Choices
After a few seconds, a new screen opened up in front of me. Gone was the blue monotonous screen and it was replaced by something much better with warm colors, its edges pulsed with a gentle, rhythmic glow that seemed to synchronize with the beating of my heart. The edges of the screen shimmered with ever-changing hues, like a living entity breathing with energy. It seemed to slowly change from cyan to yellow and vice versa.
The screen in front of me now showed the three paths available to me. This was the turning point, a fork in my road. The choices I make today would make me or break me, shape my future, or leave me as another speck of dust.
Requiem of the Moon_ Paths [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1151356427802263637/1159348728147214387/Requiem_of_the_Moon_Paths.png?ex=6530b2a4&is=651e3da4&hm=d39be9027033bbfa890e6f946ed5338bbe7bed4bd679e859811d80b75798ab80&]'Neat.'
[Can I get more information, let's start in order so let's go with the spirit path.]
Requiem of the Moon_Spirit_path [https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1151356427802263637/1160145256981999626/Requiem_of_the_Moon_spirits.png?ex=65339877&is=65212377&hm=80573bd928267823832b7165831b102a7d3d04d5b9097474b981db1c17abe2f1&=&width=619&height=876]
'Branches? So each path further divides into specialization. Hmmm, this is getting trickier by the minute. That means I'll have to choose from six choices now.'
Access to Prana would be terrific, it's a stable form of energy and also incredibly powerful even in small amounts. My strength stat is quite low so a summoner path or incorporeal spirit form might not be bad. But to completely lose my physical form is a no. That leaves the water spirit summoner's path. Hmmm if optimized properly it could mesh well with my existing archery skills. An extra layer of defense and eyes. Rangers are typically accompanied by some animal companions as far as I have known in the fantasy RPG. A spirit would be better in my opinion. I remember many elven archers who would go with this same schematic.
[Next, show me the Titan path]
Requiem of the Moon_Titan_path [https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1151356427802263637/1160145257485320222/Requiem_of_the_Moon_titan.png?ex=65339877&is=65212377&hm=ce593784794e53393f8cc833c0e95f75da630444c77a1eebc5fa2fbe4e5719a9&=&width=619&height=876]
'Whoa, titans are powerful, way too powerful, a master of both the pen and sword and dial up the power up to infinity. Makes sense that there is a hefty cost for that power, but that would be a no as well. I don't know how long I will live or how I will live but I would like to stay with the comrades I have right now. So Titan is a no as well. But makes you wonder why I got this option, same with the astral option too.'
'The Beastmaster is another summoner class but I'll have a lot more options and my kit would be that much more versatile. The only thing is I probably will have to go and catch the beasts first like Pokemon. I guess emo will be the first edition if I pick this class. Haa Emo, I still think it was a stroke of genius to name the baby Emu-Emo. Well because first, it's an emu, and second, due to the black color scheme. Third, it rhymes with Nemo, my favorite childhood Pixar movie. I am not that good at naming but I think this is one of my best. I wonder how Emo is doing now? It's been two months now since I started on this solitary journey. I will have to get it treats to apologize for making it wait so long. Ah....you are slipping Kaito, concentrate. Focus on the task at hand.'
[Now at last show me the avatar path]
Requiem of the Moon_avatar_path [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1151356427802263637/1160160096114974762/Requiem_of_the_Moon_avatar.png?ex=6533a649&is=65213149&hm=e3733f969d3cbbbb9023ccc1d6b64ede1d126bd73d6a78e1f19ecc2e3ea14acf&]
'Yup super powerful all right, just the secondary source of energy would be enough to pull me over to this side. Polymorph sure is OP, imagine getting a dragon and becoming a dragon rider, that right there is the stuff of dreams. Every man would probably dream of that at least once in their lifetime. And I can change the classes whenever I damn well please. Whistle*, man a long-ranged caster, silent and deadly. I would be like the phantom of myths. The last option would make a moving fortress with the shielder and the supporter build. High defense, healing, buffs, debuffs. The polymorph is OP. Since it says 'Master of many' at the same time as 'Jack of all trades' then that would mean that the stats get changed and balanced whenever I change classes.'
