Thank you, also Untitled - Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Hey all. So we hit 1'000 of you people giving me money. Fucking nuts. It really is. A bit overwhelming and I definitely feel the pressure :D. I will try to just focus on writing itself but this has grown into something man.

Thank you, really thank you. For reading, following, commenting and of course for spending some of your hard earned cash on me. You make it possible that I can do this full time, something most writers can only dream about.

I'll try to keep this short but having written nearly 1 million words already I think it's not my strong suit.

More chapters would be the best idea as a reward of course but last time it kinda fucked my schedule. Coupled with the Discord that was honestly just coincidence, I guess I can post the first chapter of something else I've been working on. It's been sitting on the wayside for a while so getting feedback on it would be cool.

The people who played the games probably know I'm a huge Sekisoulsborne fan and a lot of the monsters and areas I write about are inspired by the series. I thought of writing something that captures the feeling of arriving and pushing through such a dangerous and unknown place and this is the first chapter. It's primarily fantasy but there are cyberpunk distopian aspects as well.

Chapter 1 Yorkport

Heavy storm clouds pushed past the energy shields of Yorkport, lightning slashing through, into guard towers as well as homes situated near the walls. The flickering orange light coupled with the noise of thunder were a nuisance to be sure but today was different. Logan squinted his eyes at the only window in his tiny apartment as a smile bloomed on his face.

“Are you seeing this Smudge? The sun is actually pushing through today.” It was faint but as the storms moved past, shimmers of filtered light made it into his one room home. Smudge whined at the noises below the table, either that or he wanted food, again. At least the barking had stopped after the first month. Still, to train a dog that old was difficult according to the old articles he had found.

He leaned down and petted the dog, the small animal continuing to whine. “Yes, it’s alright little one.” A sigh left him as he finished the bowl of porridge. The nicest cheap meal he could manage. This week he even allowed himself some sweetener. “Did you know that a thousand years ago everything had sugar in it? Real sugar.” He lifted the dog up to his lap and grabbed his paw. “Real sugar, Smudge.”

The dog didn’t understand of course. A miracle that such a creature had even survived on its own in Yorkport. The little long haired Dachshund had eaten already, Logan usually not having an appetite for half an hour after getting up. He continued stroking the gray fur as his face turned serious. Status. He thought, hoping that today it would finally be gone.

Status:

Essence: 0

Level: 10

Vitality: 15
Endurance: 5
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 5
Intelligence: 5
Wisdom: 5

Skills:

-

“You’re a good dog, aren’t you.” Logan murmured in a sad tone, the little dog whining again as he tried moving out of his grasp. Setting him down, Smudge walked off before jumping on his mattress. The dog scratched the surface as if to dig into it before settling down. Big black eyes looked at him as he settled his chin on his hands, watching his little friend with a smile. Maybe it’s not all fucky.

He knew the thought was fantasy. One day they would find out, come for him and have him dissected. Logan just hoped Smudge would be fine. Yen will take care of him. I’m sure. He chuckled at the thought of her predicting his doom through her wacky cards. Either way, he didn’t have the money to pay for her services, not that he believed in it in the first place.

He had an afternoon shift today, allowing him to sleep in. Logan wasn’t sure what was better. At least he could stay with Smudge longer this way. Getting up, he moved the plate to the decontaminator, a yellow laser clearing the bowl of anything he hadn’t managed to get out with his spoon. Opening the fridge, he took out one of the three water rations he had. The man squeezed a third of it into his mouth, gulping it down quickly before he put it back. Most of his income these days went into the basics, despite all the available toys and services Yorkport provided. He knew that he wasn’t alone in that, a less than comforting thought.

Lifting his hand, he aimed it at the fridge and concentrated. Nothing happened. At least there’s no chance of accidentally killing someone. “Smudge come on, we’re going for a walk.” The dog simply laid there, eyes focused on him as he remained unmoving. “You stubborn ass.” He said with a small smile, grabbing the leash.

“Come on, stop whining. You like her.” Logan said as they waited in front of his neighbor’s door, the dog with his tongue hanging out.

The smell of peculiar incenses hit him when the metal door was opened a crack, the sound of the radio muffled in the back. Yen glanced out and smiled, opening the door wide before crouching down and welcoming the Dachshund. “Little one… hello… hellooo.” She pet the dog and looked up, “Tired?”

“Yes.” Logan said a moment later, “Even after sleeping for ten hours…,” He laughed awkwardly.

“I meant the dog.” Yen said with a kind smile.

A gulp, “Yes… I mean yea, we went for a walk. You know he’s old.”

