The Exile's Hand: Chapter 2

Hi all,

Here's the second chapter of my original story.

Chapter 2 - Play the Hand You're Dealt

Myles fell backwards, his body striking the boat's hull. The impact drove the breath from his lungs as his spine connected with the protruding rib where the planks met. Pain shot up his back, but the physical discomfort felt distant, overshadowed by the impossibility unfolding before his eyes.

More text materialised in the translucent window.

"System initialising... scanning host... determining initial parameters."

"... An anomaly has occurred…a Class has been detected…making adjustments…Class chosen automatically."

"Generating user interface…downloading relevant information into the host's brain…"

The words had barely formed when information flooded into his mind.

Myles clutched his head, mouth falling open in a silent scream as knowledge poured in faster than consciousness could process. The pressure wasn't pain exactly—it felt like having his mind forcibly expanded.

When the process finally subsided, Myles groaned and sat up in the boat, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated. What had just happened to him? Had he awakened? It seemed impossible—more than impossible. Yet here he sat, processing knowledge that hadn't existed in his mind moments before.

He glanced down at his hand. A symbol stood out in stark relief, the outline of a card, with the silhouetted side profile of a man wearing a crown. That was the final proof he needed to realise he had awakened to the System.

Myles focused inward. Most of the new knowledge was frustratingly beyond his reach. He could sense its presence—but when he concentrated on specific details, the information seemed to shift away, always just beyond his grasp.

It had to be done intentionally. The System wanted him to learn gradually, to grow into his abilities rather than be overwhelmed by them. But why was it necessary when information about the System was already available? Was it meant for those who were on their own or for people who didn’t have mentors to guide them?

He tested the boundaries of what he could access. Basic concepts came easily—interface commands, status, attributes, skills, abilities, and traits. But when he tried to probe deeper, to understand what that Class entailed or how these abilities functioned, he came up blank. 

“Status." 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Status

Name: Myles Fisher

Race: Human (D)

Class: Card Transmutator

Level: 1 (0/100)

Free Points: 0

Attributes

Strength: 5

Endurance: 5

Vitality: 5

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 5

Wisdom: 5

Perception: 5

Willpower: 5

Titles: 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Myles rubbed his temple. Something didn’t add up. 

He didn't need the System knowledge in his brain to understand certain things. His mother had already taught him the basics.

Everyone possessed a set of skills gained from their life experiences, but only the awakened could view them. Skills were a measure of proficiency in all manner of things. You could have hundreds, or even thousands, of skills, but most of them would prove useless in practical terms.

Skills could level up through practice and repetition, but they could only reach a certain threshold for the unawakened. This limitation didn’t make sense to him. If someone spent decades perfecting a craft, why should their growth be artificially constrained? 

A skill, or a combination of them, could unlock abilities. They were enhanced skills that broke the constraints of what should be possible and required mana to function. Unawakened couldn't learn abilities, which served as the primary determinant that separated the two states of existence. No amount of practice or dedication could bridge that gap.

Awakeners could unlock traits by learning related abilities, which enhanced their capabilities further. Learning three or more related traits would lead to gaining a Class. 

Classes were a specialisation for the awakened, providing new traits and abilities that helped them focus on a specific path. When an awakened reached level ten, they could pick a Class from the options they had unlocked. If none had been unlocked, then they needed to obtain at least one before they could progress past level ten.

So, why did he have a Class from the outset? He was only level one. And why were his attributes low and evenly spread out? It was like his attributes had been reset as soon as he awakened. The bigger question was, why did he get a class related to cards?

A memory stirred. He had possessed a set of cards during his time in the village, crude creations fashioned from whatever materials he could scavenge. The designs had emerged from knowledge that belonged to his other life.

Those cards had been his treasure. He'd spent countless hours refining the rules, balancing abilities, creating something that captured the essence of games he'd never actually played but somehow understood with perfect clarity.

There had been a friend he’d shared the cards with. They would sit together for hours, testing combinations and debating strategies. But that friend's name had vanished from his memory, along with his face, his voice, everything that should have made him real.

“Class Status.”

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Card Transmutator  - Stat bonuses per level: Endurance (+1), Intelligence (+1), Wisdom (+1), and Free Point (+2). 

Initial Abilities

[Summon Monster Catalogue (Basic)] - Summons a monster catalogue that manages cards and provides special perks.

[Card Transmutation (Basic)] - Transmutes a monster corpse into a card. Has a base success rate of thirty percent, but it may differ depending on the monster rank and level.

Initial Traits

[Monster Summon] - Unlocks the Monster Summon ability with all applicable cards. 

[Item Transmutation] - Unlocks the Item Transmutation ability with all applicable cards. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Knowledge of the class flooded his mind. 

