Follow the trail...
* * *
Walking through the city, I keep finding myself more and more surprised. Everything is familiar, yet different.
My theory is that Cleraster is just a past version of Cleras, but I don't have anything to back that up yet... Senator Armstrong would be disappointed. I wander slightly here and there, just looking for some kind of objective.
The system sent me into this dungeon saying it had something of value inside, but it didn't specify how to retrieve it or what it even specifically was. Damn this vague cheat terminal! Still, I'd rather have it than not. It's convenient.
Dungeons are mostly mysterious and unknown on how exactly they function, ranging in new to familiar areas contained within. Most require a boss to be slain or objective to be completed in order to escape. {Excerpt from System Manual Pg. 64.}
Which can't help but make me wonder... what do I have to do to get out of here? I can't find anything resembling a monster, just... people.
"Excuse me sir, do you happen to know anything about a new monster or..." I stop talking, lowering my hands.
Just like everyone else I've tried, no one seems to respond to my speech or actions. Even when I touch them, I just end up passing through.
I guess this dungeon is a form of recording rather than simulation, considering that I'm practically just watching from an outsiders perspective.
I move on. Maybe I'll eventually find someone who can notice me. I walk towards the castle in the distance, likely Castle Ironholt. Somewhere between me and the castle is what will eventually become the Lumin Academy... I think.
Everything's just one hunch after another right now. I reach an open square marked only by dirt and dead grass, two people standing in the middle of this square.
One looks to be a blonde swordsman whilst the other is a ginger mage... they give me a weird feeling, strange enough. It's the same feeling I get from Arthur, Galatine, Pridwen and Pierce.
Even though I know it likely won't work, I call out to them anyways.
"Hey! Excuse me for a moment!"
For once, they turn and acknowledge my presence. However, they look at me as if I'm some sort of... threat, I guess. The swordsman nods, whilst the mage pulls out a staff.
The swordsman charges, closing the distance rather quickly, while the mage casts. I draw my sword and swing, intending on defending myself.
The swordsman draws his sword as well, parrying before sending out a slash of his own.
This guy is pretty good, around my age and my strength. I channel my mana through my arms before swinging once more, only to be met with a guard.
He catches my blade with the guard of his sword, twisting it in an attempt to yank the blade from my hands. I release the sword before throwing a jab towards his cheek.
He weaves back and drops his own sword, throwing a hook of his own. I step to the side and go to strike again before feeling a solid ball of light mana strike my chest. Shit... wasn't paying attention to the mage.
I'm sent tumbling before I spring back up and recover, dashing forward and towards the mage this time. The swordsman picks up both my sword and his own as he charges towards me, swinging them to get my attention.
I have to dodge to my right and turn attention back to him in order to not get diced. He swings numerous times, causing me to go on the backpedal again.
I duck under a slash, barely avoiding a slash across the face, only to be met with a solid stab from my own sword. I move my left hand, deciding to sacrifice it for an opening.
I grab the swordsman by the neck, lifting him in front of me and using him as a shield as I turn back to the mage. The mage dispels whatever spell he was planning, squinting his eyes at me.
"Let's all be civil about this, ok?!" I yell, squeezing slightly on the boys throat.
"See?! It can talk!" The swordsman exclaims, talking to the mage. "And you said that the one a few days ago wasn't able to speak!"
"Shut it, Baldwin! It has you by the throat right now!" The mage says, frowning as he looks at me.
They keep calling me "it", which is kinda mean. I don't much appreciate that.
"System, identify them!" I say, causing an eyebrow raise from the boys.
[Baldwin Sterain.]
[Baldwin Sterain, information restricted, age 16.]
[Jerard Lumin.]
[Jerard Lumin, information restricted, age 16.]
Just great... so the weird feeling definitely means the info is restricted, but why??? I can't see any patterns yet, so might as well keep talking.
"Listen up, I need-"
"You have a system too, don't you?"
* * *
Arthur Ishviel POV...
It's been two weeks since I've entered this past version of the world. My assumption (or rather, hope) is that time is dilated from the outside world. I don't want to miss school for this. I only barely escaped those weirdos the last time I encountered them.
I just have to lay low until I find out why I'm here and how to escape. I've only been able to interact with the weird feel people, leading me to make a pattern of people. People I can interact with me are Players, people who can't are NPC's.
So far, every player has looked at me like I was a monster, but they seem to realize I'm more than just that.
Sometimes when I look in a mirror here, I don't see anything.
This place is weird... really weird. Foreign and strange from everything I know. I'm a ghost to NPC's and an enemy to Players. I've just been hiding out in sewers and snatching stuff off shelves to eat. Strangely enough, some items seem to respawn.
Additionally, I'm finally D- rank, so that's the silver lining. Everything else has sucked pretty bad so far.
* * *