“Trials?” Fayde asked. “Wasn’t the torture we just went through enough of a trial?”

“That was the initial purging of impurities resulting from integrating with the System.” Sum reminded. “After integration, each world will have introductory trials to help you assimilate to the new reality you find yourselves in.”

“Trials? As in multiple? How many trials will we have to go through?”

“Just this one is mandatory upon integration. More may be available if you prove yourself strong enough. The System is always testing those at the peaks. Trials are randomized as to who gets assigned to them. Some will only have those of the same class. The majority will be a mashup, however. It depends on who sponsored the trial.”

“What do you mean ‘sponsor the trial’?”

“Remember when Enki asked me if I was a god? Those creatures are the ones who designed the trials. Gods.”

“So, God is real.” Enki stated.

“Gods.” Sum corrected. “I don’t know of one called Yahweh, although I don’t really pay much to the middling levels of existence. I mostly just watch the up-and-coming integrations and powerhouses. It could be possible that your God exists and just isn’t relevant enough in the multiverse to gain my attention.”

Enki grimaced. How could the Lord of Lords and King of Kings be irrelevant? He was the creator of all. Or was he? Enki could not help but question his beliefs, but he needed to focus on what was important right now. “So what trial are we going to face?”

“That’s another benefit of your mother being a Ring Barrer. You get to choose your trial.” It answered.

“You’ve said that before.” Fayde stated. “What do you mean Ring Barrer?”

Sum pointed at the ring on her finger, the one Lith proposed with. “That is a Sovereign’s Ring. They are scattered across the multiverses in both integrated and unintegrated universes. When the ring resonated with its wearer, it acted like a beacon to the system and myself, starting the integration process. The system allows the Ring Bearer and its closest companions, in this case your family, special privileges during the integration process. You’ve already experienced two of them, although they can technically be considered one. No one else is in a space quite like this. They are in a blank room with just their race prompt and the trial they get sent to is randomized. This space offers an empowering version of refinement. More of the red impurities are extracted from you than the others, leaving you in better shape to deal with the trials ahead. You also are getting a hand catered introduction into the system with myself as the guide. Everyone else must figure it out as they go.”

Fayde looked over at Lith with a questioning expression. How did he come by this ring? Almost as if reading her mind, he answered the unasked question.

“I found it in a pawn shop. I thought it looked interesting and it happened to be the right size.” He spoke. It was the truth. Lith was convinced you could always find unique hidden treasures with history in pawn shops.

“So, about your trial.” Sum said bringing everyone back on topic as several large system screens appeared before them. They slowly started scrolling from one side of them to the other, one disappearing as another appeared. Each of them had unique scenery to them. Dark caves, wide snow and windswept tundra, blistering deserts, vast green forests, plateaus, mountains, plains, every diverse region one could imagine. But those were the more normal ones. Some had scenes straight from fantasy or science fiction. Massive cathedral filled graveyards, fields full of war camps, giant mechanized or organic ships, massive technologically advanced cities, and more. As the scenes rolled by them, one caught both Lith and Fayde’s eyes. It was a lone tower sitting amidst a barren wasteland of cracked and dry earth. Despite the view that revealed much of the scenery, the tower stretched upwards endlessly into the sky. As the display reached the center of the line it froze, as if knowing it was the one they were focusing on. As it came to rest a name appeared atop the image: The Tower of Tumult.

“Oh?” Sum queried as he stepped to their side of the display, observing the screen with them. “Do you like this one?”

“Kind of reminds me of a terror card.” Said Lith.

“The Tower. It means disaster, destruction, upheaval, trauma, sudden change, and chaos.” Fayde confirmed. “Generally, it is depicted on fire and struck by lightning, so maybe that’s not what it has in store for whoever goes there.”

“Ah but remember, the System wants you to struggle and grow stronger. Every trial will have its own disaster that may wreck the populace that goes to it. The Tower of Tumult is just one amongst an infinite number of potentially dangerous trails that await everyone. Although I admit I have a peculiar fondness for the trial.” Sum admitted.

“Why is that?” Lith asked.

“It hasn’t been used since I made it.”

“I thought only Gods made the trials.”

“Gods mostly just sponsor the trials these days. Some of them have made their own trials, but again, that hasn’t happened for quite some time. Most trials available now are just Gods taking what other Gods have made, making their own changes to the trial to have it align with their path.”

“I think,” Fayde started, “the more appropriate question is why hasn’t it been used?”

“It has been available since the first universe joined the system. At that time, and for several integrations after, the trials were chosen randomly until the first Gods were invited to sponsor trials. It was available to them then, but none seemed interested in this creation. It also lacks variant trials.”

“Any particular reason the Gods decided not to use it?”

“It was too far from their paths for editing from what they have said to each other. An innumerable number of Gods and somehow all of them have decided that this trial lies outside of their path. Truly a shame.”

“So, with no Gods to sponsor the trial, why is it presented to us as an option.” Asked Lith

“Because I am still able to sponsor any number of trials myself. I just have not had the opportunity or inclination to in some time.”

