The air shimmered with a golden haze, the ground beneath it fractured and lifeless. Zeth stood motionless, his breath catching in his throat as the world around him pulsed with a strange energy. Jagged rocks jutted out of the barren landscape, and glowing runes carved into them seemed to whisper secrets he couldn't comprehend. This place felt ancient, as if it had existed long before time had meaning.
Zeth's memory was fragmented. He remembered his name, fragments of his life — a mundane routine, a dull existence. Yet here he stood, his body thrumming with a vitality he didn't recognize, in a place that defied explanation. His chest tightened as questions flooded his mind.
"Where am I?"
he muttered, his voice barely audible in the vast emptiness.
As if in answer, a mechanical voice reverberated within his mind. Its tone was calm, detached, and unnervingly precise.
'System initializing... Calibrating host...'
The words weren't spoken aloud but resonated directly in his thoughts. Zeth staggered back, his pulse quickening.
"What? Who's there?"
he demanded, his voice rising.
There was no response, only silence that pressed against him like a physical weight. Then, the world around him seemed to shift. The ground trembled slightly, the glowing runes flaring brighter for a moment before dimming again. He clutched his head, a sharp pain slicing through his temples as the voice returned.
'System activated. Welcome, Zeth, to the Forgotten Realm.'
The words sent a chill down his spine. Zeth's instincts screamed at him that this wasn't some elaborate dream or trick. This was real.
The ground beneath his feet shifted as he took a hesitant step forward. In the distance, jagged spires rose from the horizon, their silhouettes distorted by a faint, shimmering heatwave. The air carried a strange weight, a blend of decay and raw power that made every breath feel heavier than the last.
"What is this place?"
he whispered to himself, his voice trembling.
The answer came in the form of a glowing screen that materialized before him, translucent and faintly humming. Text began to etch itself across the surface, each letter sharp and deliberate.
______________________________
Name: Zeth
Class: Arcane Combatant
Level: 1
Mana: 50/50
Abilities Unlocked: None
The words floated before him, incomprehensible yet oddly intuitive. He reached out instinctively, his fingers brushing against the screen. It flickered slightly before disappearing into thin air.
Zeth shook his head, his heart pounding. He didn't have time to process what was happening before a distant growl echoed across the barren plains. The sound was low, guttural, and unrelenting. His eyes snapped toward the source, a dark shape moving through the fractured landscape, growing larger with every passing second.
As it approached, Zeth could make out its form. The creature was a grotesque amalgamation of shadow and smoke, its glowing red eyes fixed on him. It moved with an unnatural fluidity, its jagged claws scraping against the ground.
'Hostile entity detected. Category: Wraithling. Threat level: Low.'
The voice rang out again, calm and indifferent. Zeth's hands clenched into fists as he backed away. His mind raced, but there was no time for thought. The wraithling lunged, its claws slashing through the air.
Zeth barely managed to dodge, his instincts taking over. He grabbed a shard of jagged stone from the ground and swung it with all his might. The makeshift weapon struck the creature's smoky form, and it let out a shrill, ear-piercing screech.
The wraithling recoiled, its body flickering like a dying flame. Zeth pressed the attack, his strikes fueled by desperation. The stone cut through the creature again, and this time it dissolved into nothingness, its red eyes fading into the void.
'Hostile defeated. Mana replenished: +10'
Zeth staggered, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His hands trembled as he stared at the empty space where the creature had stood moments ago.
"What... was that?"
he muttered.
The system responded, its tone as dispassionate as ever.
'Experience gained: +15. New status available.'
The glowing interface returned, updated with new information.
_____________________________
Name: Zeth
Class: Arcane Combatant
Level: 1
Mana: 60/50
Abilities Unlocked: Arcane Bolt
Zeth's eyes widened as he read the update. The numbers and terms made no sense, yet he felt their truth resonate within him. Before he could dwell on it further, another growl echoed across the plains. Then another. His head whipped around as more wraithlings emerged from the shadows, their red eyes gleaming with malice.
"Great,"
he muttered, gripping the stone shard tighter.
"Of course, there's more."
The first wraithling charged, its claws aimed for his throat. Zeth ducked and countered with a wild swing, the shard connecting with its torso. The creature dissolved in a cloud of ash, but two more lunged at him from opposite sides.
Zeth pivoted, narrowly avoiding one set of claws as he drove his weapon into the other wraithling. Pain shot through his arm as the second creature raked its claws across his shoulder, tearing through his shirt and drawing blood.
'HP reduced: -10. Current HP: 40/50.'
The notification floated in his vision, but Zeth ignored it, his focus narrowing on the fight. He twisted away from the second wraithling's follow-up attack and struck back, his shard slicing through its neck. The creature shrieked before vanishing like the others.
The final wraithling hesitated, its movements slower and more calculated. Zeth felt his heartbeat thunder in his ears as the creature circled him, looking for an opening. Summoning what little courage he had left, he lunged forward, driving the shard into the creature's chest. It let out one last howl before dissipating into the air.
'All hostiles defeated. Experience gained: +30.'
Zeth dropped to his knees, his body trembling from exhaustion and adrenaline. The glowing interface appeared once more, displaying his updated status.
_______________________________
Name: Zeth
Class: Arcane Combatant
Level: 2
Mana: 60/60
Abilities Unlocked: Arcane Bolt
The numbers swirled before his eyes, but Zeth's focus remained on the vast, empty landscape ahead. He didn't know what awaited him in this strange, unforgiving world, but one thing was clear: survival was no longer a choice, it was a necessity.
As the interface faded, the system's voice echoed in his mind one last time.
'System calibration complete. Welcome, Zeth, to the Forgotten Realm.'