Thomas shut the glowing book with a satisfying thud, feeling the hum of his newfound Rune Art skill still buzzing through his veins. Just as he was about to revel in his sudden magical upgrade, his attention was drawn to something else—just beyond the bookstand, a faint, glowing light on the wall caught his eye.
He stepped closer and saw it: a flat wall with four empty diamond-shaped slots embedded into it. Below, scattered across the floor like forgotten puzzle pieces, were diamond-shaped tiles carved with intricate runes. Each one was different—some with swirling designs, others sharp and jagged, and all of them seemed to pulse faintly with a soft, magical glow.
“Great, a rune puzzle. Because of course,” he muttered, crouching down to inspect the tiles. His fingers brushed over one, and he felt a subtle vibration, as if the tile itself was reacting to his touch. The whole setup looked like some kind of magical security system, a lock protecting… well, something. And the runes carved into the slots above hinted that whatever was behind this wall wasn't meant for casual visitors.
Security runes, he realized, the word jumping to the front of his mind, thanks to his new skill. Whoever built this place wasn’t messing around. This wasn’t just a fancy door or some creepy hallway decoration—this was a real, functioning barrier designed to keep something in… or out.
He stood back up and stared at the wall. His brain itched with the challenge, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but think: Why do magical mansions always have puzzles? Still, something told him this wasn’t optional. If he wanted to unlock whatever mystery lay beyond, he’d have to solve it.
He glanced back at the chat still buzzing in his head, feeling the bizarre comfort of company.
Thomas: Update, guys. Found a creepy-ass puzzle wall with runes. Pretty sure I’m about to either unlock treasure or summon a demon.
User1: Dude, go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?
User3: You die in the most badass way possible?
User5: This is the content we’re here for!
He snorted at the replies. At least they were entertained. With a sigh, he knelt back down and began picking up the scattered rune tiles, trying to match the symbols on the floor to the ones on the wall. It felt like a twisted, magical version of a jigsaw puzzle. Each tile seemed to vibrate differently when he held it, the carvings reacting to his touch in ways that almost hinted at their placement.
“Alright, let’s see what kind of nonsense this unlocks,” he said, as he carefully slotted the first tile into one of the empty slots. A soft hum echoed through the hallway, the glowing light on the wall flickering for a moment.
“Good sign, right?” he muttered to himself as he placed another tile. The second rune clicked into place, and the light grew brighter.
Three more to go. He could feel the weight of something important behind that wall—something powerful and possibly dangerous. But hey, at least it beat freezing to death in a mosquito-infested cave.
As Thomas wrestled with the puzzle, juggling rune tiles like some medieval locksmith, a ping from the Discord chat caught his attention.
User2: Dude, why don’t you IRL stream this? Let us see what’s going down!
He paused, the thought lingering in his mind. Stream this? He hadn’t thought much about how his internet skill even worked—let alone how it might handle live streaming. What would serve as his camera? But given how bizarre this Internet Skill was, maybe there was a way.
Later, he told himself. First, he needed to focus on this puzzle fiasco. He fired back a quick reply.
Thomas: After I unlock this magical mess, we’ll see.
Turning his attention back to the glowing tiles scattered on the floor, he began piecing together the puzzle. At the center of the wall, a large, intricately designed stone was embedded, crackling faintly with magic. The four diamond slots were spaced evenly beneath it, and at the end, a final rune glowed, waiting for completion—like some kind of ancient “fill in the blanks” challenge. The runes on the wall and floor were clearly connected, and his new skill allowed him to feel their intentions. Each rune had a purpose, a function, and it was up to him to figure out which one fit where.
He knelt down, touching the last glowing rune. As his fingers brushed it, a wave of energy surged through him, and for a brief moment, he could sense the puzzle’s design—an intricate logic gate, each rune serving a specific role in some larger mechanism. This isn’t just a random jumble, he realized. It’s a system. A code.
Thomas carefully slid the drawer shut, pocketing one of the glowing gems for later. The rest remained safely stored inside, their multicolored glow fading as the drawer sealed with a hiss. As the last breath of air escaped the puzzle mechanism, the diamond tiles he had placed in the slots clattered down onto the floor, lifeless now that their job was done.
He glanced back at the chat in his mind, wondering how to show them what he had just uncovered. He had no phone, no actual camera… but his Internet Skill had already surprised him in so many ways. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to imagine a way to stream, a way to show the world what he’d found.
And just like that, it happened.
