“SAFETY THIRD!!!!!”
Andrew yelled as he launched himself towards the skylight and ended up just a few meters from it. When he looked at the skylight this time, he noticed that it was swirling in magical glows. His mana bar showed that he had about 12 mana left, which meant he didn’t have long before he’d fall back down. He pushed his will against the skylight and was rewarded when it shattered, and a cool breeze rushed into the room.
He was FREE!!!
Without hesitation, Andrew launched himself toward the opening and in the low gravity sailed through the air like a missile. As he neared the opening, excitement built in his chest after so much time in this little cell, he would finally be free.
Though what he would do at that point he was unsure of. He was on an alien world full of magic welding elves, but that was an issue for tomorrow. Today he would finally see a world in another galaxy and experience all of its wonders.
Andrew’s elation was brought to an ungraceful and unceremonious end. As vines shot across the opening just before he reached it, growing together and completely shutting it off. He couldn’t stop his momentum, try as he might, and it took him into the new woody barrier face-first. After doing his best slinky impression, he was sent tumbling to the floor. The impact of which was surprisingly noiseless as the floor stretched to ease his impact. Almost comically, as the floor returned to its original shape, he found himself flying back into the lower part of the ceiling. With instincts he didn’t know existed he bound himself with his new powers instead of falling again to the floor.
He kept his powers active as he stuck to the ceiling in an attempt to catch his breath and reorient himself to his current situation. It was once his breathing had settled somewhat, that he noticed warning claxons could be heard emanating from somewhere outside of his cell. Though before he could get off the ceiling, ten elves rushed into the room. Energy coalesced around their hands as they quickly fanned out in a half-moon formation around the door, each looking for Andrew as they slowly proceeded into the room.
“What where is he? No way he made it out of that skylight!” said one of the elves.
“Didn’t I hear that the Geald did the power infusion on this human himself? If so, who knows what powers this abomination grew,” said another elf, a tinge of jealousy making its way into his voice.
“He must have somehow made it out because I don’t see him anywhere. This needs to hurry up I was right in the middle of getting my weekly recalibration, “said another male elf
“Hopefully you remembered to take your Plasira off before coming in here to whine, “said the first elf while she flashed a deviant smile to the second male elf.
They all burst out laughing.
“Are yall done? We have a missing human if you don’t remember, “said an elf who’s gender was a bit hard to determine. This one must have been the commander as they all stopped laughing and got back to searching the room.
While he knew he was unlikely to win against one of the elves, much less ten of them, he was determined to find an option other than simply surrendering. He couldn’t tell you why, but he found that he was bound and determined not to go back into custody. It was then that he noticed the door was still open! It was odd that the door hadn’t shut, but Andrew decided to not look a gift horse in the mouth and before he could talk himself out of it, he internally yelled
LEEEEEERRRRRROOYYYYYY JENKINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He activated his blur skill and launched himself over the elves’ heads and through the door. Like before, he awkwardly bounced and rolled noiselessly down the hallway. When his momentum had run out, he found that he was serendipitously close to an intersection. Got to his feet and rounded the corner to the right. To his relief, he saw no Elves down that hallway and began to run.
When he was about halfway down the hallway a message appeared.
[You have 0 mana left. All powers have been deactivated]
Andrew’s head exploded with pain and his vision blurred. He did his best to ignore it as he worked his way down the hallway looking for a place to hide. Unfortunately, there were no doors or turns in sight.
Wow, I really am in a horror movie. These hallways would make Kubrick jealous. This thing has to be kilometers long and I guess when everyone can magically conjure a light there’s no reason to provide them.
The light that spilled from his room barely made it to where he was, and Andrew was forced to use the wall to help him find his way through the murky darkness ahead of him. His head was full of cotton from the pain, but he groggily forced himself to put one foot in front of the other. Driven to find freedom. Andrew looked back when he heard sounds of shouting from behind him, to his unending relief found the hallway empty. Yet he swore he could see lights waving in the corridor his cell had been on.
Not wanting to be seen, he swung his head back to the front and was rewarded with a wave of pain and vertigo. As he went to steady himself against the wall, the solid-looking wall retracted as his hand came near it, and a weird multi-colored light spilled out into the hallway. Andrew fell off balance, as the wall he had expected to support him was now an open portal which he fell through. He quickly scanned the room, his lizard brain telling him if there is light then there must be elves, but his luck held out once more. What he did find was a massive room that resembled a gargantuan beehive. Well, a beehive, if it was built from the floor up. There were 1000s of hexagonal containers stacked one on top another some stacks reaching to the ceiling, which Andrew estimated must have been 100 meters tall. At the bottom of each stack, he found the source of multicolored light, the floor glowed either red, yellow, or green.
