A New World

A day like any other, but the world was about to change for everyone, a few more so than others. A Clock had been ticking down In the dimension in which the Milky Way we all know exists, and it just stopped ticking!

Lee Long looked up from the staircase he was making and peered around at his workspace. "It's not so bad for a run-down steel workshop but I wish something else would come along soon." Lee thinks to himself with a sigh.

Lee put down his welder and strolled over to gain back one of his own tools from a colleague who had borrowed it earlier when the world seems to shift around him. Lee collapsed to one knee with one fist on the floor as if ready to be knighted. The world around him seemed to warp and fold in on itself for a few seconds and then seemed to return to normal.

What was that strange feeling? Visual hallucinations and dizziness can't be anything good. The sensation of unease grew stronger as something seemed to change within himself. He could not tell what it was, but he somehow guessed that nothing would ever be the same again.

Lee looked up and noticed how silent everything seemed to have gotten in the last few seconds. Everyone was leaning on something or in a similar position as Lee himself but staring into space with a confused and panicked look on their faces.

Slapping my hand to my head I wince in pain as the strange feeling grows and seems to rotate within his chest travelling throughout my body and into my head. At once my head buzzes and strange sounds crash into my skull.

"Ugh, what the hell is this" I muttered to the workshop at large, no one in the room taking any notice of me even though I'm breaking the silence. Everyone I can see either has their eyes closed or hands over their ears and staring into space. The buzzing in my head mellows out and turns into whispers and then words.

{Hello people of the milky way this is 67%s9 initiating agent for your region of this dimension formally designated the "Milky Way" henceforth shall be referred to as Sector 9. I will send this message to every being with the capability of grasping it.}

What the hell! I'm hearing voices in my head now... Talking to myself in here was bad enough now some other ass is in here with me?

{We have connected your sub Dimension to the greater dimensional realms. As a result, a vast variety of new energy types are flooding your body's and minds. Some of you will develop ways to harness these new energy types, thus creating new ability's or insights into the universe! The possibilities are endless and I hope some of you will develop novel ways of using them.}

{Unfortunately, downsides are to be expected! As creatures on your planets, stars and the void will also be growing in strength, intelligence and evolving to take advantage of new energy types. I as your initiating Agent would encourage you all to become as strong as you can.}

{Some among you will be given aid in advancing by a subsystem of mine, as my resources are limited only 0.00000001% of this region's population will be given this opportunity. These subsystems will help selected individuals learn very basic techniques which they can share or not as they choose.}

{WARNING! your Region will be open to core dimension explores in 10 Dimension years (your Local equivalent of 37.5 years) This may seem like a long time but I assure you it is not! The path to power is long and those that seize it reap the lifespan to continue onwards.

You may enter and return from the Core dimensions as you wish... If you manage to do so. !!!Warning!!! this is dangerous and is likely to get you killed!}

{Live, Fight, expand, grow! 67%s9 Wishes you all the best of luck!}

Lee waited for it to say more for a minute then looked around himself wondering what the proper reaction should be... should I freak out and panic?

No! Panicking doesn't help in any situation "Keep calm and carry on" I muttered to myself, I suppose 37.5 years is a long time won't I be a ripe old age of sixty-one by then? I can't see myself fighting off alien invaders at that age. Then again, the 67% thing implied that training could extend your life. I wonder how the hell that would work and how long people in these "Core Dimensions" lived for.

It could be something like the Wuxia stuff I've read some people will go mad over the pursuit for immortality. The Chinese will love it.

Lee got to his feet and carried on towards the tool he was about to collect when a different, less overbearing voice crashed back into his mind.

[Congratulations! I have selected you to host a Rank-D assistant! Would you like to accept?]

Staring at the notification for a few seconds, my heart pounding with excitement and fear, I think to myself, "hell yes!"

I will get a system without having to be hit by Truk-kun or die a sudden death while playing my favourite MMO!

It sounds like a deal with no downsides to me... Though Rank-D doesn't sound impressive... anyway, fingers crossed. I then think "Yes" repeatedly.

