*Ding*

Intelligence has reached rank 4!

*Ding*

Level has reached 2!

*Ding*

[8] Points available for allocation!

John looked eagerly at his notifications. This was the moment he had been anticipating. The power-up he was about to receive would put him into a whole new level of power. Literally, a new level.

He was so focused on the three notifications and what they would mean that he nearly missed the fourth notification.

You are eligible for a class!

Would you like to choose now?

Yes/No

‘Crap, I almost forgot!’

Vulgad had told John about classes. The higher the rarity of a class, the easier it would be to increase the rank of your attributes and skills.

Truthfully, he still had issues keeping things in mind. It was a weakness of his intelligence, he couldn’t remember to remember things all that well.

Sitting on his bed, surrounded by numerous texts written by long dead mages of antiquity, John made an effort to put his thoughts into order.

‘First things first. System, show my personal screen.’

Johnathan Cribb

Human

Level:

2

Strength:

Rank 1

Agility:

Rank 1

Intelligence:

Rank 4

Endurance:

Rank 1

Charisma:

Rank 2

Wisdom:

Rank 3

Luck:

Rank 2

Class:

[CHOOSE]

John remembered the term ‘glass cannon’ from his previous life. The strategy may work in clear-cut video game logic, but this was the real world. John wanted to be a conqueror.

‘Being physically weak is an easy way to die to some lucky asshole firing off potshots, or by eventually succumbing to one out of a stream of likely assassins. No thank you! I’ll need to invest in my survivability. Endurance is a must!’

Mentally, John decided that endurance would get at least two points.

With the other six points, he reconsidered his opinion on a ‘glass cannon’ strategy.

‘I need to be able to survive a freaking arrow to the gut, but I also need to keep a good thing going.’

From his experience in learning from his Elven host, John knew just how useful it was to have intelligence and wisdom. Making the right decisions could go a hell of a lot further than endurance in keeping him alive.

Remembering another thing from Vulgad, he also knew that better attributes can help one’s chances of getting a better class during selection. Selecting a class would have to wait until he had allocated his points.

While he was taking the time to look at his personal screen, he also decided it would be wise to check on his skill screen.

Skill Screen: 6 Current Skills

Skill Name: Rune Writing

Rarity: Unique-?

Type: Magic Casting

Family: Intelligence

Rank: 3

Description: The user writes in the language of magic itself.

Usage: Active Use

Cost: Mana

The very words of creation. Use them wisely, as some things are better left unsaid.

Skill Name: Mana Sense

Rarity: Uncommon-2

Type: Magic Sensory

Family: Intelligence

Rank: 4

Description: The user has the ability to sense mana around them.

Usage: Passive Use

Cost: None

The most integral skill for any aspiring mage.

Skill Name: Indomitable Will

Rarity: Legendary-2

Type: Mental Resistance

Family: Endurance

Rank: 4

Description: User is immune to debilitating effects upon the mind.

Usage: Passive Use

Cost: None

And when his very mind was broken, it healed back as strong as iron.

Skill Name: Identify

Rarity: Common-1

Type: General

Family: Wisdom

Rank: 1

User is able to identify any selected object. Success depends upon skill rank.

Usage: Active Use

Cost: None

As a gift to all species under the system, the skill identify was thought to be appropriate for increasing the efficiency of all tasks.

Skill Name: Mana Articulation

Rarity: uncommon-3

Type: Magic Casting

Family: Intelligence

Rank: 4

User is able to use mana to interact with the outside world.

Usage: Active Use

Cost: Mana

How else would magic be used? I swear, apprentices…

Skill Name: Mana Conservation

Rarity: uncommon-3

Type: Magic Support

Family: Intelligence

Rank: 4

User is able to use mana in a more efficient way.

Usage: Passive Use

Cost: None

Brute force will only take one so far.

As it turned out, notifications were not provided for skill related advancement. The trend of his attributes and skills all pointed to him being heavily reliant on magic in the future. If that was to be true, then that was all the more reason to invest heavily in wisdom and intelligence.

John searched his mind for other things to consider. Really, all he was doing was putting off the act of actually investing his points.

Getting up from his bed, he began to pace in the room. The hour was late and he knew he should be getting to sleep. The idea of getting immediately stronger was far too exciting for sleep though. He wanted to decide now, but was scared of the permanence.