Andrew weakly pulled his legs through the door and the door shut behind him leaving a bare wall with no indication of a door. He took a moment to try to figure out how he could identify the doors, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t make out a single mark which indicated that it was anything other than a wall.
I really have to figure out how these pervy elves know where their doors are. Maybe it’s with the powers of sexual repression and desperation? Hmm I haven’t seen my wife in ages, so I don’t think that’s it or they’d pop right for me. They don’t seem to radiate magic, at least not until they activate. I need to get moving, but I’ll have to figure it out one day.
As his curiosity abated, he noticed a minute or two had passed and his headache had also abated. He saw his mana bar had the number 6 next to it now and assumed his headache would improve further as his mana recovered.
Mental note, mana headaches are a thing. Ziggy, can you please remind me when my mana is getting low?
[Mr. Lather would you like me to display a warning message when you’re low on mana?]
Yes, and while I don’t know what reaction points are please add one for when they get low as well.
[Affirmative]
Andrew gingerly got to his feet and started to explore the room he was in. It was a massive room, likely the largest room he had ever been in. He wasn’t even sure how it could be this large as he had only gone 10s of meters down the hallway, but this room looked like it stretched for hundreds of meters in the direction he had come. His best guess was this was a practical and mundane application of that space magic Biaobela had spoken of.
What was the name? Monocoolian was it?
[Molokian is the name you are looking for Mr. Lather]
Ah thank you zigs!
As he moved further into the room he walked up to a series of hexagonal containers, which had no other container stacked on top. This stood out as almost every other row of containers was stacked at least ten high. Each container in this series had a green glow at the base. They were made of some rich heavily grained wood and glass or some other translucent material. The sides alternated wood then glass then wood around the container. As he approached the first of the containers, he saw that it was filled with a milky green fluid, and suspended in the fluid was what appeared to be a human or elf. The green fluid was murky enough that he couldn’t tell which it was, though this one appeared to be female based on the silhouette.
Ziggy, do you see a way or anything we might use to open these?
[According to Bob, the only way to open these is through the use of Okusiga. It states that you do not possess the strength nor the magical aptitude to open these through any other method.]
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Who’s Bob?
[That is the name the Apanean Worm has taken for itself.]
So, it’s a male? Also, why Bob of all names? Also please verify that Okusiga is mental magic.
[It has assured me that it is neither male nor female exclusively. As they have both sets of sexual organs. When I asked why it chose Bob, it informed me that it was the only unisex name that it found acceptable. I have informed it repeatedly that Bob is not a unisex name, it has assured me that I am incorrect.
Okusiga is the Ikolis which focuses on mental magics.]
Do you and Bob converse regularly?
[We are directly interfaced. It also wishes me to thank you for freeing it from its Elven captors and allowing it to explore itself in ways most of its kind are not allowed to as they are normally rendered almost non-sentient by the elven magics which control them. Without this freedom it would never know its name was Bob for instance or that it aspires to be a galaxy renown ballerina one day.]
Umm, tell Bob it’s welcomed? Though this feels like something we should discuss more when I’m not about to be recaptured by a band of elven creepers.
[Agreed, Bob would like me to inform you that the boxes in red are empty and unlocked. Boxes in green are full and can be either locked or unlocked depending on the contents within and boxes in yellow are partially full and are generally unlocked.]
Thanks Bob!
Unable to free the humanoids in the containers near him, Andrew proceeded further into the room. There he found his first yellow outlined box, but he couldn’t figure out how to open it.
Bob, how do I open these?
[Bob, says you open them with Okusiga as it told you before.]
Please inform Bob that I have no powers from that school.
[Mr. Lather, Bob has asked me to inform you that what is about to happen might hurt.]
What might………..
[Low Mana warning.]
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” Andrew screamed as it felt like his skull was splitting in two starting right between his eyes, he clutched his head before falling bonelessly to the floor.
After another minute or two of mana regeneration, his headache once again subsided, but it still felt like his brain was bruised as there was a dull ache at what he could best describe as the membrane between each side of his brain.
What did Bob do exactly? Andrew thought as he shakily got back to his feet.
[Bob has informed me that it utilized your remaining mana to forcefully open the pathways in your brain and soul to allow you the use of your first Okusiga power.]
[
Connected Minds
Common
Basic Okusiga power. Allows mind connections with other beings, sentient or otherwise, and with Okusiga enabled magical items
None
]
Wait Bob can enable powers for me?
[Yes and no. It only opened a pathway that was already laid out. It believes by the elven god.]
Wait could it have opened a death or life power?
