The guide had told Erik that the System had probably given him some credits, and a thought was enough to summon a screen that confirmed it:

  Credits: 1000

  Is that a lot? He had no idea of the cost of things, but it didn’t sound like that much. While he was exhausted and very much wanted to get some more sleep, the sun was high in the sky here. He looked up at it for the first time, shielding his eyes and squinting. It was more orange than the sun he was used to.

  Shop first, then sleep. I need to get out of these pajamas and into some real clothes. And shoes would be nice. Maybe also a weapon if I need to fight?

  He made his way out to the plaza and stood just outside the Hall, looking around.

  For the first time, he noticed that the majority of people were armed. Bows, beltknives, maces, and most of all, swords. A blue sasquatch, much like the one he’d seen killed, wandered by with a huge hammer strapped to his back.

  Definitely a weapon. Using a sword could be pretty awesome.

  Of course, Erik had no idea where to go. None of the buildings on the plaza looked like stores; they all looked like apartment buildings. Nicer ones than the one he’d been assigned. The square plaza appeared to be fed by five roads—two that went around the Hall and towards its back, and one extending in each other direction.

  With no clear way forward, Erik decided to rely once more on the kindness of strangers and moved to intercept a human-looking woman that was walking by.

  “Er, excuse me, do you know where I can find a clothing store?” He tried putting on his best smile, but she looked thoroughly unimpressed.

  When she turned her head to face him, her hair shifted slightly and he noticed her ears were pointed.

  Without slowing her pace, she gestured vaguely in the direction of his apartments, saying “Merchant District is that way, just before the Healer’s”.

  Erik called a thank you after her, but she ignored him and was moving out of earshot by now. Shrugging, he headed towards the road that ran just past his apartment building, directly opposite the Hall. Just after he’d passed his apartment building, the buildings were no longer houses, but appeared to be stores. They had large windows and he could see items on display. A sign on the corner pointed to the right, saying “Merchant District”, while another across the street pointed left and read “Crafter District”.

  The shop right on the corner he was standing at was clearly an armor shop, and Erik felt himself growing excited as he spotted armored mannequins of varying species in the windows.

  He walked in confidently, only to quickly deflate as he spotted price tags. Nothing he laid eyes on was valued in the hundreds, and most were high in the thousands or beyond. The burly person in what looked like a full set of plate armor behind the counter glanced up at him for a moment before dismissing him and returning to their book. They wore their visor down and it was impossible to guess their gender or species.

  I guess it’s like they say, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it… We can work up to armor. Let's start with clothes.

  Luckily, there was a clothing shop just across from the armorer, so Erik made his way over. He was somewhat relieved to see prices in the hundreds but still discouraged at how expensive things were.

  “Good afternoon! Can I help you find something?”

  Erik was surprised at the friendly greeting, and glanced over to see a goblin smiling at him. The slightly pointed teeth gave the smile a bit of a predatory look, but he found himself pretending not to notice. The man stood about five feet tall and had skin that was the green of pine needles in spring. Pointy ears with no lobes stuck out from a head of perfectly coiffed hair. He wore tight-fitting, expensive clothes and carried several daggers at his belt. Small wrinkles around his eyes and mouth suggested he was older. One hand rested on the hilt of the largest dagger, gently tapping against it a large red stone set into the handle.

  “I’m looking for some new clothes.” Erik began, but when the goblin’s eyes lit up he quickly continued, “I don’t have much money, and I need a weapon too.”

  The goblin’s face fell slightly before he continued in a slightly less warm, but still friendly, tone. “Well, if your budget is tight you won’t have many options here, to be honest. You should probably try a shop a bit further down the street—the ones closest to the plaza carry the finest wares, and charge correspondingly high prices.”

  “Depending on how limited your funds are and the fact that you need a weapon too, I’d go all the way to the end of the street. I believe there are some more… economic stores there,” the last was said with a bit of a sniff.

  Erik thanked the man and took his leave, continuing down the street. There were fewer people here than there had been in the plaza, but still enough to give the city a slight buzz of activity. Busy shops selling clothing, weapons, armor, jewelry, and various other goods lined the streets, but he didn’t see any that offered food or drink. His stomach grumbled slightly at the observation, and he knew that he’d need to eat soon, too.

  He could see that the street ended at a tall wall made of white stone. It towered over the buildings here, the stone dully reflecting the light in a soothing way. As he approached the wall, the quality of the shops dropped noticeably. Where before the armors had been gilded, the robes elegant, and the weapons fierce, items began to appear more utilitarian here.

