Oath of the Survivor

Kyle’s heartbeat quickened as he looked at the prompt.  His center was brimming with energy, and he took a moment to consider the magnitude of the words before him.  As far as he knew, he was the first person to achieve this status since the time of the Originators.  All the conversations about D Grade made it seem nearly mythical – a level of power beyond the grasp of any Awakened in the peaceful world the Central Authority cultivated.  Now, it was at his fingertips.  He considered waking Garth, but decided against it.  Still, he exited meditation without beginning the process.  He thought about his grandfather, and knew that it would only be right to take the first steps into D Grade under the stars they’d so often watched together. 

“C.H.A.D.D., keep an eye on Garth for me.  I won’t go far, be back soon.” 

[WILL DO, DR. MAYHEW.]

Leaving the recess in the stone, Kyle wandered until he found a suitable spot.  There was a small clearing less than a kilometer away, with the trees framing a perfect view of the night sky.  There was less ash in the atmosphere now, and it was a cloudless night.  A smile tugged at his mouth as he looked up into it.  This is for you, Grandpa.  Entering mediation, Kyle focused his intent on the prompt.

Instantly, his perspective changed.  His body felt distant, and before him he saw three illuminated grey symbols, each set in the middle of a large circle.  They immediately reminded Kyle of a skill selection, but instead of smaller spheres containing different expressions of a skill, each gave him the impression of a tightly closed door.  As he focused, he could almost make out an endless field of other symbols behind them, though none were illuminated.  This is all what could have been, Kyle realized, his breath nearly catching.  Not much was written about the actual mechanics of the shift into D Grade, and the realization was profound.  Each door is a path I could have walked down.  Kyle couldn’t help but stare in wonder for a moment, considering the different ways his life could have diverged. 

With a tinge of sadness, he finally tore his attention away.  There wasn’t much to be gained living for paths that were closed to him now.  Instead, with great anticipation, he refocused on the three symbols before him.  The first contained a large diamond shape with thick lines, within which were a series of smaller “V” shaped symbols.  The second was a dark circle in the center of the larger one, with four different symbols forming a rough “X” shape across it.  One of the arms of the “X” looked vaguely like flames, another like ice, the third like stone, while the fourth looked like a bolt of lightning.  The final symbol was the strangest to Kyle, seeming to be in a state of constant flux.  It reminded him of a flowing river or gently blowing wind. 

Anticipation continuing to build, he focused on the first symbol most intently.

D GRADE CLASS EVOLUTION – PATH OF THE WARDEN:

VITALITY – 3

ENDURANCE – 3

STRENGTH – 3

DEXTERITY – 3

WILLPOWER – 5

INTELLIGENCE – 5

PERCEPTION – 3

FREE ATTRIBUTES – 10

Along with the words, Kyle was given an impression of the change in attributes he would see per level if he chose this class change.  It was a massive difference from his Healer class, bringing seven times the raw attributes with each level.  Ordinarily that would have been overwhelming information all on its own, though it felt like a footnote compared to the images that began to play out before his eyes.  He saw himself, wearing a white robe over thick armor.  He carried a broadsword similar to the one he’d seen Garth use, and his body seemed to radiate mana.  He was standing watch over a group of injured civilians, his eyes staring out into the darkness, almost daring whatever lurked there to come for his charges.  This was a path of protection, a path of stewardship.  He would gain power to protect the people he chose.  Kyle felt strongly that in addition to more healing skills, this was a class selection that would also offer him combat-oriented abilities. 

However, this wasn’t a power without costs.  Kyle could tell that if he chose to begin on this path, his progression would be tied to the people he chose to protect.  Failing in his duty would stunt his development, and choosing to walk away from people in need would stall it altogether.  It was a worthy endeavor, but one that came with its own challenges.  These truths firmly in mind, he looked at the next option. 

