Chapter 2: P.A.T.C.H.

  “Welcome,” came a melodic, pleasant voice.

  Jack slowly opened his eyes as his brain tried to convince his body he was no longer falling. He found himself lying naked on the ground in an empty white space which didn’t appear to have any walls or ceiling.

  “What…?” Jack said looking around, but he was unable to determine where he was, or where the voice had come from. “Who are you?” he called out, standing up. “Where am I? Am I dead?”

  “My name is P.A.T.C.H.,” came the voice again. “I am the administrator of Sector Zeta30982 of your homeworld, the planet known to you as Earth. You are currently in Transition, a temporary space while we prepare your body for System integration. Would you like to do the tutorial?”

  “What…!?” Jack said. “Transition? Transition to what? And what do you mean prepare my body?”

  “I am your Personal Attribute Terminal and Character Handover. Also known as P.A.T.C.H.,” the voice repeated. “I am the administrator of Sector Zeta30982—”

  “No,” Jack interrupted “I mean what is this? I was just falling off a cliff. Am I dead? I must be dead. Is this the afterlife?”

  “Negative,” P.A.T.C.H. answered. “You are not dead. You have crossed through the gateway to join the Great Game. The System has acknowledged your request and thanks you for your courage in representing your species: Human, in the Great Game. Would you like to do the tutorial?”

  “Wait,” Jack said. “I remember a flash of blue. Are you telling me that was a portal?”

  “Affirmative.”

  “But,” Jack stammered. “I thought you had to choose to enter the portal.”

  “Affirmative,” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed.

  “But I didn’t even know I was touching one,” Jack said. “How could I have entered one unintentionally?”

  “Searching,” P.A.T.C.H. voice came back. “Event prior to contact – falling. Subconscious recording at moment of interaction: “I’m going to die. Holy shit, I am going to die. Shit! Shit! I don’t want to die, please someone save me!” Desire was acknowledged and accepted. Welcome to the Great Game. Would you like to do the tutorial?”

  “Ah, right…,” Jack said, not liking that those thoughts would have been his final moments, but unable to deny it either. “I don’t suppose you can return me back to Earth, say gently on the ground? I have a brother and sister.”

  “Negative,” P.A.T.C.H. said. “Return is not possible. Choices are only elimination or participation.”

  “No elimination!” Jack said immediately.

  “Participation acknowledged,” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed. “System integration will continue. Would you like to do the tutorial?”

  Jack let out a sigh. “Doesn’t seem like I have any other choice,” Jack muttered. “Yes, tutorial please, but will I be able to return ever?”

  “Acknowledged,” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed. “If Humanity is successful in meeting all requirements for establishing their foundation and gaining acceptance by the System, a two-way portal can be established back to Earth. At that point, return can be possible.”

  “Okay, and what do we need to do to meet those requirements?” Jack asked.

  “Criteria for acceptance will be provided and explained upon completing the tutorial.”

  “Fine.” Jack said. He stood around waiting, but nothing happened.

  “So, what do I do now?” Jack asked. “Do I just wait?”

  “Integration will take some time,” P.A.T.C.H. responded. “Suggestion: review reference material. The Great Game is a competition and collaboration among the sentient or Enlightened species of the universe that have reached one of the minimum standards of entry. The purpose of the Great Game is to promote cultivation by demonstrating its benefit to individuals and the universe, and to eliminate species unable to produce adequate levels of cultivation. It helps ensure the balance of mystic energy and corruption in the universe. Powerful Cultivators are needed for this balance.”

  “Umm, what?” Jack said.

  “Integration will…”

  “Never mind,” Jack said starting to get annoyed. Talking to P.A.T.C.H. reminded Jack of talking to NPCs or non-player characters in some of the video games he used to play. NPCs would only respond with procedural responses as well. “What reference material?”

  A pile of books appeared in front of Jack. “I have provided the information in a form you are familiar with. These reference materials will explain in better details different aspects of your new life, body, and world,” P.A.T.C.H. replied.

  “Hey P.A.T.C.H.,” Jack said picking up a book on top of the pile titled ‘A History of Cultivation’.

  “Yes?”

  “When you said eliminating those species…” Jack said. “Do you mean that if the people of Earth are unable to do well, then the System will simply destroy them?”

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  “The System is not involved in the creation or destruction of any species,” P.A.T.C.H. replied simply.

  “Then what do you mean by that?” Jack asked.

  “If a species is unable to reach required levels of cultivation expectation, then that species will be unable to keep up with the rising level of corruption their species creates and will either slowly die out or change. Furthermore, at the end of the trial period, and the removal of the protection provided by the System, the species will be required to provide protection for themselves and their planet. All other knowledge on this subject must be learned.” P.A.T.C.H. finished, going silent again.

  Picking up another book, this one titled ‘Skill-Based Growth Potential’, Jack sat down and started reading. He was never much for studying, but he made sure to read through every book he picked up. Most were dull like the book titled ‘Elemental Corruption Growth’ which ended up being mostly a book about higher mathematics that Jack couldn’t begin to understand. But some, like ‘Higher Realms and You’, were so interesting that he found himself getting lost in them.

  The book explained that there were several realms of existence, and the realm Jack was a part of and would be returning to again was the first of the Mortal Realms. As people got more powerful, they would need to keep ascending the realms to continue progressing.

