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The top order of the day was to get more water. I trudged through the forest making the long hike back to the river. That yipping sound echoed through the forest again.

Pi, what’s making that noise?

That is the mating call of a Skunkey. A small primate-type monster that likes to climb trees. Warning: They spray a fluid with a foul odor when frightened. While curious by nature, they are not particularly aggressive.

While part of me wanted to see what a skunkey looked like, I was not in the mood to deal with spray. Not if it was anything like a skunk back home. I smelt that before and didn’t care for a repeat performance.

I made it to the river in record time. It was a lot easier when I wasn’t stopping to forage.

Okay, Pi. Make me a water compartment.

Compliance.

I paused. That answer…

Have you watched Flight of the Navigator?

If you watched it. I’ve seen it.

I filed that away under; Useful information about the system.

Looking in my backpack, I discovered it now had an extra compartment. Switching between compartments was as simple as sliding a zipper a certain way. I hesitated before dipping the bag in the river.

Are you sure this thing is waterproof?

Yes. Each compartment is magically protected.

Holding my breath for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I dipped the backpack into the water. I felt the current catch on the bag, trying to pry it from my grip. After holding it there for a minute, I removed it from the river. It didn’t feel any heavier.

Do you think I got enough? It doesn’t feel like I got anything.

Water Collected

100 Gallons

Bag Capacity

0.001%

I turned to leave before remembering my soiled clothing from the night before. The stench hit me when I unzipped the pocket I had placed the foul clothing in. I tried my best to hold my breath as I washed each piece individually.

Hey Pi, can you make laundry soap?

No, but you can.

How?

The easiest method to remove oils and stains from your clothing is to soak them in urine. If you would like to make more advanced soaps, you can acquire monster fat or a variety of plants and trees to make ash for lye. I will provide further instructions when you decide.

You want me to pee on it?

Correct. Soak the clothing in urine.

I didn’t like the sound of that one bit. No matter how hard I scrubbed, there was still a hint of a stain.

Are you sure about this?

Yes.

And that was how I ended up taking a leak in my backpack. I added a special soaking compartment to the backpack and started back toward town.

On the way, I did my daily foraging. At some point, I was going to have to find some meat. Or at least a source of protein. I couldn’t survive on nuts and berries forever.

The idea that there was an undiscovered artifact in the forest was always on my mind, and I looked for it everywhere I went.

Pi, tell me more about the artifact. What am I looking for?

Artifacts are items of value from a bygone era. They are usually quite valuable to the capital and some are labeled illegal for non-awakened ownership.

Am I awakened?

Partially.

I was confused.

What does that mean?

A fully awakened citizen usually awakens at puberty and presents with a class. They have full access to the mana in their core and typically acquire traits and skills as they level. As a partial awakened, you gain experience at a restricted rate and currently do not have direct access to your mana.

I can’t use my mana? That’s such a waste.

Don’t worry. I use it for you.

That annoyed me. What was the point of having mana if I had no control over it?

You’re my friend, right Pi? How about you awaken me?

I cannot do that.

Why not?

You lack a proper class. You must find something you are passionate about and focus on learning it. That is the only way.

While it was frustrating, that was something at least. The question was, what class to choose? The closest thing I had to learning a class was blacksmith and that didn’t appeal to me at all, so I doubled down on finding the relic.

Can you show me a map of the forest?

A translucent map of the local area floated in front of me. On it, I saw a little building representing the monastery on the outskirts of a large forest. The map went all the way to the river.

Can you show me a legend?

What would you like to see on this legend?

Artifacts?

I could hope, right?

No!

Phooey!

How about hidden objects?

You aren’t going to give up, are you?

Probably not.

I could tell I was grinding the system down. Suddenly a key appeared on the bottom of the map.

Legend

Hidden items

X

Nuts

N

Berries/Fruit Trees

F

Other edibles

O

Goblin Camp

G

The map flooded with color as it became populated by the new legend. There was a goblin camp far to the north of me. I wasn’t worried so much about that. Food was everywhere. I was standing on a berry patch that I hadn’t noticed, so I bent down to pluck some tiny purple fruit from a vine that ran past my feet.

Then there were the hidden objects. The map revealed a lot more of them than I expected. The closest was just a few steps away. I stared at the map as I stomped through the brush, trying to get to the hidden artifact.

At first, I thought the map was wrong. When I arrived at the spot indicated on the map, there was nothing there. Then it dawned on me. Hidden. It took a while but I found it.

Only it wasn’t an artifact. Buried at the foot of a tree was a bag of coins. Copper to be precise. Tiny coins with the picture of a young girl with a tiara on her head on one side and what kind of looked like a crow on the other. Only its beak was shorter than usual.

You have discovered 39 copper.

I know that!

For the next several hours, I scavenged my way through the forest as I hiked from hidden item to hidden item. The majority of the time, I found lost toys and buried trash. There were random valuables that I collected like an old arrowhead and a clay cup.

I was dangerously close to the goblin camp when I finally found an artifact.

Scanning object…

Error…

Item description not in database…

Making profile…

Determination: Enchanted object created pre-era.

