“It seems simple then, so I choose the second option. Being a spirit isn't bad and I will still experience everything Luca does,” Shada said finally.

  “I was hoping you would choose that option. It has the best outcomes of all the options. I can give you a bonus to your Split Mind Skill that will allow your minds to merge and then split without mixing, if you like. It would basically store Shada and Luca as distinct personality presets and create a third temporary combined personality. Otherwise if you merged and then activated Split Mind the merged mind would be cloned into the Spirit form. There would be no real distinction between the two minds in physical and spirit forms. I have a feeling you and Luca would like to preserve your distinctiveness after all,” Sierra offered.

  “That sounds great actually, but what's the catch?” Shada asked suspiciously.

  Hearing the Goddess sigh was like experiencing the calm after a storm. It was beautiful and unsettling.

  “The System is in a worse state than I thought. Its reaction to your unwarded presence, or more accurately to the patch code attached to your soul, indicates it may have been corrupted by outside forces. The people that triggered the Quarantine Protocols, were doing experiments, and may have caused a dimensional breach into a less than friendly realm. I am not sure, but I suspect something has latched onto, and begun infecting the System in order to leech essence. It will require more than a visit to a Shrine to fix,” Sierra explained.

  “And you want my help? This wasn't in our Contract and seems a bit beyond me. No offense my Goddess,” Shada replied neutrally.

  “I need your help, yes, but I can sweeten the deal if you are amenable,” Sierra replied.

  Shada wasn't opposed to helping. He loved the world of Sierrallas and, despite having muted emotions, he was growing to love his new family. Besides, he lived there now. Why wouldn't he help if he could?

  “I am listening. I am grateful for my new life and everything you have given me to make it better, but I need to know what I have to do and what it gets me. My experience last time was a bit unexpected,” Shada said earnestly.

  “It isn't complex and i is not too different from previous requirements. Visit more System Infrastructure, with an emphasis on Glades and Dungeons. They are the essence filters for the System and the planet. They are the most likely attachment points for any parasites,” Sierra replied.

  “That would require fighting and Delving into Dungeons…” Shada trailed off. He didn't think of himself as a coward, but he had seen the security around the Dungeon entrance and the aftermath of a minor Dungeon break.

  “You wouldn't have to start until you and Luca were ready. The Quarantine Protocols are doing their job, as far as I can tell, but yes becoming a Delver when you are older will be necessary,” Sierra told Shada.

  “You also don't have to go solo. You can hire a strong team to keep you safe. You have the knowledge needed to make money after all,” Asonia added.

  “Vanestra said you already gave me a King’s ransom in benefits, what more would you add?” Shada asked.

  “One reason the Precursor race, that your Traits came from, were so powerful was because they could have different Paths, Classes, Professions between their two selves. They could also have a third blended set when merged. I can customize and enhance all three sets,” Sierra explained.

  “What does that mean exactly?” Shada asked.

  “We can't know the details until you pass level 10, but anyone on Sierrallas would kill for the option. It is worth as much, if not more, than what you have already received, but we are out of time. Your mother is getting impatient. Decide…” Asonia intoned in a voice like a tree falling.

  Once more Shada found himself in a liminal space with a modified Divine Contract. If we wanted to reach Ascension how could he pass up the Goddess's offer despite the danger? He of course agreed.

  —

  Shada was disoriented. He could feel his body, but couldn't move. He was upside-down and surrounded by crushing pressure. He could hear a steady heartbeat and feel his own beating like a drum. He knew what was going on, but hadn't expected to feel it.

  Luca was being born, and there was still a distinction between the two halves of their mind, but for that brief moment as Luca and Shada passed through the birth canal there was just a single unified consciousness. It felt wonderful to be whole and then it was abruptly over. They were Luca and Shada again an infant Half-Elven Precursor and Shada a Precursor Spirit.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Shada didn't want to leave Luca yet. He was Luca and Luca was Shada. Two halves of a whole. Shada was experiencing separation anxiety, but he could hear people asking for him. He reluctantly returned to the nebulous floating form he knew so well.

  “Hello, everyone, what's wrong?” Shada asked in confusion.

  “Shada, look at Luca and then you tell us,” Shinobin said out loud.

  Shada was more surprised than anyone at Luca's appearance. His Essence Perception allowed him to examine his younger self thoroughly so the extra parts became obvious. It took several minutes before he spoke.

  “Does no one have the Analyze Skill?” Shada asked instead of answering directly.

  “I do, I got it before the Guideless Day made it unavailable to most,” Theo replied.

  “Well use it on Luca and your questions will most likely be answered,” Shada responded.

  Theo did as Shada suggested and gasped. “Precursor Half Elf, Level 7! What!? You can't be born with Levels!” Theo exclaimed.

  Shada cringed internally. He must still be disoriented. He didn't consider that Analyze would give away too much.

