'How did Damien rank so high?'
Alex walked in front of nine other people, with Niel directly behind her.
Instead of the usual purple bear, a sour-faced, muscular woman led them down a plain white corridor. Her attire was a silky white cloth laced with golden linen, draped across one shoulder was a white shawl, leaving the other exposed. Her bulging muscles flexed with every movement, hinting at the strength stored within. She had said little to them, her expression as stale as the atmosphere.
Unlike many other beings, this absurd game had exposed her to, Alex could not feel any sort of pressure or presence from her, yet all her senses told her to be wary of the woman.
Behind Alex, Niel maintained a stoic expression, unflinching under the intense scrutiny of those behind him. The walk was long and especially boring, one would expect someone to have started a conversation by now, but those who ranked in the top ten remembered the genocide evoked on those who could not keep their mouths shut.
Alex quite liked this silence. It allowed her to reprogram herself and ponder on what she would do in the upcoming meeting with the deity.
'Most importantly, I don't have to talk to anyone.'
Soon enough, they arrived. The interior of the reward room was nothing like Alex had envisioned. Like everything else, there was only white as far as the eyes could see. No grand designs or golden trinkets, only plain white.
Once the line of obedient children had fully entered the room, their guide, the lady in white, vanished—her hulking frame gone without a trace.
The people present exchanged confused looks. They were at a loss for what to do. Alex had not stopped walking, inching deeper into the unnaturally dim room a visible yet restrained light source in the distance.
At the centre of the room, a string of slightly grey numbers, each enclosed within a box, was on the floor, from one to ten. Alex moved to the position marked '1' on the ground and instantaneously a dazzling glow engulfed her figure.
Niel and many others had followed her movements, imitating her actions and similarly dissipating from their former positions.
°°°
Alex barely felt anything at the abrupt teleportation, long acclimatized with the once dissociative experience.
Her eyes fluttered open and the grandeur she had previously imagined lay before her eyes. Surrounded by darkness, three items hovered on nothingness, glowing against the backdrop of gloom.
Glistening faintly with an ancient aura, golden chains wrapped tightly against a thick book. Beneath the chains, its elegance and timelessness could not be hidden. The cover showed two mystical eyes side by side.
In the depths of those eyes was what Alex could only describe as an entire galaxy. Starry constructs and dark spheres circled within, orbiting orbs of light and blazing centrepieces, reminded Alex of a solar system.
A streak of white would dash within the eye every few seconds and in the distance, a variety of dots of white lay scattered, reminiscent of the stellar night sky.
Still on the cover, faint, barely glowing symbols littered every area. If Alex had not been inspecting it seriously, she would have easily missed these somewhat familiar markings. At the spine of the chained book was a single golden string, going from top to bottom.
Alex felt the book resonate a strange feeling within her, a palpable connection, yearning for her utmost attention.
A faint recollection flashed across her mind. There was a book, one that she had felt this sort of intangible connection with in the past, the book from the test in the library.
'Could it be...?'
However, this book appeared much more majestic, regal and imposing, nothing like the unattractive plain book from the library.
But she ignored this pestering thought, shifting her focus to the second item, a silver helmet with a silver crown slightly above it. The intricate carvings on its surface added a sense of sophistication to the design.
Alex stared deeply, trying to feel something, anything for the helmet, but being unable to do so, she turned to the last item.
A quill and paper. The quill, inclined at an angle, continuously wrote across the paper. There were no special markings on either item, just the hurried movement of a dry quill upon yellow paper.
After Alex's inspection, a screen appeared beneath all three items, giving Alex the description she required.
[ Seal Of Fate: The seal of fate, lusted after by many, this elusive item seems to have a mind of its own. Appearing before only those it deems worthy, this ever-active quill has only ever had ten masters since its creation.
The seal of fate grants its wielder the power to tie a person's soul to himself. The controlled has no will of their own, forced to follow the commands of the wielder. Upon the death of the controlled, the wielder will gain a portion of their soul.
First used by Luther, a king without subjects, an army of thousands shall die without question as long as the wielder desires it. Do you accept to command the fate of multitudes?
Note: Whoever commands must also be wary of excessive greed. The greater the souls under their control, the more the burden placed on the wielder's soul, leaving the wielder consumed by an unending madness if they proceed without caution.
One of the few relics capable of commanding the soul, it requires a varying fee per use, unique to each wielder.]
Alex raised an eyebrow at this description that seemed to be full of empty promises without elaborating on its detailed abilities and penalties.
While she desired an army of unquestionably loyal soldiers, the consequences attached could be dire if the conditions were not considered properly.
There was hardly any specific or substantial information in the description, leaving Alex with many vital, unanswered questions.
'It's like a modern-day ad.'
She shifted her gaze from the ever-moving quill and read the information under the helmet of luscious silver.
[ World Armor: You receive an acknowledgement as the destined. This armour protects you from the threats of the past, present and even the future, actively altering the world's reality so you can thrive.
Nothing can truly snuff your light within this world. Dire situations spin around for your benefit, and the world grants you special care and actively nurtures you.
The world revolves around you.
World Armor ensures that your life will never be ordinary. Pushing you to the pinnacle of life, with time, none in the world will successfully suppress you. Enemies are stepping stones and friends grow with you. You shall surely sprout.
World armour siphons the soul energy of those around you to ensure the world continuously favours you. You were born to dominate and the armour will always guide you to prosperity.
The armour shall be your throne, the world—your kingdom. Do you dare to claim your destiny? ]
Alex gave the armour a hard look, barely maintaining her stoic expression. She was absolutely blown away by what she just read.
"Is this plot armour in the flesh?"
Alex thought that if anything could be considered plot armour, it was this. However, instead of any sort of joy, Alex only had a dozen pressing questions concerning her future if she chose this item.
Catching her thoughts before they went in a depressing direction, Alex looked upon the last item—the book.
[As a reward for your exploits, the supreme, magnanimous deity Stemma offers to break the chains that bind your soul.
This includes the divine lock placed upon your soul-bound relic, 'Eternal Codex: Reign' and removing the seal placed on your soul.
You will receive this reward at once if you choose it. However, no description can be given on the effects of removing these seals as your soul-bound relic is unfamiliar to the deity, Stemma.]