Chapter 1: New Beginings

Before I knew what was happening, I was gasping for air. Like a drowned sailor coughing up water and feeling himself come alive as the oxygen rushes through him. Only it wasn't water I was coughing up, it was void.

I tried opening my eyes but they were too crusted over. The buildup of sleep making it hard to get more than a glimpse of light. What little light I saw was blinding. A searing whiteness so powerful you'd think it was my first time seeing sunlight.

Slowly I rubbed my eyes, steadied my breath and got onto my feet. My surroundings coming into focus as my eyes adjusted to the change.

Gone was the storm, the howling winds and the terrible darkness. Replaced with a beautiful, vibrant vista. Rolling green hills, dotted with leafy trees, fields of wild flowers and the sounds of a trickling stream, somewhere nearby.

I couldn't explain anything that had just happened, but at least things seemed calm now. Nothing abnormal except for a slightly sweet taste in the air. It reminded me of cinnamon, though it was more subtle and seemed to tingle on my tongue. Maybe it was pollen from those nearby flowers?

Whatever it was, everything else seemed fine. I still had two legs and two arms. My mind was sharp as ever, and I still knew who I was. I didn't feel any physical aches after enduring the crushing pressure from the air. The sun was out and shining. Birds chirped and sang together. The moons hung low in the sky…

The…the moons? Two moons!?

“What the fuck.”

As the words slipped out of my mouth, I felt chills worse than I had in the basement. That…that hadn't been my voice. It had been deeper, more boisterous than I sounded. And yet it had come from my lips…

“Who are you?”

The wispy feminine voice sounded almost ethereal. A harmony of one, that didn't invite, but demanded the attention of its listener.

Spinning around with a speed and control that surprised me, I stared down at the owner of the voice. She lay down on the dirt path beside another figure, letting the sun reflect and shine on her perfectly porcelain skin. Radiating back the light like a divine angel sent from heaven. A visible, actual pure aura around her.

But as remarkable as that was… my eyes chose to focus on other parts of her…

She wore next to nothing.

Around her neck was a golden band, a beautiful blue gem in the middle that matched with her perfectly blue eyes. Connected to that band were two pure white strip's of cloth that flowed down at outward angles. Only long enough drape over her massive chest, giving her the barest degree of ‘modesty’. But the material was so thin, so very form fitting. Her large nipples bulging through the material, catching the eyes of anyone who looked at her.

Down her arm were long white gloves with golden intricate patterns weaved into it. Ranging from her forearms to her palms, leaving her fingers bare. This matched the thigh high stocking that covered her legs. With the material digging in between her bare toes, wrapping around her feet and tightly clinging onto her long slender legs. Reaching up to her juicy thick thighs where they dug into her skin with a tight golden band.

Her waist had curves beyond human perfection. Perfectly slender and tight when she needed to be, but curvaceous and inviting, invoking a man's instinctive need to breed. Around those heavenly hips were more golden clasps. Bent and angled to draw the eye inwards, and downwards. With only four more strips of loose white cloth to cover her up. The longest two draped down her sides, reaching below her knee. The front and back ones were considerably shorter. Not even reaching her mid thighs, offering less coverage than a mini skirt would. With her laying down on the ground right now, they cling onto her skin. Form fitting to it as though it were wet, showing hints of an outline of far, juicy lips between those plump thighs.

Her porcelain skin was flawless everywhere throughout her body, with one exception. Right above her waist cover, perfectly framed by the edges of the golden bands, was a tattoo. Made up of a few individual curving line strokes. Symmetrically bending around themselves in a matter that vaguely resembled a heart, with outward curves surrounding it.

As much of a goddess as she was. With clothes that threatened to show off her divine body with only the slightest of movement, or the weakest gust of wind. As much as her curves and proportions seemed to almost have been crafted to be as sexually gratifying as possible. It wasn't her lower body that held my attention as I looked over her. It was her ears

Her pointy ears.

Not fakes or prosthetics. I'd been to enough cons to know what those look like. Those were real, elf, ears.

The woman looked up at me with fearful eyes, clutching her arms around her as if that would offer much more protection.

Except… she wasn't fearful of me… she seemed… afraid of herself?

An image flashed in my mind and it all became obvious. The pose, the look she had in her eyes, every micro expression was familiar to me.

“Hailey?” I asked with an alien voice. “It's me.”

Fear stilled to confusion, then relief. We were connected by a deep bond, a true love. Even looking like complete strangers didn't make recognising our beloved a challenge.

“Why do you….why do I….” She ran her hands over her body. Down her chest are around her boobs. Squeezing them a little to check that they were real. I couldn't help but blush and look away.

“Holy shit you look so slutty now!” The strange man lying beside her said. His voice was unfamiliar, but only one guy would be that crass…

“Vance.” I said. Getting a good look at him.

