The three of us resided in our own corners of the office. Theo had perched down near the door that led out to the long, glass-walled, hallway. Tala was sitting in the far corner, her eyes raised to the exposed ceiling of hanging wires. I was sitting against the wall between the two of them. My focus was on the Codex and the new categories that opened up to me.

The original tabs of the Codex were present. [Stats], [Inventory] and [Journal]. Within the [Stats] was my current information. I was still at Level 2 with 360/500 experience points till I reached the next level. I also noted my current power level of 458, though that was with the Kitchen Knife equipped. Switching over to the pistol showed that the number increased to 506. My three main stats were present along with the [Stat Bonuses] that I received from my equipment. Increased movement speed, chance to bleed and my few stat increases to [Mind] and [Spirit].

Leaving [Stats] I brought up my [Inventory]. I had a few junk items like the rat bile, fang, family photo, Rusty Knife, and one bandage. It also showed the different equipment slots available to me or at least what items would actually give me stat increases. Head, Upper Body, Lower Body, Feet, and Accessory. The windbreaker was displayed in a blue-highlighted box, with its bonuses clearly displayed. The other four slots were empty despite the fact I was wearing clothing. I knew that was normal. My father told me that not all clothing and items would be equipment for me to use. It needed a rarity, stats and be the first thing equipped. An example he gave me once was in regards to the Accessory slot. If I found a ring with stats and put it on I would get its bonus, however, if I found another ring and equipped it to a different finger I wouldn’t receive its stats until I removed the first ring. He always found that to be a flaw in the system. Something he wished could be changed but he knew the Trinity would never do that. It never changes anything.

I lowered the [Inventory] screen and opened the last one, [Journal]. The [Journal] tab kept information such as my current [Quests] and [Events]. It also had my [Collection], [Locations] and [Titles]. I still had my (Trial) marked down as being active in my quests and one event completed.

I finally opened up the newest and final section of my Codex, [Skills & Abilities]. Opening up the screen brought forth two new sections for me to explore. [Class Skills], which were empty and [Specialization Abilities], which was also empty. It made me excited to be able to see this section of the Codex finally open up. I was so close to the end of the Trial. I could almost feel my future Class calling to me. I still had no idea what I was going to choose, all I knew was that it was going to be awesome.

Focusing my mind on the Codex, I went to close it down when something caught my attention. The [Skills & Abilities] section wasn’t actually empty. Next to the [Class Skills] section near the top it read, 2 Skill Points Available. Theo was right! The Trinity was giving us power. It had bestowed upon us our first Class Skill Points. I had nothing to spend them on but it was there. I had two points available for me to spend, one point for each level I had achieved so far. A simple straight forward progression. However, I had no points available in my [Specialization] section of the Codex. Those were gained slower than the class skills but were far more effective and focused.

With a renewed sense of pride I let the Codex fade from my eyes and let my head rest against the wall. I closed my eyes, let out a soft breath, and tried not to focus on the deep growling in my stomach. Before I knew it darkness folded around me like a blanket and I was drawn into a new world.

I found myself knee deep in bones. Charred, scattered bones sprawled out across a shallow pool of silvery water that shined bright with crimson. A swiftly moving scent of smoke permeated the air. Though the sensation was fleeting it bore deep in my chest the smell of burning flesh.

I instinctively brought my arm up to block the smell but it was too late. My eyes watered so I shut them. My throat went dry and I started to cough. It was unbearable. It was as if the smoke had burrowed itself deep inside my chest and wouldn’t leave no matter how much I exhaled. Soon my chest tightened and I needed to breath. I let my arm drop and inhaled. The air was now crisp, clear and sweet. It was wonderful. A complete contrast to the dying breath I had taken before. I found myself wanting to breath and breath, hoping that the wonderful sense would never leave me. That is until I opened my eyes.

The red hued lake of dust white bones was replaced with a flat landscape of broken stone. Blossoming out of the stones amassed a field of silvery flowers. They had dug their roots deep in the unyielding rock and had grown tall and strong. Each of the silver flowers towered high with the strength of obsidian like stems dotted with ruby thorns. They were beautiful but gave me the impressions of death. My death if I so much as touched them.

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Beyond the far horizon, wrapped in a sky of midnight, hung a fading sun. It’s yellow and amber light was ringed by a brilliant white aura. The sun’s form touched that distant line where the flowers met the night sky but it soon separated itself from that distinction. It rose higher and higher until it reached its apex. A single burning eye looked down upon me yet the world stayed dark.

