《To Become》 What open my eyes and see... nothing. Why do I see nothing? I must not be awake; I close my eyes and sleep.
The office, once so lavish, now in a rather sad state, had far too many people in it, Agamedes thought as he turned to look his wizard. The man was supposed to create for him a way into the King''s grace, make his family irreplaceable, maybe even outshine the Chigurh; instead he was handed a rock. It didn''t show any sign of magic, awareness, or even the shine of a useful gem. Such a waste of time. "This is another failure Maduras. This was your last chance, and this is what you give us?" Agamedes turns and began walking out. "Please, you said I had a month. It''s barely been a week," the Wizard Maduras begged, "It was almost complete, just needed to charge and it would be done." True he had given the man longer but sadly, "the timeline we had was shortened, the king declared he would visit us in a fortnight, and you know the man''s opinion on magic users," mainly that any found in his presence were to be killed presently. It''s too bad that he promised the wizard a healthy living space when he bought his service, or he would have let the man continue on the project and find out about the King''s visit when his majesty arrived. But that''s how it is with magically binding contracts. Then turning from the rapidly paling wizard to one of his guards, "dispose of this." "Sir, what do you want us to do with it?" the nervous man asked. "I don''t care." He really didn''t. He had more important things on his mind. Like wondering if they had enough meat for a roast or if the king was on one of his No Hat trends again. He rather hoped for a roast.
I wake, still mostly asleep. It was warm, why was it warm. I move my head to a cooler spot. Perfect. I go back to sleep.
Accius of no last name belonging to the city of Misal, or Accius Misal, guard to one Lord Baron Agamedes Amatello. Accius Misal guard to a Baron that quite really wanted to be at least a Viscount and was doing quite a number of things to get to that position. And the only reason he knew that was because his family had been serving the Amatello for generations and his family had nowhere to go if things turned sour.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Contemplating over his family and loyalty, he wondered how exactly he was to discard the stone Maduras had made. Normally if the baron wanted someone gone, it was an easy fix (a blade and a shovel did wonders), if the Baron wanted things gone, that was also usually an easy fix (fire has many useful applications after all). But the problem is, it was a rock. Rocks generally don''t burn, sure he tried, but it didn''t work. He couldn''t just toss the thing with the trash, because it was made by a wizard. And one of the first rules with magic is to be careful how you treat things with it. (His grandfather once told him a tale about a magical teacup. Someone broke it and just put the shards in the trash. The next day there was a flood of water came out of the bin and wouldn''t stop until someone tipped the thing over. Ruined 3 carpets and a Lady''s dress. The maid that had tossed the teacup was whipped and then thrown out.) Sometimes when the Baron told him to discard things, he could hand them to his wife. She made a lovely handkerchief for him out of one of the Baron''s shirts he took a disliking to (it was soon after Lady Auton said he had no fashion sense, funny that). But again, the thing was a rock. Accius and his family didn''t have a use for a rock and they didn''t of the means to change the shape to make it look different in case the Baron came by and noticed (being confused for a thief would not help his family at all, and he liked having both hands). Turning the troublesome thing over repeatedly in his hands, Accius wondered. Too bad the wizard already left, or he would have given it back to him and later told the Baron someone matching Maduras'' description stopped him from being able to properly discard the thing. Well, he can''t burn the thing, can''t throw the thing out, can''t use the thing, can''t change the thing. That left passing it off to someone else. Someone that didn''t know it was magic; someone wouldn''t treat it like a magic thing that could cause a random flood. But it also meant it wouldn''t be directly his fault if it happened. Plan beginning to form Accius now had to find some poor schmuk he could hand this off to and be in the clear. Humming along he decided the marketplace would be perfect. Besides, his wife mentioned needing carrots today. Who "So, your telling me this is a new form of mobile for a baby?" Markus was not buying some random man''s trash just because it looked shiny. He wasn''t. But if he made it so he got it free... well, that wasn''t buying was it? and a few minutes later, with a new rock and not a coin spent, he was a happy man. Yes, Markus liked not spending money on things. Besides, who would think a rock, no matter how light, would make a good baby mobile? Laughing to himself he packs up his pack. Looking at the sun''s position, he would need to be leaving for home soon anyway, so why not leave before any angry men came back to talk about his easily breakable goods, hm.
