Jacob woke up to another blue box in his face.

  Mission [Escape Justice] failed.

  No Experience gained.

  New Mission [Survive Justice] gained.

  Not again…

  The man grunted as he shifted around. He seemed to be seated on some sort of chair, his body wrapped in something thick and sticky. Duct tape? Guess some things never change. You always tie up the hero with duct tape. I mean come on! I warned everyone about the stupid attack and then that stupid lizard choked me out.

  This would be even more frustrating, but I’ve got bigger problems right now than stolen glory.

  Jacob opened his eyes to see he was back in lockup, though in a different cell. As his sense of touch revealed, he was in a metal chair and was restrained with liberal amounts of duct tape. A look up showed that the lizard-woman with the speargun was keeping watch. As she noticed he was awake, the anthomorphic reptile scowled. “Looks like someone’s awake for their execution,” she sneered. “I say you’ve got less than a day to live.”

  Jacob gritted his teeth. “I saved your asses you know,” he said. “if I hadn’t sounded that alarm you’d all be dead or… whatever else those people were going to do to you.”

  “And I don’t give a shit,” the guard retorted. “You almost killed my brother and you’re a demon. Your kind is the reason the Old World fell. Why we’ve got a wasteland with hydroponics and desalination the only things keeping us alive. Why there’s constant war over the scraps of the world you undid and the knowledge to build and use it. It’s your fault and your kinds fault alone.”

  I wasn’t even there to see the world end! Jacobs mind protested. I was on ice for decades before… whatever happened! However he knew there was no arguing with the woman. Shit. If she hates me, everyone else is liable to hate me as well. How the hell am I getting out of this?

  Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

  The blue box popped up in Jacobs face. Thanks you fucking fortune cookie… Jacob thought, mood even more sour. Why does… whatever this thing is keep talking to me? I’m literally about to die, because these idiots think I’m a demon that destroyed the ‘old world.’ What are these people smoking if they think it’s my fault the worlds like this?

  I just wish I could’ve seen more of the world. Even if it is a wasteland, I was bedridden for almost ten years. Being able to see the world… that was one thing I’d want beyond pretty much everything else. Maybe even my inheritance, which I doubt even exists anymore.

  Damnit, I’m screwed. I’m so weak even a small lizard-person with a crippled leg could put up a fight against me. Everyone around me’s so powerful all I can do is run or hide. Like the woman who semi-tanked a headshot, or the big lizard that got me into a chokehold.

  How underpowered am I?

  Opening Interface…

  As if to answer, a blue box popped up, a series on hyperlinks on it.

  [Missions]

  [User Information]

  [Attributes]

  [Talents/Skills/Traits]

  [Map]

  [Journal]

  [Chat]

  So it’s chunked. Now how do I select things?

  Jacob discovered you could select the buttons by focusing on them. A check on User Information popped up as secondary box.

  User: Jacob Bentley Species: Wight* Archetype: [LOCKED_LVL_5] Rank: 1 Experience: 150/200

  What’s a Wight? Uh… shouldn’t I be human? A quick look at the apostrophe showed a small box.

  *Former species [Human]

  So that’s why they’re calling me a Demon? Because I’m a ‘Wight?’ What does that even mean?

  The small box closed and a larger one appeared.

  [WIGHT]

  Type: Human-Variant Scarcity: Rare

  Strengths: Old World Knowledge, Pain Tolerance, Night Vision Weaknesses: Out of Element, Despised

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Wights (also known as Sleepers, or Demons) are pure-strain humans who spent considerable time in cryogenic stasis. Though the mechanisms are not understood, exposure to the DUST while frozen causes radical changes in the bodies physiology. Wights display increased pain tolerance, can see in total darkness, and (most) have extensive knowledge of Old World technology and culture.

  However, Wights are viewed with hatred and distrust by modern-day Wastelanders, who view them as cowards that hid from the Fall rather than facing it. Most are killed on sight or shunned at best. Any Wight who wishes to live long tends to find way to hide their ‘tells’ – glowing blue eyes and black blood.

  That’s not good. Uh… check my Attributes then?

  A blue box appeared.

  Health: 75/75

  Stamina: 50/50

  Nanos: 2/10

  Agility: 3

  Vitality: 5

  Intellect: 4

  Ego: 4

  Presence: 3

  Empathy: 2

  Jacob wanted to cry. Holy shit, I’m fucking weak. No wonder Shard could easily hold his own against me, and I failed two missions in a row: I’m a pushover at best. And I’m going to die before I ever become stronger.

  “Why are you using the DUST?”

  Jacob looked up to see the guard glaring at him. “Uh, I was wondering how capable I was?” he said.

