Vos Raihymn stood at the edge of one of his palace’s many terraces, staring out into the void at the edge of space. It was both beautiful and complex.
Beautiful in its serenity and depth. There was nothing out there—no star or planet drifting in the eternal darkness, not even the smallest comet or meteorite. Nothing could exist in the void, not even the magic that permeated the very fabric of reality, because the void was the absence of reality. It was beautiful.
Complex in the deep truths that hid in the void, tantalizing to even the simplest of life forms. The insight that lurked in the folds of nothingness promised something far greater than any other truth that could be gleaned. All other truths existed within the confines of reality, making them the opposite of the void—of nothingness. It was complex.
For a being like Vos Raihymn, who could only exist in reality, the truths of the void were nearly impossible to grasp. It was like a two-dimensional being attempting to understand the third or even fourth dimension; it was simply not in its nature. Vos Raihymn was close, though—there was a sensation in his mind whenever he stared into the void and pondered its mysteries. The connection was almost there.
For millions of years, he and his palace had lingered at the edge of everything, allowing Vos Raihymn to dedicate his life to understanding the void and becoming one with it. Yet there had always been a disconnect—a wall blocking him from his goal. But now, he was closer than ever to grinding that wall to dust and achieving his purpose.
He would see the void in all its glory once he became one with it. For now, it was just an impenetrable blackness. Vos might as well have been staring at a wall for all the good his eyes did him; there were no landmarks or points of reference, after all. It was his other senses that told him that what lay before him went on forever, and that was what he focused on.
Vos Raihymn had spent the last few years in undisturbed meditation as he reached for a higher existence. During that time, no one had disturbed him, as had been the case during his previous seclusions. So when Vos heard the sound of nervous footsteps approaching, his curiosity was piqued.
The few servants who inhabited the palace all knew not to disturb Vos while meditating. And why would they? While Vos secluded himself, he allowed his servants the freedom to pursue their own improvement—something he encouraged.
He wondered what the reason for the disturbance could be. Perhaps someone had arrived at the palace, a representative from another sector or a superior from within The Following. Maybe something was happening within the palace that needed Vos’ attention, or something could be kicking off elsewhere. Whatever the reason, Vos wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.
The nervous footsteps eventually stopped just at the entrance to the terrace. Only then did Vos rise to see who had interrupted his meditation. Turning around, he found Tol Kuilow standing in the entryway. Like Vos, Tol was human, with deathly pale skin, a result of living in the darkest edges of space far from any sun. His hair was pulled back into a warrior’s wolf tail, so black it almost seemed purple, matching the color of the glow stones and braziers around the palace. His loose black robes were immaculate, without a single wrinkle or blemish.
Tol stood with his hands folded before him, respectfully looking down at the floor, waiting to be acknowledged. As Vos examined him, he could sense the anxiety and fear in the man’s usually tightly controlled aura. Even without that, the sweat rolling down Tol’s face would have given him away. “You have disturbed my meditation,” Vos said evenly.
Tol flinched as though he had been struck and bowed hurriedly. “M-my apologies, Lord Raihymn. I in no way meant to offend or disrupt your progress.”
A small smile tugged at Vos’ lips as he looked upon the man before him. Tol was one of the newest servants at the palace and by far the weakest, being the lowest rank there. Despite that, Tol was one of the most loyal and diligent servants in Vos’ service. No matter the task, Tol always completed it with excellence. With that kind of dedication, Tol could go far. If he became a core member of The Following, he would be a great asset.
“Please,” Vos said, “there is no need to apologize. I know my staff well; none of you would interrupt my pondering without just cause.”
Tol visibly relaxed, relief flooding his aura. He straightened and looked Vos in the eye. “It is as you say, my lord. Something has… occurred.”
“Oh?”
“He has returned.”
