I lay there for a while. What had I been doing before I died? I remember... Nothing? I got hit by a truck and had my life ebb away while a voice screamed the name 'Max' out loud. That's something I remember in particularly painful detail.
Even though the name Max resonates with me, I don't know anything else about myself. Everything feels unfamiliar. Like there's a constant fog in my mind, obscuring memories that should be there, but aren't. I'm trying to grasp at shadows, fleeting fragments slipping through my fingers before I can make sense of them.
There's a weight on my chest, a heaviness that accompanies the realization that I don't know who I am. Fear gnaws at the edges of my consciousness, a constant companion in this unfamiliar landscape. What if I never remember? What if the person I once was is lost to me forever?
My memory of my past life is hazy - it's easy for me to know what a word means, but not where I learned it. It was most likely a school, but I don't remember a clue about said school? I know that I liked comics a LOT - but only the plot lines are clear, not 'when' and 'where' I bought them.
And yet, amidst the fear, there's a flicker of hope. A belief that somewhere, buried beneath the layers of forgotten memories, lies the key to unlocking who I truly am.
Finding out my past and what brought me here? That has to be my number 1 priority. Now - not only am I more than likely isekaied to a new world, but I have no legs… or arms… come to think of it, what AM I exactly?
"What comics did I get before crossing that road anyway? I think it was that MARVEL character I liked, what was their name? Wait, I remember! Wasn't it -
'... Oh no.'
'Oh no no no no no' - Concentrating on where my arm WOULD have been, I heard something.
*SQUELCH* 'What if I focus on my eyes?'
**SYSTEM LOADING**
**SYSTEM ONLINE**
**WELCOME, TO THE SYMBIOTIC SYSTEM.**
"...Ohhhhhhhhh - Shiiiiit."
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'So… I'm a symbiote then. That's… cool, actually. Being in what is probably a fantasy world - having the choice of bonding with one of this world's inhabitants seems particularly useful. “Wait, what’s this ‘System’ anyway?”'
**SYSTEM AVAILABLE**
"AHHHHH!"
... That was more than likely not the type of reaction that indicates 'confidence' in any astral entities that may be residing in my head. At least that's what I think. I took a deep breath. 'Ok, I have a System, let's focus on not dying to a duck or something equally as violent - Instead, let's try focusing on my eyes again. Getting insight into where I am exactly seems like it would be important for surviving.'
Focusing, I saw In front of me some kind of forest, it looked to be night time but that's only a guess. I'm also lying right in the middle of a crater, with a pretty big rock underneath me. It looks like I've oozed out from the centre of this meteor, and gained consciousness soon after arrival in this world.
Maybe I'm just short? Aww, who cares about that! If I'm a Symbiote, I need to find a host, right? Then I should start moving away from this rock, lest an animal comes to inspect the disturbance.
What would look to others as a dark, viscous substance moves from the rock's shattered surface, slithering onto the forest floor like a living shadow. The eerie tendrils of the creature writhe and coil, their inky blackness swirling with hints of iridescent hues. Each tendril undulates with a sinuous grace that, despite the ominous aura they exude, possesses an undeniable beauty to the way they move.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
**HOST IS IN DANGER WHILE OUTSIDE. FIND A BODY TO ‘BOND’ WITH - (POWERFUL BODIES WILL BE INCAPABLE OF THIS AND THUS MAY CAUSE USER PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE IN THE PROCESS)
THIS SYSTEM WILL DIVERT ALL NON-ESSENTIAL MASS INTO A POCKET SPACE SHOULD THE HOST NEED TO ENHANCE THE CREATURE'S ABILITIES
"... If you're my System in this fantasy world, then you must know who I was, what my life was like and my purpose for being here - right?"
**AFFIRMATIVE**
"Oh- then could you, you know, tell me?"
**USER HAS HAD PAST MEMORY'S SUPPRESSED BY THIS SYSTEM. IF USER WISHES TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PAST, THEN USER MUST STOP THIS WORLD'S 'GREAT CALAMITY'**
"And, do I get to know what this 'Great Calamity' is?"
**NO**
A great urge to strangle this 'System' washed over me. If it wasn't living in my own mind, this making fighting it impossible, I may have done just that. 'I'm not convinced that this System is truly trying to save this world, more then likely somebody created this thing to cause trouble'.
