Alex took in the conversation he had just had with V.V. and was quite pleased with the situation. Sure, he had probably gone insane and was in a padded room somewhere but he had had a pleasant exchange with his orbish companion. Why shouldn’t he be happy about that, he thought to himself.
“I hope they're giving me high quality drugs.” Alex said to himself softly while he looked out the side window and into the rapidly lightening woods.
“Who are you referring to Alex? I do not detect any abnormal status effects within your body at this time.” V.V. heard and responded to Alex.
“Was that another skill you used to check my status?” Alex said, turning back to V.V. and pulling himself back from that weird place his mind seemed to want to go to.
“Correct. Detect allows me to scan for certain conditions within objects or beings of my choosing. The scope of what I can scan or detect increases with my power.”
“That’s pretty awesome. What do you mean by ‘your power?”
“I am referring to my level of ability with both the skills, the attributes that I increase and the level I attain.”
Alex thought over what V.V. said for a few moments. Levels were something he was extremely familiar with in games but his status only seemed to apply experience to his class and eventually his profession. He himself did not seem to have a level outside of those categories.
“Do you level up yourself or do you have to level up a class and profession to get levels?” Alex said, thinking he was already arriving at the answer to his question.
“The second part of your question is correct, Alex.”
“OK. Thanks, V.V. There are so so so many things I need to do, look up and ask. Not to mention everything else outside the truck. I’m not even sure what I’m going to do for food. It’s overwhelming.” Alex said as he sunk deeper into his seat.
“Addressing each object of interest, one thing at a time, is the answer I have come to.”
*Snort*
Alex stifled a laugh as V.V. made their response. Ask all the questions, view all the things that need viewing, do the things that need doing. Alex knew the answer again but having his little companion say it so matter-of-factly helped him to get his mind back on task. He pulled himself upright and decided to start getting things done.
“Quickly tell me about your other skill and then I need to jump back into the System for a bit.” Alex addressed V.V. with a more confident air than he had previously.
“Understood. Inventory allows the storage of items.” V.V. said with just as much enthusiasm as all the other times but Alex felt that there was almost something there. The tone was just slightly more bright, possibly prideful?
“Very nice. Storage is a staple in pretty much every game I ever played. I know I said to be quick but can you give me a little more detail, please?”
“Indeed. Inventory can currently store up to 10 unique objects. Objects of the same category may be stacked up to one hundred of the same type. Like all other skills, the effectiveness of the skill will increase with my power… and it is also extremely rare even among Evolving type companions to possess this ability.” V.V. concluded, but again, Alex could detect a little glimmer of emotion when they spoke about the rarity of the ability.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t their companions that can specifically use storage abilities?” Alex said while both being a bit confused about the storage rarity and slightly amused at the thought that V.V. was proud of something.
“Storage abilities themselves are not too uncommon, however, the skill Inventory itself is rare.” V.V. reiterated and again had a slightly prideful twinkle to its otherwise robotic voice.
“I do want to dive into that more but I think I should get back to looking through the System and seeing what this new reward is about. After that… exploring outside may need to happen.” Alex said, and an involuntary shiver ran down his spine. “System rewards.”
System Rewards.
System Reward: Title: Grow, Progress, Evolve
System Reward: Title: First Evolver
System Reward: 25,000 Credits
“Two more titles and some cash. Nice. Looks like these are about you V.V.” Alex said, turning to V.V. while simultaneously telling the System to display the Title details.
System Titles
First Among Many: You are one of the first of your species to kill a mana warped creature in your world. All stats gain +1%. For every additional mana warped creature you kill of the same name as the first mana warped creature you slaughtered, gain additional +1% total to all stats, up to a maximum total of +100%. User has 5000 minutes to complete the task. 3866/5000 minutes remain.
The Sky Is My Kingdom: User is the first of their kind to kill a mana warped creature above 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000, 30,000, 35,000, 40,000 and 45,000 feet. All previous titles associated with the Sky Slaughterer title are merged into the Users current title. All stats +220%.
Lonely Warden: The User has killed a mana warped creature without being within 1, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 and 500 miles of another of the Users species. All previous titles associated with the All That Wander title are merged into the Users current title. All stats +50%.
Grow, Progress, Evolve: Acquire an Evolving companion. This Title is a chain Title and as such has merged with previous iterations of the current Title. All stats +25% for both User and the first companion the User acquired.
First Evolver: The User is the first of their kind to acquire an Evolving companion. 10 free stat points, All stats +25% for both User and the first companion the User acquired.
The first thing Alex noticed when he brought up the window wasn’t a new Title but an older one. “Oh shit! I completely blanked on the timed quest thing! Shit!” Alex shouted at his own incompetence as the quest to kill more squirrels hovered in front of him. He slapped his hand to his forehead and let it slide down slowly, while again turning his face up towards the proverbial heavens just beyond the ceiling of his dead truck.
