There's... something happening.
I cannot move.
It's... loud.
Muddled voices and sounds, all in a panic.
There are colors... many of them.
White is prominent.
I think red, too.
[ Try to remember. ]
I try.
+++
Laughter.
It's so... happy.
We're moving. But... we aren't moving.
There's... many of us. I can't remember.
My hands are on something, occasionally rotating it.
A loud noise stops the celebration.
I turned to look at it, and the others scream.
Bright lights...
[ Acceptable. Preparing newly identified soul for rehousing. ]
...Something... this isn't right...!
+++
[ Welcome. ]
"...Hello...?"
[ I am the System, and it is my duty to guide your soul through the reincarnation progress. ]
"You... a System? Like... a game? A fantasy?"
[ Correct. And it is my duty to scan your past-life-
"Wait- reincarnation, as in-"
-attributes to create a new and suitable form for your soul. ]
"Wait- wait- wait- I don't even get a say in my own soul's new body-? Isn't this a bit fast-?"
[ No. ]
"But-"
[ The process must be quick to avoid Soul Attrition. ]
"Soul Attrition-? That sounds bad, is there any way to-"
[ Scanning past-life attributes. ]
"Wait, I still have so many-"
+++
I'm somewhere with finished wood and many voices. I drink... something I can't put my finger on, but I know it's non-alcoholic. I was never a drinker, always too worried about 'this-or-that' as my friends would say. My hand holding the glass trembles, and the voices mix together, making me feel nauseas. I can only think that there's too many people here, and it feels suffocating...
"Hey, █████, you alright?"
They say something to me. I know it's my name, but it slips my mind, like water between my fingers. it's unsettling.
"Y- yeah, ███████, I just- I just feel like there's too many people here."
I say their name, but it slips beyond my grasp as well. Am I truly saying these words, or are they... just my own memories being played back?
"It's alright, I told ██████ that you have a thing with crowds, but she was so excited to have you over to celebrate after all the shit that's happened... sorry if you felt coerced."
Another name, gone. I might as well get used to the censory.
"No, no, it's fine. She needed it, and I need to learn to ease up."
"Alright, but don't be afraid to take a breather outside if you've gotta."
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"Thanks man."
+++
[ Attribute Gleamed: Crowd Averse. ]
[ Attribute Gleamed: Small-Circle Sociable. ]
[ Removed 18,679 reincarnation options from pool. ]
"Wait, there's that ma-"
+++
"Hiiiyyaaa buddyyy! How ya' doin'?"
An excited bark.
"I missed you too ███! it's good to see ya!"
The dog twirled around, barking even more. I just laughed and pet him more.
Why can I remember the gender of this- my, dog? Why not the others?
"Here, let me get you some-"
+++
[ Attribute Gleamed: Animal-Lover. ]
[ Attribute Gleamed: High Animal Preference. ]
[ Removed 4,896 reincarnation options from pool. ]
"...At least it's not that many. this time..?"
+++
I was... afraid. Nervous. Trembling. I couldn't remember what had happened, but it was bad. I had decided to stay in my room that day, playing video games or reading, occasionally hopping onto my luckily acquired online job. The one day I said I'd stay turned into three. A month. three months. Six. it kept going. But I was content. I only ventured out to buy food for myself and my dog, bless his soul.
I couldn't remember the event, but I could focus on the feelings of it.
Why can't people be simple? They're so... difficult. it's hard to do anything appeasing with them!
I guess that explained how I didn't go mad alone for so long, but... what had happened that day?
+++
"Dammit, can't you let me stay longer? What the hell was my life like b-"
[ Attribute Gleamed: Solitude-Lover. ]
[ Attribute Gleamed: Unmoving and Content. ]
[ Attribute Gleamed: Human Averse. ]
"Human averse? Isn't that a bit-"
[ Removed 7,351 reincarnation options from pool. ]
+++
I was sitting at a desk now, scrolling through the internet. There was a book on my lap, full of blank pages. The images on my computer were blurred, only a few of discernable quality. Most I could see seemed to be... fantastical creatures? What was that about?
There was something in my other hand, a pencil, I think. The blank book, a sketchbook- I remember- was placed on the desk now. I began to draw something, starting with simple shapes and slowly progressing to something much more complex. I was entranced by this, but the damnable System didn't even let me see what I was drawing!
+++
[ Attribute Gleamed: Lover of the Fantastical. ]
"Oh, so you're just not going to let me know who I fucking was?!"
[ Removed 130 reincarnation options from pool. ]
[ ...Attribute Gleaming was much simpler when subject's soul was less active. ]
"So I was unconscious while you just-"
+++
I was sitting at a rather large table, surrounded by others. There was a board in front of us, and they were letting out expectant cheers as one of them rolled something. Their blurry faces fell upon seeing the results, and a smile found its way onto my face.
"Your efforts are unfounded, the chained beast breaking free with ease. It is now enraged and turns to your party spitefully."
"Oh, fuck me..."
"Well, it's not too-"
"██████, roll for dexterity."
"Fuck."
This memory resonates with me in a way I can't place. It's... nice. I miss this time, as weirdly disconnected as it feels.
+++
[ Special Attribute Gleamed: Dungeon Master. ]
"Special? Like, a deciding factor or just a unique thing-"
[ Taking other attributes into account... ]
"We're already done-? What about the rest of my life- the questions I have?!"
[ Two attribute appropriate options selected. ]
"Do I get to pic-"
[ Other option eliminated after consideration of its abilities, passives, and your attributes. ]
"Oh great, now I just get ignored..."
[ Appropriate reincarnation chosen: Dungeon Core. ]
"That sounds very interesting... but what-"
[ Further questions will be answered after the reincarnation progress. Previous questions might be answered. ]
"Oh. At least I know you were listening..."
[ Suitable Core created. Establishing Soul-Link to Core and removing hindering memory blockers. ]
"MEMORY BLOCKERS?!"
[ Soul-Link successfully established. ]