—— ? ——

  — SYSTEM NOTICE —

  >WELCOME TO THE DOMAIN OF MELODIAN

  You are now under observation.

  Good luck.

  ——————————

  Simon’s first thought after the tilt shift was: Well, at least the ground isn’t trying to kill me.

  Followed by

  Oh god. Am I in some form of divine “Mortals got Talent”??

  He looked down the swirling green and gold pathways that lead to a massive amphitheater. The world around him seemed to be full of life and the sounds of nature. Strangely the nature sounds seemed to blend with what sounded like some form of barbershop quartet accompanied by soft musical notes.

  Everything in the area seemed specifically placed and artistically done. The path, the “wild” grasses and flowers, trees. It was random but purposeful. The amphitheater was an open air affair that was constructed of some form of jade and white marble like stone that also had gem like properties flowing through it.

  In the distance there were rolling hills and a spectacular sunset that set the entire sky into a crescendo of jewel tones. It was beautiful and artistically done. Simon thought the whole scene would have been some billionaire's dream on earth of “Nature”.

  There also seemed to be a recurring theme of a “landing” pad where he had been dropped off that led to a path towards the gods' realm. At least the system was consistent.

  Well let's go find out if this god has a killer kazoo somewhere. Simon thought with a sly grin on his face.

  He had to say, this realm was much less intimidating to approach. There were even multicolor moth creatures that flew in between the flowers. They looked like some cross between a lunar moth and a dazzling monarch butterfly. Oddly, whenever Simon focused on one of them they seemed to phase out of existence. They were only observable from your peripheral vision.

  Huh, must be some type of defense mechanism. Wild. Simon thought as he strolled into the amphitheater.

  He noticed the music and voices had faded as he got closer. As if someone was turning a dial down on a control board based on how close he was. The only sound left was soft plucking notes coming from the figure on the main stage.

  He seemed to be a tall muscular man, but it was hard to tell as he was currently laying back on a comfortable looking lounging chair with his feet on an ottoman. He wore flowing white and green silky robes and a hat that reminded Simon of robin hood. He had green boots with swirling glyphs and a leather belt sash thing. Simon wasn’t really a fashion guru but something about what the god was wearing seemed to almost point out his outfit.

  As Simon drew closer he could see the guitar that he was playing. It followed the same theme but was mostly a white ivory material with green accents. Guy definitely had a theme going here.

  Simon reached the stage but then looked around. While the song was quiet, Simon could tell it wasn’t near its ending so he quietly took a seat and just kept looking around the realm.

  This was a huge improvement from the last place he had been. He went from some death metal cult's sacrifice arena to a fantasy novel's wild dream.

  There was a soft warm breeze. It reminded Simon of warm fall days and he had just noticed faint smells of lilac and other flowers he had never encountered.

  After the last day… hours…?

  How long has this “integration” been?

  Simon wasn’t sure, but he decided he might as well enjoy this brief moment to collect his thoughts. It didn’t seem the god was in any rush to talk to him. In fact the man seemed to be in some form of trance with his eyes shut focused on his guitar.

  The minutes rolled by as Simon just enjoyed this place. This was more of what he had hoped for when he had learned about the System and all of the things that had changed his world. While everything was foreign and a bit terrifying, there was a level of wonder. There were realms. Uncountable if Glint was to be believed. Simon didn’t think the little fire god was lying to him. So far he had already encountered two places that just shouldn’t be possible. Not by old world standards for sure.

  Simon didn’t know how long he had been sitting there. His mind drifted through the events that had unfolded in his life.

  It was because of this he nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice spoke up.

  “I'm glad to see that some mortals can appreciate the finer things. Even though it appears this isn’t your first time meeting one of my station” The voice spoke as if it was coming from inside his head.

  Simon was now standing with a startled expression staring at the speaker who had seemed to appear just inches from him.

  The god had put the guitar down on the chair and had somehow walked right up to Simon without him noticing.

  The god grinned and took a step back. Simon just continued to stare.

  The god raised an eyebrow then said “Were you cursed because of your inability to speak? Simon “Of The Broken Oath”?

  Simon shook his head and coughed.

  “No, the opposite. I tend to say things that get me in a lot of trouble.” Simon replied

  “Oh? A man with a mouth I see. That may work nicely for my purposes. Let's put that mouth of yours to good use. You can call me Melodian the Magnificent.” Melodian exclaimed gesturing with his hands at his title. A chorus could be heard in the background and shimmering light seemed to seep out of the god.