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
The Cavalry Knight seems to be the balanced of all three. Sort of like the middle man but is well accounted for considering the strength of the mount as well. The attack power would be the highest in the case of Arcane sniper but my defenses might be like paper. The Garrison is where all the defense is stocked but attack potency might be very bad.
'From the Elemental branch, I get the feeling that I would be like the Avatar from The Last Air Bender. The elemental fusions in later stages seem promising, whoa.... makes me giddy just thinking about it. It's like childhood dreams coming true only this will be stronger since I can probably use my abilities using just my mind or spells and the output should be far greater as well judging from the description. I don't think the system would throw words like 'devastating' as just a sales pitch.'
'But the Avatar path as a whole probably means that I would be more intertwined with the Equinox system. The avatar of the system does not invoke a very good feeling inside me. I don't even have to ask the system for clarification I am sure of it, that these are chains, albeit voluntary ones. This is not why I asked for the Eunioa system. I want freedom. I want choices. I don't want to be just a chess piece in the grand scheme of things. Even if that is what will probably happen at the end of the road. Still, in the end, I would like to have the relief that whatever happened, happened due to my choice. I refuse to be a cog used for someone else's schemes. Even if it is a multiversal concept made through the combined will of the worlds.'
Since the avatar option is sadly out, that effectively boils down my options to just two: Beastmaster and Water Spirit.
[System, what would you recommend to me from these two options?]
Requiem_of_the_Moon_system_recommendation [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1151356427802263637/1159370198458056745/I_will_recommend_the_Spirit_Path_1.png?ex=6530c6a3&is=651e51a3&hm=4e1905fab0c5160231e32ea2788bfe1cab563c02e5d33586181a491d0d420e38&]
'So it recommended the path instead of the branches, well at this point both are the same given the choices I gave. Basically Prana > Familia, according to the system and I agree as well. Besides, there is one thing that irks me with the Beastmaster and that is the beasts, they can die when compared to the spirits that are immaterial. It is inevitable as a summoner that I will have to sometimes field my summons to escape from tricky situations. I don't know If I can send someone to their death like that. I shudder at the thought of sending Emo to die in place of me. It may not be a big deal to others when you compare it to the fact that at future levels I can even field titans from the south to fight for me. What's more the sheer versatility the Beastmaster class would give me.'
But the water spirits have quite a list of advantages as well.
First, spirit summoning is not widely practiced and information about it is very low even when compared to the Beastmasters who themselves are a very rare breed.
Second, the emperor class spirit could very well be on par with the strongest of titans given that it is a force of nature given will. The spirits also cannot be under mind control since once gain they are forces of nature given will, you will have to deploy something on the planetary scale to even try and control them.
Third, spirits are malleable even more so with water spirits, they can work quite well with my already existing skills, so I would not have to change my battle tactics significantly when compared to the Beastmasters who have to change their styles constantly with each respective beast. As they say 'Stick to what you know'.
Fourth is teamwork, as spirits of water it is highly unlikely that there would be any disarray or incompatibility with each other as opposed to beasts who have their own unique attunement and affinities.
Fifth, Prana, not much needs to be said about it. It is powerful and there are likely no countermeasures to it. If utilized correctly it might also facilitate the opening of the rest of my chakras, the source of my power. The reason I was given the system and hence these choices in the first place. I will get stronger with more chakras unlocked so going with the option that helps me in that is a no-brainer.
[I will choose the Water spirit branch of the Spirit path.]
Requiem_of_the_Moon_acknowledgement [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1151356427802263637/1159378673619714119/Requiem_of_the_Moon_acknowledgement.png?ex=6530ce88&is=651e5988&hm=06520796dcc7f569e5e3539c7550440124a7e5d43d0ed36aa4e0455c6e161ead&]
'Wha - what do you mean restructuring..crap, I feel dizzy.'
My head spun, and the world seemed to blur for a moment. The last sight I saw was the ground and the cobbled stones as I hit my head on those very stones.
One full day passed the next time I opened my eyes again, it seemed it was still noon. I now have an inbuilt clock thanks to the system, it was because of this that I was able to find out how much time had passed since the system knocked me out cold. I woke up with saliva dripping down the side of my mouth, not a very elegant way of waking up that's for sure.
I could feel the changes in my body, my body felt different, alien even.
[System, show my status]