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Rise for Glory
04- Deal with the Devil

04- Deal with the Devil

Liam stumbled through the streets of the town practically running with his eyes closed, each step feeling heavier than the last. He ran till he could no longer breathe, each foot feeling like lead he shuffled through an obscure alley way. The laughter and chatter of the children was replaced by dull thud of his own heartbeat. He felt dead inside, he had sought refuge from prying eyes as his leaked unabated. The weight of failure pressed down on him, each breath a struggle against the tide of despair that threatened to drown him.

He ducked behind a stack of crates in an alleyway, his hands trembling as he wiped the tears from his face. The memory of the status sheet haunted him, the stark reality of his inadequacy clear and undeniable. “Liam (No surname, no title),” it had read. It felt like a death sentence. The laughter of his peers echoed in his mind, Ian’s cruel words cutting deeper than any blade. "Just like always."

Why had he thought he could awaken? Why had he ever believed that he would get cut some slack? No parents, hardly a friend to my name, even Sara couldn't even look at me after awakening her hidden class. He pressed his back against the cool stone of the wall, his head resting on the wall so he could stare up at the bright sky that betrayed his feelings, taking deep, shaky breaths, but the air felt heavy and stale.

Just then, he heard footsteps approaching. His heart raced as he strained to listen, afraid of who might find him here. But instead of the mocking laughter he feared, a smooth voice of velvet broke through the tension.

“The result was obvious young one.”

It was an elderly man Liam had never met. Suspicion washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by anger and curiosity. He wanted to know what the stranger was talking about, "What are you getting at? I'm not in the mood for any FUCKIN jokes," He swore. He wiped his face, trying to gather himself, but the tremors in his hands betrayed him.

“I know that all your abilities have been sealed” the man coaxed, his voice filled with subtle glee as he knew he had hooked the young boy. He stepped closer, his expression smirking as he caught sight of his tear-streaked face.

“No,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I… I didn’t awaken. I’m nothing.” The words felt like poison, bitter and acrid in his mouth.

“That’s not true,” he insisted, his eyes fierce. “You’re more than that sheet says. I know it. I even have a way to prove it.”

“What's the catch” Liam shot back looking skeptical, his frustration boiling over. The man knelt beside him, his gaze steady. “You can’t define yourself by a moment. This bottle here is the answer to all your problems. Your destiny will be altered with this. One of the other paths be strong.”

He shook his head, overwhelmed with lure of temptation. “It sounds too good to be true, what is the catch? You haven't told me that part yet and I can assure you I don't have a single copper to my name.”

“Strength comes in many forms. You have a gift, even if you can’t see it yet.” His voice sultry but firm. “You have tenacity and the will to do anything to obtain power, that pride is very reminiscent of a very powerful race. You can keep going, this doesn't have to be the end. I will even give it to you for free, if you can do me a slight favor."

"What favor..."

The elderly man started to shift his form, red horns grew from his forehead, the wrinkly skin grew taught over his frame, dark leathery bat-like wings sprouted from his back. Clawed hands showed the young man a vial of glowing black liquid. Liam leapt back with a start, he immediately pulled up the creatures stat sheet.

Name:??

Race: Imp

class: ??

This was the limit the status sheet when used to identify other people, minus a title, but even this was enough to know he was in trouble.

The imp reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. “You want to unseal you're abilities you have to keep moving forward. Don’t let chance slip you by because it wont happen again. You have an incredibly powerful divine seal on you, this potion is the only thing in the universe that'll do the trick. I am only offering this once, one vial for one favor. What say you?”

A flicker of warmth ignited in his chest at his words. He had never felt like he belonged anywhere, but this was his chance to overcome his lot in life, to reach beyond his means. How could he want a combat class without taking the associated risks. A deal with a devil would probably get him imprisoned in every city in the country, but what they don't know wont hurt him. Or so he thought, the imp stood waiting patiently, he would act the moment the boys divinity would return.

“What would you need help with? If it's something that won't go against my principles, I'll gladly accept." his voice gradually gaining strength, fear losing its grip on him.

“Then this will help you,” he promised, offering him the vial his lips curling into a smile that his subterfuge remained undiscovered. His clawed hands flexed with anticipation. Liam brought the vial to his lips and drank deeply from the vial, draining it to the last drop.

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The vial shattered on the ground, Liam hands no longer strong enough to grasp it. His throat was burning like he swallowed molten metal, worse than that, the feeling radiated throughout his whole body. The imp grew curious, but after several minutes of Liam writhing on the ground in pain he grew worried, fearful even.

"Where is his divine spark? Did I have it wrong? Mammon will obliterate me, even he only has two of these potions strong enough to undo a seal of that caliber." The imp grew terrified and knew if his failure were to be noticed it'd be the end of him. He quickly transformed into a young boy and fled as quickly has his abilities would allow.

The mark on Liam's chest flared, easily the most painful part of this whole ordeal. Liam writhed on the ground, the searing pain coursing through him like wildfire. Each pulse felt like it was tearing him apart from the inside, threatening to rip him to shreds. The world around him blurred into a haze of colors and sounds, but all he could focus on was the agony that consumed him.

