The next day I went to Taylor’s suite to try and talk things out. As I approached his suite, I noticed he was just standing there staring out into space. “Taylor....Taylor...Yo Taylor!” I yelled as he finally snapped out of it. He then looked at me, and a look of disgust began to show on his face. That was it. “You know what fuck this, I’m going back to my room, I’ll just see you at the testing ceremony tomorrow. I decided to sulk until that highly anticipated day.
Okay, snap out of it, today is a new day and I’m about to be tested. Once I get my benefactor, I will show everyone just how strong I can become! I thought to myself as I was getting dressed. I walked over to the temple of the chosen. The temple was elaborate and well-crafted. It had the same elegance as the Roman temples of old. Only Taylor and I turned 18 that day, and we were the only ones to be tested. I was already there and when I saw Niko approaching, he spoke. “Niko…I’m sorry for how I came at you when you were in the hospital. I got frustrated, it’s just hard to see you get so beat up all the time, and I keep getting myself in trouble each time I go after the ones that attack you.” “It’s ok I get it; I just feel like I need to take risks to get stronger, and I’m tired of bowing down to those who are stronger, I’d rather be bloody and crippled than be subservient to those assholes.” Taylor then responded, “Look, let’s just put it behind us and see what benefactor we get.”
“Ahem! You boys know that we’ve been waiting for one of you to come up and get tested and weren’t interested in being exposed to your teen melodrama.” “Sorry sir” we both immediately responded to the priest. “All right, enough of that. Taylor seeing that you’re the highest ranked we’ll have you go first.” Taylor walked up to the altar and knelt before the priest. “Taylor, do you swear to uphold the will of your benefactor, and ensure that the world knows the greatness of his/her name if you are so chosen.” “I do” he responded. The priest then started chanting incomprehensible words, as golden runes started to form around Taylor's forehead. Then Taylor started glowing a green light, which then transitioned to red, then purple, black, and ending with a bright golden hue, which enveloped the entire temple. The image of a golden dragon then appeared flying directly into Taylor’s head, a glowing dragon tattoo then snaked around his torso with its head landing directly on the back of his neck. “By the Celestials!” the priest exclaimed, “An S classed chosen, and bonded to the Golden Dragon Benefactor. Quickly let's get this child an S-class mentor so that he can begin his training. Oh, such a glorious day, all right Niko, let us present you before the benefactors, who knows maybe fortune will shine on you as well.” With excitement, I ran up and knelt before the priest. Once again, the priest started chanting and 6 runes started to circle around me, then one disappeared, then two, and so on, until not a single rune could be seen. There were no shows of light and wonder, no mystical tattoo just me bewildered, and a scowling priest. “An Unchosen!” spit out the priest. “Two of the rarest outcomes, and yet such glory and utter dismay, get this child out of this temple before he taints our holy ground. Lead him to the servants' courters where he can learn how to be of some use, regardless of how minute it may be!”
Tears flowed down my face, as all my dreams and hopes were crushed in an instant. “Yes, you vile thing there is much to be sorrow for, now get out of my sight before I have you thrown over the walls.” the priest said with disdain. I ran out of the temple as the imperial guards apprehended me. One of the guards spoke in a harsh tone “Now unchosen, you aren’t even worth the time it would take to escort you to the courters. It is located on the southern hemisphere of the empire, go find it yourself and make sure you arrive before the setting of the sun or we’ll have you chained up in the dungeon, ya hear me!” The guard then shoved me on the ground spitting in my direction. I didn’t even bother to wipe the spit from my face as I got up, because I was too bewildered to care. All I could do was walk towards the south muttering Unchosen along the way. As I dragged my feet down the block my vision suddenly went dark as a black bag was wrapped around my head as I was being dragged away.
Once I was finally dragged to my destination, the bag was removed from my head, and I was blinded by bright lights. Once my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw a sight that encapsulated me with a horror I could’ve never imagined. Right across from me was Jonny standing next to Anita who was chained up with her hands above her head against the wall. Her cheeks and eyes were swollen black and blue, I could barely recognize her in this current state. I was forced to stand upright with multiple people restraining me and forcing me to see the horrid sight before me. Mockingly Johnny spoke “Niko…Niko…Niko, oh how the mighty Niko has fallen, as an Unchosen. I’m astonished, I am. I mean I knew you were a maggot, but to be so fortunate to be the only Unchosen among us for decades. Who would have thought”
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“To celebrate your momentous ascension, I prepared this little gift just for you. You see this bitch would always get in the way of my fun. Then I heard from a golden birdy, that you…you…had a crush on little old Anita.” Then it hit me as i thought no, he couldn’t… H…he wouldn’t, why…why would he tell Jonny, Taylor would never betray me like this. I...I can’t believe it...No. “I can see by the look on your face that you understand me. So let me get on with the gift, as I let you witness how a real man could please a woman.” Johnny started with a lecherous grin. No, he can’t, he wouldn’t. As much as I didn’t want to believe it, Jonny began to use his knife to cut Anita’s blouse right down the middle.
“Take a good look Niko! I know you wanted to see her beauty, right? A pink bra oh how cute.”
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Just as Jonny was about to continue, I started to yell as I struggled to approach him against the constraints of his henchman “Stop Jonny leave her out of it.” Surprisingly I was beginning to move slowly step by step against the force of the four people holding me back. “Shut him up already” Jonny shouted. As one of the youth gut-punched me with all his might. Jonny continued to draw a line from Anita’s collarbone down to the middle of her bra, leaving a line of blood down her chest. Even after being hit, I barely flinched as I pressed forward shouting “Nnnnooooooo!” Just then, before Jonny could cut the bra, dark clouds started to form overhead, as loud thunder shook the entire block. Startled, Jonny looked up to see a massive lightning bolt strike down directly on my head throwing all four goons against the surrounding buildings.
