Caleb walked forward, beside Kana, towards the others as they all came to a stop in a small circle. The mixture of uncertainty and fear written so clearly on everyone's faces didn't ease Caleb at all. He resummoned his sword and shield, holding them tightly in an attempt to hide trembling hands.

“You guys all ok?” the lead adult said, as the group neared. All the fighters nodded except Eriana who laughed.

[That was amazing!] Eriana cackled.

“You would’ve died if I hadn’t saved you” Sierra said, her voice hollow.

[I could’ve continued fighting] she said defensively. Sierra choose to ignore the comment, simply staring at the ground, her eyes distant.

[You really beat all of them? I mean how many orcs even were there?] one of the teens said.

“Ten” Caleb said. “But we got lucky. If half of them weren’t all bunched up together then… uh… what’s your name?” he said pointing to formerly glowing hair.

“James”

“Then James wouldn’t have been able to do most of the leg work. Seriously, if that’d gone a little differently then the town would already be gone”

Everyone remained silent as they stared at him, reality setting in.

[W-well you got them. It’s over] the chief said.

[No] one of the adults said. [That was only the first wave]

[What?! When’s the next one?!] the chief cried.

[Five minutes] Eriana said, still grinning.

[Shit. W-well, how many more are there? How do you even know all this?] the chief said looking around.

“It’s the magic I was talking about earlier” one of the teens from the group of three said, “Like I said, it’s difficult to explain. But we’re all told things by screens. We don't were they come from”

“The arbiters” Sierra said. “We got told on the tutorial planet we were on”

[Arbiters? What the hell are the arbiters?]

“Well, the people didn’t really know either" Ryan said. "But they give people magic, and they’re the ones that brought us into this in the first place”

The chief nodded along, taking a moment to collect himself as the other townspeople stared at them. Caleb watched him carefully as he frowned and muttered something to himself.

“You need to evacuate the town” one of the adults said, to him.

[And go where? The nearest town is twenty miles from here at least. We won’t make it and I doubt they could even help if we did. You’d need the brigadiers] The chief said.

[Brigadiers?]

[They’re like you. Strong. Can use proper magic, not what we’ve got with our cheap artifacts.]

[Can you call them? Bring them here?] Kana said.

[Yes, but they’d take days. We’re in the middle of nowhere, so we haven’t got a teleport hub they can come to and we’ve got the forest of death right by us. It’s… attacks don’t happen here. Not like this] the chief muttered, clearly panicking.

“Call them anyway” one of the adults said. “We have no idea how long this could be going on for”

The chief nodded, his face growing paler by the second.

[Do you maybe have somewhere the people can hide for the time being?]

[People have basements, but I doubt that’ll be much help against whatever the hell those things were. I can gather them in the church hospital. At least that won’t just blow over if one of them monsters tries to come on through] the chief said nodding. [Alright, I’ll go sort that out and send out a few more of the boys to help if you need it. Uh… good luck]

Quickly he turned away, racing back to town. Everyone watched him go for a few moments before looking between themselves.

“Ok everyone” the lead adult said, stepping forward. “I know this is probably going to be really tough for most of us, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a way out of this. We don’t know these people, but we’ve been given the power to help them. So we should use it. And lets be frank they’re probably in this mess because of us”

[What’re you trying to get at?] the angry teen said.

“We have to work together to beat these things. Even if you’re scared, please don’t run. Prepare yourselves to fight”

There were weak murmurs of assent from the others, only Eriana’s cackling clear. As her laughter quieted, there was a beat of silence and everyone turned to their own groups, talking amongst themselves.

"Thank god we all survived that" Sierra muttered.

[Yeah. I was really worried when you were fighting the orcs, but it worked out. What skills do you have?] Kana said, looking to Caleb and Ryan.

“I got Will of the Iron born. It basically converts my willpower to strength or something like that" Ryan said. "All the magic fireball skills and stuff seemed like a one and done thing, and I was not passing out whilst fighting the orc. It’s great. Took a full punch and it barely bruised me. I’m way stronger”

“You got grazed and you were stumbling afterwards. Don’t exaggerate” Sierra said.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“I was fine” Ryan said.

[You sure? Do you need me to heal you?]

“Nah, I’ll be fine” Ryan said. “Anyway, what skill do you have Caleb? I saw you lose your sword and then just summon it back like nothing”

“I… it’s difficult to explain” Caleb said.

“Oh, come on, don’t be embarrassed it’s not as cool as mine” Ryan chuckled as Sierra rolled her eyes.

[It did something weird to his lungs] Kana said.

“What?” Sierra said, frowning.

[They’re wrong? Weird? I don’t know, it was just... strange. He was okay but not okay?]

“It’s nothing” Caleb lied. “Think of it like the Ryan’s skill. I get stronger for a short burst in return for a hit to my health after. I just pushed it a bit far”

“You sure you’re okay?” Ryan asked, suddenly serious.

“Yeah, I already feel better” he responded. The others nodded, then looked out at the rest of the group, as everyone prepared for battle. Only Eriana was smiling.

I guess she must really like fighting, he thought.

