Chapter 2 Choices

  “Now, this world im reincarnating you on, strength is a quantifiable number, you can see your progress and will be assigned a ‘class’ where youll have specialties.”

  She opens her hand and seven small tablets float towards me, and orbit in a slow, lazy circle.

  “You have seven options, six real options and… one more obscure one. Your choices are, warrior, thief, mage, arcanist, ranger and priest. The last one… is something I've been told to keep in. It's the pathless choice, you'll have severe penalties to your growth early on but you won't be constrained to one set of skills, meaning you could use magic and a blade just as good as either class, though stat wise you'll be a bit weaker than any true class. A jack of all trades if you will.”

  I think for a minute, the tablets continuing their orbit as I ponder. I KNOW that I want magic, that's non negotiable, but I also want to live. I want to learn how to swing a sword, to shoot a bow, to do everything I was denied.

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  “Seems like you've made your choice then. Now, I'm allowed to give you one answer to any reasonable question before you make your body and choices.”

  I ponder this. Any question? Well… theres one thats burning bright, what is magic?

  “Magic… its in the air, its part of reality in higher dimensions and its true nature… is the ability to manifest your will into reality.”

  She flicks a finger and a small flame appears where she aimed.

  “Since you've chosen a pathless approach, the world will listen to you without chants needed, they do help, but if you would focus, you could create a fireball with only your will. Now, time for my question. What will you do with this second chance? Be a hero? A villain? Live a cushy life?”

  I shake my head, or what i think is my head no. I want to LIVE, I want to be free, I want to do everything I was denied.

  She laughs a bit, the sound echoing across the void like a warm summer day.

  “How interesting. Well, ill be rooting for you, if your soul maintains that philosophy then im sure ill see you up here in 1000 years.” She winks at me.

  “Now, I'd best be off, im a busy god after all, oh yeah, before I forget…” she grabs something I cant see and pushes it into my chest.

  “This is your system, it will tell you your stats and such when you're alive again.”

  She waves goodbye before fading from my sight. “Good luck…” the sound is carried from the void and I'm sucked into a room that feels like a command center.