Charomera

The 24th of Elaphebolion

The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals

Arche floated in a vast, dark void. There was no sensation. No twist of wind, despite his breathing. No smell, no sight, no taste. The place was alien and all too familiar. As his bare feet settled down onto what felt like cold stone, Arche had a sudden realization.

This place, whatever it was, had born him into consciousness.

What had that been…nearly a month ago? Arche could scarcely believe that time had gone by so quickly. He was no longer wearing his elven leathers and boots, but was back in the crude, cotton clothing he’d first woken up in. Something rippled at the corners of his vision and he turned to look, seeing a set of doors flicker into existence as though someone had pulled a curtain back to reveal them. Four doors in total, each staring back at him from cardinal directions, if this place even had cardinal directions.

Arche stepped up to the first door. It was made of some sort of cherry wood, stained a dark red with burnished steel accents. The knob to the door was that of a dagger handle and, as Arche looked closer, he could see that the door was engraved with tiny carvings of more weapons than he could name. A notification appeared over the door as he approached.

Combat

Arche looked at the door with a considering eye. If this was where he was to choose a profession, a combat profession was the most attractive choice. Still, it would be foolish to choose it without even looking at what else was available. He took a step back and the message over the door faded. Arche turned to the right and approached the next door.

This door was a rich purple and had a texture that resembled fabric rather than wood, stone, or steel. Unlike the straight frame of the combat door, this one was twisted and gnarled with a plethora of angles and shapes. The door itself was rounded at the top and had a paintbrush hanging from the frame.

Artisan

Arche nodded to himself and moved on to the third door. This door seemed more sterile than the other two. It was made from white metal with a circular window of glass at head height. The window was circular, like a porthole, and as Arche peered through it, he saw absolutely nothing. There was no frame to this door, but at the bottom was a sort of steel kick-plate. There was no handle or knob to the door, but a thin silver sheet of metal on one side seemed to indicate him to push. Something about the door seemed familiar to Arche but he couldn’t recall ever seeing a door like that.

Scholar

Arche grunted and, with one last attempted look through the window, turned away to inspect the last door. This door was the plainest of all. Even the sterility of the Scholar door had its own quiet elegance and intellect of craftsmanship, but this door was made from mud and sticks. Granted, the mud was smooth and the sticks had been debarked and aligned in very neat vertical rows, but there was no denying that it was using the least quality of materials when compared to the other three.

Labor

Arche stepped back to the center and turned slowly, looking at each of the doors in turn. Combat was the obvious choice. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else, something just beyond his senses. He looked carefully at the void, peering into the darkness between doors and even upward, but there was nothing out of place.

“Come on. What am I missing?”

A small knock echoed in the empty space. Arche spun around, searching for the source. It seemed almost to have come from the ground, but where? He took a step to reexamine the void spaces between doors and stumbled. Something beveled on the ground had caught his toes. Arche dropped to his knees and searched with his hands.

Something was sunk into the floor and hidden by a cloak of void. Upon finding it, the void pulled back and revealed a plain, wooden door with no knob or handle. The only giveaway, which Arche had stumbled upon, was the slight lip between the door itself and the ground around it, which was still covered by blackness. The door was made from dark wood and had no special markings on it. It almost appeared as a simple board that had fallen onto the ground and been forgotten. No prompt appeared as Arche knelt in front of it, a fact that only made it more interesting to him.

Arche looked back up at the combat door, biting his lip as he wrestled internally with his decision. If he chose this strange, hidden door, there was no guarantee that he’d be able to reverse his choice if he’d made a mistake. A combat profession spoke to him, but would he really squander this new option after all the trouble to hide it? Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was nothing at all.

“I really hope I don’t regret this.”

Arche stepped onto the door and stamped his foot. Without delay, the door swung down and he dropped through the floor into nothing. His jaw clenched to keep him from crying out but there was no rush of air that he normally associated with falling. Instead, it was as though the ground had simply risen up and consumed the doors around him and he was once more surrounded by an endless void. Pure absence.

Just as before, his feet touched cold stone. There was no indication of how long he’d been left in limbo. It could have been minutes or days. Arche turned, trying to get some grasp on his surroundings but there was nothing. A message appeared in his vision, seeming to float several feet in front of him.

You have found the Door of Hidden Potential.

Instead of restricting yourself to the choices ahead of you, you found a different path and decided to follow it wherever it might lead.

