Chapter 1 Life Until Death

People would call my life a curse. But that isn’t what I call it I call it a testament to my life. I think as I bleed out on the ground with a knife sticking out of my chest. “Well one last thing to do before I die.” I mumble lifting a tablet over my head then throw it down smashing it. “No more victims for you, you piece of crap.” I whispered as my life flashed before my eyes.

It started when my parents abandoned me in front of a foster home I don’t remember much about the foster home, but I do remember 2 incidences. The first was when I found a cursed object. The second was the day my friend died.

The day I found the cursed object was when I was 4 years old. I was simply digging in the back yard during recess. I enjoyed digging holes as a kid if you would have gone in the yard of the fosters home you would see several thousand holes scattered thought the yard. But the hole I was currently digging wasn’t empty in fact it held the very bane of my existence in it. After a few inches into the ground I saw something shinning in the hole. Figuring that someone had dropped something in my hole I reached down and grabbed it. What I pulled up was a ring with horseshoe on the top of it. I studied it for a bit in the palm of my hand. At least until it started to glow, and they’re was a sudden pain in my hand. I tried to drop the ring, but it didn’t fall so when I tried puling at it the ring seemed to sink into my hand. It fully disappeared into my hand in a second. When it was gone I dropped to the ground unconscious.

It took a week before I regained consciousness. When I woke I was smack dab in the middle of an unknown war of cursed objects. My object was called Luck Stealer but unlike other cursed objects mine bound itself to my soul. It caused a lot of problems for the orphanage but since they didn’t want any one to find out about their war the orphanage remained unharmed. It went on for several years several people came to try and adopt me but would end up hurting them selves before they even walked through the door. While on the other hand I made the orphanage money by going and buying lottery tickets even guessing lottery numbers at restaurants.

But the good times only last so long one year when there was a lull in visitors it happened. One of my oldest friends that cared for me for me and not because I could make him rich died. What happened was while he was crossing the street, he suddenly fell a truck that lost its brakes was quickly going down the hill he only had enough time to smile at me before he got hit by the truck. After that everyone avoided me like the plague. I stayed in my room only coming out for food I stayed there until I was 15 deciding to finally run away.

I lived on the streets refusing to use my abilities, but they were always active. But unlike in the foster home I didn’t completely drain a person’s luck only take a little from everyone around me. I would often work odd jobs to make money for food and if I was lucky, I would get to stay where I worked but I never stayed anywhere for more than a month. One day when I was 19, I noticed this strange tablet like object in a museum I walked over to it and felt a strange aura from it. I read the plack and it read this.

‘The tablet of Greed’ This object depicts a greedy king that wanted everything. But his greed was too great and caused him to launch himself into battles. Legends say that anyone that owns the tablet gets consumed by their own greed and end up dead.

I was about to turn and leave when I heard a sound of something hitting the floor, I turned to see the curator of the tablet lying on the ground with a spear in his gut and a piece of torn paper in his hand. I looked up to see the museum owner looking over the edge of the balcony looking down at the dead man while clutching the other half of the paper in his hand. He looked up to see me and his eyes had a glint of greed in them telling me that this was no accident. He gave me a smile and quickly ran to the stairs to get to the first floor. I quickly turned around and started to run but not before I bumped into the display knocking it over braking both the tablet and stand. I herd fast footsteps behind me, but I was faster. I made it to the front door then down the street only hearing a cry from the museum owner as I disappeared out of sight.

Later after I became exhausted, I sat in front of a video store and fell asleep. I woke up to the news talking about how the museum owner turned himself in for the murder of the tablet’s curator. He was talking about how the tablet possessed him and how upon braking the tablet released him from the possession. But the news portrayed him as a mad man and ignored him. I realized at that moment that all cursed objects were a plague to humanity, so I was determined to destroy them.

This was the start of my thieving crier. I would steal any cursed artifacts then destroy them anyway I could. For any metals I would melt them down, for any wood objects I would burn them to ash, anything that was glass or pottery I would smash them. I only came close to getting caught twice in my carrier. Both by the same person I woman who was just starting her career.

