《Reckoning: Unity》 Something Ends They say that when you gaze into an abyss that it will gaze back into you, but I¡¯ve been gazing into the empty abyss that the Earth has become for what feels like an eternity now, and yet nothing¡¯s changed, and no one¡¯s emerged or called out to me. Dust, ash, soot, and grime. Piles of the stuff sit high all around me in place of the buildings, plants, animals, and people they once were, looming over me as a constant reminder that I am alone save for the cold wind that slowly moves these insufferable piles beneath the muddy monotonous sky. The wind. The only thing other than me that hasn¡¯t yet died, and like me, I don¡¯t know why. I turn my tired, dust stung eyes skyward and find the abomination that the sun has become still glaring down at me from the heavens. Its once bright body is now divided into three. An external black shell so dark and still I wonder how I can tell it apart from the void of space. An intermediary gray ring that churns and swirls as if it were alive. And a brilliant white core that is infinitely harder to look at than the sun once was. Before I found myself alone it was the same luminous sphere we all acknowledged but ignored and took for granted. I don¡¯t rightly remember what day or year it happened, but once it changed into what it is now, that¡¯s when everything quietly crumbled away and ceased to be. All except me, and the winds it still somehow produces. And since then I¡¯ve wandered this waste. It¡¯s not hard, since I¡¯m devoid of hunger, thirst, or any other bodily need that I once knew, but only now recall as faint memories. At first I hoped that somewhere I¡¯d find someone or something, no matter how small or insignificant. Maybe if I was lucky God would come down and explain what this is all about, or maybe he¡¯d send an angel at least. But no matter how long I looked or how many empty ocean beds I traversed or devoid continents I searched, I never found a sign of anyone, or anything beyond more dust. As for God, I imagine he left me here for whatever reason, perhaps as punishment for some sin I can no longer recall¡­ Though, to be fair, I don¡¯t remember much anymore. Then again, maybe that¡¯s a punishment too, or maybe a mercy. All I know is that this isn¡¯t how I thought the rapture would go, assuming that that is what happened. But here I am, having a conversation in my head, pretending that I¡¯m not alone so that I don¡¯t go insane, and explaining my situation for the umpteenth time so that I don¡¯t forget it too, as I search the last hills of dust, ash, soot, and grime, powered only by the dwindling dregs of hope that have somehow sustained me thus far. I dig. I dig, and dig. I dig, and dig, and dig some more. This is the last dune I need to search. Sure the wind enjoys making my meager existence difficult by moving them around, but I¡¯ve kept track, and this is the last spot in the entire world left for me to search¡­ But that¡¯s irrelevant. For there is nothing in this hole I¡¯ve dug. Nothing but me. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Just as I suspected.¡± Like a long running engine that had finally burnt out, I was suddenly tired for the first time in forever. I rest my weary body against the soft wall of the several foot deep pit I¡¯ve dug and close my tired, dust stung, eyes. I haven¡¯t dreamed in an eternity, but I feel one coming on, I remember the sensation. Somehow. Vaguely at first, then all at once. Knowledge and memory fill my empty head, shock my senses, but don¡¯t stir me awake. Rather, I don¡¯t think I can wake up, not sure why I¡¯d want to, there¡¯s nothing out there, and I¡¯ve found so much in here that I¡¯d much prefer to explore this new dream world than return to my bleak existence. But what do I make of this? There¡¯s so much here. Far more than I could¡¯ve possibly learned or seen in one lifetime. There¡¯s no way I alone was able to gather so much information, I somehow know that, but here it is all the same, practically begging me to do something with it. What a strange dream. But I¡¯m so excited! I heedlessly grab the colors and shapes and textures and smells and tastes and swirl them around and mold them like so much clay. The splat and crunch, grind and squish within my imaginary fingers is nothing short of delightful. And these results are even more so. So I spread them out into a landscape all around me. I place trees with purple leaves, blue bushes with ripe rich fiery colored fruit, sheer metallic mountains, and deep transparent seas with rainbow spotted coral. I couldn¡¯t bear to change the sky from blue or the grass from green, that would be too alien and uncomfortable, but I made them richer and more vibrantly colored, as if the sky and grass I once knew were seen through a dark filter. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± Then I take the memory of humanity, set part of it free into the world as is, and then twist the rest. Dyeing it in the new colors of this changed landscape I¡¯ve created. Some grow wings, the tails and ears of animals, or get short or very tall. Some are lithe and pretty, others are burly and strong, I don¡¯t get too picky with this part and let each form on its own until it feels right, then I set them free as well. I do much the same with my memory of animals and churn out several new and strange creatures that dart across the ground and through the air and sea. I try to capture their fresh, majestic, and sometimes unnerving forms in my memory, but my awareness grew hazy and they quickly darted away before I could take them in and appreciate what I¡¯d made. ¡°Oh well.¡± I shrug and sit down in the shade of one of my purple-leaved trees. I can tell my dream is coming to an end, and that a deeper sleep is creeping up on me to carry me off into darkness and oblivion. I wither a little at the thought that my brief freedom will soon end, and wish that I could¡¯ve played longer. ¡°Played? Like a game? When was the last time I played a game?¡± Yeah. A video game. The memory of all those systems and powers came to me, and I smiled. To play one of those again would¡¯ve been nice. But hey, maybe when I wake up another eternity will have passed, and new life will cover the barren Earth¡­ Maybe they¡¯ll have invented new games and I can play one¡­ Maybe the sun will be back to normal too¡­ . Maybe¡­ Maybe¡­ . Something Begins Darkness clouded my mind, but beyond it I sensed time pass. Faces, places, and voices flash in and out of my awareness and call to me. I don¡¯t really understand what they¡¯re saying, but some appear to be in need, so I reach out to support them however I can. It¡¯s not very effective, given my lack of focus, but I try nonetheless. Others send their gratitude, I¡¯m not entirely sure why, but I accept it all the same as it would be rude to turn them away, and besides, it¡¯s just a dream. This continues for what feels like forever, then my dream goes deeper. Finally, I awaken a while later. A sense of place and time return to me. Strength fills my limbs, breath my lungs, and I go to open my eyes. It¡¯s totally dark, and bits of something, brushed by my eyelashes, falls down and forces me to close them again. I want to rub the irritants away, but my arms, along with the rest of my body, are held in place by a solid all encompassing barrier. This sucks, but what¡¯s restraining me? I ignore the burn in my eyes, and consider what to do about my situation. Then, realization strikes. I was in a hole when I fell asleep! I must¡¯ve been buried! Strangely, joy, rather than fear, finds me. For whatever reason, I can still breathe, and I¡¯m not particularly hungry or thirsty so I¡¯m in no real danger, but I¡¯d really rather not have to wait for rescue or a chance to clear my eyes. And that¡¯s assuming there¡¯s anyone around to rescue me in the first place. Determined, I sit up with all the force I can muster. I feel the soil burst to either side to accommodate me, then I reach up with both arms and begin to worm my way out. Since the sky was above me when I fell asleep, that should still be the case, so all I need to do is dig up! It takes a little bit, but with my millennia of experience I quickly burrow into what has to be grass roots, and then the warm light of day pats me on the back as I flop free from my earthen tomb and finally clear my eyes of the dirt that haunted them. After allowing myself a moment¡¯s reprieve, I glance around and take in the vibrant green grasses, purple-leaved trees, and blue bushes with ripe rich fiery colored fruit beneath the majestic blue sky. I sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming anymore. I know this. But¡­ What are the odds that everything became like my dream?¡± My eyes bulge. ¡°No way¡­ D-did God plagiarize me? Or did a bunch of aliens probe my dreams and genetically engineer everything to match?¡± I shook my head to throw off those foolish thoughts when a warm female voice spoke in my mind. I waited for her to speak again, but she remained silent, so I checked the quaint little clearing I found myself in once more, but found no trace of anyone. ¡°Strange. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think that was the voice of the Game Master in some role playing game¡­ So does that mean aliens programmed everything after all? But for what reason? Entertainment?¡± A pleasant electric shock spread through my brain and I instinctively knew my Comprehension and Understanding Abilities had just activated. Instinctively I grasped that the female voice that just spoke was the voice of the system that governs magic and abilities for everyone in this world. The system was apparently created by God, no identifying name or religion given, but runs on its own, and acts as a simple way to assess one¡¯s self, environment, and capabilities so that danger can be avoided and growth more easily achieved. So it really was God then¡­ But why¡¯d he have to go and copy me? Why am I a part of all this? And what kind of growth are we talking about? Spiritual? Mental? Physical? But to what end? Is there some kind of moral or lesson to be learned from all this? Well, it is God, so probably all of the above in some form or fashion, but then what was the point of making it RPG-esque? Another wave of shock nearly stopped my heart. ¡°D-don¡¯t tell me he did it because of what I said in my dream! Don¡¯t just go making my stupid whims reality!¡± I sighed and let my head hang limp. ¡°It honestly doesn¡¯t matter how things got this way. I just gotta make the most of it and hope I can survive.¡± I took a deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly. ¡°Alright, Ms. System Lady, I need information, and if you¡¯re in charge then what¡¯re my stats? I¡¯ve gotta have stats right?¡± The system didn¡¯t answer, but another pleasant tingle in my brain informed me that my newly acquired Understanding and Comprehension Abilities would give me what I seek. And they did so in the form of a tablet-sized main window that appeared before my eyes and several smaller windows that branched off its sides, but oh what a headache reading them turned out to be. -Name: ??? Race: Human? Age: ??? Height: 6¡¯? Weight: 182lbs? Titles: Soul Survivor; ??? Wanderer; Excavation Emperor; ???; ???; Dreamer; Awakened
Soul Survivor: A Title awarded to the last person. As a consequence of this Title ??? has been acquired.
??? Wanderer: A Title awarded to one who has wandered the world for an ???. As a consequence of this Title the: Mind Magic, the: Body Magic, and the: Spirit Magic series of Abilities have been acquired.
Excavation Emperor: A Title awarded to the one who has elevated the act of digging into an art. As a consequence of this Title the: Divine Unearther ability has been acquired at the highest level.
???: ???
???: ???
Dreamer: A Title awarded to the dreaming ???. As a consequence of this Title the: Essence Magic series of Abilities have been acquired.
Awakened: A Title awarded to the newly awakened ???. As a consequence of this Title the: Understanding, and: Comprehension, Abilities have been acquired.
Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status Conditions: None- Unable to look at the windows anymore, I clamped my eyes shut, and shouted. ¡°How does the system in charge of everything not even know my name!¡± My yell echoed out into the world, but went unanswered by the system, my abilities, or the birds, who incidentally stopped the pleasant tune they were singing. I tried to calm down, then froze. ¡°W-wait¡­ I¨C I don¡¯t even know my name¡­ I forgot it while I wandered the barren Earth. I guess the system has its limits since I don¡¯t know my age either, but what kinda offensive piece of crap goes and calls someone human with a question mark right after?¡± I managed to get over my indignation when I remembered just how strange my existence was before I fell asleep, then I examined my arms, legs, and torso. It said I was 6¡¯? and 182lbs? Even if those values are questioned, I most certainly was neither last I checked. Let¡¯s be honest, I was a shriveled sack of skin and bones, so when and how did I change height and mass and become healthy? ¡°Does it have something to do with all those impossibly vague stats? Who am I kidding, of course it does. And what¡¯s with those Titles that have or are question marks? Are they like in-game achievements? So the question marks indicate ones I haven¡¯t fully unlocked? And how do I have Titles from before this system even came into effect? The explanations on the side are kinda nice but most don¡¯t tell me much of anything aside from what abilities I¡¯ve gained. So is it all based on my knowledge and memories? No, it has to be, why else would my name and age be blank?¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I look at my Titles and their descriptions again, and frown. ¡°I really wish I knew what those question marks are hiding¡­¡± Then a sudden rush of excitement washed away my worries, and I shouted. ¡°But hey! I¡¯ve got magic! And lots of it!¡± I close out the window about my Titles and scroll down to the Ability section under my stats. ¡°O-oh¡­ Oh. Headache number two.¡± -Abilities: Beginner Mind Magic; Beginner Body Magic; Beginner Spirit Magic; Beginner Essence Magic; Divine Unearther lv: 100; ??? lv: 15; ??? lv: 12; ??? lv: 11; ??? lv: 35; Insanity Immunity lv: 100; Understanding lv: 5; Comprehension lv: 5-
Disciplines: Mind over Nature Magic lv: 1 Mind over Mind Magic lv: 1 Mind over Matter Magic lv: 1 Mind over Body Magic lv: 1 Disciplines: Body Transformation Magic lv:1 Body Sensory Magic lv: 1 Body Fortification Magic lv: 1 Body Empowerment Magic lv: 1 Body Recovery Magic lv: 1 Disciplines: Spirit Summoning/Bonding Magic lv: 1 Spirit Communion/Trapping Magic lv:1 Spirit Healing/Harming Magic lv:1 Disciplines: Essence of Fire Magic lv: 1 Essence of Earth Magic lv:1 Essence of Water Magic lv: 1 Essence of Air Magic lv: 1 Essence of Light Magic lv: 1 Essence of Dark Magic lv: 1 Essence of Lightning Magic lv: 1 Essence of Ice Magic lv: 1 Essence of Space Magic lv: 1 Essence of Time Magic lv: 1 Essence of Order Magic lv: 1 Essence of Chaos Magic lv: 1
¡°I knew there¡¯d be a lot of magic from my Titles, but these side windows are ridiculous! And that¡¯s not even mentioning all the accursed question marks!¡± I grip the sides of my head and press my forehead into the dirt. ¡°To think there¡¯d be so much I still need to discover about myself after all this time. Oh well, I guess I¡¯ll figure it out later, right now, I need info on Magic and my other Abilities! Understanding! Comprehension! Do your thing!¡± I felt the two Abilities activate and decided to think of an abridged way of referring to them while the information I wanted about magic compiled into another window. ¡°After all, it is a pain to say or think Understanding and Comprehension every time. That said¡­ Understanding¡­ Comprehension¡­ U and C¡­ U and C¡­ U C what I mean? No¡­ U C less? Oh that¡¯s not even true! They¡¯re synonyms, so how about I just give them one name. Like, uh, Oh! Uriel! Like the angel of wisdom! Since God¡¯s the one behind the system, and the Abilities come from the system, that should more than make sense.¡± With that out of the way I skimmed over the new window and learned that magic is divided into four elements, Mind, Body, Spirit, and Essence. Each element has subcategories or disciplines, as they are apparently called by the system, and it seems to be normal for people to awaken to, or be born with, an affinity for one or more disciplines of the various elements, which makes me a special case since I apparently have access to all elements and their assorted disciplines. Which is good! And bad¡­ very, very, bad. Apparently, there are more than a few magic disciplines that are heavily restricted if not outright taboo. For instance, Space Essence magic is perfectly legal but so rare and highly coveted that any nation would be all over anyone who has it. Additionally, Mind over Mind Magic and Spirit Harming and Trapping Magic are, though more common, still heavily monitored and restricted lest the users abuse the power they possess. Dark and Chaos Essence magic on the other hand are outright banned as they are considered evil due to their inherently dangerous nature. While Time Essence Magic is largely thought of as a joke wielded by eccentrics, and Mind over Nature Magic is practically only used by nomadic outcasts. Basically druids, I guess. ¡°So all I have to do is avoid telling anyone I have those specific Abilities and I¡¯ll be fine. Right?¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°Unless there are ways for other people to forcibly view my status.¡± The next window revealed that Essence Magic, specifically Order Essence Magic, is the most common type of magic people use and its practitioners are what most people think of when someone says mage or wizard. The other essences apply to those names too, but Body Magic is almost unilaterally the realm of warriors and other physical combatants, while Spirit Magic is the domain of priests, summoners, and other well¡­ spiritualist types. However, Mind Magic doesn¡¯t fit any one group and is used mostly as a supplement to the other disciplines, for instance Mind over Matter plus Order Essence Magic is apparently how you do alchemy. ¡°My biggest problem is that it says that in order to use any of my magical abilities I need to learn how to sense, control, and shape magic. Which I naturally have no idea how to do given that it¡¯s all just been dropped into my lap¡­¡± I sulk for a minute, then sigh. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be using magic for now, but what about my other abilities?¡± I turn Uriel¡¯s insight onto itself and the other remaining entries on my status since they didn¡¯t immediately offer side windows with descriptions of their features. Then again, the magic abilities didn¡¯t readily tell me what they do either. Unsurprisingly, the question marks yielded only more question marks, but I learned that Divine Unearther allows me to dig through just about anything at unparalleled speed and precision while keeping my Endurance virtually untouched. ¡°As for Insanity Immunity, it should be self explanatory, though the description was so utterly depressing that I¡¯ll just banish the thought to the deepest recesses of my mind, thank you very much!¡± Now then, Understanding apparently allows me to gather information from the system about anything regarding me or the things I can see and then display or absorb that information however I choose, which is apparently why I have so many game hud windows open right now. I guess I could just take it straight in, but where¡¯s the fun in that? Finally, Comprehension is an Ability that lets me, well, comprehend information. ¡°So it doesn¡¯t matter what kind, be it language, math, the mechanics of the magic that I totally can¡¯t use, or all the stuff that Understanding gathers for me to read, Comprehension is my all access pass to getting it. Get it? Great! Me too.¡± ¡°So in the end, I am a nameless, poorly understood, magically diverse yet powerless, all discerning, completely sane, hole digging expert stuck in a new world that totally wasn¡¯t ripped straight out of my last dream with nothing but the rags I was wearing an eternity ago to see me off into the wild slightly brighter blue yonder.¡± But before I got too deeply lost into that thought, the bushes rustled behind me, and when I turned around, several armed figures stepped out and surrounded me. Some were men, some were women, some were hard to tell. A few had animal tails, others wings, but all were armed with fancy metal spears and clad in shiny armor ripped straight out of a fantasy story, and totally furious with me, the hobo looking lunatic out in the middle of the woods. I could barely bring myself to meet their gaze when I realized, for the first time in God knows how long, that my clothes were highly inadequate to meet anyone, let alone a bunch of armed soldiers. Heck! I could tell based on their expressions that if they didn¡¯t have to keep their eyes and spears trained on me they¡¯d literally be doing anything, and I do mean anything, else. Geez, I must¡¯ve gotten uglier during my extended dirt nap. What a pleasant thing to wake up to. At long last, the awkward stalemate was broken when one fine gentleman with a glorious pair of rabbit ears somewhere in his mid thirties broke the all too uncomfortable silence and shouted. ¡°Kai ranther el? Bek hal geth!¡± I blinked twice, and hit the side of my head a few times. Come on Uriel! Now¡¯s not the time for a nap! To my surprise, a surge of sparks and warmth filled my brain and the system announced. Great! I glance back at the bunny-man in charge, and offer an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, could you repeat that?¡± He frowned, as did his comrades, but he replied with yet another, louder, shout. ¡°I said, what¡¯s your name? Identify yourself!¡± Oh crap. Son of a biscuit eating bulldog, I don¡¯t even know my own name, so how in all of God¡¯s totally not plagiarized green Earth am I supposed to tell you? I gulp. Okay. Deep breath, you got this, anonymous as I am, I just need to think of a name, any name, he¡¯ll totally buy it, he has no way of knowing otherwise. The leader snarled and the spears pressed closer. ¡°This is your last chance to identify yourself and tell me why you¡¯ve dared to desecrate this sacred place before we scrub away your filth with your blood!¡± My eyes widened. If I¡¯m filth then how would my blood¨C oh forget it! Name, genius! Now! ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Well? Spit it out!¡± ¡°Anon! Anon Amos!¡± Suddenly the system spoke. ... I felt the strength start to leave my knees. Wow¡­ I completely blew it¡­ Way to go me. The leader scrunched up his face and his all too pink rabbit nose wiggled adorably. ¡°A strange name, heretic, now tell us why you¡¯ve dared to desecrate sacred ground with your presence.¡± His underlings closed in even more, to the point where their spears were mere feet from me. I shuddered, and dropped down to huddle in fear. Nobody¡¯s ever threatened me like this before! I just woke up, dang it! How was I supposed to know someone decided this place should be holy? As I neared the point of tears a strange calm overtook me, as if my emotions were just a drop in a vast ocean. Freed of my panic, options filled my head, and I knew I needed only to choose. How do I get out of this? Do I try to fight this unfavorable battle? Risk sounding like even more of a lunatic and tell the truth? Attempt a lie and hope there¡¯s no way for them to detect the truth? Or maybe¡­ Hop back into my hole and dig? A Path to Somewhere That¡¯s it! I¡¯ve got to dig! Sure, I could try to lie or even tell the truth in the hopes of being even remotely diplomatic, but let¡¯s be honest here. These soldier types aren¡¯t in any sort of mood to listen to my mind boggling backstory right now so why should I even try to be reasonable when I can just run away from my problems! Without looking up at my moody militant menacers, or offering so much as a goodbye, I quickly scooped up as much of the loose dirt around the entrance to my hole as I could, spun in place while I tossed it at them, then stopped my pivot and dove headfirst back into the very earthen orifice I literally just crawled out of. ¡°What! Ah! Stop that fool! Anyone with earth essence magic use it now! Anyone with tracking abilities hone in on our target! Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± Bunnyman ordered his cronies to act and a panicked voice began to shout a nonsensical chant from the increasingly more distant surface, but that was behind me now, I was honestly more surprised with how deep this pit was. ¡°Did I really dig this far down before the world restarted, or did time and tectonic shifts push me deeper than I remember?¡± My all too rapid descent was abruptly interrupted when a slab of stone burst out of the space in front of me and closed off my escape route. There definitely wasn¡¯t this much rock around before, so I guess this is the result of that earth mage¡¯s efforts, but, well. ¡°Jokes on you!¡± I¡¯ll smash right through it with Excavation Emperor! Thwack! Crack! Thump¡­ ¡°Aaaahhhhaaa!¡± My arms collided into the barricade, crumpled beneath my weight and acceleration, and then the rest of my body somehow followed suit within the cramped confines of my man made chute. Pain shocked my senses and agony set in as I became aware of my mangled limbs, but by some miracle I didn¡¯t break my neck. Uriel buzzed in my brain and my status read: -Health: Injured; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status conditions: Broken and fractured bones; natural regeneration active- A soldier¡¯s voice echoed down from above. ¡°Did I get them?¡± And Bunnyman replied. ¡°They¡¯re not moving, so start preparations to descend. Remember the Ascendant ordered us to capture anyone or anything we find so get ready to make sure that¡­ individual doesn¡¯t expire.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± He started chanting again, and the walls of the pit, which was only really big enough for me, started to give way and form a spiral staircase made of rock that seemed to be created from the dirt itself. Based on their current speed, it would probably take them a few minutes to get all the way down here to me, which gave me some much needed time to think about my next move. Owie¡­ Ouch¡­ Oh the humanity! So the jerk now leading the charge is the one responsible for my current suffering, good to know. But more importantly, how does this stupid system think I¡¯m ¡®able¡¯ if most of my limbs are out of commission? And what does it mean by saying my natural regeneration is active? I know I¡¯ve got a little time, and have always recovered in the past, but am I just supposed to wait a few months for my body to just¨C ¡°Oh my lordy!¡± Crick! Shick! Crunch! Crack! ¡°Ack! Oh oh oh it huuurts!¡± One by one my muscles spasmed out of control and jerked my splintered skeleton back into its proper shape. Bunnyman seemed all too aware of my sudden and unexpected regeneration, no doubt due to his fabulously floppy ears, and he shouted. ¡°Hurry up! It¡¯s recovering!¡± It? ¡°It?!¡± I roared as the last of my joints returned to normal, and then staggered to my feet while glaring right at that rude dude. ¡°Did you just call me an it?¡± I mean come on! Between you and the system questioning my humanity I¡¯m going to develop a complex here! For whatever reason, my indignation stopped them in their tracks. Which is great considering several other soldiers looked to be half-way through casting spells, spells which now fizzled since their casters froze in panic. Even Bunnyman himself was petrified in apparent fear of me, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to use the opening to dive into the wall of dirt beside me and start digging for my life. After all. I¡¯m not stupid, I¡¯ve got no weapons, or armor, or combat abilities to my name. Fighting was a hopeless option for me, so I guess it was just their fear of the unknown that allowed me to intimidate them back there. The system¡¯s calm voice rang in my ears as if to mock my conclusion. Okay¡­ Way to just go and prove me wrong then! Guess I¡¯ll just shut up or something¡­ . Dirt and small stones brushed against me as I tore through the ground at top speed. I wasn¡¯t so much shoveling the soil as I was swimming through it, or maybe it¡¯d be better to call it a vigorous full-body horizontal sprint. It probably, no, undoubtedly, made me look ridiculous, but it was completely dark now so not even I could make fun of me. That said, I had no idea where I was going, but that didn¡¯t matter so much. So long as it was somewhere far away from those soldier types then I¡¯d be a happy camper. I continued on for a while, as my body had apparently returned to the near tireless state I existed in before my big sleep, or was so hyped up on adrenaline that I could no longer tell the difference, and as my fear left me I was finally able to ask the important questions. ¡°What the heck happened to me!?¡± ¡°Ack, pfft, patooty.¡± I had to stop to spit out the dirt that my outburst invited into my mouth, then rubbed my face as I tried to calm down within the confines of the small and impenetrably dark cavity I created by sitting up. ¡°I mean, first my ability didn¡¯t activate and I crashed into the stone barricade. I probably should¡¯ve died there, but all I did was break a bunch of bones instead. And then, oh Lord, and then I just what? Put myself back together?¡± The memory of the sensation made me shudder. I tried to think back to before the world changed but I couldn¡¯t recall any suffering. I knew it had happened, it had to given how much junk I moved with my hands, but the only pain I could recall was what I just felt. ¡°So why do I have memories of other people¡¯s knowledge and experiences? Why am I even still alive? What did you do to me God?¡± Existential dread took over for only a brief moment before it was wiped out by the memory of the thing I feared most. ¡°The sun! The sun! Oh no, what happened to the sun?¡± I kicked up and plunged through the ground until I once again burst from the earth. I seemed to have gotten much deeper than I was before, because it took a considerably larger effort to reach the surface, especially once I hit a harder material, but I was too frantic to care, and tore straight through it without stopping. Clang! Tink, tink tink, tink tink tink. Bits of metal clattered across the equally metallic ground as I surveyed the world from on high. All around me was the greenish color of heavily rusted copper, with the occasional patch of dirt supporting a purple-leaved tree or blue-leaved bush to break up the monotony. Behind me the metal mountain climbed ever higher until it peaked, and before me sat a comfortable little valley with a rich, blue, river that snaked down from one of the other mountains before it cut through a lush forest where it eventually stagnated into a lake. The beauty of the view took my breath away, and the near cloudless sky jerked me out of my stupor as I recalled my reason for surfacing. I squinted up at the sun. And shuddered. There, in the sky, sat, well, a normal star like the one I once knew. The problem was that overlapping it was the transparent image of the abomination that heralded the world¡¯s end. A pure white impossibly bright core, a middling gray ring that churned and swirled, and an external black band so deep that the dark of space itself fell short of comparison. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Uriel tried to comfort me by alerting me to the fact that no one else could see anything other than the actual sun, but that did little to assuage my sour mood. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me my ultimate goal for still being alive is to do something about that¡­ that thing¡­ . I guess it¡¯s just another mystery I¡¯ll have to solve. Like the question marks in my status, or my abnormal regeneration speed.¡± I dropped my gaze, and my shoulders, and kicked one of the smaller copper bits away. Weird. My feet are bare, but that didn¡¯t hurt. Then my eyes shot wide. ¡°Hey! Wait a minute! How come I can dig through solid copper but not stone?¡± I crossed my arms and grumbled. ¡°I bet it was that jerk¡¯s magic. It has to be magic! It¡¯s always freakin¡¯ magic!¡± Fed up with my endlessly stressful existence, I stormed over to a nearby bush on a whim and plucked one of the tantalizingly juicy red berries that dotted its surface. Uriel informed me with a little window that it¡¯s apparently known as a goga fruit, that it only grows in this region, and is considered a delicacy to some. ¡°Neat.¡± I took a deep breath to calm down, and glanced out at the lush valley and shimmering lake when my eyes landed on a small village beside the body of water. I watched the villagers little figures go about their business as I popped the goga fruit into my mouth and started to chew. Should I go down there and see what¡¯s to be seen? Try to scrape together some equipment or goods to barter first? Or keep exploring in the hopes that that band of soldiers doesn¡¯t follow? Bunnyman did say that they were going to try to track me¡­ . Just then, the juice in my mouth saturated my tongue, and I screamed. ¡°How is it bitter and spicy at the same time? And what madman called this a delicacy?¡± # Captain Morris Horn trudged through the gray marble corridors of the temple of the Transcendent faith with his long rabbit ears drooped low, guided through the darkness of night only by the warm light of the candelabras spaced out along the vacuous hall. He and his unit had spent the remainder of the day searching, and used every trick, item, and ability at their disposal, but their quarry had somehow slipped past their several mile wide range of detection, so they had to return empty handed. He gritted his teeth and thought. Our mission was so simple! All we had to do was track down the apostle the Ascendent detected! All we had to do was bring them back so the church could care for them like all the others, but it resisted¡­ got away¡­ and¡­ He shuddered at the memory of its furious gaze. And I was too terrified to follow. Other temple knights of various races stood guard along the hall he walked, and they saluted each other as he passed. The weight of his failure compounded with his fear of punishment as he neared the far door that led to the Ascendant¡¯s chamber. In his faith, like most, all were welcome. What differentiated the Transcendent faith however was that unlike the others who worshiped and relied upon the creator God or one of the various lesser terrestrial deities, the Transcendent faith only acknowledged the creator as their origin, and instead promoted a doctrine of self sufficiency not reliance on divine grace. In other words, the more capable you are the faster and farther you can rise through the ranks, but if you prove inept then you will be relegated to menial and talentless work at the bottom. Not all see that as a bad thing, but never before had he failed, never before had he faced the thought of becoming just another temple knight, and never before had the alabaster portal inlaid with the depiction of the garden of creation seemed so daunting. He was just in the actual garden, an act condemned by all other religions, one his pardoned only when new apostles appear, yet this facsimile of it was¡­ suddenly disturbing to him. Like it was lacking in some way he never noticed before. And deep within he knew that his encounter with that apostle was the reason he now felt this way. But why? I¡¯ve found other apostles before and brought them back without issue, so why am I shaken now? Why do I feel like I¡¯ve done such wrong? Why is this one so¡­ different? He muttered. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just letting my fear of demotion blow things out of proportion.¡± Then he gulped and knocked twice. He waited with his head lowered for a time, then a sweet woman¡¯s voice seeped through the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Captain Horn entered the small office packed with books and piles of other documents. Despite the grandeur of the temple itself and the ostentatious design of the armor and garments worn by religious officials, the rooms and offices of the Ascendants were always much more humble. And the Ascendant herself reflected that, as her white and gold hooded and veiled vestment prevented even the tiniest portion of her body from being seen. She sat behind a paper crowded old desk, with only a single candle to stave off the gloom of the night, and gestured for him to sit at the only other chair in the room. Instead of obeying, he knelt and lowered his head beside the seat, and recited a well practiced line. ¡°I thank you for your consideration, your eminence, but I am unworthy.¡± I¡¯ve done this more times than I can count, but I wonder why protocol dictates we act so formally in a private meeting? I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. If there¡¯s one thing we temple knights are trained to do it¡¯s to ensure that procedure is observed. The Ascendant nodded, and spoke softly, in a tone one might use to console a child. ¡°I hear you met with misfortune today. Would you like to share your experience?¡± Again he gulped. She asked it as a question, and had no doubt already gotten the details of his failure from the other knights in his group, but he had no real choice but to answer. ¡°I¨C We, tracked down the apostle you dreamed of. As always, it was unique, and this one apparently burst forth from the earth by means of its great skill in burrowing.¡± She folded her hands on the desk in front of her. ¡°Ahh. So that¡¯s how it escaped. I trust you used the usual tactic of encirclement and accusation of wrongdoing to confuse its innocent mind so you could ensnare it?¡± ¡°Yes. Though, unlike the others, it couldn¡¯t understand me at first, but it quickly learned our language, and replied in fear as most do, only¨C¡± ¡°Only you failed to cut off its fastest method of escape!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± The Ascendant¡¯s sudden and abnormally loud shout shook the room and sent Captain Horn reeling. His ears were sensitive, that¡¯s why he found success as a part of, and now led, the search party, but that sensitivity was also a critical weakness when faced with loud noises. After a moment of silence, he recovered his senses and lowered his head to the floor. ¡°Apologies for my outburst, your eminence, I should maintain better control over myself.¡± Again, he had no choice but to submit. She was one of the Ascendants, second in authority only to the Transcendent, and he was but a lowly captain of the temple knights. And that¡¯s not considering the difference in their abilities either. He had never seen her fight, but the mere act of imagining the gulf in power that separated them sent shivers down his spine. After all, you don¡¯t reach the top of the Transcendent faith by being incompetent or resting on your laurels. The veiled woman blew out a sigh, and returned to her gentler tone. ¡°I understand, captain. The fault is mine as well, I shouldn¡¯t have let my emotions get the better of me. Now, could you tell me if the apostle gave its name, and what it looked like? We need to hurry and find it now that it¡¯s out in the wider world. Who knows what¡­ unsavory forces might try to harm it. I¡¯m quite worried.¡± Realization and relief flooded Captain Horn before the depth of his failure reasserted itself. If only I¡¯d stopped its flight. It¡¯d be safe, here, at the temple. Not out there, left alone to fend for itself in a vast and unforgiving world. He took a deep breath, then said. ¡°It called itself Anon Amos, and it¡­ well¡­ I thought it was the same race as me, but after speaking with my men, it apparently appears different to everyone who looks upon it.¡± Silence was the Ascendant¡¯s only answer. Silence broken only by the creaking created as she gradually tightened her grip on the arms of her chair. Too afraid to speak, Captain Horn waited, head still lowered, breath caught in his throat, for whatever her next words might be. Oh God. Did I say something wrong? But no matter the severity, if she deigns to punish me, I must accept it. This is my fault. Several minutes later, the Ascendant whispered. ¡°Go and rest. We¡¯ll need to work quickly, so prepare. Your next expedition begins tomorrow.¡± Startled, Captain Horn jumped to his feet, saluted, and backed out of the room due to the difference in their station. Once the door was soundly shut behind him, he nearly collapsed in relief. He muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time. I¡¯ll definitely save you next time!¡± # Ascendant Josephine Barla slouched in her chair. She had been ready to bury the captain under the full extent of her personal and political power for letting such a valuable asset escape, but she¡¯d need every able body she could get for the imminent hunt, so she managed to restrain herself. If what he said is true then this apostle is special. To have such freedom of form, and such affinity with the earth itself. I can¡¯t let the other Ascendants learn of it, and certainly not his Holiness the Transcendent. Those heartless tyrants would only try to take it for themselves. She extended the full range of her senses, which made her aware of every voice, presence, and magical signature within the temple and a good bit of the surrounding town. Once she was sure no one with the ability to detect her was around, she silently activated the space magic no one but her equals and superior knew she had, and teleported to the catacombs beneath the faith¡¯s main temple several countries away. Only the Ascendants and Transcendent knew about this place. Shaped like a domed birdcage with graves in the place of bars, it had no physical entrance, for they built it centuries ago, when they first discovered how to ascend, and discarded their mortality in favor of walking the path to meet the creator God. Josephine ran her white gloved fingers along the dusty name plates that covered the filled recesses in the walls as she walked toward the altar at the center of the room. Abatur Cassiel Dumah Harut Nsab One by one, she remembered the apostles that she had gathered and chained upon the altar. One by one, their faces and voices returned to her as she neared the stone slab where their powers became hers, where they fell so she could ascend ever higher. She grinned. ¡°No one else will have you, Anon Amos. I won¡¯t let the others take your powers from me. I won¡¯t let you fuel their growth, not when I¡¯m so close to a breakthrough that I can feel it!¡± She threw back her head and laughed. ¡°You will be mine! You have to be mine! God wills our growth! God lights our way, and made us in his image so that we could walk it! This is our fate! Our destiny! Our path! And you are but a stone upon it!¡± Crafting with a Friend I wipe the last of that disgusting goga fruit¡¯s juices from my tongue, and shake my head. ¡°Let¡¯s be real. I really need to be better equipped if I¡¯m going to last in this new and strange world¡­ especially if my lack of bodily needs suddenly turns off again like it did just before my nap.¡± With my mind made up, I used Uriel to scan everything my little eyes landed on. Which, to be fair, wasn¡¯t a whole lot, since Uriel apparently won¡¯t activate on things I can¡¯t see clearly, and that sorta kills my hopes to quickly search the valley and figure out a direction to head in. ¡°At any rate, the purple-leaved trees are called Nora-nora, and they¡¯re great for firewood and carving, but their wood is too soft to make reliable tools with. Goga bush wood is sturdier, but their branches are flimsy, and their trunks are only big enough for, like, a couple arrows at best. The copper would work, but I don¡¯t have any means to process it, and I haven¡¯t found any conveniently sized rocks to carve with yet either¡­ Maybe I just need to stop being a wuss and go down the mountain. What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Yeah, I know. Famous last words. Heh. I clambered down old copper cap and moseyed my way into the forested valley. It was a mostly uneventful journey as anytime I was faced with an obstacle, like a crevice, boulder, or steep ledge, I just dug my way around, or through, it. It pays to be the Emperor of Excavation I tell ya. As the treeline closed in around me, I carefully inspected the translucent panels that Uriel dutifully created for me so that I could identify a piece of fantasy foliage suitable enough for me to forcefully foist upon it my fabulously feeble carpentry capabilities. It took a bit of time, as the sun now hung low enough to brush the peaks of the copper mountains, but given my history of wandering the barren Earth for endless ages it could hardly be considered more than a small jaunt at best. I almost stopped a few times, once at a willow with thorns instead of leaves, once at an oak as black as a starless night, and once at something akin to a cedar twisted up into knots, but my gut told me there¡¯d be something better, and I wasn¡¯t wrong. Rosy rays dappled the clouds and all beneath them in the evening''s warm hues as I set about gathering the fallen branches and chunks of bark scattered around the particular tree that caught my interest. Of all the plants I¡¯d seen up to this point, this was the only one with anything akin to stats, let alone an individual name, but it didn¡¯t have a face or anything, and it didn¡¯t react to my presence or touch. ¡°But why is its status so different from mine! Why does it get actual numbers instead of my vague descriptions? It makes so much more sense for the system to use numbers!¡± I huff, all too aware that the difference is more than likely due to my unknown titles and abilities, and return to collecting wood. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ve no choice but to keep going one way or another, though I wish I could¡¯ve talked to this tree. Guess it¡¯s just not that kind of creature though. But that¡¯s a problem in and of itself, because now I have no way to know how strong its stats are in comparison to other things or what the heck happened to this place! I mean, it¡¯s convenient that there¡¯s so much material to work with just lying around, but how did it get here? It clearly came from this tree, but there¡¯s no sign of any creatures or people knocking these branches down or peeling off these chunks of bark, yet here they are, discarded and waiting. And what¡¯s weirder is that the tree appears to be in perfect condition, not a broken stump of a branch or missing patch of bark in sight.¡± Maybe I should try checking it¡¯s titles and abilities for answers! I focus Uriel on the task, but get an instinctual understanding that my abilities aren¡¯t high enough for that yet. Or maybe I shouldn¡¯t look the old gift tree in the¡­ mouth? Knot? Oh whatever. I¡¯m running out of daylight, so I may as well get as much work done as I can. I used Uriel to help poke around for a sharp rock, or a couple of rocks I could sharpen, so that I could whittle the branches into the proper shapes only to find them, once again, at the base of this tree. ¡°Okay, I get that it¡¯s named Wise Old Friend, but this is ridiculous! I mean, how the heck would everything I need be right here without any trace of someone putting it here? Did the tree do it? It has to be that, right? It is named Wise Old Friend and all, but if this tree prepared all this knowing I¡¯d come then it¡¯s got precognition instead of wisdom.¡± I ceased my grumbling and sat at the base of my botanical benefactor. After sorting through my haul, I got to work using one of the flatter and sharper rocks as a knife to sheer off the twigs from one of the larger branches. If I think about it with the assumption that the tree is sentient, and add in what I¡¯ve learned about the magic abilities in this world, then the tree could¡¯ve shed some branches and bark, healed itself somehow, then what? Dredged up those stones with its roots? It still doesn¡¯t explain how it knew I¡¯d be coming, or wanted any of this, but I guess that can wait until I figure out a way to communicate. After that, I used a smoother stone to rub away the bark, then switched to a rough stone to sand down the remaining bumps until the branch was changed into a decent enough short staff. I wanted to admire my work, but the sun decided to disappear at that very moment, so I sighed, and stared out into the darkness instead. ¡°My first day is over¡­ And what a day it¡¯s been. Hoo boy. To think so much would change for me and this world so quickly. No. Not quickly. I just feel that way because I¡¯ve been asleep for so long.¡± I hear some creatures roughly equivalent to crickets start chirping all around, and for the first time I realize just how dangerous my current predicament is. ¡°I¡¯m alone, in the dark, in the middle of the woods, in a world full of fantastical creatures with magical abilities that I designed with several lifetimes of experience¡­ And they¡¯re no doubt hungry.¡± I guess I just forgot to be afraid because the only animals I¡¯d sensed up to this point were small birds or insects, with no trace of anything larger. Plus, all my knowledge and memories from the old Earth had no real fear of the outdoors in them. ¡°This would be bad, but I have a friend to watch out for me.¡± I turn and pat the trunk of the solid gold leafed tree behind me, before I stand and clamber up into the safety of its sturdy branches. I brought my staff with me, but left the rest down on the ground. That stuff wouldn¡¯t help me now, and would only make climbing even more difficult. And it wasn¡¯t easy to climb either, given that one of my hands was occupied, and the mess of branches and leaves only got thicker as I went higher up, but once I made it about twenty feet off the ground I found a nice little nexus of branches to rest in, and decided that that would be my bed for the night. I nestled in, wrapped my rags a little tighter, and peeked at the moon from between the glittering metallic-looking leaves. ¡°Bad idea.¡± Staring back at me was of course the moon I knew and took for granted back from the old Earth. I never reimagined it so that¡¯s not the problem. The problem was that that stupid black, gray, and white anomaly was overlapping it just like it did with the sun during the day. I scowled, wedged my staff into some branches next to me, then folded my arms and closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t feel tired, but felt I could sleep till morning if I wished, and since I had nothing better to do, I tried to relax. Nothing like a bit of nightmare fuel to lull one to sleep¡­ No, don¡¯t think about your problems¡­ Problems¡­ Like those soldiers who are presumably still chasing me with unknown methods, numbers, and powers all because I had to wake up in their precious holy land. I smacked a hand to my face. ¡°Dang it! Why does this always happen? Why do people¡¯s brains conjure up so much unpleasantness when we¡¯re trying to go to sleep!¡± I sighed. ¡°This is going to be a long night¡­ .¡± # For an eternity the Wise Old Friend waited. Waited for an opportunity to repay the generous one who had given it everything and so much more. Waited for an opportunity to catch even a single glimpse of the profile of the glorious one that it revered above all, of the gentle one that had rested against its trunk and elevated it to a status above all other plants. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Though the sleeping one had vanished beneath the earth while resting, the Wise Old Friend knew they would eventually return, and so it bided its now near limitless time by watching over the Garden of the magnificent one¡¯s creation. It was the least it could do after all. The selfless one had given so much of itself in order to create everything that is, and done so without asking for anything in return. So the Wise Old Friend spent its days using its powers to keep the garden pristine and peaceful, but the more mobile and shorter lived peoples eventually forgot their place in the world, and allowed ambition and half-remembered truths to guide them into conflict. Conflict that led them to reach for more and ever more, which resulted in many ancient nations trying to lay claim to it and its benevolent powers for themselves. In spite of the taboo, they trampled through the garden of the loving one that gave them life, spilled each other''s blood in a vain attempt at dominance, and ultimately sought to uproot the Wise Old Friend so that they could haul it back to wherever it came from. But the Wise Old Friend had other ideas. Though it could not bring itself to harm the children of the mighty one¡¯s creation, it didn¡¯t have to sit still either. Using its considerable magic it sacrificed its body to restore the damage and expel the invaders from the garden. Then, with the last of its life it used its extensive root system to reach under the nearby mountain range and transfer its consciousness into a new sapling hidden in a quiet valley. Deprived of its grandeur and the majority of its powers, the Wise Old Friend wallowed in shame at what had to be done to protect what should have been held by all as the most precious place. All it could do was hope that its last great act reminded the lost of that fact, and pray that the benevolent one could somehow forgive it once they inevitably returned. Centuries passed. The Wise Old Friend slumbered. Its new body grew to a respectable size. And then it felt the earth stir. It was subtle. Like the tiniest shifting of sand. But with its wide network of roots still intact the Wise Old Friend felt it, and awoke in a panic. The original one was awake! It had to prepare! Without hesitation it dropped several of its magically saturated branches and shed entire chunks of its bark for the great one to use. It did not know when or if they would come for it but the Wise Old Friend would be ready regardless. This is what it lived for. And they came. Every fiber of its being basked in the pure presence of the only being it revered, and every second was nothing less than bliss. Though the glorious one¡¯s presence had diminished greatly, though they wore nothing but rags, though they seemed weary and troubled, there was no way the Wise Old Friend could mistake them for anyone else. They had returned! Then the Wise Old Friend heard them speak with their gentle soothing voice for the first time in literal ages, and it hung upon every incomprehensible syllable. If only it could understand what was being said that it could be of greater service! But it appeared that they weren''t completely satisfied with the Wise Old Friend¡¯s offerings. And it knew why. Truly the loss of its once grand body was its greatest regret. The bark was thicker, the branches stronger. So much more could¡¯ve been made from it, but now it was only subpar at best. Ready to wither away and die from disgrace, the Wise Old Friend silently unearthed several stones for the righteous one to strike it down with, but instead they simply took the stones and carved one of its discarded limbs into a short staff. Then the forgiving one lightly patted its trunk, climbed to the very heart of its branches, and for the second time, laid down to rest under the Wise Old Friend¡¯s watch. Truly there is no greater bliss than this. Truly the omniscient one, its master, knew its heart even better than it. Truly all was forgiven, and all would be well. Once the tired one drifted off to peaceful sleep, the Wise Old Friend did all it could to contain its rampant emotions so as to not disturb their rest, but every so often a shudder or two escaped. Harder it tried, but the more it sought to suppress, the more difficult the task became, until finally the Wise Old Friend did the tree equivalent of passing out in pure unrestrained bliss. # Morning¡¯s light gently prodded me awake, and by prodded I mean it slipped past the leaves at regular intervals to poke me repeatedly in the eye until I finally couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer. To my surprise, I wasn¡¯t stiff or sore like I expected, given the fact that I just slept on the rough and tough bark of a tree of all things, but whatever! ¡°I¡¯ve got more crafting to do!¡± I stretched and glanced around at the wide golden leaves and the gold-brown bark of the Wise Old Friend, only to cock my head at the brilliant white blossoms that appeared at some point all over the friendly foliage. ¡°The heck? Oh! I get it!¡± I pat the tree just as I did last night before I climbed into its branches. ¡°This is how you say good morning! So good morning to you too buddy!¡± After I un-wedge my staff from where I lodged it, but before I can take a moment to look over my handy work, Uriel activates and my status window appears. -Name: Anon Amos Race: Human? Age: ??? Height: 5¡¯ 10¡±? Weight: 147lbs? Titles: Soul Survivor; ??? Wanderer; Excavation Emperor; ???; ???; Dreamer; Awakened Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status Conditions: None New Abilities: Craftsman: Novice lv: 5- ¡°What?! My height and weight changed? And I got a new ability! But¡­ why? I didn¡¯t even get a system announcement or anything.¡± Then the system¡¯s effeminate voice declared. ¡°Huh¡­ If that¡¯s how it is then I¡¯ll need to make sleeping a regular thing.¡± I glance back down at my staff then stop. ¡°Wait a minute. The heck¡¯s with that last remark? I didn¡¯t even ask about whether or not I was an exception!¡± I wait, but the system gives me the silent treatment again. Oh well. I technically already knew I was abnormal since I got the intimidation ability earlier without needing to sleep¡­ . Finally, I get around to appraising my staff. Honestly, it looks just about as plain as it gets. A diameter of only about three inches, a length of about four feet. Pale brown in color, thanks to the fact that I removed all the bark, and though it''s mostly straight it has several lumps and bends in it just as you¡¯d expect from a former branch. Uriel then pulled up a side window for me to scrutinize.
Short staff: Name: Witness Power: 15? Mana: 500 Durability: 6000 Traits: Loyal, Self mending, One with nature, pathfinder, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
¡°Wow! That¡¯s¡­ Well I think that¡¯s good? I mean I don¡¯t really have any basis for comparison, but it certainly looks more impressive than I expected, so I guess having quality materials definitely makes a difference!¡± I spin it around a few times to get a feel for its surprisingly comfortable weight and decent balance, then pause. ¡°Hey! Who named it? Was it the tree? The system? Or is that just how crafting works?¡± For the second time Uriel informed me that it wasn¡¯t high enough level to gather that information, so I sighed and got to work on my next creations. The hours passed by and to be completely honest, all I did was sharpen a few other branches into makeshift spears, long stakes really, javelins if you¡¯re being generous.
Spears: Names: Punishment, Retribution, Reprisal, Discipline, and Judgement Power: 37? Durability: 6000 Traits: Loyal, Self mending, Sharp, Pierce, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
After that I layered the remaining bark chunks, and used some smaller wooden pegs that I¡¯d fashioned from the leftovers of the branches to nail them together, then used the last branch to form a handle, since I had nothing on hand to strap this buckler to my arm with.
Buckler: Name: Faith Defense: 60 Durability: 8000 Traits: Loyal, Self mending, Block, Deflect, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
Lastly, I ripped off the lower part of my ragged shirt and turned it into a haphazard sling just big enough to carry my spears. So with them secured over my shoulder, my staff in one hand, and my buckler in the other, I stood and looked around. ¡°Now, which way was it to that lake¡­ .¡± As I contemplated this, I felt something flow out of me and my staff twitched before its far end jerked to my left. I stared at it for a minute, then I realized. ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s what the pathfinder trait does! Neat!¡± With my preparations complete, the sun now high overhead, and the last of the wood used up, I patted the Wise Old Friend to signal my thanks, smelled one of its lovely grape scented flowers in place of saying farewell, and headed off in the direction my staff indicated. ¡°So, now that I¡¯ve got some equipment, what do I do? Go to the Village? Set up traps for the soldiers? Or should I avoid this area entirely and look outside the valley?¡± Onward! To civilization! ¡°... I should at least visit the village before deciding what to do. For all I know they could be nice. Nicer than those soldiers at any rate.¡± Various small brightly colored birds flitted and sang sweetly overhead as I traipsed in the general direction of the lake that my staff had pointed me in. I didn¡¯t recall hearing them yesterday, but then again, I was being so single minded in my search that I probably just didn¡¯t notice. Which is a shame since their music is beautiful. But missing out is what I get for being concerned with my personal problems. Problems like whether or not this village will welcome a complete stranger, dressed in rags, wielding crude equipment, and who¡¯ll just wander out of the woods without warning while hoping they speak the same language as those soldiers. I stop. ¡°Maybe I should hold off on the whole making contact part for now and just watch from a distance? If they speak a different tongue I could learn it without them noticing, and maybe get an idea for their culture and way of life so that I can gather something they want or need before staging our first encounter.¡± I nod, and continue on with a more chipper spring to my step, but remember to remain wary of any dangerous creatures that may or may not be lurking out here. Regardless, I enjoy the colorful flora I pass, such as ruby tulips with crystalline petals, daffodils painted in neon orange, ferns with streaks of purple on their bright green leaves, and a multitude of glowing mushrooms so life-like that I almost mistook them for a group of jellyfish sapping the life out of a tree. The sun had sunk low in the sky by the time I got to the lakeshore, though that only made the glittering surface of the crystal clear water, now dyed orange, even more dazzling to behold. ¡°Honestly, some of the things I¡¯ve seen so far have made me wonder if it was really me who designed them, but when I find places like this I can¡¯t help but to forget all that and stop so I can take it in.¡± But even the strange things I¡¯ve found are so easy to appreciate now that I know what the world would be like¡­ if everything and everyone just¡­ disappeared. I let my melancholy fade with the whisper of the small waves against the bright white sandy shore, and let the soft breeze carry off my loneliness to the incredibly faint scent of meat being cooked from the still distant village across the way. The simple thatch huts were easy enough to make out, as was the large, presumably communal, fire pit where the meat was being cooked. Additionally, I could see a few figures scuttling about on the beach, probably fishing or searching for¡­ shellfish? Crystals? Mollusks? Maybe they just dropped something and I can¡¯t tell? Anyway, I had to squint to see even the slightest of details about them against the fading light, so odds were they couldn¡¯t see me nestled in the treeline, especially since I wasn¡¯t moving around or anything. I watched them for a while, almost entranced, surprised at the strange sense of satisfaction and contentment that filled me. Occasionally I caught the sound of a raised voice, usually in laughter or excitement when someone found something on the beach, but then I heard a growl. At first I feared it was my long neglected stomach finally demanding an offering, but it turned out to be so, so, so, much worse. For the next thing I knew something heavy, with paws and sharp claws, pounced onto my back, and pinned me face first into the gritty, albeit soft, sand. # Letta. A simple girl no older than ten. Stuck in the village of Kormath nestled within a secluded valley that bordered the garden of creation. Her parents moved to this place when she was only three, and did so not out of fear for their lives or to chase prosperity, but simply due to their faith and reverence for the creator God. This, she knew about them, this and little else. For faith led them here, and here they died, leaving her in the care of a hodgepodge of strangers. And she only knew all this because everyone who lived in this secluded backwater village, beholden to no nation or king, had done the exact same thing. They hadn¡¯t been called here by some great hero or ambitious leader, or plotted with each other to start a new life, no. The only thing binding these otherwise complete strangers, from all walks of life, to this place was their shared claim that they received a special dream that sparked within them the urge to leave their old lives behind. A dream, they believe, that came from the creator God. Which was all well and good for them, since their families survived or started anew upon their arrival. But she couldn¡¯t even recall her parent¡¯s faces or voices, and the only things she had to remember them by were the auburn hair, green eyes, webbed fingers and toes, pink fin-like ears, and pale freckled skin that stared back at her each time she looked into the lake or a pail of water. They died for faith. Faith. And left her with nothing but her name and features. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s all she had left of them. True, the other villagers sheltered and raised her, but she¡¯d never had a real home here. Each night, for as long as she could remember, she¡¯d sleep in the corner of someone else¡¯s hut, eat with a different family, and help them however she could so as to not burden them. But she never had the time needed to fully learn an ability from one profession or another before having to move again, so she ended up becoming an ability-less nuisance, and then an outright burden. She knew this, knew it as surely as she knew the details of her parent¡¯s faith, as surely as the other villagers who, in turn, gave her less and less responsibility; along with gazes not of disgust or annoyance, but of sour, heartbreaking, pity. Sure, she recalled their pity from before, back when she was younger, but that had ignited into hope as she grew and they worked to shape her into a productive and reverent member of their society. Only now that hope had burned out due to her lack of ability. Some might think it a harsh assessment of a girl of only ten, but the other children around her age had all learned the basic abilities needed to perform their parent¡¯s professions by now, but she hadn¡¯t, and now no one offered to teach her anything anymore so her opportunities were dried up. The worst part was everyone knew she was effectively useless, but no one would say it. They, because their faith prevented them from abandoning her. She, because she had already come to reject them and their precious faith. Faith. Faith. Letta stared blankly into the huge cookfire that roasted the hunters latest catch at the village¡¯s shore and thought. Empty, stupid, faith. She wrapped her skinny arms around her legs and hugged them tight. The green of her eyes glinted with envy against the auburn evening light as she watched the other inhabitants dance and celebrate their good fortune. ¡°Praise be to the generous creator! Praise be to this bounty!¡± Mugs clacked together, as the raucous hunters downed ale brewed, not for alcoholic content, but simply to add a taste to the otherwise abundant pure water. The rich savory smell of the large sizzling and popping slabs of fierce Grandour meat made every stomach rumble, but it would be a while before the feast would be ready. And it¡¯ll be a feast to remember. Today¡¯s the holy day of blooming. Supposedly it¡¯s the day the creator God filled the world with plantlife. As if these¡­ people could know that for fact! But that¡¯ll never stop them. Not with their faith¡­ At least it gives me the chance I¡¯ve been waiting for. Letta once again scanned the village. Everyone was out of their huts, bringing tables, chairs, plates, and mugs. They¡¯d opened the casks of spirits reserved only for special occasions, and several people started playing lutes and lyres, drums and simple chimes to fill the pleasantly cool evening air with joyous, if not slightly off key, melodies. Long had she considered what to do to them in order to get even for the years of subtle neglect. After all, they¡¯d failed her. They¡¯d failed to teach her even the most basic abilities. They¡¯d failed to offer her the love she¡¯d needed and then failed to listen even when she screamed about their unfair treatment and views of her. Sure they made sure her bodily needs were met, but not once did she receive enough emotional support to fully trust any of them. And how could she? None of them claimed her as their own. To them, she was always the village¡¯s responsibility. But she¡¯d had enough. They¡¯re all useless! My parents! The villagers! And especially that heartless creator God who put me here in the first place! She glanced at the hunter¡¯s lodge, where all the monster and animal venoms were kept, and closed her eyes. Only a little longer. Soon they¡¯ll all get a taste of the pain they¡¯ve given me. And they¡¯ll all regret not wanting me! Grandour are pony-sized lizards that hunt in packs. Known for their paralytic venom, they are one of the more common inhabitants of this valley. And thanks to Letta, all the drinks were spiked with their venom. I might not have learned any abilities, but I know my way around Kormath at least. I¡¯ll say my goodbyes while they¡¯re helpless, take what I can carry, and be off. It¡¯s clear they don¡¯t want me here anyway, but it¡¯d be wrong not to at least thank them for keeping me alive. The night settled in and the meat finished cooking, but soon after the celebration really got underway everyone stopped moving in the darkness. They merely slowed down at first, thanks to the diluted venom, but after a few minutes, the shadows and silhouettes of the celebrating villagers were all helplessly slumped where they were seated or stood, unable to move anything other than their eyes; the nearest of which she saw dart around in wide-eyed panic. Letta smirked. Got up from where she sat in the gloom of a hut, ready to admonish them for all she was worth, but a twig snapped behind her, and something big hissed. She froze, but her little heart raced. The very air stilled around her as time seemed to settle into place. Then, unable to bear not knowing any longer, she jerked her head around, and, in the light of the fire, saw a thick, brown mottled lizard roughly the size of a pony flick its tongue out to taste the air. A grandour! But why? The hunters should¡¯ve killed tonight¡¯s catch far from the village! It¡¯s pack shouldn¡¯t have followed! She staggered back as the massive monster lurched forward. It blinked, tilted and turned its elongated head this way and that, then flicked out its tongue once more before letting out a grating bark. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Other similar sounds resounded from the woods around the village, and the rustling of leaves and snapping of branches indicated the presence of still more grandour. Why? Why are they here? They shouldn¡¯t be here! Not now that everyone¡¯s paralyzed! Letta glanced back at the closest of the unmoving villagers, saw their eyes pleading with her to escape, and withered inside. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! I didn¡¯t want anybody to die! The shadows of more monsters closed in from behind the other nearby huts, and the beast in front of her hissed when it spotted her. She wailed. ¡°Why?¡± # Sand. Gritty, all invading, sand was about all I could see. As for what I could feel, well, there was some big honkin¡¯ palooka of a creature standing on me and I can¡¯t say that its claws made for a very comfortable back massage. It took a bit of effort, but I pushed myself up and managed to get the thing off my back, before I turned to face it. ¡°But what am I even looking at?¡± Long like a snake, it was about the size of a panther and covered in¡­ feathers? A pair of deer antlers protruded from its head, and believe it or not it had bear paws, four cat-like eyes, and¡­ dragonfly wings? It was getting too dark to accurately make out its patterns or colors, but it was one heck of an amalgamation that was for sure. ¡°Uriel, I¡¯ma need a status on this thingie pronto.¡±
Name: n/a Species: Sekthalis Health: 100/100 Mana: 45/45 Endurance: 50/50 Strength: 51 Agility: 67 Speed: 44 Toughness: 22 Spirit: 45 Status conditions: hungry Titles: Juvenile Abilities: Venomous bite lv: 13 Lightning counter lv: 10 Flight lv: 2 Constriction lv: 20 Tree climber lv: 7 Night vision lv: 23 Stone scale shield lv: 9 Sudden strike lv: 12
As soon as the window opened the monster reared back its roughly volleyball sized serpentine head and snapped at me with surprising speed. Thankfully I had my trusty buckler to ward it off, otherwise I¡¯d be in a lot of pain right now. I backed up onto the beach, held my staff and buckler defensively and divided my attention between reading about the¡­ sekthalis, and fending it off. I was a little taken aback at my lack of fear given my life threatening situation, but then again, it did all happen so suddenly and with a creature that looks so ridiculous that I guess it¡¯s possible that I forgot to be frightened. My jaw dropped a minute, and a few more bites, later ¡°Wait! Its stats are super low compared to the Wise Old Friend! Does that mean it''s weak? Or is that tree some sorta secret boss?¡± My apparently hungry stalker slunk forward, wings fanned out behind it, making the most disturbing thwack thwack thwack sound I¡¯d ever heard when I had yet another epiphany. If its stats are so low¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean my gear is like¡­ totally awesome? Wide eyed, and a little giddy, I took a cautious swing with Witness the next time the sekthalis snapped at me. I¡¯d noticed that the initial movement was super fast, likely due to its sudden strike ability, but the withdrawal of its head was much slower, and I easily made contact during one such opening. Crack! The monster let out a startlingly adorable yelp as it stumbled back from the unexpected hit. It shook its head a few times, blinked its four eyes repeatedly, and then eyed me warily, clearly no longer driven solely by hunger. I used the opportunity to check its status again, and found that it was both down 10 health and gained the status conditions: injured and surprised. Yeah I¡¯d be cautious too if I suddenly lost a tenth of my health in one hit¡­ Not that I¡¯d even know if I lost a tenth of my health¡­ Stupid status system and its stupid discrepancies! It didn¡¯t advance or try to attack again, but it didn¡¯t flee either. But then again, neither did I. After all, I wasn¡¯t about to turn my back to it again, and I was too concerned about its stone scale shield, lightning counter, and constriction abilities to try and go on the offensive myself. That left us in this awkward deadlock where nobody moved and nothing changed. I guess I could¡¯ve tried to throw one of my spears, but if I dropped either my shield or staff then it¡¯d probably lunge at me, and that was the last thing I wanted given its attack speed. The sun finally got tired of watching our waiting game and hid behind the mountain range, and before I could decide on what to do to break this stand off I heard a pleading, desperate scream resound from across the lake. ¡°Why?¡± It was so pitiful that I almost forgot my situation and looked in the village¡¯s direction. The sekthalis did much the same, so it wouldn¡¯t have mattered either way, but now I was worried. Oh hey, I understood that! But can I really afford to just keep standing here? I mean, they were fine last I checked, but then what could¡¯ve happened that would prompt such a devastated shout from a little girl? Frantic and fed up, I ground my teeth, and snarled at the monster in front of me. ¡°Will you just hurry up and leave!¡± Suddenly, the monster¡¯s four feline eyes dilated, then it reared back onto its hind legs, wings extended, as if ready to throw itself at me. And then it abruptly turned around and ran away at top speed. I tilted my head, lowered my shield and staff and muttered. ¡°What in the¨C? Oh! Yeah! I have the intimidate ability!¡± Another, more frantic scream came from the little girl in the village, only this time it was wordless. Now freed of that needless conflict born of that beast''s necessity, I gripped my staff and concentrated on finding the fastest path to the village. Again, I felt something flow out of me and into my handy walking stick, but this time more flooded out. Before I even knew what was happening a fat set of vines had reached out from the nearby trees, wrapped around me, hoisted me high into the air, and then unceremoniously launched my unsuspecting self in the general direction of the village. And oh boy was I flying. I mean dang. One moment I¡¯m in the air on one side of the water, the next all I see is water, and then just after that Boom! Dirt! Air! Dirt! Sky! And then you guessed it, more dirt! It hurt all over, but to my utter amazement, I hadn¡¯t broken anything. As I brushed myself off and staggered to my feet I noticed a slew of torn and scattered vines that I guess tried to catch me, so I assume that¡¯s why I got off with only some bruises. Though I don¡¯t feel so great about getting up from a narrow, several foot long crater. I know I¡¯m not exactly normal anymore, but come on! Who even does that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m some sorta super hero or anything¡­ Or am I? I shook off that thought when another louder scream reached my ears. ¡°I¡¯ve got more important matters to take care of!¡± I spun on my heel and bolted through the brush in the direction of the last scream and it wasn¡¯t long before I heard frenzied hissing. I sprinted at full pelt, which resulted in a few facefuls of leaves and branches, but I ignored the pain and soon came upon the source of the commotion. A little redheaded girl with, like, something akin to fish ears surrounded by a pack of around eight or nine pony sized lizards. The monsters slowly closed in on her as she pressed her back against a wide tree. Her simple tan dress was in tatters, her leaf tangled hair was stuck to her sweat stained face, and she was breathing so heavily I thought her little lungs might pop at any second. Then her lonely, desperate green eyes landed on me, and she froze. Oh, crap. Don¡¯t tell me she thinks I¡¯m going to hurt her too! I swear I¡¯m nice! Just so long as you don¡¯t try to eat me that is. A single tear feld her eye and she slumped to the ground without warning. The monsters, either aware of my noisy arrival or picking up on her strange behavior all turned to face me. It was clear their original prey wasn¡¯t going anywhere, so it stands to reason that they¡¯d focus on the new potential threat. ¡°Lucky me.¡± The closest beast opened its toothy maw wide, but I immediately sneered at it and felt my intimidation ability activate. They didn¡¯t flee, but it proved enough to stop the initial attack and force them to back up and regroup. Now¡¯s probably my best chance to get their status.
Name: n/a Species: Grandour Health: 50/50 Mana: 15/15 Endurance: 30/30 Strength: 21 Agility: 14 Speed: 22 Toughness: 10 Spirit: 15 Status conditions: Fear (weak) Titles: n/a Abilities: Paralytic venom lv: 30 Pack hunter lv: 11 Co-ordination lv: 11 Savage strike lv: 4 Strong sense (smell) lv: 9 Stone scale shield lv: 6
There were minor differences from one to another but for the most part they averaged fifty health, and were considerably slower and weaker than that sekthalis thing. Which is probably why they¡¯ve taken so long to corner this girl. Their paralytic venom had me more worried than anything I¡¯d encountered up to this point, but Uriel came to my rescue and supplied me with the details in a side window.
Grandour Venom: A paralytic substance secreted by the front teeth of a grandour. Because it causes no other effects, and is fast acting, it is thus favored by hunters. As an added note, mixing it with alcohol creates an aroma undetectable to most people, but grandour can smell it from considerable distances and come to investigate.
So their venom not only helps hunters, but can be used to call in fresh stock when you¡¯re almost out? Convenient! While I was reading, the beasts moved to surround me. I wasn¡¯t about to let them, and tried to back up to escape the encirclement, but then a pair rushed at me, and I was forced to hit the deck to avoid their jaws and the venom that would bring this confrontation to a swift end. Now I was trapped and more than a little agitated with myself for taking so long to read. I had no doubt that the intimidation was wearing off, and they¡¯d probably rip me to pieces if I just stood here or tried to fend them off conventionally, so I did the only thing that came to mind. ¡°Help me out here!¡± I planted my staff into the ground and willed those thick vines from before to entangle the grandour. But the beasts weren¡¯t just going to wait for me and they rushed all at once, gaping toothy maws ready to snap my life to a gruesome close. Again, that same something flowed from me and into my staff, and before they got me, and I do mean just before they got me, we''re talking maybe a few inches here, heavy gnarled roots burst from the ground, enveloped the monsters, and then swallowed them back down into the earth. I shuddered, all too aware of just how close of a call that was, and then turned to face the fainted girl. She appeared to still be out cold, but she didn¡¯t look too badly hurt, just a couple scrapes and bruises. I shook off my jitters and the guilt of having just doomed several creatures to an early grave, and gently scooped the child up, and followed the path of broken underbrush that the monsters made when they chased the girl here. It took only a few minutes to make it back to the edge of the now dead silent village, littered with bodies slumped all over the place. I froze, but Uriel informed me that they were only paralyzed, and I relaxed. ¡°I guess she led the monsters away before they could be eaten, but they''re not hurt so that doesn¡¯t explain how everyone got paraly¨C Oh! Their drinks! But then who spiked them? Oh well, I guess I can figure that out later. After I¡¯ve gotten them back on their feet. But what should I focus on after? Learning practical abilities? Getting the lay of the land? Or maybe something more combat oriented? How about seeing if I can get magic lessons?¡± # Captain Horn led forty other temple knights through the thick brush and trees of the garden of creation. Unlike their last visit and every other trip to the garden he could recall, the whole of the garden¡¯s vegetation seemed to impede their movement as if the plants were willfully holding them back. A journey that should¡¯ve taken only a few hours for a well equipped, trained, and able, group of knights had spanned an entire day. And as night set in, Captain Horn sighed. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today! Make camp, and get a fire going! We¡¯ll be beginning our climb of the copper mountains tomorrow so be sure to turn in as soon as you¡¯ve eaten!¡± A chorus of voices answered. ¡°Yes sir!¡± As his unit broke up to perform their assigned tasks, his adjutant, a woman with a long snake¡¯s tail in place of legs slithered up to him and asked. ¡°Sir? About the garden, was it¨C?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t know why, but something¡¯s trying to stop us from following the Apostle.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll persist?¡± He crossed his arms, and listened. ¡°It¡¯s utterly silent tonight, just like on the way here. Either all other creatures have departed, or they¡¯re all lying low. And since it¡¯s only been the plants inhibiting us, I¡¯d like to think that things will be easier once we¡¯re clear of the garden.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. But do you think the Apostle will go quietly?¡± He frowned. ¡°After our last encounter? Not really. But I owe it to them to at least offer a chance to surrender peacefully.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She turned, and started to slither away. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and get some rest. We¡¯ve still got a long way to go.¡± He watched her back until the darkness obscured her. It¡¯ll take us three days to cross those mountains assuming nothing goes wrong. After that¡­ well¡­ here¡¯s hoping the Apostle didn¡¯t stray too far from the garden. He chuckled sadly and muttered. ¡°This could be a really long mission.¡± Finding the Magic Within Yeah, magic is the obvious choice isn¡¯t it. I mean, I¡¯ve got so much of it I hardly know where to start. Oh wait. Yes I do. I need to learn how to sense and manipulate mana before I even attempt to use the actual magic abilities that I already have. ¡°But before even that.¡± I glanced around at the absolute mess of a scene in front of me and then at the young fish-eared girl passed out in my arms. ¡°I should really get these people taken care of.¡± Without a moment¡¯s delay I moved to the largest building in the village. It appeared to be some sort of gathering hall, the alderman¡¯s house, or more likely both, and then I laid the girl down in a corner of the biggest room I found. I repeated the process several times, first taking the children, and then going after the older and more feeble looking members of this settlement, before turning to the able-bodied ones who remained. Most had fainted, or exhausted themselves at some point, likely when the pack of monsters showed up, but a few of the calmer or hardier types were still awake. Though they couldn¡¯t move or speak, they totally stared at me in what I can only assume was a mix of relief and confusion. After all, I was a complete, and if prior reactions were any indication, hideous, stranger in some of the shabbiest clothes imaginable. I get it! Okay! I look awful! And it doesn¡¯t help that no one in this new world has ever seen a t-shirt or jeans before, ragged beyond recognition as mine might be. With the imminent threat to their safety settled, I checked the villager¡¯s statuses, but it looked like it¡¯d take a few hours for any of them to recover from the paralysis so I started back out into the night to try and scrounge up some sort of antidote. The grandour venom¡¯s description stated it¡¯s favored by hunters so it only makes sense that they¡¯d have some way to undo it right? It took me a few accidental home invasions, but Uriel¡¯s analysis eventually led me to a building packed with various weapons, vials, and other containers, some of which had traces of poison and venom on or around them. I poked about and finally stumbled across a few vials on a well used workbench that held what I was looking for.
