I awoke sitting against a cold stone wall. The room was one of shadows. To either side of me were other people, both guys, and girls. They wore simple, uniform gray pants and long sleeved shirts. Their shoes were leather that reminded me of moccasins, except they were laced up the middle. Wait…

Looking down I saw I had identical clothing on. Remembering what happened I turned my head, frantically searching the shallow room for my kidnapper. I really needed to punch an imp in the face right now. He must have violated me by stripping me and changing my clothes.

I heard someone before I saw them. Movement came from the darkest area on the far side of the room, which I assumed was an open door way. To its side, I could barely make out ranks of equipment on a diagonal stand that was nearly the length of the wall. Was this a torture chamber as well?

“Welcome to my labyrinth!” Came the most seductive of voices. “You have been handpicked from the human race to be energy sources for your beloved, Head Mistress Lilith.”

The voice was owned by an extremely beautiful, and highly dressed woman. To her side was a hunched over man in a butlers suit.

With the raising of his hand and the whisper of his lips, the hunched man produced a large glowing globe that shone softly but somehow filled the room.

“You see, I have brought you here so that you can make something of yourselves. Each and every one of you spends the majority of their time trying to escape their current existence through video games. Here in the labyrinth, the games you spend so much time playing will become your reality. You will get to level up in real life as you fight monsters, find items, and most of all, try to survive.”

A solemn moment was followed by a chorus of outrage from my fellow prisoners. The only thing that anyone had heard was ‘energy sources’. Now everyone was on their feet demanding to go back home.

I stayed sitting, taken back by what was said. Each word I processed. My interest was piqued even if it made me feel dirty for even considering it.

Stepping forward, Mr. Ten Thousand Wrinkles for a Face, the hunchbacked guy, responded. His voice didn’t match his appearance. He sounded like a young man in his prime. “Your outrage is not unexpected, but let me help persuade you. Head Mistress if you please.”

“This is a magic that has taken half a century to develop.” She said. Swirling masses of darkness the size of small ropes came from her palm and wrapped themselves together into a ball. “Branding.”

At her word, the dark magic shot out toward all of the captives in the room including myself. It was too difficult to see with its absence of light, so when it strung itself around my neck there was little I could do to stop it. The dark rope tightened and turned into a black hot coal. The sudden searing of skin sent my electricity up and down my spine; my fists clenched.

“The pain is necessary to bind you to the Head Mistress for the collecting of the energy that naturally escapes your body through normal activity. This will not take your energy directly from you. It is an energy catch of sorts. Even low-level creatures like yourselves are constantly leaking energy. As you level up the amount will only grow. It doesn’t matter where you are in the Underworld, just like your internet, this excess energy is being sent to us through a network of magic.

Furthermore, you are now marked by her Grace. If she wishes to locate you it is as simple as a thought.”

I joined the sighs and complaints of my fellow captives with clenched teeth.

“Escape is not possible unless you want to flee to your death. Here.” He motioned with his hands to the surrounding room. “Is your only place of safety. Monsters await if you leave your home base.”

Suddenly the wrinkly man clapped his two hands together before him and a popup window the size of a normal sheet of paper shot up in front of me. From the immediate silence, everyone else had the same window that came up in front of them as well.

“This is your status screen. Your branding does not come without gifts. The ability to access your leveling system is something that few humans have had access to for nearly four thousand years. Anything under level 100 is considered what you would call newbies. Most humans don’t reach level 100 in a single life time. I know you are used to starting a game at level 1, but that wouldn’t be realistic. It doesn’t take into context the different stages of a human’s life. All of you are around level 25-40.”

Character Sheet

Name: Elorion Edwards

Title: Lazy, Gamer, Athletic, Lives with Parents, Waiter at Cheap Restaurant, Unknown Future.

Race: Human

Age: 19

Level: 31

Health Points: 590

Mana Points: 190

Endurance: 400

Stats

Strength: 47

Dexterity: 58

Constitution: 59

Intelligence: 38

Wisdom: 30

I was blown away. My level really was 31. As an ex-soccer player my stats reflected it with higher Constitution (Con) and Dexterity (Dex), but how did I compare to others I wondered?

