《Spirit From Earth》


 A Collection of Thoughts

    <h2 style="text-align: center">Prologue</h2>


    For the longest time there was only darkness. Anunfathomable void surrounding me, until one day I felt it. . .Fire.I did not feel its pain nor heat, my


    being continued on as it had till now, except now I could feel something from this fire, confusion andsomehow... what is this emotion?Anguish.


    My curiosity of the change persisted for a short time before all of a sudden I felt aripping. Something was tearing at my very being, cracks were forming


    in the void, until all I could see was light...and that Agonizing Flame.


    "Welcome to the world young spirit." said a calm aged voice.


    "Who, what, where...!?!?" I panickly stammered


    "Slowly now, its best toease into being...corporeal. Try taking a deep breath" replied the voice.


    "Breath whats-" *sfx for breathing* "oh that helped, thank you Voice."


    "Haha, Ok Young One. -Voice?, hehe-. Allow me to introduce myself." the other entity soothed.


    "Young Spirit, I am your guide for whats to come, as for a name? I''ve none, though in time you may chose to name me" Guide smiled.


    "Young- Spirit? Okay I will call you Guide for now, but I have been wondering who am I?" the spirit questioned


    *sighs*" Thats a good question little one, I''ll present you a choice, do you want the simple or complex answer?" Guide lamented


    "Umm, simple for now I think?"


    "Ok then, You are the collection of The Fated Souls of Earth." Guide sighedgrievingly.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "I dont understand" I replied


    "Look around" "Wh--" "Just take a look around us"


    And I did. The ground beneath us was cold and barren, devoid of even a drop a moisture. Further away the gray dirt curved upwards in a ring all around us. Beyond that lay the stars.... so many of them, bringing spectacular beauty to what I once assumed was the void I had slept in.


    "Its gray, and the stars are beautiful." I exclaim in awe.


    "The stars are wonderful indeed, but thats not what I was refering to, look straight up above you." Guide still somewhat sad.


    I turn my view directly above and gasp as the sight above leaves me feeling incredible torment and sadness in my being. There ,above, is a golf ball sized circle covered in glowing red burns and black clouds, and I know somewhere in my heart this is wrong."


    "What is that, why does it make me so sad?" I ask Guide


    "That is whats left of Earth, the place that birthed you" Guide solemly replied


    "What happened to it, i- i- it doesnt feel right!?"


    "I do not know for sure Little Soul, perhaps a calamity, or a war that went to far, its to early to tell."


    "Earth... You said I was made from the souls of earth right?...Thats my home and there are people over there!!! We have to help them Guide, we cant just leave them to die!!" I wailhysterically.


    "Yes spirit, there is likely still life on that planet. But how are we going to help them from all the way up here? As it is you cant move very far." Informed Guide


    "I cant move? OH, HEY. Why cant I move Guide! I need to go help everyone I can"


    Guide stares at me firmly with a severe look "Listen to me Spirit, in order to help others you must first help your self. Even if you could rescue them what then, where would everyone go?"


    "Cant they come here and live with us?"


    "No. There is no atmosphere here, not now at least." *sigh* "Look, Spirit there is a way to help yourself, and whomever or whatever remains on earth, but it will take time and effort, and in chosing this path it opens you to far more danger than otherwise. I can only guide, not force, the path you tread. So what do you chose Spirit, The Path of Ourselves or the Path of Others?" As Guide spoke his gaze grew sharpe, to the point were he might have truely bore through my soul."


    "i- i- i-" his words had scared me, i was too young, I barley even knew myself, how could I understand the needs of others... but the sickness in my soul, the desolation of Earth... I have to chose "Guide"


    "Yes?" He looked at me skepticly


    "I want to help Earth and all whom are borne of her."


    And with that Guide just smiles as my vision fades "I support your choice, Childe of Earth"

 The Start of Something Greater

    I quickly awaken "Guide what happened I couldnt see for a few moments"


    "Ah, glad to see you wake up. Your spirit was rendered unconscious for a moment as the Fate Maker integrated with you completely." Guide answered


    "Fate Maker?"


    "It should be coming up soon, Its what my conscious originated from."


