As Kaden turned towards the source of the explosions and screams, he somewhat instinctively ran towards it. As he ran he began thinking to himself.
"Why the hell am I running.. I don't know what's causing that explosion and I'm not even a Rifter.. SO WHY THE HELL AM I RUNNING..!?"
Whilst he screamed internally, he reached the location of the mayhem.
"Holy shit.."
As he looked, there was barely any signs of human life left. He looked around, smelling the scent of.. Human Flesh? He jolted his head upwards as he saw a giant monster, seemingly covered in Magma.
"What.. The fuck.. Is that..?"
Kaden's breath was hitched, his fist clenching as he stared in horror on the giant magma beast, covered in an armor made out of cooled rock. As he stood, The Codex's screen pops up in front of him.
"QUEST!: Kill Magma Sprite[0/1]"
He slapped himself in the face and held out his bat towards the Magma Sprite.
"I've dealt with a lot of scarier things than you for breakfast! LET'S SEE WHAT YA GOT, LAVA LAMP!"
The Magma Sprite, seemingly agitated due to the insult, charges towards Kaden.
"Oh shit!"
Kaden jumps out the way of the Sprite, causing it to smash into a building and creating a shriek of breaking glass and falling debris. Kaden gets in a bit close as the Sprite became dazed from the impact and swings his bat, breaking off a piece of the cooling rock armor. His bat vibrated, the metal beginning to melt at the seems.
"My bat!.."
He jumped back, running towards another building as the Sprite charged after him. Kaden jumped out the way of the Sprite, causing it to crash into another building, becoming dazed.
"AAAAND YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!"
Kaden raised his bat as he ran towards the dazed Sprite and swung it three times in a row, causing more pieces of the cooled rock to fall off. Before the Sprite could wake back up, he jumped back.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! JUST GIVE UP, TE KA!"
The Sprite ran after Kaden again, and again, and again.. They went on the same Tom and Jerry chase for hours on end..
...
It could be seen that Kaden was becoming extremely exhausted. From his breath running out, constant breaks to breath instead of hitting the Sprite while it's dazed, and the extreme sweat his was building. The Sprite roared in anger as it pointed towards Kaden, its molten lava bubbling from the crack. It charged towards Kaden again, charging what seemed to be a flow of magma throughout it's hand as the Sprite rushed into another building.
"No.. No.. No..! You're not touching me with that hand..!"
He jumps out the direction of the Sprite, but then as the Sprite passed by him, a blast of magma came towards his direction.
"OH SHIT..!!"
He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, believing his life was over. But, before the searing blast of magma could reach Kaden, a familiar figure stood in front of him, stopping the blast with the palm of his hand as The Codex's screen appears next to him.
"Skill Execution: Flaresper[Lv.3]!"
Kaden opened his eyes in relief then looked up in disgust.
"Oh it's you.."
Ahmad punches Kaden's head after destroying the blast of magma.
"YOU SHOULD BE THANKING ME FOR SAVING YOUR LIFE, YOU DOLT!"
Kaden grumbled and headbutted Ahmad.
"WHO THE HELL YOU CALLIN' A DOLT, FIRE FIST BITCH!?"
As their heads collided, the sound of the their skulls smashing together awoke the Sprite from it's daze. They both moved back in pain then turned their heads to the Sprite as they felt it's heat emit towards them.
"Heyyy Ahmad.. I'm gonna need your help with this..."
Ahmad looks at Kaden and lets out a deep sigh when The Codex's screen pops up next to him.
"QUEST!: Kill Magma Sprite[0/1]!"
"Yea.. I really don't have a choice.."
He opened his hands as a Golden Axe constructed in his hand, leaving a trail of code behind it. It did not just merely shine; it's broad, golden head burned with an intensity of a miniature sun. Kaden stared as a smile crawled on his face.
"THAT.. WAS SO COOL! WHAT!? HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?"
Ahmad points his hand at Kaden whilst The Codex's screen pops up in front of Kaden.
"Player Ahmad has invited you to a Party! Do you accept?[Y/N]"
Kaden looked at the screen in confusion and tilted his head to the side.
"What is this..?"
Before Ahmad could reply, a ball of magma flew towards them. Both of their heads whipped around as they adjusted their stances to dodge the ball of magma. Ahmad grabs Kaden's shoulder while holding his Axe.
"Just say yes.."
Kaden locked his eyes on Ahmad, giving a slight nod.
"Yes.."
Immediately after Kaden spoke, The Codex's screen changed in the blink of an eye.
"Party Formed"
Kaden slightly bulks himself up as they stand in front of the Sprite, smirking. Ahmad pats Kaden's gut while walking towards the Sprite.
"I'll hit it from the right and front. You hit it from the back and left, ight?"
Kaden walks next to Ahmad holds out his bat.
"Say pause, that sounded mad weird bro.."
Ahmad rolls his eyes and scoffs. Immediately, he charges to the right side of the Sprite whilst Kaden charges to the left. They both swing their weapons into the sides of the Sprite, chipping off cooled rock. The Sprite bellowed in pain then smacked it's arm across Ahmad's chest.
