Aisrin had learned, absorbed really, all the knowledge his parents and teachers had to offer him in those ten years. Now that he was sixteen, he had to venture forth towards Bloodrend City.
"All sixteen year olds must go and be evaluated by the Great Crystal to determine their path and future job. I have a list of jobs that categorize into their respective paths. I'll pack it along for you to read up on so you dont have to wonder later. Also, all adults get a PSI, Personal System Identification. It's really just a magic orb that fuses with you're body so that you can see all of your personal information, and serves as your Identification as well.
I really want to go with you, but I'm needed for another student. Haha, I hope they're at least a quarter of your potential." Lilac explained in short simple detail.
"Ah, look at how my Aisrin has grown! Strong like his Father, and thankfully, good looks from his mother!" Itsysu was drunk, and crying.
"Do write! I want to hear all about your journeys!" Iri too was drunk and crying.
"Where are you going big brother?" Adue pulled on Aisrins cloak. Aisrin looked down at Adue. In his previous life, he had no siblings. But here, in this world, he had been around the two young kids, even comforted them during storms. He never knew much affection in that life, but he did for his siblings in this one.
"Don't worry, I'm not going forever." Aisrin patted her head and smiled. A collective silence followed.
"Ah, he smiled." Lilac said pointedly. Aisrin sighed and headed for the door.
"Aisrin! I will be a cooler magic swordsman by the time you come back! So dont slack off!" Hari shouted, failing to hold back the tears he obviously was trying to keep from falling.
"Yeah." Aisrin smiled one last time as he headed out. He wore his father's tailor made black and red over cloak, his mother's hand stitched black trousers, and Lilacs Enchanted white shirt and leather boots. All gifts given to him upon graduating each training he underwent.
'That was... a bit touching.'
The road to Bloodrend City from the Town of Dorstend was about a months journey. By the time he made it there, he would officially turn sixteen, according to the Kingdom. He had enough supplies to ration that journey, and had no worries. Besides that it was a well traveled road, and encounters would be rather low.
Aisrin stepped outside, and officially began his first adventure.
*One Month Later*
Literally nothing happened on the way from Dorstend to Bloodrend City. Aisrin even went out of his way to search for encounters.
"So ungame like! I thought at least a bandit would show up!" Aisrin complained.
"You, half breed! Identification!" He had finally reached the north checkpoint into Bloodrend.
"That's what I'm here to get?" Aisrin asked the guard.
"Understood. Please follow me, I'll take you to the rest of the 'jobless'." The guard sighed.
"'Jobless'?" Aisrin asked while following the guard.
"It means one who hasn't received Askarahs Blessing." The guards explained.
"And who's Askarah?" Aisrin continued to ask questions.
"Seriously? Hah. Askarah is the Goddess of Fate and Destiny. She gave the races the Great Crystal as a way to contact her and recieve her blessings. All new adults are considered 'Jobless' until they recieve her blessing." The guard explained in more detail.
"Let me go you fuckers!" A loud commotion could be heard up ahead. Aisrin looked past the guard to see. Five soldiers were holding one six foot dark skinned fellow with thick chains, attempting to move him, but he wouldn't budge.
"Who is he?" Aisrin asked.
"A small time militia leader. He came into town with a bounty target, but he didnt have a 'Job' or Identification. So when we told him he couldnt turn in the Bounty for the reward, he killed the Bounty and attempted to kill the guards too." The guard responded.
"So what's gonna happen to him?" Aisrin inquired.
"Hes going to recieve his job, and then we will pay him for the Bounty. He didnt do anything illegal. And, he also didn't seem to know the customs. But he also didn't wait to hear our explanation. Ah, here we are. Please go inside, and wait for your name to be called." The guard replied and then motioned for Aisrin to enter a large building that resembled a cathedral.
The cathedral wasn't to far in from the gates, and was all white marble with a huge arch and decorated in gold etchings.
'That seems a bit... much.'
"Very well, thank you." Aisrin said as he walked up to the church doors. Before he reached it, a chained hand grabbed the handle first. Aisrin looked behind him to see the tall dark skinned militia leader from before.
"I go in first. Lackeys should just sit and wait." He growled at Aisrin.
"I don't particularly care, but I'm nobody's lackey." Aisrin scoffed as he opened the opposite door and went inside. A sudden warning light lit in Aisrin's body and he immediately dodged right and drew his dagger whilst turning to face the danger.
"Amusing! I like you! Not many humans can dodge my punches! I'll forget your rude behavior!" The tall guy laughed.