The choices you will be provided with have been tailored to you.

Choose wisely.

The notification disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving Arche feeling more apprehensive than reassured with its closing remark. He flinched and brought his hands up defensively as he realized he was no longer alone. A multitude of dark figures surrounded him. Three of the closest figures came into view as the void pulled back from them and Arche realized with a start that they all looked the same.

Each was a man with dusky, sun-tanned skin and messy, dark brown hair. Dark eyes stared back into nothingness, looking beyond Arche to some distant, nonexistent horizon. Their faces stuck out the most. Scarred was an understatement. Not a finger’s breadth of skin was left unmarked. Pink, raw flesh crisscrossed with scars, both jagged and linear, stretched from hairline to the hollow of throats.

Arche locked eyes with the man in front of him, clearly a warrior type wearing heavy, stylized armor with a spear and shield. His throat closed up. This was his face staring back at him. He’d known that he had scars, known that they were intense from the reactions of others, but he hadn’t known the extent of the damage.

In truth, he had avoided looking. He didn’t want to know.

There was a layer of deniability that not knowing had granted him. He had been allowed to forget about it. People like Lyssa and Helwan had gotten used to him and he didn’t feel self-conscious around them, but staring into his own reflection and realizing the extent to which he had been marked, how could he stand to face them now? How must they have seen him, all this time? He could have lived with being ugly, but disfigured was a hell even the ugly couldn’t imagine. This was beyond some cruel casting of cosmic dice. Something had done this to him. This had been deliberate.

Arche covered his face with his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks. It was foolish. It shouldn’t mean anything to him. How he looked had nothing to do with his capabilities, nothing to do with who he was, but he couldn’t shake the shame, the despair.

It was his face.

It was everything that people saw when they looked at him. It was the only thing he saw himself, now that he could look. He felt the lines with his fingertips, traced the bumps and valleys he had worked so hard to forget.

Arche wished he’d never seen himself. How could he ever hope to earn the trust of others? A monster killing monsters will never change what it is. Who would follow his face into danger? Who would believe it would bring them anything but death? A mask would cover it, with the exception of the lines that crawled down his throat. He could hide his face from the rest of the world. An escape. Some façade he could present that would secret him away from judgement, leaving only a mysterious curiosity in its wake.

With no small degree of effort, Arche pulled his hands away and stared into the identical face peering blankly back at him. Hiding from his own face wasn’t practical, he knew that. It didn’t matter if no one else saw it, he would still know, and taking steps to hide it would only cement it in his own mind. He couldn’t run from himself. No, this was something he would have to deal with. It might take a long time before he could truly become comfortable with it, but what choice did he have? He had to play with the hand he was dealt and live with the face he’d been given.

Arche drew a deep, shuddering breath and stared his own face down. This wasn’t a calamity. His looks didn’t matter, his actions did. Cognitively, he knew that, but it was a hard thing to feel. Maybe, maybe, somewhere down the line he could look into investing points into Comeliness. He didn’t know if that would get rid of the scars or diminish them, but surely it would help, especially since his starting Comeliness score had been a whopping ‘one.’

Mentally tearing his attention away from the replica’s face, Arche focused on what his doppelganger was wearing in greater detail. Anything to distract himself from the rabbit hole of self-pity he’d spiraled down. The armor was quite a bit heavier than anything Arche had worn, looking like cast bronze. The breastplate was stylized to resemble a heavily muscled chest and the bare arms that poked out indicated the metal muscles were an accurate indication of what lay beneath. This version of him clearly had invested heavily in Strength with a Fortitude to match, if the thickness of the torso was any guess. A message appeared over the doppelganger’s head.

Warrior

The path of the warrior is not one for the faint of heart.

A warrior will stand up to any foe on any battlefield.

This profession favors the front lines of conflict and grants bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, Endurance, and Willpower.

This is a Common profession.

Choose Warrior as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche shook his head. It sounded great, but there were too many other options to narrow down a choice yet. There were the other two figures that he could see, and a multitude of silhouettes that he could barely make out hiding behind the swirling void itself. Warrior might be a good choice to fall back on, but it was generic and its bonuses would likely also be generic. There was a benefit to being an all-around fighter, but they often died to skilled specialists. At the very least, knowledge was power and it would be foolish to make such an important choice without at least considering other options.

