*Date: 33,480 First Quarter - Isles of Selqua*
"What? An Academy?" Fox's ears flattened against his head. "You're gonna get him killed. Even before the game freeze law, the Academy was only opened for certain events to players."
"I can pose as his local human mother and get him signed up. No one will know. He could earn numerous titles there," Lyra said, leaning forward with enthusiasm.
Nebu looked between them, confusion evident on his weathered face. "I wasn't interacting with the realm for so long and have no idea what you're talking about. If you guarantee his safety, I give my blessing."
Aris looked at their faces, trying to digest the information being thrown around. Going to a magical academy to learn spells sounded like a great adventure, but spying around was dangerous. One wrong step and he'd die before getting out of the game.
"Look, I need someone I can trust. If you stayed four years near the Arbiter of Luck and didn't reveal a dark secret by chance, it's enough for me to believe you're a good kid."
"Of course Aris is a good kid," Nebu said softly.
"And I am a good person. Trying to save the realm from the hands of tyrants."
"What are you talking about?" Aris asked.
"Ever since the portals closed, up until now, the military was guarding passage and travel inside the realm. But in the Chalice Theocracy, ruler High Priestess Saint Aeloria the White gave all power to the resident Academy's headmaster - Ivory Gate Academy."
"Doesn't seem so interesting to me," Nebu shrugged.
"The High Priestess is only an advisor on the Eleven Kings covenant. Chalice is a small country and a low potential one at that."
"What is a low potential country?" Aris asked.
"Unlike you, we can't grow indefinitely. Each zone has potential modifiers. What your people would call that place a mid-starter zone."
Lyra continued, "Each one in the covenant has at least one city in a high potential zone. She's acting like an independent sovereign. Here she can change realm law about local soldiers keeping the gates. Something doesn't add up. I went there to investigate. They almost killed me."
"And you want to get back there," Fox said flatly.
"I was halfling there. Going there as human, no one would recognize me. It's a mixed country with mostly humans, halflings, and fae."
"Why would you investigate? Who are you?" Aris pressed.
"Concerned citizen. Come with me when I get well. I will show you."
---
Three days later, Lyra walked in human form - she looked mid-thirties, and none of her features resembled any of her previous forms. She approached from the forest along the river to the cabin, where she saw Aris doing yard work.
"What are you doing? Get ready. I booked the ship. Gather your things - we're leaving at midnight."
In just a few days, she'd recovered thanks to Master's healing and potions. She brushed off the deadly beating like it was nothing. Or she was pretending - Aris couldn't tell. Something about her really bugged him, but he had nothing to show for it. Last night when she accessed the system, she showed Aris his screen again, and this time Aris noted everything, including what he didn't understand.
Titles made sense as Lyra explained - it was the only mechanic locals in the World of Aethyros had for developing. Whether job titles or social titles, it was a law of this universe. She explained, "Look, normally locals wouldn't know the mechanics this deeply. But what I discovered is that most locals are born with a max potential to their stats, and developing the same interests, studying, and training helps them reach those max stats."
Aris walked near Lyra, still thinking about the system left in their world. "If studying and training help you reach your potential, how is potential determined?"
"Not question bombardment again. We're leaving in sixteen hours. Pack your stuff. Get ready."
Aris shrugged. "I don't have anything. I entered this world the day of the coup. I have zero belongings. Please answer my questions."
"Potential is like heritage. Your father's strength, your mother's side strength. When a warrior's kid is born, it throws a dice between 60-100 for strength, depending on their birth zone."
"What if a villager's kid is born?"
"Then it's between 1-100 dice. Look, I don't have all the answers. But players had all the potential, and we suffered. The Freeze Law was supposed to equalize the ground, give control back to us, but they just want to take the place of human gods."
"This only gives high-level locals the upper hand."
"That's why founders kept creating wars all the time and giving you guys quests, but—"
"But they came together, eleven races, and made a pact to protect the realm."
"Exactly."
"All right, one last thing. What are NW points, RP points, or Echo?"
Lyra sighed with exhaustion. "You're gonna be like this always. Just follow some commands."