He had the same pointed ears that Hailey did, and the same radiant blonde hair, though his hair was short and messy while hers was long with perfect flowing waves to it. He didn't have the same heavenly aura around him though, with a few battle scars over his new fit, tall and heavily toned body. Still with an Elfin slenderness, but toned and hard where Hailey was soft.

He was shirtless, only wearing tattered dark green linen pants that tied around his waist with a length of rope and old wooden sandals. It reminded me of starting gear in some fantasy game, clothes you would trash the second you get better gear. A stark difference to the beautiful crafted outfit Hailey wore. But just like her he had a tattoo on his chest. Centered around his solar plexus, not the curved and slick form of Hailey’s, but a solid and sturdy cross. Similar to a christian cross, but with distinct details and flourishes.

“That you Mason?” Vance stood himself up and offered a hand to Hailey. She looked at him with her big blue eyes, mouth agape as she took his body. Clearly in shock from today's crazy events. “Looks like you got the ‘short’ end of the stick eh?”

His new body towered over me, my head reaching only to his chest. As Hailey took his hand and stood up, I realised she was only a little shorter than him now.

“Y-your Elves now! S-somehow…” I stammered out. “Of course you'd be taller than me

Vance looked over Hailey's new body. His eyes aggressively checking her out while she stood by, looking away and blushing from the embarrassment.

“Huh.. I guess we are.” He rolled a finger up her neck as if to check she was real. Flicking her ear as he went by it, which seemed to unsettle Hailey. It must have felt so weird having a different body part like that. Her whole body seemed to shake from the touch, her teeth sinking into her lips a little.

“What Mmhhmm… what's happening to us?” Hailey asked as Vance kept touching her ears. Amazed and entranced by them.

I looked down at my new body. I hadn’t had anywhere near as dramatic a change as they had. From my perspective I couldn’t even tell if anything was different. Except… on the back of my left hand. Another tattoo, only this once had next to no detail. Just to curving lines, bending upwards like a Phoenix spreading its wings.

“This isn’t our world. Look at the moons in the sky! And do you taste that in the air?”

“I, nuuhh.. I don’t taste anything.” Vance was behind Hailey now, making her blush hard. Rubbing the tips of both her ears, flicking his fingers over them in little circle motions. Weird and invasive, but at least it wasn’t her chest he was going after.

“Knock it off Vance.” I told him. “We need to figure out what’s happening to us.”

“Come on. You haven’t figured it out yet?” Vance stopped touching her ears, and started pacing around Hailey. “We’re in the game.”

“R-really…”Hailey said, in her new angelic voice.” How? W-why?”

“That fucker Tim did something to us.”

“He must have been controlled.” I said. “He was acting all weird that entire session. Tim wouldn’t do something like this and I mean… How the hell could he anyways?”

A strong breeze went by us, sliding Hailey’s clothes around and making the poor girl panic as she held them all in place.Vance was taking this all casually, but Hailey felt the full weight of it. If we couldn’t figure out how to get back, everyone we ever knew. All our friends, families. My dog and her cat. Everything we ever owned and wanted. The future we were just starting to plan together. All of it would be lost to us.

“We need to find Tim.” I declared.

“Fuck yeah, lets find the bastard and kill him.”

“What? No! We just need answers out of him.”

“Pfft. Whatever. How do you even know he’s here? Maybe he’s back home taking all of our shit.”

“I have no idea if he’s here, or where he would be if he was.” I walked over to Hailey. Seeing the anxiety flaring up in her eyes. I put my arms around her new body and hugged her as tight as I could. Keeping my head back so I didn’t crassly stuff it between her chest. “But we need a goal. We need something to keep us from panicking, as a team.”

I pulled back and saw her smile a little. The reminder that this was us, and we would get through this together seemed to calm her.

“Hey, I’m not panicking. This is kinda cool really. I feel way stronger! And look at these kick ass tattoo’s we got!” Vance rang his fingers over Hailey’s tattoo, no concept of personal space in that man’s head. As he came into contact with its center, things got weird.

The tattoo lit up. Changing into a deep pink colour and flashing brightly. Pulsating with a strange and unknown energy. At the same time Vance’s eyes had glazed over. Some weird half translucent film covering his un-naturally still eyes.

Then, as fast as it had happened, the effect stopped. Vance snapping his arm back like he’d just touched an electric fence.

“Holy shit! You’ve got to try that!!” He looked ecstatic. Taking no time to think before touching the tattoo on his chest. Creating a similar effect, but with a deep red instead of the pink colouring.

“What’s happening? What are you doing?” I asked.

“Just give it a try man, I can’t fucking explain it.”

