Chapter 3

Power Is Everything

As the gate to the cage opened, Jacob and the twins were beckoned to exit by one of the Rok’thorian soldiers. The twins looked at Jacob first to see what his move was. "Well, I know staying in here does me nothing good." Jacob thought as he jumped out of the cage, bringing on a sharp pain in his side that reminded him of his broken ribs. The twins followed suit shortly after. Standing outside the wagon, they saw what appeared to be a massive keep surrounded by the autumn-colored forest. The keep was constructed from black, almost obsidian-like bricks, and the mortar used resembled the same color as the reddish clay armor the Rok’thorian wore. At first sight, Jacob could tell that whatever these walls were, they were incredibly hard and durable. The keep itself was shaped like a square with four even sides, and towers protruded at least ten stories from each corner. The space in the middle must have been at least fifteen stories tall. In the windows of the towers and the central building, reddish-yellow lights emitted and flickered, implying heavy movement within the structure. The walls between the towers bore a guard every 10 or 15 feet, spanning the 100-yard-length walls. In front of Jacob, he could see a massive 50-foot gate where hundreds of people were funneling in like cattle heading to the butcher's house.

Jacob looked at the soldier who had opened the gate. The soldier immediately barked some orders to him and pointed to the rest of the people walking toward the gate. Jacob, not wanting to test their patience, immediately started walking toward the gate, and more and more people followed suit as they, too, were instructed to leave their cages and directed to the gate. While Jacob was making his way to the gate, one man decided to make a run back towards the forest. Before the man could even get 10 yards away from the crowd, a fireball was hurled from the wall, moving so fast that Jacob's eyes could barely follow it. The fireball struck the man in the back, and instantaneously, the man was set ablaze. Within a few seconds, there was nothing left but a small pile of black ash. This quickly extinguished anyone's thoughts of fleeing.

"A fucking fireball? Fuck me," Jacob thought to himself. He had always joked with Jim about shooting fireballs, it being one of the most classic spells one can think of in any fiction. Well, I guess that or a lightning bolt. Nevertheless, Jacob had wiped away any thoughts of trying to escape at this point.

Jacob, along with the rest of the arrivals, was ushered inside what appeared to be a massive hall. They were corralled into the center of the room, which seemed even bigger than the structure itself. "How is this possible? Is there some kind of magic involved?" Jacob wondered. As the last person entered, he estimated there were about 1000 people. Considering the thousands of people that were in the clearing and in the sky, he realized that his assumption, which was actually more impactful than he first believed, indicated that the majority of people did not make the journey to the keep.

Surrounding the large group of people were armed soldiers. To the opposite side of where they entered, they could see large tables with gear and equipment on them. Behind the tables were wooden boxes, some open and some still closed. The open ones appeared to contain more gear and weapons. Jacob could only assume that the closed ones were filled with the same things. Behind the tables stood multiple Rok’thorians. They didn't appear to be guards, as they were not wearing armor, but some type of dark leather clothing. To the right side of the room were stairs that led up to a 5-foot-high platform. Upon it stood a Rok’thorian, a bit on the shorter side, but with a crazy athletic physique, much slimmer than the rest. Adorned in a more sophisticated armor set, it snugly fit his body, plated with the same sanguine red clay-like material, but much more intricate. It was trimmed with some sort of gold-looking material. It was clear that this Rok’thorian had a much higher status than the rest. Next to the Rok’thorian was a pedestal that housed a large purplish crystal containing what appeared to be stars and cosmic dust swirling inside it.

The distinguished Rok’thorian pulled out a much smaller light bluish crystal from within his gear. He brought it to his face as if to inspect it, then held it close to his chest, bowing his head and beginning to mutter something. Jacob tried to hear, but the sound of the crowd’s mumbling was overpowering from his distance. Not that it mattered anyway since he could not understand him. Suddenly, the Rok’thorian opened his eyes, which now emitted a bright blue glow, matching the color of the crystal he was holding to his chest. A wave of energy shot out of him, filling the entire room. The crowd was now gripped with fear, their attention focused on the platform. What had he just done? Were they all doomed?

“Welcome my guests, and as guests I am here to give you gifts, the first gift being the languages of the multiverse.” Jacob was shocked by the Rok’thorians announcement. He could actually understand him. It wasn’t as if the Rok’thorian was speaking English either, he actually understood the Rok’thorian language. Dumbfounded Jacob quickly brought up his log.

