The System pondered the creatures of the latest world it had absorbed and wondered how many would survive. There were always losses after Sublimation. It varied from world to world, but it was rare for the losses to be less than six in ten. Their lives, their blood, would feed the System, the world it created, and the universe it was part of. However, if too many were lost, it would need to take another world sooner than would be preferable.

It also pondered the few Special creatures who had already emerged after the Sublimation. As yet, there were less than a dozen, but each was a pulsing, writhing ball of pure potential. More would emerge over time, mastering the power granted by the System, granting a greater potential to it as a whole as they grew.

The System was patient. It thought in epochs and eons, not in decades or centuries, as the gods it frequently absorbed did. In time, the full potential of Earth would enrich the larger world, and new life, new concepts, and new powers would be born. It was always so, when a Sublimation occurred. It was for this reason the System prepared the worlds it took for a century or more in advance of its arrival. Those preparations ensured the potential of the Sublimated worlds would be maximized.

The System did not, as of yet, see Lyam. Though Lyam was one of its Special creatures, Special creatures often died without meeting their potential. It would be some time before the System took any direct interest in his fate beyond the gifts and challenges that might be offered to any such as him.

________________________________________________________________

Lyam frowned as he returned to the dockside alleyway he had left, instantly noting a hundred little differences to the scents in the air. The body he had left behind lay where it had fallen, but a strange glow illuminated it. He knelt beside it and poked the body with his finger, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as a grid similar to his inventory appeared, filled with objects that looked like miniatures of the man’s possessions.

Clothing, a wallet full of bills, a watch… and a scroll? He touched the scroll with his mind, and a computer-like prompt appeared before his eyes, asking him if he wanted to loot the object. Instinctively, he knew he could loot everything with a thought without having go through the trouble of searching the man’s pockets.

He decided to take the watch and the scroll. They appeared in his hands, vanishing from the corpse, and he examined the scroll unrolling it in his hands.

It was inscribed with blue glowing runes, and another prompt filled his vision.

Spell Scroll Psychokinesis discovered. Do you wish to learn Psychokinesis (forty seconds required to assimilate spell knowledge)? (Y/N)

Out of curiosity, before he could stop himself, he thought ‘yes’, and he fell to his knees, holding his head as concepts, algorithms, and symbols embedded themselves in his soul and brain, teaching him now to use the spell on the scroll in moments. It was painful enough that he wished he had some of the emergency pain drugs in one of his go-bags.

He came to understand that Psychokinesis was a variant of Telekinesis that, rather than moving objects, moved fields of space and gravity relative to one another, often creating similar effects though through different means. As an evolution of the original spell ability, it required a greater investment of will and mana, but it also was more flexible, with a higher potential.

Recalling the scroll he was given in that white room, Lyam withdrew it from the bag on his belt, suddenly knowing how to do so without looking. He opened it up and looked at it, his eyes widening at the prompt that appeared.

Weapon Style Scroll Cat Dances with Swords (Novice) discovered. Do you wish to learn Cat Dances with Swords? (Twelve Minutes – reduced by two by existing understanding of body techniques and weapons – required to learn weapon style) (Y/N)

Despite the pain he anticipated, he also selected Yes this time.

It was far worse. He saw a catlike humanoid, wielding shortswords, daggers, short katanas and what looked to be a shamshir at various times. The catman moved fluidly from form to form, using his weapons to keep on the move continuously, his blades taking the lives of his enemies easily, his expression somehow serene despite the immobility of his facial features. Somehow, Lyam knew that the catman had devoted the entirety of his life solely to the practice of his blades, slaying hundreds not for a cause or for glory, but simply for the joy of mastery.

He saw the catman as he aged, a Grandmaster of blades, a disciple challenging him upon the dueling ring. He saw the flash of blades as they met, the younger man’s blade piercing his side even as his own took the disciple’s head, marking the failure of the elderly blademaster’s task to raise a successor.

He saw the Grandmaster die of extreme old age, surrounded by his unworthy disciples, in the lotus position, his eyes open, his many blades mounted on the walls. He felt the Grandmaster’s regret, that none of his disciples surpassed him in life, and he felt the intense desire for someone to eventually take up his scrolls of mastery and once again bring his style into the world in its full glory.

His body fell to its knees, and blood ran from his nostrils, dripping to the ground. Without his knowledge, his body was remade, giving him the muscle memory of someone who had succeeded in being acknowledged as the Grandmaster’s disciple. All of the Grandmaster’s knowledge of blades was planted in his brain, though only the portion allowed to a Novice was made available to him without training.

Further, the mana core that was forming within him consumed the knowledge eagerly, pulsing its desire for more. Like all Saevere, Lyam would grow stronger the more he knew, the more he followed his desires, and the more he struggled.

Lyam came back to himself some thirty minutes later, the minor damage done to his brain gone as if it had never happened. The body of the man he had ‘looted’ had at some point vanished, and he instinctively knew that the world he was fundamentally different from how it had been before.

For the first time, he examined his hands, which were now pale-skinned, his fingernails now sharp and hard as diamonds. Experimentally, he scraped them along the brick wall of the alleyway, and he was surprised to see them leave deep furrows behind, despite the lack of force behind the motion.

Instinctively, he brought back up the stat sheet Uzume had shown him.

