Sprawling text filled my vision. It took me a few moments to start to read it. I was mesmerised by the cerulean colour that floated over a misty dark grey expanse. I loved the font choice. Someone had obviously spent some time thinking about how it looked. The text had a gentle voiceover that meshed with my reading. There seemed to be no delay between the words and my understanding. Despite knowing the terms, I still needed help to make meaning from them.
Initialisation.
Incompatible Storage. Reformat
Reformat Complete. Reboot Required.
Things faded to black, then back to the beautiful dark grey, or maybe dark-dark blue. Then, more words appeared. My brain seemed fuzzy yet, at the same time, simple and sharp. I knew the words meant something, but I didn’t have any context to comprehend them. I knew what was coming. Luke had gone over things, but he had been typically vague.
Reboot Complete.
Initialisation.
Insufficient Energy.
SYSTEM: Pre-Integration Support Patch Approved.
Upgrade Required.
Deploying Beta Earth Human Upgrades.
Upgrade.
Please Wait.
Reboot.
Once again, everything faded, black like a prolonged blink. I felt my mind shut down, and then I was back.
Initialisation.
Enhancement Protocols engaged. Upgrade Required (1 of 15).
Disconnect Awareness for Upgrades.
Upgrades Complete.
Rebooting.
Initialisation.
Race averages calculated. Beta Values Used.
Race enhancement was initialised at reboot.
Case notes have been added to Open Case 002.
Reboot.
Initialisation.
Entering Stat Adjustments.
Thought control enabled.
Simple Human Interface Enabled.
Help files available.
You have 100 stat points.
Starting Stats: +5 due to Tier 2 Enhancement Package.
Unlocking Substats (Tier 1, Level 10 or above requirement ignored)
Racial Stats: S:3 A:2 E:2 C:2 I:2 W:1 P:1 I:2 P:1 W:1 E:1 C:3 K:3 L:3
Earth Human Basic AI protocols engaged.
Karmic Bonus + 50 points.
Help File: Tier 2 allows you to imbalance your build. You no longer must maintain a 3:2:1 Ratio.
Body: Strength: 8 Agility: 7 Endurance: 7 Comeliness: 7
Mind: Intelligence: 7 Wisdom: 6 Perception: 6 Insight: 7
Spirit: Presence: 6 Willpower: 6 Empathy: 6 Charisma: 8
Karma: Karma: 8** Luck 8
** Bonus will apply.
Do you wish to auto-assign? State a specific build, Body, Mind, or Spirit Build.
No build specified; manual assignment enabled.
It was just like Luke had said. I wish I had time to do some more calculations and min-max some build. I was a casual gamer and had a slight idea about role-playing games where stats were used, and I knew that it was good to stack them into areas that made you stronger. I was pissed that my Comeliness was so low. I’d query that later. Not that I was vain. I was also annoyed that my mind seemed relatively low, too, which didn’t bode well for me being some super magic user.
I was decent at math, and the numbers were nice and round, not that they needed to be. I just liked the nice round numbers. No OCD is involved. I was happy I didn’t have to worry about a ratio since I had no idea how it worked. So that was a bonus. It obviously meant that I could get a good spread across the board.
Luke had never told me how he had distributed his stats. Evidently, asking people was a personal choice and could be considered rude. Maybe we could create an Earth culture where it was not rude. Perhaps I could convince him, or maybe one day, he would trust me enough to tell me. I mentally smiled at the thought.
Just to kill the mood, I did some quick math. 150 points, 14 stats.
Because I am not vain, I added the points to Comeliness.
Assign 10 points evenly to all stats. Leftover points to Comeliness.
Done
I was still trying to figure out how Mike would handle all this. He was more of a let’s build things kind of guy rather than mathy. He was also very much an I have what I am building planned for the last detail sort of guy. He wasn’t stupid, well, not most of the time. I’d guarantee he would freak out and do something stupid, though.
I thought Stats.
Stats
Sara Owens Earth Human (Beta) Tier: 2 Level: 1 Unskilled.
Body: 25 (S:22 A:21 E:22 C:33) Mind:21 (I:21 W:21 P:20 I:22) Spirit: 21 (P:20 W:21 E:21 C:22) Karma: 29 (K: 33 L:24)
Query Karma. It seems high.
A Karmic Bonus applies.
All points allocated. Do you wish to confirm?
Yes
Shit. My vanity! I should have put the extra into Intelligence or Wisdom or just split it over mind.
Points Allocated. Reboot required.
Reboot
Initialisation.
Upgrade in progress. Please wait. (1 of 2).