Multiversed Rhetoric acquired

Multiversed Rhetoric – Ability – Rarity: Uncommon – Gives the user the ability to speak with any sentient creatures of the multiverse, must be evolved to understand languages of Diamond rank or higher.

"Well, that's insanely convenient, I need to also ask guide about these ranks" Jacob thought, pleased by the sight of the skill.

"I am Motta, Viscount to Lord Rakthar of the Rok’thorian Kingdom. I know you're all wondering how you got here and why you're here. Do not worry, for it is good that you are. You are all here for an opportunity at power. Every few millennia, a world gets added to what is known as the multiverse. The sentient inhabitants of that world get teleported to one of the previously integrated planets for 6 months while their world is going through integration, a type of terraforming if you will. You all have been privileged enough to land here, in the Rok’Thorian Kingdom. Our Lord, Rakthar, is searching for a strong and powerful ambassador to the Rok’thorian Kingdom. They will have full support, including titles and status, both powerful tools in this new world you are now a part of. It also gives you the support and supplies you need to establish yourself back on your home planet, as well as being a representative to further expand the Rok’thorian Kingdom. In front of..."

"Why the hell would we help you when you just killed thousands of us?" A voice in the crowd yelled, interrupting the Viscount. Quickly, the crowd parted ways as soldiers closed in on the young man whose voice rang out. The Viscount waved them off before they could fully approach.

"Why?" said Motta as he walked up to the man. "Why, you say?" The Viscount gently placed his hand upon the now frozen-with-fear man. Suddenly, the man's eyes and mouth emitted a bright teal light. His skin began to dry up and become brittle, his hair turned gray and started to fall out. His body lost all mass, shriveling up like a skeleton. It was as if Motta was draining his vital energy. No, that's not right; it's as if he was leeching his very soul while consuming his vitality.

"Because power, power is everything." And with that, the Viscount turned around and headed back to the platform, even before the man, now a mere bag of bones, collapsed to the ground. The crowd stood awestruck.

"Where was I?" Motta said as he returned to the platform.

"Ah yes, this crystal you see here is known as an Admin Pylon. The Admin, or better known as The Administration, runs the multiverse. Do not ask me to explain, as it will take much too long. Perhaps in your journeys, you'll learn more about the cursed admin as you progress. This Pylon allows you to choose a class, a role if you will. Since you are all not even Bronze Rank, you will only be allowed two starter classes to choose from: a fighter or a caster. From there, those classes will evolve based on the path you take. I'm sure some of you will be able to evolve your class to something more tailored to you while in the caverns. That evolution will also trigger you to evolve into the Bronze Rank. We are also providing you with two different basic armor types, one for the fighter and one for the caster, as well as a pack filled with some healing and mana potions, as well as stamina potions too. You will find rations there for one month's time. For the remaining time, you will have to hunt or scavenge the caverns for food. A true gift from our Lord Rakthar. Now, form a line and begin choosing your classes and gearing up, for tonight you all enter the Caverns of Ashradul."

Jacob couldn’t help feeling a bit excited by the words spoken by the Viscount, even while fully aware that the current situation was nothing but grave. A part of him couldn’t help but feel a little giddy at the notion of choosing a class. Memories of playing countless RPGs and experimenting with different classes flooded his mind. Thoughts of receiving that first quest to slay a couple of boars to earn precious loot came rushing back. Ah, the loot – there's nothing quite like it. Surely, in these caverns that seem more like a dungeon, there must be substantial loot to be gained. Looking around, Jacob could tell that not everyone shared the same sentiment. Some were on the ground in tears, unable to get up.

Finally, a man in his late 30s began to walk towards the Pylon. He was incredibly built, standing a few inches above 6 feet. With long dark hair that reached his shoulders and a heavy five o'clock shadow, he had a little bit of a “pretty boy” appearance.

“Place your hand upon the crystal and choose your class,” the man did as the Viscount said. He placed his hand upon the Pylon and closed his eyes. Shortly after, a light glowed from the crystal, enveloping the man. Just like that, his class was chosen. The man opened his eyes and nodded to the people slowly starting to line up, confirming that it was safe for them.

“Good, now go get your gear and pack and wait for the rest.”

