Book 1: Chapter 9: Introspection

Book 1: Chapter 9: Introspection

Prophecy is a rare gift granted to only a select few by the River God. The ability to see the future by classical definition means that the temporal is a straight and defined path. Knowing the future if even for an instant would mean that all destiny is set and shackled. However the flow of time is not straight and predestined, instead, it is curved like a river around islands of primordial chaos and Entropy that stain the very fabric of our existence. The unique gift for those with oracular sight is that they are able to see most, but not all, possible threads of the future and through their own agency eliminate unwanted paths to serve the temple of the God of the Wend and Way.This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

- On the Prophecy of the Gods by Gideon de Salavia 376 A.C

The next day I was jolted awake by shouting. A tray of food was slid into my cell by one of the guards. My stomach rumbled as I picked up my meal. On the tray was a crudely carved wooden bowl filled with some sort of thick gruel. I hesitantly tasted the liquid, uneasy at the meaty chunks within. The flavor was bland with the texture of chewed salty cardboard, but I still hungrily slurped down this rough repast. My first ‘civilized’ meal in this new world, I thought miserably to myself.

The meal did wonders for my mental condition. For better or worse, I had encountered civilization. According to my Identify spell, the inhabitants were at least human. Being fed must surely mean that I wouldn’t be killed, at least not so soon.

Despite my recent dire ‘cultural exchange’ with the locals, I was for some bizarre reason cautiously optimistic. I felt, no hoped, that with that there was at least a little room to maneuver and improve my fate. This was a very different situation from killing murderous amphibious fish. Yet humans could be every bit as cruel as monsters. I remembered yesterday’s savage beating and swore vengeance against the men who had found me.

I now had a chance to review my situation and to take a little stock. The previous day was just an unskippable story event, I rationalized to myself. My rest had refilled my Health to just a little under my maximum, and my Mana and Stamina were full. I noticed that likely due to the beatings and forced march, I had gained a point of Constitution.

Throughout the day I continued much in the same way. I trained both my mind and my body in the cell, thankful for the security of its walls. During my training, I gained a single point each in Constitution and Strength. Every time a small voice urged me to lie down and take a rest, I thought of Bogurchu and the scarred man. Remembering the touch of his fingers across my face brought a shiver of revulsion, and I redoubled my efforts. My body was becoming stronger, my limbs felt more powerful, my movements more graceful, and my breathing a little more even when I pushed myself to the fullest.

However, the most startling change of all was in my Intelligence. As the attribute grew, I found that I could recollect things more clearly, and concepts that I was taught but did not fully understand came easier to me. Slowly, as my burgeoning intellect grew, I was able to recall a greater depth of obscure facts I already knew but thought forgotten. This in turn allowed me to increase my Intelligence attribute again, which propelled even more clarity of thought.

Breathing deeply, I settled myself. If Intelligence was learning, knowledge, and retention, then Wisdom must surely be the correct application of Intelligence. With my new intellect, I drew up in my mind Aesop, Plato, Socrates, and the other great classical thinkers. I thought deeply on the implications of morality and man’s place in the universe, situating the arguments of these great thinkers. As the day turned to dusk I was rewarded for my efforts with a notification that I had gained a point in Wisdom.

Opening my eyes, I noticed that sometime during my meditations a new tray of food had been delivered. Checking the contents, I saw what looked like the sorry remains of a root vegetable placed in with my gruel. I had to take sustenance wherever I could find it, and I promptly devoured my meal, leaving the tray by the entrance to my cell. It would do me no favors to antagonize my jailers by making their job difficult.

The idea of planning some sort of daring escape at this stage struck me as similarly foolhardy. My encounter with Borgurchu and his men had left an indelible mark of fear on me. I made excuses to myself, doubting that I would last long on my own in this high-level zone. I decided to play it safe and wait for the next story event on this quest arc. I needed to improve myself and get stronger.

I continued my mental training well into the night, this world's pale moon lighting my cell with an argentine blue. Before sleep took me, I remembered that today was probably my ex-girlfriend’s birthday and I wished her the very best wherever she was. What if time flowed differently in this world to my old one? For all I knew, the days were longer here and it was getting steadily harder to keep track of the time. I was wise enough now to know that it was neither of our fault that things had ended the way they had.

Life and circumstance could make monsters out of anybody.