“Okay Sandy, I think I got it. Now what does it all mean. I have an idea from games I’ve played in the past but is it the same?” Dean looks over to Sa’dra in time to see her school her features. She isn’t quite quick enough and he catches an impressed look before it’s gone. Not giving him any more time to dwell on it Sa’dra starts explaining. “It’s mostly what you think. You have your name, age, level, and class at the top. Then there are your stats, skills, and abilities.

Dean’s friend takes a moment to pause and make sure he is paying attention. “The stats are what you might think. Strength or STR determines the physical power of your body. Agility or AGI is also a physical stat. It governs speed. How fast you can move and, to some degree, how flexible you are. Vitality or VIT is a little more complicated. It determines your health points or HP and how fast it regenerates. This stat also plays some part in your mental and physical endurance.”

Taking a breath and gathering her thoughts she continues the lecture. “The next three are considered the mental stats. Perception or PER though is a little like VIT. There are both physical and mental aspects to it. It allows your mind to work faster, allowing for faster mental reactions and better senses. Intelligence or INT is mental capacity. It determines how well you retain information and your mana points or MP. Last is wisdom, shown as WIS in the status. It determines the regeneration of your MP and resistance to mental attacks. The higher it is the easier one finds it to put details together and think ahead. It’s basically how well you can use the information you have.”

She was right. That is basically what Dean had expected. But there was still more to the information he saw in his status that he wanted to know about. Sa’dra’s long pause at this point was stepping on his nerves a little. Before he says anything she gets to the part he is really curious about. “You will see there are Special Skills, often referred to as SS, and regular Skills. SS are things that the System awards you but can’t be learned otherwise. Skills are active and are things that can be used. They are often learned through Special Skills.”

Seeing the confusion on Dean’s face she elaborates. “One Special Skill is Heat Manipulation. This is a common magical skill.” Seeing Dean start to raise a hand like he was in a classroom Sa’dra just rolled her eyes and cut him off with a wave. “I will go into ratings or classifications later. With heat manipulation you can practice it and create a Skill that could warm something up or, with more practice, create a fireball. Last are Abilities. These are what you would call passives in video games. They are less powerful then Skills, but are always active and don’t cost anything to use.”

At this pause Dean speaks up. “Does everything cost MP to use if it is active then?” He’s a little confused because most of the games he has played have stamina or something else used for physical skills. His friend quickly clears that up. “I know what you are thinking, but this isn’t a game. It takes an energy cost to activate any skill and that energy is MP. No matter what form it takes or is converted into. Like I said before, VIT is the overall health of your body and it governs how much stamina you have. This isn’t a quantified amount.”

As Dean thinks about it he can see how that makes sense. It isn’t like you can determine when a person gives up and decides when they are too tired to continue. Then there is that thing runners are always talking about, a second wind. How would the system put a number to that. What would be the purpose? Another thought comes to mind though. “What are the norms for these stat totals though?” His childhood friend nods to him in approval.

“Generally, you will have about 30 points overall. This does vary but that is average. The average person has approximately five points in each stat. This can go as high as ten though. A professional bodybuilder might have close to ten in strength, for example. You get one free point to distribute every even level to place at will. Your class will also provide stat points according to whatever the class is. You will be able to choose what class you want at level 10. The choices will be offered based on your progress up to that point.”

“Okay, but how do I level then” Dean asks. “Do I need to go around killing monsters? Are there even monsters?” Sa’dra gets a chuckle out of that one. That’s an issue she always had with the games she played with Dean. How does killing something help a person, other than the items you physically extract from it? “Yes there are monsters and much more, but I’ll get to that later. They aren’t needed to level up. You earn experience for real. By doing and learning things.”

Dean can tell she is really passionate about this. He figures that living with the system her whole life and seeing how games get things close but twist it from the reality has made it a touchy subject. “Every time you level up a skill or ability you will gain experience equal to that of the level it has reached. So learning something and getting it to level one gives you one experience toward the next level. Increasing that to level two gives you two experience, also known as EXP.”

Now Dean sees how the difficulty in leveling increases. You can’t just keep getting new skills and leveling them a few easy times to keep increasing your overall level. Skills and Abilities with higher levels give higher amounts of EXP. By the time you get up there in levels new Skills and Abilities will hardly be worth the time in EXP to learn them, unless you spend a good amount of time increasing their levels. On top of that, as one improves they will create better active skills, but then they will need to take the time to improve them too.

Dean says, “So what now?” Sa’dra picks up her bottle and walks back to the couch in the small apartment. Sitting on in once again she waves him over. Taking his seat once more Dean looks to her. His best friend looks at him and a smile starts creeping across her face. “Now you choose your first Special Skill. The first two will greatly affect what your class will be. Choose wisely. Before you do that I should go over the classifications the System uses.”

Sandy, for Dean decides it’s easier to think of her that way, takes a moment to collect her thoughts. “Rarity is the term the System uses. The different levels of rarity starting from the bottom are Poor, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Mystic, Artifact, and Legendary. There is one more rarity level and that is Unique. Unique is different though. It just means there is only one of those items in all of the System. That can mean it’s the equivalent of any other rarity. So Unique doesn’t mean it is good, just unique, for lack of a better term.”