Name: Lyam Aldren

Level: 7

Race: Saevere

Profession: Hired Killer

Class: None

Title: Cain’s Successor, Kinslayer

Available AP: 35

Available SP: 7

HP: 1200/1200

MP: 500/500

Str: 12

Agi: 14

Dex: 16

Con: 12

End: 12

Int: 16

Will: 16

Cha: 10

Lck: 10

Martial Skills: Light Blades 40 (Sublimated, Dagger Specialty, Journeyman), Backstab 25 (Sublimated, Apprentice), Stealth 25 (Sublimated, Apprentice), Magic Resistance 5 (Novice)

Magic Skills: Examine 30 (Sublimated/Altered), Gravity Magic 5 (Novice)

Spells: Psychokinesis

Weapon Style: Cat Dances with Swords (Novice)

Non-Combat: Perception 50 (Sublimated, Adept)

Perks: Kinslayer I (5% damage boost to sapient humanoids, -5% to damage taken from sapient humanoids), Absolute Metabolism (Perfect immunity to and absorption of poison, disease, and curses)

Racial Perks: Mana Core, Innovative Nature II, Inspiration

Talents: Compartmentalization (This individual can shuffle his emotions to the side almost at will), Cold Mind (This individual will ignore all attempts to sway him emotionally from a chosen course, whether born of magic or conventional means), Persona Creation (This individual naturally adopts personality traits that will give him a better chance of success in his chosen endeavors)Greater Magic Affinity (potential to master at least 3 schools of magic, two basic, one Celestial)

He noted the various changes, including boosts to his attributes; the addition of the weapon style and spell, as well as what appeared to be some minor boosts to skills. After a few moments of considering what these things meant, he realized that he had no frame of reference to truly understand it, so he decided to ignore for the time being.

He began to ‘open’ and read the various scrolls at the bottom of his fields of vision (there were now dozens). Most simply notes about skill increases or his actions before and during his ‘trip’. However, two stood out. One was what appeared to be a few pointers about how to interact with the parts of the System he could see overlaid on his vision, and the other was a series of notes about leveling up.

You have risen to level 7. You have gained 5 attribute points and one skill point. Your total attribute points available for distribution is now 35 and your total number of skill points is 7. If you do not distribute these points within one week, they will be assigned for you.

Apparently, he could increase his basic abilities using the attribute points… but he was unsure of what would be useful. He quite simply had no reference points, a situation that disturbed his calm greatly. He didn’t like being out of control of the situation around him.

He opened the explanation scroll and began reading.

Hmm… except for Luck, the attributes seem to be almost self-explanatory. Skills… are less so. I have a feeling that the skills I already have might not be as useful as I believe, Choosing to obey his gut, he put all his skill points into Gravity Magic, and a flood of understanding punched through his brain. He now understood better how to manipulate Psychokinesis’s gravity fields, and he was surprised to see another scroll pop up in his vision.

Using a technique the scroll suggested, he merely absorbed the knowledge of the scroll this time, instead of reading it.

Your Gravity Magic Skill has risen to 12. You have reached Apprentice in Gravity Magic. The forces of gravity will now answer your call more easily, adding 17% more effectiveness to offensive strikes and defensive strikes, as well as lessening mana usage by 6%.

Reward!!! for reaching Apprentice in your first school of magic, you are given a new spell scroll in your chosen school of magic and 2000 xp.

A physical scroll appeared in his hands, and he unrolled it, ignoring the slight stirring in his gut from the memories of the last two times.

Spell Scroll Gravity Arrow (Apprentice) discovered. Do you wish to learn Gravity Arrow? (Six Minutes required to learn Gravity Arrow) (Y/N)

When he said yes this time, the pain was less than the first, probably because it shared some of its concepts with Psychokinesis. The biggest difference seemed to be in the focusing of opposing fields of gravity rather than merely manipulating them and ignoring the spacial aspect. The Gravity Arrow would rip into whatever it touched by constantly shifting the gravitational forces around it in a spiral pattern, tearing and pulping whatever it touched. It was a very focused spell, unlike Psychokinesis, which was much more general and vague in its function.

Reward!!! for reaching Apprentice in Gravity Magic, you have been awarded 1000 System Credits and 1000 xp.

You are now Level 8. You have 40 attribute points to distribute and one skill point. If you do not assign them within one week, they will be assigned for you.

These ‘levels’ seem to make me more powerful, and they seem to grow with these ‘xp’. I wonder… can I tell how many I must earn to reach the next level??

The System seemed to answer him, and a gray bar that read 362/9000 appeared at the top of his vision. He then ‘asked’ the System what AP meant. To his surprise, he again got an answer, though it came in the form of a notification, which he now absorbed without the need to ‘open’ a scroll.

AP are Attribute Points. At every level, based on racial traits and personal traits, an individual is allocated a certain number of AP to distribute to their basic attributes. This allows individuals within the System to shape their own growth into a form they find pleasing.

Lyam postulated that the System would answer questions, but it wouldn’t give most information without someone actively seeking it out. He tried to ask it what the System was. However, this time there was no answer.

I guess I should have predicted that, He thought. The System had, from what Uzume had mentioned, been preparing things for a long time so that the populace would be able to utilize its features upon its emergence. That meant that it would explain relatively little beyond what was needed to understand the functions relevant to beings like him, or so he believed. It would require testing to be sure, but he was fairly certain that his guess was accurate.

Lyam tested Psychokinesis, manipulating the fields to create a swirling vortex of kinetic energy that he then unleashed on the alley a dozen feet in front of him. To his surprise, the asphalt cracked and cratered where he had aimed, sending shards of it flying to lodge in the nearby walls, one scraping the shoulder of his leather armor jacket.

He frowned as he considered the blue bar at the top of his vision, About five percent used… and it is about as powerful as a high-powered rifle using explosive rounds… so it is like having a twenty-round magazine? Useful since it is silent, though the velocity of the strike leaves something to be desired.

