Start Of An Old Tale.

[Chapter 1]

[New York City.]

Ethan Wright was living a routine life in New York City. By day, he was a software engineer, engrossed in lines of code and algorithms. By night, he lost himself in video games and takeout dinners, with his closest companions being his gaming console and a few friends who shared his interests. Life was comfortable, if unremarkable, until one fateful evening.

After a long shift at work, Ethan was walking home through a dimly lit alley, his thoughts occupied by the intricate plot of a new game he was eager to explore. The city was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to its usual bustling nature. The silence was abruptly shattered by the sharp crack of a gunshot. Ethan staggered, pain exploding in his chest, and he fell to the ground, darkness closing in.

[Later...]

When Ethan awoke, reborn with infinite stats, he was no longer in the alley. Instead, he lay on a grassy knoll beneath a sky that defied earthly logic. Constellations swirled in vibrant patterns, and floating islands drifted lazily among the stars. The air crackled with unfamiliar energies, and a hum of magic seemed to resonate from every corner.

As he stood up on the lush green grass, he found himself under a goddess. Goddess Illyia walked up to Ethan and welcomed him to the new world. Ethan asked, "Where am I?"

Goddess Illyia replied, "This is the Purelands," and then continued, "The Purelands are the section between the Holy Consolidation of the East and the Dark Consolidation of the West."

As Ethan realized where he was, he asked, "Am I dead?"

Goddess Illyia responded, "Yes, you have died due to gunshot fire." Ethan took a moment to breathe in and out. He then looked up and asked, "And are you God?"

Goddess Illyia answered, "I am one of the Seven Great Goddesses. The Seven Great Goddesses rule over the seven great countries of the EtherDawn. They are as follows: Aerion, Goddess of the Sky and ruler of Aerilon; Thalassa, Goddess of the Sea and ruler of the Kingdom of Thalassa; Gaia, Goddess of the Earth and ruler of Eldoria; Ignis, Goddess of Fire and ruler of the Republic of Firouz; Luna, Goddess of the Moon and ruler of Lunaria; Aura, Goddess of the Wind and ruler of Borealis."

Ethan then asked, "You said seven great Goddesses. Are you the seventh?"

Goddess Illyia replied, "No, the Purelands are my country, and this country is very neutral in its affairs. There is an empty seat in one of the nations where the so-called seventh Goddess lies. We don't know where that Goddess is, though. We hope to find her soon."

Ethan then asked, "Your country? So there are other people that I could meet?"

Goddess Illyia replied, "Yes, there are other people you could meet. I could take you to the capital city if you want."

Ethan said, "Yes, please! Take me to the city!"

Goddess Illyia responded, "Alright then! When we get there, I will take you to a special little place of mine."

Goddess Illyia then used her teleportation magic to transport them instantly from one place to another.

[Later...]

[Purlinda.]

They arrived at Purlinda, the capital city of the Purelands. Purlinda's cityscape could only be described as absolutely beautiful, hosting many waterfalls, tall buildings, and other fancy things typical of a fantasy town. Interestingly, it seemed like this country had developed advanced technology similar to Ethan's world. Goddess Illyia took him to a local shop, and they walked in.

[Shop...]

As they entered the shop, Goddess Illyia introduced Ethan to all the people inside. The locals were very fond of Goddess Illyia, as she had ruled the country for a very long time. This country was known for being economically prosperous and rich. There was a rich Minum mine within the country. Minum is a rare magical ore that allows the processing of magical trans (magical power similar to superpowered electricity). Goddess Illyia ensured that the amount of minimum being extracted was balanced with what was being exported.

A woman named Catrina walked up and said, "Hello there, Ethan! The Goddess has been expecting you!"

Ethan said, "The Goddess expected me?"

Goddess Illyia responded, "Yes, I knew you would die that day. People like you are going to be useful to our cause. We want to stop all aggression within the EtherDawn."

Ethan then asked, "How will I be useful for that goal?"

Goddess Illyia explained, "We needed a human from Earth, as they do not contain a magical marker since they weren't born with mana channels. Mana channels are what keep most beings alive. Think of it as blood. We Goddesses don't rely on mana channels."

Catrina then said, "Oi mate! You should be heading over to the good ol' Champerstow."

Ethan asked, "What the heck is a Champerstow?"

Catrina explained, "The Champerstow is a part of the city where all the adventurers meet. The monthly adventurer games are held there."

Ethan questioned Catrina about what the games were. Catrina explained that the games were a show of strength, will, intelligence, and magical power.

[Later...]

They arrived at Champerstow. The Champerstow was a big multi-city block area that spanned half the city. This area had many districts related to being an adventurer. There were four main districts: The Heat District, The Armor District, The Living District, and District 1. Each district had its purpose and its district leader who answered to the mayor of the city. Catrina explained that she was the Vice Mayor of the Armor District.

Ethan said, "That's pretty cool! So, will we be going to the Armor District?"

Catrina replied, "Yes! We will be going to the Armor District. Follow me."

[Later...]

The Armor District was a bustling place with many weapon stores and, unsurprisingly, armor shops. Catrina, being the Vice Mayor of this district, had the important job of inspecting all the armor within the district. Ethan and Catrina walked around the town, seeing different weapons of war being tested on beanbags. They soon walked into a local bar, where Catrina sat down and ordered drinks for the two. The bartender, named Loplia, welcomed them in and greeted her friend, Catrina.

Catrina explained that Ethan was there on a new adventure and would need some armor to start his journey. Loplia walked into the back, and when she returned, she handed Ethan a wristband. Ethan put it on, and the room turned dark. Magical power surrounded Ethan as he gained a suit of armor. This armor was called the Magi Armor (MaGee). Magi Armor allowed the user to switch to the type of armor that best fit the situation.

Catrina then explained that Magi Armor could be used to deal with any basic problem one might face. It had communication abilities and other highly advanced technologies. Ethan thanked Catrina for the gift, and he walked outside with his new armor, to the shock of everyone nearby. People began to stare at Ethan as he and Catrina walked down the streets of the Armor District.

Ethan asked, "Why is everyone looking at me?"

Catrina responded, "That's just because everyone is so shocked at you having that extremely powerful armor that uses hyperspace crystals. That armor costs a lot! Even within the Purelands, the richest nation in the world."

Ethan noticed that people were whispering things like, "Oh, so now Catrina is giving out really expensive armor for no reason, and no payment, to someone who's probably some commoner," and "Look at her, giving out such rare armor."

Ethan said, "They are saying bad things about me, Catrina."

Catrina laughed it off and simply told him to "ignore them" and carry on with his day. Ethan took this advice and continued walking with Catrina.

[Later...]

Catrina and Ethan arrived at the Mayor's house, where they were supposed to have a quick conversation with the mayor before leaving. However, the Mayor wasn't there, so Catrina simply grabbed the files she needed and told Ethan to wait outside. Ethan noticed that Catrina seemed calm—maybe a little too calm—but he figured she was just that type of person. Ethan then sat down on a chair and waited for her to come out.

[CHAPTER END]