Chapter 4: Health Check

Xeno groggily opened his eyes only to be overcome with a headache and dizziness. For a moment, he didn’t know what was going on, but when he moved a bit he rolled off the bed and fell to the floor. The hit shocked him enough to clear his foggy mind and fully awaken him. He remembered Diving into The Helix, and the familiar habitation seemed to confirm this…

Xeno – “Ugh! Why did that sleeping habit have to transfer here?”

Some time ago, when he took more care to not push his bones too much, Savi always had a hard time waking up in the mornings due to this feeling of intense drowsiness that attacked him when he woke up. Recently, though he hasn’t had this problem since the pain he feels in his bones wakes him almost immediately. Quite honestly, he prefers the pain over the drowsiness. At least he can think clearly through pain while drowsiness pretty much shuts down his mind…

Xeno stood from the floor and stretched his stiff arms while looking around.

Xeno – “Yep, this is Mr. Rupert’s room or at least the one he left me sleeping in a while ago… Now, where could he be at this time, whichever time it is...? His office hopefully.”

Xeno walked out of the room and his suspicion proved correct, he wasn’t there. Xeno sighed in resignation, it would be far more productive to wait for the Head Librarian to come back than to wander off and miss each other after the long wait by both parties. Only thing was that Xeno didn’t have much to do right now since he hadn’t brought any conches with him.

Xeno – “Well, might as well work on my basics for once.”

Xeno looked around the room for an ample space to practice and found it near the middle; most likely the old man also used this spot to train or something of the sort. He didn’t seem like the type to worry about strength, though Sir Sion didn’t seem like the type to prefer intelligence over strength when I first saw him.

Xeno stood in the middle of the empty area of around 5 feet squared and took out his Trident. He took hold of it from the base with his right hand and the middle with his left and took a stab to the right.

Xeno – “This was how it’s supposed to be done, right?”

While Xeno hadn’t used melee weapons before, he had seen videos and read books a few years ago when he’d helped one of his friends learn to fight. He wasn’t much of a commander in his own personal opinion, but he always admitted being a sort of hellish teacher who bore results of training he had never done himself. That earned him the name Tutor for some time, which was quite bothersome when people thought he was an NPC who would train them for free…

Anyways, Xeno pushed away thoughts of the past and concentrated on what he was doing. He practiced stabbing in various directions, both still and while moving around. He wasn’t quick about it, but he tried to see his mistakes and not repeat them if possible.

After an hour or so, he started to add slashing to the routine, but that took a drastic chance. Spears are not meant to be used for slashing unless they are a combination weapon, which this trident clearly wasn’t. He started analyzing the trident. Xeno’s a bit miffed that it would be quite difficult to deal blunt damage with the trident even though it possessed greater weight than a spear or lance. However, the trident’s weight wasn’t meant for attack, but defense. If he placed his strength against a solid object using the tri-tips of his trident, he would be able to keep his enemies at bay, but the lack of an opponent or even doll to practice meant he couldn’t practice this…

He decided to train his ability with the trident later on as it would only be a matter of time before he’s forced to fight monsters. As he was in the middle of a stab, the door of the room opened. Xeno looked to see the Head Librarian gazing at him, jaw dropped and flabbergasted.

“What do you think yee are doing?!”

Xeno was slightly taken aback: “Training?”

“Yes, I saw yee, but what are yee doing in your condition!?!”

Xeno – “Condition? I feel fine.”

“No no no. Yee fell asleep for days on end without waking up, I thought yee were going to die in yer sleep for a moment there!”

Xeno – “Ah, sorry about that. Well, see… When I woke up in my world, my Avatar seemed to need some more time to rest before I could become one with it again.” – if Xeno remembered correctly, this was the term most commonly used by Users when they excuse themselves to NPC’s for their lateness.

“Yes yes. But just because you can Synchronize with your body, it doesn’t mean that your body is ready yet to push itself like this!”

Xeno – “As I said, I feel fine!”

“Oh, really? Then I suppose if I invite yee fer dinner yee will happily decline because yee are full?”

*GROWL*

Xeno’s stomach started growling at the mention of food, especially since it most likely wouldn’t be those stale corals he has had to push down his throat lately.

“And I take it yee also don’t need to go to the restroom?”

Xeno suddenly felt a bit squeeze down in his pants…

“And I take it yee also don’t feel a bit of tiredness?”

Xeno – “Actually, I do not feel tired at all, but I do give up on the other stuff…”

“…fine.”

Mr. Rupert took out some tools from his desk: a small blender and some strange fruits. He threw the fruits inside without consideration and waved his hand at the blender, it started on its own and began to crush the fruits inside into a pulp of juicy mass.

