"Urgh…" Zander felt sore, an unending, unforgiving soreness that left him dreaming of his cozy warm bed, back before this nightmare began. It felt as if his side had been completely done in, totaled, as if an eighteen-wheeler ran into him at full speed. Still, it seemed he was intact, which was reason enough to open his eyes, he supposed.
Blinking the familiar, piercing light out of his sight, his blurry vision sharpened, observing an environment of that of a hospital room, lined with layers of hard tables, draped with cloth and cushions, turned into a hospital wing. He could hear the pained cries of others in nearby rooms, screams which sent unsightly visions down his perspective, scenes of Michael's limbs being torn off, one by one, of the cries for help he expulsed before the monster born of shadow and darkness snapped his neck with that sickening crunch!
He felt his eyes begin to water imagining it. In the moment, he had barely managed to process what had happened before he took off, shedding the burden to the side but now… with time to properly mourn, he felt the impact. His hands shook in his bed as guilt began to rack his body, waves of intense, overwhelming loss and regret overtaking him. He held back the urge to scream as he began to blame himself, his breath quickening in place as he imagined what he could've done to help the man. He could've turned around, he could've paid more attention, he could've clung to the beast before it took him high enough to be out of reach… he could've done so many things, yet he didn't.
"I avenged them. Whoever they may have been, I avenged your friend." His eyes shot up, seeing a smaller, yet extremely well-built woman. She looked to be in her early twenties, and her eyes were wild and yet hardened, her every move teeming with purpose. She crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall, her shorter, dark brown hair stoic and unwavering. Her hazel eyes pierced his, and he felt as if she was staring into his soul, reading him like a book. She stood just above five foot six, a few inches smaller than himself, but it felt as if she loomed over him, like a giantess in the distance.
She stepped forward, no longer resting her head against the hardened wall. "Your friend was caught by the trapper, yes? I found evidence of one from whence you came. I suppose you're the survivor of the incident on the bridge?" Her voice was formal, as if attending a ceremony, yet firm. It felt like he was being interrogated, not questioned. Still, he had every intention to comply with her demands.
"Y-yes." He stuttered, his voice forcefully stopping once he spoke, unused to speaking in quite a while. "To both" His expression grew solemn as he imagined the two events, their massacre still ever present in his mind. "I avenged the group, but that demon-thing that took Michael- I couldn't reach it. He screamed… so loud. I heard every bit when whatever it was took his legs. I tried to hold him down but I was too slow. I failed him." His lip quivered as he spoke, and he closed his eyes tightly, a pit forming in his eye sockets as he felt a real, enormous fear.
"I passed it on my way to find you. It had a swift end, be assured." She nodded her head, as if ticking off a box along a list. "But I need to know what happened on that bridge. Where are you from? What campus? Do you belong to a group?" Her finger tapped her chin as she spoke. "Don't bother lying to me, I'd know if you were." Her hand slipped down to the tip of a knife that sat along her belt, unsheathed yet dangerous all the same. It looked sharp to Zander, when seeing it he tried to jump back in the bed, yet something prevented him from moving. Confused, he looked under the sheets of the bed, only to find a pair of handcuffs securing him in place.
"Don't bother trying to leave. If you tell the truth, then those will come off. Until then, you're mine until I deem you safe enough to wander." She took the knife off of its holster, a knife that curved with an intense sharpness, gleaming brightly in the light. "So tell me, who are you, and where are you from?" Her gaze became intense, and Zander felt an air of pressure from her.
"I'm Zander… I woke up just- how long have I been out? Since then, essentially." He raised his arms in a submissive manner, hoping to alleviate the threat of dismemberment she currently held over him. "I just completed layer 1, then woke up 'round here, by the soldier guys that were leading us out." He broke into a story, telling how the gorilla-like beast slaughtered their group, killing hundreds in mere seconds. When he described the intense screech of the creature, which sent them falling to their knees in pain, her expression changed. She flinched slightly, but only for a moment before returning to her cold, intense stare.
