The System Apocalypse Short Story Anthology Volume 1: A LitRPG post-apocalyptic fantasy and science fiction anthology

by Tao Wong

  He looked up to see his mother, worry contorting her face as she stared at her son. “Dan? Honey? Can you get up?” She steadied him as he got to his feet.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. The boxes appeared again in his vision, and again he shook his head to make them go away. They made no sense. “Weren't we supposed to be going somewhere?”

  His mom nodded, her concern melting to resolve. “We've got your doctor appointment in Shasta Lake. You have to eat first though, dear.” She held her hand out to him and squeezed his when he placed it in hers. She guided him to his seat and the familiarity of his mom doting on him, feeding him and making sure he had enough to drink calmed him down.

  As Susan helped Dan with his medication, she chattered on about the latest meal she was preparing for someone in town who had just had a baby. When she noticed Dan had cleaned his plate she stood up. “Do you want some more? It’s no problem to make more,” she asked.

  Dan shook his head and rubbed his stomach. “I’m stuffed.”

  Susan smiled at him. “Good, I packed some snacks in the car anyway in case you get hungry. We should probably get going.” Dan stood up and she led him out the door to the car then paused before opening the door to the passenger side and letting Dan in.

  Chapter 2

  Dan’s mom drove them down I-5 from their small town on the outskirts of Shasta National Forest towards the city of Shasta Lake. The roads were quiet, with few travelers, only a couple cars in the distance ahead of them. Dan balled his fists, squeezing tight enough to make the knuckles go white. He couldn’t remember where he was going, only that it was important. He would have asked his mom but these weird boxes, like windows on a computer screen, kept popping up in his field of vision.

  The boxes were offering him choices of a class, things like Pyrokinetic, Mage and Ranger. It read like when he used to play Dungeons and Dragons. Dan tried to pay close attention to what they were saying, but the boxes kept flickering from one thing to another, as if there was a video glitch. He couldn't concentrate very well, anyway. He had something important to do. He looked out the window as the landscape passed by, trying to kick start his mind into remembering. Another box appeared describing a Blue Mage as a countdown in the corner ticked seconds indicating there was a little under fifty minutes left.

  They had only driven a few miles before Dan blinked and waved away another screen. He had been jarred back to reality when the car slowed, and his mother cursed. “What is it? What's going on?” he asked. He couldn't remember hearing his mom curse before.

  She didn't answer, her knuckles white on the steering wheel as she muscled it onto the shoulder. The power steering no longer working, she pushed the brake, stopping the car.

  “The car just died… I don't get it…” She tried the ignition, turning the key over and over to no avail. Dan stared at her, face blank as he tried to force his mind to function. Another box appeared.

  Incoming System message: An entity has determined you are a match for a symbiotic partnership. Would you like to accept? Entity: Phoenix. Warning: this is permanent.

  Dan shook his head trying to get the box away. His mom needed his help. The box did the weird glitch thing and reappeared in his vision. He didn't know why this kept happening but he was becoming quite aggravated with the hallucinations from his broken mind. To make it go away he thought ‘accept’ at the box and it flashed yellow and disappeared only to reappear.

  Symbiotic relationship formed.

  Congratulations! World First. As the first individual to form a symbiotic relationship, your symbiosis has been upgraded from Commensalism to Mutualism.

  A voice spoke in Dan’s mind, startling him.

  < “I see neither time nor space can provide a permanent escape from the System, once again I am caught within its clutches and bound to the life of a mortal.”>

  “What is this?” Dan asked in a shaky voice.

  “It’s okay, dear, I’ll just try to reach Monica or AAA and we can get towed,” his mother said, as she once again tried the ignition. Dan jumped when his mom started smacking her phone against the dash. “What...is...wrong...with this thing?!” she gritted through her teeth and took a deep breath, her voice going back to normal. “Dan, do you have your phone?” She turned to look at him, but he didn't register it as the voice spoke again.

  < “Daniel Jay Burns, I am the Phoenix, you have accepted the contract of symbiosis with me and now our lives are entwined.”>

  Dan shook his head violently again. The hallucinations were getting worse. He didn't remember the doctors ever telling him he would hear voices like this. “No, NO! Stop talking to me!” he shouted pressing his hands to the sides of his head. His mother frowned as she watched him.

  “It’s okay, dear, it's me, Mom. I'm just going to check your pockets for your phone.” She reached to pat his leg where his pant pockets were. “I'm not going to hurt you, honey.”

  “Not you,” Dan said. “The voice in my head… first the boxes, now a voice. I… I think it’s getting worse.”

  < “I assure you Daniel, your mind is not broken. In fact, it is only through one such as you, I may form this bond. In order for a Phoenix to bond with another sentient, that sentient must have a disjointed mind. It is the nature of our abilities to be in flux, embracing change and rising from chaos.”>

  His mom froze, making eye contact with her son. “What did you say? Something about boxes?”

  “Yeah… I saw… boxes. Like computer windows. I don't-”

  “You saw them too?” His mom cut him off.

  “Wait… you saw the boxes?” Dan asked. His breath quickened and his eyes bore into hers.

