Chapter 3: Chapter 3- Sa’rk System

The charred skeleton stared blankly at the floating box for a while, unsure of what to do. It knew that floating boxes with words appearing in front of its face was unnatural, but did not know how it should respond. 

‘It’s like some video games. Wait… when did I play a video game? And… who am I?’ it thought. With the thought fresh in its mind, it began to scour its memories to find the gaps. Instead of finding gaps, it found nothing at all. Information, like the fact that it came from a world called ‘Earth’ or the definition of a video game, was left entirely undisturbed. Its old identity and anything concerning it was entirely wiped clean. No memory of its parents’ faces. No memory of its own face. Even the knowledge of its gender was taken; judging the shape of its skeleton, it reasoned that it used to be a man.

While it knew that, normally, most would be panicking over the loss of its identity, it could not muster the concern to care. What interested it most was the floating box in front of it. With an apprehensive gesture, it slid the box to the left. It quickly faded away, being replaced by another box with different words.

[The world of Granulous is governed by the Sa’rk system. The Sa’rk system is made up of one thing: Traits. Traits are physical and spiritual modifications that affect your body and soul. Due to you being of extradimensional origin, you have been given the [Universal Soul Language] and the [Adaptive Physiology] Trait to ensure the proper use of the Sa’rk system. At every level, you may choose one (1) new physical Trait and one (1) new spiritual Trait to put into your body. At  level 1, you are restricted in your choices, but more will be open for you as you level up and as you gather unique experiences. You may also choose to not take a Trait for a level and make your choice once more options become available.]

As it read the ending of the second box, a small box faded into existence below it. 

[Notice: Due to your exceptional deeds, all level locks are removed.]

The skeleton, still smoldering with smoke rising in wisps from its bones, scratched its skull, wondering what ‘exceptional deeds’ it performed. Just as it was about to stop thinking about it, the words of the two divine voices that commentated its rebirth came flooding back. The words of a war, of his unique mana, and of their interest in him quelled any doubt about its ‘exceptional deeds.’ Seeing nothing more to read, however, the skeleton swiped the two boxes to the left with a charred finger. As expected, another box appeared.

[Advanced aspects of the Trait system will be left for you to discover on your own, but the method of obtaining levels is simple: perform feats of great athleticism, scholarship, strength, or other renown, and your level will rise. Additional experience is awarded for battling the Clockwork Menace. The final thing to understand is that the Sa’rk system will display some advanced information on Traits, species, and variants. Note, however, that not all information will be displayed and some things will be left for you to discover on your own.]

The skeleton pondered the words for a moment, letting the information sink in, and swiped the box away. The next box appeared, showing something new.

[Name: (Forgotten)

Species: Lich

Variant: Bargain Lich*

Level: 2 (89%)

Traits: 

Physical: (Free slot) *2

Spiritual (Free slot) *2

Granted Traits: (Universal Soul Language), (Adaptive Physiology)]

The skeleton had many thoughts as it read through its ‘stat page,’ but the first and foremost was the lack of a name. It already knew that it did not know its name, but the fact that the Sa’rk system defined it as ‘Forgotten’ piqued its curiosity. With a thought, the skeleton tried to observe the advanced information about its name, but found it impossible to do so.

It continued trying to find advanced information about its name, but found no success. It then remembered how it only mentioned Traits, species, and variants as valid to find information and skull-palmed. Rolling the green, purple, and black, flames in its eye-sockets, it aimed its focus on its species: Lich.

[Lich: One of the highest forms of undead, only bested out by the archlich, liches are rare and powerful undead. There are many ways of creating or becoming a lich, most of which a result of natural phenomenon, but all of them share the ability to raise the dead as either thralls or intelligent undead and regenerate their bones endlessly. Depending on the lich, one of their fingers will be able to replicate their death and reanimation-type of mana. In addition, liches do not require food or rest, only needing to feed their core mana (classified as ‘thaumavores’). The weakness of these beings is their total inability to utilize blood, flesh, or skin Traits.]

Reading the description, the lich found nothing of use in solving the mystery of its name, so moved on to the next line: its variant.

