It had been over 4 days since John, now Shada, had been ‘reborn’ and introduced to the world of Sierrallas. He spent his days watching his future mother Shinobin work at a local healing clinic. She spent her evenings in the combination herbalist workroom and greenhouse attached to the cottage. Shada Cultivated while she slept or was perhaps Cultivating herself it was hard to tell.

  He didn't get many opportunities to talk with grandmother Vanestra. Shinobin seemed to be focused on staying busy in order to avoid thinking about being pregnant with a Half-elf. Shada learned this from a brief conversation he had managed to squeeze in with grandmother Vanestra.

  It was during his mother's morning routine one morning that he got a surprise from his Guide. His Split Mind and Spirit Walking Skills had advanced to level 6. It took him a while to figure out why, but it was obvious in hindsight. The Skills were always on. He came into existence on Sierrallas with them active and was scared to try and deactivate them. He didn't know how they were staying active without having to pay an ongoing Essence cost, but they were. Was that why he didn't have any passive Essence regeneration or was he leeching off Shinobin? Shada promised himself to figure it out in time.

  It was ironic that, when exploring his new Skill levels, he got an answer to his question about Skill maintenance cost. It was a few hours after learning about the Skills that he discovered he had one more Essence than he should have. He queried the Guide and learned that Skill growth increased Essence use efficiency and going from level 5-6 had made enough difference that he was no longer using more Essence than he could regenerate passively.

  Based on his Guide research; passive Essence regeneration was highly variable and was strongly dependent on ambient Essence levels. However, there were dozens of other variables like the Attunements of ambient Essence, his Cultivation level, Spirit and Magic Stats, and even his connection to something called the Etheric Plane. So Shada wasn't able to find out the exact formula for passive Essence regeneration, but did discover that his Skills like Split Mind, Spirit Walking, Polyglotism, Essence Perception, Map, and Timekeeping all had passive effects eating away at his regeneration. He was surprised that his regeneration was keeping up with the current load after his research. He did figure out how to turn off the Map and Timekeeping passive upkeep, but the draw was currently minimal.

  Learning more about his Skills was important, but his new Skill levels came with one much more important benefit. He could temporarily extend his tether much further than before. This allowed him to explore the cottage and surrounding gardens for a few minutes at a time. It cost a low amount of Essence to extend his range, but was worth it to have more freedom of movement.

  —

  Feeling silly and slightly giddy from being able to move more, Shada popped into the main room, where grandmother Vanestra could be found most mornings, while Shinobin finished her morning ablutions.

  “Hey Grandma! Look what I can do!” Shada projected excitedly while buzzing around the room like a kid on a sugar rush.

  “I am guessing one of your Skills leveled?” Vanestra looked bemused and slightly annoyed at the excited Spirit.

  “Yep, Spirit Walking and Split Mind. You have no idea how happy I am to be able to get away from Shinobin for a little bit. No one should have to be stuck next to someone using the toilet day after day. I can't close my non-existent eyes without Cultivating and my spirit's vision is way too detailed. I have seen things. I have heard things. Things no future child should know about his mother. I had to use Cultivation to give her privacy a few times!” Shada explained while coming down from the high of more freedom.

  “Well this presents an opportunity. You are from an Unawakened world right? No magic at all? I can't imagine such a world, but that means you are completely ignorant of this world, it's magic, and it's System. You are also incredibly, insanely defenseless right now.” Vanestra explained. Something about the look she gave Shada was disconcerting. It looked like a predator spotting her prey. “So starting tomorrow your grandfather and I will be giving you lessons when Shinobin is home, but otherwise occupied.”

  Vanestra’s excitement at the prospect of ‘lessons’ concerned Shada. He loved to learn new things, but he had this sense that he was in for a form of educational boot camp.

  Their conversation continued for a few more minutes as Vanestra interrogated Shada about his education, Skills and Stats, and so forth. Shada felt mentally tired for the first time since arriving on Sierrallas.

  It turned out that in the world of the System that people took education and training very seriously according to Vanestra. There was talk of lesson plans, ways to give him access to books, and talk of Essence training techniques. It was exciting, but the manic light in Vanestra's eyes scared Shada.

  “First thing you need to focus on is developing a couple of foundational Skills. I would recommend Essence Manipulation and Psychokinesis. You don't need the basic Essence Sense that most people develop since you have that excessively powerful Essence Perception Skill. I admit to being a little jealous. You have no idea how hard that Skill is to develop.” Vanestra’s spirit voice sounded slightly exasperated at the end.

