One thing Edan didn’t like about his increased stats. There was no slow rise from unconscious to consciousness. No sleepy minutes in bed as he tried to find the energy to get up. One second he was resting, the next he woke up. His increased Willpower probably had a lot to do with it. Very likely his increased intelligence too. One conveys the understanding that they were awake to the other, which immediately got his body moving.

  Rolling out of bed Edan stretched. The exhaustion from the previous night was a distant memory. The small window at the end of the room let in the morning light, the beams changing to red and green thanks to the stained glass.

  Boxes littered the floor, most were sealed but a few had fallen over, their contents spilling out over the floor. Edan spotted crumpled clothes, random pages with messy handwriting, and even a few worn kids' toys.

  Moving around them Edan made his way to the ladder and using the rope to control its speed, lowered it down slowly. High dexterity helped him navigate the tight opening and he shimmied down the ladder easily.

  When the Santry family had imposed on Harvey last night for shelter, the old man had been more than hospitable. He’d ushered them in, offering food and hot drinks. They declined, having drunk and munched as they had caught each other up on the previous day's event.

  Edan had been given the attic to sleep in. He’d imagined a dark, cramped space with spiderwebs and a mattress on the floor. What he’d gotten was a small, clean, warmly lit space with a comfortable mattress and clean sheets.

  Sanik and Reema had gotten a spare room next to Cassie's.

  Moving down the hallway, Edan noticed the bathroom door open and slipped inside. Washing his face he made himself presentable before exiting. Heading towards the noise he heard below, Edan made his way downstairs.

  Harvey’s Store and home were peculiar. If you looked from the outside it was a simple, yet stylish, two-story building that fit in with its neighbors. Like most of Stratta where rent was expensive and good land was hard to find, residents lived above their stores and people would assume the same of Harvey’s.

  They would be right. The floors above the store were residential. All five of them, if you counted the attic.

  Harvey’s class was a Domain Mage, his domain being this building. This allowed him certain…benefits.

  The third floor of the building was a large, open area. As large as the area above, but with fewer walls. The floor was covered in a soft, short carpet of light tan that blended in well with the dark wooden walls. Even without partitioning walls, much of the space had been separated by function.

  Off to the side closest to Edan was the kitchen and dining room an Island counter separating them. Sanik and Reema were moving around the kitchen, one manned the stove while the other acted as assistant.

  “You realize eggshells aren’t meant to go in the batter right?” Reema berated Sanik, handing him back a large metal bowl.

  “That's for texture. Texture, woman! No one likes a soft, bland pancake.” Sanik retorted, sticking a finger in the batter to fish the eggshells out.

  Edan slid into a chair by the counter.

  “Morning,” Cassie said cheerfully. She looked like she’d just stumbled out of bed. Her pajamas were wrinkled and her hair was messy. “Here to enjoy the show?”

  Edan looked at his bickering parents and cringed.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Nah, it’s amusing,” Cassie assured him. “Besides it brings a certain energy to the house. When it's just dad and I things can get a bit stale.”

  “Harvey mentioned you were actually planning on opening up another store?” Edan made a loop with his finger. “Wouldn’t that be just as, uhhh…stale?”

  Cassie’s eyes lit with excitement. “I was actually thinking of setting it up off-world. Imagine! I could get stuff from there and send it through to Earth. Dad could sell it here for a premium.”

  “You’d have to get past all the restrictions in place,” Sanik advised as he slid plates onto the countertop and started opening cabinets looking for spreads. “Not to mention the competition from both the Guilds and the Golden Throne Sect-hey you have appleberry jam, nice!”

  “Yeah, help yourself, and what do you mean restrictions?”

  Sanik started stacking spreads out next to the plates. Behind him, Reema flipped the pancakes off the skillet and onto a large stack that had already formed. She added more batter.

  “The sects have a limit on what can be brought into the world from outside. Helps prevent something dangerous or harmful from getting into the wrong hands.”

