Why is this giant lizard staring at me? Grant thought. Had he fallen asleep at his desk again? He felt conscious enough.
“Welcome, human of Earth 669. I am your Arbiter, Dragonpulse. Here to assist you in learning and adjusting to your new magic.”
“Magic?” Grant sat up. He was laying on… the floor? The ground? It was a black void. He felt nothing. No cold, nor heat. There was no floor yet he didn’t fall. The giant lizard appeared to be lounging on the ground, huge clawed legs crossed in a comfortable position.
“I have brought you and your people into the void while the magic diffuses your planet. It’s time for you to adjust to your new system. Can you look left for me?” The huge beast raised its clawed hand.
Grant looked up and left.
“And to the right?” She lifted her other clawed arm. “Perfect.”
“Okay, wait. I’m confused. What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain as we go, but first can you step forward? Backward? Can you see this waypoint?”
“What? What are we doing? Yes I can see the way point. What about it?”
Grant was getting annoyed.
A large transparent blue arrow hovering above the ground. It had a large blue indicator circle like you’d see in most video games. Wait a moment, he thought, this is obviously a dream if I can see a waypoint.
“Can you move to the waypoint as indicated by the arrow?” The Arbiter asked.
“You said you’d explain what’s going on,” Grant said, walking towards the icon. Now that he was paying attention, there were other things he could see in his peripheral vision. Three colored bars had appeared in the top right of his peripheral vision. Red, blue, and green.
“Your planet, Earth 669, is in the path of a destructive anomaly. As a magic-less world, your planet would easily be destroyed by this entity.”
The gigantic lizard waited for Grant to comprehend its words before continuing when he stepped into the waypoint marker. “Your Earth has been newly diffused with magic as a means to fight back against this anomaly. It’s my job to teach you how to use it.”
“This is a lot. Is this real?” Grant pinched himself. Ouch. Felt awfully realistic.
“I assure you, this is no dream.”
“Okay? What is my magical power then?”
“Your magic has been infusing since you awoke here, can you not feel it? See the icon in the bottom right of your vision? Focus on it.”
Grant did see it. A small paper-looking icon that he couldn’t blink away. Now that he could see it, he couldn’t unsee it. He focused on it.
His vision blurred and a huge transparent window appeared in front of him. A pause screen?
“The Polygon 20 system converts all your magical data into user-friendly windows comparable to what your Earth’s population is widely accustomed to.”
Status
Inventory
Party Options
“OK, that’s kind of trippy.” Grant waved his arm through the status window but nothing happened. “No touch screen?”
“Focus on your selection as you did the icon,” the voice of the lizard spoke, but this time in Grant’s mind.
“Wow. OK, now I’m officially weirded out. But intrigued.” Grant focused on the Status button. Immediately a new window appeared, showing him a picture of himself as he looked now, his name, and a button to choose his class.
“I don’t have a class?”
“As part of the Polygon 20 tutorial system, you have the opportunity to choose your starting class from three randomly generated choices based on the following question: What is your biggest weakness?”
Grant stood there for a moment, thinking. What kind of lame ass interview question is that? Greatest weakness? “Dying,” he answered.
Three mannequins on small raised platforms phased into existence in front of Grant. On each platform were translucent holograms that looked near-identical to him but were wearing different outfits. A plaque sat at the base of each indicating what class it would be.
Pyromancer (Phoenix)
The first version of Grant wore elaborate red robes embroidered with feathered wings. Fire danced along his body and he wore a confident expression. He winked at Grant. What the fuck. He turned to the next version of himself. Edgy rogue type, he thought. This version of himself was partially concealed by a looming dark fog. Maybe a stealthy archer build.
Voidwalker
What even was the void? He didn’t really know. He was here now though, and it wasn’t so bad.
He turned to the last version of himself. It was the brightest, cleanest version of himself he’d ever seen. Perfect in every way. Grant was staring at the ideal version of himself. Sword in one hand, shield in the other. There was a golden spear across his back and he was wearing gleaming silver and gold embroidered half-plate armor.
