Alex unexpectedly spots a tiny box on his desk that looks like a ring box. When he opens it, he is amazed to discover a golden ring with a dragon's face, complete with a jewel set in its mouth. The sides of the ring are decorated with familiar symbols.
"Those are the Zodiac's consolation," Alex gasps. "But why are they here on this ring?"
Alex slips the ring onto his left index finger, marveling at how perfectly it fits. In an instant, he experiences a rush of magic not his own and begins to ponder its origin until he looks down at the ring, observing its soft glow. As the sun finally rises, he notices that Stella and the other familiars are still asleep until...
"Alright, everyone, it's time to wake up!" Alex announces, waking all the familiars.
"*Groan* It's too early to get up," Shadow said, fighting to stay awake.
On the other hand, Stella is eager to rise, whereas Shadow struggles to remain with her as she wakes up. He slides off her as she stretches while fully awake.
"*Yawns* Good morning, Master," Stella says, smiling.
"*Meow* It's too early for all this," Ta-pera yawns.
"Sure, but I have something to do today. Let's find your master's and grab breakfast," Alex says, standing at his bedroom door.
As they arrive outside the dorms and make their way to the main building for breakfast in the banquet hall, Kimberly and the others spot Alex with all their familiars. Once they gather together and the familiars reunite with their masters, it's time for breakfast.
"How was it having our familiars there last night?" Kimberly asks.
"They mostly ask me about my time on Earth and my family, but everyone slept well," Alex replies.
"*sips* Ah, and how are you feeling?" Xenos inquires, noticing that Alex appears tired.
Even though Alex hasn't been sleeping well lately, he handles it without troubling his friends, despite the dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights.
"I'll be fine; I'll just take it easy for now," Alex replies with a smile.
"Are you sure? If you're having trouble with something, please let us help you," Kimberly says, worried about Alex.
"I will. *realize* Could someone point me to Grandma's office?" Alex asks, feeling unsure about Grandma's workplace location.
"I'll take you," Marcus says with a grin as he stands up.
"Oh, thank you," Alex smiles.
As Alex and Stella trail Marcus to his grandmother's workplace, he ponders his mark and if it can be removed. Sensing someone watching, Alex looks over to find Marcus staring at him.
"Can I help you with something?" Alex asks.
"What do you plan to do at your grandma's office?" Marcus teases him.
"I've been meaning to talk to my grandma about something," Alex replies, anxious about Marcus's grin.
"Alrighty then," Marcus smiles.
After about thirty minutes of walking around campus, Alex sees Marcus stopping in front of a door on the third floor of the main building. When Marcus turns to face Alex, he points at the door behind him.
"This is your grandma's office. Well, I should get going now," Marcus says as he prepares to leave.
"So, what are your plans for the outing?" Alex inquires, mirroring the same approach he experienced.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Marucs grins.
"See you later," Marcus waves, bidding farewell for now.
Alex and Stella are left alone, walking toward an office that looks like something a counselor has for students. He sees her writing something down when an owl suddenly flies by. The owl resembles a barn owl, but it also has some features of a snowy owl. Alex's grandma glances up from her paperwork and notices Alex and Stella standing in the doorway.
"Ah, Alex, please come in," Miranda says with a smile as she sees her grandson.
"Thank you, grandma," Alex replies as he steps inside.
Seated in lounge chairs with a cup of tea, Alex keeps his eyes fixed on the owl. Alex's grandma realizes he can't look away either.
"This is my familiar, a Snowir Owl. They can harness both Axalan magic (Snow) and Aeris magic (Air)," Miranda notes, gently stroking the owl's chest.
"And here is Stella, my familiar. She can wield Lux magic (Light) because I learned she's a Starlight Unicorn," Alex says, gently patting Stella's head.
"Stella is quite beautiful; what brings you here to see me?" Miranda asks, a playful smile dancing on her lips.
"Grandma, thank you for introducing me to this world. However, I don't want to spend time in school; I want to explore this place. Therefore, I want to be an adventurer," Alex declares, his face serious.