  “Ok… nice to meet you Melodian the Magnificent… I’m Simon”

  “I know.” Melodian replied dryly.

  “Right. You said that. Of course. Well. Here I am!” Simon said dumbly also gesturing his hands.

  “What no music for me?”

  Melodian just stared at him.

  Simon cleared his throat. “Yeah, that one was a long shot.”

  Melodian continued to stare with an eyebrow raised.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Simon plowed forward. What else could he do? He was becoming an expert at digging his own grave

  “Well first question for you Melodian. I— “

  “The Magnificent.”

  “Right… First question for you: Melodian the Magnificent. You don’t make followers your eternal slaves and prevent them from growing do you?” Simon continued.

  “Oh dear… Your optimal god was Varrax. Poor mortal, he can be quite overbearing during your first encounter” Melodian said as his face softened.

  “Overbearing?! I feel like that is a bit of an understatement.” Simon said annoyed.

  “That is how I would put it, little one. His methods and approaches with his followers are… unique among us gods.”

  Simon gave the god his best ‘really?’ expression.

  “Uniquely cruel some would say. Not I of course, but I have heard he demands much from his followers. But that is the privilege of being a prime deity. However, I think our time would be better spent on how you and I will interact. To answer your question: No, I do not require any contract or form of servitude from my followers. I have my rules and expectations but nothing as drastic as dear Varrax.” Melodian explained as his face took a careful expression.

  Alright. So I’m safe from the kazoo for the moment it seems. Simon thought to himself.

  “So what do you expect? Also a prime deity? Wait, let me guess that is something you can’t tell me or won’t for some cosmic or magical reason that I am not yet privy too.” Simon asked.

  “Ah, I see the god handling introductions is doing well. Yes, not something a mortal needs to concern themselves with. At least at this time. As you may have gathered, I am the god of bards and performance. I expect my followers to represent and expand on that. However or with whatever instrument they desire.” Melodian explained.

  Right as he finished his last sentence his hand extended and a plain wooden guitar shimmered into existence. He walked to the stage and gestured Simon onto it.

  “Are you so inclined?” he asked.

  Simon looked at the guitar and thought of instruments, music and his past with them.

  Uh oh.

  He looked up and smiled at the god.

  “I mean, I haven’t tried.. But how hard could it be?” he quipped while taking the musical instrument from Melodian. The squinted look he got made it clear that the joke had not gone over well.

  Over the next few minutes the sounds that emerged from the guitar were something to be told of in stories.

  Specifically, bedtime stories letting children know that it's fine to have a dream of being an office worker in a dimly lit cubicle. If you don’t have the ability, there are plenty of ways you can contribute to society without gracing the world with the screeching discordance made by the absolute lack of affinity to music.

  Finally, Melodian had enough.

  “ALRIGHT. ENOUGH.” He practically snatched the poor instrument from Simon

  “But I think I was on to something there!” Simon protested.

  “ONTO SOMETHING?” The god looked offended as he delicately stroked the guitar like it was a puppy that had just been kicked. “The only thing you were on was some form of demon summoning ritual.” Melodian sighed.

  “You can summon demons with music?!” Simon said with a horrified expression taking a step back.

  “You can do ANYTHING with music mortal!” Melodian said exasperated. He sighed and with a shake made the guitar vanish from the realm.

  “Well, guitars are out of the question. Please do not ever use one again. Perhaps you can sing? Any genre will do, either melodious or rhythmic delivery will do. ” Melodian continued flopping down on his cushy lounger.

  Uh… melodious or rhythmic delivery? Man.. I'm so out of my depth here. I’m sure that means something.

  Simon thought to himself while trying to think of songs he knew. He then raised his hand on instinct.

  “Yes mortal… a question?” Melodian said in an exhausted tone with his eyes closed.

  “Are you able to play something from my home?” Simon asked.

  This made Melodian look over at him and say with a thoughtful expression.

  “Hmm… I think that would be allowed. I did listen to your earth’s music before creating my avatar.”

  Relieved at not having to sing acapella, Simon asked

  “Could you do Elton John's song I’m still standing?”

  Melodian smiled and nodded. Around the stage musical instruments shimmered into existence and began to tune and started the song.