“Would you be willing to sponsor this trial for us?” Lith continued before turning to his family. “If this is the trial we want to undertake.”

Fayde’s gaze followed their family. It was clear that she and Lith would be making the big decisions for the family, but they would not make any big decisions without considering the opinion of everyone.

“What do you all think? Anything else caught your eyes?” Fayde asked.

“The big lighted city seems kind of cool.” Said Guidry. “But It could have aliens with weird technology, and I don’t think our weapons would match up well to laser guns.”

“Most of the other trials seem to be in hostile environments. We’d be more likely to die to the elements that to the beasts in most of them.” Trevor added.

“I’d rather not get succeed into the vacuum of space or be blown to bits by one of those massive spaceships.” Matia chimed in.

“Looks like we’re all of a mind for the tower as our best bet.” Said Trevor. “Will you sponsor it, Sum?”

Sum nodded before gesturing to the floating screen. “It would be my pleasure.”

Lith nodded to Fayde. She was unquestionably the leader of their family. The pillar which supported all of them. He would always back her play. The ring makes her a ‘Ring Barrer’. Who knew what boons or banes the ring would bring? But together, Lith had no doubt that they could tackle any obstacle that came their way, including the Tower of Tumult.

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Fayde reached out and touched the screen showing the unending tower as it reached up towards the sky. When she touched it, another screen appeared before her.

Trial: Tower of Tumult

Sponsor: Sum

Description: The Tower of Tumult is a tower of infinite floors. Floors are diverse in content and access will be curated to the individual or groups as they ascend the tower. Climb the tower. Claim your power. Make it your own.

Would you like to undertake this trial?

Yes No

Taking only a moment to read the description, Fayde was sure this was the correct decision for her family. She touched the ‘Yes’ displayed on the screen and reality bent.

Fayde, Lith, Trevor, Enki, Matia, and Guidry found themselves on hot barren lands. Above them, two scorching suns rained down heat. The cracked earth beneath their feet chipped occasionally from the winds, revealing new layers of water starved dirt under it. In the distance, surrounding the tower’s perimeter was what looked like a dust storm, cutting off any thoughts of escape. It wasn’t so close as to be any immediate danger, but it too reached ever upwards into the sky, as if they and the tower were caught in the eye of a hurricane that stretched for miles. In their world, it would be classified above category 5 based on just the eye of the storm. The only thing they could make out above them, past the tower, was the two suns, one red and one yellow, and a red orange tinted sky. It was a very harsh contrast to the galaxy they were previously in. They hadn’t noticed how comfortable it was until they had left it.

Before them was the shining silver Tower of Tumult. They looked up trying to peer at the top of the tower, but it continued up until the tower itself became too small to see from their perspective, reaching a vanishing point. They were only a few yards away from the massive door leading to the tower. It was silver and bore a detail-less mechanical looking face surrounded by intricate, nonuniform, and undecipherable script. The base of the tower was so wide that they couldn’t make out the curve from where they stood, although the image they were shown of it clearly made it out to be a cylinder.

As the suns reflected off the side of the tower, a singular line of text on the door began to glow. It was a singular line of text on the right door at roughly eye level. The figure of the line began to shift as the suns seemed to focus and warp the metal door. It only took a moment before the script became decipherable.

“Behold and Beware the Tower of Tumult. Enter and Forge your own Path to the Heavens.” Fayde read from the door as the words finished forming.

At her speaking of the words, a loud groan released from the doors as dust fell from between the seams. Grinding and clanking of gears could be heard as the doors began to crack and open, letting out billowing waves of chilly air. The doors open enough to let them enter standing side by side, which was only a fraction of how wide the massive doors could theoretically open. If they opened all the way, a full battalion of troops could easily walk in using the same formation.

“Let’s get started.” Fayde said as she cracked her knuckles.

As one, the family entered the tower doors, stepping into darkness. The doors began groaning as they closed again. As they closed, the room they stepped into was covered in darkness for only a moment before red orange light began to pulse through lines in the walls. The light started at the door before moving down the hallway, acting as a guide. As they moved a few more steps in, a brazier, recessed in the hallway, came to life on either side of them. It colored the hallway from door to the next brazier in red. As they came it the next brazier, it too came to life. This continued as they walked down the hallway following the red pulses. They had been walking for what seemed like minutes before someone spoke up.

“How long is this hallway?” Matia asked. “Is this the first challenge the tower has for us?”

As if waiting for someone to speak, a voice came from the walls themselves.

“Please proceed to the Welcome Hall.” Came a feminine and monotone voice.

Some members of the family jumped at the disembodied voice. Not that they were scared, but the darkness of the hallway mixed with red pulsing lights reminded some of them of some kind of horror scene. They hadn’t stopped walking even as the voice disturbed their expectant peace. It only took a few more minutes of walking before the hallway opened to darkness. The red lights of the brazier continued along the floor but stopped as the walls stopped or turned, opening into a room.

