Strange Places - Prelude

Jayce:

Jayce was relaxing at his favorite place, a small hill at the park near his home, a tree as his shade, a blanket beneath him, his hands clasped behind his head as he looked up at the slightly clouded sky through the branches of the tree. It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon, and it was too nice to waste indoors. He was 17, 5’11”, 175 lbs, with brown hair and green eyes, wearing a tan shirt, and blue jeans, with blue-grey sneakers. His backpack was open next to him, much looser now that the blanket was out of it; his e-reader, phone, and charging cords, along with notebook and a few pens and pencils for writing when the urge struck him, as well as the wrappings from the sandwiches he had made inside. It really was a nice neighborhood they had moved to.

A few months ago, his family had moved to this small town, the result of much better paying jobs for both parents, as well as a better school system for his younger siblings. The move had gone relatively easy, and he had done what he could to help settle his younger siblings in while their parents were acclimating to their new positions. Thanks in part to those efforts, there were very few issues for them to deal with. He also managed to acclimate, realizing that if he didn’t work on doing the same for himself, he wouldn’t be half as efficient.

The results spoke for themselves, and even though there were times he was exhausted, he was happy; his younger brother and sisters were able to, slowly but surely, make friends and adjust to their new school and home, and their parents were able to focus on learning the ropes of their new jobs without any worries. If anything were to come up, Jayce was the one who would be brought to the Principal’s office, something He and his Parents had talked to the Principal beforehand just in case a problem were to arise, at least during their initial training.

That was months ago, late January, and it was now mid April, his sibling were spending time with their friends, and he would be meeting his friends that evening for a movie, but loved to spend Saturday mornings like this relaxing at the park. He found this spot by chance one rainy day in February, and thought it might be the perfect resting spot for those lazy days, and had spent quite a few relaxing the early morning/afternoon away. It just felt so peaceful, the hill only slightly inclined, enough to make one feel they were almost floating, the tree always giving the perfect amount of shade, no matter what side of it one laid under, and the breeze that passed through was never too light, nor too harsh, always perfect, almost as if it was designed for a person to rest in bliss.

Jayce pulled his backpack closer, zipping it up as he felt himself wanting to fade out for a bit. It was something that would happen more often than not, so he made sure to secure it, putting an arm through one of the loops, and lay back with one hand in front of his eyes, as he started to feel that familiar feeling of drifting off come over him. As he did, he could swear he felt himself floating, which he thought was just the sensation of falling under, one he was very much use to, but there was also a very bright light, much brighter than anything he was use to, and it was so intense that even with his hand in front of his eyes, it didn’t completely block it out, and the bag on his arm, gravity was pulling it down, and as he noticed that, he realized ‘Holy shite! I AM floating!’

His whole body now feeling light, the ground no longer beneath him, he could feel the blanket, which he had grabbed onto as he was falling under (a habit since he was very little), and his backpack, both of which he pulled in front of him and clutched to his chest while squeezing his eyes shut against the brightness of the light, not realising that it was coming from around him. As he was floating in mid-air, the only thought in his mind was: ‘Well damn, guess I won’t be going to see Quasar 3 with everyone after all....”

As chaotic and confusing as it may be, Jayce was not the kind of person who would allow himself to be overwhelmed for the long term. It was one of his strengths, and why his parents felt confident in him taking care of things in their stead: Jayce had a steady head on his shoulders, and could adjust to most any issue. In a situation such as this, where common sense was being tossed out the window, he realized all he could do is go with the flow and hope for the best. If it was a dream, he’d wake up, if it wasn’t....well, he would find out soon enough, now wouldn’t he.

As the light grew brighter in intensity, a ringing/pulsing sound started up, and Jayce, realizing that it likely wasn’t a dream, simply sighed and said “oy v...”

