Chapter 4
Billy’s eyes opened as what felt like a huge surge of electricity flooded his body. I’m alive, he thought while looking around in shock. I’m alive! He could still feel the poison draining away the last shreds of his life. How am I alive?
He sat up and received a bigger shock. He was naked and this was definitely not his body. This was the body of his dreams – his teenage dreams. The body was flawless. Every muscle seemed to be so clearly defined. Even his belly button had disappeared.
Where am I, he thought. And what happened to my body? He looked around. He appeared to be sitting on a table made from some off-white substance that was smooth to the touch.
“Bro, you are awake. We thought you were dead and then this machine thing took you to this room and the doors closed automatically.”
Billy stood up and turned. Trevor stood there with a big smile on his face.
He held up a hand to cut off Trevor’s rant. “Did everyone make it?”
Trevor’s smile faded. “Martin died. Well, we think he did. There were too many frogs and those other creatures.”
“Snizards,” Billy said softly.
“What?”
“The other creatures - snizards. Cross between snake and lizard.”
“Oh, right” Trevor said after a telling pause. “I’m sorry, Billy. I should have done better but…”
Billy cut him off. “It is not your fault.”
He felt a surge of anger for Martin as well as some guilt. Martin died because he stayed back to help him. But it was not anyone’s fault except for the bastard who brought them to this world.
“It is not your fault either, Mr. Billy,” Su Li said from the doorway.
“If Billy had not tried to be a hero perhaps Martin would be alive,” Lorna said.
Billy looked over. The three girls were all standing in the doorway behind him. He was so glad to see that they had all made it. It was not hard to see from Lorna’s sour expression what she was feeling but he ignored her. He was just glad they had made it alive. They all looked pretty much the same except cleaner. Billy blinked… Su Li was standing unaided.
“Su Li you can walk,” he said, feeling stupid as soon as the words left his mouth.
Su Li grinned. “Damn right I can! And look at you! So young looking and fresh.” She licked her lips.
“Su Li!” Yuki said in shock.
“I think you are not Yuki’s type,” she said grinning even wider.
Billy realized he was still naked and hastily covered up his manhood. “Turn around! Give a man a chance to get dressed.”
His cheeks felt like they were on fire. He had not felt this embarrassed in many years. He had forgotten what it felt like to have an eighteen-year old’s body with an eighteen-year old’s hormones. Saying that even as a fifty-year-old he was not comfortable with people seeing him naked.
Yuki just continued eyeing him up like a piece of meat. “I am soon to be eighteen,” she said proudly. “And I am just looking.”
“He’s right,” Lorna said. “Give him some privacy. Trevor, find him some clothes or something. We will talk about other things later.”
Lorna herded the girls away from the room leaving Trevor and Billy both standing there awkwardly.
They both looked around the room finally finding a drawer with a white robe in it. The material was soft like a cotton polyester blend. Billy put on the robe and tightened up the rope belt. It was not exactly the warmest of clothing but it was better than nothing. More importantly, it covered his new body.
“So, what happened to you guys?” Billy asked.
Trevor smiled and then sat on the table. “When we entered the building, we all received a message. The inner voice requested we go to rooms similar to this one. No one wanted to leave your body. The girls were distraught over Martin’s death. You were dead too you know. I checked your pulse. Anyway, after a few minutes your body disappeared so eventually we went to our designated rooms.”
Trevor paused and looked around. “All the rooms seem identical. When we lay on the table this induction process started. Something about body reefing and identity matrix imprinting. It also gave us some information while we were being processed. Apparently, we are able to gain experience and level up like in role-playing games. There are also skills we can master like meditation and mana manipulation. It also mentioned something about being able to temper our bodies and souls or something. Yuki said it is like some of the Xuanhuan cultivation novels she likes to read.”
“So how does this work?” Billy asked. “How do we level up? How do we cultivate?”
“That we don’t know.”
“Looks like I have some catching up to do,” Billy replied wryly. “And a new body to get used to.”
“What happened to your body?” Trevor asked.
“I have no idea. I was dying – it felt like I died. I felt like I was drifting. Then I heard this machine voice in my head. I must have given me a new body.”
“You kind of look like you did before but different if you know what I mean.”
“I know. It is like a perfect version of me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say perfect,” Trevor said and then laughed. “Apparently, our souls and memories have now been stored in the ‘system’, whatever that is. If we die, we get brought back by the ‘system’.”
“So, we can actually die?”
“Yeah, but not too often. There was a warning. Our souls can only take so much. Each time we die our souls fragment until eventually we cannot be brought back!”
Billy nodded. It made sense. A person could only take so much pain. From what he remembered his death had not felt good at all. He did not want to relive that experience.
“Come let’s join the others,” he said after a long silence. “And let’s find some food. I am starving! You can fill me in on the rest later.”
image 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]
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
They searched the whole building but could not find any food anywhere. They did find some fresh water and several sets of boots that resembled white sneakers.
