(Saturday. Date: 20-04-2463)

“Well? Spill it,” Kayla growled at me the moment we got home. It felt as if weeks had gone by in a single day, I thought tiredly. She hadn’t mentioned it all day and I was beginning to hope Kayla had forgotten. Moving past her I walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa to take off my shoes and socks.

Wiggling my toes, I thought hard on what I could actually reveal.

Did Annaleigh ever specifically state that I couldn’t mention her or the Reawakening? Kayla came over and knelt besides the sofas armrest. “Please Rhys,” she pleaded, concern written across her features. “Something obviously happened at Mom’s funeral. I don’t know when it did; but your eyes were normal and then...” she trailed off. I imagine Annaleigh would’ve warned me not to, if I wasn’t allowed to partially discuss it.

“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you,” I told her, taking her hand to reassure her. “You didn’t look in the grave did you, after placing your lily?” I asked and she shook her head, her brows pinching slightly in thought. “When I placed my own lily on moms coffin well… Something happened. They bloomed Kay, and then. Then I kind of maybe-did-definitely meet Mother. The Mother,” I began and told her everything minus the gift I was granted.

“So, you’ve what? Been awakened once again?” she asked with slight disbelieving shake of her head.

“I prefer ‘Woke’ personally,” I said with a shrug.

“Yeah... No. You’re terrible with naming things,” she replied with a grimace and shook her head again. “This is all true?” she asked for like the 7th time.

I nodded, then paused. “There is more but Annaleigh said I shouldn’t reveal the information unless I make them form a contract with her. I just don’t know how to that,” I revealed.

“I can’t believe just how casually your throwing about the Mothers name,” Kayla hissed at me.

I shrugged, “if you saw how flighty she was, you would be as well. She’s - Uh... Nice and fun to talk to,” I said, sounding unsure.

Kayla sighed loudly and dramatically at that, “I swear if we get cursed or blighted, or whatever because you couldn’t keep it shut. I will castrate you, Rhys. You can be sure of that,” she stated tiredly.

I saluted her, “yes Mother.”

Night came and I found myself in my old room, “what did I do with those crutches?” I asked to no one in particular, scratching at the back of my head. “Oh well. It’s not like I used them after the funeral anyway. Probably still there actually,” I thought aloud. My phone chimed a notification from where it charged on my bedside table. Looking at the unknown number that had sent me a message, I thumbed the notification and brought it up.

Good evening Rhys, the text began, “uhhh- okay. Not creepy at all,” I breathed out. Should I reply, I don’t- I thought but was interrupted when my phone chimed again.

This message read, do, you wish for a better life. A better chance at what was denied you. “Shit. Guess whoever’s sending this saw I that read the message,” I said as the chime sounded off. To become the betters. To rise from the filth of the outer ring. To connect with those others who were stepped upon and cast away. All because you weren’t their equal. I blinked at the message, sorely tempted to reply as it hit all the right spots about how I had felt. But that was exactly it, tomorrow my life would change once again. One final chime came and then silence, if you and all those like you, wish this. We at Elman Industries can give you that future. “Seriously! Elman as in Robert Eelman? This guy is so fucking annoying.”

~*~*~*~

A noise rang through my skull and woke me early the next morning. Feeling groggy and tired, I flipped my phone and saw that it was 06:45am. “Uhhh....” I groaned my voice rising as I stretched. The sound came again, a series of chimes, like an alarm tone. It was quiet at first and then rose in pitch and sounded as if it was coming from all around me.

“What the...” I yelled over the noise, as if on response to my verbalisation of annoyance. A cerulean blue transparent screen popped into existence about two feet in front of me. “Hell,” I exclaimed and flinched at the suddenness of it all. Moving to sit upright I pushed with my hands to move, only for them to fall away as I clipped the bed and fell off, flat on my ass. Blinking and groaning, I looked to see that the screen was still there.

Message Alert!

Welcome [Player] (Unread)

Daily Quest: (Unread)

Finally seeing the screen for what it really was, and a shit eating smiled plastering my face; I reached up and tapped the unread for Welcome Player. Then blinked and leaned my head backwards as an even larger screen materialised into existence.

Welcome [Player]

Mana Cube System has fully acclimated to the [Player] Mana has begun to fully regulate throughout the host body.

(Alert!) Congratulations! You have been granted the [Gamer] class.

Now as a gifted you may go forth and reap your foes. Then feed your body, mind and mana with the experience earned from crushing those very lives!

(Alert!) The System will provide quests that MUST be obeyed. There will be a penalty provided should you fail. Rewards (though may vary) on completion.

