The ethereal chamber began to hum with a fading energy. Time, an increasingly precious commodity in this nascent reality, was running out. The hovering entity, a shifting, translucent blob, pulsed with an almost agitated energy, its singular eye focusing intently on John.
"Alright, listen up, because our time is almost over," the blob began, its voice a bored and gravelly whisper that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere at once. "First and I cannot stress this enough, establish your own dominion, okay? Find a patch of land, no matter how small and claim it. I'm not suggesting you crown yourself king or play the saviour, welcoming every lost soul—though that would be interesting to watch as you inevitably crash and burn. No, no, focus, this is so I can hopefully win some bets and be properly amused. A territory. A space you control, a sanctuary you can fortify."
The blob shifted, its amorphous form momentarily condensing before expanding again, as if emphasizing the weight of its words. "Next, the absolute essentials, especially for a person with a body like yours would be food and water. These are not merely resources; they are lifelines from now on, commodities that will dictate much of you struggle early on. And on the topic of acquisition, understand there are three distinct types of stores you might encounter. There's the ubiquitous System Store, accessible to all." He began before stopping and looking oddly at John. "It offers basic necessities and common gear but it seems your cut off from that, how fun! Then, the Traveling Merchants, elusive and unpredictable, appearing in fleeting windows of opportunity and often carrying rarer and more potent wares, there still somewhat new though as we spread them around but good luck! And lastly the real game-changers. The Special Vending Machines. These are practically phantoms and almost impossible to locate or even perceive though. However, if by some freakish stroke of luck you stumble upon one, do not just take what it offers. Take the entire wall, the rock the ancient tree or whatever surface its glyphs are etched upon to bring it home! A small secret ill share with you is fools assume they're static or anchored but they're not. Smart beings move the entire store to where they want it for ease of convenience!"
A new glint, almost predatory, appeared in the blob's eye. "Lastly, a fresh economy. A new currency is in play. Coins! These aren't just for buying and selling; they represent influence and power aswell. They can be earned through a multitude of channels: significant achievements, selling surplus or unique items to the System Market, well it would be if you could access it." It taunted. "or those traveling merchants, or even by being the 'first' to accomplish certain feats—though that's a pipe dream for someone like you. And, of course, there are our 'donations.' We might drop a few on you if we find your struggles particularly amusing, or if we want to prod you pathetic humans into some entertaining action. Don't expect much from me, though. I'll be watching the top contenders, the truly exceptional on other channels. Frankly, I doubt you'll last long enough to even register on my radar, let alone earn a coin but I will maybe check in on time to time or place small bets on you."
The blob let out a sound that might have been a chuckle, if its form allowed for such biological expressions. "Speaking of longevity, even if you do somehow persist for an extended period in these 'second paths,' don't expect our prolonged attention. Rankings mean nothing to us; you're all just ephemeral entertainment, a means for us to pass the endless aeons. Your world, as you knew it, is now just a game – a brutal, unforgiving one devoid of visible stats or numerical indicators for our amusement. Skills aren't 'levelled up' in the traditional sense; they activate through specific triggers, through desperate necessity or through sheer force of will, a bit of info for free and because you're so amusing. And trust me, you can expect hell itself to be a paradise compared to some of the horrors that lie ahead and what has happened to a lot of people." The blob's form quivered slightly, its eye narrowing, as if observing him anew. "But seriously, how are you so incredibly calm about all this? You're actually starting to freak me out a bit now. The calm isn't the usual detaches most get when they lose their emotions or feelings from this that I'm used to seeing."
John rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a familiar gesture that felt oddly out of place in this surreal setting. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. "Honestly? There's a saying: 'Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.' At the risk of sounding like some chuuni character or an overly edgy teen, we've always, that is my friend and I, yearned for change. For something to happen. We've never truly felt at home in the mundane world, never quite fit the mold. And while this isn't what we expected, it's not entirely unwelcomed either. I mean, we're rather certain we've managed to develop mind-scapes and that our 'dreams' haven't been just dreams most of the time, especially when scratches or marks carry over into the waking world most of the time." His gaze held a peculiar depth, a calm acceptance that was both unsettling and profound.
