Chapter 1 ~ Welcome to the world of Malgamare!

~Wydolm 34th, Year 567 of the Age of Reclamation~


"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!"
Cybil slowly opened her eyes at the sound of a small chime going off in her ear. Her vision was blurred and her skin damp. Her head pounded with a pain that told her that she had far too much to drink the night before. She opened her mouth to yawn but was instead racked with chest pain beyond words. She tried to sit up but found that she was being restrained down.
It felt to her as if spiderwebs where pushing her body to the ground. Panic started to set in as she thrashed about, her arms and hands wildly tearing at what was containing her. Finally, her fingers poked through the mesh of cold, damp threads. She began to tear with all of her strength as she felt her lungs burned. She freed her arms and quickly reached up and clawed at the tendrils traping her head.
After breaking enough of the brittle chains, she lurched her body upwards. She could feel more of whatever held her in place snap as she pulled herself free. She crawled a few paces before wretching. Black, viscous slime escaped her mouth and lungs in coagulated globs. She coughed spat and wheezed as she finally was able to take her first lung full of air in what felt like an eternity.
After a half hour, she opened her eyes again. A bright light shined through the tree canopy above her. She took a deep breath and slowly sat up. She found herself in a forest, but not any forest that she knew of. The trees were massive monoliths of bark, wood, and moss. They seemed the size of a building, not a skyscraper mind you but still big enough for multiple families to live in with room to spare.
She looked over to a hole in the ground, roots of grass were ripped and hanging down into the impression. She realized with a confusion that was where she came from. The grass was what was holding her down, but how was that possible? It was like the dirt had been replaced with her, but with the grass undisturbed. She rubbed her head in hopes that any of this would make sense. She remembered going drinking with her friends as it was one of their birthdays. She remembered the partying, the drinks, the male strippers, the drinks, the drinks, the buffalo wings after the drinks, the drinks...
"Uhh... Goddamit..." She moaned as she heard a faintly familiar chime.
"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!"
Cybil jumped and looked around, she defiantly heard someone say something like a welcome. Was it the person that brought her here and put her in that hole? She slowly got to her feet and reached into her pocket for her keys... They weren't there. Her keys, her pockets, her pants... she was wearing a single black tunic of some kind, not even her bra or underwear. She looked around frantically for anything that she could find as a weapon. Settling on a rock the size of her fist she began to look around.
"H-Hello?! Is someone there?! Where am I?!" She yelled out.
"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!"
"YARGHHHH!" She screamed and spun around, hurling the stone at a nearby tree.
With panicked breathing and wide eyes, she looked around again. There was no one to be found. She took a few deep breaths and then walked over to the tree and picked up her rock again.
"Okay..." She told herself to help calm herself down.
She looked in a random direction and began to walk. There was no use staying where she was so she figured she had a higher chance finding someone that could help her by exploring. Cybil was not used to walking barefoot outdoors but luckily the forest ground was lush with thick grass and leaves. After some time, she stopped to rest. She looked over herself once more. She didn't seem hurt or bruised, but the fact that her clothes had been taken from her made her fearful of another possibility.
She was drinking a lot the night before, did someone slip something in, have their way with her and dump her in the woods? She lifted up her tunic and examined herself. She didn't feel like she had been violated, having had sex before she sort knew what it should feel like the next morning. No soreness, no ickiness, she wasn't hungry like she normally is after sex. But that was normal sex so she didn't know if she would feel the same way after being... She shook her head and decided that if she didn't think it happened then it might as well not have. No use thinking about it while she was stranded in the wilderness.
She got back up and began walking again. Cybil reckoned that she had been walking for at least 1 and a half hours and had not seen a single hint of human civilization. Where the hell was she? She was pretty sure there were no forests like this near the city, at least none with trees like this. She stopped when she heard a twig snap and slowly rotated her head around to the direction of the noise.
"H-Hello?" She said out.
Nothing, but then a rustling in the bush infrount of her caused her to panic and she hurled her rock as hard as she could. She heard a dull thud as the rock made contact with something in the bush and then a loud and deep roar. Cybil took one step back and then turned and ran as fast as she could. She felt her skin flush with heat as something exploded right behind her.
"AHHHHH! GOD NO!" She screamed to no one that could hear.
She looked back to see what it was that she was running from, her eyes widened in abject horror at the large black beast. She had no idea what it was but she could see the fire flickering in its hollow eye sockets. She screamed again as it opened its maw, a ball of flame erupted like a cannon. As it raced towards her head she had a strange thought about someone at a bar betting with her that she would die via fire or water. Who was that? When was that? Last night? She remembered that he had said water. She chuckled to herself as she at least would not have to pay that guy. Her feet were suddenly taken out from beneath her as the ground disappeared, the fireball rushing overhead as she plummeted off of a cliff.
She screamed as she flew head over feet into a river below. She hit the water hard and went under. The rapids pushing her down into the rocks as the water began to push its way into her screaming mouth. She bounced off a large rock, its angle directed her upwards. She broke the surface of the water just long enough to cough and take another breath as the sloshing of the water sucked her back under. She tried her best to curl herself into a ball to minimize any damage to herself from the rocks she kept hitting. She had her hopes raise as she could feel to turbulent water begin to smooth out.
It began to feel like her lungs were filled with acid as she continued to hold her breath. When it became too much she uncurled herself and desperately began to kick her legs to swim in the direction she thought was the surface was in. Her head struck a rock as soon as she hit the bottom of the river.
"No...No!" She thought in her head as any air she had left rushed out of her lungs and could feel the cold river water replace it.
Her body began to shake painfully as she felt the end coming. She could feel herself drifting faster and faster toward something she could only describe as her death. Then she fell off a waterfall. Water was expelled from her lungs as she was in free fall, somehow her body had cleared the actual water and she found herself falling right beside it. She took a deep breath of air as she looked down at the pool of water coming up rapidly to greet her.
"FUUUUUUUUC-" She screamed as she hit the water for a second time today.
Any air in her lungs that she had managed to take while falling was immediately pushed from her body as she hit the water. She sank to the bottom of the pool, bounced off its rocky ground and slowly floated to the surface. She emerged floating on her back, the warmth of the sun pelting her face. She gasped weakly as she struggled to paddle herself to the bank of the pool. The taste of mud and iron filled her mouth and nose. As her hand touched down on dry land she slowly pulled her self out and laid on the grass, staring up at the waterfall she couldn't believe that she was still alive.
"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!"
"What?" Cybil asked.
"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!"
"What is that? W-What is Malgamare?" She asked again.
He eyes widened as a translucent window popped up infrount of her face. The border of the window was ornate in gold and had small scenes of people fighting monsters around it. Inside the window was expertly written text, an unseen voice accompanied it and began to recite what was written.