  At the very end of the street, just before the road split to follow the curved wall in both directions, there was a small shop that had simple looking clothing in the display.

  Definitely looks cheaper than the other place.

  As he opened the door, a small bell tinkled. Racks of clothing filled the room, and shelves lined the walls. The room felt old but well maintained. The clothing was clearly divided by price, but it also seemed to be divided by species—or at least body size.

  “Prices are marked on the racks. Let me know if you need any help,” came a deep voice from across the room. Erik was more surprised by the fact that the shopkeeper wasn’t the first thing he’d noticed, than he was to see that it was a blue sasquatch.

  “Well, I could use some help, actually. I just got here and, as you can see,” he said while gesturing down at himself, “I need some new clothing. I’m on a pretty strict budget though, since I need a weapon, too.”

  “How much do you have?”

  Erik hesitated only for a moment before mentally shrugging and answering, “1000 credits.”

  The sasquatch scratched its furry head and stared at Erik for a moment before slowly moving towards one of the racks of clothing. He rifled through the items, still not saying anything, occasionally glancing at Erik as if to confirm his size.

  After a few long moments, he held something up for Erik to examine.

  It was a jumpsuit, like a mechanic might wear, but in a slate green color. There were more pockets than could be counted at a glance, and it looked like it could take a beating. The long sleeves seemed to have an elastic around the wrists that would hold them close to the skin, as did the ends of the pants.

  All in all, it was pretty ugly.

  Before Erik could object, however, the sasquatch spoke.

  “This is cheap, and tough. Not armor, but hard to cut. Won’t do anything against a hammer, ‘course.”

  “Okay, but it’s… I’m not sure it’s my style.”

  The sasquatch looked Erik up and down and said nothing.

  “Well, do you have anything else that would fit me?”

  “Nothing that will offer as much protection at the price.”

  This made Erik look at it again, more closely. The fabric did look thick–but it also looked scratchy, as if it was starched. Sighing, he nodded, eager to be done with this.

  “Need shoes, too? Undergarments?”

  “Yes to both.”

  The sasquatch lumbered away without saying anything, visiting various shelves around the room before returning to Erik.

  “Good boots. Underwear. Socks.”

  “Thanks… how much is it?”

  “400 credits.”

  Wincing slightly at the price—it was almost half his money—Erik nodded.

  “How… how do I pay you?”

  The sasquatch eyed him oddly before saying, “Just will a payment of 400 to me and the System will do the rest.”

  The explanation was vague, but immediately proven accurate.

  Do you wish to pay 400 credits to Merchant Iglios?

  A mental confirmation made the message disappear, and the sasquatch—Iglios—started to bundle up the purchases in a neat brown wrapper but suddenly stopped and took a good look at Erik's sleeping gear.

  “Do you want these wrapped or will you wear them now?”

  Erik let out a self-conscious chuckle and said, “Maybe I’d better wear them. Where can I change?” Iglios indicated a curtain in the back corner of the shop, handed the clothes to Erik and stepped to the side to let Erik pass.

  “Hand me your old clothes when you're done and I’ll wrap them for you.”

  Erik was suddenly excited to try on his new adventuring garb. He quickly stripped and popped on the new underwear, socks, the utilitarian jumpsuit and the new boots. When he zipped up the jumpsuit it suddenly resized to fit him perfectly and a prompt flashed in front of him:

  Basic Field Suit: Self-sizing, self-cleaning jumpsuit with autorepair for minor damage. Designed for cross-species compatibility. Warning: Improper calibration may result in tissue damage.

  Despite the off-putting warning, he hurried to try on the boots, too.

  Basic Field Boots: Self-sizing, self-cleaning boots with autorepair for minor damage. Designed for cross-species compatibility. Warning: Improper calibration may result in tissue damage.

  He looked in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised to see that the form fitting suit looked both durable and flattering.

  Not too bad, if I say so myself. Definitely a step up from the pajamas.

  He stepped out from behind the curtain and looked expectantly at Iglios. Iglios clapped his giant hairy hands, and with the most emotion Erik had seen from him yet he rumbled out his approval.

  “Now you look ready to fight!”

  The declaration slightly dampened some of Erik’s enthusiasm as he was reminded of the violence he could expect in his near future, but he didn’t let it bring him down.

