As we watched the whale, Sciath, leave for some reason, Mother spoke up.

[Well, I'll tell the eldest when they come back but I also need to tell you about your siblings.]

"About us five?"

The jackal, Sjakal, asked. I had the same question.

[No, your younger siblings.]

'Our younger siblings?'

My confusion was evident as I spoke aloud.

"We have younger siblings?"

[Yes, they're more like your children though. They are modelled after the each of you individually.]

I blanked.

The Deer, Meratas, was the first one to speak.

"We have, what?"

[Children.]

The silence was almost suffocating.

[It'll take a few weeks but they should be made by the time you all get to Tier 1, Level 7 at the very least, though Sciath might take longer to get there because of those troublesome Stars.]

"How do we get to Tier 1? Is there a Tier 2 and 3? What's the highest Tier? Is there a limit to what Tier we can be?"

My questions flowed out, one after another. This was a chance to get away from that topic and to get information, to learn about the world. But more than any of that, it was a chance to learn how I could grow stronger.

[Tiers are also referred to as Life Stages. As you get to higher and higher Tiers, you become much more dangerous whether you are a combatant or non-combatant. This world we live on can support at most, 10 Tier 8 Beings by my calculations. Maybe one Tier 9 but that's probably stretching it.

As for a limit... I know of none, although the highest that has been seen and recorded is apparently Tier 11. They are not on this world luckily or I might've ended up dead in the first minute of my escape.]

'Tier 11... how much time will it take to get there?'

I looked at my Status screen.

Name: Astora Infernis Title: (Tentative) Guardian of the Flames Race: Anima (Infant Ember Falcon) Path(s): Magic (Class) / Technology (Evolution) Class: None (Overall) Tier: 0 (0%) (Overall) Level: 0 (0%) Affinities (Level/Rank): Time (5/D), Yang (4/B), Light (3/B), Sound (2/B), Fire (1/A+) Stats:

Strength 15 Agility 12 Dexterity 6 Endurance 10 Energy Density 4 Energy Reservoir 3 Cognitive Speed 3 Aura 3

General Skills None Ability Techniques None Class Spells None Constitution Flames of the Hearth Unique Ability Nurture Flame

'How many battles will it take for me to become that strong...'

I flapped my wings slowly, attempting to take to the skies for the first time. My body lifted off the ground as I felt... at home. My wingbeats became more powerful, more confident.

I flew up, a cloud of dust left behind me.

The Dormant Crossroad's Volcano was the shell around us. It was massive, made of rock that seemed almost pitch black. I mistook it for the night sky at first. Mother took up a third or so of the area above the ground. A massive amount of space.

Beyond her and the shell of the volcano that once was, there was a massive tapestry of dark blues, black and specks of white. The sight was unlike anything I had ever seen on my planet.

I loved it.

The wind in my wings, the sky above me and the ground far below, the feeling of being unbound that I got flying, all of it.

I was happy again.

Eventually, landing was inevitable. I needed to rest and the Whale got back. They were massive to be honest. At least three or more times my wingspan. I had maybe 10 or 15 meters worth of wingspan as an Infant Ember Falcon, insane to think I was an infant with that wingspan. So whatever race the Whale was, would be gigantic as an adult. It'd be a sight to see if they grow big enough.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A metallic hum sounded throughout the area. Then Mother repeated what she said to us, to the Whale, in some frequency I didn't understand yet still understood.

The Whale visibly shook.

"We have, what?"

"That's what I said!"

I looked over at the Deer. Their head awkwardly nodding with their entire neck.

Mother stayed by the Whale and talked to them for a little longer before she directed her attention to me.

[Starting is the most difficult part without instruction. The populaces of many planets still have difficulties due to lack of information sharing. You all will not have that issue. Enough of my ranting though, what paths have you chosen, child.]

"Magic and Technology."

[A fine choice, Magic and Technology both come with the capability of either extreme versatility or extreme power. They seem to blend together well most of the time as well so I am curious as to how you'll progress. Ah, can't let myself ramble on.

Technology and Magic both require a Core, I have implanted a dormant Tech Core into all of you, I'll take it out of those who haven't chosen the path.

For Magic, the bigger the Core, the better. I recommend putting it inside or around your Heart, as that is where you generate Mana. If you can cover your Heart with its size, I believe that's a good start relative to the humanoids who are more aware than others.

Now then, good luck.]

Her focus left me and I began thinking.

'How small and how large should I make each... no should I begin with meditation? Yeah I should, finding this Dantian is more important. I can't make a core there if I don't know where it is... oh right! My heart should be in a different place too! I have to find both I guess.'

Yet just as I was about to begin, Mother spoke once more. To all of us.

[Ah, I forgot. None of you have levelled. Well, the surroundings should have enough reasonable level monsters you can kill.]

...

'That seems like something you should've mentioned earlier... speaking of.'

"What about how we leave the volcano?"

[...I'll have one of your siblings make an exit for most of you. Astora and Sciath, I believe both of you can leave already.]

'What does she... ah, my wings, and an underwater tunnel? Maybe? Eh, who cares, time to FLY!'

And fly I did. I sprinted forwards before leaping off the ground and spreading my wings, flapping them immediately. They beat the wind and propelled my body upwards as I smiled. The feeling of movement in the sky, of movement in general will never get old.

'From the burn of my muscles to the creaking I hear in my apparently half-machine body, I love it all.'

