What was that? Am I going totally crazy now?

That's what I want to know! What the fuck did you do to me!?

"What. The. Heck." Who was that? Am I hearing voices in my head?

Seems like you are, and no, I am not just a figment of your imagination. Now tell me what you did!

What's going on? Who are you?

Good Gát'machá... You don't even know what you did yourself. How unlucky can I be? I'm the poor sap who you just murdered in case that wasn't clear.

YOU! Why are you still here!? I thought I got rid of you.

I don't know why I'm still here! If things were up to me then I'd just leave and revive as usual. However, it seems that the normally automatic process was cancelled by whatever you did to me. I definitely don't have a body anymore. It's as though I was a consciousness drifting through an empty white void.

That doesn't sound very fun.

No shit.

But you very well deserve it for stealing everything from me!

Hell no I don't! I didn't even steal everything from you, I only helped steal everything from you. If you want to blame someone then blame Garen! And I suggest that you help me find a way out of this mess!

How in the world would I do that? I don't even know what's going on.

Alright, first things first. Maybe checking your soul screen will clear some things up.

My what? What's a soul screen?

It's the screen that displays information about your body and soul. Do you Gemeen not have that?

...

I saw the last bit of the message about profile creation, so you probably have the ability to look at it now.

How do I do that?

By all that is holy please just look at it. Just will it to show up!

Goldie focused his will.

SOUL SCREEN!

FUCKIN' HELL, man. You just burst my figurative eardrums. You don't have to yell it in your head! You should naturally be able to sense the connection. It's a sensation at the back of your head. I don't know how to better describe it. I've had it my whole life.

Goldie once again summoned his will and tried sensing the presence Jeffery told him about. There was definitely something there. Something he had never felt before. He concentrated on that strange sensation and arrived in a white plane with a dark green orb in place of the sun. Strangely the lighting inside this realm was unaffected by the green hue of the false sun. In the middle of the void he saw a constantly shifting dark cloud. As he tried getting closer to it, it recoiled and blinded him with bolts of darkness.

GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME! I don't want your strange glowing tendrils to touch my soul!

That's your soul?

That's obviously the only logical conclusion! You must have absorbed my soul vessel and gotten me stuck in an incorporeal form. Having a soul is what separates you Gemeen from the rest of us. Even after taking some of my power your soul is totally pathetic. Just look at yourself!

Goldie did as the rude guest inside his head said, and tried looking at his own form in the strange space. He was nothing more than a small gold-glowing orb. Whenever he reached towards something in his soul space, small tendrils of light stretched out from the glowing ball.

He focused his presence deeper inward, trying to sense the details and composition of this 'soul' of his and was met with a torrent of swirling energies. While trying to get a larger picture of the mess, a thin stream of white energy flowed from the portal into the outer shell of his soul-self.

[Standard skill Acquired: Introspection]

Following along the trail of the information-stream, he recognized that some parts of his soul were directly connected to the floating green orb. It was less like an orb than a portal. A three-dimensional portal? Before continuing his train of thought, he tugged at the connection and was rewarded with what was likely the soul screen Jeffery mentioned.

General Information Attributes Name Xa@#!%on J*§&#te Physical Mental Special Species Human STR 10 INT 4,8

CHR 5 Sex Male AGI 33,9 PER 2,8 INS 4 Age 66 years CON 9 MEM 6 WLL 7,9

Height 5"6 ft (1,72m) Stats Weight 86 kilograms Health 77,6 +7,5/h Level 28 (max. 43), 1 Error '#%?! Energy 62,3 +22,5/h Bonuses +1 Agility per 5 levels; +10% Agility; +10% Willpower Stamina 64,7 +13/min Error: Body not correctly connected to soul, merger incomplete... Re-engaging merger process.

Suddenly a part of the energy within Jeffery's shadowy form was siphoned into Goldie's vessel. As he absorbed the energy, his physical body began morphing. It was an extremely painful process. His skin stretched. His muscles tore. His bones lengthened and hardened. The soul's energy now coursed through each part of his body.

Stat efficiency not fully carried over... Within acceptable parameters. Adaptation complete.

Not fully carried over?

Goldie summoned his status to look over the changes.

