Manifest Read online

  Do not struggle.

  AHHHH! What the hell was that?!? The voice had resonated all around him, but was crystal clear and deep. Like Darth Vader deep! It sure as hell didn’t sound like Dwik.

  I am not your enemy. Do not struggle.

  He instantly felt his body being sucked down. He screamed but only bubbles came out. He tumbled through a small hole, and fell well beyond where he thought the bottom of the pool should be, but was pulled deeper still.

  Gitch tried kicking for the surface, but the undertow was too strong. No amount of paddling freed him from the trap he now found himself in. He searched for Dwik, but the gnome was nowhere to be seen. He was still holding his breath but wouldn’t be able to for much longer. He was out of options. He was not in control here.

  Gitch came to a halt as whatever was sucking him down finally abated. He reopened his eyes and found he could now see clearly in front of him. Not that there was much to see through the pink and gold water, but he now knew for sure he had left the small pool. He was floating in an enormous underground chamber of the colorful liquid. The sides and floor appeared smooth but curved, like the insides of a giant bowl. There was nothing else in the chamber except these long, white tendrils sticking out from the ceiling. They were glow faint but still provided enough light to see by.

  You should be able to breath here, though audible speech may escape you. Have no fear, as I will be able to read your thoughts. I am glad you have come. You are the first to visit me. The gnome does not notice. I have a feeling only creatures filled with light and mana may find me here.

  Gitch had been about to investigate the tendrils but stopped when his captor addressed him again. He wasn’t sure he could trust him, but it wasn’t like he could hold his breath forever anyway. He took a deep breath in, and was surprised when he felt his lungs fill with oxygen. The invisible fairy-napper hadn’t been lying after all. Yippee, he couldn’t drown and respawn outside… That would have been the easy solution. Super.

  He had much to say, to ask this being. Was he a god? Did he have a body? Would he get pruney in the water? How could he escape? Was there an escape? Did he have a fairy fetish? But there was one question above all others he needed answered first.

  “WHAT. THE. HELL?!” he ‘thought’ as loud as he could.

  I understand your frustration, but first know that you need not fear any longer. As I said, I am not your enemy, and you are safe here. I will not hold you here against your will. I have nothing against fairies. I do not need pruning, and I do not think I am a god... Also, please lower your voice. I can hear you just fine.

  “Umm…ok. I am not really sure what to say to that.” Gitch was taken aback, already forgetting that whoever this was could read his thoughts.

  Thank you.

  “Oh, you’re welcome.”

  No, you should say thank you. You are clearly not as bright as I thought you would be. Still, at least you talk to me, unlike that gnome creature.

  Gitch wasn’t about to thank the thing. He didn’t even know what ‘it’ was. For-

  You ought to know. The more you are here, the more I sense we have met before. I believe it was you that made me. I will call you father.

  “Whoa! I haven’t been here long enough to ‘make’ anybody, dude. And don’t call me father. That creeps me out!”

  Yes dad. You created me, but not in the traditional sense. The first I remember, there was a large bang and lots of color. I am certain it was your presence I felt, right before you died. This caused me great sadness, but I am encouraged to find you yet alive! You have finally come to visit me! I am very glad you are here, dad!

  It finally clicked. He was talking to the toadstool... telepathically…. underwater... as a dad… He had a lot of ideas on how his time within Manifest would go, but this was definitely not what he anticipated. Though, to be fair, many pregnancies were unplanned. He just always thought there would be a woman involved.

  “Listen, Toadstool. I don’t know if I am quite ready to be called dad. How about Gitch? That is my name by the way.”

  Are you ashamed of me? You no longer wish to have me as a son? Have I not sprouted tall enough for you… Gitch?

  Was this a joke? He was really not ready for this, he thought irritably. Being Tommy’s guardian was one thing, but parenting a fungus? This was uncharted territory. Still, he didn’t really feel like being a total jerk. The… entity, for lack of a better word, was innocent in this after all.