Grandour anti-venom: A mixture of one part grandour venom, one part water essence, and one part goga leaf extract. A few drops will eliminate the effects of grandour venom after ingestion or provide immunity for an hour afterward.
¡°Great! And since I only need a few drops for each person, I can get away with using what¡¯s here!¡± I mumbled. ¡°Because there¡¯s no way I¡¯m pulling off any chemistry or alchemy or whatever other poppycock is needed to make this stuff¡­ That can come later¡­ maybe¡­ if I feel like it¡­ And preferably during a more reasonable hour!¡± With my hands filled with vials, I beat a hasty retreat back to the Alderman¡¯s hut and got to work prying open everyone¡¯s mouths before carefully dripping in three or so drops of the anti-venom. But why is it so hard to open their mouths? I get that their muscles are all locked up, but the amount of effort needed is freaking ridiculous! Plus, by the time I got each one of their traps open and went to apply the potion, my blasted hands were shaking so much from the effort that the simplest part of the whole affair became the most insufferably tedious! ¡°And of course the effects are delayed¡­ .¡± Difficult though it may have been, my mighty strength and agility scores of ¡®able¡¯ somehow proved up to the ruefully redundant task, and by the time I finished with the last paralyzed villager the first of my duly dosed hopeful friends had regained enough of his motor functions to sit up. Time to have a nice long chat with the Alderman! After all, he was the obvious choice to free first since I want to suss out what happened before I arrived, and negotiate for what I want from this village.
Name: Craig, just Craig Species: Anadreth Health: 14/14 Mana: 35/35 Endurance: 12/12 Strength: 11 Agility: 7 Speed: 13 Toughness: 2 Spirit: 35 Status conditions: paralysis (weak) Anti-venom (ongoing) Titles: Old-fart; Alderman of Kormath; Devout; Retired Imperial General Abilities: Leadership lv: 22 Mana sense lv: 3 Mana manipulation lv: 17 Lightning essence magic lv: 16 Command lv: 34 Magic strike lv: 42 Body fortification magic lv: 19 Light essence magic lv: 6
I watch the system labeled old-fart shakily sit up, stretch his gangly arms, and then attempt to regain his footing. It didn¡¯t go so well for him so I lent a hand to the surprisingly warm man, before backing away so as not to invade his personal space any more than I already had. He blinked his deep brown eyes at me a few times, rubbed them, took another appraising look, then remembered himself, straightened up, and slicked back his mostly gray hair behind a pair of deer-like antlers. ¡°F-forgive me, friend, it appears I¡¯ve forgotten my manners this eve. My name is Craig, and I serve as the Alderman of this humble village of Kormath. Might I know the name of our savior, and from whence you hail?¡± His gentle but dignified voice broke the otherwise silent but still slightly tense atmosphere, and succinctly placed the few struggling villagers who heard it into a more relaxed mood. My guess is that¡¯s probably the leadership ability in effect. But holy moly! Are anadreth deer people? I¡¯m pretty sure I caught a glimpse of a bushy little tail when he stumbled, and his legs looked like they could bend in some pretty funny angles, but most of all I wish I could¡¯ve seen his antlers in his younger years! From the filed down stumps that remain on his brow, it looks like he had a mightily impressive set on him! He stared at me for a moment longer, then smiled, and nodded before I realized that I had forgotten to answer him. ¡°Oh! Sorry. I¡¯m Anon Amos. And I¡¯m¡­¡± I scratched the back of my head. ¡°Well I guess I¡¯m not really from anywhere specific to be completely honest.¡± He seemed to relax a little once I¡¯d responded, and bobbed his head several more times. ¡°A traveler, and a very well seasoned one if the design and state of your garb is to be taken into account. But it is a fair and blessed wind that brought you here to us this night, for I know not how we would have survived that debacle if you hadn''t appeared.¡± No kidding, you guys were screwed¡­ But at least he¡¯s being nice about my¡­ unique appearance. And I can understand them without issue too! Maybe this little visit won¡¯t be so bad after all. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s no big deal! I¡¯m just glad everyone¡¯s gonna be okay¡­ Though I am more than a little curious how everyone wound up drinking venom spiked booze. Was that part of the celebration?¡± Cause it¡¯d be pretty weird if it was¡­ . He shook his head, and rubbed his stubble coated jaw. ¡°No, it¡¯s not part of the festivities. Especially since mixing the venom with alcohol attracts the grandour¡­¡± He glanced over at where the fish-eared girl I¡¯d rescued from those very monsters lay sleeping. ¡°And I¡¯ve my suspicions about who might¡¯ve mixed the venom in, and why.¡± I followed his gaze over to her scrawny form, and frowned. That would explain why she was the only one not paralyzed, but why would a girl so young do something so malicious? And why would she then lead the monsters away from everyone before any harm could be done? ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡± Craig sighed. ¡°She¡¯s an orphan. We¡¯ve tried to raise her as best we could, shuffled her from family to family to see if she¡¯d take a liking to one, or at least to a profession, but she never did. Due to that, she never learned any abilities, and likely grew to feel that we didn¡¯t want her or that she was a burden¡­ . I doubt her intentions were wicked, she probably just didn¡¯t know or remember that the venom would summon the monsters, but due to our treatment of her and the fact that we neglected to explain our reasoning, perhaps it¡¯s only natural something like this would happen.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you explain then?¡± He lowered his head, and awkwardly rubbed an elbow. ¡°I¡­ We wanted it to happen naturally. For her to find her place I mean. She was very young when her parents came here, when they died, and in my experience it¡¯s best to give the grieving space¡­ I failed to acknowledge or account for the fact that she is a child, and now she¡¯s grown to resent us all for robbing her of a productive future.¡± I glanced back at the girl and activated Uriel.
Name: Letta Species: Calminth Health: 6/8 Mana: 2/2 Endurance: 1/10 Strength: 4 Agility: 5 Speed: 10 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 2 Status conditions: exhaustion (weak) depression (weak), self loathing (new) Titles: Orphan; Lonely soul, Faithless; One who resents life; Seeker of Hope (new) Abilities: Woodcarving lv: 1 (dormant) Fishing lv: 1 (dormant) Carpentry lv: 1 (dormant) Hunting lv: 1 (dormant) Weaving lv: 1 (dormant) Brewing lv: 1 (dormant) Herbalism lv: 1 (dormant) Mana manipulation lv: 1 (dormant) Mana sense lv: 1 (dormant) Swimming lv: 1 (dormant)
That¡¯s. That¡¯s some pretty heavy stuff. But it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s given up either. ¡°I dunno. If what I¡¯m seeing on her status is true, then she hates herself and her situation more than any of you, and she can be plenty productive. I mean, she¡¯s got even more abilities than you do!¡± Old Craig¡¯s head shot up and his eyes opened so wide I feared they¡¯d swallow up the rest of his face. ¡°Y-you mean you can see her status?! Mine too?! And what do you mean she has abilities?! If she did then surely she would¡¯ve used one and we would¡¯ve seen!¡± I stopped him from grabbing onto my already ragged shirt, God forbid he rip it off in his fluster, and tried to calm him down. ¡°Uhhh¡­ Well¡­ I mean¡­ I have an ability that lets me peek at others'' statuses, though all the abilities she has are listed as dormant, so¡­¡± I really wish Uriel would tell me what that means. Craig huffed and puffed, and then his admittedly meager strength left his arms and he stumbled away. ¡°To think an unknown observer would happen upon our humble Kormath, and one so skilled as to be able to read the system deeply enough to determine that our Letta has a chance after all.¡± Frustrated by his vagueness I internally shouted at the system. What the heck is he talking about?! To my utter shock, the system answered, as smugly calm, and infuriatingly composed as ever. I frowned even harder. And I take it this ability is rare? And while you¡¯re answering my questions, what even is a dormant ability anyway? Ohhh. That makes sense. But you didn¡¯t answer my other question! And that doesn¡¯t explain why he thinks I¡¯m an observer because I don¡¯t have that ability! I got no response. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I see the system is as choosey as ever, but at least I got some answers, and hey! Maybe I can just ask Craig. ¡°Sooo, are observers like¡­ rare or something?¡± He stared at me, jaw slack, as if I had just crawled out from under the ol¡¯ metaphorical rock. Then he threw his arms up and bellowed. ¡°Heavens yes! Rare and revered! Since the only other creatures that can so freely view God¡¯s system are the sacred Elder Beasts who are said to have been among God¡¯s first creations!¡± His enthusiasm was so intense that I could practically feel it pushing me back. I tried to think up some way to tell him I wasn¡¯t one, but then Uriel buzzed in my head.
Notice: The ability Understanding is an advanced form of observation. Abilities advance only once the possessor has fully mastered and integrated the ability into their being and the new ability will unlock even greater benefits. Please note some abilities can''t advance, and others can do so multiple times. I.E: Digging --> Pit Boss --> Mining Marquis--> Excavation Emperor
Oh great. So I¡¯m even fancier than even I thought I was. Hooray! Not! I can¡¯t believe things got so derailed from my original purpose! I forced a smile. ¡°Uhh, right, thanks for explaining all that. But I really hope you won¡¯t go gabbing that to anyone, I kinda like my privacy.¡± And yeah, I know, that makes me a huge hypocrite, what of it? Craig composed himself once more, and coughed to clear the air. ¡°Yes, of course. We are a self-sufficient and isolated village already, but we would never dream of betraying or inconveniencing our savior.¡± He then gestured to the rest of the freed villagers, who just so happened to be passing the time by idly watching our little back and forth from the sidelines. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do to repay you, we beg you only ask. We are well within your debt. Your grace.¡± ¡°Your grace?¡± Who the heck¡¯s your grace? Why the heck are you calling me that?! I only just met you! I¡¯m not special! Again, the system spoke. Joy of joys¡­ The system¡¯s sense of humor and poor timing are still alive and well too. I¡¯m pretty sure a vein bulged out of my forehead at some point, and Craig along with those who saw my expression shrunk back. Maybe as a result of my intimidation ability activating. I didn¡¯t know, or care to find out. ¡°You don¡¯t need to call me that, and I honestly don¡¯t need a whole lot. Just some new clothes, a place to stay for a little while, and maybe some magic lessons if you¡¯re up to it.¡± Craig knelt, and placed a hand over his heart. ¡°Yes, of course. Only the best for one who can witness the true glory of God¡¯s creation!¡± I grimaced. This¡­ this is going to be worse than I thought. # Letta didn¡¯t know what she had seen. A hallucination? An angel? A ghost? Some sort of monster? It didn¡¯t make sense. Why did that person look so much like her? Like she imagined her parents would? Was it all just a coincidence, and a relative showed up looking for her? Or was she overthinking it? Unconsciousness took her. And in her sleep, a strange all erasing comfort stole away her worries in the form of the vague sensation of being carried by a pair of gentle, unshakable arms. As soon as she was laid down on a hard yet familiar floor, that comfort faded. Fear and self loathing assailed her in the form of nightmarish versions of the other villagers, furious with her, and coming to take their righteous vengeance. She struggled to escape those phantasms, both in her dream and out, but before she could be captured and punished a massive hand interceded. Letta watched it push away her imagined monsters, then felt yet more hands lift her into someone¡¯s lap, then she became aware of that same someone¡¯s fingers as they combed aside her unruly hair. The last traces of her nightmare faded, her awareness of her position too, and she melted into a sweet serenity the likes of which she had never known. The next thing she knew, soft peach colored daylight was creeping through her eyelids, and she slowly stirred. She couldn¡¯t remember much of what happened the day before through the haze of the best night¡¯s sleep she¡¯d ever had, but quickly recognized the interior of old Craig¡¯s common room, and the arms of the one who held her. Suddenly wide awake, she jumped up and jerked free of that strange person who had clearly brought her back to the village after stopping or driving away those grandour. Why here though? Everyone will hate me! Her eyes darted around, but no one else seemed to be nearby. Oh no! Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re dead and that¡­ stranger only stayed here to pass the night! But the smell of fresh bread along with the familiar sounds of the village¡¯s usual morning hustle and bustle reached her, and her dread morphed into confusion. Hold on. Is everything fine? But if everyone¡¯s okay then why haven¡¯t I been beaten? Why was I allowed to stay the night? What¡¯s going on? Before she could decide whether or not to run outside to face her fears or look for a place to hide and never come out, a soft hand caressed her cheek and pulled her attention back to the corner of the room. She stared at the hand¡¯s owner, at the face of the only other calminth she¡¯d ever seen, and blinked repeatedly as it shifted and changed ever so subtly. Depending on what angle she took, or on how the light hit, the face changed from male to female, from how she imagined her mother, to how she pictured her father, and then to something that was both, neither, and wholly¡­ more. Transfixed. Her mouth hung open, then snapped shut, only to dangle open again. She muttered. ¡°How? Who? Who are¡­?¡± The strange being offered a smile so warm that the chill of her prior dread sublimated into calm in an instant. Then they spoke. ¡°Me? You can call me Anon. We met last night, if you remember, after you so bravely led the grandour away from the others.¡± Tears filled her eyes. Hot. Heavy. Tears. Tears at having had the distant memories of her parent¡¯s voices unearthed simultaneously. Tears at allowing herself to feel the unconditional goodwill of another for the first time in years. Tears at hearing this person so convincingly state that what she did was brave, without even the slightest hint insinuating that the whole situation was her fault. ¡°No¡­ No. No. No!¡± She sniffled, and snorted as a bubble of snot popped an inch from her face. ¡°It was me! It¨C it was all me! I forgot¨C And then I¨C¡± The hand that had caressed her cheek wrapped around her so smoothly and naturally that for an instant she could¡¯ve sworn that it had happened a million times before. And Anon¡¯s all too kind voice spoke again, softly this time, right into her ear as they rubbed her back. ¡°I know. And you¡¯ve been forgiven.¡± All the twisted emotions within her, all the nasty, brutal, relentless feelings that had pushed her away from everyone, that had convinced her that she didn¡¯t, and couldn¡¯t, belong anywhere or accomplish anything, snapped against those words like brittle twigs against a mountain. And from behind the pieces of those shattered emotions more tears fell like an endless tide. Only they were not born of her guilt or unanswered longing, but of pure, simple, sweet, relief. I¡¯ve been forgiven? I¡­ can be forgiven? Me? Anon held her tight, and whispered. ¡°Let it out, sweetie. Let it all out. I¡¯m here. You¡¯re here. And here we¡¯ll stay. Until you¡¯re ready to stand again.¡± Letta cried. And Anon let her. # A little over an hour passed before Letta stopped bawling. The villagers kept their distance, but every so often, one or two would poke their heads in to check on her, or me, or both, before heading back off to attend to, well, life. Someone left our breakfasts by the door, and unsurprisingly it was grandour meat and bread that looked maybe a few days old. I didn¡¯t move, or even think about touching the food, until Letta was good and ready, and I didn¡¯t eat much until she had fully settled and tucked into hers first. Hoo boy, nothing like a traumatized kid to start off the day. But¡­ I looked down at where she sat munching away in between my sprawled out legs and smiled. Oh. I guess that¡¯s fair, especially if everybody already knows how it works¡­ But hold on a sec! You inform me every time I get an ability, so just what are you implying? To no one¡¯s surprise, the system didn¡¯t respond. Despite being in the midst of my inner turmoil, I didn¡¯t lose track of Letta, and was ready to scoop her up when she jumped at me in her sudden rush of relief and excitement. She giggled. ¡°Anon! Anon! I did it! I did it! I felt mana! It was only for a little bit, but I did it!¡± I held her up for all to see and then spun her around. ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve gotten your first ability!¡± Craig and the other teachers gathered around us, all smiles and compliments. Letta looked a little wary, but I set her down and pushed her lightly toward them so that she could confront this obstacle in her growth. The teachers noticed her tension, and paused the celebration to exchange their joy for worry and shared looks of regret. No point waiting around. Time to rip the ol¡¯ bandage off, or so the saying goes. I kept my hand on Letta¡¯s shoulder, and after a moment of awkward silence, the first of the teachers, a human woman by all appearances, who was dressed in snug leather armor and green and gray clothes, knelt before Letta. I might¡¯ve had my eyes closed at the time, but odds are that she¡¯s the chatty teacher who professed to have body empowerment and sensory magic. She swept some of her short brown hair aside before she said. ¡°Letta, I¡¯m sorry. No. We¡¯re sorry. We¡¯ve all treated you poorly. We failed to notice what you needed, and failed to explain our line of thinking. We thought we were helping you, but all we did was make you feel alone and unwanted. No one deserves that. Especially not you.¡± She glanced over her shoulder at Craig and the other teachers, and they nodded. Then she turned back around, and quickly swiped a tear from one of her olive colored eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t apologize enough for what we put you through, but if you¡¯re willing, can we start over?¡± Letta didn¡¯t answer. I felt her tremble, so I gently squeezed her shoulder, but the hunter took her silence a bit differently and continued. ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you! We want to see you grow and flourish! I¡¯m sorry it took a near tragedy to figure things out but¨C¡± I leaned forward and put a finger on the hunter¡¯s lips. ¡°Hush now. Let her think.¡± Then I crouched behind Letta and wrapped her up as my strangely parental instinct demanded. She¡¯s undoubtedly been overwhelmed since yesterday. Sure, she found some relief in being told she was forgiven, but now she¡¯s being asked to forgive¡­ And why do I feel like I¡¯m mediating between a bunch of kids after one got excluded? Where the heck did all these memories and impulses come from! God knows I¡¯m not wise enough for this! Right? Crap! I can¡¯t remember! I swallowed my own confusion, and whispered. ¡°Take your time. You don¡¯t have to answer now, and certainly not all at once.¡± She sniffled, and shook her head. Her voice came out shaky and soft, but it was more than loud enough for them to hear. ¡°T-they forgave¡­ me¡­ but I-I hurt them. Almost¨C A-almost¡­ .¡± The hunter didn¡¯t let her finish and joined the embrace. It wasn¡¯t long before the other teachers and Craig weighed in too, along with a few other villagers who happened to have noticed the commotion. Really happy for you all, but I¡¯m kinda working through some things myself, sooo why am I enjoying this? This heartfelt moment has basically nothing to do with me?! It took a hot minute for everyone to disentangle themselves from Letta and me, and by that time Letta, the hunter, and to my surprise, Craig, had all stopped crying. The worst part was that the majority of the teachers and villagers were staring at me as if I was some sort of saint, and by the time I got over that, Letta had started to hold my hand. She looked up at me with her puffy, but still adorable, green eyes, and muttered. ¡°A-Anon, it¡¯s your turn. You need to learn to sense mana too.¡± I grinned. ¡°Right you are. So why don¡¯t you remind me how it goes?¡± Her face lit up, and she took my hand in both of hers. ¡°Well¡­ It, um¡­ . It¡¯s like what Alder-Craig said, but um¡­ imagine the breath flowing out of your hands? Maybe it was more like water?¡± Alder-Craig, huh? Yeah! We¡¯re gonna call him Alder-Craig from now on! My grin only widened. But back to business. I contemplated Letta¡¯s instructions, added them to Alder-Craig¡¯s and then it hit me. Flowing out of my hands? Like when I used my staff? Wait! Was that mana? I recalled the sensation, and before I knew it I was aware of that same energy in my fingertips. I traced it back through my body, and before long I found the source. A veritable wellspring centered around my heart. The system announced. There I go again, not only breaking the rules for ability acquisition, but straight up being mocked by the system¡­ . Hold on. If God made the system, then¡­ I-Is God mocking me?! Suddenly, I was aware of my mana, in a sort of passive, peripheral, way. If I focused I could sense the mana in the world and people around me, though I couldn¡¯t quite tell how much anyone or anything had. Probably because I only just gained the ability. Not that that detail matters all too much since Uriel gives exact values anyway¡­ Well, for everyone except me. Alder-Craig, Letta, and the teachers watched me in anticipation and befuddlement at my sudden stop, because apparently I didn¡¯t release the same pulse that Letta did when I got the ability. Maybe because I just straight-up unlocked it and don¡¯t need to nap first? ¡°Well, that was a big help, Letta. I think I¡¯ve got it down now.¡± She blinked, her confusion all too obvious. ¡°But you didn¡¯t go all wow like I did?¡± I chuckled, and waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just discreet is all.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. She nodded several times, eating up everything I said despite it being utter hogwash. The teachers looked more than a little skeptical, but Alder-Craig, ever the perceptive one, read the metaphorical room and continued the lesson. ¡°Then let us move on to mana manipulation. Now that you have an idea of what mana feels like, picture yourself changing its flow within yourself. Slow it, stop it, reverse it, accelerate it, and repeat. Once you get a grasp on that, you should eventually gain the ability.¡± Letta furrowed her brows, set her jaw in determination, and plopped down into the soft greener grass in order to better concentrate. Based on her expression, this part might be harder. Well, maybe normally, given that they apparently start practice without either ability under their belt. But since I just got mana sense, and have felt my mana¡¯s flow change when I used Witness, this should be a cinch. I took a deep breath, shut my eyes, and did as Alder-Craig instructed. The churning spring of mana within me slowed, then stopped, then reversed, and accelerated without issue, however I didn¡¯t get either a notification or a ¡®wave of wow¡¯ as Letta called it, so I repeated the process several times, going faster and faster with each. Strangely, the sounds around me, mainly of the villagers working, birds chirping, and teachers muttering came to a gradual stop as my focus grew and effort increased. Then Alder-Craig shouted. ¡°Y-your grace! P-please restrain yourself! This is too much!¡± I snapped my eyes open only to sense the literal storm of mana raging around me. I guess at some point my internal churning spilled over and started to affect the mana in the world around me, because everyone had moved back, largely due to the strong winds and metaphysical pressure that the moving mana generated. Yet despite this, Letta was still seated at my side, gazing up at me in awe, totally unfazed and unaffected by the phenomenon I¡¯d unwittingly created. ¡°Wow Anon! You did it right away this time! And now! And now I can learn from you! I smiled awkwardly, and patted her head as I attempted to grab hold of the mana around me with my internal supply. ¡°That¡¯s right! You helped me sense mana, now it¡¯s my turn to help you manipulate it.¡± Is she just brave or really trusting of me? I mean, she did lure away monsters at the risk of her own life, but maybe it''s a combination of the two? I mean, it¡¯s not like I was trying to hurt anyone¡­ . And why haven¡¯t I gotten the ability yet?! With the raging mana back under control, the system declared. Conditions met, ability acquired: Mana Control. Hold up¡­ Wat? The heck¡¯s mana control? I was shooting for manipulation! Uriel dutifully buzzed in my brain and a side panel opened.
Mana Control is the advanced version of mana manipulation. Not only does it allow for the use of internal mana, but can even be used to access and affect external mana too. However, mana in another living being can''t be affected unless physical contact is made, this limiter is slowly lifted as the ability levels up. This ability can be upgraded.
Holy crap! I reached the finish line and kept running! But I guess I really shouldn¡¯t complain, this ability seems way o.p. At that, Letta shut her eyes and returned to her training like the good little girl she is, while Alder-Craig ambleled over and pulled me aside. He whispered. ¡°Y-your grace, I had no idea you were such a prolific master of magic! But it all makes sense now! You know what Letta¡¯s dormant abilities are and sought to discreetly help her learn them so that she wouldn¡¯t feel alone or put on the spot! Truly you are wise! Truly you are a Godsend!¡± I blinked twice. Uhhhhhh¡­ . But I really was just trying to learn too? Not that anyone¡¯s ever going to believe me now though. Especially not after they dug up those Grandour I buried. ¡°Right, right¡­ Uhh¨C.¡± Just then, another wave of wow passed through the air and Letta cried. ¡°I did it! I really did it! Just like you Anon!¡± Oh sweet mercy! Slow down! There¡¯s too much happening all at once! Can¡¯t I just have a second to think? I congratulated her with several pats on the head, and muttered to Alder-Craig. ¡°Just continue with the lessons please. Start with lightning magic, and then let¡¯s work our way around, I¡¯ll see if Letta picks anything up.¡± He nodded fervently, and went over to the other teachers, presumably to explain my request. At least I¡¯ve gotten that all too adoring gaze of his off of me. I shuddered. I mean, I know I saved them, but I¡¯ve barely done anything else! I don¡¯t deserve that level of respect! I¡¯m not the saint you think I am! ¡­Am I? Alder-Craig then stepped forward, held out his hand toward a nearby tree, and said. ¡°Spark shot!¡± I watched the mana flow out of his arm, condense into a blue ring of runes, then from that ring, came a crackling ball of electricity that flew toward the tree where it burst. A slightly charred mark remained on the trunk, but it otherwise looked unharmed. So that¡¯s magic, huh? Guess this part is led by example, so I should follow suit and give it a try too! Though I gotta admit, his spell was a little lackluster, I was kinda hoping for something more¡­ I dunno, lightning-like? Like an actual bolt and not¡­ whatever that was. I mean it was so slow I could see someone dodging it if they had to! I held out my hand, all too eager to finally get my magic on, and stopped. Wait. I was too busy watching the mana! What was the incantation? Spark¡­ spark shower? I felt my mana flow out of me, and I panicked. The blue runes appeared in the air around my hand, and I quickly aimed upward as I felt the mana release. The words spark shower brought to mind a spray of well, sparks, but after Alder-Craig¡¯s demonstration, and my own fantasy about shooting lightning, I ended up picturing something more extreme. And extreme is what I got. Around three full-on bolts of lightning exploded from my fingers in a cone that soared off into the brighter blue sky and shimmering clouds, never to be seen again. At this point, I was all too aware that everyone in the village was staring at me. I kinda earned it, being a massive dunce and unleashing something so unexpectedly excessive. Alder-Craig dropped to his knees. ¡°Such power! And without the incantation! Incredible!¡± And then the hunter crossed her arms, tilted her head, and hit me with the left hook of my life. ¡°But why wasn¡¯t there any mana in that spell? It¡¯s like Anon generated a natural phenomenon instead of using magic?¡± My jaw dropped. Pardon? I did what? I know it all happened suddenly, but doesn¡¯t every lightning spell use positive and negative ions to generate a charge, and then direct it with magic? That¡¯s how lightning works! What did I do wrong? Letta bounced in excitement beside me. ¡°Anon! You¡¯re really, really, really, really Amazing! I¡¯ve never seen Alder-Craig use magic like that before!¡± One of the other teachers muttered. ¡°None of us have.¡± Great! Now I¡¯m a freak too! An Ugly Freak! I scratched the back of my head, and muttered. ¡°Sorry, I kinda got the wrong picture in my head when I cast that. Could you go over the process step by step?¡± Alder-Craig got up and nodded fervently. ¡°Yes, of course! Now Letta, remember, mana is the base ingredient. By combining it with the mental image you attach to the incantation, you can channel your mana into the form of a spell. We use spells, for the very reason Anon so kindly demonstrated! Because if you flagrantly release your mana however you imagine then you will only arrive at disaster, or a loss of control, so it¡¯s best to stick to the well traveled road until you¡¯ve learned more! Like Anon!¡± I grimaced. Ouch¡­ So he thinks I did that intentionally. Man it¡¯s gonna be hard to just accept that he¡¯s going to take everything I do in the most positive way possible. I watched Letta get to practicing spark shot, which was accompanied by Alder-Craig giving a few more demonstrations. And the other teachers were right. His blasts all had mana in them from start to finish, not just at the beginning like mine did. And as an added bonus from Uriel, I noted that each casting took approximately four mana from his pool of thirty-five, and he regenerated roughly one per minute. It¡¯s good to have a bit more information, maybe I can use it to feel out my own mana pool sometime? But for now I should practice too. So all I have to do is say spark shot and aim at the tree? Simple. As I was thinking that, mana once again moved to my fingertips, generated the circle of blue runes, and I quickly pointed at the tree just as the spell released. A similarly sized ball of crackling electricity left my hand and headed from the spot Alder-Craig had been targeting. Only mine was about ten times faster and punched a deep hole into the trunk with enough force that it ultimately toppled the tree away from the village with a loud crash. Geez¡­ Why are my spells going off whenever I think of the incantation? It¡¯s not like I have an ability for that. Unless it¡¯s an effect of one of the ones hidden behind question marks. Again, everyone was staring at me, but I played this one off more confidently. ¡°Just like that, Letta. But remember, there¡¯s no rush. So take your time, and you¡¯ll get there.¡± Alder-Craig and Letta nodded even more, and they returned to their practice. I sighed, and turned my eyes toward the heavens and the anomaly that lurked up there alongside the midday sun. At least I got a spell to work normally. But why was mine stronger than Alder-Craig¡¯s? Uriel buzzed, and I got my answer.
Notice: The power of a spell is affected by several factors. The first is how much mana is supplied, the second is the spirit stat of the caster, the third is the strength of the image, and the fourth would be any titles that the individual has. In the individual Craig''s case he bears the old fart title, and thus suffers from a drop in everything from which abilities he has, to the levels of his abilities, to his stats, to the amount of magic he can output.
Dang. So old age really did a number on him, but it¡¯s good to know that there are purely negative titles too¡­ . Not that any of that helps me decide what to do next. I glanced over at Letta, the very picture of youthful determination and childish excitement. So, what do I do? Settle in and focus on training magic? Or should I explore the traits of my equipment? Since I know they¡¯re magic now¡­ Either way, I¡¯ll have to do both at some point, cause Imma need all the magic I can get if I¡¯m going to figure out what the heck that thing in the sky is. Making the Magic Happen What am I thinking? It¡¯s obviously better that I focus on one thing at a time. Besides, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to figure out those traits in no time, right? I mean, I¡¯ve already used two of Witness¡¯ already and that was before I even knew how to work magic, let alone sense mana! Alder-Craig used my most recent blunder as an example to encourage Letta to picture the lightning spell leaving her own hands. She obviously wouldn¡¯t be able to actually cast anything until tomorrow, but that didn¡¯t stop her, and the other teachers took the opportunity to wander over to me, led by the hunter. The brunette placed a hand over her heart and bowed. ¡°Thank you Anon, for all you¡¯ve done, both for our community and especially for Letta. You¡¯ve been exactly what we¡¯ve been praying for, and so much more.¡± I scratched the back of my head, and forced a smile. Wow. Way to dump all of your expectations onto me all at once¡­ Not that that hasn¡¯t happened quite a bit already. ¡°Oh, please, you¡¯re too kind! I¡¯m just glad I could help.¡± No, really, that¡¯s it. This is all just a big series of coincidences. I was just in the right place at the right¨C Then the system spoke. My fake smile grew even more tense. Are. You. Kidding right now! It took everything I had not to pinch the bridge of my nose or shake my fist at the sky. Ya know what? Fine! Deep breath. In and out... In and out¡­ There. All better. My eyebrow twitched. Now let¡¯s pretend that never happened and actually get somewhere! ¡°Soo, you know I¡¯m Anon, but what¡¯re your names?¡± The trio looked genuinely surprised by that, and the hunter chuckled. ¡°Oh! We¡¯re so sorry! We thought that you would¡¯ve already checked all of our statuses by now, so we kinda forgot that part!¡± I frowned. ¡°To be fair, I did give you all a once over last night, but it¡¯s not like I was looking at much more beyond your status conditions. Ya know. To make sure everybody was safe.¡± Though I totally peeked at Alder-Craig. I internally cringed when I watched their surprise morph into something akin to respect. I guess they assumed, or perhaps knew from experience, that people with the observation ability had a tendency to overstep their bounds and peek at the status of anyone and everyone they desired to. It¡¯s a bit crappy of the people they so clearly revere as being able to view ¡®more of God¡¯s creation¡¯ to do that so wantonly, but I can¡¯t help but wonder if there¡¯s a way to block the observation ability? Or maybe present false information instead? Uriel buzzed and I got my answer.
Notice: The Incognito, Mask of many faces, and the line of various Authority abilities are the most well known ways to avoid having one''s status observed in part or completely, depending on the ability. It is also important to understand that if the observer''s ability is stronger than the concealment then observation will still take effect, though it might be muted if the difference isn''t that great.
Interesting. So I¡¯ll need to find a way to acquire at least one of those at a high level just to be safe¡­ Although, maybe I¡¯ll just stumble onto a less well known option too? I waited for a fraction of a second for the system to surprise me, but my patience went unrewarded. Ah well. Worth a try I guess. I cleared my throat and the group started back to life. The lithe hunter bowed. ¡°My name is Bretta, I was once the huntmaster in service to the late Baron of Kresnt. After his death I experienced the dream we of Kormath refer to as ¡®the call¡¯, and I¡¯ve been here ever since. Which¡¯ll be about three years this fall.¡± I smiled, clasped her hand and shook. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± I turned an inquisitive glance to a very large, completely hairless, androgynous person, around eight and a half feet tall, with coal black skin. They wore simple cut clothes of a basic tan, or brown, and nothing by way of weapon or accessory. However, their ruby-like eyes glinted with an inner light, and they bowed and spoke with a voice that sounded as deep and echoey as a long abandoned mine. ¡°My name is Corra¨Ca¨Ca¡­ I was once a mercenary¨Cy¨Cy¡­ I callously took many lives¨Cs¨Cs, but after nearly dying myself¨Cf¨Cf, I received ¡®the call¨Cl¨Cl¡¯, and dedicated my life to healing instead¨Cd¨Cd¡­¡± ¡°To sow instead of reap¡­¡± You must be the body recovery teacher. I needed to look no further than what was all around me to be reminded of my own, albeit unintended, act of life-giving, and smiled warmly. ¡°An excellent choice.¡± I shook their massive mit as well, and once I was released from their all encompassing grip, I looked to the last teacher. With many a gray streak in her once blonde, bunned up, hair, she wore a slightly stained blue dress with an even more besmirched apron. She stood with a considerable hunch at the waist, though I couldn¡¯t tell if that was due to some sort of spinal issue or the pair of massive swan wings protruding from her shoulder blades. Her light blue, almost white, eyes never left me for even a moment, and she spoke so softly that I nearly couldn¡¯t hear her. ¡°It is an honor, great one.¡± She ducked her head, gracefully knelt, and fanned out her wings till their tips dusted the grass. ¡°Please only name how this humble Rochelle might repay her debt to you.¡± Not much in the way of background, but I certainly understand not wanting to share. I quickly took one of her hands and urged her back to her feet. ¡°Now, now. There''s no need for any of that formality!¡± Or the whole speaking in the third person thing you¡¯ve got goin¡¯ on, but I can overlook that at least since you¡¯re gonna teach me order essence and mind over matter magic! ¡°All I want is for you to demonstrate your magical abilities for me and Letta. Explain the process, the feelings they evoke, and maybe walk us through it if we struggle. Simple right?¡± I glanced between the three of them, from tallest to shortest and back, to confirm their ascent. They turned to each other, then to Alder-Craig and Letta, before nodding all at once. Why do I get the feeling that they¡¯re going to develop Alder-Craig¡¯s habit of misattributing my intentions for the most favorable ones? I swear! Why and how is goodwill this easy to come by? Is this world not as cruel and unforgiving as its last iteration? Or am I just missing something here? ¡­ On second thought¡­ I really shouldn¡¯t be complaining. Bretta gave me a toothy grin and moved to stand beside me. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then we¡¯re more than happy to oblige! So, first thing¡¯s first. Body empowerment and sensory magic are pretty simple to get started on. All you have to do is manipulate your mana so that it seeps into the muscles or bones or whatever sensory organ you want to enhance and then keep at it until it sticks and you get results.¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°So it¡¯s different from essence magic in that there¡¯s no spoken spell?¡± ¡°Aww heck no! Incantations are universal, required even!¡± She paused. ¡°Well, maybe for everybody other than you¡­¡± Cripes! I knew I made a spectacle of myself, but I didn¡¯t think I went so far as to become seen as unique! ¡°Okay, so then why are they needed? I know Ald¨C Uh, Craig said they aided in forming an image and that helps keep control, but is that it?¡± Corra shook their ebony head. ¡°No¨Co¨Co. It helps with speed too¨Co¨Co.¡± Then Rochelle practically whispered. ¡°And efficient use of mana as well.¡± So it''s faster since the incantation evokes a stable image you know will work, and that not only guarantees the effect, but also ensures that you don¡¯t waste mana in the process¡­ Yeah, that makes sense. Especially if you consider that the people of this world have no understanding of molecules, and lack all the wonderful visual effects that saturated the once modern age of the old Earth like I do. Maybe that¡¯s why I don¡¯t need¨C Uriel buzzed, and what it reported caused my irritation with the system to grow. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Notice: Your ability to cast spells without an incantation can be attributed to the possession of the Double standards ability.
Great! Just great¡­ So the system dropped that on my head just before I got to casting. Heck! With what I know, God probably did that to me as some sort of joke! ¡­ Again, I feel like this isn¡¯t something I should be complaining about¡­ It¡¯ll probably be more than useful¡­ But still! What the heck?! I sighed, ignored the strange looks the teachers were giving me, and got about practicing what Bretta told me. The sun lazily drifted through the sky as I trained, and lunch was eventually brought to us. Unsurprisingly, it consisted largely of roasted grandour meat, slightly stale bread, and some assortment of fragrant cheeses likely made from the milk of those goat-like creatures the village was raising. Letta sat beside me the whole time, absolutely oozing about her experience, and how she¡¯s going to use her magic to do all sorts of things once she gains the requisite abilities. It¡¯s taking me a bit longer to learn body empowerment and sensory magic than it did lightning essence. Maybe because I have no notion of how one would enhance something with mana, or maybe the system just opted to give me the first one for free¡­ Since it apparently just loves to jerk me about¡­ I patted Letta¡¯s head, helped her up, got up myself, and stretched. ¡°Alright! What do ya¡¯ say we get back to it?¡± I already have the abilities so it¡¯s more a matter of when for me, but she might be limited by her aptitudes, or at the very least how good she is at learning new material; since abilities can apparently be attained with diligence. But still, it¡¯ll be interesting to see what she learns. She jumped up and down and flailed her arms around. ¡°Yeah! Yeah! Alder-Craig! Aaalder-Craaaig! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± She bolted off in the direction of the village, as Alder-Craig and the other teachers had gone off to attend to their duties, or whatever else they might need to do during the normal daily grind. # The sun was setting by the time I got even the slightest of results. Bretta told me several incantations to start with, and they did eventually work. If only a little bit. For instance, ¡®far sight¡¯ caused my vision to get all blurry on the peripheral, while zooming a bit in the center. Lemmie tell ya, it was beyond disorienting, but really cool too! Then there was ¡®surge¡¯ and ¡®swift¡¯ to enhance strength and speed, and hoo boy was that something else! I mean, surge made everything feel like it was made of styrofoam, so the problem was more with keeping control and not crushing everything than getting the effect to activate. Swift on the other hand, didn¡¯t really make me faster and instead created the sensation of walking immediately after running my hardest on a treadmill. It was such a strange feeling! Like walking twice! And let¡¯s not forget about Letta. She told me all about the incantations Alder-Craig taught her over our dinner of a hearty grandour meat stew. He didn¡¯t believe that I needed his guidance after my little lightning displays, so it was nice to hear about the deets from her. Deets like ¡®static shield¡¯ for defense, or ¡®magnetic hold¡¯ to keep enemy warriors at bay, or to just, ya¡¯know, lift metal things. Also there were a few from the light essence side of magic like ¡®illuminate¡¯ which is pretty self explanatory, but also ¡®sight restore¡¯ to heal blindness, ¡®luminous blast¡¯ a counterpart to spark shot, and ¡®radiant armor¡¯ which is apparently more of a buff than a straight up barrier. After all that, we went to bed more than satisfied with our progress, and ready for a new day of practice and learning¡­ But I still had a few questions for Uriel. And Uriel provided. -General magic rules:
  1. Incantations and mana are the only required components for spellcasting after one has attained a magic ability.
  2. Incantations determine what shape the magic will take, but a greater or lesser effect can be attained by altering the mana supply accordingly.
  3. If two spells of different elements oppose one another, the one with more mana generally wins. (Body magic is usually the exception as the spells of that element mainly target the caster only.)
  4. If two spells from the same element oppose one another then the caster with the higher leveled ability will triumph unless an overwhelming amount of mana is used. (Again body magic is an exception, and the caster with the highest stats will win in those cases. Essence magic is a special case.)
    Notice: Essence magic has the most disciplines. As such they are broken into four basic, four intermediate, and four higher essences. The basic essences are fire, water, earth, and air The intermediate essences are ice, lightning, light, and dark The higher essences are order, chaos, time and space An essence of a higher tier will win over a lower one unless the skill or amount of mana used by the lower essence caster greatly exceeds the caster of the higher essence. When clashing with other elements all essences obey rule 3
  5. Two disciplines can be combined by a single or group of casters in order to create a more powerful effect. Not all disciplines can be combined, essence magic is the most compatible with other essence magic, and combinations are judged differently under rule 4. Details here.
    Notice: If, for example, the lower essences are considered a 1; the intermediate essences a 1.5; and the higher essences a 2. Then if two lower essences are combined then they can equal a higher essence under rule 4 or outclass a intermediate one. The same can be done with intermediate essences and higher ones in nearly any combination with the joining of two higher essences being the strongest as a 4 in this metric.
  6. If a spell connects with the target and the target doesn¡¯t consent to the magic¡¯s effect, then the spell must first overcome the target¡¯s spirit stat. This is done by measuring the caster¡¯s ability level and the mana they used against the target¡¯s spirit value. If the spirit value is determined to be too high then little or no effect is to be expected. The spirit value can be reduced temporarily by things like fear, the effects of abilities, or semi-permanently by attacks from spirit harming magic.
  7. Be creative!
I rolled my eyes at the last rule, then sighed and turned over next to Letta. I¡¯m just glad I have time to look through these things. I wanted to do so sooner but with everything that¡¯s been happening I haven¡¯t had a chance. I watched Letta snooze for a bit, and once I was sure she was safely sound asleep I allowed myself to doze off too. Which is an ability I gained after napping on the Wise Old Friend. So here¡¯s to you tree buddy! # Dawn woke us once more, and after I checked to ensure Letta did indeed gain both the mana sense and manipulation abilities like she was supposed to, we scarfed down our breakfasts of porridge and got right back into the swing of things. But today it was Corra and Rochelle¡¯s turn to teach. Our lessons began, not out in the fields like yesterday, but in the somewhat familiar confines of the hunter¡¯s lodge. The wood floor creaked beneath our feet as we gathered behind Rochelle, who was hunched over the biggest of the tables in this reasonably large log cabin. The fairly small windows and a few candles offered our only light, so while her workspace was well lit, the rest of the abode was in a state of moderate gloom. As before, numerous vials and containers lined the shelves along the walls, and a truly indescribable stench filled the air as we watched Rochelle lay out three bowls. One contained the neon orange grandour venom, another had red goga leaf extract, and the third looked to hold a blue undulating ball that shimmered like light passing through the waves. I guess that¡¯s the water essence. All three sat on the points of what I guess is a magic triangle? Given the fact that other than the shape, it had all the little runes and geometric lines and stuff that are found all too often in the magic circles of fantasy stories. With all that set, Rochelle clapped twice. And murmured. ¡°Now use your mana sense and watch closely. Alchemy is a compound magic so it uses both mind over matter magic and order essence magic at the same time. The triangle makes the process easier as it is the written form of the order essence spell and simply needs mana to activate, which frees me to concentrate solely on the mind over matter part.¡± Letta¡¯s eyes sparkled, and Rochelle gently combed aside some of her hair. Then the swan-winged lady placed an empty vial at the triangle¡¯s heart and muttered. ¡°Synthesis.¡± Letta and I watched the triangle light up with mana, then followed the flow from Rochelle¡¯s fingertips as it passed into the three ingredients. Slowly, the tendrils picked apart the potion¡¯s pieces, and with the order magic containing the whole affair, soon they were reunited into one in the central vial where the spells ended. Rochelle let out an almost inaudible sigh, and relaxed her shoulders. ¡°There, that is how alchemy is done. You can practice it later. For now, I need to restock our supply, so go and see Corra in the field. They have a list of incantations for mind over matter and order essence magic from me, and then they¡¯ll teach you the ones for body recovery magic too. After that, you¡¯ll be free to decide what disciplines you wish to practice.¡± Huh, cool process. Though I¡¯m a little disappointed that there isn¡¯t more. Not that I¡¯m surprised. The village can¡¯t drop everything to teach us, and Rochelle doesn''t exactly strike me as the most¡­ social person. Before I could finish that thought, Letta grabbed my sleeve and started tugging me out the door. ¡°Come on! Come on! Come on! We¡¯ve got magic to learn! Magic!¡± I grinned and allowed myself to be led away. ¡°Alright! Alright! There¡¯s no need to hurry!¡± Not unless you consider the soldiers who¡¯re probably still after me as a good enough reason. She giggled and skipped along beside me as we went. Villagers smiled and waved, some patted Letta¡¯s head, and a few just stopped and stared at me reverently¨Cwhich I still wasn¡¯t used to. But now I¡¯ve a choice to make. Assuming there¡¯s a fight coming, what magic do I focus on learning next? Order magic for its high essence tier? Light for its unrivaled speed? Mind over matter for the destructive force I imagine it has? Or the body group, so that I can ensure the health and safety of everyone here? I glanced up at the anomaly in the sky. I don¡¯t know when, but I know bunnyman and I will meet again. And I fear it¡¯ll be sooner than I¡¯d like. # The Wise Old Friend relaxed its roots, and let the gentle breeze sway its branches and tickle its leaves. For now it had done all it could. Those children foolish enough to trouble the glorious one were out of its reach so long as they were crossing the copper mountains, but once they descended then it would once again take up the righteous cause of harrying their every step until they either turned back, repented, or fell at the feet of its master. Ages ago, with its original body it could have swept them aside the moment it detected their intent to pursue the magnanimous one, even gone as far as splitting the metallic mountains from beneath if that is what it took to deter them, but now it could only wait. Wait, and bide its comparably meager strength until they brought the fight to it. For it would ensure that the still vastly weakened beloved one would not have to face this peril alone. Practice Makes Progress I sat in the soft grass of the familiar practice field and listened to Corra explain the process of body recovery magic. It proved more of a task than I imagined as I both had to endure the giant¡¯s rather slow speech patterns and keep Letta focused on the lecture as her eagerness to explore her newfound abilities was as perfectly unchecked as ever. Corra didn¡¯t seem to notice, or mind, Letta¡¯s distraction or my struggles, and after another five minutes, pulled out a piece of parchment from their leather vest¡¯s pocket and offered it to me. ¡°And that is all I know of the healing arts-s-s. Do you have any questions-s-s?¡± I took a moment to confirm that this was Rochelle¡¯s promised list of incantations, then said. ¡°Let me just summarize to make sure I got everything. First, you focus on the wound in question, then you choose the spell with the necessary effect, recite it, and then continually supply mana until you¡¯re either spent or the issue is resolved?¡± Letta tugged on my loosely fitted shirt. ¡°Anon! Anon! You forgot that you need to touch the person too! And! And! You¡¯ve gotta remember that it won¡¯t have an effect on a spell or other status condition that can¡¯t be fought off by the body!¡± Right. No turning people back from stone or whatever with this magic¡­ ¡°Yep! Good job! If we want to deal with that stuff we¡¯ll have to use some other type of magic, like spirit healing, or one of the essence magics depending on the status condition.¡± Corra crossed their thin arms and nodded slowly. ¡°You paid more attention than I gave credit-t-t, young Letta-a-a. You¡¯ll make a fine magus yet-t-t.¡± I cocked my head. ¡°Magus? Is that the general term for a spell caster?¡± I knew about mages, priests, and warriors, but magus is new. Letta gave me a broad grin that showed off both of her missing baby teeth. ¡°Yeppity yep yep! I¡¯m a magus, Corra¡¯s a magus, Bretta¡¯s a magus, Alder-Craig¡¯s a magus!¡± Then she grabbed some of my fingers in both of her little hands and bounced side to side. ¡°And you¡¯re the best magus of all Anon! With your booms! Ka-pows! And sha-shooms!¡± My eyebrows rose. O-oh¡­ oh¡­ So that¡¯s how she sees me, huh? Might need to scale the intensity back in the future or I¡¯m seriously gonna mess this little girl¡¯s common sense up. Corra soon left us to train on our own, and I read off the list of Rochelle¡¯s spells to Letta before we got down to the actual practice. Obviously there was ¡®synthesize¡¯, the mind over matter alchemy spell, but there was also ¡®mold¡¯, which can be used to shape and reshape the more malleable types of non-living material like dirt, clay, or sand; ¡®refine¡¯ which processes raw materials, such as turning logs to timber, or metal ore into ingots; ¡®burden¡¯ which alters the weight of objects in either direction with a touch; and ¡®break¡¯ which does exactly as the name implies, though contact has to be made and a commensurate amount of mana is needed for the material to be broken. i.e. the softer something is, the less mana it needs and vice versa. As for order magic, we got ¡®contain¡¯ the spell used as the counterpart to synthesize for alchemy purposes, though Uriel informed me that it can apparently be used to trap just about anything if you know what you¡¯re doing. Then there was ¡®control essence¡¯ which is a spell that can tap into any lesser or intermediate essence and allow the caster to emulate their effects, though it¡¯s less than half as effective unless you really splurge on mana; ¡®ward¡¯ is your typical defensive spell; ¡®nyx¡¯ is a sort of anti-magic that can break other spells; ¡®siphon¡¯ can steal either mana or endurance at a touch; and ¡®steel status¡¯ is a spell that helps prevent negative status conditions from taking effect. There was also a slew of more mundane order spells like ¡®lock¡¯ which locks and unlocks¡­ well¡­ locks, but I can explore those another time. Out of everything I¡¯ve gathered thus far, I think it¡¯s best if I focus on learning order and light magic first. I mean, I¡¯ve basically already got the heavily combat-focused lightning magic down, so having the weight of order magic¡¯s high essence value and its versatility on top of the more supportive light magic should allow me to comfortably face off with those soldiers¡­ Since I¡¯m definitely counting on that happening at some point, I¡¯d prefer to be ready sooner rather than later, and be able to keep my distance while doing so. I started by at least trying to run through all the body recovery and mind over matter magic before I settled in on my choices, as a rudimentary understanding might just get me out of a pinch, but my progress was slowed as Letta asked for guidance every few minutes. Her little fish fin-ear things drooped as she sagged her shoulders. ¡°A-Anon¡­ How do I get to be as good as you?¡± She sniffled. ¡°I-I got the abilities, so why can¡¯t I do magic too?¡± I pressed my lips into a line and knelt down as I placed a hand on her shoulder. She¡¯s been beside me since the start, and I¡¯ve no doubt that seeing me produce results with a new spell every half-hour or so has helped her visualize things, but it¡¯s clearly also taken a toll on her newfound confidence too¡­ And that¡¯s probably because she awakened her mana sense and manipulation one after the other like I did, but isn¡¯t able to actually cast anything. ¡°Sweetie, there¡¯s no need to be so hard on yourself. Learning magic isn¡¯t as easy as I make it look. After all, before you can cast the spells you need to have the corresponding ability, and before even that you have to get the mana sense and manipulation abilities.¡± She wiped her runny nose on a sleeve, and lowered her head further. ¡°So¡­ So I can¡¯t¨C.¡± I gently lifted her chin and brushed aside the curtain of her auburn hair along with her tears. ¡°You can, just not yet. Remember, you¡¯ve already taken the first steps with the mana abilities, but now you need to get the actual magic ones, and that might take as long as it took for you to get mana sense and manipulation.¡± ¡°S-so it¡¯ll be a long time¡­¡± ¡°Only if you don¡¯t practice everyday. Since if I¡¯m not mistaken, you only got to practice your mana sense when you stayed with someone who could teach you right?¡± She finally met my gaze again, and the sparks of enthusiasm were starting to burn once more. ¡°T-then what should I do? How do I get better?¡± I rubbed my chin and pretended to think, so that she¡¯d have the opportunity to collect her feelings and rekindle that youthful fire. ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re still young, so your future is yours to decide. That said, you have a whole slew of dormant abilities just waiting to be obtained, so I think you should go and put in the time needed to awaken them, and then consider your options before settling on magic. Don¡¯t get me wrong, magic¡¯s great! But who knows? You might find that you¡¯ve an aptitude for something else, a gift for something that you haven¡¯t even stumbled onto yet!¡± She started to rock on her heels, and a small smile crept onto her face. ¡°Do I really have something like that?¡± I cupped her face in both my hands. ¡°In my experience, everyone does.¡± And I¡¯m not just saying that either. My seemingly endless youth and that sharp tongued system aside, God gives us everything we need. I know that¡¯s what I¡¯d do if I were God. ¡°Though realizing your gifts can be tricky, so go and ask around. Maybe the others have glimpsed in you what you now seek.¡± Then I listed off her dormant abilities so that she¡¯d know where to start. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Okay!¡± She started to race off, then stopped, turned around, and marched back to me with her head down and cheeks rosy. Then she wrapped her little arms around my neck, and mumbled. ¡°Thank you Anon.¡± Before she bolted back into the village. I watched her go with a smile. At least now she¡¯ll be able to pick up some more practical abilities that¡¯ll help her survive in an immediate capacity. Which is what we¡¯ll need given that I¡¯m afraid that those soldiers might arrive while I¡¯m still here¡­ I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. I should probably warn Alder-Craig soon. I don¡¯t want them to panic, but I can¡¯t justify putting everyone in danger any longer than I already have. I put those matters aside for now, stood up, stretched, and then refocused on my training. By now I¡¯d gotten a feel for the spells of the disciplines that I wouldn¡¯t be focusing on, so I turned my complete and undivided attention to order and light essence magic. I muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done. For me, and everyone else too.¡± # Near the peak of one of the shorter copper mountains that divide the garden of creation from the rest of the world, Captain Horn sat on a small outcropping a little ways off from his unit and surveyed the fertile valley that lay ahead of them. It¡¯s still hard to believe that the apostle could dig their way under an entire mountain range¡­ I just hope they haven¡¯t strayed too much farther, or following the trail and catching up is going to get tough, even for us. ¡°Captain! Captain! The scouts have returned!¡± Larissa, his naga adjutant slithered up to him from the mountainside closest to their destination. She straightened everything except her coiled lower half, then saluted. ¡°They¡¯ve found a small opening in the mountainside close to the exact size the apostle made when it burrowed!¡± He returned the gesture, muttered, ¡°At ease.¡± and then stroked his stubble covered chin. So they can punch through solid copper too? But magical stone stopped them¡­ Interesting. ¡°Thank you, lieutenant. Did they find anything else?¡± ¡°Yes, it appears that the apostle wasted no time in its descent down the mountain and dug clear through any obstacle on its path. It should be easy enough to track until we reach the forest.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where our trouble will start again. The apostle clearly has a vast affinity for the earth, and if they were the one who was controlling the plants in the garden, then they¡¯re already aware of our general position, and once we reach the forest they¡¯ll harry us just as before.¡± Larissa nodded. ¡°Yes, sir, but if it behaves like past apostles then we already know where it went.¡± Horn stood, both eyebrows raised. ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± She twisted her serpentine lower body and pointed off into the valley. ¡°It¡¯s hard to see from here, but there¡¯s a small village down there. I suspect that¡¯s where it is.¡± He frowned, and slumped back onto the copper chunk. ¡°So we¡¯ll get civilians needlessly involved again¡­ Great.¡± Larissa averted her eyes, and hung her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¨C¡± ¡°I know. So let¡¯s confirm our strategy.¡± ¡°Well, sir, assuming it''s at the village, then a simple encirclement would be fastest.¡± ¡°Right, then we call it out, explain that we¡¯re not there to hurt them, and if that fails we threaten force.¡± ¡°Should we use the villagers, sir?¡± Captain Horn spit. ¡°Not unless we have to¡­ Or if they help.¡± ¡°And is our battle plan still the same?¡± ¡°Yes. Bombarding them with status condition spells while our frontline closes in might be basic, but with Nedrie there to give chase if they decide to burrow, and Felix¡¯s earth magic already proven to be an effective barrier, we should have more than enough of an upper hand¡­ Though we¡¯ll need to relegate a few men to be on guard against the village, so we might end up a bit short on manpower should the worst case scenario come to pass.¡± Larissa smirked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here, sir? To make up for our relatively small force¡¯s lack of strength?¡± Captain Horn grimaced, but nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± She took his silence as her signal to leave, and turned to go back to the scout¡¯s rendezvous point. ¡°Oh, one last thing.¡± She froze and glanced back over her shoulder. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Never call the apostle an ¡®it¡¯ again. And make sure the men know too. You weren¡¯t there the first time, but having their anger directed at us is an experience I¡¯d rather not repeat.¡± She stared at him for a time, gulped at the unmistakable unease on the veteran captain¡¯s face, and murmured. ¡°I¡¯ll do that, sir. Thank you for the warning.¡± Captain Horn didn¡¯t watch her slither away and instead stared off into the horizon. I don¡¯t normally do this, but please, God, bring this mission to a quick end. He then hung his head, ashamed of his fear of failure, and of what this moment of weakness would cost him if it was ever discovered by the Ascendant. ¡°Anon¡­ You¡¯ll be coming with me¡­ I¡¯ve got no other choice, so you don¡¯t either.¡± # The fading daylight marked the end of my training, and I relaxed my shoulders and rolled them around a few times to ease the tension that I¡¯d built up over the course of the day. I really don¡¯t want to spoil what these people have got going here, but if I just up and leave without an explanation then I know of at least one little girl who¡¯s going to try and follow me, and I¡¯d much prefer it if she wasn¡¯t constantly in danger like me. I stared down at my hands amid the mostly purple light that still peeked over the mountaintops. Wrapped in shadow, they trembled ever so slightly. ¡°And I really don¡¯t want to fight anyone either. I feel like I got more than my fill of that in my past life. After all, violence is a question, and too many people answer yes.¡± ¡°Anon! Anon!¡± Letta¡¯s bubbly voice snapped me out of my pensive stupor and I whirled around just in time to scoop her up. I spun her around and around, then checked her status to see the day¡¯s progress.
