Dante was drifting through the darkness of his dreamless sleep. His eyes closed and his mind unaware of its surroundings, that was until he heard Virgil.

"Wake up..." Dante opened his eyes expecting many things but what greeted him was something new and unexpected.

He had found himself sitting upon a grassy hill under a shade of lush tree. In the distance before him, he saw a multicolored, multi tiered tower, along with several forests and lakes.

Everywhere he looked the air was filled with floating motes of light dancing in the wind. There were quite a few of them flying about. 2, probably 3 dozen of them.

He felt the wind upon his face, closing his eyes he took deep breaths of the fresh air. He looked upon the world and had a pressing question.

"Well holy shit...Where the fuck am I now?" He asked the air, unsure what was happening. He took a few deep breaths trying to remain calm.

As he looked about and then up he saw many birds of varying sizes flying amongst the small orbs of light.

Then he heard them.

"Ready. Aim. Fire. Ready. Aim. Fire. Ready aim fire away!"

"Ain't no mountain high enough! Ain't no valley low enough!.."

"You better run, you better do what you can!..."

"Are those birds singing actual songs...what the fuck!? What kind of Alice in Wonderland bullshit have I stumbled into?!" Dante exclaimed as he continued listening. As he stood there taking in the sounds he realized something amazing and terrifying.

'I know every one of these songs...' He thought, uncertain how to process that. Slowly he turned and watched his surroundings, not ready to move very far.

His eyes scanned the left and right sides of the tower. The more he looked the more he noticed that something was wrong with the sky and the horizons. The sky seemed to almost curve around this valley as if forming a dome. Gazing behind him he saw what seemed to be more grassy hills but as he walked towards them he was met with an invisible wall.

He felt around but the invisible wall barred his advance away from the tower.

He turned back and watched as a dozen motes of light had begun approaching him.

When they arrived he felt no hostility from them, instead he felt their joy and amusement. Some slowly and others quickly danced in the air around him. Dante smiled as he watched them race each other, dancing and playing at their own rates.

He extended his hand trying to touch one of the motes of light. Though he found little success as it darted away.

Dante smiled as he watched the small thing dancing away racing and doing spirals in the air. Slowly he began to feel a little safer here, though he still kept his guard up.

Then he had an idea.

He held out his hands cupping them and spoke, "Light!"

The air around his hands vibrated as liquid light formed in his cupped hands. When the spell was completed the air ceased to vibrate. A few motes of light made their way to the small pool of golden light in his cupped hands. Some dipped themselves into the light while others sat at its edge dipping down and almost seeming to drink in the light.

He felt as the small pool of light slowly decreased. As if the small motes were actually consuming the light.

'Interesting...Let's try this.' he thought as he spoke again.

"Dancing lights." The pool of liquid light began acting as if gravity had been inverted. The liquid light dripped upward to form four torch sized globules of golden light. Each mote of light he had created was about the size of a tennis ball.

He watched as the lights began to dance around what they perceived to be new friends.

He smiled as, on a whim, he reshaped the four lights into the crude forms of fairies. Willing them to dance about the air before him.

Mana Manipulation has leveled up! Lvl. 4->7…

"Interesting..." His words suddenly cut off.

He felt something in the world shift, and he lost his concentration upon the cantrip but to his surprise the “fairies” made from light remained.

Warily he watched them, but for a long minute they did nothing. They merely hung in the air unmoving from the spots they had been in the moment he lost concentration on the spell. Each one frozen in their position. As if someone had pressed the pause button on a ballet recital.

Slowly he reached out to touch the closest one. For a brief second he felt his finger connect with it. Felt...something touching his finger then, it darted away, coming to a stop several feet from him. Several of the light motes began to encircle and dance around the now "free, light fairies”.

Slowly as he watched the “fairy” made from light began to move on their own instead of as a reaction to him.

Slowly it floated over to another of the "fairies" and ever so slowly moved its tiny, poorly shaped, arms up to touch the other.

Slowly the second began to move. Jittery at first, as if it didn't quite know how its "body" worked. It seemed to know that it could move but didn't quite know how to move.

The first repeated the process with the third and the second went to the fourth. In mere moments he saw as all four of them were moving on their own.