Disconnect Awareness for Upgrades.
Upgrade completed.
Reboot.
Initialisation.
Title Awarded: Common (First).
Be first on the realm to receive Common Tier.
+5 to all stats.
You take less damage from common attacks and damage.
Common healing is less effective.
Earth Human Bonus Skill Awarded (Rare): Interlingual Reproduction
You can speak and understand any spoken language.
The translation is not guaranteed to be accurate if no shared context is established.
Nice. Luke had mentioned titles as a way to gain better stats. He didn’t know what titles were available; there seemed to be a lot for doing things first.
Enhancement Package Random Item Bonus: Roll Required.
Do you wish to roll for your item?
Y
Which category? Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary? Default: Uncommon
Rare
Rolling 0-9999: 9716
Inventory Online.
Item Received: Turtle of Godaago Garden.
Gift Item Received: Credit Stick (Luke Hammond).
Stats locked.
Entering Uncommon Tutorial for Class Selection and Training.
As my awareness faded, I stood in a clearing surrounded by ten large colourful tents. They looked like old-school explorer canvas tents crossed with circus tents, these would sleep loads of people, arranged in a circle. There was a large open marquee and an open fire in the middle of the tent clearing.
Behind the clearing, I could see a large lake with palm trees and beautiful sandy shores. Further in the distance, I could see forests and mountains. There was a cool breeze. Behind me, I noticed a tropical jungle with a short path leading into the dim interior.
An attractive man was standing beside the fire. He was wearing board shorts and a floral shirt and had what looked like a Hawaiian lei around his neck.
He smiled. "Welcome. I am your guide here; you may call me Guide. I am an avatar of the AI that runs this tutorial."
I looked around behind me and could not spot anyone else.
The guide looked a little put out. "Normally, there would be more of you, and this tutorial would be full, with as many as 90 of you. The Empire has not integrated many planets for quite some time, so it is quiet. Fear not. You are in the hands of the highest-ranked tutorial guide. My job is to relax and make you comfortable here, discuss any questions you have and guide you through all the basics, classes, skills and stats, give you some starter quests and help you pick your class."
He frowned again. "Normally, you would be much younger, maybe 15 or so. Not to worry, you are far from the oldest I have helped." The smile came back. It was kind of creepy.
Who was he calling old? I was nearly 21, so I was far from his 15. Maybe he was a pervert and … Shit. I stopped that train of thought. He was creepy, though.
"Now for your first quest. Let me know if you can read this, then we can …." I tuned him out when I saw the text fade into my HUD.
Tutorial Quest Received: Select a class.
Difficulty: Easy Time Frame: 1 week
The reward for success: Access to the system shop.
Talk to fellow inductees and your tutorial guide, then finish the class selection process.
Think Select Class to complete the quest
Failure: Are you stupid enough to fail? Fail Tutorial, Loss of Tier. Locked out for 1 week.
Select Class.
Guide looked shocked. "You need to talk to me, and we will ensure that you get the best class for you ...”
No way, he creeped me out; something about him was fake; his entire personality and looks were plastic.
Do you wish to proceed to view Class Choice offerings? This is the last option to opt out before committing. Y/N?
Yes
If you need access to training material or a mentor at this stage, waiting until you have access to them is recommended.
If you need more clarification, you should wait until you are ready.
Class Choice.
You may not dismiss this prompt.
You must choose a Class before you proceed.
You will be offered another Class Choice at Level 10.
If you are unhappy with your choices, you may decline a choice and level without Class Skills.
This is not recommended.
Some bonuses may apply to those brave enough to select this option.
Due to your age, some Classes have been removed from the list of possible classes in the selection pool.
Due to your race, some incompatible Classes have been removed from the selection pool.
Due to your Tier, some Classes have been removed from the selection pool, and some Classes have been added.
Due to your lack of skills, some incompatible Classes have been removed from the selection pool.
9 incompatible Class Choices have been adjusted.
43 Classes were removed at system request due to mature filter and age appropriateness. These will be flagged to addition when reaching the age of majority and appropriate level.
5 Choices were added due to the high Body.
19 Classes were added due to high Spirit.
2 Class Choices were added due to high Mind.
5 Class Choices were added due to high Karma
2 Class Path added due to high Charisma and Comeliness
1 Class Path removed due to age.
All Worthless Classes were removed.
2 Worthless Classes were added.
4 Common Classes were added.
Karmic Hinting enabled.
Total class choices: 9. Additional offerings added due to Tier.
List pending approval.
Class Choices.
You must select one of the following or none.
