《The Mightest Porter》


 Goodbye~

    I lived a short life.


    If you could even call it a life that is.


    What do I remember about it? Nothing really. It''s all hazy and sometimes I think it''s just a dream I remember.


    What was my name? I''m not sure


    How did I die? Couldn''t tell you


    But there were still a few fond memories, a blur, but still something I could hold onto. If there was any proof that I did have a life.


    It was a simple life. I wasn''t anyone special - I don''t think.


    From what I could tell I was a single child? I think and had 2 parents. Well I''m assuming I did. If there was anything that had my attention if was games. It seems I loved this concept called games.


    It was weird that over everything this was my most clear memory. Maybe it was my escape or possibly my only hobby. Who knows?


    To describe this game to you, you had a character, who had an inventory and there was powers. That''s all I have. Great description, I know, thanks.


    Before I realised it my eyes opened once more. Crying? And some muffled voices speaking. Was i crying? What was happening? I could feel my body being bounced up and down, was i being held? What was i seeing? It took me a minute.


    I was a baby. I didn''t get far in my previous life so well being at this stage again was frustrating. I had just gotten my own free will to end up back as a baby was a setback i couldn''t help but be angry at.


    If anything i should be grateful at this opportunity. Atleast I was conscious. I''ll remember my days from the very first this time.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    It made me think. Was I smart in my last life? I mean. Who else could understand their situation so quickly at such a young age. I must have been some form of once in a millennium genius.


    Back to the point. I was alive once again. I had a new chance and this time I was certain to make it far. I''ll live a long life filled with joy. I''ll have my own family and be rich. That was my goal for this life. Nothing crazy. Rather simple, I mean, I feel like this is as basic as it gets.


    Nothing wrong with that though. Sometimes simple is best. I''ll be trapped in this small body but once I get my control back I''ll become a stellar existence to this world!


    Goodbye to my previous, short life. Where I died at the tender age of....15.


    [6 Years Later]


    Quite sometime had passed. To give you a brief of my situation it seems like my world is different to my previous one. Something felt off, from what I remember if there was one word to describe my past it would be futuristic.


    However, this world seemed a lot more new? If that was the way to describe it. Hmm. Maybe medieval was the right word.


    Moving on, I have 2 amazing parents, my father, Zen Kinsworth and my mother Shiela Kinsworth. Again, I was alone with no siblings but well that was fine.


    We are a simple family. Humble, my dad is a carpenter with a small business shop which was also the front of our house. And my mother was your typical housewife.


    Money wasn''t overflowing but it was enough to put food on the table and also provide a stable happy life for all of us.


    I liked this house. We had 3 bedrooms, a toilet which had a bath. The downstairs had the front room, which was the shop - Kinsworth Carpenters. Connected to a room which was our living room. It had a couch and a table where we would eat. If you could call it a kitchen then go for it but it was in the living room.


    A small section which had everything you really needed. A little packed but cozy. There was one more room, which would typically be the kitchen in a normal house but for us it was a storage room. To help run the shop.


    It was a rather big house. Or it felt like it was. I haven''t seen much of this world yet but from what I know my grandfather had a hefty sum saved up which with the help of more saving up from my dad allowed us to have a home like this.


    That''s my situation. There is more to it though. For example i can speak now. Great. I''m also capable of more than what your average 6-year old should be, I mean it makes sense but from my parents perspective they were shocked.


    Like when they tried teaching me how to walk and speak I was able to grasp it quickly. They then tried pushing it with teaching me simple maths but ofcourse I understood it very quickly.


    I didn''t know the concepts beforehand to clear up. It was more so my soul got familiar with it faster as it remembers a similar concept. So, although I did understand it faster I wasn''t a once in a lifetime genius.


    The neighbours kid ~ Norton Finwell caught up to my ability in the field a week later after we got taught something.


    Yes. The neighbours kid was brought to my house to learn with me. My mother was quite well taught so she was asked to teach him with me in return for a few more coin. Who was my neighbour? Well the 7-year old Norton and his 3-year old sister Dafine, along with his two parents Zack and Rose Finwell.


    Our families got along well. Dafine was too young to learn so she wouldn''t come over and I wasn''t really sure what their parents did. I think Rose was like my mom but Zack was an unfamiliar entity.


    This was my new life. And I''m very excited for what the future holds!

 New World and Assesments

    Another couple years had passed. Literally. I''m now 8 years old. I have a further grasp of this world. To expand on what iv learnt, we''re commoners on the middle side of the wealth scale. Not so much to brag about but well for a self made man my dad had truly done well with his life.


    Anyway, there''s more it. I live in the kingdom of Aierla. Named after the very first King''s wife. How sweet. There''s the central domain which is where all the important things happen. And loads of different counties, towns, cities etc all around the lands.


    From what iv read there are 5 prominent noble houses. These consist of; the Melrose, Xaffir, Bloodborne, Keighley and Godfrey''s. There are many more minor noblities but these are the houses with power. Along with the Ducal power who is the brother of the current king this makes up the kingdoms government.


    Each major nobility has their own massive amounts of land. All around the kingdom. In the north are the Xaffir, East is ruled by the Melrose. South east are the Keighley and south West is where the Godfrey are. And finally, the west where the noble family of the Bloodbornes have control and within their domain the city of Calistus is where I live. In case your wondering, the Duke denied having land and instead focuses on supporting the king from within the centre of the kingdom this was to stop any fear of a rebellion or something.


    So I live in Calistus. It is considered one of the major cities, which there are 6 of. Each of the 5 nobility have a major city and then the central city also known as Alphiton. And each major city is connected to around 4-5 minor cities. With towns and villages scattered around. That pretty much sums up the kingdom.


    But to move onto what makes this world so exciting are the Towers. What are the towers? Well it''s these enormous structures which goes from the ground above the clouds and some even say the world itself. And within the kingdom our tower is located at the east of Alphiton.


    Towers consist of many treasures and artifacts enough to build a kingdom around one. They are significant in this world and people challenge them over and over. What do i mean by challenge? Well there are floors and each floor has quests and a boss fight.


    If I was to describe it, it would be ''game-like''.


    To further help this be the perfect descriptive word, along with the tower there is magic and aura. Magic is powered by mana and you have to have a natural affinity for it. Aura is something that can be trained and is powered by will. But this doesn''t make it easy you still have to be very talented to acquire aura.


    With this discovery my goal is to conquer a tower. Which has never been done before. From what iv read the highest anyone has gotten is to the 54th floor. So no one really knows the end of it. The tower is a world of its own. Each floor is challenged by one person or a team but consists of the same quest and boss fight. Some floors do have communal areas.


    I''m getting carried away. To begin with, to challenge the Tower you have to have backing and power. Of which I have none.


    At the age of 10 everyone gets put through a trial to see if their worthy. If you are you get what they call a system. If your not then you don''t. Quite simple.


    So, I''m 2 years away from potentially living a life VASTLY different from my previous one from what i can tell. It does feel little unfair that you either get a system or not.


    Also, yes I''m in education. I started at 7 so it has only been a year but my dad paid for tuition so I can be formally educated. I attend the primary academy called Cintas named after the founder.


    It''s a minor academy with only 201 students across 3 years of learning. So 67 students per year. After which you go to the secondary academy and after that the awakening academy.


    So, well. You can wait for my next report in 2 years time!


    ///


    Well hello there. I''m back. As you could''ve guessed I''m now 10. It''s time for me to move onto a secondary academy. Calistus has 3 primary academies and only has 2 secondary ones. Skillsworth and Admitul. The former is for nobility but if your a major talent you can attend and the latter is for skilled commoners.


    But before you can attend either you have to go through a trial. The trial consists of 2 sections. One is the written assessment, which basically is just how book smart you are. The second section is completely up to fate as I put it. There''s an orb and you put your hand on it. Then you get a system or you don''t. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Well here''s the issue with this ''orb''. The public orb has a line which takes hours to get through. Then finally it only has 2 colours. Green or Red. How stupid. If it''s green you can go to Admitul if its red you failed. It literally can''t check if your a talent capable of going to Skillsworth.


    You need a better orb for that. Anyway I''m currently in this said line. Iv been here for an hour and a half, I''m almost at the front.


    While I wait a little longer let me fill you in about what secondary academies are about. They last around 5 years. So from 10-15. In which they teach you as much as they can - about the world and about the system. But it''s all theory. From what iv heard only in the last year do you try practicals.


    It''s when you get to the awakening academy where you get to do a LOT more. But only Alphiton has an awakening academy but it does have 2. You wouldn''t believe why. One is for nobles and the other for commoners who made it that far.


    Anyway. Enough rambling it''s my turn.


    I walked up to the orb and began to observe everything around me. The location is in the centre of Calistus which is where a massive fountain can be seen. There is plenty of space here and stalls are opened up all around offerent food, tools and what not. There are 4 paths to the centre each leading to different districts. I came from the south district where most commoners live. The north leads to the enormous house of the Bloodbornes. The east and west are where minor noblities live. But you have to travel quite a bit to reach each district. Thats because on the way their is where a bunch of stores and hotels are open.


    Along with guilds and restaurants there''s a lot in Calistus.


