The list was not all that long, all things considered. Only about two hundred—193— which I suppose is a lot when considering we’re going over species of sapient races on a planet. I assume the list is smaller than it could be considering there is a whole Universe under the System’s purview rather than just one known planet with intelligent life on it like in mine—at least as far as anyone has been able to discover, though I never believed it, personally; infinite galaxies and no intelligent life? Please—but I also don’t really have a frame of reference for how many fantasy races there should be on a planet versus a Universe.
“There are 2,247 different races currently scattered among the Universe under the System. That is not including extinct races, though. I can’t see those. Nor can you choose any of those. You can go through this list if you would like and ask questions and everything, but I have a few suggestions to narrow things down if you would hear them?”
“Are you changing your speech patterns to mimic mine the longer we talk? You sound nothing like you did when we first met, much less formal,” I ask, instead of answering their question, my eyes scanning the list for names I recognize. Vennir, Grelsh, Bucci, Merin. Name after unrecognizable— wait, is that…
Mlem. A race called a Mlem. Unfortunately, they are not a race of cat-like people, although that would have been hilarious, it’s just the closest approximation the System could get from my language to theirs. Oh wait, I never asked how Aethos knew my language. I suppose it’s a side-effect of the System being the System, perhaps? When I select the race to see more information about them, what I see is genuinely disturbing. They’re a race of sapient Mimics that typically mimic furniture. They’re called Mlems because that’s the sound they make when they eat you. I shiver. The things’ real bodies look grotesque, the mouth too wide and a set of teeth that would put a dinosaur to shame. And I thought spiders were bad. Don’t get me wrong. They still are, but the level of “Fuck That Shit I’m Out” I get from looking at the two of them isn’t even comparable in the slightest. Why was this even put here?
“Yes I am attempting it, although I would say that you haven’t really spoken much since you’ve come here, at least not directly. Most of the things I’m mimicking are thought patterns. I’m not sure anyone else would have realized, if I’m being honest, given it’s a trivial thing and you’re not exactly in the best situation. Noticing stuff like that is typically the last thing on people’s minds. I’ve learned that mimicking people’s speech patterns help them get more comfortable with speaking to others in general, but more specifically a Universe-spanning God. Even though I don’t actually have any power to affect you as an individual, aside from wrecking your sanity because it is intrinsically linked to your concept of your soul—as it is with most sapient, mortal beings. It would probably repair itself within a few years, but by that time you’d have lost all sense of yourself and you may die from exposure to any number of terrible things before you regain it. Yes, I realize how horrifying the concept of that is. I realized it while I was saying it. I do tend to forget the scope of things when I talk to you mortals like this, especially with how removed I am from the population. I’m generally good at it, but I have my slip ups. Also, yes, I have to put every race option down, even the ones no one should ever pick, because it isn’t my job to make decisions for those under my purview, even if they would be moronic to make them. Yes, people have been moronic enough to make them. Also, I learned your language the instant you passed through that portal and entered the System. It’s now part of the Language Module.”
“Fair point, I suppose. Thanks again for everything. Alright, so what are these suggestions you have? I suppose it couldn’t hurt to hear them, and you’re literally hearing all my thoughts and apparently analyzed my memories, so you’d know best what is best for me.” I mean it, too. I’m proud, but not so proud that I would squander assistance from, as they’d said, a Universe-spanning God. The System itself. That would be the height of arrogance and stupidity to assume that I knew better. How could I possibly?
“The first, and my personal favorite but I want to give you the illusion of choice, is the Zenithal. Zenithals are humanoid-avian variants that actually descend from Elementals. I never learned how that happened and I’m not sure I want to know now. All I know is that they carry two affinities—one of which is always air, the other is up to chance if you’re born into being a Zenithal, which you are not, meaning I get—you get to choose.”
“I appreciate your attempts at being flippant,” I roll my eyes and wave for Aethos to continue their spiel, “what beside the affinities—which I imagine from context means types of this Essence you mentioned?—makes them the perfect choice for me, oh wise one.”
