-oOo-
Chapter 1
-oOo-
Name
Eric Swallow
Level
5
Exp
59 / 60
HP
N/A
MP
0 / 10
Str
0
Mag
2
Vit
0
Spr
1
Agl
0
Wit
2
A message box hung in midair,
a
blue screen
torn from
a
digital
universe
floating in the real.
"
Not
much longer now
," Eric
said with a grin
.
His heart
pattered
with excitement
. Eric spared a glance at the clock.
It was half past midnight, but he'd happily stay up
till morning
if that
was
what it took to catch the big event.
I
t
wasn't
the status window that had Eric on the edge of his seat. Oh, no, no. That was old news. Eric had received his System seventeen years ago at the tender age of twelve. No. What had Eric thrumming with anticipation was
a rare and wonderful occurrence.
He was going to level up.
"
Five years," he sighed.
His office ch
ai
r
squealed
as
Eric
leaned back. "
Has it really been five years? Well,
I
only
get one
experience
point a
month,
so I suppose
it must've
been five
."
The System's
algorithm
was pretty simple. Ten points to level one. Twenty to level two. Thirty to three.
The big reward?
A single attribute point
to be
assign
ed
freely.
His dumb brat self
had dumped two of them into magic.
If Eric met the little idiot, he'd slap him.
The mental image conjured a chuckle.
"
A pity
I
never
found a way to gain experience faster," Eric lamented, poking the blue window a few times. "How about you offer a tutorial? Or a help screen?
I
s that too good for you?
Are players supposed to stumble around and figure it out themselves? At least
give me a quest."
The fat man snorted.
A
s though that would ever happen.
Lazy
at
school. Lazy
at
sports.
F
ew things had gone right in Eric's boring
life
. He grew fast as a child, outpacing his peers.
Then he suddenly stopped at five foot nine.
Not small. Not tall. Just average.
And that wasn't the end of it.
Eric'
s
parents were
both
thin.
Eric?
O
ne bowl of ice cream and
he'd put
on three pounds. It hadn't been so bad when he was young. Back then he'd been pudgy in a
n
endearing sort of way.
Also,
he'd been physically active, which le
f
t him
with
some semblance of shape.
These days, even Eric
felt disgust
ed
by
his
three
hundred pound
frame
.
H
ealth aside, his family life was
nonexistent
. No friends
either
. He had a few acquaintances at work, but they hardly counted. His job paid the bills,
sure,
but
it
was the definition of dead end. On top of that, he still had
thirty
-thousand dollars in student debt.
It could be worse, he supposed. Eric had a college degree. His head was above the water. Not everyone could say that.
But, at twenty-nine years old, Eric could feel his soul withering. The future was a bleak tunnel into the darkness. The System with its blue message box was a faint spark in that shadowy abyss.
"
I suppose e
very
one
has to accept
the truth
eventually,"
Eric
sighed
. "
I know it.
I'm not special. B
ut
was
n't teasing me
like this
worse?"
The fat man
toyed with his status window, squeezing the frame just for fun.
Then
he
placed it back in the air where he could check it.
A smile stood on his lips. Levels were levels. No matter how dull life got, they always ma
de
him bounce with excitement.
"
This
time I'm putting a point into vitality," Eric told himself,
patting his bulging stomach. "Maybe I'll lose a few pounds."
O
ld
er
men were more practical.
He
didn't regret the two points spent on
w
it, but if
the
other three had been placed in vitality then maybe he'd weigh two seventy-five. Or even two-fifty! Wouldn't that be grand?
Ding.
A bell tolled in his head. Eric perked.
His
glorious
moment had arrived.
"
Happy level up to me. Happy
level up –
,"
Eric's song stopped
in mid-word
. "
Wait a minute.
"
Th
is
wasn't the
screen
Eric
had
expected. Instead,
it was a new one. The second blue window was superimposed in front of the first.
New Quest
: Academic Invitation
A mysterious academy has sent out an invitation. Intercept it and a chance at a new, magical life will be yours.
Quest Reward
: Accepted by a
mysterious academy
.
Quest Failure
: Die, pointlessly, at age 35, from heart disease.
Objectives
:
[ ] Complete all objectives before 01:27 am
[ ] Proceed to 111
th
and Greenwood
...
Eric pinched his nose. Sometimes he hated his piece of shit System.
"
How many times?"
He growled, glaring at the blue window. "How many times
did I ask for the quest log? And now you give me one?
What the hell.
Am
I supposed to check every few months? And what do you mean, die pointlessly at age thirty-five?"
To release
his frustration, Eric
grabbed
the box
with both hands
and
twisted
it
into a
furious
knot
. The window
bent
between his
fingers
like a postcard.
The words and letters remained unchanged, cool and aloof.
When Eric let go, the twisted shape sprang back in an instant.
