In the same instant that I finished my sentence, there was another flash of light, though at least this one wasn’t accompanied by a cacophony of indistinguishable noise. Instinctively, I shut my eyes. When they opened back up, the White was gone.

It took a bit for my eyes to adjust to the new colors. They weren’t the Void’s crushing Black, or the White of the place I’d just been.

The landscape was… well, it was something, and that something was not pretty. What could generously be called grass, if grass was greyish-yellow and wilted, stretched out in every direction. Every so often, the expanse was broken up by tall trees with charcoal black bark and no leaves to speak of.

In the distance, I spotted a river of glowing, purplish liquid. In the other direction, there was what looked to be a forest, except instead of trees it was just mushrooms of various colors reaching heights usually reserved for skyscrapers. Something told me to stay far, far away from that.

You have discovered the Garant Outlands! The Location has been marked on your Map, and you have received 100 Survival and Perception XP.

Congratulations, Survival has reached Level 2!

Congratulations, Perception has reached Level 2!

Several of those screens popped up, one after another. As soon as I finished reading each of them, they seemed to react to my thoughts and disappear on their own.

It was a lot to take in all at once. It somehow felt familiar, and yet completely alien. Still, it seemed that I was somehow safe, despite the scenery. So, perhaps I should try and figure out what these other things on the corners of my vision were.

Randomly, I decided to focus on the bottom right first. There was a circular looking screen that became larger the moment I thought about it. It appeared to be some sort of minimap that mimicked the terrain around me, though only that which I could see. In the direction of the mushroom forest, everything behind the first line of fungi had this dark grey fog. Was it because I didn’t have direct line of sight?

The other thing I noticed was that when I turned my body towards the mushroom forest, the little marker on the center of the map also turned with me. It looked vaguely similar to the pointer on a compass. Experimenting a bit, I pivoted on one foot, and watched as it matched my speed and direction precisely, no matter if it was a slow, quarter-turn, or a rotation that was quick enough to make me dizzy.

Finally, I decided to turn towards the direction that was ‘up’ on the map, which I assumed was north. There’d be more time to play around with that later, and see if there was anything else about it I should know.

Focusing on the icons in the upper right corner caused the map to move back to where it was before. Replacing it in the center of my vision, there was a clock and calendar. Though, the two of them struck me as odd. Just some sort of feeling, like they were different than what they should be.

The clock was arranged with the number 15 at the very top, the midpoint between 7 and 8 at the very bottom, and the other numbers arranged around the face equidistant from each other. So, there were 15 hours… no, 30 hours to a day, right? Right now, it appears to be 7:36.

As for the calendar next to it, today was apparently Agulia, which fell on the 12th of Vimari in the year 1873. Focusing on the arrows next to Vimari, I was able to deduce that it was the 2nd of 10 months, each of which was exactly 40 days long. That feeling of irregularity only increased inside with that realization. Were these things odd in this world? Or was it odd compared to a different world I’d lived in?

Dismissing the notion, I decided to focus on the here and now. So, I refocused my attention on the upper left corner, bringing up a pair of bars in my vision. One was red, and the other was blue. There was also some text that appeared as I looked at them more.

Wulfric Blackwell

HP: 100/100 (1.6/min)

MP: 100/100 (1/sec)

It took a moment, but I had this instinctive feeling about them. They likely represented my life-force and capacity for magic, with the numbers in parentheses representing some sort of passive regeneration rate. Hit Points and Mana Pool… how do I know that? Assuming I’m correct, perhaps it’s best to just be glad that I don’t have to find it out the hard way.

The very final portion of my HUD - another term I’m not sure how I knew, but just accepted as a matter of course - simply read [Garant Outlands]. Based on the previous notification, that was definitely my current location. Interestingly, when I focused on it, a screen popped up with the name, followed by an uncountable number of question marks that was probably meant to be some sort of description.

With a thought, the text box disappeared. So, the System seemed to respond to my thoughts. Well, what else was there? Didn’t the ‘Settings’ that Eve showed me before mention something about an inventory?

