“Can you let me out of here?”
“Sorry the function has not been built into my programming. I can tell you everything that I know about this place but I cannot open the exit portal. The exit portal can only be opened by an administrator from outside this space, or when the training program has been completed.”
“So I am screwed, aren’t I. I am trapped here to die of old age in this training place of a long dead people.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You can access the training program right? Go and check the completion time for the current training schedule.” I replied to Omni, depression creeping into my voice.
Thinking about everything that I had not done I started to curse the guild member that had acted as our guide that day, the guid for not keeping a proper record of the dungeon and god for the fate I had been dealt. I sat there thinking what would be worst, dying of hunger or taking my own life. My rations had been completely used up last night and I had only a cup worth of water left. At that moment I saw no escape from this room, even if by some miracle there was a food store here I would be long since dead before my time limit on this place was over.
I wallowed in my depression until I felt a sharp pain on my forehead. I looked up to find Omni hovering in front of me.
“What the long face trainee?”
Gathering the remaining will I stared at her for a moment. She looked puzzled at my state of being, unable to comprehend the depression I was facing.
“I am stuck here for 5000 years! You cannot let me out of here so I am going to die from old age all alone in this room, if not by hunger for I have no rations left.”
“We have rations that will last for 200 years in the stores, we estimated that some people would take a lot of time to reach the Master level as such the food stock is well maintained. Why would you die of old age anyway? The regeneration machine can reverse the aging process, it is one of the greatest inventions of the Ludwig Empire. It can register the current status of your body and restore it to that status after every use.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“The 5000 years training time then? What does it refer to if time has no meaning here?” I asked, seeing a glimmer of hope in her answer.
“The time that has been quoted represents the real world time that would have passed by the time you have completed the training program.”
“But what about food? You said that there was only enough stored for 200 years of use. Then what?”
“Well that depends on you and your potential to master any of the mage class. If you can master any one of the mage class training you will gain a skill which will allow you to sustain yourself with mana only. It will not be as satisfying as eating food but it will stop you from dying. Your body mass will decrease even with the use of the regeneration machine.”
“So when I complete my training, 5000 years would have passed in the real world. I could leave this place as a fresh faced youth if I wanted to?”
“Essentially yes. The time required to complete the training is just an estimate. It may change according to how you perform and how diligent you are. If you put more effort into it, the time may decrease and vice versa. So trainee are you ready to begin your journey to greatness? If yes, press the Begin option and lets’ start your new life.”
I looked at Omni for a moment, the being that floated in front of me now had given me the hope to continue.
“Ok then let's begin. But first how do I use the regeneration machine? I want to record my current age as the default age for regeneration.” I stated as I stood and faced the machine.
Omni hovered over a flat piece of glass and pushed something on it. The silent machine then started to hum and come to life. The glass enclosure opened with a hiss.
“Take off all your clothes and step inside. I will initiate the necessary sequence once you are properly situated.”
I looked at her, surged and started taking off the pieces of armour and clothing I wore. After taking off everything (even my small clothes, spending a month as a trainee in the adventure guild had done away with the shame I felt in being nude around people even the fairer kind) I stepped inside the goo covered cylinder and lied down on it. The goo was cool to the touch, I slowly sank into it and in moments I was covered in it.
Omni pressed a sequence of buttons on the glass panel and the cylinder closed around me. The hum of the machine took on a different tone and I felt an itch crawling all over my body. It continued for some time and it was gone as suddenly as it came. The hum died down and Omni told me to get out of the machine. The goo slid off me as I got out and started to dress again. Omni had in the meantime repositioned herself to the center of the room again. I walked towards her at a slow pace thinking about what had happened to me in the last three days and what I would be able to achieve in the future.
“Ok then trainee are you ready to start your new life?”
Yes I was more than ready to start at that moment. The uncertainty that I had felt till that moment had slid away as soon as I stepped into the Cylinder. Now was the time to begin a new chapter in my life and live up to my full potential. I would complete this training program and learn as much as I could from this place as the two greatest obstacles had been removed in this place. I had no lasting attachments in the real world. I was an orphan, with no real friends and only acquaintances. All that I owned was with me at that time. So I was more than ready to start a new life even if it was 5000 years in the future.
“Omni please call me Mark.” I said as I pressed the Begin option.