“Can you download the cloud version, Ash?”
“Of Mario Kart 8?” he scratched his head, trying to piece together what his coworker had meant by cloud. “You got it.” he finished, determined to avoid another incident with Human Resources. Ash made a quick mental note to subscribe his coworker to Nintendo Online.
“Use this,” Mark flung his debit card loosely in his direction, leaving as quickly as he had come in.
“Thanks,” he replied, pretending the aloof man hadn’t run off on him. “Pleasure seeing you!” It wasn’t.
He was, at times, bewildered by the requests his coworkers sent to the IT department. I suppose that’s why I’m here, he contemplated sardonically, booting up the Switch, it’s not like my job is to administrate systems, or do anything important.
On his attempt to enter the store, he was met with a prompt.
“I forgot to ask for the password,” he muttered to himself. “Great.”
He scrolled through pages of his makeshift work contacts list, looking for Mark’s number.
Banks, Sarah
Fletcher, Grant
Sullivan, Lewis
Mullen, Mark
Having finally found him, he started to dial the listed number. Five rings later, he had arrived at the all-too-familiar voicemail box.
“Hello, this is Information Services,” Ash rattled off the usual pleasantries, requesting the password. This had not been what he was bargaining for when he had accepted that system administrator job a year ago - and one long year it had been - but it paid the bills.
A whirring noise caught in Ash’s ears, originating directly behind him. Suddenly, the room had shifted in color, a sunset taking place in the office. Turning in his chair, Ash noticed the scarlet rift inhabiting the center of the room, pulling nearby objects in haphazardly. Before he could react, his chair betrayed him, rolling uncontrollably toward the portal. For the briefest of moments, his vision was clouded with what looked like blood. Consumed by an all encompassing black, the haze soon faded.
—
A breathtakingly beautiful woman? No… a starkly handsome man, perhaps? Ash was at odds with this one. A transcendent being stood mere feet away from him, illuminated by some unknown light source; their appearance shifted with his expectations. They began to speak.
“Oh, dear. I knew that was a dreadful idea. Oh, no,” they muttered, clearly beside themself. Ash was deeply unsettled when he realized the shapes they were forming with their lips didn’t match the words he was hearing. “Oh, no. What are you? What kind of creature has no soul?”
“No soul?” Ash asked, touching his chest as if to confirm it was still there.
“Listen… Ash, is it? I have a very solid system going here. Your very existence could start a multitude of wars. There has never been a human Paragon for two disciplines, let alone over seventy!” The being shuddered, their words thundering throughout the empty space.
“Hi?” Ash offered. “You know my name. What’s yours? Where am I?”
“You may refer to me as Manori, mortal. All the others do, anyway. We are in the Inbetween, a transitional plane. I haven’t set foot here in millenia.”
“Oh, of course!” he paused, taking a deep breath. “That makes perfect sense. ‘Where am I?’ ‘The Inbetween,’ ” he bemoaned mockingly.
“The attitude is unwelcome, boy. You know,” they added, looking him over wryly, “I could keep you here forever. Your body would wither out there."
At this, Ash defiantly sat upon the void below him, smirking. The surface, unsurprisingly, didn’t feel like anything at all. After a brief moment of silence, Ash decided he would rather not anger the first deity he had met in a new world. “I’m sorry,” he explained, admittedly a bit ashamed at his own petulance, “I’m just a little confused. Can you help me understand?”
The being sighed. "You will see Aro for yourself, soon enough. Patience, young one. This world is governed by rules not dissimilar to the ones present in games, cherished from afar, on… Earth? Is that how you say it?"
Ash nodded at the pronunciation, unsure why a god would seek his assurance.
"Oh, good. That's good. I think you’ll like it here. Let’s talk about disciplines; you’ll have received those now. Will them to appear, if you would."
He obliged them, dubiously attempting to view his “disciplines.”
To his surprise, a monitor listing hundreds of the skills he made use of everyday had materialized right in front of him. Ranging from Household Cleaning to Thermodynamics, each one of them were marked as Beginner. Significantly less were highlighted in gold, Paragon denoted next to them. He noticed a trend in the golden disciplines; they were all related to electronics or the modern sciences in some aspect.
Ash swiped back his hair, unsure how to proceed. The list was exhaustive.
“That’s a strange looking interface you have there. Regardless, Ash, you are the highest ranked member of a very large number of disciplines, though you are Beginner ranked in all of them. Obviously, your previous world had no similar system. This would be a serious problem if I just let you through.”
“Ah,” he nodded, still confused, but playing along nonetheless, “What is it, exactly, you want me to do?”
