“I suppose I’ve died then?” the young man asked as he stared at the divine being ahead of him. He assumed that the being was a god as his skin was liquid platinum and his veins ran through like streams of gold, his eyes held that kind of unearthly wisdom you would only see from an elder who had gone through so much wrong and yet they made everything seem so right, swirls of all different colours flowed within them like a pool filled with every gem. The divine being looked so familiar, and yet he couldn’t place it.

The divine being bowed his head, or Adam supposed, their head. Though they seemed to be male, what with their powerful jaw that seemed to be chiselled out of marble, and the thick heavy stache made from silver that was waxed as though they were from the last century, he wasn’t sure that divine beings attributed gender between themselves, or if that was an earthly thing.

“It was an unfortunate circumstance,” the divine being said with a voice that would put any singer to shame, the baritone and deepness of it felt as deep as any ocean Adam had ever seen.

Adam had been a fairly average guy who had lived a fairly average life. He was born to an average family of a mother and a father, and he had a pair of siblings. One was older and the other was younger than himself, he was right in the middle, a man of the median. He had gone to the average school, had an average amount of friends, lost touch with an average amount of people, and went on to work an average job with an average wage for average hours. He had a hobby or two, as did most average people, and he was of average height and weight.

Average had been the defining characteristic of his life, yet he had been so average that no one had found his averageness to be exciting or even beyond reasonable. He had gone through life as one would in a car on the motorway, looking out ahead as the cruise control did its work. There were no lorries up ahead with any dangerous logs, no overtaking pricks in their stupid beemers, no idiot going a little under the speed limit to overtake.

Yet even after all that averageness here he was, ahead of a god that was dressed in a tweed suit with a vest and everything, hell he even had a flat cap, or rather they did.

Dead.

How did he die? Why did he die? Just what was this all? There were so many things he wanted to get through, but there was an order to things.

Adam sighed to calm the whirring storm that had filled his heart and then he leaned back into his chair, feeling it press against his back firmly as if to tell him that it would keep him if he fell.

“Good evening, my name is Adam,” he said. “May I ask for your name?”

The god bowed their head, the small peak of their flat cap covered their sparkling eyes for but a moment. “My name is Belle,” they said, “and you may refer to me as a male. Though the divines are beyond your mortal comprehension, I have come to you in a manner in order to please you.”

Adam narrowed his eyes, unsure of what Belle had meant by such a thing. Yet, the more he thought on it, he did feel a sense of familiarity, as though he and Belle had met once before, as though they had walked past each other at the train station and Adam had returned Belle’s hat back to him, that sort of familiarity.

Belle shook his head. “No, I have taken the form of your grandfather,” he said with his beautiful voice that continued to pour deep into Adam’s soul.

Yes, yes that was it. Belle looked so much like grandpa, it surprised Adam he hadn’t pinned that down. He was so awestruck by his unearthly beauty that he hadn’t realised that indeed Belle had taken the form of his late grandfather who had passed when Adam was a little boy, perhaps five or six? That was something that had been average as well, for many lost their grandfathers at that sort of age.

"He had that same moustache," Adam said, "with the wispy bit and all." Adam recalled when he was a little boy, he would use his tiny, stubby, sausage like fingers, to caress his grandfather’s prickly beard.

Belle nodded his head slowly, apathetically as a god would to the struggles of a mortal man.

"So I'm dead, but I'm here?"

"You have read isekai," Belle stated matter of fact.

"I have," Adam accepted the claim, for there was no shame in it. Others enjoyed their own mindless activities, this was quite an average thing to do. Others enjoyed the average game, others played the average game, others enjoyed the average music, and others made average music. This was but life.

"So this is where I pick my cheats and my wishes?" Adam asked. "What about my mum and dad?" he asked as the corners of his lips fell, his lower lip quivering. "What about Daniel and his stupid smile,” he continued, “and Sarah with her stupid fountain pen that she signs her letters with, and…" Adam grew silent, save for the sobs. His body was overwhelmed, now accepting that he was indeed dead and he would never again see his family.

This was no dream, there was a different etherealness to it all. The world was solid, not in the same way when one is dreaming and that world is solid, this world was more a heavy mountain unmoved by man, whereas the dream world would be sand, which shifted away under the weight of a foot, with enough sand you may have thought the world to be real, but your steps would still sink and shift slightly.

Belle remained silent until Adam's sobs fell away, a simple mercy from a god. Even now Adam tried to speak but his voice betrayed him, the words would not come out as though his body had thought they would be stolen away. Yet what use are unspoken words but for regret and misery?

"You'll take good care of them, won't you?" Adam asked quietly. If that could be his only wish, then it would be so, for even though he and his siblings would fight, an average amount of course, he still loved them dearly.