    But on this day there''s a huge spiraling line of little humans trying to see if their worthy.


    "Oi hurry up!" A voice came from behind me. It was a slightly shorter than me boy. He looked impatient as his burnt sienna hair fluttered in the wind. Both his green eyes urging me to get lost so he can have a turn.


    Well I might aswell go for it. A man who looked very bored was standing next to the orb. His job was easy to give instructions and protect the orb. He was fairly tall. Standing around 5''9 wearing a leather tunic which had a layer of chain mail on top. A sword holstered onto his hip.


    His black hair was still and his dark brown eyes looked dead. He clearly didn''t want to do this.


    "Move along boy we don''t have all day" he spoke to me a clear grumpy persona behind the voice. So I followed along and got closer to the orb.


    "Place your hand on the orb and channel your will into it. I can help you anymore than that. The rest is up to you. Good luck." He said.


    Following the instructions I put my hand on the orb. What the hell does it even mean to channel your will into the orb. How stupid of an instruction is that.


    Anyway. Ignoring my frustration I simply visioned like I was shooting a ball of light into the orb. It felt like forever and my hand was tingling from the fake sensation. Please turn green i begged the orb in my head.


    "Unluc-" the man begun to spoke but just perfectly ready to cut him off the dramatic orb turned green.


    ''YES!!'' I shouted internally.


    ''I goddamm did it. Iv done it.''


    "Nevermind go along and make your way Admitul." He said after writing a bunch of nonsense onto a paper. He signed it.


    "What''s your name boy?" He asked


    "Ziron Kinsworth" i excitedly replied. Ah right. I forgot to mention yes my name was Ziron Kinsworth quite a cool name if i say so myself quite proud of it.


    Following that he wrote my name down on the paper and handed it to me. Giving me a few more instructions. I had to take the paper with me to Admitul, go to any teacher there and provide them with the paper. After that was the written assessment and ill find out if I get admitted.


    It was a boring day. But well worth it. I had 2 days to go and hand in the paper. I couldnt wait!


    The very next day I set of straight for Admitul. I got dressed early and told my parents I''m setting off. It would be usual to see someone my age walking around by myself.


    But my parents were busy and I had proven my worth to be able to do this myself. So I headed straight to the academy.


    It took a while to get here. About an 1 hour. I wasnt really sure since I had no way to truly tell. I did get a little lost on the way and had to ask for directions multiple times.


    Either way. I made it. I was standing outside the gates. Two daunting black gates which were almost 4 times my height. With white walls which stretched out as far as I could see. The gate was unlocked as many potential students would be coming in to try the written assessment. So I walked in. My heart pounding attacking my chest from the inside.


    Every step closer I took the more excited I got. The academy was two huge buildings. One on the left and one on the right directly opposite.


    Each building had four floors. It was a beautiful green building which each looked like a mansion in its own right.


    I approached the front door of the building on the left. Two spruce brown doors twice my size glared back at me.


    Nervous. I was feeling nervous as I slowly opened the door.


    Instantly I was overwhelmed. I couldnt hear from outside but the inside was filled with newcomers chatting relentlessly. Making friends and expressing the stress they were going through.


    It was, in a way, relaxing. What was not relaxing was the line I saw. Not another one. I didn''t have much choice but to queue up and eventually hand in my pass paper.


    About 30 minutes passed. A lot quicker than the last line and that was because about only half or slightly less than half made it through. Anyway, the receptionist, a lady with curly sea green hair, freckles and glasses sat before me. Behind the desk.


    "Hello and welcome to Admitul, please present the pass paper you received for completing the system test"


    Following what she asked for i took out the folded paper from my pocket and placed it on the desk. I didnt say anything which might have come out as impolite but well, I was in my own head having millions of conversations.


    "Okay that''s good. Your written assessment will be in 30 minutes, head down that corridor and into the room which says 1-B". She had a delicate voice which helped soothe my nerves a little.


    "Okay, thanks!" I replied eagerly before heading down the corridor which was on the left of reception. As I walked down I saw 1-A and looking through the windows it seemed that an assessment had already taken place.


    After going just a little further down I came across 1-B which was my stop. The written assessment wasn''t anything outrageous. It was based purely on maths, Airen and science. Airen was the language of this kingdom to clear up. It had a different name way back in the beginning of times apparently, somewhere down the line it was changed.


    I had prepared arduously for this exam. I knew I would pass but the nerves was something I couldn''t control. The system test was based on fate. This was based on hard work. I walked in and found a seat on the left side of the class.


    The other seats were taken by individuals who cam before me. I sat down and looked out the window staring at the clear blue sky. It was peaceful.


    After some time the class was full. I didnt even realise I was busy day-dreaming. A man wearing a black suite walked in, wearing blacked out glasses with shoulder length straight hair and a messy beard. Weird mix for a teacher? I assumed that was what he was.


    "Take one test and pass it on. Distribute it through the class" He commanded as he dropped a big stack of papers on the desk of the first student.


    It was time. And I was ready.

 The Tragedy

    3 months had passed. The written assessment as I suspected was easy. I passed with flying grades. I got a S which is the best you could get. Coming first in the new academic year.


    It was time for my first lesson. Right off the start the letter I received informing me that I passed stated the first lesson would be to see our system. So naturally I was excited.


    I arrived at the academy. The same gates blocked my way but this time they looked a lot less frightening. Maybe because I passed, they could no longer block me.


    I walked in, went to the left building and through the door to the reception. Class 1-A. Depending on your grade the you got the higher the class you''d be in. 1-A being the best.


    I sat down near the window to the left, in the middle. Each class had 5 rows each with 5 Wooden chairs and wooden desks. Anyway the very same man who handed out the written assessments walked in.


    "Good morning students of Admitul Academy. My name is Giren Slinfold and ill be your teacher for the coming year." Giren said. He seemed like a serious man and real pain in the neck if I was to make an assumption about him.


    No one really replied to his greeting, maybe everyone like me didn''t want to get any form of attention from him. It would be difficult being the highest scorer but well Im going to try avoid his prying eyes. Which we couldn''t even see behind his blacked out glasses.


    "The very first thing we''re going to learn is how to access your system. This is important as everything about you will be displayed and your future will be determined.


    So I know it''s only your first day and first hour here but I''m a man who likes to get to the point and get things done quickly. Something you''ll all learn soon.


    I want everyone here to think to themselves these words


    ''System open'' internally and you should get a display"


    For someone who said he likes getting to the point, which he did , he sure did take a minute. Anyway everyone nodded silently and listened to what he said.


    Including me obviously.


    ''System open'' I said to myself.


    -zium


    An unusual sound was made but lo and behold. Before my eyes a screen appeared. It was black with lots of information on it and it took up about 40% of my vision.


    "Now, listen carefully. Before you should be lots of information. This is all about you. But to simplify it think to your self ''System Significant''."


    Following his instructions i did just that.


    ''System Significant'' and before my eyes the screen became significantly simpler only holding certain information now.


    "Okay if everything went right then you should be seeing the following. Your name, your age and the time. Say yes if you can see this"


    "Yes~" everyone present responded.


    "Good. Following this you should see your Rank, strength agility and other stats. This will determine your future."


    It was as he said. Before me I saw just that.


    =============================================


    Name: Ziron Kinsworth Age:10 Time: 9:26


    Rank: E


    Talent: E


    Strength: F


    Agility: F


    Stamina: F


    Intelligence: C


    Mana: F


    Luck: E


    Charm: C


    Aura: F


    Profession: Porter


    Skills: None


    Artifacts: None


    =============================================


    My heart sunk. That was the day I died. It didn''t take a genius to see the bullshit stats I had. My profession was what? A porter. A bloody porter! It was good as nothing. All my dreams would amount to shit. I was finished before I could even start!This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I mean. Even if I was a porter I would''ve been able to become strong enough to be a knight anyway. If not for my dog shit talent! Your talent depicts your growth rate. This means I wouldn''t be able to grow. At all.


    A tragedy. That was the only way to describe this.


    [10 years later]


    My life was a weak one. I didnt give up. I really tried my best but all I could amount to was carrying bags for real warriors to challenge the Tower. I made enough money to get by.


    I long since moved to Alphiton. I mean in order to have the most success In my profession id have to come here.


    Luckily due to my intelligence and charm (not really its thanks to a skill i have) I was able to get into a group who''d take me with them to the Tower. It was a formidable team. And with them we eventually climbed to the 50th floor. In only 6 years of climbing. It was an amazing speed which had the whole kingdom surprised. Apex. That was the name of our guild. I was a irrelevant character but altleast I survived to this point.


    Afterall how many people could say they did? Very few.


    Here we stood. 8 of us. Before two gigantic doors. Made from the impenetrable steel of the tower with the most mesmerising and intricate design woven into them. I was but an ant before these doors.


    Our leader without hesitating opened the door. He was a strong individual. An S rank swordsman. His fiery red hair and dark eyes made everyone who could see calm down. His golden armour shined brightly for us all.


    There was another 4 fighters so a total of 5. With two tankers both rank A. We had 2 magicians 1 ranked A and the other B. Then there was me the porter. My job was usually to hide. How stupid. To this day that very instruction frustrated me to no end. But there was no way I could rebuke it.


