As night dragged on, Tet stretched his arms and said, "Well, I'm not sleeping in the streets, so I better make myself a place to live."
Then, using his power, Tet created an empty dimension and stepped inside. Once there, he looked around at the endless void and said, "Let's add some color."
Immediately, the empty sky lit up, transforming into a kaleidoscope of beautiful, vibrant colors swirling across the heavens. Tet waved his hand again, and with a ripple of power, a massive floating island emerged, suspended high in the air. Upon it, he created a grand, breathtaking mansion—its walls shining like polished marble, its architecture elegant yet imposing. Inside, the mansion held everything he could possibly want: a huge game room, a private theater, an indoor pool, a vast library, and—just for fun—a massive trampoline park.
Outside, he shaped a lush, beautiful garden, filled with colorful flowers and winding stone paths, with a huge, majestic tree standing proudly at its center. A hammock hung lazily from one of its sturdy limbs, swaying gently in the breeze.
Not stopping there, Tet conjured several smaller floating islands surrounding the main one. On one, he built a massive water park, and on the others, he placed elegant guest houses for future visitors.
Floating down onto the hammock, Tet stretched out, hands behind his head, and murmured to himself, "What should I do next? I guess I could get my first player… but who should it be?"
He mulled it over for a moment, tapping his chin thoughtfully, before his expression lit up. "Oh, I know!"
With a sharp snap of his fingers, a burst of brilliant light erupted before him, and out of it appeared a young girl, around fifteen years old. She had spiky black hair, wore all black clothing, and sported a black leather jacket that made her look like she was ready for a fight.
After a moment, the girl groggily opened her electric-blue eyes and blinked, disoriented. "…Where am I?" she muttered, her voice rough from confusion.
Tet smiled calmly and said, "You're in my realm."
The girl's gaze sharpened instantly. Noticing Tet, she tensed, instinctively jumping backward and pulling out her spear in a defensive stance. "Who are you?!" she demanded, her voice sharp and full of caution.
Tet leaned casually against the hammock, unfazed by the hostility, and said smoothly, "I'm Tet, God of Games. Who are you?"
For a moment, the girl hesitated, eyes narrowing as she studied him. Then, cautiously, she said, "…Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus."
Tet's smirk softened slightly, his tone taking on mock sympathy. "Oh, how sad for you. I'm sorry."
Thalia let out a small sigh and lowered her spear slightly but didn't relax completely. "…What do you want from me?"
Tet crossed his arms and said simply, "Well, I'd like you to play a game."
Thalia blinked, tilting her head incredulously. "You… pulled me out of the pine tree to play a game?!"
Tet grinned and nodded. "Yes. But to be fair, I am the God of Games. What did you think? That I wanted to tell you about the Lord and Savior?"
For a moment, there was silence—then Thalia burst into laughter, lowering her spear entirely. "Pfft—if you did, you'd be the strongest Jehovah's Witness I've ever seen!"
Tet chuckled under his breath, enjoying her wit.
"Okay," Thalia said, finally straightening up, "what kind of game am I playing?"
Tet leaned forward slightly, his expression turning serious. "A very long one. In fact, you'll be there for about two or three years. But once you're done, you'll be stronger than you ever thought possible."
Thalia raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Okay, I'm liking the idea of a power-up… but why do I need to stay there for two or three years?"
Tet sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because it's either there or the pine tree. I can't let you roam in the open. If you do, the Fates will notice… and they'll deal with you."
Thalia's confident expression faltered instantly, a visible shiver running down her spine at the mention of the Fates. "…Yeah," she said quickly, "let's take the option that keeps them away from me."
Tet grinned, pleased by her answer. "Great choice."
With a wave of his hand, he conjured a glowing golden key, which floated gracefully through the air until it stopped in front of her. "This will let you enter the game. Now, keep in mind, I may be calling it a 'game,' but for you, it might as well be real life. The characters inside will, to an extent, follow a script… but they'll also think and react based on your actions."
Thalia caught the key, examining its intricate design as it shimmered in the kaleidoscopic light of Tet's realm. "Good to know," she said with a small nod.
Then she looked back up at Tet, her usual confident smirk returning. "Guess I'll see you in three years, huh?"
"Indeed," Tet replied with an amused smile.
Thalia twirled the key once in her fingers, then activated it. In an instant, she was engulfed in a flash of golden light and vanished without a trace.
Tet leaned back in his hammock, gazing up at the swirling skies with a satisfied grin. "…And so, the game begins."