This one's a bust

System: I think this one's a bust.

System is watching over Nathan going through his practice routine. He sees Nathan staring intently at the apple tree in his back yard. After looking at the tree as if his gaze could pierce through it, Nathan puts his hand against the tree and closes his eyes. For the next 5 minutes, Nathan is just standing there with his eyes closed.

Now 5 minutes might not sound like a lot, but if you are watching what someone is doing, seeing someone do nothing for 5 minutes, is rather boring. System is getting more and more agitated at the lack of adventure going on.

After what seems like forever, Nathan opens his eyes with a smile on his face. He plucks an apple from the tree right above him and takes a bite. After he does, he starts jumping around the tree joyfully, as if what happened just now was the greatest thing ever.

{ Yup, this one's a bust... I'll have to find someone else to assign the nature mage class. }

Most of the initial process of developing a mage class is internal. Learning how to feel your affinity, how to sense mana and how to manipulate and transmit mana. It's not a process that is interesting for outsiders to watch.

Nathan was actually a prodigy as a nature mage. Within a few months he had managed to reach level 18 in his apprentice nature mage class, which is unheard of. Nathan is both diligent and talented. He had genuinely taken a liking to his class and was driven by curiosity. Whenever he didn't have to help out, he would go train his skills.

In the course of doing so, he had discovered a new spell from practice (nurture plant) and he had unlocked 3 new spells at level 5, 10 and 15. In order of discovery: "reinforce wood", "blossom" and "bear fruit". The last spell, he had been obsessed with. Every day he could be found growing apples on their apple tree. So far, he hadn't been successful at changing the composition of the soil of his apple tree, but the "bear fruit" spell allowed him to bypass this problem entirely and grow apples directly from mana, provided there was an apple tree. It wouldn't be as efficient as enriching the soil, but if he could get better at it, being able to grow food directly could turn out to be a boon for the village.

What looked to System as him being a statue, was actually him trying to grow bigger apples, more nutritious apples, making the apples more tasty and so on. Whenever he had a small success, he would get all excited! This class was more interesting than anything he had ever done or heard of. Though of course, it was also because the class was a part of him.

Even when he had to help out in the fields, he was constantly working on his class. Nathan wanted to contribute to his village, but so far the abilities of his class didn't offer what the village needed. His class didn't provide the physical boosts that the village required. When working in the fields, his nature sense was always active. He could see differences between plants, their health, the soil they were rooted in and so on. Slowly he started pointing out issues with the crops before the adults noticed. This made him very happy. He was useful now! He had managed to level the "nature sense" skill up to level 5 and with every level his understanding of plants and nature deepened and the range of the skill widened.

He hadn't made contact with the mother of the forest again, in fact he wouldn't even go near it. He did go back to the forest for research, but not lately, since he was focused on growing apples. Even when he did go to the forest, he steered widely from the hill in the middle of the clearing. His research in the forest had mainly focused on examining differences between individual trees and differences in the flow of mana between species. If only his understanding of plants improved, maybe he could somehow help the village.

As his "nature sense" skill leveled, he started becoming aware of mana flowing not just within a tree, but there were channels of mana flowing through the entire forest. When he followed the channels he saw himself heading for the clearing in the middle of the forest, so he turned back again. It did raise some questions though. What exactly is the role that the mother of the forest takes on here? Does she feed on the forest? Is she ruling the forest? Whatever her purpose, she was frightening. He knew that. He hadn't read anything about these things in any of his books, then again nature magic is rarely mentioned to begin with.

Another thing that started to change as his nature sense increased in level, was that he became more aware of animals. He was rather surprised the first time he felt some sort of intangible connection to a house cat. Once he realized that animals are a part of nature as well, it changed his perspective on what the class could do. Maybe if the village hadn't lost all of their livestock in the war, he would have discovered these things sooner. Shifting his focus, he observed that he could sense their biology and their needs, but there was something else. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he somehow understood things about animals that others did not.

