《Path of Redemption》 Prologue Why? Everything was bathed in dark crimson blood. It had crawled into the very cracks of the Earth ravaged by the behemoths colossal strength. Pooled around the numerous bodies of people and monsters alike that now laid cold on the ground - the majority mutilated beyond recognition. Their limbs were similar to minced meat that spread along the razed streets of what had once been a city. Their flesh a murky brownish-green that was unsightly to the eye - yet, before the Scourge, it could¡¯ve been something more. Rather than an abomination of life that had it¡¯s very existence be the source of nightmares - perhaps it was something before it had been infested. Before having been corrupted and twisted by it¡¯s touch. Why must it end this way? After everything I had finally amounted to¡­ for finally being able to change! The streets that would¡¯ve once been bustling with life and commotion were deathly silent. There was only the exception of the buildings groans - it were as if they mourned the death of its people. The high rise buildings that once reached for the skies were now debris and ruins. Cars that drove people from place to place were still. Smoke and flames had now shrouded the streets as if to hide the horrendous sight of anarchy. ¡­ I hate this¡­ Why¡¯s it so quiet¡­ Why is everything so dark¡­ Veiled beneath the shroud of smoke and on the devastated asphalt road was a man. He was laid amidst the battle of the Scourge and bathed in blood. But that wasn¡¯t the problem. He was scorched beyond recognition. A smoldering lump of flesh that had his skin burnt to a darkened crisp. The remnants of the car nearby had exploded during the fight and caught him in the aftermath whilst he recovered. Pieces of shrapnel had pierced his body as blood leaked onto the cold hard ground - dyeing it in a deep crimson shade of red, just like the many others around him. I don¡¯t want to be alone¡­ He was afraid. Scared. Terrified even. Yet, there was something more primal and horrible festering deep within his mind. The seed of hatred he had sealed long ago. It had now bloomed from the hate for the Federation. He had endured the tribulations of the tower - of the Federation - for this? This wasn¡¯t what they had promised. They said they could become strong. That they could protect their homeworld. That they would provide as much assistance as needed. Yet, here he was, on top of death¡¯s door. He hated that. But then again¡­ if only I had been a better person¡­ perhaps something could¡¯ve changed¡­ or was it all rigged from the start? We had their leader - the Gravemind - we could¡¯ve saved everyone¡­ why would they just let it live like that? Why?! His hatred consumed him in his reverie of the past. Of how he was before the arrival of the Federation. Whilst Earth had still been a peaceful and beautiful place - how he had taken everything for granted. He had thrown his life away in pursuit of his greed. He gambled, smoked, and drank - now that he had a chance to think about it, everyone had hated him. The family he had taken for granted, their faces were now nothing more than a faint memory. Even when the towers and Federation appeared he had wasted away his chance to acquire the strength to change - to grow for the better. He was regretful. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Tears slipped from the rims of his eyes as he tried to gaze at the clouded skies. His vision was taken long ago by the flames, yet he still tried. If he could see, there would be no clouds, but instead the sky that had been infested by the Scourge that was a murky brown. It was warped and twisted from what had once been the beautiful blues he had once adored. Beyond the anarchy and pandemonium that enveloped the city however, alongside the man materialized a lanky humanoid figure. It was tall, at a staggering 3 metres in height, it glanced over the mayhem with it¡¯s dominant gaze. It¡¯s eyes were soon laid upon the man, a smoldering lump of burnt flesh that had lost all energy to move. Pity had overcame the ethereal beings gaze as he towered over him. It¡¯s voice echoed throughout the desolate landscape as he spoke to the man. It sounded sagely and wise, as if it had endured milleniums to come to this point. ¡°Luther¡­ looks like our contract will soon come to an end¡­ although, it¡¯s not exactly what I would call a great farewell¡­¡± The man, a lump of smoldering flesh, trembled as he tilted his head towards the ethereal being. He tried to speak, yet nothing could be heard. ¡®You do not need to speak, Luther. We can communicate with our minds if need be, as heralded by the contract.¡¯ Luther¡¯s voice entered the beings mind abruptly. His voice was lively in deep contrast to his deathly state. ¡®... I don¡¯t understand¡­ I don¡¯t understand at all! How could this happen?!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m truly sorry¡­¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Unfortunately, you¡¯ll soon leave this world¡­ I know you can feel it¡­ Is there anything you would like to say? Perhaps a wish I could try grant for heralding the contract for this long?¡¯ Silence ensued afterwards as Luther tilted his head to the other side. His voice was more subtle, filled with remorse and nostalgia as he tilted his head back towards the ethereal being. ¡®I wanted to be¡­ something better¡­ a better person¡­ Can you grant me that?