Right, I almost forgot about the quest that I added to the system. I wanted to see if I could make the system work while I was alive. No dice. I wanted to speak to the dead for mostly two reasons. One, I have never found any believable stories about someone speaking to the dead. I wanted to be the first to ever accomplish the feet and record the results. Two I wanted to get information about the afterlife to develop my system even further.
Lets see if the system can give me any information about the mysterious I would find myself in.
Max
Level:
1
Spirit energy:
100/100
Class: Unassigned
Skills: Rapid Regeneration
‘What am I made out of?’
Max
Level:
1
Spirit energy:
100/100
Class: Unassigned
Skills: Rapid Regeneration
Ya, didn't think that would work ‘Administrator’.
Administrator privileges
Passward
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Hmm lets see… oh how about my old password. ‘Captain’. Captain was going to be my name for the system. but I decided the system was more self explanatory.
Admin permissions now active
Admin
Search
Vote
Contacts
System settings
They really kept the same password. I mean. I was dead for who knows how long before the afterlife was integrated with the system. So, they probably thought I was lost in the void.
Let's see. I reach my hand out to touch system settings. My hand goes right through. I don't think this is a dead thing. The system was designed to be mental so I think the screen is just in my eyes. Alright then ‘system settings’.
System settings
General
Spirit memories
Spirit energy
Level
I spend some time going through some of the settings. General setting is where you can change how the system operates. Size, speed, and many other minor details. Selecting anything in the general settings gives a message.
System settings
Must get 4 out of 10 votes from the originals to change system speed.
Are these the controls for the entire system? Maybe they need to vote on things for a check and balance or something. Are the originals the ones that changed my system? I'll ask Alex later. Going back to system settings I select levels.
System settings
Must get 10 out of 10 votes from the originals to be permitted level access.
Selecting memories and spirit energy gives me a similar message. Most of that was useless. It did give me some information though. Mostly about these originals, and that fact I need their permission to change things.
“Hey my wife made…” Alex began barging through the door literally he just walked straight through. “Why are you sitting in a chair?”
Looking up I notice I'm resting on the floor, my head is sitting a little over the seat of the office chair. The rest of me was in the wheels or base.
“I went to sit down and fell right through.” I feel a little embarrassed.
“ I think I can give you a few tips.” Alex chuckled.
I can't help but give him a slight glare before standing up.
“Sorry,” he chuckled again.
“You were saying something about tips?”
“Oh right, if you use your spirit energy to fill your body you can interact with stuff. But, it does use up spirit energy so be careful not to use all of it.”
“What happens if someone uses all their spirit energy?”
“They disappear. It's what spirits call death, when you run out of energy and disappear into the void.”
“How come I could sit and eat at the table with you and Emily but not this chair?”
“That is because it gets annoying to have to use spirit energy in order to touch every little thing. Now we have begun infusing things with spirit energy. This allows us to interact without needing to fill ourselves with spirit energy.”
That makes sense. Instead of having to constantly be draining spirit energy in order to touch something. Someone can buy things that already have spirit energy in them.
“Why didn't I see anyone alive while I was outside?”
“That is because we are not in their world. We are in an astral realm, they are in a real one. If we use spirit energy we can influence things in the real world. But that takes energy and tipping a bottle over doesn't really mean much. If people saw that they would just assume a small earthquake or their cat.”
“What are the originals?” I ask.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Alex frowns briefly “how do you know about the originals?”
“Knife man said something about them.” I lied
Alex, now confused, answers, “the originals are the people who designed the system. This was centuries before I was even born. When did the knife man say that?”
“Something about the difference in power between old and new spirits or something,” I lied again. It could get complicated if he knew I could access the systems admin privileges.
“Oh right, here” Alex, who I hadn't realized was holding something, hands me a cup. “My wife made some juice.”
“Thanks” I take a sip. I was half expecting it to be mysterious like the new world I'm in. But it's just some orange juice. pretty good though.
“Find any questions?” Alex asks.
“How do I change my appearance? It would get annoying if everytime I go outside someone calls me old and attempts to attack me.”
“Very true. Channel about forty to fifty spirit energy into yourself and think about each part that you want to change.”
“Alright.”
Channeling spirit energy is easier than I thought it would be. It was natural, all I had to do was will it where I wanted it. Willing about sixty spirit energy into my entire body, I decided to go from top to bottom. Starting with my hair I decided to keep it slightly long and black just above my eyes.
Spirit energy
90//100
For my face I decided a clean shaven twenty something would be nice.
