The person standing in front of me was… me! At least he was a different version of me. He was older, his hair was ragged, skin was of a stone gray and his eyes… his eyes were filled with a darkness unlike anything I had seen. Not a darkness of shadows but one of absence as if he was missing something. The different me blinked his eyes. I took a few steps back and waited for him to move. I tried summoning my knives thinking this had to be another test. Another chance to fight. He didn’t move. He only stood there and watched me.

  I turned my head back and forth and this version of me did the same. I focused my eyes and noticed that his eyes closed every so slightly. I raised my hand and he mirrored my movement. I had a weird electricity flow through my body causing me to shudder. Was he studying me or simply copying my every movements?

  “Who are you?” I asked. The different me mouthed the exact same words I did but there was no sound from his lips. It was like looking into a mirror but with no frame, only reality itself as the surface. I turned to look at the other figures in the room and they all stood still, like statues in a museum. I lifted my hand again but only the one directly in front of me moved. What kind of test is this?

  I took a step forward and raised my hand again. The different me did the same. I slowly moved my hand forward, his hand copied mine. Right as they were about to touch I received a notification blinking red in my sight.

  [Class Pathway: Cultist]

  [Do you wish to appraise this Class Pathway?]

  So these are the Class Pathways. I looked around again at all the different people, different versions of me and it finally clicked. I had reached the top of the Crumbling Tower. This was my chance to choose my Class Pathway. I burst of excitement burned in my chest as I had reached my goal. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Now was my time to take the path of my decision. I pressed my consciousness against the notification and answered with a decisive yes.

  The world swirled around me in a flash of black and red. My vision twisted to the side as if I was on a merry-go-round. Once the motion stopped I was in a wide room, similar to the round one with all the different class pathways, but this one was scattered with white stone pillars every thirty feet in an outward branch from my location. It reminded me of some of the office rooms I had explored lower in the tower only pristine and empty. The room stretched on forever and despite the brilliant light that surrounded me I couldn’t see a source.

  My [Codex] flared to life and I was greeted with a display I hadn’t seen before.

  [Warden Pierce: Class Pathway Appraisal - Cultist]

  [Choose your Specialization]

  [Rituals] [Occultism] [Blood Magic]

  I activated the first of my three options, Rituals. My display vanished from my sight and I found myself suddenly holding a dark staff that glowed with strange energies. It was the staff my counterpart was holding before. A new notification materialized detailing information about the specialization I had chosen.

  [Cultist Specialization: Rituals]

  Ritual Cultist Ritual Cultists pride themselves in their expansive knowledge of the ancient lore and secrets of the Fallen States and the Gods that walk among its concrete paths. They use their knowledge to perform forbidden rituals that conjure unmeasurable power. Power to strengthen oneself both physically, mentally and magically. They constantly seek out new tomes, spells and rituals to add to their collections so that not only their knowledge grows but also their power.

  [New Specialization Ability Unlocked]

  [The Sigil of Green Flames]

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  I opened up my [Codex] and focused on my [Class Pathway]. I had two columns detailing my Class Skills and Specialization Abilities. I only had one thing available for me to read and it was the new ability Sigil of Green Flames. I pressed on the ability and read what it could do.

  The Sigil of Green Flames

  A successful performance of this ritual will engulf the user in a thin layer of green flames. The flames provide armor protection for the user and a small chance to catch enemies on fire when dealt physical damage.

  Requirements:

  Sigil: The symbol of Arrekai’nam.

  Materials: Emerald Moss and Rodent Bile.

  Directions: Burn the Emerald Moss and Rodent Bile in the center of the symbol of Arrekai’nam.

  As I read the ability I received small notifications that I had obtained both Emerald Moss and Rodent Bile. Checking my inventory I saw that I only had those two items. The rest of my supplies were missing. I had a small beat of panic come over me when I realized that my gear and weapons were gone as well. I only had the staff. It was a rare weapon with some impressive stats compared to what I originally had.

  Staff of Arrekai’nam (Rare)

  ?? 5 - 10 Damage

  ? +7% Damage to DoT Abilities

  ? +10% Resistance to Fire Damage

  Attack Speed: Medium

  Combat Power: 142

  It was all temporary gear and I assumed I would get my actual supplies after I was done trying out the class pathways. This would be my chance to explore the power of the Trinity. Whichever decision I make now would truly set my path moving forward. I reopened the [Codex] display for the class specialization abilities and read through the Sigil of Green Flames again. There was a small symbol etched next to the name of Arrekai’nam. It was a strange circular image with three long lines of scratch marks but through its center. They made a curved triangle in the center of the symbol.

  I let my codex fade away and took a run at casting the [Sigil of Green Flames], only I realized I had no way to draw the sigil. Checking my inventory again only showed the bile and the moss. There were no tools to draw the symbol. There had to be a way for the Ritual Cultist to be able to create these symbols. An idea burst to life like a blooming flower. It had to be the weapon. Similar to the spellbook Tala had used, the staff must have something to do with it.

  I held the staff in both my hands and felt a cool energy flowing in the palms of my hands. The strange aura surrounding the weapon grew slightly as if a mist of light grew from within. I pointed the end of the staff out towards the ground and did my best to imitate the symbol I had seen within the codex. The end of the staff drew a thin line of gray on the ground. Once that was complete I materialized the Emerald Moss and the Rodent Bile and set it down in the center of the sigil. Now I needed a way to catch it on fire. Without hesitation I pressed the staff against the material and pressed my will to try and ignite the items.

  There was a rush of energy pulled from my chest that crawled down my arms, curled around my fingers and eventually sparked at the end of the weapon. It was my own power being used to start the Ritual. My very self was used to cast the spell. In a whoosh of energy the materials burst into flames almost too easy. The heat rising from the fire faded as quickly as it had appeared. The moss and bile were no longer engulfed in flames but now smoldered in a black mound of ash. The sigil began to fade away as the white stonework seemed to grow back as if it was consuming the symbol.

  As I watched the ritual begin to disappear a groaning sound caused me to turn sharply. Behind one of the closest pillars a Wretched Shambler came stumbling out like a corpse manipulated back to life. Its mangled face and rotten body twisted at me then it let out a horrifying scream. The Wretched Shambler lurched forward with its twisted hands outstretched. I was about to turn and start running when I realized I wasn’t afraid anymore. I had faced more than one Wretched Shambler at a time and came out on top, and this time I had a powerful weapon and ability on my side.

  A smile stretched across my face as I ran to meet this enemy head on. It took me a few short seconds to close the gap on the rotten creature. It swung its elongated arm like a scythe directly at my head. I ducked, caught myself short of tumbling forward and swung the staff right into the monsters side. A burst of green light sparked from the edge of the weapon and rippled across my body. The Wretched Shambler curled up like a dead beetle and crumbled to the ground. Green flames licked against its putrid flesh and consumed its wiry frame.

  I watched as the green flames rolled across my own skin, licked up my shoulder, waved over my chest and seemed to pulsate outward to every limb. I felt the warmth of the fire as it swirled around my fingers, knuckles and finally flashed away in the center of my palm. It was incredible. The power made me feel so good. It made me feel invincible.

  I stood there and watched the Wretched Shambler slowly burn away as if I was looking deep into the flames of a nightly fire, one I would have relaxed in front of with my father. The dead creatures body crackled, broke and let ash rise in an unfelt wind. Before the entire body was destroyed I received another notification.

  [Do you wish to end the Class Pathway Appraisal?]

  “Yes,” I said.