Early in the summer, the world started changing. It is not known who first found out, but magic was real, or had become real. Of course, with the world as interconnected as it is, it took only two days for most people to know about it.

Online groups sprang up, eager to test humanity’s collective new toy. Quickly, it was found out that it was all but harmless; there were (unconfirmed) reports of deaths as soon as the first day.

Nevertheless, it is a novelty to most, trying it out like you’d try sports or a game. The world marches on as scientists set out to study this new phenomenon, to use it for furthering our collective knowledge and to understand it.

But that won’t show any results any time soon; it is only five days since the “Reveal”, meanwhile I’m out camping. I had planned this since March, to unwind from sixteen years of studying. Finally! Finally I am done with school! Getting a job is another matter…

So I figured, with this magic stuff, why not try out meditating on it? I’ve enjoyed more than enough books and other media that at least some of the magic methods should be viable.

All in all, it worked. I got much better at handling magic energy, or mana as it has been termed. I also tried out carving some random symbols into wood, attempting to make artifice or enchantments or magic runes or anything, really.

The results were rather mediocre, but I have a stick that glows when I lead mana through it, and another stick which helps me with directing mana in an more accurate matter, kinda like a lightning rod, but for mana. It’s a crappy wand, really.

So why am I thinking about this at about six in the morning?

Because the world finally decided to calm the fuck down!

I had just dozed off when all hell broke loose. The worst earthquake I’ve ever experienced (and the only, this area shouldn’t have earthquakes, but I think it was bad) coupled with howling gales.

I had setup my tent sheltered between some rocky areas, so I wasn’t too affected by the wind, and it wasn’t like many things could fall on me, aside from perhaps trees. Still with the constant shaking and sounds and occasional lights, it’s not like I could get any sleep.

I drifted in and out of uneasy, surface sleep, but it did little more than rest my body. Now however, I can finally get some real sleep.

But I have to pee…

There’s a really thick mist. Kinda eerie.

My business finished, I return to the tent. There’s sounds of something moving about.

“Hello?” I tried, cautiously.

I didn’t quite close the flaps, but an adult human couldn’t enter without opening it. I also think I’d hear them walking around.

I sigh. It’s an animal then. The most dangerous animal around here would be moose, but those are WAY too big to fit the tent. Probably some small scavenging animal, then.

I open the outer flap wide, giving the animal a clear exit (a cornered rat and all that), then move as far into the outer chamber as I can, before opening the inner flap the same way. I spot the animal. It’s a dull white, but my eyes are swimming.

I rub my eyes to see better. It’s still blurry? Why is only the animal blurry?

I can clearly see the animal now. Sorta at least…

“Uhh, what the hell are you?”

Of course the animal doesn’t respond to my clearly sleep-deprived brain. However, something does. It’s a feeling, like a sense. Somewhere between words and temperature; I simply know, through mechanics unknown.

I concentrate on it, difficult when both your mind and body are battered, bruised and tired. Eventually, I form a proper idea.

Juvenile Mist Wolf Threat level: Very High Power Level: ???(superior) A wolf with a strong affinity with mist. It magically produces mist around its body, obscuring itself from any would-be prey or predators. This one is not yet fully grown. It is usually not outright hostile unless you are a threat or a target.

…

Clearly, my sleep deprived mind is playing tricks with me. I close the flaps, still leaving an escape route in case the wolf is not, in fact a hallucination. It doesn’t seem to mind me entering, and wags its tail from me petting it.

With the conclusion that I’d be dead if it was real and wanted me dead, I enter the sleeping bag.

It’s hard to breathe. I open my eyes to a wolf lying on my chest.

“Oh.” I think it’s the one from before.

And now that I’ve got their attention, I notice the fact there’s more wolves in the tent. In fact, more than it’s designed to hold, I’m pretty sure.

I count them. Weights on my legs, two on the left side, three on the right. One right on top of-

“Aagh! Not the face!” I exclaim, pushing the overly friendly magic beast away. Alas, it was too late and there’s a wet strip along the left side of my face.

