You have succumbed to several status effects: Fear, Paralysis, and Confusion

I couldn’t seem to move my body…it was like I was frozen all the way down to my blood. My heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second and my vision was distorted.

“RELEASE!” Gor’thaks voice resonated all the way to the very depths of my soul and freed me from my frozen state.

I looked up at my supposed master with a puzzled look on my face. “What was that?” I knew it was some sort of battle cry, because I had seen him use it before but this was the first time the effects had influenced me directly.

“That was Gor’thaks battle cry. All cherubim are born with natural potential in voice and sensory magic.” Gor’thak motioned for me to follow after him as he walked towards the other side of his little cottage in the woods.

On the other side of his cottage was a small little pond with a trickling waterfall. Gor’thak pointed at the ground next to the pond. I didn’t know exactly what to do, but finally I gave in and just sat down. I looked at him in confusion, but he just nodded his head.

“So I have to yell and scream a lot to acquire that skill?”

Gor’thak replied by smacking me in the back of the head. “All magic comes from mana…even magic that we hold a natural ability for. Gor’thak is not a fan of the wishy-washy mage stuff, but Gor’thak knows that if you meditate calmly. You should figure something out.”

I was perplexed…on one hand I was glad he was giving me free reign in my training for once, but on the other I didn’t really know where to start.

Meditation was a foreign concept to me. I had seen people meditating before. It was usually when they were doing yoga or they were part of some kind of religious group. I knew people in real world that said meditation was a way to reach enlightenment.

I crossed my legs and closed my eyes. It felt like I was surrounded by darkness. I didn’t mind the darkness, but it wasn’t the place that I felt the most at peace. If meditation was supposed to make me feel calm then closing my eyes would only be a set back for me.

So instead of closing my eyes I focused on the pond...the water was relatively calm and serene, but every few moments or so a small ripple would stretch across the pond from the waterfall.

I could feel the soft breeze tickling the hairs on the back of my neck and a strange tingling sensation running along the tips of my long ears.

The wind brushed through the tree’s shaking them back and forth. The leaves started to wall as a result and some of them would end up back in the pond. Whenever a leaf hit the pond it would cause an unnatural ripple that would pull me out of my trance, but after a while as the cycle repeated itself. I started to accept the unnatural occurrences.

My mind became clear and I could feel a strange sensation in the pit of my stomach. The sensation didn’t last long until it moved up higher on my chest. Up to my heart and that to only lasted a few seconds. The sensation traveled up my spin and passed through my shoulders as it made its way up to my head.

‘Is this mana?’ I asked myself breaking away from the mindless state I was in before.

New Skill: Seven Pathways Meditation

New Skill: Mana Manipulation

For discovering an age old method of meditation +5 Wis

For being the first person to manipulate mana before learning magic mastery +2 Wis and Int

I was caught off guard when a series of windows popped up in front of my face. It seems like I was able to accomplish what I had originally set out to accomplish and managed to get a few stat bonuses along the way.

I stood up and stretched a little bit. My body had become slightly wound up from sitting cross-legged for an extended period of time. I wanted to go and tell Gor’thak that I was able to accomplish his task, but I found him sleeping soundly in a small white hammock in front of his cottage.

The last thing I wanted to do was disturb him from his slumber and start the next round of training with him in a foul mood. *Yawn* I sluggishly covered my mouth and decided that I too was feeling a bit sleepy.

The last thing I wanted to do before I logged off through was take a look at my two new skills that I had gotten from a few hours of meditation.

“Description: Seven Pathways Meditation. Mana Manipulation.”

Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Seven Pathways MeditationNovice134%Seven Pathways Meditation is an ancient form of meditation that studies the cycle or the flow of mana in nature and applies the same concept to the human body. Mana flows through the seven major mana containers in the human body. The Chest, Stomach, Heart, Back, Spine, Throat, and Head. 10% Increase in Mana Regeneration.

Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Mana ManipulationNovice212%Mana Manipulation is the ability to manipulate the energy within ones own body.

I definitely liked the first ability, because the increased regeneration would come in handy when I was training mana-related skills. The second one seemed really useful. I just didn’t know just yet of a way to apply it.

*Yawn* The second yawn notified me that I had stayed up way to late in my excitement.

I found the log off icon on the screen and clicked it with my left hand. I was pulled out of my avatar and into the black void that stood as the gatekeeper between the two realities.

The seal on my pod released and I made my way out of it. The sun was already peeking up and over the horizon. I was glad that it was already summer break, because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sleep all day.

It was only a few seconds before I nodded off…

*Bzzzt* *Bzzzt* *Bzzzt*

I woke up to the sound of my cell phone buzzing like some sort of insect on my nightstand next to my bed

I checked the time on my phone before I answered. It had been about eight or so hours since I went to sleep and the number of the person who was calling was familiar.

“Whats up, man?” I answered the phone groggily as soon as I realized it was Nate.

