Chương 15: 015

The next time I surfaced, the clinic was gone. In its place stretched a vast, lightless expanse, an endless black that swallowed direction and depth alike. When I reached out, my hand met nothing. No resistance, no texture. Yet something unseen supported my feet. I took a cautious step forward, testing the void. The darkness held. It followed my movement, solid beneath me but revealing nothing beyond itself. No walls. No sky. No sound. No people. Unease coiled tight in my chest.

I turned slowly, searching for something, anything, that might tell me where I was or what I was supposed to do. My last memory was of Karma vanishing, of the thug collapsing, of sirens screaming somewhere far away. She'd mentioned talking again between Earth and Nexus. Was… this it? As if answering the thought, light flared. Karma appeared before me, just as she had in the clinic, but diminished. The raw, crushing power that had once radiated from her was gone, and exhaustion carved deep lines beneath her eyes.

Concern flickered sharp through my chest.

"Are you alright?" For as long as I'd known her, Karma had felt larger than life, her voice steady and grounding, a constant presence in my head. Now she looked… worn. Fragile, in a way I'd never seen before. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath her eyes, and fatigue clung to her like a second skin. She did just drag you across dimensions, I reminded myself. She caught the look on my face and snorted, shaking her head.

"Breathe, kid. I've survived worse. A nap'll fix me right up." Then, under her breath, she muttered, "If there were any doubts about you and Time getting along, they're gone now. He'll love you for worrying about me." Given my track record with people, especially men, I had my doubts. She waved a hand, dismissing both my concern and her own comment.

"You'll meet him later. For now, let's get you set up for your new life." A spark of anticipation lit her eyes.

"I've been waiting a long time for this." She flicked her fingers and th e darkness peeled away. Stone walls surged into existence around us, towering and grand, woven with rich tapestries and thick carpets beneath my feet. Suits of armor lined the hall, gleaming dully in the ambient light. A castle. Medieval in style, solid, imposing, timeless... And everyone around us was frozen mid-motion. Servants stood locked in place, baskets suspended in mid-sway, footsteps halted halfway through a stride.

Most of them weren't human. A woman in a long brown dress balanced a basket against her hip. Dark cat ears sat atop her head, frozen mid-flick, and a thick black tail curled behind her. Others bore different traits: bear ears, rabbit legs, horns, scales. Stolen story; please report. Beastfolk. I swallowed and turned back to Karma.

"So… what does 'getting me set for my new life' actually mean?" She shrugged, flicking a strand of crimson hair over her shoulder.

"That depends on what you want. Nexus isn't like Earth. There are monsters, for starters. But beyond that there are stats, spells, skills... The whole package." She gestured toward the cat-eared woman.

"This is as good a place as any to begin. Focus on her until a menu appears."

"…A menu." Dubious but curious, I did as she said. A translucent panel snapped into existence in the air before me. I nearly choked. Nessa Level 1 Hit Points: 10/10 Mana: 0/0 Status: Healthy Okay, definitely like a video game then. At least now I had a frame of reference. Karma hummed, tapping Nessa lightly on the shoulder.

"That's called analyzing. It gives you basic information sych as health, level, and status." She glanced at me.

"You can dig deeper, but it's considered incredibly rude." She smirked.

"Anything past that is private. People get testy if they catch you looking up their proverbial skirt." Heat rushed to my cheeks.

"I'll… make sure not to do that." She nodded, unfazed, and continued.

"Most races in Nexus don't exist on Earth. I'll go over the main ones, then you'll choose your specialty. After that, I'll drop you in." I raised a hesitant hand. She stared at it for a beat, then barked a laugh.

"Is that how your people ask questions?"

"Yes," I said, face heating further.

"It's considered polite. I take it that doesn't exist here?"

"Nope. A lot of your habits won't translate." She grinned.

"Expect some weird looks. What's your question?" This was shaping up to be one hell of a learning curve. I pushed the embarrassment aside.

"Are there pros and cons to the different races?" From my limited gaming experience, that was always a given. She nodded.

"Absolutely. Nexus has humans, elves, dwarves, beastfolk, dragonkin, fairies, giants, orcs, and daemons." Her tone sharpened.

"You can't choose to be a daemon. They're born half-spirit. The rest are available." I nodded, wishing desperately for a notebook.

"So… giants have higher base strength, I'm guessing?" Pride flickered across her face.

"Generally. Stats build from life experience: training, habits, effort, etc. But giants have a natural edge. Orcs, dwarves, and dragonkin are sturdier, too. Beastfolk, sometimes. Depends on lineage." She waved a hand.

"Elves, beastfolk, fairies, and daemons tend to be faster. As for humans…" She snorted.

"No racial bonuses, but they make up for it with adaptability. Nothing survives quite like a human." There was warmth in her voice now. Fondness and humor. Honestly? The way she said it reminded me of something else stubborn, resilient, and impossible to get rid of.

"So…" I said slowly.

"Humans are basically cockroaches?" The thought had crossed my mind more than once over the years.