So this is more or less my attempt to write a harem-esque Isekai novel that is much better than the garbage I have seen. After years of perusing the fan-service industry; I cannot take how absurd it is to have a decent story involving beautiful women, and strong character development. I can't take it anymore so I will write own. Here you go, not that many will read it. But here it is, I give you a better Isekai Harem novel than any trash you have unfortunately had to endure.
Prologue: The Warden's Call
"Ugh, how long did I sleep?" A young man said.
A man in his mid 20's sat up on his bed rubbing his eyes as he slowly awoke. He had short, dark black hair, disheveled and messy. He was growing stuble around his soft pointed chin, his square face and complexion tan and tired. He had hazel eyes, and a few lines under his eyes; the man had not been sleeping much lately. The room was dark, nearly pitch black. It was an ordinary room, with a flat screen T.V sitting on top of a dresser opposite of the bed. Around the room was littered with clothes and textbooks varying from history to philosophy.
"Man, I guess I crashed hard... how about it fatso?" The man said as he pet his cat which was rudely interupted from its nap by its owner.
"I really got to stop studying so hard, but I am so close to completing my Master's degree in history. Finally I'll be able to get a real job, and stop living like a bum." The man said to himself.
The man looked over to the alarm clock sitting on his night stand adjacent to his bed.
"1:30... damn. Well, at least I have the day off. No school, no work, might as well relax for a bit. I'm tapped out with studying." The man thought to himself.
He quickly got out of bed and slipped on his robe and headed towards his kitchen.
"The apartment's a mess! Ugh, I don't want to clean today!" The man said softly, even though he was the only one in the house.
The man briskly made his way over to the refridgerator which was in the kitchen that doubled as a living room. The man was about six feet tall, and had a toned build. While not fat or chubby, he hadn't worked out in some time so his muscular body was hidden behind an average look. In the living room there were bookcases filled with numerous movies and games. Several titles which were popular, and some which were obscure. The man shuffled quickly to the refridgerator and opened it up, only to be taken back by the bright light.
"Oh no, out of booze again!" The man said with a slightly broken heart.
"Oh fuck! I gotta get to the store before they stop serving."
The man quickly slipped on his shoes grabbed his keys and wallet, and rushed out the door and hoped in his car. The man looked at the car radio to check the time.
"1:40. Shit! I gotta go quick." The man said hurriedly.
It was dark and rainy this time of year. The rain was drizzling slightly, but enough to obscure the vision of a tired man. The man quickly raced to the local gas station, and flew into the parking lot and leaped out of the car with intense motivation. The man quickly escaped the rain and marched through the gas station doors. The clerk behind the counter looked up for a brief moment before looking back down at their phone, uninterested by a late night beer runner.
The man on a singular mission raced to the back of the store, and quickly grabbed the first twelve pack he could reach. As quickly as he scooped up the case, he then rushed quickly to the counter and plopped it onto the counter.
"Say dude, you don't have hurry. Relax man, you got time!" The gas station attendent said.
"Right; uhm, I'll just grab a few snacks then. Also, get me a pack of smokes too." The man said quickly.
"What kind sir?" The gast station clerk said, unamused at the commands the man gave them.
"Anything, just not menthol!" The man said answered.
The man plopped some more snacks on the counter-top and then proceeded to shove his hands in his pockets looking for his wallet.
"I.D sir." The attendent asked routinely.
The man quickly pulled out his I.D and gave it over to the attendent.
"Hmmm? Ex military huh? What branch?"
"Army." The man answered quickly, eagerly awaiting his order to be completed.
"Ah that's cool. My son's a marine, just got out of boot camp. Infantry." The clerk said proudly.
"That's nice." The man answered.
"What'd you do in the Army?" The clerk asked, now sizing up the man.
"Ranger Regiment. 8 years, three deployments." The man answered swiping his debit card hoping to avoid the conversation.
"Well I'll be... that you for your service...ugh Mr. Donovan Collins!" The clerk said happily, looking at the military i.d card befofe giving it back.
"No problem." The man waved as he grabbed his things quickly and made a hasty exit.
"Man I hate when people bother me about stuff like that." The man mumbled to himself, as he threw his case of beer and bag of snacks in the passenger seat next to him.
