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It is a new day.
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I try. I try, and try. But my eyes will not open. It is curious, a quite curious thing. I have never woken up before and not been able to open my eyes. I cannot feel them, nor the rest of my body. I wonder if I might be comatose, or perhaps even dead. I sit, and I wait. Nothing happens. Eventually, time passes, I fall asleep and wake many times. It comes to me that perhaps I am not dead. I have not heard of a dead man that can think. Someone in my life, I remember, had once taught me meditation. I do not remember who - nor do I remember much in general. Only bits and pieces, disconnected memories of faces and places unrecognizable to my current self. I begin to meditate.
System initializing... Welcome, NEW_USER. The system is currently initializing. This is a necessary process and will conclude shortly. Thank you for your patience.
This is new. Very new. Uncomfortably new. As my mind clears from the incessant thoughts that clouded it, a shining blue box of text appears. I recognize it as familiar, it must be from a video game. I do not know what a video game is. I stare at the three dots as they disappear and reappear one by one. I understand this to mean it is processing data. I do not know how I know this. I do not remember learning it.
Hello, NEW_USER. Based on your CLASS and RACE, you have been granted 15 points to allocate to skills.
Any points left unallocated will be automatically forfeited. Skills marked with parenthesis are locked. Skills marked with brackets are owned. Gaining skills and experience will increase the available skills.
[ CONTINUE ]
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SKILLS:
SENSATION
VISION
LOW_LIGHT_VISION
DARK_VISION
BRIGHT_VISION
HEARING
[SMELL]
[TASTE]
[MAGIC]
TRAP
SAP
SPIKE
PIT
[FLAME]
(LURE)
[ADVANCED_LURE]
(INTELLIGENCE) (THIS TREE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. NO FURTHER SKILLS UNDER THIS TREE MAY BE GAINED.)
(SENTIENCE)
(SAPIENCE)
(INHUMAN)
(REDUCED_EMPATHY)
I think for a long time. I feel no worry, and no sense of urgency. When I click a skill, the cost is revealed. I wish they had descriptions. The vagueness of "Lure" left me somewhat frustrated.
In the end, I didn't have much choice at all. I needed to experience the outside world.
Congratulations, NEW_USER. You have gained (VISION), (LOW_LIGHT_VISION) and (SENSATION)
It is almost time to depart on your journey! First, you must enter a NAME
Your race has these extra attributes which must also be chosen: COLOR
My name. Charles. I remember my name. I'm glad that I did not forgot my name, because it feels important. I enter the color purple. Purple, I remember, was my favorite color. I am happy to have remembered these things. It feels like I have not lost myself completely.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Account successfully established. Please enjoy your new life.
Level: 0
EXP: 0/25
As the box disappears, I discover that it is true to its promises. I can see. For the first time since I have woken, up, I can see. I am small. I am a very small, tiny thing. I know that I didn't used to be this small. I used to be many feet tall. I am lying next to a rock. It is dark, and raining. There sand is dark with the water it has soaked up. There are more rocks scattered around. I recognize that I am in a desert. It surprises me that it is raining. I know that it does not often rain in deserts. I can see a cactus, with flowers blooming on it. I think that the cactus is beautiful. It looks very happy, I imagine that it is happy because of the rain. I am overwhelmed and filled with joy at the many things I can see around me. I did not realize it, but I was lonely. The sparse vegetation greets me. It is my friend. I find myself wishing I had the points for the hearing skill. I want to hear the rain, and the sand, and the cactus swaying in the wind. I content myself with watching, and waiting.
I wait for a long time. A horntoad skitters into my eyeline. I watch it for what feels like a very short time, and it skitters away. I am saddened by this. I wish I could get up, and follow it. I want to chase it, and catch it.
It would be fun.
I used to be human. I remember that now. I remember what that means. What that meant. I don't know what I am anymore. I cannot feel my body. I cannot see myself. All I know is that I am small, and very close to the ground. I am lucky that I am in a higher part of the sand, for if I was lower, the water would rise up and carry me away. But, I suppose that would be fine too. As long as I could still see my cactus.
The moon sets, and the sun rises. The glee of my perception has faded, though I am still happy to look out at the world.
More time passes. Sometimes I see a coyote stalking by. Sometimes birds circle overhead. I once saw a scorpion, a tiny black thing move through the sand on it's many legs. These events entertained me. I fear I would be bored to death without them. Every animal, every change in the weather, fed and nourished me. I learned how the weather operated, and how the plants would open up when it was going to rain. I learned the patterns of the day and the patterns of the night, and the animals that operated with in. I loved them all, because they were my everything.
Observation- has increased to 3/7
15 experience has been gained
The blue prompt surprises me. I had forgotten about it, all those days ago. This makes me realize that my perception of time was not the same as when I was human. How long had I been here? Perhaps many months, maybe a few years. I suppose it matters not. This difference in time scale might indicate that whatever I am now is long lived. Maybe I am a rock. It would make sense, if I was a rock, that I have no limbs, and no way of movement. I didn't used to know that rocks could think and that rocks could see. Maybe I am some kind of special rock, blessed by the heavens to forever watch my surroundings in silent contemplation.
A small bird is here. It is pecking at the sand around me. I do not like this. This makes me very uncomfortable. It has a curved, narrow beak, and a brown color that suits the colors of the desert.
It scoops me into its beak. I am screaming, but I have no vocal chords, so it is only heard by me. It is dark in the birds mouth. I wish I did not have the low light vision, because I am forced to look at the bird's beak and tongue. I wish I had eyes again, so I could close them.
The bird has brought me to its nest. I have never heard of a bird that uses rocks to build its nest, but this one does. It has no eggs, and it has no mate. I feel sad for the bird. The bird, as I, is alone. I do not like my new vantage point. I can only see the sky, and sometimes the bird. After it brought me here, it has left me alone. I miss my cactus friend.
I stare at the sky, for a long time.
Observation- has increased to 7/7
Congratulations, you have gained the skill (OBSERVATION)
15 experience has been gained
Congratulations, you have gained a level. You are now level ONE.
You have gained 10 points. If you so desire, you may now acquire skills
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SKILLS:
(SENSATION)
(VISION)
(LOW_LIGHT_VISION)
DARK_VISION
BRIGHT_VISION
HEARING
[SMELL]
[TASTE]
(OBSERVATION)
ANIMISM (REQUIRED: SAPIENCE)
MAGIC
BASIC_MANIPULATION
TRAP
SAP
SPIKE
PIT
[FLAME]
(LURE)
[ADVANCED_LURE]
(INTELLIGENCE) (THIS TREE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. NO FURTHER SKILLS UNDER THIS TREE MAY BE GAINED.)
(SENTIENCE)
(SAPIENCE)
(INHUMAN)
(REDUCED_EMPATHY)
Congratulations, CHARLES. You have gained (MAGIC) and (MANIPULATION)
When I saw the magic skill had been unlocked, I knew that was what I must take. As a human, I had no memories of magic. The skill, manipulation, might have some way of giving me influence over this world that I have so far been an observer of.
A new spark flares within me. I can feel something pulsing. Something growing, within myself.
Mana: 1/5
I assume from the skill, I have the innate knowledge on how to move matter to my liking. I look down, and begin to burrow. It is time to leave this place. Perhaps I can find my cactus friend again.
I manage to move a few grains of sand. I cannot feel myself shift, but I know I have because my perspective has slightly rolled. I can now see a lone tree in the distance. I can feel my new, child-spark exhausted within me. I have strained it, and must wait for it to return.
Mana: 0/5
For now, I am pleased.