Darkness.

  His memories slipping out of his grasp as if his life was a dream and he has awoken. There was no light in this cosmic dark, he could not sense, nor could he move. Perpetuity is Hell, in fact he would rather be tortured in Hell, only to feel something, something to give him a sense of self again.

  Time passed, though there was no means to measure it, only his ongoing fleeting consciousness a reminder that he is here, wherever here may be.

  Feeling, a warmth beginning to cascade over his form, heavenly, like he is being welcomed home.

  “Poor child, to suffer as you are”

  He could not give a response.

  “All is well, I bequeath you the Rota Fati, may your destiny be revealed”

  Then light, but detailed, incomprehensible.

  “Choose your fate”

  And the light moved, like a golden aurora in black, it weaved and weaved till a still stop.

  And with that a force took hold and he woke up.

  A wooden smell bleached his nose at first, though a pungent smell of sweat and grime immediately followed. Then memories flooded his mind causing him to groan out and a numbness overcame his mind.

  Heavy breaths followed, trying to push himself up from what was a flat board, creaking through his effort. Looking around he could only see what would appear to be a shed of some sort, though as his memories filtered through, realisation dawned on him.

  “Home” he croaked.

  The morning sun barely reached his ‘shed’ or rather home, which was apart of a shanty town on the outskirts of the Port City of Eruden, a bustling enterprise for the kingdom of Atlan. This was a new world, not Earth, and he is alone, an orphan.

  He had once belonged to a relatively wealthy merchant family, of which made a few bad choices, they had fallen to the seedy underbelly of Eruden, his father killed, and his mother and older sister sold off to some brothel or Noble. The shed he found himself in their last possession.

  He himself had taken the body of this child who had died from starvation and a beaten body.

  “Fuck” at least I didn’t really steal the kids’ body, and we’ve got the same name.

  Luckily the prior standing of his family granted him a level of information that he would not normally have as an 8-year-old orphan in a shanty town.

  The Kingdom of Atlan, in a world of the medieval era, with one major caveat. There is magic and not just magic, but beasts and monsters that would put most things from Earth to shame. The ability to use magic is a rarity, and someone of his status would struggle to ever acquire the resources to be able to reliably progress in it. Magic is gatekept by Noble’s and the powerful.

  The nobility of this world which is applied through most neighbouring kingdoms is that at the bottom of the hierarchy are Barons/Baroness, then Viscounts/Viscountess, Earls/Countess, Marquess/Marchioness, Duke/Duchess and finally the Royal family. It seems to be a world of inequality and injustice, with corruption and greed plaguing most kingdoms.

  “Great” Well I wanted to be able to feel again *GROWL*, oh yeah, I’m starving.

  *Ding*

  Welcome to the World of Aester. Your second chance at life bequeathed to you from spending your time in the ￡&^*&&$￡￡.

  You have Obtained the Earth Summon System, that has integrated and fused with your being.

  Explanation:This System allows you to create items/objects/organisms and resources from anything that has existed from the World, Earth. This is based on templates of such creations transcribed from Earth, allowing you to recreate them fully in all their glory.

  Modification of such creations are allowed in the creation process within reason, an example would be making a rat larger or smaller than the average rat or making it more domesticated and loyal. This ability to modify will develop with the progression of the system.

  The system has a number of ranks, of which determines the ‘level’ of things you can summon, no creating a nuke at Rank F.

  These ranks are:Rank F

  Rank E

  Rank D

  Rank C

  Rank B

  Rank A

  Rank S

  Rank SS

  Rank SSS

  And finally, the Forbidden Rank – Rank X

  You will start on Rank F.

  Good luck in this new world.

  *Ding*

  So, no opportunity to ask questions, but this is interesting at least, please say I can summon some food or something.

  Then it appeared the interface of the system hovering in front of him, it would follow his eyes wherever he’d look unless he willed it gone.

  System Overview Panel

  [User: Lance][System Rank: F – Initiated][Summon Protocol: Active][Interaction Method: Mental Command Recognition]

  “Welcome, Pioneer of Earth. Access to Rank F templates has been granted. Conjure with purpose. Create with caution. Survive with vision.”

  As he focuses the main menu branches open allowing him to view what seems to be the current rules of his system at Rank F, its limitations. It informed of the current capabilities that he had with his system at Rank F

  For Organic Summons (Animals, Insects, etc.)

  Rank F Customization Options:

  ? Size Scale

  

  
• ?? Limited range: ±10% of original size.


