《A Shadows Defiance》
Humble scammer
"And that¡¯s how 50,000,000 something years the battle for supremacy began or that''s how our text of the past tells us boy, although not much is remembered of that bygone era"
Vesper Tuned out the old mans rumbling about the history of their world or multiverse whatever that was.
Looking up at the starry night sky he thought ''would i ever be able to..."sigh"
What was he thinking?
To unlock the system you first needed to be the age of 16 and once you became 16 you would wait for the winter solstice = when the system would whisk you away to put you through a trial, a terrifying challenge where you would fight a corrupted beast that the System calculates is appropriate for you, then you are thrust into a random scenario of the past on where you have to survive while the beast is constantly chasing you with only the equipment your person once the trial starts, as to why its does that no one really knows and not really worth thinking about it.
Because low and behold Vesper was an orphaned slum rat, his father was gone when he was just 6 years a old and his mother..."lets not think about her" how would he survive that kind of nightmare? What could he do? The solstice was in just 10 hours away, he had some hope but nothing to say he would survive that trial. That was why he was here asking the old coot some question before his fucking demise came.
"HEY!! OLD MAN"
"WHAT?? YOU SCRUNNY RAT"
"enough of history can you tell me some tips so that i can sure fucking survive the trial in a week?" Vesper said while tangling the pouch with some coins to the old man.
"YOU-sigh alright" the old man said after seeing the pouch
"so what do you wanna know boy?"
"as i said before tell me about the trial, how is it going to be? how am i going to survive while being Sealed?" sealed was a term used to describe the stages of supremacy that the system used that being F grade to describe the lowest level of cultivation where everyone was born with.
" WHAT SEALED? boy how the hell are you still low F grade at the age of 15, even the most untalented 12 year old''s achieve high F grade before the start of the trial" the old man stared at Vesper with astonishment
Vesper gritted his teeth, did this old coot didn''t think he knew that? he wouldn''t be asking him of all people for ways to survive the trial if he was high F grade or even better E grade he wouldn''t have to worry for his life so much. But growing up he noticed that whatever he tried to do to raise his cultivation, the ambient qi wouldn''t circulate through his body and not even the quack doctor next door what the hell was wrong with him.
"Just tell anything old man i don''t have time left or you don''t want this money?" Vesper said sarcastically.
"Sigh- ok you brat, first thing first from what the sect branch says, the Heavens will chose a scenario and a beast depending on your personality, talent and cultivation level".
Vesper nodded and indicated to continueThe author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
" My trial when i was your age i had to survive in some ancient jungle while i was chased by some F grade snake, though it was the hugest f grade snake i had seen in my life and i barely survived because even the environment is against you, though the heavens are fair and you are usually given a quest to survive a set of days if your cultivation and talent are low" the old man said while looking at Vesper with confusion
Noticing the look Vesper asked
"What?"
"How don''t you know this basic information? even if the sect most probably laughed at your face when you probably asked them for at least a weapon for the upcoming trial, they are obliged to at least give you a run down on how things work"
Vesper stared at the old man with a death stare before he sigh and stared down at the table and mumbled
"ca..Casandra"
"Ah...no need to explain then" while he shuffled uncomfortably from the stare earlier
Casandra was a clerk that was notorious for being a piece of shit to people especially slum dwellers like him, she wouldn''t even let him in the office now that his trial was around the corner and he desperately needed information.
"Anyway when i was first taking the trial i was an late F grade brat so the system gave me a quest to fight and slay the corrupted serpent or evade it and find an escape exit" he coughed half embarrassed for some reason.
"After i almost died fighting that abomination i hid from it for days, half dead until i luckily found a hole which was actually the exit"
Vesper heard this and was happy to hear the system would at least play fair and make him fight something as trashy as him, his hope had been rekindled but it wasn''t enough he needed more information that just this snippets.
"So" Vesper said "that''s it?"
"THATS IT??, Brat you try surviving that nightmare with you trash talent and terrible personality" the old man fumed after that suppose insult to his pride.