A small, round 3D camera materialized in his vision, as if responding to his thoughts. It hovered near his shoulder, shifting smoothly as it followed his intentions. He didn’t need to think too hard about it—the camera seemed to know exactly what he wanted to capture.
With a smirk, Thomas pointed it directly at the glowing magic stone in his hand. The gem pulsed in his palm, brimming with raw energy. He could practically feel the Discord chat lighting up as they watched the stream.
Thomas: Yo, check this out! Found some magic loot. This one’s practically buzzing with mana.
He could almost hear the gasps through the screen as the camera panned slowly, showing the glowing stone from all angles. The chat lit up immediately.
User1: WTF dude, that’s insane!
User3: You sure that thing isn’t cursed?
User5: Bro, you’re holding like 10,000 years of fantasy loot in your hands.
Thomas grinned. The buzz of excitement from the chat gave him a sense of purpose, like he wasn’t just some random guy in a cave playing with glowing rocks. This was real, and now he had an audience to witness it all.
He spun the camera around, showing off the glowing wall and the still-shut drawer. “And there’s plenty more where that came from,” he said, his voice dripping with excitement. “I’ve got a whole stash here.”
User2: Dude, you’re sitting on a goldmine!
He chuckled. “Guess this squatter situation’s working out after all.”
Thomas adjusted his leaf loincloth, feeling only mildly self-conscious as the 3D camera hovered around him. "Alright, let's make this official," he muttered, starting the recording. With an exaggerated flourish, he began to show off the strange building he was in, the spiral staircase leading up to the ominous door he’d entered earlier.
“Yo, check this out,” he said, turning the camera to capture the multiple rooms lined with preserved beds. "Found a cozy spot. Well, cozy if you're into ancient, abandoned mansions. Great interior decorator, though—probably haunted."
He moved through the hallway, showing off the glowing bookstand with runes still pulsating softly, as if waiting to be used again. "And here’s where I leveled up. Learned some kind of magical rune art. Just casually out here becoming a wizard or some shit."
Finally, he reached the now-closed puzzle drawer. Kneeling down, he explained the rune puzzle in as much detail as his brain could handle. “So, this was like some sort of magical logic gate. Took me a sec to figure it out, but once you get the runes aligned, this thing pops open—boom, treasure trove.” He opened the drawer slightly to show the glowing gems inside. "And here’s the loot. These bad boys are buzzing with mana. I'm talking prime fantasy treasure material."
Satisfied with the tour, Thomas ended the recording and, with a few mental commands, uploaded the video to his Discord server. Almost immediately, the chat exploded with reactions.
User1: Wait… this isn’t roleplay, is it?
User4: Bro, those graphics are way too real.
User5: Are you in a freaking movie set? What the hell is this?
User7: Forget the mansion! Why are you basically naked with leaves covering your junk??
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Thomas couldn’t help but laugh at the comments rolling in.
Thomas: I mean, it's practical. Minimalism, guys!
User2: Minimalism my ass. Get some pants, man!
The disbelief in the chat was palpable, and the more they tried to make sense of it, the more amused Thomas became. At least they were entertained, and hey, if they didn’t believe him now, they would soon enough. He wasn’t done with this mansion or its mysteries yet.
Thomas rummaged through one of the dressers in the room, curious about what other relics this mansion might be hiding. To his surprise, the outfits inside were pristine—fancy, noble-looking clothes, complete with intricate embroidery and velvet fabrics. “Well, looks like I’m upgrading from loincloth to royalty,” he muttered, grinning as he pulled on a tunic and jacket that screamed “medieval noble.”
The fit was surprisingly perfect. He adjusted the cuffs and inspected himself in an old, cracked mirror. "Look at me, I'm one fancy bastard now."
Feeling confident in his new attire, Thomas decided it was time to go live. With a mental nudge, he activated Discord’s Go Live feature, streaming directly to the chat.
The chat lit up as soon as he appeared on screen in his new noble outfit, standing in the eerie mansion's hallway.
User1: Bro, did you just find a legit costume department in there?
User4: Man, I swear this has to be some movie set. No way this is real.
User3: Are you LARPing in the most realistic game ever?
User2: Forget everything—look at that outfit, though! Fancy AF.
Thomas smirked and spun in a little circle, showing off his new threads. “Yeah, just casually upgraded from homeless squatter to, I don’t know, Lord Thomas? This place is a goldmine. Check it out, though.”
He took the camera on another tour of the mansion, showing off the spiral staircase, the rune-covered bookstand, and the now-closed rune puzzle drawer with the gems inside. The comments were a mix of amazement and disbelief as his viewers tried to make sense of what they were seeing.
