Chapter 2

The void was absolute. Kyle Preston didn't wake up so much as he coalesced out of a numb, sensory-deprived silence. He couldn't feel his hands or the floor beneath him. Panic flared, a sharp, cold spike in his chest, and he tried to gasp for air he wasn't sure he needed. A spotlight shattered the dark. Kyle flinched, squinting against a sudden, piercing radiance. As his vision adjusted, the blackness retreated, replaced by a sterile, white room. He was sitting in a simple chair. Across from him, behind a plain white table, sat a figure. "Welcome, Kyle Preston, to your introduction," a voice said. The voice was synthesized and perfectly monotone, lacking any inflection of warmth or malice. Kyle blinked, rubbing his eyes. The room was featureless—no doors, no windows, just a seamless expanse of white that felt more like a physical manifestation of nothingness than a building. The entity across from him was human-shaped but lacked any defining characteristics. It was bald, its skin a flat, matte white, and its eyes were solid white orbs that didn't seem to track movement so much as they simply perceived. "Where am I?" Kyle's voice came out thin and raspy. He cleared his throat, trying to find some professional composure. "Who are you?" "I am Alex," the entity replied. "I am the overseer of your introduction. You are currently in a transition space. Your universe has been initiated into the multiverse, marking the beginning of a new chapter for your species." Kyle gripped the edges of his seat. "The multiverse? What happened to my apartment? My office? Is this some kind of joke?" "The reality you knew has been restructured," Alex said, its head tilting a fraction of a millimeter. "The initiation is a standardized process. You are now part of a system governing the myriad races. The first enlightened races have named this new reality 'The Nexus'." "The Nexus," Kyle repeated. The word felt heavy, alien. "And what does that mean for me?" "Information will be provided as required. To begin, you must understand your current status." A semi-transparent blue panel flickered into existence in the air between them. It hovered like a digital projection, moving slightly as Kyle shifted his head. *** [Status] Name: Kyle Preston Race: [Mercer Group - lvl 0] Class: N/A Profession: N/A Health Points (HP): 90/90 Mana Points (MP): 80/80 Stamina: 70/70 Stats: Strength: 7 Agility: 8 Endurance: 7 Vitality: 9 Toughness: 7 Wisdom: 8 Intelligence: 8 Perception: 10 Willpower: 6 Free points: 0 Titles: N/A *** Kyle stared at the numbers. They looked like a character sheet from a game he hadn't played in years. He looked at his own hands, then back at the screen. "Nine Vitality gives me ninety health," he muttered. "The ratio is ten to one." He looked at the mana and stamina. His Wisdom and Intelligence were both eight, and his mana was eighty. Stamina was at seventy, likely tied to his Endurance or Strength. He focused on the word 'Race'. As he did, a sub-window expanded. [Mercer Group]: The lowest level of humans in the system, found only in newly initiated worlds. Known as one of the most balanced and numerous amongst the myriad races of the multiverse. "Lowest level," Kyle whispered. He looked up at the featureless face of Alex. "What are these stats? How do I get a class? How do I level up? And where is everyone else? My neighbors, my coworkers—are they all in white rooms with clones of you?" "Classes and professions are acquired through choice and merit," Alex answered. "Leveling occurs through the accumulation of experience within the Nexus. New skills can be earned every five levels through your chosen class. The 'G' designation in your race refers to your rank within the Mercer Group hierarchy; as a newly initiated world, you begin at the foundation. As for the others, they are currently undergoing their own individual introductions. No two paths are identical." "Individual introductions," Kyle said, his mind racing through the implications of a global population being processed simultaneously. "So, what happens now?" "You must select a basic starting class to begin your progression," Alex said. Five icons appeared on the table, shimmering with a soft light. [Skirmisher] [Sentinel] [Juggernaut] [Mage] [Medic] Kyle looked at the list. He wasn't a fighter. He spent his days analyzing spreadsheets and avoiding conflict. A Skirmisher sounded like someone