Sigh
It's curious how some things can evoke nostalgia, making you feel both good and bad at the same time. Sometimes it's not even about what they truly mean, but rather about small details, like the touch of a laminated cover that transports you to another time.
This world feels strange to me. It resembles mine so much, yet at the same time, it is completely different. Only nostalgia and my memories remain from my place of origin.
No, this is not my world; it's another, perhaps a parallel one. One day, I simply fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was already here, surprised by the small changes.
It's not that I appeared out of nowhere. No. Upon waking, I discovered that I had a complete identity here, a sort of parallel version of myself. I found myself in an unfamiliar room, and when I went to the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a face that looked very much like mine... though it sounds strange. I had the same name, albeit with a different last name, and my family was almost identical, except for small details that barely stood out.
At first, everything was confusing, especially because this world is technologically more advanced than mine, and its geography and history are completely different. If I had to take an exam on those subjects, I would probably barely pass with the minimum grade. Some things are similar, but others are incomprehensible.
All of this reached a peak of overwhelmingness a month ago. We all received a notice, in different ways, sent by what seemed to be the very consciousness of the universe. For most, it was like a screen appearing in the air, something akin to the technology of this world, only without a projector or nanotechnology. The message was in the language you understood best or felt most comfortable with. For those who couldn't see, the message was conveyed as a voice; it was as if the information was designed so that no one would be excluded.
The situation was unsettling. We were informed that the world had reached a critical point. Thanks to humanity—at least, that's what I think, because it wasn't entirely clear—certain faculties had been lost, and resources were on the verge of depletion. Soon, everything we could use would have to be recycled. There were no more natural resources to extract, not even from nearby planets.
However, that cosmic consciousness offered us a second chance. Another world—I don't know if literally another planet or perhaps a dimension—was passing close by, and all of humanity would be taken there to face a trial, an opportunity to survive in that new world. It wasn't just for us, but, more importantly, for our descendants.
The announcement caused chaos, as expected. We were literally told that the end of the world was near, and although many were skeptical, riots soon erupted. However, a supernatural force prevented those disturbances from causing real harm. Nothing could be destroyed on a large scale, no one could be seriously injured, nor could crimes like rape or theft be committed. Every crime was stopped or undone by that cosmic force. It was strange to realize that there was something beyond us, whether it be a god or an alien intelligence. Religious tensions also rose, with many claiming that it was their god responsible for all this.
I don't complain about this protection; in a way, it was a relief. Knowing that no one could burn down your house, rob you, or stab you when you went out to shop was reassuring. There was also no need to worry about food, drink, or diseases. That same cosmic force provided us with everything we needed, except immortality; death by old age remained inevitable—unlucky for those destined to die this month.
In addition to all this, the screen that informed us about the situation also provided information about the new world and the rules that would govern it. There was so much to learn that it felt like I was facing books so thick they could be used as weapons if you struck someone with them.
And here I am, in an unknown world, on the brink of apocalypse and about to leap into another. All I can do is study what awaits me. This is not my original world, and I don't know if my friends here are the same ones I used to know. My family and I keep our distance; after all, I moved cities a long time ago. So I locked myself at home, reading everything I could, both about the history of this place and the rules of the new one.
It seems that the world we are going to will be a version of this one, but set in the past and much larger. However, there are several important aspects we must consider.
1) The historical period and the technological cycle: This world is in the age of knights, so to speak, which means that battles are primarily fought with swords, bows, and arrows. Although there may also be gunpowder weapons in some regions, technological progress has its limits. The most peculiar thing is that the world seems to be trapped in a time loop. It progresses from one era to another, reaching certain technological levels, but never surpassing them. While there may be development within those limits, technology does not progress beyond a certain point. Great empires and cities may retain their advanced technology, but in other areas, the rules of the world cause them to regress to a more primitive era.
2) The rules of the world: In this place, there are certain laws that differ from those governing this world. For example, there is a universal law for objects, materials, and technologies: "the more unique something is, the more special and powerful it becomes." For instance, if someone crafts an exceptional weapon, as long as it remains unique, the world will recognize it as something special, granting it benefits like greater durability or effectiveness. However, if that weapon begins to be mass-produced, the positive effects dissipate, and natural countermeasures may arise to counteract it. Uniqueness is key to maintaining the power of anything in this world.
3) An almost video game-like system: Upon being transported, we will be able to see our physical, mental, and spiritual status. This will allow us to better understand our situation and know in which empire or region of the world we would be best assigned. Each place has its own benefits and drawbacks. Furthermore, this world follows a system of classes and races, though not like traditional fantasy races (Elves, Orcs). Here, "race" is not as magical and usually refers to the region, civilization, or birthplace biome, which influences the skills and characteristics we possess. However, it's still a mystery to me whether there are races distinct from humans. Regarding classes, these represent our role in society, something akin to a caste system, but more flexible. You can start as a farmer, baker, soldier, sailor, or even noble or king. There are more common classes, but with effort and specialization, you could develop unique variants, like a "lumberjack of ombĂş trees" or something more specific.
4) Techniques, skills, and ranks: Each person, race, or class can possess innate or acquired techniques or skills. These vary in their power and effectiveness and are classified into different ranks. Some skills are simple, like improving a stance to apply more force, while others can be extraordinary, such as making a distant cut that causes damage several meters away.
The levels of skills are as follows:
Basic/Common/Normal: This is the lowest level, practically indistinguishable from performing a common action in most cases.