In a moment of bravery, he stopped in the center of his room and held his breath.

‘System, allocate my free points as follows.

‘Two points into endurance.

‘Three points into wisdom.

‘Three points into intelligence.’

*Ding*

Allocating…

Suddenly, a splitting ache spread through his mind and body. His bones, tendons, muscles, veins, all of it. They throbbed.

That paled in comparison to his mind, however. The feeling was like growing, but with altogether too much speed. He expanded but at different rates in different places.

It hurt.

Only two thoughts occupied his mind during the process. Pain was the first. The second was determination.

Power was in his grasp. He would succeed, no matter the tribulation.

That was his last thought before unconsciousness took him.

***

For the second time. John entered a now familiar dreamscape. The same one he visited the first night he stayed with the Dwarves.

The ever-changing environment was ironically the constant that let him recognize it as familiar.

This time though, he was even more cognizant of his position. Surrounding him were the shapes of morphing objects, but the ordinary dirt path he stood on was mundane as anything could be.

Looking down the path, shadows loomed and obstructed his vision. No figures casted the shadows, they just began where the light stopped, or perhaps vice-versa.

With a half-turn of his torso, John peered over his shoulder to gaze at the other way the path led.

‘No difference. Figures.’

John lifted his foot to take a step in the direction he was originally oriented, but hesitation immobilized his body.

The last time he visited this dream, he was upset by the visions he was shown.

‘No, the past is gone. There would be no use in dwelling on it or seeking it out for that matter.’

Twisting his body, John reoriented himself in a reverse position from where he started. This time his footsteps began and continued unabated by troubled thoughts.

That was not to say that specters did not haunt his mind. In his zeal to gain power, it failed to occur to him that the demons of his thoughts would only be strengthened. An odd conundrum to be certain.

‘People always say that you are your own worst enemy, I guess they were right.’

Inner demons could not cripple the reborn man though, his mental resistance skill was too formidable for that to occur.

‘There are more important things to think about anyway. My demons pale in comparison to actual demons.’

*Heh*

John couldn’t help but chuckle at the pun he’d made.

His stroll along the dirt path continued in silence, the shadows remained at a fixed distance away from him. There was hardly any indication that he was really moving.

Back on earth he had read some articles on lucid dreaming before. He recalled stories of individuals controlling the dreams in any way they wanted.

In opposition to his assumptions, omnipotence escaped him. The only control he had was of his own body. Instead of annoyance, John easily accepted it. The dream world he was in didn’t feel like his anyway.

The more he dwelt on the feeling, the more he realized what the dream was like.

It was like he was a guest in a home that was not his own. He could control his hands and feet because those were his, but the looming shadows, endless dirt path, and unceasingly changing figures in his peripherals felt alien to John.

Therefore, he only felt mild surprise when his host was revealed to him.

The shadows began to disappear as he reached the end of his path.

Now appearing before the dreaming man, was a simple forest cottage with a small stream of smoke rising from a cobblestone chimney.

Perhaps because he was dreaming and not in a ‘normal’ situation, John continued forward and opened the door with little hesitation.

The interior was as one might expect. The furnishings were just as simple as the exterior and all within John’s expectations. Except one detail that his eyes settled upon.

In the left side of the room, almost in the corner but not quite, sat a Halfling woman. She casually knitted away idly going back and forth in her appropriately sized rocking chair.

Just as John took a final step to cross the threshold of the doorway, the youthful looking Halfling looked up from her needles.

Calmly, in the voice of one who was unfazed, she gestured to a chair pushed into a modest dining table on the other end of the room.

“Greetings stranger. Please, pull up a chair. I so rarely get visitors, and even rarer still do I get Human visitors.”

Surprisingly unfazed by the Halfling’s at-ease demeanor, John followed her instructions and promptly brought the chair she had gestured to over. At a distance of about seven feet from her, he sat down on the chair. Curiously enough, it seemed to be large enough to accommodate the size of a being near double the size of the building’s occupant.

“Ah, a man that can follow instructions! So rare! There are certainly some Halfling men that could learn a thing or two from you. She smiled cheekily. Despite her youthful appearance, there were clearly years of wisdom behind her visage.

Grinning despite himself, John spoke. “So, I assume you are my host them? I have some questions I wouldn’t mind being answered.”

