This time, I appeared in a room made entirely of black marble. The mana in the enchantments embedded into the walls was strong almost-ether like in quality.

Hubold stood up and approached the east wall. He placed his hand along a hidden indent that contained several packets of runes interlocked together. His mana threaded through the link and the floor rumbled as the north wall slid apart.

The walls revealed a room filled with chests and cases displaying various items. But I waited. Allaron hadn't moved, and Hubold was still channeling mana into a second link, one that connected to the south wall with nearly three times the amount of enchantments hidden behind the marble.

"Do you not want your rewards? Strax?" Allaron asked.

His voice was neutral, and posture held no tension.

I kept still and stared at the south wall. "Does your servant need more time to open the real treasury?"

Allaron raised an eyebrow while snapping his fingers. A beam of blue light shot into the marble before melding with Hubolds mana, and activating the enchantments.

As the real treasury doors slid open I waited but Hubold had already removed his hand.

"Anastasia and Nathan wouldn't have revealed the vault," Allaron said as he walked through the south entrance. "You're an astute observer, Strax."

I followed, making sure Allaron was always in front and slightly to my right. Standing directly behind him could be seen as suspicious so I kept my intentions clear.

Somehow, I didn't expect my meeting with the king to be filled with a dozen tests. But it wasn’t that surprising.

Still, I wanted my items and to leave, nothing else. I held no interest for the king or the crown.

I'm not a peacock or a sycophant.

"Am I to expect further testing?" I asked.

Allaron chuckled. "Perhaps. It's not everyday a stranger to my kingdom draws such attention."

The king wasn't what I was expecting. He looked like royalty, and it was easy to see how much power he hid behind a thin veil. His mana was like ether, strong enough to press on my clothes.

But maybe it was because I was immune to such pressure, or even the fact that I had been in the presence of gods beyond mortal men, I didn't feel intimidated.

He was powerful, strong enough to kill me if he wanted, if what Teddy's parents said was true.

He was Tier three, at the max of tier three. Like Brelten.

His power should be enough to defend a city and more. But he kept himself contained, and his mana flowed around him with ease that few others could achieve.

Yet he seemed off. And it wasn't until he stopped near another door–one lined with blue crystals–did I realize what bothered me.

He didn't move gracefully. His steps were stiff, subtle, but noticeable in his walk.

"Hubold, have you prepared the list?" Allaron asked.

"I have your Majesty," Hubold replied while producing a scroll of black parchment with golden scrawl across its back.

Allaron unfurled it and read in silence for a minute before he returned the scroll and crossed his arms.

"We'll go with vault Xier."

Hubold nodded and stepped forward placing both hands at different heights. Enchantments came to life and a bubble of energy coated the door like soap.

When he removed his hands the marble split and revealed a distorted reality stretched across its frame.

Allaron stepped first and Hubold bowed.

I wish I had Galarion with me, but I was warned not to bring mental mana inside the throne room. Not if I didn’t want to be executed on the spot.

Hubold stayed low, and I held out my hand. The mana tickled.

Welp if it was a trap, I'm sure Teddy's parents would rescue me.

I entered the portal and was spat out on the other side.

This room, unlike the rest, was massive, bigger than the throne room. I counted more than a hundred shelves stretching to the ceiling, lined with chests or cases containing a variety of items.

Behind me Hubold stepped to the right and tapped his pin. As he did, the one along my collar activated and a deep pulse expanded from the center of the room where Allaron stood.

The mana washed over me but the pin sucked it in and I was left untouched.

"A cleaning enchantment to excise contaminants, it is harmless with the pin around your collar. Keep it on you at all times while within the vault, sir Strax," Hubold explained.

"Hubold, prepare the items on the list, we willl be over there and out of your way," Allaron said.

"Yes, sir." Hubold bowed. "I will have it ready in ten minutes."

Allaron waved me over and we went to the one spot on the floor uncontested with display cases. He summoned a comfortable chair made of dark leather that cushioned his form.

In response, I summoned my beanbag. He stared at the beanbag and even sent a blue laser against its contents that was rebuffed and torn apart.

"That item holds some divinity," he stated.

I shrugged and sank into its embrace. "It was a gift."

