First Step [II]

An invigorating wave of energy rushed through Lucian's body as the Microlink was filled. His hunger suddenly lessened, and a sudden dampness invaded his dry, cracked lips.

Though his thirst and hunger hadn't ebbed entirely, their hold on him was suddenly broken. He felt that he could even survive another week in these conditions if he was forced!

As he examined the changes to his body, Lucian noticed that his shoulder was no longer stiff. Since the rat's vicious attack, it had been racked with soreness, but now, it was as if the event had never occurred!

"Amazing..." Lucian muttered.

Profound ideas entered his mind, and he suddenly felt the need to sit down and focus on what he'd just experienced. He leaned his back against his new home.

His mind was clearer than it had been since he'd arrived.

The attack of the rats no longer plagued him.

The strangeness of this game he'd been forced into no longer troubled him.

Even his thoughts of his wife and children were pushed aside momentarily.

His focus was on one single aspect of his existence.

Tolerance.

Lucian closed his eyes, and vivid scenes of his life experiences played in his mind.

The first scene was from when he was young, and it was something he wished he could forget.

Lucian's mother lay crying on the ground, holding a busted lip. His father was a large man, and a simple slap from him had sent her tumbling.

The man turned and looked at the young Lucian, who was screaming at him from the corner. He remembered always being angry at the way his father had treated his mom.

The man flicked the ashes from his cigarette on the woman as he ripped his belt from his jeans. Lucian's mother grabbed the man's ankle to stop him, but the only result was a kick to the ribs.

She curled up, watching as Lucian took tens of lashes to his back and legs. He could feel the pain through the vision, and before long, he recalled how he'd gone numb to the belt on his bruised and bleeding back.

Tolerance to torment.

The following vision was one of him in a bar. Drinks were pouring, and things were getting rowdy.

He sat in a corner, pouring shot after shot down his throat, something he'd done for years. Thoughts of his father and the death of his mother had driven him into a terrible place.

Poison continued to flow as he endeavored to drown the demons that gripped his mind. More, more, more...

He'd been drinking every night for so long that it had stopped working. Lucian didn't black out, and the demons never went away.

Tolerance to substances.

The vision shriveled, and another took its place.

It was his twenty-fourth birthday. He was spending it out on the street, a mug in his hand and torn coat wrapped around his shoulders.

He had no family willing to help. His dad talked him up as a drunk and blamed Lucian for the death of his mother.

No one would believe what he had to say.

He scratched at his dried skin, watching the hundreds of people pass by. The mixture of pity and haughtiness in their eyes had once infuriated Lucian.

After sitting for hours and only collecting a few dollars, he went to the local thrift store and purchased a worn-out tie. He escaped to the woods just on the outskirts of the city.

He'd managed to buy the last piece of a cheap suit he needed before an interview that afternoon. Lucian had saved up since he'd first found himself on the street.

He rounded the corner and found three men standing outside his makeshift hut. They laughed as they tore it down, throwing his few belongings in a fire they'd started nearby.

Lucian's eyes didn't turn bleary. He sighed heavily and walked away. He had an interview to get to.

Tolerance to adversity.

The visions stopped, but he kept his eyes closed. Those times hadn't plagued him since he'd met his wife.

Lucian showed up to that interview, and the man had been kind enough to not scoff at his appearance. He gave Lucian a place to stay and helped him get on his feet.

After a few years at the small construction company, Lucian had met the man's daughter, Sarah. They fell in love, one thing led to another, and he became the owner of the company when her dad retired.

They had two kids, Lucas and Julia, and he still didn't know the gender of his third child.

The day after he'd been taken was supposed to be the gender reveal.

Lucian didn't cry, and he didn't let the sorrow overtake him. Instead, he smiled, knowing they would be alright.

Tolerance to pain.

Lucian opened his eyes, feeling as if a massive weight had been pulled from his shoulders. The burdens that he'd been harboring for so long were suddenly gone.

The memories were there, but they were no longer an anchor.

He smiled gratefully. His final thoughts reminded him of the incredible years he'd spent with his wife and children.

It had been nine years since they'd met, and they were closing in on their seventh anniversary. Lucian shook his head and stood up.

In the end, he'd had a beautiful life, and he would do everything he could to preserve those memories.

Even if they weren't aware, his family was in danger. The sorrow was gone.

Only the determination to ensure they had the chance at a good life without him remained.

He opened the [Map] with a thought and selected the Tile that his front door was facing. Each of the Tiles touching his own on the [Map] now held a dull blue light and were available for purchase.

[Vorikan]

[Cost: I]

[Planet Grade: 26]

[An inhabited planet in the Troon Sector. Known for its low gravity and heavyset creatures]

Lucian's grip tightened on his dagger as he stared at the Tile with the intent to purchase. The shadowy wall glowed with a bright blue light as pixelated hexagons rippled down from top to bottom.

It only took moments for the wall to come down, and Lucian felt the effects of the lower gravity enter his Domain almost instantly.

"Ggrraaaarrrrr!!"

An angry roar sounded from the other Tile.

With no hesitation, Lucian sprinted in.