1. No Class - Level Without a Class
2. Uncommon Magician. Subclass choice offered on selection.
3. Rare Warrior. Subclass choice offered on selection.
4. Rare Legion. Subclass choice offered on selection. Upgrade Path available.
5. Rare Mage. Subclass choice offered on selection. Upgrade Path available
6. Uncommon Scoundrel Class. Upgrade Path available
7. Uncommon Mender Class.
8. Rare Artisan Class Path. Subclass choice offered on selection. Upgrade Path available
9. Rare Noble Class. Subclass choice offered on selection. Upgrade Path available
This seemed to be a lot of choices. But Magic!
I was annoyed but happy.
Immediately, I discounted 1 and 3. I had to think about the others, with some effort, and I was guessing I worked out that Scoundrel was a thief or dexterity and charisma-based class. The mender would be some healing or nature class. So those were out. That left 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9. What if I were wrong? I mean, a mender could just go around fixing things. Should I have listened to Guide? Bugger that. He seemed stuck up and annoyed. And creepy.
Choice 2 was uncommon, with no upgrade. So that was gone. I was curious to know if you needed to have the Legion class to join or if you could sign up with another class. Did getting a Legion Class mean I could skip boot camp or whatever hell they put new recruits through? I had hoped I could be a Legion mage or something. From what Luke said, there would be some Legion people helping us, and I could join as an auxiliary but never as a fighter. Ugg, imagine that. What was the saying, "I love to run, I love to run"? I knew enough AJs or Army Jerks who were grunts to realise it was not for me. Luke was keen to join, so I’d at least consider it.
The Rare Artisan class could be good. Crafting stuff was okay for relaxing but not my ideal way to spend all my time.
This was insane. It was an inferior user experience design when you could only consult help menus after you saw your choices. And why could you not just pick what you wanted anyway? I had been hoping you could get the complete list and let me research them.
It was ok, though; I could pick what I wanted. I wanted to be a magic user and had a couple of solid choices. I wonder if someone who worked on a farm always got a farmer's choice. That would suck if you didn’t want to be a farmer. What if your parents could force a choice? That would suck. Enough!
I knew I would pick 5, but I wanted to know what the Noble was. I could rock at being a Queen. That would be cool as all fuck. Hmm. Would that mean Luke would be my consort or concubine? The thought of Mike calling me Your Majesty was just hilarious. Knowing my luck, I would just get a minor court role, where I would be married off to some disgusting bastard who was only interested in my looks and land. Or even worse, just my land.
The only other thing that was remotely interesting was Artisan. From the games I had played, an Artisan was just a skilled crafter, making the same shit repeatedly, which was not my thing.
I’d design stuff and tinker, but no, thank you for making 100 wallets or boots or whatever. I wanted to be out and do things, and as much as I hated to admit it, while I liked to fly under the radar, I was excited to be able to reinvent myself. Although I could be a fashion designer, making cool as fashion. But making 100 skirts all the same, no thanks. One-off, bespoke would be cool. Knowing my luck, I would get smithing. Damn, I was mentally rambling.
I hate life-altering choices. It was the same reason I had just picked journalism as my career path at school but had gone into my true passion of designing clothes. I did that to stop people from asking so I could deflect. The reality was that journalism would be cool and all, but I had no idea. I was brighter than average. I didn't have to work hard to get good grades. People liked me, and being super fit and good-looking helped. I had mum to thank for that. She was gorgeous and had kept fit and healthy, and I had picked up on her habits.
Damn. Shit. I could be a great queen or princess. Really. 5 or 9. 9 or 5. That was a Dolly Parton song, 9 to 5. If I were queen, I wouldn’t have to work again. Shit, I didn’t even know what a queen did. I bet that it was all kinds of boring. Knowing my luck, I’d be the queen who would be stuck in a palace, waiting for the King to do all the exciting stuff. As if. I had never really dreamed of being a princess, well maybe Grace Kelly was a fabulous princess. I know lots of girls who had the prince save me complex.
Why couldn't the choice be more straightforward, like Social Media Influencer, or whatever the equivalent was or Armour Designer, that could be cool, I enjoyed when I dipped my toes into Cosplay. My Foxfire Arhi was smoking hot. I had no idea what I wanted. What about Rare Mad Hacker or something? Even if I chose Mage, I could end up with a pile of a shit subclass, like a hedge wizard or witch.
5.
Confirm choice 5: Rare Mage. Upgrade Path available. Your subclass choice will be offered on confirmation.
Yes
Class set to Mage
Please select subclass.
