Chapter 4:
Akina
[Technomancer: Technomancers are masters of Technomancy, an ancient art that encompasses creation, invention and transformation. Once wielded by the legendary Paragons, the knowledge of Technomancy has faded into obscurity, known only by the select few with access to ancient tomes. Technomancers offer a unique blend of skills and opportunities that few other classes can match. However, it is thought that Technomancy was the downfall of the Paragonian empire. Beware. The path of the Technomancer is one of boundless creativity and untold potential. However, those who dare to walk this path must remain ever vigilant against the allure of unchecked ambition. The fate of empires may hang in the balance and the legacy of the Technomancer is both a testament to their greatness and a cautionary tale of the perils that await those who wield such power.
Stats:
Strength: +4 per level
Dexterity: +4 per level
Agility: +4 per level
Intelligence: +6 per level
Wisdom: +6 per level
Skills:
Metal Transmutation (Rare): Level 1
Spatial Manipulation (Epic): Level 1
Higgins read the description three times over, his jaw loosening each time. Having read countless classes before filtering and applying his criteria, he noted that the maximum stat points per level was 5. Even then, it was only one or two stats per level. This class seemed way too overpowered. Some quick maths told Higgins that choosing Paragon and Technomancer would net him 83 stat points per level. With no basis of comparison, he wasn’t sure if that was good or not. Here goes nothing. With his Will, he selected and accepted the Technomancer class.
[Message: Welcome, Technomancer
You have chosen an extinct class, new title]
An extinct race and an extinct class? Worry simmered within Higgins as he thought about the ramifications of choosing an ‘extinct’ race and class. What are titles anyway? He knew, from his games, that titles would give him boosts or advantages for reaching a certain criterion. Before he had time to consider the applications of titles here, the familiar pressure built up around him, threatening to crush his body. It disappeared as quickly as it came and Higgins felt an enormous fire burn though his entire being.
A supernova exploded within him. His blood felt like it turned into lava, clawing its way though his veins and arteries. Higgins tried to scream out in agony, yet no sound escaped. Every inch of his being throbbed, thrummed to an unheard rhythm as the agonising pain slowly dissipated as if evaporating out of the pores across his body.
[Message: Race and class active.
Titles and effects applied]
A new screen appeared before him.
[Message: Choose name]
It took a few minutes for Higgins to gain his composure after having gone through what felt like a trial by fire. Literally. Name? This must be some sort of simulation, then. There’s no way that it would ask me for a name otherwise. Without hesitation, with his Will, Higgins input the name he used for all his gaming activities.
[Message: Welcome, Lofty, to the Galactic Realm of Infinite Domains.
Teleporting to new location.
…
…
Error. No suitable location for Race: Paragon and Class: Technomancer
…
…
Teleporting to secondary location]
Lofty’s senses were assaulted as the ever-present pressure was lifted. A light, brighter than Earth’s sun burned into his eyes. The aroma of freshly mown grass and manure seeped into his nostrils. After being suspended in what Lofty thought to be a ‘loading screen’, the new sensations hit him like a truck. He found himself face down with the grass tickling at his face, he rolled over, pulled himself up onto his knees and vomited three times in quick succession. Lofty blinked rapidly to clear his vision from the bright light that burned into his vision and quickly gathered his thoughts.
In his periphery, he noticed a golden green flashing icon sat in the top left-hand side on the edge of his periphery. It resembled the sign to indicate tourist information in his local town. He moved his head from side to side to see that it stayed perfectly in place. Huh, it’s like a HUD. Below that, there was a simple envelope icon, this too was flashing. When he focussed on the icon, the familiar golden green window popped up to fill his vision.
[Message: You have been teleported to Akina.
Akina is a low-grade world focussing on agricultural farming. It is ruled by the patriarch of the Akina dynasty. Their main export is meat and organic produce to neighbouring sectors across the multiverse.]
[Message: You have 10 unread notifications]
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
He mentally dismissed the golden green messages in his vision and they immediately disappeared. The once blinking icon was now static. Hmm, looks like it blinks when I have a message. Is someone sending these messages to me or is just this GRID thing? Lofty focussed on the flashing icon above the envelope and a golden blue window filled his vision. Neat, different colour for a different purpose. Before he could begin reading the golden blue boxes, Lofty was pulled out of his internal monologue by a threatening voice.
“Oi, what you doin’ ‘ere? You shouldn’t be ‘ere. If master finds you, you’ll be in for it!” the owner of the voice was a short, rotund woman wearing a blue and white gingham apron. She had brown hair tied in a tight bun on the top of her head. Her brown pig-like eyes were topped with thick, dark brows.