    "Wha-"


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    <td>Initializing... Done.</td>


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    A blue screen appeared before me.


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    <td>To proceed with installation please input username...</td>


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    <td>|</td>


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    "Uhm, Guide"


    "Yes Spirit?"


    "Do I have a name?"


    "Not that I know of... hmmm. You wish to Recuse and give safe harbour to the beings of earth correct?"


    "As soon as I can Guide."


    "Hmm How about Wang(Íû)"


    "Why Wang, does it mean something?" I queried


    "Indeed, Wang(Íû) can mean a few things namely, To hope, to gaze at things far off, and most particularly it can mean Moon, on which we are currently standing upon."


    "I like it...., wait did you just say we''re on the moon?!" I exclaimed


    "Well you certainly arent on the earth if you can see it in the sky." Guide calmly retorted


    "True, oh geeze Im going to need to sit down for this. Why are we not sufficating, you said the moon doesnt have atmosphere."


    "We are currently not dieing because niether of us posses a body of blood and flesh."


    "Ok i get that but then what are we?"


    "For your case ''you'' is an astral projection of your will and consciousness, will I myself am a projection of the Fate Maker."


    "ok ok, I''m to young to understand that. More importantly whats the first step towards saving earth?"


    "Nothing Earth is currently doomed, by the time you''d have the ability to restore it, it would be gone." Stated Guide


    "I mean how do we save the people on earth?"


    "Ah well thats another question entirely." Guide corrected


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    <td>Installation complete, please refer to guide to continue.</td>


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    "Guide?"


    "On it now."


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    <td>Name:</td>


    <td>Wang(Íû)</td>


    <td colspan="2" rowspan="1">Stats</td>


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    <td>Location:</td>


    <td>Earth''s Moon</td>


    <td>CORE</td>


    <td>2</td>


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    <td>Age:</td>


    <td><1 day</td>


    <td>MENT</td>


    <td>1</td>


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    <td>Guide Persona:</td>


    <td>Familiar</td>


    <td>SOUL</td>


    <td>3</td>


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    <td>Alignment:</td>


    <td>Good</td>


    <td>ENGY</td>


    <td>100</td>


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    <td colspan="2" rowspan="1">Menu</td>


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    <td>Quests</td>


    <td>Inventory</td>


    <td>LOCKED</td>


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    <td>Skills</td>


    <td>Perks</td>


    <td>LOCKED</td>


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    <td>Quest Complete: Where am I?| Reward: Start a Path Tree</td>


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    <td>Quest Compelete: Who am I?| Reward: One Perk, unlock Quest: What am I?</td>


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    "Okay, whoa, Guide you''ll have to guide me through all of this" I hastily fretted.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Where would you like to begin Young Wang?" Guide panned, as calm as ever.


    "Ok name, age, and location I can kinda guess, but everything else is jargon."


    "Very well, Lets begin with ''Guide Persona'',Thats me by the way, Its set to ''Familiar'' as opposed to say.. ''Animal'' or ''Mechanic''. Fate determined that I, as I am, would be able to best help you. As for what ''Familiar'' entails it means you should feel welcoming to me, my prescience, and my advice."


    "Ok, I do get a pleasant feeling coming off you. So thats definately right."


    "Alignment... hmm. You can equate this one to karma, Good is good, Bad is bad, and everything inbetween."


    "Alright, and what about these stat things?"


    "Those are the sum of your tangible being, Defined by Core, Mentality(MENT), Soul, and Energy(ENGY). each respective stat augments, expresses, and/or modifies your ability to affect reality."


    "whoa."


    "Whoa Indeed."


    "Well What do they specifically do?


    "Check them yourself, just focus on the aspect of the screen to see an explaination, do this for the rest."


    "Ok." I said withexcitement


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    <td>Stat: Core - The resilience of your tangible body, *Note*(currently black spherical object)</td>


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    <td>Stat: Mentality - The speed and extent of your intellect *Note*(only stat that will grow passively with time(though slowly))</td>


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    <td>Stat: Soul - The Itgerity of your being, effects Astral Projection''s tangibility *Note*Mostly augments MENT, though has other Esoteric and Abstruse uses</td>


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    <td>Stat: Energy - Expendible power *Note* This is a Pooled stat, can be depleted and replenished. /*Note* Uses IncludeLOCKED, andLOCKED</td>


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    "Thats both a lot and very little information." I claim doubtfully


    "It will have to be enough, Did you check the menu options yet?"