  “What will those Skills do for me in this form?” Shada asked curiously.

  “Essence Manipulation is a precursor needed for the development of the Essence Shaping Skill and several others. It will allow you to consciously move Essence around. It is a key Skill for activating enchantments and artefacts. Now Essence Shaping is normally an advanced technique used for silent spell casting, but since you can neither speak nor gesture you can't learn the somatic casting method.” Vanestra began to go into lecture mode.

  “So is it like learning to draw or write with Essence?” Shada enquired.

  “It is, but I am surprised you made the connection so quickly. Essence Shaping does in fact allow you to draw out the words and ritual circles to communicate your intent to the ambient Essence in order to cast Spells. How did you figure that out so quickly?” Vanestra responded.

  “Fiction. My world has an extension collection of fantasy fiction involving the use of magic. Different casting methods crop up throughout such works. So it was easy to infer the connections.” Shada explained.

  “Interesting I would like to hear more at some other time. Maybe an idea from your fiction could be useful. Anyhow, as I was saying Essence Manipulation leads to Essence Shaping, which in turn leads to Silent Spell Casting. Once you can cast there are innumerable Spells you can learn. The Guide will even give you a rapid casting Spell list you can populate with go to Spells you want to be able to cast with Guide assistance.” Vanestra said continuing the impromptu lesson.

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  “That seems extremely useful. I would dream of being able to cast magic as a child. Most kids in my world did.” Shada told Vanestra wistfully.

  “It is the same here to a point. Anyhow, moving on the Psychokinesis Skill is an incredibly versatile and generalized version of the more common Kinetic line of Skills and Spells like Telekinesis. It will let you touch, move, and otherwise interact with physical matter and energies using Essence and intention. To be blunt it will give ‘mental’ hands. You currently have little agency on the Material Plane as you are now Shada. This will help fix that.” Vanestra explained, not unkindly. She sympathized with the inconvenience of Shada’s current form.

  “Where do we begin?” Shada asked. He desperately wanted to have more agency in his new life. In some ways he was more limited than when bedridden in the hospital before his death.

  “Where all things begin. The Cultivation Skill. I will give you known techniques for developing the Skills you need. You will practice them using Cultivation and Essence Perception as your guides. I am fascinated to learn how quickly you can acquire them with your advantages.” Vanestra's evil task mistress look was back on her face as she said that.

  “Won't people notice me practicing? Won't it disturb the Ambient Essence?” Shada was afraid of being noticed after Vanestra’s many warnings.

  “Unlikely, most people are not very sensitive to Essence and have to actively focus on their Essence Sensing Skills to pick up anything. That being said Shinobin would notice, but one of the trinkets I gave her makes her particularly oblivious to you and your Essence.” Vanestra reassured Shada's worries.

  Vanestra went on to explain the necessary techniques for using Cultivation and Essence Perception to acquire Psychokinesis and Essence Manipulation. However, she wasn't able to get beyond the basics before he needed to return to Shinobin's side to avoid Essence depletion.

  —

  Later that day Shada got another lesson from Vanestra and learned that the Goddess had been kinder than he expected.

  “Shada, the first thing you need to know is that everything has a cost. This is especially true when dealing with magic, gods, and the System. The Goddess, in her infinite wisdom, gave you more than I think you realize.” Vanestra took an unnecessary breath, considering she was speaking via Spirit Speech.

  “Awakening your Essence is not free, Skills are not free, Stats are not free, and even Traits are not free. Each and every one of those things cost time, Essence, hard work, and other more exotic resources to unlock and develop. You were handed a king’s ransom in gifts, but were left completely vulnerable and ignorant of their use.” Vanestra shook her head in exasperation.

  “On the bright Sierra, praise be her name, placed you in probably one of the best situations to ensure you were safe and cared for. Though Zandy, your grandfather, and I are old and retired we were once feared and respected in our fields of expertise. There are few better teachers and protectors to be found than us.” Vanestra explained to a sombre Shada.

  “What fields or specialities are you talking about? I assume something to do with magic, but my Analyze Skill provides pretty limited information about people right now.” Shada asked curiously.

  Vanestra smiled with pride. “My Path is Spirit and Mind focused, I am a high level Divination Witch, and a professional Warder with an emphasis on anti-divination and cloaking work. I am also a fair hand at enchantments and minor artefact creation. Ironic no?” She smiled.

  “That sounds just like what someone like me would need to stay hidden, honestly. I am guessing my choice of family was not random.” Shada replied as he contemplated the depth of the Goddess Sierra’s planning.