“This is you. You have all played games, so you know what each of these categories means. Your stats and levels will vary. Normally people have a base of 10 stat points for each category and get about 5 state points to spend by per level, but if you train, you can gain stat points without leveling up.

Look closely at your levels and stats. You are all pathetic, but each of you was chosen because of your love of Role Playing Games and surprisingly high potential. To help with this, our beloved Mistress here is going to grant you a few gifts. You will now receive a rush of insight, or experience as you call it, and 5 to 10 levels. Even with this help, it is likely some of you will die today.”

With a nod of her head, the lady with deep red hair and purple dress lifted her hand and blue strands of light shot out like a spider’s web, striking each of us in the head.

A chime went off in my head and the words in see through yellow, Level Up floated up quickly from the floor and disappeared just above my head. It was nothing compared to the rush of clarity that seemed to flood my mind.

Without hesitation, I looked to my status screen and my level read 38! I now had 35 stat points to spend however I so desired. 7 levels! Not bad!

Just moments ago the people I was sitting next two were contemplating a rebellion. Now they were all carefully examining their screens, complete oblivious to how easily they had been turned from their anger. Everyone here really was a gamer.

“Now I would highly recommend that you allow me to finish before you spend your points…”

A maniacal laugh interrupted. “Too late!”

An already large guy with a crew cut who reminded me of your typical football lineman started pumping his finger against his screen that was ethereal to me, but very clear to him. Before my eyes, he began to grow. Not only did he get slightly taller, but his muscle mass increased almost 50% before our eyes.

My chin dropped to the floor.

Everyone went nuts. At least two other guys started pumping away at their screens. I counted about forty people in the room and half of them were girls.

Wrinkle man waited until the noise died down before he spoke again. “As I was saying, next we will unlock your natural talent. Some people are naturally stronger, others faster, others smarter, and some have special abilities or proficiencies with magic.”

The murmur of my fellow captives was silenced at the mention of magic.

“Depending on your talent, it might be wise to spend your points on stats that will benefit what you are naturally good at. It is my turn for this trick.”

He held up his hands palm out and closed his eyes in concentration. A yellow light emitted, almost like he had a light bulb in either hand.

“Take your time to examine the windows before you.”

Warmth entrapped me. That was when I saw another popup window about half the size on top of my status window.

The first was named Skills.

A number of mini windows popped up within this main window. There were dozens of these. Many of them were just acknowledging things I already know. Intermediate Logic. Intermediate Sprinting. Intermediate Distance Running. Intermediate High Jump. Intermediate Cooking. Novice Persuasion. Expert Procrastinator. Etc.

I closed each mini window, making sure to check each one, but there were no surprises. When I closed the skill window I found a delightful surprise under it. Spells.

A few mini windows had popped up here too. Light Magic Proficiency. Lesser Heal. Talent: Natural Healer.

The talent window, being the only window that mentioned the talent the old man mentioned, read as follows.

Due to a natural affinity with light magic, the users healing spells will heal health, endurance, and exhaustion. As individual spells level, this can grow to heal status effects as well. Healing spells will level faster than normal.

Noooooo! This was terrible! I didn’t want to be a support character! Give me lightning or fire… give me a big gnarly club for all I care to bash stuff, but why does my talent have to be healing?!

“Very good. Very good indeed!” The hunched over wrinkled man was using some kind of examination skill on each of us in turn. “Talent in Constitution. Talent in persuasion plus speed. Talent with traps. Talent with spirit magic. Talent with strength. Elemental magic fire. Green magic tangling roots.”

He went on and on not missing a single one of us. Every two or three persons had a talent in some kind of magic, but no one else had healing magic. Everyone had some kind of bonus that would help them in a fight except for yours truly.

When my turn came along he stopped on me before he said something aloud and looked up from his window.

How pathetic I felt at my revelation of my talent must have been clear, for I found he was examining me closely as if I was some kind of rodent.

I didn’t look up at him. Instead, I acted the unhappy child and moped.

When the lady joined him in examining me, she whispered just loud enough for me to hear. “Poor soul.”

“You there!” Mr. Wrinkle man called me to attention.

