Taking a deep breath, I finally stopped shaking. My eyes were sore and my throat was hoarse, but I was still here. Still in Maeve. Still in this unfamiliar yet familiar room. Who was crying? Was it Maria mourning those she’d left behind for this world? Or was it Eunora, whose family only acknowledged her when she was within eyesight? I couldn’t tell who was hurting, or if they were even separate at all. The adult I had been tells me that not all families are perfect, but the child I am feels pain wracking through her. The child I am tells me that death is small, but the adult I had been screams that I could never understand her pain. Something was lost from both sides of me today. And now I am tired.

Looking outside the far window the yellow sun had risen while the red sun still lingered on the horizon, painting the world in its beautiful crimson hues. It was a beautiful sight that I couldn’t bring myself to care about, so I pulled my blanket over my head and tried to go back to sleep.

Memories of the night before flooded to the forefront of my mind, thoughts of excitement at the [System] and dreams about what my status would look like. I blinked. Ah, right. Taking a deep breath I thought to myself: Status.

[Status Summary]

[Name: Eunora Dawn]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 7]

[Unallocated Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality: 7 Endurance: 4]

[Strength: 6 Dexterity: 8]

[Perception: 9 Magic: 4]

[Luck: 45 Divinity: 82]

[Class: None Level: 0/0]

[Class Skills: ]

[Skills: ]

Otherworldly Lv. 1, Mental Fortitude Lv. 1, Quick Calculation Lv. 1,

Tight Lips Lv. 1, Steal Nerves Lv. 1, Sophism Lv. 1, Stealth Lv. 1

Taking a moment, I focused on each of the skills. Several of them were obscure -what is Otherworldly? Or Sophism? Wasn’t that a term from Earth? As I focused on Otherworldly, another pink box popped up.

[Otherworldly: You are not of this time and space. Your aura reflects your otherworldly essence. When you are perceived by those of the mortal plane, your words can mystify others whose Perception and Divinity are below yours. Total effect is increased per level.]

“What… does that even mean?” I mumbled to myself. It must be a social skill.

Moving on, I decided to check out the other skills I’d gained -paying special attention to those related to Grel and Brel.

[Mental Fortitude: You have had your mind shaken to its very core. By being exposed to such traumatic mental attacks for a lengthy period, you gained the ability to partially nullify mental instability. Total effect is increased per level.]

[Quick Calculation: Your base knowledge of arithmetic has allowed you to surpass a majority of the world. When you are solving anything related to a mathematics formula, you will be exponentially faster. Speed is increased per level. Complexity of formula able to solve is increased per level.]

[Tight Lips: You have uncovered knowledge forbidden by the Gods of this world. Should you try to share this knowledge, the Gods will become aware of your attempts to undermine them. Whenever you are questioned about forbidden knowledge, a signal will be sent to your mind as a warning. This is a restriction skill.]

[Steal Nerves: You have attracted the attention of the God of Chaos, Grel. For his entertainment, Grel has gifted you with the ability to thrive on chaos. Whenever you are in an unsatisfactory situation and you are plagued with anxiety and self-doubt, you may siphon confidence from the party you are up against. Grel often uses this when someone confronts him over his many, many pranks. Total effectiveness is increased per level. This skill cannot be used on inanimate objects.]

“Is Steal Nerves a play on ‘nerves of steel’? Is Grel making a pun?” I took some extra time to unpack this skill, and understand it, “So I can basically switch the roles in a conversation? If someone is accusing me of something I can steal their conviction and cause them to waiver.” Neat. This would’ve helped me get promoted back home.

[Sophism: You have attracted the attention of the God of Order, Brel. To prevent you from spreading forbidden knowledge and sowing chaos, Brel has gifted you the ability to easily twist truths. Whenever you are providing information to a non-divine entity, your perception of time can be slowed down until you disengage the skill or you exhaust the time your skill can be active. This skill is directly affected by your Perception stat. One second can be slowed by a factor of 5 for every 1 Perception. The effectiveness is increased per level.]

