Alph's projected question echoed in the starless void, met only by a profound and unnerving silence. The elation in the unseen voice vanished, leaving him alone once more in the vast emptiness. He held his consciousness steady, a silent standoff against the ancient presence. The fear remained, a cold knot in the center of his being, but the lawyer in him waited for a response. An answer was owed. A tense moment stretched into an eternity.
Then, the voice returned. The earlier elation was gone, replaced by a deep, sonorous tone that held the calm of ages. It felt... apologetic. "Forgive my... excitement. It has been a long time. My manners have rusted."
The voice seemed to gather itself, its presence in the void solidifying. "You ask who I am. I am The Shaper. You ask what this place is. It is my work, my garden." A sense of gentle reassurance flowed from the voice, a placating wave against Alph's fear. "You need not worry, little one. I hold no malice. I am the architect of this space, the tender of these stars. I can observe, but I cannot interfere with the choices made within."
Architect. Gardener. The words were simple, yet their implication was universe-shattering. Alph's consciousness reeled. The stars, the paths, the very framework of power for every soul in this world—this entity claimed to be its caretaker. The sheer scale of it was incomprehensible.
You... you created all of this? The stars? The expanse? His thought was a mixture of awe and disbelief.
"Create?" The Shaper's voice held a note of ancient amusement, a soft chuckle that did not echo but was simply... present. "No. I did not create the stone. I merely gave it shape. I am the architect, not the quarry."
"This space, this raw potential, has existed long before my own consciousness took form. I am but its first, and perhaps only, inhabitant. I found the dormant stars, the sleeping paths, and I wove them into the system you now perceive. As for who, or what, was the true creator of this expanse... that is a question I have pondered for longer than your kind has existed. And I am no closer to an answer."
A new energy pulsed from the voice, the detached curiosity of a scholar who has just discovered a truly unique specimen. "Your existence is a paradox. A storm of potential that defies the stable logic of this space. I must understand it."
The feeling of being a specimen under a microscope returned, but this time, Alph did not let the dread take hold. The lawyer in him saw an opening, a mutual need. His tone was that of a man addressing a powerful but uninformed party, laying out the terms of a necessary partnership. And I need to control that paradox before it controls me. It seems we both require the same thing: information. You can shape perception in this place. I propose a deal. I will give you the unprecedented access you desire, but you will build me the tool I need to manage it.
A flicker of interest from the vast presence. "A tool? Define its function."
He began outlining a complete diagnostic ledger, breaking down his own being as if it were a complex corporate entity he was tasked with auditing. I need a comprehensive and quantifiable overview of my own state of being. Let's start with the basics.
First, Identity and Standing. A clear header with my name and my current level of proficiency, my 'Tier.'
Second, Assets. A portfolio of my 'Professions.' I need to see which path is active and which remains dormant potential. I must be able to see my entire hand.
Third, and most importantly, Resources. It's not enough to know I have 'energy.' I need a granular breakdown. From what I can feel, there are at least four distinct reserves that need to be quantified:
Vitality. My physical integrity. My life force. If I am injured, I need to know the exact extent of the damage, not just 'how much it hurts'.
Mana. The specific energy for my... unnatural abilities. I need to know its capacity. I can also feel a certain quality to it... a 'Purity.' We must track this to see if my different paths cause internal conflict.
Stamina. The short-term physical energy for mundane action. Running, swinging a weapon. It is separate from my core life force and must be tracked as such.
Willpower. The foundation. The mental grit that allows me to impose my will, to fight through pain, or to focus on a complex task. It may be an abstract concept, but it is a finite resource that must be measured.
The Shaper was silent for a long moment, processing the sheer audacity and systematic logic of the request. Alph had not just asked for a tool; he had presented a complete taxonomy of the functioning soul. "You dissect the very essence of being into component parts... Vitality, Mana, Willpower. You assign them value as if they were commodities in a ledger. Mortals feel these things as a holistic experience, but you... you seek to cage them in numbers. To author a definitive, quantifiable treatise on your own soul."
A low hum of deep interest filled the void.
"This perspective is utterly novel. The data this will provide will be more illuminating than I had imagined. Your terms are accepted. Let us see the full accounting of the Anomaly."
With that, the starless expanse seemed to shift. The abstract void coalesced, answering his request. A new perception formed in his mind, not of words or feelings, but of clean, clear data laid out with perfect, logical precision. It was the interface he had designed.
Name: Alph
Tier: 0
Bloodline: Frostmoon
Professions:
Frost-Rune Scribe (Ignited - Tier 0)
Mage (Bright - Potential)
Hunter (Bright - Potential)
Druid (Bright - Potential)
Fighter (Dimly Lit - Potential)
Resources:
Vitality: 1.2/1.2
Mana: 1.8/1.8 [Purity: 85%]
Stamina: 1.2/1.2
Willpower: 2.5/2.5