Chapter 8 - Hibernation

After what felt like eternity, he could feel himself slipping away from the metaphysical space. He dropped into his body, he was suddenly back in the cave, his body radiating Gi — not that he could see it.

In his mind, he thought feeling the energy would make it very easy to put himself in an induced coma but that wasn't quite the case.

"It's not that difficult, just use the energy to freeze your body instead of the warmth you have right now." The system pleaded as he was running out of time.

'Well I'm sorry it's my first time trying to kill myself.' He snapped.

"You're not killing yourself."

'About the same to me.'

He could 'feel' the system's scornful stares. But Jonathan decided to be the bigger person and ignore the silent insults.

Jonathan focused entirely on the energy swirling within and around him. Its nature was most undoubtedly heat. Like turning a stove to low, he worked on feeling the coldness of the cave.

He started small, by making his little feet and hands cold at will. He kept switching from cold and to hot trying to get used of the sensation before applying it to his whole body.

Of course the system warned him when he had made them too cold, claiming that if it were applied to his entire body it would enter shock and he'd die, again. He didn't want to test out that theory, so he listened.

Part by part, his body was losing its natural heat. It was quite the confusion, because by his understanding, if he was a vampire he should be an undead. If you're dead, you should be cold. That's what he understood about bodies, since he worked so closely with them.

"Don't be idiotic host — I mean don't be like that. Once again, you're a half breed, not a full uh, vampire or god." The system answered having read his thoughts. "Also, it's called a demon here."

'Jesus. Is that why you're so mean? Coz I'm not full blooded?'

He vowed then that, when he wakes up again, the first skill he will work tirelessly to acquire was the ability to close off his mind from the system. The only other person allowed in his mind was his other self, whom was now merged with him.

He could feel the drop in his body's temperature. He made a clattering sound with his gums, he'd gone on a practice run but his body couldn't help but complain. He was still just a baby afterall, vulnerable to all sorts of things.

After what seemed like days of suffering, he finally entered hibernation though he didn't know that yet. It felt cold — dark — lonely — dreary. So naturally he felt right at home.

"You can relax now." The system advised.

'What? I thought I was supposed to be dead?'

Even though the system explained that he wouldn't be dying, that it's not the same thing. He still expected to lose consciousness until the five years had passed.

Jonathan wasn't sure he liked this anymore. Being able to sit idly in a coma. Feeling absolutely everyone second pass by, it was almost torture. He'd hoped he would at least be asleep and not feel the time

"It's not...sigh, you'll retain your consciousness while in hibernation incase you want to train in seclusion while you're in the comatose state."

Its voice was robotic, something Jonathan wasn't used to. And to be honest, he wasn't fond of it. If he was going to spend five years — no, the rest of his life here with this thing in his head, he preferred a soothing and beautiful female voice.

'Well since we'll be here for a while, can't you tell me about the world I'm going in — I'm in?'

"It's my first time here too. There are plenty of worlds in the universe created by the twelve gods. Ancieru is great, I'm sure you've been sent to one of those worlds."

'So you've never had to guide someone else?' He asked the confidence he had on his guid slipping away.

"No."

'Can you change your voice?'

"No."

'Fuck.'

"You shouldn't waste your time here, I've scanned the world, though I can't tell you much I can tell you this, you should gather Gi and create your hub. No child has ever been able to. It would be perfect to get a headstart."

Jonathan would've scoffed if his vocal cords could let him. He had a sinking feeling that the system knew more about the world than it was letting on but he wasn't going to push it. He was the sinner trying to cleanse his soul — as if.

'Hub?'

"Yes. Your centre. Your territory. It's basically like a universe within your being, created to store Gi within you. The bigger the better."

'No matter how you look at it, this is definitely like the games back on earth. I'll grind then.' He said that with great confidence only to be stuck on the first step.

Nothing about this was straight forward, there wasn't a detailed report about the goal, there weren't auto directions or even a map — just his blank unimaginative mind.

'Delightful.' He mocked.

He walked around, it was dark but he still managed to find his way around. The system told him he could find his way around because it was in his mental world space — his hub.

Everyone was born with a hub, but not everyone could activate it. It took work, very hard work to activate and even activated it had its own stages.

'How come I can walk if I'm a newborn?' He wondered.

"Obviously because you've created a mental image of your old self."

This was all too interesting. He closed his already closed eyes and imagined what it felt like when he was within the energy they called Gi — warm and welcoming, could he get away with making his body warm?

"Yes. You're already in hibernation, it'll only break in five years, no matter what."