From Gamer to Mage: The Reincarnated Hero's Tale

Chapter 1: EMBRACE YOUR DESTINY

"EMBRACE YOUR DESTINY Become the Hero of your story!"

As a youth, those words ignited my spirit. Countless hours I dedicated to tabletop role-playing games, losing myself in fantastical realms. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to yearning to become one of those heroes etched upon my character sheets-the personas that consumed so much of my time in immersive storytelling.

Yet, the notion that such a desire could manifest in reality seemed a distant dream. A dream that felt out of reach as time marched on, and the allure of heroes and adventures began to fade in the face of life's relentless pace.

***

At the age of forty, I stood as a single man, working diligently at a well-regarded company and living in a charming, rural American town. My looks and skills, while not exceptional, were decent enough to be considered average. Yet, the idea of marriage never seemed to find its way into my future. When asked about my hobbies, I'd speak of my love for tabletop role-playing games. As a younger man, I'd even helped plan conventions, but as my career took off, those enjoyable moments faded away.

But one day, my unremarkable life took a sudden, thrilling turn. My last memory before everything changed was finishing some extra work, returning to my apartment, and opening the door.

Suddenly, I found myself engulfed by an all-consuming void. Devoid of any sensation, I couldn't perceive anything above or below me-not even my own form. My consciousness alone seemed to drift through the vast emptiness.

I believed I had at least two more decades ahead of me, yet somehow, I grasped that I was no longer alive. My thoughts turned to work colleagues and friends, family and neighbors, the unfinished tasks, unread novels and tabletop sourcebooks, and the backlog of video games that I'd left behind. The loss of it all enveloped me within the void.

Well, there's nothing I can do now.

Reflecting upon my life, I had neither grand accomplishments to boast about nor profound regrets to lament. Overall, it wasn't a terrible existence. Though cut short, I had to accept the finality of my story. Slowly, I made peace with my demise.

As time lost all meaning, a presence addressed me: "I am the Lord God." I could not see nor hear the source of the voice, but its words and intent resonated within my consciousness.

"You will be transported to a realm beyond your world's boundaries-a place you might consider a parallel universe."

"Transported to another world?" I inquired.

The phrase felt peculiar yet strangely familiar, a whisper of a long-forgotten memory stirring within me.

"Based on a search I conducted within this dimension's informational fabric, 'transported to another world' is the most fitting description for this occurrence."

"Well... Huh."

Bewildered, my reply lacked conviction, but a part of me had already accepted the forthcoming experience. There was no need for fear; I was already beyond life's reach. Besides, I had always been captivated by tales of other worlds, such as Sword Art Online and the John Carter series-classics in their own right. I recalled that the genre had recently experienced a resurgence in popularity.

Yet, I had always believed those stories to be pure fiction. Now, it seemed, I was to be part of a similar narrative.

"Once I arrive in this other world, what is to become of me?"

"I shall grant you a form befitting your new existence. Please provide me with the necessary information for its creation. Your destination resembles what you would recognize as a 'sword and sorcery' fantasy realm; therefore, it would be wise to ensure the details you provide align with that context."