Daemon got a little bit stressed after seeing that propaganda show. The underlying was simple: the clans and guilds have become so desperate that they were shamelessly lying to the people.
And that means that the status gap between Ascenders and normal people will grow even more, and that terrified Daemon, as it already was big enough that in some cases they could even escape with murder.
The realization made him even more sure about entering The Tower. To Daemon the bridge got burned this very moment.
Those Clans and Guilds have started to look like the old Governments.
"Where was "The Avenger" when you needed him most" if The Avenger had been present they would not had the courage to pull this kind of stunt.
Daemon stood across from the police station. He was cradling the cup of coffee in his hand
Giving the cup of coffee an intense look, sighed to himself and he started drinking it, he wasn't a fan, but it was special to him, he didn't know if he would ever have the chance to ever drink. After all, his life could come to an end in the tower.
Shaking his head and cursing, Daemon finished the coffee and stood up.
"This shity life be damned, I will change it no matter what."
He stared into the distance,, and then slapped himself in the face to gain some courage.
Then, with a stupid slight grin, he crossed the street and entered the police station.
Inside, an officer gave him a quick glance and frowned. "Have you awakened?"
Daemon looked at the officer with curiosity. "Uh, yes, how did you know?"
The officer's expression changed. He looked at the young man, one more time. "Are you sure? I don't want to waste my break."
Daemon shrugged. "Yes, last night, but how did you know?"
The officer became .
"For someone like you from the outskirts, who usually avoids the police like the plague, coming here on your own accord could only mean you had awakened.
"Do you have any proper documentation?"
"Not really," Daemon admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"I see. I don't know why I even bother to ask. Come with me, we need to complete some forms first."
They entered a small office, and the officer began the intake. "Name?"
"Daemon."
"Surname?"
"I don't remember"
"Age?"
"More or less 17."
The old policeman raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic look. "Born in the Year of the Tower? Aren't you a blessing."
Daemon's mouth twitched. "I hadn't taken you for a jokester."
"Why?" ask the officer with a grin on his face.
"Because you looked both mean and scruffy."
"I don't just look it, I am," the officer replied matter of fancy.
"Family to contact?"
"There's none that I'm aware of."
"Life must had been tough, alone"
For a second, the look on Daemon's face changed, but he got it under control, even faster.
"Alright, Daemon. When do you want to enter the tower?"
"Uh… the faster the better."
The officer sighed. "I guess that's what youth does to you so how much do you know about the tower?"
Daemon gave him a questioning look.
"As much as anyone, I guess? Who doesn't know about The Tower?"
The old policeman shook his head.
"Not the fancy stuff you see on tv.
"I mean how much do you really know?"
"The things I had learned in the mandatory class back in school."
"I go into the Tower, kill a few monsters, level up and complete the First floor trial, receive magic powers and become an Ascender?"
The old policeman waited for a second, then nodded and continued.
"Listen carefully. Once you get into the Tower, you will be transported inside the "Basement" or of the Tower. Once inside, you will meet monsters, sure, but you will also meet people. Remember some times humans are far more dangerous
"You might have to kill them."
"Ah, aren't you a policeman, shouldn't you advise me to run?"
The policeman sighed. A dark look crossed on the policeman's face. Then his expression turned serious.
"Close the door, Now listen to me very carefully. Okay?"
Not waiting for a response, he added:
"Sometimes running is not a solution"
"A lot of things about the First Trial depend on luck. Generally, it shouldn't be overwhelmingly hard. The situation you're in, the position you have at your disposal and the creatures you have to defeat are within the range of any human's abilities, at least. After all, the tower is technically here to help, not send us to executions.
"It shouldn't be overwhelmingly hard... are you kidding me, 800 millions people had died seventeen years ago, to the first trial."
"Calm yourself, Daemon, as bad as it may sound, those 800 millions people had died because they didn't have any idea in what they were entering, were arrogant and most definitely delusional. You just need to be careful and also not overthink things too much. The first trial is definitely passable, I passed it and I am a F-grade talent, granted a combat-oriented one, but still it should show you that is not impossible."
"Uh-uh."
"Now About those "magic powers" you mentioned… you will indeed receive them if you survive until you level up and get yourself a class that is. For the first time the Tower shows you the classes that are most appropriate for you. When the time comes to choose a class, try choosing one of them.
"Why, I have never learned about this."
"Because it is nothing more than an unverified theory between Ascenders, at the moment."
At the end of the First Trial, what those powers will be, exactly, depends on your talent, your classes and your natural affinity as well as what you do during the trial Titles, Achievements and Blessing matters as much and could change you from a mediocre person into a genius. "
The voice of the policeman sounded
"Remember, the first thing you must do once inside the Tower is to check your Talent and try to gain your first level. If you get a combat-oriented Talent, things will be easier. If it has an innate ability, then that's even better.
"If you're unlucky and your Talent has nothing to do with combat, don't despair, the trial will still be passable. Those Talents are useful in their own ways, you'll just have to be smart about it and find a party to carry you."
"I understand"
"Good then lets go to give you the basic equipment."
Finally the thing that he had come here. Daemon did not particularly care about informing the police, the only reason he had come to inform them was to gain the basic equipment that every Awakened that was going to challenge the tower was entitled to.
They left for what seemed the basement of the police station, there a vault door was standing, after opening it, it give
one-handed swords, two-handed swords, maces,spears, one-hander axes, two-handed axes, large hammers, bows, crossbows and so on.
"Is there a limit to the weapons, one can chose"
"No, but I advise you against getting too many, as it could be detrimental in cases of emergency.
I don't see any for mages
"Even if you have a talent for magic it will be very hard to do magic, plus the equipment for mages are expensive, so it is not being offered.
"Then what happens to those that awaken a talent for magic and aren't physically gifted."
"Fire arms are offered"
"Really, can I get one as well?"
"Yes, I will give it to you with your clothes and the backpack with provisions."
Carefully examining each weapon, Daemon knew he needed to take the most basic and most intuitively weapon and also the one that offers some protections and that was a one-handed sword paired with a shield and on a whim a one-handed axe.
"The one-handed sword and shield combination, the most common the least likely to go wrong with, but the one-handed axe, I didn't think you had in you brat, you may be a beast." laugh the officer."
As Daemon had finished choosing his weapons another officer had come with the rest of the equipment, that was a backpack with the provisions for an entire week, special clothes and a holder with a gun and two spare magazines.
"Go change."
As Daemon changed into the clothes he was a bit overwhelmed, they were the best clothes he had ever put on him, and the boots, man they were amazing.
"Stop gawking, you give me second hand embarrassment."
"Sorry, but they are the best clothes I have ever worn."
"Don't be sorry if you survive, you will be able to buy as many as you want, they are only some softshell impermeable clothes."
"Now that everything is prepared, before living, do you want to do anything else?"
"Not really."
"Good, you know the way to enter The Tower?"
"I do." replied Daemon and then he started "I Daemon child of Humanity wish to enter The Tower and start my path of Ascension."
Just as the last word had left Daemon's mouth a portal had already started taking shape.
Daemon took one last look at the officer, saluted and walked towards the portal.
Already half-in the portal, Daemon heard the officer mumble. "Don't die, kid"
Daemon smiled and fully entered the portal.
As he entered everything was in darkness, and he heard a voice rang:
[Welcome to the Ascension Tower, Child of Humanity, may it witness and record your path of ascension. Prepare for yourself for the First Trial…]