Dragged Into A New World

[Welcome humans to the world of Pateria! A world we chose specifically for you all. This world is plagued with an endless zombie apocalypse. Each of you will be placed at random starting points, some with others, some alone. This planet is ten times the size of your original one so don't think that it will get congested with your kind. 

Once placed, you will gain a randomized power and a starting item to go along with it. Some powers will be much better than others, but it's up to you to survive with it. You will have a beginners protection period of three days before zombies will be able to converge on your area. Survive the first wave after the protection period, and you will be rewarded. Don't and death will await you.

Good luck. You will need it.]

I was just walking on the sidewalk of my neighborhood before I was suddenly transported to a desert, and that information was shoved in my head. I crouched down and clutched my head as I struggled to accept the reality of my situation. I needed to take a look at my own situation first before the power was given out.

"My name is still Mark, and I can still speak. That's a good sign." At least my memory wasn't wiped. I checked my body and I still had my tanned skin, I was still above six feet tall, I couldn't check my reflection so I didn't know if my eyes had changed. I still had black hair though. That was all the time I had before I saw a screen in front of me.

[Rolling Random power….

Random power gained: {Drawing} To check details, just think 'Drawing'.

Rolling Item…

Item Gained: Drawing Tablet with endless battery and storage

Item deposited in inventory]

[Access granted to regional chat…Error, nobody is within the current region, regional chat is unable to be utilized at this time.

Due to error the functions {Trade}, and {Auction} cannot be accessed until world chat is available.

Access to mana obtained. To check the current mana amount, just think 'mana'.]

Either I was blind, or I was in the middle of a desert, with no form of communication with other people, and a power to draw things. Well, I'm screwed either way, so I might as well see what this power does. 

{Drawing: Allows the user to draw anything they can imagine and imbue mana into their drawings to take form. No drawing can disobey the user. Unlocks the drawing ability. This ability is broken into ranks like beginner, intermediate, adept, master, and more. The user is currently at the beginner level. The user cannot draw themself. Only the user is able to utilize this ability.}

What exactly does it mean by 'take form'? Does that mean I can make drawings real? Only one way to find out. Although I wasn't that good at drawing. Also, the drawing tablet didn't even come with a stylus, so I had to draw with my fingers. So I opened a blank canvas and the first thing I decided to try out was drawing a stylus. 

It took me around 10 minutes to draw the form of it, then I drew the buttons on the side of it, and colored it all black. The next thing I did after finishing the drawing was trying to utilize my power. The moment I thought that, I felt a tiny drain from a source I didn't recognize. It had to be my newly minted mana. Afterwards, the mana converged onto my drawing tablet in the form of red lights. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, and so did my drawing.

[Crude Stylus Obtained]

Thanks for the vote of confidence on my drawing there blue screen. That confirmed it though, I took the stylus out from my inventory, and it looked like it's been through years of use. This tells me that I can make what I draw real though. I checked my mana as well.

[Mana: 19.7/20]

I had no idea what the average amount of mana people had, but I hope I had a decent amount. The stylus barely put a dent on my mana, which was good. The next thing I needed to do was create shelter and defenses. I had three days to defend myself from the oncoming zombies. There was a silver mist a far distance away from me in the desert. It was the only thing I could really see outside of sand. I assumed that that was my beginner protection. 

I sat down in the sand and started the arduous task of drawing a small brick cabin. I didn't want to draw a giant house on the off chance that I didn't have enough mana for it. Bricks were also easier to draw for me. I not only drew the outside of the cabin, but the inside as well, with a kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Although there was a lack of furniture outside of a bed and couch. I didn't forget to draw windows too. 

Every detail mattered so I tried to be as detailed as possible, I also drew steel doors and keys to said doors. It took me five hours to finish the drawing and I started to get hungry by the time I finished. When I used my power though, I felt a much bigger draw of mana in comparison to the stylus. The cabin didn't go into my inventory though. Instead it went directly in front of me, taking up a decent chunk of the space. Although it was only a bit bigger and wider than a mobile home.