She just kindly pet the ball of fur, “He is… look Logan, I need to head out at eight, are you back by then? Otherwise she can stay here until after I’m back.”

“No. It’s fine. My shift is only until six. I can be back by seven.” He replied and crouched down to pet Smudge, “I’ll be back by seven, did you hear that?”

Standing up again, he coughed, “Yen. Are you sure this is alright?” The woman touched his shoulder, gently not to startle him. Her hair was black, smooth quite unlike the hair on on his dog, her eyes the same color.

“I told you before Logan. I’m happy to have some company that isn’t here for the future but instead likes to simply be.” She replied with a smile. “You’re welcome to join me for tea sometime.”

An invitation he heard before, replying in the same way he always did. “Thank you but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She nodded, neither prying nor pushing further. A reason why he liked her he supposed, next to her willingness to look after Smudge while he was working. “Bye.” He simply said, looking at the dog that had already forgotten about him.

“Have fun at work.” Yen said and closed the door again.

You too. He cringed at the answer that was on his lips. You’re twenty five Logan, get your act together. She wasn’t even his age and while charming he didn’t get the choked up feeling that he sometimes got when a beautiful woman walked by. Maybe that’s exactly why you like her. He concentrated on something else, looking up to see the flickering light in the hallway. The third one from the stairwell. Still flickering. It had flickered when he had arrived in Yorkport and got this place and it would likely still flicker when he was long dead.

Logan reminded himself to think about something positive. A life tip coming from an acquaintance at work. Looking at the sun was one thing, the man stepping out of the apartment block as he stared at the flickering light shimmering behind the barrier. The barrier that prevented the deadly light to burn him alive. Positive. He walked the first part of his commute, soon joining a queue of people waiting for the tube. Four were filled before he stepped inside the fifth, only ten people per tube allowed. The entrance closed and he was left with the unsettling feeling of being stuck in a closed container.

The only solace was the fact that he wouldn’t have to stay for very long. He felt his heart rate accelerate, closing his eyes and thinking of Smudge, the sun, open spaces. Accidents weren’t common but they happened. Please arrive safely. Four seconds later the doors opened again, everyone stepping out as he concentrated on his breathing. Not a pleasant experience but an improvement to death, or not having a job at all. He noted that the man next to him gulped. Not the only one who hates those things.

The factory was busy today, hundreds of people working as the conveyor belt delivered an unending supply of parts. Molten steel, old electronics, ancient pieces of technology found in the desert or in orbit. Logan checked the masks near the entrance, taking one he deemed acceptable. Fine metal dust as well as toxic gasses would be the end of him, as well as many working here but plastic was less expensive than actual filter masks. It wouldn’t be as depressing if he didn’t know about portable decontaminators that would deal with most of the toxins in this place.

Of course it was too dangerous to allow something like that, not that any company he knew of even tried. Finding his designated spot, he sat down, chunks of steel with intertwined wires and what looked like glass was put on his workspace by a machine arm wielding a magnet. He waited until the arm was gone, not about to become another accident. Putting on his goggles, he started to work. Tongs prying away at the piece and distributing parts into the designated containers before he started cutting into it with his laser blade.

“Hey there Logan.” His finger slammed the off button on his blade as he nearly slipped, sitting back with a sigh.

“Jerry I told you not to interrupt me. It’s dangerous.”

The man waved him off, sitting down next to him, “You never stop once you start. Hey, can you comment on some of the things you do again? I can cover lunch again.” The man smiled brightly.

“Sure. You know there are training videos available for all employees.” Logan said as he turned the blade back on, cutting away some reinforced steel. He smiled as he recognized the silver sheen of cobalt in between.

The man started working too, turning around the clump of metal he got before he started cutting. “You know, your tips have been more helpful than any of those.”

Carefully separating the cobalt, Logan used pincers to remove the small sections of gold lined within the piece. It came from a satellite, that much was sure. “Stop what you’re doing Jerry.” He said and looked over. “Cut away the loose wires first then burn away the coloring. You have a pre cut section, would be a shame if you messed that up.” And would probably cost your job.

The man gulped and nodded, following his instructions. He listened, that much was good. Focused on his work, the day quickly passed, whatever had been left of the sun was hidden behind clouds when he stepped out of the factory. Ridiculous. He had the privilege of working on an old war machine, Jerry thinking it the most interesting thing that had landed on their tables in the past week. Same chunk of steel as always. Logan cared more about pulling apart the drones and satellites still hovering above the atmosphere, or what was left of it. Smudge, have I a day to tell you about. He smiled, stepping into the small tube that would bring him to his distant home.

