Transformation

It was a typical summer’s day in St. Petersburg and Yaroslav was trying to sleep in. He still had a couple of weeks left before school began in September and normally he would have been reveling in his lack of responsibilities. Instead, he was filled with a gloomy sense of foreboding.

It wasn’t the fact that his parents were about to fly to London for three days and leave him alone that bothered him. They had left him behind plenty of times before. The weather didn’t bother him, either. Looking through the window, he could see the sun shining, blue sky, and plenty of fluffy clouds.

Actually, what bothered him was that an inexplicable, mysterious, and magical castle had appeared in the middle of London’s Royal Richmond Park two days ago.

Everything else was forgotten: North Korea, Syria, even the mighty and insidious Russian hackers. Every international news agency was talking about it constantly. It was the only news on TV; people on the newscasts and talk shows talked only about the event. Every single newspaper, magazine, or TV program was describing it as ‘impossible,’ ‘unthinkable,’ and ‘indescribable.’ A lot of crazies were expressing sensationalist opinions on the matter. Some citizens were even taking to the streets to protest the phenomenon, holding posters and proclaiming the imminent end of the world. Still, others were spreading frightening conspiracy theories all over social media.

The castle was incredibly beautiful, majestic, and terrifying at the same time. And the palace, with its high walls and huge towers, didn’t exactly look like a fairytale. The entire castle must have been surrounded by an invisible force field, as there was a myriad of crashed drones lying beneath the walls. Surprisingly, birds could cross the invisible barrier easily. A number of independent news agencies were claiming that several cruise missiles had struck the barrier in vain the night before.

In response to the sudden appearance of the castle, the Royal London Society for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge had organized an urgent symposium. The world’s leading scientific minds had been invited, including Yaroslav’s parents.

Yar jumped out of bed. He was a tall, athletic young man whose appearance was dangerously attractive—a rare combination of jet-black hair and big blue eyes, with handsome features, and a well-developed figure. While his mom made breakfast, his dad was ‘making a boy into a man,’ as he used to say.

For as long as the fifteen-year-old could remember, they would start every morning with Wushu, then finish their sessions with hard Shotokan. Although his father loved martial arts, his true passion was quantum physics, hence the invitation to the symposium.

“Hey gladiators, hurry up! It’s time for a shower and some breakfast! Our flight is at 2 p.m. and it’s 10 a.m. already,” they heard Yar’s mother’s yell. They hurried downstairs.

Luckily, there were no traffic jams, so they arrived quickly at Pulkovo Airport. As always, they parked the car in the lot near the terminal. While standing in the queue to check in, Yar listened to all the necessary instructions from his mom and received ten thousand rubles from his dad. He also got an annual subscription to the shooting range.

His dad poked him jokingly in the chest.“We’ve been so busy with all this stuff that I nearly forgot about the subscription to the shooting club! Be responsible, and don’t throw any wild parties while we’re gone.”

Now that his parents could no longer smother him with kisses, he walked to the open observation deck and watched the plane take off. He needed to figure out what he was going to do for the next three days.

He watched the white MC-21 as it slowly taxiied to the runway, standing still for a while before it began to accelerate. It slowly took off from the ground and rapidly ascended into the summer sky. Yar waved automatically.

“Mom, Dad, good luck in foggy Albion!” he whispered.

The very next moment, he saw him. Everyone on the planet could see him. He was a huge elf, his beautiful face contorted in a grimace of disgust. He was dressed in expensive-looking, extraordinary clothes, looking as if he had come straight from a fantasy movie.

“You cretins!” the titan shouted. “You’ve forfeited all rights to this world, and your defective civilization and savage lifestyles will go through the Transformation. Listen up! I won’t repeat myself! If you both survive and manage to preserve your sanity, you’ll become the property of Ellir of the White Branch, who is now the Great Governor of the Blue Planet. You must reach the nearest Transportation Portal, which will appear after the Transformation, and proceed to the regional distributor. When you get there, each of you will have the opportunity to serve the Great Governor in one way or another. Those who dare oppose the power of the Great Governor will become prey in the next hunting games, along with everyone who was transformed.”

