Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Ethereal Wisp
Chapter 2: The Ethereal Wisp
Andrew O'Kelley
andrewokelley.com
I woke up shivering, laying sprawled out on the wet and muddy ground. As flakes of snow fell in short-lived flurries from a grey sky. Small bits of ice landed on my body before melting as trails of frosty mist were exhaled out of my mouth from the cold with every breath.
Everywhere my body ached. My bones groaned and popped as I lifted myself off of the ground. While I'd been passed out my body reacted to the elements by breaking out in goose flesh. I kept shivering as I hugged myself for warmth. My skin had gone pale, giving my skin an unhealthy bruised looked. Why wouldn't it? After all, screen t-shirts and jeans don't offer much protection when it comes to warmth.
A bright gold light started strobing above my head. It blinded me for a second until I raised a hand to partially shield my eyes so I could look. What I saw amazed me. Above my head floating in the wind was an otherworldly glowing orb that seemed more like compressed energy than gas.
The ethereal orb stopped and lingered above me as it floated in circles as it examined me. Eventually, the orb descended and stopped moving mere inches from my face. I should have been scared but I wasn't, it was calming. I couldn't help but look back at it, admiring the swirl of smokey white, black, and gold energy.
Recklessly I reached out to grab at the orb, but rather than retreat away from me, the orb responded by basking me in a positive area of radiant gold. Whatever fear and unease I'd been feeling and carrying on me were gone immediately, that is until a burst of light erupted out of the orb and grabbed at my hand pulling it and me by extension into the orb.
The feeling of panic was immediate, I was absolutely positive I was about to die, killed by whatever strange and magical creature this was. I pulled and I struggled, but rather than an end, it was just the beginning as the orb synched up with me, joining with me in some kind of symbiotic relationship. It started to pulse with light as it began to project its thoughts into me.
My name is Fel, a Sol guide and an ethereal wisp. I've been assigned to you, Christopher Settlemire. You who made the wish for adventure and gazed upon a shooting star in envy. This will not be an easy journey for you and the others like you, but I will do as I can to help you survive.
!Alert!
You have been granted a Sol, an ethereal Wisp to grant you access to the system.
Information will be processed by the guide in a way that is determined easiest for you to understand.
!!Reviewing!!
Please stand by
!!Reviewing!!
**Conclusion**
A game type system has been selected
!!Rebooting!!
I passed out though I don't think it was for very long. When I woke up, aside from the trickle of blood coming out of my nose and maybe from my ears and the terrible searing pain in my head that quickly passed, I didn't feel that different. That is until I saw the wisp named Fel, my Sol, appeared to be above my head centered and attached to me by invisible threads.
"Where even am I? I'm looking around and all I see are trees as far as I can see. No people, no buildings, no food. I'm all alone here. What am I even doing here?" I asked feeling a need for answers. The only explanation I could come up with was a vague memory of an endless fall through a crimson portal and a dark tunnel that seemed to last forever. A dark abyss that had been opened up in the middle of my apartment and the dark figure at the foot of my bed that had basically pushed me into it. That must have been why I was feeling off, my gut was warning me about a monster.
Something had come for me and taken me away to wherever this was. I just knew it wasn't home, I had no intention of denying the impossible nature of the world around me. Life had taught me I didn't have the luxury of looking the other way and pretending otherwise. Besides, I couldn't if I wanted to, I'll freeze if I don't get out of this cold."
"Let me think," I muttered to myself as I tried to pull up memories that might help me figure out what my next step could be, but beyond those final moments in my apartment, I didn't actually have any memories. Not a single one. Before getting off the bus I didn't remember anything. Whatever past I had left behind, it was behind my reach. Those memories seemed to linger, disappearing as soon as I reached out to try and grab at them.
"Ok Fel, you there? You told me you'd help me get through this right? What should I do?" I asked, looking up at the wisp hoping it had the answers for me.
Yes, I told you I've been assigned to you, though sifting through your memories it appears that being all alone is something you've grown used to. You'll need to overcome your hesitation to work or depend on others. What is to come is difficult to survive alone.
That the wisp was going through my memories was kind of weird to me, but I couldn't quite figure out why. Or rather, I couldn't think about it, like there was a mental block on my brain. My teeth started chattering a good reminder that I still needed to find shelter and some kind of warmth
!Alert!
Your memories are currently being used by the Sol guide Fel. These memories allow the Sol to transcribe information and communicate with you.
"Alright, Fel, so looks like we're a team you and I? Ok, that's fine, but what do we do next? It's always been just me, are you my fairy sidekick who feeds me exposition?" It was a fair question, I felt like I had a right to know.
Negative. The wisp responded as the orb turned a darker shade to match the tone. I do not exist just for exposition and explanation. I am a wisp. It is my nature to help you lead others to their doom, and my responsibility to interpret and guide you during the game.
"Ok, fair enough," I responded with a nod. Unraveling what a Sol guide could do was a project for another time, there was just too much going on, and this wasn't the right time to try and figure out any of it. "Will I get my memories back? I asked the Wisp, but Fel ignored the question, something I took notice of.
A suspicion struck me, "What is it that your hiding?" The answer seemed like it should have been easy enough for me to recall and easy enough for the Wisp to answer, but every time I reached out to grab at the memories, ever time I thought I managed to start to recall something it faded immediately from my mind. The gaps in my memories seemed to expand exponentially by the second. Well at least I can remember my name, that's got to count for something right?" The only thing that I recalled that remained steady was the memory of the smell of mom's apple pie, but try as I might. I couldn't remember much more if anything about her.
Steadying my thoughts, I dismissed the worry from my mind and took a moment to around as I tried to get a better layout of the land and get my bearings. It was I technique I know, but I had no idea how I knew it. Just a matter of problem-solving using a by the numbers approach to walk myself through obstacles and figure out how to get past them.
