《Support》


 Prologue

    "Stop fucking running away from yourgoddamnhealer!"


    It wasn''t particularly like me to rage, but today wasn''t a good day. Down here in Florida it''s hot as balls all day and night, and riding a scooter with protective gear doesn''t help the heat at all. Sure, it''s five dollarseverytwo weeks to fill it up, and sure, it''s great that my college is so close that it''s only a fifteen minute ride, but when that shit has been sitting in the sun,baking, it sure as hell pushes all that out of your mind when you touchyourass to the seat and subsequently burn the hell out of it!


    All I wanted to do was get home, sit down, turn on my computer, and play some video games. After all this time, you''d think I''d remember that everyone is getting on past six on a Friday evening.


    Everyone.


    Includingidiotswho thinkrunning away from your healeranddyingis the smart thing to do. Thank God I habitually use push to talk, else they''d be hearing me swearing themsix ways to Sunday and tilt everyone else on my team. I can already feel it getting tomeas I died for the nth time.


    ''Patience.'' I deliberately thought to myself in a soothing manner. ''Patience is a support main''s biggest help. It doesn''t matter if we lose. It''s just a game.''


    In the dark of my room, doors closed, blackout curtains shut, dog snoring away at my side, I closed my eyes for just a moment.


    ''Youlearned this in High School. Going in with a bad perspective only makes youhave a horrible time of it. Even if it''s justambivalence, it''s better than negativity. This is de-stress time. After this game,let''sjust get off for a bit to relax and then start again. That''s it. That''s all you have to do.''


    That''s a pretty nice pep talk there.


    What... My body locked up, unable to comprehend what was going on, as my universe seemed to shrink into the one. Pinpoint. Moment.


    I like it. You know, I like support mains in general? If you treat ''emnice, they''ll treat you nice.


    Ifelta voice in my head. It was strong, rattling my spirit, something I didn''t even know existed until I felt itshudderfrom the sheer force of this being''s coreidentity. I could feel what it was, what it is, what it wanted to be. It was speaking to me in the most intimate way, and I had no doubt it knew me now as deeply and wholly as I knew it.


    Too bad I couldn¡¯t contain it. I could feel myself slipping, parts of myself just starting to... go away. It was horrific in a way I couldn¡¯t convey if I was given every means of communication, perfectly able to be understood.


    Hm. That''s bad.Perhapsyou''d like a fix?


    Desperation overwhelmed me, even as I felt the being pulling me back together, gently cradling me initspower. Information flooded through me, and I frantically tried to understand it all as this being knew it, grabbing snatches here and there, feeling it etch itself into my mind yet fade away simultaneously, while everything elsejust flew through me, unable to be accepted by my puny existence.


    I think I was a little too hasty... Well, hopefully we can put this past us? Imiiiiiiiighthave arequest for you.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    I was barely regainingmybearings, wildly trying to merge my new perspective of the world withwhat I thought I knew before. It didn''t help that my actual view seemed to have changed as well. My bedroom¡­ It was blurry. Ethereal, incorporeal, I couldsee through it. Yet, even as I felt my eyes strain totake in my room, solid in my knowledge, in my innate biologicalunderstandingof my very physicalsurroundings, with my new - sense, maybe? - I could slowly begin to tell that what I was seeing was the essence of the world, only able to beperceivednow that I wasviscerallyintroduced to it viawhatevermy guest wasand our new shared grasp of each other.


    Maybe a little time before Itell her about it?


    Gradually this sense consolidated, no longer completely throwing me out of whack.


    "What the hell is going on?!"


    Or not.


    Well, you see, I have a little problem, andyouare the first result that came up on mysearch spell.


    Immediately, I was wary. See, I love fiction. I love the adventure, the action, the escapism. But you know what? Isure as hellwouldn¡¯t actually want to go through whatthose characters do! Fuck no! Twenty one years of living has put me through enough experience to know that just a modern life is hard! Why would I want to deal withthatshit?


    I know you now like no one else does, so I know you like to read a little genre calledlitrpg.


    ''Ohfuckno.''


    Now. Not too long ago, I came acrossaninfant world system, and it made me a deal. I lend it some power to do as it does, and I get to choose a herald amongitsnew... population, so to speak,tospread my word to the masses.


