It took me longer than I would admit to getting over the mix of excitement and anxiety having a character sheet brought on. On the one hand, I would freely admit to being a giant nerd that loved the idea of having stats like a straight-up video game character. On the other hand, having zero health would usually mean I was fucking dead. Which was a pretty bad outcome.

It, once again, didn’t take me long to decide to ignore the implications of the weird mind message. I was sure I was missing important context for what the individual resource pools did because I didn’t feel very dead. Unless hell was way more boring than movies and tv shows had led me to believe, and if I had somehow died, what was I going to be able to do about it?

With the problem of my mortality settled, I moved onto the next line of text, instantly feeling my status screen disappearing. It seemed that I needed to pay a little attention to the message if I wanted it to stick around and if I ever wanted it to disappear, it simply would. Happy my brain wouldn’t be filled with dozens of attention-hungry vibrations; I began going through each line of directions.

Skills: None

Skill Points: 0

Skill Trees: None

The second sheet was pretty bare-bones but fit into the game aesthetic of the other. I assumed I either had to show competence in something to gain the skill, or on the flip side, it could be full game logic, and I’d need skill books or some other weird game stuff.

Shop:

Available Wares:

Attribute enhancement(Limited)

Utility

This one was a bit more interesting than the others, mostly because I could feel the last two lines tugging at my mind as if they were trying to pull me deeper. They were sub-menus.

Attribute Enhancement(Limited):

Miniscule Attribute Upgrade: Permanently increases any one attribute of the user. This can only be used on an attribute once.

The first option did exactly what I figured it would. It was in the name, after all. That didn’t mean I wasn’t excited to see it, with it being the only way I had so far seen to gain attributes. Of course, I had no idea how to gain coins, making the menu as useless as the others, but it still presented the option, and that excited me. Looking forward to what else the shop offered, I dived into the next sub-menu.

Utility

Annihilation: Instantly annihilates the user's physical body on a subatomic level. Instantly annihilates the user's mind palace on the conceptual level. Instantly destroys the user's spirit and akashic records. Cost: 0 coins(Requires approval from an overseer)

The only option under utility poured a bucket of cold dread all over my excitement. I didn’t hesitate to close the submenu, not wanting to have to continue looking at the terrifying “product.” The option itself held so many implications that it scared me shitless. Especially the final requirement, suggesting that there was someone out there who decided who would or would not be literally annihilated.

Trying to find a distraction from the cold lump of dread forming in the pit of my stomach, I quickly followed the fourth and final set of instructions.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

You have taken the first step on your vast and, the gods willing, endless path. Leaving your shelters, you will enter an untamed land of deadly challenges that will push you to the edge of your capabilities. Before you step into that world, you must choose what path you will walk.

Available paths:

The Warrior: Walking on the edge of life and death, those who pursue the warrior's path stand between what lays beyond and that which is. Protectors of the civilized land, you shall strike down any fell thing that believes your world a feast. Gains one free attribute point, one combat skill of your choice(must meet the minimum requirement for such skills), and the gaze of Gariel.

The Noble: Standing before the hungry gazes of parasite gods and dark shadows, those who pursue the path of the noble dedicate their lives to cultivating lands of light and hope. All who walk this path are sure to attract the hate of all who stand opposed to hope and joy and will do everything in their power to build a land capable of holding back the forces of darkness. Gain five non-combat skills and the attention of The Spawn of Nightmare.

You qualify to choose one.

Now, this I could deal with. Most of it seemed to be flavor text, though the stuff about gaining gazes and attention was slightly concerning. Either way, it seemed like a basic choice between combat and noncombat. Trying to dismiss the message to focus more on contemplating my choices I was shocked to find that it wouldn’t go away. In fact, the words seemed to become larger, demanding I pay attention to them.

Looking around to see if anything about the room had changed and seeing nothing, I decided to choose now. It was a pretty simple one, really. While noble offered many more skills and seemed to be generally safer, I knew that I would need to rely on others to defend myself. That was simply unacceptable.

Your path has been chosen, Warrior.

Added 1 free attribute to statistic sheet. You may now choose one combat skill. Gariel has taken note of your lack of hesitance.

Please choose a combat skill from the following list:

Accuracy: Through years of practice, you have proven yourself capable of precise and planned action. Every strike will be calculated, every shot precisely aimed, and every move planned.

Defiant Gouge: Strike the ethereal, and feel its soul. Never fail to strike again. Never let that which you love to be taken again.

Heavy Hammers: Through years of back-breaking work clearing stones, you have learned to wield these tools efficiently. Evey obstacle a stone, may you shatter that which stands before you.

Steps of the Ethereal Hunter: Struck down, soul shattered, you stood. Step as that which took what you most loved, and never be struck again.

The list was completely unexpected and incredibly unpleasant. I was almost sure that the hammers and accuracy skills came from working on the excavation for most of my teenage years, and I had no doubt where the other two skills came from.

I honestly didn’t want to remember or think about it, but I knew ignoring the skills just because they made me uncomfortable was stupid. Both seemed incredibly unique compared to the skills from my years in the dig site, especially so for steps of the ethereal hunter. If it really let me move like the monster from my childhood, I’d be virtually untouchable.

Despite this, I knew I would never choose that skill. I refused to be like the thing that still visited my nightmares more than a decade later. That left three skills, and honestly, it wasn’t really a competition. While being better at hitting things would be nice, and learning how to use a weapon would be invaluable, neither could compare to the value of defiant gouge, if only so I would stand a chance when I finally found the monster that defined my life. The system seemed to acknowledge my choice as a new message thrummed to life.

You have gained the skill Defiant Gouge!

Defiant Gouge LVL 1: Strike the ethereal, and feel its soul. Never fail to strike again. Never let that which you love to be taken again. When attacking an entity immune to the energy type you are using, automatically transform 100% of your attack's energy into a form of energy capable of harming the struck entity.

You have gained 1 skill point!

You have gained access to the skill tree: Defiant Gouge I

The skill seemed good, but I didn’t really have any point of reference. I was going to check out my skill page to see what the changes would bring, but I heard stone grinding on stone behind me. Jumping around, I was briefly blinded by the bright, warm light that shone through a rectangular hole in the wall. I finally had a way out of the confined room, and it was about time I took a look at my new surroundings. My status changes could wait.