  Edan listened to the conversation between the two, his stomach twisting oddly. Last night, he’d left out two important details. He hadn’t told his parents about Kiba, and since he hadn’t told them about Kiba, he couldn’t tell them about what the god or primordial or whatever he called himself had said about the Four Star Heavenly Sect.

  That was something Edan wanted to discuss with Tali before he brought it up with his parents. Also, it didn't seem like a conversation they needed to have when they were all exhausted.

  “Ahh, are those pancakes I smell?” Harvey said as he came up the stairs from below. He smiled, seeing the group in the kitchen, and walked over to the cooler. He pulled out a pottery jar and held it up for Sanik to see. “Properly infused syrup.”

  “I figured it’s the least we could do,” Reema said as her husband drooled. “Thank you again for letting us stay here. We didn’t give you much notice.”

  “You mean zero notice,” Sanik amended, helping not at all.

  Harvey smiled and sat down beside his daughter. “You are most welcome. I feel like a celebration is in order.”

  Harvey turned to Edan and regarded him with a solemn expression.

  “Master Mawe, It would seem birthing a system is an everyday occurrence for one such as you and hardly worthy of note, but I find myself remiss if I did not congratulate you nonetheless.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Edan tipped his head, ignoring Cassie as she looked between her father and him with confusion.

  “Nonsense. I simply assumed the birthing of my system to be so far below your attention as to be unworthy of recognition.”

  “Wait! Edan! You birthed your system?” Cassie clapped excitedly, almost falling from the chair as she pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you! I thought you still had a couple of months before trying it?”

  Edan felt his heart rate pick up and tried his best not to enjoy the hug too much. Cassie’s father was right there after all.

  “I…got lucky, in the dungeon yesterday and it helped boost my stats,” Edan said lamely.

  Harvey looked like he didn’t quite believe Edan’s casual answer but he didn’t mention it.

  “Congratulations, lad,” he said instead, the teasing tone replaced with something more serious. “You've truly begun your steps down the path of cultivation. Be warned, it is not an easy one.”

  “Don’t be a buzz kill, Dad.” Cassie waved away her father's words before turning back to Edan. “You must be so excited! How does it feel? You don’t really look any different…actually, your skin looks a little paler. Like you need some sun.”

  Edan laughed, rubbing the skin along his arm self-consciously, and did a double take. He hadn't had a chance to look too closely at himself since the dungeon but now that he did, Edan saw little lines marking his skin, like lines in marble. Each line was tiny and thinner than a strand of hair. It was only thanks to his higher perception he even noticed.

  It must be from the pool, he realized.

  “Yeah, I was super excited,” Edan answered quickly, his moment of reflection having created an awkward pause. He caught his parents watching him out of the corner of their eyes as they finished off the pancake batter. “And it feels amazing. Everything seems a little bit easier, even thinking. I’m still at level 30. I can’t imagine what people like Mum and Dad must feel.”

  “Couldn’t tell you, son, I’ve always been amazing,” Sanik said with a shrug. He added the dirty dishes to the sink and began cleaning them. “Same goes for your mother of course.”

  Harvey and Cassie laughed as Reema slid the plate with the stack of pancakes onto the countertop and everyone began to dig in. Sanik topped up drinks.

  “So why did you come here last night?” Cassie asked after she’d finished her first pancake. She snagged another and poured a generous amount of syrup over it before looking between everyone.

  There was an awkward pause before Reema said, “There is a good chance the Academy is looking for us.”

  “And not for good reasons,” Sanik added around a mouthful of breakfast.

  “What happened?” Cassie asked, wide eyes before turning to look at Edan. “What did you do?”

  “Me? I didn’t do anything!” Edan answered on reflex.

  “Leave them be,” Harvey interrupted, putting his hand on Cassie's shoulder. “Whatever their reason may be, they are welcome here.”

  “Oh yeah, I didn’t mean-I mean of course they are.” Cassie looked embarrassed. “I wasn’t trying to imply they weren’t.”

  “It is rather strange, dear.” Reema agreed and smiled reassuringly. “We appreciate the hospitality.”

  “So what’s everyone’s plans for the day?” Cassie asked, obviously eager to move on.

