(Jamie)

I was right. I'm pretty much adding another person to my harem. That said…

"Cole," I say, meeting the beastborn's expectant gaze. "You've never done anything with anyone before. You haven't even jacked-off since you earned your freedom. You lived quite the restricted life until now. It might be best if we got to know each other before we considered doing something."

"You fucked me when we first met," Max says.

"You also weren't ignorant and unaware of shit," I look at him. "And hadn't been kept as a slave your entire life."

"I-you have a good point."

Cole looks disappointed, his ears drooping, tail floating loosely in the bath, uncontrolled.

"Hey," I put my hand on his head. "Let's get to know each other first, okay?"

He sighs, and I start scratching between his ears, just a little. He leans his head into my hand, and I smile as his closes his eyes, relaxing.

"Okay," he says softly. "I still wanna join your harem."

He scoots next to me, so that we're touching, and leans into me. I continue to scratch behind his ears, then rub his back for awhile, before we all get out of the bath and dry off. Max and I head to the bed, and I look at Cole.

"You can join us," I tell him. "But remember – nothing sexual."

"Yes, sir," he says. "I have to use the bathroom, first."

He's probably going to jack off. I know he got pretty hard during the bath. Max and I did, too, though we've probably had enough relief recently that we don't have to deal with it immediately.

Cole enters the bathroom, and a minute later, I hear him jacking it. Max snorts, and I elbow him.

"Ow."

"Don't be mean to him," I say. "Or I'll find someone else to screw."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Cole finishes quickly, then joins us on the bed, curling up into the fetal position in front of me, his tail twitching a couple of times, and then his breathing slows, becoming rhythmic.

"He's out fast," Max comments.

"He's had a long day," I remind the Demigod. "Filled with a lot of things happening. I'm not surprised he's out so fast. Now shut up and let me sleep, and remember to keep that thing out of my ass."

Max wiggles his hips, his boner rubbing against my ass some more, and I elbow him again. He giggles, and I elbow him again.

"Okay, okay," he says.

"Good," I say. "Because you'll move to the floor if you don't behave."

"Alright!"

"Sh!" I hush him, checking to see if Cole woke.

He didn't. That's good.

Max falls asleep as I watch the sleeping form of my newest teammate. Is taking him in the right idea? I know he's going to want to stay with me, and be a part of my harem, just like Adam and Caleb. I don't doubt that his desire won't change. If anything, it'll probably intensify over time.

I can't abandon him, though. He needs to be able to live on his own, as his own person. If I don't watch over him, he'll become a slave again. Now that I'm invested in him, I can't let that happen.

I'm not doing this because he's attractive, okay?

As I debate with myself about the situation, I find myself drifting off into sleep.

I'm standing on a massive chessboard, though there aren't any pieces standing on it. Instead, there are teddy bears, stuffed lions, what appears to be a live rhino, toy swords, water guns, and even what might be a real dragon playfully chasing a peacock around the board.

Cards and marbles float in the air, the space outside of the chessboard dark and filled with stars, as if I'm outside of the world, out in space.

The rhino looks at me, the returns to staring at one of the teddy bears.

"What… the fuck?" I ask.

"You know," a voice says behind me, and I spin around. "That's actually a pretty normal response, when someone finds themselves here."

The speaker is around my age, his left eye violet, his right, golden, both glowing with a piercing inner light. His golden-blond hair's messy and unkempt, and his perfectly-sculpted eyebrows are the same shade of violet as his left eye. He's dressed in a pair of violet and gold shorts, revealing his lean, toned body, his skin lightly tanned.

"The fuck?"

"Most people just stare at me endlessly," he grins. "You're different from most who've come before you."

"This is a dream, right?"

"Maybe," he shrugs. "Maybe not. It's a mystery that mortal minds may never solve. Is this simply a dream I'm hijacking? Or am I pulling your spirit into my Divine Realm? Will you ever solve it? Who knows?"

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Me?" He smiles, revealing perfect, white teeth. "I am known by many names, because none can figure out my real one. You may call me whatever you wish, though my followers currently call me Riddle."

Followers? Is he claiming to be a god?

"None of the gods I know of are like this," I state. "Who are you really?"

"The seventh god," he answers.

"There are only six gods."

"There are seven of us," he states.

"I'm traveling with a Demigod, and he says there are only six."

"They probably never told him about me," he shrugs. "My following is small. My power isn't fueled by worship, though, so it doesn't matter to me. My power is fueled by existence itself."

"Oh, really?" I ask. "And I'm supposed to believe this from a figment of my imagination, conjured up in a dream?"

"If I'm really a figment of your imagination," he says. "Conjured up in a dream, then try changing me? If you're aware this is a dream, then you can do that… providing I really am simply a figment of your imagination."