You qualify for the following:
1. Uncommon Conjurer Upgradeable to Sorcerer Upgradeable to Mystic
2. Uncommon Elemental Mage Upgradeable to Elementalist
3. Rare Wizard Multiple Upgrade Paths available
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
4. Uncommon Witch Upgradeable to Coven Leader Upgradeable to ??
5. Uncommon Summoner Upgradeable to Necromancer Upgradeable to ??
6. Rare Mage Upgradeable to Master Mage Upgradeable to Battle Mage.
Shit, more choices. Making the first one was bad enough.
At least this was Interesting. Well, 4 and 5 were out without a thought. A witch could have been incredible, but it is not my style. I had a mental snort at me all witchy-pooh-hagged out. However, I had cosplayed as Sabrina, she was an as excellent example of a witch who rocked. That witch from Bewitched was another, Tabitha or whatever. Summoner with an upgrade to Necromancer, no, no, no - Undead summoning, no thank you.
2 was out. It seemed too specific and was uncommon, not that I couldn’t be a fire mage or ice mage. Chill.
3 seemed interesting, more generalist type. And it was one of the only Rare classes.
Choice 1 seemed to be upgradeable to an excellent rare mystic class, but the choice for me was between 3 and 6.
Ultimately, it came down to the battle mage, which sounded cool and super powerful.
Class set to Mage Rank Rare. You qualify for a classpath.
Class path set to Master Mage, Magician, Battle Mage, ???
LEVEL UP
Congratulations. You have levelled up.
You are now level 1.
100 XP is required for level 2.
Level 1.
Experience 0
Required to next level 100.
Class Level Bonus:
You receive 6 stat points per level: 3 to distribute in Mind, 2 to distribute in Body and 1 in Spirit.
You receive 2 free points to assign.
You receive +10 mana per level.
Your mana regeneration gains + 1 per minute per level.
Congratulations. You are a member of the Mage’s Guild. Guild Fees are Due.
Class Quest Received: Buy a spell.
Difficulty: Easy Time Frame: None
Reward for success: Class Spell. Class Skill, Experience.
Visit the shop and purchase a spell.
Item Received: Store Token: Spell Tier 1 Cast a purchased spell.
Failure: You don’t become a Mage if you can't cast a spell.
Class Quest Received: Visit the Mage’s Guild.
Difficulty: Easy (Epic) Time Frame: Urgent
Pay your fees and visit the Mage’s Guild.
You don’t get good spells without it.
Class Path Quest Received: What is a Mage (1)?
Difficulty: Epic
Time Frame: Ongoing
The reward for success: Class Upgrade, Knowledge, Power, Items, XP, Renown
Discover what makes a Mage a Mage.
Failure: You don’t become a ?? If you don’t know what a Mage is.
Class Skill: Identity
Passive / Active
Current Rank: Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
It is used to identify objects. Level up to use on beings.
Obvious skill use, level up to make discrete.
Class Skill: Mage Sight.
Active
Current Rank: Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
Allows the user to see threads of Mana and the interconnections of all things
Class Skill: Enhance Item.
Active
5 Mana/minute, 5 Energy/minute
Current Rank Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
You can add Mana to an item to enhance it.
It varies depending on the item. Max: Level * mana/minute.
Class Skill: Personal Resource Management (PRM) Passive.
Current Rank Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
Know your current Health, Mana and Energy
Know your current Regeneration Rates for Health, Mana and Energy
Rank up for further information.
Class Spell: Light
Active
5 Mana / Minute
Current Rank Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
Let there be light.
It must be attached to an item. Brightness and Colour are controllable
Rank up for more control.
Class Spell: Mage Bolt
Active
5*level - 10*level Mana per bolt
Current Rank Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable. Damage: Mana + Rank Bonus * 10 per bolt
Cast Time: Instant, 2 * (1-Rank Bonus) seconds delay.
This spell sends a bolt of condensed Mana towards a target.
Rank up to improve damage.
Rank up to add elemental damage.
Rank up to improve accuracy.
Class Spell: Mage Armour
Passive: -5 from mana total * level
Active: Mana: 5*damage absorbed / Energy: 5 * damage absorbed.
Current Rank Uncommon, Upgradeable, Trainable.
Cast Time: Instant.
Passive: reduces incoming damage based on level.
Absorbs damage, draining mana pool and energy.
Rank up to reduce mana costs.
Rank up to increase damage absorbed per mana point spent.
"That’s what I am talking about!"
Quest Complete
Tutorial Quest Received: Select a class.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Frame: 1 week
The reward for success: Access to the system shop
Talk to fellow inductees and your tutorial guide, then finish the class selection process.
Failure: Are you stupid enough to fail?
