Nine hours, seven hills later, and three levels later, they took a break. They found that each time a core formed, it immediately flew to Matia and passed through her armor, straight into her body. Each core wracked her body in pain, but it quickly passed, with Lith casting Balm after each core absorbed. Each level seemed to have required double the number of kills than the level before it, and after killing their seventh Alabaster Wolf, all of them had reached level five, and were presented with a screen different than any they had seen before.

Select A Skill:

1. Sweeping Slash – Create gusts of wind in an arc around you that are as sharp as blades, dealing damage in an area.

2. Counter – Take advantage of the opening before you and strike deep.

3. Swift Stride – Be where you are needed, when you are needed.

4. Weak Point – Find the gap in their armor and strike true.

5. Shield Break – A shield can only block until it breaks.

Fayde took her time thinking over her skill choices. Sweeping Strike would help with culling the hordes of wolves as they moved from hill to hill, but at this point, they weren’t much of a challenge. Weak Point and Shield Break both could help her get past the rocky armor of the Alabaster Wolves, but with her current strength and dexterity, even that was becoming easier. Counter would capitalize on her Dodge and Parry skills, but did she really need a skill to do something she had already been doing? No, Swift Stride would be her choice. They had already had some close calls with some of the Alabaster Wolves from overconfidence, some mistakes requiring Lith to cast Heal more than once. This skill sounded like it would let her be there to parry those strikes that would otherwise put her family at risk.

Select a Skill:

1. Mana Shield – Create a barrier of Mana that blocks both magical and physical attacks.

2. Purify – Cleanse a curse.

3. Hallowed Fury – Embrace wrath with divine fervor.

4. Mana Strike – Channel disruptive forces through your fists as you strike.

5. Enfeeble – Make what is strong, weak.

Lith’s options were a mixed bag. He had the option to take Mana Shield like Guidry, which would increase their defensive capabilities. It was a decent option, but Guidry had been managing his mana well, timing the forming and dispelling of his mana shield for just the moment it was needed. Purify was on par with what he assumed Healers could do, but he didn’t want to be just a healer, and the option might pop up again later. He could take it then, That left Hallowed Fury, Mana Strike, and Enfeeble. Hallowed Fury’s description had ‘divine’ in it, and Lith didn’t want to risk tying himself to a God he didn’t know anything about. He needed to keep a clear head in combat anyway, so he didn’t risk taking off another creature’s head after its death. Mana Strike was right up his alley, however. It would turn his fist into more than just blunt instruments. He was about to pick Mana Strike before reading the description of Enfeeble again, ‘Make what is strong weak.’ What if he could cast the debuffing spell as he struck? It’s not like he needed to verbalize the spells he cast. The knowledge was in his book and his mind. How to shape and charge the mana in his body to perform its desired effect. It was brilliant and diabolical. So, what if an enemy was stronger than him? A few punches backed by enfeeble would bring any enemy back on par with his strength, and they wouldn’t have any idea why. Lith made his selection.

Select a Skill:

1. Dodge – Move! Get out of the way!

2. Counter - Take advantage of the opening before you and strike deep.

3. Weak Point – Find the gap in their armor and strike true.

4. Blade Flurry - Become a whirlwind of blades as you overwhelm them.

5. Toss and Return – Throw your blade at your target. Hit or miss, the blade will come back.

Trevor’s choices were similar to her mother’s. For similar reasons, she ignored Counter, Dodge and Weak Point. She could already do all of them at this point. So now she had to choose between Blade Flurry and Toss and Return. Toss and Return sounded super handy, giving her a ranged option, but she hadn’t been putting any of her free points into Will or Intelligence. Her mana was definitely lacking if she was to take a skill like that. That just left Blade Flurry, an offensive skill and didn’t need her to be hidden to take advantage of. She could start putting points into her mana related attributes for the next skill selection. With a bit of resignation, Trevor made her choice.

Select a Skill:

1. Stealth – Conceal yourself before you strike

2. Milti-Shot – Fire more than one arrow at a time

3. Ricochet – Hit them from where they least expect it, anywhere you are not.

4. Identify – Look and know.

5. Mana Shot – Empower your arrow with disruptive energy.

Enki’s choices were what he thought were typical for Archer classes. Hide before you strike. Shoot more than one. Bounce the arrow around. Only Identify and Mana Shot were of actual interest to him. Of course, he too had not put any free points into mana attributes, so mana shot was out of the question for now. Identify though? That would come in handy as they climbed the tower.