He studied my face and examined my clothes while leaning forward. "I see. Well, now that we're alone I can drop the game."

His shoulders relaxed and he settled deeper into his chair.

"Game?"

"Yes, game. I'm not a fool. When Anastasia and Nathan crashed into my bedroom window and demanded I hand them the 'loot', I knew it wouldn't be a simple matter."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I resisted the urge to chuckle, picturing the pair standing menacingly over a groggy king like bandits.

"That sounds like them."

"Indeed," he chuckled mirthlessly. "But enough of that. Meeting you made me take you more seriously. You have a keen eye for mana, and I can't scan you."

"And what does that tell you?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"That you're not normal. And saving Helio wasn't a fluke. So here we are in the real vault where I'll present you with suitable rewards for such a task."

I studied the king and he stared back. But he was relaxed, an easy look in his eyes.

He sat forward and watched Hubold teleport around the room and place them in neatly stacked rows.

"You answered honestly in the throne room. And Anastasia was right. It was in poor taste to try and scan you without your knowledge. So I will permit a question in return."

I blinked. That was unexpected. And I didn't really have anything I wanted to ask him. But judging from the way he glanced in my direction, he expected me to.

I shrugged and examined the vault, taking in the nearly endless amount of items.

"What's your favorite skill?"

His eyes narrowed. "Is that the question you want answered?"

"Yes."

"Very well," he said as he exhaled and tracked Hubold's teleporting. Minutes passed before he inhaled and met my eyes. "There was a skill I saw as a kid that I always wanted. It is a silly childish skill with no combat potential whatsoever. But nonetheless, I desired it."

"What did it do?"

He chuckled. "It made berries."

Really?

"Berries?"

"Yes. Berries. Tiny dull-silver berries with a coating of sugary dust on its skin," He said. "Eldarrie Delight" was the skill's name. A small tier two quality skill stone looted from a wild rift near the Golden Plains. No idea who or what Eldarrie is, but those berries were found in the same rift. And they were fantastically delicious."

"Did you ever acquire the skillstone?"

He shook his head and roared with laughter. "Oh no. If I had it would have been extracted by my father within the hour. And it was given as a gift to a servant. The prince could never have such a useless skill, even if it was the perfect choice for any child."

"That's too bad. It sounds like a fun skill."

He nodded but kept quiet.

Again, this wasn't how I thought the meeting with the king would go.

Hubold finished gathering the items and then teleported in front of Allaron, returning to one knee.

Allaron snorted and tapped his shoulder. "Stand, Hubold. Not in here."

Hubold stood. "I have prepared the items, sir. Would you like to begin."

A different scroll was produced–the same black parchment but with silver ink instead of gold. Allaron tossed it over and I caught it.

"Take a look and select two from the list" A third scroll appeared in Hubold’s hand before he handed it to me. "And take two from the second list. When you have made your choice we will return to the throne room."

The king and his attendant watched me unfurl the scrolls and place them on my lap while reading through the list.

And this is only a portion of a vault? Damn.

Each list contained over hundreds of items. And none of it was organized.

Each entry held a brief description of the item along with their identified name. I skimmed the top and paused at something interesting.

High Demona Blood- A vial filled with tier three blood extracted from a demonic rift monster.

* Uses unknown, alchemic purposes hidden despite extensive testing.

I pulled up my status and focused on a specific perk.

Demonic Blood

* This is a racial perk that all demons share.

* All Demons have the ability to get stronger by consuming a more powerful demon’s blood. The higher the tier, the greater the strength of the benefits.

It was my first instance of seeing demonic blood. I never forgave myself for letting Arz'odral go without taking some of the blood for my own, and now here was an option for one of my rewards.

But I couldn't take it. Maybe if it was on the minor list and not the major one, I would have selected it, but the skillstones listed were too important.

And Cal's words stuck around, reminding me what I lacked.

There were a few other interesting entries, such as the Wyrmshard and the Bottled Breath of a Cloud Giant.

While I knew nothing about alchemy, the Wyrmshard had clearly explained its uses.

Wyrmshard: Skill-extracted loot from a tier-four Diving Nightwyrm. Consuming it enhances one's darkness affinity to one hundred percent. And one's fire affinity to sixty five percent.