“Why am I reminded of the Fae stories on Earth?” I chuckled to myself, “So then this is meant to help me prevent lying to others? Why can’t I just lie?”

Looking at the last skill, I found myself underwhelmed and irritated at its appearance.

[Stealth: You have proven your ability to hide without skills. Now you will be able to go unnoticed against those with higher Perception stats. You have gained insight into the art of blending in, both in a busy street or on the forest floor. Dexterity, Luck, and Perception now impact how easy you are to notice. The effectiveness is increased per level.]

Closing my eyes and dismissing the last of the boxes, I let myself drift off to sleep again. This time my dreams were filled with thoughts of stars, of exploring the cosmos, of drifting off into the void. It was peaceful, and when I opened my eyes again that afternoon I couldn’t help but wish the dream was never-ending.

As I sat up and rubbed my eyes, more boxes appeared before me.

[Congratulations! You have spent 7 years as a citizen of Maeve! New Classes unlocked!]

[Congratulations! You have two souls! New Classes unlocked!]

[Congratulations! You have achieved what few children do! New Classes unlocked!]

[Congratulations! You have been blessed by the Gods! New Classes unlocked!]

[Would you like to accept your first class? Yes/No]

Blinking away the previous boxes, I steadied my hands. My seventh birthday means the start of the System’s embrace. Focusing on the ‘Yes’, I watched as the class options appeared in a list. All at once I felt my brain overload from the options.

[Citizen of Maeve (common)]

[You are a beloved citizen of Maeve! As such, the Queen of Maeve has placed you under her protection. As a citizen of Maeve, you are free to explore all paths to the future. May your life be blessed and your fortune found. Unlocked by being born in Maeve. Unlocked by living in Maeve. Unlocked by having parents who are citizens of Maeve. This provides you with +1 to all stats except Luck and Divinity.]

[Student of the World (common)]

[You are a child who loves to learn and you have been exceedingly great at it. For a child, you have more than a lifetime’s worth of knowledge. You seek to learn and consume all that you can, without regard for if it should be known at all. Unlocked by knowing arithmetic. Unlocked by knowing biology. Unlocked by knowing physics. Unlocked by being literate. Unlocked by possessing restricted knowledge. This provides you with +1 to Vitality, +2 to Magic, and +3 to Perception, per level.]

[Acolyte of Chaos (uncommon)]

[You have been touched by a God. By accepting the truth of the God Grel, Lord of Chaos, you will be granted the title of Acolyte. Through your worship and devotion, Grel will speak to you and allow you to enact his will on to the world. Unlocked by being God touched. Unlocked by receiving a skill from Grel, Lord of Chaos. Unlocked by practicing religion. This provides you with +2 to Vitality, +2 to Dexterity, +3 to Magic, and +5 to Divinity, per level.]

[Acolyte of Order (uncommon)]

[You have been touched by a God. By accepting the truth of the God Brel, Overseer of Order, you will be granted the title of Acolyte. Through your worship and devotion, Brel will speak to you and allow you to enact his will on to the world. Unlocked by being God touched. Unlocked by receiving a skill from Brel, Overseer of Order. Unlocked by practicing religion. This provides you with +2 to Vitality, +2 to Perception, +4 to Magic, and +4 to Divinity, per level.]

[Young Lady of Darkness (rare)]

[You were born into a noble house in the Kingdom of Maeve. Born luckier than most provides you with an easy life, yet you yearn for a deeper purpose. A Lady of Darkness becomes a wallflower in social circles, observing high society. When the opportunity presents itself, often a Lady of Darkness can turn the tides of the Lords and Ladies to their favor. Unlocked by being a citizen of Maeve. Unlocked by being a Noble. Unlocked by having the Stealth skill. Unlocked by having two skills that can incite others. This provides you with +2 to Strength, +2 to Endurance, +4 to Vitality, +4 to Dexterity, +4 to Magic, and +8 to Perception, per level. ]

