“How many days has it been?”
“I miss showers.”
“Will he kill me? Or stop now?”
“How can I escape? Someone help me! It hurts so much.”
All these thoughts ran through the girls’ fuzzy thoughts.
“I definitely have a concussion… it’s so hard to think clearly and I’m so sleepy.”
There was a voice, but she couldn’t understand it, were the rainbow lights always there or is it from this splitting headache? I shouldn’t have angered him, maybe he would not have knocked me unconscious. I just want to sleep. And so, she did, she fell into a very deep sleep while the weird voice rainbow lights and some blue screen in front of her eyes, “like a videogame,” she mumbled drifting off were still going on.
She finally woke up her head feeling a bit better, but still fuzzy. The blue screen still in front of her face… a message on it. Here vision was still adjusting… “What did he give me that’s making me see a videogame screen?” I feel like it’s been days since I’ve had food and water. Where is he if he’s going to kill me, I want him to do it now, I can’t deal with this. Closing her eyes she listened, trying to make the fogginess go away.
Opening her eyes again, realizing that the blue screen isn’t disappearing. And that was the only light in front of her she focused on her screen. Words blinking on the screen.
"HELLO, and welcome to the system Aridari, Reading and hearing this means you have survived the initial spark! Congratulations! Those that couldn’t adapt have degenerated. Roughly 20% of the apex species on the planet have been reclaimed and fed into the system! Other creatures close to the apex species have had their intelligence upped, so to have a fighting chance in this new world! Around 5 years ago, mana seeds were scattered across your world, absorbing into many things, Radiating, and infecting the world with the programing required to save your world! Other worlds will be able to visit yours to help you grow stronger! The introduction to mana seeds will help keep the universe safe from a looming virus that will, if no mana is introduced, wipe the entire planet of all life! I have been tasked as AI 2348920483202034 or Steve for short, to find worlds teaming with life and no mana to help keep the virus from spreading! Some of the apex species, Humans, have perished but sacrificing a few to save the whole is the way to go!
We have been introducing things to your planet for over 5000 years, trying to get you prepared to accept the mana seeds, and the way the technology will work. Over the last five years, you have been upgraded. You may have noticed more storms, violence, unrest, mass extinctions of other creatures, etc. during this time because not everything will take to the mana seeds. You have developed mana sense, and thus will have status screens, and all your life experience, of any kind has been quantified into an easy to follow and upgrade list. I as a benevolent AI, will be handing out achievements to everyone who achieves something interesting to help you survive the evil life wiping virus! We all need to become strong to fight the virus. Though Most of you probably won’t survive the beginning, those that do will be able to hopefully find the virus and destroy it! Isn’t that just heroic. The world will be fully converted right after this message ends. Tutorial guilds are found in every city. They will be glowing; they are a safe room that monsters cannot enter. Yes monsters, like in those video games you all play. That was me by the way, sneaking all the ideas into the “humans” heads to get them to create as close as possible ideas that would let you all adapt! And I had an 80% success rate too! That means I did well, some AI’s only have maybe 40% success rate! So, your world is already above and beyond some other newly seeded worlds.
Dungeons have now started spawning, and changing, any indoor space can become a dungeon. Any building, any cave. Even outside areas with a boundary, as long as they have enough mana seeds to have sparked the dungeon core! So be ready to fight when the message ends if you seem to find yourself in uncanny areas, that don’t quite look the same. My job is to observe and provide insights when necessary. But it’s important to fight against the virus with your own will and power, and to develop well rounded heroes! And this is my 5,000,938,3839,292 world, So This time I’m just going to see what you guys come up with on your own! I will provide more details when you reach a tutorial guild. Like that line in a famous book, you all have loved so much that you even made into movies, “May the odds be ever in your favor.”
Good luck and STARTO!”
