Clark spent some time in this endless darkness. It was a terrible feeling, unable to draw breath yet not needing it. He couldn’t really move his body, but he could still see and hear. Voices whispered in this place, saying things in languages he didn’t understand. At some point, Clark could see something, just ahead of him in this abyss. It rotated gently…peacefully, really. Focusing on it, Clark could just about forget the feeling of suffocation, if just for a moment. Finally, he was ejected from the other end of the portal, crashing to the ground.

Clark gasped for the third time “today,” drawing the air back into his lungs as he looked up. There it was…a dark portal. It was murky, swirling with an unbelievable amount of shades of black. It began to close up, shrinking towards its center. Clark sat and watched it for a moment, before something fell out of the portal and straight onto his head. It stung.

“Ow!” Clark complained, holding his head as he watched the object clatter onto the ground. It was a small device, about three inches long, two wide, and half an inch thick. Clark’s heart jumped when he saw it, for some reason. He got up, glancing around at his surroundings. He was in…a small house, it looked like. Well, it was easier to describe it as a cabin. The whole building was the room he was in, with a small set of cooking tools and an oven on one side next to the door, and a bed on the other, alongside the only window. It didn’t even have any glass…turning back to the ‘kitchen,’ it really was quite simple…in fact, Clark couldn’t see a single piece of electronic equipment, just some mundane cabinets and drawers.

Fantasy world, huh? If the portal hadn’t been enough of an indication, Clark felt he was in someplace else now. The air was…fresher, somehow. However, that wasn’t important right now. What was important…was this device. Upon further inspection, it certainly was the same one he saw in the portal space…the dark space, for lack of a better term. It didn’t look like technology from his world, but looked advanced nonetheless. He approached, gingerly picking it up from the floor. It was surprisingly heavy, like metal. He put it in the palm of his hand, and a voice suddenly spoke in his mind. It was like one of his own thoughts. He paused…because it blended in with his own thoughts, he actually missed what it said. He waited a bit, but it didn’t repeat itself.

Well…that sucked, huh? Some supposed relic of the gods, and he couldn’t even hear whatever it had to say. Hm…

Clark dropped the device, then picked it back up, making sure to have his thoughts clear. The voice played again, and he was able to catch it this time.

Position control unit over exposed flesh. Flat flesh is preferred. When you are ready, press the device into flesh for ten seconds.

Clark cocked his head. Welp…what else was he going to do? He put the device on the back of his forearm, sliding it around until it was in a good place. Then, he began to press it against his skin. Oh, he should probably check the menu. That would be good…yeah, he’d do that after-

The device buzzed, and Clark’s arm flared with pain. He cried out, looking down as he watched the device burrow into his skin. No blood spilled, but the pain of the process was not dulled. His arm felt like it was being sliced apart, a white-hot pain searing into his arm. He brought his arm close to his stomach, clutching it as his eyes widened in shock.

“Ffffuck!” Clark yelled, the shout making him feel a little better. The pain began to subside a moment later. Clark huffed, looking at the device. It had sunk almost entirely into his skin, only protruding a small amount above it. It looked like a small screen, now.

Installation complete.

“Bit of fucking warning next time, Christ…” Clark shook his head.

A voice in his head responded, You would not have complied had I warned you.

Clark stopped dead. “Did you just-”

Yes. I can hear you, and read your thoughts. Now that you have installed the control device, I can begin to upload knowledge of the Telstrum’s operation.

Clark’s eyes widened, and he began to protest, “Wait, wait, wait! Will that be painful?” He looked at the device on his arm expectantly. The novelty of speaking to his own mind wasn’t lost on him, but there were larger, potentially more painful things to worry about.

Yes. It may override your personality and memories.

Clark cursed, “Fuck.” Of course his supposed ‘magic artifact’ was actually cursed as all hell. “Don’t do that. I would not like to be overridden.”

The device buzzed in his arm. He shuddered at the feeling, tensing up at the unique sensation. Very well. The device spoke in the same voice, but Clark could tell it was displeased. Clark breathed heavily, still half-expecting more agony anyways. No more pain came. He looked at the device, before asking out loud, “What is your purpose?”

