Mindscape Surprises

"Welcome back to the land of the living!" He woke to a chirping voice, Lei's voice.

Xing opened his eyes, then looked around the room and saw his mother's happy expression and his father's proud gaze.

"Congratulations, dear," said his mother

His father offered him his hand to get up, "I knew you had it in you, son. I'm proud of you."

"How long was I out?" Xing grabbed the hand and was pulled up to his feet.

"Not long. Only a few hours." His father retracted his arm.

"Snort, a few hours more like half the day! I'm hungry! Let's have the celebratory feast already!" Lei hopped to the table laden with food.

"Yes let's all eat I'm sure opening your Mindscape has left you tired and hungry." His mother took his hand and guided Xing to the table while his father had moved to sit at the head.

"Let's eat!"

During the meal, Xing explained what he saw after completing his Sigil.

"Sounds like you might have a rare, never before seen, Element. There's no need to worry you'll find out more tomorrow, for now, keep up your strength by eating then go to sleep," told his father.

***

It was a day later when the family had gotten back together inside the chief's tent. Xing was going to delve into his Mindscape for the first time. They had waited a day because that's how long it takes the Mindscape to ready itself after being successfully opened.

They all wanted a first-hand account of Xing's new power. He suspected that they were also worried for him after he detailed to them about what happened after he completed the third challenge to inscribe his Sigil.

"There is no need to worry son. Like I said last night, your Element might be rare and has never been recorded before, if that is the case then obviously you won't know what you saw. As soon as you enter your Mindscape, you'll know what element you have, and you will understand a few basics." His father reassured his son.

"Yeah! Maybe you got a super rare element! You better hope you did, since you'll never be able to beat me with a normal one!" Lei playfully hit him in the arm.

"The two of them are right little Xing, well one of them at least," added his mother.

Xing knew they were all correct, even Lei. She might not look it, but compared to 5 years ago she was far stronger than him now. After failing to open her Mindscape but exposing herself to her element, she had strengthened terrifyingly fast.

Sighing he sat down in a meditative pose, "Here I go then," he allowed his mind to drift into his Mindscape.

***

He felt himself be phased into his Mindscape the moment he entered his mind. What he saw and felt shocked him, even though he roughly knew what to expect.

Darkness dominated his Mindscape, so dark that it took a while to adjust and even then he needed to squint before he could look around his Mindscape.

The first thing he noticed while looking around was that it was not all dark as there were lights throughout his Mindscape, many were dim however giving off just enough light to set an ambient atmosphere over the surroundings.

His Mindscape was large, but not overly so. Black marble-like structures decorated the encompassing dark, gloomy landscape. Columns made of the same black marble were the most eye-catching feature, making his Mindscape seem as if it had been ripped out of ancient Greece and then painted black.

He took note of the fact that in the sky an outline of a giant circle lit up the sky, pulsating with black and white elemental energy. Another circle looked as if it were beginning to form next to the first, with only one-tenth complete. Xing didn't know what this symbolized, he would have to ask later.

Sweeping his gaze over into a corner of the place he noticed bright lights making their presence known highlighting a massive Parthenon-like building. Upon thinking what the building was the answer came to him, this was his mind after all.

'Archives? What on earth does that mean?'

He did not get an answer as something else rushed to the front of his mind: his elements which unsurprisingly were the Dark Element and Light Element.

The dominating Dark was his primary element, and he could tell just what he could do with it. The basics were control over existing shadows. Entering shadows would mask his presence; it wouldn't make him invisible, but it was close. With a little training, he would be able to move through shadows, eventually being able to teleport through shadow.

'What is this, am I destined to be a rogue!? With abilities like these, I'd be the perfect assassin or scout. I want to be on the front-lines like mother and father, not skulking about like a thief!'

His secondary element was Light, but he didn't get much in the way of knowing how to use it. All he got was the feeling that he had gained passive self-healing, which while cool was not something overly useful to him; since if you were powerful you wouldn't even get injured in the first place, making the healing useless.

Now that he had gotten to know what his elements were and what he could initially do with them he could leave. However, he didn't wish to without first seeing the 'archive' structure and figure out its purpose.

***

Traversing the Mindscape was easy all you needed to do was think about where you wanted to be, and you would be there. Xing withdrew the thought of doing this since he wanted to take this opportunity to get a closer look, so he stepped onto a path that winded its way around jutting hills covered with black foliage and black-marbled ruins leading toward the architectural masterpiece in the distance.