    I could feel myself getting fainter and fainter as the being, no, the fuckingDeitycontinued to speak.


    I''ve been in need of worshipers for a quite awhilenow, as across the worlds I have inhabited, faith in me has weakened. And. Well. You''ve read your fair share of system novels! You know exactly how this goes. What better time to spread my religion than now?


    Panic began to overcome me. System?! The world''s fucked, the world''s fucked, the world''sfu-


    I''mfucked!


    I haveno ideahow to survive outside of my suburban life! There''s little reason to be had in a full blown panic, and I could tell I was beginning to devolve. So did the Deity.


    Calm.


    And I was. Such full and incredibly easy control over me should have terrified me beyond words, and I knew this, intellectually. Yet it did not, forcibly calmed as I was. Rationality and logic were my only tools now,tounderstand what was going on.


    "Why?" I asked. "Why me? Why this world?"


    My world was going to be completely and utterly overturned, probably as soon as this conversation ended. People were going to die, likely in the millions, and everything around me is going to go to complete and utter hell.Why?


    Because that''s what systems do.


    Underneath that forced calm, I could feel my emotions roiling from the sheer finality of that single sentence.


    "That''s it? That''s... really it?"


    They were raging, but detached as I was from them, I could only look at themclinically. I knew, as soon as this calm went away, I was more than likely going to have a full on breakdown. And I knew, at the same time, if my predictions on how this was going to go were correct, I''d die if I did.


    As for you... Well, as I said, you were the first result. I searched for a random person compatible with my domains,andyou were it. At my level of power these days.... I couldn''t afford a more specific search.Now, seeing as we''re going to be workingvery closelytogether from now on, let me introduce myself.


    I could feel it''s pleasure at speakingitsname into the world for the first time as if it were my own,andas Irealized that it doing so would seal my fate,consolidatingitspresence on Earth by letting just one person naturally of this world''s creation know it, I knew I could do nothing but let it happen.


    I amEriasson!Goddess of Healing, Protection, and Light! Andyou, dearLillianne, are going to be myHarbinger.

 Ch. 1

    <blockquote class="messageText SelectQuoteContainer ugc baseHtml">"You want me to spread your religion?"


    There''s little a person can do when shoved into a role by a goddess. Right now, it was best to get as much information as I can before whatever happens, happens.


    Yes. I know this introduction is a little... rushed. And to you, it''s likely an incredibly heavy thing to carry. But to me, it''s a matter of continuation.


    Though I was keeping an eye on my surroundings, I was focused almost entirely on Eriasson. But things were starting to change around me as she spoke. And as I watched, the essence of the world, snaking through everything...


    It was starting to writhe.


    I wanted to move, but when I tried reaching out to my body, I only had a vague sense of it. It was stuck, sitting at my desk, staring at my PC screen. My right fingers were clenched around my mouse in anger, my left hand massaging my temple, tangled in my hair. I had let it down, and brown strands wrapped around my headphones reaching nearly towards my waist.


    ''I never noticed parts turned gold in certain light.'' Flitted through the back of my mind. Suppressed, but still there.


    You''ll get your body back when this is done. As you noticed, the system is initiating. I used a good amount of the last portion of my power to slow down your personal time, so you''d best pay attention.


    Eriasson''s words snapped me back to attention easily.


    "Yes! Please explain to me."


    As I said, my religion... it''s fading, and my worshipers are few and far between. I need this, so I made that deal even though it went rather strongly against my domains. Luckily, I had absolutely no presence in this world before this, so it didn''t matter one bit. Had I inflicted this on a world I governed...


    Well, let it be said that I know this is wrong.


    Still, even deities have survival instincts. Do not worry though, I''m not putting this on you without compensation, or reward.


    I felt fingers, running through my hair. My back began warming up, as if a body leaned against me. I could twitch my extremities, I suddenly realized. I could feel my lungs begin to expand as Eriasson''s magic started to fade. A breath washed against my ear.


    "This will hurt."


    Full control of my body came back to me in an instant. I jerked back in my chair, emotions hitting me like a tidal wave. I was tipping over, falling to the floor chair and all, but all I could focus on was my panic.


