Chosen Realm

While waiting for our cruise ship to dock at the Cobblestone Harbor, I became bored with the festivities below deck, and decided to mingle with the captain and his crew members. While my fellow colleagues stayed below deck and it was during that time I decided to discuss our upcoming visit to the island with the captain. Although the organization that I work for is privately funded they have done so much for the people of Cobblestone over the last twenty years. 

"I'll be visiting the island to pick up some fish along with other goods to sell back on the mainland. If you ask me the island appeared abandoned twenty years back and before I knew it life returned to the island almost over night isn't that strange? What business do you have on the island?" asked the Captain. 

"You want to know why I'm visiting the island? That's not a problem but I'm afraid I can't tell you much at the moment. The only thing I can tell you is that the Chairman of our organization requested our presence. We came all the way from the Heartwood District to assist him with his research. As a result of the research he's done in Cobblestone they have become quite prosperous and they have recently established their new headquarters on the small remote island," I explained. 

After sailing on the open sea for the last few hours we arrived in Cobblestone, the locals greeted the six of us with open arms before showing us to the Cobblestone Inn. Which is where we would be staying while visiting the island. 

"I would like to show you my appreciation for what you have done for me and my fellow colleagues," I said as I tried to express my appreciation to the locals for how well they treated us. 

"Think nothing of it. We owe your organization, the Brave Spirit Watchers so much it's thanks to the research that you have done. That we have become as prosperous as we have and we would like to thank you for everything you did for the company," said the locals as they gathered around us. 

While staying on the island we had yet to meet the Chairman who had requested our assistance. During the week while we waited for his response we were approached by an old man. The townspeople addressed this old man as the Wise Old Man of Cobblestone. He advised us to assist the locals while we waited for the Chairman to arrive at the end of the week. In the meantime we took his advice and assisted the locals until only twelve of the forty districts remained afterwards the Wise Old Man from Cobblestone approached us once more. 

"Greetings everyone and thanks for staying until the end of the week to assist the townspeople. I would like to let you know that your efforts shall be rewarded soon enough. I come bearing great news for the remaining twelve districts who decided to stay behind. The first thing I need to tell you while you're here is that I wanted to test your character and commitment to the company. The next thing you need to know is that I'm the Chairman you've been waiting for this whole time. I've come to offer the remaining twelve districts the chance of a lifetime. How would you like me to show you how to craft the Brave Spirit's that you have been studying in the labs for the last ten years by gathering materials and taking them to an ancient place known as the Monster Shrine," explained the Chairman. 

"The first thing we need to discuss is something called the Monster Shrine. I believe it originated from another realm. If you are still with me after hearing that then you will be quite surprised to hear the next thing I'm about to tell you. The Monster Shrines are cared for by the Shrine Maidens, these immortals have been given a special gift which allows them to combine the materials that you will be expected to gather. They possess an ancient knowledge which allows them to produce new Brave Spirits with greater potential," said the Chairman. 

"It appears I have lost a few of you there with that last statement. These creatures called Brave Spirits naturally dwell within certain realms similar to our own. The Shrine Maidens use something known as Monster Magic Recipes which allows them to craft them. These recipes can be found in the ruins of the ancient civilizations that once dwelled their but in order to use them you will first need to find someone who can translate the ancient writings before inscribing them onto these stone tablets known as Monster Stone Tablet," said the Chairman as he held the ancient stone table up high for all to see. 

He continued his speech and afterwards we returned to the Inn to process everything that he had told us which was quite a lot to take in. At first it didn't make much sense. Then we took some time to reflect on the research that we had been doing for the company in recent years. He had sent us live creatures in the past to study. After taking that into account I realized that what he said actually wasn't that hard to believe. 

Later that night the Chairman gathered us senior members from the remaining twelve districts. He told us that he still had something left to discuss with us in private regarding his research. While he talked with us, the remaining members waited for our return. In the meantime, they stayed behind in the town square. The townspeople were holding a celebration in honor of our company and our great accomplishments. 

"I have something else that I wish to discuss with the twelve of you in private. I need you'll to meet me at my place. The young lady will escort you there and I'll meet up with you'll shortly," he said. 

"Right this way I'll lead you'll the Chairman house where you can wait for him," she said. 

"Now that he has gathered us twelve remaining Senior Members here at his home now what? Do you think he wants to discuss something else regarding this assignment he gave us?" I asked as I looked around for him. 

"I would like to present the remaining twelve senior members of my organization with one of these Legendary Kingdoms Battlefield Keys. Before we can proceed I need to figure out which key would best suit you first. You will be required to retrieve unique materials from each of these kingdoms along with something called the Battlefield Key Cores," he explained. 

"These cores are the very essence of the reality that you will be visiting and after you have returned with them, the GateKeeper will be able to upgrade the Battlefield Keys allowing a certain evolution to occur within each of the realms that they have been bound to, and once the Battlefield Keys have been restored to their original Lvl 5 state something amazing will be revealed. I'll tell you all about the Brave Spirit Watchers history, and why it was really created in the first place," he continued to explain to us. 

One by one he began pulling each of us aside before asking us a series of questions. As he tried to figure out which Battlefield Keys would best suit each district. 

