Satisfied with my work so far, I began to contemplate my next steps. I thought it might be possible to go back to Earth now. Maybe. I had the sense that a part of me was there even now. The exact functions were, yet again, vague. However it worked, I understood that my consciousness was in some sort of duplicate body. The act of returning should be something like waking up from a dream. In theory, I should be able to leave and then return here with a bit of effort and focus.

  However, I wasn't ready to leave just yet. I needed to set my territory up so that it could begin harvesting aether. Then I wanted to begin exploring the other areas of the Astral. I needed to know what I was dealing with so I could plan and prepare properly for the future.

  Decision made, I went back inside and got comfortable before beginning my next phase.

  After some thought, I had an idea for what I wanted my spire to look like. My first instinct had been a giant silver space needle, which I thought would be impressive. It certainly evoked the image of piercing the heavens to bring back aether. On further contemplation, however, I discarded the idea in favor of something I liked better.

  I always enjoyed stories that included a world tree. A massive tree that provided shelter and life for all that lived around it. Furthermore, there were plenty of stories that involved a tree, often representing creation, knowledge, a bridge between realms, or even the universe itself. Perhaps a world tree would be a good omen.

  The Astral, from what I could tell, was powered by concepts. Which meant I should begin my journey by associating myself with something that embodied my goals. By tying my realm to powerful concepts like knowledge, growth, and connections, I would hopefully have a firm foundation for gaining strength in those areas. I still wasn't sure what kind of power I would be able to gain, but those principals would certainly be a priority for me.

  Besides, a space needle might give the impression that I was compensating for something.

  Making my choice, I once again focused my will on the image that I wanted. The effort was intense just like before, but this time there was also strong discomfort. Then pain.

  I felt something inside of me begin to tug. The pain grew to be nearly unbearable, as that something began to tear. I realized then that this spire wasn't a separate entity, —at least not entirely. Rather, it was a piece of me. Whatever it was that constituted me, —a spirit, a soul, or simply my piece of reality— was being cut away to form the spire! It was similar to plant propagation, only I was still attached in someway to the new structure.

  I screamed and collapsed to the ground, folding my arms and curling into a ball in a vain attempt to protect myself. I tried desperately to cling to consciousness; to maintain my will and intent, but it was agony.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the pain began to subside. It faded until it was almost gone completely, though I could still feel a dull ache throughout my being. I just hoped this could be fixed and that no permanent damage was done. Perhaps I would recover faster if I could find a way to increase my spirit growth. There must be someone in the Astral who knew what was going on.

  I lay there for a few more minutes as I slowly rallied my faculties. I wondered if the other spire lords had faced something similar, or if using the boon for power first would soften the pain. Perhaps it was the image that I had chosen that made it so painful. A tree had a strong connection to reality and creation after all. It was also a living being, so maybe it required a soul.

  Does that mean I'm a plant daddy? But that soul was a piece of my own soul, so does that mean I'm my own daddy? Wait, am I a plant now? Nooo! I'm too young to be a plant daddy to myself! Give me back my innocence!

  ****

  When I finally felt up to moving around again, I stepped outside. The breeze was cool against my face as I made my way towards my garden. The spot where I had envisioned my spire now played host to a wondrous tree. It looked young, but stood tall and proud, —at least as high as a two-story house. What captivated me the most was its unique coloring; a vibrant palette of hues that defied the expected greens and browns. The blue and indigo bark swirled with ever shifting lines of glowing cyan light.

  I examined the impressive branches as I stepped closer. They weren't gnarled and twisted like some trees I'd seen. Instead they arched gracefully to form a beautiful canopy with breathtaking colors. Each leaf was a work of art, painted with a blend of ruby and amethyst. Silver veins shot through the leaves like lightning, and the edges were tinged with a hint of gold. It was as if the tree had been crafted by an artist with a palette of precious metals and gemstones.

  Minutes passed as I stood there, transfixed by the tree's beauty and magnetism. It was as if the it held some ancient wisdom; like a silent guardian that had sprouted from the earth to offer solace and inspiration. In that moment I felt this tree was the start of something incredible; something that would change worlds.