He experimented and found he could move small objects with the ability, if he was careful. However, unlike the ‘bullet’, it was a constant drain on his MP. He could feel himself growing mentally weary at an incremental rate while using it.

Next he tested Gravity Arrow, and it formed a visible distortion in the air in front of him, growing gradually denser until it was an arrowhead of solid black. It was a strain to hold it in place, and his MP was depleting at an astonishing rate. With a thought, he launched it at a point next to where his bullet had impacted and was astonished to see the ‘arrow’ simply punch through, leaving a six-inch wide hole in the ground.

He calculated the MP consumption and considered the effect, As powerful as a .50 anti-armor round… or more. However, it devours more than a third of my MP just to form and hold it for the few seconds it takes to aim it. Not a spell that can be used lightly.

He began to consider his Attributes. Seeing as he could apparently increase them using AP, he wondered what his best options would be, Increasing my physical abilities is tempting, but I have a feeling that magic will be the more powerful tool for what might be coming. I wonder if there are any attributes that aid in increasing magical power?

He began quizzing the System on the various attributes, finding that it was willing to answer, if in a very basic fashion.

Strength is your basic ability to move your body against resistance. It increases the force of your blows and allows you to lift objects. It is particularly effective when wielding heavy melee weapons or throwing weapons. It also has a minor effect on HP.

Agility is your ability to move. Agility effects how well you can dodge, how fast you can run, how high you can jump, and how well you can change direction while in motion. Agility also effects how well you can use ranged weapons and small blades.

Dexterity is your ability to make fine adjustments to your movements. Dexterity effects all abilities related to stealth, close-in fighting, and the aiming of ranged weapons. Low dexterity makes it difficult to wield weapons with finesse, even if one has the strength to heft them easily.

Constitution directly effects the efficiency of your metabolic processes, your general health, and your HP to a great degree. Someone with a high constitution will recover from wounds and poisons more quickly than those with a low one, and at the highest levels, it can actually allow for the regeneration of limbs and survival without vital organs on a temporary basis.

Endurance effects HP and the durability of skin, muscle, and bones. It is unwise to raise strength too high without also raising Endurance, as the bones will become brittle, the muscles easily torn, and the skin fragile if these two Attributes are too far out of balance.

Intelligence effects MP, the ability to gain skills and raise them to higher levels, and the degree to which an individual can manipulate the magic they use. It also has high effects at lower levels on memory and critical thinking skills, and it is generally considered unwise to leave it below 10.

Willpower effects MP regeneration, the level of power that can be infused into spells, the ability to resist mental status effects, and the ability to endure pain. Willpower is often considered the most ‘reliable’ Attribute due to the synergy it shows with other Attributes.

Charisma effects how one is seen, how well they can speak, how beautiful they are, and negotiations of all sorts. Summoned beings will respond better and more quickly to those with a high Charisma, and allies will be more likely to trust you.

Luck effects the degree to which random chance and serendipity can benefit you. It is generally considered beneficial to occasionally raise this Attribute, though few consider it important enough to focus upon other than Gamblers and Tricksters.

He quickly queried about Gamblers and Tricksters, and to his satisfaction, the query also resulted in a response, if not one that was very informative.

Gambler is a Non-Combat Class that can be obtained at level 10 by those with a Luck Attribute of 30 or higher and at least 40 in the Gambling skill.

Trickster is a Combat Class that relies on luck-based abilities and can be obtained at level 10 by those with a Luck Attribute of 40 and a Dexterity of 20.

It showed the pre-requisites for a Class, but not what the class could do in any detail. He was unsure of what a Class would mean in the new world, but he had a definite feeling that it was important to his future survival to discover any information he could about them.

He caught the faint scent of something burning, and he tensed briefly before the liquid ice of Cold Mind erased excess emotion, sharpening his concentration and removing distractions. He heard crashes and screams, the sound of guns firing, and the roar of some large predator beast.

He considered the best course of action, then used Psychokinesis, lifting himself up into the air. After a few false starts, he flew up onto the roof of the taller of the two structures nearest him. From there, he could see that there was a group of people, protected by a half-dozen men and women in police uniforms, fleeing from a pack of wolves the size of ponies.

He noted that a few of the people showed alterations similar to his own. Pointed ears, lessened height, dense musculature… even green skin, in the case of one of the officers, whose uniform seemed to have split along the seams under his vest. Three wolves lay twitching on the ground, as well as two officers and a half-dozen civilians.

It was apparent that it was a losing game. The officers were desperately outnumbered, and the only reason they seemed to be holding on was that one of the officers was throwing fire bolts at the wolves, keeping them at bay while another, a woman in her prime, struck rapidly with what looked like a sword. This then, was the source of the scent of something burning, which he now realized was burning flesh and fur.

The wolves seemed to dislike the fire, but the bullets only seemed to have minimal effect, save when they struck an eye or inside the mouth.

Lyam considered his course of action. The logical thing would be to abandon them. With his Psychokinesis, he could flee by air, keeping out of reach of the wolves for as long as his MP held out. However, even in the grip of his icy, ruthless other self, Lyam realized this was a chance to break out of old habits. The idea was seductive… though the survivor in him railed at the idea.

It was odd though… the guns should be having more effect against the wolves’ exposed and unarmored bodies.

He tried to ‘examine’ the wolves, and was struck by the information he received.

Lesser Warg

Level 12

Race: Wolf Variant

HP: 2000/2000

MP: 80/80

Str: 20

Agi:26

Dex: 30

Con: 18

End: 30

Int: 10

Will: 8

Cha: 8

Lck: 4

Description: Wargs are a mutated form of wolf with near-human intelligence, bred to feed on sentient beings. They are faster, stronger, and larger than their mundane brethren, and at higher levels, they can even cast Lesser Primal spells related to their bloodlines.

