Ren’s eyes began to crack open at the light of mid-morning. Birds singing their lullabies, he wanted nothing more than to stay there, unaware of the dangers in the world surrounding him. Exhaustion sat deep in his bones. How was he alive? More importantly, who the hell are those two?

Beside him, an elderly man sat beside a small crackling fire. Lifting a pot from the flames, he dashed a small handful of something into the water. His eyes were barely more than a squint held down by old bags. At their corner, the old man’s eyes were cracked with crow's feet, a long life of half squinting. A cowl covered his head, a blue wool. The rest of him was covered in the blue and white robes. At his neck swung the silver symbol of a Triangle, a line crossing its center vertically.

Ren’s eyes swung to a young woman, her head turned in curiosity, their eyes met briefly, a translucent blue, nearly silver like. Her hair hung in a blond braid, it emerged from a green hooded cloak that draped down her shoulders onto the earth underneath her where she sat on her knees. Her clothes were much like his, brown and plain, though hers seemed made of a leather-like material rather than the oddity he was crafted from.

The elderly man spoke. His voice was imperial, strong, and clean. Though to Ren his words meant nothing. A language so foreign as to sound like a form of gibberish. The elder’s eyebrows raised as if waiting for him to respond.

Ren’s lips parted to speak but he hesitated. Beneath his deep aches and pains, a strength lingered, a power that boiled up from deep inside. With a mental prompt, he opened his menu to see his status. The power within him came to a crescendo.

Congratulations, Rouge Level 2 Tier 0 you have met the requirements to Ascend.

The world left his eyes as an all-consuming darkness arose to eat him alive. The air, the light, the scents of the forest, and the sounds of its life disappeared. A roaring fear and panic ate at him, the fragment of a fragment came to him, the thing in the void beyond. The infinite nothingness that was impossible to comprehend began to fade, light came again into his eyes and power rushed through him in terrible destructive pathways.

Feeling like a hot coal was pressed into his mind he writhed on the earth, the elderly man held him down to prevent him from colliding with the fire. His grip on Ren was strong, far greater than anyone would expect from one at his age. Like iron shackles, he held Ren down as the terror and pain receded.

Ren looked at his status to ensure he wasn’t dying again.

You have ascended to Eldritch Rouge Level 2 Tier 1

+5 Vitality +5 Willpower +5 Intelligence

Skills Acquired: [Gate-Keeper’s Blessing]

Eldritch Touch: The power of something vast and unknowable has left its mark upon the user. The power to call upon the mark is deadly to all. To destroy and destroy oneself. Empower objects, attacks, and abilities with this to strengthen them.

Eldritch Sight: Eyes that gaze at the face of the void is fooled by none other. The abominable eye has seen you, and you it. The auras of Celestial, Fiendish, Living, and Undead are shown to you.

Eldritch Tongue: The voice has spoken to you. No other tongue shall meld your mind to their liking. You may speak to all, and so to all the voice may reach.

Craft Gained: [Eldritch-Kin]

Ritualism: The power to manipulate mana based on ritual circles and objects placed within such circles.

Gasping for air Ren’s eyes darted to the face of the elderly man atop him. “Please…”

“Are you alright? Did you ascend prematurely?” His voice came whispered and confused.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I don’t know what happened, everything is driving me insane.” Ren’s eyes dropped to the earth beside him, unable to hide his shame.

“Drink something, come here.” The elderly man pulled him up as if helping up a child, his strength was immense.

Pouring an exotic odd tea, and handing it to Ren the man spoke. “I am Cleric Hollwin, and you, my child?”

“Ren.”

“I healed you. Your vitality must be quite low as I barely made it in time to stabilize you.” Hollwin placed a hand on Ren’s shoulder, “Did those beasts run you down?”

“I hid in the only place I could find; I killed them though.” Ren’s eyes looked down into the warm liquid. Taking a sip, he found it lacking, though it felt good to have something proper. Drinking from puddles and streams had him feeling debased.

“Drink that down, I’m an herbalist and it’s a strong brew, though weak enough it won’t harm you.”

Ren noticed the woman sitting down, he had not noticed her. A thin shortsword slid into its sheath at her side. Hollwin looked at her disapprovingly, “Be friendly, introduce yourself.” His tone was to the point and seemingly an order.

“I am Tayin, from the East, sent here to learn the ways of men in the West.” Her tone was bittersweet.

