Death and Decisions.
Scarlet woke with a pleasant feeling, her aging body, one that had begun losing the war against time, felt at peace. She opened her eyes, expecting to see her private room on the cruise she was vacationing on, instead what greeted her was an endless white expanse.
She got up from the floor she was laying on and looked around in confusion, ‘Where am I? Was I kidnapped?’ she thought to herself.
The thought of kidnapping was quickly sent from her mind when she saw where she was though, an impossibly large expanse of nothingness. Staring down at the floor her mind couldn’t even comprehend what she was standing on, or even if she was standing on something to begin with. It only took her a moment for her sharp mind to piece together what had happened, ‘I died, what shame.’
Of course while this thought would be incredibly sad for most, but Scarlet could only sigh in exasperation. She was 65, no family, few hobbies, constantly working, and a very private life, death meant little to her.
Considering that she was also set to retire once this vacation ended, dying now only meant that she wouldn’t be enjoying her three week long cruise, something which only slightly saddened her. Even then, the only reason she was on this trip was that her co-workers had practically forced it onto her, “Take your last weeks here off and enjoy yourself.” and “You haven’t taken a proper vacation in years, we’ll be fine.” they had told her.
She had tried to refuse, making excuse after excuse, but when one of her closer co-workers suggested Scarlet would have a chance at fulfilling one of her more private fantasies she relented.
Scarlet sighed to herself, wondering what she should do in this situation. Her eyes wandered around the blank area looking for anything or anyone of use when she spotted a young woman sitting alone on the floor.
The woman was already staring at Scarlet, but once their gazes matched she gave a polite wave. Scarlet walked up to her, expecting her to maybe have some answers, “Hey, sorry to ask, but do you perhaps know what’s happening?”
What she got in response was silence, she could see the lady’s mouth moving, but no noise came out, ‘Strange.’ Scarlet thought to herself.
The woman shrugged, understanding the uniqueness of the situation, but she did point behind Scarlet signaling something. Turning around, Scarlet watched as several people popped into existence, almost exactly where she had been standing. Likely the same thing had happened to the both of them.
Scarlet turned back towards the woman and gave a polite nod of thanks, receiving one in return, from there she left the sitting woman alone deciding to wander around the area.
At first Scarlet had thought this area was endless, but after walking for five minutes she felt herself being blocked by something. Reaching out she felt at the surface, it was almost intangible much like the floor, yet also impassible, “I wonder what created this?” Scarlet asked herself, deciding to head back to the sitting woman.
Looking around Scarlet could see that more people had arrived in this place, she watched as some were in a panic upon arriving, running wildly before slowly stopping. Others seemed to be enraged, screaming soundlessly into the void.
As the hours passed more people arrived, some had their clothes cut up or burned off, “Did the ship sink?” Scarlet asked herself, she had originally thought she had just bitten the dust from old age, but the others would explain that. By now thousands of people filled the area now, families, children, vacationers and crew members, emotions were rampant yet the silence still remained.
Slowly the last few people showed up, the last human appearing seemed to be the captain, the woman having a solemn look on her face. She didn’t appear alone, instead beside her was an otherworldly being, an angel. White wings wrapped around her body with a golden halo floating above her head, her beauty alone was enough to calm most of the people.
The angel gave a bow to the crowd before opening her mouth, “Hello there,” she began, her pleasant and calming voice ringing through the room. Every person was paying attention to her now, a few even walked up and started asking her questions, though what they were saying Scarlet still didn’t know.
The angel snapped her fingers, the few who approached her stopping in their tracks, “I know all of you have questions, I will explain as much as I am allowed to.”
She snapped her fingers, the ethereal floors and walls changing, they transformed to show a view of the ocean, focused on the wreckage of a cruise ship barely visible under the waves, “As most of you know the cruise you were taking suffered an accident now sinking into the depths. This accident wasn’t supposed to happen and was caused due to a fight between a certain god and goddess. None of you were supposed to die on that ship and for that we apologize.”
The crowd grew restless, even in the silence Scarlet could feel the rage coming off of most of them, but the angel merely waited for them to preside before continuing, “The other gods have decided that due to the actions of their lessers you all deserve a second chance at life.”
The crowd got rowdy once more this time in happiness, with the angel once again waiting for them to calm, “Unfortunately, you will not be able to return to your original world.”
With a wave of her hand the room changed views again, it now displayed a planet very similar to earth, blue seas, large green lands, but at the same time incredibly different having wholly unique continents.