He watched as they began to dance and race the smaller orbs of light.

One by one they raced up into the sky to find more lights. Each took a number of light motes with them when they left. They raced away until only a single “fairy” of golden light remained.

Though it had begun to move its "body" it had not moved from its spot.

As he approached it, he felt the cool green grass and the soft soil beneath his feet. When he was before the still “fairy” made from golden light, he could feel what it felt.

Curiosity.

Worry.

Fear.

Emotions all too new to it, leaving it paralyzed. It was unable to make a choice for itself.

Reaching up his hand he palmed the small...creature? Though it didn't resist he could still feel its fear.

"Fear not little one. The world is bright, and you have nothing to fear of me." He said in a soft voice trying to reassure the small thing.

Slowly it lifted from his palm its sense of worry fading as it slowly began to orbit him. Faster and faster it raced until it shot forward at great speed racing through the air to rejoin its siblings.

Dante smiled as a sound greeted his ears. Something all encompassing and yet seeming to be right in his ears. The metallic chirping sound of a system notice.

Inner World Tutorial will now begun

Nothing happened at first so he waited only to jump and yelp as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around to find the familiar Black clade pale figure of Virgil standing there with a warming smile. "I see you have reached this point in the tutorial. Shall we go then?" Virgil asked.

"What the fuck Virgil!? You scared the shit out of me!" *Huff Huff* "Where the fuck are we? What's this "Inner world tutorial" and how the fuck are you here? Because I don't remember summoning you." He said his fears and worries suddenly returned as he remembered he was somewhere he didn't know.

Virgil was silent for a few seconds as he raised a hand, motioning for him to stop.

"You are angry, that is understandable, but please try and calm down I will expl..." Virgil paused as something swooped down from the branches of the tree and landed on Dante's shoulder.

It was so light, hardly weighing anything at all. As he looked right to see what had landed on him he saw a small song bird.

Dante raised an eyebrow and chuckled and he saw Virgil smile.

He raised up his left hand slowly and began to ever so gently rub the bird's head with his finger.

Then it began to sing.

There were no words to this song, only a gentle humming. Dante tilted his head as he began to listen, and his eyes grew wide as it slowly dawned on him what the song was.

He began to shake as the tears began to flow, but the bird paid it no heed.

Slowly Dante looked at Virgil and in a quiet voice began asking more questions.

"Virgil, how does it know that song? How are any of these birds singing these songs?..." Dante fell to his knees, but still the bird sang. Never leaving his shoulder.

"Why does it know the song my mother hummed to me to get me to sleep?" He asked as the world around them began to shift. Virgil raced forward screaming for Dante not to listen but his voice was drowned out as the world was torn away.

Then something else took its place.

------------

It was snowing and the street was covered.

Dante stood less than 30 feet from his house. He wasn't allowed to get any closer. Being held back by an officer. He watched a man screaming in the back seat of a police car.

His dad tried kicking out the back windows only to be tased by another officer as two more held the door from being kicked open.

'Dads going to jail again....Wait where's mom? I don't see her.' He thought.

He was so small then, and only 8 years old.

Then he watched the paramedics hauling out a black bag on a gurney and he asked the officer.

"Where's my mom?" Dante asked the officer who could only look down at him with mouth opening and closing slightly every few seconds. He had no response to the question.

He was growing more worried by the second.

"Where's my mom?!" he asked again louder this time.

A police sergeant stepped over and knelt before him and spoke those fateful words.

"She's de..." But his words were interrupted as he felt a hand grasp his shoulders firmly and he heard a familiar voice.

"DANTE! Dante, it's just a memory!" Virgil exclaimed as the world crumbled to pieces.

He felt the pounding of his heart and closed his eyes tightly too scared to open them

---------------

"Dante?...Dante, you're safe. It was just a memory. Please open your eyes." He heard the familiar voice as he began to feel the world again. Memory returned and he opened his eyes to see once more he was in the grasslands beneath the shade tree. He was laying on his back looking up.

Kneeling over him Virgil sighed deeply in relief.

"You really scared me there. Are you alright?" Virgil asked, one hand still on Dante's shoulder as he helped him sit up.

