I woke up to the familiar sight of the popcorn ceiling in my bedroom, a relic from the fifties. A spot of soft morning light was slipping off of the bright peachy wall onto my wooden drawing desk.
Cold sweat had accumulated on my forehead and slid down my face as I sat up. I untangled my legs from blankets that had retreated to the foot of my bed during the night and got up. The cold laminate wood flooring was littered with my collection of pillows and stuffed animals, casualties of my restless sleep throughout the night.
For a split second I considered the possibility that it was all a vivid dream.“Status window” I called out to the empty room.
Status Candidate Mia Burke Level 1 Equipped Title -- XP 0/100 Health 60/60 Mana 70/70
Strength
4
Dexterity
5 Constitution 6 Intelligence 7 Unallocated Stat Points 0 Skills -- Passives -- Titles --
Immediately after I opened the status window I got bombarded with messages from gods, some familiar and some not with various requests. Some were asking me to summon my first familiar, others wanted me to go look for enemies to fight, and a few new gods were offering contracts.
I ignored them all.
With a sigh of relief I grabbed an old shirt from the top of my laundry pile to wipe my face, although I yearned to take a shower I was much too impatient to wait any longer to use my skill for the first time.
The instructions in the skill for summoning a familiar weren’t that clear, I already had an idea in mind for the familiar but wasn’t sure how to ‘activate’ the skill. The gods were complaining since I wasn’t telling them what my plans were for the first familiar, but a part of me wanted to keep it secret.
Maybe to take back control of a fragment of my privacy again, or to get even these gods that refused to answer my questions. At that point the gods seemed to have grown tired of asking questions directly and devolved to chanting.
[“Seeker of Magic and Knowledge” chants tell us!]
[“Abandoned Bloodied Sword” chants tell us!]
[“Traveling Spring Painter” chants tell us!]
[“Whispering Playwright behind a Mask” chants Chug! Chug! Chug!]
[“Reflection of an Empty Throne" chants tell us!]
I looked at the Playwright sideways before saying “Just wait a moment and you’ll see!” smiling to myself when my small revenge was met with complaints from the gods. Concentrating on the idea of my new familiar I shouted “Familiar Creation!”.
When I opened my eyes I found a ball of light about the size of a basketball suspended in front of me. A cacophony of messages erupted in the space behind it and my ecstasy about my new familiar quickly fell to embarrassment.
[“Whispering Playwright behind a Mask” falls to the floor laughing hysterically and occasionally shouting Familiar Creation before collapsing into laughter again.]
[“Traveling Spring Painter” covers her smile with her hand and advises you against shouting the skill name.]
[“Reflection of an Empty Throne” chuckles and says that shouting the skill is common among humans and tells you not to worry.]
My face flushed and I was never more glad than I was at that moment to live alone in the middle of the sticks. Don’t get me wrong I loved living away from people, life out here was serene and almost no one ever bothered me, save for an old friend who couldn't get the hint that I wasn’t interested in that relationship anymore.
I was about to defend myself when the light radiating from my new familiar changed from white to a warm gold. Excitement and anticipation filled my chest as the ball began to take form.
Its vague limbs and body started to become more defined, it was chubby with a large head, small frill lining its back, a set of wings that it had wrapped around itself and a fat tail with a rounded tip.
The light subsided and it began to uncurl, reflexively I lurched forward to catch it. Clutching it, arms extended like picking up a house cat, its back legs hanging loosely while its arms were draped over my own with gecko-like sticky pads gripping me. However its limbs resembled mammals like dogs or cats more than lizards.
Warm gold scales enveloped the majority of its body, they weren’t quite rose gold but it would be hard to categorize them as typical yellow gold either. A rounded bronze line colored the frill and surrounding scales on its back as well as two shorter lines parallel on either side while its belly was white from its chest tapering to a thin strip under its tail. Large round eyes reminiscent of molten silver were set front facing into a wide rounded head that tilted slightly when we made eye contact.
Oh my god! So cute!! What a fat head! So plump!
I heard a young voice reply, I stopped myself just before I started to look for the source of the noise, it was in my head.
Good, I’m glad my master is also aware of my greatness. I am a dragon, I’m attractive, intelligent, talented, and strong. Well… master is also intelligent for creating me.
The dragon adjusted awkwardly in my hands as if to sit up tall and pointed its nose in the air confidently flaring its wings out to the side.
Oh so this is what it meant when it said we could communicate through the soul bond. I thought as I sat the dragon on the bed and squatted in front of it, as I was thinking about it the familiar status window appeared above the young dragon's head.
Status Familiar Name Level 1 Experience 0/100 Health 30/30 Mana 30/30 Strength 3 Dexterity 3 Constitution 3 Intelligence 3 Unallocated Stat Points 0 Skills Basic Elemental Attack Passives Continuous Evolution
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“Okay, let's start by allocating your extra stat to intelligence since you’ll be using magic. That way you’ll have 40 mana, what do you think?” I asked, lightly pinching at the dragon’s pudge.
I was making the assumption about intelligence and mana being intrinsically linked like that but I thought it was highly likely. I had 70 mana and 7 intelligence and the familiar’s mana was 30 with 3 intelligence, it tracked.
Of course as a dragon I must have an unmatched amount of mana! The dragon proclaimed happily.
As I added the point into intelligence I continued making conversation, “Well you know you have slightly more than half the amount of mana I do?”
