Thoughts blurred like oil stains in water. I seem to be conscious, but at the same time, it seems as if I am still sleeping. I have no questions, everything flows as it should. But, some tiny worm of doubt appears when I think that flying naked in a gloomy void is a bit of an abnormal state for me. And, I was still undecided whether it was strange or not, when a bright flash blinded me.
- What? I sighed, closing my eyes and covering my eyes with my hands.
There was a quiet chime.
I rubbed my eyes a little, although it was not necessary, everything was in order with my vision. And as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw an inscription glowing in the darkness surrounding me.
A new game has been started.
Choose two main characteristics!
Force
Agility
Endurance
Charisma
Intelligence
Luck
I tilted my head and stared blankly at the glowing window.
Dozens of similar choices popped up in my mind when I created characters in various games with a similar role-playing system. If you want to develop into a "tank", you need to take strength and endurance. And if a magician, then you need intelligence and, hmm, well, the main thing is intelligence. And for a killer or an arrow, dexterity and luck are needed. Charisma, well, it can be useful in some games too.
And, since I was still in a somewhat vague half-sleep state, I just trusted the gaming experience. My favorite classes in games used to be assassins and shooters. But lately I've started to enjoy playing stronger classes, so now I've decided to take strength and stamina.
Choose five talents.
These are skills that will develop faster than any others.
Ha!
I thought everything would end on the characteristics. And will I wake up? Hmm, okay.
A whole wall of text opened up in front of me. Dozens, hundreds, perhaps thousands of so-called skills. Swordsmanship, bureaucracy, cooking, what was there. Even such "skills" that were more like blessings, like attracting money.
Here I was carried for a long time. In my head, the image of a game character was gradually looming, a strong and strong warrior, able not only to withstand a lot of damage, but also to deal with the enemy on his own. For some reason, it never occurred to me that the character I was creating could take up a peaceful profession. I've only seen him in endless battles with in-game monsters and other players. That's why I had the right choice.
Body development.
You run faster, jump higher, lift more weight, and tire more slowly. It is easier for you to get in shape and keep it in good shape and it is more difficult to weaken and get fat.
Depends on the characteristics "strength, agility, endurance"
Fortress.
You take a hit much better. Your body becomes more resistant to damage and harder to knock back.
Depends on the characteristics "strength, endurance"
Regeneration.
You tend to recover quickly. Small wounds heal right before your eyes. And even mortal wounds are not so fatal for you.
Depends on the characteristic "endurance"
Power.
Physical attacks deal increased damage.
Depends on the characteristic "strength"
Vitality.
You have increased health. You can take more damage and survive even with multiple mortal wounds. You endure diseases more easily and have an increased resistance to poisons.
Depends on the characteristic "endurance"
In my imagination, the image of my character was already almost ready. I imagined such a paladin in knightly armor, with a sword and shield.
Choose a calling!
This is a special unique talent that does not depend on characteristics and cannot be obtained in any other way.
Hero (this calling will give you the strength you need to accomplish feats)
Empath (this calling will allow you to open all the secrets of feelings)
Mystic Healer (this calling will reveal to you the mystical powers of the realm of life)
Conqueror (this calling will give you extremely powerful tools of suggestion and control)
Guide (this calling will allow you to use the arcane knowledge of the paths)
Twilight (this calling will reveal the powers of the shadows to you)
There weren't as many vocations as regular talents, so I even breathed a sigh of relief. Still, I'm a little tired of doing all this. And, oddly enough, only one calling suited my character. Of course, I chose a hero!
The call has been chosen!
Capacity building completed.
Get ready for a new era!
After reading the last line, I suddenly felt an explosion in myself.
My mind was flooded with bright light, and my body burned as if I had been thrown into a bath of acid. My lungs burned from the inside, and I could not help screaming, which in some incomprehensible way turned into a cry.
Crap! How painful!
It was like I was hung on a hook.
I'm in hell! Not that I was particularly religious. But if hell existed, it would look like this.
And, apparently, the demon hit me with a whip right on the soft spot! This is not only painful, but also humiliating.
- Ha ha, you have a very healthy baby. - Loud mangled voices of monsters sounded.
I didn't even hear the words, it was just an inarticulate howl. Eyes tearing from the light of hellfire. And even the very air of the Underworld tried to burn out my eyes, as well as all the insides when breathing. Naturally, I tried to free myself, but my arms and legs did not obey me, they just twitched randomly. And the demons, meanwhile, wrapped me in something. Could it be human skin?
- Show it. The voice of the new monster sounded hoarse.
I was transferred.
Vision has already begun to recover, at least I have already seen blurry spots. The light no longer seemed so ominous. And the demons around me became more human-like. Even their eerie voices sounded more and more like human speech, and not like the screams of infernal creatures. And when they gave me into the hands of another monster, he pressed me to him with such tenderness that I was even confused. Gradually it dawned on me that I did not go to Hell at all. I felt like I was born again. A disgusting feeling.