[Review Completed]

Stanley woke suddenly from a nightmare of blood and death when those words appeared in his mind and in his vision. Only one thought dominated his sluggish mind though. "Caffeine!"

His body felt far away as he struggled to open his eyes and look for the dog. Then he felt a familiar feeling of a pug stepping on his legs, followed by a nose pushing his legs apart and curling up between them with a satisfied huff. Stanley relaxed and stopped his struggles.

Nearby a low voice whispered something he couldn’t quite make out and a woman responded a bit louder. "Just leave it." The first voice, now audible sounding like a child, whispered, "What if he hurts him?"

"Relax, it's a pug," she said. "that thing couldn’t hurt a fly if it wanted to and besides you can just heal him again can't you?"

"I'm not sure if I even healed him before," he said. "He was covered in blood but I couldn't find any actual injuries." He sighed. "The light just gets absorbed and I can't tell if it does anything."

"Just keep trying but don't drain yourself too much," the woman responded. "Just in case…" she trailed off, then added. "Has your skill gotten any better?"

"No it hasn't changed. It's still weak..." he continued whispering but Stanley stopped listening. He was safe for now and Caffeine was okay. Instead he focused on the words hovering behind his closed eyelids.

[Review Completed]

As if it was waiting for his attention the words faded and more appeared.

[Abnormal Activity Detected]

[ANOMALY]

[ANALYZING]

[…]

[ANOMALY ABOVE THRESHOLD]

[SOURCE DETECTED]

[CALCULATING PROBABILITY OF INTERFERENCE… PROBABILITY HIGH]

[SUBJECT INTEGRATION SUSPENDED PENDING REVIEW]

[…]

[Review Completed]

[Conclusion… No Interference]

[Subject Integration Resumed]

[Subject Integration Completed]

[Message Available Per Reviewer Request]

[View Message?] [Yes/No]

He wasn't sure what was happening but once again it also felt familiar, almost like Deja Vu. Stanley mentally chose Yes and more information flooded into his mind.

[Reviewer Message]:

"Hello Human!" The sudden voice in Stanley’s head that accompanied the text startled him and he only then realized that the text that had come before had been completely silent and yet somehow still appeared inside his mind, feeling as if he had heard them spoken aloud.

"I am not sure how much the […] will allow me to say so I will be quick." The voice continued. It sounded like someone speaking English but with an odd cadence and accent.

"I am the one who accepted the […] to come here and check you out and I can see why the […] offered me the […]." There was a very odd sound that took Stan a moment to figure out was laughter.

"Haha! Fantastic! I can see why the […] wanted me for this. I had to use […] and It hates when anyone does that."

There followed what Stanley assumed was chuckling.

"What you did back then… haha! You not only found a new […], but you went and touched it! Not intentionally I know but still… and instead of being instantly obliterated you managed to lock it away inside your […]."

More laughing.

"Granted you got very lucky there. A combination of your […], that one will definitely shake things up, plus that weird […] thing and your beast that […], without which… well it could have gone a lot worse."

"Anyway… that was great fun to watch, but you should know that other […] saw what happened there and […] are rather strongly coveted so I would recommend that you grow your power as fast as possible before […]."

"You may have noticed already, or at least you will when you wake up but you are far too weak to use […] yet, so do not touch it again if you want to live."

"Don't growl at me beast! Wait! What? How… how can you even see me?"

"Haha! Fascinating! This is going to be great, I look forward to seeing what commotion your world will bring to the […]."

"Oh and do not worry about your getting chosen for you, you will figure it out, just remember that the […] is more of a guide than a hard rule. I also did what I could to get the […] to reward you for the fight earlier. You missed out on some […] but it's better than nothing. The […] is a stingy b..."

[End Message]

"That was… interesting," Stanley mused while the Message seemed to dim and fade away into the back of his mind where he could feel that it would stay ready to be recalled anytime like a saved voice-mail. "Odd…" Before he could dwell on it further, new words appeared in his mind’s eye.

Congratulations! You have earned Contribution points for defeating an Invader Group. Review Combat Log for details.

Stanley's breath hitched as memories of the moonlit nightmare resurfaced. He felt Caffeine stir, his head lifting up off of his leg where he was cuddled. His heart pounded in his chest as the fear and panic of the night surged up, quickly followed by the anger and the Rage… a tongue licked his cheek.

Stanley drew a deep shuddering breath in and slowly let it out. His body felt weak and tired and he felt a reluctance to open his eyes, as if doing so would solidify his nightmares and make them real. So he decided to distract himself and instead focus on these new and yet somehow familiar words appearing in his head that he didn’t seem to need his eyes to read.

