The strange words were black, with thin globules of ink dripping from the letters as if they were freshly written. It tore Rhea from death’s embrace and rushed across her mind like cold water waking her up from her tepid torpor. A strange feeling crept into her mind as she was rescued from the eternal abyss. It felt like ants marching across her brain, implanting knowledge. Her time in the abyss felt like a distant memory as she felt something cold and numerous brush her hands as her memories flooded back with that same gush of knowledge. She took a deep breath and tasted the sweetness of life.

Because of your actions, you have been crafted a special class to start your new life.

You have been granted the class of “Virtuoso.”

With that, the words vanished from Rhea’s mind in a snap, and her vision returned. For a moment, the light of the sun blurred her vision, causing her to wince as it slowly adjusted. Surrounding her, a vibrant forest teeming with life brought her back into reality, as her eyes adjusted. The birds chirped in a constant steady concerto and the rays of sunlight kissed her exposed flesh. Upon her rebirth, the fleeting moment of sinking into the void became a distant memory, overshadowed by the sun’s warmth melting away the icy touch of death.

She first registered the absence of the persistent, foul odor of burning oil and pollution. Here the air was clean, crisp, and filled with the natural aroma of hundreds of plants. Second, her demeanor felt altered. She glanced down, and saw that her dress was gone, and in its place was a simple woolen shirt and matching brown pants. Nothing grandiose. Just simple clothing that denoted her status in this new place. There was irony in it. At one point, Rhea had everything, and now there was nothing.

She squatted down, reached out, and dug her hand into the soft wet earth. The icy touch of grass and foliage ticked the flesh of her palm as she remained there. The whole situation perturbed her. She was expecting to embrace death in the end, and now she was alive and strange words were floating in his vision. That was frustrating, and it infuriated her. Death was part of the plan. She should be dead, so why? Why is she still alive?

Yet no matter how angry she was, it was blunted because something recognized her work. According to the strange words, her resurrection occurred because a creator took an interest in the show she had created. Oh, how those words made her soul hum. But it also brought with it the knowledge that she was no longer on Earth. The revelation should have shattered her mind, but instead, it brought a chilling clarity to her slowly sharpening thoughts.

She was unsure how to handle her current situation. Her emotions were far too muted to be shocked, or even surprised, for that matter. Perhaps it was simply a survival instinct to have them clamped down so tightly. Or she was just so broken that they slipped through the cracks of her shattered psyche?

How could she be swayed by change after everything she’s been through? When she was beaten and abused? When she’s seen the horror of life, and the ugliness of it all. It was irrelevant to her. She was an artist, after all, and pursuing her passions was her raison d’être. Another canvas needed painting and the location of it was irrelevant. Rhea closed her eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the taste of the clean air and how the air pressed against her bare flesh.

After anger subsided, she focused. This was a second chance, and this time there was no detective to stop her. No one knew the name of the Mad Virtuoso here, and because of that, the opportunities were endless.But one must always make and follow a plan. The area would need to be scouted, and those strange words that existed in her vision needed to be understood. There was much to be done, and from the looks of it, she needed to do it on her own, just like she always has.

Rhea’s eyes flashed upwards towards the canopy above and slowly observed her surroundings. All around her was nothing but trees, and a slightly well-trodden path that cut through them. It was a minor road from the looks of it, one that gently cut through the forest.

She stood up, and the water-sodden dirt tumbled through her fingers and into the muck below with soft thumps. The fresh air of the forest swirled around, carrying with it the sounds of the local wildlife. Every shade of green imaginable adorned the trees and foliage, and the sun here was sharp and radiant. If anything, it felt like a mid-spring day.

“Such beauty, untouched. It’s amazing really.” Her voice slipped through her lips, caught on the wind, and quickly blew away. This should really shock her, and perhaps it does deep down, past the barriers she erected many years ago. But it didn’t matter. She didn’t run, nor did she hide. The only way to move was forward.

As her eyes swept across the untouched beauty of the forest, some strange flashing symbols appeared in the corner of her vision, which annoyed her enough to make her focus on them.

New skill gained:

Arcane Shot Lvl 1: Magic in its purest form glimmers at your fingertips, ready to be unleashed with a single thought.

New Skill gained:

The Virtuoso’s Soliloquy Lvl I : A song crafted by a mad artist that haunts the mind. It plucks at your fears and weighs on your thoughts. You may run, but you will be found.

Current bonus 5% increase to all damage.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Causes a [Minor Fear Debuff]

New Passive Unlocked:

Concerto I: All cast based abilities are tied to your current song’s measure. With effects, changing based on the song.

Current Effects:

Arcane Blast: One shot per four seconds. 1st shot deals (4%) increased damage. 2nd: Deals (8%) increased damage. 3rd: Deals (12%) increased damage. 4th shot deals (16%).

Increased damage +(4%) missing health damage.

New general skill learned:

Elysian Lv I: You have learned how to communicate in the standard language of the local empire.

