Before

Scanning the letter to find the point where I’d left off before, I feel my anger rekindle at the cavalier approach Nicholas seems to be taking towards my life. Sure, maybe he might have some consequences too if I fail, but it seems very much that the risk is all on my side of things. I continue reading.

At this point, I imagine you are wondering how to collect Energy to pay the debt of your passage. In short, by killing beasts. When a creature is killed, part of its Energy goes to the one who kills it. Believe it or not, but the same was true on your previous world; it was just such an Energy-starved place that it would take longer than you have to live currently for you to even start making noticeable progress to pay for your passage. Indeed, that is why I made the choice to pull you to your current world: it may not be populated by civilised beings, but it is well-suffused with Energy. A treasure trove of sorts, if you would only reach out to harvest it.

I feel my heart sink. ‘not populated by civilised beings’ is the fatal blow to my last – clearly futile – hopes of there being a city beyond the valley which I could travel to. Apparently I’m being abandoned to the wilderness. What was that term Nicholas used? I check the letter again. A treasure trove, he considers it. Somehow, I doubt there are chests full of goodies anywhere near me… I read on to find out what exactly has been given to me in order to even hope to survive in this unpopulated ‘treasure trove’ of a world.

I have provided the following resources for you:

- A Tamer Class stone (epic – orange);

- A System lore stone (novice – light blue);

- A Woodcraft knowledge stone (novice – light green);

- A Hunting knowledge stone (novice – light brown)

- A Tracking skill stone (initiate – brown)

- A Lay-on-hands Skill stone (beginner – aquamarine)

- A survival pack including a knife, a water flask, 2 days’ rations, and some other essential items.

- 2x minor health potions

These resources should be sufficient to allow you to start the path to power. Given that your world seems to be one of technological advancements rather than individual survival, I have included several knowledge stones on this topic.

It is kill or be killed, traveler. Harvest the Energy of others or be yourself harvested. I hope to see you on the other side.

My most cordial and hopeful sentiments,

Lord Nicholas Titanbend of Azaarde

P.S. I suggest that you use the Class stone first, and then the Skill stone. Once you have received your Class, you will gain access to your status screen. Check your Intelligence stat before deciding how to use the knowledge and skill stones: unless you have an Intelligence stat of 10 or more, I would suggest not using more than one knowledge stone per day as you will be unable to absorb the majority of the second. You would need an Intelligence stat of more than 20 to absorb more than two stones in one day with reasonable efficiency.

I stare at the letter, feeling numb. Then I snort: I suppose I have been given what I asked for – if my guess is correct, the things this Nicholas guy has given me are awesome; I just wish I didn’t have to be in the wilderness for a year to get them.

Sighing, I lower the piece of paper down and regard the items on the desk thoughtfully. Nicholas suggested using the Class stone first – that’s apparently the orange one. Easily spotting it among the other colours, I pick it up and turn it over in my hand.

The stone is warmer than I would have imagined – almost like someone else has just been holding it. There’s also some slight...buzz? Or is it like the way a rubbed balloon attracts hair except the other way around? Something like that. Either way, I don’t think it’s my imagination to say that I feel something that I shouldn’t from a simple stone, never mind the fact that it’s glowing.

I figure that I should probably follow Nicholas’ advice: he’s the one who sent me these items after all. OK, since arriving in this uninhabited place instead of wherever he is to receive the inheritance promised, I’m taking his words with a bit more salt, but unless I allow my most paranoid thoughts free rein, I can’t really see why he would give me bad advice. If he’d wanted me to die immediately, he could have just not sent me anything – he’s right in saying that without any sort of aid I’d have no idea on how to even find food and safe water to drink.

Taking a deep breath, I activate the stone. Well, that’s what I try to do. Turns out, staring intently at the stone is not how to activate it.

“Activate?” I say hesitantly. Nothing happens. “Gain class?” Still nada. “Start? Infuse? Osmosis? Damn you, do something!” I shout at it squeezing and glaring. My eyes go wide as there’s a crunching sound and a crack appears in its surface. My stomach drops as the crack spreads and fractures further until the whole stone falls into a million pieces no bigger than finely grained sand. Fear claws at my belly – have I just broken my only chance to survive the next year?

The dust glows and suddenly starts melting into my skin. For a moment, it’s like the world has paused, and then the next thing I know is pain all over. It isn’t excruciating, but it’s everywhere. Like pins and needles, but not just in one limb. Plus, after a breath, it’s not just at the surface, but under as well. I’m struck with the thought that I could almost map my entire body out, organs included, if I could build a picture based on the prickling sensation. While not terribly painful, it’s enough to make me want to tear my skin off as my mind interprets the prickling as itchy.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Then, a few moments later, the pain vanishes as if it was never there. Everything feels...off. Just...wrong, somehow. Like the feeling when you walk into a familiar place where something has changed, but you can’t immediately spot whether it’s the furniture that’s moved or the wall that has been painted a slightly different shade. The feeling of wrongness intensifies as a screen suddenly appears in front of me.

