My sense of self hurled through the blue nebula of endless shapes. Each angle a suggestion of their significance. Every curve a measure of untapped potential. The whole world around me became a kaleidescoping landscape of patterns within patterns. Every hope and denial that I’d been hallucinating or dreaming was ripped away and stripped bare. There was no denying this force, this god, whatever it was that held me at its mercy. I could feel it regarding me, measuring me.

It spoke again louder than ever before. The word slammed into my thoughts with the weight of worlds behind it.

[Choose.]

Everywhere the shapes revolving around me stopped. Patterns that whispered through my eyes the purpose of their designs. Spearman, Swordsman, Guard, Farmer, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Scout. There were so many that they overwhelmed my senses. And with a lurch they all started moving towards me. I could barely cry out before they were upon me. Moving into me.

I felt alien thoughts and knowledge press into my brain, weaving through my thoughts as if they’d always been there. Equations for geometric spell forms. The best crops for planting each season. How to search for tracks by the light of the moons. With every change of thought I could feel a different tool in my hands. A staff, a Shepard’s crook, a bow and arrow.

I tried gasping for air even though I wasn’t breathing. My mind snagging on the words I’d heard before being swallowed by the Akashic.

[Error: No Classification Intent detected. Generating Class options.]

Intent. I panted. I hadn’t felt the true weight of the word outside but in here the word rang like a bell. Resonating and deep I knew what it was, what it needed. The determination to choose and the resolve to become. Only it found no resonance in me. No answer of Intent spoke from within. Only the silence of a life devoid of greater meaning.

Purposeless.

The brief calm in the storm I’d found myself in was torn away as I was dragged under again. The pressure of the classes all around me doubling, tripling, as they smothered me. Trying and failing to find alignment within myself. Phantom instincts and false memories ran rampant through my mind. My hands burning with the change of unmade choices.

“Stop…” I groaned out. Pleading to the azure light around me. The System. My thoughts grabbed at the name even though I couldn’t remember where I’d heard it. I wanted to flail my hands but they bowed under the weight of countless weapons and tools. All of them overlapping and phasing over each other as the Classes around me tried to find what fit best in my hands.

“Please…” I cried as I tried pushing back. It was too much. All of it was too much. I curled into as small of a ball as I could, bringing up my hands to my head despite the weight of the spear shield axe sword hammer arrow knife that dragged them down.

All of the panic that had been held back, the fear of my own insanity back on Earth, and the terror of the unknown in this new world. All of it tore out of me as I screamed. Any measure of time I’d held in this mind space slipped away as I gave into my fears. Shrinking down to the space between seconds and expanding into the endless march of years. My screams of fear became sobs as I felt at the void of purpose within me. Then I was gibbering, pleading with half formed words that barely made sense to me. Then I found the words. And the rage to speak them.

“Get out! Of my! Head!”

I welt a quiver in the Classes around me as my will managed to push back ever so slightly against their shapes and patterns. It was the first reprieve from the constant assault of Skills I’d felt in… My eyes widened.

How long have I been here?

The thought fed the flame of anger and outrage that had grown in me. My teeth ground together so hard I knew they’d crack if I were back in my body. I didn’t want this. I hadn’t asked for any of this. I’d lived my whole life on Earth with my parents forcing their plans and schemes onto me. I wouldn’t let it happen again. Not ever. I refused.

“Get off me!” I roared. As the patterns surrounding me fell away like falling leaves. All the Classes dimming as they lost the sparks that animated them. A window opened in front of me. I flinched away from it but its message came without the impossible weight behind it now. Only the slightest of sensations leaked through the message as it read itself. It felt almost like… was that satisfaction?

[You have chosen to refuse]

[Classification Intent detected: Defiance]

[Narrowing Class options]

[Error: Classification Intent conflicts with multiple Class parameters]

[Class assignment failed]

[Constructing alternative Class option: Assessing Skill Synchronicity of Subject E-27645]

The peace I’d managed to find myself in was swept away as I was ripped through a riot of memories. Not the false thoughts of skills and techniques I’d never learned but my own memories. My entire life flashed before by eyes as I was laid bare before the System. Cataloging and quantifying everything I’d ever done. Narrowing my life down to the moments it could measure.

“It’ll be ready in just a sec!” I hollered across the kitchen. My apron was stained but I didn’t mind. Holding the vegetable down I methodically sliced back and forth with the knife. Careful not to cut my fingers. The cutting board was soon covered in beautifully cut veggie squares. I held up the board to the others, smiling wide. “Now tell me that shit ain’t perfect!”

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[Small Blades - 73% Synchronicity]

[First Class Skill allocated]

I felt the front door slam downstairs and my hands stopped. Fumbling the Lego spaceship as it fell to the floor. I froze and strained my ears to listen. It wasn’t until I heard Dad’s footsteps pounding up the stairs that I started running for the bed. Ripping the blanket off the top I dragged it with me as I crawled underneath. Moving the toys in front of me like before. I stuffed my face into the blanket as I cried and the shouting started.

[Sneak - 68% Synchronicity]

[Second Class Skill allocated]

I threw the blunt to the floor and held my head in my hands. It fell next to the unpaid bills and other trash I’d left on the ground. I was tired of trying to get away from my problems by getting high. Tired of being barely able to pay the interest on my credit cards. I was just so tired. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. Breathing in and out to the sound of the rain outside. Peace was supposed to be free. So why did I feel like I could never afford it?

