Legend. And beneath the card’s name, in brackets was another word in golden cursive script “Legendary”.

  Cleo reached out and grabbed the card. It tingled in her grip and moved slightly as if it were squirming. “It… doesn’t like being outside?” she guessed.

  “Good,” replied Saskia. “None of the cards do, so let’s get it to where it belongs, shall we? And a reminder, make sure this is what you want. Once you’ve absorbed a class card, it’s yours almost forever. When—er, if—you die, any levels it has accrued and any evolutions will be lost. Not that a legendary card on a humanoid will evolve.” The goddess frowned. “Humanoid? Hominid? I think I’ll use humanoid from now on for this world’s races.”

  Levels and evolutions? They sound like things she should know about. “What else can you tell me about the cards? The whole system is new to me, and I don’t have much information to go on.”

  Saskia tapped a cheek with a finger. “It’s quite simple, but as with any progression system like this, there are many nuances. I’ll give you a brief overview, but the rest you’ll have to learn on your own. Making it through the first few years will be your test, and by then you should have a decent understanding of the world and the card system.”

  Years?! But… “My family. They’ll think I’m missing and worry. My mother and father, sister and brother, and my friends. They’ll probably think I’ve been kidnapped and murdered, and they’ll be devastated. I don’t want them to worry. Can I send them a message?”

  “Out of the question. But it’s all being taken care of. Mau will erase you from their memories and—”

  “No! I mean, please don’t. Can’t you just tell them where I am, and what I’m doing?”

  “Another out of the question, I’m afraid. But perhaps the memory wipe could be less… thorough, and reversible. Would that be sufficient?”

  “Yes, thank you. I want, eventually, to go home someday, and if no one remembered me… I couldn’t bear the thought.”

  Saskia nodded and then held up a hand. She closed her eyes, and her nostrils flared as she sniffed twice. “Time is short,” she said, opening her eyes, which seemed now to be darker. “All right, here’s the deal, Cleo. I’ll give you a brief—a very brief—rundown of how the card system works. And then you’ll have to go. There’s a situation developing that might just be the perfect introduction for you. If they activate their emergency card then… anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the card system.”

  Cleo’s skin tingled with excitement. The goddess had confirmed there was a way back to Earth, and she could one day reunite with her family. Now, all she had to do was stay alive, and absorb as much information as possible. A new world, a new magic system, new races—everything would be new and strange. But she’d managed before when playing games, and many magic systems were ultimately similar when stripped down to their bare bones. Magic!

  She enjoyed the journey, not rushing to the endgame and calling everyone else noobs. Leveling, exploring, finding new abilities and items were what she loved when she played. It was time to put her knowledge and experience to good use. She almost wanted to tell the goddess to skip the introduction so she could experience and learn as she went, but knew that would be foolish and might get her killed.

  “I noticed my card has a legendary item rarity,” Cleo said. “Let’s start there?”

  Saskia nodded in agreement. “Cards range from common to uncommon, rare, exalted, legendary, and unique. You’ll never see a unique card, so don’t get your hopes up. But they are fun, I must say! Next, cards can upgrade their rarity, but you need ten of the exact same cards to merge into one of the next highest rarity.”

  No epic? That’s disappointing, but so far cards don’t seem too different to gaining skills or abilities any other way, like absorbing soul cores, or just having a system allocate them. “So, ten common can become one uncommon.” That was fairly simple. Maybe too simple. “Are you leaving anything out?”

  “Yes! I’m not going to hand-feed you everything. What’s the point of tempering if you’re handed everything on a silver platter? You’d be brittle and break. We need tools that are strong and don’t shatter.”

  So now I’m a tool? I guess from her point of view, I am. Just another tool to use and be disposed of. Well, she’s going to be surprised. I hope.

  “Next,” continued Saskia, “cards have tiers of power, and when they evolve—think of it as the card leveling up—they are more powerful and sometimes have additional abilities. The higher a card’s rarity, the more likely it gains additional abilities.”

  Cleo felt that there was a hint in that statement, though Saskia’s expression never changed. She had a legendary class card, and it was likely to gain a few more abilities than it already had. Neat! “And how do the cards level up?”

  “Evolve. As you gain experience and navigate through difficult situations, the world’s system will keep track of how well you’re doing. Once you meet a certain threshold, your card will evolve.”

  Hmm… “And I take it the higher tier cards have a much higher threshold than lower tiers?”

  “Exactly! You’re learning quickly.”

  “And this system—what is it?”

  “I, what I mean is we, can’t be everywhere at once. On this world, cards and skills, and everything to do with them, are managed by a self-aware entity. It is less rigid than I would like, but it’s what we have to work with.”

  So, a type of artificial intelligence, or a bound entity. Something to think about when she had some time. Could she talk to it? Perhaps gain an advantage by exploiting the rules? “Okay, I think I understand. What’s next?”