"They will live fine lives, for it is to be told within the book of time. Their ink is long dried, and it will be a long and peaceful life for each. They shall live their share of hardships, but their lives will be filled with light and life, that I promise you little Adam."

Adam sniffled and wiped away the tears with the back of his hand and the bottom of his palms, and with his tears went his worry. "I wouldn't mind if she had lost her pen though, I never liked it."

Then there was a long silence filled with the emptiness one would expect of death, and yet there was not emptiness, there was a god dressed in tweed, and a young man accepting death.

"My wish then?" Adam asked.

"Your wish then."

Adam nodded and then began to think of his wish. What did he wish for? Another average life within another world? A world of fantasy, with magic and elves and dwarves and endless possibilities. Yet an average life within it, though boring, may be more fun than his current life. Though there were no video games in a fantasy world where one could whittle their day away to see numbers go up, the satisfaction of seeing one cluster of pixels over another was an addicting feeling.

Even so, there were such things in some fantasy worlds were there not? LitRPG, that was a particular genre that often bordered and overlapped isekai.

"I know of it," Belle said, revealing the fact he could read the young man's mind casually.

It was at that thought that every terrible memory came to Adam that he wished he had forgotten, like the time he wet himself on the way back from the theme park, or the time he threw up into the popcorn because it had too much butter and salt, or the time when he tried to kiss Jennifer when they were both seven because that's what he thought he was meant to do when the pair were playing house in school and she started to cry because of it and his parents had been informed of the matter.

He didn't like Jennifer much after and she had been ridden with acne thanks to the wishes he had sent to god, or at least that was why he had thought at the time, but of course he felt guilty and he wished for the acne to leave, and the acne eventually did leave because Jennifer left with it to another city when her father had received a new job.

"Do not worry for all of this I know," the godly being said in his cool, calm, baritone voice.

That hadn't brought much joy to Adam, but he did come back to his thoughts of the wish he was currently mulling over. He continued to think of the world he'd wish to explore and what he'd want to find and search for and what he'd like to do. Eventually though he stopped, he didn't want to explore it within his mind and then spoil the fun.

"I would like to explore a fantasy world, a world that is filled with numbers and statistics to help me keep track of how I'm progressing, and I would like to be able to level into any class that I wish with no limits. I want to be able to choose whichever abilities I want to, even if they conflict, I want to be able to pick which ability works when and so on."

Belle nodded and then opened up a hand to reveal a set of dice with the patterns of the universe printed onto the sides. Adam reached for them, but the moment he grabbed them he felt something more. These were not dice with the pattern of the universe, these were tools of fate. The dice grew heavy within his hands, the weight of fortune sinking deep into his palm.

Yet he knew what he must do. He inhaled deeply to calm his raging heartbeat, which thundered to the beat of a hundred drums, and then they calmed.

He rolled the dice.

1, 2, 3, 3.

Yet the one disappeared and all he was left with was (8).

(8)

It was just his luck he would roll so low, and yet he did not falter. He picked up the dice again and he shook them once before rolling them once more, tossing them into the air before they rolled and stopped.

1, 2, 2, 6.

Yet the lowest number, again a 1, dropped and he was left with merely a (10).

(8) (10)

Adam clutched at the dice, exasperated he had rolled so poorly once more. He was going to exclaim that the dice were rigged, but the moment he saw Belle, who looked so much like his grandfather, the same grandfather who apparently had offered him a pipe to smoke when he was just a boy much to his parents dismay, he could not bring himself to do so. At least it wasn’t a 9.

So he rolled.

1, 1, 3, 3.

(7) (8) (10)

He picked up the dice calmly as his heart thundered once more. How was he so average in his life, then with the offer to be reborn, he was no longer average but far below it. Just why would the universe be so unkind to him?

So he rolled again.

3, 4, 6, 6.

He sighed silently as he finally rolled something substantial. Yet he was not yet in the clear. Two more recent rolls and he could salvage it, if not…

(7) (8) (10) (16)

He tossed the dice and watched with bated breath.

2, 4, 4, 5.

(7) (8) (10) (13) (16)

That was fair, but he wished and hoped and prayed for a decent third score. With that he would be fine in the new world, at least he hoped he would be.

3, 6, 6, 6.

He fell back into the chair which caught up. He placed his hands onto his face and then another sigh fell from his lips. He couldn't help the relief that flowed through him, as though the gates had been opened to allow everything out.

"They had me in the first half," Adam said quietly, "I'm not going to lie. That was the worst, most tense experience I've ever had."

(7) (8) (10) (13) (16) (18)

It wasn't the best score, but it wasn't the worst score. With this he had the freedom to do as he pleased with class and race, if it was what he thought it was. He looked up at Belle expectantly, who merely bowed his head to affirm the suspicion that Adam had.

"Could I expand on my request since I've rolled?" Adam asked as meekly as a dog who was hoping for a treat.

