He woke up under a tree covered in sapphire-colored leaves. His body feels like he has molten lava flowing through his veins.
"System Intergration Complete" A warm female echoed in his mind.
"Where the hell am I?" Desmond mumbled under his breath.
[Welcome Desmond Bloodheart]
His eyes scanned the courtyard like for the source of the voice. He was alone.
"Who said that?" Desmond questioned.
[I said it]
"Okay, I must be going crazy." Desmond muttered to himself.
[ No, you're not but unfortunately you did die]
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm sitting right here breathing." Desmond countered.
The mysterious voice let out a long sigh.
[ True you are sitting here under this tree. Have you ever seen a tree with blue-colored leaves before?" I bet the answer is no. You want further proof that you died. Say the words status screen. Then take your finger and tap where it says appearance]
"Status screen"
He tapped the appearance option; his jaw was just about on the ground. It was like staring in the mirror, but he didn't recognize the face staring back at him. His eyes that were once brown are now a deep red color. His hair that was once down to the middle of his back didn't even reach his shoulders now. His hair isn't even the same color it used to be black now its white like snowfall.
"WHAT THE FUCK!" He shouted
[Believe me now. I told you that you died.]
"If I'm dead, how am I here?"
[To put it simply reincarnation. You died in your old world and were reborn here.]
Desmond sat nodding his head.
"How did I die?"
[Well, my red eyed friend you were murdered.]
"Murdered." Desmond said his tone filled with disbelief. All he can remember is falling over in his apartment.
[Yes, murdered]
"Why would anyone want me dead?"
[Remember when you testified against those twins about a year ago.]
"Yeah, I remember they both got life plus 85 years."
[Well, there was a third sibling. A younger sister that happened to be a pharmacist. She was replacing your insulin with water.]
His eyes were wide with disbelief. Not getting insulin would explain why he felt like shit. His blood sugar must have been in 900s before he passed out.
"Okay, that explains why my sugars were so high. But how did die?"
[When you passed out your head hit the corner of the coffee table.]
Rather he wants to believe it not this is his new reality.
"So, who are you? Where are you?"
[The answer to your first question is I'm the system. Think of me as your guide to this world. I provide almost all the answers you need. For example, if you bring up the status screen I can explain it to you. The answer to the second question simply put I'm inside your head. Oh, by the way you're the only that can hear me.]
"So, let me make sure I'm understanding everything. First of all, I was murdered. Second, I was reborn in this world wherever this is. Third, I was born with this so call system in my head that is supposedly my guide to the world. Last but not least I'm the only that can hear you. Does that sum everything so far?"
[Correct]
He rubbed his temple with his fingers. A headache of godly proportion was starting to form. His head was pounding. Despite his cool face on the inside, he is in a full-blown panic. His heart was almost in his throat.
[Pull up the status screen we need to go over some stuff.]
"Status screen."
[Okay first, you don't have to say status screen. You can just swipe your finger through your air in a vertical motion. Okay so see where it says title.]
"Yeah, I see it"
[Your title is basically your class. For example, your class is Puppeteer. That means in fight you can use puppets to fight for you. See next to your title it says rank. That is how advanced you are in your class. The rest of this I'm going to speed through because info dumps are boring.]
"Okay hit me"
[You know about the appearance option. There is a skills tab just under that. That tab shows all your current and potential skills. There is a guild tab. That tells you all the guild locations in Galedor. Under that is your storage tab. That one is self-explanatory.]
"Okay, that all makes sense I think."
"Master Desmond." A man called.
Desmond turned to find an older gentleman standing behind him. The man easily over 7 feet tall. There is a scar reaching from his ear to his chin. His hair the color of purest silver ingot.
[That's Nolan he is your father's right hand.]
He stood up brushing the leaves from his clothes.
"Master Desmond, you missed a few" Nolan said while knocking the leaves from Desmond's hair.
"Thank you" Desmond said.
