Liz woke up to a green box floating in her face.

System established for user Elizabeth Sayler. Initializing...

She yelped, pushing herself away, but the text dispersed a moment later, being replaced by another, larger screen.

Status - Elizabeth Sayler Titles: None Threat Level: G- Marks: None Credits: 0 Strength: 3(16) / 94% Dexterity: 2(18) / 92% Spiritual Strength: 14 / 85% Endurance: 12(23) / 98% Perception: 10 / 55% Spiritual Capacity: 13 / 73% Constitution: 5(16) / 91% Cognition: 16 / 83% Spiritual Regeneration: 23 / 99%

She rubbed her eyes, squinting at the meaningless numbers and percentages.

"Ah, you've awoken."

She pivoted to the source of the voice, noting along the way that she had somehow ended up in a plush velvet chair.

"Elizabeth Sayler, I presume?"

She hesitantly nodded, jumping as another screen appeared before her.

Void Acolyte - Threat Level ???

A stranger in dark purple robes stood across the pitch-black room, a hood and long, swooping sleeves obscuring any defining features. Well, all except for a pair of glowing silver eyes, which cut through their dark surroundings like a knife.

"That's your status screen. The numbers represent your ability in any particular attributes, and the percentages represent your Affinities. 10 points in any attribute is about average, and 25 is near the peak a human can reach without their limits being removed. Percent Affinities measure the ease with which you gain stats. For example, someone with an 80% Affinity in Strength will gain points roughly twice as quick as someone with a 40% Affinity."

Liz's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the mysterious person. As informative as that had been, she had some more pressing questions. "W-who are you? And where are we?"

The stranger bobbed their head. "Both very good questions. I apologise for not introducing myself earlier — I am a Void Acolyte, one of those who aids the Void in its endless integration of worlds. I have many names, but for time's sake you can call me A. Now, as for where we are, we're in a particularly secluded part of the Void, specifically designed so that we can have this talk."

"Y-you aid the Void? What even is the Void?"

A cocked their head, shrugging. "Well, I suppose aid is too strong a word. My organisation follows in every world it consumes, helping the inhabitants assimilate so as to help the Void's ultimate goals."

"So the Void is a sentient creature?"

A shook their head. "Oh no, at least not one in the traditional sense. The Void flows all around us — it was the darkness that enveloped your sky, and eventually, it will have permeated everything on this world. Like I said, we're inside the Void right now, in an infinitesimally small portion that I specifically prepared for our meeting."

"But... you said the Void had goals," Liz stated.

"Yes, it does. Above all, the Void values growth, in both strength and wisdom. Or at least that's what the Order says in order to justify its spawning of savage creatures onto every world it consumes."

"Excuse me, what?" Liz sputtered, looking at A incredulously.

They were lying. That was the only thought going through her head at the moment. Or... could she really have dreamt all this up? She had been sure that the pain had been too intense, but now it felt much closer to the dull, surrealistic feel she associated with dreams. Still, there was a chance that they were telling the truth, and even if that chance was minuscule, it was better to play along for that reason alone. Plus, if it really was a dream, maybe now that she was aware of it, she'd be able to take the reins and push it to a more positive direction.

"Mhm." A sighed, and Liz could have sworn that she heard some pity in the Acolyte's voice. "Just from the worlds I've been to, I've witnessed billions die at the hands of the voidspawn."

"Wait, but didn't you say you were here to help? To assist us in becoming stronger?"

"Sadly, in the eyes of my organisation, helping too much will actually hurt the Void's interests." This time, she was sure that she heard some bitterness.

"Progress in the face of adversity," the stranger continued, "is the core tenet of the Order's beliefs. If we give you too much without taking anything in return, they believe that we're simply damaging your chances in the long run. They want the Void's plans to go uninterrupted, for you to earn your strength and rise from the masses in a flash of sweat and blood. That, they believe, is the true meaning of the Void."

They must have seen the look on Liz's face, because they put their hands out, pausing their speech. "Now, that doesn't mean that you're completely on your own here. The Void offers many different paths to protecting yourself, and the Order has done a few things to make them more accessible. And, well... if it makes you feel better, I'll do whatever I can to help you too."

Liz gave a grateful nod. Now they were getting somewhere at least. She didn't know how long the average paraplegic survived in a normal apocalyptic scenario, but it couldn't have been very long. Now at least she had some hope for survival.

"Now, everything the Void gives comes at a cost. That cost will depend on the level of the transaction, with higher-level trades being both more powerful and more expensive."

"So you can buy stuff from the Void?"

"Yes, it's one of the many mysteries surrounding it. However, you're not buying with your currency. The Void works on a subjective level, meaning everything is valued according to how much importance you place on it."

The Acolyte waved a hand in front of their face, conjuring a green box of their own. "The few hours that the Void takes to assimilate your world into itself are when its power is the greatest, so everyone here will have access to three levels of trade."

"The first level is colloquially known as the Shop." They flicked their wrist, and the box floated over to Liz, expanding once it got within range of her.

Transaction - First Level Search Categories Auction Options Mythril Greataxe Life Orb Ultimator Blaster Ageless Folio Bluemoon Grass Remnant Arm Ogre's Pendant Shiny Rock Bone Glove Starlight's Drop Loki's Bracelet ...

"The System places objects you'd be more familiar with in the forefront, but if you dig deep enough, you'll be able to find some potentially mind-boggling stuff. You can acquire these by using credits, which you won't get until you defeat some voidspawn, or by offering things you own to the Void — like I said, though, the value of what you'll receive depends entirely on how you perceive that item to be valued. For example, a diamond ring you just bought is only worth the money you spent on it, but a wedding ring belonging to your wife of thirteen years is worth not only the money, but also all the time and energy poured into your marriage."

Liz's eyes flickered to the more dangerous-sounding options, but A had already moved on. "The Order allows you to sacrifice one item to the Void from anywhere in the world so long as the Void believes you own it. This can be very helpful, but you don't want to waste all your time looking through the Shop. There are still two more options I think you'll find very interesting."

Another page flew in Liz's direction, and A continued. "The second option requires not physical goods, but debt, usually paid off over the course of years, or even lifetimes. A portion of your life will no longer be your own, but in exchange... you will become a lesser Marked, granted supernatural powers from the Void itself. These will start off about on-par with a relatively powerful item from the shop, but as you train and grow, they will develop into a league of their own."

Transaction - Second Level Mark Cost Mark of the Pyromancer 8 Years - Burst Into Flames During Sleep... Mark of the Enforcer 3 Years - Defeat One F-Rank Voidspawn Every Month... Mark of the Psychic 20 Years - Meditate For Four Hours Every Day... ... ...

Liz was already drooling over the potential options. As a fire mage or psychic, she wouldn't ever need to use her legs! Heck, if the latter worked how she thought it would, she could just fly around everywhere instead. As long as she could survive, she could figure out everything later.

"Alright, this feels like the absolute best choice for me. Give me the Mark of the Psychic, and I'll be able to defend myself no problem."

"Ah, but I highly urge you to consider the third option as well."

Liz looked at them. What could possibly be better than what they had just said?

"The third option... requires you to sacrifice what you value most in yourself. In return, however, it grants a path to your greatest desire."

A path to her greatest desire? No, it couldn't be, could it? If all these magical marks really existed, then surely there had to be...

A third page opened in front of her, but it contained only one option.

Transaction - Third Level Mark: The Mark of the Healer