I found myself standing in the circular room of different versions of me. They were all looking at me with blank expressions. They had become more like statues than actual people. They were different. I didn’t know exactly why but it was as if their personalities were all but vanished.

  Turning back and forth I surveyed each of the different classes one more time before I made my decision. Whichever path I took now would ultimately change the future. It would change everything. This would be the biggest decision ever. After finishing my final sweep the eclipse faced being appeared before me. He was taller than before, his robed arms held to the side, and the negative light of his person was pulsating behind him.

  “Warden Pierce, you have proven yourself before my master and yours. The Trinity is prepared to bestow upon you its great power in whatever destiny you wish to choose. You must make your decision now.” The being’s voice was quiet and booming at the same time as if two different people were talking from various distances. Their voices mimicking one another. Layered like ice and stone.

  “I’ve made my decision.” I said with as much confidence as I could muster.

  “Then approach the path you wish to take and claim the power you have earned.” The eclipse-man turned and disappeared as if he had walked behind an invisible wall leading to a hidden hallway. Finally! This was my moment.

  I walked over to the Class Pathway I had decided to choose and planted my feet firm before this alternate version of me. Looking into my eyes, there was a difference to my gaze then the last time I peered into them. They were blank. Empty of all emotion and thought. He had gone from a confident, powerful survivor to a being of clay ready to be molded by my hands. Every choice I had made in my life had lead to this point. I reached my hand forward and received a notification. It asked me if I wanted to choose this Class Pathway as mine. I said yes, then it updated. The lines now asked which Specialization I wanted and I chose the final three of all the choices laid out before me.

  [System Notification]

  [Connection to Trinity Updated]

  [Codex Update Initializing]

  [Codex Update Finalized]

  [Warden Pierce Class Pathway Unlocked]

  [Warden Pierce Pathway Specialization Unlocked]

  [New Specialization Ability Obtained]

  An overwhelming sense of accomplishment flooded over me as I watched those words materialize across my vision. I had done it. I had completed the Trials. Dad I’m coming home. I wanted to test out my new abilities but before I could do anything a large notification announced itself in my vision. It caught me off guard in its explosion of red light.

  [Quest Completed: (Trial) A World of Madness]

  Rewards

  1500 Experience Points

  Shadow Vessel (Rare)

  The experience flooded my body and I immediately leveled up. I reached level four and was asked to place my new stat point. Before I allocated my new point I inspected my current stats. My [Spirit] stat was the highest thanks to the bonus from my [Title] and the new Accessory I received. So I decided to throw the extra one into [Body]. It seemed a pretty good choice as I felt my body surge with energy and my muscles tighten across my arms, chest and legs. It felt good to grow stronger. A feeling which kept me wanting to grow stronger. It was time for me to inspect all the progress I had made so far. I summoned my [Codex] and took in how much stronger I had grown.

  Warden Pierce

  Class: Thief

  Specialization: Shadows

  Level: 5

  Condition: Unharmed

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  Title: Transcendant

  Stats

  Body: 6

  Mind: 3

  Spirit: 5

  Combat Power: 726

  From the moment I stepped into the Fallen States I started at 180 Combat Power, now I was at 726. More than four times stronger from when I Unlocked my Connection. It was a far stretch from someone like the [Midnight Ranger], though I wasn’t sure what his Combat Power was at. No one in The Quarters knew. No one was strong enough to see his stats in their [Codex] and he never shared the number with anyone.

  As I admired my updated power, my vision slowly faded from the circular room to a wide view of an unbroken sky of dusk-light. The sun was setting in the far distance and the moon was high in the sky. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky and there were several stars beginning to dot the sky. I was back in the real world standing atop The Crumbling Tower. It was over. I finished my Trials and I was ready to head home. Though something felt… off.

  “Hey… Um… What about the special reward for reaching the top of the tower first?” I shouted to the sky.

  “You’re not the first one to get here, Ward,” Theo said hopping down from a stone walkway to my left. He landed with ease and picked up a slow stride. All in a single motion. He circled around me like a predator inspecting its prey.

  “Theo?” I asked. “How are still you alive?”

  “I should be asking you the same thing. I thought I killed you,” He stopped and crossed his arms. A prideful smirk crawled across his face. “But it seems it was all part of the Trials. So… Warden. Which Class Pathway did you choose. I don’t see any special weapons or armor. Wait… What’s this?”