For the first time, I met his eye and stood to my feet.

I nodded that he had my attention.

“Talent healing. I’m afraid your talent won’t get you very far in the Underworld. Your stats are a little above average, but you will probably die soon. What to do…”

“I assure you being a healer wasn’t my first choice,” I replied with a shrug.

“Mistress?” Old man wrinkles asked.

She looked me in the eye and immediately I felt my heart beat faster. She was incredibly beautiful. I didn’t deserve such attention, but I certainly wanted it.

“You are right. This just won’t do.” She tapped a few times on her chin with a long slender finger. “Even though it might be entertaining watching you struggle and die, that is not our purpose here.

It is in our best interest that you survive and grow stronger.

As a show of good intention, this boy, Elorion, will be given another gift to help in the group’s survival. The experience and unlocking of your talents are also a show of good faith. The stronger you become, the more power you will provide us. For those of you that please us in this, you will be rewarded. Elorion, step forward.”

The step I took was a half-step at best. My odd attraction to the woman was not lost on me, so fear swore it would be best to stay as far away from her as possible.

A ball of green light shot from her hand and ended in my chest. A new mini popup window came up under spells. Blue Magic Unlocked.

“Knowing blue magic will allow you to learn skills and spells from the monsters you face. If you face them, or examine them from afar you will learn from them in time. It is not a quick magic to master, but it will give you a chance to survive. It is also the only form of magic that might make up for your Light Magic Affinity.

Now for some basic spells to help in your survival.”

In quick succession, light shot from her hand and hit each of us in the head in turn. Three different colors of light, white, brown and green, all hit home.

Looking to my new popup windows there were three new ones just like the three different beams of light that hit me.

The first was Light Orb.

This orb will obey your will and light up the path before you. The higher the level the further and brighter the light can extend. This spell can be essential for survival or a power outage.

The second spell was Mages Deodorant.

When unable to use deodorant because of unavailability, poverty, or strange religious alignment, this spell will keep you from adding smelly funk to your social engagements. The smell is neutral. As this spell levels up you can add special scents for any special occasion.

You got to be kidding me! Why bother? Give me a damage spell already! With my fingers crossed I exited the screen and viewed the last one. Horror!

Mages Toilet Paper

Never run out of this household essential again! For anywhere you find yourself you will never be without! As the spell levels up lotion can be added to the effects of the spell!

“These are spells that I demand you use. Light orb will save your life, but the other two will keep you from totally disgusting me. You will find even my slave imps use these spells often or find themselves purified to death with fire. Do not neglect them.” She warned.

“Now for equipment.” Mr. Wrinkle threw a second ball of light to hover over the far side of the room. The wall was lined with an odd assortment of weapons.

“You can choose more than one weapon, but be careful to not overburden yourself. Humans are weak so two weapons at the most will benefit you.” The lady instructed.

Without hesitation, the group of humans headed to the other side of the room but gave the two instructors a wide berth.

I examined my spell screen one last time. Besides Blue Magic Proficiency I didn’t get a blue spell, only an additional skill called Creature Observation. At least the name made obvious how it would work.

Before I joined everyone I studied the rest of Light Orbs description.

All that is necessary to cast this spell once it is learned is to will it. Saying the name out loud often helps with newbie spell casters to focus the mind correctly.

“Light Orb,” I said.

Immediately a much dimmer version of the orb the old man had cast appeared a meter above my head and in front of me. It was only a matter of thought to move it further back and have it hover over my head.

I had just cast my first spell. It gave me a rush like eating a new favorite food for the first time

Being a blue mage definitely excited me more than being a healer. If I found the right creature I could wield lightning, fire, or whatever else abilities it might possess. Well, that was common among games, and as the Mistress seemed to imply, having gaming experience would help. There was hope!

Even though I was among the last to pick out a weapon, I certainly hadn’t missed anything. Whether it was a sword, club or spear, they were all worn, crude and would probably break a few days later.

At least the belt I found seemed decent. I sheathed a short sword on either hip and grabbed a spear that would make a better walking stick than a weapon. Just because healers always use bashing weapons I grabbed a one-handed mace that strapped across my back. 1 to 2 weapons max? I’m a gamer. Time to take advantage of free loot while there was an opportunity! Besides, until I knew what I was up against I would rather keep my options open. I could always rest between fights.

