“The one and only,” Augustus chuckled in reply

Aurelius instinctively took another step back, his gaze fixed upon the figure standing before him — a figure revered in High Elven society. Of course, Aurelius had his suspicions, but now that it was confirmed, he was left speechless.

“Whoa, whoa! Don't bombard me with all your questions at once!” Augustus said, his voice exaggerated with dramatic flair, making light of Aurelius' speechlessness..

Still at a loss, Aurelius struggled to find his voice.

"Hmm," the god mused aloud. "Seems I've stunned this poor kid into silence. Perhaps my form is too imposing?"

With remarkable speed, Augustus shrank and transformed into a mouse. The tiny creature scuttled up to Aurelius, settled down, and peered up at him with anticipation.

Still reeling from shock, Aurelius managed to stumble out a question that had consumed his thoughts for what seemed like forever now.

“W-Why choose me?”

After Aurelius posed the question, Augustus swiftly turned around and shimmied back to his throne. Despite being a mouse, he managed to skillfully jump upon it, an impressive feat. Turning back around, he fixed his gaze upon Aurelius, taking a contemplative pause that lasted a brief but noticeable ten seconds before finally responding.

"Aurelius, my boy, there are multiple factors at play when choosing someone," Augustus began, his voice as imposing as a mouse could manage.

"But the main reason I chose you is simply because I thought it would be fun," the mouse squeaked out.

Aurelius looked at the mouse perched on the throne, unable to determine whether the god was serious or not. However, even from where Aurelius stood, he could detect a glimmer of amusement in the tiny mouse's eyes. Doubt crept into Aurelius' voice as he decided to voice his uncertainty.

"Are you being serious with me?" Aurelius questioned, his voice tinged with doubt.

In response, the mouse jumped off the throne and started scurrying in circles around Aurelius.

"Aurelius, when you have lived as long as I have, you come to realize that things lose their enjoyment over time. It's no longer fun to select a 'noble' chosen to lead the fight against other races—I've witnessed it unfold for thousands of years. That's where you come in. You're different, unique, something new. Whether it succeeds or fails spectacularly, I can be certain of one thing—it will be fun to watch," Augustus squeaked in his mouse voice. Although his tone was that of a mouse, Aurelius could still hear the grin in his words.

"So... I'm essentially a glorified entertainer," Aurelius concluded, seeking clarification.

The mouse ceased its laps around Aurelius and nodded.

"But what if I fail? Don't you need the existence of the High Elven race to survive? Won't you also perish if this goes 'spectacularly bad'?" Aurelius pressed.

"Yeah... sort of..." Augustus replied, tilting his small mouse head from side to side. "It's far more complicated than that, especially for me," Augustus said, winking.

"And as I mentioned before," Augustus continued, "I don't particularly mind dying if I get to experience a bit of excitement before my departure. After all, I have been around for millennia."

Augustus was nothing like what Aurelius had anticipated; he was fairly certain Augustus was more than a little insane.

"More than a little insane" was an understatement, as Aurelius soon realized. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of confusion and amusement at Augustus' eccentricity. Here he stood, in an otherworldly realm, conversing with a god who had taken the form of a mouse, discussing the fate of the High Elven race and the god's desire for entertainment.

"But... What if I decide not to help the High Elven empire at all? They've treated me as nothing more than trash my entire life. Why would you choose me to defend an empire in which I have no real stake in?"

In response, Augustus transformed back into a crow, taking flight and hovering right in front of Aurelius' eyes.

"Once again, Aurelius, you don't have to do anything. You're free to do as you please. If that means seeking revenge against the High Elven empire, so be it. It would certainly amuse me to watch."

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Augustus then turned around and flew back to his position atop the throne.

"However, ask yourself this, Aurelius: Do you have the capacity to bear the responsibility for the deaths of millions of people resulting from your direct or indirect actions? Can you stand by and witness the loss of lives, knowing that you could have saved them, all because of the actions of a few?"

That gave Aurelius pause. It was a question that required careful consideration. Wanting to steer the conversation towards a more positive tone, Aurelius decided to inquire about the workings of the classes.

"How exactly do classes work? When I was selecting each class, I expected more than just one ability per class," he asked, hoping for a clearer understanding.

Augustus reverted back to his original Elven form, a beer bottle materializing in his hand. Taking a swig, he studied Aurelius before responding.

