Simone raced down the stairs towards the gardens below, Kik hot on her heels. She glanced over her shoulder once, noting that the door hadn’t opened behind them yet. She returned her focus to the path ahead of her, nearly slipping as she overstepped one of the small ledges. She caught herself and continued, taking multiple steps at a time while the tiny creature behind her struggled to keep up. His grunts of exertion grew more and more frantic until she let out a sigh, turning around and scooping him up into her arms.

She turned back to the path, just a few more steps and they’d be among the trees and perhaps a bit more safety. Above them the sound of metal on stone rang once, followed by a pause, then the grinding sound of the door opening. Of course, it knew how to use the damn door! She swallowed an exasperated sound and pumped her legs, darting past rows of trees she’d never seen before and had no time to investigate. All the while a faint chime rang out in the back of her mind. She cursed, pulling it up, she thought she’d disabled combat notifications.

Journal Update!

Stage Complete!

[Flight of the Upstart]

You have arrived in a strange underground fortification that you can use as a safe haven for the time being!

Reward: 50 Experience, Basic Equipment

This Quest was Automatically Accepted

Journal Update!

[Flight of the Upstart - Part Two]

A [Royal Tomb Guardian] is pursuing you through the ancient maze and into your new sanctuary. Survive its pursuit and make your way to the surface.

Reward: Experience, Random Reward

This Quest was Automatically Accepted

Stress welled up in her chest and she let out that craggy growl of exasperation, “How the hell is this a safe haven?” She cried, carrying the tiny Kik in her arms and charging towards the stairs at the end of the gardens. Behind her, the grinding stopped and the clanking of metal on stone resumed. She swore colorfully and repetitively, her heart pounding in her ears as they reached the end of the trees and started up the steps. Something cold burst at her feet and she felt a twinge of pain run up her ankle. She hazarded a single glance back and spotted the dark figure racing down the same path she’d gone.

The [Royal Tomb Guardian] was thinner than the manikin, almost skeletal in appearance. Its face was two round glowing motes of light for eyes and an open square for a mouth. It looked like it was screaming. A chill went up her spine and over her arms at the sight of the walking nightmare and she turned back to the door ahead of her, letting Kik down so he could open the door. The creature shrieked in terror and threw himself at the levers at the base of the door, pulling and pushing frantically.

“Come on, come on,” Simone hissed.

“Almost!” Kik squeaked, “Yes, no, yes, yes!”

The doors began to open and she threw herself inside with Kik, turning around to put all her weight against the stone which was a useless gesture. Kik on the other hand started scrambling with the levers again, trying to stop the door from moving any further. A flash of white light crashed against the door just a few feet away from Simone’s head and she balked at the chill that washed over her. The air smelled like decay.

“I thought that was some sort of cold thing, is that actually death it’s throwing at us?” She shouted over the grinding stone.

“Kik said Statue of Death!” Kik shrieked, “Yes!” It gasped and something turned over inside the door, it began to grind back to a closed position before shutting with a deafening thud. Kik set to work jamming a bunch of bits and bobs from his belt into the mechanism at the base of the door until it was satisfied, staggering back and falling onto its duff. Simone slid down the door and closed her eyes, catching her breath and trying to ignore-at least for the moment-yet another notification ringing off in the back of her mind.

“Damn that’s annoying,” She breathed, rubbing her face and pulling it up.

Quest Rewards Received!

You have Acquired:

[Adventurer’s Basic Mealkit] x1

[Adventurer’s Basic Waterskin] x1

[Potion of Minor Healing] x4

[Adventurer’s Weapon Stone] x1

[Adventurer’s Armor Stone] x1

Finally, Starting gear. She wiped the sweat off of her face and inspected each of them as she finished catching her breath.

[Adventurer’s Basic Mealkit] This kit produces a single simple, hot meal every six hours and contains utensils for eating. Its magic does not expire, though the quality of the meals leaves something to be desired.

[Adventurer’s Basic Waterskin] This waterskin produces up to four liters of clean water per day. Its magic does not expire.

[Potion of Minor Healing] This potion heals small wounds and recovers a minor amount of health.

[Adventurer’s Weapon Stone] Using this stone will create a random starting weapon intended for the user. The weapon can be improved upon with certain skills and is difficult to destroy. The weapon is also soulbound to the user and will be retained upon death as long as the user is capable of respawning.

[Adventurer’s Armor Stone] Using this stone will create a random set of starting armor intended for the user. The armor can be improved upon with certain skills and is difficult to destroy. The armor is also soulbound to the user and will be retained upon death as long as the user is capable of respawning.

Simone hurriedly called up the waterskin and the small leather pouch appeared in her hand, she popped the cap off and tilted it into her mouth, drinking deeply, coughing now and then as the tingle of hydration raced through her skin. There was a low thud that sounded more like a frustrated fist than anything else behind her and she jumped, scrambling away from the door. Another bang, then the sound of the mechanism at the base of the door attempting to turn over only for it to fail. She looked over at Kik who looked at her frightfully before sighing with relief.

“I think we’re good,” She managed, “Good job Kik,” She said and tossed the waterskin over to it. It caught the skin and drank a little before handing it back over.

“Kik has been learning the machines of this place for years, Kik is smart!” Kik beamed, bringing a fist to it’s chest.

“Good on you little… guy?” She hazarded.

“Kik is Kik,” The creature shrugged.

“Fair enough,” She breathed, “One moment, got a few things to do before we move on.”

“That’s good, Kik needs to rest a moment anyway.”