"Welcome to the world of Malgamare!
Home of the wise and profane!
You have been chosen by your home Deity to compete as a Champion of EARTH."

"What the fuuuucccccck?" Cybil mouthed to herself.

As a Champion, you are to receive a Boon of your choice from your home Diety.
Would you like to view your Boon screen now? Y/N

Cybil read the text again, then once more. What was this? What the fuck was this? Champion? Diety? Boons?

Would you like to view your Boon screen now? Y/N

The voice repeated.
"Uhh... Okay?" Cybil said still not sure what the hell a Boon was.
Suddenly a small list unfurled in front of her.

Iron Stomach

This Boon blesses its receiver with the ability to not contract food poisoning from ill-prepared sources. At higher Levels, this will protect you from parasites and actual poisons.
"I guess one more bite won't hurt!"

Quick Learner

This Boon blesses its receiver with an extra +1 to Intelligence [INT] stat upon every Level Up.
"You will be top of your class with this Boon!"

Entertainer

This Boon blesses its receiver with the ability to mesmerize other with song and dance! Dance and Singing Skills and Magics are leveled at double the rate of a normal person of your race.
"Tips are welcome!"
Added Attribute to all Dance and Singing Skills and Magic: Mesmer

Blade Artist

This Boon blesses its receiver with a 100% affinity with Small Blades, One-Handed Swords, and Two-Handed Swords! With a 100% affinity, you will level in bladed weapons at double the rate of a normal person of your race.
"You will be one sharp cookie with this Boon!"

Dark Sorceress

This Boon blesses its receiver with a 50% affinity with all Dark aligned Magics! With a 50% affinity, you will level all Dark Magic at 150% the rate of a normal person of your race. With this Boon, you will be able to learn all Dark aligned Magic even without other Deity's blessings.
"This... Is my BOOM Stave!"

Would you like to choose your Boon now? Y/N

Cybil stared and blinked. What was this? This all reminded her of some video game she had played back when she was in middle school. How the hell was she supposed to choose? What was better than the rest? Wait, Magic? This seemed like too much information to digest.
"C...Can I choose later?" She asked.