"Perhaps it''s better this way." Maduras mused to himself as he moved along, "not like I was sure how to charge the thing. Really, why it couldn''t be charged with lightning or on the enchanting table I have no clue. What kind of magic item needs Movement to wake?" the man scoffed to himself as he made his way through the docks. He would have taken the forest route but with the king visiting best not to chance it. Hopefully he could get passage before word that the Royal Menace would be visiting spread. "Really, must the man put out an execution order just because his son was a horrible mage?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Well, I guess I left too late," Markus thought aloud to himself, while having his pack run through by the local gate keepers. Usually the guard didn''t bother to look through packs unless it was near dawn or dusk. Having to pay a ''fine'' since he was over the new carry limit on things in a single pack (really that''s how you''re going with this?) he was on his way soon enough. Being careful to leave a couple things out of his back so that a second guard doesn''t stop him for an extra ''fine'', he soon is left with a carrot and a rock in hand. Shrugging the merchant sticks the carrot in his mouth and chewed at its end as he walked out of town. He had intended to wait for dinner but needs must. Eh, it''ll get him through the woods to the main road. With a carrot in his mouth and fidgeting with the rock he got for free in his hands, he started again.
We Rats scurry forth. From our Nest we go. We Rats are hungry. We Rats scurry along. We Rats are hungry. We Rats see food. Growl. Snap. Growl. Attack the two leg. Snap. Growl. Snap We down the two leg. Growl. Snap. Growl. We eat the two leg. We Rats are eating. On the two leg is something. We Rats investigate. It Moves. We Rats Attack. We Rats Attack. It Falls in river. We Rats watch for it to come back. It does not. We Rats are safe. We Rats Scurry back. Back to the Nest. We Rats need sleep.
... Why am I wet? Where Looking around I am surrounded by water, but how? I was sleeping and why can¡¯t I swim¡­ my arms aren¡¯t responding?! I look for my arms, but I don¡¯t see them? I don¡¯t see any part of me. Nope. Just Nope. I frantically look around, where am I, where is the rest of me, why in the seven levels of hell and the first heaven can I not find my body?! While I was panicking water continued to carry me along. I would probably worry about that next, but I am still spinning in place trying to find the rest of ¡®me¡¯. I am very lucky that I haven¡¯t gotten dizzy yet. The water started to make a different noise though. Like it was flowing through a smaller space then falling. I didn¡¯t really notice it until it reaches the point of practically growling in my ear. (How was I breathing? I needed to breath. Where were my arms I needed to swim UP? I needed to swim away from the-) A waterfall. Great, what next a crack in the earth along the bottom that leads to an underground cave?
As it turns out, yes. That is exactly what is next. At this point I have given up trying to swim or see the rest of me. There isn¡¯t anything there. And I don¡¯t see enough of me to try swimming via wiggle. Not that there is that much room here. Oh, sure at the start I easily fit within the crack, but the walls have been getting narrower and there isn¡¯t a way for me to ease my way so, I am likely to get- Stuck on a rock. It¡¯s not even a large one, from this perspective. Maybe an inch long, or a couple centimeters. Either way a small rock, but still long enough to keep me from being able to move forward. The gap between walls looks maybe 4 inches or maybe 10 centimeters. Not that large and I couldn¡¯t give an exact since I have nothing to compare it two. The pressure from the water behind me is growing and I can feel the rock that¡¯s stopping me from moving forward slowly grinding into me. (Wait, why is it grinding?) The rock breaks as I am hit by a twig in the back. I shoot forward and the wood gets stuck in my place, just to repeat the process again.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I feel like I am moving at great speed but that may just be me (why can I fit in here?). I am going fast enough that the rocks in the walls if this crack aren¡¯t slowing me much when I brush them (I spin, and spin, and SPIN). And then I land in a pond.