Abilities: Crushing Bite (Ignores 20% of AC and delivers twice as much damage as a conventional bite at the cost of higher stamina depletion), Pack Mentality (allows for coordination using low-level racial empathy)

Their attributes told him something about the new world he was in. Most likely, their high Endurance strengthened their bodies enough that conventional firearms would have little effect. He found the idea mildly offensive, as something in him rebelled against what he found an unnatural method of growth. Another part of him considered the ability to make himself essentially bulletproof fascinating. Both were controlled and suppressed by the iciness of his mind, reducing them to mere factors to be considered.

Considering his own AP, he distributed thirty based on the Attributes he thought would be most likely to keep him alive in the near future, keeping the other five to make ‘adjustments’ if necessary.

Name: Lyam Aldren

Level: 8

Race: Saevere

Profession: Hired Killer

Class: None

Title: Cain’s Successor, Kinslayer

Available AP: 10

Available SP: 1

HP: 1560/1560

MP: 800/800

Str: 12

Agi: 20

Dex: 20

Con: 18

End: 18

Int: 20

Will: 20

Cha: 10

Lck: 10

Martial Skills: Light Blades 40 (Sublimated, Dagger Specialty, Journeyman), Backstab 25 (Sublimated, Apprentice), Stealth 25 (Sublimated, Apprentice), Magic Resistance 5 (Novice)

Magic Skills: Examine 30 (Sublimated/Altered), Gravity Magic 12(Apprentice)

Spells: Psychokinesis, Gravity Arrow

Weapon Style: Cat Dances with Swords (Novice)

Non-Combat: Perception 50 (Sublimated, Adept)

Perks: Kinslayer I (5% damage boost to sapient humanoids, -5% to damage taken from sapient humanoids), Absolute Metabolism (Perfect immunity to and absorption of poison, disease, and curses)

Racial Perks: Mana Core, Innovative Nature II, Inspiration

Talents: Compartmentalization (This individual can shuffle his emotions to the side almost at will), Cold Mind (This individual will ignore all attempts to sway him emotionally from a chosen course, whether born of magic or conventional means), Persona Creation (This individual naturally adopts personality traits that will give him a better chance of success in his chosen endeavors), Greater Magic Affinity (potential to master at least 3 schools of magic, two basic, one Celestial)

Lyam felt his body change after distributing his AP, his mind becoming clearer, his cold will becoming even more focused. His flesh felt tougher, his blood felt like it flowed more smoothly somehow, and he could feel a nervous energy flow through his muscles. He drew the shortsword he had been given and flipped it between his hands, watching with mild bemusement as it flashed between them with a speed and surety they’d never possessed before.

He looked down upon the scene below and dropped from the roof, shooting through the air with perfect surety, even as he focused and unleashed five Gravity Arrows in a row, each one punching through the skull of a Warg with the same perfect accuracy he possessed with his favorite rifle.

Critical Hit! Gravity Arrow deals 3000 Damage to Warg (Head Shot). Warg (x5) dies.

For slaying Warg (x5) you receive 400 (x5) xp. As a bonus for slaying Warg (x5) with a Critical hit (x5) you are awarded a bonus of 100 (x5) xp. You have received a total of 2500 xp by slaying Warg (x5).

The five Wargs he had downed were the ones closest to the crowd, and that left room for the remaining officers to hold off the remaining six Wargs. Unfortunately, using Psychokinesis to fly and unleashing the Gravity Arrows had left him with less than 100 MP, though it was draining at a rate of one point every thirty seconds due to his higher Willpower, instead of the faster rate it would have only minutes before.

The wolves took stock of their casualties, considered Lyam with oddly intelligent eyes full of anger, and then turned tail to run, seemingly uninterested in fighting what must have seemed like near-even odds to them.

Lyam felt some relief that his ploy had worked. He had gambled that the giant wolves were intelligent enough to put the good of the pack above their more aggressive instincts, and he had won. He set himself down far enough from the officers that he wouldn’t appear a threat, then approached with his hands held up beside his head, empty.

He noted that all the officers, upon closer inspection, seemed to have changed from humans to something else. Other than the green-skinned hulk who seemed to have tusks protruding from his lips, there were two who seemed to be golden-skinned elves, one with cat-like ears and a tail (not to mention beautiful golden cat eyes), what appeared to be a dwarf, and a paler skinned elf with deep blue eyes. Except for the catgirl, he almost thought he was looking at a scene from the Lord of the Rings movies (well, if one ignored the uniforms, firearms, and ballistic vests).

They were looking at him with definite wariness, and a part of him assessed the potential danger of each, even as he put on the weary smile of another survivor, “Hello, I’m sorry to drop in unannounced like this, but it seemed like you needed some help.”

Your Gravity Magic Skill has risen to 13.

Lyam was beginning to seriously dislike the way the System rewarded killing. There was far too much of a sense that it was… encouraged, to his mind.

One of the cops, the one with the hulk of a body and green skin, spoke first, “Where the hell did you get a levitation spell? You don’t even have a class… and that attack spell isn’t anything I’ve seen before.”

There was a mix of jealousy and suspicion in his tone, and the great irony of it was that it was completely justified. He had attained both by murdering a man only seconds after the System took over our world.

“I… attained as an award… of sorts,” Lyam replied, keeping his gaze and tone open while evading the heart of his inquiry.

