The Bloodforged Kin

Chapter 242 - 236: Cass - A Trial for the Soul

The world around Cass vanished and he was in the air. Not falling, not weightless - just gone. And then…

Pain.

Cass slammed down onto stone, the impact rattling his bones. He gasped, his vision swimming, the Soul Catcher digging into his palm. The room around him was different - an impossibly large coliseum. Ancient stone walls stretched high above, encircling an arena of dust and ruin. There were no doors, no gates, no exits.

Cass was not alone.

At the far end a beast waited. Towering and muscular, its skin was a shifting mass of black and silver, something between flesh and smoke. It had the shape of a predator - four-legged and powerful - but its eyes were hollow, glowing embers that locked onto him with an almost human intensity.

Then it spoke.

"You are not enough."

Cass's breath hitched. The voice did not boom or snark - it was flat and emotionless, yet it struck him deeper than anything Gabriel or his father had ever said.

"You have taken. You have controlled, but it will not be enough to save you."

The beast stepped forward, its massive paws silent against the stone. Cass's pulse pounded in his skull. He'd fought battles before. He had struggled and overcome monsters that were stronger than him. He had powers that made him stronger than almost anyone he'd ever known.

Something about this felt different, though. Hopeless. He was too tired. His body wasn't fast enough, wasn't strong enough. He'd burned through so much of his speed already and his pool was running on empty.

The Soul Catcher burned cold in his grip.

"Show me, Cassian Torres. Show me that you are more than what you fear."

The beast charged.

It was fast - faster than anything its size had a right to be. Cass dodged out of the way, trying to conserve his speed. He had no idea what it would take to beat this thing and he didn't want to waste what little he had left. He growled in frustration at his inability to stow the Soul Catcher in his dimensional space - he wanted to pull out his batons!

He shifted it to his left hand and activated his gauntlet shield, the large tower shield folding into existence instantly. One of his batons appeared in his right hand just in time to meet the beast's second charge. He slammed it home, hitting the thing in the face multiple times.

It slid backwards, shaking its head against the pain. "Oh ho, so the mouse has teeth? That is refreshing. Not enough, boy, not enough by half." It pounced at him again and Cass beat it back, this time barely keeping it at arm's reach. A massive swipe took him in the shield and sent him rolling.

"Is that all you have? If so, you will die quickly. You are not only weak, you are pathetic. You don't deserve this trial."

Fury burned through Cass and he jumped to his feet. He sped forward, seeing the thing's eyes widen in slow-motion surprise. This time he didn't strike with the baton, he hit it with the Soul Catcher. Cass slid to a stop, smiling.

His smile dropped when he heard a deep, booming laugh behind him.

"You thought that would work? Is that all it is to you, a stick for hitting? Did you think me some poor, lost soul that you could capture? Even if it weren't full, that device could never contain my power. Since you are as dumb as you are weak, I will enlighten you. You can consume the souls in that device, which will empower you. It will destroy them - for now and all of eternity. They will never be able to rejoin the circle of life or find their everlasting peace. You can do this - gain unlimited power through the sacrifice of others. Or…"

"Or?" Cass said. This had to be a trap, right? Why was he stalling?

"Or, you can release them. Let them move on."

"But then you will kill me!"

"Ah yes, the words of the weak. The fear of defeat. Are you not enough on your own? Do others need to be sacrificed for you to gain power? If so, how many? But I will make a deal with you. If you release those souls I will let you leave this trial. You can return to your life knowing that you did what was right and good, even if you gained nothing by it. Opportunities for power are endless in this life, you do not need to take this one." Its voice grew softer, more imploring. "I ask this of you, Cassian; do not sacrifice them for your own rewards. This is the moment in which you choose who you will become. Choose wisely."

Cass considered. "So, you'll just let me leave?"

It nodded.

"If I complete the trial without defeating you, do I still get the rewards?"

It shrugged.

Cass gritted his teeth in irritation. "You're asking me to sacrifice everything I've earned on the off-chance that I might get the rewards of the trial? That's a huge risk! I could lose it all!"

"There will be other trials, small one."

Cass understood this was true, it only made sense. There wasn't really any reason to sacrifice all the souls he had stored in the Soul Catcher. Most of them were animals - well, there were the humans, but they were dead anyway. He wondered why they hadn't been the first thing to come to mind.

Deep inside of Cass the reflection of the powerful one, the one who stood with crossed arms, smiled. Cass had chosen him, but the decision wasn't final until Cass acted on it. Cass could choose to save them all - he even understood, deep down, that completing the trial in either fashion would get him full rewards. He didn't need to consume their power.

And yet, the version of Cass that wasn't fully real yet smiled, because he knew which was this was going to go.

Spiritual shrieks of terror flooded into Cass as the souls did. He consumed a fraction of them, more than enough to restore his lost speed and power. It wasn't enough though - the sensation of all that power within reach called to him. Cass continued to draw on it, consuming more, then more, then all. The last of the cries were the humans, their screams a soft sound behind the waterfall rush of all that power flooding into him.