Guardian (Seraphic)
Grant sat back and stared at the three of them. They stared back at him. Phoenixes could be reborn from their ashes, he knew from mythology. Celestials could resurrect. What can a Voidwalker do? He thought.
“So I just pick one? This is it?”
“Yes, these are your choices.”
“No rerolls?”
There was no answer. He turned back to the three pedestals. As cool as fire magic might be, he didn’t want to actually have to die and be reborn. That went the same for resurrection. He stepped in front of the edgy-looking version of himself. “This one, then.”
“Step onto the pedestal to finish the class selection process,” the lizard spoke again in her strange mind-voice.
Grant stepped onto the platform. The other him vanished. He felt a sensation for the first time since waking in this place. Cold gripped his body. He shivered uncontrollably for a little too long before he returned to feeling nothing. Let's never do that again, thanks.
All of his open windows had closed except the Status window, which now indicated that he had a class. A list of attributes had appeared, too. It looked like a character sheet from a tabletop roleplaying game like dungeons and dragons.
Grant Guston (Level 1)
Voidwalker
Health [14] 2d6 (max at level 1) + POW MOD each level (min 1), + total level)
Mana [20] 2d8 (Magic)
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Stamina [10] 2d4 (spirit)
Power +1
Spirit +2
Mind +2
Magic +3
Luck +3
Traits
Void Resistance - You take half damage from elemental sources. You are immune to changes in the temperature.
Voidwalker - You can enter or exit the Void and have access to Void Magic Talents.
Talents
Choose Talent
Choose Talent
In addition to the stats, there were two choosable options at the bottom. Talents. Like a talent tree? Is this suddenly Skyrim? Grant focused on the first Choose Talent option and another prompt appeared. He had the choice between three weapon talents.
Swords
Knives
Firearms
He could use guns? That didn’t seem uncommon actually, because guns were a normal thing on Earth. I own knives, but no swords or guns. He chose Knives as his talent. A prompt appeared in his peripheral vision, notifying him that he’d gained an ability from the talent. The ability to throw knives.
The second set of talent choices appeared after he selected his first one. Three of them as before, but each related to the void.
Void Bolt
Void Step
Void Strike
Grant realized that if he focused on the talents individually he could get a description to pop-up.
Void Bolt. magic, ranged, Unleash a bolt of pure negative energy at one target. Deals 4 - 12 void damage. 3 Mana
He moved down to the next option.
Void Step. magic, self, Step through the void, moving instantly to a location you can see within 30-feet. 5 Mana
Not bad. Teleportation was always useful when he played video games. It was a staple option nowadays. He looked at the final talent he could choose.
Void Strike. magic, single target, One weapon of your choice becomes imbued with negative energy, dealing an additional 2 -5 void damage on hit for 1 minute.
Interesting choices, Grant thought. He was standing with his arms folded, staring intensely at the three boxes. He took Void Step. He cared about the utility of the skill, even if this was a dream and nothing mattered.
“That’s it, you’re ready.” The lizard lifted her head. Two massive wings spread out behind her.
“Are you a dragon?” Grant asked.
“I am modeled after the creature known as a Dragon, yes. I am a program designed to assist Earth 669 in adapting and managing magic diffusion. I can directly communicate with all users of the Polygon 20 system within my designated range one at a time or simultaneously.”
“OK, wow. That’s a bit detailed for a dream, but hey. So you help people level up and access their menus or whatever?”
“Yes, or whatever.”
“What happens next? What if I have other questions that I just can’t think of right now?”
“When the diffusion has settled, you will return from the void to your world. Very little time has passed since this process began, but be warned. Much will have changed.”
“What does that mean?”
“When the magic of your planet is increased, animals and plants and the very land itself will evolve. Your earth will expand, normal objects and items will be infused with magic.”
“Doesn’t that make things dangerous?”
“Yes. You are correct. But the danger presented by the anomaly outweighs that of the creatures of Earth 669,”
“Fair. OK. You said this thing destroys planets. How would you even do anything about that?”
“You will need to gain experience and level up to survive. This will help.”
A prompt appeared in Grant’s vision. Quests?