Silence reigned for a moment as Dante tried to process what he had just experienced.

"...Virgil? What was that? And for the last goddamn time where are we?" Dante said flatly, his face still pointing downward, obscuring his expression.

"This place Dante is your Soul Space. Think of it as a manifestation of your very soul. In this place the mind, body, and soul all meet. That's why when that bird sang your mother’s song you were pulled into that memory. Powerful memories tend to pull us in when they are remembered. To climb to the forefronts of our minds and cling there, refusing to be forgotten..." Virgil paused as he realized he was about to go on a tangent before shaking his head and continuing.

"As for your earlier questions, I am here as this is one of the places that I may reside in when I am not summoned. The other possible locations are your parent's soul spaces. As for the birds, each is a song given form. They are the manifestation of your singing skill. Though you might suppose they could become other forms depending upon how you view the song, I'm getting off track again...." Both considered that thought for a moment before Virgil continued his explanation.

"To make a long explanation short, they are every song held near and dear to your heart. Each given life everlasting here, unforgotten. That is why the bird knew the song, why they could sing those songs. They are not truly real. They are your emotions and memories tied to individual songs, and then given form here. You will see more examples of such things as you acquire more skills, and as they grow. Now then...shall we be off?" Virgil asked as he stood holding out a hand to help him up, taking him a little by surprise.

Dante looked upon the offered hand and took it. He didn't speak for a moment as he scratched his head and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"So...where are we going?" Dante replied. Instead of answering Virgil simply stepped aside and pointed toward the large tower that stood in the distance. Virgil once more reaching out for Dante's shoulder.

"It will take like an hour to get..." his words died in his throat as the tower that had once been so far away rapidly began to advance toward them. He looked toward Virgil and then to the ground only to find it racing by beneath them.

He froze for a moment, shock and awe evident upon his face.

A few seconds later they came gently to rest at the base of the tower.

Dante looked around at the grasslands that came up to the base of the tower. About 100 meters from the base of the tower where they stood was the beginning of a forest. The tree's seemed unremarkable, and just like any other tree you could find on earth.

He turned back to Virgil and asked, "So if everything in here represents something what's this tower supposed to represent?" He asked, all the while taking in the sight of the tower.

"This is your class tower. You might call it your tower of Babel. This tower also serves as the center of your inner world." Virgil said with his near trademark smile. Instead of immediately responding Dante elected to look back towards the direction they had come from. There in the distance he could barely make out the silhouette of the tree he had been standing under just the moment prior.

"All the soul stuff aside, why call it Babel?" He asked with a tilted head.

"You remember the story of the tower of Babel do you not?" Virgil asked innocently.

Dante's expression became one of amusement, remembering that Virgil was from the time when...

"Holy shit! I just remembered! You were born, lived, and died before Christ did! Holy shi...Wait a minute? How do you know about the bible? The first book wasn't written till like 100 A.D." Dante exclaimed suddenly far more interested in Virgil himself than the space around him.

Virgil took the attention and questions in stride, giving off a hearty laugh and breathing deeply as his eyes went distant for a moment. Looking as if he were recalling a fond memory.

"I was in paradise until not too long ago. I met many people from many places and times while I was there. Through them I learned about the Bible and its many stories. I can also tell you that your Bible has been rewritten a couple times at least over the years, especially by the Romans. Though we can discuss that another time." He said, still smiling warmly, giving Dante a moment to process the information.

'1 point to conspiracy theorists on that one...' Dante thought as he slowly began to realize he was talking to a living witness to history. That he had access to someone who likely had obtained first hand accounts of many historical events.

"As we were previously discussing, Babel?" Virgil said, shaking Dante from his thoughts.

"What, huh?...Oh, yeah. Of course I know the story. A bunch of guys a long, long, time ago tried to build a tower to get to heaven. God looked at it, and not appreciating their desire knocked it over. He scattered them around. Then he made everyone speak a different language so they couldn't coordinate themselves and try again. Why name this tower after that? It's not like..." He paused as he thought that through.

"It's not like this tower can let me get to heaven right?" He asked, his face becoming one of uncertainty.