L
etting out a breath,
Eric
drop
ped
into his chair. Metal groaned beneath him.
Long seconds ticked by.
"When I find whoever designed you, I swear...."
Shaking his head
, Eric read the message again.
This time his
expression
was
serious.
The mos
t
important
bit
was:
'c
omplete all objectives before 01:27 am'
.
That was
only, Eric glanced at the bottom
corner
of his computer, forty-five minutes give or take.
Accounting for
travel and preparation, Eric didn't have a whole lot of time to
plan or
think.
And
this might well be the only quest Eric receive
d
in his entire
life.
...
Dead at t
hirty-five.
"
Fuck," Eric swore, shov
ing
his chair back violently
to
giv
e
himself space. "
Shit. This is my first quest and you tell me
I'll die if I fail.
A
re you even giving me a choice?"
...
Shit.
Heart disease at thirty-five. He could believe it. Eric could feel the weight of his body on his bones. He knew it wasn't healthy. But knowing and changing were two different things.
And the System had never lied to him before.
He
sat back down
.
"I
really
should've put all my points in
to
vitality."
Not that he could do anything about it
now
.
The lodestone of ennui became a boulder of depression.
Six years. He
only had
six
years to live
.
Six years of a shit life, in a shit job.
What was
it
even for?
To make his boss and landlord money, Eric scoffed.
He stared up at the ceiling for a long moment, his mind conjuring shapes in the popcorn features.
"
Sometimes, I wonder if I went insane seventeen years ago," he murmured,
leaning back
.
What was reality?
Reality, Eric had long since concluded, was t
hat which had meaningful consequences. Cryptocurrency was real
to those it made
rich or poor.
Sports and video games were real to those who played professionally.
But to the
casuals, they were
nothing more than
games.
R
eality was just a word for things that had weight.
Were levels real? Eric wasn't certain. Their impact was too tenuous, weak to the point he couldn't say for sure. Was the System real?
I
t was. He knew this because the information
it held
was real.
The System had many layers and beneath the statistics was a screen that showed his biometrics in exact detail.
And those numbers could be objectively checked.
There
wasn't a choice, was there?
Having come to terms
with
his fate
, Eric sat up. His right hand
grabbed
the
mouse. With quick motions, he navigated the web. A map
appeared on his
computer screen.
Checking the position twice, he stood.
H
e
was
shaking.
Eric fumbled his keys. He was sweating, nervous.
A quest
meant many things.
T
ruth.
Discovery.
A beginning
a
nd a
n ending.
The known was so much more comfortable than the new.
"
I'm really not made to be a protagonist," Eric laughed to himself.
He stepped out the door....
Then a second later he backpedaled and dug his rifle from the closet. Who knows. Maybe he'd need it to shoot an owl or something.
-oOo-
The night was cold.
Eric liked it.
It was late autumn. The sky was a pit of black,
hued orange
by the
city lights.
Illuminated strips of concrete wound through the hills, surrounded by shadowy buildings. Eric pulled into a parking lot near 111
th
and
Greenwood.
It was pitch dark.
T
he lot held an abandoned store, the windows long since fogged by dirt and grime. The ground crackled beneath his boots, bits of sand and gravel shifting under his weight. Popping the trunk, Eric
scanned the
neighborhood. A string of lamps provided a safe glow
along the sidewalk
.
Then
his
eyes returned to the quest.
New Quest
: Academic Invitation
A mysterious academy has sent out an invitation. Intercept it and a chance at a new, magical life will be yours.
Quest Reward
: Accepted by a
mysterious academy
.
Quest Failure
: Die, pointlessly, at age 35, from heart disease.
Objectives
:
[ ] Complete all objectives before 01:27 am
[x] Proceed to 111
th
and Greenwood
[x] Park in the small lot
[ ] Equip the wrench in your trunk
Eric's eye twitched. "Equip.
Tch.
Can't you say take or carry?"
T
h
at
kind of wording would've been cute when he was twelve.
Making light of the
latest
objective, Eric found the wrench. It was big and heavy. Eric had long since forgotten he'd left
it there
. That was comforting and frightening. It made the System more real, yet it made the System's enticement more terrifying.
Was a new, magical life what Eric wanted?
As
a kid he would've
screamed
'yes!' As an adult, he felt that adventure would inevitably lead to
PTSD, a
mental breakdown,
then death
.
Eric's eyes paused on the rifle, still in its sack.
He'd bought the weapon in his early twenties. As a gamer, Eric knew murder was the surest path to experience. So he'd tried his hand at hunting. No dice. Since then, it'd been sitting in his closet half forgotten.
Thunk.
After a moment, Eric slammed the lid closed. On second thought, carrying the gun was stupid. It was coming up on one o'clock. If someone saw him, they might freak out and call the cops. Worse, they might shoot him dead in 'preemptive self-defense'.
Eric checked the quest log again.