    I had to accept it. I had to give in and hide.


    Once we walked into the room it lit up with blue flames which were located on huge pillars each what felt like a mile away from one another. This room was unfathomably massive. Why? We had never come across something so unreasonably big before.


    As if to answer my question it came. Two gargantuan wings flapped as it got closer. It''s diamond scales reflected the the blue light of the flames. It''s claws ready to rip through the very fabric of this world.


    It was a dragon. Not just any dragon but the strongest one the world had ever seen. Its size making the biggest mountains look small. In case your wondering. Isn''t every floor the same? You''d be right about that. But that rule applied for every floor but the 50th.


    Theories went on to say that this is because half the tower has been claimed. A monumental achievement hinting at only 100 floors. But who knows. All that is known is the 50th floor alone is different for every challenger.


    And before us was our doom.


    It felt like an endless sky.


    From what I could tell the very floor of this room was made of the same diamond that scaled the dragon. It reflected the clear blue above us making everything look the same.


    Countless pillars each a mile away going on forever. I couldnt see no end to this room, my sense of direction dimming the longer I observed.


    A nightmare. That''s what this was a terrible dream.


    Diendall was the name of the monstrous beast before us. Pressure from the wind each time it flapped his wings was enough to make me crumble.


    Ofcourse everyone else managed to stand albeit with some struggle. The tankers acted like a windbreaker for the team. Even with that I was still sent a distance behind.


    I enjoyed staying somewhere I could see Apex fight. Observing was my favourite time of day. It gave me insights and thoughts which were exciting to think about.


    Even if I couldn''t do anything about it.


    This time, however, I was certain staying would be the death of me. I had to run and hide if I was to survive. Yes, I enjoyed battle in any way I could even if this was just watching. But I''m no fool. I knew when to truly run and hide. My job was to hold bags afterall, with spare equipment, food, heals and for the loot afterwards.


    Diendall''s roar without fail inflicted fear into both me and the B rank mage. It was a skill, but how was i supposed to resist when fear was the very first emotion I felt upon seeing his arrival.


    "FORMATION! NOW!". Our leader shouted at the very top of his lungs. Following the command the two tankers marched foward. 2 more warriors behind, one carrying a ruby coloured battle axe with a silver handle, donned in red armour. The other wielding a black steel tachi, with light armour to help with movement.


    Our leader had separated from the group, being S rank made him incredibly potent. Giving him the ability to flank on his own and deal massive amounts of damage.


    The two mages had kept a distance and used wind magic. Both were capable of different elements but against diamond the best chance at doing any damage was strong cuts from perfected wind attacks.


    Apex''s determination was admirable. It was the very reason I stuck with them regardless of my weak status. I''m not sure why they kept me either, there are stronger porters out there, which would''ve been better suited for a such a powerhouse of a guild. But well im glad they did.


    Upon seeing them approach, Deindall landed with much force behind him. This very attack launched everyone about 50 metres from where they originally were. The formation slightly hindered as everyone scrambled back into position.


    Me? I was sent back at a ridiculous speed and slammed into the very entrance of this hellhole. The fat bags on my back cushioned the landing but still it felt like my spine broke inwards stabbing my organs. I fell to the floor and couldn''t help but cough blood out. I was really that far away. We had walked about a half a mile into the room and now I was separated. Maybe for the better.


    The issue was. I had all the heals with me, the mages were capable but them switching to healing magic but that would lessen the attack force, not ideal against such an opponent. But with such force being relentlessly emitted by Deindall how could I approach again. Before being flung back and slowly but miserably dying.


    Even from when I sat i could feel the force reach me. It was suffocating. Everyone was fighting to the best of their abilities, yet I was here. Useless. I felt a sharp pang in my heart. I had to do something. I couldnt just stay some distance away uselessly.


    But what. What could I do?


    Dragons may be the very top of the food chain. But even they had a weakness. There was always balance in the Tower, nothing was truly unfair. Deindall may be the peak of any dragon humanity has faced, the toughest but he too should have a weakness.


    Currently everyone was fighting but knowing them well the chances were slim. Only Seirek our leader could truly deal damage. And he alone was not good enough. Everyone was canon fodder in this fight.


    We knew there was a jump in difficulty from the 49th floor to the 50th but this was ridiculous. To render everyone below S rank almost useless was insane. Ofcourse they were still mighty as a team and even the B rank was someone to take into consideration. But this was outrageous.


    Weakness. I had to find it. I was the only one capable of observing and adventuring the room to locate anything. I took out a minor healing potion and gulped it down. After a few minutes I felt my body recover. Enough for me to explore and find anything.


    I got up. I need to go in the direction Deindall came from, my instinct was telling me there was something there which could reverse the situation. The room couldn''t actually be endless and I was confident that Apex would be able to survive for a good few hours. They were a durable lot.


    I had a goal now. I needed to wrap around the fight. I couldnt get too close otherwise I''d be blown back from the chaos. Naturally I walked at the fastest pace I could to the right. My stamina wasn''t great at all I had to conserve it, especially in this dire situation.


    =============================================


    Name: Ziron Kinsworth Age:20 Time: 16:33


    Rank: E


    Talent: E


    Strength: E


    Agility: E


    Stamina: E


    Intelligence: B


    Mana: F


    Luck: E


    Charm: C


    Aura: F


    Profession: Porter


    Skills:


    [Efficient carrier] (lvl. 4)


    Carry bags without any struggle. Holding the capability to move heavy bags at the lowest cost of energy. A passive skill.


    [Void Holder] (lvl.5)


    You can make a bag of your choice have the deepest pockets this world has seen. Able to hold countless treasures without increasing the weight.


    Artifacts: None


    =============================================


    I pulled up my system screen. I did the best i could. Raised my stats with so much hardwork but with my talent amounting to nothing I never got far. The one stat where luck truly mattered, talent.


    As i walked a considerable distance to the right i turned. I now had to walk god knows how long in the direction where the mighty dragon came from. And without waiting I set off.


    It was unfortunate. Truly, every stat can be worked on and improved but only in relation to your talent. I was set up from the very start, if only I had a talent that could challenge the very laws of this universe. But well what can pondering about ''what ifs'' do in this situation.


    I could feel the battle from my left. It was truly ferocious but I had to march on. I couldnt divert my attention, every moment they fought was a moment for me to find a weakness. Even though I had no direction where to look i had to try.


    30 minitues had passed. I continued to walk and it seemed I was getting no where. Was this room truly endless? My mind started to waver. I mean how could it not. An absolute beast was raging a insane battle to my left with my comrades putting up their very best to survive and I had no idea how to help and my only suggestion was proving to be fruitless.


    That was untill another hour passed and I found the end.

 Trial I

    Well, not the end but possibly the centre?


    It could be the end but it was hard to tell. Different for sure the pillars still around a mile away from one another formed a circle. This was new. Within the circle the floor wasn''t reflective instead it was a beautiful white marble. There was 3 circles, the outer, middle and centre. Each with its own mind-blowingly detailed design. It was gorgeous to look at.


    As i approached the centre of the circle I noticed the inscription changing. It began demanding something. Beneath me I saw what looked to be a human on their knees, holding a blade in one hand and blood coming out the other.


    Bowing to a mighty dragon which took most of the inner circles space. Was this dragon Deindall? I assumed so but there was no features which stated so.


    Anyway after seeing this I observed the outer circles in more depth but to no avail. It seemed that they were genuinely just decoration except for the inner circle.


    I saw the short story of a blood sacrifice before me. Being no idiot I could tell this was some form of invitation to an outcome. But it was all very vague. Who knew what could happen if I offered my blood to this mysterious altar? That''s what I assumed it was.


    Then a gust of powerful wind hit me from behind. A reminder. Almost like the altar was telling me I didn''t have a choice, there was a battle being fought behind me and I had to decide quick.


    ''Tch whatever'' i thought to myself. Fortunately as the porter i had all sorts of devices and tools in my bag. Even i had a short knife to protect me in the most dire of situations. Pulling my small blade out, I stood at the centre and without a second thought slashed my palm.


    It stung, it hurt but I had to do deal with it. It wasn''t the end of the world. I saw a tiny river form in my palm going both ways and eventually falling into the pristine marble floor.


    It spilled and continued to stain the story in red. Which hungrily ate my blood.


    Suddenly a red light emitted from below me. The blood on the palm of the kneeling mat lit up, glowing in a onimous hue. I took out a bandage and patched up my hand assuming i had offered enough blood.


    Loud shaking could be heard, I looked around in confusion was this from the fight behind me?


    I was quickly corrected once the sound of the very earth moving got louder, It felt like tectonic plates were shifting exactly where I stood. Then I saw enormous walls emerging from the ground.


    The circle was being sectioned off. Something had started and I was the initiator. Before long I found myself in a dimly lit room.


    I was certain now, I was standing on a unnecessarily big altar. How could I tell? Well the outer circle was still the floor. The middle one was raised and the inner circle was raised even higher. Making it look all the more ritualistic.


    I looked around from the where I stood, I had a height advantage here allowing me to see what had happend. What seemed to be an plain sleeping spot for the dragon had become a furnished room. There was all sorts of devices and dark designs on the wall.


