The first thing to hit me when I woke up was the pain. I’d been hurt before but not to the point where it felt like I’d gotten an anvil dropped on my everything. It completely laid me out. The most I could manage was a strained groan as I lay on the floor. Writhing as I tried to shift to a position that would make my body hurt less. When I could manage more than a curse I managed to open an eye. Just the one, something was keeping my other one from opening fully. I’d fully expected to see the hanging chains of my cell around me still. But I was back in…was this the common room?
How did I get here? The thought came with a whisper of something else. As if I already knew the answer but it was just outside my reach.
Groaning I tried placing my left hand on the ground to get up and swore as a hard agony pierced straight through me. Holding my left arm with my right I stared down at the unnatural bend in my forearm. Clenching my teeth as I stared at the break. “Wha- What the fuck.” I hissed out as I moved to my knees and got a better look at the rest of me. At…at the blood covering me.
My brain ground to a stop as I stared down at the red stains. I felt a fear like I’d never known before. People couldn’t lose that much blood and live. But, before I could panic that same whisper from before came back. Haunting, like someone or something was speaking just out of sight.
It’s not your blood.
And then I saw it. The broken state of the room. As if the whole thing had been hit by a natural disaster. And the bodies. Lying scattered around like broken dolls. My mouth fell open at the massacre around me as a scream tried to leave my chest, but came out as a moan instead. Because that whisper in my head was still there. The fractured remnants of a nightmare coming to my mind as they matched themselves to parts of the destruction around me. That corpse there, with the slit throat. The other one riddled with crossbow bolts. The burning memory of a knife in my hands.
“No…” I whispered. Not even realizing I was crawling away from it until my back hit something. Turning I flinched as the kneeling form of the big man I’d met when I’d been brought here. The one who mocked me before I was dragged to my cell. He loomed over me as I tried scrambling away from him. My ankle failing to support my weight as I fell to the ground. Staring at the hilt of a knife sticking out of his eye socket.
“No.” I heard myself say again as I looked at myself again. The sticky dark red of drying blood staining my hands. The whisper speaking softly in my ear again.
“No!” I shouted. When I heard something shift among the wreckage of the room. I turned to look at a man on the floor, one who had a knife sticking out of his unarmored chest. The blade seemed to have not pierced deep enough to hit his vitals. One hand gripped the blade to keep it from moving as he stared at me with horror in his eyes.
“Wait!” I said desperately. But the man recoiled from me like he’d seen a monster. Screaming as if he feared for his life. He scrambled to his feet and ran straight for the door.
“It wasn’t me!” I shouted after him. So desperate for it to be true that I almost forgot the pain of my wounds. “Please! It wasn’t me!” I felt the warm rush of tears running from my eyes as I tried and failed to believe what I was saying.
I felt my breath growing short as the room seemed to close in around me. Suffocating me. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. I had to get out, get away from the blood and death. Somehow I managed to get to my feet and make it to the door. Ankle burning with pain as I kept putting my weight on it but I didn’t care. Nothing else mattered. I stumbled and limped down the hallways, not even realizing I was using my Mind Map Skill to guide me outside.
I didn’t remember leaving the building. One second I was inside the next I was moving down an alley, struggling to limp through trash as I tried to avoid a panic attack. It was still dark outside and I could barely see the world around me as I tried running from everything.
[You have not selected an Attribute Ability. Please select-
I swiped away the screen. Not even trying to understand what it was or what it meant to me. I didn’t want this anymore. I didn’t care that I was faster or had magic. I’d fucked up my own head bad enough that something had… had…
I stopped next to a wall. Leaning against it as I panted. I didn’t want to look at it but I had to. Before I could second guess myself I opened my status screen and looked at the status conditions.
[Status Condition: Psyche Spliced (Lesser)]
[An additional personality has been implanted in your mind. Unless it is exorcised, both personalities will vie for control of your body. Memories, thought patterns, and consciousnesses will diffuse between both personalities until the weakest is consumed.]
I read the text over again. Then again. As I felt the blood drain from my face. Another personality?
The Monster in the Walls. I thought to myself. Shivering as I remembered the merciless hatred of the place. The sensation of it so powerful that I hadn’t even needed to touch anything with my Psychometry to feel the evil of it. I stumbled forward into the street as I stared at my hand. Putting the pieces together as I recalled the fragments of my nightmare. Waking in the cell, crawling through the wall, slaughtering an entire room full of people.
I fell to my knees on the cobblestone of the street as I stared blankly into the distance. That small whisper I’d felt in that hideout. That was him. I felt violated on a level I couldn’t even comprehend. He used me. My own hands, to kill all those people…
And it was all my fault.
I’ve been stumbling from one disaster to another in this world. First my class choice, immediately made me an outlaw. Then I had run from the only people who might have helped me if I’d told them the truth about me. And finally, my class’s signature ability broke a spell that had almost driven me insane. To the point where it broke me enough to let that monster take over.
I stared into nothing for what could have been seconds or hours. I let my head fall forward until my chin rested against my chest. My mind reduced to a numb guilt ridden feedback loop of all my mistakes. The ones I’d made here and back home. I could have stayed there forever. I wanted to. But at some point in the night a light danced across my eyelids. The brilliant shine of it on my face making me open my eyes and raise my head to look up.
