Awakening Sage rubbed his eyes, head pounding as memories seemed to escape him, a memory of a voice… of voices, he remembered becoming himself, and he remembered the final message. If he wanted answers he must ascend, but where was he and ascend to where?

Looking around the room he notes a large silver crystal floating on the far wall, its internal core shining with a dull pulse. Standing between him is what looks like a small green person, one of his siblings?

Parsing his already fuzzy and limited memory he can’t recall seeing this form around him, in that place. Narrowing his eyes, sage noticed the creature's thin lipped mouth and large yellow eyes with small black pupils, something about the creature's eyes unsettled Sage; its unnaturally still figure makes him question if the creature is even alive.

Returning to its eyes staring blankly ahead they seem to lack something, something he and his siblings all had, empty the thought word and thought came unbidden, from outside of himself. Carefully deciding to stand up and inspect it more closely, the creature began to stir and snarl, after his first movement. Prompting Sage to quickly step back, and observe the creature.

Looking into those empty yellow eyes he asks tentatively “Who are you and where are we?” His own voice sounding far too weak and shaky, his eyes following the approaching creature. The creature stepping forward snarled in a guttural tongue that stung his ears. “I am goblin and we are here” the creature still fast approaching Sage began to back up and puts his hands up between him and the creature.

“Stay back, wha-what do you want from me?” The goblin once again snarling and lunging towards Sage clawed fingers extended, claws appear extended from there fingertips and smoothly without a grunt or emotion the goblin replies harshly, “No and Death.”

Realizing this bizarre creature had answered every question he had asked, and remembering its empty eyes, Sage realizes he has no reason to doubt it, it wants death, but Sage ponders my death or his own?

With no more room the flee Sage realizes he must fight, kicking a leg out at the lunging creature his foot connects but a little too late as the creature is upon them and they drop to the ground the creature on top of him rakes its nails over his face just missing his eyes. A burst of emotion he had never felt before, rage his thoughts name it for him awakens and he finds himself snarling back, a burst of strength entering his limbs and his vision going red.

Reaching for the goblins small throat and squeezing an intention to hurt, hurt it like it hurt me, his hands closing, the creature released a sickening noise, a primal noise of fear. The goblin in a panic rakes its nail up and down Sage's forearm. In pain Sage threw his arms to the side away from the creature going with it.

Quickly getting to his feet, blood dripping down his face and arms and panting heavily, Sage stared at the creature, his mind settling; he observed it also get to its feet. The size disparity between them becomes much clearer to Sage, he is stronger then this creature and bigger.

Wiping blood from his brow prior to getting in his eye, Sage asks the goblin “why are you attacking me?” the goblin about to lunge forward once more stops and stares at Sage its tone finally shifting from dull and lifeless and ringing with resignation, and something else, “death…only death” finishing its dark proclamation, Sage identified the other part of its tone, reverence.

It continued muttering, the same phrase, a manic glee entering its eyes, its words echoing as if repeating some great truth, hearing this response Sage’s detest towards the creature rose, was this truly a creature who worshiped death? He didn't understand what was happening, the simple unprovoked hostility, at first he was curious but now he wanted this creature silent, he wanted its guttural voice to cease. Deep in his undeveloped person Sage felt this creature's ideals were antithesis to his own, and they both cannot continue to exist, this creature would force a conflict.

Raising his hands once more this time Sage took the initiative, this time he was the one lunging towards the goblin, hand curled to a fist, ready for violence.

Something about the action causes a familiar pain in his stomach, a longing, and his fist descends towards the small goblin, felt right, and that thought it chilled sage. The goblin broken from its reverential state and mad mutterings attacks in kind, claws wide and a rictus expression on its face, the two meet in the center of the room. The goblin ducking beneath Sage’s fist strike and raking its claws along his knees, the pain from the attack not nearly as severe as his face or arms, not halting his momentum, and running into the Goblin their previous grapple position is now reversed with Sage on top, his weight and reach allowing him to rain heavy fist blows onto the Goblins face.

Green blood flowing, the goblin in a panic turns and extends its head, biting Sage on the thigh just above the knee. Screaming the pain deeper than any of his previous wounds stokes Sage’s felt the inferno of rage re-kindle anew, some primal part of him demanding him to harm this creature to make it hurt, his guttural roar escaping his throat unrecognizable as his own voice, his hands snaking out and rough grabbing the creatures small head. His thumbs under its chin, and his fingers on its forehead and scalp allowing him to pry it off of his thigh and slam its head towards the floor.

Again, again, and again he slammed, his weight and strength overpowering the small creatures resistance. Sage slammed until he felt the goblins neck go limp no longer fighting him, once more he slammed the creature's head the green blood, ichor and bone around him making a mosaic of his violence.