Soon, the line was fully formed, and Jacob found himself about 50 people away from the Pylon. Behind Jacob was a father appearing to be in his 40s with his son who couldn't have been much older than 10 years old. Suddenly, he felt immense guilt. He had not even thought about his family or friends since his arrival. Amidst all the cruelty and murder, he had allowed himself to feel excitement at the thought of potential power. How could he forget about his family and friends? How could he not think about their safety? A deep worry coupled with shame filled his heart.

“How could I? My mother, my father, my two older brothers – are they okay? Would they still be alive? Was their situation any better than mine, or could it be worse?” Thoughts raced through his mind, bouncing between friends and family. “Jimmy, Josh, Jerry? Justin, Jeff, Matt, Reece? Are any of them okay?” Fear started intertwining itself amongst shame and guilt. “How could I be so stupid? I have to find them, I have to make sure they are okay.” Panic began to set in, his eyes darting around the room in search of answers. But what could he do? He was a slave to the Rok’thorian. Could he try to make a run for it? No, that would be idiotic; surely his body would become a bag of bones if he tried. Jacob took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. There was nothing he could do at the moment. “I must focus on what I can. If they are offering power, then I will attain it and find my family and friends. I swear to God, I will not give up on them.” Jacob clenched his teeth, as well as his fist, his mind racing. He took another deep breath. He was now about 15 people away from the pylon.

“Now, what to choose: Fighter or Caster,” he stated to himself. Then he quickly remembered he had a guide. With that, he began to focus his thoughts. “Hey Guide, can you give me details on the fighter class?” Suddenly, a screen was visualized in Jacob's mind.

Fighter Class – Starter – Rarity: Common- A fighter’s spirit is embodied in you. As you have only just begun your journey, your path is yet to be formed. A fighter tends to enjoy the intimacy of melee and ranged physical attacks but is not limited to them. Use of mana is typically not a fighter’s strong suit but will still be a great asset to the fighter’s path. As you grow, a path will form.

“Good looking out, Guide,” Jacob said, taken aback by the vague description. It was nice to know that choosing a fighter class didn't limit one to the possibilities of mana; it simply had a greater focus on physical attacks. As he contemplated the idea of evolving his class and the path he might take, he soon received the answer.

“The methodology by which you choose to overcome adversity tailors your path. The more you use ideologies that align within a methodology, the further it cements your path. But to change one's path can bring detriment to one's progression. To reach one’s peak, one must be resolved in their ideals,” a robotic voice chimed in his head.

“Well, that’s interesting, but thanks for the clarity,” Jacob replied in his mind. Jacob found himself perplexed by that notion. He had always liked everything. Before Earth’s amalgamation began, Jacob always thought of himself as a jack-of-all-trades kind of guy. But deep down, he knew it wasn't entirely by choice. He just genuinely wanted to try all kinds of things. He enjoyed learning and growing. He was constantly bouncing from hobby to hobby – from boxing to rock climbing, from charcoal drawing to making his own soap. The list goes on. He would become obsessed for months at a time, but he never fully committed. He always found something else he wanted to try. Or was it that he was afraid of commitment? No, that couldn't be right, he told himself. He just didn't have enough passion to fully commit to any of them. Sometimes he thought his passion was simply learning and experiencing things, but that couldn't be right either because it always came down to the fact that none of it matters if you don't have someone to share it with. Loneliness was a great fear of Jacob's, a fear he rarely ever recognized as he was constantly alone. Jacob always told himself that as long as he stayed busy and kept bettering himself, everything would eventually fall into place. "Well, I don’t think I'm going to figure all of this out right now. Can you show me the Caster Class?" Now, only 4th in position to reach the pylon.

Caster Class – Starter – Rarity: Common- A will born from mana is embodied in you. As you have only just begun your journey, your path is yet to be formed. A Caster tends to enjoy the intimacy of magic and mana-based attacks but is not limited to them. The use of physical attacks is not typical for a caster, as casters tend to not be as durable. Harnessing mana will be your focus and will be a major driver for your path. As you grow, a path will form.

Jacob made a motion in the air to swipe away the screen. "It doesn't seem like these classes really set anything into stone; it seems to be more like an affinity choice." Jacob thought to himself. While utilizing mana and killing things while shouting "lightning bolt" over and over does sound cool, Jacob couldn’t help but relate more to the fighter class. That wasn't to say he wanted to be in-depth with mana; he actually wanted to be fully involved in it. "It doesn’t seem like if I choose fighter that I will lose that ability," he thought, and with that, Jacob stepped onto the platform as it was now his turn to choose.