Spirit energy
80/100
Hmm… what shirt would go well with a lab coat. black wouldn't be bad. Might as well make the pants a darker blue jean. This gives a kind of professional and casual feel to it like a doctor or businessman, with a lab coat. Either way it mixes professionalism with casualness.
Spirit energy
60/100
For the shoes let's just go some black slip ons.
Spirit energy
55/100
“Interesting look you're going for.” Alex commented. “Kind of like a mad scientist.”
“I was going for more of a causal professionalism but mad scientist has an appeal of its own.” Turning my gaze on Alex. “Speaking of looks, why all the blue?”
“A few reasons. One, blue always gives a feeling of peace. Not to mention I just like blue.”
“Alex, I have a few questions.”
“Ask away, no promises I can answer all of them.”
Talking to Alex answered a lot of questions. Turns out getting stabbed doesn't kill you. The only way for a spirit to die is if they completely run out of spirit energy. The only way to hurt a spirit is to disperse their bodies with energy. All that does is break them allowing them to reform somewhere else like some kind of respawn. To keep it simple people just call it resurrection. Everytime someone resurrects they lose some spirit energy. Absorbing this spirit energy allows people to grow stronger. It's kind of a weird process. You stab someone, eat their soul and get stronger by doing so.
“I think I'm going to take a walk. Get a feel for this new world,” I say walking towards the door.
Emily who is now sitting on the couch offered, “you are welcome to come back and stay with us for a while.” She takes a sip of orange juice before placing it on her knee. She wore blue jeans with an oversized red sweatshirt that complements her red hair and eyes.
“We get bored, teaching a new spirit might be fun,” Alex added.
Going out the door I decided to head the opposite way from where I ran into knife guy. This world is strange. It's almost empty. Every now and then I would spot a mostly see-through person walking down the road or entering a building. It lacked all the usual noise and population of a city.
As I got deeper into town I noticed differences from what I'm used to. Many cars looked unusual, most a different type or brand than I remember there being. All of them electric. It appeared as if Tesla took over car manufacturing for the entire country. Most sleek with a kind of rounded look. It wasn't just the cars either; the roads were more clean and smooth. Usually they are filled with cracks. It's possible this road is new but everywhere I look I see the same perfection.
“How long have I been dead?” I monologue while walking around a corner.
“Doesn't really matter, you're going to be dead again soon.” A familiar sinister voice draws my attention. He is standing directly in front of me. With him a small gang of around five guys. A few were carrying swords.
“Knife guy?” I ask.
“Who? My name is Jack,” knife guy responds.
“Huh, must be the wrong guy then.” I say beginning to walk past them.
“Wait,” Jack steps in front of me blocking my path. “It has to be you.”
“No, I think you have the wrong guy. I have never seen you before in my life.”
Jack looks confused. “You just called me a knife guy.”
“Did I? Must have been a mistake.” I plaster on the best confused look I could muster.
“Jack, I'm not sure this is the guy.” A big bald man wearing… Kung fu clothes? That's the best way I could describe the robes. They had pictures of people fighting and martial arts moves covering the entire thing.
“It's the guy, who else would wear a lab coat?” Jack spat.
“Didn't you say he was old?” another said. This one was shorter, had messy blond hair and a casual look to him.
“So he figured out how to change his appearance.” Jack counters. “Let's jump him and take his energy.”
“But we are out here to take revenge, we should get the right guy.” Kung fu robes said.
“I'm the one. who saw this guy. I am. Saying. this. is. the guy.” Jack said, biting off his words.
“Now that's not the proper way to remove your enemies.” Another man wearing a black suit and tie walks up from behind Jack.
“Boss,” all six say at once.
“Put these on him and take him back to base.” Jack's boss hands the crew a pair of handcuffs.
“Boss, these are highly illegal.” Jack said.
“It's fine, just don't get caught.” the boss said. “Now cuff him and bring him back.”
Not wanting to go on a field trip, I immediately turn around and make a run for it. Turns out I'm slow. Jack now glowing slightly with a yellow hue flashes in front of me at superhuman speeds. I barely had enough time to blink. My attempts at throwing a punch are sidestepped. It didn't take much after that to be surrounded, cuffed and dragged down the road.
Now in a small room and cuffed with spirit energy infused cuffs I can't just pass right through. The chair I'm on is similarly solid. Well, this might be a great introduction to the world. if. This is what it's like.
“Boss, isn't this a little far for killing Jack earlier?” Blondy asks.