You have received a quest!
Defeat the Frost Maiden I
You have received a quest!
Defeat the Frost Maiden II
You have received a quest!
Earn your first level!
Another icon had appeared in Grant’s vision. A large golden letter Q for Quests. When he brought up his menu, it appeared beneath Party Options.
“Wait. Wait. Hold the Phone. You knew this was going to be an ice themed battle and didn’t tell me?” Grant was sweating. Fire would have easily been the better choice had he known. “Priorities! Fuck!”
“Apologies,” the dragon offered. “My influence over your choices is limited, as is the information I can share at stages in your development.”
“OK then, It’s just like a game or something. I have to complete quests and kill monsters to gain experience and level up? THEN you will give me more information?
“Among other things, yes.”
“Fuck. What about these traits and talents? How do I use them?”
“Just think about it. Focus on what skill you want to use and you’ll feel it.”
“That’s vague, but sure.” Grant thought about his skill Void Step. Nothing happened.
He closed his eyes, envisioning the words Void Step. He thought of the moment he chose the prompt. Still nothing.
“Feel the void within yourself, you might even feel a pulling sensation.”
Grant tried again. The dragon was right, he could feel the nothingness inside of himself. It wasn’t a negative feeling like he might have thought. He could push and pull it if he tried hard enough.
He focused on Void Step again and he could see himself at potential spots he could warp to and how exactly he would land. He needed to pull himself towards himself. He warped.
Slam! Right into the floor, face first. The jump had worked! The landing had not. Maybe it was the stomach lurching sensation that made him feel like vomiting, or the cold drain of his mana slipping away.
Grant’s mana gauge had dropped from 20 to 15 after activating the Void Step skill. It felt like someone sucked the warmth out of his body again. The sensation only lasted a few seconds before fading away.
“It worked! Holy cow!”
Congratulations!
You have completed the tutorial!
Void Knife added to inventory!
Health Potion (2) added to inventory!
Mana Potion added to inventory!
Grant saw a stream of information on the right side of his peripheral vision of items being added to his inventory. A Void Knife, two Health Potions, and a Mana Potion. He focused on the bag icon and a list of items appeared. Unlike his other menus, the item menu just hovered off to the side of his vision and disappeared when he stopped focusing on it for a few seconds.
He opened the menu again and focused on the knife. If he would have known he was going to get a weapon, he would have chosen firearms. Maybe later on.
The knife appeared in his hand as if he’d pulled it out of thin air. It felt natural in his hand, light and easy to handle. If he focused on the knife the status of the item would appear.
Void Knife, magic knife, uncommon
A knife made of Void-steel. Deals 2 - 6 piercing or slashing damage plus 4 - 7 void damage on hit.
“How do I put it back?” Grant asked.
“Will it.”
Grant focused on the knife being gone. Disappearing and being in a box of nothingness. It worked. When he checked his list of items, it had reappeared in his inventory. “OK, that’s cool.”
“The diffusion process has been interrupted,” the dragon stood, “The anomaly has reached Earth 669 earlier than anticipated. Error.”
The dragon flickered in and out of existence briefly. Its mouth was moving but no words were coming out. Grant rushed over. His hand went through the creature. “What can I do?”
“Errrror. Rrorr.” The dragon flickered out of existence. Another quest prompt appeared to Grant.
You have received a quest!
Help Dragonpulse!
Grant focused on the quest and another window appeared. It had coordinates and nothing else. What now?
The darkness around him began to recede and he realized he was standing in his room. A strange, wispy, dark version of his room. He could even see himself asleep in his chair at his desk. He tried to touch his shoulder, but his hand went right through.
The same thing happened with anything he tried to touch. His computer, his desk, the walls. Then he remembered the dragon had said they were in the void. What exactly was the void? Grant could still bring up his character sheet. It wasn’t a dream?
Voidwalk. It was an ability he had. He focused on trying to use it. To leave the void. He felt the need to push the void away from himself to escape. To isolate the energy. He willed it. He pushed away the void with his will alone.
Grant shot awake at his desk.