The night was getting on, but I wasn’t getting tired, the datapad was now flipped over, and I was undoing the screws at the back. My new skill allowed me to recognize it has a voice assistant setting, all I had to do was get to the switch and turn it on. However getting to it is no simple task, well it would be if I had the right too, but alas I did not so I was making do with a small hunting knife: the screws were unlike ones I’ve had ever seen before, shaped in a hash symbol, and tight.
A few hours of turning and almost slicing a finger off and I had the back panel open; the back looked like the layout of a smartphone, battery, storage card and another card which my best guess acted like a sim card. However, unlike earth technology, each of these parts had an alien quality, the battery was a glass tube with a pulsating blue liquid, the storage device was glass as well with blue tracks running along it, the sim was a dull grey color and gave off a yellowish glow. I found the switch for the voice assistant pretty straightforward, with the skill active it sort of labeled every part. Flipping it to the on position I turned the blocky tablet around. “Initiated startup program,” I said, the words coming to me as the skill kicked in again.
“Greetings new user, on behalf of Dataword, I thank you on purchasing a Tier 1 Dataword data terminal” a pleasant monotone voice came from the small speaker on the front. “Please place your palm on the terminal to complete registration” the screen flickered to show a box and some words that I still couldn't read, I did as instructed placing my palm inside the box. The screen shone like a scanner, once it passed over my hand a few times, there was a ding like a microwave going off, and the voice continued. “Greeting John Woods thank you for registering, I am the Dataword Integrated Assistant or Dia. How may I assist you today.”
“Set the language to English” I commanded, after a few seconds there was a buzz that I didn’t like the sound of.
“I'm sorry John the language package for the earth language English has not been installed, Please take this terminal to a System store to purchase and download the language package” Dia’s feminine monotone voice informed me.
“Dam, Okay then release chains on Vira Lightword,” I said.
“Warning, Releasing the chains on the slave will give them access to all magic and skill they have acquired,” a deeper monotone voice said. “Do you wish to proceed?”
“Yes” I confirmed and then the sound of 5 locks being undone sounded as the chain fell away from Vira’s sleeping form, she didn’t even wake up.
Shaking my head, I thought about what I need to do next. “Dia, this terminal has a map feature correct?” Dia’s voice answered in the affirmative. “can you bring it up and place a marker to the closets System Store,” there where a few beeps and then the map revealed the closest system store, it was in the prison. “and the second closest?” another beep and the map revealed the town I was heading too “ah good there one in town” I looked closely at the map “even better its at the pub”.
***
The next day I awoke to the smell of roasting meat. Vira had caught a few birds that were about the size of a house cat, they were now plucked gutted and stuck on the ends of sticks as they rested over the fire. “Morning Vira, I see you have started breakfast.”
“Yes Master, Giga Pigeons, they are a Cr 2 creature with I used the stun setting on the rifle and a blast of my magic to kill them and leave the meat undamaged,” Vira said with a pleased smile.
“Ah so you have your magic again, good looks like the bruising should clear up in a day or two as well,” I say checking her over, now up close and in daylight, I could see what kind of slave she would have been sold as. A pleasure slave, no doubt with her big breast, wide hips and slim waist, I don’t know if Alien beauty is the same as on earth, but she was a knockout. A lot of indecent thoughts came to my head in a rush while the blood rushed in a different direction. Come on John. Get. It. Together. I chastised myself, quickly averting my wandering eyes. “Uh um, I'm going to check on the loot, if you could break down the camp that would be great.” I paused “actually where was all this stored, I didn’t see any cargo when you guys arrived.” Looking over to Vira I saw a smile as bright as the sun.
“In this,” she said, holding up a midnight blue crystal, it was so dark it was almost black. “It’s a Tier 3 Storage crystal” her solid green eyes glowed as she began to explain the magic of the crystal. “It a portal pocket dimension stored within a mana crystal, there's nothing inside the dimension unless you put it in there. It works by-.”I kinda zoned out as she got into the way it stored items. Really the only thing I need to know the rules and how to use it. Rule number one, do not put storage items inside of storage items, so no Russian nesting crystals. Rule Number two, living beings cannot be placed inside the crystal. Rule number three, do not exceed the space limit. How to use it was simple as well just wave it over the item think ‘Store’ and accept the prompt.
I walked away from the conversation, I kind of understand why her former masters had forbidden her from talking. Kind of. I decided to look over the loot from the two brothers, most of it was junk, just hot weather gear for the clothing, I guess Omicre 5 is a cold planet. One of the brothers did have a belt, that did appeal to me it was a light blue and must be made of some kind of silk-like fabric.