  “No, it’s not you, it’s me! You are so massive, and pink, and ehh… great! ‘Dad’ just makes me feel old… But you call me what you want. I won’t fight it any more... son.”

  Gee, thanks! How about a compromise. Hmm… I will call you Papa Gitch! You like it?

  The toadstool was dripping with eagerness, desperate for the approval of his ‘Papa Gitch’. The name made Gitch grind his teeth together, but he was careful to hide his true thoughts. There was so much hope in the voice that Gitch couldn’t help but smile and nod. He caught himself before the silence stretched too long.

  “Yes, toadstool. That sounds great! Ehh… do you have an actual name? Calling you toadstool now just seems kind of demeaning.”

  You would give me a name? OH YES!

  The water began to tremble, and the passion pulses hit Gitch’s body harder with each syllable. He cried out in alarm as his ‘son’ calmed down.

  Sorry about that, sometimes I get a little excited. I still have much to learn.

  Gitch breathed out slowly, grateful the danger had passed. “That’s ok. We all have much to learn. As far as a name, how about… Todd?”

  Todd? Todd. Todd! I AM TODD!

  Gitch felt like he was about to burst. This was probably what coal felt like as it turned into diamond.

  Thank you, Papa Gitch! Thank you for my name!

  “Don’t mention it, especially if it causes another 9.0 earthquake.”

  Oops, Todd is sorry about that.

  “Hey, just because you have an actual name doesn’t mean you should go around talking in third person. That’s weird.”

  Yes, Papa Gitch. I am sorry I do not know these things.

  “It’s alright, Todd. You were just born yesterday,” he replied sympathetically. “How are you down here anyway, and how come you don’t speak to me up top?”

  Oh, I speak, but you cannot hear. This place… this place is different. My Hypha discovered this underground reservoir, and I have been tapped into it since the moment of my birth. Your release of mana caused my growth, but without the magic of this underground reservoir, I fear my life would not be sustainable. The pool has changed me. Deeply. I have been given life, and I believe I am learning to channel the excess mana in the glade above into… I do not yet know, but something tangible. Something wonderful.

  Already I have learned to expand my borders and change the nature of this pool. That is how we can now talk and how you can still breath without worry of being drowned. I am sorry for any discomfort you experienced earlier. That was from my recalibrating to your specific race. I did not try so hard with the gnome, but your race is so magical that I believe we could bond together. You must bring more of your kind here! I believe I could make the fairies of this forest strong, and in turn, they could talk to me and teach me in harnessing my powers! Will you help?

  Quest Received: Cultivating Todd

  You have unwittingly sired one of the most magical wonders of the known world. Unite the fairies of the Dufflin Forest with Todd so that he can gain enhanced control over his abilities while also experiencing true companionship. Alternatively, you may choose to stay here and parent Todd to adulthood.

  Reward:

  Variable

  “Yes, Todd, I promise to help you. I was planning on meeting up with other fairies any way, and I am sure they will want see this place and meet you!”

  Really?! Oh, thank you Papa Gitch! I do think your companion is beginning to worry about you. It would probably be best if you returned to the surface. Before you
go off on another adventure, I have a gift for you! Lay your hand on my stalk and you will see what I mean.

  “Sweet, thanks! Now how do I get-” Before he could finish, a strong current pushed him away. He had no control, and could only ride along like a stick in a river. There was no pain and no discomfort whatsoever. In fact, it felt like he was in one large jacuzzi jet! It was a fine way to travel.

  Good bye Papa Gitch. Do not forget to visit me. Please.

  The jet of water turned into a geyser as it carried him up and out of the pool of water. A small tidal wave soaked everything within five feet of the pool’s edge, including one very surprised gnome. The water pulled back and Gitch was left hovering above the surface of the pool.

  “Where were ya all this time, eh? I didn’t see ya in the pool and now yer shootin’ out of it!”

  “I was hanging out with Todd. You should talk with him sometime too. He’s pretty nice once he’s done kidnapping you.”

