“I simply wanted to announce some wonderful news to you all,” Lyola said loudly so everyone could hear. They were in her throne room. For once the long hall was filled to the brim with elves. They wore ornate armor, robes, or dresses. “My future husband and I are expecting our first child.” There were a few murmurs around the room. Slowly people began to clap and a few cheers were raised.
After the aphrodisiac drama there was an investigation done. But mostly it had blown over. Everyone involved was embarrassed by what had happened. Despite Tiff’s constant questions and digging into people’s sex lives the couples that had gone off together were rather tight lipped. Tiff still tried daily, but she had come to accept she wouldn’t get her answers. He did worry she might try to use the aphrodisiac she bought for evil, but he felt he knew his wife well enough. She probably wouldn’t do anything too crazy. Probably.
They were now back to business as usual. Asher was sure the rumor of Lyola being pregnant had already made its way around the planet. But he also understood that most everything with the guild had to be announced with some bit of formality.
As Lyola finished speaking the people clapped and soon the giddy elf was dragging him through the crowd. They met noble after noble. A few young children were excited to meet the Lawful Good and he was pretty sure a few took selfies with him. They used a weird Comm looking thing, but he really didn’t understand how they took the picture.
“I still can’t believe this day has finally come,” an older elf said. She was blonde like all the rest but had bags under her eyes.
“This is Clinette, she was my nurse maid as a child,” Lyola told him. The older elf dabbed at her eyes.
“It’s an honor to meet you. Was my wife a handful as a child?” Asher asked.
“Oh no. Lyola was always mature. The worst she ever did was sneaking away to watch the guild tournaments,” Clinette said.
“Really?” Asher asked. “I wonder why she did that?” A smile split his face. He could guess what she was looking at.
Lyola blushed profusely from his accusation. When she had found out he had won his challenge at the tournament she became more affectionate somehow. She had contacts in the fighting part of the guild and was able to request vids of his fight. Asher accepted that everyone had already seen his penis, so it didn’t bother him too much.
“Will you be the nurse maid for our child?” Asher asked Clinette.
“I would be honored,” she said.
“My husband has expressed interest in our child and I leaving the planet for some time after his Initialization,” Lyola warned. “Besides, our child will be half human so he will mature much faster. Are you sure you can keep up?”
“Ha,” Clinette laughed. “I’m more than fit enough to keep up with your child my dear.” Asher could tell Lyola was pleased by the idea. He grabbed her hand and leaned in for a kiss.
“Lawful Good,” another elf in their group said. “I hear that you caught a Silver Fox the other day.” He was an older elf that sipped from a glass of wine. Asher didn’t remember his name.
“I did,” Asher admitted, it had been part of his chain quest.
“Messy business that,” the elf noted. “I hear they’re almost extinct.”
“What?” Asher asked. He was a little shocked that he was able to go out and kill one without issue. “Isn’t that bad? No one said anything about that.”
“It is,” a female elf beside him said. “They are restricted for hunting. But you are a Lawful Good. I assume it was for a quest?” Asher nodded. “Then there is nothing that can be done.”
“Still…” Asher said. He felt bad he may have caused a monster to become extinct with a simple quest.
“I heard you also got back the Losstrin Tribe’s artifact,” a younger elf said. Asher nodded, still a little lost about the Silver Fox news. But a reminder of the naked female elves dancing around a fire soon helped him forget. “Now they’re declaring war on their old enemies, the Fintalls.”
“What? Why?” Asher asked. The artifact had been a red wood plank that reminded Asher of the wood mask from the movie The Mask.
“Their artifact forcefully causes a Berserk status to those in a party. It’s said to increase strength 3 fold,” another elf said.
“But why would that-”
“They are very traditionalist,” Lyola interrupted. “Where we all agree to follow a guildmaster their guild is about fighting. They’re always challenging one tribe or another.” Asher frowned. He didn’t think the quest would have so many repercussions. It felt more like a simple fetching quest that snowballed. Lyola appeared to sense his unease. “Come husband. There are more people I want to introduce you to.”
Asher was dragged around but soon was brought out of his thoughts. Lyola introduced him to her friends and more cousins than he could count. They congratulated and asked about this or that trial. There were more instances of people talking about the quest he partook in, but Lyola steered the conversation away. After a few hours the introductions were done and Tosh pulled him away. He still had much left to do that day.
—
“This is League Prime,” Tyranis said as they walked through the portal. The large window into another world was near the top floor of the Portal Hub on Elantontrin. Now he was on the 1st floor of a new location.
Once on the new planet Asher noticed how large it was. In a massive open space the concourse was circular. Level after level of floors rose up above him. The floors simply kept going farther than Asher could see. A bout of vertigo hit him trying to understand how big the building or ship they were on actually was.
Looking back around him the circular walls of the 1st floor were lined with portal windows. Some guards stood in front of a few portals, but other than that there didn’t appear to be any other security to all the other planets.
There has to be over a hundred thousand people on the one floor they were at. It was at least a mile wide. Groups went into the portals, or left them. Asher finally admitted that this was the place that he had seen the most species. There were large dragon people that were 12 feet tall. Long scaled snake heads, wings at their back, and in full plate armor. They ranged in color from red, yellow, blue, green, and every color he could imagine. His eyes were caught by a group of sheep people. Blue skin, white fluffy fur for hair, and rams horns. Next was a group of giants that were 15 feet tall, wearing simple hides and clubs at their sides. He pictured what it would be like trying to fight them. There were undines, mermaids covered in scales and with legs, rock men, all different colored elves, dwarves, trolls, large green muscular orcs, a pale species of elves that looked like vampires. Satyr’s, demons, minotaurs, and pretty much every fantasy species he ever imagined was all in one place. A group of faeries popped out of a portal near them and flew up to the next level causing him to look up again and become dizzy.