Select a Skill:

1. Fire Bolt – Shoot fire at your target.

2. Shock Bolt – Shoot electric energy at your target.

3. Frozen Gale – Unleash absolute cold on your target.

4. Stone Spike – Impale your enemy with the world.

5. Warp Step – You were there, now you’re here.

Guidry’s choices sent his mind reeling. He could choose from any element he wanted to and hurl it at his target. Fire. Ice. Lightning. The earth itself. If he could, he would choose them all. At the same time, what is they met something that could shoot at him from a distance. What if he couldn’t get a shield up in time? So many scenarios went through his head before he made a quick decision. Shock Bolt.

Select a Skill:

1. ??? – Skill is being formed.

2. ??? – Skill is being formed.

3. ??? – Skill is being formed.

4. ??? – Skill is being formed.

5. ??? – Skill is being formed.

Matia looked at her screen in absolute confusion.

“What does it mean ‘Skill is being formed’?” she practically yelled.

“Maybe it’s the cores you keep eating.” Guidry suggested.

“I’m not eating them.” She argued. “Mother fucking stupid ass cores! I better not start growing rocks from all over the place.”

“Ay-yey. Language.” Her father scolded.

“But..”

“You’ll be fine.” He reassured her “If you start growing rocks, we’ll just pluck them like eyebrows, and I’ll heal the wounds.”

She stared at him with rage in her eyes. It was a really bad joke.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vincent opened his eyes to a white room wondering what the fuck was happening. He was just stocking the shelves at the retail store he was an assistant manager at, and now he was in a white fucking room. He knew the job and position was a dead end, but did it really kill him? Surely not. This couldn’t be the end. He had so much to live for.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Hello” said a voice coming from behind him.

“Ah Fuck!” he shouted, immediately turning around. Behind him stood a humanoid white void, somehow distinct from the white room around him. “What are you? An angel? Am I dead? Is this heaven?”

“Relax human. I am not an angel, and you are not dead. This room is a holding area as you are welcomed into the System. You are currently having minor impurities removed from your body. During this time, you are allowed to ask questions, although I may not be able to answer all of them.”

“What’s the system?”

“Simply put, the system allows for people to grow stronger. Methods include but are not limited to skill or spell usage, fighting, crafting, and completing quests.”

“Why is this happening?”

“Your universe has grown to the point that it can withstand being integrated into the system without collapsing.”

“There are other universes?”

“Yes.”

“Can I go to them?”

“Inter-universe travel is possible, yes.” Vincent was about to ask another question before the thing continued. “Initial refinement process is complete. Pease select a class.”

A screen appeared before displaying a series or options, Heavy Warrior, Medium Warrior, Light Warrior, Archer, Mage, Healer.

“Can you tell me about the classes?”

“The time for questions is over. Please select a class.”

“You’re fucking kidding me. I’m supposed to just make a decision without any information?”

“The classes are fairly direct in their description. Please select a class.”

“Ugh. Fine. Whatever.” He said as he chose the medium warrior. It was clear he wasn’t going to get any more useful information from the thing. He found himself immediately equipped with metal plates covering his chest, forearms, upper arms, shins, and thighs, as well as a long sword and a buckler. “Oh shit. Is this what the system can do?”

The thing in white stood there silently, not answering. Vincent was about to ask it another question before another screen appeared in front of him.

Assigning Trial

Please Wait

…

The three dots flashed as if it were a loading screen for one of the video games he played in his down time between work, drinking with friends, and sleep.

“What the fuck is a trial? Did I break a rule or something?”

The figure stood there in silence, not moving in the slightest, before becoming completely indistinct from the room.

“Hey!” Vincent cried out. “Answer me! What the fuck is going on?”

The screen changed.

Tial Assigned

Destination:

Tower of Tumult

Vincent was about to yell into the white void again before he found himself amidst a mass of people. Looking around, all he could see was people shouting and yelling, seemingly just as confused as he was. Beyond the mass of people were two things, an incomprehensively large silver tower and an even larger dust storm that seemed to surround them. Heat and dust pelted him through the crowd of people.

“Hey!” he said grabbing the white robes of a young black man next to him. “What is…”

He was about to ask what was going on before the young man shoved his hands against Vincent’s chest, pushing him away and almost making himself and the people behind him fall.

“Get the fuck off me man.” The young man said taking a few steps back.

Vincent let out a grunt as he ignored the pain of the impact from his chest.

“Chill man. I just want to know what’s going on.”

“You don’t have to grab me to ask a question.” The young man responded. He had backed further away from Vincent, some of the crowd starting to impose themselves between them. “And why would I have any idea what the fuck is going on?”

