Karthus leaned into the window and looked intently at his neighbor who was at death's door. A foul odor breached his nose and his neighbor moaned horribly breathing his last breath, but Karthus frowned.

"Another death squandered." He sighed. "He shit himself and moaned but I still couldn't tell when he died." Karthus got up and tried to locate another dying person.

He roamed the urban sprawl of Navaria, a densely populated city located in the southern mainland. The city was terrible, the adepts had given up on them as there were no resources unique enough to invest in Navaria. The people were living in rat-infested hovels and were disease-ridden.

Karthus heard a noise behind him, he turned to look around. It was the city guards clad in chainmail. They were enforcing the curfew on behalf of the adepts who controlled Navaria. While those adepts deemed the city worthless they still held an iron grip over it. Karthus clicked his tongue in annoyance. While he was eager to see more deaths he wouldn't risk getting flogged for it.

Karthus has had a deep obsession over death since his friend peter died a few years ago. He could never forget the fear in peters eyes and the terror that gripped peters body as death overtook him. Karthus salivated when he remembered how his body went limp as death consumed him.

He abruptly awoke from his stupor as the guards neared. Karthus hastily moved and ran away. After running through the maze of houses he finally reached his home and carefully opened the door. On the dirt floor his three elder sisters lay soaked in sweat. They had been infected by the plague that has tormented the city. Karthus was surprised he himself hasn't been infected by the terrifying outbreaks.

He walked to his sisters and sat beside them. He took a rag from the floor and carefully wiped the sweat away from their faces. Karthus knew they were due for death, he took care of them as the plague consumed and he knew they couldn't hang on. He watched each of them as they died, and a sublime connection seemed to reach into him as the light faded from their eyes - a yearning to see what lay beyond death and unlock the secrets of eternity. As Karthus reveled from the ecstasy of death a voice appeared in his head.

" The death system has been activated, due to the constant death and suffering around you. As well as your own passion for death."

Karthus paused in shook. He wondered if maybe he was infected by a disease, but his gut told him the voice wasn't his imagination. It seemed to real and vivid to be an illusion.

"What are you supposed to do." He replied

As Karthus sat in silence his checks burned red from embarrassment. He laughed for actually believing he replied to a 'system'. But the voice abruptly appeared again.

"The death system shall act as your catalyst to supremacy, but it could very well be your demise. Choose now if you want this system, if you refuse your memory will be wiped and you will continue your mundane life."

Karthus naturally chose to accept. He wasn't afraid of death, death was what in fact drove him, he yearned to unlock its secrets.

"I accept"

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"The system will now commence. You have now been recognized as the proprietor. You have access to the systems database"

Karthus was intrigued, "What is in the database?"

"Only your stats for now, once you get ahold of books you can store information easily"

"Show me my stats"

"Name: Karthus | Age: 12 | Race: Human |

"Constitution: .5 |Strength: .4 | Agility: .7 | Spirit: 5"

Karthus looked and shrugged, he was below the base stat of 1 generally. But living in the slums would naturally put a toll on a mortal body. He had a feeling that his high spirit was from him interacting with the dying. The secrets of death seem to be fortifying his soul.

As Karthus waited he stood in anticipation, but the system told him nothing else. Soon dawn approached but he wasn't tired. He watched his sisters as he waited to hear from the system. Suddenly the door was slammed open. A large figure stumbled in clearly drunk, it was Karthus's farther. His father slowly walked toward him and with each step the smell of alcohol intensified. Soon they stood face to face.

"You are a curse" his father slurred. " Ever since you were born you have brought despair to our household. Your mother died giving birth to you, I lost my savings, and now your sisters are dead while you stand healthy." Karthus looked in indifference, he was used to his father drunkenly shaming him.

A large fist flew forward and Karthus tasted blood in his mouth. Then a torrent of blows hit his body. "Why must you still be alive, WHY" his father wailed while hitting him. Karthus wrapped his hands around himself as his body started aching. Suddenly the blows stopped.

His father sighed "I knew your sisters were going to die before you came last night so I sold their bodies. I think I sold it to adep apprentices so you better be on your best behavior or I will personally kill you to appease them."

Karthus looked at his father coldly, he has never cared about what he did to him unless he interfered with his work of death.

"New mission: Join the adept apprentices- success: Secret hidden gift- failure: You will receive soul backlash which could be fatal."

Karthus looked at the failure terms. He understood that the system wasn't playing when they said he could be led to his demise. It also seemed like the system wanted him to become an adept. It made sense because adepts were the supreme beings, it was named the adept plane for a reason. The only way to be truly powerful is to be an adept.

Two cloaked figures walked into the dilapidated house. Karthus assumed they were the apprentices. Karthuses father immediately went to great them, but they paid him to mind as they inspected the twin bodies.

"When did they die" they questioned his father.

"Umm, I'm not really sure because…"

"3:15 AM" Karthus interrupted

His father fummed but settled down after he saw the figure nod. They handled the body and left no places untouched, once satisfied they turned to Karthuses father.

"Seven gold coins for both bodies" The figure in the left demand.

His father's eyes shone with greed. Seven gold pieces was enough to live comfortably for a month without work. But knowing his father he would squander the money for booze.

"Deal"

As the figures and Karthuses father finished the negotiations he finally saw his chance to finish the mission.

"Masters, would you two be in need of a servant? I can cook and clean while hauling the bodies of my sisters for you" Karthus said.

He stood anxiously while the two figures pondered. Finally the figure on the left spoke which Karthus distinguished as the more talkative person.

"We could use a maid for mortal tasks. But beware, we are going to the Barbossa adept school. A mortal like you could easily lose your life on the journey. And once we arrive we will be relieving you of your service so you will be on your own."

Karthus exhaled in relief, as he heard the system.

"Mission success reward: Adept potential increased and spirit attribute increased. Host can now become an adept."

Karthus smiled, "Thank you masters, he told the figures."

"Follow us,"

Karthus trailed behind his new employers but before he went out the door he turned around and took one last look at his father. His father's eyes were on the gold coins and he was smiling intensely.

He resolutely turned back and walked out the door.

"You ready kid," the figure asked him

"Yes, master"

"Ok, lets go"