General Information Attributes Name Xandon Jefferite Physical Mental Special Species Human STR 7 INT 4,8

CHR 5 Sex Male AGI 17,9 PER 2,8 INS 4 Age 33 years CON 7 MEM 6 WLL 7,9

Height 5"7 ft (1,75m) Stats Weight 82 kilograms Health 52,8 +5,7/h Level 10 (max 28) Energy 46,8 +16,6/h Bonuses +1 Agility per 5 levels; +10% Agility; +10% Willpower Stamina 45 +8,1/min

Great, you stole more of my stats. At least it quit before sucking me completely dry.

Goldie ignored Jeffery's rudeness as he surveyed his bodily changes.

It feels like I'm twenty years younger. More than that even. I don't think I've ever felt healthier.

Well, according to your status screen you did just become 33 years younger than you were. But I'm assuming you weren't 66 to begin, unless you were the most youthful looking Gemeen of all time.

No no, I am 42 years old, I don't know why the age is never correct.

Wishing to test out his new body, he tried a few squats and jumping jacks.

Yeah yeah, very impressive. Now if you don't mind, please kill yourself so I can get out of here.

What!? No, I'm not going to kill myself!

Don't worry, you'll be back in a few hours, probably.

And if I don't revive?

A sacrifice I am willing to make. Quite willing actually, since you're the reason I am here to begin with.

How do you even know it will free you? Maybe we'll just revive together, or maybe we both die!

Well I honestly don't know what'll happen. You probably have a point that killing yourself would put me at risk too. Maybe our souls even merge, and I become some kind of disgusting half-Gemeen.

That comment made Goldie's temper flare up.

Alright you asshole, this Gemeen was more than capable of killing you. And I am done being pushed around by you people's high and mighty attitude!

Nothing personal, It's simply a matter of fact that we're better than you. What more proof than that we can come back from death do you need? Also, you didn't kill me. I was already nearly dead!

And who is stopping you, an almighty Sahíl from reviving now, huh?

...

That's what I thought. While I spent my life making something of myself, you people are nothing more than petty thieves. Gemeen or not, I can happily state I am a better human than you!

A BETTER HUMAN!? Don't you dare start with that shit! You just murdered my ass and caged my soul!

Okay fine, I should have better controlled my temper. But you people not only stole my money, you stole my goods and caused my company's ruin! Yet even that was still not enough for you. You even robbed me of my personal effects, while I was unconscious on the floor! That watch was worthless. A MEMENTO!

What the fiery hells are you talking about? What watch?

The watch! My father's watch! The old, slightly rusty pocket watch with a Sépenguta engraved on the cover!

I have never seen any such thing! They were the ones who robbed you while unconscious. I was guarding the store!

Alright alright, I'm willing to forgive you for what you've done since you were only a hired helper, if you'll help me get my things back!

What will I get out of this deal? I'll damm well deserve payment for aiding my killer.

I promise to find some way to free you and, depending on how much is left of the money you stole, I might be willing to part with some of it. This all relies on how much you actually help me of course.

Fine. Even a tenth of your stash is already more than they paid me! Helping you out is also a possibility of getting revenge.

To start things off, take a look at your stats.

Haven't I already done that?

Take a closer look. Focus on your physical, mental and special attributes.

He once again summoned the strange, slightly translucent screen and focused on what he was told.

Strength (Base 7): Increases how much force your body can muster. Natural multiplier: +0%. No other bonuses.

Stat benefits: +1,5 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +0,3 max. Energy per point (+0,2 EP/h), +0,5 max. Stamina per point (+0,1 S/min)

Agility (Base 14): Increases body's flexibility, fluidity, and speed. Natural multiplier: +10%. Added Multiplier: +10%

Stat benefits: +0,5 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +0,4 max. Energy per point (+0,2 EP/h), +0,5 max. Stamina per point (+0,2 S/min)

Constitution (Base 7): Increases body weight and density. Natural multiplier: +0%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +2,5 max. Health per point (+0,2 HP/h), +0,2 max. Energy per point (+0,1 EP/h), +1,5 max. Stamina per point (+0,3 S/min)

Success! Goldie was already busily min-maxing his point profit. It seemed constitution gave the largest amount, but with the other stats' less tangible benefits it was difficult to determine the optimal path.