Cass stood stock-still as the Soul Catcher drained to a deep black. His body was glowing with a blue-gold aura and the air around him crackled with power. Cass looked up at the creature, his eyes jet black. A savage smile split his lips.

The creature sighed. "You have chosen, and now I die."

Cass moved so fast he wasn't even a blur. One instant he was in place, the next he was on the other side of the coliseum. The remnants of the trial guardian fell to the stone like rain.

Back in Safehold Cass sat in his old room. The window was still broken and he reflected on how long ago that seemed. Back on that first day one of the Scamperers had broken through, attacking him and Luna. He'd played a small part in defeating it, but mostly he'd been saved by his mom. It gnawed at him, how weak he'd been then. So pathetic. So weak. Couldn't even handle a level 1 Scamperer without the whole family coming to my rescue - and then they'd had to comfort me after. No wonder dad always treated me like I was so broken! Well no more. Not now, and not ever again.

He had gained a level and was admiring his upgraded stats - he'd tossed his points into Strength. Speed was nice and all, but his new skills made that all too easy. It was time he started focusing on his Strength. He was done being overpowered by anything. He'd taken the magic leveling potions that Chloe had given them, bumping all of his stats up by 1. Now that he'd added the points to his Strength he was feeling pretty confident.

Cassian Torres, Level: 15

Core Stats

STR: 22 (21)AGI: 30 (24)END: 23 (21)INT: 12LUC: 6CHA: 10That wasn't what had him the most excited though! They'd known that classes could change, but weren't sure when - except when they forced The System to adjust. His class had made a massive change. He reviewed the old version first:

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Class: Shieldbearer

Description: The Shieldbearer is a master of shield combat, utilizing shields for both defense and offense. This class enhances your proficiency with shields, allowing you to use them as both weapons and protective tools. Your class increases the effectiveness of all shields in your possession, improving block rates and reducing incoming damage. As a Shieldbearer, you become a formidable bulwark on the battlefield, seamlessly blending offense and defense to control the flow of combat.

He'd liked the class when he'd gotten it - it spoke to who he wanted to be. Someone that other people relied on rather than him having to rely on them. It had felt good when he'd gotten it - like The System saw who he really was, deep down inside.

Only, had that been him? If so, he'd been a pretty bad one. He'd protected them in the power plant, but other than that he never really acted like the class said he should. Doubt wormed into his mind. Was he just bad at thinking of others? Why was his first instinct not to protect others, and why did he lean on others to take care of him so much?

No, he thought, shaking his head. It wasn't right for me because it wasn't me. That class has nothing to do with strength or weakness, it's just not who I really am. I am so much more than that. If the words sounded hollow, he refused to hear it. This new class, though - that was something to be excited about!

Class: Edge Strider

Description: "You can stand with me or against me, but if you stand with me I will decide how we fight." An Edge Strider is neither a protector nor a ruler - he stands at the crossroads of both. This class represents someone caught between independence and connection, strength and reliance, control and trust. Power isn't just about standing alone - it's about making sure others stand where you want them to be. While a Shieldbearer defends others, an Edge Strider decides the battlefield.

This class has no immediate impact on your abilities but will inform future skill choices and paths.

He grinned to himself in the dark. Even the name was cool! The System made it sound too ominous with the whole 'caught in a crossroads' theme. He wasn't at a crossroads, he was growing and evolving. Everyone in this new world evolved, why should his be considered some sort of big deal?

Even better were the skill evolutions though! He squirmed in place with excitement, pulling up the first one. Quicksilver was his go-to skill so it made sense that it would be the first that was chosen. He read through it slowly, savoring each line.

Skill Name: Dark Horizon

Type: Movement Skill

Level: 1

Description:

This skill has evolved due to successfully completing a trial. You are no longer just fast - you move with intent. All abilities of Quicksilver remain, empowered by the darkness you face on the horizon of your current path. When activating Dark Horizon you do not move through space - you move to another space, as if you have always been there. You will cross distances in an instant but never feel like you're running - as if the world shifts to place you where you want to be.

Effects:

Vanishing Step:

When you move at full speed there is no visual distortion - only a brief absence before you appear elsewhere. Grants a speed boost of 15% per Agility point to all movements for a total of

60 seconds

per Endurance point. You can push beyond your normal limits for an additional 10 seconds, allowing for incredible bursts of speed. However, this overextension causes strain, resulting in a 20% decrease in Agility for 5 minutes after use.

Warning:

Overextension of this skill causes physical damage, mitigated by your Endurance stat.

Surefooted:

You are now able to navigate any terrain at any speed. Concepts like 'down' and 'up' no longer apply to you.

Rapid Healing:

While Quicksilver is activated, your body's normal regenerative rate is increased by 125%.

Kinetic Control:

While touching another being you can influence their momentum - either halting or redirecting their movement without harming them. If your Strength surpasses theirs you may forcibly alter their trajectory. Each use of this ability temporarily drains 1 Endurance point.

