Vex blinked as he stepped from the shadowy maw of the cave, his senses sharpening beneath the celestial tapestry unfurled above him. Every pinprick of light seemed to dance just for him, revealing nuances in the dark foliage and silvered paths that had previously gone unnoticed. His lungs filled with the crisp night air—a refreshing draught compared to the stale atmosphere within his rocky refuge.
"Oh, how I love being lost in the woods at night," he murmured, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "Where the chance of impending death is high and the world isn’t even your own."
The Shadowlings lingered just beyond the entrance of the cave, their movements filled with a sense of quiet anticipation. The air around them seemed to hold its breath, as if afraid to disturb the eerie silence that enveloped the creatures.
Vex's eyes were fixed on the Shadowlings, mesmerized by their wispy appearance that seamlessly blended with the darkness. As he contemplated their ability to camouflage, Vex came to the realization that he shouldn't even be able to see them. Although the night sky was dotted with stars, it didn't provide enough light for Vex's normal vision to discern more than rough outlines. Yet, the Shadowlings appeared clearly in front of him. Perhaps it was a result of his abilities within the system - either as an augmented reality user or a member of the guild - that gave him an unusually detailed perspective.
"Names," he murmured, the word slicing through the quiet night. "A name is not just a call to being; it's a whisper of identity…"
Vex halted mid-sentence, surprised at the absurdity of his own words. He had never been one to enjoy public speaking or indulge in self-important ramblings. Or had he? Consulting his jumbled and fragmented memories, he first recalled his apartment and then slowly pieced together images of working at Samson's & Sons. It took several minutes, but the memories slowly resurfaced within his mind.
A few blocks down from his apartment was Samson's & Sons, an ancient hardware store run by a family for generations. The building was made of crumbling bricks and had hand-painted signs on the storefront windows. Inside, shelves were stacked with tools in a chaotic maze. Vex's mind briefly lingered on memories of this place, as if they had only happened recently instead of being distant relics. But the moment passed quickly, and Vex found himself back in the present, facing the Shadownlings. It was clear by his pause in focus that Vex wasn’t one for giving speeches.
Coming back to his senses and purpose, Vex first looked over the Shadowling fighter. It was larger, fiercer, and stood more resolutely. Vex pondered, seeking a name that would resonate with the thunderous beats of combat yet dance with the finesse of a seasoned warrior. The ebb and flow of battle painted vivid images in his mind, each strike a note in a deadly melody.
Finally, with smug determination Vex blurted out, “Whack Job!” After several minutes of awkward staring, the scratching of heads, and then the Shadowlings both pointing at Vex before nodding their agreement, Vex realized how the sudden declaration sounded, and that maybe he should have said something more, after such a long pause.
Kneeling down and addressing the fighter, Vex collected his thoughts before stating, “I expect that you will become a strong warrior and the shadowy figure of death upon the field of battle. I want to pick names for both of you that highlight what I think will be your best contributions.”
The fighter contemplated Vex's words for a moment, then nodded in agreement with a slow motion.
"Strikesies," Vex declared, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I know the name sounds playful, but it is a nod to your eventual weapon skills and what I imagine will be the back-and-forth banter of blades.”
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The fighter stared at Vex for several more moments before raising a fist out in front of it, and then setting its flat palm from the other hand on top of it, a sign that Vex took for a salute. Grinning, Vex quickly willed the system to change the fighter’s name, and agreed to the prompts, before acknowledging the Shadowling one more time. “Welcome to the guild Strikesies.”
> You are attempting to permanently changed your Shadowling (Fighter)’s name to Strikesies. This action cannot be undone. Are you sure? (Y/N?)
>
> Your Shadowling (Fighter)’s name is now Strikesies.
Turning to the rogue, Vex realized that his second Shadowling appeared to be absolutely giddy. Taking that as a sign that naming them was going well, he focused on the little creature’s more lithe form melded with the shadows as naturally as ink flowing into water. A grin curled Vex's lips—a silent acknowledgment the rogue’s focus on stealth and subtlety. His mind toyed with titles, discarding the drab and unsuitable, until...
"Sir Sneaks," Vex announced, the words a soft exhalation. It was more than a name, it was a title and an accolade. This was a badge of honor in the realm of hidden steps and sly hands, 'Sir' was not a mark of nobility but a nod to the nobleness of their skulking art. And based on the Rogue’s wild gesticulations, it was clear to Vex that the little creature loved the name. And based on the sudden giddyness of the fighter, it was clear there was a consensus. So, without a second thought, Vex willed the system to assign the rogue’s name, quickly accepting the system prompts.
> You are attempting to permanently changed your Shadowling (Rogue)’s name to Sir Sneaks. This action cannot be undone. Are you sure? (Y/N?)
>
> Your Shadowling (Rogue)’s name is now Sir Sneaks.
"Sir Sneaks, Strikesies," Vex whispered to himself, tasting the names, feeling their resonance. "May these names be your shadows," He said, voice a low thrum of camaraderie, "and may they echo through the annals of our adventures."
As both of the Shadowlings paused to stare at him with blank expressions, it was clear to Vex that he was overdoing it again. "Let's take our new names for a spin," Vex said, pointing out into the wilderness. “I don’t know if you two eat or drink, but I’m going to need to find something sooner, rather than later.”
Vex then picked a direction and walked, his feet a symphony of crunching leaves and dead foliage. Strikesies immediately followed, shoulders head high and its head on a swivil, prepared to pounce at the slightest provocation. Sir Sneaks on the other hand took several moments to regain its composure, wondering when the dagger and poison berry had appeared in his hand as it continued to stare at Vex in murderous rage. Something in the back of its mind reminded it that it wasn’t allowed to murder or maim its summoner, but that did nothing to quell its rage at the audacity of being named Sir Sneaks.
Meanwhile, a couple hundred meters from cave, a hairless, naked abomination of sharp jagged teeth and claws hungrily stared at the cave, waiting for its occupants to depart. It’s initial instinct to mindlessly feed had already been mostly quelled after spending the night in a blood starved frenzy, slowly tracking the tall blood sack back while feasting on the blood-splattered mud in its wake. The Gremlin had grown stronger than its kin over the night despite the discovery that the denizens of this place, with one exception, did not appear to bleed. They were tasteless husks of darkness and shadow that couldn’t provide even a hint of satiation.
The world around them, while very real, wasn’t natural. It was clear to the gremlin that they were trapped in a pocket realm, and it would need to find its way out. It wouldn’t have figured it out if it had not been growing stronger, even while watching the Shadowlings dispatch several of its lesser kin. For now, the gremline decided that it would leave its singular meal ticket alone while it forced its kin to starve as they found a way out. It had already ended several of its kin’s lives after they had dared to drink what little of the precious fluid there was in this world.
Thanks to the dumb blood sack, the gremlins already numbered in the thousands on this plane, and by securing just a bit more of the blood sack’s life fluids, the soon-to-be Elder gremlin knew it would be able to claim its title and fully control its kin. Then, it was only a matter of time...