[Message]
Congratulations! You have unlocked a hidden lifestyle!
Lifestyle Unlocked: Hedge Wizard [Red Necromancer]
As an individual completely untrained in the ways of magic, you may only acquire a fraction of the knowledge provided within this book. You will need to locate other tomes of knowledge on the practice of necromancy to increase your skill naturally, or become the student of a red necromancy master. Alternatively, you may pay the cost to upgrade your new lifestyle at your home point.
Warning: Currently you have the Shroom Soldier lifestyle equipped. You will either need to change your lifestyle at your home point, or acquire a new lifestyle slot at the Battledome to access the powers found within this book.
[--]
Scott started to speak, but before he could say anything the message disappeared and a new one appeared. His grin became wild and ridiculous after he saw what else was provided by this discovery.
[Message]
Congratulations! You have unlocked a new world-setting!
World-Setting Unlocked: Fear Rune – The Abandoned Realms
Warning: You may not enter this realm freely until you have accepted and completed the introductory mission in this setting. You must accept this mission now in order to keep this world-setting active. As with any introductory mission, it will be a solo mission. However, no time will pass in the current setting while you undertake the mission.
Do you wish to enter the Abandoned Realms? [Yes | No]
[--]
"That's a hell yes, right there," said Scott. There was no way that he would pass up that sort of opportunity. Though, it was odd that it was offered to him instead of it being forced upon him.
A new world-setting would provide new opportunities. It sucked that he could not take his associates with him, but it made sense. All of the new world-settings that he unlocked were like that. Technically, even Dead Men Walking had given him an introductory mission. From the way that the message was worded, it seemed that he either accepted here and now, or lost the chance.
So far, all of the introductory missions were reasonably simple to complete. Scott chose to enter the brave new world. A moment later, bright red light flared from the book and Scott disappeared from the room.
The customary tunnel of light appeared before him as he flew through time and space toward another reality. This time, he did not scream. Instead, he merely laughed and enjoyed the ride. For once, it was his decision!
However, just as he reached the end of the light show, he froze in place. A new screen appeared before him.
[Message]
Warning: Fear Rune – The Abandoned Realms restricts access to items created through technology of a higher grade than the production facilities of the realm.
As a champion, you may override this restriction. However, your current level is insufficient to allow you to access banned equipment.
You are currently playing on [Normal Mode]. Introductory mission difficulty will be adjusted accordingly.
[--]
Scott barely had time to cry out in surprise as he shot out through the end of the tunnel. He was now as naked as the day he was born, and felt the hard stone impact his ass with far greater force than he was accustomed. He felt every bump and bruise left behind by his disgraceful entrance into the abandoned realms.
"Seriously man... What the hell?" he asked.
He looked around to see what was going on, but discovered little in the way of useful visual information. He was in what appeared to be a natural cavern dimly lit by glowing fungus.
Once he stood up, the world seemed to go black and white once more. The introductory mission screen popped up before him. Upon reading it, his stomach twisted into a knot. "Oh, fuck me sideways..."
[Mission Briefing]
You have unlocked the world setting [Fear Rune – The Abandoned Realms]. Time is currently frozen at your home point, and your previous world location [Dead Men Walking], in relation to your comprehension of said phenomenon.
This world setting is considered a [Premium World]. There are special rules in place that may run counter to your normal champion experience.
Caution: These special rules will only be in effect in this world setting.
It's totally cool to forget that, though. We don't mind.
--
In order to leave this world, you must complete the following tasks:
- Locate the Burning Heart of Saelil Lothuialeth.
- Escape from the Underworld with the Burning Heart of Saelil Lothuialeth.
- Bring the Burning Heart of Saelil Lothuialeth safely to the city of Roscaliane on the west coast of Aschwere, and use the burning heart to light the [Crimson Beacon].
Difficulty: E-2
World Type: Dark Epic Fantasy
Force Response Authorization: Solo Mission
Primary Goal: Light the Crimson Beacon of Roscaliane with the Heart of Lothuialeth.
Time Limit: None [Feel free to try and rush things, though.]
-Your final score will heavily depend on how much time is spent completing the task.
-If you take too long, you may be penalized.
-In extreme instances you may actually lose experience points.
-The average time for completion of a task of this magnitude is less than one month.
Special Restrictions: Items crafted from processes unknown to this world are restricted.
Special Champion Feature: ??? [Locked]
Reward: 400 EXP | [Special Bonus]
[--]
Scott ran his hand down his face. He was naked, alone on an alien world, and had less than one month to escort a burning heart to a place he had never been. Worse, the difficulty rating was the same as his story mission!
"Well, damn," he said. Life was never easy, was it? He could take as long as he liked to actually complete the task, but the end result would be disastrous if he took too much time. Worse the possibility existed that the less than one month suggestion was just something to keep him motivated.