Name: Letta Species: Calminth Health: 10/10 Mana: 8/8 Endurance: 4/12 Strength: 6 Agility: 7 Speed: 10 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 8 Status conditions: tired (weak) depression (suppressed) Titles: Orphan; Lonely soul, Nascent faith; One who resented life; Seeker of Hope Abilities: Woodcarving lv: 3 Fishing lv: 1 (dormant) Carpentry lv: 3 Hunting lv: 1 (dormant) Weaving lv: 1 (dormant) Brewing lv: 1 (dormant) Herbalism lv: 1 (dormant) Mana manipulation lv: 2 Mana sense lv: 4 Swimming lv: 1 (dormant)
My eyes widened at what I saw. ¡°Wow, look at you! Two new abilities in one day, and several level ups! And your stats have gone up! You¡¯re healthier and stronger than ever!¡± And that¡¯s not mentioning the title changes too, she went from ¡®faithless¡¯ to ¡®nascent faith¡¯ and her ¡®one who resents life¡¯ title is now past tense. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice, you sneaky system! Her mouth opened as if she wanted to speak, but only excited and slightly relieved giggling poured out. I slowed our spin to a stop and she managed to find her words. ¡°I did it Anon! I did it! And it¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± She buried her little face into my shoulder, and I combed my fingers through her hair. I gave her a moment to herself as her slight shuddering fit told me that she was pretty overwhelmed with emotion, so after that passed I said softly. ¡°Not entirely thanks to me, in fact, most of that praise should go to you, as it¡¯s been little more than your hard work that¡¯s gotten you this far.¡± She pulled back and stared at me. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep! And your diligence and patience will get you far. It might not always feel like it on the days you don¡¯t get any visible progress, but so long as you keep working toward your goals, then you¡¯ll get there regardless of what stands in your way.¡± I set her down, and knelt in case she still had something to say. Her little hand never let go of my shirt, but her eyes turned back to the village. ¡°And¡­ And I can keep going tomorrow?¡± ¡°Mmhmm. And the day after that, and the day after that, in unto the rest of your life.¡± I¡¯d say infinitum, but I doubt she¡¯s as long lived as I am. She grinned. ¡°Then let¡¯s go! I¡¯ve got lotsa growing to do!¡± Letta skipped back toward the village and the wafting scent of, you guessed it, more grandour meat, and I followed at a sizably slower pace. The anxiety is killing me. I know it¡¯s time to own up and let the village know of the all too likely danger on my heels, but how much do I tell? Not everything, that much is for sure. After all, if I told them I dreamed up the world before it became real, then they might mistake me for God! And I really don¡¯t need the system to start messing with me any harder than it already is¡­ . I sighed. So do I tell them that bad people are trying to detain me? Do I tell the truth but leave out the important parts? Or do I just push their faith, and hope they¡¯ll believe that I saw the soldiers coming in a dream? ¡­ That last one would be nice¡­ Then at least I¡¯d know where they are¡­ Aggh! I just want this chase to end already! The Truth, or am I Dreaming? I followed Letta back to Alder-Craig¡¯s house where we had our dinner, and got situated for bed. However, before the last of the candles were put out I pulled the old deer-man-general aside, and whispered. ¡°Sometime tomorrow, the sooner the better, I need to talk to you.¡± He watched me for a moment, hardened his face in response to my serious tone, and nodded. ¡°I can do that. I doubted you¡¯d stay long, and Letta won¡¯t take it well.¡± I glanced over at her, happily curled up in a bed of furs and blankets, eyes closed, but undoubtedly waiting for me to come back. Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll have to leave soon. Regardless of the outcome of our talk¡­ Or what I fear comes after. I turned back to Craig. ¡°That¡¯s definitely part of it, but there¡¯s something potentially more pressing. I would¡¯ve brought it up sooner if I knew it was guaranteed to happen, but since it¡¯s only a possibility I didn¡¯t want to worry you or anyone else.¡± Again, he just looked at me for a while. As if his old eyes could somehow pry the truth, or some semblance of the world¡¯s mysteries from my stiffened facial features. ¡°I see. Then let us not waste another moment on this tonight. Rest well, my friend, that sleep might bring us both clarity on the morrow.¡± I gently clapped him on his thin shoulder, nodded, and wandered back to bed. Letta wordlessly snuggled up alongside me, and before I knew it, drowsiness descended. Wow. If only every night could be this easy! As I distinctly recall my first night in this new world being fraught with restlessness¡­ . Just like so many nights before¡­ . Wait. Was I an insomniac? Or am I just remembering that wrong? Ugh. Intrusive thoughts suck¡­ Sleep! Sort this out, dang it! # Sleep, glorious sleep. Just the thing I wanted, though it came in a form that I didn¡¯t entirely expect. Though maybe I should have, given that it wasn¡¯t my first nap in this new world. Anyway, just like those other times, faces, places, and voices flashed in and out of my foggy awareness as I drifted through the darkness of dreamland. Only this time they were clearer than in the past, and more than once I recognized some of the Kormath villagers mixed into the mess of sensory data. Well it is true that your brain recycles the faces you¡¯ve seen for use in dreams, so whatever. I quickly lost count of the requests for guidance or assistance they brought me, as well as all the thanks. Again, I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d done to deserve all this adoration, but it¡¯s always nice to be on the receiving end of gratitude, and since it was only a dream, I concentrated what little consciousness I had into altering their situations for the better. And I didn¡¯t just give them what they wanted either, after all, I couldn¡¯t change much. So instead I focused on giving them the opportunities to achieve their goals, or realize their hopes and dreams, with me only very rarely needing to actually intervene by moving some stone or other small thing into a better position so they wouldn¡¯t get hurt, or so that they could find what they¡¯d lost. That went on for a time, but eventually everything faded into an all consuming blackness that gave way to a ring of gray, and a central disk of white. Wait¡­ I know that shape! Suddenly, I felt wide awake. I knew I was still asleep, but every instinct I had screamed that this was all too real, and I couldn¡¯t do anything about it, unlike in my previous dreams just moments ago. Come on! Wake up! Wake up! ¡­ Nope. No luck. But what the heck is this?! How and why is that wretched anomaly inside my dreams?! Why invade my private space?! Wasn¡¯t destroying everything enough for you?! Did you really have to stick around?! Did you have to come here?! Huh?! Answer me! The anomaly just sat there, as constant and unchanging as ever, unreceptive or ignorant of my feelings and internal shouting. Every part of me trembled before it. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it no matter how I looked at it, and couldn¡¯t shake the sinking feeling that it was looking at me. Through me. I gritted my teeth, or whatever approximation I could conjure within this dreamspace, and muttered. ¡°If you want to be like that then fine. We can sit here for however long you like. I clearly can¡¯t leave until you let me, so I¡¯m just gonna do nothing until¨C.¡± The anomaly shifted. I froze. It was so subtle that I thought I imagined it, but then it happened again. The tiniest quiver. The most minute tremble. And once all my attention was once again on that great and terrible thing, it imploded back into darkness, and from the void it left behind a wellspring of information assailed my consciousness. I smelled smoke, heard countless screams, desperate battlecries, and weeping. Sweat and dirt and something uncomfortably sticky coated my skin in the most disturbing film I¡¯d ever imagined, and then fatigue, stabbing pain and sudden breathlessness washed over me like a flood. I gasped for breath as I struggled to scrub myself clean of that nasty mix, but then a series of visions struck suddenly and stopped me in my tracks. Wide eyed, I gawked at what I¡¯d just seen. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Letta. Craig. The whole of Kormath. Burned to ash, along with the entire valley. No one survived, not even the Wise Old Friend, as everything had become a slag filled caldera. ¡°But how? Why? Those soldiers aren¡¯t that strong are they? If they were, then how could I have escaped in the first place?¡± Again, sound hit me first. The clash of steel, the clap of thunder, the crash of stone and splintering of wood. I heard bunnyman¡¯s shouted orders, and countless chanted spells before another wave of pain hit me. Like before, it came with the sensation of dirt and grime and that sticky stuff I now knew to be blood. Then the images caught up, and I saw them, clad in their armor, wielding their hateful weapons, positioned around Kormath where I led a few of the villagers to fight. It was a fierce head on battle, and I did much better than I expected to, but then so did they. Bunnyman was no slouch, but the real threat was apparently some lady with the lower half of a snake, and that¡¯s not mentioning the mole man who kept harassing me from below, or the fox guy who put oh so many earthen walls in my way. But we won, they all died, though there were casualties too. Bretta. Rochelle. And more than half of the village¡¯s men whom I¡¯d yet to be acquainted with. All strength left me, and I curled in on myself on whatever passed as ground. ¡°Is this my fate? To watch others suffer and die? To lead them to that death? To bring it?! Am I to wander this new world until it crumbles away too?!¡± Then I was hit with a complete vision, and a horrible one at that. Step by step, a woman, completely veiled in white, strode through the halls of my mind. Her shadow, blood. Her pace, relaxed yet menacing. Her voice, a discord of several others screaming out in endless agony, begging to be released, saved. She said, ¡°You will be mine. Mine and mine alone.¡± I trembled. At first I thought it was fear, only to realize that I was enraged. Filled with nothing but pure, unbridled, fury. Every shred of my being demanded that that despoiler, that desecrator, that hideous monster be punished for her sins. And I needed no further proof to do so as the vision continued, and showed me her arrival to this valley and her subsequent and merciless destruction of everything within. The vision ended, and I sat, perfectly still as I contemplated everything I¡¯d just borne witness to. I clenched my imaginary fists, rose to my nonexistent feet with a deep inhalation, and shouted with all the force I could muster. ¡°This will not come to pass! I won¡¯t let it!¡± I stared up at the endless abyss of dark for how long I didn¡¯t know, or care to, but when I lowered my head I once again gazed upon the anomaly as it in turn stared back at me. A wry smile crept across my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can hear me, or understand what I¡¯m saying. Heck! I don¡¯t even know if you¡¯re intelligent or if you¡¯re even real! But if you can, and are, then I guess I should thank you. Thank you for this warning, and for watching over me. I won¡¯t waste this gift.¡± The anomaly didn¡¯t change, or twitch, or respond. No further visions came, no sensations, or sounds. But the dark around us lifted, and within this boundless white light, I once again took hold of myself, and willed my body to awaken. # My eyes shot open just before the sun, and I gently lifted Letta off of me so that she could continue to rest, and not be privy to the discussion I was about to have with Craig. I slunk out of the main room as quietly as I could, and found Craig waiting for me beyond an open door in what amounted to a small, yet cluttered office. He beckoned me in, gestured for me to sit on the small stool across from his own simple chair on the other side of a wide yet basic table, covered not in paperwork, but in weapons. Swords of various sizes and ornamentations, daggers, recurve bows, There were even a few spears, and heavy looking axes though they were leaned on the wall behind him. Regardless, it looked as if there was enough to arm every adult in the village, with little to none to spare. Which is fine. I¡¯ve got my own. He rubbed his hands on the ends of his chair¡¯s armrests and whispered. ¡°So, Anon, I hope you rested well, but what is it that you wished to discuss so urgently?¡± I glanced at the armaments, and frowned. ¡°By the look of all these, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve more or less grasped it.¡± He slowly shut his eyes. ¡°It won¡¯t be the first time danger has followed someone here. But in the past I was younger and stronger, and now we¡¯ve known peace for so long that I¡¯ve slacked in my training of the others.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not curious as to why they¡¯re after me?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. We came to this place to leave our past behind us. Obviously, we still remember, and use the skills we obtained to better the community, but we try to do so in utmost peace¡­ Though we know violence can¡¯t be avoided with outsiders all the time.¡± ¡°I see¡­ .¡± I leaned back, almost forgetting I was on a stool, but stopped before I toppled over. ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t want to know much, because I don¡¯t really have answers. I don¡¯t know who they are, why they¡¯re after me, or how many of them are coming, but I do know that they¡¯ll be here soon, likely at sunset.¡± Sooner if the Wise Old Friend lets them, but from that dream it looks like the old tree¡¯s on my side. Craig silently took in the information, then turned to stare at one of the more worn down spears against the wall. ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to prepare while we can. Fortify the village, and ready what little we have by way of resources. It will be a hard fight, but we won¡¯t go down without one.¡± I locked up and stared at the old deer-man-general. ¡°You mean you aren¡¯t going to drive me out? I mean, I¡¯ve only told you the necessities, what if I¡¯m withholding something? Why would you¨C?¡± He held up a hand, and smiled. ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯ve gotten a glimpse of your character over the last few days, and I¡¯m confident you aren¡¯t malicious and mean us no harm. Further, you¡¯ve done us more than one great kindness too, so it would be selfish to leave you on your own. Lastly, you already explained why you didn¡¯t bring this up sooner, though by the way you¡¯ve been talking as if it¡¯s now a certainty, I assume something¡¯s changed and there¡¯s no further doubt.¡± I blinked. Dang¡­ He read me like a book! ¡°But¨C.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°You are far too kind to worry about us still. We¡¯d all be dead already if you hadn''t appeared in our moment of need, so let us repay you now that the trial is yours.¡± I sighed, and allowed myself to accept that they were going to be a part of this no matter what I decide to do from here. And maybe that¡¯s for the best. I thought up a few plans already, to change things for the better, for everyone. But which do I settle on? How do I keep everyone alive? Should I ambush them, and use guerilla tactics? Quickly go and set traps around the village? Or do I just go out to meet them, spells blazing, in an attempt to lead them away? The villagers will get involved no matter what I do, Craig¡¯s made that clear, so how do I give them the best chance at survival? ¡°Anon? Are you alright?¡± I looked Craig in the eyes and grinned. ¡°Listen up, I¡¯ve got a plan. This is what we¡¯re going to do¡­¡± Down and Dirty Craig leaned back in his rickety chair and rubbed his chin, eyes closed. He muttered. ¡°Guerilla tactics eh? It¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve had to employ them myself, but given our disparity in numbers and the quality of our forces I¡¯d say that¡¯s probably the wisest course to take.¡± His eyes snapped open and he leaned in. ¡°So what specifically did you have in mind? I assume you¡¯ll want our hunters with you, but what of the rest of us? How will we fight, and where? And what shall the non combatants do?¡± My smile only grew. I really love watching people do what they know, it¡¯s endlessly fascinating. Every. Single. Time¡­ But that¡¯s just another reason I can¡¯t fail. ¡°The hunters will work with me through the day to find and set up good ambush points. After that, we¡¯ll head back and prep the village¡¯s defenses. Anyone able who wants to fight will be counted in, and placed at the various points, where we¡¯ll make the most of our resources to whittle them down and escape without them noticing you¡¯re even there.¡± He arched an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean? How will they not notice us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best part. I¡¯ll be the one standing at the fore, while the rest of you hide below ground, attacking or triggering traps as needed. With any luck, they¡¯ll be so focused or busy with me that they won¡¯t have even a moment to spare looking for, or trying to catch, you.¡± Craig frowned. ¡°Underground? We lack any earth essence mages, and Rochelle¡¯s mind over matter won¡¯t suffice for such a large space, so how are we to dig chambers big enough to do this?¡± I waved him off. ¡°Leave that to me. I happen to be an expert when it comes to digging holes.¡± His stern expression and tight shoulders relaxed a bit. ¡°It sounds like you have it all well in hand, but are you sure you won¡¯t be too tired by the time the battle begins? By the sound of it, you¡¯re going to be doing the most.¡± Tired? Me? That¡¯s funny! I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the cause of the problem so it¡¯s only fair that I pull my weight.¡± Craig grabbed the old spear on the wall behind him and got to his feet. ¡°Then we should get started. No point sitting around when our time is so short.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I took a deep breath, rose from my stool, and followed the Alderman out. Letta was still in bed, but her little green eyes widened when she saw us, and all traces of sleep vanished as she bolted out of bed and over to me. ¡°Anon? What¡¯s happening? Why¡¯s Alder-Craig got his spear? He only uses it when bad things happen.¡± I scooped her up without stopping, and whispered. ¡°That¡¯s because a bad thing is going to happen soon, and we need to make sure everyone is ready for it.¡± Her adorable face darkened, and she hid it against my shoulder. I gently combed my fingers through her messy bed head while we walked, and once we reached the communal fire pit, Craig bellowed. ¡°Attention! Everyone gather please!¡± In all of five minutes, anyone who wasn¡¯t already outside and aware of Craig had come out alone or with their families, until every villager was present and accounted for, all seventy two of them. Quiet chatter, and questioning glances greeted us in place of their usual friendly smiles, and Craig raised his spear toward the sky. ¡°Good people, a grave threat has chased our friend Anon here, and will arrive this very eve. Time is of the essence, we must prepare to face armed and disciplined soldiers, but fear not! Anon and I have agreed on a strategy, one that will carry us to victory! So listen up! We all have a part to play!¡± He launched into the explanation we came up with, and I tried not to smile at the amusing mix of reactions that washed over the crowd. Obviously, fear and trepidation were first, and they quickly changed to despair and resignation at the mention of soldiers, but their Alderman¡¯s confidence and the details of the plan changed their dour expressions to ones of courage. Courage and hope. And with that boost in morale, came our first step to winning. Though I really should¡¯ve expected this. The man¡¯s a general, plus he¡¯s got both the command and leadership abilities, so it¡¯s no wonder that he¡¯s so effective. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Even Letta, who was cowering in my arms, stopped hiding, and turned to listen to Alder-Craig. The part about how the children could help gather and move resources proved especially interesting to her, and before his spiel was over she had gotten down, and simply held my hand until the end. ¡°That¡¯s it! You know your parts! Now get to work!¡± Craig bellowed, and the villagers scattered without a cheer or grumbling. I was slightly surprised at their lack of reaction, given how well they took his speech, but then I remembered that they came here to live in peace, so they no doubt abhor violence, even though it¡¯s necessary to survive. And who am I to judge anyway? I don¡¯t really want to kill anyone either¡­ . Letta tugged on my finger, and I knelt to give her a quick hug before she tottered off to join the other kids in their tasks. They have a lot of stuff to move if my plan¡¯s to be realized, and it¡¯s past time I got moving too. # Everything happened all at once. The hunters went off to locate good spots, those willing to fight armed themselves and got a crash course with Craig, and I started by going to the lakeshore, near an old tree that Craig had mentioned, to dig out a big honkin¡¯ hole. One large enough for all the non combatants to shelter in, and reinforced with the roots and thorny vines of nearby vegetation by way of Witness¡¯ ¡®one with nature¡¯ trait. Then I planted one of my spears, the one named Discipline, into the center of it all, wrapped it in roots, and moved on to my next task. All in all, an hour well spent. Next, I relied on Witness¡¯ ¡®pathfinder¡¯ trait to guide me to the first of the hunter¡¯s chosen ambush points. I had a rough idea where they¡¯d be thanks again to a quick chat with Craig, but since I was going by way of Excavation Emperor, I needed all the help I could get. Because I apparently dig faster than a horse can run, maybe even a car can drive, and I obviously can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going. The first spot was a little clearing a couple hundred feet away from the village, and since I¡¯d already taken the time to open up a small cavern, not even nearly as large as the clearing itself beneath it, all I really had to do was use Witness to set up various traps that could be activated with the pull or cut of a vine. Oh, and I didn¡¯t leave a spear this time. I then repeated that process several more times, stopping only when I started to feel light headed for reasons I can only assume are related to my manic mana consumption. And that makes four more hours down. It''s about time for everyone else to eat, but not me! I literally don¡¯t need it! After that, I went and placed two more caverns off in more distant locations in the valley, both for the sake of acting as retreat points, but also as part of my last resort, which again included placing two more of my spears down, specifically Retribution and Reprisal, in the same fashion as Discipline. Two more hours gone. ¡°And with that, I think I¡¯m done out here¡­ Though I¡¯ve only got one hour left to set up the village¡¯s defense now¡­ .¡± I sighed, as the hardest part lay just ahead and I was cutting it awfully close, but at least I could move forward knowing everyone other than me would be safe even if the ruse is discovered. ¡°And that¡¯s the most important part.¡± So let¡¯s hustle back to town, and mentally review, if only for my sanity. All the tunnels are interconnected in a general triangle shape, and protected just like the caverns, largely thanks to the Wise Old Friend pitching in once it realized what I was doing. At least that¡¯s what I think happened, for all I know someone else could¡¯ve butted in and moved those roots, but I seriously doubt that. With any luck, Rochelle and Corra will reach the two more distant spears sometime before I run out of traps, or strength, as they¡¯ve got quite a bit of distance to cover and weren¡¯t scheduled to head out till after lunch. That leaves old Craig, but he¡¯s already positioned with Discipline and won¡¯t budge from the village¡¯s cavern no matter what happens. The rest of the villagers should already be underground with their necessities so that I can make Kormath look abandoned when I get back, so assuming nothing goes catastrophically wrong we should be able to hold off the soldiers, if not take them down outright, and do it all before cutting off this valley from that white clad lady¡¯s wrath. All in all, not a bad plan if I do say so myself. I just hope my limited knowledge of magic is going to pull through where it counts. Only half an hour remained before sun down when I got back to Kormath, so I quickly, and admittedly haphazardly, used Witness to throw vines and moss and other vegetation all over the village. I didn¡¯t go too crazy, both to conserve my mana, but also to make it look like a more recent and thus believable occurrence, and that¡¯s when I heard rustling in the trees outside the village. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart started to race. Crap! I¡¯m out of time! I didn¡¯t hesitate to dive underground beneath the cover of a newly grown bush, but instead of running, I waited. The village is camouflaged to a believable level¡­ I think... But this is it. They¡¯re here. There¡¯s no going back, or changing anything! The fight is all but on, but what do I do? I should probably hang out to eavesdrop on their plans, but after that¡­ Do I jump straight in with an ambush? Or should I try to be a more reasonable person and talk things out? Wait. Is that even sane? No, it has to be, I¡¯m immune to insanity. A Night to Remember Thwack! ¡°Ahgg¡­¡± Captain Horn stifled a shout as yet another unseen branch whipped out of the growing dark of evening to lash him in the face. The whole day he¡¯d led his unit toward the village with as much care and consideration as a pickpocket tailing their mark, but the foliage had other ideas, and now that the sun had all but abandoned them, their progress only got that much slower. But it¡¯s over now. We¡¯re finally here! He gestured to the soldiers behind him and they in turn passed the unspoken order to fan out to those behind them. At long last, the end of our great task is at hand. At long last, the apostle is again within reach. At long last, we can complete our mission, and return home to the temple. And do so without another accursed root or blasted vine tripping us up and making things needlessly difficult! In twos, the group of forty split and spread to encircle the quaint little settlement. Their simple homes were obscured in the dark, but Captain Horn was all too aware of how hard life out here, away from any country or merchant caravan, must be, and further braced himself for the nature toughened hunters who must dwell within. He stepped foot out of the trees, flanked by the fox-like Felix, then froze. Felix whispered. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. I don¡¯t hear anything. Not even the breathing of livestock.¡± He quickly glanced around, but all the silhouettes of the pens were empty, all the shadows of the homes had the doors wide open, and the faint forms of vines, moss, and other vegetation sprouted all over the place. No. No this can¡¯t be! The village is abandoned? How? When?! The scouts couldn¡¯t have been mistaken! Not about this! Then the faint sound of something scrabbling in the dirt caught his attention. His dread melted into a grin. So you¡¯re still here, Anon. Don¡¯t think I¡¯d forget the sound you make when you part the earth¡­ Which means you¡¯re trying to shelter the villagers, hide them, even. But that¡¯s fine. One less obstacle to worry about. Captain Horn waved his soldiers on, as they had all stopped when he did, and led them with silent haste toward the far edge of the village, near the lakeshore. Normally their armor and other equipment would clatter and give them away, but thanks to the combined abilities and magic of their specially chosen group they were able to mask their movements while tailing their quarry. Sure enough, one scout pair honed in on a particular bush off by a larger house, and signaled that the apostle was hidden somewhere beneath it. Now you¡¯re mine. He motioned for Felix to solidify the ground around them with his earth essence magic, and for Nedrie, the mole-man, to get ready to dive in and give chase. The rest, as planned, got into position, muttered the start of their status condition spells under their breath or prepared nets to throw, when¨C KraKoom! A fat blue bolt of lightning dropped out of the obsidian sky straight into the center of their midst, right onto Larissa¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream. ¡°Move! Now!¡± Captain Horn bellowed his orders while reeling from the noise of the strike. He grit his teeth through the incessant ringing, and smirked. Trying to take out the leadership first, are you? I don¡¯t know how you sensed us from down there, or how you knew who to target, but Larissa¡¯s a naga, magic won¡¯t¨C. ¡°Sir! Lieutenant Larissa¡¯s down!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Naga¡¯s, notorious for their resistance to magic, should¡¯ve been able to endure anything short of an arch-magus¡¯ spells without fear of instant defeat, yet there, Larissa lay, twitching on the ground, as blue sparks arced off her serpentine body. ¡°Heal her! Quickly! We need her back in this figh¨Cahh!¡± ¡°Look alive, bunny-boy!¡± Captain Horn¡¯s eyes shot wide as he heard, then saw, Anon shoot out of the bush and past him in an instant. If he had taken even a fraction of a second to think, then Anon¡¯s staff would¡¯ve collided with his head. And though he wore a well made helmet, he didn¡¯t trust it to withstand the well documented physical prowess of an apostle for long. The shadow of Anon zipped away in a low arc into the farthest reaches of the village before it landed, and stopped, if only to blow a kiss back at their would be pursuers, before darting off into the woods. Captain Horn gaped, like a fish out of water. Crap! Crap! Was this a trap? No! It has to be! They knew we were coming! I knew they knew and still I let my eagerness override my good sense! He clenched his fists. But it¡¯s too late now. The trap¡¯s been sprung and I can¡¯t afford to let them slip away a second time! He moved to give an order, but stopped when his mind played the image of Anon, mere inches from striking him, with a wild smile plastered on a face that looked too much like his dead sister, shouting with a thrilled voice that matched her final desperate screams, back for him. He shuddered. Dear God¡­ That face¡­ that voice¡­ Is Anon really an apostle? Or are they more of a fiend? How can I¨C? ¡°Captain¡­ .¡± Larissa¡¯s low groan pierced the mire of his mind, and he snapped back to reality. ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll need a minute, but you need to snap out of whatever it is you¡¯re struggling with and go. We can¡¯t both stay here.¡± He glanced around, but the majority of the unit was gone. Undoubtedly they¡¯d hurried after Anon, with only the healers and Larissa remaining with him. Now I¡¯ve really done it. He grimaced, swallowed his rising embarrassment, and sprinted out of the village and into the dark forest where he last spotted Anon. ¡°I said it once, and I¡¯ll say it again. You¡¯re coming with me. I¡¯ve got no other choice.¡± # Gotta move, gotta move, gotta move, gotta move! Hahahaha! I can¡¯t believe that worked! And I got away without a scratch! I thought for sure I was gonna have to use those vines to spring out early when they surrounded me like that, but hoo boy! Finding that snake lady was easier than I thought! Though, maybe I should¡¯ve known that considering her rather unique method of movement. I ran, or more like jogged, at a decent clip away from Kormath toward the first of the several ambush points. There, the villagers standing by beneath, and presumably the Wise Old Friend, will help me put up a bit of a fight, maybe pick off a few, definitely wear them down, before I split off for the next point. I know it might be a bit of a stretch counting on the old tree like this, but considering that the shrubs are being quite considerate and moving out of my way, I¡¯m willing to bet Senior Arbor has figured out what I¡¯m doing. I checked back over my shoulder just to see if my pursuers are, well, pursuing, and I wasn¡¯t disappointed. And yes, it¡¯s normally a bit hard to see in the dark, but between the trees moving their canopies to allow the moonlight to pass and the three dim orange ¡®illuminate¡¯ spells I tossed out around me to light the way, and act as a distraction/beacon, it wasn''t too rough on my ol¡¯ peepers. That said, the glint in their eyes was downright disturbing. Like, I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of positive fanaticism for a few days now, but to be stared down by like, forty hostile fanatics is¡­ well¡­ bloodcurdling. At last, the clearing opened up around me, and I moved and dimmed the lights to trip up my enemies while I quickly darted up the conveniently placed rock I dredged up earlier. It wasn¡¯t too big, but it gave me the vantage point I needed, and ensured all their eyes were on me for what came next. Since, y''know I¡¯m easier to see with the still partially lit sky as a backdrop instead of the completely dark forest. I smirked as they stumbled ever nearer, courtesy of the dark, and a sudden set of root snares likely conjured by my branch bearing buddy. Just as I caught their silhouettes scrambling to their feet, glaring up at me, I snapped and closed my eyes tight, and plugged my ears. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°My eyes!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see!¡± Obviously, I turned the ¡®illuminate¡¯ spell back on, but I also changed the color to a bright white and amped up the brightness to the max, but that¡¯s not all! Thunderclap! Kra-koom! In that same instant, my thought of spell activated and released a sonorous boom that deafened all unfortunate enough to be in my immediate area. And just like that, I¡¯ve reinvented the flash-bang! Now to make the most of it. I tapped Witness against the rock and used its ¡®one with nature¡¯ power to shift some roots down below to signal the villagers to start. Sure, I could assume that they heard all the racket, but considering everything at stake, I¡¯d prefer to play it safe. I watched on, in the once again dimmed light of my spells, as the soldiers who floundered on the ground fought to regain their senses and control of the situation. They haplessly moved to surround me, but that¡¯s when my allies got things underway. Crash! Swoosh! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Suspended logs came down, and the thorny vine nets nestled in the grass came rushing up. The miserable cries of my armored agitators was, well, not music to my ears, but it did give me a certain confidence. And then Bunnyman came bounding into the fray. ¡°On your feet! We need to surround Anon!¡± Oh goody¡­ He¡¯s remembered my name too. Just as my visions led me to expect, he was no slouch, in fact, he was downright scary. The speed at which me lept from tree to tree, cutting the support vines and freeing his soldiers was inhuman, but then again, he isn¡¯t exactly human is he? I mean, the clearing is roughly fifty feet wide, and he hit all five nets in around ten seconds, but then, I planned for this too. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. With every net that was cut, a sealed jar came crashing down too, and each released a cloud of sweet smelling vapors into the air and all over the soldiers. Given the slight breeze and the spread, I doubt its primary effect will be seen until more doses are administered, but since the secondary is my last resort, I have no choice but to start it now. Bunnyman and his cohort started coughing, and covering their eyes and mouths against the vapor that no doubt burned given its high alcohol content, but that¡¯s just what I wanted, and I used that opportunity to make a break for it. Unlike before, I wasn¡¯t going slow. Now that some actual leadership was around, and they¡¯d gotten a taste of my nasty tricks, I wasn¡¯t going to be able to lead them by the nose anymore, so I was sprinting like my life depended on it. And it kinda does. As expected, Bunnyman led the charge with haste, and they were hot on my heels in no time. I heard several thrown or shot projectiles wiz past me before crashing off into the bushes, and then I felt some foreign magic hit my back and attempt to take hold, but I managed to shrug it off, though my initial surprise at getting hit did slow me and give Bunnyman a chance to tackle me to the ground. And he was savage. ¡°How dare you toy with me! How dare you wear her face!¡± He bellowed, and grasped, and swung at me like a rabid, well, rabbit, and I struggled to fend him off with my buckler and staff. They were too long or wide to be of any real use given our tangled up, close quarter, contest of strength, so with my arms useless, the manic man-rabbit had the undeniable upperhand, and my face took the brunt of it. Oww! Ow! What¡¯s his deal? I know I¡¯m trying to be obnoxious but isn¡¯t he taking this a little too hard? And what the heck is he talking about? I¡¯ve only got one face, dang it! My heart pounded in my chest as more and more of his goons closed in on me. My viewpoint became little more than darkness and hands scrabbling to pin me down, when I heard something that made me gulp. ¡°Roderick, get the shackles. No, not those, we need the special ones.¡± Oh geez. Not good! I tightened my grip on Witness. Come on! Come on! Hurry up! I can¡¯t stop here! Not until the village is safe! I could hardly lift a finger anymore, and Bunnyman, whose face was mere inches from mine, huffed to catch his breath as a crazed smile spread on his face. ¡°No more running¡­ No more mind games¡­ You¡¯re coming with me, fiend¡­ Just as you should have from the start.¡± I don¡¯t know what happened to him to twist his mood so, but the look I now caught of his eyes was¡­ unnerving. There was too much desperation in them, along with a touch of grief, fear, and dare I say obsession. But I did my best to ignore this unexpected change, as I arched a swollen eyebrow, and pretended to be confident. ¡°I¨CIs that so?¡± The villagers better show up soon, or I¡¯m screwed! They¡¯ve already got those bulky looking restraints open! He tensed, and the fear in his eyes exploded like a wildfire as he rapidly glanced around. ¡°What more could you possibly do? You¡¯re surrounded! We¨C¡± I relaxed as I heard the subtle sound of bark shifting against bark. ¡°No. You¡¯re surrounded.¡± ¡°Wha¨C¡± Suddenly, out of the trees, a veritable rain of thorns and spines shot forth in all directions, blinding my aggravated agitators, and pricking them all over. Yeah, okay, their armor will probably spare them from the worst of it, just like it did from the thorns on the nets, but this is far from over, and they need to be thoroughly worn down and taught not to mess with me¡­ Now, surge! Once the volley ended, I activated the ¡®surge¡¯ spell and quickly sat up. I hadn¡¯t trained with this spell much so my control over my heightened strength was lacking, but it proved monstrously effective at launching the dogpiled soldiers off of me and away. ¡°Get them! Don¡¯t let them escape! Get them now!¡± Captain Horn bellowed as he sailed a good fourteen feet or so into the air, and into the awaiting branches of a tree. But I wasn¡¯t going to just stand around while his troops got to act, and bolted once again. Boy am I glad I set up this trap differently. Instead of an obvious clearing I went for a wider section of tunnel instead, both so that the villagers could activate it as needed, but also to prevent the soldiers from even realizing that they had walked into it. The only problem was that I had to constantly use Witness to signal my position, and that slowed me down and meant that the villagers had to catch up and then use the blow darts I prepared¡­ but all¡¯s well that ends well. # Captain Horn darted through the dark forest as fast as his legs would allow. At times he wouldn¡¯t notice a branch or root, and would stumble or fall, but he lunged back to his feet and resumed the chase the very next instant. Anon. That wretched monster! How many times must I get so close only for them to slip away? No matter how fast he ran, the hooded figure of his target would always be one step ahead, one trap away, one snide remark too far out of reach. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t keep up?¡± ¡°I thought rabbits were supposed to be quick?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± The screams, grunts, and cries of his unit only added fuel to the internal fire blazing within. The further they ran, the more pits they fell into, darts were shot at them, and nets were dropped. Captain Horn was painfully aware that their numbers were dwindling. And it didn¡¯t help that the trees almost seemed to open up to allow them a clear shot at the apostle¡¯s back, only to reach out to block both their spells, arrows, and path just enough to keep the infuriatingly close distance between them. Sure they managed to land a few glancing shots, but he knew those would regenerate, and the apostle proved endlessly resilient to their status magic. Curse this forest, and curse Anon! How dare they so casually subject us to this torture! We came to escort it to safety, and they have the audacity to not only torment us, but to wear Rosetta¡¯s face! Suddenly, the forest opened up again, and Anon stopped in the center of the hundred foot wide clearing, and turned around. Captain Horn struggled to catch his ragged breath, and glared with bloodshot eyes as he drew his sword. ¡°Done running?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Again, Anon stung his ears with his sister¡¯s voice. Little orange globes of light danced around them, who stood poised with neither staff nor shield at the ready, completely healed of their prior beating and cuts, apparently unfazed by the length and speed of the hectic chase, with their head cocked slightly to the side so that just the edge of his sister¡¯s face could tease out into the dim light. Captain Horn snarled. ¡°Good! Surround them! Take them down! No mercy!¡± But nothing happened. No one moved. He glanced over his shoulders, at where his unit should be, even if they were only now arriving late, but no one was there. His eyes widened, and dread bit deep into his confidence as Anon chuckled. ¡°Yeah, sorry, but they didn¡¯t quite make it through the ol¡¯ gauntlet. Oh don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re still alive, just extremely tired and maybe paralyzed. After all, most of those darts were laced with grandour venom yaknow.¡± He narrowed his eyes and tightened his hand around his blade. Then he charged. ¡°You dirty! No good! Rotten piece of filth! How dare you humiliate us like this!? How dare you!?¡± Anon didn¡¯t run, and blocked each of his swings with either the buckler or staff, calmly accepting the wild fury he unleashed without counterattacking. ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, mad, and hurt, but did you really mean what you said before? I thought you wanted to capture me, but no mercy? Are you really going to kill me?¡± Captain Horn froze. ¡°Are you really going to kill me?¡± The words echoed in his head. Reverberated in his soul. Dredged up the memory of that awful night when Rosetta died at the hands of a friend. Of her final words, ¡°Are you really going to kill me?¡± # Man. For a moment I really thought he was out for blood, but I didn¡¯t expect him to just¡­ stop. I looked at where Bunnyman stood, utterly motionless, as tears dripped down his dirty, blood and sweat stained face. Did I break him? God, please tell me I didn¡¯t break him¡­ . His sword dropped from his hand and thumped into the grass beside him before he collapsed to his knees muttering, ¡°Rosetta.¡±, over and over again. Oh no. What happened? Who¡¯s Rosetta? And why is this happening now? Guilt gnawed at me as I glanced around, but there was no sign of anyone else showing up. Ughh. Why¡¯s everything gotta be so complicated¡­ I swear if this turns out to be some big misunderstanding and we¡¯re all gonna end up friends, I¡¯m gonna burrow back underground and go to sleep again. In spite of my better judgment, I knelt in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder. This is so, so, so, stupid, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling that this is somehow my fault¡­ So be it. I hate the guilt more than I¡¯ll hate the regret. ¡°Hey, now. Don¡¯t cry. Take a deep breath. I¡¯m sure we can work this out.¡± # ¡°Hey, now. Don¡¯t cry. Take a deep breath. I¡¯m sure we can work this out.¡± Captain Horn shut his eyes, and drew in a long, slow breath. Then he let it out. How many times had Rosetta said those words to him? How many times had she comforted her rambunctious and carefree little brother whenever he got hurt, or upset when they couldn¡¯t afford whatever shiny thing caught his eye with their modest means? His lip quivered. But she¡¯s gone though¡­ And yet¡­ . Right before him, kneeling down just like she always did, her gentle hand on his shoulder right where it always sat, was someone who not only looked like, but sounded exactly like his sister. Hot sticky tears welled up once again, and he threw himself at Anon, wrapping them in a tight embrace. ¡°R¨CRosetta! Rosie! Why? Why? Did you leave me!? Why did you have to die!?¡± # Bunnyman hugged me, and started bawling his eyes out. Not how I thought this¡¯d go, but I guess this works¡­ . With nothing else to do, I lightly pulled his helmeted head closer and patted his armored back. All in all, he was pretty heavy. But hey, if he¡¯s not going to try to kill or capture me, I¡¯ll take it! Then he started blubbering into my shoulder. ¡°I¨CI did everything I could to better myself after you passed. Threw away my stupid, carefree ways! I¨CI applied himself, and grew into someone capable! Responsible! Someone who could protect the things and people important to me! So how did I get here? How did I get so swept up in achieving more and more that I forgot what my goal was in the first place? And why does any of it matter if you¡¯re already gone?!¡± I sighed. ¡°Why does it matter? Didn¡¯t you just say it? You¡¯ve grown into someone better, someone who won¡¯t let the past happen again. Let the past be the past. All that¡¯s left for you is to find people you want to protect. And then protect them.¡± He suddenly pulled away and stared at me. ¡°P¨Cpeople¡­ to protect?¡± ¡°Yes Captain. Do your duty and protect me while I finish capturing the Apostle.¡± Following her cold voice out of the trees the shadow of the last naga I wanted to see slithered closer. Great, she recovered. And just as I was about to end things peacefully too. Captain Bunnyman glanced between us, blinked twice, and then he snatched up his sword and got to his feet. ¡°Larissa! No, lieutenant! Where are the others?¡± She raised her spear and pointed it at me. ¡°The healers used up their mana and collapsed, while those who followed you are likely being devoured by monsters as we speak. I sensed the beast''s approach on my way here. I don¡¯t know how, but I suspect that that was the apostle¡¯s plan all along. Wear us down, and then throw us into those creature¡¯s waiting maws.¡± Wow¡­ Wasn¡¯t going to bring that up since the villagers know that the grandour lure was only meant as a last resort to stop them, not as a measure to finish them off, but if you want to play hardball, snake lady, I¡¯m game. I felt Bunnyman¡¯s hate reignite as his head snapped back to me, but before he could shout I shook my head and said. ¡°Not quite. I¡¯ll admit I doused you all in a mist of grandour venom and alcohol, but it was never my intention to let anyone die.¡± That vision gave me more than my fill of that already ¡°And if you don¡¯t believe me, know that grandour are pretty slow, so even now you probably still have plenty of time to go save them since they all dropped off here toward the end. Which means the real question is why didn¡¯t you help them miss Larissa? Wouldn¡¯t that have been not only good, but wise?¡± # Anon¡¯s question rang in Captain Horn¡¯s sensitive ears. Why didn¡¯t she? She came down the same route right? No, she had to if she was to find this place, and an increase in numbers would have helped, so¨C He turned to her. ¡°Lieutenant? Did you help them?¡± She scoffed. ¡°Why would I? I have a duty to uphold and tired, beaten up, soldiers won¡¯t help. Even you¡¯ll only be able to serve as a distraction, worn out as you are! We¡¯re here to capture the apostle, not carry around dead weight! Leave them! We¡¯ll collect the survivors after.¡± His heart skipped a beat. S¨CShe¡­ How could she? Anon raised his staff and buckler, turned to face Larissa, and nodded toward the way they¡¯d come. ¡°Based on the look on your face I think you found the answer to your question. Go. They need you now.¡± Rosetta¡¯s face and voice changed as Anon spoke, cycling through all the likenesses of his troop. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ .¡± ¡°Captain! For the love of¨C What are you doing? The apostle¡¯s right there! We can do this! Get them! Help me!¡± His eyes darted between Larissa, Anon, and the forest behind him. His heart thundered in his chest, and for the first time in a long time he wondered what to do. Do I help Larissa? Or the rest of the unit? If we hurry I might be able to accomplish both, but there¡¯s no telling what Anon has left in store, or how close the monsters are! Blast it! What should I do? Who do I want to protect? Larissa? Or everyone else? A Snake in the Garden Chapter Thirteen: A Snake in the Garden I watched Captain Bunnyman deliberate for a bit longer before I gently said. ¡°Go. Either way I¡¯ll be here when you get back. Be it in chains, or with your unconscious lieutenant beside me.¡± He froze, and my roving globes of light gave me a glimpse of his narrowed eyes, searching me for any sign of deception. ¡°You swear?¡± ¡°No. But we¡¯re all tired of this, so no more running. This ends tonight.¡± He stared toward the forest again for what had to be the thousandth time, hesitated, and then bolted back the way we¡¯d come. Freakin¡¯ finally! What in blazes made him take so long? And where¡¯d that breakdown come from? The heck¡¯s going on with these people tonight? ¡°Interesting¡­ What did you do to him to cause the conditioning to break? Do you possess mind over mind magic in addition to your other abilities?¡± Hol¡¯ up. Conditioning? Like¡­ brainwashing? Is that why he became such a mess? But then why would his subordinate¡­? I squinted at Larissa, and Uriel obediently retrieved the information I wanted.
Name: Larissa Nathreya (Goldorath) Species: Naga (Fallen) Health: 443/443 (600/600) Mana: 650/650 (1000/1000) Endurance: 412/412 Strength: 100+150 Agility: 128+380 Speed: 134+290 Toughness: 27+300 Spirit: -650 Status conditions: Corruption (Moderate); Posessed; Stone strength; Steel body; wisp walk; Earth''s bounty; Second Wind; Titles: Lieutenant of the Subjugation Squad; Believer of Lies; Heretic; Incomplete Assimilation; (Forsaker of Righteousness; Servant of Evil; Willful ignorance) Abilities: Leadership lv: 12 Mana sense lv: 15 (+32) Mana manipulation lv: 20 (+47) (Dark magic (adept) lv: 22) Command lv: 54 Arcane strike lv: 77 Mind over body magic (adept) lv: 23 Fire magic (advanced) lv: 66 (Fallen Guard lv: 44) (Fallen blade lv: 63) (Blood hunter lv: 89) Scale shield lv: 90 (Mana thirst lv: 52) Relentless lv: 31 Intimidate lv: 14 (+30) Bloodlust lv: 21(+33) Serpet''s blade ballet (Adept) lv: 27
Holy¡­ Okay that¡¯s a lot to read and unpack. So let¡¯s start with some probing to stall, gather context, and buy time to read all this. ¡°So he was what? A mind controlled pawn?¡± She slithered closer, and raised her spear. ¡°Indeed. Many of our faith¡¯s most powerful servants need some¡­ convincing, in order to leave their old ways behind in pursuit of a greater, more enlightened, existence.¡± Oh boy. Crazy people all talk the same don¡¯t they? But I guess that explains her ¡®believer of lies¡¯ title, and means that I¡¯m probably not talking to the real Larissa¡­ . And what the heck¡¯s with her negative spirit stat? How is that even possible? ¡°Your faith? Care to elaborate? On that and the fact that you called me an Apostle?¡± She stopped her gradual advance, and tilted her head. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know the state of your own existence? You were born of the garden of creation. Of the very place the world began! That makes you an apostle of the creator god. And like the others you will serve to aid in our masters ascension, just as you were intended to. Just like the ones who came before you.¡± I staggered back a step, the weight of all this new information bearing down on me like a tangible pressure. Wait, the world began there? But that¡¯s where I was when I dreamed¡­ No. That¡¯s a coincidence, focus on the important stuff. Like the others. What others? Has this band of¡­ corrupted and mind controlled bozos been capturing other people like me from the place where I first awoke? But I was the only one left from the old earth, and I don¡¯t have any apostle title¡­ You¡¯d think something like that¡¯d be a title! Unless¡­ unless it¡¯s what¡¯s hidden behind those question marks! Then¡­ crap! I really shouldn¡¯t be jumping to conclusions! I need more to go off of! ¡°What did you mean when you said they served?¡± She chuckled, and shook her head, reducing the distance between us down to twenty or so feet. ¡°I¡¯m not privy to the details. But fear not, I¡¯m sure the Ascendant will be more than eager to inform you once you¡¯re returned to your proper place.¡± ¡°Rriiight¡­ .¡± The menacing hiss in her voice only further underlined all the bad news her status revealed, and I frowned. Suffice to say, this snake lady is nuthin¡¯ but bad news, and since she¡¯s itching to fight and I need more time to think¡­ Spark shower! Kra¨Ckoom! Upon my command, another fat lightning bolt dropped from the heavens, just like the first, right onto her head. Obviously this was my best choice since it took her out in one go last time. Only this time she didn''t fall. Sparks leapt and curled off of her and into the ground as she continued her relaxed advance. ¡°You just keep getting more and more interesting. The ability to cast without an incantation is new, as is your apparent ability to conjure manaless phenomena. But I won¡¯t allow the same trick to work twice. You¡¯ve humiliated me enough for one lifetime.¡± Great¡­ Now how am I supposed to get the time to figure out what all those obvious buffs and ominous abilities do?! I gritted my teeth, and readied my shield. But then I guess I should expect this from the one who was the most troublesome in that dream. So here goes nothing! I gave Witness a squeeze and thick roots burst up from the ground around her in an all too accurate reenactment of how I dispatched those grandour. She didn¡¯t even have time to move before they wrapped her up, and it¡¯s not like she has the ability to jump, given that her lower half is a snake¡¯s, so that should have been checkmate. Oh, how it should have. But then I noticed that fire magic is written on the lower part of her status. This just isn¡¯t going to go well for me is it? Warm orange light poured out from where the roots overlapped, only for them to give way to a wave of intense heat and rush of air, followed by a plume of fire. The mound of brown tethers that I used to bind her quickly blackened and curled as they crumbled away into nothing. I held up my buckler to avoid the frankly uncomfortable warmth that bristled over me, and retreated a few steps back. Holy moly! Did she just blow herself up? I mean, she¡¯s in that! Unless¡­ . I lowered my shield just in time to see the flames go out, and for a serpentine shadow to surge forth and thrust its spear at me faster than anyone or anything I¡¯d encountered to date¡­ save for maybe my lightning bolts. Thunk! By pure luck, the tip of her weapon collided with my lowered buckler, as she had apparently aimed at my undefended gut. But my troubles were far from over. As the force of the impact made me shudder and pushed me back several feet, and then a burst of disturbing dark purplish-blue light followed. Like a hit from a small kaiju, the impact rattled through my utterly unprepared body and sent me sprawling. It was like the landing from my lake crossing all over again, only this time I could feel my bones rattle! And to top it off, my impromptu aerial journey ended with my back planted firmly against a nice hefty rock. In other words, I was splayed out, in the general shape of a crescent, limbs limp, and all too painfully aware of each bump, groove, and crevice, on that boulder¡¯s surface. ¡°Owww¡­ .¡± I peeled myself off just in time to see the same glowing purple spearpoint fly ever nearer to my nose. Eyes wide, my mind went into overdrive and slowed the pace of my perception down to a crawl. But what can I do? She¡¯s too close! Too fast! I¡¯d have to be able to deflect or avoid the hit in an instant! At the speed of¡­ Man, I¡¯m an idiot! Ward! Nyx! In a flash, the ¡®ward¡¯ spell created a blue barrier that interjected itself into the paper thin margin between me and the impending strike, but that wasn¡¯t all, for the awful power of that purple-blue light vanished, consumed by the ¡®nyx¡¯ spell, which resulted in me not taking another nasty hit. Larissa¡¯s eyes bulged, and she coiled her lower body and used it like a spring to gain some distance between us, before she reset her combat stance and hissed. ¡°Impressive. I thought for sure I had you. I see now that this will be anything but easy.¡± I blinked twice, finished getting up, felt my body fix the crippling damage I¡¯d taken, and sighed. Huh. So she can jump¡­ . I shook away that stupid thought when Uriel buzzed, and raised my buckler once more, determined not to lose.
Warning: Suffering any more hits from the combined force of the arcane strike and fallen blade abilities will result in a 50% chance of unconcuiosness. Multiple hits could lead to an overtaxing of your natural regeneration which will result in death.
¡°It was certainly a close one, but now that I know how fast and dangerous your fallen blade and arcane strike abilities are when combined, I think I¡¯ve got a pretty good chance, don¡¯t you, Goldorath?¡± Larissa¡¯s loose bearing tensed up instantly. Then she shot forward again, roaring. ¡°How do you know that name!¡± Somehow, she was even faster, but since I was ready, another round of ¡®ward¡¯ and ¡®nyx¡¯ negated her otherwise lethal attack. But she didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Incinerate!¡± ¡°Shadow grasp!¡± ¡°Strength release!¡± ¡°Black bolt!¡± ¡°Speed release!¡± ¡°Scorching press!¡± ¡°Atrophy!¡± ¡°Immolate!¡± She hurled fire, torrents of darkness, buffs, debuffs, and a mix of both just arcane strike and just fallen blade my way, likely in the hopes of catching me off guard, but my instant spellcasting and surplus of mana prevented the worst of it. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Though I did get a little singed while being knocked around by the less threatening attacks she launched with the but of her spear, and any counterstrikes I threw back were either parried, dodged, or blocked by a scaly blue barrier on the rare occasion my timing was good. All in all, I lost count of the times I evaded my doom at the hands of her killer combo, life, limb, and the fate of the village, all dancing on the very razor¡¯s edge that she was determined to connect with my person. Pain aside, there¡¯s no way I can keep this up! Her skills are all higher than mine so I have to compensate by burning more mana! Plus, it looks like her serpent¡¯s blade ballet ability is a fighting style, which, compared to my untrained self, only further tilts things in her favor! I need to catch a break to recover my mana, or I¡¯m doomed! I gritted my teeth, and focused on her every move. I shut out all my worries and stopped griping, just long enough to catch the flick of her eyes in the light of a passing orb, which allowed me to see though, and evade, her faint¨Cmuch to both our surprise. # Goldorath was a demon formed of the malice, sin, and suffering of the world¡¯s sentient life. Normally such a being could only form in a place of great evil or tragedy, and wouldn¡¯t bear a status at all, but the ascendants had learned to gather the foul blight of the world, and then use the broken remains of the consumed apostles as a mold to create obedient demonic servants that possess the system¡¯s blessings. His mission had been simple: possess the foolishly willing Larissa, join the expedition, and use his powers and her strength to subdue the new apostle in the event it continued to resist. So why is the apostle still standing? How does it know of my presence? And how does it know which abilities I used? Even if it has the observation ability it should only be able to see my host¡¯s status at its level. Thoroughly unnerved, and more than a little mad, he was using all Larissa had to maximum effect. But no decisive blow was struck! Even with the magical buffs given by the support team, even with its own magic and Larissa¡¯s all acting in concert, the one named Anon continued to flail, yelp, and most infuriatingly, block any and every committed attempt he made to end the fight. The face changing apostle¡¯s movements were those of a rank amateur, or a hapless drunk, yet still, Anon¡¯s buckler, or one of their frustratingly fast barriers, always got in the way! And worst of all, was the confident smirk that had appeared on Anon¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t understand why, or how, but only a few moments ago they appeared to have redoubled their focus, and had just evaded one of his feints for the first time. His confidence faltered, and fury ignited within the void it left. Those feints were his only real method to salvage the battle. He kept attacking, but Anon¡¯s guard was impossibly potent, and the newly born apostle shouldn¡¯t have the mana or stamina needed to endure his assault for long, but Anon¡¯s reserves of both seemed as endless as the sea. He hissed through Larissa¡¯s lips. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare get cocky! That was a fluke! You won¡¯t manage a second time!¡± He struck again, and again. Mixed in magic for good measure, and then readied another feint, but once again, Anon dodged it, and once more he faltered. No. What if it wasn¡¯t just luck? What if it''s actually learning? He tried again, went through the motions once more, and again was evaded. He thought for sure that the talkative apostle would use the opportunity to mock him, but no retort to his earlier claim came, only another dodge, followed by a tentative step into his guard before a retreat from his next frantic attack. And that only made the silence sting all the worse. Anon was getting bolder. The barriers formed less and less frequently, then stopped before the buckler was let down too. Yet not a single one of his strikes landed. Fear and wrath urged Goldorath on. This was his chance! Just one hit, no, even a glancing blow would do. That¡¯s all he needed to cinch victory and put that arrogant apostle in its place! But Anon only got more and more slippery as time went on, and soon it had started to dance to and fro, ever out of reach of harm. And thus, for the first time in his centuries long existence, the demon Goldorath trembled in terror. Not because of his foe¡¯s overwhelming power or skill, but because of how quickly it grew, and of what it might grow into. For only great things emerge from the garden of creation, and somewhere deep within his blackened core Goldorath knew Anon had to be the greatest. # I dodged, ducked, and did the occasional weave, growing more and more accustomed to Larissa¨Cor Goldorath¡¯s quirks, tells, and general way of movement. Flashes of memory started to pass through my head, of countless battles in which I¡¯d learned an equally innumerable number of techniques, but I never recalled fighting before, and yet my body responded automatically, eluding harm as if it were only natural. Then the system¡¯s effeminate voice declared.
Way of One: A fighting style possessed by ??? after a ??? of ???. Allows effective use of any weapon, stance, or technique. One with Self: An ability that allows the ??? to further unite with ???. Upgrades at level 100
It¡¯d been a while since my last system notification, and those words were music to my ears. Confusing music, but music, nonetheless. That¡¯s why I used some of my newly gathered free time to have Uriel tell me about them, and, well, let¡¯s just say the system is as petty as ever. On that same note, I turned my attention back to Larissa¡¯s status, in the hopes of finding a way out of this mess. Because even though I can dodge her attacks, I¡¯m still lacking a way past her defenses.
Status conditions: Corruption: A status representing contact with evil. Once completed, the system will revoke all statuses and powers granted. Posessed: Indication that the individual has been usurped by another, or is being parasitized by some sort of spirit or monster. Stone strength: Adept earth essence magic. Grants increases to strength, and toughness. Steel body: Adept earth essence magic. Grants increases to toughness and endurance, grants lightning immunity if grounded. Wisp walk: Adept air essence magic. Grants increase to speed and agility. Earth''s bounty: Adept earth essence magic. Grants increases to health, mana, and endurance regeneration. Second Wind: Adept air essence magic. Allows an unconscious creature to immediately get up as if nothing happened. Cannot be used again until status passes.
Titles: Believer of Lies: A title granted to one who has been deceived on a regular basis. (Doesn''t get announced.) Heretic: A title given to one who has engaged in, or with, evil. (Not announced as individual did so unknowingly.) Incomplete Assimilation: A title granted to one who has been partly fused with another allowing them to work in tandem. (Comes with cost of damaging host if exertion lasts too long.) (Forsaker of Righteousness): A title granted to one who has turned their back on God. (Servant of Evil): A title granted to one who continually works for the advancement of evil. (Willful ignorance): A title given to one who refuses to accept the truth.
Abilities: Arcane strike lv: 77: Empowered attack that uses mana to increase damage a little and knockback explosively. (Fallen Guard lv: 44): Heritical ability that draws on sin, negative emotions, and mana to fend off harm. (Fallen blade lv: 63): Heretical ability that draws on sin, negative emotions, and mana to deliver deadly attacks. high chance of cursing target. (Blood hunter lv: 89): Heritical ability that draws on sin, negative emotions, and mana to track the blood scent of a target creature. Scale shield lv: 90: Innate ability of scaled people, allows a means to harden physical defenses with mana and endurance. (Mana thirst lv: 52): Heretical ability that allows the user to consume inactive mana in the area around them. (Sealed until possession ends.) Relentless lv: 31: Limited ability that allows for a burst of stamina and health. (Uses per day left: 0) Bloodlust lv: 21(+33): When active, allows user to increase strength, speed, agility, and toughness, at the cost of a temporary drop in spirit. (Active.) Serpet''s blade ballet (Adept) lv: 27: A fighting style that focuses on fluid movements and sudden powerful strikes. Developed by the Naga race.
Okay¡­ So Larissa¡¯s just being used here, and is taking damage now that the fight¡¯s been extended. Magic appears to be the crux of their abilities. And clearly Goldorath isn¡¯t something redeemable¡­ So¡­ . My smile only grew as I finished my examination of the side windows. ¡°So you¡¯re on a timer here aren¡¯t ya, buddy? I mean, Larissa¡¯s health and mana won¡¯t last more than a few more minutes, and even if you¡¯re willing to let her die, will you really be able to subdue me without her abilities and the support spells placed on her? I mean, do you even have your own body to begin with? What¡¯re you gonna do? Haunt me into submission?¡± Goldorath stopped Larissa dead. The frantic frenzy of attacks was replaced with trembling, panting, and a low guttural growl¨Clike one you might hear from a cornered dog. ¡°Y¨Cyou¡­ How? How do you know? How are you doing this? You¡¯re just an apostle! You¡¯re supposed to be an apostle! So how are you still standing?¡± I just shook my head, and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d honestly like to know the answer to that one myself. So I guess we¡¯ll both just have to settle on disappointment for now.¡± I stepped closer, and the surge of spear strikes resumed, somehow even more erratic than before. However, I relied on my new abilities, slipped through the not so obvious openings, and brought up Witness to strike an overhead blow. Goldorath savagely batted away the attempt, and my staff, before maniacally laughing. ¡°Now you¡¯re mine!¡± But I just dropped my buckler, and used my freed hands to grasp both sides of Larissa¡¯s head, while being careful to avoid his last desperate thrust. Siphon! With all my remaining mana I crushed and consumed every drop of the enchantments supporting Larissa, her remaining mana pool, and as much ambient mana as I could get. Oh man! I was running on empty, but now I feel like I could go another round! And looks like my little hunch that their bond was magical in nature has paid off too! Larissa convulsed. Spasming and seizing like she just stuck a fork in a light socket. Then she collapsed. And a deep black and purple haze rose up and out of her body. It whirled and churned, condensing into a roughly torso sized mass, before I heard a sickly voice in my head. ~So you figured it out¡­ You broke our connection¡­ But you¡¯ve merely delayed the inevitable¡­ The ascendant who sent me will come here now. And¨C.~ ¡°And she¡¯ll burn everything to ash. Yeah, I know. Big scary lady in all white. Powerful enough to turn this valley into a slag pit, and drag me off to who knows where. What of it?¡± The dark cloud that was Goldorath remained silent for several moments, then his billowing body fluctuated all the faster. ~You know of her? Of what she¡¯ll do? But then¡­ Why resist? Aren¡¯t apostles supposed to care for others? Aren¡¯t you trying to protect the people of that village?!~ I snorted. ¡°Look pal, you don¡¯t know me. Clearly. That¡¯s a large part of why you all lost. So don¡¯t go making false accusations, or empty assumptions, just because you don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve got planned.¡± ~W¨Cwhat?~ I started to close the distance between us, casually, so that I wouldn¡¯t spook the spook. ¡°Think about it. If I knew about her and her intentions, then logically I would act in a way that would give me the outcome I want. Sure, there are variables you don¡¯t know, but the fact that I¡¯m still here should be proof enough that I¡¯m right where I want to be.¡± The blackish blob remained silent until I reached out for him, then he laughed. ~Then you are a fool! You lack the power to stop her just as you lack the power to harm me! I am a demon! Immaterial! Immortal! Un¨C W¨Cwhat! H¨Chow! Let go of me!~ Despite his own claims I found him very much tangible, and since I¡¯d grown tired of listening to his pointless bluster and inane questions I just muttered. ¡°Goodbye.¡± And concentrated on all the wonderful spells I¡¯d learned at the village, and all the one¡¯s I¡¯d overheard him use. Then the system said. Oops. Didn¡¯t know that was a thing. But, hey, double standards is pretty neat! Goldorath writhed in my grip, scorched and blasted by every attack spell of every essence I knew, along with the crushing force of my ¡®surge¡¯ and ¡®strength release¡¯ enhanced grip could muster. It sort of felt like mushing up putty or really malleable clay, and he did try to resist by absorbing mana out of the air, but after I used my ¡®mana control¡¯ to churn up another mana storm, that ended, and then I felt something deep inside him crack. Then the system announced. And just like that, his dark body just shattered, before vanishing without a trace. I flopped down beside Larissa¡¯s unconscious self, and left out a deep sigh as the severity and danger of that battle finally washed over me. ¡°Thank goodness that¡¯s done and over with. I almost freakin¡¯ died! But what do I do now? Captain Bunnyman will probably be back soon, the last step of the plan will soon be ready, and I¡¯ve got no idea what to say! I mean¡­ Do I try to convince them to just leave? But then they¡¯ll either be in danger of the lady in white, or just go back to being her pawns¡­ But if I convince them to stay in the village there¡¯s no telling what¡¯ll happen after I leave¡­ . Choices. Choices¡­ Why are they alway so hard to make after a long day?¡± Then the system announced. ¡°Oh come on!" Bargaining with a Bunny Captain Horn rushed through the despairingly dark forest back in the direction he had come. Anon had led them down a long and harrowing trail of traps and torment, and he had failed to notice that all of his soldiers had fallen off, presumably one by one, along the way. And now their lives hung in the balance. All because of his carelessness. Yes, Anon had assured him that they could be saved, that there was still time, but there was no telling how many beasts their trap had lured over the course of the hours-long chase, and no telling if he could make it to everyone in time. He scowled and pressed on. Forcing his exhausted body to move, using every ability he had to augment his pace, unconcerned with the damage he was taking every time a branch slapped him in the face, or briar snagged his hands or cheeks. His sensitive ears picked up guttural barks and hisses, and he raced in their direction, saber at the ready. In seconds, he burst through the brush, laid eyes on the pony sized silhouettes of several lizards, and proceeded to cut them down in rapid succession. Some of his unit lay on the ground nearby, and a few gave weak cries of gratitude to his timely arrival, but since they clearly weren¡¯t completely paralyzed, and yet more needed saving, he rushed onward in pursuit of his goal. Everything hurts, hurts far far worse than it did during my days in basic training. But I will bear it. I must. To atone for my mistakes, and for putting them all in danger in the first place. Shame spurred him on like never before. Not simply at having failed, but because he had lost sight of the things that truly mattered, of his whole reason for wanting strength in the first place. He stumbled, caught himself against a tree and hurried on. Unlike during the chase, nothing had impeded him, he simply stumbled as he drew ever nearer to complete and total exhaustion. Again, he reached another smattering of soldiers, and again he flew to their defense. A few had been clawed or bitten as the monsters moved to drag them away, but they were still alive, and Captain Horn knew they were tough enough to survive, even if they were completely paralyzed for the moment. He wanted to continue immediately after, but his body lagged behind his will. For several moments it didn¡¯t respond, and when it finally did, he was moving much more slowly than before. My abilities¡¯ time limits are up. No more ¡®adrenaline rush¡¯, ¡®lagomorphic leap¡¯, or ¡®sprinter¡¯s speed¡¯, and my mana has long since run out¡­ But I can¡¯t stop. Not here. Not yet! Step by step he stumbled at a lethargic jog, swaying this way and that, as he crashed from one tree to the next like a delirious drunk, slapped by branches and thorns, not because he was going too fast to avoid them, but because he was simply too tired to perceive them in time. Mercifully, the next few of his soldiers were close by, gathered by the pack of Grandour and in dire need of aid. Captain Horn struggled to breathe, let alone lift his sword into a position to actually use it. It felt like a bar of freezing cold lead in his overheated hand, and before he could heft it above his waist, his fingers failed, and he dropped the blade onto a stone. The clatter-clang that came after allerted the chuffed carnivorous creatures to his presence, and they abandoned their secured meal to surround the still moving newcomer they quickly recognized as vulnerable prey. No. No! Move, blast it! I need to save them! Not get eaten myself! He gulped down a wad of thick sap-like saliva, and panted to catch his breath. He went to kneel to grab his sword, but instead he collapsed, and his body refused to move even an inch more. The monsters closed in, cautious of his strange behavior. But their forked tongues smelled the air, detected no threat, and their toothy maws inched ever closer. Captain Horn shut his eyes. At least¡­ At least I saved a few¡­ May they live to curse my name¡­ May they¨C A sharp hiss grabbed him from his despair, and he glimpsed a glowing volley of arrows stab into the Grandour pack, scattering them into a frenzy. Again, more arrows flew, not synchronized like before, but fired at will to target the scrambled creatures. Despite the darkness, each hit its mark, and the light suffused the monsters, and appeared to drive them even further into panic. Before long, all the Grandour were gone, and eerie silence fell. No bugs could be heard, the leaves didn¡¯t rustle in the wind, and his soldiers made no sounds, though he could see some squirming to little effect. He opened his mouth to call out to them, but when no words emerged, he stopped. Someone¡¯s magically suppressing sound. I thought for sure those arrows came from more of my unit, but it appears I was wrong. No one in my group has that ability. He watched several shadows creep out of the woods. They spread out to the paralyzed members of his unit, bows in hand. He tried to get up, but that only garnered their attention, and then sound returned to the world. A woman asked cooly. ¡°Those ears¡­ You wouldn''t happen to be the head of this¡­ err¡­ expedition, would you?¡± He froze, and his body dropped him back onto the ground. She knows about me? Are they villagers? But why are they here? Anon must have told them about me, but to what end? Did they come to save us? Or¡­ have they come to silence us for disturbing their peace? He heaved in a breath, and groaned. ¡°I¨CI¡­ Yesss¡­ So¨C So if¡­ if you want retribution¡­ take it¡­ out on¡­ me.¡± Some of the shadows tilted their heads as they went from one soldier to another, administering some sort of potion or poison, then the woman laughed. ¡°Retribution? You kidding? After the wringer Anon put you through? Hahaha! That would just be cruel!¡± He furrowed his brow, and struggled to prop himself up to get a better look at the woman who was now walking closer. Not that it helped. ¡°You¡­ you aren¡¯t going to¨C?¡± She crouched down, inspected his wounds, and snorted. ¡°We¡¯re the hunters of Kormath, and Anon requested us to tail you and move to ensure none of you die. That¡¯s why we¡¯re giving your troops the antidote to the Grandour venom. So I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll return the favor by calling off hostilities.¡± He stared at the shadow of her face, and a few bits of moonlight revealed a human with short brown hair. He lowered his eyes, and shuddered. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re done¡­ Just imagining what you or Anon could do to us, is a¡­ living nightmare¡­ We haven¡¯t the strength, and I never wished any of you harm in the first place.¡± She grabbed his wrists, and hefted him to his feet with surprising ease. ¡°Well isn¡¯t that sweet! Makes giving this to you easier too.¡± This? Is this a drop? I suppose they wouldn¡¯t keep too many potions out here, given their short shelf life, but drops are much harder to make, so how precious is this to them? I doubt it¡¯s dangerous after all she¡¯s said, but even if it''s poison or some sort of trap, I¡¯ll take it. I owe them that much at least. She held a small brown pill in her palm and offered it to him. But after a minute of him trying and failing to grasp it, they compromised, and she held it to his lips to eat. He slowly downed the small, bitter lump, and he felt its effects almost immediately. A surge of vitality wracked his fatigued body, causing his tired muscles to relax, wounds to begin to close, and Captain Horn staggered back mouth agape. This quality?! You¡¯d be hard pressed to find something like this in a city! Who even brought it here? How can they afford it? ¡°Why would you waste something so precious on me? How do you even have one in such a secluded place?¡± His savior laughed again, and shrugged. ¡°Turns out a lot of the ingredients grow around here, and believe it or not, but our Rochelle is a very talented alchemist. Oh! And my name¡¯s Bretta by the way.¡± He lowered his head, and placed a hand over his heart. ¡°Captain Morris Horn. Or, well, Captain for the time being. I presume I¡¯ll be demoted after this.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Bretta glanced back to ensure the rest of the hunters had finished their work, then grabbed Captain Horn¡¯s wrist and led him, once again, back the way he¡¯d come. ¡°I assume there are more of you guys this way? The others will tend to them so don¡¯t worry. As for us, we''d better go to Anon. I suspect they¡¯re anxious to hear everyone¡¯s safe.¡± He blinked several times, and took a long minute to process her words and everything that¡¯d just happened. Wait. You mean¡­ . ¡°Anon orchestrated everything¡­ All of this¡­ because they were worried for our safety? Our safety?¡± ¡°Heh. Yes, but it gets better, because they did it with each and every one of us in mind, both those for and against. All to ensure that we¡¯d survive and have ample opportunity to live in peace afterwards. Regardless of who¡¯s bad side we get on, or who¡¯s attention we attract in the process.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s ridiculous! I get that they¡¯re a powerful being, but how could they even do that? They¡¯re not omnipotent! And the Ascendant won¡¯t let this failure go unanswered!¡± Bretta shook her head, and led him on in silence. Their pace quickened thanks to a combination of their movement abilities, and just before they reached the clearing where Anon waited, she glanced back and the moonlight revealed a fearless smirk. ¡°Is this Ascendant of yours omnipotent then?¡± He gulped. Truth be told I don¡¯t know the reach of her powers, but¨C This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°If she isn¡¯t then she isn¡¯t far off. I¨C¡± Bretta pulled aside a thicket that was blocking his view, and Captain Horn witnessed something impossible. There, in the clearing, was the writhing shape of a demon confronting Anon. He¡¯d learned of them thanks to his training, and knew well how dangerous and powerful they were, on top of the fact that they¡¯re immortal. But why is one here? Then he noticed Larissa crumpled beneath it and a terrible realization struck. Demons have no physical body. In order to properly utilize their powers and influence the world they need one¡­ So was Larissa possessed? And if she was, then her cruel behavior and focus on the mission were the demon¡¯s¡­ And that means¡­ The Ascendant! She¡¯s consorting with demons?! Without a further thought he moved to leap into action. He had no idea how he could help Anon against such a terrible foe, but if the demon managed to possess an apostle then no one would be safe. But Bretta yanked him back with that ridiculous strength of hers, then barred his path, and whispered. ¡°Just watch. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll do, but with Anon, it''s better if you just watch¡­ And have faith.¡± Unable to escape her, or fight her off, he relented in spite of his better judgment. And then witnessed, with wide eyes, as Anon simply walked up to the demon, utterly calm. Grabbed it, as if it weren¡¯t intangible. Then proceed to pelt it with a barrage of spells that would normally require a small platoon and several minutes time, while also somehow whipping up a savage mana storm that should make casting those spells near impossible for anyone short of a master, before doing the unthinkable and smooshing the defeated demon in their bare hands, as if demons were simple bugs that could just be crushed on the slightest whim. The demon''s shrill screams faded into the night, and then dead silence fell. A silence broken when Anon let out an exasperated sigh before flopping onto the grass next to Larissa, like one would after a hard day working the fields rather than killing the unkillable. But Captain Horn just stood there, in stupefied shock, and, perhaps in mockery of him, the forest¡¯s wildlife resumed their usual routines and all the noises that came with it. Beside him, Bretta lay prostrate, face buried in the grass, deep in what he assumed was silent prayer. For a moment, he considered joining her, but after seeing what he¡¯d seen, and after all he¡¯d endured that night, he just didn¡¯t have the will to move, let alone speak in this surreal moment. So he just stood. In shock. Then awe. Then gratitude. Gratitude that everyone still lived. That the demon was gone. That his eyes were opened to the danger he was in, and to the monster he served. And to the being, the ineffable, amorphous, and enigmatic being that had done all these things, unasked and unprompted, all to avert the disaster he willingly walked into and even helped create. The shards of his magically renewed strength left him, and he fell to his knees, overwhelmed with emotion, with but one phrase on his lips. ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you so much.¡± # ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you so much.¡± I heard Captain Bunnyman¡¯s voice off in the distance as I lay there, in the soft and cool grass, mulling over my scant options. The way I see it, there¡¯s only one way this ends happily for everyone involved with this mess. And for that I need to convince them all to stay. Which¡¯ll be a challenge given what I just put them through. Though by the sound of it, Bunnyman should at least hear me out. I dragged myself into an upright position, and waved at the shadows of the kneeling captain and the¡­ well¡­ the uncomfortably reverent Bretta. ¡°I¡¯m here! Just as I promised! So let¡¯s settle this already! It¡¯s freakin¡¯ late and I don¡¯t know about you, but a nap sounds really nice right about now.¡± Plus if it gets Bretta off the ground then I¡¯m all for it! I mean, what the heck¡¯s she doing? Praying? At me? No thanks! Bunnyman stumbled up, and closed the distance between us before falling hard onto his knees, and lowering his head to the ground the way you would to a king or someone similarly powerful or extremely angry. ¡°I¡­ I cannot begin to thank you enough for sparing us. I realize now the folly of our actions, and the depth of the mercy you¡¯ve shown. I see now that we¡¯ve been dancing in the palm of your hand and that you could¡¯ve just as easily crushed us. But you spared us¡­ Saved us¡­ Opened my eyes¡­ And I will be forever grateful.¡± I blinked. The heck¡¯s he talking about? Sure I would¡¯ve won in a head to head fight, the vision said so, but there would¡¯ve been casualties, and we wouldn¡¯t be in a position to stop the lady in white. Plus I¡¯m just as amazed everything worked out the way I wanted. I mean, all they had to do was stop chasing me and be more cautious for the traps to lose their effectiveness, but whatever! I reached out and patted his armored shoulder. ¡°You act as if you are beyond redemption, or don¡¯t deserve it. But you¡¯re still here because neither of those things are true.¡± And I guess Bretta¡¯s just going to stay there then? Praying¡­ Oof. His head shot up, and he grabbed my shirt with both hands before crumbling into tears. ¡°I¨C But I¨C We¨C We tried to¡­ .¡± Oh boy, here we go again. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you tried to do, or even what you¡¯ve done. I forgive you, that is my right. And as such, you have nothing left to be sorry for.¡± He trembled as if my words were a weight upon his back that he couldn¡¯t bear. ¡°B¨Cbut¡­ .¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re truly repentant, and ready to move beyond all this, then do what the villagers of Kormath have done. Leave the past behind, move to the village, and start over. Not only because you need a fresh start, but because if you go back your lives will be in danger, and you deserve to be safe.¡± Cause there¡¯s no way that awful woman will spare them for failing here. I made him sit up, and he swiped away his tears, before taking a deep breath and asking. ¡°Would we even be welcome? After what we did?¡± I gave him a look that said ¡®really?¡¯ and made sure he could see it with one of my globs of light. This is getting silly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you get it. This village is where people start over. It doesn¡¯t matter who they are, where they¡¯re from, what they¡¯ve done, or who they¡¯ve served. That is behind them. The villagers will accept you if you can accept this. Trust me. I know. I already asked them as much before all this even started.¡± He let go of me and looked away. Several minutes passed as he internally debated God knows what with himself since the path forward should¡¯ve been obvious after all I¡¯d just said, but then an unexpected voice interjected. ¡°C¨Ccaptain¡­¡± Larissa¡¯s eyes popped open, and she struggled to look his way. ¡°L¨Clet¡¯s stay here¡­ I¨CI trust them¡­ They saved me¡­ .¡± Then she passed out again. He stared at her, then at me, then back at her. It took everything I had left not to make an awkward face at her words, the words of a ¡®believer of lies¡¯, but in the end he sighed. ¡°If you would have us, then I will do what I can to convince the others. Some may not like it, but¡­ they should come around in time¡­ Though I have to ask, how are you going to protect this place from the Ascendant? She¡¯s powerful, and¨C¡± I put a finger to his lips, and pointed up at the night sky. ¡°Watch.¡± While I was waiting for him to sort out his thoughts I felt a small root coil around my pinky. I thought it was a bug at first, but then I realized it¡¯s probably the Wise Old Friend telling me that the spell is ready. I got up, lifted Witness, and here, from the center of the massive magic triangle I¡¯d drawn in underground tunnels, that Rochelle, Craig, and Corra were charging with their mana through my spears, and that the Wise Old Friend had augmented with countless roots, I struck my staff down and activated our concerted effort to preserve this valley from harm. Fwoosh! Blue light erupted from trees all over the forest, causing the stars to fade from the light pollution. Then an unbelievably intricate series of runes spread out from all around me, before racing off into the distance. And then, to top it all off, a shimmering dome of light spread out and covered the entirety of the valley. I glanced over at Captain Horn, but he had passed out, either from the rush of mana, or from surprise and exhaustion. Larissa was still down too, so I checked Bretta, afraid I¡¯d have to carry them all back, but she was still awake, though now she was blubbering out some very heartfelt prayers that I decided not to try to make out, given the distance, and her slurred speech. Now all that¡¯s left is to decide when to leave. After all, this oversized and reversed ¡®contain¡¯ spell doesn¡¯t keep anything in, and will only keep out hostile creatures, so I imagine there are a few workarounds, but with the Wise Old Friend powering it, and Bunnyman and crew here, Kormath should be safe enough for me to depart, and take the danger of the Ascendant elsewhere. So when do I want to leave? Tomorrow? In a few days? A week? Letta¡¯s not going to be okay with any of those, but I can¡¯t stay, and I can¡¯t bring her with me¡­ But I guess life is never easy. # Ascendant Josephine Barla watched her servants struggle to capture the Apostle named Anon from afar by means of her space essence magic. She had long since given up on the captain, after his repeated and increasingly dire failures to act in a way that would achieve the mission she¡¯d tasked him with. But this was to be expected. After all, he¡¯d already failed to contain this Apostle once, but that was why she¡¯d sent Goldorath. And she took great pleasure watching the demon work. Until he didn¡¯t. Her office chair creaked ever louder as she squeezed the armrests in mounting frustration. How is Anon resisting? How is Anon winning? Her jaw dropped when Goldrath was expelled from Larissa, and a chill ran down her spine as she watched Anon crush him. ¡°W¨Cwhat?¡± Could apostles always slay demons? She and her fellows had never left one alive long enough to check, but even they couldn¡¯t do it after absorbing those very Apostles, and that meant that Anon was even more special than she¡¯d already surmised. Now I¡¯ve no choice but to act. By the time she¡¯d returned to her senses, Anon was lifting their staff high. She didn¡¯t know what they were doing, and didn¡¯t care, if she took action, then there were few in this world that could stop her. ¡°World walk.¡± She muttered the master level teleport spell, and stepped out of her office and right next to Anon. Or at least she tried to. For when she arrived, she found herself on the copper mountains outside the valley, with a shimmering, translucent, barrier barring her path, no more than an inch from her veiled nose. She snarled, stepped back, and lashed out with one of her concealed claws, but the barrier met her attack with cool indifference, deflecting her as easily as one would ward off a toddler. Another chill ran down her spine. ¡°¡®Analyze¡¯. ¡®Trace.¡¯ ¡®Define.¡¯¡± She uttered several order essence spells to comprehend what was in front of her, and gawked at what they revealed. ¡°An inverted ¡®contain¡¯ spell? That¡¯s it? Sure it¡¯s big, but this should be easy! ¡®Deconstruct¡¯!¡± She poured her mana out without reserve, using it to fuel the advanced level order essence spell designed to tear apart magic. Malevolent magic circles spread out from her, and from them, sparks and streaks of light burst from the barrier. In moments, the whole of the dome was covered, and she smirked. Her reserves were undoubtedly greater than Anon¡¯s and her abilities were likewise superior, yet despite her efforts, and regardless of how much mana she spent, the barrier did not relent. In fact, it didn¡¯t even flicker. Once more, she felt a chill as her spell, rather than the barrier, failed. No! This isn¡¯t possible! How is this trite beginner nonsense resisting me? Where is all this mana coming from? Don¡¯t tell me Anon has achieved the stuff of legend and woven the magic into the world itself! She stretched her senses out and surveyed the valley below her in a desperate attempt to disprove her fears. Countless magic lines and sigils covered the ground and half as many trees appeared to be glowing too, as if they had been added to the vast network. One by one, the lights started to fade, but she knew that was simply because the spell had solidified, and that it would remain unseen henceforth. Frantic to grasp something before it was too late she honed her focus to a razor¡¯s edge, and that¡¯s when she caught sight of it. A solitary tree, larger than the rest, with golden leaves, and purple blossoms, close to the center of the triangle. Again her jaw dropped. ¡°So you¡¯re still alive? I could¡¯ve sworn your defiance of our order had ended ages ago, back in the garden, but it appears you¡¯re craftier than we gave you credit.¡± But if the Wise Old Friend is here, supporting and regulating the barrier, then I won¡¯t be getting in anytime soon¡­ At least the spell hasn¡¯t become part of the world, and thus unbreakable. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll withdraw for now you stubborn old tree! But your God¡¯s precious apostle can¡¯t remain in there forever. And when they leave, I¡¯ll be ready!¡± She turned away, muttered, ¡°¡®Alert¡¯¡± to set up a field around the barrier that would notify her when Anon left, then teleported back to her office to sulk. Departure I watched in stupefied silence as more magic circles than I cared to count covered the exterior of the barrier I¡¯d just erected, creating sparks and surges of power the likes of which made my little scrap with Goldorath look like a squabble between your friendly neighborhood magicians. Dang¡­ To think she¡¯d get here so quick! A second later and I might¡¯ve been screwed! I waited until the lightshow came to a complete and total stop, before I unfastened my metaphorical seatbelt and got off tonight¡¯s long and crazy ride. Which is all the more reason to get out of here asap. Because, if I was her, I¡¯d back off after this, leave some sort of trace, then bide my time until it goes off. Which means if I leave quickly she shouldn¡¯t be expecting it, since, ya¡¯know, it kinda looks like I¡¯m gonna hole up here for a bit, since I just went through all this effort to defend the place. With that decided, I glanced down at the unconscious Captain Bunnyman and Larissa, and frowned, before I called out to Bretta. ¡°Hey! Can I get a hand with these two?¡± I mean, this is getting ridiculous. I¡¯ve been awake for a little under a week, and this is like the third time I¡¯ve had to lug ko''d people around! ¡°At once!¡± To no one¡¯s surprise she hopped up from where she was hunched with all the enthusiasm of a little girl who¡¯d just met a mall Santa she¡¯d mistaken for the real deal, and rushed over to my side. Then she bowed. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, I can handle the Captain, though moving the naga all the way back is beyond even my strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Thank you.¡± I only wanted you to move one anyway. Time to see if my strength score of ¡®able¡¯ really lives up to its claim. I sighed as I coiled Larissa¡¯s tail around my waist like a thick and scaly belt, then grunted as I hefted the rest of her up over my shoulder before collecting my discarded staff and shield from where they lay in the clearing. I can¡¯t imagine she¡¯s in the most comfortable position. But she¡¯s heckin¡¯ heavy, covered in rough scales, frankly clunky and cumbersome armor, and generally too long to be manageable so the ol¡¯ princess carry is off the table, dang it! After that, I just sorta followed Bretta in auto pilot, too tired to care about literally anything else as we trudged our way back towards the village. At some point along the way, the hunters and soldiers joined our silent, and now slightly awkward, procession, through the dark tangles of the forest, where we eventually made it back to Kormath. A loud cheer from the returned villagers spooked me from my stupor and I looked around at them in the light of several torches as they came running out to greet us. At first, some of Bunnyman¡¯s brigade reached for their weapons, clearly mistaking the sudden celebration for an attack, but the hunters were able to calm them before anything unfortunate happened, and before I knew it Letta came bursting from the excited crowd and tackled-hugged my knees. Tired, surprised, and generally unaware thanks to just how freakin¡¯ large Larissa is, I couldn¡¯t maintain my footing and toppled backwards onto my duff, spilling snake lady every which way as a giggling fish-girl squirmed and snuggled her way closer to my face. ¡°Letta!¡± I grabbed her, hefted her up, pulled her tight again, then froze. Letta¡­ Letta¡­ Shoot. I combed my fingers through her hair, and let her simply be for as long as she wanted while I whispered. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. It¡¯s all over. Everyone¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°You did it! You did it! You¡¯re amazingly amazing! I¨CI was so, so, so scared, but Alder-Craig said you were ready, and, and, and, then he did some magic on one of your spears and fwoosh! The whole cave lit up, and then and then everything lit up cause I was watching with mana sense, and then we were allowed to come out, and now you¡¯re here! You¡¯re here and we¡¯re safe!¡± She wriggled around as she recounted her side of things, and I gently patted her head, both to soothe her, but also to keep her from bonking her head onto my chin. ¡°Wow, and it sounds like you were so brave too!¡± So brave, yet your rambling, and fidgeting tell me just how afraid you really are¡­ And I won¡¯t be here to comfort you much longer. I glanced over at Alder-Craig. He was a ways off, still in the village proper, slumped into a chair, breathing slow and steady. He met my gaze, managed a single nod and a grimly determined smile, before I stood up with Letta and headed toward our temporary home. ¡°Wait! What about Larissa! What¡¯d you do to her? And the captain?¡± A man with fox ears caught my tattered sleeve, and I glanced back at the shadow of his face. If I remembered correctly he was the one who conjured that stone wall that broke most of my bones during our first encounter. And his walls would¡¯ve been no less annoying this time around, but thankfully the foliage and all the vines I wove into the ground got in the way of him creating any barricades. ¡°Uhh¡­ Pretty sure they¡¯ll be fine after they rest. I mean, we¡¯re all pretty tired, and Larissa was possessed by a demon, but now that it¡¯s gone she should be good to go.¡± He recoiled, and several of his more alert fellows did too. ¡°A¨CA demon? How did you drive it off? Where did it go? Is it still in the barrier with us? And what was that massive series of spells that struck at the barrier? What¡¯s going on?¡± I sighed. ¡°Slow down. Deep breaths. In. And out. Good, just like that.¡± I shifted Letta to a more comfortable position on my poor sore arms, and once fox boy was more relaxed I continued. ¡°First, the barrier is something the villagers and I set up in order to keep anything hostile out of the valley. It¡¯s a simple, but effective, spell, and as you saw, isn¡¯t so easy to break. Second, that little lightshow was your¡­ What''s she called? Ascendant?¡± Fox boy¡¯s eyes bulged and he nodded several quick times in answer to my question. ¡°Right. Well, the Ascendant tried to break in here, because she wanted to capture me, and kill all of you for failing again. That said, I saw this coming, and prepped the barrier to stop her, so you¡¯ll all be safe if you stay here.¡± That elicited several groans of contemplation, fear, and perhaps relief from the now much more alert soldiers, as it appeared the current topic had quickly stolen their attention from their exhaustion and pain. ¡°Third, the demon. From what it said and did, it was clearly working for the Ascendant, and it would¡¯ve used Larissa and the rest of you up if your captain hadn¡¯t made the right choice to go and save you.¡± They started glancing around, afraid of the shadows that loomed long in the dark of the forest. Every rustle of the leaves from either the wind or some small critter caused one soldier or another to gasp, flinch, or yelp, but my exasperated sigh gathered them back in and tipped them off that there was more to hear. However, before I could say anything, Bretta, dear fanatical Bretta, raised her voice and proclaimed. ¡°But the demon is dead! Your captain and I witnessed Anon crush it in their bare hands! Glory to the demon slayer! Glory to our Savior! And glory to the creator who delivered them to us!¡± Oh crap¡­ This is annoying, but I¡¯m way too sore to sort this out, so whatever. Cheers erupted from the villagers, shocked murmurs from the soldiers and a silent but potent stare bored into me from Letta¡¯s little eyes. I did my best to grin and bear their excessive excitement, but their wild questions and assumptions started to hurt in spite of my indifference. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°Did the creator bless you?¡± ¡°Are you a messenger from heaven?¡± ¡°No! They¡¯re a prophet! Remember? They foresaw the danger and saved us!¡± ¡°Prophet? Demon slayer? I thought they were supposed to be an Apostle?¡± ¡°An Apostle? As in one born of the garden of creation?! Anon! Why didn¡¯t you tell us? Now it all makes sense!¡± I slowly slogged through the gushing group of pestering people, brushing them off with a tired but friendly smile, and made my way towards Alder-Craig¡¯s house so I could get some rest. For some reason they all kept touching my clothes, but since none held on or tried to stop me, I just let them be. I get that they¡¯re excited, and want to be closer to God, but since I¡¯ve no idea how to help them do that I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be more satisfied with whatever they come up with¡­ Plus, it¡¯s way past Letta¡¯s bedtime and I¡¯m hoping a nap will make everything stop hurting. But maybe that¡¯s what I get for tanking an attack that could apparently kill me while pushing myself so hard¡­ Oh well. I hope I¡¯ll feel better in the morning. The noise continued outside even after I announced I was just glad they were all safe and that I was going to go to bed, but thankfully it stopped when Alder-Craig scolded everyone into helping the soldiers get situated before urging them to turn in for the night too. I quietly sat in the makeshift bed we¡¯d been using, exhaled my stress, and that¡¯s when Letta asked. ¡°Anon? Are you going to leave soon?¡± ¡°I¨CI wha¨C? W¨Cwhere¡¯d you hear that?¡± ¡°I heard Alder-Craig talking to some of the others about my living situation going forward¡­ I got worried then, but if¡­ if you¡¯re someone so special then¡­ then I guess you¡¯ll have to go, right? There are more demons to slay, and people like me, who need you to save them, right?¡± I grimaced. Way to tear my heart out, kid! And holy crap! Talk about noble intentions! I was just going to leave so these nice people wouldn¡¯t be in any more danger because of me! Not start a freakin¡¯ crusade! ¡°Um, yeah, I guess there are, aren¡¯t there?¡± Then she smiled. ¡°Then you go. Go and save them. Save them just like you saved me!¡± After that she nestled her face into my chest and didn¡¯t move an inch more. Well dang. Guess it¡¯s decided then. I kissed the top of her head, leaned back against the wall, and allowed myself to doze off. I don¡¯t know if what I experienced after that can be called sleep. After all, I was still aware of my position on the floor, wrapped in furs, with Letta snuggled in my lap. My eyes were closed, sure, but every so often they¡¯d open to remind me of my surroundings, and in between I¡¯d see flashes of¡­ well I guess they were dreams? Dreams of the future, but not mine. In a third person over the shoulder sorta scenario I watched little Letta grow up in fits and starts. In one scene she was the same little girl I was holding, in the next she looked years older, and after that she was a full blown adult. I watched her continue her studies, awaken and grow her abilities, gain even more new ones, and become someone that the villagers relied on heavily. More than once I watched her get hurt due to those responsibilities and expectations, sometimes physically, other times emotionally, always selflessly in the name of the faith she¡¯d found. And it helped her bounce back. Because she always bounced back, and played it off like it didn¡¯t hurt, but I could tell it was wearing her down. Piece by piece. Bit by bit. The light in her eyes that I¡¯d unintentionally ignited went out. And then I saw her break. Tears, self loathing, despair, the whole shabang. And all the while she was calling my name, which only made it hurt more. I tried to answer her, but she couldn¡¯t hear me. After all this wasn¡¯t real, and even if it was and she could hear, time had weighed her down with so many burdens that she couldn¡¯t, and wouldn¡¯t, reach me from beneath it all. Eventually she got up, left the village with her weapons, saying she was going to go hunt, but never returned, not to Kormath, or to my sight. Then my dream faded to black, with only a few words echoing in my mind. I failed her. My eyes stayed open after that. The anomaly that haunted the skies didn¡¯t appear, so the validity of what I¡¯d seen was questionable at best, a depiction of my fears if I was lucky, something far worse if I wasn¡¯t. I whispered. ¡°And if there¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that I¡¯m far from lucky.¡± The sun was creeped over the glittering edge of the copper mountains on the horizon, now freshly freed of their oxidized outer layer thanks to one abrasive Ascendant. And I held the little girl in my arms, a sweet soul, desperate for someone to rely on, just a little tighter, for lust a little longer. I have to leave. But I don¡¯t have to leave everything. When she woke, she didn¡¯t say much other than. ¡°Morning.¡± I noted the lack of ¡®good¡¯ in her statement, but agreed that any morning you leave someone hurting can¡¯t possibly be good. Breakfast was something of a feast, with everyone, even the soldiers, participating, much to their own surprise. We had some sort of boiled crustacean, eggs of every variety, various colorful veggies that I only vaguely recognized, fresh from the gardens, and yes, grandour meat. Because what meal in Kormath would be complete without it? I was bombarded with praise, thanks, and questions the likes of which I¡¯d never had to endure before, I think? Maybe I¡¯ve had something like this happen, though I can¡¯t quite remember the details. Anyway, I met them with a smile, accepted their feelings, no matter how forced, and answered as many questions as I could with a mysterious, ¡°You¡¯ll understand everything in due time.¡± After all, if I¡¯m going to be touted as some sorta holy curmudgeon, I may as well sound the part, right? After that, Beretta, Corra, and Rochelle came forward, dramatically knelt and each said their piece. ¡°Mighty and merciful one, thank you for everything! Please, please, please remember us as you travel on, and may we meet again in the creator¡¯s presence when all is said and done.¡± ¡°May you go in peace¨Cce¨Cce. Fear not the dark¨Ck¨Ck. And bring redemption to all you might meet¨Ct¨Ct.¡± ¡°Be safe, Anon. And thank you.¡± I nodded to each, patted their shoulders, and watched them retreat. I mean, what the heck was I supposed to do there? Bretta must think I¡¯m some sorta avenging angel, while Corra has all but mistaken me for Jesus, and well, Rochelle is Rochelle, so I¡¯m just glad I heard what she said. Lastly, Alder-Craig brought me a fresh change of clothes, an extra set for when the first gets dirty, a nice large travel bag and some pouches with the necessities: money, food, and a bedroll. Once I had some time to get changed, he met me outside his house, straightened up, and bowed low. ¡°I wish you well Anon. I know not what sort of entity you might be, but there is no doubt you¡¯re a good one. So thank you. Thank you ever so much for gracing us with your time, for gracing us at all. And please be safe on your travels. I¡¯ve no doubt danger will follow, but I¡¯ve no fear that you will be safe.¡± ¡°Thanks for your hospitality. I hope the little safety net I put up helps.¡± I shook his hand, then followed him to the edge of the village. I hadn¡¯t seen Letta since we woke up and breakfast started, but there she was at the edge of the forest with a smile on her face. A smile that was barely holding back the tears in her eyes. I knelt, arms spread wide, and she came running. Just like always. I lost track of the, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you¡¯s¡±, and, ¡°Please remember to visit if you can¡¯s¡±, but managed to weather her storm with a smile that eventually calmed her into silence. I poked her bony ribs right over her heart and whispered. ¡°Remember, whenever you need me, I¡¯ll be right here.¡± I touched her forehead next. ¡°Whenever you want to see me, I¡¯ll be up here.¡± Then I tapped her lips. ¡°Whenever you want to talk, just say so, and I¡¯ll listen.¡± And whenever the world gets too heavy to bear, or you feel unsure, or threatened, hold tight to this or take shelter behind it. And it will keep you safe.¡± Then I handed her my buckler, shoddy though it was in appearance, it warded off the strikes of a demon, so there was no way it¡¯d fail her. She hugged the round wooden shield tight to her chest, choking back the tears I knew she wanted to let out, but was aware she was too brave to let slip again. I rustled her hair, waved to everyone one last time, yes even the Captain and Larissa, and set out into the woods, glancing back only once to mutter. ¡°See you around.¡± before I pressed on in spite of my own heartache. To distract myself I focused on other things. For a second there I thought the Captain might say something before I left, but I guess he¡¯s got a lot of things to work through¡­ Probably a whole mountain of shame to climb¡­ I wonder if he¡¯ll notice that once he sets down his pride that the shame will vanish too? Oh well, that¡¯s for him to understand, not for me to tell. I followed my feet for a while and stopped for a moment at the foot of the Wise Old Friend. I patted the trustworthy tree¡¯s trunk by way of a hello and goodbye, and pondered. ¡°Now, where to? North? South? East? Or West? I purposefully didn¡¯t ask for a map, though north appears to head toward Craig¡¯s old empire, south seems to be toward the sea, west sounds like it¡¯s got a desert, and east might be in the direction of the Ascendant¡­ Though I really doubt she¡¯d expect me to get closer to her at a time like this¡­ Heh.¡± An Empire Awaits! I took a deep breath, held it while I pondered my options, then let it out as I pivoted in my desired direction with the navigational assistance of my dependable staff. ¡°North! To the Empire of¡­ shoot. Guess I¡¯ll have to find out its name when I get there.¡± Maybe I¡¯ll even learn why Craig is called, well, just Craig, too. Since he¡¯s an old general and presumably someone important and with status¡­ Or he used to be at any rate. The Wise Old Friend bid me adieu with a gentle rustling of its grape scented flowers and shimmering gold leaves. All in all, supporting the barrier didn¡¯t seem to be taking too much of a toll on the friendly foliage, so I left any lingering worries about the village¡¯s safety behind, nestled in the trustworthy branches of the ancient arbor. In fact the tree seems to be completely fine. I was afraid that the Ascendant¡¯s attack might¡¯ve done some serious damage to it, or at least weakened it in some way, but it seems I¡¯ve got nothing to worry about at all. I enjoyed my hike through the shielded valley, listening to the ever present hymns of the beautiful birds while I took in the sun dappled sights of the now somewhat familiar forest. I never got tired of all the colors, earthy scents, or the air of peace that seemed to exude from the very earth around me. And the ever moving critters that scurried about in search of whatever it was their little hearts desired proved a truly charming touch. Some were like rabbits with four eyes and ears, black as night, and as large as a hen. While others appeared as squirrels with floppy donkey ears and monkey¡¯s prehensile tails, colored a rich green so as to blend into the leaves of the canopies above. ¡°To think somebody would go and pull all this out of my head. And to think that somebody was God. I mean¡­ I might¡¯ve changed everything out of boredom or to test the limits of my dream, but clearly I¡¯m not all that creative or courageous since everything is about the same if you take the magic out of it all.¡± And I think I¡¯d actually die of embarrassment if anyone found out all this was mostly my doing. I sighed, and put those thoughts behind me as I set into a hearty run. Half the day later, I reached the edge of the barrier. The tall copper mountains that encircled this place were just up ahead, but as before, I had no intention of crossing over them. Dang! I got here fast! From what Craig told me it should take about a day and a half to reach the valley¡¯s edge at a walk, though let¡¯s be honest, I¡¯m tireless, and with Witness I can just move the plants and trees to clear a path. Some might call it a flagrant misuse of magic, but now I know one thing for sure. ¡°I travel faster underground. Which I¡¯m going to have to do anyway, assuming that the woman in white left a trace behind like I assume she did¡­ I do feel a bit silly for literally running from the village, but I¡¯d just turn around if I didn¡¯t.¡± I grimaced, and took a moment to examine the boundary of the barrier that ran along the ground behind me. The triangle wasn¡¯t invisible like the dome that appeared over and beyond it, and it glowed ever so faintly with an incandescent blue light that I¡¯d learned was all but synonymous with order magic. My mana sense revealed a literal torrent of mana flowing through that simple mark though, and I knew from the effort of casting it that it was strong, and liable to grow stronger still as the Wise Old Friend supported it. I guess I subconsciously made order magic that particular hue of blue since it¡¯s the closest to the ¡®arcane magic¡¯ of so many fantasies. Which makes it just another reminder that I have a lot of growing to do. As I watched the mana swirl, I turned my attention outside the barrier¡¯s boundary, and glanced about for any sign of the Ascendant¡¯s magic that she might¡¯ve left to monitor me. ¡°Strange. I don¡¯t see anything. Is the barrier blocking it? Is there really nothing there? Or do I just need to focus?¡± I narrowed my eyes at, well, the air I guess, and after a while of inspecting nothing in particular, I got a strange feeling, sorta like queasiness only in my brain, and then I felt Uriel buzz several times but I got no notifications. My vision blurred, my head ached, and then the bloody system of all things spoke, spooking me so badly I fell onto my butt.