  “Card tiers range from S at the top, to A, then B, C, down to F. And similar to your school grades, each tier also has a plus, middle tier, and a minus. Though those levels don’t make a huge difference, there is a difference.”

  Cleo rapidly calculated in her head. “A total of twenty-one levels of card, overall, for each rarity. With five rarities, forgetting unique, that makes one hundred and five different levels of power.”

  “Correct, and incorrect. There’s some overlap, so don’t go thinking an A tier common card is worse than an F tier uncommon. That tip is free! Okay, we need to hurry a bit; time is becoming critical. The moment has arrived for you to absorb your class card.”

  The legendary card squirmed in Cleo’s hand, as if it understood the goddess’s words.

  She gulped, and held her breath, and then tugged the top of her flannel pajamas down and pressed the Legend card to her skin. Nothing happened.

  “Isn’t the card supposed to sink into my skin or something?” Cleo said.

  Saskia snorted. “Just think about absorbing the card.”

  Cleo calmed her mind and did as Saskia said. Absorb? she thought, thinking it might help. This time the card shattered in her hand, dissolving into motes of golden light that sank straight into her chest through her skin. A pressure grew inside her, as if she’d taken a breath slightly too large for her lungs, but when she breathed out the pressure remained.

  And suddenly, in her mind, Cleo saw the card, shining with an intensity that was almost blinding, until the glow dissipated to a mere sheen.

  [Class card activated!]

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “And there’s our friend,” said Saskia dryly.

  [Legend (Legendary) F– tier added to your class/heart slot.]

  [This process is irreversible.]

  [Adjusting for hidden card slot.]

  F minus! thought Cleo. That’s bad, the lowest tier. But that just means more room for improvement! Plus, I really can’t complain about having a legendary class card.

  Legend

  Legendary F– tier

  Class/heart card

  +500% mana

  +10% mana regeneration

  +10% mana reservation efficiency

  +1 card slot (hidden)

  Class titles can be customized.

  [Access to card dashboard granted!]

  Card dashboard

  Total cards: 1 of 8

  Class/heart cards: 1

  Skill/ability cards: 0

  Hidden cards: 0

  Cleo’s legs turned to jelly, and she slowly lowered herself to the floor to sit down, finally dropping the blood-smeared towel beside her. She could do magic! Wait, not yet if she read the notifications correctly. She still needed skill and ability cards.

  “That’s correct,” said Saskia, and Cleo frowned.

  Can she read my mind?

  “Yes, oh, don’t give me that look! Your memories aren’t that exciting. But don’t worry, they will be soon!”

  If I survive.

  “Yes. If you survive. But I’m sure you’ll do your best. And Cleo, do not reveal to anyone the method of how you came to have a card with such potential. We’re trying to hide cards up our sleeves, if you’ll forgive the play on words.”

  “But can I tell people I have a legendary card?” Maybe that’s not a good idea though…

  “As you think, not a good idea. Unless you trust them with your life, and even then, I’d think twice, or four or five times. There are some who would kill for a common class card to improve their lowly existence, let alone a legendary.”

  “Good to know.”

  “That’s why I added the extra card slot, and the option to customize your class title. You’ll need a cover class, and a title to go with it. If anyone could identify you as a legendary class, you wouldn’t last a day. Probably a lot less.” Saskia suddenly hissed in annoyance, and her eyes dimmed until their violet hue was so dark it was almost black. “Almost time. Let’s get a wiggle on.”

  Cleo laughed. Her father used the same expression. The thought of him, wondering why she was missing, possibly grieving her, made her chest ache even more and her eyes water. But he’d understand, she was sure, once she found a cure for herself, returned and told him everything. “I’m ready. What’s next?”

  “You’re not, but I appreciate the enthusiasm. As you’ve noticed, you have no skills or abilities. That isn’t usual for a class card, but that’s another reason for the extra slot.” She made another complicated gesture with her hand, and three more cards materialized in front of Cleo. These three were more subdued in their complexity and colors. One, with reddish-gold edging, stamped with a blue ring outside a complex rune; another had silver filigree with what looked like a scintillant indigo beam descending into a circle; and the third had copper edging with a plain, black circle on a white background.

  “I notice a circle theme,” Cleo said.

  “That’s just a coincidence. Or is it? Ha ha! Now, to business before there’s no time left. Take the rare card. Yes, the one with orichalcum edges, and absorb it.”

  Again, Cleo felt the card tingling when she grabbed it. But, eager to continue, she quickly focused on absorbing the card, which shattered into motes and sank into her skin. This time, the pressure was less, so either she was getting used to the sensation or the strength of the card had something to do with it. She could still feel the pressure in her chest, which had grown slightly.

  “You’ll get used to the sensation, with time,” said Saskia, answering her unspoken question.

  “I’m not playing cards with you,” said Cleo, “for money. Ever.”

  “I’m not offering. Now, please, Cleo, focus.”

  Aura Guardian

  Rare F– tier

  Class card

  1st Ability: Energy Shield – 50% of mana reserved – Aura that grants an energy shield to you and allies.

