Chapter 10

[Status Open] For a moment a searing pain engulfed John's retinas before subsiding. A translucent window hung before him unseen by the others.

His new name John appeared at the top and in parentheses next to it was his former name in his previous life. A long list of Attributes, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities followed with the usual HP, MP, Class and Race.

He noted he was a dragon again only this time a hybrid of one hundred eight dragon types. He thought of the list of one hundred eight virtues and corresponding sins.

He recalled information on Solomon's seventy two from his fifth reincarnation. What was this now his hundredth reincarnation or was it more John pondered.

Just who were all these people around him? He looked at them in turn as each had a faint yellow wisp of aura around them where the wisps connected to each other and with him. It was very faint almost nonexistent. Was it a thread of fate or something like that. He looked to his hand and saw the real red thread of fate blazing around his finger with that wisp flowing strong leading behind him. Ah. So his connection to her was still strong. He would have to search for her after getting stronger.

What was his ranking a "J" or level zero? He looked around at the others. Most were level three classes except for the one he called father earlier who was a level six samurai. He himself was a newly minted level one. He would leave his John personality in effect while he searched the memories of those he was connected to around him. No need to break down their psychic shields as they were already weakly connected. Let's start with "Father"

***

A young Stormshadu had just left his master's most recent training. It consisted of bumping into a person while using one hand to draw the targeted mark's attention while the other hand quietly lifted, that is, stole an object off them. He had learned this since he needed a way to support himself. He had become a thief in a city is assassins. The other elves here would not teach him their assassin ways since he was only a half breed. His mother was elf noble and father was a less than noble high human adventurer. Stormshadu returned to his grandparents manor. His older cousins had left to gather merits as they were competing for the inheritance. All this around him wealth and titles would go to the winner. Not him he was not allowed since he was only a half. Only an adventurer's life could get Stormshadu what he needed. He was taught the ways of the thief but not the family's assassination techniques. Stormshadu longed to be a honorable samurai.

***

He once again met his oldest cousin's betrothed. She was beautiful a noble elf dhampir. Like him she was a half blood but unlike him her other half was highly valued. Stormshadu had stolen her maidenhood five months earlier. She looked fearful today as she told him that she might be pregnant and that his cousin, her betrothed, had just returned. "Stormshadu I might be betrothed to your cousin but I love you. You must flee." Her eyes glowed with vampiric light but no longer had the compelling effects it once did. Stormshadu had contracted a hint of dhampir heritage from their many sessions together.

***

In turn John examined the backgrounds each of them noting that only Stor had a mental shield that could mostly block him. The shield glowed white with rainbows and unicorns on it.