I was working the day the portals opened. Like any other typical day in Minnesota in November it was cold with the dreadfully wonderful possibility of snow. I'm not sure what is happening in our parking lot but something like a sixth sense combines with an uncomfortable heat. The clear noonday sun is drowned by a blue light? and I feel a wave of something wash over me.

The light almost seems to be solid, and I can literally feel it, like an ethereal energy, tingle across my skin.

As this energy rushed into me I felt it innately like an extension that had always been there, ready to answer to my demand. I felt empowered like I have been dying of thirst my whole life without knowing it and finally I had the energy I never knew I needed as it filled every cell of my body..

My whole life I have been a fan of fantasy games and books. Here was my opportunity. Portals to other worlds open like this books and game, not real life and the something coming out of the portal just felt right.

I walked away from the desk. it no longer mattered. Only the portal and the power it provided meant anything now the portal itself was a glowing blue archway covered in esoteric runes or glyphs. It was hard to tell with the heavily armed individuals outfitted in resplendent armor. It would have been magnificent if they weren’t grabbing people and putting collars on them.

Not even thinking, I rush forward filled with this new energy towards the nearest slaver grabbing a woman by the hair. I grab his wrist and realize I need a weapon but all my weapons which I have quite a few of, aren’t with me. I am somewhat a collector of weapons but they were in my room, which is actually pretty close since my job let me live onsite. I could even visualize the axe I needed in my hand and suddenly it was there. Confused but not about to waste an opportunity. I bring it down spike first into the joint of the slaver's armor with all the power now filling my body. The tip went in about 3 inches and the elf screeched in pain. Forgetting the woman, he turns to me murder filling his eye.

“You humans get a little magic back and always assume that you're not the gutter trash that you are. I was going to make you my servant . A true honor for one so low as yourself but now i'm going to kill you slowly,” he spits, his serene visage now twisted in pain and rage.

I should be afraid but all I feel is excitement and adrenaline. He began walking toward me hindered by the axe still lodged in his leg. Gathering up a ball of flame in his hand the elf lobbs the fireball at me. I could feel the energy coming, it was strong and yet I knew somehow that I could catch it; simply envisioning the ball coming to a stop before my hand , smiling when it did.

Now he looked shocked and a touch of fear seemed to color his eyes while they widened, his mouth dropping open like a fish. This was the first time I had felt truly alive maybe ever.

The ball in my hand changed as I imagined it hotter and it turned a blue verging on white. With a strong application of will, I compress it and send it back at the slaver.

He had just created a glowing barrier in the span of the heartbeat. The condensed fireball meets his shield and shatters it,shearing a hole into his armor. punching through the original caster right through his heart I felt Something new rushing into my body obviously different to what I assumed must be magic coming from the portal is.

The remaining slaver’s were too busy taking slaves to realize I killed their comrade. Good. I took the sword and scabbard off the slaver who hadn't even had time to draw them along with a bag of some sort , a sort of pouch I can tie to my belt so I figured I’d investigate it when I have a moment.I really hoped this was what I was thinking it was. A bag of holding is practically a staple of fantasy. I then drew the sword, feeling a resonance with the magic infused in the blade. Somehow I know I can change its size and shape at will.

Finally they notice me holding their dead compatriot’s weapon and they all abandon what they were doing to seek vengeance for their fallen brother. With 3 against me I am wary to make the first move when suddenly one jumps forward drawing his sword and bringing it up for a downward swing faster than I would've thought possible. I manage to sidestep the attack just barely body coursing with adrenaline, fear and tinge of excitement. I had practiced with weapons training all my life not to mention devouring most books on fictional magic and fantasy. I swung my sword at him, focusing on increasing its weight at the apex of the swing while reinforcing my arms and legs with the mysterious new energy. The blade hit his arm slicing it off with grizzly ease. Now weaponless and armless the warrior screeches out his agony. He is still strong enough to start creating lighting in his hand and I have to give a grudging respect to the fighter. He condenses it into a bolt and launches it in my direction..

Another warrior is charging me with whips of water. Rather than catching this attack like i did the fireball I simply bounce it towards the water whip wielder. The lightning acts like a taser locking her muscles with over stimulation, and rooting her in place.

The slaver who had launched the bolt stumbles after the redirect and his arm falls to his side as I lop off his head. Another surge of power flows into me. I could addicted to the euphoric feelings these hits of energy bring.

I almost feel bad for killing the one I tased while she was passed out from the electrocution but I remind myself she came to take slaves. She deserves no mercy, as I drive my stolen sword through her heart. That addictive pulse jolts me again and I can’t help the mad smile that forms on my face. This was everything I could have hoped for.

