Ray
The laughter cascaded over Ray like a cool stream of water. It was refreshing with its kindness, something that he had not experienced many times in his life. Staring at her as she hopped off the desk, Ray realized that the woman was taller than he was. By almost a foot. In fact, her head nearly scraped the eight-foot ceiling tiles.
She walked over to him and looked down. Coking her head to one side she said, “I am certainly no undead. Thou first guess was most correct in its nature. Mine name is Gale, a general advisor, and counselor. While I have most enjoyed your physical efforts, a question arises. Why hast thou not utilized the System to complete these labors?”
Ray stared at her for a moment, off-put by her archaic way of speaking. He was having some difficulty understanding her but did get the gist of her point.
“What do you mean use the System?” He responded, a bit confused. "Use it for what?"
Gale brought up a blue screen in front of her, one that Ray could see as well. Spinning it so that he could see what she was doing she rapidly navigated the interface to show him the Development tab.
“Thou world and System art interesting. They both differ greatly from others where the System reigns,” the Drakling began. “An average world may be granted a development system, allowing entire complexes to be purchased by NEX. However many art not, thus requiring greater manual actions to take place. Thy world … is unique among the many I have been upon.”
Turning to him she gestured, bringing up a map of the area. A massive grid system of hexes surrounded them, every single one of them pitch black. That is, except for one. The one that they were in.
“The System is uniform in application and purpose, but differs in utilization based on environment,” Gale explained, “Thou is now upon a world with a unique environmental application of the System. One I have never been privy to or seen prior to this moment.”
Ray nodded, having become accustomed to her archaic dialect. “And what does that mean for me here? I don’t understand how this ties into having the System complete work for me,” he said.
“The System upon this locale, as thou art observing it, works within a section-based map. A hex, as thou may observe within thine map. Each hex can be developed as thou see fit, for a price of NEX of course. The cost can be lessened by actions or materials present, however, full buildings may be rendered outright. Be thou wary, however, as any System intervention or service has a cost,” the advisor warned.
Ray thought about that a bit. The System sounded, for all intents and purposes, like the most realistic game he had ever heard of. Full dive games with haptic feedback were a reality in his previous life, but this was on an entirely new level. While the System seemed to govern reality, what it really sounded like, at the very essence of things, was a way for individuals to better govern themselves.
Shaking that thought from his head, he forced himself back into the present. Looking at the patiently waiting advisor he asked, “So I live in a hex, and I use NEX for everything? Or I can at least? Buildings, materials, services, slaves?”
Gale shrugged, “Yes and no. The System governs not what is possible, but what is plausible. Thou will never be capable of, as an example, creating fire from water. But thou may be able to create water from the fire.”
“That’s confusing as shit, can you just tell me what’s going on with this map and hex?” Ray said in frustration.
The advisor sighed, “Thou will be more difficult a client than most I suppose. But I was desperate in mine gambits. Very well. Let us focus solely upon thy hex,” she said in an almost depressed manner. “Thy world has been divided into many hexagons, a grid if thou would. Thou may claim a hex through combat or, possibly, through purchase by way of the System. Then thou may develop each hex in whatever way thy will sees fit.”
That made much more sense to Ray than some esoteric crap about possibilities. He didn’t know why the System existed, just how to use it. Before he was killed by something or someone that was more proficient than he was.
“Got it. Thank you for being direct,” Ray said.
Gale cocked her perfectly proportioned face to one side, “If I had been any more blunt with my dealings with thou, you may have received a concussion.”
Ray snorted at that. Pulling up the development tab, he was once again assaulted by thousands of options. Filtering them by price, he realized that not only did each option have a cost in NEX but also in time. But there was an option for everything. As he was looking at the options, however, Gale suddenly hissed in what he suspected may have been fury. He looked up to see her glaring at him.
“Lies! Thou have been untruthful with me,” she said, rising to her full height and drawing a massive bastard sword from literally nowhere. “Thou shalt pay for this deception with thine life!” she raged.
Ray immediately held up his hands and took a fetal position. He was under absolutely zero misconception that he would be able to even slow her down in a fight.
“Wait! Wait!” he cried, raising his hands.
Gale paused, “Hast thou any last words?” she asked.
“Yeah, I do!” Ray said quickly, “Can you explain?”