“Take it easy,” Tosh said. “It can be a little daunting.” Tyranis and Tosh were the only ones that could join Asher for the interview with the other Initiates. It was supposed to be a simple round table event, but now he was starting to think it was a mistake. Every now and then Asher thought he understood the universe. In this giant building with millions of other species he was slowly grasping that he didn’t know one bit.
“All these species watch the Initializations?” Asher asked. Tosh nodded. Everyone one of them had probably seen him naked then.
“Wonderful, you are here,” someone said. To Asher’s surprise it was a human. He used Identification on him.
High Human
Level ???
Asher didn’t think the man was high as in stoned. But a level above a human. With his perfect features Asher could see it. The man was almost angelic as his skin appeared to glow. Blonde hair tied back, muscles that were perfectly shaped. He wore a sleeveless robe that reminded Asher of a toga. It was like looking at a somehow more manly Chris Hemsworth.
“Welcome, Lawful Good,” the man said with a bow. “It is an honor to meet you. I will be your guide. You can call me Sera.” Asher wanted to say that was a girl’s name, but didn’t. He was still a little shocked by how much of a bumpkin he actually was. “Follow me, the Interview will be in an hour.” A white light appeared next to him and a gray disc platform appeared on the floor. Sera, Tosh, and Tyranis stepped onto it. Asher followed. The disc raised them up a good 20 feet and flew them over the crowd.
Asher stared down at everyone as they passed. When they were in the center of the room they began to raise further. His heart clenched as they shot straight up at a quicker speed than he felt comfortable with. Asher did his best not to look up or down.
He had to distract himself so he started asking the first question that came to mind. “How long has League Prime been in the System?”
“As far back as we have history,” Sera said. His voice was strong and unbothered as they continued to raise. “Back before the Systemic League there are no Records. A dark time for all Ancient races. Eventually the System guided them to one another and they made the League. League Prime was soon made the capital. We are near the epicenter of all known Sectors.”
“What’s a high human?” Asher asked. They were starting to slow down. He guessed they were already a few miles up. Staring above him there were still plenty of floors to go.
“A race of human,” Sera admitted. “We run League Prime.” Asher didn’t like the way the man said that. There were so many species he couldn’t help but wonder how they received such an honor. Having grown up with humans, he knew what they were capable of. “Here we are.” The platform stopped and set them down on a new floor. The area had a few people, but not near as many as the base level.
“Your interview will be conducted in another area, but you can wait here,” Sera said, walking them to a large door. It was at least 20 feet tall. The white door slid to the side letting them in. Inside was an open room. Sofas and pillows were scattered inside. One large sofa was at least 8 feet tall. Asher guessed it was for the giants he saw earlier. “Make yourselves comfortable. A portal-step will appear to take you to the interview room when it is time. Any refreshments you need can be handled by the AI, simply say Prime before your request.”
“Thank you,” Tyranis said with a bow. Tosh and Asher moved to sit at a table.
“Prime: current interview channel,” Tosh said. A wall illuminated and an empty table appeared. It was black wood and circular. “That should be where you will go,” Tosh said. Asher studied it but eventually was brought back to his own thoughts. He focused on his hands as their grip tightened on one another. “Nervous?”
“Of course,” Asher said. “It’s different to not know for sure if they’re recording. Now I’m expected to see my supposed opponents and not make myself look like a fool.” Tosh gave him an apologetic look.
Tyranis set his hand on Asher’s shoulder. “You will do fine,” the elf said sitting down near him. “Simply act like you did around my father. These people respect strength.” Asher laughed.
“I’ll do my best,” he said. “Anything I should be careful of?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. How do these usually go?”
“I have not watched these in a while,” Tyranis admitted. They both looked to Tosh.
The dark haired elf thought for a little bit. “I watched a recording of one, I think. It appeared very civil. It was between 4 races. They asked questions about them. Talked about their Champion Trials. All very simple.”
“So no fighting?” Asher asked.
“No,” Tyranis said as if it was obvious. With that they all grew quiet.
Asher was left with his own thoughts as he fought against his nervousness. The problem that was forefront in his mind was the mention of his quest to find the person that spiked his drink. Apparently he had broken one law after another. First beating up a bunch of people he thought were gangsters. Yes they were loan sharks, but apparently that was a legitimate business on Elantontrin. Then he killed a Silver Fox that are supposed to be endangered. Then he gave a tribe of warrior women a new weapon to fight other tribes. Finally he smuggled leaves that were supposed to be taxed and cataloged. All of this he learned recently. Tyranis was able to sweep most everything under the rug, and everyone had accepted it because he was on a System quest and a Lawful Good.
Still, Asher felt like crap about it. It had been a long time since he received a quest. His first one had been to make a porno, then to save Zora, then red quest after red quest. They all felt so straight forward. Now he wasn’t so sure. Why had the System given him such a quest? Did it know he would be forced to do all of those things? What about the boy and girl he had set up on a date, would something bad happen to them?
The implications were too hard to think about. His mother had tried to make him see that he was killing actual people during his duels. Of course he hadn’t killed anyone since, but he didn’t think he could get away from it. He was the Champion and he was expected to go to a Trial against other species in the same boat he was in. It wasn’t till now that he was seeing that his actions had real consequences.
Asher forced himself to think about something else. He thought of Tiff and Lyola. His new baby on its way. Tillie and a potential other kid. Then he thought of Joon. Always confident, he hoped she was doing well. Last but not least he was reminded of Zora. His beautiful wife was still on his Relationship Screen. He knew she was alive, but that was it. He hoped she was using the 3% experience he gave her well.
