And then I fell.

I was so high up in the sky, the sun appeared like a giant ball of fire hovering right in front of my face. I seemed to have gained its attention as it stared right at me with its hot yellow light beaming straight into my eyes.

Its heat singed me. Its light blinded me. But the wind cooled me down. It didn’t unfortunately drag against my circular form. Neither did it tickle my ears blowing against them. Yet, it sung me a melody in passing as I rushed through its reign, falling from the darkness of the space and toward the vivid colors of the giant ball of dirt below.

I passed through the clouds. Their soft wetness embraced me somehow- filling me with the freshness they carried. They saved me from the blistering rage of the fireball hovering near yet far away. They hid me within their shadows and I passed unhurried, and giggling I passed through them- etching the mark of my presence upon their ever changing cloaks.

And then I puffed out through the clouds; exploding out of them I fell upon the colorful giant ball. Its red and brown made me attentive. Its blue and green filled me with life. I noticed protrusion on its surface; their hard jagged peaks scared me with their heights.

I noticed the wind playing in a field of grass, moving through the blades creating a sound in its passing. I saw the trees dancing along with it; their leaves falling happily and smoothly they were carried to different passes. I saw flowers of multiple colors arrogantly looking toward that ball of fire; their stems straight and their petals rigid with pride.

I saw life one time too. I saw it in the seed which had spurted right beside the dancing tree. Then I saw it again in the bees which hovered over the flowers, making them bend their neck. And I saw it again in the birds which flew over my head. In their flock which was being hunted by a vicious master. And I saw life in the giants who walked the land with their four legs: their hide thick and spiky, their limbs strong and quaking. I also saw it in the insects which lived under the thick coverage of grass and decaying foliage.

And as I passed through the dirt and its wet grains, I saw life still flourishing there with tremendous vigor. In the worms, which moved digging through every obstacle they faced. In the colonies which pumped life by the hundreds every second. In the water which moved quietly in the narrow caves and deep trenches, which moved raging and sometimes peacefully feeding into the various wide, narrow channels.

And then I felt life as I reached my destination, and warmth took over my eyes. I fell silently, with these last moments of my journey fading, and hunger waking in my conscious. Senses returned which I hadn’t felt for centuries and millenniums and eons, overloading me at first. My palms and legs scratched across the hard confines of my shell as I tried to shake them and break back into the world. The wet liquid covering me in its protection slowly entered through my skin, providing me with the nutrients I needed to grow, and then a voice --too familiar to forget-- knocked on the door holding me back from waking and helped me open my eyes.

The sound was still the same: rigid, brittle and emotionless. Its tone, a shot fired from a gun; silently it drilled into my mind, allowing me to see things which I had never seen before even with my eyes open; much less with them still closed.

Welcome to Monsteralia.

Yes, this is how it is spelled. And as the name suggests, this world is ruled by the monsters.

There are no humans on this world. But many intelligent species have evolved during the past time.

Due of certain circumstances: your current life form, the danger around you and your total life expectancy, you were left un-cleansed. That is your fate. So try not to die on your first day.

Good bye.

P.s- Say ‘Status’.

The message detailed nothing new. But the words ‘status’ intrigued me; it made me curious. Stuck in my hard shell, I decided to see what it was about and a surprise snapped my composure out of me.

“Status.” I said and a blue projection, much like the phenomenon I had seen in the afterlife, greeted me.

Spoiler: Status

(No name)

Level

1/10

Species

Ant

Rank

0

Job

---

Health

1/1

Stamina

0/0 (5)

Mana

0/0

Gender

Male

Health Reg. (0%/hour)

Stamina Reg. (0%/hour)

Mana reg. (0%/hour)

Attack power[Physical] (0)

Attack power [Magical] (0)

Defense (0)

Critical rate (%)

Critical damage (0%)

Attack speed (0%)

Stat Tier: ‘F’

Stat gain/Level: +.1vit/+.1 End

Strength

0

Intelligence

0

Agility

0

Wisdom

0

Dexterity

0

Endurance

0

Charm

0

Vitality

.1

Luck

0

Constitution

0

Titles:

None

Blessings

Skill up with level gain, Infinite skill affinity

Skills

None

[Greeting un-named specimen, because this is the first time you have beckoned us, the tutorial will start to help you adjust with the status.]

