Asperia OnlineA LITRPG Harem

by Aaron Smith

  ASPERIA ONLINE

  A LITRPG SAGA

  COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER

  THIS PUBLICATION IS PROTECTED UNDER THE UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976 AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE INTERNATIONAL, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS, AND ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED, INCLUDING RESALE RIGHTS: YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE OR SELL THIS BOOK TO ANYONE ELSE. EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, OR TRANSMITTED IN MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER, ELECTRONIC, OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATIONAL STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN, DATED AND SIGNED PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR.

  PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN OR ENCOURAGE PIRACY OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS IN VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR’S RIGHTS. PURCHASE ONLY AUTHORIZED EDITIONS.

  COPYRIGHT 2018 AARON SMITH

  Prologue

  My voice came out as a guttural growl as I tried my best to maneuver through the forest, however obstructed by the trees as I was, it was a tormenting pace, not at all eased by the sounds of barking dogs, heavy thumping of footsteps, and energetic clamor of a charging mob echoing from behind.

  I had smashed my face into a tree as I was unused to the movements of my own legs, and was promptly sent tumbling downhill, rolling agonizingly and unable to help the constant sharp pin-pricks of pain that hit from the feeling of crashing upon sticks and stones.

  At this point, I would have taken harsh, belittling words over the granite and twigs, which were somewhat accurate in the expression, and certainly did not lack the ability to break bones.

  The pale moon hung brilliantly overhead, and instantly, there was a loud, charging howl, one that would have me believe it was that of a mythical, half-man, half-wolf, except I would never allow myself to believe in such superstitions. Despite the absurdity of my own scenario, in my heart, I had never been born as a superstitious person, nor had I ever claimed to be a religious person. I could not count the numerous times I had poked fun at my friends for falling prey to the endless chain messages and threats that instructed they shared a story or would otherwise become haunted. Similarly, I had lost count of the numerous times I had crashed at home on a Sunday, my fingers rapidly tapping against either a controller or keyboard, as my friend and roommate would give me the stink-eye as he departed for Church. On the few occasions that he had convinced me to go along, a handheld would be my companion, followed closely by six or seven of my best game cartridges or devices, and it was a feat of willpower to ignore the disbelieving looks and mutters.

  Perhaps, this was some form of divine retribution for my misdeeds. I considered it nothing more than an act of punishment for the completely impossible scenario I had currently embroiled myself in.

  “There it is!”

  “Get it! Slay the creature!”

  For only a trickster deity could be responsible for me asking such the question:

  How does one fall asleep in the middle of class and wake up as a dragon?

  Chapter 1

  Never before in my life had I been happier that I had fallen off a cliff and into a waterfall. Amending that, never had I been glad to fall off a waterfall and drift off to god-knows-where. I coughed and spluttered, water coming out of my lungs as I had eventually found myself washed up ashore, my lungs, for the most part taking in deep, tired heavy breaths, in and out.

  I stared at my form, finding it oddly irritating, and yet epic at the same time. Long, plain, gray leather wings outstretched from my arms, reaching about five foot each in length. My feet were still straight and bipedal, but they were now curved, dark and scaly, likewise had the top of my form changed to a broad, plain gray scale, going all the way up unto that manner till my neck.

  Oddly and inexplicably, my head was still human, as I caught a glimpse of my wet black hair and blue eyes through my reflection in the water.

  I wouldn’t blame the townspeople for having chased me, both confused and terrified as to what I was supposed to be, before a mob had rounded up with pitchforks in no time, and decided to kill the ‘thing’.

  I wouldn’t blame them, but that did not mean I was not pissed at them. Not a single second had been wasted when they had seen me, and amidst the screams and screeches, none of them had even allowed me a second to explain myself before they started attacking.

  Ting-Ting!

  My eyes snapped open as I heard the sound, and I glanced around my immediate surroundings and found seemingly no one, until, a speck of silver light appeared just outside the edges of my vision, and it came forth, growing larger and larger until it eventually manifested as a tiny, sprite-like creature, with large dragonfly-like wings, a flowing scarlet gown, purple hair, and purple eyes.

  “What the hell?”

  Never in my life had those three words sounded so articulate to my own ears.

  Ting-Ting!

  “Hello! I’m Ting! Your very own personal sprite and guide to your new life here in the world of Asperia! I am here to instruct you and facilitate you through your reincarnation process in order to ensure your optimum satisfaction –”

  “Woah, woah – hold the phone. Reincarnation? New life? What in the world are you talking about?”

  The manner in which she clasped her hands and her eyes seem to light up seemed to go brilliantly. “Ah, you must not be aware. The world of Asperia takes in people who have died from their different worlds, thanks to the great magic of the All-Sage.”

  I was not at all happy with this progression.

  “People who have died?”

  “People like you.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows. “You’re insane. I’m not dead. I am right here.”

  “Yes! You are here, in a new body and in new surroundings, questioning me, a magical sprite!”

  Had it not been the fact that her eyes looked so innocent, I would have truly believed that she was being sarcastic with me. However, she didn’t even look like someone who was capable of understanding sarcasm, so I let it slide.