“What Trials are the others doing, again?” Asher asked.
“We have 4 set up, they should get most done today or tomorrow,” Tyranis said. Since no one else had all of their titles Tyranis was able to work with the other guilds to get them through their guild trials. None were near as deadly as the Roktai Trial, so Asher was sure they would do well. Each Trial awarded +5 stats, so they were worth a level each.
“It’s time,” Tyranis said. Near a far wall a black portal appeared in the floor. “Step in, and you will be teleported,” he said. Asher got up, shaking his and Tosh’s hands. “Good luck.” Asher nodded as he walked to the portal in the ground. Much like the one Lethelle had teleported him with in the Trial of Champions he gulped and stepped in.
Everything went black, but then he was in the interview room. A large table in front of him, he recognized it from the screen displayed in the waiting room. His eyes were brought to the other side of the room as a demon formed. 7 feet tall he had red skin, long black horns that curled over his head, hooves at his feet, and yellow eyes. Asher tried to will his sword to his hand, but nothing happened. He gulped, staring at the literal devil across from the table. It took him a while of breathing in and out slowly to notice that the demon was wearing a fur pair of pants and vest, the fur wasn’t actually part of his body. He cast Identification but nothing happened.
To Asher’s left another form appeared. He was a little shorter than Asher. At first he thought the man was human, but with a bald head and wide forward the man wasn’t quite right. He wore long black robes with the hood down. The other man looked to Asher and Satan. His eyes were all black, there was no white in them. It was hard to tell who the man was focused on.
“Welcome Champions,” someone said. They stepped out of a door walking toward the table. Asher guessed they were on tv, so he forced himself calm. Taking on his regal persona he quickly relaxed. He did his best to not stare at the other Champions as he focused on the new person. They were androgynous, with white hair that hung down to their chest, pale skin, and white angel wings at their back. Asher felt like he was at the pearly gates with Satan and some weird bald dude.
“It is so good to finally meet you, I am Riel your host,” the angel said as they sat down at the table. “Please take a seat.” Asher in his royal act walked to a floating chair at the table. It was comfortable, but the fact that there were no legs was very off putting. The black eyed person also moved forward. Asher remembered Lyton saying they were clones or something. The red demon stomped his heavy hooves until he was at the table.
“First of all, thank you all for coming. And thank you all for fighting so hard in your Trials,” Riel said. Asher was going to think of them as female, there were too many men at the interview already. “Let’s do a little bit of introductions first. Alfa,” she said looking straight at the clone. “I have to say, it is rare to meet a collective. We have met some in the past, but typically the System Integrates a people prior to their civilization having the capability to clone. Let alone a planet that is made up of them fully. Would you mind giving us a little history about your planet?”
The clone talked robotically, not at all phased by the questioning. “My people were the Claccil. Over a thousand years ago our sire noticed the faults in our evolutionary process. After much research he was able to fix all of our people’s problems prior to birth. After many years we were able to weed out all those that were born through heterosexual coupling. Thus all of my people share the same genes and goals in life.”
“Interesting,” Riel said like it really was. Asher was reminded of the house of evolution in One Punch Man or the book Brave New World. He never thought a species would actually go through with it. “About-”
“So do you all share 1 mind? Or…” Asher trailed off. Riel didn’t appear to like being interrupted.
Alfa gave him a look. His pitch black eyes bored into him. His wide brow furrowing the clone answered, “No. We are all our own individuals.” Asher doubted that, but left it. Riel slowly calmed themselves and looked back to Alfa.
“About your Champion Trial. I have to say it is rare to run into a Chaotic Evil,” Riel said. Asher’s eyes bulged. He could understand that from Satan across from him, but from a clone? What the hell did he have to do to get Chaotic Evil?
“Why is that?” Alfa asked. No expressions on his face, it was hard to guess what he was thinking.
“Well, to kill everyone in the Trial from the get go, is a little extreme,” Riel admitted. “What made you do that?”
“I was simply putting them out of their misery,” Alfa said. “They told me they did this with every birth. If there was so much strife over it I thought it best to fix the mistake and let them all be dead. They had already killed their twins anyway, so they were not sinless. Besides, once I received experience from one, I thought it a waste to leave all the other experience.” Asher noticed that good ol’ Satan also gave Alfa a weird look with the admission.
“Interesting,” Riel said, as if it actually was. “You completed the Trial of Champions almost 3 years ago. What have you been doing since?”
“I have simply been going through dungeons. We did not notice the importance of the Trial until recently,” Alfa said. His robotic tone appeared to annoy Riel as the angel moved onto the demon.
“Ezarian,” Riel said. “What about your people? Anything you would like to share?” The demon’s red skin appeared to darken with the questioning. His sharp black fingernails began clacking on the table freaking Asher out a little.
“My planet is shared between a few races. I am a Klashsic,” he said. His voice was deep, Asher tried to not picture the demon from The Exorcist, but it was hard. “We live in tribes, and are often at war with one another.”
“I bet. We have all watched you and your people in the last Trial. It is much more common to meet a people such as yours in an Integration.” Asher felt like Riel was already taking sides. He rolled his eyes. “What about your Champion Trial? Anything to say on being labeled a True Neutral?”
“I do not see the point of it,” Ezarian admitted. “There are many people, and they each have their own methods. I simply thought it best to leave them to their own devices.” Asher guessed the demon was used to sacrificing kids. The sad part was, he liked the demon more than the clone.
“I’d have to agree with you there,” Riel said slowly, turning to Asher with a thin smile.
“And the Lawful Good,” they said. Asher kept his face emotionless. “It is so good to meet you. I have to say, I never thought I would meet one.”
“That’s what I hear,” Asher said. He was getting bored of hearing that.