Remembering back to the list of starting equipment, I suddenly became quite aware of a breeze hitting me. More precisely, I became aware that I could feel it over my entire body. Was I really so focused on the bits and bobs of the System that I had somehow completely ignored that I was naked?

Apparently so.

And just like that, another screen popped up. It listed various items that I recognized from the settings list from just a minute or so ago. There were also two main differences I immediately noticed.

Firstly was that the ‘Conduits’, whatever they were, had become actual items. The [Air Conduit (Randomized)] was now a [Folding Fan (Air Conduit)], and the other ones had been similarly transformed. I’d need to test those out in a bit.

The other change of note was that the ‘Loyal Pets’ that were a part of that setting were now in my inventory. How could I go about taking something out of my inventory though? It probably wasn’t a good idea to stand out in the middle of this wasteland stark naked.

“Hello again, Wulfric!” I jumped a bit higher than I would’ve liked to admit when Eve’s voice echoed in my ears. Looking around wildly, I couldn’t see anyone else for miles. “I already told you that we aren’t allowed to materialize, silly! I had to finish up something, but I’m here now.”

“You’re… here? What for, exactly?” I wondered while still continuing to scroll through my inventory. It was rather barren, admittedly.

“Well, as your Public Relations Representative, my job doesn’t end at character creation. Not at all! In fact, you might think of me as the disembodied Voice tasked with following your progress and giving you your own personalized tutorials as you explore the world!”

“I see…” I muttered. “Okay, well, there are a couple things that I need help with. In no particular order: What are Conduits, why are my pets in the inventory and how do I pull things from my inventory to the real world?”

“Oh! Those are actually good questions! So, the CharGen process actually goes over this a bit, but since you just loaded the previous settings I suppose that’s not an option. I’m sure that I can explain it without issue though.

“I think that the best bet is to answer the last two first, since they’ll be quicker. All of your starting possessions are stored inside your inventory when you spawn in. Well… there are some exceptions to that rule, but only if you have starting Territory. Anyways! Your pets count as possessions, and so they get stuck in your inventory until you spawn them.

“All you need to do to pull them, or anything, from your inventory is to think about it. The entire system has been streamlined to react to your thoughts wherever possible. In fact, you don’t even need to have your inventory screen open to summon things from or to put objects into your inventory. Why don’t you give it a shot?”

I nodded and looked at the ‘Set of Casual Clothing’ in my inventory. In a flash of blue light, I felt the weight and texture of my new outfit as it equipped. Looking over myself, I noted that I was now wearing a long-sleeved, brown shirt and a pair of similarly colored pants. They really looked like they were trying their best to match the color of the dying patches of grass around me.

Next, I took the opportunity to ‘summon’ the Surestep Boots, and felt as they replaced the animal skin shoes I’d been wearing a moment before. For some reason, my pants had been tucked into the calf-high boots automatically, but I decided to leave it be. They were a similar shade of brown and made of some sort of leather.

Surestep Boots Equipped!

DEF+2 DEX+1 AGI+1

Light Armor will now gain XP each time you are hit.

Due to Surestep, you will no longer feel aches and pains from walking. Your boots are also waterproof and cannot be pierced by natural means. Traversing any terrain will seem like walking on a cobblestone path.

“Hey, Eve? Why did the boots give me that message, but the other clothing didn’t?” I asked while looking at the pop-up. As I thought about it, another screen popped up showing me my Attributes.

STR 10 VIT 10

DEX 11 AGI 11

INT 10 WIS 10

CHA 10 LCK 10

“Ah, that’s because while you can equip the clothes, they aren’t actually regarded as ‘equipment’. There are clothes that count as equipment, and even those could eventually be. Those are kind of advanced concepts though, so why don’t we get to it later?” I shrugged, motioning for her to continue her other explanation.

“Hm… now where was I? Ah yes, the Conduits! In this world, most of the Races - and there’s a lot of them - use an energy called Aether to cast spells. Everyone has it and everyone can use it, but they do so in different ways. The two largest Races are Humans and Elves, and this is where Conduits come in.”

As Eve spoke, I took a look at my inventory, noting the objects that were labeled as Conduits. There was, of course, the Folding Fan I noted earlier. In addition, I saw an Amber Sphere, a Charcoal Wand, an Ironwood Branch and a Sharkfang Dagger. They were listed as Metal, Fire, Wood and Water Conduits respectively.

