(Gavin)

"Oberon," I walk into the dining hall. "I've fully acclimated to this Form, I believe."

"That's good," he says. "I will have someone begin your training with Spirit after breakfast, then."

"Thank you," I say.

Oberon and I agreed a couple of days ago that we would have me train under others at the start, then him once I begin to grow more powerful. We also agreed to pretend as if Nies isn't here, but neither of us can really hold to that.

He's just too adorable.

I look at him with Divine Appraisal again. Expanded Information on it reveals that it can reveal something about Divine Beings – up to three things. At Level 1, it will reveal 'chosen' information about them, whatever that means. At Level 5, it reveals their 'Divine Title', and at Level 10, it reveals their real name.

Lord Cuddly of Fluffersville

Whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean. Looking at Yggdrasil just makes me even more confused. At least, before he 'left'. Though his tree is still here, I can't read it right now, since he's at the Council of Worlds, or whatever that is.

But still… that 'chosen information' about Yggdrasil.

The Biggest, Hardest Wood

For the child god, we have something cute and declaring him lord of cuddles, which makes sense, since children love cuddling. For a giant tree, we have something… that could probably be sexual.

The 'chosen information' is chosen by them. They set it.

What does yours say?

Mine just says "Hello". The looks on peoples' faces when they see it is hilarious. So many people have reacted with "Hello?" when they see it. Oh, the confusion that can happen with such a simple thing.

So Nies decided to declare him the Lord Cuddly of Fluffersville, and Yggdrasil decided to have something sexual?

Yep. And Yggs' was fully intentional. He actually set it to that after he woke up because of you. Nies has been considering changing his to "Lord Cuddly of Floofersville".

Is there a difference?

It's possible that no one will ever know.

Nies is pouting, probably because he can sense the voice again, but doesn't say anything about it. The voice has been chatting with me at random, and I feel like he's some sort of Divine who took interest in me because of my patron, not because of what I did to Ilinia.

+0 INT!

It's been so long, System. Welcome back.

+0 CHA!

Are you aware that the System seems to know who you are?

He does?

Yeah, he does. I was thinking something, and he gave me no INT in response to it, basically confirming something.

I forgot he did that with those of the Wizard Class, sometimes. It was about me?

Yeah.

Give me a second. Jeez! Nothing like looking to where he is, and finding him staring back at me! And what was that on his head? Why does he have a rat on his head? I'm going to go chat with him, he seems to want to. I'll see how he knew who I was.

So the System shouldn't have known? Does that mean the System should know about those Skills, either? Because I'm pretty sure he does, since he's the System.

We eat a breakfast of eggs, berries, nuts, and fruit, then Oberon summons a pink-haired Fairy with matching wings and eyes. He leads me to a clearing outside of the palace and sits cross-legged, telling me to do the same. I do, and he closes his eyes. His name is Koby, and that's all I got from him.

"The first step to harnesses a Spirit," he opens his eyes. "Is to learn the Silvar Spirit Language. According to Prince Warren, you have the basics down for it. Would you kindly tell me what Level you have?"

This boy doesn't have Access, it looks like. He'd have to trust me on the actual Level. For Oberon to trust him with my training, he must be pretty powerful. Judging by his Spirit, I'd say he is.

"Seriously, Gavin?" Nies mumbles from his tiger.

I look over to my 'sleeping' god, who is spreading out on his tiger, which has laid down, the other two lying beside it. I want to tickle him.

"Seriously what?" I ask, ignoring the Fairy's gasp and stare.

"Did you really just give Access to the System to all of the Fairies born within the Fairy Kingdom?"

"Is that bad?"

"How are you even doing targeted granting?" He asks. "That isn't even an option in your hud. It's 'grant Access' if you're focusing on an individual, or 'activate Access', which does it for the world."

"If I do 'expand options' on 'activate Access'," I tell Oberon. "I can select regions and do specifics."

"That's a possibility?"

"Check it out," I say, and he scrunches up his face, then gasps.

"That's so cool!" He exclaims. "Wow! I didn't know that was possible? Did you, Yggs?"

"He went to council thing, remember?"

"Oh, right," he sighs. "I wanna go crawl inside of him and nap."

"Feel free to."

