The New Arrival's Guide to Common Things

by Jorbon Delivas

Due to the problems of respawns and immortality, one might think overpopulation to be a major issue. Surprisingly, it's never turned into one. There are several reasons for this.

First, while all beings may respawn on death, they don't have to. Plenty of beings decide they'd rather reset with a clean slate, wiping their memories clear and going through a new tutorial for a chance at a better life. The cycle is truly endless, as far as anyone knows.

Second, the origin universe is, as far as we've found, infinite. This means when a planet's population starts to become unmanageable the logical reaction is to simply setup a new planet for the overflow. The logistics and timelines for such an expansion differ dramatically based on which organization manages the initiative.

Finally, if an infinite universe is too crowded, there are a theoretically infinite number of other infinite universes beings can go to! The requirements for doing so are steep, naturally, as most beings need specialized equipment to survive the turbulence between universes - not to mention needing both a world key to enter their destination universe and a guide to show them the way.

Slyth

In a Collapsing Tunnel, Second Layer, Chimera M 63

The shattered ceiling above hung suspended as if frozen in time, unmoving. Willow had said she could keep it up for ten minutes. Staring at the cavern full of enemies before him, Slyth didn't think they had much chance of pushing through the hoard within that time. In fact, they were clearly planning to wait and let the collapse crush them rather than attempting to defeat them in a direct confrontation.

The force of monsters filling the cavern was positioned to constantly fill the narrow opening Slyth and the others found themselves trapped at the edge of. Every time a movlie fell, an omryxer or hocheth would take its place. Worse, the moments between an enemy dying and a new one taking their place were frustrated by the dozens of woislls positioned somewhere in the cavern. The squat well camouflaged creatures could sometimes be spotted by the glint off their eye-stocks. Beyond that, their presence was made known by the shields they conjured, running interference to ensure a dead enemy wasn't the same as an open path out of their predicament.

Slyth took a step back and signaled for Frella to take his place. They'd found that the two of them had a similar level of ability in terms of these encounters and worked best if they switched out frequently to avoid either of them tiring quickly. Their strain built much more slowly if they didn't have to fight for protracted periods, even quick breaks made a massive difference.

Neither had the kind of spells or abilities which could turn the entire tide of the battle, not in this particular situation at least. Frella was a much better duelist, she could easily defeat him in a one on one fight, particular because her insights were related to her sword work. She'd suggested he should follow the same path as her, the path of "the blade's truth."

He'd been considering whether she was right. She'd even offered to help walk him through the first insight, as she'd been trained classically rather than consuming an insight seed. Every time he thought to approach her with his agreement, though, he held back. It didn't feel like him, like his path.

Seeing Frella signal for a switch, Slyth slipped through the gap created as she stepped back. He tried pressing forward again, as he had every time. His forehead met a nearly invisible shimmering shield which popped into existence just to stymie the attempt. His sword flashed, instinctively blocking an incoming stone. It'd come from the right, not above. Glancing that way while executing a quick lunge and twist to disable the latest monster, he locked eyes with the center eye of a hazzabi. His wide lips were split in a disconcerting grin and he sent another stone flying, its speed increased twofold as it tore through the air.

Slyth cursed as he dodged and sent a quick message to the party, "Hazzabi spotted, throwing stones." A third rock came hurtling, twice as fast as the last yet again.

His dodge was a little too slow and he took a cut across his cheek. "Projectiles appear to get faster with each attempt. Poli, we're going to-" He cut off as a blur was deflected by a small yellow barrier. "thanks."

Apparently deciding that was enough for now, the hazzabi turned and walked toward the back of the cavern. "He's retreating." Slyth sent, annoyance clear in his tone.

"Noted, thank you Quiz. Hosh, keep an eye out. He's the new priority target. Any ideas on getting out from under the crumbling ceiling?"

Pursing his lips, Slyth switched with Frella again. It was frustrating that his call sign was 'quiz' yet he couldn't give answers to questions like that. His insight was literally 'every question has an answer', a truth that resonated with him in a very personal way. His mana was responsive, ready for use. Yet beyond using it for some simple cantrips that nearly any mana type could cast, he'd failed to make any progress on its unique capabilities.

The fact Madrick had mentioned more than once that he knew what the mana aspect was indicated it was by no means unique, yet no one else had any idea how to use it. Reaching up, he wiped the blood from his cheek, satisfied that the cut was already scabbing over.

"Five minute warning." Willow's statement was calm, seemingly unconcerned. To her, it seemed a foregone conclusion that they'd escape.

His hand froze, halfway to wiping the blood on his trouser pocket. His insight wasn't about asking questions, but about there being an answer. What if… Pressing against the excited optimism bubbling up within him, Slyth pulled a thin thread of mana out and gave it an intent. 'Show me the way out of this mess'.

As expected, nothing happened - just like nothing had happened every time he'd tried something similar. He heard the others discussing options in the party channel, but ignored them. He was certain he was on to something. He dismissed the mana, wasting it, and pulled another strand. This time he infused it with a simpler intent 'show me how the answer is true'. Once he held a small ball of mana threads he asked aloud, "Will we get out of this alive? Yes."

Stolen story; please report.

Frella Poli, who had come up to stand beside him as he watched out for the hazzabi gave him a sidelong look, his bulging eyes moving in that disconcerting way they always did. Slyth ignored him. The mana twitched, moving around a little as if uncertain. Or looking for more details.

A foregone conclusion… He dismissed the mana again and tried a third time. 'Show me how my statement is true', "We will escape the monster ambush and the falling ceiling alive."