He could turn monster corpses into cards. Each card contained abilities or tools to make him stronger. For example, cards with the Monster Summon ability allowed him to summon monsters temporarily and have them fight for him. Item Transmutation allowed him to turn a card into an item. He needed to gain more traits to unlock new abilities.

The Card Transmutator Class was complete from the beginning. Unlike other classes that evolved through progression, the System had given him something whole. Every five levels would bring new skills, traits, or upgrades, but the foundation wouldn't change. 

It could be considered a pseudo-tamer class, with the Monster Summon ability on its own. The Class carried potential for remarkable versatility, depending on which traits he unlocked, but that flexibility came with constraints that other awakeners wouldn't face.

He couldn't learn abilities outside his Class through normal means. Other awakeners could develop new abilities through practice and experience. His path was different. Although he would be able to obtain cards that taught abilities eventually, he was limited in how many he could learn. 

Myles reached for one of the fish in the boat. 

It cost him mana to convert it into a card. The System provided no convenient indicator of how much mana he possessed or how much each use would require. He understood that his Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower determined his mana reserves, but he didn't know the finer details.

“Card Transmutation.”

The fish transformed into a green card right before his eyes. He turned it over, studying the dual images emblazoned on its surface—a perfect rendering of the fish on one side, mirrored by hands filleting fish on the other. Below it was text.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[Silver Flounder] 

Type: Item/Consumable

Rank: Creature 

Cast: Instant/Hold 

Prerequisite: None 

Level: 1/2 

Effects:

Level 1: Abundance (+50% meat yield vs manual filleting) 

Level 2: Propagation (25% chance to replace fish killed) 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

How useful was this card? Besides giving him extra food, the card was pretty useless. There were plenty of fish in the sea, so they would never go hungry. The only benefits he could see were that the fillets would be kept fresh in a card format, and he would have more fish meat to trade with. 

Two small windows appeared in front of him, in the shape of cards. Both had the word “Notification” printed on them.  

These were the system messages. Instead of being intrusive, he could read them at his leisure. With a flick of his mind, the cards whirled around his head until they vanished from view.

Myles grinned. He could stockpile several notifications without them cluttering his vision. He beckoned the first card forward with a thought and reached out to touch it. A new window appeared.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A new title has been earned: [The First Card] – Gained after obtaining your first card. Grants the ability: [Omniscient Eyes (Basic)]. 

[Omniscient Eyes (Basic)] - An identification skill that automatically marks a monster with a specific colour to give a rough idea of its level compared to the user.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A title represented the System's recognition for completing specific actions or challenges, some of them tied directly to a person's Class. The System was watching, evaluating, and measuring his progress against standards he didn't fully understand. 

Knowledge of the Omniscient Eyes ability flooded into his mind. 

It was a useful survival tool. If he could assess a monster's strength, he could make informed decisions about which to avoid and which might serve as opportunities for growth. 

Myles swiped to the final notification.

You have transmuted a [Silver Flounder – lvl 1] into a card—3 XP earned.

The main advantage his class had over other combat classes was that he gained experience by both killing monsters and turning them into cards.

Myles dismissed the notifications and looked back toward the shore. He remembered his mother had seemed feverish when she left the hut this morning. He needed to check on her.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 

The familiar scent of dried herbs greeted Myles as he pushed through the front door, but something felt wrong. The house carried an unusual stillness, broken only by the sound of laboured breathing from the back room. 

Myles set his gear aside and made his way toward her bedroom. Nerissa lay curled beneath her blankets, her face pale and drawn. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her hair clung to her forehead in damp strands.

He pressed the back of his hand against her burning skin. The heat coming through had gotten worse than before.

Her eyes fluttered open at his touch, struggling to focus on his face. "Noah," she whispered. "I don't think I'll be able to give you that lesson today."

"Don't worry about it. I remember everything you taught me anyway." Myles said. "You're burning up. Has your illness returned?"

Nerissa nodded. "I ran out of ingredients for the medicine to treat it. I'm going to have to wait this out."

"The fever can kill you if it's not treated." The words came out sharper than he intended. "Where can I get more?"

"You can't. The ingredient comes from Monster Island."

Myles felt the air leave his lungs. "What? How?"

"I've visited the island before." The admission hung between them like a physical presence. "Where did you think all the strange ingredients came from?"

"From the village.” Myles gritted his teeth. “Why didn't I know anything about this?"

Nerissa stayed silent.

"Of course. Just another secret you're keeping. Do you know how dangerous it is to visit that island?"

"I'm sick," she said. "You're not supposed to argue with your mother."

"Can you describe the ingredient to me? I'll get it for you."

"You can't. It's too dangerous."

"If you take chances with your life, so can I." He raised his right hand, revealing the System Mark. "Besides, I have an advantage you don't."