Yeah?! Well… well so what? You’re my master of course you’d have more mana! They stuttered grumpily and turned away. Smiling, I clicked on their Basic elemental attack skill.
~~*~~
Basic Elemental Attack
Description: Creates a projectile that is 2.5 inches in diameter, costs 5 mana. Projectile is made of an element depending on the user's intention.
Available Elements: Fire, water, wind, earth
Mastery: 20%
~~*~~
“Huh, you already have a 20% mastery over this skill. As expected of a dragon.” I said sweetly and patted the dragon’s head.
[“Seeker of Magic and Knowledge” mutters under his breath 20% how interesting, must compare to future familiars and Mia’s skill sharing in the future. He trails off talking about statistics and race buffs.]
[“Seeker of Magic and Knowledge” stops scribbling furiously in his journal and asks if you would go outside so the dragon can demonstrate the skill.]
[“Abandoned Bloodied Sword” advises you to find a worthy enemy to fight, she asserts that fighting with your life on the line is the most efficient way to learn skills.]
[“Traveling Spring Painter” expresses concern over your safety.]
[“Whispering Playwright behind a Mask” agrees with “Abandoned Bloodied Sword”.]
I had been inspecting the dragon as they talked, playing with its toe pads, squishing its fat in various areas, scratching along its jawline, and opening its wings. As I did it made a low thrumming sound, it almost felt like I could feel it within my own chest.
I couldn’t help but think that it didn’t seem built for battle with how soft it was, it didn’t have horns or claws like typical dragons.
I do have claws! The dragon protested, lifting its front paw as it brandished retractable claws. They’re sharp too, watch!
“Wait! No-no need I believe you.” I exclaimed and scooped up the dragon to protect the bed. “Well before we do anything else we should decide on a name for you don’t you think?”
Yes, I need a fitting name for a noble being like myself. Its words and actions didn’t match, as it looked more like an excited puppy than a noble dragon.
“Hmm… okay what about Sunspot?”
No, absolutely not!
Its sentiment was echoed by the gods, I never had a good naming sense. Usually I would spend time researching names, but I couldn’t put off naming this pup til then.
“Saffron?”, the dragon’s eyes narrowed, “okay then Talon? Tawny?”
The dragon shook its head and wriggled out of my arms and onto the floor. I briefly considered waiting for some time before naming it but just couldn’t when I looked at the disappointed dragon making its way to the door.
“Oh! Actually there was something… when I was… oh where is it?” I was noisily searching through the papers in my desk drawer, making a mess and throwing some of them on the floor behind me when they got in the way.
“Ah ha! Here it is! How about Aureus?” I asked, holding a paper that was filled with notes written in various directions all over it. I didn’t plan to admit that the name was one I came up with while researching for a character I created for fun.
While I enjoy the distance from the rest of humanity, I still miss some of the comforts that they provided. I enjoyed detailed story based games and every time I decided to start a new game or campaign I spent hours fleshing out a character before starting. It helped curb the loneliness since I didn’t have any pets to comfort me anymore.
Aureus? Hmm yes, I think Aureus is an excellent choice. Aureus perked up and spun around to look at me while praising the name I picked out.
“It means golden in latin. It suits you.”
I kicked some laundry out of the way and opened the door into the living room. Wow there's so much space in here! Aureus exclaimed darting under the couch.
It really wasn't a large room, it was just mostly empty, I didn’t receive guests so other than the couch and the coffee table I really didn’t need anything else in there.
Aureus subsequently emerged tripping and adorned with a forgotten scarf that must have been under it for at least half a year. I should help him out of that so he doesn’t destroy it out of annoyance. I thought to myself while unwrapping the scarf from Aureus’ legs.
I’m not an animal, I won’t just destroy your things for such a petty reason. Aureus states matter of factly.
Ah, now that I think about it I never asked about Aureus’ gender. Mia paused looking down at Aureus who was rolling the scarf into a ball.
Of course I’m male didn’t you already consider me one? He remarked as he awkwardly tottled on his hind legs to place the scarf ball on the coffee table. I wasn’t originally, but now I’m male.
[“Seeker of Magic and Knowledge” asks you to read Aureus’ passive.]
~~*~~
Continuous Evolution
Description: The familiar will constantly evolve based on multiple factors, mainly according to its masters preference, its own preferences and personality, and first hand experience. It will also evolve as it levels up and gains more power, this will mainly result in physical and skill changes.
~~*~~
“Huh, so I think that his gender was determined because I saw the name Aureus as masculine. Maybe… Probably?”
[“Seeker of Magic and Knowledge” says that this is an interesting development and asks Aureus if he feels any different.]
What do you mean? I feel great, I'm with my Master. He responds sitting back and looking around towards the sky. A smile unfolded on my face, I could barely contain my joy, my familiar was likely the cutest existence ever.
Forgotten emotions of familial love surging back to the surface. I cradled Aureus as I made my way towards the door, but stopped just short.
“Wait, my phone” I trailed off as I patted the place where my right pocket should be and realized I was still in my sleeping shirt. “Ah well I guess I need proper clothes.”
I grabbed a t-shirt with the words “Stanley’s Carry Out BBQ”, it was speckled with pink, blue and green paint spots from art projects done throughout the years. Pulling on some slightly oversized cargo pants I slid my phone, a water bottle and a couple granola bars into my pockets.
I cinched the pants at my waist, tied my sneakers and grabbed my hiking bag that I rarely used on the way out. As I closed the door behind me I paused again, “Wait, I still don’t know where I’m going.”