Timothy Nugent Author
patreon
Chapter 8 - Rewards
🕑 Added 2024-07-01 13:40:59 +0000 UTCYou have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?
Yes!
Three objects suddenly appeared before his eyes. They rotated slowly and each was labeled with a brief description. The first of his choices was a thin, bland gold necklace, which would increase his Physical Stamina by one. It was not a massive change, but he did not expect much as this was a reward for a single level zero scenario
His second option was a nano-enhanced shield. The metal defensive item resembled a heater shield and was two feet wide by four tall. It was flat at the top, but the bottom came to a point. Despite its ruggedness, it weighed only five pounds. Reduced weight for the same durability was one of the benefits of using the Collective and its nanomachines to craft items.
Besides being a decent shield, it held no other advantages. However, it did not need any, especially at this level. It would stand up to pretty much anything, and unlike the items he found within the scenario, he could bring it through the portal.
The last item was a twenty-inch mace. The thin shaft was made of hardwood, while the head was made of a ball of metal in a polygon shape the size of his fist. Like the shield, it also held no additional special properties.
By the time he finished the list, his enthusiasm waned. The rewards were solid level appropriate items, but for some reason he had expected something more. Especially after the insane achievements he gained.
With a sigh, he selected the necklace and waited for it to assemble. A shimmer in the air appeared a foot away from where he rested on the ground. Slowly, over the next minute, the distortion became increasingly more defined until it finally resolved into the jewelry in question.
The ability for nanomachines to construct a physical item from molecules alone had fascinated him ten years ago. However, over the years he had grown used to the sight, and now was only annoyed at the wait. Luckily, it was a very small item, otherwise he might have waited for an hour or more. It was another reason he chose the necklace rather than the shield. He had spent enough time inside the combat scenario and wanted to see his parents.
Once fully formed, it fell to the ground. Blake retrieved the jewelry, clasped it around his neck, and then used the map feature to find where he entered this world. The return trip through the woods was peaceful, and the sun had finally risen to light the way.
Soon, the swirling portal stood in the distance. Unlike the portals hidden on Earth, this distortion was visible. It resembled a rotating sphere which hovered three feet off the ground. The portal itself was four feet in diameter and roiled with energy. As he approached the phenomenon, the familiar smell of ozone filled his nostrils.
Blake casually approached the churning ball of energy and placed a hand within. Immediately, the energy within grasped onto his body and pulled him upwards with a force that was impossible to resist. He felt no sensation of pain or even motion, and the only way he knew his body had moved was from his vision alone.
Suddenly, his vision blackened and he hung motionless in a void. Without warning, his body rushed through another portal which appeared, and he was expelled. Light quickly returned, as did gravity.
The sensation of falling to his death was a familiar feeling after completing the goblin scenario, as the portal was eight feet off the ground. It was only accessible by jumping from the rocky ledge above it, and would have never been found if it did not become visible in the future.
Prepared for the drop, he cushioned his fall with bent knees and collapsed into a roll. His momentum was successfully transferred horizontally, and his tumble quickly came to a stop. He laid still to recover. Mercifully, he did not land in a cactus patch.
Despite the effective landing, his body ached. With a physical resistance attribute of only seven, hewas still weak. It was above average compared to the rest of humanity, but that meant very little when falling from a great height. Although, if he weighed more than his hundred and fifty pounds, it would have been far worse.
Shit.
The sky was completely dark.
Blake had been within the combat scenario for hours. His pocket suddenly began to vibrate and alerts began to sound off in rapid fashion, confusing him. It had been ten years since electricity worked without the aid of the Architect, and he was not used to a phone.
He quickly retrieved the still vibrating device and watched the lock screen as it added message after message to the notifications. According to the cheap smartphone, it was after eleven, and his parents were freaking. As he unlocked the screen with his thumb and began to scroll through the numerous texts, he began to feel guilty.
At first, a simple message stated that his mother heard from the vice principal, and they would have a talk when he got to work. Then, a message from his father asked why he was late for his shift. As he read further, their communications transitioned from annoyed to worried.
That became especially true when the police showed up at their restaurant and asked where he was. Evidently, the bully he had beaten was still in the hospital. According to his parents, the police had viewed the recording of the fight and planned to arrest him for assault.
Annoyed, Blake shoved the phone back in his pocket and sighed as he rubbed his temples. He regretted the fight against the bully, and if he had been thinking clearly at the time, he would have just walked away from the altercation. Unfortunately, his mind had still been confused, and his instincts prevailed. He could only be thankful that he did not finish the punk off as he normally would.
He groaned as he climbed to his feet, sore muscles protesting, and searched for his bike in the dark. The moon had risen in a cloudless sky, so he was able to navigate easier than he had on the goblin world. It took a moment to remember where he stashed his transportation, but eventually he successfully found his bicycle, and walked it to the road.
His sore muscles strained as he lifted the bike over his head and tossed it across the barbed wire fence. Carefully, he crossed over the wire barrier himself. His jacket was ripped from a barb, but he was not concerned. The coat was already soiled and covered in blood.
Despite his aching legs, he traveled faster than expected as he pedaled along the shoulder of the highway. Due to the time of night, there were few cars on the out-of-the-way road, and he did not come across heavy traffic until he reached the main thoroughfare.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the low-income apartment complex where his family resided and stashed his bicycle behind a bush. He would normally never leave something so easy to steal outside, but his mind was completely consumed by the upcoming conflict.
Blake hesitated at the door to his home, frozen, for over a minute. Despite the years of killing and the close calls he had experienced, he was more frightened than he could ever recall. He would rather face off against another planetary threat than enter the apartment.
After a deep breath, he reached forward with his hand and grasped the doorknob.
It was locked.
