The boundaries of Rez's world blurred into a realm of stark contrasts and impossible geometry. The air around him, carried the scent of rain on stone, despite the absence of either. The ground beneath his feet seemed woven from shadows and light, firm beneath him but seemingly falling apart a few steps out, bleeding into a horizon between light and dark.
He found himself suspended between breaths, between beats of his heart. He barely kept himself from screaming, before remembering his training, pretending to hold his breath.
Something snapped in front of his face, like the crackle of ice underfoot. Fingers? "Just listen to me and don't think for a second. It's almost amusing how you're prepared to face monsters, yet when your heart stops for a bit here you draw towards panic."
As Rez followed the lines floating in the air, the silhouette of the tower entity emerged like ink dispersing in water, forming and reforming without settling on any one shape. It shifted continuously, from creature to creature, morphing.
"Initiate," the entity's voice resonated within the space, neither loud nor soft but omnipresent. "By what name shall you be known within this domain?"
Rez didn't hesitate. "Call me Relar," he said, choosing his full first name over his nickname. In that moment he announced his name, he felt like he had made his first real step in the new world. The name Rez belonged to a boy known by friends and family in Sheath, wrapped in memories of childhood. Relar, was his declaration that this is not merely a step forward, but a new beginning.
The entity inclined its head, acknowledging his chosen Caster name. "Relar," it repeated, solidifying his new identity.
"You will enter as you are," it continued, gesturing towards Rez with a hand that was both clawed and smooth. "Your race remains unchanged for your first part of the tutorial. You will have opportunities to try different forms on the tutorial floor, and choose one more permanently on your next entry."
The entity's tendrils coalesced into a visage of ancient wisdom, its eyes shimmering like pools, reflecting Rez in the nothingness of the plane. Moments passed with the two staring at each other.
"Spirit Beast affinity," it announced, the words resonating in the chamber like a proclamation of destiny. "Your essence intertwines with the primeval guardians of Allei, those that tread between physical and ethereal realms."
Relar's heart raced, a surge of excitement mixed with the gravity of the revelation. His gaze locked onto the entity as it extended a hand, materializing an object from the very fabric of the void.
"Behold your spellbook," it intoned, presenting the tome to him.
The book seemed to pulse with life as he reached out, his fingers brushing against its cover. It was bound in rough leather that bore small scars. Etchings were following those scars and danced across its surface, depictions of ethereal creatures.
Opening it with eagerness, Relar discovered two filled pages nestled within the empty sheets. The first depicted a large white bird, and called it a spectral crane, its form composed of stars and night sky; the second bore the image of a shifting animal face on one side and a human face on the other. Both sides appeared alive on the parchment, moving their eyes subtly and changing expressions.
"Spirit Companion and Spirit Sense," the entity elucidated. "One to call forth an ally from the essence of spirit beasts, another to share their senses. These spells are now yours to command."
A warm glow emanated from the pages, suffusing Relar's body with their power. He felt a connection ignite within him, a link to these newfound abilities that felt natural.
In this sanctum between worlds, with a spellbook in hand and his affinity revealed, Relar stood on the precipice of his new life as a Caster. He reveled in the possibility that lay within these two spells—the nascent power of his Spirit Beast affinity, though he couldn't help a twinge of concern for the lack of attack power inherent to them.
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The entity receded slightly, its form becoming less defined, as if it were blending back into the fabric of this realm. As Relar's fingers traced the intricate runes on the first page, a gentle hum vibrated under his fingertips, an almost musical resonance that filled the space between them. The runes shimmered, the lines, infused with light, lifted from the parchment, weaving into the air to form a constellation void before him. The spellbook, now untethered from his hand and gravity, hovered in mid-air.
Relar observed, fascinated, as the patterns delineated the gestures and mental focus required to harness his newfound abilities. Yet, when he attempted to mimic the movements, to channel his will through the patterns, he encountered resistance.
