Jake thought that him winning would be t with cheers, but for so reason everyone else in the party left instead. Were they really just jealous that Jake was able to finish the boss by himself, or just mad that he didnt listen to them and let himself die instead of trying to win? Jake did his best to put himself in their shoes, but he just could not understand how they could be upset. Jake looked over to the loot he earned with a sigh.
While it was important to progress his own character with better equipnt, he was more looking forward to having a team to take on the next dungeon. Still, there was nothing for it. He would have to find a new party to team up with, and take on the dungeon again to proceed through more bosses, as the Infernal Demon was not even the last one. It was at that ti that he noticed he had earned an achievent, [Last Man Standing finish a raid boss as the last one alive from over 5 percent health]. The effect of the achievent had an odd, perhaps ominous, statent: Account Marked.
Jake finished his usual post-raid tasks of replenishing his potions and reviving his summons and logged out of the ga. Jake would need to find a new group of people to party with if he were to continue playing, it appeared. There were several different dungeons beyond the one they took on, but a party that didnt put in the kind of effort Jake did would be hard pressed to ever reach them.
Jake thought about his life. Orphaned at the young age of 8, he bounced from foster ho to foster ho until he ca of age and was able to live on his own; moving into his own place before even finishing high school. He could not imdiately afford college, so he got a job working third shift so that he could both afford his own place, and save up.
Jake always felt that he only had himself, so personal improvent had been high on his list of priorities: he had taken up boxing for personal fitness and to have sothing to focus on, and had worked hard to keep all his grades up and while he hadnt earned the Valedictorian at his school, partially due to his switching schools almost each year: he had still co very close.
Jake found that despite providing detailed transcripts from school to school and class to class, he was still penalized for moving schools, like it was his fault. It was like the system left him to fall through the cracks, constantly having to make up the entire sester's worth of work or take classes for credits that were missing due to so supposed incompatibility between the two schools curriculum. Still, he would work his tail off each ti he switched schools, and often worked into the night to ensure he had the best possible grades he could and was not penalized due to missing work or hit with a quiz unprepared on his second day at a new school.
He yearned for family, and thought that was perhaps why he had chosen the Summoner class in the first place: he wanted to be useful, to be desired, as he felt that this class had a lot to offer teaming up with anyone. He also didnt like being alone, sothing that being a Summoner hardly had to worry about; an escape from his real life.
Not only was his world of gaming running into roadblocks, but his career and personal life, too. He had recently quit his job working third shift at the warehouse to finally look for a job that uses his computer science degree he earned online, but it appeared there were no true entry level positions; every company wanted years of experience, even those jobs labeled as entry level. On top of that, the few internships he applied for scoffed at his online degree.
Then on the personal level he had struck out enough tis on the dating app that he was losing confidence there as well. Its not that Jake was bad looking: 23 years old, at 61, brown hair with hazel eyes, and in decent shape, he felt like he was attractive and had a lot going for him. The problem he had thought was due to working third shift, his available ti was simply not ant for being involved with normal people; this was one of the main reasons for leaving his third shift job in the first place. Being honest, between work and schooling he did not feel he had the ti for a relationship, anyway, and maybe could have tried a bit harder but hadnt.
He thought that being around at normal tis now that he left his job would allow him to match up with soone, but it looked like him being jobless now was far too big of a flaw to be overlooked to continue conversations towards going out on a date, and Jake wasnt interested in a one night stand. Jake had money saved, and he could just lie, but he felt like if that was what was needed to get past the gate then he didnt want to go through it.
Jake got up from his gaming desk. He would not spend any more ti feeling bad for himself. He would continue to work on and improve himself, and things would change naturally on their own. He would continue to focus on the things that he can change, and acknowledge the things that he couldnt. That was why he pursued his degree online despite working full ti at the warehouse, and why he kept in shape.
If they wouldnt hire him because he had no experience, then he would write his own application or make his own ga. He would be his own boss and successful at best, or he would have sothing in his portfolio to show prospective employers, at worst. He would also take a small break from his ga, and go back to volunteer work. He had given it up before due to simply not having enough ti between work and school, but now, he had nothing but ti. Volunteering both felt good and was a great place to et people. He decided he would go for a run outside. Just as he was about to head out the door, he heard a voice.
That was a good showing kid. You even had a few more cards to play if that blight dragon wasnt quite enough, didnt you? Jake Hart, isnt it? Your drive and ingenuity are exactly what we need.
Jake started. His apartnt was locked, and the voice ca from all around him. He began to wonder if he was hallucinating
Youre not imagining , kid. Im very real. Ill start from the beginning. Nice to et you, Im Odin.
