Chapter 3

“Drew Wright, you are now able to customize your appearance. To do so, focus on which aspects you’d like to change while having a solid image in your mind.” Spock’s voice rang out through the void. “I would like to remind you that this will have little functional impact on your survival chances and there is little time remaining.”

“I am well aware Spock,” Drew sent back mentally.

With a clear image fully in mind, Drew focused on willing the Dhampir statue in front of him to change. The statue quickly morphed and reformed as the facial muscles realigned. After the face, the rest of the body quickly changed as well. Drew was now looking at an almost perfect recreation of his chosen celebrity inspiration.

Strong jawline, white-grey hair, masculine facial structure, and muscular physique. The ears remained pointed, but were closer in line with his template. This must have been what Spock was talking about when he mentioned parameters. Dhampirs had to have pointed ears apparently. The figure was already dashingly handsome, but Drew decided to make some very quick minor changes.

The ab muscles quickly shifted and became more pronounced and defined, and v-lines were added to give the figure a more sculpted look. As Drew’s eyes shifted to the belt line, he noticed that the figure in front of him was now fully nude, and with that realization, a smirk crossed Drew’s non-existent face.

No one would blame me, right? Every dude wishes for a little something more… Fuck it, I’ll do it. Ohhh Mr. Winkie, it’s time for a face lift, my friend!

Things quickly shifted and grew, and before long, Drew decided he needed to dial things back just a tad. Once it was dialed back to something reasonable and no longer resembling an appendage belonging to a horse, Drew decided he was finished.

It had been a rather rushed process, but the use of a mental template had sped things significantly. He wondered how many people would end up with awful classes and abilities because they lost themselves in sculpting the perfect version of themselves.

“Hey Spock, I think I’m finished with customizing my new body,” Drew sent telepathically.

“Understood, Drew Wright. The System will now integrate your soul with your new body. This will take a moment, and your time allotment will be paused while this happens,” Spock said with a slight twinge in his voice that Drew was unable to recognize.

“Okay, sounds good man. So now we’re going to class selection, right?” Drew asked.

“That is correct, Drew Wright. As we wait, I do have a question of my own if you would indulge me…” Spock let the statement hang in the air for a moment. Drew shrugged his shoulders internally, Spock hadn’t asked him for anything before, and he had been extremely helpful throughout this whole process, why shouldn’t Drew repay the favor?

“Sure man, what’s your question?” Drew sent back as he waited for his new body.

“For what reason did you increase the size of the penis? I am unaware of any aesthetic or potential combat advantage it would give you,” Spock asked in what Drew could only take as an almost child-like innocence and curiosity.

“Uhhh… I didn’t know you could see that. Well, it’s like this… wait a minute… how do you not know something like that?” Drew said as his internal thoughts meshed with his telepathic dialogue. From all appearances, Spock looked like a regular human dude. Sure, he spoke robotically, but there was sweat on his brow and his chest rose and fell as he breathed. He felt human. If a bit odd.

“When I was created, The System only included knowledge that it deemed prevalent and necessary to assist you as Progenitor,” Spock explained almost sadly. “I’m afraid I lack all information outside of what was given to me and what I’ve learned during our brief interaction.”

“Created? What do you mean created? Are you a robot?” Drew asked quickly.

“I am entirely organic, I assure you. The System created me in order to specifically interact with you, Drew Wright. I have no parents, other than The System. Prior to your arrival here, I did not exist,” Spock answered.

“Are you telling me that The System grew you, a living breathing human, from nothing, and downloaded a bunch of crap into your brain?” Drew asked, his mouth falling open.

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“That is an overly simplified approximation of what occurred, yes,” Spock replied.

Drew’s very soul shuddered as he began to have a sinking feeling deep within his being.

“And you were created specifically for me, and not other progenitors?” Drew asked cautiously.

“That is correct,” Spock answered affirmatively. “As you were unintegrated upon your arrival, I was given the information to speak your native language and interact with you using basic mannerisms. I was created to appear approachable and non-threatening.”

The sinking feeling within Drew grew stronger and he really hoped that the conclusion that was forming in his head was incorrect, but curiosity won out and Drew decided to ask.

“And... what happens to you when I leave to go back to Earth?” Drew asked slowly.

