My mind wanders back to what could have been seconds ago or years ago. A clean red bed in a room filled with the thrumming of pillars that would continuously scan my form for imperfections. My body, old and worn with nothing but skin on bones, my heart failing, my eyes beginning to water, old age finally catching up to these worn out brittle bones. I remember being surrounded by my grandchildren, I remember my children holding my hands saying their goodbye's. I look back on that moment and slowly smile as I remember my children fondly.
Damien had become a strong man since I found him, it feels like it was just yesterday when I saw that boy on the streets getting into fights with...Well just about anybody! The poor kid didn't have a home, all he had was the orphanage he grew up in, an orphanage he grew up in for fifteen years. I remember the day I walked up to him for the first time and asked where his parents were. When he told me he had no family I decided right then and there to adopt him. Oh he was a hassle alright! The boy had unresolved abandonment issues from his friends leaving with their own parents when they were adopted, between that and the fact he grew up too old for most people to even consider adopting him? He grew up resenting the world, believing that everyone would abandon him one day, that he wouldn't ever really have a family. The sheer amount of rage that boy had, the way he'd lash out at everyone, his attempts to run away all stuck in my mind. Was it draining? Yes.
But despite how draining it was, despite how much that boy struggled with trusting people, he wanted to trust. He never liked being angry, that was just the defense mechanism he built up over time, that wasn't the real him and I knew it. Deep down inside that boy there was always a scared fearful child that was afraid to hope, but never afraid to want. I'm thankful for that, thankful that despite being afraid to hope he never stopped wanting, because his want became hope, and through the encouragement of me and my wife he eventually believed. I don't know if I could be more proud of him, he's made mistakes yes, but he worked hard to fix those mistakes, to become a better person and when he needed help he wasn't scared to ask. I still remember crying when I was at his wedding, watching him get married to the love of his life, Patricia. Yes, those tears of utter disappointment that my son chose such an awful wife...Okay maybe there were tears of joy too but come on, she was a chef that didn't know how to make steak! A total disappointment to the family ever since my daughter introduced them. At least she was until she learned how to make steak of course, then she was on thin ice.
Now that I think of Patricia I can't help but think of my daughter, Patricia's old boss and, secretly, my wife's favorite. Old little Susanne, the day my wife gave birth to her she cried tears of joy, I mean I did too, but not as much as her. I still remember that day, the joy and pride I felt not only at my daughter's birth...But the pride and joy when I saw that light turn on in Damien's eyes. From the day of her birth Susanne was curious, she never stopped exploring, never stopped wondering, never stopped asking questions. Sometimes she almost stuck her hand into the Nuclear-Place, but Damien always caught her before she'd ever reach her hand out! It didn't take long for her to discover an intense passion for cooking, one so intense she almost burned the house down trying to make a cake, twice! I never laughed so hard. That was until I met her boyfriend, I laughed so hard I genuinely almost cracked a rib.
The time flew by so fast that I couldn't accept that she was fifteen at that point, I didn't want her to get in a relationship. I wanted to keep protecting her, to defend her from the world. So I didn't take kindly to the boy she decided to date at first, especially when I found out he was the mayor's son. I figured he'd be a spoiled brat, an absolute pain to have to deal with that would think he could get whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. But I was pleasantly surprised by the young man's good manners and respect for people. Honestly I felt bad for judging him like I had before. He didn't deserve that and I'm happy Susanne chose him.
Honestly I was surprised when Kevin asked me for her hand in marriage. The fact that they graduated college together and they went strong for another two years after that...Honestly I just about forgot they weren't already married. So of course I gave him permission to ask her to marry him, the wedding gave me tears of joy only matched by Damien's wedding. Both of my children were all grown up and were ready to leave the nest...I wish Martha had been there to see it.
A frown slowly comes across my face as I begin to walk through the nothing absentmindedly, my mind revisiting the past as I remember my wife, Martha...The writing was on the wall really. The way she began to struggle with walking, the growing guilt in her eyes, the way her smile grew more and more false over time. I knew, but I didn't want to accept it, to acknowledge it, but it grew increasingly obvious that we couldn't ignore it. So after Susanne left for college I took Martha to the hospital. She had heart disease, one that was unnamed. A total anomaly that they didn't have a cure for. They offered surgery after surgery and I did everything I could to afford every option they gave whenever they gave it. I sold everything I could reasonably spare, I cut back on food for myself, I worked double shifts, I worked overtime, I did everything I could. And for a while she would get better but again and again she would get bad and then, one day...
The last one they gave as an offer failed. She left a long time ago, but that pain is still there, it's gotten easier over the years. That sense of loss isn't gone but those we do not mourn will mourn us. So in the end...I'm glad her suffering is over. I just wish she would've gotten to see what great grandchildren we got to have.