Focus: An ability that allows the user to singlemindedly hone in on a task, greatly increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and granting a relief of tedium in exchange for losing track of time and sorroundings. V!&(^3: An ability that ??? @!#%!# !@$!$ %^#%# !$!#$ !@#!$$%
¡°Whoa! Hey, hold up! What the heck is that second one? It¡¯s not even legible? ¡­ I guess that¡¯s better than a bunch of question marks, but still!¡± Uriel buzzed several more times without telling me anything again, and then, after yet another, albeit more intense wave of nausea¨Cthat had me retching for a solid minute¨Cthe system spoke again.
Detection: An ability that allows the user to locate, track, or otherwise become alert to others and their actions. Hostility is detected passively, specific items can be located when desired, and any creature that draws within a certain radius will be noticed, unless concealed with an ability. Awareness: An ability that allows the user to keep track of multiple things or creatures simultaneously. Works with detection to create a field around the user within which only specially concealed things can escape notice, though this creates a great burden on the mind. Mental Map: An ability that creates a map of the user''s coordiantes, while storing all the places the user has been. Can combine with Awareness and Detection to create a detailed map of the user''s immediate surroundings. A highly sought ability for space magic users. Expansive Mind: A passive ability that increases the general mental facaulties of the user, improving memory, deduction, learning speed, insight, spell casting, innovation, multitasking, and endurance. Extremely rare, also boosts all mind magic effects.
I frowned. That¡¯s a lot of new stuff that came from a lot of new stuff. I mean, abilities derived from abilities I already have? Broken text on titles? And what was that awful feeling I had while it happened? What the heck is going on? Uriel buzzed, thankfully only once this time, and a side window appeared.
Notice: Due to the derivation of abilities, the ??? and ??? abilities have had their levels reduced and received a level cap. Levels can be regained and the cap lifted if reintegration takes place.
I blinked. ¡°So¡­ If I were to go out on a limb here¡­ then the awful feeling was me suffering because the system was tearing apart my abilities in order to give me new ones? But why? If they¡¯re derived from the one I already have, what''s the point?¡± Again Uriel informed me.
Notice: Abilities and Titles with part or all of their names hidden cannot be used by the host at will. Certain conditions will permit their activation, and traces of their presence can still be detected, but they are otherwise locked.
I flopped back onto the soft grass, and blew out a hefty sigh. ¡°Go figure.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. After a moment, I shook off my doldrums, hopped up to my feet like some sorta martial artist, and put my new powers to the test. Focus narrowed my will to the singular purpose of finding the Ascendant¡¯s spell, while Detection, Mana Sense, and Expansive Mind harmonized to give me the actual ability to see what was hiding in front of me. And there is something there¡­ But I still don¡¯t understand it! It¡¯s a freakin¡¯ mess! Determined, I activated Awareness, and started to piece together the disparate parts of her spell, but there were too many, and they were too scattered for me to grasp them all even with the slew of abilities I¡¯d already used. That¡¯s where Mental Map came in. With it, I pinned down and marked the points in the map, which allowed me to literally picture what I was looking at. So instead of one big mess of scattered mana, I was actually able to paint the utterly massive magical ward in my mind as if it were written out on paper. That said. I still didn¡¯t have all the deets. I can¡¯t see everything from here. I crossed my arms, and tapped my lower lip with a finger. Going around the edge of the whole valley would take forever, and I¡¯m not too good at using ¡®Far sight¡¯... But what if I added in my new abilities? Would that compensate for my lack of experience with the spell? Intrigued, I tapped Witness on the ground and many mighty roots sprouted beneath me and hoisted me into the sky. I activated the body magic spell that I was only barely familiar with, and as before my vision blurred along the edges. However, since I now had Focus helping me, I was able to grasp the spell¡¯s function and zoom in on the distant parts of the barrier with greater clarity. I couldn¡¯t see everything as my ability with that spell was far from great, but I did glean enough to piece together that her ward would latch onto and mark anyone who passed outside the barrier, regardless of if they were above or below the ground. I grumbled. ¡°Which means she knows I can dig¡­ Though I suppose Bunnyman told her after our first encounter so that makes sense I guess¡­ Still sucks though.¡± After a few more minutes, I was also able to deduce that her spell¡¯s effective area wasn¡¯t all that big, but was by no means small either, so if I could devise a way to shield myself, even for a little bit, I should be able to make it out safely. And of course the answer to all my problems is obvious! ¡®contain¡¯! Once more, just like the barrier I¡¯d erected to protect this valley, I created one to keep her spell from detecting me. It was shockingly easy since I was so focused, and had gathered so much information about her spell. I suppose that expansive mind was to thank as well, but since I¡¯d wasted enough time on this I lowered myself back to the ground, and noticed that it was getting dark, since the mountains were now blocking part of the sun. ¡°How long have I been fiddling around? I mean, goodness! A whole day, gone already!¡± My new Detection ability also informed me that there was something large creeping up behind me. Since it was also on my Mental Map, I guess it¡¯d been there for a while and I just didn¡¯t notice because of Focus, but that doesn¡¯t explain why it hasn¡¯t moved yet. I mean, I was wide open! Without another second of hesitation I dove into the ground and tunneled several feet down. Then I created a small cavity so I could turn around, and found the twilight lit silhouette of a familiar creature clawing at the entrance to my new burrow. ¡°Oh come on! Why the heck are you here?! Didn¡¯t you learn your lesson the first time?¡± But no. Apparently, the stupid Sekthalis did not, in fact, learn its lesson, because there it was, attempting to follow me, and to my shock, actually making progress with its wide bear-like paws and slender serpentine body. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and muttered. ¡°Did it follow me here to get payback? But why did it wait to pounce? Was it afraid of getting bonked again?¡± I shook my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m getting outta here!¡± And with that I turned back around and tunneled my way away. No sooner had I done that, a massive pressure bore down on me, or rather, onto the barrier I¡¯d created to protect me from being detected. With my senses heightened I could practically feel her magic probing every inch of my defenses, trying to find any flaw or fault to exploit and worm closer to it¡¯s target, me. And let me tell you, my basic level spell was no match for her high tier one. Unlike the one over the valley I¡¯d taken a whole day to construct with help, this one I¡¯d literally just thrown together and I had to burn mana like there was no tomorrow to make up the difference. And let¡¯s face it, there won¡¯t be a tomorrow for me if I let her find me. It got to the point that I was trying so hard that I almost stopped digging, but if I did that then I¡¯d just be doing myself in, so I had to take the risk and effectively juggle my maintenance of different parts of my defenses, letting one area slip to protect another, then reversing my efforts at the last second to keep her trace at bay. And just for comparison''s sake, it was like trying to shore up a sand castle beset by a vindictive and eager tide. Destroying Goldorath was easier for crying out loud! But before my barrier could break, I finally, and do mean finally, made it out of the twenty foot wide area of effect of her spell. And I wasted no time slumping into a pile to rest. Unsurprisingly, my mana recovered quickly, and my body actually wasn¡¯t tired, it was just my mind, as I¡¯d been over taxing it since around noon, and this last big push basically did me in. At least I can let it rest now. Nothing like single mindedly digging a hole to calm the ol¡¯ nerves and recover my senses. And it was refreshing to burrow like this again. Nostalgic really. If one can feel nostalgia for something that happened only a handful of days ago that is. I didn¡¯t think about time, or distance, I had a whole mountain range to cover, and all the time I feasibly wanted to do it. So I dug. And dug and dug. And dug some more. I dug so much I eventually just popped straight out of the ground and wound up tumbling down a steep hill, in the dark, with nothing but the occasional bush or stone to give me some sense of where I was. ¡°Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.¡± I came to a stop at the bottom of the slope. I sniffed, brushed myself off, and got up, using the light of the moon and my ability expanded senses to navigate the deep dark of night to find some solace beneath the canopy of a tree. I set up a campfire using the twigs and rocks that were strewn about, along with any bits that were tangled in my clothes and cloak, then, carefully, ever so carefully, cast the ¡®incinerate¡¯ spell at about 0.001% of the actual mana needed. Because God forbid I burn down the whole forest, let alone completely combust my little campsite, all in one go. I felt the Double Standards ability activate alongside my Focus, Expansive Mind, and Mana Control abilities, and with great relief, I managed to create a shower of small flames that ignited my perfectly prepared fire pit. With the threat of immolation out of the way, I reclined against the trunk of the tree, too lazy to get out my bedroll, so I made do by wrapping myself up tight with my cloak as a sort of makeshift blanket. I gotta admit, today was more eventful than I¡¯d expected. And now that I¡¯m here I have to wonder about the topography? I mean, aren¡¯t mountains supposed to be bare on one side and lush on the other? Because that totally isn¡¯t the case here. Unsurprisingly, Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Weather is heavily affected by the concentration and flow of mana so that they are and remain as the Creator envisioned. though this can be altered by the movements of mortals, I.E. There has never been a large scale war that wasn''t drenched in rain.
¡°Huh. I guess that makes sense for a fantasy world.¡± I shrugged off those thoughts, and listened to the various bugs chirp and whistle. I let the wind gently caress my cheek as it coursed casually though the grass and leaves, and stared up at the stars as they twinkled above. Life. What a wonderful thing. Can¡¯t believe I was so tired of it at one point. But then, adversity is the spice of life. I then looked out into the dark woods, in the direction that I felt a group of presences approaching. From their numbers, size, and movements I knew they were humanoid, and that only made me more intrigued. I wonder what they¡¯re doing out here at this hour? Are they exotic hunters seeking some strange prey? Mages or alchemists in search of rare ingredients? Travelers lost to the wilds? Or perhaps Bandits? Because what journey would be complete without bandits? I smiled. Regardless of the who and why, it looks like they¡¯ve seen my fire, so I¡¯d best prepare for company. All Who Wander I leaned back into the tree with Witness resting beside me, and sighed. I¡¯m not detecting any hostility so I guess it¡¯s fine to let them approach. But I wonder what they¡¯re doing all the way out here? I¡¯m no expert, but I doubt this place is anywhere near a road, and that means their circumstances must be pretty¡­ unique? The small fire in front of me popped as a few of the blackened sticks slumped and toppled in on themselves. I held way back, but that didn¡¯t stop them from being completely torched by my spell so I¡¯ll probably have to add more in a minute or two. More concerning, however, was the fact that my guests were taking so long. They were only a dozen or so feet from me at this point, but I hadn¡¯t heard any rustling, and since I could tell that they had stopped moving, that meant they were likely observing me from the shadows, and probably plotting something too. And still no hostility? Man, this is just too much! How can I not take the bait? I rolled my shoulders, wrapped a few fingers around Witness just to be safe, and allowed my head to loll to the side I felt they were currently on. I barely contained my smile, and called out softly, since there was no need to yell for them to hear me. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must be cold and tired, wandering around out here at this hour. Why don¡¯t you come over and have a seat? I can make the fire bigger, and you can warm up while I fix something to eat.¡± Nothing. And I do mean nothing. Not. A. Sound. Well, save for the palpable tension that became so thick that I was afraid that it was now holding those poor lost souls in their places, away from the warmth of my cozy little fire. I didn¡¯t consider it, but there is a chance they can¡¯t understand me. Crap. That would be awkward. So I decided to give them a push. Just a little one, yaknow? A tiny touch of mana to make the branches part and the roots nudge them forward. Thankfully, that got them moving. All six of them. The two men in front were the tallest and in chainmail with swords and small shields in hand, while the middle pair were in long hooded cloaks that obscured everything other than their 4 foot stature, and the two in the back were slightly taller and wore light clothing. The man on the left was dressed in leather armor with a bow, and the other, the woman on the right, was clad in tattered finery, jewelry, silk robes, and the like¨Call covered in esoteric runes and patterns. All in all, they were something straight out of a generic fantasy. Though after everything I¡¯ve been through over the last few days, I¡¯m not as excited as I thought I¡¯d be. Oh well, at least I get to meet new people! Hopefully friendly ones! Understandably, they were unsteady on their feet, and doubtlessly wary, both of me and the vegetation that suddenly prodded them into action, so it was no surprise that they maintained a tight formation where the four taller ones surrounded the two short, hooded, and totally vulnerable looking members of their group. But still no response, huh? Fine. Fine. Guess I¡¯ll try to welcome them with my actions. Maybe that¡¯ll get the point across! I released my smile from its restraints and beckoned them over. ¡°Come! Come! Sit! Sit! I won¡¯t hurt you, though I am a little curious who you are, and how you came to be so far out in the wilderness.¡± They loitered for another moment so I made good on my offer and got to work getting some food out of my pack and using Witness to gather more sticks to sustain and enlarge the fire. Yeah, yeah, I know! Using nature to burn nature is a bit insensitive, but people cremate dead people all the time, so how is this any different? At last, the shorter of the two armored gentlemen in the front asked. ¡°Master druid, we are grateful for your offer, but until we know which garden you are affiliated with, I¡¯m afraid we must decline.¡± I tilted my head. Hey! They can understand me! But what¡¯s this about a garden? And who¡¯s a druid? Not me! Then Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Gardens are the name for groups of druids, the reclusive users of mind over nature magic. While some are harmless, others reject outsiders, and some even sacrifice them in their rituals. They derive the name of their groups from the Garden of Creation.
Ooof¡­ Well, at least I know now. I stopped my preparations, and shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fear, I¡¯m not affiliated with any garden, and besides, I¡¯m not a druid.¡± One of the two hooded fellows stepped back and muttered in a high pitched voice. ¡°What?¡± And the mage looking lady held the back of her hand to her mouth. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Then the shorter armored dude continued. ¡°You¡­ you aren¡¯t a druid? But you just¡­ ?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just a little trick, that¡¯s all.¡± I then poured a little more mana into Witness, and conjured six pillars of roots placed evenly around the now fortified fire, and then I shaped those pillars into ergonomic chairs. I bet they¡¯ll be surprised at how comfortable they are! The mage lady gawked, then fixed me with a pointed look. ¡°Heavens! What is this if not Druidism?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just trying to be hospitable. No offense, but you guys kinda look like you could use it.¡± I held out bits of grandour jerky, dried fruits that were thankfully not the spicy-bitter goga, and small, newly formed, cups of water that I forged and filled with the aid of the nearby trees and their internal water stores. ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to let you get some rest here, but the choice is yours. Will you stay? Or will you go?¡± Consternation crossed the faces of the four I could see, and they deliberated in sometimes harsh whispers with one of the two hooded ones. At first I couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, both because it was quiet, but also because it was in an entirely different language. Then, right on cue, Uriel buzzed like crazy, and the system spoke. I leaned back against the tree, and listened. The one hooded figure that reacted to my words before stomped their foot. ¡°Your bickering is getting us nowhere! You are supposed to be our protectors, but every second we waste is a second not spent helping my brother! So decide! Now!¡± Oh? That¡¯s a rather large bomb to drop right away. And now that I look, the other hooded figure is sorta¡­ wobbly. The taller guard clenched his armored fists. ¡°Apologies milady, I know you are both weary, but how can we trust this¡­ person? They do not show their face, and deny being a druid despite clearly being one!¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The mage lady nodded. ¡°I agree! There¡¯s nothing savory about this at all, for if their claims are true, and they aren¡¯t a druid, then what are they? A spy? An assassin?¡± The hunter-like man shook his head and spoke for the first time. ¡°I doubt they¡¯re an assassin. After all, I can¡¯t detect any hostility, traps, or poison, and given the power they¡¯ve displayed, they could likely overwhelm us with the nearby trees at any point, and that¡¯s not considering the fact that they had the drop on us, and decided to invite us over instead.¡± Did¡­ did he just admit that I have the advantage¡­ When I¡¯m literally ten feet away? The group¡¯s frowns only grew, and since it didn¡¯t look like they were getting anywhere I spoke in their tongue. ¡°Since you¡¯re worried about my identity, my name is Anon Amos. I¡¯m¡­ well I¡¯ve been a wanderer for as long as I can remember, and I really don¡¯t mean you any harm. Heck! I might even be able to help with whatever that young man is suffering from.¡± Obviously, they froze. After all, who wouldn¡¯t when the remarks they were making about someone in earshot are suddenly revealed to be in a language they can understand. To my surprise, however, the vocal hooded person stepped forward, and squeaked up first. ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ You¡¯ll help us? Truly?¡± I pulled back my hood and offered the most genuine and sympathetic smile I could muster. ¡°I don¡¯t know your circumstances, but you don¡¯t seem like bad people. Stressed, maybe, but not bad. And that¡¯s all the reason I really need.¡± While the others gasped, presumably at my hideous face, she too pulled back her hood to reveal a cute girl, no older than thirteen with tanned skin. Her hair was strikingly blonde, and woven into a wide braid that disappeared behind her back, though the most noticeable things were the round tiger ears atop her head, and the long whiskers that sprouted from her cheeks. Then the taller guard sheathed his weapon, stepped forward to half-block my view of her, and bowed. ¡°Sir Anon, forgive our rudeness. May I present Annabelle and Mitchell, the beloved children of a relatively influential merchant.¡± He raised his head, and placed a hand over his heart. ¡°You see, we were traveling with a caravan when bandits attacked. The heir was struck by a curse sent from the magus leading them, and we only barely managed to escape with our lives.¡± Oh that¡¯s just terrible! Uriel buzzed,
Notice: Lies detected.
and I was so shocked at this alert that I muttered. ¡°Lies?¡± The somewhat calmer air was tense again in an instant. The weapons that had only just been sheathed were drawn again, and the mage lady started chanting, but the girl presumably named ¡®Anabelle¡¯ shouted. ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± The four fighters halted, perhaps aware that I hadn¡¯t even moved, and the mage instead turned her attention to the hooded young ¡®Mitchell¡¯ who tipped over after wobbling even more than usual. I kept my eyes on the ill boy and sighed in relief. Glad that¡¯s over with. Though what the heck¡¯s going on? One calls me sir, the other her? I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve always been a¨C The mage lady screamed. ¡°He¡¯s stopped breathing!¡± Oh¡­ Crap! What should I do? Body recovery magic? Light essence magic? Or should I try out that new ??? Protection ability I got after taking out that demon? And wait¡­ What¡¯s that tiger girl doing? It looks dangerous! # ¡®Anabelle¡¯ plodded through the dark forest in the tracks of ¡®Colbert¡¯ and ¡®Hence¡¯ with ¡®Norman¡¯ and ¡®Nadia¡¯ guarding the rear. Her task was simple. Follow directions, stay away from danger, but most importantly, survive. Because if something happened to her, the one physically and magically supporting ¡®Mitchell¡¯, then everything that they had gone through, all the pain they¡¯d endured during their impromptu flight from her father¡¯s lands, and all the effort she¡¯d put into remembering the stupid cover story and aliases they¡¯d been given, would be for nothing. And just when she felt like her feet, and shoulder, couldn¡¯t take anymore, ¡®Colbert¡¯ stopped them and whispered. ¡°I see a campfire.¡± ¡®Norman¡¯ nodded and used his abilities to up the level of their camouflage, while ¡®Nadia¡¯ used air essence magic to silence their breathing and movements. And there they saw a single hooded figure, leaned against a tree, sat in front of a small fire, utterly unmoving. Her four protectors used hand signals to debate their next course of action. She didn¡¯t know their meanings, but from some of the gestures she guessed that most of the choices were far from friendly. It¡¯s regrettable, but that¡¯s the kind of situation we¡¯re in. She lowered her eyes to the ground. I just wish I knew why Father sent us away so suddenly. I thought ¡®Mitchell¡¯ came to us to recover? But how is he to do that out here, when I can only stall his death by maintaining ¡®rejuvenation¡¯? She grimaced. I guess there¡¯s still that one spell, but I really shouldn¡¯t. Not yet. That¡¯s for an emergency. Then the person called out to them in the Nostrian language, one she only barely knew, but managed to decipher it as an invitation to rest. However, her escort made no move to accept. In fact, their silent debate only became more frantic. She knew that ¡®Nadia¡¯ and ¡®Hence¡¯ understood Nostrian better than her, but until they could get ¡®Colbert¡¯, their leader, to understand their gestures they¡¯d be at an impasse. And then the forest suddenly ejected them from their hiding spot, in a surprisingly gentle manner. Her heart raced as her guardians drew their weapons and readied for battle, but the seated figure made no move to fight, and again invited them to sit and rest. At least I think that¡¯s what they said. Then a wave of wonder and fear overtook her as a pulse of deep and pure mana raced outward from the mysterious person and brought the forest to life once again. Her mana sense revealed that it had enough energy to let the roots and vines string them all up, only it was instead used to gather fallen sticks to feed and enlarge the fire. She glanced back, and from the subtle shifts in ¡®Nadia¡¯ and ¡®Norman¡¯s¡¯ postures they must¡¯ve sensed the clarity of that mana too. Is Father¡¯s personal magus even anywhere close to being this mighty? But her awe was overwritten by disappointment as ¡®Hence¡¯ declined the clearly powerful druid¡¯s offer yet again, but she couldn¡¯t stop a surprised ¡°What?¡± from escaping when the strange hermit denied being a druid. Then, as if to mock them and that very claim, they again unleashed that immense mana to craft six chairs from roots that emerged from the earth around the fire. She tuned out all else around her as she became utterly fascinated with this force that could freely manipulate the world around them, and the fact that the one who possessed this magic used it to craft and fill cups to accommodate them, rather than fight or dominate. No magus I¡¯ve ever met can do magic without chanting, and none of them can bear the mental strain that comes with moving so many different components. But they look¡­ Unfazed. In the magic of the moment she noticed that ¡®Mitchell¡¯ wasn¡¯t leaning on her anymore. And through the gloom, her keen tiger eyes detected an almost peaceful look on his face. Though he wavered from moment to moment, he was upright for the first time since he arrived at her family¡¯s estate, and if what her father said was true, then he¡¯d been suffering for even longer than that too. A debate to decide what to do began, and her heart ached alongside her feet as her protectors leaned away from letting them rest anywhere near this enigmatic magus. ¡°Since you¡¯re worried about my identity, my name is Anon Amos. I¡¯m¡­ well I¡¯ve been a wanderer for as long as I can remember, and I really don¡¯t mean you any harm. Heck! I might even be able to help with whatever that young man is suffering from.¡± Her eyes opened wide and her mind went blank. Both because Anon understood their language, and because such an unearthly beautiful woman would offer to heal ¡®Mitchell¡¯ when they¡¯d only just met and had their kindness rejected repeatedly. I can¡¯t believe that a completely white Torathan exists! Father said they were only fairy tales, that albinos of our kind are the closest thing to making that fantasy reality, but here one is! Right in front of me! This has to be fate! ¡®Colbert¡¯ recited their practiced story, rudely calling her ¡®sir¡¯ but as soon as he¡¯d finished Anon muttered. ¡°Lies?¡± Lies?! She knows we¡¯re lying?! I should¡¯ve stopped him! The stories say a white Torathan¡¯s eyes see through all! It must be true! She screamed with all her might. ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± Because we¡¯ll be the ones hurt if this becomes a fight! And I don¡¯t need to rely on legends to know that! And just as things were starting to calm again, and it looked like she¡¯d finally get to sit down and rest, ¡®Nadia¡¯ caught ¡®Mitchell¡¯ as he tumbled, and yelled. ¡°He¡¯s stopped breathing!¡± ¡®Anabelle¡¯ shut her eyes, slumped to her knees, and mustered all the mana she had left to start casting the ¡®oblation¡¯ spell her old mentor had only taught her after years of begging, and only after stating a million times that she should never try to cast it. I guess this is where I die. A Hand to the Lost My eyes widened as my Mana Sense revealed ¡®Annabelle¡¯s¡¯ depleted reserves gathering to power a spell structured in a way that gave me the heeby-jeebies. Oh no. No. No. No! Can¡¯t let her do that! Don¡¯t do that! Surprisingly, her guardians failed to prevent me from stopping her, as all their attention had been drawn to the gasping and writhing ¡®Mitchel¡¯. ¡®Annabelle¡¯, for her part, had been so focused on her task that she practically jumped out of her tanned skin when I grabbed both of her worryingly cold hands that she clasped in a prayer-like position. The two armored boys behind me placed their weapons near my neck to warn against doing anything rash, but I ignored their threat and focused on the flustered female feline. Let¡¯s be honest, the safety of a regenerating rapture reject like me is secondary at a time like this. I spoke to ¡®Annabelle¡¯ as gently as I could, given the circumstances. ¡°Wait. Please wait. There¡¯s no need to go that far.¡± How far, I don¡¯t know exactly, but it¡¯s pretty clear by the look in her eye that it¡¯s close to, if not right on, self sacrifice. ¡°Let me try something. And if that doesn¡¯t work, tell me the spell you were going to cast and I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Her massive pupils widened at my words, reflecting the little orangish light that came from my campfire, and she nodded slowly. But the swords stayed put at my throat. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± The mage lady stomped her foot, passed the ailing youth over to the ranger, and withdrew a wand before pointing it at me¨Cits tip sparking blue. ¡°What makes you think we trust you? What makes you think we¡¯ll just allow ¡®Mitchel¡¯ to be subjected to your hedge magic?! What can a blasted druid even accomplish here?! You talk to bloody plants, not break curses!¡± I kept my eyes on the wand, but rolled them after Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Wands, among other apparatuses, can store spells for later use or be ingrained with a spell for rapid fire casts. In either case the effect can be triggered with a simple input of mana rather than through the usual means. Spells used in this manner reflect the power of the device''s maker, though they can still be countered in the same way.
¡°First of all, I¡¯m not a druid.¡± Nyx. In that instant her wand¡¯s power flared, then burnt out resulting in her recoiling with a gasp. ¡°Second, there¡¯s hardly time for this squabbling.¡± Tase. I tapped a finger against the flat side of the swords at my throat, and with a little magical creativity, imagined them being jolted by, well, a taser. And to my pleasant surprise, that¡¯s exactly what happened. Seems like I have a bit of freedom when messing with magic, and can at least alter existing magic if not make up my own spells. After all, that first attempt with the lightning bolts was wholly accidental, and Craig did confirm that there wasn¡¯t any spell named ¡®spark shower¡¯. I then tapped ¡®Wittness¡¯ against the ground, wrapped up the mage lady and tased guards in roots and vines so that they wouldn¡¯t interfere, then patted the dumbstruck ¡®Annabelle¡¯s¡¯ head, and advanced on the wide eyed hunter and the still spasming ¡®Mitchel¡¯. His movements had gotten weaker, and since he still wasn¡¯t breathing he was probably turning blue right about now¨Cnot that I could really see given how dark it was. The hunter didn¡¯t offer up any resistance when I checked the young man¡¯s wrist for a pulse, and instead weakly asked. ¡°Y-you really are going to help, right?¡± I just smiled, and urged Uriel to assess the situation before things could get any worse. After a tense second, it buzzed twice.
Name: Calden Dresdeth a.k.a. ''Mitchel'' Species: Human (Beast blood) Health: 2/110 (200 max) Mana: 1/10 (100 max) Endurance: 0/50 (160 max) Strength: 7/70 + 10 Agility: 4/44 + 6 Speed: 2/83 + 7 Toughness: 1 + 12 Spirit: 10/100 Status conditions: Cursed poison (severe); Depleated spirit (severe); Enfeebled (severe); Spirit soothe (ongoing); Rejuvinate (ongoing) Titles: Noble Heir; Hearty soul; Follower of Matweirden; Follower of false gods (hidden) Abilities: Leadership lv: 8 Mana sense lv: 3 Mana manipulation lv: 3 Command lv: 10 Endure lv: 33 Battle cry lv: 14 Body sensory magic (Beginner) lv: 78 Hardy body lv: 21 Poison resistance lv: 43 Curse resistance lv: 12 Beast blade sword style (Adept) lv: 47 Notice: Individual is afflicted with a cursed poison and is on the brink of death from physical and spiritual deterioration. Extreme measures must be taken immediately.
Extreme measures, huh? Let¡¯s hope this new ability meets my expectations then. I willed ??? protection to activate, but all I got was a vague feeling in my chest with no real response. Crap. Gonna have to try harder then. I held my breath and gave it another go by inverting my extended senses to look inward, and focusing all my newfound brainpower into finding a way to draw out that vague sensation, or otherwise make the ability activate. Then the system spoke. That cool female voice rang in the chaos of my frantic thoughts, gathered up my myriad ideas, and dragged them all together deep into the center of my consciousness; which happened to be focused on the core of my being; where that infuriating vagueness resided. After all the mental haranging this frustratingly aloof system has put me through, this better work! Before I even had a second to react, that feeling within me expanded into an incredible warmth that reminded me of how I felt when I was dreaming up this world¨Conly now it quickly started to burn as if I wasn¡¯t capable of containing it. It flowed through my chest, up my arm, and out my outstretched palm before it seeped into ¡®Mitchel¡¯--not that I saw anything special happen. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. There wasn¡¯t even a flash of light, a pop, or anything. Just an overwhelming, pervasive, stillness. And things proceeded this way for a second that lasted an eternity. A silent second where it felt like the world had stopped, breathless, to watch the poor boy¡¯s reaction; and to drag out my own struggle to stay conscious for as long as possible. Because this whole process hurt me. Body, mind, and soul. Much more than anything in the past. Even that eternity alone wasn¡¯t THIS painful. And when it finally ended, that¡¯s when the unspeakable soreness hit. Naturally, I collapsed, gasped, and, unable to rasp, I used my failing strength to flop onto my side to get a better look at my patient. Though my tired eyes had to fight with my heavy eyelids as they tried to blanket them. He better be alive, because so help me, I don¡¯t think I can cast a spell like this. My eyes didn¡¯t cooperate any longer, and closed against my want and will. However, I heard the hunter heave a relieved sigh before he slumped nearby, and I decided that that would have to be good enough for now, and stopped resisting my impromptu nap. Thank goodness¡­ I haven¡¯t been this tired since¡­ Since¡­ . # Calden Dresdeth was the son and heir to Dorain Dresdeth, the Marquis of Dresdeth, a prosperous region along the Western border of the Almassara Empire. His parents were human like him, but his house had a long history of sympathizing, and intermarrying, with the ¡®bestial¡¯ races that called the region their home before the Empire was established. And his father now served as the predominant voice that protected those people from the humano-centric views the rest of the nation had developed. A position they paid dearly for, as his family is known for the long string of ¡®accidents¡¯ that have picked off their loved ones from generation to generation. Such as the runaway cart that plowed through a protest to claim his great grandmother¡¯s life, or the brick that came loose to drop a wall on his mother, or the military misfortune that resulted in his father losing his dominant arm. But their family and their god preached perseverance, so they endured with heads held high. They had no other choice. And then he fell ill. So ill that none of the healers of body, mind or essence that his family employed could do anything, and he knew it would have claimed his life already had the very people his family fought to protect not stepped up to protect him in turn. With ¡®Annabelle¡¯s¡¯ exceedingly rare and heavily restricted spirit healing and harming magic ability. At first, he readily surrendered to treatment at her hands. It was his father¡¯s order after all, so he went to the allied territory so that he could be preserved until the petition for the aid of the god of beasts was answered, and a true solution obtained. But it¡¯s been three months and Lady Matweirden hasn¡¯t answered? How long are we supposed to wait? Why would she let us shoulder so much alone? Aren¡¯t we supposed to be blessed? Favored? How can she still be silent?! If I die, the family all but dies with me! Doesn¡¯t she care?! Many more months went by with no response from his family¡¯s revered deity, while ¡®Annabelle¡¯ and her house paid out their noses in their efforts to sustain him. As longtime vassals of his family, he knew they wouldn¡¯t abandon him and didn¡¯t mean to hurt him, but he didn¡¯t want to burden them anymore and didn¡¯t know how to tell them that their every effort only delayed the inevitable; and forced his soul to suffer as his body, mind, and spirit deteriorated around him. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, now they were forced to go on the run. In his state he couldn¡¯t know the details, but he suspected the culprits behind his family¡¯s so called misfortune had either gotten sick of waiting for his death, or had managed to outmaneuver his father at court, and were now bold enough to risk a direct attack on ¡®Annabelle¡¯s¡¯ home. So he, his guardian knight and vassal mage, along with ¡®Annabelle¡¯ and her family¡¯s most trusted knight and huntmaster were sent out into the wilderness to hide, flee, or otherwise elude the danger. However, he needed more support now that he could no longer rest all day, but they could carry only so many mana potions and drops, so his treatments ultimately became fewer and farther between. Which only amplified his agony twofold. He lost count of the days. The nights all blurred together. Every step became an effort like trudging through waist deep water. And he could no longer see a reason to go on. But those around him refused to let him surrender. Just let it end already. Let me go! I don¡¯t care why it started anymore. I just want this to stop! Why won¡¯t they let me rest?! He screamed this in what little remained of his conscious mind, as the rest of his faculties failed him. In another day he¡¯d be little more than a crawling corpse, and his near mute senses barely managed to remind him that ¡®Annabele¡¯ was reaching her limit too, as the comfort of her spells got weaker and came at more distant intervals. At last, they stopped, and he nearly dropped. He didn¡¯t know or care what they were doing, but it was taking longer than usual for them to let him sit, and that infuriated him. How¡­ Much¡­ Longer?! He tried to move on his own, but only managed to tremble and wobble. Then a pulse of mana passed them, and something large and strong moved them from the shadows and into a white light that engulfed everything all around him. Strangely his clouded eyes could see it, and he wasn¡¯t blinded or uncomfortable in its presence despite being wholly uncomfortable and disgusted with his very existence. His shuddering intensified as that light seemed to seep into the cracks in his being. He felt what had to be his last adrenaline rush, and he recovered enough of himself to question how he was seeing anything at all, since it had been days since he could make out anything that wasn¡¯t right in front of him. So how can I¡­ see a light? And why is it so warm? Comforting? Beautiful? Surreal? Is this¡­ death? He wanted to reach out, to go to it, but he couldn¡¯t move. His body no longer answered him, and his protectors wouldn¡¯t let him go no matter what he wanted, so all he could do was watch in growing frustration. And then the light pulsed, and several more waves of mana washed over him. Had ¡®Annabelle¡¯ not been supporting him his proximity would¡¯ve toppled him on the spot. He thought for sure they¡¯d be enough to dislodge his soul from the ruins of his corpus, but instead, he almost felt more alive. So much more alive, in fact, that the shock to his failing system paralyzed his dying lungs. He swam inside the unreal moment, blissfully unaware of his pain or impending death as another pulse came, followed by several more in rapid succession. Each one pieced some of the fragments of his broken being back together, and with his ever greater awareness he realized he was dying, and feared, not death, but separation from this soothing light before him. No! Not. Yet! That. Light! I. Need. To. See. More! He squinted, and the light took on a humanoid shape as it drew closer. Close enough to touch. He thought he¡¯d reached out, to feel its warmth, but realized that he still couldn¡¯t move. His frustration flared into desperation, and fury exploded in his burning chest as breath continued to elude him. And then the light touched him. Everything, everywhere, all at once. That¡¯s what he felt, or what he thought he felt as something unfathomable, uncontainable, unstoppable, surreal, flooded every corner of his existence. Not judging, examining, weighing, calculating, or scrutinizing, but healing all that he was, and wrapping him in its inexplicable, inescapable, insurmountable, embrace. At last he was restored. Whole. And the pain went away with the fear of the death he once craved. Then, as he drifted serenely through the soft clouds of near consciousness, a calm female voice spoke like cold rain upon an unsuspecting camper. Deep in his soul he felt compelled to answer. He took a deep breath that saved his starved lungs, and said¡­ . A Blessing in Dis Guise ¡°M¨Cmy people.¡± Calden croaked like a skewered frog, then coughed violently before calming to a steady breathing rate. ¡°My people.¡± He muttered one final time, trailing off into a deep sleep. ¡®Annabelle¡¯ blinked twice. Unable to move a step from where she waited at the behest of the white torathan named Anon. She quivered, and she mouthed. ¡°H¨Che¡¯s alive¡­ !¡± Tears of relief burned her vision into a blurry mess. The adrenaline that had kept her going for the majority of their flight finally ebbed from her, and she dropped to her knees; at last able to rest now that her task had been safely completed. Calden is healed! House Dresdeth will endure! Our people are still safe! Our people¡­ He was still thinking of them even now! Even in his dying moments! I must¡­ I must do all I can to help. Father too! We must all rally behind such a worthy heir! Praise be to Matweirden! Praise be to the warriors in white! Then sleep took her. # ¡®Nadia¡¯ nearly fell when the vines restraining her loosened and let her touch back down onto the soft grass of the small clearing. The fear and indignity of falling onto her face reminded her to breathe as more sense returned to her blanked out brain. How? What? Who? This, this Anon character¡­ I¡¯ve never felt so utterly overwhelmed in a contest of magic since my days at the academy! I didn¡¯t even get to cast, let alone resist! They just completely man-handeled me from start to finish without even the slightest hint of an incantation! I¡¯ve heard of powerful maguses weaving spells with song or reducing the chant to a gesture or two, but there wasn¡¯t even that! She shuddered as the memory replayed in her mind. And what was that thing they just did? I felt no mana yet it seemed as if the totality of the world condensed into that one touch, that one moment, at the behest of that clearly inhuman being! She bit her lip and furrowed her brows. To think I was foolish enough to disregard them as a druid! I was to protect him! And now¡­ . She scampered over to where ¡®Norman¡¯ cradled her young lord, and she quickly muttered the diagnosis spell under her breath. Rings of blue runes wrapped around Calden¡¯s limp, but breathing, body, and began to rotate in a variety of directions. ¡®Nadia¡¯ reached into the enchanted pocket of her robe for the emergency high quality health drop she was ordered to keep on hand, and impatiently waited for the spell to complete and make its report. I swear, if that, She glanced at Anon¡¯s slumbering form beside her, that creature, harmed him in any way, I¡¯ll have it¡¯s head no matter what the young miss has to say about it! The magic circles pulsed. Then went out rune by rune as a calm female voice echoed in her head. Diagnostic complete. No abnormalities found. No actions required. Subject is in perfect health. The tension bled from her strained shoulders, and her teeth chattered as she let down her guard. She sat there beside Calden and ¡®Norman¡¯ and Anon for a long while. Eventually she met ¡®Norman¡¯s dark eyes and followed them over to where Anon lay. ¡°He saved us.¡± The huntmaster mumbled. ¡°Skies above, he saved us.¡± ¡®Nadia¡¯ raised an eyebrow. ¡°He? That¡­ person? A he? Do you need your eyes checked, old man?¡± He tilted his head, then glanced back at Anon, and frowned. ¡°Now that you mention it, Lady Ysdra, I mean ¡®Annabelle¡¯ said something about a white torathan.¡± He rubbed a hand across his scruffy chin. ¡°You don¡¯t think she meant Anon do you?¡± ¡®Nadia¡¯ sighed and held her head in her hands. ¡°I do.¡± And I surely hate it¡­ What in the world are we even dealing with? A demon? A deity? An arch magus? For all I know they could be a bloody elder beast! And we¡¯re no closer to finding out which! ¡°And what a headache sorting it out is going to be¡­ .¡± We owe it now. And there aren¡¯t any stories of such debts being easy to repay. # ¡®Norman¡¯ cradled Calden in his lap and pondered what ¡®Nadia¡¯ had just said. Yes. There is a lot to uncover here. His was a long life spent wandering from back country to back country, hunting beasts and exploring the forbidden or uncharted lands of the nearby nations; growing his knowledge about the creatures of this region, and getting a taste of what could be found in the wider world. Legend, myth, fable, and folklore, his desire to explore and to disprove the religions of the masses spurred him into near perpetual motion, and he¡¯d gone out in search of it all; yet only on a handful of occasions did he fail to prove that the stories were anything more than tall tales. But even on those occasions he¡¯d gleaned enough to discredit those propped up as sacred, and with each triumph his driving fervor faded until it burnt out completely, so he retired as a huntmaster in service to an agreeable lord. Thus he lived, but never did he imagine that something supernatural would simply up and come to him. And that that something could lack any accompanying myths for him to scrutinize it with. Or that it would perform a feat that even he could only describe as truly miraculous. What is this feeling? And how did you stir it within me, Anon? It¡¯s clear you¡¯re not an elder beast or their kin, for you¡¯re far too small and weak in comparison. But that only leaves me to conclude that you¡¯re like Lady Matweirden; a terrestrial deity, a guardian or ruler of this land. I know better than to think creatures such as you divine, but since I¡¯ve heard nothing from the locals, does that mean that you¡¯ve only recently been born? Or is it possible for a mortal to ascend to such a lofty height? I know the four heroes are said to be stronger than some of the deities, but they aren¡¯t immortal¡­ But if you ascended, then that would explain why you collapsed. He shook his head. No, that¡¯s foolish. For now, I should merely be grateful that you spared us, and saw fit to heal Lord Calden. He patted the young man¡¯s shoulder, watched ¡®Nadia¡¯ stew in her own thoughts, glanced furtively at where Anon slumbered, and then stared off into the dark forest. All I know is that we have been unspeakably lucky. And that I know now, more than ever, that there is so much more wonder to this world than even I have seen. He mouthed. ¡°How dare a creature like you return the burden of curiosity to me, Anon.¡± He trembled, and a tear escaped his eye and slipped down his wrinkled cheek. ¡°And how dare I be grateful for it.¡± # Calden took in several frantic breaths before drifting off into a milky white void. Glints of rainbow light glittered on the periphery of his vision and popped here and there as he looked around the vacant space. ¡°Am I alone?¡± He clenched his hands, then slapped his cheeks, but felt nothing. ¡°Am I dreaming? Or have I died?¡± Then the calm feminine voice spoke again. Response accepted. Completing bestowal of edj@f^c protection. Processing. Processing.. Processing¡­ Complete. People¡¯s protection granted to individual Calden Dresdeth. Upon that solemn declaration he felt the warmth within him, the warmth that humanoid light had given him, the warmth that he had adjusted to and all but forgotten about, rise up, swirl around, and then solidify into something powerful¨Csomething that changed the very foundation of his being. He braced himself. Setting his stance like he would during combat training, tensing his muscles as if to receive a blow. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. But no hit followed. It didn¡¯t hurt. It simply came, went, and left him all the stronger for it. What is this? I¡¯m stronger, but I didn¡¯t earn it? How can this be? I didn¡¯t forge a pact with a deity other than Lady Matweirden did I? I¡¯ll be in trouble if I did, so I really hope that humanoid light I saw before isn¡¯t¨C And that¡¯s when he noticed he wasn¡¯t alone. Like anyone, inherent reaction dictated that he turn around to face the being that he sensed behind him, and he started to do just that. But instinct stopped him cold. If. He gulped. If I turn around. If I lay eyes on the one there. Fear and exhilaration ran down his spine and left numbness in their wake. Then that¡¯s it. I¡­ I¡¯m dead. Never before had he been so completely sure of anything in his whole life, and he doubted that he ever would be again. This was it. Do or die. To be a threat simply by being gazed upon! Not even Lady Matweirden wields this level of power! D¨Cdoes that mean I¡¯m facing an elder beast? One of the first living beings to ever walk the earth? Legends say that they can crush cities with impunity and that only the mightiest terrestrial deities can even hope to survive a conflict with them. But¨Cbut they¡¯re not supposed to involve themselves with the world any longer! Why would one be here?! His legs wobbled beneath him, and the longer he focused on this being, the more the warmth in his core revealed to him. He concentrated on this new source of information, even if it was to distract himself from his worries, and the image became clearer. I see¡­ A humanoid, robed in¡­ light? Not cloth, but solidified light of purest white. No discernable features, just a general body shape, and. He dropped to his knees as realization struck. They¡¯re Huge!!! ¡°I¡­ I¨CI¡­¡± His mind bleached itself of all thought and left him stranded with a barely formed sound in his throat, to flounder on the unseen ¡®floor¡¯ of this dazzling space. Intimidated, overwhelmed, and utterly isolated from all hope of escape or concealment, Calden just sat there and basked in the all encompassing aura of this figure that held life and death over him as effortlessly and indifferently as a cloud sailing on the breeze. But the figure didn¡¯t speak, or interact with him. They simply sat there. Moving a hand, turning their head, glancing about. But otherwise leaving him alone. Slowly, he calmed, and continued to take in the presence of this immeasurable person. Wait. They¡¯re sitting? On what? That has to be the most plain chair I¡¯ve ever seen. I¡¯d almost call it a throne, but it¡¯s so simple and unobtrusive I hadn¡¯t even noticed it until now! But that¡¯s it. There¡¯s nothing else here. Just me, them, and that chair. He clenched his head between his hands. So what do I do? Should I say something? Should I run? I can¡¯t turn around, that¡¯ll kill me! So¨C Then the being spoke with a voice that was at once everywhere and yet nowhere, all sound and yet no sound, forceful and yet gentle, authoritative and yet meek, powerful enough to command all into submission and yet open to hearing him out. ¡°Ah! You¡¯ve regained your senses! Good. I was worried you were ill and that I''d need to wake you.¡± The great figure clapped delightedly, and smiled a smile that caused the warmth within him to explode though every fiber of his being. ¡°So Calden, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± Calden gulped. It knows me? I¡¯m not facing an elder beast am I? I¡¯ve heard stories about the deities from other territories and countries, as well as the stories of the creator god that most in the empire think of as only unsubstantiated myth¡­ But this¡­ Could this be¡­? # I didn¡¯t remember when, why or how, but I found myself seated upon a simple looking chair amidst an ebony void. There was nothing anywhere around me, and no one in sight. The cold bit into me with ravenous vigor, as if to devour me, and though it didn¡¯t hurt, it took all I had not to panic. ¡°Where am I? How did I get here? Where even is here?! And why is it so cold? Can¡¯t we just have a little light?¡± My voice flew off into the distance not echoing, or gathering a response from anything. I groaned, and leaned my head into my palm. ¡°Uggg. I don¡¯t even have my stuff, and what the heck am I wearing? Who the heck put this goofy white robe on me, and where did they scamper off to?¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose. But seriously! Turn on the lights! ¡®illuminate¡¯! I thought of the spell¡¯s name and waited for a response, but nothing happened. I tried to use my mana sense, but found that there wasn¡¯t any to be found, like, anywhere. Oh come on! Don¡¯t give me powers and then take them away! Just¨C I inhaled, and shouted at the top of my lungs. ¡°Let there be light!¡± A moment passed. Then another. And just as I was about to pound the arms of my chair in frustration, an apocalyptic roar issued from the darkness all around me and light spilled out of nowhere, filling the now mostly bleached space with both brilliant rainbows and an abundance of comforting warmth. I relaxed my clenched grip, leaned back in my seat, and nodded with a large grin. ¡°Good. This is good. I can work with this.¡± And just as I was about to start doing just that, the system¡¯s cool voice spoke. A small pop broke the otherwise absolute silence that followed the light¡¯s arrival, and there in the space in front of me, roughly level with the base of my chair but utterly tiny, stood a hooded figure I recognized. Calden must¡¯ve noticed me since he began to turn around, but then he abruptly stopped and started to shake, tremble, and then drop to his knees in some sort of weird panic attack. Oookay. That¡¯s¡­ a little disconcerting. But then again, if he¡¯s seeing what I am then I guess I can¡¯t really blame him. I kept an eye on him, just to be safe, but let him process his emotions on his own, because I too had some to deal with. I mean, why is he even here? I guess the system did mention moving a soul here, but what did all that crap about conditions and bestowal mean? I assume the conditions were mine, and the bestowal had something to do with the new ability I used to save him. Is that why we¡¯re here then? Curious I checked myself over, but I got no response from Uriel so I couldn¡¯t open my status, and ended up just glancing at my hands. And then it hit me. Crap! If Calden is only a soul right now does that mean his body is dead?! And if he¡¯s having issues then I need to¨C Just as I lifted a hand to prod him, he started to calm so I said. ¡°Ah! You¡¯ve regained your senses! Good. I was worried you were ill and that I''d need to wake you.¡± He tensed up again, but it was nowhere near as bad, so I forced a smile and threw the metaphorical ball into his court in the hopes that it would distract from whatever was worrying him. ¡°So Calden, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± He choked on his own voice, then lowered his head to the unseen floor. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m okay. I¡¯m okay. I think I¡¯m okay now. And I think it¡¯s thanks to you, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yes. I healed you. And it¡¯s a good thing too. Your body was deteriorating, your mind was rotting, and your spirit had all but broken. You were a little more than a soul when I reached you, so I apologize for dragging you here, but drastic measures needed to be taken.¡± At least I think that¡¯s what happened. He gulped. And given how utterly silent it was we both heard it loud and clear, which of course prompted the poor boy to shrink in on himself out of embarrassment. ¡°M¨Cmay I know who¨C no, what you are, mighty one? T¨Cthat I might properly t¨Cthank you?¡± Mighty? Hah! This has gotta be me at my weakest right? And why doesn''t he want to know my¨C Oh! Right, I already introduced myself to the group. But what a strange question. What am I? The answer should be obvious. ¡°I am me, and that is all.¡± For whatever reason, Calden, and the rest of this sparkly space, shuddered when I answered him. But since it only lasted for a moment and stopped when he did, I¡¯m just gonna chalk it up to a trick of the light. ¡°T¨Cthen I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my savior, and lord. P¨Cplease, if there¡¯s anything I c¨Ccan do to repay you I ask that you only name it.¡± Repayment? Something you can do for me? I narrowed my eyes at him and somehow saw a rather interesting development in the general area of his heart. ¡°Hasn¡¯t that already been decided? So why hesitate to follow through? It¡¯s not a task you can¡¯t accomplish. I know you can do it, the things you need are already within you.¡± He gasped, then, to my surprise, started to weep. And I¡¯m not talking about just your average cry here, I mean full on bawling¨Clike his whole family just died or something. ¡°I¨CI understand, lord. T¨Cthank you, lord. I¡¯ll¨CI¡¯ll do my best, lord.¡± I opened my mouth to comfort him, but the system beat me to the punch. The heck¡¯s that supposed to¨C The light intensified, and to the steady sound of Calden¡¯s sobs, I felt myself drift off. Well shoot. That¡¯s a sad way to end this, but I shouldn¡¯t really expect any sympathy from that stupid system. On the bright side that message means I was definitely sent here because of the strain I put on myself when using that ability. And maybe Calden was dragged along by accident too. But I guess I¡¯m better now, so this little get together is over and we can return to reality I leaned back on the rather comfortable chair, that I only just noticed to be comfortable, and let my heavy eyes shut. Now what do I do? Their little crisis is over, so do I go my separate way? Do I travel with them to town and then part? Or do I stick around after that, and see how deep the ol¡¯ rabbit hole goes? Road to Ariadholme Serenity embraced me and whisked me off to a deep sleep. Once more I beheld countless people asking their usual questions, seeking guidance, or offering thanks, though the proportion of those offering their gratitude or some other material object was considerably larger than in my past dreams. I did the best I could to help the rest, but given how tired I was there wasn¡¯t much I could do for them, so I hoped that they wouldn¡¯t be too inconvenienced by my lethargy. Another thing I noticed was that with every bit of gratitude I received I recovered¡­ something. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on what it was, but it was definitely an important part of me, like something I¡¯d had, then nearly used up, and was then in dire need of. But all that is irrelevant since these nice dream people saw fit to go and give it back. And so I remained for a while, content to simply be, free of the burdens that plagued my mind¨Cworries like what to do about the Ascendant, and Letta¡¯s wellbeing. Eventually, though, all things end, and reality began to return a sense of place and time to me. And oh boy, was it not what I was expecting. But to be honest, it was familiar. Eerily so. Since I was wrapped in something dense on all sides. Something that snuggly hugged my body, and gave me little room to move. I had initially thought it was a blanket or cloak, given how soft it was on top, but after I realized that it covered my face, I recalled the sensation, and knew better than to open my eyes this time. How in the heck did I get back underground? More than a little irritated, and definitely spooked, I sat up like I had the first time, cutting through the soil with my excavating prowess, only to, well, break the surface and be greeted by the early morning¡¯s sun. ¡°Huh. So it wasn¡¯t deep this time.¡± I brushed the loose dirt off of me and glanced myself and my surroundings over, only to notice I was alone in the little clearing I had settled for the night in, and had nothing other than the clothes on my back. My heart sank. ¡°Did they rob me? No, they wouldn¡¯t bury me if they had. Tie me up maybe, but not bury. So then what happened? Why would they do this? And more importantly, how am I supposed to find them to get everything back!¡± # Ysdra let her eyes wander over the wild grass filled plains to the forest behind them for the twentieth odd time, then forced herself to focus on the path ahead again, lest she trip, or be caught flat footed should a monster or group of bandits attack. ¡°I know.¡± A small voice from beside her made her jump, only for Calden to offer a comforting smile, and a gentle squeeze of her hand. His recovery is nothing short of miraculous. I mean, he¡¯s completely distanced himself from the death that was about to claim him, and now appears to be healthier than ever before. If only it didn¡¯t cost Anon¡­ . Before she could respond, he continued to whisper. ¡°That encounter was fate. Orchestrated by a higher power to deliver us in our time of need. It¡¯s sad. The way things ended, I mean, but I don¡¯t think Anon is dead.¡± Ysdra gulped. ¡°T¨Cthen what happened? Why did they stop breathing?¡± He hung his head, then shook it side to side. ¡°Perhaps their purpose was fulfilled and they no longer needed that body? Maybe they were tired and needed to rest back wherever they came from? Maybe¡­ Heh¡­ Maybe they just forgot to keep breathing? I doubt they needed to to begin with?¡± Forgot? Could the angel or whatever he called Anon really be so¡­ Careless? Silly? Was their white torathan form just a joke then? She couldn¡¯t suppress a giggle spurred by a mix of relief and unease. ¡°We didn¡¯t really get to know them, so why does that sound like something Anon would do?¡± Calden¡¯s smile broadened, and when he turned his eyes from her, she followed his gaze over to ¡®Nadia¡¯. Her fine green robes were tattered and dirty from the days of travel through the forest and countryside, but that didn¡¯t stop her from holding her head high, especially now that she clutched the short staff Anon carried as if it were a new badge of office. Ysdra¡¯s smile faded. I can¡¯t believe Carmella. It¡¯s utterly shameless to take the possessions of the dead the way we did. She lowered her gaze to the dirt road. But it¡¯s true we¡¯re in a bad spot, and even more so that the things Anon had are useful and powerful. That staff alone had been enough to secure unimpeded passage through the woods and back to the main road. Though it used much of Carmella¡¯s mana, the stores within the staff more than doubled her reserves, and allowed her to remove any plant based impediment in their path. ¡®Hence¡¯ shifted, jostling Anon¡¯s bag against his own, and spit. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! If we¡¯d been at our best there¡¯s no way we would¡¯ve been taken down so easily!¡± ¡®Colbert¡¯ glanced back at her, then elbowed ¡®Hence¡¯ and shook his head. ¡°Look, I¡¯m just as pissed as you, but there¡¯s no changin¡¯ what happened.¡± He blew out a slow breath. ¡°And besides, we shouldn¡¯t speak ill of the dead. ¡®Specially when they saved our rears.¡± Their chain armor was far from the pristine shine that was expected of knights of their station. It was tarnished and dirty, but also had more than a few loose or burned links and straps thanks to the surge of magical lightning that they both endured at Anon¡¯s hands. Her frown grew. As guardian knights, I get that they¡¯re dissatisfied with the situation, but how much longer are they going to continue with these unbecoming complaints? The dirt can¡¯t be helped, and it was only right that we honor Anon with a grave, shallow as it was, since we are short on time and resources. She glanced over at Calden, and they both nodded simultaneously. I may not be able to do anything about Reginald since he¡¯s a knight of Dresdeth, but I¡¯ll make sure Father gives Hubert a stern talking to when we return! A sigh of admiration from behind her only fanned the flames of her indignation, and she snapped her attention to where ¡®Norman¡¯ walked behind them. Out of everyone, he was the most disheveled as he¡¯d neglected to rest at all since coming into contact with Anon. His pace had lagged considerably as well, and not because he was too tired or injured, but simply because he was distracted. He hasn¡¯t even noticed that I¡¯m glaring at him! Of the things left behind, only the staff and two crude spears gave off any trace of mana. Carmella tried to analyze them, but the spell reacted strangely and only revealed that they were once part of a mythical tree known as the elder root. Carmella muttered something about artifacts or relics, but the way Julius is picking and prodding at them is¡­ disturbing. I know Father said he was a bit of an eccentric, but I could¡¯ve sworn he said he¡¯d put all that behind him! The old huntmaster tapped a finger against the point of one of the spears, and cackled under his breath at the sight of the crimson bead it drew from him. Then their eyes met, and he abruptly hid the spear behind him, cleared his throat, and deliberately turned his head away. Ysdra lifted her eyes skyward and sighed. I¡¯m going to have to have Father lecture him too, aren¡¯t I? A gentle wind caressed her blonde locks, and threatened to run off with her hood, but she held it in place, and flexed her stiff fingers. I can feel them again, so at least my mana is recovering at a good rate. I won¡¯t be a burden! Not any longer. I¡¯m a torathan, blast it! We¡¯re meant to fight! To protect! Not run and be protected! Their journey continued uneventfully. The sun climbed high in the sky, and the flat lands rose into an assortment of overgrown rolling hills dotted with wildflowers. Butterfly-like creatures flitted to and fro, casting the land under the pall of their quiet serenity, and then Julius bellowed. ¡°Look out!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ysdra yelped as the old huntmaster¡¯s hand pushed her from behind. Pain wracked her hands and knees as she narrowly avoided eating part of the dirt road, and she registered Calden in a similar state beside her before she searched for the source of Julius¡¯ actions. And she found it maybe a foot behind her, a little off to the right. An arrow, coated in a greenish substance, sticking out of the road. That would¡¯ve hit my arm or leg if Julius hadn¡¯t pushed me, but if he hadn¡¯t been so distracted then we probably never would¡¯ve gotten close enough to be shot at!. She clicked her tongue, checked Calden, and found a similar arrow on the other side just as a group of sloppily dressed men sprung out of the tall grasses to surround them. Bandits? No. They¡¯re dirty, unshaven, and are dressed to look the part, but underneath the grime their equipment is in excellent condition. That means they¡¯re either assassins trying to catch us off guard, or were hired and sent here by one of our enemies. Reginald remained at the forefront, while Hubert circled to the rear. Julius scrambled to his feet and readied one of the spears, while Carmella stood over her and Calden, staff at the ready. Then the biggest of the brutes hefted his battleax onto his shoulder and barked. ¡°Alright, nobody make any moves or the shooters we¡¯ve got ¡®ill fill you wit¡¯ holes.¡± She swallowed, and slowly stood up alongside Calden. Her heart thundered within her chest, and she clenched and unclenched her hands in anticipation of imminent conflict. There¡¯s so many of them. She lowered her posture. And this¡­ This is¡­ My first¡­ real battle¡­ My magic is strong¡­ Father said I¡¯m strong! I can do it¡­ I can do¡­ I can¡­ I. Carmella and Hubert both replied to the bandit boss, but they sounded so far away that she couldn¡¯t quite make out what they were saying anymore. Her heart pounded faster and faster, and she gulped down more and more air to try to keep the darkness at the edges of her vision from growing and darker, but it wasn¡¯t helping. Then a hand patted her shoulder, and shocked her out of her head. Calden moved slightly in front of her, he had a hand on the sword that Reginald carried for him, and he eyed the closing brigands cautiously. He whispered. ¡°Ys, I need you here with me. I know it¡¯s scary, but I don¡¯t think these are bandits. We¡¯re going to have to fight, so be ready.¡± She blushed, slapped herself, and huffed. Obviously! That¡¯s what I was thinking the whole time! Again she assessed the situation. There are ten of them in total, not including the archers in the grass, of which there are at least two. They¡¯re probably aiming at us, so Reginald, Hubert, Carmella, and Julius can block around half if we¡¯re lucky. she gulped. Which leaves the rest to Calden and me. And since Calden is a swordsman, that means I¡¯ve got to pick up the slack. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The boss brigand led the encirclement steadily closer, and sneered. ¡°Look, ya only hafta gif up the brats and we¡¯ll let cha off easy. Nobody¡¯s gotta get hurt, so jus¡¯--¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Carmella shouted and struck the butt of Anon¡¯s staff to the ground. ¡°Know the power of mother nature!¡± Ysdra felt the mana suffuse the soil and spread, but unlike in the forest, the reaction was muted. The grass rustled, and she heard muffled cries from further back, likely the archers, but none of the obvious threats were dealt with. Carmella gasped. ¡°W¨Cwhat? Why didn¡¯t it work like I wanted?!¡± ¡°Hahaha! The heck¡¯s that supposed to do?¡± The boss spit. ¡°So¡¯s ya got rida my firin¡¯ support, but who cares? We still got ya surrounded.¡± His sneer vanished, and was replaced with a scowl so cold it froze Ysdra¡¯s still racing heart. ¡°Do it.¡± The brigands bellowed, their combined voices like a roar from a savage beast, and Ysdra and Carmella both started chanting as fast as they could while the fighters moved to intercept with a shout of. ¡°For Matweirden¡¯s honor!¡± A small mercy came when several brigands didn¡¯t notice the small grasses that had quietly entwined their ankles, and tripped, but the remaining six, the boss included, were fine and they closed in with rabid fervor. The saliva dried in Ysdra¡¯s mouth as she neared the completion of her first spell, ¡®spirit spike¡¯. Which she aimed at the man with a shortsword and steel buckler barreling towards her. Normally the law would prevent a spirit healing/harming magus from using their magic violently, since they can kill without leaving a trace, but in life and death situations that restriction fell away. This is it! And then she heard Calden mutter. ¡°Lord, help us.¡± As he used his blade to barely redirect the incoming ax strike from the boss brigand. Her spell released, a flash of bluish-teal light shot from her outstretched hand and stabbed through the oncoming man¡¯s torso. He let out a breathless gasp as he staggered off to the side, and she blinked twice. Lord? What lord? Why would Calden pray to a Lord when Lady Matweirden is our patron?! # I sighed, got up, and did the only logical thing to do at a time like this, expand my senses to their limit in the hopes of picking up on even the smallest hint of which way they had gone. ¡°Oh. Wow. I¡¯m dumb.¡± Off to my right there was an unnaturally clear path that led away from the clearing and back the way they¡¯d come. I mean, it was devoid of everything you¡¯d expect to find in the woods, things like branches, brambles, weeds, vines, and roots, anything and everything plant related that might hinder or obscure passage was bent aside as if the whole area was subject to the strangest form of growth. ¡°I guess that mage lady figured out how to use Witness.¡± I grumbled. ¡°Though they clearly lack the courtesy to put the plants back to the way they found them after passing through.¡± Though maybe this is a good thing, considering the circumstances. With that out of the way, I hurried off at a considerable pace. After all, I was undoubtedly pretty far behind them, as I figure they left as soon as Calden woke up. That meant I had a fair bit of ground to cover, and it¡¯s not like I can track them while digging, which is about the only thing that¡¯s faster than running for me. It wasn¡¯t a bad time either. Several brightly colored birds followed me curiously, tweeting and chirping as I went. I even saw something akin to a deer off in the distance, just steadily watching me in case I turned out to be a predator. I honestly almost choked when I considered the implications of that animal being related to Craig, but I managed to keep it together and maintain my fast jog. And it was going so well too, until I left the forest path, entered a vast plains, and encountered one of those back country dirt roads that have ruts where the wheels of cars, or in this case carts, traveled to and fro. Which of course meant that their tracks were now mixed in with any and all other foot traffic that happened to pass here within the last few days. ¡°And since it hasn¡¯t rained, that makes it all the harder for me to figure out which way they went.¡± I let my lower lip protrude and quiver for a minute, before I stopped messing around and once again spread my senses to their limits. It was a pretty field, what with the greener grass and bluer sky I¡¯d made, but I didn¡¯t have time to appreciate them so focused on the details of the road. I am by no means a tracker, so to me the footprints were just, well, footprints. The longer I stared at them the more useless I felt, though, just as when I was fighting, my brain tingled and I felt that I had done something like this somewhere before. I got the sense that if I sat here and poured over things long enough I¡¯d eventually figure it out, and probably get an ability or title or something, but I couldn¡¯t wait that long as the sun was getting ever closer to noon and I still couldn¡¯t tell how far away they were. And then I found it! Nothing obvious, obviously, but there was a tiny root protruding from the packed dirt near the far side of the road, shaped like an index finger directing me to go left. I cupped my chin in my hand and muttered. ¡°Huh. I doubt they left that for me if they buried me, so who did it? I feel I¡¯m a little out of the Wise Old Friend¡¯s reach, so was it Witness? I didn¡¯t think it had a mind of its own, but it does have the ¡®Loyal¡¯ trait so who knows?¡± I hurried off the way the root pointed as fast as I could go. Given my boundless stamina it wasn¡¯t even a remotely difficult task, and before long my extended senses managed to finally pick up on some familiar voices a few minutes after the plains gave way to hills. Considering I don¡¯t know their motivations thus far, and that I¡¯ve no idea if they¡¯ll give me my stuff back in any sort of peaceable manner, maybe I should play it safe and keep my distance. With that in mind, I crouched and slunk through the tall grass by the roadside. I didn¡¯t get too much closer, given the fact that that ranger dude was still with them and I had a distinct lack of stealth abilities, but thanks to my sharp senses I did manage to determine that they had my belongings, and were in much better spirits than I had found them. Well, I guess that¡¯s good at least. It¡¯d be really unfortunate if my efforts to save Calden weren¡¯t appreciated. On a hunch I decided to test the limits of my sensory ability and burrowed a bit underground. It¡¯s not like they were running or anything so catching back up wouldn¡¯t be hard, and with no forks in the road anywhere to be seen I didn¡¯t have to worry about my prior issue of going the wrong way. That said, things turned out about as well as I¡¯d expected. Which is to say they didn¡¯t. Despite the dark, I could now see a bit better, but I knew that already thanks to last night¡¯s convo. My hearing picked up the scrabbling of little bugs and worms in the soil around me, which was more disconcerting than I thought it¡¯d be. And all I could really smell was dirt. However, I tried activating my mana sense on top of the others and immediately saw a massive improvement in my field of view. Like before, I was effectively aware of everything around me, however, now it was like I had a weird mix of first and third person points of view. I could still see everything in front of me, lit in the purple and blue tones of mana, but now I could also look down on myself from overhead. I didn¡¯t realize I was spacing because of the strange out of body experience it evoked until Calden¡¯s group left my range, but it was a simple matter for the excavation emperor to catch back up. I spent the time watching them from above, and in time found that I could pivot and move the center of my aerial viewpoint to anywhere within the sphere of my detection. In addition, I found that by adding in Uriel I could tell what abilities they were using, if any, by reading the flow of mana around them. But to my horror, they didn¡¯t have any. Not a one. So I¡¯m just gonna ignore the nonexistent threat of discovery posed by the hunter dude since he¡¯s clearly too busy fiddling with Judgment to find me. I moved to the space under their feet, and that¡¯s about when I noticed that they were surrounded. I mean, had I been focused with my pov positioned above them the whole time I would¡¯ve noticed sooner, but since I was testing the speed in which I could zoom in and out, and having a good laugh about how weird it felt, I lost track of their environment. But hey, don¡¯t blame me! This is all the ranger¡¯s fault! After all, it¡¯s not like I could just pop my head out and warn them, that¡¯d probably shock them so much they¡¯d get taken down without resistance¡­ Though maybe I should try to help from here? Their unwitting assailants closed in on them slowly, and the mage lady tried to use Witness to entangle them. What an idiot! I get that it¡¯s faster than your chants, but that only works in the woods where there are a bunch of thick vines and roots to use! Here, the best you¡¯re going to get is, what? A tripline? Unable to just let her fail, I reached out to the mana she¡¯d released and used my mana control ability to redirect it so that it would pin the hidden archers, and trip up the ones encircling them. It won¡¯t save them, but at least they won''t get shot at, and will have a little more time to maneuver. I sighed. Plus it beats her attempt to summon an army of¡­ waddling grasses¡­ . The fight broke out from there, with the guards taking one a piece, the hunter and mage confronting two more, while the last two who didn¡¯t trip went after the hooded kids. I wasted no time in going around to tase the four who¡¯d fallen by sticking a finger through the dirt and thinking of the spell¡¯s name, but since it looked like the younger ones were struggling I immediately went back to help. However, to my surprise the tiger girl stopped her attacker in his tracks with just one shot of what I guessed was spirit magic, but since it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d be able to drop him any time soon, I poked a finger through the dirt underneath his boot and tased him too. The guards made me glad I didn¡¯t have to fight them as they quickly handled their opponents with a stellar display of sword techniques before turning to help the kids, only to find the tiger girl freely supporting Calden with magic covering fire, and Calden somehow holding his own against the biggest one. Yeah, I know, startled me too. Way to go kiddos! The mage lady and hunter on the other hand were struggling something fierce. Obviously the mage had her spell interrupted and was likely unaccustomed to close combat, while the hunter was merely old. I was interested to see how my spears would fare in battle so I didn¡¯t act right away, but besides being a sturdy ward against harm, he lacked the space or speed to counterattack. But I didn¡¯t have to do much anyway, as the guards ganged up on the big guy and brought him down with several strikes to his back. Then it was all downhill for the two left standing, so I just decided to save some time and tase them too so that nobody else would get too badly hurt since their movements were starting to get¡­ erratic. ¡°We did it! Calden! We did it!¡± I heard the muffled voice of the tiger girl through the ground and decided to wait for the opportune moment to reveal myself. ¡°Yes, we did.¡± He muttered. ¡°Though it¡¯s strange. They fell so easily, did the Lord actually hear me?¡± One of the guards rushed up to Calden, and asked. ¡°My Lord, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your help.¡± He bowed all official like, one hand on his heart and everything. ¡°It was my honor.¡± The other guard did much the same for the tiger girl. ¡°Lady Ysdra, you did well for your first battle, but have you been hurt?¡± ¡°No, Hubert, I¡¯m alright. Julius, Are you okay?¡± ¡°Hah¡­ A little winded, milady, but I¡¯ll manage. But these clearly weren¡¯t your run of the mill bandits. If it hadn¡¯t been for this spear, that maniac¡¯s brute strength would¡¯ve split me in two.¡± The mage lady huffed. ¡°We got lucky! And that¡¯s it! If this stupid staff had done as I¡¯d wanted, I would¡¯ve finished this easily, but because it didn¡¯t we all almost died!¡± I crossed my arms and pouted. Well if you don¡¯t like it then give it back! I burrowed adjacent to her, snagged the bottom of my staff, and yoinked it back underground in an instant. ¡°Ah! Oof!¡± Oops. Might¡¯ve overlooked how tightly she was clutching the thing, but if you¡¯re going to bad mouth stuff you just up and walked off with, I think a facefull of dirt is a fitting comeuppance. The guard not named Hubert bellowed. ¡°What the blazes was that? Where did it go?¡± Then Julius whispered. ¡°No. It can¡¯t be.¡± I mean, if he¡¯s gonna set me up like that, then I may as well take advantage, right? With that, I tunneled over to the side of the road to avoid damaging the path any further, and clambered out of the ground, Witness in hand. ¡°Long time no see, guys. I noticed you have my stuff. Care to give it back?¡± The lot of them stared at me in slack jawed¨C Terror? Shock? Awe? The looks in their eyes were mixed, but none of them moved for a solid minute until Calden knelt, and said. ¡°Greetings, great one. I cannot thank you enough for saving my life, and for the aid I know you gave us this day. Please accept my most sincere apologies for our clearly mistaken assumptions, and the disrespect we¡¯ve shown you, and allow us to return what is yours.¡± It took them a moment, but the one guard and Juilus, eventually got the message and sheepishly walked over with my bag, and spears in hand. ¡°Thanks!¡± I slung the bag back over my shoulder and secured the spears in their sling once more. ¡°Now that that¡¯s cleared up, what did you want to do about these bozos? Tie em¡¯ up and leave ¡®em here? Interrogate them? Bring them with us? Or did you just want to¡­ well¡­ enact capital punishment on ¡®em?¡± Not that I¡¯m in favor of that last one, though it¡¯ll be interesting to see what they think, given the clear cultural differences. Talkin it Outlaw I kept my eyes on the electrocuted brigands as a cool breeze caressed my face, and quietly used Witness to weave some of the incredibly long grasses into some surprisingly sturdy ropes that were even able to tie them up all on their own! Though after another minute, they stopped responding to Witness, so I assume that¡¯s the limit of what I can do with the staff¡¯s power. Thanks for your service grass! I nodded contentedly, and since their continued silence was starting to get suspicious, I turned back to the group of my bedraggled beneficiaries, eyebrow cocked. ¡°Umm¡­ you guys okay? Did anyone get hurt? Or¡­ .¡± I left the question hanging so that they¡¯d be more comfortable answering, but I honestly didn¡¯t expect them all to be, well, kneeling. The mage lady looked flustered, the ranger was freakishly attentive, the guards were gloomy, and Annabelle, no, Ysdra, was as white as a sheet. And that left Calden. He was at their forefront, huddled on the ground with his forehead in the dirt just like he was during our shared dream, and since I¡¯d prompted, he lifted his head just enough that his small, gentle, voice could escape. ¡°I believe we are all in good health, great one. All thanks to you, and your indispensable artifacts.¡± Cripes kid, you¡¯re lucky I have good hearing since you¡¯re talking about as loud as a strangled fart. But what¡¯s this about artifacts? Does he mean Witness and my spears? Is that what they call magic items? Well, I guess that¡¯s good to know for later. I smiled and stopped observing my staff. ¡°I''m glad to hear you¡¯re all okay, but you still haven¡¯t told me what you want to do with these fainted fellows yet?¡± I watched a shudder run through him all the way from head to feet. A few seconds later he squeaked. ¡°W¨Cwell, since they were clearly too well equipped to be regular highwaymen I think it¡¯d be wise to interrogate them before¡­ um.¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°T¨Cturning them into the Ariadholme guards.¡± ¡°Good thinking. Then let¡¯s wake them up.¡± I went around to each of the sinister slumberers and cast the body recovery spell, resuscitate., that Corra had taught me, on each of them. In a storm of groans, splutters, and snorts, the group started to life and wiggled around like worms as their weary minds failed to realize that they were tied up before they attempted to stand. One particularly bright fellow even tried to run away only to end up doing a rather spectacular dive/flop straight onto his belly, with a facefull of the compressed dirt and pebbles as his well earned prize. Alright, that should do it, now. I turned around to the still stationary group of Calden and associates and sighed. Are you kidding me? Are they puppets? Do they need permission to do everything? I put my minor annoyance to rest and mustered a more charming grin. ¡°I leave the rest to you.¡± At last, they found their footing, and to no one¡¯s surprise, hesitated, before gathering up to discuss possible lines of questioning amongst themselves. Finally! Some progress! I wonder how much they¡¯ll learn? I know I can tell the truth from lies with Uriel, but what will they do? Oh, I can¡¯t wait to find out! As for the brigands, they weren¡¯t content to simply wait to be interrogated and started jeering and fussing, demanding and bellyaching. ¡°Let us go, you curs!¡± ¡°Why¡¯d ya have ta¡¯ tie us so tight?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll never talk! Don¡¯t waste your breath!¡± Their coarse voices made it unpleasant to listen to, and apparently one of the guards had the same opinion, because out of the blue he whipped around and bull rushed the largest brigand; knocking him right onto the flat of his back, a trail of blood trickling from the flattened rouge¡¯s nose. ¡°The next one of you louts to speak out of turn is getting ground into paste!¡± The guard snarled and made sure to meet the gaze of all the bound men. ¡°Do I make myself clear?!¡± I half expected them to reply, ¡°Yes drill sergeant!¡±, but just got a few grumbled curses and derisive pouts instead. I sighed, and watched the guard that once carried my pack pace menacingly in front of them while the others continued to plan their next move. Then, I realized I could at least do something useful while I waited. Uriel! You¡¯re up! I swept my eyes over each of the bound men, and Uriel revealed their stats to me. For the most part, they weren¡¯t anything special; with stats averaging around ninety and mostly basic combat related abilities to their names. However, the biggest, who also happened to be the boss, as well as the one who performed the flying leap earlier, both proved to be quite a bit more¡­ interesting.
Name: Marko Species: Human Health: 47/320 Mana: 4/48 Endurance: 36/400 Strength: 120 + 7 Agility: 100 + 3 Speed: 99 + 4 Toughness: 2 + 15 Spirit: 48 Status conditions: restrained, fatigued, disoriented (minor), burns (minor) Titles: Scumbag; Theif; Extortionist; Secritive Plotter; Liar; Highway robber; Murderer; Bandit King (Self Proclaimed) Attempted Assassin (new) Abilities: Tyranny lv: 22 Mana sense lv: 13 Mana manipulation lv: 23 Intimidate lv: 10 Mana strike lv: 14 Battle cry lv: 47 Body Enhancement magic (Adept) lv: 1 Savage blow lv: 42 Forgery lv: 77 Feral instinct lv: 11 Back street dirty fighting (Adept) lv: 89 Name: Sorren Thaddian aka Geth Species: Human Health: 2/400 Mana: 15/350 Endurance: 37/520 Strength: 140 + 22 Agility: 133 + 18 Speed: 124 + 36 Toughness: 1 + 48 Spirit: 350 Status conditions: restrained; disoriented (minor); burns (minor); desperate (growing) Titles: Right hand man; Loyal retainer; secritive plotter; enforcer; poisoner; murderer; Assassin; Servant of Marquis Palaeshek Abilities: Quiet steps lv: 85 Mana sense lv: 67 Mana manipulation lv: 90 Meld lv: 100 Misdirection lv: 88 Subtle movement lv: 73 Silver tongue lv: 78 Mana strike lv: 21 Poison formulation lv: 38 Stimulant formulation lv: 42 Underhanded Assassin''s style (Advanced) lv: 2
So from what I can tell, Marko, the leader, was presumably hired by Marquis Palaeshek, who presumably also sent Sorren, currently known as Geth, to ensure the job got done right, and maybe to dispose of Marko and his goons afterward. Though maybe I¡¯m reading too much into his poison formulation ability. With that, I glanced back over at the huddle, and asked. ¡°Are you guys almost ready?¡± Calden straightened. ¡°Y¨Cyes great one! We¡¯re ready!¡± Out of the corner of my eye I caught Sorren arch an eyebrow at the young lord¡¯s reaction to me before he squinted suspiciously in my direction. I could practically hear him thinking. ¡°Wait. That one wasn¡¯t here when we attacked, so then are they the reason we suddenly lost? But most importantly, why is the heir of Dresdeth referring to them as ¡®great one¡¯? They don¡¯t look very great at all.¡± Calden nodded to the mage lady and the guards, who advanced on Marko. The guards dragged him to the front of his captured cohort, unceremoniously dumped him onto the ground, and then pinned him there under the combined weight of their boots. The mage lady started muttering a spell, and out of curiosity, I peeked at her status. It¡¯s only fair since she tried to wander off with Witness, but let¡¯s be honest, I just want to learn some new spells! I wonder which one she¡¯ll use!
Name: Carmella Fairmont If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Species: Human Health: 245 Mana: 433/600 Endurance: 112/250 (275 max) Strength: 43 + 3 Agility: 142 + 10 Speed: 137 + 45 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 600 Status conditions: winded (mild); exhaustion (moderate) Titles: Knight''s daughter; Apprentice of the magic tower; Graduate of Arcanholme; Ambitious servant; Servant of Marquis Dresdeth Abilities: Calculation lv: 87 Mana sense lv: 90 Mana manipulation lv: 100 Arithmatic lv: 100 Glower lv: 54 Order essence magic (Adept) lv: 81 Ice essence magic (Adept) lv: 23 Meditation lv: 32 Earth essence magic (Adept) lv: 42 Foreign Languages lv: 3 Staff fighting (novice) lv: 25
Seconds later she said ¡°Earth spines.¡± And around ten extremely pointy stone bits protruded from the ground around Marko¡¯s head. They didn¡¯t advance very far from the dirt road, but their appearance was enough to make him squirm, and the steady flow of mana told me that she could likely change that at any time. That¡¯s¡­ a little unimaginative, but at least now I know she doesn''t have a way to tell the truth from lies. That means they¡¯re gonna try to strong arm him into submission instead. I don¡¯t much like it, but given the time period I really shouldn¡¯t be surprised. As for if I think it¡¯ll work, well, I have a bad feeling about this. I quietly sighed. Keep your fingers crossed, Anon, they might just surprise you. Carmella then looked to Calden for permission, and when he nodded, she growled. ¡°What is your name?¡± Marko sneered and when he opened his mouth the stone spikes suddenly shot toward his face. He froze, but they stopped about an inch from making contact. Carmella continued. ¡°Think carefully about your answer, I won¡¯t tolerate any lies.¡± He gulped. ¡°M-Marko. Name¡¯s Marko.¡± I cocked an eyebrow. The truth, eh? Is their strategy going to work, or is he simply trying to lead them astray by answering truthfully to harmless things. She scowled. ¡°Alright, Marko.¡± practically spitting his name out like some bad tasting food. ¡°What is it you were planning to do with our young charges? You wanted us to hand them over to you, so you obviously know who they are, so save yourself the suffering and be honest.¡± Marko squirmed and shook his head. ¡°Nah lady ya¡¯ve got this all wrong! I¡¯s Don¡¯t know nuffin¡¯! We¡¯s just simple bandits! Honest! This is our territory! We spied a couple a well guarded brats an figured we¡¯d be able ta¡¯ get a pretty penny from ransomnin¡¯ them!¡± Carmella pouted and clenched her fist. The spikes drilled forward again only this time they pressed into his pores, making the softer parts of his face flex inward at the sudden prodding. ¡°I warned you to tell the truth. I won¡¯t tolerate another lie.¡± I restrained a wince and watched in stone faced fascination. A bluff against a bluff. The first one to break or back down will give away all control of the conversation and decide pace from here on out! They stared at each other for a tense second, then Marko gritted his teeth, and to my surprise started to blubber. ¡°Honest! Please miss! Mercy! I knows we¡¯ve done wrong, but we¡¯s don¡¯t got no clues on who ya¡¯re! Honest!¡± ¡°Then why are you so well equipped? And why were your arrows poisoned?¡± ¡°W¨Cwe¡¯s just got back from sellin¡¯ off a haul! Bought new gear! Thought some juice on our blades¡¯d make life easier! Safer!¡± Carmella growled, and narrowed her eyes at him. But Marko¡¯s waterworks continued, and were pretty convincing. Convincing enough, even, that Ysdra, the ranger, and Calden were all staring at him in pity. The guards on the other hand, looked disgusted, but the ultimate verdict rested with Carmella. And she held firm. At least for a minute longer, but when Marko¡¯s bawling didn¡¯t stop she released the spikes with a deep sigh. ¡°How can our misfortune be this persistent?¡± I knew he was lying, since Uriel buzzed and told me so, but the fact that he kept up the act in front of his band, who now all looked at him in shame, rather than the fear or respect they once held, was kinda impressive. I guess you don¡¯t earn the liar title by taking half-measures, huh? The guards clocked him a few times to get him to shut up, then tossed him back to the group in disinterest. For a minute I held onto the hope that Carmella had gotten a read on him and was leading him on in an effort to get him to slip up, but Marko didn¡¯t break the act, and Carmella didn¡¯t show any sign of paying him any further heed. Ah well. I guess they aren¡¯t inquisitors or anything, and the fact that they¡¯re all pretty exhausted from their circumstances would only further dull their senses, and make them doubt their own instincts. I gave Calden a questioning look, and he lowered his head. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry for wasting your precious time, but it appears that they aren¡¯t what we thought they were.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I kept my voice even and gentle as I clasped both hands over the top of Witness and looked over at the visibly relieved Sorren. ¡°What about him then? He did try so much harder than the others to escape, so why don¡¯t you question him about why he¡¯s here?¡± The soft breeze almost seemed to stop. All eyes turned to Sorren, who shrunk inward while glaring at me. Marko had an especially bitter look as he glanced between me and the man masquerading as Geth, both their faces asking the same questions. ¡°What do you know? Are you bluffing? Or have we been found out?¡± Ysdra stared at me, more in confusion than support, while the ranger and Calden were both eying Sorren with piercing intensity. The two guards glanced between their masters and the brigands, poised to go back and resume the questioning, but before anyone else could speak Carmella pinched the bridge of her nose and shouted. ¡°Oh give it a rest! They aren''t important right now!¡± Then she glowered at me, stomping closer, finger ready to skewer me. ¡°And You! Stop toying with us! Release Lord Calden from whatever spell you¡¯ve put him under and just tell us what you want! I know we owe you, but we don¡¯t have the time, or patience enough to deal with your meandering, roundabout way of doing things!¡± Her dirty and cracked nail, worn from days on the road, bounced off my breast several times before I calmly clasped her hand and lowered it back to her side. ¡°I haven¡¯t placed Calden under any spells, so I can¡¯t help you there. And I understand you¡¯re all tired, I know the feeling well, so if you¡¯re not up to it, I¡¯ll take care of things myself.¡± ¡°I¨C No! What does that mean?¡± She called after me, but seemed too flustered to follow, so I continued over to Sorren and crouched in front of him. ¡°Hello there! My name¡¯s Anon. Anon Amos, and I¡¯m going to ask you a few questions, but all you have to do is shake your head yes or no. Got it?¡± He narrowed his eyes at me and slowly nodded. ¡°Great!¡± I clapped my hands together and offered a broad smile. ¡°First question. Your name is Sorren Thaddian, yes?¡± Unsurprisingly, he locked up, with the whole deer in headlights look painted all over his face. I widened my grin. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes. Next question, you work for one Marquis Pale as heck, correct?¡± His mouth dropped open as if he¡¯d just been punched in the gut. Light returned to his eyes and he slowly blinked, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. One of the guards grumbled. ¡°Pale as heck? Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t mean¨C¡± Ysdra clapped her hands over her mouth, and Calden lowered his head, eyes closed. I chuckled. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry, I meant to say Palaeshek. Marquis Palaeshek! That¡¯s who you work for right? Mister right hand man? Or should I call you a poisoner? Murderer? Or Assassin? Which do you like better?¡± Marko, Carmella, the ranger, and both guards all reacted to the Marquis¡¯ name, and the titles I listed off after that. Sorren on the other hand went mum again, lowering his eyes to the floor and muting any facial expression. Then he grumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, outsider. Stop rattling off nonsense and just¨C¡± I leaned in and said, loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Nonsense? How can it be nonsense when it¡¯s so clearly written on your soul?¡± He met my gaze in an instant, desperately searching my face for any sign that I might be bluffing, so I just maintained a steadily widening grin, and watched him squirm away in horror. Calden muttered. ¡°I never doubted.¡± While Ysdra took her turn as the metaphorical deer. The guards just groaned in defeat, while Julius¡¯ eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Okay, I admit, that was a little impulsive. However I needed a way to make it sound believable without admitting I can see his status. And it worked! Carmella sighed. ¡°If you knew all this, why make us ask? What was the point?¡± I smiled back at her. ¡°Well, Carmella, if I do everything for you, how are you supposed to grow?¡± At my use of her real name, she made a face akin to a child who just drank a particularly bitter medicine, then blew me off and directed a murderous glare at Sorren. ¡°Is what Anon said true?¡± He still wouldn¡¯t admit it, and just looked away. ¡°Fine! On your feet you wretches! We¡¯re going to reach Ariadholme tomorrow morning! Where you will be tried! I¡¯m not accepting any excuses or complaints! And anyone who falls behind¨Cdies!¡± At that, she stormed off in the direction away from the forest we¡¯d met in, presumably toward that Ariadholme she¡¯d mentioned, and everyone else, too tired or scared to argue, just followed. I got the distinct feeling that she wasn¡¯t including me in her little forced march so I allowed the group some space before I started to follow. My heightened senses made me keenly aware of her displeasure at my choice, but despite her current mood, she wasn¡¯t in charge, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to keep pace. I took in the beautiful, practically picturesque, scenery that the rolling hills and colorful butterfly-like bugs created under the bluer sky and soft sheepish clouds, and smiled. The world might be different, but it¡¯s still beautiful. People, however. People never change. But that too is beautiful in its own way. Now, when we get to this Ariadholme what do I want to do first? Find lodging? Go sightseeing? Shopping? Or try to find a map? Map to Nowhere After several more hours of walking behind the group cowed and cajoled by Carmella, they stopped for the night as the sun faded from the horizon. The bound brigands went without dinner, for the obvious reasons of punishment and because their captors had far too little to spare for all of them anyway. They didn¡¯t even get to sit by the fire that was constructed after the guards scythed away a fair section of grass with their swords, and were simply left to bemoan their hunger and the cold while tied to the lone tree that crowned the largest nearby hillock. A lot of people from the old Earth would think such treatment harsh, and I would¡¯ve agreed. But if you think about it, the brigands have screwed over and even killed numerous others, so one night without food or shelter on the hard ground isn¡¯t really much by way of punishment. After all, they could¡¯ve been executed. Anyway, I got the distinct impression that Carmella and the guards didn¡¯t want me anywhere near their little shindig. Which is funny considering Calden, and for some reason, the older ranger dude were both giving me the exact opposite feeling. Regardless, it¡¯s not like I know any of them super well or anything or owe them any favors, so I decided to not push my luck any further and instead set up shop about halfway between the brigands and Calden¡¯s group. I didn¡¯t need a fire since I had plenty of jerky to munch courtesy of old Craig and my friends in Kormath, so instead I used Witness to create a sort of nest¨Cmattress¨Cblanket combo out of the extra tall grass, and settled in for the night while looking up at the glittering stars, and the familiar anomaly that overlapped the rising moon. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but this has got to be the most comfortable bed I¡¯ve had in this new world. Soft bluish light chased away the last of the sun¡¯s orange halo, and the temperature dropped by at least a few degrees, not that I was bothered with my woven blanket wrapped snugly around me. I listened to the various insects of this world chirp and buzz away, partly paranoid that they might try to munch on me given my current positioning, but despite my fears, my expanded awareness informed me that they were keeping a respectful distance from me. ¡°Ohhh! Get off me you blasted bugs! What did I ever do to deserve this?!¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Carmella¡¯s shriek had me literally rolling. I mean come on! I was just worried about that same thing and then she goes and freaks because they¡¯re targeting her instead! That¡¯s hilarious! I managed to keep my snickers relatively quiet, to the point that I don¡¯t think anyone but the brigands noticed, and that¡¯s only thanks to their hilltop advantage and the bright moonlight. But more importantly, what¡¯s up with the bugs? Why are they staying away? I don¡¯t have an insect repellent spell or ability do I? I half expected Uriel to buzz and give me the answer, but instead the system¡¯s ever serene voice spoke. I stopped, wide eyed. The heck¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are you saying animals don¡¯t have free will? Obviously people do, but what about monsters? I opened my mouth, and then abruptly closed it again. This¡­ . This is big! But¡­ Where did the monsters come from then? And why don¡¯t animals have free will? They totally do whatever they want, and even react accordingly when people mess with them, so what gives? Silence was my only answer. ¡°Ughk. I should¡¯ve known I wouldn¡¯t get anything else.¡± I huffed and rolled over onto my side, determined not to let the system¡¯s smug silence bother me. ¡°I should turn in anyway, oh! But first.¡± I narrowed my extensive focus down to the top of the hill, and thought. Paralyze. A few stifled grunts and yelps of surprise came in response as the brigands were rendered motionless thanks to the lightning spell I just thought up, and I ignored the sigh of irritation from Carmella as I allowed sleep to approach. I mean come on. Who wants to deal with them trying to escape? I know I don¡¯t, and besides, tasing them again would¡¯ve been inhumane, they¡¯re already tied up! # I awoke from my usual dreams with the rising sun the next day, and stretched away any lingering drowsiness in the fresh slightly warmer breeze that accompanied the brightening sky. I glanced behind me while I did so, and thankfully, all the brigands were there, still tied up, but no longer paralyzed. They directed some pretty stinky glares my way, and I mean ones even more sour than the ones I got yesterday for my part in their current predicament. And here I was starting to worry that some beast or another might¡¯ve snuck up and eaten them during the night. Though, if I¡¯m being honest that would¡¯ve been my fault since I totally only just thought about it right this second. I finished my stretches with a shrug. Oh well! Nothing happened so whatever! With that, I cast a glance over at the other camp. Carmalla was, of course, just as grouchy as ever, while the older ranger looked tired from his shift as night watch, same with the two guards. Ysdra and Calden on the other hand looked to actually be in pretty good spirits, all in all, as they were both up, alert, and getting ready what they could to get back on the road¡­ Cause y''know, the adults wouldn¡¯t be caught dead letting them do much other than handle their own personal effects. But I guess that''s what a combo of pedigree and youth will do for you. Not that I consider them pampered or anything given how they¡¯ve been roughing it out of desperation for the last few nights, if not longer. It didn¡¯t take long for them to scarf down what little jerky they had left for breakfast, okay, it took them a little longer since I was slipping the kids some of mine through the grass with Witness so that they wouldn¡¯t be too hungry and could also share it on my behalf¨Cas the adults wouldn¡¯t take spit form me unless they had to. But with all that aside we were off into another beautiful day before the sun had even fully risen, and it was only about a couple hours before I could spot what looked like a large fortified town off in the distance. Its walls were thick and made of a mix of gray and brown stone with no real rhyme or reason to the order in which they were cobbled together, but still wound up making a rather complementary contrast all the way up to the top of the what had to be forty foot structure. A lone gate sat sternly in front of us, the iron teeth of the portcullis open wide to slowly swallow the short line of people and wagons waiting in single file to get into the settlement. And though there was no sight of any other entrances, the other dirt roads I spotted meandering through the hills in the distance suggested that there were at least two more to be found elsewhere. Beyond the walls I could see an eclectic assortment of houses, warehouses, and what I assumed were shops, scattered haphazardly throughout the space the walls enclosed. They were of solid design, wood, stone, and plaster, no glass on the windows, at least not that I could tell from this distance, and had puffs of white smoke drifting lazily from the brick chimneys; denoting that wood was their primary fuel. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. That. Why the heck do I know that? Was I a lumberjack or sumthin¡¯? Anyway, there were also several, considerably shoddier, homes outside the walls. Made mostly of stacked stones and mud, with piles of thatch for their roofs, they reminded me a bit of Kormath, but likely belonged to the local farmers rather than hunters, since there were quite a few plowed fields in the area nearby. They¡¯re much smaller than the farm fields I¡¯m used to seeing. Though that¡¯s likely due to the fact that there isn¡¯t any industrial equipment and they have to rely on beasts of burden or something. The last thing of interest was the tall stone tower at the center of town. Like the walls it was made of an assortment of different colored stones, and was fairly fat for a tower being around one hundred and forty or so feet in diameter, and to my surprise a little over twice as tall as the walls. There weren¡¯t any giant flaming eyeballs either, so all in all, it seemed a pretty normal construction aside from the height. Our fairly large group made its way down the hill we were currently on, and passed through several valleys until we neared the gates of what had to be Ariadholme. The smell of manure got stronger the closer we got to the farms and pretty soon we were in the shadow of the now fairly imposing wall. From here the senseless chatter of those waiting to be let in mixed with the hustle and bustle of the goings on inside town. Cart wheels clattered, hooves clopped, and many a boot clicked against the cobbled main street in front of us. So the roads outside of town are dirt, but the main one in town isn¡¯t. Kinda looks like all the rest that branch off of it are dirt too, so this place must be fun when it rains. For a second, I thought we were going to wait in line like the rest, but before we could join the back of the queue, several guards came out of the gatehouse to greet us. It might¡¯ve been due to the obviously tied up brigands, or because one of the guards beckoned, or both, but the guys who approached looked pretty tense for people who spend the day checking in others. The most ¡®elaborately¡¯ dressed gate guard, differentiated only by the fact that his small helmet was adorned with a colorful plume, tapped the butt of his spear on the ground and said. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s all this then?¡± Carmella just rolled her eyes and withdrew some sort of pendant from her sleeve. It was gold, and had a crest that looked like a tiger¡¯s paw with two crossed swords behind it. It also had a few minor enchantments on it that Uriel identified as a sort of user authenticator, tracker, and ward against wear and tear, but was otherwise just a bauble. It didn¡¯t impress me much, but one look was enough to turn the guard pale, and before he could bow and scrape, she said. ¡°Take these degenerates and lock them up in your most secure dungeon, and tell Baronette Barigg that Lord Calden has returned.¡± He nodded several times, motioned to his men to receive and cart off the tied up troublemakers, and gestured for Calden and company to follow. I once again got the feeling that Carmella was beyond irritated that I was still tailing them and not waiting in line, but I didn¡¯t care much, and passed by the line and on through the gate with no one to stop me. Hey, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna keep pestering them, I¡¯ve got better things to do! I stopped a few feet into town and took another look around. Most of the buildings were no more than two stories, if even that, and the only real differentiation they had from one another was the occasional sign that denoted the name of whatever business happened to be operating there. Several townsfolk passed me by without a word or nod, though I did get the occasional glance that more often than not turned into a double take and then a stare as they wandered off in the direction they had been originally headed. Kinda glum here, though I¡¯m not sure what I expected from a medieval society, magical or not. And talk about rude! I get that my appearance is¡­ unique, since Ysdra and the others all made conflicting reports on what they saw, but come on! They don¡¯t have to gawk like I¡¯m some long dead relative or something! Beyond that, there was also a difference in the people¡¯s appearance. Those with untattered and even slightly colorful or patterned clothes stayed on the main road, while those who wore simple tan, ragged, or plain garments remained in the shadows of the side streets, only daring to step onto the main road when they needed to enter one of the shops. It also looks like most of the people in the side streets have feet wraps instead of shoes. I guess I should be glad that Kormath had a cobbler, and careful that I don¡¯t get robbed. I guess Calden noticed that I had stopped following them because he stopped and came back to me, which in turn halted the nervous guard, and the rest of his entourage. In his usual timid manner he partly drew back his hood and peered up at me like the lost child he sorta was. ¡°U¨Cum, great one? Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I glanced around but sensed nothing strange or dangerous. ¡°Nope, I just figured I¡¯d let you all go on from here. I¡¯ve got things to do, and places to see after all.¡± The light left his eyes and he started to slouch, but caught himself and quickly recovered. ¡°I understand. It¡¯d be selfish to monopolize your blessings, so thank you for all you¡¯ve done for us, and please don¡¯t hesitate to call on me if there is anything I can do to repay you.¡± I brushed aside one of his curly brown locks, and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t save you so that you could be in my debt. But if you want to do something for me¡­¡± Crap! Come on! Say something inspirational! ¡°Then take the light I¡¯ve given you and let it shine for all to see. That way, those around you who are lost in the dark can find their way home, and kindle a light of their own.¡± He trembled, and I watched his face contort into the ¡®I really don¡¯t want to cry right now¡¯ expression that everyone¡¯s made at least once in their lives, before Carmella yanked him back, and pressed in close. To my surprise she did not, in fact, look even slightly relieved to hear that I¡¯d be leaving. Rather she appeared to be worried, and deeply so. In a hushed voice she snapped. ¡°What exactly are you planning to do here?¡± My eyebrows shot up. ¡°Me? I was planning to take a look around, maybe buy a map, find some lodging, buy provisions, look for artifacts. You know. Standard stuff.¡± For whatever reason her mouth opened but no sound came out. She closed it and tried again, but wound up with the same result so I just smiled, patted her pale cheek and said. ¡°Take care now, dear.¡± and waltzed off down one of the wider side streets that happened to be filled with street stalls. With that behind me, I set Uriel and my enhanced senses onto the task of finding a map. I focused most on weaving through the mid day crowd of shoppers out to secure lunch, and saved a fair bit of time by ignoring any and every food stall and restaurant that I came across. I don¡¯t need to eat after all, and the nicer establishments seem pretty expensive given my current funds, so I¡¯ll pass on the whole idea for now. I made a lap of the city¡¯s back roads and side streets, using my hood to avoid all the stares I got on arrival, and found that the town was primarily made of private residences along the outer walls, with all businesses being located as close to the main road as they could get. For the most part, the construction was all uniform, save for the far western region which looked older and more run down than the rest, with the poorest looking people dwelling there. Public order was pretty good, as there were only a few disorderly drunks loitering in or around the local taverns, and guards made intermittent patrols along the bigger streets to avoid any funny business. On the topic of funny business, only two pickpockets tried to target me, both on one of the darker and more narrow streets using the ¡®oh I accidentally bumped into you¡¯ tactic, but wound up regretting it when I replied with the ¡®oh, I accidentally tased you¡¯ method of getting my money back. I of course checked their statuses, but since they were both poor and trying to provide for their families I wound up healing them, and asking them questions about town in exchange for me buying them some bread, which is how I learned that there are no maps available to the general public. Seriously! Not a one to be found anywhere! I grumped down another side street to avoid a crowd, and stopped, too annoyed to go any further. I guess it makes sense. Knowledge is power, and knowing the terrain and location of settlements is a dangerous thing to circulate during this time period. Heck! Standardized, accurate, maps probably won¡¯t be available until satellite imaging becomes a thing again¡­ So much for that idea. My only consolation prize came in the form of the mental mapping ability that I had picked up when I left Kormath. It had recorded everywhere I had been and everything I¡¯d seen in rather shocking detail, and if I focused I could do a sorta first person view of everywhere I¡¯d been, all in my own head! And that¡¯s when I noticed something shiny at my feet. Naturally, I picked it up, scrubbed the muck and dirt off of it, and gave it a once over. No larger than a quarter, the coin had the visage of a single eye on one side, and was blank and almost reflective on the other. It appeared to be some sorta bronze, but was otherwise unremarkable. That was until Uriel buzzed.
Coin: Name: Elthead''s Eldritch Eye Power: 0 Mana: 650 Durability: 1000 Traits: Far sight; Scrying; Clairvoiance; Clairaudience; Revelation; Danger detection; Concealment
¡°Huh.¡± I turned the thing over in my palm a few times. ¡°Wadda I do with it? Keep it? Sell it? Gift it to Calden? Ysdra? Toss it in a well and make a wish?¡± # ¡°Carmella! Let¡¯s go!¡± Julius shook her back to her senses, and the pair watched the hooded figure of the mysterious Anon melt into the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s gotten you so shaken anyway? What did they say?¡± ¡°I¨CI.¡± She smacked her cheeks, and took a deep breath and whispered. ¡°That¡­ being, just implied that there¡¯s an artifact here in Ariadholme. I hate the idea of competing with them, let alone begging for their aid after how much we already owe, but how can we let something so precious pass us by? I think we¡¯ll need all the power we can get if we¡¯re to return the young lord safely.¡± Eye Spy I closed my fingers around the magical make believe money as the sun started to set and sighed. With that, I perked up a bit, and whistled a carefree tune as I retraced my steps with my mental map all the way back to a semi decent pub-sorta-inn-sorta-eatery-kinda establishment that I¡¯d seen during my little jaunt about the town. Based on my own, albeit limited, understanding of how the settlement was set up I guessed my chosen establishment was in a fairly safe part of town. It wasn¡¯t too far off the main road, was made of solid beams and plaster just a touch whiter than the building next to it, which meant it was well cared for, at least by current standards, and the roof didn¡¯t have any gaps or holes either, which is more than I can say for a good chunk of the buildings in this town! Now that I think about it, maybe that¡¯s how this place got its name. Ariadholme, Airy at home. Coincidence? I think not! Anyway, I strolled on up to the solid lookin¡¯ front door, with its fresh coat of red paint accentuated with yellows and oranges thanks to the evening light, and continued on in. The sign out front named this place the ¡®Ornery Owl¡¯ and the interior was, well, suited to match? Off on the center of the left wall lazily burned a fire inside a decently spacious stone fireplace, with a small stack of logs for extra fuel piled a few feet away. About ten round tables with four to six solid utilitarian-looking chairs around each filled most of the room, save for the bar/front desk that sat directly across from me, the fire, obviously, and the stairs that led both up and down in the right corner. As for decorations, there was maybe one painting if you could call it that, situated above the hearth, but it was so blackened from smoke or soot that I couldn¡¯t really tell what it used to depict. Other than that, there were some pretty colorful ceramic bottles of various shapes and sizes behind the bar, and on the right most wall between the stairs sat, what I assumed to be the bar¡¯s namesake; the stuffed and mounted head of the biggest frickin¡¯ owl I¡¯d ever seen! Also, most tables, especially those farther from the fire, had a single candle for light. No stick by the way, they just sorta plunked them dead center, and let them melt into place, but back to the owl. Gray feathers were slicked back over the bulbous head that glared menacingly with fat yellow eyes from its permanent perch on the wall. It was easily twice the size of a bear¡¯s head, and that black hooked beak looked like it¡¯d be able to rip a good portion of somebody off if it ever clamped down for a bite. What really threw me was the little polished placard under it that simply read ¡®Suzy¡¯. I mean, come on! Of all the names to give to a massive owl you had to go and dub it Suzy? With my initial observations out of the way, I quietly shut the door behind myself, so as to not disturb the other patrons, of which there were a few, and strode on over to the counter where the beefest looking lady I¡¯d ever seen tended to the dishes that a couple raucous revelers had just returned via a smaller version of the barkeep¨Cprobably her kid. She glanced up at me with cold gray eyes, and before I could even say anything she grunted. ¡°You¡¯re new here. Wadda¡¯ ya¡¯ want?¡± ¡°Um. Well, yes, I am new here, so I was hoping to get a room.¡± She sniffed. ¡°Sorry, don¡¯t take hope fer my services, you¡¯ll have ta¡¯ look elsewhere.¡± With that the room behind me burst into laughter. Mugs clacked down, hands slapped thighs and table tops, and the general assortment of burly and bawdy brutes that bedecked this business barked boorishly about our brief back and forth. ¡°Did ya hear Eda?¡± ¡°You bet your sweet granny¡¯s prized goose I did!¡± Then one made to impersonate this ¡®Eda¡¯ and did so poorly too. ¡°We don¡¯t take hope as payment! So¡¯s get yer sorry rear outta here!¡± And that was just the table closest to me. The others were sneering and looking kinda menacingly at me, while others made eyes toward the door, either as a suggestion or challenge to try to leave. Now that I had reason to look them over, none appeared particularly dangerous. They weren¡¯t in anything other than standard leather pants and cloth shirts, some had knives strapped to their belts, but that wasn¡¯t any more dangerous to me than the rippling muscles they all possessed, since a quick sweep revealed their statuses weren¡¯t anything special. All in all, there are about fifteen guys here. If I modify the tase spell I could have them down in a snap so I¡¯m not gonna worry about it. I sighed, and pulled out my coin pouch. ¡°So how much was the room again?¡± Eda blew back a few strands of her loosely tied back silver hair and smirked. ¡°What? Ya can take a joke I see? Didn¡¯t look tha¡¯ type. Alright then, a room fer one night¡¯s twelve shills.¡± My eyes widened. If I remember Craig¡¯s explanation correctly, these rounded rectangles are what passes for coins. The bronze ones are the cheapest denomination and are named pieces, fifteen of them gets you a silver shill, and fifteen shills gets you a gold crown. The thing that¡¯s throwing me is that a single shill is supposed to be enough to buy a day¡¯s worth of food, and of what Craig gave me I¡¯ve only got fifteen and change! And this lady wants twelve! ¡°Uhhh. Did you get robbed recently? Or did the economy crash when I wasn¡¯t paying attention?¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± She snickered, and the whole of the establishment once again broke out laughing with tankards crashing. ¡°Robbed? Did we let Eda get robbed?¡± ¡°Not on yer life sonny! Not on yer life!¡± ¡°And what¡¯s all this about tha¡¯ econo-ma-whatsit? How¡¯s one ta crash it anyhow?¡± ¡°Beats me brother, but this newcomer is bloody great!¡± I sighed again, and slowly turned back to Eda, who, despite her grim expression, had a bright glint in her eye. Eda was behind the bar as usual, cleaning what appeared to be the same set of wooden dishes she¡¯d had last night, distant gray eyes staring off at Suzy who remained motionlessly mounted to the wall, returning her gaze with deaf defiance. I quietly moved over to the bar, basked in the succulent scent of sausage that hung in the air now that I was closer to the source, and gently set the key down on the counter. I waited for a moment, but when she didn¡¯t react I cleared my throat lightly, and Eda jumped. She nearly dropped the plate she was subconsciously scrubbing and stared up at me for a long moment. ¡°Oh, it''s you. Here for breakfast?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve got to get going. Pressing business to attend to.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Her shoulders slouched for whatever reason, and I heard a few grumbles from the peanut gallery, but she took the key and stowed it in her apron¡¯s large pocket. ¡°I wish you safe travels then, master, and know yer welcome back anytime. Fer free too, ifn¡¯ yer willin¡¯ to play again. Suzy enjoyed it especially.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s very generous of you, I¡¯ll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you for your hospitality. ¡°I turned to Suzy, and gave an exaggerated bow. ¡°And I¡¯m glad to hear you liked it.¡± Out of curiosity I had Uriel give old Suzy a cursory scan and then tried not to yelp when I got the report.