Alex's grandma notices how keen he is about what he wants to do, and she smiles, showing the loving care she always gives Alex as he grows up.
"I anticipated you'd ask that sooner or later," Miranda replies, getting up from her chair.
Alex is shocked to hear that. She expected him to say something like that after she returned and stood close to him. He sees her holding a book and a small bag of money.
"Like your father, he didn't want to stay somewhere to learn, so I advise you to sign up at the Adventurers Guild in Crystalcliffs," Miranda says.
"Wow, *hugs her* thank you, Grandma," Alex replies.
"Dear, here is a lesson on magic to pay attention to," Miranda says.
"Yes, ma'am," Alex replies, ready for his private lesson.
"Magic is categorized into levels from one to ten, with ten representing the highest. Your magic level is one, signifying that you are just beginning to develop your abilities. Ideally, you would have started your studies in high school because by the time you reach level five in college, you'll have the opportunity to choose your advanced magic type, which includes both your Infernus (fire) and Lux (light) magic," Miranda informs Alex about the magic levels.
"I understand. What should I do to reach level five in magic? I assume my friends might be close to it," Alex says, feeling disheartened about his magic level.
"It's simple: become an adventurer, learn, and grow stronger. You'll catch up quickly," Miranda says, gently squeezing Alex's hands for reassurance.
"Thank you, Grandma, and thanks again for everything," Alex says while preparing to leave.
"You're welcome, dear. Please be back by nightfall," Miranda replies, waving goodbye.
"We will," Alex says as he and Stella exit his grandma's office.
As Alex and Stella arrive in Crystalcliffs, they wander the streets, admiring the stunning buildings and gems that inspired the town's name. Alex spots a large structure reminiscent of the inn he visited with his grandma and brother in Sweet Harvest Valley. He notices a sign featuring a double-bladed axe crossed with a magic staff.
"I think the inns and the Adventure's Guild are the same," Alex mutters softly.
When Alex enters, he notices a diverse crowd of adventurers, each showcasing their skills through unique attire. He struggles to contain his excitement upon seeing various races, including elves, dwarves, and humans with animal-like features. As he reaches the front desk, he is greeted by a male elf, visually striking with blonde hair that shines like sunlight and long, pointed ears.
"Hi, I would like to register as an adventurer, please?" Alex says.
"Of course, please fill out this form, and then we can get you started," the elf receptionist replies with a smile.
Alex reviews the form he must fill out and sees his name and age included as expected. However, he spots unfamiliar sections requesting job and talent information, hoping the receptionist can help him.
"Uh, since I'm new, can you help me with the job and talent part of the form?" Alex asks.
"Certainly, jobs include roles such as a fighter, a spellcaster, or a healer. Adventuring can be perilous if you're unaware of your role. By the way, I'm Faelar Norhorn," Faelar explains the job on the form while introducing himself.
"My name is Alex Griffin. It's nice to meet you," Alex says.
"Jobs are akin to classes, so I'll list Sorcerer," Alex muses to himself.
"Talent is what you're good at and what you can do at a party," Faelar explains about the talent section of the form.
"I see," Alex replies.
Alex demonstrated his skills in Infernus magic, Lux magic, and hand-to-hand combat, since the term martial arts might not resonate with them. After filling out the form, he returned it to Faelar, considering his next steps.
"Wow, you're skilled in two kinds of magic and practice close-quarters combat. That's quite rare for a sorcerer to possess warrior-like fighting skills!" Faelar exclaims.
"Will that be a problem?" Alex asks.
"I disagree. It's beneficial. At a party, you can assist if your mana depletes while casting spells," Faelar responds.
"Alright, all that's left is the practical, and the guild master does this for any new adventurers," Faelar adds, retrieving a piece of parchment.
"Okay, what do I have to do?" Alex asks, worried about it.
"Approximately five miles to the west, you'll discover a cave. Please handle the Gemcutters and gather five of their teeth to demonstrate your victory. Additionally, please collect five gems," Faelar says, smiling as he clarifies the practical specifics.