“So that’s how magic is in this world? Pretty hard stuff then…”

According to what he had read before, as well as what he had seen, this world had two basic ways of using magic: through chants, as AIPADS had explained the day before (or was it week since he was in-game?) or through creativity. While creative magic had greater variety, it’s power and abilities greatly depend on the imagination of the user. Surprisingly, very few Outsiders are able to use such magic, not to mention it had a high chance of failure when creating a new spell. On the other hand chant spells are constant, easy to learn as long as one possesses the book and have a non-existent chance of failure. Unless you were of a race unable to use magic under any circumstances of course…

The old man took two glasses from his desk and went over to the blender; he turned off the blender and served us both a drink, offering one to me first before taking his own. Xeno was perplexed for a moment at how the blend didn’t float about with the water, but put it off as a special quality of the glass to prevent its spillage.

He drank it and to his surprise he was filled with vigor all over his body, it felt as if his skin were burning, but cooling at the same time.

Xeno – “Wow…”

“I take it yee enjoyed the concoction, Lad?”

Xeno – “Errr… Yes it was incredible for a blend, what were those fruits?”

“Oh, just simple guaroya coral berries.”

Xeno – “Coral berries?” – this is the first time Xeno had heard that corals could grow berries, perhaps the variety of fruits he had read in his study last week was more incomplete than he thought…

“Correct, they are quite hard to grow, so it was only recently that they were discovered and named.”

That explains why he didn’t remember them in the conches he had read… Xeno guessed that while the info can be useful, it could also be outdated already, so he should keep an eye open to incongruences between his studies and nature. Still, there could be more “up-do-date” books than the one’s in the library…

“Now, then… Xeno I’m going to need to check yer Status Window. I still remember yer skills window so there isn’t a need to show that one to me.”

Seeing the old man seriously talking about the reason he originally came here, Xeno complied easily.

Xeno: Open: XENO

Xeno – “So this is how my Avatar looks like now…” – he absentmindedly sent the command so that the Head Librarian could see his stats as he continued to peruse his advancements. Xeno gained several new stats he had expected from having read so many books.

Education was earned by reading a hundred books or receiving instruction from a master. It helped increase the skill experience earned from actions. Lore on the other hand required the Education stat and reading plenty of books about nature in general or else investigate nature directly. This stat affected the information the user could obtain from identifying items and creatures, at greater levels showing the item’s Past is possible, though Insight has better effect in that.

Insight, while similar to Lore in many ways, concentrated in details of things seen before at any point in their lives. Just seeing an object once, even if information about the object was not obtained, would allow the user to know plenty of information about objects once they see them a second time.

Mentality, Diligence and Constitution were most likely obtained during the period of time in which Xeno was reading books and only taking care of his most basic of needs with the exception of sleep. Mentality would help him develop his skills, failing less commonly than usual. Diligence would allow him to train his skills much faster, but only if I used them at least once a week. If skills are not used, then their EXP will fall until it reaches 0%. This stat can be deadlier than actual Death in this game… Most likely some of the EXP from some of Xeno’s abilities dropped severely during his “coma”.

Finally, Constitution will allow Xeno’s body to remain healthier and take on greater status conditions without placing his Life in danger. Indirectly, this stat would give him some resistance to some status conditions such as poisoning and common illness.

Xeno also obtained some Affinity to Nature and Lore thanks to his studies, but there is one detail that preoccupies him… He only has 10 Days left of Newborn status, after which the blessings that allow him to gain stats at a higher rate will disappear! This particularly preoccupies Xeno as he has yet to get used to his new weapon and he has no intention of becoming a mage once more; though he calms himself as he still does not know what to do and the man in front of him will be the one to give him an idea. Well… there is one other detail…

“Quite a large amount of Mana yee have there, but yer Health seems to be quite lowered for someone who insists he is fine.”

Xeno lowered his head as he silently admitted that maybe he pushed his Avatar a bit too far mentally… And a bit physically since his body still feels very stiff.

“Well, yee’ll be glad to know I know of a pretty good place you could train, lad.”

Xeno – “I do not think I wish to be a mage…”

“Fufufu! No lad, not a mage, though I will keep it a secret for the time being.”

Xeno – “Why?”

“Cause otherwise I would have no leverage over convincing yee to go to the clinic to get checked!”

Xeno could only stare at the smiling, conniving old man that sat before him. After all of the time he had to wait (while reading conches), now he has to go to the clinic?!

Xeno – “Fine” – he was resigned to the fate he had chosen.