"There is much else i can say any other tips from my trial wouldn''t help you it would only hinder you so...SO" the old coot saw Vespers eyes full of disappointment at him and so he cracked.
"You... YOU!!! GET OUT BRAT MY PATIENCE HAS RUN THIN..."*SIGH* he calmed him self down "that''s all i have to say to the likes of you but one final tip and a gift because at least you have had the decency to pay me". "Fight and survive and the system will acknowledge you because even if you pass the trial you might just be given a window with your stats and nothing else, just a shit screen mocking you an till the end of your life. Those who get acknowledged are usually those who start making something with their fate and realize their destiny and here"
The old man throw a dagger at vesper barley missing him and hitting the wooden beam behind him
"WHAT THE HELL OLD MAN" Vesper shouted in blazing anger
"hahaha take that dagger it might help you survive now GO!!" the old bastard said after releasing some killing intent.
Vesper stood up and pulled the dagger from the beam and run for the hills or in his case to the solstice hall where the trial takers would be whisked aways by the Wrathful heavens.
...
The old man watched the scrawny little rat go and shook his head he had no chance of surviving so he took pity on him and gave him one of his old dagger, he didn''t know why he did it. Its was just those eyes, it reminded him of himself when he was trying to survive eyes burning with the will to keep on living and the will to dominate that it even given him a half step D grade a run for his money but being D grade with a shitty aspect of a supposed earth master of the mortal quality evaluated to him by the system this is how far he could go in his with his suppose high talent people said he had.
" Well not my problem any longer if he survives he survives though the last tidbit was a lie i wouldn''t hurt to give him some motivation now lets see how much the brat gave me" open the pouch the old man paused.
"... this... THIS!!!!" spreading the bags content on the table there was only a bunch of metal scraps the boy had played him like a fiddle
"Mother F-"
Did he really just fall for the oldest trick in the book?
Solstice and mischief
Vesper run with a huge shit eating grin on his pale face, as he moved further away from the old coot¡¯s house, who would have thought he would also get a dagger from the exchange though an old dagger wouldn¡¯t help him in the long it was better than fighting with his bare hands.
He turned corner to corner in the maze that was the slams of the Capital city of the Empire of Kasnador on its home planet of Aliria, the young empire was in the scope of the universe a fledging nothing more than an empire that rose to power more quickly than others.
As of today, after 100,000 years of war and success the empire has amassed a 1000 worlds under its banner but it has also stagnated with so many years of peace under the new emperor, if the old mans rumbling would to be believed the empire had another 50,000 thousand years before it went to shit.
But Vesper didn¡¯t care about that, because all in his mind right now was a way to survive the upcoming trial. What the old man said that the heavens were going to give him a fighting chance was a great weight lifted of his shoulders.
Still thinking he would survive with easy would be his death sentence, for the last 2 years he trained and ate whatever he could so he could at least have a somewhat physical advantage in the trial with... let¡¯s say minor success.
What could he do? He was always broke getting chased around by the gangs that were more numerous than rats in these godforsaken slums, what he usually ate consisted of some hard lumps a bread and rats¡¯ meat with the occasional beating he got when he tried stealing fresh meat.
As of now his only real advantage really was the dagger and the half-broken leather amor he stole from a gang members corpse 1 day ago, he had some dried and salted rat¡¯s meat and bread in his pouch that was strapped tightly on his waist.
¡®Let¡¯s hope this is enough¡¯ Vesper thought as he made his way towards the main city gates.
¡
¡°NEXT!!!¡± the inner-city gate guard said as a pale young man went inside the gate building to be allowed throw the inner city.
¡°State your name and purpose for entry¡± as he stared at the pale young man in front of him.
¡°Vesper, purpose of visit is the trial taking place at the solstice Square and here¡¯s my slot ticket¡±
!!!
