Nora woke up feeling incredibly groggy; the feathers of her wings were sticking out at odd angles as she rolled over in her bed. Unfortunately, she had rolled too far, and with a sudden THUD! She found herself on the floor.
Nora swiftly sat up, her head throbbing slightly. For a moment, she didn't even remember where she was. The air felt different here—warm, filtered through a faint golden glow that came from the windows. It smelled faintly of wildflowers and something else she couldn't quite place; it was a strange but calming combination.
She blinked slowly, looking around the room from the floor for a few seconds before groaning softly. "Ugh… what time is it?"
There wasn't a clock in this massive house, at least, not one that she had found. She couldn't tell the time based on the rays of the sun either, mostly because she couldn't see any. Everything seemed to be eerily quiet. Nora had grown accustomed to the constant sounds of nature when she woke up, but now, silence. In the stillness, she noticed a subtle hum of mana flowing through the walls that she hadn't heard before.
Nora slowly stood up, stretching her wings out before folding them neatly behind her back. "Right. bird clan.. Torin," she murmured, her voice still rough with sleep.
The memories of yesterday slowly came back: Torin finding her after the Everturn trials, the sudden rush of registration, the paperwork, and being taken to this treehouse that was secretly a mansion. Everything had felt like a blur.
Thinking back to Torin once more, she glanced at the pile of clothes she had worn yesterday. They were still crumpled on the floor where she had tossed them. She slowly walked over to them, looking past into the wardrobe. She rifled through her options, deciding on a simple pastel purple dress, it was light and easy to move in. She moved over to the mirror next to the wardrobe to sort out her hair. As she was brushing it out, a faint sparkle caught her eye.
That was when she saw it, a small, teardrop-shaped pendant.
Nora's eyes widened, and she bent down, reaching for it. The pendant felt cool against her fingers, humming faintly with mana.
She remembered it, kind of. Right before she did a house tour, Torin had given it to her.
Carefully, she held it up to the light. It shimmered softly, colors shifting from silver to pale blue to faint gold. It couldn't just be a simple trinket, Torin had mentioned something about it…
"Alright, let's see what you are…" she murmured.
The familiar system notification echoed faintly in her mind.
Ding!
Would you like to attune to the Teardrop Pendant?
'...' Nora contemplated for a brief second before clicking yes.
The pendant pulsed once in her hand, and then she felt the connection. The pendant dissolved into a wave of energy that she felt travel up her arm and settle near her collarbone,the feeling of the cool metal against her skin slightly jolted her from her sleepiness.
Attunement complete.
Communication Channel Active.
Instantly, a dozen tiny notifications appeared in her vision.
Missed Messages (12):
→ Torin (Priority)
→ Bird Clan Registry (General)
→ Orientation Notice (Unread)
Nora's stomach dropped. "Oh no." All the tiredness she once had faded in an instant.
She scrambled to check the first message.
Torin: Hey, you awake yet?
Torin: Nora?
Torin: You didn't forget orientation, did you?
Torin: I told you to rest, not hibernate.
Torin: The sun's practically down!
Nora's wings fluffed slightly as she jumped to her feet. "It's afternoon already?!" she squeaked.
She rushed to grab some sandals, nearly tripping over the edge of the bed as she scrambled past.. Not even bothering to check her appearance, she rushed out of her room and down the hall.
'I can't believe I slept that long, Torin must be so upset, ugh, why didn't the pendant go off sooner?!' she thought, half panicking as she stumbled outside. 'Well, I guess it makes sense, it wasn't attuned to me, so of course it wouldn't notify me… but still! I can't be to blame for this!'
The moment she stepped into the open air, she was met with the faint rush of wind and the blast of life from below. The Bird Clan's territory spread out beneath her, a cacophony of sounds and colors, trees everywhere, and birds flying in all directions.
Torin was already standing at the end of the walkway, arms crossed, looking at her with a half-exasperated grin.
"Had a nice rest?" he called out.
"Don't start," Nora groaned as she hurried over to him. "I didn't mean to sleep in. I was just…uh…recovering! It's hard living out in the wild, you know," she straightened out her dress and pouted slightly.
Torin chuckled, clearly amused. "Sure, you were. You look like you fought a mana storm and lost. Did you even eat last night?"
Nora blinked, then frowned. "I… actually don't think I did."
As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly.
Torin laughed harder, the sound easy and warm. "Haha, I knew it! Don't worry, I know a place nearby that serves food. Real food, not that gross forest junk you've probably been eating."
"Hey, forest food wasn't that bad," Nora muttered, following him reluctantly.
"Uh huh… whatever you say, forest creature.."
Nora rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling a little. She was beginning to open up to Torin a little
They walked down a winding path toward a café built into the side of a massive oak structure. The smell of roasted grains and herbs filled the air as they entered. Mana crystals lit up the space, giving everything a cozy, golden hue.