D GRADE CLASS EVOLUTION – PATH OF THE SURVIVALIST:

VITALITY – 5

ENDURANCE – 6

STRENGTH – 0

DEXTERITY – 3

WILLPOWER – 5

INTELLIGENCE – 3

PERCEPTION – 3

FREE ATTRIBUTES – 10

Before even getting a glimpse of what this path had in store, the attributes alone painted a picture that this wasn’t going to be focused on combat applications.  The significant boosts to both Vitality and Endurance were impressive, especially when he considered the improvement offered by his Enhanced Carapace.  Focusing more intently on the symbol, he once again saw an iteration of himself.  This time, he was simply sitting with his legs crossed in the middle of an open field.  The dry grass caught fire, and he sat unbothered. 

The scene shifted, with the vision of himself sitting unmoved as wind howled and rain pelted him, concluding with him in the exact same position, this time in the middle of a blizzard.  The implication of this selection was clear – he would face adversity, hardship, and endure.  It felt like it was simpler in many ways than the Path of the Warden, focused only on his ability to survive.  He had no doubt the skills he gained in this class would branch from simple healing to offer utility and a variety of flexible means to deal with challenges as they came up.  As before, he also understood the cost of making this choice.  To progress down the Path of the Survivalist, he would be put in circumstances that would push him to his limits and beyond.  Comfort would lead to stagnation.  That in mind, he looked at the final option before him.

D GRADE CLASS EVOLUTION – PATH OF THE NOMAD:

VITALITY – 3

ENDURANCE – 5

STRENGTH – 0

DEXTERITY – 5

WILLPOWER – 3

INTELLIGENCE – 3

PERCEPTION – 6

FREE ATTRIBUTES – 10

The last of the options available to him felt in many ways the most unique.  The distribution of the attribute points felt neither geared towards combat or protection, with an emphasis on Perception and Dexterity.  Looking at the vision of this class, he saw himself in light clothing with an oversized pack, traveling through a variety of breathtaking environments.  Mountain peaks to lush jungles, he navigated them all as he explored the world around him.  Kyle understood now why this felt so unique – compared to either the Warden or Survivalist, choosing the Nomad class would likely not offer more options related to healing, instead focusing on mobility and exploration. 

That was also the cost – his path would be tied to exploration and discovery, grinding to a stop if he ever found a place he truly wanted to settle down.  It would also be the widest departure from where he started as a Healer, opening as many new doors as it closed.  This brought Kyle’s thought back to the three choices before him.  None of them felt like a direct progression from the Healer class he’d taken, but given the challenges he’d overcome since the cataclysm it made sense.  Each was in some way an expression of the growth he’d experienced, and now he had to decide which path he would tread. 

While each had their merits, Kyle was surprised with how easy the decision wound up being.  His grandfather’s last words echoing in his head, he selected the Path of the Survivalist.  Whatever comes ahead, I’m going to rise to meet it.  When he thought about everything he’d been through since his grandfather’s passing, Clark’s words were consistently his true north.  Kyle couldn’t help but feel that this was the path he resonated with the most.  He felt a surge of energy as the other two symbols lost their luster, fading into the background.  The Path of the Survivalist began to glow brightly, and the door in his mind opened.  Inside, he saw four orbs.  The first three were familiar, indistinct grey representing a new skill to choose.  The fourth was a glowing orange, and it was where Kyle focused his attention first.

SKILL UPGRADE: D GRADE

As he continued to observe the orb, he saw thin tendrils of energy connecting it to each of the skills he’d learned through the levels as an E Grade.  He instinctively felt that he could select any of the skills and choose an upgrade, but decided to hold off on that decision for now.  After all, he’d have a much better idea of what he needed after choosing his first normal D Grade skill.  Just as he was about to focus on the grey orbs, however, something shifted.  Crimson energy began to flow alongside the pale blue, and before he could do anything else a different prompt appeared before his eyes. 

CONDITIONS MET: ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA EVOLUTION BEGINNING NOW

~~~

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