Rebirth and Second Chances

Chapter 3: Race Selection

[Select your species]

Blue screens and a drop-down menu of available choices appeared. Pages of choices and selections became available. I read the number of choices at the top in disbelief, page 1 of 323,847.

"How many species are there?" I asked, stunned by the number of selections available.

[Each page contains ten species to select from. 323,847 pages converts to 3,238, 470 species]

"There has to be a way to narrow down the list. Can I input search criteria?" I asked.

[Yes]

"OK. First, list long-lived species, with powerful casting abilities. Species that cost no more than half my current creation points, please."

[Sorting. Pages 1 of 20 available...]

"Filter by factions. List only those that are considered good or neutral. Remove any evil-aligned species if those exist. And remove species at war, have been enslaved, or have been subjugated."

[Sorting. Pages 1 of 11 available...]

"Remove species that have environmental restrictions, species that are only capable of breathing water or take harm when exposed to sunlight."

[Sorting. Pages 1 of 6 available...]

"Remove any species that have existing curses, have low populations, minimal infrastructure, or have recently evolved."

[Sorting. Page 1 of 1 available...]

Satisfied with the list of species remaining, I clicked the prompt to view page 1 of 1. Three species were highlighted.

[Royal Elf This species encompasses the traits of all elves, including wood elf, high elf, and moon elf. Genetically changed through selective breeding and magical manipulation, they have a high magic affinity.

A long-lived species, Royal Elves average life expectancy is 3,500 years. There have been cases documented of powerful magic-wielding individuals living over 10,000 years.

Because of their unique bloodlines, each Royal Elf can earn land and titles as part of a Quest Chain.

Character Creation Point Cost: 20,000 points]

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[Draken A humanoid version of dragons, this species can become as powerful as their forefathers. Scales create a natural armor that protects individuals, and their ability and affinities with elemental powers allow them to specialize in realms and areas of magic few others can manage.

Draken species and elemental affinity is determined by scale color. The brighter and more jewel like the scale reflects, the more powerful the individual. Red/Fire Draken and Blue/Ice Draken are considered the most powerful.

Draken are well versed in the Dragon language which enhances their spellcasting abilities.

Draken becomes harder to kill as they age. And can live over 30,000 years.

Character Creation Point Cost: 21,000]

[Sidhe Often mistaken for Elves, this species has evolved from Fairy, an extra-dimensional people that have evolved and established their own Pantheon.

As Gods, they retained the ability to open portals to an extra-dimensional land.

The Summerlands of Fairy is unique. It allows for transportation between all multi-verses and can connect two points from anywhere in the Universe.

Sidhe species include Seelie, Unseelie, Sprites, Slaugh, Bogs, Banshee, Brownies and other species. They are closely aligned with nature and have evolved magics and powers that allow them to control the elements.

Sidhe of all species can become royalty amongst their people and unless killed in very specific manners are functionally immortal.

Character Creation Point Cost: 25,000 points]

I'd played Elves and Draken in a few fantasies. MMO's that had been based on the fantasy trope. Because I felt familiar with their skill-sets, habits, and weaknesses, I believed that I would be successful if I chose those races.

But to play Sidhe?

I'd never heard of a game that allowed that race to be explored. What little I knew of these powerful creatures had to do more with novels than games. The Sidhe I knew was based on Celtic folklore and mythology. On Earth, they had been considered Gods. Gods of Death, Battle, Light, and Magic.

The Sidhe had established a pantheon of Gods as powerful as those Gods from the Greek or Norse mythology, and they could, at times, be just as cruel. Mostly, they were known for their love of music and ale, their weakness to iron, and the tricks they played on mortals.

I wondered why their weakness to iron hadn't disqualified them when I was sorting. Probably because I had sorted for curses and environmental factors, not genetic weaknesses. It was also possible the weakness to iron was a myth and not a real concern.

It would have been safer to choose the Royal Elf or Draken, definitely smarter, the entire reason I sorted for long-lived races was that I wanted to postpone my next reincarnation and visit before SYSTEM as long as possible.

Even though I knew. Had experienced definitive proof that death was just the next step in the soul's evolution, I still had a fear of the unknown. And starting over, losing all my memories terrified me.

I couldn't resist, the temptation was too great.

The chance to experience what true elemental and magical power entailed was something I had always dreamed of. There was no way I would pass up this opportunity.

