October 22nd, 2023
3:10 AM EST
Alastar
Alastar slowly woke back up as he felt an energy infuse his body. Slowly he came too, and he found himself not sprawled across the floor like he expected. He certainly felt better but he wasn’t sure of why. As he came to understand his environment he felt something impacting his ability to breath, his mouth was stuffed with food.
Swallowing as best he could he looked around, trying to see the differences. He was shocked to realize that he was not in the planetarium area at all, and had instead moved all the way to the cafe with a big pile of pre-wrapped pastries on his tray. This was far from being moved while he slept, he had clearly moved hear on his own while blacked out.
Ah, master. I see that you are awake. A voice in his head said. It was high pitched and oddly refined, like a squeaky version of Alfred. I apologize for taking control of you like this, but it was simply the best way for me to return you to consciousness.
“Uh, that’s… okay I guess… but who are you? Where are you? Why are you in my head with me?”
I am not in your head, I am simply inside you as a whole. I am your new familiar. I have no name, but I do have abilities. A flash of light moved from Alastar’s back and landed in front of him before forming into a small fox. It was a fox. A normal red fox with beautiful red fur, highlights of white and black, the works. This is my true form, at least currently.
“Currently?” Alastar asked, wondering about it. Doing so was enough to finally cause the notification to pop up, showing Alastar the quests he completed.
> Quest Complete!
>
> Ritual Created: 1/1
>
> Reward: Phase Fox
Well that meant something but it was pretty much useless. “So you are a phase fox?”
Yep. I am a phase fox, I am changeable. For now I am fairly weak, but over time I will be able to gain strength with you from now on. The creature came forward and began to rub its head against his leg, acting like a cat. Alastar wasn’t sure if that was normal fox behavior, or if this fox just wanted to be comforting.
Alastar sighed and pulled up the next notification, knowing that it would give him more information.
> Familiar Information
>
> Name: N/A
>
> Species: Phase Fox
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
>
> Rank: F
>
> Rarity: Special
>
> Description: The Phase Fox is a special type of familiar that can gain multiple forms, each of which having different abilities and counting separately.
> Due to the Phase Fox’s nature, it’s rarity can not be determined, each Phase Fox is a unique individual based on their summoner’s abilities.
> Phase Foxes are native to the Celestial realms, having connections to some of the eldest gods.
See? I’m special! The fox said as it preened. You can’t be mad about having me, because I’m exactly what you wanted. A familiar that changes with you, not just does what it’s told.
“I suppose. I wasn’t going to be mad about having you.” Alastar said, picking the little guy up. It was surprisingly heavy, but did well enough in his lap. “Does that mean you can see my notifications?”
When you summoned me, you used a bit more mana than you should have, and your ritual wasn’t refined at all. You could easily have summoned a demon with all of that blood. Thankfully, one of the gods intervened to save you. Giving you me.
“The gods. There are gods?” Alastar frowned for a second. “I suppose that makes sense. I did pray in the ritual. I suppose someone answered.”
Yep. Now look at the new notification, I wanna see it.
“Why didn’t you look while you were in my body?” Alastar asked frowning.
I can’t control your system. I could only control your body because you were in danger. Normally I can only do things that you ask for me to do.
Alastar continued to frown, but did pull up the notification.
> New Quest!
>
> Tutorial (4/10): Orion’s Bane (Scorpio)
>
> Difficulty: Exotic
>
> Description: You must become a hunter. Learn to track prey, to find the monsters of your new world, and to take them out.
>
> Abundant Beasts/Monsters: 0/5
>
> Common Beasts/Monsters: 0/1
>
> Reward: Storage Ring
Oh that’s a pretty good one. All you have to do is some hunting, kill a few minor beings, and that’s it. The fox seemed happy. I can totally help you with that. What kind of combat abilities do you have?
“Uh… do you count?” Alastar asked, biting his lip.
No. I do not count. The fox said flatly. I am a utility familiar. While I can do some combat, that’s not what I’m mainly for.
“Then what exactly are you for?”
Well, at the moment I have only got one skill. This is due to the method and manner of you summoning me. It’s called Fox Step, allowing me to run, walk, or stand on nearly any surface.
“Wow, that’s really cool.” Alastar said, than frowned. “What about the possession thing? Was that not a skill?”
No, that is just a feature of my being a spiritual familiar. If you had summoned a less spiritual familiar it would have been different. Most monsters can’t change their magical matrix like that without help. Beasts are even more difficult.
“What’s the difference? The notification said they were different and I thought they would be the same…”
Oh that’s easy. I’m a monster because my body is magical. I am made entirely of mana. Beasts have a physical body, even if that body can be turned into mana for short periods of time or if that body is spiritual. If you want a simple answer that doesn’t necessarily apply every time. Monsters are created by mana, while beasts are transformed by it. On your world, many of the creatures that were already here will be in the process of evolving into beasts as you gain these powers.
“I see.” Alastar said, nodding. He did understand, but one last thing was getting to him. “What’s your name? The notification didn’t say.”
I don’t have one, I was kind of waiting for you to give me one.
“Oh…” Alastar said, a little embarrassed. “How about Vajra?” He asked, remembering the name from mythology he studied. It was a cute name.
Sounds good to me. Vajra said, nuzzling it’s newly made summoner.