Two days earlier
Master Gelrin's fingers deftly navigated the bundle before him, elevating three shards that captured the light and attention. Vale, alongside her fellow initiates, leaned in closer, a collective breath held.
"You probably have seen what happened in the last climb. These," Gelrin articulated, his hands ensuring each initiate had a clear view, "are fragments of golem hearts. Rare. Powerful."
Vale's gaze was fixed on the shards. She barely heard the next words.
"From this moment," Gelrin announced, "your training is a competition." He held the shards into the tower light. "The most adept among you will earn these. You will form trios, mirroring the teams that enter the Climb. Your performance will be judged individually; triumph is not guaranteed by association. You have two weeks to form your teams. Choose wisely."
Vale had started pushing her way towards Gelrin and the table, much to the displeasure of her classmates. Her thoughts weren't on potential teammates but on how to get those shards as fast as possible. For Vale, those fragments weren't merely a reward; they were everything she wanted.
She stayed back, close to the table, close to Master Gelrin. She didn't know what she would do. Could she just take one right now? But it was all that filled her thoughts for now.
Someone called to her, breaking her out of her trance. "Calrinth, right? Get ready." Vale looked up, into the face of Master Gelrin. No concern, just instruction. And for the first time in minutes she became aware again of where she was again. Only a few initiates were still left in the chamber. There were all crowding the path towards the gate. Compartmentalizing her longing for the shards, she stepped away from Gelrin and the table. She put a hand beneath her shirt, finding her own piece of the tower, caring not for what it might look like. Everyone's focus was on the gate, the only source of light in the dim chamber. She took her place in the que. Last one. Someone had to in any case.
The world around Vale blurred, giving way to an otherworldly expanse. She found herself enveloped in an atmosphere dense with the odors of iron and damp earth—a landscape crafted from an endless variety of materials. Flecks of color burst into existence around her, a kaleidoscope of hues that flashed vividly before vanishing just as quickly, leaving only fleeting afterimages to haunt her vision. These specters of color painted a scene that was constantly in flux, a visual cacophony that challenged her sense of space and direction.
Metal fragments shimmered briefly in silver and gold, while shards of crystal scattered prismatic light, only to disappear into the ether. Swirls of fabric, soft and ethereal, intertwined with harder substances. Every step Vale took seemed to stir this chaotic ballet of materials and light, each element appearing and disappearing so rapidly that she found it impossible to focus on any one detail for long.
This realm was pure transformation. Nothing remained long enough to be fully understood or appreciated. Vale's tried to release a breath she had been holding. Her training kicked in, reminding her of the suspended existence that governed this in-between. She steeled herself and closed her eyes.
A sharp click echoed in the space, reminiscent of gears locking into place. "Focus," a voice commanded, its tone rich with the timbre of vibrating metal. "Your fears are inconsequential here."
Vale turned towards the source of the voice, watching as the very fabric of this world seemed to shift and warp, release pieces, move them and finally coalesce into the form of the tower entity. It was a marvel of construction—a humanoid shape composed of myriad elements and materials, each part shimmering with elemental energy. It was a fixed form, yet within its structure, everything flickered and shifted, from solid to liquid to gas, in a constant state of flux.
"Initiate," the entity spoke, its voice resonating like the hum of power through conduits. "What name do you claim in this domain?" A hiss like releasing steam followed though where from, Vale couldn't tell.
Vale hesitated only a moment. "Vale. Vale Calrinth," she declared, feeling the weight of her identity in this alien place.
The entity, along with its living amalgam of elements, nodded once. "Vale Calrinth," it affirmed, locking her choice into the fabric of this realm.
"Your form remains as your world and you have shaped it," the entity stated, its gaze sweeping over her. "But you will be as you choose to be. Your affinity, Body Modifications, grants you dominion over flesh and bone. Use it wisely."
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A smile cracked Vale's composed exterior, a rarity like the bloom of a flower in her family's austere cavern gardens. Her fingers brushed her chest where beneath her clothing lay the inert golem heart shard. It was no longer a mere curiosity or a rebellion against her lineage. It was affirmation.
Vale felt the world align with her innermost yearnings, a resonance that vibrated through her very bones. She had spent countless nights, her mind alive with theories of how the body could intertwine with the arcane, how flesh could be enhanced with the essence that streamed through only golems. Her family's obsession with power and control had always felt alien to her, a garment ill-fitted and coarse against her skin. But here, in this realm between realms, she found kinship.