“I have to go outside again.” Alex said with the finality of a man walking to his certain doom. “I.. have to go outside.” He said a bit louder in an attempt to convince himself. “I am going outside.” He said once more with as much strength and assuredness as he could muster.
“Very well. Will you allocate your free points before or after venturing outside.?” V.V. asked.
“My.. what?” Alex asked, turning to V.V. with a now almost trademark confused expression on his face.
“You have 10 free stat points available to dispense at your leisure.”
“What? Where the hell does it say I have free stat points? Status!” Alex asked and then answered for himself.
User: Alexander Ingram
Race: Human (Other)
Age/Sex: 19 / Male
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Titles: First Among Many, The Sky Is My Kingdom, Lonely Warden
Class: None*
Profession: None
Companion: Vibrant Void*
System Credits: 40,000
System Tokens*: 3 X-Grade Tokens, 8 A-Grade Tokens, 6 B-Grade Tokens, 9 C-Grade Tokens
Skills: Mana Tolerance (1), Mana Absorption (1)
Attributes*:
Strength: 9 +321% = 38
Constitution: 11 +321% = 46
Vitality: 10 +321% = 42
Resistance: 8 +321% = 34
Endurance: 8 +321% = 34
Dexterity: 9 +321% = 38
Agility: 8 +321% = 34
Perception: 11 +321% = 46
Intelligence: 13 +321% = 55
Wisdom: 9 +321% = 38
Willpower: 11 +321% = 46
Charisma: 8 +321% = 34
Alex looked over his status, noticing that he still hadn’t checked on the asterisk beside System Tokens but again ignoring it in favor of finding these so-called free stat points. He looked at his stats, noticing that they had taken another leap forward without him feeling that he had really done anything to deserve them, but he didn’t see any… his eyes snapped to the word Attributes and he saw it, a new asterisk. Alex may very well have needed glasses before the apocalypse but he shouldn’t need them now with all the new stats. But here he was again, missing things in plain sight; what else was he overlooking?
“How did I even miss that?” Alex said, rubbing his eyes and taking in his status again.
“You acquired these 10 free stat points from your recent achievement. I believe, although I may be wrong, that your shock over the time limit for your quest kept you from reading over the new changes carefully.” V.V. said with complete robotic confidence, even though they used words in such a way that could imply that Alex wasn’t an ADHD riddled scatterbrain.
“Oh.” Alex said, slightly admonished by V.V.’s words. V.V. of course was in no way admonishing Alex but their words still hit him harder than they should have. He had always jumped the gun on simple things in his life that later bit him in unexpected ways. Even here in the after times, not reading things thoroughly was causing him issues. They were teeny-tiny issues now but what if he missed something major eventually. He was determined to be more thorough from now on but he wasn’t too confident that he would stick to any plans that were basically fundamental personality improvements.
Sigh “Fffff.. OK. I need to be better about reading things all the way, but I'm glad you're here to catch me if I slip up V.V.” Alex said after letting out a small sigh and an odd noise to accompany it.
“It is one of my roles as your companion, Alex.”
Alex nodded his head and looked at the asterisk waiting to be acknowledged. “Display Attributes.” Alex said and for who knew how many times now, nothing happened. He did notice a slight glow appear around his Attributes panel that displayed his Stats.
“Oh, come on now. What is the right wordage to get the damn thing to display what I wanna see?” Alex asked to the System but he got an answer from another source.
“The System displays to the best of its ability, what you ask of it. The more you use the System the more familiar it will become with you as its User. Eventually, you will be able to summon the System panes without using verbal commands and simply think of what you desire to be displayed. In this situation, a more apt command would be ‘Display Attribute Menu’ or if you specifically want to see what the asterisk is alerting you to; say ‘Display Attribute Asterisk Information.” V.V. spoke a novels worth of useful information to Alex. Again, information he should have been able to parse out himself, but didn’t even give it enough thought to scratch the surface of what V.V. had just divulged to him. Alex had never claimed to be a genius or even particularly intelligent, but he was feeling more stupid in the past few hours than he had in the entirety of his life before all this madness began.
SIGH! “This is too much…” Letting out a huge sigh this time, Alex’s head once more plopped against the top of his seat. “Display Attribute Asterisk Details.”
Attribute Notification:
The User has acquired free status points.
10 Free Status Points are available.
“Couldn’t it have just put the free stats in the status area. Why is it hidden behind an asterisk?” Alex asked to V.V. this time.
“The System will calibrate itself to display information to best suit your needs as time passes. It is not a living thing that can infer the meaning behind your words easily. It uses very advanced processes to learn how you want it to behave and makes adjustments over time.”
“Isn’t it like, Artificial Intelligence or something?” Alex asked, confused by what V.V. meant by being alive. He had always thought that if there was something that could really be considered A.I. then it would basically be alive by his primitive understanding.
