3-Visions and Decisions

3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Noon

The man calling himself Gallius wore a pleasant expression on his face. Doro had heard the name Gallius before but doubted that it could be the same person.

"I'll try to be quick. First, I originally came from Earth and was reincarnated in the Growing World, just like you. By the time you see this message, you might already know what a Blessed is. However, the mortals of the Growing World may not have the complete picture. Every few hundred years the Ascended and the five Ancients have the ability to ferry a number of souls from Earth into the Growing World. In order to let you keep your memories and be compatible with the new world, one of us will sponsor you and give you a sliver of our soul. This sliver will merge with you and give you a Second Choice based on what kind of person you were, as well as increasing your energy proficiencies slightly."

Gallius paused for a second as he took a dignified pause, puffing out his chest.

"I, Gallius The Proliferous, founder and first Patriarch of Gallia, am your sponsor. Rejoice! This is normally the part where other sponsors would give you some sort of goal, task, or mission to achieve or strive for. I'll save that for when you see the next part of this message if you pass the level 29 threshold. Since you only got a meager 22 years to live your first life, take your time to discover this world and live a pleasant life. Try to do the things you wished you had done the first time around. I'll make sure you are born to a decent descendant of mine so that you don't have a difficult start."

Oh, so it actually is him! Mom's ancestor! The reason why people wearing the last name of Gal exist throughout the entire empire. Gallius the studhorse as Mom calls him.

"Now on to two pieces of good news, and one sad one."

Gallius's tone turned somber as he continued.

"Your life as Ben is indeed over. An earthquake caused a gas line to rupture and explode, setting what remained of the building you were in on fire after making it collapse. Some of the people in the second-floor dorms survived, but everyone in the hall where the soiree was ongoing died in the process. In order to avoid mental scarring, we erased the last moments after the earthquake from your memories."

Having delivered the bad news, Gallius's smile returned and his tone became more upbeat.

"Now for the first bit of good news. When a wave of new Blessed is chosen, they all have to have died in the same general area over a short period of time. Therefore, a number of people you were acquainted with will have been reincarnated as well. If you find yourself within a hundred feet or so of another blessed, you will be able to sense their presence. This means you have a decent chance of finding and identifying old friends who also made the journey. The second bit of good news is that I am not sending you in by yourself. As you get incarnated, I have the ability to take a larger sliver of my soul and merge it with a sliver of yours to incarnate a second being into the Growing World. From the moment you make your first Choice, you should start being able to work on feeling a connection to that being, along with the ability to sense in what direction they are. If that being dies, its memories and the sliver of soul will return to me, improving my understanding of the world through a new perspective. If they manage to ascend though, I will adopt them as my child here in the celestial realms. If you can help and support each other, it would be appreciated. On this note, may we meet again if that is the direction your life takes you in. For now, just go out and enjoy your life without responsibilities. If you reach level 30, I will give you some general directives in the next message. Time for you to make your Choice, Have fun!"

Gallius gave Doro a wink and a thumbs up as both he and the white space faded away over the course of a few seconds. Doro now found himself in a pitch-black expanse without any borders in sight.

Well, that happened... Where am I now? Is there even a floor or am I just floating?

Doro tried to hop and wave his hand around his face, but he couldn't even tell if his limbs were actually there. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing, and when he tried to speak up, he couldn't even hear the sound resonating in his head.

Oh right! This is all technically in my mind, I guess I am just a mental construct and nothing is physical.

A second later he tried to send his thoughts outward and felt multiple things in front of him. Changing his perspective, Doro tried feeling instead of seeing, and mental images started forming. The images were not defined and some were hard to put into focus. Some even appeared to be shifting and changing slightly beneath the blur. It felt like trying to remember the face of someone you haven't seen in a long time and trying to imagine how they would look in the present, ending with both images shifting blurrily over each other.

Guess those are my Choice options. Sure would be nice if Gallius told me what my Blessed choice was, but I'll just have to guess. I'll work under the assumption that I already have a crafting or scholarly choice so I'll try and pick something that isn't purely either of those.

As those thoughts crossed Doro's mind, a large number of the images flickered out of existence. He noticed that out of those that disappeared, one had appeared as a traditional smith wielding a hammer while another wore a university professor tweed jacket and spectacles.

It seems the options respond to my thoughts. Let's try this then. I do not want a purely combat-related Choice.

A second group of options flickered out, although fewer than the first time.

Makes sense, as either Ben or Doro, I never really practiced much combat, well apart from that one month-long kendo workshop Meg coerced us into signing up for when we went to spend the summer with Emi in Japan.

