Poisoned Rationality

-Nyxandria-

The next several years passed by relatively quickly. Each of my birthdays after my very first birthday didn’t have any ceremony or weird visions.

Other important things did happen, though.

I learned how to walk (again) and how to talk (again). Additionally, my antlers were now several inches long, with two branches! The stingers on my tails hadn’t come in yet, but that was to be expected.

Humans don’t become mature until they reach the age of nineteen. Wendigo matured faster, reaching adulthood at the age of seventeen.

Dragons, being the slowest-aging races, took literal millennia to reach true adulthood, although once they reached several centuries old, they were usually treated as adults.

Elves took approximately 500 years to reach adulthood, and were functionally immortal.

Elves, dragons, and vampires all wouldn’t die of old age, while the other long-lived races, like dwarves, wendigo, and the beastkin, could, although it was much longer than humans and the humanoid monster races.

Anyways.

Currently, it’s approaching my fifth birthday. I’m very excited because my parents have left little hints about how something important related to me is going to happen today.

Actually, it’s more like I overheard little tidbits about it, and they were trying to keep it a total secret.

I was lying on my bed, idly staring at my status.

Status (Lvl 1):

Name: Nyxandria Arilis

Race: Void Dokukyoku Wendigo (Twintailed)

Age: 4/9/39

Level: 0 (0% EXP)

Statistics:

Str: C Vit: D

Int: A Dex: B

Agi: D Def: B

HP: 100% E

MP: 100% E

Titles: Divine Blessing of Estelle, Fated One, True Void

Skills: N/A

I still hadn’t gained a single skill. Which was annoying.

“Nyx?” Mother asked, poking her head into the room that I shared with Ryla. “Can you come out here? Your father and I need to talk with you.”

I nodded and hopped off my bed, following her into the front room. I pulled myself into a chair and looked over at my parents.

“So, your fifth birthday is tomorrow,” Father started. “As is customary for wendigo, you will be given a path choice.”

“What you pick will determine what the rest of your life will be like,” Mother continued. “We will support whatever you pick, but some options are more dangerous than others.”

“Lastly, there’s something we need to ask you,” Father said. “At the ceremony on your first birthday, the Priestess who did it saw two titles that you had.”

I tensed, realizing that they were probably talking about the ones that tied me to Stella.

“You don’t have to tell us anything,” Mother told me. “But we’d like to know what they mean to you.”

I looked down at the floor, conflicted. I really did want to tell them, but I was also scared of how they would react.

I took a deep breath and decided to tell them.

In a bit of a rush, I explained everything that I remembered (which wasn’t very much, but enough that they could understand the situation).

By the end, I looked down again, waiting for whatever they were going to say.

What I didn’t expect were the arms that pulled me into a hug.

“Oh, my sweet baby,” Mother said. “Thank you for telling us.” I nodded into her, cuddling against her warmth. Then Father joined the hug, and I smiled.

“Just know that we’re not going to treat you any differently now,” Father told me. “You’re still our daughter, no matter what.”

“I know,” I said. “I love you.”

“We love you, too,” Mother said.

…

Today was my birthday. It was the day that the rest of my life would be decided.

The first part of the morning was normal, with me waking up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. Mother helped me brush my hair and pull it back into a ponytail.

Then it was time.

This time, Ryla was at school, so she wasn’t able to come with us. Mother and Father walked with me down to the same temple from four years ago.

We walked inside and were led to another ceremony room. The priestess was a tall catkin with reddish-orange hair and fur with amber eyes.

“Are you Nyxandria?” She asked me. I nodded, and she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Priestess Zeila.” She held out her hand, and I shook it.

“Please, come this way,” She told me, turning and walking through a door. I started following, expecting my parents to follow. When they didn’t, I turned around and looked at them.

“We can’t be with you for the ceremony,” Mother said. “You’ll do great.”

I nodded and turned back to Priestess Zelia. She was standing behind a table with a large, round, blue gem. There was a stool for me, which I stepped onto.

“Alright,” she said. “I’m going to have you put your hands on the crystal in a moment. Once you do, I’m going to use some magic. I’m guessing you can sense magic already?”

“… Why do you think that?” I asked.

“Okay, I’m just going to be straight with you,” She said in reply. “I know about the whole thing. I’m Estelle’s Head Priestess, and you’re her Fated One. You also have her Divine Blessing and are a reincarnator. Of course, you’d be able to sense magic.”