"Did anyone kill the beast? Where did it run off too?" She asked, her voice a little less intimidating, while her posture softened. For a minute, he thought not to tell her of what he did, but then again, he saw no issue with telling the truth. He felt a pang of confusion at the thought of lying. Why would I want to lie to her?
"Ah- I took it out." He said, his face expressionless.
"…"
She pushed the knife towards Zander's face. "I'll ask once again… Who. Killed. It?" With each word she placed the knife a little closer to his face,
"I did!" He said, his voice growing a little desperate. "I managed to knock it off the side. We were still on the bridge, so I knocked its legs out from underneath itself with a sword that was nearby, then pushed it off the edge. It's how I got that massive bruise, or at least I assume it was a bruise. Was I concussed?"
"Did you get a notification, then? How much essence did you gain?" She asked, dropping the blade back to its holster. She seemed satisfied at that answer, suddenly moving from interrogative to friendly in just a few seconds. "A normal thrall couldn't kill hundreds that quick, not even if it got the jump on people. Plus, if the Merc's bullets glanced off.. it had to be a brute or something stronger." She spoke half to herself, half to Zander, rubbing her chin slightly.
"Ah- yea I did. I got… uh" He struggled to remember for a second, before the notification appeared before his eyes again, as if him thinking on it recalled it back into place.
[Thrall (Brute) Killed]
[20 Essence Gained]
He had no clue what "essence" was, but he assumed the Thrall was the creature he encountered on the bridge, stuck in that terrifying expression. "It was a Brute, I got 20 essence for killing it. Can I show you the notification or something? To prove it's the truth?" He swiped the air with his hands, trying to move the box that floated in front of him, but his hand passed through, like it was water.
"No, you cannot. How do yo- oh, I suppose you never really learned how to use the system, didn't you? That's usually the first thing they teach you over where you were going. Here, I can help you a bit there. You've got something called a 'status,' just will your status to appear in front of you, and it will appear." She nodded towards him, her expression making it obvious that she did the same. "Most people do a gesture of their preference while in a public space, it's polite to let others know around you that you're in your status." She raised her hand above her shoulder, her middle and pointer fingers pinched together. Swiftly she brought them down to her wait, swiping through the air. "Like this."
He turned his attention inwards, thinking of the screen that appeared when he first appeared in the First Layer. He willed it to appear, to show him his status, and before he could even blink, it was hovering in the air, adjacent to the notification from before. "How do I close a window?" he asked, trying to find the woman's face through the transparent boxes.
"Just will it to close, or go away. Just as simple as opening it." She replied, a little sarcastically, but patient all the same.
He focused on removing the notification from his vision, and it closed, disappearing from his vision. When it vanished, the status screen moved towards the center of his sight, centering itself.
[Status]
[Core: Copper]
[Soul: Copper]
[Traits: Masterful Crafter (Species Only)]
[Species: Human]
[Status:]
[Strength: 11]
[Constitution: 11]
[Dexterity: 11]
[Intelligence: 10]
[Spirit: 10]
[Charisma: 10]
[Abilities: Willpower, Adrenaline]
"Oh, my stats grew" He commented to himself. How did that happen? There wasn't a leveling style mechanic, or a way to improve strength, as far as he knew, so how in the world could that be?
"Ah-" The woman said, seeing the confusion on his face. "Your stats grow as you push past your limits in each category. For example, you could get more strength from defeating a strong enemy, or lifting a rock at the limit of your strength. Intelligence grows from learning more about magic, stuff like that. It's a weird system but basically rewards you for not being complacent. You grow stronger by either adapting to your surroundings or training." She brushed a bit of dust off her shoulder, smiling in a nostalgic fashion.
"Some of the strongest people find new ways to experience growth, such as martial arts, or through weapon energy. That can help give a boost to your growth, though repeatedly encountering and fighting enemies on your level of strength or higher makes it much easier to grow, probably faster than all of the other ways combined." She shook her head, patting the blade on her waist. "Excuse me, I shouldn't explain too much. We can speak more on this later."
She waved her hand towards the table he sat upon, and the handcuffs unlocked themselves with a quiet click! He stared at the device, which now sat uselessly upon his hand, and pulled them upwards, freeing himself from his awkward half-sitting, half-laying down position. He felt the groove left from the cuffs, but smiled as he turned to the woman, finally standing, though a bit shakily.