As they entered, more braziers lit as the entire room was washed in red light. It was massive, seeming to be able to hold an entire city’s worth of people. Between the braziers were red hued humanoid statues. They lined the room from their entrance to the doors on the other side. Quick estimates from Lith numbed them to a few thousand. Fayde walked over to one of the closest statues and examined it. They were thin metallic statues, having the same undetailed face as the mural on the outer door, but the rest of their bodies were immaculately detailed, especially around the joints, and anywhere that a body could move. It looked like it could come to life at any moment. Were they supposed to fight an army of metal statues as a welcome to the tower?

“Engaging protocol Alpha 1.” Came the voice again. “Welcome to the Tower of Tumult.”

Six of the mechanical statues came to life closest to the family. Those that had weapons unsheathed them, preparing for an attack. The statues and the voice had other things in mind, however.

“Please refrain from damaging the Allum.” Came the voice. “Activating Allum 1 through 6 in companion mode.”

Faint lines of blue began to pulse through the creatures, traveling through the intricate lines along their figures. One by one, the Allum stepped out of their recess as new Allum statues rose from the floor to replace them. The family sheathed their weapons but kept a hand on haft as the Allum approached. One some to stand in front of each of them.

“Please take the bonding pendant.” Came the voice again as each of the Allum removed a small circular piece of metal from their chest. They offered the pendant to each member of the group with an open hand.

“What’s a bonding pendant?” Asked Fayde. She didn’t want to bind her or her family to anything before knowing the intentions of the bond.

“The bonding pendant will allow you to communicate with the Allum. The Allum will help you in the safe zones of the Tower of Tumult.”

“Help us how?”

“The Allum will establish and maintain housing, performing any required shopping or trades while you are in the tower, and will act in your place in the Arena. An Allum bond is required to progress in the tower. Please take the bonding pendant.”

“Are they slaves?” Fayde wouldn’t make anyone or anything a slave.

“Allum are rudimentary constructs, built with the intent of servitude and have no sapiency outside of the bonder’s will.”

“So, they are just smart machines with AI programing?” Asked Lith.

“Referencing.” The voice said before pausing for a moment. “Yes.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem then, right?” Asked Lith to Fayde.

Fayde took a moment to think before taking the pendant from the hand of the Allum in front of her. It was supposed to be a pendant, but how was it supposed to be put around her neck without a chain of some kind? She had a necklace on already. It was an amber stone with a tree motif made from braided wire. It hung from her neck from a thick silver braided chain. She moved to unhook the chain at the clasp on the back of her neck, but as her hand that was holding the pendant moved towards the chain, the pendant slipped from her grasp, stopping her.

“Shit.” She said as she started looking down at the floor for the pendant. “Where did it go?”

“Fayde.” Lith said as he pointed at her chest.

She looked down and found the pendant bonded to the amber stone Lith had given her. It functioned as a frame for the stone, and even melded with the brass wired in the tree motif, turning it a silver color.

“Greetings Master Fayde.” Came a new monotone voice. It echoed her own voice but was distinctly robotic in how it spoke. “I am Allum-1. Does Master wish to change this name?”

Names were a unique thing to Fayde. A name held power and meaning. She had waited for a name to come and resonate before giving one to each of her children. Now she waited for a name to come to her for this Allum.

She watched her family all take the pendant from their Allum and fashion it to their jewelry. Lith attached his to one of his lower lobe earrings, a dulled spike hanging from a small loop that went through his ear. It turned the black dyed metal a darker shade of silver and added a blue jewel like stripe to the spike. Trevor followed similarly to Lith with her studs and the pendant appeared to bond to both the lower and lower lobe piercings. Enki added his pendant to his mechanical watch. Matia also put her pendant on a bracelet. Guidry placed his pendant to his chest, and it shrunk a bit as the pendant made its own chain to hang from his neck from. As Fayde watched, a name came to her.

“Prometheus.”

It was the name of a Titan from Grecko-Roman theology. A betrayer of his brethren, and then the Gods. He brought the fires of Olympus to man as a gift when he and his brother were tasked with aiding in the creation of the world. In this case, Prometheus was the gift given to them. A guide to help them climb the figurative mountain, forging a path to claim the power of Gods if they went far enough.

“Understood. Name has been changed to: Prometheus.” Upon confirming its name change, the body of Prometheus shifted its proportions. The change only took a moment and when it was done Prometheus’s figure now mimicked Fayde’s body. It was still made completely of metal and had no anatomical details, but it looked like Fayde if she were a blank mannequin. “How may I help you Master Fayde?”

Fayde waited for the rest of her family to name their Allum before continuing. Lith had named his Allum Anthropo, a contradiction. Anthropo was a Greek prefix for human. Lith’s name was Greek for stone, which could contain some unrefined metal inside of it. Fitting that his Allum had a contradictory name like his own. The rest of the family gave their Allum more generic names. Trevor named hers Max. Enki’s was named Kate. Matia named hers Maria, a single letter difference from her own name. And Guidry names his Allum Gears. After receiving a name, each of the Allum shifted their bodies to match their bonded companion.

“What’s next Prometheus?”

“Master Fayde and her companions should establish a home here on the base floor safe zone before entering the first floor’s combat zone.” The rest of the Allum echoed an agreement with the family.

“Alright, lead the way.”