The blob, for a moment, simply hovered, its single eye unblinking. Then, it wobbled, a sound like liquid sloshing echoing faintly. "So I got a weirdo, great," it muttered, a hint of grudging amusement in its tone. "But it means you could be fun to watch later down the line if your survive long enough. Good luck, you crazy weirdo and try to survive." As the blob spoke, John's form began to shimmer, his edges blurring, the vibrant colours of his being starting to desaturate. He was fading, his transition imminent.
Just as he was on the verge of complete dissolution, John's voice, now strangely resonant as if something urged him to speak some parting words cut through the diminishing space. "I have no idea why I feel I should say this but in the words from one of my dreams…" His features were almost gone, but his voice remained clear, echoing with an ancient, guttural cadence. " Cavete et parati estote, nam ad vos venient. Omnes qui transiistis, thronos vestros in ruinas redactos invenietis, dum vos in taenias discerpimus, quia in umbras, ubi ineffabile latet, calcatis, et ex fractis thronis vestris eos qui supra vos sunt, ob has transgressiones attingere conabimur. "
A shockwave of pure, unadulterated terror ripped through the ethereal chamber at those words as they seemed to ripple through him. The blob, which had been idly watching John's departure, violently convulsed. Its single eye bulged, almost bursting from its amorphous body. It recognized the words. It recognized the language as near dead 'latin'. A tongue of primordial dread, a language that well spread and often forgotten to the ages of time in the 'lower realms' because of its complex and seemingly benign nature carried with it an energy and power that had no place coming from the mouth of a lower life form. The profound weight of that blasphemous phrase carried a whisper of horror from forgotten corners of existence, struck the entity like a physical blow.
In a desperate, instinctive reaction, a thick, obsidian tentacle, slick with an unknown ichor, shot forth from the blob's quivering mass, lashing out towards John's rapidly vanishing presence. But it was too late. The tentacle's tip grazed the empty air where John had been a mere fraction of a second before and missing him by the narrowest of margins. "Something is wrong," the blob shrieked, its voice now laced with genuine panic, a horrific squelching sound accompanying its frantic movements. "Something is very, very wrong. How did he carry that energy in a single sentence? What in the hell is going on this time? None of the past worlds or realms had anyone like that from a insignificant ant, maybe when they try to fight after many years when others try to get involved or over step but never at the beginning. Report it! I need to report this now before h—"
With a loud, sickening squelch, the blob's entire form seemed to detonate, dissolving into a fine mist of viscous, dark residue. Its eye, now detached and still wide with terror, landed with a soft thump at the foot of a towering, silent figure.
The newcomer was a formidable presence. Clad in a meticulously tailored black cloak that billowed gently despite the lack of wind, they possessed a pair of magnificent, obsidian crow wings unfurled majestically behind their back, each feather tipped with an unnatural sheen. Three long, elegant swords rested at their hip – two on the right, the third distinctly on the left – their hilts glinting faintly. An ornate porcelain crow mask, exquisitely crafted, concealed their face, yet two piercing crimson eyes burned from behind its apertures. Long, thick black hair cascaded down their back, a stark contrast to the pale mask, with two carefully braided bands framing their face down the sides.
In a slow, soft voice that somehow resonated with the deep, echoing power of an ancient gong, the figure spoke, their gaze fixed on the quivering eye on the ground. "No, I am afraid we can't let you do that." The air around them grew heavy, almost oppressive. "You see, there is one who I have a profound interest in and that individual happens to be a friend and ally to that man who just departed." A subtle shift in their weight, a rustle of their cloak, yet it felt like the crushing weight of mountains. "Therefore, I'm afraid we cannot allow you to cause any troublesome interference that could cause unneeded issues. You lot chose this world as your new playground without care of what already had sights and fingers within it, so there's no going back now."
The disembodied eye on the ground quivered, a raw mix of fear and incandescent fury emanating from it. "B-b-but you're breaking the rules of the game!" it spluttered, a high-pitched, desperate squeal. "Your kind aren't allowed to interfere; you aren't allowed to attack us like this! It breaks our treaty! A-and that human just now, he's too dangerous! He needs to be eliminated, along with those he's in contact with! They're too dangerous!" Its voice rose to a frantic, piercing scream. "You and your clan won't survive doing this! When the administrators and them find out, your entire clan will be wiped out, or worse for this transgression!" The crow-winged figure merely tilted their masked head, the crimson eyes betraying nothing but an implacable will. The silence that followed was both deafening and absolute.