“Champions!” YoAnna roared, filling the gymnasium with her hearty and proud voice. It was like thunder given a feminine and alluring bent. It rattled Jay’s every bone and filled him with a thrill like no other. “Choose your Class!”

Her booming voice swayed him a little, dialing up Jay’s nervousness and jitteriness. It was like getting ready for a performance again.

Jay looked away from his Class Options and scanned the second mansion’s gymnasium. He hadn’t been too focused on his surroundings when they entered YoAnna’s second mansion out in the woodsy outskirts of their city. Looking around distracted him from the big important choice he had to make. It was an interesting distraction.

They were standing around the center of a granite-looking platform thirty yards wide and long and three feet tall. Circles and runic scriptures spiraled around the surface under them, shining in myriad colors while subtly shifting into different states of matter. Going from solid to liquid, then to gaseous, and then to plasma before restarting.

The air thrummed with power around them. Clothes, long strands of hair, jewelry, everything loose flapped and trembled from the indoor magic currents rising out of the profile stone.

YoAnna observed from off the platform, ensuring their safety throughout the ceremony. She had explained the profile stone helped channel her power as Guide. If she did it herself, she’d have to go to them one at a time instead of all at once. And it took longer.

Jay found it all pretty nifty, especially the visual effects. It sold what could be the most important choice as an introduction to the System.

The rest of the gymnasium was unlike a school gym. The floors were either matted or covered in sand. Water flowed around the perimeters where black braziers lit the area with blazing firelight. The walls had racks of eastern and western weapons, armor, clothing, yellowed scrolls and books, and other items that ranged from ancient history to times of old flintlock pistols and rifles and to times never before seen on earth. Like real fantasy gear.

Jay wondered what gear he would use after he finished his choice.

By the time Jay returned his attention to the Class Options, the mean girls, Frank, and the twins made their selection. Just like that, seven Champions had their Classes, and Jay the other hesitant Champions watched in awe of the changes.

The magic currents rising from the stone doubled in power around the Champions with their new profiles. Blue boxes that were normally invisible except for the specific user appeared over each of the Classed Champions.

Frank chose [Fighter].

Rick chose [Fighter].

Tim chose [Fighter].

Casey chose [Fighter].

Macy chose [Crafter].

Hailey chose [Mage].

Emily chose [Medium].

“Geez, how did you guys choose so fast?” Jay asked. He was usually a rogue in RPGs, but there was no obvious rogue selection.

Frank didn’t bother with a response. Rick and Tim admitted they went with [Fighter] because fighting was natural to them. It wasn’t hard for Jay to put Frank in the same boat with the twins.

“[Fighter] suits me,” Casey said boldly, balling her hands into fists. “It feels like an excellent choice.”

“[Crafter] sounds like money!” Macy waved her arms around where a dozen expensive gold bangles jangled and gleamed.

“If the Queen’s telling us we’ll receive vast reality bending magic, why not go [Mage]?” Hailey combed her fingers through her long tresses of dark brown hair while it fluttered in the magic currents. “Oh, my, my, I already feel all tingly with the potential power. It’s mindful and intoxicating.”

“[Medium’s] got the right angle for me,” Emily said, fishing out a cigarette and lighter from her black leather jacket. She waited until they got off the profile stone before giving YoAnna a submissive look for permission.

“Please enjoy yourself, my [Medium],” YoAnna said with a smile pointed at each of the seven regardless if they dismissed the expression or greatly appreciated it. “And I’m glad you've connected with your Classes so quickly. Sometimes it is best to let your intuition guide you to the right choice, even if it’s a little strange.”

Strange like letting Macy be a [Crafter]?

From Jay’s understanding, Macy was only good at a few things. Being hot, spending money, borrowing money, and crying a lot. He couldn’t see her as a successful blacksmith or any [Crafter] related archetype.

At least Hailey as a [Mage] made sense.

Emily as a [Medium] was up in the air since she was always the oddest of the Divine Four. And smoked like a chimney stack.

Then there was Casey. Her as a [Fighter]? Jay touched his nose in memory of her perfect straight.

Jay looked at the four other hesitant or carefully selective Champions behind him. Without even trying, he figured who’d do what. So, Jay started down the list with gusto.

