"Wh-where the hell am I…?" Sullivan's voice trembled as he looked around the pitch-black void. There was no light, no stars—just an endless expanse of darkness. Despite this, he could see his own body clearly, dressed in a plain t-shirt and blue shorts with a logo—exactly as he had been before arriving in this strange place.
Confused and frightened, Sullivan tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing he remembered was settling into bed with plans to watch videos and relax before sleep. But now, he found himself in an inexplicable, dream-like scenario.
---
Earlier that day, Sullivan's morning had been fraught with minor disasters. At 8:00 am, his phone alarm blared incessantly, rousing him from a deep sleep. He groaned as he fumbled to silence it, the annoying buzz pulling him from the comforting embrace of his bed. As he got up, he stumbled over a stray pair of socks—an all-too-common occurrence due to his habit of leaving his room in disarray. His room, cluttered with mismatched posters and remnants of various hobbies, reflected his chaotic but creative mind.
Downstairs, the kitchen was a scene of minor calamities. His breakfast had consisted of scrambled eggs, but in his haste, he accidentally knocked over a jar of salt, sending it scattering across the counter. As he tried to clean up, his hand slipped, knocking over his orange juice and creating a sticky mess that took twenty minutes to clean.
Despite the chaotic start, Sullivan made his way through the day. His parents had already left for work—his mother, an office worker often burdened by office politics and paperwork, and his father, a construction manager with tales of mishaps and minor injuries. Sullivan typically cooked for himself in the evenings, a skill honed out of necessity as his parents' schedules rarely aligned with dinner time.
On this particular day, Sullivan opted for takeout. As he picked up his food from a local diner, he was caught in a sudden downpour. Drenched and muddy, he trudged back home with his soggy takeout, his mood soured further by the day's events.
Once home, Sullivan settled into his routine. He spent hours online, browsing videos and social media, his mind drifting as he grappled with feelings of dissatisfaction and boredom. Despite enjoying his friends' company and their humor, he found himself unable to muster the energy for social interactions. The endless cycle of procrastination and missed opportunities weighed heavily on him.
That evening, he watched videos until midnight, his mind consumed by thoughts of missed chances and regrets. He wished he had done more with his time, but his habit of putting things off had led him to this point.
---
"And then... and then... here..." he mumbled, his mind struggling to piece together the fragments of his recent past. His anxiety grew as he realized he couldn't remember anything after he went to sleep.
A voice broke through the silence:
"Welcome, dreamer. Please pick a class."
Startled, Sullivan stifled a curse, recalling his upbringing. A notification-like message appeared before him:
"Welcome, dreamer. Please pick a class."
Below was a list of classes:
- Swordsman
- Paladin
- Lance
- Warrior
- Sorcerer
- Alchemist
- Priest
- Necromancer
- Rogue
- Marksman
"Dreamer... I'm dreaming...?" Sullivan whispered, recalling lucid dreaming and realizing he was in an unusual state of consciousness.
"This makes sense. I must have fallen asleep and now I'm here," he reasoned, though the surrealism of the situation left him both panicked and intrigued.
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The notification felt oddly familiar, reminiscent of RPG games he used to play. Despite his preference for gun games, the current scenario seemed like a manifestation of his desire to engage in gaming. With a mix of excitement and trepidation, Sullivan explored his options, beginning with the Swordsman class.
Lvl 1 Swordsman
Equipment:
- Sword
- Leather armor
- 3 Health potions
- 1 Mana potion
Skill:
- Cleave: Use mana to double sword damage for the next attack.
Cooldown: 1 minute 30 seconds
A projection appeared, showing Sullivan himself—at 5'6", wearing leather armor that clung to his frame. The armor was scuffed and worn, paired with a sword at his side. The sight of himself in this medieval garb shocked him. His modern face looked out of place against the armor, making him feel awkward and self-conscious.
"That doesn't look right..." Sullivan muttered, feeling uneasy about how out of place he appeared. Deciding to explore other options, he moved on.
Lvl 1 Paladin
Equipment:
- Sword
- Wooden Shield
- Steel Chained Mail
- 1 Health potion
- 3 Mana potions
Skill:
- Blessing: Use mana to buff and slightly heal companions in a 5x5 radius.
Cooldown: 8 minutes
As he reviewed the Paladin class, Sullivan's eyebrows furrowed. The chain mail looked heavy and cumbersome, and the wooden shield seemed useful only in a defensive situation. He imagined the clinking of the chain mail with every movement and the added weight of the shield, and he could already feel his shoulders aching. "That would be such a hassle," he thought. He had always preferred simplicity and agility, and carrying a shield didn't seem like his style.
Lvl 1 Lance
Equipment:
- Spear
- Leather armor
- 3 Health potions
- 1 Mana potion
Skill:
- Piercing Blow: Use mana to enhance weapon penetration on the next attack.
Cooldown: 3 minutes
The Lance class caught his eye next. The spear seemed versatile, but the idea of wielding a long weapon felt awkward. Sullivan had attempted to use a broom as a makeshift spear while cleaning his room once, only to knock over a lamp and break his favorite mug. "Not sure I want to risk that again," he thought.