The guard was surprised. This little thing was going to be entering the trial? He looked more emaciated than your normal slum rat with barely any muscle and more beat up than usual, he seemed more like a ghost with his dirty silver hair that was held in a ponytail by a piece of string, creepy pale skin and rubylike eyes. Why was he wearing a piece of half torn leather Armor that clearly looked too big for him and smelled like piss was anyone¡¯s guess, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a snort.
¡°You are going to be entering the trial like that?¡± the guard said clearly holding in a laugh as he read the ticket and gave it back.
¡°¡¡±
Vesper just stared at the guard with a deadpan face.
¡°Hmph, ok you can pass good luck on coming back¡±
Vesper just sighed and nodded going behind a corner and disappearing from the guards view.
¡°What a weird brat¡ anyway NEXT!!!¡±
Next came a stunning beauty of utter proportions, she had hair that of a red dragon, eyes of a light pink mixture and sense of beauty the guard couldn¡¯t ever imagine. She wore a neat white T-shirt and a pair of black pants with a sword strapped on her back.
¡°Uhm... state your name and purpose for entry please¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
¡°Alexandra Ze Kasnador, purpose the trial of the wrathful heavens¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Your imperial majesty this lowly one greets thee, of course you can pass¡± the guard said as he quickly took the knee while sweating buckets, who would have thought the emperor¡¯s grandchild would be taking the trial in the commoner square and not in the confines of the royal square.
The princess just stared and started making her way inside but stopped after feeling the gaze of the guard.
¡°What?¡±
¡°AH I¡ um¡±
¡°Spit it out you imbecile¡± The princess said clearly not happy at the lowly guard ogling her.
¡°Uh I¡¯m sorry for asking your majesty it¡¯s just you¡ don¡¯t seem to be wearing any armor...¡±
¡°¡ hmph¡± Alexandra laughed a little.
Suddenly the princess¡¯s whole body was enveloped in a pale golden light before reliving a slick but fashionable golden armor that covered her whole body, once it was revealed her armor she just walked away while leaving the guard staring dumb founded.
¡°A... a high Tier armor type shard¡± he mumbled as he stood up his eyes couldn¡¯t believe it, he only had the tier 1 shard armor that he got from the system after his trial, after fighting tooth and nail all those years ago and his tier 2 sword that he paid and arm and a leg to buy.
Items that were rewarded by the system or given when slaying corrupted Monstrosities were called shards, they were categorized as in 4 groups Utility shards, Armor shard, weapon shard and multi shards. With the last one being a combination of 2 or 3 Category of shard types and were extremely hard and suicidal to get, they came in the range of 9 tiers with the tier one shads just being a somewhat better mortal item with a small enchantment.
Shards could also be crafted by Shard smiths who had gained a utility type class but they came from one if the 3 different clans that had a lineage in shard smithing and the cost of using their services was quite expensive for normal peasants and most could only handle up to tier 4 shards if they had some talent with most others managing up to the 2nd tier while the best smiths who had the talent could craft up to tier 8 shards were exclusive only to the rich Clans, Sects and the imperial family as they usually worked for not only gold but also needed Top grade materials that you could only get from slaying beast of the alpha grade and up or corrupted abominations of the corrupted emperor rank which only these powerful families and clans could manage to acquire.
Still for an unchained class cultivator to have such a high tier shard was almost unheard of, it was probably a tier 5 shard as it materialized from thin air but he couldn¡¯t understand how that was possible as for shards of the 3rd tier and up to be used or even factional you needed to unlock the system so you could access your soul zone ,he didn¡¯t know how she did it.
¡°that¡¯s royal for you and their stupid vast amounts of wealth and connections and I even forgot ask for a ticket¡± the guard sighed as he watched the back of the princess slowly disappear, he reached for his pouch behind his back that housed some rations his lunch.
¡°What in the nine heavens?¡± his pouch was gone just who the hell stole his lunch?
¡
Vesper played with the sac he just ¡°Burrowed¡± from the guard, it wasn¡¯t like he was going to miss it, it had some standard military rations and a canteen of water nothing valuable unfortunately, but it was a great boon for his diet inside the trial.