[Currently you are a rank 0 specimen and are at level one. Ranks detail the number of times a specimen has evolved, while the levels are the required life experiences one need to achieve said evolutions.]

[Health, mana, stamina are the indicators of your physical self. These can be improved by leveling up and automatic points will be added to your stats.]

[Stats are numeric manifestation of your strength. Each stat directly correlates to an aspect of your body.]

[Strength relates to the strength of your body. A point in strength will increase your physical attack power by 1.]

[Agility relates to your movement speed and your overall ability to attack. A point in Agility will increase your movement by 2% and attack speed by 1%.]

[Vitality and endurance are crucial in the battle to survive. A point in vitality will increase your health by 10 points and health regeneration by 2%/hour; While, in endurance, it will increase your stamina by 5 points and stamina regeneration by 1%/hour. The regenerations will not exceed more than 10%per hour without skills.]

[Please note: running, attacking and even walking takes stamina.]

[Dexterity relates to your nimbleness. And every point in it increases you critical damage by 5% and your critical rate by .05%.]

[Intelligence is a state of your mind. Every increase in intelligence makes you sharper. Every Point in intelligence increases your mana by 5 and mana regeneration by .5%/hour. One can only use mana by getting mana sense, mana manipulation and condense skill.]

[Wisdom is your ability to use mana as a weapon. A point in wisdom increases your magical attack power by 1.]

[Constitution increases your defense. Defense correlates to the amount of offence your body can negate.]

[Every point in charm makes you a bit more presentable, while points can’t be put into luck.]

[Titles and skills will be explained as you gain them. Blessings have been explained before.]

[Status tutorial is over. Have a happy journey.]

It was a lot to take in. All the stats, and points, and levels, and skills; It was a tiring ordeal. And to think this world had a magical phenomenon similar to the afterlife was amazing and scary at the same moment in itself. But I noticed how handicapped I really was as an ant. What was I even supposed to do? I didn’t know. But I had other more urgent problems to face at the moment, like, breathing. For some reason it was getting difficult to breathe the longer I stayed in the shell.

I looked around, but only darkness welcomed me. I inhaled, but with no organs to suck air and no air to suck, the suffocation started getting to me.

I really panicked. Staggering around, I moved my legs, all of them; and stabbed the shell, but only a shallow thumping rang in the closed space, and I started drowning in the fluids which were supposed to keep me safe. I had no strength.

I thrashed in the little space I had. I pushed, knocked, stabbed, made an impact on the shell with my back, pushed my face into it; and as the suffocation started to take me by the swings and make my thoughts incoherent, my head fuzzy, I screamed a silent cry and bit into the shell with my mandibles.

I didn’t want to die so soon.

And the shell developed a crack with thundering crackle.

I almost yelled in joy, but a loud sound rang in my head; its volume occupying the last strands of conscious remaining in me, and right as I was about to chock, a deluge of lovely and fresh air hurried into my tiny home, and filled my body with much needed life.

Skill: Bite gained (LV-1/10).

[Allows you to bite through hard objects with 110% attack power.]

[Attack power increases by 10% per level.]

[+.1strength/lv; -.2 stamina/use.]

Famous quote- So you think I can’t win without my sword? Just see how I bite your life out of you!

The blue projection of the status screen exploded in front of my mind eyes- shaking me up and stopping my deadly delusion. A vicious message made me attentive. Its poison coated words scared me a little. Vigilance took root in me, as its sound faded into the recesses of my mind.

I didn’t read what it had to say because with the screen came a flow of strength which enriched my limbs and filled me with vigor. Like rain, it flushed the thoughts of death out of my mind and woke me up.

And as my conscious returned, I knew what I had to do.

I lunged the same place I had bitten before; my mandibles making easy work of the shell. My mind yelled bite over and over again, and soon I was outside.

The shell cracked, the fluids flowed, and with it, I came out rolling on the ground. My head spun, but I was fine. Looking up, I shook the grim of my face, and inhaled. The internal sound of notifications had rung twice during this time, but I found my surroundings more interesting at the moment than the monotonous sound of my heavenly puppeteer.

