I awoke again this time in a much better place . Laying a very plush red sofa. As I sit up I see Monty sitting on a recliner with the same clothes and pipe in hand puffing away. He seemed to be staring at something that wasn't there his nose wrinkled and eyes not blinking, very focused. Looking around his house. The walls have been turned into bookshelves. Not a single window or door in sight thousands of books. Most are fairly large tomes. Monty seemed to snap back into focus he looked me with an ear to ear grin. "Seems you went with my recommendation. Good to know I was of use. I will probably have to buy a new couch due to such a dramatic change hahah." I looked down at the sofa I was laying on where the armrest meets the cushions there a big crack on each side where it had widened due to my new height. You would think such a large man would have bigger furniture.

Oh yes I almost completely forgot I changed races. Dramatic change he said?. He did say human like or something similar. Looking down at my I could see a difference in my skin though the same color it had hard lines and contours like shaped stone. bending my finger I could see several small flesh colored plates seamlessly moving to allow me to have freedom of movement. There was also a sheen to my skin like it had been polished. Then I taped it with my other finger *ting**ting**ting* a sound of hitting two pieces of metal together. My skin is made out of metal? I wonder how durable it is. "Sir do you have a mirror ?" I asked the wizard. I was ccurious how I looked. "Sure sure I imagine your curious how you look. If you ask me I'd see it was a big improvement. You looked pretty wimpy before." As he finished speaking a snap of his fingers and a small flash then a body sized mirror appeared out of then air."neat trick." I said and he just smiled then went back to puffing away. I seriously wonder whats in that pipe I never see him refill it. I stood up and walked to the mirror. The first thing I noticed I was completely naked beside some crudely made leather underwear. But my body was shaped like a statue perfect in every way rock hard abs (literally) and a chest like a god himself carved it. This is a bit unfair to all those fitness freaks on my world. I tried to flex the muscles on my chest out of curiosity but my chest didn't swell up or do anything really I moved hand to feel my chest and flexed again I noticed the texture almost changed like from a glossy sheet metal to a coarse hardened steel I wonder if my muscles work differently or just my new skin isn't as flexible. I'll have to test this new body when I can finally start adventuring.

"Alright Mr Monty im done admiring my fresh new body and am pretty pleased if not curious to test it out. So where do I go to start my adventure." I said excitedly

A wide mischevious smile over came his face his yellow teeth showing then he spoke "Hmm well you have two options you can either begin the tutorial like every other traveler and progress in the path set up or we can have a little wager. I'll give you a small boon and teach you some basic martial arts magically of course and then send you into the wilderness around a beginner area nothing more then the average wolf's and stuff. If you survive 24 hours I will let you select between 3 gifts from me. What do you say ?"

What a very interesting proposition I knew I liked this old man. Hmm I wonder," alright Mr.Monty I have a counter proposal. Forgo the teaching me the basics of martial arts and up the allotted time to 72 hours. I get to pick 2 gifts and you'll teach me all you know about cultivation of energy. What do you say ?" I held my hand out for a handshake. The wizard raised his right eyebrow at my hand. Obviously not trained in the earth dealings. I retracted my hand feeling a bit awkward. He thought for a moment running is fingers threw his gray beard. And the said "deal are you ready to leave then? Don't worry about the teleportation this time as long as we are in the same universe the process is much easier on the mind." I gave him a thumbs up and shook my head up and down with a determined look then another prompt appeared.

Quest: A deal with the devil

Description: you have made a deal with the Necromancer Montigue Darkfinger, he will teleport you to an level approved wilderness where you will not die for 72hours.

Rewards: a selection of two items the wizard has attained during his travels that may help you immensely and apprenticeship under him to understand the cultivation of your chi.

Do you accept [Y][Y]

Note: since you have already agreed to the deal this a quest that can't be denied.

