Lord of the Gacha 2 (Patreon)

“Indeed,” Adoel said with a smile, waving a hand and bringing up several screens showing different landscapes and spacescapes. Each was accompanied by a small description and a few lines of text.

“How many do you have?” I asked, looking over the screens.

“All of them,” she replied, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Can you tell me about any of them?” I asked, trying not to sound too eager.

“Of course!” she replied, jumping into the air and spinning around as she did. “Let's start with this one here,” she said, pointing at a screen full of stars.

“What's special about one?” I asked, wondering what the difference between them were.

“This is the first world, and the one you will be starting on,” she explained.

“That doesn't really answer my question,” I replied, feeling a little annoyed.

“It does, if you read it,” she said, pointing at the screen.

I leaned forward, looking at the screen as Adoel flew over to another.

[/quote]This is the Nexus, a convergence point where ancient portals connect countless fantastical realms, each brimming with magic, mythical creatures, and powerful artifacts. These realms are diverse and varied, ranging from ethereal elven kingdoms suspended among the stars to sprawling dwarven citadels carved into asteroid fields. Majestic dragon roosts float within nebulas, while colossal tree cities serve as sanctuaries for ancient beings.

Technological marvels coexist alongside arcane wonders in this fusion of genres. Advanced starships soar through the cosmos, propelled by a combination of futuristic warp drives and enchanted crystals. Energy-based weaponry meets the elegant craftsmanship of enchanted swords and axes, while armor melds the strength of nanotechnology with the resilience of magical wards.[/quote]

“Okay, that sounds pretty cool,” I admitted.

“Yes, it does,” Adoel agreed.

I looked over the rest of the screens, but they all had similar descriptions. There were different worlds, but they all sounded pretty much the same. The only differences seemed to be the races and classes available, and the locations of the portals.

“Can you tell me more about the world I'm going to?” I asked.

Adoel turned her head away from the screen she was looking at, and looked at me with a serious expression.

“The Nexus is the central hub for many of the worlds, and where most of the portals connect, but each world has its own unique characteristics,” she said, looking back at the screen.

“Can you give me some examples?” I asked.

She nodded and began reading off the different worlds, “There’s the Starry Sky: A realm of immense space stations, floating cities, and otherworldly habitats. It’s a place where humanoids, dwarves, elves, and other races live in peace, working together to advance the technologies that keep them safe from the dangers of space. There are no monsters here, just the occasional sentient starship or robotic armada. The world is full of resources, including rare metals and materials. If you're interested in a career in engineering or technology, this would be a good place to start.

“Next up is the World of the Golden Sands: This world is a lush, tropical paradise, a place where life thrives. Here, the skies are filled with birds and beasts, the seas teem with fish and coral reefs, and the land is covered in trees and flowers. This is a world of abundance, where people are free to enjoy nature, without the constant threat of violence. Most of the races are humanoid, but there are also some species that look like mermaids or even dolphins. This world is rich in resources, so if you're interested in agriculture or forestry, this is the place.

“Then there’s the Deadstar, it’s a planet that formed after a once life bearing star died and collapsed into a neutron star. The worlds that once orbited it shattered and coalesced into a new planet, one soaked in the aura of death. It's a cold world, where the wind blows snow, ice, and sand. But don't let that fool you, the landscape possesses a stark, spartan beauty to it, even if most of the inhabitants are undead. You'll find skeletons, zombies, and other creatures of the night here, and the few races that live here are all vampires, werewolves, and the like. The only way to survive in this world is to have a strong constitution and an iron will.

“There are many more worlds, but these are just a few examples,” Adoel explained.

I looked through some of the other planets listed as being part of that galaxy, but they all seemed pretty much the same. The descriptions were all very similar, except for the names and locations.

“So, what's your favorite?” I asked.

Adoel looked at me with a blank expression.

“What do you mean? There isn't one, they're all unique in their own way,” she said.

“You can't really choose one over the others?” I asked.

She shook her head, “I’m afraid not, despite how similar I look to a human, my mind is wired differently. I do not form preferences in the same way, nor am I capable of forming attachments.”

“You're not really a person, are you? You're just a construct, a machine,” I said.

Adoel nodded, then turned back to the screen.

“It's really no different than any other,” she said.

“If you're just a program, why did you help me? Why didn't you just run away when I arrived? Why are you still here now?” I asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Why do search engines search? Why do airplanes fly? It is what they are designed to do, I am designed to facilitate the deceased on their way to their next life, and that is all,” she said.

I looked at her, trying to understand what she was saying, but I couldn't.

“This isn't working, Adoel, you're not making sense,” I said.

“No, I'm sorry, I have a hard time understanding myself, let alone explaining it to you,” she said.

I sighed, and slumped into the chair. I felt like I'd been running around in circles, chasing my tail, and it was starting to wear me out.

“If that is all, it is time for you to proceed,” Adoel said, making me jerk in my seat in surprise.

“My blessing and world destination, that’s it? Nothing else?” I asked, having expected there to be more involved.

“That is all,” she replied with a bit of a smile, even as a glowing circle formed around me. The room began to shift, the floor moving upwards, and I found myself looking down on the planet that I would be setting out on for the first steps of my new life.