I turn my face “up” and there two more wolves on that end of the tent. Some morning-slowed mental math later, I arrive at the number ten. In this two-man tent there is now one man and ten wolves.

“At least it’s cozy.” I mutter to no-one in particular.

“Hey, face-licker.” I give the one on top of me a stare. “It’s nice that you’re all friendly and stuff, and I don’t even mind you inviting your buddies-”

I sniff the air. “Unless you are messing up the tent at least...” I continue the stare. “-but I would like to get out now.” I wiggle to empathize the point.

A little bit later I’ve managed to get free from the hold of the furred ones and are sitting, sifting through my bag for my breakfast. I make my way out of the tent. Upon exiting I notice the mist is still going strong. Probably has something to do with the wolves, but then we end up with the chicken-or-egg question.

I turn to the campfire… which is now further away than I remember it to be. As in, twenty meters from my tent as opposed to five. The crazy stuff tonight did something didn-

“Ahh.” I look at the mist wolves. I really want a computer right now. My phone doesn’t count, since I find it clunky for rapid internet exploration. Also, mobile networks are limited.

Before anything else, though: Breakfast. So I sit down at a sufficiently dry spot and start eating. The wolves seems to want some, but they can surely get their own food. On that note…

I take a look at the wolves, trying to get the information thing. On the fourth wolf all it takes is a glance and a thought. Their information is all the same as when I first checked face-licker. Actually I think the Threat level was “very high” then; now it’s “high”.

I ponder for a moment what the threat level mean and why it has changed, and get the same sensation as when I inspect the wolves. A moment later, I see an information box before my inner eye:

Threat Level

A creature's threat level is an indication of how powerful a creature is relative to you. It changes based on many variables, for example injuries and statuses. It is not all-powerful, and can be fooled. For example a cat or other animal hissing or pretending to be a stronger animal will appear as more dangerous, while someone playing dead or pretending to be wounded will appear less so.

Even so, it is a good indication of whether or not one is able to defeat a foe, and at what cost:

A single target with low threat level can be overcome with some care, while a high threat target will likely require every skill one has. A group of enemies with individual 'very low' threat can still pose a significant threat. Similarly, fighting on hostile terrain can make even one weak enemy able to defeat you.

This is reflected on the Situation Threat Level. In short, one can Assess a situation and/or enemy to get a good grasp on dangers and one’s chance of success, but must be wary that unless all-knowing, one might be fooled, especially by intelligent creatures.

Good thing it comes to me like thoughts: That’d be a wall of text if written down and not very useful in a situ- a high threat(heh) situation. I turn my attention outwards just in time to slam the lid on my lunch box.

“You want some, huh?” I give face-licker the stare(I suspect the Stare and I will be good friends, soon). “Well, earn it. Or get your own food.” She turns away, displeased, before giving me a brief puppy eyes looks. She gets the Stare in return.

Wait, how do i know it’s a she? It’s not like I looked for genitals. Or seen any. I look around. Somehow, I can see the wolves’ sexes with a glance, even if I can’t visually discern any differences. I’ll just say “a wizard did it” aka. “I dunno, magic”

In fact, now that I am full, i should prooobably not ignore the clear changes to the world. Like suddenly knowing things from looking at magic wolves that have suddenly appeared after an earthquake/storm combo hit an area that are supposed to have neither of those. Oh, and the nearby area has changed as well, with the exception of a small bubble around my tent.

First off: Since I can inspect things (presumably)magically, can I see my own “status” somehow? I try to know about myself the same way I can know about the wolves.

Human Threat level: Extremely Low Power Level: ???(equivalent) A human; homo sapiens. Quadraform, bipedal, sapient species. Sorta fleshy.

Commonly seen as the “average” or “boring” species in games and fantasy. In this world however, it is the only sapient species. Or at least it was…

Also, this is me. I’m thinking about myself. Congratulations, Narcissus!

