Sael’s consciousness flickered into existence, his senses sluggish as he became aware of the rough dirt and brittle leaves beneath him. The air was damp, thick with the scent of earth and distant rain. Slowly, he opened his eyes, greeted by the unfamiliar brilliance of the night sky. The stars burned too bright, too sharp against the dark canvas above, making his head swim.
He looked down, simple white tee, jeans. Ordinary. His fingers curled into the damp soil as he pushed himself upright, scanning his surroundings. A dense forest loomed around him, gnarled roots breaking through the soil in twisted tangles. A faint breeze stirred the undergrowth, carrying with it the distant hoot of an owl. His breath came in steadying gulps as he processed the situation. He wasn’t in his world anymore.
Then, a soft chime played in his mind.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: Welcome to your new life in Altareal. EVALUATION IN PROGRESS.
A light blue interface materialized before his vision, displaying symbols and shifting lines of text. This felt like a game overlay, yet unsettlingly real. Before he could examine it, movement caught his attention.
A gelatinous creature rolled into the clearing, its translucent pearl form radiating an inner glow. A slime. He looked around quickly and grabbed a clublike branch. Was this a test? A tutorial? Sael’s pulse quickened. The slime quivered, then lunged. He swung. The branch met the creature's body with a wet slap, splattering gel across the dirt. It only seemed to agitate it. Another swing. The slime shuddered, then retreated, rolling away into the darkness of the forest. He exhaled sharply, heart pounding.
Very realistic for a video game he thought.. if that’s what this even was. It felt like a JRPG, but more advanced than anything he’d ever played. His brows furrowed. What was his last life again?
He hesitated before gripping his branch tighter, stepping forward. The retreating slime left a faint trail of shimmering gel, leading deeper into the woods. His breath came in short, uneven bursts as he followed, each step careful, his muscles tensed for another attack.
The trees pressed in closer, the air damp and carrying a faint, acrid scent. Ahead, the slime slithered into the gaping maw of a cave, disappearing into the darkness.
If this world followed game logic, there could be something valuable inside.
A familiar chime plinged in his mind.
Quest: Clear the cave.
Sael knew better than to blindly rush into a dark cave. He needed a plan.
He stepped back, scanning the area. The forest floor was thick with moss, fallen leaves, and ferns. Familiar, yet different. A few feet away, an old pine tree oozed golden sap from a jagged split in its bark. That could be useful. Breaking off a sturdy branch, he scraped and rolled it against the tree, coating one end in the sticky resin. A crude torch.
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Was this a game? Wasn’t there magic in games? He held out his hand, picturing a jet of flames like in Skyrim. He stretched out his fingers, focusing on the thought of heat, of fire roaring to life in his palm. A pitiful wisp of an ember flickered into existence before vanishing. He sighed, but the attempt had been enough—the sap ignited, and the torch burned with a steady glow. Torch in one hand, club in the other, he was as ready as he’d ever be. He waved the torch at the cave’s entrance.
A squelching noise echoed from the depths. Then, movement.
The first slime emerged, its body glistening in the firelight. One slime? Fine. Then, several more slimes emerged, their gelatinous bodies shifting in the dim light.
Oh, shit.
Sael barely had time to react before they surged toward him, faster and more coordinated than before. His grip tightened, and he swung. He raised the torch to see better, striking hard—parrying the first slime mid-air. A second and third slammed into his side. The impact sent him sprawling to the wet stone floor. The slimes bounced onto him. A suffocating pressure as they overwhelmed him, their weight pressing him down. His limbs burned, but he couldn’t move. The gelatinous mass engulfed him completely. Melting. Darkness. Then,
A musical chime played in his mind.
You have died. Respawning...
Cold air filled his lungs as he gasped awake, back where he had started. A new prompt flashed before him:
Would you like help with the tutorial?
1. Head to town first to acquaint yourself with the world.
2. Brave the cave now for bonus rewards.
You have two revives left. Be careful not to keep wasting them.
His jaw clenched. He pointed down at the second option.
Quest accepted: Clear the cave without going to town.
If he wanted to survive, he needed to understand this world. And that meant taking risks. The more he interacted with the game, the more he’d figure out what was happening. Games were fun, right? Once he got through the intro, he could take a moment to breathe and process everything.
Sael retraced the slime’s trail, the shimmering gel leading him back to the cave. He needed a new approach. Armor would be nice, but there wasn’t exactly a pile of gear lying around. He glanced at the trees and bark. Hmm. Maybe not. He took a minute to re-equip himself. A new torch, a sturdier club. At least he had some offensive power.
Maybe straight offense wasn’t the best idea. Maybe a trap? The slimes didn’t seem very intelligent, just drawn to light and movement. That was something he could exploit.
He gathered fallen logs and stacked them at the cave’s entrance. Slathering the wood in sap from nearby pines, he ensured it would burn quickly when ignited. The goal was simple: bait the creatures into a trap and create a kill zone. No way was he letting them dogpile him again. He shuddered at the memory.
He worked with precision, layering thick branches in a staggered pile, funnelling anything coming out of the cave into a narrow opening. When the slimes emerged, they’d have no choice but to follow his path. He coated the edges of the walls with extra sap, ensuring that once ignited, it would become an impassable wall of flame.
With everything in place, he waved his torch into the cave. The slimes took the bait.
As they approached, he sparked the barricade. Fire roared to life, sending heat licking at his face. The slimes recoiled from the sudden blaze. Some, undeterred, pressed forward into his trap, their bodies sizzling and bursting upon contact with the flames. One by one, the remaining slimes bounced out of the barricade, and he struck them down with his club.
Proud and excited at his victory Sael smiles to himself, ready to explore the cave.