After the chaining and branding which had resulted in a lot of the kids being weak in the knees and unable to walk normally because they all seemed to still be trembling from the branding experience, The instructor led them through the dark hallways of wherever they where to another room which was much better lit than the one the forge master had. This room seemed to have some kind of administrative purpose as there was a desk and stacks of papers everywhere.

“This is the Status Plate room” The instructor told them, the instructor now seemed surprisingly joyfull and in control of himself. Maybe the branding had filled his daily dose of sadism 637 thought wryly. “

This is where you are going to get your status plates” He then started pushing the kids towards the wooden desk without any further explanation. Behind the desk was the elder that somehow seemed very “clean” to 637. Almost as if dust and stains avoided the man the wrobe he wore showed no stains or soot from the forge room he had just left and those electric blue eyes where still unnerving. Especially now that he know this old man could use some incredibly potent magic.

“I assume the instructor told you kids next to nothing about these status plates” The elderly man questioned them with a smooth and somewhat calming voice. 637 shook his head when the Elder looked at him. “Yes i expected as much” he continued “These status plates are wat record your specific statistics and strength levels. This is a simple way to show how strong a person is. Of course the system is not without its flaws as it does not show things like battle experience or instincts. Both of those can decide a victor in a battle so do not expect those with the higher levels to automatically be stronger. As for stats, stats can be put under the catogories.

Bravery: The mental will to fight against all odds even when normal people would succumb to the pressure this stat can be raised by fighting against people stronger than you, against larger numbers of opponents, or continueng to fight even when fear is threatining to take control.

Agility: Physical flexibility and reflexes can also be determined by how a weapon is wielded. This stat can be raised by doing exercises to make ur body more flexible and training the core muscles. Also sometimes when u react with reflexes beyond your stat to anything that happens this stat has also been known to raise.

Dexterity: The accuracy to hit any target with a ranged weapon or the finesse used in wielding any melee weapon. This Stat can be raised by using a ranged weapon alot in practice or by getting more control over your melee weapon allowing it to be moved more smoothly.

Strength: The power that is put behind a blow. This stat only apply's to melee weapons or when fighting unarmed, it can only be raised by doing strength training.

Endurance: The physical durability of your body. This stat can be raised by training your body and getting used to taking hits.

Toughness: This particular stat is often confused with Endurance but they are not the same toughness also applies to the will of mind to continue after hits taken and people with a high toughness can shake of hits that someone else with the same endurance stat would fall to.

This stat will only be raised by combat experience.

Ressiliance: Being able to take magic head-on without getting your body incinerated. Also applies to mind bending spells like fear or illusions. Can only be trained by experienceing these magics first hand.

Intelligence: Mental calculating power of an individual. Determined by how smart one is and how fast he can formulate a strategy or plan in any dire situation. Can be raised by studying and mind games.

Wisdom: Shows ones experience with worldly events. Gained when meeting and/or accepting individuals with diffrent cultures and/or appereances than you. Also gained whenever tragic events have been overcome.

Magic: Ones inherit talent to use magic. Can be gained by studying the magic arts or in some very rare cases will be raised by an individuals own raw talent.

“These” the Elder said finishing his monolaque “are the 10 stats that you will be able to see on your status plate, Your level is determined by your stats and will only grow when u train and improve apon your stats”.

The Elder had somehow with his voice managed to entrance all the kids. They showed an intense amount of interest in these status plates the elder was telling them about. It made sense in a way, who wouldnt wanna know how well he stacked up against those around him. Knowing your strength or the boundaries of your strength had an advantage all on its own.

“And this” the elder said pulling some kind of necklace from behind the counter “is a status plate”

The necklace itself was a simple braided string of steel with a rectangular plate of metal hanging from it. It was quite literally a plate 637 thought wrly. “The only thing we need to make this status plate yours is some blood from whoever we want it to belong to. You youngling he said pointing to 636 come here”

636 reluctantly after a bit of encouragment from 637 shuffelled to the elder who walked back behind the desk to grab a needle. “Dont worry this wont hurt nearly as much as that nasty branding you went through” he said while calming the young boy. “Im just going to prick your finger for one drop of blood, i think a brave young man like you can handle that right?” The elder said smiling calmly at the young boy. 636 nodded his head and held out his finger which the elder then moved on to prick with the needle taking a drop of his blood and letting it fall on the status plate.

The plate glowed with somekind of weird electric blue arcane light after the blood splashed onto the plate. The itself plate seemed to transform into somekind of darkened wood and with a reddish sheen over it. Which the elder then showed to the other kids. “This would be the first level of the plate, This level we refer to as Mohogany which is a type of wood. If you look closely you will also see that this status plate has 3 horizontal stripes on them made out of iron this shows that this young man is on the third level of Mohogany.”

“ There are 9 levels on each different material first there are 3 stripes then there are 3 V shaped markings wich stack on each other and lastly there are 3 clovers. If you level up after the third clover the status plate gets upgraded in material. The materials can consist of the following Mohogany, Iron, Steel, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Mithril, Adamantium and Platinum. There are a few exeptions to these rules but they dont matter to you kids. Not yet atleast!”

“Next up i would like to test the rest of you so come on make a line!” The kids seemed to actually look forward to this part a little, they formed a line quicker than he had actually expected. 637 not really caring much one way or the other just dragged 636 with him and stepped into the back of the line.