[Young Lady of Dichotomy (rare)]

[You are a being of multitudes. Going beyond the common expression ‘two-faced’, you possess two conflicting personalities. A Lady of Dichotomy is able to put her best face forward at all times, and is able to pull the appropriate personality forward without any trouble. Such a Lady is able to maintain her two persona’s independently of each other. Unlocked by remembering your past life. Unlocked by having an alter ego. Unlocked by having a fragmented mind. Unlocked by possessing the skill Mental Fortitude. Unlocked by being a noble. This provides you with +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Endurance, +2 to Luck, +4 to Vitality, +6 to Perception, and +6 to Magic, per level.]

[Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit (epic)]

[Within this world, the will of the Gods is law. Despite this, you have obtained knowledge forbidden in this world. Researching such things draws the eyes of many -both divine and otherwise. Those who obtain forbidden knowledge have two paths available to them, either continue to collect knowledge that cannot be shared or to defy the will of the Gods. A Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit must prepare themselves to fight the Gods above and below. Unlocked by possessing forbidden knowledge. Unlocked by being not of this world. Unlocked by possessing the Tight Lips skill. Unlocked by being noticed by the Gods. This provides you with -6 Divinity, +4 Magic, +6 Perception, +6 Luck, +6 Endurance, +8 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +8 Vitality, and +8 Unallocated Stats, per level.]

“Can a class take away stats?” I said, jaw unhinged as I read the ‘Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit’ overview -the negative stat adjustment shocking me back into reality.

A war with the Gods sounds like a quick way to die.

[Acolyte of Chaotic Law (legendary)]

[The Gods Brel and Grel have shown their interest in you. Grel desires you to sew Chaos throughout the realm, to shake the very land you stand on. However, Brel desires you to protect the Order of the world, to maintain the stability this world has found. As with all things, Chaos and Order must maintain a delicate balance. You, who possesses two wills, represents that balance. You are to be the arbiter between the Gods Brel and Grel, allowing them to have a direct impact on the world around you. Unlocked by being God touched. Unlocked by receiving a skill from Grel. Unlocked by receiving a skill from Brel. Unlocked by having an alter ego. Unlocked by being not of this world. This provides +6 Unallocated Stats, +6 Luck, +18 Perception, +18 Magic, +24 Vitality, and +24 Divinity, per level.]

“Holy shi-”

I stared at the options for my first class. These were monstrous class options… and they were supposed to be for children? Was the system broken?

A voice deep inside of me screamed to run away, to cancel the class selection -these options were too good to be true. And at this point, all I want is to be alone. My family here is new -yes I have memories of the past 7 years, but that is nothing compared to the decades I spent on Earth with my loved ones. Even at the thought of them, my breathing becomes unsteady and my stomach turns. They’re gone -no, I’m gone. And I can never see them again. With a jolt, my eyes refocused on the class selections. Or can I?

The Acolyte of Chaotic Law offered a direct line of communication with two Gods -and it comes with a boon of stats as well. It wouldn’t be impossible to bargain for my old life.

“But it says I’d be an ‘arbiter’ between them… and impact the world? Does that mean I’ll have to act on their behalf?” I sighed, “All I want is to disappear from this world. It’s only been half a day, but I’m already drained.”

Running my finger along two of the boxes, I let my mind wander. What would it look like if I accepted one of them? Would it make me happy? Run me ragged? Would it let me be free? All questions I couldn’t find the answer to. Eventually, I just closed my eyes and accepted one. Laying back down in my bed, I tried to escape the new influx of messages. This time the boxes weren’t as overwhelming -or as surprising, I thought. A brief memory of mom played in my head, it was when she was teaching me about the [System].

“When you accept your first class, don’t be underwhelmed by the options. Tier 1 classes are only meant as preparation,” She had taken a moment to think over her next words, furrowing her brow, until her eyes softened and she gave me a small smile, “And often, children who have experienced a lot of things immediately level. Which means as long as you keep experiencing new things, you can get better and better boons when you first select a class.”

