I died. I know I died. There wasn't any other possibility after getting run over by a train. Yes, my death was painful. Fortunately, the train didn't leave much of me to remain alive.
I watched my body parts and organs scattered across the tracks. My blood now a new painting design for the train. I ignored the screams of my friends and bystanders. Ignored the shocked and frozen stance of Ingrid.
What did she expect after pushing me into the tracks? I shook my head. Wait my head. I touched myself and blanched as I realized I could sense myself. In fact, at this moment I was realizing that I was able to even hear my thoughts. Weird right?
I touched myself all over and wondered what was wrong with me. Wasn't I dead? Or was this the spirit as many assumed? My questions were answered the next minute as a line of words appeared in front of me.
[Planetary Announcement]
[This World has been inducted into the Erlzonic Multiverse. The seals once placed by the ##### have been broken and now energies kept from your world by the ##### can permeate]
[Due to these callous actions perpetrated by the ##### the System deems it unfair that the long past had no chance to thrive and fulfill their destinies. Their karmas shall be affected due to this. For those still passing or physically challenged a draw shall be offered to change your current situation]
[Your World will now fill with Mana, Astral, Energy, and various other sources. You are advised to choose wisely as each source will open a path for every human on this new planet. The presence of these sources will be evident in your day-to-day lives and affect many of your natural wildlife. Manipulating and using the sources to attain strength is advised. Your world will now undergo terraforming due to the heavy influx of sources. Use your energy wisely]
[Personal Announcement]
[As one who died within the Earth time of 00:00:30:00 you have been given the draw to offset your death. Know that all choices are permanent and cannot be changed]
[Choose - Resurrection/Remaking]
I almost shouted out the resurrection before my lips snapped shut. My eyes trailed back to the other words in my view. The planetary announcement and everything. I looked around me to the sight of people looking into the air. Some had wonder, others awe and most others just confusion and fear. Fear of the unknown.
"If I resurrected myself now who was to say I wouldn't get attacked here and now". A look around showed me that a lot of people were embracing all this too quickly. What if I became a mob in a game to them? Another reason was that the system wouldn't have offered if there wasn't a better choice. After all, it could just have resurrected me if it really could and call it a day. The fact a choice was available meant something. Something I was too curious to ignore.
In the end, I won myself over by quickly reminding myself that I had tasted being human enough.
[You have selected Remaking]
I gulped nothing down as the system words hovered in my sight for a moment. Then it vanished and a set of words appeared.
[Please select the race that fits your criteria]
[Elf
[Dwarve
[Fae
[Beastkin
[Monster
[Chimera]
[...]
[Or]
[Please fashion a race that suits you]
One showed the different races below it and three little dots that made it clear there was more than just this. I was kind of excited at seeing the elf or maybe the Faes. But, I looked away from that option and down to the next.
'If I took something already made what was the difference between staying human and just resurrecting' I looked at the option for so long that many people around had already started leaving the subway rushing for their homes to stay with their loved ones.
I watched my friends drag themselves home. Some cast one final glance at my shattered body and others not even looking back. Their gazes stuck to their screens. I wondered what they saw. Wondered what they got as humans. I shrugged and looked to Ingrid who remained stationary her eyes going from her system screen to me and back.
Was I mad at her? Yes. Was it her fault? No. See Ingrid had the worst of tempers amongst us all. Considering I knew this maybe I shouldn't have pissed her off so much. She was usually so blinded with rage that she rarely realized what she'd done until later. Looking at her it was obvious the horror at what she had done didn't even let her enjoy the realization that her dream of a system world had finally come. Maybe if she had read the words she'd have convinced herself that I would be back. Shaking my head I ignored her and focused back on my options.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Everyone else leaving had shown that in such times like this, it was up to only ourselves to care for us. It wasn't a bad thing per se and humans couldn't be blamed for putting themselves and family first. It was an instinct that had kept us going for long. An instinct that had helped us survive the ages.
Still, it meant that right now my choice had to be one that kept me going. One that put in the demerits of a lone individual. I didn't know how being remade from the dead would work so I had to make sure I was only surviving on my own.
'I've always wanted a do-over' Mentally shrugging I clicked my option.
[Race Generator active]
[Randomise]
[Parts of a whole]
[Custom]
I instantly ignored randomization. Best to stick to humans, than take such a chance. Parts of a whole sounded like it would take from existing races to make me.
[Parts of a Whole]
[Select attributes, racial perks, affinities, and whatnot from several races to synergies within oneself ]
"Called it".
