Did I die?

Do you ever imagine there's another world running right beside ours? One where honor means nothing, but loyalty is everything. A world that feeds off ours like a parasite—beautiful and hideous all at once.

Now, could you imagine being born into it?

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It started as a night like any other. One too many drinks at a bar, a girl who seemed just a little too pale, her skin a little too cold. Maybe it was the booze that kept me from noticing. Next thing I knew, she was leading me back to her place.

Now, a nice guy wouldn't share what happened next. But let's be real—I'm not sure I count, and even if I did, who around here cares?

Condom wrappers on the floor. An empty wine glass on the nightstand, tipped over, staining the wood. She laughed, a careless sound that seemed to echo. Her eyes met mine, dark and intense, filled with something I couldn't name.

Desire? Hunger? Excitement? She looked like a predator, savoring her catch. She ran her fingers down my face, the touch sending a chill through me, even in my drunken haze. Her lips found my ear, her breath hot and her voice low.

"I wanna show you something," she whispered, every word curling around me like a promise.

Her mouth moved down my neck, a gentle kiss, then her tongue tracing the line of my jaw. My head started to spin, eyes growing heavy, my body melting into the bed. The beer was dragging me under, but the sharp pain in my throat snapped me awake.

Teeth. Her teeth.

I gasped, too stunned to scream at first. My arms pushed at her, but they felt like they were made of lead. I managed one strangled cry, a desperate plea cut short, before silence took me.

....

It was dark. Not the usual kind of darkness, either, but something deeper, something so complete it felt like the entire universe had been snuffed out, like someone had put out the sun and left me floating in a cold, empty void. I couldn't see, couldn't feel anything around me, just the sensation of floating. And then—

A voice. Crystal clear, like it was speaking straight into my mind.

It was a woman's voice, soft and beautiful. "Why don't we add this? Is it good?" she asked, like she was making some careful decision. But I couldn't tell who she was talking to—I couldn't see anyone.

I tried to move, to open my mouth and ask what was happening, but my body wouldn't respond. I felt frozen, like a statue, unable to do anything but listen. And then, as if the darkness itself had a chill, an icy feeling crept along my spine.

Then another voice—a man's—firm and clear. "Hmm, another system? Isn't that a bit overpowered? You've already added so many systems."

The woman replied, and I could almost hear her pouting, "But it's useful! People love knowing their stats—it's really in demand. Can't we just add it this once? I promise, next time we can try something new! Please?"

A pause, and then the man sighed. "Fine. But just this once."

The woman's voice turned bright, excited. "Thank you! Oh, and why don't we add this? It looks cool."

"It's too bright," he replied, sounding thoughtful. "Let's try something darker."

"Oh! I know, I know!" she said, sounding pleased with herself. "Why don't we make him a vampire? That'd be good!"

A vampire? Who? Me?! What's going on here? Panic surged in my mind. Am I some experiment? Did I get captured by some insane organization?

The man's voice cut through my thoughts. "A vampire? Isn't that a bit overpowered, too? But… fine, we can try it. But it'll need balance." He paused, as if considering. "Ah, yes. Let's add this feature, to keep things even."

"Oh, yes!" the woman said, sounding even more thrilled. "But… no blood-sucking humans, okay? That's too cliché. Everyone does that. Let's change the species or something. I don't want him feeding on humans; it feels… wrong."

Blood-sucking? Humans? I screamed inside my mind, but my voice stayed trapped, silent. My mouth wouldn't open, my limbs were locked in place. Only my consciousness was active, alert, and helpless. Please, someone, help me! I don't know what's happening!

"Alright," the man agreed, "if you dislike it that much, we can bring in something from another world. He can feed on them instead of humans. That way, he doesn't have to drink human blood."

"Oh, perfect!" she replied happily. "Now, let's decide the era. I always get so excited about this part."

The man's voice, irritated, broke through the dark. "Era? I don't want to mess with that. Choosing between medieval, modern, or some other old-time setting is just too much work. Then we'd have to think about how people talk, act, dress… it's too much. I'm not doing it."

The woman's voice softened, calm and soothing. "Alright, we won't bother with an era. Tell me, then, what would you like to do?"

"Well," he replied, voice perking up, "we could go with a fantasy kingdom setup. And before you say it's overused, hear me out. We wouldn't have to invent a whole new setting—we can use ready-made pieces. Multiple kingdoms, realms, maybe even empires. Plus, ranks like kings, princes, dukes, and noble houses are already laid out for us. We can just pick and choose as we like," he finished, sounding pleased with his idea.

She hesitated, but her voice softened in agreement. "I... suppose that could work. But I don't want him to be privileged from the start—or a beggar either. Let's make him start somewhere random, like a forest, away from any city or kingdom. That way, he can grow strong out there, and by the time he enters any kingdom, he'll be unstoppable. Just imagining it… it's so perfect!" she said, a hint of excitement in her tone.

"Agreed," the man replied. "He'll be strong, but let's give him access to all types of magic—dark magic, elemental magic, you name it. That way, we have a lot of freedom to add whatever we want later if we get stuck. What do you think?"

"Yes, I love it. And I'm thinking, let's start him as a child—a small age, something we can build up as he grows into a teenager. Let's make it a journey."

"Hmm, good point," he said thoughtfully. "That opens up many options for us too. We could even add an academy where he learns the ways of humans and their society… there are endless possibilities."

"Oh, yes!" she replied, her voice thrilled. "And let's give him a dramatic beginning, something dark and tense. A revenge plot, maybe? I love that—it gives him a reason to fight, a purpose, so he's not just drifting through life, aimlessly making it all boring and uneventful."

"Got it," the man said, his tone firm with decision. "I'll handle that. Let's go with these ideas and build as we go, shall we?"

"Yes!" she agreed, full of excitement. "Let's do it."

As their voices faded, my world slipped back into silence. Nothing but the cold darkness remained, pressing in around me. I lay there, waiting, frozen and helpless, wondering when—or if—my eyes would finally open.

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