  Dwik gave Gitch a double take, but Gitch just giggled and gave the gnome a run-down of everything that transpired underground.

  Dwik listened dubiously but laughed particularly hard after learning of Todd’s parentage. “Aye, I’m sure yer son be the spittin’ image of ya.” He chuckled lightly before continuing. “Now, before ya tell me I am Todd’s god-gnome, I have another item we should be discussin’. I think it is high time ya get yer weapon back!”

  Gitch jolted up. “Do you mean we are going after the wolves?! I thought you said I wasn’t strong enough?”

  “That was before our little excursion through the forest. Ya should take a gander at yer manifestation page to see the progress yer makin’. When yer done, come meet me by the southern border. There looks to be enough time to still do a little wolf huntin’ before the day is ended!”

  Gitch was absolutely giddy. He had wanted a proper weapon since arriving in Mentira. He thanked Dwik and then sat down to pull up his manifestation screen.

  Name: Gitch

  Race: Fairy

  Class: ???

  Alignment: +3

  Level: 4

  Experience Points Required To Level Up: 457

  POOLS:

  Health: 82

  Mana: 348

  Stamina: 213

  ACTIVE EFFECTS:

  None

  ARMOR VALUE:

  Ragged Trousers: 0

  Total Armor Value: 0

  RESISTANCES:

  Light Magic: 15%

  Nature Magic: 50%

  ATTRIBUTES:

  Strength: 1

  Dexterity: 25

  Constitution: 4

  Endurance: 13

  Intelligence: 16

  Wisdom: 20

  Charisma: 15

  Luck: 1

  Unused Attribute Points: 3

  RACIAL TRAITS:

  Terraformer

  Tiny creature

  ???

  ??? ABILITIES:

  Transmorph, level 1

  Dubious Missioneer, level 1

  SPELLS:

  Wing Blast, level 1

  Polymorph, level 1

  Mana Influx, level 2

  SKILLS:

  Flight, level 5

  Improvised Weapon Proficiency, level 2

  QUESTS:

  Find Dwik a Companion

  A Most Fetching Weapon

  An IMPudent Ritual

  Cultivating Todd

  He forgot he had leveled up! Today was turning out to be quite productive indeed. He left the points undistributed. Even if his attributes were unlocked, he still wasn’t 100% sure which direction he wanted to take. He closed his screen and flew towards the center of the glade. He had one more thing to do before leaving to find the wolves.

  Gitch placed one hand on the giant stalk, which seemed to tremble under his touch. He closed his eyes as minute pulses of energy crossed from the stalk and into his hand and then throughout the rest of his body. The sensation was fan-freaking-tastic! He was still grinning ear-to-ear when he finally removed his hand and opened his eyes so he could read the prompt that was sure to follow.

  You have received The Gift of Todd

  For the next 3 hours, you will experience the following effects:

  +10% flight speed

  +15% chance for a critical hit

  +1 charisma

  “Thanks Todd, these buffs are great! As soon as I meet other fairies, I will try my best to send them back here to meet you. You shouldn’t be alone for much longer. I will see you soon, okay?”

  Todd gave a small shiver and glowed bright for just a second. That seemed to be the extent of his communication outside of the water. Gitch still had the sense that he could hear everything the fairy had to say, just couldn’t respond in kind, for now. He gave the stalk one last pat and then went to find Dwik. It was time for another adventure.

  Chapter 11

  Dwik was able to pick up his old trail easily enough. Evidence of his mad dash back to the safety of his old stone house were everywhere. Before long, they reached the point where Dwik had sacrificed Gitch’s weapon for the greater good. Well, his greater good anyway. After a quick search of the surrounding area, the pair was able to pick up the new trail. They were now tracking wolf in lieu of gnome. The going was a bit slower, but the tracks were still relatively fresh.

  At some point around mid-afternoon, they took a quick breather. Gitch took the time and placed his ear to the ground, channeling his inner Aragorn. He wasn’t trying to catch a fleeing orc horde, but he thought the same principals would apply with tracking the wolf pack. Turns out it didn’t. He couldn’t make out a single thing, besides Dwik’s not-so-quiet snickering.