  Jack wasn’t sure how long he sat there reading, hours or days. Time didn’t seem to matter here. But he was barely through the pile P.A.T.C.H. provided him, and had picked up a new book entitled ‘Paths of Cultivation’ when a chime sounded through the System.

  “System Integration is finished,” P.A.T.C.H. announced. “Your input is needed to complete.”

  A three-dimensional image of Jack appeared standing naked in front of him. The image was a perfect re-creation of Jack from his short-cut black hair, hazel eyes, and freckles on his face, down to the birth mark on his lower back.

  “Small alterations can be made at this stage,” P.A.T.C.H. came back. “Please make all adjustments.”

  A window appeared in front of Jack that reminded him of character creation in some of the games he was fond of playing, but far more sophisticated. Normally, Jack could spend hours designing a character, but it was strange when it was his own body standing in front of him instead of an anime character. There were many times in the past that Jack had wished to be able to alter his appearance like this, but with the option right in front of him, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted to change. It was his body, and he didn’t want to change it.

  Taking one last look at the menu, Jack sighed. “No changes, no alterations.”

  “Acknowledged,” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed. “Please input a name.”

  “Jack Masters,” Jack said. He was getting more of that role-playing vibe. All that was missing was…

  “You have been granted one spell to begin your journey with. Choose wisely.”

  “Spell?” Jack asked to confirm. “Like a magic spell. Magic is real?”

  “Affirmative,” P.A.T.C.H. said. “Reference material was provided in ‘Basic Guide to Mystic Energy’.”

  Another screen appeared in Jack’s vision. This time it was a list of spells that could have found a home in any typical fantasy game. “I haven’t gotten to that one yet,” Jack said, digging through the pile of books. “Why would it be at the bottom?”

  “Please choose a spell,” P.A.T.C.H. continued.

  “Hold on,” Jack said, turning back to the screen. Most of the spells listed were straightforward and with names that Jack recognized, like Fireball and Heal, but a few were unique, like Spirit Coalescence, Veil, and Conjure Chocolate. The spells were broken down by type which helped give a basic understanding of what kind of spell it was and what it might do, but there was nothing else provided.

  Jack spoke his thoughts to P.A.T.C.H., “I think I know what these mean, but just to be sure: Abjuration is like buffs or debuffs to makes things stronger or weaker, Enchanting is like permanent effects on things, Evocation are destructive and attack spells, Illusion are spells that deceive people’s senses, Transmutation are spells that change one thing into another, Conjuration summons stuff, Necromancy involves the dead, and Restoration are like healing spells?”

  “Affirmative,” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed. “Your System window will interpret the information so that it is easily understood by you.”

  “So, each person may see the same information with different names or explanation?” Jack asked.

  “The principal information and concepts will be the same” P.A.T.C.H. confirmed. “The explanation and understanding may differ from individual to individual.”

  “Alright,” Jack said. “Then why do I not know what these types are? Ritual, Eldritch, Blood, Astral? And why is Summoning separate from Conjuration?”

  “The System message explains and describes information in the best way for you to understand it,” P.A.T.C.H. said simply. “You will need to research and discover to learn more.”

  “So, in other words,” Jack said browsing the spell list, “figure it out for yourself. This is a lot of options to choose from.”

  “For participating as a representative of your species during your trial period, you are granted this bonus,” P.A.T.C.H. explained. “Once the trial period has passed, this starting bonus will no longer be offered. Please choose one spell.”

  Jack’s eye hovered over the healing spell. Healing was always good to have. It was the only one under the Restoration section and it was simply called Heal. Like the other spells on the list, there was no other explanation given about the spell. “Just figure it out right?” Jack muttered. “Seems rather important to be left vague though.”

  “I will go with Heal,” Jack said. The other options all seemed interesting and useful, but without more information about them or the world he was stepping into, healing seemed to be the best option. The moment he chose his spell, the prompt went away, and a new screen appeared in front of him along with a System Notification.

  *Spell gained: Heal (Beginner)*

  “Please choose your starting location,” P.A.T.C.H. said.

  “I get to choose?” Jack asked.

  There wasn’t any response from P.A.T.C.H., but the screen continued to hover. It was an interactive map but for a world Jack had never seen before. “How am I supposed to know anything about the world to choose?”

  “More information is available,” P.A.T.C.H. said. “You can begin your journey anywhere you wish. The world is populated with various species and races. Their disposition towards humans varies.”

  “Can you tell me which races are friendly to humans?” Jack asked. Again, P.A.T.C.H. remained quiet. “I’m starting to think that ‘figure it out it’ is the only answer I am going to get about anything from the System.”

  Still there was no response from P.A.T.C.H. “Alright, then I suppose it doesn’t matter where,” Jack said ignoring the screen in front of him. “Can you start me somewhere that is safe?”

  “Understood,” P.A.T.C.H. said. “Starting location chosen ‘Jungle of the Four Lords’. Integration is complete. Starting transference.”

  “Wait!” Jack said, looking at the pile of books that P.A.T.C.H. had created earlier that Jack hadn’t gotten to yet. “I’m not ready.”

  “Integration has completed,” P.A.T.C.H. intoned. “Transference in progress. Best of luck and try not to die. Your species is relying on you.”

  Jack tried to grab some of the books as P.A.T.C.H. was talking, but they disappeared in his hands as the area around him dimmed and then went completely dark.