“Royal Boogeyman!”

“Prince of Perverts!’

-Really?- the earthlings seemed to be looking strangely at the air in front of them, lost in thought, but some noticed me come in and the bad jokes started coming.

“Not too young for you, hero?” the pixie haired woman approached holding her hand out in front. “Mary.”

“If there's grass on the field then I don’t mind some blood on my sword.” I shook her hand. “Marcus.” We both chuckled.

“Disgusting. She’s only 12.” a little girl pouted.

-Indian decent. Good quality clothes. Perfect english and proper posture.-

“And you’re about 10 yet you’ve understood the joke and analogy perfectly. So what does that tell us about you?” I smiled my most innocent smile “Especially considering that your family is most likely very careful not to bring such subjects up.”

I go down on one knee to be at her eye level.

-Still too high but it’s better than nothing…-

“Marcus.” I hold out my hand.

“Tania.” She gives her best effort at shaking it.

“But don’t worry. Even if you’re like that, 10 is too young even for me.” I wink.

She snaps her hand back as if mine was suddenly covered by feces and runs to hide behind a woman's leg. The adult around us laugh out loud.

“Nice to know they can still act like kids.” I say to the woman the girl is hiding behind.

-It’s the same one that slapped the brat who was talking pointlessly.-

“Yes, it is.” She puts her large hand on the girl's hand gently. “Too smart for their age.”

“I bet I can say that about most of the people in this room.” I look around at the crowd. No panic. No fear. Just very focused expressions and analyzing gazes.

“All except for you!” Mary pats my back a few times in sympathy. “Stick close to me and I’ll protect your stupid little ass.” She gives me a little spank and moves to the other woman.

“Thank you, Mistress.” I bow my head and pinch her behind.

Mary turns in surprise but just smiles and continues to the woman with her hand held out.

“Mary.”

“Inga.” Her hands stay firmly on the little girl.

“Marcus.” I nod my head and Mary uncomfortably puts her hand down.

She nods back.

“Explain to him before it starts.” The girl pulls on Inga’s skirt.

“About getting our powers from the gods?” I ask.

“So you already heard?” Mary asks.

“The guard mentioned a whispering and I saw the way you keep looking excitedly at the altar. It wasn’t hard to guess.”

She laughed.

“Just you wait. You’ll soon be as excited as me. Look!”

A man covered in robes, the same one as the man who conjured the magic light in the throne room wore, took his place next to the stone altar. Two more joined him soon.

“It’s starting…”

“Who wishes to go first?”

“I’d like to be third!” I raised my hand as everyone laughed.

“I’ll start.” An obese woman walked forward.

“Wonderful. Just stand in the stone circle and listen.” The priest stepped sideways and motioned elegantly with his hand.

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The woman struggled up a few stairs and the large man with the russian accent took her place. I started moving to take my place behind him. A line was already starting to form but a spot was left open for me.

Just as I claimed my spot one of the bowls spewed fire, painting the temple yellow and orange.

“Congratulations.” the priest said to the woman. “Please wait until the rest are finished.”

-It took no longer than a few seconds…-

The russian man hurried forward.

“Was it weird?” I asked as she passed me by.

“Nope. Exactly as they said.” Her eyes kept jumping from me to the thin air a little to the left of me. “Many voices whispered proposals and I just thought what I wanted and chose from the ones that could offer.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like th” she was cut short by one of the bowls starting to shake violently.

“Congratulation.” said the priest to the russian man.

“You’ll see in a moment.” the woman said. “Good luck.” We started walking.

“I hope your status screen showed more options than mine…” she added when I was almost up the stairs.

-Did she say status screen?-

*TING*

A small translucent screen appeared in front of my eyes.

-FUCK!- I looked back in shock at the crowd behind me. Mary and the little girl were holding their mouths in laughter.

-Shit! Fuck! Fuuckk! Jumped to conclusions without hearing everything, again, and now I have no idea what this means. Should've listened to Mary instead of trying to show off. Maybe there’s still time. Quickly. Name. Title? It’s empty so whatever. Health. Mana. Strength. Can’t they shut up! I can’t hear myself think. Looks like a regular status screen from an RPG… Dexterity. Endurance. Vitality. Wizdom. So loud! Why are they so noisy all off a sudden… Intelligence. Luck?  Aghh I can’t hear myself think!  Why are all my stats suddenly zero? What the fuck? Is it broken? -

“SILENCE!” I shouted at the room.

Suddenly my head cleared. Everyone was looking at me in wonder. Mary and the little girl gave up trying and were laughing at my sorrows openly.

-There’s someone else laughing though…-

‘Finally you notice.Scared everyone away, you did’ Something whispered in my ear and I turned around but nothing was there.

Whatever said that laughed again.

-All for the better. Left me with the only one who wasn’t afraid.- I tried to add a mental wink.

‘Flattery won’t work with me, boy.’

-Bargaining?-

‘Nope.’ He chuckled.

-Oh no… it’s my body you're after? Pervert!-

He laughed again.

-Good. Keep laughing. Let me stay on your good side.- My subconscious worded in my mind, and I hoped he couldn’t hear that as well.

‘Oh… but I sure can.’ He laughed and I noticed a tinge of evil in the end.

‘And I can choose to leave you with nothing.’

I gulped.

‘And people with no power in this world are doomed to a fate worse than death.’

The image of the hare slave suffocating repeatedly flashed in my mind.

‘Even worse.’ he whispered in my other ear and laughed.

‘But I will help you and in return you shall live your life for my entertainment.’

I could feel him smirking.

-Then I refuse.-

‘You think you can?’ he laughed loudly in both my ears at the same time.

-Don’t know, don’t care. If the others could come and leave then I’ll wait for them to return.- I sat down on the stone altar.

‘You will now? And what about the rest of your friends. There's only one altar. And if you leave this stone than you lose your only chance at power.’

-They can join me if they want. Even better that way. I’m sure some of your friends will return for them and I won't have to wait long.-

He laughed.

“Tsk.”

“What are you doing?” Asked one of the priests.

“This guy here thinks he can make me his plaything. So I plan to wait for someone else.”

“There’s only one?” the priest's voice sounded nervous.

“Yeah. Apparently I scared everyone else away. So tell the next guy that he can come join me. I won’t bother him.”

“Run!” He reached his hands towards me.

‘Fool! It is only your choice when there are others to fight over you!’ He roared in laughter.

I felt him slip inside my ear.

‘You amuse me.’ A sudden headache blinded me for a few seconds.

‘I will give you the power to do that to the best of your abilities.’

The pain was subsiding.

‘No more will you lack knowledge. No longer will you be unprepared.’

The pain disappeared and my vision was starting to return.

‘The most boring outcome is death. So survive by all means.’

The announcement appeared in my mind once my vision returned.

Tricksters Blessing

Fate and luck have abandoned you.

Hypothetical Anchoring gifted.

Hypothetical Anchoring Skill Added

Set an anchor in time, allowing you to return to it after exploring future possibilities.