    There were four quarters which made up four walls. Each had some form of writing but too dark to be readable. I''d have to get closer. But before I moved off I noted down what I could see mentally. There were benches, a brazier, a gong, torches, chests and gold coins littered around. I saw statues of dragons, warriors and what not, weapons laid on the floor forgotten. It was an interesting room but I had to move now.


    Afterall I needed to find something to turn the tides of the fight. Following this i stepped down a staircase which allowed me to reach the floor from the altar.


    -fwooosh


    I turned around as I heard a sound behind me. I looked back at the altar and a fire had lit up. On the edge, following the first one 8 more lit up around the circle. A total of 9. I didnt know what this represented, maybe a timer? If so it meant I''d have to act fast.


    Regaining my composure, I walked over the north wall. And I put my hand against it trying to get a better read of what was written. It was all fragmented but I could get a few words from it.


    ''...voice.....mountians....bring''


    Not helpful at all. Well actually it kind of was. Was it a riddle? Or a story? Maybe instructions on how to beat Deindall? It was quite the mystery. It was a hint at something.


    What represented a voice? I looked around the room. Was i supposed to interact with something that made noise? Perhaps the gong? Hmm. It was curious, what should I do. If I do the wrong action what would happen?


    ''Dammit'' i thought. I shouldn''t be wasting time. I looked back at the altar and all 9 flames were still lit, thankfully. I need to move. Life was about taking risks. I walked over to the gong and lifted the mallet beside it.


    Using everything in my arms I slammed the mallet into the gong which caused a ear shattering sound. It echoed in the room. Did it work?


    A damn mistake who says things like that anyway. Why did I say ''did it work?''. Because moments after the echos found their way into my ears directly.


    The pain. THE PAIN. My ears exploded with blood pouring out. My brain was suffering, what is this noise? It hurts. it HURTS SO MUCH. Shit shit. Help. Help me.. i beg. I was turning into mush. So much noise. The deathly silent room was unfathomably noisy. I gnawed at my hair trying to rip my brain out so it all becomes silent again.


    Even with no ears it was all too much. It was engraved into my mind, and I could feel it. My life withering away once more. Was this it? This is how I die? in a futile attempt to help my comrades. Miserable. Life was so unfair to me. I tried, I really did. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I tried to think thoughts to distance myself from the blaring sound but still I couldnt ignore it. It struck me with the most painful sound. My eyes closed.


    Darkness took over once more.


    Silence.. finally.


    -hissss


    Panting my eyes opened. I fell on my ass. Silence. No more noise.. what just happend. The pain from moments ago vanished like it never happend. But still engraved into me... never again. I don''t ever want to go through something like that again.


    My breath was uncontrollable. My eyes shaking i was afraid. This room was incredibly dangerous, I let my guard down like a imbecile.


    I need to calm down. But how could I. I couldnt feel the pain but I can vividly remember trying to claw out my own brain. Horrifying. My entire body covered in a cold sweat.


    I looked around once more. I found myself on the altar. How? Something was different, what was it?


    I counted the flames. 1.. 2... 3.. 6... 7... 8. There was only 8 flames. One of them had gone out.


    Then it clicked. The flames represented the amount of attempts I had.


    And foolishly I had just lost one.


    I sat for a moment. Removing a gourd of water i poured some on my head, then drank some to calm me down.


    ''Fwoo'' i took a deep breath and tried regaining composure. I couldnt move hastily like before. The fight outside clouded my judgement and I couldn''t allow it to happen again.


    I put the gourd back into my bag and stood up. Once again I went down the flight of stairs onto the floor. This time.. this time I need to look around more. I need more hints and carefully solve this puzzle. Firstly, I didn''t want to go through any pain resembling the first death at all. Secondly, I couldnt. Only having 8 more chances I had to be careful of when I could take a risk, only at the most difficult problems could I think about doing something irrational.


    I took another deep breath. I had to stay calm and collected but it''s not like I just magically got over what just happend. My body still was shaking and my mind was irreparably afraid of everything before me. But I couldnt stay trapped here forever.


    The north wall was the same. ''.. voice.. mountians...bring''. This couldnt have been the first hint. There has to be order. I knew that all the walls had inscriptions but the fact the altar led me to the north first i made the assumption to start here. A mistake. It was a false clue.


    Wary. I must be wary of everything here. Anything that suggests at something needs to be double checked. To lead on to pain this room was designed to fail humans.


    Continuing on I walked over to the east quarter. Once again there was writing but too dark to see anything.


    ''.. fire... live... earth..''


    Hmm another fragmented hint. I need to look around more. So i had to observe all the walls. Naturally i went over to the south wall.


    A repetition of writing but too dim to see. Regardless it was something.


    ''...am I... must you... yeild''


    Hmm did it want me to submit? Yield.. did i have to give in to something? Interesting. Was the path out to kneel before Diendall? Or was it some form of worship. So much could be infered but which was the right path.


    Taking into consideration i moved onto the west quarter of the room.


    ''... treasure.... mine''


    Okay, this felt like it could work with. It wanted a offering? Some form of treasure to take in return for something? The issue is I had nothing to offer. Maybe one of the many weapons laid out was supposed to be offered. Maybe to the altar.


    First let me gather what I had.


    ''Voice mountain bring. Fire live earth. Am i must you yield. Treasure mine.''


    The hell does that even mean. Which even came first? I need to make a story out of this, it was the only way I could think of to make it make sense.


    I find a treasure and offer it. Yielding to this being by giving offering this treasure. Am i supposed to bring it to the altar? It kind of represents a mountian and should I announce my offering? But then what does fire live earth mean. Does it mean the flames will take me back to earth?


    A little dodgy but it was making sense. Ah the fire and live means the flames on the altar represents my life and if there''s still one lit up I can return? Something was working here.


    Well, all I could do was try. I went around and observed the weapons and gems that were littered around the floor. Some looked horrible and others demanded attention. Which was the right one?


    I couldnt tell. I didn''t have an appraisal skill so how was i supposed to know which item to choose. I walked around in circles around the room trying to rely on my instincts. Eventually I came across this silver sword, sharp with a golden hilt and a emerald gem embedded in the centre. A creamy brown handle which felt amazing in my hand.


    If there was a weapon which called out to me it was this one. So i chose it. I firmly believed this was the right choice.. I walked up the many stairs of the altar and reached the top. I kneeled and held the sword before me.


    "I offer to you this blade mighty being" well i wasn''t quite sure what to say so I just went with what felt right.


    Before me the sword levitated. I didn''t want to get ahead of myself but I couldnt lie.. I was excited.


    -slash


    What. What just happend? I could see myself kneeling. Something was off... where... where was my head.


    -hissss


    ''Huh'' it was painless. It happend so quick. I found myself on the altar, standing. Counting... 7.. that confirms it. I died again but this time, weird as it may sound it wasn''t too bad.


    Is what I thought when my eyes opened once more. Then the sensation of my neck being sliced and removed from my shoulders replayed. ''Ugh'' I felt sick. It was sudden, my abdominal muscles contracted and my stomach felt compressed. I felt nauseous, the world was becoming a blur and a cold sweat formed on my brows. My breathing became unstable it was sickening.


    ''BLEARGH...GURGHH'' my stomach got flipped inside out and disgusting amounts of puke rushed out my mouth.


    It was becoming unbearably hot, I was sweating a ridiculous amount. I felt trapped in my own skin, like a caged creature. I gnawed at very own flesh in an attempt to escape. My skin ripped under the pressure of my fingers no longer held back by my brains pain response in this wild try at fleeing from myself. It was painful, I was being painted red but everything else, the heat, the sensation of the my head separated it was all too much. The spinning world came to a halt, all the suffering vanquished as my eyes shut and darkness took over once more.


    My eyes opened. Already breathing heavily I fell to my knees, I took out water and poured it all over myself. And forced myself to calm down. I sat and meditated for a period of time, i had to afterall. If i didnt the hauting moments of the times i died would resurface and throw me into a fit like a solider with PTSD. Refreshing. I needed that cold cool down. 6 lives left. I lost 2 just like that, ridiculous. I need to be more prepared and take this a lot slower. With a LOT more consideration before trying anything.


    ''Dammit'' i repeated like i was in a loop. I messed up again. What went wrong? Was it the sword I offered? Or was the entire story incorrect. I made no progress.


    I need to change my perspective of this. So repeating what I had:


    ''Voice mountain bring. Fire live earth. Am i must you yield. Treasure mine.''


    Where am I? A dragons lair. What connection does that have with this broken hint. I can''t rely on the writing since it wss incomplete. But I needed to try something. It''s not like i could just leave i either die or solve this.


    What does a dragon have to do anything with this? I''ve tried the voice thing.. I think. Iv attempted the treasure hint.. i hope. Should I try the fire one? I mean dragons breathe fire.... this is the most basic depiction of a dragon soo should I try this?


    But how? I walked down to the floor once more. And searched for something that might help me. And there it was.. a brazier. Well it was certainly linked to puzzle but I do not and I meann I DO NOT want to burn alive.


