tended to show up. Then the parade of Military, active and not, all in their dress blues. For a man who was a bit of a freak of nature, it shouldn't have surprised me that so many people came to his funeral, but I'll be damned if I wasn't surprised.

I finished gently shaking the hand of one young woman, her makeup running from the tears. I managed to avoid the hug, barely. My wife accepted it, but it was different. For a variety of reasons. I realized that this evening was going to be a very long one. It was worth it, of course, it just meant I would be standing here greeting all of his conquests and men and women in the military that were high enough up the chain of command to move hundreds of men with a single signature.

I ignored the fact that my own Mother and two estranged Aunts were in the visitors' line, balling. I chose to believe my mother was here because she knew Mathias and treasured his help keeping me straight both in and out of the Army, rather than having possibly slept with him. Stopping the shudder that tried to go down my spine, I hugged my mom and on we went.

Oddly enough the biggest shock of my life, in recent years, came at the end of the funeral during the video will. His instructions were pretty clear. He would not allow us to burn his body to ashes and spread them where he wished until after we watched the video and agreed to his terms, all of us. The other part of the 'all of us' message was a young woman dressed in her Marine dress uniform, vibrant red hair tied into a bun beneath her cap. She had eyes so green they looked like emeralds. I'd have said they were cold, distant, and hard if she hadn't been fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. She kept it under control, of course, made me respect her, but I had no idea who this young woman was.

It turned out she was his God-Daughter. A young woman he trained and helped raise, taking over guardianship after her father passed. He never mentioned her at work, or to me. She was like his dirty little secret. She was also likely to be the single most dangerous individual in this country at this time because of that training. That didn't take into account her time in the Marines. She spoke to us briefly before the video will played. She had a low voice with an Irish brogue that seemed intentional more than habitual. Mathias did that as well, changed his accent to suit his needs or the current situation.

Her name was Maddie, Madeline, and she spoke about how her 'Uncle' spoke about me often in his calls and letters to her. She said she was glad to meet my wife and me and that she was thankful we could stand where we had. Her own flight had prevented her from being present during the visitations.

Another thing I found weird, Mathias demanded no one but the three of us and his lawyer be present for the actual end, or know about his requested locations to spread his ashes. Maddie took it as a given. I just found it strange. I knew it shouldn't be, considering how much I knew about him. That seemed less than what I believed, but I still knew him. I suppose I was just a bit raw after everything else that had happened today, including how we had found him.

A brief flashback showed me the memory. We had gotten a call about shots fired, screaming, and bodies. It was in one of the mansions that housed a few of the worse members of a local cartel. When we arrived on scene, it was a bloodbath. Dozens of men dead, multiple were one shot kills that forensics had shown to be made from a low vantage, but made in quick succession according to the timetable. Mathias was one of the few people I knew who could do it. We didn't even suspect him until we reached the main lobby and found his body, riddled with holes. He was still breathing, the monster. He saw me when I made my way toward him, gun drawn. He wasn't a cop anymore. I had to treat him as dangerous, as an active threat, even with our history. It had killed a piece of me to see him that way as well. He grabbed me when I got close enough, rather my ankle, and wheezed out the docks, and a number.

It led to one of the biggest sex ring busts we have ever had as a department in the last ten years. It just took his life to get it.

I was pulled back into the here and now. My wife's hand on my elbow, her worried eyes, it brought me back to reality. We watched the video, agreeing to all of his odd requests and demands as a group. I didn't know why he had to be burned with his knife, but Maddie cleared that up for me later. She explained it was because of his religious beliefs. We accepted it and went on with the painful process of saying goodbye again, and then spreading his ashes.

---An Unknown Place.---

"I don't see how this single soul was worth seven God grade souls in trade with that fucking upstart Aeria!" D, the God of Death, slammed his hand against one of the celestial pillars with his statement. It made a few cracks, but at least this time the impulsive fool didn't break my home. Janus, the God of Null, was looking at the glowing orb impassively, as was his nature. A relative bore of a God in all honesty. They made up two-thirds of the High God Council, myself being the third. Aeria, Goddess of Life, as the mortals on our planet called me.

The thing D was complaining about was currently in my hands. A singular soul I obtained from a relatively young God. He was powerful though. He parceled out souls of this grade like candy while the rest of the Universe Gods had difficulty raising even a singular soul like this every few thousand years. Seven God grade souls was still a relatively steep price for such a thing all the same. More so when we all knew it was an aged soul, not a young one that would be easily controlled. It made it a gamble, while the God grade souls we traded were grown and saved over the course of millennia. D was short-sighted though, Janus was impassive, while I was patient. The young God had promised this soul would be astounding, if cared for. If it was threatened, it could become a living nightmare as well. I wondered about that when I asked him about it all he did was point to his eye. It was bruised. I focused on the soul in my hands and wondered at the sheer force of will required to give a God a black eye as a soul.