Belle nodded his head and Adam's shoulder relaxed. "I'd like to be able to start with a level in two classes, as well as the ability of increased experience earned," Adam asked and then added politely, "please."

Belle nodded. It seemed as though the wish had a little more string he could pull until it was taut, so Adam went about mentally creating his character before he was offered a sheet by Belle with a simple wave of his godly hand whilst also retrieving the dice in the same motion.

So Adam began to fill the sheet out, first taking a level into warrior and then the second into wizard. A battle mage, which he surmised would have the greatest rate of survival. He was particularly surprised to see that the races weren't quite what he had expected, his eyes falling over the expansive list of each race.

Half elf.

He saw the unique traits the half elves could receive, atop their ability to see in the dark, among a couple of other bonuses, they also could pick two extra abilities from their human side. These bonuses were rather, well, insane.

Although there were a large number he wished to take, he decided to pick the most practical ability, as well as another that would help him out in a pinch.

Big Boned

You were born with great fortitude. Your carrying capacity has doubled and so has your ability to push, drag and lift.

Overdrive

You were born with the ability to tap into something deep within you. For the next minute you gain an additional 10 feet of movement speed and all your melee attacks deal an additional 2 points of damage. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a full rest.

As he filled out the sheet Adam noted that his level had increased to two and he had received full health on both levels. He checked his background to see it had been filled already.

Otherworlder

You have gained a large number of abilities due to your status as an otherworlder.

You gain experience at twice the rate as normal.

You gain first level in two classes of your choosing.

You have no level maximum and may choose to split your experience points between classes.

You gain the full benefits of every class and may choose which bonuses are active at any given time.

You gain the full hit-points from any class you level into.

You will receive special starting gear tailored to your two starting classes.

You will receive additional bonuses as you quest and level depending on the actions you take.

Adam looked up at Belle to see what expression he held, but he seemed like a beautiful statue, watching and waiting for Adam to complete his sheet. Eventually he did so, seeing his final statistics as well as his abilities. Due to the fact he was levelling into two classes, the ability list was rather long, and so were his skills for he managed to receive some from both of his classes.

He was the most powerful level two character he had ever seen, though he was still only level two. He needed to be careful still, though he had plenty of health to deal with any minor issues. He doubted a goblin could defeat him, and that gave him some solace.

"I'm finished I think," he said finally.

Belle nodded.

A question burned on Adam's tongue as he stared at the sheet, too afraid to look above it into those wise and powerful eyes. Eventually he swallowed and gave into the small courage that remained within him.

"Why did I die?" he whispered mouse-quiet.

Belle stared deep into Adam's eyes, but the young man looked away, unable to bear it.

"There are times when even the universe must make a choice, for some unlucky circumstances lead to some unlucky choices to be made. It was between you and another," Belle informed him with the cool sweet voice of his.

"Who?" Adam asked as the curiosity got the best of him.

"A baby girl,” Belle said and then paused for a long moment as Adam waited patiently. “Your baby sister."

"A baby sister?" Adam asked quietly, confused.

"Yes," Belle nodded his head.

Adam narrowed his eyes. "That would mean mum was pregnant," he said as though he was trying to refute the point. "Mum wasn't pregnant, I mean she was gaining a bit of weight, but so was everyone because of, you know, and she was getting a little irritable, but so was everyone because of, you know."

"Your father and mother grew much closer over the year, but so was everyone because of, you know," replied Belle with the first hint of emotion Adam had heard.

Adam pursed his lips together and pushed away the tears from his eyes. "Is she healthy?"

"Yes."

"What's her name?"

"Adamina."

Adam pulled back and then stared at Belle, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is that a joke?"

"Yes," Belle said without a smile.

"Thank the Lord," Adam placed a hand on his chest as though his heart was threatening to leave it. "What's her name?"

"Hannah," Belle said.

"That's a good name," Adam said, "a little basic, but good. Can't go wrong with a classic." Adam grew silent. "You'll make sure she lives a happy life too, won't you? I won't mind giving up whatever part of my wish for it."

"She will live a life filled with happiness, that I promise you little Adam."

Adam nodded, wishing he could see Hannah at least once. Though he'd be happy with the fact she would be alive.

"That's alright then, I don't mind if it was me. I'm glad that she's doing okay, I would have made that deal any day of the week."

"I know," Belle said with a smile that seemed filled with all the joy in the world and a dash of pride too.

Adam's lip quivered. "I guess that's that then," Adam said. "It was nice meeting you, Belle. Next time we meet I'll be sure to bring some tea and biscuits."

"It was a pleasure, Adam. I will be sure to bring some crisps."

"Prawn cocktail?” Adam asked.

“Prawn cocktail,” Belle agreed.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye Adam,” Belle said as he raised his hand, “and good luck."

Then all fell black.