1 Welcome to Aenides

Villagers were working the fields. This seemed like a peaceful scene, yet they were all on edge. There were not many calm days for humans lately.

This was just one of the many hidden human villages in the Riverhorn Valley.

Today was like any other day. The women were working the fields, the children were hidden in nearby caves making pots, baskets, and other similar crafts, most of the men were hunting, and the rest were acting as sentries, protecting the village from outside threats.

A sudden loud noise startled them. It came from the sky, and as the villagers all looked up they were half blinded by the sun. [Was the sun always this bright?] They thought.

All they could see through their fingers was a tiny spot getting increasingly larger. It was definitely getting closer.

The ones with good hearing could hear a weird scream "NO~FREAKKKIN~WAAYYYY~!".

[What an awful sound... Is it a wyvern?], [No, wait... Are we being attacked?]

One of the sentries shouted: "RUN AW-..."

But it was too late, whatever it was had already landed. Well, more precisely it crashed... Loudly. Then it rolled for dozens of meters, bounced off a wooden wall, rebounded on a tree, went by a few chickens, crushed some bushes, before it finally stopped, surrounded by a thick cloud of dust.

The villagers could only see rays of light piercing the dust cloud. The silhouette of a man was revealed as the dust settled, he had long black hair that reached his shoulders, he was tall, perhaps around one hundred and eighty centimeters, taller than most people in this world. He was wearing a beautiful white outfit with golden runes. He was very calm with a faraway gaze as if what just happened did not concern him. His hands folded on top of each other were hidden in his long sleeves. The breeze moved his outfit rhythmically and waved his hair, while rays of light illuminated him. It was almost as if the rays arranged themselves for this scene. He looked just like an immortal.

As he looked around, the villagers were in awe. His gaze was confident and aloof, it could only belong to an honest man. This man was proud! He was strong!

The man finished inspecting his surroundings, and then he thought to himself: [THAT DAMN BI-.]

*****

Let's go back a few minutes.

That man had just woken up, he was in an unfamiliar place.

[Huh? Where is this? I think I was just in the city...]

His surprise was understandable. He was surrounded by nature as far as the eyes could see. There were vast plains without a single man-made building, extensive forests and massive mountains on the horizon. Weirdest of all, runes were drawn where he was standing.

[How did I get here?]

"Hi!" His thoughts were interrupted by a cheerful voice.

[Hm?] He turned around and saw someone floating in the air.

[A young woman?] His eyes lowered a little bit to her chest. [Or rather a young girl...]

She was a lot smaller than him. If they were standing side by side, her head would barely reach his shoulders. She was slim, with long, wavy blond hair. If he had to guess, he would say she was 16 years old.

[Little sister type huh... Not my favorite styl... Wait! Is she floating? Is she a ghost? Crap... Am I dead?] He panicked and looked around him.

[Where is this? I was in the city a few minutes ago. Is this hell? Oh crap. I shouldn't have peeped on the neighbor lady... I really shouldn't have tried to get in the women's bath during the work trip... And that time I made my lab partner touch a battery to see her boobs jiggle when she got zapped. Wait... Is this stuff hell-worthy?]

As he calmed down a little bit, he noticed that his body was real.

[I can't float so at least I am not a ghost... Right?]

He jumped in place just to make sure. The ground felt very real.

"Hey, you! Are you ignoring me?" Shouted the floating girl.

[No way, no way! There is no way I'm going to start talking to ghosts! Even if she is a tad cute! That would start all kind of trouble for me! Furthermore, she looks bratty, who knows what she has in mind. Let's ignore her.]

He checked his surroundings while ignoring the shouting girl. [Hmm, where is the city? The air... feels so light and so pure for some reason. Those mountains over there look so high... Where the hell am I?]

"Honorable Hero! I have summoned you here!" He heard her again, but this time it had a tinge of annoyance to it.

[Whoa, this one read too many novels. She is definitely trouble!] As he thought that he started running.

