Chapter 8 – I always wanted to fly

  “Come in,” Jack called.

  “Er…” Elizabeth’s voice came from the other side of the door. “The door won’t let me open it.”

  “Oh, one sec,” Jack called back. He moved to get up but stopped midmotion. Instead, he placed his hand on the wall and willed the door open with his Mana. The door slid open a moment later. “Well, that’s convenient.”

  Elizabeth appeared on the other side of the door.

  “Is everything ok?” Jack asked. “No issues with the room?” They had checked all the rooms as he assigned them, and from what Jack could tell, each was a perfect copy of the first one before people started playing with the features.

  “Yes, everything is fine,” Elizabeth said. “The room is fine, but I don’t really like being alone right now.”

  “Oh, okay,” Jack said. “I can ask Elaine or maybe Sylvian if they wouldn’t mind letting you stay with one of them.”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “I appreciate it,” she said. “But I already talked to Elaine, and she said I can stay with her while we are here. I just wanted to talk to you.”

  “Alright,” Jack said. “What’s on your mind? Here let me clean this up.”

  Jack started putting everything back in his Storage as Elizabeth sat down on the floor. “I was hoping to ask you about this place. Like what brought you here? I heard the others’ reasons, but I guess I’m still trying to understand, I don’t know, something…”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have much to tell on that,” Jack said. “I didn’t come here on purpose. I sort of fell off a cliff and went through a portal unintentionally. The System judged my desire to not die as acceptance and here I am. I only came to the Jungle of the Four Lords because I asked to be sent somewhere safe.”

  “This place is safe?”

  “No, not at all. But the spot I was sent to in the jungle appeared to be fairly safe. Guess that was enough of a technicality for the System.”

  Elizabeth stared at Jack for a moment. “So, everything was just random chance?”

  “Yes,” Jack said. “I suppose it was. I did tell you that I almost died several times since coming here. You could even say the only reason I am still alive is probably random chance too.”

  “So, not much help either,” Elizabeth sighed.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I guess I am just trying to figure some things out,” Elizabeth said. “Like what am I doing? Where am I supposed to go? I don’t really know what I’m looking for right now. I feel… I am… I don’t know… like I am just going through the motions or something.”

  “Like your adrift or lost,” Jack said. “Whole new world and new rules and not sure where you fit in?”

  “Yeah,” Elizabeth said.

  “I said something similar to Victor before,” Jack said. “And I fussed over it when it came to picking my classes as well. Truth is, I am still not sure what I am doing. Starting to think randomness is my path. But why did you come here? I’m assume you came here more intentionally than I did.”

  “I don’t really know anymore,” Elizabeth said. “Back on Earth, I was an orphan, and I was tired of being in the foster system. I tried to apply for emancipation but was denied. I didn’t have any skills or great grades. I just didn’t see any real future for myself. Then I came across a portal and thought, hey maybe I could find a place for myself there. I mean the message promised a new world, and it was called the Great Game. I always liked games, but I wasn’t expecting something like this. I was only here a few days before the goblins found me.”

  “I’m sorry…”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Don’t. I’m not looking for pity. I don’t want to talk about it either. I am thankful you found me. Glad I’m out of that place. But now I am here, and I just don’t know what I am supposed to do. I just know I don’t want to hide. I want to matter.”

  Jack nodded along when she finished. “I get it. At least some parts, I think. And you’re right. I don’t think my situation helps you much, but I don’t really think there is anything you are supposed to do. At least none of us are expecting you to do anything other than what you want to do. But this world can be an amazing chance to change your life if you want it to be. I admit that it has taken some time to grow on me as well, but I’m starting to appreciate it more now. Back on Earth, my only qualifications were warehouse work. I didn’t see much else for me either, but now there is a lot I can do, and more I want to do. I wouldn’t look at it as you need to find out what you are supposed to do, as much as what you would like to do. Given enough time and effort, you can probably make it happen, even if it seems impossible.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “But I thought… the others mentioned you were hoping to find a way back home, to Earth,” Elizabeth said. “Why do you want to go back if you are liking this place so much.”

  “I left abruptly and unintentionally,” Jack said. “Originally, my only goal was to make it back, and I intend to the first chance I get. I have fam..”

  Jack stopped mid-sentence glancing at Elizabeth, but she just shook her head. “Please don’t start acting weird around me just because I told you I am an orphan.”

  “Right, sorry,” Jack said continuing. “I have family and friends back on Earth and I want to go back to them. At first, I just wanted a way back to my old life, but now I can’t see myself going back to a forty-hour week retail job again. It just doesn’t seem like something I could return to. I still want to see my parents and siblings. Make sure they know I am still alive. Maybe even bring them here. Hopefully it will be a safer place by then.”

  “That sounds nice,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t know if I would go back.”

  “Well, what would you like to do?” Jack asked. “If anything was possible and nothing was off limits, what would you like to do?”

  Elizabeth was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I always wanted to fly.”