Name: Suzy Species: Crystal Moon Owl Health: 0/120 Mana: 0/150 Endurance: 0/70 Strength: n/a Agility: n/a Speed: n/a Toughness: 12 Spirit: 150 Status conditions: Taxidermied; Unconcious?; Alive? Titles: Lord of the forest (Former); Menace to society Abilities: Regeneration lv: 100
Oh dear. That. That¡¯s quite the predicament to be in, though I suppose it is effective if the monster is otherwise immortal. But it¡¯s pretty scary that the regeneration ability is so strong that it keeps going with with no mana, stamina or way to recover what¡¯s been stuffed. A chill ran down my spine. I don¡¯t have the ability per se, but does my natural recovery work the same? I nodded once to Eda, and then to the rest of the room, before heading out the rosy red door in an effort to escape my sudden cold sweat. The outdoor air was crisp and clear, and the wide busy streets that I waded through yesterday were mostly empty as the majority of the town¡¯s inhabitants had yet to leave the comfort of their homes. The sun slowly climbed to banish the lingering shadows from the streets, and I walked with purpose toward the largest landmark in the settlement as things started to get livelier. I hadn''t really intended to meddle so much in Calden and co¡¯s lives, but given what I dreamed last night, I can¡¯t just do nothing. I muttered. ¡°And I really need to get to the bottom of why my dreams are so weird one of these days. I mean, I¡¯m either helping people or foreseeing some disaster. And I know that¡¯s not normal!¡± I made good time getting to the outskirts of the tall fortification¡¯s outer walls. It was a bit strange to see in all honesty, since it was smack dab in the middle of town and the main road, for that matter. But to accommodate this the road in question split three ways, with one leading straight through the gates to the tower, while the other two went to the sides and hugged the walls, sorta like a medieval traffic circle, so things weren¡¯t too bad. It¡¯s still weird though. All other buildings were a good distance back from the inner walls, probably for security reasons, or for public gatherings, as I also spotted a sizable balcony jutting out from the tower which was likely used to make announcements and decrees, or some such. Anyway, there were too many people, and especially guards, around for me to just wander up to the gates at the moment, so I tucked myself into a back alley, and used my favorite new coin to get a look at what they were doing in the tower. After all, I¡¯m not trying to get my butt arrested. So even if they¡¯re looking for me I¡¯m not gonna do anything unless someone I know comes out to find me, or if those masked dudes from my dream show up. I channeled my mana through the tiny trinket, and used the scry function to peek inside the tower. I grimaced and quickly looked away when the first thing I saw was what passed for ye olde potty with an unsuspecting occupant, but, determined, I redirected my gaze and continued my search. The first floor of the tower was expanded from the simple cylindrical shape of the rest of the structure and was something akin to a welcome hall, guard post, kitchen, and clerk¡¯s office all wrapped into one, The next floor appeared to be the lord¡¯s offices, with the third being his living quarters, the fourth was again, the same big meeting room I saw before, and the top floors looked to be guest rooms. Seems to be a bit crappy to make your guests walk all the way up all those stairs, but I guess the view is probably worth it. In the end, I had to check each individual room in order to find a familiar face, and the ones I did find were my favorite. Calden and Ysdra. They were sitting in one of their rooms, Calden at the desk, and Ysdra on the side of the bed, with gloomy expressions, unbefitting of their youth, upon their faces. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. After a bit Ysdra asked. ¡°Any luck?¡± Calden shook his head. ¡°No matter how hard I try to focus on the power that Anon left, I can''t get a grasp of their location. It¡¯s like they¡¯re everywhere and nowhere all at once.¡± ¡°Are you sure that power comes from Anon? You said they were a messenger and that your blessing, as you call it, comes from the god they serve right?¡± I cocked an eyebrow. Hold up. What? Calden slouched. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. You all said that Anon did something before I woke up, and I experienced a meeting with what could only be a god in a place I¡¯d never even dreamed of, let alone heard of.¡± He trailed off and Ysdra frowned. ¡°Riight. So it¡¯s as I said, your connection is to that god and not Anon.¡± I sighed. What are they talking about? Doesn¡¯t Calden recognize me? Did I not make that clear enough? And why do they think I¡¯m a god? Insofar as I¡¯m aware there''s only one God, and he might be a plagiarist. I rubbed my chin and muttered. ¡°Though now that I think about it I suppose I did copy him first.¡± I shook the thought away. ¡°What am I even thinking about? Now¡¯s not the time for this! I need one of them to come to the gate already!¡± Just as I said that Calden jumped to his feet, eyes wide. Ysdra followed suit glancing around like the room was about to catch fire, and half-shouted. ¡°What?! What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I need to go.¡± She stopped and stared incredulously. ¡°What? Go where? Why?¡± He rushed to the door, threw it open and called without looking back. ¡°To the gates, for Anon!¡± I, for one, gawked and slowly lowered the coin. ¡°He heard me? How did he hear me?¡± I stared at the magical money in my hand, had Uriel check it again just to be sure, but it indeed lacked any sort of communication power. So how in the world did he know? The system then spoke, smug as ever. I slowly scowled and narrowed my eyes. Edj@f^c protection? I believe I used ??? protection, if I¡¯m not mistaken. My scowl deepened. Alright wise guy, lemme get this straight. The ability name went from outright unknown to totally illegible? And you call that greater clarity? How is that more clear?! Of course, as I expected, I got no further response, so I huffed my frustration away and moved out of the alley and toward the inner wall¡¯s front gate so that Calden wouldn¡¯t end up looking like a psycho. # Barronette Barigg sat alone in his office, behind a desk covered in papers. Many were requests or forms waiting approval, but most were spell formulas, and reports sent from his men out searching for the mysterious entity known as Anon. Marquis Dresdeth¡¯s supporters within the empire had never been numerous, and he was one of the few true allies who remained. Though his territory was distant and his standing within the nobility was low, he was still an archmage and more than capable of defending the precious children of his closest friends. Or so he thought. From what Carmella said this being is a master of magic, so much so that even a prodigy like her couldn¡¯t get a spell in edgewise, let alone use her wand. And that¡¯s not considering how they burst from the earth, peer into the soul, or even casually ignore death! He lowered his face into his hands. ¡°Young Calden is insistent that they are benign, but are they really? And why would that being rely on them to get into the city? Is there some sort of restriction on their powers or freedom that we can take advantage of? Negotiate with? And that¡¯s not even considering how we¡¯ll get the artifact from them.¡± Just then a guard banged through the door into his office. ¡°My lord. Lord Calden is rushing to the front gates. We¡¯re doing our best to slow him down, but we never expected the young lord to have such strength!¡± ¡°What?!¡± He sat bolt upright, then lunged out of the chair and heaved himself out the door. By the time he got up to the third floor where the guard took him Calden was no longer in sight, and only a pile of gasping guards remained. ¡°Where is he? Where¡¯s Calden?¡± The guards couldn¡¯t muster the breath to speak, so instead pointed down the spiral stairs toward the first floor. The Barronette grimaced, but the guard who fetched him stated. ¡°Lady Ysdra was with him, she wasn¡¯t helping his mad sprint, but I think she intended to keep an eye on him.¡± The Barronette shook his head and lumbered his way to the bottom and then out the wide open front doors. Can this being not enter a place of their own accord? Must it be invited? Or is it simply using Calden as a toy, and deriving sick pleasure from making a noble scion prance about to its whims. Regardless, if it is out there, I must be ready. He snapped his fingers and in a flash of blue light his scepter appeared out of an equally blue magic circle. He muttered defensive spells under his breath, and drew upon the magic matrix built into his tower to further augment his barriers and ready the tower¡¯s unseen defenses. He found the once shut gates wide open, both the sturdy doors and the portcullis. Any hope he might¡¯ve had of keeping that entity out was dashed, as he found a panting Calden at the fore of a cadre of concerned guards, just outside the gate, wildly searching the crowd of bewildered onlookers for the one called Anon. He found some relief that Ysdra was right behind him, keeping a cautious eye out, but that was only until a veritable giant strode forth from the gathered masses. That¡­ That is Anon? A full head and shoulders over even the tallest people this massive man marched toward Calden at a calm, deliberate, pace, one that called to the Barronette¡¯s mind the impending stride of death as it inevitably closed in and caught up to all living things. ¡°Anon!¡± Calden cried, and beckoned the giant inside, bowing as the towering titan moved past. Ysdra too, lowered her head in deference and let him pass, much to his own distress. I had hoped she would be sensible, though perhaps there is a mercy to this. At least now the stage will be clear of innocents should negotiations escalate out of control. I¡¯ll use the tower to mute the lights and sound within these walls so that no strange lights or violent noises can escape to disturb the people. This, I think, is the best I can do for now. I can only hope those who went out to search return soon. Baronette Barigg signaled for the gates to be shut, but as the portcullis was being lowered the massive figure of Anon whirled around and glared somewhere beyond the steadily lowering grate. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was real or just a sensation, but the air suddenly felt icy cold, his breath caught in his throat, and his heart skipped a beat before hammering into overdrive. No one moved, and the poor people in Anon¡¯s line of sight were utterly frozen, their lightless eyes bulging from their heads like those of dead fish as their faces rapidly paled. Only those in the gatehouse were unaffected as the portcullis soon clattered into place, before the gates swung closed behind them. The sudden chill then subsided as Anon turned back around and quietly inspected Calden and Ysdra. Calden then knelt to the floor, and pressed his head to the ground. ¡°G¨Cgreat one, has something offended you? P¨Cplease tell me so that I can fix it.¡± Baronette Barigg expected a booming voice to issue forth, full of rage and dissatisfaction, but instead the huge hulk quietly knelt, placed a hand gently on Calden¡¯s shoulder, and released a sweet voice that almost reminded the archmage of his mother¡¯s or maybe his father¡¯s? ¡°I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. No one¡¯s done anything wrong. I just wanted to keep a certain¡­ pest from getting in, that¡¯s all.¡± The Baronette gulped. That much force for pest control? No. I know an allusion when I hear one. There¡¯s someone outside who would¡¯ve caused trouble had he not acted. But to go so far as to use such power. Who was it? And what are they after? For that matter, what is Anon after? All I now know is that Carmella was right to risk her credibility to warn me. This being has to be a terrestrial deity, and one at least on par with our Lady Matweirden at that. # I sighed and used my heightened senses to look around the courtyard. About twenty armed men surrounded me along with a groveling Calden and a frightened Ysdra. Behind that sat the tower and the pleasantly plump nobleman I saw last night. Along the walls were things like storage sheds, outhouses, and a sizable stable, but I thankfully didn¡¯t detect any more of those masked men from my dream, and the magic wards that just went up should keep the one I saw out for now. Honestly, I might have overreacted a bit using my intimidate ability like that, but I didn¡¯t want to do anything flashy, and firing off spells into a crowd at a target most people can¡¯t even see didn¡¯t seem like it¡¯d end well for me. I glanced at Ysdra who was quivering behind Calden, and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. And sorry again if I scared you. Are you feeling okay?¡± She nodded and swallowed down the tears I caught a glimpse of building in her eyes, before the large lord protectively moved her behind him. He was pale as a vampire, sweating profusely, and wore an expression as if he was staring down death itself, but remarkably was still standing and moving in spite of how badly he was shaking. I held in a sigh, stood up to better address him, and tried to quickly consider my next move. Do I tell everyone about the assassins? Only the adults? Or do I just try to resolve it on my own? Regardless, I need to decide before I advance things any further. Crouching Tigers I looked down at the large lord with as kind a smile as I could muster, given that I¡¯d just intimidated an assassin and the rest of the town square into a stupor. ¡°Hey there. Sorry to drop in so suddenly, but I¡¯d heard you were looking for me, and since I¡¯ve got rather concerning news to share, I thought I¡¯d save you some trouble and come to you.¡± He brushed back a sweat slick lock of his mop of brown hair and gazed intently at me with his beady brown eyes before stammering. ¡°I¨CI see. Then you must also be aware of what we want from you?¡± I scratched my cheek. I mean, yeah. You want an artifact. But I didn¡¯t find one here. Just a slightly useful coin. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t have anything to give you aside from some information, which I¡¯d prefer to discuss inside.¡± He narrowed his eyes at me, consternation written all over his furrowed brow. ¡°Inside you say? If you want to go inside you¡¯ll need to hand over the artifact. As for this story you¡¯ve brought, why can¡¯t you tell it now? Everyone here is loyal to me, and¨C¡± ¡°And you put up a barrier, probably to block sound from escaping. I see it, I know. And let¡¯s be real here, who the heck trades an artifact for a trip inside?¡± I sneered at the ridiculous notion, though given that he stepped back, I think he took it personally. ¡°But.¡± I glanced around at the guards and servants gathered in the courtyard, then leaned in. ¡°At least one person here, other than me, isn¡¯t loyal to you.¡± His jaw started to drop, but to my surprise and his merit, he immediately clamped it tight again. He refrained from glancing around, though his eyes betrayed his ever mounting anxiety, and he pulled Calden and Ysdra close. He whispered. ¡°You mean someone out here is¨C?¡± ¡°Yup! Now let¡¯s head on in so I can tell you all about it!¡± I grinned and somewhat forcefully guided the trio toward the tower by placing my hand on the Lord¡¯s shoulder and half-dragging him along. The guards were too hesitant to try to stop me, given my ever so recent display of aggression and currently massive frame, but they followed along none-the-less and were even kind enough to open the doors to the tower for us. Once inside, I got several furtive glances from the Lord, but once Ysdra shot him an equally curious look he stopped. It took some doing, but eventually we made it to the meeting room on the fourth floor. Once in the partly lit chamber, I thought Spark. and suppressed a giddy giggle when the newly wrought spell ignited the candles on the chandelier to assist the sun in fully illuminating the area. The best part is I didn¡¯t even have to do anything! All these spells go off and I don¡¯t even lift a finger! How cool is that?! The dumbfounded looks on the Lord and Kids are proof too! After that I plunked down at the end of the table opposite from where I saw the Lord sitting during my first scry, and gestured for them to sit too. Calden took up the seat to my immediate right, while Ysdra sat next to him. The Lord, though dismayed at the children¡¯s proximity to me, swallowed hard and took the seat to my left. I used my extended senses to make sure the other assassin was, in fact, just outside the room subtly listening in on us, and nodded to the Lord. So far so good. His jowls jiggled as he huffed at my nonchalance and apparent awareness of his tower¡¯s layout. ¡°So, Anon, was it? What was so important that you had to get us all the way up here? And without any guards?¡± I ignored the edge to his last remark and smiled warmly. ¡°Well that should be obvious, right? You saw what I did before the gates closed. Someone¡¯s after Calden¡¯s life, four of them to be exact. Oh! And they¡¯ll probably try to release that Sorren guy too.¡± Calden and Ysdra lowered their heads to hide their pained expressions, as if this whole scenario was somehow all their fault. Then the Lord nodded slowly, his fear and trepidation now hidden behind a stony facade. I returned my senses beyond the door to the fake guard, and found that beneath his helmet, the assassin looked more than a little pale. Ya¡¯know being able to just look past physical barriers without magic is really handy. I mean, this sorta thing would¡¯ve made driving in the old Earth perfectly safe, among many other useful things! And it¡¯s mine to use as I please! I did an internal chef¡¯s kiss. Magnifique! The Lord steepled his fingers and asked. ¡°And do you know their identities? Where they¡¯re located? Or perhaps basing their operations?¡± I listened closely for the faker to gulp, but true to his master of disguise training or whatever equivalent he had, he didn¡¯t make a peep, or do anything suspicious at all. That¡¯s a little disappointing, but there''s still plenty of time to make him squirm. ¡°Sadly, no. But I do know that they¡¯re very good at what they do. One¡¯s capable of walking totally unseen, one is so good at being nonchalant that he can walk past people unnoticed, one is able to step through shadows to reach restricted places, and the last¡­ .¡± I trailed off and looked over at the door that the person in question was just beyond. Calden gripped the arms of his chair so tight that his knuckles turned white. Ysdra tried to bore a hole into me with just her baby blues. And the Lord let a shadow fall over his eyes as he rasped. ¡°Yes? What of the last?¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I smirked when the ¡®last¡¯ of the rogues finally gulped, albeit very quietly. ¡°The last is a master of mimicry. He¡¯ll take someone out, then create a convincing mask of them and then wear it around as if he was that person. He even goes so far as to change his voice and scent so as to sound and smell just the same!¡± Ysdra muttered. ¡°T¨Cthat¡¯s awful. Who would do something so dishonorable?¡± Calden closed his eyes, and mouthed the words. ¡°I must have faith.¡± And the Lord slumped back in his chair with a loud creak. ¡°This. This is a disaster. If we¡¯re up against Marquis Palaeshek as Carmella reported, then that must mean we¡¯re dealing with some of his rumored Scarlet Hand.¡± I arched an eyebrow. Scarlet Hand? Good golly gosh! I know the name of a clandestine fantasy organization when I hear one! However¡­ I glanced over at Calden and tried to project my thoughts to him. ~Hey, Calden, Can you hear me?~ He jerked up in his seat, which in turn caused both Ysdra and the Lord to do much the same. ¡°Calden!?¡± ¡°Dear boy, what¡¯s wrong?!¡± He stammered. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m alright.¡± Then I heard him in my head. ~M¨Cmaster Anon? You can use telepathy?~ The startled pair began fussing over the young lord, but I ignored them and continued. ~No, this is something different, think of it as part of your blessing, but that¡¯s besides the point. What I wanted to tell you is that I¡¯m going to leave now, but don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll reveal my plan to you later like this, once we no longer have any evesdroppers. I just wanted you to be aware.~ He shut his eyes tight and squeezed the cloth of his trousers. ~I¨CI see.~ Then he let out a slow breath, and smiled at the still frantic pair, though I got the feeling it was intended for me. ~I¡¯m glad. I was worried that I wasn¡¯t worthy when we first parted, but you are still watching out for me. Even if you aren¡¯t nearby the Lord God still connects us, so I have nothing to fear.~ Lord God? Kid what kinda wacked up crazy pills are you takin¡¯? But if I set him straight now he¡¯ll probably overreact and I don¡¯t need that headache at the moment. I sighed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all I really came here for, so since Calden isn¡¯t at his best I¡¯ll see myself out. The Lord fumbled for something to say, but I was up and out the door before he could get anything coherent out. The real and fake guards stationed on either side of the door followed me down the many steps and to the front gate, where I left them behind with a solid smile. That assassin is barely containing his nerves. He knows they¡¯re on guard now, and probably thinks I pointed out his location when I went silent, so he¡¯s likely looking for a way to escape so that he can tell his cohorts they¡¯ve been compromised. The portcullis rattled shut behind me, and the bustling crowd parted to let me pass as if I¡¯d had the plague, not that I minded the freedom that allowed. Now. All I have to do is wait for him to make a break for it, and follow him back to where the rest are hiding. # In a house a little more than a stone¡¯s throw away from the west side of Ariadholme¡¯s outer wall three assassins waited for the last of their group to return. One paced, another drummed his fingers, and the third, the one who¡¯d called the other two back and who¡¯d experienced Anon¡¯s intimidation, sat huddled in the corner under an unoccupied desk in the fetal position. The one who paced frowned beneath his mask and struggled to suppress the nerves that rendered his nonchalant stealth useless. To think our target would discover us first and then ruin the other group¡¯s infiltration. How was Whisper even discovered? We weren¡¯t even on their trail, so was it instinct? Paranoia? Coincidence? If Thread doesn¡¯t return soon we¡¯ll have to move on our own, and if that being is there with an unidentified artifact in hand, then we¡¯ll likely have an uphill battle ahead. No guarantee of success, or survival. Just then the door calmly opened and then shut as a distinguished looking gentleman with gray hair and a curly mustache strode in. He then pulled off the mask he¡¯d made of the former owner of the house, and scanned the room with wide desperate eyes. The finger drummer stopped, and said in a raspy voice. ¡°Thread? By the look on your face, I take it our quarry is still alive?¡± Thread nodded. ¡°Yes, and Sorren is still a captive. I barely had time to get accustomed to the place before everything fell apart. How are you Whisper? You took the brunt of that blast.¡± The crumpled ball of Whisper whimpered. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll manage. I think. D¨Cdid you learn anything? A weakness? T¨Ctheir plan? I¨CI¡¯d like to avoid confrontation as much as possible if we know what they¡¯re up to.¡± Thread sighed, and rubbed his face with both hands. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you, that Anon creature knew each of us and what we specialize in. It claimed not to know where we¡¯re based or about our movements, but I doubt that greatly. Not only did it warn the Baronette of our aims, but it even alluded to knowing of my presence too.¡± The one pacing stopped. ¡°Is there any good news? Are we really to return in failure? You know what happens to failures!¡± The former drummer rasped. ¡°Yes Veil, we know. If we lack any other avenue, once night falls I can either report back, or attempt a strike on my own. Thread? What say you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hopeless yet. I don¡¯t know why, but the being named Anon left the tower after delivering the warning. I know it¡¯s speculated to be a terrestrial deity, so is it watching us in amusement? Acting just to toy with interesting mortals? Stirring the pot to make our conflict more entertaining? I can¡¯t say, but if it¡¯s out of the way, we can still do this.¡± The cowering Whisper looked up for the first time since his arrival. ¡°Really?! That¡¯s great! Shade, you hear that? You won¡¯t have to go alone! And the sooner we get this done and get out of here the sooner I never have to see that¡­ that¡­ thing again!¡± As the four rallied themselves, all failed to notice the formerly hulking figure of the ever amorphous Anon lurking in a nearby alley watching them with a broad grin. # I chuckled. I figure it¡¯s best if I use this opportunity to help Calden establish a reputation so he¡¯s harder to target in the future, so how do I want to make that happen? Do I drive all the bad guys into a coordinated trap all at once? Have him pick them off one at a time? How about in pairs? What would make the kid look best? One massive effort? Several simultaneous takedowns? Or a couple more moderate maneuvers? Regardless, this¡¯ll be fun and sweet justice will be served! Hidden Anon I grinned from the shadows of the narrow alley where I¡¯d stopped to watch the killer quartet try to rally themselves and muttered. ¡°There¡¯s four of them. And I doubt they¡¯ll stick together since they specialize in stealth and will likely do whatever it takes to make sure at least one of them escapes to report to their boss. That means we¡¯re doing this one at a time, so let¡¯s get Calden moving.¡± I closed my eyes and concentrated on the kid. ~Hey, I¡¯m ready to start the hunt, so I want you to gather the Barronette¡¯s knights or guards or whoever you can get and get ready to move. I¡¯ll be driving the four apart, and cornering them separately, so make sure you station the bulk of your forces at the locations I tell you, got it?~ I felt a wave of surprise which was followed by shock and then a surge of steadily growing anxiety and determination rise up within him. ~Y¨Cyes, Great One. I will do as you will.~ I chuckled under my breath. ~And don¡¯t stress so much. This might be your first step to prominence, but there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll fail.~ He didn¡¯t respond vocally, but considering I felt his nerves get quashed under an overwhelming tide of faith I took it that he was good to go, and returned my focus to the four conniving chuckleheads. They hadn¡¯t moved much, Whisper was still quivering under the desk though he had suppressed his shakes somewhat, Veil had stopped pacing and now simply stood in discussion with the rest, Thread still stalled where he was halfway between the front door and the table where Shade still sat, and Shade no longer drummed his fingers but rather pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. For whatever reason they all had short black hair, especially so in Thread¡¯s case, with eyes just as dark. Their skin tones varied from extremely pale on Whisper¡¯s end to extremely dark on Shade¡¯s, but they were all distinctly human without a trace of any fantastical feature on them. Now that I think about it, that Sorren guy had dark hair and eyes too. And the fact that they all work for the same dude makes me curious about the conditions for employment. Does he only like humans? For that matter, this town is mostly human too. Is that the case for the rest of the empire as well? I should probably look into the myths and legends of this world, that might help me understand things better going forward. Anyway, I watched and waited a while longer. It didn¡¯t sound like they were going to try anything until well after sunset, so I had time, I just needed to make sure I didn¡¯t lose track of them after they split. And since I can¡¯t quite stretch my senses over the whole town, I¡¯m gonna need to make up a spell for that. But what discipline should it be? I guess order magic makes sense. I tweaked and simulated the details in my head, and the sun soon moved to set before Calden¡¯s voice re-entered my noggin. ~Great One, we¡¯re in position, and the outer gates have all been shut tight.~ Oooh! Fantastic forethought kiddo! Oops, forgot to send that. ~Hey, excellent work! If that¡¯s the case I¡¯ll start the round up!~ At that, I finished touching up my new spell, and snapped my fingers in time with my mental chant to make it go. And now, Trace! A spark of blue light flashed from my fingers as they clicked, and in that moment, four blue marks appeared on the foreheads of my targets. Hol¡¯ up. That wasn¡¯t part of the plan. Basic? Basic?! I thought I reached the adept level for Order essence? And how come I can use more powerful Fire essence magic, but not Order? My Order level is higher! And of course stealth couldn¡¯t be one of the features it retained! Ugh. I sighed. Oh well, it¡¯s not like I wasn¡¯t about to chase them off in a minute anyway¡­ But now I don¡¯t get my grand entrance. Naturally, the four all freaked at the unnatural sigils that had appeared on the center of their foreheads, and wasting no time at all, they dashed from the house in four different directions, one even on the rooftops! Not quite as planned, but good enough. After all, they headed out where I expected them too, since, ya¡¯know, a building can only have so many good escape routes. And since the spell is working, I needn¡¯t fear losing track of them! Three split into the town, while the last gunned it for the nearby wall. I started in that direction first since it wouldn¡¯t do to let him escape so easily. And before long the edge of my stretched senses caught a glimpse of Veil¡¯s boots. The end of the day¡¯s tide of foot traffic slowed him down immensely, especially considering he wasn¡¯t calm enough to use his nonchalant stealth at the moment. And since I was using just a touch of my ¡®intimidate¡¯ ability to clear the people from the path in front of me, I gained on him in no time. Obviously, Mr.Superspy #1 noticed that someone was closing in on him, so he tried to make diversions by knocking people over or by taking a more roundabout course down side alleys. But I ignored his feeble attempts to flee and started using the secondary function of my new spell to mess with him and the others, since they too were making to leave Ariadholme asap. Ward. Veil grinded to a halt to avoid a collision with the bluish barrier that had suddenly appeared in his chosen path. Ward. Ward. Ward. Ward. Ward. Barriers blocked all their chosen routes all over the city. Shade was the only one who managed to elude them by timely use of his shadow walking ability, while Whisper started having a panic induced mental breakdown leading him to run off in an unexpected direction. Poor Thread was running on the roofs and took a barrier to the face right as he was about to jump, leaving him rolling around on the wooden shingles with what I could only guess was a broken nose. I winced at my terrible timing and was glad I hadn¡¯t stopped him mid-air. After all, I¡¯m not trying to kill the guy, just make him regret his decisions¡­ Though, on second thought maybe I just accomplished that. Anyway, I continued to place barriers around to guide them off in a wild path around the city both to prevent their escape and to slowly corral them to where Calden and co were waiting. My biggest problem however, was that I didn¡¯t want them to reach their final destinations without me at least nearby. It¡¯d be too dangerous to assume all their skills lie in stealth only for them to spring the trap and massacre everyone lying in wait. And that goes double for the limits of my new spell since I can only target the, well, target, or the area close to them. That means if they injure someone and keep moving like I know they will, I won¡¯t be able to help very easily. I swallowed down my discomfort at the worst possible scenario and cut the distance to Veil. One look over his shoulder at me was all he needed to speed up, and a few well placed barriers were all it took to get him right where we wanted him. The buildings opened up around us as we stepped into a small plaza with a statue in the center depicting some important figure or another. It wasn¡¯t located off the main road, but was near enough that the outer gate was just beyond the next few houses. I suppose that was his intended escape point though he probably never imagined the gate would already be shut tight. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. At my appearance, the old ranger dude and Ysdra stepped out of hiding, and with them came an outpouring of armed guards dressed in chainmail and brandishing everything from barbed iron link nets, to chains, to bows and spears. Veil muttered ¡°Son of a scornweaver.¡± under his breath, and wheeled around to charge at me, a thin dagger in one hand. I arched an eyebrow. They were just talking about me a few hours ago, but does he not know my appearance? Did he not think I¡¯d get directly involved? He readied his knife to stab beneath the cover of his billowing cloak, and then, just before he reached me, he flicked his other hand and a pellet flew out, hit the ground, and burst into a thick cloud of all obscuring fog. Well, all obscuring for everybody else, but isn¡¯t it overkill to conceal your attack twice? Unsurprisingly, he tried to stab me, but my ¡®Way of the One¡¯ fighting style had me restrain his wrist as if on instinct, and from there, a quick bonk of Witness to his skull had him down and out before I¡¯d even fully grasped what I¡¯d done. ¡°After him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± ¡°All together lads! Put yer backs into it!¡± I heard many frantic shouts from the eager guards and what sounded like a sailor lookin¡¯ to raise the mainsail, but that all stopped when I emerged from the smoke, dragging a crumpled Veil behind me. ¡°Lord Anon! You did it!¡± Ysdra ran up to me, all smiles and sunshine, though I was a bit more conflicted. I was trying to make Calden look good, not myself. Though I guess there wasn¡¯t much of a choice given he came at me like that. I¡¯ll have to be more careful going forward. I turned over the currently concussed killer to the guards, and patted the tiger girl on the head while doing my best to ignore the strangely sparkly stare the old hunter was giving me. ¡°Sure I did, but not without all your help. You might not have had to fight, but if you weren¡¯t here to take care of the rest, I¡¯d be in a tight spot.¡± She grinned up at me. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to imagine where we¡¯d be if you weren¡¯t here.¡± I gently brushed the beginnings of a tear from her bright blue eye, whispered. ¡°And you won¡¯t have to.¡± And turned in the direction of my next quarry before dashing off with that strangely sobering thought to fuel me. I mean, if they hadn¡¯t met me then Calden would¡¯ve died in that forest, and she might¡¯ve gone with him given the spell she was about to cast before I stopped her. A chill ran down my spine, and when I checked the three remaining goons. I found that Shade was getting too far too fast, so I slowed him by using Paralyze on one of his legs. Thread was still stuck on the same roof, struggling to get past the selfsame wall that had initially stopped him as I refreshed it each time he attempted to get a run up, and Whisper was now, for some reason, taking hostages. I changed course to find him, while taking a second to ensure Shade was still manageable, and deciding to mess with Thread by creating walkways with the barriers to other roofs all in an effort to get him to trust me so that I could drop him into the trap. For added efficiency I also continued to block him any time he looked like he¡¯d deviate course, or try to jump over the walkways. While waiting for my efforts there to pay off, I used the spells Strength release, and speed release. That Larissa had used during our fight to leap onto a building and race toward Whisper. See? What the heck? I¡¯m pretty sure this is more advanced magic than I¡¯m used to, so why is it working when my ability level is lower? Then, of course, the stupid system spoke. I sighed. So I need to make them in advance if I want more potent effects. Great. Good to know. But then why was that lightning bolt spell so powerful right away? Huh? Huh? I waited, and shook my head at the system¡¯s stubborn silence. Hyporacy! And you had the gall to label me the biggest hypocrite when it¡¯s really you! I huffed and hopped to a stop now that Whisper was in sight in a small thoroughfare below me; visible just past the white canopies of the assorted street stalls. But that is irrelevant. It¡¯s time to focus. He bellowed. ¡°Stay back! Stay back, or she¡¯s dead!¡± It was hard to discern the people¡¯s expressions in the gathering gloom of evening, but given that his declaration was met with muted mutterings from the onlookers it clearly wasn¡¯t his first threat. That, or people really don¡¯t value each other, but I¡¯ma just give them the benefit of the doubt. I sighed as I glanced around, then murmured. ¡°He¡¯s a bit off from the trap location in the main market square, but it looks like the comotion has tipped off the guards that something¡¯s going down so they should get here soon. Thankfully, it also appears that the Baronette was in charge of this location, so once he arrives I should be able to leave everything up to him. So all I gotta do is buy time and save that poor lady.¡± Whisper was a wreck. His eyes were bulging and bloodshot, he frantically looked this way and that as if he were surrounded by enemies, and he clutched what appeared to be some type of mole lady with a serrated bowie knife to her neck. Based on the thickness of the spectacles at her feet and how much she¡¯s squinting I¡¯d wager that poor eyesight was the largest reason she got grabbed. The rest of the people had retreated to form a wide circle around our hostile hostage holder, which inevitably attracted more attention, which created more congestion that the Baronette and company would have to barge through. But that at least gives me a moment to think about how to resolve this without direct intervention. After all, I need Calden¡¯s commands to mean something here sooo¡­ Hey! If new spells are being difficult, can¡¯t I just reverse a pre-existing one? I snapped my fingers and thought. Release strength. While focusing on Whisper. And ooh boy did I have to suppress a chuckle after that. Because without warning, flashes, sounds, or anything, he just up and half-slumped half-flopped to the ground, knife clattering down at the now freed lady¡¯s feet. He struggled and squirmed and all he got out of his body was senseless flailing that more often than not resulted with him limp arm slapping himself rather than making even a lick of progress. His face burned a bright red, and was only further inflamed by the fact that his would-be victim now ignored him as she felt around on the ground for her missing glasses. All in all, the whole thing lasted several minutes until she got her specs and ran off. That¡¯s when I released the poor guy from the spell, and right into the eager arms of the Barronette and his guards. I grinned in satisfaction as they subdued him, and wheeled around to head toward the Ornery Owl where we¡¯d trap Shade, while waiting for Thread to reach his final destination at the northern fountain square. To my surprise, they¡¯d both gotten further than I¡¯d expected as Thread had thrown all resistance away and was now readily running north along whatever path I dictated, whereas Shade had somehow broken free of my paralysis and started sprinting whichever way he pleased since his ability let him circumvent my barriers. Well. I¡¯ll take the good with the bad. I¡¯d made some decent progress along the rooftops myself when Thread reached the center of a barrier poised right above the fountain¡¯s basin. And of course what happens next should be obvious. I unceremoniously dropped him right into the water, attracting the attention of Calden and Ysdra¡¯s knights and the contingent of guards accompanying them. Naturally, Thread hit pretty hard, and the water wasn¡¯t deep enough to spare him much, but he wasn¡¯t dead, and by the time he¡¯d righted himself he was at the business end of about a dozen spears. I pouted when he got a defiant glint in his eye, so I paralyzed him before he could do anything stupid. And since it looked like he just froze up, I¡¯ll call that a win. With that I was finally able to focus all of my attention on a certain obstinate assassin. Immediately, I unleashed a barrage of barriers to foil his frequent flailing and slow him down, but to my growing irritation he continued to evade by ducking into shadows and popping up in an entirely different alley. If I had to guess based solely on his current performance then he¡¯s limited to a several dozen feet per jump, but the worst part was that the sun¡¯s light dimmed with every passing moment which pushed the terrain advantage ever further into his favor. But there¡¯s something else. Something I don¡¯t get. ¡°Why is he headed toward the trap?¡± It was beyond strange. How could he know where I wanted him to go when it was all planned today? There¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve found out what we¡¯re doing. So what was he after? Don¡¯t tell me he just gave up! I wasn¡¯t right behind him or anything, but my course would soon intersect with his at the front of the Ornery Owl. However, given his head start, and our current speeds, he was going to make it there first. Right into the trap headed by Carmella and Calden, and¨C ¡°Oh.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°Oh no.¡± Then I heard Shade growl, ¡°Finally got you, you brat.¡±, through the mark I¡¯d placed on him and did everything I could do to pick up the pace. I even threw several barriers into his path, Carmella joined in with some flashy arcane bullet looking things she called ¡°Arrow of Order.¡± but he shifted through the shadows to the side, escaping both of us, and launched some really pointy, and not at all safe looking, needles straight at Calden¡¯s face. The young lord however, just closed his eyes and let them come. I crested the last roof between me and my destination, finally able to see the scene through my own eyes and time seemed to slow as my mind shot into overtime. What do I do? What should I do? He¡¯s resisted paralysis so should I try to cast? Just leap and hope to intercept it? Or should I just trust Calden and see how this plays out? ??? Intervention When the chase started Shade gritted his teeth, swallowed his pride and bolted in the predetermined direction just as his fellow assassins did. So much for my promotion. He snarled. And for my freedom from this disposable existence, but who could have guessed that offing some noble brat would turn into such a chore! We should¡¯ve been done by now. Done several times over in fact! Sorren¡¯s blasted poison was supposed to do the trick, and all we were here for was to confirm the results, but now we have to deal with this ridiculous situation! Where did these bloody magic marks come from anyway? He thumbed the glowing blue glyph on his forehead, but the mana within it was far too intense for him to handle on his own, and since it didn¡¯t have any obvious effects, he just frowned and continued on. The only one in the city who can use magic this potent should be the Baronette, but if we consider that Anon entity, and the fact that none of us detected the caster¡¯s location, then it becomes obvious where this interference is coming from. But what have we done to get on the bad side of a supposed terrestrial deity? Shimmering blue barriers began to appear in the space in front of him, blocking his path. On instinct, he used the shadow stride ability forcefully granted to him by his lord¡¯s court magus to step through the alley¡¯s shadows and into another alley nearby. He continued his mad dash along the predetermined route toward his escape point. He had to evade more barriers as they came, and soon felt the tattoo on the back of his neck throb as Veil¡¯s voice came through. ~This is it. Driven into a trap. That Anon creature is after us. Target might be involved. Check other locations when you¡¯re cornered.~ Shade was stunned for only a moment, then a ferocious grin crept across his face. I can still kill that brat! I can still finish the job! I¨C Just as his excitement reached its peak every muscle in his right leg locked up and refused to move. Desperation and disbelief wracked his heart. He could sense the mana at play, could tell it was from Anon again since its intensity matched the mark on his forehead, but could do little other than limp along at the mercy of this mighty being and use his ability to avoid crowded streets and barriers while swearing under his breath. All too soon, he heard Whisper¡¯s voice erupt through the tattoo. ~Aaaahhh! Not here! Only Baronette! Aaaahhhhh!~ Shade cringed at his colleague¡¯s mental instability. He probably won¡¯t break and spill any secrets, but the fact that he¡¯s already so unnerved and falling farther from recovery isn¡¯t what I need right now. He glanced down at his uncooperative leg and cringed. Is Anon really that frightening up close? Because right now all they are is annoying¡­ I guess I should stick around to find out. His determination boiled within him, and he burned his own spirit in order to temporarily boost his resistance to magic. It was common knowledge among warriors in the wider world that the spirit stat is an expendable resource like mana, but burning it was always a desperate ploy, since it can only be used to release one spell at a time and the reduced spirit stat will reduce the user¡¯s maximum mana capacity and magic resistance until he can stop and rest or get healed. I have to risk it, but pushing too far and using up all my spirit could kill me. But the fear of death wouldn¡¯t stop him here, not when his goal was within reach, and the paralysis on his leg soon released, even if it did cost him almost half of his spirit to accomplish. Thankfully most of the spirit I lost was already empty of mana, otherwise I¡¯d be completely screwed. Back up to speed, he continued to evade the barriers but used them as a guide to head in the direction that Anon wanted him too. What are the odds that the target is waiting for me? Then he heard Veil grumble. ~Just some guardian knights here. It¡¯s all up to you now Shade.~ It seems this was dest¨C oh crap! And the moment Veil¡¯s voice vanished the frequency and number of the barriers exploded. Wide eyed, Shade put his all into evasion. What had once been a causal side step every minute or so was now a frantic effort to escape as even a moment¡¯s hesitation would slow him down immensely and rob him of the initiative he needed to strike at Calden. What made matters worse was that he had to time the use of his ability for maximum effect as he was now severely lacking in mana. Where is all this mana coming from? I know terrestrial deities are powerful, but if they¡¯ve been hounding the others like they have me then their mana pool must be vast! The side streets and barriers led him to a secondary street filled with bars and taverns where a host of guards waited, spears, iron nets, and chains in hand. He quickly scanned the shadowed silhouettes in the orangish evening light for one that was about Calden¡¯s size, and grinned devilishly when he spotted one right next to a woman in robes. Without a second thought he drew and flung the poisoned needles he specialized in at who he assumed to be his target, but did so only after rolling to the side to avoid the mage¡¯s attack and yet another set of barriers from Anon. Not this time. This time I win! Skill over power! I beat a deity! Hahaha! # The distance between Calden and those poisoned needles shrank with each passing moment, but here in my head it seemed to be at a snail¡¯s pace. I need to use a spell to stop them, but what? Ward only works on myself or someone I¡¯ve marked so that¡¯s pointless now. I lack any form of telekinesis. ¡®Contain¡¯ could potentially stop them but it¡¯d probably end up just pushing the needles into him faster at this angle. I could drop a lightning bolt, but that might hit Calden, so do I try to block it with earth spikes? It¡¯d be a gamble, but copying Carmella¡¯s spell from before might work. But it just didn¡¯t feel right. Nothing I thought of felt right, so I continued to flounder as if someone¡¯s life wasn¡¯t in danger. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And then I heard it. Calden¡¯s voice in my head again, only this time I felt more distant, like he wasn¡¯t trying to reach me but some abstract idea he had of me. ~Almighty and unyielding Lord, Master and Maker of all that is. If this is my end then let it be, but if I¡¯m still needed in your great plan, then please, please show those I¡¯ve gathered here the truth of which I¡¯ve told them. Show them your greatness so that they too might believe.~ My befuddlement only grew, and if I wasn¡¯t thinking so fast my jaw would¡¯ve dropped. Calden. Kid. What the heck do you think happened during our little talk? Who do you take me for? God?! Me?! That¡¯s crazy! And what do you mean you told them? Told them what? Then an assortment of other voices reached me, and I somehow knew they were from the gathered guards. Heck I think I even heard Carmella¡¯s voice mixed in there too. ~Please save the young lord.~ ~Great Creator God, please have mercy!~ ~He¡¯s too young to die!~ ~God of Anon, Creator, or whatever you are, I think you could do better in your selection of divine servants, but my feelings don¡¯t matter, if you¡¯ll intervene then I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ .~ I felt something sorta click into place within my chest. Kinda like a lock being undone or something that was stuck in your throat finally being released. And the system said. Great another unknown ability. I wonder what this one will do. Just then, time actually stopped. Like, completely. I couldn¡¯t even move now and the rest of the world turned grayscale. Can someone explain how the heck this is supposed to help? Is this the remainder of the effect? Is this why time slowed before? And how am I supposed to do anything from here? Sooo I¡¯m just supposed to do what? Buff the ever loving crap outta the kid? Wat? What the heck is that supposed to mean? Of course I got no further response from the system, so I set my little brain to work trying to solve this debacle since time gave no indication that it was willing to end its impromptu break with any sort of urgency. I went over all the spells I knew and had made up and would¡¯ve kicked myself, if I could, when I remembered that ¡®magnetic hold¡¯ was a thing. I could¡¯ve just used that from the start, but since I can¡¯t move right now, I¡¯ll just have to get creative. With a thought I unleashed the spell onto the needles through the very assassin that had thrown them in the first place, since, ya¡¯know, he¡¯s got a mark on his forehead that lets me cast on and around him. I set the pull to maximum and cut the range just in front of Calden¡¯s face to avoid grabbing the kid or any of his guardians, as they were all decked out in metal armor and I didn¡¯t figure me recklessly throwing them all around was the kind of display that Calden wanted from me. After that, I targeted the young lord with a few basic light magic spells, like illumination to give him a little halo, and shimmering armor to defend him against harm. I also threw in release strength and speed for good measure, and when I felt satisfied time abruptly restarted. Shouts of terror and the desperate clattering of the guard¡¯s feet filled the air as the needles flew at Calden¡¯s face once more, but just as Carmella was halfway through cursing my guts they stopped mere inches in front of his nose; which is when the magic armor and light issued from Calden. Gasps and murmurs of thanks were interrupted by a stupefied, ¡°Huh?¡±, that escaped from Shade. And then his weapons returned to him at breakneck speed. The guy was still crouched from the little roll he did to get a clear shot, and managed to flatten himself in time to escape becoming a pincushion. As the magnetic hold spell is directional, the needles were now out of the area of effect and sailed into the wooden support beam of a nearby building where they lodged themselves harmlessly. I could¡¯ve recast the spell to harry him before they stuck, but he already looked pretty haggard, and I wasn¡¯t trying to kill the guy, poetic though it may have been, so I stayed my hand, and instead I followed my original plan to let Calden claim the glory. Which wasn¡¯t hard considering he sprung into action the moment Shade hit the deck. And with his enhanced speed and strength, he closed the gap and had Shade pinned at sword point before the confused killer even had time to stand. Honestly, Shade was probably skilled and resourceful enough to escape, however Carmella quickly chanted the ¡®earthen hands¡¯ spell, and wrapped him tight in many mitts made of mud and dirt. I let out a slow breath and smiled as I retreated from the edge of the roof to behind a stacked stone chimney where I could keep an eye on things with my extended senses while staying out of sight. It was close. But we made it. Safe and sound. My smile only grew. And for the most part Calden should¡¯ve gotten a much needed boost in reputation and confidence from this so hopefully his path forward will be just a little less prickly. I watched the group chain up the defeated dude, who now had a very empty glazed over sorta look in his eyes, and internally cringed as the next course of action they took was to fawn all over Calden and the special effects I¡¯d given him. ¡°Tis¡¯ all true then!¡± ¡°Everything we heard about the Creator God saving him is true!¡± ¡°And to think he¡¯d intervene in our moment of need!¡± Calden nodded, a wide grin bursting with satisfaction lighting up his face. He held his hands out to them and spoke softly. ¡°Yes. The Creator God is merciful. I truly wish you could¡¯ve seen the divine majesty that exuded from them in that sublime place, but I hope this miracle and the gift I¡¯ve been empowered to give will solidify your faith that they are not only real, but also with us!¡± I arched an eyebrow. I ignored it before because of the crisis, but do they really think I¡¯m God? And what¡¯s all this about a gift he¡¯s empowered to give? I didn¡¯t do anything of the¨C Then the system spoke. I facepalmed, and muttered. ¡°Of course¡­ Of course he did.¡± Even at this distance I could feel the energy being released by Calden. It was small, an echo of what I used to save him, but it spread out as a ripple in the light that washed over the fervent guards before reaching Carmella too. She¡¯d been silent this whole time, a mix of relief and shock on her face as she internally processed my handiwork moments prior. She ignored the little get-together they were having, but once the wave hit her she froze up, her resistance and reluctance something I could actually feel, and then she let it go and accepted the gift Calden had offered. I could practically hear her think. ¡°Thank goodness Anon isn¡¯t here to see this. To think I¡¯d do anything that would make me closer to that¡­ buffoon! I¡¯d never hear the end of it!¡± I used the opportunity to release the buffs I¡¯d placed on Calden and a messenger from the Baronette arrived soon after. They began hauling Shade back toward the tower,all brimming with excitement at the shared blessing and success of the day¡¯s mission. I watched for a little while longer, then stared at my right hand as I clenched and unclenched it. ¡°Crisis averted. But now there¡¯s some clean up to do. Should I leave them to it and try to figure out these strange abilities of mine? Perhaps go around and do some charity work to help calm the people¡¯s nerves? Or should I assist them again and try to sway those assassins to our side?¡± Reflection The sun finally set as the shadows of Calden¡¯s group faded from view in the dark streets below. I sighed, and lowered my hand and slumped onto my butt, back to the chimney I was hiding behind, legs folded all criss cross applesauce and stuff. I mumbled. ¡°I need to get some grasp on myself. That¡¯s the obvious first step. After all, how am I to help others if I don¡¯t even know the first thing about me or what I¡¯m capable of? I mean, it¡¯s gotten so bad I¡¯ve got people mistaking me for an apostle, or even God himself!¡± And while I¡¯m sure there are a lot of people who¡¯d love that or at least the opportunities it creates, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m one of them. ¡°Because that¡¯s a lot of responsibility, and I¡¯m nowhere near omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent enough to take on the task.¡± I shut my trap and pressed my lips into a thin line. Alright Uriel. Do your thing. What am I? I felt the ability¡¯s usual buzz rattle its way up my spine and scatter like a wave breaking upon the shore across my brain as my status screen opened before my eyes. Status: -Name: Anon Amos Race: H?man? Age: ??? Height: 5¡¯ 9¡±? Weight: 143lbs? Titles: Soul Survivor; ??? Wanderer; Excavation Emperor; ???; ???; Dreamer; Awakened; Biggest Hypocrite in the World; The Way Forward; Enemy of Evil; Patience Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status Conditions: None Abilities: Beginner Mind Magic; Beginner Body Magic; Beginner Spirit Magic; Beginner Essence Magic; Divine Unearther lv: 100; ??? lv: 19->15; ??? lv: 16->17; ??? lv: 15->11; ??? lv: 40; Insanity Immunity lv: 100; Understanding lv: 38->40; Comprehension lv: 38-> 40; Nostrian and Almassarin Language; Intimidation lv: 17->32; Craftsman: Adept lv: 1; Double Standards lv: 22-> 24; Mana Sense lv: 49-> 78; Mana Control lv: 50->72; Denial lv: 13->26; Way of One lv: 18->21; One with self lv: 52; Smite lv: 1; ??? Protection lv: 1->2; Focus lv: 1->12; V!&(^3 lv: 1->4; Detection lv:1->22; Awareness lv:1->27; Mental Map lv:1; Expansive Mind lv:1->9; Performance lv: 16; ??? Intervention lv:-1->2
Disciplines: Mind over Nature Magic lv: 1 Mind over Mind Magic lv: 1 Mind over Matter Magic lv: 23 Mind over Body Magic lv: 14 Disciplines: Body Transformation Magic lv:1 Body Sensory Magic lv: 16 Body Fortification Magic lv: 1 Body Empowerment Magic lv: 34 Body Recovery Magic lv: 27 Disciplines: Spirit Summoning/Bonding Magic lv: 1 Spirit Communion/Trapping Magic lv:1 Spirit Healing/Harming Magic lv:1 Disciplines: Essence of Fire Magic lv: 45 Essence of Earth Magic lv:1 Essence of Water Magic lv: 1 Essence of Air Magic lv: 1 Essence of Light Magic lv: 74 Essence of Dark Magic lv: 35 Essence of Lightning Magic lv: 92 Essence of Ice Magic lv: 1 Essence of Space Magic lv: 1 Essence of Time Magic lv: 1 Adept Essence of Order Magic lv:7 Essence of Chaos Magic lv: 1
I poured over what was written in hopes of finding some hint or clue but in the end I only wound up with more questions. ¡°I have more abilities now but have the rates of the levels rising slowed? Is that due to experience being spread? Needing more to reach higher levels? Some side effect of deriving abilities from ??? and ??? both of which dropped in level? Or did I just not do as much as before? Additionally and most importantly, why the heck did I lose a letter in human?! Are you suggesting that I¡¯m something else?¡± Naturally, the system didn¡¯t deign to offer an answer so I took a deep breath, cleared my consternation, and tried to focus on my other questions. I mean life¡¯s been pretty chill since I left Kormath, save for a few incidents this has been the most strenuous activity I¡¯ve engaged in and even then I only used a few abilities. Heck! I didn¡¯t even check the assassin¡¯s statuses! By contrast Larissa was way more difficult. I stared up at the stars and the ever present anomaly that only I could see overlapped with the moon. I watched it, and it naturally watched me too. ¡°I wonder if you know anything about all this? That must be a pretty great vantage point to behold all that transpires, so you must know something, right? Like who am I? What am I supposed to do? What are all these abilities for? And how do I uncover all the secrets locked in my status?¡± I asked aloud, fully prepared to not receive any answer, but when I, the tireless wanderer, suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to sleep, I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. Finally! Someone with answers! # My vision settled upon a twilight void. Both the floor upon which I stood and the sky above reflected what little light issued from the space in between along with my form and shadow. I was all too aware I was dreaming, but if I had any doubts they would¡¯ve been dispelled by the massive form of the black white and gray anomaly that spanned the distance between ground and sky. As ever, I knew I was fixed in its attention like a fly upon a web. But instead of my usual discomfort I felt a mix of something else. Longing? Joy? Hope? Fear? This is the thing that stole the old world and my people from me, right? The thing that left me to languish in a dead world, unable to rest or even die, right? So then why do I feel like a naughty kid? Eager yet afraid to hear their parent¡¯s first words after playing in their workroom? Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Absolute silence reigned, so after a time I dared to break it. ¡°Do you know me? Can you tell me who I am?¡± My voice almost resonated within this place, and caused the reflective surfaces to ripple outward until they vanished into the horizon. Another moment passed, and a series of ripples returned. No, in comparison, they were waves. Tidal waves! I stood stunned at how suddenly they were upon me, and when I was consumed, smashed by the sheer wall of reflective, resonant, thought I heard what had to be the anomaly¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­ shall ¡­ as ¡­ say. ¡­ all ¡­ done ¡­ accordance ¡­ your ¡­ .¡± Unable to make everything out, my awareness was washed away. # The cold tiles of the roof were what I thought I¡¯d awaken to, but instead all I got was the sensation of leaving them behind as I rolled off and headed toward the muddy ground below. Which, I should note, was all too happy to greet me with a facefull of muck. I pushed out of the sticky mess immediately, and wiped off my face. ¡°Oof. Well, so much for th¨Catt!¡± Just then, Witness dutifully followed me from the rooftop, as I guess I¡¯d let go of it at some point, and clonked me atop my head before plunking into the muddy street beside me with the same energy as some sort of innocently loyal dog that just tracked dirt all over the house. I expanded my senses, but thankfully no one was around to witness my literal downfall since daybreak still looked a little ways off. And better yet, there was nothing left of mine still up there. With that fear out of the way, I got up, brushed off the muck with relative ease likely due to my Emperor of Excavation, reclaimed my staff, and then tried to make sense of everything that I had just experienced. ¡°So it can speak.¡± I snapped my head up at the moon, and found the anomaly gazing back down at me. ¡°You told me something, but I didn¡¯t quite get it all. Can you please repeat it?¡± I waited, but like the system, I got no response. ¡°That¡¯s not entirely unexpected¡­ but does this mean the two are related?¡± Just then the system chimed in. My jaw dropped. Holy crap! I got an answer and a totally clear one at that! ¡°Does that mean you know who I am?¡± I could almost hear a sigh issue from the mechanical voice. ¡°Okay but what am I?¡± I waited for the sentence to finish, but he didn¡¯t speak back up. I blinked. ¡°Wait a minute. The system¡¯s voice was feminine when I first woke up, I stopped paying attention after that so when and why did it change?¡± And the wind was my only reply, gentle, like a consoling friend. I huffed, and started to trudge back toward the tower. Well, I guess some progress is better than none at all. I don¡¯t particularly like being idolized or compared to or thought of as God, but I guess I can¡¯t do much about it if I don¡¯t have any sort of foundation to refute that claim. So what do I do next? I can probably get a reward for my help yesterday, so should I request the Baronette teach me some spells? Or should I convene with Calden to figure out their next move? I doubt they¡¯ll stick around here for much longer, so either way it¡¯ll be good to be prepared. # Marquis Palaeshek was a large bespectacled and white bearded man who often wore warm deep red clothes and presented himself as a friend to the people. This had long earned him the friendship of the equally altruistic Dresdeth family, and he had long been using that to undermine them. His house was something of an upstart family, only a few generations old, they established themselves by ousting a corrupt baron, and then rose through the ranks doing more of the same to more powerful houses. However, most of the disbanded houses weren¡¯t corrupt and were simply framed to look that way so that the Palaesheck house could gain more land, wealth, and achievements faster. And now it was the venerable Dresdeth¡¯s turn. An old house that had been faithfully protecting the empire since its inception, the Dresdeth family had deep roots, but they were already rotting. Too kind for their own good, they never changed with the times and refused to tolerate the poor treatment of non-humans that had become all too common in the country. Their power dwindled as old allies became enemies, trade deals were cut off, and finally with Marquis Dorian suffering from dismemberment, the house was poised to fall. It should have been easy. ¡°So what¡¯s this then? Why isn¡¯t the heir dead?¡± He hammered his fist onto the top of his ornate cedar desk, his beady eyes fixed upon the lanky messenger who had brought him the second observation team''s report. The messenger let his eyes dart anywhere but at the Marquis. From the large flower pots in the corners of the wide office with their bright red blooms, to the massive window in the back that let in the sun and revealed the colossal castle below, before stopping dead at the landscape paintings on the left and right walls of Dresdeth territory; paintings that would later be subtly changed to the Marquis¡¯ next target. He gulped. ¡°I¨C I cannot say milord. This situation is unprecedented, unforeseen, unpredictable. I¨C.¡± Palaesheck hissed. ¡°Enough excuses.¡± The messenger grimaced and tugged at his collar. He was the third replacement for this position this week alone, and the week was only half over. ¡°You will get in contact with the church, you know which, and have them get ready. Though it¡¯s regrettable, it looks like they¡¯ll have to uphold their end of the bargain once again. Have them do to this terrestrial deity what they did to Lady Matweirden, and we¡¯ll finish our end.¡± The messenger bowed hastily, and backed out of the room lest he lose his head at the final moment for simply being rude. Once the door was shut, the Marquis sat back, rested his meaty hands on his large belly, and closed his eyes. ¡°Once the heir is dead I can make my move and take down the Maimed Marquis. After that, the title of Duke is all but mine. And then comes the real fun of breaking the royal dynasty!¡± A sick smile spread across his otherwise saintly lips. ¡°So run little Dresdeth. Run and hide! Fight to your last! I¡¯ve got plenty more in store for you once your precious protector is properly pinned down!¡± # Ascendant Josephine Barla stared blankly at the barrier that barred her from claiming her rightful prize and power. She knew patience would be paramount in the current predicament, but her enthusiasm and anxiety forced her to check the unchanging situation several times each day. She didn¡¯t go in person, no, that¡¯d draw unwanted attention, instead she simply spied upon the village of Kormath when no one was around, creating a small tear in space above the settlement that she could peer through. However, due to the size and strength of the barrier, she was unable to get a good look at much of anything other than the ant-like people scurrying around from hut to hut to attend to their daily affairs. And with the ability to change form, any one of them could be Anon. She clenched her fist, and only just managed to refrain from breaking the arms off her chair. ¡°How long must I wait? How long will you hide just out of my reach? Your purpose is so much grander than this quaint little village! You must raise me up! So if you don¡¯t come out, I¡¯ll have to find a way in.¡± Little did she know that another ascendant would soon be alerted to Anon¡¯s existence. Magic, More Magic! I meandered much of the morning away, simply lost in trying to digest my encounter with the anomaly. And I didn¡¯t get very far as I had so very little to go on. I mean, what the heck does ¡®Shall as say, all done accordance your'' mean anyway? I don¡¯t have a clue! I wanted some answers but only got more questions, so what gives? I carefully wove through the ever growing tides of people that filled the streets as I moved in the general direction of the tower, and grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m probably just missing something, but what?¡± That niggling little thought took up residence in the back of my mind, and we both knew it wouldn¡¯t be paying rent anytime soon. But on a more immediately understandable note, I was back in front of the tower¡¯s outer gates, and the guards were a little taken aback. The one on the right fumbled and nearly dropped his halberd before he managed to say. ¡°U¨Cum, you¡¯re L¨Clord Anon, yes?¡± I arched an eyebrow, and pulled back my hood a bit so they could better see my face. ¡°Yep. Not sure who else I¡¯d be. Why? Could you not recognise me?¡± The left one feverishly shook her head. ¡°N¨Cno! It¡¯s just, well, you¡¯re shorter than last time! A¨Cand nobody could agree on what you looked like so we¡­ .¡± I see that particular trait of mine is still in effect. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how you know it¡¯s me, though?¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, but I¡¯ve noticed that my height and weight tend to change from day to day, while my appearance varies based on who¡¯s looking at me. My clothes are otherwise unaltered. Does that help?¡± They both just made some rather strained expressions, kinda like they had to poo really bad, then they nodded a few times, and the one on the left called. ¡°Open the gates!¡± I strode inside, the portcullis quickly shut behind me, and I once again noticed the countless eyes of the various passersby upon my back through the bars; only this time they weren¡¯t utterly terrified of me, because this time there weren¡¯t any more assassins in need of stopping. Which is an improvement! We have progress! In the next moment, a butler, built like a long withered old branch and sporting some of the floppiest dog ears I¡¯d ever seen, emerged from the tower and bowed low before me. ¡°Greetings, mighty master Anon. My name is Felix. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. The Lord has been alerted to your arrival, so if you¡¯ll kindly follow me, I shall take you to see him at once.¡± Wow, this guy doesn¡¯t waste time. How professional, if not slightly cold. I grinned and urged him on with a chipper, ¡°Sure.¡± though I hadn¡¯t caught sight of any runners going to alert the big boss with my expanded senses, so I could only assume that one of the enchantment¡¯s on this area acted as something of a monitor for anyone coming and going. Though if that¡¯s the case you¡¯d think he¡¯d have caught those assassins before they even got anywhere near Calden. Was his disguise too good? Does the spell not differentiate between people and he just guessed that it was me visiting today? Or did he literally add a spell to detect me specifically once he got back yesterday? I frowned slightly. Ya¡¯know. That last one sounds exactly like something he¡¯d do. Especially if he¡¯s got crabby Carmella advising him too! I wasn¡¯t surprised that we kept going up the dark and winding stairs until we reached the brighter fourth floor and the spacious meeting room/dinning hall that it contained. At the long table¡¯s head sat the Baronette, obviously. He wore a relaxed blue today, which contrasted with his alert and observant expression. To his right and left were a chipper Calden and a yawning Ysdra, both of whom waved when they saw me. They wore simple black attire, similar to the servants, perhaps to confuse any further attackers or perhaps because they were the only appropriately sized clothes the Baronette had left after the fancy outfits they wore yesterday. Despite his apparent uptight nature, the Baronette didn¡¯t scold Ysdra for her breach of decorum. Probably because I returned their waves with a warm smile, though he couldn¡¯t quite prevent himself from giving her a stern look; not that it had much effect on the spirited girl. The only other one here was Carmella. She sat, as ever, at Calden¡¯s side. Her head was lowered, but from her calm, almost solemn, expression it didn¡¯t look like she was trying to ignore me. Instead, it almost came across as some sorta display of deference. Deference that was only highlighted by her stark white robes, utterly bereft of any sort of decoration. I¡¯d almost mistake her for a nun, but she isn¡¯t wearing a wimple. Felix wasted no time to buttle his best before his Lord and guests and guided me over to the chair at the far end, the very one I¡¯d occupied during my last visit, before kindly pulling out the seat and pushing it in for me. I¡¯d kinda expected the Baronette to sit where he is now back then, but I guess it¡¯s his tower so he can sit wherever he wants. All in all, everyone seemed surprisingly alert for this early hour, everyone except Ysdra, that is, as it appeared her feline foundations were a bit slower to start up given the safety of the current environment. So did the other three partake in some medieval coffee? Or do they have stellar circadian rhythms and just not need anything to get going in the morning? I know I¡¯d be wiped out before the world changed¡­ Or would I? Ugh. Why are the details of who I am always so jumbled up? I guess it¡¯s good I¡¯m remembering anything at all, but this lack of solid information remains one of my biggest hurdles! The Baronette cleared his throat once Felix clicked the door shut on his way out. ¡°Um, Lord Anon, is everything alright?¡± I looked up at him, blinked, then noticed that I had apparently been making a pained expression since Calden and Ysdra looked frantic. ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m fine. Just lost in thought for a second is all. Thanks for checking, though.¡± ¡°Ah! I see.¡± He glanced at the kids to ensure they¡¯d regained their composure, and then stood up and bowed low. ¡°Then let us commence.¡± The other three copied his maneuver as the foursome said together. ¡°Please accept our deepest gratitude for your warning, and protection from those foul assassins. How can we possibly repay you? Our lives are in your hands!¡± Ok. Wow. Did they rehearse this? It¡¯s a bit much if they did. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just be happy to know that they¡¯re sincere, and leave it at that. I scratched my cheek and softly said. ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need for all this, you can talk to me the way you always have, I don¡¯t mind, really. I actually prefer when people act like themselves. After all, we wouldn¡¯t want you trying to be someone you¡¯re not.¡± The crisp if not slightly awkward atmosphere, at least from my perspective, ebbed away like the tide as they slid back into their seats. Calden and Ysdra both looked a little flushed, while the Baronette seemed almost touched. Then there was Carmella. Honestly, I was hoping she¡¯d take the last part of what I¡¯d said to heart, but it looks like it had little to no effect as she returned to her prior position just as soundlessly as before. What the heck happened to her? Please tell me there¡¯s nothing funny going on here. The last thing I need is some indirect attack from an unknown angle. I cast my eyes over the lot and urged Uriel to action, afraid of the worst. And then I felt the usual buzz times four.
Name: Bastion Barigg Species: Human Health: 523 Mana: 760/760 Endurance: 300/300 Strength: 52 + 6 Agility: 86 + 12 Speed: 67 + 54 Toughness: 1 + 10 Spirit: 760 Status conditions: Titles: Baronette; Lord of the Almassara Empire (lower); Graduate of Arcanholme; Archmage; Loyal Friend; Steadfast Protector; Follower of Matweirden; Follower of False gods (hidden) Abilities: Advanced Calculation lv: 36 Mana sense lv: 100 Mana control lv: 8 Advanced Arithmatic lv: 70 Command lv: 39 Order essence magic (Master) lv: 39 Body transformation magic (Master) lv: 22 Meditation lv: 67 Spirit summoning/bonding magic (Master) lv: 77 Foreign Languages lv: 14 Staff fighting (adept) lv: 3 Wind essence magic (Master) lv: 10 Name: Calden Dresdeth Species: Human (Beast blood) Health: 220/220 Mana: 150/150 Endurance: 180/180 Strength: 85 + 10 Agility: 50 + 6 Speed: 87 + 7 Toughness: 1 + 12 Spirit: 220 Status conditions: ??? Protection (Anon Amos) Titles: Noble Heir; Hearty soul; Follower of the One; Leader of the People (28); Protector of the People (28) The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.Abilities: Leadership lv: 27 Mana sense lv: 5 Mana manipulation lv: 7 Command lv: 33 Endure lv: 47 Battle cry lv: 16 Body sensory magic (Beginner) lv: 80 Hardy body lv: 34 Poison resistance lv: 50 Curse resistance lv: 21 Beast blade sword style (Adept) lv: 48 Blessing of the People lv: Max (Charge 1/ 100) Name: Ysdra Kalsynth Species: Torathan Health: 215 Mana: 333/333 Endurance: 245/245 Strength: 26 + 1 Agility: 215 + 14 Speed: 201 + 60 Toughness: 3 Spirit: 333 Status conditions: groggy Titles: Count''s daughter; Tribal Warrior (Apprentice); Spirit Healer; Lore Keeper (Apprentice) Abilities: Keen Memory lv: 18 Mana sense lv: 19 Mana manipulation lv: 47 Kalsynth Claw Technique lv: 40 Spirit healing/harming magic (Adept) lv: 67 Keen Eyes lv: 22 Instinct lv: 14 Command lv:9 Foreign Languages lv: 1 (dormant) Name: Carmella Fairmont Species: Human Health: 250 Mana: 610/610 Endurance: 280/280 Strength: 44 + 3 Agility: 143 + 10 Speed: 138 + 45 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 610 Status conditions: Titles: Knight''s daughter; Apprentice of the magic tower; Graduate of Arcanholme; Ambitious servant; Servant of Marquis Dresdeth; Seeker of Truth Abilities: Calculation lv: 89 Mana sense lv: 91 Mana manipulation lv: 100 Arithmatic lv: 100 Glower lv: 56 Order essence magic (Adept) lv: 82 Ice essence magic (Adept) lv: 24 Meditation lv: 32 Earth essence magic (Adept) lv: 44 Foreign Languages lv: 5 Staff fighting (novice) lv: 28 Reverence lv: 1
And there¡¯s nothing particularly strange about any of them. Though I¡¯m definitely a bit curious about the requirements for the Archmage title, as well as the charge on Calden¡¯s blessing, and Carmella¡¯s Reverence and Seeker of Truth. Uriel obliged in short order.
Archmage: A title reserved for those who reach the master level in four disciplines of magic, two of which must be essence. Blessing of the People: An ability derived from ??? Protection. After stirring enough emotion in the hearts of others the user is able to place a blessing upon willing others in a radius around them, conferring strength and defense based on the user''s conviction. Reverence: An ability bestowed upon those who have had a series of spiritual moments that they can no longer deny. Grants increased clarity, self control, and increased awareness and discernment of divine action. Seeker of Truth: A title possessed by one who can no longer hide from the truth. Conveys the Reverence ability, and growth rate of the spirit.
Huh. So I can get Archmage just by continuing to practice magic. Blessing of the people is my unintentional doing, and Calden¡¯s titles reflect that, but since none of it¡¯s harmful to him, that¡¯s great. But Reverence and Seeker of Truth seem to be responsible for Carmella¡¯s attitude shift. I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s showing me respect, but I¡¯ll just assume it¡¯s because Calden thinks I¡¯m associated with God, and call that a day. Baronette Barigg cleared his throat. ¡°Um, Lord Anon, is there perhaps anything we can do to repay you? Something, anything, we can offer to ease your way or appease you somehow? It can be anything, really!¡± I gave him a knowing smile, all too aware that he¡¯s the kind of person who won¡¯t be able to rest properly until his debts are paid. ¡°Hmm¡­ Something you can give me? Oh! I know. Why don¡¯t you show me a few of your spells? You¡¯re the first Archmage I¡¯ve met, and I so rarely get to see such talents demonstrated.¡± He blinked a few times, then shoved a pinky in his ears in an attempt to ensure he heard me correctly. ¡°Is¨Cis that all?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I tilted my head, then glanced at the excited kids all but pleading to be included in the demonstration. ¡°Oh, well, if it isn¡¯t too much trouble then could you have Calden and Ysdra go too? And obviously we wouldn''t want to exclude Carmella.¡± I glanced at her. ¡°You will participate won''t you, dear?¡± Her head only lowered further before she raised it back up in affirmation. ¡°If that is what you wish.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Wait for me!¡± Calden all but jumped out of his seat, and Ysdra, now fully awake, followed. They took me by either arm, and after waiting for me to stand, rapidly led me on our way outside with the flustered Baronette and surprisingly still placid Carmella trailing behind. # I now sat in a rather regal chair, provided by the Baronette, under a red canopy in the courtyard behind the tower. Calden, Ysdra, and Carmella sat beside if not slightly behind me. The cobblestones opened into a round sandy pit and silently denoted the space as some sort of practice grounds. The Baronette stood tall at the center, and all other personnel had been shooed away for the time being; though the occasional head poked around the edge of the tower to check on us every once in a while. Baronette Barigg placed a hand to his paunch, bowed, and his mana swelled. ¡°Thank you for your patience, I shall now begin.¡± He dove into a rapid and complex chant and proclaimed. ¡°Scintillating barrier!¡± Then a dome of blue light made up of countless dodecagons appeared around the practice grounds. It seemed to spin and shift as the individual pieces turned and swapped places with one another, probably to prevent one area from taking continual damage, but the ultimate effect was that of a grand and glittering globe that covered the fifty odd foot wide pit. The kids and I applauded, and he wasted no time getting into the next spell. ¡°Feral form!¡± With that declaration, he shifted his shape into a massive bear, and let out a mighty bellow. Then he sprouted feathers and took flight as a hawk. And then he grew horns and trotted around the perimeter as a tawny bull. After that he demonstrated the ¡®Eagle eyes¡¯, ¡®Cruel claws¡¯, and ¡®Animus armor.¡¯ spells for us. The eyes and claws were a bit underwhelming, but the armor made him look like a humanoid armadillo so that was pretty entertaining. After that, he whipped up a storm with ¡°Hurricane.¡± Thankfully it was contained by the barrier because we¡¯d otherwise would¡¯ve been sandblasted to oblivion. Then he used the ¡®wind ward¡¯ spell to gather up sand into small rotating balls, and unleashed several ¡®wind blade¡¯ spells to put on a bit of a target shooting scene for us. Ysdra shifted excitedly in her seat. ¡°Here comes the finale!¡± Lastly he started casting the ¡®spirit summon¡¯ spell in rapid succession. Each cast released a set of colorful little creatures, some birds, others butterflies, all made of one essence or another to flit around inside the barrier. Some were blue, others red, green, purple, orange, or brown, but once there were over a hundred of them he launched into a longer incantation, beads of sweat dripping down his jowls as he proclaimed. ¡°Greater Spirit Conjuration!¡± A rush of wind turned the little sprites into colorful motes of light that swirled around at incredible speed as a huge owl made of emerald wind rushed up from the ground behind him, spread its wings, and then vanished along with all the lesser spirits. In the silence that followed the roaring gale, the barrier came down, and the Baronette fell to one knee and bowed. Very much out of mana from what I could tell. ¡°Come on Calden! We¡¯re next!¡± Ysdra bolted up and was over next to the Baronette faster than Calden could even stand. I was a little curious what they intended to do, but once Calden was over there too, he incanted the ¡®strain sight¡¯, ¡®tender touch¡¯, and ¡®awakened ear¡¯ spells and then began examining the Baronette¡¯s body, cocking his head to and fro as his nimble fingers moved to various places on the arms, legs, shoulders, and back. ¡°Here.¡±, ¡°There.¡± or ¡°Now.¡± Is all he would say, before waiting for Ysdra to cast the ¡®soothe¡¯, ¡®spirit needle¡¯, or ¡®spirit shake¡¯ spell at the designated location. I cocked an eyebrow, unable to see anything wrong with the Baronette through mana sense, so I glanced over to Carmella for an explanation that she provided without even taking her eyes off the kids. ¡°They¡¯re a formidable pair. Calden¡¯s body sensory magic can find weak points in the body, things that would usually be exploited to cripple, and then he directs Ysdra to either heal or lightly harm those places in order to stimulate the recovery of stamina, health, or in this case, mana.¡± ¡°But how does harming the spirit restore mana?¡± She sighed. ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t know given you apparently lack limits on yours, but mana is gathered and stored by the spirit. Using it is akin to exercise and can result in strain and fatigue. Lady Ysdra could do real damage if she strikes indiscriminately or too hard, and that would diminish his lordship¡¯s mana capacity. However, because Calden is finding natural clots and strains due to the fact that the body and spirit overlap, she is then able to repair the damage or squeeze out the stagnant mana in those places, thus restoring his strength.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a magic massage?¡± Carmella suppressed a smile, half shook her head, then stopped. ¡°Your mind is beyond me, but yes. You could say that.¡± Once they finished, they helped the now loose-limbed Baronette back to his seat and Carmella quietly took the fore. Like the Baronette, she first cast a barrier spell, but hers was called. ¡®Guardian Globe.¡¯ It managed to cover the same area, but due to the slow expansion and the concentration on her face I could tell it was difficult. Also it didn¡¯t have nearly as many moving parts as it was just several layers of the same wall. She then conjured several stone dummies with ¡®earth shape¡¯ and launched into a barrage of spells like ¡®shimmering shackles¡¯, ¡®frozen lance¡¯, ¡®ice bind¡¯, ''frozen field¡¯, and ¡®earthen needle¡¯. All of which appeared almost exactly like one would assume from the names, before she got to the more ambiguous ¡®orb¡¯ spell. It created a, well, orb in her hand made of raw mana presumably because it was order essence magic. Then she pumped it full of several essences like fire, wind, and mostly ice before throwing it at the group of stone dummies. It traveled at the same speed as a baseball lobbed by an unathletic person, but when it hit. Oh when it hit. Bam! It exploded with a flash followed by a rush of air and a near deafening roar. In the aftermath only shards of the statues remained as the rapid expansion of the thermodynamic bomb she¡¯d created had taken no prisoners. Which begs the question. How much about physics do these people know given their medieval, yet magical, society? The Baronette and I applauded, the kids ran up to do their therapy thing, and I overheard a couple of familiar sounding guards talking with my expanded senses. ¡°Are the preparations complete?¡± ¡°Yes sir, we¡¯re ready to depart whenever the young lord wishes.¡± ¡°Good. I know it¡¯ll be dangerous to go, and that we¡¯ve only just arrived, but our enemies know we¡¯re here. There¡¯s no telling what that putrid Palaeshek will do if we give him more time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. We need to regroup with Count Kalsynth and inform both him and Marquis Dresdeth of the situation.¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s only if we can get the rest of our group to move! That Anon creature¡¯s got them all dancing to whatever whimsical tune it wishes, and we¡¯re wasting daylight.¡± I grimaced internally. I¡¯m gonna be nice and ignore the ¡®it¡¯ comment this time. Because, yeah, sure, my request for magic was a little selfish, but now that my arsenal of spells has expanded, I¡¯ll be better able to help them out if things get hairy. And since I¡¯m on that topic, how should I help them anyway? Should I scout ahead as a bird and clear the path even if it risks an ambush from behind? Travel alongside them out of paranoia? Or do I tail behind in the hopes of luring out their enemies? There isn¡¯t really a right choice, but it¡¯s clear that they¡¯re not making it to their destination without a little help. Into the Empire Calden and Ysdra finished recovering Carmella, and the trio came over to where the Barronette and I remained. I widened my grin and said. ¡°Thanks again for the wonderful display. It was very informative and interesting. I especially liked the combo you two made to help people through a method that should otherwise hurt.¡± The kids turned several shades of scarlett, and the back of Calden¡¯s head suddenly got very itchy, while Ysdra found something to scuff on the ground with her heel. ¡°T¨Cthank you, great one. I¡¯m unworthy of your praise!¡± ¡°Y¨Cyeah. We didn¡¯t do anything special! B¨Cbut thank you all the same.¡± Carmella and the Baronette¡¯s stiff expressions hinted that they were a little less than impressed with their stammered attempt at humility, but my jovial chuckle placated the pair and I gently patted the children¡¯s heads. ¡°So when were you going to tell me you were leaving?¡± The four stared at me with a mix of varied emotion in their eyes and on their faces. Calden was, as I expected, gazing at me with nothing less than reverence and adoration, totally on board with me knowing their plans as if it were only natural. Ysdra on the other hand looked a little bashful, like she had intended to spill sooner or later but either had forgotten or not gotten the chance. The Baronette¡¯s face remained composed, but his eyes swapped from an inquisitive stare at me to a series of searching glances around the empty courtyard, indicating either a desire to find out who told me, or a faint hope to flee or change subjects. Lastly, Carmella stood as placidly as she¡¯d been all morning, however, she watched me like a researcher viewing an experiment in progress, all too hungry for some grand revelation. I cleared my throat, and they managed to regain their composure, not that the Baronette or Carmella really lost theirs, but the air about them definitely changed and now the Baronette fumbled for excuses. ¡°Apologies. Your insight is as terrifying as ever. We had planned to inform you soon, but since there is no longer a need, may I know what you intend to do?¡± Terrifying? Ouch. His earnest eyes might¡¯ve been able to fool most people, but the serious glint in them changed his question to almost ask ¡®Are you going to stay here? Return to the woods perhaps? I¡¯ve paid my debts as best as I can so what more are you asking of us?¡¯ ¡°Oh, I was just thinking that you¡¯d all be much safer if I went along with you. Plus, since I¡¯m totally unfamiliar with the empire, its culture, laws, and common sense, I dare say you¡¯d be saving the whole country some serious trouble if you accept.¡± Carmella¡¯s eyes widened, and for the first time all day I got something akin to a reaction out of her as she blinked a few times and then silently turned to the Baronette, who was equally stunned. ¡°Your lordship?¡± ¡°Y¨Cyou mean you really don¡¯t know anything? Are you not from here? How far have you traveled? Where do you hail from?¡± I hid my discomfort behind my best poker face. Well it¡¯s not like any of you¡¯d understand if I told you the truth, and I¡¯m pretty sure mentioning I woke up in what¡¯s now the Garden of Creation would only spark more unwanted assumptions on their part so¡­ What do I even say? I don¡¯t really want to lie if I don¡¯t have to so I guess I¡¯ll just be vague. ¡°I¡¯m not from here or anywhere really, and I¡¯ve traveled the span of worlds to reach this place. And the reason I know so little about this land is that I fell asleep right after I got here and only recently woke up.¡± That¡¯s just a fancy way of saying you can¡¯t go back to the past, and that I wandered around a barren wasteland for longer than I can remember. And that might¡¯ve only been one world, but if you count the gulf that created in my heart and mind, then it was definitely more. Again I was met with blank, slack jawed stares, so maybe I was a little too vague, but it was better than the nonsense they¡¯d be spewing if I¡¯d told them everything. Carmella recovered fastest and whispered. ¡°How¨C? How long did that take? How long have you¡­ ?¡± She trailed off and I smiled maybe a little sadly. ¡°A long time. A. Very. Long. Time.¡± I turned and stared off into the distance. ¡°And honestly, I¡¯m just glad I don¡¯t have to be alone anymore.¡± Ysdra sniffled loudly and let out an ugly sob, so I quickly scooped her up in a warm hug. Calden¡¯s trembling hands wrapped around my waist after that, and a few minutes went by where I was able to forget about all the chaos and danger that plagued them and focus solely on the fuzzy feeling of innocent compassion being shared with me. I patted the back of her head. ¡°Are you alright, sweetheart?¡± She sniffed a few times. ¡°Y¨Cyou don¡¯t feel lonely when you¡¯re with us do you?¡± I arched an eyebrow. What¡¯s she saying? Oh! I get it, she¡¯s afraid that I feel alienated or put out because the adults keep trying to use me and speak to me like I¡¯m some sort of monster. ¡°Desperation makes people behave in ways they normally wouldn¡¯t and all of you have been in near constant danger since the moment I met you, so no, I don¡¯t feel lonely.¡± She pulled away just enough to get a look at my face. Her big amber eyes were red and puffy and streaks of tears marred her lovely tan face which was framed by her long blonde hair, yet in spite of her disheveled appearance she focused solely on staring at me, so I held her gaze and smiled back at her. Finally she let out a slow breath, and I let her down. She wiped up her tears like the big girl I knew she was, and Calden hesitated to let me go. He looked up at me, eyes glistening, and I brushed his dark hair with the same gentle smile I¡¯d given her. He held on for a moment longer and then stood back, so I turned my attention over to the Baronette. His eyes were trained on his feet, all too aware that their tears and fears had been, at least in part, because of him. ¡°Thank you, again, great one. You are far more merciful and understanding than we deserve.¡± I suppressed a chuckle, as it¡¯d be rude to laugh at his remorse, and spoke softly. ¡°So as we were originally discussing, how and when do you plan to leave? I know you¡¯ve got all the people and items you¡¯ll need to go already, but given all that¡¯s happened, I think a little more consideration is needed. Don¡¯t you?¡± He looked up at me, stroked his beard, and pondered for a time. ¡°You mean to say that leaving on foot would be unwise?¡± I glanced over at the tower. ¡°Think about it, they knew when Calden arrived and wasted no time trying to get to him, and even though the dangerous ones have been removed, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s going to be more people out and about watching his every move?¡± The large lord¡¯s expression darkened and he crossed his arms as he lowered his head again. ¡°You¡¯re right as always, but we lack the facilities here to teleport such a large group over an even larger distance. I might be an archmage, but that amounts to little when we¡¯re so far from any major civilization center.¡± I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°But you know the method?¡± ¡°I¨C I, yes?¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Then I¡¯m sure we can make it work.¡± I turned to the kids. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys go and get everyone and everything to be taken along and we¡¯ll set up our route outta here?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°At once!¡± They scampered off and the Baronette and I spent the time they were gone drawing a massive magic triangle into the sandy pit. I initially didn¡¯t know the spell, but after he¡¯d drawn about ten percent of it, Uriel was able to figure out the rest so that I could help. Turns out that this is just a big and complex bit of Order Essence magic that borrows the power of the rarer Space Essence magic to link two points together so that anyone with enough mana and the Order Essence discipline can cross the distance in an instant. By the time Calden and Ysdra returned with a cart full of supplies, the hunter, and two knights that originally escorted them, the Baronette and I were putting the finishing touches on the Circle. And if you were wondering, Carmella was just standing there observing me the whole time like a hawk about to swoop down and catch a rabbit. And we¡¯re done! I¡¯m glad the Baronette picked up on the changes I was making to the spell structure and followed along. After all, we¡¯re not trying to construct a permanent portal so as to avoid being followed, and we¡¯re not going to any already existing exit either, as this¡¯ll only drop us off about half-way to our destination; somewhere in the wilderness near a road. I clapped my hands in excitement to try out this new thing. ¡°Okay! Everybody ready?¡± Carmella glanced at the rest of the group who all, either hesitantly or enthusiastically, nodded, before bowing her head in turn. ¡°We are in your care, Anon.¡± Wow! She actually used my name for once! Will wonders never cease! I motioned for everyone to gather into the confines of the triangle, waited for goodbyes to be said, and then gestured for the Baronette, who remained outside, to begin the spell. He gulped. ¡°With all due respect, I lack the mana to send you all that distance. Even with the shortened distance of this modified formation I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t accomplish it.¡± I grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. Trust me, and have a little faith.¡± I noticed Calden twitch at those words, as if he¡¯d just heard something profound, but since the Baronette also did as I¡¯d asked and began the chant, I let my momentary worries slip. It took several minutes to get going, and the marks we¡¯d drawn started to glow with blue mana as the local lord channeled his everything into the effort. And he was right. Not even a quarter of the way in he started to sweat profusely, and Uriel dutifully informed me that his mana was about to run out any second. Which means it¡¯s my turn. With a wave of my hand I used my mana control ability to direct the ambient energy to steadily flow into the exhausted man. He barely managed to contain his surprise at the sudden surge of strength, and I heard a few stifled gasps from the group behind me, but in the end, my little trick worked, and the Baronette shouted. ¡°Guided Gate!¡± A rush of air blasted upwards from the ground along with a curtain of all consuming azure light. It felt like the ground beneath us had fallen away and transitioned into a sensation like being forcefully yanked through a rip current at unfathomable speeds. My expanded senses allowed me to somehow remain aware of myself and everyone else through all this, though it appeared that the others were in a state of momentary unconsciousness or perhaps suspended animation. Which is honestly for the best, because this is horrible! In the next instant, the light and air blasted downwards and we were placed upon a small grassy field not too unlike the one we¡¯d initially met in, only the trees weren¡¯t as big and the space between them was far too wide for a forest. Not to mention it was a near perfect circle, so this whole area had to be man made. One of the knights whistled, and muttered. ¡°All the way to the Emperor''s Rest in one go. Not bad.¡± I half panicked at the thought that we¡¯d arrived on top of a royal tomb, but Uriel buzzed and I calmed down.