He didn¡¯t know who that red haired lass was, probably some rich noble or something but she made him a great service showing off like that it gave him just enough time to grab the kneeling guards pouch before skedaddling from the scene. That shard she showed off just made him even more stressed for the trial he only had his almost ruined non tier armor and a dagger that was most likely just a normal mortal dagger he didn¡¯t know what else that girl had on her if she could summon such high tier shards maybe she had a whole table inside of her full of food who knew?
He sighed as he made his way to the square and already quite a crowd of people was forming in front of a wooden stage.
Vesper went to the far corner of the square so he wouldn¡¯t be close to the crowd and waited for something to happen, he really didn¡¯t know how the proceedings went when entering the trial as he couldn¡¯t for the life of him get any information as every time he tried that bitch would ruin any hope of getting more than a few scraps of information, at least she had the decency to give him a ticket before saying she hoped he died.
Remembering that Vesper swore if he ever got the chance, he would choke her to death with his own arms, he shook his head to calm down it¡¯s not like it was possible going back knowing that if he failed here he had no chance in returning to the slums or the sect building without dying from all the high level individuals he scammed the pass few weeks for information about the trial, one guy already found his ¡®home¡¯ which was a small shack his mother left him before she to died and burned its so he was also no only dirt poor but also finally homeless.
Thinking these thoughts while the chattering of the audience kept getting louder, he saw a tall male knight walking over to the stage and waiting for the crowd to shut up, when the didn¡¯t an aura so terrifying spread throw the arena that damh nearly made him scream with fright. Once the crowd quieted down, he spoke.
¡°Welcome dear sealed and unchained guest to your ticket to your future or damnation¡±
Weird encounters
¡°Welcome dear sealed and unchained guests to your ticket to your future or damnation¡± the tall knight said in a booming voice that was amplified somehow probably a utility shard of some tier.
¡°My name is Acraz Voldesi, Commander of house Solaires knights, knight of the alpha rank I welcome you again to the solstice that grows ever closer and with it the new rising stars-YOU!!!¡±
He said to the crowd of roughly 100,000 people filling the whole square packed sardines which from what Vesper vaguely knew wasn¡¯t that common usually from what he learned from the snippets of conversations he overheard from drunk fools near the bar and brothels there were usually around 60,000 to less people on the commoner solstice square so he leaned his head closer to listen to the towering knight who wore a full plate of silver and platinum Armor that gave of slight uncomfortable pressure.
¡°In this fine night, as the heavens will descend and whisk you away to face your fate, I and my knights will watch over as you all fall in deep slumber, that¡¯s why first I want to clear up some most question surfacing in your heads¡±
¡°First, this year as you all noticed nobles and commoners will be sharing the same square for classified reason I¡¯m not at liberty to share, so everyone keep your self¡¯s in check or we will intervene, second a common run down on how thing will proceed, from the 100,000 of you here today only half or a third will unfortunately walk away, while the other who don¡¯t will have their bodies cremated with honour and there remains delivered if a family is present to accept them that¡¯s for commoners only of course. Nobles¡¯ bodies will be delivered to the families to be buried near their family.¡±
¡°Third when you enter the trial all of you will be placed in a body of a human usually of the past, with similar equipment or the same equipment as you, you might be a slave, a knight or a princess but if one thing is true all scenarios are of a time of despair and calamity, and you will meet people inside the trial so it best not to panic just treat them as normal people, your bodies will be sustained by the formation circle as you can see around the square so that your bodies stay in a coma like state after you fall asleep¡¡±
The knight continued by saying the same information the old man had told him or some general knowledge on how the trial and the proceedings will be going forward to which was like music to Vespers ears, some interesting information was that all trials were made specifically to harden an individual and make him witness firsthand how dangerous corrupted beasts were which gave him another thing to worry about, first was when the old man told him that corrupted beasts of the sealed rank don¡¯t even exist, that this shit about the trial being fare to everyone was bullshit and now something that there are going to be people inside the damh thing?