Nebu walked out from the cabin and spoke calmly. "If he wasn't curious or someone who wanted to learn, would you have offered him that job? If he cowered at the first word someone throws at him, would I let him go?"
"You're right, but it's nearly a thousand questions now. NW is Narrative Weight - meaning your reputation. Doing anything in this world gets you points based on effect, your contribution, etc. It's for attaining social titles. If you didn't cultivate an insurgent leader reputation, you can't challenge the city lord. No one would take you seriously."
"How come it's 12 to Local Legend?"
Nebu looked toward Lyra. "I'm assuming because he helped people of Selqua with me?"
"Correct, but it's for this region. Some titles are only won with local NW. But some titles, like being the Emperor of Satar, have weight everywhere."
"Being Local Legend here means only people of this place care, right?"
"Correct."
"Then what is..." His question was interrupted by Fox.
Fox ran up, panting heavily. "Heh... heh... There are two templars from Chalice... heh... asking about a halfling body."
"They came even here? Two days sailing," Lyra said, concern flashing across her face.
"What did you do to them?" Aris asked.
"Nothing! I was just seeking truth!"
"I will come with you to the docks. With me at your side, no one would suspect you. And it will be a good farewell to Aris," Nebu offered.
"I'm coming to Chalice as well. What was the city name where the academy is? Was it Sanctum of the Sea? Stupid name," Fox said.
Lyra crouched down. "Ah, are you worried your master human would get hurt, or are you afraid of being alone?"
"No, I found a job there."
Lyra was still being cute and making fun of Fox. "Yeah, what's the job? Cute lapdog?"
"Being a nuisance at your ass," Fox tried to bite Lyra.
"Get this rabid dog away from me!"
"Fox, please," Aris said.
Nebu was laughing all the way.
---
A few hours later, Aris packed his cloth bag with only one shirt and pants that had been patched from patients' leftover clothing. They stood on the docks at night. The harbor bustled with activity - ships coming and going, seafolk conducting their daily business under lanternlight.
A stranger, a seafolk man kneading a fishing net, called out from afar. "Master Nebu, you're not leaving us, right?"
"No. I am sending my disciple to Ivory Gate Academy."
"Good, good. Young man, come back as a master, all right? Don't leave all responsibility on Master Nebu," the seafolk said to Aris.
Aris politely nodded. Coming back as a master healer and living comfortably in the Selqua islands seemed like a great plan for him. Even though he'd never thought he could be a master and responsible for a whole city, this newly suggested idea took its place in his head.
Even the sadness of leaving made him smile at the possibility.
"Young Aris, you helped me more than you know or realize," Nebu said, his voice thick with emotion.
"No, Master. Without you, I was surely dead. I am alive and I have hope thanks to you."
Nebu looked down, eyes watery. "The curse... the curse put on me by the creators is heavier than you can imagine. Being my disciple, it started affecting you too. For so long I thought I helped those whom I loved, but when my luck runs out, it explodes in their faces."
"Master, no. It's not a curse. I am lucky to meet you and honored to be your disciple."
"Lucky, literally," Lyra joked, and Fox took a nibble at her leg. "Ow! Bad doggy."
Nebu was still looking down, almost crying. "If I didn't meet you that day and you hadn't helped me tirelessly, I don't know what I would have done. Charge release days are awful - be careful. You want to be away from your friends, but right after, you want to be near them."
Nebu took out a satchel and gave it to Aris. "I don't charge people. One boiled potato is enough for me. This is what they left without asking. I didn't spend money in hundreds of years. It's all yours. Survive, get stronger, and live a comfortable life." He leaned into Aris's ear and whispered, "If possible, get out from this world at the first chance."
Aris looked at his master, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you, Master, for all of that."
"You're gonna make me cry as well," Fox said.
With that, they got on their boat to Chalice Theocracy and sailed toward the start of their adventure.
But as the boat pulled away from the dock, Aris couldn't shake the feeling that he was leaving behind more than just his master. He was leaving behind the last remnants of his childhood, the safety of the known, and stepping into a world where the stakes were higher than he could possibly imagine.
The dark water stretched endlessly ahead, and somewhere in that darkness lay the Ivory Gate Academy - and whatever secrets Lyra was determined to uncover.