The Emperor''s rests are verdant locations placed along major highways for travelers to stop and relax in. Basic magical defenses are placed to protect guests, and the heightened mana makes it an ideal target for teleporting in the manner just used. This particular rest is the southern one and connects the outskirts to the empire proper.
The sky was a rich bluer blue, the grass my selected greener green, a pleasant breeze carried off any lingering worries that I held onto, and I smiled. Alright. We¡¯re well on our way, and well outside the range of any observers left on Ariadholme. We should have about three days worth of walking to do before we reach Ysdra¡¯s home territory, so what should I do? Test out and maybe train my traveling companions? Play with magic to figure out all the things I¡¯ve just learned? Or should I play it more cautious and stick to keeping an eye out for danger? # From the top of a distant tree a solitary figure sat nestled in the branches gazing out at Ariadholme through a long scope. She wore nature colored clothes and had even looped in leaves and branches into her cloak and hair to better hide herself amidst the foliage. After having spent several days here, using the brand on the back of her neck to make regular reports, she was more than fed up with the assignment of monitoring the disposal squad, and now that they had failed, she wondered if the target would depart before her dwindling supplies ran out. She muttered through clenched teeth. ¡°Come on. Come on. Come on! Where are they? You¡¯d think they¡¯d try to change locations as soon as possible after a sudden attack like that, so what''s taking so long!¡± Though she couldn¡¯t see every gate out of town from her vantage, there''s no way they¡¯d return the way they¡¯d come in from and try to leave the empire, which meant they¡¯d be leaving through one of the other gates that she could see. ¡°Because archmage or not, there¡¯s no way they have enough mana or a big enough facility to teleport out of Ariadholme. It¡¯s just not possible!¡± And so she continued to wait the day away. And wait. And wait. Until the sky grew dark, and her everything ached beyond reason from having stayed crouched at the top of a tree for yet another day. Resigned, she made her evening report to her handler. Once the connection broke she snarled. ¡°This is ridiculous! The Marquis is ridiculous! I can¡¯t stay here! I¡¯m almost out of food and water and it¡¯s too far to get to the next settlement.¡± She withered internally. ¡°I hate it, but I¡¯ve got no choice but to go in myself to resupply. And with any luck I¡¯ll be able to find out whatever the heck it is they¡¯re doing too. With that, and nary a sound, she carefully slunk out of the tree and left her disguise and post behind. # Rainbow light scattered through the massive stained glass windows that lined the hall of the Ascendant church¡¯s main branch. The beautiful hymns played upon the grand organ at the back reverberated through the room and filled the heads and hearts of the countless attendee¡¯s with hope for a brighter future built through hard work under the Creator God¡¯s watchful eye. Benedict Andrun sat in a middle pew, amidst a few other clergy members, hands clasped in prayer as he listened intently. His unremarkable face was as blank as ever, and his neat white uniform was pressed and kept to an impeccable standard. Everything was for his master, and he waited diligently. The Ascendant, Gregorious Durdanhal, himself presided over this mass and followed the psalm with a long winded yet graceful sermon delivered in the elegant tongue of the ancients that only the clergy understood. And they understood it well. For even though the lay people thought it was about praising the Creator God through their efforts, and it would sound that way to most, it also acted as a coded message to deliver orders to his subordinates. ¡°Sectors one through seven shall continue their regular patrols within the empire with an increased focus on the border regions. The tiger cub is still holding on and should be located swiftly, but not interfered with.¡± Scattered among the masses, seven heads belonging to the seven sector chiefs mentioned bowed in acknowledgment. Most people mistook this for deep devotion, but to Benedict and the other sector chiefs it only instilled anticipation for their own orders. ¡°Sectors eight and nine shall continue with their research. Though we successfully tamed the tiger queen, our leash is lacking so a stronger one should be developed.¡± Two more heads dropped, and the white clad clergy around them grinned at one another, excited to return to such an interesting topic of research. ¡°To that end, Sectors ten and eleven are to go and gather the fuel needed for the task at hand. Ensure that no one notices your movements but do this as quickly as you can. Timing is imperative here. The sooner we strike, the sooner this troublesome matter can be taken care of.¡± Another two heads bowed, and now only Benedict¡¯s shiny bald one remained. A shudder coursed through him as he felt the gaze of his master, the Ascendant, fall directly upon him. He was not brave, nor stupid, enough to return the look of such a mighty and venerable man, and swallowed his pride to better serve one so close to the Creator God. ¡°Lastly, Sector twelve is to make ready to execute the mission. The Marquis is counting on us to remove the intruding deity from play, and now it is your turn to do as I did and subjugate it.¡± Benedict almost slammed his head into the back of the pew in front of him as he received his orders. His subordinates around him likewise bowed with fervor, and together they muttered. ¡°For God and Glory!¡± For the remainder of the service Benedict couldn¡¯t get the image of his master crushing, capturing, and dominating a terrestrial deity out of his mind, and started to picture himself doing the same. It¡¯s my turn at last! My first steps upon the road that leads to ascension! All my long years of service are coming to fruition at last! And as the head of the strongest sector I shall accomplish this deed to perfection and prove myself once again as indisputably worthy! Road to Kalsynthholme Given all that¡¯s happened I¡¯m inclined to believe that these poor people are suffering from either one of the most persistent streaks of bad luck I¡¯ve ever seen, or that their steps are being dogged by some very determined enemies. Either way, staying cautious is the safest choice, so even though this place is pretty nice, I should stay as observant as I can. I glanced around the Emperor¡¯s rest with my awareness cranked up to the limit, but there wasn¡¯t anyone or anything else here. Unless you counted the ambient magic formations maintaining this place or the pile of ash and trash that sat in a fenced off area just outside the treeline. I muttered. ¡°Looks clear to me.¡± and the elder ranger stopped fiddling with the slightly spooked pack horses and also took a look around before silently nodding his agreement to Carmella and the knights. But where is everybody? Isn¡¯t this a rest stop? I gave the lingering traces of where people had once been another look, namely the impressions on the grass and the char filled firepits, and then realized. Oh, right! Traveling on foot takes a long time so they probably left at the break of dawn to get the most out of the day, which means there won¡¯t be anyone here since it¡¯s nearing noon. I inspected the cart and horses to ensure there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with either, and once Uriel assured me all was well, I smiled. And that also means that if we start now and go till the end of the day we won¡¯t be sharing a camp with anyone, which means we¡¯ll be noticed less, and won¡¯t need to guard against people inside the perimeter! Plus people shouldn¡¯t take as much notice of us or learn any details about us which means that anyone trying to track us down will have an even harder time figuring out where we went. I spun on my heel and waved in the direction of the road. ¡°Alright! Everyone ready? Let¡¯s get going then!¡± The rest of the group followed me over to the road, and since I no longer had any idea which way to go I gestured for them to take the lead before assuming the position of rearguard and tailing behind the slowly trundling cart that positioned itself in the slight ruts to the right side of the well worn dirt road. At the head of the party was our ranger, one hand on the side of a horse¡¯s neck while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious or dangerous. After him were the two knights poised at either side of the carriage¡¯s driver¡¯s seat, which was coincidentally occupied by Carmella and the kids. Surprisingly, Calden held the reins while Carmella and Ysdra sat to either side, hands free, likely for the purposes of casting spells. Which is smart, and kinda impressive too, given that they were all pretty relaxed a second ago and are now all focused and ready for action. That said¡­ Magic probably isn¡¯t such a bad idea, especially since I¡¯ve gotten new spells that could be really useful here. I focused a little and thought Spirit summon. Instantly, a bright white translucent butterfly sprang into existence right before my eyes. It had little aroras for antennae and I could feel it and move it around at will, kinda like a new finger I felt I¡¯d always had. If I wanted to I could see what it could, but I could also command it to operate on its own to perform whatever task I wanted, so I sent it off to monitor our surroundings for any dangerous creatures and to come fluttering back if it found anything. I then repeated the spell many, many, times. So many, in fact, that I never bothered to count, partly so that I could test the limits of my casting speed and so that their great numbers could effectively double the range of my awareness, but mostly because the novelty of popping a new pretty thing into the world never got old. Carmella seemed to notice that I was doing something, but since I¡¯d instinctively realized that I could make the spirits invisible, and did so each time, I doubted she knew exactly what, even with her near maxed out mana sense. With that done, I turned to Awakened ear. And suddenly I could clearly hear the beat of every heart all around me and even the more subtle sounds like the breath of a distant field mouse or the flutter of a moth¡¯s wings. I stopped myself from whistling in amusement. And those little critters are outside my usual awareness bubble. Not to mention it¡¯s not amplifying already loud things and I¡¯m not being overwhelmed by all the new noises! Now for strain sight. As I thought of the spell, I blinked rapidly as my vision blurred and changed. Unlike the previously practiced far sight spell my eyes adjusted to be able to see through other things. Kinda like an x-ray and an ultrasound image put together in all of their grayscale glory. Which is weird. Especially since I also retained my normal sight in tandem to this spell¡¯s effects, likely because of my detection and awareness abilities. And I don¡¯t mean I could switch between the two, no, I had both at the same time, like looking at the same image on two different monitors with different filters applied but through the same two eyes. Confused yet? Good. Me too. Couple all that with the awakened ear spell and you¡¯d think I¡¯d be suffering from sensory overload, but I wasn¡¯t, so I decided to push my limits even further and give Bretta¡¯s spell of choice another go. Far sight. All it did before was make me all fish eyed, but since I had only ever tried it when I first started fiddling with magic I assumed that I just misunderstood how it was supposed to work and that it¡¯d be better this time around. And lo I was right! Or at least partly. Since it only ended up adding yet another new layer to my already jumbled up sight. Anyway, the big difference was that this sucker offered me extreme distance and focus rather than an expanded or altered area of effect, which effectively meant that I could now zoom in on interesting things, or scope out areas that my fluttering friends noticed in one window while still keeping tabs on everything else in the other two. And yet I felt that I still hadn¡¯t reached my limit for this sorta thing. So further I shall go! Eagle eyes. The spell channeled into my peepers and I felt, and watched, through my detection field, as my own eyes changed to those of an eagle¡¯s. Naturally I expected this to just sharpen the range and clarity of my long distance vision window, and it did, but it also added a second one. I blinked a few times to adjust to the rather uncomfortable sensation that zooming in and out on two different places at the same time created. I know it was a stupid idea to do that in the first place, but I adjusted surprisingly fast, so there was only one thing left to do. Add another of course! Tender touch! I honestly didn¡¯t know what would happen if I intensified my tactile senses, given that the only things I was touching were my clothes, staff, bag, and boots, but since it was the last awareness affecting spell I had I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt. And I wasn¡¯t wrong, though it wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant either. Because once the spell activated I got a little more than I was expecting, as I could now feel everything in my general area. I¡¯m talking every particle of air, every vibration in and on the earth; like worms burrowing and bugs crawling through grass, every footstep, heartbeat, and breath on top of the finer textures of everything I was wearing and holding¨Cwhich aligned more closely with what I initially expected to feel. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. To think Calden endures this every time he wants to help someone. Yuck! And as the spell settled into place and I stopped cringing, something unexpected happened. My layered and varied levels of awareness sorta melded together with my abilities and resulted in an expanded field that offered me the ability to zoom in and focus on anything within it without limit on how many targets I could select. Which was, once again, nauseating, but I apparently hadn¡¯t learned my lesson. However, I also found that I could focus and push my awareness bubble in a specific direction allowing me to change the circle so that it had a line or cone protruding whichever way I wanted, even underground! Obviously, I retained my normal senses, just as before, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯d become oblivious to the things immediately around me, however I found that once stretched thin, I could rotate the field really fast around me which effectively quadrupled the already massive range. Sorta like a radar with the details of my surroundings being updated every second or so instead of having a constant feed. And yet I still couldn¡¯t see our destination¡­ Oh well, it¡¯s probably a few days away from here so that¡¯s kinda not surprising, but hoo boy I better stop, I¡¯m giving myself vertigo. I breathed slowly and forced back down the burst of bile that bubbled up from my belly, and took a moment to appraise myself of all I¡¯d seen, felt, and heard. All around me there was the usual greener grass and purple leaved trees, but there were also some stark white poplars, dusty gray ash with screwed up faces in the leaves, as well as some of those totally black oaks and twisted cedars that I¡¯d seen before outside Kormath. Crawling and skittering about within the fantastical foliage were an eclectic assortment of insects; the most interesting of which were iridescent hercules beetles latched onto a tree, a colony of bright pink ants each the size of my thumb, and a hive of bees that for some reason had the heads of tiny bears. Additionally, there were some small woodland beasts like the donkey eared and monkey tailed squirrels I¡¯d seen elsewhere, but also some bunnies with dandelion puff tails, a couple groundhogs with webbed shovel-like paws, a mole or two with spinning narwhal horns, and to my surprise a mink with glittering gold and silver fur. It took a few hours of walking, but we also started to encounter some people too. Some were solitary messengers coming up at top speed to pass us by from behind, while others were travelers, like us, carrying their belongings in carts and wagons pulled by a veritable menagerie of beasts of burden. There were horses, mules, donkeys, and oxen like you¡¯d expect, but their colors were¡­ vibrant? Some were neon green, yellow, or orange, while others were more standard colors like ours, only they had extra legs, heads, eyes and in the case of a heavily armored knight looking guy, what appeared to be a bicorn with flashing police lights in the horns and eyes. I stared at the last one through my awareness bubble as he trotted past. Clearly this world has a lot more for me to see than what I¡¯ve witnessed so far. Then I smirked. Sounds like a good time though. As the day wore on and evening approached we started to encounter more and more people setting up camp at the more regular campsites cleared out on the side of the road. Carmella sent a questioning gaze my way a few times, but since I didn¡¯t detect any danger I just shook my head and we kept going. I just hope she wasn¡¯t looking for my approval to stop. That would be silly! And defeat the purpose of doing what we did¡­ . Though, I do understand if they aren¡¯t thinking about things like I do. Once the sides of the roads were clear for a good way and the sun¡¯s light was about to abandon us I used illuminate to brighten the growing gloom and lead everyone¡¯s weary bodies over to the safe clearing near the trees that I¡¯d scouted out with my newly expanded powers of perception. Given their grumbling I¡¯m gonna assume they wanted to stop sooner, especially given how impromptu our departure was and the fact that I have no idea if teleporting tired them out at all. I should¡¯ve checked, but hindsight is twenty twenty. ¡°Alright, I think we made some good progress today, and since you all seem a little worn out, I¡¯ll take care of setting up camp and making dinner.¡± A wave of Witness was all it took to usher the undergrowth into unpacking the cart and putting up the tents, four in total, while various crates were placed around the firepit they opened in the ground to be used as seats. After that the long grass kindly moved aside to make the area more comfortable, and I cracked my knuckles. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve cooked anything. This¡¯ll be fun! I hummed a happy tune as I used spark to ignite the fire and wind ward to control the temperature. Then I got out the iron skillet and cooking pot along with the cutting board, utensils, plates, mugs, and kitchenware that they¡¯d packed and got to work cooking up a generous portion of pan fried bread with a side of a thick and meaty stew. Honestly, I don¡¯t really have the cooking ability or anything so I really hope that doesn¡¯t affect the taste, because I do, in fact, remember how to do this. Which is interesting, because I¡¯ve thought about cooking a few times and only now did it come to me. Anyway, the others just watched me work like a bunch of sleepy little kids who¡¯d just stumbled into wonderland, and I can¡¯t really blame them, because I never stopped using the vegetation to move things around, and with all the fairy sized lights I had slowly dancing through the air so that I could see better it probably looked extra phantasmal. Ysdra was the first in line once I started dishing out the food, and eagerly took the plate and bowl from me before the drool leaking from her lips could reach her shirt. ¡°It smells so good! Anon, it smells so good!¡± I chuckled as I divvied out the rest, and patted her head as I plopped down on the lone untaken box around the warm fire. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you like it, but we¡¯ve got a long way to go yet and we¡¯ll be leaving early this time, so once you all finish eating, you should probably go get some rest.¡± The hunter cleared his throat. ¡°Then, are you to take first watch?¡± I smiled back. ¡°I don¡¯t need to sleep so I was planning to cover the whole night, every night, until we reach our destination.¡± Carmella had been gently blowing on a spoonful of stew to cool it, but after I said that her breath came out as a half sigh. Calden, however, nearly dropped his spoon. ¡°No! We can¡¯t make you do all the work, you¡¯re¨C!¡± I cocked my head at him. ¡°But who¡¯s making me do anything? I thought I was volunteering?¡± He hesitated, then recovered his utensil and lowered his head. ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± The others muttered their thanks as well, and after that dinner passed quickly and quietly, with them going to sleep in the tents while I kept vigil right where I sat. Yes, there was a tent for me too, but I didn¡¯t plan to use it as it would make intercepting any threats more difficult. And the night passed in peace. That was¡­ surprisingly painless. I mean, it¡¯s what I was aiming for with the whole teleport half-way thing, but I really thought someone was going to pull something. I mean, it¡¯s possible with all the magic and stuff, but to think there weren¡¯t even any bandits! Anyway, the next two days were equally quiet, with our final night out on the road interrupted only by a pack of forest green wolves, who, after meekly entering the camp and eating the scraps I gave them, thoroughly enjoyed some much needed pets before going on their way with no one else being any wiser. Which means that the system wasn¡¯t lying when it said animals will obey me. Our final day began, in much the same way as the others. I loaded everyone up with a hearty and generous breakfast of bacon and porridge, and then we set out under the rosy hues of early morning. I noticed we were passing more travelers today, and that there were other roads stemming off and joining up with ours as we got closer and closer to our destination. The forest that had provided us with such exquisite scenery along the way also gave way to hills and fields covered not with flowers, but farms and farm steads, and lots of them. Based on Uriel¡¯s timely input I knew they were growing all sorts of beans, wheat, corn, leafy greens, root vegetables, and to my surprise, mushrooms. And when I say assortment, I mean assortment as there were apparently different varieties of wheat for different products. For instance, there was specifically wheat that was best used to make flower, wheat specifically rich in nutrients but tough in texture for livestock, and wheat to be made into pasta, just to name a few. It was also much the same for the corn. And a little later I finally saw the place we were headed. The place called¡­ . Ya¡¯know, I don¡¯t think I ever asked where we were going, did I? Oops. Anyway, it was significantly larger than Ariadholme, with even higher and thicker walls. Walls that were pierced by the large roads at two massive gates at the southeast and southwest as the entire rest of the place was blocked by a serene and enormous lake. There were even boats! Anyway, the place looked packed with a disorganized collection of houses and other buildings all crammed this way and that, but towering over it all was a fairly impressive castle right on the cliffside overlooking the glistening waters of the lake. My companions let out sighs of relief once the place came into their view, but I was preoccupied with what to do next. There are some pretty hefty lines to get into town, so do we just wait? Pull the authority card and try to cut the line? Or do we send a message to whoever¡¯s in charge to let them know that we¡¯re here and hope they¡¯ll send guards to meet us? It¡¯d be nice to just fly over, but I haven¡¯t learned a spell that works for a group yet, and that¡¯s assuming there even is one. Patience The warm sun blessed us with baking backs but the cool breeze carried over from the lake countered it with gusto. Birds were chirping, bugs were buzzing, and the two headed cow-esque creatures were well, not mooing, but kinda like¡­ vooing? Flooing? The sound was a bit slurred by the cud in their chompers but that¡¯s what it sounded like to me. Anyway, it was a rather beautiful day, and the city and castle made for some wonderful scenery so my mind was all but made up, but since I didn¡¯t know what everyone else wanted to do I only muttered. ¡°It might be nice to just wait in line.¡± I didn¡¯t think anyone had heard me as no one reacted or said anything as we continued on down the road toward the southwest gate. However, instead of cutting the line, Calden started to steer the cart to the back. This of course earned him curious glances from the knights, hunter, and Carmella, but he just grinned and winked at me, and all the rest let him off the hook. Because apparently, I¡¯m all the explanation they need to understand any strange or unexpected occurrence now! We pulled to a stop behind a big honkin¡¯ wagon pulled by a pair of oxen that looked to be hewn from stone, yet moved with the fluidity and general behaviors of a living animal. There were several similar carts lined up in front of that, and many many heavily armed guards patrolled around the lot of them. In front of that were smaller carts and carriages of a myriad of makes and materials all of course also coming in various states of weathering and disrepair. For instance, there were wide wooden carts owned by farmers that were caked in mud, but were otherwise solid and well cared for, while in contrast some travelers simply had small shoddy carts that were otherwise devoid of dirt on anything other than the wheels. Then there were the carriages. Some were big and wide, others small and narrow. Some had crests and elaborate ornamentation, while others were sleek and plain. Some had many animals harnessed to them, others only had one or two. And it wasn¡¯t that they fell into one category or the other, no, they were mixed and matched, as some of the most impressive carriages were pulled by the fewest steeds. While one particularly plain one had no less than eight reptilian looking horse things ready to rush onwards. Heck! One carriage had little whirling gizmos and doodads all over it and moved without anything harnessed to it at all. And that was interesting until Uriel ruined it with a super in-depth explanation about the various enchantments and spell balances that made up each tiny little component part. Well that just took the wonder right out of it. Now all I see it as is a freakin¡¯ car. I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air, savored the sun¡¯s warmth on my skin and the breeze tenderly tousling my clothes, and let my mind melt into the myriad other sensations my new and improved senses fed me. I mean, what¡¯s more beautiful than nature? Sure it¡¯s a little subdued around here given all the farms, but the spaces beside the roads are just green and lush grasses, and with my senses I can practically see them growing! Would be better with some flowers though. And to my utter shock, flowers started to bloom. First a few just scattered about, so subtle that no one noticed, then more and more until I realized they were literally sprouting and growing out of nowhere. Holy! But how? Is there one of those druids Carmella mistook me for nearby? I examined the area with the rest of the pleasantly surprised onlookers, albeit a bit more thoroughly, but didn¡¯t see anyone casting spells, so I decided to just follow the flow of mana back to the source. Let¡¯s see here, looks like the caster¡¯s right¡­ Oh. Wait! Why am I the source? I inspected myself, given that I don¡¯t know any druid spells, but then noticed that the mana was flowing from Witness and not from me directly. I slightly lifted the staff from the road and the flood of flowers ceased. It didn¡¯t really look like anyone else in line suspected me or it, but Carmella was covering her face with both hands, and the hunter dude was giving me a bewildered stare. Like many of the children present, Calden was in awe, and Ysdra was clapping in glee, but their knights, well, they either didn¡¯t care or chose not to react at all. Since I was free for the moment I inspected my staff again, and Uriel buzzed as it pulled up its stats once more.
Short staff: Name: Witness Power: 17? Mana: 437/600 Durability: 6264 Traits: Loyal, Self mending, One with nature, pathfinder, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
Woah. Did it get stronger? But more importantly I don¡¯t think I ever got around to figuring out what those traits actually do. Maybe I should since it¡¯ll probably answer all my questions. Once more Uriel buzzed, and descriptions appeared.
Loyal: A trait denoting that the item favors its original owner over others. It can still be weilded by others, but only if they are acting with the owner''s permission, or if their goals are the same. Self Mending: A trait that denotes the item will use mana to repair itself over time. Can be used actively to initiate rapid recovery. One with nature: A rare trait that indicates that the item is still a part of the natural world despite having been processed or refined. Greatly increases affinity with the wilderness and all related magic. Pathfinder: A trait that allows the user to expend mana to locate a safe route to their desired destination. Accuracy and range vary based on the spirit stat of the user. Fragment of the Elder Root: A trait marking the item as an offshoot of the virtaris root. It is alive and remains a piece of the Wise Old Friend, though it''s consciousness is new and lacks the memories of the Elder tree. It will continue growing if fed mana. Blessing of the Elder Root: A trait indicating the item possesses the goodwill and protection of the Virtaris root allowing for contact to be made with the Elder tree and powers to be borrowed.
I honestly expected Uriel to tell me that it wasn¡¯t high enough level to answer like last time, but since it was all there, I guess that ban only applied to my questions about who named Witness. Though if it¡¯s alive, maybe it named itself? And it¡¯s a little scary that Witness now has as much mana as Goldorath did. Regardless, I¡¯m just glad I know what happened now. I grinned and whispered. ¡°Thanks for the flowers, little guy.¡± Witness trembled like a small child overwhelmed with emotion. It was a little odd that I could picture that scene so clearly, but since I now knew it was alive and only days old it wasn¡¯t much of a stretch either. A long whistle pierced my thoughts and drew me back to reality. It was then followed by a soft male voice. ¡°What a sight to behold. Perhaps coming here was the right decision after all.¡± Upon inspection, the voice belonged to a brunette man no older than forty. At least, I think he¡¯s no older than forty. It¡¯s kinda hard to tell considering he¡¯s, like, literally made of metal. Kinda like a mannequin of steel. He wore simple but clean clothes of green, brown, and white that made for a stylish ensemble that made me think he was quite affluent despite their plain design. His skin, or rather outer shell, was a light gray and his joints glowed faintly with a gold light similar to his longish hair. His face was relatively plain and kinda looked like a slightly curved mask with glowing slits for eyes and a vaguely smile shaped line for a mouth; which of course also glowed, especially when he spoke. On top of all that, all the guards of the mostly matching carriages immediately in front of us would periodically glance at him every so often, which gave away the fact that he was probably their boss. Which makes him quite the merchant too if he¡¯s got so many carriages. I wonder if he¡¯s got anything good? Before I could even act on that thought he hopped down from the cart he sat upon and strode toward us. He waved to the always wary knights out front, and then whipped off his wide brimmed and colorfully plumed hat before pressing it to his heart and going into an elaborate and deep bow. ¡°My apologies for so suddenly disturbing you, but since entry to the city has momentarily halted, might I ask if any of you are interested in my wares?¡± What? It¡¯s stopped? I extended my awareness until it enveloped the nearest gate and a good bit of the surrounding city and quickly overheard the spooked guards shout for someone to report this unnatural phenomenon to the lord and to keep everyone out until an inspection is completed. Well darn. Looks like we¡¯ll be waiting a bit longer, but hot dang! This merchant dude figured things out instantly and came to make a quick buck. Guess that¡¯s the kinda calibur you need to make it big as a traveling salesman. Nobody objected so with a couple claps Mr. Merchant signaled his unarmed underlings to usher over an assortment of ancient or intriguing items. From weapons and armor of every variety bearing strange glyphs and runes, to bottles of funny colored and usually glowing liquids, to elaborate and expensive looking jewelry that glittered in the sun, all were laid before us in droves upon a long and wide table that walked itself over from the back carriage. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°Look at that! They''re all so shiny!¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°This is¡­impressive.¡± Obviously Calden and Ysdra were excited to see the spectacle, as were many of the others in line behind us who started to wander over to take a closer look at the displayed merchandise. Even Carmella seemed a bit taken aback by the quality of the stuff and subtly checked the contents of her coin purse. The knights and hunter remained vigilant of the other people who now closed in, but the merchants'' many men-at-arms moved to keep the crowd at bay, allowing only one or two at a time to step forward and shop. We had unrestricted access since we were kinda too close to the table anyway and had been the ones that were originally approached, so I took the chance to give his stuff a glance in case there was actually something useful behind all the flashy toys. Uriel had a field day analyzing everything, but I ignored most of it since I didn''t much care for, or need, the weapons or armor. The potions were also heavily coveted by the others gathered around, so I left them be as I wasn¡¯t trying to get on anyone¡¯s bad side by claiming a prize they¡¯d set their sights on. That said, there was one trinket that caught my eye.
Ring: Name: Seal of Solumn Man Power: 1 Mana: 0/??? Durability: 13/??? Traits: Self repairing; Search; Rebuke; Blight protection; Demon detection; Concealment; Curse counter; Discernment; Solumn shackles
It didn¡¯t look like much next to the others, little more than a ruddy and cracked brass signet ring with a faded and crude design etched into its tarnished face. It was practically invisible, overlooked by all beyond me, though compared to the others it was undoubtedly the most powerful. Though what¡¯s up with the name? There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a holdover from the old Earth. I would¡¯ve found it when I was searching the wastes of the world so why is something from this world so similar? Despite being focused on my own thoughts I was all too aware as the merchant slowly and casually strode over to stand beside me. He must have noticed that I noticed because he didn¡¯t hesitate to speak. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found it, treasured customer. The tarnished diamond. The star of my collection.¡± I arched an eyebrow. ¡°I take it you place it like this to see if anyone can spot it?¡± ¡°Yes. It has the peculiar ability to go undetected by all but the sharpest eyes or most prominent minds. Even the most experienced mercenaries and scouts miss it, and since it jealously guards the rest of its secrets from me and all observers I¡¯ve asked to examine it, I''ve taken to using it as a way to find the most capable out of my many clientele.¡± I gazed at his expressionless face and the reflection of my own held within. ¡°Any reason for that? You did just call it valuable.¡± ¡°It is, just as a way to make lucrative connections.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± I turned to face him. ¡°You dodged my first question. That means the reason for it being placed out today is because you¡¯re where you want to be, right? The place you gathered all these treasures for.¡± His eye slits and perpetual smile lit up. ¡°My, my. You¡¯re even more interesting than I¡¯d expected.¡± He placed a hand on his heart and slightly lowered his head. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, I am Maximus Ubert, founder and head of Uber Trading Enterprises, one of the largest merchantries in the Empire. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?¡± Wow. A real bigshot, just like I¡¯d expected. I nodded back at him. ¡°I¡¯m Anon. Anon Amos. Professional vagrant. Might I know what brought you here?¡± His literally bright smile only grew in intensity, then he glanced over at Ysdra. ¡°I came seeking the young lady of this territory. My son is ill you see, and I dared to hope beyond hope that her magic might aid him, though upon closer inspection I see now that that hope was in vain.¡± He lowered his head and crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s ironic, really, that she¡¯d be waiting in line right behind me at the capital of her own family¡¯s territory. Poetic, that a sudden bloom of flowers would lead me to her, then to you, and that marvelous staff that, once powdered, could be used to devise a cure for my boy.¡± Then he met my gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll gladly trade the ring for your staff? More, actually. You can take all that¡¯s left on the tables too, and everything left in the carts.¡± I chuckled and shook my head as I tightened my grip on the subtly quivering Witness. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve no need for all that. And this cure you hope to craft...¡± I inspected each of Maximus¡¯ carriages until I found one with a heavily padded interior, and a metallic young man strapped down inside it. Of course Uriel buzzed.
Name: Galviston Ubert Species: Techronogg Health: 23/324 Mana: 14/163 Endurance: 5/250 Strength: 7/42 + 2 Agility: 14/78 - 20 Speed: 10/43 - 20 Toughness: 3 Spirit: 163 Status conditions: madness; confusion; wasting; fatigue; corruption (Severe) Titles: Merchant Prince; Intrigued by Darkness; Liar; Seeker of the Occult; Twisted Morality; Practicioner of the Profane; Lost Soul (Hidden) Abilities: Arithmatic lv: 34 Mana sense lv: 12 Mana manipulation lv: 8 Caligraphy lv: 70 Inspection lv: 22 Dark essence magic (beginner) lv: 41 Chaos essence magic (beginner) lv: 13 Silver tongue lv: 64 Subtle steps lv: 72 Foreign Languages lv: 2 Blight channeling lv: 8
¡°Will it really work on something self-inflicted? Even if he is cured, won¡¯t he just go back to doing what got him into trouble in the first place?¡± For the first time Maximus froze and the lights on his face went out. Then they came back a few moments later, but only just. Though the light and his voice grew with every sentence. ¡°How? How do you know? Are you a soothsayer? A prophet? I¡¯ve been searching everywhere! Please don¡¯t give me hope and then snatch it away when I¡¯ve gotten so close!¡± Ouch. I feel ya dude. I had to stop him from dropping to his knees. His shouting had already spooked the remaining shoppers, and Calden and Ysdra¡¯s knights moved to guard their young charges. Carmella came over from the table of weapons and whispered in my ear. ¡°Is everything alright? I can''t say I understand how things got this way, but I¡¯m amazed at the subtlety of your power. Are you able to make anyone simply drop everything at your leisure? To make anyone of any stature simply grovel at your feet?¡± I blinked. Huh? What¡¯s she saying? Does she think I wanted to wait in line so that I could use some flowers to start a conversation with this guy all so that I could get him in my debt? That. That would take a scary level of planning, and an even more terrifying mindset. And I just¡­lucked into it. But let¡¯s move things along before things get too out of hand. I helped Maximus stand back up from the half squat he managed to get in before I caught him, and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°Tell you what. You give me that ring and pledge to support that young Calden going forward and I¡¯ll do what I can for Galviston.¡± His eyes sparked bright and his head reared back in shock at the mention of his son¡¯s name before they went out entirely. Then he took the ring from the table and my hand from his shoulder, and pressed the basically broken band into my palm. ¡°Please. Please.¡± With that, I quietly wandered away from the spontaneous streetbound shop and toward the third carriage from the front of Maximus¡¯ convoy. It was by no means anywhere near the front of the line, and his guards didn¡¯t try to stop me, but before I could check on the patient I figured a quick check of the ring wouldn¡¯t hurt. I clasped it tight in my left palm, and channeled a trickle of mana into it. The band responded by greedily devouring all I gave it, so I poured in more, and more, and more, but the ring ate it all with relish and kept begging for the feast to continue. I almost got absorbed in the task, just to find out how much mana it could take, and by extension how much I could give, but a small voice interrupted. ¡°Anon?¡± I turned around to find a sheepish Ysdra standing there, one hand clasping her elbow, both ears drooped. So I crouched to her eye level. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I, um¡­I overheard what the merchant said and I¨C¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I lightly lifted her chin. ¡°People will place many hopes and expectations on your shoulders as you go through life. Some are reasonable, some you may take up on your own, but others won¡¯t be either. And I won¡¯t deny that meeting or exceeding expectations is a gratifying thing, regardless of where they came from, but getting absorbed in meeting them can blind you, and failure can crush you.¡± She shuddered, and the corners of her eyes glistened. ¡°I¨C then¡­what I did¡­?¡± Poor girl. That probably hit a bit harder than I intended since she was about ready to give her life when we met. ¡°You are to do your best, and accept expectations wisely. A lofty goal isn¡¯t always a bad thing. But moderation and prudence are important too, lest you burn yourself out and fall into depression.¡± She blinked a few times, and gulped back her tears. ¡°Then I¡­didn¡¯t make a bad choice?¡± ¡°No, dear. For there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend.¡± I smiled and stood up. ¡°Now, I think we¡¯ve kept our patient waiting long enough. Don¡¯t you?¡± A grin crept back across her face, and she nodded several times as I opened the door to the carriage. Just as I saw before, Galviston lay bound by sturdy cloth at the center of the padded carriage. He was gagged with his arms behind his back; basically in a makeshift straight jacket, if a straight jacket had bits that could be anchored to the walls and floor. Ysdra went in first, and I took a peep at my new ring. Uriel informed me that its mana had risen to about 547 and its durability was at a solid 4000, but the upper limits of both were still unknown. Heck, it even looked different. Solid gold instead of tarnished brass, and with the face bearing a crisp and clear six pointed star. The star of David. Just like the original was supposed to have. Wait. Why do I know that? Anyway, I slipped the signet onto my right middle finger, and clambered in after Ysdra. She had begun giving Galveston a cursory inspection, poking and prodding him, which spurred him to wriggle and writhe¨Cnot that it did much good as his restraints prevented most any movement. But even restrained those are some pretty weak movements. Barely any life in him at all. He¡¯s not even trying to make noise either. I used my extensive senses to look him over, but aside from getting a look at his body¡¯s rather complex inner workings, and considerable resemblance to his father, I couldn¡¯t find much to go off of. It really doesn¡¯t help that he¡¯s metal. Like Uriel reported several physical maladies, but the others were mental or spiritual and I¡¯m not sure where to look, let alone how. Maybe I should give the ring a go? I poured mana into it and willed it to find the corruption I knew existed within him. It pulsed in response and my eyes suddenly beheld a sickly black haze flowing in his, not veins, but circuits? ¡°Um. Anon?¡± Ysdra tugged on my sleeve. ¡°I can¡¯t find anything.¡± I patted her head, and moved over to the merchant¡¯s muted and misguided son. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty subtle, so just watch.¡± She nodded obediently, and focused on me so intently that her big cat-like pupils swallowed up her irises. Alright, cute cat concentration aside, let¡¯s try demon detection. The ring activated again, but as it didn¡¯t alert me to anything new, I was pretty sure there weren¡¯t any demon¡¯s at play here. I tried the ring¡¯s ¡®discern¡¯ trait next, and then for whatever reason Uriel buzzed.
Discrenment conclusion: Blight is the result of subject engaging in torture and sacrifice of other living creatures. Primarily animals, but some monsters too. As a result their malice toward him mixed with his own growing obsession with the forbidden to taint him.
So is it a curse? Can it be broken? Uriel buzzed again.
No curse detected. All symptoms are a result of spiritual degridation. Repair the spirit to stabilize health and sanity.
Right. So then how do I want to start this? The ¡®soothe¡¯ spell? The ¡®spirit shake¡¯ spell? The ¡®spirit needle¡¯ spell? Or should I try the ring¡¯s ¡®blight protection¡¯, or ¡®solemn shackles¡¯ traits? I don¡¯t wanna just jump to my ??? intervention ability again like I did for Calden since he isn¡¯t terminal, but how do I best piece together something that¡¯s broken and blighted with what I¡¯ve got access to? Mercy and Temperance Okay then, he¡¯s metal so it might be a bit difficult, but I should start by trying to get the blight out of him, and what better way to clear spiritual suffering than with a wonderful massage? I clapped my hands together and activated the spirit shake spell. Just as with Ysdra when she first demonstrated it, my hands glowed a faint tealish-greenish color before going out. My mana sense ability revealed that the spell was still active, so I got to work giving the bound and gagged Galveston a good rubdown. Obviously I started at his heart? Core? Central reactor? Whatever that glowing thing in his chest was that provided him sustenance, since it was the center, and likely source of, the blight in his body. Slowly, carefully, and with the aid of my ¡®focus¡¯ ability I worked my hands to gently push the hazy blight from his core and out through his circuits. And lemme tell you it wasn¡¯t easy. That stuff moved like near frozen tar with my magic being the only heat to keep it in a semi viscous state. And that¡¯s overlooking the part where it persistently tried to keep going back to his center. But, frustrated as I was, I didn¡¯t give up and gradually increased my mana output and the speed of my hands. Which was apparently kinda quick since I heard Ysdra gasp. Galveston, for his part, didn¡¯t take any of it very well, and tried to resist my every effort, but since he was weak and tied up, I paid him no heed and started using the spirit needle spell to stick magical pins in my work so that the blight wouldn¡¯t be able to regress anymore. I mean, if I was him I¡¯d be overjoyed to have someone pull me out of that kind of state, but based solely on the vibe I¡¯m getting he¡¯s of the opinion that my help is not only unwanted, but also a detriment to him. I sighed. You¡¯re lucky that your dad cares about you so much, buddy, because you¡¯ve gotta be pretty messed up to think you¡¯re better off this way. Quietly Ysdra circled around, placed both her hands over Glaveston¡¯s eyes and muttered the incantation for the ¡®soothe¡¯ spell. Which in turn caused his feeble resistance to diminish. I took her not so subtle hint, and likewise pumped the occasional soothe spell into him and found that the shriveled bits of his spirit that the blight had touched started to come back. It was kinda like watching a leaf burn in reverse, uncurling and regaining its proper color, but not all the way so I had to stretch it back into the empty parts of his body and pin it into place just to be safe. All in all, it took about thirty minutes to get all the gunk to his extremities and his spirit back into total contact with his body. I watched as the sheer concentration of the stuff ate away at his spirit in those places, and mentally patted myself on the back for having the good sense to divide it up and not to push it all into his core. That might¡¯ve killed him, but since it¡¯s in his fingers and toes, I can safely hold the deterioration at bay with ¡®soothe¡¯ while I figure out a way to remove it. Initially I tried to just push it out, but it just wouldn¡¯t leave his circuits so I tried to pierce it with a needle and pull it out but it resisted that too, kinda like trying to pick up a noodle with only one chopstick. That doesn¡¯t give me much to work with since it seems like my magic is only actually affecting his spirit and not the blight itself. And while the blight flows through and taints his spirit it won¡¯t dissipate or flow out when I bring it to the edge of his being¡­ heck, if that¡¯s the case will it dissipate at all? If it doesn''t, what am I going to do with it once it¡¯s out? A little fed up with the problems this guy created for himself, and without any other idea of what to do, I held out my right hand and mentally ordered the ring to use its final function. The star on its face shone a brilliant royal violet and from it a series of chains issued forth lashing out with great speed and intent on burrowing as deep into my patient and the blight as they could get. Galveston moaned and howled from behind the cloth gag while I grabbed hold of the mess of chains and stood up to pull. Thankfully, his restraints were pretty formidable, because after taking a few steps I was outside the carriage and all but parallel to the ground. My feet were planted on the step of the carriage, and my entire weight was supported by the magical fetters that were ever so slowly ripping the repulsive reprobate clean of his own sordid sins. ¡°W¨Cwhat is the meaning of this outlandish display? What are you doing to my boy!?¡± Maximus came running over but before he or his guards could interfere, Calden, the knights, and to my surprise, Carmella stood in their way. All too aware of the casually dressed young lord¡¯s identity, and bound by his all too new pledge to support him, the mecha merchant stopped his advance, but continued to shift nervously as I played the most critical game of tug of war ever conceived with Galveston. I mean, come on! This is utterly ridiculous! I can feel that brat resisting my efforts even now! Like, I¡¯d get it if he felt guilty and thought he should suffer for his crimes against life, but he¡¯s seriously unable to recognize a helping hand when it¡¯s right in front of his stupid face! I grit my teeth, twisted my torso to the right and put more strength into the effort. I heard the wood of the carriage groan beneath my feet, then felt the whole thing start to lift and tilt in my direction, but the blight wouldn¡¯t give. Several gasps left those gathered when they witnessed my display of force, and that¡¯s when I felt it. Somewhere deep within me, the instinctive knowledge came that the blight wouldn¡¯t come out of him unless I spoke the three magic words and meant them. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Then the system spoke. Uggh. I don¡¯t really feel like he deserves it, but his father isn¡¯t a bad person, and penance served on another¡¯s behalf isn¡¯t something to just overlook either. Before the carriage could tilt any further and came crashing onto my head, I calmed myself and found it within me to whisper. ¡°Yes. I forgive you. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m the one who needs to, but I forgive you anyway. Put this behind you, stop running from the light of those who love you, and move into a new day.¡± Then the blight lost its grip on him and I promptly went tumbling across the ground¨Cface first I might add, since I had twisted around to help pull. And, of course, Ysdra yelped as the carriage thudded back down and rocked a bit before returning to stillness. After that, Countless shrieks filled the air, as apparently the carriage commotion had drawn the attention of even more people and all now gawked in my general direction. Then Maximus murmured. ¡°What? What is that? That horrendous bile was inside him?¡± Sure enough, at the ends of the violet chains floated and flitted an inky cloud of partly viscous, partly smoky black and dark gray¡­well, blight. The mere sight of the stuff was enough to make my stomach turn, so I could understand the pale faces, wide eyes, and occasional loss of consciousness that the onlookers suffered from. It¡¯s like Goldorath, but¡­formless. Mindless. Simply, utterly, unapologetically evil. With no rhyme nor reason to its existence other than to spread suffering and misfortune to any and all it contacts. Heck, in that regard Goldorath was better since he at least focused and limited his malice to some extent. Calden crouched beside me and grabbed nervously at my cloak. ¡°M¨Cmaster Anon. W¨Cwhat do we do? I¨Cis that¨C Is that a demon?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, sat up, and held the violet chains and the complete and utter garbage drifting about at the other end kinda like the world¡¯s most repulsive balloon. ¡°This is just blight. A whole load of self induced blight at that. And all that¡¯s really left is to get rid of it.¡± ¡°But how?¡± He stared at it with abject horror. ¡°How do we eliminate evil?¡± I chuckled. ¡°With love.¡± Then pointed my free hand at the shadowy mass and said. ¡°Now begone!¡± While willing my as of yet unused ¡®purge¡¯ ability to activate. I mean, if ever there was a time or place to test something like this, it¡¯d be here. Especially since I got it for destroying a demon. At my prompting I felt the same vague sensation I had when I first used ??? protection, and as I expected the system gave me the same reply. Then a beat later, noticeably faster than before, it concluded. As before, the vague feeling in my chest exploded into radiant warmth that flowed up my finger and into an unseen ray that stilled the air around the blight. Every part of the baleful blackness that it touched began to brighten, not with light, but a simple return to the way it was before the darkness came. It was gone within the moment, and though I felt a little out of breath from the effort, none of the incredible pain or fatigue that hit me before were present now. I guess purging a little blight is easier than saving someone who¡¯s basically dead on three different levels. But anyway, my job¡¯s done, so it¡¯s time to give Maximus his debriefing. I got up with Calden¡¯s eager help, his eyes sparkling at my apparent effortless erasure of evil, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. Carmella had to pick her jaw up off the floor, the knights were rubbing their eyes like they couldn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d seen, and the crowd of people who hadn¡¯t fled from the mere sight of the blight now pressed their heads to the grassy ground as if in reverence or worship. Great, more awkward acknowledgment from the assembly. I guess I shouldn¡¯t complain though, I can feel my expended strength returning through whatever it is they¡¯re doing. Maximus, for his part, was stunned speechless. The line that made up his mouth blinked on and off again in an apparent effort to find something to say that never bore fruit. I waited a bit, but since the words weren¡¯t coming, I just smiled, placed a hand on his shoulder and said softly. ¡°He¡¯s safe now, weakened, but safe. You¡¯ll need to keep a close eye on him too, both to help him recover, but also because he¡¯ll probably try to return to his old¡­activities. And we can¡¯t have that.¡± I started to pull away, but since I still got the feeling he wanted to say something yet couldn¡¯t, I winked at him and said. ¡°I know you¡¯ve lived your life so far trading one thing for another, always paying your debts, but we had an agreement so you don¡¯t owe anything more. If you still feel that¡¯s lacking, I¡¯ll gladly take a thank you whenever you should find your voice.¡± His eyes sparked to life and he dropped to his knees. ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much! I¡¯ve searched everywhere for a solution and was ready to accept he¡¯d never recover! Thank you! You saved us!¡± I shook my head. ¡°I saved him because you truly cared for him. I also would¡¯ve saved him if he¡¯d wanted to be saved, but he didn¡¯t, so in effect, you saved him. Remember that.¡± He quaked and quivered as I walked back to the carriage to retrieve Ysdra. She was obsessively analyzing Galveston, and both people perked up when I approached. ¡°Anon! You¡¯re amazing! He¡¯s healed! Completely healed! I had no idea you could use magic like that! I¡¯ve learned so much! Thank you!¡± I caught the tanned tigress as she half-tumbled half-leaped out of the carriage¡¯s confines and held her up with a bright smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it without you kiddo, so many thanks to you too.¡± She blushed and buried her face into my shoulder, which gave me a moment to glance at Galveston. Our eyes met, and I held his gaze for a time. I didn¡¯t speak but got the feeling he knew this was his last chance before I purged him along with the blight. I shut my eyes, and was about to set Ysdra down when a deep baritone bellowed. ¡°Halt! Unhand that girl and step away! How dare you lay your hands on my sister!¡± My eyes shot open, and I beheld an impeccably dressed, tanned, blonde, tiger eared man who looked an awful lot like the little lady I was hugging. I guess I¡¯d been too tired or distracted to notice him and the heavily armed contingent of some two dozen guards with him approaching, but that was hardly the end of it. Another similarly dressed, though slightly shorter, yet more heavily muscled, black haired tiger eared man stepped out from the interior of the group of disgruntled guards and immediately drew his saber. ¡°Forget it brother, leave this one to me.¡± I had just enough time to deposit Ysdra on her feet before his sword whooshed past my ear, had I been attacked a moment earlier he might¡¯ve cut me, but my real problem was the dangerous glint in his eye that told me this attack was far from over. I¡¯m honestly not back at one hundred percent after using purge, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m exhausted either. So how do I want to handle this? Surrender and hope he accepts it? Flee and hope the kids can calm them? Fight hand to hand to try to subdue him? Or do I just overwhelm him with magic and leave the explanation to his obviously older, yet equally irked, brother? Then the system spoke. The corner of my eye twitched as my feline foe drew back his blade for the next strike. Calming a Cat Okay, terribly timed system notifications aside, this pissed pussycat is still poised to pounce so for now my priority is¨C ¡°Yow! That was close!¡± He didn¡¯t wait for my inner monologue to finish, he probably didn¡¯t even know it was happening, and wasted no time taking another stab at me¨Cone that I thankfully avoided, not that that stopped him from launching more. ¡°Coward! Craven! First you have the gall to lay your filthy hands on my sister and now you won¡¯t even dare to face me like a man!¡± I bent at the waist to avoid the next swing, then turned my head to evade the one that followed, before using the end of Witness to quickly sweep his legs and buy myself some distance; something that the gathered crowd also decided was a wise decision, which allowed the assembled guards fill the void they left, creating a circle of bodies that would serve as our arena. ¡°Ah! Cur! How dare you resort to such petty tactics?!¡± He hopped back to his feet fast enough, and even stopped to dust off his clothes, but never did he take his fearsome feline eyes off of me. How much do you wanna bet my variable appearance is working against me here? And what the heck? Why¡¯re they all taking this so seriously? And why hasn¡¯t anyone stopped this yet?! I glanced over to Ysdra and saw her and Calden arguing with the older brother, but since it didn¡¯t appear like he was willing to listen, or that any of my other traveling companions could or would intervene, I resolved myself to fight this furious feline. I sighed. At least they¡¯re trying. ¡°And now you dare to take your eyes off me in the middle of a fight? Fool!¡± Obviously, my expanded senses made me all too aware of just about every aspect of his being, so his blatant, albeit impressively quick, charge came as no surprise to me. Animus armor. Strength release. I thought both spells but limited the first to just my hand as I reached up and snatched the end of his saber before it could reach me. I could feel the Way of the One ability start firing up as I slowly turned my head to stare into his shocked lightning blue eyes. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m paying attention. I just don¡¯t see any reason to continue this, do you?¡± He snarled, and wrenched his sword from my grip. It didn¡¯t hurt thanks to the layer of chitin that wrapped my hand, but he did stumble a little as my grip was apparently a good bit stronger than he¡¯d expected. Paralyze. I invoked the spell in my head and felt the magic flow towards him but there was no response. He glanced around as if he¡¯d just noticed something brush over him, ever careful to keep me in his periphery, then returned his focus to me with yet another charge. Ugg. Aren¡¯t people supposed to give up when you catch their attack like that? And why didn¡¯t my spell work? Tase! With my moment of triumph muddied by unexpected failure, I again felt the spell activate and this time sparks and tendrils of electricity rolled off him as he swiped his blade past where my head used to be. He hissed. ¡°Was that paltry magic you? Ha! Parlor tricks! Basic spells, especially those cast through magic devices have no chance of affecting a black torathan!¡± I squinted at him. ¡°Uhh, okay. Thanks for the info, but did no one teach you not to reveal the secrets to your defenses during a fight?¡± ¡°Pfft. As if I¡¯d ever need to worry when I¡¯m fast enough to disrupt any incantation for higher leveled magic!¡± Okay, fair enough, but what¡¯s this crap about using magic devices? Is that how he¡¯s rationalizing my silent spellcasting?> I grinned. I blinked. Someone wasn¡¯t willing to¨C Oh! Right, I kinda scared the pants off of that one dude.> Then sighed. I floated a bit back. ¡°And you¡­ You had a body all this time? You¡¯re a person? I thought you were a program? Or¡­ I guess you¡¯re more of an A.I.?¡± The system shook its head. I just stared at it, partially hoping it would become more clear like my visions of Calden and Iskel, but to no real surprise, it didn¡¯t work. ¡°So I¡¯m resting? Is that why I can supposedly use my abilities? Because I¡¯m recovering while I sleep?¡± The system¡¯s silhouette nodded. ¡°Uhh¡­ right.¡± Not really sure what that last part has to do with anything, but I guess that means my mana is replenishing faster¡­ Which is probably how I¡¯m using even some of my abilities right now¡­ Even if I¡¯m not aware of it. Since the system went to the trouble to show up in person, I gathered my courage, and dared to ask it the questions that have been haunting me for a while. ¡°So why do you only answer me sometimes? And why do you and Uriel play such similar roles? And why the heck are you so rude to me? I can¡¯t count how many times you¡¯ve ghosted me!¡± The system¡¯s avatar opened its mouth and a horrible grating shriek shattered the otherwise peaceful silence. I staggered back clutching at ears I didn¡¯t have with hands that I already knew couldn¡¯t hold anything, but couldn¡¯t stop since my instincts won over logic. I don¡¯t know how long it lasted, and didn¡¯t really care, since I was nothing short of grateful that the nails on a chalkboard, metal being twisted, brakes squealing, glass scratching sound finally ended. There was even a pervasive static, like that of an old t.v. without a signal through the whole thing too, but that was the least jarring noise I made out in the cacophony. Still reeling from the blast, I sat up in the figurative sense, noticed the system¡¯s projected body was now gone, and muttered. ¡°I ask why you¡¯re rude and you take it to the next level¡­ Sheesh! What are you? A blinkin¡¯ kid?! There was no need for that!¡± My only solace came from the corner of my vision. I guess I¡¯d twisted around in my agony because I was now positioned to watch Suzy finally rip Gretkarn in half. She swallowed down his tail a second later, and then pecked his squirming upper half to pieces, which she¡¯d trapped underfoot, saving his actual head for last. I almost feel bad for the guy, but given what he¡¯s done, and planned to do, being picked apart and eaten by an oversized owl seems fitting to me. All three of my remaining motes of vision flickered and then dimmed as I felt my consciousness begin to fade again. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant, as the system¡¯s scream sucked what little strength I had from me, and since I had done all I could for everyone I could, I really didn¡¯t have a reason to resist. But I gritted my totally not real teeth in spite of this and grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll need to reevaluate my position in this world. I might¡¯ve been getting a big head after saving Kormath. But now I know I¡¯m all too vulnerable to other beings on my level. I¡¯ll¡­¡± I yawned. ¡°I¡¯ll need to work on getting stronger if I¡¯m ever going to stop feeling guilty¡­ over¡­ this¡­ .¡± I drifted off to dreams filled with the usual array of needy people, some bearing striking resemblances to people I know or have at least seen in passing in Kormath, Ariadholme, and Kalsynthholme. Helping them always brought a pleasant wave of joy and fulfillment to me, and even though I knew I was dreaming, now more than ever, I gave myself to the process, secure in knowing that helping is what I live for. # Soaria an¡¯Selm hated using the crystal she carried. Yes, it was powerful. Yes, it was useful. Yes, she could use it basically whenever she wanted. But the cost was too inconvenient for her. For the farther she wanted to go, the greater the lag between when she left, and when she¡¯d arrive would be. And for an assassin, timing was everything. It was still faster than conventional travel, and did have a way to avoid the delay, but in order to do that she had to give up some of her future time instead, thus shortening her lifespan. Or, at least, that¡¯s what the lich who¡¯d given it to her, that fragment of a bygone age, forgotten by history for his sins, warned it would do to her. Yet again, I¡¯ve been left with no choice but to skip waiting. I need to act fast, before the Archmage has time to warn them. The emptiness she drifted through quickly gave way to moonlit trees, a grassy field that led into sand and a large dark lake beyond. Her destination, Kalsynthholme¡¯s castle, sat above at the top of the cliff on the opposite side from where she now stood. But the large trench gouged into the cliffside, along with the countless carcasses of boats, beasts, and men floating in the water left her speechless. Shade muttered. ¡°W¨Cwhat is that thing?¡± Her eyes lingered on the bloated body of the biggest monster she¡¯d ever seen lifelessly bobbing at the lake¡¯s center. She gulped. That¡¯s clearly the cause of all this. But what is this? I can hear screams from the city, so what do I do from here? Shall I start with scouting out the city in search of answers? Should I try to make contact with the Ascendant faith and coordinate our efforts? Or should I retreat into the woods and establish a base of operations? Her three remaining subordinates shuddered at her sides but none dared to run. Then a chill ran down her spine. Don¡¯t tell me this was the doing of whoever the Baronette spoke of¡­ She clenched her slender hands tight. I¡¯ll need to charge Palaesheck extra for this¡­ And then sever all ties. Sleeping Booty Soaria turned her gaze away from the battle shaken city, and loped deeper into the treeline. ¡°Come, we need to establish a base before we can start operations. I would¡¯ve liked to keep this quick, but it seems our mission has grown¡­ complicated.¡± The image of the hulk of a corpse in the water lingered in her mind. She wasn¡¯t much of a magus but the mana that the battle left in the air gave her goosebumps. Goosebumps, and an indescribable urge to flee. That corpse had to belong to Gretkarn. But if the local deity was slain by someone, and the Archmage mentioned an ally, one that Whisper called a logic defying monster then¨C Another sudden chill hastened her steps, and, heedless of her three remaining lackeys pushing themselves to keep pace, she accelerated. I need to proceed with caution. Terrestrial deities are always disasters when they get involved, but they aren¡¯t unstoppable or all knowing. And this one is likely wounded too, but a wounded beast is often more dangerous, so caution is the key, which makes knowledge the lock. She reached a small clearing, and slowed so that the other three could catch up and rest. ¡°We must bide our time until we know more of the entity that captured you, and slew that behemoth. Once we¡¯re established, you will scout the city. Confirm that the monster in the lake is Gretkarn, and if our target is still alive. Do not risk an attack for any reason even if he¡¯s within reach. The last thing we need is a vengeful deity after us. We must know more. We need to find a weakness. An indulgence. Something it cherishes, something it values more than Calden.¡± The three clasped their hands and gave short bows before speaking in unison. ¡°It will be done!¡± She turned away, and they dispersed to go and start covering their tracks. She reached into one of the enchanted pouches at her hip, removed a set of clawed gauntlets, and began to dig at the base of a large boulder. That leaves me to make contact with our temporary allies in the Ascendant church. Given the abundant arrogance of their higher ups I¡¯ve little doubt that they¡¯ve acted hastily and suffered a humiliating defeat. Which means they¡¯ll want revenge. Good. I could use an easy to manipulate and freely disposable pawn. Her Unearthing Master ability allowed her to hollow out a structurally sound fifteen by fifteen foot cavern within a matter of moments. She then withdrew several small light crystals and set them in the walls and ceiling. They wouldn¡¯t offer bright light until activated, and couldn¡¯t do so for very long, but they always kept a dim glow no matter what. The eerie green light would also usually ward off foolish explorers or curious monsters, but right now all it did was evoke the fresh memory of the gloomy dungeon that held her subordinates. Which led to the vision of Whisper¡¯s dead eyes, hollow voice, and listless, defeated, attitude. She stiffened as if a knife were held to her throat. Then clutched her head, and crawled out of the gloomy base. I¨C I have to admit it. I¡¯m scared. But I haven¡¯t been scared in¡­ The image of a tall man¡¯s shadow loomed large in her mind unbidden. He reached for her with the calloused, cruel, hands that hammered her into what she was today, and nearly grabbed her before she twisted free of the long gone phantom in her head. No¡­ No! He¡¯s gone. And once this job is complete, I shall leave this land and never return. I will not suffer that again. I refuse to fail. # A few days after Gretkarn¡¯s death Calden walked the organized clutter of the mostly ruined streets of the outer district in the orange light of the evening sun beneath the purple sky. He carried no weapon, had no armor, and was guarded only by the escorts the Count secretly ordered to tail him¨Cas he refused to have any others since they would prevent or deter the people from interacting with him. He wore a broad smile, hummed a hymn he¡¯d learned from Iskel, and waved at everyone he passed¨Cand more often than not, they returned the gesture, calling out his name in thanks or in simple greeting. For though things were far from fixed, they all had shelters to stay in and the freedom to collect what was left of their belongings thanks to his efforts. It¡¯s not much, but things will get better from here. Being the first district to complete the search for survivors has helped morale, and thanks to Uncle Linus granting me authority over the reconstruction of this district I¡¯ve been able to put the power God gave me through Anon to good use convincing people to convert. And that, in turn, has allowed for the plan that Father Iskel and I made to restructure the whole district into a more hospitable place to go through! He muttered. ¡°It¡¯s good to see the faith grow.¡± And the ability within him pulsed, reminding him of its recent growth to a higher level. It¡¯s a bit more costly to use now, but the effects are twice what they used to be! Is this the power of the Creator? Because Lady Matweirden never displayed the ability to grant us even a fraction of this strength. A shadow fell over his eyes at the thought of his Father, Uncle Linus, and all others within the empire and beyond who were all obsessed or devoted to a regional deity that, while powerful, used their followers to enrich themselves rather than freely provide as the Creator does. I guess that¡¯s the difference. They can only exert influence over a small part of the world, but the Creator. I hear he¡¯s the only deity worshiped the world over, and with multiple denominations too¡­ Even if his presence is weak in some countries¡­ Like ours. He forced the frown on his face away, and silently prayed as he marched on. ~Thank you Anon. And thank you God. I wouldn¡¯t even be here doing this right now if not for you. And you were right. Everything I need is already within me. All I have to do is try.~ He let the mirth welling up from within hasten his steps and shine in his grin for all to see. ~Forgive me for my impertinent thoughts, but when you get back Anon, I want to show you just how much I¡¯ve grown thanks to you both.~ But little did he know that the shadow that nearly took his life now watched him from an alley before slinking away. # Iskel sat in the shade of a tree and rested his weary bones. He swiped sweat from his now tanned brow with a dirty sleeve and smiled, content. His flock had grown thanks to the aid of the young lord Dresdeth, and with his miraculous displays of power Iskel found that his own magical abilities were now blossoming as well. Where he could once only heal a scrape or two or suppress the symptoms of a minor illness he could now restore grievous wounds and cure all manner of illnesses and diseases. He stared down at his slender arm, tired from felling trees with the rest of the wood cutting team, and channeled the mana through it. I can hardly believe it myself. I have so much power now. So many people are making donations too! Yes, we lost the old church, but the new one will be as grand as the Creator deserves! He looked up at the fat cottony clouds, took a swig of water from the flask at his hip, and watched his fellows work in shifts to bring down every other tree in the area in order to get enough lumber to repair the city. It¡¯s good to see the whole city acting as one. Even better to see everyone looking ahead after that disaster.> Tears welled up in his eyes. Carmella pressed a clammy hand to her sweaty brow. ¡°I¨CI must be dreaming. I¨CI thought I just heard someone tell me I¡¯m an observer.¡± And then she passed out. # ¡°Well. That was unexpected.¡± My voice echoed off into the void of my sleeping mind and I sighed as I pondered what to do to actually wake up. I thought it¡¯d just happen naturally, but I¡¯m still out so is there something wrong? Oh, crap! Don¡¯t tell me Carmella came here looking for me because there¡¯s trouble! I waved a nonexistent hand and several viewing bubbles opened up around me. I could actually control how much I could see now and even move them around to be more conveniently placed unlike before, largely due to the fact that I had mana to spare now¨Cor at least that¡¯s what I assume is the reason for my greater freedom. Anyway, it didn¡¯t look like Calden, Iskel, the Count, Ysdra, her brothers, or the now very much unconscious Carmella were in any danger, though it did look like several days had passed since the big fight, as reconstruction was already underway. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why she tried to find me, guess they¡¯re more worried then they were when they up and buried me¡­ Though I also got the feeling she was looking for information as well, so I hope that little gift helps. Whatever form it takes.¡± I shrugged, then, albeit a little hesitantly, I turned to open an image of my body. Please don¡¯t be buried, please don¡¯t be buried, please don¡¯t be buried! I¡¯ve already woken up underground twice now so for the love of all that¡¯s holy I don¡¯t need a third! My nonexistent jaw dropped. I¡¯m buried¡­ But not how I thought. Of my body, all I could see were my boots sticking out from beneath the feathered bulk that is Suzy. Meaning that my head was likely under her tail feathers, or as I like to call it, uncomfortably close to an owl butt. ¡°I guess she¡¯s trying to keep me warm, but what self respecting owl sits with both legs splayed out in front of it like a kid at storytime? I mean, come on! Her tongue is even lolling out of the corner of her beak! What the heck is¨C¡± Then realization struck. ¡°Oh yeah¡­ She¡¯s kinda recovering from being stuffed and burned to a crisp¡­ Maybe I should cut her a little slack, it can¡¯t be easy regrowing your brain, and she kinda saved the day too, so there¡¯s that.¡± I shook my head, trying not to grin like an idiot at the sight of the literal derpy bird, then realized that I¡¯d lost track of Witness during the fight. I opened another window, and froze at what I saw. There, at the lakeshore, holding my staff was one of the assassins that came after Calden in Ariadholme. If I recall correctly this one went by the alias Thread, and I really didn¡¯t like the all too pleased smirk on his face. ¡°Great. Just great. I can¡¯t even take it back, so what the heck do I do from here? Should I watch and see where he whisks Witness? Should I alert Calden that the assassins are back? Or do I try to rouse my sleeping body and risk burning myself out again? Since, ya¡¯know, if I was in tip top shape you¡¯d think I¡¯d have stirred already¡­ Ugh. I hate feeling so powerless!¡± Owl Abduction I stared at the assassin now slinking back into the trees with Witness in hand, then glanced at my body. ¡°No point getting Calden involved when they¡¯re after him, and I can follow Thread in person too. Guess I¡¯ve got no real choice. Time to wake up!¡± I willed myself to stir, but nothing happened. ¡°This¡­ this is going to be a headache isn¡¯t it?¡± A statement underlined by the fact that Suzy was still sitting on top of me covering all but my feet. She looked to have recovered some of her wits as her tongue was no longer lolling out, but the way she sat hadn¡¯t changed. In other words, I had to either wait until she shifted her position, or just ghost my way through her feathered butt in order to get even a tiny glimpse of myself. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste either¡­ Ugh. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± I ignored the mental discomfort of phasing through a living being, and tried laying down on top of the image of my body. I dunno what I expected to happen, some sorta synchronization or something? But that didn¡¯t work either. So I got up and tried jumping up and down on it, again while still overlapping with Suzy, but I failed again. Then I tried to do CPR on myself, ya¡¯know, in some sort of mind over body crap, but to no real surprise at this point, that had zero effect. I pinched my imaginary nose with my imaginary hand in this imaginary space created by my subconscious and sighed. ¡°What does one have to do in order to wake up around here? And why the heck is it taking me so long anyway? I wanna say I got just as beat up by Goldorath, if not worse since I got a freakin¡¯ death notice that time, but I was basically better the next day so what gives?¡± Then I felt Uriel buzz. But unlike the normal tingle in my brain, it came in the form of this whole space shaking and rattling as a white light rippled through.
Conclusion: Recovery is delayed due to mana contamination. Gretkarn was partly tainted with blight so absorbing his polluted mana without purifying it has had an adverse effect on recovery.
