The New Bond

“The system is old, not as old as some of the gods. The topic of how the system appeared is debated to no end and has, on more than one occasion, started small wars. Some believe it was created by the gods to give way for people to grow in strength to rival the beast and monsters; others believe a rip in demisonal fabric allowed the system to slip between realms. Whatever way the system appeared, the gods have stated that it's permanent and here to stay.” - Solex Of History, page 2319.

Aster

It was as I remembered it: nothing but endless darkness in every direction and the feeling of weightlessness and a nonexistent body. Well, there was one difference: the time the screen appeared felt like it was taking forever. Still, with nothing I could do to speed it up, I forced myself to relax and wait. While I waited, I thought about the armor that Umbra had suggested. There were no problems with the armor I had now besides eventually growing out of it, whereas the new armor would require a lot of time and effort. Eventually, the screen appeared, and my attention shifted.

[Advancement to grade 2 has started]

[Multiple class advancements have been made. Please pick a class to advance first.]

[Race Class / Second Class]

Thinking back to the time of my first advancement, I didn't spot any differences, so after thinking about which to pick, I decided to start with my second class to have a slight change. With the option selected, four windows appeared.

[Four Options Available]

[Option One]

[Class: Woodlands Ranger]

[Rarity: Uncommon]

[Granted Skills: Advanced Tracking, Hunting Instinct, Ranger’s Quiver]

[Starting Skill Points: 20]

[Skill Points Per Level: 1]

[Attributes Per Level: 18]

[Free Points + 4]

[Constitution + 3]

[Strength + 2]

[Endurance + 3]

[Dexterity + 1]

[Charisma + 1]

[Intelligence + 2]

[Wisdom + 2]

[The Woodlands Hunter knows the front and back of the forest he hunts in, what lives there, and the challenges presented.]

[Note: This class is not compatible with your bond and will result in delayed growth of the bond.]

I shook my head in disbelief. This was the first class option? It was terrible, no. As Kat would put this, this is Griffin's shit. There was nothing else to say about it. The addition of skill points was interesting, but like my first advancement, there was no other information, and I'd probably get none until I left the advancement area. With a tinge of annoyance, I moved my attention to the next screen.

[Option Two]

[Class: Rune Smith]

[Rarity: Rare]

[Granted Skills: Rune insight, Ethereal Rune Tools, Mental Runic Book.]

[Starting Skill Points: 25]

[Skill Points Per Level:1]

[Attributes Per Level: 20]

[Free Points + 1]

[Constitution + 3]

[Strength + 2]

[Endurance + 3]

[Dexterity + 2]

[Charisma + 2]

[Intelligence + 3]

[Wisdom + 4]

[The Rune Smith is a crafter focused on the field of all runes, with an aim to make use of any and all basic runes they uncover.]

[Note: This class is not compatible with your bond and will result in delayed growth of the bond.]

[Note: The Rune Smith is a crafting class and will earn experience from working in the rune field and completing or adding runes to items.]

It was better, I guessed. It was the first time I'd been offered a proper crafting class, so it was interesting to see the differences. The ability to gain experience from crafting items was something I could see myself doing, but again, it had nothing to do with Umbra and the bond, so I didn't see myself picking it. With growing worry about my future choices, I moved to the next option.

[Option Three]

[Class: Bonded Ranger of Frost]

[Rarity: Epic]

[Granted Skills: Advanced Frost Arrow, Lesser Draconic Instinct, Arrow Creation, Lesser Bond Transfer]

[Alterations: This class alters the body and can result in a change to pupils and skin textures related to the bonded creature.]

[Starting Skill Points: 40]

[Skill Points Per Level: 2]

[Attributes Per Level: 25]

[Free Points + 5]

[Constitution + 2]

[Strength + 3]

[Endurance + 4]

[Dexterity + 5]

[Charisma + 2]

[Intelligence + 3]

[Wisdom + 1]

[The Bonded Rager of Frost draws power from their bond to increase their ability in battle. With a bow and created arrows, their ranged prowess is hard to match.]

[Note: Bonded to one of the stronger forms of life, a dragon, you have been given the maximum number of attribute points available at the current stage.]

[Note: This Class is a continuation and can alter existing skills.]

If my body existed in this space, I'd either be jumping in excitement or slumping in relief. Either way, my tail would be wagging. There was a class that I could take, and it was still related to archery and Umbra. There was the problem of the alterations; I didn't mind the changes, but to my knowledge, racial classes were the only classes to offer any changes. Was my advancement that different because of Kulni and Umbra? Taking a second, I made a reminder to look through the books and ask as discreetly as possible for anyone else who had alterations in their second class. With not as much worry as before, I took a look at my last class option for my second class.