Vespers hopes were getting crashed even further maybe it was a good thing he didn¡¯t learn so much now that he was thinking about it, or he would have died from the stress alone just thinking of the ways he would die.
¡°Okay, your noble highnesses please form a line on the right side of the square and commoners at the left side.¡±
People started to shuffle and bump into each other as they made their way to each side which Vesper couldn¡¯t help but let out a low chuckle they really were being handled like some prized sheep, but what could you do? that¡¯s life he thought as he made his way to the left side trying not to bump into anyone, as he was in the half way point he felt a hand trying to snatch his pouch, he slapped the perpetrators hand away and spined around and¡ he saw the red haired noble woman from before.¡±
¡°Uh¡¡± Vesper said dumbfoundedly starting to sweat, did he just slap a noble girl¡¯s hand? ¡°Oh no¡± the trial it seemed wasn¡¯t going to be his grave after all, it seemed he was going to die right now it seemed.
He turned around and tried to get lost in the crowd, but a big hand grabbed his shoulder before he could and turned him around.
¡°YOU HOW DARE YOU SLAP THE PRINCESS HAND YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!¡± a huge man with muscles that could crash his head twice over screamed with the full anger of a mountain.
At this point half the square turned and were staring at them as they heard the commotion from the big mountain of man and what this about a princess? Just who the hell did he just offend? not knowing what to say Vesper just stuttered.
¡°Uh¡I you see- ¡°Vesper said in a low voice trying not to betray the sheer panic he felt from the hundreds of eyes looking at him.
¡°YOU WHAT? SPEAK UP YOU LITTLE RAT¡±
Even more people started watching the situation with some clearly loving every minute of it, and the cursed guards that were meant to stop any commotion just stared dumbfounded at the situation probably knowing not to mess with the royal family.
¡°Renold that¡¯s enough it was my fault don¡¯t make this sort of commotion right now¡± the princess quickly interjected seeing as the situation wasn¡¯t ideal.
¡°But princess this commoner- ¡°
¡°I said shush, let me talk with him for a minute¡± the apparent princess of the fucking empire said with an icy commanding tone.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The man shuddered for a second before letting go of Vesper and stepped back to let the princess talk with him, for what reason would a princess of the empire want to talk to him of all people he had no clue except¡had she seem him stealing from the guard? Did he offend her family in his past life or something? And why was she trying to steal the pouch?
¡°Ah ¡ Ehm¡ your Majesty, I greet thee- ¡°
¡°No need to introduce yourself, I just wanted to see how a pipsqueak like you could steal from that guard even if he seemed incompetent he was still an mid E grade warrior, but it seems your nothing special just a lucky thief but a mortal with no talent for cultivation how weird¡± she said in a interested and playful tone while leaning closer to his ear ¡° I don¡¯t know how you sensed me or how you manged to react so quickly but I¡¯m impressed so I¡¯m giving you a freebie, now go before my other guards change their minds¡±
Vesper didn¡¯t understand what she meant by other guards before looking around and seeing some giving him death stares, so he hurriedly walked away from the crazy woman after a couple a steps he whispered ¡°Crazy bitch¡±, but it seemed he made a mistake because then and there he felt a killing intent so powerful it even overshadowed the knights captains aura for a second but as he turned around to see who it was it disappear just like that, what he saw was just princess staring at him with a gentle smile before turning away and walking to the front of the nobles side.
What the hell was that? She couldn¡¯t have possible heard him, did she? Whatever that was it was better not to dwell on it. So, he made his way to his side and as far away from the princess and her ogre sized guard as possible.
Once everyone was their correct side the Knight commander coughed and continued.
¡°Before we proceed to the chambers underground I would like to inform you all that survive the trial will be given a chance to enrol not only in the military academy but also the royal academy depending on your soul quality and performance in the entry exam.¡±
Vesper was surprised, not only the military academy but also a chance for the royal academy? if he miraculously pulled throw and achieved what he came here to do that being surviving he wouldn¡¯t be able to get this chance he needed to do more than just survive he needed to become something.
