—— ? ——

  Simon slumped down as he lay against the warm metal wall. He could hear Kaelalin muttering to herself as she fiddled with yet another magical device. She had stacked several chunks of the remains of the monster and was carefully inspecting each one.

  One day I want to find something that gets me that excited. Simon mused to himself as he watched the woman work.

  His attention drifted away as he closed his eyes. Once again, questions plagued his mind. Apparently, this was just an ongoing theme of this new system, integrated reality.

  Simon cracked his eyes and examined his hands. They were nearly healed, charred skin having transformed into light pinks. At least medical care was leaps ahead of the old world. Simon closed his eyes and focused.

  —- STATUS —-

  > Name: Simon Starfall

  > Level: 3

  > Class: Unassigned - Reach level 10 to make your choice.

  > Free Points: 10

  > Stats

  Body

  

  
• Endurance: 18


  
• Vitality: 17


  
• Dexterity: 20


  
• Strength: 20


  

  Mind

  

  
• Wisdom: 8


  
• Intelligence: 7


  

  Soul

  

  
• Willpower: 20


  
• Charisma: 7


  

  Essence:

  

  
• Luck: 9


  

  > Skills

  >> Theodia’s Instrumental Summon (Inferior) - Growth-Class - Ravenous

  Level: 0.18 / ?

  Points: 4 / ?

  >> Unshakeable Resilience (Unique)

  Level: 0.4 / ?

  >> Weaponized Repetition (Unique)

  Level: 0.24 / ?

  >> Reckless Retreat (Epic)

  Level: 0.11 / ?

  > Current Equipment

  Common Clothing (Inferior)

  > Features:

  >> Brand of Refusal

  WARNING - By using the Brand of Refusal, you accept the limit that has been imposed on you. Once used, the feature will be blocked, and a path will be forever closed to you.

  > Amount: 1 / ?

  ——————————

  Simon stared at his status, confused. If what Kaelalin had said was correct, wasn’t anything unmeasured supposed to be rare? But looking at the system's summary of himself, there wasn’t anything on it that didn’t hold that aspect.

  What did that mean?

  He had focused on the brand and reread the warning. A path being closed forever meant… the martial path? Or was there more to that?

  Simon sighed to himself. It would have been really nice to go through system events and have someone explain all of this shit to him. Hell, apparently people had gotten to talk to that fireball god Glint. He would have been a fountain of knowledge or at least given him some hints.

  Simon sat, back to the wall, eyes closed, trying to figure out what he should do. At the very least, he was finally growing. That was a relief. But he worried that the choices he made now would have resonating effects for his future.

  Having a massive warning on the brand didn’t help. Even with the warning, Simon’s first gut instinct was to just jam them into Theodia's Instrumental Summon. That would probably give him the biggest benefit right now.

  Simon opened his eyes. The glowing status in the darkness of closed eyes bothered him. Just too weird.

  … should I just do it?

  He pulled on the Brand of Refusal and felt he could point it towards his skills. With a tentative push, he directed it towards the summon skill. A notice instantly filled his vision.

  —- SYSTEM NOTICE —-

  > YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO USE A FEATURE

  > Feature: Brand of Refusal.

  > You are directing this feature towards your skill Theodia's Instrumental Summon. Every brand will empower the skill resulting in it gaining two skill points for each.

  > WARNING - By using this feature, you are accepting the limit imposed on you.

  > This action is irreversible.

  > Confirmation is required, Simon Starfall.

  ——————————

  Simon’s eyes narrowed.

  God damnit. Why can’t this be simple?

  He needed power now. Hell, he had needed a leg up since he crash-landed in the valley. But now the damned system was deciding to butt in? Simon was in the dark about many things, but this was ominous.

  Accepting a limit imposed on himself… Shit. Simon hated that line, but he also hated whatever this ‘system’ was trying to do. Of course, it was rearing its head at this moment.

  He scratched his head and let out a frustrated grunt. What should he do?