A bright flash of light appeared, then faded away. At that moment, Yaroslav witnessed the end of the world. The teenager stood alone on the observation deck as every man, woman, and child around him was cut down. Planes were falling from the sky and loud roars could be heard.

“Mom, Dad…”

Yaroslav didn’t remember how long he stood there; he simply couldn’t cope. He almost cried. A few seconds, minutes, or maybe an eternity passed by. He was lost in his reverie until a powerful explosion behind him snapped him out of it.

He was knocked down and stunned as the wreckage of a huge airliner crashed into a track near the terminal. Smoke and giant ash clouds were everywhere, but something was flickering before Yar’s eyes. Not even aware of it, he was already helping the injured. As he checked on them, Yar realized they were all alive - just unconscious. Two airport security guards lay nearby, both fully equipped with Kalashnikov rifles, pistols, and bullet-proof vests. Yaroslav tried to make an emergency call but failed as his phone refused to turn on. Even the guards’ radios showed no signal.

“Jesus, what’s going on here?” he wondered aloud.

He noticed a slender girl lying nearby, an iPhone in her hand. Yar took a few steps toward her and noticed that she was probably around his age and very pretty. He would’ve loved to go out with such a beautiful girl and make all his friends green with envy. Her face was peaceful as if she were asleep.

“Her phone’s dead too, dammit!” he muttered irritably. He adjusted the young girl’s skirt, put her bag under her head and felt for her pulse the way he had been taught at school. Her hand was warm and her pulse seemed normal.

Was this a new weapon of mass destruction? Perhaps some sort of massive EMP that fried all electronics… and affected people, too?

The girl jerked up so heavily that Yar jumped in surprise. He watched as her skin became darker and her blouse and skirt tore at the seams. She started to shake and contort. Yar rushed back to the security guards and desperately attempted to wake them up, but nothing worked. He yelled at them, pinched them, even slapped them - but it was all in vain.

“Shit,” Yar swore, turning to what had once been a teenage girl. There was almost nothing left of her delicately pretty form, only a horrible monster, reminiscent of the movie Alien. Or something even more horrific, with a layer of black chitin in place of skin.

The monster snarled, hissing like a snake and revealing hundreds of crooked fangs.

“Hey, I didn’t touch you. I just touched your hand, nothing more! Here’s your phone. See, I’ll put it right here. Everything’s okay. Don’t be nervous!”

Only God knew whether he would be able to grab the Kalashnikov and shoot her quickly enough. He took a chance anyway. The creature’s head burst like a balloon, splashing him with blood and some kind of weird liquid.

Amidst all the gore, he finally noticed the flickering in his vision. He shook his head and refocused. A transparent panel flared in front of him.

Attention!

Global Blue World Achievement: ‘The First Hunter’ obtained by Helot <no_name> for making the first kill on Blue World.

Rewards:

Unique Ability: Shadow

Two Unique Skills

500 Points of Chaos

Title: The First Hunter

500 Gold Coins

Choice and Distribution:

Intuitive/Random/Personal

Yar was shocked; he didn’t understand what was going on. He cursed out loud and realized he was trembling. He didn’t think it over much, instead of guessing what he should do as he made his choice. He only wanted to get rid of the panel as fast as possible.

I’ll deal with it later, if I survive, he thought.

In that moment, Yar realized that his body and mind were beginning to change, and a sense of tranquility overwhelmed him. It was as if he’d been struggling under a weight, and suddenly managed to get rid of it. His vision and other senses improved strangely, becoming superior to what they had been before. He didn’t need his glasses anymore; his vision was now crystal clear.

“What’s happening to me?”

Suddenly, Yar sensed danger behind him, jusy barely managing to dodge by rolling to the left. An abominable monster landed where he had just been standing. Yar fell to one knee and fired a three-round pop into its skull before it had a chance to turn around. As another body on the ground nearby began jerking, Yar stepped up to the security guards and took their weapons. Now his inventory contained two rifles and two pistols, plus a decent amount of ammunition for each of them.