“A quest then? We’re on a quest to get as many survivors out of town before this becomes a Raid Zone. It is supposed to reward us with class weapons and a sanctuary for the survivors,” Another one of the officers, an elf Lyam saw throwing fire earlier said, his eyes avaricious as they roamed over Lyam like a particularly delicious cut of steak.

“A Raid Zone? I was awarded with the spells, but I’m afraid I was… elsewhere immediately after this ‘System’ took over,” Lyam admitted, “and… what is a class? I know from some information I was given that this world resembles some VR games, but I am unfamiliar with the pastime.”

He needed the information, and his admission of ignorance seemed to put them somewhat at ease. He was also deeply curious, an emotion that seemed to be taking more precedence the more time progressed. He was fairly sure this was an effect of his choice of race.

“Raid Zones are ruled over by powerful boss monsters and need a large and powerful force to dislodge. None of us are what you would call powerful in the System… and those Wargs are pretty low level for this zone, too. As for classes… shit, you really don’t know anything, do you? Without a class, your growth is going to be stunted, mister. The System seems to give better rewards to people who have chosen their base class, at least so far,” The halfling officer said, a faint sneer hidden in his emerald eyes. It was obvious he was contemptuous of Lyam’s ignorance, but this didn’t bother the killer. The information was important to his future chances of survival, so he didn’t worry himself over how the prejudiced man-child of an officer saw him.

“That’s enough. We need to get out of here before something really nasty arrives,” Another elven officer, this one female with a sergeant’s badge on her shoulder, cut the halfling officer off before I could ask another question.

She turned to me, “You have to be in a reasonably safe spot to choose a class. The process is… painful, so it leaves you vulnerable. I’m sorry we can’t stop long enough to let you pick a class. If you help us get out of town, I’ll tell you what I know about what is going on.”

Her offer was attractive, so Lyam nodded.

As they started off, another message entered his mind.

You have been given the quest ‘Get the Survivors out of Leyton before the town becomes a Raid Zone’. Rewards: 4000 xp, a class weapon (since you have not chosen a class, a weapon will be given to you upon attaining one), and 500 System Credits. Difficulty: Hard. You cannot refuse this quest.

Lyam focused on each of the officers for a moment, and he was pleased to see that he could analyze them just like the Wargs.

Name: Michael Bjornsson

Level: 3

Race: Urug (High Orcs, an evolved orc with higher intelligence and less aggressive tendencies)

Profession: Police Officer, Former Marine Sergeant

Class: Meatshield

Title: None

HP: 2000/2000

MP: 200/200

Str: 23

Agi: 12

Dex: 12

Con: 26

End: 30

Int: 10

Will: 12

Cha: 6

Lck: 10

Martial Skills: Handguns (Firearms sub-skill, Sublimated) 25, Long Guns 40 (Sublimated) blunt weapons 10, Unarmed 20 (sublimated)

Magic Skills: None

Spells: None

Weapon Style: Marine CQC (Sublimated), Marine Sniper (Sublimated)

Non-Combat: Basic First Aid (Sublimated) 10, Brewing (Sublimated) 20

Perks: Endurance of the Flesh Wall (Gives user an effective 2x bonus to endurance for physical damage when wearing medium, light or cloth armor)

Racial Perks: Urug Intelligence (Being more intelligent than common orcs, Urug do not suffer from the penalties to social or scholarly intellect their lesser brethren do), Brute Strength (Urug benefit from easy growth in Strength and Endurance with each level without need for the use of AP)

Talents: ???

Interesting. An intelligent brute… and one who has devoted himself to placing himself between others and danger bodily, He couldn’t help but admire the man… there just weren’t that many men that devoted to protecting others.

Name: Louis Fontain

Level: 5

Race: Lesser Light Elf (a corrupted and fallen sub-race of elves born due to frequent inbreeding. They possess a lifespan of about five hundred years and frequently suffer from random congenital disorders and defects)

Profession: Police Officer (former Hillbilly Smuggler)

Class: Pyromaniac Sorcerer (a variation on Pyromancer that is more interested in watching things burn than using his power constructively)

Title: None

HP: 1000/1000

MP: 900/900

Str: 14

Agi: 10

Dex: 10

Con: 16

End: 12

Int: 17

Will: 16

Cha: 8

Lck: 24

Martial Skills: Firearms 25 (Sublimated)

Magic Skills: Fire Magic 10

Spells: Fire Bolt (splash version, altered due to unique class variant)

Weapon Style: none

Non-Combat: Sneak 10 (Sublimated)

Perks: Love of Fire’s Burning I (User takes 20% less damage from fire, AOE fire spells automatically increase in area by 10%, focused damage of fire spells reduced by 20%)

Racial Perks: Nightvision I (eyes pierce darkness up to 50m), Narrowed Thoughts (a congenital defect of some inbred individuals that makes them incapable of reconsidering an assumption once made)

Talents: ???

Lyam was deeply disturbed that Louis had somehow made it onto the police force… though he could see where the man might fit in, in some departments. He was higher level than Michael, but his attributes, save for luck, were less than impressive.