"Fucking Hell! Answer me Aeria!" I sighed, lifting a hand slowly to rest upon D's broad chest and moved in close. His black skin flushed red around his ears, and I smiled at him sweetly. I could always manipulate him with the promise of sex and life.

"Hush now, sweet D. I promise it will be worth it. Have I ever made a truly bad bargain?" I fluttered my eyes at him, running just the tips of my fingers down his chest softly. I felt warm myself. It had been so long since we last joined and created something bound by Life and Death.

"She is right, D, we should simply wait and see." The softly grating voice of Janus came out just when it was getting good. I glared over at him. He ignored me as he tended to do. Such a boring man, the God of Null, all that was between Life and Death. The infinite Void. At least he had sided with me though. That made it a clear vote of two against one for the deal. I was sure I could convince D, but his vote made it so I didn't have to make the pleasure we would partake in later a part of a deal.

"Thank you, Janus. We should have the Seven Cycles join us shortly and grant unto this soul his hidden ability, trait, or skill." I paused, glancing into the beautifully white orb that was this dormant soul once more. "I wonder what it will be."

---Unnamed Planet.---

A sharp feminine cry. Blood-curdling and filled with pain rang out within the dimly lit, hearth-warmed, room. An older, softer, voice encouraged the young woman lying on the bed. "Push Dearie, push." The young woman gripped the bedding on either side of her as hard as she could, letting out a massive groaning moan she pushed with all she was. I feared for her safety, she looked so very weak. Yet I wanted my child to come into this world as well. I was torn, confused, frightened. I stayed as calm as I could, though it was difficult.

Finally, a sharp cry, different from my young wives, rang out in the room and the newly arrived infant was cleaned and removed from his mother before being bound in clean cloth and handed to me with a soft "Your son, Sir. Congratulations." I ignored the midwife. Her job now was to ensure my wife survived, was cleaned and comfortable. Mine was to see my son. He had a soft tuft of strawberry blonde hair on his head, a pudgy little body and hands that waved around as quickly as his little body would allow. He let out another loud cry, and I saw his eyes open for a moment. They were a vibrant golden color so deep and warm they appeared more like amber than actual gold. They looked shocked, confused, and then settled on pure anger. Following that was the single loudest cry I had ever heard an infant make. It startled me enough I almost dropped the kid.

He was taken from me from a glaring midwife and handed to my wife who was also glaring at me before she began humming a song and forcing her breast into my sons struggling face, forcing him to drink. I saw him fighting it, could even hear the cries he tried to make around the obstacle before he finally seemed to tire out and fall asleep. Smiling a bit ruefully, I decided to enjoy the scene of my wife and son bonding for the first time.

---Two Years Later.---

I narrowed my eyes at the disturbingly attractive twenty-four-year-old woman as she bent down in front of me while wagging a rattle, a fucking rattle at me. I was a God damned sixty-year-old man, regardless of this fucking toddler body. She waggled it again while cooing in that way only a mother actually seemed to find adorable and 'proper' when talking to an infant. "Whosh a gwood boy? Ywour a gwood boy."

Oh, you naive bimbo. I withheld the sigh that threatened to overcome me as I regarded my 'mother'. She had birthed me into this new life, one I had violently rejected mind you, and she seemed bound and determined to force her 'odd' child to show her a smile. It was like a crazed fanaticism to see me display any form of emotion. I couldn't really blame her either. I had more or less forced myself into an emotional wasteland after realizing my situation shortly after my birth and this psychotically devoted mother forced her tit into my mouth.

That mostly had to do with the fact I had very clearly denied the ability to be reborn. I had wanted the peace that came with death after doing what little good I was capable of before the cancer took me in my last life.

Apparently, the fucker that was my previous worlds 'God' decided to take that choice well and truly out of my hands and sent me to this technologically backward hell. It made me feel far less like a dick for punching him in the eye.

I dodged to the side when my mother moved in to try and smooch my cheek repeatedly once she realized I wasn't paying attention to her actions. Have you ever tried to dodge something in the body of an infant? I imagine you haven't, at least not and remembered it. It's fucking difficult. She just grabbed my face and then started smooching me all over. She fucking slobbers, by the way.