¡¯ The shadowy figure stood silently as he averted his gaze from the man. It was enough of an answer for Luther, even though he couldn¡¯t of seen what it had did. ¡®Hahaha¡­ I thought so, not even a Star Lord could grant me that wish¡­ I can never be something better¡­ can I? It¡¯s already too late for regrets, yet here I am¡­. Isn¡¯t that funny... Jehuty...¡¯ ¡®I am, once again, truly sorry¡­¡¯ Heavy silence descended upon the battlefield. Luther¡¯s head that was tilted towards Jehuty was now limp. Slumped along the cold hard ground, never to rise again. Jehuty¡¯s hand reached out and closed Luther¡¯s widened eyes, putting him to rest. ¡°It is regrettable, you had so much promise, so much potential¡­ yet you were consumed by your greed¡­ You could¡¯ve had a chance to end this war once and for all¡­ To save all of us¡­¡± Wait... Then an idea came to mind. It was something preposterous, and only a fool would do it¡­ but if it was Luther, maybe a miracle could be born. Perhaps he truly could grant his wish. He had guided Luther during his days within the tower as his contracted Sponsor, and had tried to help him redeem himself. All in order to bring out the potential he had lost. Yet it didn¡¯t work, not until he experienced sorrow and loss during his last days of the tower. By then, it had been too late, his growth was brought to a halt before the sight of the Scourge. These emotions that Luther experienced at the very end¡­ Jehuty glanced over at the corpse, hints of hope could be traced from the Star Lord¡¯s eyes. Regret, remorse, a yearning to be something more¡­ he could be triggered to change for the better during the first stages of the tower¡­ But, these emotions would be hard to send through time¡­ even if they do make it, it would be through a dream, and not the memories themselves¡­ Jehuty gave the body one further glance before making up its mind. It would take a great toll on him, but in order to end the Scourge once and for all, it was a small price. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later¡­ Luther¡­¡± Reality warped and distorted, everything converged towards Jehuty as a blindingly great light enveloped everything in sight. Abruptly, darkness engulfed the light and brought everything to an end. What was left was the smile of the lanky humanoid. Its body was darkness in itself. It was everything and anything. All that could be heard was the reverberating joyous laughter of the darkened being as everything returned to what it once was. Chapter 1 ¡°God damn it! Fuck! Get your hands off me, I can walk myself!¡± A drunkard stumbled out through the pub¡¯s doors as bystanders watched in annoyance. His hair was unkempt and ragged as it swayed in the air. He tugged and pulled, used every fibre of his body grasping onto a cup of alcohol in his hand before it was confiscated by the guards. He groaned in irritation before stepping onto the streets. Only seconds later to fall onto his knees due to the nausea and dizziness of the alcohol. Bile rushed up to his throat as he vomited his meal¡¯s worth of food onto the footpath. ¡°Fucking disgusting! Get off the footpath you fuckin¡¯ digrace!¡± ¡°What is that man doing? He needs to get a hold of himself¡­¡± Numerous people could only look on with disgust and contempt as he wiped away at the bile on his lips. He struggled to his knees before finding himself walking into the depths of an alley. He stumbled towards the wall as he took out a carton of cigarettes he had pocketed from the pub. He gave off a snarky smile as he lit the cig and put it to his mouth. He inhaled the bitter smoke that pumped his lungs with energy as he released it in delight. ¡°Ahhh, the only thing that can give me comfort is you my little baby~ And Alcohol, of course¡­¡± He released a lazy smile before abruptly slumping to the ground. Now that I think about it¡­ how am I going to get home¡­? I¡¯ll just go call someone¡­ He brought his mobile phone out of his pocket as he struggled to quick dial his family. Maybe it was his brother or his sister, but he couldn¡¯t decipher the words shrouded behind his blurry vision. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. It would work out either way he thought. ¡°Hello~ who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Luther? You¡¯re the one who called, you shou- Come on man! Are you drunk again?¡± a masculine voice popped up from the the opposite side of the line. ¡°Maybe~ I¡¯m kind of stumped here bro¡­ I don¡¯t know how to get home, how ¡®bout lending me a hand??? I¡¯m at Carlton¡¯s...¡± ¡°God fuckin¡¯ damn it¡­ why can¡¯t you just get a taxi or something?¡± ¡°Well¡­ y¡¯know... near here is the Casino.. And, well, I got some bad luck¡­¡± An audible sigh could be heard from the other side of the line as Luther¡¯s brother gave a brief moment of silence. ¡°... Alright. Sis is with me, we¡¯ll come and pick you up right away¡­ for fuck¡¯s sake Luther¡­¡± the call soon descended into an inaudible mumble as it was cut off. It left Luther to mull over his thoughts that raced back and forth as he slumped onto the trashbags within the alley. He brought the cigarette back to his mouth as he took a nice old puff - it gave an uneasy sense of calm. Out of his pocket, he took a small bottle of liquor he had smuggled from the pub as well. He smiled in anticipation. *** ¡°Oh fuck no¡­ Luther¡­ Not again...