  
• Example: Rat can be reduced to mouse-size or enlarged to small dog-size.


  
• Limit Warning appears if the intent exceeds allowed range.


  

  ? Coloration

  

  
• Natural color variations only.


  
• Fur, scale, or skin tone can be shifted between real-world variants (e.g., black, grey, albino, etc.).


  

  ? Temperament / Loyalty

  

  
• Imprint feature enables:


  


  
• Obedience to Lance only.


  
• Passive behavior unless provoked.


  


  
• Cannot force high-level training or tactics at F Rank.


  

  ? Sensory Sharpness (Minor)

  

  
• Slight enhancement to:


  


  
• Smell


  
• Hearing


  
• Sight (no night vision or supernatural effects).


  


  
• Only one sensory trait may be boosted slightly per summon at this rank.


  

  ? Naming (Internal)

  

  
• Lance can assign a name or tag to each creature for future commands and emotional bonding.


  

  For Edible or Consumable Summons

  Rank F Customization Options:

  These panels are simpler, but still offer useful tweaks:

  ? Temperature (For Foods)

  

  
• Hot (ready-to-eat)


  
• Cool (for preservation)


  
• Ambient (as if freshly served)


  

  ? Packaging / Form

  

  
• Example: Porridge appears in a wooden bowl; bread comes as a loaf or single flatbread.


  

  ? Minor Flavor Variant

  

  
• Only accessible for natural variation—e.g., slightly sweet porridge or coarse vs. soft bread.


  
• No artificial flavouring available at this stage.


  

  For Tools, Utensils, and Basic Items

  Rank F Customization Options:

  ? Material Type (If Variants Exist)

  

  
• Spoon: Choose between cheap tin or wooden types.


  
• Shiv: Stone shard or bone blade.


  
• Rope: Hemp or rough-fiber cord.


  

  ? Condition

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

  

  
• Default state is used but functional.


  
• Can be altered to appear as:


  


  
• Worn: less suspicious but less effective.


  
• New: maximum function, draws more attention.


  


  

  ? Size (When Applicable)

  

  
• Rope: Can be adjusted in length (up to ~3 meters).


  
• Rock: Pebble to fist-sized.


  

  ? Edge Sharpness (When Applicable)

  

  
• Shiv: Sharp, dull, or jagged.


  

  ? Utility Purpose

  

  
• Choose whether the tool is designed for:


  


  
• Combat (more aggressive shaping)


  
• Utility (e.g., carving or cutting)


  
• Concealment (smaller, easier to hide)


  


  

  For all:

  ? Quantity

  

  
• Can only summon one portion/unit per activation.


  
• Must wait a short time before summoning another of the same type [60 minutes at F Rank]


  

  Interesting, so this gives me an idea on the modifications that I can make, and the level that I can make them at currently, the cooldown is a bit annoying, but I guess it makes sense. At least there should be enough items that it almost doesn’t matter. Well let’s see what I can summon, seems like I might be able to create some porridge, hopefully I can get some syrup with it or something, maybe jam.

  The screen shifted to the Rank F category screen, which was very long.

  RANK F SUMMONABLES

  “At Rank F, you may access the foundations of Earth’s survival and simplicity—vermin, grains, stone, and tools of bone. This is the age of subsistence. Use it wisely.”

  CREATURES (Simple Animals & Insects)

  These are Earth-based animals that are easy to reproduce, small to moderate in size, and require minimal biological complexity to replicate.

  Rat

  

  
• Species: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)


  
• Use: Companions, scouts, messengers, ambush swarm


  
• Modification: Loyalty imprint, size increase (~dog-size), enhanced awareness


  

  Rabbit

  

  
• Use: Food, trade, fur, breeding stock


  
• Notes: Docile and easy to multiply


  

  Grey Squirrel

  

  
• Use: Scouting, tree traversal, distraction


  
• Notes: Less social than rats, more agile


  

  Army Ant

  

  
• Use: Swarming, attacks, terrain control (campsite defence)


  
• Notes: Can overwhelm enemies or guard an area


  

  House Fly

  

  
• Use: Harassment, disease vector (optional), surveillance distraction


  
• Notes: Low lifespan, hard to control


  

  Small Freshwater Fish

  

  
• Types: Trout, tilapia, carp


  
• Use: Food supply, barter, domestication


  
• Notes: Creates one live fish per summon


  

  Maggot

  

  
• Use: Organic decay, wound cleaning (primitive), bait


  
• Notes: Can be used to clean rotting flesh in wounds (real Earth use)


  

  Other Insects

  

  
• Species: Roaches, beetles, crickets, moths


  
• Use: Scouting, food (emergency), distractions


  

  FOOD & AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

  Staples of survival and trade. These items reflect low-processing Earth foodstuffs common before the industrial age.