Billy tried on different sneakers until finding a pair that fit. The sneakers were lined with a soft fur so even without socks they felt snug and cozy.
They also found a small store of simple weapons. There was a selection of different-sized knives, a few different types of staff, and some spears.
The building itself seemed to be hexagonal, with a large open space in the middle that only contained a large round table and chairs. Other than the induction rooms, there were several empty rooms, as well as the store room where they had found the water and weapons.
They sat in a central space, except for Su Li who seemed to be happily testing her new legs. For a while, they briefly talked about what had happened until they finally lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.
Being young the others had not experienced many changes during the initiation procedure. The only significant difference had been for Su Li. The machine had detected her physical handicap and made corrections. It had even regenerated enough muscle for her to support herself. Trevor did think that his body felt a few years younger but it was impossible to prove. The biggest discovery was the status menu.
“Just try it,” Lorna said. “It is just like a game. There are levels, experience points plus a whole lot more.”
“How do you activate it?” Billy asked.
“In your mind, dum dum,” Yuki replied. Her fingers drummed on the tabletop. “Like with the map. Think status!”
Billy did as asked. Immediately his mind filled with a series of screens and menus. The most prominent one was labeled
Basic Details
Name
Billy Preston
Race
Refined human (F)
Class
n/a
Cultivation style
n/a
Level
0
Hit Points (HP)
49/49
Stamina
90/90
Experience points (XP)
20
XP needed for next level
80
Stats
Strength
9
Agility
10
Constitution
9
Intelligence
13
Wisdom
13
Perception
12
Willpower
12
Synaptic speed
10
Affinity and Control
Mana affinity
12
Mana control
0
Psychic affinity
5
Psychic control
0
There was another menu labeled
Skills
Athletics
1
Hand to Hand
1
Observation
1
He assumed those skills had been awarded for what happened over the last few hours. It looked like none of his real-world skills had been acknowledged. Other than those screens there were five other menus: History, Itinerary, Quests, Spells and Special moves, and Titles and Achievements. The [History] menu just had three entries;
Billy sighed to himself. This was just like a game. Except for they had no rule book and no starter pack. Mentally he asked, “System help!”, but there was no response. If it had not been for the brutal nature of their introduction he
“So, what next?” Trevor asked. “We have no food and no idea where anything in this world is.”
“Food and shelter are our biggest concerns,” Lorna said. “This place gives me the creeps.”
“Are you sure there was nothing else said when you were inducted?” Billy said.
“Nothing,” Lorna replied.
Billy went to the weapons room and pulled out all of the weapons. There were four staffs, two spears, two maces and six knives with blades ranging in length from 15 to 25c. All looked very basic. He put all of the weapons on the table.
“I think we should explore a bit he said finally. We can’t sit around here forever and if we want to go back to our world, we need to find a way out of here.”
“You saw those frogs and snakes,” Trevor said.
“Snizards,” Billy said automatically.
Yuki looked at him with big eyes. “You died, Billy.”
Billy smiled at her. “And yet here I am.”
In fact, he felt a surge of energy and excitement. Something he had not felt in a long time. He was in a new world and in a new body. He wanted to pick up a spear and show those frogs who was the boss.
“Martin did die!” Yuki said. “Where is he?”
Lorna stood up. “Billy is right. I do not like to say this, given what happened before, but we can’t just sit here. We need food and there is no point waiting until we are too hungry to think straight. I suggest that Billy and I scout out the nearby area. You guys could try meditating or some other shit. Su Li needs to get used to her new legs.”
“You’re both crazy,” Trevor said. His fingers were white from gripping the table.
Lorna opened her mouth but Billy cut her off with a gesture. “We are going to need to take some risks. You three rest up and see if there is anything here we have missed. Lorna and I will not go far and won’t be gone for long.”
The other could only look at them as both Lorna and Billy took up a spear and a knife each and walked out of the room. Billy knew that the youngsters needed time to adjust but he did not think that coddling them would help. There was no longer the veneer of civilization to protect them. Sometimes real life dealt you shit cards and you just had to do the best you could with the hand you had.
As they were walking towards the exit, Lorna suddenly said, “I am still not happy about earlier. Heroes do not live long.”
“I did what I thought I had to. Better me than all of us.”
Lorna chewed on her lip. “My real name is Loreana, you know.”
“Oh?”
“My mother is Indian so chose an Indian name, but my father is Irish and always called me Lorna. They argued over it endlessly. Such a small thing.” She turned to look at Billy. “I am not going to see them again, am I?”
Billy tried to smile but it turned into more of a grimace. He had never been good at keeping his emotions off his face. “If there is a way back, I will help you find it.”
“We argued about everything. Especially me and mother. Nothing I did was good enough. Do you have any family?”
“No children, but I have a brother and a niece. There won’t be many people missing me,” he added ruefully. He doubted his brother would miss him at all.
Now that he coming to terms with what had happened, he could feel a spring in his step. It was good to be alive again. “Come on, let’s see what’s out there!”