Safe Haven: Haverix

When Alex woke, the morning air was damp and cold, and the earthy scent of the swamp seeped through the walls of his treehouse. Sunlight filtered dimly through the canopy, splashing faint green and gold patterns across the wooden floor. Alex thought about the events of the night before.

He had gone to eat in one of the cafeterias and sat with some of the others from his group. The tall woman, the lizardman, the small gnome, and the short elf sat with him. Alex had to ask for their names because, as he said, "I'm bad with names."

Apparently, Venorfer is the tall, graceful girl with an imposing presence. She has long, platinum-blonde hair, piercing green eyes, and an air of quiet authority. Her demeanor is confident but aloof, as though she is always sizing up the situation around her.

The massive lizard-like man with emerald-green scales, broad shoulders, and yellow, slitted eyes is Kraz. His voice is a deep, resonant growl, and he exudes a calm, grounded demeanor despite his intimidating size. Kraz appears to be one of the older first-year students.

At this point, Alex realized that they couldn't all be speaking the same language but was informed by Nia that the system auto-translates for them. Nia is a short, sharp-eyed elf with dark curls and a no-nonsense personality. She's quick to ask practical questions and doesn't have much patience for distractions.

The last person was a quiet gnome named Harun. He was quite clever but shy, unable to speak up much. Alex felt a form of kinship with him.

After dinner, he went to his treehouse to find out what his dorm was like. The others wanted to explore the tree more, and Alex was happy to have some quiet time to himself. As he got to the treehouse indicated by the system, he walked up the ramp to the door on the side of the tree. Inside, he found more spirals going up the inside of the tree. There were five rooms per floor except on the first due to the entrance, and Alex was up on the top floor in room 505.

He had a strange feeling as he walked among the rooms. As he had been told, it was much larger than it appeared. His room had an almost crescent shape—kinda like a blocky letter 'C.' The bed was queen-sized, and his kitchen was small but maneuverable. The room also had a desk with a series of mushrooms growing above it. When Alex poked them, the underside of the caps glowed in a bright yellowish light. After tapping all five, the desk was brightly lit up.

He had two outside-facing large floor-to-ceiling holes with some kind of magic keeping the wind out. Alex found a strange vine next to the holes, and as he stroked the vine up, the barrier would become more opaque. As he ran his hand down, they became clear and eventually the barrier dropped partially to allow wind in. He didn't remember seeing these windows from the outside.

He enjoyed his bath/shower combo when he got ready for bed. All of his daily necessities had been provided. Oddly, there was no towel. The shower dried him off with a flash of warm light when he was done.

The next morning, the low, familiar ping of his System chimed softly in his mind.

System Notification:

"Good morning, Alex. Your mentor has requested your immediate presence. Follow the marked path to Baron Samedi's Office."

Alex groaned as he stretched, still not fully used to this strange new world. His stomach growled, but curiosity quickly pushed the need for food aside. He didn't want to keep whoever this "Baron Samedi" was waiting.

The path down from his treehouse spiraled gently to the swamp floor. Following the glowing System arrow, Alex found himself winding through damp wooden walkways, the sounds of croaking frogs and distant dripping water a constant backdrop.

Finally, the path stopped abruptly at a rickety wooden dock. A barge—a flat-bottomed boat—waited in the water, bobbing gently. Painted in black and purple, it was adorned with lanterns made of bones and candles flickering with eerie green flames. A figure lounged in the barge's center—a man with dark skin, wearing a white suit, black top hat, and round sunglasses. Between his fingers, a thick cigar smoldered, its smoke curling into twisting, unnatural shapes that writhed in the air. He twirled a cane lazily, its handle shaped like a skull.

"Well, well, well, 'bout time ya showed up, cher!" The man's deep, gravelly voice carried a rich Cajun drawl, the vowels stretched and the words dripping with mischief. He grinned wide, teeth gleaming like polished ivory, the faint glow of his cigar illuminating his face like an ember. "Hop on in, boy. I ain't got all day."

Alex hesitated, looking at the strange man. "Are you… Baron Samedi?"

The man tipped his hat, pulling the cigar briefly from his lips as he chuckled softly, smoke streaming lazily into the air. "In da flesh. Least, somethin' close enough." He smirked. "Now, don' be shy. Ol' Samedi don' bite… much."