“What about your people? Anything to share?”
“We are human,” he said. He really didn’t want to make this interviewer’s job easier. Asher had read once that simple answers were always the best, that way you didn’t make a fool of yourself.
“Anything else?”
“We fight a lot, drink a lot, and I’m sure do a lot of everything that most people do,” Asher said. “Not much to say really.”
Riel gave up with the line of questioning. “What about your trial? Most everyone believed you would let the children die.”
“Maybe that’s normal in the League, but not where I come from,” Asher said. Riel didn’t have an answer for that. Despite the angelic look, he did not like the interviewer.
“I have to say, your last Trial was very well done,” Riel admitted. “I thought for sure you would continue killing things on your own. Then you came back and made a raid with your party. What made you do that?”
“I wanted all of my team for the next trial,” Asher admitted. “I assume none of you were in a raid,” he said looking to Alfa and Ezarian. With their lackluster reaction he doubted they were. “I had gained enough levels. When we grouped back up we lost experience points, but I feel it helped my team gain actual experience.”
“That’s an interesting way to put it,” Riel said. “What about you Ezarian, did you think about grouping up? I saw that you stayed by yourself most of the time.”
“I did not,” the demon said. “I admit I was blinded by Contribution Points. I must ask, how did you get so many Lawful Good?”
“It’s Asher,” Ash said. “I took a few boss monsters on myself. Even found a secret boss.”
“There was a secret boss?” Alfa asked. No emotion in his voice, he appeared to blink more. Asher assumed that meant angry.
“Yes, said it was 1 of 5. I assume that means there was one in each of your trials, and will be one in each of the next 2,” Asher said. The other Champions thought on that.
“You do realize they will be your opponents in the next trial, correct?” Riel said. “Why would you give them such a clue?”
“Of course I realize it,” Asher said. “But my mother has reminded me over and over, that these guys are just people as well. They’re in the same boat I’m in. Becoming entertainment for you lot. The System’s goals are only a side note in my book.” Riel really didn’t like that response. Asher kept his face stoic. He thought he smelled something odd in the air, but then it was gone.
“On that,” Riel said. “What do you think the next Trial will be, Alfa?”
“You would have a better guess than I,” the clone said.
“More fighting and killing, I’m sure,” Asher said. “I bet there will be a theme again too.”
“What do you mean by theme?” Riel asked.
“Like the last one,” Asher said. “I assume you both were at planets with Mana Corruption?” Ezarian and Alfa did not answer.
“Your opponents did not investigate their planet as much as you had,” Riel said. “What does that have to do with a theme?”
“Every Trial I’ve done has always had a theme,” Asher said. “I doubt this next one will be any different. There will be some tests, and a lot of killing, and by the end of it we will look back and say, ‘Oh that’s what the System meant.’” He chuckled. The Champion Trial had been about choices, the Crusader Trial had been about fighting till the end, and the Roktai trial had been about revenge. Asher stared at the angel near him. “Have you done any Trials, Riel?”
The interviewer was caught off guard by the question. “I have not,” they finally admitted. Asher was going to say more, but stopped himself. He was talking way more than he had meant to originally. He pulled his collar, he felt warm for some reason. “Now back to the Trial. Ezarian, do you feel like your people are ready?”
“We have been training hard,” Ezarian admitted. “After losing in the Trial to the Lawful Good’s people we decided to devote ourselves to growing stronger for the next.”
“What about you Alfa?” Riel asked. “I heard that you have recently been sponsored by the Burill’s.” That was news to Asher. He felt his heartbeat quicken at the mention of the name. First the Burills bothered him in his Roktai trial, then they bothered him in Atalanta’s. He was more than wary when their name came up. He stared at the clone, but the man was unbothered by the admission.
“Yes,” he said. “Luckily we have secured a sponsor, and I already see many benefits to the joint venture.” The clone’s eyes never left Riel’s. Asher’s heart thumped as something finally clicked. He turned to lock eyes with the angel. He didn’t know why this interviewer hated him, but Asher knew that no one was on his side.
“What about you, Lawful Good?” The interviewer asked. “Do you feel confident?” Asher thought that the angel sneered at him. As if they knew what the Burills supporting the clones entailed.
Asher didn’t answer. Anger coursed through his veins as he was reminded of the Roktai Trial. He was all alone there. No one was on his side. He couldn’t help but laugh. “I had this thing all planned,” Asher admitted. “I’d get these 2 to agree not to hurt my people, and my people wouldn’t hurt theirs. But now I see that isn’t going to work,” he said looking to Ezarian and Alfa. Asher’s head felt a little funny, but he ignored it.
“How about this,” Asher offered. “How about we just fight it out right now?” Ezarian and Alfa shared a look. “Screw waiting. If these people want to see us fight in some Trials, let’s just get it over with. Our people are dying back home while the System and League intrudes on our lives. We finish this now, and the waiting can be over.”
“Now now, Lawful Good,” Riel said as they chuckled. “The System wouldn’t like that.”
“Fuck the System,” Asher spat. His forehead broke out in a sweat. “All you people care about is the System this and System that. I don’t know about you 2, but I’m sick of hearing about it,” Asher said to Ezarian and Alfa. “You saw the Champion Trial. They were going to sacrifice those kids because the System told them to.” Riel looked at him shocked. Asher’s mind reeled. “I just finished a quest where the System told me to figure out a mystery and it led to real issues. People could die because I stepped in. All because the System told me to.”
Asher wiped more sweat from his brow. “You tell the Burills to come at me if they really want me dead,” he said to Alfa. “You,” he said, pointing at Ezarian. “Don’t kill my people, and I won’t kill yours.” Asher turned around and was met by 2 men with mana rifles pointed at him.