Calming down and observing the scene below him, his voice hoarse and his breath ragged, a sickly sweet tang in the air, Sage rolls off of the goblin, panting, curling into himself and beginning to weep. The reality he had killed this goblin, though evil in his opinion, though opposite of him, a deep pang of something lost, of a wrongness permeating his being, he feels a weight on his chest and the more he thinks to what he had just done, the emotions he felt and still feels it gets heavier.

His breath growing more shallow and shaky until finally a heavily but fitful sleep overtook him, the exhaustion from the emotions, from his fight overpowering his thought rabbit hole. Awaking the scene of gore still surrounds him, his head pounding, his body sore, and wounds scabbed over Sage struggles to look at the limp lifeless goblin but forces himself too. He had done this, he had done this, something about his hands, the dried green blood turning brown, would they ever be as clean as they were when he first recalled looking at them?

While observing this scene Sage begins to think and mutter about why this creature angered him so “it hurt me”, speaking out loud to noone in particular, but the action made him feel lighter.

“I had no choice and it hurt me” though this statement felt false to him, he was bigger, he was stronger, did he need to kill it? The memories of the creature's limp neck and the final slam come unbidden to his mind.

Breathing heavily It was unconscious, no longer a danger to me but I attacked it once more, closing his eyes tight and balling his fist Sage turns and punches the closest wall. The pain in his hand matches the pain in his chest.

Returning once again questioning his morals, his morals, questioning his actions, questioning his being, but what’s done is done, looking at the creature's corpse Sage knew he couldn’t fix it. Accepting this truth, what he did, what he couldn’t undo, and why he did it, he looked at the creature once more “I am sorry I killed you, perhaps Aanvang will allow you to start again.” The name coming unbidden to his mouth gives him a warm feeling on his cheek, raising his hand to his cheek he finds himself smiling, and unknowing.

In his reverie, Sage begins to think about all that has happened to him once more, and the strangeness of his situation, though he has no memory, some words and concepts come unbidden to him, colors, the meaning of words, concepts of morality, truth and lies, base emotions, but he doesn’t recall learning any of these things they seem to enter his mind as he needs them, or as they become pertinent to his situation. More questions come, how does he know these things? Who taught him? And does he know it correctly? Was his killing of the goblin creature correct? Justified? Who decides this, and why was he left in a room with a creature so obviously aggressive toward him. None of these were answered for him, perhaps he only knew some things and others he would need to discover, steeping around the corpse, he felt fear and excitement for the things he didn’t know.

Shivering, he approaches the only other thing in the room, the floating silver crystal. Studying it carefully and circling its perimeter he begins to ponder “what is this object? How is it floating?” After minutes of study carefully ever so carefully he reached his hand forward to its surface, a tingling sensation fired through his entire body making his sore muscles tense and body standing rigid.

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His wounds, closing, and his aches and pains lifting, looking down he begins to laugh. Keeping his hand on the silver crystal the tingle seems to settle onto his chest and a strange message appears before his eyes:

SORTIS:

Sage - Congratulations on completing your first trial this will be the first of many, 25 to be exact. Each getting more difficult, each floor passed will give you augment points, depending on your actions and potential, we will guide you and the power you earn every fifth level a minor augment and every 10th a major augment.

You may choose one of these boons as a reward:

Augment Points

2

Current Attempt - Trial

1 - 1

Augment Type

Augment Cost

Cost to Choose

Save Augment Point(s)

0

Body Improvement

Variable

0

Body Augment*

Variable

1

Basic Item

1

0

Augmented Item*

Variable

1

Augmented Magics*

Variable

1

Familiar

4

1

Basic Magics

1

0

Training

1

0

Knowledge

1

0

Companion*

20

5

2nd…9th tier Item

3…10

1…8

2nd… 9th tier Magics

3…10

1…8

Custom Request

Variable

Variable

The choices bombard his vision, the strange symbols resolving to words and concepts in his head, Sage, quickly stepped back and removed his hand from the crystal, nearly as if it burnt him.

The strange words and leaving with it. “What is this?” Placing his hand on the large crystal once more he focuses on the option before him, the definitions of words and concepts are there but what they entail or mean for him escapes him. What does it mean to save an augment point looking at the option another block of words become visible:

Save Augment points - Do not spend any augment points to save and use at a later time.

Frowning and thinking well, what is an augment point? Again a bombardment of word filters over the existing.

Augment point - A measure of potential, of change, of power can be used to augment a planet born physically, spiritually, or mentally with the guidance of a greater power.

Mulling over this information Sage, looked at the options that cost a single augment point:

Basic Item - A well made basic non-magical item.

Basic Magics - 3 basic spells – minor kinesis, minor cleanse, and minor sense.

Training - Training on any skill of the planetborns choice.

Knowledge - Information on any topic of the planetborns choice.

Trying to focus on the grayed out text and words for explanation a text block appears once more:

Only available at minor or major augment points.

Finally looking at the physical improvement option:

Body Improvement – Enhance a planetborn’s bodies physical, mental, or sensory capability.

Quantity, Type and Quality of increase depends on the number of augment points and specific increase requested.