  “Uhmm, his Level is just a part of the Goddess's blessing. Luca’s race is your answer. To fulfill the Goddess's Quest to fix the System Luca needed Precursor Traits. These obviously affected his appearance.” Shada tried to disassemble, but Theo walked the Social Paths and knew deflection when he heard it even via Spirit Speech.

  “Shada, you are not telling us something. If it is about Luca we need to know unless the Goddess forbids you of course,” Theo said and turned his Analyze Skill on where he suspected Shada was.

  “You're a Precursor Spirit? What does that mean? You're the same level as Luca as well…” Theo looked confused.

  Shada reached out to Vanestra privately. “Grandma should I tell them?” He asked.

  She replied via Spirit Speech. “They are smart. The situation is a bit insane, but given time they have enough information to figure it out,” Vanestra replied.

  Shada sighed internally again.

  “Shada, what does all this mean?” Shinobin asked in a confused tone.

  “You all know that Luca is a Blessed child. He will one day help fix the local System Instance at the behest of the Goddess Sierra Herself. It isn't just his mission. It is Our mission.” Shada started to explain.

  “Your Luca’s Guardian Spirit; of course it would be a mission you both had to complete.” Shinobin interrupted.

  “That’s not entirely accurate. In order to complete the mission a certain type of person was needed or more precisely a certain type of soul. Nothing particularly special, but they had to be from an Unawakened world, available, i.e. dead, willing to accept Traits from a Precursor race that helped create the System, and agree to be reborn on Sierrallas.” Shada went on to explain the Traits. Vanestra was right; they figured things out fairly quickly.

  “So you are my grandson Shada?” Alexzandros asked simply.

  “I am, Luca is, we are. Our minds are Split and distinct, but we are one person. I can experience everything Luca does and Luca can draw on my experiences in the same way once he learns how. Right now he is just a normal glowing Half-Elven Precursor baby with a baby's mind and a baby’s memories,” Shada explained.

  “Well that's interesting isn't it,” Alexzandros responded in the silence among the shocked and confused faces of Shinobin, Theo, and Besta.

  “I think I need to sit down,” Besta said while proceeding to sit on a nearby stool.

  “So you're telling me I have been walking around with a Spirit with the mind of a grown man from another world all this time?” Shinobin asked.

  “Yes, but Shada is the same person he was yesterday. You just know his origins now. Besides Spirits are not like regular people. They don't have the same drives or interests. So no reason to be embarrassed.” Vanestra spoke up suddenly.

  “Grandma you knew didn't you?” Shinobin complained weakly while hugging Luca.

  “Of course, it's part of my Path. I met Shada the morning after Frolic and had him explain everything he could. I trust him,” Vanestra responded calmly.

  “So I have two children and one is an old human man?” Theo asked in confusion.

  “Yes, but also no. Shada is Luca's spirit. Not a spirit belonging to Luca, but his actual spirit self. He can just exist outside his body and has the memories of Luca’s past life. You have one child Luca. Shada is Luca. The distinction is debatable,” Alexzandros explained in his teaching voice as if there was really no need to debate the specifics.

  “If it helps, and I know it has to be awkward, but I have thought of you guys as family from the beginning. My life on Earth is lost to me. This is my life. My situation is weird, but in this life Shinobin is my mother, Theo is my father, Vanestra is my grandmother, Alexzandros is my grandfather, and Besta is my adopted Aunt. I hope that you can accept me and Luca and all our strangeness,” Shada said wistfully. He worried that this would be too much for everyone.

  “Oh Shada, I am sorry it is just so much. I wish I could hug you right now. It must have been so hard always watching and missing your old family,” Shinobin said tearfully.

  “Hug Luca, I can feel anything he does if I choose,” Shada replied with a smile in his Spirit voice.

  Shinobin did just that. It was a surprisingly tender moment. Alexzandros of course interrupted it with his next comment.

  “What are we going to do about the glow worm?”Alexzandros asked. “He can't hide in the cottage his whole life and with Shinobin nursing he is going to have to go into town with her.”

  “I can help with that actually, I think. Shapeshifting is part of our Traits. I suspect that the Precursor race, our Traits came from, looked similar to Luca in their natural forms,” Shada explained while activating the Skill.

  Luca’s coloring changed. The glow faded away. His hair took on the copper red of his father Theo. His skin took on a coppery brown hue. His spots became a darker copper brown and his eyes turned amber.

  “He can have a mixture of your coloring or I can pick one look over the other,” Shada said while demonstrating.

  This time Luca’s coloring changed to match Shinobin's brown toned skin complete with rounded ears. He then switched to Theo's copper and red coloration with true elven ears instead of the smaller half elven ears.

  “I can't do gender yet. Only cosmetic stuff, but will this solve the issue for now?” Shada asked the stunned group.

  “Yep, that will do it. Who wants tea?” Alexzandros said as he headed towards the kitchen much to the consternation of the rest.

  “Daft old man…” Vanestra muttered.