[Fighter]: Bare a magical sword. Hoist a hardy shield. Ball your hands into gloved fists. Shoot a bow and arrow. Stalk through the shadows. Fight as necessary until the battle is won. Your path is as numerous as your tools and the magic you can employ in the face of your enemies. Every Class Level Up delivers +1 Resilience, +1 Strength, +6 Free Attribute Points.

Jay saw an avenue where he could tailor his [Fighter] to be like a rogue. But the more he stared at it, the more he wondered if that was really what he wanted. The Champions had four [Fighters] already. And Jay knew there was going to be a fifth.

“Big swords and [Fighters] probably go together, huh?” Jay directed toward Dennis.

Innocent blue eyes on a gallant face regarded Jay with thrill and anxiety. The guy was really out of his element here, but his heavily muscular and big frame was starting to stand a little straighter and exude more confidence.

“Got to do it, dude,” Dennis said. “What man can turn away a chance of being a badass like Guts?”

“A man leaning toward something divergent,” Jay said with a sigh.

Dennis chose [Fighter].

Next.

[Mage]: Bend the elements with your mind, read runic symbols containing great secrets, cultivate magic at ancient sites, use rituals to summon monstrosities and calamities to lay waste to your foes, do the unimaginable as a mage. Your path is wondrous and ruinous when you surpass your mortal limits. Every Class Level Up delivers +1 Intellect, +1 Poise, +6 Free Attribute Points.

“Magic Mike?” Jay leered at his friend.

Mike pinned his glasses to his face to keep the magic currents from flinging it away. If it wasn’t for his Second Nerd status, Mike would easily disappear in the background at school. Short black hair. Small and pale male frame with little to no athleticism. He was the stereotypical poster boy for the [Mage] Class.

“I just wanted to look over all the options,” Mike said. “But I can’t deny the appeal of conjuring lightning and meteor strikes.”

“Uninspired!” shouted Hailey from off the profile stone.

He waved her off.

Mike chose [Mage].

Next.

[Medium]: Spirits exist and are ready to lend their aid or be commanded. The deceased have yet to pass and are yours to smite or be used. The power of the very gods can run through your veins. Your faith is the guiding hand that’ll turn the tide, whether it is to heal or hurt, support or curse. Every Class Level up delivers +1 Perception, +1 Conviction, +6 Free Attribute Points.

“Did you just reach [Medium]?” Brit asked Jay.

“Yeah,” Jay answered. “This one is soulful. Probably needs more responsible people than me.”

Brit shifted nervously, fidgeting with her hands. “This is gonna change everything for me. I won’t be able to believe things the same way no more.”

Shit.

This was a major clash with religion, wasn’t it?

“I have no freaking idea what to tell you, Brit,” Jay said. “You are on a spiritual journey that’s beyond my understanding.”

“Yeah,” Brit said. “It’s beyond my understanding, too.”

Brit chose [Medium].

Next.

[Crafter]: Vast forests hold herbs that can cure the deadliest ailments. Deep mountain veins contain epic ores that await to be smelted and shaped. Mystical silk sewn into a ball gown serves to wow high society and conceal the knives hidden in the seams. To craft is part art, part science, all skill. Every Class Level Up delivers +1 Agility, +1 Discovery, +6 Free Attributes.

“Eh, you know what,” Jay said, looking over [Crafter’s] description, “I think I like this one. [Crafter’s] got a nice vibe to it.”

“Bueno!” Lilith said, using Spanish before breaking into a low and disturbing laugh. Jay felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand and gave his childhood friend a close look.

Lilith smiled maliciously at Jay, something evil glinting in her brown eyes. This side of Lilith led to a lot of dead bugs having their wings and legs pulled off. But it hadn’t gone further than that.

This selection might change everything. Woe anyone that unestimated the childlike girl.

Lilith chose [Crafter].

Next.

[Freak]: Throw aside safety and gamble away your humanity to become one with your affinity. You may hope to come out more man than monster. But the power that’ll fill your veins will be yours to master regardless of your new inhumanity. Damn the consequences and dance outside of the lines with your craze. Every Class Level Up delivers +8 Free Attribute Points.

“Well, this is unfair,” Jay said.

He was the last to choose. And he was on the last Class Option. The story could write itself from there.

He gave YoAnna a sidelong glance, but she remained completely unreadable. For some reason, it almost felt like she wanted this to happen.

The problem lied with how [Freak] sounded so fitting to him.

Yeah, he would be familiar with playing [Fighter] as a rogue. And the [Crafter] Class sounded interesting to him–other than the part of sharing a Class with the diabolical Lilith.