"What's your name?" Aisrin stood and sheathed his weapon.
"Blackhawk." He replied smiling merrily.
"Aisrin." Aisrin introduced himself.
"Aisrin? Sounds like a Demon name." Blackhawk stated as the guards unshackled him.
"I'm half Shadowkin." Aisrin answered.
"Shadowkin! I thought he was half elf, or half demi! It's rare to see half demons!" Whispering broke out amongst the guards and people present in the cathedral.
"Hahaha! I'm half human and half Beastkin of the Cheeta Tribe. So I was surprised you could dodge my high speed attack!" Blackhawk laughed even more.
"Oh. I half expect a tail or cat ears." Aisrin lowkey insulted.
"Oh I have a tail, I wasn't born with the ears. That's why my parents sold me off. That's all you need to know." Blackhawk then walked away and sat off to the side.
"Interesting." Aisrin commented. He too went off to the side, opposite of Blackhawk.
Aisrin decided the best way to pass the time would be to cast continuous magic on himself, the way his father taught him.
*Two years ago*
"Alright! I'm going to teach you a Shadowkin technique! Watch very carefully!" Itsysu instructed a fourteen year old Aisrin.
"First you run mana all throughout your body. Then, like usual, you choose the attribute and let it flow." Itsysu had the usual black mist start enveloping him.
"Okay, so it makes you look intimidating. But what does that do for me in battle?" Aisrin commented and then asked.
"Why don't you just attack me?" Itsysu smiled. Aisrin sighed and lunged forward and... through his father entirely! Aisrin spun around and blocked Itsysu's return attack.
"By running Void and Shadow magic throughout my body, I was able to change my properties. I became a nonphysical being. At the same time I can attack my opponents by just releasing a part of the technique. For instance, if I wanted to cut you, I release the sword and hand from the technique. Now you try!" Itsysu was an amazingly good teacher despite his personality.
*Present*
"Aisrin, Blackhawk, James, Gwen, and Sverdas. Please follow me to The Room of Fate." A nun announced Aisrin's name and a few others. Aisrin stood and dismissed his magic. He followed along with a dwarven girl.
"I'm Gwen." She said and then went back to walking.
"Aisrin." Aisrin replied. Gwen was short, no doubt. Around four foot seven. She had brutally carrot colored hair and long pointed ears.
'At that height...'
"Whatcha lookin at Gwen like that for?" Gwen snapped Aisrin from his thoughts before they got too far.
"Aha! Just admiring your beauty miss." Aisrins laughed nervously.
'Oops. Spaced out again.'
"Hmph! Don't lie to Gwen. Gwen knows us Dwarvenfolk don't catch the fancies of yous tall folks!" Gwen spoke third person.
"Uh, I'm not particularly one to fall into that category. My parents are a Demon and a Human. Which, as far as I can tell, is extremely rare." Aisrin tried to explain.
'Eh? Why am I trying to explain myself?'
"Hmph! T-Then Gwen accepts your compliments, Demonbreed!" Gwen turned around quite quickly, the tips of her ears turning red. Aisrin looked at her in absolute befuddlement but chose to no longer pursue.
After what felt like ten minutes of walking through corridors and maze like halls, they finally entered an area three times larger than the waiting area. The roof was entirely made of murals. Glass, wood, stone, even iron. All painted exquisitely.
"Disgusting." Both Aisrin and Blackhawk muttered. They looked at each other, both had their arms crossed, then they laughed.
"I see we are two of the same taste." Blackhawk commented.
"I just prefer plain." Aisrin responded.
"Indeed. Why be fancy?" Blackhawk stated.
"Blackhawk! Please step forth to the Great Crystal! For the third time!" A priest shouted out Blackhawk's name.
"Hey! I'd watch your tone old man! Yell at me again... and I'll fucking kill ya." Blackhawk threatened as he approached a giant purple crystal.
"Ahem, please place your hand on the crystal." The priest politely asked.
"That's fucking right bud. Now fuck off, I can do it on my own." Blackhawk fake lunged at the priest, startling him backwards and on his ass.
'Not good with people.'
Blackhawk put his hand on the crystal, as he was asked, and the crystal began to glow.
[BLACKHAWK. AGE SIXTEEN. CONFIRMED. YOUR JOB, MERCENARY. PATH, ADVENTURER.] A voice seemed to fill the room.
"Ha! At least the cunt knows what I want." Blackhawk took his hand off and a purple orb popped out and stuck to his hand.