Sash of Minor Strength
Type: Belt Tier 2
Durability: 89/140
Property 1: +2 Strength
Property 2: +1 Armor
I felt like there was a lot of information missing from it, but hey bonus strength. I smiled as a wrapped it around my waist, the blue clashing with the orange jumpsuit. Looking at my flat slip-on shoes, I noticed that they didn’t bring up a pop-up. Actually, nothing I had did, only the items I gained from the brothers gave me information. I looked over to Vira who was undoing her tent, I was about to ask her why and then I thought against it, she would probably waffle on about the system and mana. I pulled out the data terminal again. “Dia, why aren't my clothes giving me system messages or whatever they’re called?”
“Only system registered items will generate the Item prompts” Dia easily explained.
“Anyway to register an item?” I ask the next logical question.
“Registering an item can be done at any system store, price depends on the item type and tier of the item. the system then can duplicate and sell the registered item which the will earn the original owner of the item a small royalty for one system cycle.” Dia was calm and straight to the point, she was becoming a godsend.
“Thanks, Dia,” I said as I picked up one of the Scimitars.
Valnari Scimitar
Type: Sword Tier 3
Durability: 170/210
Damage: 80 (physical damage)
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Again fundamental information, there's a probably a skill to reveal more. But 80 points of damage was kind of amazing, my punches were doing 20 points of damage at the moment, and 10 of that could not be blocked or resisted so maybe that's why that damage was so high, if armor were such a big factor of mitigating physical damage the sword would only do a fraction of the damage. I checked the stun rifle next. It was pretty simple looking; just a rifle stock with, a boxy mechanism and trigger, from the box a barrel, jutted out. 'Barrel' might not be the right word because it wasn't hollow just a circler metal bar.
Gulnapian Stun Rifle
Type: Energy Rifle Tier 3
Durability: 100/210
Damage: 150 (stun damage, Nonlethal)
Modes: Stun, Net, Overcharge.
I decided to hold on to a scimitar and a stun rifle, the rifles had a shoulder strap, so they were easy to carry the sword I just careful put in my sash. “Vira take whatever you want from the loot” I called out to her as I walked over to the stream to have a smoke. As I pulled out a smoke I got a item prompt.
Earth Cigarette
Type: Drug Tier 1
Durability: 4/4
Property 1: Relaxation, 5 minutes.
Property 2: Addiction, 14 days.
Property 3: -5 Health for 5 Minutes.
Well looks like someone registered smokes I thought as light the thing that was clearly killing me and placed it in my mouth, taking a long drag. I felt instantly relaxed even more than a standard cigarette would typically do. “Dia, why does the smoke work better?” I ask stupidly as the drug mellowed me out.
“Now that your cigarettes have been system registered, the system is providing the typical tier 1 relaxation, and tier 1 health and addiction Penalties” Dia answered from where she was kept on my sash.
“So the smoke isn’t doing anything? Does this mean I won't get cancer?” I ask confused.
“Yes John you are now a system being, Cancer and other harmful effects can only be dealt by the system, Even though your old body would have gotten cancer from the number of cigarettes you have smoked, your new body is that equal to any other being under the star system” Dia explained.
“What the hell does that mean?” I say through gritted teeth.
“Essential john you are now a system registered being and only system registered things can do you harm or give you benefits” Dia answered. “Take the candy bar you ate after your fall in the woods if the Snickers bar were registered you would of gain a few buffs as well as increased stamina regeneration, however, it wasn’t registered, so all you gained was the pleasant taste of the snack.”
“Wait so why did my health regen when I ate it?” I ask.
“Outside of combat your health regenerates as your body absorbs ambient mana, you sitting down and eating told the system you were not in combat, so your body started to collect mana to restore its form.” Dia explained, “It felt quick because of the low amount of Mana that makes up your health pool.”
“Wait, but I don’t have mana? Thanks to that skill Iron Will” I was so lost I was starting to think that dia was Just fucking with me.
“Everything in the System is mana John, Including you,” Dia said. I stopped the conversation there my head was starting to hurt, and even the system generated Relaxed condition was struggling against the rising anxiety I was feeling.
20 minutes later Vira and I were jogging at a decent step towards the town, using the stream as a guide we were in no trouble of getting lost. “John, can I ask you a question?” Vira said as we jogged alongside each other.
