Chapter 3) Surprise First Quest.

[System will download route network into maps. Mana required to download: 5. Mana required to view: 5. Proceed?]

Despite the dread fluttering about in his stomach, Xavier gulped and replied. "Proceed."

The hologram filled his vision and zoomed into the map icon. A blinking grid immediately expanded to something that didn't resemble a map in any way, shape or form.

"System...I don't understand. This doesn't look like a route network. It is not even a map."

[Root Network to Celestial Academy has been downloaded and displayed.]

"Can you explain it?"

[Celestial Academy exists nowhere in particular but is everywhere in time. It can only be found and accessed by Mystics."

Xavier was aware of that. Many scientists and engineers, Geographers and Acheologists worldwide had made discovering the location of the Academy their life's work. None of them had ever succeeded or come close to a reasonable theory. The Academy seemed not to exist, but each year the hundred Mystics were sent off to be trained there. Said Mystics also showed up to vanquish dungeons and the monsters lurking within them.

Of course there were many conspiracy theories about this. Some said the Academy had some sort of illusion that deceived the searchers. Others concluded that it was invisible and floated high above the atmosphere. But no one had been able to prove anything or find it.

"How do I find it?" The question sounded a bit silly to his ears. This was because he, Xavier Xerxes, was the one asking it.

[You can't find the Academy. The Academy will allow you to access it once you've shown your worthiness.]

Xavier frowned. He didn't like where this was going.

[You must perform a quest...]

"What?"

[...to prove you're a true Mystic. The map displayed before you will guide your path. Do you accept?]

"But no one said anything about a preregisteration test!" cried Xavier in horror. Not the comic books, movies, cartoons, books...not even the songs about Mystics mentioned anything like that.

[The Test of Worthiness is non-lethal and would serve to determine your rank in the Academy. Your rank would determine your bragging rights, grouping factor and state of functioning at the Academy for the rest of Novice level. Ranks are from 1-100.]

[Sub Quest: Complete the Test of Worthiness.]

[Reward for Sub Quest: Admittance to Celestial Academy.]

[Reward for Failure: Failure of Day's Quest.]

[Reward for failure of Day's Quest: Self Destruction.]

[Mystic, Do you accept?]

"Eh...can I maybe get a few days or months to prepare for the test?" asked Xavier reasonably. "Wait, better still...how about a year? Yes, a year would be enough for me to get into shape, tick off a few things on my bucket list and prepare myself for my sure death. Do you accept, System?"

[System does not Accept. The Self Destruct sequence would be launched in 10 seconds.]

"Tell me you are joking."

[7 seconds until Self Destruct sequence is launched.]

"You are not joking." said Xavier in apprehension. He glanced around in panic but nothing helpful was in sight. He was all alone against the crazy system that was terrorizing his peace of mind.

[5 seconds until Self Destruct sequence is launched.]

"Alright, Fine! I accept." He was breathing hard from all the tension. "You never give me any options! I accept, alright? Take me to the bloody quest so I can make a total fool of myself even before I reach the bloody academy and...what is going on?"

As he watches with wide eyes, his room slowly faded away into a vast desert land with sandy dunes, altogether a sea of brown sand and dust. A bright blue sky with no hint of clouds stretched out overhead. The sun was out, bright and in all it's scalding glory.

"Where am I?" asked Xavier after a long moment of gaping

[You are in your room. The scene around you is a virtual world with simulation of what a dungeon is.]

"Oh...so none of this is real?" He bent to touch the ground. The grains of dust where fine and slipped easily through his fingers. "It feels real. And I can feel the heat of the sun on my skin."

He didn't do well under sunlight. Only a minute or two of direct exposure and he would burn. Like seriously, his skin would go red and flake off.

[The red bar on the right side of the screen represents your Health points and requires red crystals for replenishment after exhaustion. The blue one below it is Mana points and requires blue crystals for replenishment after consumption. You can weild abilities based on the artifacts you acquire from conquered enemies. You have three trial lives. You are the blinking dot on the map. Your mission is to find and defeat the Boss. Are you ready?]

The whole thing sounded much like the VR games he played some times. He was good at them. He had managed to reach boss level in almost of such games, and so had experience. This was going to be an easy test after all.

"Sure, why not?"

[The Test of Worthiness has begun. System will be muted until end of test]

Almost immediately, a huge red dot entered inside the frame of the map. It's movement was fast and heading straight towards him.

