The silence was deafening after the announcement ended. Our screens still in front of us, as we just stared… “didn’t it say something about dungeons? Spawning, right after the message?” I whispered looking around.
“OMG its just like one of those sci-fi books you like Jackie, RPG and videogame stuff right?” Martha said her voice cracking.
“Yes… but…” Jackie was at a loss for words.
“DUNGEONS??” I said louder, my voice going up in pitch. Many thoughts just running random and unfinished out of my mouth.
“Okay calm down everyone, as Oldest…” started Jake his voice trying to sound calm and collected, but failing.
“by like 10 minuets!” cried Jackie clinging to something normal.
“Still the oldest Jackie. Anyway, I think we need to figure out what is going on. This does seem like those books you read Jackie, I mean you read a lot of books, but this is the one you talk about the most. I play videogames, and that prompt looks like … Status … Screen?” He said staring at something we couldn’t see in front of him. “Oh there are tabs. That one says Inventory… OH it switched to an inventory screen.”
We all said “Inventory” and what popped up in front of me was a storage space like in a videogame. It was like a computer screen, and I could tell I could move it with my mind, must be this mana seed stuff. “Profile.” I thought to myself reading the tabs that and it popped over to the Profile tab.
Name: Kira Level:0
Race: Human
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
“Huh, My status isn’t, filled in. Says My first name and level 0 and race… everything else says I need to level up.” I was looking at the others, and they all said the same thing except Jackie and Jakes which had (Twin) after Human.
Name: Jackie 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
Name: Jake 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
Name: Martha Level:0
Race: Human
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
After confirming that we had the same screens, Jake then asked, “Where did the old guy go? I just finished signing his tablet and… why is there a pile of clothing… omg.” Sure, enough he disintegrated… He… died… We all stared at the pile of clothing, too much shock and excitement running through us. Then RUMBLE. SHAKE.
“WHAT WAS THAT?” shouted Martha, shaken, gripping the table.
That word, Dungeon… anywhere can be one with enough mana seeds?... Oh no… “I think, were in a dungeon.” I stammered. Suddenly looking around, omg this screen is in the way, minimize I thought, and it minimized… OH! “Think minimize...” and they all did and looked around. We started peering, looking for something, anything that had changed. I’ve only been aware in this place for an hour, so I don’t know if anything is off or Uncanny.
Jake, Jackie, and Martha, get very panicked looks on their faces as they look around, they don’t fully recognize their home I thought. Oh no, no no no no no!
“Something is wrong,” Jake finally says in a whisper. “Something Uncanny about our penthouse.” The front door still open, some more piles of clothing just outside it, “We need to close the door he thought.”
“Jackie no don’t” Martha scream whispered as Jackie slowly made her way to the front door being careful to step around the pile of old guys clothing.
He’s just gone. 20% of humans are just gone. Those piles outside were the movers… They are just gone too. Just like that, with no warning. This can’t be happening, too many things were happening, I feel a panic attack coming on, I can’t panic now, we are in serious danger.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
All of us hold our breath as Jackie looks into the hallways and behind things making her way to the door. She was always really quiet and could sneak up on me constantly when I was working and paying attention. She is the best to close that door. She made it to the door, when everything shook again, and she peaked out it, and she could see only darkness. She reached for the door to push it closed. And closed it. She locked it and sprinted back into Marthas shaking embrace.
“OMG Jackie that was insane did you see anything?” Martha breathed.
“You are tough sister; I was going to do it.” Jake Stammered.
“Dungeon” I said loudly making everyone jump. Sitting up still holding Nutmeg. Who seemed to have calmed down.
“Why do you keep saying Dungeon Kira?” Jackie asked me. Looking at me with concern, thinking I must have completely lost my mind.
“Because this is a dungeon, a tower dungeon, like in that anime I recently watched, and were on the top floor, yes? Nothing above us?” They all nodded. “Then this is the treasure room!” I declared puffing out my chest and putting Nutmeg on my chair.
“This is like that book you told me about too! Tower Dungeons! The top floors are either boss rooms, or treasure rooms, and since I don’t see a big bad monster and we are still alive, we are in fact in a treasure room at the top of a tower. And the floor below us, is the boss room!” My mind raced as all my thoughts merged, it was to distract me from the fear and panic, from the way I woke up this morning. Was it because I’ve always wanted to live in a story? Have an adventure like in the books me, and Jackie spend hours reading and discussing? Maybe. But we need to figure it out, we are alive, they saved me, and So I know how to pay them back! Bookworm Kira to the rescue!
