1 Trial

A pair of solitary footsteps echoed through the narrow hall. The torches on the wall, each at a distance of five meters created just enough light for the man to traverse the hall.

His neck-long silver hair had tangled up with a thick layer of dandruff on the scalp. Though he had no wrinkles, the thick beard made him look older. He reeked of built-up sweat and had slow movement with a hunched posture, but the grip on his longsword was firm. His green eyes fixated on the endless hall whose end seemed nowhere near.

'My beard has grown this long, so more than a month has passed. . . I'm sure of it.'

He halted and sat against the wall. 'A boy who came searching for power died pointlessly.'

"I'm sure it would make people laugh for a good day."

He looked at both ends of the endless hall and let out a deep breath. "Why did I of all people think this was a good idea?" he said. An image of a smiling head rolling toward his feet flashed through his mind for a second. "Ah, it's been a long time so I forgot. . . I must get something out of this."

He gripped the cracks in the wall and stood up. "Mother must be waiting for me with food on the table. Orpheus and Orlene must be playing with the elves."

His laugh echoes all over the hall until he grabbed his head. "This is all because of that stupid childish revenge. It's all father's-"

Suddenly, the rocky ground beneath him broke open with no bottom in view. The boy closed his eyes and resisted nothing. 'I don't want to die. If I survive this, I swear I will stay with my family for the rest of my life. Why me? Why am I so unlucky? But...'

Life will sometimes be at your side.

The boy stopped midair. He looked around to see what saved him but could see nothing because of the darkness.

"Whew! If I was a second late, you would've gone directly to hell."

A man came flying from the left but his face couldn't be perceived. "Um, who are you? Oh, wait no. . . Can you make me go outside this temple?" the boy said.

The man remained silent for a while and replied, "You. . . you didn't come here to get our blessings?"

The boy's face brightened up as if he saw a miracle. "Are you God? Can I get powerful after getting your blessings?"

The man snapped his fingers and a room replaced the darkness. They were both on a chair. Unlike in darkness, the boy could clearly see the face of that man.

He had pitch-black eyes and a pure white body with a hole in the chest. "I am Omnipotence, the first being to exist. You are?"

The boy had a stiff posture and a sweaty face. But he could utter a few words in a small voice. "orion graveblade."

As if to say that he already knew his name, Omnipotence quickly put his hand on the chin and examined Orion. "So Orion, you are nervous because you look unpresentable for a god, right? Well, I am a concept, not god, but anyway..."

Orion tried to refuse, but Omnipotence snapped his finger again, cleaning his hair till it shone a bright silver and trimming his uneven and long beard. Orion opened up a bit and smiled. "Thank you for your consideration."

Omnipotence smiled back and waved his hand. "It's nothing that serious. . . Now let's go to the main point, you want strength to destroy the holy empire, right?"

Seeing as Omnipotence was a godlike being, Orion thought it would be disrespectful so he shook his head. "I will stay with my family for the rest of my life."

Omnipotence sat back on his chair and stared at Orion. "Hmm, I can't empathize with you, but I understand. My job is to fulfil the wishes of anyone who comes here. As you want not only mystical but physical strength as well, I will give you a contract."

A paper appeared out of thin air and flew to Orion's hand.

***

With this contract as proof of us making a deal, I, Omnipotence, will help the human Orion Graveblade be strong in case he holds his side of the deal. In case Orion refuses, he will be sealed here until he can escape by himself.

Conditions: I will give you eight trials which will yield you eight different rewards from one of the 13 gods.

Failure: In case Orion cannot complete a trial, he and his family will be killed.

***

Orion read it all and looked back at Omnipotence. "Um, sir. I get that I don't have a choice here, but how will I even complete any of these trials? I don't have an affinity for any magic and even though I use weapons better than most people, I can't fulfil a trial at the level of gods. You are basically asking me to suicide either way."

Omnipotence appeared behind Orion and whispered in his ears, "You don't have to teach me, young man. I know what I'm doing."

Orion simply nodded and Omnipotence smiled. "Good."

"As this is a trial, I won't give you the power to conquer the world. So how about this, when you kill ten enemies each day, you will absorb some of their physical power. Deal?"

Orion smirked and thought, 'Again, do I even have a choice?'

"I accept."

Omnipotence sat on his chair again, with one leg over the other. "Now, a fitting first trial for you is:"

Orion leaned front and listened. 'Since he gave me the ability to absorb power from others, will it be something fighting-related?'

He sat in anticipation until Omnipotence said, "To kidnap ... by becoming a noble of Ishtaria queendom and attending the ... banquet one year later."

Orion grinned with a sweaty face and replied, "That's the trial of a fucking god, alright."

With a snap of fingers, Orion disappeared.