Necromancer ? I thought he was just a smiley old wizard. Well this should be interesting too late to turn back now. After accepting the quest Monty opened a portal I could see a forest of very tall trees similar to the redwoods in California but they are as green as the grass instead of like wood. I turned to Monty waved good bye. He smiled then gave me a wave back. As soon I put one foot through the portal. I heard faint screaming then the scene drastically changed into a swirling portal of chaos. The beautiful forest gone I couldn't escape I was being pulled in by my feet I turned to look at Monty and he was covered in arcanum lighting that originated from a black staff his face deeply twisted in a very focused gaze his mouth was a blur with a language I couldn't fathom. I could feel the power radiating off him it felt like I was trapped deep underwater. The pressure compressing against my body like I was be forced into a small box. I turned and all that was left not in the portal was an arm and shoulders. I looked over one last time Monty was laying on the floor before my head was enveloped I could see tired face mouth the words sorry before darkness enveloped me. I didn't pass out, it felt like I was falling through pitch black space. An hour a day I don't know how long passed I kept falling and falling at terminal velocity. Then I felt myself decelerate slowly but steadily my clothes stopped flailing about then finally my feet hit hard ground. I looked around and it was still pitch black I walked forward touch the blackness just as I felt it, the impenetrable night vanished.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

All around me was white instead of the lush green forest. I was transported to a snow covered wasteland. I could see mountains in the distance to what I'm gonna call north every other direction was nothing but big white hills it seems that I'm in a valley. I need to get to higher ground get into some shelter something obviously went wrong. Just as the thought entered my mind I heard a series of dings

Quest modification: during teleportation a mysterious individual hijacked the connection and sent you to a undiscovered planet. survive 72 hours and the reward promised will be sent to your inventory. The promised apprenticeship will be supplemented with skill books unless Monty can save you.

Notification- you are the first to discover a new world and travel between worlds in Universe Zulu congratulations. Experienced earned is doubled until you die. As long as no other player enter the planets atmosphere.

Notification- stats have been unlocked, levels have been unlocked, skills have been unlocked,

Notification- skills unlocked: basic wilderness survival, elemental resistance, earthen martial arts, will of the soldier, hardened skin.

I have skills! And stats and levels! Yessss! How do I open the stats menu. I pictured it displaying in front of me then it appeared

Ricky Gervy

Lvl 1

0/1250

Health- 160

Chi- 100

Stamina- 120

Strength 18

Toughness 16

Endurance 12

Dexterity 14

Agility 16

Willpower 12

Intelligence 10

Wisdom 10

These stats don't seem to bad I wonder how what the relation of the numbers are. Is there a help menu, that'd be useful. But sadly as much as I thought of opening a help menu nothing appeared. Time to move on let's look at my skills

Basic wilderness survival (Novice 0/25)- due to past experience you know how to survive on your own. Edible foods will have a slight glow

Elemental resistance (racial)- due to the hardness of your skin only the coldest winds and hottest suns can pierce your natural resistance. (10% elemental resistance)

Earthen Martial Arts ( novice 0/25) - after practicing many forms of earthen martial arts you understand the basic concepts of what it is to fight.

Will of soldier (unique) - after facing insurmountable odds and still continuing forward you have proven your resolve ( %50 fear reduction, +2 willpower)

Hardened Skin (racial) - The race (Zeolation) has evolved to have naturally hardened Skin hardness depends on toughness. ( +20 to defense rating, %50 harder for projectiles to Pierce skin)

I feel like these are some pretty nice skills to start out with. The earthen martial arts is pretty strange though. After learning army combatives I did Brazil jiu jitsu and muay Thai for less then a year, but that was almost 5 years ago. I don't understand how that translated as a skill, I was honestly pretty terrible but I'll take it haha. Now even though this cold isn't bothering me to much I need shelter and a good source of food to survive the snow will solve the water problem. Well I hope it's water. I'll walk up this Hill and see if I can see anything. The snow has melted where I had teleported at so my feet were soaked I took a soggy step forward heading to my destination. As I neared the top of the hill I noticed I was sinking more and more into the snow 3/4 of the way and the snow was up to my waist if not for my improved strength I think I would have been stuck; this is a work out. Slowly moving forward one foot at a time forcing the snow to part so my body can make its way forward I crested the hill and climbed on to a rock just barely poking out of the snow. I saw in the distance about 2km to my Northeast trees. Yessss!. They look like suprisingly normal evergreen. I think that way will be my best chance to survive. Now but have a destination and a goal hopefully I can make it there and the snow doesn't get deeper. So I put one foot forward to begin the journey and my foot sunk back into the snow. Man what I wouldn't kill for some snow shoes.