Choices

2

Seth found himself into a dim lighted shabby old room. There were dust everywhere. The room didn't appear to be particularly big only around 20 meters square.

In the corners of the room you could even see spider webs but what was more strange was the fact that they here were no windows.

'I must be in a cellar or a basement'

Seth thought to himself.

In the center of the room there was an old table with a candle on top of it, which appeared to be the only source of light in the room.

Along the table there were two chairs seated across each other and one of them was taken by an old man.

The man was wearing a blue robe that covered his hole body. And along with a his White beard and long white hair he was the spitting image of Gandalf.

A weird version of Gandalf. But he looked similar enough.

"Oh a new visitor. Is it that time again? Come have a seat.

The weird Gandalf talked to Seth in a neutral voice as he gestured with his hand for Seth to take a seat. Then he continued to speak.

" It been such a long time since I got to speak with someone "

As Seth walked slowly tours the man while appraising the him, all kinds of thoughts were passing though his head. The most reasonable thought that came to Seth was that he had been kidnapped by this man.

But the weird Gandalf didn't appear to have any weapons on him or at least Seth couldn't see them. Nor did he appear to be fit. And Seth wasn't tied up either.

As Seth finally reached the other chair opposite to the weird Gandalf , the man started speaking again.

"Now I know that you have a lot of question in your head. Like 'where am I?' or 'who are you?' but those are not the questions that you should ask.

Sit down. Let me tell everything that I can and then you are allowed to ask three questions. So think well before you ask."

Seth slowly seat down on the chair. All of a sudden he had a bad felling about this situation.

The moment that Seth set down on the chair memories rushed into his head. This memories weren't distend memories but recent one.

He remembered a conversation with a doctor telling him that he had only a year to live.

Memories of him felling sad for himself. How his world got turned up side down.

And finally the last memory was of him being hit by a car.

Seth knew that he should be dead but he wasn't. Or at the very least he should be at a hospital not in some basement or whatever this room was.

"You figured it out didn't you?

Well if you haven't figured it out yet, let me tell you this. 'You are dead'.

The present you is just a soul who has taken the for of your previous body."

The weird Gandalf leaned on the table where some book that wasn't there before had magically appeared. He had a serious expression on his face.

"I don't care if you believe me or not. But what is going to happen next is very real. I assure you for that.

You are about to be reborn into another universe. In a universe with a substance called mana which can give people power and strange abilities when used in certain ways.

Now different from books or novels you read about people who are reborn. You aren't going to be a human or an animal for that matter.

You are going to be a guiding spirit.

Or as people from the universe you are about to go call them an Ancestor spirit."

The weird Gandalf said as he pushed the book tours Seth.

"In this book there are recorded abilities that Ancestor spirit can start with. You can only begin with three abilities. So chose wisely"

With that the weird Gandalf leaned back in his chair, put his arms on the armrest and closed his eyes.

Honestly, Seth had no idea what he should think right now. Part of him believed what the man was saying.

Just to be safe though Seth picked up the book and put all the questions he had aside.

He had only three questions to ask so he had to use them in a smart way. Maybe this book would help him figure things out.

=========

The book wasn't particularly thick and if Seth was being honest it was just a couple of pages.

After half an hour or at least Seth felt that way, he had finished reading the book. In it was written exactly what the weird Gandalf had said.

Abilities that Ancestor spirits can start with. Next to each ability there also was a short explanation about what they did.

Still Seth felt that the way that these abilities were explained was dry. Each ability could do much more that what was explained in the book and a lot of important details were left out. For example one such ability was [Genetic modification].

# [Genetic modification]

*Allows the Ancestor spirit to be able to genetically modify the species that they are responsible for.*

The problem with this explanation was that how much he could genetically modify them. There was no mentioned of it. Nor was it mentioned the way in which he could do it.

In earth genetic modification in animals was done through breading of different races of the same species. These way humans had created new races of cows, sheep, dogs, horses etc. In order to suit their needs.

This method of genetic modification had taken a long time, continued studies and observation over the long history of man kind.

An other method was to modify the genes of that race by adding or removing certain genes . But human technology wasn't advanced enough to accomplish something like this.

So in general for every ability the important details were left out with the shortest expiation possible given.

The only way to have a more detailed explanation was to ask the weird Gandalf.

With a heavy sigh Seth opened his mouth and addressed the weird Gandalf opposite him.

"OK. I am ready for my first question. How can an so called 'Ancestor spirit' become more powerful?"

Without moving from his position the weird Gandalf slowly opened his eyes. With an amused voice he said.

"By developing the tribe that believes in them."

And that was all he said before closing his eyes again.

Seth was beaming with anger at this short reply by the weird Gandalf. If he wasn't afraid that something even worse could happen, Seth probably would punch him.

"My second question. What is the way for an Ancestor spirit to chose or change the race that believes in them?"

Seth felt a little proud in the way he formulated the question. If he had simply asked 'is there a way to change or chose the race that believes in you' the weird Gandalf might have answered with a simple no or yes.

"There is no way that an Ancestor Spirit can chose or change the race that believes in them. They also cannot except the believes of other races. So you have only one race and only one race."

This time the weird Gandalf at least provided him with useful information. Even though that information wasn't to his likening.

"My third and final question. What advice do you have for me as an Ancestor Spirit?"

Suddenly just as he finished his question the weird Gandalf started laughing.

"Little guy if you think that you are being smart by asking a broad question, you are wrong. But I am not going to be mean this time and I am going to give you some useful information.

As an Ancestor Spirit especially in the beginning it is important to have a clear and direct way to influence the development of the tribe.

That was all I have got to say. Chose your abilities."

After the weird Gandalf said that he disappeared from his chair leaving Seth alone in that room.

Things are getting weirder and weirder by the second. First he tells me that I am dead. Then he says that I will be reborn into another universe as an 'Ancestor spirit'. And finally after being almost completely unhelpful he disappears.

If this is a dream I got to congratulate myself for my imagination.

===========

After reading and rereading again and again the book Seth finally come into a conclusion.

For the first ability he chose [Genetic Modification]. The reason behind this choice was that no matter what race he gets to have if he doesn't like it he could at least modify some characteristics of that race.

His second choice was [Magic Ancestor]

# [Magic Ancestor]

*gives the Ancestor spirit the knowledge and abilities to be able to cast spells.*

Again the reason behind this choice was pretty simple. In a world with magic not being able to cast spells or use magic would be disadvantageous for him.

His third and final choice was [Conference room]

# [Conference room]

*Once a day gives you the ability to create a space that can hold up to 10 people were you can project your will and speak without any restrictions.*

His final choice he made with the weird Gandalf advice in mind.

After all if he wasn't able to communicate with his subordinates how was he going to manage, influence and make sure they know what to do.

Just as Seth was thinking if this was a good choice or not the candle in the table went out. At the same time that the candle went out Seth lost all sense of touch.

His thoughts became more sluggish as he felt weightless in total darkness.