Caleb looked to all the others and frowned. A few people were picking skills, he could sense it with the trait he’d awoken; could feel their metaphysical weight change fundamentally. He frowned, then brought up his record and went straight to the skills section.

He scrolled past many, the list constantly shifting as the focus of his muddled thoughts changed repeatedly. His chest grew tighter and tighter as he struggled more and more to pick, held back by his fear of the unknown. Then he sighed, his shoulders sagging. He needed to pick now. If he didn’t, in the next fight he was probably going to die.

He looked back up to his record, his heart rate picking up, then closed his eyes.

Can you hear me? You can, right? Or at least sense what I’m feeling, I mean the skills list wouldn't change otherwise. Uh... if you can really hear me, then please, give me the best skill. For me that is. I don't need to be a super strong monster hunter or anything like that. I just need something that at least helps beat my cancer, helps me protect my friends, and helps me come out the other side of this whole mess in one piece. That'd be pretty nice, if you could give me that somehow.

He watched as his record changed, the list disappearing as a single skill appeared in his vision.

[Mana Soul Core]

He stared at it for a few seconds, then let out a heavy breath.

“I’m trusting you” he whispered. And then he selected the skill.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then he felt it. He let out a small gasp as his own weight shifted, bending everything around it. The vague gaseousness magic within him grew in intensity, and heat flooded him, warming his metaphysical and physical bodies. Then it all drew inwards, swirling around a singular point quicker and quicker. The heat grew further, and he clutched his chest slightly, doubling over.

[Caleb?] Kana said.

But he couldn’t respond, his chest burning now as the storm of fire and heat continued to grow. He let loose another gasp, looking down at his chest as it began to dimly glow a golden white. The magic within him continued to swirl around the point, even faster and the pain grew.

[You have awoken a level]

[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]

[You have awoken a level]

[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]

[You have awoken a level]

[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]

Others glanced to Caleb, as his friends crowded around him. Eriana frowned, as she watched him, her sword drawn to him, it’s awareness of him as a threat changing.

Danger

Her eyes widened at the word, the warning from her sword sudden and clear. Then it was gone, her sword returning to normal. Her sword had only spoken to her twice before, and both times had been in relation to a direct threat. She turned to face Caleb, and continued frowning, watching as he stood, gently pulling away from his friends as they worried over him. Her eyes narrowed further.

Weird, she thought. Wonder what that was about.

She shrugged and turned away, returning to searching the surrounding plain for any sign of another portal.

[Caleb?!] Kana shouted, her voice echoing through the plain. [What happened!?]

“It’s… fine” he muttered. “Just my skill”

“It didn’t look fine” Ryan said.

“Yeah, your chest was fucking glowing. You’re not going to explode are you?” Sierra added.

“…no” Caleb mumbled, still dazed.

[Caleb just let me check you’re ok] Kana said, reaching out to touch him with glowing hands. He didn’t back away, his mind still processing what’d just happened to him. Kana frowned as her hands met his chest. [You’re… fine. Same as before]

“Yeah I… I told you” he mumbled.

“Do you need water?” Sierra said.

“No. I’m fine. Really” Caleb said, straightening as his bearings returned. The others all looked to each other, then back to him, but decided not to say anything further.

“Hey everyone” the lead adult called out. “We’ve got a few spare spell bracelets from the chief if you want them”

Ryan glanced to the others, his eyes lingering on Caleb worriedly for a moment, before he looked to Kana and Sierra.

“We getting any?” Ryan said.

“Of course” Sierra said, marching over “I’ll get some for you guys too.”

Caleb watched as Sierra walked over, noticing the slight tremble in her hands. Then he looked to the others, Ryan and Kana both just as nervous. He frowned and looked down at his own, still blood-stained. They’d stopped trembling.

He felt completely calm, subdued even. His fear felt muted along with his confusion.

What the hell's going on? he thought.

He looked at himself, felt his own magical weight and he furrowed his brow. He could barely sense it. After taking the skill his weight had grown for a moment, but then it’d vastly shrunk. It was less even than the chief’s, someone who couldn’t use magic. Negligible.

But a golden yellow star burned brightly in his chest, near weightless as it continued to emanate a soft magical heat.

What in the world?

“Here are bracelets” Sierra said, four in hand. “These ones only fire thirty times before you have to recharge them”

Caleb took one of them and stared at it, before slipping it on. Suddenly the magical landscape shifted again and Caleb’s eyes shot up, watching as physical and magical space distorted and a green portal formed in the distance.

As the portal formed a large half spider, half scorpion monster stepped out, at least ten feet tall and far wider. Past it rushed, a bunch of smaller versions of the creature, all dog sized.

“Jesus.” Ryan said, sword appearing in hand. “ I guess it’s go time"

[Stay together]

“We know Kana” Sierra said, her voice slightly shaky. “We know”

-

[Alert: Mana Soul Core selected by Z1-E94-C: Testee - 1,224,379]

[Guidance request submitted to Trial Overseer]

[Pending]

[Pending]

[Guidance request denied: Note - Don’t concern me with such trivial matters again. I'm busy.]