“What on earth is this?” Artorius muttered, blinking at the strange blue text hanging in the air before him. He stepped out of the study, waving his hand as if that might make it vanish. As if sensing his annoyance another message popped up. 

“Young master…” a voice called out, snapping him out of his daze. Turning around he saw it was Ser Ector, his father’s most trusted man, charging up the stairs. “There you are,” the older man said once he spotted him, relief flashing briefly across his weathered face.

Worried for his sanity, Artorius hesitated before he asked, “Ector… are you seeing these strange messages, or am I losing my mind?”

“You’re not losing your mind,” the man replied gravely. “I never thought I’d live to see this day—and worse, you’ve yet to be initiated into the family secrets.”

Artorius’ eyes narrowed in suspension. “What do you mean? And what secrets do you mean?” Another flare of light cut him off:

Awakening World. 

Granting System to Planet's Species.

Generating Dungeons… Already exists, opening them up.

Creating Trials… 

Producing Questlines…

Waving them away, Artorius noticed outside that the mansion was a flurry of activities going on. From the window, he caught sight of what was going — and froze. The Pendrath estate had turned into a war camp. Armored men and women moved with precision, loading crates into trucks, shouldering rifles, and checking glowing runes etched into their armor as though they’d been waiting for this moment their entire lives. The air was thick with the scent of oil, steel, and rain.

“I wish I had time to explain,” Ector said, already striding toward the study room. “But the first phase will begin any moment. Come with me.”

He reached the massive bookshelves, pressed a hidden latch, and drew out an ornate box. From it, he handed Artorius two strange objects — heavier than they looked, etched with unfamiliar runes and the image of some knights. Then he unlocked a drawer in Rhydderch’s old desk and retrieved a fist-sized crystal that seemed to hum in his palm.

“What exactly are these?” Artorius asked, turning the items in his hand. 

“They are what will let you get you started on your path and advance.” Another message appeared, drawing his attention as it was much more worrying. 

Processing Invasion Requests…

Experiencing High Influx of Petitions.

Fey Courts, Infernal Hells, Celestial Heavens, Undead Underworlds, Giant Heims, Elemental Planes, Oceanic Kingdoms, Dragon Peaks, Astral Seas, WorldTree Sanctuaries, Star Domains, Dreaming Scapes, Psi Swarms, Clockwork Spheres, Subterranean Terrains, Magick Towers, Primal Grounds, Monster Labyrinths, Guild Societies…

Please stand by. Summoning System Administrator to review…

Hearing the older man swear under his breath and mutter, “They won’t let it rest.” Turning to face him, he said. “Listen, there is much that will change. Once the tutorial is over and you return to Earth, you will need to come up north. There, you’ll learn the truth about who you are — and what we’ve guarded for eons.”

“Return to Earth?” Artorius latched on to, “What exactly is happening, Ector.”

Grasping his hand, the older man looked right into his eyes, “I promise you you will get all the answers you seek. But first… survive.”

Another cascade of golden script appeared in blue boxes.

Invasion Requests Granted!

To balance out difficulties, Earth will be placed on a fast-track progression.

 Special Privileges Granted to Earth’s Denizens.

Increasing Reward Pools, Populating rarer Paths, Refining more potent Laws

Looking at the new message that appeared, Artorius remarked, “Well that doesn’t look great.” 

“No, it doesn’t” Ector answered, “but we have been preparing ourselves for this day for countless generations. Let them come with everything they have.”

Beginning Phase 1; The Tutorial. 

Prepare yourself!

Just then he noticed his body seemed to become more translucent, fading into light. “Best of luck, young master. I know you will make us proud,” he heard Ector say before he was gone in a flash of white. 

- - -

Candidate #00017 Summoned.

Identity: Artorius Pendrath.

Potential: Very High — exceeding standard parameters.

Opening his eyes, Artorius saw he was standing alone in an endless white, empty expanse. The ground was smooth as glass, the air still, and above him hung a lattice of faintly glowing constellations — all of them alien and strange. A crystalline chime echoed across the emptiness as a message appeared in front of him.

Let’s get familiar with your interface! 😀

Please say or think Character Sheet!

“What is a Character Sheet?” Artorius asked himself and he got his answer. 

Character Sheet 

Name: Artorius Pendrath

Titles: None

Archetype: N/A 

Race: True-Blood Dragonmen(Homo Draconis)[G-hatchling] – lvl 0

Class: N/A

Health: 80/80 | Stamina: 75/75 | Mana: 90/90

Stats

Strength - 8

Dexterity - 7

Constitution - 8

Intellect - 9

Willpower - 10

Perception - 7

Charisma - 10

Luck - 10

Trait: None

Skills: Inspect(Common), Standard Tongues(Common), 

Mutation: Draconic Adaptation(Rare)

Laws: None

Technique: None

Congratulations. You are capable of following basic instructions! 👍

Next Step: Archetype Selection.

“Very funny,” Artorius remarked as he read the message. However what drew his attention was his race, was he not Human or more aptly a Homo sapien?

Then something else drew his attention as he was inundated by options. 

The next was:

Archetype: Warrior

Close combatants that fight in the frontline.

Potential Classes: [Soilder], [Berserker], [Duelist], [Shieldbearer]

Compatibility: 85% 

The third option was:

Finally there was: 

Archetype: Merchant

Trade and negotiate for wealth

Potential Classes: [Banker], [Shipper], [Magnate], [Shopkeeper]

Compatibility: 68% 

The panels floated silently, their faint glow reflected in the perfect glass floor. The choice was his to make. “What are these?” Artorius asked the empty void and he got his answer when he selected the term. 

Archetypes: Your template. The core role you embody. It shapes your path, determines which classes will open to you, influences the abilities you develop, and even colors how the world reacts to your presence.

[SYSTEM PROMPT: Choose wisely. This is not reversible.]

"No pressure," Artorius snorted, looking over his options slowly. His eyes lingered over the four glowing options. Two of them, Scholar and Merchant, were dismissed almost immediately. Not because they were useless, he did after all spend years in schooling like any modern person would have and he was trained in taking over the family business. 

The reason he set them aside was because they weren’t what was needed at this moment. An invasion was coming; the System had all but confirmed it in its earlier messages. Books and coins would not hold a front line against this oncoming tide. So that left him with the first two.

Warrior. It called to him, it was straightforward and uncompromising. He had been trained in several martial arts and even taught the blade and many weapons. But then there was Leader. That word carried weight to him. It meant more than fighting for himself; it meant carrying the weight of others, guiding them, and being the one who bore the brunt of failures and triumphs.

As much as the Warrior archetype spoke to him, he knew he had duties and responsibilities. There were people counting on him, and this was what he was bred for with the system even agreeing as that was his highest compatibility. Plus he knew which one his father would have chosen, he knew that answer deep down inside right of the bat.

So with that in mind, he made his selection. A single chime rang out like a clarion call, pure and resonant, reverberating in his bones. 

[ARCHETYPE SELECTED: LEADER]

+1 to Intellect, Willpower, and Charisma each level!

Gained Trait: Commander

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