I always enjoyed dreaming…. I enjoyed the feeling of being limitless….
A world completely under my control where I could have anything… all of the food I wanted in the life I thought I could have.
Some days I would spend most of it completely asleep just enjoying the silence… I questioned why no one seemed to visit me… but after years of no contact, I just stopped caring.
17 years of life stuck in a bed… with nothing to keep me occupied other than my own thoughts… opening my eyes I see the multiple machines and various other tools around me… thankfully I had my own room, but given the fact that I've basically grown up in this hospital, it doesn't mean too much.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw that my breakfast had already been served or in this case, the nutrient solution was being served… my body had been born so weak that I couldn't even move and to make matters worse I was essentially living on borrowed time.
When I was born or at least a couple years after, I developed a brain tumor that caused most of my bodily functions to shut down… it was like being trapped in my own body… the meds I've been taking have slowed its progress, but they're starting to wear off.
Based on the scans they've taken, it can't be removed so I lay here just waiting for the time I won't open my eyes… soon after the solution was finished, the nurse came in and without a word, took the bag and left. I couldn't blame them. To them I was simply a person unable to take care of themselves.
However, as I looked around the room, there was something odd… in the chair in front of my bed there was a person sitting there… yet he was definitely not a normal human.
His body was too big and the fact that he had horns coming out of his head was a pretty obvious indicator…
"Well good morning sunshine. Never thought you'd wake up… how are you feeling?" I feel absolutely nothing but it's nice to know that someone cares.
The man simply smoked and moved his chair over to my left side… "Well we all like to be appreciated…"
Did he just—?
"Read your mind. Yes I did. You weren't exactly able to talk so this makes having a conversation much easier."
I almost felt a small bit of joy at the fact that I could finally talk to someone, and as I thought this, the man leaned back in the chair with it almost crumbling under his weight…
Why are you here? I can definitely say I've never seen you before.
At that moment, the man seemed slightly remorseful, but only for a moment… "Well that's a bit of a complicated question. You can probably guess but you don't have much time… in fact I'd say you only got a couple minutes."
My eyes slightly widened at that knowledge, but I could almost smile at that.
The man just seemed to almost grimace at the thought. "You seem pretty happy about the fact that you're going to be dying soon."
Is this living? I've never gone to school. I could never develop friendships and the only people I've ever known don't even speak to me… not to mention the fact that I haven't heard a word from my family in a long time or ever.
At the mention of family, he seemed to slightly perk up again with that almost remorseful look in his eyes… "You know, if someone ever met me they would usually ask for something like immortality or to fix my illness or to save my friend or myself from death…"
Did you actually do that for them? I could almost raise my metaphorical brow at my own question.
However, the rather large man simply smirked, as if recalling an old memory. "To be honest most of them aren't even worth my time, but you're a bit more special than they are…"
Well, thank you. That's nice to know. However, before I could think anything else, I could feel my breathing begin to slow as my heartbeat became ever more noticeable…
So this is what it feels like… I imagine you're some kind of hallucination from my dying brain, but it's nice to have someone to talk to.
However, at that moment, the man placed his hand over mine, and as I felt the warmth from his hand, I realized that he was real, and as a small tear ran down my face all I could ask for was one thing.
Could you stay with me, please? I'm scared…
He gripped my hand a bit more tightly and nodded his head, and as my breaths became more labored, my heartbeat began to slow down, and while I tried to move at all, nothing came about, and as I turned my head to the man, he was smiling, and as he placed his other hand on my forehead, I smiled—or tried to at least—and as he reached his other hand down to my eyes, I closed them for the last time…
At least that's what I thought would happen, as I then reopened them to find myself standing over my own body… the man then stood up while I floated above my own body.
When I tried to move my lips to ask a question, I found no sound could come out… which makes sense given the fact that I was dead I couldn't exactly produce sound… the man with the horns on his head just chuckled at my attempts to communicate. He then placed a finger on his temple, reminding me that he could read my thoughts still.
"So how does it feel?" The question was very multifaceted. My form was formless, but I felt no pain. However, I also felt absolutely nothing. I couldn't feel the air or anything.