Certainly, the functional immortality was a big draw, considering my next reincarnation was probably not going to be as beneficial as this one had been. And the chances to make an informed decision about who and what I would be when I reincarnated was so rare that this might be my only opportunity across all my future reincarnations to make these decisions.

"I choose Sidhe," I declared, discarding the safe choices for the lure of the unique.

[Race Sidhe selected]

[Initializing...]

[Do you wish to begin life as an infant or choose an individual that died while Ascending?]

Start life all over? Allowing myself to be at the mercy of adults and caregivers?

No thanks.

I'd learned the vagaries and dangers of trusting others in my past life. I wanted as much control over my life as possible, and my starting life over as an infant removed that control.

Still, I had concerns about the 'soul' of the individual whose life I would usurp. Fearing the answer, I asked a question that had been bothering me since SYSTEM had explained the Ascension process, I knew that SYSTEM had claimed the person had already died, but I needed assurance that an innocent person wasn't being killed so I could transmigrate.

"What happens to the person I become? Whose life I would step into? Does my choosing their life result in their death, allowing me to take their place?"

[No, as explained they have already died]

[I only give you an opportunity to transmigrate into the body of an individual that has failed Ascension]

[If you have concerns, I can make an additional allowance. I will allow the person you choose the choice of becoming a disembodied avatar, someone to guide you in your new world]

[They will become a part of you, your souls linked. Two becomes one. Together but separate. I will give them certain abilities]

[Eventually, they may gain rewards and experience based on service]

[This experience might earn them the ability to evolve into a new and separate host body capable of possessing a limited form]

[That possibility would be dependent on you and your actions. Your soul would have to become strong enough during this incarnation to divide]

"Do you randomly select individuals to create a pool of choices for me to select from?"

[.001% of all individuals who Ascend die. The pool you select from are those individuals who did not Ascend successfully]

"So, I am prolonging their life by choosing them if they become my guide?"

[You are prolonging this incarnation of life, this existence]

[As should be obvious by now, death is not the end, but a step each soul takes to progress]

[These individuals have their own karmic creation balance points, points that will allow them to begin a new life]

"They will all meet with you like I am doing now?"

[Only individuals with a positive karmic balance over 5000 meet the minimum requirement to gain my attention]

[All other individuals automatically reincarnate within the same Universe. Most souls never advance between Universes. They never gain the Karmic points required to evolve and advance]

[Those with negative karmic balance regress, they start over as infants on a lower Universal sub-level]

"The goal for life is to earn enough karmic creation points to rise to Universal sub-level 1?"

[A simplistic interpretation, but essentially correct]

[What happens to the soul on Universe sub-level 1 is the goal of all life]

"Why factor in karmic debt owed by other's actions then? It seems people with bad luck or treated badly would advance at a much faster rate to sub-level 1."

[You are making an incorrect extrapolation]

[Karmic Debt Balance only occurs if Earned Karmic Balance is above 5000 points]

[The percent awarded is computed based on a set of criteria I consider when reviewing past life experiences. This percentage averages .05 percent]

[But if you do not earn positive Karma, I ignore this negative Karma. Your actions for good or evil are paramount in determining your fate]

[You were awarded a higher percentage based on the good deeds you performed]

[You rose above your circumstances and gave aid to those around you]

"So it rewards those who are abused with higher matter/energy conversion points?" I asked in disbelief.

[Not always]

[There are factors and variables that resulted in setting 1.4 as your conversion percentage]

[The actions of others played a part, but there are no rewards for being abused]

[Your actions and how you responded and dealt with the circumstances and the people you encountered are what affected your Karmic balance]

[How each person responds is different and so each person must be judged individually]

Honestly, it seemed like circular logic to me. I received higher points because I others treated me badly, but it wasn't the abuse that generated my higher percentage it was how I dealt with the abuse, but if I hadn't been abused, I wouldn't have had to deal with those issues so the abuse led to the higher percentage. Maybe you had to be a Universal constant or SYSTEM to fully understand, but I guess the decision was moot, I certainly wasn't going to appeal the decision and ask for a lower percentage.

The discussion had assuaged my mind about my involvement in killing an individual if I chose an ascended. The person would die no matter what my choice, so I announced that decision.

"I choose an ascending Sidhe and the avatar assistant!"

[SORTING... SORTING... SORTING...]