The clouds had just parted enough for the light of the moons to shine down. They were bright. Even as they made their way towards the horizon for the dawn. There was another floating river not too far away as well. Glowing softly with its own inner light. With the angle of the moons shining through the river it painted a kaleidoscope of blues all down the buildings around me and the street I was on. Like the way it would in an aquarium. Only amplified a hundred fold.
It was beautiful. And I just sat and stared at it all. The shifting colors, the moons, the new stars above, the alien architecture, all of it. Even in the middle of the street it felt personal somehow. Like something wanted to show me there was still beauty in the world. It was my first moment of real peace in what felt like an eternity. Despite everything that happened to me, despite all the pain and torment. I felt something in my heart ease. Enough to lift the cloud from my thoughts and help me think about my situation just a bit more clearly.
Why was I here? There had been nothing that I’d seen so far that could tell me the answer to that. I’d been summoned, or taken. For what reason? Was there a demon lord somewhere in the world that needed a chosen one to defeat it? Why me? Why not take an actual badass like some special forces soldier or a genius scientist who could make sense of everything? Was the almighty system actually looking for losers like me? Or was I the product of some major interdimensional fuckup?
There had to be something. There had to be. I just couldn’t accept the fact that something this incredible could happen to me for no reason. I was in the middle of trying to figure out what came next for me when I heard something down the street. I was so drained I didn’t even turn my head.
“Over there!” I heard the clank of metal as two figures rushed towards me. “Sir! Are you alright? Bennet! Get the potion!”
I almost couldn’t believe it. And I didn’t even try to hide it in my voice. “Gregor?”
I saw the man stop in front of me as Bennet fumbled at his belt. Recognition in his eyes as he looked me up and down. “Bloody ashes boy what happened to you?”
I just stared up at him. Feeling a wave of relief at seeing a familiar face. Even if we had only met for less than an hour. My throat choked up as I tried to not cry my heart out. “I shouldn’t have run.”
Bennet, who’d been leading the charge of guards who’d been chasing me down yesterday was purely professional as he knelt down to offer me a small bottle. I weakly grasped it in my good hand and didn’t even hesitate before bringing it to my lips and drinking it. I was so far beyond caring about what I was drinking that Bennet could have given me used car oil and I’d have thanked him for the favor. Immediately I felt a spread of warmth throughout my body as I felt it go through me. I still hurt all over, and my arm was definitely still broken. But the pain had definitely jumped down a few notches.
“Let’s get him out of the street.” Gregor said. Taking the emptied bottle and stowing it before reaching for my good hand. He hauled me to my feet and draped my arm over his shoulder. Letting me lean on him as we moved to the side of the street.
“What are you guys doing here?” I said wonderingly. Still not believing my good luck.
“We heard that a man matching your description turned himself into a guard station in this area.” Bennet said tersely. As if he was still reluctant to believe I’d tried to do something good after outrunning him and the other guards. “You were supposed to have been transferred to Head Quarters but the men sent to retrieve you found an empty cell.”
I nodded in thanks as Gregor helped me down onto a stoop on the side of a building. “These guys came for me. Dressed up as guards. I didn’t even realize they were actually bad guys until they tried bashing me over the head.” Bennet stiffened, immediately alert. “Who? The Syndicate?” he said indignant. Sounding offended that people would besmirch his uniform.
“Yeah. I tried getting away but they got me. Took me to…” My mouth went dry as I thought about what had happened after that. I couldn’t tell them that. These were the first people I’d met that I’d been able to actually talk to. I couldn’t bear the thought of turning them away from me. I tried to speak up but I couldn’t get any words out. They were all stuck in my throat.
“Say no more.” Gregor said. Resting a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll take you back to headquarters and make sure they’ve put a guard on you. When you’re ready you can tell us what happened.”
I nodded again. Feeling a bit of relief for the first time that night.
“But why? I don’t understand it.” Bennet said talking out loud. “What’s the point of doing all this? No offense but your just some Cat Burglar. What the hells would the Syndicate want with you.?”
Even as tired and addled as I was. I frowned at hearing that. “What?” I said looking up at him. “What do you mean Cat Burglar?”
Bennet looked at me as if I’d gone loopy. “Your Class.” He said slowly. Like he was talking to a child.
Gregor spoke up. “He may need another healing potion.” He said softly. Looking over me with concern.
“No, no. What are you talking about?” I said still confused. “My Class isn’t Cat Burglar or whatever. It’s Spellbreaker.”
“What?” Bennet said clearly sounding unconvinced. “We heard from the Skill Priest himself that you were a Cat Burglar!”
“Well…I’m not.” I said lamely. Not having the energy to argue at all.
“The Skill Priest wouldn’t lie to us.” Bennett said turning to Gregor. “Right?” he said. Sounding more like a man looking for a life line rather than one asking a question. “The Syndicate’s big but they wouldn’t…they couldn’t have gotten to.”
Before Bennet could go on Gregor held up a hand to him. Placating him as he crouched in front of me. His expression strained but clearly trying to stay neutral. “Toby.” He said calmly. “Would you please show me your status screen.”
It sounded like an innocuous request but they way he’d said it, it had the air of someone asking to read someone’s personal diary. Like it was something to be hidden. If I’d have given it more thought. If I wasn’t on the verge of collapsing face first into the street a second ago. My answer might have been different. But at that moment. Hiding things was the last thing on my mind.