The old man guided Xeno throughout the the village, through the plaza where he originally spawned and over to the West. Though Xeno planed to head West after exploring the North, he decided to keep quiet and follow the good Librarian.

Over the years, Xeno didn’t have a particularly good opinion of doctors and medics in general; though he respects them for the help they have given them so he tries not to be an ass about it. He doesn’t like the idea of having to visit the doctor both in real life and in-game, but that’s how The Helix goes… It’s impossible to play the game without going to some hospital of some sort every now and then. Sometimes Xeno wondered just what was in the minds of the creators of this game, then remembers it was made by AI’s and decides they wanted to make it as realistic as possible. No self-respecting adventurer would allow himself to fall sick when he needs to provide capital to survive.

He was led towards the Western Gate, which unlike the Southern Gate he visited before, was much more… Xeno couldn't think of a way to describe it actually.

The gate was held between two buildings that stood side by side beside the Rasina Coral gate, a type of coral which is quite rare in these parts of the ocean and can be used to create strong, durable walls, but is very difficult to sculpt with.

The building on the right was the smaller of the two, made of white coral and white hardened sand, it stood elegantly yet simple in design. A wooden banner hung above the glass doors, a painting of a Nereid dancing around a drop of water depicted within; the symbol of underwater Health.

The building on the left seemed much less elegant and honestly strange in design. Quite honestly, it looked like a hut made of a random assortment of corals and stones or various sizes and colors. The building stood taller and wider than the one on the right, but showed no hints as to the reason for the difference in size. Quite honestly, Xeno wondered why they had decided to make this building like this. Though there was no sign outside the structure, he had little doubts as to what this building was…

The Head Librarian pulled Xeno towards the clinic in the right. Inside: a reception room, much larger and cozy than the one that was in the library. There were long lines of chairs lined up, strangely of various sizes; ranging from a fourth of Xeno’s size to almost three times his size. There’s also a counter at the far end, separated by a glass window from this room. Behind the window, a seemingly kind lady was reading a book. When she noticed them, her black eyes sparkled with delight as she closed her book.

“Why, hello Rupert! It’s been a while now, in for your back again?”

“No, miss Salamaria, I’m actually here for this lad here. I want the doc to take a good look at him.”

“Oooh! Another youngster pushing himself too hard? These days they seem to be working extra hard much more usually!”

“Business must be better than usual then?”

“Not really, no. The Captains make sure to keep their cadets from doing anything TOO drastic and dangerous, so we only have been attending the ones who went beyond their training regime.”

“Ah, I see… Well, the doc will be pleased to have some variety then. This lad here collapsed due to fatigue after reading an entire week.”

“A Philomath in the making?”

“Perhaps, but he is still unsure of his destiny.”

Xeno listened intently as the two talked about him as if he weren’t even there. He felt a bit uncomfortable butting into this conversation that kept going for several minutes…

Later…

“Oh, my! It seems we left the lad waiting for too long Salamaria.”

“Oh, yes. Perhaps I’ll call the doc and we can continue this conversation while the doctor checks him?”

“That would be wise.”

Xeno watched, slightly exasperated at the old couple, as Salamaria walked away from view. Soon she was back as asked him to move in through the door and take the first turn to the right.

Xeno walked right through the small white hallway until he found a door. It was made of a different coral than the rest of the building, colored pale red, and had a plaque hanged right over it which read.

Reading those tittles, which would most likely relate to the classes the doctor has mastered at least to the intermediate level, one would think he was one hardcore doctor. But Xeno knew perfectly well that multi-classing was basic in this game, though he had to give credit to the doctor for getting the Military Medic class to intermediate. As far as he knew, Combat Medics, a watered down version of the Military Medic, took thousands of battles helping injured soldiers in order to reach that level.

Xeno opened the door and stepped into the doctor’s room. It was plain as it could be: a bed, a desk, a chair and the doctor waiting patiently in his seat. He’s younger than Xeno expected, seemingly no older than 30 in his opinion. He had a mop of brown hair and a quite thin body, his long sleeved coat and round spectacles gave him such a doctor-ish appearance that Xeno almost guffawed.

“I take it you are the Outworlder called Xeno? Pleased to meet you, my name is Doctor Pebblewilly, though please just call me Doc.”

“Ok, Doc.” – Xeno felt a current around him as the doctor spoke, as if he could see right through him.

“Hmm… I’d like you to have a seat before we begin the examinations.” – he pointed towards the bed. After Xeno sat on it, he continued – “Now then… I take it this is the first time you’ve visited a clinic in this world, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Good, that’ll make things easier to explain. Don’t ask why, but when Outworlders think that reading about the clinic is the same as being in one, things can get difficult with them…”

“I take it you've had bad experience with Outworlders?”