[Option Four]

[Class: Bonded Weaver of Frost]

[Rarity: Epic]

[Granted Skills: Frost Mimicry, Ice Bolt, Glacial Ice, Lesser Draconic Mana Regen, Glacial Blood]

[Alterations: This class alters the body and can result in a change to pupils and skin textures related to the bonded creature.]

[Starting Skill Points: 40]

[Skill Points Per Level: 2]

[Attributes Per Level: 25]

[Free Points + 5]

[Constitution + 3]

[Strength + 2]

[Endurance + 1]

[Dexterity + 1]

[Charisma + 2]

[Intelligence + 5]

[Wisdom + 6]

[The Bonded Weaver of Frost strives to equal their bond with elemental control using their bond to gain a deeper understanding of the coldest affinity.]

[Note: Bonded to one of the stronger forms of life, a dragon, you have been given the maximum number of attribute points available at the current stage.]

[Note: This Class is a continuation and can alter existing skills.]

While the class was good, really good, and offered five class skills, it would require a shift in combat that I didn't want. The shift in attribute points would help even out my current attributes, though. I hesitated as I looked over both of the actual proper options, not bothering to look at the other two.

I knew what I wanted, but unless my race class offered a shift in Attributes, I was expecting all of my free points to go into balancing out my attributes. Even with that, I'd be gaining a lot of dexterity and endurance. Still, I wanted to use my bow, and only one class gave me that option and kept my bond. I knew I should probably think about it more, but the choice was obvious.

[Select Second Class Option Three?]

[Yes/No]

I gave a mental agreement and watched as the screens winked out and a new set of screens appeared. This choice had been surprisingly simple.

[Notice: You have selected class Bonded Ranger of Frost]

[Notice: You have skills that have been altered.]

[Notice: Skill Frosted Arrow has improved into Advanced Frost Arrow.]

I blinked, a bit surprised. If that was my only altered skill, then it meant the rest of them would be staying the same. I didn't know if I should be excited or upset at that. Either way, it meant my skills were growing.

[Notice: A class advancements have been made]

[Race Class available for advancement begin?]

[Yes/No]

Again, I gave my confirmation and frowned at what appeared before me.

[Two Options Available]

Only two options for my race class? From what I'd been told, the standard amount of class options during an advancement had been three, and it rarely went below that number. While I understood I wasn’t normal by any stretch of the word, it still felt off that I would be that limited in this advancement. Only two choices. Looking at the screens, I read the first one.

[Option One]

[Class: Chimeric Human]

[Rarity: Epic, Unique]

[Granted Skills: Morphic Alterations, Chimeric Blood, Woven Skin]

[Alterations: Class holders will be given the option of partly absorbing the remains of defeated creatures to gain a chance at gaining attribute points and skills related to the physical and magical portions of the race. These changes can come with body alterations.]

[Starting Skill Points: 35]

[Skill Points Per Level: 2]

[Attributes Per Level: 30]

[Free Points + 5]

[Constitution + 3]

[Strength + 4]

[Endurance + 4]

[Dexterity + 4]

[Charisma + 4]

[Intelligence + 3]

[Wisdom + 3]

[As a holder of at least three different and unique bloodlines not related to oneself and with one bloodline rated at legendary, you have started down the path of the Chimera, an option that is not reversible.]

[Notice: A Version of this Race Class option will be available at each Race Class advancement with the possibility of an improved quality but will continue to suppress other class options of a lower grade or equal grade.]

[Notice: This Race class will permanently change your Race.]

A Chimeric Human, it was the answer to why her options had been limited. The class looked amazing, but it brought up a lot of questions and fears. Chimera were creatures that were mashed up and monstrous versions of normal beasts. While I’d never seen one and never read about one, Kulni had told me about them, and from what she had said, they were dangerous. Kunli had only had one experience with a chimera, a bear made of metal and stone with the face of a tree spirit. She had expressly warned me never to fight one at my own grade. While it had seemed more like a way to get me to avoid an unknown beast in the forest at the time, now I would have to rethink that talk and soon. As the class stated, it wasn't going to go away, and if I understood it right, then if it was rated to or a higher rarity of any other race class option, then it would cover them up or something like that. I really hoped I wouldn't have to pick it up this time or maybe even ever if I couldn't find anything out about it because it definitely rang any and all warning bells in my head. There was only one upside to this: my next option had to be rated higher than Epic. Turning my attention to the only other screen, I hoped that it was something actually choosable because if it was as mysterious as Chimeric Human felt, then I had no clue what I was going to do.