I brought up my status screen and let it float in the air in front of Gregor. He stared through it, right at me. Seeing the look in my eye he said. “You can refuse if you want. But please, this may be extremely important.”
“Umm.” I said stupidly. Looking to the floating screen to Gregor’s uncomprehending eyes. “How do I do that?”
A smile covered his previously serious expression as the tension faded from his face. “You just have to will it to be seen by me. That’s all.”
“Okay.” I said trying to push the screen out at him. I felt a small tug in my chest as Gregor’s eyes locked on the screen and he began reading. I read the thing over again too. Not recognizing the changes I saw there.
[Name: Toby Kincaid]
[Race: Variant Human]
[Class: Spellbreaker (Rare)]
[Level: 2]
[Attributes: Dexterity - 5 Wisdom - 0]
[You have one unallocated Attribute Point]
[You have not selected your Attribute Ability]
[Abilities: Mind over Magic]
[Skills: Sneak lvl. 2, Small Blades lvl. 2, Meditation lvl. 1]
The jump in dexterity was a shock to me. It was probably the only reason I was able to hobble out of the hideout so fast with just one good leg. And then there was the Attribute Ability, whatever that was. I vaguely recalled seeing a notification earlier but I hadn’t focused on that at all. If the changes were a shock to me it looked like they’d taken an even bigger toll on Gregor. His mouth fell part way open as he stared at my status sheet again. Shocked by, well everything I guessed. I saw his brows furrow when looking at my Race. “Variant?” he said softly, sounding stunned. As information expanded to fill my vision as well as Gregor’s.
[Race: Variant Human]
[Description: A Human from a dead world that has evolved to survive without the lifegiving nature of mana. Their bodies, starved of mana, devour it exponentially faster than normal humans. Allowing them to receive more power from the Akashic. Without any previous exposure to mana, their mana pools are smaller than even those of children. But their unique biology has resulted in them being able to regenerate mana at a truly prodigious rate. They are new to this world. Raw potential made manifest.]
[Racial Bonuses: Plus three Attribute points per level]
[Negative 300% Mana Pool capacity]
[300% increase to Mana Regeneration]
And then it was my turn to be surprised as fuck. What even was this? I didn’t know you could even click on stuff in your status. I stared at the screen over again. Words sticking out to me and refusing to leave my brain. Dead world? It couldn’t mean Earth could it? But Earth wasn’t dead at all. I’d literally been fired from my job before being ripped away from it. No Apocalypse. No Ragnarok. It had been a pretty normal day all things considered. Not that seeing numbers everywhere was normal but it had been my normal for a while.
I was about to question the stupid level of Mana Regen I had when my brain caught up to the fact that Gregor was reading something that literally told him I was from another world. Aw shit, damage control. Damage control! I forced my status closed and looked Gregor over. His face had gone from barely concealed shock to shell shocked when he’d seen my Race description. He stood up slowly, rocking back on his heels as his eyes lost focus. Staring into nothing. His face had gone pale too. “That... That’s really…” He said breathlessly.
“Okay, listen I know that was a lot.” I said getting to my feet with a lot more effort. “All that stuff was actually stuff I made up.” I tried making a convincing laugh but it sounded fake as hell even to me. “I got hit on the head pretty hard and moved everything around. Sorry that was my fault.”
“You can’t fake what’s on a person’s status screen.” Gregor said distractedly. Then his gaze moved back to me. His expression still dazed but comprehension slowly dawning. “But there’s no way you’d know that, would you?”
Bennet was standing to the side staring between the both of us. Still confused. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s been another Crossing.” Gregor said unbelievably. Then his eyes snapped back into focus, locking onto me with an intensity I’d never seen before. “Toby listen to me.” He said taking a step closer to me. “I need you to take me to the Gate that brought you here. To everyone else that came through with you. We have to find them before they get lost or hurt.” He said fervently.
I opened and closed my mouth. I’d been prepared to try and stop Gregor from freaking out on me, but his quick acceptance of me being from another world threw me off, big time. “Wait wait, just hold on a second.” I said trying to catch up to the conversation. “What gate? Is there a gate here that leads back to Earth?”
“Toby, I’m talking about your world’s Gate.” Gregor said firmly. “The arch of light and numbers that let you and everyone else walk through to this world in the first place.”
“What light?” I said exasperated. “What other people? Gregor, there is no one else. There was never anyone else! No body else could even see the numbers that brought me here. One minute I was home sleeping and the next I was being drowned in numbers and dropped into the city.” I said feeling the weight of my experience come back to me. Weighing down my shoulders. “It’s just me.”
Gregor shook his head as he tried to respond. “But that’s not- That’s not how it’s ever…” His voice petered off as the blood drained from his face. Before it had just been various degrees of shock. But the expression on his face now was the kind you’d expect to see on a man who’d just seen a ghost. “Oh ash and azure.” He whispered. “If it’s only you... ”
The air felt heavy with what Gregor just said. Bennet’s mouth falling open at the words. While I looked between the two to guage their reactions, still not understanding anything except that what he’d just said was important.
Before I could get a word out Gregor whirled towards Bennet, shoulders tight with tension as he said. “We can’t take him to headquarters.”