  “I was in Professor Damascus’ Philosophy class… I remember him droning off about Aristotle and Plato and I put my head on the table to sleep… how in the world did I die?”

  “To find out, you need to meet the All-Sage. He knows everything, sees everything, past, present, future –”

  “All right, all right. Where do I meet this guy?”

  “The All-Sage resides at his temple in Astra.”

  I rolled my eyes. “And where exactly is this Astra?”

  “I… I do not know. The only thing I am knowledgeable about is how to complete your reincarnation process.”

  I sighed. This was getting more and more convoluted by the second. I needed to figure out what was going on and get back home to a large slice of pizza, some beer and sit down in front of my PC where things made sense.

  “Fine, fine. Complete the process and let’s get this over with.”

  Reincarnation Process Initializing…

  My eyes went wide as a floating diagonal box appeared with the words neatly written on it. My eyes twitched as I looked at the font.

  “What is this?”

  “It is the signal that your reincarnation process is starting –”

  “Not that,” I interrupted her sharply, “I meant that – why in the world is it written in Comic Sans?”

  She gave me a blank, misunderstanding look that made it clear that she did not for even a brief second know what I was talking about.

  “The font – uh, handwriting style – why is it like that?”

  “… Should that really be what bothers you? Not the magic box but the style in which things on it are written?”

  “I’m a picky person.”
>
  Reincarnation Process Initialized.

  Loading New Form Creation…

  New Form Creation Loaded.

  There was almost no way I would have missed it, no way I would have failed to draw the similarities given just how much time I spent playing games, and there was absolutely no way I would not point this out.

  “Am I… Am I in a videogame?”

  The sprite, whose name I had yet to ask, tilted her head as she stared at me.

  “What is a videogame?”

  I shook my head, of course she wouldn’t know what it was, but there was no denying the similarities. I just had to wait to confirm the theory.

  Select a Gender:

  Male

  Female

  Neither

  Custom

  Okay, there was no doubt about it that this was the customary character creation screen, and my eyes were already bulging as I looked over to the options, and the sprite urged me to pick one.

  You have Selected Gender: Male.

  Your Race has already been predetermined as: Dragon.

  Wait, what?

  If you feel this is an error, kindly contact the All-Sage.

  I would have ripped out my hair if it weren’t for the fact that I was still uncertain as to whether or not I could bend my wings far enough to reach them. How in the world was I a dragon?

  Select your form:

  Quadrupedal Dragon: You walk on four legs and have wings on your back to fly

  Bipedal Dragon: You walk on two legs and your arms are replaced with wings to fly

  Aquatic Dragon: [Locked]

  Humanoid Dragon: [Locked]

  I let out an annoyed growl as I stared at the options. A bipedal dragon was more a less a wyvern than an actual dragon, and seeing as how the other two options were invariably locked, I had no other choice but to choose the Quadrupedal.

  You have selected Quadrupedal Dragon form.

  Select your feature:

  Horned and Scaly

  Soft and Feathery

  Smoothed and Leathery

  Slick and Slimy

  The first option appealed to me far better than anything else on the list, especially because horns and scales seemed better for defense than feathers… if I was going to be a dragon, I had to be an actual one, and not a giant glorified bird.

  You have selected Horned and Scaly.

  Select a Starting Class:

  Blaze Breather

  Lightning Licker

  Frost Feeder

  Oh? This certainly looked promising.

  Blaze Breather: The Traditional Dragons. With the ability to spew copious amount of flames from their mouths, these dragons are immune to fire and heat, and have become hardened by their own intense flames, making them well-rounded in offense and defense.

  Lightning Licker: The Storm Dragons. These are the dragons who have endured heavy storms and gained the power to summon and manipulate lightning at their will. This also makes them the fastest of all dragon species, however, repeated lightning has taken a toll on their bodies, making them possess less defensive abilities.

  Frost Feeder: The Ice Dragons. The slowest of all dragons, but some would argue them to be the most powerful. Their control over ice can freeze deserts a hundred times over, and merely coughing can create blizzards. However, they also possess the weakest defensive ability of all dragons, as they have become one with the ice, and possess brittle wings and bones.

  There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I had entered some mystical fantasy-roleplaying world on reading that tidbits of information. It was similar to the set-up of the Warrior, the Rogue and the Mage… just with dragons.

  I sighed. I was a stickler for tradition, and there was something appealing about being a giant, flying beast that could rain down fire from up above.

  You have selected the Class: Blaze Breather.

  I sat back and watched as my body began to change, morph, and it felt as though someone had simply poured warm water over my skin before forcing me into a cosplay outfit, strange, but not entirely uncomfortable. In seconds, I stood, with hind powerful forelegs and hind legs to which I could control normally. To my utmost delight, the claws on my forelegs possessed thumbs, working, brilliant thumbs which would have probably be out of place on a dragon, but I did not care at the moment.

  My wings appeared, stretching out on my back and behind me, and the extra weight made it feel as though someone had superglued sticks with a parachute unto my back, and they responded each time I shrugged with a brilliant flap of the wings.

