Burdened Fighter

After our introductions were over and a brief conversation, I finally had the chance to be shown around. Technically I couldn't go anywhere of my own choosing seeing I had to get registered as a citizen. it was understandable for me, I mean - I was just a random child who appeared out of nowhere. What if I got lost, and they needed to find me?

Moving around to any place would be stupid. What if I was asked for some form of credentials? So, I had to get myself set up. Luckily, it was a quick process. They had some sort of wrist device that connects to your wrist, stabbing a small needle into your vein to grab a sample of your blood, thus uploading it into its systems to verify who I am.

I don't know how the little wristwatch got my name, age - even my date of birth, but it worked. I was stumped, but those who helped me through the process just seemed so casual about it. Either the device was a seriously advanced piece of technology - or I'm missing something. My best guess was that it had some sort of enchant on it, spell, rune, whatever I could think of. Of course I was going off of assumptions, but curiosity got the better of me.

Which led to me asking a bunch of questions - in which case I was allowed to be told the truth, or as much as they can provide. One such fact was the simple word 'memory'. They told me some sort of 'memory' allowed them to imbue the device with the functions needed to verify who I am. And I questioned what a memory is.

Such a question led to more questions and answers for me to ask and ask for. It was all so confusing yet exciting. Apparently, memories are item's that are dropped by chance from a Nightmare Creature that you kill, and yes, I learned what a Nightmare Creature is. Some sort of transformed beasts that came from a dimension called the Dream Realm - the 'Dream Realm' being some sort of alternate dimension such ghastly abominations come from.

Memories could come in varieties, from swords to bows to maces and war hammers, to armors and charms and other various items. They actually had a categorization to how you could list memories! Even rankings could be given to them. Rankings could vary, but it didn't mean a single item was a low caliber when it came to power or specialty. A memory was invaluable - even the most worthless of memories.

Getting your hands on a single memory would be almost like a dream come true. The more commonly usable the memory is - the more valuable it is. Like a sword that can become stronger the more you fight with it, that's a memory worth having. You could sell it, and it could most definitely set you for life. That's just how valuable a SINGLE memory could be if you were to get your hands on it! Of course, not all memories are of a good value, some actually hold lesser value, but still hold a good pricing when on the market!

Thus, led to me learning about the rankings of memories. Divine was the highest ranking a memory could be given as there has yet to be a memory found with a higher standing of power. And the lowest ranking a memory could receive is a Dormant memory. There are currently seven rankings in total. Dormant - Awakened - Ascended - Transcendent - Supreme - Sacred and finally, Divine. Even with knowing all of this information, I had barely scraped the iceberg of knowledge that was sitting before me.

Not even I could learn all of this in a singular day. So, the best I can do for you to understand what I currently learned - is by dumbing it down into a shorter explanation. So, let me explain what there is. We have (Echo's), which is an 'Echo' of a beast you've slain, practically a fragment of its former self or something like that, thus allowing you to claim it as a companion that can become stronger over time. Then there's (Soul Essence), which is the essence within oneself, even an ordinary person can have some of that essence in them.

Next on the list is an (Aspect) of a memory, or a form of enhancement that allows memories to have certain traits or abilities - which can increase their value depending on the aspect. An aspect can be almost anything, from making an item lighter to making it capable of becoming invisible. It was basically enchanting stuff, which was neat in my opinion. Also apparently rare to find someone who could do said enchanting, mainly with how invaluable such a skill is.

Right along the line of things I've learned about, I came to a grimmer truth. Which was (Gateway's), portal's that can appear within the real world, anywhere and everywhere. Only can they appear if a Nightmare Seed isn't destroyed before it matures. And what's a Nightmare Seed you ask? A supposed 'trial' that allows humans to undergo some sort of task or mission allowing you to become stronger and 'ascend' into a higher realm of might. Of course, such trials were not easy. Each trial could get harder and harder the riskier the Nightmare Seed is.

