Fate Revealed

by M E Robinson

  Taking the dummy next to Astrid’s, Eric reached for his wand only to remember that it had been destroyed when he’d cast the Flame Strike. With a sigh, he turned back to ask for a new one only to catch himself midstep. Arthal had said something about being able to cast without using a wand. And he had not said anything about attempting to cast without a wand, just not to cast other spells.

  Eric began to trace the rune for Arcane Strike in the air, taking care to attempt to infuse his mana into his fingertips. The first few attempts failed, with the mana returning to the vessel before he could draw the rune, or the mana infusion faltering mid-drawing and the spell failing with a tiny sputter.

  Eric could feel the rebound from the failed spell, but luckily the base Arcane Strike truly was the most basic of all attack magics. After a few moments of steady breathing, he was able to attempt the spell again.

  Over and over, he attempted to draw the rune in midair without a wand. Sometimes he would get so close only to fail at the last moment. The mostly drawn rune collapsing into tiny violet sparkles that fluttered down to his feet as the spell formation collapsed.

  Calyn had long since noticed Eric’s efforts and pointed them out to Arthal, but both of them stayed silent and merely observed his progress as they instructed the other players who had yet to succeed in casting their first spell.

  Again and again, Eric attempted to cast Arcane Strike without a wand. Finally, on his thirty-second try, he succeeded. The rune flaring to life and a violet Arcane Strike appearing, glowing a brilliant violet as it crashed into the target dummy. Exhilarated, Eric attempted to repeat the process only to fail. However, now that he had succeeded once, how could he be deterred?

  Closing his eyes, Eric attempted to think back on his lone success. How had he managed to create the spell that time? How had he routed the mana from his mana vessel to his index finger? How had the mana been consumed when he activated the spell formation? How had he drawn the rune for Arcane Strike? Silently, Eric pondered over each of these questions before attempting to cast the spell again.

  As Calyn and Arthal observed, Eric began to succeed increasingly often at casting without his wand. His success rate quickly soared from one try in twenty, to one try in ten, then one in five. As the last player finally succeeded in bringing their spell formation to life, sending an Arcane Strike rocketing into the dummy, Eric had succeeded his fourth attempt in a row.

  So, Calyn mused to herself. We have a genius with the spear, a true archery prodigy, and now this half-elf seems to have the makings of a talented mage. Not a bad group for our first batch of otherworlders.

  “Ahem,” Arthal cleared his throat to gain the attention of the players, all of whom had been engrossed in their spellcasting endeavours.

  “With this, you have officially completed the basic militia training course. Once we send you to the mainland, you will be greeted by various factions. For those who wish to merely live an ordinary life in Nasvencia, you may become a civilian of the town or village you are sent to where you may pick up a profession to help support both the town and yourself. For those who wish to lead a life of adventure, the Mercenary’s Guild is always hiring. And for those who wish to dedicate themselves to the defense of their fellows, the town militia welcomes new recruits and provides a path to join the standing army of whichever fief or county you are sent to. I truly hope that we may one day meet again. Until that day, I bid you adieu.”

  With that, Arthal raised his hands, as he did so a truly incredible amount of arcane energy began swirling through the formerly quiet tower. As the players began to panic, a surge of white light blinded them as the tower faded from view.

  - Chapter Sixteen -

  Names and Portals

  As Eric regained his vision, he found himself lying on a wooden floor a couple meters away from a pair of leather boots. Following the boots upwards, he observed that the boots were connected to a leg which was attached the body of Calyn. With a gentle smile, she observed Eric lying upon the floor.

  Raising her eyes, Calyn observed the group of players who were slowly struggling to their feet.

  "Damn mages. They can never resist showing off," she muttered, rolling her eyes in disbelief of the fact that Arthal had just used high-level mass teleportation magic to transport the players a few hundred meters to the village's main hall.

  Turning around, Calyn was greeted by an elderly man dressed in a fine tunic emerging from the back room. Sharing a knowing look with the man, he echoed her earlier eye roll before clearing his throat to catch the attention of the players.

  "Attention everyone. Calyn has informed me that you have all successfully completed the basic militia training. As such, you will now be teleported to the mainland. First though, I will issue each of you with a small parting gift and a certificate to prove your new skills." The man's voice echoed through the hall, deceptively powerful for such an old gentleman, Eric thought as he scrambled to his feet.

  Turning to observe his surroundings, he found that he and the other players had been sent to what appeared to be a large town hall, with rows of tables set up below a pulpit from where the finely dressed man was speaking to them. Descending from the pulpit was a row of stairs, at the bottom of which stood Calyn, leaning with her back against the pulpit and observing the reactions of the players.

  "Is the tutorial finally over?" Eric overheard a gangly blond teenage mutter, which caused him to grin. Much as he'd enjoyed learning about how to play the game, he was anxious to get to the mainland and begin leveling so he could meet up with the rest of the group.

