《Caretaker Warlock》 1: Night 1 Name: Magnolia Rae Class: None Race: Human Level: 1 XP to next level: 0/100 Current quests: Survive the night. The forlorn gatehouse presented a desolate and haunting spectacle. Once a formidable edifice, it now stood as a decrepit husk, its timeworn stone walls besieged by encroaching moss and ivy. The gate, once imposing, now stood ajar, its twisted and rusted wrought iron bars testifying to years of neglect. Amidst the cobblestone pathway, weeds and wildflowers had sprung up, laying claim to the forgotten ground. An unsettling stillness pervaded the air, disturbed only by the occasional mournful creak of the sagging wooden door. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Luci,¡± I said to my Maine Coon. ¡°Can you check it out? But be careful.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± He gave a purr as he weaved between my legs and then slipped inside. ¡°It¡¯s okay ladybug.¡± I adjusted my daughter¡¯s weight on my hip as carefully as possible, hoping she would stay asleep. ¡°We¡¯ll be safe here for the night.¡± We waited for what felt like an eternity before he reappeared. ¡°Meow.¡± The door creaked open with a mournful wail, revealing a dark and foreboding interior. Dusty chandeliers hang from the ceiling, their crystals coated in a thick layer of grime. Tattered tapestries lined the walls, depicting scenes of twisted spells and mysterious rituals. The air was heavy with the scent of decay, and the silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. If this was the gatehouse what did the main house look like? My little ladybug stayed asleep as I sat, too scared to lay her down. I was unwilling to let go. "If anyone out there is listening," I whispered as I rubbed my daughter''s back. "Grant me the power to protect her. Help us survive." 2: The next Morning Name: Magnolia Rae Class: Caretaker Warlock, Pact of the Forgotten Race: Human Level: 1 XP to next level: 0/100 Completed quests: Congratulations! You are 1 of 2,872 humans to survive your first night on Hane. Collect reward (Y/N). I had just started to doze off when the notification came in. My eyes moved to Willow to make sure she was still asleep before mentally clicking on Yes. Reward Granted: XP to next level granted. Congratulations! You are now level 2. Level reward: 1 skill point to Charisma Level reward: 1 skill point Skill points are available at level 5. XP to next level: 0/ 200 Reward granted: 5 Red Flax Berries. (Red Flax Berried. Standard fair for any survival kit. Each red flax berry contains enough mana to keep you magically full for 1 day or 28 hours.) Reward granted: 5 gold Class acquired: Caretaker Warlock, Pact of the Forgotten You have asked for guidance and protection, it has been granted. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Mommy, wake up.¡± I blinked away the notifications to find myself staring into my favorite pair of blue eyes. ¡°Mommy, Willow hungry.¡± ¡°Are you? Let''s see what momma can do.¡± Inventory, I thought and like something out of a video game it appeared. Red flax berry. A fruit the size of a plum and the color of a banana appeared in my hand. My eyes moved from the fruit to Willow and back again. ¡°Here you go my love,¡± I said and offered it to her. I hadn¡¯t seen a city or town last night, just an abandoned manor house, so I had to trust it was safe. I had nothing else to feed her. After all, whatever higher power had transported us to this strange new world wanted us to survive. Didn¡¯t it? ¡°Whatcha think?¡± A delighted expression was the only reply I received. A wide, toothy grin spread across her face, accompanied by a small rivulet of juice coursing down her chin. Luci promptly hopped onto her lap and eagerly lapped up the stray droplets of juice. Available quest: Enter Tova Manor. (Accept/ Deny) This is a patron quest, denying will come with consequences. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Yes baby,¡± I said as I mentally clicked on accept. ¡°No door.¡± ¡°What?¡± For the first time that morning, Willow had my full attention. The partially open gate from last night was now shut tight. In the morning sun, the contorted wrought iron bars resembled an ominous, toothy smile. Willow''s prediction was accurate¡ªthe doorway we had used the previous night had vanished without a trace. The only way out was to go deeper into the manor. Okay, whoever you are, but if a single hair on her head is harmed I will not stop until I have the power to end you. ¡°Why would we leave when we have this nice big house baby?¡± This nice big, probably mostly safe, house. The abandoned manor stood imposing and eerie and exuded an aura on mystery and enchantment. Its, probably, once-glamorous facade was now draped in overgrown vines and veiled in a shroud of mist, obscuring the intricate details of its architecture. Turrets soared towards the sky, their tips looming ominously like the outstretched claws of some ancient beast. The air was heavy with a sense of eerie silence, broken only by the occasional creak of loose shutters and the whisper of wind through the aged walls. The atmosphere was permeated with a feeling of otherworldly gloom as if the very essence of magic and secrets lingered within its abandoned halls. Abandoned halls that we were about to explore. 