Chapter Six 

Dreams

A chuckle tries to slip its way out, as the absurdity is just too far out there. My mind is a complete blank. I have no idea where I am, how I got here, and most of all who I am.

“Now I have that- thing to deal with?”

My voice resounds attracting the creature’s attention, its glare hyper-focused in my direction. My hands grip the dried, red grovel, digging the sharpened splints under my chewed, ripped up nails. In just a blink, the creature’s nose inches away from my face. Its legs planted in place.

It could bite my head off any time it wished!

The thought echoed within, as I held my breath steady, releasing the grovel I shifted myself ever so gently. I carefully brought my hand to my lap.

“It’s okay” I mutter softly.

“SHREEEEE- “

Unwavering to its howl, I continue guiding my hand. The creature’s beak slightly creaks open, as I rest my hand upon its nose.

“See Buddy, it’s okay” my tone almost squished, I tilt my gaze to see into his eyes.

“Woah” my words slip “how pretty.”

“Shreee- “

The creature’s screams have mellowed, while I stroke his nose ever so softly.

“Oh, you’re such a good boy aren’t you” my voice pinches, resulting in his wings to fan out “Woah.”

I lean back, while the creature shifts about, laying its body comfortably, leaning its head down upon the ground in front of me, gazing towards me.

“Heh- “I slip “I guess I can’t call you creature all the time” my thoughts aloud “hmm” I stare, petting between his eyes.

“Buddy” I state confidently “don’t ask me what it means because I don’t know” I shrug while shaking my head side to side “So what do you thin- “

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[You have Leveled Up]

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[You have Leveled Up]

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Lev-]

[You have Lev-]

[You have Lev-]

[You have-]

The deep, robotic voice springs before my eye. Like Buddy and like most of this place, the see through windows, are smokish- black with golden lettering.

Poking my finger through the screen, my hand just falls right through.

“Um what is level up?” I ponder looking toward Buddy.

Skimming through the screen I discover I must think of what to view, and it opens to more options.

[View Status]

[Main Quest]

[Daily Quest]

{Events]

“I guess [View Status] then” the window flickers, before opening a more detailed screen.

[Name Unknown]

[Species Unknown]

[Realm Unknown]

[Age Unknown]

[Level 42]

[Accomplishments 7]

[Titles 2]

[Stats]

“What? Most of this tells me what I already know” I sigh scanning the screen “Which is nothing” I take a moment to think when I take note.

“Seven [Accomplishment]s?” The window flickers showing me a list.

[Tame A Dragon at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 100 at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 200 at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 300 at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 400 at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 500 at Level 1]

[Tame A Monster Over 1000 at Level 1]

A gaped to see the numbers on these accomplishments, I slowly close my mouth as I further dig into the screen.

“[Title]” my thoughts control the screen as the window changes once more.

[Player From Earth]

[Dragon Tamer]

“Earth” I mutter “It says I’m from a place called Earth” I glance about.

The skies are ash filled, the grounds littered with dried, red stained grovel paired with the rotting, half eaten corpses to monsters I have never seen the likes of before.

“at least none that I can remember” I gesture stroking over Buddy’s scales. “So, I guess you are a dragon?” I speak aloud as my eyes begin to droop “what even-is a-dragon” my words merge as my eyes drift to a close.

“KIIIIIKKIIKKKKKIIII- “

“SHREEEEEEEEE- “

Awaking to the shrieking, I jolt to see creatures on two legs, with deep violet glares, with bodies mate black, also dripping rotting flesh. The creature on two legs, there seems to be dozens of them, all of which are attacking Buddy.

“BUDDY!” I scream out of instinct, but none of the creatures take notice of me. “What do I do” my thoughts running a mile a minute.

“I cannot leave him, but- can I even fight those things?”

“Think!” I shout as my eyes shift about “Bingo” I take to a sprint dodging the creatures one by one. Leaping over the fallen corpses and sliding on the grovel. Reaching my destination, I grip a sharp stick the was pierced through a fallen body, giving one heavy YANK “SHRING” the sharp stick points to the skies for a moment, before smashing to the ground

“Okay that’s heavier than I thought” I state struggling to lift the stick.

With a big deep breath in, I exhale as I swing to the left, slashing clean through two monsters. The liquid, with its rank smell as I am showered in it.