  He picked himself off the ground. "Ok, maybe not so realistic." Gitch didn’t feel that bad. He knew he would just need to keep experimenting if he wanted to continue getting stronger. He dug some mud out of his ear and took a seat on the cold ground.

  Dwik came up to him and showed him how to carefully analyze broken twigs, muddy prints, and even some wolf scat to determine if they should keep with their current heading, or drift slightly to the right or left. Gitch took a turn inspecting a pair of tracks set deep in the muddy soil. Dwik looked over his shoulder and continued to provide valuable tips or point something out Gitch had failed to notice. It wasn’t long before he received a new system notification.

  Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Tracking

  Through intricate inspection of your surroundings, you may pick up the trail and general characteristics of certain creatures. Progress this skill to track in more difficult environments and learn more advanced characteristics about your target.

  +2% chance of trail discovery

  +1% chance of identifying creature characteristics

  It was an intricate skill, but tracking made Gitch feel like a boss, so he liked it quite a bit. This was a skill that used every one of his senses, including taste, though he did try to avoid that one if at all possible. Not only was tracking dead useful, it also allowed him a better understanding of the forest at large.

  He had often imagined forests growing up, but the Dufflin Forest was nothing like he had pictured. Sure, there were trees, but these trees stood over 100 feet tall and were not covered in a typical brown bark. No, the trunks were all various shades of luminescent silver. Some were almost pure white, while many others appeared as more of a charcoal grey. The leaves also were not of the standard green variety. The canopy resembled a living rainbow, swaying in the winds high above. There were yellows, purples, reds, blues, and pretty much anything else found in a Crayola box.

  The trees themselves were quite thick but thankfully spaced far enough apart that traveling through the woods had not been overly challenging. Apart from the leaves, which littered the forest floor, there were quite a few bushes, logs, and wild plants covering the ground. It was a very beautiful forest indeed. This part, anyway.

  Occasionally, their path would wind west, leading them briefly into the spooky section of the forest. They both made
it a point to exit as quickly as possible, but more often than not, there was no helping it. That was the direction the tracks lead.

  They ran across large spider webs and of course the blackened trees. He couldn’t tell if the trees were dead or tainted in some way, but they creeped him out nonetheless. It was in that section of the forest where they decided to break, though, Gitch had wanted to keep moving. His tracking skill had increased to level 3 and he was eager to keep at it, but Dwik was rather insistent. He, after all, had not eaten breakfast.

  The gnome was searching around some of the bushes, looking for any berries that might be edible. Gitch saw him grab some orange ones and pop one into his mouth. Dwik’s face held a soured expression, but he did not look concerned. He ate another, and another, and another before Gitch started losing interest. He did make a mental note that orange bush berries equaled good. That might come in handy at some point.

  He started slowly ascending into the air for some flight practice, when he saw Dwik crouch down suddenly. He looked around for the threat and soon found the creature that had caught Dwik’s attention. It was a tiny white bunny.

  Gitch was instantly filled with emotion. The fluffy bunny was so cute and just looked like it needed some lovin’! He levitated in the air, watching the beautiful creature play, when he saw Dwik pull a stone and his sling out of his bag. It did not take much detective work to realize what was about to happen.

  "NOOOOOOOOO!" Gitch shot forward towards the hare. The critter spooked but started hopping around excitedly when it saw the fairy. Gitch slowed just before impact and covered the bunny in a giant hug. The bunny curled up around him, its ears flat against his head. Gitch gave it a pat on the head and sent it on its way. When he turned around, he found Dwik, eyes wide and mouth open.

  Dwik shook his head, not believing what he just saw. "Did you just-"

  "FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY...”

  Gitch felt the ground shake slightly as he looked for the source of the infernal racket. The "FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY! FAIRY!" continued to get closer and closer. Dwik started moving closer to Gitch and again raised his sling, stone cocked.