*drip*
A drop of liquid hit my forehead.
*drip*
Another drop hit and rolled off my brow. My eyes fluttered open. At least I think they did, the only thing I could see was darkness. I blinked several times before another cool droplet hit my head. I turned my head to the side, the small action feeling like I was made of stone. My head brushed against the floor, which was stone. I tried to open my mouth to speak but my cracking lips protested.
I closed my eyes again. Where was I? I think I fell asleep for a time. My eyes opened to be greeted by the same darkness. I need to get some water, with that thought another drop landed on the side of my head. Turning my head back to what I assumed was up, I wiggled my arms and shoulders slightly to slide my body upwards. The ground was hard stone, it was smooth and did not protest the small amount of movement. Another drip rang out in the darkness, and a moment later a drop of liquid hit my nose. I was so thirsty.
*drip*
My eyes opened once again; I must’ve fallen asleep again. The thirst was even worse, the darkness engulfed me, the only sound the dull roar of silence only briefly silenced by the thunderous dripping.
*drip*
The drop of liquid hit the bridge of my nose. With a herculean effort, I inched my body upwards before a thunderous drip announced the fall of another droplet of liquid. The next time I awoke my lips were no longer cracked and I was able to croak out a low sound. The roar of silence was my only response. I reached out both of my hands feeling the smooth stone, a very slight dampness permitted the smooth stone. With an exhale I sat up. The darkness was still my reality, but the singular dripping that was once akin to a great ringing bell was in fact nearly silent, several other drops creating a steady staccato on the surrounding stone.
I sat there listening to the steady drips, now a musical symphony, as I was consumed by the lack of sensations. What was going on? I thought to myself. I tried to remember anything. Who was I? Where was I? I shook my head and let myself sink back to the stone floor. The regular drips once again hit my lips, the cool water, at least that is what I assumed it was, was cool. I opened my mouth and counted the drops, one, two, three… My eyes opened an unknown amount of time later again, with a sharp inhale the water that was in my mouth caused me to cough briefly, the loudest noise I had heard in this inky void.
I sat up and attempted to reach out once more. The immediate area around me seemed to be empty. Rolling forward onto my hands and knees I decided to explore this void. Moving my hands around the stone floor I scanned my surroundings. I was incredibly surprised when I hit something round, and a quiet screeching sound filled the space as it slid across the stone. Moving my hands back to the object I picked it up remembering the feeling of the hard plastic. Feeling the inside, it was padded, and some loose straps dangling from it. Is this my helmet? Wait, why did I need a helmet?
I put the helmet on my head not really knowing what else to do. Reflexively I reached below my chin and snapped the connector to secure the helmet to my head. My hand then reached up to the top of my helmet. There was a small object on it. Feeling around it, I felt a softer plastic for a moment before a slight click bathed the small space into a burning white light. With a hiss, my right hand fell from the light to cover my eyes from the incredibly bright light.
Pulling away my hand slowly I was able to see my surroundings for the first time. I was in a cave, and red stone with several distinct layers surrounded me. Stalactites and stalagmites reached toward each other. When the light passed over them the shadows danced creating what could only be described as a mouth of vicious-looking teeth. After spinning around a few times, I examined myself closer as well. I was wearing a long-sleeved flannel shirt, and thick pants with a multitude of pockets. I also wore a pair of rugged boots that were covered in mud. On the floor was a backpack, as well as a large rope and a plastic blue box.
Moving over to the items, I briefly examined the three objects. The box turned out to be a flashlight, I briefly clicked it on, and an even brighter arc of light illuminated the cave. Spinning it around once I turned it off and set it next to the rope. Next, I opened the backpack. I quickly riffled through it producing several sealed pouches, as well as a canteen. I grabbed the canteen and greedily drank the majority of the contents. Next, I ripped open a sealed pouch and poured the contents into my mouth greedily, the taste of trail mix was familiar. Thinking about it, all of the things here were familiar in a way, I just couldn’t quite remember why they were so familiar. Shaking my head, I stood up put the backpack on, and slung the coiled rope over my shoulder. Next, I clipped the box flashlight to a carabiner on one of my belt loops. This all was almost an unconscious action like I had done it many times before.
No sense in just sitting around I thought to myself, I began to walk around the cave investigating it closer. Scanning the walls there was only more orange and brownstone in several distinct layers, that was until I arrived at a hole in the floor behind one of the stalagmites. Looking into it I saw a similar orange stone floor a short way down. I could probably jump down safely but I don’t think I could get back up if I did that. I unslung the coil of rope and tied what I assumed, or at least my hands thought, was a firm knot. Giving it a hard tug, it held, I dropped the rest of the rope below very easily reaching the bottom with at least half its length falling into a large tangle.
I sucked in a deep breath and started to climb down the rope. My hands had no issue holding onto the rope as I carefully climbed down, the distance only being maybe 15 feet. Climbing down the rope I was able to start examining this much larger cave, some would even call it a cavern I assumed. The area I was in had the shortest ceiling, with it gradually growing higher the further the cavern expanded out. Reaching down for my box flashlight I flicked it on and spun around, it really was a cavern, I was in the shortest part with the ceiling reaching up in all directions. It kind of looked like a doughnut, I thought to myself.
