The power welling in his body felt like coming home for the first time in weeks. Strength welled in his muscles as Kelford pulled the sword into his hands. The Heavy Warrior class just felt right.
“ I missed this feeling” Kelford’s gaze ran up the sword as he exalted in the feeling of raw strength that now infused his body. The classes all gave a heady rush in one form or another but none could compare to the raw might the Heavy Warrior class gave. Kelford felt as if he could break mountains, humble dragons, shatter armies. He clamped down on the feelings bubbling up within him. The rush of essence soon began to calm and the feelings of invincibility began to eb. With his first choice out of the way Kelford brought up his interface.
Interface
User: Kelford Booker
Class: Heavy Warrior
Class Slots: 1
Skills:
[Language of the Mountain]
[Enhanced Strength]
[General Melee Weapon Proficiency]
[Heavy Armor Proficiency]
[Hard Smash]
Spells: None
Relics: None
Karma: 435
Inventory: 4/10
“ Just one more class” Kelford gazed down at the last 4 classes before a flash of light flared around from the Heavy Warrior altar.
“Is that another weapon? T.U.I what does that mean? ” The altar now held another blade, an axe laying on the altar as if it had for all the world been there the entire time.
“ You can choose any class to fuse together Kelford” T.U.I said, “ Any class can be fused together, even duplicates!”
Kelford reached down, feeling the flat of the blade as he considered.
“ That would have been helpful to know.”
“ I can only grant information on events you have unlocked and by picking a class you have unlocked this information”
Kelford grimaced trying not to show his frustration. Leading him on to be surprised by useful information wasn’t exactly fair and only reaffirmed his previous thoughts. The Tower wasn’t being fully helpful. It was holding back information and had it’s own agenda, how that linked to essentially power leveling civilizations on a cosmic scale only to withhold information in it’s giant magical structure was anyone's guess.
Kelford mused as he brought up the description of the class to see if anything had changed.
Heavy Warrior
It Is Strength of Arms That Will Bend The Universe to Your Will
Skills:
Enhanced Strength
General Melee Weapon Proficiency
Heavy Armor Proficiency
Active Skills:
Hard Slash
Everything seemed the same but the golden letter kept going.
Class Detected
Additional Class Slot Detected
See Potential Fusion Options?
Y/N
Kelford’s eyes widened. “ Wait, I don't have to immediately fuse the classes to see what the fusion might be?” This changed some things he could get a feel for what he wanted and what potentially other climbers would be getting. At least the options without the influences of relics or any other potentially important variable. He chose yes even as T.U.I tried to explain that each class had that option.
Fusion
Heavy Warrior
Fused With
Heavy Warrior
Influencing skills:
[Language of the Mountain]
Influencing Traits:
Human
Potential Combinations:
Defender : Durable and Strong use your skills to protect those behind you
Fighter : Those who live for the fight dancing between every weapon and style
Weapon Initiate: Bond with a weapon and master it beyond physical comprehension
Kelford focused on each choice trying to see if he could feel a pattern or get some information from the golden words only to feel nothing.
“ T.U.I is there any more information I can get about these options? They’re kinda vague on the details.”
“ Unfortunately Kelford there is no way to gain anymore information from the permissions you have unlocked.” T.U.I sounded sad but Kelford caught the hint in her words. There was most likely a relic he could look for to gain more information.
“ What I can say” T.U.I continued, “ Is that there are more influences on your options then what the Tower provided you.”
Kelford just looked at the floating ball of light, “ Well that was cryptic”
“ I can only say so much” T.U.I’s light flared with frustration before she calmed down.
Kelford nodded before looking back to his options. More could influence the choices then what the Tower provided? That meant more than his skills and relics could influence the class?
On that front it did consider my species? An Influencing Trait it said. Kelford's thoughts spun until he eventually pulled back and let the golden letters fade. He couldn’t understand T.U.I’s cryptic words but he could focus on what the limited descriptions told him. Defender obviously made him tougher and probably lent itself to working with others potentially. Fighter could be more of the same perhaps? A description that leaned more into the wide variety of weapons the class gave him access too? Then there was the Weapon Initiate .
“ Just what is going on with that class?” Bonding with a weapon most likely meant focusing exclusively on one relic to fight with. Would he need to bond with a certain type of relic and could he change the bond after finding a better weapon? If not then whatever weapon he bonded with would be a limiting factor to his growth. It also made mention of mastering the weapon “beyond physical comprehension” . Whatever that meant. Either way there was no way for him to fully know without finding the relic T.U.I had mentioned or fusing the classes right now.
With a sigh Kelford dismissed the letters and began to move to another altar. As much as he enjoyed the Heavy Warrior class his time with the other classes had already broadened his horizons. Really he had a feeling for what he wanted to fuse with but the chance to see what his other options and some of the other combinations was too good to pass up. Even as the Tower doors beckoned beyond the light of the altars. Kelford stopped in front of the Ranged Warrior class and pulled up the combinations..
Class Detected
Additional Class Slot Detected
See Potential Fusion Options?
