“Any suggestions?” asked Zeke, glancing at Oberon, who was literally sitting on the edge of his seat. The dwarf leaned forward, his hands on his knees, as he waited upon Zeke’s impending choice.

“Can’t do that,” Oberon answered with a shake of his head. A couple of leaves fell from his hair only to dissipate into nothing before they hit the white floor. “Against the rules.”

Zeke sighed, then he looked his options over once again. They all seemed powerful enough, but one thing he didn’t understand was what it meant by Tiers. So, he asked, “Before I make my choice, I need to know what those attribute bonuses mean.”

Oberon leaned back, and for a moment, Zeke didn’t think the dwarf was going to answer. However, after a few seconds, he said, “Well, we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves, but I guess this is necessary if you really want to compare these options.”

“That’s kind of what I just said,” was Zeke’s slightly annoyed reply.

That only brought a slight chuckle from Oberon, who said, “You’re not wrong. Okay, so here’s the thing – your stat sheet has changed considerably. Go ahead and open it up.”

Name

Ezekiel Blackwood

Class

n/a

Level

25

Race

Cambion (F)

Alignment

Unchosen

Titles

n/a

Path

Force (F), Runecraft (F)

Strength (A)

12

Agility (C)

7

Dexterity (B)

8

Endurance (B)

10

Vitality (B)

9

Intelligence (C)

6

Wisdom (B)

8

Resistances

Fire

Ice

Water

Earth

Wind

Nature

Arcane

Poison

Disease

S+

D

D

D

D

D

B

C

D

“What the…”

The familiar readout that had accompanied him through his entire journey through the Radiant Isles had been transformed. Some parts were the same, but others were decidedly different. For instance, all of his achievements were gone, he only had two paths instead of three, and the numerical values that had represented his resistances had been replaced by letter grades. But the most telling change was that his once-mighty stats had all been reduced to a mere fraction of their former glory.

“What’s going on here?” he muttered.

Oberon answered, “So, like I said before, the tutorial is there to establish your foundation. However, many of those accumulated advantages are now hidden.”

“I really don’t understand,” Zeke admitted.

“The last few years have been there to establish a baseline,” he said. “For example, you built remarkable physical strength. Therefore, that stat has been categorized as A-Tier.”

“What does that mean, though?” Zeke asked.

“It means that your strength is fundamentally more potent than that of anyone with a lower tier,” Oberon explained. “And the differences are exponential. Given an equal value, a person with A-Tier strength will be half-again as strong as someone with B-Tier, who in turn will be twice as strong as someone with C-Tier. That’s why those Tier bonuses on the classes are so important.”

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Zeke thought he understood, but still, he had more questions. So, he asked, “What’s the average for people on the second plane?”

“Most people will have at least one stat at C-Tier,” he said. “But almost all will be significantly less powerful in other attributes. However, there are plenty of elites that exceed those parameters.”

“And how do my tiers compare?” Zeke asked.

“Very well,” Oberon stated. “Very well indeed, and that’s before you’ve even chosen your class.”

That’s when Zeke thought about something. On the grading scales with which he was familiar, A was the highest possible grade. However, what would happen if he chose a class that would elevate his already peak-tier strength by multiple tiers? So, he asked, “What comes after A-Tier?”

“S,” was Oberon’s reply. “And then S+, which works a bit differently than the others because it doesn’t really have defined limits. Once you reach S+ in any attribute, you’ll never go any higher. However, one S+ is not necessarily equal to another. For instance, you have A-Tier strength. If you chose {Dread Knight}, you would gain a tier in strength, putting you at S. If you chose {Animalist}, you would be S+. If you chose {Arcane Colossus}, you would still be S+, but those extra two tiers wouldn’t go to waste. You would be significantly stronger than if you chose {Animalist}; the Framework just doesn’t categorize it.”

Zeke nodded. It seemed simple enough. The tiers functioned as a base, and the numbers were effectively multipliers of that base. It was different than what he was used to, but he didn’t have much trouble understanding it.

“The other thing you should understand is that getting attribute points is going to be a bit more difficult in the next world,” Oberon went on. “If you get more than five points per level now, I’ll be very surprised. Though with that Aberrant class, it’s difficult to know for certain what to expect, should you choose that one.”