[
]
Proceed down the street until you find a mail box
...
With dull eyes,
Eric
afforded the
window
a
suspicious
look
. "
Don't tell me you want
me
to
smash open the mailbox and steal the letter.
"
...
As usual, t
he System
provided
no
answer. Eric contemplated the merits of going home, then gritted his teeth and proceeded down the street as instructed.
The pudgy man
glanced at his phone as he walked. 1:
02
. 1:
04
. 1:
07
. Huffing heavily, Eric dragged his unfit body
past two gray, metal mailboxes before arriving at a third.
The quest objective was marked off.
From the nearby house Eric heard the rhythmic
thump, thump, thump
of music.
On the drive
way
Eric
spotted
a drunk man
slumped on the hood of
a
car.
More vehicles spilled out
onto the street, parked
flush to the curb. With a grimace, Eric looked at his next task.
It was exactly as expected.
[
]
Smash
open
the mailbox with the wrench
Your honor, it wasn't that I wanted to commit the crime.
I had no choice. The
text box in my head told me to do it.
Eric checked his phone again. 1:10. Seventeen minutes left. Plenty of time.
"
But
w
hy 1:27?" Eric muttered. He glanced back at the house behind.
He had a suspicion.
"
Is that when the party is going to end
?"
He was stalling.
Eric
gripped the wrench. The metal was slick with sweat. The textured surface dug into his palm, providing a shaky grip. The moment he swung, there was no going back.
Did he trust the System? No.
Did he think the System was real? Yes.
Eric trembled. He raised his arm.
D
o it!
"
HA!"
Clang!
Metal reverberated.
The shock
jolted through Eric's hand
.
For a second, he froze.
Eric g
lanc
ed
back over his should
er
in terror.
Nothing. First came a quiver of fear, then certainty.
A
strange madness took him. With increasing fury,
Eric
swung his weapon.
Cl
ang!
Cl
ang!
Cl
ang
!
T
he sound was like gunshots in the night.
Steel caved under the repeated force. The
bolt
snapped
.
The door bent inward.
Eric huffed in place for a few seconds, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
"
I'm
so
screwed
. So, so
screwed
," Eric muttered dizzily.
Tossing his wrench aside,
Eric
shoved his thick fingers into the gap left
by the
bent metal plat
e
.
Reeee, pop!
Metal squealed, then gave way. Eric fell onto his ass.
"
Shit
!" He spat, shoving a bleeding finger into his mouth. He stumbled to his feet.
Stretching his T-shirt, Eric rubbed his blood off on the metal edges. Then, as an afterthought, he rubbed the metal plate with his sleeve for good measure. That would take care of the DNA and fingerprints.
Hopefully.
"I'm freaking out. Nobody is calling forensics for a mailbox," Eric mumbled, making fun of himself.
...
"I'm going to jail for this, aren't I?"
The music went quiet.
Eric froze. Heart pounding from exertion and terror, he
hurriedly checked his quest log.
[
]
Take the parchment letter
from
the second box on the right
What an atrocious description. How was anyone supposed to know which box counted as second?
Well, t
here was an expedient solution, Eric emptied all six. Half
held
nothing
. One bore the promised letter. It was obvious at a glance. The paper was thick and leathery. On the front was a wax seal, a coat of arms stamped with a
quill
and
wand crossed over a giant star
.
Was this some poor brat's Hogwart's letter?
Contemplating the morality of his action, Eric stooped to pick up his wrench. Then he scurried away, letter in hand. The System, being in a rare helpful mood, provided an instruction even a six-year-old would've understood.
[
]
Read the
letter
Eric didn't. Not until he was half a block away and around the corner.
Even then the
only reason he stopped
was because
his phone read 1:25 am.
T
he wax seal broke. The parchment unfolded.
T
he letter
was a single page
bordered by a silver frame. Strange symbols glinted under the lamp light.
Foreign
words seemed to squirm and slither. Eric's eyes watered. For a faint moment, they looked like English writing.
Then they were squiggles again.
Yet,
impossibly, he
could read
what
they said.
Dear
Eric Swallow
,
We are pleased to inform you that you have
been accepted by the
Starlight Nether Witch Academy.
All necessary books, equipment, and clothing will be provided upon your arrival. Debts
incurred by
your
education
will be registered to your account, to be paid
after graduation.
If you are unable to pay in a timely manner the school will instead sell your debt and your person to
recoup
any and all unsettled
fees.
It is our fondest wish that you use these years provided to become a lovely and formidable witch.
It is a rare privilege for souls to enter the netherworld with the
ir
memories
intact
. We hope you remain diligent and use the opportunity as a stepping stone to success.
Transport will be provided shortly.
Sincerely,
Baroness Esmeralda Vallenfelt, Dean.
...
A horrible, sinking feeling formed in Eric's gut. He
scanned
the letter again. Then his angry eyes shifted to the quest screen floating to his right.
