Jorin pulled the covers up from his ankles to his chest as he leaned against the back of his bed. He rarely read in this position, it made his neck bend at an unnatural angle, but he didn't have time to find a perfect position with this book waiting for him.

Jorin completely looked over the book once more, attempting to find any kind of features on it beyond the title and author. He would even settle for a short summary on what it was about, mostly due to the way he acquired it. Disappearing micro-library and reading room in the wall of one of the moss ruins. The woman inside. Whether the being came from the library, or even was a woman, Jorin wasn't sure. He had never been around anyone that felt like that. It felt like the conversation held weight, but he was unsure why.

Jorin slowly peeled open the book. The sigil was still above the title on the first page, colors dominated by a swirling green, mixed with blue, red and brown. This book has to be special, magic inside a book? Jorin thought. He turned the page to the beginning of the first chapter, and started reading. The reality set into him, he was reading the book! I can understand it now! Of course I can, I knew the letters before even. I was just stressed. Jorin justified his inability to read it in the library.

The book seemed to be a journal of a person known as The Wanderer, but at times felt like it was trying to ask the reader to also become The Wanderer. Jorin didn't understand if this person was simply A wandering person, or THE wandering person. He was inclined to believe that the individual in the book was The Wanderer, but the metaphorical question to the reader was more like "Do you want to be a wanderer?".

The first chapter started at the end of The Wanderer's path, but it didn't focus on regrets or wishes. It was about The Wanderer's goals that they had met. They had done many things, from acquiring great personal strength, to amassing friendships that lasted decades. The words written on friendships accompanied a stinging feeling of loss that emanated as he read them. Jorin knew this feeling. It was like when the being in the library calmed him down.

The second chapter was much more exciting for Jorin. It described The Wanderer's explorations and exploits. From lush covered ruins not unlike his own, to unknowingly vast deserts with long buried sandstone metropolises, The Wanderer could conquer anything in their want, no, their need to explore. The Wanderer was a bottomless pit of curiosity. Jorin didn't even make it halfway through the chapter before he decided that he wanted to be a wanderer. "If that's what life is like, I want to be a wanderer some day."

DO YOU WISH TO BEAR THE WIEGHT OF WANDERING?

Yes or No

Jorin fumbled and practically threw the book across the room in shock. This must be what it looks like for those with their Innate Trait all of the time, Jorin thought. Fear welled up inside him as he realized that he may have just damaged his book. The words still hovered in front of his eyes, despite the book being across the room near his pile of dirty clothes.

"Are you asking if I want to be like The Wanderer? Of course! It's like the life was made for me! I accept! Approve!" The words were still blocking his vision.

"Okay....maybe it only takes a yes or a no." Jorin's confidence grew, fear and shock leaving his body as it was replaced by a stony resolve.

"Yes! I wish to bear the weight of wandering!" The text instantly changed.

WELL WISHES, WANDERER

Then the text was gone. Jorin didn't feel any different. Well this sucks. I thought I'd get some sort of power. Maybe my Innate Trait would be about exploration! Thanks for the wishes, whatever you are. Jorin was starting to get tired though, so he got out of bed to go pickup his book. As he looked in the corner next to his clothing, there was no book. He should probably be shocked at this, but he wasn't. The library disappeared on him, the woman disappeared on him, even the moss on his hands from opening the room disappeared. The book must have been next. If anything, Jorin felt sad that he wouldn't get to read the rest of the book. I bet it got so much cooler, too! Jorin thought.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

At that, Jorin got up and made sure the window was latched closed. No bugs waking me up in the morning! Then he went back to his bed, wrapping himself up in his covers like a cocoon. A Jorin shaped cocoon. To him, the best kind of cocoon. Jorin thought about his father as laid there. He had never seen him like he looked today. He found himself in awe of how powerful and commanding his father seemed. Is he as strong as The Wanderer? Jorin thought, his last one before drifting off to sleep.

Jorin awoke from a deep slumber, going about his business as usual as he shook off drowsiness. Rubbing his eyes, yawning, then finally stretching about his room. Unsure about what time it was, he attuned his ears and body to the ground, listening for footsteps. He must have woken up late, because it sounded like his parents were up. Jorin grabbed a clean set of work clothes, then exited his room.

Jorin looked at both of his parents, already in the living room. This is going to be a long talk Jorin thought. Something felt wrong though. Jorin didn't know what, thought.

"Good morning Mother. Good morning Father." Jorin said, acting normal to hide his feelings of uneasiness he was currently experiencing.

"Good morning Son. We need to have a talk with you about yesterday. We should have had this talk a long time ago, but we considered you safe until you gained your Innate Trait, but we were wrong." Jorin's father said as his mother sat solemnly next to his father.

Jorin's mother began speaking. "Son, I know you love exploring, and your curiosity about the world around you is never ending, but you need to know that the world isn't all moss and empty ruins. There's danger out there, more than you possibly know. Much of this danger is other people and their Traits. It isn't just Traits, but that's what we are going to focus on right now" his mother explained.

His father started now "What you did yesterday was clever, but dangerous. Experimenting with Traits is never a predictable task, and often leads to dangerous outcomes. What do you think would have happened if Marek managed to expel the mud out of a smaller spot in his hand, or even with more force? The house could have been damaged, perhaps the occupants, us, could have been hurt too. Most of all, what would have happened if it was aimed at you? Bruises? Broken bones? Worse?" Garrick was worked up, worried about what could have been. He lowered his head briefly, glancing at the floor then back up to Jorin.

"F-father, mother, I'm sorry. Really. I would like to say I didn't know how dangerous it could have been, but I have to take responsibility for it either way. I won't experiment with my Trait's like that when I get them. Especially my Innate." Jorin steeled his resolve, knowing that his parents were serious. This wasn't a time to get lost in emotions or blow off their advice.

His mother looked up at him with an eyebrow cocked upwards. "Jorin. We're not saying you can't experiment. Just know that it's dangerous. Think about what you do with Traits before you do it. This isn't the time to explain , but traits were given to us as a form of defense. A defense against famine, against injustice, and monsters. Monstrous creatures, and people."

Jorin beamed ear to ear as his mother spoke. I didn't do anything bad!? Just wrong. I did it wrong, he thought. "Thank you Mother. Thank you Father. I will keep all of this in mind for when I get my Innate Trait."

"You're welcome, Son" his mother and father said at the exact same time. That was kind of creepy. Jorin thought. "It's time to get to work now, right, Father? Mother, we will take some dried mosscakes on the way with us for breakfast this morning, no need to make it."

"Sure, Jorin. They're in the cupboard, on that side." Vera pointed at the top right of the cupboard where they stored the dried goods.

Jorin got up from his seat to walk to the cupboard, but soon found his legs failing him. He collapsed onto the floor, unable to withstand what felt like a searing internal heat, centered on the right side of his chest. It encompassed his entire body, and then it slowly eased itself out of him.

"Jorin, son, Jorin! Are you alright?" He heard his father shout at him, but he wasn't able to answer that at the moment. He was entranced by what was in front of his vision.

MANA INTRUSION SUCCESSFUL

Jorin Greystone

Heartbound Wanderer Level 1

Strength: 14 | Effective: 18.025

Toughness: 10 | Effective: 12.875

Agility: 12 | Effective: 12.36

Arcane: 12 | Effective: 12.36

Will: 12 | Effective: 12.36

Heartbound....Wanderer? Your Innate Trait is supposed to be one word. Like Heartbound. Jorin thought