“Blood?” I muttered “But its black?” puzzled, I wipe my face the best I can “Alright, leave my Buddy alone you slimy- up- “

The stick was stuck once more, but this time I knew what to do. As if on repeat, I take a deep breath in, then exhale, yanking the stick to the right, slashing thoroughly through another.

[You have Leveled Up]

[Skill Acquired]

After a few more, I was practically breezing through the horde of monsters, halfway to Buddy. However, a thought echoed through my mind out of nowhere.

Do not get too cocky!

Just then, a sharp, cold, piercing sensation went straight through me. My mouth pools with a metallic taste, one I remember but I do not at the same time. Glimpsing down, a sharp, cold stick like the one I have b6een swinging about recklessly props me up. I realize, my feet lifted far off the ground.

My gaze, shifting my head to look behind. A creature that looks like the monsters I have been slashing, however close but smaller than Buddy’s height, a monster such as this pierced through me.

[Improbable Achievement Accomplished]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[Skill Acquired]

[You have Leveled Up]

Just my luck, right?

My thoughts taunt as my vision blurs- the chaos below bellows as I can feel myself sheering through the winds.

“Buddy, it was fun” I mutter softly, falling toward the groveled grounds.

“SHREE- GRAAAARRR- “the thundering roar strike the monsters to quake where they stand before bolting for all escapes. With a flap of his wings, a multitude of monsters went flying.

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have Lev-]

[You have Lev-]

[Event Completed]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You Have Yet to Do Daily Quest]

[Negative Outcome May Take Effect If Not Completed]

The relentless automated voice’s non-stop chatter startles me to jolt up.

“I- I’m alive?” I pat myself down, finding the big gaping hole that was in the middle of my body didn’t so much as leave a scratch “How” my mind perplexed as I glance around “That horde of monsters” I look at the monsters that were there prior, and the monsters were new “That must happen a lot” I murmur as I look at the sleeping Buddy, that was letting me lay on him. “I don’t understand” I frown, leaning against his cold scales “how am I still alive?”

I must get stronger.

My thoughts spring, leading me to look about. “There it is” I pick up the sharp stick I swung around “Let me see.”

[Sword Equipped]

[Sword Level 4]

[Durability 80/4000]

“Woah” Taking a look at the information “this sword thing has seen better days” I sigh “I need a better weapon, but this should do for the time being.”

Pondering on the situation, the questions I have keep piling up.

Who am I? Where am I? How did I get here? How long have I been here?

“The skies have not changed even the slightest” I mutter aloud “seriously what is this place?”

[Daily Quest Failed]

“Huh!”

[Negative Outcome May Take Effect]

“What do you mean negative outcome!” I shout “and it may take effect? What does that mean”?

[It may or may not take effect]

“HUH! It answers”

[Depends on your luck stat]

“Luck [Stat]?”

[Health 4998/5700]

[Stamina 24]

[Strength 25]

[Agility 14]

[Intelligence 16]

[Luck 36]

[Stats 57]

“Alright I don’t get it? is 36 good or bad?” I mutter aloud “well then let’s move on for now.”

[Skill Acquired]

“I got a [Skill]?

[Against All Odds]

[Rank B]

[Mana Consumption 0]

[Type Passive]

[Injuries heal 50% faster in stressful situations]

[Fatal Injuries heal 75% faster when an ally is nearby]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After dinner, Junior and Sammy make their way to their appointed rooms.

A few hours later, closer to midnight “Ding” Junior’s phone resounds, as he quickly turns the volume down, he checks the alert “are you kidding me Sammy” he mutters looking towards the door.

Junior violently taps into the keyboard. “What do you want?”

“What is she thinking now.” The unfazed Sammy questions “you are the only one that can hear her right now.” She shares an excuse.

“Ugh, why couldn’t she have this talent” Junior frustratedly sends out a text.

“this is the last time today” he taps the up arrow “you know the more I use it the more aggressive my migraine gets” he vents “it could get so bad I have a nosebleed or worse cough up blood, do you want that” he sighs sending out the last of the three texts.

“Yea, yea” a text comes in moments later “I’ll nurse you back to health if that happens” she offers half-heartedly.

"No. Thank. You." he types "you suck at nursing people" he states bluntly just before listening in on Lily.