The light is painfully bright against my eyelids. I sling an arm over my face and let out a groan. God, this is a killer headache. What was I doing last night that left me feeling…
Wait.
Fuck.
Synapses connect all of a sudden and my memories come coursing through my body. My eyes fly open as I jackknife up with a scream. Adrenaline is flooding my body and my heart is hammering, which, unintuitively, actually makes me relax. The feeling of having a body again is strangely grounding. The last time I had a body I was, well, drowning, then I was in the void, and now…
I look around. I’m in a white square room that’s roughly eight feet across. There’s no furniture, so I was passed out on the floor. I’m not sure how I got here either, since there are no doors. And the light that woke me up doesn’t seem to have a source, rather, the room is just bright. Maybe this isn’t actually a room.
I’m in a cube.
Once the initial rush of adrenaline wears off, my headache comes back with a vengeance. I groan again and press a hand against the side of my head. The pressure helps a bit, giving me space to think. The last thing I remember is agreeing to the requirement to take Time as my affinity. Then there’s an empty blank in my memories until waking up here.
So, what? Am I a time traveler now?
I look down at my body, but nothing seems out of place - not that I’m even sure if there would be anything visually different about me if I became a time traveler. Actually, my clothes are dry, which is kind of weird? Still, not particularly time travelery. You know what, it doesn’t matter.
I lean back against the wall behind me and slide down it. I just need a moment.
Okay, order everything that you do know.
1) I tried to kill myself. The only reason I’m alive now is because there’s some sort of magic fuckery going on.
2) Magic exists. That… I might need more time to process that one. I haven’t seen any magic, only been told about it… unless the reason I was able to avoid shattering my body onto the surface of the water was magic. Okay, filing anything that doesn’t make sense to me under the magic label.
3) There’s no fucking way I’m special. I mean, yeah, when I was younger I wanted to wake up one day with superpowers like any other stupid kid, but real life doesn’t work like that. If this is happening to me, it’s definitely happening to everyone.
4) If it’s happening to everyone, then there’s a high chance a lot of people died. What was it, 68% from the datamining alone? And then everyone who got ‘paused’ and then resumed to find themselves dead. God, probably anyone who was driving or doing something they needed to concentrate on just… gone.
5) It’s definitely not over. All that shit didn’t happen just to leave me in a cube forever. There was something in the first text box about tests and challenges to- fuck, didn’t it say it was going to weed people out? If everything that happened was just to get us ready, then whatever the System considers a challenge is probably insane.
On the one hand, apocalypse situation, end of life as we knew it. On the other hand… I remember how it felt the moment I jumped off the bridge. I know I don’t want to die now. And what are the odds I’ll ever see anyone I know from campus ever again?
That thought actually cheers me up immensely. I curl my hands into fists and stare at them. That’s bad, right? To feel relieved at the thought of the deaths of dozens of people.
And yet, I am.
I can just put everything that happened into a box and never have to think about it again. I push my hair out of my face and stand up fully. At this point, the migraine has faded to a much more manageable dull ache.
New world, new rules, new me. I have a goal. I’m going to survive, and if the System was telling the truth about being able to gain power then I’m going to climb so far from where I was on that bridge that it will be a distant memory. Someday.
First things first, I have to get out of this box. I run my hands along the walls, looking for some sort of invisible seam or hidden button. It takes me a few minutes.
Nothing.
I check the floor too.
Also nothing.
I sit back down, frustrated. Maybe I need to use that oh-so-valuable affinity that hasn’t shown its fucking face to get out of here. In the books, when characters want to do magic, they always have some sort of sixth sense that lets them feel things out.
I sit there, cross-legged with my eyes closed in that little white cube, and do my best to focus on feeling.
Breathe in, breathe out. Is there something in the air? No.
Breathe in, breathe out. Something on my skin? No.
Breathe in, breathe out. Something… inside of me?
I… don’t even know how to go about searching for that. Most of the time I’m trying to tune the things inside of me out, not go looking for them. Still, I do my best.
There’s still nothing - or at least nothing that surprises me.
I breathe out with a huff and slouch out of the fake meditation posture I had adopted.
Where’s the insulting, vaguely terrifying, annoyingly chipper help box when you need it?
Oh, shit, maybe that’s it?
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Uh, System?” I call out.
Congratulations! You are one of the lucky [Humans] that had a successful Affinity Adopting Process. Your affinity is [Time]! Isn't that neat?
[Humans] are scheduled to undergo Species-wide Affinity Development, also known as SAD! SAD is composed of multiple stages that are aimed to help your species flourish in the greater cosmos. These stages will test your physical endurance, mental plasticity, [synovial fluid surrounded joints] flexibility, and your communication and teamwork skills! Sounds like fun!
The subspace arena for the first stage of SAD was modeled based on a composite scan of [Earth], so it will feel just like home! It opened to [Humans] [00:01:23:34] ago. Oh no! Looks like you’re missing out on your required SAD!
Your species needs SAD. SAD is good for you.
NOTE: The System has noted your interest in [excess] questions. This NOTE serves to preempt expected [unnecessary] [nonessential] questions about SAD. The SAD process is renowned across the universe! It’s so popular, every species has at one point done it. SAD also has extremely opinionated reviews! [organisms] care so much about SAD!
Really? The apocalypse has a name, and it’s SAD. And what the hell am I missing out on? I woke up ten minutes ago and I'm trapped in a fucking box!
Your first SAD challenge is here!