Y/N
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Fusion
Heavy Warrior
Fused With
Ranged Warrior
Influencing Skills
[Language of the Mountain]
Influencing Traits:
Human
Potential Combinations:
Marksmen: The greatest weapon is one where you can kill from safety
Survivalist: Fast enough to avoid danger, strong enough to kill it
Initiate Hunter of Dowor: The Storms of Dowor Do Not Suffer the Weak, survive and prove yourself to the Tribe.
These options were a little more interesting. Kelford had little interest in Sniper but it did remind him of the advantages that he had enjoyed with Ranged Warrior. Being able to kill something without worry had been a nice change of pace but magic made the world a different place. Multiple times creatures would either be tough enough to take an arrow or bolt to the face and keep going. Others would either try to envelop him or ambush him. The later issue, the one time he had been ambushed on that run, hadn’t been fun. Kelford pulled himself out of that memory before focusing on the class that had the most implications.
Initiate Hunter of Dowor
It was obviously impacted by [Language of the Mountain] or was the World shard he was climbing impacting the choice? Even the description was longer though it didn’t give any more insight on how the class would be. With a sigh he moved on pulling up the Light Warrior class and Apprentice class options.
Class Detected
Additional Class Slot Detected
See Potential Fusion Options?
Y/N
Fusion
Heavy Warrior
Fused With
Light Warrior
Influencing Skills
[Language of the Mountain]
Influencing Traits:
Human
Potential Combinations:
Initiate Duelist: The dance of weapons calls to you, begin to learn the dance
Berserker: Lose yourself in rage as cut through the foolish before you
Aspiring Weapon Master: switch seamlessly from one weapon to another the thirst for mastery pushing your skills
Fusion
Heavy Warrior
Fused With
Apprentice
Influencing Skills
[Language of the Mountain]
Influencing Traits:
Human
Potential Combinations:
Initiate Spell Warrior: Learn to weave essence into every swing of your weapon
Aspiring Arcane Squire : Your feet lead you to the path of knights, strengthen the foundations and balance the two paths of mastery
Runic Claimant: Discover the first piece of the forgotten discipline of giants, Dowor remembers those who ruled before
Kelford whistled as he took in the combinations. They each sounded interesting and promised to be strong in their own way. The Runic Defender definitely caught his attention and he memorized the passage for later. The giants were rarely mentioned in his readings, to the point that Kelford had learned almost nothing about them. Their language was the basis for the ogres and gnoblars apparently and now he knew they had a type of rune magic. The giants might be a part of the world secret of Dowor and Runic Claimant may help him discover more of it. With a shrug Kelford pushed the options away. Despite the potential lead he was certain that he had another potential lead anyway. Besides, he wasn’t sure he wanted to keep going with the Apprentice . Knowledge and practice were all well and good but in a fight he wanted to feel the rushing of his heart. Having to constantly think and plan his spells hadn’t been fun despite the wide breath of spells he potentially could have.
Kelford stood before the last of the classes already excited. The Acolyte had been the only other class he had enjoyed as much as Heavy Warrior and if he was able to get Shadow: Affinity again he might just be able to just delve deeper into the mysteries of this place. He pulled up the Acolytes class description only to find that the affinity randomizer was already up.
Essence Attunement Selected
Essences in World Vault Dowor Selected
Talents Identified
Randomizing
Choosing
“Huh, I guess Essence Attunement is a big influencer for the class options.” Kelford said to himself as he waited for the interface to finish.
Essence Selected:
Solar
The golden words began to burn themselves into reality as Kelford sighed.
“Oh well, at least I can see what it can….” His words trailed off as the letters glitched. Golden letters no longer formed crisp words but instead flared in and out of reality, they flared between symbols Kelford didn’t know. They flared and changed faster and faster, more and more eldritch symbols replacing letters until finally they stopped. The essence had changed again. Dread crawled down Kelford's back as he saw what the new essence was.
Essence Selected:
Shadow
Where light is absent darkness may dwell,
Revel in the hidden and your new found power,
Beware,
For as you grow in power so to will you realize
This is only an imitation
Of something more
Fusion
Heavy Warrior
Fused With
Acolyte
Influencing Skills
[Language of the Mountain]
Influencing Traits:
Human
Potential Combinations:
Martial Acolyte(Shadow): Skill and Essence growing alongside your devotion
Pactmaker of the blade: Make a deal with those beyond for a weapon to grow your power
Called of the Black Sun: For those with a high enough affinity, the black sun promises power
“ What…what was that?” Kelford stammered even as the combinations finished glowing. The words floating as if the glitches hadn’t occurred.
“ What is wrong Kelford?” T.U.I’s concerned tone snapped Kelford back to reality.
“ Didn’t you see the glitching and the attunement switching?”
“ I..do not what you are referring to Kelford? You were fortunate to get Shadow Attunement again. I believe that is a good outcome with what we discussed yesterday…correct?”
Kelford stared at T.U.I as he processed what she had said. She hadn’t seen the symbols or the switch. Kelford turned back to the golden letters. They floated as if nothing was wrong, making him question his sanity. Was it a trap? Has the Tower been hacked somehow?
