Everything felt heavy, like I lay in water unable to raise myself above the surface. My last memories were impossible. A forger, a monster from all my people's stories, marching out of the rift. Somehow, a myth appeared, brought to terrible life.

My arrows did nothing even as they hit.

Dengu's body on the ground.

Then it took me through the rift. A notification, an important one. I needed to view them.

[Warning: you are traveling to a world ranked higher than your current ranking.]

That explained the feeling. This world was too highly ranked for me. More notifications waited in my queue.

[You have gained bonus experience from combat for surviving against level 100, Forger.]

[You have earned the title Lucky, for surviving against a higher ranked creature, +5 Free Stats per level.]

[You have leveled.]

[You have leveled.]

[You have leveled.]

[You have leveled.]

[You have leveled.]

[You have reached Level 50 and will not gain any additional levels until you Rank Up.]

[You have an outstanding quest that will be forfeited if you do not complete it before you Rank Up.]

[You have collected a bounty: A Skill Upgrade Token]

The notifications continued, each confusing me more than the last. All I could come up with was that Alex had done something. Something so crazy, I was still alive, and the monster from my peoples' past was dead.

I forced my eyes to open and found myself facing Alex. She rested, but looked like she was in horrible condition. Blood and dirt covered her face, and streaks of blood dripped from her ear. Yet, she still breathed.

[Alex, the First, Shadowstalker, Level 61, Friend.]

"Oh, no…" That many levels, so quickly.

Something moved behind me and came into view. It stood taller than me, much taller, though in the dim light it held up 3 bandaged hands in a common calm-down gesture.

"You are safe… we rescued you from the forgers," it said.

I used Insight.

[Kabi-Bound, Swordwarrior, Azurafolk, Forest-dweller, Level 91.]

A glimmer of crystal surrounded his neck.

"You might have ranking sickness, though your level is enough to grow," he whispered, not coming any closer. "Your friend is a hero. Somehow she blew up the portal, which destroyed much of the area and that Forger. It is dead, we made sure of that."

This was too much, and my eyelids fluttered.

"Rest, though we must continue to flee soon…"

"Alex needs to eat to heal," I whispered as everything went dark, the pressure too much to handle.

***

By the time I woke again, I had the strength to face the fact that I needed to rank up. The pressure on my mind and body over time would do damage. It was why you didn't go to worlds you didn't have the rank for, unless you had a blocker. I swallowed and opened my quests.

[Final Quest (Path to Citizenship): Decide on your true name. Any experience gained once level 50 is reached will be banked. This quest must be completed before you Rank up or it will be forfeited.]

Tears came to my eyes, wishing that Dengu could be here with me, but that wasn't possible. Instead, I forced myself through the pressure to grab Alex's hand as she lay beside me. She'd saved me, racing after us as a Forger stole me away. Alex didn't care what happened, she knew she needed to act, and she did.

I drew on that courage.

"I am sorry mother, grandmother." I took a shuddering breath, picturing the gathering that would have happened. The fires burning on the beach as each member of my family approached to give advice.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"My true name is Lenna De Le Dengu."

[Is your true name Lenna De Le Dengu?]

"Yes," I whispered to the stars, hoping my family forgave me.

[You have completed the Path to Citizenship, and are now a Citizen of the System Universe. You have gained the title: Citizen, additional experience from completing quests, crafting, and battles, +15 to all Stats. All benefits are now available to you. If you break the laws of the System Universe, you may be labeled as an Offender, depending on the severity of the crime.]

[Do you want to commune with the Stars?]

"Yes…"

Lights surrounded me and I let go of Alex's hand. I found myself surrounded by the night sky, with the giant moon behind me and the stars all around.

"Welcome, child of the jungles," whispered a familiar soft voice as the stars shifted, pulling together in a shimmering outline of one of my people.

"Daughter, you have faced many challenges, with more to come. You survived our greatest enemy and befriended those feared by all." The voice paused. "You bring honor to your clan."

"I have been stolen away, elder… I am lost." The words tumbled from my lips. I was unable to stop them.

"Were you stolen? Or did the fates change your path?"

The question shocked me as I remembered the fight. Each of the Forgers steps as fear and panic rose inside me. The thrum of my bow as I tried to buy the humans time to flee.

"I see a protector standing in front of me, one worthy to journey through the stars. One worthy to help those who need it."

My spine straightened, and I nodded.

"It is time." The elder bowed. "Each path will change your journey in a different way. Good luck, daughter, fate isn't done with you."

Three bright stars shimmered into view.

The first star flattened, and images rapidly appeared inside. I shot magic arrows with different colors and chased down targets, moving faster than I could see. This was a direct upgrade to my current class.

"What is this class?"

