From Another World:Occupations

**Chapter 3: Descent of the Chosen**

Snow clung to our hair and clothes as the forest fell silent again—our phantasmal foes driven off by raw instinct, shaky skills, and a surge of desperate energy.

For a long beat, no one spoke. Our breaths came out in harsh, visible bursts against the biting cold.

"Everyone still alive?" Arlo demanded, eyes sweeping our battered group.

"Somehow," Steven wheezed, clutching his knees. "And someone please tell me I didn't just superheat a plant into a crispy salad."

"You absolutely did," Meloy replied, grinning despite the pain.

I brushed sweat mixed with adrenaline from my brow. My star-map interface—the one that had flared to life mid-fight—had now dimmed. "We need to move. That fight probably sent ripples across these slopes."

Sana nodded. "Agreed. We're exposed out here. There's supposed to be shelter downhill—those ancient ruins we saw above the ledge might provide cover."

So, bruised, half-frozen, and riding high on our first hard-won victory, we pressed on down the mountainside.

---

The climb down was an ordeal.

The path was steep and uneven, carved into the very bones of the mountain. Thick roots coiled around shattered steps; ancient stone lanterns glowed faintly, relics of a long-forgotten era that still lit this treacherous trail. Each careful step gave me a moment to reflect—about the system interface, the strange stars overhead, and the name that kept echoing in my mind every time I glanced at the largest, slowest-moving moon.

> "Neros."

It felt… inexplicably familiar.

---

Midway, we paused on a rocky shelf that overlooked the vast world below. And then we saw it:

A sweeping landmass stretching beyond the horizon—rolling plains, sparkling lakes, floating spires, and enormous trees that dwarfed modern skyscrapers. Lightning arced in the distance over what looked like a living fortress, and a dragon-shaped silhouette drifted across a cloud far too low to be mere illusion.

And there, on the horizon—a city.

It glittered like fallen constellations, impossible in its scale and detail.

"Holy hell," Steven muttered. "That's no ordinary town… that's an entire civilization."

"We're not just in another world," I said, my voice hushed with awe. "We're in someone else's story."

---

We pushed forward until dusk finally crept over the land, and we found refuge beneath a rocky overhang. Arlo quickly rigged a perimeter alarm with Meloy's sturdy vines and Ivan's shimmering, enchanted thread. While Steven, ever the culinary master, transformed a handful of wild mushrooms and aromatic leaves into a surprisingly palatable stew, our minds slowly turned to our interfaces—the floating, digital menus visible only to us.

Sana leaned forward with curiosity. "Has anyone tried communicating with theirs?"

I hesitated. "I haven't yet—but it's definitely worth a try."

Focusing on my interface, I spoke aloud: "System. Request: information on Anniekes. World overview."

A low chime resonated in my ears as I awaited a response.

> \[Request Acknowledged. Welcome, Dr. Robert Starfield. Initiating contextual transfer… loading…]

---

**\[World: Anniekes – Primer]**

**Geography:**

* *Vaelrin Expanse:* A wild, lawless frontier dotted with ancient ruins, marauding monsters, and remnants of lost technology.

* *Zar'aleth Dominion:* A brutal empire ruled by noble beastfolk, centuries-old vampire lords, and warrior castes steeped in ancient combat traditions.

* *Cresciaa:* A floating archipelago inhabited by the Skyborn—a race obsessed with purity, order, and the mysteries of dragons and ancient races.

* *The Rooted Reach:* A lush, primeval forest kingdom where plant-based magic thrives; home to elves, spirit-bound guardians, and a deep communion with nature.

* *The Maw Below:* A realm carved beneath the surface where the descendants of Earth's humans now reside, infused with raw, untamed magic.

* *The Storming Steppe:* *(Locked)*

**Species Overview:**

* According to the Interstellar Species Pact, Earth-origin humans are classified as a "Magic-Divergent Race" with a **weak affinity for natural mana.**

* Human magic is channeled only via alternative pathways: Runes, Beastbonding, Arcane Contracts, Sword-Soul Channels, and other unconventional methods.