Startled, Lofty pulled himself up, “I… er… I’m sorry, I don’t know where I am. I just…” he stammered, feeling his usually pale skin redden as his cheeks burned with embarrassment. He looked closer at his new companion and felt a subtle haptic buzz in the nape of his neck. He flinched and looked away from the woman. Ugh that was creepy.
“Never mind that, lad. The master won’t be ‘appy if ‘e knew you were out ‘ere without permission.” The woman’s expression softened as she saw Lofty wince at her questioning. She knew she should report this to master, but he looked like one of the drunks from the next town over.
Lofty looked around for an obvious escape and the now smiling, rotund woman lifted her arm and pointed beyond a small hillock, indicating the way out. “Thanks,” he smiled as he quickly turned away from the woman and made haste toward the middle distance.
“You’re welcome, love. And put some clothes on will ye, you’ll scare the wildlife,” she chuckled and continued toward her master’s hall.
Wha...? Lofty looked down and saw that he was stark bollock naked. No engineer’s uniform, no vest, no boxers. Shit. Why the hell didn’t they give me any clothes? Instinctively, he covered his modesty and he struggle to make his way over to the hill without bringing too much attention to himself.
After a short 10-minute walk, Lofty arrived at the indicated hillock and sighed with relief. He scanned the area and could make out a few small buildings scattered around. They were wooden constructs made up of a dark log - Lofty likened them to a wooden cabin you would find in the woods. A few buildings had smoke billowing softly out of the chimney whereas others appeared to be completed empty.
After examining the buildings, Lofty took in his surroundings properly for the first time. He looked in the direction he came from and noticed the path he had taken. He had left a clear path in the long green grass. The grass was a curiosity as it boasted multiple shades of green and proudly reached about a metre into the air. Each blade appeared to wave at him with each passing gust of wind. They didn’t flop over as you’d expect of a blade of grass, rather they stood to attention as if on a parade ground waiting for inspection.
The cloudless sky was a brilliant blue that you’d expect to see in any island of paradise. The two suns hung high in the sky, one a golden yellow glow and the other a soft red. Really? Two suns? The developers of this game really went out of their way to make sure that I knew it wasn’t real? The landscape was luscious and vibrant. Lofty looked down at his naked body and scoffed. His heart skipped a beat with slight terror building up within him. He looked down at his left thigh and prodded it. If this is a game, then they would have had to have built everything in here. They would have had to have coded and designed everything, from the blades of grass to the two ridiculous suns. But how would they have known about the birth mark on my leg?
Putting his unease on the backburner, Lofty looked up at one of the wooden constructions in the middle distance and set forth. He hoped to find some trousers, or at the very least, underwear.
As he got closer, Lofty examined the exterior of the wooden building. It was much larger than he anticipated. It looked to be completely square with the pitched roof reaching about 3 metres in height. With a quick estimate Lofty approximated it was about 8 metres wide. Not as small as I thought at all, he mused to himself. In the centre of the building there was a heavy wooden door with dark iron studs climbing up the centre. There was a circular knob set in the middle centre that provided a means of opening the hulking door.
This is like something from medieval England. This certainly wasn’t crafted using fabricators Lofty thought as he noticed some imperfections on the door. Heaving, he pushed the door and it opened easily on the greased hinges. Lofty’s vision was immediately assaulted by the golden blue window hovering in his vision.
[Skill: Exploration (Uncommon): Level 1
XP earned
+1 intelligence]
What the hell? Exploration? He shook his head and willed the floating box away. He had almost forgotten the floating HUD and the blinking icons robbed his attention from his surroundings once more. I need to address all these ‘notifications’ and work out what the hell I need to do. But first, I need clothes.
The interior was sparsely decorated. There was a used, crudely built wooden table in the centre surrounded by three equally rickety chairs. In the far corner a bundle of pallets lay on the ground surrounded by rotten straw. Beside that, Lofty took note of a wooden chest inlaid with the same iron studs as the door. In the opposite corner, Lofty saw large cauldron-looking contraption that appeared to be heavily used and cracked.
Happy that there was no immediate danger, Lofty made his way to the chest by the abandoned pallets. With great effort, he lifted the hulking lid of the heavy chest and was once again met with the golden blue window.
[Skill: Treasure hunter (Common): Level 1
XP earned
+1 intelligence]
As before, he willed the window away and focussed on the chest before him. I guess this is basically loot? Who doesn’t love loot? Lofty looked at the interior of the chest and took the time to examine its contents carefully. A grin spread across his face as he reached down to take stock of his winnings.