She checked her stats and winced at her health, it had dropped into the single digits. She drew out one of the potions of healing and after examining the murky red contents she downed it like cough medicine, pinching her nose and forcing it. It tasted like battery acid. She coughed and gagged as warmth spread over her skin and aches that she didn’t even realize existed eased. She checked her health again and was relieved to see she was back up to about half. Without hesitating, she downed another and capped off her health before moving on to the two equipment stones.

She pulled the [Adventurer’s Armor Stone] out first;

You are about to use this [Adventurer’s Armor Stone]!

It will generate a random suit of armor intended for your use based on the current Worldstate, Starting Aspect, Actions Thus far, and Previous Life. The armor can be improved upon with certain skills and is difficult to destroy. The armor is also soulbound to the user and will be retained upon death as long as the user is capable of respawning.

Would you like to active [Adventurer’s Armor Stone]?

Yes / No

“Why do I feel like I’m about to get pigeonholed?” She grumbled and selected yes.

The stone dissolved into a faint gurgle of light and another notification appeared.

You have Acquired:

[Upstart’s Gambeson] x1

[Upstart’s Brais] x1

[Upstart’s Boots] x1

[Upstart’s Gloves] x1

[Upstart’s Headband] x1

You have received your first set of gear! You may equip it directly from your inventory.

She got to her feet and pulled out her bag, holding it out and checking for the items in question. It was easy enough to select ‘equip’ and literally have the clothes she was wearing vanish only to be immediately replaced with new stuff. Unlike the gear she’d awakened in, the new armor fit perfectly. She looked down at her boots first, bouncing in them a few times experimentally. They were flexible and soft with segmented soles. Good for travel and stealth. They were made of a dark leather that ran up to her calves where the brais, the trousers, started. The brais were made of padded cloth like a gambeson and plated with dark leather, also in segments, flexible.

She looked her chest and shoulders over next, the gambeson was a similar situation, dark with a bit of a tail to it and plated on the shoulders, arms, chest, and back with leather plates that creaked a little as she moved. She figured they’d become more flexible with time. Her gloves were the same dark leather that made the whole ensemble a little shady if she had to be honest. Finally she reached up and touched her temple where a simple band of leather had been strapped to her head, just over her ears.

She frowned a little, “I am not playing a rogue,” She grunted.

“Huh?” Kik chimed in from the side, picking at his teeth.

She sighed, “Nevermind.”

Simone rolled her shoulders and pulled out the weapon stone, a similar notification appeared.

You are about to use this [Adventurer’s Weapon Stone]!

It will generate a random weapon intended for your use based on the current Worldstate, Starting Aspect, Actions Thusfar, and Previous Life. The weapon can be improved upon with certain skills and is difficult to destroy. The weapon is also soulbound to the user and will be retained upon death as long as the user is capable of respawning.

Would you like to active [Adventurer’s Weapon Stone]?

Yes / No

“Sure why not,” She muttered, and in another pathetic gurgle of light the stone vanished and she got her notification.

You have Acquired:

[Upstart’s Warcaster] x1

[Upstart’s Trenchknife] x1

“Trenchknife?” She asked, “What the hell is a Warcaster?”

She called up her inventory and conjured the trenchknife first. It was a bladed weapon with two edges like the sword on her hip but that’s where the similarities ended. The weapon was shorter, though still a bit longer than the knives she was used to carrying on her back in her past life. The handle was fitted with a set of knuckles on it. She gripped the weapon in her off hand, swinging it a few times experimentally and squeezing down on the finger holes, tensing her knuckles for a good punch. She grinned, it was pretty nice.

She turned to the next item and froze, “No way,” She murmured. She pulled it out of her inventory and it fell into her hands, she turned it over in her palm. “No freaking way.”

It had a black handle that ended in a dark metal frame. The frame extended into a curved hammer with what looked like some kind of gemstone embedded in the flat. From there, the six-inch barrel started, sitting on top of an elegant dark-metal trigger. “Is this a gun? How the hell?”

She pulled out her journal, there had to be something in here about it. The journal’s description insisted that it could explain things in the world around her. Lo and behold, a page appeared with the title [Warcaster].

[Warcaster]

Ranged Weapon

A tool of death designed by the Demon Lord’s inner circle. A closely guarded secret of the [Demon Lord Teyva Akura]’s army, the weapon uses mana as an accelerant to fire slugs made of nearby material. A special satchel can be created and bound to a Warcaster in order to provide ammunition and reduce mana costs. No Warcasters exist outside of the secret laboratories of [Archlich Paraklytus] and [Chief Scientist Sari Troud].

“Are you joking?” She spat, “The Demon Lord has guns? We have swords! Seriously?”

“What’s a goon?” Kik asked, hobbling over to her and looking up at the tool in her hand, “Looks like a smoking pipe.”

Simone licked her lips and eyed the nearest wall, drawing the weapon up and putting her arm behind her back, she squared her legs and pointed the weapon, aiming at a stretch of text on the wall. She took a low breath and pulled the trigger. Immediately she felt a wooziness pass over her as her mana bar dipped down to a quarter as the smell of burned sugar permeated the air and a loud crack erupted from the weapon. Kik screamed in fright and dove to the ground. She managed to keep her arm steady as the recoil raced up to her shoulder. Ahead of her, a small tuft of dust rose into the air around the spot she was aiming.

She lowered the weapon and glanced down at Kik and the small patch of marble that was dissolving on the floor next to it. She looked back up at the hole she’d made in the wall and sniffed, “That’s a gun.”

She looked down at the weapon and turned it over in her hand one more time, “If that’s what the Demon Lord is packing, we’re screwed.”