“I don’t know. Look, I’m sorry I grabbed you. I…” Vincent started to say. He had noticed that the crowd forming between them was comprised of all melee classes like himself. Each of them had their hands resting on their weapons. At the uttering of his words, he noticed that some of their grips laxed, but remained on the hilts or pommels of their weapons. What was their problem? He was just trying to get some information from someone he thought might have done something to go to a trial. Surely, they had more insight on what was going on than he did. He was innocent after all. The kid probably stole and hid something in his baggy clothes at a convenience store or something.

He went to put his hand on the hilt of his longsword. The tough and mean looking men with their unkempt hair were staring daggers at him and who knew when their violent tendencies would make them lash out. He stopped as he saw the men tighten the grips on their weapons again. None of them had drawn their weapons yet but it was only a matter of…

“What’s going on over here?” Ask a gentleman from behind him. The voice sounded calm and rational, but disgruntled at what he was seeing. He looked behind him and saw a tall gentleman with clean cut blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed to be unfazed by the current situation they were all going through. Maybe he had answers.

“Just keeping the peace.” Answered a man from the other side. He was as tall as the man behind Vincent, but with long, dark, dreaded hair and an unkempt beard. The man’s voice seemed calm, but Vincent could see a ferocity behind his eyes. He held a spear and an odd, tall ovoid shield that came to sharp points on the top and bottom.

“That your boy?” asked the blonde man.

“Does it matter if he is or not?” the dark man replied.

“I suppose it doesn’t. Just make sure he stays out of trouble.”

“Don’t start any trouble and there won’t be any trouble.” The dark man was smiling now, and rather insincerely too. He was instigating the blonde man behind Vincent.

Vincent was about to speak up before the blonde hand put a hand on his shoulder.

“Why don’t you come with me, son.”

“Umm, sure.” Vincent said as the blonde man led him away from the other group of people. Turning around, he noticed that there were just as many, if not more, people standing behind him. They exuded an air of superiority, in Vincent’s opinion, their armor shining under the two suns of the world they now found themselves upon.

“What’s your name.”

“Vincent, Vincent Peirce sir.”

“Nice to meet you, Vincent. My name is Nathaniel Jackson.”

“Nice to meet you too Mr. Jackson.”

“Oh no.” he said with a smile as they made their way through the crowd. “You don’t have to call me Mr. anything. Call me Nate.” Nate put his hand gently on Vincent’s shoulder, which caused him to look around them. They were being followed by several of the men from Vincent’s side of the divided conflict.

“Oh, alright Nate.”

“So, tell me, Vincent, what happened over there?”

“I was just trying to figure out what is going on. I was grabbing him to get his attention, and he just pushed me in the chest and started yelling.”

“So uncivilized.” Nate said, shaking his head. “It’s only fair that people would be confused with all of us being sent to this trial. Yet those people are so quick to revert to their primal instincts.”

Vincent nodded his head in agreement. He still had so many questions, and Nate seemed to be more amenable than the group they just walked away from. “Do you know what’s going on here, Nate?”

“From the questions I got to ask before being sent here, I’d say we’re here to grow stronger. We must be strong enough to keep others in check and protect our way of life.”

Vincent continued to nod in understanding. Truly, he was lucky to have Nate happen upon him and that precarious situation. They were now heading towards the tower, flanked on all sides by a group of tell blonde men that escorted them. He could see a lines of hot orange metal forming on the door. He was too far away to make out what they turned into, but shortly after the orange lines disappeared, the doors opened into a wide, almost canyon like hallway. Red pulsing lights and blazing braziers lit the seemingly endless hallway.

“We will have to grow fast if we want to avoid falling into an archaic society run by those people.” Vincent said as he led their group into the tower. They spent minutes walking in silence, Nate occasionally calling one of his men over and whispering something that Vincent couldn’t hear. Eventually they came to a large open room full of robots called Allum. One of them approached him and presenting him with something called a ‘Bonding Pendant’, which made the Allum his own personal servant. Finally, he had someone to do every tedious and bothersome task so he could focus on the important things. He didn’t know what those important things were at the moment, but he was sure that Nate had an idea of what they should do.

The Allem led them through the room to a large open area, big enough to build a city in. His Allum explained to him that this was called First City and was a safe zone where they could rest between their journeys through the floors. Each ten floors they cleared would allow them to move up the tower to the next city safe zone, which had new amenities for them to enjoy, like shops, training areas, and parks. Vincent made it his goal to get to the Second City as quickly as possible.

People had been moving out through the city, some having their Allum summon a home close to the entrance while others moved closer to the portal in the center, and a house that was already constructed right next to it. Was there already a resident of the tower before they arrived?