But [Freak] had the extra pizazz that spoke to him.

And nobody else selected it.

“He’s going to do it,” Lilith said matter-of-factly.

“Don’t, Jay,” Mike warned. “What if you get the Slime Affinity! Would you want that?”

“Please do, slimeball,” Frank said meanly.

Everyone else was off the profile stone and gathering beside YoAnna. The godling watched with subtle interest as the others wondered about Jay’s choice or exchanged the newly earned Skills they could read from their profiles.

Jay would’ve extended the moment like a jerk if YoAnna didn’t twitch suddenly.

Then she twitched again.

And for a third time, creeping out some of the Champions while the Divine Four fretted. Jay felt nervous.

“Frank, call your superiors,” YoAnna ordered. “The dungeons have sped up their arrival sequence. We now have fifteen minutes for you to leave and get staged when the dungeon connects to our dimension.”

“Fuck!” Frank shouted, whipping out his phone. “What about the tutorial you’ve promised?”

“No tutorial,” YoAnna said. “You’ll all have to lean on your System and the power of Chance. It’ll get you up to speed faster than you expect.” She waved them off, throwing out gusts that stumbled the nearest Champions away from her. “Go and choose your gear, everyone. Now.”

Some Champions moved quickly. Others dawdled around a little slower. It was uncontrolled chaos, and Jay could see why Frank kept harping on replacing them with trained agents. Seeing the pandemonium unfold intensified Jay’s moment of choice.

Despite everything, YoAnna stood patiently near the platform and waited for Jay to finish.

“You want me to be a [Freak], don’t you?” Jay whispered.

“Of course,” YoAnna’s voice spoke directly into his ear. “My first Champion. And my one and only [Freak].”

“You make me feel like I’m on a pedestal. Something you're hiding?”

“Yes, but we both know this is for the best, Jay,” YoAnna said. “I’m thrilled to see how you’ll exceed my expectations.”

“Be careful, YoAnna.” Jay shook his head. “I might be more than you can handle.”

“We’ll see.”

Jay chose [Freak].

If he was going to get an Affinity automatically, he hoped it would be air. It made the most sense. Then he’d be riding wind currents and swooping through the sky like Aang. Whatever he got, it better be good.

Jay got instant vertigo, which was far from what he wanted. His vision blurred and spun. His body felt light. Incredibly light. And his blood wanted to float away. That lasted for a few seconds until he felt heavy suddenly. Super heavy. Jay collapsed on all hands and knees, drawn toward the profile stone. If he got heavy enough, he’d squish the profile stone into the earth. After that, he’d take the profile stone, the earth, the many layers between him and the core, and squish everything until they were… something.

But he wasn’t powerful enough. The heaviness was weak. He couldn’t be drawn to the core. Too weak. Too weak.

But he could have an effect that was farther reaching than this. If he felt for it, the ripples of distant horizons called to him. It was all a mystery. And too far. The ripples faded gradually from notice.

“I’m tripping balls,” Jay moaned. “Hard.”

At the very least, he was starting to stabilize. Though, he wasn’t sure of the strange feeling all around him. It wasn’t like his sense of touch. Or anything he’d experienced before. It was another sense. What the heck was this?

“Jay,” YoAnna called breathlessly, pulling at Jay’s limited attention. “Check your profile. Your Affinity. It’s… unexpected, but fitting.”

“Profile,” Jay said.

A blue box with more vital information appeared when beckoned.

 

Name: Jay Luckrun, Rank 1 Class: [Lesser Freak, Level 1] Race: Inhuman Allegiance: Multiverse Protectorate Pantheon. Affinity: Gravity Attributes: [80 Applied AP]; 8 Resilience, 9 Poise, 8 Strength, 13 Agility, 10 Perception, 8 Intellect, 12 Conviction, 12 Discovery; [0 Free AP]. Skills: [Moonwalker, Level 1]. Talents: [Identify], [Guiding Grace], [Obscurification], [Monkey Boon]. Titles: [YoAnna’s Champion of Challenge and Change], [Omen Bearer of the Apocalypse], [Precursor of the System]. …

 

“But I thought I would get air,” Jay complained. “Gravity keeps you grounded, and that’s lame!”

All around the gymnasium, Lilith, Mike, and Hailey reacted outrageously to Jay’s complaint.