Chương 2: What Do All These Numbers Mean?

"What the heck?!" I can't think of any other response to what just happened. My loneliness and homesickness are briefly forgotten as I sit here and just... process.

"What was that thing?" I demand.

"Tier zero? Class? Attributes? What do all these numbers mean?" I can't get them out of my head. If I relax a bit, I can just pay attention to other things, but they are always there—branded into my mind with perfect clarity the moment I try to recall them. [Allison: Tier 0 Human] [Class Slot 1: Empty] [Class Slot 2: Empty] [Attributes] Power: 1 Resilience: 1 Awareness: 1 Ego: 1 Will: 1 That strange message at the end has disappeared, but the rest is like a video game—or maybe a tabletop role-playing game?

I don't think I'm much of a gamer, but I vaguely recall trying tabletop games. I mostly just liked the excuse to spend time with friends and pretend to be someone else for a while. I think somebody else handled all the numbers and stuff—though I can't remember the specifics, of course. Since that's all pretty meaningless to me, I decide to try focusing on something else. Like that [Angel]. It was... wait, no, hold on, why do I keep thinking it like that? [Angel]? Where did that come from?

Oh gosh, it messed with my head, didn't it? What else did it do? It was beautiful, in a horrifying eldritch monstrosity sort of way, at least until it turned into static. But it definitely messed with my brain—like, literally poked a tendril through my head and rooted around in there. There's no telling what kind of damage the [Angel] might have done.

"Ugh, that word makes my head hurt... [Angel]... huh?" It works when I say it, too. Hard to describe—like I'm feeling the word on a deeper level than just hearing the sound. The more I think about it, a pressure starts to build in my head. It's like there's a greater understanding being packed into that word that I could reach if I just... [Angel] A living agent of the [World Engine]. Beings of pure order and sentinels against the forces of Chaos.

"Huh... okay. I guess there really was more to that. What's a [World Engine], though? Oh! It's another thingy..." I mentally focus on the idea for a second and sure enough... [World Engine] The divine mechanism created by Order to preserve the world against entropy.

"Oh, of course. I understand everything now." Yeah, I have no idea what the heck any of that means. However, it does reveal something potentially useful—those numbers that are stuck in the back of my head also have thingies, now that I know what to look for.

"Hm, I probably need a better name for those," I consider, tapping my finger against my chin.

"I'm sure I'll think of something later." For now, I've got thingies to examine. Honestly, at this point I'll take anything over more candles or another [Angel].

"Let's start small... [Human]." [Human] An animal species. Individual specimens are almost always [Sapient].

"Fascinating stuff," I remark drily. I can't help but feel like the [World Engine] is throwing shade with that "almost always" comment, but what do I know? Anyway, I already know what [Sapient] means, I think, but the thingies are like hyperlinks in a wiki. I can't not look at them. Oh! Mental hyperlinks! I knew I'd think of something. [Sapient] Entities possessing latent entropic potential at or near safe limits. Maximum guidance protocols are applied.

"That's what I'm always saying. Those wily sapients and their dang ol' entro-whatevers. Gotta keep 'em all in line." I nod sagely. Okay, so maybe I had a different idea in mind, but I guess this mechanism thingy has other priorities. Whatever. There's no more links, so I guess I have to move onto the next thing. [Tier 0] The lowest rank of mechanical support. No bonus to base [Attributes]. One point gained per [Class Level].

"Woah! Two links!" Aw, but one of them is already on my stats. Boo! I press on it anyway—this is getting addictive. [Attributes] Quantification of an entity's potential influence over itself and the world around it. That's it? Feels... incomplete. Oh well, next link. [Class Level] Advancement stage within a [Class]. Provides additional [Attributes]. Bah! I already read about attributes. Fine, what's a [Class]? [Class] Divine purpose granted by the [World Engine] to [Sapient] entities.

"Woah... uh...'kay?" Is it just me or did that one feel a little... religious? No new links, though. Next! [Class Slot 1: Empty] Available classes:"Argh!" I clutch my head and try not to throw up as the words flood my mind. It's so much more at once than any of the other links, and it hurts. After a few seconds, the pressure finally abates and I can breathe normally again.

"Frick!" I swear.

"A little warning?!" If the [World Engine] hears my complaints, it makes no indication of it. I sigh with resignation and go over the new information, wincing a bit as my head throbs painfully when I try to focus on it.

"Just... little chunks at a time... you can do this Allie!" Available classes: [Tier 0 Student]* A novice seeker of knowledge, expanding their horizons. Skill - Efficient Lessons: Increased Will when learning from a mentor or tutor. Attribute bonus: Will Advancement: Learn new information. Student? I mean, I guess I was a student before this whole fiasco, but who's gonna teach me stuff? And I probably should have learned what the attributes are first, huh? Oh well. What's the star mean?

Terms and conditions may apply? I focus on it. [Class Grade] A measure of the power and rarity of a class. Higher grade classes are created through [Class Fusion]. More links! [Class Fusion] Combine two mastered classes of the same tier into a single class of a higher grade and tier. Neat! I think? Still not entirely sure what the difference between level, tier, and grade is, but I suppose I can more or less guess from context. I think "advancement" is what I need to do to gain a level?