Yar looked around, horrified to realize that he was surrounded by jerking bodies, all of whom were transforming into monsters. He turned around and shot two of them as they rushed toward him, then boldly jumped over the parapet to land on the roof of the shuttle that moved passengers around the airport. From there, he leapt from the roof and sprinted toward the planes parked far away. He was heading for the nearest plane—a huge Airbus A380. There were no passengers on the giant plane, but one of the hatches was open, a ladder attached to it.

As he reached the bottom of the ladder, he stopped and looked around. The herd of creatures racing after him was still nearly half a mile away.

This is the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen, Yar thought. The herd of creatures approaching made him finally realize that the world he had known no longer existed. In that moment, he promised himself that he would do everything he could to survive in this new world.

Just then, he saw something that made his blood run cold. A train of trolleys for luggage transportation sat under the fuselage, near the closed cargo hatch. Behind it, a bunch of the creatures were tearing apart a corpse. As one, they noticed Yaroslav, their bloody snouts turning in his direction.

***

A few minutes earlier…

London, England, the Great Governor’s Palace

Light filled a huge amphitheater, coming from its transparent crystal roof. It resembled a green field covered with magical, lovely flowers, small, colorful birds, and a myriad of butterflies.

There were several cascades and waterfalls with rainbow prisms shimmering above them, making space look like a natural crater in a dormant volcano. All thirty-six governors of the World’s White Branch Clan were sitting and waiting patiently, each in his own apartment on a different floor. Personal guards, servants, and concubines stood behind every throne.

There were colorful stones arranged to resemble the solar system in a skillful mosaic underneath the shiny, dark glass floor. Tiny, star-shaped diamonds were interspersed with the pattern.

The third planet from the sun was the subject of a realistic projection ten meters away. The oceans, continents, mountains, cities, even the landscapes could be clearly seen on the pictures. Ellir, thirty-seventh Governor of the World’s White Branch and Ollie the Twilight, his chief magician, were standing next to the illusion Ollie was conjuring. A man in chains stood near an iron portal.

Ollie stretched out his hands and addressed the governors: “The thirty-seventh Governor welcomes the Great Governors to the Blue World. This promising planet has joined the Belt of Worlds of the White Branch Clan. The Transformation is finished.”

Ollie stopped and made a gesture to the governor. Ellir smiled, looking satisfied. He was about to be rewarded for his hard work. He wanted to rest, pay a visit to his concubines, and luxuriate in the pool, but first, he had to take care of one last thing. The governor drew his shining sword and prepared to pierce the prisoner’s chest.

Just then, he, along with everyone else in the world, was interrupted by a message from the Magic Matrix:

Attention!

Global Blue World Achievement: ‘The First Hunter’ obtained by Helot <no_name> for making the first kill on Blue World.

A heavy silence ensued. Only the sound of the waterfalls was audible.

“NO!” Ellir the Light howled, dropping the sword. “I was to be the First Hunter!”

A white-haired elf rose from his throne and approached the railing. It was the wise Tark of the White Branch, one of the clan’s forefathers.

“Ollie, tell me, how many talented helots are left on the Blue Planet after the Transformation?”

The magician bowed and put his hand on the oracle globe. He looked shocked and pulled his hand back, then repeated the process, apparently double-checking what he was seeing. He stood still for a while, then he opened his eyes and screeched, “Seventy-six million!”

Everyone was stunned, but they quickly came to their senses and began to shout, clapping their hands and laughing.

“Silence!” Tark ordered, so loudly the walls shook. “That’s almost the same number as all our worlds combined. Maybe you’ve made a mistake, Ollie?”

“No, sir, there’s no mistake,” the chief magician of the Blue World said with a low bow. Tark instantly moved to the blue globe and repeated Ollie’s gestures, but he ultimately had to confirm the statement.

“The Matrix reports that there really are seventy-six million Helots. Something’s wrong here, the great Matrix has clearly made a mistake. I’m sorry I doubted you, Ollie; you’re one of the best magicians in the White Branch.”

“Oh no, sir, you needn’t apologize!” Ollie bowed lower. He enjoyed standing next to the founding father, whom most people practically worshipped as a god.