"I am not taking my eyes off of you."

Hard to keep them on me when they're closed.

I look back to the Fairy in front of me, then show him my Silvar Spirit Language.

"It's only Level 3," I tell him. "But it's enough for me to communicate on a basic level with them."

I wish I could have gotten it up to Level 5 before creating this Form.

"Okay," he says. "The next step is befriending a Spirit to forge a contract with. This clearing has a tendency to draw in low-power Spirits, making it an ideal place for meeting ones for starting out. The typical Gift that someone first acquires is usually one of three: Gift of Speed, Gift of Tough Skin, and Gift of Might. They're basic, and not commonly used for our people, but they're easy ones to acquire. The Spirits that will grant them usually can't hit you hard with curses. That's another reason that it's best to befriend the Spirit, before asking for a contract."

"Okay," I say. "So what do I do?"

"Speak in Silvar," he says. "See if any Spirits are willing to communicate with you."

"Hi?" I say in Silvar. "Any of you want to make a contract with me?"

"Hi!" A Spirit immediately responds.

"It's about damn time, Gavin!"

"Yo! Want my Gift of Stoneskin instead of Gift of Tough Skin? It's way better!"

"Hey, Gavin. I've got a Gift of Water Orb, if you want it."

Suddenly, my Spirit Detection begins to flood with dozens of Spirits, the air filling with their chatter. The Fairy and I stare at each other.

"Oh, yeah," Nies says sarcastically. "Tell the guy that hundreds of Spirits want to contract with to try and befriend a simple one. Brilliant idea. The fact that he can take on most Gifts Fairies already have means there are plenty of Spirits who can contract with him. Except you, you're really an evil one who wants to draw on his Spirit to hit him with a curse. Begone."

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One of the Spirits vanishes.

"That was so annoying," Nies sighs, reaching out with an arm, as if trying to grab something. "No cookies. Where'd the cookies go? Ekre? Can you give me some cookies? Please? Why not? But I want them! I don't want to take my eyes off of Gavin. No, I'm not being lazy! Pleaaaaaaase?"

"Are there any cookies in your Offering Space?"

"It takes so much effort to pull them out of there," he sighs. "Since I'm in the mortal realm."

He sighs again, and I close my eyes, erecting a mental filter so that I can focus. There are way too many Spirits wanting to make a contract with me.

That's another reason you drew my attention, the voice says. It isn't often there are over five hundred Spirits interested in a single person.

There are over five hundred?

For legitimately giving you a contract? He asks. There are eight hundred forty-six.

That's definitely more than five hundred. You seem to be able to give exacts on everything.

I tend to know things like that.

Any chance of you telling me who you are?

Nope.

The poor Fairy looks so confused right now.

"To explain," I look at him. "I forgot about this. While traveling with Warren, Spirits who were watching him noticed me, and discussed me. A few high-powered ones began to follow me around, and word got around to other Spirits. I began to be observed by others. It was sort of annoying, when I could sense them, but most of them never had enough of a presence for me to detect. Now, though, they're all wanting to contract with me, now that I'm actually looking for a contract.

"Sorry, Meiva," I say. "But I don't have enough Spirit right now to make the contract with you."

"That's fine," the ancient Spirit says as the Fairy's eyes widen. "As long as I'm your first as your true self, we can consider it fair."

"Deal," I say, looking around at the presences surrounding us. "All Spirits who are not already someone I have communicated with, please leave unless you are a Spirit capable of granting fire-based Gifts. For my first one, that is what I desire. I will eventually take on more contracts, but for now, this is what I desire. My apologies."

All but forty Spirits fade away.

"Spirits whose contracts require more than 30 Spirit at base for me," I say. "My apologies, but you are a bit too strong for me to be able to contract with and train, starting. Once my Spirit is higher, I will be able to contract with stronger."

All but six fade away, two of which are ones I'm friendly with, according to Meiva.

"Alright," I say. "Now, before I can contract with the four of you who meet the requirements, please show me your real forms, if you can. If not, my friend Meiva will assist you."

"I never agreed to that," Meiva says.

"See?" I say. "He's even agreed to it."

"You've hung around him for years," Nies huffs. "You should know better than to argue with-you knew, didn't you?"