Arche looked over to another version of himself, one wearing dark leather armor and a cloak. Two bandoliers of knives stretched from shoulders to hips. It was a tad excessive, like the figure was trying a little too hard to pass off a mysterious aesthetic.

Rogue

The path of the rogue is one of stealth and subterfuge.

A rogue will think their way around any problem that may arise but won’t hesitate to slide a blade into any problem that gets in their way.

This profession favors the clever and grants bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence, and Perception.

This is a Common profession.

Choose Rogue as your profession?

Yes

No

Sneaking around was great, but it wasn’t his style. Arche enjoyed the bonuses his cloak gave him and he liked getting the drop on monsters, but that wasn’t who he was. He smiled as he considered that Theresa had likely been presented this same choice and decided it was for her. He wondered which parts of the description had most drawn her to it and was once again thankful she had decided not to kill him, though he could have done without the dagger in his side.

Arche turned to the last visible doppelganger and gave it a thorough once-over. Unlike the other two, this one wasn’t wearing armor. Instead, it wore fine, form-fitting robes that were at once respectable and attractive. The expression on the figure’s face was one of quiet confidence, and the eyes glimmered with a hidden depth of knowledge that the other figures had lacked.

Mage

The path of the mage is one of research and the cultivation of Mana.

A mage is never more at home than when solving a problem none have bested and are often leaders among their scientific communities. Their command of the basic elements of magic has earned them much respect.

This profession favors the pursuit of knowledge, a journey that is never quite finished, and grants bonuses to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower.

This is a Common profession.

Choose Mage as your profession?

Yes

No

This was the easiest dismissal Arche had faced yet. His thoughts turned to Helwan, who had claimed, among other titles, to be a mage. Arche didn’t have the patience or the access to a scientific facility required for a path like scholarship and a life of quiet research was not in his cards. He could guess why this path had been chosen to fit him. It seemed to be all about asking questions and that felt like all he ever did, but he wanted answers to those questions, not to keep asking them forever.

Arche turned back to the others and took a few steps toward the Warrior, knowing that whatever profession he picked, it would fall under the Warrior archetype. The figures waiting behind it shimmered and he grew excited. As that excitement grew, so did an odd feeling in his center. It was small, at first, but every step magnified it. It wasn’t quite an ache, rather it felt like someone had tied a rope around his organs and connected it back to the Origin. The more he pulled away, the worse it felt.

Arche understood why people chose the core professions instead of branching out to see what else laid beyond. It wasn’t beyond his ability to bear but it was a pull somewhere below his solar plexus that was extraordinarily uncomfortable, like something was trying to suck his innards out his back with a straw.

As he passed the Warrior, three more figures came into view as the void pulled back. The first was the most surprising. It towered over him, a full head and shoulders taller, and was an absolute beast of a man. His head was shaved and a plaited beard sprouted down from his chin toward his unarmored torso. A vest hung open over a loose, linen shirt that did little to hide the bulging muscles beneath. Arche found it hard not to stare at this mountainous version of himself.

Barbarian

The path of the barbarian is one often undertaken alone.

Civilization rejects you as you walk the natural world, reveling in its power and its secrets. This profession favors connection with nature and nurtures a resilience that is deeper than flesh, though its practitioners often find themselves misunderstood by those who have not walked the same path.

This profession grants bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, Endurance, and Willpower, but suffers reductions in Charisma.

This is an Uncommon profession.

Choose Barbarian as your profession?

Yes

No

The physical aspect of the profession had a lot to be desired, but as Arche read over the prompt again, he realized that becoming barbarian would likely alienate him from his allies. It required a lot of commitment and, even though the rewards were great, the price didn’t seem worth it. Shaking his head, he turned and moved to the next profession.

This version of himself was regaled in a muscled cuirass of hardened steel, with matching greaves and a cheeked helmet that sported a black plume running vertically like a mohawk. The stylized warrior wielded a spear and shield, with a sword belted at his side. The stiff posture and stony face gave Arche the indication that this was a soldiering profession. The accompanying message did not disappoint him.

Hoplite

The path of the hoplite is one of service.

Found in the strongest armies in Tartarus, the Hoplites are warriors that wield destruction with their spears and shields. Their formations have broken the fiercest hordes and they are most dangerous when in large numbers.

This profession favors those who desire the rigidity and reliance of military life and provides bonuses to Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma.