He felt Caffeine circle a few times and settle back down between his legs with a little doggy sigh. A voice nearby murmured something but Stanley ignored it. If Caffeine was calm then everything was okay. "Combat Log."

[Combat Log History]

You have Resisted [Miasma]

You have Defeated multiple Invader Forces. Contributions Earned. Class and Skill Experience Gained.

Your Skill [Telekinesis] has reached the Initiate Threshold and is ready to be Upgraded or Evolved.

Congratulations! Your Skill [Telekinesis] has been Evolved into [Greater Telekinesis(Initiate)](Uncommon)

You have gained the Debuff [Hungry] -10% To All Regeneration Rates

Psionic Reserves Depleted

You have been Severely Injured!

Health Below 25%

You have gained Debuff [Paralyzed]

Non Class Skill Activated [Regeneration(Passive)](Uncommon) +1% HP every 60 seconds

Health Above 25%

Debuff Removed [Paralyzed]

[Hungry] Debuff Upgraded to [Starving] -50% to All Regeneration Rates

New Energy Reserves [Source] Unlocked in your (Soul)

New Attribute Unlocked (Soul)

(Soul) Attribute Quantified as (Twin-Soul)

Error (Twin-Soul) is Unique. Quantification Unknown. Full Quantification Analysis Begun.

(Twin-Soul) Infused [Source]

Psionic Reserves Full

All Debuffs Removed

Warning! You are taking -5% HP every 1 second from [Source]!

Skill [Regeneration] has Evolved into [Source Regeneration] +5% HP every 1 second

Warning (Twin-Soul)[Source] is burning your body and mind! -.1 All Attributes every 1 second

Congratulations you have Defeated an Enemy Invader General! Contributions Earned. Class and Skill Experience Earned.

Your Skill [Greater Telekinesis] has been Evolved into [True Telekinesis(Initiate)](Rare)

Warning! You are taking -15% HP every 1 second from [Source]!

[Source Regeneration] +15% HP every 1 second

Warning (Twin-Soul)[Source] is burning your body and mind! -.2 All Attributes every 1 second

You have Defeated Multiple Invader Enemies. Contributions Earned. Class and Skill Experience Earned.

Your Skill [True Telekinesis] has been Evolved into [Mind Over Matter(Initiate)](Epic)

Warning! You are taking -35% HP every 1 second from [Source]!

[Source Regeneration] +35% HP every 1 second

Warning (Twin-Soul)[Source] is burning your body and mind! -.5 All Attributes every 1 second

Warning Vitality Attribute Below 1 Death Imminent

Soul Bonded Beast (Caffeine) Sacrificed -2 Vitality. You gain +1 Vitality

(Twin-Soul) no longer Channeling [Source]

[Source Regeneration] Deactivated

Skill Activated [Regeneration] +0.1% HP every 60 seconds[Fragile]

Debuffs Gained [Starving] [Dehydrated] [Malnourished] [Feeble] [Fragile] [Unconscious]

-90% to All Regeneration Rates

…

You have gained Effect [Purifying Light]

Debuff [Starving] Downgraded to [Hungry]

Debuff [Dehydrated] Downgraded to [Thirsty]

Debuff [Malnourished] Removed

Debuff [Unconscious] Removed

-15% to All Regeneration Rates

You are Resting +50% to All Regeneration Rates

Congratulations you have gained enough Class Experience to increase your Class Level. Check your Status to review the changes.

"Damn. Looks like you need even more treats Caff." It looked like he had come very close to dying there. He wasn't sure what a lot of that had meant but he now had a pretty good idea what the undead had been looking for. "Purifying Light... looks like I found the Purifier. Or he found me." Likely the child's voice he had heard. But before that he had something else to try.

"Status." His mental command had an effect and more information appeared.

Status

Name: Stanley Cascade

Race: [Human](F Rank)

Traits: [Adaptable] [Source-Touched]

Class: [Psionic(Initiate III)](Rare)

Class Skills:

[Mind Over Matter(Initiate I)](Epic)

Attributes:

Strength: 1

Vitality: 0.4

Dexterity 2

Perception 2

Intelligence 7

Willpower 10

Twin-Soul ???

Non Class Skills:

[Source Regeneration]

Buffs:

[Resting]

Debuffs:

[Hungry]

[Thirsty]

[Feeble]

[Fragile]

"I have stats now… sure, why not." He was almost afraid to move when he looked at his Vitality, assuming it meant what he thought it did. "I owe you big time Caff… that was way too close." He stared at it for a long moment but finally looked away. "Willpower must have been high to start with, but no way to see what my stats were before. Or even what the standard is for Humans." He tried to think back and guess how long he had raged but it was too hazy to get an accurate idea. "At the rate those Debuffs were ticking.'' He had a feeling he had lost a lot. "Well shit, I was about to be killed by that skeleton anyway so at least I'm alive."