Copper: The first standard level, which most can reach after a year of constant practice.
Silver: The second standard level, requiring more effort. People with skills at this level are highly valued in society and are often sought after by armies and businesses. Most could reach this level after five years of training.
Gold: The third standard level, considered the pinnacle for most people. Those who reach it are masters in their craft and are sought after by the elite. Achieving this usually requires a decade of dedication.
Diamond: The fourth standard level, extremely rare. It is the peak of normal human skill. Very few reach this point, and it would take at least 20 years of refinement to attain. Often, it is skipped directly to the next level without passing through this rank.
Heroic: This level is already out of the ordinary. Heroes are special beings, blessed by luck or by the world itself. Skills at this level make a significant leap in quality, and one cannot always reach here just through training. Something more is required, like luck or extraordinary circumstances.
Legendary: This surpasses heroic. Skills of heroes whose legends remain in the world even after their death, and their power continues to influence reality.
Mythical: The highest level beyond normality. Skills in this range are on par with ancient mythical heroes, capable of performing astonishing feats, like Heracles or Sun Wukong.
Then there are the almost unattainable levels:
Semi-divine and Divine: As their names suggest, these skills are reserved for beings that touch on divinity, like gods who choose to walk among mortals.
Here is an example of a skill, "Militia Strike," belonging to the "Militia" class. This class is one of the most basic in combat, representing the transition of a common peasant to taking up arms to defend their land. It is easy to acquire compared to others. The skill "Militia Strike" consists of increasing the power of a melee attack with simple weapons, such as sticks, morning stars, swords, spears (if used for striking rather than stabbing), axes, and similar items. Complex weapons like nunchaku will not work, as a militia would not have access to them. The effect of the skill develops as follows:
Common: +1% strength in the strike.
Copper: +5%.
Silver: +10%.
Gold: +15%.
Diamond: +20%.
Heroic: +40%.
Legendary: x2 strength.
Mythical: x3 strength.
Semi-divine: x5 strength.
Divine: x10 strength.
This is just one example, and it's one of the simplest and most common skills—not very impressive. As I mentioned before, skills can vary based on many factors. People are also categorized into different strata according to the skills they master. Generally, the levels are divided as follows:
Common (Common-Copper)
Elite/Expert (Silver-Gold)
Champion/Master (Gold-Diamond)
Hero and Legend.
Beyond that, there are so few individuals who reach higher levels that they don't have a specific name, but they are recognized by the same title as their skill: Myth, Semi-divine, or Divine.
In this world, gods truly exist, although it is unclear whether they are old men with beards living in heavenly realms or formless entities in the far reaches of the cosmos. What is clear is that they can influence what happens on the planet, although they do so very rarely. Holy wars in this world are authentic wars for the gods.
In addition to the gods, there is the power of faith, which has a real impact. Priests can use faith as if it were magic, allowing them to heal the sick or bless people, objects, and places, among other things.
Upon entering this world, we will be able to choose a class and gain a skill unique to that class. This class will have a level that can be raised to 100. If you are particularly skilled at something in your original world, you will probably receive a related skill upon being transported, and the quality of this will depend on your previous experience. If not, you will receive a randomly generated skill of a certain quality. We can also change classes, but we will only keep the skill if we have reached the maximum level (100) in that class. If you change before reaching that level, you will lose the skill. Once you reach level 100, you can increase the level of a related skill by 1.
Upon arrival, you will need to choose which area to belong to, which will determine your starting point in the world based on what you choose: "Live your adventure" or "Found your empire." These two options will greatly influence your new life. The first will provide you with various resources and/or useful tools to start in the class you choose, while the second will give you items and subjects to start your camp and expand. Although one choice gives you advantages in one area, you will be able to change direction freely later on. Each option offers a specific initial package that facilitates the start in the direction you choose.
Most who choose "Live your adventure" will start in the cities of the empire to which they belong. In these cities, there will be designated areas, such as certain buildings, where one can access benefits from the modern world, such as hygiene products, some foods, specific future items, and even audiovisual media. However, only newcomers to the world will be able to use them; natives and the children of these newcomers will not have access.
The world has its own people, including royalty. Therefore, the nobility of this world will not be able to take the place of the native royalty but could receive particular benefits.
There are many more things we could explore, but I'm already feeling dizzy with so much information and history classes. I will remember more details when the right time comes. Right now, I can do little more than watch the countdown, identical for all people in this world. The time is approaching zero; only a few minutes remain. I'm nervous.
I looked back at the magazine in my hands, one about horror creatures. I couldn't help but remember the ones I had as a child in my original world. I think I had the editions of Dracula and Frankenstein. Very good, although with the semi-erotic and gory content of some pages, I now think they weren't really for children but rather for pre-adolescents. What nostalgia. Maybe I can do something to pass these last minutes in this unknown world.
I approached the desk in my room and took a real pencil, something hard to find in this world, where everything is so futuristic and digital work is the norm.
"Let's see, what was the cover of Dracula like?" I wondered as I tapped the pencil against my chin.
I'm not good at drawing, and I don't have much suitable paper, but since the end of the world is approaching, I don't think there's a problem with scribbling on this old wooden desk.
"Let's see... a mountain with a castle on the right, the full moon large on the left, down on the right a path through a forest, and in the lower left corner a village with old houses. In the night sky, some bats flying..."
*pop*
[Countdown] → [00:00]