A purpose other than survival started to form in Vespers heart maybe he could pull it of he didn¡¯t have anything to lose, no one was waiting for him it, he would have to gamble on him self and his determination to pull throw a miracle.
While he was thinking about his future, Knight captain raised his hands and clapped in a weird rhythm, nothing happened for a few seconds making people stare at him for a moment dumbfounded before the whole square started to shake lightly, it started to move down or more accurately slide down while a glass like dome started to form on top of them.
¡°Don¡¯t worry ladies and gentlemen these are just safety precautions just wait a few minutes¡¡±
As people watched in awe, Vesper included they couldn¡¯t help but ignore what the Knight was talking about.
¡°Awe inspiring, isn¡¯t it?¡± a young man around the same hight as him with raven hair next to Vesper said while looking up at the forming dome.
¡°Yeah, a guess.¡± Vesper said a little uncomfortable being randomly spoken to.
¡°Greetings my name is Leondio Depar but my friend call me Leo what¡¯s your name?¡± the boy whose name was apparently Leo asked vesper in a friendly tone.
¡°Uh¡ Vesper, just Vesper¡± Vesper said awkwardly him not having this sort of conversation in a long while. Usually, it ended up with a knife to your back.
¡°No last name? are you an outsider by chance?¡±
Leo asked innocently genially seeming just interested in Vesper with no malicious intent.
Outsiders were those that didn¡¯t have a citizen ship and so couldn¡¯t access many things that the system gave to system registered cities. You were also a last name when you acquired citizen ship to give you a status of some kind, this was also one of the reason Vesper hoped to enrol into the academy as that was an automatic ticket to citizen ship if you graduated.
Still asking a question like that to some you just met was uncomfortable.
¡°Yes, I am¡± Vesper said trying not to make eye contact.
¡°Oh sorry, I just get excited when meeting with interesting people.¡± He said smiling mischievously.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Well, you just slapped the princesses of the empire hand away and lived to tell the tale, isn¡¯t that interesting?
¡°Uh I guess so? I¡¯m just happy she seemed more interest in me, enough not to kill me anyway.¡±
¡°Interest how?¡± Leo asked while tilting his head.
¡°I don¡¯t know, go ask her you self.¡± Vesper lied thought even he didn¡¯t know if the reason she told him was true.
¡°hahahaha¡± Leo started laughing after that.
After the little laughing fit they chatted for little while longer talking about the trial and how lucky he was to be alive, Leo actually seemed like a good guy but Vesper didn¡¯t believe it for a second, growing up in the Outer city he learned that people who were kind to you were usually those that would stab you in the back when you were not looking but he did learn a few things at least from the exchange.
One crucial piece of information that he learned was that there were people that stayed in the trial for more than just a few weeks with the longest being a year, for those that were more than a month into the trial the would be moved to one of the barracks near here and be put in a pod that better sustained their bodily factions and the good thing it was free as it was considered those who staid the longest had the most potential.
After a few more minutes the platform stopped moving and the walls on all side started to open revelling a human sized hole around 3 meters tall and 2 meters wide.
¡°Everyone please go a find a pod and get comfortable the solstice begins in 10 minutes¡± The knight commander said.
Before leaving Leo grabbed Vespers hand and gave him a card, that read ¡°The magnum emporium¡±
¡°Listen if we both survive our trials come to my father¡¯s store and good luck my friend.¡± He said half giggling while before walking away after saying his piece.
¡°Goodluck to you too¡¡± what a weird guy he thought after as he made his way to a pod.
The pod was nothing special just some grey stone on every side, with a small gem that emitted a southing light Vesper tried to get comfortable and waited. After 10 minutes of nothing happening, an opaque barrier started forming in front of him, he panicked for a second before he heard the Knight commanders voice emitting from somewhere.
¡°Don¡¯t worry participants the pods have just activated the suspense animation protocol Good luck to you all may the strong prosper¡±
Then the world turned dark.
[Welcome Challenger]