“Sarcasm? Beautiful. At least now I know I truly did a great job at comforting you. You’ll be in the perfect position to kick asses when you leave and waste all that comfort on some anger! Anyway, Zenithals have some of the best senses of any other race in the Universe, actually. There are obviously some that are better, but you’re not looking to be Scout-Class focused. You’re going to be a Warsmith, obviously. You’ll hear, see, smell, and sense things better than almost anyone else out there. Zenithals are incredibly fast due to their nature as Air Elemental descendants, so your reflexes will be off the charts. You’ll be able to fly because of your avian nature that makes your bones hollow but they’re honeycombed on the inside for extra support. Simple hollow bones would be worthless on a Zenithal Warsmith such as yourself. Your strength will be in the upper echelons of strength, as well, which is all the better because you’ll be able to rip throats out with your talons that much easier. You’ll have no need for weapons with those, but you’ll have swords as backups because you’re a nascent sword master. The only parts that don’t look expressly human are your feet, your eyes, and your hair. Your feet will resemble bird feet, yes, but powerful talons will grace the ends so you won’t be relegated to only using your hands in combat. Your kicks will be just as devastating. Your eyes will be avian. They’re most commonly golden because Zenithals often have Earth affinities as their second affinity, but your eyes will be a molten silver. Your hair will be, too, by the way. Well, your feathers, actually. You’ll have a head of majestic silver feathers that glint in the sunlight, falling down your back gracefully, never falling out, never receding. The longer your feathers are, the older the Zenithal, just so you know. Your hair will come to just below your shoulders but will grow as the years go on. Your eyebrows will be smaller feathers of the same color.”
“Did you have a fetish for Zenithals when you were on Ackellia or something?”
“Hey! I resent that! Whatever proclivities I had are none of your business!”
“So what I’m hearing is yes, that’s entirely accurate.”
“…Zenithals are not only the most visually appealing race in my opinion,” they say haughtily, “but the race will give you a really wide range of options despite the fact that you aren’t going to use any of those options and will instead pick the perfect one I’ve already come up with for you.”
“Warsmith, you said, right?”
“Yes!”
“So, why are we going forward with this whole choice thing if you already know I would pick that path? Entertainment? It seems kind of unnecessary to me.”
“I said already, young Zed. The illusion of choice.”
“I can hear you saying the word illusion. If choice is an illusion, why allow it at all?”
“Well, I’m not literally making the choice for you or forcing you to choose it. I just know you’re going to choose it and it’s my personal favorite anyway so I figured I would start with it and then if, miraculously, you didn’t like it we’d still have other options.”
“Will you at least give me a brief little description of the others and why you think I shouldn’t go with those?”
“That seems fair. The second option was going to be the Solari, which is a very magic based race. They live in the core of the world, can only really live in areas of high Essence density, but are the best users of Systemless magic in the Universe. It’s almost an affinity they’re so good with it. It comes completely naturally to them. They don’t need to eat or breathe, can fly, are visually stunning, too, though they all look the same save for the color of their hair and skin. It changes colors based on their emotions, which is also how their race communicates. They’re the closest community of any of the communities in the Universe as well. Well of the ones that don’t need to live in the same body or are literal hive-mind species.”
“That sounds both very cool and also incredibly inconvenient.”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Yes, so while it would synergize well with whatever you chose to do magic-wise, it wouldn’t really help you physically. I would have picked it for you because you need community and that’s an immediate and forever community. Literally. Solari are immortal barring extenuating circumstances and, although you wouldn't be able to physically wield a hammer with any real strength”
“So I would leave here, blast everyone to hell, and immediately go find my people where I would live forever in some emotional cult family?”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
“Yes, I put it that way. While connection sounds wonderful, I’m not really down to be linked to a race of people I wasn’t really born into artificially.”