User5: Okay, I don’t know if this is a crazy VR game, but it looks too real!
User7: Graphics are next-level, man. If this is real, you're a walking legend.
“Yeah, I know it looks wild,” Thomas replied, panning the camera across the rooms again. “But I’m telling you, this place is as real as it gets. And I haven’t even seen half of it yet.”
The chat continued to buzz, and Thomas couldn’t help but feel a weird sense of pride. He wasn’t just surviving in this world—he was thriving, turning what should’ve been a nightmare into an adventure.
As Thomas adjusted the camera, he announced, “Alright, folks! Time to try out this Rune Art skill I just unlocked. But… how the hell am I supposed to carve runes without a tool?”
The chat exploded with suggestions.
User1: Find a pen or something!
User2: Dude, just grab a rock and go full caveman!
User3: You’re literally in a magic mansion! There’s gotta be something!
With a determined nod, Thomas made his way back to the puzzle drawer. He dug deeper into the pile of gems, hoping to uncover some hidden artifact that would help him. As he sifted through the glimmering stones, the chat went wild, their reactions spilling into the stream.
User4: Dude, look at those gems!
User5: You’re sitting on a fortune!
Thomas chuckled, but after several minutes of rummaging, he found nothing that resembled a tool. “Alright, this isn’t working,” he said, shaking his head. He turned away from the drawer and headed to one of the other rooms.
He scanned the area, his heart racing at the thought of what he might find. Then his gaze landed on a bedside drawer, a simple piece of furniture that somehow felt more inviting than the rest. He opened it cautiously, and there it was—a golden pen, gleaming softly in the dim light.
Three gems were embedded on the side, glowing gently as he touched it. “Holy shit! This is it!” he exclaimed, excitement bubbling up inside him. “I think I just found my rune-carving tool!”
User1: No way! That’s epic!
User3: Is it glowing? Dude, that’s a magic pen!
Holding the pen up to the camera, Thomas could see the gems sparkling like tiny stars. “It’s definitely magical. I can feel it.” The energy radiating from it felt similar to the gems he had just been handling. “Let’s see what this baby can do.”
With the golden pen in hand, Thomas carefully took the book from the bookstand, flipping through the pages filled with glowing runes. He glanced at the chat, where confusion was evident.
User1: What the hell does that book even say?
User2: Can you even read that? It looks like hieroglyphics!
But Thomas could read it clearly, the runes practically singing in his mind. “Alright, so here’s what it says. I’m going to try a fire rune activation.” He focused on one of the simpler runes and, with steady hands, began to trace it on the floor.
As he wrote, the trail of the pen glowed brightly, illuminating the rune’s shape in the dim light of the mansion. “Check this out! It’s kind of like drawing, but, you know, magic!” he exclaimed.
Once he finished, he stepped back, eagerly awaiting the activation. But… nothing happened. The rune lay there, glowing faintly but remaining dormant.
User3: Did it work?
User4: Looks like it’s just a fancy doodle!
Thomas frowned, scratching his head. “Yeah, I’m not seeing any fire here. Maybe it needs something else?”
Then a thought hit him. The magic stone! He glanced at the chat, where the suggestions poured in.
User2: Put the magic stone down! Maybe it needs power!
“Right! That makes sense!” he shouted, rushing back to the drawer where he had stored the glowing gem. He retrieved one, the energy pulsing in his hand as he returned to the rune he had just inscribed.
“Okay, let’s see if this works.” He placed the magic stone near the rune, feeling the air thrum with potential. “Here goes nothing!”
He closed his eyes, focusing on the connection between the rune and the stone, willing the energy to flow. The rune’s glow intensified, the symbols flickering with life as they absorbed the stone’s mana.
Suddenly, a burst of flames shot up from the rune, illuminating the room in a warm, flickering light. Thomas stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock and excitement. “Holy shit! It worked!”
User1: No way! You’re a wizard!
User3: This is so freaking cool!
Thomas couldn’t help but laugh, the thrill of success surging through him. He had done it—he had activated his first rune, and it felt amazing. The chat exploded with enthusiasm, their energy fueling his own
The chat buzzed with excitement, each viewer throwing out ideas faster than Thomas could keep up.
User1: Try a lightning rune!
User2: Dude, make a water faucet!
User3: How about a rune stove? You could cook food like a wizard!
The flood of suggestions was overwhelming, but it lit a fire under Thomas. He hadn’t even considered using runes for practical purposes. “You guys are onto something!” he exclaimed. “Imagine if I could create a faucet or a stove right here. That’d be insane!”