  “What about Alezandros?” Shada asked.

  “Normally I would let him tell you, but our time is limited right now. He is more formally known as Archmage Alezandros Intarius Aseralis, former headmaster of the Imperial Academy of Magic for the Eastern Imperium. His Path is Magic focused, he is an Arcane Wizard of high level, and a Magic Teacher. I won't bore you with all the titles and professional accolades we have between us.” Vanestra laughed. “We met when I was an adjunct professor at the Academy a couple hundred years ago. So the Goddess put you in the household of two living legends in the realms of Magic and Spirit. If that wasn't deliberate I would eat my knitting needles.” She projected in wry amusement.

  Shada was somewhat stunned that his new grandparents were such august personages. He didn't know what Archmage or the rest meant here, but he could understand that they were powerful and important people. The Goddess seemed to have planned his arrival quite carefully. It seemed excessive considering the simplicity of his quest. It worried him that the Goddess might have other plans for him he was ignorant of.

  “What about Shinobin? I thought she was just a healer and herbalist.” Shada asked.

  “She is technically. More formally she walks the Verdant Path; it is a bit of a hybrid path as it focuses on Vitality from the Body paths and communing with nature from the Spirit paths. Her class is called Verdant Healer and her profession is Verdant Herbalist. She is one of the most powerful Healers in the area that isn't a high cleric. Her herbs are known for their potency throughout the region.” Vanestra explained.

  “If she is so powerful, why is she working at a clinic?” Shada asked.

  “Shada dear, it is one of 5 clinics that Shinobin owns in the city of Westlin. She doesn't just work there; she owns the whole thing. She will rotate through the other clinics periodically or be called in for important cases. Every sixth day she serves as the head healer at the dungeon clinic!” Vanestra exclaimed emphatically.

  “I see, I didn't realize. That would explain why Besta is so subservient around her. Between the three of you there is expertise in all, but the Social Paths.” Shada said while pondering the setup the Goddess placed him in.

  “Shada, your ignorance of our world is showing. Your father is a Wyld Elf of fae descent. His people are famed wanderers, minstrels, and bards. I know not his details, but I would imagine he will be a more than adequate teacher. The question is why you might need teachers for all Five Prime Paths.” Vanestra replied, somehow conveying a contemplative tone via Spirit Speech.

  Shada wondered the same thing himself. The Goddess's generosity seemed excessive for the price asked. Then a question occurred to him as he reviewed his Contract. In particular the section about interacting with more System infrastructure after visiting a Shrine.

  “Grandmother, what do you know about what counts as System infrastructure?” Shada asked Vanestra.

  “Most of it has been non-functional or severely limited since the Guideless Day. Why do you ask?” Vanestra replied.

  “My Contract with the Goddess Sierra requires me to visit a System Shrine to start the repair process, but that I can speed it up by visiting more and varied types of System infrastructure.” Shada explained.

  “There are any number of things that could be called System Infrastructure. There are Shrines, Temples, Obelisks, Portals, Dungeon Hearts, Glade Stones, and many others.” Vanestra told Shada.

  “Are Dungeon Hearts a crystalline core found at the bottom of the place where monsters form?” Shada hoped he was wrong.

  “Of course, another thing from your fiction?” Vanestra asked.

  Shada sent the equivalent of a nod. “There are monsters on Sierrallas? He asked tentatively.

  “Again, of course there are. Beasts and Monsters are the inevitable result of concentrations of certain Essence types in the environment.” Vanestra explained in her teaching ‘voice’.

  “What are Glade Stones? What are Beasts beyond animals?” For the first time Spirit Speech didn't seem to be conveying meaning properly. To Shada, a beast was any animal, but the impression he got didn't match the word he ‘heard’.

  Vanestra looked confused before making a realization. “Glade Stones are like Dungeon Hearts except for places where magical Beasts form. In a way they are opposites. Beasts are magical, but no more aggressive than most animals. However, monsters are excessively aggressive to the point of insanity. They are creatures that are in fact mutated and driven insane by Essence. Why do you think the walls are so high and thick around here? It is to protect from those creatures that wander too close to where people live, Shada.” Vanestra's explanation left Shada with a lot to think about.

  Was he going to be asked to enter monster filled Dungeons and explore beast filled Glades to interact with their cores? How had they been affected by the System’s issues? Shada didn't know. There were so many things he had to learn in order to adapt to this new world. He felt almost overwhelmed by ignorance, but excited to learn new things albeit in the muted way of his Spirit form.