This is an Uncommon profession.

Choose Hoplite as your profession?

Yes

No

A surprisingly tempting option. Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma were all good attributes to invest in, and keeping them high going forward was a priority. That said, Arche didn’t have any intentions of joining a military and it seemed like the profession relied on having other Hoplites to fight alongside. Moving along, he looked to the last doppelganger on the row.

This version of himself was wearing haphazard armor from head to toe, none of it matched, but all of it looked rather expensive. There was a cocky glint in the double’s eye and a full coin purse hanging from their belt next to a jeweled xiphos.

Misthios

The path of the misthios is one that follows the rivers of currency.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Misthioi are mercenaries, blades for hire that know any task can be performed for a price. Shrewd in their calculations of people, diligent in their duties, a misthios knows that their reputation is their life and that without it, they will starve.

This profession favors those willing to do the dirty work for a bit of coin and provides bonuses to Wisdom, Perception, Charisma, and Luck.

This is an Uncommon profession.

Choose Misthios as your profession?

Yes

No

That was an easy dismissal. Coin was nice, yes, but it was not his life’s purpose to pursue money. He had more that he wanted to accomplish than doing jobs for others. He pressed forward, midway between the hoplite and the barbarian.

The queasy feeling intensified, no longer a minor annoyance he could cast to the back of his mind. Arche had to concentrate on suppressing the feeling just to keep from throwing up. It was worth the effort. The void pulled back and revealed three more professions for him to choose from.

The first figure wore leather armor and sported a completely shaved head. His hands bore metal gauntlets constructed from interwoven metal plates with spines extending from the knuckles. Hardened muscles lined the man’s form, but there was a litheness to his posture that several of the other muscle-bound professions had lacked.

Pugilist

The path of the pugilist is one with as many opportunities to fall as there are to rise.

Many know arts of fighting with only their own limbs but few have ever truly mastered the attempt. The Pugilist is one such master that prides efficiency and effect over the artistic and spiritual sides of the martial arts.

This profession favors those who wish to be unequaled in combat even while disarmed, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, and Agility.

This is a Rare profession.

Choose Pugilist as your profession?

Yes

No

Fighting with his fists had always been comfortable. It was an aspect of himself that Arche wanted to explore further, but it wasn’t one he was willing to profess. He grunted as he turned away, the pull in his center vying for his attention.

The next doppelganger wore form-fitting robes of exquisite material and craftsmanship. A thin sword, similar to Vik’s Starpoint, hung from the double’s belt. Beneath the fine clothing, chain-linked armor was sewn into the clothing. What was most surprising, however, was that the face reflecting back at him looked almost normal. While it still had his scars, they had faded into a network of small silver lines that looked roguish, almost handsome.

Duelist

The path of the duelist is one of fame and glory.

A true artist with a blade, a duelist can make their name recognizable across the entire span of Tartarus by doing what they love: competing.

This profession favors the quick, the accurate, and those hungry for glory, and provides bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Charisma, and Comeliness.

This is a Rare profession.

Choose Duelist as your profession?

Yes

No

Once again, Arche found himself tempted. Being a master of the blade was nice enough, but the promise of being able to change his face was a powerful motivator. With more than a little effort, he tore himself away. He hadn’t yet looked through all the options and he knew deep down that it wasn’t the right fit. He also knew deep down that the uncomfortable pulling sensation was getting worse. He needed to move faster while he could still withstand the sensation.

The next version of himself wore crimson scale mail with a helmet that covered his entire face and was stylized after a dragon. In his hand was a lance easily twice as long as the Tridory, but he hefted it without any hint of unwieldiness. Despite the discomfort of the situation, Arche’s interest was piqued.

Dragoon

The path of the dragoon is one that has nearly fallen back into legend.

These warriors gain their strength from the bond they form with dragons. They are protector and enforcer and are elevated beyond the squabbles of their fellow humanoids, having been granted a small degree of enlightenment on their journey. To fight a dragoon is often to invite death from above, as each dragoon is empowered with abilities from their bonded dragon, but you might just have to fight the dragon as well.

This profession favors those who seek a higher calling and who wish to seek out life above the clouds, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, Agility, and Wisdom.

This is a Rare profession.

Choose Dragoon as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche had no doubt this profession had only been revealed because he had gone through the Door of Hidden Potential. The other two Rare professions were great, but this was so obscure and enticing that he could easily have never come across it.

