The sky was blue.
That was his first thought as he opened his eyes, and it was an accurate one. Rather than the normal light sky blue he had been forever used to, a deep rich blue sky stretched miles overhead. Clouds, lavender in color, stretch off into the distance as if loosely strewn about by a toddler. The pale blue sun above was bright above.
He was unaware of what had happened, and wasn't certain of what was going to happen. He himself was pretty average in comparison to this new sky, about 5'6" or 5'7" in height, lightly built in frame, and not so noticeable in facial features. He would never have been called the most handsome, probably not even picked to be the most handsome in any random line up. But his bright emerald green eyes and light dusting of face freckles, would have definitely made him in the better looking half of any line up.
Messy brown hair lay intertwining with the soft pale green grass. Rather than sharp on his back, it lay flat and soft, feeling much more comfortable than any grass he had ever interacted with. As he turned his head he could see how far the grass stretched into the distance.
To get a better angle, he had shifted his body more so that he could sit up, black hoodie and pale jeans shifting and wrinkling under the movement. His black sneakers weren't really any brand, just functional for his life in his old city.
The world wasn't still but more alive than he had ever seen. Grass rustling with the faint wind, clouds casting shadows, and animal sounds he had never heard before. This was not his Earth, much less his hometown City.
"Where the hell am I?"
The first words he had spoke in this world, voice was soft but concerned. And as if the world had an answer for him, and it just might have, as a little pale blue screen popped up.
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Hello New User!
Please enter Your Name
Nicknames are not allowed
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"What the fuck."
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Sorry, you need to tap Your Name,
to be able to change your name!
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He stared at the little blank screen, a mix of wonder and concern, before finally deciding the name of which this strange system would refer to him as. He tapped the box and spoke the name he had chosen.
"Fathom."
After Fathom had spoken those words, two more little screens had popped up in front of him in quick succession.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
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Hello, Fathom, I am a moderator for the Astral System known as Linc!
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I will be your personal moderator through out any and all use.
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Fathom stared at the little pale blue screens, his brain not quite processing this new information. His brow furrowed as he thought of how to properly continue before he came to a solid conclusion. Food. He needed food.
He shifted his position so that he could go from sitting up to standing on top of the pale green grass. The sun above him seemed to be rising above him to its peak, and as it did all around him flowers gold in color sprang up and started to bloom.
Fathom stared in wonder at the flowers as they started to bloom, the world seemed to turn gold in color as Fathom observed the boundless field. He had reached down to touch one of the blooming flowers, before a familiar screen popped up in front of him.
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Flower: Asphadiliians
Rarity: ★★★★★
An inedible flower that grows only in the Solaris Fields, it is only seen by a few as it only blooms in the middle of the Day of Midnight.
It is said these flowers are tied to the Astral System.
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"Of course this system can tell me about the flowers," Fathom scoffed before re-analyzing the text and noticing something else to question. "What the hell is a Day of Midnight?"
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Day of Midnight
The day that marks the start of the Golden Season, the whole sky and sun turn blue instead the normal pink color.
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Fathom stared at the little screen, his brain piecing together what he's learned so far. He paused before speaking out once more to the world around him.
"Linc, please stop answering everything I say unless I ask you directly."
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Of course, Fathom!
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Fathom let out a sigh at the screen before turning to look at the area around him. Ignoring the asphadiliians and the blue sky, he searched for any sign of civilization around him. To what he assumed to be west, a silver barked forest filled with dark violet leaves layer out.
Somewhere within, a plume of steady soft gray smoke rose above the leaves. Fathom paused for a moment before starting his way towards the plume that layer within the trees.
Asphadiliians lay crushed beneath his feet, the golden pollen caking the bottom of his shoes as he jogged into the forest. The trees did little to let sunlight in, but it wasn't a problem due to the dark purple vines that hung everywhere that were filled with small glowing golden berries. The glow of each individual berry wasn't strong, but the large number of them caused the glow to be quite bright.
Fathom slowed his jog to a walk as he continued to head towards the direction where he had seen the plume. As he walked he remembered the little screen that was constantly popping up around him.
"Linc, what are those little glowing berries?"
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Valdur Berries
Rarity: ★☆☆☆☆
Valdur Berries commonly grow in areas that are naturally dark, found most commonly within the Valvera Territory.
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"Valvera Territory? I guess that must be where I am," Fathom mused at the thought before quickly going back to focusing on the forest around him. Careful so as to not trip on any roots, he continued on his way towards where he had seen the plume.
Said plume of smoke was not as far as he feared, as he had quickly stumbled upon the camp where it was coming from. A single beige tent lay to his right side, and a campfire was in front of him.
Fathom froze as the tent shifted, a hand appearing on the flap. A person emerged from the tent carrying a bundle of strange meat in her other hand. A beat of silence passed as the two made eye contact, before Fathom opened his mouth to shout.
"Who the hell are you?!"