At least two Anathemas were easy options: protecting children is something I would want to do anyway, murder is something I'm typically against, which only leaves the third option open.

Chastity was out. I have no idea how long genies live but I presume I am no longer dying so a relationship is possibly still on the table.

Integrity was interesting due to the phrasing: unable to directly lie to my master. That implies I could do some half truths or lie by omission still. Theoretically, if I get good enough at bullshitting, I'd never have to lie anyway.

Resurrection being an option at all was surprising, given that in the most classic of all genie tales it's off limits. Perhaps that genie chose this? Either way it seems like something that could easily go wrong if I'm not careful.

I weighed my options carefully but integrity seemed like the most obvious choice, being the only one of the two I considered that didn't actually limit my abilities too much.

Using the pen, I circled Murder, Sacred Youth and Integrity.

I felt some change wash over me. My gold bracers, previously unadorned, shrank and changed shape: one turned into a golden wrist watch with a deep maroon face and silver hands, and the other turned into a simple golden bracelet with three dark pink gemstones.

Next up: Breaks. They seem like enhancements to the genie "package" and there were too many good options. The only one that held no interest for me was Shared Domain, as I've always preferred my home to be a place just for me, I had moved out of my dad's the second it was financially feasible.

Magical Mortals seemed pretty valuable, as most people upon finding an innately magical creature probably want to join in on the fun. Nobody wants to be the muggle after all. It might be important if I power up the way I'm guessing I do.

Variable Wishes is pretty interesting, although I can't think of a reason to take it off the top of my head. Perhaps I could reward someone with an extra wish, or take away someone else's. I could think of it as a carrot-or-stick to reserve some control over my masters. Probably a must-take.

Gifted Incarnate was pretty much required if it did what I thought it did. Without it, I would probably be magically helpless in the physical world, aside from wish granting. I remembered Thasmius was able to change his clothes, summon food, change his form, use telekinesis, and all kinds of other things I would call "small magics." Definitely had to get it.

Wish Refusal would pair well with Variable Wishes, giving me multiple ways to screw over a master I didn't like. What a unique style of genie that would be. Unfortunately though, the other options were just better as far as I was concerned.

I circled Variable Wishes, Magical Mortals and Gifted Incarnate.

I felt the change roll through again, this time only the watch altered itself, numbers suddenly appearing from one to four clockwise. Right now both hands were stuck in the middle on "one".

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All that was left were the stats and I noticed two weaknesses immediately: Limits and Power.

Even if I threw all of my points into Limits it still wouldn't be enough for me to remove an Anathema. I made sure to choose weaknesses I could live with so I tabled Limits for now.

Power seemed like the most important stat. My guess is I get stronger by granting wishes and this is the wish granting parameter.

Incarnate was at seven. Both Limits and Domain upgrade at level ten, so perhaps Incarnate would unlock something special at level ten as well?

Domain seems like a strictly quality-of-life attribute. I could feel instinctively that I no longer had to eat, drink or sleep, making this stat subpar at best. Then again, the "false life" unlock meant I could eventually have company in here when I did want any.

I finally came up with a plan: I would put two points into Power and one point into Domain, bringing them up to seven along with Incarnate. After I receive my first master and grant their wishes, I should hopefully have enough points to take whichever stat I feel the most lacking in to ten.

After making my adjustments, the paper erased itself of all the ink and rewrote itself over.

Name: Tristan MacLennan

Rank: Apprentice (Inherited)

Power: 7

Incarnate: 7

Limits: 3

Domain: 7

Anathemas: Sacred Youth, Murder, Integrity,

Breaks: Magical Mortals, Variable Wishes, Gifted Incarnate,

"Now what do I do?" I wrote underneath.

The words simply sunk into the page without reply.

Okay then, I thought, time to try stuff out. I stood up out of my chair and looked around the floating room I found myself in.

"Not my style" I said aloud.

I waved my hands around, and the floor started extending, with furniture sprouting out of the floor like daisies. I went with the inside of my favorite mansion my dad owned, mixed with the dilapidated house I grew up in. Large open rooms, huge windows, and ratty but comfortable furniture me and Dad had gotten wherever we could.

Having giant windows looking out into a black void kind of harshed my mellow. I sat back down at the desk and picked up my pen, now a mahogany fountain pen, and started writing on the legal pad I had turned the paper into.

"Can I make the windows look outside?" I wrote

"You have the required amount of Domain," was the reply. The words disappeared as I stood up.

With another sweep of my hand I was greeted with a strange sight: I was dangling in front of a giant crone, who seemed to be in the midst of some discussion.

"And you don't care how much I offer you?" She said, looking past me.

I ran to the windows in the back of the house just in time to see who she was talking to.

"It's a useless cursed object," Thasmius said with my voice, "not only does it trick the user into thinking their dreams can come true, but it accelerated my death. Look with your third eye if you wish, I am now struck with an incurable cancer. I simply want to be rid of it."

The woman glared at my locker for another moment before answering.

"So it's both useless and indestructible?" She asked. When he nodded she continued, "twenty dollars then."

"Deal," the monster wearing my face immediately said, sticking his hand out. The old woman shook it and took my locket from his hand.

"Come again," she called as he left. She then brought me further into the store, which seemed to be mostly antiques.

Near the back was a large crate with a sign over it that simply read "possibly cursed." She tossed me in without any preamble. Luckily there was no sense of motion in the locket or I'd probably feel like the mansion was a roller coaster at this point.

I'll probably be here a while. The thought didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It's not like I was short on time.

I summoned an over-sweetened cup of coffee and waited.