  With a sense of wonder, I stepped forward and reached out a hand to touch the tree-spire. It was warm, solid, and surprisingly smooth. I admired the swirling patterns for several seconds before a sudden throbbing in my head sent me reeling back. I felt a sharp pain as my mind tried to fathom yet another influx of information.

  I recognized that I had, —once again— been granted knowledge. It was like some sort of internet browser beamed directly to my brain. I wasn't prepared to process so much information at once. I had to take several deep breaths to steady myself and fight back a wave of nausea. I really hoped data downloading wouldn't become a part of my regular routine. The idea of a friendly guide was growing more appealing the more time I spent here.

  Stepping forward, I braced myself and placed my hand on my tree once more. The information came flowing back, slower this time, but still difficult to absorb. I had to breathe slowly and attempt to let myself get used to the sensation. It was a lot, but I found after a minute I could begin to sort through the knowledge the tree offered.

  I realized that the tree acted as a type of interface, something that would allow me to understand and interact with all of the territories within my domain. Much of the knowledge offered was regarding "structures" that would perform different functions. It reminded me a little of all the dungeon building books I had read.

  For a moment I wondered if I had made a mistake by choosing a tree. Something with a screen and a mouse would have been much simpler to work with. But then, looking at the tree, I couldn't bring myself to regret my choice. I would just have to deal with the inconvenience.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Focusing back on what my domain could do, I began to search for specific features. I could feel a vast potential in the breadth and scope of what I could eventually build, but I was severely limited at the moment. Trying to organize and comprehend it felt like trying to herd cats wearing roller skates in a hurricane.

  At that moment, I desperately wished for a System —preferably one that came with a helpful voice-over explaining things clearly. Perhaps it could have diagrams, or even helpful emojis to indicate if I was progressing in the right direction.

  Frustrated, but realizing there was nothing I could do about it except maybe scream into a cosmic void —which I strongly considered— I moved on. There would be no calling IT for this, and I had no idea where the on/off switch even was.

  The first structure in the data dump was something I was very interested in. It was some sort of resource gathering building that would help my domain draw in aether faster. There was another similar to it, but its intent seemed to be to manage aether density. I wasn't sure what such a thing could be used for, but I'd figure it out later.

  I was tempted to begin construction of the resource gatherer, but another building gave me pause. As near as I could tell, it was a tether. Something that would let my domain connect to a shard in the Astral and allow passage between them.

  Gathering resources was important, of course —who wouldn't want to hoard energy like an oil tycoon? Equally crucial, however, was personal growth, both physically and intellectually. I thought of it as leveling up, except instead of slaying pixelated goblins, I'd be… well, probably slaying some more substantial goblins.

  To achieve this glorious, muscle-bound, book-smart ascension, I'd need to explore new lands and claim them as my own —a real estate mogul, but with more swords and less paperwork, which was probably better. I could still feel the pressure of untapped Potential. It was like an itch in my soul begging for a good scratch. But first, a bit of intel gathering was in order. Otherwise I'd be scratching in the dark. Which in this case could result in me running into a dead end. —or just dead.

  After some internal debate, I selected the tether structure and waited to see what would happen. Unlike before, I had no say in the shape or design of the new building, though I was able to indicate where along my domain wall I wanted it. That made sense, as it would be a point of ingress into my territory of origin. Placing it directly across from the entrance to my ryokan, I moved to watch as it began to take form.

  Subtle ethereal lights like captured starlight began to coalesce in the air. Slowly, almost reverently, a vast circular form emerged from the shimmering haze, its edges indistinct, like a moon glimpsed through a veil of mist. The air thrummed with an unseen energy, a low hum that resonated deep within my bones.

  Whatever was happening it was a very slow process, and it looked like it would take a long time to complete. Deciding to try my best to be productive, I walked back to my base to see if I could find something to use as a weapon. Whatever I might find through that tether, I wouldn't count on it being friendly.

  ****

  It took a few hours for the tether to finish, and I had noticed that, although there was no discernable sun through the fog in the sky, the light in my domain was beginning to dim, emulating the light of the sky in the afternoon.

