NOVEL SIMPLE 202 – (Grotesque Fairytales)
The day after the exhibit ended, Finlosh asked Alysha about her maker's mark.
"My maker's mark?"
"It's like your signature to tell people you were the one who made the piece. Have you thought about it?" Alysha shook her head, and Finlosh continued his explanation.
"Start working on one then. This is especially important since you plan on being an anonymous artist. Your whole persona will be built around it. People will associate this symbol with you from now on, making it synonymous with your existence. That's why you should consider the complexity of the design. With your skills, it's only a matter of time before someone tries to imitate your mark and negatively impact your reputation. Having a unique pattern that's hard to replicate will help with that."
To demonstrate, Finlosh carved his maker's mark, a cursive "F" with intertwining lines, on a piece of scrap wood. Alysha was familiar with this design as she'd seen Finlosh putting it on certain pieces he was proud of, but she never thought of it as anything more than a decoration.
But now, she understood the design also served as an anti-fraud mechanism. Thinking back, Alysha also realized the letter was identical, down to the very curvature of the lines, to the ones in her memories. Finlosh had perfected this design over the years and could reproduce it without looking.
Next, Finlosh helped Alysha create a social media account using her alias. With this, she could start to build a following and get her name out into the world. For professionalism's sake, Finlosh advised her to only post pictures of her works and nothing else. That way, the account would become a portfolio rather than an actual social media activity.
"Remember, you're a carver, not an influencer. Don't think about views or engagement. This is only to make it easier for others to find you," Finlosh warned her.
"I'll keep that in mind," Alysha answered with a nod.
Finlosh let her go and Alysha grabbed a piece of paper to draw with. Then she met up with Genji and twirled her pencil, brainstorming possible ideas for her logo. After a while, she failed to come up with a satisfactory design and rustled her hair in frustration. "Ahhhhhh, I can't!"
"What's wrong?" Genji asked, looking up from petting Astros.
"Nothing's coming to mind. I want to create a cool pattern, but everything I draw looks dumb."
"Is that so? What do you consider cool then?"
"The performance you give when carving," Alysha answered without hesitation.
"What about my performance?"
"Umm..." Alysha paused to think about this question but struggled to respond. Eventually, she settled on a word that encapsulated all her thoughts, "Everything."
"Be more specific." Genji pushed harder for an answer.
"But I can't think of a specific thing. The way you move the knife, your juggling techniques, how fast and precise you are, and even the results. Everything is perfect!"
Genji walked over and knocked on her head. "I think you're looking at me with tinted glasses. If everything is perfect, then why am I still improving every day?"
Alysha covered her head and looked at him in admiration. "Really? You're still getting better? As expected of my teacher!"
"The further you progress, the more you realize how little you know. Don't be a frog in a well. Anyway, which category do you want to master the most?"
"Oh, the knifework." She answered confidently.
"There you go. Do something with that. Also, carve it, not draw. You're not an illustrator so staring at a blank page won't give you ideas."
"Okay!" Alysha beamed at him and got to work on some scraps. Alysha tried over and over again, but the failures racked up with no results. Regardless, she continued without fail, spending a few minutes every day on this activity. Like this, the month quietly came to an end, and Genji said his goodbyes before returning to EverRealm once more.
As the final minutes before his next world counted down, Genji decided to unequip his cursed armguard as a precaution. The stat bonus it provided was meager compared to the risks it brought, especially with the unbalanced relationship between it and [Curse Bearer]. Finally, Genji adjusted his mask, created a fake status page, and stepped through the portal that manifested before him.
Before Genji even came out the other side, he felt a surge in gravity, about 10 times his normal weight. A soft bouncy ground caught his foot and a bright ray of light blinded his vision. When he adjusted, an expansive blue sky and a field of white filled his sight.
He was thousands of meters in the air, stepping on grounds made of clouds. His eyebrows jumped at this conclusion and he double-checked his surroundings.
Around him, dozens of realm members adjusted themselves to the new environment while many more manifested in a similar fashion. After a few seconds, the portals faded and Genji estimated there were a little over 200 people in this cluster.
Genji threw a few punches to test the stamina consumption and made a rough estimate about his physical limits. 'I can fight normally for about 3 hours, 5 if I pace myself, but only 30 minutes if I go all out. My speed has also dropped to 1/20th of my original levels. This is going to be a tough world.'
But before he could make any more discoveries, Genji felt a sudden unease forming in his stomach. His instincts were screaming incoming danger and to hide fast. Genji glanced at the socializing realm members and decided to keep to himself. With a few steps, Genji flickered into the distance and reined in his presence.
Only when the apprehension died down did he stop and pull out a pair of binoculars to spectate the carnage. The scene was relatively peaceful for the next few minutes, but he noticed a few members frowning in irritation.
Their instincts were also warning them at this moment, but theirs weren't as sharp compared to Genji's double-enhanced senses. Nonetheless, Genji noted them as people to avoid and averted his gaze to the less aware.