    ''Aahhhhh dammmit man'' i thought to myself. I hated this, the hints were bullshit and I had no choice but to try anything that seemed reasonable. I needed the first proper clue atleast.


    In my porter bag was a flint and steel.. we had to be able to set up camp anywhere. It was mostly useless since we had mages but I packed It anyway. Who would''ve thought it''d be useful.


    Raising my hands above the brazier I hit the objects together causing friction and sparks to fall into the brazier.


    -swhooosh


    A bright and massive flame erupted suddenly. I wasn''t even sure if the flint and steel worked it seemed almost like the action was all I needed to do.


    My heart was beating relentlessly. I didnt want to burn... I really didn''t. Sweat started dripping down and goosebumps covered my body. I closed my eyes and clenched my fists.


    1 minute passed.. then two more. Nothing happend? I opened my eyes and there it was. The brazier was lit and I was alive.


    I did it. The first step was to light up the brazier.


    ''Thank god'' i let out a deep breath. I calmed down and took out the gourd to drink some water. I made progress. This was something I could work with.. finally.


    Did anything change? I walked around the room and something did change. The eastern wall had writing which glowed in red.


    ''I am fire and air... live... earth'' not all of it lit up ofcourse. Excellent. Why would it.. but It hinted at my next task. Air. What in this room represented air?


    Naturally i had to walk around and find an object to help with this dilemma. It wasn''t too difficult to find as I came across a jade fan with intricate golden weaving representing a dragon. I mean.. if not this then what could it be?


    I picked it up and started fanning in front of me. I was flung back just like when Diendall landed.


    -bang


    I hit the wall and once again my bag cushioned It. Thankfully it wasn''t as painful as the first time but I could feel my back severely damaged from the force. Was that wrong? Was i supposed to die?


    Confused I took out another minor healing potion and drank it. My back fixed up. I''m alive? What just happend. Was.. was I just too weak to use the fan. Surely not.


    But.. but what else could it have been. An annoying realisation about how weak I truly was.


    Whatever.

 Trial II

    I walked over to the eastern wall once more. And there it was, more writing lit up.


    ''I am fire and air, yet i live... earth'' it was coming together. I finally had a handle on this puzzle. Earth. What represented earth?


    I walked around for around 5 minutes. Nothing. There was nothing that hinted at earth. What the hell is this. The closest I got to was bones. I mean earth had life and some life had bones. Listen I know that was stupid but it was all I got.


    And what else to do but work with whatever I could think of? So I collected the bones. I came to a total of five. Four of which looked like fingers, very sharp and deadly fingers. And the last one was a circle well not really but that was the closest shape I could think of. What was I looking at? What human had four fingers? A disabled one?


    ''Oh. I''m an idiot'' as realisation hit I thought to myself. Where was i? A dragons lair. How many claws does a dragon have? Four. What was the circle? A palm. Why was i so slow to this.. it was weirdly simple.


    Now another issue. What do i do with this information. I carried the bones in my endless bag and walked around trying to find a hint at how to use them. Not surprising but somehow slipped my mind was going to the eastern wall.


    However I did naturally pass it. And when I did, below the writting something new appeared. And it was clear to what it needed. I removed the bones.. they were heavy each bone requiring all the strength I had. And then matched the bone to the shape cut into the wall. I had to make a dragons claw in the wall. An easy puzzle.. well actually all of them had been easy I was just stupid.


    But why was it that when I placed all the bones nothing happend. What was i missing? Did I do something wrong? I must''ve have but what was it.


    Careless. How and why did I leave my guard down to think about how to solve this block I faced. In front of me the very claw that I created took shape merging together.. it looked like a necromantic spell coming alive.. then it faced me. I looked back at this razor sharp ancient bone. As if to punish me for looking too long it swiftly moved in a vertical manner. A slash.


    I just brought this damn fossil back to life and how does it pay respect to me? It slashed me in 3! Another quick and painless death but there was a moment where I could feel the separation into three parts. It was.. off putting.


    Just like before, I found myself above the altar. One less flame before me. What went wrong? I tried to move but my body refused to listen to me. A shiver went down my spine. It was like.. my connection to the rest of my body died. Well, it did for a moment. I stayed absolutely still and had to focus my utmost attention into forming these bonds again. I needed to feel the rest of my body and regain command over myself. I couldnt allow myself to crumble like before, every life counted and losing one to suicide from mental trauma was not something I could allow.


    Only 5 flames remained.


    Why did every death have to be different. First I was driven mad with noise. Then I was beheaded and now i get cut into three. It took a moment before I could move again. But before hastily moving off I sat down and meditated. I couldnt afford to lose control over my body randomly. Meditation also gave me time to think about the issue. What was it that went wrong?


    A thought came to me, I placed the bones directly into the wall.. maybe I was supposed to replicate the design on the floor. In which the claw would come to life and insert itself into the wall like some form of a key. It made sense. Afterall the hint was ''earth'' it only made sense that the claw was directly connected to it when being made. It was a strong lead and nothing else was coming to me. Left with no other choice I went around snd collected the bones again. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Standing in front of the eastern wall, I had tk mentally rotate and transform the design on the wall to recreate it on the floor. It took a few minutes but it wasn''t the end of the world. I stood back. I removed my bag and held it in front me as a makeshift shield. It was a futile attempt, I knew, but I had to try. It made me feel safe even if i knew deep down it was false protection. Just like before, the claw came alive.. it was going according to my suspicion. I observed with tension brewing, was i right or will I die once more? It faced me, the deathly claws of this fossil. I would be lying if I said I didn''t start panicking. I fell back. But as if to tease me the claw flipped around and embedded itself into the wall. Like s key. It turned in a circular motion then vanished entirely.


    I looked up and the final words had lit up.


    ''I am fire and air, yet i live in the earth'' nice. How does that help me? To answer a shadow of a dragon emerged from the wall and ran across. My eyes followed and it disappeared after hitting the north wall.


    Ah. The north wall was next. Traumatising, i started shaking remembering my last attempt. But.. but this time i was right.


    I walked in the direction of the northern wall then my foot felt like it was lowered. I just pressed something. A pressure plate. My heart sunk. It only took a nano second after those thoughts before a massive hammer connected to a rope which was connected to God knows where came speeding at me and slammed against my bag. The blunt force easily shattered every bone in my body but more then that i was launched into the wall.


    Where I splattered. Like a bug. My entire body literally exploded. The pain didn''t last long since I died so quickly but in the second which I could register the broken bones I was in immense pain.


    -hisss


    4. I had 4 more tries. Walking around perfectly fine but feeling as if I was internally broken into pieces was weird. No pain just as peculiar feeling. I was discombobulated, feeling like flattened mush was not a recommended experience... trust me. Looking around it seemed like i had a checkpoint. The first puzzle was lit up. But processing any thoughts caused great strain. My mind was a mess. I guess I wasn''t so perfectly fine..


    It was like my skull was being squashed like orange being drained for juice. I fell to one knee. It was bearable, compared to the previous pains this was nothing. Following a strategy that seemed to work, I sat down and closed my eyes. Yes, i meditated. Meditation helped soothe my soul amazingly well. A method I was going to engrave into my life after this cursed experience. I''m not sure how much time passed but I found myself in a stable state. I stood up once more with renewed passion and observed the room.


    What was new, however, was the the traps. That was not there before.. I''m certain. That''s great. I now had to be careful of every step I took.


    Good news was i knew what to do. The gong. I still trembled at the thought but I was all but sure it was the right decision. I just did it in the wrong order.


    Going down the stairs carefully I looked at the wall.


    ''My voice shakes mountians.. bring'' some of the writing was lit up. And it just helped reassure me of my next move. Watching every step I took i slowly but surely made my way back to the gong.


    ''Here goes nothing'' i picked up the mallet and slammed it into the gong. This time though. There was no sound. It was weird since it asked for a mountain shaking noise but did this mean I did it right?


    I traced back my steps since I knew it was a safe path and more writing was lit. The white hue of the northen wall was a pretty sight.


    ''My voice shakes mountains, my wings bring mirth''


    Following the previous success, a shadow dragon rose where it previously fell. It marched over to the western wall before vanishing once more.


    ''I guard the treasure... mine'' Hmm this was the sword that beheaded me. Now here''s the question.. was that even the right item? It stood out to me but that doesn''t mean it was right.


    Before me the few words that lit up had a green hue. Green. Ofcourse it had to be green. Planting stupid thought in my mind. What else was green? The bloody gem on the sword. ''Dammit'' i hated these little hints it suggested because when I trusted them I ended up dying in a horrifying way.


    And then it leaves me with no other choice. I had to try and so I walked over to the sword once more. Carefully and cautiously trying my best to avoid traps. I picked up the sword and placed it in my bag.


    Then I head back to the western wall. What? The wall was fully lit up in green. What did I even do???? I was immensely confused. Then I read the writing.


    ''I guard the treasure, yet it is not mine''. How damn stupid. I just had to take the treasure back? That was all? I had to store the stupid sword for this. No need to kneel and say some stupid shit at the altar. I was pissed. How embarrassing.


    Again, the shadow dragon emerged and ran to the final wall the south quarter. But this time. It was already glowing. The text was complete. Why?


