The world around Nate flickered before coming back into sharp focus. It was disorienting, like a sudden full body jolt. Nate struggled to regain his balance on his Harley, swerving slightly. Ahead of him, two police cars sat idling, their occupants still trying to shake off the strange effects of the Blip. In that brief moment of confusion, Nate saw his chance and gunned his engine. He aimed for the narrow gap between the police cars.
One of the cops, caught off guard, jumped out of the way as Nate charged forward. But it was a tight squeeze, and Nate could feel his heart racing as he neared the gap. He braced himself for impact, ready to take the hit if necessary. With a burst of energy, he pushed his Harley forward, willing it to slip through the narrow opening.
As he passed between the two cars, Nate felt something strange wash over him. It was almost like a sixth sense, a feeling of heightened awareness. He couldn't explain it, but it felt like something was guiding him through the gap. Just as he had feared that his leg would be clipped by the bumper, it hit something else and was pushed back. The margin of error was slim, but it was just enough to get Nate through unscathed.
Nate breathed out a sigh of relief and accelerated down the road, the wind rushing past him. His heart was still pounding with adrenaline as he merged onto the 90 and opened up the throttle. The speedometer climbed steadily, reaching triple digits in no time.
Nate kept a close eye on his rearview mirror as he sped away, but the police cars were nowhere to be seen. With what had just occurred, they likely had bigger fish to fry than chasing down a restricted zone violation. As his adrenaline washed away, Nate was overcome with exhaustion, his body aching. When suddenly, a small blinking icon in the corner of his vision caught his attention. It resembled the Greek letter omega with a few extra swirls and flair. Intrigued, he focused his gaze on it, and in response, he heard a soft buzzing sound similar to the one that blares on game shows when contestants give a wrong answer.
> The participant is prohibited from accessing The System interface during unsafe conditions.
As Nate merged onto the 405, he started testing out acquired abilities, and pondered over their potential uses. And why they were granted. Nate started out by focusing his thoughts on [Move Object]. With a mental push, a barely visible shimmering cloud surrounded Nate. Mentally he tugged at it and stretched it and ultimately created a windscreen in front of him. The difference was subtle. The deafening roar of the wind eased, and the pressure blasting up his sinuses lessened.
Nate then shifted to [Energy Control] and repeated the process, producing an infinitely thin screen made up of interconnected hexagons. It was almost invisible, with a pale blue hue. The wind noise dropped significantly. It was like having a windshield installed on his bike. And just like a windshield, a bug splattered against it.
Nate practiced switching between the two abilities, testing their limits. [Energy Control] was much stronger, but [Move Object] had an odd almost tactile response that tickled his brain. [Energy Control] was also much harder to maintain. He could use [Move Object] almost as if it were a natural part of him, but [Energy Control] took a lot more focus. After just a few minutes Nate felt his attention start to drift. Gradually, his control began to falter, and the effects of the abilities started to weaken. Nate realized that his powers required a significant amount of mental energy to maintain, and he forced himself to take a mental break and just enjoy the wind on his face.
After recovering Nate continued to play with [Move Object] changing its shape and extending its reach, managing to cover the entire bike. There he left it as he continued to drive. The power was strange, and had almost a tactile feedback to it. He could feel every bug splatter and every rock that hit against it. At one point a semi-truck threw a rock and it smashed right through, shattering the power and Nate’s concentration.
After taking a long mental break Nate activate his [Energy Control] as he merged onto the 5 southbound. He created a simple windscreen in front of him to block out the bugs and make the ride more comfortable. As he weaved through the traffic, he noticed a few curious glances from other drivers, but most were too preoccupied with their own lives to pay much attention.