Ren slowly nodded in acknowledgment. Taking another sip at the strange-tasting tea, he felt a warmth permeating his being. Strength and energy slowly came to his muscles, his foggy mind the smallest bit clearer. Nearly chugging the rest of the brew, he felt the sensation again, stronger even. The fog of his near-death experience had caused him to tunnel vision in the present.

“Didn’t I die?” Ren’s eyes stared down at the nearly empty cup.

“Nearly so, but a Cleric can heal with a God’s blessing. Those ascendant to a high enough threshold may even resurrect the dead.” Hollwin gently smiled.

“They can bring back the dead?” Ren’s brows furrowed, his mouth agape.

“Yes, yes. Have you lived quite a sheltered life, eh?”

Ren’s expression went blank. “I suppose you could say that.”

Tayin spoke, curiosity spiking the pitch of her voice. “I hear many men of the West live in shacks or even caves in the wilderness. Do you?”

“What? No.”

“A house? Do you live in a house? Where from?” Tayin stared curiously.

The oddity of her had him taken aback. “Yes. I live in a house.”

“Ah, so then where do you come from then, that is unanswered."

“A place far from here, I’m lost. I’ll be headed back there.” Ren fiddled with the grass below him. A nervous angst had him pulling at weeds.

“Hollwin can give you directions, a Cleric’s life requires much study.”

“Well, I think I should be on my way, I can find it on my own. Thank you for everything.” Ren stood, and with mild dizziness, he finished off the warm tea and handed the cup to Hollwin.

“Just a moment.” Hollwin gestured for Ren to sit, and he removed a small metallic sheet from his pack. “In return for healing you, I would like a small favor. May I perform a reading upon you?” Hollwin gestured to the small metallic sheet before him.

“I’m not sure if I exactly understand what that means…”

“Oh, my child, it is simple for a Cleric. Through the miracles blessed upon mortal men such as myself, I can interpret power. The most common gift given to mortals is the ability to heal or to read ascension thresholds, the effective amount of power one holds, as well as the abilities they have to utilize those powers. The integration of mana into one’s core being, and its shape is also quite important. By doing a reading of you I can add it to the knowledgebase of her holiness”

“Well, I guess so. I don’t know. I suppose it’s fine.” Ren's eyes looked into the earth below him, the small greens and bugs crawling in the earth.

“Well, I’ll need you to place your hand on the back of this.” Hollwin showed him the metal sheet.

Ren placed his hand on the smooth surface. An urgent anxiety took him, everything about this felt wrong. He wasn’t a people person, this wasn’t right. The very feeling of the smooth surface under his hand spiked the worry. A metaphysical sucking felt at him. As if a current in the air was drawing all in. This was no physical current, neither of the air nor of anything else. A part of him felt itself being pulled at, and the urgency within him only flared. Sweat started to bead on his forehead, and the overwhelming urge to smash the metal sheet and flee overtook him. With the finest hair of self-control, he managed to force himself to let this power read him, to pull a tiny piece off and store it.

“Relax, it won’t harm you. It’s very nearly finished.” Hollwin spoke, not looking up from the sheet. His eyes squinted even further than their usual bagged-down expression until they opened wider than any Ren had ever seen on a man.

“Oh, Holy Mother, you've blessed me well…” Hollwin smiled.

“What, is it done?” Ren’s eyes gazed into the old man’s, his anxiety slowly fading.

“You are the child of a Gate. We are headed to a High Monastery where we can provide you with the things that will be required for you to learn and develop. Accompany us will you?”

“I can’t, I mean I don’t want to be a burden but thank you.”

“Child, it is a duty of the Clergy to guide Gate travelers.” Hollwin smiled as he spoke.

Tayin stood, eyes wide, “My people too come from a gate, it is an honor to meet one such as yourself.”

“I don’t understand what a Gate is or why it's such a big deal.” Ren’s brows furrowed as he glanced between the two.

Hollwin spoke up, “It is a long history and quite detailed. For now, understand you are an alien here. We will take good care of you though, be assured.”

“Well, ok.” Ren’s eyes moved to the earth beneath him, or is it called something else here, what is this world even called?

“What is the name of this world called? The planet?”

Hollwin raised his eyebrows, “Ah, rather educated on your world then? It is Aethradin, named after the Silver Goddess Aethra. Now we better be off then. Oh, but wait, if we encounter anyone on the road, do not speak of your nature.” Hollwin pulled himself up, his hand gesturing towards a direction alongside a mountain.

“We’ll be off that direction. Headed to Raedem, a Monastery there will receive you.”

”