I don't know how long I spend in the nothingness, it could have been seconds, could have been months. But at some point I started to wonder where I actually was, this wasn't heaven, there's nobody else, there's no angels, and I certainly didn't meet Jesus nor did I end up at the pearly gates after death. It obviously can't be hell, I'm not on fire and I don't smell sulfur or brimstone. "Wherever I am it's not heaven, and it certainly isn't hell. Purgatory maybe?" I question out loud before eventually sighing and moving to take a seat only to feel a soft cushion under me. I turn around in curiosity and tilt my head in confusion as a wooden chair forms behind me out of nothing. I can't help but blink in confusion before turning back to face forward where now there sits a table that absolutely wasn't there before. As I attempt to formulate any sense of confusion I'm suddenly and expertly cut off by the appearance of a Blue hologram in the form of a flat text box appears In front of me, hovering, waiting for me to acknowledge it as countless different symbols form randomly on the text box before eventually settling on good old American English for me to read.
I can't help but stare in confusion as I tilt my head in curiosity at the strange text box. This thing is claiming that the multiverse is real, which given that the multiverse was theorized for as long as it was...I shouldn't be too surprised. No, what really surprises me is the fact that earth is apparently the last thing in all of creation to join this system. How interesting. I stare at the text box closely as I carefully consider what it's saying, this claims that there are thirty seven BILLION universes, an absolutely massive number, and it also claims that out of the planets with sapient life in our universe earth is the last to join, and apparently it's the three hundred millionth planet in the universe with sapient life in it? No wonder we never found any life out there. There's infinite stars in any given direction, there's no way we'd never find any world with life out there. But what does this system mean by deck master? I can't help but get curious as I stare at the screen, but one question at a time. I have a lot and I need to say the most important one's first. "What is the system and what is its purpose?" When I receive no answer I squint at the screen in frustration before leaning back and wondering if the system is just not responding or if I'm somehow doing this wrong. Before I can reach a conclusion the screen changes suddenly and I turn my attention to it immediately.
My blood runs cold as I stare at the screen before I jump up from my seat and slam my hands on the table "WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN INVASIONS?! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" The system doesn't respond as it waits coldly before then slowly something forms on the other side of the table, a writhing and pulsing mass of infinite impossibilities, I freeze caught like a deer in headlights as slowly an impossible form with a thousand arms and eyes takes shape and stares at me. The one giant eye in the center stares at me before opening veridically revealing infinite rows of teeth made of stars as it speaks to me in a voice I somehow understand.
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"Mmm...You. You're not supposed to be here. Are you? You're supposed to be dead right now. But somehow...You're here." I stare in horror as the creature's guttural sickening voice rings out through the nothingness. No it's not speaking to the nothingness, it's speaking in my MIND. The creature gains a sick veridical smile before nodding as if I somehow spoke out loud, before I can even form the thousand questions I have the creature speaks again. "Yes I can read your mind, I can read it all. Don't worry I'm only here to answer your burning questions. First thing's first...You are dead. That much is obvious, isn't it? But you're wondering why you're not in heaven, or in hell. Simply put the system was integrating into your world as you were dying, so it decided to save your soul. Don't worry, the big bad angels won't be forging you into angelic armor today...If you don't die in your second life of course." The nothingness shakes violently as the chair and table shatter into conceptual energy, the being of impossible geometry looks around with its many eyes and whistles "Ah, what a shame. It appears our time is done. I was supposed to tell you more, what with you being a soul of high potential, though then again your whole species has infinite potential...Oh what the heck. This'll hurt!"
Before I can speak the creature is in front of me placing a finger on my forehead. I freeze in place as thousands of concepts rush through my head, things that I simply can't parse through as I start falling farther...And farther...Until three strange shining lights in the shape of cards form and fire down to me embedding themselves into my chest a strange light envelops me.
My eyes open wide as I look around, or rather I try to look around. I can barely move no matter how hard I try, my form just keeps hitting a wall of some kind, I'm surrounded by some sort of liquid making my body heavy. I squint my eyes and grunt as I shift my body allowing myself to float in the liquid, I crunch in my stomach and push out my hands against one part of the container and place my feed on the other end and slowly PUUUSH out grunting and screaming as fluid fills my lungs, after some time I hear a crack, then another, and before long the thing holding me cracks open as I find myself violently thrown out and onto the ground. I grunt before quickly turning on my side and hacking up the fluid in my lungs onto the ground. I spend a good five minutes panting after I finish coughing, trying my best not to absolutely destroy my throat as I collapse on my side then onto my back. "...What the fuck?" I can't help but curse as I try my best to lift myself up from the ground and look at whatever was containing me. My eyes go wide in confusion as I see...An egg. I was in an egg, I stare totally dumb-founded at this revelation as I wonder how I could have possibly ended up in an egg.