  "If you'd please line up over here, you may sign your certificates. After you've done so, you may then proceed to the teleportation circle in the center of the village to be transported to the mainland. Make sure to keep the certificates with you as you'll need them upon arrival." The finely dressed man said, pointing to the table just below the pulpit where a stack of scrolls was balanced.

  Walking over, Eric grabbed a scroll and a quill from beside the pile. As he unfurled the scroll, a system prompt appeared, asking him to sign his name on the paper.

  [WARNING: The name you sign will be the name you shall be known by in the world of Fate. Do be warned that you cannot use numbers in your name. It is also heavily advised that you create a name that will sound normal to residents of this world. A name such as xShadowkillerx will be frowned upon. You may give yourself a nickname that will act as a title later on; however, choosing a normal name such as Eliria Moonstrider or Jace Firequeller will greatly aid your progress in Fate. Names are also not unique, meaning that there can be as many Illida Stormwrath's as there are players with poor taste. With that in mind, please choose a name for yourself.]

  Along with that notification, a list of name examples appeared next to the scroll. As well as a name randomizer for those who simply could not create a name on their own. Ignoring the suggested names, Eric pondered for a minute, twirling the quill between his fingers as he decided on a name. With a flash of inspiration, he dipped the quill in ink and touched it to the parchment.

  "Erick 'Kyp' Kystfyr" he wrote, adding an elaborate flourish to finish off his signature. With the flourish complete, a system message appeared, asking if Erick 'Kyp' Kystfyr was the name he wanted. Confirming his choice, the scroll flashed brilliantly. As it did so, a light enveloped his body, glowing brightly before fading away. As the light faded, the pack that he had been given by Calyn in their wilderness survival lesson shrunk from the size of a backpack to the size of a small pouch which attached itself neatly to his waist. Before Eric could begin to panic, wondering if he'd lost the tiny number of items he'd been given throughout the tutorial, another system message appeared.

  [Congratulations, you have passed the tutorial! As a reward, your backpack has been transformed into: Inventory Pouch]

  Sighing with relief, Eric bundled up the scroll. Turning, he looked to ask Calyn what he should do next. Before he could even open his mouth, however, she was already pointing towards
the door.

  "Town center," she mouthed. Nodding to show he understood, Eric quickly grabbed his scroll and strolled over towards the door.

  Emerging into the sunlight, Eric threw a hand up over his eyes. As they adjusted to the brightness, he could see a few other players standing next to a trio of glowing circles in the middle of the town square. Next to the circles stood the woman who had taught them about common etiquette.

  "For those who would like to become a knight, a main city is the best place to begin. You have hundreds of workshops to join as an apprentice, a bustling trade sector, houses of nobility who may hire those they take a liking to, and above all the chance to raise accomplishments in the city guard and given the chance to become a squire, eventually gaining a knighthood. These are all unique opportunities available in the city. The middle portal will bring you to the city," she said, motioning to the largest of the three circles in front of her.

  "For those who would prefer to strike out on their own, making a name for themselves as an adventurer, or perhaps for those who aim to become an influential member of a local community, starting in a village provides these opportunities. The number of monsters prowling just beyond the wooden palisade of many villages has increased in recent years, and mercenaries and adventurers are in high demand. For the more profession oriented, becoming the apprentice to the only blacksmith in a village will make you far more important to members of the village than being one of a dozen apprentices in a standard smithy in the main cities. Entering politics is also easier in a village, but it may be difficult for you to advance very far as positions are limited in both number and scope. The village is the most difficult starting zone, and dangerous monsters can appear unexpectedly nearby. So be careful when selecting a village as your starting zone. The portal to my right will bring you to one of the many villages in the region.

  "Finally, for those who would like a mix of both, there are many towns that dot the landscape of Nasvencia. Towns are much smaller than cities, but significantly larger than villages. The city guard does not exist to purge monsters from nearby routes so adventurers can make a decent living. There are more smithies, tailors, and other profession houses available in a town than in a village, and becoming a member of one will make you much more important in a town than in the city. The portal to my left can take you to a town.

  "Obviously, these are merely the basics. There are various advantages and disadvantages you may discover as you begin to explore your new surroundings. Choose wisely, and do not neglect the people of Nasvencia. They existed here before you and they will exist once you are gone. Try to befriend those you can, but realize that they are just people like yourselves and I. There will be those who wish to aid you, those who seek your aid, and those who seek to harm you. It is up to you how you choose to interact with them, but remember that a closed door offers no advantages. It is often worth taking on difficulties to reap the rewards afterwards!" With that, the etiquette instructor ended her speech. As she did so, a system prompt appeared.

  [Quest received: Choose one of three starting zones. A main city, a town, or a village]

  Enter the portal and shout the type of starting zone where you will start your journey into the world of Nasvencia.

  Reward: You may enter the world of Nasvencia.

  Eric pondered for a moment. The city was certainly tempting, but only due to the allure that becoming a knight held. Knight was clearly one of the classes in Nasvencia and judging by the emphasis that the etiquette instructor had placed upon it, a rather prominent one too.