  Supplementary ability: Retribution – 10% of damage absorbed is unleashed as a wave dealing area of effect damage in a circle around the caster. Void damage.

  2nd Ability: Regeneration – 10% of mana reserved – Regenerates mana and health to you and allies.

  Did the first and second abilities imply that when the card evolved there was a chance a third or even fourth ability could be added? Or more? Maybe. She could only hope.

  Saskia cleared her throat. “Aura Guardian. You said you wanted to help people, and not to die. Here’s your chance. Next card, please.”

  Cleo quickly reached for another card and absorbed it. The pressure in her chest grew again, to the point that it was almost uncomfortable. Again, she barely had to think before the card’s statistics appeared in her mind’s eye.

  Hole

  Common F– tier

  Skill card

  Creates a hole.

  Only works on inanimate objects.

  This card was… basic. Uninformative. “Creates a hole?” said Cleo slowly. “A hole in stuff?”

  “Obviously. I quite like that card. Don’t lose it.”

  That was a hint if ever she’d heard one. “I imagine it would be useful for leatherworking, blacksmithing, and those types of professions. That need to make holes.”

  “Among other things, yes.”

  She was definitely not swapping out this card. Without waiting for Saskia’s prompt, she took hold of the last card and absorbed it.

  Despair

  Uncommon F– tier

  Skill card

  Curses an enemy, causing void damage over time and reducing action speed. Can stack.

  Secondary ability: Curse Strike. Consume curses to inflict void damage. 50% more damage for each curse consumed. Damage is resisted by target’s lowest resistance.

  Okay, so there are resistances here. Good to know. Getting resistance gear or abilities would be a priority. A little damage reduction went a long way.

  “What are the damage types? Are there—”

  Saskia grimaced and hissed in pain. She brought a hand to her head and massaged her temples with thumb and middle finger. For the first time, Cleo noticed the goddess’s nails were painted white.

  “Are you alright?” asked Cleo. What could hurt a goddess?

  “Just holding back time for us. We’re running a little late because you decided to be a legend. Time will tell whether it was worth the hassle. Listen, Cleo, this is the last piece of advice I can give you before you’re on your own. You have to prove yourself. There are no slackers in the fight against the Scourge.” Saskia’s voice took on a hard edge. “By the time you’ve been tempered, there’ll be no slacking, and no weeping, because you’ll have no tears left. You’ll be harder than dragon-forged orichalcum.”

  “Wait, there are dragons?!”

  “That’s not the point I was trying to make! Enough. We have to go. You’ll need some clothes to wear in order to fit in. And something to spend on odds and ends. Head for the Misk’Imas Institution.”

  A finely woven linen dress appeared on the floor in front of Cleo. It looked similar to the sheath dress the goddess wore, but of lesser quality. Gold and reddish-gold-colored beads adorned the bottom hem. Next to the dress appeared two plain gold armbands and a flat, gold neck ornament—collar, or torc—adorned with flat, polished lapis and turquoise, of a style that looked familiar. It took Cleo a moment to recall that the neck collar and dress looked decidedly ancient Egyptian.

  She was certain that Saskia was making fun of Mau’s mistaken identity blunder.

  “Are there shoes? Please.”

  “No.” Saskia Snow-owl clicked her fingers, and Cleo suddenly found her pajamas in her hand and herself clothed in the dress, the bands around her upper arms, and the collar around her neck. It wasn’t a dog or cat collar, but lay flat below her neck where her clavicles were. I’m fairly sure they’re my clavicles. Maybe Saskia could—

  “We’re not having an anatomy lesson, Cleo. Swap your Legend card into your hidden slot, and the Aura Guardian card into your class slot.”

  Cleo thought about enacting the change, and a moment later was rewarded with a notification.

  Card dashboard

  Total cards: 4 of 8

  Class/heart cards: 1

  Skill/ability cards: 2

  Hidden cards: 1

  “Wait, does this mean I have two classes?”

  “No more questions. Now, pull up your class title. You’ll want to get rid of Legend. Aura Guardian is an old class, and might not be recognizable or understood as readily as the modern variants. So, please change your title to just Aura Mage.”

  Cleo licked her lips, which had become dry, along with her mouth. Change title to Aura Mage, she thought.

  Class title: Aura Mage.

  Class title, Legend, hidden.

  Class title, Aura Guardian, hidden.

  “Good. It’s time to go.”

  Cleo looked around, trying to ignore the creeping cold in her stomach and an increasingly parched mouth. It was real. It was happening. “There are no doors. Does that mean…” she gulped with trepidation, “another portal?”

  “No more questions, remember?”

  Cleo nodded, gathering up her fear and misgivings and shoving them down deep inside. She knew the beginning of each journey was the hardest, but she was determined to stay strong, and to do what needed to be done to survive. She just hoped it didn’t involve too many corpses and guts.

  The goddess clicked her fingers again, and the world went white.