“New announcement everyone. I declare myself awe-inspiring and worthy of worship. I just found a new way to increase statistics.”

Following my bold declaration I am accosted by two throw pillows, three icy glares, and one semi-conscious Mr. White. The black cat was rudely interrupted from its nap on the back of the couch by Clayton’s large hand scooping him towards my face.

Mr. White:

“Your jealousy delights me.”

My taunt is met with only scoffs from my family. We finally get down to discussing my latest revelation. It is clear that something I did “embodied my concept”. Looking at my concept, THE LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE, it is clear that something to do with learning about the system, sharing that knowledge, or just my general enthusiasm for knowing new stuff has rewarded me via this system.

“So we don't really know anything yet, false correlations and insufficient data and all that.”

“Well look at you Tactus, using your big boy words today, it really must be the end of the world.”

Amelia Kane:

Amelia's acerbic remark earns her an annoyed cuff to the back of the head from my mother. 

“My dear children, we will all love and support one another in this trying time, or I. Will. Hurt. You. Do I make myself clear?

My mothers smiling face is a serene simile portraying endless love and indulgence as she tries to bring us closer as a family.

“Alright people, enough theoretical mumbo jumbo and philosophizing. We need to focus on inventory. Specifically food and water. The water tower down the road will work for some time, but it will run out within the next few days. There is a creek down towards town but that is too far for a permanent water supply.”

Calder is leaning in and looking more focused and slightly less pale already, apparently massive blood loss will be less of an issue in the future. Our home is located about 3 miles from the center of our small town. We have neighbors but everyone on this particular road is between 50 and 200 yards apart. I wonder how they are holding up.

“I concur. Let's do a non-perishable food count and start eating what's in the fridge. If we leave the freezers alone they should be good for another 2 days without thawing out. I say we do that, then make a run to the workshop and see what tools and weapons we can grab. I say our goal for the end of the day is to be fed, weaponized, and have a fortified room to bunk up in.”

A snap from Clayton interrupts my planning monologue. We all looked at Clayton who had once again slipped everyone's notice and leaned against the back window of the living room as we were having our discussion. He points out the back window.

“Look”

Still being early, the sun is shining down on a horrific scene. What appears to be a dog sized duck, with charred looking feathers and flames sprouting from its back, was attempting to make roast chicken in the backyard. I assume it was one of ours due to the shattered coop I just noticed in the backyard and the fact it looks exactly like a chicken except with iridescent feathers that are covered in oil and with a neck twice as long as usual.

“Something smells good.”

The statement form Carter is followed by a collective inhale by the entire family.

“Should we be concerned about the yard catching on fire?”

Victorias question is met with shrugs all around. I peer closer at the dying throes of the chicken. A tough way to go out little buddy. Luckily it appears the fire is not spreading. As I observe the grass I notice that the blades are slightly more vibrant than I remember. The entire lawn is growing and turning more vibrant. I've noticed a slightly difference even since I checked outside prior to our bug friends arrival. 

“Well nothing else has tried to bother us yet. Let's just try and follow the plan and get ready to hunker down until we have a better idea of not only what is out there but what we are going to do from here. Try and stay away from the windows till then, don’t want to attract any trouble we don't have to. Except for you Clayton, you sneaky bastard, try and keep an eye out while we work.”

Nods all around and the family gets serious following Calders instructions.

✶✶✶

I find myself upstairs fortifying a room about an hour later. The rest of the family is off doing their own tasks, mostly food preparation and packing. Tactus is still gathering weapons for our run to the workshop out back. I am moving furniture in my parents bedroom to better block any windows and make room for the entire family sleeping in one room. Yay family sleepover. As scary as some of the things I’ve glimpsed out the window have been, I am endlessly fascinated by the potential of this new system. As I push a dresser against an exterior window I contemplate the glowing motes absorbed into my body. The system called them “essentia”. I vaguely remember my guide in the tutorial talking about it being produced by the core of the planet. Looking back they explained alot of shit but I’ve been rattled by the sudden life or death fight and the whole out of body experience that was gaining my concept. That little bear also mentioned a core. 

I put down the shoe rack I was in the process of adding to my impromptu barricade and sit with my back against the wall. When I think core and adding energy to it I think xianxia land bullshit with some cultivator meditating for years on end. My eyes close and I focus inward on my “core”. My mind quests inward searching my body for something new. 

Nope, no new suspiciously spherical empty spaces in my abdomen or light in my mind's eye that could be interpreted as a core. I received a message earlier about absorbing essentia, I would assume that a mystical power absorbed from a defeated enemy in a world with a system would go to something called a core, basic lit-rpg gamer logic. If there is one thing I trust in this new reality it is gamer logic. Gamer logic and amazing power of gnomes. Gnomes rule.

Following this flawless line of thinking I try and remember the feeling of essentia flowing into my body. The light motes striking a membrane millimeters from my skin and making tiny black sparks crackle across an invisible membrane. The cool and soothing sensation as it slid alongside the pumping of my blood before being absorbed into my bones like a soft rain on dry earth. I breath deeply and remember the sensation, the rhythm of my breathing naturally falls into the square breathing I’ve always  enjoyed in my infrequent mediation sessions. I find myself falling into my body. I am weightless and calm. I am aware of nothing outside of this encompassing darkness that bears down on me. It is not oppressive darkness, it is just neutral, the state of nothing, the unknown. I stop falling. My own soul whispers that this is the center of all that I call me. I move my head to look downwards and I have a body again, I am aware it is purely a mental projection I created out of instinct when I noticed I had no body but that does not stop it from calming me further. 

Interesting. Now I am floating in an empty void as a disembodied mental projection. Mission accomplished, go team Kane, you are unstoppable.

Really not a lot here hun?