In a brilliant flash, there was no sign of him. The light was gone, as well as the sound, leaving only that spot on hill, just the right size for anyone to lie under, where shade would always be plentiful, where the breeze would be neither to much, or to little, but just right. Where one could lay back on the perfect incline and take a little nap, if one were so inclined. It was another beautiful Saturday at the park, just the kind of day where one would want to go out, as it was much too nice to laze the day away indoors. There were plenty of people out and about at the park, none of whom had noticed the mysterious event that had just transpired. Someone came to the park and found a spot to park their bike. “Lucky! Who’d think I would find one empty slot on a Saturday?!” and after parking, went to join their friends at the soccer field.


Sherri & Chiseraei:

Sherri stood quietly in the center of the room, focusing her energies. She had been preparing herself for this moment since she was a child, and was in no rush to complete the ceremony. The words came to her, ancient, powerful, in a tongue not many could understand, even amongst those in the High Magi Council. These were the words used to guide her energies in the use of her special gift: Summonas de Gods Giftan.

This was a Skill that appeared only once a Millenia, something only the High Magi, and High Summoner knew the truth of, for this information was something passed on only to those who reached the pinnacle of each Class, and only when both were brought to the Tome of Sacred Texts by their Predecessors. While it was not a dangerous skill, it was one so powerful that it would literally pull a being from another world, imbuing them with a "gift" from Reshta, the God of Summons, determined by the aptitude of the individual summoned.

Summonas de Gods Giftan translates to: "One Summoned through and Gifted by God" in the Ancient Language of Melas. The reason it requires so much magical power to use is two-fold: First is the fact that the Summoner becomes a temporary conduit for the God, and in order to handle that level of power, one must be able to handle extra-dimensional energies and power, such as used in higher level spells and magical constructs. Secondly, this is a one-shot gift; once used, any summoning ability the person may have had will be gone, such is the price paid for housing a Deity. The fact that there is no other cost can be seen as a blessing in and of itself, for a Deity's Spirit itself would be strong enough to burn a normal person out, nevermind their power, thus the reason the person has to train and bring their skills to the level of the High Magi, as anything less would result in burnout, both literally AND physically!

Sherri had been undergoing intensive training since she had been told about her gift as a child, with no one outside of the High Magi and High Summoner knowing the full truth of why. Since then, she had devoted herself to her studies, excelling in all her classes, her aptitude for the various elements marking her as a prodigy. Her serious attitude though made it difficult for her to make friends, as some of the other students felt she was too stiff, but it couldn’t be helped as she was pushed from a young age to master her skills in Magic, and she had her own dream.

There were two goals that drove her to excel: The first was to master her magic, but this was not even her most important goal, something most of her classmates, with one exception, didn't know, and that was Sherri’s dream, her most treasured goal; to become a Great Summoner! As a child, she had once found a book about the adventures of a Young Summoner who went around the world with their Summoned Creatures, helping others, making friends everywhere they went, getting to know their summons better, the stories struck a chord deep in her heart, stirred her imagination, and made her yearn to follow that path! Being told that she could only use her summoning ability once she mastered her magic, Sherri poured her heart and soul into her training, all for an innocent dream, one she holds in the depths of her heart. Only one other person knows this, her friend, Chiseraei.

When younger, the two would often got in trouble together. Well, more like Chiseraei would concoct a wild plan and talk Sherri into joining them, suggesting it as a way for her to get used to going on adventures, often ending with them both getting disciplined, but Sherri never held it against them, that was just how Chiseraei was after all! Sherri was one of the few who knew the truth about Chiseraei: they were actually an Kyranae, a Shape-shifting species, not very well known, and rarely encountered.

Kyranae are telepathic creatures, with few able to use verbal communication even if the form they take on has vocal chords, as they have evolved beyond such constraints, feeling words are restrictive; even Chiseraei rarely uses "mouth speak" as they call it, though they have mastered their TP in Psychic-Operations to the point of being able to make people "think" they are.