The last few words ca from behind him, and he spun around. In front of him was definitely soone that looked like they could be the god, Odin. He had an eye-patch, white hair and wizened face despite looking middle-aged, wearing so kind of armor that exuded power, and a spear. There was a palpable energy leaking off of him, giving Jake a feeling he had not felt before. Was this divinity?
Odin had a smirk on his face and he was holding out his hand for a handshake. Are you going to just gawk at ? I greeted you; you are being a little rude. Yes, Im hearing your thoughts as if you were speaking them aloud, yes, you are experiencing my divinity, Odin said.
Jake shook himself out of it and reached out and grasped Odins hand to give it a shake. I- Im Jake. A pleasure
Odin released Jake and replied, Yes. It is. Now, as I said, we need you. Ill do my best to bring you up to speed here. Many of the fantasy races and settings that you know of are actually real, and their respective universes are a part of a greater multiverse.
Jake was about to ask a question as that bomb was dropped, but he was cut off by Odin, Save your questions. They will all be answered, in due ti. My ti here is limited, however, and the information I can provide you is restricted. We, [The Alliance], are fighting a war with outsiders: eldritch-like beings as you know them. Their goal is to consu and consu until nothing is left. Their attack on our multiverse is an insidious thing, an expansive web spanning all over the multiverse as sothing that you might know: A dungeon. [Tartarus], an infinite labyrinth, to be precise.
Jake was very interested, as this felt a lot like the ga he was playing. Still, he wondered what on earth this had to do with him, and why a god was now in his pathetic living room. Odin interjected, I was getting to that. Just listen. [Tartarus] does spawn dungeons all over the multiverse: including Earth, so called incursions.
You can think of the known multiverse like the Yggdrasil, the tree of life. [The Alliance] created a giant barrier around it, [The Frawork]. It forces the outsiders to fight us using rules, like a giant ga, using the dungeon and various other ans in order for them to enter, many of the ans we contest with the outsiders resemble MMO gas you are familiar with. The tree floats through the cosmos, and new planets it encounters are called fringe worlds, such as Earth. They must go through a [Trial] to be integrated into the Yggdrasil, the sa as you. Worlds can be thought of as leaves, and the pathways between them the branches. The outsiders are a rot creeping up the roots and into the tree, trying to eat at the leaves, or any leaves encountered as the tree floats through the cosmos.
Odin continued, For everything they destroy, more specifically, the beings they kill and their soul consud, the Infinite Labyrinth expands just a little bit more. It spawns more incursions and so on, and it will continue until the outsiders have consud everything, if we do not stop it. At best, we have managed to slow it down. It was a major victory in the battle against the outsiders, creating the barrier that is [The Frawork], but so far it has only prolonged the loss of the war.
Odin let that ominous statent sink into Jakes mind, then spoke again: Earth is lucky, being on the fringe of where the outsiders can reach, but it is still under attack. If things get worse, monsters can spawn on earth and invade then everyone could potentially be drafted to fight this evil, making the world contested.
There are countless worlds that are at this stage, where they are actively defending against dungeons and their spawn on the surface, but it is a losing battle. With every death, they are only empowering their enemy. While we have won back so worlds, we have lost many more than we have won, once they get to that point.
Odin once again let that sink in. Jake learned that Earth is under attack, and Odin and the people he recruits are responsible for keeping it safe and perhaps in the dark, for so reason. Odin continued, To combat the outsiders, [The Alliance] has co up with many thods for accumulating power to fight them, and ans of recruitnt. I personally like to use gas like [The Labyrinth] to test peoples ttle and introduce them to the concepts needed to be successful, for recruitnt.
My [Einherjar], and those that I recruit to [The Alliance], make use of [The Frawork]. You can think of [The Frawork] like an artificial intelligence, template, and guide all-in-one. Its purpose is to guide us in the war against the outsiders, and raise warriors. Like the ga, you can choose a template or class that fits you. It then quantifies your advancent, and awards you for defeating the outsiders in the dungeon, granting skills and knowledge as you progress, as your soul grows to be able to contain them.
Odin continued, It also guides your advancent, helping you beco better at your spells and skills, becoming a better warrior. Ti is a valuable commodity, and those able to train you are better spent pushing back the outsiders. You might know of fighting through boxing, and that will help set what I consider the bare minimum, but you are not a warrior, at least not yet. [The Frawork] will help make you into one in no-ti.
