"It's over, Caspian. Don't contact me ever again." The blonde woman said as she slammed the modest ring onto the restaurant table. A reservation that cost Caspian a decent chunk of change.
"W-what?! Why?!"
Caspian asked in shock.
"Why? Because look at you, a loser, who can't even afford a proper ring. At least Michael can properly provide for me."
She huffed as she swung her new designer bag over her shoulder and stormed off to an awaiting sports car.
Caspian was left there staring at the ring now on the table, mumbling aloud.
"I worked multiple jobs to earn enough for that ring! And she... she just dismissed it like what I did for her meant nothing."
Sighing, he paid the bill before picking the ring up and walking into town.
________
The neon lights flashed on and off, cars trudged along spewing black fumes on congested roads, and people bustled about in alleyways with one guy sniffing... is that cocaine off of a prostitute's ass?
Guys, come on, get a room.
Hands in his pockets and head down, Caspian lamented internally.
Fuck how does she think I can support her with designer gear when I live in a place like this? Should I sell an organ to a witch doctor or something in some back alley?
I'm working as much as I can, barely having time to look after myself. Wow, the future really sucks.
People in the past thought we would be flying in cars and become a part of some alien council.
Instead, well, we have seemed to have regressed in most ways.
One of the reasons Caspian loved reading novels was to lose himself in another world, one where a person's worth and personal power determined their place in society, not whether they were born into the right family.
"Might making right. Now that sounds like my kind of world." Caspian said to himself as he crossed the road.
But suddenly!
A truck appeared out of seemingly nowhere and barreled right at him!
"Oh come on! A truck, really?"
That was all he managed to say before everything went dark.
___________
Suddenly, a realm of pitch-black void surrounded Caspian. He felt stuck. He tried to move his head but realised he couldn't, as if he didn't have one anymore.
He tried to shout, but nothing came out.
Realising something was wrong, he could only lament to himself.
'What is going on? I got hit by that truck and then.... Is this the afterlife?'
He was able to sense what was around him rather than see in the traditional sense, as a human would.
He noticed he was a white orb, glowing in the darkness, the only light in this place.
'Hmm, this place might just be a stop off to my actual destination...'
As he was hypothesising, he saw another source of light appear in the distance, feeling both excited and apprehensive as it drew closer and closer until it sucked him in like a black hole, leaving him no chance to resist.
___________
Caspian arrived in a bland, pure-white room.
A distorted voice spoke to him from everywhere.
And a pair of eyes that Ryan was able to feel, not see, locked onto him, judging, analysing, and he even felt like the gaze held pity, or was it guilt?
"Hello, mortal soul. I will give you three wishes; so choose carefully."
The voice boomed.
'Hang on... three wishes? What's the catch? Don't tell me you are a perv trying to lead me astray with fantastical offerings... From where I'm from, no one offers anything for free without wanting your fucking soul.'
Ryan could have sworn that the gaze watching him twitched.
"I'm not some lowly being needing to resort to such tactics for your soul, mortal. Now, 30 seconds."
The impatience in the voice is evident.
Caspian quickly thought of his wishes; he didn't need to deliberate.
He spent way too much free time thinking about scenarios like these. It was his escape from a shitty world after all, and a girlfriend who always bitched at him for not being good enough.
'Firstly, screw humanity. I never understood why, when given the chance to be a different and even objectively better race, protagonists in those novels always wanted to be human... If I am going to a new fantastical world, let's be a dragon! They are usually a great choice with their innate magical talent and physicality.'
"Granted. Next." The voice spoke as if every word was a decree.
'Secondly, I want to be a master of every weapon, no point going to a world where I need to fight and not know how to...'
"Granted, and the final one?"
'Finally...'
Caspian seemed to hesitate, even acting a bit bashful. The white orb, which represented his soul, was beginning to show faint hints of red...
"Go on... spit it out already."
The voice said at the end of its rope now.
'A system! Okay!? I said it. Wow, it felt like I got a lot off my chest with that one. Like, I came out or something.
Anyway! It doesn't need to be anything special or even sentient, but from all the novels I read, the system was always the strongest cheat a protagonist could have; they always seem to be able to grant anything and help the protagonist out of any situation, not to mention fight many realms above...'
The voice seemed to cut in before Caspian fan girled about how great the systems are any further.
"Fine! Granted!"
The voice then sighed as if it had been a long day at the office before saying.
"And... just remember to live for yourself this time," before it sent Caspians' soul off to a new world.