Mysterious Rings and a Strange Voice

As Cid woke up the next day, he felt refreshed and excited to explore more of the Rivenia realm. He got dressed and went to the door of his room, where the guards were already waiting for him.

"Good morning, Cid Arden," one of the guards greeted him with a bow. "The king and queen have instructed us to take you to the capital city today. They will send someone to give you more information about the current affairs of our realm later."

Cid nodded, feeling a little perplexed but also curious about what awaited him. He followed the guards through the castle's corridors and courtyards until they reached the gates that led to the city.

As they entered the capital, Cid was amazed by the sight of the bustling streets and the different races that inhabited it. He saw elves with pointed ears, ogres with muscular bodies, beastmen with animal features, and humans like him.

He also noticed that each race had its unique features and abilities. Elves were graceful and agile, and they could use magic to control nature. Ogres were strong and durable, and they could manipulate earth and metal. Beastmen were fierce and cunning, and they could communicate with animals and shapeshift. Humans were adaptable and creative, and they could learn any skill and use any tool.

Cid was fascinated by all of this, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of power he possessed. He knew he had some strange abilities, like the one that allowed him to hear the voice from the ring, but he didn't know how to control them or what their true nature was.

As they walked further into the city, Cid's attention was drawn to the many shops and stalls that sold various goods and services. He saw weapons and armor, books and scrolls, potions and elixirs, clothes and accessories, food and drinks, and many other things that he had never seen before.

He decided to explore the market and see if he could find anything that interested him. As he wandered from one shop to another, he couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the choices and the prices.

"Excuse me, sir," a voice interrupted his thoughts. "May I help you find something?"

Cid turned to see a beautiful elf woman with emerald eyes and long silver hair. She wore a green dress that matched her eyes and had a friendly smile on her lips.

"Oh, um, yes, please," Cid replied, feeling a little flustered by her presence. "I'm just looking for something unique or special, you know?"

The elf woman nodded and gestured for him to follow her. She led him to a small shop that sold jewelry and trinkets, and she pointed at a particular ring that sparkled in the light.

"This one is enchanted with a protective spell," she explained. "It will shield you from harm and enhance your physical abilities. It's also quite affordable, considering its quality and rarity."

Cid was impressed by the ring's beauty and usefulness, but he hesitated to buy it. He felt a sudden pain in his head, as if someone had punched him from the inside.

"What's wrong?" the elf woman asked, noticing his discomfort.

Cid shook his head and tried to ignore the pain, but it persisted. He felt a strange energy emanating from the ring, as if it was trying to communicate with him.

"Help me," a voice whispered in his mind. "I'm trapped in here. Please, free me."

Cid gasped and clutched his head, feeling dizzy and disoriented. He looked at the elf woman and saw her face blur and distort, as if he was seeing her through a veil of water.

As Cid held the second ring in his hand, he noticed that it was similar to the first one he had purchased. Without giving it much thought, he decided to buy it as well. As he held both rings in his hand, something strange happened. Both rings started glowing, and Cid could feel a strange energy emanating from them.

He looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but to his relief, no one seemed to be paying him any attention. Cid was puzzled by what had just happened, but he couldn't deny that it was intriguing. As he examined the rings more closely, he noticed that they seemed to have fused together, forming a single ring.

Suddenly, Cid heard a voice in his mind, "System activated."

He was taken aback by the sudden voice in his head, but he didn't feel scared. Instead, he felt a sense of curiosity and excitement. He wondered what this system was and what it could do.

As he stood in the middle of the busy street, he knew he had to find somewhere quiet where he could figure out what was happening. He made his way to a nearby alley and sat down on a crate.

The voice in his head spoke again, "System activation complete. User, do you accept?"

Cid was hesitant, but the curiosity got the better of him. He replied, "Yes, I accept."

As soon as he said that, he felt a rush of energy flow through his body. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. When he opened them again, he felt different, like he had unlocked a new level of power.

He knew that he had to keep this a secret from everyone else, at least until he could figure out what was going on. With a sense of purpose, he got up and made his way back to the castle, where he was staying.

As he walked, he couldn't help but think about what he had just experienced. He wondered what other secrets this new world held, and what kind of adventures he would have in the future.

Cid walked briskly through the halls of the castle, his thoughts in a jumble. As he walked, he couldn't help but wonder what the voice in his mind had meant by "system activation." He had never heard of anything like it before.

As he approached his room, he was greeted by one of the guards who had escorted him earlier. The guard gave him a nod of acknowledgment and Cid returned the gesture. As he entered his room, Cid couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He sat down on the bed and thought about the events of the day.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered to himself. "I'm in a different world, I have some sort of power I don't understand, and now I have a mysterious voice in my head."

Cid shook his head and let out a sigh. He couldn't make sense of anything at the moment, but he knew he needed to figure things out if he wanted to survive in this new world.

As he lay on the bed, he couldn't help but think about the people he had seen in the capital city. He was amazed by the different races he had seen and the magic they possessed. He wondered what it would be like to have such powers.

He also couldn't help but think about his own situation. He was alone in a foreign land with no one to rely on but himself. It was a scary thought, but he knew he had to be strong if he wanted to survive.

As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He clutched the fused ring tightly in his hand, wondering what the future held for him in this new world.

Chapter end