Zane woke up to a throbbing pain in his arm and leg, and when he reached out to remove the blanket covering his leg, he froze. His head darted around the unfamiliar room he was in as he realized someone had to have brought him here. He was in what seemed to be a small living room in a log cabin, the very same one he had seen when he was fighting the guardian. Zane cursed as he realized he didn't loot the wolf's body, missing out on some potential great loot from a high level beast. Looking around the room, he seemed to be on the couch, with a fireplace to his right, with a shield above the mantle with the crest of a crescent moon on it, and an ornamental sword beneath it. Looking throughout the room, Zane's eyes landed upon the window, where the morning sun was beaming through the glass, he had slept throughout the night. Zane looked down at his broken leg and dislocated arm, he had honestly hoped they would have healed by now, like his injuries before, but he supposed this was a far worse injury than a bite from a juvenile wolf. Zane sighed reluctantly, he wasn't going anywhere, and whoever brought him here clearly didn't want to hurt him. While he was sitting here waiting, he figured he would check the notifications he had.
[You have defeated: Flower Wolf Guardian- lvl 12. Experience earned]
*[Class: Mage has reached level 9, stats earned, +1 free point]
Zane was kind of disappointed that he didn't reach level 10 and get his true F grade class, but he figured it wouldn't help to get butthurt about it. Besides, he could tell he was right on the cusp of 10, and he just needed a small push to get there. As his senses fully awakened, Zane realized his sixth sense was buzzing like crazy, not uncomfortable, but more present than before. Zane decided to check his quest to see if it had been completed.
[Quest- First Steps: As you take your first steps in a strange new world, you have a feeling you can't describe guiding you. Follow the feeling to its destination. (0/1) (Reward: ? )]
A 0/1 had appeared in the quest, indicating it was not completed yet, so Zane guessed he needed to find whatever made this place special. Just then Zane heard some rustling in the kitchen, the sound of utensils on plates.
"Hello?" Zane spoke. "Did you bring me here?"
Zane had no idea what to say in this scenario, he was confused and honestly still comprehending he was now in a world of magic and monsters.
"Yrestin?" A voice responded, sounding confused.
"What?"
"Falendio."
Zane sat there, confusion plain on his face.
"Why did I think you would speak english?" Zane muttered under his breath.
"Seriazi!" The voice responded.
Zane wondered how in the hell he had heard him. Maybe hearing got better the higher level you were? Zane hadn't noticed a difference yet, but he wasn't even level 10 yet. Just then, the source of the voice walked into the room, wearing worn leather overalls and holding a tray holding a pot of tea with two tea cups. He was old, greying hair and wrinkles on his skin, but carried himself more like a soldier. The man walked into the room, speaking some more nonsense, placing the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch. He had taken the pot and filled each cup full of piping hot, delicious smelling tea. The man placed each cup on separate dishes and placed one on the arm of the couch, before taking his dish and sitting in an armchair next to the couch. Zane lay there, looking at the cup with suspicion, yet the man took his cup and took a deep pull from the cup and gestured to Zane to do the same. Zane, figuring he had nothing to lose, took a sip from the cup. An explosion of sweet flavor covered his mouth, before he swallowed, filling his body with a calming warmth, reminding him of Ms. Wen back home.
"Wow, this tastes great!" Zane said between sips. "What is it?"
"It's fire lily, Alir root, and red flower wolf nectar, I can thank you for that one." The old man responded, taking another sip.
Zane lay there, bewildered. "You can understand me? And I can understand you?"
"Hm? Oh, right." The man said, placing his now empty cup back on his dish. "This is a tea that contains Alir root, a special concoction that allows any who drink it to speak our common language, I'm surprised you've never heard of it before."
"I'm--" Zane cut himself off, was he really going to trust this man with the fact that he was from another world? "not from around here, never heard of Alir root before."
"Huh, may I ask you how I found you next to the corpse of a flower wolf in my back yard?" The man asked, pouring himself another cup of tea.
Zane didn't respond immediately, this man may be friendly now, but if he figured out he was an alien, he might freak out an kill him.
"I don't know how I got there, just woke up in the forest yesterday afternoon and fought my way here."
The man sighed, and Zane felt an invisible force bear down on him, causing him to lose his breath. The man had a pained expression on his face, but was equally determined.
"Lying is a bad way to make new friends there." The man said, feeling like he was baring down on Zane's very soul. "Now, who are you, and how did you get here? I will know if you lie."
Zane sat there, frozen in fear. This man just pushed down on him in a way he could only liken to getting punched in the stomach and losing his air, but on a more spiritual level.
Zane gulped and responded to the man. "My name is Zane, I'm from another world and a book sucked me into the void where I was assaulted with ideas that I have forgotten before waking up in the forest yesterday afternoon and fought my way here." Zane spoke all in one breath.