  Simon glanced at Theodia’s skill. At the moment, if he put the brand on it nothing would really change. Fucking greedy skill. However, it seemed to be the only ‘unmeasured’ thing he had that followed the mold Kaelalin had described. Massive potential? Major downside.

  Fine, I’ll play your game for now. Simon pulled the brand away from the skill, and the system notice vanished as fast as it appeared. He shook his head.

  At least there was one thing that wasn’t a monumental choice. His stats. Reminiscing on the fight, Simon decided what he needed was simple. Hit faster. He mentally probed with that goal in mind.

  In response, his status condensed.

  —- STATUS —-

  

  
• Dexterity: 20


  

  

  
• Strength: 20


  

  ———————

  “No shit,” he muttered to himself. He pushed five of his points into each, but felt resistance. Simon raised an eyebrow, then started adjusting it. At seven points in dexterity and three in strength, the resistance receded.

  Simon snorted.

  He pushed seven into strength and three into dexterity. The resistance grew stronger than before.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he said and confirmed his choice. Was it a good idea? Probably not. But at least in this, Simon felt like he could regain some control. He knew it was a bit childish, but fuck it. These were his stats. This was his life. The world, the gods and this backseat driver of a system be damned.

  —- STATUS —-

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  

  
• Dexterity: 20 -> 23


  

  

  
• Strength: 20 -> 27


  

  ———————

  The feeling of power rushed through his body. It surged like hot water flowing through his muscles. Each fiber thrummed as they grew denser, tighter. Like a coiled spring that had been twisted a couple more turns. This was accompanied by the lesser feeling of them becoming flexible and lean.

  He flexed his hand and saw the tendons ripple under his skin.

  Simon could get used to this feeling. By design or otherwise, it was addicting. He smirked as he looked at the status one last time. He might be imagining it, but he was pretty sure the damned system was annoyed.

  Good.

  He was so tired of these overly powerful beings shoving things down his throat. He was going to take steps to rectify this injustice. Simon filled with resolve as that thought grew in his mind. Goals were something he had been struggling with. So far, he had just been going from one moment to the next, surviving. That ended now. He was going to pay these assholes back one small action at a time. No matter how long it took.

  His thoughts drifted to the gods that had cursed him. Varrax took first place in the asshole competition. Melodian, a step behind. The system sat firmly in third.

  One day, I’m going to make them pay.

  Simon’s hand clenched into a fist. No matter how long it took, this was his promise to himself.

  —— ? ——

  Far away from the frozen valley and the reach of mortals, sunlight danced through a artistically designed realm. Divine singing resonated in the space, tuned to a divine being's mood.

  Jubilant and inspirational.

  Melodian the Magnificent twirled his wrist, and floating instruments joined the melody, their notes filled with loss and melancholy. The song grew in volume and complexity, a masterpiece by any standard.

  The god smiled as he watched the scene playing out on the magical construct. The mortal human he had been watching had helped him create this newest piece. Melodian made a mental note to repay the unsuspecting man.

  The man was on a long journey with a few others and had stopped over in a city. The section of the world had been pulled from Earth, and its new inhabitants had done an excellent job of adapting it to the integration.

  When the system integrated worlds, remnants like this city could fall into disrepair and disuse. Or as the new mortals adapted, these previous centers of civilization would become unrecognizable.

  This wasn’t the case for this city from Earth.

  Here, the Earth-born had rallied. They had convinced the other races to help preserve and adapt the old world’s bones..What was once a maze of steel towers, asphalt roads, and suburban sprawl was now being reforged with magic, skills, and enchantment. Of course, the skyline had changed. Some areas had been completely razed to make room for the architecture and familiar sights of home from other races and cultures.

  But the core shape of the city still stood.

  Tall. Proud.

  A fusion of old and new. Enchanted lanterns hung from telephone poles. Glowing sigils of reinforcement crawled across office buildings, growing in number by the day. An exceptional mortal had almost finished building a magic-powered tram. Any day now, that project would finish, and a new mass transport would snake through the city.