Gender is another area the Kyranae have evolved beyond; as they are shifters, the notion of a singular gender is amusing, and even if they take on a form with gender, they are likely to continue to refer to themselves in the same manner. Their species consider themselves gender-fluid, becoming whatever they wish, when ever they wish. A Tribe of Kyranae is known as Okapo, which in their language means Family/Tribe/Home/Source, and outside of someone very special to an individual Kyranae, they are the only ones who know what they truly look like. Right now, there is no one else who knows the true form of the Kyranae outside of Sherri.

Chiseraei was 18 and spends most of their time as a Widow-type Arachnaur; at 7 feet tall, their lower body resembles a black widow spider; 8 legs, slick and slender, surrounding their body, holding their cephalothorax up, abdomen at the back, while a humanoid body sprouted from the thorax, with black, chitinous skin covering it, from waist to neck, with an average, mostly androgynous build, two pairs of arms, typical of the arachnaur race. The head and face resembled a humanoid spider, two pair of eyes beside the nose, with two more pairs hidden under their bangs, a humanoid mouth, long, lustrous hair, black as night, with an hourglass shape part way down the back.

Sherri is 17 and a member of the Feralen, the majority species of the Feralen country they are located in. Standing at 5'9" with her ears up, Sherri looks to be a humanoid white bengal. White fur with black stripes cover her body, even her hair is white with the same black stripes throughout. Extendable claws, traces of the evolutionary path of her distant ancestors, lie hidden in her fingers and toes, requiring only the slightest pressure to release them. Her uniform a tunic top and long flowing skirt the bright green of a Magi/Summoner Student ready for graduation, sandals a golden-brown hue, and the robe she wore was Purple, the color of Reshta, the Patron Deity of Summons. As calmly as she stood continuing her incantation, her tail swished back and forth in anticipation and excitement, causing Chiseraei to mentally chuckle, as usual.

{In the Name of Reshta, God of Creation,} Sherri chanted in the Old Tongue, unaware of the meaning of the words she was using {I open myself to the Supreme Being, that thou might use me as a Conduit, to Summon Forth Your Gifted One! Let my Gift Open the Door to Another World so that They Might Come to Walk by Our Side!}

Suddenly, the amount of energy coming from Sherri grew exponentially, as Light started to Shine from her very being, and Reshta Inhabited her. Chiseraei's eyes (all 9 when including her Mind’s Eye) opened wide, though they slammed them as quickly as possible, realizing that looking upon the true form of a Deity could TRULY blind them, in all senses of the word. Reshta smiled lightly upon noticing. Meanwhile, the High Magi and Summoner were beyond words, though a thousand questions went through their minds, starting with; ‘Why?! Why now, and why her?! There was peace, with no signs of discontent anywhere, nor war, so why now?!’ Reshta turned, and in their minds they heard a voice: {Because it amuses me, no other reason. Give it no more thought my children.}

This of course left them both slack-jawed and dumb-founded; to think that a God would do something so....extreme.....merely on a whim?! The very idea was absurd! They had been expecting some divine plan to unfold before their eyes, for there to be some divine, cosmic, reason for Reshta to come forth and Summon a Gifted One, as the Tome was very vague on this point and they needed some kind of reassurement to bring before the Council, an explanation that would clear up why such an event was happening when there were no signs of upcoming chaoss or strife! Now they wondered if their predecessors had simply refused to inscribe for they too had learned that it was a Cosmic whim, nothing more, nothing less.

The Light coming from Sherri was glowing brighter, and brighter, along with a distinct ringing sound, and they could see a form taking shape. As they watched, the High Magi and Summoner both heard in their heads {I really wish you had informed this child of what would happen once this ceremony was complete!. She had such high hopes of becoming an accomplished summoner, because SOMEBODY left one of their childhood books lying about! THANKFULLY, the one I am bringing forth should be able to help defuse the situation, but I will not clean up another of your messes. You both owe her an apology, otherwise.....I may see whom amongst my siblings is bored.....Ostapharoknor might be looking for something to do....}

The High Magi and Summoner both lost all color after hearing this, not just in their faces, but their fur and scales. The High Magi was a Ratlin, a humanoid Rat standing 6'2", long whiskers, greying hair, and dark brown fur, but the idea of Reshta turning to one of her siblings, especially Ostapharoknor, God of War, and asking if HE was looking for something to do because of a lapse in their better judgement....was enough to turn his fur white! The High Summoner was a 7' tall member of the Iguanar tribe, a travelling subset of the Lizardin species, and the very idea forced him to molt, the scales beneath as white as his friend, the High Magi. Needless to say, neither considered an option other than a deep and sincere apology to Sherri once the whole affair was over!

