Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Journey Begins

I pressed the button as instructed. Another blinding white light engulfed me for a short moment. A slight warm, fuzzy feeling coursed through my body. Don't know how else to describe it. I guess the best analogy would be the relief you feel whenever you finish an exam, and you know that you at least didn't fail. I looked at my hands. They seemed the same. Then my eyes met with Govessa's.

"Congratulations! You are now officially a Martial Artist! How do you feel?"

I turned my hands over and looked at the back of my fingers. "The same, honestly."

"That's because you don't know what you're capable of now." Govessa flicked her wrist and the screen with the info on the Martial Artist class switched to another table. But instead of stats it had a list of what appeared to be... special moves? Spells? "This is everyone's favorite part," the goddess said with another coy smile. "Go ahead and pick your first Spell."

The list was long and comprehensive. But towards the top of the screen, a specific bit of information caught my eye.

(Element: Electricity)

"My Element is Electricity?" I asked the goddess. I certainly don't remember picking that.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that part. Some people in Sianka are naturally born with an attunement to an element. I'd say roughly about one in seven. But with some heavy Neuro-Magical augmentation, all Champions that are summoned are guaranteed to get one. Only downside is that you don't get to pick it."

I shrugged my shoulders. Electricity isn't a bad choice. Would have preferred rock or something, but I really can't complain about having superpowers, can I? Not to mention that at least I didn't get fire. Would have been a bit unoriginal to be a martial artist with fire powers, like eighty percent of all fighting game characters.

"That would have been a nice bit of information to know before I picked my class," I said jokingly. Deep down though, no Element would have been able to convince to choose something else.

"It's a kink we have with our System. We only get to see your Element on your Spell Tree. So, I don't bother telling most of my Champions about it too soon." She took her eyes off me and stared at my Spell Tree. There were a lot of options to pick from in a plethora of categories. Offense... Defense... Passives... I mulled over the plethora of choices for a long time and from the corner of my eye I could see Govessa starting to look concerned.

"Could I get some help?" I asked after turning to her. She gave me a polite nod in response.

"Of course! What do you need assistance with?"

"I don't know where to begin. This whole Spell Tree thing is overwhelming."

She reached down at patted me on my head. I wanted to say something, but I thought it would be best not to tick off the all-powerful deity that can transport my conscience between universes. Govessa then focused on the [Offense] section of the table. "I'd suggest picking a basic attack spell from here first. That way you can get a grip on how magic works in this world. I think it's a bit easier to understand when to use an offensive spell then trying to get the proper timing down for a [Defensive] or [Passive] spell."

Sounds about right. I am a Martial Artist after all. Dealing damage is what I'm all about. My eyes scanned the list, reading the short description that accompanied each option. One attack in particular caught my eye.

[Volt Channel]

Send an electric wave of power through the ground. Deals damage to enemies struck along with a chance to paralyze. [Mana Cost] of 2.

A projectile? I can work with that. Use punches and kicks up close. Save [Volt Channel] for foes that are trying to get away. Maybe even use it as the opening of a sneak attack. And the chance of paralysis is the icing on top. I think it's the perfect choice for a beginner.

"I want that one," I said as I moved my finger in close to the spell. I tap it, and the [Confirm] button pops up again.

"That's a solid choice!" Govessa replied. "Once you press that button, I'll send you to a Realm where you'll begin your adventure."

That soon? I'm eager to try out my new powers, but at the same time there's this lingering feeling of dread in my gut. Going into an unknown world is daunting, especially when that world requires you to have superhero-esque abilities just to survive. "Are you going to guide me through my journey?" I ask the goddess hesitantly.

"I would never abandon one of my Champions!" she replied with enthusiasm. "That's something Zahnte would do. But since I am the one that summoned you here, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are able to succeed to your fullest protentional."

That was comforting. Somewhat. I'll sleep better knowing that I've got a goddess on my side.

"But..."

Right. There's always a "but." Don't know why I thought any different.

"I do have many other Champions roaming Sianka. I can't neglect them either. You'll have to fare on your own, but you can still get in touch with me by using this." Govessa extended a closed hand, letting it linger in front of my face. She then opened it, revealing a small blue stone attached to a plain silver chain.

"What is it?" I asked as I took the necklace from her hand. I dangled it in front of my face and focused on the stone. Looked pretty unremarkable to me. Reminded me of something you'd buy for a few cents in a bin from an arts and crafts store.

"It's a Tella Stone. It will allow you to talk to me if you channel your [Mana] into it. It will cost one point for roughly three minutes, so make sure you know exactly what you want to talk about."

"How do I activate it?" I tapped the stone a couple of times and a hologram-like image showed up in front of me. Like a video call, I could see Govessa's face hovering in front of me while the actual Govessa stood right next to her image.

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"Like that," both versions of the goddess said simultaneously. I tapped the stone twice again with the intention of deactivating the call. The hovering screen disappeared, leaving only the real Govessa to smile back at me.

