For a minute, Kevin just stared at Samantha, looking her over in disbelief.
Her hair was bright red, and her eyes were emerald green. She had a splash of freckles across her face and was every bit as beautiful as the women of this world Kevin had seen so far—maybe even more so, considering the almost ethereal quality of her smooth, slightly tanned skin.
She was wearing a sleeveless, backless gown that barely held her large breasts in place and the gown's length only extended two inches past her knee on one side while ridding high up her thigh on the other showing off her legs.
Her hair and the edges of her gown swayed slowly like she was underwater. She had golden bracelets around her ankles and wrists.
Finally, her feet didn't touch the ground. She just floated about three inches above it, adding to that ethereal quality of her appearance.
"What?" She asked when she noticed Kevin looking her over, "Not what you expected."
It wasn't. Mostly because he hadn't been expecting anything at all. These were all experiences he hadn't ever dreamed he would have.
"You're Sam_Ellis?" He asked in disbelief.
"I am."
"So you wrote…" Kevin started.
"Yes, I wrote [To Kill A Demon Lord…]," Samantha answered with her hands pressed together as she continued,
"And, to answer your next question, Yes, I am the reason you're here."
"How?" Kevin asked almost in a gasp, "How is any of this possible? Is this a dream? This has to be a dream, right?"
Samantha shook her head slowly,
"No, it's not a dream," she said, "As for how any of this is possible… Well, it's a bit complicated to explain."
"Try," Kevin said eager for some answers.
"Hmm," Samantha said tapping her lips, and then she clicked her fingers,
"Okay. Do you know about the theory of the Multiverse? Multiple universes existing simultaneously?"
"I do," Kevin said, "Everyone does."
"Well, then think of every story that exists or will ever exist as being in its own universe and they all exist simultaneously within a 'multiverse'."
"But… stories are fiction," Kevin said, confused.
Samantha chuckled,
"That's what you think. It's all about perception. You only think it's fiction because you 'think' it's not real. You touched Arlette there, didn't you? You drank her blood, you excited her… Is she not real?"
Kevin glanced at Arlette still frozen and furrowed his brows not sure what to say.
Samantha continued,
"Even what you consider to be 'reality' could just be another story someone conceived and you just happen to be living in it."
Kevin laughed,
"My life was way too boring to be a story."
"Ah, but you assume you were the main character. Even in the 'world' of [To Kill A Demon Lord…], there are background characters with their own desires and dreams who live full lives. Their stories may not be 'interesting' enough to be on paper but they exist. Without them, the world would be empty.
Also, 'boring' is subjective. What you consider uninteresting might be entertaining to someone else."
"So you're saying 'reality' isn't real?" Kevin asked.
"Yes, and No," Samantha answered, "I'm saying everything is real and everything is fiction. It's all about Perception."
"Ah, that's so confusing!" Kevin said grabbing his head with his face screwed up with frustration.
Samantha furrowed her brows, her expression somber,
"Like I said, it's complicated. This is why you should focus on what's right in front of you… The reason you're here."
"And what's that?"
"I need you to help me change Caius' fate," Samantha said, "As you know, he dies at the 'end' of [To Kill A Demon Lord…]. I want to change that."
Kevin frowned,
"You created this world by writing [To Kill A Demon Lord…]?"
"I did."
"And you stopped everything from moving?" Kevin asked and gestured at the frozen Arlette.
"I did," Samantha answered nodding, "We needed privacy and time."
"Then why not just change the story yourself?" Kevin asked,
"You're the Author. You created this world and can freeze it all in place. Why do you need me?"
Samantha sighed,
"It's because, although within this story, I am Omnipotent and as the Author, I should be able to effect any change I want, there are still people above me; The Editors."
"What?" Kevin asked and laughed a bit. She said it like it was grand and serious but to him, it sounded silly to fear 'Editors'.
Samantha's eyes widened like she was shocked at the audacity and then she relaxed when she remembered he had no way of knowing the gravity of the situation,
"The Editors manage the Archive of stories. In other words, they manage the 'Multiverse'. If your universe—your story— doesn't match their desired standards, they prune it. Erase it from the archives. It ceases to exist."
Kevin's smile wiped off his face. With the context he now knew and the lines between reality and fiction blurred, erasing a story meant erasing entire existences.
Samantha continued,
"Usually, they're very professional. They allow Authors to have free rein. But sometimes, they meddle. They felt my story would lack something if both Caius and Aurelius survived the 'final battle' so they 'insisted' he died since he wasn't the main character. If I didn't agree, my story would get pruned.