I am the Telstrum. The device in your arm is the control unit for the Telstrum.

“The? There’s only one control unit?”

Yes.

“What’s the Telstrum?”

It is a tool. You will be using it as you see fit.

“I see…where is it? In one of these cabinets?” Clark started towards them.

No. It is across the world from you.

Clark stopped, “Then how the hell is it useful? Some shit-ass tool.”

It is still useful. If you had accepted the upload of information, you would already know how to use it. Would you like me to manually bring up the menu? You may learn this way, if you wish.

“Oh, ye-wait, one second. Is this the same menu I can use to like…check my stats?”

No.

“Give me a second then, I want to try that first.”

Very well. Call upon me again when you wish.

Clark looked at his hands for a bit. What did that Claus character say again? Think about opening it? Clark focused, holding his hand out as he projected a mental image of a menu. To his surprise, it actually opened, making a pleasant chime. He leaned in a bit, reading the words.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

[Clark]

No last name? Weird.

[Level: 1

HP: 51 / 51

MP: 1 / 1]

Wait…1 MP? Wasn’t it normally a little more balanced than that? 51 HP though, that was good…right? Wait, that’s only if it’s like Dungeons and Dragons…51 HP in the average MMO is pretty bad, right? Clark kept reading…

[Body: 9

Mind: 14

Soul: 24]

What? Body, Mind, and Soul? …The hell kinda stats were those?

Body is your physical prowess, the voice answered. Clark flinched at the thought in his mind. The voice seemed to pause, before asking, Do you want me to continue?

“Yes, please…” Clark was still weirded out by its intrusion on his thoughts.

Mind is your mental acuity, and calculative ability. Soul is your force of character, your will made manifest.

“I…see, I think.” Clark felt a bit more comfortable. These were stats, he could get them quickly. He mulled the numbers over for a moment, before nodding. “Thank you…whatever you are. What should I call you?”

I am the intelligence of the Telstrum. Among my many tasks, managing your desire for the weapon’s use is one of them. You may refer to me however you wish.

Clark processed the information, before deciding, “I’ll call you something similar to Telstrum Intelligence. TelInt? Intel? Tel? Oh!” Clark snapped his fingers, “InTel!” Clark was very proud of himself. He turned his attention back to the menu, a smile on his face for the first time in a good while. There was so much to learn…and Clark was eager to jump into it. He reread what he already had, before continuing past it.

[Skills: Control Telstrum I*, Identify I

*granted by an external effect]

That made sense to Clark. After all…this device was really the thing controlling it, wasn’t it? He asked, “InTel, are you always going to be in my arm?”

Yes. As long as you live.

Clark nodded, and continued reading. He figured he might as well just get through everything now and process it later. He sat down on the bed, and the menu followed him, staying fixed in place relative to his head.

[Items: Telstrum Control Unit, Otherworld Clothes (Damaged, Bloodied), Otherworld Shoes

Afflictions: Unknown]

The items bit made sense, but what was this? Afflictions…unknown? He wiped his eyes, trying to read it. Did it mean the Affliction was named Unknown, or the menu didn’t know? That seemed to be all that the menu had to say.

“InTel, what’s this Afflictions thing? What does it mean?”

The menu does not know how to describe your Affliction. It is unknown to it.

Clark swallowed. That seemed like a grim prognosis.

“How much does the menu know?”

It knows many things. There are few cases it would not know something.

Somehow, the prognosis became more grim. Clark sighed, before deciding to ignore it for now. If he started to feel off or sick, he guessed he’d know what it was. The Unknown Affliction…weird. Clark shrugged.

How would you like me to refer to you?

Clark shrugged, “Clark works…” he thought for a moment, “On second thought, you can call me Clark, sir, or master.” He puffed his chest out a bit. It was alright to have a little fun now and then, right? After all, he was in a different world! He might as well start to enjoy things a bit! And he had this…companion! It’d be great!

…Clark, then. It is the most accurate descriptor.