    It stated:


    ''What am I and what must you do to make me yield?''


    What. Well let me start with putting it all together.


    ''I am fire and air, yet i live in the earth.


    My voice shakes mountains and my wings bring mirth.


    I guard the treasure, yet it is not mine.


    To pass me, you must grasp my sign.


    Tell me: what am I, and what must you do to make me yield?"


    I mean it was obvious. The first part anyway. It was a dragon. Didn''t take a genius to figure that out.


    But how am I meant to make it yield?

 Rewards and Dreams

    Who am I? My name is Seirek Volotov. An S class warrior and leader of the Apex guild. Today.. today might be my last day. Why? Before me a ferocious dragon by the name of Diendall rages battle. Already I had lost one member just from the arrival and although we may be alive. It''s a futile struggle.


    My weapon barely grazes the diamond scales and my comrades are but a distraction. Surviving.. just barely. With our porter assumed dead.. out supplies are gone. The mages had to shift to healing magic to keep us going but in return out attack power decreased. Not ideal.


    The fight began around 2 hours ago. My guild is a durable lot. The best of the best. But even at that.. i estimate we have only another hour or two in us. This is a losing battle and I see no path to victory.


    Will I fall? No. Will i retreat? No. Will i succumb to this dragon? Never. I am a symbol for humanity. A hero of many accolades. This.. this isn''t enough to make me crumble.


    I was to the side Diendall, carrying out a solo flank while my comrades defend with their lives on the line. I took a step back after a relentless attack which seemed to do nothing but scratch the atrocity before me. I recollected my breath. Noticing a pattern. Dragon breath. Those hideous flames were about to be shot at my comrades. I needed to inform them.


    "TANKERS GET READY FIRE BREATH INCOMING!" I shouted to best of my capabilities. Did they hear? I''m not sure, It was hard to see them. It''s maw opened and it was ready to shoot.


    But what. Nothing happend. Is it tired? No way it''s a bloody dragon were talking about. So what just happend?


    Then it''s wings raised.


    "ITS TRYING TO ESCAPE. DONT LET IT. IT MUST BE TIRED" I roared out another command.


    But what. Nothing happend. It''s wings flapped yet no wind was produced. What is happening? Is it panicking?


    Is it hurt? But how. We certainly haven''t done anything different. Unless one of the mages is using some form of taboo magic? But they wouldn''t. My guild is compiled of good people, I''m certain of this.


    Then as if to make me question if I truly am a good judge of character the diamond scales cracked. How? How was this happening. It shattered outwardly in different areas of the dragons body. Diendall was suffering but how and why now?


    Did that matter though? No. We had to charge now, it was our only opportunity to win this war.


    "EVERYONE CHARGE NOW!" I screamed out. Following my own command I sprinted towards Diendall.


    [Swords Fury](lvl.8)


    i used my strongest skill. It may not have done much prior but this was the moment. And as I suspected.. my sword fluidly went through the scales and flesh of Deindall. Wait. As I suspected? No this was too smooth, it was like my sword became enchanted.


    From the crying roars of Diendall I could tell the same effects were imbued into my comrades. Why was this happening? What changed? All together we charged, the mages switched back to attack magic and we fought like a pack of rabid wolves.


    The battle which seemed to lead to my death. The death of my guild. The end of my adventures turned around. It did more than that, it became significantly easier. We slashed and attacked and Diendall crumbled before us.


    He yielded this fight. We had won.


    ///


    I stared at the mystery but what was I supposed to do. What represents a dragon yielding? In my confusion something shook wildly behind me. I turned around.


    The altar was reverting back to before. Huh. Was I just supposed to wait? Well, i wasn''t going to complain. I watched as it reverted but I still pondered. Something must''ve happend. It makes no sense it just solved it by itself. I was fortunate for sure but I wanted to know what made the dragon yield.


    As I watched the altar fall.. it did more than that. It kept going down.. and this time it went into the ground. A spiral staircase revealed itself before me and the walls which encased me disappeared. I was back in the endless realm of the 50th floor.


    ''Ah!'' How do you make a dragon yield? You kill it. Apex won the fight. Incredible. How were they able to overcome such an adversity. It seemed unreal. But then what was the point of the trial? Was it simply to reveal the staircase down.. was it supposed to be challenged after killing Deindall? I wasn''t sure.


    All that i knew was that we won. It was our victory.


    Walking over to the start of the staircase I decended carefully. After those trials I became alert to minor details around me. No more traps or riddles will be the end of me... especially now, there was no blue flames to keep me alive.


    Thankfully, it didn''t seem like there was any vicious traps before me. I reached the bottom where another door stood before me. I pushed against it.


    ''Huh.'' Nothing happend. I used all the force in my body against it to no results. What. Had we not completed the trial of the 50th floor?


    Annoyed I yanked at the handle of the door. And it opened much faster then it should''ve... maybe becsuse of the force I used.. i fell back and hurt my ass. Embarrassing. It was a pull to open door. Luckily no one was here to see that.


    My thoughts quickly washed away at the sight before me. Stored in the most beautiful cases countless treasures were before me. I walked into the room. It was like a modern museum.. i think that''s what they called it in my past life. Difficult to remember as my life as Ziron passed 15. But it was gorgeous. I walked through the halls and saw immeasurable artifacts.


    [Mythical: Glass of time]


    Pause time for everyone except you for a second.


    Holy shit. What kind of overpowered tool is that? I kept going.


    [Legendary: Levithan Slayer]


    Forged with the scales of a dragon and the hide of a nemean lion, imbued with the durability of a hydra. The strongest blade in this realm which can slice through anything.


    How do you even get those materials? What the hell. This is insane. Across all 50 floors this is the craziest treasure I have ever seen. Easily.


    [Legendary: Staff of Power]


    A mages dream. Capble of storing mana to immense levels and charging attacks to be 5x as potent.


    Amazing. All useless to me but still mesmerising. I traveled through the museum looking at all the treasures before me. Then I came across something that peaked my curiosity.


    [Mythical: Power up]


    A drink made by a mad Alchemist with the help of a sympathetic god who tried his best to change the fate of his talentless son. Raises your talent in relation to its current level. The lower you are the higher you will rise.


    This. This could be the change to my life. The lower your talent the higher it goes? I could... i could become an A rank talent. Holy shit. I.. can become strong. I can live my dreams how I visioned as a child.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Each artifact had a lock which required a hand print. Was this to make it so you could only take one per person? What a brilliant system.


    How did i get sidetracked. I placed my hand on the unlock. It scanned for a few moments. Then before me the glass shield dropped. There it was. A mythical grade artifacts capable of changing my future!


    ===============================


    Name: Ziron Kinsworth Age:20 Time: 18:42


    Rank: E


    Talent: E


    Strength: E


    Agility: E


    Stamina: E


    Intelligence: B


    Mana: F


    Luck: E


    Charm: C


    Aura: F


    Profession: Porter


    Skills:


    [Efficient carrier] (lvl. 4)


    Carry bags without any struggle. Holding the capability to move heavy bags at the lowest cost of energy. A passive skill.


    [Void Holder] (lvl.5)


    You can make a bag of your choice have the deepest pockets this world has seen. Able to hold countless treasures without increasing the weight.


    Artifacts:


    [Mythical: Power up]


    A drink made by a mad Alchemist with the help of a sympathetic god who tried his best to change the fate of his talentless son. Raises your talent in relation to its current level. The lower you are the higher you will rise.


    ===============================


    Excitedly, I summoned the artifact and there it wss incomplete my hand. A jewled golden cup which had a golden glow. The drink was a milky white and looked very alluring. My throat felt dry and I wss losing my rationale. I mean this was a life changing item.


    I raised the cup to my lips and gulped down every last drop.


    A bright light flashed before me and everything vanished.


    A familiar sight was before me. A wooden ceiling. I recognised this sight. It was a heart warming view. This bed felt unbelievably comfortable even with its mediocre material.


    Where was this? It was my room. Back when I lived with my parents. This must be a dream. It was comforting. I sat up and looked around, I had a single bed in the centre of the west wall from the door. To my left was a simple desk which I was gifted at 7 by my dad to study accompanied by a wooden chair. To my right was my cupboard filled with my clothes.


    Just further down from my cupboard was the door to the hall and rest of the house. And on the eastern wall was a tall mirror to help me get dressed. A cozy room in my opinion.


    I got up and the cold wooden floor felt amazingly real, I walked in front of the mirror and there I was. My royal blue hair which parted in the middle and my golden eyes. The hair came from my dad and my eyes from my mother. I was only 4''6 and had quite a healthy body. I didnt change much growing up.. just looked more mature. I mean that makes sense.


    "Zi come down for breakfast!" That voice was a melody to my ears. It was my mother''s angelic voice calling me down. Hurriedly I opened my door. Well I tried i pushed agaisnt it but nothing worked. Was i trapped in this room? Was this dream limited to only this?


    ''Ah.'' How could I be so stupid. It was a damn pull door. Yanking it open I fell back.


    ''Ouch'' wait. Why did that hurt. Isnt It known you can''t feel pain in a dream. What was going on. Was this.. was this real? I pinched my arm in a hurried action. ''Ah'' it hurt. What was happening? Why am I back?