The last Slaver simply stands there staring at the bodies of her team, shaking. Her wide trembling eyes fixate on me, the monster, after her examination. I am standing over one of the bodies, sword dripping blood. Strangely I can see a blue light reflecting in her eyes. Is that surrounding me?. She throws herself at my feet clearly not wanting to die.

I stand over this woman and suddenly my mind clears. My stomach tightens and I have to stop my from retching when I look around. I realized I was acting on instinct, and need to learn all I can about this new power I wield. So what to do now is the question. My mind went back to game and fantasy lore especially the medieval system of having other people pledge themselves to a cause and realized I should see if I could bind her to myself as a vassal that could teach about this power which while I had an instinctive understanding of it I had no real info just gut feeling.

I spoke to her” I will let you live so long as you pledge your life to my cause and become my first vassal”

She looked up confused wondering how this human knew of the vassal contract ,an ancient soulbinding oath that was supposed to be a secret of the military and the free populace. But how he knew hardly mattered he obviously knew and could kill her if she refused. Would kill her, she was sure of it. She was admittedly a coward. After all she hadn’t gotten healing magic to help other people. She had gotten it to heal herself and because they were relied upon and needed while protected.

She rose to one knee and spoke

” I pledge to my life, my loyalty and my magic from this day until My Last”

something seemed to ring in the air as more energy poured out of the portal surrounding them .

  I felt the magic swirl around me stronger than ever and the word that came flowed next like they were practiced and remembered from a long forgotten memory.

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“I accept your pledge , you will always have a place in my heart and as my vassal” I Pointed to a tattoo of a self design star. “I mark this symbol as the link of our bond between magic and soul to unite our might” the black tattoo began to glow golden and the magic in the area seemed to form a tether between me and her stronger than steel . the same tattoo suddenly appeared on her arm glowing as well and she screamed out of confusion and some pain. This wasn’t a regular vassal contract the human had added another verse to his part of the oath and now she was marked owned like the slave of her world. Then she felt something else, a weird sensation like everything she understood about magic was suddenly clear and just made sense in a way it hadn't before. She looked to the human further confused to see he now had an aura that felt like her healing aura

When she screamed I was so confused by what was happening? Had I messed up and hurt her? Suddenly it hit me How would i heal her with magic and knowledge of how to move the magic in a pattern around me and fill it with an intent to heal and restore

Filled my mind like I had studied it myself . a greenish aura surrounded me. It made me realize I was hurt, having forced my muscles to move faster than they should have been capable of without knowing about it. I was so sore and yet the soreness was easing away. I looked at her and confused eyes met confused eyes “ what just happened” we said in unison.

“That was not a normal soul contract” she said obviously angry “Not like I would know what the normal soul contract even is” I said getting defensive even though i had some theory from fantasy lore.

‘That's crap, you said the normal words but then added a line from sort of summoning spell and then you put a mark on me branding as your property”

She said with venom in her voice

To which my righteousness perked “ how dare you accuse me of trying to make you a slave when I saw your friends putting collars people '' I said pointing to the dead bodies, shame marked her face finally. She spoke softly” sometimes the world moves in a direction you don't agree with and yet you feel powerless and or too scared to act against the majority”.

I understood exactly what she had meant. America had often moved and changed in ways i didn't like or agree with big corporations and rich people were basically running america at this point. I came from a lower class family. No name or money except what I could earn from jobs with crap pay.

That's why this portal and the world on side had so excited me until I saw the collars, now I feared what I'd find on the other side. So I asked her '' what's on the side of the portal?” sensing somehow she would be honest. She looked down and spoke “ A specialized outpost for portal opening and with a garrison for these missions and to protect the servant camp.”

A grim thought appeared in my head that I'd have to kill a whole garrison. Some might be people forced into soldier life like her so maybe i wouldn't have to kill them. “ I meant what is the world like, is slavery common?” She looked saddened and spoke “ yes it is , my world is one of the High Elves. Our government is based on royalty with 13 Noble Families each running a designated zone of towns, villages and cities. The king rules over it all from a capital city.

Royalty I thought scoffing internally, is the worst system that could be established of course. Nepotism is universal.I was definitely going to be killing many royals on that world and looking forward to it unless they could be reasoned with to give up slaves peacefully otherwise it was going to be a full on french revolution.