Doro tried to look over his options again but decided that there were still too many left.

I need to filter out some more. What is something I wished I could do in my previous life but either didn't or couldn't do? I wasn't super fit but I was healthy enough, as long as I put in some effort, I can build my current body into something respectable. I wasn't ever that artistic but I could tell when something was aesthetically pleasing and was handy enough to reproduce designs so that's also fine. Filter out all options primarily focused on literature, music, arts, or sports.

This time a smaller number of options than the first group, but larger than the second, dissipated. There were still a lot of options remaining and Doro decided it to give it one more filter.

I guess that's what I get for having 31 years of combined experience and two very different lives. Ah, I know! If my Blessed Choice doesn't have anything "magical" and I pick a Choice that doesn't either, that would suck. It would be a waste to be reincarnated in a world with magic and not be able to at least dabble. I want a choice that focuses on Magical abilities.

As Doro made that decision, nearly all of the images started flickering out. A moment later only seven remained. Doro was puzzled, however, because some of the images that flickered out had definitely appeared to be magically inclined.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Weird, maybe they only appeared magical but were focused on something else? Anyway, let's see those seven options.

Doro proceeded to check over each option briefly to see what he had to work with.

Metal Meister, Phase Meister, Mineral Meister, Dune Magister, Lava Magister, Earth Magister, and Ferrous Sorcerer. Those do sound magical. Let's check those over and see if I can figure out the difference between a meister, a magister, and a sorcerer.

Upon trying to inspect his options more thoroughly, Doro noticed that instead of text popping up or a voice speaking out as he had expected, he just suddenly knew the broad directions these choices would take him in. The Magister Choices seemed to focus on abilities that would allow them to use energy to control the forces or matter they specialize in on a large scale and in great quantities.

So Dune Magister would ultimately allow me to create large sandstorms, quicksands, and the such...could be useful in the desert but...Nah. Lava magister could have interesting applications but, well, I'm not sure I want to play with fire quite so literally. Earth Magister though... I could create earthquakes, but that's a bit overkill for any situation I can think of. I could quickly build large structures though....that's pretty nifty.

Doro made a decision and both Dune Magister and Lava Magister flickered out.

Now on to the Meisters. Somewhat similar to Magisters but they trade out their focus on large scale and quantities for much greater control over what they specialize in. That seems better suited to me. This Mineral Meister Choice would also allow me to build things, just not as many in one go. However the quality of the building would end up a lot better and more detailed, I could even make realistic statues if I focused on control. Metal meister could be even better. Forget buildings and statues, I could make armor, vehicles, and a ton of gadgets that I could control at a distance.

As Doro was thinking over his options, he decided to drop Mineral Meister causing the image to flicker out.

Phase Meister? What kind of specialization is "phase" anyway?

He focused on the image of the Phase Meister and noticed it looked very similar to the Metal Meister. However, as Doro was studying the image, its equipment started becoming amorphous and rearranging itself differently before solidifying again. Then he noticed the two metal swords that had been sheathed on the image's belt floating alongside it, going through their own transitions from sword to hammer and then merging together before splitting apart as eight throwing knives.

Ah, I see. Specialized in phases of matter with Abilities focused on inorganic matter. Might get fewer metal-specific abilities than Metal Meister but being able to change solids into liquids and back should allow me to use control to work on shaping a lot more than a traditional meister. Plus this would give me a broader range than just either mineral or metals. I could do so much with this. I'll check out ferrous sorcerer quickly but this is gonna be hard to beat.

Doro moved his attention to the Ferrous Sorcerer as the image of the Metal Meister and Earth Magister disappeared.

Innate intuition based on being one with your specialization, super focused on Iron and its alloys, some abilities geared toward spellwork? Yep, that one is out as well. The others didn't mention spellwork so maybe it's a specific approach, but Iron is too limited. Maybe the magical-looking options that I made disappear earlier were spell-focused. Could be that because I used the term "Magical Abilities" it showed options that had inherently magical Abilities instead of spellwork-based Abilities, whatever that means.

The image of the Ferrous sorcerer faded away leaving Doro in front of the last option he hadn't rejected.

Alright, phase Meister it is then. I could reset the filters and go check more but this one really speaks to me. I can use it for crafting, magic, and probably even for refining. It also appears to have some combat potential which is honestly a good thing considering this world is a lot more dangerous than my old one. There may be something more overpowered that I didn't notice, but I'm already getting two separate Choices instead of one so I don't feel like I need to min-max. I will be a Phase Meister!