    I went downstairs into the all in one living room. There my mother sat by the table. Her black hair flowing past her waist and gorgeous golden eyes looking at me with care. With a gentle smile on her face she called me over.


    "Sit down Zi today''s a big day!"


    Today? What day was it. What was happening. But before i could think anymore the smell of a hearty breakfast seduced my nose. ''Eggs, sausages and bread'' wow. I was being treated today! Normally bread and water was breakfast with an egg if the business had a good week.


    I remember this meal. It was the day I got accepted into taking the written assessment. I hastily walked over and sat on a wooden chair, my stomach growled and I gobbled up the food before me.


    "Slow down.. your going to choke" my mother said with care. But.. i missed this simple food. It''s been 6 years since I last tasted her homemade cooking. A tear ran down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away.


    "Thanks mom! Breakfast was delicious as always." I replied lickikg my lips clean.


    "Anyway! I''m off to get ready. I''ll be sure to get accepted" I added before rushing back to my room to get dressed.


    "Slow down or you''ll trip and get hurt!" I heard my mother''s concern from below. But I couldnt wait, there wss something I had to see. I needed to check something immediately.


    I went into my room and closed the door.


    ''System Open''


    And just as I suspected a screen with loads of information was presented before me. I guess the orb test only confirms if your capable or not.. it doesn''t give you permission to check the system!


    ''System Significant'' i thought to myself and just like the first time I saw all unnecessary information get cut off and a simpler presentable screen appear. My heart was beating like crazy, I was excited and scared. I needed to see my stats.


    ===============================


    Name: Ziron Kinsworth Age:10 Time: 6:47


    Rank: E


    Talent: SS


    Strength: F


    Agility: F


    Stamina: F


    Intelligence: C


    Mana: F


    Luck: E


    Charm: C


    Aura: F


    Profession: Porter


    Skills: None


    Artifacts: None


    ===============================


    There it was before me. I was still a porter, my stats were still miserably low. But. Something did change. And Holy shit was it an insane difference. My mouth gaped open and my eyes have never opened wider before.


    My talent. It was E before... ''the lower your talent the higher you will rise'' bloody hell it''s now SS! How insane is that! SS rank. Unfathomable talent. Never seen before.. I think. Wow. I stood stunned and mesmerised. I can.. i can become whatever i want to be!


    Don''t get me wrong. This is the best possible outcome. Your stats will rise only in relation your talent. This means i have capability to become SS rank in most my stats. It would place me in the strongest individuals of this world. The whole damn world! But. It also meant I''d have to work incredibly hard. More than others if anything.


    Talent more so meant growth potential. It wasn''t actually talent, if that makes sense. If i pick up a sword I won''t become a grand master immediately. Nor would I after a week of using it. You have to also remember my profession is still a porter. If I want to be a fighter I won''t have the backing of my profession.


    If anything what your profession was is where your talent lies. So me becoming a swordsman was a very difficult thing to do. I couldnt raise my sword level. I could only rely on swordsmanship and my strength. I would receive skills eventually. But it would take a long time to get anything.


    Longer than people who have a fighting profession. So if it came down to a skill fight, unless I train my swordsmanship which my talent would not help at all, I''d lose. My only backing would be my stats which I can rise through arduous training.


    So, yes, my talent was now unbelievable but I''d have to train 10x harder than anyone else. Not that I''m complaining.


    I was always ready to put the effort in. In fact i already did. It just didn''t amount to anything. Now however. It will. I will get stronger after putting hours in!


    "Zi what are you doing hurry otherwise you might miss it!" I heard my mother''s call up to me. I didnt realise that another 20 minutes had passed just from me staring at my new talent. Hmm. I thought to myself. I didnt need


    to attend the orb test. There''s a new path open to me now. Skillsworth. The nobles academy, how? Well first I need to get the attention of a noble.


    This wasn''t an easy task. There was obviously the major nobility Bloodborne but it''s near impossible for me as a commoner to get their attention. Even if I was to showcase my system, however, a minor nobility just might sponsor me. Now another issue presented itself. Who do I choose? Which noble house should I try appeal to. In Calistus, exulding Bloodborne, there was 4 minor noblities which had a name for themselves. House Forin, Rider, Winston and Dynus. There were more minor nobilites but these were commoners who earned enough money to buy a Title.


    Each worthy nobility had their own benefits and negatives. House Forin had two heirs and focused on their ownership of some mines. I would have to compete agaisnt the heirs but not stand out too much, funding would be great but no bloodline skills could be learned. Winston was a mage family, nothing wrong with mages but i wanted to be a swordman so I''d lose out bloodline skills, however I could learn magic. Dynus is another merchant family who opened a bank which is majorly used in Calistus. Funding wouldn''t be an issue at all but they had 3 heirs and were all in on business. House Rider was a knight family. Not just that but they had no heirs which is perfect. Funding would be decent and bloodline skills would surely exist.


    House Rider seemed like the right path. Everything I needed was there. But how do I get their attention? Do I just beg outside their house untill I can finally show an important figure my system? Hmm. It would work but I don''t really want to look pathetic even if it''s just for a moment. I can''t challenge anyone.. I''d lose almost instantly with these stats.


    Well, it doesn''t hurt to go and check out the Rider estate. Maybe I can observe them a little and find out how tk approach them successfully. I got dressed wearing a full black linen tunic which had a dark blue outline complimenting my hair. I went down passed my mother and to the front, putting my brown leather boots on.


    "Byr Mom, I''m heading out now!" I informed her before leaving to the shop to also inform my father. A bell rang as I opened the shop door and stepped outside. Weirdly, only my father had a shop on this street. There was a bar a few houses down but mostly just homes here. I took a deep breath and found myself walking to the centre of Calistus. I wasn''t rushed, taking my time to reach the Rider estate, I observed the world around me.


    Even if it was a major city, Calistus had much wrong with it. My small peaks into the dark alleyways showing men missing limbs, orphans hunting for food in the bins and corpses of animals. Hidden away in the darkness. The Bloodborne put up a good image but never truly cared about their city. The roads were hastily made and no repairs ever came, hospitals were promised but never built.. the taxes however always paid perfectly on time. Taxes were higher in Calistus too, but moving to another city required so much effort and not everyone could do so. House Bloodbornes rule was very weird.


    I arrived at the city centre and just like last time it was bustling with activity. A massive line of little humans waiting their turn to have a crack at the orb. But this time, I was not joining said line. Instead I was heading west, towards the domain of the minor nobilites of Calistus and more specifically house Rider. Weaving my way through the people I eventually got some personal space as I walked further west. But even without the test the centre was busy so it was still a little hectic untill I got far enough. It felt like the roads became wider but that was just an illusion as less and less building could be seen. Noble families owned land and the their homes were usually quite separated from one another. They were also distanced from pretty much anything.


    Not that it was an issue, firstly they weren''t miles away, just a considerable distance and secondly they had Butlers and Maids to fetch them whatever they needed. Lastly, these roads weren''t built for walking. Looking at the quality was enough to suggest it was meant for carriages. But I found myself on a trek anyway. It took about 15-20mins from the centre to arrive near House Rider. A large black gate big enough to let carriages in and out was closed in the middle of a high wall. I approached the gates and they felt bigger, I mean it made sense I got closer. But through the bars I saw the Rider estate, in the middle was a beautiful fountain decorated with roses and flowers I knew not of the names. Trimmed grass and hedges all around adding s touch of life to the ice blue mansion.


    It would take me around 30mins just to get around the mansion. The estate was around 5-10 acres big and well kept. I tried counting the windows to see how many rooms there was but it just didnt stop going. One day. One day I''ll own a mansion even bigger than this. I''ll have the world under my feet and be the most benevolent ruler. I''ll go down in the books for eons to come. My thirst for power will learn no humility. Never again will I be so weak in front of Power. I truly hope I meet Deindall once more, to overpower him and make him cower in fear. For him to suffer like I did in the trial.


    I won''t rely on other people to fight for me. Not anymore. I''ll work harder than anyone in this universe, I''ll grind to an unfathomable level. Seeing this mansion before me confirmed my goals. My dedication. My commitment. Nothing will stop me from achieving my dreams, not anymore with my newfound talent.


    I didn''t know how much i spent standing outside the estate but eventually two guards arrived. They glanced at me then decided I wasn''t worth talking too. ''Neither are the two of you weaklings!'' I thought to myself knowing full well they could one shot me. They wore the attire of house rider, under their hauberk was the light blue of the Rider''s. Along with their crest which was a galloping horse with two swords crossed behind. Sheathed swords on the waist of both them.


    I stayed waiting. I would stand here all day if it allowed me to get a clue on how to approach the noble house. Then the clock hit midday. And from within the mansion a loud ringing could be heard to inform everyone within.


    But for me.. it was a nightmare. The ringing submerged itself into the depths of my mind. It bellowed recklessly and summoned the mightest of headaches. I panicked remembering the stress i went through from the gong. My heart started beating faster and I could feel the pressure rise, my limbs started convulsing without command. I was fading away, tears found their way onto my face and my body went stiff. The last thing I heard and felt ass my body thump into the ground outside the Rider Estate.