"I hate you."
Foof.
The
parchment
burst into fire, filling the
air with the stench of
brimstone and sulfur.
Startled,
Eric
tossed the parchment
aside. The blaze moved faster, leaping from
paper to
limb
as though it were a ravenous snake
.
Eric had just enough time to shriek.
Flame tore through flesh like a
hungry
beast. Blood and bone unwound into ash so fast the fat man hardly had time to feel pain. In a second, his arm was devoured. In the next, Eric'
s
entire world was
erased
. As the conflagration consumed
his
last spark of his consciousness, Eric had just enough time to think:
at least I'm not going to jail for this.
-oOo-
Darkness.
In a dark, empty, abyss he floated.
S
econds. Minutes. Months. Eons. In
this abstract
nothingness, these
held
no meaning.
Then, an alien existence intruded.
A
force jolted through the dark. Its presence was like a bolt of
lightning, rumbling with feeling and sensation.
Sharp, jagged pain splintered the
impenetrable gloom.
He struggled, wishing to turn and thrash, but he had no limbs, no form, and no body.
He was trapped. Helpless.
The
cruel
alien force pressed in,
a needle
piercing deep into his soul.
From its tip, spindly strands flowed.
The foreign matter wiggled, glowing with ghastly li
ght. Slimy. Slithering. He shuddered, his
being
reacting with sick rejection.
Unauthorized code detected.
Querying response....
Against the emptiness, a cold, metallic voice rang out. Deep in the void, strange shapes stirred. Gears and wires. Copper tubes and silicon chips. His soul groaned. A great, monstrous machine came to life. Steam hissed.
Wheels turned, gears and cams whirring. Lever arms and linkage systems moved.
Chung. Chung.
Electricity crackled.
D
irecti
ve
received.
Proceeding....
.... sample collected.
Initiating core dump...
Shadows whirled. A new void opened. Darkness trembled then flowed. An undefinable fluid cascaded through his existence. The quivering, luminescent strands were sucked down and out of sight. Shadow swirled for long, unknowable moments. The machine quieted. Sparks faded into darkness, gears going still. He was left alone in silent slumber.
But this time the sleep was
not
so deep.
There was
a
whisper in the void.
"... other ..."
Something call
ed to him
.
Before he could catch it, a fist knocked on the edge of the world. Not a sound. An impression, like a finger tap, tap, tapping against glass.
He stirred.
A
faded
image appeared
in his mind
.
N
ot seen.
Dreamed.
Or
perhaps, remembered.
A woman.
A
witch.
She wore the
classi
c
pointed hat.
Her lips curved in strange delight.
She spoke, the words soundless but somehow understood.
"
An irregular.
Ke ke ke.
How interesting,"
the witch mused. "
It
looks like you rejected the code. I'll give
it another try. Don't blame me if things end poorly."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The face faded, shadow falling like a shroud. He tumbled deeper into sleep. He felt a pull. The whisper was there again, calling from beyond the edge of hearing. It longed to reach him. He reached back...
Only to be jerked away. A second, alien lance jabbed into his soul. Glowing strands spilled out, as wretched as those before. They wiggled and coiled in his core, ribbons of code writhing.
The mechanical voice rang in response.
Unauthorized code detected.
Querying response...
...
administrative override
found
.
Bypassing core dump.
Remote resources requested...
... granted.
Collating data...
... collating...
... collating...
... collating...
... collation complete.
Simulating optimal structure...
... simulating...
... simulating...
... optimal structure found.
Begin code optimization...
The great machine thrummed back to life. Gears and wires were illuminated by dull light. The machine churned, a heart beating. Air whooshed through copper pipes while lightning crackled within glass tubes. But the shadow remained still. The strands burrowed into the darkness, into him. There they coiled, twisting into a foreign sphere. A cell. The writhing ball bulged and boiled.
Then it divided. From the cell fell two sets of slithering strands.
In his soul the ribbons wiggled. Feasting. Growing fat on his essence. Then they coiled, forming new cells. Cells that swelled then split. So two became four. Four became eight. Eight became –
Shhununung!!!
Sharp light cut the void. Strands and spheres shattered. The splintered parts cascaded through his soul, dead fragments without their ghastly light. Panels opened in the great machine. A hundred robotic hands reached out, snatching shards. Some were cast into the abyss. The rest were reassembled piece by piece into new strands of code.
Then the cycle started anew.
Ribbons coiled. Spheres formed. Cells split. Once. Twice. A dozen times. Then they were shattered. With each cycle the mechanical voice rang out.
Optimizing...
Optimizing...
Optimizing...
Optimizing...
... Optimization limit achieved.
The machine went still, the last detritus washed away into the void beyond. A single cell floated in the dark, shedding pale light. It pulsed then divided, each growing sphere merging into himself. They were comfortable and familiar, something that belonged to him like his hands and his hair.