“Elves were created a very long time ago by one of the three most powerful Gods in this world, Erhaben. He’s a God of Order and made the Elves to kill the monsters that his sister, Igazi, the Goddess of Chaos, created to attack Humans. The Aether inside of Elves are fine-tuned to already be aligned to one or two of the seven Primary Elements.

“Humans, on the other hand, have neutral Aether. So, in order to use any of the Elemental Magicks, they have to use a Conduit. Basically, it aligns their neutral Aether into another Element so they can use different types of Magic. Are you with me so far?”

I nodded along. “I believe so. I’ve got five in my inventory, but what are the other two Primary Elements?”

“Very observant! So, the Elements are Fire, Air, Water, Wood, Metal, Holy and Dark. Holy and Dark, generally speaking, don’t have any Conduits. That’s kinda advanced Magic Theory though, so we can leave that alone. Your settings allow you to start with a Conduit for each of the five Elements that actually have Conduits though, so you’ll be able to use those XP modifiers for your Magic Skills to their full effect!”

Summoning the Folding Fan into my hand, I watched as another window opened up.

Folding Fan (Air Conduit) Equipped!

ATK+10

Air Magic Skill will now gain XP each time you successfully cast a spell on an appropriate target.

It seemed to open and close easily enough, and the frame was actually made of some sort of metal. It wasn’t iron or steel, maybe silver? The fan itself was made of a sturdy material, thicker than paper, though exactly what I wasn’t sure.

After a moment, I blinked. Where did that come from? The thought struck me only after my appraisal had finished. Shaking my head, I decided to simply go along with it. From the same place that those thoughts had arisen, another urge hit me.

Opening the fan fully, I held it close to my left shoulder. Swiping at the air in a downwards, diagonal fashion, I watched in fascination as a light breeze materialized from seemingly nowhere, rustling the deadened grass. A moment afterwards, probably about fifteen or twenty steps away, the breeze morphed into an enormous gale that actually ripped chunks of the ground up and sent them flying.

Looking down at the fan, then back at the scene before me, I swallowed hard. “Is that… the power of magic?” Shutting the fan, I decided that I really needed to do some experimenting with my Conduits later.

In a flash of blue light, I sent it back to my inventory with nothing more than a thought. It was pretty nice having the System respond so quickly, I decided.

Taking the opportunity to look over my things once more, I made a decision. Being clothed was nice, but I also wanted some better protection. The gambeson was probably some sort of armor, so that would be a decent place to start.

Similarly to when the brown clothes materialized, a blue light enveloped my torso. I definitely felt more weight from the heavier garment, though it also wasn’t that thick. It seemed to be some sort of wool coat, this time blue. Patting the material over his stomach a few times, I felt a little better. It felt like it would give me more protection than my cloth shirt, anyways.

Gambeson Equipped!

DEF+5 VIT+1

Light Armor Skill will now gain XP each time you are hit.

Dismissing the screen, I pondered over the rest of my equipment. Clearly, the me from before had intended to be some sort of magic-wielding swordsman. Why so much light armor though? Wouldn’t heavier armor have been better if I wanted to be some kind of magic knight?

“Hey, Eve, what sort of benefits does Light Armor have over Heavy Armor?” I wonder, recalling that I had both a bonus to the former and a malus against the latter. As I waited for the answer, I decided to go ahead and equip the other items I saw in my inventory.

Targe Equipped!

DEF+5 VIT+1

Shields Skill will now gain XP each time you successfully block.

Enchanted Longsword Equipped!

ATK+10 DEX+2

One-Handed Weapons and Bladed Weapons Skills will now gain XP each time you successfully attack.

Due to Bloodthirsty, each kill will empower your weapon based on what died.

Ring of the Watch

VIT+2

Due to Watchtower, all physical needs (hunger, thirst, sleep) only require 25% the usual requirements.

“Ah, yes. So, the Skills each fall into their own niche. Heavy Armor is a bit harder to move in, but has higher durability and mitigates more damage than Light Armor does. At the same time, Light Armor tends to be made of materials that are easier to Enchant and don’t negatively impact your mobility. It’s not really a case of one being better than the other, just that they’re meant for different purposes.”