Just as Nathan finishes growing another apple, he feels a prod in his back. It was a prod he is rather familiar with. He looks back and drowns in a pair of blue eyes, their color as pure as a set of gems. Naomi silently looks at him.

Nathan: Ah, the princess has come to sample our new product?

Naomi: *nods*

Nathan plucks the apple and carefully cleans it. Cleaning the apple more out of habit than out of necessity. There wouldn't be any dirt on an apple that was magically grown in a few seconds. Nathan hands her the apple and smiles as he watches her take a small bite and start munching.

Nathan: Weren't the girls supposed to be weaving at your place?

Naomi: Noisy

Nathan: The verdict?

Juicy, was the reply.

Nathan: It is my masterpiece yet.

Naomi: *nods*

Her replies were as short and to the point as Naomi's replies usually were, if she replied to you at all. She must have found an opportunity to slip away. Naomi wasn't unwilling to work, but she preferred the peace and quiet. She was the only one amongst his age group, who got less work done, then Nathan does.

When she was small and hiding behind her mom's skirt, people thought she was endearing. As she got older she still rarely communicated, the adults started seeing it as a problem. Apparently there are certain stages of development they were supposed to go through. Some of the men wouldn't be bothered no matter what she did. She was cute though and that did cause people to give her some leniency.

As son of the village chief, he often had to keep the children of the other elders "entertained". Naomi was a real headache at first. Whatever he tried to play with her or talk to her about, she just seemed uncomfortable. At some point he sat down to think about what else he could try and he saw he walk up to a book and start reading. He just left her alone at that point.

The next time he had to "entertain" her, he took her to the small library they had. It was the first time he saw a sparkle in her deep blue eyes. All they did that evening was sit and read. When her name was rung out through the house, signaling that it was time to leave, she perked up and quickly left the room, only to come back and give him a graceful bow, which made him smile. It was a start of a wonderful friendship.

It was also a lesson for him. Time spent with someone can be good even if there is little being said. Over time, Nathan became one of the few people Naomi opened up to. That is, if you can consider one word answers to be "opening up". When he was thinking about something, he would tell her about the difficulties he was having. She would look at him and nod at key points. Usually, just having her listen to him explain would have him figure out a solution. He would thank her and she would nod a last time. She one time even solved a question he had, by dragging him to "the library" and by pointing at a passage in a book.

The first time Naomi saw him grow an apple her eyes went wide in shock and her mouth fell open. He can still vividly remember seeing her make 2 takes to see if it was really happening. She sauntered towards him and stared intensely at the apple.

Nathan: Wanna try?

Naomi: *nods*

She bit into the apple and a wrinkle of her nose indicated, it did not agree with her. She pushed the apple back to him and wandered off again.

Nathan: Yeah, I feel the same way.

He wanted her to try again, when he had created something that was "passable", but convincing her to try, took a bit of effort. Naomi, though quiet, was not one to be easily convinced to do something she didn't want to do. She was stubborn to a fault and quite good at disappearing, as her parents had come to find out. Originally, they would scold her when she skipped her chores. Reassigning her the same task and scolding her for not doing it 5 days in a row, made clear that that was not a winning formula. Naomi had a good heart though, chores she was willing to do, were completed meticulously, but silently. They just had to figure out which chores fell into that category.

Shamelessly begging her to try the new apple, received a frown in return, but ultimately she capitulated. Much like the first time, she strolled up to him and took the apple from him. After staring at the apple for a while, she took a small bite. Nathan waited nervously, while Naomi was blankly staring at the apple. He received a nod, she pushed the apple back to him and sauntered away without eating the apple.

From that point onwards, she would occasionally try his latest creations. After a while bite sizes started increasing and just recently, Nathan's apples had gotten good enough to warrant a daily offering.

I want to be a nature mage, Naomi proclaims uncharacteristically.

Nathan chuckles, the elders are going to be sad. They want more people that can support the village.

Naomi thinks for a bit and then simply says: both

Nathan: Ah, you want to both become a nature mage AND help the village?

Naomi: *nods*

Nathan smiles, picturing the frowning faces of the village elders. Not that he was really expecting the village to get a second nature mage.

