Opening his eyes, Lukazio realized he had arrived in a different locale, a courtyard that seemed to house its own city. The sky completely covered in clouds of a variety of colors, he took it all in for a moment.
Throughout the courtyard were only what could be called plants, though their leaves, blossoms, and fruits were arrayed in a variety of colors and shapes and smells.
Most surprisingly were the overwhelming number of different creatures, both humanoid and beastlike, throughout the area. All conducted their business casually.
Many walked numerous legs while others slithered or drifted by on air-wings of all sizes
flapping. Some wore gear, others clothes, while many wore nothing.
Lukazio even saw a few palanquins carried by large golems. Covered by extravagant drapery, he couldn't see inside any.
He saw beast people of creatures he'd never seen before as well as all types of what could only be described as sentient monsters.
Most seemed normal, though a view wore obvious armor or other mechanical battle suits.
Lukazio stood on a studded glowing platform. Walking down off the raised platform by a perfectly carved incline he admired the plant-life for a moment before he felt a wrenching feeling all over his body and mind. As if he had suddenly been yanked into place while his mind expanded.
A bright light filled Lukazio's eyes as words in golden fire wrote themselves discreetly in the lower part of his vision:
{Level One - Attained}
{You have gained enough experience that your soul potential has been slightly released! Two of humanity's lost three Racial Traits have been unlocked for you as a result!}
[Racial Trait 1- The Fire Inside]
(The souls of humanity, though currently still locked, remain burning embers of the powers of creation and life, even built in to their biology. This has led to their amazing innovations and miraculous physical feats throughout their evolution. Now the effects are magnified to their ancient potentials)
+1 to Will, Body, Mind, and Soul
+10 Morale
(+Chance to Avoid Immediate Deathblow)
(+Regeneration (Weak-Slow))
Racial Trait 2 - Mind Over Matter]
Haven lived under a broken and inoperable Universal System for an unknown period, humanity has developed a knack for persevering and performing at a level above the norm-often with forces considered to be supernatural. As a result, most contemporary humans have an increased understanding of the sciences and an intuitive sense of the supernatural. Living in a world or universe with no mana has strengthened humanity's understanding of the interplay between the two.
+2 to Body and Mind, +1 to Will
(+Chance to Negate Spiritual, Mental, or Soul-based Attacks)
(+Perception of Science or Supernatural Passives)
Advance to unlock Mental Passives
-STATISTICS-
Name: Lukazio
Race: "Human"
Class: [null]
Level: 1 (Congratulations! Tel'Amirin's Universal System has determined that you are the first Human to reach level one in over two thousand years*!) (*System is unable to determine this exact length of time, but estimates it at approximately 1/8 of a Cycle*)
Experience: 10/2000 (Suffering from majorly reduced experience gains, (-55%), as a result of experience atrophy)
-CONDITIONS-
Will: 3 - Unrestrained, Focused
Body: 4 - Healthy, Aspiring
Mind: 5 - Luminous, Enhanced
Mana: [null] (Mana-based applications of any form appear to be inapplicable to Humans)
Soul: 1 [Semi-Locked] (Former Universal System's restrictions are identified; 12/13 locks remaining - which are unable to be removed at this time).
Soul Ability:
(1) Break Soul Sword - Manifest your soul weapon, the Break Soul Sword-breaker, which attacks more than just physically; empowering you with each weapon it destroys.
Lukazio studied his new stats and condition, while pondering the information this System was slyly sliding in there.
There was a brief moment of shame as he realized he was standing on the platform, naked. None of the other creatures paid him any mind, as if he were livestock and it were entirely normal.
Thinking quickly, he looked around and saw his trusty blanket in a pile on the ground behind him. He picked it up and wrapped it around himself, tucking a corner tightly between the wrap and his now improved looking chest.
He began wandering the lanes of the courtyard, avoiding others while keeping his eyes and ears open. Unfortunately, Lukazio realized that with many of the other races, he couldn't understand a thing they were saying.
They weren't exactly speaking whatever language it was that Lukazio was speaking and understood.
He eventually made his way to a bazaar section where more humanoid-looking creatures traded unique currency.
A variety of spheres, pyramids, cubes and other polygons of different materials. Not understanding the exchange rates or differences he ignored it, as he didn't have any currency anyway.
The smells were the most interesting. He followed his nose to an area that was forested with evergreen-type trees, but with silvery needles. Covered in pink and green blossoms throughout, the grove was its own area inside the massive courtyard city.
Wandering amongst the beautiful trees, almost felt nostalgic as he breathed deep of a flowery citrus scent.
"Halò! Cò thu?" [1] A voice said, sounding like chimes in the breeze.
Startled, Lukazio hadn't noticed a frail-looking woman with brown and green hair leaning against a nearby tree.
Lukazio's mind blanked for a moment, thinking she was a human. However, after looking closely, he realized that she was not a human. Her ears were pointed and slim, and stood taller on her head than a human's rounded lobes. The green in her hair appeared natural, as her eyebrows were also green. Shorter than him by a head, she seemed small overall, wearing a brown and grey cloak that covered her completely.
Although she was pretty, Lukazio only felt a stirring for a tiny moment before it faded on its own. Guardedly, he merely copied what she had said only a moment before, albeit not as well.
"Halò. Lukazio." He said to her, making a guess as to what she was asking.
"Tha sinn a' coimhead cho co-ionann." [2] She said, peering at him from the short distance away. Curious but not alarmed seemed to be her attitude. "Ach chan eil thu nad aon againn." [3]
"I'm afraid I don't speak the language. I can leave if you like?" Lukazio asked, pointing towards the way he came and looking at her questioningly.
