A shapeless blob of gray mud oozed along the floor of a swamp. Above the little bump the creature had instead of a head was a little paper doll.
A pretty paper fairy with wings covered in glowing black scrawl. The 'dress' she wore was similar to her wings. Covered in the same black scrawl. Her skin was tan like old papyrus.
Her hair was white like fresh writing paper. Her facial features had been drawn in place, made impish and serious at the same time. The ink on her face shifting on the rare occasions that her expressions changed.
"Where are we again?" said Danke.
"The Teal Swamp of the Unwinding Worlds 114th Layer." said Wis.
"Ah...How many layers are there?" said Danke.
"The unwinding world is divided into 999 layers. Each layer forms a realm and is connected to number of lucid worlds."
"Lucid worlds?"
"The lucid or sleeping worlds are worlds running inferior versions of the cosmic runtime. Operating on lesser versions of the cosmic laws. As a higher-reality world the unwinding world supplements the lessers with higher quality laws to sustain their existences. In return, Abwickeln gains access to the rich materials created by the densely populated lesser worlds, ie their dreams, their hopes, their hates, their thoughts, imaginings, and fears."
"So this world feeds the lesser worlds with cosmic laws and magic, and the lesser worlds feed this world in return with thoughts to help give it form. If they're sleeping worlds does that make this world a shared dream?"
".....An astute observation, master." said Wis.
"I'd like to take credit for that but feels like something I just sort of knew. Like knowing water is wet or that the sky is bl-...wait, this sky is purple. What the hell?!" said Danke. Frowning despite not having a face.
"Ah, it seems you are awakening your inherited memories. Congratulations, master." said Wis.
"Thanks. I think. What do you mean by inherited memories?"
"Figments are creatures born from the womb of the world. Naturally a mother must teach her children how to survive. Thus we puppes were created. Thus all figments are born with inherited memories."
"Ooookay….I guess that pans out." said Danke. Sounding unconvinced.
"What kind of memories am I going to end up inheriting?" said Danke. Wary of finding out that he was going to end up some kind of puppet or vessel.
"The unwinding world exists as an accumulation that both created and was created by the collective unconsciousnesses of multiple worlds. The inherited memories bequeathed to each figment will teach you how to access the knowledge and power within those collective unconsciousnesses." said Wis.
"So its like an index slash tutorial of sorts?"
"Precisely, master. But also much more." said the paper fairy. Fluttering above the small shapeless blob.
"Cool...That actually sounds pretty handy. Any way for me to speed up the process of unlocking those memories?" said Danke.
"Live, master. Continued existence without fading with naturally lead to more and more magical energy being pulled to your core. Avoiding being eaten. Eat others. Overcome trials. Overcome foes. And as your level rises, your power will rise, and so too will your access to your inherited memories." said Wis.
"Level?" said Danke.
Wis pointed upwards. Danke shifted his view briefly so he could see himself and was startled to find that there was a number floating above his head.
"Ah...How long has that been there?"
"It isn't actually there. The level is merely a contextualization for power concentration that is common in technological worlds and worlds that were created by beings influenced by technological worlds. Growing in commonality till such displays became ubiquitous."
"Uh…"
"From what little I could see of master's memories before he awoke the world you came from should have had games that held similar displays."
Danke still goggled at the number. Wis was right of course. He'd used to play tons of games both at home and in the arcade where one could 'level up'. It was just that seeing a level floating above his head was jarring his unreality in much the same way a strange smell might jar one's gag reflex while one is eating something unfamiliar.
"Are…Are there stats?" said Danke.
"No, master. The level is simply an abstraction. A visual metaphor adopted by the unwinding worlds laws." said Wis.
"Thus you must remember this master. If you come into conflict someone with a level that is many times that of your own, you must run. Unless you are very lucky, or the difference in skill is extraordinarily great, the difference in power will almost absolutely mean that you shall be beaten, faded, and possibly consumed." said Wis. Her expression stern and worried as she delivered that last message.
"G-, Got it. Run if I see someone with a level that could crush my own. Message received." said Danke. Nodding his head like duckling eating seed.
Afterwards, neither the blob nor the fairy said anything. They simply travelled through the swamp in silence. Taking in the sights.
Danke oozed through a terrain filled with water and mud and countless green plants. There were trees that looked like willows and creeping cypress. There were shrubs and tall grass and massive ferns with curlicue stems.
There were birds and snakes and turtles and a few massive alligator-looking creatures. There were also humanoid creatures made out of mud, super-sized insects, and some swampy variation of tree-demon.
Seeing all these variations of life made Danke wonder what exactly he was supposed to be.
"Hey, Wis?"
"Yes, master." said the fairy.
"What am I?"
"You are figment, master. A glorious future-sovereign of the unwinding world." said Wis. Sounding exultant as she answered.
"No...Er, I mean...before you said that us figments can take various forms, right? So what form am I taking now?"
"Ah, my apologies, master. I misunderstood. A figment may take a number of forms. Some of which will be unique to the figment. Most of which will be forms created from the data of the immigrant races."
"Data? What do computers have to do with this?"
"Nothing. That is merely the term most appropriate. All life, matter, and energy can be reduced to knowledge and information. Knowledge and information when packed in a processable form ...?"
"Data... Oh, I get it now."
"When a world connects with Abwickeln we receive the data of all its life forms. When creatures from that world begin to immigrate over we receive more data. Figments gain access to that data and the associated forms. Life form data allows a figment to evolve into more powerful more useful bodies. This is yet another function of the inherited memories."
"Ah, thank you exposition-chan."
"Master, though it may be presumptuous of me to say so, I would refrain from trying to give me another nickname, if I were you. You may end up fading again." said Wis. Frowning.
Danke shook his pseudo-head.
"Oof! No worries there, Wis. I was mostly joking."
"Understood, master." said the fairy.
"So the TL:DR version of what you are saying is that I need to level up if I want to evolve into stronger forms and eventually get a unique form?"
"Yes, master. Exactly." said Wis.
"Wait…"
"Yes, master?"
"You understand what TL:DR means?"
"Why wouldn't I, master?" said the fairy.
Danke huffed at that. Wishing he had arms so he could fling them in the air. He tried to pick up his pace so he could get away from the confusing, albeit helpful, little fairy and was dismayed to find that he was already moving at his maximum speed.
"Hold up!" said Danke. Stopping completely as he realized something.
"Yes, master?"
"You didn't answer my question." said Danke.
"What question, master?"
"What am I? What is this form?"
"Oh, that...Master is currently in one of common figment starter forms. You are a mud-ooze."
"...What?" said Danke.
"A mud-ooze. One of the common varieties of oozes. A cousin to the slimes and puddings. They are an immigrant race born of magic. Unlike the slimes they lack a core and thus tend to be more fragile as creatures since loss of their mass is more damaging. However this fragility means that they are more responsive to outside influences and more capable of growth. It won't take much for you to evolve into a swamp-ooze, master. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the process is already starting." said Wis.
"So I'm a suckier slime?!" said Danke. Mortified.
"A more responsive, faster evolving, cousin to the slimes, master. If you were a slime, it would take much more effort to evolve. Alternatively if you wish, you may simply absorb enough magic. Concentrating it in your mass till you gain a core and evolve into a slime." said Wis. Her one strangely soothing despite keeping its usual flatness.
"Huh...Nah. F**k slimes. I hated the slimes we had back home. Damn things were everywhere. But you've certainly talked me into seeking a better form if that was the goal."
"It wasn't, but I am happy to see you motivated all the same, master." said Wis. Prompting a sigh from Danke.