What? She thought about everything she could remember from the last couple of days, how hungry she was and this message. Does this mean he’s not coming back was her first thought. She looked at the screen seeing tabs, and one said status. Well if I’m going crazy might as well dive in. How do I change it over. As she thought about it, she tried saying the tab out loud. “STATUS”
Name:(error) Level:0
Race: Human (twin)
Hit Points: (level up to reveal) Mana: (level up to reveal) Stamina: (level up to reveal)
Recovery rate: NA Recovery Rate: NA Recovery Rate: NA
Physical
Strength: (level up to reveal)
Dexterity: (level up to reveal)
Constitution: (level up to reveal)
Agility: (level up to reveal)
Speed: (level up to reveal)
Endurance: (level up to reveal)
Mental
Intelligence: (level up to reveal)
Charisma: (level up to reveal)
Wisdom: (level up to reveal)
Luck: (level up to reveal)
Composure: (level up to reveal)
Perception: (level up to reveal)
Skills:
(level up to reveal)
Achievements:
NA
Why did her name say error? Her name is … “what was my name again? Who am I? All I can remember is a man hurting me over and over. But everything is so fuzzy. Ow my head hurts.”
A new message opened on the screen automatically, “Error, Error, looking for fix for missing name, none found. Memories lost. Data corrupted. Error Error, please level up to fix Errors.” Suddenly her entire screen blinked on and off with a red glow, like a red warning sign. “Well, that’s not ominous. Close?” the screen closed. But she felt incomplete, like something was missing. A lot of something about her memories... were very unclear. Though she knew how to read, concepts and what things were called generally, all information about herself was gone. Maybe it was the headache. She realized her feet were bound and one hand. She tried wiggling free, but it was now pitch black with her screen gone. “Uh, status?” the screen popped back on, still blinking red but at least it was light.
“maybe if I read one of the other tabs, Messages” The red blinking stopped and she saw a screen of messages, mostly error messages and the first one she red, but this time only a stead blue glow came from the screen illuminating around her.
She could see she was on a dirty mattress, And some picture frames on the wall, as well as some books. Strange looking books. she ignored the bookcase knowing books cannot help her. That’s when she noticed the hammer on the floor by her feet. Crusted in something. A pile of clothing behind it. She realized she was naked and cold. Reaching with her free hand she undid the binding on her other wrist. But her ankles had handcuffs on them. She wiggled making her head hurt increasingly. But she grabbed the hammer and waited for the dizziness to release her so she could try and break the handcuffs. Slowly wincing every time, she hit the middle of the cuffs she eventually broke a chain link and was able to separate her ankles even if the cuffs were still on her ankle. She reached for the clothing. When a wave of nausea hit her. A bit of memory of a man, hitting her over and over and forcing himself inside her. Her crying and screaming and fighting back and him raising the hammer high above his head. She vomited stomach acid all over the clothing. Dry heaving, dizzy, she chose to lay down again, curling up holder her head and crying.
Did that really happen to me? Did he try to kill me. I am a prisoner; those were his clothes… does that mean he did not make it through whatever is happening with the screens? Her head hurt so much. But after sleeping for a few more hours, she decided to move around the small room again, she found a basket with sheets and blankets, being naked and cold she draped the thickest one over her. As she looked around. She found an unopened bottle of water on a small table next to the large bookcase. She took a huge gulp only to vomit it back up and leaving her to rock back and forth in agony for the next hour.
Slowly she sipped the water this time it not making her vomit. Slowly seems a better way. The door she found was locked and she had no idea how to open it without the key. It was a heavy-duty door. Made of iron. Like this room was made to be a prison.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
She found a light switch, but it would not turn on. So, she just had the blue glow of her message screen. “What did it mean by level up?” Not knowing what else to do she tried looking at the pictures but decided to take them off the wall instead and pile them up near the clothing because they were very disturbing images of women and young girls, bloody and beaten, it was horrific, it looked like they were all in this exact room… how many women had he hurt?
Going back to the bookcase hoping for this vague memory of bookcases hiding hidden passages, She pulled a book out at random.
It said, Crafting your first set of magical garments.
That’s weird, She opened the book to read it, and it glowed bright, and disappeared knowledge how to craft and manipulate mana into garments to make very basic magical clothing and accessories, flowed into her, filling her till she passed out and woke up again, sore from the hard floor, the book completely gone but for whatever reason she knew she could turn the sheets and blankets into garments now, even without a need and thread. Well, I need clothing if I get out of here. So she went back to the basket, and grabbed a white sheet that had a blue stripe. She imagined a simple tunic v neck dress, using the butt of the hammer she slowly and carefully cut a few holes rhythmic hammering. Another sheet she turned into strips of fabric by ripping them and braided them together. The whole time infusing her magic into it, thinking of comfort, warmth, and protection.