In the darkness, they replicated. Soon there were hundreds, then thousands. Endlessly, they reproduced until the entirety of his soul was filled with beating life.
He was no longer he.
Then it slept.
An unborn child in its mother's womb. Timeless. Dreamless. But
now
,
concrete.
-oOo-
When Eric awoke, he was falling.
There was a brief second of weightlessness. An instant of fear, confusion, and panic. Then – splat! – he hit the ground. Against Eric's expectation, pain didn't follow the impact. Instead, a thick, bulbous bubble caught his momentum. For a second he sank through viscous liquid, then the bubble popped releasing grotesque mucus in all directions. The slimy, yellow-green substance drained away, flowing through the stone grate beneath.
Remnants of the viscous fluid clung to Eric's skin along with the thin, white cloth draped over his body. Slowly, the slime evaporated.
The sensation was surprisingly refreshing.
Dazed, Eric's gaze took in the room.
He was in a large hall. The chamber spread out twenty meters in diameter. Eight meters above, stone tubes loomed, sealed by metal shutters. One tube remained open, vomiting forth a ball of yellow-green mucus. The ball hit the ground in a plop, splattering in all directions. From within was born a dainty girl in a pure white dress. She stood then stumbled. Confused, she glanced around, eyes as blank as Eric's own.
She wasn't alone.
All around Eric were girls. Each appeared in their late teens or, perhaps, early twenties. All wore white dresses. Their figures were delicate, with skin colors ranging from beautiful brown to perfect porcelain. Long streamers of hair cascaded down their backs, half following the human palette, others ranging the rainbow. Young, pretty, and unblemished. A veritable vase filled with flowers.
Girls. Girls? Why was he surrounded by girls?
Eric remembered the letter.
Starlight Nether
Witch
Academy.
With deep dread, he looked down.
A white dress sat on dainty shoulders. Thin, lithe arms rose according to his will. A delicate hand turned. Then, stupefied, Eric reached up. Two lumps of flesh yielded when Eric applied pressure. An extremely weird and alien sensation crawled through his brain in response.
Well, s
hit.
"I'm dreaming right?" Eric muttered, bewildered. His voice sounded sweet, gentle, and light.
A hand slapped
him
on the shoulder,
shaking Eric from
his
thoughts.
"Yours bigger too? First thing I noticed. Well, the first thing I noticed beyond this."
A blonde girl gestured to the whole room, staring at him with intense green eyes. She smiled, her pert nose scrunching. Her cheeks were covered in cute freckles. Her hair golden, like wheat ready for harvest.
Eric gazed back, utterly blank.
A girl was touching
him
. A girl was talking to
him
. A girl was
smiling at
him
. And she looked ten years younger than him.
A
lso,
'
h
e' was a 'she'. Confusion plunged into depression.
Then
a
woman
in the crowd
screamed
.
"Kidnappers!"
An instant's silence followed. A stillness that left the word perfectly heard. Then, the cry set off a deluge. A cacophony of shouts
and
shrieks
filled the
chamber
.
Eric cringed against the echoing sound.
"
Let me out!
"
"
~Aaaaah~
"
"
Help! Help!" "Shut up!!!" "Let me go!" "I want to go home!"
The blonde's nose wrinkled,
this time
in irritation.
Still cute, but not nearly as cute as before.
"
Th
o
se idiots. Didn't
they read their letter?"
Eric blinked a few times before pulling 'herself' back together.
'
Herself'. Ugh.
H
e would deal with
that
problem later. The first
issue
was, well, this.
"
You're taking this well," Eric replied,
expression twisting
.
The sound of h
is
voice was
foreign
. H
is
brain insisted there was something wrong with h
is
ears.
"
Well, my ex-boyfriend
tried to kill me. So I killed him. That was right before the letter showed up," the blonde explained. She paused. "Wow. I can't believe I said that. I must be in shock."
Eric stared, digesting the words. "I broke into a mailbox, found the letter, and got lit on fire."
H
e
conveniently left out the part where a magical blue screen told h
im
to do it. Sounded less crazy that way.
"That's a shit thing to do."
E
ric raised an eyebrow.
Really?
The murderer thinks breaking into a mailbox was going too far?
The blonde paused the
n
slapped herself on the forehead. "I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have said anything. I fucked this up." The girl gave a nervous smile and offered a hand.
"Riley Smith."
Eric's gaze fell to the offered appendage.
"
I guess it's a bit off-putting, seeing
that I just
killed a man," Riley murmured, lowering her hand.
"Ah," Eric realized his own state had left him as dazed as the blonde talking to him. "Sorry. I'm Eric – "
"■■■ ■■■."
The air
thrummed
. Silence followed in the wake of the reverberation. A stillness froze the words in Eric's throat. The entire room plunged into quiet.