“If you came into this world with so many unique disciplines, it would upset the balance of the races. I would like you to combine every Paragon - or highest level in Aro - discipline you have. All you will need to do is focus on each of them fusing together while holding your… menu open.”
He squinted at the god, contemplating his options. Apparently, college had given him something useful after all. This situation was definitely insane; but, if it didn’t turn out to be a fever dream, he could at least try to ensure his success, wherever he was going.
Ash resolved himself. “What can you give me in return?”
“I could… not kill you?”
“What was it you were saying earlier about my soul?”
The god gave him a once over, as if they were shoring him up for something. They snorted.
“You’re quite the audacious one, aren’t you?” the being strode over to him, quickly becoming uncomfortably close. They walked around him, taking in his form. “You do seem to be an adequate vessel… I presume you wouldn’t mind if I gave you a more thorough examination, though?”
The divine creature didn’t wait for an answer. Streams of golden mana shot from their fingertips, covering him instantly.
I’m like a human cocoon, he thought, amused. In the blink of an eye, the mana retracted back into Manori’s form.
“I can offer you a soul,” Manori said. “In truth, I wouldn’t want you running amok in my lands without one. You would confuse the clergy, to be sure.”
“A soul…” Ash took a moment to think.
“I accept.”
“Then we have a deal.” As they both confirmed their intentions, golden spools of ethereal thread shot out from Manori’s mouth, wrapping around their form multiple times before disappearing. A tiny string slipped out of the nest surrounding the being, making its way around Ash.
“Perfect.” The being paused. “You will need to combine your disciplines before we proceed.”
Mana Manipulation: Acquired discipline [Beginner].
Mana Contracting: Acquired discipline [Beginner].
Empyrean Contract: Acquired skill.
He couldn’t help but raise a brow. Ash had considered double-crossing the god, if only for a moment, but decided against it when he noticed the name of the skill he had acquired as a result of the deal; he inferred that breaking a contract with a god was ill-advised. He wasn’t sure Manori had been bluffing about keeping him there, either. The particulates of mana he’d been touched with had been enough to awaken something in him, clearly, but he still suspected he didn’t really have a soul.
He focused on each and everyone of the golden disciplines, clumping them together into a matrix in his mind. On a whim, he added the Mana Manipulation discipline to the mix; after all, Manori hadn’t specified he couldn’t add other disciplines. Golden light enveloped his mind as the disciplines combined, blinding him.
Disciplines combined: Systems Administration [Paragon] [and 74 others].
Programmatic Enchanting: Acquired discipline [Beginner].
Material Transmutation: Acquired discipline [Beginner].
Cellular Manipulation [Paragon]: Acquired discipline [Beginner].
When the disciplines had finished combining, the silky golden thread that had composed the promise began to fade back into Ash.
“One is definitely better than seventy-four, although a new Paragon discipline is most definitely undesirable.” Manori gave him a frown, as if it was somehow his fault things hadn’t gone as planned.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Hold out your hand, Ash,” they said, offering theirs. “Now, for my side of the deal.”
The anthropomorphic entity took a step toward him once again, extending their arm to his forehead. “Consider this your first Paragon item, Ash. And with your first Paragon item, your Paragon discipline has been activated.” A searing pain, like a ball of fire inside his skull, began to manifest as the deity touched him with pure light.
Empyrean Grace: Acquired passive ability.
Paragon: Acquired passive ability.
He made a mental note to check up on those later.
“That will afford you the ability to communicate with the mortal species,” the being finished, their mouth finally matching the words they were speaking.
“Now, for the main attraction,” the deity said, holding out one hand over the other. “Fair warning: I have never tried this before. It very well may be excruciatingly painful. It could even kill you.”
“Now you tell me,” Ash said, annoyed. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Streams of mana once again shot out of the deity’s hands, congregating in the air to mix and condense. Sparks flew where the streams touched each other, creating a dazzling light show. One by one, they fell into an auburn sphere, floating. It was a lot like a blueberry, if blueberries glowed a deep shade of gold and were not at all blueberries.
“Oh, Immortals above, what have I done?” Manori shook their head. “Consume my offering, child, and you will be of the divine.”
“Thank you, Manori,” Ash tried, plucking the object out of the air. Here goes nothing, he thought, slipping it into his mouth and swallowing decisively.
“Good luck, Ash. I hope you survive.”
Empyrean Soul: Acquired passive ability.
A dismissive wave of their hand caused Manori’s last words to fade into the darkness. He hadn't remembered closing his eyes; but, suddenly, he could open them.
“He has a soul!” Finn called out triumphantly.
“It is new, and... tinged gold,” the professor’s voice continued. “Strange… in all my years… a minute ago, he might as well have been dead, for all the mana surrounding him.”
