Aleric's new world came in fragments.The first thing he understood: he was a baby. Completely, utterly helpless. He couldn't control his limbs.Could barely open his eyes for more than a few seconds before exhaustion dragged him back to sleep.It was torture.But mind was intact. He remembered everything. Westmont High, Handprint, the fall and But he was trapped in an infant's body that wouldn't obey him.It was like the incarnation story he had read. Who would have thought it would have happened to him.Coincidentally, the baby, him, had the same name he had in his past life. Aleric, the name that stung to him like a curse.Days passed, maybe weeks, he could barely keep counts. He was treated like a child… which that was exactly what he was. Slowly, his control improved. He could keep his eyes open longer. Track movement. Focus on the people around him.His new mother was beautiful. Long dark hair. Kind eyes. She wore flowing robes that shimmered with an inner light. No, not shim

The capital city of Valdris was a monster.Aleric had seen drawings, heard descriptions, but nothing prepared him for the reality. Stone buildings rose four, five, six stories high. Streets paved with actual cobblestones, not dirt. Shops with glass windows displaying goods from across the kingdom.And the people. Thousands of them. More people than Aleric had seen in his entire fourteen years combined."Stay close," Enzo said, one hand on Aleric's shoulder as they navigated the crowded streets. Helena walked on his other side, clutching her purse nervously.They'd arrived three days early. The ceremony required registration, medical examination, and fitting for ceremonial robes.Their inn was modest. Clean but cheap. Other noble families stayed in actual mansions owned by relatives in the capital. The Swore family had no such connections."It's fine," Aleric said when he saw his mother's embarrassed face. "I don't need luxury. I need focus."The next day, they went to the Registration

The mouth of the Hollowed Cave yawned open like a throat waiting to swallow them whole. Aleric stood with nine other trainees at the entrance, the stench of rot and damp stone thick in the air. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. The blade was standard issue, nothing special, but it was his lifeline now.Captain Brock stood at the front of the group, arms crossed over his scarred chest. His voice cut through the nervous chatter like a blade through silk."Listen up. This isn't training anymore. Inside that cave, you live or you die. No one's coming to save you if you screw up. Stay in formation, watch your flanks, and don't do anything stupid."Brock's eyes swept over the group and lingered on Aleric for half a second longer than the rest. Aleric felt the weight of that stare. Everyone here knew he was Classless. Everyone here thought he was dead weight.A trainee named Gareth, a stocky guy with a Tier 1 Warrior class, snorted and muttered loud enough for everyone to h

CHAPTER EIGHTAleric turned at once, but he seemed to be already too late, his eyes meeting the sight of the beast that had already charged at him from behind, throwing him off balance.Aleric grunted, rolling down the hill with every effort to hold onto something proving to be very futile.The beast followed, its desire to make him pay for killing one of them.With a threatening roar, it ran down the hill, eyes burning with rage as it showcased its fangs that were like katana blades, ready to grind Aleric’s bones between them.Aleric’s companions were frightened to their teeth, and it was only Gareth who was bold enough to go a little bit closer.Every other person seemed to be scared, standing frozen while they turned their heads from one angle to the other, holding onto their weapons that seemed to be in a hurry to slip through their fingers.Aleric hit his head hard on the tough floor, and the moment he opened his eyes, he saw the beast speeding down at him, fangs sharp and eyes r

CHAPTER TEN“Sworne?!” Gareth called out to him again with a trembling voice, and that finally confirmed his fear.Aleric’s heart was beginning to tremble, his pulse vibrating as though that was going to be the end of him.Turning to behold the monster still alive and raging, he swallowed hard, staggering several steps backward.“Why won’t you just die?!” He asked with a cracked voice, but it didn’t seem like that was going to be able to help in anyway.He watched as the beast got ready to carry out its vengeful plans at him, growling with wide and scary eyes.Aleric tightened his grip on his sword, holding firmly with both hands.“What are you?” He asked with a whisper, but what he could hear was the sound of footsteps fleeing behind him.He looked backward and up to see everyone except Gareth running away, including the captain.“You have to run, Sworne!” Gareth suggested, but he didn’t need to.Aleric fled in a hurry, almost losing his sword as he tried to escape from the wrath of