The Guard

Prologue

Darkness. Darkness and cold still air. I was floating above an expansive glass like panel that I assumed to be the floor. Around me was black void with what looked like galaxies and stars swirling around me. I suddenly realized I was in space. In space in a hoodie. Suddenly "it" appeared. It's glowing Chinese Dragon-esc form shimmering into existence without a noise or warning. It spoke to me with multiple voices. Some sounded like women, others men, others still like children.

"Michal, You have been chosen,"

The Dragon's speaking frightened me. I tried to respond but found my seemingly floating body unable to move. How did it know my name? Where was I?

"You will be sent into the world of magic, this world is where you will remain. Your race will be changed to fit this world, I will stop your paralysis so that race you will be given can be decided." Confused as hell I floated to what seemed to be the floor. I tested if I was able to speak once again.

"If I'm being put into 'your world' why isn't just being white okay?" I had a lot of questions, but I thought it best to start off small.

"No, no, no, your skin tone will not change. It is the powers that come with the races of my world. You will remain human, you will simply be... enhanced." The Dragon seemed a little confused as to why I didn't just accept this.

"Can I ask a few more questions before I become a magical elf boy?" I figured it best not to piss off a cosmic dragon being.

"I expect you'll have a lot so let's condense them, you get three more questions." The Dragon didn't seem as angry as I'd thought he'd be. Maybe he isn't as ruthless as I'd imagined a god would be. Let's see here... I could ask what the races are. No, how about how they interact with each other. Then I hear their names and maybe what they can do. Plus when I become one of them I'll know who to avoid.

"How do the different races interact?" I prided myself on my cleverness.

The Dragon chuckled. He seemed to think for a brief moment and then began explaining.

"Allow me to explain,"

Several holographic figures appeared.The first seemed like a human except taller, thinner, and with elongated ears. The second had similar but less extreme ears to the first but was slightly shorter and the third was a shorter human with a beard.

Well given he said magic I'll assume those are Elves, Half-Elves, and Dwarfs.

Then it got weird. He created more people. The next one seemed humanoid except for how it appeared to be run by exposed clockwork. Then several large humanoid bugs. The first was a Hercules Beetle, the second a Termite, and finally a Praying Mantis.

Well... That's not nightmare fuel. I guess I'll just cry myself to sleep in this new world.

Then it summoned two more humanoid figures. They all seemed ordinary, except each one had a weird feature. The first was a woman who appeared to have a devils tail protruding from her backside. The second was a man that seemed to have a glowing halo above him.

Well, at least they look sort of normal...

The dragon started listing them on order of appearance.

"First we have the Elves, then the Half-Elves, Dwarves. These three are much more common than most of the other races. There is rarely war between them, but their cultures are wildly different." I assumed I knew what they were.

"Alright, what are the rest of them?" I was really hoping the bug guys were extinct.

"Next Quantums. The Quantums were originally forged by the Dwarves,.They're android like in nature and are able to build more of themselves as well as attaching weapons to their body. They are also the only race to develope guns. Quantums are looked down upon by most races."