He hadn't wanted to reveal his awakening so soon. Part of him had planned to keep it secret out of spite for all the things she'd withheld from him. But watching her struggle for each breath stripped away such petty considerations.

Nerissa's eyes widened, and a weak laugh slipped out. "I knew it. You awakened earlier than I expected. The mark is fully developed. Does that mean you already have a Class?"

"What do you think?"

A brief spark of triumph crossed her tired face. "I won't force you to stay, but you need to be careful. You'll need to venture out of the cove to reach Monster Island. If the villagers see you..."

"I know. I'll be careful."

"Get my ingredients book."

Myles retrieved the leather-bound volume from her collection of botanical references. She flipped through the pages and stopped at an image of a twisted vine with purple flowers, then flipped to another page showing a broad-leafed plant.

"What's this second plant for?" he asked, memorising both images.

"It's important that you find it. More important than the first."

"If you say so. Before I go, is there anything I can use to treat your fever?" 

"Grab the bottle with the yellow liquid."

Myles found the amber glass container among her remedies and helped her swallow its contents.

"This should buy me some time," she said, sinking deeper into her pillow. "Wait until tomorrow to head out. Leave before dawn."

"Alright. It'll give me more time to experiment with my abilities. Get some rest."

He stood to leave, but her hand shot out and grabbed his arm with surprising strength. 

"I'm sorry, Myles." The words tumbled out in a rush. "I had to do it. He needed to pay for what he'd done to us. To this village. I didn’t expect things to turn out as they did. Can you forgive me?"

"What do you mean?"

But her eyes had already closed, and her grip loosened as sleep claimed her. 

Myles studied his mother’s face. He didn't believe she shared that information on purpose—it was likely a result of feverish delirium.

Who was the 'he' she'd mentioned? His father? And what had she done that required forgiveness?

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Myles walked out of the hut, his breath visible in the cool early morning air.

He wore the leather armour his mother made him. The soft hide moulded to his body, providing some modest protection he urgently needed. She'd traded precious herbs for the materials months ago, though he'd never understood her certainty that he would need protection.

His spear felt familiar in his grip. Years of practice had honed his technique to a respectable level, though he understood the limitations that bound him. Without the right cards to unlock advancement, he would remain competent but constrained.. But he needed some form of offence to obtain new cards.

The gate leading to the rest of the island stood between two towering cliff faces. The narrow passage beyond represented the only practical exit from their isolated beach—unless he fancied scaling vertical rock or attempting the treacherous swim around the island's perimeter.

Myles pressed his ear against the gate, listening for any sign of early-morning activity.  Silence greeted him, broken only by the distant crash of waves. He lifted the simple latch and eased the gate open.

The path beyond lay empty. He slipped through and closed the gate behind him. The gate was more of a symbolic gesture rather than a barrier to keeping them isolated. The villagers assumed the exiles would never dare venture beyond their assigned boundaries.

He reached the path’s branching point after several minutes of walking. To his left, the main path curved toward the village. Ahead, a narrower track led toward the island's opposite shore and Monster Island beyond.

He continued forward. The terrain grew wilder as he progressed, the carefully maintained track giving way to something more primitive. 

When the trees finally parted, Myles found himself standing on a rocky promontory that offered an unobstructed view of his destination. Monster Island rose from the sea like a sleeping giant, its bulk dwarfing Barrier Island's modest dimensions. Dense forest covered almost every visible surface, creating an unbroken canopy of green that concealed whatever horrors waited beneath.

Between the two islands stretched a line of stepping stones. The crossing appeared deceptively simple—a series of easy jumps across the water. The reality couldn't be further from the truth.

Something lived in the depths between the islands. The villagers had only seen glimpses of its shadow beneath the surface, but it was enough to keep them away. The most frightening part was that whatever lived there was strong enough to stop the monsters from attempting to crossover.

Myles took a steadying breath and leapt.

His boots struck the first stone with a solid thump. Immediately, he sprang to the next, then the next, building momentum with each jump. He forced his gaze forward, refusing the temptation to look down into the water.

Halfway across, a shadow passed beneath him. Something large and serpentine, moving through the depths. Myles's next leap faltered slightly, his landing less precise. The stone tilted under his weight, and for a heart-stopping moment, he thought he might tumble into the water. He regained his balance and continued, each remaining jump powered by desperate urgency.

When his feet finally touched Monster Island's sandy shore, Myles allowed himself a moment to catch his breath. 

The beach stretched in both directions, bordered by a wall of dense trees that seemed almost impenetrable. If he wanted to start exploring the island, he would need to venture inside. 

Myles summoned his Monster Catalogue. The book appeared in his hands. Its cover was gold and emblazoned with the card symbol that matched the mark on his hand.

