Helping A Friend

Double starts to regain his vigor about half way through the journey. Though he seems somewhat estranged he still is double. We approach the ladder of the journey easily, but then Double begins thinking clearly. "Back to the forest once more aren't we Alex?" he asks with no emotion in his voice. "Yes Double. We are going back into the forest once more." I state comfortingly.

Double looks around at the forest in dismay. Almost as if the forest is the cause of all his problems. "What is wrong double?" I say worriedly. "Nothing. The forest is as it always was and will be." he states coldy. I continue down the path, taking a longer time than usual to think about what I need to say to him when we reach home. I see the familiar cave in the short distance. Double gets off my back rather quickly as he jumps back into the cave, almost like it is his last salvation in a wasteland filled with sand.

I go into the room and see double sitting on that small handmade chair staring at the wall filled with notes. "Double please. Please, as your friend, tell me whats wrong." I ask sadly at him. "Nothing Alex. Like I said. Nothing. Is. Wrong" he says rather angrily. I look at him angrily "All I am trying to do is help you double. As your friend. I am woried for you."

"Don't be. Nothings Wrong whatsoever." he pauses "All is the same as it was before. So please be quite so I can focus on my studies. They will be my future. My only path into the future." he states desolately as he stares at the arcane formations. I look at him and finally realize what the quest is really about. I stare at Double and then back at the wall of formations. I cast Storm Boost and look at double with an almost energetic look in my eyes. "Alex, what are you doing? Is something Wrong?" he states scared.

"Nothing is Wrong Double. It is as it always has been." I then proceed to bash my head viciously into the stone wall, creating many deep groves into the wall. The surface becomes littered with cracks as I repeatedly smash my head into the wall. "ALEX STOP IT." Double shouts at the top of his lungs. I continue for a few more seconds before looking at him and stating calmly "Will you talk with me? About this so called forced Future?"

"What ever Alex, you win just stop, please" he states panickly. I release the spell as I settle down. "Why is it you think that this is the only future for you Double?" I say gesturing to the wall. "What do you mean? My only Future? How could it not be." he states in a huph "It is all I have ever known. To every little detail I have been raised to fulfill this future. I have even had my original name wiped from exsistance in the name of my future." he states, his eyes getting wilder by the moment.

"I was born to cast these spells in this book." he states as he pulls a silver bound grimoire from the small shelf he created. "My one and only purpose is to advance through this book" he opens the book and flutters the pages about. "But it's not the future you want. Isn't it double?" I ask calmly. "Who cares about what I want Alex? This is something bigger than me, bigger than my emotions, my thoughts, it's bigger than anything I could do." he takes a breather before continuing "Nothing matters more than figuring what these stupid runes mean Alex." he frustrativly shakes the book once more.

I take a long hard look at double before replying "I care Double. I care about you, my friend, and what you care about Double." I say strongly. He looks at me and looks back at the book, a strange look appearing in his eyes. "You care Alex. I know you do. But this is something even you can't change. I am not like you Alex, I can't cast spells without these things." he says pointing at the vast amount of material around him. I take a deep breath before saying "Then don't cast spells. Don't follow the path that they wanted you to take. Become a soldier, whatever will make you happy. It doesn't matter what they thing. Double." I gesture around us "Do you see anyone telling you to Study? Do you see anyone telling you what you have to do?"

"That's the brilliance of the forest Double." I say happily "You are yourself here. Nothing holding you down but yourself, and you seem to be doing that quite a bit." Double looks at me for a second before looking at the book in his hand. Taking a long look at the strange runic formula page that it was currently open to. He then looks at me and then looks outside the cave. The sun shining through the foilage only just into the cave, the chirps of birds and bugs filing the air. He looks at me once more and then rips the page out, slowly, and with utter confidence. Then takes his other hand and tears out another page. And then another, and another, and another. The entire books pages flutter into the forest, almost seemingly pulled by a strange force, by wind but deliberate.

The pages fly off everywhere as he runs to another book stripping it of his pages and then another, until there are no more books. He takes a breather looking at me. "Your right Alex." he looks down at the staff before bending down and picking it up "I don't have to follow the book anymore, I don't have to be like the people back at home. I can be myself. I can cast magic the way I want to cast it Alex." He stares at the staff before opening up a new formation. A star of sorts. The light coming from it a briliant Green, it shining brilliantly. A few strange runes fill the star, filling it to the brim with energy.

"Who cares about circles? Who cares about Runes? I don't thats for certain." Double shouts madly. I don't think this is going to end well. "I will make my magic the way I want it to be. Not through Runes, or memorization. But through creativity. Through my pure will and power." he laughs maniacly.

The green symbols, unlike runes in a way almost uncordinated, Begin to blink in and out. The energy in the air seems to warp slightly as waves in the air begin to be seen. A strange formation becomes seen, a large bright star begins to manifest with an insane speed. The magic is strange, unlike any kind I had seen before, it didn't seem to want to act with nature, but instead almost worked against it. The Bright green star began to spin quickly, with speed and precision, as it launched out of the entrance of the cave into the bright sky. Like a firework in the day, an arcane burst was sent through the sky.

The energy was released spectacularly. A display worth aplaud. Double looks at the sight with a bright smile on his face. I look at Double in and a friendly voice I say "Mabey be just a tad bit more careful.". He stares at me and laughs "Theres no way".

Well at least I got double back. The system notifies me that The quest has been finished.

<Mind, Body, and Soul System>

Name: Alex Champion of the Forest(X4 mana regen while in the forest, all creatures trust you in the forest) One Title not in use. Only one title may be used at a time.

Level: 3 (10/400)

Path : Practitioner of the Art of Practice.

HP 250/250

MP 376/376

SP 161/161

Bloodline:Name: Unknown/Rarity: Legendary/Species: Storm-dragon 50% Unknown 50% current percentage unlocked: 25%/100%

<Stats>

Strength: 36 ( + 10% Physical damage )

Agility: 20 ( + 10% physical speed)

Endurance: 21 ( + 21 SP )

Body: 66

Intelligence: 24 ( +10% casting speed)

Wisdom: 20 ( + 10% magic damage)

Willpower: 63 ( + 126 MP )

Mind: 107

Soul Strength:15

Soul Speed:15

Soul Integrity: 15

Soul: 45

AP: 0

MetaPhysical Stats:

Luck: 2

<Powers>

(Previous Evolutions)

ETC-

Body-

Mind-

(Current Powers)(may only be improved upon training.)

Blessings of the Forest LV:MAX

Telepathy LV: 1

Adrenilene Rush LV:1

Soul Sense LV:1

Power Points: 17

<Quests>

None currently selected

Well though I really don't care about the bonuses I can't not admit that they are not nice. I open up the store for a quick second.

<Power Store>

Mind Powers:

Mental Unlock LV: 1(10 Cost)

Body Powers:

Physical Unlock LV: 1(10 cost)

Soul Powers:

Soul Unlock LV: 1(10 cost)

Well I suppose I have to pick one or another. I think Soul Might be interesting though probably not the safest option since I don't have that much stats in the soul. I look at the Mind and decide that it would be the best choice right now, I do after all have the best stats in there.

<Mind is being unlocked. Please be careful it may be painful.>

Wait what? How could Unlocking your mind be pain-FULL WHOA. WHAT A MIGRANE LIKE SERIOUSLY.

The next two hours were filled with a mixture of celebration and alex beating his head into the ground trying to get it to stop hurting, failing to do so and in the process making it hurt worse.