I am making this chapter to explain something about the story, the power system, what to worry about, and just general things to know. There will be spoilers, so read if you want; skip if you don't want to.
However, while I know that doing this formally is probably a better idea, I wish to do it in a different style, more freestyle than anything; that way, I can explain anything how I see it.
The Codex.
A system... very original, I know. The Codex is a system created by the Gods and given to the people of the world, alongside the Infinite Library, and creating the Wonderland, thing we will go in later. And it is awakened at the age of ten.
A usual Codex looks like this:
Name: XXXX
Age: XX
Race: XXXXX
Affiliation: XXXXXXXXX
[Path]: —XXX—
>The unknowing wandered the realm of the known, trying to find a way to defeat that is forgotten by the known and the unknown.
Knowledge Rank — [XXXX]
>XX/XXXX knowledge shard
Codex Class — [XXXX]
> Sync Rate: X%
Affinity —[XXXX]
>XXXXXX
[Affinity Bane]: —XXXXX —
XXXXX
[Skills / Abilities]
XXX Abilities — [XXXXX]
Skills— [XXXX]
[Relics]
—[XXXXX]
***
Everything marked with X is different from everyone. But if you were to look, you would notice there is a part that just has X's and doesn't explain what they are; those are thresholds. They are different for everyone else, and will be explained soon.
But let's dissect this system one by one.
I won't go into detail about name and age, because... I mean....
However, I will about the other two; race is important, more for people who have the ability to look at the Codex of others, including monsters or anything inside the stories they enter... so yeah, they might not have that much importance.
However, affiliation has. There are only two: commoner and Royal Family; this was actually added later to the Codex when the first Breakers were born. What is a Breaker? We will get into that later.
What is known is that the children of the Breaker are given this affiliation, which allows them to awaken the Codex earlier, since birth. However, they are still unstable, so their abilities are locked up until the age of ten.
The Path is one of the most important things for a Reader, aside from the Affinity, which we will talk about later. It is usually given when someone reaches the Seeker class; again, we will talk about Seekers and classes later.
It is known as the mirror of the Core, which is formed from the Affinity and the awakened.
Usually, it is given after the action and life of the awakened until they ascend to a Seeker, and it also determines the Abilities he will get, along with giving some benefits related to it, in some cases doing more than others. An example would be Aether's Promise Child path he gets inside the first part of the first volume, Frozen Crown. The Path makes him stronger against Gods
Though, you might notice that in the story, Aether already had a path even as a Reader; that is because Aether is a Vessel of a God. We will get into the Gods later.
Knowledge rank, having 9 ranks, you ascend in rank by killing and getting knowledge shards.
The nine ranks are:
1-Fragment, the first rank represents the instinct and knowledge of killing of a new fighter.
2-Echo, represents the peak understanding that humans have while keeping their humanity
3-Beast, it's the moment when a human gets the killing instinct of a beast. Also, before going from Echo to Beast, you have to unlock the killer instinct through an experience.
4-Monster: a more powerful version of Beast.
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5-Demon- Killing isn't enough; you need the destruction instinct of a Demon, the same as Beast; it has to be unlocked through an experience.
6-Devil: a stronger version of demon.
7-Titan: a being that has lived for who knows how long, yet has not become a god; it's the highest rank any human can get to, or an enemy.
8-Godspawn, the instinct and knowledge of a newborn god. It is unknown how to unlock.
9-God: the same as Godspawn, but for an old god.
To ascend from Fragment to Echo, you need 1000 shards.
How are shards awakened?
A Reader gives 2, a Seeker 4, and so on, multiplied by 2. But that's not all, since everything has both a Class and a rank: Fragment is X1, Echo is X2, and so on. However, this is for Readers; once you rise in class to a Seeker, Readers give 0, while Seekers give 2.
This system makes it so there are different tactics, as ascending in class makes killing easier, but gives less.
Also, shards start at 1, but to get to an even number, you get either 1 shard if the number of shards originally given is 2, or if above, plus 1 shard.
Class and sync
1-Reader- Someone who reads about the truth of the Infinite Library.
2-Seeker- Someone who Seeks the truth of the Infinite Library.
3-Bearer- Someone who Bears about the truth of the Infinite Library.
4-Harbinger- Someone who spreads the word about the truth of the Infinite Library.
5-Breaker- Someone who breaks the truth of the Infinite Library, creating their own.
6-Devourer- Someone who devours the truth of the Infinite Library, their own overthrowing the original truth.
7-Sovereign- Someone with complete control over the Truth of the Infinite Library.
Both Readers and Books have a class and rank, and once finishing a book, we will talk later about what that means, and sync is awarded; how much is awarded will be in the Infinite Library part of the Chapter.
Once reaching 100% Sync, you reach Enlightenment, and are able to challenge your Trial of Salvation, and ascend in class.
Sync determines how powerful your Affinity is, and how much you can use.
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So um, that's what I've written so far. I know writing everything at a time is better, but there is... A LOT. And I also have to write my daily chapters... I mean, it's 5 am right now, and I've still not written it. Rip my sleep schedule... well, it wasn't like it was alive before.
I will keep updating this when I have the time.