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Wait, what was a doughnut? I stood pondering for a second before shrugging and continuing my investigation of the cavern. The first notable feature was a small pool of water against one of the walls in the circular cavern, the water was a greenish hue but was very clear. Continuing my search I found several large white bugs, with long skinny limbs that seemed to shy away from my lights. On the opposite side of the cavern was what looked like a tunnel that led away from it, except it was blocked by what looked like a collapse, a myriad of stones of all sizes blocked the tunnel.
Doing another circuit around the cavern I could only shake my head, it looks like that blocked tunnel was the only way out of here. In my field of vision, I suddenly saw words spring to life.
[Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill Spelunking 1]
[Spelunking 1: Spelunking is the act and knowledge of exploring caves and caverns. Every level gained will increase your ability to explore caves and caverns!]
[Detected Affinity! Spelunking 1]
[Rank upgraded! Spelunking 2]
[Spelunking 2: Having mastered the basics of exploring caves and caverns you have unlocked the journeyman skill level in Spelunking! You now are able to detect more unique features in caves in caverns as well as increase the chance to find rare resources or unique locations! In addition, you unlock the trait [Cave Sense]!]
[Cave Sense: You have a second sense for finding your way around, and out of underground structures. You will now have an intrinsic map of underground areas you explore. +5 to perception while underground.]
I don’t know what was more surprising, the bombardment of random words in the air, the icicle of pain that shot through the side of my head, or the fact that I now knew the cavern I was standing in was called Doughnut Cavern - Safe Zone.
I woke up a short time later. Both lights still lit up this underground world like it was day. The shooting pain I had experienced had subsided and I sat upright. I reached over and turned off the larger box flashlight but kept my headlamp on.
Well, this is strange. I thought to myself, was this the first time I had thought that? I think it was, or at least it was the first time that I had actually started to wonder how I had awoken in a random cave, somewhere. In my field of vision in the top left corner was now a doughnut, or what was labeled as the Doughnut Cavern. I may not remember what a doughnut is, but I doubt it is a cool name.
Slapping my cheeks I reminded myself that I needed to focus. Okay, random floating words, safe zone, skills, traits, all of this seemed familiar. Well, familiar in the type of way that the words were used in combination, but not familiar like how to tie a knot in a rope, was the best way I could tell. Letting my brain zone out I tried to scrape what I could remember to the surface.
“What are skills?” To my surprise more floating words leaped into existence in front of me.
[SKILLS]
[Falling 2 - Level 1]
[Hard Headed 1 - Level 1]
[Spelunking 2 - Level 1]
Woah! I have more skills. I wonder if I can pull up their descriptions. Thinking this, the skills seemingly rewrote themselves in the air before me:
[SKILLS]
[Skills are representations of actions or knowledge. Skills are ranked from 1 to 5, with qualitative improvements at each rank. Each rank is comprised of 20 levels, which offer smaller benefits and will enhance the skill in minor ways.]
[Falling 2 - Level 1]
[Falling 2: The art of flying downwards safely. Reaching the Journeyman rank in falling means you must’ve taken a wrong step or two, but thankfully with your newfound understanding you can achieve more safe landings. +6 Agility while in the air. +2 Agility]
[Hard Headed 1 - Level 1]
[Hard Headed 1: Your head is not just for thinking, it can also be used to stop enemy attacks or stop a particularly long fall… Either way, now you will take less damage to your head! -10% damage to the head]
[Spelunking 2 - Level 1]
[Spelunking 2: Having mastered the basics of exploring caves and caverns you have unlocked the journeyman rank in Spelunking! You now are able to detect more unique features in caves and in caverns as well as increase the chance to find rare resources or unique locations! You will now have a very small chance to find random dungeons in underground structures, dragons are extra!]
Well on the plus side I have more skills I guess. Looking at Spelunking I remembered that I did unlock a trait as well, following the previous muttering I spoke aloud again.
“What are Traits?” A second later more words appeared in front of me
[TRAITS]
[Cave Sense]
[Coming in with a Splat!] {Unique}
Once again I thought about description and was rewarded once more with more information, and another trait.
[Cave Sense: You have a second sense of finding your way around, through, and out of underground structures. You will now have an intrinsic map of underground areas you explore. Breadcrumbs are for the birds! +5 to perception while underground. +5 perception]
[Coming in with a Splat!: {Unique} Not many can make such an entrance. You are the first person in your world to take a lethal amount of fall damage! Permanently remove all fall damage! Note, this does not remove status effects from landings.]
Well “Lethal Damage” didn’t sound good, I shook my head and thought about status effects, and to my surprise, another set of text appeared in front of me:
[STATUS EFFECTS]
[Concussion - Minor]
[Memory Loss - Major]
Okay, I know that concussions are bad and memory loss would explain a lot for sure. What does the trait description above mean “first person in my world” though? I at least knew people had died before from falls, I was confused and my head started to hurt again. Maybe the concussion? I thought to myself. I walked over to the pool of water and took a small sip from my hand after reaching into the slightly green-tinged pool of clear water. It tasted fine, at least what I remember water tasting like before. I leaned forward and drank my fill from the pool. Leaning up against a wall beside the pool I could only lose myself in my thoughts as I tried to put the various puzzle pieces together.