Ah. It was Maria who still made me feel surprised. Eunora was prepared -and excited, for this event.

[Congratulations! You have obtained the class ‘Young Lady of Darkness’, a Tier 1 - Rare Class!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Translucent]

[Accumulated experience is being applied!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

…

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Manipulation - Shadows]

[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Conjuration - Shadows]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Darkness!]

“TWELVE LEVELS?!” I nearly choked as the notifications kept flowing through my mind, “And I even got the LV10 Class Skills! What in the hell does that make my stats?!”

Quickly, I let my status fill my mind.

[Status Summary]

[Name: Eunora Dawn]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 7]

[Unallocated Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality: 55 Endurance: 28]

[Strength: 30 Dexterity: 56]

[Perception: 105 Magic: 52]

[Luck: 45 Divinity: 82]

[Class: Young Lady of Darkness Level: 12/20]

[Class Skills: ]

Translucent Lv. 1, Manipulation - Shadows Lv. 1, Conjuration - Shadows Lv. 1

[Skills: ]

Otherworldly Lv. 1, Mental Fortitude Lv. 1, Quick Calculation Lv. 1,

Tight Lips Lv. 1, Steal Nerves Lv. 1, Sophism Lv. 1, Stealth Lv. 1

“Oh this is bad. This is very, very not good.” I muttered into the blanket covering my face as I felt the change as several years worth of levels and stats began to mold my body and mind.

Not only could I feel my muscles tighten but it was as if my hair grew out in an instant -causing me to have to pull the blanket off my face to breathe. Ripping the blanket in two I groaned, That was so not supposed to happen. Looking around, suddenly everything got more distinct. The ridges in the stone wall, the shades of pinks, oranges, and yellows that were painted on the wall, the tiny spider hiding in the very tallest corner of the room. Even the design on the rug looked more defined. It was too much -I had to squeeze my eyes shut to stop the incoming headache caused by the information overload.

Suddenly, laying in my bed was all I could do. I wasn’t used to my new stats, and at such huge intervals from before selecting a class. So I laid there, unmoving, regulating my breath as best I could. The seconds inched by. The only way I had of telling time was the angle the light flowed in through my bedroom window. An eternity later, the second sun was blinking out on the horizon.

It was a different kind of agony that no one had even come to knock on my door. Five siblings and two parents. Not one coming to check on the devastated child. Pausing, I let my brow furrow.

Am I that devastated? I know I cried, but why do I feel so hollow now?

Do I truly care about these people? Do they care about me?

Sighing, I started to wiggle my fingers and toes, gradually taking back control of my small body. With every minor muscle I flexed, my strength and speed became easier to moderate. With as much control as I could muster, I slid my legs out of bed and back into my slippers. I had been in bed for more than twelve hours, after barely taking a bite of breakfast. Whether dinner was already served or not was besides the point -but I was ravenous.

In the same frilled nightgown from the morning, I made my way to the hallway. Looking around the ornately decorated walkway once again, I searched for the small metal bell that was usually hung up right by my door. Wrapping my hands around it, I gently rang the calling bell for a servant.

CLANG. CLANG.

I promptly put the bell back up, turned around, and went to sit in one of the cozy chairs by the window. If I don’t comment on it, no one will.

A part of me was in shock at how natural it had felt to call someone to serve me -Maria had a maid, sure, but she wasn’t a live-in and she didn’t cook my meals. But Eunora was used to it -after all, her parents were busy managing the affairs of the estate. Who else would take care of me if not someone who was paid to do so?

As I waited, I stared out the window, taking in the sight of the emerald moon hanging in the night sky. Unlike the Earth’s moon, this one was twice the size and had a ring around it -much like Saturn or Uranus, that seemed to be made of galaxies. A beautiful cosmos wrapped around Revel, the Shining Moon -a distant memory reminding me of the moon’s name.