1 Apocalypse now!
The world ended on the 11th of August, 2019. D-day. Apocalypse. The end.
The world ended, neither with fire and brimstone, nor a nuclear holocaust. It wasn't global warming or a metero shower. Yellowstone didn't erupt, the San Andreas fault didn't split open. It wasn't lizard people or psychic vampires. It ended not with a bang, not with a whimper, but rather a ding.
"Welcome to the Apocalypse!" A cheery tone followed, unbefitting the subject matter. I was hoping for a more sombre-nuetral tone. But beggars can't be choosers, now can they?
"I am Marcillus, otherwise known as M-8-998-2771, of the Multiversal Nexus. By the agreement signed by the leaders you elected or suffered, it matters not eitger way, this world, designated henceforth as Earth-312, shall undergo system experiment GW-9. And today marks the end of the world, your world specifically, as you know it. System-312 assigned to this world shall begin with the selection process now. That is all. Thank you for your cooperation! Try your best to survive!"
A translucent blue screen appeared in front of my eyes, startling me. If it weren't for this being the library, I might very well have screamed. Well, that was a lie. I did let out a squeak. But I wouldn't admit to that. Ever.
I looked at the screen, pondering. Was that announcement real? Or did I just hallucinate the whole thing?
I looked around. This early on a sunday, the library was almost empty. There were only 3 students in there. Including me. An african american man standing 6 feet tall, lean and lanky, and a girl, blonde haired, with red glasses, about a head shorter. Both of them looking around bewildered.
Not a hallucination then huh?
I turned my attention to the screen.
Name : Narsus Patikias
Age : 20
Gender : Male
Race : Human ( Standard )
Level : 1
Class : None
Title : None
Strength : 9
Dexterity : 10
Constitution : 11
Intelligence : 12
Stamina : 8
Spirit : 14
Free stat points : 0
Free skill points : 0
Skills : (0/1)
I looked through the stats, my concern growing.
If I assumed that the average stats were 10, my strength and stamina were going to be big hurdles. I tried interacting with the display only for my hand to pass right through. Maybe it wasn't interactive? No. If so, there wouldn't be a level or class option. Not to mention the free stat and skill point options. It had to be interactive.
I tried again, this time willing with my mind, focusing on the level.
A notification popped up, overlaying the main screen.
Level.
The level of power of the subject. With each increment in level, one free stat point is provided. It can be used to increase a stat by one.
With every ten levels, one free skill point is provided. It can be used to increase a skill's power.
Class came next.
Class.
A class is a special profession that grants stat bonuses to its bearer alongside making available class specific skills
After teaching level 10, a class can be obtained by visiting an system village.
Next, I focused on the titles.
Title.
A title is a special designation granted to a subject upon accomplishing a suitabily impressive feat.
Titles grant privileges relating to the system to their bearers alongside other benefits.
They are stackable.
Lastly, I checked the skills. Another notification popped up.
Skill.
A skill is an ability that can be used at cost of stamina and/or spirit to produce a supernatural phenomena.
Until the subject reaches level 10, only one skill can be obtained. Thereafter, 1 new skill slot is added for every 20 levels until level 100. Another skill slot is then available at level 100. Above that, a new skill slot is made available every 100 levels.
"Hmmm.." I intoned. If this was anything like the system fictions I had read, I would have to fight monsters to gain experience, which would then increase my level. Thus the question remained. Where were the monsters?
As if on cue, screams rang out outside. I rushed to the windows and ducked low, peaking over the edge, the remaining two students following suit.
Zombies. What's worse, fast zombies. I ducked below the edge and scanned the room. Libraries weren't armories, but there had to be something I could use as weapon. The chair legs looked to be metal. They would have to do for now.
I made to crawl towards the nearest one when a hand caught my shoulder.
"Do you know what's happening?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Those aren't zombies are they?" Asked the glasses girl.
"Yep. You're not hallucinating. Those are genuine 100 percent real zombies. And before you ask, no, this isn't a bad dream. Now let me go. I need a weapon. I suggest you get one too if you want to survive this ... uh....apocalypse." I warned.
The man nodded, crawling away beside me, while the girl sat there, like a deer in headlights, hyperventilating.
I picked up a chair and lay it gently on its side, grabbing one leg, twisting, pulling, pushing against the chair with my legs.
Puop!
The leg came off. Beside me, the black man had succeeded in the same.
I looked at him and pointed at the girl.
Two, I pointed using my fingers.
He nodded, pulling out another leg, as I crawled back to the girl.
"Take a deep breath. Look at me. Focus. Take a deep breath in, deep breath out. Good. Good." I whispered, calming her down.
"Now. I am Narsus. You are?"
"Melissa." She gasped, breathing out and breathing deeply back in.
"Kenan." Said the black man, handing her the leg.
"Now listen carefully. This is an apocalypse. I've read about similar stuff online. And from that I can tell you this, we need to get out of here and get some real weapons, suppliea and maybe even shelter. If you've seen any zombie movies you know that too. Right?"
They both nodded.
"Let's go then. And be quiet. We cant afford to actually fight them with flimsy discount chair legs. These are a last resort. Come." I said.
We moved out of the shelves, towards the door, when suddenly a shriek sounded out behind us.
I turned and rolled away, before grabbing the leg tight and spotting her. The librarian. Or what was the librarian. She sprinted at Kenan, even as he swung the chair leg at her, to no avail.
She leapt onto him, going straight for his neck, with such force that it knocked him back a meter or so, dislocating her own legs in the process.
He was dead. But I didn't have to be.
I lunged at the zombie, kicking her over, off of Kenan and in one swift move, shoved the leg through her eyes, just as she made to lunge at me, her momentum spearing her throught, impressing a bruise onto my hand from the cheap rusted leg.
I rubbed my hand clean on my shirt.
No blood. Thankfully, the leg had slipped slightly off my hand, affording me only a bruise.
I sighed in relief. Tetanus would have meant a death sentence in the apocalypse.
I turned back to see Kenan's body twitching, getting ready to reanimate.
Nope. Not on my watch.
I picked up the leg Melissa had carelessly dropped and walked over to him. I placed the rod upon his dead right eye, and stepped right on the other edge of the leg, killing him ... again.
Ding!
You levelled up.
Distribute your free stat point please.