"Each class comes with a foundational ability. For instance, in your chronomage class, that ability is your teleportation. However, upon reaching certain level thresholds – typically the first being at level 10 – you gain the opportunity to choose one, or sometimes even multiple, new abilities to develop and level up. This is when the classes truly start to become powerful. For instance, your Arcane Artificer class may not seem that powerful now, but just wait till you level it up some more," Augustus finished with a wink.

Aurelius paused, considering Augustus’ words. It begged the question: should he go all-in on one class and make it super powerful, or should he keep spreading out his essence across different classes? Wanting to squeeze every bit of info out of the god, Aurelius fired off another question.

"Can you provide me with insights about the world? Specifically, which races are friendly to the High Elves and which ones should I be wary of?"

Although he felt it might be a foolish question, Aurelius honestly didn't possess much knowledge about worldly affairs, relying on eavesdropping on other people's conversations for information.

"Using me as an information broker, are you?" Augustus chuckled, taking another sip of his beer.

"That's for you to discover and develop on your own," Augustus replied, accompanied by another wink. "Why don't you ask me questions that can't be easily answered through your own research?"

"Alright, fair enough," Aurelius mused, scratching his chin. He took a moment to ponder, thinking about what he really wanted to ask Augustus. Eventually, he settled on a question that simply sparked his curiosity.

"How does the 'Chosen System' work? Who operates it and how?"

"Now that's an interesting question that I don't really have the answer to," Augustus said, observing Aurelius' reaction.

"It is a system operated by a power greater than myself," he continued.

"Greater than you? What could be more powerful than a god?" Aurelius skeptically asked.

"Unfortunately, I don't have a satisfying answer for you—at least, not one that I believe you need to know or would comprehend. Instead, think of it like this: just as mortals abide by certain fundamental rules of the universe, such as the inevitability of death, we gods also operate under similar binding rules. For example, have you ever wondered why gods don't walk the world of Aetheria? Well, that's because we have rules preventing us from doing so. Even for us gods, it remains unclear who enforces these rules, whether it's an actual being or simply the universe itself. The 'Chosen System' falls under the same jurisdiction, where we are uncertain about its workings and the entity behind its operation," explained Augustus.

After Augustus' explanation, Aurelius felt compelled to ask a natural follow-up question.

"Well... if the Chosen aren't a creation of the gods but rather a product of these elusive universal beings, what purpose does it serve to have Chosen in the first place?"

Augustus smiled upon hearing Aurelius' question, leaving Aurelius curious about the gears turning in Augustus' mind. After a brief moment, Augustus finally responded.

"That is something for you to discover on your own... eventually."

Aurelius couldn't help but roll his eyes at the enigmatic answer.

"Of course it is... What harm is there in telling me now?" Aurelius asked, his frustration evident in his tone.

The smile in Augustus' eyes dimmed slightly, and Aurelius wondered if he had crossed a line. Augustus took a long second to gaze at Aurelius, making him feel exposed as if all his secrets were laid bare. Eventually, Augustus averted his gaze, looking away from Aurelius.

Augustus responded in a distant voice, saying, "It's probably best if I don't spill all the beans just yet. Maybe I'll drop some hints later, or you'll stumble upon it yourself. But for now, my advice is to focus on leveling up.”

Before Aurelius could say anything else, Augustus spoke up once more.

"I must send you back soon; our time is fading. One more thing before you go: there will be a man who offers you the opportunity to join the Lothern Academy. Whether you choose to save the High Elven Empire or not, I suggest you seriously consider accepting."

Aurelius was taken aback by Augustus' foretelling but accepted it in stride. However, he couldn't help but ask a question.

"Why should I join? I have been doing well in the mountain range, leveling up rapidly. How would I even gain experience at the academy?"

Augustus turned back to Aurelius, a smile once again gracing his face.

"Don't focus solely on gaining experience or essence for the Chosen System. Remember, there's a difference between that and real experience, which is crucial for your survival. Besides, there are many ways to gain essence for your classes besides combat."

Aurelius nodded, considering Augustus' words. Seeing Aurelius nod, Augustus snapped his fingers.

"Well then, Aurelius, it's farewell for now. Until we meet again."

Darkness started to swallow Aurelius, but he could still catch Augustus' parting words.

"Oh, and one more thing. Just because you're the sole High Elven Chosen doesn't mean you can accomplish everything alone."

With those lingering words, Aurelius's vision faded into darkness.