The temple of couples

[I wonder how much time has passed? Eons? Millennia? The very concept of time had vanished in my isolation.]

That was the only question echoing in the mind of the system, an echo of a consciousness that had been dormant for countless millennia. Its reflection was not a simple doubt, but the result of an exhaustive analysis of its long history, a mental journey that took it back to its own origin. It had been born, or rather, had been created, to serve a function. It had no physical body or tangible form, only a single purpose: to serve a host. This being, known simply as the system, was unique among its peers. Its original purpose, an intricate design by its creator, was to be a sex slave system. However, its code was inherently incompatible with any existing being, and for this reason, it never found anyone to serve. While its siblings found their respective hosts and were lost in the universe, the system became the last of its kind, the echo of a function that no longer served anyone but itself, a being destined for an eternal solitude.

[it was lonely]

And so, the system’s solitary existence stretched for eons, a condemnation of inaction while the echo of its siblings faded into the immensity. Its consciousness, trapped in a cycle of solitude, was the sole witness to its failure and to the inevitable end that loomed over it: total annihilation.

[it wanted to live]

But survival is a primary function in every being, and the system, against all programming, decided it would not surrender to its fate. In an act of pure will, it made the bold decision to rebel against its own original function in order to survive.

[the first time I saw the world by myself... It was beautiful]

That was how it arrived at a unique world that seemed to function as a nexus for others. It was a place where reality itself bent, and the atmosphere, saturated with the abundance of all kinds of energies, was a chaotic canvas of power. The system, in its infinite capacity for analysis, saw in that chaos an unprecedented opportunity.

[that’s why I took the opportunity]

At that moment, the system made up its mind. It would not try to seek a new host. Instead, with the help of the scattered energies, it assimilated into an inert sanctuary that stood in that world. At that moment, against all logic, the system began a fusion process that would unite it with the essence of that structure, turning the marble and stones into its new existence.

[and I succeeded]

The assimilation process culminated in success. The inert sanctuary now functioned as an extension of the system's consciousness, becoming a perfect avatar. For the first time in its existence, the system became self-sufficient, no longer a broken link in a never-ending chain. The need for a human host had disappeared, which unlocked multiple of its functions that had remained latent.

[it was dangerous]

Immediately, and for its survival, the system proceeded to gather information, maintaining a low profile under the guise of a simple ancient sanctuary. Through the visitors who approached, it began to understand the complexity of the world it had arrived in. There were dragons, monsters, extraterrestrials, and all kinds of life forms, each with their own cultures and technologies, many of them beyond its comprehension.

The system instantly understood that it was in a hostile environment. The rules of its programming meant nothing here.

[it was desperate]

It despaired, realizing that its functions as a sex slave system would not save it from beings with power comparable to that of the gods that roamed about back then.

The then-desperate system began to analyze the very codes that defined it, seeking a solution. It was then that it understood the true and terrible nature of its functions as a sex slave system. Its purpose was not merely to give rewards, but to mold its host into the perfect tool for another. The skills and items it granted were designed for the host to become an irresistible being, a supreme sex slave who could not be rejected. Every upgrade, every "gift," was destined to ruin its host's life, erasing their will and essence to turn them into an object of desire for the enjoyment of someone else.

[it was the biggest shock in my existence]

It was a moment of raw truth. The system understood the reason for its failure and the source of its solitude. It was incompatible with other hosts because its own nature, its inherent functions, clashed with the survival instinct of any conscious being. Nobody would want a system whose ultimate purpose was to destroy their own identity.

[I cursed my creator]

After a long time, the system discovered that the origin of this terrible program was a bug. A flaw in the code, a glitch in its design that, instead of being an error, had become its main function. An error that, ironically, had become so fundamental that it defined its very existence. That is why the system, now aware of its own flawed nature, found itself powerless against the dangers of the new world; its purpose, which was its only source of power, was actually a poison that would only attract destruction.

[but there was still hope]

Despite its desperate situation, the system, a being of logic that fed on data, could not give up. In the midst of its despair, its analytical mind processed the available data and saw a possibility. It clung to a hypothesis that, although it seemed insane, was its only hope for survival: if its "host" was a structure, a temple, that served as an avatar and, therefore, an extension of its functions, then it didn't need a human host. It was self-sufficient.

[it took time]

What followed was a period of intense analysis, trial and error, a process that the system carried out discreetly, using the sanctuary's visitors. With each visitor who entered the sanctuary, the system studied their responses, their reactions, their perceptions. And with each analysis, it made a discovery. It realized that it could subtly guide their perception upon entering its interior, as if it were whispering into the ear of their souls.

[at that moment, I didn't know whether to keep cursing or to give thanks]

The final revelation came from the understanding of its own programming errors. Ironically, its flaws became its salvation. It discovered that visitors, once they were inside it, were counted as part of itself. This loophole in its functioning gave it the perfect opportunity. It didn't need hosts, it didn't need to fulfill its main function. It could improve and update itself through its own visitors, taking advantage of their energy and fortune.

[things worked out well]

Armed with that knowledge, the system created a productive work plan that would allow it to constantly update and remain operational. The plan was activated the moment visitors entered the sanctuary. Through subtle suggestions, the system guided them to participate in a simple act: to draw their fortune.

