(Author's Note: This chapter should be consolidated with the next few that come after it, therefore the .1 in the chapter title. "Why did I break this up into subchapters", you ask? Because there's several formatted tables and such in this chapter which are annoying to create and work with, and I felt it might be better in the long run to separate them somewhat for people's ease of reading pleasure.)

The sun was shining through the bloodstained windows and tainting everything a crimson hue when I woke the next morning feeling stiff and grimy. At first, my mind couldn’t comprehend where I was or what had happened, but once my eyes focused on the gory carnage around me everything came flooding back to me. The Crack in the sky. The monsters and my own death – twice! And finally, the goblin and the anger which I released upon it. Somehow I was praying that it was all a nightmare that I’d awaken from, but it’s all still here.

“Stats,” I said to myself to make certain that the world which seemed to be a game was still real.

DING!

Name: UnchosenTitles: The WitnessAge: 17Level: 1CP: 10STR: 8SYI: 8WIL: 7DEX: 8MYS: 8PRE: 7CON: 10SPR: 4LUC: 11HP: 30MP: 16SP: 8PD: 0DR: 0MR: 0SE: 1

Looking at the stats, they were slightly different this morning. For one thing, I now had a level listed: Level 1; and I had 10 CP, whatever they were. I also noticed that my HP had increased by 10, my MP by 8, and my SP by 4, even though I wasn’t certain what they were either. I guess higher is better than lower though, and a level of 1 has to be better than being a level 0.

One thing that I noticed that hadn’t changed from last time was the name “Unchosen”, which was ridiculous since my parents had chosen a name for me at birth. Irritated, I tapped out at the floating blue stat box and tried to punch a finger through the entry, only to have it DING for me and another window pop up in front of the other one.

Currently your name has not been chosen. If you’re prepared to choose a name, do so now. Otherwise say “Cancel”.

Warning: Names are harbingers of destiny and cannot be altered when set. Choose wisely.

Shocked, I stared at the popup for a few moments and then I spoke. If I had to choose a name which was going to guide my destiny, I might as well aim big I figured. “GOD!”

BURZT! BURZT! An annoying warning sound from who knows where, and then the message changed slightly.

That name is already taken. You have 2 tries left to choose a suitable name before one will be chosen for you.

Currently your name has not been chosen. If you’re prepared to choose a name, do so now. Otherwise say “Cancel”.

Warning: Names are harbingers of destiny and cannot be altered when set. Choose wisely.

Looks like I’m not going to get to be God. Ah well. I suppose that’s probably for the best anyway. I honestly don’t know what I’d do with the world if I was God. Probably ruin it even more than it is now, if we’re being honest.

Putting the matter of a chosen name out of my mind for now, I decided to get up and look around a bit better this morning. Obviously this new world was dangerous, and if I didn’t want to end up dead and eaten again, I needed something better than Little Bud to help me protect myself. He might be a mighty club (at least in my imagination), but he wasn’t one that I liked swinging around and trying to hit people with.

Glancing around, things really hadn’t changed much from the night before: the room was still destroyed, blood and bodies was everywhere, and what was left of the goblin was pounded down into the middle of the stack of bodies where he was playing in the gore. “Bloody Hell.” I usually don’t like to cuss a whole lot, as it tends to annoy my mother and I try and be a good son, but what I saw deserved a “bloody hell” to describe it if anything ever did. I felt tears starting to welt back up in my eyes once more, when…

DOO DOO DA DOO! Trumpets suddenly sounded from out of nowhere and a new window popped up.

You name has now been successfully chosen.

Congratulations, “Bloody Hell”!

Oh no.

Oh, hell no!

“Stats,” I cried out suddenly.

Name: Bloody HellTitles: The WitnessAge: 17Level: 1CP: 10STR: 8SYI: 8WIL: 7DEX: 8MYS: 8PRE: 7CON: 10SPR: 4LUC: 11HP: 30MP: 16SP: 8PD: 0DR: 0MR: 0SE: 1

OH….

…..

……

….. WHAT THE FLIP?!

“Bloody Hell isn’t a name! “ I yelled at the status window, but nothing changed.

“Name reset!” But, nothing happened. “Redo! Do over! Rename!” And still nothing changed as the status window floated almost mockingly in front of me.

Finally, I couldn’t help but sigh and accept it. At least my first thoughts weren’t “Shit!”

Thank you mother. I’ve learned my lesson: profanity really is a terrible thing to indulge in. I’ll try even harder not to do it anymore.