Guide just looked at me. "Well done. I would not recommend being so hasty in future. We have 2 weeks to complete the tutorial."
"Two weeks. I thought it was only 2 days!"
"Was it not explained to you? You need to pass this to leave. Your body is encased in a spatial shield. At the same time, the tutorial reconfigures the nanites before you return, which can take some time. Forcing it is not recommended."
"So, how do I complete this tutorial and get out of here?"
The guide looked uncomfortable again. Damn, I would think he was human if he had not told me he was an AI avatar. "Well, you should have some class quests, and you should have access to the shop. Normally, there is a bit of a welcome feast tonight. We do some presentations, practice some skills and explanations, and welcome to the integrated multiverse. Some social interactions where you get to know the people around you. Most people like to discuss options and get to know each other. You know tutorial groups often form tight-knit bonds that last beyond the tutorial."
I looked around. "Shopping sounds fine."
He indicated a stone pillar in the open marquee. It was shiny black and looked like it absorbed light.
Identify
Empire System Store Stone (Empire) Tier 3. 0%
Well, that was helpful.
"What do I do?"
"Place your hands on it, and you can make system purchases. You would have a unique shop if you had a Noble class."
I placed my hands on it. Before I could blink, I was in a very dark room. It was kind of creepy.
I had spells to help me.
Light
I felt a small drain from inside me, behind my chest and at the back of my brain. Weird but soothing.
A bright ball of light appeared in my hand.
I could make out more of the room in the dim glow of my light. It looked like the backstage area of an old theatre or something. Piles of junk everywhere. A sales counter was along the back wall, and two doors led out.
"Oh, I am sorry. The others who have been here had not commented on the lack of illumination", a squeaky female voice spoke from behind the counter. "Allow me"
The ambient light levels rose so I un-concentrated. Dismissed sounded better. I dismissed the light. The drain on my Mana subsided. I felt like I should cast more spells to bring back the soothing feeling of what I assumed was my Mana being used. The feeling gave me a sense of completeness.
"I am Hydrox, your sales representative from the Karmahouse Emporium. Julie and Luke have negotiated on behalf of your species, so I hope you find things to your liking. I had not been informed that you would be arriving so soon, and I should have been prepared. I beg forgiveness."
"Um, Hi, I am Sarah. Don’t worry about it. If Luke was involved, then I’ll bet it was half-baked." I smiled at her.
"Welcome, Sarah. Can I offer you some sustenance and a complimentary chair?"
"Sure"
Luke had described the shop, but this was amazing. I now knew how he felt when he saw an alien for the first time. Hydrox was beautiful. The way the light moved at different paces through her semi-transparent body. It was eerie, and I was trying hard not to stare. She was a semi-transparent nude hot female.
Several moments later, I sat on the most amazingly comfortable chair, eating burgers and fries.
"Is this Uber Eats?" I asked.
"No, it replicates some of your more popular cultural dishes. Did you want me to flag it as a favourite and label it Uber Eats?"
"Sure, sounds fine. Everyone loves burgers and fries."
While eating, Hydrox explained that I could buy and sell items here and try things in the simulation. It sounded so cool.
We got down to business.
"I need to purchase a spell, and do you know if I need equipment to complete the tutorial?"
"Spells are easy, and you should have a token for a Tier 1 spell. I do not know about the tutorial, but I will give you the advice I gave Luke. If you have credits, most people start with some Tier 1 skills. You already have an identification skill, but you need to level that up. See if you can do that rather than purchase a skill that will do the same. I would recommend healing, damage, movement, and stealth or concealment skills, as these are essential for those active outside major settlements or cities. "
I nodded as if I understood everything. There would be time to figure it out.
She continued, "Tier 1 Skills should not cost too much. Costs can go up quite quickly. I would not recommend a melee weapon or a staff for equipment if you must. For safety, a ranged weapon, some healing gear and communications gear, I’ll match you with the comms that Luke and the Legion use so you can integrate. Getting an AI would be a wise investment. Still, they can be expensive but are essential for the full functionality of your user interface. The default system is ok but very limited. The sooner you get one, the better. One-off use items are good but also very expensive."
It was pretty much the advice Luke had given me. I bet there was some sales script she was following.
Crap, I didn’t know how much I had.
"How much money do I have? How do I check my inventory?" I asked, remembering being told that I would get some credits.
"You think Inventory and then the item you want should appear."
Inventory
A large open space in a 10 x 10 grid formed in my mind. I could see two slots with items in them: a small turtle statue and a credit stick.
I’d check the turtle later but thought, "credit stick."
The credit stick appeared in my hand.