Nolan was shocked. In all the years he has known Desmond he has never once heard him say thank you.
"He must be sick or something." Nolan thought himself.
"Your father is calling you. I figured you would be out here napping. He's in the dining hall waiting for you." Nolan uttered with a grin.
"Take me to him."
They walked through the large mansion. Black marble floors and golden handrails. Maids on standby.
Just through the kitchen there was the dining hall. The table was a gorgeous black wood with chairs to match. The cabinets were filled with beautiful plates and cups. At the head of the table eating a steak is Reginald Blackheart. Duke, merchant, political dreamer, and Desmond's father.
Reginald has an air about him. He seems laidback but has a ruthless side. Definitely someone you don't want to get on the wrong side of.
Reginald slid an envelope across the table. It was purple with a black seal that had already been broken. Inside there is a folded piece of golden paper. The paper reads as follows
[ Dear Desmond Bloodheart,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to attend the Royal Magic Academy. By the order of King Lucius Galedor XII you are required to report to the academy in 13 days.
You will partake in the Magical Studies and Military Arts programs. Fully completing these programs will result in you being granted a low-ranking title.
Best regards,
Headmaster Sandra Knix]
"You will start packing immediately. You leave first thing tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
He wasn't even given a chance to refuse. Nolan quickly shooed Desmond out of the dining hall.
[It may not seem like it, but this is a good thing.]
"How do you figure I'm basically being kicked out of my home. I'm being sent to another foreign place in a foreign world. How is this a good thing?"
[Well, for starters it gives you a chance to make a name for yourself. You couldn't have known this, but you are not in line to inherit any of this. Not only are you the 10th born. You are the result of your father's affair with a low born woman. Lack of pure noble blood automatically disqualifies you for inheriting anything. That means no land, title, or money. At the academy you have the chance to form connections that can raise your status.]
"I have nothing to lose I guess."
His room was on the other side of the mansion. All his siblings had rooms in the main wing. Desmond because of his birth was given a room in servant wing. His room was modest. A full-size bed in the left-hand corner, a singular window in front of a small wooden desk. His closet if filled with hand me downs.
Quite honestly there isn't much in this room he would take. He would pack some of his clothes. He could also buy some clothes once he starts to earn money.
He laid on his bed. It feels as if he is laying on a concrete slab. The grass in woke up in was more comfortable. He would much rather sleep there than this bed.
"Hopefully the beds at the Royal Magic Academy are more comfortable." Desmond thought.
He couldn't tolerate the bed from hell anymore, so he sat at the desk. He watched the leaves fall covering the ground. He saw his stepmother and his sister sitting out in the garden. They all looked happy.
His hand moved through the air as he pulled up the status screen. Navigating his way to the skills section. four skills were listed under acquired skills.
Appraisal Level: Novice
Enchantment Level: Novice
Link Level: Novice
Unique Skill Commander Level: Novice
From years of anime and gaming he understands the appraisal and enchantment skills. The ones he didn't understand are the link and commander skills.
"System" Desmond called.
[Jeez you need something already]
"I'm sorry did I disturb your beauty sleep or something."
[What do you need]
"Explain these to me." Desmond replied pointing at the skills screen.
[Okay so Appraisal is]
"I understand Appraisal and Enchantment. I meant the other two Link and Commander." Desmond said cutting the system off.
[Link is basically your connection to your puppets. You can control them from safe distance. It also allows you to issue verbal commands instead of using strings to control them. Link has maximum distance of 150 yards at the moment. That means you must be within 150 yards in order to command your puppets. Link also allows you to scan the environment through your puppets.]
"Okay I think I got it. What about Commander?"
[Commander is mainly a support skill. It allows you to give members of your buffs based on your stats. For example, if you have 10 points in the strength category you can buff a party member's strength stat by 10. Does that make sense]
"Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Master Desmond. Are you awake?" A voice called from the hall.