Vos frowned. He knew exactly to whom Tol referred. If it was true, and He had indeed returned, The Following’s plan would be halted—or at least delayed—until something could be done. That man had been dealt with billions of years ago, after he had come so close to realizing his power. Vos had only been a measly level 30 at the time, but he could still remember the glorious moment when the elders brought that man down, stopping his ascent, and selflessly sacrificing themselves to buy the younger generations more time. And now, according to Tol, He was back. Vos wasn’t sure if that was even possible after so long, but Tol would not lie.
“Interesting,” was all Vos could say.
“What do you wish to do, my lord?”
Vos tapped a finger to his lips as he thought over the situation, stringing together a web of possibilities and potential futures in his mind, “What do we know at the moment?”
“A few months ago, magical sensors everywhere began picking up shifts in the fabric of reality. Our people investigated and found traces of His presence. We don’t currently know his exact location, but we do know he is in a state of extreme weakness,” Tol reported.
“Interference. The cycles begin anew. Plans halted. The next era stopped,” Vos muttered.
“Your orders, my lord?”
Vos stared at Tol for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. “For now, nothing. If he is as weak as you say, then he is nothing more than a bug that might very well get himself killed. There would be no point in wasting resources to deal with him if he dies on his own. Find him and keep an eye on him. If he survives this period of weakness, inform me, and we will set things in motion. I want you to personally oversee this and report to me with updates, even if it means disturbing my culmination.”
Tol perked up at that and bowed deeply. “Thank you for the opportunity, my lord! I will handle things with the utmost care and diligence.”
“I know you will, Tol Kuilow. That is why I’ve given you this task,” Vos smiled, “Now, go.”
Tol bowed once more and left the terrace, leaving Vos alone. Vos turned back to the void, contemplating what this new development meant before leaving the balcony himself. His meditation would have to wait; there were people he needed to see about a bug.
***
Lukas prowled through the forest, hot on the heels of a beast he had been tracking, and he was getting close. He had spent the last few days lying in his hole, bored out of his mind while his body healed. All that time, an antsy energy made his skin itch, but after hearing that roar, he had become more aware of how fragile he was.
He still had the drive to grow stronger and climb his way to the top, but that roar had been a wake-up call to how reckless he had been. It was like he had been drunk with the desire to fight, and he was glad he had sobered up before he got himself killed. Looking back, trying to fight when his body could barely walk had been a quick way to die.
So Lukas had forced himself to stay put until he was fully healed. He would’ve given anything for a book or one of his puzzles—anything to keep his mind busy. But for days, he had been stuck with his thoughts, always thinking about how much he wanted to fight.
There were positives to his enforced downtime, though. It made him slow down and really process the fact that he was in a new, magical universe. Before, he had been running around without allowing himself to absorb it all, which probably wasn’t healthy. Now, it had truly settled in, especially after going to sleep and waking up multiple times in the same dirt hole.
Strangely, Lukas felt okay with his new reality. He didn’t have the urge to return home. Sure, he’d miss his parents and sister, and they’d probably think he was dead, but beyond that, there wasn’t much to miss. He didn’t have any friends, contacts, or connections that tethered him there. He felt like he should want to go back, but that feeling wasn’t there. He had zero knowledge about the world he was in, but that didn’t bother him—he would learn.
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One of the first things Lukas learned was related to the blood moon lily. Ever since he had settled back into his little safe spot, he had kept the lily close to him. While lying down, he kept it on his chest, where he could smell it with each breath. The magical effect waned the more he smelled it, but the scent had been a great help in alleviating his pain. Though the effect had mostly worn off by the evening, it had helped him fall asleep.
By the next morning, the flower had lost all effect, but Lukas had healed a decent amount. His health had gone up to 136/160. He guessed that his increased vitality helped, but the blood moon lily was probably the main contributor.
Lukas soon formed a theory. Between the flower’s name, appearance, smell, and effect, he felt certain it was some kind of healing plant. This revelation was huge. If other wildflowers had effects similar to the blood moon lily, he had access to valuable resources.
Of course, this would depend on whether the blood moon lily was good for more than basic pain relief. Not that he would take that for granted—pain relief alone was a great benefit. But if that was the limit of the flower’s effect, it wouldn’t be as valuable as he thought. Either way, in his current situation, Lukas would take whatever help he could get.