I stare at him, willing him to change, but nothing happens.

"I'm not a figment of your imagination," he smiles. "I am the God of Fun and Games, of Mysteries and Riddles, of Hopes and Dreams, of Travels and Adventures, and of Creativity and Imagination. I am the eldest and most powerful of them all, and the very existence of what I represent fuels my power. You can consider me less of a god of these things, and more of an aspect of existence that represents them."

"Providing this is true," I say. "Why, exactly, are you approaching me? And hijacking my dream?"

"Because I'm bored," he flashes his smile again. "And I think you'd make a great Paladin of Hope."

"A what?"

"I know your goal," he says. "I've been watching you closely since Vaefor brought you to this world, though the others aren't aware of my presence yet. Considering what I am… it's only natural I can completely conceal my presence. It's why you can't sense a Divine Presence from me."

"And why my Perspicacity yields no results?"

It's true. It's refusing to show me another form.

"That's because this is my real form," he answers. "Or at least, as close to one as I can have. I have no 'true form', so it will register whatever I have taken on as it. This is the form I have held the longest, so I do suppose you can consider it my true form."

"Why are you watching me?"

"Vaefor has bitched," he says. "About how certain Species are treated. He's also bitched about how even the 'good' Species hate each other. Sure, many newbies at first are fine with it, but in time, they start to hate it.

"You were brought over," he says. "Not just because of your capacity for Limitless Adaptation, but also because of your potential to be different. He believed you might be able to make that change.

"And you are," he continues. "You've already touched the lives of a Demon, a half-dragon, and many Beastborn, and you've given them hope that maybe one day, things might be different. Because of that, Jamie, I'd like to ask you to become a Paladin. For… reasons, I can't make you a Hero, but a Paladin is just as well."

"Are there perks that come with it?"

"Not really," he shrugs. "Other than the standard bonuses to fighting growth that come with jobs similar to it. My followers receive no additional bonuses for being my followers. However… they are still my followers, despite that. I have the most unique following of them all – and it's quite varied. I have members from many Species who worship me alongside each other, which you won't find in any other following. Yet.

"They've all heard of you, too," he continues, a glass-like butterfly flying past me and onto his left shoulder. "Word hasn't truly spread of you yet, but my following knows of the one who has brought hope to beastborn, the Human who treated them as equals and even brought peace to two clans of them that warred.

"If it weren't for those reasons," he smiles shyly. "The ones I can't and won't share yet, I'd make you my Hero just for that. But I can't make you my Hero, so I'm offering you the next-best thing – Paladin.

"So," he says as the butterfly transforms into a tiger kit that jumps off of him to chase after a teddy bear that came to life. "Do you accept?"

"I'll need a bit of proof," I say. "That you truly do exist, before considering something like that. How do I know-"

I wake with a start, to find the 'god' standing in the room, a Divine Presence radiating out of him. This is similar to Itimar's, yet far, far more powerful – and mysterious.

I look at Max, who doesn't seem affected by his presence at all.

"They can't sense me," the God of Mysteries says, and I look at him. "Unlike the others, I'm fully capable of concealing my presence from individuals – or allowing certain ones to sense it."

New Class! Paladin of Hope A warrior who serves the God of Hope, he brings hope to those he wishes. Or not. He does what he wants, because he can. +1 to All Stats +1 LCK

To… All Stats? Including LIF? I check my Status, confirming that everything went up by one, except LCK, which went up by two. Thirteen Stat Points per Level… Paladin is a Mythical-Rank Class.

New Skill! Die of Mystery Active Roll a Die of Mystery for a random effect! Cost: 50 Mana

"Uh," I say. "What's with this Skill?"

"Oh, that?" He asks, then shrugs. "Just a little something I decided to give my followers as some bonus. By the way – worship isn't required. Appreciated, but not required. Just be you."

He vanishes, leaving behind the faint scent of snowcones.

I'm not even sure how he managed to make that smell, but he did.

"Five more minutes?" Max mutters, and I realize that the sun's peeking through the curtains. Time went by fast in that weirdass dreamscape of his. "Hm? Five more minutes? Please?"

"Got ya!" Cole squeaks in his sleep, lunging forward slightly, then falling off the bed. "Oof! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"What did you get?" I ask, and he pokes his head up over the bed, looking at me in confusion. "You said 'got ya', then lunged forward and fell off the bed. I assume it was a nice dream?"

"Chicken legs were running away from me," he blushes.

Sounds like a good dream.

"Once the lazy ass wakes up," I tell him. "We'll head into town to get you some clothes, then make our way to the Dungeon."

"Five more minutes?" Max asks.