“You can’t?” I said worried. Just a second ago I’d thought I’d be safe inside some hidden location with guards all around me. Bennet seemed just as confused as I was.
“We can’t?” he said dumbfounded.
“No.” He said grimly. Looking towards me again. “Toby, can you stand? We need to move, now!” He moved towards me and easily pulled me to my feet by yanking on my good arm. Pulling on me so hard I actually left the ground for half a second.
“Bennet!” He barked. Putting my arm over his shoulder so I could walk with his support. “Intercept the patrol responding to our Beacon and get them to go another way. Tell them we were separated chasing a Rogue or someone you suspected was Syndicate.”
For the fist time I’d met him Bennet looked flustered. “But I can’t just lie to-”
“You can and you will!” Gregor snapped. “I’ll find you tomorrow and explain. But we have to go!”
For a split second I could see the indecision weighing in Bennet’s eyes as he looked to his partner and me. Then he straightened, eyes hard, and nodded. The moment he turned and ran down the street he and Gregor had come from. Gregor pulled me in a fast walk down the opposite way. Walking down the street until we turned down a dark alley. Despite the lack of good light Gregor’s pace increased. Forcing me to lean hard on my Dexterity to see me over all the uneven stone and random trash.
“Why can’t we go to headquarters?” I said. “I thought it was safe there?” I cursed as I almost stumbled on a stray piece of wood before Gregor righted me.
“It’s safe from the Syndicate.” Gregor huffed. “But that doesn’t mean its safe for someone like you.”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said more than a bit irritated. “Just give me the short version.”
“The short version?” Gregor questioned. He seemed to consider something before scowling, spiting out a single word. “Politics. That’s what.”
“Alright.” I said. As we made our way to the end of the alley and stopped for a brief moment as Gregor surveyed the street. “Then what’s the long version?”
Gregor’s eyes locked on a pair of guards. Walking down the other side of the street. He grimaced as he pushed me back into the alley. “Damn politics.”
We made our way back towards an intersection in the alley and went the other way. Traveling further down. I felt my Mind Map spin up as it traced the path we were taking. But without any idea of where we were in the city, what streets were nearby, or anything else. It was about as good as having second hand directions drawn on a napkin.
The amount of turns and twists there were in these back alleys was daunting. It was just a maze, plain and simple. One I wouldn’t have a chance of navigating myself. But Gregor moved with the surety of a man who knew exactly where he was going. We stayed quiet for a time, just focused on moving. But I had half a hundred questions running through my head and finally had someone who could answer them.
“What’s a Classification Intent?” I said suddenly. The question coming to me out of the blue. It was apparently important enough for the Akashic to mentally assault me until my Intent became Defiance.
Gregor kept moving but his head turned to regard me for a moment. “If we’re asking questions. I have one for you.” He said moving me along. “Why did you act the way you did when we first met?” He paused for a second, considering if he should ask anything else before he added. “And what exactly is Hawaiian supposed to mean?”
“Oh ah…” I groaned internally. “I may have thought that everything around me was a hallucination and I was going crazy. I also thought you and Bennet were figments of my imagination, and you reminded me of some customers I served earlier in the day. I served them a Hawaiian pizza, its a-” I stopped for half a second. “Its a very highly regarded luxury dish from where I’m from.“ I said trying not to smile. What? I wasn’t technically lying was I?
“Hmm.” Gregor hummed while moving. “That does neatly explain your strange behavior at the time. As to your earlier question of Intent.” Gregor began. “When anyone is preparing to receive their class. They take a certain period of time before hand to clearly define their Intent in their minds. An Intent can take many forms, it represents your goals, dreams, ambitions and more. What was your Intent when you were choosing a class?”
I bit my lip. Pretty sure what I was about to say would not reflect well on my character. “I didn’t have one.”
Gregor actually stopped at that. Turning to stare at me with wide eyes. “You didn’t have one.” Gregor said repeating my words. As if he needed to hear them as second time to understand me properly. “You had no Intent at all? That can’t be. You must have had some kind of dream or ambition, surely! Don’t you have any kind of goal that drives you? The only people I’ve ever heard without Intent are sad and broken-”
I pointedly stared back at Gregor. By brows creased into a line. I owed the man so, so much for helping me today. But I really didn’t wanna hear anyone talk to me about how I was wasting my twenties.
“Oh.” Gregor said sounding embarrassed. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to- ah.” Gregor went on. Very much flustered. “Let’s keep going then.”
Gregor helped me along for a while longer. Our awkward silence continuing for another few minutes before Gregor tried again. “Well… typically when people without Intent go to an Arcstone they are presented with various class options on their innate potential. You surely received some options that weren’t Rogue classes right?” Gregor said slowing down as he explained. “I know you had no way of knowing how Rogues are treated in Kanaan but why didn’t you choose one of the other options presented to you? Anything other than a Rogue class archetype and we could have avoided this entire situation.”
“What choices?” I said standing my ground. “I didn’t get to choose anything. The system picked everything out for me.”
“Yes it should have. So why didn’t you pick one of the other options?”
“No Gregor I mean it. I didn’t choose anything.” I said getting frustrated he wasn’t understanding. “The moment I put my hand on that crystal it sucked me inside and almost smothered me to death in classes! Gregor, there were thousands of them.” I grew quiet as I remembered the feeling. It had been awful. Like getting pulled in a thousand different directions at once.
