Silas stared at the reincarnation form floating before him. After spending countless hours crafting characters in games, he never imagined he'd be filling out one for himself.
"So I can be anything?" he asked, scrolling through the options again.
"Within reason," Seraphine replied. "Though I recommend sticking with something that won't draw too much attention on your first day. Nothing ruins a fresh start like being hunted for your rare body parts."
Silas nodded and began making his selections. For sex, he chose male without hesitation.
"Not feeling adventurous?" Seraphine teased.
"I'd rather not deal with learning a whole new set of bodily functions on top of everything else," Silas replied dryly.
He scrolled to age next, hovering over different options before selecting 21.
"Twenty-one?" Seraphine asked, raising an eyebrow. "Any particular reason?"
"If I'm going to be stuck in a new world, I want to be able to drink," Silas said.
Seraphine laughed. "Fair enough. Though I should warn you, some races have much higher alcohol tolerance than humans."
For height, he chose 6'3". In the real world, Silas was 5'10", and he'd always wanted those extra few inches. For build, he selected muscular, figuring it would give him an advantage in physical tasks.
When he reached the race section, he paused longer, scrolling through the extensive list several times.
"Having trouble deciding?" Seraphine asked.
"There are so many options," Silas said. "Elves have magic affinity, dwarves have crafting bonuses, humans are adaptable..."
"Each race has its advantages and disadvantages," Seraphine agreed. "Though many players never explore the less common options."
Silas continued scrolling until he stopped at "Dragonkin."
"Tell me about this one," he said.
Seraphine smiled. "Interesting choice. Dragonkin are distant descendants of dragons. They have natural physical prowess, resistance to environmental extremes, and the potential to develop breath attacks with sufficient training. They're rare in the lower levels of the tower but more common in the upper reaches."
"Any downsides?"
"They tend to be targets for monster hunters who mistake them for actual dragons, and some cities have prejudices against draconic species. Also, they have an increased appetite."
Silas thought for a moment, then selected Dragonkin. "I can handle those drawbacks."
"Bold choice," Seraphine nodded approvingly. "You'll have subtle scales along parts of your body, slitted pupils, and slightly pointed ears. Nothing too extreme, but definitely noticeable."
Finally, Silas reached the lineage section. "What was the difference between these again?"
"Average is balanced with no special advantages or disadvantages. Royalty gives you resources and status but limits freedom. Orphan gives maximum freedom but minimal starting resources. And Rare Bloodline gives you a unique hereditary skill but might bring enemies or responsibilities."
Silas selected Rare Bloodline without hesitation.
"Ooh, taking a chance?" Seraphine's eyes glittered with amusement. "You won't know what hereditary skill you have until you materialize in Babel. It could be incredibly powerful... or incredibly useless."
"I'll take that gamble," Silas said. He'd always enjoyed the random element in games. Sometimes the best builds came from adapting to unexpected abilities.
"Character formation complete," Seraphine announced as the form glowed blue and disappeared. "Now for the fun part. Your skill cards!"
The thousands of floating cards suddenly organized themselves by color, swirling around Silas in five distinct rings - green for Common, blue for Uncommon, purple for Rare, gold for Super Rare, and red for Legendary.
"Choose one from each category," Seraphine instructed. "They'll appear in your status screen when you arrive."
Silas reached toward the blue Uncommon ring first. The cards spun faster, then slowed as he focused, revealing different skills as they passed. Combat Enhancement, Weapon Proficiency, Elemental Resistance... dozens of options flashed before him.
Then one caught his eye: Increased Experience.
He plucked it from the ring, and the card expanded to show its description: "Grants 10% additional experience from all sources."
"Solid choice," Seraphine commented. "Not flashy, but it will compound over time."
Next, Silas turned to the green Common ring. These cards spun past showing basic skills like Simple Cooking, Fishing, Minor Healing, Tracking...
He stopped the ring on Beast Tongue and selected it.
"The ability to communicate with creatures," Seraphine read as the card expanded. "The higher your level, the more advanced beasts you can converse with. Very useful, especially for a Dragonkin with natural affinity for certain beast types."
The purple Rare ring was next. Silas browsed skills like Space Storage, Shadow Step, and Mind Reading before selecting Overflowing Charisma.
"Warning on that one," Seraphine said as the card revealed its description: "Males and females are naturally attracted to you. Effect increases with skill level. Cannot be disabled."
