Chapter 1

“Dude just go, there are multiple bars you can go to, just not this one.” The gentleman I was kicking out was some white guy who decided to come into the bar angry and take it out on the other customers - while things did not escalate to violence he was obviously looking for it.

“Hey, fuck you man just give me a drink.” He was highly intoxicated already, he didn't drink here. I just looked at him. While it rarely escalated to outright violence this was the French Quarter in New Orleans - it was a different experience after 3am. Hell, New Orleans is a different animal altogether. Liquid courage could take tourists and people from adjacent towns to whole other levels, probably mixed with some illegal substance that was all too rampant in today's society. Some people just couldn't handle it.

“Sir, I’m gonna tell you one more time, the girls you're being an asshole to and the guys you don’t see behind you are not putting up with you. And as you walked into the bar on my clock, I strongly suggest you exit.” I try as best as I can to keep it a fun, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, this is NOLA after all, sometimes people just need to go home. I usually get the miscreants from 3am-8am on these graveyards, but I also get my fellow service industry workers, just getting off long shifts especially during the season.

“Oh yeah? What you gonna do about it?” Slurring his words he promptly knocked my fruit tray and napkin caddy to the ground. I sighed heavily and nodded off the regulars already halfway out of their seats. This was my problem, no matter how grateful I am to them, they are not aware but just the fact they always have my back means the world to me. There is virtually no police presence in NOLA unless you’re on bourbon, which even that is shoddy at best. I did my time in those trenches.

“Okie dokie then,” I replied with a cheerful smile, because fuck that guy. I walked from behind the bar and the outcome that happens so often played out. They start backing up and yelling obscenities as I move toward them. They then look around and do one of two things, they yell racial slurs as they leave letting me know I'm garbage, or they square up to fight. This very average, very intoxicated, very dumb man chose the latter. As I approach he slows down and stops and sets himself. Or at least he tries to. He swings. I simply stop moving and he misses and stumbles, I grab his arm twist it towards his back and walk him out the door, with a little nudge at the end. He stumbles but doesn't fall, turns around and charges. A grab and a swing of his body later and he’s in the garbage bags out front none the worse for wear. Back behind the bar, the music gets turned up and I start taking orders again, just another day.

Until 45 minutes later, I have a modern day frank sinatra playing in the background, everything stops. Everyones frozen, even the stripper showing off her new boob-job to the bar -while momentarily grateful because thats a win - I am confused by a single prompt.

Welcome to the System. You are being Integrated.

What the hell? The next thing I knew, everyone in my sight was gone. Just a desolate darkness with a point of light at the end I was rapidly approaching at terminal velocity. I can't move, and if I did I certainly didn’t notice. A jarring halt is greeting by a white room and someone who I couldn’t really pin the gender on in a modern day suit. Everything was bland, easily forgotten about them except one thing. A presence that urged me to the ground, which I was immediately in defiance of. As many of us were taught, we bow before no man or no thing. This was not god, that much was clear - there was no compassion or mercy in that gaze, just an androgynous malevolence that cared for nothing.

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“Welcome to the multiverse, human 00000234587 or otherwise known as ERROR, please choose a name.” The voice was much like its appearance, dry, emotionless

“What in the actual fuck is this, and who the fuck are you?” I pride myself on being able to keep a cool head in situations but give me a break here. Was I dead?

“Please choose a name, you have been inducted with your entire world into the multiverse. A tutorial will start shortly.”

“Tutorial? What multiverse?

“Please choose a name, your tutorial will begin after.”

“Can I have some answers?”

“All Questions at this point are irrelevant before the tutorial, choose a name.” I began to feel pressure on my body, even my mind and stared in astonishment. “Choose a name or you will be discarded.”

It didn’t take me long to figure out the meaning of that particular sentiment and quickly went back to what I was called day in and day out of the best game I ever played. “Cildarian” I grunted out, the pressure lessening as soon as they had their answer. As well as a prompt.

Name: Cildarian

Race: Unrefined Human

Natural Affinity: Air

Lesser Affinities: Fire, (Error), (Error), (Error)

Bloodline: Unknown (Affinity Related)

STR - 6 (Strength)

STA - 5 (Stamina)

DEX - 7 (Dexterity)

WIS - 5 (Wisdom)

INT - 8 (Intelligence)

CHA - 5 (Charisma)

LCK - 2 (Luck)

Achievements: N/A

Resources: N/A

“Please note, human, the baseline for your race is 5 in each category. Welcome to the Multiverse, and do your best in the Tutorial, it will have a large impact on your future, shaping where you go. Goodbye.” And with that I was thrown back in the darkness wondering what the hell was going on.

This time I saw stars, cosmos in swirls of every color imaginable passing through I felt how insignificant I was in the face of all this. There was, without a doubt, life elsewhere. I could feel my body moving again, but I couldn't breathe, nor did I find I had the need to do so. I felt my body change, pleasant at first like lying in the grass with your dog and the sun gently caressing your skin. That quickly changed. A prickling started in my blood, becoming more and more uncomfortable. I thrashed as it became a heat within my center like a sun burning everything away. I started sweating uncontrollably which graduated to vomiting the meal I had followed by putrid black. I assumed there was no smells in the vacuum of where I was, perhaps space, but it was more disgusting then the sunlight hitting Bourbon street after fat tuesday. Blood leaked from my pores and everything about me felt as if it was being deconstructed and put back together.

My body also felt power in this pain, in my veins and my heart. My mind cleared and my vision sharpened. My muscles, which were not overly large for a man of 6’1 210 lbs tightened and relaxed, tougher, stronger in every way. Then searing lines ran through my body, connecting seemingly every part of me to that sun in my center. I wish I could have passed out but I was forced awake by the process itself. This System showing me no mercy.

All at once it was done. What felt like ages passed as I sat there suspended in the cosmos, then I was yanked. Well it felt like a yank, but more like a yank through some kind of overpowered vacuum. Darkness took me.