Eventually, these irritated members decided to scatter as well, warning only their teammates to follow. Their chances of survival would only increase if there were others to attract the danger in their place. That was why Genji said nothing and left on his own.
However, not all of the perceptive people got away. Right as about half of them fled the vicinity, the ground began shaking violently, and a towering figure sprinted into view on the horizon, accompanied by an ear-bursting, booming voice.
"Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of some tasty little humans. Be they dead, or be they alive, I'll cut them into cubes for my stir-fry."
It was a horrendously ugly giant standing at 30 meters, characterized by pus-oozing warts on the face, a beard so dirty that worms and other critters could be seen between the strands, and a breath so revolting that it put sewers to shame, made only worse by the greenish-yellow saliva that flew everywhere as he ran.
The handle of a double-headed battle axe could be seen poking out above his shoulder, jostling with every step. Yet despite his unkempt appearance, the giant triggered such a strong crisis that even the most unaware knew they needed to run. However, it was already too late. Before the people at the starting area could get far, a crushing field weighed down on them, oppressing their speeds to a snail's pace.
To make matters worse, this effect wasn't caused by an ability, but rather sheer stat differences. The power gap was so big that the giant's mere presence was enough to cripple them.
[Sky Dwelling Giant]
Health: 67,223/67,500
Energy: 2,750/2,750
Con: 76
Str: 80
Dex: 63
Int: 55
Spc: 12
Skills:
- Boss (Passive): +35,000 hp
- Titanic (Passive): Strength stat grants 50% more power, Dexterity stat grants 20% less speed, increase health by 25%
- Prey Detection (Passive): Can sense the general direction of any prey that steps foot into your domain (Clouds in the Sky)
- Battle Axe Mastery (Supreme) - Mountain Cleaver: Increase the damage of your battle axe in proportion to the size difference between you and your target.
Note: No other skills can be read.
'You have got to be kidding me,' Genji thought with twitching eyes. 'I know you warned me, but in my first world? Really?'
But while Genji had time to think that, the others weren't quite as leisurely. Due to the oppression, many of the members could only watch in horror as the giant reached down to grab an unlucky victim.
The victim struggled with all his strength, but that only caused the giant to squeeze harder, crushing the organs and bones between his fingers. Then he opened his mouth and tossed the person in, giving them a horrendous death. After chewing for a few moments, the giant turned his attention to the others and snacked on a few more people.
Once the giant had his fill, he began storing his prey in a revolting green sack after severely injuring them. In the end, the giant claimed about 20 victims before he was satisfied and left. This amounted to about 10% of the starting group.
Grotesque Fairytales
Background:
This is a world built on the distorted fairytales of children. Hence, none of the storylines make sense. The world is divided into many regions, each hosting its tale and corresponding principles. The rules for one zone might be drastically different than another one. Chaos and twists are the only denominators across all regions. Tread with caution.
Mission: Survive for 20 days.
Bonus Mission: Visit at least 3 different regions and understand their stories (0/3)
World Principles:
- Magic abilities are boosted by 80%
- World stability is 10x greater than your home world (includes gravity, mass density, and resistance to damage)
- Extra rules are subject to change
"Phew, what a crazy world," Genji said, summoning Bruce, who nodded in agreement.
Genji hopped on Bruce and pointed slightly to his right, asking Bruce to gallop in that direction. Genji chose this path because he sensed a giant plant in the distance. It was faint but conspicuous, as it was the only plant in the whole region. They were in the sky, after all, and he preferred to be near an advantageous environment in case the giant decided to return.
They traveled for an hour before spotting a ginormous, verdant stalk that pierced through the clouds and into the skies like a majestic spear. Its body was composed of intertwined vines and vibrant leaves that gently waved in the atmosphere.
'Is that... a beanstalk?' Genji wondered.
They approached and noticed an empty ring around the perimeter of the plant, allowing glimpses of the clouds below. However, they were so high up that the ground couldn't be seen, leaving only a greyish-white background.
Genji considered his choices before exchanging a look with Bruce. Then they both nodded their heads, confirming they were on the same page about their next move before Bruce transformed back into a sheath by Genji's side. Astros watched this with a tilted head, still confused by this interaction.
"Alright, grab on tight," Genji said, bracing the clueless ferret against his chest. Genji took a deep breath in this thin atmosphere and stepped off, transitioning into a rapid descent. Due to the increased gravity, they accelerated at immense speeds, causing the edges of Genji's body to heat up like a stovetop.
"YIIIiiiiIIIII," Astros screamed into Genji's chest, his soul half leaving his eyes.
Streams of energy wrapped around them, forming a protective shell from the ongoing friction. They dropped for a few more seconds before this shell burst into flames, transforming them into a meteor. Genji conjured his cutting intent to clear the view below and transitioned into a head dive, further increasing their speed.