[Arcane Warden, an archer at your center. You focus on the bow and move as swiftly as the wind. Evasive Maneuvers and Flaming arrows become part of this class. You'll learn Empowered Arrows: Infuse your arrows with magical energy. Stats: +5 to DEX, CON, INT, +10 FREE.]

I stepped back as the second star approached.

Inside, visions of a dark shadow caught my attention. Its shape reminded me of Dengu and my heart clenched. This was our plan, our goal.

[Wild Guardian, an archer traveling the forest with their bonded. A pair facing destiny together. Spatial Awareness becomes part of this class. You'll learn Nature's Bond, you and your companion will become significantly stronger and grow together. You'll learn Words of the Forest: You understand all beasts. Stats: +5 STR, DEX, CON, + 12 FREE.]

I let out a shuddering sigh, taking a step back. Dengu lived, that was what mattered. Our bond was still in place, but right now, while on this world, the old dream didn't make sense anymore. No matter how much I still wanted it. To see him again, I needed to live, to survive.

The last star glittered. This one grew larger and images flashed of me bonding with various beasts, my focus no longer on the bow.

[Beastmaster, you bond and command multiple companions and take control of the forest with them. You'll learn Master, to bind additional companions without the use of an egg. +STR, CON, INT, WIS, +5 FREE.]

"No," I said, taking a step back. This wasn't even an option. How dare this be presented to me? I wouldn't take multiple bonded, wouldn't do that to Dengu. It had the potential to destroy our connection.

The only one that made any sense was Arcane Warden, if I didn't want to cripple myself, but the elder's words echoed in my mind.

"Is this all the stars offer? Have I not traveled beyond the jungle? Have I not seen things that my people haven't?" My heart steadied as I took a step past the three glowing stars, feeling more and more certain. "I want to thrive, not just survive this journey!"

My voice echoed through the darkness. Something moved between the stars, almost like a line of shimmering footsteps. I followed.

Images flickered by, of me cold in darkness, hiding in dark tunnels, and of my arrows flying through the air to protect others. Me, speaking to children, and then a single image of someone I couldn't see but who reminded me of Alex.

"What is this?"

[Pathfinder.]

"This is it, this is my choice." My heart clenched. With this I could help others, like Alex had saved me. I would protect my people from a distance.

[Are you sure?]

Whispers echoed behind me, but I ignored them. They sounded like my people, my clan.

"Yes."

The darkness between the stars brightened, and on the far horizon, the bright full moon rose. Light raced, twisting in different directions. Some of the trails created trees, caverns, and a massive lake before the lights finally slammed into me.

Cold, so cold.

Yet, I welcomed it.

I would thrive!

[You have absorbed the title: Lucky into your class.]

[You have absorbed Insight into your class.]

[Pathfinder, a class thought lost to time. You hear whispers from the stars and find the path in the darkest hours. Like the stars, you leave nothing in your path but glimmering hope. +10 to DEX, CON, INT, WIS, +5 Free.]

[Skill Evolved: Swift Body - I to Harmonic Body: Your body is a marvel of adaptive resilience. Like the moon drawing power from the sun, you only require minor water, food, and rest. Sleeping heals most injuries.]

[Synergy and overlap detected: Harmonic Body and Evasive Maneuvers - I. You have upgraded Harmonic Body - I: Your body is a marvel of adaptive resilience. Like the moon drawing power from the sun, you only require minor water, food, and rest. Sleeping heals most injuries. When attacked, your body shimmers into light, damage passing right through you.]

[Skill Evolved: Flaming Arrows to Starfire Arrows: Your arrows are embedded with energy from the stars. Capable of shifting through armor or other defenses.]

[New Skill Gained: Shimmers of Moonlight: During the darkened hours you can create a glowing orb that only allies can see. It proves a slight calming influence on allies.]

[New Skill Gained: Whispers of the Stars: While sleeping you can receive wisdom from those who now walk among the stars.]

[Synergy and overlap detected: Spatial Awareness and Keen Sight. You have gained the skill Enhanced Perception. Your senses and spatial awareness are heightened to an extraordinary degree. You perceive subtle changes in your surroundings, effortlessly tracking movements and predicting trajectories.]

Something tickled at my senses and whispered, guiding my hand. The skill upgrade token appeared on my palm.

This was where I needed to use it.

[Skill upgrade token used. Rank-up bonus applied. Enhanced Perception has evolved into Clairvoyant Senses. Clairvoyant Senses: Your senses transcend the ordinary, granting you an almost supernatural awareness of your surroundings. Your keen sight pierces through illusions and reveals hidden truths. You perceive subtle changes in your surroundings, effortlessly tracking movements and predicting trajectories.]

The whispering in the stars vanished, and I felt so weak, but I forced my eyes open. Alex lay next to me, yet I knew she would be okay.

"We will thrive," I whispered, before once again succumbing to the darkness.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.