"Get your lazy ass out of bed!"

The call was instant, and not for the first time this morning. It had only been two months since Erik had been assigned his guildsman medal, and already he was being forced into a strenuous routine. Mentally he groaned, knowing better than to release one to the order given to him. Pushing himself off of his pillow, Erik looked around. Still dark, as had been the case six of the seven days of the week so far. Rolling to his side, he attempted to rearrange the cocoon of blankets he had about his body, only to roll onto the floor. Landing face first, he groaned this time, only to push himself up and getting dressed in what passed as suitable for what was about to happen.

As soon as he had woken the morning after his assignment, Erik had found a new training regiment was what waited for him in the mornings and afternoons. Evenings were set aside for book learning and basic writing and reading. This was his life, or what had become of it so far, and from before the sun rose until the three moons were well gone beyond the horizon, Erik was doing some form of training or undergoing classes. On the plus side, he could now read and write in the strange glyphic letters that were the norm in this new life, though just like his last life, his was chicken-scratch.

"Moving Gaulden. . . very slowly, but still moving."

His last words were whispered out as he made his way from the long room and then down the stairs to begin heading for the door to the brisk outdoors. There was a slight chill in the air that the sun would burn off once it actually began to rise, for now however, Erik had to deal with it. Gooseflesh running over his arms as he closed the door to the home and dashed towards the back where his father was already standing, and somehow sweating.

As soon as Erik was seen, Gaulden stopped a swing of his sword mid-swing. Muscles bulging slightly from the sudden halt, while veins showed over his entirety.

"Took you long enough boy! You should be out of bed an hour ago! You are a genius three year old. . . How can you be so smart and so lazy?"

The words rocked Erik for a half-second, his head cocking to one side, having not realized he had grown yet another year older. The look on his face caused Gaulden to gufaw, laughing hardily and having to press the end of his blade into the compacted dirt of the, now, training yard. They'd used the back yard so much now, that it no longer grew grass around where they moved.

Anger rose up in Erik for but a small time, before he had to close his eyes, breathing in deep and trying not to yell at the old man.

"I'm three. . . So what of it?"

"You should be in school is what of it, unfortunately, all your schoolin' time is with your mum. At least for the next five years. Your orders are otherwise damn near the same as mine! Train and learn until you're eight!"

This actually got an audible groan to ripple from Erik, only to be caught on the arm with a length of wood. Hissing in pain, he looked up the impromtu sword at his father who was smiling wider. Gaulden's head tilting to point towards Erik's own faux sword, which he moved over to pick up. Gripping the rough leather straps around the hilt of the fake weapon he lifted it to it's starting position, focusing upon Gaulden.

"That was painful, Gaulden."

"And I told you last time that the first things you do are greet me and pick up your weapon. Now mark."

With this, a routine that had been drilled into his mind began. Utilizing the wood to warm up with attacks towards the shadows, as if real monsters were about. Looking to all the world like an intricate dance, and soon having Erik in a fierce sweat like his father next to him. It was an hour before they were each done swinging their weapons, and moving in concert with the motions, and with the end of this the sun was beginning to cut through the darkness surrounding them.

"Honestly. . . Boy. . how can you keep up with me?"

Gaulden's voice called to Erik, huffing and puffing, though Erik himself was no better. Soon they both landed on their asses, coming close to falling fully back, Erik wholly unable to respond through gasps of air, trying to fill his lungs completely.

"Well. . whatever the case, today I get to teach you something a bit more than just your physical training."

Erik's brow rose in confussion to this, but he just let the man continue on, not daring to stop him as he still tried catching his breath fully.

"So, today, you get to learn to call your status to the fore. I'm sure you see it every night, everyone does."

Was this old man talking about the character sheet? Erik was even more confused now, he thought he was special in that he had a character sheet. Though when Gaulden tapped the golden medal at his belt, a small blue screen appeared in the man's palm. It was Gaulden's character sheet.

Name: Gaulden Yorikson Age: 30 Class: Fighter Job: Shift Fighter Miscellaneous: Gold Guildsman

It was like a hologram, and spun slightly from side to side. Looking over it, He smirked, he was actually older than his father, at least mentally. The other parts of this most basic of sheets didn't actually come as a surprise however, to Erik.

"Now. . you can either call it verbally or mentally so long as you are touching the guild badge. Those who don't have one, usually have another seal that allows them to show their status to others."

Without waiting, Erik touched the badge at his own belt, mentally telling his character sheet to appear. Just like Gaulden had, and brought his up in his hand. It felt weird to see this in the real world, and the fact that it felt like a projection pushed onto water, as his palm seemed to feel wet now.

