“Where the hell?” I wondered as I came to and saw where I was. White marble floor, blue sky, both stretching endless in all directions. There was nothing else in this place, just me, myself, and I.
Looking down at my body, I saw that I looked the same as I had before the prayer began. It looks like I was teleported somewhere, or…?
Interrupting my thoughts, I heard footsteps approaching from the side. Turning my head towards the noise, my jaw dropped as I saw the figure approaching me. Fiery red hair, green eyes, freckles, sharp features, and the armor of a warrior. It looked like a more battle-ready version of the goddess Kaerni’s statue. What was going on?
“First of all, I can hear what you’re thinking. Second of all, I am the goddess Kaerni. Now, can we get on with this or do I need to baby you? I have a timer on this visit.”
Nodding once, I kept my mouth shut. “Good. You learn fast, kid. Now, my name is Kaerni and today we’re going to give you a little bit of a tutorial into something called bloodlines. Short and sweet, you have a special power that began to unlock when your guide unlocked and it knocked you on your ass. Because of this power, I’m also granting you my blessing, but I don’t have very long to explain everything so don’t ask why.”
After a moment of silence, she continued. “Okay, kid. You happen to be the inheritor of a special kind of bloodline, the bloodline of the supreme hydra, Statto. This is the bloodline of a dragon, a rare and powerful trait for any race — especially humans. Someone in your family’s past, on your mother’s side, made a deal with the crazy fool and received power beyond mortal comprehension that only manifests itself every dozen or so generations. You’re the one who got it this time, kid. My blessing will serve as both a tool to help ease the burden of this and allow me to keep an eye on your progress. You can always refuse the blessing, but I don’t recommend it. You’ll like the benefits one way or another. Also, I don’t plan to explain your bloodline. Figure it out yourself.”
Rubbing her temples, she looked at me with an annoyed look. “Now I don’t like this, but with your situation I’m going to need to intervene in your life to prevent you from being just wasted on the frontlines of this war. When you leave here, you’ll have a divine quest from me. Talk to Timaeus and tell him you have received a revelation and blessing from little old me and ask to speak privately with him. Okay? Now, any questions? This is your one and only chance.”
Thinking for a moment, I raised one finger. “Is the blessing not what unlocks the guide? What’s the difference?” After the words left my mouth, she gave me a dry look and put her head in her hands.
“Right, you know nothing. A normal blessing is given by a god or goddess who claims an individual as their own, which is different from the awakening blessing that just unlocks your guide. You’ll be receiving both today. I don’t plan to explain more. Now, accept my blessing and let me get back to what I need to do, kid. With the war on the horizon, I have places to be.”
“I, uh, accept your blessing?” I said, tentatively. With that, she let out a brief smile and turned away from me.
“Thanks, now don’t die on me. Stay alive, seek victory in battle, and become powerful. If you do, you’ll see me again. Good luck, kid.”
With that, she vanished and the space faded to darkness once again.
bloody divider [https://i.imgur.com/yTIGwtI.png]
Waking up, I found myself lying on the ground in a half-sitting position. As soon as my eyes opened, a pain shot through my body and I started screaming. You would too if you felt what I did: a red-hot fire running through my bones, tearing through my muscles, deep inside… everything. My muscles rippled, my skin shook, and my eyes began to glow slightly as their formerly blue color transitioned to a purple-ish red. Not that I knew this until later, mind you.
As the fire tore through my body, I began to feel a calming sensation wash over me as power flooded into my body. My screaming stopped, but the pain sure didn’t. As my body reknit itself together, changing and reshaping, I slowly became aware of the others around me. They all looked at me with horror at what my skin was doing and at the heat coming off of my body.
With a stunned look, the old high priest looked ready to run should I turn into a monster. But little did he know, apparently according to my blood, I was already a monster when I walked in — or at least the kin of one.
As I lay on the ground and caught my breath, a transparent-looking window popped up before my eyes.
Welcome to the guide! Guide tutorial paused until divine quest completion.
Divine Quest: Meet with Timaeus and explain your revelation and blessing, asking for the church's protection in negotiating with the kingdom for better conscription conditions. Don't be a wimp.
Seeing the menu, it hit me that I feel… amazing. I knew this was my chance, my opportunity. Sitting up again, I stretched and enjoyed the new feeling of power in my limbs.
Realizing everyone was still staring at me, I directed my gaze at the high priest. Shit, how do I do this… do I just tell him what happened? “Uh… I need to talk with you in private, I’ve had a revelation and have been granted a divine quest.”
With those words, a few shocked gasps from priests echoed through the room. Looking at my peers, I saw fear in most of their eyes. They had seen what I just went through, but who knew what I went through or why? Only me and the goddess, probably. All they knew was that I had just been the source of a minor heatstorm.