Gregor’s face froze at that. Staring at me in something almost akin to horror. “Thousands.” he said plainly. Absent of any emotion.
“Yes.” I said glad I finally got the point across. “There were…well it felt like everything you could think of. Classes for hunting, magic, alchemy, farming.” I waved my good hand as if I was trying to wave imaginary flies away. “There were just too many.”
Gregor free hand went straight to his temple. Kneading it like he was trying to stave off an oncoming headache. Muttering to himself “Oh Akashic preserve me.”
“The only way I was able to get them off of me.” I said putting two and two together. “Was when my Intent changed to Defiance.” I shrugged. “Then the system made my whole life flash before my eyes before it started picking skills for me. I think…” I said holding a hand to my chest. Feeling the weight of it and somehow just knowing what I was saying was true. “I think it made this class for me.”
“That’s not possible.” He said staring at me. “The Akashic does not make classes unique to people. It offers a number of options based on that person’s Intent and potential! Not-not-” Gregor waved a frustrated hand, gesturing to all of me before sighing.
We stayed in silence for a second as Gregor collected himself. Visibly straightening as he turned to me. “It’s not much farther. Just another street and we’ll be there.” He said. Adjusting my arm over his shoulder. I grunted in effort as we got going again. I’d kill for a couple more doses of that healing potion but getting out of danger was perfectly fine with me.
My thoughts drifted as we kept up the pace. Thinking on my status condition, how I’d clear it. That had to be priority number one for me. No fucking way I’d let that thing in my head get loose again. Ever. If it was a status condition, it should be able to be cured by an antidote or something right? Would they have some kind of general status cleansing potion or would it be more like a specialized magic powered anti-psychotic?
My train of thought was interrupted as Gregor stopped us in front of the back door of a large building. Testing the handle before peering inside the door. Checking if the coast was clear. “There shouldn’t be anyone else awake at this hour. That’s good. Come on. We’re almost there.
Moving inside. I looked around at the space’s interior. It had the look and feel of a lobby for an apartment complex or hotel. Maybe not a very good one. But one that had probably been pretty neat when it was new. There was a glass chandelier lighting the majority of the space with stylized cones on the wall with additional lighting. There were some weird looking plants livening up the space and a desk by the main entrance that was currently unoccupied. With a bit of hobbling I matched Gregor’s strides to a series of doors on the main floor.
Gregor pressed a thumb to a panel by the doors and they slid open to reveal a small room. With stylized wallpaper and loose bits of paper tacked to the walls that were presumably ads.
“Holy crap is this an elevator?” I said wondrously. As we made our way inside. A small part of my head railed at how stupid it was to be wowed by an elevator in a fantasy world when I’d seen and done literal magic. But it was neat seeing something so familiar to me be remade in a whole other world.
“Elevator?” Gregor said pressing another panel just inside the door as they closed. And I felt a small jolt as we started rising upward. “This is a Lift Toby.” He said. “It goes up and down the building.”
“Sure, but how do you get it to work?” I said. My eyes roaming over the papers on the walls. “Do you use motors? Hydraulics?”
“No…” Gregor said. Taken a bit by surprise by my questioning. “It’s powered by a series of water wheels.”
I frowned at that. That was a depressingly normal explanation for a magic elevator. “Just water wheels?” I said curiously.
“Well they’re not just water wheels.” Gregor said sounding slightly defensive on behalf of water powered wheels. “The same magic that feeds the Skystream siphons off a part of the flow to run through buildings and other infrastructure. It gives us running water, plumbing, and part of the flow is run through a series of water wheels in the building’s basement. Connected to ropes and pulleys attached to the Lifts.” He pointed at the still glowing button on the wall panel. “Pressing a Sig here shunts off water from the flow to turn the wheels as needed.”
A small chime announced our arrival to floor- I looked at the number on the panel again. Floor Seventeen. The door opened to a hallway leading to our right and left. Gregor wasted no time walking us down the right side. All the way down to door Seventeen zero nine. Fully expecting Gregor to take out a ring of keys I was a bit taken aback when he just straightened a finger and a shimmer of light surrounded the tip his finger. He pressed the end of his finger into what I’d guessed was the lock and twisted his finger until I heard the clunk of a bolt sliding back.
Gregor opened the door and turned to find me staring at his hand. “What?” He said. “Something wrong?”
“No, I just ah.” I stammered. “Nevermind.”
We moved inside as Gregor locked the door sand I got a good look at the place. It was pretty nice for a safe house. It was about the size of an upscale apartment. My definition of upscale being anything that wasn’t a studio apartment. Some doors on the far wall clearly led to individual rooms. It had a nice living room with a good sized window and a kitchen too. Only the kitchen was a bit on the small side. But it had cabinets, counters, and a chest that was probably a freezer. How would they make that work? Ice magic or something probably. All in all it was a really nice place and I made sure to tell that to Gregor.
“Wow. You’ve got a really nice safe house here.” I said turning in place and taking it all in. “Thanks for bringing me here man. I owe you one, big time.”
“You’re welcome.” Gregor said. Sounding more than a bit relieved that we were somewhere safe. “Though it is safe, it’s not really a house is it?” Gregor chuckled at that. “But it is home.”
