The morning sun had barely breached the horizon, but the glow stones embedded in the branches of street-spanning trees flickered out one by one, responding to the subtle shift in light. A flock of crystalline-winged birds scattered from the rooftops as bells rang across the city from temple towers and academic spires alike.
Hearing what I took as the morning bell I stirred awake to the sound of running water and the soft clinking of porcelain. I blinked slowly, eyes adjusting to soft amber light filtering through windows made of an unknown glass. Last night was a blur but I was starting to remember key events from the grave, to the succubus, and Vaelwyn and oh god the toilet. Besides the embarrassment on the end of the night hitting me like a truck regardless of the warning she gave me. I still wish embarrassed of how it ended.
I turn to see I was in a nice long queen size bed. It was comfy like not a care in the world type comfy. I was still in the dirty clothes I woke up in but the navy blue sheets weren't dirty in anyway. when I looked around I was in a big room. There was a full body sized mirror on the wall right next to a closet to the right of the bed when I got up to closet it slid open when I barely touched it to show a walk in closest and a big one at that. There was so much space. I turned back around to see beautiful black marble kintsugi style desk by a window with papers other writing equipment.
I believed I was in a guest room at Vaelwyn's home.
The room itself was a blend of simple yet stunning design. The sliding doors inlaid with metallic etchings, a calligraphy scroll framed above a blackwood dresser, and a polished automaton gently tending to a pot of herbal tea in the corner. A gentle scent of cinnamon and sandalwood hung in the air.
I took a moment process my body and it's aches and something didn't feel right or should I say I felt great. My limbs were light but grounded. My body moved with unfamiliar fluidity. I stood and crossed the room, catching sight of myself in the mirror.
I froze at the reflection I saw. It wasn't me or the me I remembered. I was taller, shoulders broader, muscles leaner. My skin was smooth, richly brown, healthy and glowing. My eyes were amber. Glowing faintly like gold. My jawline was cleaner. I didn't just look better I was also younger I believed. I looked into my pants and smiled. "I'm a shower now great." I said after moving past the new look I stared again seeing how I still had my fathers looks I guess it was kind of hard to remember him as well or anything else about my life.
My voice came out quiet. "What the hell is going on?"
The door slid open Vaelwyn entered wearing a robe of storm-grey silk, gold threading stitched into its hems. She carried a breakfast tray and a small book with the Sixth Eye emblem. "You're checking out yourself, don't worry it's normal for transmigrators to wake with a new look when coming to this world" she said, eyeing my reflection over my shoulder. "Scientist still can't explain what causes the change in appearance but they have been able to proof that the look is always very handsome or beautiful like it's a guaranteed blessing."
"I look like a handsome version of myself." "Because you are," she said. Not explaining what she meant, but I took the compliment anyway.
I wasn't sure if that was flattering or disturbing. Vaelwyn set the tray and the notebook beside me on the desk by the window. "Eat. Then we go to the branch office. We need to get you checked out. Don't worry its normal stuff find out your age, your health screening, affinities, other things that are normal in this world. This will help you especially if your a transmigrator and need to have a official identification so you can travel and establish yourself."
"That's good, is there anything I should be worried about?" I say as I pick up the tea, which spelled amazing. "No you should the affinity will just tell us what your specialty might be in basic magic RPG stuff. "Oh you have video games here?" "No." she said coldly. "We have theater, the radio and the radio dramas. Music, we do have movies very few come out each year but they are all very good well in my opinion. This a academic city so it's mostly about studying so news's paper's and books are the main source of entertainment, their is a fighting arena for the martials art's student's and veterans."
She waved her hand telling me to not worry I will have plenty of time to get familiar with the city and all its parts the good and the ugly. She then pointed towards outside. The bullet train which looked to refine to be with everything glided across rails suspended through high canopies of magical looking trees. While the city bloomed in early light.
Vaelwyn pointed out each major ring: "The Academic Ring," she said, "where research, learning, and magical philosophy merge. Lecture towers, logic spheres, and debate meeting. You'll spend most of your Academy time there."
"The Martial Crescent: combat orders, monk-temples, weaponsmiths, and dueling halls. That's where body and magic learn to blend and be tested."
