There was no fanfare from the System, no show of light to show me my new Card, just the sound of a subtle tink at the back of my mind. Confused, I checked my status sheet to see what was going on.
Name: Syilten Flykra.
Race: Human
Cultivation Path: Card Cultivator, (Error!)
Level:0. Error:?
Exp/Error: 0%/Error
Tier:0
Affinities: Ice, Space/Error!(Temporarily sealed by the system)
MP: 90/100(90)*. %$^&#%×:$/:×2.
Regen: 1mp per minute.
Soul Card: Currently unstable and unformed.
Binder: 5/6(5)*
*Ice Slash (C),T1R1. *Cold Resistance (C), T1R1. *Spacial Shot (C), T1R1. *Displaced Spear (UC), T1R1. Snowy Hare Pair (UC+) - Growth, T1R1. Unknown (HR), Error!.
Deck 1: Unnamed Deck 0/20 -Add Cards for a Playable Deck-
Inventory: 0/10
"Well the Card is right there. I guess the light show was a one time thing, or only for special occasions?" As I pondered questions for another time, I began to pull up the description of my new card.
Snowy Hare Pair: Uncommon+(Growth)
Type:Active/Continuous, Summon/Familiar
Affinity: Ice, Rabbit, Duo.
-Effect:Oh what a sad affair, but don't despair, have a hare, or two.
--Summon/Contract a pair of Snowy Hares as Summon/Familiars, to assist you. These Hares are a set Card so secrets are in store. Unlock more information as you grow in Tier and Familiarity with your Snowy Hare Pair.
--Add to a Deck for further information--
"Ok this Card description seems a bit targeted..." hoping that I hadn't already started pissing off a possibly Sentient System, I decided it's time to put my Deck together no matter how small I'm starting.
*-Deck 1: UnNamed 0/20
*Add at least 5/20*
-Available Cards: Ice Slash (C), Cold Resistance (C), Spacial Shot (C), Displaced Spear (UC), Snowy Hare Pair (UC+) Growth.
As quickly as I could, I placed all my Playable cards in my Deck, choosing not yet to name it till I had more cards. Suddenly, I felt a rush of energy flow through me. I could taste, feel, hear, and see all my skills in my mind's eye. The knowledge of how to start on the path of each Card was shown to me, but just that. How these Cards Grow was up to me from here, and if I didn't learn and grow with them, then they too would stagnate.
"So just a tutorial and then left to go play in the sandbox, I guess that's better than those strong armed tutorials in all those bad phone games."
It was a strange feeling having access to my mana, now that my Deck was started and my cultivation unsealed. The energy brimming in my body made me feel almost invincible.
"Gotta cap that for now, what changed now that I've started my Deck?" I wondered as I couldn't bring myself to stop shaking with excitement.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"As soon as I check my Cards and get familiar with the new info, it's straight to the forest. Goblins are supposed to be easy starter mobs here too." I opened up my new Deck Fully expanded.
*-Deck 1: UnNamed
Ice Slash: Common
Type: Active. Affinity: Ice, Sharp, Frail.
-Summon and shoot a weak blade of ice to slash at your enemies.
Cost: 5mp. Damage: 1-5(3-7)
Cold Resistance: Common
Type: Passive
-Effect: The cold has always been a friend with a bite, now you can have a true friendship.
-- You have +10 to cold resistance and +5% increase to all cold or ice related abilities
Cost: Passive, no active effects.
Spacial Shot: Common
Type: Active. Affinity: Space
-Effect: You've begun to be able to perceive the fluctuations of space around you allowing you weak control over the power of space.
-- You can harness spacial mana to fire a disrupting shot. Depends on intent, Tier, Rank, different status effects can arise.
--- Current possible status effects: Disorientation, Nausea, blindness, Reversed motor controls, ?.
Cost: 10-25(Variable). Damage: Variable
Displaced Spear: Uncommon
Type: Active. Affinity: Ice/Space
-Effect: Your soul deeply loves the cold and has an intrinsic knowledge of space.
-- Fire a Spear made of Spacial ICE within eyesight (limit 3 meters). Can be fired at an enemy from anywhere as long as it's in eyesight as well as the enemy you're trying to hit. Can only summon 2 spears at a time.
Cost: 35mp, 1.5sec cast time.