“Oh.” I said feeling a bit emotional. This wasn’t a government safe house. The man had taken me into his home. The moment he understood my situation. I’d like to think I’m a pretty nice guy, but I know I’d balk at taking anybody into my shoddy apartment. And he had done it with barely a second thought. Feeling absurdly grateful, I mentally marked up how much I felt I owed the man by a few notches. I’d make sure I paid him back for this.
Gregor moved over to the kitchen and started rifling through cabinets. Assembling a bunch of what I’d guess was first aid supplies, judging by the gauze.
“Take a seat on the chair here.” He said moving a chair our for me to sit. “That healing potion should have taken care of most of the damage. But we have to make sure that your wounds heal properly. Take your shirt off too.”
I hesitated for a sec before feeling stupid at feeling embarrassed by my never-seen-a-gym-bod and complied. Pulling my shirt carefully over my head so not to aggravate my broken arm. Only when I took off my ruined shirt the body I’d expected to see was nothing like the one I’d been depressed at having on Earth.
I had abs. Abs. Not just the thin, barely noticeable outline I’d had back in the Swim Team in high school. But bonafide, defined muscle. I poked my chest experimentally. Not really believing what I was feeling or looking at. I only had five points in Dexterity. Five! What the fuck was in those points man? I looked like I’d been hitting the gym 24/7 to binge drink Whey protien smoothies during cardio. I shook my head, I had to get some idea for what was normal here. Fortunately, I had someone here I could ask questions. No matter how stupid.
Sitting down at a small table in the kitchen as Gregor started working to bind and sling my broken left arm. He grunted as he looked over the rest of me. “What happened to your shoulder?” He said getting a good look at the wound. Definitely healed a lot from the potion, but it was a mess of dried blood at the edges and trickling slowly.
I felt a phantom memory flash through my mind. The dagger stabbing into my shoulder. The feeling of an eye under my thumb as it dug-
I shuddered at the thought. My voice quivering slightly as I replied. “I don’t remember.”
Gregor clearly wanted to press me for details but relented as he kept working on me. Disinfecting and cleaning my wounds, wrapping them tight with gauze. I felt awkward as hell as I just sat there and let the poor guy do all the work. But I hadn’t the faintest clue what to do to dress a wound. Trying to fill the silence I spoke up. Pushing down my need to know about body building attributes for more pertinent questions. “So this might be a weird question.” I said gearing up. “But are Rogues illegal?”
“Of course.” Gregor said plainly. “I realize your Class choice was made without the proper knowledge of the way of things here. But yes, were you any normal Rogue I would have had to arrest you.”
“But how does that make sense?” I said. A lifetime of games and media had conditioned me to believe Rogues were essential for any fantasy. They were good guys, bad guys, anybody who was more sneakily inclined. I refused to believe an entire country could swear off a Class type with a skills as useful as Sneak was.
“Doesn’t this country have spies, Rogues or Thieves that serve the government? What about high level assassins?”
“Toby.” Gregor said slowly. Patient as always. “Rogues are untrustworthy bastards. No offense. Thieves steal from people. And assassins kill people.”
“But don’t you need people in the Government with skills like Sneak?”
“Oh absolutely. Those would be our Rangers and Hunters. A good number of people who serve under the King’s Sword. As for Assassins, well. We don’t have Assassins but I take your meaning. Those men and women skilled in espionage and stealth are Shades. They serve the King’s Shadow.”
“But I understand what you’re getting at.” Gregor said. Dabbing a smaller cloth in a bit of some liquid before covering up the various cuts on my arms.
“It all comes back to a person’s Intent when they receive their classes Toby. Most Rogues become Rogues because they are willing to harm others for their own gain. And that is mirrored in their Intent.” Gregor let that sink in for a second while I thought that over. If I’m a Rogue does that mean I’m willing to hurt people? That just wasn’t me though, not at all. I’d never been in a fight in my life. I’d never wished for harm on others. Well, maybe a couple rude customers and dickish managers, but those thoughts weren’t anything I’d act on. Not in a million years. Didn’t everyone fantasize about that from time to time? By the logic Gregor told me almost everyone on Earth would be Rogues.
“But I’m not…” I found my voice as I tried to explain. “I’m not like that. I swear to you Gregor. I’ve never gone out of my way to hurt people. Back home I was harmless.” I said pleading.
Gregor nodded, to my relief. Understanding in his eyes as he continued. “A person’s Class is defined by their Intent but Intent does not define a person so completely. It is merely the means by which the Akashic measures a person’s character during their Awakening. Even if your Intent resulted in a Rogue class your Awakening was unique and you had no way of knowing how to prepare yourself for it. You’ll find that there can be quite a bit of difference between some people and the Intent that gets them their class. Take me for example.” He said with a bit of pride. “When I first received my Class, my Intent was Duty. To serve my country and do some good for the world. But I was a hot headed bastard in my youth. I wanted to bring the fight to the Elves like the Black Iron Bulwark does on the Thunderwall. But thankfully the Preserver saw fit to make me a Guard instead of a Swordsman. As much as that irked me at the time I’m grateful for it now. If I had left the city I wouldn’t have met my late wife and had my children.”