"Oh hell nah!"
He quickly swings his arm upwards as he slices through the Sprite's arm, cutting it off. Kaden then gripped on his bat and swung harder than he's ever swung onto the Sprite's armor, chipping more cooled rock off.
"Nice one, Ahmad! Didn't know that The Lion's Sin of Shitting Combat could fight!"
Ahmad snorted, a sharp, disbelieving sound that carried over the sizzling heat.
"Sure, whatever dude!"
He spins his axe around and slams it's flat side onto the Sprite's gut, sending it into a building. His eyes locked onto Kaden's, walking towards him.
"We need to finish this fast, Kaden. What are your skills?"
Kaden scratches his head and looks away from Ahmad's gaze.
"I.. Don't know..?"
He looks at Ahmad as Ahmad's gaze turned into an angered stare. Ahmad darts his attention from Kaden and pinches his nose.
"What do you mean 'you don't know'...? HAVE YOU EVEN CHECKED YOUR SKILLS!?"
Kaden shrugged then raised his hands in the air.
"I HAVE NO IDEA HOW!! YOU NEVER EXPLAINED IT TO ME!"
Ahmad lets out a deep sigh and opens The Codex's interface, showing his skills.
"The Codex has an interface you can summon using mental commands. Think about how in a video game you can just use your mouse or a keybind to open your settings."
Kaden nodded his head, seemingly understanding what Ahmad was trying to say, then closed his eyes. As he closed his eyes, he imagined the "N" key on a keyboard in front of him and pressed it. Instantly, The Codex's screen appeared in front of him.
"Player: Kaden
Rank: N/A
Level: 10
Classes: Spellcoder / Mechanic
STR: 20
AGI: 5
DEX: 3
MNA: 5
INT: 5
LCK: 12
Weakness: Head."
Skills: Mana Shot[Lv. 1], Code Observe[Lv. 1], Snap Build[Lv. 1]!"
"Mana Shot..? Snap Build..? What are these!? AND WHY AM I A MECHANIC!?"
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS, DUMBASS!"
The Magma Sprite stands up from the rubble, staring directly at Ahmad. It held out it's hand, aiming towards Ahmad as Magma began to form around it's arm. Kaden looks up towards the direction of the Sprite and sees the glow of the Magma.
"Uhhhh.. Ahmad.. It's back up.."
Ahmad jerks his head towards the Sprite and sees a blast of magma beaming towards him.
"OH SHIT!"
He swings his axe upwards to slice it in half, some of the magma getting on his skin. The hiss of the magma increased as it burnt through Ahmad's skin whilst he screamed in pain.
"AAAAAARRGHHHH!!!.."
Kaden jolted his head to Ahmad.
"Are you ok, Ahmad!?"
As Ahmad's screams faded, The Codex's screen popped up in front of him.
"Skill Execution: Flamesper[Lv. 1]!"
He grabs onto the magma and throws it off. Both him and Kaden turn their heads to the Sprite as it charges towards them. They both open their hands as their Mana flowed around the both of them. The Codex's screens pop up next to both of them.
"Skill Execution: Burning Radiance[Lv. 3]!"
"Skill Execution: Mana Shot[Lv. 1]!"
Ahmad's Mana flowed around his palm as a speckle of white hot helium formed into a captive star. Kaden squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his Mana to form around his hand as it pointed his finger at the beast like a gun. It hummed through his veins, collecting itself around the tip of his index finger, forming a blinding rainbow light. A high-pitched electrical whine sounded as the the air warps around them.
"MANA SHOT!"
"BURNING RADIANCE!"
With a flicker of his wrist, Ahmad fired the star towards the beast, leaving a trail of incinerating air. Kaden lowered his thumb like a trigger, shooting the rainbow light towards the beast. The light binded around the star as they both strike through the Sprite.
"OHHH YEA!"
"YEAAA! GOOD JOB, BRO!"
They both give each other a firm clasp, linking their hands together. After they let each other go, The Codex's screens pop up.
"QUEST COMPLETED[Ahmad]!
LEVEL UP!
REWARDS: 1 Magma Core, 1 Liquid Firewall Coating!"
"QUEST COMPLETED[Kaden]
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
REWARDS: 1 Magma Core, 1 Mystery Gift!"
A gift box appears in front of Kaden.
"What's this?"
Ahmad patted Kaden's back and smiled.
"It's a gift box! it'll give ya somethin' random!"
Kaden smiled and began to open it, but before he could a bell rang. As soon as the bell rung, The Codex's Screen popped up.
"DAILY QUEST FAILED! PENALTY ACTIVING!"
"Penalty?"
Ahmad turned to Kaden as he dispersed into thin air.
"KADEN!? Oh no.. He didn't do his daily quest.."
...
Out of nowhere, Kaden appeared on a deserted island.
"Where am I..??"
He groaned his as he brushed his head. Before he was even think about where he was anymore, a gigantic shadow was casted above him. He looked up and saw a giant serpent staring him in the eyes.
"Ohhh fuck..."
TO BE CONTINUED, BY MARCH 28TH!!