The anxiety that Gahl avoided for so long finally crept in as they walked to the temple once more. This was going to work, he affirmed within himself. This had to work. He once again basked in the glory of the temple. He sat in the centre of the temple, now, and as such saw the hall in a much fuller view than the day before. Gahl, attempting to distract himself, still turned around to look at the painting once again.

‘Hey, look at that painting.’ Gahl nudged the person sitting beside him.

‘What about it?’ The voice that replied was strange, at least considering the fact Gahl expected it to be Ana’s.

‘Look at the painting.’

While Gahl waited, he examined the man. Adorned in robes obviously made by a tailor of Aeiaiouan silk, the man didn’t even try to look humble.

I’m surprised he didn’t just get his kid their own private Choice Ceremony.

Tilyhan of Cilian Human (Larina) Bard (Salesfolk) Strength 1 Dexterity 1 Vigour 1 Knowledge 2 Wisdom 1 Charismatic Charm 6 Luck 2

Gahl knew of Tilyhan far before he examined the profile. The wealthiest tradesman in Pirn, Tilyhan didn’t even know carpentry. His father used to preside as the guild leader, gave it to his half-noble son without any experience…

And now he reaps the benefits of actually hard worker’s seed. In a democratic guild, how is he allowed to be in control?

Gahl knew the answer. None of the high buyers, priests and Imperial nobles, would buy from anyone without a noble’s name. Tilyhan couldn’t make the chairs, but he sure could sell them.

The guild has to keep him because without them he’s just going to find more makers, even if its not in Pirn, and they’d all be out of business.

‘Nothing’s there.’

‘What?’ Tilyhan interpreted this as a note of surprise that Tilyhan couldn’t see what Gahl saw, but in fact Gahl forgot he asked Tilyhan to look at all.

‘Or, nothing of note.’ Gahl turned to look at the painting again.

‘You see, the tails where its darker…’ Gahl could not see the tails. From the centre of the temple in the noon light, he could only see the front.

‘The Glory of Imperium does not have tails, or any animals for fact.’

The painting, which Gahl may have known was entitled “The Glory of Imperium” considering it bulged out in calligraphic letters at the bottom of the piece, depicted a landscape - without life, of course. From here, all Gahl could see were the rolling hills of Central Tordana, panned up slightly so the capital city of Tord stood over the hills in all its artistic glory. Gahl could see what Tilyhan meant, he could not see a single tail in the photo or out.

’Nevermind.’ You must only be able to see the shadows from the bottom.

Gahl turned back forward to face the altar. The Choice Stone still lay there, perhaps even more beautiful in the light of the new day.

Despite his warmth, Gahl shivered. Such a feeling for his homeland as he felt on his Trial of Glory evaded him for his entire life until this morning.

What if it all went away? What would happen to me then?

His attempts to ignore his now barrelling thoughts rung futile.

‘So, Mr Confidence.’ Ana’s voice tore him from his thoughts.

‘So, Miss Ynic.’

‘What?’

‘Miss Ynic, cynic?’

‘Gahl I don’t even know why you bother putting so many points into knowledge, your sheer stupidity will override the Stone.’

‘Override the supernatural forces of Halvanah?’

‘Have you ever heard yourself?’

‘I’m so intelligent I can outsmart the world.’

‘Yes. So smart that it looped back to -5.’

‘-5’s a stat?!’ he exclaimed in a sarcastic tone. ‘Can I put luck on -5?’

‘I think mine’s already there for making friends with you.’

‘You were just so lucky it -‘

‘Looped back to -5, totally.’

Having a friend to make fun of you always does help ease your nerves.

‘So,’ said Ana. ‘You’re actually, actually going through with this?’

‘Yes, why not?’

‘Well you have a slight tendency not to follow through?’

‘Like when?’

‘Like every single Strength of a Soldier lesson when you insisted that one day you’d be able to lift an ox.’

‘Oh yeah…’

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

‘And now you’re picking Strength 1…’

‘I could always train Strength back.’

‘Yes, when it is utterly necessary to I’m sure you will.’

‘No. I might get a head start now so I don’t actually have to think about training Strength.’

‘Of course.’

‘You see, that’s why I’m a genius - always thinking ahead.’

‘Uh huh…’

The silence made the bad thoughts return. He could always just give up the false sheet.

No, I am going to prove to everyone that you can do things without a luck stat. I will use my high Knowledge to become the greatest scholar in all of Halvanah, and then I will lift an ox… maybe.

And so, when the priest began calling people to go up to the Choice Stone, Gahl only shook a little.

‘Yl of Hanun,’ called the priest. The sparky adventurer stood up, before he strolled up to the altar. An intimidating air surrounded him, despite his almost childlike demeanour. He stepped up to the stone, and after handing his card to the priest, who smiled and patted him on the back, he slowly began inputting his attributes.

‘As we can see, this young man knows it all, but for all those concerned that they may not be able to figure it out - perhaps a barbarous fighter in the works - you must first input your name into the stone, and then slide the stats up and down as you see fit. You must first take down a stat before you raise one, as you only have a certain amount of points and they are already distributed to the human average on all stats. Now continue, Son.’

As Yl entered his stats, a screen shot up. Gahl heard of it, but never seen it before in his life. Strength displayed first upon the screen of wispy blue light. Soon, the rest filled in the same way Gahl saw on Yl’s stat card the day before.

‘Lock in,’ the priest ordered.

Yl pressed his hand upon the stone, and the screen shrunk down to about the size of a stone tablet, and solidified.

‘Now remember, this is your stat stone. Young man, I don’t mean to startle you, but your life is quite literally in my hands. Dropping this could cause severe damage to you and perhaps your stats will fail and become void. Watch it!’

