1 A Meeting of Makers

His name was Thomas Hortrow, and he is, or was, a radio operator for a washing machine company. He had been having a day like any other, with him showing up to work, and clocking in. He had met his Very obnoxious co-worker, and expected it to be another day of answering stupid phone calls of disgruntled customers, though he of course didn't say tihs out loud. No he always maintained a jovial and optimistic tone at work, "Professionalism" he would call it.

The day was normal on all accounts. He had answered the call of an old lady who had been calling repeatedly for the last few days over the same problem, no matter how hard he tried to explain it. But just as he had signed off of work, and left the den of evil that was called Wash & Co. Everything broke apart, and that was meant quite literally. For as he was about to open the door to his, personally, somewhat decent, apartment, the world cracked like glass. At first he thought it an illusion, that maybe his co-worker had put another Special ingredient in his coffee, so he jsut shrugged it off and grabbed the doorknob of his apartment.

And then the world Shattered.

It was probably the loudest noise he had ever heard, and would ever hear. he desperately tried to grab on to something, anything, but everything crumbled to the touch, and so he plummeted into the black inky darkness below. As he fell, he was surprisingly calm. There was no fear, no survival instinct kicking in, just..... Numbness. like his emotions were somehow muted. Guess.... This is it, huh. he mused to himself as he fell. I've got to say though, i didn't expect to die like this. I expected something less flashy, maybe dying in my sleep, or fainting from stress. But i guess this is nice. To jsut fall into nothingness. He thought with some amusement towards his lack of reaction to the situation.

But then, all of a sudden, there started appearing lights in the distance, almost like twinklings stars, slowly growing bigger. Wait.... Growing bigger? He thought, then looked closer at the mysterious lights. Then he widened his eyes in sudden realization. They Were Growing bigger, or, more accurately, he was coming Closer. As this fact dawned on him, he started relaxing, thinking This is it, The light at the end of the tunnel. As he glided towards his apparent afterlife, he started getting a suction force in his stomach, which he realised was from falling. Which he also realised, meant he was still alive. His eyes shot open in sudden panic, and he realised he had already passed the calm lights, and was falling rapidly towards the abyss, and the dark gates awaiting him.

He closed his eyes, not wanting the sight of all manner of fates his mind was churning out at the moment. He waited for the bellowing laughter of demons, or the cold grip of Hel, or whatever other deity claimed his soul after this. Suddenly he felt a pomph, as he landed on something soft, and bouncy. He peeked open his left eye, then opened both wide, in amazement at what he saw before him. A great hallway stood imposingly before him, it's scope beyond his measure, as if it was made for Titans. As his head spun, as if possessed, his mind was more, and more befuddled. Great paintings of ancient warriors lined the hall, and banners hang from the bannisters.

He raised himself up from the scarlet carpet, gingerly looking each way of the hall. Behind him it seemed to stretch beyond imagination, and in front of him, there stood a towering door, looking to be made of pure gold. He threw a glance behind him, at the endless path that way, then forwards towards the imposing door. Where am i? He questioned in his mind, which unsurprisingly provided no answers. "H-Hello?" He called out hesitantly, his shaky voice echoing through the hall. He took a glance around himself, then focused his gaze at the door. He was hesitant to walk towards this monstrosity of a gate, but steeled himself, telling himself there was no other way, though even that sounded shaky in his mind.

He took a single step, then another, then a third. Until eventually he was walking full speed. Then jogging. Then running. At last he was sprinting all out, fearing that if he stopped, he wouldn't be able to take that first step again. Inevitably, he reached the door, and stopped barely five feet from it. This close, it looked much bigger. He ran over here, wanting to go through the door, but now, he thought that impossible. The door must be at eye glance, 100 feet tall. i cant open that! He scolded himself. Why did i even run over here? Stupid, stupid me. He sighed. Guess i might as well try.