Zeke ran his hand through his hair. It was easy to infer the relative quality of his resistances as well. Due to his nature as a cambion, his fire resistance was through the roof. However, his other resistances were at least average, with a couple of other standouts in his arcane and poison mitigation.

He spent another few minutes examining his status sheet. However, there wasn’t a lot to study. Because of the changes, when he drilled down into his race, he saw the familiar description, but without the expected per-level stat increases. Oberon explained that his race, having been evolved to F-Grade, would make his body fundamentally better, both in terms of mana control and his senses, than someone with a lower racial grade. But the days of receiving fistfuls of free points every time he leveled were gone. At least he retained the unique characteristics of his race, though; that had to count for something.

“What about titles?” Zeke asked.

“Granted by the Framework,” Oberon stated. “They’re not achievements, per se. More like nobility. Or being a landowner.”

“And paths?” Zeke went on. “No martial and artisan paths anymore?”

“Fundamentally, they are no different, and the Framework chooses not to separate them after the first plane,” Oberon answered. “You will also find that they will help you in unexpected ways, though I can’t be more specific than that. All I can advise is that you learn to love meditation.”

Zeke narrowed his eyes, but he could tell that, like had been the case with a few of his other questions, Oberon was limited in how he much information he could provide. So, Zeke dove into his class choices.

The clear winner, at least in terms of raw power, was {Apocalyptic Harbinger}. Not only did it provide a whopping twelve additional tiers to his stats, and it would bring multiple stats up to S-Tier or better. However, the allocation told him that it would lean pretty heavily into a caster archetype. The first skill implied the same thing. Still, it was hard to ignore the sheer power of the legendary class.

Next up, he looked at {Animalist}. While he’d never really considered himself close to nature, the additional attribute tiers that came with the class were attractive. On top of that, it wasn’t associated with demonic forces, like {Apocalyptic Harbinger} or the less powerful {Dread Knight}.

After that, he focused on {Arcane Colossus}, which shared part of a name with his unstable skill. The description was also attractive, given that it really did describe him. But that was to be expected, given that it was an aberrant class, which meant that it had been tailor-made just for him. In addition, it came with the second-most additional attribute tiers and if he understood how things worked, would put his strength on a completely different level. With his fighting style, that was very appealing.

The other two class choices didn’t really bear mentioning, given that neither of them offered more than three extra tiers to his attributes. They were also the lowest graded classes, and he had to believe that those grades meant something. Still, it was interesting that they seemed like two sides of the same coin, which probably had something to do with the duality of his race.

After thinking about it for a few moments, Zeke also discarded {Animalist}. Of the three remaining choices, it was the least powerful. But it also just didn’t feel right. He’d never shown much of a predilection toward nature classes. More than that, he didn’t want to be defined by his bond with Pudge.

So, he compared {Apocalyptic Harbinger} with {Arcane Colossus}. The latter felt like it fit better, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be kicking himself if he didn’t choose the more powerful option. When he thought of the {Apocalyptic Harbinger}, he imagined a scene where he was bathing whole armies in hellfire and laying waste to all his enemies.

“Can we talk about skills?” asked Zeke.

Oberon, who’d been waiting patiently, said, “With some constraints, yes. Ask your questions, and I’ll let you know if I can’t answer.”

Zeke nodded. “[Armor of the Colossus],” he said. “Can I fix it?”

The dwarf answered, “Of course. With the right class and skills, anything is fixable.”

Zeke didn’t miss that Oberon had put a slight emphasis on the class part. That, as much as anything else, made his choice easy. He picked {Arcane Colossus}.

At the end of the day, he just wasn’t comfortable with a class like {Apocalyptic Harbinger}. It reminded him too much of the times when he’d lost control, like in the demon realm. Or when he’d inadvertently destroyed a third of Jariq. The class was undeniably powerful, but Zeke felt that it just didn’t fit who he was. Or perhaps, it didn’t fit who he wanted to be.

“Alright, class chosen,” Zeke said.

“Good choice,” accompanied Oberon’s smiling reaction. “Now, we have another choice in front of us. It won’t be an easy one, either.”

