Agony.
It consumed him, stretching beyond pain into something deeper—something elemental. Every fiber of his being screamed, but in the heart of that torment, a flickering candle stood. A fragile light, glowing with gentle warmth. Jason crawled toward it, desperate, drawn by the promise of relief just within reach.
Then, a voice rang out from the past.
“Jason, I know you’re scared, but we’re not powerless.”
His sister’s voice—soft but strong, a shield against the storm of his suffering.
“I’ll always be by your side, just like I know you’ll be there for me.”
The light pulsed, beckoning him forward. But Jason hesitated. The warmth offered release, yet his sister’s words anchored him. Even in the depths of his suffering, he knew he couldn’t let go. Not yet.
Jason's eyes snapped open.
A woman knelt beside him, her face etched with relief. Mid-twenties, strikingly beautiful, with an air of quiet determination.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re awake!” she excimed.
Jason’s throat felt like sandpaper. He forced out a hoarse whisper. “Where... am I?”
“Not too far from where that Alpha Brierhound tossed you,” she said quickly. “I saw you get unched and ran as fast as I could.”
Jason winced, shifting his sore body. “How did you beat it? That thing was nasty.”
She smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Oh, I didn't defeat it. I used my ability, Sacred Sanctuary, to escape. It lets me move myself and up to two others to a safe location within one-hundred and fifty meters.”
Jason blinked. "That’s incredible." Instinct took over, and he focused, using Identify.
Maggius
Race: Human
Grade: F
Css: Spirit Warden (Forerunner)
Jason raised an eyebrow. “Maggius, huh? that's ah... Unique name.”
A flush of embarrassment crept into her cheeks as she quickly averted her gaze.
“I... I didn’t think this was real,” she admitted. “When I got a prompt asking what I wanted to be called, I just said my gamer ID. But, uh... just call me Maggy. Please.”
Jason chuckled, despite the lingering pain. “Maggy it is, then.”
His amusement faded as he frowned. “Wait, you got a prompt? Weren’t you greeted by an Oracle?”
“Oracle?” Maggy shook her head. “No. One minute I was at dance practice, went to the restroom, and then... I was here. A few prompts popped up, I made a css selection, and then I got a quest to clear Triumverge Citadel. Killed some skeletons, and well... here we are.”
Jason exhaled slowly. She wasn’t pulled in the same way I was.
“Well, once I heal up, I need to start hunting,” Jason said. “Could use the practice. And I definitely need to get stronger.” He grimaced, feeling the dull ache still lingering in his body.
Maggy smiled, kneeling beside him. “I can help with that.”
She pced her hands gently on his chest, and a soothing warmth spread through him. The pain eased, the bite marks closing into scabs. His breathing became lighter, easier.
Jason sat up, blinking in surprise. He still felt sore, but the crushing pain had lifted. Looking up, he saw that the sky had deepened into a sea of stars.
“Once morning comes, I need to get out and push myself,” Jason said. “I didn’t stand a chance against that Alpha, and I pn on changing that.”
Maggy nodded, but there was hesitation in her eyes. “Do you mind if we ah... stick together? This pce has me a little... unnerved.”
Jason nodded. “Of course.”
It was time to address his notifications.
As he focused, an unfamiliar sensation swept over him. a wave of power washed through his body.
Well of power 20% full.
His body felt... stronger. Not in a sudden burst, but as if his injuries had forged something new within him. His body had adapted, growing leaner, tougher.
His reflexes felt sharper; his limbs lighter. His endurance had deepened, his body reinforcing itself.
Jason clenched his fist, feeling the subtle difference. I’m changing.
Maggy studied him. “You feel it, don’t you?”
Jason nodded. “Yeah. I feel like I could lift a car...”
She smiled knowingly. “it's crazy when I first got my... I guess level up I felt this pool of power swell inside me I'm guessing it's the games version of mana.”
Jason exhaled, steadying himself. His fight with the Alpha Brierhound had nearly killed him. Next time, he wouldn’t just survive. He’d dominate.
Jason pulled one of the coins out from his inventory
Another notification fshed.
Arcane Emporium:
Base shop
the shop had several tabs all but two where locked to Jason the first was a survival tab the other basic food and drinking supplies.
opening the survival tab.
Basic Flint & Steel – Allows fire-starting without magic. 1 razian coin
Dried Rations – Inexpensive, long-sting food. 2 razian coin
Traveler’s Canteen – Purifies unclean water over time. 5 razian coin
Simple Healing Ointment – Helps close minor wounds faster. 4 razian coin
Tattered Cloak – Provides slight resistance to cold. 15 razian coin
Bone Knife – A crude, common bde, useful in survival. 8 razian coin
Torch Bundle – Standard torches with limited burn time. 5 razian coin
the list for the basic food and drinking supplies looked like you typical supermarket had milk eggs different meats. it looked to Jason who ever or whatever that was behind these games did not instead for them to starve to death.
All other facets of the shop of the Razian Empire is restricted to those with merchant-css qualifications. please see a merchant to access the store. Jason frowned. He gnced at Maggy.
“You ever use the Arcane Emporium?” he asked.
Maggy shook her head. “Nope. i havent heard of that."
"Here." Jason tossed her the coin.
The moment Maggy caught it, her pupils dited as if she were reading something only she could see. After a second, she blinked, shaking her head.
"Huh... just got a prompt about a store. But it says it's locked—only accessible to merchant-csses."
"Just another mystery to add to the list," Jason muttered, tossing the coin back into his inventory. He stretched, feeling the st remnants of exhaustion settling in. "Let’s get some rest. We’ll deal with this in the morning."
