The void was total. No light, no sound, nothing. Alistair wondered if he still existed. A body? Eyes? A soul? Nothing answered. His consciousness floated, alone, in complete darkness.
Where am I? His thought trembled. Am I dead? Blurry images flashed: a room full of machines, flickering screens, a blinding white light. An explosion? Maybe. His memories slipped like sand, ungraspable. This isn't real. He tried to cling to something, anything, but every fragment of memory faded before he could hold it. A whole life—studies, equations, labs—seemed to dissolve in the void.
Time didn't exist here. A second? A thousand years? His consciousness was fading, like a flickering candle. Then a clear voice, like a chime, broke the silence.
"Oh?"
The voice was lively, curious, sourceless. Alistair jolted, or something in him reacted, a mental twitch in the void. It was light, almost childlike, but carried a strange depth, as if from a forgotten place.
"Who're you?" A soft laugh echoed. "First time I've met someone here. You're… interesting."
A silvery glow appeared, a faint point growing into fluid lines. It formed a vague feminine silhouette, made of soft light, no clear face, but with hinted eyes fixed on Alistair. She seemed both near and infinitely far, friendly yet intimidating, like a living mystery.
He wanted to shout, demand answers. Who are you? Where am I? But no sound came. His raw thoughts echoed in the void, exposed. Panic surged, a burn in his mind, the horror of being nothing, nowhere, no one. What am I? A ghost? Data? He had no answers, just a void threatening to swallow him.
"Calm down." The voice slid around him, warm, teasing, with a hint of softness. The silhouette drifted closer, her light flickering. "No body, no voice. Just your thoughts. I hear them, you know."
She floated, her form shifting slightly, sometimes sharp, sometimes blurry. "Me? No name. No memories. Nothing. Just… here." Her voice dipped, sad, then brightened again. "You? Got a name?"
Alistair clung to the question, an anchor in the storm. A name surfaced, clear, solid. Alistair. Alistair Mercer. Blurry images followed: panicked screens, searing heat, a shrill noise, then total white, as if the world shut off. Was that my life? He wasn't sure, but the name was all he had.
"Alistair…" The silhouette repeated, her light shimmering. "I like it. It's strong. Me, I've got nothing. Just this void." Her voice carried a quick sadness, almost hidden.
He felt a spark, a remnant of humanity. Luna. The name came, inspired by her silvery glow. I'll call you Luna.
Her light flared, a bright pulse pushing back the darkness. The silhouette seemed clearer, vibrant. "Luna…" She whispered, her voice trembling. "A name. For me." She drifted closer, her light warm, comforting. "Thanks, Alistair. That means something."
"Where are we?" Luna flickered, confused. "I've got nothing in my head. No ideas, no memories. You got anything?"
"Nothing," he replied, his mind muddled. "Just… this void." He searched his memory for a clue, but everything was blurry, like a half-forgotten dream. I was a physicist. Working on… what? The details slipped, leaving only his name and her voice.
Suddenly, an interface flashed in his mind, cold, precise, like a mental screen:
[System Notification]: Alistair Mercer, you are selected for reincarnation in the Nexus Souterrain, a network of monster-infested caverns. Your new form: Matrix Sphere. Initial objective: survive and reach level 1. Reach level 5 to evolve. Refusing to fight will severely reduce your long-term survival chances. Unidentified entity (Luna) detected. Bring her as a companion? [Yes/No]
Reincarnation? Evolve? Refuse to fight? Panic surged, a cold wave in his mind. Nexus Souterrain? What's that? He thought of Luna, her soft light, her lost voice. She's alone, like me. I can't leave her here. He chose. Yes.
*[System Notification]: Choice confirmed. Luna designated as companion. Preparing for reincarnation. Immediate danger in the Nexus Souterrain. Recommendation: flee upon arrival.
Before he could react, a sharp blue light tore through the void. A force yanked them, hurling Alistair and Luna into a whirlwind of fear. His mind screamed, helpless, as the void vanished.
Alistair awoke in a dark cavern. He floated, a smooth, compact, cold form. No arms, no face. Just a hum inside, pulses, a click when he looked. What am I? Panic burned, a fire in his unseen circuits. I'm not human anymore.
The interface reappeared, clear and cold:
[Name]: Alistair Mercer
Level: 0
Experience: 0/100
Race: Matrix Sphere (+1 to all stats per level, +2 Mana)
Stats:
Mana: 10/10
Strength: 5
Agility: 5
Resilience: 5
Intelligence: 5
Techniques:
Mana Projection (2 Mana): Creates an unstable projectile. Tied to Intelligence. Mastery: 0%
Basic Levitation (Passive): Stable floating, speed 0.25 m/s, altitude 2 m. Tied to Agility.