“How interesting.” She murmured as she rubbed her chin. She now had a strange menu, and words that told her she had skills, and a passive. This was intriguing, to say the least. Magic was a foreign concept to her, but now, it was literally on the tips of her fingers. A smile crossed her lips at the thought of it, as now it was just another skill set to master, and to add to her own. Another tool for creating more elaborate artwork.

Her eyes danced across what these strange words deemed as skills and inspected them. Arcane blast was extremely self-evident in its nature. She lifted her hand, and formed her fingers into the shape of a gun, and pointed at a distant tree. The words did say that it could be used with just a thought, so why not try it?

The words arcane blast floated through her mind, and she felt something squeeze in her chest, like a bottle of water being squeezed. A chill bloomed to life, and it rushed through her muscles, down to the tips of her finger. A faint blue glow appeared near the tips of her finger. The air seemed to quiver slightly, and motes of blue light floated through the air and sank torwards her finger. A second later, a small blue light formed, no larger than a bullet with the same thickness. It pulsed once and shot in the direction she pointed with only a quiet whistle. It slammed into a nearby tree with a soft thump, tearing through some of the bark, and leaving a small plume of smoke.

That was interesting. While it lacked the power of her old paintbrush, it would serve her well in the future. Almost on a whim, she blew the tip of her finger before letting her hand fall back to the side. But this would do. While her old paintbrush was merely an extension to her body, this was truly a part of her! The thought sent a quiver through her body and a moan escaped from her lips. She could become one with the art she made!

As she pondered her future, her eyes wandered across the ephemeral symbols that adorned her vision. There were three bars in the corner of her eye that were faint enough to not notice at first, but brightened into view upon command. The first was crimson and pulsed in tandem with her heartbeat. The second was viridescent and bloomed with life. At the very bottom of the resource bars was an azure one. It moved with a rhythmic sloshing, like the ocean tide, against the confines of its cage.

The knowledge that was ingrained in her head told her that those were her resources, for health, stamina, and magic. It was intriguing to see the world compacted into numbers. While they were not her strong suit, she recognized the work of an artist. She understood the amount of passion it needed to focus so keenly on something like this, so she could respect the maker of this system.

Her eyes drifted down towards the mana bar, and she saw the bar had lost a tenth of its original size, and dimmed. So, arcane blast would use mana, and a decent chunk of it at that. So it was best if she didn’t use it, unless it was needed. Since she didn’t quite know how long it would take to refill and it would be dreadful to be left without a way to defend herself.

The most interesting skill that she saw, though, was The Virtuoso’s Soliloquy. It warmed her heart to know that another artist saw and recognized her work enough to implement it into its own! But as much as it fed her ego, however, it made her desire more. She had to reach higher and perfect her craft even more! Rhea couldn’t settle with just passing. That was the cardinal rule instilled in her since childhood. As much as she despised her father, he at least taught her some rather acceptable ways through life.

The woman cleared her throat as her eyes traveled down the strange screen, soaking in the words that hung suspended in the air. They were neither translucent nor opaque. It was like they vanished the second they were out of sight, only to reappear with a single thought. How strange was it? She was curious about why it existed as such. What exactly was the thought process of the artist that made this?

Regardless, they were to be applauded for their ingenuity.

Name: Rhea Kade

Class: Virtuoso

Stat Points: 6+ Stat points to be applied

Health:150/150

Stamina:200/200

Mana:200/200

Stats:

Strength:10

Dexterity:20

Perception:25

Willpower:20

Acuity:15

Vitality:12

Constitution:10

Endurance:12

Agility: 11

Skills

Arcane Blast Lvl 1:

The Virtuoso’s Soliloquy Lvl I :

Passives:

Concerto I:

Current Measure: ¼ Beat

Current Effects:

Arcane Blast: One shot per four seconds. 1st shot deals (4%) increased damage. 2nd: Deals (8%)increased damage. 3rd: Deals (12%) increased damage. 4th shot deals (16%) I

Increased damage +(5%) missing health damage.(To be worked on a bit more)

General Skills:

Elysian Standard I

She understood what the stats meant inherently and how they all tied together, thanks to the knowledge that was embedded in her head. Dexterity was obvious without the information, as it was a stat that would dictate reaction, and how quickly the nerves fired. Perception was also obvious in its use, as it was how sharp her vision was.

Will power was interesting as it dictated how much mana she had, but she knew it didn’t dictate how much it regenerated, instead that was relegated to acuity. In fact, it looked like a lot of the stats were seemingly tied into one another. Like stamina was tied into endurance and health into vitality. Yet, there were separate states that seemed to affect how much they recharged, per se.

It was interesting, to say the least. Who ever designed this was a genius! This was truly a work of art! After a few moments of checking the stats, Rhea sucked air in through her teeth and tore her vision away from it all and instead focused on the path before her. Following it would lead her to civilization, requiring her to craft a new mask to blend in once more.