Mathew was led to a different area outside the main tree. A set of marble stairs descended into the earth like teeth. Cherry waved a hand and pink butterflies that had a soft glow around them illuminated the tunnel.
Their steps echoed across the chiseled stone. “Why isn’t everything in one place? This seems very tedious and a waste of my time to have to walk everywhere.” Mathew complained.”
Berry shrugged. “Depends on what Gaia wants. She’s the boss here.”
“Momma Gaia has the strangest of plans.” Cherry said. “No need to question her, everything has a plan.”
Mathew just slowly nodded. They came to an open cavern covered with gemstones and crystals.
In the center was a glass like pillar. The pillar itself went from the ceiling to the floor. A rainbow of color weaved through the object.
“This is the testing room. Gaia doesn’t have the ability to test for everything, but we will know if you have something that can’t be tested.” Wary explained. “Just put both hands on the crystal, and start to cycle your energy like you should know how to do now thanks to the information crystal. The magic does the rest. Oh, and you need to be naked. External clothing and items can and will interfere with the readings.”
Mathew blinked. “Really? I have to be naked? That seems a bit much.”
Chuck chuckled, “Shy?”
“Not at all. I just think if this is how Gaia wants to see my perfect body, she could have just asked.” Mathew disrobed and walked up to the pillar.
He placed both hands on it, and noted how it vibrated under his palms. It was oddly warm as well. If he didn’t know better, he would think it felt like a heartbeat pulsing through the pillar.
With a deep breath, Mathew started to move his internal energy. It was slow, like a cold truck engine starting for the first time in months. After the first cycle, he saw the lights in the pillar start to change.
“Keep going.” He heard Berry encourage.
Mathew did so. Yet, a sharp pain arc’d from his soul, down his arms, and into the pillar. He grunted through the pain, and kept going. The pain was a constant stream as he kept moving the energy inside of him.
This wasn’t what he expected, but he wouldn’t stop now. A part of him hoped that this could give him answers beyond what he expected. He was a McGonald. McGonalds have always been stronger, smarter, and better than the rest.
Mathew squeezed his eyes closed as he kept pushing himself. His soul strained.
“Almost done.” He couldn’t tell who spoke. The voice was a whisper in comparison to the humed vibrations that continued to grow louder from the pillar.
Then a force grabbed him and pulled him backwards. He fell onto his back and shook as the pain continued to pulse through him.
The pain slowly faded. Enough that he could open his eyes. Cherry was holding his head, a pink energy emanating from her hands over his chest. He saw a flash of relief in her eyes.
“Did it work?” Mathew wheezed and coughed.
Wary was looking at one of the nearby crystals that had no glow to it. He could have sworn it was glowing when he entered.
“Yes. The results are…mixed.” She said like a doctor who had both good news and bad news.”
Mathew sat up. “Give me the bad first.”
Wary gestured around them. Mathew saw several crystals glowing different colors. There was a lack of red that he noticed. Blue was the brightest, more specifically a lighter blue.
“You have an Elemental Affinity. That means you can only use certain typed magic, items, and cultivation methods. Luckily for you [Trinity’s Manual] seems to be a neutral manual. Otherwise you would not have been able to use it.”
“The other bad news is related to your soul. We knew it was shattered, and that has removed your ability to use any soul powers. Which, funny enough, contradicts what your bloodline is related to.”
Wary walked over and held a hand out to help Mathew up. Berry handed him the robe he was wearing.
“How does that contradict my lack of use in soul powers?”
Wary tapped her chin in thought. She then nodded, as if coming to the conclusion of something. “Bloodlines come from a being of power culminating their power into a single focus. They do this to pass on power to their descendants. In hopes of raising a more powerful heir. Whoever created your bloodline was powerful when it was created. Perhaps even on par with a God.”
“Were they a God?” Mathew asked hesitantly. He wanted no relation to a God if they were one. However, the memory of an Ancestor that wanted to visit him like all the other Gods came up in a memory.
“Not one Gaia knows if they are.” Wary said. “As for your bloodline, it is called
Mathew furrowed his brow. “What does it do?”
“Your Bloodline is a soul based one. What little we can gain from it is that it boosts all soul related powers. You have a soul related Ability that is amplified by it. I can see it on that crystal there.”
Wary pointed to a gray crystal that looked like a square block. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but you have one. We can see everything about you here. You can’t use fire or fire adjacent elements at all due to your Elemental Affinity. You could try, and get a very minor effect from them at best. Items with fire affinity will react negatively to you as well.”