    ''Hurt?'' I managed to think, before I felt my entire life being scrutinized. It was rough, ripping me apart for every portion of my existence, turning it over this way and that to get every angle, every view. It was analyzing me. It lasted for a mere second, but felt like an eternity.


    Just as it appeared to be finished, a new sensation came over me. It was soothing, cold and refreshing. It felt like Eriasson. Relief washed through me as she pushed the other sensation away. The two forces entangled and then vanished. Never before had I ever been so drained. I shuddered weakly as I lay on the floor, eyes hazy and lower end still somewhat laid on my tipped over chair.


    ''At least it snapped me out of a panic attack.'' The optimist side of me found time to chime in.


    A dinging sound then rang in my ears and a cheerful female voice began speaking.


    Greetings, Players! Welcome to the New World!


    I jerked my hands to cover my ears, but the voice was completely unaffected, continuing to play loudly. I couldn''t escape it.


    Please pay thorough attention as the beginner''s welcome package message commences!


    "I can''t not pay attention, dammit!" I laughed hoarsely, tears beginning to leak from my eyes as fear made my heart start to beat faster.


    As of this moment (November 1st, 2018), your world (Earth) is now under the supervision of System 23! To prevent total annihilation from worlds under other system supervision, this world (Earth) will now enter lock down!


    The voice was unbearably cheery, and every so often it was interrupted by a mechanical male voice for clarification. I untangled my legs from the chair and began pulling myself up. I was only able to sit up after a bit of effort, grabbing my bed to my right and hauling myself upright. The silk of my bed sheet felt heavenly as I laid my head down on it.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Please be aware that further security measures will be enacted via region.


    Please be aware that lock down measures will end after a pre-determined amount of time.


    Due to the insufficient level of this world (Earth) you will now be subjected to trials to develop this world (Earth) and its population! Congratulations, Players!


    This ends the beginner''s welcome package message.


    End? Other systems?! What... Just from that message alone I could infer too many horrible things. A sob welled in my throat. I was starting to cry in earnest when a blue screen popped up in front of me, scaring the hell out of me. Even though I had tears in my eyes, and my head was pounding, the screen was as clear as day to me. Frustration made my head pound harder. The screen remained unchanged.


    Welcome, User Lillianne Clearwater.


    Please look over the status screen below.


    Lillianne Clearwater


    Level: 1


    EXP: 0 (0/400)


    Class: ??? (Harbinger)


    Faith: 0


    Affinities


    Light: High Water: Medium Air: Low


    Earth: Low Fire: None Dark: None


    Abilities


    Chosen Of Eriasson -


    <ul>


    <li>Passive: Holy Aura ¨C Grants a holy aura that projects the domains of your God. Increases charisma. Increases reputation with spirits, entities, beings, etc. associated with your God''s domains. Repulses and damages undead, abominations, dark and evil entities. Can be used as illumination.


    </li>


    <li>Healing magic potency and effects increased.


    </li>


    <li>Protection (Defense) magic potency and effects increased.


    </li>


    <li>Light affinity increased.


    </li>


    <li>Grants the ability to channel Eriasson for a short period of time.


    </li>


    <li>Effects increase with level.</li>


    </ul>


    Path to the Heavens -


    <ul>


    <li>???


    </li>


    <li>Able to create link to Eriasson for close communication.


    </li>


    <li>???</li>


    </ul>


    Faith -


    <ul>


    <li>Able to use class based resource Faith.


    </li>


    <li>Accumulate Faith through worship and prayer to manipulate the world and your spells. Manipulations and boosts restricted to domains of your God.</li>


    </ul>


    Skills


    Heal ¨C Heal one ally.


    Consecration ¨C Consecrate 20 square feet after a 5 second channel. Area of effect can be increased based on amount of time channeled.


    Mass Heal ¨C Heal up to 10 allies.


    Shield ¨C Create a shield of mana. Able to be imbued.


    Light Manipulation ¨C Able to manipulate light mana. Effects increase with level.


    ''This... aren''t there supposed to be more numbers? ''


    Aside from the very beginning, there were none. Not even any ability scores, or even health and mana! Even stranger, my ability names, my class, light affinity, and my apparent new resource were glowing a bright fucking yellow. I raised my hand, intending to touch the yellow words when the screen changed, replaced by a much larger and much more official looking gold one. Things were going way too fast.