The screen is made of mist formed in a box-like shape. The main part of the box is almost opaque, but it fades abruptly around the edges until I can see normally with my peripheral vision. I can just about see through the box enough to tell if I’m about to walk into something, but it’s definitely a better idea to stay still while using it, I think. Black words in a clear font style are printed on the densest section of the misty space.

Congratulations! You have absorbed a Class: Tamer

You consequently have access to your status. To see this, think or say ‘status’.

You have 0 status points to assign.

You have 3 new messages.

Next message? Y/N

I think ‘yes’ and the words dissolve away, replaced swiftly after with another message.

Congratulations! You have new Class skills (2)

Tame: activate this skill on a being which already feels connected to you in some way and it will offer the being the option of becoming bound to you as a Companion. Warning: beings with a moderate or higher Intelligence level may choose to reject the bond.

Dominate: activate this skill on a being to enter into a Battle of Wills, success in which binds the being to you as a Bonded. Certain previous actions can increase your chances of winning the battle, even with a lower Willpower than your opponent. This includes, but is not limited to: having already defeated the being physically; having trapped the being so that they are unable to move; having terrified the being. Warning: if you lose the battle of wills, you will be rendered vulnerable for ten seconds as you recover. Recommended Willpower before attempting a Battle of Wills: 10 for a Stage 1 Beast.

Next message? Y/N

Once more, I think ‘yes’ even while my thoughts whirl.

Congratulations on achieving your first Class.

You have gained access to an Inventory and a Map.

Your Inventory can hold up to 10 item slots per Class level, starting with five additional spaces per Class rarity rank above Uncommon. Identical items can stack up to 50. Live items can not be stored. Please note that the storage and withdrawal of items consumes Energy and will not function until you have gained some. You can access your Inventory by thinking or saying ‘inventory’.

Your Map keeps track of where you have been. This is a passive ability which you can toggle on or off. This ability consumes a small amount of Energy and will not function until you have gained some. You can access your Map by thinking or saying ‘map’. You can access a small mini-map in your vision by thinking or saying ‘mini-map’.

Next message? Y/N

Congratulations!

You have a new ability: absorb Skill stones.

1 Skill stone detected in range. Do you wish to absorb this Skill stone now? Please note, you can choose to absorb this Skill stone later by holding it and thinking or saying ‘absorb Skill stone’.

Y/N

I hesitate, but think ‘no’ for now. I have enough to consider right now without adding an extra dimension into it. A new message forms in front of me:

Close interface / return to message panel / view status summary

I decide to close the messages, thoughtfully staring into the now unobscured view in front of me. Not that I see any of it: I’m dwelling too much on what I’ve just read.

It’s a lot to take in. This whole thing with ‘Skills’ and ‘status’ and ‘stats’ seems far too similar to video games for my comfort, especially when I consider that most video games are centred around fighting and killing, the same thing Nicholas is saying I’ll have to do to collect Energy. I’ve never been a big gamer, though I enjoyed a few during my teenage years and at uni. I haven’t had time to play them recently though. Not since uni, in fact, as my focus for the last seven years has been my career.

But if this is my reality now, it’s a choice of either doing my best to adapt or throwing up my hands here and now and giving up. One choice definitely ends in my death; the other offers a little more hope. I try not to think of how many times I died in a video game: I don’t know if I have the ability to respawn in real life and I don’t feel like testing it. Sure, I was considering jumping off a building a few days ago, but I might as well give this ‘new life’ a chance, right? I can always ‘quit’ later if it’s too much for me.

Right. I thoughtfully evaluate the new information I’ve been told. The Map and Inventory will definitely come in handy – directions are not my strong point – and the less I have to carry, the better. The Skills sound...interesting.

It seems like there is a consensual and non-consensual duality to my new Class. Tame is the consensual one – I have to build up a creature’s loyalty the hard way, and they could still choose to refuse the bond when I offer it. Dominate, on the other hand, is clearly non-consensual, but I could see the purpose.

I wonder whether there are any downsides to Dominate, maybe where the creature could attack me when I’m least expecting it? Actually, didn’t the description mention something about being vulnerable for a time after losing the Battle of Wills? That’s a bit of a downside. If there are any others not mentioned, I guess I’ll find out later; hopefully not the hard way.

Speaking of not expecting it, I really am not expecting the attack which falls from the skies. One moment I’m contemplating the admittedly beautiful view ahead of me while wryly wondering if this is a catch ‘em all type situation, and the next I’m lying on the ground with my head feeling like it’s just exploded.