[Bob says it likely could force open a Moti (death) power, but highly recommends not to attempt to unlock another power now or it is very sure you’ll end up irrevocably damaged. It also highly recommends not attempting to do so again for 7 years to avoid irrevocable mental and/or soul damage. It goes on to point out that these powers will likely open themselves up as the host grows in power and will do so without risking soul damage. It was only willing to risk it because it doesn’t want you to get captured and have its identity taken away from it again.]
Wait it risked damaging my soul?
[Bob says this time it was only a small chance though it did, for lack of a better word, bruise your soul pretty badly which is why it recommends waiting.]
Thank you, Bob. I really hope I didn’t sound ungrateful.
[Bob, says it understands and says you’re more than welcome. It says get a move on or we’ll get caught.]
With that Andrew concentrated his mind on opening the box, but nothing happened. After a few moments trying different versions of this, he gave up.
I hate to bug you Bob, but what’s the trick?
[Bob informs me that you likely need to connect to the box first.]
Well duh Lather, that makes sense.
With that Andrew concentrated on trying to connect his mind to the box. To his surprise, a purple line wandered out of his head and connected to the box. Andrew then thought into that line “Open”, and the box with an audible hiss opened up. The lid magically lifted all the containers above it effortlessly. A pleasant warm white glow emanated from inside of the box.
As Andrew peered over the edge, he saw what looked like little vials filled with a red liquid that glowed green to his magical sight.
[Bob informs me they are, Minor Healing potions]
Wow Bob I’m surprisingly happy you got implanted in my head. How do you know what it is?
[Bob says, as this is a standard potion, it knows what it is from memory. If for some reason it did not know it could query the Veba to find out, but as that might reveal our position it advises against it.]
What's the Veba?
[The magical equivalent of the internet.]
Without further delay, Andrew excitedly reached in and immediately grabbed an arm full before he realized an issue. He had no pockets or any other way to easily carry them.
“Ziggy please remember the location of this container.”
[Affirmative, should I put a marker on your map?]
“Yes, thank you!”
A green diamond appeared on his mini map. Andrew giddily went from box to box trying to open them and see what he could find. It was like a particularly cool easter egg hunt, where the eggs were easy to find, but you had no clue what you might find. He had found food, potions, and clothing, but nothing he could fit into or that had pockets. He had gone through a handful of containers when he found a single container surrounded by green that was different than the others in that the lid was locked with a magic that gave a pale tan glow to his senses. He tried first to open it as normal and while he heard a click, as he expected it didn’t open. He was about to walk away when he decided to try one last thing and pushed his will against the magic on the lid. The spell shattered and with a hiss, the box opened.
Inside were a number of empty coin purses with intricate symbols covering the outside. Each of them glowed with a strong magenta aura. Ziggy highlighted each with a label.
[Minor Bag of Storage]
“Bags of Holding are real!!!” Andrew blurted before nervously restraining his inner nerd.
A grin grew on Andrew’s face, and he started to grab as many as he could hold.
[Bob would like me to inform you that with the current power of your soul, you will not be able to utilize more than two at a time and unless you want to be sucked out into the void of space you should not attempt to store one bag within another bag.]
Thanks again Bob!
Andrew wanted to get a few more, even if he couldn’t use them, but as he didn’t have a belt or pockets, he settled to hold one in each hand and have Ziggy once again mark this one on his mini map.
With the bags in hand, he returned to grab mana and healing potions. He didn’t want to take too many in fear of getting caught but he also didn’t want to end up regretting he hadn’t taken more, so after some debate he decided on 20 of each type. As he put the first potion into the bag, he noticed that the potion disappeared the moment it breached the bag’s opening and long before his hand went into the bag itself. It was at that point that he realized he had no clue how to retrieve items from these bags. Did he merely reach in, and it magically produced the item he wanted, or did he have to fish around for the items?
When he tried to reach into the sack though he found his had blocked from entering the bag. He wondered if it was protective magic to ensure his hand or even his entire body, didn’t get stored by the bag by accident. Next, he put his right hand at the opening and thought of what he wanted. To his amazement, the potion reappeared where he could easily grab it. He stored the potion once more and then went to work putting the rest into his new storage devices.
Once he finished with the potions, he proceeded to a food crate and loaded up with about 100 food and water cubes each.
Is there a way to see what is stored in each bag?
[I have tracked what you have put into each and can display for you the items in each bag, either as a table of item names and quantities or as a video game inventory. You can also ask me if an item is currently in one of your bags as well.]
Awesome, thank you Ziggy, what would I do without you?
[You’re welcome and you’d likely forget many things that are important to you. Such as your Wife’s birthday or what day it is.]
As he opened a new container, he was pleasantly surprised to see what must have been a thousand versions of the same belt and on the opposite side was a similar number of shoes, but as he was carrying the bags in his hands and barefoot he was happy they were there. Quickly reaching in to retrieve them.