His Choice finalized, Doro suddenly found the image of the Phase Meister rapidly being sucked into the hand with which he had touched the crystal.

Into my hand? Wait! I got hands again!

He realized that his eyes were closed and that he was once again standing in front of the Akashic Beacon, having not noticed the exact moment the transition took place. Doro stepped aside to let the next person make their Choice and noticed how Scholar Atwut had tricked them. Yes, the choice only took a few seconds and that first line moved swiftly. The registration process, however, seemingly took more than a few seconds. A new, much slower-moving line was forming behind the scholar's desk and the children were now stuck waiting in the order they had made their Choices.

I reckon I've got a few minutes before my turn, might as well check my Sigil while I wait.

Doro opened his right hand and looked at his palm.

Nothing? Do I need to activate it somehow? I don't remember my parents saying anything special when they showed me theirs so it must not be verbal. They weren't making any unusual movements either so it's probably not somatic. Maybe its thought based. SIGIL!

Once again, Doro inspected his palm.

Still nothing!? What gives? Did I get a busted Sigil?

Doro moved slowly forward as he pondered over the issue intently. He was so deeply entrenched in his thoughts that he failed to notice that he had made his way to the front of the line.

"Ah, it is your turn then. I guess I'll finally learn the name of my would-be poisoner."

Scholar Atwut added a little laugh at the end of his sentence to indicate that he was joking. Doro wasn't convinced, but before he could formulate an apology and an explanation, Scholar Atwut started his census.

"Let us proceed. Give me your name, your parents' names, your place of birth, and your place of residence. In that order, please. "

Doro ordered the answers in his mind and then started responding, trying not to make a mistake.

"Doro Gal Khetepsa, son of Suyum Gal and Khetep Amhansa. I was born in Niwut and I live in the industrial district under the care of my parents."

"Good, no problems there."

Scholar Atwut dipped his quill into his ink pot and quickly wrote down the information.

"Ok now for the interesting bit. What Choice did you make? Assassin?"

At least that made it clear, Scholar Atwut still blamed Doro for the incident and hadn't truly let it go.

"Ah...no...not assassin. I am a Phase Meister."

Doro answered sheepishly, trying to avoid feeding the scholar's anger with any new fuel.

"Well, it's not that I don't trust you, but you'll have to prove it with your sigil as per the norm. If you want to admit to being an assassin before I catch you in a lie, now is the time. First, think the word "Akasha" to make the sigil appear. Second, think of the word "Choice" to display your choice and level."

Doro had to force himself into not rolling his eyes at the petty scholar.

Damn, I was on the right track I was just not thinking of the right word.

Akasha.

A glowing sigil instantly appeared on his open palm. Like the Sigils that he'd seen before, his was made up of three segments representing the three base attunements. An empty Square surrounded by a wavy circle with straight lines going outward from its exterior.

Choice.

The Sigil dissipated as a line of letters appeared on his palm in Imperial Common. He was happy to see it only displayed the Choice he had just made and not his blessed one. Doro put his hand flat on the table in front of Scholar Atwut.

"Phase Meister. As I said. Anything else?"

Scholar Atwut's eyes widened a bit as he read Doro's palm.

"Oh, Sorry for doubting you. A Phase Meister indeed. I've registered a few Meisters before but that is a variant I haven't come across before. Interesting. That will be all, you can go. Wait at the entrance of the room for the others to finish. Next!"

He then noted down the information on the form and Doro noticed him taking out a small notebook on which he scribbled something quickly.

That bodes well...

As the minutes passed and Doro waited, he tried thinking over a few different keywords while checking his palm for changes. By the time the census was over, he had figured out two more prompts.

So if I think "Abilities" the level one abilities granted by my choice appear. If I think the word "Blessed" before "Choice" or "Abilities" then my second choice or its abilities appear. I'll check my abilities after the certification exams otherwise I'll want to test them out straight away. Materia Synthesist sounds awesome though. Right up my alley.

When he figured out the keyword needed to display his blessed Choice, Doro gained an innate understanding of it as he had when studying the options during his First Choice. It turned out that his old self had been best suited for a Choice called "Materia Synthesist". This Choice was focused on breaking down matter into its components and then combining them in different ways.

This will probably synergize well with my other Choice. One Choice to make specialized materials and one to shape and use them. I can work with this.

Scholar Atwut picked up his forms and rejoined the group of children waiting at the entrance.

"We are going to head back out toward the plaza and then you will be free to return to your homes. Those of you who wish to take certification exams will follow me back in to be tested after you've had a small break and have stopped by the bathroom."

I kind of feel like a cheater...This test is probably going to be way too easy for me...