Castor dreamt of a blissful black, with warmth and laughter. He lingered in the happiness until a light flared repeatedly in front of him, forcing him to crack an eye open.

A tiny, pink flame floated in front of his face, bouncing back and forth excitedly. “This is why I hate interacting with mortals.” A disembodied voice echoed from the flame, seeming to whisper to itself.

As if sensing Castor’s attention, the floating fire stilled. “Finally,” The flame said. “Have you finished lazing the day away?”

Castor laid there for a moment, utterly confused by what was happening until he shot up, memories of his torture flooding back. He frantically looked around, trying to find the pile of bones coming to kill him, but none did.

Castor lay in an empty cave with only one exit, illuminated only by the small pink fire that wouldn’t shut up now that he was awake. His clothes were in tatters and what was left was covered in blood—but despite all that, there wasn’t a single trace of mangled flesh or broken bone. Even the arrow that pierced his shoulder had disappeared, along with my backpack full of supplies, He lamented.

“Congratulations, Challenger. You have completed the First Challenge. We may now discuss rewards and your next objective.” The flame said proudly.

“… Rewards?” Castor asked.

“Challengers are entitled to rewards every step of the way,” The flame rattled off before prompts filled Castor’s vision.

He ignored the nonsensical situation, and his growing headaches. “I don’t want a reward, I just want to leave.”

The flame paused. “… Unfortunately, you cannot leave the dungeon until you have conquered the first floor.”

“Then why am I even here?!” Castor shouted suddenly, “Where have you people taken me?”

“Be calm, child,” The wisp said, “I know not the state of your world affairs, or why you have entered the Trial. I’m a mere Challenger Keeper, I do not have the answers you seek.”

Castor quietly sniffled as the wisp continued. “I can give you the tools to seek those answers yourself. If only you complete my challenges.” It dangled promises in his face like Castor was a pig snapping at a carrot.

“… Whatever.” Castor said, wiping the tears off his face. He summoned his status, multiple prompts generating at his call.

Quest Completed. Rewards Granted.

Resource Exhaustion II Afflicted

Mage Burn Afflicted

Overdraw Afflicted

Bottleneck Reached. Sealing Skills.

Warning! Skills will no longer expand

until Integration has been completed

New Paths Revealed! Quest Log updated.

Castor Dark Human

Role: Challenger

PWR:2.0 ???

MND:1.0 ???

ATM:2.2 ???

Twilight: 78S

RP:13/10

Abilities: Aural Synesthesia

Skill List: Alter (Ra), Blunt Weapon Proficiency (Ba), Intuition (Uc), Bond (Inc), Unarmed Combat Proficiency (Ba), Perseverance (Uc), Aura Release (Uc), Flow Meditation (Uc)

(Dulled)

Blue Carnivora

Bloodline: Canine

RP:7/7

Skill List: Guard (Ba), Bite (Ba), Bond (Ra), Alter (Ra)

Spell List: Shadow Sneak (Ba)

Challenger

A rare title signifying your status

as a Challenger. Continue on your

Path to prove your mettle.

+.1 Every Score

Castor was surprised to see his scores jump, yet he still felt shorted. Compared to almost dying a hundred different ways, the rewards were pitiful.

“Although the Second Challenge is beyond this cavern, I suggest you stay here and consolidate your cultivation.” The Wisp circled Castor as it spoke to him. “If you were to make an attempt now, you will only die.”

Castor wanted to refute—to hurry up, finish the dungeon, so he can get back to Blue and Micah—but the surety of which the Challenge Keeper said those words shook him.

“So what should I do? Starve to death here?”

“Don’t squander your opportunity, child.” The flame started to sputter out with every word. “Consolidate.”

“No, wait! Don’t leave me alone. Please!” Castor tried to hold the spirit, but the flame phased right through his hand. He tried to hold it between his hands, but the flame grew smaller and smaller,

“Cultivate.” The Keeper faded with the last word, several prompts manifesting in its wake. Unfortunately, the imaginary light from the menu didn’t alleviate the encroaching darkness.

No one to lean on, not even a [Bond] to comfort him. A familiar ache stabbed into Castor’s heart, but he tried not to think about it.

Store Access Granted.

Second Challenge has opened

A Keeper watches you closely

For a long time, Castor didn’t do anything. He sat in silence, overwhelmed by the situation. It wasn’t fair—none of it was, but here he was anyway. Stuck in a cave with no way to go, but forward.

Keep working, Cas. There’s still something you can do. He took a deep breath to settle down and looked through the rest of his menus.

Quest Log

Emergency Trial Awaken Secondary Scores Find an Obelisk Challenge Rune of Nargeth Bottleneck

[Bottleneck]

You have reached the natural limits of your Race.

Shed those limitations and continue your journey

to power and ability.

Objective: Integrate Primary Scores (2/3)

Reward: Spectral Limit Increase, Skill Unsealments

Paths Revealed!

Forerunner (0/150S), Mind Integration (0/30),

Challenger (0/100G), Amateur (0/45),

Perseverance (0/60S), Aura Sink (0/50H)

Twilight: 78S

Castor’s head started to pound as he perused the multitude of menus. He may not be an RPG expert, but he could at least interpret the messages after reading and rereading the prompts.

He had crossed some type of limit with his skills in his last fight and because of that, the system sealed two of his skills. He wasn’t able to test [Blunt Weapon Proficiency], since his weapon was gone too, but the hums of guidance that came with [Flow Meditation] were missing.

Despite not having the skill longer than half a day, Castor missed the stable feelings it provided him.

Luckily, it was a quick fix. Finishing the quest was easier than pressing a button, Castor completed the last integration path with only a thought.

Quest Completed. Rewards Granted.