  “I shall man the counter, as I have always done,” Harvey replied first.

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “You’re just trying to guilt me into working in the store today but I told you last night. Lorien should be back from the Sect Party and I want to hear all the gossip.”

  “Sect Party?” Edan asked.

  “Hmmm? Oh, yeah! Apparently, there was a party for the dungeon diving group last night to celebrate a successful run.” Cassie laughed and slapped her forehead. “Of course, you know it was successful, you managed to birth your system….I’m surprised you didn’t know about the party.”

  “It was likely just a sect thing,” Edan muttered. Anger twisted his stomach. His pancake tasted like ash in his mouth and he struggled to swallow.

  “You want to come?” Cassie asked Edan. “It’ll just be me and Lorien. We’ll probably grab lunch or something.”

  “Actually dear, do you think you could not tell Lorien about Edan being here?” Reema asked. “I’m sure she wouldn’t tell the Academy, but the fewer people who know the better.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot about that. Sure, of course.” Cassie laughed again. “This is why I hate mornings!”

  “I figured I’d help out around the store if you need it?” Edan asked Harvey from around Cassie.

  The old man stroked his beard in thought before nodding slowly.

  “I could use a hand moving over one of the displays. I’ve been having trouble getting the potions to sell.”

  “I'm going to have a bit of a wander towards the store, maybe check around the Academy” Sanik added. “See if anyone is actually looking for us.”

  Reema tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a sip of her tea. Her brown eyes rested on her husband affectionately.

  “In that case, I better see if I can find transport out of the city if we need it.”

  “We’re leaving?” Edan asked, shocked. “I thought we’d just lay low for a couple of days.”

  “Worst case scenario,” Sanik assured him before pointing a fork at Edan. A bit of pancake was on the end, syrup dripping from it. “Also, Tali mentioned she would be coming by to see you today. And no, before you ask, I don’t know when.”

  Edan opened his mouth.

  “And no, you can’t go walk around outside. We’re meant to be hiding and you have all the stealth of a whale on land.”

  Edan closed his mouth, thought of something, and opened it again.

  “And yes, I do agree. I’m incredible and you should give me your pocket money for the next three weeks in tribute to my awesomeness.” Sanik said before Edan could get a word out.

  “That’s not even close to what I was going to say,” Edan finally managed to butt in. “also you don’t even give me pocket money. My savings!”

  He nearly screamed the last part as he remembered he had forgotten to pack his savings last night.

  This is why you never pack while tired. Edan reminded himself.

  “You’re most certainly not going back to the store.” Reema chipped in.

  I can’t believe I’m broke again. Edan thought sadly.

  Breakfast broke up after that. Edan was left to clean the dishes while Cassie drifted off to shower. Harvey headed down to the store, followed by Reema and Sanik. Edan assumed they would tell him the real reason they were hiding once alone.

  Edan got done with the kitchen around the same time Cassie got done so he got cleaned up next. The water was cool against his skin, even as steam fogged the mirror and Edan wondered if it was his higher stats or his Path, that added to his heat resistance.

  The thought of his stats and Path made Edan pause. He stood there, a towel wrapped around his waist, as he looked at himself in the fogged-up mirror. Using a face towel to get rid of the moisture Edan swiped a line across the mirror.

  He looked the same. Same skinny frame, same curly black hair, and light blue eyes. Cassie was right, he did look paler than usual, but he assumed that was from the marks that covered his skin. Edan let out a long slow breath.

  He had expected more. For as long as he could remember, Edan had been dreaming of birthing his system. It had been all he wanted. He had imagined his life changing for the better. He’d be bigger, stronger, more handsome. There’d be a big party and people would congratulate him.

  Instead, everything had happened so fast Edan hadn’t even had time to process it. He’d birthed his system and felt no excitement. He hadn’t even had time to go over all his stats Paths, and notifications. The only big party that had been thrown was for the very people who had tried to kill him.

  Edan stuffed the face towel against his mouth and screamed, the sound muffled thanks to the cloth.

  Taking a deep breath in, Edan set the face towel aside and left the bathroom, a smile on his face.