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(Disclaimer: 1- This story is going to be full on and all out a slow burn. If that's not your thing, then this won't be for you. 2- There will EVENTUALLY be scenes of a sexual nature in this story, anyone in or present for these scenes will be 18 or older. 3- To avoid people being, well... people on the internet, I've locked this story in as private so only I can write in it. This is because we will be seeing the childhood of out main character for the first little while. And frankly, I don't trust other people to be mature about this and follow website rules. 4- If you like this story and want to keep reading the things I put out check out my other works through my profile. Thanks! -ANonnyMouse.)

Green scales shimmered in the dimly lit space. The sun was setting as they scrambled to take down the Wyvern! "Astrid! Dodge!" Shephard shouted the wind building as the giant draconic creature swung its head. A massive blast of deadly wind unleashed from its vile maw. There was no time to evade so instead she opened the earth beneath herself falling into a space where the wind wouldn't strike her. The **** of the wind overhead caused her hair to whip around her wildly even down in the ground. There was a long pause as the howling gale passed over head before an explosion shook the ground.

Astrid shot up, forcing the ground beneath her into a pillar giving her a view of the battlefield. Two of them were tied up with the Wyvern in close combat. Shephard blocked the strikes and falls of the monster’s massive limbs with his shield while another member of their party danced around the giant monster avoiding its strikes instead. The giant green beast let out a baleful wail as a massive ball of fire struck its side. It raised its front legs spreading its wings, in an effort to take off, only for arrows from their archer to pierce the wings in quick succession. The Wyvern trapped on the ground swung its head to the left firing a blast of air at their mage. A barrier appeared before it struck but Astrid knew it wouldn't last. She rushed over toward her sliding to her side as the magic wind came to a stop. Acid mixed within the wind had scorched their mage’s clothes and burned her skin. At least she was still conscious.

"Greater heal!" Astrid called a large portion of her mana being suddenly depleted as the wounds on her friend closed. She channeled her flame mana in an effort to hide the truth. Once her breathing had settled Astrid turned her gaze back to the Wyvern. It was bleeding, scorched and injured. Shephard had speared it a few times below with his magic metal spikes still stuck upward from the earth. But the monster fought desperately, weakened but far from defeated. The Wyvern reared its head ready to spew its breath attack once more. "Shephard! Sound! Head! Now!" There was a deafening low hum as Shephard activated one of his spells shredding the balance and focus of the giant beast. It fired its attack high into the air missing all of them. Astrid rushed forward channeling her magic into her blade. She slid under the sideways swipe of the Wyvern's winged arm and brought her sword up into the monster's belly. It howled and moved to sit on her. Channeling earth magic she pushed herself out from under the giant monster just in time, leaving it prone for Shephard to work his magic. Arrows pierced the eyes of the monster as their archer worked to find openings.

Shephard channeled most of his remaining magic and a giant spear formed from the earth piercing the wyvern and pinning it in place. The giant monster could do little more than flail desperately as a well-placed strike from their fighter cleaved off the Wyvern's head. The wyvern’s body tensed, hanging still for a minute before falling limp. The monster grew still collapsing to the ground. The five party members. Or at least the four that remained conscious, collapsed once they knew it was dead. Their breathing was heavy as they looked over their kill. Monsters like this rarely appeared, and thank goodness for that. Another battle along these lines would have been too much for them to handle. Astrid took a deep breath. No deaths, and they'd brought down a Wyvern. This was going to spread the name of their party far and wide. But more importantly… Approaching Shephard, she put a hand on his shoulder. “We finally did it Shep.” He just nodded, his gaze still on the monster’s corpse.

He wondered how non hospitals would smell. The clinical, manicured cleanliness that had surrounded him his entire life was, stale, yes, stale was the only word he could come up with to accurately describe it. The beeping of machines, the chemical smell of clean, the feeling of despair that lingered in every room. What a miserable place he had been stuck in this life. Letting out a silent curse, Ken laid in his bed looking at the ceiling. Not that he could do anything else. To his side a powerful oxygen machine pumped air in and out of his lungs that had long since failed him. The constant hissing of the machine filling the room with its sound. Ken wanted to sigh, not that he was overly able to. He had long since grown bored of the white ceiling that loomed above him.

Because now, he was no longer able to read on his own. The only solace he had ever experienced in his life had been his escape into the world of fiction. Books of fantasy especially brought him joy, stories of knights, or heroes who saved others and went on adventures. Stories of people who lived better lives because they weren't born sick. Not that he was particularly jealous of them, he'd long outgrown that simple notion. Jealousy was, in the end, unhelpful and merely took away from him the things he cared about most. Ken closed his eyes, they were after all, about the only thing he could still move. He'd long since given up on living a normal life himself. That was no longer an option. He knew his time was coming soon, the hurt in the eyes of the nurses told him more then they ever did with their words. He could only hope that whatever god had cursed him with this reality would be generous enough to grant him a better one in his next life. Images washed through his closed lids, of his favorite stories, the faces of the nurses that he had long since come to know. He would miss them, if he was able to.

Of course, he wasn't sure. Ken wasn't even sure what he was sick with, the doctors had told him few times, but the list went on for so long that he just gave up trying to remember it. Remembering things was hard. Ah... he felt so weak... so tired. Maybe... maybe he'd just take a nap... the nurses would be by to check on him soon... but they wouldn't be offended by his sleep. They... knew... how hard it was... for him to...

"Poor child." Her voice was like silk. No... honey? It was sweet, had he ever even had honey? He didn't recall but the description fit. "You have lived a life steeped in loss and tragedy, one tied to the thoughtless actions of your own parents, not of your own design." Her words made him feel at ease. "It must have been hard." Tears flowed as he wailed in his mind. Simply having someone acknowledge his pain, validating his feelings. It felt nice.

"Your time has come child of earth. I will grant you a life into another world, one where you will be able to live a more normal existence." Was this really truly real? Ken couldn't believe his ears... or if he was dead... his mind? What... how was she even speaking to...? Bah whatever, there was no point dwelling on things he simply couldn't understand so instead he reached out with his feelings. It was all he could do. It was all he knew how to do. In response the soft voice, the one that filled him with warmth and joy in a way that no other voice had ever done, continued.

"I will send you to a world of magic and sword, a place where a hero will rise to power and save the world. Your memories are filled with such stories of valiance and heroism." His heart soared at the words of what must be a kind and gentle goddess. "I will grant you blessings. For each year you lost to sickness, I will increase your magical potential, granting you a healthy and long-lasting life. For all of the opportunities you have lost, I will grant you a boon to aid you in the future. And for each love that you had lost the opportunity to have I will grant you fertility to have children of your own in the future."

Ken couldn't be happier! He was going to be his very own hero! He was going to have a harem, blessed with fertility he hoped to have many children and live a life of peace once he had finished his journey. What a life he would live, what a legacy he would leave. Images of his favorite fantasy stories filled his mind again washing through him. Slaying dragons and helping the townsfolk. Being looked up to as strong and dependable. His mind raced at the thought. His heart, racing.

Heart?

Was that a pulse he felt in his chest? Then was he alive again? Was this all a dream? "Be at peace child. You are being brought to life once more in your new world. Go, and live a life of joy. Bare my blessing as the Goddess of Life and live the life you wished for time and time again. Know love, know triumph, and know peace." The goddess paused. "But know that there will be trials in this life, a world of this caliber... you may find it difficult to earn the peace you seek. Never give up. Good luck."

And then there was just darkness. And time seemed to pass.