Mathew thought about it for a moment. “Like exploding?”
“If you were to put your own mana into it, absolutely.” Wary said with a nod.
“What about Jeffery? Can you see my bond with Agnox? How does my Affinity matter to them?” Mathew asked, while looking over the crystals.
Wary glanced over at a pair of crystals. “It is odd to have two fire affinity summons. However, they are both done through unique means. Jeffery is from a Title, which is uninfluenced by your affinity. However, his upgrade path can and will change due to it. As for Agnox, he is his own entity. The only thing connecting the two of you, is your soul. Which has nothing to do with your Affinity, at least directly.
“As with your Wisps and a fourth being. Gaia won’t tell me who though.” Wary pointed at four crystals. One dark red, one light red, one with two swirls of different blues, and a fourth one that was pitch black.
“Wait, Gaia knows this already? She’s here?”
Berry spitted out a laugh. “Of course she is. This is her domain. Nothing is hidden from her here.”
“Don’t mentioned Doozkora to them.” Mathew heard a whisper. He glanced over his shoulder, but saw nobody.
“Bitch, you could have told me in our meeting.” Mathew thought to himself as he shook his head. “Okay. So what is my Elemental Affinity?”
“Ice. To be more specific, anything to do with structured elements, but Ice will be your strongest. Metal, Crystal, and Stone will be best. Keep in mind, a Bloodline is a part of your body. You just happen to have a soul themed bloodline. Which means ”
“Is there something like bloodlines for my Mind and Soul?” Mathew asked, pondering if he had more hidden potential.
“Yes. For Minds we call this a Concept. For your Soul we call this a Foundation. They both are similar to a Bloodline. However, only a Bloodline can be passed from parent to child. A Concept is something gained from enlightenment or taught. A Foundation is earned over time. Think of it as an achievement. Something that, to acquire, requires you to understand who you are. You have touched upon both, but nothing concrete enough to register.”
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Mathew tsk’d in disappointment.
“There isn’t anything else for you here. You are lucky, if not for your bloodline, you would be dead.”
“So with this Bloodline, how can I both be able to use soul powers and not?”
Berry waved, “I can explain this. Essentially it comes down to what little patch work you’ve done on your soul. If you had a normal unbroken soul, you can do more with not only your soul, but the souls of others. It’s a touchy subject, as your soul is a part of who you are. It’s the hardest to recover, and the easiest to lose. I highly suggest you avoid using soul powers, including contracts.”
Mathew shook his head, “Contracts are a part of my power set. I’ve used them to advantageous victories. However, I’ve used them mostly for trickery. I also use them to establish the laws for my zone, and to ensure agreements are kept between multiple people. To give that up, that would change the few steps of my path I’ve already taken.”
“It’s up to you.” Chuck said. “We only give advice. Gaia could give more if you talked to her again.”
“I just might before I leave…” Mathew thought to himself. “Okay, anything else we learned about me that I didn’t know about beforehand?”
Cherry was poking at the two colored blue swirled crystals. “Hey Wary, why does this one look like the dark red one?”
Wary walked over and peered closer. “Mathew. Why does your wisp have an unawaken soul? More specifically, a Twined soul?”
“You ask that as if I have any clue. The wisps are weird. Here I’ll show you.” Mathew summoned them up. The two different balls of light spun around him and took in their environment.
They both took their respective places over Mathew’s shoulders. Neither was in complete control from Mathew. They moved as they always did on their own.
Cherry oo’d at them as did Chuck. Berry looked at Mathew. “Well, I think I know something else your bloodline did. Your bloodline sunk into your wisps. Which makes sense. Wisps are mana that is flavored by their summoner's soul.”
Mathew looked up at the wisps. “I thought my soul was shattered, and Gaia herself said only Agnox and one other fit my soul enough to keep me alive. Not Jeffery or the twins.”
“That’s because they are unawoken.” Wary said. “Once they do, you could pair them like you did with Agnox..” She brought out the list of things Mathew could buy. “Buy this. It’s an Information Shard about binding items to your soul. It should cover a piece of information you will need.”
“That sounds like something I don’t want to do. Remember? Soul shattered.” Mathew huffed, but nodded. “Fine, I’ll buy it.”
Wary pulled out another green shard of crystal that Mathew consumed. A college textbook of information about crafting and binding items to one’s soul flooded his mind. “How does any of this help me?”