Name: Erik Usoro Age: 3 Class: Mage Job: Booker Miscellaneous: Apprentice Guildsman (Gold)

His full character sheet didn't appear, though he was glad that it had updated some things. Gaulden nodded, before looking over the columns that were shown. Sucking on his teeth, before sitting up fully and then standing.

"Well as it is your birthday, today is a near full day off. Though you will still be going to class with your mother. Now, we open up the rest of your status pages, this is done almost the same way, and most people don't have this unless they are part of the guild."

Gaulden's page had been floating in the air over his palm, now as he moved his other hand to swipe over his badge the vision changed over to a secondary set of stats. These stats looked like bodily stats, things that would naturally increase with training or teaching.

Constitution: 37 Strength: 31 Wisdom: 29 Intelligence: 25 Dexterity: 30 Agility: 31 Luck: 15

The stats looked fairly average, if not on the low side, though he had also noted a lack of any kind of overarching level system besides these as well. That was when Gaulden motioned for Erik to do as he had speaking up and telling him the command.

"For this, you call up Full Stats, while swiping along your badge."

Erik followed the instructions, still holding his palm upright, and swiping his badge while thinking the words. His own character sheet shimmered a moment, before refocusing in the same manner as Gauldens.

Constitution: 4 Strength: 4 Wisdom: 29 Intelligence: 27 Dexterity: 4 Agility: 3 Luck: MAXED

Reading his own sheet he blinked at his luck stat. He had to reread it multiple times, his father seeming to do the same. Both having forgotten to close their mouths, before they met each other's eyes.

"Boy. . . I know why you are a gold now. . you are possibly even a higher. . I think you may be diamond with that stat of yours."

"Gaulden. . . what is maxed?"

The question completely forgetting about what Gaulden had just said to him, as the man licked at his lips.

"I. . I think something around a hundred? Maybe a hundred fifty?"

Both were posed as questions, uncertain himself about the answer. However, as if on queue, a voice spoke into Erik's mind directly, that same booming voice.

No, no. . . A max stat's value can only be determined to end when you've attained asendence. . So god level stats, or something closer to ten thousand.

This caused Erik to cough, sputtering a bit, then his eyes narrowed.

"If my luck is so high why the hell do I fall out of bed!? How did that chicken thing even hit me!?"

Grumbling out this series of questions, he crossed his arms, unhappy about the bumps and bruises he attained in normal-every-day goings-on. This is when Gaulden began laughing again shaking his head some, both of them closing their hands and getting rid of the blue, holographic displays of their character sheets.

"Those things are based around your agility and dexterity boy. Your luck. . . well that is a mysterious stat. It controls certain aspects hidden in life. Perhaps your first kill was based on it, or maybe just the fact that the stick was laying near enough to you to beat the thing to death."

Which Gaulden shrugged to his own words, as he came to lay upon his back and stare up into the quickly brightening sky. His mind temporarily held in contemplation of seeing this development in his son. He hadn't even made mention that Erik was almost as smart if not slightly more so than himself. He couldn't go about the entire day thinking on this, so instead sat back up and brought himself to his feet, grinning down at Erik.

"One more time, before we go for some breakfast. Light day boy."

Erik nodded, more out of the near zombie-like state he found himself in after seeing his stats than any kind of obidience. Picking himself up, he moved again to his father's side and began to run through the rigorous warm-ups that he had been drilled on time and time again for the past two months.

By the end of it, the sun was fully in the sky, and noises and sound could be heard coming from inside. Both of the participants of the activity left the yard slowly. Breathing in deeply, attempting to get their breath back collectively. As they moved in, Linda spoke up with some huff to her voice.

"Clean up, the both of you. I will not have your sweating, stinking bodies at my table."

Both groaned, before having to run from the entrance to the baths that were set up for them already, lest they find some impliment forced into them via force. The baths that were drawn for them were cold, to soothe any of their sore and inflamed muscles. Allowing their bodies to tighten back up a little and heal the muscular tearing.

It was many long minutes before the water went from cold to lukewarm, Erik sighing contentedly in the water and remaining within until his body began to prune up. He had begun to drift in and out of consciousness, before a bar of soap hit him on the head, his father standing wholly nude there, looking down.

"C'mon, can't sleep in the tub, move out and get dressed. Breakfast is ready."

Peeling himself from laying within the long wooden tub, he made no mention of Gaulden's nudity, and began to shake off excess water from his own diminutive frame. Looking over himself, he gave a deep sigh of disappointment, then shook his head clearing his hair of the cold liquid and then began to move himself out of the tub entirely. Once out he grabbed a towel and began to dry off, wrapping it around himself to hide the world from his birthday suit.