"Knew what?" Meiva asks.

"That Marty was Gavin. You've been hanging around him forever. You knew he was Marty, didn't you?"

"We had a running bet," Meiva says. "On how long it'd take for you to track me down to see where Gavin was. When Gavin revealed himself to you, we changed the bet to when you'd realize I knew all along… along with thousands of Spirits."

"Out of curiosity," Nies says. "How many won?"

"Just me!" Meiva laughs. "I bet that you wouldn't figure it out before Gavin revealed it himself, and then that you'd figure it out as Gavin's gaining his first Spirit Contract!"

Nies huffs, but goes back to being lazy.

The Fairy is still staring at me in shock and disbelief, and I'm surprised he doesn't pass out when four forms begin to manifest, see-through, and wavering in visibility.

Two of the Spirits are Fire Salamander Spirits, flames rising from their bodies, vanishing into the air.

The third Spirit looks like flames with eyes and a mouth, just floating in the air.

The fourth Spirit is a crimson-haired Fairy with matching wings and eyes, dressed in a crimson loincloth, with red and gold bracers, anklets, armlets, and a leather cord decorated with two red beads and two gold beads, a fang of some form hanging from it. He wears a crown made of braided gold bands, rubies set into it.

The Fairy Spirit looks to be around ten human years old, with a lean, toned body that makes me nervous in my current form. He looks to be the most powerful of the four, and the level of Spirit surrounding him confirms that. He probably doesn't need a contract to interact with the mortal planes.

So how come I haven't sensed his power before? Has he intentionally hidden himself while watching me? Was he a former royal Fairy? A King?

"A Fairy Spirit," the living Fairy gasps quietly in awe. "I've never heard of any Fairies who have been smote before."

"Hanatsu," Nies says lazily. "He was on another world, got smote by Udumi. She's a cranky old bitch. She's now suffering in a hell she'll never escape, nor see out of. There exists almost no trace of her presence."

Killing a Fairy is one of his taboos, isn't it?

Usually, yeah. It's more of killing any Fairy King that's his strict taboo, royals are next, and the young are next. Nies is just waiting for your father to kill a Fairy King. Once he does, Nies can just smite him.

And make him an evil Spirit?

Oh, Nies's smites are far, far more powerful than that, he chuckles. If Nies smites something, it goes into a special little hell, never to return again.

Like the Divine that smote Hanatsu?

Yep! You know, those two might actually get along…

Shame it'll be Oberon who kills Christopher.

Oh, no worries about that. Nies has already arranged things so that when Christopher dies, he'll end up in that hell. Those two wouldn't meet, even once your father dies. Nies creates a separate hell for each special case.

Ah, okay. I should probably go back to speaking to the Spirits.

Interviewing them, more like. This is like a job interview on certain other worlds. Ask them their strengths and weaknesses.

Okay?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

"Alright," I look at the Spirits. "What are some of your strengths?"

"I can burn things," one of the salamanders says. "See through clothes, burn through clothes, eat clothes, consume poisons, and burn poisons."

"I can do the same things as him," the other salamander says. "I am also talented at heating water, and even making it steam."

"I am a Fire Elemental," the flames say. "I am the embodiment of fire. If there is a fiery Gift you desire that is within my power, I can grant it to you."

Wait, so is that a Spirit or an Elemental?

Spirit. It was an Elemental before it got smote by Nies.

For killing a Fairy?

Never met a Fairy before it was smote. To be honest, I don't think Nies is aware he smote that particular Elemental… no one's entirely sure what was going through his mind when he did that.

"And you?" I ask the Fairy Spirit.

"I am trained extensively in fire magics," Hanatsu answers. "And possess a wide range of Gifts, from basic and simple, to vast and powerful. I am capable of contracting up to ten Gifts, instead of the standard three, and my status as a Second Tier Spirit allows me to require less Spirit in exchange for my Gifts."

A Second Tier Spirit? I knew that Spirits had a special form of the System, though I can't read them with my Appraisals, but I didn't realize they, too, could advance their Species. Meiva never mentioned that to me.

I like the sound of that.

"What are some of your weaknesses?" I ask.

"Water," both salamanders say.

