Rise of the Archmage Alister

“Around two-thousand years ago, well after The Fall, there was another event which changed the world irrevocably,” Jacob explained again, “One which mages much prefer talking about…” He looked to Ode, who grinned in response, and continued, “2,301PF, and things had, for the most part, calmed. Two thousand years is a long time, so, though history remembered The Fall, and cults still existed in spatterings, society was no longer hanging on by a thread. Without much warning-”

Ode piped up, “Well there are some notes suggesting there was a little warning, actually. Fluctuations in atmospheric mana at the time.”

Jacob rolled his eyes, “Yes. Fine. Some warning. But most people were really caught off guard. Either way, they couldn’t have known what was coming next. A great shimmering rippled across the sky and waters of the world. It was said that the surface of the ocean, as well as the sky, looked as though they were made of living and everchanging white opal.”

“It lasted for three whole days,” Ode continued for him, “and no one could figure out what was going on. It caused great panic. Rioting in cities caused huge fires. All sorts of things… like startled sheep, people didn’t know what to do. It seemed to be all over the place, however. Every source of water was tainted with opal colors. You couldn’t avoid it.”

Jacob nodded, “And once it was over and done with, the opal color left. The sky and waters returned to their normal state. Everything was quiet for a long, tense four more days. Just as the panic had a chance to calm, the second stage of the Opal Void started. It seemed a system was set in place. A voice could be heard in the minds of every single sentient creature. When asked what language they spoke, it was always of their native tongue. This ‘Great Speech’ occurred, telling every person of the ‘System’ that they had been blessed with. We don’t know what this speech looked like. Records show it was some sort of explanation, but a game of whispers after two-thousand years is bound to lose most of its meaning.”

He readjusted himself, uncomfortable on the floor, “The Opal System… ah… well, it’s not something you talk to kids about. Traditionally, you wait until the child is at least ten, preferably a teen. Once the child has killed something… significant… the ‘OS’ unlocks. It is a series of window panes that give information on your current ‘status’ and gives access to strange abilities that are neither Magic nor Holy. The Opal abilities are strange and confusing. They give people access to ‘levels’ of power, and the more that you practice with your abilities, the higher your level grows. The higher your level, the more powerful you generally are. The other thing is ‘skills’ which are as they sound, but in the system, they are given titles and solid descriptions. Someone might have a skill for… oh, I don’t know. Needlework. It would be odd, but many commoners have skills that reflect their everyday lives. I have swordsmanship as a skill, for instance. That’s the basic explanation… though it’s still incredibly longwinded… Honestly, scholars spend decades working on studying the OS. Alister…? Are you alright?”

Alister had heard every word the two tutors said. Every word burned itself into his mind. His expression must have looked twisted with emotional turmoil, though. Miss Ode and Sir Jacob looked so concerned for him. He shook his head, voice quiet, “Who… who did this? Who could have set something like that up? A cabal of outer gods? A… a joint effort of the most powerful deities? Maybe those eldritch things you spoke of could have done something like this?”

“Aaaand you broke him,” Ode huffed.

Jacob gave her a glare and put a hand on Alister’s shoulder, “No one knows who did so. All of the gods have refuted that they were involved. It shows no preference to the eldritch, either, so I doubt it was some deity of theirs. Most people just consider it a blessing of the universe, and try not to think about it too hard.”

“I need to unlock the system,” Alister mumbled, stunned numb. He cupped a hand over his mouth in thought, staring intensely at the flooring, “This is… this should be impossible. The laws of reality before never allowed for such things. The Fall… The Opal Void… How did humanity even survive?

Ode shrugged, “I think you’re a bit dramatic about it. Honestly, it doesn’t sound too complicated for something like a grand deity or whatever.”

“No. You don’t understand how complex that would have been to achieve. I don’t care if five, ten, or even twenty thousand years pass. That isn’t possible. Are the other races still around?” he already knew the answer. Elves and all that still existed. Oh, gods, he felt nauseous.

Ode sighed, “Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t understand. The divine are strange and unknowable. Anyway, of course the other races are. Entire species of people don’t just die out that easily. Elves are still stuck up bastards. Dwarves are still full of themselves. Beastfolk are still practically useless to talk to.”

“Ode you’re going to make him think you’ve got no redeeming qualities.”

“Rude. Ugh, fine. Yes the other races are still around. You’d see them often in the capital. I’m not very fond of most other races, personally, but… that’s just… ehh,” she looked uncomfortable, “I have a shitty history with them.”

“Thank you. Alister, are you going to be alright?” Jacob squeezed his shoulder, “I don’t want you doing something rash.”

Alister bit his lip hard enough it left indents in his skin, focusing on the pain to bring him back to reality, “Sorry. I can’t… fathom what all this means. The world has completely changed from when I was alive in the past. I need some time to process everything.” He stood, gently removing his hand from his shoulder, “Let’s end lessons here for today. It was… short… but I need time. I… yeah. I need time.”

He left the room before the tutors could give much more than soft affirmatives. They looked concerned for him, and Ode still looked slightly annoyed.

Ode folded her arms and moved back over to futz with the practice weapons Jacob had brought along, “He’s going to go do something brash.”

“Yeah. I know. He’s still got a higher ranking than us, though. We can’t exactly tell him no.”

“I hate kids.”

“I know.”

“But he’s not half bad. He doesn’t really act like a kid. I’m pissed. I wanted a chance to teach him today.”

Jacob chuckled, “We should at least tell his Father what happened. Duke Severin should be aware in case his son runs off to the woods to fight a boar or something stupid. You know, Ode, you could try to be more personable…”

“I don’t think that would have mattered in this case. Besides, I don’t want to get close to the kid.”