"Great, that sounds fun! See you later," Alex replies as he heads out.
"Good luck with the practical," Faelar smiles.
As Faelar mentioned, Alex and Stella discovered a cave outside the town. Alex cautiously entered the cavern, mesmerized by the vibrant, rainbow-colored light from the gems. His awe quickly turned into concern when he heard distant chipping and munching sounds. Glancing to the side, he spotted moles with tan fur and gem-like features on their backs and claws as they feasted on the gems.
"They must be Gemcutters," Alex whispers gently.
"I believe so too, Master, but I can't do much since I rely on Lux's magic," Stella responds gently.
Upon realizing that Stella's Lux magic would create overwhelming brightness and that Alex's Infernus magic would trap smoke with no escape, he suddenly recalled a spellbook gifted to him by his grandmother. He quickly flipped through its pages, searching for a potentially helpful spell.
"This spell should do the trick," Alex says.
As Alex pulled out his wand and aimed it at Stella, a spell circle emerged beneath him. This golden circle, embellished with runes, displays a dragon's head at its center. Alex begins to channel his first spell.
"Dragons that soar through skies, roam the land, and traverse the seas, I summon your mystical might. Shield us from our enemies, allowing us to emerge from this battle unhurt. Draconic Scales!" Alex invokes his spell.
Alex and Stella are wrapped in protective scales; when they stop, their bodies glow, indicating the spell is working. They both rush to confront the Gemcutters. Alex uses his martial arts dragon style to take down several, while Stella combines powerful bucks with stabs from her horn.
Five minutes into the cave, Alex and Stella emerged with several Gemcutters. Alex started collecting their teeth while Stella kicked the gems with her hind legs, allowing Alex to collect their shards.
"That looks like everything; let's return," Alex says.
"Okay, I have to admit, this was fun," Stella replies.
"I have to agree with you, Stella," Alex says with a smile.
Once Alex gathered the quest items, they left the cave and returned to the Adventurers Guild, hoping Alex would become a true adventurer.
At the Adventurers Guild, Alex was waiting at the desk when Faelar suddenly returned, looking happy about something and holding a card-like object.
"I'm happy to present you with your official Adventure License," Faelar declares, offering Alex the card.
Alex sees his name, species, skills, and rank. The card glimmers with an iridescent shine, resembling porcelain and reflecting to Faelar, who perceives Alex as an open book.
"Our ranking system is based on gems and materials, with Porcelain being the lowest and Platinum the highest," Faelar explains.
"I see. So, how can I improve my rank?" Alex asks.
"You can approach this in two ways: complete the quests to raise your rank or join a Dungeon run to gain levels. However, I recommend being cautious with dungeons. For now, celebrate your achievement of becoming a true adventurer! I'll share more about dungeons and quests the next time you're here," Faelar responds to Alex's inquiry about rankings.
"Okay, thank you for everything, Faelar. See you again," Alex says as he heads out of the building.
"He's a good kid; I'm sure he can survive this," Faelar smiles.
Once Alex departs from the Adventures Guild, he puts away his guild card and starts to hear a familiar voice.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite newbie."
Following the sound, Alex notices that Marcus is in town, along with Shadow, who immediately slithers off Marcus and coils back around Stella.
"Oh great," Stella mutters about her predicament.
"What brings you to town?" Alex asks.
"I'm here hoping to spend time with friends, but they all have things to do, so I came alone," Marcus replies, teasing Alex about the part of being alone.
"Why don't I take you out for lunch since we're both in town alone?" Marcus suggests inviting Alex to share a meal.
"Absolutely! I'd be delighted to accept your offer," Alex replies warmly.
"Then it's a date!" Marcus says with a playful grin, teasing Alex.
As Marcus chuckles softly while watching Alex stroll off to Main Street in Crystalcliffs, a faint blush creeps across Alex's face. He hesitates to follow, sensing that he may come to regret this lunch date with Marcus.
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