The major drawback was, of course, that he didn’t know any dragons to bond with, and that was the lifeblood of this profession. It was great on paper, but the journey to find a dragon and bond it could take years, assuming he survived the process. No, circumstances did not favor this profession, even though it tugged at his heartstrings. Who wouldn’t want a dragon friend?

Arche turned away from the clone and moved forward again, between the duelist and the dragoon, on to the next tier. With luck, tying the archetype to the dragoon might show him more professions that would otherwise be lost, but he wasn’t quite willing to give up options similar to the duelist. His breath came in short gasps, like someone was pushing down on his diaphragm. Still, he managed to continue on and see the next set of professions waiting for him.

The first was a version of himself wielding two curved blades, more akin to scimitars than to kopides, and had him dressed in linen wraps. Most notably, his eyes glowed a soft blue. Taking a closer look revealed the profession itself.

Spellblade

The path of the spellblade is one of dedication and power.

These mystics empower their weaponry with magic, to devastating effect. Masters of a unique brand of enchanting, the spellblade can create their own weapons and can empower them with many specialized spells from every branch of magic.

This profession favors those who have a connection to both combat and magic, and provides bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence, and Wisdom.

This is an Epic profession.

Choose Spellblade as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche’s interest was piqued yet again. A spellblade sounded like the perfect mixture of physical combat and magical progression, but it had one glaring problem: Arche still didn’t know any magic. Based on what Odelia and Abraxios had told him, magic was difficult to learn and fairly uncommon. There was no guarantee that picking the profession would teach him any spells or be of any immediate use to him. With some sadness, he moved on to the next profession.

This version of himself was dressed in thick, heavy armor emblazoned with numerous symbols. He wielded a greatsword easily larger than his entire body in one hand, while the other held a shield embossed with symbols similar to the ones adorning his armor. Strength and determination were evident on this double’s face, but there was an additional shine in his eyes, something more akin to enlightenment.

Paladin

The path of the paladin is one of devotion.

These holy warriors use oaths made to an ideal to unleash power. Whether they lift a hand to heal or a fist to destroy, none can doubt the power that comes with this path. Through faith and devotion to specific tenants, the paladin can singlehandedly accomplish what entire kingdoms cannot.

This profession favors those who have a connection to something greater than oneself, and provides bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, and Wisdom.

This is an Epic profession.

Choose Paladin as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche frowned. Single-minded devotion to a single ideal was much too rigid for him. It had a simplistic side to it, and though there was clearly power in such simplicity, there was no room for nuance. For as much power and freedom as the profession would offer, it also restricted him into a very specific path. One that he wasn’t sure he would like.

Still gasping for air, he moved on to look at the last profession of the tier. This one had him dressed in dark armor, with a face visor shaped like a grinning skull. A dark spear hung across his back and he exuded menace.

Death Knight

The path of the death knight is one of power and perseverance.

These knights have turned to necromancy as a source for power, in augmentation of their physical selves. Through ritualistic practices in which they kill and reanimate portions of their bodies, the death knight conquers both life and death. Notoriously difficult to kill, death knights are often outcast from civilized society, finding welcome with other denizens of undeath.

This profession favors those who seek power and dominance over death, and provides bonuses to Strength, Endurance, Fortitude, and Intelligence.

This is an Epic profession.

Choose Death Knight as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche turned away from the Death Knight immediately. He hadn’t found a profession that suited him just yet, but there was nearly nothing about the class that reflected him, aside from the bonus to his attributes. Still, the Door of Hidden Potential must have seen something down that path that would call to him and the mastery over death was something that deeply interested him, but using necromancy was the wrong way to go about it. He could still see Lyssa’s reaction to it in the Necropolis of Pygmaia. It was clear the practice was abhorred and pursuing it would likely drive a wedge between them, something he was not willing to risk to satisfy his own fears.

With this tier out, the only path left was forward. Arche considered for a moment which profession to progress past, knowing that each one influenced the other options he would get. Death Knight was out, so would he progress past Spellblade to get more magically inclined options, or go with Paladin? The choice was hefty but the lasso around his organs told him to choose quickly. More spell-based professions would still have the issue that he didn’t know any magic, so he moved past the Paladin, hoping the tier beyond it would have whatever he was looking for.

