Chapter 1: Awakening in the Abyss
Justice awoke in an enigmatic cave, his mind swirling with confusion. He lay there, dazed and bewildered with flashes of deep greens flaring in both his mind and vision, not yet being able to wonder how he had ended up in such a predicament from the pain in his vision. It took the sensation of something crawling up his leg to jolt him into action.
"Why the hell am I in a cave?" Justice exclaimed, shaking off the giant centipede that had attached itself to him. It was then he realized his predicament was twofold - he was not only trapped in a cave but also stark naked and hairless, checking his face, finding he still had his eyebrows at least but nothing else it would seem. Justice, a short and stout, black nerd who had recently turned 23, had found his niche in the nerdy-sphere where like-minded individuals could connect, albeit sporadically. He had at last found a true home in games, T.V and the like. His last memory was of cycling to work on his trusty bike the Wheely Wonka: For the fun and whimsical rider it always gave him. Although he didn't recall reaching work and when he tried to think about it his head started to hurt along with the return of the flashes of green.
"Where am I?" Justice pondered aloud. [You are in Arborcoln Cavern on Esshaw Bluff Mountain.]
The voice in his head left him in stunned silence. The realization that he had no recollection of venturing into a cave and now found himself naked with an unexplained voice in his head was unsettling. Trying to picture the mountain in his head, a map popped up, with the words Arborcoln Cavern and Esshaw Bluff Mountain, along with a purple dot that had the word Me next to it but nothing else was on the map it was completely blank.
"Did I get isekai'd? If so, I'm not pleased." Finding a less jagged rock, Justice sat down to contemplate. If he was in another world with a system-like entity, he might have survival aids. However, the presence of such aids implied potential danger.
"No point in delaying. Status, Skills, abilities, stats, quests? I hope I don't have any quests like 'Slay the Demon King'," Justice mused. As he thought, information began to materialize before him.
Status:
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Race: First Born (Human)
Class: Child of Gaia
Ignoring the fact that he his race said more than just human for the time being, Justice asked himself what a Child of Gaia was.
Child of Gaia: [As a descendant of Gaia, you embody her essence, the maternal figure of Earth. Gaia symbolizes Earth and is revered as the primordial mother of all existence - life, resources, and creatures. The True Mother's love and guidance are with you. Your physique will possess the strength of a rock, and your thoughts will be fluid like a river. The earth is not just your defense and weapon, but also your resting place and your means of travel. These aspects serve to demonstrate the deep respect for Earth and its nurturing attributes.]
"Okay, Gaia…like from ancient Greek mythology. Are gods real here? Did she bring me here? If so, why? And if not, who did and for what purpose?" Justice pondered while scrolling down.
Quest:
-Rescue Gaia.
-Defeat the Demon Queen Jigan.
"That's not amusing, Universe. Instead of a Demon King, there's a Queen. That's a slight twist. But what's this 'Save Gaia' quest about? How much information am I missing?" Justice mused as the same centipede attempted to crawl up his leg for the fifth time.
Justice, alone in the cave, whispers to himself, "Gaia, the Mother Earth, the primordial deity of Greek mythology, what powers would she bestow? She is the embodiment of creation, the origin of countless mythological figures, Titans, Cyclopes, Hecatonchires, and more. She is the symbol of fertility and abundance, the very essence of the Earth's bounty.
She is a protector, a fierce defender of her children, standing against formidable adversaries like Uranus, Cronos, and even Zeus. She is the elemental earth, never entirely separated from her elemental form. But these are not superhuman abilities, they are metaphorical, symbolic of the natural forces and phenomena of the Earth. They are Gaia's inherent qualities as the personification of the Earth and the mother of all life."
He pauses, then adds, "But if there's a specific context, like a game or a book where Gaia grants specific powers, I'd need more details." He chuckles to himself, "Not that there's anyone here to provide them."
Looking down at the floor Justice thought to himself "Gaia is the mother of life, which includes animals. And what's closer to the earth than bugs?" Justice allowed the large insect to crawl up his leg, across his thighs, onto his chest, and wrap itself around him. Upon closer inspection of the giant black insect with red spots, information began to appear.
[Giant Black Centipede]
"Okay, not much information, but here's hoping its embrace doesn't mean death," Justice said, noticing lights emanating from deeper within the cave. As the lights appeared, the centipede around him began to tremble, giving Justice the impression he should head in the opposite direction. Grateful that the cave only led up or down, Justice began his ascent. The higher he climbed through the damp, strangely illuminated cave, the less the centipede trembled.
"I seriously need to find some clothes," he said to the centipede, which hissed in response. "You said it, buddy," Justice agreed.
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