***
Rouya Crowell took a deep breath, scanning the weapon interface before her until her gaze settled on the silhouette of a slender blade—a soft sword, designed specifically for female characters.
"You have chosen the sword as your weapon," came the melodic voice of the ancient, majestic tree. As its branches swayed gently, thousands of shimmering orbs of light materialized from thin air. "Choose one orb. Each holds a unique skill, belonging to you alone. Consider it my first gift to you."
A unique skill?
Rouya frowned. In World of Legends, skills were normally earned by conquering dungeons or completing difficult quests. It was unheard of to receive one at the start, let alone something so rare and exclusive. The more she thought about it, the more a sense of unease settled in her chest. Something was definitely wrong.
"Chosen One, have you made your choice?" the voice asked again. A slender branch reached out and lightly tapped her cheek, as if urging her to focus.
Rouya pressed her lips together. This entity felt far too real. It didn't behave like a standard game program; it seemed to possess its own consciousness and even knew how to gently demand her attention.
She gave a slight shake of her head, turning her focus back to the glowing orbs. Too lazy to examine each one closely, she simply reached out and tapped the nearest sphere. With a mindset of being grateful for whatever came her way, she picked it up and glanced up at the magnificent tree.
"I choose this one."
"Very well," came a melodic reply. A slender branch from the tree gently tapped the orb, which dissolved into fine, luminous dust that drifted down and settled over her. "This is my first gift to you."
As the voice faded, a translucent notification window appeared before her eyes:
= Unique Skill: Paper Craftsmanship Mastery Description: With this skill, you no longer require heavenly or earthly materials for crafting. All you need is a plain sheet of white paper, and you can create anything your imagination allows. However, every item you craft is limited to a single use. =
She stared in awe at the skill she had received. Even though each creation could only be used once, the fact that she only needed ordinary paper to make anything was, in her eyes, an incredible advantage.
"Since you've received my first gift, it is only right that I present you with the second."
A melodious voice rang out, and seven beams of light streaked across the space. "Each beam holds a pixie—one of them will be your guide from this moment onward. Choose whichever one calls to you, and simply place your finger upon it to make your choice."
How bizarre... A pixie guide? This was nowhere mentioned in the game manual, and the experience was growing stranger by the second.
Taking a breath to steady herself, she stepped toward the closest beam and rested her hand on it. The instant her skin made contact, it erupted into a brilliant, blinding glow. When the radiance finally dimmed, a tiny figure came into view.
The little pixie looked as though she had just been roused from sleep, still rubbing her eyes as she gazed up with curiosity. She wore soft sky-blue robes, her hair flowed in long, wavy waves of the same hue, and she had pointed earrings and a pair of shimmering blue-and-white wings. Small and delicate, she was utterly adorable.
A notification panel suddenly materialized before her, explaining what the Pixie Guide was and why it mattered to players.
Essentially, after being bounded, the Pixie Guide serves as a player's personal stats interface. It also includes a storage dimension capable of holding all kinds of treasures, and each one comes with innate abilities based on its elemental or inherent nature.
Rouya Crowell's Pixie Guide belongs to the Wind variant. Its default skills are; Senses Buff: Sharpens and extends the limits of the player's perception. Airflow: Makes the player's movements lighter, smoother, and more fluid. Accelerate: Grants a short burst of enhanced speed for quick sprints. Glide: Summons translucent wings formed entirely of wind, letting the user drift safely and soften the impact when falling from great heights.
The Wind Pixie unfurled her translucent wings, shimmering with sparkling blue tones. She soared effortlessly, circling around Rouya Crowell until she hovered directly at eye level.
"Hello, Master. I will be your Pixie Guide from now on. You may give me a name if you wish; if not, I will choose one for myself," she spoke in a soft, tiny voice that sounded utterly charming.
Rouya's eyes brightened, clearly delighted at the chance to name the little creature, and she soon thought of something fitting.
"How about Blues? It represents moving past sadness, despair, and hardship, and striving toward hope, resilience, and joy," she suggested tentatively.
"I love it! The name Blues is mine from today onward!" the Wind Pixie exclaimed, flapping her wings joyfully at receiving her identity.
"It seems you have already grown well-acquainted—a wonderful beginning, for you shall be companions from now on," spoke the melodious voice of the majestic tree, its tone matching the warm atmosphere surrounding them.
"Divine Tree of Life, I will no longer stay under your protection. From now on, I shall travel the world alongside my Master," Blues announced, fluttering her wings before the ancient being.
"Every living thing eventually leaves the comfort of its home when the time comes. You are destined to journey far and gain experiences you could never find here. Be happy, and live your life as freely as you desire."
"Thank you, Divine Tree of Light. I will always remember your wisdom."
"Now, Chosen One," the tree's voice turned solemn. "My final gift will aid your survival in a new world rife with danger." Thin branches extended forward to touch her forehead. "I grant you three lives. They will allow you to be revived three times should you perish. While three chances may sound generous, they are barely enough to endure such a harsh world. You must grow stronger if you wish to reach the very peak of this world."
Once all was said, the majestic tree began to fade, its form turning completely transparent. The idyllic paradise around them shifted as well, transforming into a vast rainforest thick with mystery and an unsettling aura.
"This," Rouya murmured, "must be where the journey truly begins."
***