I am unable to move around in the pond. The only good thing here is how I float on a still service. But whenever something new drops in and makes things move, I sink. I don¡¯t like sinking. I sincerely think I may be developing a phobia. I mean I didn¡¯t drown when I was stuck beneath the water, but I panic and try to flail whatever limbs I don¡¯t have anymore to stay on top. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if I had arms. I still try to figure out how to move. I focus on one side of the pond. ¡®I want to go over there¡¯. A good step one, destination. Step two deliberation: how am I getting there. I have tried the moving arms (I don¡¯t have arms what happened to them); I tried kicking with feet (I KNOW I wasn¡¯t in an accident bad enough to loose them, what); I tried making my body wiggle like a snake (why don¡¯t I feel any movement). Step two is not going well.
I have decided to change my approach. I will go through all that I am able to notice and see what senses I have. Sight, check says the twig I am staring at. Sound, check says the intermittent drop that I want to stop or have be consistent (but when does the universe care about that). Touch, No check. Which is worrying. Visit later. Smell, check¡­ I think. I could be imagining it. Also visit later. Taste, Open mouth¡­I am not feeling mouth opening. (Why am I not feeling mouth opening? I need to eat eventually. I don¡¯t want to starve!! WHAT!) Taste is another no. I will panic later. I have already panicked today. The daily limit in panic has been reached. I am Not Panicking. I am focusing on words. What words do I know? *drip goes the drop* ¡®drip, drop, fop, mop, top, shop, fop.¡¯ I fail at my internal word association game, not even 10 and already repeating. Get a Grip. Alright. Breath. Alright. Breath Out. Breath In. Hold. Breath Out Slow. Hold. Breath in. Slow. Hold. Breath Out. Alright. So, I have no limbs, no mouth, no ability to touch. If I have no mouth I do not need to eat. This is good. Because I see nothing to eat. All is well. When I do not like being alone, I decide. I usually like to be alone, it is less stressful. But I also usually have something to do: things to read, games to play, work to work, laundry to wash, things of that sort. Instead I am stuck in a puddle of a pond. Perhaps one may tell I am not happy with being here, but it matters not because then I would not be alone. I do not like being alone. I once read that someone used to interacting with others would go insane in solitary. I don''t want to go insane.
Initializing. What? Processing. Who? Process Complete Oh hell no. Welcome to SYSTEM Your Systematic, Yet, Superindividual, Elite, Mechanic I was a sleep. This is still a dream. Processing Request: Action Required Permission Granted Zap! OW. ... Not a dream. Not a Dream at all. Beginning Tutorial: Open Menus (1,2,3) Begin Work Complete Task (1,2,3,4) We Hope You Enjoy Your New Access! Maybe it''s a nightmare? Processing Request: Action Required Permission Granted Ow!
"Momma, when is Father coming home?" Anna turns to her daughter, "Maybe he got delayed in the city, you know how the guards are." Maybel pouts, "He said he would be back before I knew it." "Maybe he''ll be back in the morning. Go to bed now and I''ll be in to read a story once I finish these dishes." "Okay mom." Maybel runs toward her room off to the side. Anna sighs, "That girl should know not to run inside," she looks to the door and wonders. Markus really should be home by now.
Core: Nameless
Health 10/10
Mana 50/50
Color: Clear
Class: {Unselected}
What do you mean "Nameless"? I have a name! It''s... it''s.. what is my name? I had a name. I know I had a name. Error: Nameless Due to Improper Wizarding Methods Causes: Loss of Knowledge (Intermediate) What. You are an Artificial Core. Every Core Changes depending on the Method used in Creation Your Creator used: Carbon Powdered Saphire- treated*, Flawed Powdered White Spinel- Flawed Powdered Peridot- Highly Flawed Powdered Chrysoberyl- Colorless Error Due to: High Impurities Incorrect Spell Formation Early Disconnect of Ritual Incorrect Alignment ... A part of me feels horror at how much this Wizard messed up. I mean; yes, I am horrified that apperently I am an accident of creation closer to a still born. But looking at the line "Early Disconnect of Ritual" and "Incorrect Spell Formation" fill me with dread. As if some cardinal rule was broken and I should shudder at the thought. You Should You are only getting this Interaction So we can check if you were Classification: Abomination If I could wimper I would. Please Complete the Tutorial So my ''tutorial'' is actually how SYSTEM is judging me? After I complete it will the interaction stop? Will I be Alone? Failure to Complete Tutorial Leads to SYSTEM Disconnect Oh....let''s start then. Menu:Second
Available Points 2
Fauna: Flora:
Hemigalus derbyanus Vaccinium CorymbosumHelp support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Dasyprocta leporina Rhodophyta
Meles anakuma Dryopteridaceae
What. Er... Translate that to Layman''s terms please?