Just before he touched the door, to open it, it started sliding open on it's own, the crack between the two sides, slowly widening, letting a warm, orange glow hit Thomas in the face. He was blinded momentarily, from the sudden light in his eyes, not even realising that the hallway had been dark in his stupor. As he was blinded, the door had opened completely, letting a fantastical sight, bare before him. Or more accurately, a nightmarish sight. The room seemed like a theater hall filled balconies, and a scene on one end. While normally there would be customers, and other sorts, in the balconies in such a theater, this one instead had a menagerie of horrors. Twisted humanoids, bastardized versions of animals, and horrors that his mind had trouble comprehending, filled the seats, and sofas of the theater. And on the scene itself, instead of actors performing a play, there was instead twelve thrones, though three stood empty, and colorless, like an unpainted canvas.

Upon these thrones where a collection of, almost, human like beings. At the very back, on the largest, and most regal throne, there sat a robed individual. His robe was black, with golden filigree, and red runes embroidered upon it in patterns. Under the cowl, it seemed as if there were all the stars, and nebulas, of the universe, molded into a blank face. The figure seemed to in comtemplation. Under his throne, there were seven other thrones set in a C formation, three of them colorless, and grey. The first of the colored thrones was made out of steel, and covered in red, and upon it there sat a young, maybe 8-9 years old girl, leaning against an axe, and snoring lightly. The second throne seemed entirely of darkness upon which sat a man in pitch black armor, with an undulating black cape, which was scarlet on the inside. The mans features were sculpted, as if he was an attempt by god to create the most perfect being, which was an apparent success. But if the mans face was like a summer mornings light, his eyes were like a winter wind, grasping, and tearing at you, freezing your very soul.

On the next throne there sat two people, taking up the marble seat of their pristine seating arrangement. The man of the two, was one with a regal, and comforting face, which inspired leadership, and hope, into the ones beneath him. while the Woman was of indescribable beauty, like a goddess descended. The next two thrones were greyed out, while the one after those was a frightening object, of disgusting, and weird, beauty. And upon it there sat a monstrous being, a minotaur, Thomas recognised it as, having payed attention in at least some of his classes. The minotaur had two mighty war-axes, leaning against the sides of his throne. The minotaur was covered in white fur, with two points of red, like rubys, set as his eyes. He snorted as Thomas looked him over, seemingly disinterested in Thomas. The last throne was also greyed out.

The first of the four thrones beneath those above, looked innocent, and casual, composed of ice, with some white cloth to sit on. Seated on the cloth was a blue penguin, smiling, and studying Thomas. The penguin gave a little wave to Thomas, then scooted back in the throne. The intellect in it's eyes creeping out Thomas. On the next throne there sat a brown haired man, surrounded by women, all apparently ignoring Thomas' existence, instead vying for the attention of the man on the throne, who seemed to be trying to cool them down. On the second to last throne, there was no throne, instead there was a mirror, a crack in reality, in which a huge eye could be seen, staring directly at Thomas, like looking at prey.

And on the very last throne, there sat a woman pleasuring herself.

At the sight of such a thing, Thomas' mind paused, and he looked as if he tried to look through, as his gaze rested on her. The woman snapped out of her reverie, at his intent look, and looked around, as if dazed. Then her eyes landed on Thomas, and she smirked. "Well, Well, Well, what do we have here?" She said, her voice breaking through the silence in the hall like a hammer. Her voice was silky, and seducing, Thomas noted. At her speaking the rest of the people on the thrones, except a few, seemed to notice Thomas for the first time, all gazing curiously at him, except the one on the highest throne, who seemed to look expectantly at Thomas.

"Is this another one of your, Attempts Void?" She asked, turning her face towards the cosmic being. "Will he die, like the others?" She asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Will you shut up, Lusty?" The man in armor said towards the woman. "Awwww, are you angry, o' King of Bats?" She said in a mocking tone, with a clearly false revering face on. "Say that again?" The Lord of Bats spoke. "Are you angry?" She replied. The armored man raised himself from his throne and was about to draw his sword, before a "SILENCE!" rang out, stopping both the man from drawing his weapon, and the woman from goading him further. "You will stay calm in my presence." The robed figure said imperiously, his voice demanding respect, and obedience. "Thank you" he said in a much lower, and more casual tone. The entity then looked towards Thomas, and spoke. "Do not fear, mortal, they will not harm you. And i suppose you want an explanation for your circumstances, so i shall give you one" The figure spoke, as if speaking to a child. "You have been selected to do something for me, an errand so to say. You will complete this errand, and i will grant you a wish of your choosing, though i'm afraid i cannot send you back to your world, it was destroyed by the summoning spell to get you here, but do not be alarmed. There exists countless worlds quite like to yours, so the universe shall not miss it" he said in a jovial tone.