Lastly, theres the Artificial Intelligence portion of [The Frawork]. It connects incursions from [Tartarus] to what we call [Refuge]s, allowing the initiated to destroy them and take that power back for themselves, and to grow [The Frawork]. It is like a general that directs our war against the outsiders.
Drafting, or initiating people into [The Frawork] has a cost. It has various benefits, but that cost is part of the reason why we dont just draft everyone. A large portion of that cost is protecting the soul, so that those defeated are not able to be used to grow [Tartarus], and instead those peoples souls can be revived or used in various ways to continue the fight against the Outsiders.
Jake took that in. It appeared that these so-called drafted into [The Frawork] were effectively immortal, or even more like how a video ga character was. Still, despite this long introduction about this frawork and the alliance, Jake wondered what this had to do with him
Odin once again interrupted Jakes thoughts, So, I wanted to congratulate you. Youre being drafted! Welco to [The Alliance]. Jake gawked at Odin, Wait a minute! Dont I get so sort of choice? Jake thought that such a major task was not for him. He was no warrior, like Odin pointed out. Surely Odin should grab so Navy Seal or sothing? Odin snorted, but replied.
Dont you know what being drafted ans? Of course, you dont get a choice, Odin smiled. Now, you accepted the agreent when you joined [The Labyrinth] that said that you would join [The Frawork] if you were called upon, does your word not an anything?
Jake started. Was Odin talking about the terms and conditions that nobody reads when logging into the ga? Odin laughed, Its not our fault that nobody reads them. Now, you ntioned the Navy Seal. I have recruited a few of those guys, and they do well enough. A few have even beco [Einherjar]. But they are few and far between, and at the end of the day: they are only human.
The multiverse contains myriad races, and Earth is extrely soft. Those guys train to be so of the best of the best on modern Earth, but do you think they really compare to a Spartan that trained their entire lives to use weaponry that works well against outsiders practically from the day they are born?
Let alone the equivalent of those, but as a Titan, or Dragon, or sothing like this? Thats not even ntioning the other paths to power in advancent in the multiverse, outside of those that use the class templates of [The Frawork]. The rules that the frawork forced outsiders to use, outlaws advanced weaponry such as guns. This goes both ways, as now the dungeon wont be able to spawn gun wielding goblins or fire cannons at you for setting off a trap.
Jake realized that, of course, Odin was right. Just within [The Labyrinth], Jake didnt even play a Human for his character; they were just not very good. Odin continued, With that said, theres only so many Navy Seals, and many of them have lingering attachnts. Drafting them is still done, but sparingly. For recruitnt, we have to cast a wider net. We have hundreds of thods of finding people to draft, [The Labyrinth] was just one of them, one that I use. And dont look down on humans. I started out as one, after all.
Jake was resigned to his fate. He tried to look on the bright side, that he would be a part of sothing greater, but he had a hard ti picturing where he would truly be successful as a warrior. Even in the ga, he did not focus at all on doing damage himself, even if there were offensive summoners. Even fighting that boss, he only had creatures that could situationally produce a lot of damage, usually ant to be working together with his allies. He had a hard ti imagining being so kind of immortal warrior clearing dungeons of monsters.
Odin looked at Jake, and his one good eye glowed. The feeling Jake got that was Odins divinity spiked and grew, and he guessed that he was drawing so of his power. He fondly smiled at Jake like a father to his son, and Odin spoke,
Jake Hart, know this. Continue to be who you are, and you will find what you have been searching for all your life: a family, and to matter in the world. Work hard on yourself like always, and you will be an excellent Summoner that helps us fight the outsiders, and obtain glory and love beyond belief. I know that you will be mad that I took this choice from you, but it is for the best.
I will be turning this place into your [Refuge]. A sha its a dump, but everyone has to start sowhere. At the very least: it will be familiar to you. Even your computer will remain, but your ability to contact the outside world will be removed. I know you have no lingering attachnts, thats part of why you were drafted. You will find new bonds, and you will find happiness, that I promise you.
This is all the ti that I have, and all the information I am allowed to give you without both of us paying for it. I will now initiate you into [The Frawork]. When you awake, you will be able to interact with it by thinking [nu]. It will allow you to learn skills and spells just like your gaming character. The wiki, found on your computer or [nu], will help you gain knowledge to fight the outsiders, and you can use [Credits] in the [Alliance Store] or [Multiverse Market].
I will even leave you so gifts. Good luck to you, child. The [Einherjar] will welco you once you are strong enough to complete your [Trial] and can visit worlds outside your [Refuge], but you are welco to join any faction within [The Alliance]. We are all a part of the sa team, after all.
Jake felt a burning in his chest, and then his vision went dark as he lost consciousness.
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