A broad grin spread across his face as his mana leapt into action. The threads split into innumerable tiny filaments and rushed throughout the space. They reached their limit and Slyth eagerly supplied more mana without hesitation. He grew concerned as his mana dropped below half. Then below a fourth. Then an eighth. Still, he kept giving more. He couldn't use it for anything else in combat after all. Even if this didn't work it wouldn't really be a waste it-

The world froze for a moment and his mind felt as though it was splitting open. He saw himself, as each of his team members, performing hyper specific actions. He understood, for a very brief time, exactly how each of their spells and abilities worked and why they were necessary. It was too much. He couldn't hold it it all. Fortunately, there was one important detail he could remember.

"System needs to use his simulate ability. The first move is for Prism to remove a rocks's gravity. The large boulder in the middle of our group on the left side. I'm out of mana and that's all I can remember…" Slyth shook his head and, noticing Frella's sign, stepped into resume his place in their front line.

Willow

The Doom Tunnel, Second Layer, Chimera M 63

Quiz's very specific idea for System's ability would hopefully be the straw they needed to break the back of the ambush-camel they were currently battling. Fighting without being able to use her mana for anything besides holding the stupid boulders up in the sky was extremely annoying.

Well, I can use my mana for other stuff, it just shortens our timer which isn't a good idea when we don't really have a plan. It wasn't like she couldn't fight without mana, of course. She'd been doing so her whole life, but it was so slow in comparison! Not to mention the stupid assids. It was back to making them kill each-other and themselves.

Weaving between two of the annoyances, Willow paused long enough that they both had their spew-holes charged before slipping around the one on her left. She kicked it where its shin should have been, making it twist and buckle - spitting its fiery red acid into its own allies' path as they continued their never-ending rush toward her party.

Glancing at Loivl, Willow briefly regretted not fighting with a weapon. The minotauress swept her great axe in huge arcs, cleaving through four enemies in one go! It was impressive, to say the least.

"Thirty nine!" She called to her partner in rear-defense.

Loivl's rolling laugh warmed Willow's heart even as she continued in the carnage. She was careful where she stepped, having created a minefield of acidic spew all over. It was to her benefit, as her agility was much higher than any of the enemy creatures. The assid's mounts, the hochmen - hooches? whoeths? creep hairless cat-wolf thingies - were fairly agile and could dodge around the puddles without too much effort. On the other hand, the assids themselves and the more bulky little dino things and armored moles found it difficult to navigate the hazardous environment.

"Got it!" System's voice called triumphantly. He then went silent, presumably switching to a private channel with Prism. A moment later, her voice outlined their new plan. It'd be tricky to pull it off with the constant pressure, but certainly not impossible.

Willow smiled happily, she'd known her party would find a way to get through this.

Frella

Surrounded, Second Layer, Chimera M 63

"Slowly give ground while converging on the area marked on the mini map." Prism's cool voice instructed.

The woman's orders weren't always perfect, but they were at least never stupid or incompetent. At least, they hadn't been yet. This one, though, was concerning. As soon as they started giving ground they'd go from fighting on two fronts - the front of the cavern and the tunnel behind them - to being entirely surrounded.

She saw the same concern she felt on Poli and Kash's faces. The drawf spat to his left even as he held his towering shield firmly against pounding enemies in one hand while stabbing forward with a short spear mechanically with the other. He muttered softly, "we followin' her crazy order?"

Before she could answer, though, Slyth began taking measured steps backward, following a path toward the ordered destination. Hosh immediately followed suit. Making up her mind quickly, Frella nodded, "You heard the woman, let's go." She didn't have a better option, after all.

As anticipated, the pressure on them turned from an entirely sustainable defensive fight to a scramble to avoid dying. As they fell back to the position where Prism and System were already standing, each of them took numerous minor wounds. Slyth got bit in the calf by one of the rabbid-seeming hocheth, Hosh took a omryxer's spike to the side, and Kash was undoubtedly bruised badly under his heavy plate armor from the many impacts he'd tanked. Even Poli had been caught off guard when a stone came flashing into their group. The projectile was so sudden and unexpected that they only reacted after it had punched cleanly through the wāskan's shoulder.

The hazzabi who'd thrown it grinned wickedly at them from the mouth of the tunnel, the very position they'd abandoned what felt like hours ago. In reality, it had likely been less than a minute.

"Two minutes" Phoenix's cheerful notice was weird enough that Frella whipped her head around to look toward where she knew the woman to be. She found her holding two dead movlies, using them as makeshift shields with a wide smile on her face. The crazy human was splattered in blood, sweat, dirt, and her clothing was in acid-burned tatters again.

She really has trouble keeping her clothes intact. The thought flashed through Frella's mind even as she turned her attention back to her own struggle. Her sword twisted to deflect yet another stone, managing to send it into the back of a nearby hocheth skull, killing the monster instantly. Poli was keeping the worst of the barrage at bay, but Frella knew he was running low on mana already. This had turned into a true shit show.

Two backward steps later, Prism spoke aloud, "Well done everyone. Phoenix, release your ability please."

"You got it boss!" chirped the inappropriately optimistic woman. Frella could only close her eyes as the tunnel collapsed.

Koll

Second Layer, Chimera M 63

Dusty tunnels. Smelly enemies. Loud allies. Life more exiting now. New allies call adventure. Still, Koll stalks. Many eyed man taunting allies. Allies might die. Enemy leader will die.

Tunnel fell. Koll struck. Dagger shark. Many eyed man neck soft. Many eyed man died easy. Koll faded shadow.

More monsters killed. Waiting for allies. Alive. Head voices confirm.

Ten monsters killed, time passed. Twenty monsters. Thirty. Monsters paying more attention. Harder to sneak up. Forty monsters dead. Monsters start fighting each other. Easier to kill them. Fifty monsters. Tunnel empty of life. Only Koll left.

Koll becomes boulder. Koll waits for allies escape from earth.

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