The priest handed the tablet - the stat stone - to Yl, and he took it graciously in both excitement and fear. Next, the priest directed Yl to the two large wooden wheels suspended upon wooden stakes that now sat behind them. Each ornately decorated and coloured with the most skilful patterns Gahl ever saw, he knew that these were the Wheels of Fate.

‘Now, Son, spin this wheel and let us see what your class, and the thing you’ll be doing for the rest of your life, is.’

Yl rested his hand upon the first wheel, the class wheel. He took a silent moment, saying a prayer, before tugging down with his newfound strength. The wheel shot off at great speed, the Wind Whistles, small holes within the wheel that caused a whistle when the wheel spun, caught upon air and began to sing their song. The tune moved at a fast gait, as if in imitation of the spectators thoughts. It started fast, but slowly grew into an excruciating call of worry as the wheel slowed, and stopped. On fighter.

‘Yes!’ Yl’s excitement redoubled, jumping around the step as his parents called out, and the crowd cheered. Emblazoned now upon the stat stone would be his class. Such a great day, and yet so very, very terrifying.

Yl’s hand now shook upon the damage wheel. He threw it into a spin once again, and once again the frightened song of the Wind Whistles began. And slowed. And stopped. Piercing damage.

Yl now jumped for joy.

For piercing damage? I wonder if he knows how useless that will be against anyone in armour. I suppose it doesn’t matter for him, he will be off fighting rattlesnakes for the rest of his life.

Yl now retreated back to his seat, happier than Gahl ever supposed one could be.

‘Hana of Ara.’

‘Utre of Tere’

‘Ana of Sara.’ Gahl actually tried to watch this one, however became so entrenched within his thoughts he only remembered to watch after it happened, and only thanks to a tap on the shoulder by Ana.

‘Well.’ She presented her stone forward.

Ana of Sara Human (Tordana) Bard Psychic Strength 1 Dexterity 1 Vigour 1 Knowledge 3 Wisdom 2 Charismatic Charm 4 Luck 2

‘Well done, Ana,’ whispered Gahl’s father.

’Thank you, Sir.’

‘You did great!’

Ana looked at Gahl.

It’s not as if you could’ve really messed it up, Gahl thought, and he knew Ana thought the same thing. Then she pointed at the fold of gown in which Gahl hid his real stat card.

I could, though.

The priest called everyone else’s names before Gahl’s, but eventually after the brunt of the fanfare subsided, and only he remained, the priest called him.

‘Gahl of Freitfa!’

Surely his voice is getting hoarse.

He didn’t seem to mind what must have been a terrible pain in his throat when Gahl stepped forward. Gahl stared out at the others. This was going to work. This was going to work.

‘Gahl!’ cried his mother, running forward. ‘You forgot this!’ She handed him his fake choice card, and Gahl smiled. He hoped everyone misinterpreted it as his happiness at a kind gesture by his mother. She ran back down to take her seat.

‘So,’ said the priest in a now soft voice. ‘Show us your card, let’s see what we’re thinking about here.’

Gahl gave up the card, delicately switching it for his real card as he submitted. The priest looked at it. A smile similar to Gahl’s crept upon his face.

‘Well, well, well…’ His voice slowly trailed off. ‘Are you sure?’ Gahl thought he knew the answer the priest wanted, but when he nodded it turned out he was wrong. The priest seemed happier that Gahl confirmed his belief in himself. He handed the stat card back, and Gahl took it.

Gahl stepped before the Choice Stone. He now faced the entirety of the temple.

All the people making their Choice today - who already made their choice. I suppose mine will be the finale, the great striking shock for everyone. If I can only submit my stats, then it’ll be over. The wheels are practically impossible to fail at. The priest was right, everyone got their class and strikestone of choice.

Gahl stared at Ana, the only person other than the priest who knew his plan. Ana stared back at him. Ana mocked him and made fun of his schemes, but deep within Gahl knew she worried - as is expected of a friend you’ve known for your whole life.

Good luck, her eyes whispered.

This is going to work.

He rested a hand upon the choice stone, as was standard. He felt a surging rushing through him. A new energy, new invigoration. He recognised it,. The feeling of Selection.

Beneath his finger as he submitted his name, he made note of the strange texture of the Choice Stone. It felt like rock, as it was rock, and yet also reminded Gahl of the softest silks. It pulled at him, and he could almost feel a part of his life force enter the stone.

As Gahl pressed upon the stone once more to lock in his Choice, he felt a wave of euphoria. He felt weaker, and he felt stiffer, but he felt wiser. And smarter. Oh, so much smarter. Gahl felt as though he already knew all things available to know, and then some. This was what he waited for all these years.

The crowd stared at the screen, in disbelief. There was an outcry as the screen lessened into a stat stone, and the priest handed it to Gahl. His mother ran up again.

‘It’s a mistake! It must be!’ she cried.

‘No, Mother,’ Gahl admitted. ‘It will work, though.’

‘No it won’t! Gahl, no it won’t! Say it was a mistake!’ she turned in a desperate swing to the priest, who shrugged.

Nothing anyone can do about it now.

‘Child of Imperius, please return to your seat.’ Gahl’s mother was crying. Why did she cry? She knew not of the results yet. He struck out far beyond where anyone else ever went. And it was going to work.

He now laid a hand upon the wheel, and gave it a comparatively soft tug. The wind whistles did not whistle as strongly as the wheel spun. It played slower and deeper from the start, like an ominous prelude.

Slowly the wheel crept around. And around. But not for long. Soon, the wheel finally hung in its rest. On fighter.