Chapter 2

A buzzing in my ears. A Cacophony of noises assaulted my ears, which I realized were remade along with the rest of my body. I was bumped into from the side and blurrily opened my eyes to a world I did not belong in. Stone walls, smooth as if made from one piece, rose above me along with a sky similar but unlike my own. I sat up and beheld a keep, small dwellings with shops around it. The keep towered over all, as I picked myself up, old cobblestone streets greeted me. I looked around and there were people. So diverse in nature and language were the humans around me that it was impossible they all came from America. Thousands of us were in what seemed to be a circle surrounding the keep and a woman on a platform near the top.

Woman, yes. Human, absolutely not. She was blue, her features were what I would assume perfection looked like with long silver hair falling over a decadent red robe. And she spoke. “Welcome Humans from planet Earth.. Wait you named your planet dirt? Is this translation function working?” Her eyes unfocused and then she brightened while a prompt came across my vision.

~Language of the Integrated confirmed.~

“Isn’t that better, people of dirt? Now we can get on with the introduction.” She beamed brightly at all as we sat there in confusion. “You should have noticed you now have the benevolent system to assist you in keeping track of everything and occasionally giving missions. You were barbarians before using the system…” She took a moment to scan something on her interface “but I can see you were already well on your way to being ruled by one of your own making! How nice would that have been? Anywho you don’t have to rely on garbage mechanics anymore to kill each other, you have…” another moment.. “Oh wow you guys really liked killing each other.” She stopped and just looked down at us for a moment while we took in what she was saying. I mean yeah we had wars but…

“Hey you blue bitch, why the fuck are we here?” It was an angry human, understandably so considering the circumstances. The woman's voice was tinged with frustration, she was venting and continued to do so. “Why don't you take that system and shove it right up your-” A beam of pure light shot down and the only word I could think of was smote. A frustrated human woman was smited right in front of us all. Pressure descended upon us and we all fell to our knees. I kept my head up unlike most but all others who were able to look up - few and far between - had one thing in common. Burning rage smoldered in their gazes. We didn’t ask to be here.

“Well now that's out of the way.. Oh ho! Aren't you dirt people a resilient lot? Maybe you'll even survive.. But I doubt it, so while you're unable to speak, I’ll continue.” Yup she was a cunt. And I instinctively knew due to the new ability I had acquired she was calling us dirt people instead of earthlings on purpose. “You’re cultivators now” She snorted in amusement “at least in name.” Her smile was no longer coming off as bright, but a malicious glee. “My job is to ensure you are prepared for the tutorial, and I will give a brief rundown of how that's going to look for the next few cycles.” Confusion about cycles was immediately replaced with the knowledge of seasons.

“As your assignee of the tutorial, you will be participating in wave trials. Monsters will assault these walls you will be living in, wave upon wave of them will try to get past your defenses. You will not be allowed inside the keep for two cycles. This is where the children and women with child are located. Contribution points will be awarded to you based on your efforts defending this base. These are individual and cannot be traded, and despite my best efforts to allow you to kill other humans to gather 50% of their points it was not allowed.” Vela turned solemn as she continued, “I was only able to make it 25% of their total points. And those are unspent and not their gross total. Murder will not be permitted between humans unless a leader choses to do so. Since the majority of you are from the… USA? Stupid name, by the way, it will be a democratic vote. Without their corruption of course.”

And while I should continue, I don't really feel like it, so here is your senior guidance representative. Please know that anything you do with this rep is between you, the rep, and the system and not allowed to be divulged under any circumstances through system oaths.” At that she seemed frustrated but then another walked onto the platform. Someone we could barely see, a gnome. Big hat, bushy beard, blue robe, looking wise beyond his years he looked down at us with pity.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Greetings, I am here as requested by the system, my name is Tonks, and by system rules only those from previous integrations are allowed in this position. Let me emphasize that while many will die, some will flourish, and this is what you make of it. I suggest dropping whatever old grudges or blood feuds existed before this and going forward together.” He took a deep breath, the sorrows shown on his lined face and continued. “You will notice you have been remade, this is not true. You have simply expelled the impurities that have built up without the ability to purge them correctly. You will see during the harrowing ordeal that you experienced that all short and long term illnesses have been forcibly extricated and your bodies are similar to newborns. This is the only time I've known the system to do this without a tribulation or reward. Barring natural treasures, do not squander this opportunity for the next two suns to get used to your new limits and abilities opened up by the system.”

With a great heave he looked across humanity assembled, the glint in his eye told of resolution. “My compatriot guides and I will do our utmost to help you, and starting with that I have Sage Offipy to guide you through your first meditation,” with a glare from Vela that promised retribution, he stated. “Remove all constraints from tutorial attendees immediately so I can guide them through which should have been done first.” Vela was to the side, fuming at the slight but she complied, while everyone relaxed as the pressure was released. “Offipy, my friend, if you will.”

The pressure release was welcome and immediately humanity stood as one in defiance of this new rule. We were not made to bow to an unknown force. To sit idly by while our world was changed and pressed down under a tyrant. We will stand at the gates and beckon the next opponent, if they dare.

“Sit down children,” the voice of Offipy was calm and resonant, as he walked forward you could see smile lines around his glowing green eyes -yes glowing- but his long beard is where the semblance of age stopped for he needed no cane, he walked lithely forward and taught. “Do not get your back up that I have called you such. I am over 400 years old. Attend.” At that insistence, perhaps sensing the distress of this other man who had been through what they had only started, together we sat and listened attentively. “Close your eyes, take deep calming breaths. I understand what you go through and I am here to help you let go and renew, not to say that is to forget, no, always remember what happened here today. This is your new life, and I need you to expel the old. Breathe.”

And we did. As I listened to the old man, he started speaking of seasons, of ice freezing over the lake. Thaw came and swept away the ice in vigorous opposition. Bringing with it life and warmth, Suns started to broil the plains, grass became food for fires. The wild life was manic and moving about, finding a new home. While some died, more always survived to carry on stronger, and better then their fallen brethren. The inferno raged through the trees demolishing the forest our visions traveled to. During that trip they were snuffed out, the air swirling around uncaring. A fan to the flames, but also its own being, guiding the moisture in the sky to extinguish and spread seeds. Spreading life and rebirth, the sounds of the world came into play, communicating and yelling in fear and exultation for the harvest and what is to come afterwards. The world never came into focus, it was simple yet extensive. Movement with the winds of change, and that's what this was. The winds of change. He continued upon the earth and water but somehow I was stuck there, still hearing the winds and the crackling of fire that served to keep us warm.

I sat there for hours it seemed, yet another notification tolled.

You have achieved primitive understanding in Air.

You have achieved primitive understanding in Fire.

Pressure descended upon us again and the force of it was tenfold “OFFIPY THIS IS BEYOND WHATS ALLOWED!” Velas’s high pitched scream interrupted us all.

“Your ways will not sway me, Squire, I do as I must.” Offipy was calm, collected and without regret. Vela pulled out a halberd from nowhere and swung. A bubble the color of lavender exuded from the old sage, the halberd stopped in the peak of its momentum.

“Children, this lesson seems to be at an end. Please see your personal representatives and discuss what has happened today.” With that he stood, and an invisible dome crashed outwards towards Vela throwing her to the sky in which she balanced, seemingly flying. Once she steadied herself everything they did was a blur, a streak down, another crash - then nothing. They just stood there. A prompt.

~ Due to interference and negligence this Tutorial will be under review~

Welcome to the multiverse, I guess? What the fuck.