As Xing carried on down the path, he started getting an appreciation of the unique beauty of his Mindscape. It was just like any environment: dirt, grass, trees, rocks; everything but life was present. The only difference being that everything was colored black or some shade of black. The dreary and dim ambient lighting only added to the unique charm rather than detracting.

Xing gained a sense of scale upon reaching the massive Greek structure that was lit up in the spotlight. It towered over him easily at 200-meters tall, half-a-kilometer wide, and over 1-kilometer long; whatever it was used for required a lot of space.

Walking into the entrance he was within a closed off room, and it didn't seem possible to go any further into the building. The room was completely bare, all that was present in the room were a chair and desk, nothing more, nothing less.

'Just what is this building?'

Upon thinking this question, he noticed a book appearing on top of the desk titled 'The Soul Archive.'

As-soon-as Xing reached down and touched the book information poured into his mind; information on what the building was, on why it was here, and how to use it.

The building as the title suggests was called the Soul Archive and its task was to store all information from the host souls lives. It recorded everything from what you ate on a particular day down to the exact second of time, to who your postman was on a Monday of the second week of May for every single year.

'Well, that is not creepy at all.'

The reason for the archive being within his Mindscape was because Xing's soul was its host and had been ever since the creation of his soul. He knew none of this, but he had a sudden thought.

'Is that the reason for those realistic dreams in my previous life? Was I experiencing what my soul has done in previous incarnations? Then why am I able to remember the few last lives?'

He didn't get time to think further as the next portion of the book flooded forward; how it worked.

The Soul Archive was able to format information you required into a book which directly imprinted itself into the mind when touched. However, there was a price, and strangely enough, that price was monster cores; and with each book purchase, the amount or quality required increases.

'It requires cores from magical monsters, and it is physically within my Mindscape which is opened using mana; in other words, this capability can only function in a world with mana. That could explain how my memories are being kept intact from my lives in this world: since the previous world did not allow me to keep my memories, and the only difference between worlds is the existence of mana, I can keep my memories because there is mana. Maybe?'

'Haaaaah, whatever no use crying over spilled milk. Time to leave,' Xing turned around sighing.

Walking out of the archive, Xing took in the surrounding sights once more before focusing his thoughts on leaving.

***

He opened his eyes to his parents, and Lei gathered around him the sight similar to the previous day when he opened his Mindscape. His parents remained silent, but Lei immediately opened her mouth.

"Well, what element do you have?" She crept closer until she was right in his face.

Flustered, Xing moved away from her. 'Damn this girl is too beautiful, she looks way older than 15. I'm an adult, yet I'm getting thrown off balance by a little girl. Stupid hormones.'

He coughed clearing his thoughts, "I have the Dark Element with Light being secondary."

His parents looked at each other picturing what that meant. They had never heard of such elements before, let alone having both at the same time.

Lei stared directly at his face as if she were trying to look into his soul before she burst out laughing, "Pfffffft. Hahaha, that's just too funny! Hahahaha!"

Xing frowned, "What's so funny about that I have the Dark Element?"

He was curious just what this girl was thinking. His mother and father looked over at Lei as well similarly interested in what this girl was going to say.

The girl was holding her sides laughing hysterically. "Hahaha, it's too hilarious! You are named after the stars yet have control over darkness! Hahahaha~!"

"I have the Light Element as well! Just not as strong..."

"Alright, you two have had your fun." Xing's father stepped in, "Now, Xing, me and your mother have never even heard of the Dark or Light elements before, so you'll have to rely on yourself to learn about them; I can still teach you the basics, however."

His mother looked curious, "What can you use your elements for currently?

"My Dark Element can mask my presence when I'm standing in shadows, and I'll be able to move within shadows with a little training." Taking on a disgruntled expression, he continued, "All I got with the Light Element is an increase in natural healing."

"Nothing is ever that easy, were you expecting to get things handed to you? Train both of your elements, and you will be strong. Those elements of yours must be rare since we've never heard of them before so they should be powerful." His mother walked over to him, put her hand on top of his head ruffling his hair, "Now, come on its time for your daily training. Lei you too!"

"Yes, aunt!" "Yes, mother."

***

~ 2000 A.C. | Star Archon's Office, Stellar Palace | Shangri-la | China ~

In the room, Umbra was laughing on the couch, "Hahahaha, I remember that Lei girl and I remember how she never let that joke go. Didn't she bestow you the nickname Blackstar? Such a funny girl."

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious," dryly stated Star. "Can I continue?"

Wiping tears from her eyes, "Yeah sure go ahead. It's getting close to my reveal so type faster."