Chapter 18: The Prologue_The hero named Corey Wesley

Corey Wesley has been living a wonderful life, both in this current world and back on Earth. Unbeknownst to many, the infamous hero, who made the capital Lorian his primary residence, was a world traveller… though "traveller" might not be an appropriate term since it implied a hint of free will: "I travelled here, I travelled there." In Corey's case, though, it was more like he was forcibly transported to this world, against his will at first. Corey Wesley was born on earth into a rich and well connected family, with his father had been serving as a Senator for more than 20 years while his mother was a powerful CEO of a global conglomerate. As an only child, he was spoiled rotten by his doting parents, especially his powerful father, who saw him as the only heir to his expanding political empire that he had built for the last few decades. Living under the impression that the world was revolving around him, arrogance had been edged into his personal trait ever since he was a little kid. As he grew up, they young man had turned so unruly that not even his parents could reign him in, not that they ever tried. With their combined power, his parents could easily cover up many scandalous and debauchery actions that their only son had caused. From his countless dubious intercourses with underaged girls to accidentally killing a pregnant mother of two with his limited edition sports car on one night of drunk-driving, it seemed like Corey never had to face any consequences for his actions. Such retribution, though, did befall upon him during that one fateful night, when a gas leak at one of his high rise apartment was ignited into a huge explosion. At the time, Corey and a few of his lackeys had been busy raping their new batch of girls, which they had just "acquired" from a source in Asia. Just as usual, the girls were heavily drugged as the men taking their turns ravaging their slender bodies. Among the smells of cums, sweats, and aphrodisiacs, when someone finally noticed a slight smell of gas mixed in their orgy session, it was too late as Corey had just lit up his cigarette with a gold plated lighter he bought back in Europe.

BOOOMMMM!!!

The loud explosion enveloped the apartment and rocked the whole building. It took firefighters more than three hours to fully extinguish the flames. Inside the charred apartment, they could only find the burnt remains of those poor girls, though the Chief soon concluded the remains of Corey and four of his lackeys must have been burnt and shattered into dust due to the unusual intensity of the fire… Or so they thought…

「Where the fuck are we?」asked the naked Corey as he looked around. Asides from himself and four of his lackeys, he could not see anything else but pure light.

「... Was that an explosion just now?」asked one of his lackeys.

「Are we dead?」

「Dont fucking joke like that, man!」Corey angrily shouted. 「Someone, explain to me what just happened!!!」

「Corey Wesley?」a voice radiated from the vast empty whiteness. 「We've been expecting you.」

「Who the fuck are you? Show yourself!」The annoyed man shouted.

Soon enough, the bright light that enveloped the space receded, revealing 9 elevated platforms decorated with extensive symbols, along with the 9 intimidating individuals sitting comfortably on them.

「Welcome, Corey Wesley of Terra.」one of them, a man wearing a tunic-like dress, spoke while his cheek still rested lazily on top of his fist. 「I know you and your friends here are still in a stage of shock but...」

「Where the hell are we?」Corey cut off the man before he could finish his sentence.

「... you're in a dimension called Modun.」the man answered after repressing his annoyance at the arrogant brat. 「A place that we, the Astrals, call home.」

「What the fuck is an astral? And how did we even get here?」

「I am sorry but in the current timeline on Terra, you and your friends have already died in the explosion. 」Another of the nine, a woman who possessed an unparalleled beauty, sympathetically explained to Corey and his group. 「We, the gods of this world, have extracted the five of you just before the flame consumed your bodies.」

「What nonsense was that?」Corey was still unconvinced of his supposed demise. 「Did you drug us and bring us here? What do you want? Money?」

「… I know it's hard to believe, but you can see it for yourself.」The woman lightly snapped her finger and conjured up a hologram of the very apartment Corey was just in. With his own eyes, the young man was able to see the aftermath of the explosion at his high rise apartment, which was now filled with countless firefighters walking around the place, gathering evidence. The chatter from the holographic firefighters fell into Corey's deaf ear as the man was too shocked to comprehend anything that had just happened. No way... I have much to live for…

「I am dead? How can that be? I am here, arent I?」

「...Yes. You are here, but back on earth, you are already dead.��

「You did call yourself gods, didn't you? Transport me back to my apartment!」demanded the man. 「What do you need? I can get my parents to give you anything you want… Just… just fucking let me go back, god damn it!」

「We can't do it.」answered another of the nine as he waved his hand, dismissing both the hologram and Corey's demand. 「You guys are already dead. If we transport you back to Terra, you will only appear as charred remains in that apartment. We are not omnipotent, not especially in Terra, a world that exists in a different space and time than our own.」

「What a joke is this?」Screamed out Corey, his voice cracked as tears poured out from his eyes. 「You call yourself gods and you can't even do that? What the hell… I could not have died… No way… This is just a bad dream… 」

「Calm down, Corey. We cannot 'revive' you on Terra but we can let you and your friends live here, in the world of Esthar. 」

「Esthar?」Corey raised his eyebrows.

���Indeed. We are the gods of Esthar, a parallel world that exists alongside your very own Terra. Since you cannot be living in Terra anymore due to the event of your death, how about helping us, protecting the world of Esthar as one of its heroes? 」

「... What?」

「Have you not heard of multiverse theory back on Terra, Corey?」the beautiful goddess again raised her melodious voice as she jumped down from her platform. Strangely, the moment she fell down, her body quickly faded away into a veil of white smoke, only to reappear in front of the naked Corey. 「There are many universes that exist in parallel to one another, among those are our Esthar and your Terra, the twin worlds whose fates have been intertwined since the very beginning of time. Our Esthar, though, is not as developed nor stable as Terra for it has been continuously subjected to the darkness of evil ever since its inception. It is constantly need of emissaries from us, Astrals, emissaries who can protect the world from evil.」

The goddess seductively placed her finger on the man's bare chest, then traced it upward toward his chin. With her standing right in front of him, Corey finally noticed the Goddess' breast was clearly visible from thin layer of her clothing. This caused his unerected private part to slowly rise up as he fell further into the influence of her hypnotical beauty.

「But… how can I be a hero?」Corey gulped. From just a brief interaction, the goddess had finally calmed down the confused future hero while entranced him into accepting her offer.

「We will plant in you the seed of heroes. It will grant you immeasurable power in Esthar and transform you into a man worthy of the title 'Hero'...」The goddess leaned her breast against Corey's bareback as she continued to explain. 「As one of the world's heroes, you will gain all the wealth, power, and influence… such that can rival or exceed your old status back in Terra.」

Corey was sold! Better continue his life of debauchery rather than being dead, he thought. Though, before he could answer, his lackey's murmuring grew louder until one of his followers, a young man named Peter, quickly raised his voice.

「What about us???」

「Of course, the five of you will follow your master, Corey Wesley, to Esthar if he so chooses to be our emissary.」By now, the goddess had again faded into thin air and reappeared to her seat back on the high platform. Her answer caused the five men to sigh in relief.「That's why we brought you together with him here.」

「...So what say you, Corey Wesley? Will you accept our offer, continue living your life in the world of Esthar and become one of the heroes that defend and lead the world to find its salvation!」One of the nine, who sat on a platform that was a bit higher than the rest impatiently asked the man as his eyes glowed red under the darkness of his hood.

「... I accept.」Corey let out a broad grin.

「Great!」the goddess clapped her hand, smiling. 「I will direct one of my faithful in Esthar to find and guide you through the first few difficult months. Just stay put where we place you for a few days and I promise, she will find you. 」

「「We will follow your journey and protect you from harm, Corey Wesley, the newest hero of Esthar!!!」」