I understood the assignment. This was my chance to trial run each of the different classes and their unique Specializations. Now that I knew how this all worked I was prepared to run through them quickly and as efficient as possible so that I can claim my powers from the Trinity and the reward for being the first to reach the top of the Crumbling Tower. A sharp pain cut into my gut as I thought about finishing my trial. Tala and Theo hadn’t made it and it was my fault.

  I knew I had to finish what I started because without the power of the Trinity on my side and my Class Pathway unlocked I would most likely die against anything beyond the Tower. I would be a burden on the colony and not to mention a failure to my dad. Even if I somehow could leave without finishing the Trial it would mean breaking the promise I made. I had to survive. Not only for my dad but in honor of Tala and Theo.

  I summoned the codex and was greeted with the same display allowing me to select between the [Cultist] Specializations. This time I chose the [Occultism]. The screen flashed with the updated information for the specialization.

  [Cultist Specialization: Occultism]

  Occultism Cultist: The dark powers of the Cultist Class Pathway find the deepest shadows in the magic of the Occult. Powers of spirits, undead flesh remade, and foul curses twist and corrupt the last remnants of their sanity. Those who choose to discover the truth behind the greatest mysteries of the Fallen States and the identities of the Gods who now rule it must be aware that with great knowledge comes even greater insanity. Occultism Cultists gather their power from the Pacts they make with the Servants of the Trinity. These lesser gods may serve the same master but they have their own requirements and sacrifices to use their unique powers.

  [New Specialization Ability Unlocked]

  [Runes of the Wretched Earth]

  As I did with the first Class Pathway I opened up my [Codex] and examined my new items and abilities. The first thing I noticed was the new jacket I was wearing glowing with red runes.

  Runic Hoodie of Decay (Rare)

  ?? 7 Defense

  Upper Body

  ? +2 Body to Summoned Minions

  ? +18% Chance of success to inflict Curses

  Combat Power: 164

  The hoodie had the same style and look as the counter version of me had before I started appraising the Class Pathway. So the items the different me was wearing must all relate to the different specializations. That was good to know. Would come in handy to selecting the next pathway I decide to try out. The Runic Hoodie didn’t offer as much defense as my current windbreaker did but it did offer more more varied stat upgrades. It didn’t offer any stat enhances for me personally but it did improve my chance to inflict curses on enemies. That was something I heard Makena talk about once. Her Class Pathway had access to casting Curses as well, however I didn’t know how they differed from the Cultist Curses.

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  The stat I was interested in the most was the increased [Body] stat for summoned minions. This must be the summoner Class Pathway! I heard that some people could summon powerful allies to help them in combat but no one in The Quarters was a Cultist. Apparently the Pathway gave off a somewhat bad taste in peoples minds. No one wanted to dance with the darkness that already surrounded us, let alone call upon it.

  I switched over to the [Specialization Abilities] section of my [Codex] and read the new skill that had appeared, Runes of the Hallowed Earth.

  Runes of the Wretched Earth: The caster inflicts harm upon oneself in the form of the symbol of their Pact Servant. By drawing the symbol in blood and calling upon the Servant’s favor, the caster can summon a Wretched Shambler to fight by their side. Depending on the Servant to which they bind their contract and their blood, the Wretched Shambler will acquire unique traits. The following traits are available based on the caster’s Pact: Toxic Fumes, Acidic Blood, Shattered Joints.

  Below the description of the ability were three strange names, each attached to the different traits that would be applied to the Wretched Shambler. The three names were; Hallowed, Sanctity, and Unbound. I didn't’ recognize any of the titles of these so called Pact Servants. In fact I had never even heard of a Pact Servant before. It wasn’t something anyone taught about back in The Quarters. Perhaps because we didn’t have any [Cultist] survivors to teach us.

  There was a lot involved with this Pathway and I didn’t want to waste anymore time trying to decide which Class I wanted to use. So I decided to memorize the third symbol of the Unbound and closed my [Codex]. As if on queue I heard the scuttling sounds of another Wretched Shambler come lumbering out from behind a different pillar than the first. It spotted me immediately and turned its stumbling gait.

  Looking down I could see that the bandages that Tala had wrapped around my leg still had damp blood on them. I pressed my finger against the wound, felt a quick pain ride up my side, then began to draw the symbol on the ground. The symbol was a series of unfinished triangles, three to be exact, all drawn within each other. Each of the three corners was stopped short before the lines could be closed. One I completed the last of the open triangles, the lines began to glow. There was a quick rush of air running into the symbol than a blinding flash of yellow light and black smoke.

  Once the smoke faded I could see it. My personal Wretched Shambler. I had to admit it was pretty cool having one on my side after all the ones that previously tried to kill me. It had a very similar look to all the ones I had seen so far. It had a head full of veiny tentacles that writhed as if in pain. It’s fingernails were long and black. The summoned Wretched Shambler even had a similar hue of violet skin compared to the others. However, there was one distinct differences. It’s arms were much longer. They stretched far below the creatures knees and had the knuckles of its hands dragging on the ground. The arms swayed back and forth like dead ropes caught in a strong wind.

  I stepped up to take a closer look when it’s head twitched to the side then rolled forward in the direction of the Wretched Shambler coming at us. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I watched my summoned creature rush forward faster than expected and whiplashed the other monster across the neck. There was a sudden gurgling sound as if the opposing monster was choking on it’s own blood, then it’s head fell off. Before I knew it, the Wretched Shambler was dead. Mine had killed it in a single attack. Using it’s arms like whips and its fingernails like blades, it had managed to end the fight in less time than it took to summon it.

  “Holy shit!” I exclaimed.