Chapter 1: Chapter 1

A young man sits in front of a computer screen. There is a bed in the room, it being the only indication that anyone lives here. Everything else is covered in trash. From week old ramen cups to musty socks. You'd expect the owner of the room to be a fat slob but this time its the opposite. The young man is skinny with bushy black hair. His skin is snow white and his eyes are an ocean blue. He gives off a calm and lazy presence"Fuck yeah! It's finally out." Never-mind, I guess.

With the ugliest grin he jumps up and falls straight onto his ass. "Note to self. Remember that you are sitting on things before standing up." Disregarding the slight pain he does a dumb dance. He shakes his ass and wiggles his arms. Is he having a stroke? Anybody would say yes with what nightmare this idiot is preforming. "Wait! Okay calm down. Let's open the game first." While he prepares to play he think about how mysterious the franchise is.

It first started off as a movie. There were no end credits and it claimed to be real. Then a live action show, then an anime, then a hentai, and now a video game. Every single version has a different MC making them interesting even though they all have the same goal. One of the most well loved and respected franchises has no known production studio or crew of any kind. Finally the young man finds the game on steam. "From The Roots I Climb. Name is the same? Well they didn't change after the hentai."

After a minute of loading the opening cinematic starts. As usual a humanoid is wandering across a lake off ash. This time the protagonist seems to be a demon. Its wearing no armor, leaving its pointed tail and wings exposed. It's hair, just like its skin it red. It has no eyes and no mouth. Behind it a planet is pierced by the roots of a giant tree. Countless shadows just like it try to escape only to become food for the roots. Suddenly the screen turns black.

The earth shows up. The camera zooms out to the edges of the solar system. Thousands of massive roots smash and stab into a diamond like barrier. Suddenly, it zooms back in. The demon from before falls to the earth. As it lands a giant shadow embraces both. Visions of old warriors and dead planets pour into the earth. The screen goes black.

The Roots Of The Ashen Tree Have Arrived. This World Is Doomed. Yet All Is Not Lost For The People Remain. Tell Me Mortal How Will You Climb?

"That's new? I don't think that shadow has showed up in any other work. Eh, oh well. If I remember this is supposed to be a souls-like so obviously Ill go for the murder hobo."

A List of classes shows up on the screen.

-Arcanist-

-You have managed to grasp the whispers of the old ones and maintain your sanity. Congratulations you now have the potential to ascend and devour the fruits of existence. Just be careful not to lose yourself as you cast your spells. Just as those above you will never truly die-

-Starting Equipment/ 10 gems of your choice, A bag of eyes, a channeling tool of your choice, blood of ash-

-Priest-

-Finally your prayers have been answered. You hear the voice of god yet you cannot handle it. How dare a mortal dare to perceive the word of the lord. Now you must suffer your penance. Every time you call for assistance I shall answer should your faith prove enough. Now wander as the undying without sight and offer me the fruits of existence-

-Starting equipment/ 3 ashen branches, a channeling tool of your choice, blood of ash, 10 fruits born by a martyrs labor-

-Warrior-

-You cannot here the voice of those above. As your friends and family get rewards for their faith you get nothing. So you fight. You grabbed a blade, spear, or bow and left to prove to those above that you are worth their words. Even as you slaughter demons and angels you receive not even a glance. Now you climb to offer a fruit of existence, the vengeful shadows of those you've slain in your quest for the gods approval forcing you to fight on as an undying fool.

-Starting equipment/ Weapon of choice(must be mortal/can design weapon yourself), blood of ash, leather armor(Can select designed or design own), 10 toes of the father demon-

-Undying Forgotten-

You are reading story From The Roots I Rise at novel35.com

-You are from an unclaimed fruit that has grown into a world. Away from the ash tree you peacefully exist, now knowing that the void created by your protectors is being invaded by its roots. You have a chance to break past your world and become as the hero's who protected you are. Will you take the chance to ascend or will you follow in the path of the broken one?-

-Starting equipment/ Mark Of Aimhreit-

Of course the young man chooses the Undying forgotten. "No character model or stat list? Whatever. Im pretty sure this is the best class. Oh, name. Ill just put my own" The screen goes black. The world begins to violently shake as giant roots swallow it, dragging it towards the base of a large tree. Before the young man can even process anything a voice invades his head. "Hmm. Truly strange for so many forsaken to appear. It seems my kingdom will rise again. Go forth Undying Alex."