With every step, the feelings of discomfort intensified. Each movement was stiff and dragging, as though he were wading through mud as he forced himself onward. The twisting of his bowels made him gag and retch. His mouth and throat filled with spit, ready for him to vomit up his guts.

As he readied himself to give up, three figures were, at last, revealed by the void. Arche turned to the first, his vision swimming. The clone’s robes constantly flickered and changed colors. Blue, then red, then purple, then yellow, then green, then black, then starting all over again in a kaleidoscope of color. It was doing nothing to reassure his stomach. There was a round sigil on the profession’s chest but it was empty and smooth, as if waiting for something to be engraved.

Acolyte

The path of the acolyte is one of service and devotion.

The gods, distantly removed as they are, are still holders of great and divine powers which they bestow onto their champions. Dedicating oneself in service to a god and gaining their blessing is required in becoming an Acolyte, which will unlock a sect of Divine Magic congruent with their patron. This profession is a relationship, as opposed to a bond or pact, and can be lost if the Acolyte falls out of favor with their chosen deity.

This profession favors those who wish for guidance and reassurance in a chaotic world, and grants bonuses and reductions dependent on the chosen deity.

This is a Legendary profession.

Choose Acolyte as your profession?

Yes

No

Divine Magic? Like his Divine Body skill? Arche reeled from the implications and from the metaphysical hooks in his organs. This profession might give him answers but it had already given him something to look into. He would find out who these ‘gods’ were and, if he was lucky, find some answers about himself along the way. However, he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, do that by making himself beholden to such a thing.

Arche turned toward the next version of himself. At first, it appeared normal, wearing simple, form-fitting clothing. Then he realized there were aspects of it that were not altogether human. The eyes were yellow instead of brown, the teeth and fingernails were long and pointed. The doppelganger’s skin was mildly reflective and had small, flesh-colored scales. It was hard not to be a little repulsed.

Summoner

The path of the summoner is one of experimentation and dedication.

This profession has long lied dormant despite the great powers it grants to those brave enough to choose it. Summoners have the ability to siphon the essences of creatures they kill and, upon gaining enough mastery, can augment their own abilities with the aspects of those essences. The most powerful summoners can create minions out of those essences and enchant them with life, for a time, or bind magical creatures in servitude, answering to the summoner’s whims. This profession favors those who desire power and aren’t afraid to make sacrifices to get it.

This profession provides bonuses to Intelligence, Wisdom, Willpower. Additional bonuses or reductions may be provided by this profession based on chosen augmentations.

This is a Legendary profession.

Choose Summoner as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche turned away. He wanted to be powerful, yes, but this was a step too far. The body augmentations were reminiscent of the Beastmar and the latter half of the description mentioned the enslavement of magical creatures. No, it was too geared toward corruption, if not of mind, then of morals. The thought of it made Arche queasy, though that may have been his squirming insides.

The last version of himself stood without armor or weapons, only simple robes. Looking at it in comparison to the others, he was almost disappointed with how normal it seemed, considering he was on the ‘legendary’ tier of professions. The identifying notification left his preconceived notions to rot.

Battle Lord

The path of the battle lord is one of devastation and beauty.

A battle lord can master any weapon, including themselves, and can lead a small force into overwhelming odds and emerge the victor. Combat comes easy to them, leading is like breathing, and death follows any foolish enough to stand in their way.

This profession favors those who wish to lead and who wish to master any combat form they choose, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, Agility, Endurance, and Charisma.

This is a Legendary profession.

Choose Battle Lord as your profession?

Yes

No

This was a profession he could wield. One strong enough to change the world. But was that what he wanted to be remembered as? One who killed and compelled others to kill? Arche wasn’t sure, but there were no more figures beyond, no higher tiers to climb to. He had to make a choice because just standing still was an effort. If he lowered his guard, he was certain that whatever was pulling on his center would snatch him back to the beginning and he would either have to choose one of the Common professions or suffer this fate all over again, if the choices would even remain the same. The figures in the void had seemed to be moving, after all.

Arche gnashed his teeth. He felt like he was missing something, something huge. Each of these Legendary professions promised power he could barely comprehend, but they were all wrong. All of them. The door had said his choices would be tailored to him but there hadn’t been a perfect fit.

That either meant he had no true profession or he hadn’t yet reached the end.

