Watching as the soft blue glow reflected in my eyes, I tried my best to rid my shoulders of the tension that coursed through me.

Today was the day of the trails, and when noon came around, my body suddenly began taking on a shimmering haze of light blue, almost like the process of evolution - and I knew it was time.

I turned around to face the handful of figures standing behind me who had gathered around me most of the day in expectation of me being taken away. Allowing the set determination to wash away my inner trepidation, I let out a deep breath. Mia, Lily, Bob, Darkan, and even Ursa stood there, everybody sharing varying expressions of worry.

"You promised you would return soon," Lily said, taking a step forward. "And, you realize even death won't save if you if you dare break that."

Allowing my hands to settle on her hips as she rested her hands on my chest, looking into my gaze, she gave me a look that brokered no quarter as she so often did.

"I won't - not ever," I said simply, pulling her into a kiss.

"I'll hold you to that," She smirked as she pulled away. "Else, you know there will be much more than hell to pay."

Chuckling with a smile, I didn't miss the worry hidden behind those words.

She stepped back as Mia took her place, her much shorter frame making her stare up into my eyes with tears held back.

"Be safe, okay?" She asked, not attempting to hide her worry at all in contrast to Lily.

"I'll be back before you know it," I smiled, bowing down to meet her lips.

Letting my hand rest on the slight protrusion barely visible on her usually flat stomach, I rested my forehead against hers.

"The clan and our home should be safe for at least a month or two, but I'll be back by then - no matter what." I raised my head, looking towards the large figure of Ursa. "Besides, Ursa here has promised to help protect everyone in my stead. And you know Bob will do anything in power to keep you, Lily, and everything we have built together safe."

Grunting with a simple nod, Ursa said nothing else.

I turned my gaze to linger on Bob also.

"I'll leave it to you that I see all of our family safe and sound when I return." I paused. "Isn't that right Bob?"

"No one gets past Bob!" The hulking draugr proclaimed, trying his best to seem as serious as he could - although it did calm off as slightly comical as it usually did with him.

"-Yes, he will" Mia laughed with a sniffle, casting a glance at Bob who was beaming as if he had just gained a sole lifegoal.

Noting the soft azure blue glow intensifying, I could feel that there was no longer any time left.

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Mia stepped back after another quick chased kiss, allowing herself into the embrace of Lily who rested her arm around the shoulder of the much shorter drow.

The only thing I managed to see before my vision was engulfed in blue light that turned to a blinding white, was Bob waving emphatically.

***

Pure white, or pure darkness?

I somehow didn't know.

While it had been the blue tint of light that engulfed me to the point of blinding white, right now I couldn't distinguish whether it was black or white that obscured my vision as I couldn't see anything.

I didn't know how long I was in this space as I somehow had lost any sense of time, but before I knew it, I was no longer alone.

Standing in a circle of bodies, barely a few feet apart, I looked from side to side at the many figures of different shapes, races, clothes, and stature. We were all still in the space where the presence of light had seemingly no meaning, and almost everyone around seemed about as confused and shocked as I was.

There were however others who simply looked as stoic as a rock. As if being transported to some plane that didn't adhere to any real laws physics was nothing out of the ordinary.

I scrutinized the figures closer, especially the two to either of my sides.

One was a tall and lanky beastkin that almost reminded me of a gazelle, outfitted in finely-made leather armor with engraved plating. On either hip, a ramrod-straight sword hangs that kind of looked like a large razorblade. Agile blades, for an agile build.

On my other side was, surprisingly, a young girl, who barely looked like she was more than thirteen years of age.

She was about as human as she could be, except for her eyes, skin, and hair. Her skin immediately stood out as it was incredibly fair and almost seemed to glint faintly, but her hair and eyes had an eerily captivating vibrancy too. Green eyes that practically glowed, and hair of similar color that screamed vitality and health, I had a hard time denoting her as being actually human.

I didn't need anyone to tell me that everyone here was most likely the Sanctioned Lords that came for the trials, but I couldn't wrap my head around why such a young child could've possibly come here. After all, she looked as shy and terrified as she could be; like a lost child that couldn't find their parents. Not an individual with the power to slaughter tens of thousands with the wave of her hand.

Then again, I didn't let my guard down just because of that.

If she was here, then there must've been a reason.

One I probably wouldn't like to find out firsthand.

It was first then that I realized that I couldn't summon any kind of animosity nor aggression as neither could anyone else. Otherwise, everything would've probably descended into chaos already. I tried calling forth Codex or just any other skill for that matter, but nothing really worked.

We couldn't call forth any intent to speak, walk away from where we stood, activate any abilities, or even harbor hostile intent to those around us.

The realization was uncanny and gave me the feeling of something like an uncomfortable itch I couldn't scratch, but I simply chalked it down to be something the System had done to quell any actions.

Watching the gathering of individuals who all remained standing in the circle, I could see that many others were coming to the same conclusions as I had. And as I was just counting the about a hundred individuals gathered of whom one seemed familiar, a prompt invaded both my own and everybody else's visions.

∼[The Trials]∼

[1st-stage, Leadership]

[Lead, fight, and conquer your enemies!]

[Heirlooms collected - 0/3]

"What the-?" Was the only thing my mind managed to process before everyone around me vanished; my consciousness with them.

***

My eyes fluttered open to be met with a blue sky, a few dainty clouds lazily floating across my vision.

"Argh-" I groaned. "I'm seriously starting to get sick of this..."

It really did seem like the System had a penchant for vertigo-inducing dimension shifting.

With that thought, the sounds from all around finally reached me.

Bolting up, I was surprised to see what looked like to be a small but walled-in village. Various figures moving in and about with their work. As I noticed about a dozen pairs of feet just to the other side of me, I got to my own in a blur.

I could immediately feel that the restrictions that had bogged down all the lords in that weird space were entirely gone. But just as I was about to get ready for a fight, conjuring my magics and activating my skills, I caught sight of the appearance of about a dozen individuals.

"What the-" I couldn't help but blurt out.

They all looked like me?

No not, me - me, but rather - pale almost greyish-skin, platinum-white hair, pointy ears, and piercing eyes with red irises.

"Strigoi?" I intoned to myself incredulously. "Or I at least some semblance of it..."

Realizing that they all were just staring at me, I found myself lowering my guard a bit, not feeling any hostile intent from them.

"Ahem - uhh... hi?" I tried in greeting.

But no real reaction was forthcoming from them.

They just stared at me as everybody else of this small village or tribe, who all also seemed to share my race, walked about their day animatedly like I hadn't just appeared out of nowhere.

"Hello?" I tried again with a wave, trying for common monster tongue this time.

Again, nothing.

Something was kinda wrong here.

I slowly approached the twelve figures who simply followed me with their gaze, their eyes almost seemed like they didn't really see me at all. Waving my hand in front of the face of the foremost person, a man head shorter than me, there was no reaction.

They just stood there like robots, lifeless but incredibly realistic statues.

"What the absolute abyss is going on?"