Looking at me with a twinkle in his eye, Timaeus nodded. “Everyone, the other priests will assist you with your guides now. Please group up into threes and find your way to one of the priests who have assembled to help. Boy, you’re with me.”
Standing up and dusting myself off, I approached Timaeus and followed him through a doorway on the right side of the chapel and through a series of hallways. Through corridor after corridor, we went deeper into the church and up multiple floors before finally stopping before a large door at the end of a hallway.
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Entering, Timaeus closed the door behind me and chanted something in a low whisper as a soft blue light covered the door. Some sort of privacy spell, maybe? I had heard from a merchant that some nobles used those for private meetings.
Nodding at me, he took a seat on one of the couches near the front of the room and gestured for me to take the other. “It sounds like we have much to discuss, what’s your name, boy?”
“I am Roik, sir.” I said while taking the seat opposite of him. It was a comfortable couch, likely worth more than the entire block of houses I grew up around in the slums.
“Well, Roik. I’d warn you that I hope you weren’t lying, but we all saw what happened to you when you collapsed. Tell me everything.”
I probably shouldn’t reveal too much, I don’t want to overplay my hand…
“Yes, sir. My guide is currently locked due to a divine quest that was issued when you finished your prayer. I was granted the blessing and some wisdom from the goddess Kaerni. What you saw on the floor was me awakening a bloodline, supposedly a powerful one. Until my guide is unlocked I don’t know what it does, but I know I feel immensely more powerful than I did before walking in here today.” With that, I flexed my arms and smiled vaguely.
Giving me a strange look, the high priest scratched at his beard. “A bloodline, huh? That’s a rare trait, especially coupled with a blessing. Once you unlock your guide and select a class, you might end up being a force to be reckoned with. Now, what is your divine quest, son?”
No harm in that, right? If I’m honest with him, he’ll probably be more willing to help me… I don’t really want to go to war, but if I have to then I might as well get the most favorable conditions. It did say I’m supposed to tell him everything.
“Sir, my quest is to meet with you and explain both my revelation and blessing. I was also tasked to request the church’s protection in negotiating with the kingdom. As you know, I am to be sent to war, and my interpretation of the quest is that the goddess would like me to have more favorable conditions than simple conscription due to my bloodline.”
“Surely, I can see why if you received her blessing. The goddess of war favors those with strong potential both behind the battle lines and in the thick of the melee. Hmm… protection, huh?”
Taking a moment to think about it, he eventually began nodding slowly. “To complete your quest, I agree to these terms and will also offer personal guidance on how to interact with your guide as well as help you choose a class that matches your bloodline. Is that favorable for you, young Roik?”
Favorable? More like perfect! Maybe my sarcastic optimism was right for once. Today was turning out a lot better than I expected… bloodlines, gods, and now a high priest’s wisdom? “Yes, sir. I think I can work with that.”
With those words, a new window appeared in front of him.
Divine Quest completed.
Reward: +12 to all stats except LUC, 3 skill points, greater blessing of the war goddess.
Like the rush from earlier, but without the pain, I felt my strength and stamina grow drastically. Gripping the arm of the couch, I tried not to fall over as the pressure filled my body and threatened to pop me like a balloon. A few moments later it passed and I felt even better than I did before.
“With that sort of response, it looks like the quest was completed then. Wonderful! Your guide should unlock now, read through the tutorial, and then we’ll talk. Take your time with the guide and make sure to memorize everything.”
As he mentioned it, the window from before re-appeared.
Guide tutorial is ready. Ready to start?
Yes / No
“Yes?” I tentatively said, and the window expanded in front of me.
Welcome to the Guide. This is a system granted by the gods to help foster your growth. You, as someone with a guide, shall be now known as an Awakened. The guide will provide you information about yourself, the world, and grant you powers beyond those you’ve known before. You can gain skills you never imagined, learn spells, and wield other powers beyond normal mortal means. All of these powers come with a cost, but typically not one that leaves lasting harm.
To start the next stage of your tutorial, think or say the words “Status.”
“Uh… Status?”
That keyword will open your personal growth management menu. This menu will provide you with everything you need to know about yourself. Here is your status.
Name Roik Fremm Race Human+
Age Level Class Sub-class 17 4 Unselected Not available
Bloodline Hydra (Supreme) Blessing(s) Kaerni (Greater)
CON(stitution) STR(ength) AGI(lity) DEX(terity) INT(elligence) WILL(power) LUC(k) 100 18 17 18 19 24 3
Passive skills Regeneration (Supreme), Night Vision (Ultra Rare), Steady (Rare) Active Skills Draconic Taunt (Ultra Rare), Flame Slash (Rare), Poison Slash (Rare) Traits Soul Echo
“Woah. What the hell?” This is so much to take in, why is there so much stuff on here? I guess I'll need to ask Timaeus to get an answer. I might be here longer than I thought.