(Alert!) The System has generated key phrases for better utility. [Player] Commands: Status Window. Messages. Quest Objectives. Inventory. Options. These commands can be utilised through abbreviation and without verbalisation.

Enjoy the Game. I’ll be watching.

Luv, A.

“This is so-fucking-cool,” I said in awe. When Annaleigh had mentioned to think of my life as a game going forward, I hadn’t thought it would go the literal whole nine yards. “That’s ominous,” I said reading the must obeyed message. I imagined the System that was providing these displays; was a mixture of the Mana heart I had Installed within me, and my own mind.” The system obviously has a sum of set boundary’s and rules it has to abide by. “That’s got to be a message from Annaleigh…” I said frowning at the final words. “Status,” I said aloud. An instant later a new screen appeared in front of the Welcome Player message. With a mental thought I dismissed the message screen. When another screen materialised over the layout of my Status window, blocking it from view.

Daily Quest: Mandatory.

[Incomplete] Push-ups. (0/100)

[Incomplete] Sit-ups. (0/100)

[Incomplete] Burpees. (0/100)

[Incomplete] Crunches. (0/100)

[Incomplete] Squats. (0/100)

[Incomplete] Sprint. (0/10km)

(Warning!) Daily quests are mandatory and must be completed within the allotted 24hours. Failure to fulfil and meet the requirements will result in a harsh punishment. Rewards (though may vary) upon completion.

“No...” I started in disbelief. “No, no, no-no-no-no, no...” I stared at the daily quest window, blinking owlishly. “This has got to be a joke. She set this up, didn’t she!” I said firmly nodding my head like idiot. “I don’t workout, who does these days? We’re all perfect...” My words trailing away as I thought.

I knew what the daily quest meant, I understood it. I just didn’t fucking like, “I hate be forced into thing’s,” I grumbled running my hands over my face. Sitting up I moved back onto my bed, my phone screen now reading the time at 06:53am. “let’s get this all sorted away first. Then I’ll start... -Working out,” clicking my tongue on those words and flicking the quest screen away I brought my Status window to the forefront. “Huh,” I stated.

Status Window

Name: Rhys Xavier Trent

Level: 1

Class: Gamer

Profession: None

Title: None

Reputation: None

Stats.

Health: 100/100

Mana: 100/100

Fatigue: 34%

Attributes.

Strength: 10

Vitality: 10

Intelligence: 10

Agility: 10

Sense: 11

Luck: 10

Remaining Points:0

Passive Skill

Gamers Guide [Lvl: Max]

Expand upon further Levelling.

“That’s interesting. I guess that from my talk with Annaleigh about my Reawakening and becoming Gifted. The base number of my stats being 10 is actually quite high for an E-rank gifted. I’ve even got an extra point in Sense,” I said, thinking aloud. My thoughts on what Sense was; drew my mind back to the sensation I’d felt when I avoided that dagger throw in the magical store.

“Did that mean I was applying my attributes before my gift even properly kicked in, that’s pretty neat if true. Means that Sense is a constant, always active awareness,” I nodded thoughtfully. “Wait,” I paused frowning at my fatigue. “Why is it 34%?” I asked and clicked on fatigue hoping it may just provide more information.

Fatigue: State of tiredness.

+Vitality. +Agility. +Sense.

Affected by physical conditioning, mana drain and active skills.

Mana drain and active skills usage have a minimal drain, but accumulated usage of such will hamper the body’s response time considerably and Sense attribute.

“Okay, I’m physically shit and weak. That my Fatigue is up 34% just from waking… Or is that my flat line?” I grumbled sourly. “Okay next was Messages,” I said but all I received was a dull negative sounds like a buzzer in my head. “Nooo messages, from the message screen-thing, alright. Quest objectives,” I said and received a minimised screen displaying the title: [Daily Quest]

I nodded expecting as such and decided to think Inventory instead this time. Without a seconds delay a new transparent window popped open next to the smaller quest one. Dismissing the quest window, I focused fully on the inventory display. It was remarkably simple, a set of squares laid-out like that of a chessboard.

Above these squares were tabs marking each as:

Weapons.

Armour.

Potions.

Books.

Quest.

Nodding at what I basically expected I raised my hand about to flick the window away when I saw a side tab running the vertical length of the inventory display.

Equipped.

I poked the tab and another shorter window slid out from to the side of my inventory. It showed a hollowed figure in a vague representation of me. Above the figure were three letters; CND. “Condition maybe. It would make sense,” I stated. My representation was stood with its arms and legs spread wide. Besides each of my limbs were a 100% status mark, including that of the head and torso. Then besides each section of my figure was a smaller transparent blue box; they were empty, showing I had nothing equipped as of now. “Well I guess that answers the question of whether my clothing is counted as armour or not,” I said sagely.