This is a [comprehension] challenge. You should have already displayed an appropriate level of comprehension to get to this point, but sometimes [unregistered organisms] slip through the cracks! That’s okay though, because SAD is very rigorous. And repetitive! Yay!
[Objectives]:
* [First Words] - Summon your [Status] screen. It’s okay! You can do it! Unless you can’t, in which case you will be removed :)
* [Legally Required Minimum Display of Competency] - Use an ability. Any one. It doesn’t matter, just use it.
NOTE: Sensors show you haven’t entered the arena for the first stage of SAD. It opened [00:01:24:16] ago. This NOTE serves as a friendly reminder that you are falling behind! That’s not good!
Are these quests? Like a video game. Okay, so less feeling based wizardry and more grinding = power, I guess. Honestly, I can work with that. At least this way I have a clear idea of what to do. Also, I think I have to ignore the Notes the System is leaving me. The idea that whatever has caused the apocalypse has taken offense with me is just far too panic-inducing for me to consider right now. And I’m not even going to worry about what removing is because that fucking smiley face makes me want to run.
Considering saying ‘System’ triggered it this time, I’m going to start with saying, “Status.”
Objective [First Words] complete! Good job! Who’s a good [Human]?
Name: Kira Uhrmacher
Race: Human
Level: 1
Affinity: Time
HP: 20/20
MP: 41/41
Time: 0/44
Stats:
STR 8
END 9
PER 12
WIL 4
VIT 10
AGI 12
WIS 16
INT 18
Titles: [N/A]
Traits: [Passed Down Through the Centuries], [Nothing But Time], [In a Split Second]
Abilities:
Passive:
[Weight of Time] (New)
[Split Second] (New)
Active:
[Eyes of Time] (New)
Skills: [N/A]
I can’t help but shudder as the first message pops up. I definitely did not need to be asked if I was a good human by some alien AI, no thanks. The second box that shows up, however, is far more interesting. I’m level 1, no surprise there. I have HP, presumably health points, and mana, and also Time - although I don’t currently have any of that. Is time something you can stockpile like that though?
I skim over my stats. Without knowing what the baseline is for a normal human, I can’t be sure how I’m doing. It’s clear though that there’s a big disparity between my INT and my STR, which makes sense. I’ve always been a nerd. And WIL... must be willpower. Mine is absolutely dogshit. That has to be a hazard, right? It's a glaring weakness that will get me one-shot, assuming it's a mental defense stat.. fuck. On second thought, it's kind of accurate.
No titles to show, nor do I know what those are. Traits seem to be those messages that popped up during the affinity adoption process. And then, abilities - I remember the [In a Split Second] trait said I gained an ability, and sure enough here it is. Along with two others. There has to be a way to figure out what they are. Hmm.
“Weight of Time.” I say, with my fingers crossed.
[Weight of Time] [Legendary] [Tier 1]: You have proven you can bear the weight of time upon your shoulders.
* This ability comes from the Affinity [Time]
Okay… that didn’t tell me what I wanted and only gave me more questions. Rarities - again, video game shit. Legendary seems to be really good, although in the games I played you could only get those types of abilities late game. And the ability has a tier associated with it - does that mean it can rank up? Or is Tier 1 the highest? No, I wouldn’t start with a max rank ability - but then why do I have a Legendary ability?
I shake my head dismissively, which gives me the disorienting view of the screen wagging back and forth rapidly. Right, this is actually the first time I can both see screens and have the ability to move. Which doesn’t really matter at the moment, focus! [Weight of Time] is a passive ability, so I’ll just assume it’s benefiting me somehow.
Next one. “Split Second.”
[Split Second] [Unique] [Tier 1]: You have felt the hand of Time upon your life path and are known to Time. Once per month, Time itself will intervene in a situation to delay your imminent death by a second. Activation of this ability is passive and does not consume stored Time.
I stare blankly at the ability description. Is Unique better than Legendary? Is Time… a god? Or some sort of extremely powerful equivalent? How can I be known to a metaphysical law of nature- wait, Kira, remember. I can try and figure this out someday, but for now, it’s magic.
I can’t decide if this is powerful magic or not. Once a month, this ability can activate for one second? That’s almost never. Although, it depends on how often I’ll be in situations where I’m about to die. I would say that one second seems almost useless, but…
The feeling of falling, the sound of the wind roaring past me, counting down the seconds till it happens-
I slap myself. It stings slightly, but it helps. New world, new me, remember?
A few moments pass as I pick up my scattered train of thought. One second isn’t long, but it’s better than nothing. And, this description does confirm that I can somehow store Time and apparently use it. Could it be like an alternate source of mana?
I look at the last ability. This one is active, so hopefully it is the key to my escape. “Eyes of Time.”
The pain is sudden. Like nails are being driven into my fucking eyes. I scream and screw my eyelids shut but it doesn’t help, because it isn’t nails anymore, it’s molten lava pouring into my eye sockets and burning through to my brain and-
As instantly as it hit, the pain is gone. I keep my eyes closed out of fear and let out a few sobs as water trickles down my face. The fuck was that?
[Eyes of Time] [Rare] [Tier 1]: You are familiar with the paths Time takes. You have gained the ability to watch as it eddies and swirls through your surroundings. What mysteries does it hide amongst its sands?
* This ability comes from the Affinity [Time]
* Mana Cost (1/min)
Oh, great, it looks like I can’t even escape the text boxes when I close my eyes. Is this what the ability is? I get to feel like my eyes are disintegrating every time I use it?
I lay there panting for a little bit. Slowly, I’m able to overcome my cowardice and I crack open one of my eyelids.
…Holy Shit.