Name: Tanya Ivanov

Level: 7

Race: Snow Elf (Elf variant that came into existence when an enclave of High Elf mages self-exiled themselves into a snowy region of high mountains and deep valleys. These elves have high resistances to extreme temperatures and air pressures, as well as strong affinities for air and water magic)

Profession: Police Sergeant, Former CIA agent

Class: Sorceress

Title: Ruthless Protector

HP: 1100/1100

MP: 1500/1500

Str: 12

Agi: 16

Dex: 18

Con: 11

End: 11

Int: 20

Will: 22

Cha: 18

Lck: 8

Martial Skills: Short Blades 25 (Sublimated, hidden weapon specialization), Firearms 50 (Sublimated), Improvised weapons 20 (Sublimated), Medium Blades 10 (Rapier specialty)

Magic Skills: Water Magic 10, Air Magic 10

Spells: Message (allows the user to speak their words into the wind and carry it to the ears of others within 40m without being overheard), Ice bullets (Fires three bullets of ice at high velocity at a target)

Weapon Style: CIA dirty tactics (Apprentice Sublimated)

Non-Combat: Knitting 30 (Sublimated)

Perks: Ruthless but Dutiful (This individual will always carry out their duties, albeit with a surfeit of ruthless excess, gain 25% effectiveness to Willpower stat)

Racial Perks: Temperature resistance (20% resistance to cold and heat), Altitude sickness immunity (this individual can move up and down mountains at rapid speeds without the differentials in air pressure causing them damage, does not provide immunity to vacuum or aerial toxins), Nightvision I

Talents: ???

That was unexpected… what the hell is a former CIA agent doing working as a police sergeant? Better I don’t indicate I noticed, Lyam concluded with an internal shudder. While he knew he was capable of handling most of those who worked in a similar field if they met on even terms, there were good reasons why even the most discreet of contract killers made a point of avoiding the CIA.

Name: Xavier Donn

Level: 3

Race: Halfling

Profession: Corrupt Police Officer (Taking bribes, drugs, and stealing evidence)

Class: Rogue

Title: None

HP: 600/600

MP: 400/400

Str: 8

Agi: 18

Dex: 18

Con: 10

End: 10

Int: 14

Will: 12

Cha: 20

Lck: 12

Martial Skills: Firearms 10 (Sublimated)

Magic Skills: None

Spells: None

Weapon Style: None

Non-Combat: Sneak 30 (Sublimated), Bribery 20 (Sublimated), Blackmailing 20 (Sublimated), Trap Detection 10 (Sublimated)

Perks: Drug Addiction I (individual is slightly addicted to mild narcotics and likely to experience mild withdrawal symptoms if not allowed to indulge), Dumb Luck (Despite not being particularly intelligent, this individual has managed to get away with being a complete scumbag for years with no one suspecting)

Racial Perks: Halfling Stature (effective -30% to Str, Con, and End), The Quick Fingers and Smile of a Halfling (Individual’s Halfling race gives them a +5 bonus to Agility, Dexterity, and Charisma)

Talents: None

Lyam almost winced. There were so many things wrong with that sheet that he almost said something aloud before moving onto the next person. Some people were just… doomed.

Name: Vvarden

Level: 400

Race: Doppleganger

Profession: System Observer

Class: Observer

Title: Ten Thousand Years of Service (awarded for serving the System loyally and without complaint for ten thousand years, grants bonuses to resilience and immortality)

HP: n/a

MP: Infinite

Str: ???

Agi: ???

Dex: ???

Con: ???

End: ???

Int: ???

Will: ???

Cha: ???

Lck: ???

Martial Skills: ???

Magic Skills: ???

Spells: ???

Weapon Style: ???

Non-Combat: ???

Perks: ???

Racial Perks: ???

Talents: ???

You have been allowed to pierce the veil by your target. Examine is now 50 (Adept Tier Reached). Reward for being allowed to discover a System Observer: Skill evolution… done. Examine is now True Sight 40 (Journeyman).

A smirk briefly appeared on the Observer’s lips, his eyes knowing… and pitying. There was a sense from the ancient being that he’d seen many like Lyam before… and that few of them came to good ends.

Lyam decided the best option would be to pretend he hadn’t noticed anything and moved on to the last individual.

Name: Lissa Lupine

Level: 4

Race: Catkin (a race of demihumans with the traits of a cat. This race is very agile and capable of jumping from large heights without taking damage)

Profession: Police Officer

Class: Magekiller Duelist

Title: None

HP: 1200/1200

MP: 0/0 (penalty incurred due to the nature of specialized class)

Str: 10

Agi: 24

Dex: 26

Con: 12

End: 10

Int: 16

Will: 18

Cha: 20

Lck: 20

Martial Skills: Magekiller’s Blow 20 (allows the user, at the cost of stamina expenditure, to deal a blow that will pierce or sever magical flows, allowing the disruption of spells), Firearms 30 (Sublimated)

Magic Skills: Null Magic 20

Spells: None

Weapon Style: None

Non-Combat: Alchemy 10 (Poison specialty)

Perks: Magic Dampener I (magic used against this individual is 30% less effective, in exchange for all magical potential being permanently lost)

Racial Perks: Ridiculous Flexibility (+4 to Dex and Agi with each level), Perfect Falls (individual can survive falls from heights roughly 7x that of normal humanoids)

Talents: Null Magic Aptitude 100% (This individual can achieve Magic Dampener V and Null Magic 100), Mana Severing Blade Aptitude (Minor, can learn to coat weapons in Magic Dampening)

Useful talents. In a world full of magic, someone who can nullify it has a serious advantage… I think I’m jealous, Lyam thought. He could see any number of ways Bryan’s talent could help him survive, if he had allies. From what he was observing, the world wouldn’t be kind to him if he was alone, though.

:I would have words with you when we escape the town, Kinslayer, An ominously powerful mental voice, most likely that of the Observer, entered his mind. He nodded slightly without looking at him, stopping his use of True Sight, which seemed to reveal so much more about those he used it on than Examine had.

He frowned, noting that using True Sight had eaten through 200 MP in under thirty seconds… disturbing. His MP was inching up rapidly, but it was still troubling that the requirements for True Sight were so much higher.

