"A starter pack?" I wondered, looking at the smaller screen which suddenly appeared above the original. "Show that to me after, System."
[-][===][-]
|| [As you wish] ||
[-][===][-]
The screen flickered away, and the original one, hiding behind it took my attention.
[-][===][-]
|| [Welcome user. To your Aspects] ||
|| [Aspects are the supernatural abilities that you receive from me. The System of Alloys. These Aspects are granted to you through three different ways and are each unique to one another] ||
|| [The first way of acquiring Aspects is through repeated actions and how you interact with the world. As an example, this could be anything from doing the dishes, to being taught a new sword form] ||
|| [The second way to acquire Aspects is through a Sequence. There are several Sequences that can be acquired by you and are akin to a skill tree. They all focus over one concept and begin with less costly abilities that are more limited. The further down you go the Roots of a Sequence, the more costly, versatile and powerful they become] ||
|| [The third way to acquire Aspects is through the Aspect Shop. You unlock five new Aspects every time you level up, with each being equal in strength to the level you unlocked them at. It should be noted that an Aspect brought from the Aspect Shop requires an equal amount of Aspect Points per the level an Aspect was acquired at] ||
[-][===][-]
"Right…can you…give me an example of that last one? You described it way too weirdly for me to follow." I muttered, feeling my eyes nearly cross from the tongue twister at the end of the third paragraph.
[-][===][-]
|| [You should look at putting some points into the [INT] stat user] ||
[-][===][-]
"Wait a minute, did you just sass-"
[-][===][-]
|| [As an example. If you unlocked an Aspect at Level 5. Then it will require you 5 Aspect Points to unlock that Aspect. Does that now make sense to you, user?] ||
[-][===][-]
"Yes, it does." I said, glaring at the screen. "I can't believe I am being sassed by a literal figment of my own subconscious. What the hell happened to me?"
[-][===][-]
|| [Now for the reason you have been able to remain so calm] ||
[-][===][-]
|| [Gifted to you by [The System of Alloys]. You have been granted [TWO] available Aspects to view] ||
|| [Would you like to view them?] ||
|| [Yes/No] ||
[-][===][-]
"Yes." I muttered, beginning to feel impatient.
[-][===][-]
|| [Access Granted] ||
[-][===][-]
|| [Aspect]: [Omphalos Mind] ||
|| [Level N/A]: [Progression: N/A] ||
|| [Omphalos Designation]: [Passive] ||
|| [Description]: [You have experienced death and didn't shatter. You lived through the afterlife and adapted. This is a testament of your will, a reward for your survival which reduces panic and enhances your logical thinking under pressure. It allows you to maintain composure and focus, keeping a clear head for decision making in the most chaotic of situations whilst becoming immune to certain psychological effects and debuffs] ||
[-][===][-]
|| [Aspect]: [Omphalos Body] ||
|| [Level N/A]: [Progression: N/A] ||
|| [Omphalos Designation]: [Passive] ||
|| [Description]: Your mind never shattered, and your body never broke. This is the reward for such ferocious will, granting you a body that operates according to your stats, with damage dealt and received displayed as visible numbers. You learnt to survive the afterlife through sleep, as such, when sleeping in a bed your physical stats are fully restored to their max] ||
|| [Note]: [Any severe injuries, such as dismemberment or extensive internal/external bleeding will not be healed through rest] ||
[-][===][-]
"Huh…that makes a startling amount of sense. Wait, so does that actually mean that your real?" I asked, blinking in mild surprise.
[-][===][-]
|| [Yes] ||
[-][===][-]
|| [For finally waking up and beginning to think logically, you have gained a [+1] to your [INT] stat] ||
[-][===][-]
"Oh, your just hilarious!" I said, biting back a scowl. It grated me to admit, purely because of my own stubbornness, but it all did make sense.
No matter how broken or fractured someone's mind may have been, they'd still be feeling not only panic but despair and a million other emotions. Really, reincarnation alone would have broken someone's mind.
Especially if they didn't believe in reincarnation like I did.
And yet, I felt nothing.
No, that came out wrong. I still felt emotions, but as the [Omphalos Mind] had explained, my negative emotions, like panic, were being suppressed, leaving me feeling calm, if not a little annoyed with the Systems attitude.
[-][===][-]
|| [I have learnt from the best in that endeavour] ||
[-][===][-]
"Wha-Are you suggesting you learnt how to be like this because of me?!" I asked, genuinely feeling baffled. It didn't respond in any direct way, but there were certainly signs.
[-][===][-]
|| [For using your logic to deduce an answer, you have gained a [+1] to your [INT] stat] ||
[-][===][-]
For a moment there, I thought my eye would begin to start twitching with the building annoyance I was feeling.
[-][===][-]
|| [Omphalos Mind]-[Activated] ||
[-][===][-]
"And there it goes." I muttered with a small sigh. It certainly felt a little weird to just have that annoyance within me vanish, but I could see the benefits it also granted me.
If my new life was anything like the stories I had read, then I would end up in battles that would most certainly require me to be calm and logical. For that, I could at least feel thankful to the System for gifting me such Aspects.
"Right, so, this is all real." I decided to just accept that fact for now. It was strange how quickly I did. "And so was my supposed afterlife, my reincarnation and whatever the hell that thing in the dark was too. Any clues about where I currently am?"
[-][===][-]
|| [As of your death] ||
|| [21.03.2012] ||
|| [It is now] ||
|| [29. 11. 2312] ||
[-][===][-]
"So, I really did sleep for centuries then." I palmed my face, feeling both the panic and despair welling inside of me vanish. "Three-hundred years…how much has changed?"
[-][===][-]
|| [Unfortunately, I am unable to answer such a question. That is for you to figure out yourself. Any other questions?] ||
[-][===][-]
"Of course, it wouldn't be so easy. Fine, do you know where I currently am?"
[-][===][-]
|| [Old Russia, near an abandoned Cosmodrome. Do you wish to have the destination marked on your map?] ||
[-][===][-]
"I have a map?" I asked incredulously. "Yes. Do it, any direction is good."
The screen went blank for a moment. It flickered and widened before shortening again.
[-][===][-]
|| [Error…] ||
|| [Map function for The System of Alloys has yet to be purchased] ||
|| [Aspect]: [Omphalos Map] ||
|| [Cost]: [5]-[Aspect Points] ||
[-][===][-]
|| [Apologies user] ||
[-][===][-]
"Its fine." I sighed. "I would have been surprised if that worked anyways. It's never that easy." Even in the stories I read, where the main character got everything handed to them, there were always hiccups like this that occurred.
"We'll put a pin in that for now, System. You mentioned earlier something about a gift?"
[-][===][-]
|| [Yes] ||
|| [Gift granted to the user by…] ||
|| [Starter Pack]: [Daybreak] ||
||Do you wish to open it?] ||
|| [Yes/No] ||
[-][===][-]