I tried to walk, but I stumbled. Power left my body like I had gained a leak. Every step I took was a struggle. I couldn’t even move three steps when I staggered and plummeted down on the floor. Breathing through my shell, I looked around. At first everything was dark. Even the floor under my foot couldn’t be seen.

I knew it. How can it be so easy?

This life of mine, me as an ant was a punishment for humiliating natural order. This was the result of my death by suicide in my previous life. I hadn’t thought much about it in the afterlife because I wasn’t given much time, but now I could see how difficult a punishment this was supposed to be.

A life without sight and senses is a life as dried and wane as an empty oasis. Both are there, but are of no use, a waste of space. But as seconds stretched into minutes, shapes started emerging, and the darkness around me subsided little by little. It’s clutches around my senses faded until I was left with the sight of a dead half eaten monstrosity sitting in the middle of the dark brown cave, and equally disgusting monsters standing around it.

The sound of afterlife rang again, but this time it was as soft as a feathers flight. Almost silently it buzzed me of its appearance.

Skill: Vision gained (LV-1/10).

[Vision a skill which evolved in ants because of unending danger which sprawls them. It allows you to see.]

[+.1Wisdom/lv]

-Look, my child! Look! See the colors and remember them, for they will guide you on your path.

My vision wasn’t acute, yet it allowed me to see. Although only distinct blurs were noticeable at first, but huge potential, it held if one was to believe the mindless mumble of evolutions.

I wanted to wait and check my other skills too. The ones I had gained prior to my vision, but the monstrous blur oozing mouth watering odor tamed me to reach it, devour it, and fill the gasping hole inside me.

I stumbled along the path. My numerous legs got tangled around themselves. But I managed to reach the food in a while, but only after gaining another skill called balance.

Skill: Balance. (LV-1/10)

[It is not a skill per say, yet your affinity to skills allows its development.]

[Helps you balance yourself when you walk and run.]

[+.1 Dexterity/lv]

- You want to run my child? Feel the cold of wind around your jelly cheeks? Then first, try to stand without falling down.

I was soon upon the monster, and it appeared like a towering wall as I stood right next to it. The odor it emitted now almost dissolved me in its flair. An itch grew in me telling me to bit into the thing, and with the feeling of strength leaving my body every second, I ignored the bit of worry I had about hygiene and pounced right upon its soft succulent flesh.

Oh! How amusing were the sounds which my mandibles made. Effortlessly they cut through the white flesh, and the being exploded into a fountain of appetizing odor and fluids which covered my face as I tore through its meat.

(+.3stamina)

(+.3stamina)

Such messages rang in my mind as I devoured the thing, filling my body with strength once again. Power flowed through my limbs as I tore through its flesh, but after the messages had rang one thirty times and I gained another skill called Absorption; I felt something hold my behind and pull me out of my food.

I was picked up from behind like a toy, and thrown around through the air like a ball of dirt. I smashed headfirst on the rough yet soft ground, my vision blackened for a second before a bout of dizziness and hazy vision stopped me to a standstill. Confused, I looked around as my balance stilled. My vision allowing me to see what was happening and my mind allowing me to understand my situation. And I recognized the ants, my supposed kin, now staring at me. Their numbers exceeded twenty, and every single one of them looked like a dangerous foe. Most of them were taller than me, their heads bents and their mandibles sharp and open. Their colors fazed me to intimidation; their elliptical hairy bodies put the fear of their unknown intentions into my mind.

It was a frightening affair, to be stared down by a mob of hungry monster ants. But just as their pressure had started suffocating me, another skill saved me from my plight. Although it didn’t help me leave their circle, but it helped me stay standing under their stares, to keep myself balanced.

Skill: Fear resistance gained.

[Many get spooked and falter. You bite through and keep walking.]

-I will not fear your tyranny! For, I am the son of Raksha, the ruler of beasts. Your strength doesn’t scare me. Be gone from my lands you demon, and return to your corrupted world, or be ready to face my hammer!

As I stood reading the description of my newest skill and the intimidating quote, the one standing at the front of the line took a step forward, its legs artistically moved like a gear, its eyes a full head height higher than mine, it bent its head, slowly brought his face to mine and then pushed me back.