[Assistant D278006 scanning host for base condition and affinities with higher energy..... Generating breakdown. The host will note that we base all ratings on the averages within this dimension. All ratings will be updated to a more detailed system to reflect your progress and talents in line with the rest of the multi-verse. If you travel to another more mature dimension before the end of the 10Dy adjustment period. This ranking system is only in place for new members of the greater dimensional community]

[Host name: Lee Long

Race: Earth, Human

Sex: Male

Physical Condition: Healthy

Mental Condition: Healthy

Soul Condition: Unknown soul configuration detected (Error)]

[Higher Energy that resonates with the host!]

Resonance with Vital Energy - Average

Resonance with Psychic Energy - Poor

Resonance with Elemental Energy Law's- Exceptional

Soul energy: Error Rank-D system unable to asses. error report sent to 67%s9

"What the hell... Rank-D seems to be light on details.... where's my Strength, Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence and so on????" I think to myself in disappointment.

"I don't have to talk aloud, do I?" I think Rank-D

[No Host you can directly communicate with this Assistant]

Ok from now on you will answer to "Dart" also is D rank any good?

[New pseudonym, "Dart" accepted. Rank-D is a low-rank system assistant. The host was one of the last entities in Sector 9 to be selected, 67%s9's resources were running low and it had to decrease the system standards for the last few hundred entities]

Well, that's great, I get leftovers! "Dart, what can you help me with? do I get a shop? a starter pack? a storage ring? anything?"

[I can track your progress in developing your elemental affinity and training of your mortal body. I Can also detect some details of other peoples system assistants, natural talents and beast skills.]

[I can also tell you basic information about training in higher energy. As I am only Rank-D, I can only detect the four most abundant energy types and help in training these. I can tell you that there are other types you can discover and train yourself.]

So.... it's a progress measuring system.... who offers some advice every now and again! sounds better than nothing, I suppose. It's not a harem System or a Gamer system... damn ill get over my disappointment... somehow.

"So, Dart, can you give me a breakdown of the ranking's Poor, Average and Exceptional seem bland and uninformative"

[The full range is: None, Poor, Average, Exceptional and Impeccable. The breakdown is anyone below 40% affinity are regarded as Poor, 41-70% is Average, 71-90% is Exceptional and the last 10% are the Impeccable's.]

Well that seems like there's a lot of room within each subdivision anyone with 1% to 40% is "Poor" It seems like a Rank-D will only give me so much detail.

"Dart what's with this error on my soul reading?" I think with slight worry towards Dart.

[Hosts soul seems in excellent condition, but the way it's configured is not in any record I have access to. The host will have to explore his soul affinity without my help to start with. When you discover what you can do, I may be of more assistance.]

Just as I was about to ask Dart more questions I hear my boss shouting "Everyone we are having a half-day get home and wait to see what the crazies will end up doing, with all this paranormal bullshit anything could happen. I'll let you all know what's happening on Monday via email, so check it,"

I go to switch my plasma cutter off and stop.... plasma?? Air and electricity seem like a powerful mix to start with let's see how good exceptional elemental affinity is ... I connect the earth lead to a random piece of scrap pull on cutting goggles and fire it up.

Staring at the short blue dagger of super-heated, ionized gas, I try to get a feel for what's going on. "There must be some elemental law going on here give me some enlightenment" I mumble to myself as I try to think how plasma is created in the actual world. The only natural example I could think of right now is a star. They are pretty much just enormous balls of plasma. I suppose lightning is also plasma come to think of it, plasma is just the fourth state of energy it's not an element.

Just as my head started to hurt, and I felt something strange moving through my body when someone shuts off the workshop power and my plasma cutter dies.

[Host has started opening up energy pathways and understanding the most basic law of the Lightning, Air, and metal elemental laws.

0.4% to Air, 0.6% to Lightning, 0.2% to metal

"Lee, you're the last one out, lock the door after you," shouted Matt

"Ok stay safe on the way home," I shouted back

I tried to hold on to the feeling of energy flowing, but it vanished as soon as it appeared. I must find more examples to study and maybe even some textbooks I can use to meditate on. This made me chuckle to myself suddenly as the image of myself in the lotus position with a high school textbook on my lap like it was some ancient cultivation technique.

Grabbing my stuff, I locked up the workshop and jumped onto my bicycle

"Lets hope nothing turned into a monster yet... shhh don't put flags up Lee you idiot," I said to myself as I pedaled the 14miles home.