Stanley tried focusing on individual stats to bring up more information but nothing happened. "Intelligence must have been higher too. Am I dumber now? Would I know if I was?" Looking at his Twin-Soul stat brought up a feeling from the back of his mind.. a feeling that he realized he had already known. The knowledge that his brother, his twin, was alive. It was a comfortable, reassuring feeling. He focused on it. "He is that way. And… asleep?" He hadn’t been able to sense his brother before this night started, but he could now. "Maybe it's the System or more likely that Twin-Soul Stat."

Stanley knew that his brother had paid the same price he had. "But we're both still alive. I will get back Lee." He swore. "Whatever it takes." He looked over his Status again. "Time to see what the hell a Psionic is."

[Psionic](Rare)

A rare Class that focuses on the power of the mind. Practitioners eschew the use of Mana, instead Converting all extra Energy into their Psionic Energy Pool. Strong minds can use this Energy to force the world around them to bend to their will. Masters of this Class can alter reality on a whim and a thought.

[Class Level Effects(Initiate)]

+5% Psionic Energy Pool(Scales with Willpower)

+5% Psionic Energy Regeneration(Scales with Willpower and Ambient Energy)

"Psionic Pool." He thought. "That reminds me. Where is my health bar?" As soon as he had the thought, three small, horizontal bars appeared in the top left of his vision. One red, one green, and one blue. "Okay. Let's see red for health, green for stamina? Yep. And blue is for... psi?" He thought back to games he had played with psionic abilities. "Shouldn't it be purple?" The blue bar turned purple. "Huh." He experimented changing the health and stamina bars into different colors before changing them back to the default. Although he still kept the Psi bar purple.

Finally he stopped trying to delay the inevitable. "Time to face the music." He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

He was lying on a hard floor looking up at a normal off white ceiling, lit up by a dim light source somewhere nearby. "I'm in a truck stop shower room." He realized instantly where he was. It didn't hurt that he could see the sink to his right, the door above his head and the tiled wall to his left. Somewhere past his feet he knew there was a toilet and shower stall.

"Makes sense. No windows, one door, usually a heavy one. Easier to defend when the undead are roaming the world." He thought about that towering abomination that he was pretty sure he had killed. "Or a useless death trap." He shivered.

"He's awake," a young voice whispered from somewhere near his feet.

Stanley tried to lift his head up and see who was there. His head felt heavy and he felt light-headed from the effort. He gave up and lifted a surprisingly heavy hand up to his spinning head and froze mid motion. "Damn…"

His hand was the hand of an old man. Wrinkled, spotted, veins easily visible and bulging under the thin translucent skin. And then a whimpering ball of fur crashed into his face, wet slobbering tongue leading the way. "Caff…" Stanley croaked. His voice sounded weak and his throat was sandpaper. The pug was jumping and stepping on him in its excitement and without thinking he mentally lifted the dog up off of him and into the air.

"Oh Caff…" Tears spilled into his vision and blurred the sight of the small black pug who was now covered with so many gray hairs that he looked nearly white. "I'm so sorry." The pug floated back down and Stanley's arms wrapped around him and hugged him close while Caffeine wagged his whole body and managed to whimper nonstop while licking any part of Stanley’s face he could reach. "I burned you too?" He had an idea. "Caffeine Status!"

Status

Name: Caffeine

Race: [Canine(Pug)](F Rank)

Traits: [Good Boy] [Source-Touched]

Class: [Beast Lord](Initiate III)(Legendary)

Class Skills:

(None)

Attributes:

Strength: 1

Vitality: 1

Dexterity: 1

Perception: 1

Intelligence: 1

Willpower: 1

Soul: ??? [Soul Bonded(Stanley Cascade)(Lee Cascade)]

Non Class Skills:

[Big Enough]

[Strong Enough]

[Tough Enough]

[Let's Be Friends]

Stanley laughed, which came out a bit rough and devolved into a dry cough while Caffeine did his happy wiggling dance on his chest.

"Here," the young voice from earlier said. "Drink some water." A small hand holding a plastic water bottle came into view behind and above the squirming pug.

Stanley focused for a moment and instead of trying to sit up he just lifted his whole body into the air, maneuvered himself into a seated position and lowered himself gently down on the tile floor with his back to the wall. "That wasn't so bad. Guess I got enough rest..." There was a gasp from the other end of the room and Stanley turned his head, looking past a wide eyed, dark haired, young boy with his mouth open in a surprised O.

