Mason stood alone in a spacious clearing, except for the creature before him. It was an owl. Looming over Mason, it was massive, standing nearly as tall as a bus, with stoney feathers that shimmered with an almost gem like quality. Its talons, the length of machetes, sharp and jagged. Despite cutting a terrifying visage Mason felt no fear. The creature in front of him wasn’t an enemy, even if it was there wasn’t much he could do about it. If it chose to kill him, he would die, there was no point in being anything other than calm and polite. What was more important was gaining information, so he did what he did best, charm.
He slightly bowed his head, enough to be respectable with out seeming inferior. Lowering his tone into a calm, measured voice he said, “Hello.”
Studying him with its piercing yellow eyes, blinking slowly, it hooted, causing the entire clearing to shake as it spread throughout the space. Mason took this as a sign of approval of his actions.
“Fear is a powerful thing,” the owl said, each word sounding like a challenge, its voice carrying a strange power. “It can paralyze, and it can foster growth, yet you stand unafraid.”
The unwavering Mason met its gaze. “Fear doesn’t help you expand your understanding. Only knowledge can do that.”
The owl tilted its head slightly, appearing to take him in and considering his words. Hooting again this time with a hint of amusement it said, “You think yourself clever. You wish to understand, very well, I shall enlighten you.”
The owl began its lesson, diving into the ins and outs of the system, explaining concepts and connections that Mason had already, if only barely, start to grasp. He spoke of myths and destinies, the whims of fate and intertwining choices, and how they shaped the world. Every word carried a weight, yet Mason’s mind absorbed it all with ease, as though they were meant to be his to hear.
After what seemed like hours of teachings, the owl finally brought up the matter of cores. Lifting a large, imposing wing five books appeared before Mason’s eyes, floating gently in the air. The space around the books parted, each pulsing with an aura so strong it made reality bend slightly, lending the auras an almost physical presence.
The owl appeared surprised for the first time since their meeting occurred. After a moment it hooted in excitement before explaining his choices.
It went through the options before saying. “These are all your choices. They are all powerful, and … unlike most others your path is clear, your resolve unique.”
Mason studied the books; each represented a different but sure path to prominence, each holding the promise of something immense. Analyzing him carefully the owl’s expression softened, it spoke with more than a little awe in it’s voice, “Do not choose greed. To covet all you see is to be blind to risk. Choose wisely.”
The warning made Mason think for a moment, feeling the weight of the decision before him. After the owl’s words most would select the core they felt was best, discarding the rest. But Mason was confident in his ability to get a favorable outcome. He chose to combine them all.
For just a moment the owl’s eyes widen in surprise, and a hint of sadness. Many a promising initiate had failed to even begin their journey due to poor choices.
Silence fell for a moment before being broken by the flutter of its wings. “You would take them all.” Making a statement rather than a question.
“Yes,” Mason said simply. “My father has always told me that collaboration will be the key to my success. He doesn’t know how right he was.” Frowning at the memory, Mason started the process to combine the books into one.
Mason felt the presence of the five books pull at him, each dragging his mind into a different direction. Mason felt the pulls but ignored them finding a common middle ground in each potential path… himself. Choosing to build around himself he first selected his original path, the one he walked before the system. It was the strongest, however it was the one he was the most familiar with. He could feel the system aiding him in the process, helping cut away the weakest parts of the story that overlapped with the stronger portions in the other cores. But instead of throwing them away he kept them for the end. He did the same for the remaining four books forming a more impressive core with each addition.
The owl hooted in admiration. It had seen countless candidates, but none had come close to Mason’s intuitive understanding of how the system worked. Expecting Mason to be confused and overwhelmed, it couldn’t help but be amazed when he approached the challenge with confidence and grace.
Using it’s other-worldly vision it could see that the core had been completed.
“You… you are something else, Mason Sinclair,” the owl said, its voice tinged with respect.
Then the core shifted.
The system’s help finished, marking the process as completed. Mason, however, didn’t think as much. The system wanted him to use the best parts of all the cores and discard the rest. To most it would seem redundant to leave a second set of writings in place where one would due, but to Mason it seemed wasteful to remove them. These were perfectly good sections, just not at the same quality of the others. Mason felt that instead of discarding the leftovers if he could just shift them into one place in his story, he could use the overall weight of quantity to make up for the lack in quality, propping up whatever section he chose to reinforce. He chose to push the sections centered around the sword to new heights.
The owl again was shocked. Few, even within the integrated universes, knew about this practice. Extremely difficult, if failed it would often times cripple ones myth leaving them stuck, yet a boy from a new universe did it on instinct effortlessly.
