I was… Arthur… Arthur what?
The name floated in my mind, a fragment of a life that seemed to have existed for an eternity.
Other than that, my memories were like a puddle of frozen water, opaque and brittle. Names, places, faces... they all merged into a cold haze. What mattered, what truly mattered, was the now.
I died and was reborn, or rather, I was ripped from one world and thrown into another.
An entity manifested, more a concept than a form, a presence that warped the very fabric of reality around me.
A god, or something that called itself one. Its voice resonated not in my ears, but in my soul, and it asked me what I desired between three miserable choices.
"A second chance," the voice reverberated, "a rare gift for a worm like you. Choose your form:
[ Zombie ]
[ Female Pig ]
[ Cursed Werewolf ]
The options were a sick joke, a cruel mockery.
A zombie meant a simulacrum of life, a puppet without will.
A female pig was... beyond cruel. Would anyone in their right mind choose this?
Despite the curse, the werewolf offered strength, freedom — and the chance to stay myself. Easy choice.
"Werewolf," I mumbled, and the entity laughed.
It was not a laugh of joy, but a deep, thundering sound, heavy with disdain.
"No," the god said, its voice now as sharp as ice.
"You are not a werewolf. You are worse."
I was not allowed to question its designs, nor to feel anger or any other feeling of dissatisfaction in its presence. I simply accepted. Having a second chance, even if it was under these conditions, was good enough.
And I didn't see a real problem with it either... right?
"What does this curse do?" I asked, curiosity overcoming fear.
The god just laughed again, its voice echoing in my being.
"You will have to find out for yourself."
After an overwhelming silence, it allowed me one last choice, between three worlds:
[Game of Thrones] (House Of The Dragons)
[Berserk]
[Warhammer 40k]
The decision was easier than the first one. I chose a world where hope existed. I chose a world where, even with all the cruelty, light still fought against the darkness.
I'm not that stupid. I've already hit rock bottom, no need to dig deeper.
"Game of thrones"
The god spoke one last time, its voice now almost a whisper, but one that pierced me like a spear.
"Finally, worm, choose your legendary talent. It will be your blessing."
The options appeared before me, floating in the airless space.
[Foresight]
[Telepathy]
[Absolute Regeneration]
Without hesitation, I chose what would give me the greatest chance of survival.
I hoped. Just a little... that it might lead to immortality.
For some reason I didn't feel the urge to question its function.
I guess I was restricted again...
The god laughed again, and the sound, this time, seemed more like a hiss. "You are a fool, worm. The blessing always comes with a torment."
And then, the three torment options appeared:
[Asexual] (without erotic organs)
[Eternal Hunger]
[Fractured Mind]
I couldn't question, only choose. Eternal hunger was terrible, but having a fractured mind... I was almost certain I already had one, and it would probably get worse... so things would get sad...
Not being able to fuck... was a bit too much.
In the end, hunger felt like the most manageable option. All I had to do was eat… right?
"I chose it."
And then without even a goodbye kiss, I was thrown into a sea of snow.
The moment my senses were restored, a wave of cold hit me, sharp and overwhelming. The shock was so intense that, for a moment, I forgot who I was.
The smell of snow, frozen earth, and pure air filled my new snout.
The feeling of my paws touching the soft snow was strange, and the freedom of the air, of no longer being in the presence of the god, was so intoxicating that I allowed myself to feel anger.
Anger for being...
Oh, I can feel anger again. That's good.
I looked at my body and my chest shrank. My arms and legs were thin and long, covered in gray fur.
My paws or hands... whichever you prefer, were thin, with claws that barely seemed firm. I wasn't an intimidating werewolf, apparently.
I was some kind of aberration.
My snout was pointed, which was a good thing, having a lupine form pleased me, my ears too big for my thin head.
"Well... nothing surprising since it came from a g-go..."
I scratched my head.
"What was I saying...?"
"Oh yeah..."
"I look like a fucking rickety skaven, where's the badass form?"
"Let's look on the bright side, I must just be... undernourished?"
And then, what would be my eternal torment began.
The hunger.
The damned hunger...
It wasn't a common hunger, but an overwhelming need that burned inside me, as if my stomach were a bottomless pit.
A hunger that promised me strength...
But that would condemn me to a constant search for prey.
It was a void that only grew, reminding me every second of my new and miserable existence.