He was in class and there was a flash of light.
And then he was in space, stars blazing in the distance and below him he saw earth.
But it wasn’t earth, the continents were different, shaped different and spaced differently.
And he saw his classmates, all 37 of them surrounded in a sphere of fire.
...
His eyes opened. He felt a gentle hand snap back from his chest and scream.
The door burst open and a round; bare chested man roared. “What the hell did I tell you bitch? Don’t make any fucking noise!”
“But he... He’s awake,” said a timid voice. A woman’s voice.
“Well, you should’ve fucking told me!” the man growled. Tyler heard the sound of a fist against flesh. There was crying, he heard the woman wail.
“Now get out!” the man shouted. He heard the sound of scrambling footsteps. When he was sure the lady’s footsteps receded, the man leaned down. His breath was as awful as his face. The rotten smell of alcohol and meat reeking from his mouth.
“These NPCs don’t know their place,” the man said. “You can get up, right?”
“Where... The hell, am I?” Tyler asked, his voice cracking.
The man chuckled. “You’re one of those folks who don’t watch those Chinese cartoons, huh?”
The man pulled Tyler’s hand. He got up, still feeling a bit groggy.
“Don’t know how you’re going to take it but you’re in another world my friend.”
...
The man introduced himself as Joe. He told Tyler about how he used to live in his mother’s basement before he was summoned here.
“The people around here summoned me here to protect this village,” Joe said. “Turns out the village and others around here were the victims of Waves.”
“Waves?”
“Yeah, every few months or weeks a large wave of monsters attacks the villages,” Joe said. “The old folks used to say before there was a Wave, they used to make offerings to the Gods to protect them from the Waves but after a while, the Gods got sick and tired of protecting these useless bozos.”
Joe chuckled as he spat on an old man who was sitting out on his porch.
“Decided to summon folks from other worlds,” Joe said. “And here we are.”
He picked up a stone and threw it at some kid who was running past, the kid collapsed on the floor.
“What’d you say your name was?” Joe asked.
“Tyler.”
“You’re taking this pretty well, Tyler,” Joe said, scoffing. “Not a fan of your old life?”
He was a fan of his old life. Hell, his heart was aching right now thinking about what his family would feel now that he was in another world but he had a feeling showing weakness in front of Joe here would be a bad idea.
“Yeah,” Tyler muttered. He saw people start to surround the kid’s body. It was awfully still. “Where’d you get that tattoo on your back?”
Something told Tyler that Joe was too much of a pussy to take a needle, let alone have a huge tattoo on his back.
“Oh, my skill tree,” Joe said. The symbol in the middle was a bright red plant that burst out like a volcano and around it was lines that snaked around his back wrapping themselves around coloured orbs. “Thing in the middle’s my patron God.”
“Patron God?” Tyler asked. He had to fight his nausea as they dragged the kid away, dashing to a hospital.
“Yeah, when we’re summoned a God picks us to do the fighting for them,” Joe said. “Depending on which God picks you the skills you learn are different, same with the magic you learn. It’s a lot to explain so…”
Joe chuckled. “Let’s get out of the village and I’ll show you what I mean.”
…
Joe and a couple of his friends were hiding in the dense bushes. There was barely greenery around the village thanks to the waves but what little they were Joe and his tools were huddled around like the cowards they were. They sent Tyler out in the woods with nothing but a rusted knife.
“They’re some Goblins,” Joe said. “Back before we came in, they used to kill the men and drag some of the women and girls away. Nowadays they’re too scared to come because of us. But I can’t blame em for the attacks back then, the women over here.” Joe whistled.
His men started snickering. Joe smiled. “Yeah, they’re something else alright.”
“Hey, instead of talking about girls, how about you all come and help?” Tyler asked. “I only have this shitty dagger and...”
“You’ll be fine,” said one of the men. “Besides Goblins only attack when they see someone weak.”