He opened the first page. The left side revealed his storage system: fifteen distinct slots arranged in neat rows, each capable of holding up to ninety-nine copies of the same card. The first slot already contained twelve Silver Flounder cards. The conversion rate was significantly higher than the base thirty percent, though he suspected the cards' basic nature played a role.

The process had nearly exhausted his mana reserves entirely. By the twentieth attempt, lethargy had weighed down his limbs like lead, and his vision had begun to blur around the edges. A night's rest had restored him, but the experience taught him a lesson. At his current level, he estimated twenty transmutations as his absolute limit before mana depletion became dangerous.

The right side of the catalogue displayed his available perks. A single entry showed five slots designated for quick-use cards—any card stored there could be summoned directly from the book with a spoken command, and reduced the casting time by half. It was a small advantage, but in combat, the difference between one second and half a second could determine survival.

Myles dismissed the catalogue and approached the treeline. The transition from beach to forest felt like stepping through an invisible barrier into another world. 

He picked his way carefully between the roots that twisted across the forest floor like sleeping serpents. Each footstep seemed unnaturally loud in the hushed atmosphere, and he found himself pausing every few metres to listen for sounds that might indicate danger. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as the sensation of being watched arose.

The sensation of being watched grew stronger as he ventured deeper inside. It wasn't paranoia, he told himself. He gripped the spear tighter.

This was what his mother had done. How many times had she made this crossing, gathered her ingredients from this hostile place, and returned home without ever mentioning the risks she'd taken? The thought brought a grudging admiration.

A branch snapped somewhere to his left.

Myles froze, spear raised, as his Omniscient Eyes activated without conscious thought. A green aura surrounded something moving between the trees, roughly ten metres away.

The creature moved closer, and Myles's breath caught in his throat. It was a boar with a grey hide. Tusks curved from its snout, each one longer than his hand. The green aura marked it as equal to his level, possibly stronger. His first real test.

The boar’s head swivelled toward him, nostrils flaring. For a heartbeat, predator and prey regarded each other across the forest floor. Then the boar charged.

Myles sidestepped, bringing his spear around in a defensive arc. The creature's momentum carried it past him, tusks missing his ribs by inches. He felt the wind of its passage, caught the rank smell of its breath. His counter-thrust caught nothing but air as the boar spun around, already repositioning for another attack.

This time, Myles was ready. He planted his feet and angled his spear point downward, using the creature's charge against it. The spear tip punched through muscle and hide with a wet sound. The boar's squeal of rage and pain hurt his ears.

But the wound wasn't deep enough. The creature's tusk caught his left thigh as it thrashed, tearing through leather and flesh with casual brutality. Pain flared white-hot up his leg, and he stumbled backwards, nearly losing his grip on the spear.

The boar pressed its advantage, tusks weaving a deadly pattern as it sought his vitals. Myles gave ground, each step sending fresh waves of agony through his injured leg. 

Then training took over. He feinted left, drawing the creature's attention, then pivoted on his good leg and drove the spear deep into the boar's neck. The point found the gap between vertebrae, and the creature dropped like a felled tree.

Myles sank to one knee beside the corpse, chest heaving. His leg throbbed with each heartbeat, blood seeping steadily from the gash. The wound wasn't fatal, but it would slow him down, making him vulnerable to other predators that might be drawn by the scent.

He pressed his palm against the dead creature's flank. "Card Transmutation."

The corpse dissolved and reformed as a card in his palm. The card was red, showing it was a Monster Summon, with a picture of a charging boar on the front. He read the description.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[Grey Tusk Boar]

Type: Monster Summon/Reusable 

Rank: Creature 

Cast: Channel (10 seconds) 

Prerequisite: None 

Level: 1/2 

Effects: 

Level 1: Charge (Summon deals +50% damage on first attack if target is 5+ metres away) 

Thick Hide (Summon takes 25% less physical damage)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

His second card was significantly more useful than the first. For someone whose class relied entirely on obtaining cards from defeated monsters, having access to a reliable combat summon felt like the difference between survival and certain death on this hostile island.

Myles studied the card for another moment, committing its abilities to memory, before sliding it into his quick-use slot within the Monster Catalogue. The book vanished with a thought, leaving him alone with the immediate reality of his situation.

He looked down at his leg, wincing as the movement sent fresh waves of pain radiating up his thigh. The boar's tusk had torn through his leather armour as though it were cloth, leaving a jagged gash that stretched from mid-thigh nearly to his knee. Blood soaked through the damaged leather, creating dark stains that would only attract more predators if left untreated. The wound wasn't deep enough to sever anything vital, but it was bleeding steadily, and the torn edges gaped with each movement.

First, he needed to take care of his leg before he lost too much blood. The scent of blood and the boar's death throes would draw other creatures soon enough, and he couldn't afford to be caught wounded and vulnerable when they arrived.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Myles continues to explore Monster Island. 

Thanks for reading.