Heh. . . Birthday suit, on my own birthday.

His thoughts began, and then he was being ushered up the stairs by Gaulden. Slapping at the man's hands, muttering things about how he could make his own way up them, only to land face first inside the room, one leg sticking in the air and twitching.

"Ow. . . Luck my ass. . ."

Pushing himself off the floor, he began to wipe away some of the dirt and dust from himself, only to look through the wooden drawers to find an outfit that wasn't completely ragged and full of holes. Pulling on a hempen wool shirt and some linen pants he sighed, where were his wood sandals again? Looking around the drawers and even under them he began to get frustrated before taking a guess and looking towards his bed. Good guesses were good, there the wooden things were, tucked just under his blanket under his bed.

GRumbling about people moving his things, Erik pulled the sandals close to himself, pulling one on and then the other and wiggling his toes between the stranded hempen that kept the simple things on his feet. When had he gotten used to this new, extremely itchy clothing? Perhaps a question for another time, and so he was walking back out of the room and down stairs towards the dining area.

His entire family was already sitting in their places, while in front of the single empty chair were three items wrapped in wax paper. Two he could already tell what they were, but the last looked more or less like a carrot had been wrapped up. Long, thin and tapered towards one side, he gave a slow shrug in his mind, only to move to sit at the table and began to look around at the expectant faces all around him.

"Come on Erik! Open up the presents!"

A cousin spoke to him from across the table, which got a smack across the older boy's head, before Erik could say anything in return. Looking at the three packages he smiled, and began to slowly undo the wax paper. Little by little he revealed the first item, a book, one he had wanted now since he saw it.

A History: Introduction to the World. It read, it held no author but he was certain it would contain prudent information, or at least some things he was seeking. The other book though, as he unwrapped it had him tilting his head some. It was a black leather bound book and nothing was written on the pages at first.

"Empty book?"

"Spell book. . . "

This caught him off guard as he looked down at it again. Then in the strange caligraphy that was this world's written language as far as he knew, began to scrawl across the page. It simply read as: Wing Blade. The slight golden light that erupted from the book to write in this little thing caught everyone off guard. Him for the fact that it did it by itself, the others for the fact that he already had a spell without any teaching.

"Linda. . . you already taught him a spell?"

"No. . . I didn't."

Then the gold began to diffuse to blue, and settled along the entirety of the book. The black leather swiftly becoming navy in color, while on the front, where it had once been completely blank began to adorn itself with a single mark. It looked like the chicken he had killed, well, before he had killed it in any case.

That was when an older woman, his grandmother he had found out, spoke up. Blind eyes looking towards him, as if she could actually see him.

"Blue magic. . . That's why you have a full affinity with all elements, because you are a spell thief!"

Then she began to cackle, only to stop in a fit of coughing. Everyone had turned their eyes upon the old woman while she was exclaiming at Erik, but then turned towards him once more. His father's lips parting to speak slowly.

"You. . were caught by that chicken's attack?"

In answer, Erik slowly nodded, though he never lifted his eyes from his spell book. If this book was anything like his own mental character sheet, he already knew it would evolve over time. Turning it slowly to the back he read the new inscription.

Unto this book shall the beast put a blessing. For each new beast a skill shall be added. Go now Blue Mage, and kill everything.

A blinking notification came to the corner of his eye, though he did not mentally open this one, instead leaving it to blink in his vision as his family began to quietly discuss amongst themselves what this really meant.

"This is what you get for giving him the name Usoro. . . Can't blame the God of Creatures for making him into a mage of creature magic."

One of his aunt's quipped, just slightly under her breath before all eyes were back on Erik's smiling face. It was a true, wide smile the touched nearly to his eyes. Then he looked at the final gift, which he was about to grab, before Gaulden placed a hand over it.

"This one. . we need to replace. A wand doesn't suit your uses, you'll need something a bit. . bigger."

"Give the boy his grandfather's cane!"

The old woman crooned out, cackling once more, before settling in her chair, being helped by another of Erik's aunts and a few cousins. Looking pointedly past the lot that were settling the old woman down, she smiled a crooked smile at Erik, this blind eyes, he could tell were definitely seeing him. That caused him to shiver, gooseflesh chasing over his skin and prickling all over.

God that is creepy. . .

I know right? I thought blind people were. . Well blind? Did she transcend her humanity or somethin?

Blinking, that booming voice caught him by surprise. However, this only made him shake his head, watching his father pull away what he now knew was a wand. Well he had assumed that's what it was to begin with, or a carrot. Then as his father moved out of the room, he looked around at everyone, who were all smiling at him now. They awaited his father's return, which he did not moments later after leaving.