The entity spoke again, "Not here, you will get your chance soon enough. Now to the last part of your initiation." Before Relar appeared an ethereal script—his stats in hovering symbols.
Strength (STR) - 1
Agility (AGI) - 1
Vitality (VIT) - 1
Attack (ATT) - 1
Defense (DEF) - 1
Aether (AET) - 1
Free Points (FP) - 5
As he reached out to adjust them, "Tell me of golem heart shards," Relar blurted out, unable to contain his curiosity.
No shards detected, unable to acquire bonus.
The entity's form stilled momentarily. "Without such shards in your possession, there is naught for me to offer," it said simply.
"But what do they do?" he voiced again.
The entity remained impassive, its form a constant flux of shapes and lights. Relar's question hung in the void, unanswered.
Relar turned his attention back to his stats, considering his affinity and new spells. His strategy crystallized in his mind: he would become the fulcrum of his attacks, with spells as support. He raised his hand and managed to half point with his hand and half will his free points to go where he wanted them.
He allocated the free points to Strength 2, and one each in Agility, Vitality and Defense. Bolstering his resilience rather than enhancing his nonexistent offensive spells. The floating symbols accepted his decision, pulsing as they settled into their new values.
Strength (STR) - 3
Agility (AGI) - 2
Vitality (VIT) - 2
Attack (ATT) - 1
Defense (DEF) - 2
Aether (AET) - 1
Free Points (FP) - 0
The entity observed Relar's choices without judgment, "Very well," it said. "Your path is chosen." Relar nodded, a sense of conviction settling in his chest, just as a sudden pain ran through him, subtle but noticeable, he felt pressure building throughout his body. Looking down, he caught streaks of light running under his skin. Fascinated, he whisked back his sleeves and stared at the phenomena. More uncomfortable than painful, the sensation only lasted a few seconds.
The entity maintained its impartial stance as it watched Relar allocate his points, its voice devoid of inflection as it declared, "Very well. Your path is chosen." In response, Relar offered a nod, disrupted by a sudden sensation—a sharp, albeit brief, discomfort that coursed through his veins. He experienced a building pressure throughout his body.
Curious, Relar rolled back his sleeves to better observe the marvel playing out beneath his skin. What he saw were luminous filaments, like the very ground he was standing on, tracing paths beneath the surface of his flesh. These streaks of light, spurred on his transformation. Relar felt the inevitability of the tower. Of how it shaped him in turn for his challenge. He had crossed the threshold and was now in its grasp.
A fleeting phenomenon, soon the last of the light receded. "Relar," the shifting figure intoned, a finality woven into the tone. "Your role within these towers is not merely to ascend but to intertwine with their essence. You shall conquer and harvest power, and through perseverance and strength of will, shape the very fabric of this realm. For power is nothing without structure and guidance."
The entity paused, its form coalescing into a more defined shape, as if to underscore the gravity of its next words. "Your affinity for the Spirit Beasts offers a unique path to power within these walls. Your initiation quest, therefore, will task you with taming a spirit beast."
It continued, "Somewhere within the first level of the tower roams a beast that has lost its way, disconnected from the ebb and flow of Aether that sustains this place. You are to find this creature, understand its turmoil, and guide it back to resonance. This act of taming is not one of domination, but of respect and understanding. Succeed, and you might gain a loyal companion but also take your first step in mastering the essence of what you are to become."
While Rez, now Relar had been a little reluctant to embrace his affinity and the spells that he had been given, this quest finally blew away the doubts, at least for now. It wasn't just a task; it was a way for him to understand his newfound powers and changes.
"Your initiation is complete," the entity finally proclaimed. "Proceed through the portal when ready."
A ripple coursed through the void but drawing inward in reverse, moving even through the entity and converging next to it, forming an undulating gateway.
Relar took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and started to move towards it. With a final glance at the entity, now barely more than a wisp of light and shadow, Relar, for the second time today, strode into the unseen.