"Ok Chris, you’re cold and the weather doesn’t look like it's going to get any better. You need to find a bit of shelter and try to warm up before you freeze to death. These trees are so dense they block out the sunlight in way too many spots which makes everything colder and harder to see. I can hardly see anything, much less where I need to go."
The answer is simple Chris, you follow the road whose mud and dirt you've been carrying on you. Chided the wisp as it pointed out the path I hadn't seen.
Embarrassed and with a spot grim determination, I started on down the road making sure as I did to dust off the very dirt the wisp had referenced. Within seconds I almost passed out from an intense feeling of vertigo that struck me. Something is very wrong about this place But the sensation passed quickly. As soon as it did, I started walking down the dirt path. Doing my best to ignore the way the leaves and the other rubbish from the road had somehow found a way to keep working itself into my clothes. It was something that irritated me more than the damp from the snow.
It was pretty obvious to me at that point that the only clue that seemed like it would provide any sort of answer to any of the questions on my mind would be found down where this dirt road would lead me. It was pretty simple, so I walked down the road, holding myself as I shivered. When I looked behind to see where I'd been it was then I realized the road had only ever been one, as if I had intentionally arrived at some kind of drop off point. I guess I'm going the right way then.
That is correct. Commented the wisp Fel. This is the way through the Dark Forest to Castle Bran, all starting points lead there. Remember as we go forward to pay attention to your alerts. They are not always as innocuous as they might seem.
!Alert!
I Settlemire - Level - 1
Status Conditions Discovered
-COLD-
You have discovered the status of cold. Currently, you are at 61 of 100. If your cold status should reach 100 you will automatically die.
-THIRST-
You have discovered the status of thirst. You are currently at a thirst status of 41 of 100, if your thirst reaches 100, you will automatically die.
-HUNGER-
You have discovered the status of hunger. You are currently at a hunger status of 53 of 100, if your hunger reaches 100, you will automatically die.
The information soon faded, and though I wasn't sure about how the information process worked, I didn't doubt the alerts the wisp was sending my way. I could already feel my tongue was starting to feel a bit dry and parched. I really had no other options but to keep walking down the path.
Seemingly without end, I followed the road through the Dark Forest, and soon, I was looking forward towards this monstrous-looking Castle. Not in terms of size, but in terms of appearances. It was something taken straight out of every dark fantasy I'd ever played.
As soon as I saw that Castle, I felt as if I had been drawn there. A sensation of surety hit me as if somebody or something was leading me there. Something besides my Sol guide. It was an attraction towards whatever dreadful presence belonged to whatever monster called that castle home. “I’ve got a bad feeling about that place,” I muttered to no one but myself and the wisp.
But I don’t have any other choice, I’ll freeze to death if I stay out here or die of thirst. With a weary sigh, and tired already as the cold bit into my skin, I shrugged off the bits of snow that had culminated on my shoulders and threw away the cautious fear that held him back and mentally made the decision to head towards the castle and enter it.
You'll die soon if you don't, that's correct. Agreed Fel in a matter of fact tone.
When I was much closer to the Castle, close enough to see some of the intricate carvings on the castle walls in places not covered by ivy, I began to feel a faint sensation of someone else’s approval, and while the sensation was intrusive and cause for alarm. It did nothing to dissuade me from the course of action I was on. The sense of approval reinforcing my belief that heading towards the Castle was the right decision.
The overcast grey sky and the falling snow quickly disappeared as I walked. Through the thin cloud cover, the sun seemed to be moving at a peculiar, unfamiliar, and fast pace. Impossibly fast. A sense of urgency hit me, I had this sixth sense that time was of the essence and I was squandering it.
!Alert!
You must enter the Castle Courtyard before the gate of entry is sealed or you will be disqualified from the games and automatically killed.
For a moment, the announcement stunned me, but it was only a moment. I was able to calm myself saying over and over. “Don’t worry, we can get through this, we can get through this.” But whatever this was, I had no idea, the only real indicator I had was my Sol guide, and so far the wisp had been remarkably short on answers.
Ignoring the Sol guide for now, I started running towards the main gate of the Castle as soon as it came into view. The walls of the Castle were overgrown with green ivy and greener moss from the dank. The stone battlements were devoid of life and were adorned with jagged outward-facing spikes and monstrous-looking statues, but even as I looked, I refused to get distracted. Choosing to remain focused on what I needed to do, which was arrive,
I was quite thankful for that laser-like focus, because the main gate started to slowly descend, and had I lingered there would have been no hope I would have ever made it before those gates gradually sealing the inner castle grounds. The same six sense that told me that if I had any chance of getting home, and getting my memories back, any chance I had to make it out of this alive was entirely dependent on getting through that gate.
With a growl, I forced my legs to move faster, ignoring the burn, ignoring the ache in my lungs. Ignoring all of it, just focused on one stride at a time as the adrenaline flooded my body, helping me to achieve super human-like speed, even if it was just for a moment. The ethereal wisp remained synced up with me the entire time as it started to glow intensively as it prepared to process the upgrade I was receiving.
!Alert!
Ability Unlocked – Adrenal Response – Twice daily, the user may activate Adrenal Response. This Ability allows the user to push past their physical limits, doubling strength, endurance, and agility for a 60 second period.
Instruction – Adrenal Response is activated by verbal command. The activating command is any use of the word series “Adrenaline Rush.”
I guess that’s a start, I thought to myself as I shoved my fear deep down within myself and dived under the Castle Gates with seconds to spare, just before heavy gates sealed the Castle off completely. On the other side, before I could even move to pick myself up and head towards the Castle, I was met by another set of words.
Try not to die here human. This is only the start.
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Now Beginning Tutorial
The System Is Initiating
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone