La'ar
(Society Academy Presidents office)
In a few hours, they would be arriving. The best of the best humanity had to offer. The Human Chosen. They didn't know it, but they would likely become leaders of their world one day. No other people would ever hope to compare to their exploits, abilities, and eventually, wisdom.
Right now though, they were just teenagers. Young, brash, headstrong, and passionate, the usual traits you could expect. Except, they were also resilient, responsible, dedicated, and exceptionally talented. How they turned out was ultimately up to them of course, though the likelihood of their exceptionalism was high.
A buzz sounded on his desk. These little gadgets really were magnificent. To think humans would come up with such unique communication devices without magic, that also functioned in so many various ways as to become almost indispensable. For the non-magical of course. Apart from that, human ingenuity struck him as so very... Livari.
He answered.
"Hello, whom do I have the pleasure of greeting today?" He said cordially.
"Sweet, so I can use phones too! Nice!" A light mischievous voice intoned in his mind.
Truly, your pranks know no bounds dear. He pushed the red button and set the cell phone down. Is the Link to your liking Eris? La'ar thought to her curiously.
"Yes, I love it! It's even better than they promised it would be! I'm learning so much, there are so many things I still haven't tried! I definitely need to do some automation and tweak a few functions, but overall, it's really lovely! Thanks, La'ar!" She thought jovially.
Oh, think nothing of it! Only the best for the holder of Humanity. He replied pleasantly. By the way, how are things with your Champion? I take it he's ready for induction?
The silence along their mind connection was...deafening.
"You...knew about that already?" she said uncertainly.
La'ar continued. I do make it a point to know what's happening on a planet I've just Cultivated. Oh, also, I hope you realize you could have killed him with that little stunt. Quite frankly, it's a miracle he didn't die. Care to enlighten me on how you managed to achieve this, despite the lack of a functioning Link?
His tone was pleasant, but the sort of pleasant a teacher reserves for a student who's clearly impressed and infuriated them all the same, and was now mulling over whether or not to mete out an appropriate punishment. Eris had seen this coming eventually but had been counting on not being found out until she'd clearly proven her judgment beyond question. For her to have been found out so soon though...
"Guess you could say I'm special like that?..." she said hopefully.
The silence she got in return told her he wasn't terribly impressed with her answer. She mock-sighed and gave him a real answer.
"The truth lies with the Luminary. He was there when I was declared... Superfluous." She struggled to admit. "I was terrified since he was present. I thought he was going to do away with me, it's what I'd always heard would happen to one such as myself." She admitted bashfully.
"Yet, he quieted my mind and soothed my soul. He also laughed, which I was totally not expecting. He encouraged me and told me to 'learn about my powers' and 'grow whilst I waited'. So, I did!" She finished giddily.
La'ar shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe the Luminary would be so reckless! To encourage a fledgling to grow in their power without a Link to guide them was... actually really old-school. The Link simplified magic, made it more accessible to the uninitiated, and helped one grow in steady, safe, and predictable ways.
At least, that was what conventional wisdom taught. Now he had a veritable teenager looking after other teenagers, and she just so happened to have thousands of years of magical experimentation under her belt, far before any Link had been created for her.
The things she must have learned, I wonder... He thought to himself privately.
Eris was completely oblivious to his musings of course. "I can do a lot of stuff now too! I was waiting. Preparing for the day the Livari would return for me and I would join the Quest too! It's kinda been my motivation this whole time. I vowed to master my magic, so I could teach my gifts how to use it one day too. I wasn't going to disappoint the Luminary. After all, he put his faith in me when no one else did. He deserves my best effort!" She stated giddily
"Now I know what you're gonna say, so hear me out. I know the rules, and I know the traditions, but I also know what I'm capable of. I've been waiting for this for so long, and I found the literal perfect candidate at the perfect age, with the perfect genetic makeup to be my Champion. I was careful, I tested him first, and he didn't pop, so I knew he'd be fine if I gave him the Champion's enhancement too... " Eris rambled on before being stopped in her tracks.
La'ar's eyes bulged at that last statement. He was the greatest cultivator in the Galaxy bar none, and usually, the Announcement on a planet about to be cultivated was executed with such fine precision that every being would be touched by the magic, regardless of their conscious state. Those who were awake heard it in their mind, those who were asleep heard it as an incredibly vivid dream, and even those who had woken from a coma reported having heard it.
Other cultivators might miss the odd thousand or so for several reasons, though usually, this wouldn't be a problem on the whole. However, La'ar prided himself on his role as First Cultivator and paid meticulous attention to every minute detail of a spell, especially one as massive as the Announcement. And here on Earth, he picked up that a single mind had missed it somehow. A spell as taxing and large as Announcement meant that La'ar couldn't focus his magic senses on specific magical instances, meaning he couldn't investigate the anomaly at the time. Usually, it would be impossible to miss an Announcement, especially in a completely non-magical species. It had been a cause of major concern to him for the past month. At least now he had his answer.
My dear, are you telling me you committed a Champions transformation without the assistance of the Link? La'ar asked gingerly.
"Yyyyyup! Totally did! And it worked!!! He's perfect! I mean, the transformation was a little touch and go there for a while, so I needed to sustain him for most of it, but all in all, he came out unscathed, aaaand he manifested a brand new Gift!!! The Link had no idea what it was, never seen before!!" Eris practically squealed in La'ar's mind.
If La'ar were human he would have turned a shade lighter as he blanched at the news. Instead, his violet-hued eyes went decidedly pale as his ovoid pupils dilated. Unlike her, he didn't have direct access to every being tied into the Link, that authority was hers alone to give.
By no information, surely it at least has a basic breakdown of its relation to magical class yes?... He asked hopefully.
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"Nope!" She replied jovially. "Every statistic, including effects, are 'Unknown'."
Not good.
Not even a name, Eris? La'ar asked a touch more nervously than he'd have liked.
"Oh, sorry, it has that at least! It's also beautiful, and totally related to me! It's called Will o' Wisp!"
Thank goodness! He thought to himself as he split his attention into three, the 3rd tritosphere of his brain taking over researching the Gift's name. It's an Enigma-Class gift for now then, not utterly purposeless. He resumed their connection.
And its advancement potential? Surely that can't be unknown. All Gifts are measured by the Link after all. I'm assuming since it's a 'Champions Gift' it has a level cap of 20 or 30 no?...
"... Welllll, not exactly. You see, it's a little weird, but it kinda shows an 'error', next to it." She said sheepishly.
La'ar pulled away from the connection briefly. This isn't right. There cannot be so many anomalies in the system this early. I was certain we calibrated it to account for their lack of magic. Unless...
Eris, quickly, are all the Chosen displaying these errors? He asked almost frantically.
"Huh? No, not at all, every other Chosen that's accepted the Agreement has more or less received expected Gifts at measurable levels. It's just Mik... I mean, my Champion." She said quickly.
La'ar put a flat six-fingered hand on top of his head, a reflexive gesture of relief for the Livari.
My goodness, it feels like this planet is beginning to make me age, and it's only been a month. No wonder the humans are so short-lived.
La'ar was about to reinitiate the conversation when his 3rd consciousness got his attention. Most unknown Gifts had a specific relationship with the planet they originated on. In the case of the multi-tentacled Glox, a power cropped up called X'athu, which related to a local deity worshipped in certain portions of their culture. This minor deity, according to their mythology, ended up 'saving' them by shooting beams of devastating light out of its many tentacles at the apex predator of their oceans, who threatened to destroy their underwater cities. That power only ever came about for the Glox, as they alone had the anatomy to wield such a power.
He had just researched Will o' Wisp, and La'ar was startled. Eris has no idea, but this could be a huge disaster.
Eris, have you looked into the mythology or origins of Will o' Wisp? He asked pensively
"Uhhh, a little, but not really, no. I did help Mike activate it though, it looks really cute!" She said earnestly.
La'ar could not believe her.
Eris, that isn't... Procedure! You're giving your Champion preferential treatment. I know the Chosen are all rather responsible, but still, what if this power had turned out to be spontaneous combustion?
"What? There's no way it would be that! I looked quite closely at it, and I determined that premature activation would not constitute any harm to Mike or his friends."
La'ar felt like he was getting whiplash from all the revelations he was receiving today... not only had she carried out an unassisted transformation, on her Champion no less, but she'd contacted him early, prematurely activated his power, caused a spontaneous advancement directly in order to assist him, and she hadn't even researched it or had the foresight to wait and see what the power was related to in the first place.
Eris, I commend you for ascertaining that your Champion's Gift would not immediately destroy himself or his neighborhood. However, I am concerned that your enthusiasm has outweighed your judgment in this matter. He thought at her seriously.
Eris took pause at that statement. La'ar was one of the most highly esteemed sorcerers among all the Livari. He had been instrumental in the development of the original Link around Nathon IV, the Livari Homeworld. He formulated and formalized the study of magic as an institutional subject, having almost single-handedly been responsible for the place of strength and prosperity the Livari and their allies now found themselves enjoying. That had been almost 10,000 years ago. There was nothing La'ar loved more than magic and the study thereof, so when he started a sentence with 'I'm worried you might have messed up...'
Eris, I suspect you may find your Champion to be somewhat less than stellar. I just researched it, and the other names of Will o' Wisp are 'The Foolish Fire' and 'Deceiving Light'. It is known as something incredible and lofty, that many have tried to attain, yet none have. Those that try, often try to their doom.
Eris was silent.
I fear, my dear, that this 'Deceiving Light' has deceived you too. In folklore, it pretends to be something great, yet only ever causes harm or grief. It's just a trick or an illusion. Also...
Eris interrupted him.
"I had a very good reason to give him that nudge to get him started right away you know. I'm not an idiot!"
Wait...
What do you mean Eris? La'ar was perplexed.
"I mean that I know why it shows 'Unknown' across the board, and probably why it gives an 'error' at Advancement Potential. It's because its power branches across the Entire 9 Systems.
La'ar didn't know what to say. A power across 1 or 2 magic systems for a Chosen was normal, and 3 systems were uncommon, though rarely problematic. 4 systems posed challenges to usage and intensive study, as they were rare, and 5 systems were almost exclusively within the realm of Chosen Champions and the most accomplished sorcerers of other races. Only the highest tiers of Sorcerers within the Livari race attained proficiency of 7 systems at maximum. Even 3 tritospheres could handle only so much processing. Only those born with exceptional talent and the right genetics, who had dedicated a lifetime to the mysteries of magic, attained any sort of proficiency across all 9 Magic Systems.
A Chosen exhibiting a Gift with roots in all 9 systems was impossibly magnificent.
However, that meant it had a fatal flaw...
How will he ever learn to wield so many disciplines? A being that originally had a lifespan of around 120 years, now 250 thanks to magic, would scarcely master 4 disciplines. Humans have only 2 hemispheres. The processing power and speeds required will make it impossible for him to learn it all, it's far too complex. Human being's autonomic systems are impressive, but even incorporating magic senses into the brain won't be enough to make up for the lack of processing power. Eris, you've basically created what the humans call, a 'Glass Cannon'. All the most incredible potential in the universe, with a vessel unable to use it.
Eris practically beamed across their connection. "What you say is valid, La'ar, except you're forgetting one tiny detail," she said cryptically.
La'ar's mind spun at the statement, attempting to predict what she was getting at.
"You see, another reason Mike was shielded from Announcement was because of how long the 'procedure' took. With the Link, the other three thousand Chosen were easy, almost comically so. Mike though, even doing it manually, and with the Champion's Gift..." she trailed on until La'ar caught on.
It would only take a few Earth minutes, ten at maximum most likely. Eris, what did you do? La'ar asked, his curiosity piqued.
"You know how skilled I've become by now surely, and it wasn't for lack of skill that I took my time with Mike. No. I waited 6000 years for you to come, I laid plans, I studied, I practiced, and I prepared for this day. When you did, there was a perfect candidate, and I bet everything on him. I will never bet like that on anyone else. It's my Vow, I made it myself, that if Mike fails, that's it. I'll never create another like him, even if I could." she said defiantly, La'ar listening in stunned silence.
"I took 2 hours with Mike. His brain can no longer be strictly called a 'human' brain any longer, eventually, he will no longer have hemispheres, but tetraspheres, optimized for advanced parallel processing and heightened autonomic function and learning. Once in his prime, his telomeres won't shorten anymore, meaning he won't technically age. His adrenal gland will enlarge and become optimized for long-term use. His muscle fibers will become reinforced, and his bones modified to be lighter than normal, yet sturdier than any human that has come before. He will be my Masterpiece, my Champion, and one day, I believe, we will be the ones to fulfill the Quest." she said triumphantly.
La'ar had so many questions, but alas, he had other matters to attend to. Like the arriving Chosen.
Eris, he began haltingly. I must depart soon, though we will speak again. I sincerely hope you know what you're doing because from what I can see, despite what you say, you might have ended up with a Champion that's nothing more than an incredibly fast, really strong, and very long-lived flashlight, a glorified torch. Perhaps it may even be bright, and able to be seen across realms. Impressive, yes, but still nonetheless just a torch. I truly hope that's not all he is or will become, seeing as he's the only Champion you'll ever get.
Eris was incredibly worried. For La'ar to still be harboring such doubts was not encouraging in the slightest. She still believed in Mike though, as was her duty to her Champion.
"He'll prove you wrong. You'll see. He'll become greater than any of us could ever imagine!" she shot back at La'ar with partially fake confidence.
I hope so Eris, for all our sakes. La'ar replied, before sealing the connection from his end. He put his hand on his head again.
"As the Luminary breathes, never have I endured as exasperating a Cultivation as this."
He tried to put their conversation out of his minds for now. There would be time enough to probe further into what she had done. He wasn't known as First Cultivator for nothing.
Now, time to witness what the future holds. His future students would soon be arriving.
My favorite part, and it's about to begin.