As he approached Tacoma, the usual traffic began to pick up. Nate was grateful for his windscreen as yet another bug splattered against it. It was late afternoon in early autumn and the bugs were making their last desperate push to commit mass vehicular suicide. But his focus was pulled away from his new windscreen as an engine roared behind him. Nate checked his mirrors and his eyes narrowed as he watched the diesel belching Ford tailgating him. It is never a good idea to tailgate a motorcycle. It is a worse idea to tailgate a motorcycle after The System
Normally, Nate would dick with the jerk until they backed off. But instead of engaging in his usual antics, Nate had an idea. He pushed his concentration out to his [Energy Control] windscreen and slowly rotated it behind him. With a mental flick, he released control, and the barrier flicked out of existence. The collection of bug guts, no longer having a surface to adhere to flew backward, coating the Ford's windshield. Angry honking quickly filled the air. Nate cackled like a banshee, flipped them off, and sped away.
As Nate made his way into southern Tacoma, his eyes caught sight of a line of motels congregated together. He pulled into the cheapest one, an old and rundown white building with the paint peeling off in large chunks. As he parked his Harley and stepped inside the lobby, his feet were greeted with a squishing sound that came from a mystery source, dampening the carpet in one spot. Despite the dreary atmosphere, Nate managed to check in and make his way to his musty-smelling room, his travel pack slung over his shoulder.
Nate couldn't help but feel the exhaustion of the long day catch up to him. He stretched and flexed his muscles, feeling a slight difference in himself since obtaining his new abilities. Yet, his mind felt worn down from the constant practice and experimentation. As Nate went for the TV remote, he noticed a little handwritten note that the cleaning crew must have overlooked.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Don’t walk away.
-D”
Nate dismissed the note and popped down on the room’s one chair and accessed the icon blinking in the corner of his vision. He was instantly Blipped away to The System screen. The gender neutral voice narrated the words as they appeared in his mind.
> Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill [Telekinesis]!
>
> You have achieved the title [First Combiner] – You are the first being in your macrosystem have successfully combined two abilities.
>
> Bonus: Moderate reduction in mental drain for ability [Telekinesis]
>
> Bonus: [WIS] +2
>
> New skill [Telekinesis]: A versatile mental force that lets you manipulate objects or attack. Can perform extremely complex actions at higher ranks. Influenced by [WIS]. Moderate – high mental drain.
Nate emerged from the Blip, a palpable weariness weighing him down. The notion of delving into [Telekinesis] felt like an energy-sapping endeavor beyond his current capacity. Instead, he powered on the television and mustered the strength to embark on a well-deserved shower. The accumulation of road grime clung to his skin, a tangible reminder of his tumultuous journey.
In the confines of the cramped motel bathroom, Nate, curious and slightly apprehensive, peeled off his shirt. The question gnawed at him: had The System and its bestowed abilities wrought changes upon his body? He had, after all, enhanced his strength score, and he felt the transformation coursing through his muscles. Yet, as he gazed upon his reflection in the weathered motel mirror, he looked... swole.
Nate stepped into the shower with a smile still plastered across his face. In the steaming embrace of the shower, he allowed the hot water to drown out his thoughts, permitting the cleansing torrent to wash away his uncertainties. His time beneath the cascading liquid stretched longer than intended, but gradually, he began to feel a mental renewal. Nate closed his eyes, focusing on mustering the energy required for [Telekinesis]. The familiar hum of energy pulsed through his veins as he concentrated. His aim was simple: to dry himself off by summoning a nearby towel. Yet, to his astonishment, the water cascaded from his body, leaving him perfectly dry.
Instinctively, Nate grasped the error. Unlike [Move Object] and [Elemental Control], [Telekinesis] operated with a different mechanism. It seemed to interpret his intentions and directives, acting autonomously to fulfill his requests. It was akin to the difference between typing commands on a keyboard and employing a pre-programmed macro.
Rejuvenated and clad in his favorite shirt, Nate ventured out into the evening, his senses heightened by the possibilities of [Inspect]. As he wandered through the sparsely populated neighborhood, he discreetly employed the ability on every passerby. Curiously, every individual he encountered bore the label [Worker]. The rarity of the [Soldier] designation gnawed at him. What about those with different ranks?