The owl chose at that moment to take a gamble. He had already given the boy information that most initiates would kill for. But what if… yes, what if it broke the rules just a bit more to give Mason one more push in the right direction.
Mason, now finished to his satisfaction ended the process. The space around Mason shifted. The core he had created was not just powerful— it was alive, swirling with energy, sublime in nature, it appeared too beautiful for this world. It was unlike anything he had ever felt, a manifestation of potential, blending power and purpose.
“You’ve done it,” The owl said, staring at Mason’s creation.
Mason nodded, a slight upturn of the corner of his lips showing. He had done it. He had not only chosen a path but forged it.
The owl hooted once more before raising its great wings, and from it a single feather detached, hovering over to float in front of Mason. The feather had a faint glow coming from it, shimmering with a fraction of the gem like quality the owl possessed.
“This…” the owl said, its tone reverent “is a gift. It will serve as a beacon to fate, showing you the path that awaits.”
Stolen story; please report.
Mason reached out, grasping the feather. The moment he touched it, the feather dissolved, merging with him. He felt a pulse of energy from within him, marking the unmistakable pull of destiny.
Mason thought for a moment, then broke his fa?ade of perfect stoicism, a smile stretching across his face. He had been cautious and calculating their whole meeting, taking nothing at face value, but this was different.
“Thank you” he said, the first real words of gratitude he’d spoken. It felt strange, but right.
There was a final hoot before Mason disappeared.
The next moment, Mason was standing between a dense forest and a mirky river. The real tutorial was just beginning. He looked around, eyes scanning for any threats, Finding none, Mason allowed himself to breathe enjoying the moment. Then, he sent a mental command to the system. It was time to check his status.
Status
Name: Mason Sinclair
Race: Human (G-grade)
Level: 0
Titles: Lineage Patriarch (Unique)
Health Points (HP): 104/104
Mana Points (MP): 91/91
Stamina: 70/70
Skills: N/A
Fabula Core
Myth: Fivefold Fate (Legendary)
Chapters: 0
Innate Skills: Five Omens (Ancient)
Manifestations: Oath Keeper (Unique)
Stats
Strength: 14
Agility: 12
Endurance: 12
Vitality: 11
Toughness: 13
Perception: 16
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 11
Willpower: 14
Free Points: 0
Mason’s eyes lingered on his stats. His highest stat being perception was no surprise. He had honed his skills through years of football. Always surveying the field, always aware. His other stats were also impressive, above what most humans could achieve before the system appeared. But what interested him more were his titles and core.
Lineage Patriarch (Unique):
Awaken the power stored within your lineage. From the very origin of your tale, there was something more waiting beneath the surface, yours to shape. Plus 5% Mythic Density.
It sounded impressive, if not more than a little vague. He resolved to explore it in more detail later.
Fivefold Fate (Legendary):
Five souls, each bound to have a role in shaping the world’s fate, seeking unity as their destinies converge into a single path.
Mason frowned, sensing a pattern with the system. Another cryptic description, but there was no point in dwelling on it.
He moved on, focusing on the next item.
Five Omens (Ancient):
Summon forth five omens of change.
- The Shattered Crown: Creates a domain of your will. Forces those within the domain to weaken over time. Heavy is your crown. Cost: 2 MP/sec.
- Silent Night: A sphere of shadow traps beings within, allowing only the user to maintain sight. Few survive the moonless night. Cost: 10 MP/sec.
- Wailing Tide: Creates a 2-meter wave of chilling water, blocking attacks. Filled with the victims of the ruler of the tide, induces a minor fear affect. Fear effect increases with every soul slain. Torment follows those who brave the depths. Cost: 20 MP/sec.
- Frozen Hour: Slows those touched by the caster using casters understanding of time. A clock ticks, who will endure its final tock. Cost: 45 MP/person per sec.
- Empty Grave: Postpones death, delaying damage until a more convenient time. The reaper waits. Cost: Damages Mythic Integrity depending on the amount of damage and time from initiation.
He was expecting something good, but this left him speechless. He effectively had five skills for the price of one, each one powerful in its own right. Mason couldn’t help but smile. He was overpowered, and the possibilities were endless.
He had a massive lead, but Mason didn’t know how long that would last. He needed to push his advantage as far as he could.
Finally, he examined the last item of interest on his screen.
Oath Keeper (Unique):
Summons a long sword. To summon, an oath must be sworn. If the oath is broken, Oath Keeper may never be summoned again. Grows in tandem with the user’s conviction to uphold their oath. Plus 25% to all stats.