Item Classification: Hammer

Enchantment: Unknown

Statistics: Unknown

What the hell is this?

I don’t know.

How did you know it was here when you don’t know what it is?

I know where everything is but if it was created before me, I cannot ascertain its qualities.

I turned the hammer over in my hands. It looked…ordinary.

Can this thing hurt me?

Unknown.

Is it possible to get it appraised somewhere?

Unlikely. The only awakened that can identify pre-era items are typically thousands of years old and hard to find.

What do you suggest?

If you use the artifact, I can gather information based on how it affects you. I will try to shield you from any damage it may cause. Likelihood of permanent harm: 10%.

My first dilemma. Use the artifact and possibly die, or ignore it and miss out on any potential benefits.

“Ayieeeeee!” A scream made me jump.

I looked up in time to see a green blur run off in the other direction. Goblins! I took off at a sprint, running away from the peril but keeping one eye on the map to make sure I didn’t get turned around.

Huff huff wheeze.

Curse this body! I’m so out of shape.

You are in the top 10% of the heaviest humans on Gaia. Would you like to lose weight? Y/N?

Yes! This sucks.

Forming exercise and diet regimen. Prepare for a 2-mile jog after the lunch break.

No! I gotta go to work.

Error: Only strict adherence to exercise and diet regimen will result in desired weight loss.

Shut up!

Understood.

I bent over against the wall of the monastery, panting and trying to catch my breath. The first thing to do was take a quick inventory of my latest expedition.

Collection Results

Grobb Nuts

441

Chapples

33

Rip Weed

81

Leaves

455

Twigs and Branches

193

Unidentified Artifact

1

Sprinklegrass

10

Pebbles

52

Childs Toy

3

Copper Coins

39

Arrowhead

3

Cup

1

Garbage

7

Total Forest Explored: 7%

I just spent hours in there. Are you sure I didn’t explore more?

Your system of traveling from one hidden object to the next leaves a lot of unexplored territory. Would you like me to recommend a more efficient method of exploring the forest? Y/N?

I ignored Pi, and after catching my breath, made my way back to the shanty.

Are you sure I can’t get this appraised somewhere? Perhaps at a church?

The church can only help if an item is confirmed to be cursed.

I groaned. It wasn’t like I was going to get anywhere by being super cautious. If I wanted to beat the game, I was going to have to take some risks.

Placing a rock on the ground, I held the hammer above my head.

Here goes nothing.

Try not to die.

Heh, thanks for nothing!

Then I brought down the hammer with surprising force. When I opened my eyes, the rock was gone. It wasn’t that I mean to close them. Somewhere in the downswing, instinct took over and my eyes clamped shut. In the rock’s place was a shallow crater about half a foot deep.

Analyzing Experiment…

Preparing Report…

The artifact enhanced your swing and accurately targeted the stone. Heat transferred at the point of impact causing the target to disintegrate.

Suggestion: The artifact may have a greater effect if used on a superior metal.

Potential Artifact Rank: S

Estimated Value: 1000 Gold.

Would you like to assign a name? Y/N?

I stared at the report for a minute before letting out a loud whoop. Not only was it my first artifact but now I had the potential to be rich. That meant a nicer house and a warm night’s sleep. Hell, I could eat meat again. The possibilities were endless.

I burst from the shanty and practically skipped as I made my way around the hill. If anyone could see potential in my new hammer, it would be Brewster.

The goal was to sell him the hammer for top gold, buy a cheap house and find the best restaurant in town. Possibly not in that order. Brewster was waiting for me when I arrived. “What’s got you in such a good mood? It can’t be the thought of cleaning the forge.”

“Check this out,” I announced proudly, brandishing the hammer like a sword.

Brewster squinted at the artifact, a frown forming on his face. “It’s a hammer? What about it?”

“It’s a magic hammer!” I proclaimed, shaking it for good measure.

He took a few steps closer, examining the hammer. “Looks pretty normal to me. Not even a smithy hammer. Why do you think it’s magic?”

Feeling a sudden need to prove my treasure’s voracity, I brought it down hard on the ground. This time I kept my eyes open. The earth around us quaked as the hammer forced the ground to implode on itself.

Brewster half jumped, half fell backward, landing hard on his backside. I knelt beside him in an action pose, hammer buried in the rubble of crushed earth with me still attached to it. Truth be told, I felt like Thor.

Brewster crawled over to the crater and ran his ringers over the rocks. “Well, either you got some hidden strength in you or there might be something to that magic hammer theory. Where did you get it?”

“I found it in the forest,” I explained, returning to my feet. “Do you want to buy it?”

The look of longing on his face told me that he wanted it. “Can I try it out?”

I handed it over and Brewster retreated to his anvil. Selecting a sinister-looking black metal ingot, he placed it into the forge and stoked the fire with a large sooty billow. After a while, the black metal took on a red sheen and he removed it with a long pair of prongs.

He placed it on the anvil and readied the artifact. “I take no responsibility if your hammer isn’t up to the task.”