But then I had an idea. If I could find someone, someone who understood what I wanted, someone with a different mindset from what I've written into my story, they could enter the world of my creation and change the things I can't.
And of course, that's where you come in. With your comments and that scathing review, it was clear you were the only person as affected by the decision to kill Caius as I was. Everyone else either felt it was right or accepted my decision to write it that way.
The Editors will be watching for any changes I make but not for the changes a 'character' makes. If you become Caius and make the changes I can't, he can survive the 'final battle' and by the time the ripple effects of your decisions draw attention, it'll already be too late, and the deed with be done.
And you're already making changes."
"How so?" Kevin asked.
Samantha gestured at Arlette who was still frozen in time with her eyes closed and her hands gripping the edge of her desk.
"Don't you remember what happened to her in the original story?"
Arlette Louvene and Caius Von Helsing did meet in [To Kill A Demon Lord…] but it was a meeting in the background of the story with very few details because the narrative mostly followed Aurelius.
The vague outcome though was that Caius insisted he was not a Vampire and stormed out when Arlette didn't stop trying to bait him to confess. Arlette didn't give up throughout the semester and in retaliation, Caius found out about her being a member of 'Ophiuchus' and eventually, his Father had her killed.
Kevin's eyes went wide in remembrance,
"Oh shit, that's right. I— I mean, Caius got her killed!"
Samantha nodded,
"Yes, he did. But you did something different. Because of what you know about the original story, and because you don't hate the idea of being a Vampire as much as Caius did, you've changed the story and you've likely changed Arlette's fate.
That is why you're here.
Now Kevin, will you continue what you've started by becoming Caius Von Helsing or will you like to go back to your 'reality'?"
Kevin opened his mouth and Samantha held out a hand to signal that she wasn't done. She put her face closer to his own,
"Keep in mind, if you accept this offer, 'Kevin' will cease to exist. After days or maybe months of inactivity, they'll open or break down your apartment door and your body will be gone. You'll just be gone. The only life you'll ever live from that moment on will be this one. If this story is pruned, if this reality perishes, so will you.
I'd like your help but I'll also like you to understand this. You cannot exist in two realities at once. If you become Caius Von Helsing, it will be the only life you will be able to have."
It was a big decision to make so Samantha was ready to wait to let him think it over but then…
"I accept."
Samantha blinked. She had expected more hesitation,
"You do?" She asked.
"Of course," Kevin answered.
At best, he was agreeing to live a very interesting life compared to his normally boring one, and at worst, this was all a dream and he'd wake up in the morning to go to his boring job anyway.
Samantha beamed with delight that lit up her ethereally beautiful face,
"Good," she said and placed her hand against his chest,
"This might hurt a little."
"What— AH!" Kevin let out and arched his back as Arlette's office went out of focus.
Samantha had lied. It didn't hurt a little. It hurt like hell.
He felt his body as Kevin disintegrate into nothing right on his bad bed. The experience was quick but excruciating.
And then his liberated soul became a part of this 'new' body… This new existence… This new Reality… This new being.
And then came the influx of memories;
He was a baby opening his eyes for the first time and looking into the large face of a man who was looking at him with adoring eyes.
The man took him to a violet-eyed woman who cradled him and cooed at him,
"My baby," she said looking weak but overjoyed as she stroked his chubby baby cheek, "My little Caius."
'Caius?' Kevin wondered, 'Oh, right. That's my name now.'
The memory streams continued.
Life was happy, his father was present like Kevin's father had never been. He was doted on. Everything he did was considered magnificent and he was showered constantly with praise.
And then, suddenly, he was kneeling by a bed crying his eyes out over the cold pale body of his mother. Her body had become thin after months of battling an illness no Healer had been able to cure.
After that, Caius' father, Lucian Von Helsing, threw himself into his work. Hunting and slaying more Vampires than any Von Helsing in the history of their illustrious monster-hunting Family ever did.
He made a lot of enemies in the process and one of them proved sneakier than the rest. She didn't go after Lucian. Instead, she went after his son, Caius.
She was devastatingly beautiful and incredibly strong. Caius was talented but never stood a chance against her. She turned him and made sure she only fed him enough of her blood to make him a Vampire spawn. The lowest on the Vampire Evolution ladder; All the weaknesses and addiction and so little of the strength.
And so, for Five years Caius was stuck in isolation, believing himself to be a monster and that thought consistently on his mind drove him deeper and deeper into an abyss of depression so great, no written description could ever really do it justice.