3: First encounter Name: Magnolia Rae Class: Caretaker Warlock, Pact of the Forgotten Race: Human Level: 2 XP to next level: 0/200 Current quests: I found myself standing before an imposing, dark mahogany door. This magnificent door was adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures and mysterious symbols, skillfully etched into the wood. Flanking the door were two tall torches. Flickering purple flames jumped to life at our approach and cast dancing shadows across the ornate carvings. As I reached out, the brass doorknob felt cool to the touch, and as I turned it, the door began to open slowly, as if inviting me into a world filled with wonder and enchantment. Or death, it might have just been inviting me to my death. The entryway was dimly lit with a few sputtering torches, casting long, dancing shadows on the cracked marble floor. The air was thick with dust and cobwebs, and the atmosphere was heavy with a sense of forgotten magic and ancient secrets. It was a hard feeling to put into words, magic in the air and all around me, especially coming from a world without it. The walls were adorned with faded tapestries depicting scenes of mythical creatures and long-lost battles, adding to the mysterious ambiance of the place. Despite the neglect and decay, there was an undeniable aura of power that lingered within the abandoned manor''s entrance, hinting at the incredible history that had unfolded within its walls. In the middle of the room was a quaint circular table adorned with an ancient-looking scroll resting on top. ¡°I take it I¡¯m supposed to take that.¡± ¡°Willow do it.¡± I scooped up Willow and grabbed it for myself. ¡°This is mommy¡¯s,¡± I said as I settled her onto my hip. ¡°I think.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Quest complete: Enter Tova Manor Your patron is- system error. I am pleased. Reward granted: 50 XP Reward granted: Tova Manor. Others will recognize you as its rightful owner. Be good to her and she will protect you. The ancient scroll crumbled and disintegrated into a fine, shimmering dust. I wish I had been given the power of a spell to command, or maybe even a trusty sword by my side. Although, I didn¡¯t have any experience with either. ¡°Okay ladybug,¡± I said giving her my full attention. ¡°Brand new, very old, house. Where do we start?¡± ¡°Treasure hunt?¡± ¡°No baby, we can¡¯t play treasure hunt right now but let''s look around and see what we find.¡± Water. Kitchen. Bedroom. Something resembling a bathroom. And maybe a library. Libraries contain knowledge and I was in desperate need of that. My body tensed up as I felt a cold, wet sensation make contact with my ankle. It wasn''t just a light touch; it felt like something was coiling around it. My eyes moved down my body to see a tongue around my ankle. My eyes then followed the tongue to the table. I played D and D. I knew a mimic when it was attacking me. Pain bloomed from behind my eyes as my head hit the stone floor. As if drawn by the irresistible allure of catnip on a scratching post, Luci pounced on the table, claws extended, leaving behind a trail of shredded fabric and splintered wood. It released me to go after the cat. I scrambled away. ¡°Lucipurr off,¡± I yelled as my hand wrapped around a candlestick. If I expected him to listen to me during a fight when he ignored me about my kitchen counters, I was wrong. ¡°Willow, get on the stairs and close your eyes.¡± She listened at least. The tongue flicked blindly above it as it tried to find my cat but he was always just out of reach. Luci scratched then moved, scratched then moved. I went for a leg. It splintered with a loud crack to reveal a tentacle. Do mimics whimper? That was definitely the sound it made. For a brief moment, I observed the creature. It was toothless and one of its eyes was clearly absent. I couldn''t help but feel compassion for it. Wait, did I? Part of the manor. Part of your problem. ¡°Luci stop.¡± I dropped the candlestick and picked up my oversized cat. He tried to scratch me but I scooped him into my arms and rubbed his back until he began to purr. On three wooden and one tentacle leg, the table ran away. ¡°Protect Willow,¡± I said as I sat him down. ¡°I think I need to check on the table.¡± 4: Mimics Name: Magnolia Rae Class: Caretaker Warlock, Pact of the Forgotten Race: Human Level: 2 XP to next level: 60/200 Current quests: Critical hit to table mimic: 10 XP You attacked a toothless mimic and broke its leg. Not what I would have done but who am I to judge? ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked as I started walking after it. ¡°What would you have done? Waited until it had your entire leg in its mouth to decide if it was going to kill you or not?¡± No one answered. Of course, no one answered. I was talking to myself. I followed the trail of dust to a small side room but froze as I heard a mysterious sound coming from behind me. ¡°I thought I told you to-¡± A candlestick sat there. ¡°You¡¯re a mimic too?