The light and ringing continued growing in intensity, to the point that no matter how one tried, they couldn't block it (Chiseraei solved this problem by shifting off the connection to their audio and visual cortex, though they could still 'feel' the energy being released from the Deity's summoning ‘what kind of power is this? Probably better not to pry...’) and one could almost hear the sound of universes overlapping with one another, forming a minor tear, as Sherri's Summon Ability and Magical Energy were used in conjunction with Reshta to open a bridge and bring someone over, changing causality for that other world, rewriting history, a split second when two spoke, and then, a loud: SNAP!

And where once was 4, now stood 5.

"What?!" High Magi and Summoner looking at the stranger in disbelief

'Oh my...' Chiseraei thought spoke as they reconnected to their visual cortex and saw this new stranger standing in the middle of the room

As Jayce and Sherri looked at each other for the first time, Reshta's residual energy wrapped around the two, lifting them into the air, and as the other three watched, a golden Rose manifested upon the back of Sherri's left hand, its branch wrapped around her arm, all the way to her shoulder, while with the unknown person, they watched as his eyes turned silver, a shaft of violet running through his hair, and on the back of his left hand, a silver Rose manifested, its branch wrapping its way up his arm , a twin to the one Sherri bore.

Silver Eyes were typical for Summoned Beasts, but the rest had briefly been mentioned in the Tome the High Magi and Summoner had read: Violet marked where the God touched the Gifted one; so whatever Gifts this one had, it was likely of the mind, and not of the body, makes sense during a time of peace; The Silver and Gold Roses, Gold Representing the Summoner, Reshta's Chosen Vessel, while Silver represents the One Gifted....It was a little fuzzy on the exact details, yet again, and those two were starting to wonder what they were going to have to figure out the hard way, realizing that they would need to rewrite some of the information to "clarify" things for future Appointees.

As they watched, the last bit of energy shot out of Sherri and through the strange male's throat, as it released them both, and they dropped to the ground, both unconscious. Chiseraei was the first one to Sherri, and though she was sweating quite profusely, heart rate and pulse both elevated, she was otherwise in no danger, and then they went over to the strange, almost hairless, male. It was fascinating to see a being with hair on his head, but no scales nor any fur to speak of. His clothes were of a make not seen anywhere on this world, and there was a violet Rose on his Throat where the energy had passed.

'High Magi, High Summoner,' They thought spoke to them 'what do you make of this?' pointing out the Violet Rose on his throat

"I would gather that this would be the Mark of a Secondary Gift," the High Summoner said, the High Magi nodding in agreement "I would think it was the Mark of a Gift of Tongues. Reshta summoned this one from a Different World, so it is highly unlikely we speak the same language. This Gift could solve that problem easily."

"Fascinating!" said the High Magi with much enthusiasm "With this ability, I believe he would be able to communicate with any species he came in contact with! This is the kind of ability that any diplomat could only dream of having....."

Both the High Magi and Summoner looked at each other, and really started to wonder about why Sherri's Gift had been created in the first place, and why those in the past had gone to so much effort to be as vague as possible in describing things. For now though, there was only one thing they could do. Unlocking and opening the Ceremonial doors, the High Magi called for assistance to carry Sherri and the stranger to the Hospice. It was obvious that the strain from the spell had knocked both Summoner and Summoned out cold, and they were unsure how long it would be before they would awaken. They left the room behind; Chiseraei going with the two to watch over them as they slept, the other two to pore over the Tome, to see if there was anything they had missed.

