I reflexively sent a pulse, hoping to find out where I was. But I found something else.
The pulse felt off.
It took my numb mind a while to figure out that there was a dialog waiting for me to read.
[Advanced Corrupted Bloodshaper]::[Area Identify] -> [Corrupted Diviner]::[Area Divination]
You have learned to read the system traces inherent to matter. Your identifications have breached the System measures and have corrupted items.
Your pulses now cost less energy and can peak into hidden knowledge. Success rate and amount of information extracted depend on your knowledge and power balance.
That explained the other message that my pulse had relied.
[Mana-sucking shackles]
This shackles absorb mana on contact.
I was a prisoner. The shackles around my wrists, and my neck, were designed to suck me dry.
Ineffectively so, if only because I did not use mana. And my energy was in no way or shape being restricted by this item.
Now, I had several options. Breaking the chains and setting myself free. Corrupting the chain with my new class—supposing I could. Or waiting for my captor to show up and beating them.
I was dying to let my energy loose, which definitely wasn't the reason I decided to wait.
Not the only reason, at least.
The first one, destroying the shackles, would raise too many suspicions. The second option would outright point all fingers to me being corrupted.
So, definitely, beating them up was just a better option than the rest. Definitely.
I didn't just wait for them, though. The downtime was a perfect opportunity to explore my shiny new status window.
Status: {
Name: Darian
Class: {
Name: Advanced Corrupted Bloodshaper
Level: 20
Energy: 750/750
Attributes: {
Strength: 4
Agility: 9
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 20
Wisdom: 20
Stamina: 5
}
Skills: { ... }
}
Class: {
Name: Corrupted Diviner
Level: 1
Attributes: {
Strength: 0
Agility: 0
Vitality: 0
Intelligence: 2
Wisdom: 1
Stamina: 0
}
}
General: {
Summon Corrupted Class Book
...
}
}
Woah! Way too verbose Bob!
Status: {
Name: Darian
Energy: 750/750
Classes: {
[20] Advanced Corrupted Bloodshaper
[1] Corrupted Diviner
}
Attributes: {
Strength: 4
Agility: 9
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 22
Wisdom: 21
Stamina: 5
}
Skills: { ... }
General: {
Summon Corrupted Class Book
...
}
}
It was good to know I could have a detailed breakdown of where my attributes came from, but I certainly did no want that much information cluttering my view at all times.
I was not expecting any changes on the skills, aside from the one I had just checked. And all my expectations were betrayed when I saw Bob’s parting gift.
[Summon Corrupted Class Book]
The System has acknowledged the veracity of your [Corrupted Class Book]. It is tightly tied to your existence, to the point that your class wouldn’t exist without the book.
You can summon and unsummon the book from a safe and atemporal pocket space.
Sweet! Thank you Bob!
I was about to check the skill when my pulses caught someone approaching.
Someone too familiar.
“Darian! You are awake!”
“Yasmin, what's the meaning of this?”
Standing right in front of me, wide eyed and staring as if she had seen a ghost, was Yasmin.
“A few days ago the [Oracle] from The Order arrived. He wanted to immediately start your Saint nomination process, and he even said it would be easy based on your achievements in the Dungeon…”
“Yes?” I was containing my ire as best as I could. Stopping myself from jumping to conclusions.
“You were still resting. And so were you the next day… At the end we decided to check on you… and… it looked like you were evolving your class.”
Her voice was becoming a low whisper that I barely managed to hear by the end.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“I was evolving my class.” I stated as a matter of fact.
“Yes… and that's when things got ugly. Saints are not allowed to evolve without formal planning and supervision.”
“I'm sorry. What!?”
“They are, you are, big assets to The Order. They plan evolutions to maximize the possibility of getting the best path. It's written in their most strict laws.”
“And why should I even care about the rules and laws of a fucking order I don't even belong to! I'm not a Saint!”
Yasmin felt silent, and when she broke it, she did so with a sad smile on her face.
“Please hold on a bit more, I'll go fetch the [Oracle].”
Unbelievable. I didn't event want to join this stupid Saint thing. Now I was being judged under some laws that they used?