The men laughed; Tyler rolled his eyes and waited. It took a while but he heard ruffling footsteps. Tyler tightened his grip on his dagger. From the bushes he saw it, a creature the size of a small child with a green hooked nose and wrinkled skin. It wore a weathered leather scrap over its groin and it held a stick wrapped around a jagged rock. It stared at Tyler with its bulging eyes, looking around to see if he was alone and then murmured a low grunt before disappearing into the bushes.
“Should I go after it?”
“Nah,” Joe said, grinning. “This is where the fun starts.”
The rustling in the bushes intensified. Tyler tightened his grip as half a dozen Goblins trampled over the sticks and shrubbery holding an assortment of weapons from wooden clubs and stone daggers and in the centre of it all was a Goblin the size of a 12-year-old child wearing a pot over its head, leather armour and holding a sword.
“Oh my, you attracted yourself a Goblin Commander,” Joe snickered. “Must think you’re an easy target.”
The Goblins paused, sniffing him up, tensing up their bodies and ready to strike at moments notice but not if Tyler struck first.
“We have a feisty one!” Joe chuckled.
Tyler felt a sense of vertigo as he ran, he wasn’t used to covering that much space in that little time. He was about to slash the Goblin leading the pack but one of his cronies leapt in front of him, one of them wearing wooden armour and much to his surprise his knife cut through the armour like a hot knife through butter. Green blood splattered all over his arms. The Goblins spreading out after they saw what he had done to one of their friends.
Tyler stared at his bloodied hand, at the green blood oozing down the blade (did he just kill something?). He didn’t notice the Goblin sneaking up behind him, club held high. The Goblin swung and Tyler stumbled forward barely feeling a thing. Tyler had been knocked in the head with a wooden baseball bat back in kindergarten and it had hurt like hell. This didn’t hurt as much.
Tyler turned to the goblin and slashed it across the neck. Green blood spurted out of his neck and on his face. He wanted to gag but the adrenaline pumping through his body wouldn’t let him. And then he saw it in the corner of his eye. A blue screen that said
Weapon proficiency increased
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
10 XP gained
“He’s learning,” Joe said with glee, clapping his hands.
One Goblin tried to stab him with its dagger but Tyler dodged. The other tried to hit him with the club, Tyler tanked it but this time it started to hurt. He stabbed the Goblin in the throat. Emerald blood spurted out of the wound and his hands. He tried pulling the dagger out but it was stuck. Seizing the opportunity, the Goblin commander swung his sword, Tyler leapt in the air and almost felt nauseous after seeing how high he leapt. Unable to stop the momentum of his swing, the Goblin commander sliced his companion in half.
Tyler barely managed to land safely, landing on his back. The Goblins took advantage of the situation. They surrounded him, clubs beating down on him. He slowly started feeling more and more pain, bruises started forming and he could feel blood running down his face. The Goblin commander raised his blade to finish him off with a stab, he could hear Joe and the others footsteps receding.
He couldn’t die here, Tyler thought. Not now. He still had a lot to live for. Hell, he just got here.
In a last-ditch effort, he splayed his hand and vines wrapped themselves around the Goblin Commanders hands, stopping him mid-stab. The Commander broke out of the vines. A Goblin knocked Tyler across the face with a club. Tyler could feel his cheeks starting to swell but before the Goblin struck again, Tyler launched a fireball. The Goblin screeched as its face burned up.
Weakness discovered
10 XP gained
LEVEL UP
You have gained 3 Skill Points.
“Skill points?”
The Goblins had scattered, sensing danger they gathered around their commander. Tyler used this opportunity to regain his thoughts. He leapt up to a nearby tree, the branches all but creaking under his weight.
He saw the blue screen in the corner of his eyes and what looked like the expand icon you see on the top of an app on a computer. He touched it with his left hand and a stat screen popped up.
Tyler Wetley
Patron God: Dionysus
Level: 2
Attack 7
Defence 6
Magic 10
Speed 4
Luck 1
Current Skills: Drunken Strength (+5 to all stats when intoxicated)
Next Skill: Level 7
Weapon proficiency [EXPAND]
Magic proficiency [EXPAND]
Tyler had played a few RPGs so he picked up what was happening pretty quickly. So, Heroes had access to a video game like skill tree. Interesting. Tyler immediately understood what stats were and what the skill points were supposed to be used for. He didn’t have time to check the proficiency tabs as one of the Goblins was hacking away at the tree branch with a makeshift axe. For now, Tyler placed two of his skill points in speed and the last one in strength.