    "No, not yet, also whats this Locked stuff about."


    "We''ll get to that, for now check the menus."


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    <td>Menu: Sub-section of the Character Panel, provides server options to more panels.</td>


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    <td>Quests: Fate will sometimes provide youopportunities to complete tasks for rewards. *Note* e.g. Items, Skills, Event Resolutions.</td>


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    <td>Skills: One may possess, gain, or be granted skills through Fate, Skills (usually) allow on to perform extraordinary feats.</td>


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    <td>Inventory: Fate allows host to store items* in a subspace dimension for ease of use. *This excludes organics*</td>


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    <td>Perks: Similar to Skills, Exist outside of Path/Skill Trees and are aquired seperatly.</td>


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    <td>LOCKED: FEATURE NOT CURRENTLY AVALIBLE, PLEASE REVIEW IN THE FUTURE. x4</td>


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    "Ooh Boy thats a lot to take in all at once." I comlained


    "Take your time" counciled Guide. I look up at the fireball that is earth.


    "Time is something I dont think we have."

 What I am

    "Unfortunately you might be right Wang... I saw you completed two quests by the way, would you like me to help you with the rewards?" Guide spoke seriously


    "Yes, but first I want to go over the third quest, ''What am I?''"


    Guide frowns as I ask.


    "What, is something wrong?" I inquire


    "Wang, what do you think yourself to be?" Guide questioned in turn.


    "Well you said Im made of souls, and refered to me as a spirit, was that a lie? Am I not a ghost of somesort?" I reply nervously.


    "*phwew* Im relieved, it would have been a problem if you thought you were a human or something or rather... Anyway, no I did not lie, your consciousness was formed from the large spike in the number of deaths of souled beings of earth converging into one entity, you. But that only represents your Mind and astral projection, as for your physical race...." Guide worriedly trailed off


    "Guide, what are you hiding?" I demand.


    "I''ll tell, I''ll tell, just... let me show you..." Guide cowed.


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    <td style="text-align: center">Ding! Character Panel Updated!</td>


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    <table dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><colgroup><col width="100"><col width="100"></colgroup>


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    <td>Name: Wang(Íû)</td>


    <td>Stats</td>


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    <td>Race: Dungeon Core(Mutant)[Domain Core]</td>


    <td>CORE: 2</td>


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    <td>Location: Earth''s Moon</td>


    <td>MENT: 1.01</td>


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    <td>Age: 1 day</td>


    <td>SOUL: 3</td>


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    <td>Guide Persona: Familiar</td>


    <td>ENGY: 100/100</td>


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    <td>Karma: Good</td>


    <td></td>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Quest Completed: What am I?| Reward *Pending* Chose a Path Tree first/ +0.10 MENT</td>


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    "Alright, okay, uhhhh. I need to collect my thoughts here. I stammered out." ... "Ok, Guide whats a dungeon core and how am I different, as a mutant [Domain Core]?" I ask with uncertanty.


    "You took the news better that I had dared to hope." Guide sighed pleased


    "Why? Are Dungeons and their mutations bad?"


    "Well Dungeons arent native to this universe in the first place, but where they are... They arentinherently bad per-say. more like most others just frown at their existance. As for you being a Mutation I dont know, I''ve have records of aberrant Dungeons, sure, But not outright mutants." Guide tensely disclosed.


    "What do you mean they arent native to this universe? And how will this effect our plan going forward?" I ask without patience.


    "Dungeons are naturally born or created in universes'' whos laws are subverted or outright controlled by magic / mana / qi / ki / chi / voodoo ect., This universe however lacks any of those forces, and its laws are in full effect and are only "controlled" or ratherknown by science." Guide rambled on.


    "If there is no magic how am I here, and more importantly how am I still living?"