The first time I met her she had already deduce my escape rout and was waiting ahead of time. So, when I made it I was surprised to see someone standing in front of me with a pair of hand cuffs. Thank god I had a mask and taped down my breast or she would have been able to narrow down her suspects to only girls. The second thought that ran though my head was dam she’s pretty. I was never one to fall for the same sex but something about her really drew me to her. Her blond hair and blue eyes were polar opposite of my pitch-black hair and brown eyes. Needless to say, her looks didn’t stop me from escaping, but I never forgot her face.

After a pointless week with no luck finding info about other cursed objects, I accidently ran into her. When she turned around, she gave me a smile. It was the only smile I’ve seen since my best friend died. All I could do was smile back. After that we went to a cafe, she told me about her new job and how I got away from her. They apparently started to call me the Curse Collector because I stole only cursed objects and never sold them. We enjoyed the experience so much that we decided to meet up again. Then I heard the sweet news of another cures object and sprung into action planning my next heist.

This went on for several more years before today. I had just gotten info on another tablet called the tablet of the end. I had broken into the museum hosting the tablet through the sunroof. I had stolen the tablet successfully even teased my fiend before I left. But when I made it to an ally way several miles away is when it all went south.

I was suddenly surrounded by several people in suits. “Give us the tablet.” One of them said. Pointing a pistol at me.

“Hmm, not in a million years.” I said then pulled out a grappling hook to get away but before I could pull the trigger a knife hit my chest slicing though my bullet proof vest. I fell to a knee and looked up at the guy that through the knife.

“Hehehehe you aren’t getting away that easily.” The man said. “Now we’ll just take that tablet.”

But before he could move a knife pierced his neck along with all of his goons. “Heh take that you son of a bitch.” I replied than fell on my back. “Well one last thing to do before I die.” I mumbled. I lifted the tablet then smashed it to a million pieces. “No more victims for you, you piece of crap.” I whispered then coughed up blood finding it was hard to breath. I felt my hart slow until it stopped. My last thought was. ‘Live your life to the fullest Delaine’ I thought as several voices in my head started laughing evilly. But instead of fading a screen popped up in front of me.

You Are Dead it read then a new screen popped up.

Do you want to restart? Yes/No

I thought about it for a second then hit yes. Everything went black, but I could tell I was still awake. ‘What where am I?’

Welcome Gamer to your new life!

‘What is going on.’ I thought because I couldn’t seem to speak.

You are now a gamer. The gods decided to use a strong soul from your world to save several souls from your world before the end of the world.

‘What! Are you telling me my world is gone?’

Several days after you died your world came to an end because of a person possessed by a cursed item. After finding the other half of the item the two halves of the curse joined together and destroyed the planet. So, in order to save at least a piece of the world they took a soul that was more powerful than the others. They found you but the only problem they have with you is the fact is you are tainted by several entities you called cursed objects.

‘What!? No, this can’t be happening I destroyed them all there should only be one cursed object attached to me. You ah, whatever how many are there?’

12 total cursed objects were found attached to you 7 represent your seven deadly sins the other 4 were gained when you smashed the tablet just before you died. They represent the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. The last one was a demon of luck and fortune he prevented you from getting overwhelmed by the others.

‘Why wasn’t I taken over by him?’

Your soul was too strong to become overwhelmed by the demon so instead he made a pact with you. If you accepted, he would follow you thought your life but not interfere unless another cursed came into play. He would then protect you from a possessor and or the possessed.

‘Did he kill my first friend?’

Yes and no. Your friend got possessed by another cursed object that wanted revenge on you for killing its master. So, the demon absorbed the boy’s luck causing the accident. He knew how much he meant to you so later when he found your soul mate, he lowered your luck to the point where you would meet them.

‘So, Delaine was my-’

Yes, she was your soul mate.

‘What happened to her after I died?’

She found your body and when she saw it she killed herself with the same knife that was plunged into your chest. She is also reborn here, so you will meet her again in this world, but she won’t remember anything until she loves you again or she ends up as another gamer. That is the end of the question any other questions can be asked later let’s get on with the tutorial!

‘Ok hit me!’

Sorry but I cannot physically hurt you

‘No, it means go ahead.’