"Damn you! Listen to me!" And just then the "ghost" caught up to him and kicked him from behind.

A blood-curdling scream echoed in the valley: "GYAAAAA! Damn you that hurt! My heritage! My family jewels!" He said rolling around on the ground.

"Sorry... Missed your butt... Teehee!" She said while striking a cute pose.

[God that hurt. Did I lose one? I hope not... And what's with that cute pose? Are you pretending to be an idol?] He wanted revenge... But what could he do against a violent ghost?

"W-what does the honorable polished lady wants?"

"Polished? As in I have no curves?" She almost burst out in anger... But managed to calm down.

"I am Ariadne, what is your name?"

"I am Christopher Duhan. What do you want?" He was grinding his teeth, but the lingering pain kept him from being too aggressive.

"Hmm, the family name is fine, the first name needs work if you want to fit in... Hmm, let's shorten it to 'Chris' and it should be fine. Listen to me Chris Duhan! In this world, I am the Goddess of Humanity, and I have summoned you for a task, do you understand me so far?" She asked.

"Sure, now go play with the other kids. Do you want me to call your parents?"

As he said that, she prepared another kick.

"Wait, wait, I heard you: Beautiful Goddess... Honorable hero... Task!" He said panickedly.

"Hm," she coughed, "I am humanity's God. I created them long ago, and now my adorable humans are in trouble! No way I am going to let that happen!"

"So I looked for a heroic soul that was just about to die and brought him here! I got there just in time to witness your final act! It was incredible! I have never seen such selflessness! I knew right then you were the one to lead my children!"

As the girl continued her impassioned speech he tried to recall his last moments on Earth.

[Hmm? Final act? I was peepi... I mean checking if my neighbor was alright. She had just worked out quite a bit and was all sweaty... I was just worried. But then I was spotted and she overreacted... I ran away... tried to cross the road... Fell on the sidewalk... Rolled a few times... Hit something soft... And then got hit by a bus.]

[Heroic act?] He was confused and turned his attention back to the girl that was still talking.

"The way you pushed that kid away from the bus without a thought for your safety, how you showed your martial prowess. Those rolls were very impressive, are they your special move? Anyways, I knew then you were the one!"

"R-right." Said Chris.

"My children are in a bit of trouble, nothing you can't handle though! Therefore I summoned you to help them out. Become their king, rebuild their kingdom, and dominate the land!" As she said this, she struck another pose.

"Sure..." he said. [Another world? Really?]. He looked around in disbelief and noticed a herd of what could only be described as a mix of a pig and a rabbit.

[Okay... So this is another world... I really died then.] He exhaled and looked at the sky and chose to ignore the duck/horse flying above them.

[I wonder what the news in my old world will report tomorrow. 'Peeping tom dies saving an ungrateful brat!'? I wish they would leave out the peeping tom part though. Did she say 'become the King'? How do I do that? Is there a magical king making sword I can pull out of a rock somewhere? Do I get a cheat? I just reincarnated, I should get one right? Aah... The neighbor lady was so stacked... This one though...] He thought as he sneaked a look at her chest.

" So... GO!" She said pointing in the distance while striking another pose.

"Huh?" He said, "What are you saying O'beautiful lady? Go? Go where? Do what? I know nothing about this place. Do I just show up and say 'Hey, I'm your king!'?"

"Alright, but this is the last time I am spoiling you!". She looked as if she was reprimanding him, but had a huge smile on her face.

"Let's start by changing your clothes." She snapped her fingers, and his clothes were replaced instantaneously by a long white outfit with golden runes. "There, all better, aren't you handsome."

"I can't give you anything else or they'll keep nagging at me." She continued. "However, this is still a divine item. People should recognize it, and it will make your work easier."

"Now let's help you make a good entrance," she said, and then grabbed his collar and threw him hundreds of kilometers away!

****

And we are back.

[THAT DAMN BITCH!]