Sadly there was no armor to speak of. I wasn’t exactly a fan of a paladin type class, but if I had to be a healing tank, that would be better than a full-time healer. From eyeing the majority of the men in the group, except for three or four of them, I seemed to be among the best in shape. Gamers aren’t always the most active people in the world as the most common attribute in the room, chub, confirmed.

Only half of the girls in the room had this same problem. Most of them were in much leaner shape. No one in the room was what I would call chunky. The only one close was the now massive lineman looking guy. His muscle mass made up for his gut.

Mr. Wrinkle and the Mistress were looking at me as I realized I had spaced out. Was I an idiot for not taking their advice with regard to taking 1 to 2 weapons? Glancing around, I saw the players were all staring at me as well. I was the last one to gather a weapon, or in my case four.

“This room will now belong to all of you as a group. You can add and take items from these racks as you will in the future.” The old man said with one last look at me to see if I would put any equipment back.

I just grinned like I was oblivious to his and everyone else’s objection.

“There is also a kitchen and barracks. To move out of the barracks to your own personal quarters you will have to earn enough coin or favor to pay for it. The same goes for food. To earn more than two meals a day or anything besides gruel and bread, you will have to do more than survive.

To earn coin, you know the drill. The monsters you kill can drop items that have value. The stronger you get the stronger the monster you can fight and the better the items and the more the coin. There will also be more than one merchant from different cities to allow for competitive pricing.

One last thing before you proceed. As you leave this room you will pass the kitchen and merchants on the left and the barracks on the right. If you keep heading straight you will head into the labyrinth. This labyrinth is a safer area of the Underworld in the Head Mistress’s domain. Anything in this area has been summoned for you to fight. The monsters get progressively harder as you go deeper in. In order to leave the Head Mistress’s realm, you will have to become strong enough and completely a few obstacles.

The first area you run into has decaying skeletons that I have personally summoned. They are the weakest of all undead and will prove useful for training. Don’t count on making much money from them. Most of them are barely level 50. Any questions?”

One girl, with short brown hair and an elf like nose and large eyes, gritted her teeth and asked. “Can we go home?”

With the sweetest of smiles the Mistress stepped toward her and cocked her head with empathy, or so it seemed. “No. You are mine.” She said with mock sweetness.

“For a thousand years I have hunted and devoured your kind. This is the largest group of humans I have been in the same room with that has actually survived in centuries.

Don’t be mistaken. You are still alive because you have the potential to provide me power. Currently, you are indebted to me not just for your lives, but I am giving you a chance to live and live in a way that each and every one of you has only dreamed of. Don’t dwell on what you don’t have but the opportunity that you do. Otherwise, you will do something stupid and I will suck the life out of you. Any more questions?”

Half a dozen of us, including me, stepped forward and place ourselves between the wicked chick and the girl.

The Mistress giggled and shook her head. “At least you show the will to fight. We will take our leave. Bread and water will be available in abundance at all times in the dining hall during the first two weeks. After that, you will have to purchase anything beyond breakfast and dinner. And don’t forget. If you die here you are really dead. No game overs to start again. Sweet dreams!”

Sweet dreams? Was it night time? In the top right of my status screen, it gave me the time. 4:00pm. What time zone it didn’t say. Not exactly the time to go to sleep. Or was she meaning the final slumber of death?

Before the old man and mistress left four imps flew into the room holding a lamp-stand in one hand and the lamp in the other. They place them in the four corners of the room. With the placement, our kidnappers left. The stone wall was made up of massive misshapen dull gray stone stack upon each other. The floors and ceiling were large slabs of rough cut stones. High traffic areas of the floor were worn smooth from years of use.

Above the imp’s heads were floating red text.

Servant Imp

#*$%

There was gibberish under the creature’s description that I assumed was where its level would appear. Because we were so much lower level than they were the text was red and it wouldn’t even show us their levels.

I wondered why the old man and Mistress didn’t show anything above their heads. Nor did the other humans…