"That's pretty normal. Usually most spirits would head to the other side, but for you, I have a different offer… my name is Calduin… let me show you what I really am." In the next moment the hospital room fell away, and I found myself floating inside of a cave that seemed to go on forever, and in front of me the once humanoid man had transformed into a large beast. His eyes were seemingly the size of skyscrapers, his hands looked like they could crush cities, but in fact, it looked like he was bigger, and I just couldn't see everything.
As it seemed like he was stretching, he yawned and laid down atop what looked to be a pile of gold and other items. Honestly, I just couldn't stop staring at the fact that I was standing in front of a beast that looked like it could dwarf the planet.
Before I could try to say anything else, I heard his voice in my head, but it felt like it was all around me, speaking through multiple speakers. "It's good to be in my organic form again. Humanoid forms are just a bit too small for me… not enough surface area to lay on the gold."
I'm genuinely questioning how laying on piles of metal can be comfortable, but to each their own… the dragon simply laughed. "Don't knock it till you try it—or in this case once you're as large as I am and are able to manipulate the very matter of the universe, it doesn't exactly matter what you lay on as you can change it into whatever you want."
In the next second, the pile of gold then changed into what looked to be a large pile of marshmallows, and I do admit if I had lips, I'd be salivating right now… hospital food isn't exactly great and I couldn't even remember the last time I ate anything sweet.
In the next moment, the marshmallows then returned to looking like gold and as the dragon looked down at me I met his gaze… for a few moments we just stared at one another until he gripped me in one of his claws and brought me closer.
"The circumstances I find myself in are rather odd to say the least, and I imagine that you are feeling a rather large cacophony of emotions… to put it simply, I have an offer for you. While I could let you pass on to the afterlife, I have another fate in mind for you. Should you desire it?" With that offer in mind, another arm appeared, and within his palm looked like something out of a fantasy novel.
It was hard to describe, but it looked like a sheet of paper. However, it was constantly warping and changing shape… at one point it was a large blade and in the next a cube, and then the next a house…
What is that?
"That is your ticket to a new life… you see I have collected many things in my very long life—so much so that I have filled up entire multiverses and now I need somewhere to send them and I need someone to use them… have you ever read a choose your own adventure book?" Can't say that I have, given my previous lack of experiences.
"Well to put it simply, think of it as a game. I have already created a build for you. If you accept this, you shall have infinite potential. You can go anywhere and become anything… all that matters is that you survive and live… I care not what you do or what you become… your life is special… for reasons you may not even begin to comprehend. On my honor as a dragon, I shall tell you that the life I have chosen for you would be one of excitement…. The choice is yours." As I continued to look at the ever-changing object in the dragon's other hand, I contemplated.
A question if I was still dreaming. After attempting to wake myself up, it confirmed that this was real… I wondered why he was offering this to me, but given the fact that he isn't telling me means that there's something greater at work.
So in the end, all I could ask was a simple question… would I be able to become what he is?
The dragon smiled at me with an almost proud look. "Of course… of course you would recognize the majesty of dragons. Some which used to be angels or machines, but to me, if you can choose to be the dragon, you become the dragon. However, starting out it will be a bit rough, but by no means unmanageable. I offer you a future. I offer you possibility…."
Looking back to the item, I reached my spectral hand out towards it, and as I touched the outer edge, it began to cover me in a bright white light, and as I felt my consciousness beginning to fade, I sent a small bit of thanks to the dragon, and for a split second, I saw that same look of remorse until the grand smile appeared on his face…
And in the next moment, I felt nothing… I felt peace…. And I also felt warmth on my face…. I just hoped that this wasn't a dream, and if it was, I simply hoped that I won't wake up.
(Calduin POV)
"This is probably the most emotional I've ever seen you… what made the child so special? His fate was pitiful to say the least, but you're not one to journey into mortal affairs." I simply huffed, nearly sniffing out a galaxy before I stopped it.
"It's rather simple, my love… remember when I told you of my previous life… when I was human?" Tiamat simply walked towards me and laid down next to me, and as she laid her head on mine, I closed my eyes feeling her warm warmth.