  “Well you’re not getting out of here alive, so don’t worry about it,” she snapped right as the door rattled open. The woman stood at attention right as a pair of guards entered alongside three figures. Two were human, one was a lizard-person. All had grey hair (or scales) and looked aging.

  One of the humans was female and had a prosthetic leg and a ‘real’ hunting rifle; the lizard-person – got to figure out their real name – carried an old plastic-and-metal cane, thought didn’t seem to need it. The other human was male wore an old lab coat under a metal chestplate and had a messenger bag that looked to be at maximum capacity.

  Those must be the elders.

  The female guard unlocked the cell door and the trio entered the room, the two humans flanking Jacob, the lizard in front. “So,” the lizard said. “Tell us your name Wight.”

  “Uh… Jacob Bentley,” Jacob said.

  “Well Jacob,” the lab-coat wearing human said. “Tell us your story. And as a fair warning, be truthful or we’re leaving you out for the Scavs.”

  I don’t know who the Scavs are, but they don’t sound good… Jacob thought. He grimaced. Fine. I’ll tell them what I remember.

  Jacob then proceeded to tell them his life. Growing up in the Bentley household. His time as a playboy. Getting diagnosed with his genetic disorder then the horrible decline until becoming bedridden. The Deep Freeze project and then waking up. Jacob described everything up to when he’d been captured, and his side of the storm raid.

  When the man–Wight I guess–was finished, the three elders and the guard looked shocked and a bit confused. “So you were dying…” the lizard-person elder said. “What was it that was killing you?”

  Jacob shrugged in response. “We never knew,” he told them. “Me and the others were called the Anomalies because of it. We were those with the inexplicable diseases and disorders.”

  “What happened to these ‘others?’” The gas mask elder asked. “And how are you alive after this disease of yours?”

  Jacob shrugged again. “I don’t know,” he told them. “All the other pods were empty when I woke up, and I just… was better. I- I saw one of those blue boxes that looked like a- a computer bootup screen. I don’t know how I was saved… but I’m glad it happened.” Though I’m not so happy with the state of the world right now.

  The elders paused as they seemed to think about this information. The threes eyes lit up blue – like mine? – and stared at each other. Jacobs memory flashed back to the “Chat” hyperlink on the DUST interface. Are they texting each other from two feet away? I guess some things never change…

  After a solid five minutes, the glow faded, and the elders turned back to Jacob. “Wight,” the lizard said. Are they the leader? “We have one question for you. And answer it truthfully.”

  Jacon paused. “Uh, what is it?” he asked.

  “What is your greatest desire,” the lab coat elder asked.

  The Wight paused. The first thing that came to his mind was his inheritance… only that was long gone. The next thing was respect, power, something that would make him recognized and notable again. But… there was no point in that if the world had already ended. Theres no point of having influence if there’s nothing or nobody to influence. So what do I want?

  Jacob thought about what had happened to him. I never had a chance to do anything. I was stuck in a hospital for years. Frozen for possibly centuries. Even when I was walking around, I did what was expected of me: hook up with the girls, party, all that jazz. I never really did anything myself.

  What I want is…

  The Wight took a deep breath and looked at the three. “What I want… is to live and experience the world around me, like I couldn’t before.”

  The elders turned to each other and their eyes lit up again. Jacob held his breath. Are they going to kill me? Exile me? What are they going to do?

  “We have made a decision,” the lizard elder said. Everyone, Jacob, the female guard, and the two bodyguards looked with bated breath. What’s going to happen?

  “We will allow you to live on one condition,” the elder with the prosthetic leg said. Jacob felt relieved and all three guards looked horrified. “What is the condition?” Jacob asked.

  “You must follow our codes and traditions to the best of your ability,” the gas mask elder said. “Fail to do so and we leave you out for the Scavs.”

  Don’t know who the ‘Scavs’ are but okay. “I… accept,” he said. The guards expression went from horror to a look of doom. “Were doomed now” Jacob heard her whisper. The Wight also saw the elder with the missing leg roll her eyes at that.

  “We will return in an hour to have you released,” the lizard elder said, before turning back to the younger example. We’re going to have to break the news before anyone thinks you’ve… escaped,” it said over its shoulder. “I’d say wait here but you’re currently going nowhere.” With that, the three exited the room and Jacob was left with the horrified and surly-looking guard. Once the three and their entourage left, the lizard-woman clutched a claw against one of the bars.

  “Don’t think for even a second you’re free demon,” she hissed. “You may have fooled the elders, but you’re not fooling me. I’ll be watching you… and the moment you slip up I’ll put a spear in the back of your skull.”

  Jacob felt incredibly uncomfortable, but could do little other than stare around the room, avoid looking at the guard, and listen to the AI-generated radio station.