Blinking, a white tree. White leaves surrounded by yellow, brown and red. Logan looked at his hands. Childlike hands, tiny compared to his real ones. He wasn’t in a state to be bothered by such details. The ground was soft. Grass perhaps? He wasn’t sure. His eyes wouldn’t look down as he stood up. It looked like a tiny forest, several trees looming over him but the white one was the most prominent.

He had messed up, had touched something he shouldn’t. Mother would be angry, that much was sure. Yet still he stepped forward, his hands touching the bark of the white tree as he felt his very core warming up. The winds rustled through the leaves, some falling to the floor, adding to the colorful carpet. A railing made with stone and steel fenced in the trees and as he turned, an enormous doorway towered over him. A castle? The thought felt like an echo.

It looked like a castle, from the books and games he was sometimes allowed to read and play. Up and up it reached, complicated designs looking fancy without adding any usefulness. White and gray stone as far as the eye could see, towers and walls, windows reflecting the warm sunlight. The air was fresh, a scent unknown to him coming from the trees as he felt the grass and leaves gently brush his feet.

Logan couldn’t stop his curiosity, stepping slowly towards the open doors, wooden too just like the trees. The opening mechanism was made of steel, rusty and bent. He touched the metal and felt its roughness on his hands, a familiar feeling. The hallway he stepped into was dim, lit by shining crystals hanging from the stone ceiling, small paintings adding to the scene as the light danced over them.

He stood there for a moment, seeing the colors and lights as he smiled and walked towards the distant door. There were others but they were closed, the one to his left was slightly ajar. Logan carefully pushed it open, the heavy wood moving as the old hinges groaned. Another hallway. Skipping towards a closed door in the new hallway, he checked to see if it was open. Warm light was visible from below the door. He opened it, finding it unlocked before he pulled with all his strength.

Flames gently swayed in the hearth situated behind a table made of wood, nearly as high as Logan’s small form. Movement in the corner of the room made him turn his head, a chair in the dark. A figure stood up, the flickering light of the fire reflecting off of steel. Armor? A question that both excited and frightened him. A knight? Yet these weren’t images, he could smell the burning wood, could feel the heat coming from the hearth. He could hear the old rotten and rusted steel grind against each other as the creature moved towards him, the chains connected to a spiked sphere of metal clattering to the floor. The tang of old blood drew closer as he stepped back, hitting his head on the door that had closed shut again.

He couldn’t look at the creature’s head, a foul odor mixing in with the rest, his heart pounding fast as he slid to the floor, terror gripping him. Hands covered his face as he shivered, the sound of iron scraping stone coming closer and closer. Suddenly the knight licked his face, Logan waking with a start as he nearly threw Smudge to the side, the dog whining as he moved closer again, licking his arm to reassure him.

Lying back down on the cheap pillow, he pulled the blanked up again, cuddling with the dog as his breathing slowed. Just a dream. Of course it hadn’t been just that. At least he wasn’t sure. Logan remembered that day, remembered playing with something his mother had left in her desk. A puzzle of sorts and when he had solved it, he had seen the trees, had smelled wood for the first time. Even then he had played virtual reality games, had seen movies and read books but he knew it was real. Instead of a dog it had been his mother standing over him, fear and anger flashing in her eyes.

Yet it had been long ago. The memories from the other place marred, the only thing he remembered clearly was the tree. A white tree with white leaves. He had lied then, as he had many times before. Reassuring his mother that he saw nothing when he though of a status, said the word out loud or imagined himself. The older he got, the more he hated it.

Leah wasn’t stupid and after a while she suspected that he had lied. This was different and she had told him as much, explained what she knew and shared how dangerous it was. Many questions had been ignored of course, had led to her lashing out at him. Some however had been answered.

“Thanks, Smudge.” He said and gently touched the dog’s head as he drifted back to sleep.

Logan was distracted that day, his thoughts flashing back to the tree time and time again. The scents were there, as if he could smell them from the tube, from the streets and from the chunks of metal he worked on. It wasn’t until Jerry called out his name for the third time that he turned his head. “Are you alright? You seem distant.”

“I’m fine.” He lied, continuing his work. A loud rumble suddenly went through the building, a storm moving by near the close barrier. Everyone hid under their tables as was standard procedure.

Jerry chuckled from his own hiding spot, “That’s a big one.”

They’re all big. Logan thought, This one is just closer. A bolt of lightning made it through, Logan closing his eyes as he heard it impact some hundred meters away. The roar of thunder followed near instantaneously, muffled through the barrier that managed to stave off the sound but not the close lightning. The storm moved past, the feeling in his stomach would remain for another hour or two. He wasn’t the unfortunate soul to be hiding under the impact today.