"Yes I remember that and I also remember telling you that it doesn't matter to me… I love you… it just took time to realize I did… now how does this play into what you gave that child?" Taking a breath, I almost managed to suck in multiple stars.
"Well looking back I decided to see if I had any family… and lo and behold I had a single male sibling. In a faint corner of my mind I remembered him when we were young children before we were separated… he never came to see me… and so I did a bit more digging, and to say I was livid is an understatement." My growing anger caused the cave around us to start shaking before Tiamat placed a hand on my head.
"Calm down, my dear… explain without blowing up the neighboring star systems…" I almost chuckled at that. It's been months since I did that but she just won't let it go.
"My brother had had that child with a woman out of wedlock, and as the woman lay dying, begging him to take in their son, the man simply took the child and left him in that hospital completely apathetic while raising his own small family… my nephew, alone and ignored. I can't imagine a greater humiliation… I looked into the future. My brother would be happy knowing he wouldn't have to pay for the hospital bills anymore…. It was then I made my decision… I gave him access to one of our strongest CYOAs mostly out of spite… but I also want to see my nephew happy. No one deserves to live without knowing loving family." As my lovely wife then hugged me closer, I simply enjoyed the warmth of her embrace. I could almost fall asleep again, but I didn't want to miss my nephew's journey.
"And that is why I love you, my dear… you may show yourself as the big bad dragon, but I know under all of those scales you still care… however you may want to tell the others what you've done. Wouldn't want them thinking of your nephew as an anomaly." Who cares. Sleep matters much more.
Tiamat simply chuckled as she stood up… her blue scales shining with the light of constellations… I felt almost as enraptured as I was the first time I met her.
However, before my wife leaves to inform the council, she turns to me and asks, "Where did you send him by the way?"
I turned my head away entirely innocent. "Well I sent him to the world where I met you. Well, another version of it, but I feel like it was a good starting point…. Tia?"
In the next moment, my wife was standing above me, staring downwards. "You sent our nephew to Dragonic Deus?…" But when I went to answer the question, she had already opened a portal to the main hub.
But before entering it, she simply said, "If that child doesn't survive that world, you are sleeping on the couch for 1000 millennia…" What do you mean sleep on the couch? There are no couches here… but being the bigger dragon, I simply nodded.
As my wife shook her head with an amused yet exasperated look, she entered the portal while I watched as my nephew woke up in his new body… it was almost perfect. I have been feeling a bit annoyed about a certain topic and now I get to help out my nephew and see an interesting experience. It's a win-win.
But for now, I don't think my wife will care if I take a small nap… my nephew… can… handle… zzzzz.
(Issei Hyoudou POV)
I do believe that the dragon may or may not have a weird sense of humor… my eyes roam around the messy room, seeing various provocative posters and other imagery… but the most noticeable is the person next to me…
Yet it wasn't the body itself, but the hair… crimson red. I can definitely say I've never seen such a thing before… but as I stared up towards the ceiling, I raised my hand above my face, and as I clenched it, I felt the sense of euphoria that I never thought possible….
I felt my body begin to change and mold itself to become better… muscles rearranging, my skeletal structure becoming stronger… and in front of me, I saw that same screen from before…
[WELCOME TO DXD! Access To Worm CYOA V17 Granted]
[Applying Initial Chosen Build]
As that feeling became stronger, I simply continued to stare up at the ceiling and wondered what the hell I was getting into.
(Well hello ladies and gentlemen it's been a couple days, but I felt a flash of inspiration and before you guys come at me with the pitch forks and torches for his time of insertion… let it be known that I chose this because I wanted to as much as people view the peerage system as slavery, which it is being within the main cast is basically a free ticket to high class… at least that's how I see it that and I write these stories and have fun doing it… I will be posting the build next and how this one is going to work is that it's going to be similar to a quest based system where if he complete certain objectives, he gets shred points and creativity points to spend on the CYOA what he currently has is his basic build… let me know how you guys want me to expand upon it. And before I go, I wish you all a good morning, good afternoon and good night.)