Note: This chapter has not gone to my editors and events may change before final release. The below is also unedited and in a raw non-polished form.

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“So, you said your name was Tiberius?” Heimdall inquired. Right after he spoke, a box appeared in the center of Tiberius’s vision.

Character Name: Tiberius

Yes / No

Well. That destroys any doubt I had left that I’m in Techavant’s virtual world. He was about to say yes, but then had a thought. If I’m going to try to bring down Techavant, It’s probably best that I don’t use my real name. “When I was younger, my friends used to call me Toaby.”

The box displaying his name changed.

Character Name: Toaby

Yes / No

Not all that inconspicuous, but every little bit helps, I suppose. Everything looked good to him, so he thought about accepting it, and the box faded from view. That’s a neat trick.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Toaby. With that out of the way, why don’t you tell me your tale?”

Toaby sat with Heimdall and retold the story of the worse few weeks of his life. Heimdall stopped him several times to ask questions, mainly about things from Earth. Like, what was an accountant or who was this evil lord Techavant he kept referring to. Toaby eventually changed a few of the details so Heimdall would understand. He didn’t want to even attempt describing the pod that transferred his consciousness to the game. Instead, he referred to it as a portal between their worlds. When he was done, he sat back in his seat and waited for a response.

“That is quite the tale you spin.”

Toaby sighed. “Let me guess, you don’t believe me?”

“I believe you.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Among my many talents is the ability to see the truth. I sensed no dishonesty in what you said. I’ve also been searching your aura while you spoke and detected no malice.” Heimdall clapped his hands together once. “This is so refreshing. Finally, an honest Human without a past full of crime. But what to do with you now? This is uncharted territory.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t you going to send me to Midgard or whatever?” Toaby pointed downward.

“Yes, yes. You’re going to Midgard with the others, but I’m not sure how to judge you. All that came before told me of their crimes and why they were sent here. Many lied and others did have good souls like yours, but all admitted to heinous crimes. Midgard is full of the higher beings worse of the worse. Murderers, rapists, extremest. I’ve seen the most wicked people pass through here.”

Toaby raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you smiling?”

“Because you’re proof that the higher beings aren’t all evil. I feared they were all like the people who have come before you, but you!” He gestured with both hands. “You are a good person and I think I have a way to judge you.” He stood and began pacing side-to-side.

“Are you alright?”

Heimdall turned to face Toaby. “How do you feel about being a peacekeeper?”

“You want to make me a cop?”

“What is a cop?”

Toaby scratched his head. “Uhh… a peacekeeper I guess is the best way to explain it. They enforce the law.”

“YES! That’s exactly what I want for you. Midgard has a serious issue. There are some who are banding together to form communities, but the majority of people are forming various lawless groups. I think the main reason is because we have no one enforcing the law.”

“Well, as you know, everyone sent here committed some serious crimes. I’m surprised to hear that some of them are forming communities. How are the people handling it who were here before us?”

Heimdall raised an eyebrow. “Before you?”

“Yeah. The people who lived in Midgard before the higher beings sent us.”

“No one lived on Midgard before your kind. There were beasts and monsters, but no Humans or sentient life. All the Humans died out many years ago. Odin was rejoiced when the higher beings began sending more Human souls to live in Midgard.”

So the developers didn’t include non-player characters? The world must be incredibly poor developed if we were just thrown there with no infrastructure. Toaby worked on the account for the game, but no one knew details of what happened in this prison. No one other than the world leaders and higher ups in Techavant, that is.

The company and world governments refused to allow details of Yggdrasil leak to the general public. They feared people would either object to what was going on inside or find a way to exploit it. When the alternate prison first released, Several people, generally poor and without much of anything, started committing crimes in order to be placed inside. When you have nothing in a world full of corporations trying to keep you down, starting over fresh in a new world didn’t sound too bad. The idea of immortality was also a tempting offer.

“What do you think?” Heimdall asked.

Toaby shook his head. “Sorry, I got lost in thought. I was never really into law enforcement. I’m more interested in…”

“Dishing out justice?” Heimdall cocked his head. “I know you want revenge or justice for what was done to you. I desire that you bring that same conviction to everyone on Midgard.”

“I’m not so sure. I don’t know a lot about what’s going on down there on Midgard, but I can imagine there's a lot of lawlessness going on. And what laws am I suppose to be enforcing? Even better question, how am I too enforce these laws?”

“Those are all good questions.” Heimdall waved a hand and a glowing portal about the size of a basketball appeared in the space between them.

It showed a raiding party charging into a village. There were five of them and they immediately began setting the tiny village on fire. As people rushed out of their homes, the raiders struck them down indiscriminately. It surprised Toaby to see women among both the slain villagers and the raiders.

They sent women here too. There was a younger woman, who looked to be of college age, running from the raiders. She had long brown hair like his daughter Lilith. She fell in her desperate sprint to escape and the raiders descended upon her. Heimdall had the forethought to stop the transmission before showing her fate.

“That was a cheap shot. Showing me someone who looks like her.” Toaby stated coldly.

“You understand why Midgard needs someone with moral integrity now, don’t you? In regards to what laws to enforce, I’ll make that clear if you accept the position.”

“Thats all fine and dandy, but what's in it for me? You want me to go down to Midgard and try to stop people like that, but you haven’t told me what I get out of it. Seems like the easier route is joining the raiders.”

“Your sense of morals and honor isn’t enough.” Toaby crossed his arms. “Fine. What do you want?”

“You know what I want. I want revenge on the people who sent me here.”