Judged? They've jumped straight away to jailing me.
My blood was boiling—figuratively. Each passing second as was more and more aware of the shackles holding me. The itch in my wrists. The bruises on my neck. The scratches on my knees.
I hadn't done anything wrong.
I didn't want to be a Saint.
I will not be a Saint.
“Young man.”
My mind was so busy picturing all the different ways I would reduce that so called [Oracle] to a pulp, that I had lost track of reality.
I had even forgotten to send out pulses, and I had missed the man standing in front of me.
Long radiant white tunic from neck to ankles with some details in blood bright red. A goatee that did not favor him in the slightly. And an unamused look that paired perfectly with my pissed off face.
And, above everything, an aura of energy grades above anything I had felt. Even stronger than the undead.
My plans fell down like a domino. I could not beat the beast in front of me.
“You have committed a crime that is normally punished by exco-”
He paused without finishing the phrase. His eyes squinted and, right after, his hand moved to my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Why do you have two classes.” He spoke slowly, like a father to his baby child.
Yasmin gasped.
And I draw a blank.
“I will not repeat myself again. Explain yourself right this moment.”
I coughed a few times to gain some precious seconds and rearrange my thoughts. The truth was not an option, so I would have to make due with half-assed white lies.
“The System gave me two options. I could either pick a single class to evolve, or I could move to an advanced version of mine and take a second class.”
He was audibly thinking, humming and pacing all around me. Meanwhile, I was still hanging by my neck.
“This is… acceptable. I might manage to salvage the situation. When asked, you will say that The Order planned a way that would allow you to have to classes this early. The nomination will go well if we explain it was my plan all along.”
“You make it seem like I don't have a say.”
“That would be because you do not have a say. I'll see it that you become a Saint.”
“What if I don't wa-”
I saw a blur for barely a fraction of a second. By the time I realized what was happening, I was being held on the air from my neck.
[You have lost 20 energy]
The metal around my neck broke, and then I felt the real pressure behind the grip.
[You have lost 100 energy]
“Listen here. You. Wil. Become. A. Saint.” Each word was kindly accompanied by a tight grip. “Now, you better realize soon the opportunity that this represents and how lucky you are. If you don't, your life is going to be miserable.”
He let go of me and teleported a step away.
“Release him, we are leaving.”
Yasmin did a quick reverence and, without saying a single word, obeyed. There was an air of adoration in her demeanour that did nothing but reinforce my feelings.
She released me with utmost care, almost like I was a fragile ceramic bowl of the highest quality.
I thought of running away. And I would definitely had done it, but my legs wouldn't move. My chest didn't advance an inch, and my arms were frozen in place.
It was not mind control, or at least it didn't seem so. Simply put, an invisible force was perfectly counteracting all my movements. There was no pressure until the very exact moment I decided to move.
Without wanting or even being able to stop, my legs started moving towards the exit of my cell.
I was forced to follow the [Oracle]. We were soon undoing the maze that was the Church, but I didn't care where my steps brought me.
My head was a mess. I was grasping for any straw that would me out of there. And there were none.
I cannot run away. There is no way I can beat him. If I revel he won't kill me. There is no escape, not even in death.
Not that I wanted that, actually. I knew I had to wait. Perhaps he'd get distracted. Maybe at some point someone else would take care of me.
I just have to bid my time and whe-
[A summons request has been received]
Clean-up duties for an off-site research base.
Provides reasons for summons are:
- Enhanced corruption resistance according to System readings
- [Diviner] class to locate and expedite resource gathering.
Do you want to accept this summons? Y/N
My mind froze for a second. And, if my body was mine to move, that also would have frozen.
Yes!
I accepted before even reading through the whole thing.
Saints yes!
I started laughing, seemingly out of nowhere for Yasmin and the [Oracle]. Their turned at once with questioning expressions in their faces.
Oh yes, I kept thinking and ignoring them.
Uncertainty was overcome by worry, and finally by anger as we came to a full stop.
“What's so funny?” The [Oracle] asked in a fury of rage.
“I have just been summoned!”