Student seems like it would be real easy to level up, but I don't know how useful it would be when I'm stuck down here on my own. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. What's next? [Tier 0 Wanderer]* An aimless traveler, searching for a purpose. Skill - Retraced Steps: Always recognize a path you've walked before. Attribute bonus: Resilience Advancement: Discover new places. That sounds pretty handy, actually.

Recognizing places I've been before would help me avoid going in circles and also make it easier to find my way back somewhere. I don't really know what resilience does, but maybe it would help my poor aching feet. [Tier 1 Angel-touched]** One who has been blessed by the touch of an Angel. An acolyte of the World Engine and harbinger of its divine mechanism. [Transient] - This class will disappear if not selected while its conditions are met. [Permanent] - This class cannot be removed once selected.

Skill - Reverse Entropy: Draw from latent space to repair damage. Skill - Commune with Order: Divine a purpose from the mechanism of the World Engine. Attribute bonuses: Power, Resilience. Advancement: Fulfill tasks assigned by the World Engine. I hug my own shoulders and shudder at the memory of my encounter with the [Angel].

"Screw you, [World Engine]!" I shout at the sky.

"I don't care what you offer, I'm not gonna take your stupid deal with the devil." Divine power in exchange for eternal slavery? I might not watch a lot of TV or movies, but even I know how stupid it would be to take something like that. Hmm... does [Permanent] mean that classes can normally be removed? That's good info!

"Then I should pick [Student], right?" I ask myself.

"Basically all I'm doing is learning right now, and I can just get rid of it if it's not useful." Without further consideration, I focus on [Student].

"Actually, wait—what if classes can only be removed under special circumstances and permanent just means— gahblugrigh —!" My second thoughts are interrupted by the familiar but disturbing feeling of something rooting around in my head. Except this time, it's not the [Angel] reaching in from the outside, but something that's already there. I twist and writhe on the floor for a moment, holding in my screams until the feeling finally recedes.

[Allison: Tier 0 Human] [Class Slot 1: Tier 0 Student]* - Level 0/10 [Class Slot 2: Empty] [Attributes] Power: 1 Resilience: 1 Awareness: 1 Ego: 1 Will: 1 [Skills] Efficient Lessons I lie on the floor and stare up at the ceiling, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath. Welp. I guess I'm a student now. I mean, I was already a student, but now I'm a [Student]. I hope I didn't just mess something up horribly. I try focusing on my new class to see what happens.

[Tier 0 Student]* Level 0/10 A novice seeker of knowledge, expanding their horizons. Skill - Efficient Lessons: Increased Will when learning from a mentor or tutor. Attribute bonus: Will Advancement: Learn new information. [Not applicable for upgrading] [Not applicable for fusion] [Remove] Oh! So I was right and classes can be removed after all. That's a relief. [Level up!] Student is now level 1. +1 Will. I feel a surge of... something, flow through me.

"Huh! Tingly. Well that was easy! I guess taking that class was a good idea after all!" I should definitely be more careful about making assumptions like that in the future though, that might have been really bad. I consider resuming my perusal of classes to pick a second one, but my attention wanders to the attributes. [Attributes] Power: 1 Resilience: 1 Awareness: 1 Ego: 1 Will: 2 Despite having just gained a whole point of Will, I don't actually know what any of these do yet.

I should probably not go making any more decisions without learning more. Starting from the top, I focus on each one. [Power] Projection of force. The strength of an entity's influence on the world around them. [Resilience] Unyielding form. An entity's capacity to resist change. [Awareness] Sensitivity of the mind and body. An entity's capacity to observe and understand the world and themselves. [Ego] Strength of self. An entity's ability to project meaning onto themselves and the world around them.

[Will] Permanence of mind. An entity's capacity to reach and exceed the limits of their resolve. Once again, I'm finding these descriptions very unhelpful. I mean, I kinda get it, I think? Power and Resilience are like strength and toughness, Awareness is for noticing things. I'm a little lost on the last two, though. My best guess is that Ego is like... intelligence maybe? Except so is Awareness, sort of. I guess Will is willpower, but I feel like there's a lot that I'm not getting.

Oh well, no sense fretting over it now.

"Hey, hello? Just learned some new stuff. Do I get a level for that?" My queries are met by more silence.

"Fine," I grumble, sitting up and crossing my arms.

"Didn't want your stupid level anyway." I blow a stray strand of hair out of my eyes. All this thrashing around is making my hair clips come loose. I'll fix it in a minute, but first I want to see the rest of my class options. I brace myself and focus on the second class slot. It's not quite so bad when I know what to expect, but it still gives me a wicked headache. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it feels like the headache is a bit weaker this time.

Skipping past [Wanderer] and [Angel-touched], I take a look at the next option in the list. [Tier 0 Candle Enthusiast]* A keen observer, seeking to discover the truth about candles. Skill - Candle Seeker: Never lose count of candles. Attribute bonus: Awareness. Advancement: Deepen your understanding of candles.

"What the heck is with this place and friggin' candles?!" I demand, hurling the nearest one away in disgust.