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

  At Iglios’ request, Erik handed him his old clothes and the sasquatch began wrapping it in brown paper. It seemed to tighten and seal on its own, requiring no tape or string. He held out the bundle to Erik but didn’t relinquish it right away.

  “Why your clan would let you walk the streets looking like such a ragamuffin, I cannot imagine. You are clearly ignorant of many things, so I will tell you what my master told me. Clothing is the first armor a Grothari wears. If you look like prey, you will be treated like prey.”

  The comments and advice were harsh, but the sasquatch—Grothari?—sounded like he was trying to be helpful, not mean.

  Unsure of what to say, Erik simply nodded gravely and replied, “Thank you for the advice. I will keep it in mind.”

  “See that you do.” With those last words, the Grothari merchant released the bundle and turned to walk away, leaving Erik to see himself out.

  Once back on the street, Erik set out in search of a weapons shop. He had to walk a block up the street before he found one, and he immediately stopped in front of it, looking at the window displays. Given that it was the furthest from the plaza, he had to assume it was also the cheapest.

  As he examined the displays, Erik felt excitement growing in his chest.

  I’m going to buy a sword. Like a real sword.

  The fantasy-loving side of him couldn’t help but be pumped up about it. He had once bought a collectible sword when he was young. It had broken the first time he used it, when he slashed at a tree.

  Hopefully this will be a bit sturdier than that. Based on what I’ve seen so far, I think I’ll be needing to use it quite a bit.

  That thought darkened his mood. All signs pointed to fighting. And fighting meant killing. No one had said it outright, but Galdus had mentioned monsters, and Erik doubted quests involved stern lectures and written warnings. A faint nausea rose in him.

  He’d never gone looking for something to kill before. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to start now.

  He cut off that train of thought as he walked into the shop and was met with a wider array of weapons than he had ever imagined. The walls were lined with them, and the room was sectioned off by free standing shelves that held still more weapons. Daggers, axes, swords, hammers, staves, and countless weapons that Erik didn’t have a name for filled his vision. All of them were simple looking, with none of the adornments he’d spotted on ones in display windows further up the street.

  Glancing around the shop, he saw a human man sitting behind a counter in the corner. He was speaking to a customer who had just finished paying for the whip that she clutched in one hand.

  The woman was clearly excited about her purchase and was speaking animatedly. She was one of the blue demon people, and had bright red hair. When they noticed Erik, both looked his way. The man looked Erik up and down and gave him a wink. The blue woman looked like she recognized him, and Erik realized he’d seen her before too. She had been one of the cultivators to get sparked with him. She quietly thanked the man behind the counter before giving Erik a polite nod and leaving.

  As she walked past Erik caught a faintly floral smell that surprised him.

  Wouldn’t expect a whip-wielding alien in leather armor to wear perfume.

  That thought made him smile a bit, and he couldn’t help but watch her walk away. When he turned back, he found that the shopkeeper had closed the space between them and stood within arms reach.

  “Welcome to Rob ‘n Gabby’s! I’m Gabby, weapons merchant extraordinaire. My, but don’t you look dangerous in that jumpsuit?” He circled Erik as he spoke, examining him from all angles. Erik felt a bit put off by the wink and effusive welcome, but thought it was best to be friendly with the man.

  “Hi Gabby, I’m Erik. I’m looking to get a weapon, but I only have about 400 credits. I think maybe I’d like a sword. Could you help me out with that?” The now frequent reminders from his stomach had reminded him to hold back some money for food and other expenses.

  Gabby stopped his circling and stood facing Erik. He was at least half a foot shorter than Erik and had to look up at him. His eyes were gleefully glimmering as he spoke.

  “Yes, yes, of course! I think I can find exactly what you need. Let’s see…” Gabby began stroking his chin and pacing. As he did, he muttered loudly and excitedly to himself.

  “...deliciously tall, with a narrow frame… stylish ‘bed head’ look, dirty blonde hair… long limbs… speed…”

  Gabby stooped suddenly, whirling to look Erik in the eye. He looked like he had reached a decision. “How much experience do you have with swords?”

  Erik awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled. “Well, not much.” After a pause, he corrected himself. “Ah, none, that is.”

  “None?” Gabby squeaked out in surprise.

  Erik nodded, his face turning slightly red.

  “How about with knives?” Gabby asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

  “Well… not for fighting, no.”

  “Maces? Axes? Polearms? Orchids? You look like you could be a martial artist.”

  When Erik just kept shaking his head, Gabby looked increasingly distressed. “Do you have any weapons training at all?”