Tark raised his hands and addressed all the Governors: “Several thousand years ago, the ancients who created the Universal Magic Matrix warned us that unexplained phenomena could occur as the expansion progressed. Apparently, this has come to pass.”

“Repeat the process!” the people from the Great Governors’ lodges shouted. “Let’s do it again! Don’t waste time! Come on!”

“Well, it’s been proposed that we repeat the Transformation. Who agrees to this?”

All of the Great Governors raised their right hands, agreeing with the proposal.

“Ollie, can you repeat it?” Tark asked the magician.

He nodded. “Yes,” he replied sharply.

Tark returned to his throne and gave the signal for the ritual to start.

“I’m ready!” Ollie donned his gray shroud and cried out loudly. Immediately, white lines of power emanated from him to each governor. He began to vibrate, accumulating all of the energy until it suddenly emitted a powerful ray that hit the projection of the Earth. A fiery circle started at the South Pole, spreading all the way to the North.

“The second Transformation is finished,” Ollie wearily declared. He was too exhausted to worry about saying it in the proper way.

***

Present time—St. Petersburg, Russia

A mist appeared for a moment, just like before. The creatures who were about to devour him fell from the ladder and the rest fell to the ground like someone’s hand had knocked over a bunch of toy monsters.

Yar, relieved, thanked God for the lucky break, but he realized he couldn’t rely on mere luck anymore. With that in mind, he began shooting the monsters on the ground, not hesitating for a second. It was scary to think about what could’ve happened if he hadn’t been so good at paintball and parkour.

He managed to kill one of the beasts approaching the ladder, then had to slow down and climb, as the creatures were climbing quickly toward him. He was able to hurt and knock down the two nimblest beasts, though they were still alive. They shrieked so loudly that it was almost impossible for Yaroslav to bear it—but that didn’t stop him. He shot down one of the disgusting creatures, but another managed to wound his left forearm with its claws, knocking the Kalash out of his hands. He felt intense pain, as if a hornet had stung him, and his arm went numb immediately. He grabbed the pistol and fired into the creature’s mouth, blowing its brains out. Yar saw the main herd approaching quickly, so he didn’t have time to pick up the rifle again.

Once more, a message appeared before his eyes:

Attention!

Global Belt of Worlds Achievement: ‘The Impossible is Possible, From Rags to Riches,’ obtained by Helot <no_name> of the Blue World for becoming the ‘First Hunter’ for the second time in a row.

Rewards:

Personal Assistant

Unique Abilities: Universal Mage, Designer Magic

Five Unique Skills

1000 Points of Chaos

Title: Nouveau Riche

The Intergalactic Trade Auction is open

Granted Statuses: Forever Free, Premium, Incognito

Choice and Distribution:

Intuitive/Random/Personal

“Go away!” Yaroslav yelled. He swiftly climbed the ladder, closed the hatch, and fell to his knees. The herd of creatures tried to open the door a few times, but with no success, they gave up quickly. Yar was somewhat surprised since they had been clawing at the concrete so viciously just moments before.

Just as things were starting to calm down, he was startled by savage cries coming from outside the hatch. He didn’t dare look out the window, but it sounded like an ongoing, ferocious battle. It was so terrifying he was practically hyperventilating. His hair stood on end as his heart beat rapidly.

***

London, England, the Great Governor’s Palace

It was dead silent in the amphitheater once again. It was broken only by the notorious waterfalls and the faint applause of the twenty-eighth Governor, Liya of the White Branch. The girl looked like a real goddess, she was so obscenely beautiful. When everybody looked over at her, she stood, showing them her perfect body.

“Finally, something interesting’s happened. What a breath of fresh air!”

Ellir, devastated, swiftly pierced the chained-up victim with his blade. The Earthman had been brought to the gathering specifically so he could kill him and get the achievement. And now it had been stolen from him not once, but twice.

Nobody paid the Earthman any attention, as they all started shouting at once. Some wanted to get licenses for hunting immediately, others demanded perpetual land grants. It was clear to everybody what a treasure the Blue World was.