“Place your hand on the pylon and choose your class,” the Viscount said while motioning to the Pylon.

“What would you choose?” Jacob blurted out without thinking, now fueled by worry about getting his body drained.

“A curious one?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

“What I would choose does not matter. It is your path, thus your choice. It is wholly up to you what is best,” the Viscount responded, shocking Jacob with his response.

“I understand, thank you,” Jacob said hesitantly. He also noticed the people next in line making faces at the fact that he was having a friendly conversation with the person who had just drained a man of any resemblance of life.

"Well, that’s going to bite me in the ass," Jacob thought. He didn’t dare ask another question as he placed his hand upon the pylon.

A screen appeared in front of Jacob. He saw the two classes listed before him: Fighter class and Caster Class. However, there was a significant difference between the descriptions and the descriptions he received from Guide.

Fighter Class – Starter –Rarity: Common- A fighter’s spirit is embodied in you.

That was it. Nothing else. And just like the Caster class, it was only one line of information.

Caster Class – Starter – Rarity: Common- A will born of mana is embodied in you.

"Well, that’s incredibly vague. Guide really is something," he thought. Jacob, already knowing what he wanted, mentally selected the Fighter Class. Causing a new screen to appear.

Select Fighter Class? – Warning: This decision is permanent. Yes/No

"Yes," Jacob said under his breath unconsciously, causing the Viscount to smile slightly.

When A third screen appeared.

Choose an ability:

Before Jacob there were three abilities, each with their unique descriptions. Jacob began to smile as he read over the three options. The first skill Jacob read was Fighters Rage.

Fighters Rage – Ability – Rarity: Common: Your blood begins to boil with rage, giving a boost to all stats while suppressing pain for a short period of time. Temporarily weakens you after the ability's duration ends. Can grant boosted stats that are scaled with strength; having higher endurance can reduce the weakening effect after use.

Jacob read the ability a couple of times. “Fighters rage, hmm, this does seem like a great 'oh shit' ability,” he thought. He liked the sound of the ability and could think of multiple scenarios where this would be useful. But there was no way he could decide without reading the other two abilities.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Assailing Rush – Ability – Rarity: Common: Your muscles pushed to the max; you charge to your foe with impending doom, increasing your next melee attack's damage. The ability is scaled off agility. The use of the ability applies a temporary cooldown. Cooldown time can be reduced based on Agility.

Jacob thought to himself that both skills would be great. One could be a catalyst to change the tide of battle when it seemed to be coming to an end, while the other could be an opener that catches your foe off guard. Either way, he still needed to read the last ability for the Fighter class.

Accelerating Shot – Ability – Rarity: Common: Can only be used with ranged weapons. Imbue a ranged attack with mana, causing your projectile to increase in speed. Damage is scaled by range. Grants a minor bonus to affect based on dexterity.

Jacob didn't picture himself with a bow or some sort of ranged weapon. If he was going to fight, he wanted to be in the mix of it all. “Well, that ability is not for me,” giving Jacob two options to choose from. Both had great potential in their own way. After a minute of reading over the two abilities time and time again, Jacob decided to go with Fighters Rage. He felt that Fighter’s Rage would be able to get him out of a mistake, which was his biggest concern as he had no idea what was really waiting for him in the caverns. He did feel bad about losing a potential movement skill, though.

Select Fighter’s Rage – Warning: This decision is permanent. Yes/No

“Yes,” Jacob thought as he selected Fighter’s Rage. Soon, Jacob felt the knowledge of how to use Fighter’s Rage. The feeling, though, was as if he always knew how to use it, like something natural to his body. Not only that, but he was starting to feel mana in his body. If he wanted to trigger Fighter’s Rage, all he had to do was focus on the mana swirling throughout his body and will it to enact the ability. The feeling of mana itself was interesting; it was a warm, comforting feeling that intertwined with every cell in his body. Jacob turned to the Viscount. “All done,” he said with a slight smile.

“Okay? That’s fine, now go get your gear and get ready to enter,” the Viscount said, curious and puzzled by Jacob’s nonchalant demeanor. “What a strange man,” he thought to himself.

Jacob walked over to the tables that were holding the gear and weapons. First, he walked over to the table that had all the weapons. The table had a large variety of weapons to choose from. On the left side of the table, he saw a dagger and longsword, as well as shields laying on the ground next to the table. Next to the longsword was a large two-handed axe. “Well, that’s just badass,” Jacob thought as he picked up the axe to further inspect it, immediately noticing its weight. He brought it up close to his face to get a good look at the material, and immediately, a screen appeared.