Alex climbed aboard the barge carefully. It rocked beneath his feet as the Baron tapped his cane once. The boat glided forward on its own, cutting silently through the dark waters. Tall trees loomed overhead, their branches heavy with moss that dripped like wet curtains.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked, still uneasy.

"We skippin' dat mess o' lines dat's where." The Baron leaned back, balancing his cane across his knees. "All dem other mentors? Busy as bees. Told their lil' Systems dat da trials were offline today. A lil' trick I pulled, y'know? Gives us time alone, cher. No waitin', no fuss."

Alex blinked. "You… hacked the System?"

The Baron laughed loud and long, his voice echoing across the water. "Hacked? Nah, boy. I own this corner o' dat System. Dis swamp? Dis here be mine..." He winked from behind his dark shades. "Ain't no harm in helpin' ya get ahead. You should be thankin' me."

The boat glided to a stop near a patch of solid ground, where a sign stated "Life & Death Grove". At its center stood a colossal tree, faintly glowing and pulsing with energy. The air was thick, humming with magic.

Baron Samedi gestured toward the roots with his cane. "Go on, cher. Put yo' hands on dat big ol' tree, and we gon' see what kinda magic's rattlin' around in dem bones o' yours."

Alex stepped forward hesitantly. Beneath his fingertips, the bark of the tree was rough and warm, like a beating heart.

System Notification:

"Initiating Affinity Trial: Life, Death, and Nature Magic."

The world froze. Then it reacted.

A surge of magic erupted from Alex's hands, flowing into the ground. To his left, patches of withered ground spread outward, turning soil black and lifeless. To his right, vibrant flowers bloomed wildly, spreading colors across what had been barren earth.

The two magics collided, swirling together in a chaotic dance. Flowers blossomed in the decay, while rot crept into areas of life, twisting them together into something both mesmerizing and unsettling.

Baron Samedi whistled low, his hat tipped back. "Woooo, look at dat!" He let out a gravelly laugh. "Boy, dat's somethin' special. I ain't seen a storm like dat in years. Life and Death magic—A-grade, both o' dem. Strong as a bayou croc."

Alex stood there stunned as the System chimed softly.

System Notification:

"Life Magic Affinity: A

Death Magic Affinity: A"

Baron Samedi tapped his cane on the ground. "We ain't done yet, cher. You got more in ya, I can feel it."

With a flick of his wrist, a second trial activated. A small crystal floated into the air, glowing faintly blue. The air rippled, feeling thin, almost unstable.

"Try again, boy. Let dat magic flow. Show ol' Samedi what else you got."

Alex raised his hands, focusing hard. The space around him warped, shadows stretching unnaturally. A chill followed—a faint crackle of ice forming in the air around his fingertips.

System Notification:

"Dimensional Magic Affinity: C

Ice Magic Affinity: C"

The Baron slapped his knee, laughing. "Hoo boy, dimensional tricks and a lil' frost? You like a gumbo with all da right spices, huh?"

Finally, the Baron raised his cane one last time. "Now, let's see what you really made of. Focus, cher. Your strength, your body—let it all out."

The earth beneath Alex shuddered, and a surge of energy pulsed through his veins. For a moment, his body felt unstoppable—his muscles thrumming with raw power.

System Notification:

"Enhancement Magic Affinity: A"

Baron Samedi whistled again, slow and impressed. "Well now, dat's a jackpot right dere. Enhancement magic? A-grade? Cher, you sittin' on power folks would kill fo'. Tanks, warriors, battlemages—dey all dream o' what you got."

Alex exhaled shakily, his hands tingling. His mind raced. Life, Death, Dimensional, Ice, and Enhancement magic. He wasn't playing video games anymore—this was real.

Baron Samedi tipped his hat low, a wide grin stretching across his face. "Now, listen close, cher. Ol' Samedi don' do favors for free. You owe me now, y'hear?"

Alex froze. "Wait… what does that mean?"

The Baron chuckled, his gravelly voice dripping with amusement. "Relax, boy. I ain't gon' eat your soul… probably." He grinned wickedly. "But when ol' Samedi calls, you best come runnin'. Every favor's got a price."

With a lazy flick of his cane, Baron Samedi turned back toward his barge, leaving Alex standing alone in the grove—his future laid out before him, more dangerous and uncertain than he'd ever imagined.