  Bread (Coarse)

  

  
• Type: Dense brown bread, low fluff, hard crust


  
• Use: Basic nourishment, can be bartered


  
• Shelf Life: Moderate


  

  Porridge

  

  
• Ingredients: Oats, water, sometimes barley


  
• Variants: Can summon hot or cool


  
• Use: Cheap filling food


  

  Grains (Raw)

  

  
• Types: Wheat, oats, barley, maize


  
• Use: Trade, agriculture, feeding animals


  

  Rice (Unpolished)

  

  
• Type: Brown rice


  
• Use: Durable food source, used across cultures


  
• Shelf Life: Long


  

  Fish (Standard)

  

  
• Types: Limited to small edible species


  
• Use: Food or trade


  
• Source: Appears freshly caught or alive (Lance chooses)


  

  Water (Potable)

  

  
• Description: Clean, Earth-sourced drinking water


  
• Summoned in: Wooden bowl (Though only if wooden bowl not on cooldown), skin pouch, or stream-like pour (based on intent)


  

  MATERIALS & RAW RESOURCES

  These are primitive building blocks, simple substances that can be used creatively or combined with crafting.

  Rock / Stone

  

  
• Variants: Smooth stone, jagged shard, hand-sized cobble


  
• Use: Construction, throwing, crude tools


  
• Modification: Shape and weight (minor)


  

  Clay (Wet)

  

  
• Use: Primitive construction, mouldable


  

  Grass / Straw

  

  
• Use: Bedding, kindling, insulation


  

  TOOLS & UTILITY ITEMS

  These are handcrafted-style items with basic durability, meant for survival rather than prolonged battle.

  Shiv

  

  
• Variants: Bone shard, sharpened stone, crude iron sliver


  
• Use: Silent takedowns, defence


  
• Durability: Low; designed to break or dull with use


  

  Spoon

  

  
• Variants: Wooden or low-quality metal


  
• Use: Eating, measuring, crafting


  

  Rope (Short Lengths)

  

  
• Material: Hemp, coarse plant fiber


  
• Use: Tying, setting traps, climbing (lightweight only)


  
• Max length: ~3 meters at Rank F


  

  BOOKS & DOCUMENTS

  Rank F allows for the conjuration of simplistic written materials—basic reading content.

  Children’s Books / Basic Literacy Texts

  

  
• Examples: Alphabet primers, fairy tales, Earth folktales


  
• Use: Teaching literacy, calming children, copying for barter


  
• Languages: Default to English or Lance’s chosen primary language (via system)


  

  Basic Notes & Records

  

  
• Customizable: Lance can imprint small notes, to-do lists, or simple coded messages


  
• Appearance: Worn paper, charcoal ink


  

  Miscellaneous (Implied or Contextual Items)

  While not explicitly itemized, the following may be considered “F-tier-adjacent” and available based on need and system discretion:

  

  
• Kindling (Dry sticks, flint shavings)


  
• Wicker Basket (for carrying small items)


  
• Twine or Binding String


  
• Dry Leaves (camouflage, compost, animal bedding)


  

  Very interesting.

  Lance decided to summon some porridge first as a test, he got a basic wooden cup from the floor and checked it over.

  Clean enough, I guess.

  His stomach was growling now, with wild abandon, the anticipation of the meal seamed to have awoken a beast.

  The only thing he ensured for his summon was that it was hot, and cooked. There was no choice of syrups, honey, jam or even sugar, but his appetite didn’t allow him to dwell on it.

  The porridge simply fazed into existence, there was no magical lights or displays, following his intent being created in the cup, filling it up.

  Finally.

  The plain porridge was a godsend, but he had to eat it slow, remembering a few documentaries and shows from his past life that alluded fast consumption of food by a starved person can be dangerous. But regardless, it went down a treat, but his stomach wanted more.

  There was a great deal of choices, he had nothing to make a flame for the meat options like fish, not that he would start a fire in this rickety hut, so he settled on bread. It was coarse and hard, he had to fill his cup with water to dunk it in for edibility, though he had a relatively full stomach now at least.