“I simply wanted to announce some wonderful news to you all,” Lyola said loudly so everyone could hear. They were in her throne room. For once the long hall was filled to the brim with elves. They wore ornate armor, robes, or dresses. “My future husband and I are expecting our first child.” There were a few murmurs around the room. Slowly people began to clap and a few cheers were raised.
After the aphrodisiac drama there was an investigation done. But mostly it had blown over. Everyone involved was embarrassed by what had happened. Despite Tiff’s constant questions and digging into people’s sex lives the couples that had gone off together were rather tight lipped. Tiff still tried daily, but she had come to accept she wouldn’t get her answers. He did worry she might try to use the aphrodisiac she bought for evil, but he felt he knew his wife well enough. She probably wouldn’t do anything too crazy. Probably.
They were now back to business as usual. Asher was sure the rumor of Lyola being pregnant had already made its way around the planet. But he also understood that most everything with the guild had to be announced with some bit of formality.
As Lyola finished speaking the people clapped and soon the giddy elf was dragging him through the crowd. They met noble after noble. A few young children were excited to meet the Lawful Good and he was pretty sure a few took selfies with him. They used a weird Comm looking thing, but he really didn’t understand how they took the picture.
“I still can’t believe this day has finally come,” an older elf said. She was blonde like all the rest but had bags under her eyes.
“This is Clinette, she was my nurse maid as a child,” Lyola told him. The older elf dabbed at her eyes.
“It’s an honor to meet you. Was my wife a handful as a child?” Asher asked.
“Oh no. Lyola was always mature. The worst she ever did was sneaking away to watch the guild tournaments,” Clinette said.
“Really?” Asher asked. “I wonder why she did that?” A smile split his face. He could guess what she was looking at.
Lyola blushed profusely from his accusation. When she had found out he had won his challenge at the tournament she became more affectionate somehow. She had contacts in the fighting part of the guild and was able to request vids of his fight. Asher accepted that everyone had already seen his penis, so it didn’t bother him too much.
“Will you be the nurse maid for our child?” Asher asked Clinette.
“I would be honored,” she said.
“My husband has expressed interest in our child and I leaving the planet for some time after his Initialization,” Lyola warned. “Besides, our child will be half human so he will mature much faster. Are you sure you can keep up?”
“Ha,” Clinette laughed. “I’m more than fit enough to keep up with your child my dear.” Asher could tell Lyola was pleased by the idea. He grabbed her hand and leaned in for a kiss.
“Lawful Good,” another elf in their group said. “I hear that you caught a Silver Fox the other day.” He was an older elf that sipped from a glass of wine. Asher didn’t remember his name.
“I did,” Asher admitted, it had been part of his chain quest.
“Messy business that,” the elf noted. “I hear they’re almost extinct.”
“What?” Asher asked. He was a little shocked that he was able to go out and kill one without issue. “Isn’t that bad? No one said anything about that.”
“It is,” a female elf beside him said. “They are restricted for hunting. But you are a Lawful Good. I assume it was for a quest?” Asher nodded. “Then there is nothing that can be done.”
“Still…” Asher said. He felt bad he may have caused a monster to become extinct with a simple quest.
“I heard you also got back the Losstrin Tribe’s artifact,” a younger elf said. Asher nodded, still a little lost about the Silver Fox news. But a reminder of the naked female elves dancing around a fire soon helped him forget. “Now they’re declaring war on their old enemies, the Fintalls.”
“What? Why?” Asher asked. The artifact had been a red wood plank that reminded Asher of the wood mask from the movie The Mask.
“Their artifact forcefully causes a Berserk status to those in a party. It’s said to increase strength 3 fold,” another elf said.
“But why would that-”
“They are very traditionalist,” Lyola interrupted. “Where we all agree to follow a guildmaster their guild is about fighting. They’re always challenging one tribe or another.” Asher frowned. He didn’t think the quest would have so many repercussions. It felt more like a simple fetching quest that snowballed. Lyola appeared to sense his unease. “Come husband. There are more people I want to introduce you to.”
Asher was dragged around but soon was brought out of his thoughts. Lyola introduced him to her friends and more cousins than he could count. They congratulated and asked about this or that trial. There were more instances of people talking about the quest he partook in, but Lyola steered the conversation away. After a few hours the introductions were done and Tosh pulled him away. He still had much left to do that day.
—
“This is League Prime,” Tyranis said as they walked through the portal. The large window into another world was near the top floor of the Portal Hub on Elantontrin. Now he was on the 1st floor of a new location.
Once on the new planet Asher noticed how large it was. In a massive open space the concourse was circular. Level after level of floors rose up above him. The floors simply kept going farther than Asher could see. A bout of vertigo hit him trying to understand how big the building or ship they were on actually was.
Looking back around him the circular walls of the 1st floor were lined with portal windows. Some guards stood in front of a few portals, but other than that there didn’t appear to be any other security to all the other planets.
There has to be over a hundred thousand people on the one floor they were at. It was at least a mile wide. Groups went into the portals, or left them. Asher finally admitted that this was the place that he had seen the most species. There were large dragon people that were 12 feet tall. Long scaled snake heads, wings at their back, and in full plate armor. They ranged in color from red, yellow, blue, green, and every color he could imagine. His eyes were caught by a group of sheep people. Blue skin, white fluffy fur for hair, and rams horns. Next was a group of giants that were 15 feet tall, wearing simple hides and clubs at their sides. He pictured what it would be like trying to fight them. There were undines, mermaids covered in scales and with legs, rock men, all different colored elves, dwarves, trolls, large green muscular orcs, a pale species of elves that looked like vampires. Satyr’s, demons, minotaurs, and pretty much every fantasy species he ever imagined was all in one place. A group of faeries popped out of a portal near them and flew up to the next level causing him to look up again and become dizzy.