"I was only trying to count them because I'm bored! I'm not some candle-obsessed weirdo like whoever made this place, okay?!" I try to ignore the silent judgment of the candles and move on. [Tier 0 Thrower]* Take an object from here, and send it over there. Skill - Strong Arm: Increased Power when throwing. Attribute bonus: Power. Advancement: Throw things. I glare at the candle I just threw, fuming.

"I hate this place." Finally down to the last option. [Tier 0 Social Butterfly]* A people person. The life of any party and friend to all. Skill - Welcoming Smile: Increased Ego when making introductions. Attribute bonus: Ego. Advancement: Meet new people. My enthusiasm for this new and interesting mechanism dies in an instant. I draw my knees up to my chest and glower at the class, going over it in my head again and again. It's a cruel reminder of where I am and what I left behind.

I don't think I'm even in the same world that I was before. It's just a feeling, but it's one I can't shake. Everything is different here—wrong in a way that I can't put into words. My friends are gone, my life is gone, and there's nobody here for me to meet or talk to. I'm completely alone.

"I hate this!" I cry, wiping at my eyes beneath my glasses.

"It's not fair! Why is this happening to me? Do you hear me, you stupid [World Engine]? Why me?!" My words echo off the high walls and ceiling, but I am otherwise met by the same cruel silence that's followed me ever since I first woke up in this awful candle-ridden nightmare labyrinth. I cry. Hot, heavy tears roll down my cheeks, fog up my glasses, and stain my uncomfortably tight jeans. I let myself go and sob for a few minutes before I finally manage to get a hold of myself.

Once I'm down to just a few sniffles, I take off my glasses and rub my eyes with my sleeve before replacing them. I need to focus my attention back on the here and now. I'm stuck here, and no amount of crying is going to get me out. Thinking over the classes, it seems pretty obvious that [Wanderer] is the— [Tier 0 Unified Collective]* A gift. My last favor to you. You don't have to be alone, Allison. [Transient] - This took everything I had. It won't last forever. [Permanent] - Nothing can take away who you are.

Skill - Locus of Thought: Communicate and coordinate between yourselves. Attribute bonus: Ego. Advancement: Just be yourselves. I believe in you. I blink in surprise as the words suddenly appear in my mind.

"I—what?" It's not part of the class list, it's just... there. It feels different from the cold, mechanical truth of the [World Engine], like that last message I received after the [Angel]'s visit. I know I need to take the [Wanderer] class, but something about this calls to me.

"This is blatant emotional manipulation!" I complain. As usual, nobody responds. I can already feel the new class slipping away and I start to panic.

"Frick! Oh, dang it, this is a really bad idea, I know it..." I don't have time to think it through or make sense of it—the words have already nearly vanished from my mind. I desperately grasp for them, focusing on them like my life depends on it. There's an odd feeling of resistance, as though I'm trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Then, it gives way and something slots into place. [FATAL ERROR: Selected class incompatible with mechanical guidance template (Sapient).] I thought I was prepared after picking my last class. I was wrong. Tendrils erupt from within my mind, not just one but hundreds, thousands, an infinite number of them thrashing inside my head. I drop to the floor and try to vomit, but my stomach is empty. My throat is raw from screaming, but I'm so overwhelmed that it feels more like something happening to me than something I'm doing. [FATAL ERROR ENCOUNTERED - ESCALATING... failed. (ERROR: Invalid registration.)] [Initiating emergency recovery procedures... done.] [Analyzing status of Entity#null... done. Issues found: 14 warnings, 3 errors, 1 fatal error.] [17 issues flagged OVERRIDDEN. Attempting to automatically resolve remaining issues.] [Entity#null:: Class_Slot_2_template value returns REDACTED (Expected: Sapient)] [Correcting invalid values... done.] [Warning: Entity#null:: Class_Slot_2 requirements exceed registered tier. Slots occupied: 1. Slots required: Infinity.] [Attempting to fill required slots... done.] [All issues successfully resolved. Shutting down emergency recovery procedures... done. (Warning: Unable to log event for escalation... ignored.)] The tendrils finally withdraw, leaving me feeling hollowed out. I haven't felt this sick since I first woke up. Everything hurts. The light hurts, thinking hurts, my bones hurt. I think I was thrashing around and ended up bruising myself, but that's nothing compared to every square inch of my body throbbing, or the feeling of railroad spikes being driven through my eyes. Still, the words are inescapable.

No matter how much I want to ignore them, I can't look away. [Allison: Tier 0 Human] [Class Slot 1: Tier 0 Student]* - Level 1/10 [Class Slot 2: Tier 0 Unified Collective]* - Level -1/10 [Attributes] Power: 1 Resilience: 1 Awareness: 1 Ego: 0 Will: 2 [Skills] Efficient Lessons Parallel Wills I don't think that's right, but I don't have the mental bandwidth to address it right now. I think I'm just going to lie down here on the cool stone, with the candles. Just... take a second to rest my eyes.

Yeah, a rest seems good right now. It hurts too much to move, anyway. I'll get this all figured out after a quick nap...