2 A New World

My head screamed. I could hear voices talking around me but I couldn't understand them. I tried opening my eyes but the light blinded me, so I forced my eyelids shut. My body felt limp. I tried but I couldn't move. What was going on?

[Solution: Your soul is acclimating to your new body. A minimum of three days rest is necessary for this procedure to finish.]

As if by divine will, my question was answered by another strange disembodied voice that rang in my head. This time, though, the voice held no trace of emotion to it. It sounded like a computer text-to-speech program. My thoughts, of course, became even more turbulent. Just what was I hearing?

[Solution: I am your guide in this world provided by Lord Nox. I am programmed with encyclopedic knowledge of anything you may wish to know. My name is Research Encyclopedia of Discovery, or R.E.D. for short.]

This was rather convenient. It seemed I had some kind of foreign computer program shoved in my brain that responded whenever I thought of a question. Perhaps, if I tested this out a bit, I'd get a better idea of just what was going on.

'Okay, RED,' I thought, 'what happened to me and what's going on with my body right now?'

[Solution: Your previous body perished and Lord Nox removed your soul from the reincarnation cycle. He opened a portal to a different world and created you a new body here. Your soul is currently acclimating to your new body. Time remaining until full acclimation: 43 hours.]

That would be a long time to sit around and do nothing. Still, now that I was in a new world, perhaps it was for the better. I could use this time to ask RED some questions and better learn about everything around me. If I was in a new world there was no reason to become bitter or to panic. The old me died, anyways… Though, something had been nagging at the back of my mind for a while now. Why couldn't I remember my old name?

[Solution: Your old name was attached to your old body, which you no longer possess. Your current body's new name has yet to be decided.]

'Wait, new body?' I thought. 'What is my current body like?'

[Solution: When My Lord Nox was creating your new body, he used your current avatar from Saga Heroes Online in order to help you adjust to your new life faster. Everything was reproduced from level, to abilities, and even equipment.]

Oh. 'So that means I have my character's appearance, too?'

[Solution: Yes.]

I fistpumped internally. My character from Saga Heroes Online was a six foot tall hunk of a man with long flowing blond hair. He also had all maximum stats and the best skills possible to go along with his monk and sorcerer classes. It seemed this Nox, whether he was a Demon or a God, opted to give me an amazing gift. Not only would I get a new chance at life, I could live as my favorite character in my favorite world with all my favorite powers and abilities. I truly was grateful.

'So, Red, what else can you do?'

[Solution: I can provide data and analysis on any number of things including races, skills, equipment, and special effects.]

'Then, can you list out all of my own personal statistics and skills so I can see if all of my abilities really were carried over?'

[Solution:

Race: Demon Princess

Subclass Primary: Warrior

Subclass Secondary: Mage

<void>

-Statistics-

Level: 941

Strength: 814 (914)

Speed: 957 (999)

Constitution: 679 (800)

Intelligence: 560

Wisdom: 632

Luck: 7

<void>

-Skill List-

Normal Class: Heavy Strike, Magic Imbue, Fast Strike, Flurry Strike

Adept Class: Intangible Striking, Armor Break, Flash Draw

Journeyman Class: Tornado Creation, Fire Blade, Wind Slash

Expert Class: Stat Increase, Drill of Heaven's, Blade Extension

Master Class: True Strikes, Brutal power

Deity Class (Hidden): Heaven's Downfall, Rock the World

<void>

-Equipment-

Normal Class: None

Adept Class: None

Journeyman Class: None

Expert Class: Spacefold Item Pack

Master Class: Heaven's Demon Garb

Deity Class (Hidden): Belial's Blade]

-

No. No no no no no! 'Why is my race Demon Princess?'

[Solution: Your last avatar used was named Calliope17, hence that was the avatar Nox based your new body on.]

My mind went blank for a moment. This was, perhaps, the worst possible outcome.

'Does this mean my current body looks like a 12 year old girl?'

[Solution: Yes.]

'Why did this happen?'

[Solution: Data not found.]

'Is this all just a lucid dream? '

[Solution: No.]

'Perhaps, if I sleep now I'd wake up back home hunched over my computer desk.'

[Solution: Proposition is impossible.]

'Yes, that's what I'll do. Close my eyes and sleep until everything is normal again.'

[Solution: Would you like this guide to artificially induce a sleep state until Soul Acclimation has finished?]

Distraught and without any idea of what to do, I simply affirmed 'Yes' in my mind, and then my consciousness faded away.