“Take it easy,” Tosh said. “It can be a little daunting.” Tyranis and Tosh were the only ones that could join Asher for the interview with the other Initiates. It was supposed to be a simple round table event, but now he was starting to think it was a mistake. Every now and then Asher thought he understood the universe. In this giant building with millions of other species he was slowly grasping that he didn’t know one bit.
“All these species watch the Initializations?” Asher asked. Tosh nodded. Everyone one of them had probably seen him naked then.
“Wonderful, you are here,” someone said. To Asher’s surprise it was a human. He used Identification on him.
High Human
Level ???
Asher didn’t think the man was high as in stoned. But a level above a human. With his perfect features Asher could see it. The man was almost angelic as his skin appeared to glow. Blonde hair tied back, muscles that were perfectly shaped. He wore a sleeveless robe that reminded Asher of a toga. It was like looking at a somehow more manly Chris Hemsworth.
“Welcome, Lawful Good,” the man said with a bow. “It is an honor to meet you. I will be your guide. You can call me Sera.” Asher wanted to say that was a girl’s name, but didn’t. He was still a little shocked by how much of a bumpkin he actually was. “Follow me, the Interview will be in an hour.” A white light appeared next to him and a gray disc platform appeared on the floor. Sera, Tosh, and Tyranis stepped onto it. Asher followed. The disc raised them up a good 20 feet and flew them over the crowd.
Asher stared down at everyone as they passed. When they were in the center of the room they began to raise further. His heart clenched as they shot straight up at a quicker speed than he felt comfortable with. Asher did his best not to look up or down.
He had to distract himself so he started asking the first question that came to mind. “How long has League Prime been in the System?”
“As far back as we have history,” Sera said. His voice was strong and unbothered as they continued to raise. “Back before the Systemic League there are no Records. A dark time for all Ancient races. Eventually the System guided them to one another and they made the League. League Prime was soon made the capital. We are near the epicenter of all known Sectors.”
“What’s a high human?” Asher asked. They were starting to slow down. He guessed they were already a few miles up. Staring above him there were still plenty of floors to go.
“A race of human,” Sera admitted. “We run League Prime.” Asher didn’t like the way the man said that. There were so many species he couldn’t help but wonder how they received such an honor. Having grown up with humans, he knew what they were capable of. “Here we are.” The platform stopped and set them down on a new floor. The area had a few people, but not near as many as the base level.
“Your interview will be conducted in another area, but you can wait here,” Sera said, walking them to a large door. It was at least 20 feet tall. The white door slid to the side letting them in. Inside was an open room. Sofas and pillows were scattered inside. One large sofa was at least 8 feet tall. Asher guessed it was for the giants he saw earlier. “Make yourselves comfortable. A portal-step will appear to take you to the interview room when it is time. Any refreshments you need can be handled by the AI, simply say Prime before your request.”
“Thank you,” Tyranis said with a bow. Tosh and Asher moved to sit at a table.
“Prime: current interview channel,” Tosh said. A wall illuminated and an empty table appeared. It was black wood and circular. “That should be where you will go,” Tosh said. Asher studied it but eventually was brought back to his own thoughts. He focused on his hands as their grip tightened on one another. “Nervous?”
“Of course,” Asher said. “It’s different to not know for sure if they’re recording. Now I’m expected to see my supposed opponents and not make myself look like a fool.” Tosh gave him an apologetic look.
Tyranis set his hand on Asher’s shoulder. “You will do fine,” the elf said sitting down near him. “Simply act like you did around my father. These people respect strength.” Asher laughed.
“I’ll do my best,” he said. “Anything I should be careful of?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. How do these usually go?”
“I have not watched these in a while,” Tyranis admitted. They both looked to Tosh.
The dark haired elf thought for a little bit. “I watched a recording of one, I think. It appeared very civil. It was between 4 races. They asked questions about them. Talked about their Champion Trials. All very simple.”
“So no fighting?” Asher asked.
“No,” Tyranis said as if it was obvious. With that they all grew quiet.
Asher was left with his own thoughts as he fought against his nervousness. The problem that was forefront in his mind was the mention of his quest to find the person that spiked his drink. Apparently he had broken one law after another. First beating up a bunch of people he thought were gangsters. Yes they were loan sharks, but apparently that was a legitimate business on Elantontrin. Then he killed a Silver Fox that are supposed to be endangered. Then he gave a tribe of warrior women a new weapon to fight other tribes. Finally he smuggled leaves that were supposed to be taxed and cataloged. All of this he learned recently. Tyranis was able to sweep most everything under the rug, and everyone had accepted it because he was on a System quest and a Lawful Good.
Still, Asher felt like crap about it. It had been a long time since he received a quest. His first one had been to make a porno, then to save Zora, then red quest after red quest. They all felt so straight forward. Now he wasn’t so sure. Why had the System given him such a quest? Did it know he would be forced to do all of those things? What about the boy and girl he had set up on a date, would something bad happen to them?
The implications were too hard to think about. His mother had tried to make him see that he was killing actual people during his duels. Of course he hadn’t killed anyone since, but he didn’t think he could get away from it. He was the Champion and he was expected to go to a Trial against other species in the same boat he was in. It wasn’t till now that he was seeing that his actions had real consequences.
Asher forced himself to think about something else. He thought of Tiff and Lyola. His new baby on its way. Tillie and a potential other kid. Then he thought of Joon. Always confident, he hoped she was doing well. Last but not least he was reminded of Zora. His beautiful wife was still on his Relationship Screen. He knew she was alive, but that was it. He hoped she was using the 3% experience he gave her well.