Two minutes later, Genji spotted the rapidly approaching ground and dispersed the shell. Then he spread his cloak, utilizing Like A Feather to reduce the force of gravity at the same time Bruce conjured a large parachute above him. A huge upward jerk hit Genji as his immense downward momentum collided with the upward draft, rapidly decelerating his fall.
Two pairs of wings also sprouted from his sides, flapping strongly to decrease this adjustment time.
Eventually, they landed on the ground and Genji transitioned into a running landing to dispel the remaining forces. When they stopped, Astros leaped out of his arms and angrily waved his paw at Genji, complaining about the lack of warning before the plunge. Once he finished venting, Astros threw his paws into the air and excitedly pointed at the towering beanstalk, asking when they could do it again.
"It's not a roller coaster, you know? I don't plan on going back there unless I need to. That giant is too dangerous."
Astros pouted in disappointment before cheering up and pointing behind Genji. Turning around, Genji saw a boy in rugged clothes running toward them.
"Who are you? Why are you on my farm?" he asked, out of breath.
This prompted Genji to look around and realize the open area they landed on was a struggling farmland. Crops were barely growing, weeds were everywhere, livestock was practically nonexistent, and the house the boy came from was in disrepair. Genji could even see a hole in the roof that rain would slip through.
The weakened presence of an aged woman could also be sensed behind those walls. Yet despite her mortal strength, Genji felt a strange sensation from her existence. It wasn't dangerous like the giant above, but she definitely wasn't normal.
"Hey, answer me," the boy said again, noticing how Genji was ignoring him.
"Oh, sorry about that. I was just trying to understand my surroundings. You know, normal things when you're in a new environment. As for where I came from..." Genji trailed off, pointing at the sky above. "You should know better than me."
"The cloudy wonderland? You came from above?"
"Where else? The beanstalk sprouting in your backyard?"
"But what about the giants? Didn't you encounter them?"
Genji narrowed his eyes at the plural use of the word. This was not good. It meant the world was much more dangerous than he expected. If it was only a single powerful being, Genji could attribute it to bad luck on his world entry, but it was a different story if there were multiple apex existences in close vicinity. It could only mean they were the norm in this world.
Nonetheless, Genji answered like a friendly person without any ulterior motives. "I did, but I managed to shake him off. I can't say the same for my group, though."
"Group? There are more of you?"
"Yeah. About 200. Most of them probably died though, but you can expect the survivors to gradually trickle down over the next few days. Anyway, how long has this been a thing?" Genji pointed at the beanstalk.
"Five days," the boy answered. "I traded Lucy for some magic beans and it grew into this overnight."
"Lucy?"
"My family cow. We were hoping to get some farm supplies for her, but I got scammed by some old guy in a hood. Mother wasn't too happy about it, but I recovered the losses when I adventured up there a few days back. A kind giant lady gave me some gold and asked me to bring some friends next time."
Genji grew speechless at the explanation. Kind? Giant? How could those words be used in the same sentence by him? In his impression, the giants were anything but kind. They ate people for sustenance and couldn't care less about them. It was the same relationship between predator and prey.
The only time a predator doesn't eat the prey is when they have more to gain from not doing so. In all likelihood, the boy probably got lucky because the giants wanted to use him as a lure. After all, birds die for food as humans die for wealth.
With the boy spreading the word, it wouldn't be long before more people entered their domain. When that happens, the giants will have a steady supply of food happily going to their dining table. All they have to do to maintain this cycle is give a few lucky people some gold, which they probably plundered from other humans in the first place, and have them act as propaganda. It was an ingenious setup.
"Okay, you do you. I'm not going to bother you any longer," Genji said and began walking away.
"Wait! Hold on. My mother wants to meet you!"
"Sorry, not interested." With those words, Genji disappeared from the boy's vision. He wanted to avoid associating with these strangers if possible since his instincts were acting up against them.
"Jack?" A screechy voice came from the open door. "Did the guest leave?" Along with these words, a decrepit woman in a wheelchair rolled herself onto the front porch.
"Yes, mother. He seemed quite wary of us."
"That's fine. Didn't he say there were others? I'm sure some of them will agree to stay."
"Yes. Otherwise, we might have to resort to force." When Jack finished this sentence, both of them put on a disturbing smile, their cheeks rising to an unnatural level, revealing the sockets between their teeth and mouths.
Yet if one looked closely enough, they would see pockets of rot, along with decayed crown teeth. A few flies flew out of these tunnels and buzzed around them, but neither of them reacted to the pests. Maintaining their creepy smiles, Jack wheeled his "mother" back into the house and left her in a dim corner, away from the light.
Yet between the disheveled gaps in the wall, a soft ray of light still came through, flickering with the dancing flies. In this lighting, if one looked closely enough, they would realize the mother resembled a decaying skeleton, fitted with an atrocious worm poking out of her left eye socket.