I handed it to Hydrox.
I swear there was a smile on her fluid face.
"I will inform you when you run out of funds, but you have 100000 Cr. You can use this tablet for shopping. You can keep this tablet, as I will enable it so you can shop remotely from now on. However, you must be near some Empire infrastructure to get delivery."
Holy crap, thanks, Luke. Where the hell did Luke get that money? Focus. This was an opportunity.
I nodded at Hydrox and got busy shopping.
Spells and Skills first. All this amazing stuff and I was in pig heaven. This was just like buying online, except there was more choice. It was apparent how to filter and make selections. It was so easy. You could filter on anything, Tier, price, affinity, alphabetical or number remaining. I could even filter out unusable skills and spells. It was eBay on steroids.
I could have spent hours here just looking. It was hard for me not to flip straight to the clothing filter and see what was available.
Deep breath. Focus. I could see I was going to be here awhile. Even filtering out the usable spells, there were over 3000. Affordable spells 200.
"Hey, Hydrox, could you grab me a coffee?" I asked. I may as well enjoy myself, I had not had a decent coffee all day.
Hydrox bowed to me, and moments later, what I swore was a Starbucks coffee was in my hand. It would do. I was actually hoping for a decent coffee. I jumped back into browsing on the tablet, coffee in hand.
Thanks to my mage class, I knew that even though I was Tier 2, and my class was Tier 3, I needed to be at least level 20 to use Tier 3 spells. Only level 10 for Tier 2 spells. The power jump between Tiers seemed enormous, and the power difference between spells in a Tier could be massive, too. A Tier 1 fireball was almost 100x weaker than a Tier 3 fireball. However, casting a Tier 1 fireball at the 20th level was cheap and did severe damage as well. I would need to work on multivariate math at some stage or go to the Mages guild and grab a spell casting for dummies. I wondered what research academics had done before.
Interestingly, I could almost do the math in my head now. A highish mind stat must count for something. Not that the math I was astounded by was much past grade 10 level, just that things I would have used a calculator for previously were done almost instantly in my head now.
Interestingly, you could train up a Tier of spells through use and study without levelling up, even pushing the spells into a Tier that you theoretically could not use. From what Luke had said, Tier 1 was Worthless, Tier 2 was standard, and Tier 3 was uncommon or something like that. I thought that most Tier 1 spells were far from useless, especially when you come from a planet without magic.
I was so happy I had selected the Mage class. It seemed to be the generalist spell caster, able to cast from all affinities and all types of magic. Most spells had an indicator that showed if a spell was usable or not in their description, and very few were not usable by the Mage class.
I loved reading the reviews of spells. There were hilarious warnings on some spells on how not to use them and some very insightful and creative uses.
Browsing through the spells I could afford and cast now, I found five I would get. Three were what I considered essential.
The spells were Arik’s Improved Find Item, Pause by Nulore, QuickStep™, Sabine's Minor Mending and Rite of Purify Body.
A utility spell, a shit give me a moment, a movement spell and two cure spells.
Spell: Arik’s Improved Find Item Tier 1
Active: Mana: 15-100 Mana Range: 1km Current Rank common, Upgradeable, Trainable.
Cast Time: Instant.
Arik is a well-known Private Investigator Mage in the Empire. He was able to extend the range of the universal Find Item Spell.
If you cannot find the object you are looking for, you are entitled to a 35% discount on your first consultation with him.
This spell will locate the nearest object of one specific type. The more detail you provide, the more accurate your results are. Rank up to extend range Rank up to reduce mana cost. Rank up to improve accuracy.
Spell: Pause by Nulore Tier 1
Active: Mana: 50 Mana Range: 5 seconds * tier. Soft Cooldown: 15 / Tier minutes
Current Rank common, Upgradeable, Trainable. Cast Time: Instant.
Nulore helps you pause and think.
When you are flustered and need a moment to think, Pause by Nulore will speed up your thought processes to give you 5 seconds * tier to think. The soft cooldown is recommended to avoid serious brain injury.
WARNING: This spell does not allow active skill use. Note: it does not stop time. See Nulor’s Time Stop for true Chronomancy.
Spell: QuickStep™ Tier 1
Active: Mana: 70 Mana Range: Line of sight (Max 10m * Level)
Current Rank common, Upgradeable, Trainable. Cast Time: Instant.
Look, cast step.
Spell: Sobine’s Minor Mending Tier 2
Active Channelling: 5 mana second 5 Energy Second Range: Touch Current Rank common, Upgradeable, Trainable. Cast Time: Channelling.