He quickly scanned the book for any runes related to water or lightning. “Okay, okay, let’s see what I can find…” His fingers flipped through the pages, searching for symbols that would allow him to bring some of these ideas to life.
“Here’s a water rune!” he said, pointing to the glowing character on the page. “And… oh, there’s a lightning rune too!” He felt a surge of confidence as he realized these were exactly what he needed.
User4: Do the water rune first! We need hydration!
User5: And the lightning rune could be a power source for the stove!
“Alright, let’s go for the water rune first.” He took the golden pen, determined to carve it into the floor. He followed the instructions carefully, his excitement building as he finished the inscription.
“Now let’s see if I can conjure up some water.” He placed another magic stone near the rune, focusing intently on the energy flowing between them.
The rune glowed brightly, and just like before, water began to bubble up from the floor in a small stream. Thomas could hardly believe his eyes. “No freaking way! It’s working!”
User1: You just made a water fountain!
User2: This is next-level magic!
“Alright, I’m definitely keeping this,” he laughed, cupping his hands to catch some of the flowing water. “This is amazing!”
With newfound confidence, he glanced back at the book, ready to tackle the lightning rune next. “Okay, now for the lightning rune. Let’s see if we can make this kitchen of mine a little more functional.”
He traced the lightning rune onto the floor, excitement bubbling inside him as he prepared for another round of magic. The chat erupted with cheers as he placed another magic stone nearby. “Here goes nothing!”
As Thomas prepared to activate the lightning rune, the chat exploded with warnings.
User1: Be careful! If you touch the water while activating lightning, you could get electrocuted!
User2: Dude, don’t be an idiot! Back away!
Feeling a sudden wave of caution, Thomas took a few steps back from the water, eyeing the shimmering rune and the small stream trickling nearby. “Right, good call, guys. Safety first!”
He held the magic stone tightly, glancing between the lightning rune and the water, his heart racing. “Let’s not become a crispy wizard today.”
He took a deep breath, channeling his focus as he distanced himself further. “I’m just going to toss this magic stone near the lightning rune, and hopefully, it’ll do its thing.”
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the stone toward the rune, watching as it landed next to it. The air crackled with anticipation, and the rune began to glow brightly, swirling with electric energy.
User3: That looks intense!
User4: Are you sure you wanna be that close?
“I’m not touching anything!” he shouted back, backing away even more. The excitement was palpable, and he couldn’t help but grin. “Let’s see if I can make this work without frying my ass.”
With a final surge of energy, he focused on the lightning rune, willing it to activate. The room filled with a buzzing sound, and bright arcs of electricity shot through the air, illuminating the space in a dazzling display.
“Whoa!” he yelled, eyes wide with awe as he watched the lightning dance around the rune. “This is so cool!”
Suddenly, bolts of electricity arced down towards the magic stone, and a flash of light filled the room. Thomas shielded his eyes, feeling the rush of energy pulse through the air, and when he opened them again, there it was—a flickering lightning arc hovering above the rune, a small, controlled storm just waiting to be unleashed.
User5: You did it! You’ve created lightning!
Thomas glanced at the time displayed on his interface—2:01 AM. He stifled a yawn, the excitement of the night finally catching up with him. “Alright, folks, I’m getting sleepy. It’s time for me to hit the hay,” he announced, trying to muster enthusiasm but failing a little as fatigue settled in.
The chat erupted in playful protests.
User1: No! Stay!
User2: We want more magic!
User3: Go live on Twitch or YouTube! We wanna see everything!
“Trust me, I’d love to, but I’m about to faceplant into this bed,” he replied, chuckling. “Besides, tomorrow, I’ll show you the world outside! I’m planning to go hunting, and hopefully, PETA isn’t trailing on my ass!”
Laughter flooded the chat as they bombarded him with comments.
User4: You better be careful!
User5: Make sure to stream that too!
“Alright, I’ll definitely consider it. Just need to set up a link for you all to follow,” he said, already imagining the adventure ahead. “But for now, I’m off. Sleep tight, chat!”
With a final wave, he turned off the livestream, the chat continuing to encourage him to rest.
Thomas wandered into one of the strangely inviting bedrooms, the bed appearing to be in pristine condition, despite the age of the mansion. He flopped down onto the soft mattress, his body sinking into the comfort. The world outside felt distant as he closed his eyes, visions of runes and glowing gems swirling in his mind.
As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t shake the excitement of what awaited him. Tomorrow would be a new day, a new adventure, and maybe, just maybe, the start of something amazing in this bizarre world.