  “Sorry, but not really. I’ve shot a rifle a few times—but I haven’t seen anything like that around here. And I’m a lousy shot anyways.”

  Gabby was absolutely dumbfounded. “How is that even possible?” he spluttered out. He resumed his pacing and muttering, more frantically than before. “... cute, but utterly helpless… the hell is a rifle… who would send him here…”

  Feeling that he shouldn’t let the little man get any more wound up, Erik latched on to the last as something he could actually answer positively to.

  “Well I guess the System sent me; I’m a lottery survivor. I’ve just been here for a few hours, really.” At this point, Erik was noticing a pattern. His ignorance was like a scarlet letter, and no one was going to let it pass unremarked.

  Coming to an abrupt stop once more, Gabby practically threw himself at Erik, catching him off guard. He’d moved almost faster than Erik could see, and certainly faster than he could react. The man had wrapped his arms around him and was patting his back.

  “You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?” Erik forced himself to relax, recognizing the good intentions of the man.

  “Yeah… thanks man.” Erik briefly hugged him back and Gabby released him, clearly recognizing his discomfort. He’d never really been one for touching, much less with strangers and in public. And the last thing he wanted to think about right now was how he’d gotten here. That was for later.

  Gabby stood watching him with compassionate eyes, as though expecting Erik to break down at any moment. It was keenly uncomfortable, so Erik just moved on.

  “So… what do you think, a sword?”

  His face lighting up once more, Gabby laughed. “Yes! A sword for the young cultivator. You’ll need something to complete the look—you know, my father always said that a good blade keeps arguments short.”

  What’s with these merchants and their proverbs?

  “I’ve got a barrel in the corner where I keep the cheap stuff that I usually sell to first-timers, but I like you. You have pretty eyes and have had some rotten luck, so let’s get you something decent.” He said this with no shame, and Erik couldn’t help but admire the blunt confidence of the man. “I’ve got something in the back that might not look as pretty as some of the ones out here but’ll do right by you.”

  Without waiting for a reply, Gabby disappeared into the back room. Once more, he moved faster than Erik could comprehend, his eyes able to track his movements but his mind simply not able to understand it.

  Erik heard clanging and muttering, followed by the clattering and ringing of metal hitting stone.

  “Aha! I knew it was here.” Gabby reappeared in front of Erik, this time waving a sheathed sword around. It was about a meter long, and had a handle that looked like it could be used with one or two hands. “This is perfect for you! It’s one of the first swords built by a young smith who went on to be renowned on this planet. He set out to make his fortunes elsewhere just a few years back, so pieces like these are limited. I was one of his first customers. It’s simple, and a little rough, but well balanced and durable. I’ll let it go for only 350 credits! I’ll even throw in a scabbard and belt.”

  He thrust it into Erik’s hands and almost bounced in excitement as he insisted Erik try it on. Swept up in the man’s enthusiasm, Erik quickly complied. He set down his bundle of old clothes and made an attempt. Before long, Gabby stepped in to help him put it on correctly. The belt sat higher than he was used to and was of an odd design.

  “Well, draw it, draw it!”

  Erik pulled the sword out, struggling a bit on the draw as the motion was unfamiliar and awkward. He held it in front of him and Gabby eyed him critically.

  “I still can’t believe you don’t have any experience with a weapon… The sword is as good a place as any to start, though. The good thing about this style of sword is that it’s heavy enough to use as a club if your sword skills are lacking.”

  It’s a bit heavy… but I’ll get used to it, Erik thought as he sheathed the blade again.

  Wordlessly, Erik initiated the payment with Gabby. The man quickly accepted with a broad smile.

  Gabby’s smile softened. “One thing, though—don’t wear that out in the streets unless you’re ready to answer questions with it. People see steel and they make assumptions.”

  He looked Erik up and down again, as if appraising a mannequin. “Practice the draw first. Preferably somewhere private. Dying of embarrassment is still dying.”

  “Thanks for your help with the weapon, Gabby. And for the… kind words.” His stomach grumbled once more, and both men glanced down at it.

  Gabby tsked disapprovingly. “You’ll never use that sword properly if you don’t fill out your frame a bit. It sounds like you’re not taking care of yourself!”

  Erik felt his face redden once more, and he nodded. “Yeah, I definitely need to get some food. Any idea where I can find some?”

  “Of course, of course! Head over to the food district. It’s just past the Hall and to the right.” At Erik’s look of confusion, Gabby shook his head once more. “The Hall is the building with the ignition center.”

