----------------------------------------
Book 1 - Chapter 1 - Part 1
----------------------------------------
Alexandros wakes up to a dull ache in the back of his skull. As his eyes adjust, he finds himself lying on the ground in the forest. He has no recollection of why he is there and begins to panic as he looks around for his mother and father, only to be hit with the memories of what happened, tears sting his eyes, and he tries to hold them back, but the grief is too much. His lungs constrict like he is being crushed, and his heart beats to the rhythm of his breath.
It takes him a moment to fully gather himself and collect his thoughts, and once he manages to calm himself slightly, he realizes something is different. As his gaze shifts, he notices a new mark on his wrist that wasn’t there before. Before he can process what is happening, all his stats appear.
Stats
Name:
Alexandros Maximus Valerius
Age:
10
Level:
1
Experience:
100 (Next Level requires +50 XP)
Race:
Human
Health:
125
Mana:
80
Defense:
55
Stamina:
80
Agility:
25
Endurance:
50
Strength:
80
Wisdom:
45
Charisma:
25
Luck:
25
Intelligence:
75
Mark/Skills
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Resistances:
None
Skills:
None
Mark:
Genesis Prime (System Mark)
Class:
Asura
Abilities:
Devour– The host can devour anything around them to gain stats permanently.
Alexandros stares at his stats. He has no idea what they mean. When the screen disappears from before him, he sits there in shock. He doesn’t know what to do with this new information. While he knows that Marks are something everyone receives, his seems different. He doesn’t even recognize his class. Deciding there is no time to think about it, Alexandros pushes the thoughts to the back of his mind and grabs his bag. It only has enough space for four items, but enough to store some food, so he is okay with it. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he stands up and begins moving toward his home, unsure of what he will find once he arrives.
As he walks, bile burns the back of his throat, and dread settles in his stomach. Smoke rises in the distance, and it takes everything in him to keep putting one foot in front of the other. When he finally returns to Heki, he instantly falls to his knees, unable to control the tears that flow freely from his eyes and sting his cheeks. Fire burns through a few buildings while others smoke as the flames begin to die out.
Gathering his strength once again, Alexandros pulls himself to his feet and heads into the village. A piece of him is hopeful that he can find his parents, even though deep down, his broken heart tells him something different. Having grown up in Heki, his legs move on their own and toward his home without him thinking about it. When he reaches it, nothing is left but a few charred pieces of wood. “It’s all gone,” he whispers to himself.
For a moment, time seems to slow down. Memories of his parents pierce through his mind, followed by grief. Tears pour from his eyes, but he doesn’t stop them. His family, home, and everyone he cares about is gone, and he is all alone. He can see his new class in the corner of his eye, and a red health bar can be seen.
When he composes himself enough to move, he makes his way through the rest of the village with a heavy heart. As he walks, he sees a girl standing beside the ashes of a fallen home. Even though he has never spoken to her before, he recognizes her. “Are you okay?” he asks as he walks beside her. He notices her illusionist class but doesn’t ask her about it as he doesn’t want to upset her.
The girl is tall for her age, with long dark hair that extends down the length of her back. She had piercing green eyes. The girl’s face scrunches up as he speaks. “No,” she responds coldly.
Alexandros frowns. “I don’t think it’s safe to stay here. My name is Alexandros. Maybe we can try and stick together and figure this out.”
His suggestion is instantly met with hostility. “My name is Evera, and I will be fine alone. I don’t need your help.”
“Oh, uh, sorry. I wasn’t trying to start anything. I don’t know what to do from here,” he says, fidgeting. He can still see his health bar in the corner of his vision, which takes some getting used to.
“You can start by walking away. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m dealing with my problems here.”
Realizing he isn’t going to get anywhere with her, Alexandros nods. “Sorry for bothering you,” he replies. “I was just trying to help. I recognize you from around town and thought you could use a friend.”
“I don’t need a friend,” she says, her voice wavering. “Just leave me alone.”
“I didn’t mean it as an insult. I am just worried about what will happen now that our home is gone. If you want to be alone, then I’m sorry.” He can see the shine in her eyes as tears build inside them, and he turns away as he awaits her response. Part of him hopes she will change her mind, but judging by her face, he guesses it isn’t very likely.
When Evera does not respond, Alexandros turns and starts to make his way out of the village, looking around the only home he’s ever known. His heart is heavy as he continues moving. As he is plodding along, something glints in the distance. Without wasting any time, he breaks out into a run and collapses on the ground beside the object to get a good idea of what it is. The moment he touches it, information appears in front of him.
You have received: Rusted Steel Sword:
A rusted sword that once belonged to a soldier.
Rarity:
Common
Condition:
Poor
Stats:
+2% attack with swords
+2% strength when using swords
Special:
None
Alexandros looks carefully at the stats; though they are still low, it is an improvement. He straps the sword to his waist and continues on his journey. Knowing he at least has something to protect himself gives him a little bit of confidence, and he picks up the pace a little. When a village appears in the distance, his eyes widen, and he nearly breaks into a run. “Finally,” he mumbles to himself. “Maybe I can have a bed to sleep in tonight.”