"The Arcane Basin: the magical core of Velduros. Every major school of magic has a research tower. Enchanting, ritual magic, illusion, geomancy, elemental all represented."
"The Threshold Wards: supernatural regulation and containment. Spirits, summoned entities, sometimes even low tier gods devils and more. That's where the city gets messy." We passed massive towers, meditation platforms floating on arcane fields, arenas where sword mans practiced sword-forms and sparred their movements were barley seeable. My head was spinning already.
Then the Sixth Eye's tower came into view. It was a giant Obsidian stone building, carved into pyramid. The symbol of the organization was on the pyramid in reflective glass. When I walked in the lobby I noticed the area was bigger than what the outside of the building showed. There was with multiple doors all with different symbols on each doors.
The lobby receptionist was a young woman probably late 20's with long red sun kissed hair in a ponytail. Her eyes were green like emeralds and shine bright behind her crimson red glasses. her ears were human but slightly pointed which made me think she was half elf. As we walked up to the the desk her stoic expression changed into what looked like a beautifully rehearsed smile. "Hello Detective Vaelwyn, how can I help you and your guest?" She spoke from what sounded like a light Irish accent.
"Hello, Saris, this is my guest Jasen we need to see head investigator Kaelen, is he available?" Saris looked down at what looked like a list schedules for certain names on the paper. "So the Head Investigator, has several meetings throughout the day so unfortunately no." She said that with a smile but it felt cold and hollow.
Then Vaelwyn said coldly and stern. "I need a fully day pass for my Guest Mr. Jasen, he is my new protege." That made Saris expression shift for a second then Vaelwyn continued. "He is also a transmigrator who I found yesterday so we need to see the Kaelen now."
Just like that Saris demeanor changed her eyes shifted to me her smile was gone instead their was a cold expressionless face. she picked up a blank parchment card and with a crystal shard she wrote on the parchment and words appeared. Then she handed it to me with the same expression saying "Keep this on you at all times and stay with the Detective at all times otherwise you will be detained and their will not be a warning."
I smile politely "Thank you very much." she wore black leather gloves with the order's symbol on it as well. She made sure our hands didn't touch as well. As me Vaelwyn walked directly behind the receptionist desk to the main elevator behind it. I noticed the vibe in the shifted as well as the light that shined the pyramid ceiling changed to a crimson red color and Vaelwyn told me to keep looking forward and stick close.
As we go on the elevator that was like the bullet train almost to advance from everything else there was crystal shard like roller where the buttons normally was. She put her gloved hand palm down infront of the crystal and a light scanned her hand then numbers on the crystal appeared. She rolled it to the number thirteen. Then the elevator shifted and Vaelwyn finally spoke.
"Just so you know, Jasen, not everyone has a good experience with transmigrators coming to this world. Some have done great things for us world, from being rulers to helping improve our way of life with nature, and some became great scholars and healers."
I figured out where she was going with this. I read fantasy stories of all kinds, about travelling to another world and being a great hero with a harem, or just being a better person. Then there was the dark fantasy that shows the darker and uglier side of humanity. Vaelwyn then continued.
"That receptionist is a survivor a past transmigrator's attempt to enslave the people of her land. She lost her whole family in that conflict and experienced a nightmare of things. There are a lot of people like her who have experienced similar things as well. Don't take it too personally."
"I won't," I said that calmly acting not bothered, but how could I not? it was hard not to feel frustrated that people didn't like me for the color of my skin in one world. Now, because I'm a literal foreigner, some people hate me now because of the actions of others. Different world, same issues, I guess.
The elevator ride was so smooth I couldn't even tell we were moving to different floors until I heard the ding, then we arrived on the thirteenth floor. When the door opened, I was hit with an amazing view. A wide open room with minimal furniture. I saw bookshelves covered in books and what looked like preserved creatures and specimens, as well as a coffee table with three couches surrounding it, and a few feet away way a man who was on a phone call from, or I guess a mirror call.
He didn't even turn around to look at us, he just gestured to the coffee table, where fresh tea just appeared, and Veawlyn sat down casually, and I joined next to her. I could hear the man speaking to the mirror and hearing parts of the conversation.