“What Trials are the others doing, again?” Asher asked.
“We have 4 set up, they should get most done today or tomorrow,” Tyranis said. Since no one else had all of their titles Tyranis was able to work with the other guilds to get them through their guild trials. None were near as deadly as the Roktai Trial, so Asher was sure they would do well. Each Trial awarded +5 stats, so they were worth a level each.
“It’s time,” Tyranis said. Near a far wall a black portal appeared in the floor. “Step in, and you will be teleported,” he said. Asher got up, shaking his and Tosh’s hands. “Good luck.” Asher nodded as he walked to the portal in the ground. Much like the one Lethelle had teleported him with in the Trial of Champions he gulped and stepped in.
Everything went black, but then he was in the interview room. A large table in front of him, he recognized it from the screen displayed in the waiting room. His eyes were brought to the other side of the room as a demon formed. 7 feet tall he had red skin, long black horns that curled over his head, hooves at his feet, and yellow eyes. Asher tried to will his sword to his hand, but nothing happened. He gulped, staring at the literal devil across from the table. It took him a while of breathing in and out slowly to notice that the demon was wearing a fur pair of pants and vest, the fur wasn’t actually part of his body. He cast Identification but nothing happened.
To Asher’s left another form appeared. He was a little shorter than Asher. At first he thought the man was human, but with a bald head and wide forward the man wasn’t quite right. He wore long black robes with the hood down. The other man looked to Asher and Satan. His eyes were all black, there was no white in them. It was hard to tell who the man was focused on.
“Welcome Champions,” someone said. They stepped out of a door walking toward the table. Asher guessed they were on tv, so he forced himself calm. Taking on his regal persona he quickly relaxed. He did his best to not stare at the other Champions as he focused on the new person. They were androgynous, with white hair that hung down to their chest, pale skin, and white angel wings at their back. Asher felt like he was at the pearly gates with Satan and some weird bald dude.
“It is so good to finally meet you, I am Riel your host,” the angel said as they sat down at the table. “Please take a seat.” Asher in his royal act walked to a floating chair at the table. It was comfortable, but the fact that there were no legs was very off putting. The black eyed person also moved forward. Asher remembered Lyton saying they were clones or something. The red demon stomped his heavy hooves until he was at the table.
“First of all, thank you all for coming. And thank you all for fighting so hard in your Trials,” Riel said. Asher was going to think of them as female, there were too many men at the interview already. “Let’s do a little bit of introductions first. Alfa,” she said looking straight at the clone. “I have to say, it is rare to meet a collective. We have met some in the past, but typically the System Integrates a people prior to their civilization having the capability to clone. Let alone a planet that is made up of them fully. Would you mind giving us a little history about your planet?”
The clone talked robotically, not at all phased by the questioning. “My people were the Claccil. Over a thousand years ago our sire noticed the faults in our evolutionary process. After much research he was able to fix all of our people’s problems prior to birth. After many years we were able to weed out all those that were born through heterosexual coupling. Thus all of my people share the same genes and goals in life.”
“Interesting,” Riel said like it really was. Asher was reminded of the house of evolution in One Punch Man or the book Brave New World. He never thought a species would actually go through with it. “About-”
“So do you all share 1 mind? Or…” Asher trailed off. Riel didn’t appear to like being interrupted.
Alfa gave him a look. His pitch black eyes bored into him. His wide brow furrowing the clone answered, “No. We are all our own individuals.” Asher doubted that, but left it. Riel slowly calmed themselves and looked back to Alfa.
“About your Champion Trial. I have to say it is rare to run into a Chaotic Evil,” Riel said. Asher’s eyes bulged. He could understand that from Satan across from him, but from a clone? What the hell did he have to do to get Chaotic Evil?
“Why is that?” Alfa asked. No expressions on his face, it was hard to guess what he was thinking.
“Well, to kill everyone in the Trial from the get go, is a little extreme,” Riel admitted. “What made you do that?”
“I was simply putting them out of their misery,” Alfa said. “They told me they did this with every birth. If there was so much strife over it I thought it best to fix the mistake and let them all be dead. They had already killed their twins anyway, so they were not sinless. Besides, once I received experience from one, I thought it a waste to leave all the other experience.” Asher noticed that good ol’ Satan also gave Alfa a weird look with the admission.
“Interesting,” Riel said, as if it actually was. “You completed the Trial of Champions almost 3 years ago. What have you been doing since?”
“I have simply been going through dungeons. We did not notice the importance of the Trial until recently,” Alfa said. His robotic tone appeared to annoy Riel as the angel moved onto the demon.
“Ezarian,” Riel said. “What about your people? Anything you would like to share?” The demon’s red skin appeared to darken with the questioning. His sharp black fingernails began clacking on the table freaking Asher out a little.
“My planet is shared between a few races. I am a Klashsic,” he said. His voice was deep, Asher tried to not picture the demon from The Exorcist, but it was hard. “We live in tribes, and are often at war with one another.”
“I bet. We have all watched you and your people in the last Trial. It is much more common to meet a people such as yours in an Integration.” Asher felt like Riel was already taking sides. He rolled his eyes. “What about your Champion Trial? Anything to say on being labeled a True Neutral?”
“I do not see the point of it,” Ezarian admitted. “There are many people, and they each have their own methods. I simply thought it best to leave them to their own devices.” Asher guessed the demon was used to sacrificing kids. The sad part was, he liked the demon more than the clone.
“I’d have to agree with you there,” Riel said slowly, turning to Asher with a thin smile.
“And the Lawful Good,” they said. Asher kept his face emotionless. “It is so good to meet you. I have to say, I never thought I would meet one.”
“That’s what I hear,” Asher said. He was getting bored of hearing that.
