I was a being with no name, no memory, but I was hunted each time I was reawakened. The same armored beast would kill me any way it saw fit. My fleshy skin did little to stop the blade that would slash through my body. If I attempted to use my sword to stop its blade, my arm would shatter, my skull would split, and the worst one was when I had to hobble around on one leg. I had no emotions other than one stark voice in my head that resounded each time I opened my eyes.
Live.
I did not understand why this armored beast had it out for me, but I knew that it didn't view my existence as something worth bothering with. In the brief moments before I died again, it would always say, "For a tutorial creature, it took a lot of effort..." It would sigh, and then darkness would consume me.
I did not know how many times this occurred, but finally, I opened my eyes again and I walked forward. My mouth was still sewn shut so I couldn't even speak my grievances with the beast. I would attempt to block its sword and my arm would shatter. Each time I died, that other voice would sound off in my head with whatever action I had attempted or cruel way I had died.
Then a thought popped into my head. If I can't run away, and I can't fight, why not learn at what distance I could do both?
I watched as it stepped towards me like it had done many a time before. It drew its sword, I drew mine, but this time I leaped backwards as it launched its fatal strike. The sword skimmed my belly, where the skin hung in loose patches. I could feel it split, but I was not torn asunder like many a time before. If I could physically smile, I would have. The threads in my lips tugged as I attempted, but I quickly resumed my attention to the armored being.
"They can dodge?" it grunted, surprised.
Oh yes sir, I can, I thought to myself, wishing, imploring whatever being had sewn my mouth shut to allow me to convey my thoughts to this awful creature.
It swung, and I jumped backwards. After the third swing, I could feel that invisible wall smack into my back with a murky thud. The sword that was swinging towards my midsection tore me in half yet again.
Darkness. But a new sound finally echoed in my head.
Dodging EXP +50
I was finally learning what I could and couldn't do. It seemed that two rules held me in place within this room. I wasn't allowed to be a certain distance from the creature, nor a certain distance from where I would awaken. As I opened my eyes for the countless time in a row, I formulated my plan. I would attempt to tire the beast. In all my times of dying, I never felt myself give way to exhaustion. Instead, I would hear the labored breathing of my immortal companion. It would swing its sword, grunting in effort, but I didn't seem to be constrained by those same rules.
This time I would allow it to strike, and strike, and strike again. Once it tired, slowed down, unable to wield its deadly blade, I would use my sword to strike at it instead.
It walked towards me, and again I did the same. Much like the last death, I waited. It swung and I jumped backwards. I occasionally would look for the middle of the room, always making sure the distance to the center didn't stray too far from my sight.
"Why did the DEVs make such a difficult beginning creature!" the being roared in my face. Like many a time before, I had no clue what it meant. I was not some creature like the foe before me; I was just me.
After the fifth swing of its sword, I saw my chance come upon me. Instead of picking up its cumbersome sword, it took a deep breath. I jumped forward, bringing my sword down on its metal helm. TING. The sound of metal on metal sounded off in the air. "What the hell!?" Life was restored to my metal foe. It lifted its sword, swinging wildly in each direction. Yet again, the fifth strike happened and it paused. I jumped forward, trying to slightly adjust my aim to prevent what happened last time, but another resounding TING echoed.
While the beast might have armor I couldn't pierce, it did not have the infinite pool of stamina I did. I would finally win... Why am I staring into the air? I realized a half a moment too late that it was my disattached head that was sailing through the air.
"Stupid DEVs making the beginning creature too hard," my metal foe stalked off yet again.
Swing Attack EXP +75
I knew not what these words meant, but it felt earned. I allowed the darkness to consume me again.