¡± Passed out and slumped within a small backhand alley beside Carlton¡¯s pub was a ragged and unkempt young man. He had a bottle of alcohol resting against his thigh and a cigarette loosely held in his hand. The man lazily raised his gaze as it met a young man of around 18 years of age and a girl who appeared to be in high school. They stared at Luther only in contempt and disgust. In their eyes, there was no pity or mercy for Luther- they had tried to stop his unhealthy habits, yet he still managed to continue in the end. Gambling, drinking, smoking, in some cases, even a small crime like stealing was not the worst they had seen.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Come on, get up¡­ we¡¯ll get you home¡­¡± There was no resistance as the sibling duo lifted Luther into the car. He stumbled half-assedly as he swung left and right in disarray. No words left his mouth except for the occasional groans and belches as he - after many tribulations - made it to the car in one piece. The car ride towards Luther¡¯s home then after was silent. He laid seated in the back whilst the sibling duo were within the front, mumbling under their breaths towards one another. ¡°Jacob, when will he get better? I swear, everyday if he¡¯s not at home watching TV he is out gambling away money! And that¡¯s not the worst thing! It¡¯s OUR families money! Not his! Even yesterday, he had just pawned off the gaming console for his gambling money!¡± ¡°I know¡­ but we just need to endure, he¡¯ll get back to his former self eventually¡­ it¡¯s just a phase¡­¡± ¡° A phase? Are you fucking joking? Look at him! He¡¯s been like this for at least a year by now! Let¡¯s just fuckin¡¯ forget about him! All he¡¯s ever done for our family is tear it apart from the inside out!¡± ¡°...¡± Heavy silence descended within the car as they arrived at the house. They parked just outside as they lifted Luther at a count of three towards the door. Luther stumbled out of the car and with his siblings help arrived at the house. They navigated throughout the corridors to his room and dropped him on the bed. By this time, Luther had became slightly awake as he tried to lift himself from the bed with desperate effort. The siblings watched him with apathy as he got onto his feet, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish... surely he wouldn¡¯t¡­? ¡°I need¡­ I need a favor¡­ I need some money...¡± ¡°Luther¡­¡± Jacob sighed, it was the calm before the storm as he looked Luther into his eyes. They were glossed over with a drunken haze of greed and stupidity. This time, Luther¡¯s trips to the casino and pub would stop - Once. And. For. All. ¡°... Let¡¯s keep it simple. We¡¯ve had enough of your bullshit. Get the fuck out.¡± Luther as if not comprehending the situation stared at Jacob with a hint of confusion as he tried to laugh it off. ¡°Hahaha, funny joke! That was fu-¡± before he could finish, he was cut off by his brother. Jacob stared at Luther with resentment in his eyes. Their family had suffered for long enough. Had endured through his continual gambling and alcohol addictions to the point of rage that no other family member should harbor for another. He would speak for his family here and now. He would fix this problem himself. ¡°You heard me. Get. The. Fuck. Out.¡± ¡°Y-you can¡¯t be serious Jacob¡­ You aren¡¯t even mum or dad! They¡¯re the owners of the house, so you can¡¯t honestly decide thi-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand Luther. Everyone hopes you¡¯ll leave, haven¡¯t you seen them? Their faces when they talk to you? How they look at you for always gambling and drinking? Right now, you¡¯re a fucking waste of space. So make it easier for the rest of us and get out.¡± Luther expressed a brief moment of anger before it was cooled off by the fear in that he may be cast out of the house once for all. Grasping for straws, he looked over to his sister, Rachel, as he pleaded to her that this wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°C-come on now¡­ Rachel, that can¡¯t be true¡­ right? Just give me one more chance, I¡¯m sure I can fix my habit!¡± All Luther got in return was silence and a glance before she moved out of the doorway. It was more than enough an answer for Luther than any other. ¡°F-fine! Who the fuck needs a family like you fucks?¡± In the heat of the moment, Luther stumbled out of the house as he held onto the corridors for support. He finally managed to find his way to the door as he returned his gaze to the two siblings who followed him. Yet, before he could even get a glance or utter a word, the door was abruptly slammed into his face as he fell onto his ass. ¡°Y-you fucking assholes! You¡¯ll fucking regret this¡­¡± He brushed himself down before walking down the streets. His rage expressed all throughout his face as he looked at the sky which was going from its featureless blue into a dark night. Damn, it''s getting late... By the time Luther found himself a few streets from home, he realised how much he had screwed up. The arrival of regret that was unfamiliar and bitter came as he reminisced over what he had done. Shit¡­ I shouldn''t of said that. What will I do¡­? But the regret was only