Clark frowned, sighing. Guess they’d have it their way. He sighed, before looking around. Where exactly was he? He started for the door, holding his hand out to grab the handle. To his surprise, it opened itself. He startled, stepping back as someone pulled the door open and stepped inside. They noticed Clark, and flinched. It was a woman, about the same height as Clark. She had copper-colored skin and brown eyes, with a set of thin fabrics over her lithe body. Despite that, the material seemed durable. She had a bow around her chest, and a quiver at her side. It seemed she was dragging an animal carcass.

Instead of focusing on the obvious appearance of the woman - or the fact he was probably standing in her home - Clark was fixated on a single detail about her.

She had pointy ears. Like an elf. He blinked. So, he really was in a fantasy world. She didn’t seem hostile…he figured she would probably understand if he explained the situation to her. Then, he could make friends with her…yeah, a friend would be nice. She’d probably know a lot about this world, too, right? This was a perfect opportunity!

The woman looked at him with curiosity. She asked, “Who are you? Are you lost?”

Archer identified.

Clark opened his mouth, stuttering for a moment, “Oh, I’m uh…Clark. Nice to…meet you…”

The woman smiled, “Hi, Clark. Seems like you’re a little f-”

The woman’s sentence was cut off as a projectile soundlessly plunged through her skull. Her eyes went blank. Her body crumpled instantly, falling to the ground in a disorganized heap as her blood lightly sprayed the side of the doorway, shards of skull clicking against the wood. Clark’s stomach dropped as silence suddenly filled the home. The only sound was the faint sound of blood leaking from the woman’s head.

What…just happened? Clark was speechless. Did she just…die?

The archer was a threat. I removed it.

Clark blinked. The…device did this? He looked at his arm, asking with a shaky voice, “You…did this? You killed her?”

Yes.

His eyes wandered to the corpse on the ground just outside the door…he forced his gaze elsewhere. He felt sick, falling to his hands and knees and looking at the ground. He drew a shaky breath, before asking in a hoarse voice, “Whyy? Why would you do that? She was nice…she wasn’t a threat at all…” Clark felt a headache coming on.

Incorrect. Of the 28,090 archers that have approached the Telstrum, 27,811 of them have approached with intent to destroy the Telstrum. The remaining 279 were affected by the psychological defenses and were unable to act. If they were, I am sure they would intend to destroy the Telstrum. You are the controller of the Telstrum now, and I will not allow you to perish.

Clark choked. What were they saying? Twenty-eight thousand? He coughed a bit as phlegm built up in his throat. He spit some of it out. What the fuck…

I will ensure your safety, at whatever cost.

Clark closed his eyes tight, breathing heavily as the image of her glossy eyes continued to haunt his thoughts. Was that going to happen to every person he met? What happened to the playful fantasy worlds? The friends? The new family…Clark didn’t want to be alone. He imagined this same scenario…over and over. At least he had the power…but this isn’t how he wanted it.

Clark asked weakly, “What can I do to stop that from happening? What can I do…I don’t wanna be alone.”

The voice was quiet for a moment. Clark spent the time weeping, calming himself. If this thing…this Telstrum, was going to keep killing people, he’d have to start getting used to the gore. He pushed himself up a bit, lifting his head to look at the body again. It was…disturbing. He looked away, huffing. The voice of InTel barged into his mind.

I have reached a conclusion. If you can avoid conflict or subjugate those that would harm you, I will avoid automatically defending you. However, if you fail to defend yourself…I will do so.

Clark thought for a moment, before nodding, “Yes.” It wasn’t ideal, but it was all he had for now. He would have to change InTel’s mind over time…but for now, just not killing everything in sight was good. He started to push himself up again, averting his gaze from the crumpled body as he sighed. He looked around the cabin for a few moments. This was somewhere to start. Clark was…really tired, despite not doing much. It was time…to rest. Next, he’d have to learn more about this Telstrum…and whatever the hell it did to that woman. For now, though…

Clark pulled up the covers and crawled into the woman’s bed. He weeped, his body shaking as he eventually slipped nearer to sleep. This wasn’t what he expected…what was he going to do tomorrow? Tomorrow, when he woke up…when he had to get up. When he had to act, to move, to work…what was he going to do? About the body, about the home, about the Telstrum, about the world…what was he going to do?

Mind overloaded with possibilities, his mind shut off and Clark slept.