Companion:
Luna (?)
Energy: 0/10
Technique: Devour (Passive): Absorbs essence of monsters killed by Alistair.
Spiritual Form: Unable to interact physically.
Shop: Locked (Level 1)
Evolution: Locked (Level 5)
A game? His pulses vibrated with confusion. I'm a physicist, not… this! He tried to make sense of it, his analytical mind wrestling the absurd. Matrix Sphere? 100 XP for level 1? Level 5 to evolve? He thought hard, seeking answers. What am I?
*[Response]: You are a Matrix Sphere, a crystallization of pure mana with internal circuits. Techniques: Mana Projection, Basic Levitation. Reach level 5 to evolve. Refusing to fight will severely reduce your long-term survival chances. Ask for more details.
What's mana?
*[Response]: Mana is this world's core energy. It powers your techniques. Current reserve: 10/10. Increases by +2 per level.
What about stats? Strength, Agility, Resilience, Intelligence?
*[Response]: Stats measure your abilities. Strength: physical power. Agility: speed and precision. Resilience: endurance and defense. Intelligence: mana control and reasoning. All at 5, increased by +1 per level, except Mana (+2).
How do I gain levels?
*[Response]: Earn 100 Experience by defeating enemies or completing objectives. Next level: 100 Experience.
How do I use Mana Projection?
*[Response]: Focus mana to create a projectile. Costs 2 Mana. Effectiveness tied to Intelligence. Mastery: 0%. Practice to improve.
What's evolving?
*[Response]: Reaching level 5 unlocks an evolution, altering your form or abilities. Details locked until level 5.
Alistair tried Mana Projection. A warmth vibrated within, like an electric current. A blue arrow, shaky, appeared, but collapsed into sparks. I did that? He tried again, harder. A sharper arrow hit a wall, bursting in light. Not bad, but not enough. He felt his mana at 8/10. Two shots, 4 mana. Gotta be precise.
Why am I so slow?
*[Response]: Levitation speed: 0.25 m/s, limited by your form. Improvements possible with levels or higher Agility.
0.25 m/s? Alistair calculated. Barely a snail's pace! His weakness hit him hard. How do I survive this?
"Where are we?" Luna appeared, her light forming a white kitten with glowing purple eyes. "My head's empty. No ideas, no memories. You got anything?"
"The system," Alistair rasped, frustrated. "We're in the Nexus Souterrain. We need to survive, reach level 1, then level 5 to evolve. And if I don't fight, I won't last long."
He saw a puddle lit by Luna. He drifted closer, slow at 0.25 m/s, vulnerable. He looked in: a crystal sphere, tennis-ball sized, translucent, with glowing circuits pulsing inside, like blue veins. A central point blinked, like an eye. That's me? Shock hit him. An object? I'm not alive anymore. He pulled back, his voice rasping. "I'm… a thing!"
"Pretty cool, huh?" Luna slid closer, her kitten reflection in the puddle. "A shiny mana ball."
"Shiny?" He vibrated, angry. "I'm a robotic rock!"
Luna tilted her head, teasing. "A cool rock. I like this cat look." She spun, her form shifting slightly. "Or a snake? A bird?"
Alistair ignored her jest, his mind racing. Matrix Sphere. 10 mana. Five shots max. Slow levitation. Luna can't do anything physical. He needed to understand this world, fast, or they were doomed.
A guttural growl broke the silence. Yellow eyes, multiple pairs, glowed in the shadows. Vague, clawed shapes advanced, massive.
[Multiple Monsters Detected - Level 1]
Fear shot through Alistair, a jolt in his circuits. I can't fight! He tried to rise, but his slowness pinned him nearly in place. 0.25 m/s is pathetic!
"Run!" Luna zipped beside him, her light flickering. "I can't do anything, Alistair. Go!"
He spun, his levitation sluggish. A mana arrow shot out, instinctive, hitting a wall in a burst of light. His mana dropped to 6/10. The growls neared. Alistair dove into a tunnel, his speed pitiful, dodging a claw that grazed his shell with a sharp screech.
[Damage: 1]
[Resilience: Success]
A sharp pain coursed through him, like a short-circuit. I can take damage? He fired another arrow to light the tunnel, mana at 4/10. The monsters' shadows loomed, their growls louder. I'm not getting out of this!
"Move!" Luna floated beside him, her voice urgent. "You're slow, but you're not done!"
He pushed deeper into the dark, his hum frantic. Each pulse was a struggle to advance. The growls faded, leaving a heavy silence. Alistair stopped in the tunnel, trembling, his crystal sphere image burned in his mind. A mana object… that's all I am?