“Please, no…” he gasped, his voice barely a whisper, drowned out by the roar of pain. He struggled to breathe, each inhalation feeling like a knife scraping against his throat. In the depths of his suffering, he could feel something shifting within him flicker, a whisper of energy trying to awaken. It was like a slumbering beast stirring for the first time.

Moments stretched into eternity, but just as he thought he might come on top, he lost consciousness. An explosion of energy erupted within him, sending shockwaves through his entire being. The pain receded, replaced by a dizzying rush of power that surged through his veins, electrifying every nerve ending.

He gasped, struggling to sit up. His heart raced as he looked around, his senses heightened. He no longer was in the alleyway, but looked up at a familiar ceiling, how did he get back to orphanage? The room coated in darkness, he had been out all day, but he saw better than normal, the colors richer than he had ever seen. Even the distant sounds of the town felt amplified, the laughter of children, the rustling of leaves, the faint murmur of the marketplace.

Liam felt off, his chest felt extremely heavy, especially since he did not have an ounce of muscle or fat on him. Sitting up, he looked down and found two decent sized lumps were on his chest. He peered into his shirt, and sure enough B cups stared back at him. Was this the favor that imp was speaking of? His cheeks stung red as he felt for his manhood. To his dismay he or now she had something new to get used to. Mourning the loss of his manhood he stumbled to his feet, shaky but resolute the remnants of pain lingered in the corners of his mind, but they were overshadowed by a newfound strength coursing through him. She could feel it, she quickly brought up her character sheet which read:

Lorelai (No surename, No title)

race: wingless angel (evolvable)

Str - 3

Agi - 6

Will - 6

End - 5

Int- 4

Darkvision: see well in the dark as the light

Affinities: holy, lightning, gravity, spacetime

known magic - illuminate (upgrade pending)

basic skills- dash, swordsmanship, unarmed combat

unique talent - shapeshifting (human form only all or partial)

Mythical Talent: Dragonheart: raises all magic by one tier, provides potent/pure mana

“What just happened?” she murmured to himself, disbelief washing over her. The imp’s words echoed in her mind: “You have an incredibly powerful divine seal on you…”

She glanced around the orphanage, searching desperately for a mirror, she had grown in height and had enough weight to her that she could be considered having an athletic build, the murky dull brown hair, scoured in dirt, had become an otherworldly silver, with little nubs coming out of her temples. Even her eyes looked out of place, purple with specks of gold littered throughout. She was now in the body of the most attractive girl he had ever seen. The panic she initially felt was washed away by her status sheet.

Before she could dwell on the implications, of the "favor" he owed to the imp, a spark of desire ignited within her, the training field. She started to rush to the door, eager to see what she could do now that she had actually awakened. She could feel it, the wellspring of energy several times more powerful than it ought to was ready to be shaped and directed. With a sudden rush of determination, she closed his eyes, focusing on that flickering spark.

“Let’s see what I can do,” she whispered, concentrating he felt the energy shift, coiling and twisting like a living thing. Suddenly, a flicker of energy briefly emanated from her body, a soft glow light. She gasped, her heart racing with exhilaration and fear. This was real—she had awakened, and managed to shift into a human form since the horns on her head vanished, it was all the evidence she needed. With a rush of adrenaline, she sped into the streets in the dead of night, “I can’t believe it…” she breathed not at all out of breath, a grin spreading across her face. This was more than she had ever hoped for, a chance to change everything.

In her haste she forgotten some incredibly important things, namely picking her class! She had been bombarded by so many changes, mixed emotions, and elation that she hadn't even looked at her options yet. She slowed down to a slow walk looking into her class options

“What’s this?” Ian sneered, stepping forward. “Who are you? You're the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. I don't know if you had heard but out of everyone only me and one other had awakened a hidden class, being with me will be your fortune.”

Lorelai's heart raced, she had a number of different options to choose from, and some were even hidden classes but that made the choice that much tougher.

Ian’s eyes narrowed, a smirk creeping onto his face. “Where are you going? Are you even listening to me?

Lorelai looked up and Ian ogling her, he had known Ian was a creep but not this kind. She responded without emotion, "Sorry but you're not worth my time." Beneath Ian’s bravado a surge of rage boiled beneath his skin, "How dare a lowly orphan mock me, My family has been nobles for two generations and I am spearheading the third. What will you amount to trash?"

“I’m not trash anymore, and you'll soon learn you cant ride on the coattails of your family. You are good, but I plan to surpass you.”

“What the—what's your class?”

Lorelai continued walking forward, "I haven't chosen yet, there is at least a half dozen to go through, though there are three hidden classes I will give my apt consideration to."

Ian blanched, 'Three hidden classes out of six possible? I only got three total to choose from. Just who the hell is she?" Ian's thoughts lead him to believe he was poking a bear and subtly stepped out of her way.

She was forging his own future excited but apprehensive for the mysteries it holds.

"Now then, lets choose a class."