"Uh, hey, I think your crystal just had a baby... and why is it stuck to my hand!... OH GOD IT'S GOING INSIDE ME!" Blackhawk began freaking out shaking his hand around crazily.
'That's what she said.'
"Uh? Sverdas Wintergreen." The priest continued to watch as Blackhawk ran to the other side of the room and continued freaking out. Then, he just stopped
"Oh, it's just a game screen. Ooh, I've got nice stats!" Blackhawk then just sat and looked at his stats.
'Game screen?'
[SVERDAS WINTERGREEN. AGE SIXTEEN. CONFIRMED. YOUR JOB, ALCHEMIST. PATH, DOCTOR.]
Sverdas seemed very pleased. He was a lanky teen with white hair and small pointed ears.
"Elves. Always absorbed in knowledge." Gwen tsked.
The elf got a green orb, and he calmly let is assimilate.
"James Bloodrend.... YOUR HIGHNESS?" The priest freaked out.
"Oh for Askarahs sake! Calm down! I'm sixteen, I have every right to be here as a normal person!" James sighed.
'Did he say your highness?'
James slapped his hand on the crystal. The crystal began to glow.
[PRINCE JAMES EUSTAS BLOODREND. AGE SIXTEEN. CONFIRMED. YOUR JOB, GENERAL. PATH, MILITARY.]
"Hah, I knew it." James sighed, just as he was about to take his hand off, a crackling could be heard as the voice came back.
[OH DEAR ME! I'M SORRY JAMES, I SEEM TO HAVE MIXED YOUR JOB AND PATH UP WITH YOUR FATHERS BEFORE YOU. YOUR ACTUAL JOB IS LEADER. YOUR PATH, ADVENTURER. MAY YOUR FUTURE BRING YOU HAPPINESS!]
"Truly blessed Prince James! Askarah personally gave you her blessing!" The priest bowed to James. Everyone was kneeling to James. Except Aisrin, and Blackhawk, who was too busy admiring himself. James noticed Aisrin, but not caring for Blackhawk.
"You don't kneel?" James questioned Aisrin.
"You said you were here as a normal person. When you're in the throne room as a prince, I'll kneel." Aisrin answered. James smiled with that comment.
"I'll hold you to that. What's your name?" James asked him.
"Aisrin." Aisrin replied.
"Aisrin... no last name?" James inquired.
"No. I was of a human mother. My father is a Shadowkin Demon. In other words, I'm just a commoner." Aisrin answered.
"I see. I am pleased to have met you, Aisrin." James smiled and then left.
"Ahem! Gwen Ironblood!" The preist continued soon after James left. Gwen ran up to the crystal and punched it. It shook, but no visible damage could be seen.
[GWEN IRONBLOOD. AGE SIXTEEN. CONFIRMED. YOUR JOB, WONDERING BLACKSMITH. PATH, ADVENTURER.]
"My, so many adventurers in the group." The priest scratched his bald head.
"Is that rare?" Aisrin asked, he knew he was up next so he took it upon himself to approach the crystal.
"Well, no. I just don't see almost an entire group go to Adventuring." The priest replied.
Aisrin put his hand on the crystal and it began to glow, but halfway through, it changed color to red.
[HELLO AISRIN. I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU. DON'T WORRY, NO ONE CAN HEAR ME EXCEPT YOU. I ONLY WISH TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR JOB AND PATH. I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT IT, BUT ONLY YOU CAN TAKE IT.]
After that, the crystal returned to its usual purple glow and the Voice came back, for everyone to hear.
[AISRIN. AGE SIXTEEN. CONFIRMED. YOUR JOB, HERO. PATH, FREE TO CHOOSE.]
"A HERO!" Everyone, except Blackhawk, shouted incredulously.
"We have to quickly get word to the palace. Hurry, go!" The priest ushered the nuns away.
The orb that came out of the crystal was a deep red, like the color it was when Askarah spoke to him. It assimilated to his body, and a icon appeared in the corner of his vision. When he focused on it, a screen popped up in front of him. It was a picture of him, his name, age, job, and some numbers and letters.
(Name: Aisrin. Age: 16
Titles: None. Job: Hero Lv. 1
Level: 11
HP: 114/114 MP: 144/144
STR: 34 VIT: 41
AGL: 32 INT: 36
SENSE: 40
Skills:
Magic Swordsman Lv. 7
Mage Lv. 9
Swordsman Lv. 13)