Luna drifted closer, her light soft. "You made it," she murmured, purple eyes glowing. "You're still here."
"Made it?" His voice rasped, full of fear and frustration. "I nearly died! I don't understand this world!"
Luna flickered, teasing. "You survived. It's a start."
Alistair floated, shaken. We can't keep doing this. "We stay here for now," he said. "We need to think. Make a plan."
Luna tilted her head. "A plan? Like what?"
He reviewed the interface, his analytical mind kicking in. "The system says we need to survive and reach level 1. That's 100 XP. Level 5 to evolve. And if I don't fight, I won't last long. I've got 10 mana, a technique costing 2, and I'm too slow. We can't just run forever."
"I can't help you hit," Luna said. "My Devour only works if you kill something. And I've got zero energy."
Alistair calculated. 10 mana, five shots max. Intelligence at 5, should help precision. Resilience at 5, I took one hit. Agility at 5, but 0.25 m/s is useless. "Plan: we attack lone monsters from a distance. The system says I have to fight to survive. If I kill one, I get XP. Groups, we run. Too dangerous."
"You sure?" Luna asked, her cat form twitching. "You barely escaped a group."
"I know," Alistair rasped. "But a single monster, I can handle. I shoot from afar, aim for eyes or legs. You light the way, spot targets. If you see a group, we bolt."
Luna nodded. "Got it. I'll scout."
Alistair asked the system, How much XP per monster?
*[Response]: Level 1 monsters give 10 to 20 Experience each, depending on strength. Secondary objectives (exploration, prolonged survival) may grant 5 to 50 Experience. Details vary by actions.
Five to ten monsters for level 1. Alistair groaned inwardly. I can barely outrun one. He calculated: five shots per fight, slow regeneration, pitiful speed. I need to be precise. "Luna, if you spot a lone monster, guide it to a narrow spot. Easier to aim, less chance it reaches me."
"Smart," Luna said. "I can scout ahead. My light's subtle if I want."
"Not too far," Alistair warned. "If you're spotted, I can't protect you."
Luna chuckled. "Relax, I'm a cat. I sneak."
Alistair tested a mana arrow, aiming at a wall. It wobbled but hit. Still shaky. His mana dropped to 2/10. Too low. He waited, feeling mana climb to 3/10, then 4/10. Slow regen, but it'll do. He tried a weak arrow, 1 Mana, to save energy. It flew straighter, hitting with a faint glow. Better. He repeated, targeting imaginary points in the shadows. Each shot grew sharper, but mastery stayed at 0%. Takes time.
"You're not half bad," Luna teased. "Starting to look decent."
"Not enough," Alistair rasped. "If I miss, I'm dead. We find a lone monster, lure it to a tight spot, I shoot from range. If it goes bad, we run."
Luna flickered. "And the levels? You're aiming for 5, right?"
"Yeah," Alistair said. "Level 5, I evolve. New form, maybe faster or stronger. But first, level 1. 100 XP. One monster at a time."
He trained more, firing weak arrows to save mana, now at 6/10. He aimed at precise spots on the walls, picturing eyes or joints. Each shot felt smoother. Intelligence helps precision. If I boost it, I can kill faster. He tested angles, distances, noting how arrows stabilized. Like solving an equation.
"You look focused," Luna said, floating around him. "Sure you weren't a sharpshooter before?"
"I was a physicist," Alistair rasped. "Calculated trajectories, not… this." He fired another arrow, hitting a precise spot. Mana dropped to 5/10. Gotta stop.
He thought about evolution. Level 5. New form? New techniques? It fueled him, but five levels felt like forever. One step at a time. One monster, 10 to 20 XP. He checked the interface again, hunting for hidden details. Nothing more. This system's stingy.
"We moving?" Luna asked, restless.
"Not yet," Alistair said. "We train more. Then we scout, but only if you find a lone monster. We track it, trap it, I shoot."
Luna flickered. "You sure we'll make it?"
"No," Alistair admitted. "But the system says we fight or die. So we learn, we hunt, we stay alive. Together."
He fired one last weak arrow, hitting a wall dead-on. Mana stayed at 4/10. I'm improving. Luna's light pulsed, as if agreeing. They stayed in the tunnel, prepping their hunt. Alistair's circuits hummed, his mind sharp. The Nexus Souterrain was deadly, but he wasn't defenseless. Not yet.
The crystal sphere glided out of the tunnel, its hum faint, Luna at its side. Every slow move at 0.25 m/s screamed danger, but with a plan, Alistair felt a sliver of control in this senseless world.