Deep Secrets
I look down the hatch that me and Ren had just opened but I could only see the floor with how dark it was down there. The other part of the room was too dark for me to see. The ladder that went down to the hidden room was maybe only 5 feet tall so it seemed easy to climb.
"Welp I'm heading down" I confidently I grab on the ladder and get in position to go down.
"You're going to get yourself killed" Is the only thing I hear as I go down the ladder.
"Naw I'll be fine'' I'm not sure what Ren would be so scared about. It's not like I'm going to die.
It's only a creepy dark basement being hidden by a secret hatch. There's no way this basement could have anything dangerous in it… now I'm just scaring myself.
I grab the metal bar tighter and take a deep breath, I can't just stop here. I continue going down the ladder a bit more hesitantly than before. I reach the bottom of the ladder and hop off.
Looking around I still can't make out very much because it's basically pitch black. Being down here does enforce how creepy this whole situation is.
I bet there's like spider webs and rats down here and it's not like I have a phobia or something but the thought is still enough to keep me on my toes
If I was an anime character I bet my teeth would be chattering. Damn I know I wanted to look cool but this is just stupid I should just go back up.
"You ok down there? Are you scared or something?"
Well damn, guess that's not an option anymore. This must be some type of karma for trying to act cool.
I give Ren a quick thumbs up and walk further into the mysterious room. Using my hands to feel the wall trying to find some type of candle or something.
After a few steps and not finding anything that could help me see better, I decided it would be a good idea to go back up and look for one up there. As I take my last step, I feel my hand touch something on the wall, making a clicking noise.
I almost immediately flinch back from the sudden change of the wall. It felt like I had just flipped some type of switch or something.
I feel regret swell inside my stomach as I try to understand what I touched. What if it was some type of trap and spikes are going to come out of the walls?
My curiosity soon subsides as candles start to light themselves one by one lighting the once mysterious basement.
Ren quickly notices the noise and the light that soon comes after "what was that?"
"You should come down here and check for yourself" I guess my assumptions about this place were unfounded as before I thought It was more of a basement but now it reminds me of what someone would call a man cave in my old world…
Old world… That still feels kinda weird. I never thought that I would be saying something like that. Hmm, It has only been a day since I got here. I wonder what's happened since me and Ren disappeared.
Funny enough I bet my friends in Atherian Would notice me before my mom did. If anything I bet she's glad I'm gone. So I feel worse for my friends in Atherian as we were supposed to do an event today.
My little Reminiscing session was cut short however by my sister's gasp of surprise. She must have also thought about what I had about this hidden area.
The room in front of me was a seemingly unkempt place. The books on the ground and crumpled and thrown paper in an overflowed bin dint help its appearance.
However, what surprised me and Ren was how there wasn't a spot of burnt furniture anywhere and looked reasonably easy to live in for a while.
There was mostly everything you needed to live comfortably for a while. There was a bed and a couch for sleeping and lounging around a desk, a book cabinet, a closet, and a little kitchen area. There was also some random furniture put around the place.
Out of all of that, however, all my interest was on the unmade bed at the counter of the room. I quickly ran over to the said bed and jumped on it letting the comfy bed catch me.
It had been a while since I could actually relax and just do nothing. It's not like I would get out of my bed anyway so all of this running around had got me exhausted.
"I guess some things never change," Ren says as she looks over me.
I flip over in bed to see Ren's disappointed face and crossed arms looking over me.
"Oh come on, cut me some slack. All I've done since we've been here is run around the place. The least I could do is rest for a while." My little outburst is followed up by me rolling to the side facing away from Ren
After a moment of hesitation, I can hear Ren walk away. Finally, I can check out my start screen.
After I hear the footsteps get farther away I tap on my gem to open my stats screen.
(Akari) (Rank F) (Title Fugitive) (Job none)
(stats) HP 10/10 MP 20/20 PL 110
Strength 10
Stamina 20 +2
Defense 10
Intelligence 20
Wow, I didn't expect there to be so much stuff that changed. Originally I only thought my Stamina would go up. I also just wanted to check out what Quest meant.
Now though I see I have another skill and a title, score! Looking at it though, Fugitive and the skill Flee doesn't really seem like something to brag about.