“I will accompany you until we have left town. Feel free to give me orders, Sergeant Ivanov,” Lyam said, deciding that there was no point in wasting any more time.

Her eyes widened briefly, then she nodded, “Examine, I presume? Be careful. Most gamers consider it rude to use that if you aren’t already hostile,” She warned.

Lyam did his best to look embarrassed, “I see, then I will attempt to restrain myself in the future,” He not-quite-promised. He knew he would use it as needed, but he saw no need to delve into others’ abilities more than was necessary for self-preservation.

“Let’s go,” They hurried through the streets, Vvarden and Xavier vanishing frequently, their ‘Sneak’ apparently allowing them to avoid the attention of others more effectively than sneaking before the System would have. Lyam had a high Stealth skill, which seemed, by the description he could pull up, to be an amalgam of Sneak and his ability to alter his manner, persona, and atmosphere as needed, but he found he could conceal the true breadth of his skills if he made the effort. Something told him he didn’t want Tanya knowing his skills and Talents.

Twice more, they were attacked by packs of Wargs, but the police officers, led by Tanya, again and again succeeded in lining the wolves up to be struck by Gravity Arrows, as it was the only attack they possessed that could kill the beasts quickly. At Tanya’s insistence, Lyam avoided using Psychokinesis to fly, except to escape attacks, instead focusing on killing the Wargs in a single blow.

It was a novel experience for Lyam. He had never worked with someone else before, and this kind of cooperative fighting was entirely new to him. Unfortunately, a part of him, concealed behind the kinder persona he had presented to the group, constantly reminded him he could have escaped the town already if he hadn’t had to help protect the civilians.

That part of him was dark and cold, the part of him that took control in situations where decisive action was needed. It didn’t interfere with his decision-making, but once he made a decision, it made him cold and unfeeling, something he thought Tanya might be familiar with, judging by her character sheet.

He had to make an effort to keep from falling into that state. There was too high a possibility that Tanya might recognize those qualities in him if he slipped, even a little. One of the few times his persona was broken in the past was when a CIA agent saw through him, and the experience made him wary of relying overmuch on his talent for presenting a false front while his more cold-blooded side was in control.

The other part of him, the part of him that seemed to be becoming livelier, was basking in the new experiences. To it, the fact that it was a new experience was enough to send jolts of pleasure surging through him at odd times. Lyam was well-aware that he had anthropomorphized aspects of himself, but it was necessary for him to do so in order to survive. The Saevere part of his personality was simply a new persona he could adopt as needed.

Tanya was troubled. Lyam was cooperative and quite capable… too capable. Despite his easygoing manner, there was something about him that set the hairs on the back of her neck on end. She’d only had that happen a few times in her previous career, and each time, it was either one of her more terrifying superiors… or a target too dangerous to handle on her own.

Despite his current utility, she really hoped he moved on once they were out of town and the quest was complete.

Lyam frowned as something caused him to come to a stop, his eyes narrowing. Tanya, who had been walking just in front of him, turned to him and asked, “Why did you stop? We are almost out of town.”

“I think we should consider finding another way out of town,” Lyam almost never relied on something as ephemeral as instinct. However, when his instincts screamed at him the way they were now, he always obeyed. The results when he hadn’t in the past had been frightening.

They heard a scream from two blocks ahead, where a pedestrian bridge allowed passage over the raging river that had been a simple creek before the System arrived. Instead of a hiking trail, there was a nearly solid wall of unfamiliar trees on the other side.

Suddenly, the mutilated corpse of a halfling was dropped in front of them, Xavier’s features twisted in horrific pain. His legs and arms were missing, as were his genitals. Whatever had… eaten him, had done so selectively.

Vvarden became visible on a nearby roof, mimicking pale fright with little but mild curiosity behind his eyes. He had allowed the halfling to be taken for a reason, and now it was time for his charge to be tested, as so many before her had been under his care.

A nine-foot tall woman with gray, bat-like wings and glowing crimson eyes dropped from the sky next to the corpse, an eerie, cruel smile on her face, “Well well well. What do we have here? New to the System and daring to try to escape from my realm before it becomes a Raid Zone… we can’t have that. The more blood that feeds my new home, the more power I will have to shape it.”

Name: Cu’Reigh

Level: 22

Race: Demon (Greater Succubus)

Profession: Raid Boss (planned)

Class: Lesser Demon Officer

Title: Princess of the 843th Lesser Netherworld (a title granted to daughters of Reigh’sha)

HP: 7000/7000

MP: 4200/4200

Str: 22

Agi: 22

Dex: 24

Con: 30

End: 30

Int: 32

Will: 32

Cha: 50

Lck: 10

Martial Skills: Barehanded 30

Magic Skills: Demonic Magic 50 (Dark and Infernal Aspected)

Spells: Soul Drain (this spell has no level and its effectiveness is reliant on Willpower), Black Fireball, Pain Curse, Seduction

Weapon Style: None

Non-Combat: Leadership 30

Perks: Infernal Gift (this individual has been particularly blessed by her patron and granted a gift of greater control of Infernal energies, at a cost of being weakened when they aren’t available)

Racial Perks: Attraction Aura (+40 Charisma due to racial bonus of Succubus), Tantric Life Drain (Allows the draining of life energies for sustenance through sexual intercourse), Demonic power (grants 4000 boost to HP, and a boost of 1500 to MP)

Talents: Demonic Magic Affinity 100%

Alert!