In the man's hands was a long, slender rod of wood, capped with some sort of metal on both ends. The bottom end, he noticed had been fully blunted, scratched and worn with age, while the top was a fully different story. Polished and decorated with some form of creature's head upon it. It looked like a lizard or a dragon. . . or a wyrm. Why had that thought occurred to him? He wasn't sure and so pushed it out of his mind, that is, until he was handed the cane, which was almost twice his height.

As Erik's fingers wrapped around the walking stick, lines and runes down the entire shaft began to light up, wherever his hand held onto the laquered wood, the symbols and flowing line work could be seen, even from under his holding. This time a notification flashed across his face unbidden, giving him an insight as to what was going on, as if the exclamations from his family weren't enough.

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"Congratulations, Erik. You have bound a weapon to you, until your death or ascension, this weapon will heed no other than yourself."

"Told you he wasn't on this field of existence anymore. . I have been married to him longer than most of you have been alive."

The old woman snorted out, before those glassy orbs once more focused on Erik. That was when he saw it for the first time, while yes, she was most certainly blind, the thin, blue veins that coarsed in and out of her eyes pulsed with a gentle magic. Then another pop-up came to him unbidden.

"Yalereth Gundensbrood has taught you a new magic. You have learned Aether Vision."

That was it, no kind of explanation, and no telling him what was going on before his mouth gaped wide. Everything around him bloomed in different colors, while the normality of his vision changed. It was like he became blind to all but the different colors that were vaguely human-shaped around him. As he looked around to stare at each of his family members in turn, he could see around where each member's eyes should have been, began to take on a higher density of these sparkling particles of color.

"And so. . . with your first spell, you are granted the Gundenson line's own. Even blind, we see, we will always know the inner workings of those and that around us. This is the family's gift to you, learn it, use it, master it."

Then a bright, blue light erupted next to his chest, where his book lay on the table. The final few words of his grandmother being imprinted on the back of the book, displaying just under what had been there before hand. Even in this altered sight he could read the lettering, showing that the book had latent magical properties besides what had already been shown.

Then he was looking back up at his family, a faint grin touching his lips, before his head cocked to one side.

"So. . . how do I trun it off?"

This caused a round of laughter from the entire entourage, many coming to wipe tears from their eyes at just how ridiculous it was. That and because it was what each of them had asked when they were first given the sight. Then all at once, they recited what Yalereth had told all of them before when they had each asked.

"I'm blind why would I turn off my only sight!?"

Which only drew more laughter out of them all. It took a minute longer for them all to get their bearings, before his father gripped his shoulder. The man was bustling with a yellow-red energy, while others were bustling with greens, silvers and whites. A few others had full red, or the same yellow-red but he was the only one pulsing with full blue particles. It seemed to him, that he had needed his spell book to take on this full glow, because he had a suspicion that he had been green prior to touching it.

"Pull the mana away from your eyes, and let it flow naturally through you again. Try to imagine seeing as your normally do, and the spell will release it's hold on you."

Closing his eyes, Erik concentrated on not seeing the particles of mana fluttering about. On what the world normally looked like, then opening his eyes came to smile as everything went from noir with milions of dots of color, to full-scale coloration. Sighing with relief, Erik found himself sinking into his chair, as he looked all around him at each of his family members again. The blue veins in their eyes, all of them, were pulsing softly and staring at him. Some had veins that stretched fully to the iris, which he could only assume meant they had more advanced versions of this new spell. One by one each blinked, and returned their vision to normal, all save Yalereth, who smiled at him.

"Your grandfather was also a Blue Mage. . . and that cane was his weapon. It will help you to guide the mana of the creatures you slay or more so the skills you steal from them."

A many gap-toothed grin touched the older woman's face, she was clearly close to the age in which she would be leaving this realm for another, but she also seemed overly happy. She didn't shake, nor did she sway, she was just blind and quite possibly mad, in the head that is. Nodding now to Erik, she moved from the table, with little help from the others.

"Eventually your eyes will adjust fully to the sight. . . When they do you will be able to see the world more clearly than you ever have before. Gaulden! Take the boy on a trip. ."

Her voice grew angry, as she stared now at the boy's father. Her arms crossed over her chest, even slumped over in age, she cut an imposing figure.

"Think of it as part of your original orders. Knowing he is a blue mage, find as many monsters as you can."

Then another grin, this one reaching her eyes, before she disappeared into the living room to do whatever it was old people did. With her exit, Linda clapped her hands together, before leaving the room herself to head into the kitchen. Within moments she was coming out with breakfast platters for all currently present within the dining room.