She tilted her head curiously. “You’re new around here aren’t you? You do know where you are? No?”

Matching her curiosity, John replied. “I would say so. I just thought I was in a regular old dream until now.”

“Ah! You must have slipped in here then. It can happen from time to time you see.”

John nodded his understanding. In this situation, politeness was key in understanding his current situation.

“And where is here then? If you don’t mind me asking that is ma’am?”

“And you’re polite too! How charming.”

John only politely smiled as she complimented him.

“Well, I don’t mind telling you, but you have to answer in return. Think of it as a game, I ask and you answer, then we switch until we get bored. Sound fair to you?”

“That is perfectly fine ma’am.”

“Oh cut it out with the ma’am stuff, I’m old enough to be your grandmother many times over. Don't make me feel any older than I am!”

‘I highly doubt that she is older...’

“Apologies, but please if you don’t mind, can you tell me where we are now?”

“No apologies needed, and we’re currently sitting in my little neck of the dream realm. It’s a good thing you popped up here, some of my folk can just be downright rude with strangers here.”

“I see…”

Inwardly John was hardly shocked. He had heard about the dream realm many times. One could hardly discuss Halflings without mentioning the place. It was just as much a part of their identity as their height or their wings.

“My turn!

“I haven’t had a visitor in some time now, please tell me where you’re from in the mortal world.”

Feeling somewhat at ease with the Halfling, John answered.

“I live in Lumis with my master.”

While he never would have used a word so reeking of servitude on earth. It was casual speech on Cuerus. Nefriden was his teacher now more than ever. The months had passed with the Elf becoming a mentor to John. Teacher in this society was reserved for those who taught basics like letters and numbers. A master was one who taught and improved upon skills to their apprentices.

“The Shining City! Its been ages since I was last there. Such a wonderful place if you’re looking for excitement. I really need to get out more.”

Sensing a story on the horizon, John wisely moved onto his next question.

“Can you tell me how I got here?”

Shaking her head in a rueful manner at her own exuberance, she answered.

“Occasionally, instead of dreaming, those who fall asleep fall through some astral cracks and end up in the realm of dreams. It often happens after a rank up in one of the mental attributes, but it really comes down to the person, some individuals just have an affinity for the magic of dreams. Beyond that, some of the higher leveled folk come here on purpose for all sorts of reasons.”

‘Well I guess that explains that.’

The amount of points he pumped into his attributes were clearly most likely to blame. It didn’t explain the last time he came here though.

The conversation between the Human and the Halfling continued on for an undeterminable amount of time.

She was delighted to hear about his master, it seems that she was an old acquaintance. To that, she waved off his surprise. She told him that most beings over five-hundred years of age knew each other, especially those as well-mannered as Nifriden.

John also gleaned some interesting bits of knowledge from the Halfling. She filled him in on some of the more detailed parts of Halfling culture.

According to the woman, the realm of dreams was a very varied and chaotic place, but they now resided in the kingdom of the halflings, where things were kept fairly stable.

Halflings were not the only people in the realm, in fact. The realm of dreams was far, far larger than the world of Cuerus. It was infinitely large in scale, constantly being grown with the dreams of those across all mortal worlds. It was a fact that blew John away.

The realm was really some sort of universal hub for astral beings. One that followed its own rules. It suddenly made John feel very small in comparison. For now, he should stick to getting his bearings on Cuerus rather than the universe at large.

Never did the Halfling women press him for information, their conversation passed unhurriedly until John felt himself being tugged away.

She lit up in alertness.

“Ah! You’re waking up. Well it was a fun little chat we had.”

“Yeah, but before I go, what was your name?”

“Oh, where are my manners? The name is Orchid, Orchid Longroot. Don’t forget to tell your master about me. He will need to prepare.”

His time growing short, John got out one last question.

“Prepare for what?”

“Hmph, he’ll need to prepare his apology to me. It’s not very kind to let a girl think you’re dead for centuries.”

With that, John awoke.

Bolting upright on the floor, he felt like he’d just gotten the best sleep of his life.

He felt so much better than before. Probably due to his new attributes.

In front of John’s gaze, the same screen from the previous night hovered before him.

You are eligible for a class!

Would you like to choose now?

Yes/No

‘It seems I have a few things to talk to Nifriden about…’