As I watched the sun peer over me, I began to hear a distant sound. Like the whistle of far off train, it grew louder and louder, driving in from somewhere beyond the silver fields. A sudden rush of sweet wind swirled around me. Within the soft blades that brushed my skin, the sound, deep and high-pitched, rose into my ears. I pressed my hands to the sides of my head, falling to my knees, and hoping to stop the noise. Stop the fierce voice now trying to burrow itself into my mind.

As quickly as the storm of sound came, it faded away. I was left in an eerie void of silence. I found myself kneeling among the silver flowers and black vines. The sparkles of ruby thorns scattered the high sun sitting in its bed of darkness. I thought I had finally found clarity in this strange land. In this strange dream. The noise gone, the world no longer shifting. Then the voice came again. This time quiet, almost peaceful.

“To lose oneself is the greatest failure of this world. Tell me Warden Pierce. Will you lose yourself amongst the darkness and the fear?”

I had heard those words before. From the shadow place among the skywalk. I turned my attention to the night sky and saw a shape appear below the floating sun. Like the draping of an infinite waterfall of black oil and shifting sands a body appeared. The figure stood tall and menacing, but somehow close and inviting as if its very presence called to me.

“Who are you?” I called out.

“A guide. A friend. An enemy to all and yet the path of many.” The voice said.

“I don’t understand. What do you want from me?”

“I want nothing. I give nothing. From me you can have everything but only you can bestow what I have.” The voice started to shrink. Its once trembling power slowly dying to the emptiness.

“It was you on the skywalk. You came and talked to me. You helped me. Why?” I stood up and began to walk towards the looming shadow.

“Do not lose yourself in your quest for power. You must obtain power if you are to find yourself… Warden… fear… You are not…” I had a hard time understanding the voice. It had become so quiet, so distant that it reminded me of the trembling of the water pipes within the walls of my room. The towering figure of darkness and its sun-like head started to fade into the world around it like a sullen wind blowing away a morning mist. I began to run. My feet pounded through the field of silver flowers. Rushing as fast as my legs would take me.

Despite my effort I never reached the horizon. Never received anymore answers. Only more questions.

I woke in a startle. A distant explosion had caused the room to shake and dust to fall from the ceiling. A loose wire fell from the ceiling and snapped against the wall near my head. I rolled up on my knees when another boom shook the entire building.

I spotted Tala jolt to her senses. Her arms spread out around her as if she was trying to catch herself from falling. “What’s going on?” Tala cried.

“I don’t know. Theo? Theo!” I started crawling towards the open door where Theo was down on his knees looking out towards the windowed hallway. I made my way to the other edge of the door and called his name again. He finally turned, eyes wide, and pointed for me to look outside.

The violet sky was beginning to glow, it’s purple haze stretching along the horizon like a silk drap pulled by an invisible force. The Great Fallen God was nowhere to be seen. A blank canvas with a single imperfection. Black smoke rising to reach the heavens.

I focused my view to a cropping of buildings across the street from the Crumbling Tower. The top of the nearby skyscraper fell short of where we stood by about five or six floors. The top two floors of the closest edge had been blown out. It held a large gaping whole of smoldering plaster, red-hot metal, and shattered glass. Thin lines of ever-growing fire split their way between the ever blooming cloud of dark smoke.

I was about to turn and suggest we keep moving, hoping that whatever had caused the damage wouldn’t be making their way to our location, but something else caught my attention. Among the rubble and chaos I saw darting figures. At first I thought they were random wisps of darker smoke curling its way among the shaded grey, but then I realized what it truly was. Monsters, running, screaming in pain. A wide variety of strange creatures begun plummeting out the side of the building falling far to the grown below. Smashing cars, thudding against the road. It was sickening to behold. What could cause monsters to flee in fear.

I felt the answer before I saw it. Fear. Fear engulfed my entire being. Like a tidal wave of energy washing across my bones, my sinew, even the very blood pumping through my veins. This swirling power pierced me with a sudden cold that caused the hair on the back of my neck not only stand, but tremble. Something beyond me, beyond anything I had seen at this point, had caused such a deep, burrowing sense of dread and panic that I wanted to fall away to darkness. To hide from this power like a cockroach running from the light. It was pure fear beyond a doubt.

Then a man stepped out from the curtain of smoke and flames. His face was hidden under a hood of shifting shadows. In either hand he held silver blades that crackled with lightning. His steps left imprints of charred earth. Around his neck I saw some kind of twisted, unnatural amulet.

I tried to focus on the man with what little strength I could afford. Tried to see if I could learn anything. Understand what he was. All I got was an indication of his level, everything else glitched in my view.

[Level: ??]