"The name's Sarah. You've been out for roughly twelve hours. It's the early morning now, not that you'd probably be able to tell. Also, yes you were concussed. You're lucky we've got a resident healer to help you out" She said, shrugging.
"Welcome to The Garden."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Zander looked over the edge of the complex, which learned is what the large, tower-like buildings that loomed in the void were. Below was a twisted system of vines and tree roots, churning and spiraling in place, creating a net of lively foliage, hanging across the void. His jaw dropped when he watched a vine snake up the side of the complex, sprouting small weeds and flowers along the unnatural lime walls. How could plants even grow there? There's no dirt or anything, as far as I know he said to himself, scratching his head slightly. Ignoring that mystery, where did the roots come from? He'd traveled across several complexes in his mad dash after Michael's death and never saw anything of the sort.
Sarah had led him to a private room, with a small dresser, bed, and stool, all seemingly made of the same wood that now writhed below him, save for the bed, which sported a lovely mattress of nettles, covered with a sheet for comfort. He had plenty more questions, but for now, he wanted to explore this new life. Sarah had told him that the "boss" was figuring out what to do with him, whatever that may have meant. It seems like he might get a chance to stay though, which he honestly preferred.
He rubbed his neck where Sarah's blade rested, even for just a moment. If someone else had found me… he could've easily been dead before waking up. There was a small bump from where the knife nearly pierced his flesh.
He rubbed a hand through his hair, strands of auburn brushed aside as he took a deep breath, stabilizing his thoughts. He had no more tears left to shed for the fallen, not anymore. He mourned them, and grief still overtook them, but with these people, and with some direction in life, he found purpose.
The complex itself was an interesting one. The ground floor held a massive common area, where hundreds of people mingled, creating an independence from the dark horror that lay beyond. They traded goods, talked merrily, and cooked dazzling foods throughout the floor. As he moved through the hallways, he noticed rooms identical to his own, rows of living wood repeating itself in each doorway. Speaking of which, he passed by his own room, which now had a marking labeled "Z.A." Zander Alexander.
Smiling at the door, he moved on, his mind wandering to the strange screens and statistics that now held his attention. He'd run into a nice fellow towards the marketplace, who'd explained to him a few things, and answered a few questions. The entire layer was this inane, non-Euclidean space of complexes and a mixture of buildings and structures, clumped together in a seemingly random, yet structured layout. An example was this complex. Despite its randomness in terms of theme and rooms, it still had a layered structure to it. It had a central room surrounded in living spaces, with long, wide hallways that accompanied the potential people the housing could contain. It fascinated Zander, yet no one knew a proper reason.
He continued his leisurely walk, making his way up towards the exit of the complex. Instead of the typical, open space where a gate or large door could lay, instead was a medieval-like gate, made of that same, living wood. It sat currently closed, with two men in a thick, steeled armor standing attentively at its sides. It stood three times the height of Zander's nearly six foot frame, and towered over him. Turning around at the sight of it, he made his way towards a large flight of stairs, finding more rooms towards the top. Before he could move more, however, he found himself stopped by more guards, who stood in front of him.
"State your name and purpose, stranger" The first knight spoke, a woman with burly muscles. Zander was pretty certain she could take him out easily, based on her looming figure and muscles that he could spot between spaces of both her and her partner's armor. Her voice was deep and commanding, the very definition of a confident soldier.
"Zander, I'm new 'round here" He said bowing his head slightly in respect. "I was just exploring the area. Am I intruding? I apologize if I am." He said, fidgeting slightly. He didn't want to ruin his reputation on the first day.
"No greenie, you ain't intruding, but you are not allowed to go further, y' hear?" The knight's partner, another armored soldier, with their helmet removed, spoke up. His voice was rough and unrefined, the antithesis of the former's. "This place is where the governin' types live. Matsuo and the captain live here, along with the council. Not that that council 'ave much sway 'round here" He said, chuckling slightly.