Meanwhile, back in the chamber, Reshta was laughing lightly at the idea that had gotten stuck in the minds of the High Magi and Summoner. Let them think what they may; as long as it was amusing, she would sit back and watch. What they didn't know was that the Violet Rose was there because she thought it would look nice on him, no other reason, after all, she had already Gifted him. Roses were Reshta's Symbol, and when she was able to apply them herself she did with dramatic flair! Now she was headed back to her castle above, the better to watch everything unfold!


Jayce & Reshta:

"...ey?" Jayce finished as he gently floated in the air, opening one of his eyes to look around, noticing the light was no longer uncomfortably bright around him.

He opened his other eye, and seeing that there was some kind of ground beneath him, he focused on getting his legs beneath him, which felt very disconcerting. If you have ever been floating in water and tried getting your feet underneath you, then you can imagine the difficulty, especially if you can't use your hands to help at all. Once he got one foot onto the ‘ground’, it was easier.

Behind him, he heard the distinct sound of laughter. Obviously someone had been watching his 'acrobatic act' and enjoying the spectacle he had made of himself. Realizing that he was in some kind of 'in-between realm' and that there was a high likelihood whomever, or whatever, pulled him from his world was here (his hobby of reading Japanese Web and Light Novels, especially Isekai where the MC gets summoned to another world, paying off at the moment), the smartest thing he could do was humor them. Besides, he was curious to know who had called him, why, where he was going, and what was happening back home, though maybe not in that order. First things first though; always make a strong first impression.

Turning around, he made a sweeping bow "I'm glad that I could amuse you." He said, facing the direction he heard the laughter, not looking up, clearly waiting for permission.

"That you did!" came a Woman's voice "All that work, no cursing or swearing, and courteous enough to bow when facing my way. You may raise your head and face me, Jayce Matthews."

Jayce raises his head, unsurprised that this being would know his name, and is the first person in ages to set eyes upon Reshta: Sitting regally in a golden throne covered in various colored Roses, Her Appearance is of a Majestic Humanoid Lioness, tawny fur covering her body, golden hair flowing down her back, her green eyes show compassion, wit, wisdom, and amusement. Her lips are lifted in a smile, her canines pronounced, but non-threatening, her aura radiating benevolence and majesty. Muscles are readily viewable throughout her body, not bulky, well toned. her garments consist of a simple green gown covered in various colored roses and golden sandals, but on her, they simply highlighted the importance of the person who wore them, not detracted. Her Divinity was obvious, as well as just a slight hint of mischief. After looking upon her for a few moments, he took to his knees to bow once more.

"I must say," Reshta said, as she got up from her throne, towering above him at 10 feet tall "of all those who have come before, you are the most well behaved. I like that. Please do stand though, for I do not stand on formality."

"As you wish." Jayce said, getting back to his feet "May I ask with whom I have the honor of speaking?"

"I am Reshta," She said, and started walking to a small plain she created "as you may have guessed already, I am the Goddess responsible for Summoning you from your world."

Jayce followed behind Reshta "And this area is...?"

"Just one of my 'Respite' areas," she said as they reached the spot she was headed, a blanket laid out underneath a large tree, the contents of an oversized picnic basket spread about on various plates. Both of them took a seat across from each other "I wanted to talk before finishing your transfer, so here we are, in a moment between moments."

"A moment between moments?" Jayce repeated, taking an offered sandwich "Ah! A frozen point in time! But of course; you are a Goddess, such a thing is not beyond you."

"Fast to comprehend as well," Reshta smiled "very good, you really were the best choice, which shall make this easier. Honestly, not all Gods and Goddesses can do something like this, but when pulling someone from another world, I feel it is better to inform them of the reasons why and what may be expected of them. It also gives you time to ask me questions, a chance you are not likely to get again."

"I see," He said, putting his hand under his chin, thinking about what question to ask first, then "Where am I being summoned?"

