(Author: Hello. Third chapter of five chapter release. Also experimenting with color changes to highlight important stuff. Easier to see than italics, my opinion. Side projects are fun. I can write them more leisurely and just spam a whole bunch at once. Regis and three others enter the heart of the mountain with Vizog the Undying. The ritual will now begin. Warning: mature content has arrived. Some choices made by the MC are too difficult for some people to make. Enjoy.)

--------Chapter 4: The Ritual Begins------------

The four participants followed the pillar of the clan down a series of dark tunnels. The only sounds they heard were the shuffling of their feet and the loud heart beat increasing as they ventured further and further underground. The ominous dark purple fire spooked the other three members of the main branch, but fascinated Regis as he recognized those flames as similar to the comet.

Regis traveled behind his grandfather as he was wary of them. He noticed their stares as his grandfather mentioned him by name earlier. Finally, they arrived in a large clearing with a huge body of water in the center of the clearing. Strange crystals emitted light and lit the underground lake clearing. The lake seemed sacred as the hearts of the participants seemed to calm as they stared at the serene water.

"We have arrived," Vizog said. "Now, there are some things that must be said to you all. You will enter a comatose state upon diving into the lake. You will enter a dream. In the dream, you will appear as a soldier in a large army of monsters and demons. The choices you make will determine the results. Upon entering the dream, you will realize your elements. You will use your new powers in combat against the human army and their allies."

"I thought we were going to be judged by the Moon Goddess Undying One?" one of the three said respectfully as he dipped his head low.

"She will be watching. Every decision you make, She will know. You will receive the blessing of contracting with one of the moon spirits if you survive the dream. Before you become the soldier in the dream, you will encounter five scenes. These scenes will define you and reveal to you your true nature. Upon becoming a soldier in the dream, you will receive something that is both a curse and a blessing. If you survive and successfully contract with a moon spirit, you can choose to keep Her blessing or curse," Vizog explained. "Know this, there is no next time. Failure is death. Choices are final. The moon spirits who choose you will appear after the battle. The spirit you choose to contract with is final. It becomes your power and will reside in you always. It will be your guide as it lives in your Spirit Realm. Good luck. Dive in when you are ready. Regis, you will enter last."

"Undying One, thank you for gracing us with your presence," the three others chanted and dived into the lake immediately.

"Regis. There is something you should know," Vizog warned. "Your dream will be different than theirs as you have already absorbed the powers of the gods. Your transformation is not natural. I believe you know this already. When you awaken, you will attain a human form already. When in human form, no creature or artifact can tell whether you are human or not. One of the Moon Goddess's many blessings. I will train you in ice and dark magic as I've said before. When you become a soldier in the dream, you will realize the power you absorbed from the comet. It will be beyond anything you have ever known. You must learn to fight with your dual blades, the six  curved blades on the dorsal side of both forearms. Life and death is the fastest and most efficient way to learn to use them. One mistake, and you will suffer. Humans use a sword and I will give you one to use when you awaken. Remember, the humans you will fight are not real, but you must learn to let go of the guilt and compassion."

'Is it because I will live among them as your spy?" Regis asked.

"Yes, Little Freak. You might learn to trust them, but you must always remember one thing: you are NOT one of them," Vizog warned. "They want to kill us all. Only my existence prevents them. Even if I don't choose to go to the Immortal Realms, I will forcefully ascend by the will of the Heavens one day. Our clan will depend on your intelligence should they plan to strike at our home. This is a heavy burden to bear and I am truly sorry, but you are the only among your sister and two brothers who has affinity for light magic. The sub branches will not know why you disappeared and believe that you are dead. Only your parents will know that you still live. Not even your brothers or sister will know. This is all for your sake and the sake of the clan. One day, I hope you forgive me as you realize how daunting this task I set before you truly is. Go now. They now sleep. The lake is sacred as it contains the tears of the Moon Goddess herself. Embrace it and do not resist its pull to make you slumber. Close your eyes and relax your mind. I believe in you Regis. I know that you will live."

"I will do my best not to let you down grandpa," Regis said as he puffed his chest and slithered toward the lake.

Vizog watched as his grandson slithered into the lake. He watched the water soak his robe and his abyssal black emerge as his hood fell back.  Regis traveled to the center of the lake before he noticed a strange presence wash over him. He didn't resist as his eyes felt heavy under a foreign influence and fell asleep. He was surprised as he could breathe normally in the strange water and relaxed as he knew he would not drown while he was in the dream.