Identify object – Rok’ thorian Training Two-Handed Axe – Rarity: Common - A common two-handed axe made by the Rok’thorian kingdom. It is somewhat sharp but is typically used for training purposes.

Jacob was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the screen. “Hey Guide, was that you?”

“Yes.”

“So, you can identify objects, how does it work?” Jacob asked in his mind.

“Yes.”

“You're not going to answer my question?” Jacob thought.

“Hurry up!” a Rok’thorian screamed at him as Jacob was blankly staring off while holding a two-handed axe close to his face.

Jacob quickly put the axe down and began to browse and identify the weapons. He thought that there was no way he was going to go with the axe; it was much too heavy for him to feel proficient with. Not that he would be proficient with any of these, as most people from Earth did not train in close quarter combat with cold weapons. Jacob also saw a staff and a bow, which were both not suitable for Jacob’s style. Even though he currently had no idea what his style was, he knew it wasn't either of those, though the staff did have an interesting feature that allowed the user to channel their spell through the staff. In the end, Jacob went with the safest bet: the sword. He had at least watched a lot of movies and anime with people swinging swords, so that’s got to count for something, right?

Jacob grabbed the longsword and focused his mental energy to identify it once more.

Identify Object – Rok'thorian Training Longsword – Rarity: Common: A common longsword made by the Rok’thorian kingdom. It is somewhat sharp but is typically used for training purposes.

Jacob, happy with his choice, began to walk towards the table with the gear and the packs they were providing. As he walked in that direction, he had an idea. He quickly turned around and snagged a dagger as well, shoving it into his waistband. He didn’t feel the need to identify it as the other two descriptions were pretty much identical.

As Jacob walked over, he brought up his status screen, happy that he could just bring it up in his mind by pure thought.

Name: Jacob Ham

Level: 1

Progression to Level 2: 5.850%

Race: Human F

Class: Fighter

Class Level: 1

Progression to Class Level 2: 0.000%

Status: Slave to Rok’thorian

Health Points: 27 of 30

Mana Points: 5 of 5

Stamina Points: 10 of 10

Attributes:

Strength: 4

Agility: 3

Dexterity: 3

Perception: 4

Endurance: 3

Vitality:3

Intellect: 3

Spirit: 4

Free Points: 0

Abilities:

Primordial Augmentation to Reality – Ability - Unique - Passive – Rarity: ###### – Assists in the user’s growth.

Fighter Class Abilities:

Fighters Rage – Ability – Rarity: Common – Your blood begins to boil with rage, giving a boost to all stats while suppressing pain for a short period of time. Temporarily weakens you after the ability's duration ends. Can grant boosted stats that are scaled with strength, having higher amounts of endurance can reduce weakening affect after use.

Looking over his status screen, Jacob noticed his class and class level now being added as well. He also noticed his health up to 27 of 30 and his stamina back up to full. He then realized that the pain he was feeling on his side was a lot less painful, now just feeling really bruised instead of them being broken. He also saw that there was the letter F next to his Race. Assuming that this must be some sort of race grade, he mentally asked Guide.

“Any chance you can explain that letter next to my race?”

“Every race in the multiverse starts at a certain grade depending on the general mana affinity to that race. Grades rank from F to A. Humans being in the worse grade. “

“I see, thanks.” The worse grade sounds about right as humans have never used mana, at least not to his knowledge. Of course, there were many folk lore and legends depicting users of magic, but those were all made up right? Or were they? Stamina must also recover decently fast now too as he was now full and could tell he was full of energy. “Class level huh?” He thought it was interesting that there were 2 separate levels, one being generally for him and one being for his class. Curious about how those would work together he made a mental note. “I guess I’ll ask Guide later about this after I get my gear, I should probably ask about the rarity he as too, now that I think about it.” Jacob was confused why he had an ability’s rarity blanked out but haven’t given it much thought till now due to the current events that demanded more attention.

As jacob approached the table with gear he was handed a black leather pack from one of the Rok’thorian. Inside he found potions as well as 1 months' worth of field rations.

Identify Object – Minor Healing Potion – Rarity: Common- A basic healing potion that grants a portion of health to the consumer.