Available Points 2
Fauna: Flora:
Banded Palm Civet Blueberries
Agouti Red Algea
Badger Wood Ferns
That makes things easier. In the future I would like this naming method Request Recorded Processed Request Accepted Thank you. Looking over the options I pick the ones that I think I know what it will cover. Part of me is sure that red algea and Wood Ferns covers a lot that I may or may not be able to use. I would like the Blueberries and Badger options please. Recorded
Available Points 0
Fauna: Flora:
Banded Palm Civet Blueberries
Agouti Red Algea
Badger Wood Ferns
Options Refundable until Creation Not able to Create until Tutorial Finished That''s... fair I guess. So Menu 1 is my Profile, 2 is my creature and plant options; now onto Menu: 3
Rooms Traps & Obstacles
Points Available 3 Points Available 2
Core Unavailable Entrance Pit Unavialable Vine
1 Exit Unavailable 2 Exit Door Unavialable Unavialable
3 Exit Unavailable 4 Exit Spikes Unavialable Lock
...In the future if something is unavailable on this please don''t show me unless I ask. Request Recorded Request Accepted So what is going on with the rooms? To Make a Room a Core must take a Room Schematic But couldn''t I just, not? And Risk a Cave In Since You can''t reinforce them? You will need an Entrance, a Core Room, and a way to connect them I gues I will be taking Core, Entrance and 2 exit then. Due to Location and a Natural Entrance Entrance has Lowered Mana Cost I already have an entrance? Where.... the hole I dropped through. But it''s so small? Don''t under estimate a shape shifter ...I''ll take Locks please? Take Door to, otherwise you have to find something else to Lock Okay.
Rooms Traps & Obstacles
Points Available 0 Points Available 0
Core Entrance Pit Vine
1 Exit 2 Exit Door Lock
3 Exit 4 Exit Spikes -
Now you said I have some tasks? [Make a Floor] I have very little to no memory because my Creator was an idiot. Explain please Make an [Entrance], a [Core Room], and Connect them It must be Possible to travel between All Parts. Some have tried to be loophole their way out of that, haven''t they? Yes, Doing so Changes Classification Into Abomination Why is it so easy to be an Abomination? What else is a ''living'' thing That breaths without Inflow nor Outflow That Cuts itself into pieces and Chokes on them That eats Itself Cutting off the pathway is Cannabalizism? For a short time, No While you are Construction a Floor, No On Accident, No In the Long Term, Yes Alright then. So, how does one go about making a room? ... You Can''t Feel It? What? That will make things Harder Focus on You Breath Focus on the Area around You Breath Claim It Breath Repeat as needed until You Feel It. Feel What?
A man stands inside her door, wearing city steel, "Are you Anna, wife of Markus?" Anna leans on the wall next to her, the wood creaks. Markus said he''d fixed that. "I am," She replied, no use lying, everyone knew her around her and if he asked for directions he''d be coming right back. "Ma''am, I am sorry but a local patrol found Markus," That''s odd, normally the guards don''t mention when they ''detain'' people- "If you can come by and identify some of his belongings, we will release the remains into your care to be properly buried." That can''t be right, Markus isn''t, "Ma''am are you okay?" No of course I am not Okay, you dense metal for brains. "You just told me to come pick up my dead husband, and you ask. if I. Am. Okay? I have been waiting on my husband for a week now, and you, a guard from a city not a Day Away, ask me if I am okay?" "Ma''am, calm down-" "GET OUT!"