'Magic core..? Firstborn???'
The boy was quick to bow his head, giving a slight rub of his chin while deep in his own mind.
[Again, it will take you sometime - I don't expect you to be a genius, though I also wish you to be smart enough to comprehend - This is a delicate matter, for both you and me alike]
'So if all of this is true... what's the point of my existence? Why create me?'
[Because I need your help - I am a being of pure energy, and cannot exist in the physical world without the will of a living or natural entity - With very few exceptions]
'And I'm one of them?'
[In a sense - I created you by compacting incredible amounts of my own magical energy into a single point, thus creating your physical body - I then transferred hints of my own consciousness into it, giving your sentience - As I'm sure you can imagine, this is very strenuous]
The boy remained silent for a brief moment. After taking a second to compile all of his thoughts, he somehow ended up with more questions than answers. Just like the System said, however, he was willing to give it time. He didn't need to know everything all at once — he didn't want to.
'Whatever...' He spewed, 'Can you at least tell me how to get out of this cage you trapped me in?'
[...No]
His eyes widened. 'I'm sorry!? You created me in a damn cell, and you won't even bother to help me escape?'
[You're here for a reason; two, actually - This is both a trial and a part of that 'help' I mentioned prior - They have something here that I want, and you're going to... 'borrow' it]
'And the trial?'
[Yes - Creating a living being using my immense power takes its toll - I need to know if you're worth keeping around - If not, I could rip apart your body, strand by strand until there's nothing left - Then I create a new living being until I deem them worthy enough to keep it]
'...I would prefer it if you didn't do that.'
[Then escape - Use your own merits to grab what I require and find a way to leave this place - I will not be assisting you]
He waited for a few moments as if expecting a follow-up to her statement. 'Hello?' He asked, only to receive no answer.
He was genuinely, truly alone.
'no WAY this bitch just left...'
A cough from his side drew his attention. It was the bald man from before, who had previously interrupted him and the Systems conversation.
"What?" He asked, looking on to man with a hint of scepticism.
The man's face tensed. "Were you even listening!?"
It was only then the boy bothered to notice Baldy speaking this whole time. Truth be told, he was far too lost in his own mind to even listen to a single word he said. "...No, sorry."
The man sighed, "You listen here, boy — The name's Benaya, from the Latterlands. I've been here in these mines for over a decade, and I haven't seen your face here yet. You a new arrival?"
"Yes."
'Straight to the point, eh? I like that. But just so you know; Don't you ever call me nothing ever again, or I'll rip that soft little head of yours from your body."
Genuinely, the boy had already forgotten he'd said that. "Right, okay. Sure."
There was no attempt to hide the disinterest in his voice.
The man slumped back against the wall. "It'd do you good to listen to a threat — shallow or not, it could still bite you in the ass. Say, kid, what's your name?"
"Name?" he murmured, "That's a good question... I don't think I have one."
Ben laughed. "No name, huh? You know, we used to have another child around here who looked just like you."
He wasn't quite sure as to why he kept being referred to as "boy" and "child." Truth be told, he looked well into his teens. Regardless, he kept listening.
"The shitty red hair and eyes are a perfect match, though your face isn't anywhere near as meek and slender. Keelan, we called him."
Even with his limited knowledge on the matter, he had a feeling this was no coincidence.
'Just my fucking luck...' He scoffed.
"Ironically," the man continued, head peering up and facing toward the rocky ceiling above them, "he didn't have a name either. We called him Keelan because he always had an iron key wrapped around his neck, and would always get defensive when asked about it. The cherry on top was that he'd never shut up about where it'd lead to — a small cellar beneath his home just down the mountain, on his 'family's sacred land' or some shit like that."
"How creative~," The boy teased, "key plus land, huh? Give this man an award."
"Drop the attitude, rookie. It's likely you're going to be here a long ass time, so it's best we get to know each other. Set the status quo and all that bullshit."
"Right... speaking of which, what is it we do here exactly?"
"I already told you- it's a mine. Our shift should be starting any second now, so it'd be a great opportunity to get accustomed to this shithole."
The boy let out a sigh, tilting his head back and placing it against the wall. 'God, give me strength... this is going to take a while...'