[Option Two]

[Class: Beast-Kin]

[Sub Race: Progenitor of Wolf-Kin]

[Rarity: Historic]

[Granted Skills: Progenitor’s System, Alteration’s Legacy, Primal Shift ]

[Alterations: This class will alter the class holder's race to a Progenitor Wolf-Kin, changing the current race.]

[Starting Skill Points: 35]

[Skill Points Per Level: 2]

[Attributes Per Level: 30]

[Free Points + 4]

[Constitution + 5]

[Strength + 4]

[Endurance + 5]

[Dexterity + 4]

[Charisma + 2]

[Intelligence + 3]

[Wisdom + 3]

[A wartorn species, the Beast-Kin were created by the Goddess of the Hunt Khyrie endless Melina ago to fight a long-dead entity. Now, you have the option to join them. The subspecies Wolf-Kin were once a pillar of the Beast-Kin race but have since reached near extinction.]

[Notice: This is a total racial alteration and will affect racial affinities, the body, and racial skills.]

[Notice: As a True Daughter of Kulni, effects relating to the subspecies Wolf-Kin will be altered to represent the relation as a Daughter of a Guardian Beast.]

[Notice: This is a progenitor race, as such changes related to the race can be increased through quest.]

[Notice: This is a Racial Class requiring the completion of a multi-step quest to achieve full Racial benefits.]

This, this was everything I could have wanted. I wasn't ashamed of being human by any means. It was what I was born as, and if it couldn't ever be changed, I’d be fine with it. With that being said, I couldn’t remember my parents; they had left me, and to me, the reason hadn’t mattered for a while. Kluni was my mother and had raised me with her pack, even if I wasn’t one of her kind. Now, I had the chance to show her how much that meant. It also didn’t hurt that my only other option was a Chimera. There was the question of what a beast-kin was and what a progenitor was, but Kulni could probably answer them. Without much more thought, I selected Beast-Kin as my race class advancement.

[Select Race Class Option Two?]

[Yes/No]

I selected yes, and quickly, the screens changed, blinking out and being replaced. I read over the multiple new screens that appeared.

[Notice: As a new progenitor to the Wolf-Kin, the god related to the race has been notified.]

[Notice: New Race selected, alterations to biology and mana pathways are beginning, and pain is expected. Minor discomfort is expected as the mind gets used to the new chances after advancement]

[nOTic3: Eorrror, RaCCE NoT Recognized. E.323#.]

[E.323 Progenitor Race has been selected. ERRoR: Progenitor Race Selection not found. Other solution needed.]

[E.323 Progenitor Race has been selected. ERRoR: Progenitor Race Selection skill alterations not found. Other solutions not located.]

[E.323 Admin System Contacted.]

[E. 323 Error Subverted and Noted]

[A.S: Update found]

[Rerouting to E.324, Apologies User: Aster]

[Notice: As a new progenitor to a race, the god related to the race has been notified.]

[Notice: New Race selected, alterations to biology and mana pathways are beginning, and pain is expected. Minor discomfort is expected as the mind gets used to the new chances after advancement]

[Notice: All class selections have been made, and grade advancement has been completed. Leaving the grade advancement will happen in 60 seconds.][60..59..58]

Wait what? I read over the notices as they changed from blue to red, then started to make no sense. Faster almost than I could read, the messages were gone. Only the expected one remained, but before I could think about it, a slight flare of pain raced up my spine and then back down. The feeling was so surprising that I tried to reach behind and feel my back, only to realize that I wasn't technically here. Still, the sting on my back didn't seem to agree and grew into a burn that seemed to flow over my legs and shoulders. My gasp of breath felt real, but I couldn't do anything to make the feeling disappear. Only as the timer on the screen reached its end did all of the feeling left, and with it, my thoughts faded as the inky black around me faded. For once, I didn’t feel weirded out; I was just thankful.

Khyrie

Khyrie was surprised. The girl had gained an advancement into Beast-Kin faster than she expected. On top of that, she was now a Progenitor. She found it amusing how those unique little flukes were still in the system, but it wasn’t like it mattered much right now. There were grades to go until it gave anything to her if she survived that long with a Progenitor title.

Looking down, Khyrie hummed, rubbing one of her claws over her fangs as she thought. She had wanted to wait, but with this opportunity, she couldn't pass it up. It would help Kluni gain a bit of her spirit back, and maybe, in the future, it would give her room to bargain.

It only took a second for the message the system sent her to get a response, then added to as Khyrie gave the slightest amount of divinity possible.

Given how many people prayed to her, it would take a few dozen years to get the divinity back, but it wasn't a second in the river of time for her.

With the job done, she turned her addition back to the new creature she was working on. Chimera sculpting was a good pastime, after all.