They all gaped at me, tense and unbelieving. “A dungeon treasure room?” they all said together. And their eyes got bright. They all looked ready to sprint off.
Waving my hands frantically I whisper shout, “Stop, don’t run off we need to stick together and get weapons first, we have no idea if my idea is correct, its just a hypothetical idea based on tons of books, games and media.” I got up and made my way to the kitchen, Nutmeg following me and scanning the surroundings, slightly on edge. “Its okay Nutmeg I won’t let anything happen to you!” I smiled at her and she… nodded. I stopped. “Did you just nod?” She tilted her head and nodded again. I stared at her, “Can you completely understand me?” another nod. “OMG MY CAT IS SO COOL! “I scooped her up forgetting about weapons and snuggled her and she purred into my ear.
Everyone else stared at the cat.
“Well, that announcement did tell us other creatures would be smarter.” Martha shrugged. The others nodded just going with the flow.
I put Nutmeg down, and asked where the knives were in the kitchen, everyone else already following me. I was just going to open drawers at random, but realizing how many and that I’ve never been here before I lost all that bravado I had.
“Here” Jack said with a chuckle.
I blushed, man I didn’t realize it but he’s cute. I look at Jackie my eyes flicking back to her brother, she just shrugged and giggled.
He opened the drawer for knives, and stopped. “Uhh one of the knives looks different.”
I look into the drawer, it has a faint blue aura. I don’t want to touch it. He doesn’t want to touch it. Martha and Jackie both come to look.
“Its glowing kinda like the swords from Lord of the Rings, that detect orcs. But fainter” Martha said in awe.
“Don’t touch it! It could be cursed!” Jackie said quickly. Throwing her arms out and holding us back.
Not that any of were going to touch it who touches strange glowing objects after all the other unexpected and unexplainable stuff happened. Honestly anything we’ve read watched or played could happen.
I had a thought. What if I concentrated on it, I could feel something prickling in the back of my mind. Something that felt familiar but yet I know I’ve never felt it before… I said out loud “Appraisal” and my screen popped open again:
Kitchen Knife of perfect cutting, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Everyone looked at me. “It says Kitchen Knife of Perfect Cutting Level: NA then blanked out section, and a note saying I have no level so I only see the name of the item. And then I got experience for using item
Everyone else tried to use appraisal, and only Martha could see the same thing. I explained that I concentrated and still jake and Jackie couldn’t appraise it. Hmm?
“I think its safe to use its green, and most bad things in games are not green” Martha stated simply.
“Uh poison is green.” Stated jake
“Or purple.” I said.
Jackie the ever cautious and bravest decided to grab a towel and pick it up. When she held it, she turned it all around, nothing happened.
Will you Equip the Kitchen Knife of Perfect Cutting?
Yes No
“Oh!” I just got a prompt asking if I want to equip the knife. Should I say yes?”
We nodded our heads, eager.
Kitchen Knife of perfect cutting equipped in main hand.
Your level is not high enough to use skills associated with this tool.
“It says my level isn’t high enough to use the skills associated with the knife so until I get to the level required Its just a normal but sharp knife I guess.” Jackie spoke with wonder.
Achievement: Equipping a tool for the first time!
You have unlocked the tool tab in your interface. As well as a tool sub section in inventory.
“Oh I got an achievement, that unlocked a tool tab in my Interface? And a new tab in my inventory for tools. I wonder how the inventory works?”
I looked back into the draw and used appraisal on all the other items, but everything was.
High end Cooking tool Level:NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
And I only got experience for the first High end cooking tool. So, I now had 2 experience in appraisal, but have appraised quite a few objects.
Suddenly both me and martha jumped back, as an announcement showed up on our screens.
You have earned an achievement: Novice Appraiser
You have appraised 20 High end items, and so you will have an easier time spotting high end items. You have gained 5 experience points for Appraisal. As well as the title Novice Appraiser which can be added under your name.
We looked at each other and laughed… this was definitely like a videogame. We told the others the achievement we got, and they pouted, wondering why they can’t appraise something.
We all got other knives from the drawer and equip them so we could get the same Achievement as Jackie. All wondering how to use this Inventory system.
Chapter 4
We continue opening drawers and Cabinets, Each one having One shiny glowing, named item with in. 11 drawers, and 10 cabinets for a total of 21 items. This didn’t include any pantry or refrigerator which we haven’t opened yet.
Martha and I earned another 22 experience for Appraisal. Most items were The High end Kitchen Tools. We earned another two for High end Kitchen textiles, and High end Kitchen storage.