**USER MAY GAIN GIFTS AND SYSTEM KNOWLEDGE SHOULD THEY COMPLETE TASKS THAT THIS SYSTEM GRANTS**
"And those would be- what exactly?" I asked, starting to reconsider if I wanted my memories that desperately.
**THIS SYSTEM CAN GRANT THE USER ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS NEW WORLD POSSESSES, NO MATTER HOW WELL KEPT A SECRET IS.
THIS SYSTEM WILL GIVE YOU GIFTS AND INFORMATION FOR SPENDING POINTS THAT CAN BE GAINED FROM COMPLETING THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED TASKS**
"If I can complete these Tasks and then use my strengthened Symbiotic form to avoided this 'Great Calamity', then can I get my memories back?"
**AFFIRMATIVE - FIRST TASK IS TO ACQUIRE A HOSTE, REWARD: 100SP
"I'll assume that stands for 'System Points'. Well if it's that easy to gain points, let's go look for a host then!"
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The ground is carpeted with fallen leaves, twigs, and moss, which seem to absorb the faint glow from the sky. Small creatures like insects, frogs, and rodents may scuttle or hop among the undergrowth, their movements barely audible. I begin to notice how the air is filled with sounds of nocturnal creatures, such as the chirping of crickets, the hooting of owls, and the occasional rustle of leaves as larger animals move through the darkness.
Moving sluggishly along the forest floor, I noticed how I had almost to roll to move, and just how tired I was getting from this.
**HOST HAS DEPLETED ⅓ OF THEIR STAMINA**
“My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is now ruined - thanks, System."
It's clear now that I need to find a host soon, or I’ll be eaten by a wild animal I'm sure. There has to be some sort of stupid creature that I can fully control. There must b- "Oh? What have we got here?"
Swinging through the air.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's spider- Max?
'Yeah - let's keep the status Quo. Max the Symbiote does have a nice ring to it.'
**USER HAS GAINED 100SP FOR COMPLETING THE TASK: 'HOST'
SYSTEM SHOP WILL BE AVAILABLE AS OF ATTAINING 1,000SP**
I launch myself from tree to tree using webbing and my naturally sticky body that being a Symbiote/spider provides. The rush of wind against my face is invigorating after waking up not long ago. With each swing, I feel a sense of weightlessness and freedom as I navigate effortlessly through the dense foliage.
The instinctual agility granted by this spider's body makes it feel almost effortless to soar through the treetops, allowing me to perform acrobatic maneuvers with ease. The sensation of speed combined with the natural beauty of the forest surrounding me creates a truly immersive and unforgettable experience. With my new spider/symbiotic body, and human brain, I can swing across great distances through the forest.
**THIS SYSTEM HAS SCANNED THE USER'S CURRENT HOST
USER IS NOW CAPABLE OF REPLICATING THIS SPIDER'S WEBBING AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS USING AND EXCESS MASS GAINED FROM DEVOUING LIVING LIFEFORMS
5/5 WEB SHOTS CAN BE USED BASED OFF THE HOST'S CURRENT MASS STORES**
'If I have to eat other creatures to increase my mass, therefore most off my Skills, then being a spider may be a problem.That's good to know, though a spider is hardly an apex predator in a forest filled with potentially magical beasts, oh well'
The forest seems to be opening up, showing that the meteorite had indeed landed close to a clearing of some sort. That knowledge may just hold some use if I ever need to come back here in the future. Though I should probably find a host that can travel far, let's search for a bird nest.
30 minutes later-------
**STAMINA ¾ CONSUMED**
"I - huff
Know - huff
That!"
To have an alien body that is still effective by the host's exhaustion sounds about right given my luck
"I’ve got to be close to passing out. It's probably best If I take a quick power nap. Yep, just gotta …Take a … Na-"
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The spider lays still, its sleek body adorned with glossy furr. Delicate legs are soon curled tightly against the abdomen, that has shimmering dew clinging to it. Faint moonlight that filters through the canopy above, captures a shadow glide owner the tallest trees. With each gentle breath the spider makes, a nocturnal breeze carries that shape closer.
Some time later---------
**STAMINA FULLY RESTORED - SOUNDS DETECTED**
"Mmmmm, chow mein”
**TASK: 'FIGHT FOR FLIGHT' IS ACTIVATED
VICTORY IN THIS BATTLE WILL GET YOU EQUIVALENT POINTS BASED ON DIFFICULTY - 350SP**