“With a single swing I can cut down mountains, beasts, and any fear in my heart. But keep in mind, it is only through a thousand failures that I can create a single success” -Masuri, the Thread Ender.
Opening my eyes to a growling stomach, I found two things in spite of my still pursuing exhaustion. One, I was hungry, and two, I had nothing but a cloth tunic, something similar to what you’d see from the serfs during the Middle Ages, perhaps. Yet, it took all my will and all my effort just to get up. Should I try to find whatever equivalent to a village there is here, and live out peacefully? Try to simply replicate what I did in what seems like a time long past? No, I knew I couldn’t live like that, not with all my perceptions and hopes shattered as they are. Thinking back on my conversation with ‘it’, I realized dully it had mentioned something about me serving another. Nonsense to screw with my head more, perhaps, but something to think about. There was some sort of blue screen just a few seconds ago, welcoming me to this new world, as well as a quest line. Is this like those video games that those other guys always talked about? I could never play them due to one thing or another, but they did seem fun.
I sat there for a few seconds, pondering on the side whether or not I should just try to go back to sleep for maybe forever, when I remembered a clip from a show. I brought out my left hand, and swiped down. Nothing happened. With dull eyes, I thought that if I wasn’t just put into a deep state of anguish, I’d be pretty embarrassed right now. I sighed, and just tried whatever else I could, for surely there was some sort of way to bring it back up. The more I thought about it, the more I had some sort of… Urge, to say a certain word aloud. Sighing in a slight resignation on what my life’s become, I said “Quest”.
Quest: To make choice in a set narrative: p9o8iaz
Well, I’m glad that I’m already feeling screwed with so early. Seeing the blue screen in front of me, I realized that as long as my eyes were open, it would stay in front of me, interesting. Either I was now insane(-er) or there was some form of magic in this world. After reading the description of the quest, I decided to accept it. I suppose I can always just refuse it later. Suddenly, I felt some sort of marking point in my mind’s eye, telling me which way to go in order to reach it. My growling stomach reminded me of more wordly tasks though.
Walking around, I realized that the hill I was on was actually above a forest, full of multicolored birds and creatures that I couldn’t even dream of, filling me with both awe and curiosity. Most parts of the forest were red in one way or another, and it was fairly hot, as though the sun was beating down on a hot summer’s day, even with all these trees. If the limits are seemingly endless for the kinds of animals, and there’s magic… Suddenly, a roar similar to that of a simulated t-rex’s filled the air, shaking the trees and sending the creatures of the sunny forest to scatter, and leaving me to wonder what it looks like. Thankfully, I was able to find some silver-colored circular fruits hanging low from a tree with red glowing lines going up its bark, close enough that I was able to grab it and take a bite. I closed my eyes in a surprising burst of pleasure, letting me stop in thinking about whatever the fuc-heck’s happening.
If all food in this world is as good as this, then the common people must have been very happy during their meals. I took some extra to fill the pockets of my ragged shorts, and went in the direction of my link, trying not to think about how my life turned from a slow burn to a hard, painful crash (literally). Still, maybe I should try looking at the positives. I’m not dead. Yay. I’m, uh, in a fantasy world. I got to refuse that being’s first choice, so that was nice. I didn’t want to live like some sort of king, since even with or without a god, all those lessons I’ve learned should still be lived by. I tried to not think about how that thought felt a little hollow.
30 minutes later
My bare feet were starting to hurt, but I continued trudging along the red grassy floor while simply picking all sorts of incredible fruit in this busy forest. The more I walked, the more I got to see all sorts of special, different types of wildlife and plantation, from fire red leaves that seemed to be burning embers (probably one reason why it’s so hot here), to a deer that had horns that made a jagged crown surrounding its head, with all sorts of rubies embedded in them. I don’t think I’ve ever been around air so fresh either. With the realization that there’s a quest bar, I tried saying other words that may help, such as ‘system’, ‘tutorial’, or even ‘inventory’, but didn’t get any urges like I once did. It was only when I said things like ‘overview’ that anything came up, yet at the same time all I got was a blue screen that wrote “Requirements not yet met: First find a path to power!” Which meant jack shi- shoot, as far as I was concerned.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
With all the wildlife, I also grabbed a sharp rock, just in case I manage to muster up the energy to defend myself, I suppose. After trying not to think and following the path to try to get closer and closer to what I can feel is the quest’s destination in my mind’s eye, I hear a shout similar to a boar’s, only to turn and see… A boar with orange fur. Huh, thought there would be something a little different, all things considered. I turned back and continued trudging along, when it suddenly roared again and started charging right towards me.