"Ladies."
The crowd turned.
Eric belatedly, not so much
by
realizing that the phrase referred to 'her' as because everyone else was turning.
A woman stood at the head of the room,
flanked by two wooden doors. Thin streams of sunlight flowed out from behind,
silhouetting her
skirt and jacket
.
"
I am
Allison
Myers
,
and
I'll be the head instructor for
your
class.
You'll refer to me as Professor Myers, or Miss Myers
as you prefer
. Propriety is very important
at this Academy
, so I expect you to hold to this standard," Professor Myers said, her tone strict.
P
rofessor Myers' heels
clicked
on the stone floor as she strode in. She had dark,
shoulder-length hair cut in a
fashionable
bob
.
With her sharp, violet, fox
eyes
the woman scanned the group, brooking no argument.
Not that anyone
could
argue, since none of them could talk.
"
Now,
I'
m aware that most of you are
confused
and s
ome of you are angry. Therefore, I
will
be direct.
"
In accordance with the Law of Acquisition,
your souls
belong to
Baroness Vallenfelt.
You are therefore hers to enslave or indebt.
"
The
d
ean
,
in her kindness,
has chosen the path of debt.
Each of you
will
be enrolled as a student in her
Starlight Nether Witch Academy.
Here you'll be educated so that you may,
one day, repay that debt.
If this
seem
s
unfair,
that
is
because it is
unfair
. However, there is nothing
to be done
about it. Those who
refuse
to accept this reality will find
your
debt
s redeemed by the expedient means of
selling you to the highest bidder
."
Eric blanched.
Riley
glowered.
A girl with flaming orange hair
tried to scream, her face turning purple with rage. Most
girls
trembled in place.
Professor Myers violet eyes softened.
"
Now that I have clarified the situation, let me say that
the Academy
is not a cruel place.
Magic is a valuable art.
S
hould you take your lessons serious
ly you should have no trouble thriving in the netherworld. I hope none of you fall off the path. I've made it six years without having a girl expelled, and I would like to make it six more.
"
Allison Myers smiled at the gathered girls then turned to the door.
"Quickly please. We're on a schedule. Before your first class starts, I'll give you a tour of the facilities."
The professor
gestured them forward
.
F
or
a
few seconds, nobody moved.
Riley Smith
was the first to walk
.
Eric hesitated for a
moment
before following. Slowly, the rest of the group trailed out, one after another. Even the angry,
orange-haired girl
fell in line,
though
late and
stubborn.
B
eyond the wooden doors
,
Eric found
a small courtyard.
To
h
is
left and right were empty arches guarded by
rippling, green
fields. Barriers, Eric
dubbed them based on
h
is
questionable expertise as a gamer
. Ahead
lay
a checkpoint manned by a stern, spear wielding catgirl.
Eric perked up
at the sight
.
Only for h
is
shoulders to
droop
in disappointment.
Rather than catgirl, the guard was better described as a panther woman.
The
triangular ears perched on
the guard's head
w
ere
the only thing cute about her. The woman was tall.
Far
taller than Eric and h
is
classmates.
Her cruel smile revealed rows of sharp teeth. But it was the ugly patchwork of feline fur and tanned skin that was truly off-putting.
A dark
tuft
of fur covered the left side of the cat woman's face, only to reveal an eye that was eerily human. The guard's right hand was a cat's paw, complete with sharp claw
s
. Without an opposable thumb, the guard had no choice but to grip her spear with her
humanoid
left.
The asymmetry dashed Eric's fanboy dreams. The guard let out a low, raspy chuckle as Eric walked by.
The group piled up in a mob outside the building.
Eric
studied
the
Starlight Nether Witch Academy.
I
t was beautiful.
Green grass glistened with morning dew, casting shimmering light. Trees spotted the landscape, split
ting
the space between
warm sun and cool
shade. Cobble
paths
wound their way through the light
ly wooded
lawn
, the trails broken by small gardens and elegant benches.
A
head lay the school itself. A broad, two storied structure with
turrets,
spires, and
many
windows. To the sides were two buildings, taller than the school but half as broad. Eric spotted a few girls in
dark
robes and green dresses passing through the grounds, gesturing and chattering with bright smiles.
Faint murmurs
drew Eric from h
is
thoughts.
T
he magical silence had ended.
But a new quiet fell
as Professor Myers whisked past the group, dragging a reluctant brunette laggard
behin
d
.
Eric'
s
gaze locked onto the
dark-
haired professor's sleek legs.
The Professor was definitely rocking the strict and sexy teacher look. And those high heels. Eric gulped.
"
Are you staring at her butt?"
Riley
accused
in
a
whisper.
Eric jumped. "No?"
he
denied,
weakly
.
