—— ? ——

  “Yeah… That went about as well as I thought it would.” Simon said to himself. He was surrounded by the white void he had left all those years ago.

  In keeping with the tradition of this entire sequence of events, he had a new System prompt.

  —- Warning —-

  > You have been cursed.

  > Curse: Damned.

  > Type: Divine - Prohibition - Artistic Domain.

  > Source: Melodian the Magnificent.

  > Duration: Permanent.

  > Effects:

  > Musical tools will fail to function as intended,and physical interaction may cause unpredictable outcomes.

  > Even when you succeed, others will remember your performances not with admiration, but with discomfort, mockery, or infamy.

  > Additional Restrictions:

  > This curse cannot be removed by anyone other than the source deity

  Congratulations! Your performances will be unforgettable. Unfortunately.

  —-—-—-—-

  Simon had held a small hope that this outcome wasn’t inevitable. Obviously, that had been wrong.

  It wasn’t his fault he had been trapped in that space for years. What did the god think a mortal was going to do?

  He shook his head, thinking back to their conversation when he had finally escaped that cursed realm.

  —— ? ——

  “How? How were you unable to finish the trial? I set the standard so low!” Melodian said, face in complete shock.

  Simon was patting his arms and chest to make sure nothing was missing. He was standing on the stage he had left all those years ago. The open-air amphitheater was constructed out of the jade and white marble substance that Simon had rather intimate experiences with.

  That stuff is so heavy, man. Hurts like a truck if you drop even the smallest chunk on your foot. He mused.

  Simon surveyed the rolling hills and perpetual sunset that lit the sky in jewel tones. This realm had much more effort put into it compared to the one he had left. Simon’s mind had already identified multiple pieces of the structure that would make great dumbbells.

  “Are either of you going to say anything?” The god asked.

  Either of us? Simon’s attention was brought back to Melodian. Oh right, I may have gotten way too used to ignoring this guy.

  Simon’s eyes drifted to the right, where they met the hollow-eyed avatar, who just stood in silence.

  Heh.

  He turned back towards the Melodian the Main.

  “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you, buddy.” Simon said, then his mind caught up with what the god had said earlier.

  “Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, you divine jerk. I did PASS your stupid trial. Years ago! But you had all your stupid freaking rules that stopped me from succeeding. Some ‘trial’ you got there.”

  Simon retorted, crossing his arms and staring the Avatar down.

  “... buddy? Excuse me, Mortal?! My name is…”

  “Melodian the Miniscule, I know.”

  Melodian froze, and his face grew red.

  Simon pointed at the Avatar next to him, who visibly recoiled.

  “Before you get all angry and mad because oohhh i’m such a disrespectful mortal and oohh you just can’t understand why I would say such a thing. Why don’t you start by asking Mr. Rapunzel here.”

  The main body of Melodian had been about to go into full rant mode but paused at Simon’s words.

  Both versions of the god looked at each other, one gaze hollow, the other questioning.

  “What happened?!”

  “I’m done. Reintegrate me.”

  Simon wasn’t sure how all this divine avatar crap worked, but he was positive that the main ‘Melodian’ was not expecting this response.

  He had become quite good at reading the god’s facial expressions over the years.

  “Are you sure? We will have to make another shard for the realm to teach, and you know how long that will take.”

  “I will not teach. You do not know…. The Song… please…” Dr. Melo whispered again.

  Melodian looked between the avatar and Simon with concern, but with no more questions, he blinked forward and put his hand on the avatar’s head.

  Dr. Melo’s face took on a look of relief as he shimmered out of existence.

  Several minutes went by in silence. Simon got bored after a few seconds and had walked off the stage to go check out the cool moths.

  They were a bit maddening to observe, but Simon just sat down between the designed foliage and breathed in the sweet scents of the realm. From the edges of his vision, he watched the beautiful creatures flutter and flit between the shrubs and flowers.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  His moment of Zen was rudely interrupted by one perturbed divine being rudely taking up the center of his vision.

  “Can I help you?” Simon asked, focusing his glazed-out vision on the irate god.

  Melodian was not impressed.

  “Can. You. Help. Me?” He snarled.

  “That is what I asked, yes. So, is this the part where you give me a pat on the back for completing your stupid training realm?” Simon replied with his best smile.

  “Completing my training realm?! Are you insane?!” Melodian yelled in response, spittle raining down on the nonchalant mortal.

  “Uh.. A little? I was stuck there for ten years.. Hmmm. You know, now that you mention it. I am…”

  “ENOUGH WITH YOUR PRATTLING!” Melodian retorted and snapped his fingers.

  Simon felt the pressure enter his body and felt his jaw lock up. Now it was his turn to snarl as he stared up at the god and grunted with effort as he shoved his will against it.

  “No,” he barely spat out through clenched teeth.

  Melodian the Magnificent stared at him in dawning comprehension.

  Simon slowly rose to his feet and stared at the god with a rage born from years of torment.

  “What?” Melodian muttered.

  “I said no. You should have already known I was going to do this. Figure out your shit. I’m done. Either tell me I passed or let’s move on. This is a cosmic-level waste of time.”

  Simon stood inches from the god.

  “Fine,” Melodian stated.

  Then, like so many times before, the world tilted, and Simon vanished from Melodian’s realm.

  Hey! I didn’t get murdered by a kazoo! Winning!!! Simon mentally celebrated as the realm faded.