You may choose your Boon at a date no later than one week from this moment.
Would you like to choose your Boon now? Y/N

"No." She said to whoever this was.
As soon as she said that the message began again.

Malgamare is a world of infinite wonder and horror. Existing since a time before time, and in a space between spaces.
Malgamare is ruled by the Magic of Dominion.
To access your Dominion Screen please say "Status".

Cybil blinked and then sighed.
"Status." She said as a new window popped up.
"...The hell!?"

Name:

Cybil Highgarden

Age:

21

Title:

Champion of EARTH

Awarded for being summoned to Malgamere by your Deity Sol

Profession:

N/A

Alignment:

Neutral

Level:

1

0/1000

Race:

Human

Deity:

Sol

Status:

Broken Bone, Bleeding

---

HP:

13/100 (-28)

EP:

37/100

MP:

100/100

---

STR:

5

M.STR:

4

DEX:

6

CON:

6

VIT:

5

CHR:

4 (-2)

DEF:

5

M.DEF:

5

AGI:

6

INT:

9

WIS:

6

LUCK:

4

---

~~Magic~~

N/A

~~Battle Skills~~

Throw Weapon Lv.1

Force of thrown weapons strike for 1.0 times damage.
Exp. 5/1000

~~Life Skills~~

Running Lv.1

Run for leisure or you life.
EP: 5 per secound. Exp. 20/1000

Swimming Lv.1

Guide yourself through water at a brisk pace.
EP: 10 per secound. Exp. 7/1000

Wood Cutting Lv.1

The mightest Oaks trimble before you!
EP: 10 per attempt. Exp. 1/1000

~~Boons~~

N/A
YOU HAVE ONE UNCHOSEN "GIFTED BOON"

---

~~Weapon Proficiency~~

Small Blade:

Lv.1

Proficiency:12%
Exp: 0/1000

Two Handed Sword

Lv.1

Proficiency:11%
Exp: 0/1000

Spear/Polearm

Lv.1

Proficiency:8%
Exp: 0/1000

Bow

Lv.1

Proficiency:10%
Exp: 0/1000

Whip

Lv.1

Proficiency:5%
Exp: 0/1000

One Handed Sword

Lv.1

Proficiency:15%
Exp: 0/1000

Axe

Lv.1

Proficiency:9%
Exp: 0/1000

Stave

Lv.1

Proficiency:11%
Exp: 0/1000

Gun

Lv.1

Proficiency:16%
Exp: 0/1000

Unusual

Lv.1

Proficiency:7%
Exp: 5/1000

~~Magic Proficiency~~

Light:

Lv.1

Proficiency:12%
Exp: 0/1000

Fire

Lv.1

Proficiency:15%
Exp: 0/1000

Earth

Lv.1

Proficiency:10%
Exp: 0/1000

Life

Lv.1

Proficiency:11%
Exp: 0/1000

Space

Lv.1

Proficiency:11%
Exp: 0/1000

Dark

Lv.1

Proficiency:5%
Exp: 0/1000

Water

Lv.1

Proficiency:8%
Exp: 0/1000

Wind

Lv.1

Proficiency:15%
Exp: 0/1000

Death

Lv.1

Proficiency:9%
Exp: 0/1000

Time

Lv.1

Proficiency:5%
Exp: 0/1000

---

~~Equipment~~

Head:

N/A

N/A

Torso:

Tunic

Defense: ????
Type: ????
Durability: ????
Class: ????
Quality: ????
Weight: ????
Traits: ????

L. Arm/Wrist:

N/A

N/A

L. Hand:

N/A

N/A

Legs:

N/A

N/A

Weapons/Shields:

N/A

N/A

Neck:

N/A

N/A

Waist:

N/A

N/A

R. Arm/Wrist:

N/A

N/A

R. Hand:

N/A

N/A

Feet:

N/A

N/A

Accessories:

N/A

N/A

Items:

Cybil read everything multiple times. She looked at her paltry stats and her skills. Everything about her physically was summed up in numerical values.
"My age is wrong..." She murmured to herself and kept reading.
"Wood Cutting? What the hell?" She asked as she looked the sheet and thought.
"... Is it... Is it because I threw a rock at a tree? Is that's why I have Wood Cutting as a skill? This is so stupid!" She said as she looked at her HP.
"HP?... Health Points? Is this all some sort of game? I h-have 13 now.... Wait! 14! So I'm slowly healing, right? FUCK!" She said as she screamed confused by everything.
"Huh? This says I have a broken bone?..." Cybil said and began to look herself over.
"Where? I have cuts but they're not too bad... Nothing really hurt too bad..." She said as the taste of salted iron entered her mouth.
Cybil reached up and wiped her lips. she looked at the back of her hand and sighed at the streak of red. She reached up to her nose and touched it. She winced in pain as she realized that it was what was probably broken. She sighed and laid back down. She figured that she should rest and gain back more of her health before going anywhere. She watched as HP slowly filled back up to 72 then stopped. If she had to guess it had taken almost an hour and a half for her Hp to get there. But she didn't understand, why wasn't it going back to 100? She reached up and touched her swollen nose. Wincing in pain she saw her health drop to 71, and then after a few seconds go back up to 72.
"Goddamnit... Your fucking kidding me? Broken nose wipes off 28 of my Health!? That's bullshit!" She yelled at herself.
She sighed and dismissed the window with a thought. Immediately the previous message came back up.

That concludes your tutorial!
Now journey forth Champion of EARTH and bring glory to your Deity!