Heimdall didn’t say anything for some time. He was deep in thought, pondering the request. “Fine. If you help us Gods, we will help you in return. I can’t promise you the level of revenge you may desire, but if you help with the situation on Midgard and provide actual change, I’ll speak with Odin and see if I can get you an audience with the higher beings.”

Toaby really didn’t like the how open-ended Heimdall left his hypothetical but he also didn’t have any better options. He decided to press his luck. “If you promise to get me an audience with them, I’ll agree.”

Heimdall shook his head. “I can’t promise that. I can promise an audience with Odin for you to plead you case but you will have to earn that.”

“What the hell. I agree.” Toaby stretched a hand out. Heimdall's massive hand eclipsed Toaby’s as they shook. The god Waived his hand in Toaby’s direction.

You have been offered a class. Arbiter. Do you accept?

Yes / No

Not a lot to go on. Toaby thought. All It says is arbiter. What the hell is an arbiter? Processing his thoughts into actions, the system answered him. The prompt in the middle of his vision blurred and when it became clear again, there was more information.

You have been offered a class. Arbiter. Every civilization requires law and the with that comes a need to enforce it. In ancient times the Gods wrote laws and equipped arbiters to enforce them. Arbiters posses the ability to tell right from wrong and find the truth in lies. More powerful is their ability to dish out the God’s justice.

Unlocked Skills & Traits: Authority, Law Keeper, Truth Seeker, Trial by Combat

HP Multiplier: 10

Starting Equipment: Leather Tunic, Leather Trousers, Basic Wool Belt, Sturdy Boots

Do you accept?

Yes / No

He thought his answer of ‘yes’ and a new message replaced the old one.

Congratulations! You have become an Arbiter.

You have gained the unique class trait Authority.

Authority: The arbiter serves the God’s laws and has an absolute authority to enforce it. If the arbiter catches someone committing a crime and/or discovers that someone has committed a crime, they may judge the guilt party and serve out their justice. The arbiter does not face penalties for administering their justice, as others may in the same situation.

You have gained the unique class trait Law-keeper.

Law Keeper: As a pantheon of justice, the arbiter is not allowed to violate the laws they swear to uphold. Any arbiter who willingly goes against their code will lose all their class abilities until they are pardoned by a God directly.

You have gained the unique class skill Truth-seeker.

Truth Seeker: You are able to sense the truth in others words and actions. You’re able to get a funny feeling when someone is being dishonest. As you increase this skill, you will increase the likelihood of knowing precisely what someone is being deceitfully about.

You have gained the unique class skill Trial by Combat.

Trial by Combat: When passing judgment down on those who deserve it, you are able to enact a trial by combat. By activating this skill, you may choose up to one person and give them the opportunity to defend themselves via trial by combat. The arbiter sets the losing conditions and once they are accepted, you and the willing participant are transported to an arena overseen by the Gods.

Regardless of the outcome of the duel, both parties will be transported back to where they came from in the same condition they were in. If the arbiter is defeated, the guilty party’s transgressions are forgiven. If the arbiter is victorious, the losing conditions are immediately enforced by the Gods.

This skill can only be used once every 24 hours.

“Congratulations, Arbiter. Allow me to provide you with this additional boon.” Heimdall gestured toward the small table and two, what appeared to be hand-axes, appeared on-top it. “These are francisca. They are throwing axes that can also be used in close combat.”

Toaby took a look at the weapons. They looked like hand-axes, but their heads were uniquely shaped. The bottom portion had a slope carved out of it. He picked them up and was pleasantly surprised by their weight and feel.

“They’re incredibly balanced.” He took a few practice swings and eventually tossed one gingerly across the garden. After chasing after it and picking it up, he smiled. “Yeah, they feel great. Thank you.”

“No, thank you. It will be good to have some order on Midgard. It is desperately lacking it.” Heimdall grabbed his Gjallarhorn and blew into it.

The sound waves crashed into Toaby like a brick wall. He fell backward and felt a strange sensation run through his body. Looking down, he saw his body shifting and warping. It didn’t last long, and he was able to stand again once it was over.

“What was that?” He inquired.

Heimdall didn’t answer, but instead gestured toward the small pond. Toaby meandered over and gazed down at his reflection. He was not wearing the starting equipment the system told him he would be awarded but that's not what shocked him. His face was young again. All signs of age vanished and his body looked lean. Before the transformation, Toaby had been a bit overweight and well into his forties.

“I have reset you to the age of twenty-one and given your body a more baseline appearance. This is not a special boon I only bestow upon you but something all reborn receive.”

Now that Toaby gave it some thought, all the people in Heimdall’s vision of Midgard appeared to be in their twenties. Only a few appeared older. Toaby chuckled. As much as I hate being here, this is at least one nice perk. He flexed and squeezed his fists together. This body should aid me in getting to Techavant.

“I apologize, Arbiter, but you must be going now. I wish you luck in your quest for justice and hope to see good things from you.”

“Wait.” Toaby held his hands up defensively. “You haven’t told me what laws to uphold.”

“All will be made clear soon after the other Gods and I discuss. Trust your instincts for now.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal. You were supposed to tell me the laws of the land.”

Heimdall blew his horn again, and a portal appeared behind Toaby. Instead of a basketball sized mini-portal, this portal was large enough to fit the tall God if he so choose to enter. “Soon. I will get to you soon.”

Toaby felt a funny feeling in his stomach. Similar to the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. He wasn’t sure what it was, but a small notice in the bottom left of his vision was blinking.

Truth Seeker activated.

“Wait. Are you lying to me?” Was the last thing Toaby managed to get out before Heimdall pushed him into the portal.