“The Integration of a planet into the Starstream is ultimately a bet; one against the native populations. Those that overcome the tragic fates of harvesting or vassals are one in a million, a fraction of a fraction of the planets integrated every cycle.”
~Polio Ranhan, Great Explorer
“A multi-universal existence; the Starstream connects all mortals to the Divine, allowing all creatures to climb to the road to immortality, blah, blah, blah.” Devin read from the seventh book that featured a history or rendition about the mythical existence Star Stream.
It was all very enlightening; the only problem was every civilization had different beliefs on the subject. In some texts, it was taboo to even discuss it, only mentioned with a light reverence.
Whether it was a god among gods, the law of the fabric of reality, or the Heavens that judged everything from above, Devin didn’t know. It was hard to distinguish fact from fiction.
I guess the history angle is a bust. He sighed, putting down the book in favor of pinching the bridge of his nose to nurse his headache. And not a hint of whatever integration is in sight.
Devin was learning a lot, but nothing seemed to be useful at this very moment. None of the little nuggets of knowledge he gained would grant him explosive strength.
There’s so much to learn, but not enough time. Devin summoned his soul card, and checked the time he had left on his visit.
Rusty’s Dusty Lost &
Found Emporium
Return: 2:27:52
Devin hadn’t spent much time looking through the library, but just in that half hour, he expanded his horizons immensely. Names were attached to concepts he instinctively understood while coming across new ideas that may have been simple to these civilizations, but were radical to him.
The greatest of which was learning more about his core, or to use its true name, his deckbox.
Although it was interesting to learn the theoretical locations of his decks, skills, and vault, Devin was more interested in the mechanics of magical energy, what he learned was called aether.
As people absorbed it into their bodies through shards, they became blessed with the ability to draw from at least three resources; life, stamina, and arcanium. Although each was used to activate cards, and had their own secondary effects, they could be used in many more ways with a bit of finesse.
Body reinforcement, magical formations, raw manipulation. There were so many ways to utilize aether-based resources, Devin had only scratched the surface.
The aether in the store roiled as Devin’s book resources surged with his heart. Ideas sprouted as Devin's comprehension over his new reality grew.
His newfound familiarity with his resources told him they sought to escape with every heartbeat, but they couldn’t free themselves from the constraint of his magical circle that wrapped around his deckbox.
Not without his permission.
Devin grinned. He was about to test out a few ideas until a thick book slammed onto the table. Refusing to flinch this time, he looked around to see the mouse giggling in high-pitched squeaks.
“Thank you, Dewey.” Devin bowed his head to show his genuine appreciation.
Without the mouse helping him, he would’ve spent the whole three hours running around this dump, looking without a hint of a clue.
“Can you find me anything on builds, strategies, and any foundational knowledge an newbie arcanist should know?” He asked.
It squeaked back, disappearing between the staggeringly high shelves.
The book Dewey had set for him was more interesting than the various histories and mythologies of dead civilizations, going into details about the existence of cards and their known mechanics.
“A combination of essence, aether and a concept; cards are the cornerstone of existence on this side of the Star Stream. It encapsulates every part of reality, transcends laws, and imposes new ones.” He read, enraptured.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Devin was fascinated by the intricacies of cards; from their multiple types and designations, the soul card and its implications, to the fact that any entity can consume a card or shards to grow stronger.
He summoned his soul card with a wave of his hand. I wonder if this could be counted as a card.
Devin Carter
Shards:1019/1019
Circle: Nature's Elite
Archetype: N/A
Life:100%
Stamina:86%
Arcanium:100%
POW:0.3
ACU:0.5
CHA:0.6
Meta-Awareness:0.2
Meta-Finesse:0.2
Main Deck: Rage, Boar's Charge, Rusty's...
Side Deck: [Empty]
Skill list: Seize, Subjugate
Vault: Stick Tribe’s Bag O’ Tricks, Obsession, Stealy’s Red Cap
Nature’s Elite
The forest blesses the guardian
that cares for its corners.
Alignment: Organic/Divine
Tempo: 3 seconds/ 3 minute
Focus: Passively Grants Regenerative properties to Life.
Activation greatly increases effect.
Finally having a moment to himself, Devin looked over his soul card, and tapped on his archetype, eager to choose something to help him not only survive, but thrive.
Archetype choice available!
Carefully select one:
Scavenger
The Scavenger is a master of resourcefulness, able to find value in the most unlikely places. They thrive in desolate environments, using their keen eyes and instincts to collect valuable materials from ruins, debris, or fallen foes.