Mason’s eyes gleamed with pleasure. This was exactly what he needed. His mind filled with the possibilities.
He focused on the skill, speaking clearly, he swore his oath.
“I, Mason Sinclair, swear that as long as I live, no wrong against me will go unanswered, no loss unavenged, and that no one in this integration will surpass me in the end.”
The words rang with conviction, the air around him stilled.
Mason had chosen his words and phrasing carefully, making sure to give himself some leeway in its interpretation. Still, it was powerful. He had never been second in his life; he saw no reason to start now.
The blade appeared in front of him waiting for its master. Its blade the length of a promise, as sharp as the truth. It’s steel gleamed reflecting the vows of its master. The swords hilt was made of a simple black leather, symbolizing the simplicity of faith in one’s word.
Mason grabbed it, it’s weight perfect. A surge of power rushed through him. The blade pulsing with energy, felt almost alive, reacting to his every thought.
For a moment the forest around him seemed to hold its breath, the rustling leaves stilling.
A deep growl cut through the silence.
Mason’s gaze snapped to the edge of the forest. There he saw a massive figure bursting through the tree line. A bear, wicked, its fur an unnatural black, eyes glowing with a deep red hue. Its claws were daggers waiting to disembowel, every step cracking the ground.
Instinctively Mason’s hand tightened around the hilt of Oath Keeper. A flood of knowledge of just how to use the sword invaded his mind. Grateful, Mason focused on the bear. Remembering the owls words on how to gain the skill identify, Mason analyze everything about the bear. It’s every movement felt deliberate, every muscle tight with killing intent. It was larger than any pre-system bear.
Finally sensing the difference in his analysis, he thought Identify.
Shadowpaw Bear lvl: 3
The Shadowpaw Bear released a guttural howl, deep red eyes dripping with malice. Its hulking form shifted, readying it to pounce. The moment stretched. Mason held Oath Keeper poised to strike, its presence a comfort. He embraced the fragility of the moment preparing himself for battle.
Then, the bear finished closing the distance.
Mason barely had the time to react as the creature turned into a blur of black. The shadows of the clouds warping to help mask the swipe of its paw sent at Mason’s chest. Pushing his perception to its limit he managed to track the attack. Twisting to the side, he watched as massive claws tore through the space he had been in a moment before, rending the air with it’s sheer force. Pivoting, Mason brought Oath Keeper around in a calculated arc, aiming for its exposed side.
Striking true the blade left a deep gash running down the bear’s side, dark blood spurted out of the space before landing on the forest floor. Roaring in pain, it seemed even more determined to end him. Choosing to press his advantage, Mason activated his second omen, Silent Night. Shadows swarm forth, encasing both combatants in a dome of darkness.
While the bear had an affinity with shadows, Mason felt like Silent Night would still work. During its first attack he felt the bears control of shadows and found it wanting. It was like a watered down version of an off shoot of what Mason did with his omen. He had dominion over true darkness, not just a scant few shadows.
The bear’s vision completely cut off, Mason moved. Swiftly, weaving through the shadows like a ghost, he stuck with uncanny precision, Oath Keeper guiding his movements. Each slash left shimmering lines of silver on the darkness, before cutting deeply into the bears hide. Frantic, the bear swiped wildly, its claws slicing through nothing but air, unable to follow Mason’s movements. It bellowed in frustration, causing the earth to quiver.
Sensing an opening, Mason deactivated Silent Night, letting the dome of darkness fade. The bear, momentarily stunned by the light, hesitated. A fatal mistake. Mason invoked Frozen Hour, forcing as much of his will as he could into the skill. The bear’s movements slowed, struggling to move it’s limbs, as if dragging them through honey. It’s eyes flickered in confusion as it fought against time itself.
Surging forward, blade poised, Mason poured all of his force into a single, decisive blow, aiming for the creature’s throat. Oath Keeper found it’s mark, not even slowing, it severing muscle and bone alike, with terrifying ease.
The bear collapsed onto the ground, blood pooling, releasing a final wet gurgle in defiance. Then it’s movements, and sounds halted, form lifeless.
Mason exhaled deeply, standing over the fallen monster. His pulse was steady, breathing even. He wiped the blood from his blade and glanced at the system notification he received.
[Shadowpaw Bear Lvl: 3 Slain]
164 EXP Gained. Myth Developing…
Mason allowed himself to chuckle. This was only the beginning, and he had work to do.
“Oh this is going to be fun,” he said, daring fate to say otherwise.