...real helpful. Before I can try again, face-licker comes back, carrying a fist-sized, glowing stone. Dangerous! No wait, it’s just mana, I can even make those.

Mana stone A stone containing mana. Could probably be useful for someone who knows what they’re doing.

I get the feeling the amount of new knowledge I can get from this ability is somewhat limited. I ignore the nagging feeling I’ve had in the back of my head for a while. I reach out to take it, but she does not let it go. When I let go she leans closer. After a moment of confusion I figure she wants me to hold it.

When I do, she slowly starts pouring mana into it. I carefully observe, but she does not do more. Does she want me to use mana as well? I pour some of my mana into it, and she starts manipulating it.

I mimic what she’s doing and after a while I begin to understand what she’s doing - she’s making that magic mist they are surrounded by. I kinda forgot about it, as I no longer really notice it. In fact, while I register that there is mist here I can see just fine, huh…

Now I can produce the mist myself. +1 stealth, I guess. Actually, the wolves would probably be great ambush predators. I guess I’ve been too stuck on “old” reality: these are magic beasts more knowledgeable about magic than me. And I should expect there to be others, that might not be as friendly.

Mentally noting that it is possible to share control of mana, and that it’s a great way to demonstrate spells, I return my attention to the ‘fierce’ mist wolf in from of me, now sitting with her tongue out and smile.

“Thanks, girl, that’s more than good enough!” I take out a couple meatballs and give them to her. “I should probably give you a proper name, too.”

I think about it for a moment - I’m not really good with names. “How about Tåke?”{Pronounced: Toh-keh}

She doesn’t seem to mind, not that she necessarily understands. ‘Tåke’ it is then. It means mist/fog, but sounds enough like a name. Especially to non-scandinavians, I guess. As soon as I decide that, the feeling of knowing something in the back of my head starts to get very annoying.

It’s like that whenever I use what would be the [System] in LitRPGs and such, so I’ll call that feeling ‘notifications’ from now on. And continue with the RPG/game metaphor for related things. I’ve gotten pretty good at ‘finding’ the source of that feeling, and a moment later I get the notifications. There are quite a few of them:

[System] Unlocked The [System] has unlocked from having learned three skills.

I can now utilize the [System].

Ability Learned: [Mana Perception]

Being able to perceive mana is the basis of most magic, and immensely useful in a world with magic. Along with [Mana Manipulation], it forms the basis for most magic classes. Ability Learned: [Mana Manipulation] After learning to perceive mana, the next logical step is to manipulate it.

Along with [Mana Perception], it forms the basis for most magic classes. Ability Learned: [Inspect] The ability to accurately and quickly recognize and categorize things, living and nonliving.

Aside from gauging one’s opponents in combat, this ability has many more everyday uses. Class unlocked: Proto-mage Perceiving and manipulating mana. With these two skills, one is well on the way of becoming a magic user. It is a long and difficult road however, even to simply being able to call oneself a real mage. Core class abilities:

[Mana Perception]

[Mana Manipulation] Class stats:

INT, WIS Ability Learned: [Beast Empathy] The skill to communicate with animals is different, but no less difficult than the one to communicate with people.

This ability lets the user understand and communicate with animals, far beyond the half-baked communication that naturally arises between creatures with wildly different senses. Ability Learned: [Aspectian] The ability to perceive and manipulate the Aspects of things. Aspectians can not only recognize aspects, but make take on their attributes, and even the aspect itself. Class unlocked: Pack Leader(non-beast) The position of a pack leader gives both power and responsibility. With the pack leaders decisions, a pack lives and dies. It is rare for animals to accept those not of their species, but it can happen. This ability enables a person to efficiently take on that role. Core class abilities:

(Beast Communication)[Beast Empathy]

(Beastly leadership)[Aspectian: Aspect of the Pack]

Class stats:

WIS, CHA, VIT

[System] Fully Unlocked From learning a minimum of five skills and a class, the [System] is now fully unlocked and all features can be accessed.

I can now grow according to the [System] rules.