Mack opened the other box and saw a mask.

The mask was made to cover only the part of the nose and mouth and extended back to the ears covering both of them.

Mack took the mask and put on and felt like he could not breath nor hear anymore.

Then after a few seconds, all came back to normal again.

[This mask has shock absorption, auto repair, a translation device and air purification. It’s already pre-configured to your world standards too]

“That will be helpful. I think”

Said Mack, but this time his voice came out a little more rough and robotic.

He noticed too that the sounds around him became louder.. He could hear a little better than before.

But he knew the best thing was the translation device. If he met any aliens in the future this mask would be vital to him.

Mack didn’t delay too much and picked another box to open.

Inside, he found five belts. One for the waist and four others. Mack guessed the others were for legs or arms since they were smaller.

Mack removed the belts and put them aside for the moment. Belts were nothing much compared to the stuff he saw until now.

He opened the next box and found four daggers inside.

The daggers were very plain, like any other he saw on earth. He guessed the materials were different. But daggers were daggers. Nothing much.

Mack put the daggers close to the belts and left them there. There was one small belt for each dagger. He would put them later.

Opening the next box, Mack saw a sword. A very elegant one. It was plain black and didn’t reflect light. Different from the daggers that looked like made from silver.

Mack felt curious and inspected the sword.

(Mage slayer, Legendary Rank)

“Mage slayer?”

“I thought I was going to learn how to manipulate Essence. Why I would need a sword in a spell fight?”

“You know there is a saying on earth…..”

“Don’t bring knives to a gunfight.”

[Indeed. But the path of a warlock differs from the mages. It’s harder and very specific. You will learn about that in the next trials. And the sword is a very special one too.]

“Why is that?”

[Like the name said. This sword was specifically made to slay mages. How do you think mages fight?]

“I never saw one so I can’t say.”

[In a mage fight there are two types of fight. The quick ones where one is caught unguarded. And the fights who last until one of them run-outs of Essence]

[There are two important aspects in a mage fight. The damage output. And their defense. Normally their defense is done using Essence shields or barriers or similar spells]

[And this sword was specially designed to counter that. You remember when I said that everything has Essence?]

“Yes, I remember that, of course. Don’t tell me. Does this sword have no Essence? How is that even possible?”

[Wrong. Everything has Essence.]

“Are you playing with me girl?”

[The difference is that the Essence in this sword was made by forging the blood of thousands and thousands of warlocks]

“Those children from the last gate?”

Mack could not believe someone would do something so inhuman like that.

[Not only them. But using the entire population of warlocks that lived on that planet. To create this single sword]

“But why would mages create something that could kill them?”

[To kill other mages, of course. There is not such a thing as mages versus warlocks. Warlocks, even at their peak of civilization, were so tiny in numbers compared to the mages that they could barely be expressed in more than 0.1% of the entire mages alive at that time]

“I see. It never was a battle. It was more like they were hunting a rare and special prey.”

[Mages fear the potential of warlocks. But they also crave for their blood. It’s a very special blood. And they use it to create weapons like those]

Mack looked again at the sword and now he could see that the sword was not exactly black in color. But more like a deep dark red. Someone could only tell the difference if looking for a long time at the blade.

“A very special blood. My blood. What so special about it?”

[You will learn if you live the next trials]

“Always mysterious”

“You said the word ‘warlock’ several times already, was that the name of my ancestor race? My race?”

[Not exactly. Your ancestor lineage and race name were forgotten in history, and from several Aeons ago until this date, they are called warlocks. The original meaning of the word warlock is someone who is a pariah, an outcast, to the mage’s civilization.]

“I should be expecting that would be something like that. No one would call a pig as ‘a human’ if you eat it for dinner every time, even if it talked the same language.”

~sigh~

“How this blade works?”

[It neutralizes spells or wills to a certain degree. The will of the sword is to cut. And is strong than most spells created by normal mages. Remember what I said to you already. Will is the secret to manipulate Essence]

“I see. Unfortunately I never used a sword before.”

Said Mack, putting the sword close to the other belts and opening the last box.

[This. Is not required for you to use. And also doesn’t give you any advantages but was my creator hope that anyone that left the tower would use]

Mack looked at what was inside and it was some kind of kilt and a long shirt with large pants. All black in color, but with runes engraved on the borders.

The clothes had a medieval design but looked modern at the same time.

[These are the typical clothes for a warlock back in the time your ancestor planet was invaded. The only modification he made in the design was to make it able of self-repairing]

Mack took the clothes and put them on.

The slim figure of someone using a swimsuit now was replaced by one of a medieval warrior. He still had the Durak battle armor below the clothes cause the battle suit offered protection and was so comfortable that sometimes Mack even forgot he had them.

But now. He somehow felt proud of himself for using those warlock clothes. It was like a piece of himself was missing until he put them.

Mack them grabbed the belts and daggers and put them under the clothes, two of them on the right leg, one in the left leg, and one in his left arm.

He grabbed the sword and put it over his shoulder while holding the hilt.

For the first Mack felt like his life had really changed from what he knew.

He was in a mysterious place. Using alien clothes and holding a sword. But somehow he felt like this was right for him, as if he was born to this. It was like he himself was craving for this but he never knew.

Anticipation was what Mack felt right now. Anticipation for the unknown and adventurous days ahead.

He didn’t knew how his future would be, but he was sure that the outcome would only depend on himself.

And Mack was ready. Ready for wherever comes in front of him.

“It will be my honor.”

Said Mack, turning his back and walking in the direction of the small hill where the next trial would begin.