"Simple question first I see," Reshta smiled "You are being summoned to the Feralen Country, on the Melas Continent, on the planet Tartius Four. I won't go farther than to say it is in another Universe, one parallel to your own."

"Okay," Jayce continues, having finished one sandwich, and grabbing another "what is gonna happen back home? I left a lot of people, after all it's not like I was able to give them any explanation before leaving, so they are likely to be worried when I don't come home this afternoon. How long will I be here? Is there any way back?"

"The tough question comes next." She said, shifting slightly uncomfortably "To be honest, this summon ability is a one-way ticket, so I am sorry to say that there is no way to send you home." Noticing a concerned look on his face "On the other hand, when the person is summoned from their world, ALL of them is taken."

"ALL of them is taken?" Jayce repeated questioningly "meaning..."

"Meaning that there is no trace of you left, not one person who remembers that you were even born." Reshta said matter-of-factly, then noticing the relief that came over his face, she looked at him quizzically "Why is it that this seems to give you piece of mind? Most others in your place would be angered, rightly so, that the memory of them had been cleansed from their home world, yet you, you actually look at peace!?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Jayce retorted honestly "While it would bother me if my family were constantly worried about my disappearance, you just told me that is a non-issue. Please understand; yes, a part of me will miss my family, I love my parents and siblings, and always will, and will hold them dearly in my heart, but I get to see something new and different, and I know they would be happy for me if they DID know; this is a win-win situation!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Reshta started laughing loudly, eventually falling over onto her back, tears coming out of her eyes "Oh my! Jayce, you are a rare first! I haven't been this amused in ages! I have been cursed at, scolded, even ridiculed for erasing a person from their home world's existence, but to have someone see the brighter side?! I am so glad I chose you to bring over!"

"So you actually choose who you are going to bring over?" Jayce asked

"Of course I do!" She said, wiping her tears of mirth away, sitting back up "If I am going to bring someone over, I want to make certain that I bring over only the most qualified person possible."

"Qualified for what though?" He asked, trying to find out more

"It depends," She smiled "you must understand, little mortal," looking down on him, and for just a moment, he could feel a fragment of her true Divinity, not what she was showing him, but her Truth, and he realized how small he truly was in her eyes "I have lived for far longer than you can even begin to comprehend, and about once a Millenia, I like to have some fun with the Mortal Plane, shake things up just a little. So I chose a child that is waiting to be born, and give them a special gift, so that I can pluck someone like you from another realm into this one. Mind you, I don't REALLY need to, but I do so enjoy it, and 'poof'! I gift the person coming over, first with 'A Gift of Tongues' so that speaking with the people of this world is no issue, (reading and writing is covered at no extra charge!) and then a Gift that fits the Disposition of the individual being summoned. Strength, speed, flight, magic, knowledge, wisdom, Gifts that were always within are brought out with but a touch."

"So, let me see if I am getting this right," Jayce said, looking at Reshta, while correlating the information in his head "I got summoned because it is that time of the Millenia that you get bored, I fit the criteria to help 'shake things up', thus you 'poofed' things along so you could watch how your ‘kids’ handle it....am I close?"

Reshta snapped her fingers and a bright light appeared next to Jayce. When he looked at it, he realized it was a cartoon gold star.

"Very good!" She said with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes "You really are very quick to understand things, maybe too quick. I should warn you though, I cannot allow you to inform them of that last little fact. As much as I am certain you will swear you won't say anything, I must make certain you can't. Nothing personal, but they don't need to know that their Summoner Deity is actually their Creator Deity, it’s part of why the Old Language is a Lost one..."

"Haa...." He sighed loudly "figures...I walked right into that one. Can I at least keep the memories?"

"Hmmm...I guess that can be arranged," She said, resting her chin on one hand "You are the first person to amuse me in quite a long time, and also the first person to put the pieces together so well. I will allow it. I will bind you from being able to speak about it, placing one of my sigils on your throat, though I am certain they will think it is the mark of 'A Gift of Tongues' since no one has been summoned in a thousand years. Well, you will eventually be able to speak of your other 'Gift'."

