Miguel sat in the center of the grove, his legs crossed as he meditated. A gentle rain fell upon his head, soothing his tired muscles. He had been training for hours, running, swimming, and lifting various rocks before spending even more hours working on his weapons forms. It was an exhausting regimen, but one to which he’d remained committed for weeks.

Because he knew the cost of weakness. He had seen it with his own two eyes. He had felt it as he was rendered helpless by the man who’d kidnapped him and as he’d trekked across the wilderness, completely incapable of contributing his fair share. Certainly, he’d made himself as useful as he could, but he had been severely limited by his age and lack of archetype. But he’d also seen how the Scholars had held the group back, and in the end, that experience had been a formative one for the young man.

He refused to be weak.

And so, without the benefit of his archetype, he’d taken to his uncle’s training regimen with the full weight of his commitment, pushing himself well past the point of exhaustion. The only time he rested was when his body gave out, and even then, while Nerthus used his healing skill to assist recovery, Miguel worked on preparing the more esoteric facets of development for the moment when he would eventually awaken his archetype.

At first, meditation had been difficult. When Elijah had tried to guide him, Miguel had only felt a faint whisper from the natural world. However, with Nerthus taking the reins, things had gone much more smoothly. Part of that was the environment. The grove was thick with ethera, to the point where it had initially felt suffocating. Now, though, Miguel used that dense energy to his advantage. He couldn’t really use it – not to fuel abilities or anything. Nor could he guide it the same way that others could. But living in that environment brought him even closer to nature, affirming his attunement in his mind.

He didn’t need a line on a status to tell him that he was nature attuned. He knew it in his heart. Perhaps he always had. Even before the world had changed, he’d been fascinated with animals – what young boy wasn’t? – but he’d also spent more time in the wilderness than most of his friends. Both of his mothers thought it was important, and though his experiences hadn’t been quite as extensive as his uncle’s, it had laid the foundation for who he was. And everything he’d been through since then had built upon that framework to become what he hoped was a strong attunement.

According to Nerthus, they weren’t all equal. One person’s nature attunement was not the same as another’s. It wasn’t graded by the system, but it was an undeniable truth of the multi-verse. And Miguel’s attunement was very strong. Not quite as powerful as Elijah’s, but that was expected. Again, based on what the spryggent said, the power Elijah’s attunement was at the peak of what was possible, which was one of the reasons he’d been so successful in his chosen archetype.

Miguel hoped it would be indicative of his own impending success.

Suddenly, he felt a wet nose nudging against his neck. He tried to ignore it, but that only made it more insistent. Finally, he let out a sigh and opened his eyes to see Trevor gazing at him expectantly. The fawn had grown to the size of a normal doe, and his antlers – crystalline, just like his father’s – had begun to grow. At present, they were barely more than a pair of nubs on his head, but one day, they would be just as impressive as Bubba’s.

“Fine,” Miguel said, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a small pouch that was filled with grove berries. He’d been on a steady diet of the things since coming to live in the grove, but he could still only handle about half a berry before being overwhelmed by ethera and passing out. Still, he’d been told that they were good for him, and because even one bite gave him the nutrients of a full meal, he’d continued to eat them most days. It was much easier than having to prepare food or worry about what he wanted, which gave him even more time to train.

He tossed one to the juvenile deer, who snapped it out of the air, then turned a circle in excitement. Sometimes, Trevor reminded Miguel of a puppy, which never failed to bring a smile to his face. The entire family of guardians loved those berries, but Nerthus had wasted no time in training them not to just help themselves. If there was one rule on the island, it was that nobody should encroach on Nerthus’ garden. In a lot of ways, the grove was more his domain than Elijah’s.

Miguel took a deep breath and, as he felt the dense ethera permeate his body, he took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. During the journey from Easton to Seattle, he’d often felt that he would never be safe again. Yet, here he was, completely and unequivocally safe from any real danger.

And all he wanted was to run off into the real wilderness and regain that feeling of danger that had once pervaded his life. There was something about spending his days balanced on the edge of a knife that made him feel more alive. Training – especially sparring with Colt or Kurik – went a long way toward filling that void, but it just wasn’t the same. He wanted to fight. He wanted to scratch and claw for the smallest advantage that would allow him to survive.