The man drove out of the gas station parking lot and entered the avenue making his way back to his house. The rain was coming down harder now, and the sound of thunder put him on edge. The light was green and there seemed to be nobody on the road so he rolled down his window slightly to light up a cigarette as he made his way through the first intersection. He inhaled a long drag off his smoke, before he exhaled in the direction of the crack in his window. The man continued to drive in a relaxed position, feeling the tense anxiety slowly fade away.
Suddenly, everything began to slow down from the man's perspective. Unknown to him, a careless drunk driver was barreling down the opposite side of the intersection with no intention of stopping. As the man's car entered the midway point of the intersection, the car from the opposing side smashed right into the man at great speeds effectively ending the man's life.
Darkness filled the man's mind as his soul departed his body. Without much to think about, his soul was adrift in a timeless and spaceless void. His soul was traversing a plane unknown to the living, for it was the purgatory between the universe and the great beyond. The man's soul could feel nothing, sense no reality around it; and all his thoughts lingered without form in darkness. Like a dream you can't recall, his life played through his mind until it reached the point of his unfortunate death; and then nothing. What would seem like a lifetime passed within seconds, and what seemed like seconds passed for eternity.
In this dark and formless void, a being of massive size manifsted itself before the man's soul. In that moment the man's mind was awakened and his soul cohld feel the prescence of this terrifying manifestation. The being before the man's soul resembled the structure of a genderless human. It's size, incredible; and it's luster of the purest white you could possibly concieve. Like a chorus of ten-thousand heavenly angels singing in unison, it called out to man.
"Awaken... Donovan Collins." The being said.
With a feeling of dread coursing through the man's soul, he looked up at the being for a brief moment, only to be blinded by it's unyeilding aura of light.
"What... what are you." Donovan asked, with fear in his voice.
"I am Archon, the Warden of Earth!" The being replied.
"A... Warden? So are you God? Are you the GOD?"
"I am your creator, and the creator of Earth. Your entire existence was orchestrated by my design. From the formless void of the beginning, to the very rocks and foundation that molded it."
"So you are God? I'm so sorry, I swear! Please don't send me to hell."
"I am no such God you speak of. I am the Warden of Earth. You will not be sent to heaven, nor hell. There is a new place I will send you, to the great battlefield of The Makers!"
"You're not God? What is a Warden? Who are the Maker's?"
"The Maker's are the supreme beings who birthed the universe into existence. I have no knowledge as to their reasoning for their design, only that I fulfill my purpose for which they created me and the other Warden's. The Maker's tasked me to use my essence to create a species worthy of battle. The Maker's have created another realm where all of the Warden's creations will be tested."
"Worthy of battle? I do not understand. Why? Other Warden's? Essence?"
"I cannot answer for the Maker's on their reason for 'why.' I must do as they have commanded of me and nothing more. Just as you will do as I command of you. Earth is the generator of my Essence, and in turn that essence is used to create souls for all the living things on Earth. You, and your race are the souls in which I desire to fight on the great battlefield."
"So the Maker's gave you this 'Essence' to create life? They want us to fight eachother on a battlefield?"
"Yes. But not amongst others of your kind. Each Warden created their own species from their own essence and molded them into the warriors who will fight on this battlefield. They are your enemies whom you will fight."
"But why do we have to fight them on a battle field? Why can't we stay on Earth?"
"Whether or not you choose to fight, the 'Great Battle' will take place as the Maker's have instructed. If there are no warriors to fight for me, then my Essence will be absorbed by our conquerers and and Earth will cease to exist. It is sustained to give life, because of my Essence and power I have. Should you fail to protect me, all of humanity will be erased from existence."
"So there is no choice then? Are there other warriors who will fight?"
"I have called on billions of souls all throughout history to answer my call to fight. Warriors of many armies across many generations to fight in this great battle. The realm the Maker's have created is a place where souls may live on. Those who have lived a life without harming their fellow man, even if meager, will be allowed to live on in this realm. Those who passed at too young an age, or were wicked in their lives by preying on their brethren in cruelty and malice will stay forever asleep feeding my power to sustain my essence."
"If you can be destroyed, that means other Wardens can be destroyed as well? Their species and essence will be wiped from existence?"
"It is a matter of survival which there is no end. 'Kill or be killed' as it were. However, everytime you defeat a Warden; their entire essence is absorbed by the Warden who holds providence over the destroyer. The greater the Essence a Warden has, the more power they will be able to use to empower their creations "
"You said that you call on warriors past to fight? Some of them are mortal enemies of eachother, how do you know they will cooperate?"