  His limbs still belied weakness so he chose to rest, to allow his stomach time to slowly digest the food, awakening maybe a few hours later.

  Well, I guess I’ve got to do something

  Approaching the worn door, he first wanted to get a better look of the outside, not that he didn’t trust the memories of the boy, but memories can be misleading. Viewing the outside, it was dark, though only due to the stacked and closed shanties. The floor was caked in mud, and what he could only assume was excrement from the pungent smell. The city had a population of over 100,000, though a major part of that population were poverty-stricken peasants living in squalor, thieving from each other to get by this meant that the Shanties were very densely packed. The guards never came far in, after all they were to be the buffer for the good people of Eruden from having to interact with the downtrodden of the city. Though at this point it would be unwise for them to enter from the threat of death for their steel and armour.

  Fucking Marquess, she’s really let this place go to shit.

  The Marquess is the figure that oversees Eruden, her husband having died, maintaining her position through expensive bribes, unfortunately this has resulted in a lack of focus and resources put into policing the Shanties, allowing gangs to run rife.

  Well better get started then

  He summoned a number of things. His immediate plan was to sell them, though he knew the risks, it was the only way forward he could see at the moment. He would need to be cautious, immensely so, his hope that he wont simply be robbed but only ripped off as he had no doubt that that was his only option.

  This would take time.

  As night came, he looked on to his progress:

  

  
• 5 Rats


  
• 5 Field mice


  
• 5 European Rabbits


  
• 5 Grey Squirrels


  
• 5 Red Squirrels


  
• 5 Portions of Brown Rice


  

  And more.

  Essentially all the creatures he had summoned were for the sake of protection, a modification he ensured was absolute loyalty and as such aggression to those that would harm him. This also included a number of insects, though nothing noteworthy.

  He also has some bread and a few other food items, his plan to sell them off, and for his own consumption. Making sure that he is outfitted with some other items as well, though nothing enough to arouse suspicion or incite attack, he had a shiv hidden, hoping that he would not need to use it.

  He had a few people in mind near him who he knows has a few coins saved up, he may be able to sell to them, but he had to be careful. His first target, Jael, an old and frail man, if he needed to get away Jael wouldn’t be able to catch him, the best option for him, given his small and weak frame himself.

  Sneaking out, his animals following, he hoped they would be discreet, but their intellect is very limited. Boards overhead blocked the moons light, blanketing the shanty town in darkness.

  He didn’t need to go far, only 10 meters, but each step carried a great weight with it, his breath holding, he could only hear the skittering of his night critters following him.

  Arriving at Jael’s door he gave a few quiet knocks.

  Shuffling sounded, movement inside, slow and cautious, Lance had no doubt Jael had grabbed at some sort of knife or weapon, unless he was an idiot. The door creaked open and Jael’s eyes slowly appeared in the crevice, scanning through the dark and finding purchase on a dull, dirty boys face.

  “Lance, what are you doing here?” a whisper was given. Lance could see his guard lowered.

  “I know you have a few coins stashed; I was wondering if you want to make a trade”

  “What the fuck are you on about?”

  “I’ve come into some things that you might want”

  “And what’s that then?”

  “Some bread, even some rice from Elbray”

  “How’d you come across that haul then”

  “Does it matter, what’ll you give for it” Lance cut of the questions, he didn’t have time to waste, he was putting himself at major risk.

  “Depends on what ya got I s’pose. I got 8 coppers for a few handfuls of rice, 5 for a few fists of bread”

  “Deal”, Lances response shocked Jael, he figured he was bullshitting and decided to play along, but his response change things his eyes flickering with cunning. Lance revealed the items he had hidden nearby, praying that Jael wouldn’t cause issues, though ironically dealing at night was safer in the day, in some cases at least. People were quiet at night, they didn’t want to make noise for fear of attracting any gang attention, so it was unlikely he would risk a scuffle here and now, course if he was more physically able, he might risk it believing himself capable of shutting up the kid before any issues arise.

  The deal struck and the exchange made, a resounding success.

  Lance returned, beads of sweat stinging his eyes, his heart beating so fast he’s surprised that Jael didn’t hear it.

  Holy shit, should I just run, leave, id be able to survive off my summons in the wild….but what about the monsters, Fuck, nowhere is safe damn it.

  Returned, he had some porridge and went to sleep, clutching at the coppers he has just made.