“Did you feel anything when your blood hit that metal plate?” 637 questioned him

636 shook his head.

“Don't be afraid to talk to me, im not the enemy here im your partner! You can even think of me as your bodyguard throughout this whole thing if that makes you feel better” 637 told him with an attempt to reassure the fragile looking child.

636 looked him in the eyes for a moment before shaking his head. In a moment of determination he told him “If we want to survive this the best way would be to work together. Not for you to only look after me. I myself have to become stronger!” His tiny face flashed a fierce look.

Grinning 637 patter his shoulder. “Right you are, lets show those people how strong a kid can actually be!” Grinning at each other they made their way to the back of the line.

One after another the kids made the tiny hole in their fingers and let the drop of blood fall onto their own respective status plates. Most of the kids where level 1 or 2 of mohogany, 1 other kid was level 3 honestly he wasn't even sure if that thing was a kid, honestly he looked more like a walking tree. After the treekid there there was a whitehaired girl with a dark skin that was almost black, who dropped a bit of her blood on the plate and got one of those V's.

Lastly it was his turn. 637 stepped forward and followed the same procedure as the other kids and let the drop of blood fall onto the status plate wich glowed the same as the rest. His status plate turned into mohogany just like the others but unlike the others he had 2 V's on his status plate.

“Hahahahhaa as expected of the ballsy one u far outrank the rest of the meat!” The instructor said in his rough voice. “Yes i aswell am actually quite surprised” The elder said. “This is quite a high ranking for a child the second highest we've had here so far, For reference kids the average adult would score somwhere between 8 mohogany and 6 iron. Soldiers would be around the Steel 5 and Bronze 3 levels. So for young man like this one heret oo have mohogany 5 is quite high. I bet the instructor expects quite alot from you young man”.

Soon after the elder had finished his words the instructor told the kids to follow him into the next room. The room itself was better lit than the forge room they had visited before and seemed to have alot of training equipment there where scarecrows scattered around with alot of bloodstained hay on the floor. The walls themselves where filled with all kinds of different weaponry. He saw swords of all diffrent forms and sizes like a scimitar, longsword, shortsword, heavy sword, greatsword falchions and rapiers, There where even some exotic sword like weapons he didnt even recognize.

“This the instructor said is as you can see the training room. Here is where you will spend most of your blood filled days and will hopefully for you be where you level up! After all if you dont become strong you will be the first to die.” The instructor said with a grim face. Straigtening his back to its full size he continued.

“Now you guys get to pick a weapon he said and he pointed to the wall, go on pick pick! Owwh and one more thing you can pick only one weapon so be sure to make the right choice! Some weapons ofcourse belong together a sword and shield for example. If you are unsure about your choice come to me and i will pick something for you that i think would fill you kids well.”

The kids seperated themselves and started to browse the walls 636 followed 637 and looked up to him with questioning eyes. 637 ran his eyes up the slim boy and started to think to himself. He is rather small and slim but he is one of the 3 that was level 3 so wat would his strongest point be?

Probably his speed he said losing himself in a string of thought but it is also possible he has that level because of his magical capibilities but that wont be any use to us since we wont be taught any of that in this arena.

So we should go with a speedy weapon for him, something dexterous! 637 looked around the walls and spotted something he thought might work. It was a weapon that would require much skill and finesse but he hoped the boy would be able to master such a weapon.

637 walked up to the wall and pulled of it 2 knives that where slightly curved and the ends where connected by a fine steel chain. The design on the weapons was rather simple and they had no gaurd and the knifes blade was connected to a wooden pommel. “I think you should try and use this”He said looking at 636. 636 looked at him for a moment the nodded and took the weapon.

“Well if you are going to be using a quick and longer ranged weapon that really has no defensive skills then i guess i will go for” As he reached his hand to a shield and a normal short sword.

“Wait a minute there ballsy!” The instructor said “I have a better idea for you” The instructor walked of into a room that was connected to the side and came back with some kind of sword that was longer than a longsword but not quite as long or heavy as a heavysword or greatsword

. “This beauty he said is an exotic weapon from the far east called a Bastardsword and i think it would suit you just fine!” The instructor said grinning down at 637. 637 surprised by the suddenly wellwishing side the instructor showd them, accepted the Bastardsword from him and nodded.

“Now that you all have picked a weapon follow me to The sleeping chambers you guys better get a good nights rest because from tomorrow forwards you will be training like hell for your chances of survival to increase!”

The instructor lead them out through the end of the hall and showed them to a dark hallway wich was split on either side into cells of with 4 beds into each of them. One of the rooms seemed to be slightly larger and here 636 and 637 where put aswell as the treekid and the dark skinned girl that both happenend to be the ones walking behind him. He also noted that these two where connected together with that ephereal chain

“As my last words of the day for you kids.” The instructor said turning to them. “You will be stuck here for the rest of your lives. All of us here do not have any other choice. That includes me, the forge master and the elder you have seen. We are the few that have survived years of the trials we ahve been put through in the arena.”

“Working together is about the only way for atleast some of you to make it through. Sacrifice might even be needed to make sure atleast one of you survive. Get to know each other. Train well, and have a goods night sleep”

The kids tired after the branding and evrything they had to process today decided to go to sleep immediately it didn't take long for each and every one of them to find their dreams or in most cases their nightmares.