What Vale had said made Dorin question his previous lives. There had been quite a bit of luck in his first couple, surviving the harsh current of the river, successful throws of his weapon, and even the chance to become a spark in the first place in his fight against Lonn.
By his third life, Dorin had felt like there was a new challenge at every turn. And by his last it seemed like everything he did to progress had was returned hundred fold. The army of crabs that had chased him out of the water for devouring one of their own had never made sense to him.
"So, how many?"
". . .This is my last."
"Aha- so you know the repercussions."
"Not really, I lost them all in a matter of days."
Vale looked at him with doubt. The man's wrinkled face was incredibly expressive, contorting into the true essence of his emotions. "Dumbass."
"I'm not lying."
"I believe you, I just had no reason to say any of that since you won't be living long enough to care."
"I've done just fine so far." Dorin felt a slight tinge of anger at Vale's remark.
"I have lived for centuries, boy. Your single life pales in comparison to my accumulations." Vale began his descent deeper into the earth. His voice trailed off slightly the further he crept down the stairs. "I've never had to experience the ill fate of my final life, but knowing how hard this one has been, you're in for a fight against the world."
Dorin had felt that ever since he had come across the ten-sided die, so a fight against the world wasn't anything new. The problem was that this was a new world, with dangers he had no knowledge of. Dorin didn't hesitate to follow the old man into the darkness after coming to that realization.
"Before we continue, I need to know your ego."
". . ." Dorin didn't know what the man meant.
"Ahem . . ." Vale cleared his throat. "What emotion or feeling drives you?"
"Hunger."
. . .
Morah
"Gather around, sparks. Your survival will depend on how well you listen."
Morah perused a few carts with slim pickings for food, mainly roots and small packages of meat. She was used to much higher quality food, and her stomach grumbled at the thought of eating such bland items for the foreseeable future.
"Anyone who doesn't come right now can forget about joining my group. I doubt you will last more than a day in the wild without my help, so your life is in your hands."
Morah quickly joined the dozens of sparks surrounding Sala. They seemed distrusting of their new leader, and mumbled quietly to each other, as if making plans for if anything went wrong.
"Now that I have your attention." Sala threw a die onto the ground, and a black slab appeared at her feet. "I will give each of you a chance to reawaken your egos. Simply step onto the board with a partner and the rest will be history."
The mumbles rose in volume, until everyone began to yell over each other in chaos. Morah didn't know anyone in their group, as they were all from Liranel or Murad, so she didn't have a partner to chose from.
"You're pretty." A short man with red hair walked up to her. "Do you want to partner up with me?"
Morah watched him lick his lips, and she was reminded of Jerl. That man had no shame, and even if this guy's only resemblance to him was his hair, she couldn't trust him.
"Maybe if we wait, it'll be easier for us." Morah led him on, it was easier than outright refusing him.
Several different parties of two pushed and pulled each other around as they tried to be the first to undergo Sala's trial.
"There is no incentive to be the first to go, it will only show me, for better or worse, your courage in the face of ignorance."
The parties stopped fighting, and they spoke amongst themselves for a moment before two of them stepped up towards Sala.
"Glad to see we have come to a decision. Step on opposite sides and it will begin immediately."
"Is this like an ego duel?" Morah's potential partner waved his hands towards Sala.
"It'll last a few minutes at most, a creation of my own that only you lucky sparks will be able to use." Sala gave a slight smile before continuing. "Don't be afraid, or it may affect the results."
Two men that looked like brothers grinned as they stepped onto the black slab. Suddenly they turned into flame, one was blue, and the other yellow.
"Prey . . . for now." Morah caught a whisper from Sala, which probably meant that others also heard her remark.
The flames became as small as a fist, and each one threw sparks that flew towards the opposite flame. Most of them fell short onto the slab, and strange shapes manifested which crawled towards the nearest flame.
They had the same color as the flame that created them, and when they found a flame, they either merged with the one that created them, or tried to smother the other.
The blue flame had been shooting out sparks that covered the slab, but the various minions that it created were weak. The yellow flame created single large sparks, which made similar minions.
The minions battled each other for a minute, but after a while the yellow flame was overrun, and it turned blue before merging with its rival.
Once the flames merged, the blue flame roared, becoming twice the size it originally showed.
The brothers reappeared, but one of them was on the floor, unmoving.
"Brother-"
"Don't move." Sala put her hands on the ground, and the earth rumbled around the group.
Snow shot up from the earth around the fallen brother, and creatures that looked like moles covered him. The sound of flesh tearing and the other brother's wails filled the area, and Morah felt her stomach drop.
"Congratulations." Sala walked over to the chaotic beasts, and took out a dagger. She slit one of the mole's throats, and dragged it to the living brother. "To the winner go the spoils."