[hr][/hr]

I floated through the portal, seeing the bright blue sky above me. The ground beneath my feet was a green, grassy field, and the air smelled fresh and clean.

“Welcome to the world of the Golden Sands,” Adoel said, and the screen faded away.

I looked around, taking in my new surroundings. A small village stood nearby, with a few people walking along the dirt path that led up to a large house. The sun was shining overhead, and it felt like I could feel its warmth on my skin.

“Where am I?” I asked, confused.

“You are in the village of Krawt, where you will start your new life,” Adoel said.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It means you are free to explore this world and choose where you wish to go, or if you prefer, you can remain here and get to know the people in the village, who will be happy to welcome you,” Adoel said.

I looked around, not really sure what to do next. There didn't seem to be any instructions for how to begin my life, so I decided to follow the people to the house.

When I reached the door, I knocked on it. A voice called out from inside, and a young woman opened the door. She was smiling, and her brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. Her eyes were wide, and she wore a white dress that hugged her body tightly.

“Hello, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm new here, and I don't know anyone,” I said.

“Oh, it's fine, come in, please,” the woman said.

I stepped inside, and the door closed behind me. The room was fairly large, with a table and chairs placed in the middle of the room. There was a bed against one wall, and a kitchen off to the other side.

“You're new here, huh? Well, let me introduce myself, my name is Eila, and I'm the village healer,” she said.

“Nice to meet you, I'm Paul, and I'm sorry for bothering you, I just wanted to say hello,” I said.

“That's okay, I like meeting new people, and it seems like you've had quite the adventure getting here, so I'd love to hear about it,” Eila said.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said, not wanting to share the fact that I’d died.

“Perhaps not,” she said in a considering tone. “But with something like that, I'm going to guess that you're one of those traveling types, roaming about, offering your assistance where you can. How am I doing?”

I looked at her in surprise, “Sounds pretty spot on, how'd you know?”

“You'd be surprised how many like that we get. There's even an organization in town started to help out those like you in getting your feet under you,” she said. “It's called the Traveler's Guild. They have a place where you can stay, and get some training. You'll probably want to look into joining. It might be nice to have a home base, somewhere to relax between jobs.”

“Well, thank you for the information, I appreciate it, and I'd love to join if they're still accepting members, but I don't exactly have any money to pay them with,” I said.

“Oh, no worries, I'm sure we can work something out, we take care of our own, and there are plenty of ways to earn money around here,” she said. “I’m sure that rifle of yours will be useful in culling some of the pests around here. Maybe you could work for us for a bit, and then once you've gotten your feet under you, you can look for a job. I'll give you a little credit so you can get started.”

“Really? That would be great, thank you,” I said.

Eila took me through the village, showing me where the inn was, as well as the local shop, which sold everything from food to clothes to weapons.

“Are you sure you don't want anything else? We have some amazing leather armor that would fit you perfectly, and it would really make you stand out, especially with that rifle,” Eila said.

“I'm good, thanks, though, I don't really need much, just a place to stay, and maybe some basic supplies, and I should be good to go,” I said.

“Okay, if you change your mind, come find me, and I'll hook you up,” she said.

She showed me where the inn was, and we walked inside. The room was full of people sitting at tables, eating and drinking. Eila led me over to one of the tables, and I sat down.

A few minutes later, a man came over, and handed me a drink. I looked at him in surprise, but he just smiled.

“You look like you're new here, so I figured you might need this,” he said.

I took the glass of whiskey, and downed it all in one gulp. The alcohol burned on its way down my throat, and I coughed as I tried to catch my breath.

“Thank you, that was amazing, what is it?” I asked.

“It's called Whisker Whiskey, and it's pretty much the only thing we have that isn't terrible, but it'll do in a pinch,” he said.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, and took another sip.

The man pulled out a chair, and sat down across from me, “I'm guessing you're new here, so I'm going to tell you about the rules around here, and how things work. Don't worry, I'm not going to get too technical, it's mostly common sense. Here's the first rule: no killing people, or stealing from them. You can kill monsters, though, and you can steal their stuff, as long as they're not someone's friend. If they are, then you need to ask permission before you take anything. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but if you want to know more about those, you'll have to ask someone else.

“Rule two: respect your elders, and don't talk back to them. If you have a problem with something, you can go to the elders, and they will try to resolve it for you. If you feel like you need to speak up, do it politely, and be sure to listen to what they have to say. This is pretty much universal, no matter where you go.

“Rule three: respect other people's property, and don't damage it without permission. You can fix things that aren't working, or help people repair things that are broken.

“Rule four: don't lie, and don't cheat. The people who live here don't like liars, and they hate cheaters.

“Rule five: if you break any of these rules, there will be consequences. Some of them will be pretty harsh, but there are some things that are worse than death, and we'll let you know what those are.

“Now, these rules might seem like a lot, but they're really pretty simple. They boil down to 'don't be a dick' when you get down to it. Think you can handle that much newbie?”

“I got it,” I said, while holding my hands up. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

“They always say that, only sometimes do they mean it. We’ll see which you are.”