“Oh,” I said, looking down.

“It’s fine, don’t be ashamed,” The Priestess told me. “You didn’t know that I knew. Now, put your hands on the crystal.”

I did so, and Priestess Zelia held out her hands and began to cast magic. I felt the energy swirling into the room and coalescing in the crystal.

Then my vision turned a bland grey color, and a system window opened.

Life Choice:

Please pick one of the following options. Afterward, you will be accelerated to level five.

Option 1: [Farmer]

Your life will focus on botany and growing food.

Unique Skills:

• Aura of Growth [E]: You can create an aura that accelerates the growth of plants around you.

• Plant Mother[E]: Any plants that you grow from a seed will be extra durable and nutritious.

• Botanist: You can identify any plant you’ve seen before with perfect accuracy.

Option 2: [Generalist]

You won’t be the greatest at any one thing, but you’ll be good at a large variety of tasks.

Unique Skills:

• None

• Jack of all Trades: You can never fully master a skill, but your rate of learning skills is increased by 50%

Option 3: [Fighter]

You fight with a weapon and are great at it, but you aren’t good at much else.

Unique Skills:

• Weapons User [E]: Your skill with any weapon equals the Rank of this skill.

• Defensive Body: The effect of any armor you wear affects your entire body.

• Elitist: Any weapon skill that reaches mastery becomes doubly effective in your hands.

Option 4: [Brawler]

Your body is your weapon of choice.

Unique Skills:

• Sharp Edge [E]: Your body can gain sharp edges like a blade for a short amount of time.

• Unique Style: Your style of fighting is unique to you. Others cannot replicate it unless you teach them for at least 200 hours.

Option 5: [Mage]

Magic is your forte, but your body is weak.

Unique Skills:

• Fancy Spellwork [E]: Someone who sees you constructing a spell rune is entranced by it for some time.

• Mana Density: Your mana pool caps at 150%.

Option 6: [Assassin]

Sneaking around is where you excel.

Unique Skills:

• Sneak [E]: Your stealth is increased by [15]% at night or in dark places.

• Backstabber: Attacks from behind are 400% more effective.

Option 7: [Priestess]

Channel your patron through you and bring wrath upon your enemies.

Unique Skills:

• Spite [E]: Anything you do is [20]% more effective against a person who opposes your patron.

• Holy Voice: When you speak the praises of your patron, people are more inclined to listen.

Option 8: [Dragonborne]

You contain the fury of a dragon in your veins

Unique Skills:

• Elemental Resistance [E]: You take 30% less elemental damage

• Dragon’s Pride: You have a taste for treasure and the strength to take it.

Option 9: [Sage]

Spirits hear your call.

Unique Skills:

• Spirit Call [E]: Bring any nearby un-pacted spirits to your aid.

• One With the Spirits: Your ability to communicate with any spirit is boosted by 150%.

Option 10: [Grandmaster]

Combine the powers of all in one.

Unique Skills:

• None

• GrandMaster: You only gain 5% the normal experience. You gain every other title and unique skill offered before this option.

Option 11: [Ascending Radiance]

On the path to Godhood.

Unique Skills:

• Ascension [NA]: Upon reaching Level 100, you become a God.

• Ascending: You only gain 60% the normal experience.

Option 12: [Void Demigod]

Void.

Unique Skills:

• Decimation [EX]: Use the Void.

• Consume [EX]: Consume and grow.

• Share [EX]: Spread the Void.

• One with the Void: Any magic you use has a hint of Void to it. You can safely interact with Void magic and Void Energy.

[Error]: Options 1-11 invalid.

[Correcting…]

Life Choice:

Please pick one of the following options. Afterward, you will be accelerated to level five.

Option 1: [Void Demigod]

Void.

Unique Skills:

• Decimation [EX]: Use the Void.

• Consume [EX]: Consume and grow.

• Share [EX]: Spread the Void.

• One with the Void: Any magic you use has a hint of Void to it. You can safely interact with Void magic and Void Energy.

Well. I guess there was only one option.

I selected the option of [Void Demigod], and the windows disappeared.

“Did you select?” Priestess Zelia asked once I blinked and looked up at her. I nodded before slumping to the side as my head spun. “Oh, yeah, this will knock you unconscious. You’ll be awake in a few minutes.”

I mumbled something about acknowledging what she said before I slipped into darkness.