"What is your Sigil?" Jayce asked

"A Rose Blooming," the roses on her gown becoming more alive as she spoke

"So, you mentioned that whomever is summoned has some inborn 'Gift'," Jayce was curious "what is mine?"

"Empathy my dear Child," Reshta said, then reached out, brushing his hair from over his left eye all the way to the back of his head, causing a spark of, something, an explosion of emotions unlike he had ever felt, and he realized that he had, for just a moment, been touched by Divine Emotions and Energy, and seen just a glimpse of her feelings for her 'children’ and the 'World' he was going to, and when he touched his face, he found tears running from his eyes, but they were tears of blood, because Divine Emotion was too much for any mortal to handle without some form of compensation.

"Let me take care of that," Reshta said, noticing the blood. Passing her hand in front of his eyes, she restored the broken vessels "that takes care of your eyes, for now. Your hair and that eyebrow...that's a different matter..."

"What do you mean?" He asked, then looked into a mirror that she summoned forth and saw the places she touched had turned a violet color "What is this?"

"This is proof of being Summoned." Reshta said while getting up, signaling to him that he should as well "This is one of my Signs, to show that I have Awakened your Inborn Gift. When you finish crossing over, there will be other changes. Your eyes will become Silver, that happens to all that are Summoned (Yes, there are actual Summoned Monsters, Animals, and Beings, but none like you, special case dearie); then there is the Mark of the Summoner, which is a Silver Rose on the back of your left hand; and lastly, a Violet Rose on your throat, to make sure you don’t 'spill the beans' as they say in your world."

"While you may still have questions," Reshta said "our time comes to a close. Time must restart, and you must go forth, to finish the Summons!"

"But you still haven't told me why I was chosen," Jayce said "or what my role is once I get there."

"Ooops!" Reshta said with a mischievous grin "I guess you will have to find out the old fashioned way, now won't you? Good luck Jayce! I am doing one more thing, since you are an intelligent boy, and such a good sport, I am taking your Old World Name of Matthews, and Gifting you a new surname! Make me proud Jayce Reshta’Son!"

"As you wish, Mother!" Jayce said with a wry smile. He wasn't sure what was coming next, but he was sure he could focus on his future, one step at a time! As the light started up again, he knew his future would be anything but dull. There were new places to see, new people to meet, new friends to make. 'Mom, Dad, Josh, Emily, Abigail: I wish you love and prosperity in your future, I am going forward on a different path, but will never forget you! Let's do this!'

With a loud SNAP! Jayce found himself facing 4 other beings, taking the other 3 into account quickly, he looked at the women in front of him; she appeared to be a humanoid white bengal tiger, and as he looked into her eyes, the residual energy wrapped around the two of them, causing them to rise into the air. As the others watched, a silver Rose manifested upon the back of Jayce's left hand, the branch going up his left arm to his shoulder, the violet color that started at his left eyebrow and went along as a streak in his hair became visible. On the women across from him, a golden Rose manifested in much the same way on the back of her left hand and up her arm to her shoulder.

As the energy was winding down, the last bit shot out of her and through Jayce's Throat, and he could feel Reshta's seal placed on him. Along with sealing away his ability to speak about the time he spent in that frozen time, he was given some information on a few temples to visit of Reshta’s as well as other Deities. There was also a ‘letter of sorts, from his home world’s deity, promising to watch over his family, but also letting him know that nothing major had changed when he was removed. This gave him another wave of peace, and made him even happier in having a chance to start a life in a new world. As it all finished cycling through, the rebound hit, and his body was hit by a wave of lethargy.

The last thing Jayce heard before losing consciousness was the sound of Reshta laughing. 'Looks like things went exactly how you wanted them....glad you are amused, Mother....' Then, he heard and felt nothing as his body hit the floor, unconscious...