Return to Jorgaldur Volume I: the battle mage

The Oracle (II)

Eldi didn't know if he would see the Oracle again, so he had to ask all the possible questions, resolve as many doubts as he could. Therefore, he kept asking everything he could think of.

"Why did I return as level 1, but with all my skills, with my inventory? Why do I still have every object?"

"Skills are knowledge, knowledge is recorded in the soul and the soul hasn't changed. The power resides in the body, in the avatar, and this was put to sleep, waiting, something that can't be done if its power is not drained. What you call inventory is access to a dimension stamped with the imprint of the soul, so that a soul will always access it. And that dimension is no longer tied to the limitations of the developers."

He nodded. In fact, that explained why the available space seems to have increased. He was not even sure how much it could fit.

"And why the objects are real if we didn't interact with the world? Why are some similar to those in my world?"

"Without doubt, in your case, only a few were real at that time, and none for most players. But just as you have materialized yourself completely, they have also done so, the image you had of them has solidified as yours had."

Eldi looked at the Oracle without understanding what he meant, although it wasn't new. Many times he talked like that and, apparently, it wasn't only in the game. He sighed. It was impossible to get clear answers if he didn't from the start.

"How long it has been?"

"Around ninety years since your last visit," the Oracle replied.

Eldi looked at him a bit puzzled. He thought he had sensed something in his voice, a hint of emotion, though surely he had just imagined it.

"The game system, the skills, the spells, the levels, the stats, the mana, what does all it mean? Is it like this in this world? Why now the stats rising is continuous and not when changing levels?"

"The game system, as you call it, is an expression of the reality of the world through the power of the developers, to be friendly to those who are outsiders. It has always been continuous, only you didn't know it. The spells and skills are learned with training if you have the ability, compatibility and power to control them, they are the knowledge about the control of the essence itself. But your system allowed to implant it in the soul directly, training instantly your still not shaped body, although it also had its limits. That is no longer possible once you have become one with your avatar.

"Mana is the energy that flows. Each body is able to absorb a certain amount, although it can increase with time and training. A spell is a way to extract and shape that energy, and once extracted, more can be absorbed from the environment.

"The skills are the manipulation of the body's own energy, which grows when the body becomes stronger."

He nodded again, though he didn't understand it completely.

"Then, can I learn new spells and skills if I train them? How long would it take?"

"Yes. Time is not fixed and depends on many factors, such as compatibility, effort, teachers or complexity. It can be a few minutes or it can be years."

Eldi wondered how much of his knowledge would have required years of study and training. Maybe one life wouldn't be enough to learn them all.

"How do I increase my power? Are those gates safe? Can I come back as before? Is it dangerous to go there?"

"Your words for it would be leveling up. Absorbing the essence of the beings you kill, as it is the law of nature. There are those who kill without consideration to increase their power. There are those who are more selective. You must choose your own path.

"The gates are safe, they take you to the same protected place back then, from which you can return in the same way. Only the old players have access, and some beings like me. The targets were chosen as the right difficulty for you, and still is, although at that time they were being watched so that there wouldn't be any intruders. You must be careful, they have them now, beings that are going to hunt, of higher level and greater danger. The green is between 5 and 14. The blue, between 15 and 24. The red, between 25 and 34."

It was like in the game, but with more uncertainty. He put it aside, he would think about it later.

"Reviving doesn't work, does it?"

"No it can't be done. Death in the game was not real, so it might look like you were reviving. Although it was problematic in the exclusive missions, when they were real. Those who failed them lost the opportunity to return."

Eldi swallowed again. He had been about to die in them, although they were always done very carefully. Now he understood why you failed if you died in them.

"And the map? Why are so many dark areas?"

"The map is the manifestation of your world knowledge. And the world has changed in ninety years."

He was silent, squeezing his brain, he didn't want to forget anything to ask. But the Oracle interrupted him.

"I'll be here for a while, or I'll find you in other places if necessary, since there is hardly anyone else who requires my guidance. I hope you don't mind my presence."

"No, of course not," Eldi hurried to deny.

In fact, even though he was a somewhat strange being, it was nice to have someone to talk to, someone to be entrusted with.

"Then, continue with your experiments, they are very interesting. Don't worry about me, I don't need anything that I can't provide. And remember that I'm just a guide, I can't help you with anything else."

Eldi nodded, though despite that he offered some breakfast that the Oracle refused.

After that and although it was a little later than expected, he went to the jewelery workshop to do some experiments, since the Oracle had refused to deepen in the knowledge of magic. Nor had he wanted to talk about the internal situation of the kingdoms and empires, or of other heroes and adventurers. He should discover it on his own.