Ash heard the two voices conversing and began his trek through the treacherous greenery to reach them. The air had a resistance to it that made it hard for him to move quickly, like swimming through molasses.
Hushedly, Brook cautioned his student. “Under no circumstances are you to speak of what you saw here today. The existence of a living creature, devoid of a soul, if only for some brief moments, is not to be taken lightly.”
The golden mana from Manori swirled around Ash. He couldn’t help but notice the substance hungrily filling his lungs with every breath, as if it wanted to devour him from the inside out.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Acquired passive ability [Beginner 0].
A new skill.
He let go of his breath, his reservations having faded just a little.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Beginner II.
Somehow, amber spots had crept into Ash’s eyes; he instinctively tried to blink them away, but they remained.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Beginner IV.
His vision had turned a deep auburn gold.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Beginner VI.
He closed his eyes and rubbed them, only to find that his hands came back stained the same color. Immediately after, he could feel wet lines forming underneath his eyes, ears, and nose, where ichor had begun to run. Ash figured his blood had somehow changed color, and he was not amused to be greeted with his new, sunflower aesthetic so soon.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Beginner VIII.
Suddenly, golden, metallic fluid was seeping out of holes he hadn’t previously had.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Beginner X.
Fantastic, he thought vehemently. If I make it out of this alive, I’ll at least be able to cultivate. After his next step and breath, he was beginning to doubt his ability to take another. Mixed blood and mana were squirting out of him like he had severed multiple arteries.
He decided screaming for help would be his best chance, but the fluid making its way into his mouth only allowed for a suffocated attempt, his voice caught in his throat. As the world once again faded to black, Ash’s body ungracefully flopped onto the mana rich soil.
“Is he bleeding from his ears?” Finn asked.
—
Ash was lucky to be alive. At Brook’s behest, multiple of the college’s healers had been dispatched to work on him, taking turns closing the wounds. When the blisters reopened, golden ichor expelling from them uncontrollably, a mana control specialist was brought in. He pulled the dense substance out of Ash and happily bottled it, leaving the healers to close the wounds once again, much to their annoyance.
When Ash woke up, healers were still restoring his declothed body to an untarnished state. Upon noticing his change in surroundings, nudity, and scars strewn about his body where mana and blood had been finding its way out of him, he nearly lost consciousness again.
“Hi?” he tried, only to find his voice come out course and irritated, barely recognizable as a greeting.
“Try not to speak,” a healer chided his attempt at communication. “There are limits to what we can do. You’ll cause yourself irreversible damage.”
And so, Ash lay there for nearly two hours, the healers gradually making their way up his body. He observed the motions of their hands, trying to piece together what they were doing. Ash’s understanding of raw magical energy improved slightly from this prolonged exercise, and he was greeted with a message from Manori, or the ‘system,’ or whoever managed these things.
Mana Manipulation: Reacquired discipline [Beginner].
To his surprise — and utter terror — he received a third message shortly after.
Mana Cultivation (Passive): Progressed to Novice II.
He hoped he had improved at this one from watching the healers use life essence, but suspected he had continued to absorb excess mana from his insides as they were healing him.
By the end of the two hours, Ash had learned a decent amount about how mana worked. He had noticed the healers pushing, in waves, their own life energy through him. This enthused him up until the point where they turned him over and started on the other side, ending his attempts at observational learning. What with his entirely unproductive position on the cot, he decided to try going back to sleep. It wasn’t hard, even with the pain, as it was eased in cool bouts by the healers’ motions.
—
When he awoke for the fourth time that day, this time clothed in a silken gown, he was met with three pairs of eyes.
“He’s back!” Finn proclaimed excitedly.
“Who…?” he started, only to recognize the voice as one of the two that had been conversing beyond the enclosure he had been summoned to. “Hi,” he began again, “My name’s Ash. Could we speak somewhere more private than the infirmary?”
“Of course, Ash,” the professor offered, sampling the unfamiliar name. “Can you walk?”
Ash swung his legs over the cot, carefully testing his own weight. When he was satisfied they could hold him, he stood up, only to be met with a bout of dizziness. He sat back down.
“I appreciate the clothes,” Ash said, appraising his wear. “Is this a nightgown?” he immediately noticed the resemblance to a hospital gown.
“It’s not a nightgown.” Finn looked over Ash again. “Alright, it might be a nightgown?” he relinquished.
“You seemed cold, Ash. It’s mine,” a young woman’s voice slithered out of the shadows. “I figured you’d want to wear something, but the healers needed to heal. Apparently, you almost died. It’s been three days.”