Riley gave Eric a suspicious look, bright green eyes gleaming. Eric returned her gaze without guilt. He'd been staring at the professor's legs, not her butt. And, yes, Eric felt a
little
bad, but that feeling was quickly swept aside by the reaffirmation of 'her' sexuality.
The only problem? He was feeling a strange tingling. Eric was once again reminded that 'he' was a 'she'.
Professor
Myers
faced the group
.
"
The Starlight Nether Witch Academy was founded by Baroness Esmeralda Vallenfelt forty-four years ago and is the first and only academy of magic in the Timeless Beryl Wilderness.
While
the Starlight Academy
is not
restricted
to witches, it
rigidly
limits attendance to women. Men
are
not allowed on the school grounds for any reason."
The Professor's gaze stopped on Eric for a brief, but significant moment. Then the teacher continued.
"
The school's facilities consist of the Academ
ic
Building, the
Recreation Hall, the Grounds, and the Dorms.
First, we will
– "
With the expertise of a 'man' who'd endured twelve years of compulsory education
and
four
years of
college, Eric promptly tuned the professor out. Instead, he opened
h
is
status screen.
Name
Eric Swallow
Class
Apprentice Witch
Level
5+30
Exp
252 / 60
HP
82 / 82
MP
147 / 147
Str
3
Mag
9
Vit
3
Spr
8
Agl
3
Wit
9
...
That was different. First off, why were h
is
attributes so high?
Where
did
the two hundred experience points come from? Why was there a plus thirty?
Oh, and suddenly
h
e had hit points.
F
ucking
System
, it never explained anything.
Scanning closely,
Eric's eyes found a new addition.
An event log.
Eric glowered.
It was rather suspicious that the System was happily unlocking features now. Would it have left
him
high and dry if he never finished the quest?
Eric scrutinized the log regardless.
Event Log:
Quest
Complete
: Academic Invitation
Warning!
Unauthorized code detected
Warning!
Unauthorized code detected
–
Administrative override –
New Race Obtained:
Starlight Witch
New Class Obtained:
Apprentice Witch
"I'm on to you," Eric muttered under his breath, glaring at the screen. "Don't think I don't know that you screwed me."
"You say something?" Riley whispered.
Eric
ignored her
.
I
nstead
,
he
navigated to
the extended data
the S
yste
m kept
buried. Fortunately,
Eric
had long grown
out of
the
wave
h
is
hands
phase,
otherwise he
might
've
come across as
a madman.
Madwoman?
K
now what?
Eric didn't give a shit
. With a thought, he opened the link describing his new race.
Race:
Starlight Witch (Asteri)
Lineage
: Hecates
Genus
: Magissa
Potential:
Medium
A synthetic bloodline whose code derives
from three separate beings of
the hecates lineage. This race is optimized for magecraft and mana manipulation at the expense of physical ability. No innate ki
release or magical
abilities
were found
.
Trait:
Flawless Astral Core
* 85% Hp
* 125% Mp
* +10% Elemental affinity and sensitivity
* -10% Chaos spell costs
Nether cores support the stability and function of the phantasmal body. Every
core represents a vital organ the loss of which may result in death. Compared to the common core, this one provides greater mana capacity and enhanced ether exchange at the cost of reduced
blood essence and ki reserves.
Due to its elemental alignment, this
astral core also improves a starlight witch's compatibility
with
chaos domain elements. This provides a small
increase
to ether affinity and sensitivity for attuned elements. You are also able to directly nature mana with these elements.
Finally, when using any
chaos domain spell, mana costs will be reduced.
Attuned chaos elements include: Space, Void, and Causality.
Trait:
Pure Starlight Eyes
A unique organ possessed by all starlight witches. Starlight eyes are able to see energized ether and even detect its element or aspect. Runes, spells, and enchantments also have increased visibility making them easier to comprehend. The sensitivity of the starlight eyes is sufficient to see in the dark, provided there is ambient
illumination from an ether atmosphere.
The clarity and purity of a witch's starlight eyes correspond to the witch's compatibility with her nether code.
Trait:
Ultra-fine mana
Your mana is smooth and elastic. This enhances the innate integrity of all mana structures. You will find it easier to cast spells while minimizing energy expenditure. Spell casting will be stealthier. Runes and rune structures will be more durable. Theoretical casting speed will be majorly improved
.
S
urprise, surprise. Eric's
new
body was design
ed
for spell casting.
No shock coming from a
race named
s
tarlight
w
itch, if the whole magic academy matter hadn't made it
abundantly
clear from the start.
Still, it was good to know the exact traits he had picked up.
And
the
fact that he
could have traits
.
Another thing the
S
yste
m
had
never defined prior
.
E
ric scanned down to the next window.
Class
:
Apprentice Witch
+50 Hp/Mp
+3 all Physical Attributes
+7 all Magical Attributes
And that explained where the thirty additional attributes came from. Eric felt a buzz of excitement.