  When the portal finally coalesced with a dramatic thrum of shimmering air that smelled vaguely of ozone, I stood before it. I was now armed with a mighty weapon, suitable to take on any foe. At least, that's what I told myself to distract from the fact that I might soon be fighting for my life with what could charitably be called a bō staff.

  It was the right height and thickness, I reasoned, clinging desperately to this objective truth. And flexible! Oh so wonderfully flexible, thanks to its bamboo construction. Bamboo: nature's surprisingly resilient self-defense tool, unless I happen to be facing a particularly aggressive squirrel.

  Cutting it to length was… an experience. Let's just say I developed a newfound respect for ancient civilizations and their advanced tool-making skills. My "tools" —sticks and rocks— could more accurately be described as "suggestions" for tools. I had done my best impression of a prehistoric lumberjack, except instead of felling trees, I had painstakingly whittled down a bamboo stalk with the finesse of a drunken badger.

  The resulting weapon looked less "mighty" and more "desperately improvised." I had considered sharpening one end… but then I remembered my limited toolset and decided against risking unnecessary injury.

  The portal itself was beyond impressive. It wasn't merely a circular shape; it was a breathtaking aperture to another realm, vast enough to swallow a locomotive whole. Its surface pulsed with a gentle, otherworldly light that fluctuated slowly. Within its luminous depths, swirling colors hinted at landscapes beyond imagining, places of impossible geometry and breathtaking beauty, promising a journey far beyond the mundane. Despite my apprehension and my lack of a decent weapon, I was excited to see what was out there.

  Before the portal was a pedestal made from granite. Its surface was flat, and angled, reminiscent of a lectern. Resting my (almost) legendary staff in the crook of my arm, I placed both hands on the pedestal and willed it to activate. The portal shimmered and shifted into focus, and with it, my awareness of space expanded. The tether seemed to function based on my intention, which obviously made it very intuitive.

  The portal shimmered and the image solidified. It showed several other Astral bodies floating through a void like asteroids in space. Some of them were incredibly large, while others were tiny, even smaller than my current territory.

  Choosing a shard within range that looked similar in size to my own, I willed my tether into focus. I couldn't zoom in enough to see anything clearly, but I could get a rough idea of its general structure. It looked like some kind of forest biome surrounding a large hill or small mountain, but the exact size was difficult to guess.

  I spent some time examining some of the others, but in the end didn't see anything more promising. Deciding to trust my instinct, I willed the tether to activate on the first shard I had found.

  There was a flash of light from the portal, and then a lash of ethereal lights sprang forth, attaching my territory to the target. A low hum vibrated through the tether, and slowly but surely, the island inched closer, its edges blurring slightly as the ethereal energy worked its magic.

  The process seemed to take an eternity. However, eventually a wave of energy pulsed from the portal, a sign that the annexation was nearing completion. The island still maintained its independent form, but was connected through my Tether.

  I was surprised at how big the new territory was. I thought it looked to be at least four times my current domain, though estimating such a thing was difficult.

  As the tunnel solidified, I began to second guess myself. So far, I had been going with the flow without thinking too deeply about what I would actually be committing to. I knew that my unnatural calm from before had a lot to do with it, though I could tell it had begun to fade.

  If I moved forward, I would be risking my life in a very real sense. I never thought of myself as a hero, at least not the kind who would happily sacrifice themselves for a stranger. Yet, there were things I wanted to protect; people, whose lives I couldn't just leave to fate —or in the hands of an unknown spire lord. Although the calm had faded, the surety that this was all real had not. The world was in danger, and my loved ones with it.

  I took a deep breath to quell my nerves as I stepped up to the portal. My staff now seemed like a perfect metaphor for the half baked strategy I had so far. That is to say, not much of one. I never liked to make a move without a plan. I craved control, and liked to know what I would be doing, or at least what my options were.

  That was why I didn't want to use my Potential without a plan.

  Yet what else could I do but move forward? I had no experience, and no further information to go on. I could sit around on my hands and try all day to think of a strategy, but it wouldn't help without more information.

  With that in mind, I examined what I could through the portal. There was a small clearing on the other side, and beyond that was the beginning of great forest. The details of the plants were still fuzzy and difficult to discern, but it looked like the trees were deciduous. I couldn't see anything else.

  Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath, and stepped forward.