who had to be fast and close-range. Juggernaut was a tank, taking hits—a terrifying prospect. Sentinel seemed balanced, but he didn't want to be in the middle of a fray. Mage and Medic were interesting, but he didn't know how magic worked here. "Is there anything else?" Kyle asked. "Something... less direct?" The list shifted. A new option appeared. [Marksman] Kyle looked at it. A ranged class. Distance meant safety. If he could see the danger before it reached him, he might survive long enough to figure out what 'The Nexus' actually was. "I choose Marksman," Kyle said. The choice felt final. The other options dissolved into motes of light, and the status screen updated instantly. *** [Gained Skill: Beginner Archery] - Unlocks basic proficiency with bows, crossbows, and adds a minuscule bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using a ranged weapon. [Gained Skill: Beginner Melee] - Unlocks basic proficiency with most one-handed weapons and adds a minuscule bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using a fitting melee weapon. [Gained Skill: Eagle Eye] - Allows the archer to more easily spot prey. Passively gives a minor increase to the effect of Perception on visual organs. *** As the notifications faded, Kyle felt a strange sensation in his eyes—a slight pressure, followed by a sudden clarity. He looked at the far wall of the room. He could see the microscopic texture of the white surface, the tiny imperfections he hadn't noticed before. He focused on a small scuff on the floor near Alex's chair. He felt a slight tug on his mental energy. He checked his status. [Stamina: 68/70] He blinked, and the hyper-clarity faded. It was a passive skill, but focusing seemed to draw a small amount of effort. "The items on the table," Kyle said, pointing to a collection of gear that had appeared while he was distracted by his stats. "Are those mine?" "They are your basic starting equipment," Alex confirmed. Another notification appeared, settling into his mind like a remembered fact. *** [Gained skill: Discern] - Basic identification skill, known by all but the smallest of children of the myriad races. The skill allows you to attempt to identify any object or creature you are focusing on. *** "You have ten minutes before you are transported to the tutorial," Alex said. "It is advised that you acquire and equip your items." Kyle stood up. His legs felt a bit shaky, but he moved to the table. He looked at a small glass bottle filled with a shimmering red liquid. He focused his mind, calling on the new skill. [Vitality Draught (Inferior)] - Restores health when consumed. He moved his gaze across the rest of the items. There were three of the red draughts and three blue ones. [Vigor Draught (Inferior)] - Restores stamina when consumed. Beside the potions lay a simple wooden bow, a small knife, a brown cloak, and a leather satchel. He picked up the quiver. It felt heavier than it looked, despite being empty of physical arrows. [Arcane Quiver (Common)] - A quiver enchanted with the ability to conjure common-rarity arrows when injected with mana. Kyle slung the quiver over his shoulder and pulled on the cloak. It was rough material but sturdy. He tucked the potions into the satchel and strapped the knife to his belt. He picked up the bow, testing the weight. It felt natural in his hand, a strange contrast to the corporate pens he usually wielded. "Two minutes until tutorial transport," Alex announced. Kyle's heart hammered against his ribs. He looked at the featureless entity. This was real. The office was gone. The world was gone. He was standing in a white void with a bow and a quiver that used mana to make arrows. "Right," Kyle said, his voice steadier than he felt. "Two minutes." He checked his gear one last time, tightening the straps of the satchel. He looked at Alex, the white eyes staring back with no judgment or encouragement. "I guess this is it," Kyle said. He raised a hand in a tentative wave. "Goodbye, Alex." "Good luck, Kyle Preston," Alex replied. The white room began to dissolve. The floor vanished first, then the walls, until Kyle was standing in a swirling vortex of light. The silence of the void returned for a heartbeat before a rushing sound filled his ears. The system took hold, and the introduction ended. Kyle felt a sudden, violent pull, and the white world disappeared. ════════════════════════════════════════