Kael woke early, the village still wrapped in morning mist. His breath came out in faint clouds as he sat on the wooden stoop of his borrowed hut and opened his interface.
It was time to review his progress.
---
Name: Kael
Level: 25
Strength: 30
Intelligence: 100
Dexterity: 25
Perception: 45
Endurance: 24
Willpower: 45
Skills:
Minor Teleport (Novice)
Omni-Vision (Novice)
Available Stat Points: 0
---
He blinked.
A new line pulsed faintly at the bottom of the interface, almost like it had been hidden until now.
[System-Generated Quests: Inactive]
[Activate? Y/N]
Kael frowned, the soft golden light of the text reflected in his eyes. Had it always been there? Or had it only appeared after he hit a certain level—or stat?
He hesitated, then mentally confirmed. Yes.
Nothing happened at first, but the option faded from view, replaced by a blank space labeled: [No active quests]
He'd wait. Something would come.
For now, he focused on his skill.
He spent the morning tossing leaves and twigs into the air, teleporting them in rapid succession. Not just moving them around—he tried cutting them in mid-flight. Focusing on the object's edges. Its boundaries.
And something clicked.
He didn't have to teleport the whole object.
He could teleport part of it.
A curled corner of a leaf vanished and reappeared nearby. A small slice of a twig blinked to the side, separating from the whole. His breath caught as he did it again and again, precision sharpening with each attempt.
His interface pinged softly.
[Minor Teleport: Beginner Stage Unlocked]
He grinned.
Later that day, Balen called him over while chopping firewood. "I figured you might want to know," he said between swings, "we get a traveling trader every six months or so."
Kael's ears perked up.
"He deals in maps, potions, charms—information. Last came through three months ago."
Kael nodded slowly. "So in about three months…"
"You could go with him," Balen said. "It'd be a safer way to reach a city than wandering blind. He trades with a dozen towns and always has guards."
Kael looked past the village, toward the distant hills.
Three months to prepare. Three months to grow stronger. To test his new abilities. To understand more.