“You just did. But I’ll let you have another” I answer as the corners of my mouth perk up.
“Um thanks, could you tell me about yourself? I would like to know my new master, so I can better serve him.” Vira looked away from me.
“Well let’s see, Full name John Jacob Wood, Age 34, Born in Australia, Single Dad and spent the last 3 years in a cell for assault with a deadly weapon,” I say as a leap over a fallen log, I got the glimpse of a spider leg that would put the humble huntsman to shame. the sight of the hairy leg sent a shiver down my spine, I subsequently picked up the pace and started to look at the surrounding trees.
“You were in prison! But convicted criminals where one of the groups selected to be monsters!” Vira Exclaimed her voice became a bit pitched and lost some of the honey to it.
“Yeah I don’t know, I mean the system told me I was not guilty, but I did beat a man almost to death with a tire iron, so maybe it was a glitch or something” I say, I even pled guilty to lessen the charge from attempted murder to assault with a deadly weapon, though I would have killed the scumbag if I had the chance. I slowed my pace, coming to a stop.
“John?” Vira voice was soft, and her eyes were filled with worry as she looked upon my crazed smile and wide eyes. “John are you okay?”
“He alive isn’t he. That bastard has connections he would be alive. Three years is plenty of time for him to recover to. I have another chance, my cursed fate has given me another chance.”
Vengeful Fury Activated.
My vision turned the deep blood red as the skill activated, losing all control again. My hand gripped the scimitar as I saw Vira backing away from me. Her pretty mouth was moving again, but the sound they were making eluded me. I felt my body start to move towards her as I drew the sword. Tears were running down her face. Why is she crying? My raddled mind asked Has someone hurt her? My mind somehow focused on her eyes they were beautiful, almond shaped and solid green like an emerald, glowing brightly, I would hurt anyone that hurt this woman. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, my head turned to see a large spider was on my back.
[Giant Grass Spider, CR 5]
My Mind only just registered the name as my body started moving, grabbing the spider in my free hand, I pulled the spider of my back. Ugly black eyes and crushing mandibles where my greeting. My arm bulge as I squeezed the spider, its exoskeleton was tough, but the white mist wafting off my hand seemed to seep into it. After a while of me holding the spider at arm's length using all my strength trying to break the harder outer layer of the spider and failing the spider's eyes turned a milky white and green ichor dripped out of its mouth. I caught the flash of a combat message as my blood started to cool. Grass spider Toxin deals 2 Stamina damage. You have defeated a Giant Grass Spider. I then promptly collapsed to my knees as the blood red vision faded, I was panting heavily. My stamina had dropped to 0, and I was on 25 health. Grass Spider Toxin Deals 8 Points of Poison damage. Make that 17 health. “Vira, what happens to you if I die?” I cough black blood seeping between my lips.
“If there is no master to claim me I will be destroyed and sent to the system store to be purchased again” Vira whispers “but I can save you if master allows me to use my magic on him.”
“Please do!” I scream as I take another 8 points of damage. Vira's hands begin to glow green, and after a second she sends a bolt of green energy towards my chest. Vira Lightword has Used Earthen Mend. You regain 10 Health, You have been Cleansed. I quickly scanned the message as Vira sank to her knees blood started to drip from her nose. Breathing heavily “fuck I need a beer.”
Five minutes later my stamina and health had recovered and so where Vira’s, apparently we were both ‘Low Level’ but Vira was slightly lower than me seeing she scored an AP from the death of the Giant Grass Spider. We headed off again, in silences I scanned the trees I started to spot webs hanging between them, but they quickly faded away as we got closer to the town.
I spotted the road, and we promptly got out of the forest. The area was still wooded, but if we stuck on the middle line, we had a good 20 feet either side before the tree line. 40 minutes later we came across a burnt and broken sign all that was left was a few words. Welcome to & the established date. All good signs that the town was alive and well, I sarcastically thought. Letting a sigh, I looked at the sun, I was never really good at telling the time from just the sun alone, but I could usually get it within 1 or two hours. I guessed that is was about 2 o’clock, if America was much like Australia these welcome signs were usually about 5 minutes out of town, which meant another 10 minutes at a jog, I could taste the cold beer already, and my mouth started to water.
My estimation on how much longer we need to jog was off, by a lot it was close to another hour till we got to the bridge that crosses the stream. The town was on the other side of the short low bridge, but I was in no hurry to cross it, as I saw 14 creatures stalking around a boarded up building.
[WereWolf CR 10]