fleeting as he found himself outside of that very same pub where he had began. Maybe one drink will help to calm me down¡­ *** Not even hours later, Luther laid unconsciously slumped in the alleys near the pub. He snored away all his worries as he left them for the Luther of another day. In the sheer cold of the dark he shivered without the comfort of a bed and home. Or perhaps, it wasn¡¯t the cold that made him shiver, but something else. His body trembled as thoughts that were unfamiliar yet familiar stirred within his mind. As if a fleeting dream, he was left to indulge in its contents as sweat began to coat his skin. Deaths of loved ones, agony immeasurable to anything he had ever endured, the yearning to change for the better¡­ regret for what he had done to his family¡­ it all welled up inside of him as he writhed and turned in his sleep. Emotions so intimate and expressive engraved themselves into his being. Then, as if he woke from a nightmare - Luther jolted up with eyes wide open. Chapter 2 ¡°Wha-what was that?¡± Luther instead of slumped on the walls of the alley had his back straightened stiff by the shock of the dream. He raised his arms with his palms faced towards him as he observed his trembling hands coated in sweat. It wasn¡¯t as if the dream had showed him anything he could remember, well nothing he could remember as of now. He felt he had experienced something, yet lost all recollection of it. The problem was the emotion that lingered behind - that had imprinted itself into the forefront of his mind. It had felt so clear and intimate. As if he personally experienced everything that had been showed to him in the dream. But then again¡­ what was the dream about? After much struggle, faint memories attached to the dreams surfaced. Memories of environments so different and varied that he thought that it possibly couldn¡¯t be him who had experienced it. Forests, desserts, the arctic, islands in the sky¡­ even the pits of what appeared to be hell. It was so removed from his daily life that he couldn¡¯t come to accept it. Then he saw it. A species so detached from anything he had ever seen before that made his stomach''s contents boil upon memory - parasites. That was the most accurate description he could make - apart from that, it was beyond description. It varied in shape and size, yet all of them had one thing in common - they brought a sense of unease, an unnatural fear that stemmed from deep within his being. It terrified him. Finally, a memory resurfaced that silenced all those before it. The emotion that was attached to this memory brought an unconditional amount of tears to Luther¡¯s eyes as it replayed through his head like a broken cassette tape. There was a man. A man burnt to cinders, to a lump of burnt mute flesh. He couldn¡¯t recognise him, the fire had burnt him far from recognition at this point. Yet, Luther seemed to understand who it was¡­ Even if he were mute, the amount of emotion expressed through his very being could be felt by Luther. He was remorseful, sad, desperate, and regretful. Those were what had been distinct to Luther as it slowly died down and became a small echo within his mind. Where had it all gone wrong? His eyes then removed themselves from the world of dreams and to reality. The sight of a darkened alley filled with trash and grime. The sun that began to arise that invited warmth and light. The beautiful blue skies that were - as of now - featureless and clear. It was all so clear to him now. His mind that was once filled with thoughts of greed, envy, and hate were empty. He picked up the empty bottle of alcohol and peered into its reflection. Colourful blue eyes that were deprived of life drained from the eye bags beneath them. A face somewhat chubby yet sunken beyond complexion. Hair unkempt and ragged¡­If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Is this what I am? It was the face of an addict. Someone dragged into the depths of gambling and alcohol - a pit he could never of escaped when he tried. Yet, maybe here, it was possible. These memories of regret and sorrow resurfaced as he picked himself off the grimy floor. Maybe now, now he could change for the better. However, Luther was abruptly snapped out of his reverie by the roar of commotion found from the streets nearby. The people had crazed expressions as they pointed and mumbled among one another, not caring for those who watched. What¡¯s with them? Having observed their behaviour - it was unnatural, even for this part of town. He wiped the tears from his face as he walked over to the crowd. He soon realised everyone was staring above as he followed their gazes. N-no way... Men, women, children, even himself - all stood still and aghast as they observed in terror and curiosity at the skies that were befell by a darkened cloud. It was as if their voices were choked out by the fear that showered down from above. In swarms, what seemed to the eye as towers gradually fell to the earth¡¯s surface. Amongst them what seemed to be foreign alien ships like those from fiction parted the skies. The sound of their roaring engines drowned out the screams and chaos that ensued. Luther along with them watched in horror as his eyes went back and forth between the foreign aircrafts. Dozens of dark elongated smooth ships propelled themselves