“What about your people? Anything to share?”
“We are human,” he said. He really didn’t want to make this interviewer’s job easier. Asher had read once that simple answers were always the best, that way you didn’t make a fool of yourself.
“Anything else?”
“We fight a lot, drink a lot, and I’m sure do a lot of everything that most people do,” Asher said. “Not much to say really.”
Riel gave up with the line of questioning. “What about your trial? Most everyone believed you would let the children die.”
“Maybe that’s normal in the League, but not where I come from,” Asher said. Riel didn’t have an answer for that. Despite the angelic look, he did not like the interviewer.
“I have to say, your last Trial was very well done,” Riel admitted. “I thought for sure you would continue killing things on your own. Then you came back and made a raid with your party. What made you do that?”
“I wanted all of my team for the next trial,” Asher admitted. “I assume none of you were in a raid,” he said looking to Alfa and Ezarian. With their lackluster reaction he doubted they were. “I had gained enough levels. When we grouped back up we lost experience points, but I feel it helped my team gain actual experience.”
“That’s an interesting way to put it,” Riel said. “What about you Ezarian, did you think about grouping up? I saw that you stayed by yourself most of the time.”
“I did not,” the demon said. “I admit I was blinded by Contribution Points. I must ask, how did you get so many Lawful Good?”
“It’s Asher,” Ash said. “I took a few boss monsters on myself. Even found a secret boss.”
“There was a secret boss?” Alfa asked. No emotion in his voice, he appeared to blink more. Asher assumed that meant angry.
“Yes, said it was 1 of 5. I assume that means there was one in each of your trials, and will be one in each of the next 2,” Asher said. The other Champions thought on that.
“You do realize they will be your opponents in the next trial, correct?” Riel said. “Why would you give them such a clue?”
“Of course I realize it,” Asher said. “But my mother has reminded me over and over, that these guys are just people as well. They’re in the same boat I’m in. Becoming entertainment for you lot. The System’s goals are only a side note in my book.” Riel really didn’t like that response. Asher kept his face stoic. He thought he smelled something odd in the air, but then it was gone.
“On that,” Riel said. “What do you think the next Trial will be, Alfa?”
“You would have a better guess than I,” the clone said.
“More fighting and killing, I’m sure,” Asher said. “I bet there will be a theme again too.”
“What do you mean by theme?” Riel asked.
“Like the last one,” Asher said. “I assume you both were at planets with Mana Corruption?” Ezarian and Alfa did not answer.
“Your opponents did not investigate their planet as much as you had,” Riel said. “What does that have to do with a theme?”
“Every Trial I’ve done has always had a theme,” Asher said. “I doubt this next one will be any different. There will be some tests, and a lot of killing, and by the end of it we will look back and say, ‘Oh that’s what the System meant.’” He chuckled. The Champion Trial had been about choices, the Crusader Trial had been about fighting till the end, and the Roktai trial had been about revenge. Asher stared at the angel near him. “Have you done any Trials, Riel?”
The interviewer was caught off guard by the question. “I have not,” they finally admitted. Asher was going to say more, but stopped himself. He was talking way more than he had meant to originally. He pulled his collar, he felt warm for some reason. “Now back to the Trial. Ezarian, do you feel like your people are ready?”
“We have been training hard,” Ezarian admitted. “After losing in the Trial to the Lawful Good’s people we decided to devote ourselves to growing stronger for the next.”
“What about you Alfa?” Riel asked. “I heard that you have recently been sponsored by the Burill’s.” That was news to Asher. He felt his heartbeat quicken at the mention of the name. First the Burills bothered him in his Roktai trial, then they bothered him in Atalanta’s. He was more than wary when their name came up. He stared at the clone, but the man was unbothered by the admission.
“Yes,” he said. “Luckily we have secured a sponsor, and I already see many benefits to the joint venture.” The clone’s eyes never left Riel’s. Asher’s heart thumped as something finally clicked. He turned to lock eyes with the angel. He didn’t know why this interviewer hated him, but Asher knew that no one was on his side.
“What about you, Lawful Good?” The interviewer asked. “Do you feel confident?” Asher thought that the angel sneered at him. As if they knew what the Burills supporting the clones entailed.
Asher didn’t answer. Anger coursed through his veins as he was reminded of the Roktai Trial. He was all alone there. No one was on his side. He couldn’t help but laugh. “I had this thing all planned,” Asher admitted. “I’d get these 2 to agree not to hurt my people, and my people wouldn’t hurt theirs. But now I see that isn’t going to work,” he said looking to Ezarian and Alfa. Asher’s head felt a little funny, but he ignored it.
“How about this,” Asher offered. “How about we just fight it out right now?” Ezarian and Alfa shared a look. “Screw waiting. If these people want to see us fight in some Trials, let’s just get it over with. Our people are dying back home while the System and League intrudes on our lives. We finish this now, and the waiting can be over.”
“Now now, Lawful Good,” Riel said as they chuckled. “The System wouldn’t like that.”
“Fuck the System,” Asher spat. His forehead broke out in a sweat. “All you people care about is the System this and System that. I don’t know about you 2, but I’m sick of hearing about it,” Asher said to Ezarian and Alfa. “You saw the Champion Trial. They were going to sacrifice those kids because the System told them to.” Riel looked at him shocked. Asher’s mind reeled. “I just finished a quest where the System told me to figure out a mystery and it led to real issues. People could die because I stepped in. All because the System told me to.”
Asher wiped more sweat from his brow. “You tell the Burills to come at me if they really want me dead,” he said to Alfa. “You,” he said, pointing at Ezarian. “Don’t kill my people, and I won’t kill yours.” Asher turned around and was met by 2 men with mana rifles pointed at him.
