Traveller

The moment he realized that he was safe all the tension and adrenaline left him. The pain it had been keeping at bay was more than happy to fill the void. He shuddered and fell to one knee. The agony was blinding and it came with a speed and ferocity rivaling that of the lightning gorillas.

He had cracked more than 2 ribs from the first impact and shrapnel was still lodged in his back from the first battle. His skin was bruised all over and he was bleeding from all over his body ear included. He sincerely hoped that there wasn't a monster out there that could sniff him out through blood.

Fat chance of that though.

There was a little disinfectant and some antibiotics in the basic survivor kit but it was not nearly enough to deal with his issues. Could it even fight the type of bacteria in this place? The fire on his foot was put out but what about the rest of the forest which was up in uproarious flame? Col started to heave in a panic attack. 

What was he going to do about shelter? There was practically nowhere safe-looking in the surroundings! There wasn't even a path. There were only clear animal trails. He was definitely staying far away from those. That was where predators hunted. Not to mention he was bleeding, a walking all-you-can-eat buffet for any predator with a sharp enough nose to partake in. And he was running out of ammo. IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST DAY!!

What about food? These things bled green. GREEN! Was that supposed to be edible? Would he die? And what even was going on he was sent to another world.... From Zimbabwe!!??!? Nah bro nah. He wasn't even in the same hemisphere as Japan! The math just wasn't mathing damnit! None of it made sense.

Before he could continue everything suddenly went still. The wind stopped blowing and even the birds stopped their dreadful screeching. Even the sounds of the water from the nearby waterfall became muted. The pain which was screaming in his body remained just as loud and urgent but it now seemed so far away. Col's mind had never felt clearer.

And it scared him shitless

Col panicked. but his heaving breaths slowed to a calmer state. It was frightening, calming down against your own will. His heart felt confused as if it wanted to speed up even more but was forced to settle down into a resting pace. 

That's when Col felt it. A formless heavy presence settled down upon him. It felt like the world itself was putting him under heavy scrutiny. He felt assured and horrified at the same time. The dichotomy was driving him insane. That's when it happened.

'DING!! Individual Col Tanyaradzwa has passed the First Trial. Attributes confirmed. Performance Rank S. First feat Achieved. Granting Boons. Please wait while the system synchronizes with your consciousness.'

Brian's eyes widened. His thoughts sprinted in a whirl of confusion. WTF? A system? Since when? How? What kind of cheat was this? Talk about late to the party he almost died and joined the ancestors he had just insulted!

What was all this talk about feats and boons? And Trial? Was he in a trial zone or something oh please let it be a trial zo-

'It is not. Welcome to Mavambo, the world of beginnings. We are the spirit of this world. This may be the last time one as lowly as you may experience Our benevolence. You have been cast out from whence you came. Your arrival here is of interest to Us for it is not often that We are found, even less so by those who do not wish to do so.'

Col was now seriously freaked out. This thing could read his mind?!! These messages were being both written out and spoken to him. A window floated in the air like some sort of game's messagebox.

It was surreal and exactly like he imagined a system window to look like when he read about them. It was translucent and glowed a warm light green. The letters were archaic runes that Col, for the life of him, couldn't understand how he read them.

It wasn't just the letters though. Even the words he heard were in a powerful sounding ancient and arcane language. It was like a string of tongue twisters not meant for the human tongue yet felt so regal and royal. Some of the sounds were like the chirping of birds and the clapping of thunder.

Yeah, that was almost certainly not a language designed to be uttered by the human tongue. Just trying to recall a single word left Col with a splitting headache and a nosebleed. He heard the world chuckle when he tried.

The world chuckled!!

This was so crazy to Col. And it wasn't just his eyes communicating with the transparent glowing light green screen either. It felt as if each and every one of his senses was in communion with this world spirit. 

Tasting words wasn't as unpleasant as he thought it'd be.

The voice sounded androgynous, male and female at the same time and yet not. It sounded like a choir speaking yet it was like a single person's gentle whisper. Just communicating almost sent Col to the brink of insanity. This was a powerful entity. More powerful than the one which sent him here for sure. So maybe it could send him back.

He opened his mouth and before he could even ask he was answered.

'We can. But We won't. There are reasons beyond you why We can't. You are nowhere strong enough to interfere with those matters. If not for the special state of synchronization with the system of this world We could hardly communicate with you without you going insane. Get stronger. We have left your boons in the hands of the system. As an otherworlder you will need them. Alien though you may be you are our child nonetheless. For in this universe all stem from us, and all are our children.'

The powerful entity sighed, its sorrow carrying the weight of, well, the world'We pity you. For you have come to Us when times of turbulence and the destruction of this world and the universe as we know it is nigh at hand. Hard battles are ahead of us all but it never should have reached you. The Beginning is the frontline.'

The oddly talkative world spirit continued. 'You should have been shielded inside infinity. We are sorry but you shall have to partake in this matter as well, child. If you survive what those fools call 'the outlands'. ' Mavambo chuckled again, this time in what seemed to be anticipation.

Col's thoughts were messed up. Come again? What is that supposed to mean? And Mavambo? That sounded suspiciously Shona. And the spirit of the world was apparently not the system? Wtf?

'It seems like our time is at an end young traveler. This will all make sense when you are stronger' the spirit chuckled its chuckle was like the rustle of leaves. It rang like a brook bubbling. The sound of the world's mirth was entrancing, like an enchantment it made you want to laugh along.

It was maddening to talk to this entity. It's right, Col thought. If this was what it was like while being protected by the system synchronization thinga majig what about when he was exposed?

'We sound like all parents now do We not? But it is for the best that you not think of matters pertaining to Me or returning to your home for now. Even the thought of such things may bring Their attention upon you. Let none know of your nature as one touched by the dimensions. Till we meet again young Traveller. Stay safe.'

The presence that had seemed to suffocate the area around him receded. The world was suddenly so much more lively and the world returned to normal. Everything was louder, more vivid and it seemed as if a formless pulse was radiating from everywhere. Even the trees seemed to grow. A different sort of pressure was accumulating in the area but Col was too weak and distracted to notice.

Col was dumbfounded… What this being was requesting of him was absurd. Do not think… about the fact that the world is ending? What the hell? And he wasn't supposed to think about his homeland? That also means no obvious affiliations to his home. So no kingdom-building cheats that would be characteristic of Earth. Great. One less cheat for him. At least he had a system. Speaking of systems….

'Ding synchronization complete. The system will take on the most ideal for to individual Col Tanyaradzwa. Please wait while the window is generated.'

Col was excited. All of these events had almost made him forget the pain he was in. Col was out of this world with joy. He was finally going to receive his system. He was finally going to have a chance in this world!