down into the atmosphere as the towers drilled into the earth¡¯s surface. These¡­ the memories are faint¡­ but aren¡¯t these from my dream? It¡¯s real? Luther slowly backed away from the tower that was airborne kilometres from him as a terrified expression covered his face. It looked as if he were courting death as it drilled nothing more than a kilometre from him. The ground became crooked and broken as ravines split the concrete road. The tower reached towards the skies as it slowly dug itself a foothold into the ground, abruptly coming to a halt. As the towers became silenced, the ships hovering in the skies released a foreign low pitched hum that erupted throughout the air. Similarly, waves of pure blue energy were emanated from the towers all over the globe in seconds. They coursed through the earth and crowds of people - yet nothing happened. As everything became calm and still, Luther steeled his trembling body and observed the spacecraft. It really was from his dream he thought. The structure of the ship resembled those in his memory, yet some pieces were faint as he couldn¡¯t place whether he would be safe or not in its presence. Suddenly, screams ensued as people all over the district were dispersed into blue pixelated light and absorbed into the nearest tower. Initially, Luther was panicked as he watched the unfamiliar phenomenon occur, yet deep within his mind he heard something say ¡®It¡¯s fine, take it easy.¡¯ perhaps he placed too much trust in this voice, but he listened. Luther closed his eyes as his body was enveloped by the light. His mind and body warped and distorted under its gaze as he was carried off to the tower. Slowly but surely, people across the globe had all dispersed into the air. All had became silent within their cities and towns, all but the sound of the towers emitting a faint robotic hum were left in their place. Chapter 3 What is this? Woken from his daze, Luther silently observed his surroundings. It was a room composed of white metal sheets. They appeared to be welded together with a light blue energy that pumped repeatedly like the veins of a heart - as if it were alive. Before Luther could identify anything else, he grasped the side of his head as he expelled the contents of his stomach onto the white floor. The nausea and dizziness from what Luther assumed to be the efforts of the teleportation and alcohol brought him to his knees. His head throbbed as he tried hard to calm his breathing. Jesus, I don¡¯t feel so good¡­ Before he could get ahold of his bearing¡¯s, his vision was warped as the sight of words - no, more like the scripted code for a computer flashed before his eyes. At first, it appeared to be some runic language. What surprised him however, was that within mere moments, his comprehension of the language was slowly unravelled to him. Something he had never seen before, nor even heard of before - he understood it? How? [...] [Assimilation complete.] [Initiation of assistance protocol 631 - operative.] [...] [The Tower will now commence the operation of the 1st floor.] [Floor #1] Clear conditions: Kill the Amarog. Time limit: 5 minutes. Rewards upon completion: 200 credits and restrictions on system lifted. Rewards upon failure: Death. Luther looked on in disbelief as he skimmed through the information compiled before him. Clear conditions? Time limit? Rewards? Death? What? This event was beyond surreal for him, what did this mean? Abruptly, the words left his vision as they blurred out of sight. It left him alone to his own thoughts before the sight of something materialized before him. Within the white room stood Luther, known drunkard and gambler. And opposite to him? A small dark blue skinned creature a metre tall with stumpy limbs faced him. Its eyes were devoid of emotion and were like black pools of water. But that didn¡¯t worry Luther in the slightest, instead, it was the razor sharp teeth it bared in its mouth. Like an arsenal of tiny daggers they looked sharp to the touch. Luther assumed this to be the ¡®Amarog¡¯ as stated by the Tower. An A-amarog? How am I supposed to fight that? I don¡¯t even have a weapon, yet it has those sharp fucking teeth! It¡¯ll rip me to shreds! The Amarog without warning lunged towards Luther, its teeth bared in all their glory as it closed the distance in a matter of seconds. Luther had no time to prepare as he evaded to the left. The Amarog had skid past him as it pivoted on its feet, gnashing its teeth as it charged once more. Luther couldn¡¯t think straight. He had just been thrust into a situation of life or death without warning nor preparation! He was scared out of his wits as he barely evaded once again. Come on, think! What do I do? As he was being strapped for ideas, the Amarog with a burst of speed lunged towards Luther¡¯s neck. At such close range, there was no time to evade as it closed in with teeth bared. Within at least hands reach, the Amarog grew restless in anticipation of the tasty sight of flesh after so long in captivity - its hopes were soon short lived. The abrupt sight of a forearm obstructed the path of the Amarog as it latched its teeth onto the flesh. Crimson blood splattered against the Amarog and dyed Luther¡¯s shirt red. With just that one movement, the Amarog was caught off-guard. Luther had expended the minimal amount of