The room slowly zoomed into the planet showing dozens of incredible and different sights, it was a fantastical world full of magic, wonder, and adventure. The angel showed humans, elves, dwarves, alongside many other fantastical races and creatures, “This is Floras,” she explained, “One of the central worlds of the gods. It is also the world that has been chosen for your reincarnations.”
The angel waved her hands once more returning to the orbital view of the planet, “The offer of reincarnation is free, and you don’t necessarily need to accept it, but it will also come with several conditions.”
She raised one finger, “Firstly, each of you will be assigned to a specific god or goddess. There they will help you decide on your new body and abilities for your reincarnation, from becoming a new race, or gaining magical abilities anything is possible. You will also be made an apostle of the god chosen for you, this will automatically provide you with status in the new world.”
Raising another finger she continued, “Secondly, you each will be given a territory of your own. This territory will become your sanctuary in the new world. For you to improve, expand, and influence it as you wish, but be warned others can take your territory for their own.”
The angel raised a third and final finger, “Finally each of you will be given tasks by the gods, these can be anything or everything. They can be ignored, but if you complete them you’ll be given rewards far greater than their difficulty.
The angel gave one last look over the crowd, making eye contact briefly with Scarlet before
nodding, “Anyhow, I will now send you each off to your chosen gods. I wish you luck on your journeys and good fortune if you choose to refuse.”
With that, the angel who didn't even name herself disappeared from Scarlet’s eyes as a white light flooded her view. As the light faded away Scarlet rubbed her eyes, trying to regain her sight, “Damn Angel, couldn’t she at least warn us?”
The moment those words left her lips a sultry laugh rang through the area, “You’ll have to forgive Jophiel, she’s never really interacted with mortals.”
With her eyes still in some slight pain Scarlet could finally see where she was. Gone was the mystical white void replaced instead with a brilliant garden of all shapes and sizes, marble statues and pathways filled the area while flowers Scarlet had never seen were all abundant and in full bloom.
Scarlet wondered where the laugh had come from, looking around the garden appeared to be empty. Scarlet didn’t know what she should do, in all likelihood it was a goddess that had called out to her and this was their garden, should she wander through it?
The sultry voice seemed to see her worry and let out another small chuckle, “Here, follow this path.” and at that moment one of the marble pathways lit up, with Scarlet seeing no choice but to follow it.
The pathway led her strangely not in a straight path, but rather seemed to go around the entire garden. Scarlet got to see beautiful trees in full bloom, an elegant koi pond, even a boathouse overlooking a lake.
Eventually the path led up a small hill heading to a lone gazebo overseeing the entire garden. As she took steps up she once more heard the sultry goddess, “It’s beautiful isn’t it? It took quite a few favors to get my garden this way, especially from Dahlia the Nymph Queen. To not share it with my future saint would be a sin.”
Scarlet took the last few steps up the hill, “It was beautiful, though if I may ask, what do you mean by saint? I thought I was supposed to become an apostle.”
The goddess let out another chuckle, “I’ll explain once you take a seat.”
By now Scarlet could see into the gazebo, inside sitting the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, sitting at a small table ladened with snacks. She appeared far younger than Scarlet, mid twenties and right in the center of her youth. Long red hair going down to her shoulders, a skimmer hat covering her face only allowing Scarlet to see her full lips spread in a pleasant smile. She was wearing a summer dress which not only flowed in the soft wind, but hugged her perfect hourglass body tightly.
She must’ve stared at the beauty far longer than she thought as the goddess let out a small chuckle waving at her, “Please dear, you can stare as much as you want, but take a seat before you do.”
Scarlet’s face grew slightly scarlet in embarrassment, a woman her age being so lost in someone far younger looking than her was quite shameful, “Apologies for my… staring goddess.”
She simply laughed again, “I already told you, I take no offense, the day a mortal doesn’t get distracted by me is the day I retire as a goddess.”
With Scarlet taking a seat the goddess signaled to the snacks laden on the table, cakes, pies, and cookies, she was about to refuse when she noticed a chocolate cake, something she always lost to, “I’ll take a slice of the chocolate.”
The goddess nodded, “Perfect, chocolate is an especially rare delicacy in Floras, it will be months before you can try it again.”
She sliced two fairly large pieces from the cake, setting both down onto ornate plates, passing one to Scarlet and setting the other in front of herself, “I know you’ll have plenty of questions, but to make it fair to you mortal, us gods have been restricted in what we can give you and what we can say.”
Scarlet was confused by this, “Restricted? I can understand limiting the amount of powers you give us, but why limit the information?”