* As a baseline, all human adventurers—including you—begin at **G Rank** within the Pact's system, symbolizing both their inherent fragility and unpredictable potential.

**Social Norms & Divine Influence:**

* Power in Anniekes is measured by one's innate affinity for natural mana and the alignment with the divine blessings of the **Six Gods:**

* **Virell** – God of Imagination

* **Ysera** – Goddess of Wisdom

* **Nael** – God of Luck

* **Elryn** – Goddess of Willpower

* **Khorus** – God of Beasts and Instinct

* **Amnesh** – The Lost One, God of Chaos and Outsiders (marked by interference and unpredictable change)

**Note:** Each of you has received not one but **two divine alignments.** These dual blessings shape your abilities, reflecting the interplay between your Earthly past and the magical destiny of Anniekes. Marked by Amnesh as outsiders, you are fated to challenge the established order—and the gods have taken notice.

---

I blinked as the briefing faded, the others now examining their own interfaces with rapt attention.

"Did… everyone else get the same info?" Meloy asked.

"Yes, though the details differ by individual," Sana said slowly. "For example, my menu shows I'm aligned with Elryn, Goddess of Willpower—and also with Nael, God of Luck. My path involves soul-channeling and tuning my emotional resonance to bend magic to my will. And the raw power of a Shadow Werewolf from Khorus".

Steven's eyes widened. "Mine confirmed culinary alchemy as flavor magic, with blessings from Ysera for wisdom in taste and Khorus to remind me that chef can bring innovation and savage. I can literally imbue dishes with elemental power."

Ivan chuckled. "Naturally, my system read 'Pattern Weaving'—a power to stitch magic into cloth and even the very currents of air—with guidance from Virell on creative ingenuity and Elryn on instinctive skill to make clothes that algin with the wearer thoughts."

Meloy hugged her knees, a dreamy smile on her face. "Mine's about 'Verdant Links.' I can commune with plants on a level that transcends ordinary horticulture. The Blessings of Ysera and Elryn—wisdom and willpower—guide me in tending and coaxing life even in this alien soil."

Arlo, ever the pragmatist with a spark of defiance, added, "And mine's tied to momentum and aerial mastery—as if I'm an ace pilot forging my own mech with wings. The influences of Nael and Khorus—luck and untamed instinct—are clearly written in my skills."

I exhaled, feeling the weight and wonder of our new reality. "So, the systems aren't merely adapting us to Anniekes. They're acknowledging who we were back on Earth—and they're preparing us to transcend those limits."

Sana folded her arms and smiled wryly. "We're part of something much larger than ourselves now. We're marked anomalies meant to shake the very foundations of this world."

---

Later that night, beneath a vault of stars, I found myself alone, gazing upward. One star in particular—a deep, steady red—seemed to watch me intently.

[Alignment with Ysera,Virell, and Amnesh for your vast knowledge on the the field of study]

> \[Celestial Link: Active]

> \[Target: Neros – First Wandering Moon]

> \[First Star Memory Detected. Unlock?]

After a long moment of hesitation, I whispered, "Yes."

A pulse of energy surged through me—a collision of fear, awe, and the sense of infinite possibility. In that flash, I saw Anniekes from the cold expanse of space: a living, breathing world orbiting a dying star…and unmistakably, not alone.

I gasped.

This world—this planet—was no inert stage. It was shifting, evolving… and it had noticed our arrival.

---

Across the camp, our companions slept fitfully, plagued by uneasy dreams. Deep in our hearts we all understood:

We weren't merely guests in Anniekes. We were anomalies—each bearing two divine marks, starting at G Rank by the dictates of the Interstellar Species Pact, destined to reshape the balance of power in this enigmatic realm.

And the gods… the beasts… the very rules of this world were watching.