It is said that once there was no System, that humans ruled the earth, towers of glass and steel reaching upwards to the sky. That time has passed, humans now live in scattered settlements under constant threat of monster attacks, and the fabled towers are dungeons where all but the adventurers fear to tread.

***

In one small settlement a young man sleeps on a straw mattress, a blanket pooling around his legs revealing a pattern of bruises spread round his upper body. A small snake-like creature coiled on a pile of straw next to him opens its eyes blinking at the sunlight streaming in through the gaps in the shutters covering a nearby window. Slowly uncurling, it moved its head, almost nuzzling the teens cheek, it’s tongue flickering, it opened its mouth and the melodious voice of a young woman issued from it’s lips. “Kyle it’s morning, you need to get up.”

Kyle groaned at the interruption of his rest and slowly rolled over to stare at the being, “Alright Fi, I’m getting up,” he said.

Shortly after Kyle was dressed in a homespun shirt and pants, he gestured to his snake-like companion and she rose from her position, undulating through the air and eventually coiling around his left arm her head resting on his shoulder.

Kyle smiled down at her fondness in his eyes remembering the first time they had met some eight years ago.

***

It was shortly after an attack on his village had left many wounded and dead including his own parent, and a despondent Kyle had gone to receive his spirit companion from the local chapel, as all children of ten years of age did.

A spirit companion was a being that allowed one to access the benefits of the System and see their Status and access the various other things one had to have to survive in the cruel and dangerous world.

After Kyle and the other children had placed their hands on the Summoning Stone that was used to summon Spirit Companions into the world by activating a link in the soul of the one who they are partnered with, the priest who was overseeing the ritual looked out over the children’s head from his place on the pulpit, his gaze sweeping over the parents that were present, sadness briefly showing on his face at the number of faces absent before hardening as he began to speak.

“Almighty System, which has given us the power to survive in this world of magic, today we thank you for your gifts as we call upon your power to summon the instruments that allow us to live in this world. Our ancestors once had the ability to wield your power freely and this caused many problems for them. Some of those who gained great power too soon were killed by monsters and by others of their own kind out of fear for what they could become and so one man after many years of watching the lives of children being lost made a deal with you, he requested you seal away our ability to use you to gain power directly and that you allow us to form contracts with beings that could then aid us in our growth. And so, the Summoning Stones were created, a method of controlling not only our access to power but one that allowed our children to remain as such for a time, before unlocking their true potential.”

The priest looked around at his audience seeing many faces that were showing irritation at his flowery little speech he decided to move along with the proceedings. “Spirits from the great beyond, blessed with power to guide our way, heed my call and reveal yourselves to us, ‘Summon Soul-bound Companion’.”

The small group of children all smiled feeling their chests filled with a sudden warmth. The children removed their hands from the stone and pressed them to their chests, they slowly moved their hands slowly away to reveal softly glowing orbs of light which soon coalesced into the form of a small menagerie of creatures of various shapes and sizes.

Nestled in Kyles outstretched hands was a small serpent creature with iridescent scales of many colours. Around its neck was a small crest of soft white feathers, the serpent blinked its beady black eyes at him as it’s mouth opened in a yawn revealing tiny little fangs lining its jaws. A small smile appeared on Kyles face as he stared down at the adorable creature.

Smiling at the children holding the beings that would be with them for the rest of their lives in their hands the priest called them up and asked them to give their companions a name. Kyle thought about this as the small serpent looked around the church inquisitively, somehow Kyle knew the being he was holding in his hands was female he shortly arrived at an answer and his lips slowly opened as he called out her name for the very first time. “Fi” the boy breathed, and the serpent locked its eyes on his, lips curving up in a manner reminiscent of a smile, “Is that my name master?”, it asked him in a childish voice, Kyle silently nodded, “then I accept this as my name”, she said closing her eyes a satisfied look upon her serpentine face.

All around the pair similar conversations were being carried out among the other children and their new companions. The Priest nodded, “Can you please ask your companions to use their ‘Show Status’ skill now”, he requested of the children. “Fi can you use ‘Show Status’ please?”, Kyle asked. Fi opened her eyes which now glowed a vivid blue and a screen of the same hue appeared in front of Kyle.

Status

Name: Kyle Ferguson

Race: Human

Level: Sealed

Class: Sealed

HP: 50/50

HP Regen: Sealed

MP: 60/60

MP Regen: Sealed

SP: 50/50

SP Regen: Sealed

Exp: Sealed

Strength: 5

Dexterity: 6

Constitution: 5

Agility: 6

Intelligence 6

Wisdom: 5

Endurance: 5

Willpower: 5

Stat Points: Sealed

Skill Points: Sealed

Kyle waited patiently as the priest slowly went around and checked everyone’s status patting each child on the shoulder as he did so. After this was done he smiled and let the children return to their families reminding them that lessons about the information they could receive from their companions would be taught by him in the church starting the next day.

Kyle’s face twisted slightly as he turned to leave, no one was there to congratulate him on receiving his companion, something that many of the other children took for granted. Fi stared up at his face as he slowly trudged away. “Master I’m sorry about your parents”, she said, Kyle glanced down at her surprise written across his features, “even if we’re not with you Soul Companions are still bound to your spirit, we still feel your emotions if you let us.”

“My name is Kyle please call me that, master doesn’t feel right coming from the closest thing to family I have left”, the young boy said, Fi nodded her eyes shining with pleasure as he lifted her up and placed her on his left shoulder.

***

Fi jolted Kyle from the bittersweet memory by pulling him towards the door to his room using her ability to fly, grumbling under her breath. “We’ve come a long way together haven’t we Fi?” he asked rhetorically as she pulled him down the hall of the inn where he lived and worked in her haste to get breakfast. She glanced up at him as he started to move under his own power before replying. “And today we leave the village”.

Finding himself in the common room of the inn he walked up to the bar and sat down at a plate of bread and eggs that had been left for him by the owner, now slightly cold due to his later than normal awakening, Fi slithered down to the small plate next to it and started scarfing down the eggs within. After the two finished their breakfast, they took the plates to the kitchen where they greeted the owner, a large man of middling years. “Al we’re heading off now we’ll be back after the ceremony later to pick up our things”, Kyle let the man know. Al nodded his head, “It’s true then, you are leaving?” the big man asked Kyle, turning and facing the young man he had looked after for eight years.

“Sorry Al,” said Kyle feeling bad for the man. “I know it’s been hard for you raising me all these years, but I can’t stay here, you and Father Thomas are pretty much the only people in the village who treat me well after what happened, everyone else wants me to leave and aren’t afraid to show it”. Kyle rubbed one of the fresher bruises on his arm as he said this.

“It’s alright kid, not your fault some people are idiots, though I probably shouldn’t be saying this about my customers, they should know that what happened was neither yours or your parents fault and that you suffered for it as much as the rest of them,” Al said shaking his head. “Anyway, you need to be off, I’ll have something for you when you get back so make sure you hurry on back once you’re done with the unsealing ritual.”

Kyle bid him goodbye and headed out the door.