The goddess merely sighed, “That’s part of the restrictions, what I can say is that the reason for these restrictions are both a demerit and a benefit. Now is it okay if we start with my introduction before moving onto the main business of our meeting?”
Scarlet nodded in agreement, but still asked, “Shouldn’t I also introduce myself?”
The goddess merely laughed, “I already know you quite well Scarlet Garnier. To be frank, had you been born in any other world we control you’d have been blessed and made my saint decades ago, but Earth’s a special case.”
“Why is Earth a special case? In all honesty, compared to Floras it seems far more boring in comparison.” Scarlet asked, taking a bite out of the cake, which she had to say was the best she’d ever eaten.
The goddess sighed, “Each world we control has a purpose and reason for existing, some for our private control, others for shared spaces, more are relics of our origins. Earth’s reason for existence is to be a neutral ground, where no god or goddess has any control over.”
“Ah…” Scarlet realized the predicament, “So while you can observe it, handing out blessings is impossible.”
“Exactly.” The goddess responded, taking a small sip of tea, “Otherwise do you really think I’d let such a gem slip through my fingers?” She took a glance over Scarlet, “I mean look at you, your body is practically a temple of milfy beauty, even without my blessing you look twenty years younger than you are.”
Scarlet blushed slightly at the comment, being called a milfy beauty by a goddess was something she hadn’t expected in this meeting, “Thank you for the compliment, though shouldn’t we be moving on to your introduction?”
“Ah right,” The goddess nodded, “I’m Amia, the Goddess of Beauty, Love, Lust, and Futanaris.”
Scarlet blanked, while the first three parts of Amia’s godhood sounded normal, the last threw her off, “Futanaris!?” she asked her, almost standing from the table. At the same time she reflexively glanced down staring between Amia’s legs which were slightly hidden beneath the table, there she spotted a large bulge in the sundress, likely over a foot in length.
Amia laughed, giving a smile in agreement, “Yes, While I’m mainly a Goddess of Beauty, my original dominion is over Futanaris, something I plan to make you become.”
“Me?! As a Futa?” Scarlet blushed hard, trying to calm down, but her mind filled with thoughts of herself with something of that magnitude.
Amia’s smile grew even more, taking a mischievous almost devilish tint, “Of course, why do you think I picked you? Do you know how few people your age even know what a Futanari is?”
Scarlet was about to refute the goddess, but was stopped before she could speak, “Please don’t lie. I know everything about you, your preference towards women, your fantasies of dominating your secretary, I even know why you choose Hawaii for your cruise destination as well.”
Scarlet couldn’t say a word, Hawaii was far more open than most of the world for people of her inclination. She had always dreamed of living there and acquiring some submissive Hawaiian girl as her playmate, this cruise was supposed to be her chance to find one, even if only for a one night stand.
Amia explained to Scarlet, “My followers adore beauty, to even be considered as a priest you have to be at least eye-catching, let alone to become my apostle or saint. I already have three saints in the world you’re heading to, each being a center point for my other divinities, but the last is still empty. I was hoping you’d fill that spot.”
Scarlet was unsure, to become an apostle was already something she was surprised about, but a saint seemed to be a far more important position, “Are you sure I can handle it?”
Amia nodded, “Of course, being my saint wouldn’t add anything more to your plate in terms of responsibilities, but the benefits you’ll get will be almost incomparable than being an apostle.”
Scarlet was still nervous about the situation, all her life she’d been nothing but a middle manager of some company, to now be offered the position as a saint to a goddess seemed almost too much for her.
While she was still in thought Amia spoke up once more, “You know, the world has it all, dryads, bunny-kin, amazons, mermaids and far more humanoid species that it’d take me hours just to name them, it even has imps.”
“Imps?” Scarlet responded, ears perking up.
“Oh yes Imps, you know them well, mischievous shortstacks, incredibly easy to summon, and constantly playing tricks on everyone around.” Amia paused for a moment, “But to let you in on a little secret, they're so lusty that if you wave a big enough dick in their face, they’ll create a contract making themselves a fucktoy to use as their master pleases, it's honestly hilarious.”
“Really?” Scarlet asked, she was practically leaning over the table staring directly at Amia.
Amia nodded, “I’ve got it on good authority that the goddess of imps Babi has signed a contract herself, promised to be the perfect little pet to some goddess.” She gave a wink as an old scroll appeared in her hands, what appeared to be a large demonic seal on it, “Now do you agree with being my Saint?”
Scarlet’s answer was immediate and final, “What do I need to do?”