They found a small table near the window, overlooking the busy streets.
Torin leaned back in his chair, giving her a once-over. "So, how was your night? Aside from the coma."
"Peaceful," Nora admitted. "I actually slept well. The house is quiet, nothing like the forest. I didn't have to sleep with one eye open for once, which was really nice."
Torin nodded. "Good. It sounds like life has been pretty rough recently. You deserve a decent rest."
Before Nora could respond, her stomach growled again. She groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I swear I'm not doing that on purpose."
Torin just grinned. "Food's coming, don't worry. While we wait, you should probably check your quests. You haven't done that since we got here, right?"
"Oh, right!" Nora sat up straighter. She tapped the center of her chest, calling on her lifestone. A faint blue light shimmered in front of her eyes, projecting a small panel of text, not dissimilar to the system interface.
Quests Available:
1. Assist the Bird Clan's Communication Division
2. Explore the Southern Forest Ruins
3. Deliver Rare Mana Stones to the Fox Clan Outpost
4. Attend Basic Combat Training
5. Mana Channeling: Introductory Class
6. Investigate Missing Traders near the River Crossroads
Time Limit: 1 Moon Cycle (29 days, 3 hours, 15 minutes)
Nora stared at the list, her mouth opened slightly. "That's… a lot."
Torin raised an eyebrow. "Six? You must've impressed someone."
"I didn't even do anything yet!"
He chuckled. "Welcome to the Bird Clan. We like giving people options until they panic."
Nora slumped forward, groaning. "Okay, which one am I supposed to even start with?"
Torin leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Tell me about each one."
So she did. She went down the list one by one, explaining what each quest seemed to entail. As she spoke, Torin gave small nods, thoughtful hums, and the occasional grin when something caught his interest.
When she finished, he leaned back. "Alright, here's what I think. The Southern Ruins? Too dangerous for now. Missing Traders? Definitely not yet, you'll need backup for that and a better support system for that, maybe even a fully built team. The Fox Clan delivery is doable, but that's more of a travel mission. You should build your strength first. So, I'd recommend one of the clan-based ones, either the communications quest or the classes."
Nora nodded slowly. "What are the classes?"
"The classes are actually super useful," Torin explained helpfully. "The Bird Clan has a few main branches. You've got Combat, which focuses on aerial and mana-based fighting. World History helps you understand how the clans and human territories are linked. Mana Manipulation, which is pretty self-explanatory, and a few more specialized paths like Artificing, Healing, and Spirit Communication. You'll want to get a feel for your own abilities first before locking into one."
Nora frowned. "That's… a lot to think about."
Torin smiled gently. "Yeah. But you don't have to figure it all out today. Just start with one step. Take the Communications quest first; it'll help you meet people, get a feel for how the clan operates, and earn some trust. You can always branch out later."
"Communications, huh?" Nora murmured, glancing at the quest list again. "Alright. That sounds… safe enough."
Torin grinned. "Good choice. It'll also get you free access to the clan's information network! Trust me, that's worth its weight in mana stones."
The food arrived soon after: warm bread, fruit, and some kind of glowing stew that pulsed faintly with energy. Nora ate eagerly, her earlier jitters melting into quiet comfort as they talked.
By the time they finished, the sun outside had shifted to a softer gold, casting the café in long, warm shadows.
Torin stood, stretching. "Alright, come on. You've got a big day ahead. Let me show you around."
Nora followed him out, her curiosity rekindled.
The Bird Clan's main district was stunning in the fading light. Walkways of pale wood and glowing vines wound between massive trees, their roots forming arches over clear pools of mana water. Birds of every color and size flitted between branches, their chatter creating a soft, living music.
Torin pointed things out as they walked: training platforms suspended in midair, mana forges glowing with the brightness of small suns, sprawling libraries and archives where countless decades of knowledge were stored.
"There's the training hall," he said, gesturing to a circular platform surrounded by runic barriers. "Combat classes are held there. The building beside it is for mana studies. You'll probably be spending a lot of time there once you start those courses."
Nora took it all in quietly. The sheer size of the place was overwhelming, but there was an undeniable beauty to it all. Nora was growing to like the constant sound that came from the bird clan.
As they passed a bridge lined with glowing feathers, Torin glanced back at her. "Not bad, huh?"
Nora smiled faintly. "It's… beautiful. I didn't realize how organized everything was."
"Yeah. We might look like a bunch of birds in a tree, but the clan runs smoother than most human cities." He grinned at her again. "You'll fit in just fine, Nora."
For the first time in a long while, Nora felt a flicker of hope and a sense of belonging. Perhaps the bird clan won't be too bad for her.