‘System Error.’
‘Subject not found in the system.’
‘Running subject creation protocols.’
‘Error. The subject does not meet creation protocols.’
‘Requesting subject deletion approval.”
‘Permission denied. Reviewing subject options. Subject meets requirements for sub-admin.’
‘Requesting approval to run sub-admin creation.’
‘Approval granted. Running sub-admin protocols.’
‘Subject sub-admin protocols successfully added. The subject now has access to advanced menu options. Restricting access until required level achieved.’
‘Subject creation into system successful. Running subject selection protocols. Complete.’
Aidan groaned as he rolled over. Grass tickled his nose as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked away the remnants of sleep and took in his surroundings with confusion and disbelief.
Towering trees loomed overhead, their branches casting shadows across the forest floor. The gentle murmur of a nearby river filled the air, its soothing melody starkly contrasting the chaos of Aidan’s thoughts.
Pushing himself upright, Aidan blinked before rubbing his eyes. The dense expanse of the forest laid out before him, the tangle of foliage and undergrowth making it hard to see. Aidan’s gaze fell to his clothing, and he noted with a furrowed brow that he was still wearing his familiar clothes. However, as he patted his pockets, his fingers grasping the empty air where his mobile and watch should have been.
His watch and mobile absences sent a jolt of unease through him. Panic threatened to engulf him as he searched in desperation. After a frantic search, Aidan clenched his hands as he tried to process what had happened. Drawing a blank, Aidan sighed as his shoulders sank.
With a deep breath to steady his nerves, he rose to his feet, his mind racing with more questions than answers. Just as Aidan’s heart rate began to return to normal after his moment of panic, a chime sounded just before the world froze. A blue window opened up before him.
‘Language modified to standard.’
‘Welcome to the class selection menu. Please select a class from the list below. Reminder. This class will be fixed until level 40. Further selections will become available then.’
Aidan’s mind raced as he read the words before him. Class selection? Fixed until level 40? None of it made any sense. Was this some game? A simulation? Or something even more bizarre?
He glanced around, half-expecting to see hidden cameras or some elaborate prank unfolding around him. But the forest remained eerily quiet as time stood still. Only the sound of his breathing could be heard.
With a touch of apprehension, Aidan slowly reached out, hesitating for a moment before tapping the screen. A list of options materialized, each one accompanied by a brief description:
1. Warrior - Master of melee combat, excels in close-quarters combat and physical strength.
2. Mage - Harnesses the power of arcane magic, capable of devastating spells and enchantments.
3. Ranger - Skilled in ranged combat and tracking, adept at navigating the wilderness.
4. Rogue - Stealthy and agile, specializes in subterfuge and precision strikes.
5. Cleric - Devoted to healing and divine magic, supports and protects allies.
6. Necromancer - specializes in manipulating death and undeath, summoning undead minions.
7. Paladin - holy warriors who combine martial prowess with divine magic.
8. Shadowblade - masters of shadow and darkness, blending stealth with deadly precision.
9. Artificer - artisans of magical artifacts and constructs, imbuing objects with arcane power.
10. Forester.....
Aidan’s brow furrowed as he mulled over the choices before him. The list was quite extensive and went on for hundreds of different classes. Each class held its own kind of appeal, but he felt his decision could have far-reaching consequences for his future in whatever world this was. He needed to choose wisely.
After minutes of cross-comparing and checking what each class could do, progression pathways, and magic available, Aidan made his selection, his finger hovering over the option that resonated most with him. It was a class combination he was most familiar with from the games he had played growing up. With determination, he tapped the screen, and his decision was made.
As soon as he did, a surge of energy coursed through him, enveloping him in a warm glow. When it faded, Aidan felt different, as if he had been reborn into a new form. The blue window disappeared, with a different one appearing a second later.
‘Congratulations Battlemage.’
‘Battlemages are versatile warriors who seamlessly blend martial arts and weapon combat with potent spellcasting, wielding both sword and sorcery to devastating effect on the battlefield. They are adept at harnessing arcane energies to enhance their physical attacks, shield themselves from harm, and unleash destructive spells upon their foes.'
‘Your starting stats are as follows. Reminder. You can check your stats at any time outside of combat.’
Status Card:
Name: Aidan Thornheart
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Class: Battlemage.
Level: 1
Experience Points (XP): 0
Ability Points (AP): 0
Health Points (HP): 10 / 10
Mana Points (MP): 6 / 6
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 11
Skills:
No skills are available.
Magic:
No magic is available.
Equipment:
No items are equipped.
Abilities/Talents:
No abilities
Aidan stared at the list before him, his mind reeling with the sudden influx of information. The reality of his situation began to sink in as he processed the implications of his new status as a Battlemage.
“Well. I guess I’m not in Australia or even on Earth anymore. It doesn’t seem like anywhere I could think of even being on Earth. Why would Eldrian lead me here? Wherever here is.” Sighed Aidan. “One plus, this does seem like some of the RPG games I used to play, thankfully. It might not be a complete loss until I can find a way back. Still, I am surprised they had an actual battlemage class. Normally, I would have to multiclass paladin and sorcerer to get the style I always wanted.”
After looking around where he had woken up, Aidan decided to head towards the source of the gentle murmur, reasoning that finding water was crucial for his survival. As he went through the dense foliage, his mind raced with thoughts of the basic necessities: food, water, and shelter. He scanned his surroundings, his senses heightened as he searched for signs of life or potential threats.