“The third option would have been a Vygar. They're a race descended from a dragon-esque creature called the Igolith. The Igolith is the first serpentine creature the first True Dragons mated with that gave rise to the Drake! Vygar are like Dragonkin in a way, except they don't have reptilian faces. They have wings more suited for grace, though they are still large, just much less unwieldy. They're more suited for being inside buildings. They have affinities for anything from Air to Darkness, though it's typically only one. The tradeoff there is that the affinity is typically very compatible with them, meaning they have a very high level of control and connection with it. Yours would be metal, obviously. You could do some really cool shit with a metal affinity as a Vygar. Vygar have the ability to shift from a smaller, more humanoid form to a larger, more 'Igolith' form. It is not true shapeshifting. They don't actually change into the Igolith, or anything resembling it. They just get physically larger and gain some buffs to their strength, speed, and defensive capabilities. They're also rather gorgeous in the sunlight. I didn't mention it yet but Igolith scales were almost mirror-esque. They reflected the light and the Igolith could control the coloring to such a degree that they all but became invisible. Unfortunately, they didn't go invisible to those with Aura senses. Before the System, everyone who survived long enough to have any real power had them. The True Dragons mated with them because they were the only real compatible creature that could carry their offspring. I want to talk about the history of the Igolith now and I can't do that. Ugh. Okay. So Vygar are also a great option for you if you want to choose that race."
"I'm not going to lie, that sounds so much cooler than Zenithal. A humanoid, dragon-esque race that can semi-shapeshift between a humanoid form and something like a battle form and have natural affinities and innate camouflage? Why would I not pick that over a Zenithal?" Literally, I'm picturing it right now and I want to be a Vygar. They sound cool! Tell me you wouldn't pick that. I'm frankly insulted that a being who can read my mind would get my tastes so wrong.
"Yes, they are very cool. I won't lie to you about that. The reason I don't think you should or would pick them is because they're a very individualistic race driven by the need for solitude. They descend from the Igolith, as I said, and Igoliths were very, very prideful creatures. They had reason to be, of course. They were regarded as the most beautiful creatures on Ackellia. Unfortunately, people coveted that beauty and so they began hunting them for their scales to use in armor and cores to use in enchantments. They took their blood for potions because they had near instantaneous regeneration capabilities. They took their bones for arrows because they pierced through even the hardest of armor back then. Every part of the Igolith was valuable and over time that need to be alone, the need to hide, was imprinted in their very DNA. As they descended, each generation following somehow held onto this intrinsic need. It is a drive I can't remove because I don't know where it stems from. It would keep you from the connection you wish for. You would be alone, mind fighting with body for their own desire, until you died eventually. Vygar, as the name implies despite its alternate spelling, live for a very long time."
"Okay, so they're basically perfect physically and magically based on what I would like but they have some weird need to be isolated from others despite no longer being in danger of hunters stealing their bones and scales? It's weird that it wasn't bred out naturally, based on what I know of natural selection. Admittedly, that isn't much but I know enough to know that's weird. Right?"
"I am inclined to agree with you, yes. I'd imagine it was some sort of Systemless Spell and I have my hypotheses as far as the way such a thing could work but I don't know anything definitively enough to actually remove it from the body I would have to give you. If they didn't have such an effect that even the Gods haven't been able to figure out I would have suggested them before the Zenithal but ultimately I believe the Zenithal has more to offer."
"Alright, I see what you mean. I wish there was some way to get rid of that drive because I would have chosen it in a heartbeat. That really does sound awesome."
I can feel the amusement radiating from Aethos for a second before they close off the sensation again. They wanted me to know they're enjoying this. Likewise. However begrudgingly. If I have no choice but to accept this, then I might as well start with a body I like, right? I don't want to be a victim. Not ever again. I hate feeling like that. Powerless, afraid, worthless. I am none of those things.
"No, Zed. You are none of those things. Nothing that happened to you was your fault but making it to this point is testament to your strength and resolve. It is unfortunate that you had to be strong, but you did, and you are"
"Thank you, Aethos. So what was the fourth option?"