Lvl 1 Warrior
Equipment:
- Axe
- Leather armor
- 2 Health potions
- 2 Mana potions
Skill:
- Rage: Use mana to enhance all attributes for 30 seconds.
- Cooldown: 5 minutes
The Warrior class looked promising with its powerful axe, but the thought of wielding such a heavy weapon didn't sit well with Sullivan. He had once tried chopping wood for a campfire and ended up with a sore back for days. "I don't think I'm cut out for heavy lifting," he mused.
Lvl 1 Sorcerer
Equipment:
- Small knife
- Magic staff
- Black Robe and Pointed Hat
- 3 Health potions
- 3 Mana potions
Skill:
- Flameshot: Use mana to throw fireballs.
- Condition: Needs chanting.
- Cooldown: None
The Sorcerer class seemed intriguing with its magic capabilities, but Sullivan wasn't fond of the idea of chanting spells. He remembered his failed attempts at karaoke, where he was off-key and awkward. "I'd probably mess up the chants and end up causing more harm than good," he thought.
Lvl 1 Priest
Equipment:
- Small knife
- Magic staff
- White robe
- 3 Health potions
- 3 Mana potions
Skill:
- Angel's Embrace: Use mana to heal allies and oneself.
Condition: Needs chanting.
Cooldown: 5 minutes
The Priest class appealed to his caring side, but chanting again seemed like a dealbreaker. Plus, the white robe seemed too pristine for his clumsy nature. "I'd probably stain it on the first day," he thought.
Lvl 1 Necromancer
Equipment:
- Small knife
- Magic staff
- Black robe and cloak
- 3 Health potions
- 3 Mana potions
Skill:
-Curse: Use mana to slow down an enemy and deal bleed damage for 5 seconds.
Condition: Sacrifice blood of your own.
Cooldown: None
The Necromancer class intrigued him with its dark magic, but the idea of sacrificing his own blood was unsettling. Sullivan recalled a minor incident where he nicked himself while cooking and ended up with a long, painful cut. "I'm not ready to deal with blood sacrifices," he decided.
Lvl 1 Rogue
Equipment:
- Small sword
- Dagger
- Leather armor
- 3 Health potions
- 1 Mana potion
Skill:
- Vanishing: Use mana to become invisible for 10 seconds.
Condition: Distract the target's gaze for a moment.
Cooldown: 5 minutes (resets after kill)
Lvl 1 Marksman
Equipment:
- Small knife
- Bow
- 8 Arrows and Quiver
- Cloak
- 3 Health potions
- 1 Mana potion
Skill:
- Mana Arrows: Use mana to create arrows that stun one enemy for 1 second.
Cooldown: None
This left him with two choices: Rogue and Marksman
Sullivan was initially drawn to the Marksman class. He thought, "Guns... Bows... Same right?" His love for shooting games made the idea of wielding a bow seem like a natural extension. However, his past attempts at using a bow had been far from successful.
He recalled a time during a school field trip when he tried archery. Instead of hitting the target, his arrows had gone wildly off course, often landing in the grass or bouncing off nearby trees. One particularly memorable shot had nearly taken out a passing teacher, which led to an awkward and embarrassing explanation.
Given his track record with archery and his tendency for spectacular misses, Sullivan couldn't shake the fear that he'd be just as ineffective with a bow in this dream world. "I'll probably miss every shot I take," he thought, imagining arrows flying everywhere but where they were supposed to.
So, with a mixture of amusement and resignation, he decided against the Marksman class, favoring the Rogue class instead.
On the other hand, the Rogue class intrigued him with its stealthy abilities. The idea of becoming invisible for short periods seemed both exciting and practical. He considered his recent mishaps—like the time he accidentally spilled coffee on his laptop or broke a pair of headphones. These experiences had taught him that sometimes, avoiding problems altogether was better than facing them head-on. "Stealth and evasion might suit my luck better than trying to hit a target," he reasoned.
The Rogue's flexibility and ability to avoid direct confrontation seemed like a safer bet given his history of bad luck. He appreciated the tactical advantage of disappearing when things went awry, allowing him to regroup and strike again.
After weighing the options, Sullivan made his choice:
"Yes," he confirmed, selecting the Rogue class. The idea of using stealth and cunning rather than brute force or precision seemed to align better with his unpredictable life and the challenges he faced.
As soon as he made his choice, the void around him shifted. A new voice echoed, "Class selected. Now, please wait for your destination to be chosen."
A spinning wheel appeared in front of him, adorned with various names. Some names had a dark, ominous aura, making Sullivan instinctively wish to avoid them. Despite his nervousness, the wheel began to spin, its colors and names blurring into a dizzying whirl.
The wheel slowed, and to Sullivan's horror, it landed on one of the many foreboding names: Forsaken Lands.
"What the fuck..." Sullivan exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and apprehension washing over him. The name alone felt like a bad omen, and he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that whatever awaited him.