movement to protect his vitals - something impossible for a new recruit of the Tower. The Amarog¡¯s eyes met Luther¡¯s as it shrunk back in terror. They were eyes of a battle hardened veteran, but that¡¯s not what made the Amarog terrified - it was the devastating amount of killing intent that had began to envelop him. It was scared. Luther brought his forearm to the ground with all his weight as the head of the blue beast was slammed against the white - now dyed blue - floor. Navy blue blood had begun to paint the white canvas of the floor as Luther painted an art beyond words and beauty. The Amarog¡¯s teeth had dug into his forearm but the pain was drowned out by the adrenaline that coursed through him. It gradually slipped its teeth from the forearm in the midst of the agony as Luther¡¯s hands stretched towards the Amarog. Disoriented, it opened its eyes to be greeted by Luther, wrapping his hands around its neck like a noose. The Amarogs expression became contorted in surprise and fear as it brought its hand forward in an attempt to free itself. His arms shrugged it off as Luther¡¯s nails like small knives dug themselves into its skin. Abruptly, torrents of pain burst out from its lungs and neck as it gasped for air in between it¡¯s deafened screams. Its lungs burnt beyond control as it tried to breathe the air it desperately needed. In a desperate fit of terror it clawed at Luther¡¯s forearms in an attempt to free its airways as its hands were dyed in crimson blood. Saliva and blood dribbled forth from its mouth as its struggle slowly but surely died down. Its eyes had became cold and lifeless as its corpse laid bare against the floor, and just faintly, a light blue surged into Luther from the body - similar in colour to those strains of energy in the walls.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Floor #1 - Kill, or be killed.] Floor cleared/Awarded credits: 200 Amarog killed/Awarded credits: 0 [Congratulations! Upon completion of the 1st floor you¡¯ve been allowed access to the use of the Tower¡¯s intermediary Federation assistance system - or simply said, the ¡®System¡¯. You may access the system through thinking ¡®Status¡¯. 4 minutes of rest have additionally been allocated to the user. If need be, inquiries will be answered by the System during these 4 minutes.] The notification broke Luther from his reverie as he lifted his head up from the floor to the ceiling. He was dazed as he brought his hand to his face to only stop inches away. He stared at his hand, stupefied by the cold blue blood that coated his hands and ran in between his fingers. The uncomfortable pieces of dark blue skin that were under his nails brought forth unease as he his face contorted in confusion. Wait¡­ what happened¡­? My head¡­ Is this blood? Luther was soon brought back to reality as his eyes were blinded by the sweat dripping from his forehead. The pain then began to emerge from his hands and forearm as the effects of the adrenaline died off. His hands trembled as they stung from the touch of the cold air. Then, the realisation of clearing the floor caught his attention. He swiftly turned to the notification before glancing down towards the dark blue monster underneath his body. Bile threatened to resurface from his throat but with great resolve he swallowed it back. He had killed something. Although it wasn¡¯t human, he had killed something¡­ so why didn¡¯t he feel any guilt? Why was he so calm? Why was he so¡­ relieved? Luther lifted himself off the floor and distanced himself from the corpse of mute flesh. This sensation of killing something¡­ he didn¡¯t know why he was so calm, but he had an idea. Perhaps he was okay with it because it was for survival. Since it had tried to kill him, it should¡¯ve known it could¡¯ve been killed all the same - it was fair, it didn¡¯t need his guilt. Luther then remembered the notifications that had lined his vision as he averted his gaze from the corpse. Credits¡­ and I can use the system? Luther observed the notification before he thought ¡®Status¡¯ as a series of words and numbers filtered his vision. [Luther Starr] Status: Healthy Age: 16 Alignment/Sponsor: Pending... Energy affinity: Pending¡­ Awaiting user¡­ [Attributes] Muscle Strength: 7.2 Muscle Density: 9.7 Muscle Velocity: 8.5 Muscle Elasticity: 7.3 Bone/Organ Durability: 10.7 Neural Reaction: 13.4 Cerebral Capacity: 12.6 Memory: 11.8 Energy Strength: 15.7 Energy Concentration: 8.9 [Shop] Credits: 200 [Enhancements (Skills & Traits)] None [Stigma] None Luther was astonished as he browsed through the attributes. From a glance, it seemed that these were numerical representations of a person''s ability to use their muscles or mind. The latter 2 however confused him, Energy Strength was his highest attribute, yet what did it do exactly? Luther was then drawn to the appearance of the Shop. Hm¡­ System, what is the shop? [It is your foundation. Through the shop, you can use credits to grow beyond the restraints of what makes you human. You can purchase enhancements, attributes, armour, and weapons - it is all up to the user as to how the credits are used. Similarly, you can bring out the shop layout with just a thought.] Interesting¡­ Shop¡­ {Shop} [Attributes] [Enhancements] [Equipment] It was just as how the System had said. However, as Luther glanced