One morning, after confirming that the lily no longer provided any pain relief, Lukas did something drastic. He stuffed the flower into his mouth and ate it for breakfast. The taste was strange, and the texture even stranger. It was like eating blood with a hint of cherry sweetness. Lukas gagged multiple times but managed to swallow it down. He wished he had something to drink—bits of the flower were stuck in his teeth, and the inside of his mouth was coated in an unpleasant film.
At first, Lukas regretted eating the flower, but that regret quickly faded. The moment he swallowed, a wave of soothing warmth spread through his body—ten times stronger than what he had felt by just smelling it. The relief was so strong he could only lay there and sigh. Then, he noticed his health bar increasing at the corner of his vision.
Health: 146/160
Ten points, just like that. Lukas could feel an immediate effect as a strange wriggling sensation moved through his healing wounds, like parasites crawling under his skin. The imagery was unsettling, but the sensation passed quickly as his health points began to tick down.
Lukas watched as his health dropped by five points. As the points decreased, so did the soothing warmth and the wriggling sensation. His overall gain was five health points, and he guessed that the points he had gained were being used to speed up his healing. After all you couldn’t fix a leaking bucket by adding more water, the bucket had to be fixed. It just so happened that the water Lukas was pouring into himself was what he needed to repair himself.
After eating the flower and realizing its amazing properties, Lukas knew he would be keeping an eye out for more magic plants. He had no idea what other effects they might have, but he was eager to find out. It was another thing to look forward to once he was fully healed and ready to explore again.
Now that the day had finally arrived, Lukas was keeping his eyes peeled for anything unusual. He had spotted a few magical plants as he tracked the beast, but he hadn’t stopped to investigate them. He was in a hurry—the paw prints were getting fresher by the minute. As he went, he was careful not to get caught off guard. The last thing he needed was a surprise attack and a three-way fight.
For the next ten minutes, Lukas stalked through the forest, gripping his sword tightly in anticipation. He had been itching for a fight for days, and now he was about to take that first step toward leveling up. This would be his test—to see if his theories about growing stronger were actually possible. He was ready to do what it took to survive and climb his way up the food chain. He just hoped that first step wouldn’t end in him tripping and falling.
Soon, Lukas found his prey. He stood atop a large hill, looking down into a valley where something large and gray moved through a clearing. Trees blocked his view, but what he could see didn’t fill him with joy.
As Lukas moved closer, using the trees for cover, he prayed it wasn’t another pack of wolves. Once he reached level ground, he peeked out from behind a tree, getting his first proper look at the creature.
It was a strange one. Not as bizarre as the vipercat he had seen, but definitely stranger than the wolves he had fought. The creature was about the size of a large dog, with long ears and a bushy tail. Its body was sleek like a fox’s, but its face was more like a rabbit’s. Its long legs looked powerful, though Lukas couldn’t see any claws.
A tag appeared above the creature’s head:
Swipe-Swatter - lvl 6
Lukas deflated. Of course, the first beast he found was just a few levels too high for him. If it had been a level 3 or 4, he would’ve jumped right in, confident that surprise and strategy would give him the upper hand. But at level 6, it was too risky.
Sighing internally, Lukas started to back away. He wasn’t ready for this fight. But then, in his retreat, he stepped on a pine cone. The crunch echoed through the forest, and the swipe-swatter’s ears perked up. Its head snapped toward Lukas.
“Goddamn it,” Lukas muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.
The swipe-swatter darted toward him with incredible speed. Lukas barely had time to react before the creature was on top of him. He swung his sword wildly, missing completely as the creature barreled past him.
It quickly turned and charged again, faster than the wolves Lukas had fought. This time, he managed a shallow cut on its side, but the swipe-swatter retaliated with a powerful kick to Lukas’ lower back. The force of the blow sent him stumbling forward, barely catching himself on a tree to avoid face-planting into the dirt.