“Oh,” Ash wasn’t sure how to take this. “Thank you. I am cold,” he processed, sliding one rubbery hand across another.
Finn and Brook introduced themselves to Ash with a flask of spiked hot chocolate and a pile of clean clothes — the ones he arrived in — helping him up with the other hand.
“Let us retire to a private room in the library,” the professor began, “I’m sure you have many questions, as do we.”
Ash nodded his approval and they set off, the professor leading the way once again.
—
After nearly an hour of explanation, the discussion had finally shifted back to the present.
“A menu? Like the kind you might find at a fancy restaurant?” Finn asked, bewildered.
“Then… how do you access your disciplines?” Ash questioned.
“I guess I just know,” Finn said. “I’ve always known.”
“Weird.”
“So, let me make sure I have this right. The one week I had to handle my family,” the stealthy young woman Ash had barely seen before continued, pacing, “you two decided to do something actually interesting? Without me?” she accused, pouting.
“It was, in theory, a controlled experiment, Vera,” Finn replied, much to her annoyance.
“First, you summoned a biosphere from a world that seems to be made of mana, and then you created a new Paragon? Just a normal day for my professor and his eldest apprentice, huh?”
“Well,” Brook offered, “We didn’t really create-”
“Yes, I know,” Vera interrupted, “he comes from a world devoid of magic, of disciplines, of gods.”
Ash considered her statement. “Some people believe there are gods, but they are more or less intangible if they do exist.”
Finn’s hand moved over his eyes and flashed a golden white momentarily as Ash answered. “Vera, he’s telling the truth.”
The student appeared mildly uncomfortable for a moment. “Unless he has some ability to hide his intentions, that is.”
“I’m still finding it a little hard to believe. If you came from another world, how can you speak our language?” Vera questioned.
Ash had been struggling to explain this one, so he just opened his discipline menu. At the bottom, his three passives were listed; he selected Empyrean Grace, reading the ability aloud.
“Empyrean Grace, passive.
“A blessing that allows the user to communicate verbally with all capable sentient creatures as if they were speaking in their native language.” He decided to omit the line after, unsure of its relevance: Furthermore, Analysis is granted for all personal possessions.
“This blessing you received from Manori... I’ve never seen anything like it,” the professor added. Brook was taking notes on a piece of paper. “It’s likely that they decided with your proximity to them, a blessing would be more convenient than an actual item. Truly fascinating. It would have been a serious issue if we were unable to understand you.
“Ash, I feel responsible; it was I who brought you here, after all. Normally tuition is only waived for those that show significant aptitude in a discipline, reaching Student or higher level before the age of 22, but I believe the dean will make an exception, given the circumstances and your immense potential for growth.
“Sarefell is an unstructured place of learning, Ash. We couldn’t, in good faith, deny the youngest Paragon in millenia the chance to succeed. If you wouldn’t mind sharing with me the occasional tidbit about the word you hale from, I would be happy to vouch for you. What do you say?”
Ash was, in truth, a bit dazed. Regardless, there was no way he could turn this down. Ash tentatively accepted the professor’s offer, and they led him to his room, which he had assumed was similar to a dorm.
It was elegant in its simplicity. Only a few paces wide, the room was still much nicer than the dorm he had in his previous life. The centerpiece of the wall across from him was, as Ash had come to understand it, a mana operated fireplace. Finn had demonstrated its use as he was showing him his quarters, which featured a cobblestone floor, a single bed and a window. Before drifting off to sleep, Ash checked what his other abilities did.
Empyrean Soul, passive ability
As a creature of divinity, the user progresses faster than they would otherwise in disciplines related to the arcane. While in immaterial planes, the user does not experience the effects of aging.
Paragon, passive ability
As the Paragon of their discipline, the user is required to maintain the title of the best at that discipline. The user progresses much faster than they would otherwise in their Paragon discipline. Each time they reach a threshold, the user receives a Paragon item.
Mana Cultivation (Passive), passive ability
The user collects mana from their environment. As this skill was forcefully enabled, it cannot be disabled normally.
Empyrean Contract, skill
Contracts made with this skill will bind both parties to fulfill them. Failure to do so will result in the user’s mana turning against them or the other party; the intensity at which it does so depends on the level of this skill and the size of the user’s mana pool.
Ash was floored by the influx of information. On a whim, he tried checking for some sort of stat sheet in the menu. There it is, he realized.
Class: Undeclared
Overall level: Beginner
Statistics:
Strength: 16 (Student)
Vitality: 13 (Apprentice)
Agility: 22 (Intermediate)
Intelligence: 27 (Journeyman)
Wisdom: 23 (Intermediate)