  The man and his party that Melodian had been watching had traveled to this city. Being from Earth themselves, they had been teary-eyed as they saw that the old world had not been entirely erased.

  Then the man, Daniel Holt, had moved to the headquarters of the city. They had all registered with the local system hub, then found shade beneath rapidly growing trees planted by druids from another world. While the others rested and talked, Daniel drifted away. He found an empty bench of warm stone and wood, sat down, and gently pulled his guitar into his lap.

  Notes flowed from him as he started to play. A melody that carried his hope for the future, tinged with the quiet undercurrent of memory and loss. Words followed the notes, and a song was born from the man’s very soul.

  For Melodian the Magnificent, it was mesmerizing. Unexpected, unrefined, but perfect. The experience inspired and fueled the gods' creative pursuits. This song reinforced why Melodian watched these mortals day after day. Their experiences and inspirations were something impossible to replicate. Rough and unskilled compared to his own skills, but the raw quality was something he could never replicate.

  So far, these Earth-born were slowly becoming Melodian’s favorite.

  Well…

  With one exception.

  The god’s eyes flicked over to a magical construct that currently showed the snowbound streets of a town.

  Varnholt.

  The goddess of living records, Sylira, had been mildly expensive but worth it. Melodian had been shocked to learn that man had survived. Not well, but still.

  Melodian had been delighted to learn that one of the mortals he had blessed was also in that frozen town. His delight had quickly soured as the mortal he could watch was essentially homebound. For someone blessed with such artistic drawing abilities to turn around and use them for architectural designs was just a shame. The god understood the mortal was trying to put his arts to use for the town… but it was just unfortunate timing.

  “Oh well,” Melodian said. “I still have information coming from Sylira that will have to suffice.”

  The god turned back to the view of the renovated earth city, but paused.

  A divine presence was knocking at his realm. No… that wasn’t right.

  Melodian the Magnificent’s eyes widened as his realm shook. His newest musical creation faltered and trembled as another shoved into his space.

  “In all the realms.” Melodian said, lips curling in disgust. “Why is he here?”

  BOOM.

  A roaring spiral of divine force split the ceiling of Melodian’s divine realm. A burning figure hurtled through, battle lust and molten radiance poured into space silencing it.

  Varrax.

  The martial god landed like a meteor. The floor cracked, and flames of anger radiated from him.

  Melodian sneered internally, but had already mastered his presence. He watched, stone-faced, as Varrax strode towards him.

  “Melodiannnn the Miniscule, I've heard some disturbing news.” Varrax said, his voice bellowing out. “I have questions for you.” The martial god stepped within inches of Melodian, towering over him. The scars across his bulging muscles seemed to pulse in anger beneath his signature red steel armor.

  “Greetings, Varrax the Undying. What can a humble performer do for you?” Melodian said, voice flat.

  The god of battle sneered at his fellow divinity. “What can you do for me? Not much, since you refuse to help my cause.” He paused, with a look of disdain and mock sincerity covering his face. “Wait, I guess there is something an excuse for a god can help me with.”

  Varrax’s mouth curled into a wicked sneer as he gazed down at Melodian.

  “An acquaintance of ours informed me that you blessed a worm I cursed.” Varrax said, crossing his arms, nearly hitting Melodian. “Would you know anything about that?”

  Melodian’s mind leapt to the devious image of Sylira. This was too much, even for a schemer like her.

  He channeled his eons of experience dealing with the unreasonable and gave Varrax a thoughtful glance. “There are so many mortals, who could you mean?” he said innocently.

  Varrax arm blurred.

  CRACK.

  Melodian flew across the hall, a discordant chord echoing out. He slammed into a gilded wall that had separated into countless flexible strings, slowing his impact.

  “Don’t play coy with me,” Varrax said, a deep growl that vibrated the very structure of the realm. He took a single step and appeared in front of Melodian. Another blur and he was holding the god of bards by the throat. “I know you blessed that insignificant, mouthy mortal who dared to spit in my face and defy me.”