Identify Object– Minor Mana Potion – Rarity: Common – A basic mana potion that grants a portion of mana to the consumer.

Identify Object – Minor Stamina Potion – Rarity: Common – A basic stamina potion that grants a portion of stamina to the consumer

Identify Object – Rok'thorian Barrack’s Ration – Rarity: Common – A variety of mixed dried meats procured from the Rok’Thorian Kingdom. Bland in taste, it provides all the essential nutrients.

Jacob had a total of 5 healing potions, 3 mana potions, and 3 stamina potions. The meat resembled some type of jerky, but it was obvious that the dried meat was from a wide variety of creatures. Some of it looked like beef but had a much lighter color, while some were closer akin to dried fish, but the colors of that meat ranged somehow like the rainbow. There was a pungent smell to them as well. It made Jacob’s nose tingle, similar to when you get a big whiff of salt and vinegar flavorings.

“I wonder if that’s some type of preservation method that gave it that smell,” Jacob thought as he inspected his bag. But the meat wasn’t what really drew his attention; it was the potions. The potions, based on the descriptions Guide gave, were exactly what anyone would think a potion would do. The appearance, though, was something else, with a slight glow for each of them. The healing potion gave off red hues, the mana potion with bluish hues, and stamina gave off a yellowish-orange color. The fluid of each of them rotated constantly within the bottle, giving off minor crackles of light further exaggerating the colors of each. Jacob could feel the energy within each of them, and he could feel his body slightly urging for the energy within them. In no way was Jacob going to consume them now; he looked at them purely for emergencies for when they entered the Caverns of Ashradul.

With his pack slung over one shoulder, Jacob looked down at himself. A ripped-up black shirt wrapped around his torso, wearing black pants and black boots. Jacob really liked the color black, mostly because you never had to worry about matching colors.

“Yeah... I need to fix this, I look like shit,” he thought. Jacob did have 2 sleeves of tattoos as well as tattoos across the left side of his chest that had been in full view ever since he wrapped his shirt around his torso. Jacob sighed as he thought everyone probably thinks he's some kind of punk. Then he quickly realized that was an idiotic thought. There were orc-like humanoids running around casting fireballs, for goodness' sake.

“Yeah, who gives a shit. It is what it is.”

Jacob walked up to the table with the gear. On the table, there was a leather chest piece that covered the pecs as well as having leather spaulders to cover the shoulders. The color resembled the same black leather that the Rok’thorian used but without the reddish-orange plated attachments.

Identify Object – Rok’ Hide Leather Armor – Rarity: Common: A leather armored chest piece made from Rok’Hide Boar’s leather. Crafted by the Rok’thorian, it provides moderate protection from physical attacks.

Jacob knew this was his obvious choice after further inspection, as the other piece of gear was a dark grayish robe that provided moderate protection from magical attacks instead of physical attacks. Obviously, magic protection sounded like a valuable choice as well. But he figured if he had to choose one or the other, physical damage was probably more commonly used in early levels, basing this entirely on his experience with RPG games. Jacob put the chest piece on and thought he looked pretty badass. “Alright, monsters of Ashradul, bring it on,” he muttered sarcastically under his breath.

Jacob walked over to the group of people gathering back in the center of the room waiting for everyone to finish selecting their class and gear.

“Say, Alan , what did you end up choosing, based off your appearance I'm guessing you went with the fighter class?”

“You’d be correct Alice, and by your appearance I’m assuming, Caster?” Alan stroked his hand through his long dark hair,

“Oh, you know me so well Alan” Alice responded spinning in a circle causing her robes to twirl.

“I went with the healing spell, so I can stay in the back and help you” Alice said with a smile on her face, batting her eyes at Alan.

“Smart girl. Leave the heavy hitting for me.”

“Oh, look there’s that man who was trying to have a conversation with that demon.”

As Jacob approached the group in the center, he found himself chuckling under his breath as the crowd looked like they were apart of some cosplay convention.

“Excuse me, what is so damn funny!” A women said in a stern tone.

Jacob saw a beautiful woman, making him think that she must have been some type of social media influencer. Even through the journey to the fort her hair somehow stayed immaculate. She was wearing the grayish robes from the gear table that made her bright blonde hair stand out. Next to her was a large man, Jacob realized that it was the first man to choose his class. With his shredded possibly, performance enhanced physique now closer to inspect. He started to put the 2 people together as the worst kind of people of the 21st Century.