“Yes, of the Sahuagin kind in any case. Hopefully, Maomer Outworlders aren’t as bad, no?” – he looked at him intently.

“I’ll try not to be…” – Xeno was starting to get nervous, since when did doctors show such obvious displeasure at patients? Weren't they supposed to calm the patient to make them talk more smoothly?

“Very well, let us begin with some physical checks and then we can get some additional information about your current condition.”

For the next hour or so, the doctor ran various tests upon his body ranging from many things: checking his eyes, ears and mouth, measured his height, weight and body mass, physically checked his bones and muscles, took his pulse, took a sample of his blood and ran through an analysis with some magic-operated machine Xeno couldn’t understand while he used a spell to create an X-Ray of his bone structure among the FEW he actually understood… Xeno was starting to get tired with all the tests...

“Alright, I think we are done with the basic checks. Now we can check your actual condition in more detail, though I may already have an idea of it from that check-up.” – said the Doc as he cleaned his spectacles with a white cloth – “Now I’m going to be using a personally customized window to show us the details we have uncovered about your health as well as others that may have escaped us. Are you ready?”

Xeno was quite tired from the tests and wanted them to stop already, so he nodded.

“Very well… Health Check: Xeno”

After a few moments…

“Share Results with Patient: Xeno”

“I gather that you can NOW see the effect of your actions on your body?”

Xeno was a bit speechless. He had not realized his body would be this messed up just because of a few sleepless days and a few days asleep… He began to wonder why was it that the players disliked so much getting the checkups if they allowed you to prevent your body from deteriorating without you noticing it. Then he remembered the long time he had to be checked and the fact that there was no line to wait this time…

Still, knowing the condition of your body with this much detail could be very useful in the long run, right?

“For the time being, I’ll give you some mixtures that should help you in recuperating from these conditions, but you have to live a healthy life in order for these to fully take effect, understood?”

Xeno nodded and he was given 3 medical capsules which he drank. They tasted quite bitter and slid down his throat harshly. Soon though, the capsules began to take effect, much more quickly and effective than they would in real life. His mind felt much clearer than when he woke up and his body felt lighter, almost stronger.

“Now come with me.” – the doctor walked back to the reception room with Xeno tagging along. There, he asked the Librarian what he would do with me.

“I’m thinking about presenting the lad to Mc Neel. The chap has been needing another apprentice and this one takes a good cake outta his requirements for apprenticeship, doesn’t he?”

“Indeed, he does seem to possess the necessary qualities… Though it may be prudent to ensure this boy doesn’t push himself too much.”

“Aye, I’ll let the chap know to send the lad over to you once a week or so.”

“That would be fine.” – answered the doctor, seemingly compromising with the Librarian’s idea.

“Now lad, we go see your possibly future master.”

Xeno sighed in relief as for a moment he thought he would have to wait even longer while they conversed. It had already been some 8 hours since he woke up and he guessed he would have to sleep in this world at the right times to keep it healthy, not to mention he was starting to get hungry again.

“Now come boy.” – the Librarian exited the clinic and headed straight to… the strange building on the left. Xeno was starting to understand his idea, but couldn’t seem to complain about it. After all, he actually didn’t mind helping the village out a bit…

Hello, new chapter here. This one goes along with some additional information about Health in The Helix. You can guess that if the supreme liberty of action without consequences that is usual in most VRRPG’s isn’t such in The Helix. The Geomchi in particular would’ve had a horrible experience here unless they realize they needed to take care of their bodies here as well, which considering their attitudes towards receiving help from strangers is doubtful… Weed would hate me for adding health as it would make him rest more to avoid deletion.

Another detail that I must add is that the Health conditions and the reasons why their effects did what they did are not completely in accord to human physiology. This is just fine since we are talking about an Underwater Elven race, nothing to do with humans, right? However, the levels are close enough to humans as I DID research before writing that table up.

I’ve tried to reduce sentences as best as I could, but some still may be a bit long. In addition, I’ve made sure to only include a maximum of 2 “HAS” per paragraph, which has greatly cut the number of has in this chapter to around 40. This amount could be lower, but I’d need to revise the chapter a few more times to do so, which will make the release date later. It is fine for the time being, but later chapters with more emphasis on the story and less on the gimmicks of this game will be better crafted and slower to write.

Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the lateness, Internet conection is very bad right now. I'll post double since I'm not sure when I'll be able to post next...