"Melania." The old man snapped his fingers in front of my face. "I have to get back, so please stop losing focus."
Turning to look at the man, it dawned on me where I had seen this man before.
It was a year ago to this very day, the last time I had seen him was when I started my most recent playthrough of Swords, Bows and Staffs.
That makes me.
Shaking my head, I stand up.
"Thank you, for everything you've done."
The old man's face lit up with a smile.
Pulling out a small medallion, he took my hand and rested it in my palm. Curling my fingers around it, he closed his eyes. "If you were to ever need me, just come to the tower. No matter what others say, I will offer you my aid."
With nothing left to say, the old man turned around and began to walk away.
It's a pity I don't remember your name, old man, I always thought you were very sweet in the short time I knew you.
Looking at the medallion in my hand, I turn it over. One side an open book, the other side a winged horse. The symbol of the Mage Tower.
Pocketing the token, I watched as the old man turned the corner.
Rubbing my brow, I knew I had to settle my thoughts.
So, Swords, Bows and Staffs. I'm stuck in this shit game, just my luck, just as I was about to quit it.
Ughghghghhh.
Running my hand through my hair, I realised how long my hair was, almost down to my waist.
And… Blond?
"Melania."
I jumped as a new voice called that name.
Spinning around, a woman with a clipboard was leaning out of a doorway.
"Please come in and we can begin your exam when you are ready."
As she disappeared back into the room, I took a breath.
Alright.
I slowly start walking towards the door.
I need to get some things straight.
Melania is the name I gave to my character on my last playthrough of Swords, Bows and Staffs. So this would have to mean one thing.
It is official, I have been sucked into one of the hardest games I've ever played. My origin story is that I was exiled from the Mage Tower after experimenting with an unknown form of magic. Which would make the man from before my mentor.
That means my class is a basic mage.
[Within Swords, Bows and Staffs, the player can choose one of three starting classes.
A Warrior.
A Ranger.
A Mage.
This is where Swords, Bows and Staffs got its name. The Warrior's sword, the Ranger's bow and the Mage's staff.
Whilst the player starts with one of the three base classes, throughout their playthrough the player can level up to one of the many advanced classes and, if they know how to, a number of secret classes.]
I shake my head.
Focus, the Adventurer's exam, what do I remember?
I walk in there and I am asked to show off my skills, that's the small bit of tutorial this game has.
What else, there was something else.
Reaching the open door, I take a deep breath. Stepping through, I am greeted by an empty room with a table and two chairs.
On the other side of the table, the lady sat, she gestured to the empty chair.
"Please, take a seat."
Nodding, I step towards the chair.
As I did so, the lady raised her right hand, the bracelet around her wrist began to glow with a blue light.
Snapping her fingers, the door swung shut.
The floor, walls and ceiling began to ripple with a faint blue light.
"Don't worry," the woman held her hands together, the light emanating from her wrist died down until it seemed like nothing more than a regular bracelet. "This room has been prepared with silencing and communication-suppressing magic to ensure that nobody can interfere in the test."
That's when I recognised the bracelet. It was a mana-storage device.
Not everyone is born equal, some races are unable to create mana having to rely on spirit power. Whereas some are unable to draw on their spirit power and can only use mana.
And then there are the humans who can be born with neither the power to use mana, nor spirit power.
So they devised ways to counteract their problems.
Mana-storage devices. As the name suggests, it is capable of storing mana. Once enough mana is stored within such a device, the user can use spells and activate previously laid enchantments, the things you could expect of any mage.
You might think, why doesn't every adventure use these? Everyone would if the cost to refuel them was so expensive only the high-ranked adventurers were able to pay for it. Not just anyone can refuse a mana-storage device, only pure mana works, and only one place can produce pure mana.
The Mages Tower.
Glad I don't have to worry about that.
Taking my seat, I make sure to sit up, paying full attention to the woman in front of me.
She was human, no doubt about that.
Looking me up and down, she began.
"My name is Raford. I will be your examiner today."
"Good morning," I replied. "My name is Melania."
Looking at me, Raford nodded. "I know."
Smooth.
Looking at her clipboard, she pulls a pen out of her pocket. "Your documents say your reason for wanting to become an Adventurer is due to you having been exiled from the Mage's Tower, correct? Is there any other reason for you wanting to gain a licence to access the various dungeons?"
Right, these questions. At first, they seem harmless, but if you had never played Swords, Bows and Staffs, you probably wouldn't bat an eye.
Now let's see if I can work with what I remember so far.
I fold my hands in my lap. "As I have been exiled from the Mage's Tower, the only way for me to continue my experiments would be by getting an Adventurer's licence.
It wasn't a complete lie. It's illegal for your average person to use mana unless you are a member of the Mage's Tower or an Adventurer.
Scribbling something on her notepad, Raford bit her lip for a moment.
"You mage's and your experiments." Raford's eyes lock onto something on the page she is writing on. "Here it says you were exiled due to experimenting on unknown magic and a tracking device is to be on your person for the next month to ensure you do not attempt to perform more of this magic. Is there anything you would like to add to this?"
My eyes widened as I heard about this.
What? What do you mean by a tracking device? This isn't like in the game, the event that exiles the player character is never even brought up, it's just flavour text.
Where is this tracking device?
"Oh well," I move my hands to my wrists, pretending to scratch them. "I've apologised profusely for my past actions." Touching my left ankle with my foot, I feel something around my ankle.
Bingo.
"That's not what I'm reading here." Raford taps her pen on the paper.
"What?" I feel myself begin to sweat.
"Here it says despite your actions, you refused to apologise. If you had apologised you would not have been partnered with that tracking device."
What kind of person was the past owner of this body?!
I try to play it off cool, "Haha," but an awkward laugh comes out. Lowering my head, I can barely look Raford in the eye. "It's only recently I've seen the error of my ways."
Tap, tap, tap.
"Well, you don't seem like a villain." Raford sighs. "Not like I care what those Mage bastards are up to."
That's right, practically every other faction in Swords, Bows and Staffs looks at the Mage Tower with disdain due to how they hold themselves to a 'higher standard' than everyone else.
I can use this.
"I know right," Raising my head, I profusely shake it. "They are always acting so high and mighty in their tower. I was only trying to expand the grounds of knowledge by which we live. Yet they were bothered by it."
Tap, tap.
Raford's tone was neutral. "This says your experiment almost killed ten mages and injured over thirty-seven citizens."
I lower my head, almost resting it on the table.
"I can only beg for your forgiveness."
What experiment did you do, body?!
"Eh," Raford shrugs, leaning back in her chair. "Not that it's any concern of mine. I'm just here to try and see whether you're a bad person." Squinting at me, I feel as if she's staring at my very soul. "You're not a bad person, are you?"
Shaking my head, it was again profusely shaken. "I'm not a bad person, I've never hurt anyone."
Raford tilts her head to the side.
"On purpose." I prompt putting my hands together in prayer.
"I believe it." She raised a hand, "Now if you'd demonstrate your magical prowess. Of course, assuming that is how you would like to be judged on?"
I bolt up from my chair, "Yes!" I almost shout my words in excitement. "I mean, yes. I am a mage, after all." A little quieter.
Where did that come from, why am I so excited?
Raford motions for me to proceed.
Taking a few steps back from the table, a sudden realisation dawns.
How do I use magic?