"I'm incapable of working in the rain," the Elemental Spirit answers. "And my power is virtually worthless underwater. I am weak in cold environments."

"When I see a hot babe," Hanatsu says. "I can't help but hit on them. There aren't many around who can understand us, though, but then again, most Fairies learn Silvar from a young age. Also, I'm very unorganized, but I'm not sure if that relates making a contract with you for a Gift. I feel like I'm in an interview for a job, which is weird, because that doesn't really happen on this world, and I haven't seen you in a situation where you'd encounter that. You are an intelligent young man."

"Thank you," I tell him, giving a mental glare to the Voice, who giggles. "Hanatsu, would you be willing to contract for a fireball Gift?"

"I would," the Fairy Spirit responds.

"Thank you," I say, then look to the other three. "I will be accepting Hanatsu, for my first contract as a Fairy."

Their forms fade, and then I look at Hanatsu.

"You don't have to keep sustaining that form," I tell him. "It can't be easy, if you aren't drawing on someone's power."

"It is of little importance to me," he shrugs. "I am much like Meiva, in terms of power. I can sustain an ethereal form for several days, before needing to use the Spirit of someone else. Less, if I need to use my available Gifts."

"Okay," I say, then look to the Fairy assisting me. "Koby – how do I form the contract?"

"By scaring me to death and back," he responds, then looks shocked, then quickly recovers. "I am three hundred years old, and I've never once seen so many Spirits flock to someone."

"Gavin's true Form," Hanatsu says. "Has over one thousand Spirit. He's attracted the attention of many Spirits, and many of high power as well. It isn't often someone who can contract with Spirits can also contract for our more powerful Gifts. I would love to contract the Gift of the Empire of Flames with Gavin."

"To make the contract," Koby says. "You first need to know Silvar, then befriend a Spirit, then offer up some of your Spirit to them. If they accept it, they'll grant unto you the words to speak to invoke the Gift they're bestowing upon you. You can only have one Gift of a type at a time, so when you begin the incantation, there won't be a mistaking it.

"After that," he continues. "The Spirit will do one of three things, typically. Depending on how well they like you and their current mood, they might perform the intended Gift, though whether it's how you want it or not isn't guaranteed, based on the same factors. They might also perform a curse instead, or just ignore you completely. That's why it's always a good idea to get to know the Spirits before making a contract."

"Meiva and Nies both seem to like him," I say. "So I'll take that as a positive, and say that we can skip the 'get to know' stage."

The Fairy nods numbly. I think he's a bit in awe and shock over what's going on. There's a god who's here, as well as someone who has dozens of Fairies – including powerful ones – standing before him. Along with some of those powerful ones.

If I were in him, I'd have probably passed out. But after everything that's happened to me, this is par for the course. If Nies's father descended and said 'hello', I'd probably just say 'your son is fucking weird' in response.

He'd probably just laugh, clap you on the back, and say 'isn't he?' in response to that.

The Fairy walks me through offering some of my Spirit to the Spirit I'm making a contract with, and once I do, Hanatsu accepts it, then gives me his incantation for a ball of fire.

"Burning, blazing ball!"

Short and sweet, just like Nies.

I like it.

As Hanatsu and I work together, me performing the incantation, him creating the fireball where I want it and throwing it that way, I can tell that the living Fairy has a question for Nies, but is hesitant to ask it.

"Koby," I say, and he jumps, looking at me. "Was there something you wanted to ask Nies? He doesn't have an issue with it, if you do. Just go up and ask him."

Koby nods, then approaches Nies, bowing.

"L-L-Lord Nies," he says, then pauses. I give him an encouraging wave, and he looks back at the 'napping' Divine. "May I… may I, um… touch you?"

"Sure," Nies says lazily. "Stopping you isn't worth the effort."

Koby looks at him in confusion, and I laugh hard enough that I hit the ground. When I calm down, the Fairy hesitantly reaches out and touches Nies's forearm. At first, he touches with just his fingertips, but slowly slides them across the god's arm until his full hand is resting on it. He looks to be in so much awe right now.

Then one of the tigers stands up, startling him, and the Fairy scrambles back several feet, looking terrified.

"Don't worry," I tell him as the tiger wanders off. "He just had to take a shit."