Scores—ACU
Skill—[Loot Sense]
Boon—Scavenger’s Adrenaline
Laborer
The Laborer possesses incredible physical strength and stamina, honed by years of manual work.
Scores—POW
Skill—[Reinforce]
Boon—Load Bearer
Scholar
The Scholar is a seeker of knowledge, using their intellect and research to manipulate the world around them. They may not be physically imposing, but their wisdom grants them access to ancient secrets, powerful spells, and deep insights into their enemies.
Scores—CHA, M.AWA
Skill—[Tome of Secrets]
Boon—Arcane Knowledge
Hunter
The Hunter is a master of the wilderness, specializing in tracking, trapping, and bringing down their quarry. Whether stalking dangerous beasts or enemy soldiers, the Hunter uses stealth and precision to strike where it hurts the most.
Scores—ACU
Skill—[Track]
Boon—Nature Whisperer
Survivor
The Survivor is an expert at staying alive in the harshest conditions, able to endure extreme environments, lack of resources, and constant danger. Their skills in survival make them hard to kill, whether by nature or by enemies. Survivors can make use of what little they have, thriving where others would perish.
Scores—POW
Skill—[Last Stand]
Boon—Hardy Constitution
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a genius inventor, constantly creating gadgets, tools, and machines to aid them in combat and daily life. They have a knack for turning scrap into sophisticated devices, giving them a technological edge in battle. Whether it’s a mechanical companion or an explosive trap, the Tinkerer always has
something up their sleeve.
Scores—ACU
Skill—[Clockwork]
Boon—Gadgeteer
He looked blankly at the blue screen, immensely disappointed . “This is bullshit!”
Dewey jumped onto Devin’s shoulder, reappearing out of nowhere, chirping at his outburst. He couldn't understand the rodent, but he could infer what it meant by context clues, since the mouse had at the very least human-level intelligence.
“My archetype choices! They are all so lame.” Devin groaned and banged his head on the shoddy table which wobbled under his weight. “A couple sound useful, but how am I supposed to stand up to Bella as a Tinkerer.”
The mouse patted his face with its tiny paws, getting his attention to point at the set of slightly moldy books, and scrolls that floated behind it. “I know, I know.”
He pulled a scroll from the pile first, skimming through the system-translated texts before moving on to the next. The subject matter Devin asked for was far more extensive than the abstract Star Stream.
For a long while, Devin combed through whatever dusty, half-rotted book and scrolled the mouse brought for him. There were thousands of examples for potential builds, synergies, card and archetype evolutions.
That’s when he came across combos, something he hadn’t even thought possible. Just what I need.
Reading through the texts with greater attention to detail, Devin learned that combos were two, or more abilities were temporarily brought together to form an even greater effect. It would’ve been amazing knowledge to gain, if it wasn’t for one fact.
Every combo was a personal insight that couldn’t be copied, or replicated. Even instruction had limited effect.
Although simple in theory, they required an intimate knowledge of the cards, and a greater control of energy than Devin possessed at the moment.
He wouldn’t be slinging around big spells anytime soon. Born to do magic; forced to live in mediocrity. He sighed.
Putting combo research to the side, he dove into the last few books Dewey had recommended.
“Meta-skills are the true marks of a skillful arcanist. Not only will it give you more strength, It’ll give all arcanists a chance to obtain lofty achievements.”
The book he had just read talked about what made up a promising arcanist, while the next one cleared his confusion on achievements.
“Achievements, their importance, and how to attain them.” He read aloud, savoring the title. “Achievements are not only one of the ways to obtain wealth and power, they are also qualifications.
“Without certain qualifications, greater archetypes, skills, boons, cards, and even entire places and realms in the multiverse are forever barred for you, even if you perform daily actions worthy of them.”
I guess that explains why Bateman was so mad. I would be angry too, if someone stole an easy achievement.
“But still though, it doesn’t make sense. My achievements aren’t lacking, I should be drowning in super rare options.” Devin said to himself.
Dewey scooted down his arm, patting down a particular paragraph in the book.
He squinted his eyes in concentration. “For choosing Archetypes, achievements function just as a limiter, they don’t fill in the history of your life, or your skills. In very rare cases, some individuals can have several rare achievements, yet only qualify for common ones due to their lifestyle, and recent awakening.
“Without the right actions, skills, environment, and time, options will more than likely be subpar.” Devin read outloud, much to the mouse’s upturned nose and smug face. “I would’ve found it eventually.” He muttered.
So what do I do?