“My body will be terminated and rendered into a renewable energy that The System will recycle to create future System Guides to aid other progenitors,” Spock answered, and for the briefest moment, Drew could hear a slight hollowness in his voice.

Drew’s vision went dark for a brief moment after hearing Spock’s response, and the floating sensation he had felt for the last several minutes vanished as a great suction pulled at his being. Before Drew had a chance to ask what was going on or to freak out, he was blinking his eyes.

Wait… I have eyes?

Water rolled down his cheeks as the sudden brightness of the room he was in caused Drew to tear up. Instinctively, he reached up with his hand to brush away the tears and rub his eyes, and that’s when it occurred to him that he was in a body again.

As his eyes became accustomed to the environment, his vision became clearer and Drew turned his head to look around. He was back in the original white room, with Spock sitting behind his desk. Drew held his hands out in front of him and noticed he looked different. He felt different. He turned his hands over. He didn’t recognize them.

This is definitely the new body. Drew thought to himself as he looked down and saw that the distinctive gut that he’d come to hate was gone. In its place was a sculpted six-pack.

Drew looked around the room and noticed that the boxers that his old body had been wearing were alone on the floor, and as he was still very much nude in his new body. Drew decided he would rather have boxers on than nothing at all.

As he pulled his old boxers onto his new body, the conversation he’d been having with Spock snapped forward in his mind. Drew’s stomach turned and he felt a large knot of stress and guilt wrap around his insides. He turned to look at Spock, who was sitting at his desk.

The man’s eyes were empty, as if he was just going through the motions of life. Yet somewhere deep down past the System-implanted knowledge, Drew knew that Spock must be feeling a huge amount of fear and sadness. The man wasn’t even thirty minutes old, he hadn’t gotten to live any kind of real life, and the moment Drew left this place, he would be killed.

The man hadn’t displayed much emotion in their short time together. But he had shown curiosity. He seemed to enjoy questions and new information. Which made a lot more sense now that Drew knew he had been ‘created’ with huge gaps in his mind.

Spock had knowledge of so many things, yet he never learned any of it himself. He never felt the breeze blow across his face, or the sun’s rays on his skin. He’d never have a beer, nor friends with which to share it. His voice was mechanical because he’d never heard others speak, or had the chance to develop his own tone. He’d never gotten the chance to live.

Drew knew that his time to choose a class was limited, but warring emotions raged within his heart as he looked at the man behind the desk. If Drew did nothing, this man would die, and while it wouldn’t be Drew’s fault, he also knew that if he stood idly by knowing the man would die without his assistance, it would haunt him for the rest of his days.

He wasn’t a good man, he didn’t always make the right calls, and in most instances, Drew would consider himself to be selfish. But in this one instance, he could make a difference. Drew firmed his resolve as he pressed his lips together and walked towards the desk.

“Welcome back, Drew Wright. I hope your new body is to your liking. Your current time allotment is just over eight minutes, we may now move on to class selection,” Spock said in a near-emotionless manner.

Drew walked right up the edge of Spock’s desk and looked the man in the eyes.

“I’d like to spend a boon,” Drew said firmly.

Spock’s left eyebrow raised ever so slightly before he quickly corrected it.

“What advantage do you wish to spend a boon on?” Spock asked with genuine curiosity.

Drew’s mind raced several miles per second as he tried to find the right words. Eventually, something clicked in his mind and he responded.

“I wish for System Guide Spock to not be recycled at the end of this tutorial but to become my traveling companion on Earth, so he may help fill in my gaps of knowledge. Also, so he can share that same knowledge with my friends and family to prepare for the integration of The System.”

Both of Spock’s eyebrows shot toward his hairline as his eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, he was interrupted as a small box of floating text entered both his and Drew’s vision.

Request Received…

Request Granted

Boon allocated towards additional progenitor token

Additional Token immediately granted to System Guide Spock

Note: Token generation is resource intensive and thus limited to progenitors. One additional token may be generated per Progenitor. Boon-generated tokens will only grant immediate integration and basic gear for the token holder..

Drew read through the message quickly before a light smile crested the corner of his mouth and he looked towards his new companion. Spock’s eyes darted back and forth, reading, and then rereading the System message before finally snapping up to make eye contact with Drew.

“…Thank you,” Spock said in barely a whisper as a tear rolled down his cheek.