He assumed the "captain" was Sarah, but who was Matsuo? He'd heard of the boss before, but no one by name. Seems like he held a valuable position, so Zander assumed he was some higher-up in their governing structure.
"If you get lost or need help navigating, you can let us know. Kitchens are in the complex north of here, while we have an armory just west. If you were to join the scouts, you'd have access to the armory, but for now citizens get access to the kitchen. Everyone needs to eat, after all." She nodded her head, as if discussing a fact of nature.
"We've got a small campus to ourselves- ah, a campus is what we call groups of complexes, if you didn't know- but it essentially means we're much safer from outside threats. People are safe here, as safe as they can be without being directly under the four great powers, but you'd need to be in the skyscraper for that. Good luck there." She said, chuckling slightly. It was clear she didn't expect anyone to get there, though why, Zander did not know.
As he continued to wander, he noticed an isolated room with a long queue. He saw a large counter, stuffed with various items Zander probably couldn't comprehend. A few people left with food stuffs, with large, dazzling meals steaming still, as if it had just been taken off a grill. His stomach growled as he smelled the food, and he quickly made his way to the line, eager to see what they offered. There was a few people on the sides of the booth, servicing customers, but he managed to talk to the man who clearly ran the place.
"Greetings! Welcome to HestiaCorp, a branch of SkyCorp residing here in the Hestia Campus. How may I help you today?" The man in the front was bright and excited, a selling smile on his face.
That name again… SkyCorp was mentioned slightly by Bill, the squad leader, before his unfortunate demise. I think he mentioned being mercenaries working under them? He couldn't remember properly, but shook his head out of his stupor.
"Ah- I'm relatively new to these parts, just arrived actually. Is there a menu, or a catalogue I can view? I'm starved!" He said, his mouth watering a little. He watched as the man's expression turned faltered a little, before his bright smile returned.
"But of course!" The man said, raising his arm towards Zander. "My name's Johann, Johann Eschel. I'm the head of HestiaCorp, and I'm always happy to help the newly awakened… however, my wares cost essence. You need to slay monsters to afford my goods, else you'll never be able to afford anything. Do you think you can pay my prices?" His eyes narrowed as he gauged Zander's financial status.
"Ah- depends on how much, but I could probably do that. How does it work? I mean- how do you get this much food? We're not eating those gorilla thing- thralls, are we?" He asked, a little concerned. He wasn't sure if he could stomach the idea of eating the beasts that slaughtered so many.
"Ah, I see!" The shrewd man said, clearly eyeing business. "My good sir, our food is sourced from our numerous chefs, who purchase food through the exchange system! It's a system all good businessman such as myself can use, however it costs you a pretty penny. While it only works for those who take the skill, we can manifest basic goods and items by spending essence, making it the perfect ability for making money! Tis why we're out here, even in remote campuses such as this." Zander nodded along, noticing the distinct reasoning for their arrival.
Esther swiped his hand down in a sweeping motion, and suddenly another screen appeared before him
[Exchange Shop:
[Page 1/999]
[Filters: Foods]
[1. Steak – 1 Es.]
[2. Spaghetti – 1 Es.]
[3. Teriyaki Chicken – 1 Es.]
[4. Golden Delight – 10 Es.]
[5. Seafood Dinner – 2 Es.]
[6. Cheeseburger – 1 Es.]
[7. White Steamed Rice with Chicken – 1 Es.]
[8. Sandwich (Ham and Cheese) – 1 Es.]
[9. Phoenix Brew – 100,000,000 Es.]
[10. Demon's Heart – 1,000,000 Es.]
[<- Last Page – Next Page ->]
"Take your pick" The man said, watching Zander's eagerness as he looked through the catalogue. "Don't worry about the more expensive stuff, no one's been able to afford one of those anyways, not to mention I doubt they'd tell us if they did! That's the kind of meal that makes you stronger, somethin' we don't typically get the chance to understand."
Zander frowned slightly. "I thought we had a kitchen. Why would anyone get food from there if they could just buy whatever they wanted from here?" He asked, curiously. This erupted a heartily laugh from the man, who slapped the table slightly.
