Adrian stares at the intensely similar panel in front of him. The white text glares at him. He blinks. Once, and then twice.
"Is this...my brother's? I'm not even wearing my glasses, I thought..."
His coarse fingers run across his face, and indeed there is no tech, and no glasses on him. Just his skin. He takes a moment to observe the room, noticing rotten wood for walls that are heavily warped with time, and rickety stones crumbling in the corners of the room. The smell of moss and mildew soaks the air, causing him to struggle with just a breath. Not to mention that god awful human hygiene. Turning his head to the right, he sees where the voice was coming from, or so he believes.
It's an older gentleman, someone who looks a little too old to be job hunting, that's for sure. A jagged scar straight down the right side of his face proves he wasn't a pushover. Calmly, he smiles and it pulls through his heavily wrinkled face. His cane taps the floor a singular time
"Where...where am I? Do you know sir?"
Adrian's brows become raised, and he eagerly leans forward clearly wishing for some sort of answer, but all he gets in response is some incoherent gibberish. Again. Adrian turns back to the panel, it's patience eternal. He reads it one more time. Hesitating for just a moment, he thinks about saving his brother, how he needs to get his ass back in the real world and stop slacking.
"Yes."
As soon as the word leaves his lips, the panel flickers, and then disappears for just a second.
A new panel appears.
[Initializing Synchronization...]
[Verifying Individual...]
[Welcome, Adrian Caldwells.]
Another holographic appears, no longer a basic black and white prompt, now a subtle neon blue background and white text. Somehow, the text pops out unlike before. This time, it has much more text. The only thing he gets a glimpse at is his name in the top left corner, and then more mind splitting pain ensues.
Adrian writhes, electricity hijacking his spine, lighting up his nerves like live wires. A scream is wrenched out of him, and the world spins for what feels like eternity. His brain is being reformatted. The pain is much, much worse than last time. The old man quits smiling, slightly worried. His voice rings out again and again, until—
"Are you alright son? Hello? Are you okay?"
The whirlwind of pain in his head stops as the voice echoes in his mind. It ceased his relentless screaming, and his limbs no longer feel as if they are pulling apart. Holding his head as if that'll heal him from the phantom pain, he turns his head and looks up at the now standing, albeit bent over, panicked old man.
"I...I'm okay. But why were you speaking gibberish earlier?".
Adrian lets go of his head, and the old man looks clearly confused.
"Young man, you were the one speaking in strange riddles."
Knowing he probably shouldn't push the argument any further, he sits up, and hunches over to stare at the panel hovering in front of him.
[User:Adrian Caldwells] [Stats]|[Inventory]|[Quests]|[Skills]|[Lore]
[Status:Essentials]
[Permissions:LOCKED]
In the middle, a cheery message says:
[🎉Congratulations on gaining the system, Adrian! ヾ(≧▽≦*)o]
What an absurd emoticon. Why wouldn't an all powerful cryptic system act like some anime schoolgirl? Adrian observes the rest of the panel, taking mental notes of everything.
"This is…Adonis's font. I'd recognize it anywhere."
The categories are all grayed out, except for one.
[Quests] shines brightly like a neon blue beacon. Adrian clicks it, and a new quest appears.
[Main Quest: Save Adonis Caldwells]. That's it. No fancy description.
"Well, that's certainly to the point."
The old man appears back into his peripheral vision. He offers Adrian a rough, brown leather container and drinks his own as he glances at Adrian. As Adrian looks away from the screen, it suddenly disappears. Deciding he'll figure it out later, he drinks from the offered container.
"Are you talking to yourself boy?"
Adrian wipes his mouth, sighing in relief.
"No sir, I was just mumbling aloud."
"Alright, well the name's Gath. Gath Sageward. What's yours?"
Gath hunches over Adrian's bed once more, dependent on his cane. He stretches out a saggy right arm, put into a friendly handshake.
Adrian shakes his frail hand, and then brings his arm back down to his side.
"Well, it's Adrian Caldwells, sir. Where exactly are we?"
Gath's once closed and relaxed eyes, surge open in surprise.
"Well, you must be from far away! Hoho, we're in a humble old town called Penshaw. Where are you from, Adrian?"
Adrian is unsure of how much info he should give out , or if he should give any at all.
"America, sir. I am from America."
Gath, stroking his beard, almost loses his footing at the news.
"Well then! We have had a few come through here like that. There was the Great Architect, and then that one adventurer...by Moemis I have gotten old. Hmph. There was also that one Adoldno guy! I think that was his name..."
Gath continues ranting, and Adrian simply nods his head as he chats.
"...I can offer you lodging here for a few days if you wish! It's really not anything special, but I think it's a start."
Adrian smiles at the old man's generosity, and knows that he can't simply accept it with zero to give.
"I can't do that sir, I have nothing to give you!"
"Hohoho, I don't wish for anything from a youngin' like you. I'll leave you be, come see me in the morning."
Adrian starts to say something, but his lips purse, and he silently accepts Gath's gift. His cane taps on the creaky boards as he walks out, and Adrian is left to his lonesome, once again.
"The overlay must deactivate if I don't interact with it after a while."
Of course, he simply assumes that. Deciding to figure out how to open it here and now, he puts his fist under his chin and tries all sorts of phrases to show the mysterious panel once more.
"Access."
Nothing.
"System...activate?"
Silence. He sighs, putting two and two together. It has to be that of all things.
"Power on."
Nothing again, until—
[Hello again, Adrian!ヾ(•ω•`)o]
He scoffs at the obnoxious emoticon, and then scans the panel once more. He looks back at the tabs that are locked, wondering what could possibly be done to unlock them. His eyes glance back over at the [Quests] tab, noticing it glistens with a "Pick me!" energy once more. Just to be sure, he taps all of the other tabs, all coming up with a singular notification.
[Locked! (T_T) Please Progress Further!]
"Shit...alright then, let's shut up this light I guess."
He rubs his eyes, and then taps the [Quests] icon. He sees the same quest as last time, but suddenly a light flickers under it. A new text box appears, the light somehow getting brighter.
[Side Quest: Repay the Old Man's Favor! Reward: Skills Tab]