"What?... That's it? You can't just stop there! WHO THE... Fuck! Fuck you!" She screamed at the screen that disappeared.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After exhaling she realized that there was really nothing to do about it now. So she slowly got to her feet and stretched. She hurt all over but seeing the tall waterfall that she had fallen from, she was lucky to still be alive. She looked around again for anything that she could find to use as a weapon and settled on a sturdy stick. She again began walking, this time following the calm river that was fed by the waterfall.
She walked, and walked, and walked some more. Every so often she would swipe at the surface of the water with her stick out of pure boredom. She sighed at brought back up her status screen. The window was translucent so she had no fear that she would bump into anything. She was glad that the 'Bleeding' status was now gone. She wondered if her nose would heal by itself eventually or if she would have to get it fixed by a doctor... or a mage? She smiled at that last thought. While she hated the situation she was in, the fact that magic existed here was strangely alluring to her.
She looked down at her stick and then held it up. She wondered if this would count as a sword? Wooden swords are a thing, right? Or perhaps it would be classed at Unusual? Apparently, that was what the rock she had used earlier fell under as she now had 5 experience in it. She sighed as she closed the menu and stopped. She stood still for a few moments. She thought she had heard something, but perhaps it had just been her mind playing tricks on her, but then her mind went back to that Monster that had nearly killed her before. She held up her stick and looked around. Nothing. After a few more moments she lowered her makeshift weapon and laughed to herself.
"Guess I'm just getting parano-" She said as net shot out from between some bushes.
"THE FUCK!?" She yelled as the weighted ends twirled around her before finally coming to a rest at the back of her knees.
As the weights hit her knees, her legs buckled and she fell backward into the river. She tried her best to resist from screaming as her arms were pinned tightly to her body by the net. She thrashed her entire body in a feeble attempt to free herself until the familiar feeling of water entering her lungs hit her. Her body began to spasm uncontrollably until she suddenly felt herself being dragged out of the water with a harsh pull. She began to cough and throw up water as she felt dry dirt under her body again.
"F-f-fuck...Akah..." She said between coughs.
"Aw, You almost kiiilllllled her you iiiiiiidiot!" She heard a hissing voice say out.
"How would I have known she would fall in?" Anouther deeper voice said back.
"Jusssst grab her and briiiiing her back to the wiiiiiiith ussssss." The hissing like voice said again.
"Yes, Boss." She heard before suddenly being lifted up.
"Wh-What? What are you doing? Who are you?!" Cybil said as she realized that she was being carried.
"Shut up!" You should know better than trying to escape." The deep-voiced man said.
"Escape?! What the hell are you talking about?" She yelled as she began to struggle.
The man suddenly threw her to the ground. The force was so great that the air was knocked out of her lungs. The man then picked her back up and continued to walk. Cybil tried to catch her breath again as she could feel the blood begin to flow from her nose once more. Not wanting to get hurt anymore she stayed quiet as the man took her back to what looked like some sort of caravan. As she looked around she could see cages mounted to wagons, people of all kinds and races filled them. Her eyes widened as she looked at Cat people, Lizard people, someone she was pretty sure was like an elf-dragon hybrid and a small pig thing?
"In you go!" The man said as she suddenly felt herself being thrown into a large cage.
"Ahh! Fuck!" She screamed as the man dropped a large beige cloth over the cage.
"Goddamnit! Let me go!" She screamed before realizing that she was not alone.
She looked around at the other women in the cage, 5 in all. Two seemed human, One was a lizard person, one was a bird person, and the last was a... fairy in a small box. Cybil's eyes widened as she stared at them.
"Who are you?" One of the human women asked.
"Uhhh... Cybil... Ummm... What... Where am I?" She asked.
The group of girls looked at each other shrugged and looked back at Cybil.
"What do you mean? You're from one of the other cages right?" The woman asked.
"No... I was just walking along the river and then some asshole threw a net on me and shoved me in a cage!" Cybil said.
The woman looked at each other again.
"One of the other wagons tipped over. A cage broke and some of the other slaves escaped. I guess they must have mistaken you for one of the escapees." The woman said.
"S-Slave? You're slaves?" Cybil asked a bit shocked.
"We are on our way to Le' Portano City, It's where we are being sold." The human girl said.
"S-Sold? For what? Like... hard labor?" She asked.
"Or concubine, or servant. Whatever they want us to be..." The other human girl that had snow white hair said.
"I'm hoping for a concubine personally." She said laughing.
"What?" Cybil asked weirded out.
"Ignore Belldandy, she's one of those Pleasure Drinkers. The bastards put her on Sombra Root because of all the carving they did on her." The other human girl said.
"W-What? I don't know what any of that means." Cybil said.
"Carving! See?" The out of it girl said as she wrestled with her shackles in order to turn her body around.
Cybil's broke out in a cold sweat. Hundreds of small symbols where carved out of her flesh, many of them were scabbed over but a more than a few were bleeding. Cybil looked away in order to not vomit.
"Stop twisting your back like that! Look! You've reopened them!" The Human girl said angrily to the blue-eyed Belldandy.
"Don't worry Nana, I'm feeling fine!" The carved woman said to her.
"Like I said, shes on Sombra Root. So she is right out!" The Human girl that was apparently named Nana said with a deep sigh as she pressed whatever clean cloth she could to Belldandy's wounds.
"Why did they... Why did they do that?" Cybil asked.
"... I told you she was a Pleasure Drinker. They did that to seal her magic." She said.
"Pleasure Drinker?" Cybil asked.
"Did you live in a cave? Do you know anything?" Nana asked.
"No! I don't know anything! I only just came to the world and I already almost died like... 3 times!" She said.
"Just... came to this world? Don't tell me you have been chewing Sombra as well." Nana laughed.
"No! I just woke up in the forest a few hours ago and all these menus started popping up and a monster chased me over a waterfall... I got stats and stuff..." She said not knowing how to even explain this.
"Waiiit, are you sssaying you're a Champiiion?" The Lizard woman asked.
"Uhhh... I guess, the voice did call me that." Cybil said looking at the woman, she really wasn't human.
"She's pulling your wings. There are no more Champions. Not since Tizoc." The Birdwoman said.
"I'm not pulling... your wing... I am-"
"She is telling the truth. She has the Title of 'Champion of Earth'." The fairy said interrupting her.
"H-How did you know that?" Cybil asked.
"Seerer Magic. I can see your Dominion Sheet." She said.
"You know my great, great, great, great, great grandfather was a Champion!" The doped Pleasure Drinker said.
"That's nice Belldandy." Nana said with a sigh.
"Can you get usssss out of here?" The Lizard woman asked.
"Uhh, No? I might be a Champion or whatever, but I'm just a regular person... I don't know how to fight and I don't know magic..." Cybil said.
"I know magic!" Belldandy said with a laugh.
"Can you get us out of here then?" Cybil asked.
"I already told you, the slavers sealed her magic. She can't do anything." Nana said.
"I can do stuff... I can still use non-battle skills... and teach magic... and Sing and Dance... An-"
"Hold on! Could you teach one of us magic? Then we could use it to escape!" Cybil asked.
"It would take to long to teach anybody anything, we will have reached the city and be sold by then." The Birdwoman said.
"How long does it take to learn magic?" Cybil asked.
"For a low tier spell... 2 to 3 days of practice?" The bird woman asked, not quite sure herself.
"Wait... What kind of magic do you know?" Cybil asked White haired Pleasure Drinker.