I woke up to the soft, warm light of morning shining through the little round window above my bed. There was this funny feeling in my head, like something exciting was going to happen today. I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up more, but that feeling just got stronger and stronger. My heart started to beat fast because I knew what it was, it was the Voice. The Voice was calling me! I just needed to calm down and listen...
Welcome, Elyndra, beloved child of Aiya.
It is with great joy that I greet you on this, the dawn of your true journey. You have taken your first, most important step into the world that awaits you, a world where your potential is limitless, where you will discover the depths of your strength and the wonders of your destiny. I have watched over you, little one, as the earth nurtures the seed, waiting for this moment when you would awaken to your purpose. And now, the time has come.
You are chosen, Elyndra, as all who hear my Voice are chosen. You are special, not merely because of the gifts you have been given, but because of the path that lies before you, a path only you can walk. The life you have known until now was merely preparation, the soil in which you have grown strong. But now, you shall blossom, and the world will witness the greatness that lies within you.
Know that I am with you always, guiding you, whispering to you, helping you to unlock the potential that has always been yours. Trust in my guidance, dear one, and you will never walk alone. The journey may be long, the challenges are many, but you will find strength in my presence, comfort in my embrace, and power in the knowledge that you are never abandoned.
To see the gifts you possess, to understand the tools at your disposal, simply speak or think the word "Status." It will reveal to you the path, abilities that will carry you through the trials ahead. This is your birthright, Elyndra. Embrace it.
I am with you always, my beloved child of Aiya.
Welcome to your destiny.
When the Voice started to fill my mind, it was soft but strong at the same time, like a pretty song you could barely hear but that made my heart feel all warm. I remembered hearing the older kids talk about this moment, the day when the Voice of Aiya would show them their Status Screen, the path they were supposed to follow. They always made it sound like a big deal, with some of them excited and some a little scared. This was the day when everything would start for real, when they would find out what they were meant to do in the world. I had been dreaming about this day for as long as I could remember, picturing myself using powerful magic, changing the world around me just like Master Caldrin did in his lessons.
I closed my eyes and took another deep breath, letting the sound flow through me, feeling it in every part of me. And then, all of a sudden, my Status Screen appeared in front of me, glowing softly in the dim light of my room, just for my eyes to see.
Name
Elyndra
Class
Pebblemancer
Tier
Earth Tier 1 (Talc)
Mana
15 / 15
Attributes
STR 11 (Strength)
DEX 13 (Dexterity)
INT 15 (Intelligence)
CON 15 (Constitution)
WIS 14 (Wisdom)
CHA 12 (Charisma)
Abilities Pebblemancy 0/10
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I sat up quickly, and my heart was jumping when I saw the glowing words right in front of me. This was it, my class! The one I’d been waiting for! I think!? "Pebblemancer," I whispered, trying out the word. It sounded so magical, like something out of the stories Master Caldrin told us. ‘Mancer’ meant magic, right? I remembered how ‘pyromancer’ was someone who used fire and ‘necromancer’ was about spooky stuff with the dead. So, a ‘Pebblemancer’ must be someone who can control the earth, like making stones and mountains move! That would be so cool!
But then I looked at the numbers next to the words, and they didn’t really make sense. My INT and WIS were bigger than 10, which is what most humans have, so that seemed right for someone with a magic class. But my CON was reeeaaally high for someone who’s supposed to be doing magic. Fifteen!? That’s super big! And then there was my STR and DEX, 11 and 13. Most magic people aren’t that strong or fast, are they? My CHA was 12, which seemed okay, but I didn’t understand why my numbers were all mixed up like that. No! The Voice is never wrong. It will make sense eventually, just like Master Caldrin says.
My confusion melted away, and I got super excited again. I couldn’t wait to try out my new abilities, to see what it meant to be a Pebblemancer. Without thinking, no time for that right now, I jumped out of bed, my feet landing softly on the cold stone floor as I ran to the door. I pushed it open and dashed down the hallway of the orphanage, my heart pounding with anticipation.
“Nina! Nina, I heard it!” I yelled as I almost bumped into the Nun who took care of us. She looked surprised, but I was already running past her, just a blur as she spun around, probably to tell me off.
“Elyndra, slow down!” she called after me, but I didn’t stop, not today. I could hear my footsteps bouncing off the stone walls as I hurried outside. I didn’t even notice the other kids staring at me like a weirdo. All I could think about was finding a pebble, when they see me be awesome it'll all be worth it!
I burst into the orphanage garden, breathing in the fresh morning air as I looked around really fast. There! A small, plain pebble was lying in the grass. It didn’t look special at all, but to me, it was like finding a treasure. It was going to help me unlock my new powers.
I dropped to my knees, breathing hard, and grabbed the pebble. I just stared at it for a moment, feeling its rough edges, imagining the magic that was going to flow through me any second. Then, I closed my eyes and focused on the pebble, trying to make it move with my new powers.
Nothing happened...
I frowned and tried again, really concentrating this time. I pictured the pebble floating above my hand, rising slowly into the air because I told it to. But it just sat there, not moving at all.
“Why isn’t it working?” I mumbled, feeling frustrated now. The Status Screen said I had the power of Pebblemancy, so why wasn’t it doing anything? Was there something I didn’t know!? Something I hadn’t learned yet!?
I thought back to Master Caldrin’s lessons, remembering what he said about how magic worked. It’s all about mana, he said. 'Mana is the energy that flows through everything, the force that makes spells work.' So that must mean without using mana, you can’t do magic.
My eyes lit up as I finally understood. "Status!" I screamed out.
Name
Elyndra
Class
Pebblemancer
Tier
Earth Tier 1 (Talc)
Mana
15 / 15
Attributes
STR 11 (Strength)
DEX 13 (Dexterity)
INT 15 (Intelligence)
CON 15 (Constitution)
WIS 14 (Wisdom)
CHA 12 (Charisma)
Abilities Pebblemancy 0/10
Of course! I was trying to move the pebble without using my mana, the number hasn't gone down so that must be it! That’s why nothing was happening, I needed to put my energy into the pebble, to channel my mana through me and into the stone.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again, this time focusing inside me. I could feel the mana there, warm and bouncy like a little ball of green-brown light inside me, just waiting to be used. I reached out with my mind, gently pulling that energy towards my hand, into the pebble.
The stone started to glow a little bit as I focused my mana, and a strange feeling washed over me. It was like opening a door I didn’t know was there, letting the energy flow freely for the first time. The feeling was amazing, and my heart skipped a beat when the stone wiggled slightly in my hand.
My breath got stuck in my throat as I watched the pebble slowly rise above my palm, floating just a tiny bit. It wobbled, like it wasn’t sure what to do, but it was moving, I was making it move!
Mana
0 / 15
But the moment didn’t last long. The pebble fell back into my hand as a dizzy feeling hit me. All my strength was leaving me, and my vision started to go dark. My legs couldn’t hold me up anymore, and I fell onto the ground, the pebble slipping out of my hand as everything went black.
Warning: You have incurred Mana Exhaustion, please seek medical help immediately!
The last thing I saw before I passed out was the pebble lying in the grass, just a small, ordinary stone, oh and here comes Miss Nina... I'm, I'm gonna get in trouble for this aren't I...
Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill 'Mana Manipulation'.
Congratulations! 'Mana Manipulation' has increased in proficiency and is now 1/10
Congratulations! 'Pebblemancy' has increased in proficiency and is now 1/10
I see greatness in your Path, Elyndra. Rely on me, and may your journey be filled with triumph and purpose, as you grow ever closer to the Voice.