Whatever the Drakling woman had expected, that question wasn’t it. Lowering her sword she stared at Ray intently for several minutes. Eventually, she hopped back up to sit on the countertop where he had first seen her.
“Abilities are a focal point of advisors. Mine abilities may discern truth from falsehood. Thou doest not speak lies, however, and this confuses me,” she explained. “I will now ask questions. Thou wilt explain. If thine answers are less than acceptable, I will simply take thine life.”
Ray nodded quickly, “You got it!” he replied enthusiastically, sitting up.
“Dost thou know of the core that has been placed here?” Gale began.
Ray thought about that for a moment. “Do you mean the node? The grey node that I placed?”
“No. Thou did not place a node, thou placed a core,” responded Gale, narrowing her eyes. “However, thou wouldst not have known this if thou wert unfamiliar with the System,” she muttered to herself. “Curious. How did you come about possessing a core?”
Ray decided that he would just tell her the entire story. Leaving nothing out. He went into a rapid-fire telling of the events leading up to this point. The more he spoke, the wider the advisor's eyes became. When he finished the last bit leading up to the point they found themselves at currently, Gale held up her hand.
Sighing deeply she said, “I now believe what thou have explained. I … apologize for mine hasty actions.”
“Don’t, uh, don’t worry about it. We all make mistakes I guess,” Ray said cautiously, although most times those mistakes didn’t involve decapitating him. “But I have to admit, I’m more than a bit curious about why you were so angry?”
Gale nodded, “Indeed. I am sure thou art. I will explain. Nodes are used on worlds to expand the Systems Presence. Not all worlds receive a node. Not all worlds are part of the System,” she explained. “However, cores are different. Cores are placed upon worlds that are rich in unintelligent life. Over time, they transform all beings, plants, and animals upon the world they are placed upon into monsters.”
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Ray sat down on a nearby office chair, “So basically, I’m fucked is what you’re saying. I am going to spend all this time, effort, and blood surviving and working on getting my species back in control of the planet only to have some thirty-story squirrel Godzilla eat me.”
“I do not know what a Godzilla is, but this is a common occurrence on other core worlds to die horribly. However, thou doth have a … unique world here. As I said before,” Gale reiterated, “This core doth not exhibit the power surges that result in such extinction events. It is … odd.”
Ray leaned back in the chair as he spoke, “So what do I do now? Survive? I get that. The planet is still overrun with the undead. How do I bring humanity back? I can’t really have enough kids to repopulate the planet either. Besides, there would be serious issues after a while there. I doubt anyone else on the planet is alive either,” he lamented.
“Hast thou checked?” inquired the advisor.
Ray sat up quickly, his eyes wide. “I can check?”
The dragon woman nodded, “Indeed. Thou hast control of the sector with the node within its confines. Thus, thou hast the ability to check the overall status of the planet the node is located upon,” she explained. “However, the unique nature of this node seems to block out visual access to all regions, my apologies, all hexes, that you have not claimed or explored.”
“Fog of war it is,” Ray muttered as Gale looked at him quizzically. He pulled up the map and, with his advisor's guidance, got the filters to the proper settings. Then he hit accept.
The information that popped up was a detailed summary of every creature on earth in numerical format. The only thing it didn’t seem to show were the counts of insects if that was even possible. However, the important figures were there. Ray leaned forward to take a deep long look at the chart In front of him:
EARTH SENTIENT POPULATION
FILTER SET: CUSTOM
SENTIENT POPULATIONS AS DEFINED BY FILTERS
HUMAN – 233,411,902
UNDEAD – 11,411,708,101
DRAKLING – 1
SOLIAN – 2
“Fuck me that’s a lot of undead,” whistled Ray.
Gale shook her head, “I doubt that our species is compatible, not to mention this was not a part of the contract that thou hath offered,” she said, quirking an eyebrow.
“It's just a turn of phrase, a saying,” explained Ray. “But I am excited to see I am far from the last person alive on Earth. Now, how can I go about getting everyone together?”
The Drakling leaned forward, “Thou hast several options, Ray. Thou can be impartial, allowing factions to form and fall as desired. Thou can unite thine race through military or political might. Thou may choose to observe only, or thou may decide to simply purchase the planet outright and force thine rule on its inhabitants.”
Ray blinked at that. Out of all of the options buying Earth seemed the most … extreme. “I can buy a planet?” he wondered aloud.
