Chương 2: Chapter Two

I opened my eyes to the darkness my makeshift home, a lean-to with a impressively thick dirt and moss layer to keep the elements off me. But it wasn't fully dark. A blue box was hovering in front of my eyes. System requirements met. Initializing training system A27-S. WARNING: Outside influence detected. Initiating purge protocols… WARNING: Purge protocols failed. Attempting to integrate outsider influence. Integration complete. WARNING: Mana levels exceed race human. Evolving to race elf.

WARNING: Mana levels exceed race elf. Evolving to race demon. WARNING: Mana levels…. So far, everything was mostly as Evan and Mandy told me it would be. The system requirements being met. The outsider influence, which was the curse that broke our species during the Outsider War, and finally the message she was hoping for. The evolution message. But… it wasn't supposed to scroll for this long! After several long seconds I finally reach the end of the evolution log. Evolution complete. Race: Aetherborn.

Racial Attribute: Mana Body formed. Racial Attribute: Mana-Bound Existence formed. Aetherborn? I've never heard of it. Generally, demon races had the demon prefix, then their specific subspecies. Yet it said I exceeded the mana levels for demons near the beginning of the log. I scratch the back of my head only to notice my ears. I trace them both with my hand as they come to a point above the top of my head. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Way longer then a normal elfs. What the heck am I? I put the question aside and continue to read the logs. Ascendance Tier 1 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Sense formed. Ascendance Tier 2 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Saturation formed. Ascendance Tier 3 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Compression formed. Ascendance Tier 4 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Inertia formed. Ascendance Tier 5 (MANA) reached. Attribute Dense Core formed. Ascendance Tier 6 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Imprint formed.

Ascendance Tier 7 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Saturated Body formed. Ascendance Tier 8 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Gravity formed. Ascendance Tier 9 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Convergence formed. Ascendance Tier 10 (MANA) reached. Attribute Mana Sovereignty formed. I stared at the list in amazement. I wasn't aware that there were tiers past the third. And even those were only spoken about in terms of mythical heroes and demons. How in the world did I end up with ten of them?

Are the pampaw fruits really that powerful? And what do all these do? My heart rate had increased as I continued to read, but tried to calm myself. Evan and Mandy said they would help me understand this. Help me understand myself. And make sure I don't hurt anyone. Even the mean ones. I breathed. Then continued reading. Skill prerequisites met. Adding skill Foraging. Skill prerequisites met. Adding skill Herbalism. Skill prerequisites met. Adding skill Potion Making. Skill prerequisites met.

Adding skill Fire Craft. Skill prerequisites met. Adding skill Mana Awareness. Ok. These are normal. Without much surprises. Well, Mana Awareness is kinda a surprise, but my almost-master had me practicing something similar while potion making. So maybe it shouldn't have been. At least something is normal. Okay. I think I can remember what they said. To bring up my status I just…

NAME: Lyra RACE: Aetherborn LEVEL: 1 STR: 4 AGI: 5 VIT: 7 INT: 5 SP: 3 WILL: 7 MANA: 15, 015 ATTRIBUTES (RACE): Mana Body Mana-Bound Existence ATTRIBUTES (MANA): [Tier 1]: Mana Sense (Level 1) [Tier 2]: Mana Saturation (Level 1) [Tier 3]: Mana Compression (Level 1) [Tier 4]: Mana Inertia (Level 1) [Tier 5]: Dense Core (Level 1) [Tier 6]: Imprint (Level 1) [Tier 7]: Mana Saturated Body (Level 1) [Tier 8]: Mana Gravity (Level 1) [Tier 9]: Convergence (Level 1) [Tier 10]: Sovereignty (Level 1) SKILLS (TIER 1): Foraging (Level 1) Herbalism (Level 1) Potion Making (Level 1) Fire Craft (Level 1) Mana Awareness (Level 1)"What in the world happened to me?"

My voice, more childlike then I care to admit, is absorbed by the dirt walls as I pull my ears down. I note idly their sensitivity and that it didn't hurt even as I brought the tips to my cheeks.