As I flew higher, towards the gaping maw of sky, surrounded by spikes of earth, my excitement rose. I was about to see the world I was in from a bird's eye view on a trip to level up. It all felt like a dream.

But no dream could prepare me for what I saw.

As I flew out, the first thing that greeted me was the suns. There were two suns, one an incandescent blue, the other a white that drowned out the blue light's effect on the colorful world.

The world I saw was beautiful. Split in half, one side of the volcano covered by ocean, farther than my new eyes could see. The other? A bizarre yet spectacular mix between desert and forest. The trees were not the green and brown in the volcano, no, these were red giants bearing golden leaves. And the desert sand that I expected to be yellow-gold was an ashen grey that flowed in-between massive roots, twining and twisting. Moving as wind shook the trees, rustled their places.

Yet I felt none of that wind. Above the maw of the volcano, there were calm, tame winds that kept me afloat with a warmth I hadn't felt before. I don't know how long I stayed there but the suns moved enough for me to be able to tell they moved.

As I gazed upon the land below, I was able to spot some of my siblings, a small sense of familiarity rising whenever I saw one. However, it didn't take long before I spotted a creature not part of my family.

'How should I do this? Should I dive down and use my talons? I should right... it's the only method that makes sense with my current abilities. But... what'll happen if I go into these winds.'

The winds surrounding the volcano were an almost visible green, teetering on and off at the edges of my vision. Although afraid, I decided to go. I flapped my wings and pushed myself into a glide towards one of volcano's spikes. I intended on using them for cover against some of the wind.

I was so wrong in thinking that.

The moment I passed the barrier of warm wind, my body was hit with intense omnidirectional winds. Metal splitting and flesh tearing, my body immediately crying out in pain. I tried to angle myself back towards the volcano's warm breeze but the tempest wouldn't let me. I was dragged through the air, towards the forest in a stream of wind that made me bleed constantly.

Disoriented, confused and still new to flying, I knew my time left wasn't long if I didn't get a hold of myself.

A particular wind hit me in the side, near my right wing's shoulder and made me screech. I closed my eyes certain of my demise, both anger and regret in my soul.

Yet the next moment, the wind calmed. My eyes opened seconds after in shock the moment. I was in a bubble made of shadows and a black wind, my confusion increased until I looked up.

The sense of familiarity hit me and this single sibling of mine just showed me, what the heights our family have already reached are... besides Mother.

A massive Wyvern like being, with claws attached to part of his wings. Black and silver and green, an incredibly powerful aura seemed to twist the winds away from him, it was even calming them around me.

He looked down at me for a second and I heard a voice in my head, like how Mother spoke to us.

"You are a reckless one aren't you. You should be careful young Guardian."

Quicker than my meager perception allowed, we were amongst the giant trees and the ashen sand.

"Take note child, don't fly higher than those trees' canopies until at least Tier 3. Guardian you may be, but that'll be in the future when you're strong enough to actually guard us."

"Yes... is it rude to ask what Tier you are?"

"Both the short and long answers are yes. But I personally don't mind. I'm Tier 4, close to Tier 5. I'll be going now, I'm the scout on patrol today so I can't stay long."

I nodded and watched as my massive Wyvern-like brother flapped his wings once, propelling him into the sky.

I watched for a little longer before I heard a twig snap. My head whipped right, letting me see behind me. There sat a small pangolin-like monster.

We watched each other's movements as I realized something, its eyes were a sickly green that looked like it yearned for my death. A faint feeling of hunger and rage emanated from it, surrounding my body slowly. I turned, making my profile face the pangolin before remembering I was now a Falcon. I stopped and focused on the pangolin's movements.

It was slow but felt sure of itself, keeping its sickly green eyes on me as we circled each other.

'If I remember correctly, pangolins are all rounders. Their scales and claws are both keratin and exceptionally hard to break while also being sharp. This'll be a challenge.'

I decided. This would be my first hunt. My first kill. My body began to heat as my mind changed. I began to think of this pangolin as both threat and prey and a hunger began to rise in me.

I opened my wings and charged as it did too.

We sprinted at each other.

I flapped just before impact, leaving the ground slightly, aiming my talons at its eyes. The pangolin closed them and made a claw swipe near its own eyes to catch my talons. It landed, my left leg was bleeding. But I had hit the pangolin's eyes as well. It cried out, not expecting my talons to be sharp enough.

'I wonder if it didn't know it doesn't have scales on its eyes.'

I watched as the pangolin groaned and moved around blind. Swiping now and then to try and hit something. When I saw a gap, I took it. I jumped at it as quietly as I could and aimed for its underbelly.

I paid for it.

My left wing was ripped open by a claw aiming for me as my talons dug into its underbelly.

We rolled across leaves, dirt and sand alike as our blood seeped out and I left my attacks to instinct. Talons reaching out, my beak charging in to hit. The pangolin also got me multiple times with a claw or bite, sometimes a stray whack from its tail. We separated after a while, both of us bleeding and ragged.

I threw myself at it, aiming to pierce its eyes and hit its brain. A second before I reached it, it leaped up. A mistake. I followed, pushing myself further. I stabbed the underside of its head and heard a notification.

『Overall Level: 0 (0 --> 10%)』

The Pangolin's body went limp as mine let the exhaustion and pain take over. Air rushing around me.

The first thing I did when I realised I won?

I smiled.

Then all went dark.