Regis's vision went dark as he felt a soothing pressure on his body. Suddenly, he saw a flash of white as he entered an unknown place within the Spirit Realm. The place he was in was entirely white save for bright blue sky with clouds here and there. Around him were strange columns and ruins, as if he had appeared in the ruins of a sacred temple. Before him a bright light took the shape of a woman. It emanated pure power and Regis instinctively cowered before it.

"Greetings child of the Star Clan," the light said. "I am a fragment of the Moon Goddess. I will judge whether or not you are worthy of her blessing and curse. You have affinities for three elements. They are ice, light, and darkness. If you were a human mage, you would be normal, but you are not human. Monsters should not be able to have both light and darkness affinities. Furthermore, your affinity for darkness is at the peak. You are a Scion of Darkness, yet you have exceptional affinity for the light. There is also something you must know, ice and water are the very same element. The only difference is that one is more solid and less versatile than the other. Different states of the same element."

"I can use water magic?" Regis asked.

"Yes. Your elements are water, light, and darkness. You just have enough affinity for water to use ice. Do not believe whoever told you the difference between ice and water. They do not have access to human knowledge. All humans know that there is no such thing as a difference between ice and water. It all depends on ones mastery. Now then, Regis Star, it is time for your judgment. Five scenarios there will be before you. The results will dictate your future," the lady of light began. "You do not know this but right now, your spirit is no longer in your body. It is still anchored, but your spirit is on a journey of enlightenment."

"Then....the battle of the army will be real?" Regis asked, horrified.

"Yes. Your spirit will give life to a statue built by members of your clan. You will experience what your true potential will be like. All under you will obey your commands as you undergo the ritual. The statue will come to life and glow with an aura of light the color of the moon. You will fight as my champion in the battle. Others will also participate, but their statues will not be like those of your main branch," the fragment continued. "The ritual will now begin. We will meet again once you survive the battle of the armies. Choose wisely during the ten scenarios. Once it is made, a choice is irreversible. Only the most worthy in every ritual will personally contract with a spirit of the Moon Goddess. To you, it is a dream, but it is someone else's reality. Once a choice is made, you will experience the result first hand. If a choice involves death, you may very well experience the death of someone you condemned. This is the price of the main branch who undergo the ritual. Ten scenarios there will be and you act as a god and decide the outcome. Their fates lie in your hands.."

The room flashed and Regis appeared in a throne room. He saw a human threatening a noble girl with a knife. The human thief was cloaked in worn rags and held a silver knife in his hand. The noble girl was a red head with pig tails. She wore a revealing pink dress and covered her breasts as she stared, horrified, at the thief.

"The first scenario: the Lady and the Thief," the voice of the fragment of the Moon Goddess said. "Choosing to save the princess results in the thief's death. The thief has come to impregnate her and steal her gold. Letting him do so spares the kingdom from letting a spoiled human ascend the throne. This choice is not between good or evil. This choice is made to determine which you think is the lesser evil. Choose now."

"Save a woman or save a kingdom...I don't know the woman. The choice is obvious: ignore her," Regis said.

"The choice is made. Now the result will commence," the voice said.

Regis cried out as his spirit suddenly entered the thief's body. He had no control of the body and watched, in first person, the thief grab the woman and push her on the bed. He felt everything the thief did, including the pleasure. Once the thief was satisfied, he took her gold as she stared at the sky with lifeless eyes.

"This is my justice. Did you know, that worthless daughter you had killed was my daughter. Killing you would be too lenient. I am a thief and I have stolen something that could never be retrieved. My seed is within you and I made sure there was enough. Farewell b*tch. We'll not see each other again," the thief said and Regis was expelled from the body as he saw another flash of white.

Before Regis was another scene. Thirty knights of some demon army were staring down at a cowering squadron of soldiers of a dwarf kingdom. The armor of the dwarves had several dents and holes and their blood spilled onto the floor. The demon knights were laughing as they stared down at the dwarves in their black armor. Each of them had stone grey skin, black scaled tails, and bright crimson horns on their heads.

"This is the second scenario: Blood Debt," the voice said. "This story is about a squadron of dwarven warriors. They slaughtered demon after demon until they encountered demons far too powerful for them to fight. Many dwarves perished and the last remain before you. Most of the demons were innocent and never held a blade or took a life before. This choice is a judgment of life. Are dwarves in the wrong for not being demons and killing demons, innocent or otherwise? Should the demon knights slay the dwarves and settle their blood debt? Choose now."

"Death to the dwarves," Regis said. "The demons are the allies of my Star Clan and the innocent were slaughtered for nothing. Such scum deserve death."