"First you two eat. . then you can head into the forest. Teach him how to use his magic Gaulden."

Her voice cut through the good cheer, like a knife through hot butter. Her eyes glaring daggers at the older man, as if he had done something wrong. Gaulden could only gape at the woman, as if she had something wrong with her head like Yalereth. Then slowly he shrugged at her, and went to eating what was placed in front of him.

"Boys going to become more of a monster than the monsters are. . "

Gaulden's voice was barely above a whisper as he ate the food. Grumbling a bit in his own thoughts, while Erik ate his own breakfast. Erik's thoughts turned to more training, and he began to cringe. Looking not at his food, and eating it without hesitation as he was focused on the cane that rested against his thigh and chair. It took him only a few minutes to fully clear his plate, and then both hands were wrapped about the cane to bring it up so he could study it further.

Looking over the symbols and glyphs that patterned the wood. Tracing them slowly, wholly lost in thought about this weapon, though it did feel right in his hands. Like it was made specifically for him, to which point brought him to thinking about his old games.

Soul bound equipment. . wonder why I don't get the same sensation from my badge.

Then his mind went towards his grandmother, what rank was she? It was something no one ever spoke about, and soon he hopped off his chair to satisfy his own lust for knowledge. Walking with the cane in one hand, something began to happen that he didn't notice, but the rest did. The cane began to shrink to his own size and he was soon looking like a toddler-sized old man.

He had unconsciously started to click the metal end into the wood floor, not even hearing the rhymic click of each touch down, until he came to stand by his grandmother. Both his hands gripping around the wyrm's head, the eyes of which were glowing gently blue the same as his own mana particles had before this.

"Yalereth, what rank are you?"

He came out and flattly said it to the woman, something else he figured out about the world. No beating around the bush, always go directly to the point if you wanted an honest answer. Turning her blind eyes, a brow lifted over one of them, before she smiled and lifted up her ring. An obsidian band rested around her middle finger. That was her answer, and Erik felt his heart quicken at the sight of it.

"That makes you the strongest person in the whole of the valley doesn't it?"

The woman thought on this question, then nodded, speaking only after her head bobbing was done.

"The strongest. . person. Yes. Though there are some creatures around that are much more powerful, even than a diamond."

Huh. . . Well that's amazing.

He let it go after that, spinning the cane over one wrist, before walking back towards the kitchen with soft clicks against the floorboards each step. As he entered into the dining room, his father was already turned around, stretching out the muscles in his back and looking at him.

"Go get packed for a week at least. We are going to Dagger Teeth."

A few of the cousins gave a slow, low whistle, though Erik could only shrug. He didn't understand where, nor did he really care for the name of their destination. However, he simply nodded to the man, spinning the cane and setting it up in his belt. It hung low and loose within it's new sheath, but it still held in place as he moved.

They would leave as soon as both were ready, and ready they were in some time. Almost an hour of time passed, before they each had a rucksack on their backs. Curling their hands under and around the straps they began walking out of the home, heading towards the back yard and the forest thereafter.

For someone so young, this ruck was a plight. He was already out of breath before they even made it out of the yard and into the woods beyond. He really needed to increase his stats. . . Or just ask them not to put a three year old through this. Rolling his eyes, he gave a sigh to his own self-doubts and thoughts. Zoning out to try and keep moving forward, his inate survival instincts kicking in and causing him to continually move forward. A small notification popping into his vision, which he allowed to poke from the corner of his sight.

"Steel Lion's Perserverance has activated. Training under pressure will result in increases to your stats."

They trekked for another two hours, before setting up in a clearing, his father was fine, maybe a bit sweaty, but Erik was worse for the wear. Sweating and panting in strain, falling onto his pack, trying not to let his breakfast come up on him.

Eyes stinging from the salty sweat that had gotten within, only to speak up in gasps.

"What. . are. . we. . here for?"

A few minutes passed before Gaulden answered, or at least that's what it felt like for the toddler.

"Three things. Teach you how to use your spell. Teach you how to use your weapon. Then finally, give you a little endurance training. Other things are just bonuses."

He said this all with a wicked smile, only to move from his son and slowly beginning to make something at the far end of the clearing. What could have only been an archery butt was put together in moments, set on a tripod of sticks, and made of matted hay. Gaulden began to test all around the target, making certain it wouldn't fall over or break apart, which gave Erik plenty of time to gather his bearing. When the older man was finally finished, he stretched up, speaking up.

"Now we get to teach you how to use your spellbook. First lesson. . . do the opposite of what you did when you turned off your aether vision."