¡± A long, slender tongue unfurled from its mouth, reaching almost the entire length of its body. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you turn into something cool like a sword or one of those giant hammer things?¡± It turned its back on me for a second before turning back around. I just stared until it repeated the action. Right. I turned away because obviously a mimic can¡¯t change shapes if you¡¯re looking at it. Everyone knows that. About a minute later a tongue licked my cheek. A purple-bladed sword with tentacles coming out of its hilt stood next to me. I was eye-to-eye with a creature that tabletop RPGs told me I should want to kill but I felt no danger from. Why would I be in danger? Silly me. ¡°Nope, no sir.¡± I stepped away from it. ¡°We are not going to be going around licking people or I¡¯ll find a real sword and remove that tongue of yours.¡± Bad sword, don''t lick people? What was wrong with me? I was leaving Willow alone in a strange place with a house cat to protect her and why? It had to be done? No, it didn''t. I needed to protect Willow. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Look after them and they''ll protect you. ¡°Class information,¡± I said on a whim. Class: Caretaker Warlock Congratulations! You have stumbled into a momentous responsibility in your life: you have been entrusted with the care and upbringing of a magnificent and powerful creature. If you nurture and safeguard this creature, it will reward your kindness by sharing some of its impressive strength with you as it grows. My eyes moved to my new sword friend. ¡°My warlock patron is a fucking dungeon, isn''t it?¡± It just stood there watching me with its one eye in the center of its hilt. I loved Dungeons and Dragons as a kid and teenager. I watched people play it as an adult. I watch anime and read stories where heroes went on grand adventures delving into dungeons. No one was ever on its side. But it made sense. We walked into a dungeon, apparently, and I prayed for help. The dungeon answered. It also explained why I wasn''t scared of the mimics. They weren''t going to hurt me and something in me knew it. Maybe. ¡°Well,¡± I said to it. ¡°Are you going to lead me to your friend so I can try and fix things or are you just going to follow me around?¡± It moved in a small circle and almost seemed to sniff the air before picking a direction. The room must have been some kind of storage room. Boxes and dusty crates were haphazardly stacked against the walls, some of them spilling their contents onto the floor. A musty smell hung in the air, mixing with the scent of old papers and decaying wood. Cobwebs draped across forgotten treasures and memories, connecting the manor¡¯s past to my present. Every step kicked up clouds of dust, swirling in the muted light like specters of the past. The creaking of rusty shelving added to the eerie atmosphere. The sword led me to a box I definitely would have been able to pick out on my own. It was shivering. ¡°We got off on the wrong foot,¡± I told the box. ¡°Why don¡¯t you turn back into a table and let me take a look at that leg?¡± Nothing happened. ¡°You scared me. You¡¯re the first friendly mimic I¡¯ve ever met. Actually, you¡¯re the first mimic I¡¯ve ever met period. Are you even called mimics?¡± The sword nodded. Well, it bent at its hilt a couple of times. ¡°Swordo says you can''t change when I''m looking at you so I''m going to close my eyes but if you try to attack me he''s going to attack you. Aren''t you Swordo?¡± Another sword nod. I shut my eyes. After a few minutes, I heard a gentle rustling, and then everything returned to silence. ¡°Look at you, you handsome fellow.¡± He looked like any other antique end table with one major exception, the one tentacle leg. I reached out and touched it. Skill acquired: Mending Maybe next time don¡¯t attack things you¡¯re meant to protect. Oh shut up. Warmth spread from my touch. I felt the wooden ¡°flesh¡± of the fake leg unsplintering, if that was possible. It stitched itself back together and Luci¡¯s claw marks filled themselves in. ¡°All done, I think.¡± XP: 80/200 What do you call a room full of mimics? A nightmare obviously but do they have a name like a murder of crows or a flock of sheep? Because a lot of things in the room suddenly had eyes. Eyes that were on me. The paper, the goblets, and the rug rolled up in the corner; all had glowing eyes. ¡°Right well.¡± I backed out of the room. "I will leave you to heal in peace." 5: System message Congratulations! You are 1 of 10,000 humans of Earth selected at random to represent your race here on the Menagerie. It is our hope to preserve your race for future generations. We try our best to be as humane as possible. With that in mind, if you are part of a family unit we have done our best to keep them with you. Although this is not a perfect system, it is better than extinction. As a race classified as sentient level 5, you will have access to the following Menagerie features: A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Thank you for your participation and we hope you enjoy a long fruitful life here in the Menagerie.