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"The choice is made. Now the result will commence," the voice said and Regis stared in shock as he became one of the dwarves.

"Mercy! Mercy!" one of the dwarves cried.

"We didn't know they was your kin. Honest" another dwarf begged.

"At least spare me brother," the leader said as he gestured at the dwarf Regis was in. "He ain't killed a demon yet."

"None of you deserve to live!" the demon leader roared and the dwarves cried in pain as they were ripped apart like animals. Regis felt unbelievable pain as he was skewered by a spear. As the dwarf died, another flash of light appeared.

Regis was shivering as the room was changing. He had experienced the pleasure of a woman and the pain of death. He had experienced adrenaline and fear. It felt so real because he was in their bodies after a choice was made. He felt a mixture of happiness and guilt from the first scenario and felt true fear and helplessness in the second scenario. The next scenario appeared and Regis saw a young disciple of an ancient mage kneeling. The boy looked like he was about to be awarded something.

"This is the third scenario: Mage's Legacy," the voice said. "The disciple completed an age long task set by the masters of his academy. He has been given the choice to receive an item. There are three choices to choose from. One is an ancient sword hilt that creates a white blade with azure energy. It enables the wielder to use spirit sword techniques without worrying about destroying the blade as it is made of an indestructible, mid-grade immortal wood. The second is an all-powerful staff that halves the mana cost and allows the wielder to perform even more powerful spells. The last is a necklace said to have a barrier enchantment like no other with a storage ability. Whoever wears the necklace is invincible in the Mortal Realm. This choice is about sacrifice. Both you and the disciple will get one of the three as one will mysteriously disappear under my power. You must choose two of the three first. Then you must make a final choice. Will you give the one you desire most to the disciple or claim both as yours. Choose now."

"The one I want most is that necklace. I am no mage as I will become a holy knight and become my clan's spy. The necklace will do wonders as it has incredible defensive capabilities based on what you said. The second thing I desire is the ancient sword. Most knights use a sword and a blade made out of immortal rank wood that is indestructible seems pretty cool," Regis said. "I.....choose to give the necklace to the disciple. I don't want to, but the disciple is the one who earned it. A mage needs that necklace more than a warrior would. I have my pride. If I want something, I'll earn it or take it myself."

"The choice is made and the result will commence," the voice said. "The sword will be in your spatial ring when you awaken. When you wield the sword, the blade will emerge."

"Master, I choose the necklace. Mages prioritize in fighting from a distance. I'll be able to escape unharmed if I wore that necklace," the disciple grinned.

"HAHAHA! Well said. Well said indeed. This is the Necklace of Grizorla, the necklace of a mage of ancient times whose defense magical capabilities were so mighty, kings all over the world would give her anything she desired to have her aid their armies. She could be said to have ruled our planet at some point," the mage laughed and handed the boy the necklace.

The bladeless sword flashed and disappeared. Regis saw, through the disciple's eyes, the mage look back in fear and shock as he saw the sword disappear. A flash of light blinded Regis's vision and he knew he was entering the fourth scenario. This time really shocked Regis and made his heart waver. He saw a group of his own clansmen looking down on a regiment of human soldiers and civilians below. His brother was the lieutenant general and the man in charge with his golden and azure armor. The rest of his clansmen were in azure armor and looked conflicted as they discussed with the dark elves. It would appear that the human city surrendered and were cornered below a courtyard with his brother's forces above them. They pleaded for food and water as agreed for the peaceful surrender. His brother told his men to wait for a sign of the Moon Goddess before he made his decision.

"This is the fourth scenario: Dire Circumstances," the voice said. "In war, tough decisions have to be made. This is one such scenario. The humans of this city surrendered as they had run out of food and water and did not wish to die. However, the supplies of your brother's forces are low and they will suffer if they shared their supplies and can no longer advance. This is a choice of resolve. If you were in your brother's place, would you commit to your agreement and provide them with supplies or end their suffering to save your own men from starvation and prevent traitors and a munity? Choose now."

"I, I don't want this," Regis said. All those people will die," Regis cried.

"The dwarves died. A princess was raped. How is this any different?" the voice asked.

"The dwarves were murderers of the innocent and the princess was a threat to the kingdom," Regis answered. "This...this has to do with a man's honor! He agreed to share supplies, but if he does, the army will suffer. I don't want to make this decision for my brother."

"Your brother will die as a result of giving them supplies. Your brother's forces will be too exhausted from starvation and infighting as well as the loss of some forces due to betrayal. They will be slaughtered once another force of the humans or their allies arrives. Would you let them die for the sake of honor? Would you let the army of your clan and allies suffer for an agreement with humans?" the voice asked. "Is this your choice? You were warned about the scenarios. Once a choice is made, there is no going back."