  < “It’s always difficult on Dungeon Worlds for the natives. You have my sympathies. This communication takes much out of me, however, and I cannot keep it active very long. I can sense your thoughts and perceive some of what you perceive. I can tell you are in grave danger. You must get to a lower level zone soon or you will die.”>

  “-y the car isn't working, or the phones?” His mother finished her question which Dan only half heard as he focused on the voice in his mind. “Dan? Please be okay, I need you to be able to help us.” The worry in his mom's voice sent another cascade of memories through his mind. The day his father died, his mother's grief as she dealt with the loss, her voice when she learned of Dan’s condition. Dan shook his head, and this time the memories cleared away, leaving him lucid.

  “Mom. We have to go; we aren't safe here,” he said with confidence and unbuckled his seatbelt.

  < “Your technology will no longer work now that the System is in place. You must go south, towards where there are more humans. You can be safer there, then you must get stronger, strong enough to free me from my prison.”>

  Dan closed his eyes and visualized his thoughts going towards the voice in his mind.

  “Can you hear me?”

  < “Yes, Daniel, I can hear you. I tire though and must end this communication soon.”>

  “What is this ‘System’ you're talking about? What kind of danger are we in?”

  The voice in his head made a sound like that of fire popping on hot sap and Dan recognized it as laughter.

  < “That question is one I cannot answer any better than you I am afraid. The System is the System. It entraps worlds without care, civilizations rise or fall within its embrace and entire races have died seeking that answer. This is your new life, your new world. I urge you to find safety, you must level at least once for our bond to help you, but you must get to a lower level zone and soon. I must rest now, but I will leave you with this.”>

  With those last words came a blinking mail notification in Dan’s field of vision as the presence left his mind. Dan smiled as the brain fog cleared, and he was suddenly clear headed. His mom placed her hand on his shoulder. “Dan?”

  “Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, I'm not gone yet. I was just…. talking to the thing in my head. It told me we have to go south to get as far away from the forest as we can.”r />
  “What did those boxes mean? Do you know something?” his mother asked as she also unbuckled and got out of the car. “Why isn't the car or my phone working?”

  Dan stretched, flexing his muscles as if preparing to exercise, reveling in this moment of lucidity, while worrying about how long it would last. He opened his mouth to respond but snapped it shut as an explosion to the northwest cut off what he was about to say. He watched as a pillar of dark smoke began rising into the sky.

  Chapter 3

  Dan’s mom gasped and clenched his arm. “That’s near town. What could have happened?” she asked. They stared at the rising cloud of grey smoke, twisting up into the blue sky.

  “I don't know, but I don't think it’s good.” Dan spoke without looking away from the smoke. “The voice in my head told me our technology won’t work anymore now that we’re a part of this… System. Maybe it has something to do with that.”

  “You really saw the boxes too, then?” his mother confirmed. “And this...voice? That’s part of it? I didn't know what to make of them before, and we were in such a rush to get you to your appointment I ignored them. What does this mean, is it aliens or something?”

  Dan shrugged. “I’m not sure. But the voice in my head- it called itself the Phoenix- told me we have to get to a lower level zone, or we might die.”

  She looked at him and raised her eyebrow. “What in the world does that mean?”

  “I think it’s like in that video game Jason plays, World of Warfight or whatever. We have numbered levels that tell us how strong we are. Creatures and other stuff do as well. We must be in an area meant for higher levels.”

  “I don't understand any of that.” Dan’s mother gripped his arm tighter. “I remember seeing a screen that said I could pick a class or something, but then you fell down the stairs and I ignored it to help you. How do I get that to come up again? How do I know what level I am?”

  Dan shook his head, his default motion for trying to separate reality from fiction. “I don't know. I don't even know what class I am. I think I saw a message about classes but don't think I ever got one.” The blinking message icon in Dan’s field of vision drew his attention. He attempted to look at it, his eyes going wild and swirling in every direction until he gave up and tried to send a thought at it like he had the voice. The screen opened to reveal a message from the Phoenix.

  < “I cannot help until my energy recovers, but by becoming a symbiont with me I have been able to craft a class package utilizing your perks you have gained. This package should contain everything to ensure maximum survivability based upon your life experiences.”>

  Do you wish to accept the class package? Yes/No

  Warning: Accepting this class package will consume all perks!

  Dan didn't know what to do with this information. He didn't know if the Phoenix would make the best decisions for him or was offering things that would only help itself. He directed a thought towards the System to ask about available classes. A massive list popped up with most options grayed out as un-selectable. He thought ‘perks’ and an even larger list bloomed.

  “I don't have a class yet. It looks like I can choose one, but there are so many choices,” he said. “The voice, the er… Phoenix I guess, created a class package to help survivability, but I don't know if I can trust it.”

  “How do you know all of this?” his mom asked.

  “I just thought ‘class’ into the System, and it gave me a list, the same for perks.”

  Susan's eyes went blank for a moment then she focused back on Dan. “Oh my, there's so many!”