"Ah, the naivete of a newly awakened, 'tis something lovely to see. My boy, I'm afraid that most folk don't like the idea of risking their lives to the unending hordes of thrall or buzzards. Most would rather avoid a fight, but they're forced to do so anyways. Outside the Hestia Campus, there is no kitchen to go around. People must fight, and most everyone does. That's what makes places like this so valuable. The safety and security of one's future."
"'Tis fortunate you landed here." He said, his brow raised slightly. "If you'd been anywhere else you'd probably already be dead. But you've got spirit in you yet! If you've got essence, that's proof enough." He shook his head slightly. "This place spoils you. It's idealistic, but it means the people rely on this haven. If this Campus were to ever fall, they would be doomed. Not me though, I couldn't stand the foods they serve here. The taste of buzzard would never leave my memories." He shivered slightly, his face morphing into one of disgust.
Buzzards? This was at least the second time he'd heard the term. He went to ask about them when he was waved off. The shopkeeper shook his head, frowning. "All in due time, greenie. That's something best experienced by yourself, in a safe room away from the carnage. Most that hear about it go chasin' easy essence, only to find themselves eaten alive at the hands of those demons. Best you stay away. You'll know when they come" he said. He waved his hand away, stopping his train of thought. "Best you buy something, though. There's people waiting, and plenty of essence to be earned!" He said, his voice a little giddy.
Zander purchased a bowl of Teriyaki Chicken. His chest burned slightly as the essence left him, as if a part of him was being torn away. He scarfed it down quickly, afraid that he'd never get the chance to eat good food again. To be fair, he thought, if only a few select people had the Exchange ability, it might as well be the last time he had one. Might as well make it count. It was positively delicious, and the smell alone sent him over the edge, his hunger more apparent than ever before.
It took only a few minutes to finish the food, before he was approached by a man in leather armor, equipped with a small one-handed sword. "Oi, you Zander? The Greenie?" He asked. His voice was very deep, with a small British accent middled into their words. "Matsuo wants to see you. Follow me." He turned and marched towards the large staircase, while Zander got to his feet, following closely.
When he arrived, he was greeted with a giant of a man. He was nearly six and a half feet tall, standing far over Zander's smaller frame. He was clad with a large, green vest, embroidered with a large golden leaf. The man wore a bright smile, but the rest of his face was deadly serious. It felt out of place, as if his mind was wandering, not even looking at him whilst engaging with him.
"Hello," he said, his voice strangely benevolent. He was Asian American, reminding Zander of his brother. His deep black hair fell past his eyes, curling together in a matte of what could seem like messy hair. Despite the unkemptness of his hair, the man had a professional and confident flair about him, his back straight, chin raised. His gait was unhesitant, his every stride seemingly calculated and precise.
"I believe you are… Zander, yes? The survivor of the bridge incident around the Starbound Campus?" His finger tipped his chin, tapping it slightly as he thought.
"Yes sir-" Zander said, nodding his head firmly. Briefly, a flash of the carnage flashed through his mind, sending a shiver down his spine as he recalled the brutality. His breath caught as visions of gore and violence displayed before him, a river of blood on a clear glass bridge. He quivered slightly, before catching his lip with his teeth, steeling himself and remaining calm.
"I've heard all about it from Sarah, our local scout captain. An encounter with a brute class thrall so far away from the Skyscraper… it's harrowing, seeing that many new prospects massacred before they can reach their prime." His voice felt sophisticated, as if even the simplest of words had a deeper meaning behind them. "I am a servant of the Lord, who tests our might with these great layers. Their memories will be stored and preserved here, in my beautiful Garden." He said, steepling his hands together.
He brushed his hands against each other and pushed them to the sky. Vines burst from the depths of the walls, coalescing and molding together in the center of the room, before solidifying into a single, pointed shape. A monument, of pure, unaltered wood, stood in front of Zander. He watched as flowers bloomed from its frame, and large, bolded words appeared before his very eyes.
May the memories,
Of those lost along the Starbound Bridge,
Be memorialized alongside servants of the Lord of the Layers,
And rest in the loving arms of peace,
"This will be placed in the center of our compound, alongside the legends of our own fallen citizens. May their souls rest in peace" He said, bowing deeply towards the statue, which was modeled like a small, person-sized version of the Washington monument.