“Indeed. Many races and empires own their home worlds. However, this may be difficult for thee, as thou hast competition not only in the form of thou own race but also several alien visitors,” explained Gale. “See? There are two visitors upon thine world, two Solians even. They are cruel, vicious traders that exploit native species. I highly suspect it is they who provided thou the core. Probably by accident as they are not very smart at times.”
Ray simply blinked at that description of his so-called benefactors. He had known something was off with them, they did send him down here with what amounted to a fancy crowbar after all, but nothing like what Gale was making them out to be. Now he knew there was another enemy aside from the undead. One capable of orbital bombardment.
“How would they have taken advantage of us? I mean, the entire planet is basically dead. There’s only a few hundred million people left planet-wide compared to the billions of undead. While I’m glad that I know I am not the last one, it’s not much to take advantage of,” questioned Ray.
Gale shook her head, “Thou is not understanding. If thy alien benefactors had the ability to come below and claim thine world, they wouldst have. There are rules, even amongst star-faring species. One of these is the Great Rule. I would recommend thou retrieve the System’s files on these rules. It is one of the very few System services that will cost thee nothing.”
Ray nodded in agreement. He would definitely have to review them at some point. But right now he had more questions.
“So, what now?” he asked Gale directly. “What should I do? I have this … hex claimed? I can build it up. That’s neat. But my question still stands about how to retake the planet.”
Gale sighed. While she was, by all means, considered a high-level advisor she had forgotten what it was like to explain the processes of the System to the newly initiated.
“Ray, thou art going to do the following,” she said patiently. “First and foremost, thou wilt ensure the safety and security of this hex and core,” she gestured to the floating white orb behind him. “It is in no way secure and easily taken as it stands. Failure to provide adequate defenses will result in the loss of thine core and the doom of your species.”
She eyeballed him to ensure he was listening before continuing, “Secondly, thou may resurrect, hire, or even create new life as the core controller. This being unique to you and you alone as the owner of the hex containing the core. Finally, thou hast been marked by a nemesis. If it grows in power, no amount of development will be able to stop it from ending thy life.”
“Right, build defenses. Protect the core, and kill the Skinwalker. Got it,” he replied as Gale nodded in satisfaction. Ray rolled those three goals around in his mind, then his thought processes came to a screeching halt. “I can resurrect people?” he asked in a whisper.
“Indeed,” the Drakling confirmed, “Easily enough and, based on thy low development stage, cheaply. I would estimate that it would be fifty to one hundred NEX a person currently.”
Whipping open the menu he quickly found the resurrection tab in the shop, but it was greyed out. Frustrated he slammed his fist into a desk. “Damnit, why won't it work?” he raged.
“Thou must be patient Ray. The shop as it is provides courtesy services. It is far from its final form,” explained Gale. “Thou must build a shop and upgrade it through selling, purchasing, and investing. Mine recollection of the stages tells me that a level one shop can resurrect any who have died prior to the cataclysm upon thine world.”
Ray took a deep breath and replied, “Got it. Sorry Gale,” he said as she nodded to acknowledge his apology. “Right. Build a shop. Probably in the development section. Ok.”
“Ah, yes. One other thing,” the advisor said, bringing Ray’s attention back to her. “This hex is not yet secure. It seems thou hast quite the number of undead to deal with. I would recommend hiring expendable troops with your remaining NEX and purging them.”
Ray blinked at that, “What?” he said stupidly.
“Thou must clear this hex. Failure to do so within the timer countdown will reset thine control over this sector,” she explained. “Losing control of the core would most likely result in your immediate death, as it will spawn vast numbers of creatures to mirror the most prevalent type upon this world.”
Ray stared at her, “So you’re saying that I have to kill every zombie in my hex or I lose it? If I lost it the core is going to go crazy and create a ton of zombies right on top of me?”
“Indeed,” Gale confirmed.
“Motherfucker!” rage Ray.
***
RAYMOND ‘RAY’ FINNEGAN
RACE
HUMAN
CLASS
NONE
NEX
CALCULATING
LEVEL
1
PHYSICAL STATE
HEALTHY
MENTAL STATE
PISSED
ATTRIBUTE
BASE
CURRENT
NEX TO INCREASE
STRENGTH
5
7
50
AGILITY
3
4
30
POWER
0
0
100
WISDOM
4
6
40
LUCK
2
2
400