Coyote sat on the dusty chair as the old man lit an oil lamp, the room's shadows retreating just enough to reveal cobwebs, ancient shelves, and scrolls wrapped in faded red twine.
Gandalf stood by the window, brushing cobwebs from a cracked frame. "You asked what a Catalyst is. Let me give you the full tale."
He turned, eyes gleaming beneath weathered brows. "Catalysts are born — not made. But their awakening depends on two things: an emotional trigger… and a personal relic, an item woven deep into their spirit."
Coyote instinctively touched the still-warm pendant around his neck.
"There are three main paths a Catalyst may walk," Gandalf continued, raising three fingers.
"Soldier. Nurse. Trickster."
"Each path reflects your nature — who you are inside. You don't get to choose it. It chooses you. And once chosen, you must master it, tier by tier."
He walked over to a chalkboard, drew three columns with symbols beside each.
---
Soldier
→ The vanguard. Fighters, protectors, warriors of brute force.
Tier 1 abilities:
Super Strength
Super Speed
---
Nurse
→ The menders. Kind hearts, burdened souls, protectors of life.
Tier 1 abilities:
Wound Healing (others)
Regeneration (self)
---
Trickster
→ The unpredictable. Clever minds, wild spirits. Masters of mischief and time.
Tier 1 abilities:
Phantom Swap – Swap positions with someone mid-motion.
Tempo Theft – Steal a few seconds of a person's awareness, making them slow while you move freely.
---
"There are seven tiers," Gandalf said, voice low now. "Most never pass Tier Three. Tier Five is Legendary And anything beyond that is Beyond human. "Tier 6 And Tier 7" He paused. "That's the Legend . That's the realm of gods."
He turned to Coyote and smiled. "You, my boy, are no ordinary Catalyst. I felt it when I saw you. Your eyes… they've seen another world, haven't they?"
Coyote didn't answer. He wasn't sure how.
Gandalf dusted off the table, pulled up a second chair, and sat. "Well then. Let's find out which path fate carved for you."
The old lamp flickered.