Are they getting more frequent? The question merely asked to distract himself as he crawled out from under the table, looking around to see if anybody he knew had been struck. Lightning resistant work tables were neither standard nor a feasible investment. The smell of burnt hair joined the odors of all the different metals in the hall, heated and cut. Even so far away it was overwhelming. Logan gagged, forcing himself to keep his breakfast to himself. He wouldn’t get to eat for another three hours and the ruined mask would be deducted from this week’s pay.

Jerry was back at work already, eyes focused on the blade as he cut and cut, his eyes sometimes moving towards the group of workers taking away a body. What is he doing…, He moved in and grabbed Jerry’s hand, “Stop it!”

The man jerked his way, the buzzing knife scraping against his skin as he yelped. “Wha…,” Logan moved his arm back, covering the red line with his free hand, fear and realization dawning in Jerry’s eyes. “Oh my god… Logan… I’m sorry… I’m sorr…,”

Logan moved his hand to cover his friend’s mouth, “Shut up. Please, just be quiet. I’m ok. It’s ok.” His eyes darted around, head moving around to see if anybody had watched the scene. Most were working again, some still looking towards the man being brought away. It was good that he worked with his sleeves rolled up, the Logan frantically moving to roll them back down. The red line damn near glowed on his pale skin before it was covered by the blue overall’s sleeve. Jerry had calmed down, his eyes wide open still as he gazed at the arm. “Look away, continue working. Please.” The last word was spoken with a near pleading voice.

Logan followed his own advice, focusing on the chunks of metal before him as he felt the knot in his stomach grow and grow. Nobody saw… he’s not going to mention it. “Jerry… can you…,”

The man nodded quickly, pears of sweat visible on his brow, “I’ll keep it to myself.” He said, rather serious. Of course Jerry wouldn’t be the problem, everybody else was. The man however couldn’t stay quiet, poking him a mere minute later, “How did you do that? Did you get your skin worked on or something?”

“Please Jerry… I’ll explain it later, just shut up now.” He whispered in a futile attempt to calm down the excitable man.

Jerry leaned over and whispered loudly, “Your arm should be cut off… the knife was on.”

Calm down, just ignore him. He focused on his work, Jerry trying to initiate conversation another three times in the next hour but ultimately giving up.

It was the longest lunch he ever had, longer even than the one on his first day last year. You’re fine, it’s alright. Nobody saw anything. It had all gone well, for damn near a year he hadn’t slipped up even once. He knew he was paranoid, knew nobody cared about a random factory worker. Yet the lessons of his mother repeated in his mind time and time again. The words of a madwoman. She was crazy. Everything is alright.

And it was. Logan finished his shift and put away the mask. His performance wasn’t quite as good today as usually but still he was above average. They wouldn’t want me gone. As if he was finally freed of a set of invisible claws, the man stepped out into the open and looked around, his gaze suddenly moving down to the ground. Shit… shit, shit, shit. Only a split second he had glanced at the glint of orange. Did he look at me? No… you’re imagining things. He kept walking, focusing on his breathing as he tried not to speed up. Be invisible, don’t let them think…,

“Logan?” A voice resounded behind him, reassuring, calm. “Your name is Logan isn’t it. Can I talk to you for a second?”

He froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried turning, unable to move. “Hey no worries, someone heard about your phenomenal performance in the last month. You have an offer from one of the big five.”

A lie, one well told. He finally managed to turn, his eyes moving up to meet the Peacekeeper. A man in his thirties, wearing a black padded suit made for battle. Necessary for security reasons. A handgun hung from his belt. He smiled, a relaxed posture. Because of the occasion or because I’m no threat? He had no idea. The orange eyes and warm smile didn’t offer anything. His hair was short, black and greasy.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. It’s our standard getup. Mutated beasts breaking through the barriers, criminals lurking around damn near every corner. Drug addicts are the worst. Informing you about the promotion is the best thing I get to do in a week, relax.” He moved closer, casually but quick, shaking his hand with a strong grip. Logan forced himself to smile, seeing nothing else he could do.

The Peacekeeper shook his hand four times but he didn’t let go, slowly moving his other hand before he touched the overall covering his arm, “There was a report. An injury. HR didn’t want to risk employing someone incapable of work.” His sleeve moved up, painfully slow before the red line was exposed. Logan felt naked, nearly shivering as he tried to suppress every emotion, every instinct that screamed for him to run, to rip his arm free and disappear. It was all he could do not to curl up then and there, the Peacekeeper looking down before he moved his sleeve back, letting go of his hand.