When I was set free from her menstruations and 'adorable' baby talk I finally let loose a disgusted expression and tried to wipe off the drool. That only prompted her to giggle and call for my father, a young man that was more average in appearance than anything.

Where my mother was a golden-haired, curvaceous, beauty with green eyes. My father was a stocky individual with brown eyes and black hair.

"Did you see that honey! He made an expression for his mommy at last! Isn't he amazing?!" I eyed the demented woman a moment before flicking my gaze toward the man in question. He was administering some medicine to a rabbit, one with a horn on its head, that had been injured during the mating season.

He actually understood me, kind of. "The kid just doesn't like it, Katherine. If you don't stop, he might hate you." He was wrong there. I had to have feelings in general regarding them to either like or dislike them. As it was, they were providers, nothing more.

Back to that rabbit though. Apparently, this world had countless creatures known as 'monsters.' They populated this world and fought with the more humanoid and social creatures like humans for control. Yeah, that meant things like Dwarves, Elves, so on and so forth were common here. That was enough of a shock to me when I saw one of my mothers friends, a woman with a rat tail, about a year ago when she brought her own brood of monstrously playful things over.

My father was administering medicine to that rabbit though because both of my parents owned and ran something called a 'Monster Farm.' A Monster Farm was an establishment ran by people with the inherent ability to control weaker monsters and breed them for commercial use. I.e., selling them as pets, food, beast of burden and war. A few things aside, I had been fascinated by that part. It was something I had considered a pro to this new life. At least I could be around animals or the closest equivalent. The fact they could impale, disembowel, or otherwise kill me was only a perk. Not that either of my parents allowed me any time alone with the creatures for me to be at risk.

Then there was the well and truly fucked up thing I had been born with, something that my God-Daughter would have called a System or something out of those books she read when I was raising her. The Progenitor System was what it was called. It was an interesting little thing. I thought about the system itself and a screen only I could see made itself available for my perusal.

{Progenitor System

Level - 1

Create +

Combine +

Improve +

Creatures Created - 0

Creatures Killed - 0

Creatures Combined - 0

Creatures Improved - 0

Monthly allotment of creations available - 1

Monthly allotment of Combinations available - 1

Monthly allotment of improvements available - 1}

I became aware of it by accident when looking at the rabbits my parents brought in a few months back. It had been a litter that was born week for some reason or another, and they were nursing them. I'd managed to get close so I could, examine, the fluffy balls with horns and big innocent eyes. Yes, examine.

Moving on, a message had popped up stating that the Progenitor System was available and could improve the 'Horned Rabbits.' This would apparently be allowed once a month at my current level. I didn't do it, obviously, instead I thought a bit, and after calming down from a very minor freak out, I tested a few things leading me toward that odd status message. It gave no indication of my own 'status' or 'abilities.' It seemed utterly dedicated toward the monsters of this world.

To improve the level, I would need to actively begin using the system. To improve monsters, the thing required them to actually have hidden potential. Not every single one could be improved. It also only allowed very minor improvements that did jack all in the grand scheme of things apparently. Combining them required two of the same breed and sex. Combining improved them overall, but did nothing otherwise from what I could see. That might have something that showed more at higher levels. The 'Create' tab allowed me to actually make my own monsters, with heavy limitations at level one.

For instance, I could create something with super-human strength, but at level one, it meant it would die after moving once. It was a balancing act. Adding onto that was the limitation that it would only allow monsters not present in the world to be created. I could make variants, but not the same thing.

Apparently, the first one created was always a female and could be improved without consequence as I leveled to limit their own problems while the 'progeny' retained the weaknesses and strengths.

Then there was this feature, something that was...well, a quest is the only thing I can think of. It had happened when I was thinking about ways to test out the abilities of the system with minimal issues.

{Learning the Ropes - 1

Improve Five Horned Rabbits.

Rewards - One Additional Bonus Trait For Creations

Failure - Nothing.}

It was, interesting. The oddity aside, it at least gave me something to help me stay sane while living as an infant again. I looked at the rabbit in question, now bandaged and looking around the kitchen/living room with dim eyes.

I believe I almost smiled while I looked at the little brown creature.

{Horned Rabbit

Lvl 2

Male

Str - 1

End - 1

Spd - 2

Int - 1

Description - A common Horned Rabbit. May be improved slightly.}

The rabbit itself looked at me a moment later, as if sensing my eyes on it. I was unsure what it saw on my face, but I am fairly certain the little ball of fur actually froze and shivered in fear. It did not need to be afraid, right? It was at that point I realized I was smiling. So did my mother. So another round of me trying to escape on my infantile legs and her crawling after me doing her baby talk and smooching face began.