    I lost consciousness.

 The Beginning

    With some struggle I opened my eyes and quickly my mind was assaulted by a painful headache. Where was i? I.. the headache was releasing its pressure but as time went on something felt strange.


    I sat up. Wow. I was in a wonderful room.. was it a wonderful room? Is this my room? I was a little confused. Comfortably laying on a massive bed with curtains around me. The room was incredibly spacious furnished with only the best quality items. Even unnecessary ones like the marble bird which gazed out the enormous windows. A mesmerising light beamed through, the dark sky lit up by the two moon was majestic.


    "He''s Awake!" A startled high pitched voice could be heard from my right, where I saw a delicate lady dressed in black and white.. a maid. In the following seconds she vanished and returned with a man. He wore a white shirt and light blue silk waistcoat with a thin black trench coat which dropped past his knees. He had a long pointy dirty blonde beard complimented with a curved mustache. His eyes were dark brown, he wore a monacle with a fine gold outline and a bycocket on his head.


    "Well, hello there young friend." He spoke and a deep but happy voice escaped. He walked over and sat on a stool next to the bed which I assumed was there for the individuals who took care of me.


    "If I may ask, what is your name?" A more serious tone this time around.


    "Ah right my name is-" wait. What is my name? What. Why can''t I recall? The more I thought about it a ringing sound would come and a devastating headache would make it''s way into my mind.


    "Your name is?" He asked in confusion as to why I stopped.


    "I..i don''t know" I responded dumbfounded. How could i not know my name? Who am i? Where am i? How did get here and why am i here? So many questions came to my mind and it caused so much pain, sweat formed on my forehead as I was straining my mind unnecessarily.


    "Okay, no worries. Don''t strain yourself too hard young man." He replied more serious than before with hints of care. "Instead, do you know why you were outside my estate?" He asked trying to get anything from me.


    "I.. i don''t know." Repeating myself like a broken record. It seemed like i didn''t know anything. But I did. I wasnt some ignorant fool I had a life. Clearly. But anything revolving me was a blur. My knowledge remained, I knew i was in Calistus and my objective to become the strongest was holding me together, I knew i was a hardworker. But other than that I... i wasn''t so sure. In fact was that even true? I couldnt confidently say.


    The man before me stroked his beard pondering what to do next. Before his brows furrowed and he began to talk once more. "Alright why don''t you check your system?"


    Right! The system. Why hadn''t i thought of that. Following his suggestion I thought of the following words ''system open'' and there it was before me. The person who i was.


    =============================================


    Name: Ziron Kinsworth Age:10 Time: 22:16


    Rank: E


    Talent: SS


    Strength: F


    Agility: F


    Stamina: F


    Intelligence: D


    Mana: F


    Luck: E


    Charm: A


    Aura: F


    Profession: Porter


    Skills: None


    Artifacts: None


    =============================================This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I see. My name is Ziron Kinsworth, 10 years old. I could feel it but this confirms I''m weak but.. but I have potential. To become the strongest just like my goal.


    "Alright, judging by your reaction you seem to remember something. Do tell" he calmly urged me to confess who I was. I didnt realise but it seemed my facial reaction was enough to tell something happened. A lack of control that I needed to change. "Ah. Yes. My name is Ziron Kinsworth, I''m 10years old.. that''s all i have". I responded in a way that didn''t resemble my age. Actually, it was quite weird.. i didn''t feel 10. I couldnt explain it there was something off about what I saw but the system is absolute. So i left the thought for another day.


    "10??" The man asked in confusion. His eyes opened wider and his eyebrows became raised.. he was genuinely surprised by that.


    "And if I may ask who are you sir?" I carried on opting not to continue with that.


    "Ah yes. My apologies.. how i could forget to introduce myself. My name is Kyros Rider and I am the head of the noble House Rider. This very property and land your on is under my jurisdiction." He spoke with pride and confidence and continued. "Which is why I have to be wary of those around me.. trying to take my accolades away. So i must confirm.. could you show me your system?" He ended his little speech.


    I can understand his perspective and reasoning. But that didn''t mean I should. Just as he does, in my current state, I too need to be wary. It doesn''t take a genius to realise I''m missing memories but I can''t focus on them and I don''t know how to get them back. This man could very well be the reason I''m here.. it could be an attempt to retrieve something from me. Did my system have something which he needed to see?


    It''s not like I had anything to present, other than my talent which is known only to me. Did they get the wrong person? So many suspicions came to mind but none csn be confirmed without some conflict


    "Just to clear up, we haven''t done anything to you or want anything from you. According to my guards you stood outside the gates for a considerable amount of time before convulsing and passing out." The man interrupted my thought process. He could tell what I was thinking... I really need better control over my emotions. "But from my perspective this could all be a ploy to try something against me. I only want to confirm your identity." He was suspicious of me too. I mean i knew that and it is only fair i return the favour for taking care of me... if the story is true. They have no reason to lie either, comparing what I''m wearing with the man it''s clear to see that there is a status difference between us.


    Meaning at best I''d be an assassin or something but that''s obviously not true. Dammit. The only way to prove myself in this situation is to show my system. I can''t exactly tell my parents.. if i have any. I don''t know how to contact them. I''m alone in this right now, if I don''t show this man and he let''s me walk free what do i do next? Become homeless? Not a chance. I still have a goal and ill do anything to achieve it.


    This is an opportunity. For me to confirm a room to stay and potentially training. I must become stronger.. so i never feel powerless again, so I can remember who I was, so I can live a magnificent life.


    "Alright, I''ll trust you." It was a few words but enough to leave a strong impression. Purely because it was dangerous to show off your system. It revealed your strengths and weaknesses, your skills and artifacts.. there was too much to give away by doing so. Currently, I had nothing to my name, if there was ever a time to show my system it''d be now. This is a situation where it''s a win-win for me. Afterall, I garner his trust while only showing i have potential which if well recieved can lead to an opportunity.


    Kyros didn''t have a change of expression so if it worked or not i wasn''t sure. The next issue was...


    "How do I show you?" I asked with a serious tone.


    Again Kyros didn''t budge in showing a reaction. He asked the maid to leave the room before speaking. "An issue with a simple solution. Think ''system share'' to let others look and ''system stop'' to stop". He said stroking his beard, a habit of his it seemed but what triggered it? A trait which could hint to his true character. Swiftly moving on from that thought i did as he said.


    ''System share'' I observed his face as i attempted to reveal my system to the man. It was like I suspected, his face visibly lit up and shock was written all over. It took him a moment of observation before saying anything. He was stunned throughout his identity check but I assumed he confirmed it was safe and unaffiliated.


    Although he hadn''t confirmed if he saw enough i thought ''system close'' and refused him further access. It was peculiar if felt like someone was gazing into my soul and I did not appreciate that. But soon enough he began to talk once more after taking a deep breath.


    "Alright, sir Ziron Kinsworth, I can confirm you are a safe individual. You have yet to tell a lie but there''s something else that caught my interest entirely." Sir? I understood my talent was no joke but to refer to someone of lower status like this was unusual in itself. This was a desirable outcome though, I just need to lead him on to offering me a sponsorship. But I need to be in control, I need to show my worth not only as a possible powerhouse but as a ruler, I need a demeanor which represents authority.


    "Ah yes-s my talent i assume?" Dammit! I stuttered? How i don''t even stutter like that. Did i crumble under pressure? Where was the demeanor of authority. How damn stupid. I just looked like a timid boy completely against what I wanted.


    He let out a chuckle "Assume you say? Well ofcourse i wanted to talk about your talent! Albeit your profession is unfortunate that is outrageous talent. Forgive for getting ahead of myself but regardless of your profession you could become an individual who stands at the very top!" He lost his own demeanor as he excitedly spoke.


    "I acknowledge this not as ''could'' but ''will''" I replied shortly to his speech. That. That was cool. He had a hearty laugh following my statement then became serious once more.


    "Not could but will you say! Excellent. So here''s my proposition to you, young friend, House Rider will sponsor your growth, I''ll offer you training, protection and formal higher education. In return, once you make it to the top you return the favour to my noble house" he ended his offer. It was exactly as i wanted. There was no need for me to refuse this offer, this was much higher of a risk on their side afterall. Yes, my talent was high but that was in other words my level cap. SS was the highest I''d be able to get in all my stats, this meant that I''d have to work all the more to achieve said limit.


    If I was to slack off their investment would go completely to waste. This was a offer heavily dependent on what the man before me thought of me. It must be good for such a one sided deal but what could i offer him anyway? Other than my word to rise his families name.


    "You seem in deep thought, I''ll retire for the day you have only just woken up. Think about my offer, I assure you this is of the best opportunities you''ll come across. I hope to hear good news tomorrow. Goodbye Mr Ziron Kinsworth" he left off before standing up and leaving the room. Not allowing me to respond to his goodbye. It was a power move, he created a expectation and left me with no opportunity to refute it. Making me almost want to accept purely not to disappoint. However, I was no fool my true reason is ambition. I have come to terms with my past being erased mysteriously, but if there''s anything left behind its my burning ambition and thirst for power. My soul refuses to be weak before anyone and anything ever again.