“Are you stupid, she asked you question dick head.” Alan asked Jacob as he was just pondering while staring at them.

“I was just laughing because we looked like we are at a cosplay convention.” Jacob wanted to be a smart ass, but he figured he might as well keep it cordial for now, no need to make enemies.

“Oh, he’s one of those nerds Alice, freaking freaks. You better be careful, I heard they're into weird fetishes.”

Alice used her hands to cover her chest, as if Jacob was going to assault her.

“Disgusting, you better not get in our way pervert.”

Jacob sighed, beginning to walk in a different direction.

“Hey, were talking to you pervert.” Alan yelled out causing nearby bystanders to listen as well.

“Everyone this guy is pervert; you all should stay away.” Alan said to the onlookers, causing the people closer to Jacob to back away.

“Hey dude, can you just politely fuck off? I didn’t do anything to you.” Jacob rebutted, hoping the entire crowd now invested in this high school drama that he wasn’t some sort of predator.

“Excuse me, do not talk to Alan like that.” Alice said, her chin so high that she might as well be staring at the ceiling.

“Alright, I'm going to walk away now.”

Jacob turned his back yet again, beginning to walk when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

“You’re not going fucking anywhere; you disrespected me and my girl.” Alan yelled. This got the attention of some Rok’thorian soldiers.

“Guys, Guys, Guys, lets calm down before we all get destroyed by these monsters that call themselves the Rok’thorian” An insanely good-looking man said. He made this guy Alan look like shit. Even causing Alice to be taken aback as she clearly was attracted to him.

“And who are you” Alice said with a flirting tone. Which visibly made Alan jealous.

“My name is John, and I think we can all agree that the true enemies are these Rok’thorian or what lies within this so-called Cavern.”

“Alan he’s probably right, we don’t need to stoop to the level of this pervert.” Alice said switching here tune immediately, trying to be agreeable for good-looking man Infront of her.

“Alright Alice, Lets go” Alan said quickly as he was kind of intimated by John, even though Alan was much bigger, he didn’t want Alice to get to know him any better.

“Man, thank you, those guys got some serious insecurities.” Jacob said towards John as Alice and Alan walked away.

John was slightly taller than Jacob, around 6 foot 1. As Jacob was only 5’ 10. He had a blonde hair in a voluminous comb over. With bright icy blue eyes. “How the hell did these people still look so good after their trip from the clearing.” He thought. John was wearing the grayish robe and had the staff across his back.

“Yes, quite the egos, did you end up choosing fighter?”

“I did.” Jacob responded

“Caster?”

“That would be correct.” John said.

“Do you mind if I ask you what ability choices it gave you? I’m Curious. Fighter gave a stat enhancing ability, as well as a ranged shooting one and a movement ability.”

“There was a healing spell, a fireball for Pete's sake, and some type of magical barrier. I decided to go with the Barrier. As I'm with my 2 younger siblings, one of them chose Fighter with that rush movement skill you were referring to as the other choose Caster choosing the healing spell”

“Oh nice, that’s pretty good setup, I went with the rage ability. I do think you guys need a little more damage though, as you guys are mostly utility and support.”

John was taken aback by the information.

“Oh, do you have some sort of experience with killing monsters in a cavern? John said with a playful, yet sarcastic tone.

“Oh no, I don’t, I just, I have a lot of experience with very similar hypothetical situations, and typically in a group you’d you want someone to heal, someone to soak up damage, preferably someone with some sort of utility like your barrier, and the rest damage, though when stacking damage it wise to have a variety of different types of damage to help cover all weakness’s”

“Sounds logical.” John shocked by the explanation

“Right now, you have healer, and utility and someone to initiate the battle. I'd say all you need now is a caster or fighter focused on damage and then you would have a nice little fireteam.”

“Fire team?”

“Yeah, I was in the Marines before all this crap, and squads were typically made up of 3 fire teams, each holding 4 people.”

John perked at the mention of being a Marine.

“Now that you have all selected your classes and have your gear. Put yourselves in groups of 4. You will have 10 minutes to do so, once you have your group ready head to the door over there” The viscount atop the platform pointed to one of the sides of the hall that had a large dark wooden door, with the width of at least 10 feet. “In 10 minutes, we well head down to the entrance of the Caverns of Ashradul.”

“Say, would you like to join our group? You did say more damage is what we need.”