  “Ah, thank you, again, I’ll get going then.”

  Gabby nodded and waved cheerfully, calling out to Erik’s departing back “Be sure to come back! And tell your friends about Rob ‘n Gabby’s!”

  Erik waved without turning back, trying not to think about the fact that he had no friends.

  The plaza was emptier than before, with only three other people crossing from one street to another. He walked past the hall and spotted what had to be the quest board, but was too intent on getting food to linger and check it out.

  Later. Food first.

  The food district was marked with a sign, but he wouldn’t have needed it to know he was in the right place. The different smells and colors were instantly overwhelming, and Erik had no idea where to start.

  The area was the busiest he had seen thus far, the street lined with tables in front of little shops. Most of the tables were full.

  Must be dinner time.

  His stomach grumbled once more. Not wanting to linger and having no idea where to begin, Erik decided that the pricing model here was probably similar to what he had been told in the merchant district, so set off down the street. While the first places were definitely nicer than those that followed, he was interested to note that they all appeared to be self-service; there were no waiters, and customers were lined up at counters ordering or picking up food at all of the locations.

  Many of the meals he spotted cultivators eating looked utterly foreign, unlike anything he’d seen before. Some made his mouth water, while others turned his stomach. Towards the end of the street, he spotted a place that was serving something familiar.

  Sandwiches. Alien sandwiches.

  He walked up the counter and patiently waited his turn. There was no visible menu, so when it was his turn Erik was unsure how to order.

  “Uh… I’ll have what that guy’s eating,” he said, gesturing at a nearby table where a huge redskinned man was eating what looked like a footlong sub.

  The woman taking orders nodded and said, “That’ll be 4 credits.”

  So cheap…

  Do you wish to pay 4 credits to Food Stall: The Waybread Counter?

  Erik sent his confirmation and then waited with growing impatience as they made his sandwich. It smelled amazing. When it was done, he hustled over to an open table, set his bundle down, and clumsily adjusted his sword so that he could sit comfortably.

  It was warm and greasy, with an oddly spongy bread and flavors that were all almost familiar but subtly different. He ate it entirely too fast, and soon found himself feeling filled in a way he hadn’t realized he needed.

  Looking at the now empty plate, he heaved a reluctant sigh before gathering his belongings bussing his table. His walk back to the apartment was undertaken with less urgency than the one here, and before he went far, a small unassuming shopfront caught his eye. Backing up, he walked over and examined the wares. This appeared to be trail food—nutrient bars of some sorts. Compared to the other food stalls, it was boring, utilitarian looking.

  If I’m going to go out and do quests, I’ll be needing food, won’t I?

  A short exchange was enough to learn that each bar was a complete daily ration. At one credit per bar, it was a steal.

  They probably taste like crap.

  He left with his pockets stuffed with as many bars as he could carry. The weird number of pockets in this outfit was already paying off.

  Credits: 226

  As Erik approached his apartment building, weighed down by the fruits of his successful day of shopping, he realized he didn’t have a key.

  It turned out not to be a problem, as the door opened silently at his approach.

  Not gonna question that.

  He made his way back to his room and set his bundle of clothes on the bed before emptying his pockets of meal bars. He still wanted to go check the quest board, but took some time to get to know the bathroom facilities and get cleaned up. After a pleasingly normal shower, Erik put on his new clothes again and belted his sword to his waist. It took him a minute to figure it out on his own this time, but when he was done he examined himself in the mirror.

  The jumpsuit was not nearly as ugly now that it was on him, and fit him perfectly. It clung to his body in a way that perhaps overemphasized his narrow frame. The boots were comfortable enough to have been custom made for him.

  His hair was still a mess, and he wasn’t going to be doing anything about it. Blue eyes looked back at him, the bags below them more pronounced than he remembered.

  The man before him was at once intimately familiar and foreign; the odd jumpsuit and the sword felt wrong to Erik’s eyes. He wondered for a moment what people back home would think to see him like this, but the thought was immediately followed by another.

  There is no ‘back home’.

  Erik stared at himself for a long moment before he shook himself and walked out to the bedroom. He could see that night was falling, as the room had gotten noticeably darker and light was no longer streaming in through the skylight.

  He unbelted his sword and sat on the edge of the bed staring at the ground in front of him. It was late, and he didn’t have the energy to deal with any more new things tonight.

  Tomorrow, then.