Having absorbed the information Sandy has been lecturing on, Dean focuses back on his status like she instructed him. With the status projected on his mind's eye he looks it over again. Sandy said he should be able to choose a Special Skill so he focuses his search there. The words ‘Special Skills’ are gently flashing, pulsing. Almost like a heartbeat. When he focuses in on the words the image in his mind changes. Now he sees a list of potential skills to choose from. It isn’t long and he focuses on each one to get a description.

Imbue Weapon: Flood a weapon you hold with mana, increasing its damage. Weapon integrity may be effected, based on the materials the weapon is made of and the amount of mana used to imbue it. Rarity: Uncommon.

Insight: Gain information on a target object or person through focus. Rarity: Common.

Energy Manipulation: Manipulate energy in all its forms. Difficulty depends on the user’s natural affinity toward the form of energy being manipulated. Rarity: Rare.

They all look good. With the first one Dean is sure he could create plenty of weapon skills he could improve to gain EXP and level up. Insight is only a common rarity skill, but it has potential. Information is always useful, in a fight and out. It’s the last one that really gets Dean excited. Not only is it a Rare Special Skill, but it’s a solid guess this could lead to the kind of magic he has always wished was real. Looking to Sandy, Dean can see she is expecting him to tell her what is available.

It doesn’t matter though. Dean knows what he wants. No amount of talk would have turned him from his decision anyway. Focusing on the Energy Manipulation skill once more, he wills it to become his. An odd sensation follows. He felt odd earlier when he was focusing on himself, but now that feeling increases tenfold. In the middle of his chest he can feel something circulate around inside. The sensation spreads throughout his body soon after. It was like static electricity gathering next to his heart.

The feeling continued and soon he could tell that all the energy, that static, was drawn from his extremities. It all gathered at his core, right next to the heart. Pain started to build there and Dean could hear Sandy asking him what was happening. He tried to answer but didn’t know what to tell her. Not that it mattered. The static feeling which pervaded his body has become intense enough that his chest is seizing up. He can’t draw a breath to speak.

Pain continues to build and his vision starts tunneling. Vaguely aware, he starts tipping over. Numb all over he can’t tell that a soft pair of arms embraces him, holding him upright. With his focus completely on the pain and desperately trying to endure he can’t hear the gentle words whispered to him from the caring woman embracing him. Soon his vision is just a pinprick of light with only darkness surrounding it. Nearly dead to the world as he struggles to stay conscious Dean doesn’t notice his friend’s concern.

Sandy was surprised at first. When Dean started shaking and stopped responding she didn’t know what was wrong. She called out to him at first but soon stopped when it was obvious he couldn’t respond. That didn’t calm her storming emotions. Is the System killing him. She didn’t remember this ever happening to her. Then it all made sense. She was born into the System and he was just inducted. It was a well known fact that normal humans not inducted to the System had their mana Locked. Dean’s mana pool was forming.

After a few minutes Dean’s shaking stops and he goes still. His eyes are still open and his breath is ragged. Sandy can tell he is conscious, just unresponsive. The shock to his body must have been great. Now that she wasn’t freaking out about what was happening to Dean, Sandy was able to feel the mana moving, gathering within him. As the mana compresses in his chest, the soft words of comfort she didn’t even realize she was speaking slowed, then stopped.

Neither could tell how long they sat there with Sandy holding him. Eventually Dean’s vision cleared and his senses returned as the pain receded. Slowly sitting up, he disentangles himself gently from Sandy’s grip. He takes stock of how he feels. The headache is back, so that sucked. The difference in himself was more pronounced now than it was before too. “What happened?” Looking over to his childhood friend he sees her eyes are a little red. Any tears that were there are nowhere to be seen though.

“You were convulsing and unresponsive. I’m sorry” she nearly shouts. Dean is confused by the apology though. “Sorry for what? You didn’t cause this. If anything I did it to myself.” She shakes her head in denial. “I didn’t warn you. I didn’t realize what effect choosing your first Special Skill would do. I should have. It’s common knowledge that humans can’t unlock their mana until they are inducted to the System. I should have realized and warned you that it might be…uncomfortable.”

Yeah, uncomfortable was an understatement. It wasn’t her fault though. She obviously has no experience with newly inducted humans. “Don’t worry about it. Neither of us has done this before” he tells her, trying to allay some of the guilt he can sense from her. “So, do you want to know what I picked?” His question was meant to distract her. From her interested look and the eagerness coming off her, it worked. “Of course I do. First tell me all the options you had though.”

She had always been interested in the different abilities and skills displayed in video games. Now Dean thought she might have been looking for inspiration on new skills or abilities she could learn in real life. Why not. This System seemed like it allowed a lot of flexibility in that regard. Not keeping her waiting, Dean explained the three Special Skills he had to choose from. The whole time Sandy nodded along, not interrupting. He stopped after the descriptions though.