There was a shadow of pain that crossed Gregor’s face then. Only a flicker but I saw it all the same. Gregor lost the far away look in his eyes as he refocused on me. “Rogue classes are simply illegal because its the best indicator there is of a person becoming a menace to society. Just because you yourself are a Rogue doesn’t mean you’re inherently bad.” Gregor reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. “The Akashic does not act without reason Toby. If it gave you your Class. Then it did so for a reason.” He paused before adding somewhat belatedly. “Even if it is a Rogue class.”
I felt my spirits lift a bit at Gregor’s assurances. Even if everything didn’t make sense to me yet. It felt good to have someone who believed in me.
“Speaking of your Class.” Gregor sat back as he finished wrapping the majority of my wounds. “What does a Spellbreaker do? Would you mind telling me?”
I moved my arm in its new sling a bit, testing its range of motion as I thought of what to say. “Well my main ability is something called Mind over Magic. It…” I paused as I mentally probed my Class’s ability. Feeling out the limits and purposes of it. Getting a sense of what it could do. “It lets me sense any spells cast on me and understand their construction. When they’re cast I can break them down. Splinter the spell before it goes off. If I do that to a spell there’s a chance I can learn those Spell Splinters and cast them. It’s like having the spell to cast myself only…” I frowned. My memories of convulsing in an alley fresh in my mind. “The things I can cast aren’t as good as the original spell. Frankly they’re downright awful.”
Gregor frowned at that. Thinking through what I’d told him. “That’s quite a versatile ability you have. But what do you mean by awful? I understand that there must be drawbacks to a power like that, using spells in ways they were never intended but-”
Gregor’s hand flew up to smack his forehead as his expression grew worried. “You don’t have any points in Wisdom! Oh Toby, did you really cast something while you were at zero Wisdom?” Gregor said with trepidation. I found a little nick in the wood floor to stare at as I pressed my lips into a line. I mean, I had spent all three of my attribute points on Dexterity hadn’t I? I was in the middle of running for my life, how was I supposed to know I should have saved a point for Wisdom? I could feel the faint prick of my Psyche Spliced status humming in the back of my head. My thoughts trying not to focus on how casting a single Spell Splinter wrong, my Psychometry, had basically allowed an alien entity into my head.
“Perhaps?” I said embarrassed. Chalk up another one for the mistakes I made entering a new world column.
“Well even if you were at zero Wisdom that shouldn’t be so detrimental to you. Unless…” Gregor’s expression grew worried as he pinched his nose. Suppressing a groan as he continued. “Please tell me the the Spell Splinters you cast still maintain the protective layers of the original spell.”
“The protective layers?” I said numbly as I focused on the only spell my ability had broken, Identify. I remembered the lines and feelings of the different pathways of the spell easily enough. I could even see how the different parts of the spell had fragmented into my Psychometry, Danger Sense, and Multi-Sensory Override. The one thing all my abilities had in common was the complete lack of the spell’s original protective layers.
“I don’t think so.” I said as Gregor sighed with a pained expression. “I was afraid your ability had a drawback like that. Toby a spell’s innate protections, no, every spell’s protections are critical to being able to cast them safely. It’s how people can use spells like Identify without being overwhelmed by the sensory information the spell picks up. Without those protections you’d drown yourself in sensory feedback. The same goes for any other spell. A fireball spell specifically protects the caster from being burned by the heat of their own spell, an ice spell protects it’s user from frostbite.”
“You’d need more than just that one free attribute point to go into Wisdom to offset that. You’d need at least another level of just focusing on Wisdom just to be able to cast your Spell Splinters without hurting yourself.” Gregor finished as my thoughts spun. Well that was a load off my chest. Even if I had put points into Wisdom my Class was just inherently broken. How swell. That’s just great…just…great.
I put my head in my hands as I groaned myself. “So no more casting anything until I get more points in Wisdom.” I said as Gregor replied. “Absolutely, it’s too great a risk to yourself to try anything as you are now. Though it should be safe enough for you soon if you put points into Wisdom with your three attribute points per level.” Gregor chuckled for a moment as he shook his head. “I can’t believe I just said that. Do you have any idea how amazing it is that you get three attribute points per level Toby?”
I rubbed an itch on the bandage of my broken arm. “I uh, honestly don’t know. Is three per level a lot?”
Gregor barked a laugh as he rocked back in his chair. I just stared at him in confusion as he regained control of himself. “Toby…” he said still smiling with the remnants of his laughter. “Every human and Beast folk in Kanaan. Even the Elves as far as we know, only receive one attribute point per level.” Gregor leaned closer to me. Trying to impress upon me the full magnitude of what he was saying. “The moment you awakened and put your points into Dexterity you were three times faster than someone at your level should have been. That’s why we couldn’t catch you. And now you’re already at level two and hit the Common attribute ability milestone! Toby that’s…”
Gregor fell back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair. “That level of growth in someone with such a low level is just preposterous. I’d never have believed it if I hadn’t seen your status screen myself.”
Gregor was content to sit back in his chair as he shook his head at my attributes. I felt slightly embarrassed at Gregor’s praise. My attribute points per level wasn’t something I could control. But I did feel a bit of relief at that as well. It was good to know I had an edge in this world, something that would help me survive. My Dexterity had already proved itself to be worth its weight in gold. What would Wisdom do for me?
But I was getting sidetracked, there was something else I wanted to know. “Gregor, is there a level cap here for people? Like do people stop leveling once they reach a certain point like, I dunno, level one hundred or something?”