"I'm aware of what it says," Silas replied.
"Just be prepared for some awkward situations," Seraphine shrugged. "And possibly jealous partners."
The gold Super Rare ring moved slower, as if the cards were heavier. Eternal Youth, Divine Protection, True Sight... all powerful abilities flashed before him.
Silas selected Skill Weaver.
"Interesting," Seraphine mused as the card expanded to reveal: "Allows the combination of two skills to create a new skill. Original skills are lost in the process."
"It's all about the long game," Silas explained. "Being able to customize and create new skills will be more valuable than any single ability."
Finally, only the red Legendary ring remained. These cards moved with a gravity that made them seem more real than the others. Unlimited Mana, Immortality, Time Manipulation... truly godlike powers that Silas knew better than to select.
He chose Accelerated Recovery.
"Intresting choice," Seraphine nodded as the card revealed: "Increases stamina, energy, and mana recovery rate significantly."
All five selected cards floated in front of Silas, then merged into a single glowing orb that sank into his chest.
"Skills integrated," Seraphine announced. "Character creation complete."
Silas felt a strange tingling sensation throughout his body. "What happens now?"
"Now?" Seraphine's smile widened. "Now you begin your new life."
She snapped her fingers, and the white void around them began to dissolve. "You'll materialize at the base of Babel Tower, in the Town of Beginnings. From there, your path is your own."
"Wait!" Silas called as Seraphine started to fade. "What if I need help? What if something goes wrong?"
"The gods are always watching," her voice echoed as she disappeared entirely. "But don't expect special treatment. You wanted to be part of Babel Unbound, Silas Silverine. Now you are."
The last of the white void fractured like glass, and Silas felt himself falling, spinning, his consciousness stretching thin across dimensions.
Then, suddenly, solidity.
Silas opened his eyes to find himself standing in a cobblestone plaza. Around him, people hurried about their business - merchants calling their wares, adventurers comparing equipment, children chasing each other between market stalls.
Above it all loomed the impossible structure that had dominated his gaming life for years: Babel Tower, stretching higher than the eye could see, its upper reaches lost in clouds.
A notification appeared in his vision:
[Welcome to Babel Unbound]
[Location: Town of Beginnings]
[Status screen available. Say or think "Status" to open]
Silas took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his new body. Something felt... off. He looked down at his hands, expecting to see subtle scales. Instead, he saw smooth, almost delicate fingers. His body felt smaller, lighter than he thought he would be.
"Status," he whispered, and a blue screen materialized before him.
[Name: Silas Silverine]
[Race: Hatchling]
[Level: 1]
[Class: ???]
[Skills:]
- Increased Experience (Uncommon)
- Beast Tongue (Common)
- Overflowing Charisma (Rare)
- Skill Weaver (Super Rare)
- Accelerated Recovery (Legendary)
"Hatchling?" Silas muttered in confusion. "What happened to Dragonkin?"
He quickly found a reflective shop window and stared at his reflection. Instead of the imposing, muscular Dragonkin he'd selected. He saw a small, almost cute humanoid figure with tiny underdeveloped scales and miniature nubs where horns might one day grow.
"What the hell?" He touched his face, watching his reflection do the same. This wasn't what he'd selected at all.
A passing merchant chuckled at him. "First time seeing yourself, little hatchling? Don't worry, you'll grow into a proper Dragonkin... eventually. Maybe in a few decades!"
Silas groaned. Apparently, "Dragonkin" was the adult form, and he had to start as a "Hatchling."
"That sneaky angel never mentioned this part," he muttered, imagining Seraphine's amused laughter.
His thoughts were interrupted by a group of female adventurers who stopped to coo at him.
"Oh my goodness, look at the little hatchling! He's adorable!"
"So cute!"
"Are you lost, sweetie? Do you need help finding your guardian?"
Silas felt his face burn with embarrassment. So much for the intimidating presence he'd hoped for. And apparently, his Overflowing Charisma skill was working... just not in the way he'd anticipated.
"I'm an adult," he insisted, but his slightly higher-pitched voice didn't help his case.
One of the women patted his head. "Of course you are, sweetie."
As they walked away, still giggling about how adorable he was, Silas sighed and looked up at the tower. This journey was going to be a lot more complicated than he'd expected.
"Fine," he said to himself, squaring his small shoulders and lifting his chin. "I'll just have to level up faster. I'll be a full Dragonkin before anyone knows it."