Mend items using your energy and Mana. The more complex the mending, the longer it will take.
It will not mend living organics. Don’t be cheap; buy a healing spell. (10% discount on Sobine's BioMend)
Spell: Rite of Purify Body. Tier 1
Active Ritual Range: Touch Current Rank common, Upgradeable, Trainable. Cast Time: Ritual.
Components: common Herbs, Gems
Perform this ritual to purify a body.
Removes toxins up to Tier and heals minor damage.
It puts the body into an accelerated metabolism, increasing regeneration * Tier and level and decreasing the need for food, water, and even a breathable atmosphere for a short time.
The common spell I bought with my token was minor mending, and Sobine’s Minor Mending was an upgrade and cheaper because of that purchase, so I got that as a Tier 2 spell. If I ever got there, I would have to ask Guide or the Mage’s Guild about how to spell synergies work. I could not distinguish between named or generic spells: Minor Mending or Sobine’s Minor Mending. Overall, generic spells seemed much cheaper but had less character.
Once I had sorted the spells, I went looking at the skills. Again, I was astounded at what I could get and what was available. From my understanding, Spells were researched and used Mana, whereas skills required either an implant or a series of muscle movements and used energy. Identify was a skill, not a spell because it tapped into the System database rather than some mystic knowledge bank. Just to make things clear and not confusing, there was an Identify spell that tapped into a mystic knowledge bank.
Some spells did the same thing as skills, and sometimes possibly better. I guess it was a case of tech and training versus research and learning. Nearly anyone could get a skill with enough money and resources, but spells required mana and guild membership.
After reviewing the skills, prices, and reviews, I eventually acquired some exciting skills.
Luke had told me about his "OMG, Heal me, it hurts." I got that.
"OMG, Heal me, it hurts.
A pain suppressor and boost to healing. While it won’t bring you back from the dead - it is an active skill. It will bring you back from the near dead. Numb the pain and regenerate that severed limb in no time. Upgradeable, Mystic, Body. 10 Cr Another Ubbarice Corporation product. Please use promotional material for guarantee and limitations."
Damn, the Empire suffered from poor English too! Although that could have been my bonus translation skill, doing a poor job.
I wasn’t willing to spend on a damage skill as I was in a caster class. I hoped to get some powerful damage spells, so I would focus on that, for the same reason I didn’t get a movement skill, as I had a spell for that. I picked up another skill the same as Luke.
Can’t see me, I am invisible.
I couldn’t get an invisibility spell until Level 20, but I could use a Tier 3 skill. Go figure.
My last skill purchase was an unusual one and possibly a vanity one. Still, hey, I could be vain sometimes, and it was an Inventory add-on.
Leaf of Broken Season Tier 2 Upgradeable.
Instantly Change outfits. 10 pre-set outfits. Separate storage to inventory. A must for any thespian 100 Cr.
Guess what I was buying in the shops next.
When I had finished with the skills and spells, I asked Hydrox if I could get another drink before I went to get equipment and clothes shopping.
She got me a refreshing, sugary drink, which quickly quenched my thirst.
Energy regeneration +1 for 5 mins.
OMG, food and drinks could give buffs! This shopping trip could get expensive.
I went through the door that Hydrox indicated and was suitably impressed. Luke told me about his geek-out, and I knew the references to Star Wars, but it was not my thing. It was super cool, though.
I quickly got a couple of crates of those healing canisters, one of the potions and one of the injectables. Although I could see where Luke was coming from calling them potions, I would stick with calling them canisters. I also noted that you could take a monthly delivery order for a reduced cost. That was something to investigate. I bet Mike would get the monthly option to save money. I'd do it depending on how fast I went through these canisters. I was not planning on needing them, but you never know. I got one crate and decided to mooch more off Luke’s subscription service. I didn’t intend on getting hurt, so it would not be much mooching.
I purchased a bulk of uncommon herbs and gems, just random ones, as I had no idea what they were or how to use them. I just needed some for my ritual spell, and they came in bulk, so they didn’t take up too much inventory space.
I had tried to avoid having too many spells with components as I hated playing games where you needed things like chicken feathers to cast spells like feather fall. Blah, it was over-complicated and pointless. You either had millions or never needed them, so you sold them. Then, 10 minutes later, you need them and find you accidentally sold all of them, including the secret reserve stack. I swear that never happened to me playing games.
Hydrox was sorting the comms, and I found a secondhand wand,
Wand of Fireballs. Tier 3.
Add Mana and cast. Activation on purchase.
10 Fireballs per 100 Mana stored.
You must be able to channel Mana to use. A Wanderous Wand 5000 Cr
Note: This is a used product. Estate Sale.