Cherry waved, “That’s because your Wisps will need to bind to your soul. Magical summons are not supposed to have their own soul. You will need to learn how to do so. Plus this will let you know about items to keep an eye out for. That could boost the odds of a stronger soul, which in turn will be a stronger soul to patch your own with.”
Mathew smiled, “That is useful. Thank you Cherry. I don’t think I’ve said that yet, but you four are a big help.” He waved a hand at Agnox. “Your turn buddy.”
Agnox repeated the same thing Mathew did. He had fewer crystals light up. Most of them were red.
“The only thing that is unique about Agnox is the bond he has with you, and that he has a higher than average fire affinity. The latter isn’t uncommon. Most elemental creatures have a range of affinity. Your wolf for example has a slightly less than average fire affinity. ” Wary said. “The bond you have with him is boosting Agnox’s Endurance stat.”
“Told you Boss. Nothing special about me.” Agnox said, looking at his own crystals that were glowing.
“Endurance huh? Is it normal for a familiar to gain stats related to the soul like that? Then again, given that we are bonded to the soul, it makes sense.” Mathew thought outloud.
“Stats go wherever you want them to, it just depends on how you want them to be represented.” Chuck said. “You have the crystal information in your head. You know of Assassins who put Dexterity into their body with Strength and Vitality, leave Endurance for their soul, and place Intelligence and Wisdom in their mind. People put all six into just their mind before. A bond boosting endurance isn’t any weirder than it boosting your soul powers.”
Mathew nodded, and was taken back to the giant tree. There he spent the next two days absorbing the information crystals and spending time in thought on what he wanted to gain from his time here.
Luckily for him, time was on his side for once. He had at least two weeks to spend. If what his niece believed to be true, that will be around when the Beginner floor bosses will appear.
Cherry brought over a plate of food for Mathew. She sat it down and removed the cover, revealing a pasta dish. There was a gold colored garnish over it. “Thank you Cherry. I always appreciate you bringing me this delicious food.”
She smiled brightly. “Of course. Is there anything else I can help you with right now?”
“No, but I’ll probably be thirsty after this meal.” Mathew said with a grin.
“Oh, what would you like to drink?”
“Bring me whatever you want to give me. So long as it is something rich and flavourful.” Mathew said, choosing his words carefully.
By now, there were almost twenty people roaming around Gaia’s giant tree. Nobody that he knew, nor anyone that seemed to recognize him. He hadn’t bothered interacting with anyone. His focus was on planning his next week’s worth of activities.
One thing he has absolutely chosen was to gain another Elemental Enlightenment for his quest. With his own Elemental Affinity, he wanted to maximize what he was good at naturally. Sadly, Ice was not an option Gaia could provide. So, he stuck with something basic and picked Earth.
He could have picked Crystal, Rock, Wood, and a few other ‘rigid’ like elements, but he picked Earth due to its simplicity. He was going to save the third option for Ice.
Another thing he wanted to do was develop his Axioms further. If he was going to one day combine them, he needed to find ways to do so. Figure out which ones he wanted to combine. One place he was going to visit could give him an insperation and hopefully develop one of his Axioms.
Lastly was the final spell he wanted to acquire. He was going to save his Ability and Skill slots for whatever summon Gaia gave him. He knew it was possible, and wanted something different.
He wanted a powerful spell. Something that could instantly change the tide of a fight. Currently, his only offensive spell was [Mana Bolt] a versatile spell that he had pushed to its limits time and time again.
Chuck was able to point out a few options. He couldn’t wait to get it.
Cherry reappeared with a glass bottle. “I found some Crystal Water that I thought you would enjoy. It’s Apprentice ranked, but well worth it for the taste.”
Mathew grinned, “Sure, that sounds lovely. If you want, you can share it with me.”
“Cherry, I have a question for you. If you were able to do anything else other than what you do know. What would you want to do?” Mathew asked after drinking some of the Crystal Water she provided.
Cherry smiled, but seemed confused at the question. “That’s a silly question. I was born for this job. I couldn’t think of another one.”
Mathew shrugged. “Just think about it. It’s a large world out there. So many things to see. So many things to do. Do you really want to be stuck here? Forced to do what Gaia tells you to do?”
“I guess I havn’t really thought of it. But that won’t happen. I’m here to serve you. Plus, if you were to ever return, what would you do without me and my siblings?”
Mathew didn’t answer. He went back to finializing his choices for the next week and a half. After that, he spent his free time drafting up a contract. He couldn’t be too careful, and having one ready to go was smart to keep on hand.