Virgil's smile grew ever wider as he spread out his arms, as if to indicate toward the entirety of the massive multi-story tower.

"You are correct this tower doesn't allow one to reach heaven. However, it's the means by which one may reach Ascension. Which means to become a god of your own making!" Virgil declared with great enthusiasm.

Vigil suddenly looked contemplative, as he stroked his chin.

'Funny, many I have met would call such a thing either a divine gift, or heresy of the highest order.' Virgil contemplated while he waited for Dante's response.

Dante on the other hand opened his mouth to speak but found he did not have the words.

'Upward bound system sure seems like an apt name now.' he thought as he began to look over the tower once more.

Then a detail struck him, "You said this is my class tower, my Babel? Does that mean that there's a floor to this tower for every one of my level's?" He asked Virgil.

"That is correct. You may have also noticed that the base of the tower is considerably larger than its top. Any guesses why, other than the obvious?" Virgil asked almost teasingly as he closed his eyes and grinned almost ear to ear.

Though the top of the tower was hundreds of feet above him, preventing a more thorough inspection it did seem to him that the base was indeed considerably bigger than the top. The base and first several floors of the tower seemed to be made from a mix of materials. Though he would have to take a closer look to identify them.

In fact, every floor seemed to be made from multiple different materials. Though the last 3 seemed to be the most brightly colored of the floors.

'My class levels...'Dante thought for a moment as he rubbed his chin.

"It's not like this tower actually represents my classes. For that to be it would have to be..." Dante paused as the realization hit him. Off to the side Virgil patiently waited for him to speak knowing he had realized the answer.

"The top of this tower is my first level, and the base is my most recent. There are 24 floors. One for each of my level's going in reverse order of obtaining." he stated as he looked upon Virgil who was beaming with joy.

"You did it, that's the answer. Now here is a hard question. How high do you think the limit is?" Virgil asked as he held up one of his right index fingers.

"...Is there a limit?" he asked, taking a shot in the dark only to elicit laughter from Virgil.

+1 Wis...

"Aw you catch on quickly! Indeed, there is no real limit to how high you can level." Virgil stated as he gave a few claps of congratulations.

"Now..." Virgil paused as something raced through the air between them, racing into the distance before coming back to do a figure eight around him and Dante.

"Oh yeah Virgil, what are these?" He asked, pointing towards the small mote of dancing light that immediately began to circle the hand he was using to point. Virgil's eyes narrowed upon the small mote of light before his eyes flashed gold.

"Ah, I see. Please take a look at your status." Virgil stated, taking him aback. He did so anyway wondering where this was going.

Dante A. Stone

Race: Human

Class: N/A

[Rank 1] Lvl. 24

EXP: 1,902/4,900

Gold: 32 small (gp)

Strength

52

Resources

Total

Regen.

Constitution/Vitality

49

Health

939

(45.2/min)

Endurance

62

Mana

1,768

(22.5/min)

Dexterity

40

Stamina

1,317

(54.45/min)

Willpower

21

Road Points

39

Intellect

37

Stat Points

0

Wisdom

52

Charisma

38

Luck

40

Perception

39

Spirit

40

Soul capacity 30.15/40

'Wow, holy shit! My status has grown a fair bit. Wow those bonuses from skills are no jokes. Looks like my will is lagging behind. I should probably walk a road or two and get that up.' Dante thought as he turned to Virgil listening to him as he began to speak.

"A fair status for someone of your level that recently joined the system but please note that you have 39 Rp. These small motes are each one your Rp. They are little bits of possibility. Each is a step upon the roads you walk. This isn't to say that they die when they are used. Some of their possibility is lost but they become your stat points. When the stat points are used, all of their infinite possibilities are narrowed down to a small increase to whatever stat you put them into. Each becoming part of something greater, part of you." Virgil said almost as if he were reading the information live and processing it with Dante.

"Well, let's just...try not to feel bad about spending points then." Dante said, biting his lip.

"On another note, you see that your Con is a respectable 49..." Virgil began speaking but Dante zoned out for a few seconds noting how the numbers for some of his stats annoyed him.