It wasn’t the adrenaline he craved. Rather, he wanted to matter. He wanted to make a difference. He wanted power, and not just so he could protect the people he cared about. That was a big part of it, but there was also a need to rise above hardship, to endure what others could not. To stand up against whatever the world could throw at him and come out on top.

In short, he wanted to be challenged. To fight for fighting’s sake. And he wanted to win. He needed it, and not just for the confirmation that he was better than the obstacles – be they natural or otherwise – arrayed against him.

That was why Miguel trained so much. He never again wanted to be found wanting. To be too weak to overcome adversity. He knew that wasn’t realistic. He couldn’t always win. Everyone lost. But that wasn’t the point. Striving for that goal was all that really mattered.

Those thoughts were racing through his mind while he scratched the fawn between his eyes. Then, suddenly, words appeared before his inner eye:

Scanning human [Miguel Rodriguez] for aspects. [Nature] aspect found. [Martial] aspect found. [Faith] aspect found. [Exploration] aspect found. Generating class choices…

“It’s happening…”

The aspects were not surprising. He’d expected both of the first two, even if he’d hoped to receive the [Sage] aspect as well. If he’d still held out hopes of becoming a Druid like his uncle, they were dashed against the reality of his aspects. Without the [Sage] aspect, it just wasn’t possible.

What surprised Miguel was the [Faith] aspect, mostly because he’d never been particularly religious. He knew that his mother had grown up Catholic, but when she’d left southern California, she’d also moved away from that religion. By comparison, his other mother had maintained her faith, but she’d kept it mostly to herself, letting Miguel decide his own path. The world had changed before he’d ever had the chance, and as far as he could see, finding God didn’t make a lot of sense in the new version of Earth. Others, he knew, disagreed.

So, the addition of the [Faith] aspect was a little shocking. Perhaps it didn’t refer to a faith in God or religion, but rather in something else. Like family. Or the grove. Whatever the case, he didn’t think he’d get a proper explanation anytime soon. The Branch’s Knowledge Base was apparently difficult to navigate, so he’d need to find a Librarian to search out a guide that might explain it. And that just didn’t seem all that important at present.

That thought had just crossed his mind when the next notification appeared:

You have been awarded four choices of class archetypes. Choose well, because this decision will forever affect your path.

Miguel had barely finished reading the message when the next appeared:

Archetype: Warrior

A versatile melee archetype, proficient with most weaponry. Features bonuses to durability, Strength, and learning martial techniques.

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Required Aspect:

[Martial]

Sample Class Choices:

{Berserker}, {Guardian}, {Knight}, {Brawler}, {Gladiator}

First Skill:

Heavy Strikes

Compatibility: 91%

Close on that description was the next:

Archetype: Explorer

The Explorer is a hybrid between the Ranger and the Warrior, with some traits of various other archetypes. Focuses on experiencing new things and discovering new places. Features bonuses to travel speed, memory, and stealth.

Required Aspects:

[Nature], [Martial], [Exploration]

Sample Class Choices:

{Scout}, {Cartographer}, {Treasure Hunter}

First Skill:

Wanderlust

Compatibility: 74%

Then came:

Archetype: Ranger

The ranger is a hybrid between the Explorer and Warrior archetypes, with strong ties to both the martial and natural paths. Gives up true mastery of either path in favor of versatility. Features bonuses to durability, Regeneration, and One With Nature.

Required Aspects:

[Nature], [Martial]

Sample Class Choices:

{Predator}, {Tamer}, {Trapper}

First Skill:

Instincts

Compatibility: 91%

And finally, he saw the last option:

Archetype: Priest (H)

The Priest is a hidden archetype only available to those of strong Faith. It is a combination of Healer and Tactician, with a focus on leading a group of believers.

Required Aspects:

[Faith]

Sample Class Choices:

{Preacher}, {Inquisitor}, {Ritualist}

First Skill:

Preach

Compatibility: 51%

The only surprise was the final option, the Priest, which was apparently a hidden archetype that wasn’t part of the foundational twelve. He’d never heard anything about the existence of such an archetype, but it was right there in the notification.