Under stood continuing the tutorial. You are now a gamer in the world of Ophis. You will start off as a baby then as you age and gain skills and level up you will become stronger. You will get a special skill for staying calm though the introduction phase. To check on your Stats just say or think ‘stats’. To check your skills just say or think ‘skills’. You will have an inventory unlike the people of the world, but it will not grow and will only hold some things. Updates to the system will be done while you are sleeping, and you won’t be able to wake up during this process.

‘Ok. Stats’

Name: N/a

Age: Unborn

Species: ???

Health: 10/10

Mana: 0/0

Level: N/a (Unlocks upon birth)

STR 0

AGI: 0

DEF 0

SPD 0

DEX 0

INT: 1000

WIS: 1000

FATH1000

LUK: 100

Bonus Points: 20

Extra Points: 1000

‘Um how do I have that much wisdom?’… ‘No answer ok I’ll find out later or ask later whichever comes first. Ok now. Skills!’ I saw two tabs on for active skills and one for passive skills.

Active Skills:

N/A

Passive skills:

Gamer Mind: Allows the mind to calmly process information. It will not prevent emotions, but it will prevent it from getting too out of hand. Gamers cannot be mind controlled.

Gamer Body: Sleep will eliminate all status effects and will prevent the gamer from getting permanently hurt.

Greed’s curse: All drop items are of a higher grade and you get more drops from each kill.

Gluttony’s curse: Your apatite is insatiable, but the world is on your plate so what you see is what you eat. Increases your inventory to unlimited storage. Get all drop items from the things you eat. Chace to get skills form the things you eat.

Pride’s curse: Anything below you will cower at your greatness. 90% chance nothing will attack you if you higher level than them.

Envy’s curse: Absorb monsters to claim their strength as your own. Warning doesn’t work on anything that has a higher level than you.

Sloth’s curse: Hold back your strength unless absolutely necessary. Strength attribute gets stored every day not used. But when in danger or when active all the strength stored up will burst out for 12 hours but will knock out the person for a day.

Lust’s curse: You are strengthened by the resolve to impress your companions. 50% boost in stats for each person of the opposite gender in your party.

Wrath’s curse: When angered the person will lose control and go on a killing frenzy that can only be stopped after a day or by someone they love.

War’s curse: Your strength is unmatched in battle. Gain STR DEX and SPD easer.

Death’s curse: Gain 200 times the XP for everything you kill.

Strife’s Curse: There is no level limit for you so shoot for the stars. Bottle necks will not stop you if you hit one then your stats will instantly level up to the point to brake through the bottle neck.

Famine’s curse: The world is running low on energy so you better stock up. Drain the atmosphere of mana preventing anyone from being able to replenish their mana stores around you. Instantly regens mana causing an unlimited mana supply.

Demon’s curse: Take a person’s luck and make it your own. They will eventually get their luck back unless they die. LUC stacks upon your LUC permanently.

Fiction reader LVL 1/100: Read any book and gained the abilities of the main character whether it’s a skill book or not. The more you read the more the skill levels up.

‘Dam what the hell I’m not even born, and I can already tell I’m Op as fuck. So, unless something drastic happens to me after I’m born and the years shortly after I could probably take the world down.’

Alert! A god has seen your potential and offers a blessing allowing you to take on the forms of a dungeon god.

‘The hell!’

Alert! Another god has blessed you with extra mana veins. Mana Increased to 1,000 each level.

Alert! A god has blessed you with an internal grimwar. Your will be able to be learned and then cast magic with no chanting or magic circle.

Alert! A god of the elements has blessed you with an ability to cast all elements. Making the affinity for all elements able to be raised to tier 1

Alert! A god has allowed you to contain several spirits at once.

Alert! You are now being born.

‘Stop with the alerts already!’

I noticed my world started to become brighter and the passage way became narrower. I couldn’t move for what felt like forever. Then suddenly I felt the air on my head and a light was in my eyes. I took my first breath in this new world and my body instantly started to cry.

‘Welcome to my new life’

‘Don’t you mean our new life’ Several voices said at the same time.

‘yah were here too’ Several more said.

‘What? who are you?’ I asked them but suddenly several people appeared in my mind. Then there was a flood of memories that weren’t mine.

Alert! due to being born during a Blood Moon Eclipse All past lives have been awakened.

I looked up at the woman that was supposedly my mother, but I wasn’t looking at her I was looking past her at the blood moon blocking the sun. ‘Great’