Adventure King (R-18)

It felt like I was floating. There were no physical sensations, but behind my closed eyelids I could tell it was bright out, extraordinarily so. Two voices having a conversation, a man and a woman, neither of which whose voice I recognized.  

My memory was a bit hazy, my mind fuddled. For a moment I couldn't even remember who I was, or what I was doing previously, but then I remembered... I was in the mansion. I tried contacting the System... that was a bad idea. System did caution me, but I still severely underestimated how much mana it took, even for just a split second of conversation. 

I opened my eyes, but that just made me more confused. This was definitely not the mansion. I was in a world of light. 

I was on what looked like an ocean, flat, completely transparent, and stretching out infinitely. Below me was a glowing void. Millions of tiny lights of all colors, lit up like stars in the night sky as far as my eye could see. But all of them arranged, as if drawn by some force as a whirlpool towards some central point. A vast glowing core which emanated a great power, despite the expansive distance between us. The surface on which I stood acting like a barrier between worlds. 

On the sea, stood twelve marbled pillars, stretching above me. And which looked neither near nor far, but supported a palace of golden light. Illuminating the sky with the light of day, sending waves of light skittering off the sea we were standing on. 

Next to me stood two persons.

A man, handsome looking but supremely confident. Dressed in unusual clothes that I had only seen glimpses of in memories. And facing him was a woman. Beautiful and perfect in every way. Clad only in light, unashamed of her nakedness, her hair shining golden. Wings of white stretched out wide, her feathers glimmering with pure rays of energy. 

The two conversed while standing over a particularly bright star. All without taking notice of my presence, as if I were simply an observer. 

"All has been explained to you, I hope? " She motioned to the radiant palace, before continuing. 

"It is an honor to meet a gifted mortal like yourself. Be proud because you are chosen, your upstanding personality, bravery, and skills place you above all others." The Goddess smiled radiantly, causing the man to shake. 

"No my lady... this is a dream come true for me, to meet one such as beautiful as you. Perfection incarnate... oh Goddess!" He moaned out pathetically. 

Goddess? The same one that the System mentioned? Who are these two... and who is this... man? I thought to myself. 

"You are granting me power, but you do so for the good of the world. I swear it to you that I'll save your beastkin from their plight, they are so pitiful and so cute. I cry to think they suffer even one more day in cruelty." The man kissed her hand, repeatedly, moving up her arm. Clearly infatuated.

Disgust briefly flashed onto her face, before hiding behind a facade of light.

"I'm touched that you are so devoted to our cause, for you are righteous indeed. I do not care what methods you use, just save our people. Our followers are all children of the light, it pains me to see their suffering. Punish those responsible, you can do that for me right? Kill those that reject us, do this for me and you will be greatly rewarded for your meritorious deeds. " She lifted his chin with her hand, gazing into his eyes hypnotically. 

He's human but he sides with beastkin over humans? Doesn't he know what they would do to us? I thought in disbelief. 

"Yes, Goddess. I swear to you I will punish those who oppose the light. Those who would reject someone as beautiful, and kind, and righteous as you... can only be demons!" He yelled out fanatically while staring vacantly into her eyes, no more than a willing puppet. 

Her countenance was beautiful, but terrifying. Her radiant nude form towering over the man as he stayed frozen. Staring deeper and deeper into eyes, as if peering into his very soul until he could no longer take it any more. Collapsing on his knees to heap praise and worship upon her. 

She was clearly pleased by what she saw, grinning unnaturally with the widest smile I had ever seen. The wretched and spineless man groveling at her feet. Showing no dignity at all while he licked at her feet. I could only watch on in disgust. 

"Rise my champion, you are my chosen. Accept your quest and the children of the light will give unto you untold and immeasurable pleasure. They are yours to command, and do as you please. It's only natural, for you are their savior. Isn't that right?" She asked while stroking his face tenderly. 

He grinned lewdly, nodding excitedly in agreement. 

"Then off you go." She snapped her fingers. 

A moving image appearing onto the ocean of stars that they stood on. And it was one that greatly disturbed me. 

It was me as a child, playing with my brothers outside. I remembered the moment... it was when I first began with the headaches, and the memories.

"A vessel has been prepared for you, and you will soon be reincarnated into this world. I dare say it is one you will find rather... enjoyable. You may do whatever you like, so long as you remember the precepts I have told you. Now go." She waved and the man shattered away in agony, leaving only a glowing soul. 

"Now to deal with the vessel." She waved towards the image of my childhood and I watched myself fall, convulsing on the grass as my brothers clambered around me worriedly.

The man's soul floated up, smiling to himself while he swam towards the image. Entering with a ripple, like a rock thrown into a lake. The image undulating and stretching, before fading away entirely.

My own conscious beginning to fade as well, but still capable of perceiving what was happening.

"It is done." The Goddess sighed out. 

"How many more?!" She called out suddenly, in a voice that reverberated across the realm. Shaking the pillars.

One of the pillars began to shake, shrinking in size, down to the size of a person, coiling onto itself like a snake, before emerging in the shape of a woman.

"You have two-hundred and thirty-one more to do for today." She just sighed.

"Send in the next one."

The light she stood over dimming, and another appearing in its place. Just another realm in her sights.

And for a second time now, I felt my consciousness slip away.