Cautiously I put my hand up to Hailey. Making sure she would be okay with me touching her. I could have tried with my own tattoo, but I'd had enough unknowns for today. Better to start with the one’s Vance had tried so I could understand what’s happening.

As I touched her soft skin, I caught the slightest glimpse of the tattoo lighting up, before time seemed to pause. I couldn’t move, couldn’t feel the beating of my heart or the flowing of blood in my veins.I was stiller than I ever knew was possible. Not able to think or focus on anything, except for the box of text that covered my vision. Appearing out of nowhere, like I’d just opened the start menu and was looking at her character sheet.

Class - Priestess

A Charisma and Wisdom based class, focused on Healing and Support. Unlike other support classes, like the Cleric or Healer, the Priestess has very little use mid combat. Instead providing large, long lasting benefits before a battle and superior healing afterwards.

Priestesses have all sworn a solemn oath to help those in need, no matter the cost to themselves. Failure to follow this oath will see immediate punishment from the divine entity they serve. Other tenants of the oath change from deity to deity, potentially shifting as the priestesses connection to the divine strengthens.

Priestesses are ritual casters with most of their magic coming not from within themselves, but channeled through their actions. These rituals have no cooldown or cost, but lose effectiveness if performed too often without satisfying their Deity.

Starting Health - 10

Starting Mana reservoir - 30 m

Starting Spells - Soothe wounds, Imbue Strength, Shocking touch

Class Features - Divine Oath, Calming Rebuke, Priestesses Grace.

Divine Oath - Tenets sworn to upon becoming a Priestess. Following them provides divine power, while abandoning them will invoke your deity's wrath.

Calming Rebuke - Passive ability. Once a day, the first creature to harm you has his emotions calmed. Turning anger and aggression into an emotion that aligns with your Deity.

Priestesses Grace - Passive ability. Doubles the effectiveness of charisma when out of combat. Increases Universal Base Affinity.

“Oh my god…”

This… this wasn’t the game we were in. But it was a game! A world that must have been designed and created by somebody. With classes, health and mana gauges, spells and feats. Somebodies, some divine entity with unimaginable powers’, a God’s homebrewed tabletop campaign.

“Try me dude! I’m so cool.” Vance puffed out his chest and I put my palm on it. Feeling the rush of information flow into me.

Class - Templar

A constitution and wisdom based class, focused on defence and protection. Templars are charged with the sacred duty to protect all that is holy, through a combination of might and magic.

Where a crusader charges, a templar stands firm. Where a paladin judges, the templar watches blindly. Willing to use any means to fulfil their oaths.

A templar's word is their power. Oaths, pacts and agreements made with a templar may never be broken. Leading the templars to become popular among those needing to move or hold large sums of gold. Making the organisation quite wealthy.

Starting Health - 20

Starting Mana - 15

Starting Spells - Shield, Steadfast

Class Features - Templars Oath, Holy Protection

Templars Oath - The templars Oaths, promises and Pacts are imbued with Mana. Preventing the Templar from breaking his word.

Holy Protection - Supportive Magic used on holy entities or equipment is doubly effective.

“Awesome right!” Vance grinned and took Hailey’s hand. Placing it on his chest.

“That… that is kinda cool.” This was so much information but I still had so many questions. Why include a description of what a class was? Surely any normal person in this world would know about their own class? What its history was and what it stood for? Was this for other people to see? A quick way for adventurers to learn about their party members? Or were these tattoos something we three had exclusively?

“Should synergise really well with Hailey’s divine magic.” More and more questions consumed me. If we wanted to get home they'd need answering.

“Looks like we’ll be working closely together princess.” Vance smiled at Hailey.

“What’s your class Mason?” Hailey ignored Vance’s teasing. “I bet it’s super powerful! You were always the best at the game.

I went to touch my tattoo but hesitated. Their designs were way more intricate, and way bigger. What if mine was so small because I sucked? What if I was some lame noob character while they got to be these cool and powerful classes.

“Well…” I took a breath and put those thoughts out of my mind. Whatever class it said, however strong I was, we’d get through this together. “We’ve got a support and a tank. I guess that would make me…”

Class - HERO
A unique class, bestowed upon an individual in a time where the world is in crisis. The heroes starts as a blank slate, but with the chance to grow into awesome power. With traits and abilities forming based on milestones achieved. Potentially unlimited power and the chance to shape it as the Hero wills.

Starting Health - 15

Starting Mana reservoir - 0M

Starting Spells -

Class Features - Hero’s grace, Hero’s Luck

Hero’s grace - The Hero will never accept help from an ally while others are in need. Negates all healing and buffs from allied party members. Doubles health and dexterity in combat.

Hero's Luck - A Hero’s luck is what they make it.

Hero, huh... Yeah, alright. If this world needs a Hero, I'd be there to save it.