Then just to confirm, I tapped the Armour tab. The display switched from an empty weapons tab to an empty armour’s one. I left it there and looked about the page, within the equipped screen and besides my arms were four smaller boxes. “Uh-huh, Rings as well then,” I nodded and seeing nothing else, I closed down my inventory and with a thought brought forth my Options display.

Requests was the first option that caught my eye. Pressing it, the screen switch to a blank one, then text started to appear slowly by increments.

Command Requests?

YES/NO

[Type request here]

“Wait. Does this mean I can make a request to have new commands added to the system? What about changing those at present?” I said thoughtfully. “No,” I answered aloud, and the system took my verbal decline. “Why fix it, if ain’t broken,” I muttered.

The options screen reappeared again, and I swore an option was missing. I had four options previously I was certain, now there were only three.

The last was ominously named, “call Mother? Yeah-no. Had enough crazy yesterday, don’t need more right now. Besides isn’t she working on some deal?” I mumbled. The second option was Character settings. Pressing the tab, I was surprised when I was provided with a warning.

(Warning!)

The Following settings can greatly alter the [Player] personality, appearance, race, body, head, eyes and hair.

The penalty for using and adjusting the following settings are: Permanent Fatigue of 40% -2 Strength. -3 Agility. -1 Intelligence. Permanent removal of Passive Skill: Gamer Guide. Re-evaluation of class selection.

Do you wish to continue to the following settings?

YES/NO

“Whoa. Talk about a round-about way of warning someone off of something,” I grumbled in annoyance. For a second there I had dreams of a life spent being incredibly good-looking, tall and muscular with a pompous noble name like Alaric and surrounding myself with a harem of beautiful and exotic women. “It would’ve been cool to see different races and take a short-cut to being fitter. That penalty loss though is harsh, but I get it. No,” I answered firmly. I paused as the screen changed. Hearing a clatter from the kitchen area down the hall from my room. I guessed that Kayla was up, “always was an early riser. What’s early for me at least.”

The new display had Character Settings crossed out and greyed. Beneath that was now four other smaller options.

Hide [Player] Signature: ( ON/PARTIAL/OFF.)

Conceal [Player] Equipped items: ( ON/PARTIAL/OFF.)

Convert acquired Mana Crystals and Gold to [Player] currency: ( ON/PARTIAL/OFF.)

Scratching the back of my head I read the options, then read them again. “Alright... for now let’s go with. On, Partial and lastly… Let’s do Partial again,” I said highlighting each one I confirmed. Thankfully the options didn’t grey-out and become unusable to me, my choices were simply circled. Dismissing the screen and options entirely I stared at the blank space, “that’s everything,” I said letting out a deep sigh. “Guess there’s no procrastinating and putting this off is there. I swear the next time I see Mother I’m gonna bend her over and fuck her brains-” I started to say then realised the context of what I was saying, and promptly gagged in my throat. Tasting the filmy coating of saliva in my mouth I got up. “Sleep is for the weak,” I grunted, “and dead,” and spent the rest of my morning getting to work fulfilling my daily quest. I didn’t want to fail and see what kind of penalty was in store for me.

~*~*~*~

Fatigue: 93%

The notification window popping up as I panted, my whole body was a sweaty flailing mess as I jog-stumble-ran along the street. I knew the neighbourhood well enough around the apartment and surroundings blocks that I could lap them any numerous amount of times without running into a rough crowd.

Though as most in the outer rim of the outer ring, were either normal humans, awakened or low E-rank gifted. I wasn’t particularly worried. The real problem was running into a gang consisting of a large number of all three. Gifted may not use guns as they aren’t that effective against gateway monsters and the like. It didn’t mean bullets couldn’t hurt or kill us.

New Eden city had seen two civil rebellions, protesting the discrepancies between Humans, Awakened and Gifted. Both times the Awakened had sided with humanity. The second time even a number of high-ranked gifted had joined their number’s. It resulted in a cruel culling of sorts and a push against the lower classes towards the outer ring. It was one of the rare instances where the G.A and the E.N.G had banded together against a civil movement. As always it had turned bloody.

They say you can feel the shifting of power in the city; just before something cruelly bad is about to happen. I on the other hand couldn’t feel shit as I thrashed about in what I called Running. Puffing for air I stopped and folded over planting my hands on my knee. People walked past ignoring the idiot exercising, one even shouting at me to, “use a gym, you dumbass.” After he nearly walked into me. “People and there... phones,” I huffed back. Yeah right, a gym is more likely to badger me into a membership than actually let me workout, I thought.