Blunt Weapon Proficiency and Flow Meditation unsealed.

Skills are now able to Expand.

Castor’s thoughts flowed more cohesively, and checking his status revealed his skill was no longer stricken through. Feeling the need to keep his momentum, Castor nearly poured the rest of his Twilight into the Amateur path, but hesitated.

There were more important things to do.

Open Store. Castor called out mentally, surprised when a prompt actually responded to his command.

Challenger Store

Open to Current Challenger

Arms & Armors Spell & Skill Shards Tools, Consumables, & Trinkets Mundane Resources

With only 48 Twilight, Castor didn’t have enough points to afford anything in the first two categories—a quick scroll through the first few options of each proved so—but the last two categories were fair game. There were a few items that caught Castor’s eye, but there was one thing he needed, considering how many times he’s been beaten until he passed out.

Health Orb—50 Twilight

Consumable

An orb containing healing magic. Consume, or hover above wounds for a healing effect.

Ether Orb—40 Twilight

An orb containing raw ether. Consume for a resource regeneration effect.

Satiety Orb—10 Twilight

An orb of crude ether and essence. Consume to delay the body's need for food and water.

Castor immediately bought a satiety orb and ignored the rest. He couldn’t afford it now, but with the day ending soon, he was due for another batch of points. Then Castore could buy not only the Health Orb, but everything he needed. I’ll wait for the quest update, spend some points, then I’ll be ready to roll. Castor thought.

It was a relief to have a plan as he didn’t want to lose any more time. Castor plopped down and made himself comfortable. He reached for his resource, and the energy responded—It may have taken a while for it to move sluggishly, but it responded to his will nonetheless. An improvement. Castor smiled grimly.

Lights twinkled around the cavern as the young man began to experiment with his new abilities.

Micah thought it would be a simple trip; maybe fight off a few monsters. A walk in the park, kind of—if the park was dark and spooky.

He’s never been further from the truth.

Alien screams and stomps pounding on the ground sent everyone racing forward. Zombies poured from every alley and street as Micah’s party barely kept ahead. A horde of pale, screaming bodies that grew exponentially as time went on chased behind as they ran down Main Street.

It wasn’t just his group that ran ahead of the zombies, as every straggler was forced to either brave the trip, or bunker down under a wave of undead bodies.

“Don’t stop! We’re almost there.” Micah yelled without looking back.

The golden barrier was visible now—behind the mob surrounding it—clearly marking the decrepit mall as a safe zone. The other survivors were in sight too, looking beyond the barrier in various degrees of worry and panic. Only a few individuals actively pushed back the tide of [Ghouls], fewer helping the survivors into the safe zone.

A zombie threw itself from a building, diving claws first at the sisters, and Micah didn’t see it until it was too late—

Blue leaped from behind, grabbed the monster’s neck in his jaws, and snapped its head off in one disturbingly fluid motion. Micah almost stopped and questioned what happened. Almost.

No one broke their stride, slowing only when they almost reached the horde blocking their way.

“What do. We do now?” Gabby asked out of breath, holding her sister in her arms.

Micah began charging his spell as they ran, pumping as much RP into it as he could. “I’m going to blast a way through. Diana, summon those light orbs and distract the ones in front and sides. Gabby, cover our backs.” Hopefully, they heard him because they couldn’t mess up.

Blue, crackling energy coalesced in front of Micah, spinning faster as it gained more mass. “On three.” The buzzing [Mana Bolt] grew to five feet before it pulse unsteadily, threatening to burst.

“Three!” Micah threw the spell with a monumental heave, stumbling from the wave of force. He would’ve likely fallen, and been devoured by the [Ghouls] behind him if Gabby didn’t grab him, and pull him to his feet.

The [Mana Bolt] expanded extremely fast as it plowed through the horde, before exploding at the end of its course. A cone of destruction spread from Micah’s hand, a storm of rotting body parts flying in every direction. The ground shook from the eruption, but no one stopped.

With a path suddenly opened, every survivor—whether they hid nearby, or were currently running for their lives—jumped into the fray, sprinting close behind the party.

Orbs of viscous light flew and distracted the few remaining [Ghouls] that still stood in their way. Small [Mana Bolts] swept their flank, pushing back the tide of bodies behind the party.

With only a fraction of a point left in his resource pool, Micah was forced to swing his brazier at any zombie that got too close. The path he cleared was closing by the second as pale limbs and bodies blocked their way.

They were almost surrounded, but a wave of force washed over the survivors and pushed the [Ghouls] back—if for only a moment.

It was enough. Thank God, it was enough. Micah and the party stumbled into the safe zone with the rest of the survivors. He ignored the blinking screens, sobs, and stares; he had other priorities.

“Is everyone okay? We all made it in one piece?” Micah asked, checking the sisters and the dog for any injuries.

“Yeah… I think we’re okay.” Gabby said, still holding Diana. The older sister watched the wall of zombies press against the golden barrier. “For now.”

Micah agreed with her sentiment. A wall of light didn’t seem concrete enough to separate them from the wailing dead bodies outside. Micah shivered just looking at them.

“Welcome, survivors!” A voice boomed throughout the air, seemingly everywhere at once. “I’m sorry for the circumstances that bring us together, but I’m glad for every soul that made it here. I ask that everyone head to the mall for your safety.”

Everyone looked at each other for a moment, hesitating to follow the omnipresent voice. It seemed like no one might’ve moved from their spot until a few individuals broke from the group and followed the voice’s directive.

First, only a few at first, then a few groups, until everyone left the wall of zombies and headed towards the broken building that must’ve been the Bastion.

“Should we follow?” Gabby asked, echoing his reluctance.

“I think we should,” Micah glanced at the pale tide outside the golden barrier once more. “No point in staying here.”