A message popped up about the item.
Tunic of comfort
(Level 1) (Grade F)
This tunic provides a sense of comfort and calmness healing the user 1% of total health every hour, as well as providing an exceedingly small amount of warmth continuously, and gives +1 Damage protection. It is not very sturdy. Must use mana to recharge the damage protection. If torn or grabbed by anything it will release the magic it holds to create a bright light to help you escape.
Right after another message popped up and that same voice, she fell asleep to was back. Is this Steve?
Congratulations!
You crafter, you! You have gained an achievement, Magical Crafter 1. You have gained +1 to mana control and 1 mana point. You also can more easily distinguish higher level crafting items!
Well, okay? “Whatever I’m hungry and cold, let me put this on.”
Putting her head through the biggest hole she made, it draped over her body, but was still open on the sides. So she got her braded belt and braided through the smaller holes along the waist of the dress tying the belt in the front. She felt the warmth right away. It was not much but in this dark dank room, it made a world of difference. She thought her headache was getting better. But she was not sure. She looked at the bigger blanket and she thought she could make it into a cloak if she had the tools. For now, I will just throw it over me again, she sat in the chair and drifted off to sleep utterly spent but warm. She woke up to her head feeling less foggy and hurting much less. Oh. That’s nice. She tried the door again, but still would not open. Well, if I learned one thing in that book maybe the others can help me?
“Hmm I’ll get this one!” She said grabbing a book at random.
“Beginners guide to household magic”
She opened this book, but it did not grant her the knowledge right away. “So, I must read this one? Okay, she yawned, as she skimmed the book, trying to find something that would be useful. Flame starter, Wind dusting, Water cleaner, Earth sweeping. Well I don’t think a fire will help in a closed space. I could learn to clean the place… but that wont help with either sweeping or dusting… maybe the water one. She read the chapter on water cleaner, when she was halfway through not understanding at all she yawned again this time tears pricking her eyes and a tear fell onto the page.
“CONGRATUALATIONS! You have bound this spell book to you! You can now find this Spell book in your “Spells and Stories Tab.”
Opening the tab saying, “spells and stories” She found a folder for spells and opened it. Seeing all four of the spells from the book, she clicked the water one, while holding the now empty water bottle, and she felt a draining sensation, and the water bottle filled up a quarter of the way with clean fresh-looking water.
“Basic water spell 1%” She saw pop up when she used it, but she felt exhausted again. Well at least I will not be dehydrated anymore. She decided another nap was in order, she could feel her self-getting better, but her memories were not returning to her.
This time when she woke up the hunger was extreme. But her brain fog was completely clear, her head did not hurt, and even the marks on her wrists and her ankles were healed. Though the cuffs still on her ankles were uncomfortable.
Okay I need food and to get out of here! I think my tears bound the book to me. I wonder if it is any body fluid. She grabbed another book, but this one was just a regular story. But she tried it anyway. She licked the book... and
“Congratulations the story has been added to your spells and story tab.”
Okay so I do not need to force myself to cry.
There was only maybe 20 books here, but she kept licking them one at a time. Only 4 more were spell books and one exceptionally large one was another more detailed crafting guide.
The other three spell books, were “Novice Fire spells” “Novice Water spells” “Novice earth spells” “Novice wind spells” Which were probably not strong enough to get through that door. She really wanted out of this den of creepiness.
The crafting guide was amazing though. As it filled her being with the knowledge, she learned how to deconstruct stuff and use the ambient mana to shape them for low level items. IF she had the right tools, she could definitely make higher level items than what she could do with just the hammer.
She looked at the room and suddenly many items slightly glowed, ideas of what it could be turned into the magic it had stored in it. The mattress she had been on glowed the strongest, the magic feeling like memories and dimensional magic. She stripped the sheet, it was caked in what looked like incredibly old blood, but she deconstructed it, feeling a slight drain on her energy or maybe her mana? She wasn’t sure because her status screen still blinked red if she looked at it.
Slowly she had the fabric, the edging thread, the elastic, and some more scrap fabric for the sheet she had ripped up. She found a nail in the bookcase she was able to pull out with the hammer and using a bit more magic and the hammer turned it into a crude needle. And that needle became a magical item.
“Needle of perfect sewing.