Blinking, Erik tilted his head, only to do as he was told. Instantly, his vision paled into monochrome, only for everything around him to light up with dots of mana particles.

"That was easy. . ."

His voice came out unbidden, as he began to look around, and then found himself at a small area free of any mana, then it clicked. This was the target Gaulden had set up for them.

"Good, now try to focus that mana towards your hand. . actually, no, pull out your cane and use that."

To which Erik obliged the man, spinning the cane out of his belt, and into one hand holding it out in front of himself like a staff. His hand was curled down near the blunted end of the shaft, while the wyrm head was off to one side of his face. Feeling his mana curling through his body, he attempted to send it into his hand and then into the weapon. The power heeded his order, but slowly, reluctantly. That was no good, but it would do for what he was attempting to do right now.

"Now recite the spell, and fire it at the target boy."

Gaulden's words seemed quickened, almost rushed out. panicked. The man was witnessing the first spell cast of his son, and his son was sending way too much mana into it.

Unbidden to his lips, Erik spoke, he didn't just say the name like he'd seen in the spellbook, instead he gave a full incantation.

"Young bird of prey, heed my words, fire your feathers at my enemy and leave deep furrows in their flesh!"

With that, the same shining blue eyes on the cane lit up brighter, before it's head literally moved. The jaws opening wide as a series of feathers poured out of it. Each of the eight plumes firing off quickly and landing in a small circle on the target. Each one was shining green, and were beginning to sink further into the matted hay, before each one exploded into mana, leaving large gouges in the target. As the mana fully dissipated, all the was left was the long scores within the hay, proof that he had hit it. Blinking, Erik focused on his sight, to bring back his normal vision and tilted his head.

What he had not expected was the eight gouge marks within the ground in a line towards the target, and had just barely missed Gaulden. Erik's mouth hung wide open now, blinking a few more times, before looking at Gaulden.

"A critical success. . . Though, we may need to get you to do it without an incantation. Matter of fact, I know you need to do it without an incantation."

Nodding slowly, he could feel the slight wear on his frame from the loss of his mana. Though, it was slowly trickling back into him, as he lifted the cane again in front of him.

Erik had gone through a total of seven different targets, each one withstanding two to three of his attacks. It wasn't until the eighth, and many hours had passed that he finally managed to get the spell off without having to chant the incantation. Instead just channeling his mana through his arms and hands into the cane. By the end he was sweating and shaking as if he had done a full round of calisthenics after not having been to a gym in a years time. However, without the chant, while the attack was still a critical hit, it no longer left long grooves in the ground, but could leave furrows within the target itself.

Though now that he could feel the mana flowing through him, a notification popped up into his vision. His eyes going cloudy as he ready the gold and red words that played over his vision. At some point it had changed from english, into the same calligraphy script of this place, though he hadn't actually noticed the change.

"Due to recent use, you have gained the skills: Mana Manipulation, Aether Control. Due to having attained the skill, Mana Manipulation, you are now able to find and break through mana nodes throughout your body to increase your power. There are many, and this will be a daunting quest."

Then quickly it began to write out even more in his vision, and his face slowly grew into a large smile.

"You have unlocked Questing. Your first quest; Unlock your mana nodes."

Then a small counter appeared in the corner of his vision above where the notification symbol normally appeared.

0/50 Nodes Unlocked

Well that was one hell of a mountain to climb, and he was just now getting started. At least he still had time to focus on such things before he had to worry about schooling. Though this did bring to mind a question, which he spoke aloud for Gaulden.

"What in Delsi's name is a mana node?"

This got a rock thrown at his arm, which unfortunately did hit and caused him to cry out in pain, grabbing at the area. Only for Gaulden to speak up after having thrown the rock at him.

"Firstly, don't take after Linda, using a God's name like that. Second. . . you must have just gotten your quest interface. A mana node is a point both on and not on your body, it will increase your mana exponentially and your power to boot, by giving you much better control. As a fighter I only had fourteen. You have to focus your mana, filling each node to bursting to move onto the next, how many did you end up with?"

"Fifty."

Erik answered flatly, which caused Gaulden to bring a hand to his face, dragging his fingers down slowly.

"You must be one of Usoro's children. You are a monster."

Then, as if in retaliation of Gaulden's earlier plight against Erik, a snuffling came from the side of their little campsite. A shimmering, metallic snout pushing through the underbrush, while copper tusks jutted out from around the area.

"You've got to be joking. ."

Gaulden said slowly, looking at the beast that was pushing it's way out of the undergrowth around the clearing. A beast much like a boar made it's way into the clearing. Aside for one fact, it was wholly just a boar, it was completely covered in metal plates that moved like muscles over the powerful form. Each of the swine's hoof was capped in gold, dull as it may have been due to use, it was still gold.