Daily Quest: Mandatory.

[Complete] Push-ups. (100/100)

[complete] Sit-ups. (100/100)

[complete] Burpees. (100/100)

[Complete] Crunches. (100/100)

[complete] Squats. (101/100)

[Complete] Sprint. (10/10km)

Using my forearm to swipe at my brow, I breathed out slowly. Looking to the neon yellow wrist watch Kayla had given me when I said I was going for a jog. I saw that time was now 3:33pm. “Holy shit… This has taken all day,” I muttered breathlessly. I had practically pass-out after each goal was completed. Thankfully they weren’t set in such a way that I literally had to finish them once I started. I had taken numerous breaks per exercise and even mixed them up into a routine of sorts. I wasn’t a big fan of music so I all I’d heard since 7am is my stupid, annoying, wheezing breath and the repeat slamming of my heart in my chest. “I am so fucking weak,” I hissed at myself.

“Excuse me,” I heard a polite feminine voice say.

“Oh, uh- sorry,” I said without looking up and moved over a to a bench. It was covered colourfully in graffiti and gull shit, the only not-so covered part was at the end. On the wall behind the lesser-smeared seat was a stylized graphic of a cock squirting cum directly over that part of the bench I was about sit on. “Nice,” I muttered but inside I was giggling prettily.

“Wait, aren’t you that guy?” I heard the same voice from behind me ask. Ignoring her; thinking she wasn’t talking to me I sat down. “Excuse me. Sir. Hey, don’t ignore me,” I looked up to see the shop worker of Farias Sightless eyes. Except this time; I saw her eyes were a bright green. She must’ve hidden them somehow, contact lenses? They’d be neat to have. Shame they irritated my eyes so badly, I thought. Deciding to play dumb wouldn’t help either. I was staring after-all. Like an idiot.

“Hi?” I replied uncertain. Then as an after-thought; I added, “not gonna throw first and ask questions later?” Looking at my fatigue window I saw that it was at 87% Damn is it slow, I thought. Looking at the as of yet unnamed woman I frowned in concentration. She was wearing comfy clothing, something someone would wear out for a jog. She had on a light grey hoodie unzipped enough to expose her pale flesh and the dark purple cross-back sports bra; her small chest was packed tightly into. Her legs were covered by skin-tight sports-leggings with the breathable mesh down along the sides of her shapely yet petite legs. She was remarkably lean for her size and frame.

“Yeah... I mean, no I’m not. I just-”

“Threw a glass dagger at a customer,” I interrupted. “Which I can’t remember if you apologised for, I’d hate to get the E.N.G involved.” Yeah, I was being petty and the E.N.G getting involved would likely worsen shit for me more than her. They’d asked her why she’d done it, and she would divulge her suspicion’s to them.

“I really am sorry. It was just; you were the second guy this week to ask for the same item. He was nice at first, then he started threatening me after I asked about his eyes. They’re a lot like yours you see, he said I would lose everything if told anyone about him. Took a pair of glasses, paid and then left,” she shook her head. I noticed that her black hair was in a tight braid; the end peaking over the lowered lip of her hood.

“Eyes like mine?”

“Yes,” she confirmed nodding her head.

“Eyes like mine…” I muttered to myself and starting to feel uneasy. I’d had a look at my own eyes since yesterday of course. They were indeed a different colour than my original hazel. Now they bright blue to the point of striking, more eerily was the red shards that I had from before, when I first Awakened, were now thicker and had moved to the rim of my iris. Peaking out like the closing shutter of a camera.

“Triangle?” I asked. Standing, I looked squarely at the Farias store proprietor, “this man that you spoke to. Were his eyes green, like venomously green? With Red gate shards forming a triangle?” I said gesturing up at my own eyes.

“Y-yes,” she answered stepping away from me slightly.

“What is going on?” I asked. “Did he give you a name? Do you recognise him from anywhere?” I fired off quickly.

She shook her head, “no he didn’t and no I don’t.”

I nodded; figuring as such. The very fact that she would risk attacking someone that reminded her of the man was answer enough to how much she distrusted him. Is it the same man, I thought. “Thanks anyway,” I said to her and started walking off, Fatigue 82%.

“Wait!” She called after me, “what’s your name?” But I was already moving, running the route back towards home.

This novel is the work of Rhys Thomas. If you are reading this and it has not been published by Rhys Thomas, then this work has been stolen. Please report this to Amazon and me at email: [email protected]