As the lightning struck me, I started to elevate into the air, and rather than pain I felt power forcefully surging into my very being. Strike after strike, Lightning was hitting me from every direction, each strike filling me with even more power, feeling like my body could barely contain it, making my vision go white. Then there was silence and stillness in the air, as I felt myself slowly fall to the ground landing upright slouched on my knees. Before I could even think to get up, a screen appeared before my eyes.
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS TO UNLOCK ACCESS TO THE BLOODLINE SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM IS DETECTING THAT THE HOST IS IN GREAT DURESS AND SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES.
QUEST HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
QUEST: KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR
A DAMSEL IS IN DISTRESS, AND YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES. SAVE THE LADY, PROTECT HER CHASTITY, BE THE HERO, AND DEFEAT YOUR FOES
REWARD: 5 STAT POINTS UNLOCK 1st TIER BATTLE MODE.
FAILURE: DEATH
ERROR
ERROR
THE HOST IS VASTLY INADEQUATE TO SURVIVE THE CURRENT CRISIS.
EMERGENCY PROTOCOL IN PLACE, TEMPORARY UNLOCKING OF 1ST TIER BATTLE MODE ACTIVATED
I was now glowing a deep blue with arcs of electricity dancing across my body, as I began to get up, entering into some type of trance. Stricken with fear Jonny commanded his crew to attack me and to kill me if they must. The four people who were knocked against the buildings, along with two others pulled out knives and picked up bats as they approached me. Then my battle mode activated, and my perception became vastly enhanced like every time before, except now... time slowed, and my eyes glowed with crippling intensity. Everyone was moving incredibly slow, each step seemed like it would take minutes to hit the ground, and every attack was moving slowly inch by inch. Then my analysis began: 6 guys approaching, three with bats, and three with knives. The first one is going to swing for the left side of my head while the second will be going for my legs.
Then surprisingly I could also see highlighted points on each attacker, and their weapons displaying where I could block and/or attack. I was the only one who didn’t seem to be affected by this time paradox and was able to casually walk to the first assailant who appeared as if he was moving through viscous liquid. I walked up to the first bat wielder, just as he was beginning to swing. I could see the bat moving in slow motion and lightly touched the highlighted portion of the bat with my index finger. At that moment, the bat came to an immediate halt, as the arm of the assailant simultaneously broke with a compound fracture. I then grabbed the bat before it hit the ground slamming it one-handed through that same man’s legs, breaking both in half right at the knees, causing him to slowly flip sideways through the air. Before he could hit the ground I swung the bat in the opposite direction right into the side of his head, which then detached from the rest of his body. I then got up and walked to the 2nd bat wielder, and as if the bat was weightless, I swung it one-handed in a backhand motion across the 2nd bat wielder’s jaw shattering the bones in his face beyond recognition. I then grabbed the second bat jumping and twisting in the air as I threw both bats simultaneously, one at bat-wielder 3, and the other at knife-wielder 1 hitting them both directly in the face, which then caved into their skulls. I then ran towards the remaining two knife wielders, grabbing both of their heads, crushing them together, as both skulls flattened in one heaping mass.
After Killing the last of Johnny’s goons, time began to flow normally again. Johnny bore a look of absolute terror seeing me kill all 6 of his men, within a single moment. With arcs of blue electricity still dancing across my body, I approached him as a beast would its prey. Johnny then panicked and brought his knife up to Anita’s throat stuttering. “D...d...don’t m...move or I’ll slit her...” Before he could utter another word I sprung upon him faster than he could even connect the knife to Anita’s skin. I grabbed his wrist, and with a single quick motion disarmed him, now holding the knife with his hand still attached to it. I then stabbed him in the knee, with his own knife. Johnny fell to the ground looking at the stump that once held his hand, sobbing he cried out “My hand, you ripped off my fucking hand. Look...I’m Sorry...I’m sorry...Please don't Kill me. I then kneeled closer to him. “Get away from me” he exclaimed “I’ll never bother you again...I’ll even turn myself in just pl...” Before he could finish his plea, I grabbed his face and slowly squeezed yelling “I told you to Sttttoooopppp!,” until a pop and a crunch could be heard as I crushed his face. A gurgling sound could be heard from his deformed face and continued until silence rang out signaling his abrupt end.
Then as if waking from a daze I became startled as I could see the carnage left in my wake being covered in blood. “D…did I do this, but how?” I then jumped to my feet. “Anita!” I exclaimed, looking around the room, seeing her still being chained up against the wall with pure horror painted across her face. “M…monster stay away from me?” She shouted as I was walking towards her. “Anita! It is ok you're safe now I’m not…” “No just stay away from me. You killed them, you killed them all. Get away from meee!” “Whose there what’s going on?” A voice shouted from the distance. Worried that I might get arrested for what I had just done, I fled. As I was leaving, I could hear voices in the distance “Oh by the Celestials, who would do something like this? Hey there is a girl chained to the wall she’s been really roughed up, get her down from there."
Hearing that she was being taken care of, I continued to leave. As I left I could see a blinking exclamation point in the corner of my eye and didn’t have the desire to even find out what it was, as my heart began to ache.