It only took a moment after he stopped talking for Sandy to take her queue. “Energy Manipulation. That has to be the one you chose.” Dean just chuckles. She had always known him better than anyone else. “Got it in one. It was the highest rarity and seemed like the best choice for a magic build. What do you think?’ Sandy gives him a playful punch in the shoulder. “Sounds like it was the best option if you want to learn magic. You will be week in physical combat though. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” There is that teasing look again.

Sandy always liked teasing him. It made Deal feel better to see her recover from their earlier scare. He still rolled his eyes at her good natured ribbing. “So what do I do now?” Sandy’s face goes serious again at the question. This time without the lingering guilt from before though. “Now you get stronger. As you do normal things you will gain some abilities, but for now we should see what your new Special Skill can do.”

“Sounds like a plan Sandy. Uh, but how do I do that?” It is Sandy’s turn to roll her eyes. “How am I supposed to know. I don’t have your Special Skill. Never even heard of it. Probably need to get used to moving your mana first though. Give it a try.” Well that wasn’t very helpful. Still, Dean could feel the mana concentrated in him much better than before. Sitting back on the couch he takes a moment to clear his thoughts. It was difficult with Sandy pressed up against his side.

Eventually he is able to stifle the thoughts of the warm skin of her bare arm rubbing against his and focus. In this state he reaches within himself for that electric like energy he felt flow through him before. It was slippery. That was the best way he could explain it. Getting a little frustrated he mentally paws at the ball of energy in his center. Trying to get a hold of more and more. All for naught. The more frustrated he got the more he tried to hold and the faster it slipped free.

He is broken from his latest attempt by a light shove from Sandy. “I know that face you’re making. You’re upset and acting out.” Not able to deny it to her, Dean just shrugs. “It keeps slipping from my control. I can’t hold onto my mana for any length of time. How am I supposed to do anything with it. Shit! I hope I didn’t waist a Special Skill with something I can’t use.” Sandy punches his arm again as he gets worked up.

“Quit that. First of all, I never heard of someone being offered a skill by the System that they couldn’t potentially use. Second, it’s your first time. Have a little patience will you.” She snickers at her own thought before blurting it out. “First time! Don’t worry Dean, well pop your magic cherry soon enough.” Then she breaks down in a fit of giggles. It’s so weird, but familiar at the same time, to watch this alien beauty giggle like a tween.

Her mirth was infectious and soon Dean was laughing lightly with her. When they calm down a few minutes later Sandy takes the instructor position once again. “It sounds like you were doing pretty good though; for your first time.” She lets out a little snot at that but contains her laughter. “Sounds like you can locate and feel the mana inside you. What you should try to do is take a very small amount of it out from the rest with your mind. Don’t fight it for control though. Guide it.”

Taking her advice seriously, Dean follows along. He is soon in that state of complete focus once again. It wasn’t too hard. He had practice meditating in the past. Not for anything cool like martial arts or anything. He used to have trouble sleeping when he was younger and his mother got him a couple of books. His mom thought the dry books on Insomnia would bore him into a comma more than the contents would help. She was wrong. They actually interested him a little and reading them didn’t help put him to sleep. The meditation exercises within those pages did though.

Locating his mana pool once again Dean thinks of just pinching off a small piece of it. A little chunk of his mana comes away from the pool. Like a little ball of energy captured by the power of his will. It struggled against his control. Not much, but the longer he maintained control of it the harder it got. Finally it slipped free and bounced away through his body. There was a sharp jolt in his right arm, like someone discharging a static shock into him. He flinched from the spike of pain but is soon focused once again.

Thinking of Sandy’s words once more, he pinches a new piece of his mana pool away from the rest. This time he doesn’t force it though. Just goes with it. He gently steers the mana around his body, getting a feel for the proper way to control it. Eventually he brings it to his outstretched right hand. Trying to force it out through his palm he opens his eyes to see the result. Nothing. Well, not nothing. There was a brief second where he thought he saw a blue light spark in his palm.

What had he been expecting anyway? He wasn’t thinking about anything specific, jush guiding mana. Looking over to Sandy he sees her curled up next to him on the couch. He must have been concentrating for awhile and she fell asleep. It was late too, so he couldn’t blame her. Not ready to call it quits he continues experimenting. This time he has a thought he is concentrating on intently when he brings mana to his palm.

There is no flash of blue light this time. Dean’s thoughts were of roaring bon fires and of a blast furnace, the heat rolling over him when the door was opened during his high school metalworking class. What he got wasn’t nearly as impressive, but Dean would take it. For now.

Created Skill: Spark lvl 1. +1 EXP.

Spark: Cast a spell to create a flame the size of a candle. Duration depends upon mana added. Rarity: Poor.

It was only a Poor Rarity but it was his first real spell. “Woot!” Dean calms himself after his brief celebration. It wouldn’t do to wake Sandy. Looking to the clock he finds it close to midnight. Having to work tomorrow sucks. Nothing for it though. With those thoughts Dean picks up the closest person to him in the whole world and carries her, princess style, to his bed. Laying her there he takes off the fashionable high heeled, short topped boots she was wearing and tucked her in. Snagging the one extra blanket for himself he takes his spot on the couch for the night.