Eventually, Nate’s feet lead him to what could arguably be labeled as the world’s worst Chinese restaurant. The server’s name was Ivy, and she was a [Worker: Server - Level 1]. He pondered briefly if her level impacted the quality of the food. He shoved another spoonful of what might be meat into his mouth and decided that the food would still suck, even if she was level 10.
Nate ambled along the dimly lit street, lost in his thoughts once again. The heaviness in his chest was palpable, as memories of old emotions and past losses flooded back into his consciousness. He dragged his feet along the cracked pavement, making his way back to his dingy hotel. The sun had long since set, and the chilly evening wind had picked up again, but Nate barely felt the cold.
Feeling like he needed a drink, Nate pushed open the door of a run-down convenience store and grabbed a cold beer and paid for it without much thought. As Nate walked out of the store, he barely registered the group of guys who had just arrived in a hooptie. Facemasks on and hoodies pulled low over their faces the group sauntered inside. One of the guys paused to look Nate up and down before issuing a warning. "Best keep on steppin'," he said.
Nate didn't have the energy for this kind of confrontation. He turned to leave, but something made him hesitate. He remembered the note from his hotel room. Then he heard the scream.
Nate's heart raced as he turned and saw one of the guys standing at the door, holding it open with a baseball bat in hand. Nate immediately analyzed him, his instincts kicking in – [Markus Walker, Worker: Criminal - Level 1]. With [Move Object], Nate reached out and touched someone and was very grateful he did purchase the tactile feedback ability.
Markus’s eyes went wide as he dropped his bat and grabbed his groin in agony. He fell to his knees, letting out a loud yell. Nate shook off the mental disgust as he walked over to the criminal. Nate delivered a swift kick to his chest, sending Markus sprawling to the ground, gasping for air in the doorway. Nate stepped over him as he made his way into the store.
Inside, Nate could see a tall man at the counter, his face hidden behind a balaclava. The man was wearing a white tank top and baggy shorts and had a crowbar in his hand. He was leaning across the counter, trying to pull out the register. The clerk was nowhere to be seen. The criminal slowly turned his head towards Nate, and Nate could almost see the sneer under the mask.
“I told you not to get involved,” the criminal said as he menaced closer.
Now, within striking distance, the criminal raised his crowbar. Nate was about to unleash his kinetic energy when the man suddenly seized up and fell face first onto the floor, the sound of electricity crackling and the scent of ozone filling the air. Nate's eyes narrowed as they followed the wires from the man's back, leading up to a woman holding the world’s strangest-looking Taser. She then dropped the weapon and pulled out a few zip ties from her greasy overalls.
Nate deemed her a non-treat and turned to scan the area. A sound to his left alerted him altered him to the last of the criminals before a blindingly painful burning sensation radiated through his stomach. Nate looked down to see a pale hand wrapped around a handle pressed against his abdomen. Undirected telekinetic power flowed off Nate as his panic rose. Then [Telekinesis] surged.
A wave of invisible force flung the attacker down the aisle, knocking over shelves and merchandise before crashing into the cooler window. The back of his head left a bloody smear on the fractured glass. His body crumpled to the ground, the long bladed knife still in his hand.
Nate grabbed at the wound, feeling blood pour from it. He slumped down against the counter, the pain overwhelming him. A chime sounded in the back of his head, along with a new icon in the corner of his vision.
Nate heard zip ties locking into pace and looked over. The woman with messy shoulder length dark brown hair was busy hog tying the guy she tazed earlier. Their eyes met briefly, and he could see the concern etched on her face. Then Nate looked down at his stomach, his blood was flowing freely. He felt light-headed and worried that something important had been nicked. Plus, this was one of his favorite t-shirts
“Keep pressure on it, I’ll be there as soon as I tie up loose ends,” the woman called out. Nate didn't have much choice but to listen, and he focused instead on the new icon that had appeared in the corner of his vision.
Then he Blipped.
Blessed relief washed though Nate as he descended into his mind space, free from the pain of his physical form.