He was disappointed at first because all of the shoes were long but extremely narrow. Too narrow for his foot so he ignored those and grabbed a belt. Yet when he started to put the belt on, he found that it was 15 or 16 centimeters too short to even clasp, but before he could give up he saw a magenta glow, and the belt extended to the perfect length. Next, he picked back up his bags to try to figure out how he might attach them to the belt, he was happily taken off guard as he brought the first bag close to the belt, and with a pale tan glow, the bag moved to a convenient spot on the belt where, with a green glow, a loop of leather grew around the bag’s neck. Leaving just enough of the top loose to make it possible to access the contents of the bag.
It struck Andrew that he assumed that these items worked like a D&D bag of holding, but he had not tested this theory and he was treated with a vision, in his head, of dimensional bags filled with shattered glass and magical goop. Luckily, he found his first assumption was right and that no matter how much he shook the bag it didn’t seem to impact the contents within.
After testing this theory Andrew decided to test another, he moved his foot near the opening of a left shoe and with a magenta glow the shoe grew to the proper size. Andrew was not surprised that, like the bed, these were the most comfortable shoes he had ever tried.
With his new equipment donned, he started to move to a crate rimmed in yellow nearby. As he did, he was surprised to find that he could feel every deviation underfoot, yet not in an uncomfortable way. It was as he stopped to look at his shoes, his heart stopped for a moment. The now familiar sound of an elven door opening and the telltale hiss as the air equalized between both rooms echoed through the chamber. Without a thought he ran towards the crate, in doing so finding that his new shoes made no sound even while he ran. Instinctively Andrew activated his blur skill, thankful he had recovered enough not to have to deal with another mana headache.
As he approached the crate, he reached his mind out and connected with the crate at a distance and commanded it to open. Just as the crate’s lid opened enough for Andrew to pass, he dove for the opening. The lower gravity allowed him to sail rather fast and easily the remaining distances before he landed in the crate and sent a command for it to close. Like the food crates he had found, this one had a few small vents. Upon noticing these he realized how foolish his move had been. What if he had dove into an air-tight crate and couldn’t get it out?
He breathed out in relief when the glow coming through the vent changed from yellow to green. He was also excited when he found that the only other item in the crate, other than himself, was a longsword in a beautifully crafted sheath. To his surprise, he found that in his movements it had already somehow attached itself to his belt. Which could be convenient if he needed it in a hurry, at the moment it was anything but convenient as it made it impossible to move without banging it on the container’s side.
The Elves were talking as they approached his crate and Andrew found that he had started to instinctually hold is breath and had activated his blur power. He immediately deactivated it as he was pretty sure it was not helping him hide in a crate.
“Did you happen to hear how this human was able to escape?” said a female voice.
“No, I think someone let it out of its cage on purpose. I mean it had to be, the only time one of these things has previously been able to escape was when those disgusting trolls freed a few of them out of some misguided belief that they were helping the humans out” said a second female voice.
“I will be more than annoyed if this is just some test, and the human was either let out so the higher-ups could see how we react or if there is no human at all. My bet is latter,“said a male voice.
“I had the same thought. This is just at test to see how thorough we are, “said the first female voice.
“Let us check these boxes and get out of here then. Wait the report said he only knows Cinetica correct?” Said the second female.
“That is what the report said. Wait, this really must be just a test. There are only two humans ever that know Cinetica and I was just watching them this morning. They are on the other side of the building, “responded the first female in a huff as they approached his crate.
Andrew was attempting to stay as still as possible, but thanks to the sword he was in a pretty awkward position, and staying still was becoming more difficult by the second. A river of sweat seemed to have formed from his scalp and had begun to run into his eyes.
Yes yes, there is no human, give up and go back to whatever sexually repressed activity you find fun.
As if he had commanded them, the elves moved further into the room, and when he felt they were far enough away he finally allowed himself to get situated. As he guessed, willing the sword to remove itself worked, but Andrew’s heart stopped as it thumped rather loudly against the crate as it did. Once he heard the elves still moving away from him, he got situated more comfortably and waited until he couldn’t hear the Elves any longer. He was just about to sneak out of the crate and the room when he heard the second female elf’s voice once more. They had moved far enough that he could actually see each of them through one of the vents on his container. They were idly “looking” around.
“I told you he could not get into the door to this place. You know those dumb humans can never see our doors much less use them.”
“Yeah, but I do not want to be the one who missed a pathetic human. Do you? “Asked the male elf.
“Definitely not!” both women responded in unison before all three elves froze for a moment as the purple lines connecting them to their masters started to pulse rapidly. Simultaneously, a red energy coalesced around each of their hands.