"You destroyed it?!" Thomas burst out. "Why? Why did you do that, who gave you the right to do that?" Thomas screamed at the court. "I had a life, a family there, and you're telling you just destroyed it! You monsters! You Fiends! You anima-" "Alright that is quite enough." The entity said with an eerily cold tone. "You stand before the Court of Chaos, so do not think you can make demands, nor talk without permission. Your world was mine to do with as i see fit, and i spared you, didn't i? So do not lecture ME mortal!" The figure said, as the galaxies making it up, churned ever faster. "You forget your position, each being seated in this hall, could immediately kill you, or even worse. So stay your place, and wait your turn, like a good servant. We will now each grant you a gift, which you will accept, and then you will do my errand, understood?" The being said with an underlying threat. Thomas gulped, immediately discarding any resistance he had, towards his situation, just meekly nodding his head.

"i asked you to answer, not nod, didn't i?" The God said, for Thomas realised that was what it was. "U-Understood" He stammered out, black spots appearing in his sight from the pressure. "Isn't that too much?" The penguin asked. "If he has to be our servant, we don't want to treat him badly. And also, you are exerting your pressure again, look. He's almost fainted." The God paused, and set itself back into it's chair with what seemed like embarassment. "I knew that Anon." it hurriedly said. "Are you sure?" The one named Lusty, asked. "You looked pretty angry to me." She said. "Yes, i'm sure, now shut up Lusty, and prepare your gift, for the mortal." The entity said, nodding at Thomas. "Fine fine" Lusty said, before sitting up from her chair, and walking over to Thomas. Then she kneeled down before him, grabbed his sides, and raised him up, before giving him a long, and seducing kiss. afterwards she walked back, and sat on her throne again. "Your turn Draco" She said.

The Giant eye then moved away form the mirror it looked through revealing it's serpentine body, resting on a hoard of gold. It then proceeded to reach one of it's claws through, the mirror the press it on Thomas' forehead. There came a sharp pain, and slight dizziness, during which a brand burned in on Thomas' face, resembling a dragon claw. The Dragon the retracted it's claw, and set to watching through the mirror again. "You now, Ty." Lusty said. The brown haired man the removed the arms of some of the women next to him, and then threw a dagger, encrusted in gold and jewels, over to Thomas. Thomas fumblingly caught it, and held it gingerly, afraid it would bite him, or something. "Anon?" Lusty said, counting up the next one. The penguin then waddled towards Thomas, before giving one of his legs a hug, which sent a warm feeling through his body. The penguin then waddled back to its throne, and used some time on climbing up on it again. Cute Thomas thought, his mind numb to surprises.

"It's you now, Cow" The Woman said, prompting the minotaur to crack off one of his horns, and throw it to Thomas, before leaning back again. "We will give him a gift together." The man who was seated with one of the most beautiful women ever, said. "it shall be a blessing of the mind." The woman said this time. ""May you be blessed with skills of a champion"" They said in unison. "Good, now yo-" "I know, you don't have to remind me" The man in armor said. "He shall be blessed as one of my kin, if he so desires." The Lord of Bats said before waving a hand.

Would you like to gain the race of Vampire?

Choose wisely, as this is a permanent decision

Y/N

Thomas hurriedly chose no, not wanting to lose both his free will, and his humanity. The black haired man, seemed to smile at this, before saying. "You wouldn't have been a good vampire anyways, too.... Human." He said condescendingly. Lastly, The woman with horns, known as Lusty, looked up towards the robed entity, rasising an eyebrow at him. He gives a glance in her direction, before looking at Thomas. "Lastly you will get my gift, the gift of knowledge. I will grant you knowledge of the world you'll be going to, so be grateful, for i could throw you in blind, for your impudence." The God said to the mortal before him, before waving his hand, letting shadows overtake Thomas' vision, before He feels a brief weightlessness, and then nothing.

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