  However, starting in a city clearly held its own disadvantages as well. He had never been the type to enjoy being shackled to the rules, and joining the city guard in order to become a knight likely meant both enforcing and obeying the rules of the city. Becoming an adventurer sounded like a much more appealing prospect if he was being honest.

  The village also seemed to be the most difficult starting zone. However, the more difficult a starting zone, the greater the potential rewards. While stumbling may harm his development, excelling in a more difficult starting zone was likely to propel him far ahead of players who started in the easier towns and cities.

  In addition, now that he thought about it, he remembered that he needed to deliver Arthal's letter to some Mage academy. This was clearly a hidden quest, and mage was a class that suited him much better than being a knight did. If he wanted to have the freedom to search for the academy, then becoming an adventurer was probably the best route for him.

  "Which one are you going to pick?" Astrid asked, strolling up behind him.

  "I'm thinking village, seems to be the best route for combat oriented players. Which means it's the best route for becoming strong in time for the Fate Championship." Eric replied.

  "Mmmmh. Good point. I think I'll choose village too!" Astrid said cheerfully.

  "Want to teleport at the same time?"

  "Nah you go ahead, I've got some questions for Calyn." Astrid replied with a smile.

  "Good luck then. Hopefully we'll meet again at some point."

  "I'm sure we will, especially if you're serious about going for the championships. Here, add me." Astrid said, making a waving motion in midair.

  [Astrid Feathershot wants to add you as a friend. Accept?]

  Pressing his hand against the accept button, Eric was greeted with a cheerful system message announcing his new friendship with Astrid.

  "I'll see you around," Astrid said, giving him a small wave as she turned to go back inside.

  "See you around," Eric echoed, returning her wave.

  With his decision made, Eric strode boldly towards the right hand portal under the gazes of the onlooking players. Most of those who had already gone had chosen the middle circle and teleported to a city, doubtlessly looking either to become a knight, or to enjoy the comforts and benefits the city represented. While a few had chosen to teleport to a town, only a small handful had selected to use a village as their starting point. Reaching the middle of the glowing circle, Eric hesitated only for a moment.

  Steeling himself, he opened his eyes and shouted, "Village!"

  With a blinding glare, the runes around the portal awoke from their hibernation. A dull roar filled Eric's ears as the portal began to work. As the roar reached a crescendo, the light flared once and then disappeared. Under the watchful gazes of the onlooking players, a dimly glowing circle was all that remained of where Eric had just stood.

  - Chapter Seventeen -

  Tonbura Village

  As the light disappeared, Eric felt his feet hit the ground. Stumbling slightly, he took a few paces forward to steady himself before looking up to take in the surroundings.

  Gone was the floating island with its silvery stream, the hill, the wooden huts and the stone tower. In their place was a small village square. The dirt that made up the four small streets which converged to form the square was dark underfoot. A stone well stood sturdily in the center of the square, the thatched wooden roof painted a vibrant yellow which gleamed in the few loose rays of sunlight that could make it through the overcast sky.

  Turning slowly, Eric observed a number of wooden buildings built around the square. Apart from the wooden buildings, there was also one slightly larger building. This building had a plaque in front of it which read: “Tonbura Village Chief’s House”.

  Eric grinned. Village chiefs were notorious for giving out quests to new players. And he just so happened to have been told that he should visit the chief upon arriving. Although now that he was thinking about it, did Fate not have a quest log?

  No sooner had the thought crossed his mind that a small emblem of an open journal caught his eye in the bottom left hand corner of his vision. Focusing on it, the emblem suddenly detached and zoomed upwards to fill the upper half of his vision.

  [Quest Log]

  - Deliver your certificate of Militia Training to the chief of a local village.

  Reward: Increased favour with the village.

  -
Visit the Mage Academy in Filoketh.

  Reward: Possible admission to the Mage Academy.

  Minimizing the quest log with a quick swipe of his hand, Eric decided that he should focus on the beginner quests for now. They would allow him to quickly build a foundation upon the basics that he’d learned in the tutorial. As he was just about to head to the chief’s house, he was struck by a thought. Since there was a quest log, were there more interface options he wasn’t aware of?

  As if on cue, another blinking symbol appeared next to the quest icon, this one a small exclamation mark. Focusing on it, the symbol soared into his vision; a second later, he was bombarded by a flurry of sudden notifications.

  [You have learned: Basic Militia Spearmanship!]

  [You have learned: Basic Archery!]

  [You have learned: Basic Herbalism!]

  [You have learned: Basic Speechcraft!]

  [You have learned: Basic Arcane Magic!]

  [You have learned a new spell: Arcane Strike!]

  Arcane Strike: Basic Arcane Magic

  The most basic form of magic attack. Simply gather the surrounding mana and condense it into a vaguely orb shaped object before shooting it at a foe.

  [You have learned: Basic Fire Magic!]

  [You have learned a new spell: Flame Strike!]

  Flame Strike: Basic Fire Magic

  The most basic form of fire magic. Simply gather the surrounding mana and condense it into an orb, then convert it to fire mana.