“One hundred.” Gregor said wryly. Like I’d just made a joke. “I’m sorry, that’s a perfectly reasonable question. It’s just a little strange talking to someone who doesn’t know these things. That’s not a slight against you though, I’ve simply never had to think about how to answer questions like these.” Gregor brought a hand to his chin as he thought about how best to answer.
“The level cap as far as we know, is twenty five. That’s the level our king is currently at. I can’t recall when he hit level twenty five but he’s been at that level for centuries. He is without a doubt, the most powerful person in the kingdom.”
My head was just wrapping around the idea of the level cap being twenty five when I heard Gregor use the “c” word like it was completely normal. “Centuries?” I said slowly. Did I actually hear him right?
“Hmm? Oh yes. Leveling increases your lifespan.” Gregor said nodding casually. Like he hadn’t just dropped a tactical nuke into my worldview. “The king is the original founder of Kanaan after all. But, we can worry about history lessons later. Moving back on track to levels and such.” Gregor waved his hand.
“The first five levels, that’s level one to level five. Are generally considered where the bulk of common folk reside. Someone who lives a humble life, who is completely normal and doesn’t pursue monsters to fight, will naturally level over the years of their lives. Starting at one and typically reaching five after a few decades of experience. Once they’re older and more experienced they can Class Up and reach higher levels if it’s possible for them but, that’s where you'll find most ordinary people.”
“Levels six to ten are markedly different. For someone to reach these levels quickly is the sign of a truly skilled or hardworking individual. These are the skilled fighters and crafters. Men and women who push themselves to go further than others. Many of those skilled people who reach level ten hit what many consider to be The Wall. The difficulty for meeting the requirements to Class Up at level ten is widely known, and for most it is considered a commendable achievement to had made it so far.”
“Levels eleven to fifteen are strictly the realm of the elite. Those with true talent and the perseverance to train beyond what others would normally consider. These individuals inevitably become primary members of many of our kingdom’s more powerful forces. The Shades of the King’s Shadow, the Phalanx of the King’s Shield, the Blades of the King’s Sword, and the Mystics of the King’s Sage. Those who can Class Up again at fifteen without becoming bottlenecked, well…” Gregor chuckled, shaking his head. “They are something else entirely.”
“Levels sixteen to twenty are where you’ll find the highest performers the kingdom has ever produced. The elite of the elite. I believe the last time I looked at the statistics there was one person in that level range for every five hundred thousand people who weren’t. They are all leaders. All movers and shakers in Kanaan. They are the specially trained once in a generation members of the High Houses or if not they are swiftly adopted and brought into their families. Classing Up beyond this stage is almost completely unheard of. If it were to happen…To have another person in the kingdom above level twenty…” Gregor looked wistfully off into the distance. His eyes bright with the thought of it. “There would be celebrations in every city in the Kingdom.” He said slowly. Smiling as he spoke. The idea alone enough to brighten his entire face. “Millions upon millions of people flooding the streets to sing and dance and feast. Weeks of the entire kingdom honoring our newest protector.”
I sat in silence as I absorbed everything Gregor told me. Trying to commit every bit of it to memory. I’d have to pick up some kind of upgrade from Meditation to make sure I didn’t forget all this stuff. After pausing for a moment Gregor continued. “As for what’s above that. There are only five humans in Kanaan right now that are above level twenty. I can’t even begin to tell you how far above the rest of us they are. Can you guess who I’m talking about?”
I nodded slowly. “The King and his, um… Shield, Sword, Sage, and Shadow right?”
“Yes. All together, the King’s four advisors are known as the Royal Quartex.”
We stopped talking for a moment letting the silence stretch as my mind swam with all the new information I’d heard. I made sure to look Gregor in the eyes as I spoke again.
“Thank you.” I said exhausted but earnestly. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”
I meant every word of that. If I had gone in any other direction when I’d arrived in this world. I’d never have met Gregor. I wouldn’t have gotten my Class either. I tensed a bit as that thought actually sent a pang of discomfort through me. Now that was surprising. I’d only had my Class for a little while but I already couldn’t imagine being without it. Even if having it started this whole mess in the first place. The feeling of having my skills and Class ability sit in my chest was still a new one but they were fast becoming part of me. I didn’t even register my Mind Map as a separate part of my awareness anymore. It was just another one of my senses. Sight, touch, smell, hearing, and the three dimensional map in my head that constantly updated my position and the positions of everyone around me.
“Say no more.” Gregor said. Putting away the supplies. “I’m only sorry I hadn’t realized it sooner.”
I made to get up out of the chair and almost fell to the floor as my legs gave way under me. Gregor was quick to catch me before I face planted.
“Easy!” He said worriedly.
“Sorry.” I mumbled. “Guess I’m more tired than I thought.”
I meant to say more but I just couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I’d only been sitting for what felt like a little while. But that was enough for my body to start shutting down.
I’d tried to say something more but the words were too scrambled in my head to come out right. The last thing I remembered was being lead over to the living room like a drunk and being lowered down onto something soft. I was pretty sure it was the couch but my eyes weren’t open anymore so I couldn’t be sure. For all I knew it could have been a fluffy sofa shaped cloud.
I was out before my head hit the cushion.