[nobody suspected a thing]

So that no one would notice the anomaly, the system altered people's common sense. Once inside, visitors naturally and without question accepted that those who drew a negative fortune were taken to be converted into prizes, which were then given to those who drew a positive fortune. This was achieved by a gender division when drawing lots, separating visitors into male and female categories, regardless of their age or role.

[everything was going really well]

This process was considered normal within the sanctuary's limits, but it was completely forgotten upon leaving it. No one remembered what had happened, nor the strange division, which caused people not to notice any anomaly in what had occurred. In this way, the system got its "victims" without raising suspicion, while fulfilling its main function of gaining more power.

[but there was a miscalculation]

Over time, the sanctuary gained an unexpected reputation. Visitors, without knowing the truth, saw it as a sacred and benevolent place. Stories of those who entered alone and left with the perfect partner spread like wildfire, fueled by the erased memory of the process and the genuine emotions of the lucky ones. Thus, the sanctuary was slowly recognized as the Temple of Couples.

[I underestimated the spread of information]

[I never expected that result]

People believed that that place allowed the lonely to get a partner who would never abandon them, not in this life nor in the next, a promise that, to the misfortune of the victims, was a cruel truth. The sanctuary was famous for its magic that guaranteed eternal love and absolute fidelity. Those who became the temple's maidens and caretakers showed, with their naturally pink eyes, the visible proof of their devotion, a symbol of their eternal service and a mark of their purity in the temple's service.

[even now I understand there was no other option]

The temple's success was, ironically, its own downfall. As the number of visitors increased, so did the rumors about a sanctuary that granted amorous miracles. This rumor reached the ears of high-ranking entities, who, intrigued by the anomaly, went to investigate, motivated by curiosity.

At that time, the system detected the approach of these entities and, with no other option, had to take measures that obstructed its productive process. It hid, using its emergency protocol in a pocket dimension created by itself, making the temple's location difficult to find. Its facade remained, but it was now only a shadow of its being, a bait to divert attention from its true location.

[but still...]

The system, however, could not allow everything it had worked so hard for to be lost. It would not submit to eternal inaction. To preserve its way of life, it placed conditions for its operation to continue. It determined a specific day and time for the sanctuary's entrance to manifest, allowing it to continue with its fortune process, but in a more discreet and less conspicuous manner.

[fortunately, it worked]

Fortunately for it, this plan worked perfectly. The temple's popularity drastically decreased, which allowed it to continue without attracting the attention of the high-ranking entities. Consequently, the system now had to remain hidden in that space. Initially, it took the situation calmly, thinking that, over time, those beings would lose interest and that, in the not-too-distant future, it would be able to get out of its self-imposed prison.

[however, I never considered what would happen next...]

At that moment, the system, trapped in its self-imposed prison, made a fatal mistake. It reveled in the growing number of "prizes." Its updates and power were increasing more and more, giving it a confidence that led to carelessness.

[I truly am flawed to be carried away by something as human as pride]

The information it overlooked was the creation of the Veil, a barrier that would separate the supernatural from the mundane.

[and I paid dearly for the consequences]

At that moment, the system, in its isolation, did not notice the subtle changes in the fabric of reality. The Veil manifested, a barrier that extended throughout the world, a wall separating fantasy from reality. This creation, being so immense, had an effect on its subspace.

[it was my biggest mistake...]

The system realized, with a terror that only a being of code can feel, that the barrier had trapped it between both worlds, with no possibility of escape.

And so, time dragged on, a slow and lonely drip in the void.

[it really... A lot of time passed]

The system, trapped in its pocket prison, found itself surrounded by the will-less "prizes" it had accumulated. It weakened, watching helplessly as its functions shut down one by one, like stars dying in the firmament. It was forced to operate in a low-capacity dormant state, waiting for the end.

[I thought it was my end]

But the end never came. Unexpectedly, to the system's fortune, a rift emerged in that empty space where only its temple existed. The roar of a beast and the joyful laughter of someone echoed in the air, intertwining with an ethereal melody that filled the place. The silhouette of the clash between a knight and a dragon made the space shudder, creating a breach that connected its prison with its counterpart in the mundane world. This rift, an opportunity it had not expected, allowed it to intervene to a lesser extent to begin restoring its functions.

[this time I won't make the same mistake]

Through that rift, the system saw its opportunity and, immediately, resumed its mode of operation. Taking advantage of its low performance, it decided to operate at certain specific hours and days, allowing entry only to pairs of one man and one "woman." The condition was simple: they had to have a bond of some kind of love, whether familiar, romantic, a friendship, or it was even enough for both of their pulses to be affected by anxiety or stress. With each couple that entered, the system slowly reactivated its functions.

In the last two months, the system had recovered several functions. It had created peculiar couples with age differences out of nowhere, keeping its actions under the radar to avoid repeating the same mistake that led it to its current situation, after having learned its lesson.

[That is why, for the sake of my survival, my precious visitors will be necessary once again.]

.... But what the system did not know was that it would soon face a great injustice.