The piercing howl of wolves echoed around Dante. He stopped dead in his tracks, shivers running down his spine. Already he found himself inside an unbelievable predicament, what with having awoken inside a strange forest. It smelled of smoke, of rain, and ash.

Surely these wolves wouldn't worsen his situation. Yet with a response from his own stomach, deep down he knew what they wanted.

Scratching the back of his neck, Dante grimaced, taking off in what he hoped was a safe direction. Maybe he could find a cave, or forester who'd lead him to safety.

Those were the thoughts that ran through his mind, as his feet grew sore from the rough terrain. He chuckled, cursing himself for not wearing any boots to bed.

"Maybe I am going insane. My dreams were never so lucid."

But he knew he wasn't crazy. If so, Emilia, an archeologist major he recently started dating, wouldn't have given him the light of day. And where the hell was she anyway? He thought.

His roommate James also wasn't around. And that was a bit odd, considering they were all in his apartment together.

Either way, this wasn't how his Monday should have turned out. Today was supposed to be his big day. His first job interview after art school for an up and coming game company.

With a freshly shaven head, non-existent neckbeard, his plans were set. And they didn't include a damned forest marathon being chased by wild animals.

'Perhaps I was abducted for some Billionaires entertainment. Like that book I read in my teens, The Most Dangerous Game? Or maybe it was something in a contract I didn't read? No, I wouldn't ever do something so clueless– "ahhhh! fuck, shit brains!"

Dante fell, having stubbed his toe on a thick slab of stone. The throbbing pain brought out his boxing skills and he punched the air, as if taking revenge on the world would lessen his pain.

On the third strike he stopped, as his arm passed through a floating screen.

"What the hell?"

A feminine voice entered his mind, reading the text on the display.

Your Summoner's brand has been stabilized!

The brand of Kell'og Ignitrus, now flows through your veins.

• You have gained the skill tree, Affinity of Fire.

• You have received the Mark of the Lonely Hero.

• You have received the Legacy, "Will of the Lonely Hero."

• You have received the Legacy, "Arcane Blessings."

As a familiar to Kell'og, Ruler of the Ashen Plateau, your bond grants +5 to AGI, +3 to FOC, + 3 to WIL, per level.

Conditions met!

Congratulations! For obtaining an Affinity skill tree, you have unlocked a new Mark!

Mark of the Burning Path

• +10 INT + 10 MAG + 5 FOC +10% Fire Damage

Dante stared at the holograms, waving his hand through the texts. Grand delusions swept through his mind like a tidal wave. At this moment he was sure that his mind was broken, and he had been sent to an asylum. Because if he truly were in a game, surely he'd have a class, or a starter weapon?

"Status? Inventory?"

Dante Evergold

Race: Human

Mark: Lonely Hero, Burning Path

Essence Points: 0

HP: 180/180

SP: 160/160

MP: 250/250

Physique: F+

Strength: 17, Endurance: 16, Vitality: 18, Dexterity: 19, Agility: 15, Intelligence: 28, Magic: 25, Perception: 17, Focus: 20, Willpower: 14

Combat Level: F

–––

Legacy

Affinity of Fire 0/300

Will of the Lonely Hero [Locked]

Arcane Blessings [Locked]

The new screen, however pleasant, was a bit insulting. To be graded when he didn't know he was applying for a test… how was that fair?

Having his interest peaked, Dante selected his first mark, believing it to be the reason for his boosted attributes.

Mark of the Lonely Hero

• +10 to all attributes

• +10% to all damage

"What's the catch?" Dante wondered. "Why me?"

Where he was from, humans weren't often generous. The world burned for centuries after an asteroid impact. Now, looking up at the sky the familiar debris was no longer there. The hollowed out moon was whole, and much larger than the satellite that orbited planet Earth.

Rereading his status sheet, Dante eyed the Legacies. The marks he knew were similar to a title. An achievement of sorts, rewarded for completing certain activities. But the Legacies…

Rubbing his chin, Dante grew cautious. He felt a power emanating from the last two. Were they a trap? Were they a curse? Why go through the trouble of sending me here?

"Uh, hello? Kell'og?...Hello?"

Dante spun around searching through his surroundings for any hidden figures.

"I swear to God, if a Furry pops out of nowhere dressed in a tiger outfit. I'm gonna– oh right, wolves."

The call of the hunters restarted, louder and closer.

Dante picked up his pace, wincing at the soreness of his feet.

"I don't know if you can hear me– and sure this may have been a wish of mine– but um… You do know that you can pay for someone to keep you company, right? You don't have to be lonely. There's women for that, guys too. I'm not one to judge, and I'm not touching a damned thing. So I don't know what kind of shit you're into, but you can send me home. Sure this is kinda cool and all, but I'm not– definitely not going to return ANY favors– aaauucchhhh!

Dante tumbled in the brush, tackled by a dark mass of black and gray fur. He punched, then kicked, then cried, then bled.

The black dire wolf clawed his chest, slashing into the AC/DC logo of "Hells Bells" on his shirt.

'Is that a sign? Am I going to die? No!'

Dante threw a rock, yet that didn't stop the beast from lunging towards his throat.

Thrusting his hands out, Dante grabbed its neck. A strength he hadn't known before surfaced, and his pressure increased. Unfortunately, along with the dire wolf's fur and it's tenacity, his hands weren't large enough for a good grip.

Dante fought for his life, afraid and bewildered. This, in no uncertain terms, was real. He wasn't on Earth. If he slipped up, after feeding this wild animal, his corpse would rot.

With a kick, Dante managed to free himself, standing up covered in blood and dirt. An unsettling feeling rolled over him.

When the dire wolf lunged again, Dante dove to the right, grabbed a stick and bashed it's head. The stick broke, then he grabbed another, and another. He didn't stop his attacks until a notification appeared.

You have slain Black Dire Wolf Lvl 4. 30EP absorbed!

Black Dire Wolf pelt added to inventory.

Lesser Core of a Black Dire Wolf added to inventory.

Dante looked down, this time, the weapon in his hand was a much larger rock that was covered in blood and brains. In his other hand, lay a small stone the size of a golf ball. It was uneven, crude, and jagged.

Lesser Core of a Black Dire Wolf

A Core of a lesser beast that contains the active skill Dark Vision. Do you wish to imprint this skill onto your soul? Yes / No