The man just stared at Zane. He held the stare for a good minute before his eyes softened, the overbearing feeling dripping away. Zane realized he had been holding his breath and took a deep breath. He had never felt more vulnerable in his life, and now he felt safe.
"Either I've lost my touch, or you really are telling the truth." The old man said, returning to his chair. Zane hadn't even noticed him get up. "If you really are telling the truth, did you stumble your way into my back yard through sheer luck, or was something guiding you?"
Zane laughed. "Sir, I don't know you, but I can tell you haven't lost your touch. I was guided here by a system quest and a feeling that brought me here."
The old man's brow furrowed. "System?"
Zane, equally confused, responded. "The system, the thing that shows you your status and your skills?"
The old man shook his head, indicating he had no idea what he was talking about. Zane wanted to explain further, when he got a feeling he wasn't supposed to divulge this information, like telling this man would be breaking a holy doctrine.
Zane shrugged, pretending to not have just experienced what he did. "It's a skill, something that visualizes my attributes, class, and skills. I thought it was more common."
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The old man's face went from confused to relieved, "Oh, yes, I've heard of those kinds of skills before. I've never heard of someone getting one so early, what level are you, boy?"
"Level 9, just barely not 10."
"Hmm, well that's good, hitting level 10 should fix up that leg of yours, but..." The man trailed off, looking to the corner of the room.
"You know what brought me here, don't you?" Zane said, connecting what the man just said with his long expression.
The man sighed, faced Zane again, smile covering his face.
"Before that, how about I introduce myself, my name is Marcus." Marcus said, sticking out his hand.
Zane mirrored the man's smile and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you sir. I would stand up, but, you know."
Marcus laughed, refilling Zane's cup, before his face turned more serious.
He sighed, "I do think I know how you were brought here, when did you say you got here?"
"Yesterday afternoon, why?" Zane said, wondering where he was going with this.
He sighed, "I thought so. I am in the possession of an item that I was soulbound to, around yesterday afternoon, the connection I had to the item severed." Marcus spoke as he walked to the corner of the room. "You said you felt a pull telling you where to go, yes?"
Zane nodded, seeing where Marcus was going with this.
"I think what happed was you must've bonded with it." He pressed a unsuspecting panel in the corner of the room, which pushed in and slid to the side.
The buzzing was even more intense now, bordering on uncomfortable. Marcus pulled a box out of the hidden compartment and brought it over to Zane. Sliding open the box, Marcus pulled out one of the strangest looking things Zane had ever seen. In his hands, Marcus held a dagger, handle was made of steel with a leather grip, seemingly worn over years of usage, but the blade was something else. The blade was a glimmering gold, yet it seemed to ripple like a liquid, as if someone somehow managed to melt down gold, and form it into a physical shape, without the material solidifying. The blade was curved slightly, and Zane could tell the blade was extremely sharp. Above all, the feeling that came off the blade was interesting, as if he were looking into the deepest reaches of space. Strangely, Zane felt as though he knew this blade, as if he had been the one to put the wear on the handle, as if he knew exactly how it worked. Zane reached out, and the blade left the hand of Marcus in a flash, before appearing in the hands of Zane. As soon as the dagger appeared in his hand, he received a notification, accompanied by a flood of experience. Marcus's eyes were wide in shock, before falling with the understanding that he was correct, before returning to confusion.
"My boy, you just leveled up from receiving that, is that what you meant before by your quest."
Zane hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, the skill helps me in more ways than one, it seems."
Marcus smiled the only smile a loving grandpa can give. "Well now, let's worry about that later." He said, gesturing at the blade. "Let's get that leg fixed up now."
Zane grinned back, opening up the notification he had received upon completing the quest.
[Quest- First Steps: As you take your first steps in a strange new world, you have a feeling you can't describe guiding you. Follow the feeling to its destination. (1/1) (Reward: Shard of Fractured Reality: Space, Experience)]
*[Class: Mage has reached level 10, stats earned, +1 free point]
[True F Grade class change available. Proceed?]
Zane, despite being able to finally reach his true F grade class, could only stare at the name of the item he received. Zane shook his head, deciding to focus on what Marcus suggested. Marcus had gone to a shelf at the side of the room, retrieving a small, smooth stone.
"Hold this," he said, holding out the stone, "you should be able to choose your class with this."
Zane shook his head. "Nah, I don't need it."
"Huh?"
Zane mentally focused on the proceed option, and 3 options appeared in front of him.
"Okay, there are three options, I'm going to go through each of them and tell you what I think."
Marcus only stared at Zane, gawking at the stone in his hand, before nodding and returning to his seat.