  —— ? ——

  Simon had just finished reading about his new curse when another prompt filled his vision.

  —- ACHIEVEMENT —-

  > Name: Realm First - Divine Enrager

  > Description: You have successfully drawn the wrath of multiple gods– Including a prime deity– across unrelated domains. You continue to demonstrate exceptional talent in irritating beings far more powerful than you. Divine-powered flight seems to be a hobby of yours.

  > Rewards:

  

  
• Title Upgraded: In recognition of your... consistent efforts, Your previous title has been replaced.


  

  

  
• System Designation: STARFALL


  

  

  
• Skills: As the previous skill has already been upgraded to (Unique). No additional changes will be rewarded.


  

  > Note: This designation is not ceremonial and is visible to deities and their followers, entities of equivalent power, and anyone who can read the air.

  The gods wanted a performance. You gave them one.

  Good luck.

  Simon Starfall.

  —-—-—-—-

  Ah crap.

  Simon may have bitten off more than he could chew.

  Oh well, what was I supposed to do?

  He closed out of the prompt and was surprised to see a new bit of information was now available in his mind.

  —-—-—-—-

  Name: Simon Starfall

  —-—-—-—-

  Well that sure beats that clunky name from before, ‘of the broken oath’. He mused and then went back to looking at his surroundings.

  He had found himself in one of what he was calling ‘System waiting rooms’.

  Simon was about to say something when the next prompt appeared.

  —- SYSTEM NOTICE—-

  > PATRON ASSIGNMENT INCOMPLETE.

  Simon Starfall has been cursed and rejected by two deities.

  > ACTIVE CURSES:

  

  
• Martial Prohibition (Varrax the Unyielding)


  

  

  
• Artistic Prohibition (Melodian the Magnificent)


  

  Following limits set in divine accord, patron assignment will be mandatory.

  Assigned patron will not be allowed to refuse or hinder Simon Starfall.

  …Calculating…

  Based on Simon Starfalls current status, random assignment has been deemed appropriate.

  > Initiating Protocol: God Wheel,

  Good luck,

  Simon Starfall.

  —-—-—-—-

  The massive wheel shimmered into existence in front of him.

  It was still massive, it towered into the air almost leaving his view. Just like the last time Simon had seen it, he was taken back by its scale. Thousands of small slices with unreadable scribbles cut the wheel apart. Their hues and colors glowing and pulsing. Simon spotted the slice that had the familiar bouquet of flowers and the flaming skull.

  Yeah. Still don’t want that one. Although, I can’t see how it would be worse than Varrax. He mused.

  The wheel began to spin.

  Click-click. Click-Click. Click-Click.

  The familiar sound was less intimidating this time.

  At least this time whoever I end up with will be forced to be on my side. Who would be interesting? He thought as he watched the wheel gain immersible speed. I wonder if Glint is up there.

  He hadn’t seen any part of the wheel that would match the little flame.

  Simon sighed.

  Hey, come on Simon. This will turn out okay. He reassured himself.

  It wasn’t like this was his first time going through this. Simon had changed over the years.

  Years.

  It had been years since he had been here.

  Simon looked down at his body. He hadn’t been weak when he got here for sure. But his body had completely changed.

  Before he had been decently fit, but more on the lean side.

  Being an IT worker for a hospital doesn’t lend itself to excessive exercise.

  Over the last ten years his body had gone from lean to bulk.

  Click-click-click-Click. The wheel sounded out, getting closer to the droning sound of max speed.

  Simon’s arms were approaching circular status, his thighs were tree trunks at this point.

  Turns out if you have nothing to do for years on end besides exercising it has a positive effect on your body.

  Without sparring partners or hobbies easily available, Simon had focused almost exclusively on strength.

  His body now represented that focus. He felt that Arnold Schwarzenegger would have been proud of him.

  He hadn’t gotten used to how thick his fingers and hands had become. Calluses rose from his palms from the repeated use of lifting stones and pulling apart musical buildings.

  Simon’s mind shifted from his body back to the wheel. It had started to slow, but was still droning in speed. It was a blur of colors and light, hard to look at.

  You know, it would be nice to get a god who was less of a flaming jerk. Maybe I could get one whose focus was more… Hobby focused? What about the god of tennis… No…

  He paused and tried to imagine what a god of tennis would look like.

  The mental image of shorts, polo and a cosmic headband made him cringe.

  Never mind. That guy would be a dick. Also would probably not be a god of tennis… maybe the god of sports? Nah… still would be competitive and would want me to compete at some strange multiversal sport.

  Click-Click. Click-Click. Click-Click. The wheel was slowing even further.

  Ooooo what about the god of wine! That would be fun. With my build I can most likely drink a lot now. Food or drink gods would be great. Come on big money big money. Wheel I demand you give me the god of.. Baked goods! Man, I could go for a good loaf of french bread right now.

  Simon watched the wheel intensely.

  The wheel slowed even more.

  Click… click…

  With bated breath, he waited for the final inevitable click.

  *CLICK*

  Simon stared at what the delicately inscribed golden triangle had ended up on.

  He couldn’t help himself.

  Simon’s laughs echoed through the void as the world tilted and sent him on his way.

  —— ? ——

  — AUTHOR NOTICE —

  > Thanks for all of the follows, favorites and comments!

  ~TheBusyBard

  Harmony is offered, growth is earned, Limits are unknown.

  ——————————