(Level 1) (Grade B)”
Allows the user to use any kind of thread, fabric, leather, hair, to make perfect stitches.
Well that’s helpful!
She got to work, using the edging thread to sew the bed sheet, the fabric scraps, and another sheet together to make a rough bag, she had to take breaks now and then to let her mana recharge to drink some water. When she felt “Full” she made more water first, each time the spell increasing 1%at a time. I wonder what happens at 100%. For now, though to use it she had to click on it in her spells and story’s tab.
While working on this bag she thought about carrying things, about her missing memories, about some things she did remember like bags of holding… from a game of some sort? She couldn’t remember fully but she let the crafting take her.
Her hunger always growing but this called to her. Knowing something will happen.
At some point she grabbed the clothing from the ground, using it in this bag. Hours passed by. When she finished, she had a genuinely nice backpack, The bloody sheet now shone, the blood dying the entire thing an earthy brownish red color. It wasn’t wet, it was almost like leather but not quite and it spread to every fabric she incorporated into it. So, you couldn’t tell what was what. It looked like an adventure backpack made of leather. With pockets and straps.
“Storage Bag of Memories”
(Level 0) (Grade SS)
After using her own blood and spilled memories to weave magic into this bag it provides 20 Spaces for storage, Can level up with the user, is bound to the user always returning to the user until death, Holds on to more than just items, it holds lost memories which are unlockable as they level up. Indestructible, Provides +1 to defense and will level up as the bag and user level up. Will reset to level 0 on death but will hold on to all items that were inside the amount of space will never decrease even at reset and will give all memories to a new user when bound. Only bound users can access items. Unable to be looted.
CONGRATUALTIONS! You have created the first SS level item! You have earned an achievement. “SS Crafter” You gain 20 levels to your crafting skill. You can now see crafting materials from father away. You can now also create more diverse items and deconstruct higher level items.
“Wow” I feel like I could make anything I can dream of. But I need to bind this bag to me…. I really don’t want to lick it, or spit on it…
“Alert to bind this bag to you, you must stitch your name in blood.”
“Stich my name in blood?! How the heck do I do… oh.” She realized as she thought it, she just had to prick her finger with her needle of perfect sewing and use her mana to do it, but she didn’t remember her name yet. “OH MY GOD! What is my name… Can I just pick a name and go with it?” She whisper yelled to no one in particular.
“Would you like to change your name YES/NO? Error, Change… Error… Change…”
“Uhh YES?”
“Please Provide me with your new name.”
“Hmm… One of the story’s had a character named Kathy lets go with that. KATHY! MY NAME IS KATHY!” It just felt right… like it was something reaching out and gently urging her... the bag maybe?
“Kathy is now your new name. You may change your name at any time.”
So, she stitched Kathy on her new bag. Inside like a shirt tag. Using her blood and mana.”
And as the last stitch was in place, suddenly a memory filled her mind. A memory of a little girl, looking out a window at kids playing outside and having the overwhelming feeling of being trapped and unable to play with the kids outside, they had new clothes on she just had a stained too small dress. How she longed to be out there. Then a pounding came from the stairs, and as she looked back at the door the memory faded away.
Kathy’s heart was racing, she was crying hugging the bag, afraid. Lonely. Longing for escape.
That’s when she noticed, something glowing on the ground. Is that a “KEY! It’s a key! She was so excited wondering why she didn’t check the clothing for the key first.
There was also a wallet, and a small knife. They must have been in the pants. She had such a clear head now though she thought she could escape but should take what she could with her. What if its cold outside? I’ll need to make a cloak. She grabbed her needle, the thick blanket, and the stitching from the mattress she used deconstruct on. She also used a spring that she hammered and hammered to make flat like a swirling clip to keep the cloak closed. She got lost in her crafting again. Making a warm cloak, but the memory she saw made her want to be invisible and hide. All these thoughts working with her crafting helped her create.
“Cloak of invisible warmth”
(Level 1) (Grade A)
Waterproof cloak that when bound to the user will level with the user. Makes it harder to detect when trying to sneak. Moderate amount of warmth depending on the temperature outside of the cloak.
Stitching her name into the cloak she bound it to her and threw it over her and backpack, after putting her water and spell books inside it. And she walked back up the stairs to the door where the key fit into the lock and unlocked it and opened the door to her freedom, and hopefully food!