What if the average time specified was considered a failure by the dill-holes who ran the system? It seemed like something that they might do. No, he needed to do this as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Nothing else to do at the moment, he shrugged and began to explore the area. The ancient dust in the underground cavern was reluctant to give up its long rest. It barely rose into the air as Scott slipped quietly along the darkened area.
The oppressive atmosphere hung heavily about the place as Scott walked the tunnels. In the background he heard noises, the sound of skittering claws and the heavy breathing of a beast. Though he saw nothing, it was as though a monster would pounce on him at any moment.
For quite some time, only the atmospheric noise, and the sound of his footfalls reached his ears. It was as though the place was as abandoned as its name. The omnipresent darkness, and the skittering of unseen creatures weighed heavily on his mind.
He fought back against a slowly rising sense of fear, as he tread carefully forward. Naked, deprived of his equipment, and with only slightly higher than human capacity, Scott had not been this close to the edge of death since his first foray into the game itself.
Up ahead a fork in the tunnel caught his attention. Which path did he choose? There was no handy map, no instructions beyond a requirement to handle his quest.
"Shit, do I use my dick as a divining rod?" muttered Scott as he tried to decide his route. He could go to the left, or veer upward and to the right.
Eventually, he opted to head right. Upwards seemed like a good direction.
Scott walked up the steep embankment and quickly ascended to a location high above the tunnel floor. He turned the corner and came face-to face with a grinning skull. He barely had time to scream and throw his arms up to block before a large rusty war axe slammed downward with brutal force. He took a terrible blow to the chest that split his rib cage open like an overripe melon.
Blood showered from h
is mortal wound, even as his body was knocked back by the terrible power of the blow. He was sent hurtling over the side of the tunnel path. His life's blood rose upward from the wounds as he fell, and then splattered down atop him once he hit the cold unforgiving ground below.
The light rapidly faded from his field of vision, but his sense of hearing remained intact long enough for him to hear the booming laughter of a mad man. Just before his life ended, Scott heard a soft sibilant whisper. "Welcome to the abandoned realms..."
Darkness, all-encompassing, darkness. The nothingness of oblivion was all that he knew for a time. In truth, it was all that he should have known forevermore. Yet, there was more to his existence after its end.
The quiet of the grave was interrupted by a strange vision. It was a dark twisted thing made of writhing shadows and the wailing echoes of lost souls screaming in despair. When he awoke from his night terror, he was immediately greeted by the sight of a bright blue message screen.
[Message]
Special Champion Feature Unlocked: Hunger of the Lost
You are now empty, desolate, an abandoned soul... If you would know the sweet taste of life once more, seek ye the burning heart. Light the beacon... Fill the gnawing hunger that seeks to devour your mind and leave you lost in the eternal night.
You who have tasted death may die a thousand deaths more, and yet never see your end. Seek the heart, and return it, or become the forgotten dust of memories long gone.
[--]
Scott blinked slowly at the screen then looked down. His body was strange, pale even in the dim light of the fungus.
"This— It's familiar," Scott frowned slightly then shook his head. His untimely death had led to another chance, somehow. He didn't want to squander it.
He immediately set out again, but found his movements sluggish. His body felt heavy. Why, it was as though the very life had gone out of it.
He staggered down the tunnel until he once again reached the fork in the path. Something on the ground up ahead caught his attention. Scott went to inspect it then shuddered at the sight. "Damn... That's me," he said.
His destroyed body remained where it fell. He nearly missed it, but within the center of his former body's chest Scott saw a tiny glimmer of light. Curious, he reached out to it. The blue-white light rose upward from the ruined corpse and flowed into his finger.
The sibilant whisper returned. "EXP retrieved."
Scott's eyes widened comically even as his jaw dropped. "No..."
He stood up then backed away from the corpse. Things were beginning to click into place. His suspicions were aroused. He checked off a list of the things that he had discovered about this world so far. "Restricted start, dying easily, respawn after death, and finding my corpse to retrieve EXP..."
Breathing rapidly, he brought his hand to his face and pressed heavily. He shook his head briefly, and then began to laugh. It was not a joyous thing. It was the laughter of the deranged, of the man marked for death.
In his growing madness he cried aloud, "Mother fucking dark souls!"
Scott never even finished his deranged laugh before a large rusty axe split his skull open. The Forgotten Warrior from above had been drawn out by the noise.
Oblivion claimed Scott once more, but it would not hold him for long. He would die, and die, and die forever unless he figured out the next best move to take. Welcome to the abandoned realms, indeed.