through all the items and enhancements available for purchase he realised one thing. It all cost so fucking much! The attributes themselves went for 20 credits a piece. With that, he could get at least 10 attributes, but that didn¡¯t seem to be much nor what he really needed. The equipment however was fortunately smaller in price, with some pieces being 10 credits. Of course there were some that cost 1000s of credits, but they were far and few - he didn¡¯t need to concern himself with them as of now either. Enhancements were similar to the equipment in that they had high price ranges, but the minimum was around 500 credits or so. Luther pondered over the options as he browsed through the available weapons; from war scythes to bows, there were so many choices! However, in contrast to the astounding weapons he could chose from, he opted for a simple short sword that cost 30 credits. It appeared to be made from steel and somewhat durable. Yes, it was bland, but it were as if it were calling to him. To Luther, the shortsword felt far more familiar than the other weapons as it materialized within his hand. In this alienated tower, it was something he thought he could put his trust in. Afterwards, he used his 60 credits to purchase some leather armour for his chest and forearms which he strapped on when it materialized. Left with 110 credits, he invested them into his attributes, putting all 5 points into Muscle Velocity. Luther had thought that he needed more speed since the last fight. Although he got rather swept up in the fight, he remembered how he had wished to do some movements earlier yet was not fast enough to execute them. He believed this was due to his Neural Reaction being high and allowing him to perceive the Amarog¡¯s moves, yet his Muscle Velocity being too low for him too actually react how he wanted to. Similarly, he bought the leather armour keeping in mind of his movement for using his shortsword. Wait¡­ Now that I think about it¡­ why do I keep thinking I can actually use this thing? This sword? Sure, the sword had felt familiar to him - but had Luther actually ever used a sword in his life? Ever? He unsheathed the sword from his waist and looked it over. What was so special about it¡­ it was as if he had this connection with it¡­ it was vague¡­ but he had an idea of how to use basic swordsmanship. He got into a basic stance and thrusted outward. Wait¡­?! This speed¡­ it made me faster like I thought... even the swordsmanship feels so¡­ so weird... Luther was left perplexed as he experimented with his speed. It wasn¡¯t a dramatic increase, but it was noticeable - majorly so. It made him flinch as he got back into a stance. The other thing that confused him was his swordsmanship, again, he had never used a sword in his life, so how come it came to him as if it were basic knowledge? It was a myster- in fact, no it wasn¡¯t. Perhaps it was related to that dream¡­ of being able to change - to become something better¡­ Was this the reason of the tower? To give a second chance for those to become better? Luther smiled at the thought as he was interrupted by the system. [Next Floor will commence] [Floor #2- Survive] Clear conditions: Survive a week within the jungle. Time limit: 7 days. Rewards upon completion: 200 credits, additional 50 credits upon each kill, and credits based upon hidden achievements. Chapter 4 Trees rose to heights that rivaled buildings. Canopies towered over forest floors crowded with myriads of bushes and rock outcrops. Here, in this forest, everything was different. As if it were not from his world- no, it wasn¡¯t from his world. Fruits like blue prickly berries in shapes of stars, animals like horned rabbits, even rabid cats that had fangs as large as knives that scoured through the forest floor. It had all came across as something foreign yet familiar- it piqued Luther¡¯s curiosity. Among the wildlife Luther had his back rested against the trunk of a tree as he glanced over the numerous stranges plants and animals. It had all given him a new sense of wonder. He returned his eyes onto the fire rested before his feet as it danced and roared to life. His deathly pale face highlighted by the flames as he watched the skinned rabbit slowly roast itself above the raging fire. He licked the saliva that threatened to escape his lips as he waited in anticipation. It had been around two days since he began his trial on the second floor, yet he had made no progress. Apart from the horned rabbits he managed to kill with his sword, other beasts like the large fanged-cats were too fast and dangerous for his liking. Along with them were boars, bats, and even wolves that roamed the forest floor. Each with their own unique traits and strengths. Jesus¡­ this place is a living hell! From the cold nights to the fuckin¡¯ animals¡­ Luther reached for the roasted rabbit as its smell of crisp, tender meat made him hungry beyond imagination. Saliva finally dripped from his cold lips as he brought the stick towards him and indulged himself in his meal. Food had been scarce these past few days, he had perhaps gotten a rabbit a day- but that was all, nothing more, nothing less. It had been driving him insane as the juicy fluids were savored within his mouth. As he ate his meal, the sound of wolves could be heard as they howled into the clouded