System Punishment
Elias furrowed his brow, his irritation mounting. Before he could respond, the Doctor snapped his fingers. "Alright, let's take a look at your stats, shall we? When you first inherited your Ikona and met me, here's what we saw."
A translucent screen appeared between them, hovering in the air. The numbers stood stark and clear:
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
INITIAL STATS
• Strength: 5/100
• Speed: 3/100
• Intelligence: 25/100
• Endurance: 25/100
• Perception: 2/100
• Instinct: 50/100
The Doctor gestured at the glowing screen.
"Now, since it's been twenty-four hours, let's see how you've progressed."
He snapped his fingers; the numbers flickered and changed.
UPDATED STATS
• Strength: 7/100
• Speed: 4/100
• Intelligence: 28/100
• Endurance: 38/100
• Perception: 3/100
• Instinct: 72/100
"Hmm," the Doctor mused, stroking his beard again. "Still fairly pathetic. Like a bookworm with a knack for guessing things. But I suppose it's something."
As Elias bristled at the comment, the Doctor snapped his fingers once more. Another screen materialized, this time above Dot's head. She peered at it curiously as bold letters appeared across it:
Creationist: Skill levels
🐞 Conjure Object: 1/5
Dot's ability to create physical objects.
🐞 Knowledge Recall: 1/5
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🐞 Energy Amplification: 1/5
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🐞 Construct Stability: 1/5
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🐞 🐞 Locked: 0/5 🐞 🐞
-
Elias rubbed the back of his neck, frustration creeping into his voice. "Still a long way to go," he muttered. "Definitely behind the eight ball on this one…"
The Doctor tilted his head, his gaze unwavering. "True. And let me be clear, Elias: if it comes to it, and you don't make it—don't let them take her. This Ikona, Dot's, is too important. Understood?"
Elias froze, caught off guard by the seriousness in his tone. "I—uh, no. Wait. Who are you talking about? Who's coming?"
The Doctor tapped his cane lightly on the invisible ground, his expression unreadable. "There are several groups who might come looking. But the primary threat is the Anacraids. A race unlike anything you've faced. They don't just invade—they absorb. Anything they see and want, they take. And they'll want her."
Dot floated closer, her glow dimming slightly. "That doesn't sound good…"
The Doctor nodded gravely. "It won't be long before they realize you're all on this planet, and they'll come for the cube again."
Elias's eyes widened, a lightbulb clicking on in his mind. "Wait—you mean the alien attacks? They're connected to the cube?"
The Doctor gave a low chuckle, the sound hollow. "Of course. You think the timing of their arrival was a coincidence?"
Elias pointed an accusatory finger. "So you're saying Prime Planet was attacked because of you? Because of the cube?"
The Doctor's laughter faded, replaced with a sharp, serious tone. "No. While I created the Ikonas and the cube, a lot of this was out of my control. And truth be told, there are threats far greater than the Anacraids. But for now, they are your biggest problem."
Elias clenched his fists, the weight of the revelation settling on him. "What makes Dot's so important, then?"
"Dot's," the Doctor said, gesturing toward her, "is one of a handful of Ikonas critical to the balance. If they're captured, things will turn grim very quickly."
Dot floated closer to Elias, her voice quiet. "I don't like the sound of that…"
The Doctor sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "But I'm rambling again, confusing you more. Let's get back on track." He snapped his fingers sharply, and a new screen materialized in front of Elias.
[ REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO ADVANCE ]
Strength: 15/100
Speed: 15/100
Intelligence: 5/100
Endurance: 10/100
Perception: 12/100
Instinct: 18/100
"You're still lagging behind in some areas," the Doctor said, his tone devoid of sympathy. "And due to this, you will be withheld from unlocking the shard further. Any abilities or growth potential it holds will remain inaccessible to you for now."
Elias's brow furrowed. "What kind of penalty?"
The Doctor's gaze didn't waver. "When you try to move left, your body will move right. When you look up, your focus will drop downward. Your hands may reach for something, only to grasp at empty air. Every action you take will feel disconnected, forcing you to rethink even the simplest of tasks."
Elias's frustration boiled over, his voice rising. "How the hell am I supposed to function like that?"
"You'll figure it out," the Doctor said dismissively. "As long as nothing too chaotic happens, you should be fine. To make things interesting, I'll give you a task. Complete it, and not only will the punishment be lifted early, but I'll ensure you're rewarded with a measure of soul energy by tomorrow."
"Soul energy?" Elias echoed, his tone skeptical. "I don't entirely understand."
Dot's tiny hands hovered near her mouth as if holding back a gasp. "Oh, I think I kind of get it now!" she exclaimed, then quickly rubbed her head, wincing. "The shard... it's funneling soul energy through Elias and the others, right? It lets them perceive and manipulate it?"
The Doctor nodded slightly. "Close, Dot's, but not entirely accurate. Soul energy itself doesn't do anything directly. It's like dark matter—everywhere, but invisible and intangible on its own. When I created the shards, it was to harness that energy and change a world. But I was... far too late."
He paused, leaning on his cane as if the weight of his words settled on him. "To put it simply, soul energy acts as a conduit. It enables you to see, interact with, and shape the world in ways that transcend normal limitations. Think of it as stepping out of a kiddie pool and diving into the ocean, realizing just how vast and deep everything truly is."
Elias rubbed the back of his neck, a faint frown on his face. "I... I guess I get what you're trying to say, but I'm still not sure it makes sense. Appreciate the effort, though."
The Doctor's lips curled into a faint smirk, though his eyes remained distant. "Don't worry. It will make sense when it matters."
As the Doctor began to snap his fingers, his form shimmering and folding back into the crystal, Elias blurted out, "Wait! Can I at least ask a question?"
"You may," the Doctor replied faintly as his form started to vanish into the shard's glow.
"Why is my perception so low… what do I have to do to raise it?"
The Doctor's expression didn't change as his voice softened. "I would guess it's because you're too slow to act in situations, which pushes you to rely on instincts—a gamble by nature. I imagine you're still alive because your instinct score is so high."