Chapter 6
The stirring of dust and the shifting of rubble signified the return of life, or at least its semblance. Scott slowly rose from the ancient dirt coating the cavern floor, further exciting the dust particles in the air. His movements created a temporary cloud that would have partially obscured him from sight, had anyone been in the area to witness his revival.
Creaking in protest as the abuse leveled at it, his body balked at every movement. The burden of his rise was tremendous, and took all of the will that he could muster in his state of weakness and confusion.
"Dammit!" he hissed. A moment later he muttered, "Every time I die I come back weaker."
The second death came during his outburst of laughter. He deserved it, but the difference between his last revival and the current one was obvious. It was a chore to even stand up at first.
"How the hell do I make it out of here if I have to stagger like a fucking zombie?" he asked, before he started forward. His body moved in jerking motions, like a walking corpse that battled rigor mortis at every passing moment.
It felt like hours passed for the man as he made his way down the tunnel. The pattern of movement from the rise and fall of his feet came at odd intervals. Every few dozen steps he stopped and leaned heavily against the wall.
Scott fought back against the frustration, and the fear, welling up inside. He was no fanboy of this supposed series. He'd played Dark Souls and its sequels. He enjoyed the attempt at bringing back old school difficulty to role playing games, but he was not someone who obsessed over the lore and gameplay.
He purchased a new game in the series whenever the latest iteration was released, but beyond that he only held mild desires for his experiences in that game world. Simple completion of the games, and farting around with different character builds was all he truly ever wanted out of the series. He did not even bother with the PVP element of game play very often. For that matter, he didn't even bother with too many of the side quests in most of the games.
He took a deep breath then calmed himself by speaking aloud. "It might not be Dark Souls, but it's similar. Don't let yourself play into the hype, man. Those games were never really difficult for you, and you know it."
It was true. Dark Souls games were hard in comparison to the hand-holding overhyped games of the modern era, but there were games in existence that would test the patience of even a saint.
Scott took a deep breath then hyped himself up once more, "They're just a test of patience, memory, and timing. Think, Scott. Think. You never once needed someone to help you with a boss fight, much less get out of the damned tutorial area of one of those games!"
He slapped himself across the face a few times and took a few calming breaths. Between the pain and the hype, he found the strength to go on.
The creaking and wheezing champion was troubled mightily even to think clearly, however. Those two deaths in rapid succession did something to him, something that concerned him greatly. It was like every aspect of his being was greatly reduced. His resolve to push forward was all that he held his mind intact, currently.
Eventually, he made his way back to the fork in the tunnel. After collecting his lost EXP, he immediately chose to go left. The sight of two dead versions of himself lying on the ground made his skin crawl. The second one looked sort of dehydrated. It was like the vital fluids of his body were drawn out of him.
Dismissing the morbid thoughts that entered his mind, he continued on to the left. At least that route would lead to something different. His movements were jerky, but he did his best to move quietly. The last thing that he wanted to do was alert the axe wielding asshole up above on the right.
The new direction led him to a precipice overlooking a dark underground river. On the other side there were several corpses and a few glowing lights.
"Shit," mumbled Scott under his breath. How deep was the water? Was there something living in the river? How fast did it flow? He had no answer to any of these questions. Not from his current vantage point, at least.
Scott leaned over the side of the ridge and looked down. There was no sign of movement, but in the darkness of the cavern it was hard to see. The fungus lit up the area to a tolerable degree, but it also cast long shadows that hid many secrets.
After searching the area, he found a dangerous route down to the ground below. He hopped down to a ledge to the left side of the ridge. The shock of the fall caused him to gasp aloud. The life seemingly drained from his body due to the impact. It was a disturbing, and frightful sensation.
"Dammit. I'll kill myself before I eve
n get down there," he muttered. The sort of drops he now took were the type of thing that he would have completely ignored before. For that matter, with his hit points intact he would have simply leapt from the top ledge. He suspected that the few of them that he had left after multiple deaths were not enough to keep him from serious injury if he tried such a thing.
The next drop was shorter, and caused no extensive pain. However the final drop was twice the distance of the first. Scott bit his lower lip then growled a little. It was a dangerous prospect, but what choice did he have?
After a moment of reflection, he hopped down then gasped loudly when his feet struck the ground. Intense pain radiated up through his body, and the shock of the impact caused him to fall back onto his corpse white ass.
Humiliation added to injury, he landed on a bit of rusting metal that caused him to hiss out a string of obscenities. Why were shards of metal just lying around in the one place his ass had landed? What manner of justice was there in this damnable world?
Scott hesitatingly pulled the offending materials from his ass while he took in his surroundings. It was unlikely that there would be any dangerous creatures down here, outside of the river. If there were, they would have come for him due to all of the noise that he'd made. Still, there was no sense in not at least attempting some level of caution.
Galactic Fist of Legend: Volume 2 Page 9