  My new draconic skin was a thick, midnight black, the same color of my hair, as I possessed these scaly features, a horned snout and an elongated tail with a wicked looking spike at its end. I estimated that I was about the size of six firetrucks stacked on top each other two-by-two, and my wings were the sizes of parachutes, creating brief but favorable gusts as I flapped them.

  Somehow, I could actually get used to this.

  Assimilating Reincarnation Codes…

  Enter Moniker.

  A name. Every great and terrifying beast needed a name that could and would inspire fear and awe and –

  I snorted. Yeah right.

  You have entered the Moniker: Drake. Is that suitable?

  The sprite beside me turned, giving me a weird look. “You are a dragon. And you want your name to be Drake? A dragon named Drake?”

  “Sounds better than a dragon named Timothy.”

  I could picture it now, flying through the skies momentarily, and people would look up to the skies yelling in terror and running to hide their children and their princesses, because Timothy the Dragon had come to end their lives.

  Wait. Now that I thought about it…

  You have entered the Moniker: Timothy. Is that suitable?

  I could have sworn my fangs bared into a brilliant smile as I accepted the confirmation request, with the sprite beside me simply shaking her head in disbelief.

  Reincarnation Process Complete!

  You have gained the following Race Bonuses:

  Draconic Senses: You can now see clearly and across farther distances than most hawks or falcons, and even see vividly through darkness and the night. Furthermore, you can also hear sharply and accurately, being able to pick out dangers acutely. Finally, your sense of smell is now capable of distinguishing and tracking unique objects for miles on end. Grants +60% Boost to Searching and +65% Boost to Hunting and Tracking.

  Draconic Outlook: Dragons are generally of two mindsets, disdain for the humans, creatures and trifling issues beneath them, or dominating, as they wish to display their might and power to all lesser creatures. This enables you to have the mind and thought processes of a dragon, which may or may not be useful, depending on context or situation. Passively Grants 50/50 Chance of Maximizing Mental Fortitude, or Acting Impulsively.

  Draconic Presence: You are a giant beast of legend, is it any surprise that people would be scared of you? Grants +7000 to Intimidation.

  Information Screen Unlocked!

  Name: Timothy

  Level: 1

  Class: Blaze Breather

  HP: 100/100

  MP: 100/100

  EXP: 0/1000

  Title: Timothy the Useless

  Infamy: Total Nonentity.

  My mind wagered between whether I should feel exhilarated that I had been granted some form of videogame power or insulted at how this newfound power seemed willing to belittle me so callously.

  “So –” I had to stop the minute I heard the word come out from my mouth. Powerful, strong, a deep guttural sound that I had no doubt would have sent me fleeing away from it had I not known I was the source. “So I’m a dragon now. A dragon in some fantasy world. That doesn’t explain why there are videogame mechanics.”

  The sprite, whose name I still had not bothered to ask, had tilted her head as she looked at me.

  “What?”

  “You can see the boxes right? Why is it displaying levels, class, an
d other information?”

  She shook her head. “I cannot read the words. The words which appear to the magic boxes are unique to each passing soul that is reincarnated here.”

  I raised my clawed hand and irritably rubbed at my snout, feeling my annoyance slowly begin to grow. I was becoming less and less certain about whether or not I had really died and reincarnated, or whether someone had kidnapped me and used me as an unwilling test subject for a virtual videogame.

  Ultimately, the only way I would be able to find out the truth was to find the person who called himself the All-Sage. He would be the only one that would be able to give me some answers. Of course, the sprite, whose name for some weird reason I still never bothered asking, had no clue as to where the being was, other than the fact that it was at a place called Astra. So that meant my first task was to find more information about where I was, and how to get from point A, here, to Point B, my destination.

  Ting-Ting!

  Main Quest Created!

  The World of Asperia – Part I

  Find more information about your surroundings!

  Of course, I would do that, but first, I never truly completed that nap in Professor Damascus’ Philosophy Class. That, more than anything else was the first true agenda on my list.

  “Are you going to sleep Timothy?”

  “No, I’m lying down and closing my eyes because I want to die.”

  I let out a dry sigh as the sprite began fussing all over my form, telling me that I should not give up on life. It immediately made me feel bad for using sarcasm on her, especially if it was going to go completely over her head and make me more miserable.

  Thus began my life as a dragon, comfortably lying on a grassy floor, with a sprite counseling me about suicide.

  Chapter 2

  What did dragons eat?

  I pondered deeply on the question when I awoke the following morning, the sun’s rays irritatingly entering my now slit-pupils with emerald sclera. The sprite was nowhere to be found, and I wondered if that was a bit of a blessing, all things considered.

  Eventually, I had rose from my sleeping position and decided that it was time to find something edible to eat. Of course, pizza or ice-cream was definitely out of the question, so at that moment, I decided to hunt for my meals, even though I had never succeeded at hunting anything in my life, not even cockroaches. I could recall how the brownish bugs seemed to taunt me every time I had failed to smack them with an open toed slipper.