I needed more info on this power coursing through me and how to make the best use of it. Despite feeling amazing, I was also sore and fatigued like I had run a mile in a minute." What can you tell me about the power from your world?" I prompted

She began” we have a somewhat complicated system, if you grab one of the bracelets off the dead bodies I can show you how it will show your basic stats. We work on training our bodies using meditation and controlling the direction of the mana, improving our bodies by intent. We can also gain energy from the things we kill which allows us to level up forcibly strengthening a specific characteristic.Some people can level up without killing but those methods are complicated and obviously not well known. Lastly we have class and affinities which can come from a number of things but mostly are about intent and choice all mana floating through that portal is pure. People pull that from the air and change it to their type naturally

At this point I picked up one of the bracelets she was wearing and put it on. I asked her if should be worried something will come through the portal to check on all these dead slavers``, I spat the word. '' no “ she replied this mission was supposed to take 20 min and we didn't get a chance to trigger our distress beacon. She then spoke '' say status out loud while looking at the bracelet” I did and a wall of text appeared in front of me

Name: wolfgang vonduke

Age : 24

Health: 1495/1500

Mana :2300/3000*

affinity - Pure

EXP:1500/1000 +

Body -5

Mind- 8

senses-3

Presence-5

sub*

Human(special)*

Class - Royal sorcerer*

specialization - Oathmaker*

First vassal -Tamira

Powers gained from bond - Overdrive*, Healing Aura*, Lay on Hands*, Inspect *

Racial Traits gained from bond-mana burn immunity

I finally looked away overwhelmed by the volume of the info it was me condensing into numbers. There was access to other tabs on expanded pages for certain things so I started with the human One

Humans (special)- as a race that survived without magic you will thrive in magical environments and progress faster than others who grew up in magic. Additionally it seems you come from thought extinct line of sorcerers who could shape mana to their thought and intent able to create any type of spell they understood and where known for their powerful specializations

Next i clicked on the Royal sorcerer tab

Royal sorcerer- powerful users of magic that can bend magic to their will and imagination. They understand magic and the more they practice the more it will become an extension of them. This is a restricted class that is from bloodline trait

Lastly i picked the Oathmaker Tab

Specialization - Oathmaker -user can make deal pacts or oaths that are mutually beneficial. You will gain powers and traits from them and they will receive a lesser version of your own instinctual sorcery with other caveats thats can amended under mutual consent

I finally closed the screens. That had been insane. I was some type of sorcerer that specialized in working with others. I guess it fit my life mantra Stronger together

Suddenly my best friend Diego comes running out the building so confused and discombobulated . I ran up to him and said “ Diego I need you to listen to me and do what i say> It is important” he looked scared but nodded I had him repeat the same words as the elf and spoke my part suddenly the tattoo he helped design started glowing and the same one appeared on his arm. He yelped confused

I was Already stripping one of the dead elves of their armor and tossing the bracelet to Diego. “Put this on and say status “ I told him.

I started putting the oven armor on. it was a little bit snug but seemingly stretchy until I got the last piece on at which point it became fitted to my body . I could feel the enchantments in the armor. I got the vague sense that the chest strengthened the armor and had the helmet sort of subtle mind confusion spell that I didn't fully understand but I could add more power to to increase its effect. The legs had an enchantment to increase speed of movement. The arm guards had a dual strengthening effect and an ability to input mana into them to produce shields based on mental imagery. I was amazed I was outfitted like a warrior of fantasy. This Fantasy. This was so cool.

Suddenly tamira cut into my reverie. “Hey they will send someone to investigate soon. You should level before that happens” “ level up”? I said, “yes when you cut down my compatriots you must have noticed a rush of power “ she said insistently. Yes I had felt that and I had exp in my tab so I nodded. “ Good what is your highest stat?” she asked, making a rushing motion. I hesitantly told “8 in mind” she had a look of disbelief but didn't argue. She then told me to open up the tab again and say ``initiate level up assigned to mind.”. I did as she said and the power rushed to my head and I felt smarter. Many ideas and concepts just seemed easier to understand.

“Wow” i said turning to Tamira, “ I am going through that portal to kill the commander of the fort and free the slaves while you stay here and train Diego.’’

Once again she didn't argue I looked at the portal and jumped to my room on the 2nd floor i grabbed all my throwing knifes and my longboard I stored everything in the bag of holding which it obviously was and jumped back down and began approaching the portal

I checked Diego vassal status first to see if I had gotten any new traits or abilities

Second vassal -Diego

Powers gained from bond- Mold earth*, control plant, bond with plants, alter plants

Traits gained from bond- In forests or garden mana regen is increased

I was pretty impressed. all useful skills . Mold earth seemed the most useful so i clicked on its tab

Mold earth- controlling stone or dirt is second nature to you and will respond to your intent

Awesome, I could skewer somebody or lock them in place. I had a plan and it just might work.

I guess my plan was to go into the portal and try to shut it down, free the prisoners, kill who knows how many slavers, and try not to die.” Easy” I said grimacing. Part was scary but I also felt like this was what I was meant to do with the power of that world. to right injustices that needed to be fixed no matter the cost.

All that was left to do was get going,