"I already told you, commissioner, that the red light district is hiding something, but we can barge into it full force. We need to play this carefully." The man said, sounding frustrated. On the other end, there was a female voice that sounded older. "I know your order won't do that unless it's another 'Progenitor' incident. But my peacekeepers can make a move, especially if we go after the High Elven Succubus that runs that life tavern cafe by the gate. From what I hear, she has been feeding on her customers I and sometimes it goes too far they even end up in the medical sanctuary.
The other man continued. "Yes, I know who you're talking about, but the woman should not be touched. From my intel, she is the daughter of the leader of the red light district. She is also feeding on her customers, but they are all willing, and the ones that go too far are mostly visitors to the city, and she does pay for their medical treatment. She also has separated herself from her mother, but believe me, if you go after her, you will start a war with those women.
"Fine, I will look for another approach, but keep me informed if something changes. we need to figure out where all those missing boys went and how they are connected to all their strung-up murders by the so-called Ripper." Veawlyn's vibe changed when she heard that name.
"Yes, commissioner, I will keep you informed. Please stay patient, we have our best agents already on the move, goodbye." The man sighed, then turned our way. "Detective Veawlyn, I take it you need to come up here, knowing my schedule, so this must be important."
"Stop with the games Drenn, I always come if it's important. This boy right here is a transmigrator I found at the Radiant Pearl last night." The man looked at me for a moment, then at his desk. "This explains the red alert light." He spoke into an open pipe on his desk. "Change of status from red to yellow." I then saw the light on his desk went from red to yellow. He then turned back to me and said "Sorry about that, Veawlyn, you know how Saris is.
Hello sir I am Kaelen Drenn Inside, the Velduros Branch Head Inspector. Veawlyn while sipping the tea would ask Kaelen. "Was that the commissioner again? She still trying to raid the red light district?" Kaelen, sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Yes, she won't stop trying to rush the process and getting the city council to approve the raid." Then Kaelen looked at Jasen remembering who was in his presence.
"Let's not speak on such things right now in current company. You two came her for his papers and to take the test for his affinity and other qualities." Kaelen looked at Jasen saying. "Thank you for coming in with Detective Veawlyn, I know you must be surprised and confused by your predicament. Right now I cannot guarantee we can help you go home, but we can make your life better here until you decide next what you want to do. I nodded thinking to myself I need information and power as well as money if I am going to survive.
So for right now as long as I'm not selling my soul or first born I should take advantage of every opportunity I can. Kaelen spoke "First, I'd like to establish your magical affinity." He then retrieved a smooth sphere of crystal the size of an orange from his book shelve and set it on the coffee table in front of Jasen. The crystal orb was perfectly clear, with a faint milky mist swirling at its core.
"Place your hand on the orb, if you please," Kaelen instructed. "And calm your mind. This is an Arcanist's Crystal; it reacts to the innate elemental alignment or magical school most attuned to a person."
Jasen glanced at Vaelwyn, who gave him an encouraging nod. He extended his right hand, noticing a slight tremor from anticipation or residual anxiety. The moment his fingers made contact with the cool surface of the orb, he felt a subtle tingling, like static electricity creeping up his arm. He took a deep breath and tried to relax as instructed.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then, the mist within the crystal orb began to churn and change color. A deep purple bloom spread from the center, threaded with tendrils of black. The milky white mist darkened, coalescing into what looked like swirling shadows. Faint motes of silver light twinkled within the gloom, like distant stars in fog.
Vaelwyn sucked in a small breath. Kaelen arched a brow, leaning forward to examine the orb. The crystal had fully transformed: what was once clear was now a sphere of gently roiling shadow. The Head Investigator murmured thoughtfully, "Shadow affinity… How interesting." Jasen looked between them. I wasn't sure what the typical result was supposed to be. "Is that unusual?" I ventured. He lifted his hand from the orb; the shadowy mist remained, gently churning.
Vaelwyn offered a reassuring nod. "Not unheard of, but certainly uncommon. Most people attune to one of the classical elements or energies fire, water, earth, air, light, lightning, that sort. Shadow magic is rarer. It's an esoteric school, often involving illusions, obscuration, and subtle influences on mind or perception."
