Becoming an Orphan
"I told you there is nothing here for you." (Akema)
"Why are you here" (Nemo)
"I came to help you. You know you will need it if you are to succeed on this path." (Akema)
"I can do it on my own just fine. Thank you." (Nemo)
"You have a higher chance of success with my help, and I know you will not sacrifice that by being stubborn." (Akema)
"And how pray tell will you help me." (Nemo)
"By introducing something that will help you, the orphan system. You see in ancient times the war against monsters was bloody and costly, even the gods sometimes fell. This event while rare left their children in the lurch until they could find another patron deity. Sometimes they made it, sometimes they didn't. So, the gods came together to create a system to allow their children to hold on to some of their power until they could get to another deity or like in your case if they did not want to join another familia. The created ritual allowed a human to consume their implanted falna and create their own. Now this falna is much harder to develop but is much stronger than similar level falna. Now after the war ended this ritual was forgotten on purpose by the gods as it lessened their importance and on accident by humans as they took the easier path given by the gods. However, some like me still remember the old ways. I would like to pass on this knowledge to you, so as to help you on your path." (Akema)
"I'm interested, how do we start?" (Nemo)
"Let's go back to my home. Oh, grab some of that ash. It'll come in handy." (Akema)
After we got back to his hovel, he told me to take my shirt. Which was not a great sign, but I was on a bit of a deadline, and this would be very helpful.
As I was doing this, Akema was mixing some of the herbs lying around and creating an awful smelling concoction. He then proceeded to write marking on my face and chest with the foul mixture and the ash I grabbed.
Afterwards I saw myself shirtless covered with ashy grey and putrid yellowish green symbols. This is probably the weirdest moment in my admittedly short life.
"Now for the next step, feel that warm energy in the center of your back and move it to the huge grey mark on your back. This will allow you to develop your own falna based on Hestia's." (Akema)
"Why are you doing all this?" (Nemo)
"I've been where you were before. Now let's get going, you do not have much time left until you must be in the dungeon." (Akema)
After I followed his instructions, my body markings started glowing with a blindingly bright sky-blue light.
'I am both the clay and the sculptor'
Grants the ability to assume various forms based on monsters at no mana cost.
'You see the world in only three dimensions, how passé'
The user exists outside the stream of time, which grants the following abilities: the ability to slow down time and continue to move normally, the ability to perceive the short-term future, and the ability to dodge anything of a lower existence level.
'The vessel containing a person's essence'
The stat represents the physical aspects of a person skewed by the individual's innate physique.
'The bridge between the essence and the vessel'
The stat represents the individual's problem-solving skills, memory, and control of magic. Usually either skewed towards magic control or intelligence.
'The fundamental essence of a person'
The stat represents the individual's magic resistance, magic power and regeneration, and authority power. Influenced by innate falna.
<
Existence Level: 1
Body (Balanced): EX
Mind (Magic Control): SS
Soul (Monster): SS
• Monster Incarnation
• Time Independence
• Human
• Beast
• Instrument Golem
• Fire Bolt
• Barrier
• Sonic Amplification and Dampening
The Nephilim's Left Wing
The Nephilim's Right Wing
The Ribbons of the Hearth
The Painter's Hat
After glowing for a minute or two, the markings slowly dissolved into the air. Afterwards, I caught my reflection out of the corner of my eye.