Her affinity for body modification wasn't just an interest—it was an extension of her being, as natural as breathing now. She marveled at the revelation, she might have imagined it, but she felt with the words of the entity, new paths settle into her, filling gaps she didn't knew she had grieved for.
The entity watched Vale, giving her a moment to collect herself. "Your path is your own to forge," it intoned, its left half locking in place while the right seemed to go almost completely liquid, pulsing along its limbs. "In your hands lies the power to redefine your existence."
Vale nodded along, taking in every word like a sacred verse. This was more than she had ever hoped for, even in this most important of days.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Vale knew that this—this wondrous gift—was truly hers and hers alone. No family expectations could lay claim to dismiss or change it, no tradition could contain it. She had found a piece of herself that was untouchable by others.
In this moment of self, Vale Calrinth found solace and strength. She would explore this affinity with every fiber of her being, not as an act of defiance but as an embrace.
"Behold," the entity intoned, extending a hand. From the swirling energies, a spellbook materialized, its skin a multitude of pieces connected in an intricate patterns in hues of grey and brown, forming unknown runes.
Reverently, Vale reached out, her fingers brushing the cover. The book opened to reveal its contents: pages dedicated to the arts of Body Modifications—"Your path is one of self-transformation," the entity explained. "These pages are your first steps. Mastery over your own form will unlock abilities beyond the ordinary, but remember, balance is key. Push too far, and you risk losing yourself."
Fleshforge Graft (Level 1, Mastery: Initiate) This spell allows the caster to temporarily graft additional parts onto their body, such as stone skin for defense, iron fists for strength, or crystal eyes for enhanced vision. Each feature brings a distinct advantage but also comes with its challenges, such as increased weight from stone skin or the disorientation from crystal eyes' heightened perception. Mastery of this spell involves not only selecting the right material and fitting modification for the situation but also managing the physical and Aetheric strain such alterations place on their body.
Spark of Life (Level 1, Mastery: Initiate) Spark of Life enhances the casters vitality by channeling ambient Aether into the bodies core, enabling healing and granting momentary resistance according to the ambient aether. Additionally, this spell grants a minor regenerative effect, over time. Spark of Life is particularly useful for enduring harsh environments or long treks.
As she contemplated her newfound knowledge, she stood before the entity, its form a complex assembly of elements and machinery. It made her wonder if this would be what she would look like in time. The air around them was charged, as symbols materialized in the void before her. Strength, Agility, Vitality, Attack, Defense, Aether—each hovered in silence, waiting for her decision.
"I see," Vale said. Her tone low, distraught by the silence and alienness of the scene, glancing at the entity. With a deliberate gesture, she began to allocate her Free Points.
Her focus was clear: to fortify her body and enhance her Aether. She distributed her points with precision, adding two to Vitality, ensuring her body's endurance and capacity for recovery were maximized. Another two she invested in Aether, crucial for fueling the intricate modifications she envisioned for herself. The final point she placed in Agility, ensuring her movements remained swift and precise, an essential balance to the physical enhancements she would undergo.
Strength (STR) - 2
Agility (AGI) - 1
Vitality (VIT) - 2
Attack (ATT) - 1
Defense (DEF) - 2
Aether (AET) - 3
Free Points (FP) - 0
As the last point anchored itself, the symbols dimmed, their task complete. Vale felt anxious about her choice, but she put it behind her. The choices she made here, in the ethereal quiet of the initiation chamber, would just be the first step in a long path through the tower.
The entity, gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Your journey will be arduous, fraught with peril and pain. But it is within such trials that true strength is forged."
Vale's response was a silent nod, not sure what to make of the proclamation. Prophecy or opinion?
"Your initiation concludes," the entity intoned, beginning to fade from view. "The portal awaits. Ahead lies your proving ground. Embrace your affinity, learn its limits and possibilities. Only then will you truly ascend."
With its final words, the entity became one with the environment once more. Vale stood alone. The spellbook had found its way into her in hand without conscious thought. She glanced at it, she was ready. An anticipation for what was to come diffusing her that she had lacked for a long time. With a last glance at the space where the entity had been, she stepped forward, ready to face whatever the tower held, to bend it to her will and emerge transformed.