"Jason right over here now I'll ask you the same series of questions as I did your fellow colleagues. Question one: how many members from the Heartwood District came with you today?" asked the Chairman. 

"That's a good question to start with. There are six of us if you count me," I said. 

"Okay that's good to know. The next question I have for you is: What does your district specialize in and what talents do they bring? What climate is your district from?" asked the Chairman the questions were easy enough. 

"The Heartwood District is filled with wildlife from all around the world. The members from my district are quite familiar with a wide variety of different creatures, and one of my members knows a great deal about plant life. The climate down there is always changing around this time of year and we often get a lot of rain around spring time. We have had to adapt to the changing weather all our life as the weather can change in a heart beat so we have learned to be prepared for any possible weather condition we may encounter," I explained. 

"That is interesting. I will take this information you have provided me with and review it real quick and before I forget who would you consider to be the weakest member from your district and why?" asked the Chairman. 

While I took a moment to think this strange question through I gave him the answer. 

"It would have to be Claude, he can be a coward at times but when we really need him he alway comes through for us," I explained. 

"Alright take some time to enjoy the refreshments and the festivities going on in your honor. I'll need you to return in about an hour before I present you with a special token of my appreciation. Before I forget, do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?" asked the Chairman. 

"Yes of course I do sir, you never explained the history of the Brave Spirit Watchers, will you be doing that later?" I asked before leaving after realizing he wasn't going to tell me anytime soon. 

The Chairman took a moment to ask the rest of the members the same questions before reviewing the information. In the meantime I got to enjoy some refreshments before returning to the festivities outside. It wasn't long before I returned to hear the results from him. 

"After careful consideration I have decided to send you Jason with the Kingdom of Green Naturi Battlefield Key. This Battlefield Key will grant you access to a village in the forest. It should suit you and your colleagues quite well," said the Chairman. 

I noticed a grim smile on his face before he turned away from us. These Battlefield Keys will allow us to open up a portal into another realm, and we would be able to retrieve the unique materials needed. There's still so much I have yet to understand about this organization and I can't help shake this strange feeling that the Chairman is still hiding something. What did the captain mean when he said that the island had been abandoned for over the last twenty years? How can that be? The Chairman talked quite a bit about how lively the island was before he established the Brave Spirit Watchers headquarters on the small remote island. 

The Chairman then went on to explain in detail how their organization had once been thriving not too long ago, with bustling towns and villages full of life and activity. In order for them to restore this prosperous past, they needed access to something special found only in these ancient realms which haven't been explored in centuries; an opportunity to use the Monster Magic Recipes for Brave Spirits crafted from unique materials. He also mentioned that the locals used to inscribe these recipes onto stone tablets found deep within the ruins of the old civilizations scattered around various islands. 

"What do you think he meant earlier when he said that we would need to search the ruins of the ancient civilizations?" I asked. 

My colleagues from Heartwood District seemed quite excited earlier by what they heard about the unknown lands in search of artifacts and resources. However, some of us were slightly worried about our safety as we didn't know what dangers await us beyond those portals activated by Battlefield Keys. To put all our fears aside, The Chairman made it clear that our most powerful asset would be ourselves; every individual should focus on their own strengths, and abilities as confident decisions are essential during such expeditions into the unknown. 

"I'm still not quite sure about something myself. Do the once great twelve kingdoms lay in ruins or is there something else hidden beneath them another civilization that predates them. Another thing I don't understand is why would the Monster Magic Recipes require someone to translate them, and why do we need the locals to inscribe them onto these ancient stone tablets?" asked Alexandrite, who was from the Stonecrest District. 

"That's enough of your whining. You guys can be so annoying sometimes, always having to complain about everything that happens. Man up and understand that this is life we have been given our assignment from the Chairman and we are obligated to see it through to the bitter end. It doesn't matter what danger we may face along the way. We must complete this assignment and see it through to the end regardless of what waits for us on the other side!" proclaimed Sapphire, who was from the Jewel Night District. 

Alexandrite was part of Stonecrest District which is known for its strategic skill set due its mountainous climate whereas Sapphire hailed from Jewel Night District where people are naturally gifted with a higher level of endurance thanks to its hot climate conditions. On the other hand Estelle came from Starlight District where citizens possess great knowledge and analytical thinking capabilities, making her an ideal candidate when it comes down to deciphering any potential written language relics or artifacts amongst others. 

"If what the Chairman said is correct then the ancient civilizations wrote stories and hidden them within the text which is where we will find the Monster Magic Recipes," said Estelle, who was from the Starlight District. 

The Chairman gave each senior member one of twelve Battlefield Keys along with instructions; return with Battlefield Key Cores after retrieving supplies from the townspeople and special containers designed for collecting plant life we might find along the way such as rare herbs used in producing potions or other magical items necessary for crafting Brave Spirits using Monster Magic Recipes. All members understood their responsibility and began preparing, equipping themselves with the necessary tools like compasses or lanterns plus packing food rations for the long journey ahead. 

After hearing his speech it appears my district was best suited for what awaits us in the Kingdom of Green Naturi. Thus began our adventure towards discovering new lands full of potential resources waiting just beyond those portals…