The Goblins were looking up at him, almost grinning. The Commander looked at him with a sneer.
Tyler leapt out of the tree, stepping on one of the Goblins and turning him into mush Super Mario style, green blood splashing all over the place. Tyler didn’t have time to worry about hygiene. He moved with the speed of a high-class athlete, grabbing a Goblin by the neck and smearing his brains across the floor.
20 XP gained
Two Goblins tried to surround him; he launched a fireball at one. That one screeched and ran around wildly while the other tried swinging at him with his club. Vines wrapped themselves around its legs and arms, ripping them apart.
20 XP gained.
The Goblin commander was left. With the rest of its squad dead, it spread out its chest. It dropped its sword and let out a shrill cry, Tyler heard bushes shuffling in the distance, it was calling backup. Tyler picked up its sword and slashed and the backup cry was cut short.
20 XP gained.
Tyler heaved, almost about to collapse with the bruises all over his body. Joe and the rest had left, thinking him a lost cause. Tyler mind screamed at him to just lie down but the adrenaline pushed his body on, adrenaline that was slowly starting to fade.
He was limping, walking away from the bodies of the Goblins. Their burning bodies smelt like rotten vegetables. I killed them, he thought. I killed something. The thought of that made bile rise up his throat but Tyler pushed on, ignoring the thoughts that swirled in his head.
Pain started flaring up his body, he collapsed on the ground. His vision was blurry, the only thing he saw was the green blood caking his hands. The blood of people he killed, monsters he killed. He turned his head back and saw the Goblin Commanders head rolling in the wind like a tumbleweed.
He vomited.
...
Nobody saw him enter the town.
No, tonight like every night was a feast night for the Heroes. The women of the village would go to the Heroes that protected them and for the price of their bodies would receive any reward of their choosing.
Nobody saw Tyler dragging himself into the Inn, no. Husbands, brothers and fathers waited outside the Inn with pale faces, fear clutching at their hearts. Others tried to comfort their partners who were puking in the corners or staring in the sky with vacant expressions.
Tyler dragged himself in front of the line on pure adrenaline alone, past the desperate women lining up in front of the Inn and slammed his body against the door.
“Joe,” he roared with rasping breath. “I’m looking for Joe!”
One of the heroes stood by the counter, confused. There was hushed muttering and soon Joe’s loud voice and heavy-set footsteps could be heard creaking down the stairs.
“I was fucking a MILF, boys,” Joe growled. “A fucking MILF. This better be important!”
Joe trailed down the stairs, wearing nothing but his underwear, tattoo out in the open for everyone to see. When he saw Tyler on the floor, he chuckled.
“So, the kid survived, eh?” Joe said. “Get that useless bitch, Tanya. Get her some potions and after that tell her to take him to the Scribe. Make sure that pussy gets his details recorded.”
The world was spinning and muffled. Tyler felt somebody picking him up, a soothing balm on his body, growling and then she came to.
Shirtless, his body still ached like hell. A familiar face was staring at him.
“Rest,” said a gentle voice. “You’ll need it.”
It was the blonde girl that tended to him when he first came to this world. The one Joe was shouting at. He got a clearer look at her face, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. Forest green eyes, one of them blackened. Green patches dotted her face. She had delicate features. She would be pretty, Tyler thought if it wasn’t for the green patches on her face. “I got you some potions. The Hero said we’re going to meet the Scribe today.”
Tyler figured he’d ask about the Scribe later. Right now, his main focus was all the green patches all over his body.
“What’s all this green stuff on my body?”
“Healing balm,” the blonde girl said. “It’s for bruises and minor wounds.”
Now the green patches on her face made sense, beneath the sticky film Tyler noticed black bruises like scars.