This isn’t killing myself, right? I mean, I didn’t ask for the boar to come to me, and- I felt my body jump out of the way, falling on all fours. I don’t remember telling my body to do that. The boar hit a tree, shaking it violently. It turned back to me after a few seconds, and pawed the floor, preparing to charge me again. Something within me sparked, and as the boar charged again, I threw the rock as hard as I could. Even with my meager strength, the rock somehow hit it on its sharp edge in its eye, causing the beast to veer to the left and fall. Perhaps I should’ve bothered to go to the gym when I had the chance.
I ran away as fast as I could, filled with overwhelming adrenaline. After five minutes, I tripped over a branch, and kept falling, with no energy left. The floor felt cold, my body more exhausted than I could have imagined, and I was left… Smiling. No no no, there was no reason to smile. I was just left in a life or death situation! (As little as that means to me). I pushed all those thoughts out, and breathed in, then out. Right. That was in your past Dave, whether or not what you follow ended up real, you’ve still grown. Who you were all those years ago was a different person.
I got back up, and with my continued breathing exercise, continued to that unknown marker I felt deep within me. The sun was starting to set, but it felt close. Closer, at least. The only problem now, was that I was heading out of that impossibly beautiful forest I was in, and into the base of great mountains. As I sighed and started walking up, I could see birds of all sorts of sizes and colors. The mountains were reaching up so high that I could see their peaks full of snow, piercing the clouds. Upon first glance, they didn’t seem too special, especially compared to the forest. The more I paid attention though, the more I realized everything was slightly… Off. The trees and animals, in spite of it being fairly windy, made almost no noise. And getting closer and closer, the colors started getting more and more lifeless, going from lighter shades of red until the only trees surrounding me were dead ones, and the only grass was brown and dead. To say I was getting alarmed and relatively frightened may or may not have painted me as more brave than I am, as I was starting to break into a cold sweat. I can feel myself getting close to it.
Panting from the long hike that was not being assisted by the growing anxiety, I reached an empty cave, filled with darkness. I could feel some sort of invisible force pressing down on me, and though it was almost like a breeze compared to what I felt not too long ago, it still hampered my walking, as though I was carrying another fifty pounds. But I had made my choice, for what other choice do I have? I walked in.
And was immediately barraged with a scream of what sounded like a young, frightened girl shouting “No! Come any closer, and-and I’ll have to kill you!” Suddenly, there was a black, spiked tendril reaching out to pierce through me, and it was only through a miracle and a half that I managed to move aside.
What’s happening?! Was this not the person I was supposed to serve? Why was I getting attacked?! The tendril slithered around in my direction, and the voice of that same young girl cried out again in an even more frightened tone “L-leave, now! Nonono, I can’t control it!” I couldn’t hear the last part, but something stopped me. Not the wanting of death, not right now, but more a collection of questions troubling me deeply. Still, I backed away, not wanting an answer to the question of just how sharp those tendrils are.
It kept coming towards me however, and behind it several more appeared. I have nowhere else to go, so there’s no point in stopping here. “I’m not here to hurt you!” I yelled back. I wasn’t quite sure if telling her that it was a quest was the right move, with my little knowledge of this world.
Yet the response was unexpected, as what I got in return was an anger filled “liar! That’s what they all say, but it’s never true! I never meant to do it, to kill them! Why do you have to keep chasing me?!”
Then, as the multiple moving tendrils started moving towards me with more energy than even before, she came out.
In rags even worse than mine, covered in dried blood and patches of mud, long brown hair frizzled and messy, with bruised feet that had no shoes, and bruises and cuts all over her body, it seemed as though the seemingly 10 year old girl had gone through hell and back. What truly struck me though was her face. Filled with an indescribable mix of anger, fear and sadness. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she had tears streaming through her cheeks. There was a deep cut running through her forehead, and her lips were quivering. The girl was floating, with black tendrils coming out from her back both stabbing in the ground and shooting towards me.
Even as one, two, three tendrils stabbed into me from different parts of my body, I could only look at her. This girl… She had gone through trials unlike any other, I understood immediately. Seeing her, a feeling unlike any other filled me, and I knew what I should- no, what I HAD to do.
Barely registering the blood leak out of me, and the spiked tendrils pushing themselves further into my body, I got on one knee and bowed my head.
“Please, allow me to serve you.”
Path to Power found: Forever Faithful Butler
Body undergoing transformations!
Core unlocked!
Health fully restored!
Purpose found? Found out next time, on Dragon Ball-