Putting aside the whole male-female
issue
, this was the first
major reward the S
ystem
had given
.
A n
ew race.
A n
ew class.
A pile of traits.
Oh. And don't forget the sweet, sweet experience points.
Feeling better about himself, Eric pumped spirit and wit to a nice neat ten.
Name
Eric Swallow
Class
Apprentice Witch
Level
8+30
Exp
42 / 90
HP
82 / 85
MP
147 / 158
Str
3
Mag
9
Vit
3
Spr
10
Agl
3
Wit
10
Three levels in a day. A new record. May there be many more.
Snapping the window closed, Eric
focused on
the tour.
Professor Myers guided the group through the Academic
B
uilding, introducing the
clubs,
classrooms,
the
library, and
the
faculty offices. Then she
brought them back out
side
, taking a moment to point out Vallen.
Vallen was the town that sat at the Academy's f
oot
. Then she showed them the Vallenfelt
m
anor on the high hill to the east.
Finally, the professor dragged them past the Grounds and the Recreation Hall.
The tour ended in front of
a
three-story
dorm building. A hundred meters to the
east
was the stone structure from
whence
they beg
a
n. Thick, heavy, gothic and fortified, gargoyle
s
sat on every corner casting wretched faces toward any who dared approach.
Other than the academy gates and Vallenfelt manor, it was the only building visibly guarded.
Riley nudged Eric.
"
Hey, do
your feet hurt?" Riley whispered. "
I want to know if it's just me."
T
hat was a
n interesting
question. Eric looked down
at the cobbled path
he'
d been
walking
on
. 'Her' feet were slim, delicate, and very naked. 'She' wiggled 'her' toes experimentally.
"No," he answered. "I'm beginning to suspect we're not human."
Which fell into the category: 'no shit Sherlock', given his System's rather explicit statement that his race had changed.
And the rather obvious reconstruction of 'her' sex.
"
What do you think we are?" Riley asked.
"Witches," Eric said bluntly.
Riley gave him a look. The blonde was not amused.
"It's the netherworld, which usually means the land of the dead. Also known as, Hell," Eric explained. "So we're probably ghosts or demons."
Riley frowned. "Wouldn't that mean that we're dead?"
"I distinctly remember being lit on fire."
Riley's bright green eyes were shadowed by darkness. "Yeah, that was pretty hard to forget."
"
Dorm
r
ooms
are
assigned to three
s
," Professor Myers continued, leading the group in through the door. "The rules are posted on the board to your right.
Books, uniforms, and your schedule can be found on the table. Take one and choose a room to change in. All the rooms on the first floor are free.
The second floor and third floors are for third years."
Professor Myers paused.
H
er strict,
violet
eyes
found
Eric.
"
Miss Swallows,
please
grab your
book
s
and
uniform
then follow me
."
-oOo-
System
Codex
Core
Attribute
s
:
T
he
System
defines six core attributes: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Wit, Spirit, and Magic. Attributes increase by one per level with additional attributes awarded through class advancement and secondary mechanisms.
The System evaluates strength using the aggregate level. Core level is only displayed
for
the User.
Attributes
a
ffect the physical, mental, and mystical performance of the
User
. The impact of attributes is proportional to
the
natural traits of the
User's
body.
This is particularly true on material worlds. As such, a
larger body
with greater fitness
will have greater overall strength even if the
s
trength
a
ttribute remains unchanged.
In low ether environments, such as Earth, the impact of attributes may be reduced in non-linear ways.
Different
bod
y types
may distort, reduce, or otherwise change attribute effects.
Eric's notes: Yeah, like how I didn't have hitpoints on Earth. That's a pretty big change!
All attributes and their impacts are separated into
sub-attribute
s
, the first being most
directly
influenced by the body and the second being more abstract and tied to the soul.
Attribute:
Strength
Sub-Attribute: Force
Raw Calculation: 100% + 4% *
Str
The raw amount of force that can be applied to physical objects with the body
o
r
by means
of
ki. This also amplifies the maximum amount of ki that can be released in a single
action or
attack. When using material bodies, this scales with muscle mass and can influence physical speed. With phantasmal bodies, size is less relevant and the law 'F = MA' does not apply.
Sub-Attribute:
Scal
e
Raw Calculation: 100% +
1
% *
Str
The scale of force without regard to physics. This allows one to hold, grip, or control physical objects as though their body was larger by the scaled size.
Scale also impacts the application of force, allowing the
User
to trade speed for amplified strength as though they were a hydraulic press. Thus, at 150% scaling the
User
can lift 1.5x more if they are willing to move
2/3
of
their ordinary pace
.
Scale impacts the externalization of ki, allowing ki constructs to be proportionately bigger. This can improve the reach and area impacted by
various arts
.
Young
Eric's notes:
I
f I have
100
Strength,
do
my sword beams shoot twice as far?