After an unknown amount of time Alex finds himself in a forest. Other people sit on the red ground. Some cry and some scream. Everyone, just like him is naked. "...........The fuck?" Alex stands up, ignoring the people around him. "Still have legs and stuff. A tattoo? Why does it look like a fox eating a snake?" Looking around he notices the fruits hanging in the tree's shining blue canopy. Boundless bushes wrap the base of each tree. Soon everyone begins to accept something strange is happening.

Stepping on the giant tree roots a young man in his early teens walks towards Alex. He stumbles along, his short legs and skinny physique doing him no favors. He pushes his chestnut hair off his eyes. "Did you also buy the game?" Things go quiet. Everyone turns to Alex. "Yup. Everyone else too right?" 

One of the older men looks at the crowd before speaking. "Everyone stay calm. I'm a retired soldier. Please listen to what I have to say." Again he looks to the crowd. "First my name is Phillip Santoro. If we want to safely make it through this incident we must secure food, water, and weapons. For food well have to try those fruits, same for water until we find a source. Just grab a thick branch as a weapon." Several people just stare while others follow his suggestion. Alex and the young man wander around, making sure they aren't alone.

The elderly and those with kids begin to crowd around the solider. "Excuse me sir but what can we do? And what about the kids." The soldier looks at those already working. "The old ones can check if the fruit is poisonous and the kids will do the same as everyone else." Horrified the crowd glares at the solider. In response he glares back. "Cut the crap. Chances are this is like one of those transported to another world novels. The edgy ones. Considering how everyone is naked I think we all made the worst decision. Now do your job before I decide to leave you all to rot. Don't forget whose the survival expert here." One of the elders mutters "What happened to respecting your elders." The flips him off. "Fuck the elders if they're this lazy."

Everyone glares at him. Still, they continue to work, knowing that he's there best chance of survival. Suddenly, the young man starts speaking to Alex. "Dude's a dick but he's right about that novel thing. Who do you think will be the main guy? Oh! Will we see a goblin?" Alex continues to work. After an hour of avoiding it and finding no other source of food, the fruits have to be checked. The elderly grip their bashing sticks prepared to kill. Just as the tension reaches its peak a sudden sound silences everyone.

Crunch Crunch Crunch

A thick fog envelops them. Several people scream and flail their stick while some stay quiet. Alex and the young man look into the fog. "Behind you!" The young man screams at the soldier. He tries to dodge but fails. A massive blade slices him directly in half. The sillioutte thickens and reveals a monster. Its mouth is so wide the bottom reaches its chest, its arms so long they touch the ground, legs so long the now dead soldier could only ever see up to its waist. In front of it as a damaged great-sword. Its blade is straight and sharp with jagged teeth lining its top. On the handle is a head sized tentacle. Slowly it lifts.

Drip Drop Drip Drop

The creature's gray wrinkled skin starts shaking. As the tentacle rises so does blood fall from its pointed tip. Another tentacle explodes from the charred hole on its chest. Another dead. Alex and the young man start running. Thankfully, everyone else can barely move. The monster continues to kill, screams encompassing its pained grunts. Soon only the two are left. Still holding their sticks they move behind a tree. Alex can't speak, let alone breath. His body is soaked and his hands are shaking. What? Why? 

The young mans face is blank. Even though he left a yellow trail he still manages to talk. "What do we do?" Alex's mind goes still. "W-we have to kill it." Suddenly the monster slashes its great-sword towards them. The young man jumps out the way. Alex angry and afraid prepares to strike. Crunch! Bam! It breaks past the tree. Alex ducks and slams his stick onto the tentacle while pushing the still straight tree towards the monster. It lets go of its sword, its tentacle swollen and red.

Suddenly, it stops moving. Ignoring the tree falling towards it stares at its precious swords. Bang! It stops the tree. With a tentacle severed and its hands smashed it raises its head. Its leg first give in. Snap. Then its neck. Snap. Finally the tree finishes it. Everything other than its hands and head, everything else has been embraced by the earth. Alex, seeing this, smiles. The young man runs to the monster. "Come on! I call bullshit! Help me bash this things head in!" Even though everything above its mouth has been flattened it might still be alive. What if it's undying.

Both of them climb onto the fallen tree. As they move they stare at the arms. Step. Step. Step. Finally the come face to half a face with it. Immediately, they start beating it. Squelch. Squelch. Squelch. Finally after five minutes its head has becomes a mashed pile. Instantly the two lose consciousness, not seeing its body turn to ash. They only see a faint glimmer of light and feel something enter them. I'm so tired, they think.