David blinked, the cold light of the stone cavern piercing through the fog of confusion. He looked down at his tiny hands, fingers splayed like a grasping claw. Encased in a child's body, David knew this wasn't right with his late twenties mind. He wasn't even human anymore but some gray creature. The cruel laughter of the others echoed around him, a reminder that he was not alone, but in this eerie sanctuary of rock and shadow, it felt like he had been cast far from reality.

  The ancient and divine beings known as the Enclave had set him here, a lesson meant to forge something greater within him—a trial of sorts. The cavern was filled with the rough-hewn walls of a mountain, its ceiling rising high like the vaults of a cathedral, and the air was thick with the scent of earth, and moss mingled with the sweat of young bodies. Furs strewn across the ground served as makeshift beds, but the main attraction, it seemed, was the thrill of games and the thrill of competition.

  < Trial of survival initiated, 12 h till completion>

  David had always dreamt of being a knight, a noble defender of the weak, enchanted by tales of chivalry and justice. He had never imagined himself to be under such circumstances, cast far from earth, having to kill for survival. This initiation would involve fighting over scraps of food and water, but his gut told him that he was pitted against other children who skirmished and tussled in an effort to bring others down. This was not how he saw himself. But what could he do? How could he be a knight fighting for justice when the only fundamental objective was survival?

  Little brown blobs of flesh darted about as the children shuffled after them. Other children were devouring the brown blobs with echoing crunches while hiding behind naturally formed rocks or in hidden alcoves. David realized those brown blobs were bettles as he processed all the data around him.

  Curious, he watched as singular children seemed to fail to capture the beasts. At the same time, others formed groups to entrap and then fight over the sustenance. He heard a trickling of water nearby, so there must be a way to quench his thirst. His head swiveled in the direction, but what he saw there made his blood boil.

  Taller children beat up a group of kids about the same height as him, not only with fists but also with claws and fangs. Cruel laughter resounded from them as they tore apart the younger ones. David could even make out some of them devouring pieces they had bitten off or drinking the blood of their victims. A special kind stood out even amongst the cruel crowd. With dangly arms, too long for his body, and black hair compared to the sea of white around him, this one ambushed his previous brethren. While viciously mocking them, the black-haired one tore apart the rest of the group in seconds before carrying off the bodies into inky blackness.

  David pinched the bridge of his nose as tensed muscles and an overtaxed mind threatened to disarm him of his most critical weapon. ' There is always a way through, m'boy; you just have to find it.' His grandfather's quotes rang through him. The quote stilled his mind and gave him confidence as he roused himself.

  Scattered about were furs stacked three layers deep to cushion the children from the harsh cold of stone floors. But who would use such things to sleep as violence and horrors were the norm all around them? David believed no one. He rummaged through the first but found nothing. The second and third attempts yielded similar results. On the fourth try, he discovered a hand-sized rock, which gave him confidence.

  David explored more cot-like areas while being every vigilante of the other children around him. Flipping over furs and toppling the rickety chairs, he continued his search. He had lost track of how many he had raided before stumbling upon the prize he had hoped was hidden—a long, sturdy wooden branch.

  He tested its flexibility and heft as David realized this wasn't just a branch. It had to have been tempered in some form without a sign of carving, as the rigid stick wouldn't bend beneath his tiny hands. The mission was survival, and to survive meant to use everything at your disposal.

  David's growling stomach and the pains it brought along with it ushered him to action. A brown blob shuttled by, and David lashed out with ferocity. With a howl, the stick parted the wind in front of him. A crack sounded from the point of impact as a screech erupted from its mouth.

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  The screech was loud and deafening against the cavern walls, drawing unwanted attention. Others approached his kill, wanting to steal the meal. David took two steps back and waited. A child too thin for its own good approached. Hunger radiated off this child as it snatched David's prey and tried to escape.

  Another child blocked the thin kid's way but soon was struck with a heavy blow from behind. David had brought a heavy blow down upon the interceptor. Hurt was evident in its eyes as it charged at its attacker with outstretched arms. David swung his makeshift sword twice as both hands were struck, and the child collapsed to its knees sobbing.