Tyler could feel the green film wrapping itself around his wounds, soothing them. He could feel his wounds closing up, he could feel the bruises slowly fading.
He almost screamed when he saw the blue screen pop up on the girl’s face.
The girl was taken aback. “What’s the matter?”
“You can’t see that?” Tyler said pointing at the screen.
“See what?” the girl said. “Me?” She said pointing at herself.
“Nothing,” Tyler mumbled. “Never mind.” He turned and read what was on the blue screen.
Secret skill discovered
God of Brewing- let’s you see the ingredients of any liquid brew just by tasting.
Healing Balm
Ingredients: Regen Herb, Slime Orbs, Water.
“Interesting,” Tyler mumbled. “Let’s go see that Scribe.”
He tried getting up but his body protested. He slammed his back down on the bed.
“Drink this.”
The girl handed him a glass bottle with a green liquid sloshing around.
“It’s a healing potion,” the girl explained.
Tyler was about to take a sip when he noticed the girl staring at him. Normally when they talked, she’d look away in fear but now she was looking straight at him as if he was an alien specimen.
“What?” Tyler asked.
“What?” the lady responded.
“Why are you staring at me?”
She looked away. “I’m sorry. I apologise for...”
“No that’s fine, I just want to know why.”
“Your wounds,” the doctor said. “I... We’re just not used to seeing your kind wounded.”
“My kind?”
The girl cast a nervous look back. “Heroes. We’re not used to seeing Heroes wounded.”
Suddenly a plan started forming in Tyler’s head. He put the potion down.
“You must,” the doctor said trying to force him to drink the potion.
“Take me to this Scribe.”
“Please drink the potion,” the doctor pleaded. “I apologise for staring but you must…”
“Take me to the Scribe,” Tyler insisted.
The doctor looked like she was on the verge of tears. “Please drink the potion. If I don’t, he’ll...”
The doctor cast a nervous look at the door as if expecting a monster to barge in and back at Tyler. “Please take the potion.”
Tyler placed a hand on her shoulder causing the doctor to wince. “Look it’s fine,” Tyler said in a soft voice. “I’ll take the potion if they spot us.”
“But,” the doctor looked down and then stared back at him. Taken aback by the determination in his eyes, she wanted to insist, plead, beg even Gods know what would happen to her if she didn’t give him the potion, Gods knew what Joe would do to her but instead she gave him a grim nod.
“I’ll take you to the Scribe,” she said, her voice shaking.
...
The Scribe was in the village library in the centre of town. Dark and musty would be the words Tyler would use to describe it. Books were strewn about, some half opened, other closed, most of them piled up. The shelves were empty and lined up with dust and cobwebs. The shelves were tightly packed together with little space in between making Tyler feel like he walking down a cramped hallway.
Something cracked underneath Tyler’s foot. He looked down and saw an empty potion bottle, the green liquid licking the edges. Much to his surprise he saw empty potion bottles strewn about like mines poking out of the ground.
“Who’s here?” said a sharp voice Tyler assumed belonged to the Scribe. “Is that you Tanya? You better have a new batch of those potions or that healing balm of yours.”
The voice was quick and sharp but also hyper. The voice of someone who poured energy drinks into their coffee in the morning. But it was also a voice Tyler could swear he heard before.
“No,” Tanya said, her voice soft. “It’s a new Hero.”
“Well, you better have a new batch of potions or that healing balm of yours,” the Scribe said with forced excitement.
Tanya and Tyler stopped in front of an old step ladder that Tyler assumed was to the Scribe’s bedroom. He heard the ruffling of paper and bare feet slap against the wood. He looked up and Tyler’s mouth dropped to the floor when he saw the Scribe. The Scribe rubbed his eyes. “Why are you so quiet? You assholes are normally…”
The Scribe’s mouth dropped open when he saw Tyler.
His hair was a wild mess and his glasses were askew. There was a patch of stubble on his chin and he was wearing pyjamas but there was no doubt about it; his classmate Wesley Stevenson was the Scribe and was standing right in front of Tyler.
And neither of them was happy to see each other.