Still left pondering but a firmer grasp on what the purpose of the crystal, to make him strong, to allow him to pass the next trial, to assist him in ascending.

Sage begins to think, if there are more trials and this was only the first one, will they all involve fighting? Killing? He shuddered at the thought. If so what should he pick Looking at the choices again Sage realized he just doesn't have enough information, begrudgingly spending an augment point of “Knowledge” another written prompt meets him:

What would you like to know?

Sage was taken aback, though the question was expected the prospect of learning whatever he wished overwhelmed him. Prior to picking he took a moment to consider, what will he need? What will the trials be like? And spoke decisively, “tell me what I need to know to pass the trials.”

A short pause followed this, followed by a flash of dark red light, lashing out and connecting in between his eyes. Waking an indeterminate amount of time later Sage groaned, his head pounding, a large amount of information entering his mind, and more thoughts came unbidden. He knew the trials shifted for each planetborn, he knew he was a planetborn and he needed to collect limins? though he didn't know what it meant.

He knew most trials would be physical, usually a fight, battle or challenge, but also mentally involving some form of puzzle, and usually have a logic issue to solve, or a situation where improvisation, and practicality prevailed. One truth prevailed above all others he learned, power was needed, and all could be solved with enough power, but that truth seemed hollow to him, it rang empty, empty like the goblins eyes.

While fairly vague in trial descriptions, a certainty that to pass he would need to fight, he would need to think, and he would need to survive made him think only having one point remaining wasn’t enough. Another shuddering thought was if he died, as long as he impressed Finral, he would enter the embrace of Aanvang once more and run through the trials again, and again, and again. Finral, the name made him feel small, made him feel lacking worth, and made his stomach ache, suddenly feel empty, feeling hungry.

Mulling over his options his initial response was to select body improvement, but the description that number of points spent affect both quantity, type, and quality gave him pause. The basic item seemed very useful as well, an ax, spear, bow, or sword. Maybe even armor remembering the claws raking across his skin, definitely armor if we go that route.

Looking down he realized he had only cloth clothing on and in poor shape from his fight with the goblin. From his new knowledge base, he knew some challenges involved extreme heat or snow, some even involved speaking which excited Sage, he desired to learn more, perhaps he should select knowledge once more?

Even in interactions with other sentient beings his lack of clothes would be improper, grimacing he shakes his head, too many options, and too many unknowns. From that same knowledge base he knew he could create items and carry them over from trial to trial. Pausing and touching the crystal once more he selects training spending his last remaining augment point.

What would you like to learn?

“I want to learn the essentials I’ll need to survive the future trial” speaking into the air and looking around the strange nebulous room, Sage felt strange speaking he felt he should have someone to look at.

A silver pulse of light lashed out of the crystal to in-between his eyes, instead of passing out this time he remained standing. The stone room formerly around him disappeared and now floating in what looks like a blackened void, a woman with glasses appears, she seemed familiar, but small to him.

Holding a knife and what looks like a medium sized unidentifiable dead animal. She hands it to him and pulls another set for herself from the void. Slowly she explains how to skin the animal, her voice studious and curt, no word wasted. This quick lesson was followed by how to brine the leather, de-flesh, de-hair, tanning, joining, and cutting the leather. Step by step walking through the process as he does it himself alongside her, when he had a shoddy leather poncho created she stops and fades, the same woman appears once again holding what seems to be a hatchet, wood, and rocks, showing how to create fire step by step, followed by her teaching how to make a lean-to shelter, a stone hatchet or knife, purify water, telling direction and time by the sun, butchering wild life, basic plant harvesting, and planting, spear wielding techniques, shelter making, tracking, tactics, trapping, and medicine making.

By the time the lessons finish each brief and ran through once Sage worries about how much he actually absorbed after running through so many methods so quickly. The headache, he had now was more from exhaustion, and being overwhelmed than the strange light. Settling back in the room, Sage looks up and sees where the crystal once was now stands three portcullis’ open and shimmering with a dark shimmering light, recognizing this from his recently acquired knowledge base, he knows these are the entrances to the next trial.

Each of the light colors emanating from each of the portcullis had a different meaning, green for creation, gold for progress, and black for battle. A trial from Aavang, Sortis, and Finral each, the names made him feel warmth, appreciation, and fear all in equal measure, he also knew he wouldn’t always have a choice in trial.

Prior to entering he sat down and re-runs through the steps of each training mentally prior to nodding his head, the memories of how to perform each action much more solid and fresher in his mind. Considering his options, Sage decided he would proceed with the trial of Sortis, he needed strength, he needed to progress, proceeding to the second trial. With his mind made up, he stood and took a deep breath, looking around the small stone room, and taking it in, the violence, the dull crystal, he resigned himself, he had questions, and if he needed to pass these trials to get answers, he would. Taking a moment to run through the mental steps of the lessons he learned a second time Sage stands up and confidently walks through the portcullis, and enters the second trial, the trial of Sortis.