Well, in that case, which purpose did I have for taking Light Armor? Was it the mobility or the Enchanting? More mobility meant I might more easily evade something, like what I just did to the landscape here. At the same time, I had bonuses to so many different types of Magic that it might’ve been so that I could Enchant my armor more easily. Questions for later.

For now, I decided to take a better look at my equipment.

The longsword had sheathed itself on my left hip of its own accord. Placing my hand on the leather scabbard, I drew it easily. In fact, it felt easier to draw than I thought it would. Ignoring that, I looked at it and felt that same instinctive understanding of item quality hit me.

This blade was definitely made of steel, and well-crafted. Taking a few practice swings to get a feel for it, each time I sliced the air felt a bit easier. It was difficult to really hammer down why it was so, only that I found myself adjusting to its weight. Still, it was better than being clumsy and accidentally stabbing myself, so I’d take it.

Sheathing the blade, I then looked at the shield on my left arm. It was perfectly circular, and made of a sturdy wood, framed by what looked like iron around its edge. At the very center of it was a large, metal spike. A circle of smaller, iron studs surrounded it about halfway between the spike and the iron frame. The whole thing also gave off this almost translucent, white glow that seemed to originate from the strange symbols carved into the wood between the studs and frame.

Taking my hand off the sword’s pommel, I noted the thin silver ring on my third finger. It also glowed faintly, though its light was more of a very light blue. Other than that, it didn’t seem particularly special. Certainly not something that would ‘reduce my physical needs to 25% of normal’. Clearly, my former self was expecting food and water to be hard to come by in this place to pick up something like that.

There weren't really any reflective surfaces I could use to get a good look at myself. I couldn’t help but imagine that I looked the very image of a new Player in an area he was severely underleveled for, though.

Perhaps that’s what the pets were for. I went to summon them next, but the moment I looked at the Slime in my inventory, a new menu that I hadn’t seen before popped up.

New Pet Summoning Initiated.

Please name your [Purple Slime]

I need to name it? Well, I suppose that makes sense. I can’t exactly call it Slime all the time, can I? After a moment, I nodded to myself and thought up a good name. Even as the Slime was materializing at my feet, I did the same thing for each of my Pets until all four of them sat, obediently, before me.

Starting from the right, I looked at what the System had called a Quetzal. He was a serpent, probably about five or six feet long, coiled up. Instead of scales, though, he was covered in bright blue, red and green feathers. His head had a sharp, hooked beak from which a black, forked tongue poked out every so often, and a pair of red eyes with elongated pupils. He had three sets of wings, all of which were folded over its slender frame. I knelt down and placed a hand on his head with a smile as he cooed. “Monty.” His feathers ruffled as I called out its name.

Turning my eyes a bit left, I noted the large spider looking at me expectantly. Twelve red eyes were focused on me as mandibles the size of bananas twitched. Her exoskeleton was a dull brown, and the creature had to be the size of a large dog. Still, she did not move an inch as my hand left Monty’s head and began to scratch at the chitin on her own. “Charlotte.”

Once more turning to the left, I noted the… strange sight before me. Somehow the skeletal wolf with blue fire in her eye sockets and a very pink tongue hanging out of her mouth was more uncanny than the other two. Still, I couldn’t help but smile as I placed my hand atop her skull, listening as it whined appreciatively. How it made such a sound was beyond me. “Sadie.”

Finally, I turned to the violet slime. It was, altogether, entirely non-descript. An amorphous globe of gelatin-like substance. I couldn’t tell if I was looking at its front or back, or even if such orientations mattered to a monster like that. Regardless, it received the same treatment as I placed my hand on it, feeling it vibrate appreciatively. “And Squishy.”

I wasn’t sure where the names had come from, only that they felt right. Perhaps those were the names I’d intended on before dying and being lost in the Void? I wasn’t sure that it mattered, honestly.

Somehow, I felt like things were going to be fun. That feeling, I recognized, was a bit of my past creeping in the back of my head and telling me what to expect.