“One, he saw your face, if he wants revenge someday that could cause a problem in the future. We still have business to do. Being outlaws would only hurt us. Besides we already got him in spirit infused handcuffs.”
“That's the thing, boss. If we didn't put him in handcuffs, we might not be breaking important laws.”
“It's about reputation, killing a new spirit isn't an issue because they would just resurrect. But, coming at him again makes us look obsessive. We lost to a new spirit now you go after him again in broad daylight of all times.” Boss scolds.
“But it wasn't this spirit that killed me.” Jack said. Sounding sheepish
“That doesn't matter. All people will remember is you attacked a new spirit and failed.” Boss’s frustration was obvious.
And here I thought listening to Alex and Emily argue was awkward. How am I supposed to get out of this? I can feel the energy in the cuffs. This energy feels like glue. It sticks to the cuffs before hardening. I can still use spirit energy. I can infuse my hand with it but that doesn't do anything. The spirit energy of the cuffs doesn't react at all.
“Alright, I created a barrier. His energy shouldn’t be able to escape the barrier so he should resurrect in that same chair. we can kill him however many times it takes.” Boss says, stepping back, “Jack you're up.”
Like hell I'm dying again. Lets see about these cuffs. The cuffs are infused with energy. Spirits like to manipulate energy. Why can’t I just... Using my spirit energy I try to stick it to the energy in the cuffs. Nothing happens, my spirit energy feels like it's poking a solid rock.
Jack now closes the distance, knife in hand. Before he looked uneasy. At first I thought it was because he was about to kill a man in cold blood. But now with the slight glee in his eyes, it was about getting in trouble with the boss. The boss must be high up in the scumbag ladder. All the lackeys look nervous when asking questions.
He's getting close, probably the last chance I have to figure this shit out. The only thing I can think of is controlling the spirit energy in the cuff. But how do I do that? The only spirit energy I can control is my own. People have to infuse them somehow. Do they just shove their energy in it and never touch it again? I bet they have a way.
Jack now in the barrier raises his knife and cuts me straight down the middle. My body gave little resistance. He cut so fast and deep my regeneration skill didn't have time to activate. Why didn't he do that the first time? Maybe to show off?
Spirit energy
30/100
That actually hurt a bit. more like stubbing a toe hurt but the feeling of being torn apart without pain was odd. But I think I figured something out. Why can't I use others' spirit energy? They are both spirit energy, or so I thought. To infuse an item with spirit energy you have to make it like glue. Like the chair for example. To make it, someone has to turn their spirit energy into a sticky substance and cover the entire chair in it. Same with the handcuffs. If I mold my spirit energy to be exactly like the cuffs, I should be able to touch it.
Studying the cuffs I mentally mark every detail about the spirit energy. All the while Jack is raising his knife. The spirit energy is hard to my touch but sticky to the cuffs. Molding my spirit energy into a similar makeup has no effect. What am I missing? I feel a slight energy emanate from it. Different from spirit energy it's some kind of sub element like Jack's electricity. Probably a craftsman or some other class specific energy. Either way it doesn't matter. I force my spirit energy into something new. It's not spirit energy it feels different. Like its purpose is durability. Shoving my new energy into the cuffs I feel the two stick together. Like glue they fuse. I use the new energy to move the substance from the top of the cuffs.
The cuffs fall and I immediately jump out of the chair. Missing the knife coming down by a hair's breadth. Not waiting for the other spirits to regain themselves I use twenty spirit energy to form a katana. The first sword I could think of.
Spirit energy
10/100
No more second chances, one death and that's it. The event took less than a second. grabbing my sword I head straight for the boss. Cutting off their leadership should stagger them. The surprise on the boss's face was evident. It took only a step for me to close the distance. In that time he had summoned a sword of his own. The boss’s black, long sword made an attempt to block. The long blade and the close proximity to me was just a little too slow. My sword slashing through him. The boss is now disappearing. I turn my attention to the lackeys.
Three of the lackeys summon a variety of swords while the others start forming power between their hands. Jack, using his speed, zips behind me and aims a strike at my back. Not even glancing at him, I dash towards the lackey that was growing a fireball in his hands. The little room, not taking many steps to close the distance to the spirit. Striking him the spirit disappears leaving behind a slight glow. The other mage immediately ran back cowering behind the two sword wielders.
Reaching my hand out I begin absorbing the energy lingering in the air.
Spirit energy
20/100
One more and I might be able to resurrect.