"But so many people will die!" Regis cried.

"People will die regardless of your choice. You are ten years old, the age of a young man and the age were you become a shaman. If you survive the battle among the armies, you will awaken with a human form of a fifteen year old human and change into it as you wish. You are no longer a child. Life is full of choices and you must live with the consequences of those choices. To ignore or not act at all is also a choice. Everything you do is a choice. So, what do you choose: honor or survival?" the voice argued.

"I don't want my brother to die," Regis cried, tears going down his eyes. "I choose not to honor the agreement. My clansmen and brother can't die. Please forgive me big brother."

"The choice is made and the result will commence," the voice said and Regis entered his brother's body and saw through his eyes.

"Please! We surrendered as promised. Think of the children," the mayor begged.

"Lieutenant Isaac?" one of the dark elves asked. "Your orders?"

"The Moon Goddess has spoken. Aim at the humans," Isaac said indifferently.

"NOOO!" mothers cried as they held their children. The little boys and girls began crying and whimpering as they held their mothers. The men were cursing and throwing sand at the wall to no avail as the enemy were too high. The mayor fell to his knees and his hands slammed on the ground.

"What have I done? I condemned us all," the mayor gasped. "I thought we would be spared. I thought that maybe, just maybe, they had caring hearts to us. Is this what war has done to our planet? Dividing us as races and choosing sides and continuing the cycle of hatred, blood, and anguish? Oh, what have I done?"

"Aim!" Isaac ordered and his clansmen and dark elves complied, some of them not able to look at such a pitiful sight.

"Sir, could we not do this?" one of them asked.

Isaac roared and cut of the soldier's head with his sword and yelled, "AIM! Aim because we are powerless. Aim because if you don't they will die a slow painful death. We kill them not because we want to but because this damned war forces us to. They are our enemies and we are theirs. They would do the same if our situations were reversed. Aim and fire. Fire for the man next to you. Fire for your homes, your wives, your children. Fire so that our people are safe and survived this gods forsaken war of ancient grudges. Kill now and harden your hearts. This might not be the only time you commit such an act. This is war and in war, there are some things you just can't avoid."

Regis was forced to watch as his brother looked down. Arrows flew and blood gushed like a fountain. A lake of blood, tears, and corpses grew until the last man, woman, child, elderly and newborn were dead. A huge pain tore in Regis's heart, but he didn't know if it was his pain or his brother's as he was in Isaac's body. Isaac turned away and ordered his men to retrieve the arrows and burn the body. A flash of light appeared and Regis appeared in the in area surrounded by ruins that he was when he entered the dream.

He fell to his knees and wept. He experienced so many things, even death. It was all too much for his innocent, young mind to bear. Pleasure, excitement, vengeance, guilt, justice, death, power, responsibility, and it was all experienced first hand. Just four little scenarios changed him. Four scenarios that occurred in reality but were determined by his choice.

"You have done well," the woman-shaped light said. "As a member of the main branch, you have made choices more serious than those of the sub branches according to the agreement with your ancestors and the Moon Goddess. To become a shaman is to defy the will of the Divine Realm. This is the final scenario: Defying Fate. Now you must make a choice: kill me and gain your power or accept yourself as a monster and never become a shaman. This is a choice of destiny. Defy the will of the Divine Realm and become more than what you were created to be or become the insignificant life form they expected you to be. Choose now."

"I, I came here to be a shaman. I came here under the expectations of my grandfather, my siblings, and my mother. My grandfather gave me an important mission. He means more to me than anyone else. I am sorry to have to take your life. I cannot be what the Creators made me to be," Regis said.

"It's okay child," the woman said as she embraced Regis. "You made the right choice. I am not the Moon Goddess. I am but a fragment of her power. With you, I can finally rest. Your life will be difficult. Humans and monsters alike will fear you. When you awaken, you will discover your inner spirit that has contracted to you. It is your own spirit energy manifested in visible form. When you enter the battlefield, you will experience what your true potential is. Fight with your true form and don't use light or ice magic. Let the humans and their allies see that their enemy has a Scion of Darkness among them. Show them that it is right for them to fear you. Good luck little Regis and thank you for laying me to rest."

Regis stared up at the woman and she dissolved as he crushed her in his embrace. The weird light, the color of the moon, empowered him and the environment around him tore as tears in space appeared around him. Then, a final flash of light blinded him before he left to become an Avatar of the Moon Goddess on the battlefield.