It had a slightly worn grip and some stains in the leather wrapping, reducing the price by 75%!
I also found another wand, not a Mage damage wand, a hair wand. It had a selection of pre-set hair arrangements that you could use.
Insta-do, Hair-do. Tier 1.
Perfect hair in an instant. Pre-programmed with hundreds of current styles.
Select the appropriate package when purchasing additional packages available.
Another Heartelligence Fashion item - Look your best, be your best. 1000 Cr
I got the extended hair package, which included a setting for instant long hair. I paid extra for the insta-colour package, too. I spent some time practising getting its quick-choice menu - I only had 5 options. But it was pretty good for 100 Cr each. I didn't know what a credit was worth and was just spending away. Could you convert cash to credits? Not that I had huge amounts of cash anyway.
I'd have to thank Luke. Thanks, Luke! Maybe I should have chosen the Noble class, they sounded like they would have buckets of credits, and I would not have to depend on Luke. Not that I would ever admit that. It was nice to have someone loaded asking you out, though, and it looked like he would be loaded in this new reality, too. I smiled, sighed, and then got back into shopping. As messed up as I felt about Luke, this was serious business.
I bought some ration packs that boosted mana regeneration. They stacked in my inventory in piles of 99, so I got 99 of them - 990 credits. Bargain. I hope.
It was finally time; I had put it off long enough and finally started looking at clothing.
To say that the clothing selection was huge was an understatement. Fashion was one of my things. I didn’t push it around Luke and Mike, but I did put the effort in.
I spent hours looking and trying on virtual clothes. I was in heaven. Hydrox informed me that I had run out of credits before I got to the accessorising! I needed a way to earn credits fast. How could I run around in cool clothes without accessories? I would have to manage.
I had 3 swimsuits. 2 formal dresses, 3 general wear outfits, and 2 mage outfits - robes and all that. They were so cool. These Empire fashions were so different yet close to what I loved. 10 pairs of different shoes - only 3 with heels. The rest were sensible. 4 sets of underwear - they were all super sexy and comfortable. It was fantastic and scary to think I may show Luke one day soon, and I was not just getting them for myself. I also brought the NanoGuard under-armour, which seemed really cool and practical - it was basically a set of activewear that was self-cleaning and self-mending. I had not paid extra for self-mending because I had the spells, and I was not planning on destroying my undergarments. From what Luke said, self-cleaning was essential.
When I left, a pile of skill crystals, spell scrolls and items awaited me.
Spells actually came on scrolls!
They were super high-tech, though, a metal that felt like paper. I quickly used the skill crystals, feeling the rush of knowledge and my body pathways seeming to expand. The spell scrolls just slotted into my system spell book, and they were available to "cast" if I had the Mana and resources.
It took some time for me to work out the "Leaf of the Broken Season" as I had to wear the outfit and give it a name on the virtual slot in the newly available storage. I could then change quickly by using the skill.
Leaf of the Broken Season: Red Bikini.
Leaf of the Broken Season: Combat.
It was super fun. I had the under-armour for all of them except the lingerie and my swimmers. I set up most of them as outfits using the skill - 2 swimsuits and only 1 mage robe were on a quick change. If I wanted more, I needed to purchase the upgrade. More credits! I needed a job.
I am not sure what Hydrox thought of me just changing here. Still, I figured that there was no one else here and an alien would not perve on me in any creepy way, and it was not like Hydrox was wearing anything, either. I did manage to get a mirror thrown into all this as well. Eventually, I was exhausted. I had a shit load of stuff in my inventory. I had a complimentary chair with "Karmahouse Emporium" on it. The logo was ugly – they really needed a graphic designer, but I did not say anything to Hydrox.
I was in my general clothes, black loose-fitting sports long pants, a white t-shirt and some comfortable shoes that boost your endurance on long hikes. I had my under-armour on underneath and looked fabulous. My hair was dark red and done in a Lara Croft, tomb-raider-like long braid. Really. Besides, I knew I had other cosplay hairstyles on quick select if it became embarrassing. I’d never tell anyone, but the dual-braided blue Jinx hair was one of my favourites, but I'd never managed to cosplay her.
While changing and fixing my hair, I chatted briefly with Hydrox, asking about her species and being a merchant. It seemed that she was a juvenile and was starting out. We were her big ticket for the Emporium to finish her training. She had ranked up twice from Luke already and was very excited. I oddly liked her. She seemed lonely being here alone, even though she said that was impossible for her species. After what seemed like hours and with all my stuff stored away, I left the store.