Well crap.
He searched his pockets, but found no key, only his phone, pocket knife, some food, a bottle of water, and his phone.
Are my keys and wallet in my backpack at school?
For a few minutes, he debated what to do, before he just decided to knock on the door. His hand rapped against the wood three times before he waited. Faintly, he could hear movement from within and his father’s voice letting his mother know he would get the door.
When the door opened and his father’s face showed relief at the sight of his son, Blake broke down in tears and embraced the man in a hug. Sobs escaped him as he buried his face in his father’s chest.
Peter returned the affection with his son, while he yelled over his shoulder, “Donna! Blake’s home!”
He heard feet slapping against the vinyl floor, and then suddenly his mother swapped places with his dad.
“I’m so glad you’re safe! I was so worried! We thought something happened to you!” As she held him, her relief at his return transitioned into anger at his lack of communication. She separated from the hug and pushed herself away from him. “Why didn’t you call? Where have you been? What’s this business about a fight? When you didn’t show up to work, we were a server short all evening! The wait was so bad that people didn’t give tips. You know we need that money to…”
“Honey!” Peter interrupted and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Give him time to answer.”
Donna flashed a brief look of annoyance at her husband, but relented. Blake reluctantly stepped into the small foyer and closed the door behind him.
He took a deep breath and said, “It’s a long story. You may want to sit down.”
“Take your jacket off first,” she told him. “It's filthy.” Then her voice shifted back to concern. “Whose blood is that? Are you hurt?”
Blake raised his hands. “I’m fine mom. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything. Let me just get this off and we can sit down on the couch.”
He extracted himself from the soiled clothing and then looked to his mother for guidance.
“Just drop it on the bench by the door, Blake.”
After he left his ruined coat, he warily padded deeper into the apartment. They followed him into the small living room, and after he perched on a reclining chair, they sat on the love seat opposite him.
He cleared his throat and explained, “This is going to sound very strange and unbelievable, but I promise, nothing I’m about to tell you is a lie, and I can prove it.” He took another deep breath when they frowned, but continued on. “I haven’t seen either of you for almost ten years. I’m actually from the future, or at least my consciousness is…” he corrected.
Their looks of confusion transitioned as he spoke. His mother’s brow furrowed in concern, while his father’s frown betrayed disbelief.
Of course they think I’m crazy or lying. I would too.
“I know it sounds made up or crazy, but like I said, I can prove it. In six months, all electricity will stop working and an artificial intelligence named The Architect will take over the world. Everyone’s bodies will be flooded with nanomachines, and we’ll all join what it calls, ‘the Collective’. Billions of people will die from starvation, and even more will follow when monsters start leaving the portals that appear. In the future, I was fighting against the incredibly strong alien leader. I held it still while my faction used some top secret weapon against it. Somehow, instead of dying like I thought I would, I woke up in a classroom ten years in the past.”
He paused and anxiously waited for their initial response.
His father snorted. “I suppose we’ll have to wait six months for this proof?”
Donna gave Peter a sharp look. “It’s not funny, Peter. There’s something wrong with our baby, and he needs our help.” She turned back to face Blake and said in a comforting voice. “Don’t worry Blake, we’ll get whatever help you need. We’ll find a way, despite the cost. We can clear this all up with the police too.”
Blake was surprised. Based upon his memories, he assumed they would yell at him for inventing a story. Instead, his mother was concerned for his mental health, and while his father seemed to believe it was all a lie, he did not seem angry. Peter seemed amused at his imagination.
Blake decided to ignore his mom and replied to his dad, when he realized he had access to the proof he needed. “No, you don’t have to wait that long, I’m going to show you right now. Just give me a few moments.” He then opened his last notification.
The [First Solo Clear] achievement allows you to choose a non-combat companion from a list which will be bound to you for life. Would you like to choose your companion now?
Yes.
A long list of choices appeared before him, and he quickly began to scroll through them. Companions could not help in combat and were mostly prized for the information they contained. They acted as guides and helped their owner navigate the system with advice and insights.
Blake, however, did not need a guide. He already knew how everything worked, which is why he was initially disappointed in the reward. Nevertheless, accepting the reward would show incontrovertible proof of his tale.
The process was taking longer than he expected, and he realized his parents were staring at him with growing concern. While he focused on a display that only he could see, he held up a single finger to indicate his need for more time.
Originally, he was just going to pick a companion, at random. After all, what did it matter which he chose? However, as he scrolled through them, one caught his eye. He silently read the description while his parents impatiently waited.
Metallesapure - As a member of the Wraith species, this companion can turn invisible at will. In short bursts, it can even phase through reality. It also has incredible magical resistance. However, it is incredibly weak to physical damage, and can be difficult to keep alive when not phased.
Now that’s interesting, I’ve never heard of a wraith companion. With its invisibility, I bet I can use it as a scout.
Blake decided to take the chance and find out. He selected the wraith and accepted the contract. A moment after he dismissed his interface, a small portal suddenly appeared between him and his parents. Peter and Donna jolted backward in surprise with looks of shock on their face as the roiling ball of energy illuminated the room. Ozone irritated his nose, but he ignored it to calm his suddenly frightened family.
He raised his hands in a placating gesture and quickly said, “Don’t worry. I summoned a wraith companion. It was a gift from the Architect. It can’t hurt you, and it's under my command.”
Suddenly, an apparition appeared beside the portal that floated a foot off the living room floor. It was naked, and its body was transparent. The companion stood four feet in height and was about a foot wide. It had no legs or hands, and only contained a vague representation of a head.
Blake leaned forward to examine it. It was made up of some type of clear jelly-like substance, yet he could make out the outline of organs within it. The only thing not completely transparent was its two large, silver eyes.