Tark had to intervene again. “Silence! You’re all insatiable,” he admonished, managing to say it loud enough for everyone to hear despite all the shouting. “We aren’t going to change anything; it’s enough for now. We’ve already tried once, and this world has only gotten stronger.”

Tark went to the projection of the Earth again and checked on it. “Do you realize that we have almost seventy-five million talented helots here? Yes, the number is decreasing, since, as you know, there are a bunch of monstrous beasts here. And their strength has only been reinforced by the double Transformation. But even if just half of the talented ones survive, that would still be too many! If we can subdue at least a quarter of those who remain and raise their children the proper way, we will have a new, strong caste of military magicians of any kind we want. The White Branch will finally be able to become a leading clan and increase its territory and wealth. Let’s give the new governor the required ten years and not interfere. I will personally punish anyone who violates the Pioneers’ covenants and engages in unauthorized hunting, I swear by the Matrix of the Ancients! And I’d like to add one more thing. In my opinion, we are a tribe that came across the Technoworld by accident; it was just another discovery to us. In ancient times, magic existed due to their deeds. It was powerful, and now it can be found in the land, water, air, and even the creatures. If this is true, and I believe it is, hunting will soon bring us some wonderful profits. There will be new ingredients, relics, plants with unprecedented powers, magical bioresources, rare metals, stones and a lot of other interesting items that I can’t even imagine!”

Menacing and terrifying in his omnipotence, Tark paused and, frowning, gave the audience a cold stare. With every moment that passed, the Great Lord grew more furious, and no elf wanted to catch his eye. After a long pause, he shouted again in order to be heard by the whole amphitheater.

“Don’t annoy me, elves! You’re stupid and lazy! Have you forgotten that we could be facing the curse of the system for breaking the Transformation Protocol? Why don’t you worry about the greatness of our clan? You only think about endless looting and making a fortune! Be patient and our huntsmen will receive new combat levels, the magicians will learn new spells, and our alchemists will be able to synthesize new drugs. It’s necessary to wait and give this world some time to adapt. Now, let’s support the thirty-seventh Governor!”

Tark clapped his hands and shouted, “For the Glory of the White Branch. Possess!”

The elves repeated the Great Lord’s words in the chorus, none daring to argue. “Possess! Possess! Possess!” could be heard throughout the huge amphitheater. The sound was still rattling the hall as Tark quietly said, “I hope there will be enough hunting licenses for me.”

“Don’t doubt it, Great Lord,” the governor of the Blue World responded in a whisper.

The governors exchanged gossip, mingled a little, and drank glasses of sparkling nectar. After some time they began leaving Ellir’s palace and returning to their own worlds.

Before long, only three elves remained: the governor, his chief magician, and Liya, who was walking around the projection of Earth and examining the planet with great interest.

“Where’s the bastard who stole my first hunt! Twice, no less!” Ellir angrily asked his magician.

The magician showed him the culprit’s location. “He’s here, my Lord.”

“All right, send huntsmen there. They must bring me his head.”

“Please reconsider, your Excellency,” Liya interjected. “Why only his head? Order them to bring him in alive. I will pay a great deal for him.”

“Agreed,” Ellir muttered. Nobody could refuse the beautiful Liya.

“Thank you, dear Ellir. It’s always a great pleasure to reach an agreement with you. You’re so courteous. I always say your manners should be an example for others to follow.”

While she was pretending to support the governor, Liya had already decided to send ten thousand gold coins to the First Hunter if he could manage to make a fool of the fat bastard and avoid the huntsmen. With so much wealth, he would surely gain admittance to the General Auction.

It turned out that Liya would be able to send the money even sooner than expected. A frightened messenger ran toward them and told the governor his four huntsmen had died heroically, torn to pieces by strange, vicious beasts the moment they had come out of the portal.

“Ha,” Liya said with a smile. “Tark was right that this planet would give us a lot of interesting things.”

For the first time in many years, she decided to send gold to someone else and did so without regret.

“I’m going to keep an eye on this First Hunter.” She couldn’t bring herself to call him a helot.