I'm kinda a bit bummed out right now. I just wanted a cool skill like Hero or a skill like Fire Spear but whatever I guess I have to start somewhere.
Now it's time to do what I opened this for. I look over at the flashing quest name at the corner of my screen. It's time to see what quest this thing might have for me. I don't remember anyone who gave me one so I wonder where it came from.
I reach out my hand to click on the quest tab and as I do another scene opens in front of my stats screen. On it, there seems to only be one quest something called "Learn The Language"
And under it are the requirements for the quest "Read 1 book 0/1 complete".
I pondered this for a moment. It seems that the quest wasn't from someone but rather something that I wanted to do anyway. The only problem is that I still don't know the language but it wants me to read?
I look down off the bed and find one of the multiple books scattered around the room. I struggle a bit to pick it up without falling off the bed. After a moment of struggle, I manage to pick up the dusty book.
The cover has symbols that are big and bold with a slightly red book cover. The book is kinda hefty with it taking some effort just to keep it up.
I flip to the first page and skim over the symbols obviously not being able to understand anything I'm reading.
After I skim Through the first few pages my reading session gets interrupted by a swishing noise and something landing on my face. Then I hear something from the other side of the room.
"Hurry up and put that on, I'm going to change up here"
I quickly took off the clothing she threw at me. "You could have at least handed it to me."
Ren who is now climbing up the ladder just gives a "uhhuh" and keeps climbing.
I give out a groan and get out of the bed. Looking down at my clothing I realize how dirty and how damp they are. I should be thanking her but the last thing I want to do is show my gratitude to someone like her.
Well in any case I should hurry up and put this on. I take off my moist and dirty cloth and fold them and put them aside.
Holding out the new clothing to get a better look at it I find out it's a white tunic, some pants, and a shaw. Probably not the most comfortable thing but it's better than wearing wet clothing.
After struggling to put it on I brush myself off and crash back on the bed. Picking up my book I start to continue reading it but I'm distracted by something Ren said to me earlier.
"What are we going to do" is what floats in my mind.
Of course, Ren probably was thinking about more realistic stuff but I'm more curious About the stuff in my expertise. Like this whole gaming system that seems to be in place...
Thinking about it, what will I do? Normally while playing video games I try my hardest to become the best. Sadly looking back I never really accomplished it…
So maybe this is like my last chance..?
If so, what am I going to do? Something I can strive for, my ultimate goal, my magnum opus!
Ah, I know what I'll do! I'll get my beach episode! Multiple hot girls all wearing bathing suits on the beach. That sounds like an ultimate goal to me.
Too bad I was so caught up in my head that I hadn't realized Ren had already climbed down t and was looking strangely at me… I must have been making some weird expressions.
Looking up from my book I see Ren with her new clothing. Surprisingly her clothing resembles what I just put on. The only difference is that it looks a bit browner and obviously a bit oversized for her.
What's stranger though is that after her glance she quickly goes bad to what she's doing. Which seems to be looking for something?
I wonder what she's looking for, I guess It's worth a shot to ask.
"Whatcha looking for?"
Without even stopping her search she replies fast "Something important"
I guess I should have expected that coming from Ren, but I'll just wait until she finds it. In any case, before I strive to be the best I guess I should work on the basics. Looking down at the book in my hand I continue reading it.
After a little while, I guess Ren finds whatever she was looking for because I hear a faint "finally" and footsteps coming over to me.
"There's some food in a barrel over there which will last us about a week so don't waste it."
Huh? That's definitely not something I expected. I had no idea that there would be some food down here so how did she.
"Wait, how did you even know that was there?"
"Doesn't matter what you're going to do in that week to help us live." Ren looks at the book in my hand.
I'm not exactly sure what's going on but it seems that Ren is putting her trust in me. I'm not sure if it's because she thinks I have a plan because of how laid back I'm being or if it's something else but I won't let her trust go to waste.
"Don't worry about I have a plan, which starts with reading this book"
Ren looks at me curiously
"In your stats screen there's a quest icon, click it and you'll see."
Not wanting to talk anymore I turn away from her and hope she'll figure the rest out. She seems to know what she's doing so far so it'll be fine...
Quest Learn the language (Stage 1) .1/1 complete.