"They have but one choice. Fight for me, or return to the endless slumber from which they were called. There is no need for dissent on this battlefield. All of humanity relies on this battle to continue living, and therefore past grievances must be put to rest."
"You mentioned that you will allow others whom you deem worthy to continue living on this realm, if they choose not to fight?"
"For those who do not have the warriors heart, their memories of who they were are still precious. Just because we are called to a great battle, does not mean there can be no time for peace in a realm of immortality. This great battle will taken millenia to resolve, and the very spirit I designed humanity to have cannot endure in constant warring state. For the warriors, to see the harmony they are protecting first hand will continue to strengthen their resolve and fight with the human spirit you know so well."
"But my mind and body are gone. How am I able to know who I am?"
"Your Essence was etched with your entire lifes experience bound to it. Your thoughts, emotions, who you were are still tied to your essence. A complicated craft, but one that is necessary. I created certain events, certain tragedies and moved certain leaders of mankind all throughout history to develop the human spirit. For what you lack in raw strength, you make up for with wit, survival, and the undying faith in the face of ahnihilation. I forbade humanity from exploring beyond the Earth; and I forbade humanity from having one solitary language or country. It is because of these barriers I placed on you, humanity has fought and struggled dearly. This great battle will pose many threats and even greater perils, but I have faith in my creation to endure."
"So all that suffering, all those innocents who suffered in slaughter of war were because you were preparing us for this? That is cruel, some people were innocent! Why did they habe to die? Women! children!"
"Be that as it may, your history is mired in perpetual conflict. But it is because the innocent sufder, that the strong are born. For every injustice done in the world, a noble heart resolves itself to do better. You cannot have triumph without defeat, and the wicked cannot be brought to justice unless the innocent are martyrs for their purity. Those who have died unjustly are rewarded with a place in this new realm, and the wicked will suffer and endless slumber, forever cutoff from humanity."
"If this is true, why not reveal yourself to the people of earth? Why play like a puppet master in the shadows?"
"You do not yet possess the ability to see beyond time. Had I revealed myself mankind, what strength could be gained?
Any suffering to be had, would surely demand my power to resolve it. That would make humanity weak, and dependent. That is not good enough for this great battle. No. Instead all that I have done, will suffice."
"You are probably right. I have more questions however."
"Much of what you want to know will be answered in time, but for now there are more important things to get started."
"Wait... one more. You said that there are billions of warriors you have called on to fight in this battle. That means there will be a rank structure of some kind right? Having an army that massive would require leaders at all levels."
"You are perceptive Donovan. You are a special warrior to me. You will be one of the top commanders of this great army of mankind. I have called you to this battlefield to be my Champion."
"A Champion? What is that? I am no great warrior, certainly there are better men in history who are better suited for a title like that!"
"I have orchestrated all of mankind to be as I saw fit. Your life was no different. Although you speak so little for yourself, in time you will come to trust my judgement. You are MY Champion Donovan, and what's more: You will be the voice of Archon, my greatest Champion!"
"This is crazy! This is madness! I have to be dreaming! Wake me up! Please wake up." Donovan started to shout frantically.
"Be at peace Donovan, this is no dream. I have called you to be my Champion. Now, awaken and be my voice to mankind!" The Warden stated.
The Warden reached out with its massive hand and grabbed Donovan's soul. Placing its other hand over top, a bright flash of light surrounded Donovan's soul. In that moment Donovan's soul had reformed itself into a replica of his old body. However, his muscles were refined as if he had reavhed the ultimate balance of muscle definition and tone. Like a greek god, his body glowed with a glistening aura.
"Awaken Donovan, you will be my greatest Champion! Now prepare for training, there is much you need to know before I transport you to the 'Great Battlefield.'" The Warden stated.
"I feel... different. What is this feeling, like I am in perfect harmony with my mind and body." Donovan asked, as he looked over his new body.
"You are no longer of flesh and bone. You are now a manifestation of my Essence. While you resemble the image of a human, your abilties far surpass that of a mortal man. You now have the body and mind of an eternal being. Time and space are inconsequential to you, and now you should be able to understand things more clearly now."