"Tha do chleòca gu math neònach. Bu chòir dhut tàillear eile fhaicinn." [4]
Shrugging his shoulders he turned to leave when he heard the lady sigh and let out a long string of words. ""Gu math ùr-nodha, cuidichidh mi thu, ach cosgaidh cleachdadh mo mhana, agus nas cudromaiche - an ùine agam, thu." [5]
Lukazio turned to look at the woman and see her moving her fingers in a sort of spasm while she muttered two brief words he couldn't hear.
The womans hands began glowing green and gold before the same colored mist erupted from both hands. The mist coalesced onto a line attempting to connect the two, but it stopped several feet away, before the entire line faded.
Lukazio's posture was even more guarded now, as he backed away slowly. The woman didn't seem hostile, but he also couldn't understand her and she was obviously trying to do something to him.
If she didn't seem so casual, he might have wondered a bit longer about her interests in him and whether she meant him harm, but he still began backing up faster and turned to run as she mumbled some words quickly once again gesturing towards him.
The odd woman was shocked, her eyes wide and mouth open in obvious disbelief. However while a moment before she really couldn't have cared if this strange humanoid left their grove, now her interest was piqued.
As he took a few steps into the start of his sprint away he heard the melodic voice again, only this time he could understand her: "New one, wait! I don't mean any harm!"
Though his mind told him to keep running, he could sense that she was sincere. Stopping, he waited for her cautious approach. "I already told you, my name is Lukazio."
Hearing his name she cocked her head to the side and eyed him suspiciously all of a sudden. "You said your name is Lukazio?"
Surprised that she could speak with him now, he said as much. "Yeah. How do you know my language now, by the way?"
She frowned visibly when he said 'Yeah' but answered him nonetheless, "I don't. I tried to cast a spell that would let us communicate mentally, but it failed for some reason. I've had to use other, more expensive means. I haven't failed a cast in nearly 600 cycles, so obviously I am now very curious about you."
Feeling shy and unwilling to divulge too much of himself, he started off easy by asking. "And you? What's your name? We can trade information. Tell me about yourself and your kind and I'll tell you everything I can remember about my kind."
Smiling mischievously, her almond shaped eyes became bigger and she agreed. Although she could detect that his earlier statements about his name were false, and there was something off about what he recently said, she could sense that he was not hostile and not completely lying.
"I am one of the People of the Tree, members of the Fey, the Elves."
Lukazio was surprised. Mostly that there was another humanoid like himself, but also that he had someone to talk to that wasn't completely hard to gauge, like the Concierge.
"I am a human, recently come to this universe from another."
Arching an eyebrow, she nodded, "I can tell that you are new to the Courtyard Capital. Not many enter the Silver Groves, as my people are not the friendliest and strangers are eyed with distrust."
Nodding, Lukazio fiddled with the blanket to make sure it was still tight. "But not you? You don't seem so untrusting."
Furrowing her brows she laughed and said "Nonsense Lukazio, I'm the most suspicious of all! I am Sinthell'anila, the Chief Ranger of the Silver Groves. With a strange 'human' in our midst, one who won't even tell me his real name, and can seemingly cause my spells to be ineffective."
'Sinthell' paused at this point, leaning off the tree while bracing her feet apart slightly.
A combat stance. Throwing a portion of her cloak back, Lukazio saw her draw out a short, wicked-looking trident from a clasp within.
The haft, wrapped tightly with a reddish-green vine, had a vibrant feel, while the three tines of the weapon were formed of thick thorns growing out of a wide-knotted section of silvery wood.
"I've told you my name." Lukazio said.
"Do you have any weapons?" Sinthell asked, ignoring his words after a quick, darting glance at his eyes. She shifted her stance slightly, now firmly looking his way.
"Yes." Lukazio answered honestly.
Peering at blanket covering his midsection she asked, "Truth. Interesting, but I don't see any weapons. Is it under there?" She pointed in a vague area around his waist with her trident.
"It must be a fairly small weapon then. Well, go ahead, let's see it." Sinthell said quietly, almost as an aside, while her brown almond shaped eyes looked at him piercingly.
Face burning a little in righteous indignation, Lukazio became certain that Sinthell wasn't speaking in double-entendres, but a sparkling in her eyes really made him wonder.
Pushing that aside, he thought about when he used the notched sword previously. Unbidden, a quiet voice began reciting in his mind:
"Raise fire, lower clouds
Burn water, spreads around.
Channel spirit, see the core,
Break the soul, break the sword."
At the conclusion, Lukazio felt his heart throb in his chest suddenly, then a familiar weight filled his palm, though it looked empty.
Staring at the invisible weight in his hand, the Break-Soul Sword-breaker appeared there. He tightened his grip as he felt the full weight land.
Looking amazed, the elf woman said "Call me Sinthell, Lukazio. Do you want to have a quick dance with me?" Hopping from foot to foot, she seemed perkier all of a sudden.
Confused at her antics, Lukazio responded, "I can't really dance. I don't hear any music, either."
Grinning widely now, she shook her head wistfully. "First rule of dealing with the fey, sir Lukazio, is to immediately say what you mean. One must immediately make their intentions known when speaking to the People. Do not equivocate, as we can smell lies or misdirection."
"I don't understand, did I say something wrong?" Lukazio asked, a bit concerned.
Giggling, Sinthell rushed at him. As quick as the wind itself, as she cried out, "Nope! But you didn't say that you 'didn't want' to dance-only that you didn't know how!"
Suddenly Lukazio fell backwards, narrowly dodging her trident as it very nearly impaled his face!
Notes:
[1] "Hello! Who are you?"
[2] "We look so much alike!"
[3] "But you are not one of us."
[4] "Your cloak is very odd. You should see a different a tailor."
[5] "Very well newcomer, I'll help you, but use of my mana, and more importantly-my time, will cost you."