Going to the last I selected it. Everything else vanished. For a moment there was nothing but the slight dim of the system before things began appearing. They were all arranged row by row to the left. Each time I focused on a word it expanded to show more things beneath. I gulped at the sheer number of things shown beneath. To my right was a space I didn't know what for. Sighing I found I was able to float myself back to the ground. With a pleased grin, I relaxed myself for what I could see would definitely be a long session. Focusing on the words again I selected the first one.
[Skeletal frame, Chitnous Frame, or Both]
I selected skeletal. No straying too far from humanoid forms. The next option showed a litany of words all of which I had to carefully peruse.
[Skeletal Frame - Bone Number, Bone Shape, Bone Types, Bone Use, Bone Arrangement]
Slowly I put in the number of bones I wanted. I knew the human body had at most two hundred and something bones. Unsure I looked around my system for some help. Seeing none I sighed and put in three hundred bones for Bone number.
I realized how fucked I was when the system made me give them shapes. I was no biology student but fortunately, the system seemed to realize I would need help here. An image of a humanoid skeleton appeared to the right of the space leaving more space to the left. Shrugging I began using the skeleton as instructions to make my bones.
A good amount of time later I was staring at a pile of bones I had arranged in the left space close enough to show me a highlight of my new skeletal frame. If I was human or alive I would have been soaked with sweat and frozen with fatigue. A look up at my surroundings made me realize I had taken seven days to complete my bones. My corpse was in a state of decomposition that would have made me gag if I had organs. Shaking my head I turned to my system.
"What now?".
I frowned as the system made me list the types of bones I had made and their use. By the time I was done, I felt like even spirits or souls whatever I was needed sleep.
Fortunately, the system aided in arranging the parts to form a whole. The skeletal frame zoomed while the humanoid one vanished. Now taking up the show space a slider appeared next to it. Sliding up stretched the bones and made me taller but made me thinner. Sliding down was the reverse. After a bit of contemplation, I decided at 5ft 8. Ignoring my male desire to be taller I rationalized my decision by starting at a familiar height.
[Your Skeletal Frame is complete]
[Please name Frame for submission]
"I did take the inspiration from humanoids so..." I fake yawned as I thought up a name. "...Himoides?".
[Skeletal Frame - Himoides]
[Average Bone Density - 7Es(Where Es are standard System figures of measurement with Es standing for Elzos and ranging from 1 - 10 in a tier]
[Average Bone Durability - 9Es]
[Average Bone Strenght - 8Es]
[Joint Flexibility - 6Es]
[Force Reduction - 8Es]
[Force Conduction - 2Es]
[Himoides registered as Half-Tier 10 Skeletal Frame]
[For Exceptional work you gain 100Silver Elz]
[Your Frame schematics have been added to the system logs - +1000 Silvers]
I sat up. A part of me was thrilled by the number of silvers since I felt the system wouldn't give me money for just anything. Another was worried about what it would mean to have my frame in the system.
My confusion was abated by the system prodding me to continue my building.
[Organ - Organ Number, Organ shape, Organ Type, Organ Size, Organ effect, Otgan use]
Once more I used the humanoid organs as inspiration. I then noticed something amazing. Finishing the skeletal frame affected the options listed in the other settings. Like if there had been the option for three or more eyes they were now gone. Most likely due to the skull having only placement for two eyes.
'Glad the system takes into account every step I make'. I listed out 80 organs. Two more than the original 78 a human had. I figured if there were sources in the world now then I might need something to give me more advantages. So I thought of an organ able to harness and store more of these sources. Another to create this source in my body as well. I wondered if they would be rejected or seen as cheating by the system. There was no such thing. Glad, I went on to shape them as wanted. Name and list their effects and uses in the body. There was no naming of my organs unlike my skeletal frame but it did list out their measures.
[Organ ]
[Average Organ Density - 14Es(Where Es are standard System figures of measurement with Es standing for Elzos and ranging from 1 - 10 in a tier]
[Average Organ Durability - 4Es]
[Average Organ Efficiency - 18Es]
[Connectivity - 16Es]
[Damage Reduction - 12Es]
[Damage Expuksion - 28Es]
[Organ registered as Tier 10]
[For Exceptional work you gain 100Silver Elz]
[Your Organ Schematics has been added to the system logs - +5000 Silvers]
I whistled at the amount before thinking of what exactly the system could sell for such an amount or if the world had already started using the new currency. Looking up I gasped at the sight of a creature I didn't recognize crawling above the subway ceiling. I kept my eyes on it. Hopefully, it wasn't anything that could kill spirits.
I watched it for a while and realized that I was safe. It just kept crawling till it came to the stairs. Shaking my head I turned to the tracks and frowned at the sight. My body parts were gone. Probably eaten by some wild beast. With a shiver, I shook my head and returned to my body-making. The sooner I could get this done the faster I could leave here.