Zeke gestured for him to go ahead.

“The next plane is incredibly dangerous, especially for the newly ascended,” Oberon explained. That was no surprise to Zeke. “You will be undeniably safer if you have your friends with you. However, that safety can be a crutch. For all of you.”

Zeke nodded, seeing where Oberon was going.

“I have the power to send you to an environment where you can grow,” Oberon went on. “But only you. Your friends will go elsewhere.”

“What kind of environment?” Zeke asked.

“I won’t lie to you, Zeke – where I would send you, you will be captured, enslaved, and perhaps tortured,” Oberon said. “But you will also have unique opportunities to grow more powerful. With your gifts, those opportunities will quickly become overwhelming.”

“Just like in the troll caves.”

“Just so,” Oberon agreed. “If you choose that route, you will have the opportunity to walk a path few have tread. However, that road can be a lonely one. More, it will require you to ignore your pride and discard your desire for freedom. If you can do that…well, you may one day stand shoulder to shoulder with me, as I always intended.”

“Tell me more about the next plane,” Zeke said. “Before I choose, I mean.”

“First, you’ll be able to advance to level one-hundred,” Oberon said. “Skills generally come every five levels, but with the class you chose…yes, now that you’ve chosen, I can tell you. It is different.”

“How so?” asked Zeke. He hadn’t felt a change take place, so he assumed it wouldn’t until he actually moved on to the next plane.

“You will have skills granted every ten levels,” Oberon explained. “However, you have the unique opportunity to create other skills in the gaps. I’ve never seen anything like it. Plenty of people have changed skills, but to create them outright…it is unheard of. And I’m sure you can see the advantages.”

Zeke nodded slowly. It would’ve been easier if he’d had normal progression, but the potential for power was readily apparent. Being able to make skills that completely suited his style could prove to be a huge boon. It also represented a very difficult path. His experiences with [Armor of the Colossus] told him that much.

“Your progression will not be easy, but with great difficulty comes great potential,” Oberon went on. “I’m sure you can see that.

“As to the world itself, it is quite large,” Oberon stated. “At least a hundred times the size of your old planet. And there are no arbitrary dividing lines, either. It is a living world like any other, with all the benefits and detriments that come with it.”

“A hundred times the size of Earth…”

“At least,” agreed Oberon.

“So, if I choose the more difficult path, there’s every chance I will never see my friends again,” Zeke reasoned.

Oberon nodded.

So, Zeke shook his head. “That’s not acceptable,” he said. “I choose –”

“Wait!” Oberon cut him off, raising his hand. “What if I give you the ability to sense them? The distances will be no less imposing, but you will know where your friends are.”

Zeke still didn’t like it. He’d spent a lot of time alone, and he didn’t relish the notion of returning the sort of life he’d lived in the troll caves. However, he also knew that without that experience, he never would have reached the heights he had. In fact, he’d probably have been subsumed by the undead horde by now instead of waiting to be sent to the next plane.

“Yeah. That'll work," Zeke said.

Oberon’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he waved his hand and said, “Your [Mark of Companionship] has been altered. It is now permanent, and it will also give you a sense of where your companions are. The downside is that, like with the tower, it will now add a little more to your leveling requirements.”

“That’s…acceptable,” Zeke said, suddenly realizing that he’d already made his choice. As much as he wanted to remain with his friends, the pursuit of power had long since claimed him. He wanted to see how high he could reach, and he couldn’t do that by playing it safe. “I’ll take the harder path.”

Oberon smiled, though there was a little sadness there. “Good,” the dwarf responded. “Remember, this is for your own good. Do not try to escape until you’ve wrung every benefit out of the situation.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’ll know,” Oberon said. “Any other questions?”

Zeke shook his head. He had plenty, but the dwarf had already established that he couldn’t convey too much information. Most of the subjects Zeke really wanted to know about were off-limits.

“Very well,” Oberon said. “I’m proud of how far you’ve come, Ezekiel, and I’m eager to see how far you have yet to go. Now, clench up. This is going to feel weird.”

Zeke was about to ask what the dwarf meant when he felt himself being sucked away and back into the void. An instant later, he was falling through frigid air and toward the snow-covered ground below.