That would be an incredible boon to anyone who wanted to use such skills. Even if they had all their slots filled, increasing their affinity by such a degree would make their skills more powerful and use less mana.

I see why it's in the major list.

But I already had an affinity for every element. Hopefully, somebody in the futurewould enjoy the boost.

I continued to skim the lists until I boiled it down to a handful of options. The lists were massive, and several of the enchanted items looked useful, but I was focusing on skillstones first.

I've spent too long as a tier zero. And my familiars have been patiently waiting for the day they get their evolutions I promised when I contracted them.

Better to start on the first list.

Skillstones:

* By Law Unmoving: Creates an aura of unmoving. All motion is stopped within the aura. Expected tier upgrade includes the ability to stop mana, and energy beyond physical motion.

* Saint's Grand Ascension: A field of light descends upon the user. Within the area of effect panels of hard light create a grand staircase for the user to ascend. Expected tier upgrade allows the ability to teleport between steps.

* Dragon's Breath: *Note only one skillstone in existence. Requires minimum of 99% fire-affinity: Call to the power beyond your bloodline and burn all that is, to ash.

* Runekeld Vanguard: Augmented Summon type skill. Call forth a member of the engraved legion, the Runekeld. Humanoid class summon. Tank type. Uses defensive runes to improve equipment. Runes used changes the equipment the Runekeld deploys. On tier two evolution, can switch runes while summoned. Expected tier upgrade includes the ability to summon multiple Vanguards.

* Baneblood Immortal: Summon type skill. Call forth a dreaded Baneblood. Demonic elemental summon. Warrior type. As long as there's blood, the immortal lives. Spikes, arm-blades, and teeth are laced with multiple toxins. Expected upgrade include the ability to summon by sacrificing blood in the place of mana.

* Rune Skald: Note* Origin of skillstone, unknown. Affinity type required, unknown. Potential upgrades unknown. Attempts to use Tier Four Identification skill failed: Enchantment, support buff type skill. Through the use of singing, strings together runic enchantments that last depending on the mana invested. Multiple enchantments can be made but requires additional mental strain. Potential upgrades unknown. Requires knowledge of runic enchantments to use effectively.

* Endless Maze Timeless Dream: Illusion type crowd control type skill. Creates a field type illusion. Those trapped in the skill are drained of willpower and mana. Sleep plague debuff spreads upon entering, and grows in potency as they are inside.

* Eat the Cake: Conjuration type skill, pure mana. Conjures a giant cake that changes in size depending on mana invested. Expected tier upgrades include elemental icing, explosions, and the inability to tell the truth.

The last skill on the list had me scratching my head. But hey, it was funny even if I wouldn't have seriously considered it.

Then again...

I shook my head. There was no way I was going to take it, no matter how oddly tempting it was.

Next up was the second list, though I had already selected one skill stone which left me with a few odd choices that drew my attention.

Skillstone:

* Sovereign's Warcry: Mass support type skill. Releases a warcry that increases allies strength, agility, and regeneration. Expected tier upgrade includes the addition of more support type buffs.

It was simple, but my Legacy would take care of the rest. Some of the other buffs were too specific, and the affinity would clash with my other summons. It was listed as a pure-mana affinity, which was nice and meant I could use it on everyone, maybe even allies in the future.

For the items, I boiled it down to three things, and I wanted them all.

Items:

* Mask of a Million Faces: Etherstorm enchanted item, a mask that has a million faces of varying ages, gender, and race. Soul-bound, and tier-less.

* Fragment of the Stars: A gemstone acquired as a reward from a tier-three wild rift. Made of condensed crystal, gravity and spatial mana. Pushes near ether-level quality of mana. Unknown uses, despite extended testing, attempts to siphon mana deemed a failure. Hardness scale on par with a tier three-Diamond Scale Viper.

* Molgraukus' Ear Biter: *Note from Adventurer Markus Raelus: The -expletive- puncture marks are permanent. Healing skills don't work. I tried. Enchanted gear. Acquired through a tier-three wild rift. A pair of earrings that lower the mana cost summon-type skills. For familiar-type summons, lowers the reserved percentage when summoning while diminishing familiar's mana pool.

I contained my sigh and slumped forward.

What to choose?