Kaelen nodded. "Shadow mages can manipulate darkness and light's absence, cloak themselves, even influence emotions by bending light and shadow metaphorically. It's a branch of Arcane magic, albeit a less traveled one. In Velduros, only a handful of practitioners specialize in it." He fixed Jasen with an appraising stare. "This affinity may assist what Path is most natural for you to walk, but we'll get to that in a moment."
As Kaelen set the crystal orb aside, he continued almost pedagogically, "Magic in our world is not just a matter of talent or blood. It is shaped by imagination, knowledge, and willpower in equal measures. Imagination provides the form — the vision of what a spell could be. Knowledge provides the structure the understanding of runes, incantations, the laws that magic will obey or break. Willpower is the fuel, the force of your spirit that pushes reality to accept the magic." He gave Jasen a small, meaningful smile. "Some say those with a strong imaginative gift can produce wonders without formal study, while scholars with vast knowledge can cast complex spells through careful ritual even if their personal power is modest. And a strong-willed person can brute-force minor miracles by sheer determination. The greatest mages, of course, cultivate all three aspects."
Jasen absorbed this, finding it both intuitive and awe-inspiring. In his old world if he dared think of it magic had been fiction. Here it was science and art intertwined. He wondered where he might fall on those spectrums. Did Anden's muscle memory for drills hint at a disciplined will? Did his own soul bring any imagination or knowledge to the table? It was too early to know. Still, the orb's result gave him a small thrill. Shadow. There was a poetic aptness to it: he felt like a shadow of a person given form; now the shadows themselves were his ally.
"Alright," Kaelen said, drawing Jasen from his reverie. The Head Investigator picked up the deck of cards next. The cards were large, with gilded backs depicting the same eye symbol that hung outside. Kaelen's demeanor became even more serious. "Next, we will explore your Path alignment. This is a bit more abstract than elemental affinity. It will tell us the Path or guiding arcana that resonates with your fate and personality."
He began to shuffle the cards slowly and professionally like he has done this to many times before, each making a whispering swish sound. "These cards are a tool for focusing fate and magic a method passed down in our ranks and other organizations. We call it the Path Deck. It's similar to a tarot deck from other worlds. Each card corresponds to a major Arcane Path that an individual might walk in life. By drawing a few, we hope to glean which Path calls to you."
Jasen shifted, suddenly nervous again. He wasn't sure he subscribed to destiny written in cards, but in a world of real magic, who was he to doubt? The air in the chamber felt charged as Kaelen finished shuffling and offered the deck to Jasen. "Cut the deck, and draw three cards, one by one. Lay them on the table," Kaelen instructed. Vaelwyn leaned forward, eyes keen; clearly this part was important.
Jasen did as told. The cards felt heavy with significance in his hand. He cut the deck, then drew the top card. With a deep breath, he placed it face-up on the table. The illustration showed a robed figure holding a staff in one hand and a shining crystal. The Wizard the word scrawled at the card's bottom was clear. The card was upright.
Kaelen's eyebrows rose higher. "The Wizard," he said softly. Vaelwyn gave a tiny nod, as if that made sense to her.
Jasen swallowed and drew the second card, laying it to the right of the first. This one depicted two figures a man and a woman reaching out to one another, a glowing chalice floating between them. The Lustful. But Jasen's heart skipped; the card appeared upside down to his view, the letters inverted. Before he could ask, Vaelwyn murmured, "The Lustful… reversed." She shot a glance at Kaelen, whose expression grew intent.
Hands a bit clammy, Jasen drew the third card and set it down. The image was of a cloaked figure obscuring their face carrying a sack over his shoulder, one foot stepping off a cliff's edge into the unknown. The Adventurer labeled plainly, and this card was upright.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Jasen looked at the three cards: The Wizard, The Lustful (reversed), The Adventurer. He could not begin to interpret what that meant, but clearly it was significant. Kaelen exhaled slowly, breaking the silence. He tapped a finger on the table thoughtfully. "Two major arcana upright… and one reversed in the middle. Fascinating."