In the Capital of Meridia
“Your Majesty, Baron Clyburn is requesting an audience with you,” announced a deep, silky voice. The speaker, a tall, thin man dressed in immaculate black attire with pristine white cuffs, bowed deeply as he stepped to the side of the golden throne. The King, seated regally, gazed down at the long line of petitioners. He loathed these endless sessions of hearing noble complaints and petty grievances more than anything else.
“Who?” the King snapped, his eyes narrowing. “How dare some minor noble demand my time!”
The outburst echoed through the opulent hall, the nobles shifting uncomfortably at the display of royal temper. After a moment, the King took a deep breath, reigning in his irritation.
“Fine, bring him in,” he said, his voice calmer but no less commanding.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the head butler replied, bowing again before turning to fetch the Baron.
A few moments later, the double doors at the far end of the room swung open, and a man of average height and build entered, his velvet tunic clinging slightly to his sweat-slicked skin. His face was flushed, his forehead gleaming, and his hands trembled as he bowed deeply before the throne.
“Your Majesty,” he said, his voice shaky with nerves. He waited, bent low, until the King gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
“Rise, Baron. What is it you wish to discuss?” the King asked, impatience clear in his tone.
“Your Majesty, I received an urgent message from my daughter,” the Baron began, his voice thick with anxiety. “She and her party went into the Merkwood Forest to train, and she has informed me that the city of Eidon has been sacked!”
“What? Sacked?!” the King exclaimed, his eyes blazing. “How do you know it’s not a mistake?”
“My daughter is a powerful mage, Your Majesty. She used a special parchment spell to send the message directly from the forest. I trust her judgment implicitly.”
“Damn it!” the King cursed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the arms of his throne. “Do we have anyone stationed on that side of the kingdom to verify this?”
One of the generals stepped forward, his face grave. “No, Your Majesty. We’ve redirected all our forces to the northwest to deal with the orc incursion.”
The King’s face contorted in fury. “DAMN IT!” he roared, his voice booming through the hall. “Where are the Hydra Knights?”
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Merkwood Forest
“You all should get some rest. I’ll take the first watch,” Seth said, standing from the fire and moving towards the tree line. He positioned himself just outside the circle of light, where the shadows cloaked him, allowing his eyes to adjust and his senses to sharpen.
“I can take a shift too, if you need,” Roman offered, feeling a twinge of guilt that the others were looking out for him while he had yet to fully contribute.
“Don’t worry about it, man,” Z said, stretching out beside Jessika and Lexi. “You’re new here, and you seem a bit out of place. Best you conserve your strength and get some sleep.”
“Thanks. I guess I will,” Roman replied, lying down near the fire. The warmth of the flames was a welcome contrast to the chill that settled over the forest as night deepened. He closed his eyes, listening to the wind rustling through the leaves and the rhythmic chorus of chirping insects. But sleep eluded him, his mind racing with questions and doubts.
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Is it really possible to level up and become stronger? he wondered. The system doesn’t seem to work for me. I’ve grown stronger since I woke up here, that much is clear, but is that considered strong in this world?
He had nothing to compare his abilities to. Sure, he had survived fights against creatures that would have killed any ordinary person back home, but how would he fare against a trained human opponent? And what about this group he had fallen in with? They seemed trustworthy, but what if they were just lulling him into a false sense of security?
What if they’re planning to rob or kill me? His thoughts spiraled further. What if they’re cannibals and want to eat me?
His heart pounded in his chest, anxiety tightening its grip. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He needed to think rationally, to plan.
Okay, he thought, trying to organize his jumbled thoughts. I’m in a world similar to Earth, but people can get stronger, fight monsters, and use magic. There’s political tension, and war could be on the horizon. But what’s my role in all of this?
His thoughts drifted to cultivation—something that seemed unique to him in this world. Should I ask them about it? he wondered. But if cultivation wasn’t common knowledge, revealing it could make him a target. Better to keep that secret for now.
He opened his eyes and glanced around the camp. The fire burned low, its embers glowing softly. Seth was a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the trees, standing vigilant. Roman got up quietly and approached him.
“Hey, Seth. I have a lot of questions. Do you mind if we talk for a bit?” Roman asked, sitting down as Seth turned to face him.
“Sure,” Seth said, his expression curious. “What’s on your mind?”
“First off, I know you guys have levels and classes, but are there levels for skills too? Like, does practice make you better?”
Seth nodded slowly. “Yeah, there’s something called Proficiency. It’s not something most people can see until they’re highly skilled in a particular area, though. You’ve got to be close to mastery before it becomes visible.”
“Mastery?” Roman repeated, intrigued.
“Right,” Seth continued. “My dad once told me about a blacksmith who reached mastery rank in his craft. Everything he makes is automatically considered Epic grade now. It’s rare, though. Most people never reach that level.”
“That’s incredible,” Roman murmured, the concept of Proficiency making sense now. He must have been building Proficiency all this time, even if he couldn’t see it.
“What about titles?” Roman asked, trying to sound casual. “How do you get those?”
“Titles are given by the System for unique achievements,” Seth explained. “They’re even rarer than Proficiencies. A title can grant you powerful abilities or bonuses. Like the King—he has the Sovereign title, which makes him a better ruler. Most people are lucky to get even one title in their lifetime.”
Roman’s mind raced. So, titles are supposed to be rare… but I have three. He wondered what it meant that he had been given so much power, yet he couldn’t even access basic parts of the System. He decided not to press Seth for more information; he didn’t want to reveal too much.
“What about you?” Roman asked, changing the subject. “You mentioned you grew up in the capital. What’s that like?”
Seth hesitated, his gaze shifting away. “It’s… different. I was… well, my family was pretty influential. Lots of expectations, lots of rules. But it wasn’t the life I wanted.”
Roman sensed there was more to the story, but he didn’t push. “I get that. Sometimes you just have to find your own way.”
“Exactly,” Seth said, looking relieved. “That’s why I left. Being out here, fighting, training—it’s what I want to do.”
They sat in companionable silence for a while, the crackling of the fire and the quiet sounds of the night their only company. Roman’s mind was still buzzing with questions, but he knew he’d have to find most of the answers on his own.
“Thanks for answering my questions,” Roman said finally, standing up. “I think I’ll try to get some sleep.”
“No problem,” Seth replied, giving him a nod. “Get some rest. We’ll need our strength tomorrow.”
Roman lay back down by the fire, pulling his cloak tighter around him. His mind still raced with thoughts and uncertainties, but there was a strange sense of peace too. He was starting to understand this world, bit by bit, and though there were still countless mysteries to unravel, he felt more prepared than he had before.
As he drifted off, he wondered what the next day would bring. More battles, more training, more secrets to uncover. But whatever it was, he would face it head-on, just as he always had.
The last thing he heard before sleep claimed him was the soft rustling of leaves and the gentle crackle of the fire, a soothing lullaby that carried him into a dreamless slumber.