  She said the statement simply, but there was a light in her eyes as she spoke. “Like a bird,” Elizabeth continued. “They just seem so free. Nothing tying them down. Able to go anywhere with just a thought. I even took a flying spell as my first spell when I came here.”

  “Flight sounds like a fun spell,” Jack said. “I chose a boring healing spell because I was afraid. What is it like to fly?”

  “Wish I knew,” Elizabeth sighed. “The spell uses more Mana than I have just to activate it and requires more still to maintain it. I haven’t been able to cast the spell one time since I came here. The first time I tried I was hit with a backlash that knocked me out. Zephyr is so lucky.”

  “Sounds like a goal to work towards then,” Jack said. “We can help. Daniel probably knows some ways to increase stats to help improve your Mana. That and a few more levels, and you could be flying before you know it.”

  “Yeah, maybe,” Elizabeth said. “But how do you train magic without having any magic to cast?”

  “We’ll find a way,” Jack said. “Daniel is actually a good teacher when he wants to be. Even if he doesn’t like it. We can probably teach you some other spells in the meantime. I taught Reuf my Mend spell. It might be something to help get you started.”

  Elizabeth gave him a small smile as they sat in silence. It only lasted a few moments though as Elizabeth broke the silence shortly after. “What were you doing with all that stuff when I came in?”

  “Oh, I was trying to figure out what to pursue next,” Jack said. “I have a lot of Profession classes, and I have to level all of them to fifty if I want to go back to Earth or to the next realm.”

  “How many do you have?”

  “Technically thirteen,” Jack said. “But one only levels as my other classes level, so it should increase as I work on the other twelve.”

  Elizabeth grimaced. “Is that a lot. It sounds like a lot. Doesn’t Elaine only have two?”

  “Yeah, most people only choose one to focus on,” Jack confirmed. “I got wrapped up with the idea of picking a special class and trying to be immediately useful, while also trying not to commit to anything specific and ended up choosing an epic rarity class that forced twelve other Professions on me. So now I have to work on improving them all. On the bright side, all the classes functions like normal classes with stat points and their own abilities, so I’m not missing out on anything important from any of them.”

  “That sounds powerful,” Elizabeth said.

  “I’m pretty sure all higher rarity classes are strong, but also more difficult to level,” Jack said. “Then there are the ascension requirements. Most people only have to gain fifty levels for their combat, profession, and race to ascend. A total of a hundred-fifty levels when you combine them. But with every class you add, you need an extra fifty levels to ascend. I’m looking at roughly seven-hundred and fifty right now before I can.”

  “That’s insane,” Elizabeth gasped.

  “Had I known it would do that before choosing the class, I’d have chosen something else. But the bright side is, I’m just trying to get to level fifty, fifteen times. A little different than leveling to seven hundred and fifty.”

  “How do you even get a class like that?” Elizabeth asked. “Don’t we only have till level five before we have to choose?”

  “Yes,” Jack confirmed. “But I suppose getting it is like getting any other class. Just meet the requirements and it should appear as a choice. Though some of the requirements are difficult to meet within the first five levels.”

  Elizabeth thought for a moment. “That challenge,” she said eventually. “You said you did that when you were level two. Was that how you met the requirements?”

  “Yeah, that was one of them,” Jack said. “Interested in trying to get the same class? Even after telling you about the seven hundred and fifty level issue?”

  “Maybe,” Elizabeth said. “I wouldn’t mind having the option at least. That seven hundred plus level issue is one thing, but I’m not even sure if I want to ascend. At the very least it sounds like it won’t try to lock me into a role I may not even enjoy.”

  “To each their own,” Jack said. “I’ll tell you, everyone tells me this class is a curse, but if you want to try and get it, we can work on getting you ready for the challenge before you reach level five. It could be dangerous though. I only passed some parts by creating new spells and advancing others…”

  Jack paused in thought. He hadn’t considered trying to create a new spell or upgrade an existing one. He had done it several times before but always as the situation needed. But maybe he could use this time to make a few new ones. Without being rushed into developing something in the moment. Something that could help expand his fighting capabilities or could help assist him across multiple Professions. Even Jack’s combat class, Akashic Champion, was supposed to gain experience by learning new combat spells and skills.

  “What?” Elizabeth asked after a moment, bringing Jack back out of his thoughts.

  “Oh sorry,” Jack said. “Just distracted by a thought. Anyways, it will be difficult and dangerous. If you really want to try it, then you should first talk to Savgar. Running and fighting are good skills to have in general and will help you in the challenge. A couple of levels wouldn’t be a bad idea either. But even if you do complete it, I can’t guarantee you will get the class. There were other requirements as well.”

  “Yeah, alright,” Elizabeth said. “Not sure if I’ll ask Savgar to prepare me for it though. If Savgar has a say, he would have me training for the next six months.”

  “Yeah, he can be thorough,” Jack admitted. “I can help if you like, and once Teresa is out, she can give her opinion on the matter as well.”

  Elizabeth stood up to leave. “Thanks,” she said before turning around and exiting the room leaving Jack with his thoughts again.