A few months later. A small carriage was stopped in an open forest. A camp was made with a fireplace burning up some fishes, while one old guy was sitting, rubbing his hands. And a hunched up geezer was holding up with his makeshift cane.
"I tell ya, that Emperor has gone straight through something crazy, letting those people in our lands." The sitting one said.
"Yeah, even I can't believe the other big shots let this happen. The Emperor is as old as us and they still can't catch on and push him away. When are they ever going to listen to us.. People of the Big Old Central Continent." The hunched man said.
"And I tell ya, they are only going to start racking their brains when those people start going behind our backs in our own grounds! When they are the ones exploiting on us! I swear I'm gonna rip one out the minute I see them." The sitting one said while trying to straighten his back, and then yelled out. "Oh! Sam, Lad will you get here and help this old man. The pain is back."
A young kid, now a little less roughed up, who was doing some menial tasks quickly rushed to the campsite. He started massaging the back of the old man. 'Fucking oldies making me do their bullshit like this. Like this Second Chance at life could be any worse.' Sam muttered under his breath. After a while, he got infront of the man and said with a smile. "It's done Sir. It will not pain you more."
"Ah.. Thanks Lad. Ya see that's what the people here are for, like we already have a good thing going on and don't need to put up with those 4 continents." The man straightened his back.
"Hell yeah it is. And Sam, you don't need to be slumped down infront of any kid from those lands. You are a good kid already."
"I tell ya Sam, those kids are nothing but talk, I'm sure you'll do great against any of 'em. Well, we were already surprised to see a young kid like you putting out to travel with us."
"Yeah Don't worry Sam, although we are old and rusty, our good old carriage will get you to the empire. Although we'll stop at the outskirts, but I'm sure you will be able to get to the capital city easy enough." The hunched one patted Sam.
"Yes Sirs, I was actually hoping to get going for the Fate Selection. But I guess I kind of missed out on this year's, huh.. Well anyways I'll try out properly for the next one." Sam said while trying not to be angry.
"Yeah, this year's had already happened. The next one might be tough to get in cause of those rumours about the other Continent's kids coming in.. but don't worry Lad, as someone from our Lands, I'm sure you will be selected easy enough for it. Hah."
"I tell ya Sam, those kids are nothing against our Continent's Kids and their fates. Cheer up Sam, you will do better than any of them. I will be rooting for you."
"Heh.. Thanks Sirs, I'll try my best for it... Well I should probably set up the ride right... Since we will have to move on tomorrow." Sam walked away while clenching his fists. 'Fuck this world. I hopped from people to people, trying to get more information and know how about this world. But what can I say, Hell I Couldn't even get in to this Year's Fate Selection... And the next one...'
Roughly travelling with people from all kinds just to try to reach the Empire's capital city, Sam had learned quickly and more about this world. Apparently there was something called a Fate Selection where your Harmony will be revealed, with one of The Great Four Destinies. These Four Destinies are sorts of separate energies, powers, or some sort of defined ways you could get Strong and Prominent in this world. And there were four of them. That's right, Four Destinies of the Four continents, North, South, East and West. All four surrounding The Biggest and perhaps the most important, Middle Central Continent, where the Great Empire is.
Main thing is you get harmonized with one of the energies of the Four continents, you get its power. But the energies usually repel each other, wanting to get out of a person. And there's also the location factor, since the opposite continents energies repel each other so much, that for example if you are in the Southern Continent, you can never get harmony with the Northern Continent's Energies. But you do have a chance with the East and West. And the central continent being in the middle of it all, has an equal chance of getting any four of them, which is the most advantageous part of it all. The most important time, and perhaps the only way to harmonize with one of them is at A Fate Selection. This happens usually yearly at each of the respective Continent's Main Cities. And apparently Sam missed this year's Fate Selection.
The continents and their respective Destinies are pretty mysterious and well defined too. Like the Northern Continent deals with Weapons, mainly swords, getting stronger by raw strength and Demons. The Eastern lands are of purely Magic, clashing with the Western lands hailing of purely cultivation. Magic is pretty straightforward. Cultivation is... What Sam might have remembered from reading a few novels, but it was different here too, something like a soul specific type cultivation. Anyways, And as for the Southern Continent... Well they are the most mysterious. They are mostly smart... Is what they show to others. They are the ones with guns, technologies, and their continent mostly filled with Humans, and vampires, zombies and some other stuff like that. They also have some kind of power through the Gods they worship, but they don't really talk about it much, to keep it more secret. At least they are smart enough to show, don't tell.
'Fuck. At least I wanna learn magic if I get selected for it... And what the fuck was that bullshit talk about kids from the other continents coming for it too... Will I even get selected?? Urgh please reincarnation don't mess up my Fate Selection or whatever it is. I wanna get at least one destiny... I miss my PC.'
***
At the start of the next year, he had finally reached the Capital City of the Empire somehow. He was walking through the bustling crowd. But his gaze was up in the skies. Looking at the collosal mountain like rock floating, brushing past the clouds, and was staying afloat by the mystical energies underneath it. On the big slab of a mountain, was an Impressive and Big Castle. Lustrous structure in a golden hue, gems and some other artifacts fitted all over, seamlessly integrated in the intricate and details of it all. The Big towers of the castle had dangling chains, as big as any other buildings, attached to the ground for as an anchor.
As enormous and grand the whole Floating Castle was, beneath it was another big crater of a space. The crater was surrounded by other important buildings and things of the central city. And in itself were deep tunnels dug out, for some more movements and work between the officials of the empire, as to why not make use of the empty space too. Many people could be seen inside the hole, either working on enforcing it better, or in and out of the tunnels either bringing materials or going in for their jobs.
***
"Are you lost, Kid?" A lady asked the child wandering aimlessly through the city.
"Oh.. uh no.. I was just exploring the city you know. I'm kind of new here, out from the continent." Sam spoke while sizing up the lady. "Um.. Miss. I actually came here for the Fate Selection of the Empire. Could you please tell me about it?"
"Oh.. uh Huh.. So the fate selection... You must have not been selected, Well, it's a bummer. Anyways, so yeah this upcoming Fate Selection is gonna be special you know. The Emperor had been laying out new plans and connections with the other 4 continents, so their youths just might be coming for it as well. Well.. don't worry, as someone from our Continent, I'm sure you'll get selected.. After all the Empire especially supports them. But you are old enough right kid? You know the Fate Selection is for only 10 to 12 years old. As before or after that it's nearly impossible or much less a stroke of fate." The lady said while sizing up Sam Back.
'Fuck. Shit. What the fuck is this now?? Urgh dammit.' Sam tried to resist punching something. "Um.. I guess I should have turned 9 by now? Uhh... Miss, When is the Fate Selection?" Sam asked while fidgeting.
"Haha. Don't worry kid. If you are 9 now then it should be enough. Since this Fate Selection is going to be a special one, and the other continents' people will also be coming for it. Then it should probably be held at the end of this year, or even after that. So it wouldn't be a problem enough for it. Anyways I have to get going somewhere, go through the libraries or the Administration Guild of the City if you want more information about it." The lady left Sam in the crowd.
'This is... Hell of a reincarnation. I hope I turn 10 by then.. Even if everyone else is coming for this Fate Selection, I still wanna get selected sooner. I'm so bored and restless. But What's one more year against the almost 9 whole years I have spent in this world. Magic Destiny here I come... Or at least something... I hope I get harmonized with one of them...'