This is what we found:
Kitchen Knife of perfect cutting, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Spatula of perfect flipping, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Cloth of perfect cleaning, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen cast iron skillet of perfect searing, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Pot of perfect Boiling, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Ladle of perfect serving, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Wisk of perfect mixing, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending Foil, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending bottle of water. level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending bottle of oil, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending Lighter, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending salt shaker, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Never ending Peper shaker, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Grater of perfect grating, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen tongs of safety, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Funnel of perfect measuring, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Kitchen Strainer of perfect Straining, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Uncuttable cutting board, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Resizable bowl set of 5, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
And the two most notable
Tea Kettle of Healing and Perfect Warming, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Baking pan set of comfort, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
We piled all the Named items onto the counter top.
“Well we wont need to worry about water, oil and flavor for food. Also the tea kettle of healing seems like a super awesome find. Wonder what the baking pan of comfort does?” Jake said staring at the haul from the kitchen.
“This really is a treasure room, and I can use all of these items to make even better food than before!” Jackie exclaimed. “I bet the Baking pan, makes bread that will calm down nervous people or something, maybe cookies?”
“But none of these are weapons, sure we could use them as weapons, but they are all considered tools.” Martha pointed out.
“Well, we have a few more rooms, who knows what other treasures await!” I said excitedly.
While we looked the rumbling and growling and shaking would happen, it was definitely coming from a different floor. We were nervous but still have not yet been in any danger.
“What about the pantry and the fridge and freezer? Do you think they have any magical foods?” I asked deciding if I wanted use the cutting board as a make shift shield.
“Jake will you check them Im trying to figure out this inventory so I can store all these cooking things!” Jackie asked her brother.
He moved to the pantry and only found the normal food stuff which I was quick to use appraisal on, Martha close behind me.
Ordinary food stuffs, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
It was all the same thing, granting another point to appraisal. I wonder how many points I need to level the skill? I wondered as we looked in the fridge. Nothing. But it was well stocked so we should be good on food for a while.
When we opened the Freezer though, we gasped. The only thing inside was a wand.
“A WAND?” We three shouted together, causing Jackie to come over to us. “IT’S A WAND!”
What were we echoes? I smiled.
I used appraisal.
Ice Wand of Storms, level : NA
(……********……)
note: you have no level so appraisal is limited to the item name only.
1 experience in appraisal gained.
Ice wand? I reached for it and it wasn’t cold. It was a smooth cloudy stone with snowflakes moving with in the wand. It was exactly what Magic should be.
Would you like to equip Ice Wand of Storms?
Yes No
I choose yes. All eyes on me.
Ice Wand of Stroms equipped in main hand.
Your level is not high enough to use skills associated with this weapon.
Your Level is not high enough to cast using this wand.
You do not have the Class to use this wand.
I sighed, I couldn’t use it. Of course. Everyone looked at me expectantly. I just shook my head sadly.
Then suddenly
Achievement!: Weapon Equipment!
You have equipped your first weapon. You have unlocked the equipment menu tab, and a sub equipment tab in your inventory.
Achievement: Magical Weapon Novice
You have equipped your first Magical Weapon. You have gained the class Mage.
“Hey I got two achievements!” I handed over the wand since it’s the only true weapon we have found for everyone else to equip it, earning a.
Would you like to unequip the Ice Wand of Storms
Yes No
Then reequipped it once it was handed back to me. I didn’t know where to put it so I just held it.
“Okay the kitchen is done where should we look next?” Jake asked hopefully. Scanning around excitement growing.
“We have a laundry room, the Formal Dining room has a China Cabinet, The Breakfast nook might have something on the coffee cart, the living room has cabinets. Then we have My room, My Brothers Room, the Guest room where all your stuff was taken too, and another room that is a library, not to mention all the bathrooms and closets, I wonder if there is anything on the balcony.” Jackie thought out loud her voice getting more and more excited.
“Let’s check the library, maybe the books have changed?’ perking up at the fact that they had their own library!
“Hmm, that sounds plausible.” Martha thoughtfully replied. “Okay lets carefully move to the library, checking for traps and monsters” They said that with a shutter after the word monster.
Nothing in the hallway, we get to the door of the library, and Jake stops us.” Wait… something feels off.”
He stares at the door, concentrating and then, “Detect Trap” It was like he knew it his whole life. HE knew he should say it. Think it. And there was a trap, he could see it clear as day. “there’s a trap.” Of course, all of us try Detect trap, but no one else can Detect it.
“What do we do? I whispered afraid the trap would go off with any noise louder than a whisper.”