  David's emotions rolled around with regret and sadness, but defending the thinner child kept him barely above his moral codex. It would weigh on him, leaving the interceptor here crying, so David began hunting. Two screeches followed two quick swings as chitin burst underneath his hands. David dropped one of his kills for the sobbing child and hurried away from the torche light into the inky pools of darkness.

  With apprehension, he bit into the creature, and to his delight, the crunch, texture, and taste was superb. After devouring the whole carcass, he flinched as something appeared before him.

  < Host has gained Vitality>

  David had read enough stories such as this, so his confused mind calmed quickly. Stats, levels, and power appeared to be the norm in the future for him. Absent-mindedly, his thoughts wandered to skills, professions, and progression. With a quick shake of his head, he dispelled unnecessary thoughts and focused on the task.

  " Not only do I want to survive, but I need to thrive," David muttered, " not only for myself but for my dearest family. "

  With grim determination, David began a massacre. He slew countless bettles. Some David gave to thin children, while others he snatched from a child about to kill another. He never killed any of his competitors and even defended children he had knocked unconscious.

  While the beetles satiated his hunger, a dryness enveloped his mouth and tongue. Once more, David listened to his surroundings and headed toward the trickling sounds of water. He appeared confident with wide steps and a relaxed stance, but his insides recoiled at every shadow. David still remembered the black-haired child all too well.

  David breathed a sigh of relief as he passed the crevice entrance. The sounds of water turned into a little pool as he passed all the shadows undeterred. Dropping to his knees, David took extra care to put the wooden stick close by but not too far. Cupping both hands, he drank the first gulp of the refreshing water.

  < Host has gained depth of Seier >

  Absent-mindedly, David's thoughts ruminated the word. It hadn't felt as impactful as Brahan's words, but those words had a gravity that was hard to explain. This word, on the other hand, felt familiar. Close yet far away. With a quick shake, David banished the thought, promising to deal with it later.

  < Host has gained depth of Seier >

  Another gulp and the window appeared once more. David began focusing as he drank more and more water. Even when full, he swallowed another two gulps, gaining more stats.

  David rose with some strain and proceeded back to the main cavern. There, he intended to hide until his stomach had settled. He was slow to move about, as full stomachs tend to do, but still took measured steps. Casually, he hunted some beetles. Some he ate, to fill new room created by digestion, and others David dropped for any kid that seemed thin.

  With his body full to the seams and his mind occupied, an easy feeling washed over him. His mind was light, and his steps became so as well. He had even stopped scanning the surroundings. A carelessness overtook him, and this carelessness would prove to be his undoing.

  At the edge of the main cavern, David passed a series of inky black shadows. From within, a bandaged hand reached out and pulled him inside. With the sound of flesh hitting stone, his head collided with the rough cavern wall. David felt liquid trickle down his brow, as shortly after, something heavy collided with his face.

  His eyes adjusted quickly and saw three youths standing against the backdrop of light leading back to the main cavern. A cruel chuckle sounded as all three advanced. More impacts against his ribs, face, arms, and legs all poured onto him in a never-ending storm of pain, but David endured. More and more liquid pooled beneath him as some chunks were ripped out of him by fangs.

  As his eyes adjusted, David saw the bandaged hands and beaten-up appearance of his assailants. Faintly, he recognized them as children he had previously beaten. Inside David's mind, a faint voice echoed, you should have killed them.

  Lamenting this fact, David was being eaten alive. The cruel mockery of this trial and the one before produced a certain quality in the children. Could the youths be blamed for the way they were raised? David disagreed while he was in unimaginable pain. All hope seemed lost as a mystical pop sounded near his ear.

  < Trial of survival complete, transporting back >

  With the folding of space David disappeared.

  " Twice cursed Brahan, he must have recalled the runt. We were so close, so close I say, " A dark-haired boy roared revealing himself further within the darkness, " And all of you, why didn't you finish him off as I said!"

  Initially David's three assailants shrunk back in fear, but the numbers advantage they held soon emboldened them.

  " Oh, brave have they become. Did you forget what I have here?" The instigator let out a light chuckle, pointing towards his necklace. " This is from an elder. Should I mind control you, or you, or maybe even you?"

  A cruel laughter rang out as the dark-haired boy watched the other three fight to the death.