Arche took a step forward and bile forced its way up his throat. He coughed, splattering yellow into the void as his body shook from the effort, but he kept moving forward. His vision faded around the edges as invisible, serrated hooks latched themselves into him, pulling him backwards, but he held to what he was doing with single-minded determination to keep his consciousness from slipping. He stumbled, now side-long with the Battle Lord, and fell. Every muscle spasmed and trembled. His nerves fired sporadically, making him twitch, writhe, and convulse from pain. Still, between juddering movements and shakes, he clawed his way forward.

Arche reached his hand past the Battle Lord and two figures appeared. There had been no silhouette, no indication that they had ever been there. One moment: nothingness, void. The next, beautiful existence.

Unlike the others, these moved. They stepped forward together and lifted Arche onto his feet, carrying him forward. One wore a strange set of armor and had an aura of power. The other wore the same crude clothing as Arche, but cleaner. His skin glowed faintly, seemingly of its own accord, gently shifting colors.

The glowing double raised a hand and pointed toward Arche’s chest. The gesture looked almost like he wanted to shake Arche’s hand but it was too close and too high for him to grasp comfortably. The hand exploded with light, blinding him, who was already struggling to stay conscious.

Arche screwed his eyes shut, feeling the burn of more bile forcing its way up his throat. Something shifted in his chest and he peeked one eye open, seeing that the light had faded somewhat. The glowing version of himself had stuck his hand into Arche’s chest and was fishing about for something.

The sight of this was more than Arche could take and he barely managed to twist his head to the side before vomiting yet again. The pulling feeling in his center faded. Arche took a deep, shuddering breath and found that other than the remnants of an irritated throat, he felt fine. The figures stepped away from him and simply stared at him.

“Thanks,” Arche muttered, not able to speak any louder.

The figures did not respond. Now that he was no longer being wrenched back by the hooks, they stood unnaturally still, like the other versions he had already passed. He looked at the figure in armor, the one that had reached him first.

Ancient Hero

The path of the Ancient Hero is one that has never been walked in Tartarus.

Elsewhere, they have accomplished incredible feats, slain terrible monsters, and performed great acts of service, tales of which still live on, thousands of years later. This profession favors those who are willing to do what is good for all of Tartarus, even if it comes at great risk to themselves.

This profession provides a bonus to all attributes.

This is a Mythic profession.

Choose Ancient Hero as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche was stunned. It was an incredible choice. A boost to every attribute and a promise that his name would live on long after he died. That was hard for anyone to turn down.

He turned his eyes to the glowing figure.

Demigod

The path of the Demigod is often thrust upon the individual, not chosen.

Perhaps somewhere in your family lineage a deity was involved, or some deity sponsored you at some point during your life. Whatever the case, you have been given some degree of Divinity and unlocked access to this profession. Further travel down this path will reveal what powers lie dormant within you but have caution. Some will hate you for what you are, others will resent the attention you receive, and still others will want to use you for their own ends. This power is yours, however, and though it must be awakened fully before you can gain the benefits of this profession, it cannot be taken away from you.

This profession provides a bonus to all attributes.

This is a Mythic profession.

Choose Demigod as your profession?

Yes

No

Arche’s breath caught in his throat. Finally, a path toward answers. The profession wasn’t just incredibly powerful, but it encouraged—no, rewarded—him for learning more about himself. The choice, at last, was obvious. He wasn’t here for power, glory, or fame. More than anything, he wanted to know who he was and why he was here. If a god had been involved in his life at some point, no matter how distantly removed, that was a start. Maybe they could provide him with answers if he found them.

“Yes,” Arche said to the void. “I am a demigod.”

All the various versions of himself faded into smoke, reabsorbed by the void. Arche was met by a sudden barrage of notifications.

You have chosen the Demigod profession, a Mythic profession.

Unlocking your Profession…

Error!

Subject does not possess fully awakened Divinity.

Error!

No deity bypass observed.

Error!

Parameters not met, engaging system backup.

You have been offer[error] given a Profession Quest.

Unlocking Your Potential

You must complete the quest in order to claim your profession.

All leveling will be halted until you have claimed your profession.

Objectives

· Reach a Divinity of 100% (20/100)

· Do not die

Rewards

· Claim your profession

Accept this Quest?

Yes

Yes

Quest Accepted

Profession Unlock parameters defined…

Returning to Tartarus…

Initializing…

3…

2…

1…

Welcome back.