[Intermediate Mage (Common) (Level Up -> +5 Mind, +2 Body, +3 Soul, +2 Free Points)]
You follow the path of magic down all of it's roads. Your path is not yet certain and the choice you make now is not one you're ready to make. determine your future when you find your path.
"Intermediate Mage? Seems like the class for someone who has no idea what they want."
Marcus perked up. "You know the names? That skill of yours truly is remarkable. Intermediate mage is a respectable class, and it's various paths it births it truly spectacular. Most people who do not receive a F grade class that relates to their chosen path choose this class to mold their own future."
"So not completely terrible, but hopefully not for me." Zane continued on.
[Beast Master Druid (Uncommon) (Level Up -> +4 Mind, +2 Body, +5 Soul, +3 Free Points ]
Beasts are your specialty, going from slaying and conquering to taming and befriending. Beasts are your power, they are your sword, and they are your family.
"Hmm, uncommon beast master druid class, seems interesting, but I don't know if I want to lock myself down to beast taming in the future."
"Well, not all druid classes are equal, and already starting with an uncommon class would be a great start. Some beast master classes don't tame animals, but rather conjure them, meaning you wouldn't be tied down to finding and taming individual animals. That being said, it's very specific and isn't for everybody."
"Yeah, if the next one is better I'll take it, if not, I'll probably go for the first one." Zane said, moving onto the next and final class choice.
[Spectral Weaver (Rare) (Level Up -> +6 Mind, +3 Body, +4 Soul, +4 Free Points]
As one of the few to have glanced upon the secrets of the spectral between worlds, you have gained an instinctual understanding of the magic of the multiverse. May the spectral guide your long and prosperous journey.
This one caught Zane's eye, not only because of that sweet, sweet rare rarity, but the repeated use of the word "Spectral." The spectral was a part of the first title he had received that had given him the system. Wanting to check again, he pulled up the title.
[Spectral Walker - Unique Title]
[Description: You have travelled the spectral between worlds before your world was integrated and arrived in a non-System integrated world. (Grants access to the System)]
"Spectral Weaver, rare." Zane said, glancing at Marcus with a curious gaze.
Marcus' eyebrows rose in surprise. "Rare you say, as the name suggests, a rare class at your level 10 class is quite rare indeed. Only rich scions and supreme talents with favorable birthrights receive even rare, do you have a birthright?"
Zane just looked at him, confused, he had nothing of the sort in his status screen that even suggested a birthright.
"Oh!" Marcus said, realizing yet again that Zane was, in fact, not from this world. "A birthright is a special title that most receive when they are born. Most grant affinities that will guide them down a path they will likely excel in, and some even provide special benefits."
Zane sat there a moment, wondering if his spectral walker title counted as a birthright or not, when the title in the corner of his vision changed.
[Spectral Walker - Unique Title (Birthright)]
[Description: You have travelled the spectral between worlds before your world was integrated and arrived in a non-System integrated world. (Grants access to the System)]
And there it was, seemingly, the system had updated the title to accommodate this world's "system," maybe it was learning along with him.
"I do have one, it's called "Spectral Walker," it's what gave me access to this system."
A look of understanding crossed Marcus' face, like his previous confusion was silly, and the answer was right in front of his face all along.
"That explains a lot now, birthrights can provide anything from affinities, to mutations, and even some outright unfair effects, like being able to recover Krisis twice as fast." Marcus said, shaking his head in envy.
"What's your birthright?" Zane asked, curious.
Marcus chuckled. "A fairly simple one, my boy, it is just an arcane affinity. Gave me access to my arcanist class and guided my path. Most people who have a birthright aren't special, but there are exceptions." Marcus said, glancing at Zane. "Come now, time to make a choice."
Zane wanted to ask more questions, but if he asked every question stirring through his mind he would be here for the next week.
"So, what do you think? The rarity and the stats alone make the spectral weaver class tempting, but --" Zane was about to continue before Marcus barked a laugh.
"My boy," Marcus said between laughs, "you would be a right fool to pick anything but that rare class."
"Figured as much, but have you ever heard of this class before?" Zane asked, hoping to get some answers before committing.
"Well, the spectral is a well known concept, it's the void between reality that holds the universe together. Some Krisor are powerful enough to create spatial tears to the spectral, but entering is a death sentence, as finding your way back is nearly impossible. There have been Krisor who have cultivated the spectral affinity before, but I've never heard of someone basing their whole class on it.
Zane nodded, realizing he had found himself a unique situation to be in, but he had just one more question.
"One more thing, you said it a couple of times, but what is a Krisor?"
Marcus impatiently sighed before responding. "A Krisor is someone who can manipulate Krisis and can gain power. There are some who are born with the incapability of doing such and we call them "Null"."
Zane nodded, finally ready to make his choice. He opened up his level up and chose Spectral Weaver.