"I'd begin chanting that spell if I were you."

Gaulden hissed out, his own hands moving towards the crafter's tools at his belt. Spinning the awl along his fingers, while turning the forgemaster's hammer into a reverse grip. Erik's eyes focused on the boar, and then without bidding, his aether vision took hold. The creature brimmed with a bright silvery glow, the amount of mana particles inside of it so dense that it almost all seemed to be one giant ball of mana.

Bringing his cane up slowly, he began to focus his own mana into his arms and slowly into his hands. Before he could begin chanting however, all of the mana that had been heading towards the cane rushed back up his arms and to the center point of his skull, just between his eyes and brow. A feeling like a door cracking resounded through his head, as he could feel the mana all coalescing into one spot on his mind. His cane dropped from his hand, as Erik fell to his knees.

Just like that, it was like the starting gun of a race and the boar bristled, before charging at Erik. Gaulden was quicker, bringing the hammer under the large, heavy beast and flipping it away. He wouldn't be able to actually pierce the beast, not with his current set of weapons. As he looked at the boy on his knees, he scowled, anger filling him.

"Bollocks boy! Maxed luck my nethers."

Then he was charging at the boar just as it was beginning to get back to it's feet. The boar was quick, and met the charge with it's metallic snout, the sound of metal screeching on metal coming from the contest of blows. However, none of this made it to Erik's awareness, as he began to push through his first Mana Node. The pinprick of light growing until it burst fully, the feeling of his mana swelling and rushing through his body like water over his skin. Then he found his awareness, breathing heavily and shaking in place, cold from the ordeal. Looking up he saw his father and the boar pressing against one another. Only for the beast to snort, buck and then push Gaulden away to focus on the seemingly easier prey.

The plates across the beast's hide began to lift and separate, as steam hissed out slowly. As it did so, sharp spines of metal began to glint in the slowly dimming sunlight. Then with the sound of a compressed bottle expanding, the quills shot out towards him. Erik didn't even get a chance to move as he was impaled through his left arm and scratched along multiple parts of his body. Grunting and then screaming as pain coarsed throughout the boy's body, he tried to stand up, picking up the cane he had let fall from his hands.

A blinking notification didn't catch his eye, nor did the book at his hip glowing blue, only that now he was angry, hurt and wanted this thing dead. His hand held out the wyrm cane, and he began to chant, which then became two, both then forming into one flowing rhythm.

"Oh feathered fiend and beast of land rend my enemy."

It was an even quicker chant, but with it, it focused his mana, pulling it from his body and into the cane once more. The head of the wyrm growing white in luminous fury, the horns of the creature growing and firing as it opened it's mouth wider, shooting out the same feathers as before. The metal quills rained down in a line from himself towards the boar. It was like a carpet bombing of metal spears, while the feathers shrieked through the air, clearly breaking the sound barrier as they went sonic in speed. Only a single feather reached the target, but what it did was devistating. It had only skated along the beast's side, but it wrenched away at the metal plates, leaving a long gouge out of the Metallic Boar. Hot, red blood began to drip from the wound, as it began to squeal in pain.

This was not the end however, as Erik focused again, and pushed his mana into the cane. The mana manipulation skill he had learned coming into play, and allowing him to guide even more mana than was needed for the spell. The horns on the cane began to grow rapidly, before spikes as long as the cane was shot forward in a spray, focused at the opened flesh of the boar. As he did this, he continued to pour his mana into the attack, the spires beginning to twist and shape into something like an intricate drill head which piled into the shrieking beast. Then the impromtu device began to spin and dig into the innards, drilling into it, quickly tearing apart any organ that had once held the beast to life, ending it near instantly.

Gaulden simply watched, fascinated at the newest developement, until he saw Erik drop again. Each of the tiny spears and the large ones for that matter, disappearing into mana particles and going back to the heavens above. Mana defecent, Erik had grown unconscious, unable to keep his mind aware of anything, at least until he regained some mana. Gaulden was quick, moving to turn his son over, checking him for anything more than the few scratches and the wound to his bicep. Quietly he thanked whatever or whoever was watching over them, before getting to bandaging up the boy and beginning to set up the rest of the camp.

"You are a monster, truly. . ."

These words were whispered by Gaulden, as he watched Erik sleep. It wasn't a restful sleep, no, he had been forced into unconsciousness due to over using his mana, but that had been a good thing, more or less. It had killed the boar in the end, and with it, gave them another meal for that night's preperations.