[Bargain Lich*: While other liches are either born from intense emotions upon death and the soul’s efforts to fulfil those emotions or from the careful, calculated efforts of a talented necromancer, the Bargain Lich gains their immortality through a trade. By bargaining with mana itself, the soul gives up something in exchange for new life and power. In contrast with other liches formed naturally, a Bargain Lich is entirely in control of their emotions and can interact with the living without mental or spiritual inconvenience. The strength of the lich is entirely determined by the amount they give up in their bargain, but as there is only one known Bargain LIch, it is unknown as to how much power is given in relation to the amount of memories taken.

*Due to the fact that you have given every memory of your personality to mana, you are immensely powerful in exchange for having no memory of your life.]

The lich finally had its answer: it had traded its old personality for its current form. Feeling satisfied with the answer, the lich considered the other information in the description. 

‘Hmm… So being a Bargain Lich has no downsides apart from being unable to take physical Traits that affect blood, bone, and skin? That is very helpful, to say the least. So, I can assume that I’m immortal unless killed directly? If so, then that will be fun. I think. For now though I need to come up with a first step, and I think that it will be my Traits. Speaking of, why did I start at level 2? Maybe it’s the fact that I made that mana type? I don’t know. Either way, I should probably figure out what the two given Traits are.’ WIth a thought, the box showing the Lich’s variant disappeared and he pulled the descriptions of its Traits appeared.

[Universal Soul Language: You are able to speak to and understand any sentient being, no matter their intelligence. The effect also applies to writing (being able to subconsciously write in a given language if needed), except in very rare circumstances. (You must be able to fluently speak, read, and write one language to choose this Trait)]

[Adaptive Physiology: You are able to survive in entirely foreign environments, mana being used to fulfil certain, unique requirements. (Examples: arsenic, silicon, trihydrogen nitrogen, etc.)]

Looking over the Traits, the Lich was underwhelmed. The only saving grace was the ability to converse with others of the world and the literacy that came with it. While it was underwhelmed, it still was thankful for not having to take the trait to be able to understand others. It still found no use for [Adaptive Physiology], but it did make the Lich wonder what types of creatures would require trihydrogen nitrogen to survive. While it sullenly thought about its given traits, it dismissed the information window and decided to pull up the physical Traits that were available. 

[Available Physical Traits: [Increased Bone Strength], [Increased Mana-joint Strength], [Increased Marrow Mana Flow], [Increased Individual Bone Strength], [Increased Individual Mana-joint Strength], [Increased Individual Marrow Mana Flow], [Add Manabeast Feature], [Add Non-Manabeast feature], [Add…]

An expansive list of seemingly random Traits were laid out in front of the Lich. Anything from better bones to added limbs to random features to differing pigments of its bones were present. It soon became overwhelming, and the Lich closed the box, banishing it from its sight.

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With a sigh, it pondered some of the options, ‘Hmm… I have a feeling that they can compound on each other. Like, green bones letting me photosynthesize or something. So if I added, say… horns, then I could turn the horns into reproducible bombs or something. It’s just a theory, though, so I don’t know if that’s really how it works, but… who knows. For now, let’s look at the Spiritual Traits.’

[Available Spiritual Traits: [Bigger Eyes], [Mana Eyes], [Heat-sensitive Eyes], [Movement-sensitive Eyes], [Truth-seeing Eyes], [Curse-seeing Eyes], [All-seeing Eyes], [Age-seeing Eyes], [...]

Again a list of random Traits was laid out before the Lich, only changing in its seeming obsession with its eyes. After uttering a sigh, a noise that sounded like a flute played by the wind, it decided to scour the list and find something useful. After a long while of searching, the Lich found four interesting Spiritual Traits.

[Multi-rune Casting: You may now use Runic magic, the art of casting a temporary or permanent spell on a material. You may use mana runes or physical runes, with differing benefits with each choice.]

[Multi-sigil Casting: You may now use Sigil magic, the art of casting complex spells with infinite possibilities. You may use air or a material as a base for your Sigils, with differing benefits with each choice.]

[Mechanical Affinity: Gives a supernatural understanding of machinery and mechanical devices. May be upgraded by using another Trait slot.]

[Chaotic Adept: Gives your mind a chaotic edge that makes your actions unpredictable. May be upgraded by using another Trait slot.]

While the Lich found the last Trait less useful than the others, it found the fact that it could distort its judgement a unique factor in any future decision in its choice of Traits. 