After a moment as I stare at the egg I hear my stomach growl causing me to look at it "Not now you stupid..." I stare dumb founded at what I see. Fur, bright red fur, covering my body. I stare before hoisting myself up and sitting upright. My legs now spread out as I take stock of my body, I have two legs, two feet per leg, and five toes per foot. "Okay...Good start." I say before looking at my arms staring completely dumbfounded as I see not two, but four arms. All four are covered in that red fur that my legs are, I stare dumbfounded at this before I notice a strange sensation behind me, like another appendage. So I turn around and...I have a tail, bright red and covered in fur, actually no I don't just have a tail, I have THREE tails, all stemming from the same part of me. "...Wow okay this-this is certainly happening." I say before I turn away from my tails as I take stock of the rest of my form. I really don't know what to say about the rest of my body, I'm mostly covered in bright crimson red fur. Well not all of me is, there's patches that aren't covered in fur, namely my feet, hands, stomach, chest, and I think my face? And those places that aren't covered in fur are instead covered in deep dark blue scales.
As I consider all that I've reviewed I find panic slowly growing in my chest before then again my stomach grumbles. I groan before forcing myself to stand up, I look around to try and find some kind of food to eat and instead of finding...ANYTHING all there is around me is darkness and rock, or to be more specific I'm surrounded by stalactites and stalagmites. So I'm in a cave somewhere obviously. I sigh and approach my egg as my belly continues to demand food. Look, it's my only option okay? So I quickly begin to devour the egg shell begrudgingly just to get my stomach to shut up.
As I eat the surprisingly sweet egg I can't help but let my mind wander to just how...Absurd this all is, like I'm currently some kind of four armed three tailed monkey lizard with red fur and blue scales devouring an egg. This is absolutely crazy, I should probably be having a panic attack right now but I'm just...Not. I consider my sheer lack of being in panic my mind trying to piece together exactly why I'm not panicking, and it doesn't take me long to come to the conclusion that the system probably has something to do with this right? That absolute horror from earlier mentioned how it saved me from going to the after life, so it probably just shoved me into this body and made it so that I wouldn't panic yeah? I eventually nod to myself at the conclusion, admittedly I have no actual reason to think this is the case, but it's my only conclusion right now so I have to roll with it.
After a moment I finish the egg shell and wipe my face with my arm and nod to myself at the first action done...And then something happens.
I stare at the screen in confusion before my encounter with the horror re-enters my mind knowledge from it pressing its thumb against my head resurfacing as I dismiss the screen with a wave of my hand. "Right, the system operates like a video game with level ups...Alright, lets test some of that knowledge out." I open my hand and look into my palm before speaking "System. Link."
I nod to myself before turning away from my palm then crossing all four of my arms. "System: Status."
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[Richard "Dick" Manning.]
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Titles: Deck Master.
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Deck:3 Cards.
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Archetype:[N/A]
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Species:Homosapien (0-Star)
Sub-Species:Tri-Breed. (0-Star.)
Advanced Species:[N/A]
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Species Type:Hybrid.
Sub Type:[N/A]
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|Species Stage:0|Species Tier:0|Species Level:0.|
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Exp:15/100
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Mutation cards:
Bronze Stomach Level 2:
"Wha kinna of Tri-breed can't handle a wee bit of poison?"
A Tri-Breed's stomach is filled with a rare gut biome that gives it extreme resilience to most things, including bones, shells, and even some rare metals like Titanium. This gut Biome breaks down all of the aforementioned and more, such as poisons, corrosive venoms, and on rare occasions compatible genetic material. This not only turns consumed items into nutrients, but also experience points.
Warning: DO NOT LET AN ALCHEMIST KNOW YOU HAVE THIS!
Enhanced Fangs Level 0:
"A real Tri-breed shouldz bez able to bitez throughz az boulder! If youz can't youz ain't a tri-breed!"
A Tri-Breed's teeth serve the same purpose that all teeth do. They bite, rip, and shred through food and prey as needed. A Tri-Breed's teeth are specially dense with thick crystalized structures that make it easier to bite through prey. Their teeth are sharp enough and strong enough to bite through solid metal, if they're given the proper time to train their jaw muscles of course. Oftentimes people forget that Tri-Breed teeth regrow after they're knocked out, and every time they are they come back stronger than before.
Warning: DO NOT LET SHAMEN KNOW YOU HAVE THIS.
Layered protection Level 0:
"All Tri-Breeds should have the protections their progenitors do."
A Tri-Breed's body is layered with different defenses, from red hair that forges itself into dense metal over the course of thousands of years or through level ups, to blue scales that allow for increased energy conductivity, and thus easier mastery of said energies, to thick layered green skin that holds thousands of different bacteria that either secrete poison to harm foes, or in very rare cases chemical compounds that are typical in healing potions.
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Class:[N/A]
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I stare at my Status slowly nodding in understanding as I try to fish through the information in my head to make sense of what I'm seeing, before I really get anywhere however I hear the sound of cracking behind me. I turn around and raise an eyebrow as I notice a turn around a corner I hadn't seen before. I cautiously approach the turn and slowly look around it, my eyes going wide as I see hundreds, no. THOUSANDS of eggs all hatching with creatures of various different types pouring out of the endless tide of eggs, an endless slaughter taking place before my eyes...I can't help but feel excited. I don't know why or how, but something about this just feels RIGHT to me. But before I can advance the system appears in front of my eyes and...Oh.