I swallowed and nodded when I noticed he was waiting for me to reply.

TINK

TINK

TINK

I’m not sure what I had been expecting. An explosion maybe? The quiet tinking sound the hammer made was the last thing I expected. Brewster seemed confused as well. “It doesn’t work. Do you have to activate it?”

Items with special effects only work for their registered owner. This prevents theft and misuse.

I sighed, realizing there was no way to allow him to test it without giving it to him. “Want me to try?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “You’ll hurt yourself. Forging ain’t for the weak.”

“One hit,” I suggested, wanting to know what he expected to happen. “Let me hit it one time. That way we can see how the hammer works.”

Brewster shook his head. “Obsidrite is too much for your level. I haven’t even made you my apprentice yet. Let me get some slag or perhaps some coppernick.”

Too focused on the shiny black ore in front of me, I asked, “What would happen if I hit that one?”

“Hit?” He asked. “You can call it many things but not hit. It’s not a monster. It’s a forge. This ore isn’t volatile. It won’t explode or anything. However, if you mis-strike it, you could damage it. Obsidrite isn’t cheap.”

“Oh,” I replied, giving up on the idea of making a shiny black dagger to replace my rusty one.

Seeing my frustration, Brewster picked up one of his hammers and returned to the forge. “This is a proper smith’s hammer. See how the head is narrower than yours? It allows me to focus each strike precisely where it’s needed.”

He reheated the metal for a minute before placing it back on the anvil. “Watch carefully and see the difference.”

CLANG

CLANG

CLANG

Sparks flew with every strike but, more importantly, I watched the ingot begin to respond in real-time, slowly changing shape under the powerful blows.

Is it your desire to become a blacksmith? Y/N?

Tempting. I mean, I was tempted. Being a craftsman and opening up a shop could be a fun way of living my life on Gaia. I could probably unlock a ton of achievements and live the good life too. That reminded me…

Hey, Pi. Does the system give achievements? Is there a list of goals to achieve?

Yes. There are achievements and titles you can acquire. They are all hidden until you discover them.

Great! More hard work. What was the point of having Pi if he never did anything for me? Brewster finished his work and held up a flattened square of black metal. “This is a sheet. It’s the first step for many recipes. I have to make forty of them for a project I’m working on.”

I watched in silence as Brewster reset the forge. Then he disappeared in the back, returning with a lumpy brown metal. “This is coppernick. You can find it everywhere and it’s practically worthless. I’ll teach you how to do a basic strike but then you need to get to work. If you want to be paid that is.”

I nodded and he repeated the process of heating the metal. “Each ore has its own sweet spot. If you heat it too much, it will crack. Not enough and you won’t be able to handle it properly. Coppernick is fairly forgiving as metals go which is why it’s a good ore to learn on. Here, give it a strike.”

He stood beside me and demonstrated the proper way to strike metal before letting me go.

BOOM

The entire forge was filled with soot as the artifact made contact with the ore. We were both blown back off our feet by the force of the impact. When the dust settled, we stared in shock at the spot where the anvil once stood. It split into two pieces and rested on the floor in front of the forge.

“My forge!” Brewster bellowed, rushing over to the fallen remnants of the anvil. “What did you…how? Why? What the hell is that thing?”

“Do you, um, want to buy it?” I asked weakly, realizing that my plan was going up in smoke. Literal smoke. “I’m sure it will work for you too if you own it.”

Brewster just glowered at me. “Why in the name of Iris would I want a hammer that destroys my forge? That thing is a weapon, not a tool. Now tell me this, what are you going to do about this?”

In the end, I was fired. Brewster was furious with me and sent me packing. The walk home was much slower than the trip out. It was the walk of shame, reflecting on my mistakes.

I wonder why he didn’t demand the hammer as payment.

He likely believes the hammer to be cursed. Nobody on Gaia wants to be attuned to a cursed relic.

Is it cursed?

I do not believe so. It appears the hammer has the added effect: Chaotic Impact. This is a demolition effect best served in quarrying.

Is there a quarry nearby? Do you think anyone would want to buy it?

The nearest established quarry is 429 miles to the north. You can sell the artifact to anyone if the price is right.

I walked in silence for a while. The one thing Hellquist village had going for it was that it was beautiful. Birds, at least I hoped that’s what they were, chirped in the trees and happy villagers milled about enjoying the day.

I just had to work hard and move over to the other side of town. The good side of town.

If only I could do magic. Then I’d show everyone!

Would you like to pursue a magic class?

Wait! Hold up! Full stop!

You never said anything about magic before! Why didn’t we unlock magic from the start?

You never asked.

Well, sign me up! What do I have to do?

This is a serious decision that will alter the course of your life. Do not make it lightly. You are free to pursue any course of life you wish. Choosing the magic path will close others to you. Are you sure you wish to proceed? Y/N?

It was a no-brainer. It was my childhood dream to do magic. Any kind of magic. As a kid, I could swing a sword and run around pretending I was a warrior. Magic was more. It required a dream, a vision, and imagination. Now it was going to be real.

Yes! A thousand times yes! Show me how to get started.