    Warning!


    The Tri-State Area of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama will now be referred to by the system as Area 7.


    Each State in an Area will be locked down. In order to lift the lock down, open your borders, and unlock a Major Teleportation Array, all States in an Area must individually complete a dungeon and defeat its Boss to unlock your Area''s Final Boss.


    Warning!


    Failure to lift an Area''s lock down by the end of the pre-determined time limit will result in an insufficient level to survive.


    Shock made me shake uncontrollably where I sat.


    Warning!


    Assigning enemies ...


    Undead/Abominations/Dark.


    Warning!


    Enemies now Spawning.


    "Way too fucking fast.."


    </blockquote>


    </article>

 Ch. 2

    <div>


    "Fuck!"


    I was already shaking, now I could barely control myself.


    "Eriasson! Eri ¨C What the fuck do I do?!"


    I was desperately trying to get to my feet as adrenaline rushed through me. As a healer, hopefully I could fix the fatigue that''ll inevitably come over me when I calm down. At this point Oliver, my English Bulldog was up and whining, nosing at my face. He was very old for his breed, actually making it to ten years with minimal difficulties despite his seven to nine year life expectancy. Usually his presence would be enough to calm me down at least a little bit, but this was not in any way a ''usual'' situation.


    Survive. I won''t be much help for you now. I''ll be here, and you can talk to me, but I used up most of my waning power to intervene in the system''s process. Should you need help¡­


    Make sure it''s worth it.


    "That''s¡­"


    Incredulity washed over me. I pushed Oliver aside and made it to my feet. Staggering over to the window, I barely moved aside my curtains and peeked through my blinds outside. I steadied myself with my left hand on my headboard.


    "You need me, and you''re going to leave it up to chance if I live or die?!"


    I could already hear screaming. People were panicking, and the usual joggers and general populace hanging around outside were running as fast as they could to wherever they needed to be. To the right of the street from me was the elementary school. Lee, the road that came off Alico, was the main road that cut through our neighborhood. My house sat on the last road before a four way, and was the first house on our road on that side. Across from me was a dorm house, which I could hear crashing sounds from.


    I could only sigh in relief when I looked at the school.


    ''At least it''s a Friday afternoon. At most, there''ll be a few teachers there. It''s a bit heartless to be so relieved but¡­ I wouldn''t be surprised if it was a dungeon now. A closed off space like that is prime material.''


    There''s little I can do, and I''ve done what I can.


    I could feel her annoyance as she spoke, but also¡­ guilt? I was nervous confronting her, being a deity and all, but if this wasn¡¯t the time to establish at least a somewhat respectful relationship, what was?


    I¡­ I gave what I could. It''s up to you now, and whatever the system decided to thrust upon you.


    As I started to move away from the window, I caught movement behind the automated fence that blocked off the bus entrance to the school. It used to be open to the public almost all night, the open fields behind the school, but after too many people brought dogs into the place they locked it off and no one was allowed in anymore. As I watched a zombie push up against the sturdy 8 foot steel fencing, all I could be was very, very glad they did.


    Zombies were one of my greatest fears.


    I could barely watch the Walking Dead when it came out, though after a while I got used to it, and occasionally watched it with -


    "FuckinghellLiam!"


    I screamed Eriasson''s name.


    "My fucking brother''s out there, and I need to know if he''s okay! Now! Please!!"


    My brother Liam had just out of the military, and after months of persuading him, I finally got him to come home. My father had died, leaving me with a house that was nearly paid off and a fuckton of life insurance. I paid it off, of course, and my college debt too. Liam of course got half of it, but who wouldn¡¯t want a stable home while you got on your feet?  And more than that¡­ who wouldn¡¯t want to bring home a family member who was treated so badly that he developed severe depression? My brother¡­ he was in a bad way, and bringing him back to a stable home and a stable support system was a success I fought hard for.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    This shit, ruined it all! And now he was alone, likely tired after a road trip over 24 hours long with a young English bulldog like my own in the car with him, and who the fuck knows on the road with him?! With other people on the road with him?!


    I could trust him to keep his head about him, I know him well enough for that, but fuck! He''s got a big ass truck with a trailer attached to it on a highway an hour away, maybe full of monsters, but definitely full of panicked. Fucking. People.