Due to how Erik was put into his state of unconsciousness, even his mind temporarily shut down. His character screen not appearing within his mind, not even when he awoke some time later. He had slept through the entire night, recovering his mana and energy, however once he was awake he gritted his teeth.

A searing pain lanced from his arm, which he instinctively grabbed. This, was noteably, a bad idea. Screaming in pain at his own stupidty, Erik pulled his hand away quickly to look at the bloodied bandages on his arm. Breathing heavy, coming in and out in huffs.

"Gods bedamned paddlecock. . ."

His stream of curses faded as Gaulden came to look down upon the boy. A smirk touching his lips, before he spoke up, holding a bowl of what smelled like some kind of pork and bean stew.

"Eat up. After, we train a little, though now that I know a sword won't do ya' anything good, we'll do clubs training."

Without even a second thought, though he was still in severe pain, he took the bowl from the man, drinking down the contents, only stopping to chew the pork and beans. A shiver ran through his body, straightening his spine fully, looking into the bowl, he then looked at Gaulden lifting a slow brow.

"I did say pack for a while long trip, didn't I? Healing herbs also go on all packing lists."

The smirk never having left the man's lips, and then he was standing up, looking around the clearing. There was a small pit where a fire had once lived, but now only a small line of smoke lifted up from the smoldering remains. Gaulden continued to look about, only to find a stick about the length of his own arm. Giving it a few test swings, he turned to face Erik. Holding out the wooden lump, he spun it around in a circle with just a motion of his wrist.

"Finish up that soup, got a whole new routine to show you."

That was how this new day began, a whole new set of motions to get used to, a lot of pain, and a few muscle groups that Erik was fairly certain wasn't real, forming on him. It lasted two hours this time, and just as it ended, Erik was leaning over his knees, giving his breakfast to the forest.

Then it was time to begin heading away from the clearing once again towards the mountain range further away. He was. . . not okay with this anymore. The hike was becoming a climb after just a little while, the flat, and sometimes mushy ground becoming rocky slopes that were leading away from the forest.

"So. . . are we camping in the mountains Gaulden?"

"Boy. . we are here to continue your spell training."

Erik's breath coming in heavy, having to carry his ruck with him still. Gaulden on the other hand looked to be a jaunty time of things as he made his way over slopes.

It was a time before they came to stop, the sun at it's mid point within the sky. The tree coverage was now sparse at the best of times, looking back the way they had come from, Erik could just barely make out a pinprick where their home was. Then he turned back towards the mountains that began to unfurl out infront of both of them.

"We better start getting set up. . it was red this morn, water is bound to come in. Set up the tarp."

Looking at Gaulden, Erik was glad the man had taught him many life lessons already, and many about the out doors. However, he didn't enjoy the fact that it sounded like Gaulden wanted him to set up the tarp himself. Settling his pack down, he began to unravel a half tent, and then began looking for an anchor point as well as a large stick. Setting up a lean-to was easy, and soon he had the piece of dense, almost water-proof fabric pressed over a small area, to make a temporary covering.

It wasn't long before Gaulden had set up his own side of the large overhead covering. Their area fairly elevated from their surroundings, making a good campsite as well as a good place to stay dry. Settling down under the cover and away from the still glaring sun, Gaulden spoke up.

"I feel like we should start by opening up more of your mana nodes. You seem to have also already grasped another spell."

This was Erik's queue to tilt his head, before pulling out his spellbook. There, on the cover next to the chicken, was now a boar, a fair indicator that something else had changed within it. Flipping through the pages, he found there were now multiple spells within.

Within it now read out his list of spells.

Wing Blade Metalic Shot Aether Vision Mana Manipulation Aetherial Control

"Aye. . . as well as all the other things I've somehow managed to grasp. Gaulden. . . do you have a character interface in your eyes?"

It was something that had no bugged him since his rebirth, and he crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at the old man. The target of Erik's sight lifted a brow before laughing and nodding.

"You may be a genius, but I must remember you have yet to go through an actual school. Everyone has that, even if not everyone can project it. Those who can't. . . normally don't have anything to really show. The dreggs of society."

Then the old man closed his eyes, leaning further against his still plush ruck. Stretching out and resting in place, he began to speak once again.

"You're going to want to get very comfortable, you may pass out again with what's coming next."

Gaulden actually gave the young boy time to do as he had suggested. Setting his book to the side, and coming to stretch out along the ground and his own pack, he slowly grew more comfortable, before closing his own eyes in contentment. Only to be stirred from this respite by his father's voice onece again.

"You are going to open two more of your nodes and then we will go to hunt some of the beasts that live here in the Dagger Teeth."