The smile didn’t waver, the man clapping his hands together, “Not that bad. I think you’re fine. Maybe a week or two and there’s wont be a mark left. Come on, I’ll bring you to the interview. Unless you aren’t interested?”

No choice. He knew there was nothing he could do. It wasn’t an invitation. Saying no to such a job improvement wouldn’t just be suspicious, it would be downright criminal. Both of them knew as much. Maybe it is just that? He gulped, following the man who had turned around, metal lining his suit on the back, one of his legs entirely replaced. He was tall, taller than even Logan, let alone the muscles that showed where his skin lay exposed. Like metal wire. Perhaps it was metal wire. Logan had done well in his work but he had held himself back, hadn’t performed exceptionally, simply above average.

Did I daydream so often… no. The numbers were released each week and he had never been in the top ten.

“You know, performance reviews aren’t just done weekly. You did some of the best work in an outer factory. Concentration or tiredness can be an issue. I’m sure with improved training, entertainment, substances perhaps, you’ll reach such exceptional peaks more often. The big five are scouting everywhere and snatching you away before another one does is what headhunters are here for.” The man said.

“You’re a headhunter?” Logan asked as the Peacekeeper stepped into a tube, not the one leading back towards Logan’s part of the city.

The man didn’t answer, the doors closed and he kept being silent. The smile on his face remained, a glance revealed. When the doors opened ten seconds later, Logan gulped. They were inside a closed off room, neon light flickering above. “There was something about the report that we need to check before I bring you to the interview.”

He stepped out, looking back at Logan with a reassuring smile. This is it… they know…, “What are you going to do?”

“Come on out.” Not a request, an order. Spoken in a soft tone. Logan moved. “Expose your arm.”

He did as asked, his hand shaking. The Peacekeeper didn’t seem to mind, opening something on his leg before he revealed a knife, the blade glinting in the light. Logan moved his arm back but the man grabbed him, unconcerned about his struggles. “Please.” He muttered, the knife slowly pushing down on his skin. More and more force was applied before something sizzled, the stench of burnt skin coming to his nose.

“Impressive. A Vitality bonus. Do you have anything else to show me Logan?” Blood started to drip down, the pain searing up his arm as the knife’s pressure increased.

They know… they know about the status… she was right. The pain increased, tears coming to his eyes as it became all he knew, “Stop, please! It’s all I have… nothing else. I played with an artifact… as a kid! That’s when it showed up… I never did anything… never even could… please!”

The knife reached his bone before it was removed, the man smiling at him, “Logan. It’s a shame. You know, your performance really was very good. Of course we didn’t know that until the incident today. You hid it well.” He shook the blood off his blade, “Your power is insignificant and you told the truth about how you got it. Whoever made you disappear certainly knew what they did.”

The Peacekeeper reached for his handgun and lifted it with a smooth clicking noise, moving it in his hand as Logan staggered back, holding the deep bleeding wound. Iron… blood. His heart was pounding away, fruitlessly as the blood spilled out. Vision blurry, Logan stepped back. Focus. He heard himself think. Focus on what you can do. Stop the bleeding. He moved slowly, hitting a wall behind him with a crash as he slid alongside it. There was nothing there to stop the bleeding, he dully noted. My sleeve. He moved the fabric over the wound, the pain only getting worse.

“I would say the information you could provide is worth something. You are lucky my employers think otherwise.” The words thrummed in his ears as the blood dripped down through the drenched overall, his hand entirely red, hanging limply from his arm.

Focus. Logan dashed to the side, stumbling. The barrel followed, calm and precise.

“You might have made a good Peacekeeper had we found you earlier. A shame.”

“Fuck you!” Logan shouted, tears flowing down his face, the pain in his arm all he felt, rage and regret in his mind as he jumped at the man, the monster. He blinked his eyes, staggering back, his arms reaching up as his vision blurred even more. A warm feeling came from his belly. He looked down and smelled burnt skin, a big hole where his bellybutton should be. Weird. He thought, confused why half of his stomach was missing.

Glancing up, the barrel stared back. Logan marveled at the technology, the cells inside heating up before a flash of light registered in his brain.

Logan shot up, gasping for air as his heart pounded, his eyes blinded by light. His breathing was fast, too fast. He coughed, his legs moving him back further and further before he hit something, a cold wall on his exposed back. Time passed slowly, Logan forcing his body to calm down. The pain in his arm was gone, the Peacekeeper was gone. They took me in…, He panicked, looking down at his arm only to realize the wound was gone. His overall too. The next thing he noticed was the light prickling on his legs, the peculiar scents reaching his nose. A blinding light shined down from above, shining through the leaves of a white tree. Wood… it’s wood I’m smelling.