Spotting a sizable rock nearby, Aidan picked it up, weighing it in his hand. It felt reassuringly solid, a crude but effective makeshift weapon if needed. Gripping it tightly, he continued on his path towards the water.
Just as he rounded a large tree in the forest, a rustling sound caught his attention. Something was in the underbrush, followed by the unmistakable sound of something charging him. Aidan’s heart raced as he instinctively braced himself for whatever threat awaited him.
In a flurry of motion, an oversized rabbit burst from the foliage, its eyes wide with panic as it barreled towards him. Aidan’s initial shock quickly gave way to a surge of adrenaline as he squared his shoulders and steadied himself to face the rabbit.
Aidan raised the rock, ready to defend himself if necessary. He met the rabbit’s charge head-on, his gaze steady as he prepared for whatever came next. The rabbit skidded to a halt just a few feet away from Aidan, its ears twitching nervously as it assessed the situation.
For a tense moment, the two locked eyes, each sizing up the other with wary caution. Slowly, the tension in the air dissipated. With a laugh, Aidan lowered the rock, realizing that the rabbit posed no immediate threat.
“Gee. Get it together, Aidan. It was just a rabbit.” Said Aidan with a chuckle as he waved his hand, attempting to shoo the beast away. “Although it is a huge rabbit. Still, nothing to get so worked up at.”
Aidan stopped waving his hand as a growl sounded behind him. He turned slowly around to investigate the source of the growl, and his blood turned to ice in his veins. There, looming behind him, was a monstrous, deformed bear, its fur matted with dirt and blood, its eyes blazing with primal fury. Towering on its hind legs, it snarled menacingly, saliva dripping from its razor-sharp fangs.
With a surge of adrenaline, Aidan’s fight-or-flight instincts kicked in, and without a second thought, he turned and bolted into the forest. The bear roared as it gave chase with a loud crash. Trees splintered and shattered as the creature thundered through the underbrush, its powerful limbs propelling it forward with terrifying speed.
Aidan dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding the creature’s swiping claws as it unleashed its fury upon the surrounding landscape. His heart hammered in his chest as he raced for his life, the thunderous roar of the pursuing bear echoing through the forest.
Despite his panic, Aidan noticed that the bear hadn’t caught him yet. He scrambled to remember all he could about bears on Earth. He knew the beast should have caught him already, but he slowly pulled away from the bear as he ran.
Looking over his shoulder, he caught sight of something amidst the chaos—a telltale limp in the creature’s gait, a sign of a wounded rear leg. Seizing upon this glimmer of hope, Aidan redoubled his efforts, his determination burning bright amidst the darkness of his fear. His breath burned his lungs as he struggled to keep his breathing under control.
Finally, with the river in sight, Aidan summoned every ounce of strength in his weary limbs and hurled himself into its icy embrace. The shock of the cold water stole his breath away as he fought against the current, his muscles straining against the relentless pull. After what felt like an eternity, Aidan emerged on the opposite bank, gasping for air and trembling with exhaustion. He collapsed onto the muddy shore, and as he glanced across the river, he saw the bear pacing angrily on the other side, its eyes fixed upon him with a mixture of frustration and longing.
Aidan laughed as he tried to get his breathing under control. His wet clothes clung to him as he slowly sat up. Grunting, he felt a stitch as he watched the bear pacing. Another chime sounded as he sat there. A blue screen appeared before him.
‘Congratulations. New achievement Unlocked.’
‘You have unlocked the achievement. [Run away]. This achievement has unlocked an ability.’
‘New ability unlocked.’
‘You have met the criteria to unlock the ability [Flee]. This ability is automatically added to your abilities list. This ability can only be used once per encounter. Gives a boost of 25% to strength and dexterity for a short time.’
“Great.” Sighed Aidan. “Running for my life, and they give me an ability that helps me do that. A weapon or attack magic would have been a better achievement. You stupid computer system.”
Getting to his feet. Aidan looked around, taking in his new surroundings. “Guess it’s as good of a time as any to check what that stupid ability shows up as. [Status Open.]”
Status Card:
Name: Aidan Thornheart
Class: Battlemage.
Level: 1
Experience Points (XP): 5
Ability Points (AP): 0
Health Points (HP): 10 / 10
Mana Points (MP): 6 / 6
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 11
Skills:
No skills are available.
Magic:
No magic is available.
Equipment:
* Rock (Poor)
* Pen (Mythic)
Abilities/Talents:
* Flee. (can only be used once per encounter. It gives a boost of 25% to strength and dexterity for 60 seconds.)
“Hey, would you look at that? It gave me 5 Exp for not dying. Ha. Take that, you stupid bear.” Laughed Aidan as he closed the status window. “Hmm. It is fairly good at keeping track of the items I have on me. The pen is Mythic quality, huh? I will need to look into that later. Ok. Right. Now, Which way to go…”
Looking back and forth, Aidan randomly picked a direction and stepped back into the forest. The sunlight threw blades of light through the forest canopy. Making the forest floor dance in light and shadows. Aidan continued walking for hours as the sunlight seeping through the canopy overhead grew dull.
“Guess I am going to need to find somewhere to sleep,” Aidan said as he looked around to see where he was. “Nothing but trees. I could climb one of them and try to get comfortable for the night.”
After making his way up what he dubbed the most climbable tree, Aidan settled in on an oversized tree limb and tried to get comfy. “Let’s hope tomorrow I can find a town or something.”