Dark clouds thickened, shrouding the night sky. The once radiant white moon disappeared, leaving only intermittent lightning strikes to pierce the darkness below. Thunderclaps boomed, each one sending shockwaves through Robert's core.
Roo clung to the old man's arm in terror, letting out a yelp with each thunderous roar. "It's a storm," Robert said, urgency in his voice. "We should move before it rains."
Just as the old man rose from the bench, the earth trembled, throwing him off balance. He stumbled, gripping Roo tightly to shield him from harm. Regaining his footing, fear flickered in his eyes. "That felt like an earthquake," he said, his voice quivering. "We need to find shelter, now."
Just as Robert prepared to scoop up Roo and make their escape, a surreal scene unfolded before him. Multiple rocky protrusions burst from the plaza floor, like a mother giving birth to several children at once. The ground fractured as these objects emerged from beneath the surface with unnatural speed, resembling a gushing stream of water from a spring.
"I thought you had gone crazy," a muscular man laughed manically, capturing Robert's attention. The man's eyes were filled with madness as he gazed at the rocky structures surrounding them. "The end of the world is truly here."
Hearing those words from the strong man's mouth, Robert's mind went blank for a moment.
The end of the world?
As if determined to fulfill the prophecy, the storm intensified. Torrential rain drenched Robert and Roo, while the plaza continued to tremble from the emergence of the rocky structures.
When the tremors finally ceased and the structures stopped growing, Roo mustered the courage to cling to Robert, crying out, "Grandpa, I'm scared!"
Robert shivered, uncertain whether it was the cold rain trickling down his back or the chaos surrounding them that chilled him. He hugged the young boy tightly with one arm and reassured him, "Don't worry, Roo. Grandpa is here, and there's nothing to be scared of."
The old man's attention turned to the group of six. The three stoic men had lost their composure, staring in horror at the structures that had erupted from the depths of the earth around them. The muscular man continued to laugh manically, while the slender one glanced around with a mixture of surprise and fear.
Only Nadia appeared unfazed. Her posture was relaxed, and a slight smile graced her face, as if the unfolding events were merely a mild amusement.
That white creature told me to come here, is it because of these things?
The old man chose not to dwell on the six enigmatic individuals, instead concentrating on the structures that had appeared throughout the plaza. They were immense, towering over any house and rivaling the watchtowers that lined the city walls.
As Robert's focus sharpened, he realized their true nature. Are these... statues?
The craftsmanship of the four giant stone figures surpassed anything he had ever seen. The existence of one such impeccably carved, colossal statue would have been miraculous enough, but the presence of four could only be the work of a deity.
Robert's gaze settled on the statue nearest to him. It portrayed a man clad in armor, with a voluminous yet neatly trimmed beard and a fierce expression on his face. He wielded a menacing battle-axe, poised to strike any approaching enemy.
Despite being a statue, Robert felt as if it were alive. Its spirit seemed palpable, and the intricate details of the carving gave the impression that a giant warrior had been turned to stone mid-battle.
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Entranced by the statue's beauty, Robert led Roo closer to it. The young boy followed his grandpa without hesitation, his own eyes filled with curiosity and wonder.
As Robert reached out and placed his hand on the exquisite stone, a mysterious message materialized before him.
[Would you like to choose the Warrior class?]
What?... Am I seeing things?
Robert blinked and shook his head, but no matter what he did or where he looked, the message remained centered in his vision. He couldn't escape it.
"Grandpa? What are you doing?" Roo asked, puzzled.
Robert tried to look at the young boy beside him, but the message obstructed Roo's face. He couldn't even see his grandson's expression with the floating text in the way.
"Yes. Yes, I want," Robert replied aloud, frustration seeping into his voice. He could feel Roo's hand trembling in his grip, a telltale sign that the old man's behavior was becoming increasingly bizarre.
[Choose one of these starting abilities]
Power Strike: Imbue your weapon with magical power and strike the enemy with an attack that deals additional damage.
Charge: Allows the warrior to quickly close the distance to their target, potentially stunning or knocking them down with a small shockwave
Taunting Shout: Provokes enemies to focus their attacks on the warrior, protecting more vulnerable party members.
Weapon Proficiency (Passive): Allows the warrior to use various types of melee weapons effectively, such as swords, axes, and maces.
Shield Proficiency (Passive): Grants the ability to use shields for added defense, helping to block or deflect incoming attacks.
Robert was baffled by the colorful screen that appeared before him, but the more he examined it, the more he felt something was amiss.
How... How can I read this? How do I understand this language?
"Grandpa? Can we go back home?" Roo tugged at Robert's sleeve, his voice quivering as tears threatened to fall. The plea spurred Robert to take charge of the situation.
"Yeah, Roo. Just give me one second."
No longer questioning the strange occurrences, Robert quickly scanned the abilities presented before him. After a few moments, he made his choice.
"I choose Power Strike," he muttered under his breath, hoping the gods could hear him and that Roo couldn't. The last thing he needed was to seem even more unhinged.
[Congratulations, you have become a warrior. You can check your information by simply saying or thinking “Display Panel”]
The message vanished after a few seconds, revealing Roo's worried expression as he gazed at his grandfather.
Robert sighed, about to tell his grandson they would head home when a sudden thought struck him.
Roo should get this class thing too.
He didn't fully understand his reasoning, but he instinctively felt that this was an opportunity he couldn't let Roo miss. The muscular man's words echoed in his ears: "The end of the world is truly here." Considering the monsters he had encountered in the forest while cutting wood, and the fact that the intelligent creature had directed him to this place, Robert was nearly convinced that these classes would be crucial. Gaining such abilities could be a significant advantage for both of them.
"Roo, can you touch the statue?" Robert asked with a warm smile.
The little boy hesitated at first before nodding. As he placed his hand on the colossal sculpture, he suddenly yanked it back with a yelp.
"Grandpa, I'm seeing words! What are these things?"
"Calm down, little Roo," Robert said soothingly, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Just follow what the words say."
Roo swallowed hard and admitted, "This is scary." Despite his fear, he obeyed his grandpa's instructions without further complaint. Robert could feel Roo's trembling subside as the child focused. After standing in the pouring rain for half a minute, Roo looked back at the old man and announced, "I did what the words said. It says I am now a warrior."
Robert nodded gravely before turning his attention back to the group of six. Inexplicably, a large stone building had materialized on the other side of the plaza. It boasted a grand entrance and the exterior was adorned with decorative statues, which, upon closer inspection, were miniature versions of the sculptures encircling the square.
Five of the six individuals were seated outside, seemingly waiting. Nadia suddenly emerged from the building's entrance, a devious smile spread across her face.
Oh, hell no.
Seeing the woman's expression, Robert immediately grabbed Roo by the wrist and walked out of the plaza as quickly as he could. His many years of life experience had taught him that staying near people who practically radiated the word "underworld" was far from wise.