Damage: 20-35(27-43)
Snowy Hare Pair: Uncommon+(Growth)
Type:Active/Continuous, Summon/Familiar
Affinity: Ice, Rabbit, Duo. Status: No Contract.
-Effect:Oh what a sad affair, but don't despair, have a hare... or two.
--Summon/Contract a pair of Snowy Hares as Summon/Familiars, to assist you. These Hares are a set Card so secrets are in store. Unlock more information as you grow in Tier and Familiarity with your Snowy Hare Pair.
Cost: Permanently lose 10% for the duration of time contracted in a Deck(only if in active Deck). Special: This Card can grow! Grow closer with this Card to learn new requirements for growth. (Stays Contracted even outside of Decks, Contract effects only take effect in active Deck)
As I studied over the changes to my Status, I noticed I could finally see the extra information now.
‘Kind of rude that it makes you put the Card in your Deck first to know the cost, but I guess later it'll be easy for me to switch Cards around when I get them.’
Finally I got down to my newest Card, Snowy Hare Pair. The description on the Card said ‘No Contract,’ but didn't go into detail on how to Summon them.
"Guess I'm still a Card down either way," I grumbled and rushed out the door before anyone could see me. 'Can't have them ruining my fun.’ I picked up my pace, leaving St.Pelli, and racing along the lawn.
St.Pelli Foster home for boys is located at the edge of the city of Tundras kiss, located in the south-east of Chronicland, close to the forest known as the Wastes Boundary. It was a forest that surrounded the entirety of the frozen wastes, said to be the original home of one of the Races ancestors I'm told. Tundras Kiss was only a day's travel from the nearest Academy Town, making it one of the more well funded Cities, but only moderately populated due to the nearby Wastes Boundary. It's cold year round here due to our proximity, making winter extra brutal. Thankfully it's the end of spring and the turn of summer here. 'Strange I'll start school in the summer instead of the fall here..'
________________________________________
It took me an hour of running straight through, not paying attention to anything but my goal of reaching the forest. Eventually I made it to the forest, the tree line taunting me the whole run. Finally under the branches of the oaks and furs, I stop to catch my breath, eyes only set in the forest ahead.
"Alright there should only be Mound Bunnies and Lesser Goblins in this forest, so even I should be safe," I muttered while beginning to trudge my way into the forest.
On my way through the start of the forest, I seemed to step on every stick, crunching every patch of snow as I went along without a care. "I'm not really seeing much here. What does a guy have to do to get a fight in his own dream?"
_____________________________________________
After about another 10 minutes of walking, I stopped to catch my breath.
"Haven't found a damn thing" I grumbled and kicked a Mound of snow just to hear a loud yelp. I quickly stepped back, not sure what can of worms I just opened up. I didn't have to wait long as the pile of snow seemed to burst from within, as two powerful ears stood proudly.
Before the powder even cleared I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my gut before I was thrown backwards.
-Warning! Combat initiated-
Condition: Healthy - injured!
"Shit, shit. Can't even see the damn thing and it's already gone!"
There was a loud thump above my head and I quickly scurried away, not watching what direction I ran in. Eventually I accidentally cornered myself against a cliff wall.
"Really dogged this one up didn't I?"
I felt the panic start to take over as I noticed what had chased me, a Mound Bunny, but it was no longer alone. 5 Mound Bunnies slowly approached me, seemingly sure that they'd win.
'I'm not even higher on the food chain than a rabbit, that's funny'
I felt a resonance fluttering through me, almost like something was trying to speak to me, guide me. On instincts I wasn't aware I held, I reached out to my Cards "Ice Blade!" I shouted holding my hand out facing the Bunnies. A sword of ice flickered into being, floated there for a moment, and then faded away. "What! No, no, no!" I quickly checked my status, and there was a change.
-Mana 85/100(90)
I'd cast the spell but nothing happened.
'Do I have to swing the sword!?' The Mound Bunnies were in position now. Scared and unsure of my fate, I closed my eyes as blows began to pile in.
'Damn this hurts, why does a dream hurt..?'
I couldn't hold on to my awareness much longer, the world was fading, and my body was overloaded with notifications, physical and system.
-Warning! You're taking heavy damage! Either finish or escape combat to recover!-
-Condition: Lightly injured - Injured-
-Condition: Injured - Moderately injured-
-Condition: Moderately injured - Severely injured-
-Condition: Severely Injured - Severely injured-
"I'm really going to die here.”