  Theo walked over to me and lifted the pendant I now had around my neck. “You chose the [Thief] pathway. Didn’t you? And by the looks of it you picked the [Shadows] Specialization.” He let out a hearty laugh as he let the pendant drop. “Why’d you pick such a useless class. Couldn’t even get the ability to work. Pathetic. I on the other hand chose something… special.”

  So the entire fight with Theo and Tala was all a part of the Trials? Did this mean Tala was still alive? I turned my head back and forth expecting to see her leaning against a wall smiling in amusement at the confusion on my face.

  “Don’t bother,” Theo said. “She isn’t here. Maybe she wasn’t lucky to finish The Trials. I will say… I didn’t expect The Trinity to make me kill you and Tala. Was a bit surprised at first, but once I figured out what was necessary, well let's say I did what needed to be done. Guess I’m a little relieved to see you alive. Now I don’t have to lie to your dad about how you died. I was thinking, swarmed by an army of those damn Shamblers. You’d go out heroic and all.” He spread his hands out in the air as if he was imagining my death.

  I didn’t know what to say. He was being so casual with everything. If he experienced the same thing I did, then he killed me and Tala. I didn’t want to kill either of them. In the end I was defending Tala from Theo, not trying to eliminate them both. Theo on the other hand did eliminate us. And he was proud of it. I didn’t have any of my weapons equipped but I knew I could conjure up a blade to use in an instant. I was surrounded my shadows ready be to forged.

  Theo must have noticed my intent. He came to a stop in front of me and I watched his fists suddenly become painted with deep red lines. Blood was seeping down his forearms and dripping from his knuckles. “Don’t try anything funny, Ward. I’m a lot stronger now. I can’t be killed.”

  He really had changed. He was darker now. Filled with hatred and distrust. What happened to you Theo? “I’m not trying anything Theo. You need to calm down. Alright?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me, Ward. I know you experienced the same thing I did and if you're standing here that means you killed me in your test. If you killed me in there then you’re capable of killing me now.” The blood coming dripping from his hands rushed down to the ground then twisted in the air before conforming into the shape of a long staff.

  “Theo, I don’t want to fight you,” I brought my palms together then pulled them apart and forged a shadow blade. Holding it off to the side prepped to strike as soon as Theo made the wrong kind of move.

  “Maybe the Trials not over? Maybe we do have to kill each other in the end.”

  “Theo, please. Don’t do this.” I begged, blade at the ready.

  “I don’t think we have a choice.” His smile stretched wide and he pulled his blood weapon up into both hands.

  “You two are the biggest morons I’ve ever seen,” Tala called out. She was walking towards, tall, proud, and nodding her head in disbelief.

  “Tala?” Theo and I both asked.

  “You’re alive!” I exclaimed, letting my shadow weapon fade. Theo still held his weapon but he relaxed his stance. Even though I could see him fall back a few steps he had a look of suspicion in his eyes.

  “Looks like we're all alive. We’ve all made it to the top,” She walked straight up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. When she pulled back she let her gaze fall on mine for a few moments before finally letting me go. “I’m glad you’re okay. I’m glad you’re both okay.”

  “Same,” I said. Theo turned from the both of us and finally let his weapon curled back up into his sleeve.

  “So, which one of you was first to the top?” Tala asked. “I know it wasn’t me. So who was it? What was the special prize? Ward, was it you?”

  “No,” I answered. “I don’t think so. I didn’t get any notification that it was me. So that only leaves you Theo.” I turned my attention back to him and waited for his response.

  “Yeah, I made it first.” Theo said.

  “So what did you get?” Tala asked again.

  A loud rumbling echoed from every direction. An earthquake tremble which caused all of us to switch to combat stances, backs to one another. The sound continued to grow all around us, pulsating like a dying heartbeat of some great beast far below us. I felt the concrete beneath my feet shake, the glass of the building crack and break. A tall, wire-framed, antenna to our left fell to the side and crashed into the stone walkway. The three of us dove to the side. Half the building collapsed under the weight of the collapsed antenna. It opened up a dark hole in the top of the tower. Dust exploded in all directions and we all lost our sight.

  Once the world finally calmed down and the dust began to settle, the heavy beating of wings started.