‘I don’t have OCD, but these numbers are triggering my OCD!’ He thought, resolving himself to increase each of them by a bit after he walked some roads. He tuned back in on Virgil's little lecture.

"...While the exact amount differs from one race to another, each point in the Constitution stat increases a person's life span by anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, to even a year or more. Though in the case of humans I think it's somewhere in the range of several weeks per point of Con. So, you have likely already increased your lifespan by a year or two. " Virgil stated plainly this time.

He stood in silence for a moment before Virgil once more placed a hand upon one of his shoulders. He looked up to meet Virgil's gaze.

"Don't worry so much about your life span now. Both you and your parents have plenty of time assuming you don’t die in a dungeon or something like that." Virgil stated, with a reassuring smile.

"Real comforting Virgil. Anything else I should see?" He asked as he began walking the edge of the tower.

He moved without walking and nearly instantly was by Dante's side before gripping his shoulder once more.

Virgil looked up and the soft ground and grass retreated beneath them as they quickly moved to the top of the tower granting them an excellent view of the entire valley below them.

What caught his attention however was that the top of the tower was colorfully painted. It looked like a map of the entire valley spread over the entirety of this circular top of the tower. It had to be no less than 20 feet in diameter. The map was actually rather poor for detail but served well as a rough map.

He slowly inspected the drawn map, comparing it to the surrounding land and finding they roughly lined up. A forest here and there, the place was mostly grasslands he noted before two things caught his attention.

Dante looked up to the sky seeing that it still didn't look right. So, he reached up and to his great surprise his hand brushed the top of the invisible dome that created the illusion of a sky.

'WTF!' He thought as he began looking off in one direction trying to take his mind off the shallow sky.

He stepped towards the opposite edge of the tower looking for what he had seen on the crude map. Which now that he thought of it might be his cartography skill.

Looking down from the tower's edge he saw a small orderly fenced field with what could have been small trees growing in it, an orchard. Right next to the orchard he could see what appeared to be a small hill with what might have been a chimney. He could even see what might be a small garden in the front yard.

"A hobbit house? Virgil? Is that...my farming skill?" Dante asked, very curious at seeing what might be a house in this place.

The Farm house and Orchard were surrounded on all sides by grassy plains.

"Yes it is. I do find myself resting there now and again, helping a little to maintain the area. But it's not just the manifestation of your farming skill. That area is the manifestation of several of your skills. Farming, and Horticulture being chief among them." Virgil said while smiling. Seeming to regard the place with warm feelings.

"Can we go there?" he asked with an excited smile, eliciting a further smile from Virgil.

"Certainly but first we must finish here." Virgil said, motioning to the floor around and behind them.

Dante looked down at the map that had been painted upon the top of the tower. "Is this an accurate map and why does it look like such a shabby piece of work?" He asked.

Virgil turned before responding. "This map is only as accurate as someone of your skills could make it. Why it is of less than ideal quality is due to the level of your cartography and drawing skills." Virgil stated whilst indicating downward to the crude map.

"I don't have a drawing skill though." He stated, eliciting a chuckle from Virgil.

"That's right you don't. You would have it, however, if you took the time to make even a crude map with your cartography skill." Virgil stated, still chuckling a bit.

Dante put forth his hand about to speak, he had this enormous canvas why not just draw here? No sooner had he thought of this did a piece of chalk appear in his outstretched palm. He looked upon it with mild confusion and awe. Turning to Virgil he said nothing, only giving Virgil a questioning look.

"You wanted to improve the map and so your cartography skill activated. Here your skills can be made manifest and as so, chalk. In other cases it would be pens and such, but for now it's chalk." Virgil stated as he pointed toward the large stick of chalk currently clutched in Dante's hand.

Slowly he looked back and forth between the area around the tower and the depiction on the floor.

Slowly he used the chalk to make mild corrections to the drawing.

What amazed him was that the chalk was changing colors at his will. Whatever color he needed the chalk changed to be that color.

Congratulations! You have obtained the Common sub skill, Drawing Lvl. 1...

"Can I come back here anytime or just when I'm sleeping?" Dante asked, hopeful as to the answer. Virgil smiled.