At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. And in the opening, I gave it, the monster, with its strength and weight, pushed me back again; while the others opened their mandibles in hysteria. I actually heard crackles of their joy as they saw me being helplessly bullied by one of my own. Am I not one of them? The thought troubled me as my legs buckled and I stumbled back.

Anger grew in me as I started back at the thing. Its companions still watching the spectacle, it made another move. I didn’t know what to do. In hurry, I grounding my legs and braced for the impact. I waited for the monstrous ant to reach me and as I saw its slow bulky figure prance toward me, a thought appeared in my head. Am I to be bullied forever? Will I stay quiet at their almost obsessive and damaging action? The giant was right on my face, it dropped its mandibles and slammed its head upon mine, and I retaliated in a fit of anger. With my new found confidence, I pushed on the ground with all my legs; strength filled my limbs, as all six of them helped me rise up like a spear and answer the charge with a stand of my own.

{-.3Hp}

I was flung back like a broken doll. Effortlessly, he answered my stand. Darkness covered my sight, as the blurs started fading into the shadows. Flickers of figures I saw, as the call of another message awoke me from the dizziness- its blue soothing light helping me stand back up once again. But I was not unhurt. He practically split my head in two with his charge. I won’t survive another attack!

Skill: Push gained (LV-1/10)

[A push can be gesture of rudeness, of fun; or a weapon to deal damage to your opponents. What you do with it is up to you.]

[Deals 70% physical damage per level and unbalances the opponent.]

[5% damage increase per level and a greater chance of your opponent staggering.]

[-.1stamina/lv]

It was only a push, a slight nudge of my hand, but how would I have known she would fall from the ceiling and get eaten by the undying beneath? - Roger the mischievous.

I had given it my all, but with the pain which rushed through my system (starting from my head), it seemed my opponent had higher strength or skill level than me. I didn’t gain push resistance in the act, but the pain almost brought tears to my eyes, which is me being conservative. My whole head was almost blasted right of, fortunately, I retaliated, otherwise who knows what would have happened.

Stunned, the ant glared at me, its companions now silent and speechless. I felt smug about my power, though the stinging pain did make me cross eyed, but the slight tingle of oppression made me remember where I was.

Not every single one of the mob appeared like an enemy to me as some of them stared at the spectacle we were creating from the sideline. I won’t be the one to back down in the face of bullying. I decided. These were my first steps in this world and I wasn’t about to get taken advantage of by these little, actually monsters beings with who knows what kind of strength and intelligences.

And while I made up my mind, my opponent glared at me. It opened its mandibles wide and as a challenge, and I replied back by copying him. The rest of the mob standing behind it glared at me too. Lone, I handled the taunting stares of them all, and slowly the suppression turned into a miasma of worry which came out as yet another skill.

I didn’t know how easy it was to gain skills, but at this point, I was gaining them left and right with not much work put into them.

Skill: Glare (LV-1/10)

[Intimidating glare, glare of longing, the stalking glare; There are many kinds of them. Which one is yours?]

[Increases/Decreases your opponents fighting spirit]

[+.1Charm/lv]

You won’t believe me when I say this, but the princess of Ether fort has a glare which can arouse even the dead! –The shallow minded trouper.

They flinched. Surprise, I detected from the way their heads tilted. I understood many of them had the skill too, but upon being blasted upon by one, they understood I wasn’t one to back down without a fight either.

A low pitch cry they made, screeching my senses. I thought I had it in me to protect myself from their bullying, but when I saw all of them taking a step toward me, I flinched, staggered and took a panicked step back.

Danger, I felt in the way they stared. Their oppression getting stronger; my antenna’s flared, as I sensed their intention. Their group circled around me, I had no chance. But just as I thought, it’s the end, someone pushed an ant away and gave me a window to run, and that’s exactly what I did.

Skill: Run gained.

[You learn to balance, then you walk and now you run.]

[+3%movement speed/lv]

Run to the depths of your cowardly self and run until you can’t see anyone, but don’t forget, this world is fairly small. You can run all you want, but you can’t hide – Panthor, the Demon knight.