“It is in some ways, Artificial Intelligence but it has no personality, motivation, drive or other emotion that one would associate with a living being.” V.V. said with the most monotone voice Alex had heard so far.
“OK. I’m sorry if this is insensitive but aren't you A.I.?” Alex asked something he had been wanting to ask for a while now.
“I am a living creature. My body is comprised of a material that you would most easily associate with liquid metal. My internal structure is comprised of what you could refer to as organs, however they may also shift according to the form I choose to take. I do have a core that, if destroyed, will result in my death.”
Alex stared at V.V. and all he could think at first was, Terminator. His little cueball was basically a freaking T-1000 Terminator! Wow! Well, it did have a core. The T-1000 didn’t have a core but still! Alex was freaking out in his head while V.V. calmly floated beside him. Alex came down from his internal nerd explosion and noticed that he was smiling in an almost insane way. He tried to compose himself and cleared his throat before speaking to V.V.
*HmHm* “Uh well, that’s really cool V.V. We have a story in my society about a robot, a non-living thing, that is comprised of what I'm assuming are similar materials as you. So, I guess I am just confused a bit, but if you’re saying you're alive then I’m completely on board.” Alex said quickly.
“I chose a liquid metal analogy as I thought it something you were familiar with, but it seems I have caused confusion. I am, in fact, made of biological elements. My body grows over time, absorbs nutrients to sustain itself and also produces waste. Without coming into contact with this material that you are referring to, I cannot say whether it is truly similar to myself or not. I will say that I was not manufactured but born on a world far beyond your own if that helps your understanding.”
“Oh wow, I have been making some leaps in my head that I really need to backpedal. Sorry V.V.” Alex said, slapping himself internally for comparing his companion to a storybook character. He was still not sure if this was truly reality but there wasn’t any need to be a dick to his little buddy even if he was strapped down in a hospital somewhere.
“No apologies are required.” V.V. said to Alex but then swiveled away from him, towards the driver side door.
Alex thought for a moment that maybe V.V. had not actually meant it when they said an apology wasn’t needed. Just as he went to apologize even more earnestly, V.V. spoke again, but in a tone Alex had not heard before and it scared him.
“ALERT! Incoming hostiles. Prepare for combat, Alex!” V.V.’s robotic voice was much louder than normal and had a very evident urgency to it.
Alex scrambled for his flashlight and moved to a half kneeling position in his seat. He looked out the window and could see three small things rushing across the ground. They were smaller than the squirrel in height but longer. Alex peered out the window at the things, his heart pounding in his ears as he gripped his flashlight harder. He was prepared to smash any little monstrous bastards that decided to come into his truck this time.
The creatures were close enough that Alex could make out what they were, or at least what they used to be. His first thought was that small alligators were rushing him but the squirrel flashed through his mind and he realized they were actually much scarier than baby alligators. Lizards were rushing directly at him and they were fucking huge. Sure, alligators are scary but baby gators are kind of cute in their own way. Tiny lizards are cute too but these things were not tiny. The squirrel kept flashing back into his mind and the rabid death machine that was trying to eat him, wasn't really a squirrel at all anymore. If the squirrel had changed that much, then these things were probably just as bad.
Only one or two seconds at most had passed but Alex felt as if time was slowed to an almost frozen state. Tick, Tick, Tick, the little monsters scurried towards him as the third second finally fell into place. They were there, below the window but would be crawling up it at any moment. Alex felt another second, then another and nothing changed except V.V. had now swiveled back towards Alex. But V.V. wasn’t looking at him but behind him, he spun around just in time to see the lizards. They weren’t breaking into his window like he thought they'd be doing but instead, scurrying past the truck and into the woods beyond.
“What.. the..?” Alex said, and then he heard it.
RrrrOooAaaaR
Alex spun back in the direction the lizards had run from and saw something big, very big. Another animal was rushing from the small strip of woods that split the interstates median and charging directly at Alex’s truck. The little lizards weren’t even coming for him! They were running for their damn lives! He watched as the new terror appeared from the median and hopped towards him. How a roar of such magnitude could come from the thing he saw, he had no idea, but that thought faded away as the thought of death found him.
“Oh… Fantastic. I'm going to be eaten by a mother flippin’ rabbit!” Alex yelled out.
“My scans have determined that this creature is more closely related to a Hare than a Rabbit.”
“Thank you for that oh so useful information V.V. but how about you tell me how to survive this death bunny before we dive into the diverging evolutionary paths of the species!” Alex shouted louder than he intended as he tried to become as small as possible in the hopes that this new monster wouldn’t see him or consider the truck to contain tasty treats.
“I suggest hitting the bunny with your makeshift club until it no longer moves while I support you from behind.”
“Oh, you have jokes now. Great.”