Dark Horizon:

Once per day you can choose a location within line-of-sight and teleport there. This bypasses all physical and magical barriers that do not specifically negate teleportation.

Cooldown:

Endurance depletion requires 4 hours of sleep to recover.

Kinetic Strain:

Manipulating larger masses or resisting immense force risks backlash, potentially injuring you.

It had improved all around - keeping all the benefits of Quicksilver but adding more that were obviously tied to his new class. Dark Horizon was exciting, being able to teleport rather than run. Vanishing Step was really cool too. He loved the trail of light he left when he ran - not only did it look really cool, it had functional benefits when he was trying to confuse enemies. But now when he reached his top speed he was invisible in every way. It felt so… dangerous.

His excitement over its evolution paled in comparison to the next one, though, and this he read through multiple times. His Sanctuary Recall had been a true coward's mark, branding him as someone so weak, so useless, so scared that he had to be magically teleported away from danger. Everyone else had to fight through near-death and survive, but The System hadn't felt like he could handle it. It had been a source of shame for him and he'd refused to open it after that first time, preferring to pretend it didn't exist. Memories of his father testing the skill in the garage over and over flooded him and he felt a prickle behind his eyes at the humiliation. And, he had to admit, how much he still missed the man.

He brushed the tears away angrily and focused on the skill. Now this, this was an evolution that was truly worthy of who he was becoming!

Skill Name: Imperator's Claim

Type: Escape Skill

Level: 1

Description: This skill has evolved due to successful completion of a trial. You are no longer bound by the concept of retreat - you do not return to safety, you claim it. You may now mark locations, asserting them as extensions of your control. Rather than reacting, your escapes are now predetermined by you.

Effects:

Claim:

You are able to claim a space as your own. Once claimed, this space cannot be owned, occupied, or altered by others unless they have an ability of equal or greater strength. Any intruder into a claimed space disrupts the stability, requiring you to reclaim it in person. (Current spaces: 0/1)

Dominion Step:

You may instantaneously teleport to a claimed space. This effect may be negated by magical barriers.

Spatial Disguise:

Any being approaching a claimed space feels a growing sense of unease. Those with high mental resistance can overcome this effect, but weaker minds will instinctively ignore or avoid the area..

Limitations:

Preparation:

Requires you to be within the space and actively choose to set it. This connection can be severed by activating a different location.

Severance:

If an enemy powerfully disrupts your claim you must reestablish it before you can teleport to that space again.

Savage glee filled him. This was it. This was power - not just speed, not just defense, but control. He wasn't running, he wasn't retreating, he was claiming. He could feel the weight of his decisions pressing down on him, but it didn't feel heavy - it felt right. It felt like he was finally where he was meant to be. His fingers curled around the Soul Catcher and he looked at it in surprise. He'd forgotten it was there! This was the true mark of power and control, the real proof that The System saw him as someone who could claim power rather than be subject to it. He Identified it.

Item Name: Soul Catcher

Type: Relic (Cursed. Bound.)

Description: A pitch-black rod, cold to the touch, that hums with the echoes of stolen potential. The Soul Catcher does not simply store energy - it claims it. Any soul drawn into its depths is stripped of its connection to the cycle of life and death, forever lost to oblivion unless released before full integration.

The wielder can consume the souls contained within to power themselves.

Effects:

Harvest:

The Soul Catcher can absorb lingering souls, preventing them from passing on. A harvested soul can be stored indefinitely until a choice is made.

Consumption:

Stored souls can be fully consumed, boosting specific attributes or skills as determined by the user.

Release:

A stored soul can be set free, allowing it to pass on. Doing so grants no power, but may have unseen and far-reaching consequences.

Weight of the Taken:

The more souls stored, the heavier the Soul Catcher becomes - not physically, but in presence. Those attuned to spiritual forces will feel the weight of its sins.

Echoes of the Lost:

If many souls, or souls of the powerful, are absorbed but not consumed, faint whispers may follow the wielder, growing louder with time.

Recall:

This item cannot be lost or stolen. You are able to recall this item from anywhere at any time and it will appear in your hand instantaneously.

Limitations:

Moral Weight:

The more souls consumed, the more the wielder's spirit is shaped by their choices. Redemption becomes increasingly difficult and will slowly erode the wielder's sanity.

Overload:

Attempting to store too many souls at once may lead to instability, risking either an uncontrolled release or forced consumption.

Soul Integrity:

Stronger souls may resist absorption, or may influence the wielder in unexpected ways.

Cursed:

This item can not be discarded, stolen, or removed from the wielder without magical assistance. It cannot be stored in dimensional spaces.

The cursed tag worried him, but it was far outweighed by the power. It was irritating that he couldn't put it in his dimensional storage, but that was a small price to pay for the power he'd get from it.

He flopped backwards onto his bed, cradling the Soul Catcher to his chest. He smiled to himself, finally happy, finally content. With a small effort of will he expanded his Imperator's Claim skill and claimed his room.