Jacob had yet to talk to anyone else, and John seemed nice enough, hopefully his siblings were as well.

“Sure, sounds like plan.”

John beckoned Jacob to follow. And the 2 men walked in the direction that John came from.

“This is my younger brother Tyler, and my younger sister Ashley. Ashely took the healing spell and Tyler took the Rush ability.”

Jacob gave an awkward wave.

“Hey guys, I’m Jacob, I picked fighter with the rage ability. “

“You picked the rage? The rush ability is way better, no weakening affects, you know what I mean.” Tyler said in a very much little brother way.

“Don't be rude Tyler. Like my brother said, my name is Ashley and I choose the healing spell. Someone must keep these boys alive.”

The group discussed for a bit, getting to know each other better and sharing their experiences thus far. The siblings were out of Georgia when the Amalgamation happened. Which made Jacob think the people who fell in this area must of all been from a specific region, as Jacob’s flight must have been around Georgia as well, as he was close to it when the Amalgamation happened. Jacob explained his life on earth and what he did. John was a firefighter, which made sense to his physique. His shoulders were so damn big that it made the robe look like he was almost wearing a skin suit, he wasn’t shaped like a body builder though, but a lean mean fighting machine, honestly it was pretty hilarious how he looked in a robe, the armor would have made him look OP as hell. Tyler was shorter than both Jacob and John but was stocky like a bull. He wielded the 2 handed axe and was currently swinging it around in air playfully, making swooshing sounds out loud as well. Meaning Tyler was strong as an ox, though a little immature one might say. Ashley was gorgeous in her own right. Definitely a little reserved but had a certain mystique to her. She had Strawberry blonde hair and wore glasses that only made her green eyes pop more. She was the smallest of the group, a little over 5 feet tall.

“The 10 minutes is up, please make your way through doorway, and down the stairs. Those who didn’t find a group, tough shit, you must go by yourself or get snagged up by a group on the way, either way head down.”

Jacob and his group made their way towards the doorway. People without full groups or those by themselves quickly rushed to snag anyone they could see. A few small arguments erupted, but before everyone could make their way through the large door, the groups settled, and it seemed like everyone found their spots.

Through the door, a large spiraling staircase awaited. Its walls were constructed with dark stone, adorned with torches emitting a flame that was deep red and occasionally flickered yellow, much like normal fire but with a much richer hue. Most likely powered by mana, as lighting every single one of these torches that descended an almost endless stair would take forever. Not only that, but each torch emitted a brightness much greater than what Jacob had ever seen from a fire of that size. Down they went, Jacob and his group.

“Hey John, I've been meaning to ask you something. Did you by chance have like a menu that shows your status as a person and your abilities and stuff?”

“Yes, we all do, we realized it soon after we got in our cages.” This made Jacob feel a bit embarrassed, for he thought he may have been special.

“Damn those twins” Jacob said under his breath, they were just too dumb to realize.

"Did you think you were the only one?" John asked as he clearly read Jacob's emotions written on his face.

"Anyways, what do you think we're about to run into?"

"To be honest, your guess is as good as mine, if not better, seeing as you've been in 'similar situations,'" John said, making air quotes with his fingers.

"Well... in those scenarios, it's typically a really dangerous place, probably with some super-strong enemies, bosses if you will."

"We are talking about video games, aren't we?" John said, clearly seeing through Jacob's attempt to hide his so-called experience in video game RPGs.

"I mean, the character screen made it pretty obvious," John said again, clearly reading Jacob.

"It’s super RPG-like." John's response shocked Jacob in a positive way. Not everyone knew what an RPG was, and the fact that John did would be a huge benefit if this so-called new world ran and operated like an RPG by this so-called Administration, or was it Admin? Definitely Admin.

"Yeah, pretty much. I didn't think you knew what an RPG was, to be honest. You look more like a CoD player," Jacob responded guiltily.

"Hah! I am. I just have some friends who are obsessed with them, so I know what an RPG is."

Jacob and John talked a little bit about different games they played, but it was clear that John had no idea about RPGs, just the fact that they usually involve someone shooting fireballs. It was always fireballs. But either way, Jacob thought John was a smart guy and had a good head on his shoulders, and his siblings didn't seem too bad, especially his sister. Man, she was pretty.

Soon, the crowd that had been in the hall reached the bottom of the staircase, which opened up into a large, open space, leaving mouths wide open in awe.

"Ho-ly shit!"