In the shower stall a young dark haired woman, the boy's sister he guessed, based on her apparent age and resemblance, was staring at his crossed legs as they floated through the air and settled onto the ground. Her gaze tracked up until their eyes met. She shook and her eyes widened. Her lips moved and she whispered something but the only word he heard was "eyes" even as the color drained from her face.

"You!" She half yelled, half choked.

As he looked at her a memory from a hazy nightmare popped into his mind. A frightened face peering out through a shattered window. "I saw you." He said in a raspy whisper. "You were there, last night." Her face somehow went even paler as she scrambled at something behind her and out of Stanley’s line of sight. The boy was looking back and forth between them, confusion on his face. Caffeine climbed into Stanley's lap, spun around a few times and curled up with a sigh.

The young woman finally got to her feet and brandished a chainsaw towards Stanley. "Get away from him Zeke!"

The boy hesitantly backed up towards her. "What happen…" He dropped the water bottle when she yanked him back behind her in the narrow room and got in front of him, shielding him with her body and the chainsaw. Stanley could see her hands shaking as she held the chainsaw with one hand and the other fumbled at something on the side of it. Caffeine just whined and stared up at her from Stanley's lap.

"I'm sorry." Stanley rasped. "If I scared you." She flinched when he spoke. "I'm not scared of you!" She yelled at him. Blue light flickered near her hand on the chainsaw but nothing else happened. "Damnit!" She cursed.

The water bottle floated off the floor and into his reach and Stanley lifted a hand and caught it. The top twisted itself off and he drank carefully through half of the bottle before a Notification popped up.

Debuff Removed. [Thirsty]

"Damnit. Damnit. Fuck!" The young woman screamed. Whatever she was trying to do, likely to turn the chainsaw on, wasn't working.

"Please calm down," he said. "My name is Stanley and well... I was a little out of it last night." His voice less raspy now but still weak. "But I'm not going to hurt you."

The woman gave up trying to turn on her chainsaw and just held it towards him like a sword. "What are you?" Her voice wavered and she tried to step back only to bump into her brother. "Monster!"

Stanley sighed. "Those monsters out there, you saw them right?" She didn't respond. "Do you know what they were looking for?" Something flashed through her eyes and he looked past her towards the boy. She stepped to the side, blocking his line of sight.

"I killed them." He said. "And it cost me… a lot." Her stance relaxed, marginally. "I'm only thirty-five years old," he said, his voice a barely audible whisper. "Or at least I was," he thought. "And Caffeine… he paid too." Her eyes widened slightly and it looked like she remembered something.

He thought about telling her about his twin but decided against it. He didn't know these people and while he would feel bad about hurting them after they helped him, he would do whatever it took to get home. At that thought he wondered how much power he had lost and brought up the bars in the corner of his vision. "All still full…" He focused on the Psi bar and saw 99%. "So no hard numbers." While he was looking, it ticked up too 100%. The boy was a healer of some kind, so not a big threat but the girl was a mystery and could have any kind of new ability or magic. Though the chainsaw made it look like she didn't have a better option. She had lowered the chainsaw a bit and appeared to be listening when Stanley finally noticed that the light source was a tall Maglite propped against the wall and shining on the ceiling. "How did you get a light working?"

"Eve made…" the boy started.

"None of your business!" 'Eve' cut him off.

"Look, I appreciate you helping me last night." Stanley said. "I just need some food and I'm out of here."

She reached down and grabbed something up off the floor and tossed it next to him. "Here. Now get out." She snapped.

He picked up the bag of beef jerky. "Thanks." Caffeine immediately jumped up and gave Stanley his best starving sad eyes. Stanley smiled and gave a piece to the dog. "Good boy," he whispered. Then he floated himself into the air and settled slowly onto his feet. His legs shook just trying to stay standing. He gave up and lifted himself back into the air. A glance back to his Psi bar showed it at 99%, he watched for a moment but it didn’t change. Stanley saw something moving in the corner of his eye and turned to see a stranger staring at him from the mirror above the sink. "Damn..."

The old man in the mirror had thinning white hair and a large, white, scraggly beard. Lines dug deep crevices across his dirty face. Brown stains of dried blood cracked and flaked away as the face frowned. His back was hunched over and the eyes were sunken and dim. "Whatever it takes." He forced himself to stand up as straight as he could, turned away from his reflection and faced the door.

"Good luck," he whispered, then shoved a piece of jerky in his mouth and opened the door, slowly, ready to wreck anything that appeared. Nothing did and he floated after the pug who darted out ahead of him into the dimly lit hall.