“ T.U.I is it possible for the Tower to be hacked in some way?” Kelford hated the hesitancy in his voice but he was shaken.
“ No, to my knowledge the Myriad Index has not let an outside power influence the Tower without express permission in the entirety of the Tower’s existence. The Tower’s are designed to be nigh impregnable from foreign influence. Again, is there something wrong?”
Kelford read between the lines. If something strange had happened the Tower had allowed it. He gritted his teeth.
“ I think the randomization of my attunement has been tampered with” Kelford said, “ It was at Solar then glitched until it went to shadow again.”
T.U.I floated for a moment before replying, “ That is very peculiar. Are you sure that had happened?”
“Yes”
“ Then you have to choose one of the options provided.”
Kelford turned to her eyes blazing, “ I thought this was supposed to be my choice?!”
“ It is your choice and you were hoping for shadow attunement again” T.U.I’s voice was low, her light had dimmed almost as if she was hiding. “ I don’t know why but I believe you shouldn’t change your decision based on this correction. If it did really happen you shouldn’t let it influence your choice. It is just a lucky coincidence, proof you are doing well.”
Kelford looked back to the options. There was one that caught his attention. If the Called of the Black Sun was not a part of the world secret Kelford would tear his own heart out. Whatever had happened, this was most likely the class it wanted to offer him. It felt like a trap, like he was being forced down a path even if it seemed to be exactly what he wanted. A hook on the world secret that T.U.I wanted to investigate, a merging of the two classes he felt the greatest affinity for, even a promise of power.
It felt like a trap though. A clear and transparent trap. It gnawed on Kelford as he stared at the options, he could pick something different. The other class combinations weren’t too bad, Martial Acolyte and Pactmaker of the Blade did sound good. But if he avoided this, he’d be running away and he was through with running. His heart raced as he selected the option.
You wish to fuse
Heavy Warrior
And
Acolyte
To form
Called of the Black Sun?
Warning this will cost 1 class slot
Y/N
Kelford chose yes before he could change his mind. His heart raced as the letters disappeared smiling despite the foolishness of his choice. The weapon on the altar flared with purple light before disappearing. To Kelford’s shock his sword had disappeared from his hand. He turned looking for it only to see the lights of the safe room snuffed out. It was like the same dark passage that had brought him to the safe room and his mind froze at the realization. A deep frost sunk into skin despite his clothing, through his skin and reinforced muscles straight to his bones, straight to his core.
“ T.U.I!”
Kelford’s voice echoed in the cavernous dark. T.U.I did not answer and her light was no where to be found. Kelford stumbled forward, legs and arms shaking as he aimlessly wandered the dark.
“ T.U.I where are you?! What’s happening?!” His cries were swallowed by the dark even as his footsteps echoed across the vast expanse.
The Heart…
Kelford whirled at the whisper that echoed around him.
“ H-Hello?” His hands were up and ready to defend himself, “ Who’s there?”
Wreathed In Winter..
The voice was soft yet horrifyingly loud, the more Kelford tried to listen the harder it was for him to understand . Bits and pieces echoed around him as the cold stole more and more of his enhanced strength. His steps continued to echo as Kelford strained himself to hear the words. Then his leg gave out on him. Kelford collapsed and rolled down an incline that hadn’t existed moments before.
Three Brothers Shall They Betray…
Kelford screamed as he tried and failed to stop his fall, the whispers rang in his ear even as he felt his strength freeze in his marrow. Minutes or hours passed as he fell in darkness until finally he collided with the floor. Wheezing Kelford found not the strength to stand but only to push himself to his knees. His eyes opened and he didn’t notice until a flicker of color passed by his vision. A purple mote of essence floated by and Kelford crawled after it with what strength he had.
The Coward seeks…
The whispers grew louder as finally light blessed Kelford’s eyes as he crawled into a open cavern. Its walls and floor were of purple ice, pulsing with rivers of shadow essence so pure Kelford couldn’t believe it. They flowed to the center where a prison of ice both swallowed and released more of the essence. Kelford’s mind qualified as he beheld it’s prisoner.
A Tear Into Another Reality
An Eye Gazing Into His Soul
A Sun Blacker Than Night
Kelford blinked and the visions congealed into a blade the size of a skyscraper imprisoned in ice older then worlds. The whispers grew louder but this time Kelford could make some of them out.
The Heart of Ice Will Solidify The Path
Wreathed In Winter He Dooms His World
Three Brothers Will They Find
Each Betrayed For The Same Reasons
On Their 8th Step Will The Poet Be Blinded
On The Hour Of Their 7th Ascendance Will The Lich Be Broken
On Their 6th Defeat Will The Raven Be Sacrificed
The Coward Will Seek Redemption With The Key To Our Ascendance
The Fortune Of Mortals Is So Serve At Our Masters Knees
Laughter echoed in the space and Kelford reeled from the force of their malice. The sword pulsed with power and behind it a figure grew taller and taller. Kelford only had enough presence of mind to see two eyes blazing with purple radiance before he was crushed by the monster's foot.
Laughter echoed in his ears.