“Did it happen?” came Elijah’s voice from behind.

“How did you know?” asked Miguel, glancing back to see his uncle’s expectant expression.

“I felt a surge of ethera. I didn’t know what it was until I realized it was coming from you,” Elijah answered. “Any surprises?”

“Warrior, Explorer, Ranger, and Priest,” Miguel read. “The last one is…special. It says it’s a hidden archetype.”

“Interesting,” Elijah said, striding forward and planting himself directly across from Miguel. “Read me the description?”

Miguel did, realizing that Nerthus had come to observe as well. When he’d finished, Elijah announced that he was going to get Miguel’s mother and Colt, cautioning him to wait until everyone was there before he made any decisions.

As Elijah transformed and flew away, Miguel asked Nerthus, “Do you know anything about hidden archetypes?”

“No. I only know of the foundational twelve,” Nerthus admitted. “But do not mistake its hidden status for power. No archetype is better than the others. Just different.”

Miguel wasn’t so sure about that. Scholars were markedly weaker than everyone else, at least from his experience. Sure, he recognized that they had their place in society, but that position was dependent on other people to protect it. Without Warriors and Sorcerers, Scholars were extraordinarily vulnerable. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t been offered the archetype. It was fine for others, but he never would have chosen it.

“I won’t choose it,” Miguel said after thinking about it for a couple of minutes. He had no interest in leading followers, and he certainly didn’t like the religious connotations of the terminology used in the description of the Priest archetype.

Otherwise, he was a bit torn. He’d expected to get the Warrior and Ranger archetypes as choices, but the addition of the Explorer option was a smalls urprise. Certainly, the Treasure Hunter class that was used as an example in the description awakened something in him. The idea of being rewarded for experiencing new places and things was attractive as well.

But some of that enthusiasm might’ve been due to the fact that it was new. He’d never even considered it as an option, while he’d been thinking about the Warrior and Ranger archetypes for months. As a result, the novelty certainly contributed to his excitement.

As he gave it some thought, the others arrived, and they began a discussion about his future. Miguel knew that it was ultimately his decision, but he would’ve been a fool not to consider their more experienced opinions.

Elijah put a lot of stock in how the system interpreted his compatibility, while Carmen was more concerned with how he felt. Meanwhile, Colt mostly kept his input to factual statements about what to expect, clearly not wanting to offer undue influence over whatever choice Miguel might make.

For his part, Miguel’s decision came down to two options. The Explorer archetype was interesting and novel, but it only took a few minutes’ worth of thought for him to discard it. The Priest archetype, he’d immediately pushed aside. That left Warrior or Ranger, both of which had extremely high compatibility. So, the choice was one of preference. Did he want to face his enemies head-on? Or did he want to use subterfuge, range, or circumstances?

When he thought of it like that, the decision was easy.

He chose Warrior.

Notably, it was the same archetype his mother had picked. And it wasn’t the one her murderer had chosen. He’d have been a bit deluded to think that those facts hadn’t affected his own decision.

He felt an influx of ethera that felt like electricity racing through his body. It wasn’t unpleasant, but he could feel the surge of power. More, because of his extensive efforts in meditation, he immediately felt the flow of ethera that would allow him to use abilities and, one day, cast spells.

Then, with a thought, he opened his status for the first ever:

Name

Miguel Rodriguez

Level

1

Archetype

Warrior

Class

N/A

Specialization

N/A

Alignment

N/A

Strength

8

Dexterity

8

Constitution

10

Ethera

9

Regeneration

7

Attunement

Nature

Cultivation

Body

Core

Mind

Soul

Unformed

Unformed

Unformed

Unformed

“Which one did you pick?” asked his mother.

“Warrior,” he said. Then, he explained his reasoning before reading his status to everyone. His mother seemed a little disappointed – or saddened, perhaps – but she tried to hide it. So, Miguel pretended not to notice. By comparison, Colt and Elijah – and even Nerthus – were all smiles.

“Well, you know what this means, right?” asked a grinning Elijah.

“What?”

“Now, you get to start the real work.”