The earthquakes lasted for a few seconds where quite a lot of fragile objects fell down all over the world. It started so quickly and lasted such a short while that most people could not react unless they lived in an area with regular earthquakes.

  In Emilio’s case, before anyone in his house could react, the shaking had already started and he received more System Messages.

  After a few seconds of silent contemplation, Ameilia decided to ask again “For real uncle, what did you wish for?”

  “Hey this has nothing to do with me! I have no idea about what’s happening,” Emilio defended himself. “Look, your mother is experiencing the same thing in the US.”

  “He is right Ami, I have no idea what is happening, but I’m sure we will have news about this soon. I mean, it was an earthquake that impacted the whole continent.” Nicole added. “I will go outside to check in with other people around here. I’ll call you back in a few minutes. Emi, take care of Ami.”

  With that Nicole ended the call and left two confused people in a living room with a cake. Well, one confused and one kind of excited as she started checking the so-called System.

  “Uncle Emi, you should check your System” Amelia commented.

  “What do you mean by ‘check’ the system? How?” Emilio asked.

  “Just think of the menu parts in your head,” She answered happily “And we should also check these Monoliths. This might be really interesting.”

  “Interesting?” He asked as he called inside his head like if he was thinking: ‘System Messages.’

  “Is it really this easy?” Emilio asked. “How does this work? I was just thinking to myself!”

  “Well, the messages are in your head too aren’t they?” Amelia answered. “It makes sense that you can control it with your thoughts. Just think of it as a computer interface.”

  “It doesn't make sense at all. How is it reading my mind? How is it sending me messages? What about my privacy! We didn’t agree to any terms of service!” Emilio complained.

  “Does it matter? Can you change anything? Can you complain to someone? Just check your Stats!” Amelia ordered, quite exasperated by his uncle’s questions when something so exciting was happening.

  “Ok, I will see what this is about.” Emilio agreed as he kept interacting with the weird messages in his head, or was it an interface? He wasn’t really sure. And he still wasn’t sure in what of his senses he was perceiving these messages, as it didn’t interrupt any of them to exist.

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  So can I make some filters then? ‘Show all messages.’

  Woow this works, let's see... ‘Starter Trial Introduction.’

  The hell is this? It really works. ‘Let’s go to Stats.’

  So I have a better Mind than Body? It makes sense, I do work with logic. What is this about Energy? I did ask to have more energy didn’t I? Why do I only have one? Was I really the cause of this? Well the System did say that it was because all the population didn’t it?

  ‘Let’s see the Quests.’

  Ok, that was expected. ‘Touch a Monolith.’

  Ok not much more… But, a weapon? Why would I want a weapon? Why am I suddenly thinking that the Monolith should be in the corner one block away? What is going on? Actually, who cares? This is way over my pay grade.

  “So what are your Stats?” Amelia asked full of curiosity.

  “2 Body, 2 Vitality, 3 Mind, 1 Energy. What are these Stats anyway?” Emilio replied.

  “So you are smarter than me and I am stronger? Makes sense. It seems videogamey doesn’t it? If it is like this, we might be able to increase them. Imagine becoming smarter or stronger! Let’s go find this Monolith!” Amelia answered excitedly while getting ready to go out.

  “What do you mean with ‘stronger’? Videogamey? Come on, that can’t be possible. But I do agree that we might need to check what is going on outside,” Emilio added as he started to hear quite a lot of noise outside. It took him only a second to add something else as a condition. “Don’t you dare to touch any kind of Monolith before we know more of the situation.”

  “Of course not,” She answered confidently, but as far as Emilio knew, her confidence might mean she meant it, or it might mean she didn’t. “Also, I’m stronger than you because my Body is 3! Though my Mind is just 2. Maybe you are smarter just because you are older! I mean you just turned 35, by the time I am your age I might as well have 4 in Mind!” Of course, Amelia didn’t want to accept any kind of defeat.

  As they walked outside, Emilio could see that the street was a mess, it seemed that the whole neighborhood left their houses for the occasion. Even in a quiet place like Villa Urquiza there was a huge crowd of people. Most of them were around a perfectly straight monolith in the middle of the street right at the corner one block to the right of Emilio’s house. The monolith was greenish, but with a metal luster. It was perfectly smooth, around one meter in length and depth but ten meters tall, making it seem almost like a pencil stuck in the ground.

  Looking at the distance, Emilio could see one of those monoliths every three to four blocks, proving that the total amount was mind staggering.

  On the street, most people were talking to each other trying to understand if everyone got the same messages, and comparing Stats. Just by hearing around, Emilio could get the idea that 3 points in one Stat was really good. Apparently no one around them had 4 points in any one of them.

  As uncle and niece started to approach the monolith, the girl sneakily took some distance from his uncle. She was ready to do something and before Emilio could realize what was going on, she started running to the monolith.

  “Wait Amelia, don’t do it!” Emilio shouted and started running after her, but he had no chance of catching her.

  “I’m sorry uncle, but you won’t let me touch it. I need to know what happens.” Amelia shouted back with a laugh as she reached for the Monolith. “Now let’s see what this does.”

  She touched the Monolith and she vanished from the spot as if she was never there.

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