* * *

Villagran: I'm worried about the boy.

Healion: I think he is doing fine. I have gotten little indication that his class bothers him.

Villagran: As he gets older, he will discover that his class is of little use to him.

Healion: You should see him growing apples.

Villagran: Growing one apple at a time won't get him anywhere.

Healion: You don't know that yet.

Villagran: He's a nature mage.

Healion: How much do you know about nature mages?

Villagran: Enough to know that they are unwanted.

Healion: Is his class unwanted to you?

That question hurt. Villagran realized that he himself was the judgemental one and he needed to accept his boy's class or the boy would get hurt, but still... The boy was a nature mage... It wasn't easy to accept.

Villagran takes in the man sitting opposite of him for a second. He sees the grey hair, the white robe, the peaceful gaze upon him.

Villagran: Healion, you should have become a psychologist.

Healion: As long as I don't have to deal with iron bars, I'm quite happy as the village's healer.

Villagran: More like the region's.

Healion: We can use the extra business.

Villagran: We certainly can, it's going to get tough.

Healion: We will have to be creative.

Villagran: I don't know if creative is going to cut it. We won't have a workforce.

Healion: They haven't retired yet and the kids are about to get classes.

Villagran: What if they end up like Nathan?

Healion: They won't all get "nature mage", Villagran.

Villagran: I've been hearing bad things in the rumor mill.

Healion: Rumors are just that, rumors.

Villagran: No you don't understand, it hasn't been like this before, there are strange things happening in the capital.

Healion: Such as?

Villagran: People not getting a class they want, or even a class they need. In fact, I've heard stories about people getting classes that sent them straight into poverty and I have been hearing stories about suicides. I didn't believe it either and then... then... then Nathan gets the nature mage class and I worry.

Healion: Calm down, you're overreacting, it's just one person and Nathan is going to be fine.

Innis storms into the house, uncharacteristically without knocking.

Innis: Nate has received his class.

Silence falls upon the room, Villagran and Healion looking expectantly at Innis.

Innis: He received the nature mage class.

Innis looks at Villagran with a desperate look in his eyes. Healion frowns contemplatively. Villagran releases a deep sigh and rests his head upon his clasped hands. We HAVE to inform the capital. Healion looks at Innis and says: call the remaining elders.

Villagran: Healion I didn't want to say this, because I didn't think you were taking me seriously, but do you know what they're saying in the capital?

Healion: No... What are they saying?

Villagran: They're saying that the system has "gone rogue".

Healion: Healion's eyes go wide and his contemplative look returns. I stand corrected, we might be dealing with a crisis.

Villagran: Villagran meets Healion's eyes. I will send word to the capital. There might still be time to solve this crisis.

Healion: Who would listen to the words of mere farmers?

Villagran: I have my contacts. My words are sure to reach the king. After that, only the system knows what will happen.

* * *

The moment System unlocks the "customize skill tree" upgrade, he jumps on the opportunity to examine Nathan's skill tree. He checks the skills Nathan will be receiving at level 20 and level 25. *disappointment ensues*. He checks the alternatives he has and he is once again *disappointment*. I can assign hydrate, cure lesser poison, strengthen, enrich soil, ... None of these will gain me much in the "adventure" department.

{ *seriously* It looks like I will have to increase the scale of this experiment. }

Nathan

id: 209,543,479

name: Nathan

age: 15

HP: 40

MP: 78

classes: nature mage (apprentice) - level 18

VIT: 4

STR: 3

END: 3

DEX: 4

INT: 39

class: nature mage (apprentice)

INT +5, +1/lvl

MP +INT

skill - nature sense (5): you can feel natural energy

spell - strengthen plant (4): makes a plant more resilient for an hour, strengthening depends on mana spent.

spell - reinforce wood: makes a piece of wood more resilient for an hour, strengthening depends on mana spent.

spell - nurture plant (3): provide a plant with sustenance

spell - blossom: causes a plant to blossom

spell - bear fruit: causes a plant to grow one of it's fruit