I put the chain around my neck and stuffed the stone underneath my top, hiding it from view. Govessa waved her hands again, this time summoning another carousel of options. Each panel showed off a different location. The goddess took her hand and slowly scrolled the options as she tapped her chin.

"Do I get to choose where I want to start off?" I asked.

"Not this time. I know more about Sianka than you do. I don't want you heading to a Realm under Zahnte's control or one that has high-level monsters. Nothing sadder than seeing a new Champion get cut down before they have a chance to reach their potential." She skimmed past a few more options before stopping in front an image of a lush green forest. "Don't worry, I'll put you some place with a moderate climate."

Nice weather is appreciated, but I'm more concerned about living to see another day. I've already died once. Not trying to die twice within a twenty-four hour period. "You'll be dropping me off in one of your territories, I assume? You don't want me going in to liberate some of the areas under your enemy's control?"

Govessa's smile inverted. She looked straight ahead into space as she contemplated my question. Looks like I made her recall some tough memories.

"No. Zahnte is a brutal god. During Sianka's infancy, we had our differences in opinion, but we got along. I viewed the people of the world as their own entities, able to govern themselves. Zahnte took a stricter approach. He said that the population needed proper leadership in order for them to prosper. Unable to come to a consensus on how to handle the inhabitants of Sianka, we decided to reign over separate sections of the world.

There was peace. At first. But Zahnte wasn't satisfied with what he had. His lust for power made him convince his territories to wage war on my own. We've been fighting for centuries, but it seems that the tides are finally shifting towards Zahnte's favor."

Great. Another essential bit of detail that was kept from me. Now I'm fighting on the losing side.

"He was stern early on. But the closer he gets to taking over all of Sianka, the more brutal he's become. His loving but stern mindset shifted into one of pure brutality."

Wow. Really should have asked what I was going up against sooner. But I kept my thoughts to myself. Just nodded my head and made it seem like I was listening.

"He even chooses his Champions with his corrupt ideologies in mind. Only the most savage and wicked from Earth are selected by him. Not to mention the horrid punishments he imposes for those that fail."

I shuddered. Govessa may have her quirks, but if whatever she says about this Zahnte guy is true, then it seems like I got a pretty good deal. The goddess turned quite for a moment as she angled her head down to the side, looking sorrowful. I walked closer to her and looked up at her and gave Govessa the most serious face I could muster. Then I punched my palm with my fist.

"I'll fight until my last breath, Govessa," I said with conviction. And I meant it. Hearing about Zahnte and his Champions only made me angrier. I thought about that poor girl on my campus and those goons that killed me in the alley. Fighting for Govessa is going to be the closest thing I'll ever have to getting revenge. It might not be on the very same crooks that took me out, but they'll be just as deserving.

"Thank you, Adrien." Her smile came back. "Finding Champions with your level of honor is getting rarer and rarer. That's another reason why it is best for you to start in one of the Realms under my control. That way you can level up safely and take on more dangerous areas when you're ready." Govessa stepped aside and pointed to the image of the forest again. She snapped her fingers and the picture started to move. The trees swayed back and forth like a gentle breeze was passing through.

"This is my destination?" I asked. As I walked closer, I could feel the rush of cool air push my hair and gi back. The sweet scent of nature went straight into my nostrils.

"Yes. In the outskirts of Tuanha village. It's still safe under my jurisdiction, but there have been sightings of malicious entities in the area."

"Malicious entities?" Not too fond of that term. Definitely sounds like something that I don't want to deal with.

"Livestock has been found slain just beyond the village's perimeter. Whether it is the fault of Zahnte's forces, monsters or all-around nefarious people remains to be seen. But other than that, it's a great place for you to get started."

I sighed. I'll have to take her word for it, I suppose. But there was a deep feeling in my gut that told me there was a lot more to the story that even Govessa didn't know. There was a bit of hesitation on my end. I looked through the portal without fully putting myself through. Beyond the thin trees I could see the silhouettes of some small buildings in front of the long, green and hilly horizon.

"That portal won't stay open forever," Govessa said with a giggle.

"You're kicking me out, huh?" I asked, turning my head to face her.

"All Champions have to start their adventure eventually. Besides, you can always call me whenever you need help. And if you have enough [Mana] to spare."

I remember my parents crying when I got on the bus to go out of city for college. And now here I am with a goddess essentially shooing me out of her sanctuary. Sure have grown up fast.

"Okay. I'll be on my way then." I put one foot through the portal. The soft grass of the forest floor was a sharp contrast to the stone flooring. Halfway through, I turned around. I could see Govessa waving at me. I waved back before putting my other foot through. Once my entire body was out, I watched the portal slowly shrink.

"I'll call you later this evening to see if you're still alive!" the goddess said as the door between her sanctuary and whatever this place was reduced to the size of her head. "When your Tella Stone glows, just tap it twice!" Once she finished her sentence, the portal disappeared.

I was surrounded by trees. The air was warm. Sun over in the distance. Must have been morning. The sound of wind rustling leaves was all I could hear. I stretched my arms above my hand and stared towards the small village in the distance.

Better start walking.

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