cold sky. It was approaching night, and it was time for Luther to run as he reluctantly doused the flames with dirt. He abandoned everything apart from his meal and equipment as he rushed through the shrubs and twigs opposite to the sinister howls. Soon he arrived at the base of a large tree that towered above the others. It had acted as his camp for the past few days as he could strap himself to one of its branches and sleep without worry. Although it was a rather uncomfortable experience, he found it just bearable with the only side-effect being minor back aches. Before he could swiftly use the footholds of bark to climb the trunk, the sound of something pouncing from behind him caught him off-guard. What?! Luther dodged to his right as a large fanged-cat found itself facing him. It had a brownish-blue coat, two fangs that glistened in the last fading rays of the sun, and padded paws that muffled out all sound. It trained its yellow slitted eyes on Luther as he promptly unsheathed his shortsword. It was similar to a panther he thought as it began to warily approach him. With its body lowered towards the ground it had begun to circle him. As if it were assessing whether he was a potential threat or not. Luther¡¯s mind was racing with ideas as he tried to calm himself. The panther had began to nerve him as he tightened his grip on the swords hilt- it made his knuckles white to the bone.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Calm down Luther¡­ just think of it as a horned rabbit¡­ a big¡­ dangerous¡­ cat-like rabbit¡­ with knives for teeth¡­ Whilst Luther was consoling himself, the fanged-cat lunged towards him with a burst of speed unnatural for any living thing Luther had seen. He steeled himself as he raised his leather bracers in front of him with what speed he could muster. Teeth bared, the beast had its fangs rooted into his bracers as a sharp pain surged through Luther¡¯s forearms. He was knocked to the ground as it struggled atop of him. It tugged and ripped at his arm with increased fervor as bloodlust surfaced within its eyes. The pain itself nearly brought Luther to tears as he grit his teeth. With quick wit, his main-hand had pulled itself free from its weight as he pulled his short sword and rammed it into the beast. It had pierced through the dense hide of its underbelly as blood began to slide along his swords edge. It incited a whimper and wail of agony as it began to writhe on top of the blade. In its rage, it had forcefully unlodged itself of the sword and torn the wound as a trail of blood followed the beast. Shit¡­ Luther just barely managed to catch his breath as he jumped back to his feet. His left arm hang limply by his side as he cringed from the pain. Without hesitation, he steadied his stance as he observed the fanged-cat distance itself from him. Unlike before, it had a limp in its step as it looked for an opening. I have a chance¡­ come on¡­ stay calm... Luther¡¯s grip on his sword hardened as his eyes were pinned on the beast. His breathing steadied and posture relaxed as a wave of calm echoed throughout his mind. His eyes moved to its dyed red hide matted with sweat, the twitching muscle that bursted with vitality beneath its skin, and lastly its yellow slit pupils that traced his every movement. And with a burst of courage and strength, Luther pushed off his feet and raced towards the beast. Before, he hadn¡¯t had the confidence to face against its speed- but now? With that wound to its underbelly? Now was no better time to strike. The fanged-cat had its claws cleave towards him as it backpedalled on its hind feet. Luther evaded its claws without delay as he closed the distance. With a flick of his wrist, he brought the shortsword to its throat as warm crimson blood showered Luther and drenched the grass floor. Its eyes lost all vitality as it collapsed to the floor. It was rather anticlimactic. Luther in the heat of the moment gave way to his knees as the blood was soaked into his clothes. A sigh escaped his mouth as sweat and blood crawled their way to his chin. Everything hurts¡­ it hurts and aches so much... He raised his left arm as he inspected his forearm - the bracer was ravaged and torn as blood escaped from the holes that ran along it. His clothes slightly shredded as he glanced over his body for any fatal wounds. It was hard to believe only minutes before everything he wore had been basically brand new. Luther then raised his eyes to the night sky as his muscles ached and body trembled from the aftermath of the fight. Even when shrouded in the dark, the sight of his joy couldn¡¯t be hidden as a smile emerged arcing from ear to ear. Luther thought that despite all that pain he had suffered, all the problems he had encountered, it felt like he had actually grown stronger. This to him meant something deep, that he had actually begun to change. He remembered his times at the bars and casinos, wasting money and time on what he had thought to be the only meaning to his mundane life- but now? Ever since that dream- the intimate emotion that reached deeply into his heart and soul. It was as if he had something to strive for. To become greater; for his friends, family- himself. With the help of the Tower, Luther aimed to create meaning for his new life- for his chance to repay those he had wronged.