  Melodian didn't resist. His feet hovered inches above the floor, back pressed against the still-humming strings of his realm. He tilted his head, lips curled in annoyance and pain.

  “Varrax the Undying.” Melodian rasped, voice strained but still steady. “I can’t give you what you seek.”

  Varrax’s grip tightened. The realm flickered with strained notes as the pressure distorted the space around the two gods.

  “Can’t? Or won’t.” Varrax said.

  Melodian stared into his eyes, which were burning with anger and disdain. He inhaled and then spoke.

  “I, Melodian the Magnificent, invoke my divine right to make a vow guaranteed by the system. I cannot directly show Varrax the Undying the mortal known as Simon Starfall through any means.”

  Everything froze for a single heartbeat. Then reality resumed, as Varrax’s eyes narrowed and he looked down his nose at Melodian.

  The martial god released his grip, and the realm righted itself. A moment passed, and it was like the entire exchange had never happened.

  “Then explain to me why that speck of life has one of your skills.” Varrax said.

  Melodian let out a practiced sigh and looked downtrodden. “Because I was forced to give him a boon. I had cursed him, but then I was chosen as his third divine sponsor.” He gestured towards the portal of Varnholt. “So I gave him a ravenous skill and threw him into a frozen valley near that town.”

  Varrax’s gaze flicked to the divine construct, and he scrutinized the image. At the moment, the mortal artist was currently hurrying down a street towards the council hall.

  Melodian followed the war god’s gaze and continued. “As you know, cursed mortals are shrouded by the system. This was as close as I could get.”

  Varrax stared at the flickering construct for a long moment, fuming.

  His eyes snapped back to Melodian, burning with rage. “If I learn you’ve interfered with my plans, directly or otherwise, I will shatter this realm and silence you.”

  Melodian blinked slowly, trying to understand. “How would I interfere?”

  Varrax’s eyes flicked–just for an instant–back to the image of Varnholt.

  The god of performance gave no reaction, his face a perfect mask of confusion.

  “You wouldn’t be so foolish,” Varrax said at last, voice low and seething. “Not even you.”

  Soft notes began to echo through the divine realm. Once again, Melodian owed a debt to Daniel Holt as he started a new song that resonated out of the viewing construct.

  “Of course not,” he said lightly. “Now, is there another way I can assist you, Varrax? Or perhaps you'd enjoy hearing a mortal's song? Unrefined, yes. But there's something in it that even you might recognize.”

  He gestured toward the construct where Daneil strummed, unaware he was being heard across the realms.

  “His songs are from his soul, passionate, raw and forged in his experiences. He’s one of my favorites. Would you care to listen?”

  Varrax scoffed, the sound like the grinding of steel. “I’ve already wasted more time here than you deserve.”

  His burning gaze swept dismissively over the image of Daniel.

  “Why would I listen to the whining of ants? Soon they will have true sorrow to fill their songs.”

  With that, the martial god turned. Reality cracked as he strode through the wall of Melodian’s divine realm, leaving a jagged rift in his wake.

  A deep rumble resonated for seconds after his exit.

  Then silence.

  Melodian exhaled. His realm splintered around the rift, separating into golden strings. They danced in harmony as they wove together and reformed his divine space.

  Music slowly grew as everything returned to how it was before Varrax had appeared.

  Melodian sat for several minutes, his soul being soothed by mortal notes.

  He glanced at the image of Varnholt.

  The mortal artist was entering the council hall, a massive pile of papers and drawings clutched in his hands.

  “Good luck.” Melodian murmured to the figure. “You are going to need it.”

  With a flick of his wrist, the divine construct shimmered and faded.

  The god of bards turned his back on it, directing his energy to the mournful mortal song.

  —— ? ——

  — AUTHOR NOTICE —

  Thank you all for the comments and reading.

  Going to need to clear off a wall in my office for all of my notes and what not.

  Also, when I was at the con, I met this narrator, and I swear... he sounded like Simon. Still can't get it out of my head. Maybe one day, who knows... Going to save all the money from Patreon.

  ~TheBusyBard

  ——————————