"I don't really like this option for personal reasons that have nothing to do with the utility of the race so I'll keep those to myself, but the fourth option was simply Elf. Well, specifically a Dark Elf. I can see in your memory that Dark Elves were synonymous with evil and darkness and negativity, but here they are love. They revel in shadow and embrace Her with the whole of their being. They are a warless race, actually, though they do have the ability to defend themselves if necessary. Shadow is a weapon, as you well know from those books you used to read, but they typically used it for travel. They can traverse Shadow as if it were a vehicle, walking into it on one corner of the world and leaving it on another as long as they'd been there before, of course. They have to know the Shadow to connect to it. They can see perfectly even in areas where there is no light, have natural defenses against magic attack damage, are connected to each other through Shadow, and are known for their crafting abilities across Ackellia. They typically keep their towns and settlements hidden, however, because there are tensions between the Dark Elves and the Light Elves for religious reasons. Religious reasons are why I wouldn't have you choose this option. You aren't religious anyway, but to embroil yourself in the conflict of two different Gods right out of the gate is definitely not recommended."
"What Gods do they worship?"
"Shadow and Light, respectively."
"Huh?"
"They're named for the Concept they retain authority over. It's a Deity thing."
"What happens to actual shadow and light when they Ascend? Nothing?"
"They existed before the Deities became such, and they will continue to do so long after."
"Ah, okay. That makes sense. Alright, I see what you mean. Can you just ... sell me on becoming a Zenithal a bit more? All I retained from your fangirling is that they're beautiful, have feathers for hair, have two affinities, and have bird feet."
"First of all, I'm offended, and second of all, I would be happy to."
"Of course you would," I roll my eyes but I have a smile on my face.
"As you said, they have two affinities: Air and typically a random secondary affinity, as well, though yours would be metal, of course. They have taloned feet which aids in stability when running, which they can do better, faster, and longer than most other races for a multitude of reasons. They have human hands, though their fingers end in sharp talon-esque nails. They have better senses than almost any other race in the Universe and naturally high aptitudes for combat. They are deceptively strong. They are incredibly fast, though this is essentially the calling card of the Zenithals so this wouldn't be something you could hide, necessarily. They can fly without the need for wings with enough practice with their Air affinity and learning the right Spells. Their bones are incredibly strong despite being hollow because they're honeycombed on the inside so it's less likely you'll break a bone unless from a very significant impact. Their hair is made up of feathers and the color is typically influenced by the secondary affinity they are born with. They also live for upwards of a few thousand years on average because of the high density of Essence in their bodies due to having been descended from Elementals. Actually, most races live for longer than two centuries at minimum because of the very same reason."
"Does the fact that they have an Air affinity make up for what would surely be lower blood levels and thus less oxygen being carried due to the hollow bones? Or does magic mean they don't need bone marrow to make blood cells anymore? Does that replace some of the processes that would have taken place on Earth?"
"I don't actually know the answer to that. I know about overall capabilities of each race and relative strengths and weaknesses for each, not incredibly specific scientific studies on their biology, though I admit to being intrigued about that question. Don't take this as fact but I imagine magic, or Essence, makes up for a lot of what your bodies on Earth did naturally. It replaces processes and strengthens others to make the things we can do possible. I wouldn't say there is no science and no reason to explore it, because I'm certain someone would be able to answer those questions for you, but I am not that person. I apologize. My expertise lies in magic theory. I mean, obviously, I became a System of magic for a whole Universe," Aethos chuckles at their attempt at a ... joke? I'm not sure what you would call that. It had no punchline but they were attempting to be amusing. Gah, why am I even thinking about that? What does that matter? I'm literally picking a new species to live as the rest of my, apparently, very long life.
"Well, I suppose that answers that, then, huh? Your choice was the best one out of the four, though I admit to being too drained to really look through the rest of the options in a meaningful way and perhaps I shouldn't be so trusting with this decision that will affect the rest of my life but you don't really have any reason to lie to me. Not that I can think of anyway. So, yeah. Let's do that, then. Zenithal."
"Perfect!"
SPECIES CHOSEN: ZENITHAL