Honestly - there was a lot more information to go over. As I had mentioned before, I had barely, and I mean just barely have gotten the grasp of any information that could help me understand the world I'm in and what's going on. I was learning what I could with whatever pace I could put myself at. Maybe along the line I can get a better understanding of my new world I now call home, so I should just accept that I'm currently like a newborn baby trying to learn how to walk again...only, if I don't learn how to do just that - I may just die a gruesome and horrid death!

~~~

"Ugh, my head, I mean-, why is there so much to learn?" 'Pretending I was a nomadic child wasn't hard. Anyone who heard I was raised in the wild (Not true, mind you) wouldn't question it. The fact I barely knew anything, mainly about the creature's the people on this planet fight, or how it all started, wasn't uncommon. And that was supposedly due to the fact that nomadic tribes were a thing, or well - nomadic groups to give it a vaguer description.'

Being able to pretend I knew nothing was easy seeing nomads were common. So, I had a good alibi, or one that could suit me decently enough. So, they believed the sob story that I had been indeed raised in the wild, with only my parents looking after me, and luckily teaching me how to read and write.

Thank FUCK english was the common langue on this planet, or that would have just sucked if it wasn't. I mean, could you imagine trying to learn a second language? That's like trying to learn cursive at the age of thirty, while already having a job and a wife.

Aside from that, I was ok in terms of being seen as an average person-er, child, kind of. I could have also gone as a refugee, but that would have been less plausible, seeing I had no clue if any places had been overrun with monsters to the point of having to be evacuated, and yes, this singular giant city wasn't the only safe haven on the planet. There were indeed multiple locations across the globe that one could travel too, heck, even teleport too!

O-oh, I'm getting sidetracked, apologies! E-hem, anyhow! Ugh, where was I? Oh yes, my poor head! I have a headache, and that headache came like a mallet to the head, quick and swift. Reason's to why were simple, I tried, and I mean TRIED to cram so much knowledge into my head so suddenly that it indeed gave a me a literal headache, whoopie!

And my companion's seemed to enjoy by suffering. Especially with how they were snickering as they followed behind me, not even offering words of comfort or support, I swear, they must be devils in disguise under those beautiful skin suits of theirs!

Which lead me to giving a seething glare their way, or more or less a pout, depends on how I looked when glaring. Yeah, I-er, definitely had the cute looks of a kid, not much intimidating factors about me...

Speaking of look's, did I mention these two didn't even TOP the surface when it came to good looks? Shoot, I mean, I learned that people looked even better than them! Which lead me to questioning them as to how, I mean, was it makeup? A certain memory? 

Technically I wasn't told no, but they didn't exactly say yes. See, the thing is, when a person completes a trial, they can, ahem, 'ascend' to a higher plane of power. When said person ascends, they become physically stronger, while also changing it looks. Now, the change in look's isn't a lot. Usually either softer or more shiny skin, silky or smooth hair, sharper or more cunning eyes, it was interesting to learn about that. Also, memories can help with looks, but that depended on if you could actually get your hands on a memory that could do that, in which case, wasn't often.

I mean, I wasn't awed by it. Technically speaking, from a show I watched, a guy took a super serum, and BAM he was muscular and good looking. ...Although he almost died in the end from how effective it was, but hey! He was still alive to see the outcome of his efforts to see it through till the end!

Speaking of look's, I had it lucky. Apparently, my looks were above naturally good looking, even for my age. I...did not know how to feel about that. I mean, I was young, sure, but the fact that both of them agreed that I was indeed good looking felt, uhm, weird yet nice? It was flattering yet confusing at the same time, I mean, how could someone not be flattered when their complimented? 

God seemed to favor me somehow, giving me a second life and a better looking and healthy body, or...he rolled a wheel of fortune, and only I was the fortunate one, and he wasn't the one who blessed me.

Not that I'm complaining, I mean, I would like to file a complaint about the world I'm on, or the fact I didn't get to choose what I looked like. Well, I mean, I think I did get to choose? Heck, I had a few similar features on my new body that my old body had.

Blue eyes, white skin (whiter than before truth be told), the same voice, probably the same height, which is uh-five nine, five feet and nine inches, I think? Eh, I was never good with measurements. Only difference was my hair, and the shape of my face, I was more, eh, effeminate? Like, cute and handsome? I mean, I'm a kid, so I guess that make's sense?

My hair, was, and is, white. Like, a very snow white. A white I can come to like. It's like snow, soft and silky, and easily capable of being maintained when it comes to cleanliness, meaning no bad hair days!

I think I'm an albino, not entirely sure. Usually, in my belief, albino's often have red eyes, but that was just because I only ever saw albinos with red eye's. I think blue was possible? Purple was a color I believe, not certain on that one. Not that I'm complaining, nope! I loved my eye's, my mother used to always compliment them, heh, even my uh, past friends did as well...

Ah-!, I'm getting off topic again! Where was I, oh yes, learning! Er, I mean, headache! Yeeeeeeah~, I think my mind's a bit frazzled at this point, ugh, I could use some ibuprofen at this point...

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