He barely had time to take another breath before he heard the pounding of heavy feet drawing closer and closer. Dust plumes rose into the air as something came into sight.

Before Xavier could take a better look at it or do something else in general, a mighty sword arched down towards his head....

"Die of pure anguish, you scum of the Earth!" shouted a thundering voice.

....And divided his body into two equal halves.

He didn't feel any pain. Just a strange sensation over his skin. He blinked once and everything was back to normal, calm and quiet as if he had just entered the simulation from the beginning.

"Now that was weird." said Xavier, before looking at the status bar to discover that he had only two lives left. That one sword attack had sucked up his entire HP!

Xavier thought it wise to not linger where he had just died. According to the direction arrows on the screen, the Boss's lair was far north of where he was standing. It was beyond what looked like a stream, a tiny village and a dune forest.

He started moving, following the direction of the blinking dot. The stream was too tempting because of the dryness in his throat. And the sun was too hot. If he didn't get hydrated soon he just might die for real, VR simulation or not. His extremely pale skin was already going red from sun burns.

No other monsters showed up to confront him, which was a good thing because Xavier had no idea how he was supposed to defend himself.

"I need a weapon or something." He said wearily.

Something blinked in the distance just ahead of him. He hurried over to it and crouched down to see it clearly.

"It looks like a sword." It was indeed a sword lying on the ground. The hilt was beautiful, with jewels running all over it in spiralling patterns. The blade was long and slender, slimming down to a sharp tip.

Xavier tentatively wrapped his palm around the hilt and tried to lift it up. It was heavier than it looked. His non-existent arm muscles strained as he used both hands to carry the sword.

There you go. Now he had a weapon that he could barely lift and would certainly not be able to swing at his opponent. Thanks, System.

He let the sword drag behind him as he continued. It wasn't long before he reached the stream and totally forgot he was on a mission against monsters and that deserts do not harbour water, much more a stream.

Xavier threw himself to the ground and scooped from the stream with his hands. The water was cool and sweet on his dry tongue. He wondered what it would feel like on his patched skin...and didn't need to wait long to find out.

His reflection on the water rippled and changed into something else. He couldn't make out what it was so he leaned towards the surface to get a better look. This turned out to be a terrible idea.

Two huge tentacles shot up from the water and wrapped themselves around his body before he could release the scream from his lungs. They were thick, soft and powerful around him. And the next thing he knew he was being pulled into the stream.

"You dare to enter my stream, you vermin?" The creature, whatever it was, bellowed.

Xavier would've readily apologized for his Trespassing but the tentacles were squeezing the life out of him. And in the water, he could barely see or tell right from left. There was pressure in his lungs, all over his body...everywhere. He was about to loose another life, and so early in the game?

"I will squeeze you into pulp and swallow you in one gulp!"

Xavier felt the tentacles lifting his body up ..and up...till he was out of the water and a couple of feet above the surface. Face to face with the most hideous something he had ever seen.

It looked like a cross between an octopus and a shark. Picture a large bulbous head with round red eyes and a wide slit that showed off rows upon rows of sharp teeth, four tentacles lapping and creating mini tsunamis all over the place, and a naked body covered with what looked like boils. Beautifully repulsive Octopus. Zombie Octopus?

How was he supposed to defeat something like that? It was easily five times his size! Worst of all, his useless sword was on the bank of the stream. If only he could summon it like in the games he played at home. Maybe he could...he could...do what exactly? Use it to kill himself to prevent Zombie Octopus from doing it? or Slay the beast? The first option was the only possible one where Xavier was involved.

Just as the tentacles began to press around him once again, the sword appeared in his hand and almost slipped through his fingers before he managed to grasp it. With all his remaining power, he plunged it into the closest part of the creature he could reach in such a position. It's left eye. The force behind the strike would have been too weak to penetrate anywhere else so it was a lucky shot for him. The sword sunk deep and released gushes of green gooey blood.

Zombie Octopus roared in pain and loosened its tentacles around Xavier. He dropped into the water, and using the sword as some sort of paddle, started to swim away from it. Or tried to do so.

Let it be know that Xavier didn't know how to swim. In fact he had never been in such a huge body of water before. So rather than him actually swimming, the current tossed him about, taking him downstream. Away from Zombie Octopus and towards....

"Come on, Give me a break!" said Xavier in frustration.

At least three Zombie Octopuses were spread out in the water right on the path in front of him. Their tentacles rose from the water, all of them ready to admit him into their warm but stifling embrace.