    "Tell me!"


    I felt a tugging on my mind and once again, a detachment from my body. It was gut wrenching, having your perspective just ripped away from what your senses were telling you, but when it settled I couldn''t care less.


    There he was.


    Liam.


    He was on the side of the road. I could tell what he saw had freaked the hell out of him, but not enough to stop him from keeping his composure. He was parked almost haphazardly but still largely out of the way of traffic, which was¡­ crazy. I could see vehicles crashed all over the place, smashed into railings and each other, and more weaving madly through whatever obstacles they could. People were out of their cars and running and as I looked at one of the crashed cars, I could see why. There was blood splattered over what was left of the windshield, as the body that had been thrown halfway out of it began to thrash wildly. It clawed at the crumpled hood of the car, managing to the get some grip on the metal. It pulled itself out and over, falling and rolling onto the pavement. It was then I saw it was a young woman as it stood up, and it was abundantly clear from the way glass fell from her ravaged mid-section and flayed upper body that she wasn¡¯t moving on any will of her own.


    Liam was looking grimly ahead of him, trying to find a way through the chaos ahead of him and holding onto his panicking dog. He was muttering to himself, running a hand through his long brown hair.


    ''Which actually looked good on him?'' An intrusive though came barreling to the forefront of my mind.


    I had seen some pictures of him after he got out of the army, sure, but this perspective was much better than any crappy pictures. It was as if I was there with him, seeing him with my own eyes. His eyes were blue just like my own, and as he covered them for a brief moment with the hand not comforting his dog, I realized I actually couldn¡¯t hear anything as he continued to speak to himself.


    "Eriasson." I spoke her name, hoping desperately she was still paying attention. I knew that she was the one showing me this, and I could only be grateful for her help. However¡­


    "Eriasson. My brother isn''t like me. He definitely wouldn¡¯t have any skills like mine. Please, if you can do anything, anything at all. Give him some protection."


    I waited. I could feel anxiety beginning to bring me to another panic attack as she continued to be silent. I watched my brother pull his dog, lovingly named Tychus, into the passenger seat and grip his steering wheel tightly. He knew how drive, and drive well. As he put his foot on the gas pedal, I could only trust in his experience and training to get him out alive. At that moment only one thing came to mind to help him. I prayed to Eriasson.


    ''Let all those tests, and hours, and licenses do him good! Let him get here safely!''


    I finished, and I felt a ripping sensation deep inside me. An energy I had never felt before was being pulled from my core. Magic, I could only assume, as it pooled into a ball in front of me, bright and burning gold. It pulled from me until I was nearly empty and then¡­ popped. I was barely able to feel bewildered before a screen popped up in front of me and presumably in front of Liam, as his foot jerked off the pedal.


    You have blessed another.


    Major Protection (Light) granted to Liam Clearwater.


    Minor Healing (Light) granted to Liam Clearwater.


    Buff Granted for: 24 Hours.


    I could see Liam read the pop up in front of him quickly. His eyes widened and he glanced around quickly in alarm. My view of him was quickly fading and in those last few seconds I could see him mouth,


    "Thank you."


    I was thrust back into my body only to curl into myself where I stood as I keenly felt my lack of magic. It was like whiplash combined with a deep, deep ache. I had just gotten magic and having it torn away so suddenly was genuinely awful. I pressed a hand to my chest to try to use pressure to relieve my ache, but it was in a place I definitely could never reach with my hands alone. As I settled, gratitude and sincere happiness washed over me.


    "Thank you Eriasson. Thank you."


    I stumbled backwards to fall onto my bed. Oliver continued to whine at the edge of it, trying to comfort me. I reached out to pet him and slowly began to calm down. Then, I heard the slap of the doggy door and scrambling paws against tile. In only a few seconds, my second dog had run into my room. He was a German Shepard, only two years old. I had got him shortly after my father''s death. Oliver was old, and as much as he tried he really wasn¡¯t guard dog material anymore, and I was a young woman living alone. I had brought him to as many training courses as necessary to make sure he could properly protect me. His name was Gabriel, and as he ran up to me, frantic and on edge, a thought pierced through my haze.


    I had just used up most of my magic, and now all I had was two dogs and a few guns hidden around the house to protect me.