After eliminating the fourth option, it struggled over the three other choices. It could continue looking, but it thought that wasting more time in the menus would not be a good idea. After struggling for a while, it looked around, its gaze landing on the odd metal heaps it had a hunch were the Clockworks, judging by the cogs, gears, springs, and other machinery that spilled from their husks. Without another thought, the Lich took [Multi-rune Casting] and [Mechanical Affinity]. 

As it did so, pain flared in its crystalized soul. It was, comparatively, pathetic. Compared to having its soul falling apart and dying, the pain felt like a pin prick. After a few more minutes of pin pricking pain, the Lich felt like it had an epiphany. The spilled guts of the Clockworks seemed to have an order to them, gears fitting together and possibilities endlessly being born and killed in its mind. 

It was not only the machines, however. The mana around it seemed to be calling to it with soft whispers, calling the Lich to forge runes in blood and mana and create weapons and tools. The Lich brushed the whispers aside, ignoring them. 

Feeling the power that came with the Traits, the Lich set to work searching through the Physical Traits list. In the end, two Traits became immediately desirable with what it had chosen for its spiritual Traits.

[Mechanical Integration: You may now use mechanical devices in your body, integrating them seamlessly with your skeleton. Effects may change with other Traits]

[Minute Skeletal Manipulation: You may now slightly change the form of your bones. From slightly narrowing your rib bones to slightly thickening your spine, minor modifications are possible. May be upgraded once, specializing the Trait by using another Trait slot.]

The Traits were perfect for the Lich. If it was planning on making use of the machines, it may as well make the most of its body in doing so. After picking the Traits, the LIch felt more of the pin pricking on its bones. It was much shorter than the previous selection, but there was a visible change in its bones. The charred coating of its bones fell from it and small, even minute, lines appeared on its bones. They glowed for a moment before turning dark, not changing anymore. Testing [Minute Skeletal Manipulation], a short burst of mana shone from the Lich’s hand as its fingers turned into thin, dull spikes. Shrugging to itself, the Lich used the spikes to scratch its arm to test what would happen if a Trait’s features were disturbed. Unsurprisingly the scratch was healed in moments, not even disturbing the Trait as it did so. 

Satisfied with its new changes, the Lich was about to move on when one more thing tugged on its mind: its name.

‘I traded my old name for a new life, didn’t I? Then, why don’t I just take on a new name?’ it thought to itself. “But what to choose?” it said aloud, its voice a husky, wispy sound. ‘Let’s think… something like Hades is out immediately; I don’t want to be a laughing stock, after all. Something like Hel is out as well. As well as something like Shinigami. And- You know what, no gods as names. Okay, what does that leave me with? I mean, I want something normal, but also speaks to me, as a person and a Lich. Maybe Faust? No, too generic. Hmm… something like… Mori? I mean, I’m no latin linguist, but I know that it means ‘death’ in latin. A bit on the nose, but it’s the best I got. So… am I a guy, girl, or both? Or neither? Hmm… I know I was a guy before… but I don’t remember what it was like. Why don’t I just be a girl from now on? I mean, it’s not like it’s going to affect anything beyond my thoughts, right?’ she thought. “Alright, my new name… I shall be known as Mori! Mori… uh… Athantos!” she called to the sky and the sand, her voice becoming effeminate with every word. With her words, a box from the Sa’rk system appeared in front of her.

[You have chosen a new name, Mori Athantos. Your status page has been updated.]

Just as she was about to check her status page, another box appeared, simply titled ‘Congratulations.’ 

[Congratulations, Mori! You’ve taken your first steps in this world. We up here wish you the best. If you ever want to help us out, then find a Sa’rk shrine! - Sa’ar’kik w/ <3]

Deadpanning for a bit, a difficult expression to make without facial muscles, Mori sighed, “Did she really send it with a heart? What the hell?” she said aloud, looking around once more and back to her status page.

[Name: Mori Athanatos

Species: Lich

Variant: Bargain Lich*

Level: 2 (89%)

Traits: 

Physical: (Mechanical Integration), (Minute Skeletal Manipulation)

Spiritual (Multi-rune Casting), (Mechanical Affinity)

Granted Traits: (Universal Soul Language), (Adaptive Physiology)]

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