[Basic Brick Cabin Created]

I checked my mana and noticed I was down to 9.7. So the cabin took ten total. I took the cabin keys and headed inside. The cabin looked exactly as I drew it. The kitchen had several cabinets lining the top of it, and an electric stove. Although I may have to draw solar panels or something of that nature if I want electricity flowing through the cabin. The living room had a couch and small table. The floor itself was made out of hardwood. I sat down on the couch and melted into it as it was extremely comforting. 

As I was getting hungry, I started drawing some food and water. My choice for food was a burger, and fries. I drew the water in a bottle as well. By the time I got halfway through drawing it, I tapped my forehead in thought. I could probably save mana by drawing a pantry full of food. Although it would only be dry goods. I'll worry about it once I have electricity so I can store frozen goods. 

When I put the finishing touches on the food, I drew a plate for the burger and fries. I also drew salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic, and drew some steam coming from the food itself. Having seasoning will allow me the luxury of not having bland food. I felt a minor drain this time and noticed that it only took two mana for the food, water, and seasonings. 

[Obtained Burger and Fries. Obtained Salt, pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic containers. Obtained 1L water bottle. Obtained glass plate x10.]

I took out all of the items except the plates, of which I only took out one. Then I placed the food on the plate and started seasoning it. It was steaming hot to the point that I could visibly see the steam. That was a good sign. By the time I took a bite out of the burger, I noticed it was cooked well-done. Beggars can't be choosers, I was already thankful I didn't have to attempt to find food in this desert. I enjoyed my meal and rested on the couch for a few hours. 

After I was fully rested and took in my situation at large, I put away the seasoning into the seasoning cabinet, and put away the plates. I put the dirty plate in the sink, but I didn't have access to water at the moment so cleaning it would have to wait. After I stepped outside again, I noticed that my mana was almost fully recovered. It happened after I finished eating so the food may have helped in that department. Or resting. 

Regardless though, while I was resting I realized that I can't defend everything myself, so I needed to create some help. I took in the actual distance that the area I was in was. It was about the same distance as two football fields put together in length, and one in width. After figuring that out, I headed back inside and took a seat on the couch. I started drawing an elf.

The reason why I wanted to draw an elf was because I needed to know what my surroundings were beyond the mist wall. If I got a general idea of the landscape, then I might get an idea of what zombies I would be facing as well. Of course, I wasn't going to send them out right away, I had a plan for that, however I would need a second drawing for that. Since I can have multiple drawings link up, I can do a lot more with that. 

I drew a female elf with long red hair instead of the usual blonde. Golden eyes, long tipped ears, five feet and four inches in height, and a somewhat busty figure, but not too much so it wouldn't impede them. Then I drew their undergarments. I wasn't the best in this department, but hopefully it would translate well. Then I drew their combat gear. Green cloth armor pants and chestplate. Fur gloves, and brown hunting boots. Then I drew a bow and quiver with a few arrows.

The next two drawings were me taking a risk in hopes that it works. The first one was less risky than the last. Although it was less of a drawing, and more of me redrawing the bow with arrows pointing to it with details for enchantments. The particular enchantments I used were infinity and mending, taking inspiration from a certain block placing and crafting game. The real risk comes from the second drawing.

The second drawing was a drawing of her soul. I wasn't sure I even needed to do this, but I did anyway on the off chance that if I didn't I would just make a puppet, or shell of an elf that didn't do anything. It wasn't the soul itself that I thought was a huge risk though, it was what I was drawing within it. Once again I was drawing inspiration, although in this case it was a system. It was a very barebones one sure, but it was a system nonetheless. 

The system as I detailed it, would allow the elf that I decided to name Altrea, to gain skills, item drops, and level up with no foreseeable limit. Before I finished drawing the remainder of her soul, a screen popped up.

[Drawing ability ranked up to Intermediate]

That was a good sign. I lost track of time when I finished, but I probably spent a full seven to nine hours on those drawings since it started to get dark. When I used my power however, a new screen popped up.

[Insufficient mana to fully implement. limits placed in order to utilize current mana. More mana will be required in the future to remove each limit on entity Altrea.]