    "I don''t know, though I would wager a higher powerintervened and placed you here, as for your continued well being, thats likely due to your mutation and/or the system of which Im a part of."


    "Nothing we can do about that now. Explain to me what Dungeons are and what they do." I nodded to Guide to explain


    "When a Dungeon is born, or created by a sufficeintly powerful being, it resides(usually) underground and will, with the help of magic, excavate its way to the surface. Afterwhich It will spawn traps, monsters and other defenses, until it lures in potential prey. If it manages to kill said prey the dungeon will grow stronger. This increase in strength allows it to excavate more, build better traps, stronger monsters, and thus lure more, stronger prey. This is its life cycle till death or imprisonment."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "That seems kinda bleak, Is that all thats in store for me?" I murmured


    "Doubtful, something spent a great effort to place you here. Perhaps your mutation affords you a different path?"


    "Lets hope."


    <hr>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Ding! Hidden Quest Complete: Acknowledgement & Acceptance | Reward: +0.50 SOUL +10 ENGY</td>


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    "I''m pround of your adaptiblity Young Wang" Guide warmfully praised


    "Guide I want to use my rewards now, lets start with the perk." I say, Guide nods in affirmation.


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    <td>You have ( 1 ) unspent perk point avalible and 3 perk choices, view now?</td>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Yes / No</td>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Perk: Gene Therapy; Improve and Evole any who reside with you.</td>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Perk: Matter Conversion; Convert equivalent matter into any material</td>


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    <td style="text-align: center">Perk: Esoteric knowledge; Gain insighst into magic and the Dao</td>


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    The third perk seems leftover for a normal dungeon and wont work here. Gene Therapy is nice but I dont have any living neighbors here on the moon. Its a simple choice, ''Matter Conversion''.


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    <td style="text-align: center">Ding! Perk selected; Matter Conversion | applying now</td>


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    I feel slight tingling that quickly passes, I immediately try to use ''Matter Conversion''


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    <td style="text-align: center">Error! Perk use failed. User lacks material.</td>


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    "Guide how do I gain material?" I blerted excitedly


    "You Dont" Guide objected


    "Huh!? Doesnt that mean this perk is useless!?!" I wail


    *sigh* "Before you get yourself in a rut chose a Path tree" Guide plainly advised


    Hrrmph... Fine


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    <td>User has 3 Path Trees avalible. Chose now?</td>


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    <td>Yes / No</td>


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    ''Yes''


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    Path Tree: Botanist; Path aimed at improving biological growth and development.


    (Starting Ability: Sow Seeds)


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    Path Tree: Constructor; Improves Building and Engineering innovations


    (Starting Ability: Nano Drones)


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    Path Tree: Mystic;P?????????????????????????a?????????????????t???????????????????h???????????????????????????? ???????????????????o?????????????f??????? ?????????????????????????I????????????????????n?????????t????????????????????????r????????????????o???????????????s?????????p???????????????e???????????????????c????????????????t????????????????????????????i?????????????o???????????????????n?????????????????? ??????a??????????????n???????????d????????????????? ???????????????I???????????n????????????????????????s????????????i??????????????????????g????????????????????h?????????????????t???????????????????????? ?????????????i??????????n???????????????????????t??????????????o????????????????? ????????????t???????????????h???????????e?????????????????????? ????????S?????????????????????c??????????????????h????????????????????????o??????????????????????o?????????l????????????????????? ???????o?????????????????f????????? ?????????????T??????????????h?????????????????o???????????u?????????????????????g?????????????????h????????????t?????????????????


    (?????????????????????????S????????????t????????????????????????a???????r?????????t?????????i???????????????????????n????????????????????????g???????????????????? ?????????????????????????A?????????????????b??????????????i???????????????????l???????????????i????????????????????t????????y??????:??????????????? ??????????M??????????????????e??????????????d????????????????i???????????????????????t?????????????a????????????t????????????????i?????????????????o??????????????????????n??????????)????????????????????


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    Welp, I dont think I should touch the third one at all, and I already gave up on Gene Therapy. In for a penny in for a pound....


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    User Has selected; Path Tree: Constructor


    Ability Gained: Nano Drones


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    Earth, I''m on my way.