[Meditation - 49% Synchronicity]

[Third Class Skill allocated]

[Skill assignment successful: Generating Class Ability]

I spasmed as I came back to myself. Shaking off the vestiges of old memories. The good and the bad. I looked down at my body. Free from the constant pressure of the Classes pressing into me from before I’d almost missed the subtle thrumming of the Skills sitting in my chest. Like three miniature stars they shone bright even in the blue void of this space. Free from the clashing Intents of the other Classes they felt almost seamless. I mentally moved around the new memories, trying to find where they ended and my own experiences began with no luck.

I stopped focusing inward as the System focused on me again. A spinning nimbus of patterns taking shape in front of me as I stared. I knew almost instinctively looking at its finished design that I wouldn’t feel any pain or pressure from it. That it would fit perfectly into my soul.

[Categorized Class Skills: 2 - Rogue Archetype Skills, 1 - Mage Archetype Skill]

[Class architecture finalized - Class Name: Spellbreaker]

[Class Ability: Mind over Magic]

[Class Rarity: Rare]

[Archetype: Rogue]

[Description: A Class born out of the Intent of Defiance. Despite your affinity for magic your Intent has led you to walking a path of your own making. In exchange for greatly increased spell resistance, all spell forms, from the smallest Cantrip to the highest Arcane cannot be learned or cast by you. In order to be of use to you they must first be shattered by your will. Break the spells that bind you Spellbreaker, defy those that oppose you, and weave the splinters of their own workings against them.]

The pattern that was the Spellbreaker class fell into me. Twisting to fit along mana channels I hadn’t realized I had, weaving itself along my muscles, and strengthening the bonds between neural pathways. For the first time in what felt like forever I felt whole.

With a snap I felt my whole body flinch as I felt my body again. Back in the Cathedral, standing in exactly the same spot I’d been at before. I slowly took my hand off the crystal, shaking as I stared at it. I’d thought I was insane. That the whole world around me was some kinda hyper realistic fever dream. But there was no denying the things I’d seen within that space. I could still feel the empty spots in my mind where the phantom memories of those other Classes had tried to plant themselves. The newfound significance in my chest when I felt for my Class and its Skills.

My breathing sped up as the truth of that experience and what it meant hit me. I was in a new world. Plucked out of my own by some godlike System. And I had absolutely no fucking clue what I was doing. The weight of that hit me as I turned around and took it all in. The alien architecture, the nonhuman people scattered in the crowd, the frickin glowing crystals lighting the walls. I’d come here on a whim and had nearly gotten my brain force fed a hundred lifetimes worth of expertise in half a second. I could tell it had only been half a second because the entire congregation was exactly in the same place they’d been before I touched the crystal. My breathing sped up as the realization coursed through me.

What if I had gone in another direction? Any other direction? How easily could I have unknowingly hurt myself? With my stupid fucking luck I’d probably have run into a ancient cursed artifact of some kind and gotten my soul ripped out. And for all I knew that might actually be a possibility here. I needed answers. I needed someone to tell me how to live in this world or at least, tell me how I can avoid killing myself by doing the wrong thing. I needed someone, anyone to talk to about all this.

I saw the Priest’s red face just about to launch into another rant at me before I started talking fast. “Wait! Wait please! I’m sorry about what I said! I need help. I need your help!” I stammered out. Fighting down a surge of panic as I tried to get my story out and make someone understand. “I don’t know what happened to me or how I got here but just listen to me please! I came here from another-”

A scream interrupted me as I turned towards the source. A mother was holding her daughter close to her chest as she pointed with her other hand. Straight towards me.

“A Rogue!” She cried out, clearly terrified. “The Syndicate is here! They’ve come for our children!”

People rose up from their seats in a wave. Cries of outrage, fear, and anger coming from everyone. Those with children held them close and those without stalked towards the altar. Hatred mirrored on all their faces. In a matter of moments the tranquil gathering of worshipers formed a mob. One that wanted my head.

“He defiled the Arcstone!”

“Heretic Preservers! He must be a Preserver!”

“Take him down! Now!”

I held my hands up and backed up as they came closer. The Priest and Sisters drew back themselves as if I were a rabid animal. I hadn’t even known what I’d done. Was it my class? But rogues were options within the crystal. Same as all the others. It didn’t make any sense, none of this made any sense! I tried talking them down as the mob grew in size and closer to me.

“Wait! Listen to me please! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t know!” I could feel the heat of adrenaline pumping through me as I froze in place. Too scared to fight or flee. Not knowing what to do.

The doors at the end of the hall crashed open as a contingent of guards stormed into the main hall. They didn’t waste a second before identifying the main threat in the room.

“By order of City Lord Maguire! Stand down!” One of the guards thundered. His voice amplified somehow. Booming through the room like he was speaking with a megaphone.

I saw Gregor in the midst of them. The only one I could see in the room that didn’t have a snarl of fury on his face. I saw the shock in his his eyes as he looked straight at me. Our eyes met. There was disappointment there, clear as day. But they were also pleading. As if he were trying to talk me down without words, and into surrendering. The thought came to me as the moment stilled and stretched. I could turn myself in. Whatever I’d done wrong I could explain how I didn’t know. It was the System that picked a Rogue class. Not me.

The moment was shattered with another eruption of sound from the guards. “Seize him!”

The guards rushed the altar. The mob moved towards me as well. I didn’t choose to do what I was going to do. The choice was taken away from me as my body reacted. Looking back on that moment, knowing where it would lead. I couldn’t help but think on the suffering and pain that could have been avoided had I just allowed myself to be taken in. The lives that wouldn’t have been lost. The blood that wouldn’t stain my hands.

Instead, I’d done what I’d always done best. I ran. I ran away.