Gritting his teeth, Lukas turned to face the creature, sword at the ready. The swipe-swatter approached more cautiously now, seemingly aware of the tree at Lukas’ back. It couldn’t rush him without running into the obstacle.
The creature rose onto its hind legs like a kangaroo, and Lukas tensed. He knew kangaroos could be deadly, and this thing was no different. In a flash, it swiped at him with one of its forelimbs, aiming for his head. Lukas barely managed to intercept the blow with his sword, slowing it down but not stopping it completely. The impact rattled him, nearly knocking the sword from his grip.
Dazed, Lukas swung blindly as the creature struck again, managing to cut deep into one of its forelimbs. The swipe-swatter screeched in pain, giving Lukas a moment to steady himself.
The creature’s next attacks were frenzied, driven by pain and fury. Lukas landed a few more cuts, but he was collecting bruises and scrapes at an alarming rate. It felt like he was being tenderized, his body growing weaker with each hit.
Desperate, Lukas looked for a way out. He couldn’t keep up this losing battle. Then, in a move as reckless as it was necessary, he kicked the swipe-swatter in the gut. The creature stumbled back, and Lukas seized the moment. He lunged forward, driving his sword into the creature’s abdomen.
The swipe-swatter let out a final scream of agony as Lukas cut a wide gash in its stomach. Blood sprayed everywhere, drenching Lukas, but he ignored it. With one last swing, he severed the creature’s throat.
The beast fell to the ground, twitching as blood pooled beneath it. Lukas stood over the body, panting heavily, a wave of strength washing over him like an adrenaline rush. Everything felt sharper—his senses heightened, his body thrumming with newfound energy.
He wanted to check his notifications immediately but knew he couldn’t stay here. The swipe-swatter’s cries had undoubtedly drawn attention. Lukas quickly looted the body, watching as the strange heat haze-like mist rose from it, then hurried up the hill and back to his hidey-hole.
As he made his way through the forest, he couldn’t help but glance at his notifications:
You have slain [Swipe-Swatter - lvl 6]. Bonus experience gained for killing an enemy above your level.
Title earned: [True Heart of a Warrior].
You have looted [Swipe-Swatter - lvl 6].
6 [Copper Mana Coins] have been added to your inventory.
[Swipe-Swatter meat] has been added to your inventory.
Lukas frowned. No mention of leveling up. So what was that surge of power he had felt? Was it the title? He wanted to investigate further, but that would have to wait until he was safely hidden. He hurried his pace, anxious to reach his hole.
Thirty minutes later, he dropped into his hidey-hole, panting. His body was still aching from the fight, and the trek back had been brutal on his battered form. But he hardly cared—he needed to check his gains. He opened his status window the moment he caught his breath.
Lukas Hellstrand
Race: Human (Outworlder [unique]) - Level 0
Class 1 - (SEALED)
Class 2 - (SEALED)
Health Points: 88/220
Stamina: 46/130
Mana: 130/130
Stats
Vitality: 22
Endurance: 13
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 13
Agility: 14
Perception: 12
Toughness: 13
Strength: 15
Willpower: 15
Free Points: 0
Titles:
Prodigious Dimensional Traveler, Unkillable, True Heart of a Warrior.
Abilities:
Race abilities: (Dimensional Traveler), (Tribute of the Fallen), (Steel Gut), (Tongue of the Multiverse), (Stranger in a Strange Land).
Lukas raised his brows. His stats had increased significantly, explaining the surge of power he felt. Now that he focused on himself, he realized how much stronger he was. Everything about him felt sharper—his strength, speed, and senses all improved.
He mentally commanded his status page to show him the description of his new title:
Title: [True Heart of a Warrior] - Every story has a beginning, and yours has just begun. Despite being at the bottom of the food chain you are unwilling to cower in the face of stronger foes. Due to your ability to kill an enemy at level 5 or above while still at level 0 you have proven yourself to have a true heart of a warrior. +5 to all stats.
‘A title for killing something at level five or higher, huh? And one that gives stats…’ Lukas thought, new dangerous ideas worming their way into his mind.