  Simon was impressed.

  Unfortunately, he was the only one.

  With a screeching sound and a loud bang the music came to an end stopping Simon mid verse. He honestly thought he wasn’t doing that badly.

  “NO NO NO. How COULD you butcher that man’s music. How is it possible you could be so out of tune and so off rhythm? Don’t even try to give me anything in any other genre! Please tell me, there must be a singular instrument you have tried and played successfully?” Melodian was stomping back and forth across the stage in a rage while wildly gesturing.

  “Um.. I.. ummm… I played the piano some…” Simon replied. He had taken several steps back from the angry god.

  Melodian stopped and angrily squinted at him. “Piano you say…” he paused then mumbled. “It would be hard to perform on the road… but it could work. Anything would work at this point.”

  A piano shimmered into existence and Simon found himself already seated at it.

  “Now play.” Melodian demanded. The god stood to Simon’s side like an angry music teacher , his gaze locked on his fingers.

  Simon gulped and did his best rendition of twinkle little star.

  Melodians face seemed to crack after the final note and an awkward silence hung in the air.

  The entire world had gone quiet. The delightful nature noises had long given up on attempting to accompany Simon’s musical ability.

  “Simon. Of the Broken Oath” The god stated slowly

  “Melodian the Magnificent?” Simon replied cheerfully, trying to cover his embarrassment.

  The second long silence felt heavy.

  “I am shocked. You are one of the most musically untalented mortals I have ever met.”

  “Thanks?” Simon replied, not missing a beat.

  “WOULD YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH MORTAL.” The god roared. Simon felt the pressure that was familiar at the point. He stayed silent.

  Melodian was beet red and angrily stalking the stage. He breathed heavily then finally sat down once he seemed sure Simon was finished piping up.

  “GAH! At least you CAN listen. What am I going to do with you? I see now why you were cursed. This won’t do. I cannot have a follower who cannot play at LEAST one instrument or sing or do anything that we beings of musicality engage with. What am I supposed to do?!.. Wait, are you gifted in the art of storytelling? Tell me tale mortal.” Melodian had calmed from his outburst and seemed to have a complicated expression of worry, anger and frustration on his face.

  Simon gulped.

  “A story? Oh right! I could tell stories. Let me tell you about the time that I was studying at this place on earth. First off the thing that happened was… Uh. Well lets…”

  Simon continued to weave his story to the god of bards and performance.

  After a solid thirty minutes he finished a humorous tale from his time at university. People had always laughed at the high jinks his friends and him had gotten up to.

  Well.. the few he had told to it from the group.

  At the end Melodian seemed to be in tears from the beauty of his tale. Simon looked apprehensively at him.

  “How can someone so untalented like you exist? What a cruel realm you must come from to curse you with this” Melodian said through tears.

  Simon felt crushed. He had really tried here. How was it his fault that he had the musicality of a two by four? The story wasn’t that bad. Right?

  “What to do. What to do… How can I help this poor mortal in time…” Melodian continued to mutter.

  Suddenly the god sat straight upright. A manic grin crossed his face.

  “Right! TIME!! You haven’t had time! I've got it!” Melodian leapt up and crossed the stage and put his face inches from Simon’s as he gripped his shoulder in a vice like grip

  “Whoa whoa, what are you doing?!” Simon protested.

  “I know your problem! You must have never had time for the arts. No one can be THIS awful. I have the solution!” Melodian exclaimed. His other hand started to become a blur of white and green energy.

  “Hey now what are you doing?” Simon said, trying to pull away from the crazed god. He could feel energy building in the other hand of the god.

  “Don’t worry my little one. Melodian the Magnificent will fix you. This shouldn’t hurt much.” The god said while cackling. The energy in his other hand had condensed into a disc with extremely complex glyphs.

  It radiated danger.

  “I.. I … I.. What ? Fix me? What do you mean?! What are you doing with that?” Simon stuttered.

  “Giving you the perfect opportunity. Don’t worry, a shard of me will be with you. Good luck!” Melodian said while putting the disc above Simon.

  Good luck?! Simon thought in a panic.

  He tried to shout.

  He tried to rip his arm away from the god with all of his strength.

  It was pointless.

  The disc descended and Simon's body exploded in searing pain.

  With a flash of green and white the world vanished.

  —— ? ——