  “It’s kind of intimidating,” Dan said. “I know we should get going but we probably need to try to figure this out first. I want to at least figure out a class. I think we need every advantage if we are in a dangerous area.”

  “It’s going to take us a while to walk back, can’t we do it as we walk?” Susan asked.

  “We could, but wouldn’t you rather be prepared, just in case something happens on the walk?”

  Susan gave that a seconds thought, then sighed and opened the door to the car to sit on the seat.

  “That makes sense, I’m just worried,” she said as she kicked her feet in the dirt. She reached through the car and grabbed her purse, pulling out a baggie of cookies. I'll just give this list a look then… what in the world is Magical Chef?” She took out a cookie and nibbled at it then handed the bag to Dan who rolled his eyes at the proffered treats. He was still full from breakfast, but took the bag anyway. He had learned it was easier to just take the food than be constantly asked if he was hungry.

  Dan walked to the hood of the sedan and sat on it, opening the list of classes. He began to parse through it but as the information entered his mind, he felt his lucidity slipping. He placed his hands on the hood to steady himself and the words began to jumble, the letters swirling and making no sense. His vision narrowed, and he heard a scream come from somewhere nearby. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The car felt like it was swaying beneath him and he lost his grip, his clammy palms slipping out from under him. He slid down the hood and into the dirt. His tenuous grip on reality started to fade as his eyes fell on the source of the screaming; his mom dangling in the air by her ankle. His eyes slid down the length of the tendril hoisting her into the air, a massive plant pulling her to a gaping Venus-flytrap like maw.

  NO! Dan thought. Not now! With no other options as his world started to fade to a cacophony of sounds, lights and memories, he latched onto the one thing he thought could help his mom. He opened the message from the Phoenix and accepted the class package it contained.

  Congratulations!

  You have gained an Advanced class:

  Phoenix

  5500 Delayed XP applied

  The Phoenix is an extremely rare class. By utilizing the Ability – Rebirth, you gain access to Skills from another class (your Subclass) dictated by a segment of your memories. WARNING! Using Rebirth alters what memories you have access to and may cause physical appearance and personality changes. Experience gained is divided between your base Class and Subclass.

  Phoenix Class Abilities:

  +2 Per Level in Constitution, Strength and Agility. +3 Per level in Intelligence, Willpower and Charisma. Additional 4 Free Attributes per Level.

  +99% Fire Resistance, +50% Mental Resistance. Greater Elemental Affinity: Solar.

  Class Skill:

  Rebirth – Activating this Skill will cause the system to create a new personality based on your current memories and experiences. This new personality will have a Subclass that starts at level 1. New personalities drawn upon the matrix of your memories and are therefore always a version of you.

  Phoenix Class Pack Perk Selection

  Large Perk – Phoenix Advanced Class

  Medium Perk - Gifted: You have a natural ability to learn quickly. All skills are gained +10% quicker. +10% Skill Level increase for all skills.

  Small Perk - Paradise Plumage: Created by the master artisans of the planet Paradise, this living outfit is a second skin that uses the thoughts and feelings of its wearer to form its shape and design. Regenerative - will regenerate from even a single cell. Soulbound - Cannot be taken or given away. Though it may simulate the look of armor, it offers no protection. Shared Fate - This item shares its owners’ resistances.

  A scream ripped out of Dan’s throat. A molten burning started in his veins and melted its way through his blood and muscle. His world was nothing but fire and light as it felt like his very essence was being burned away to make room for something new. He thrashed on the dirt ground, flailing wildly before going utterly still. Then the world went black.

  Chapter 4

  Danny opened his eyes to a scene he didn’t recognize. He was lying on the ground next to a car. He sat up and looked around. His tent was gone, as were the tents of the rest of the troop. Was this a prank? He glanced down to make sure he hadn't been robbed of his clothes, but there it was, his scout uniform in red, gold and brown. Danny s
hook his head. Wasn't the uniform supposed to be green and tan?

  He stood up and brushed himself off. Brow furrowed; his eyes darted around searching for clarity. He was at the edge of a forest, next to a highway, the straight multi-lane road disappearing into the horizon. He and his troop had hiked a good fifteen miles into the forest the day before. How had he gotten to a highway?

  “Okay guys, this is really funny. You totally got me!” he shouted into the air, thinking at any moment the rest of the troop would pop out to surprise him. How he could have slept through all of this? Had they drugged him?

  “Guys!?” he shouted again to no answer. He inspected his surroundings. The car in front of him was strange, not like any Buick he had seen before. The modern ones were boxy with sharp lines; this one was rounded and sleek. He shook his head again and blinked. As he did so, a blue box covered in text popped into his vision.

  “AHHH! What the hell!?” he screamed and backed up, waving his hands, and landed on his butt, puffs of dust floating up around him.

  Danny batted at the box unsuccessfully. It didn’t seem to harm him, so he read it instead.

  Congratulations! You are now: Level 1 Phoenix.

  Congratulations, you have experienced your first Rebirth! (System Assigned) Based on a compartment of memory, you have been assigned the Subclass: Wilderness Scout, and will now have access to the Skills from that class. No attributes are gained from Subclasses.