Hmm, it seems like whatever our merger did gave you some of my bonuses. With your multipliers as they are, I suggest you invest most points into Agility. No idea why you have an added one if you've never invested in a path, but whatever. Before making the final choice, we should look at your skills too.

You also mentioned something about a path?

Don't worry about it for now, we'll get to it later. Just continue checking out your talents.

Goldie decided on going left to right and focus on his mental attributes next.

Intelligence (Base 6): Increases thinking speed and general mental prowess. Natural multiplier: -20%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +2 max. Energy per point (+0,5 EP/h), +0 max. Stamina per point (+0 S/min)

Perception (Base 4): Increases capability of your senses (physical and spiritual). Natural multiplier: -30%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +0,5 max. Energy per point (+0,4 EP/h), +0 max. Stamina per point (+0 S/min)

Memory (Base 6): Increases memorizing speed and memory recollection. Natural multiplier: +0%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +1 max. Energy per point (+0,2 EP/h), +0 max. Stamina per point (+0 S/min)

HAH! Your natural multipliers are in the negatives! That's absolutely hilarious. Although really, it's quite incredible how much of a penalty they have. You definitely haven't gotten any boost from me that's for sure. It's all natural Gemeen for ya.

Fuck off Jeffery, or are you forgetting I stabbed you in the skull? You're connected to me now, so we're stuck together. You better stop being so bloody rude if we want to make this work.

Jeez dude calm down. We don't know if this is permanent. By Yan’gekâl I hope it isn't. And it's just a matter of fact that your multipliers are low. Don't be offended so easily.

Although he wouldn't dare admit it to Jeffery, he was disappointed in how low his stats were. Was he really that unperceptive? He could only prey his final three attributes would show something to be proud of.

Charisma (Base 5): Increases capability of emotional projection. Natural multiplier: +0%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +0 max. Energy per point (+0 EP/h), +0 max. Stamina per point (+0 S/min)

Insight (Base 5): Increases processing speed of sensorial information. Natural multiplier: -20%. No other bonuses

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0 HP/h), +0,2 max. Energy per point (+0 EP/h), +0 max. Stamina per point (+0 S/min)

Willpower (Base 6): Increases force of will and reduces impact of mental trickery. Natural multiplier: +20%. Added Multiplier: +10%

Stat benefits: +0 max. Health per point (+0,1 HP/h), +0,5 max. Energy per point (+0,2 EP/h), +0,3 max. Stamina per point (+0,05 S/min)

Now we're getting somewhere, that Willpower multiplier is pretty sweet. Sadly, with such a low level of perception and intelligence, I doubt that you'll ever become a great mage.

I need those for magic? What happens if you focus on physical stats? How were you able to mold shadows to your body?

You misunderstand, you just won't become a 'mage', because the term mage refers to ranged magical users and those kinds of magics mostly require high mental stats.

How do you think Garen does it? It's definitely not with the help of his brain I'll tell you that. Now before you ask me to teach you something, don't bother. All my shadow magic is self-taught, needed years of practice, and also needs higher Perception than you can reasonably reach in the near future.

Self-taught? Wow. In any case I don't care about learning magic. I just need to get my money back!

Slow down mister! Firstly: I'm getting some of that money! I even helped you ascend to the ranks of the Sahíl. Secondly: You're way weaker than Garen. If you want to win against him, you need to be way stronger than you currently are and also come up with a foolproof plan.

So, what should I do now? You mentioned something about paths earlier?

Don't worry about those yet. We still need to see what skills you have first. Just bring up your skill list.

Goldie wasn't quite sure exactly what Jeff's incorporeal voice meant, but he tried infusing his will upon the connection he had felt before and brought up the new screen.

Standard Skills Acrobatics Lvl N/A, Dagger Mastery Lvl N/A, Introspection lvl 1, Pickpocket Lvl N/A, Sneak Lvl N/A;

Complex Skills Essence Concealment Lvl N/A, Indomitable Will Lvl 8, Soul Capture (U) Lvl 1;

This looks bleak.

That can't be right. What about my accounting and salesmanship? All my years of experience must be worth something.

Only physical skills and magic count as skills to the interface. Your years of experience are worthless when it comes to powering up.

Well that's just dandy. I guess I should go over all of these, find out why so many of them are "N/A".

Good luck with that, I'll just be loafing around...