"You can come back here anytime all you need to do is look inward. It would help if you meditated, but that is not a necessity, only an aid. As for leaving this place. Like many other things here you need only will it. So you can leave now if you wish." Virgil stated as he took a step back.

"Nah, Let's go check out that farm house." He said with a smile. Virgil smiled as well but didn't move.

"Then you will now learn to move as I do in this place. Come." He said as he walked to the edge of the top of the tower, joining Dante in looking down on the small farm.

Dante watched as Virgil pointed towards the farm house.

"You only need to will it, and you will move." He said simply before he took a step from the tower.

Dante was concerned as he saw Virgil descending at an angle very quickly. But his concerns settled as Virgil seemed to simply step down onto the world.

Virgil looked up from the front of the small hobbit house, looking back up at him, waving for him to come down.

So he took a breath, took a step, and willed himself to move.

Willed himself to be there.

The world raced by and for a moment he was in the air.

For a few seconds he raced towards the ground at breakneck speeds.

He closed his eyes shut tightly but still he took another step. He felt as if there were ground beneath his feet and then, there was.

Dante opened his eyes upon hearing Virgil clapping. He saw the little hobbit house right in front of him and he gave a great sigh.

He was back on the ground, and very happy for it.

"Shall we go inside?" Virgil asked as he walked towards the door.

Pausing for a moment he turned around and looked back up to the top of the tower where they had just been. The top of the tower 20 feet in diameter looked like it was the size of a match head in the distance.

'Fuck that's a little far...' He chuckled a bit to himself before he turned. He saw that on either side of the small yard were small fenced areas of what looked to be roughly turned soil.

He smiled and entered the small house with Virgil.

What greeted him was a sparsely decorated one room house. The walls seemed to be made of rough wood planks fashioned more or less into functional walls.

There were two glass windows on either side of the doorway.

To the right of the door next to the window was a simple wooden table in the corner with four wooden chairs.

Both the table and the chairs looked crudely made.

They wouldn't win any wood working competitions but they seemed functional.

By the wall to his right he saw a bookcase. Upon seeing the three books on it and after a few seconds of further inspection he saw they were indeed the books he had bought at the adventurer's guild.

'Well that settles that I suppose.' he thought with an approving nod.

To the back left corner he saw there was even the rough frame of a bed, mattress included.

The frame was of a similar shabby quality as the table and chairs. Though it had a cushion, it felt like it was filled with straw when he laid on it.

Directly adjacent to the bed was a small crude end table, upon which was a small perfect clock.

It was a stark contrast to the shabby room around it as it was, perfect. Upon closer inspection it looked like something you might find in a store. It was of good quality, the wood of its outer case was smooth and polished. It seemed to be the most well made thing in the room besides the books on his shelf.

Seeing Dante holding the clock Virgil chimed in.

"That is your time sense skill if you were wondering." he said with a small smile.

Dante chuckled at that as he thought it a fitting form for the skill.

The last thing in the house was the fireplace.

It was made with brown bricks and seemed decently made, though it could have been better.

A chip here, a bit of missing brick there.

It had a hearth made from the same brown, clay bricks at its front and sides.

But as he looked into the empty fireplace he couldn't help but think it could use a fire. It just seemed too empty.

"So would this place look better if I raised my farming level?" Dante asked Virgil.

"Very likely. It would depend on what you want this place to become." said Virgil.

He considered that for a moment. After taking in the room for a moment he came to two decisions.

"I'm going to learn a bit of woodworking later. Hopefully that improves the quality of this fucking house and its furniture." he said a bit annoyed at the very rough shape the home was in.

Second he decided to walk some roads while he sat on the bed as an experiment.

"Roads." he said and was greeted by a familiar blue box.

Planar Traveler I

10/50

Wizard's Road II

5/20

Philosopher’s Road I

5/20

Road of Physical Improvement I

0/50

Road of the Athlete I

0/50

"39 no wait, 40 rp to spend let's weigh the options." he spoke mostly to himself.

'If I spend a few points on one of these roads I should be able to get my health over 1000. I can either finish the Planar Traveler road or I can finish the wizard and the philosopher roads... Let's do the lower costing Roads for now.' He thought as he put 15 points into the Wizard road.