Zander flinched slightly, but smiled and thanked the man, who waved off his apology. "You will be permitted to stay, to learn alongside our people. We welcome you as one of us, a servant of the Garden." He turned around at those words, walking away from Zander without waiting for a reply. "Leave me. You will be sought when you decide your path to take. As one who has slain a brute, I am interested in your potential. Do not disappoint me, Zander." With that, he was gone, melding into the roots and disappearing into whatever lay beyond the wall in front of Zander, which was molded of a mixture of thick, dense leaves and hardened wood.
As he watched where the man once stood, a familiar voice rang out from behind him.
"Zander!" It was Sarah, who waved to him, before patting his shoulder. "Met the boss, did you? Matsuo's an interesting type, but he's the one who led us to be the safe haven we are today, so don't mind him" She smirked, before leaning over towards him. "He's one of the few Gold ranked humans out here on the outskirts! It's rare to find someone nearly as strong as him." She said proudly, puffing out her chest.
"He follows the teachings of The Order, but it doesn't typically go much further than that. He doesn't mind if you're a believer or not… but now that I think of it, you probably don't even know who they are, don't you?" She tilted her head, whilst placing a hand on her hip. "Something to learn later, perhaps." She slapped his shoulder lightly, her face serious.
"I'd recommend you get to your quarters. The darkness presents immense danger, even in a place like here. Oh yea, you need to buy a watch as soon as possible. There ain't a sun here, so anything to tell the time with makes traveling infinitely more safe. We offer some if you join the scouts, but normal civilians need to buy one from HestiaCorp. The greedy bastards." She scowled slightly, kicking her foot.
"No matter. We've got roughly thirty minutes till dark, so I'd recommend you get inside and lock your doors. Usually nothing happens, but creatures can sneak in at night, even through Matsuo's living barrier." She patted his shoulder and ran off, passing through the same wall Matsuo did. It seemed like it was a security check, only allowing those who he allowed through. Intriguing… he thought, before making his way down the stairs once more.
As he found his way to his room, he noticed soldiers running towards the gates, a calm expression on their faces despite their rushed movements. A team of people clad in the familiar, golden leaf followed, carrying barrels of arrows and armor. They were clearly gearing for something important.
It was then that a loud, blaring noise took him by surprise. The florescent lights above that burned so brightly suddenly shut off, plunging them into darkness. He watched through the window as people moved calmly, before lighting a few braziers to lighten up the local area, but before they could finish illuminating the stations, the lights turned on once again, this time, instead of their usual, whiteish yellow hue, showering them in a deep red. Zander noticed that it was only the lights around their complex that lit up, but his thoughts were quickly lost to the void as the soldiers began to shout, barking orders to each other. A bell rang out, the piercing noise echoing throughout the halls of the complex.
"Calling any available fighters, or those eligible to fight. All hands on deck!" A hoarse voice erupted from the soldiers, one which began to move between the hallways of rooms, banging on doors. Zander opened his door, stepping out towards the soldiers, trying his best to get a view of whatever was going on.
"A raid is incoming! Prepare for combat! Hold the hordes together, guard the ledges! MOVE!" In a flurry of movement, soldiers ran back and forth, drawing their blades. Zander pushed towards their lines through the frantic crowd, before he finally made his way to an edge of the complex, giving him a view of the solitary bridge that served as the single exit of the compound, for all the people who lived here. He saw nothing, which concerned him even more, until he finally looked down. Expecting to see a dark, endless void, he instead saw a small, clawed hand grip the walls of the towering complex, dragging itself up its side. It was… a small monkey? It climbed up the side with fascinating speed, dancing as it moved towards the awaiting soldiers.
That's when another one emerged from the darkness, and another, and another, until Zander couldn't see the walls of the complex any further, its ugly walls obscured by a seemingly endless horde of bodies. Zander's jaw dropped in awe as the literal tsunami of monsters kept flowing, and he finally understood the term that eluded him this whole time, uttered in fear by the men and women who stood ready in defense.
The Buzzards were coming.