"So tell me Great Warden, what is the nature of this battlefield. If I am going to fight, then I need to know how this all works."
"At the conclusion of your training, you will be transported to a new realm. This realm will have properties similiar to Earth. It will have mountains, oceans, skies, plains, wastelands, deserts, forests, and a day and night cycle. However this realm is massive in comparison, and the Maker's have restricted space travel."
"So what, is this going to be some medieval swords and shields battleground like a fantasy game or something?"
"Weapons will harness the power of Essence. Artillery, swords, shields, guns, wings, all of it is permissible provided there is enough essence to do so."
"Hmmm, alright. How does this Essence stuff work then? You said you gain power by defeating other Wardens, but doesnt that mean that your Essence can be limited as well?"
"All Essence is tethered to the Warden that created it. When you defeat enemies on the battlefield, they will return to a void similar to this one until the fate of that Essence is determined. Only Warden's and their specified Champions and Guardians can determine the fate of Essence that lingers in the void. Claim a Warden's Essence, and all of it becomes a part of me, which I can return that massive boost in power to call upon more warriors, and strengthen my own warriors as well. For every Warden you destroy, your power will increase significantly."
"But what if I am defeated, what happens to me?"
"Champions are a special Essence. As long as a Champion's Warden is still alive, they can be brought back and summoned to fight once again. However, due to the extreme amount of essence it costs to produce a Champion, several of our lesser forces will be put into the void until there is enough essence to call them back. If our forces are continuously defeated, and my Champions are no more; then I still have my Guardians which I can channel my power into. If my Guardians are defeated then my Essence will be taken by thr conquerer and humanity will cease to exist."
"If you are the strongest, will you be on the battlefield; surely we cannot lose!"
"I could join the battle, but it is impractical. I have much to attend too as a Warden, and focusing my power exhausts a lot of my cognitive rescources to manage it. Only when confronted with extreme situations such as ahnihilation will I defend myself. Even then, it could be far too late."
"What is the design of this great battlefield? I imagine we will have limitations and restrictions which would call for strategy and tactics?"
"While killing the enemy is the quickest way to diminish a Warden's power; know that only a Warden can revive essence that is linked to them. Only when the Warden is claimed, does that essence dissolve into more power for the Warden who claims it. Sometimes it could be etter to capture forces and hold them against the Warden, so that it may make them an easier target. As well, these other Wardens have harnessed and molded their own species too be combative i. their own way. You will see many species of wildly different complexities, which is why you will need to develop tactics and strategies to overcome them."
"But what about the imitations?"
"You are still every bit a human, and thus your limitations are such. Your senses have no limitations, but your size and appendeges do. You cannot walk through walls, or burrow under ground quickly. However there are powers and skills you can acquire as I grow in strength to compensate these weaknesses."
"What about sustenance? Food and drinks?"
"Your life essence is sustained by essence. You do not need to eat or drink, but you can if you wish. However, know this. The farther you are away from me, the weaker you will become. As I gain power, my ability to sustain you will have greater reach. Venture too far, and you could be as good as lost forever."
"So, I still have all my senses in tact then?"
"You will feel pain, and you will feel pleasure. You can hear music, and feel sorrow. However, because you are no longer flesh and blood your arms and legs, head and eyes can ot be damaged. Only your essence will be affected. You can also sleep if you want, you do not need too. But if you'd like to rest and dream, just say a prayer of sorts to me and I can grant you a small time to slumber."
"So, time does have an effect in this realm."
"Yes, but it is a complicated thing to express in a conversation. Just know that time will act as if you were back on earth. The day and night cycles are merely a convenience to coordinate attack plans and the like. There will also be weather changes like seasons, but we do not know the order in which they will appear."
"I guess my last question is: Do we know of other races, and do they know of us? And do we have to fight them, or can we create alliances?"
"We do not, and they do not. As soon as we enter this new realm, we will have to develop our own maps and gather information on our own. Further more, there is no need to trade, as essence in the only resource of real value. Alliances can be made, and there will most likely be a need for politcal maneuvering. Some races could be more intelligent minded after all."
"I guess I do have a lot to learn. Okay, what's first?"
Yeah yeah, exposition. This novel actually requires a lot of setup, but thats why its a prologue. Now, the first chapter is some more expositions; but it mostly has to do with world building. Tell me what you think.