“Whats up…whats up?! I’ve been calling for hour’s man. What did you play all night and then pass out in the morning.” Nate hit the nail on the head before I even had a chance to tell him.

“So what. The games pretty addicting and its summer anyway…not like I have to wake up for school.” I retorted, but I knew he meant well. If he had called me so many times he obviously had something important to tell me.

“So I heard through the grapevine that Gwen picked up a pod yesterday for Ethaessa.” He explained.

I instantly became more attuned to the conversation. My previously groggy state had all but washed away. “How’d you find out so quick?” I asked quietly, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I have my sources Giddy. Hohoho.” He tried to sound cool.

“Let me guess. You listened in when your mom and your aunt were having a conversation.” I cut him off.

“Bullseye, compadre.” I rolled my eyes at his odd way of mixing Spanish and English words together for no reason. He was one of the whitest kids I knew…well beside myself anyway.

“Anyway. I just thought you would want to know. Apparently she told my aunt how she couldn’t wait to start out as an elf. I know the elf starting zones are for the most part on the Ibigord continent. So you might be able to meet her in game.” The prospect of meeting Gwen in-game and as an elf at that made me almost jump for joy, but I maintained a modicum of self dignity…I would wait until I hung the phone up at least.

“That’s awesome. I hope I can meet her in game…but that’s if I survive my training. I met this powerful NPC who is currently training me, but I’ve had to go threw hell and back.” I sighed…but even the thought of Gor’thaks torture couldn’t bring me down from the high I was experiencing right now.

“That sucks man, but the rewards will probably be sweet. My party and I are only around level 11, but you must be higher if you’ve been playing like crazy.” Nate comment made me inwardly cringe.

“At the moment. I am still level 1.”

“Level 1…hahaha.” Nate took a moment to let that sink in before he started laughing his ass off through the phone. “You played longer than me and your only level 1.”

I started to get annoyed, because he didn’t stop laughing so I hit the end call button in the middle of the conversation.

I knew I was only level 1, but the skill and stat gains from training with Gor’thak weren’t too bad and I didn’t know anyone else who could teach me how to fight better than that small muscular child. I glanced over at the pod that was lying in the corner of my room. Its sleek silver exterior was calling my name.

Making my way back to my pod I was just about to get back into it, when I heard my stomach growl. I was so excited about Ethaessa I almost forgot about real life. Taking a quick meal break and relieving myself in the bathroom. I was back into my pod in less than twenty minutes.

Welcome Back

I found the blue welcome screen oddly comforting…like a wife welcoming you home after a hard day of work.

My avatar was brought back to life the moment I logged into my account. My soul possessed the Cherubims body. I looked around to find that Gor’thak was nowhere to be found.

“I wonder if he went into town for something.” I shrugged as if it didn’t really matter. I made my way back to the waterfall to continue my meditation and mana training.

It didn’t take as long this time for me to fall in sync with the cycle. My body had experienced it before and was able to align itself within the flow. Now that I knew what the sensation in my body was. I knew that I could control it.

If I concentrated enough I could bring the sensation slowly between each of the seven points within my body. It was like another part of my body…like a muscle. The more I used and trained it the more efficient it became.

For gaining greater understanding in the connection between the seven pathways meditation and mana manipulation +5 Wis and Int

I scrunched my eyebrows together after reading the message. Was it able to read my mind or did it register what I was able to do with my body. I didn’t think about it too much. The serene environment was keeping me in a relaxed state.

I was so relaxed that I almost wanted to sing. It was a personal hobby of mine and I did have a pretty good voice.

“As I watched…as I watched as the mouse crawled around. The river bend turned and the river bend round. In circles it traveled…in circles it went. Into the mouth of a kitten so spent.”

I certainly had a good voice, but my choice of lyrics seemed to come from random things that I saw in the area.

After I finished singing I could feel a drain on my mana for some reason. “What the hell is going on.” I muttered before a blue box popped up in my face.

New Skill: Voice Manipulation

New Class Skill: Song Manipulation

Class Skill acquisition succeeded. Bard class acquired.

I stared wide-eyed at the screen in front of me and heard a loud thundering voice approaching me from behind. “NOOoooOOOOooo!”

Chapter 5: Status

Status WindowName:KaiAlignment:NuetralLevel:1Class:BardRace:CherubGender:MaleTitlesThe Conquerors ApprenticeFame:70Infamy:1000-Health:100 / 100Health Regen:0.5 / SecMana:250 / 250Mana Regen:2.0 / SecStamina:300 / 300Stamina Regen:3.5 / Sec-Strength:6 (+4)Agility:11Vitality:10Intelligence:22Wisdom:27Endurance:35Luck:0 (+4)-Attack:1-2Defense:15 (+18)Physical ResistancesSlashing:5 (+6)Piercing:5 (+6)Crushing:10 (+6)Elemental ResistancesFire:10%Water:10%Wind:10%Earth:10%Light:10%Darkness:10%