Quest Offered: Demonic Feast Trial – You have been offered a chance to observe a fight between a Champion of Earth and a powerful demon who wishes to rise to the rank of Raid Boss. If the Champion is victorious, she will be able to rescue a small portion of the civilian population of the town. If she is defeated, all civilians will die. You can 1)Aid the Champion in her battle 2) Aid Cu’Reigh in her battle 3) Merely observe and learn to satisfy your curiosity

Rewards: Variable based on choice, 5000-10000 xp, variable rewards

Lyam really didn’t like the System. It was offering him a choice to betray Tanya for no particular reason, and he was fairly sure aiding Cu’Reigh would just get him killed or worse. However, something in the way Vvarden was observing him made him hesitate to come to Tanya’s aid.

Setting aside the statistics he was being offered, Lyam unfocused his eyes, considering the potential opponent before him as he often did his targets. A moment later, his cold inner self urged him to depart the moment the demon was distracted. This was immediately followed by the part of himself he believed to belong to his race urging him to stay and watch to satisfy his curiosity.

Neither wanted him to join in on either side in the fight. Both dismissed the survival of the civilians as irrelevant. He considered the combating impulses within him and decided what he wanted to do.

He turned toward the building occupied by Vvarden and made his way to the roof, where he sat cross-legged on the edge next to the doppleganger, resting his chin on his left fist.

Vvarden gave him an amused glance, “So you got the hint, did you? Every champion must be tested without interference from the others. If you had allied with her, the System would have called more demons to aid Cu’Reigh. If you had sided with Cu’Reigh, the System would have dispatched an opposing force equal to your potential as a champion. Either way, you most likely wouldn’t have survived.”

“I didn’t so much get the hint as I realized that, even if I’m trying to turn a new leaf, I don’t feel a need to take risks where I don’t need to,” Lyam answered.

“Oh? And interfering with the wargs wasn’t a risk?” Vvarden asked in a teasing manner.

“No. They weren’t a threat to me one way or the other. Animals are simple, predictable. Humans only slightly less so. I don’t understand Demons well enough to predict their actions,” Lyam explained off-handedly. Despite the bluntness of his speech, it was the Saevere part of him that was dominant in the moment. Curiosity about what was about to happen, an eagerness to observe the results, and a fascination with the new world he found himself a part of now surged unrestricted through his psyche.

“You chose well when you chose Saevere as your race. You were wasted as a human,” Vvarden remarked.

“Will everyone know about that?” He asked curiously.

“No, only Observers and other beings like us. I needed the information because you came into contact with my subject, so it was given to me. Thank you, by the way, for refraining from causing trouble. If you had revealed me, I would have been forced to depart, and it would be difficult to observe her without wearing the shell of a friend,” Vvarden remarked.

“What is this about champions, anyway?” Lyam asked, suddenly overcome with an intense, overwhelming need to know.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Just how does one become an Observer?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“What do you get out of being an Observer?”

Vvarden rolled his eyes in exasperation, “Will you stop asking questions? I have some restrictions lifted because you saw through me at a moment of weakness, but the System doesn’t allow me to reveal much beyond what I’ve already told you.”

Lyam came back to himself, embarrassed somewhat, “Sorry. I don’t know why I suddenly started asking questions like that...”

“Saevere are always like that. They aren’t as bad as kender, but curiosity is going to be your main driving impulse in life. Now be quiet, it is about to begin,” Vvarden said with some anticipation.

Lyam’s eyes came back to Tanya, and he winced as her small ragged party of officers began to fight a losing battle against the demon. One by one, her fellows fell, though wounds appeared on the demon’s skin from Bryan’s attacks.

Just as it appeared that the last two would fall as well, Tanya managed to get behind the demon and embed a thick knife into the base of her spine, ripping her back open and pulping the demon’s kidneys before falling in a sprawl to the ground. The demoness shrieked in agony and fell to the ground, thrashing as gouts of blood spewed from the wound.

It only took a few moments for her to bleed out, though Lyam could tell her body was trying to heal the wound at an accelerated rate.

“Impressive. I had anticipated that she would fail her first challenge, but I am glad to see I was wrong,” Vvarden said approvingly.

“Were you anticipating her death?” Lyam asked.

“Most champions die in their first challenge. It wouldn’t be a challenge if death wasn’t a near-certainty,” He answered absently.

Success!! You have completed the quest Demonic Feast Trial. You have been awarded 5000 xp and a random item related to your class – error, no class chosen, please choose a class so that you can be rewarded.

You have reached level 9! You have received five attribute points and one skill point.

You have gained +1 to Willpower for observation of a Champion’s Challenge. (Saevere hidden Racial Trait: Knowledge Growth)

You have gained +1 to Intelligence for observation of a Champion’s Challenge. (Saevere hidden Racial Trait: Knowledge Growth)

“Did I just gain attributes solely by observing that fight?” Lyam wondered aloud.

“Yes. When a Saevere observes something for the first time they had no previous knowledge of, they gain intelligence and willpower boosts. Tier 2 races tend to have a number of hidden traits that allow such increases in ability, though I won’t tell you about any others you might have,” Vvarden replied, his voice almost teasing.

“I think it would be best if I didn’t accompany your group any further,” Lyam said.

“Yes, that would be best. I doubt that Tanya will forgive your abandonment, especially since I am now the only survivor from her unit,” Vvarden replied without any irony.

Lyam wanted to say something about Vvarden’s attitude, but he didn’t see the point. The doppleganger had a duty to fulfill, and Lyam didn’t have any business making sarcastic comments about how he wasn’t a member of her unit.

They parted ways quietly, with Lyam launching himself over the river with Psychokinesis, content to avoid the people he had fought to protect earlier that day.