¡°That¡­ Was intense¡­ But more importantly, I totally drank in a whole bunch of his mana, which I didn¡¯t do against the demon, so there¡¯s the difference.¡± Then the system quietly spoke. I blinked. I guess that makes sense. But wait! ¡°Why¡¯re you so quiet? And what the heck happened last time? Why¡¯d you screech at me?¡± I got no reply, of course, so I just ignored the ever so frustrating system and the questions nagging at the back of my mind, and went back to trying to wake myself up. I don¡¯t know exactly how many hair brained ideas I went through, but I tried everything from whispering in my own ear, to shouting, to slapping my own face, to pinching myself. ¡°I¡¯d try holding my breath too but I already know I don¡¯t need to breathe¡­ What should I do? That chump is getting away! And I¡¯m stuck under an owl!¡± I could almost picture the things they''d try to do to poor Witness while I¡¯m away, so inevitably I also imagined myself throttling them too. And then everything went black. And became awfully stuffy. And warm, let¡¯s not forget warm. As if some sorta giant bird was seated atop my entire self. Holy crap! I did it! And I don¡¯t care how! I felt exceedingly heavy, but chalked it up to being sat on, and immediately rolled over and began to burrow out from under Suzy¡¯s fluffy fanny. But before I got very far the big bird hopped up, and loomed over me, blocking out the sun that I only briefly felt the warmth of. Naturally, I stopped, as the intensity of her gaze combined with me being in her shadow was, well, enough to send a chill down my spine. Now I know what Gretkarn probably felt like before he got eaten. I glanced over my shoulder at her, as my awareness array was still down, and smiled. ¡°Nice birdy, I know you¡¯ve saved me but I¡¯m kinda lacking an instrument at the moment, and have something urgent to do, so I can¡¯t really regale you with the songs you love right now, but don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be back and¨C.¡± I swallowed my words when she tilted her head from side to side, blinked, and let out a deep and, if I¡¯m being honest, kinda grumpy sounding. ¡°Whhooo!¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Without hesitation, I dove back into digging, but I found my body much slower and heavier than I was used to. Just as I was almost completely within the confines of my new burrow, a rush of air blasted me out. I got a beautiful view of the cloud filled sky, followed by glimpses of trees, a disturbing notion that I¡¯m now very high up, a blurry tan blob racing past, a rush of air, an all consuming shadow, and then a set of particularly sharp talons closing in. Given my lethargy, I barely had time to comprehend what just happened let alone react to it, but after a few silent wingbeats and the nauseating bobbing that came with them, I realized that Suzy now had me in her clutches, and was intent on whisking me away somewhere. If not for the fact that a giant talon now barred my mouth I might¡¯ve ralphed by now, but since she had me literally covered I was condemned to ride the acid reflux express tightly secured in what amounted to a living straight jacket. Sheesh. I get over one hurdle and immediately get tossed into another! Only problem is I have no idea what she wants or how I¡¯m supposed to get out of this! I mean, I have a few ideas¡­ but they all require magic, and that¡¯s not exactly my strong suit right now. I wriggled as best I could, but her hold on me was truly something fierce, nearly bone breaking! Imagine a vice squeezing down on your jaw, then apply that same pressure to several sections of your torso, including your arms, as well as your pelvis and upper legs. Now add to that the chaffing from the hard, rough, scaly, surface that is most of her talons, and then the fierce points of each claw digging into my rather soft and fleshy frame! It¡¯s like their only purpose is to poke me just enough to make me utterly uncomfortable, while keeping me painfully aware of how far south things can go if she squeezes just a little more! I watched the trees whoosh past beneath us as we sailed uncontested through the air at a truly terrifying speed. I doubt I¡¯d be able to escape her even if I could fly normally myself, and braced for the freezing wind to whip my face quite fiercely too, given our altitude and speed, but there wasn¡¯t even a breeze around us. I guess she¡¯s eliminated wind resistance with magic. Which means I should expect some turbulence if I¡¯m gonna do shifted steps. I blinked, and to my horror, found that the spell had activated during that instant. As I materialized, a wall of wind threw me into an uncontrolled dive back toward the earth. Frantic, I checked my distance to Suzy, and though she was now getting further and further away, based on her ludicrous speed I estimated my unintentional spell only moved me a few feet at most. And it looks like she¡¯s turning around too¡­ So much for waiting for her to let her guard down, and gunning for a good opportunity¡­ Welp. Here goes nothing! I swallowed the bile in my unsettled stomach and went into a proper dive position, hands pointed in a wedge for maximum speed, before I twisted my legs just enough to make the air currents throw me into a spin. Apologies oh gut of mine, but we¡¯re in a bit of a pinch so you¡¯re gonna have to take one for the team¡­ And I really hope all this spinning won¡¯t slow me down cause I¡¯ll need to use this momentum to dig deep enough to escape in time given my current lethargy. I would¡¯ve used more magic to go even faster or to slow her down, but that one accidental cast of basic magic was enough to make my brain burn so I decided against it, and prayed that Suzy was too far away to catch back up to me. After all, there¡¯s no earth mages here to place magic stone in my way this time, so I shouldn¡¯t have any issues burrowing my way out of this one once I reach the ground. And my grassy safe haven was fast approaching. Extending out till it was all I could see. Which wasn¡¯t hard given how fast I was rotating. Thankfully we¡¯re well past that forest already so I won¡¯t have to worry about any sudden collisions throwing me off course and killing my momentum. My stomach protested fiercely as my spin grew fast enough to outpace my eyes, so I just shut the ol¡¯ peepers tight and waited for the inevitable impact. It¡¯ll either be me with the ground, or Suzy grabbing me again. And for both my and Witness¡¯ sake it better be the first! A moment passed. Then another. Other than the rush of wind I heard nothing at all. Because of her abilities I won¡¯t hear her coming, but because I can still feel myself falling and hear the wind that¡¯s a good sign. Another moment fled. But man! Is the wait killing me! I opened my eyes to the nauseating sight of the blurred world whirling before me and screamed. ¡°AHHHHH!¡± Right in front of me was the soil I sought, my extended arms literally touched it the next instant, but it was all so sudden that I couldn¡¯t help but yelp. Well. Okay. Maybe I screamed¡­ But who cares? I made it! And then my spiral and descent were abruptly traded for an overwhelming shift to the side and the annoyingly familiar restraint of an oversized pair of talons. I croaked. ¡°Crap.¡±, and Suzy soared back up into the sky at her unbridled, and quite frankly alarming speed. I can¡¯t even see Kalsynthholme anymore. So how far is she planning to go? And why? And what are those goons gonna do to my staff?! Just as my frustration began to mount, a small glint fell out of my one partially talon-less pocket, and I quickly fumbled to catch it. Oop! Oop! Oop¨C And¡­ Gotcha! I sighed in relief and grumbled. ¡°If nothing else, at least my failed escape freed my arms¡­ .¡± I clasped the small object tight and realized what I¡¯d almost just dropped. ¡°It¡¯s that coin I found! The scrying one with its own magic supply! Perfect!¡± I held it up to my eye and my will sparked it to life. ¡°Now where is this blinkin¡¯ bird taking me?¡± I whipped my head around as much as I could, while using the enchanted coin as a telescope. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ There¡¯s some mountains over there. Some sorta giant tangle of thorns that way¡­ And¡­ Holy crap! That¡¯s one big tree!¡± Well. Once we get where we¡¯re going I hope I¡¯ll get the chance to peek at that assassin, and maybe assess my current status too¡­ That¡¯s assuming Suzy cooperates even a little. A Prickly Situation Chapter Forty Nine: A Prickly Situation I scanned the horizon for any other obvious landmarks but nothing really stuck out, so I waited for Suzy to choose our destination. Aannnd it looks like she¡¯s taking me to the giant mess of thorns¡­ But why?! Of all the places, you just had to pick the painful looking one over the nice¡­ giant, pink, kinda poisonous looking tree or those¡­ infested¡­ aluminum? Mountains¡­ Okay. What the heck is wrong with this region? I let my head rest on her scaly talon in defeat. ¡°Admittedly the thorns don¡¯t look so terrible anymore, but really! What¡¯s up with the other two?¡± I perked up with curiosity and put the coin back to work. In a few minutes I found that the area around the tree, which looked pleasantly pink at first glance, was actually very much dead and just covered in perilous pleasantly colored pollen. As for the mountains, they were covered in several colonies of giant ants, around a few feet long each, all apparently coated in a little suit of aluminum armor. It¡¯d actually be kinda cute if I couldn¡¯t also see them dismantling their prey¡­ . ¡°Well, better check the thorns too. Wouldn¡¯t want there to be some sorta rose monster waiting to devour us once we get there now would we?¡± I reactivated the coin, and peered at the burgeoning brambles. The whole thing was as big as a small forest, and other than being home to an assortment of rather ordinary looking insects and some rodent type monsters, like four eared bunnies and field mice that had flower petals for fur, there didn¡¯t appear to be anything dangerous about the place¨Cbeyond the pervasive amount of thorns present of course. Due to Suzy¡¯s speed we were starting to close in on the bristly briar, and the obvious lack of any entrance large enough for her had me wondering. How the heck is she planning to get through all those¨C Oh¡­ Oh no! I clenched the coin tight, and covered my face with my arms as she plunged straight into the thorny thicket at top speed. Suzy¡¯s shrill shrieks sounded alongside the threshing crash of countless vines, each the thickness of a human arm, being knocked aside or otherwise torn apart by the sheer force of her descent. Of course, I wasn¡¯t spared either. ¡°Ow! Ow! Ow! Owie! Ouch! Stop it! You! Crazy! Bird! Ow!¡± I felt my sleeves tear repeatedly since I couldn¡¯t hear them over the storm of Suzy¡¯s stupid stopping strategy, and out of the corners of my eyes, I also caught the blur of countless critters cascade away from us as we encroached upon their territory, with not a single one stopping or daring to look back. I started to fear she would plough all the way through the place, when, mercifully, she stopped as abruptly as she¡¯d started. You have magic, dummy! Wind magic that cuts things! I know! I¡¯ve watched you use it on Gretkarn¡¯s goons! So why the heck aren¡¯t you using it? I lowered my arms, and found we were in a clearing within the messy floral fortress. There appeared to be a nest below where Suzy now hovered, and without warning, she dropped me straight into it. She released me! She finally released me! I flopped hard into the fuzz lined bowl built out of sticks, outward facing spikes, and, well, more fuzz, before getting my first good look at Suzy since waking up. She didn¡¯t appear to be out of breath or even all that tired, though her feathers were now very disorganized, damaged, and painted crimson in a multitude of places¨Cbut not because she was bleeding. No. There wasn¡¯t any blood. Just fire. Like little candles and torches lit all over her, each slowly shrinking as the damage was undone. I guess that¡¯s the ol¡¯ quasi-phoenix part of her immortality kicking in. But why is it only Quasi? And what does that mean? Uriel buzzed.
Conclusion: Suzy will regenerate but not be reborn. As a result, damage to the spirit will not be restored through her immortality. Though the physical body will forever recover, her spirit can still be destroyed which would permanently kill her.
Ohhh. gotcha. I narrowed my eyes up at her. I have a spell that can do damage to the spirit too, but that¡¯s only if things escalate that far¡­ since I¡¯m kinda powerless right now. Suzy ignored my dangerous glance, and once the fires went out she dove right back into the thorny thicket as if she¡¯d just spotted something tasty to eat. I scratched my head. ¡°Wait. Did she spot something tasty to eat? I mean if she ate Gretkarn that was days ago. And I can assume she stayed seated atop me until I woke up so, yeah, she¡¯s probably famished.¡± Then frowned when I noticed my shredded sleeves. ¡°I¡¯ve got to repair these at some point. Or at least get a new shirt.¡± I looked around at the spacious bed of fluff I now sat in, built at the bottom of a hollow within the thorns, and sighed. ¡°But before any of that, I need to know what state I¡¯m in. And while you¡¯re at it, Uriel, can you tell me what kind of creature made this nest? It couldn¡¯t have been Suzy. It¡¯s too fresh, and has no feathers. Or pellets for that matter, thankfully.¡± Uriel buzzed twice.
Analysis Complete: This is the nest of a pack of Harabbits. They live communally, building several large nests in hard to reach places to trick and evade predators.
But while the first notice came as a relief that I wasn¡¯t in danger, the second was what I really needed. Status: -Name: Anon Amos Race: H?m?n? Age: ??? Height: 6¡¯ 2¡±? Weight: 168lbs? Titles: Soul Survivor; ??? Wanderer; Excavation Emperor; ???; ???; Dreamer; Awakened; Biggest Hypocrite in the World; The Way Forward; Enemy of Evil; Patience; Temperance; Ki6f of K!4rs Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Depleted/Recovering; Endurance: Depleted/Recovering; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status Conditions: Mana Contamination (Moderate); Fatigued (Moderate); Self Cleansing (Active) Abilities: Beginner Mind Magic; Adept Body Magic; Beginner Spirit Magic; Beginner Essence Magic; Divine Unearther lv: 100; ??? lv: 15->16; ??? lv: 17->18; ??? lv: 11->12; ??? lv: 40->42; Total Resistance lv: 38; Understanding lv: 40->99; Comprehension lv: 40-> 99; Nostrian and Almassarin Language; Intimidation lv: 32->63; Craftsman: Adept lv: 1-> 16; Double Standards lv: 24-> 47; Mana Sense lv: 78 -> Mana Perception lv: 3 ; Mana Control lv: 72-> Mana Mastery lv: 5; Denial lv: 26-> 54; Way of One lv: 21-> 61; One with self lv: 52-> 70; Smite lv: 1-> 18; ??? Protection lv: 2-> 5; Focus lv: 12-> 46; V!&(^3 lv: 4-> 14; Detection lv:22-> 86; Awareness lv:27-> 79; Mental Map lv:1-> 2; Expansive Mind lv:9-> 99; Performance lv: 16; ??? Intervention lv: 2; ??? Authority lv: 2-
Disciplines: Mind over Nature Magic lv: 1 Mind over Mind Magic lv: 1 Mind over Matter Magic lv: 31 Mind over Body Magic lv: 18 Disciplines: Beginner Body Transformation Magic lv:1 Body Sensory Magic lv: 73 Beginner Body Fortification Magic lv: 1 Body Empowerment Magic lv: 59 Master Body Recovery Magic lv: 100 Disciplines: Spirit Summoning/Bonding Magic lv: 1 Spirit Communion/Trapping Magic lv:1 Spirit Healing/Harming Magic lv:23 Disciplines: Essence of Fire Magic lv: 89 Essence of Earth Magic lv:15 Essence of Water Magic lv: 17 Essence of Air Magic lv: 38 Adept Essence of Light Magic lv: 13 Essence of Dark Magic lv: 36 Adept Essence of Lightning Magic lv: 25 Essence of Ice Magic lv: 12 Master Essence of Space Magic lv: 6 Essence of Time Magic lv: 1 Adept Essence of Order Magic lv:82 Essence of Chaos Magic lv: 1 Total resistance: Heat resistance lv: 13 Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.Cold resistance lv: 13 Physical resistance lv: 28 Insanity Immunity lv: 100 Spiritual resistance lv: 14 Essence resistance lv: 43 Blight resistance lv: 39
My eyes widened. I blinked a few times, then rubbed my peepers to make sure I wasn¡¯t seeing things. ¡°Sunnova butterscotch biscuit! I lost another letter in human! And received a huge boost in several departments, namely my first master levels in magic and Uriel¡¯s component abilities being close to max.¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°Hey Uriel? Are your derivative abilities gonna change once I hit one hundred?¡± Uriel buzzed.
Conclusion: Yes. Understanding will become Enlightened Understanding, and Comprehension will become Awakened Comprehension.
Heh. Abbreviated that¡¯d give me the European Union and Some Air Conditioning. Nice. I waved that thought away. ¡°But in all seriousness, I seem to be okay, on the mend at the very least, so why in blue blazes did Suzy abscond with me here? And will I be healthy enough to escape before she gets back?¡± Several increasingly louder crashes and an outrageous gust of wind heralded the answer to my question. Suzy, covered in even more fire than before, screeched out a wave of mana to declare her victory during her honestly rather brief hunt. And then, just as with me, she unceremoniously dumped the corpses of several Harabits into a pile large enough to bury me on the other side of the nest. So, what? Am I just another catch for you? I grimaced, then looked away. I shouldn¡¯t be complaining. Those poor bunnies probably lived here, and now look at them¡­ Owl food. And without a care in the world, Suzy plopped down on the edge of the nest, opened her gullet wide, and started swallowing them down whole. The fact that she gathered so many and then brought them back gave me frightening notions that she might try to force feed me, but she didn¡¯t even look at me. Not even once. It¡¯s like I¡¯m not even¨C hold on. I¨CIs she going to sleep? She polished them all off and is now going for a nap? Right here? Right now? Really? I stared at her, calmly perched directly across from me, eyes closed, and wings folded up, utterly unmoving as the last of her blazing wounds burnt out. A moment passed. Then another. My scowl deepened. ¡°We are strangers in a strange land, and you, the only able bodied one of us is going for an undefended nap in another¡¯s home after eating the owners? Do you realize how many routes they could take to ambush us here? Heck! You still haven¡¯t even insinuated why you brought me here yet!¡± Indifferent to my shouting, Suzy continued her slumber. I huffed, and crossed both my arms and legs as I grumbled. ¡°Not that I¡¯d really know how to get an explanation out of you anyway¡­ .¡± Then Uriel buzzed.
Observation: Her shreik earlier was her casting the master level Wind Essence magic: Razor Wind Wall around the nest. So you are not undefended.
With a sigh, I wiped the sour look from my face, and peeked at the silently surging wind that protected us with my new mana perception. ¡°Alright then. So there¡¯s no danger. And oh! That¡¯s fun! I can now see the actual shape of the spells in motion instead of just a concentrated blob of mana. And oh boy, she really went all out and spent everything she had on it too! So it¡¯s no wonder she went to sleep¡­ But that still doesn¡¯t answer why she trapped me here? Got any ideas, Uriel?¡± Instead of Uriel¡¯s buzz, the system whispered. I blinked. ¡°Wat?¡± Develop? What¡¯s that? And what happened to make this place so special anyway? Uriel buzzed twice.
Answer: Development is the process in which an organism elevates itself to a higher level. For instance, individual Suzy was originally a monster that was elevated into a unique creature upon recieving a name. Then she developed into a an immortal after surviving countless near death experiences. She recently developed into a quasi phoenix by being reborn in fire, and is now attempting to develop into a terrestrial deity after devouring individual Gretkarn. Analysis Conclusion: Mana reservoirs are formed by the actions or deaths of mighty beings. If a terrestrial deity dwelled or dies here, or if there was a clash between them, then the leftover mana would congeal and saturate the area causing it to flourish in unpredictable ways.
I hit my fist onto my palm. ¡°Ohhh! So like what happened between me and Gretkarn.¡± My face froze as my own words sank in. ¡°W¨Cwait. Doesn¡¯t that mean Kalsynthholme is going to change a whole lot in the years to come?¡± Then the system whispered again. ¡°Huh.¡± I blinked. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to go into more detail about that.¡± Silence was, of course, my only answer. I growled. ¡°System.¡± To my shock, the system continued. Woah! Woah! Woah! Hold on there bucko! First you try to go and change the subject, and then you go and give me a huge info dump that doesn¡¯t even make any sense since you haven¡¯t given any context! I feared the system wouldn¡¯t answer, but when it did I got a whole new headache. I grumbled. ¡°Well it doesn¡¯t seem like you want me to let this opportunity pass, and given what you said about the world¡¯s stability it sounds like this is the better choice anyway¡­ So fine. Do it.¡± I felt a flood of that warm stuff I used to save Calden rush out of me, and just like last time, I promptly collapsed into a pile on the fuzzy floor of this stolen sanctuary. As darkness closed in on my fuzzy mind, my last thought was, Man¡­ I really¡­ can¡¯t catch¡­ a break¡­ . Then the system whispered. # Carmella excused herself from the castle for a long overdue break, and cut as quick a path as she could toward the slums. She knew Calden spent most of his time there anymore, and with the strange power he¡¯d been displaying becoming more potent than ever, it would make for the perfect target for her own new ability. I still can¡¯t believe it! I¡¯m an observer! Me! And thankfully no one but Anon knows! I can¡¯t even begin to imagine the complications that would befall me if news got out¡­ How many lords, or religions would try to solicit or force me to join them, completely derailing my life and taking me far from where I want to be. She carefully maneuvered around the various construction sites and countless workers bustling to and from job to job. The city was rarely silent, but never before were all voices so completely aligned to one task. And she couldn¡¯t be too surprised. Everyone suffered. The whole city. And thanks to the Count¡¯s firm hand, and young Calden¡¯s proselytizing, the people are united more than ever. She let out a dry chuckle. And how much of it is as Anon planned? From what the young lord said Anon is a servant of the Creator God, but from my own experiences¡­ Well, I¡¯ll find out. And hopefully soon. The damage grew worse the closer she got to her destination. Not only were the buildings less structurally sound and more closely packed, but because the shape of the cliff left the slums at the lowest and most easily accessed point, that meant they sustained the most attacks from the monsters. Nevertheless, she wound her way past countless road closures and collapsed houses, only briefly stopping to ask if anyone had seen Calden, to then reset her heading so that she could find her charge, and get to the bottom of the questions burning in her mind. At last, she caught sight of him looking over some documents in a small camp where resources were being gathered, and distributed. His wide smile warmed the tired expressions of the unfortunate civilians lined up to receive their family¡¯s daily allotment, and he sent each and all on their way with ¡°God¡¯s blessings for you and your family.¡± She kept her distance in the hopes that he would actually use the ability, but after a few more interactions that no longer seemed feasible so she focused on him and activated ehr new observation ability. Her eyes grew warm and almost began to water from the rush of energy as she carefully examined every detail she could of Calden¡¯s figure. Then a pleasant series of tingles scattered out over her brain as the information sank in. [Name:Calden Dresdeth; Newest Title: Protector of the People; Status conditions: Tired, Content; ???; Abilities: Observation level too low; Disposition: Friendly to user] She covered her mouth in thought, and muttered. ¡°W-what was that? That garbled and glossed over part of his status condition! It has to be Anon¡¯s doing, but it seems like my ability isn¡¯t strong enough to pry any deeper.¡± A cursory glance of the surrounding people gave her an idea. Maybe I can check one of them. He has been using that new power on them so surely they have some trace left behind! At random, she picked someone waiting in line, the fourth from the front, and activated her observation ability. The sensations in her eyes and brain passed as before, and the target¡¯s information became clear. [Name: Wilious Gaff; Newest Title: Assassin; Status conditions: Acting, Disguised, Cautious; Abilities: Observation level too low; Disposition: Hostile to user] Her eyes widened, and her free hand slipped into her pocket to fetch her wand. It isn¡¯t much but it¡¯ll have to do. He hasn¡¯t noticed me yet, and since I can¡¯t just start chanting a spell in the middle of the streets without giving myself away, I don¡¯t really have any other options. But when should I strike? Now? Once he makes a move? Or¨C or do I need to secure the perimeter first? There¡¯s no telling if there are others, but I can¡¯t observe everyone! A sour smile crossed her face. If only Anon were here. This would be so easy. No. It wouldn¡¯t even be a problem, would it? Sacred Beast Carmella gulped down her anxiety, and methodically began to scan her surroundings. What was once a town square was now a small hub for the reconstruction effort as the surrounding buildings, once homes, were mostly still intact and could thus be used for storage of raw materials since the owners were willing. As for people, beyond the line of townsfolk seeking food and firewood at the command tent, there were the guards stationed around to maintain order, and a few other small groups of passers by. And any one of them could be another killer. But it looks like the three between the young lord and the Assassin are safe¡­ Thank An¨C the heavens for that. The line moved forward, and, roused from her momentary relief, she swept the rest of the people in line that she could see. She muttered. ¡°None here.¡± and turned her attention to the guards. It¡¯d be especially bad if one of them has been replaced, but¨C Ha¡­ Good. They''re clear too. The line moved again and her stomach twisted into knots at the thought of harm befalling her lord¡¯s son. She moved to draw her wand from her pocket, but stopped when she caught sight of a hooded figure peering out from a nearby alleyway. And her ability revealed: [Name: Ustar Agra; Newest Title: Foiled Assassin; Status conditions: Concealed; Cautious; Observing; Abilities: Observation level too low; Disposition: Hostile to user] I knew it! Had I acted recklessly, my guard would¡¯ve been down, and he would¡¯ve finished what the first couldn¡¯t! But when did he get there? How did I not notice until¨C Ah! The shadows! As silently as he¡¯d come, he sank into the darkness cast by the evening sun, and she watched, in shock, as he slid to another alley further down with a better view of Calden. I guess Anon¡¯s blessing is better for more than just gleaning people¡¯s information! And with this timing I can prevent a tragedy! She tried again to pull out her wand as the last person between her charge and her target stepped away, but the end of it got caught in the upper corner of her pocket right as the assassin stepped forward. ¡°N¨Cno!¡± Not like this! Carmella cried and half-stumbled forward. Light footfalls surged up from behind her. Her eyes widened. Did I miss one?! And the square was dyed with blood. # Many years ago a lone egg hatched into a tawny brown owlet. As a monster contaminated by blight, her parents had discarded her from the nest, but her unnatural resilience allowed her to survive against the odds, hatch in an accelerated stage of development, and after a very successful first hunt, reach adulthood by the end of the day. She was no larger than any other owl at that point, but she hungered for magic and was driven to hunt and eat any living being that had mana¨Cespecially the ones with more than her. Obviously, there were many creatures too powerful for her to kill, so she settled for smaller game, growing steadily over the years until she was both large and strong enough to consume them too. She only ever sought to follow her instincts, but given her growing size and power, she soon became large enough to hunt people, and so a bounty was placed on her head. But the owl wasn¡¯t just going to give up her life so easily, and miraculously managed to survive every trick and trap that the hunters threw at her for several years. Poison. Magic. Numbers. Ambushes. She took them all head on. Sometimes she won and ate well, other times she lost and was forced to flee. Each battle left her wounded though. And each time she would recover just a little bit faster. And become just a little bit smarter. Eventually she began to hunt her hunters, attacking them the moment they entered the woods where she lived, but not to kill, not yet. Once chased off, they would flee back to their homes, and to their dismay, she followed, and preyed upon them where they felt safest. Enterprising hunters used this to galvanize the public against her, turning the whole town into a trap. But during their hours-long fight they were horrified to find that she had become immortal. Nothing they did stopped her from getting back up, and noting they tried held her down for long. The whole of Ariadholme feared their demise, until a hunter named Eda suggested cutting her apart and stuffing her. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After much sacrifice, the plan worked, and that was where she was bound to remain for another decade. Instead of a fearful name all would remember, she was dubbed Suzy to mock her and ensure she would be forgotten. And with her reduced to a stuffed head mounted to the retired Eda¡¯s wall, and her body preserved in a local curiosity emporium, she became nothing more than a distant bad memory for the townspeople, and the inspiration for the Baronette¡¯s wind spirit magic. With wood and stuffing filling her skull, only a few vital pieces of her brain were able to regenerate, but not enough to restore consciousness¨Cher feathers even dulled to gray. Devoid of any real thoughts, or feelings Suzy stayed dormant, until the silence was broken by song. Somehow the sound and vibrations of music could reach the tiny bits of her brain that had regrown within the cracks and crevasses of the stuffing, and eased the long dark stillness that was her wait to be revived. She came to cherish those moments of activity that broke up her otherwise monotonous existence, and savored every second as she once savored the mana she so craved. Had she been any more aware, her inborn addiction for mana would have driven her mad, as the blight within her demanded sustenance, but even that changed when she heard a particular song. It sounded like life. Of death and renewal. And deep within her soul the blight¡¯s hold weakened. She missed that song once it ended. For the first time in her life she wanted something more than to follow her instincts. She had to hear it again. To hear more like it. That longing became her new obsession, so when the fires broke out and her head, body, and all the stuffing were burned to ash, she burst forth from her ruin with an insatiable desire to find the source of the sound. On instinct she flew, fast and far, until she discovered the one she felt was the musician, beset by other monsters at the center of a vast lake. Alone she wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance, but she knew weakened prey when she saw it, and so she eagerly snatched up the choicest morsel along with the musician. She ravenously consumed the slimy worm-like creature, savoring the rich mana it held and absorbing the blight too. The sudden dark impulse that followed would have been enough to drive her to eat the musician as well, but simply touching them caused Suzy to recall the change bringing sound, and her conflicting desires drove her into a stupor. Unable to decide what to do, she sat atop of the musician to preserve them like an unhatched egg as she reveled in the memories and mana. Days passed, the musician awoke, and with a newly cleared mind, Suzy took them to go and find a proper place to grow. More change was coming. She knew it as it had happened many times before. It¡¯s how she grew stronger. How she became immortal. So she selected the safest place she could, one that had enough latent mana to support her growth, and help the musician recover, as their feeble attempt to escape highlighted to her their enduring weakness. Once ready, she closed her eyes, surrendered herself to sleep, and felt something warm and overpowering flow in. Gently, it burned away the blight that had been a part of her for her whole life. Tenderly, it consolidated her growing mind into a proper and true awareness of self. And kindly, it took away the pains of her transformation into something more than she could¡¯ve ever become on her own. The only thing she hated about it, was that the craving for mana was replaced with an overwhelmingly stronger desire to be given a proper name. As she awoke, she knew nothing else would matter until the one who lay sleeping before her gave her a new name¨Cnothing. Not even music. # I was awoken from my forced slumber by a sudden, and quite forceful, shaking. I was immediately aware of the dainty little hands doing the violent wake up call, but that only confuzed me even more. Who the heck has found me? And where am I? I last remember being in a mess of thorns with an oversized owl, but now someone is all but throttling me? Did a group of adventurers find me? But wouldn¡¯t that mean Suzy buzzed off? She¡¯s pretty strong so I doubt even experienced fighters could take her even without her magic. I grabbed the arms relentlessly harassing me, held them until they were still, and then, once my head stopped spinning, opened my eyes to meet the intent gaze of a white haired girl. Okay, maybe teenager is a better description? She looks like she¡¯s, I dunno, sixteen at most. But she¡¯s got big ol¡¯ bird wings on her back, her dress is made out of white feathers, and she¡¯s got weird gold rings around her silver irises. Before I could even say anything, she released me, hopped up, and exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re awake! You¡¯re awake! You¡¯re finally awake! Master¡¯s can name me now!¡± I blinked really slowly. Wat? And I do mean Wat? ¡°Master?¡± I leveled a finger at my chest. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about me are you?¡± For that matter. Uriel? Who even is this? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s Suzy. Uriel buzzed, at about the same time she pointed at me, her other hand on her hip. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re master! Master! Lord! Ruler! The one who freed me from the life of a monster! The one who needs to give me a name!¡±
Name: N/A Species: Sacred Guardian Owl Health: 1400/1400 Mana: 1320/1320 Endurance: 800/800 Strength: 450 Agility: 980 Speed: 1000 Toughness: 24 Spirit: 1400 Status conditions: Clear mind; Enlightenment; Titles: Lover of music; Seeker of Song; Phoenix; D%@#n? Servant; Blessing of Enlightenment Abilities: Complete Regeneration lv: 40 Wind essence magic (Master): lv: 32 Fire essence magic (Adept): lv 1 Mind over nature magic (Adept): lv 73 Body empowering magic (Adept): lv: 100 Prescient eyes lv: 1 Arial tracking lv: 100 Adimant feathers lv: 1 Sacred talons lv: 1 Holy beak lv: 1 Fast flight lv: 1 Sound nullification lv: 1 Blessed Razor wings lv: 1 Purifying Fire lv: 1 Blight resistance lv: 1 Beast Form lv: 100
Oh lordy. Look what I did to her status! Those numbers are even more ridiculous than they were before! And what¡¯s with the names of those abilities? I¡¯m the one who altered her so why the heck are they all so¡­ so¡­ holy? I dragged a hand down my face to clear it of the slack jawed stupidity my exhausted mind let show. ¡°Okay. Fine, sure, whatever you say. But why don¡¯t you have a name anymore? And why are you so fixated on getting one from me?¡± She cocked her adorable little head to the side and pressed a finger to her lower lip. Her alabaster bob cut dangled loosely out of the way, revealing a pointed and feathered ear. ¡°But I¡¯ve never had a name? And you haven¡¯t given me one.¡± Then her eyes turned almost accusatory, and she dove forward to start shaking me again. ¡°Master! I need a name! I woke you up because I need a name! A name! A name! Who am I? I need to know!¡± Oh for the love of! My head bounced between the soft yet prickly wall of the nest behind me, and my torso as I tried to speak. ¡°Y¨Cy¨Cy¨Cyour¡­ N¨Cn¨Cname i¨Cis¡­ S¨CS¨CSuzy!¡± She didn¡¯t stop shaking me, and the system murmured. Fine! Okay! I get it! I need to give her a new name! But what? Athera? Celeste? Owlana? Silvia? I gotta pick something before she shakes my head off, but I can¡¯t think straight with her doing this either! Return to Form The world is shaking. Everything is a blur. I can hardly think, let alone speak, and yet that¡¯s exactly what this one time owl insists I do. I mean, really. What¡¯s so bad about being called Suzy? With no other choice left to me I clamped onto her furiously flailing arms, held myself still enough to stare directly into her silvery-gold ringed eyes, and stammered. ¡°S¨CSilvia! Your new name is Silvia.¡± She cocked her head again and blinked. ¡°Silvia?¡± At once, she released me, and I slumped weakly against the soft yet prickly wall of the gigantic rabbit nest. I looked up at her like a drunk who¡¯d just been berated by their disappointed daughter. ¡°Yeah¡­ Do you like it? Is it good enough?¡± The system then whispered. I swore I could see little sparkles shower from an abrupt lightbeam down onto the newly dubbed Silvia¡¯s head. Then she threw her arms up in celebration, let out a very owl-like cooing sound, and shouted. ¡°Yay! Master gave me a name! Silvia has a name! A name!¡± Then the system whispered again. I¡­ Of course. Why should I even be surprised at this point? But that doesn¡¯t mean I need to cooperate. I groaned internally, and dredged myself up from where I¡¯d been resting for who knows how long. ¡°And on that note, quit calling me master would you? It¡¯s really uncomfortable.¡± Her face fell, and she stared at me in shock. ¡°B-but if Silvia isn¡¯t to call you master then what should Silvia call master?¡± I crossed my arms and pouted. I get that the system tied her to me, so that¡¯s why she¡¯s calling me that¡­ but at the same time I get the feeling that she isn¡¯t gonna like me asking her to just use my name¡­ so then what? I pounded my fist onto my open palm. ¡°Boss! You can just call me boss.¡± Suz¨CI mean, Silvia clapped like an impressed child while hopping up and down. ¡°Boss! Boss! Boss! Master is the boss! So master is Boss!¡± I forced a smile. Why do I get the feeling that this isn¡¯t going to go like I¡¯d hoped? She danced and pranced around like someone much younger than she appeared, or, on second thought, maybe she was just moving around to explore the range of movements of her new body. Regardless, she was distracted, which finally gave me some much needed time alone with my thoughts. Uriel¡­ I¡¯m afraid to ask, but how long have I been out? Uriel buzzed.
Answer: Approximately two days.
Then I pulled up part of my status. -Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum Status Conditions: None- ¡°Huh.¡± It says I¡¯m back to normal, but I still feel tired¡­ but that isn¡¯t anything new. I felt like this after saving Calden and that merchant¡¯s kid with that warm¡­ stuff that I pulled out of me. Though it¡¯s good to know this alternate fatigue isn¡¯t impacting my overall ability. I muttered. ¡°And it¡¯ll come back anyway so there¡¯s nothing to even worry about there.¡± Suz¨CI mean Silvia snapped her head around, and then rushed over to stick her face uncomfortably close to mine. ¡°What¡¯ll come back, Master? What¡¯re we worrying about, Boss?¡± I knew she wasn¡¯t really going to listen. I pushed her face away as gently as I could manage. ¡°As I just said, we¡¯re not worrying about anything, and as for what¡¯s coming back, I guess you could call it the energy I used to help you become what you are now.¡± I let my hand drop once she was an appropriate distance away. She blinked a few times, taking a moment to process what I¡¯d said. Little tears glistened in the corners of her eyes, and she dove at me, wrapping me in a tight hug. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank yooou! Silvia forgot to thank you, thank you, thank you, for letting Silvia be more than a monster! Silvia is better now! Silvia owes everything to Boss!¡± Now it was my turn to blink in confusion. Is being a monster really that bad? The system whispered again. I looked down at her, face buried in my chest, and started to run my fingers through her soft silver hair. So what I did was way more significant than I thought. The system trailed off into silence, though I was pleasantly surprised with how much it gave this time around. It¡¯s still being vague, but we¡¯re making progress. On that note, Uriel, is there any way to know if anything else significant happened while I was recovering? It¡¯s been a while since I checked in with the Count so I¡¯d like an update if at all possible. It took a minute, but Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Individual Carmella has become an observer as a result of your blessing. Notice: Kalsynthholme reconstruction is well underway. Original completion date was two months from now, however, new projected date is two weeks sooner. Notice: The majority of the infected populace is stable and being treated effectively by individual Ysdra Warning: Individual Calden Dresdeth is in critical condition. Location, upper floors of Castle Kalsynth. Estimated time till death, 15 minutes.
My mouth fell open, then I snapped it shut. Ahh¡­ I¡­ I totally didn¡¯t warn them about the assassin¡­ . Silvia naturally stared up at me, as she had either refused or refrained from letting me go. ¡°Master Boss? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I muttered. ¡°We need to go. One of my friends is dying.¡± Her bright eyes widened and the feathers of her dress bristled as she hopped back a step. It looked like she was about to do something drastic, since her mana suddenly swelled, so I held up a hand to stop her and instead pictured the upper floors of the Count¡¯s castle. Guided Gate. Thanks to Uriel I retained every detail of the spell I cast with the Baronette, unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the time or space to draw the massive formation out, but thanks to my new and improved mana mastery ability I could just imbue my mana into the area around me in the shape of the spell¡¯s layout in order to force its activation. I just saved a whole lot of time, but it¡¯s costing a bunch more mana in exchange. It¡¯ll probably get easier as my ability grows, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m lacking mana right now, so who even cares? In a flash of blue, Silvia and I were swept up by a rush of air into the ludicrously fast current that whisked us through the long white space that I could only assume everyone visited when they teleported. I was, of course, still very much aware of myself and my surroundings, but I was surprised to see that Silvia wasn¡¯t completely unconscious like I expected her to be. Her eyes were drooping like she was fighting off the stranglehold of sleep, so I¡¯m not sure how much she could actually fathom, but it was interesting that she could resist the suspended state this place put people in. I wonder if it¡¯s got to do with how high her stats are? If it¡¯s not that then¡­ Y''know what? I really don¡¯t want to ponder the implications of all her blessed abilities and their link to me right now. I¡¯ve got bigger concerns. To my amazement, I started to sense the surroundings of our destination before we even arrived. We were landing in the great hall I introduced myself to the Count in, so naturally there were several guards around, but beyond them the long and spacious vaulted chamber seemed relatively empty. I guess my improved detection abilities along with the upgraded mana perception are what¡¯s letting me look ahead. And given that they¡¯re no doubt in a state of high alert after an attempted assassination, it¡¯s good that I can plan out my next move before causing too much of a commotion. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. We lurched to a stop as we materialized in another azure flash, and before the guards could even open their mouths or get into a defensive position I quietly suppressed them with a focused activation of my ??? Authority ability. They trembled under the invisible weight I¡¯d dropped on them, so I took the opportunity to expand my senses in order to find Calden. It didn¡¯t take long, though he was a good bit away, and given the spacious layout of the castle it¡¯d take far too much time to walk to him. I was about to teleport again, however, I also noticed that there were several groups of guards, including the Count, Ymir, and the old butler Griswold, rushing in my direction. They all wore grim expressions, not that I blamed them, but I found it strange that they knew where I was¨Ceven stranger that Silvia was standing defensively beside me like she expected to be attacked. A little more snooping revealed that the castle¡¯s magic defenses were all active, and that upon my arrival I¡¯d inadvertently smashed a barrier that¡¯s supposed to prevent teleportation, setting off a silent alarm that only the castle¡¯s designated personnel can hear. Funny, I think I can hear it too, now that I know it¡¯s there. And man is it annoying! If I¡¯m gonna need to concentrate to save Calden, then I¡¯ll need this thing off. I continued to have Uriel interpret the workings of the complex magical matrix that protected the castle and found it centered on some crystals in the basement all chock full of my mana. Guess that¡¯s where the excess power I gave Carmella went. I reached out with my mana mastery ability to get the control device to silence the alarm, restore the barrier, and designate me and Silvia as friendly, but the crystals resisted. Uriel took a break from deciphering the last parts of the castle¡¯s magic to tell me that the crystals needed the proper level of authority to operate, so I stopped holding back and activated mine full force¨Cwhich more or less overrode the security and let me do as I pleased. It kinda felt like I just broke something a little bit, so I guess Uriel probably meant that the proper level of authority was needed from the Count, not simply a strong enough authority ability¡­ But that can be fixed later! I need to go! Thankfully, Silvia seemed to calm with the magic defenses deactivated, or at least were no longer targeting us, so I selected her, the Count, Ymir, and Griswold for good measure, and then used Shifted steps on all of us in conjunction with Double Standards. After another brief visit to the interim white world, everyone I teleported appeared in Calden¡¯s spacious bedroom. The deep green curtains were open to let the late morning sun¡¯s light cascade over the dresser, landscape paintings, coffee table, sofas, gold trimmed rug, and the oversized bed. Ygvarge and Carmella were present near his bedside, nursing wounds of their own, watching intently as little Ysdra tried her hardest to once again heal the unfortunate lordling. Carmella noticed our arrival at the foot of the bed first, and she whirled around, wand at the ready, only to gasp and drop it the second she saw me. Ygvarge, however, remained on guard,keeping a cautious eye on Silvia, and a bandaged hand on the hilt of his saber. I¡¯d placed the other three a little ways behind us since they were running and didn¡¯t know what was going on, so they¡¯d likely need the time to stop and assess things. And it was a good thing I thought ahead too! The Count, who¡¯d looked ready to kill, staggered to a stop and sheathed his sword once he registered where he was and what had just happened¨Ca look of hope beginning to brighten his sour demeanor. He even muttered. ¡°At last.¡± Ymir, who had been running with single minded determination, dropped his sword with a clatter and fell to his knees at the sight of my back¨Csliding up to me with his head to the floor only for Silvia to stop him with her foot. She hissed. ¡°Do not touch the master.¡± He whimpered while slowly scooching back. ¡°I¨CI wouldn¡¯t dare! T¨Cthat wasn¡¯t my intention!¡± Placated by his answer, and my look of derision, Silvia backed off. In that time, the ever composed Griswold, who had been trying his best to keep up before the warp, slowed to stillness, and dabbed the sweat from his brow with a hastily drawn handkerchief¨Cwisely leaving the hostile owl lady¡¯s actions without comment. I forced a smile. ¡°Good. Now that everyone¡¯s here, why don¡¯t I get to work?¡± # Carmella stared at Anon. Without realizing her wand slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a small clack. She barely registered the Count and others appearing, as her eyes, which had retained a strange warmth after she awoke in the control room, began to pulse and throb as they took in Anon¡¯s ever changing form¨Cwhich now resembled her mentor. It¡¯s been days. Days! And not a word! And now you return at our hour of need, smiling as if you planned it all, wearing the faces of those we trust, while we¡¯re most willing to cooperate! I want to believe in you! I have before! But I can¡¯t right now! Not until I know for sure that it¡¯s safe! The Silver haired, winged, and feather dressed girl beside Anon shot her a warning look, and on reflex, Carmella activated her observer ability. [Name: Silvia; Newest Title: *%@#&? @#$%^&*; Status conditions: Clear Mind; Abilities: Observation level too low; Disposition: Neutral to user¨Csending hostility] Her eyes pulsed again. She broke out in a cold sweat at the sight of the strange symbols that blurred out the title section, then steeled herself and turned her attention back to Anon¨Cpushing through the rhythmic throbbing that built in her eyes. Calm down. Focus. That girl isn¡¯t important. I need to know the truth of Anon. She let out a slow breath. Before I let them do anything more to Calden. Ignoring the feeling like her eyes would burst, she activated her observer ability again and it revealed. [Ability Blocked.] Then she heard the phantom voice that announced her sudden ability acquisition say. She blinked away the mounting discomfort, and pressed a hand to her forehead. Blocked? Permission denied? I¡¯ve heard legends of Elder Breasts stopping an observer¡¯s eye, so am I to believe that Anon is one of the original animals?! Then the image of the sublime, pure, white light shaped like a person she¡¯d seen flashed across her mind. No. No. It can¡¯t be. Anon can¡¯t be more than that, right? ¡°Good. Now that everyone¡¯s here, why don¡¯t I get to work?¡± The blood drained from her face, and Anon sent her a knowing smile before shuffling by. Her eyes throbbed again, and the face of her mentor faded into a softly glowing orb of white light. Anon sat at Calden¡¯s bedside, and gently started to pull Ysdra away from her charge. The young torathan shouted. ¡°No! I need to¨C! I need heal him! I¨C have to¨C!¡± ¡°Ysdra.¡± Anon¡¯s voice was as kind and consoling as a mother¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s all right. He¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Ysdra had been so focused on healing Calden that she ignored the comotion behind her, but once she registered Anon¡¯s voice, she spun around and wept into their shoulder. ¡°You have to! You have to save him! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong again! They keep hurting him in ways I can¡¯t figure out! Why do they keep hurting him?! It¡¯s not fair!¡± Carmella half-raised a hand to stop Anon, half to simply reach them¨Cto touch and understand the living mystery before her, but the girl named Silvia, who¡¯s mana she now felt to be as oppressive as Gretkarn¡¯s, got in her way. The fierce girl didn¡¯t speak, but her gold ringed eyes narrowed in challenge to her. Carmella backed away, and then Silvia turned the same harsh eyes to the now wary Count, Ygvarge, and Griswold¨Cuntil they too relented to her tyranny. Carmella sighed, then blinked as Anon now stood before her¨Cstill holding the wailing Ysdra. She took the fussing girl from Anon, struggled to carry her with the injuries to her arms, and sat with her at the nearest sofa. I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore. Why give me this sight if you won¡¯t provide the answer I seek? She turned her head so that she could still see Anon. What do you want from me? She watched the amorphous entity, who she swore now resembled Calden¡¯s own late mother, head wreathed in that luminous orb, return to the bedside, sit, softly cup the cheek of the sweating and shuddering boy, smile, and whisper. ¡°Calden. It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± # Calden didn¡¯t remember much. He knew he was enjoying helping others when a sudden moment of surprise and fear stole him away. He didn¡¯t know what happened or how he¡¯d gotten here, but here wasn¡¯t so bad so he didn¡¯t really mind. Though this place resembled the radiant, rainbow sparking, white room he met the Creator in, he saw no sign of the great throne or the lord he served anywhere around him. Instead all he saw were a massive pair of silvery-gold gates directly before him. No matter where he turned or which way he went, they were always in front of him, blocking his path. He couldn¡¯t see anything special through the bars, though he did sense a great deal of warmth and comfort emanating from the other side. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t go anywhere else can I?¡± He looked back over his shoulder, at nothing in particular, frowning at the sense that he¡¯d forgotten something important, and would be leaving it behind. The gates opened to the sound of trumpets blaring triumphantly and the sound brought a smile to his face. I¡¯ll get to see the Creator again! This time without needing to look away! He ran toward the wonderful world that awaited him as he felt the last tether holding him back release. Only steps away from the world beyond, he heard his mother¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°Calden. It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± He froze and looked back. ¡°Mother? But you should be¨C?¡± Calden peered into the white veil just before him and the silhouettes of his mother and grandparents appeared and waved to him. Eyes wide he backed toward the gate, searching frantically for whatever had just called to him. ¡°I¨CI won¡¯t be deceived! I¡¯m safe here! I belong here! I¨C¡± Then the disembodied voice that charged him to live for his people spoke. He lowered his head and shut his eyes. Flashes of memory returned, especially those of the blade that pierced his side. His lower lip trembled. He wanted to see his mother again, to stay in the bliss he felt, so he looked up at the rainbow filled sky and murmured. ¡°Would the Creator be disappointed with me if I stay? Will my Father and friends suffer if I don¡¯t go?¡± Then he felt strong, warm, arms wrapped around him from behind and a voice that encompassed all whispered in his ear. ¡°¡± He swallowed hard, gritted his teeth, and bowed his head. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to go¡± Light enveloped him as the world around was washed away. His consciousness drifted and his mother whispered, ¡°Be brave.¡±, before the dark of sleep took him. # I sighed and sat back from Calden as his breathing steadied. It was a relief that I really didn¡¯t have to do much of anything in order to save him. After all, he already had all the energy needed to restore himself gathered up in that ability I apparently gave him, so all I needed to do was convince him to use it. And thankfully he listened, because for a second there I actually got the feeling that he didn¡¯t want to come back¡­ But all''s well that ends well. Now, I¡¯m obviously gonna need to chat with those gathered here, and get the rundown about how this all happened¨Ceven if I have a pretty good idea already. But after that, what do I deal with first? Do I help them fortify and rebuild? Or do I go rescue Witness and likely avenge Calden? Oh! Right! There were also those Ascendant Church bozos around somewhere too! It probably wouldn¡¯t hurt to check and make sure they aren¡¯t up to no good again. The Heart of Things I watched Calden sleep for a moment or two more, and my smile faded to neutral. To think all he wanted was to help these people rebuild their homes after a living calamity attacked, and this is the reward he gets. I heard a little sniffle behind me, and found Ysdra standing there with her hands clasped and head bowed¨Cwhich was surprising since Silvia stopped everyone else from approaching. ¡°Umm. Anon? Is he going to be okay? L¨Clast time you did something amazing¡­ L¨Clike the whole world went¡­ Whoosh! B¨Cbut this time¡­¡± She trailed off and Carmella picked up for her. ¡°All you did was call his name.¡± Silvia stepped up to Carmella as if they were a couple of pro fighters squaring up before a match. ¡°You doubt Boss? You would question Master?¡± The mage shrunk back, threw me a pleading look and said. ¡°I meant no disrespect! I¨CI just¨C¡± Silvia reached for her throat. Her claw-like fingernails were ready to rend so I stopped her with a quick barrier, and tutted. ¡°Now, now, Silvia. Not everyone is as trusting of me as you, and that¡¯s okay.¡± She whipped her head around so fast I thought it¡¯d fly off. ¡°B¨Cbut¨C¡± I calmly shook my head, like a parent scolding an over-eager child. ¡°All they¡¯re guilty of is trying to understand. And the reason they asked was because they were worried. And they¡¯re worried because they care, and caring is a good thing, therefore, they haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Silvia backed down, and I turned to look at Carmella and Ysdra. ¡°But to answer your question. It didn¡¯t look like I did anything because I didn¡¯t need to. Calden already has the power to heal, so all I needed to do was get him to use it on himself¨Csince I don¡¯t think he realized he could.¡± Ysdra blinked and glanced back at the older magus. ¡°So¡­?¡± ¡°It means nothing appeared to happen because no power actually left Lord Calden¡¯s body, milady.¡± ¡°Oooohh!¡± She watched her friend expectantly, but he remained still, save for his steady breathing. ¡°But if he¡¯s okay, why isn¡¯t he waking up?¡± I brushed some of her unruly blonde hair from out of her face, and tilted my head while pressing a thumb to my lips. ¡°Hmm. How do I put this? He¡¯s come a hair¡¯s breadth from death once before, so this time his soul remembered where it was supposed to go, so it fled his body faster than it would normally¡­ Which also means it¡¯ll need more time to come back too.¡± I¡¯m not joking either! I swear I could see heaven¡¯s gates when I called out to him¡­ And he turned away from his mom¡¯s embrace to come back too¡­ What a strong boy. ¡°But that¡¯s enough about that.¡± I looked between Ygvarge and Carmella. ¡°Can one of you tell me what happened to get Calden into this state again?¡± Carmella cringed, clasped her injured arm, and frowned. ¡°I¨CI um¡­ I went to find Lord Calden after I confirmed the presence and use of the observation ability you granted me¡­¡± She looked away. ¡°I wanted to see if I could learn anything about you through the power you granted him, but I only ended up with more questions, and the realization that there were assassins targeting him.¡± Holy. Okay. Wow. There¡¯s a lot to unpack there. I gave her the observation ability? Me? I knew she was seeking answers, but didn¡¯t notice they were about me though¡­ And didn¡¯t Alder-Craig say something along the line of observers being blessed by¨C Nope. Nuh-uh. Not continuing that thought. Back to reality. ¡°I see. And then?¡± She gulped. ¡°I¨Cfound two assassins, and moved to protect him, but¡­ Ah, this is so humiliating¡­ my wand got caught in my pocket and I fumbled it, giving the closer one time to strike while the other attacked me.¡± Wow. She¡¯s really got no luck with that thing does she? Ygvarge stepped forward, a hand on his bandaged side. ¡°I was rushing to find them, as I¡¯m faster than a horse, and word had just arrived from Ariadhole that the assassins you captured escaped custody. I tried to defend Lady Carmella, but the one that uses shadows outmaneuvered us and we were both injured.¡± That¡¯s some good timing! By the sound of it they¡¯d both have died if you hadn¡¯t shown up. Then Count Linus, stoic as ever, offered. ¡°Word likely would have arrived sooner but the magic message had trouble getting through the dense mana released from your fight with Gretkarn.¡± I kept my face neutral, but I really wanted to scream at my own incompetence. So it¡¯s really, really, totally and undeniably my fault!! Not only did I forget to tell them what I knew, but I also inadvertently blocked their only other recourse! Griswold bowed. ¡°Forgive my liege, magnanimous Anon, we don¡¯t mean to insinuate that it was your fault, but it is fact that your mana is supremely overwhelming when compared to what we are capable of.¡± What? Did my face give it away? But no, you have every right to blame me! I screwed the metaphorical pooch and burnt down the dog house for good measure! I sighed. ¡°Well, everyone survived so that¡¯s all that really matters.¡± Ymir¡¯s muffled voice burst up from the floor. ¡°I agree completely, great one! However, if I may be so bold. Who is your companion?¡± I barely managed to keep from facepalming as everyone else started eying me and the bird lady. Ysdra clapped. ¡°Yeah! She¡¯s really pretty, and strong too! Where did you meet?¡± Silvia leaned forward to admire Ysdra¡¯s glowing face, then patted her head. ¡°You have good eyes, large chick.¡± Well, ya see, little girl, I found her head stuffed and mounted to the wall of¨C My thoughts went in a funny direction, but Carmella answered the question by questioning me further. ¡°Is she the giant owl that appeared at the end of the fight with Gretkarn? The one that carried you off?¡± I smiled. ¡°So you saw that, did you? Yes, that¡¯s her.¡± Ysdra hugged Silvia. ¡°Then you¡¯re extra amazing! To be able to change your shape like Uncle Barigg and fight at the same level as Anon, too! Just incredible!¡± Silvia blinked in confusion at the sudden embrace, then peeled the excited torathan off her and stared steadily into her eyes. ¡°Your repeated praise is enjoyable. Silvia hasn¡¯t been praised before. But Silvia isn¡¯t able to fight at the same level as Master.¡± Carmella interjected. ¡°Really? From what I saw your attacks were fierce enough to end the fight with Gretkarn when Anon couldn¡¯t.¡± I sensed that Silvia was about to lunge at Carmella, so I plopped a hand onto her shoulder. ¡°Easy. We¡¯re among friends.¡± She relaxed, clutched my hand like it was the most precious thing in the world and muttered. ¡°Boss was tired from helping. Weakened from making. No one can rival Master. Nothing is greater than Boss.¡± I cringed internally at her words and the implications they held for me, as for the others, Ysdra seemed impressed, Ymir shouted his agreement, Griswold, the Count, and Ymir appeared skeptical, and Carmella was, well, shocked. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. But what I wanna know is how she knew I was tired from helping others, and the details of what she meant by I¡¯m weakened from making? Uriel? System? Any ideas? To my surprise they both remained silent. I thought for sure I¡¯d get something after seeing how talkative the system had become lately, but not even Uriel¡¯s giving me a tip here so this really has to be something big¡­ Which means it¡¯s something I don¡¯t really wanna know right now. ¡°Alright, I think we¡¯ve burdened you all enough for one day, so to make it up to you I¡¯m going to go see if I can¡¯t help streamline the reconstruction of this city. Toodles!¡± Shifted steps. # Anon and Silvia vanished in a flash, every bit as abruptly as they¡¯d appeared. Ysdra frowned. ¡°Aww. They¡¯re gone already?¡± Then she stalked over to her still bowing brother and lightly kicked his head with her boot. ¡°Come on! Get up! Calden¡¯s better so we need to get back to helping people! There were only a few hundred left before Calden got hurt, and I don¡¯t want Anon to have to do anymore work!¡± Ymir obediently snapped to his feet in a single fluid motion, and uttered nary a word or complaint at her attitude or treatment of him as he followed her toward the door. Before she could go, the Count called. ¡°H¨Chold on, Ysdra.¡± She froze at the sudden weakness in her father¡¯s usually commanding voice, and hesitantly asked. ¡°What is it?¡± Both Griswold and Ygvarge moved to support Linus as his pale face faded a touch further. ¡°Just now, when Anon was still in the room, what, or rather who, did you see when you looked at them?¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s it?¡± She giggled. ¡°Father, did you not know that their appearance changes? Calden thinks that you¡¯ll see who you want, or need, to see the most reflected in Anon. I¡¯ve seen them as Mother for a while now, though when we first met I mistook them for a legendary white torathan.¡± The Count took the handkerchief Griswold offered and dabbed the cold sweat from his brow. ¡°I¨CI see. So I wasn¡¯t hallucinating. That being gets more and more dangerous the more I learn.¡± He clenched a fist. ¡°But to profane the dead so brazenly! To taunt and torment the living with those who have passed! It¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Father! Really?¡± Ysdra crossed her arms and glared at him. ¡°Profane? Torment? Taunt? You should know by now that Anon isn¡¯t like that! I get that your position forces you to remain wary, but they¡¯ve only ever helped us, and don¡¯t pretend that you weren¡¯t happy to see and hear Mother again!¡± He lowered his head, and tugged free of Griswold and Ygvarge. ¡°Even if her voice was used to speak another¡¯s words? Even if her face was worn by a stranger¨Ceven a benevolent one?¡± Her face fell, and she walked over and took his hand in hers. She swallowed the lump building in her throat. ¡°I told you what Calden thinks, but I¡­ I think they appear that way to give us just a little more time with those we¡¯ve lost¡­ T¨Cto remind us that they¡¯re not so far away. That they¡¯re still here with us.¡± He knelt, wrapped her tight, and rested his head on her shoulder. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to tell Anon I won¡¯t need them to show me her again, because I get to see her whenever I look at you.¡± A few feet away, Carmella stood stock still, completely oblivious to everything around her, a single line of thought dominating her mind. Anon can grant abilities and blessings, block investigations into their nature, wield incredible power with ease, see the soul, destroy blight, and return from death. They claim to be very old and have crossed many different worlds. Calden thinks they¡¯re an angel of the Creator God¡­ But if what that Silvia creature just said is true¡­ A chill raced down her spine. Then¡­ Is Anon actually that very Creator? Have I been looking down on, and been wary of, the very source of all life? # I popped up to the roof with Silvia in tow, since I really didn¡¯t want to leave her unsupervised given her tendency toward aggression at even the slightest remark, and then spread my senses out toward the city. I made a point of ignoring the interior of the castle as I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore of whatever they thought of me, because I all but knew they were talking about me, and frowned when I saw how disarrayed the reconstruction effort had become. Looting, stealing, infighting, exploitation, hoarding, oppression, and all manner of other inter-faction conflict reigned across every district. I¡¯ll spare the bloody details, but the once united front died while the Count strove to save Calden. ¡°And even once that sweet boy returns things won¡¯t go back to the way they were before.¡± How did this happen? There¡¯s no way people just went off the rails this quickly! It even looks like Ysdra¡¯s set up a little clinic, but even that has been ransacked! Uriel, explain! Uriel buzzed.
Notice: It''s been two days since Calden was stabbed.
My eyes widened, and I glanced over at Silvia¨Cwho inspected the city with indifference. So you¡¯re telling me he got shanked around the same time I powered her up? Uriel buzzed again.
Correct.
Ugh. I really hate being out of commission. I sighed. Then there¡¯s nothing else for it then. I lacked the strength to intervene then, and I can¡¯t change the fact that I forgot to warn them, so I may as well make up for it all now. I cast my eyes over the remaining evidence that things were going great before he got stabbed, just to see where to start. The majority of the city was still heavily damaged, but there were also plenty of houses that only received minor damage that were now restored¨Cand were being forcefully occupied by unlawful residents. I¡¯ll have to get them out. Then there were the piles of construction materials that had been distributed throughout the city which were now gone, but I could still see the impressions in the ground and the scuff marks where things were moved to and fro repeatedly¨Cand could easily track where everything was hauled off to. We¡¯ll need to get those back, at least the ones that haven¡¯t been used up¨Ccan¡¯t unburn firewood after all. Lastly, there were all the charity stations where food was kept, most of which had been emptied¨Cthough good ol¡¯ Iskel was working with that robo merchant to still offer help to those he could. Aaand it looks like the nobles are to blame for the disappearance of most of the city¡¯s sustenance. Leave it to the entitled to pig out when everyone¡¯s starving. Only a few other people still strived to undo the damage, slow and haphazard though it was. And to be fair, it wasn¡¯t really out of goodwill either, as the restoration efforts were really just property owners fortifying their dwellings against invasion by other more desperate denizens. Geez. I know you¡¯re all scared. Someone striking at and nearly killing one of your protected leaders right after a massive disaster hit would cause anyone to panic, but if you just maintained order things never would¡¯ve gotten to the point where people are starving and dying. I requested a few spells from Uriel and sat mulling over my feelings for the next hour or two. And let¡¯s face it, the Count probably dropped the ball too. I can¡¯t imagine how overworked he is right now, so keeping control of this mess while someone close to him is dying¨Cagain¨Cis too much to ask. And nobody out here is likely thinking of that since they too need to do whatever it takes to survive, which is how we got to this point. When I received the notice that the master level mind magics: Unite Will, Experience Extension, and Leadership, were complete I quickly requested the beginner space magic spell: Return, and then smiled softly. Alright, I¡¯ll have everything I need in a minute. However, things can¡¯t be allowed to return to the way they were before. They need to be better. And that means I need to use these last two days as a lesson. So how do I teach them? Should I share the memories of their struggles with their neighbors? Give them a greater understanding of what their actions have done and could do? Gather them up and give them a lecture? Please tell me I don¡¯t have to make an example out of the worst offenders? I don¡¯t really like pretending to be above them, but if I want a better world, then I¡¯m gonna have to make hard decisions too. # Benedict Andrun sat staring at the simple wooden staff that Soaria had brought to him. He¡¯d been at a loss after his sudden and overwhelming defeat at the Church of the Creator but now that he had an artifact that belonged to the terrestrial deity, he had a clear and distinct advantage over his target. The only problem is that woman. He turned his gaze over to a dark and empty corner of the secure basement of his shelter. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible, but Soara had not only infiltrated, but emerged from a corner of a warded room furthest from the door when she first made contact. He got the feeling he could hold his own against her, but an assassin so skilled as to escape even his detection magic wasn¡¯t an enemy he could afford to make right now. With this I¡¯d have completed my mission already, but her insistence that I wait and use it as insurance for her own safety is nothing short of infuriating. Why wait? If I remove my target she¡¯ll have free reign over her¡¯s?! It¡¯s asinine to hold me back! He froze, then chuckled. ¡°Heh. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s afraid? Powerful though they might be, it¡¯s only a terrestrial deity! I can easily¨C¡± A storm of memory cut him off. A flash of lightning devoid of mana. Oppressive magical prowess at a snap of the fingers. Condemning words that he couldn¡¯t unhear. He slowed his suddenly racing heart, and spat. ¡°Fine. Have it your way, desert witch.¡± Come Unity I steeled myself as the last spell completed, and silently cast. Unite Will, Experience Extension, and Leadership.
Unite Will: A spell that allows for the minds of man to be linked together in order to form a massive communicatation network. Experience Extension: A spell that allows for a designated individual to share their abilities and knowledge with others facilitating growth and enabling inexperienced masses to work at a higher production capacity. Leadership: A spell that empowers an individual to overcome their inhibitions and take the fore as the leader of a group. Can come with a mark to further designate the person to those chosen to follow.
There wasn''t really anything flashy about the new magic, since it was all mental, and it took a few spells to get everyone in the city covered and everyone I¡¯d chosen for a leadership position properly empowered, but once that was all ready I telepathically spoke to the city¡¯s residents through our now united wills. ~People of Kalsynthholme, I trust you all can hear me?~ I felt countless shocked responses flood the shared mental network as the startled residents raced outside to try and find the source of the voice in their heads, but as the effective admin of this thought based chat, I muted everyone else and used illuminate to shine like I did the night I fought Gretkarn. Now that I¡¯ve gotten everyone¡¯s attention, I hope the light will help establish my identity and make them more amenable to listen. Hundreds of hands pointed up at me on the top of the castle¡¯s spire, and even more heads turned to look, while Silvia covered her big round eyes as I guess being so close was too bright for her. ~I know it¡¯s been a while and that you all have been through a lot over the last few days, but I didn¡¯t heal you and fight on your behalf just so that you could turn on each other at the first sign of trouble.~ I¡¯m pretty sure I heard Iskel shriek something about repentance and begging God to forgive them, and I almost extended my senses to check on him, but thought better of it since I¡¯d address his concerns. ~I¡¯m disappointed that almost all of you abandoned civility so quickly, but not all of you did and I¡¯m grateful for that¨Cespecially to those who still tried to improve things on their own. Plus, it¡¯s not as if the city can¡¯t be salvaged. And you¡¯re going to salvage it. With your own hands this time. Or you will face punishment.~ I made bolts of lightning arc across the sky with Spark shower and strike the courtyards of a few particularly greedy nobles. Screams filled the air across the city, so I silenced them with a pulse of my intimidation ability¨Cwhich Uriel conveniently just told me could reach through the telepathic bonds. ~To that end, I have united all of your minds to accelerate communication and efficiency, marked those I¡¯ve chosen to lead with a temporary sigil on the back of their hand, and empowered those leaders to share their skills and experience with anyone nearby¨Cwhom I expect to cooperate. Using these gifts, you are to repair the damage you¡¯ve done to this city before young Calden wakes up.~ I paused, took in their concerned, relieved, excited, ambitious, and sometimes even sly or cruel expressions as they processed their changing situation, then continued. ~Know that I will be watching, and I will not tolerate even the slightest bit of greed, pride, or envy. Set aside any wrath you feel from days past, discard your desires, and ensure everyone around you has enough to eat before you so much as take a bite. You are to set yourselves aside and work. Work for the betterment of your community, your neighbors, and then yourselves. This is your task. Get it done.~ And hey, if you remember this experience and grow as people and a community too then that¡¯d just be grand. I released the light and the mute on the telepathic network, then sectioned off everyone into localized groups so as not to overwhelm their brains. I had Uriel convert the mental conversations into text in my little display windows for ease of access while also having it set to search for any problematic talk¨Cas I scanned the surroundings for bad behavior. Obviously, nothing really happened right away. Their first task was to identify who their local leaders were, and I sped that along with mental nudges, and occasionally little guided lights to lead the more dense individuals along. There were, of course, plenty of people just trying to understand what was happening, and even more who were doubtful of my observation and continued presence since my light was gone, but I cleared that up by planting a few more bolts at the feet of the more uncivil and aggressive citizens¨Cwhich spurred along everyone as a side effect. I diligently continued to watch, and Silvia moved behind me and plopped her head onto one of my shoulders, as she¡¯d grown restless at the sight of my deepening frown. Yeah. I don¡¯t really like doing this. But the other options were either massive breaches of privacy, or a full on barbaric display of dominance. I sighed. There really isn¡¯t an easy way to address the darker side of people¨Csince kindness is all too easy for so many to take advantage of. Oop! Not gonna happen buster! This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I noticed an unassuming group attempt to slip out of the city along with the groups designated to gather lumber, and used my new spell to teleport them back to where they¡¯d started¨Cand dropped another bolt to communicate my displeasure and keep them in line. I also noticed that the enthusiasm varied wildly from group to group. The one¡¯s I¡¯d threatened were frantic, those nearby were decently nervous, but most of them were far enough away to feel safe and were thus¡­ lackluster? Complacent? Reluctant? They weren¡¯t really trying their hardest, and at that pace there¡¯s no way they¡¯d finish before Calden wakes up, but since they were actively participating I didn¡¯t really feel that punishment was appropriate. I¡­ I really feel like a tyrant, right now. And if not a tyrant, a massive manipulator, and all around jerk! So let¡¯s give a different type of motivation! I searched for a group that was doing well without needing to be forced, and let¡¯s be honest, I already knew where to find them. Iskel and his congregation were in charge of going around and returning the stolen materials to the depots Calden created so that once the layer of new debris is clear reconstruction can begin where he left off. However, they were having difficulties hauling everything back since some of the timbers were pretty long, and the stones were obviously heavy. And this is where I step in! Strength release. My spell had an instantaneous effect. As even the most aged and frail of his group were able to heft the materials up without even the slightest struggle. When he saw this, Iskel fell to his knees and proclaimed. ¡°Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory to God, to our creator! Glory to the one who empowers us!¡± Sheesh, he¡¯s a fanatical as ever¡­ But thanks to him making such a big display of it, anyone from a nearby group who witnessed the supernatural strength granted to Iskel¡¯s followers reported back to their own teams, and before long much of the city was seeking my support. Though I really didn¡¯t think this through¡­ A lot of them are just praying, but at least it¡¯s not to me! I made a mental note to do better next time, and went ahead and powered up the rest once they were suitably eager to get things done. By now, noon had come and gone, but things were looking suitably better. I had to return several more attempted escapees, and incapacitate a couple group members who were determined to get in the way or stir up trouble, but once news spread that I wasn¡¯t going to punish the many for the actions of a few, the few decided it was better to settle down and save their surly skins from my steadily growing ire. The only other major problem was all the material that was put toward some other purpose during the last two days. Groups like Iskel¡¯s could collect the stuff that had been hoarded easily enough, but there was no way they could track down all the bits that were now part of the buildings they passed. But Uriel and I can! And it only took me and my handy dandy ability a few seconds to do so too. Which means I can just¡­ Return! Repair! My new spell tore, or rather teleported, the ramshackle reinforcements away from where they were to where they were supposed to be, and then one of the many mundane spell¡¯s I¡¯d learned from Rochelle put the cut, broken, or otherwise used materials back into a more workable form. A huge cheer erupted from the groups that had witnessed that display, however the mental chat was stormed with unspoken gripes from the people who watched their handiwork get taken apart¨Clargely due to the fact that much of it was taken from their homes. Well, that¡¯s just how things go I guess. I¡¯m never gonna be able to make everyone happy in situations like this, and in the end this needs to be done at some point, so I¡¯ll take a little solace in the fact that they¡¯ll get better repairs soon enough and that everyone will be helped in due time. I maintained my watch, reward, and warning system as needed until the sun set, then had the groups change course so everyone got fed properly. The nobles, who I had toiling alongside the common folk, were far from pleased to have to open their recently restocked larders, but I wasn¡¯t about to let them keep stolen food and zapped more than a few especially obstinate ones into unconsciousness. This is hardly the time to be making a fuss over material wealth anyway. Everyone¡¯s lost something, some have lost everything, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll recover all the faster once the city is back to normal. So with that said, what am I going to do with you? I narrowed my eyes at one of the assassins who¡¯d snuck back into the city. It was the one good at making disguises, and he seemed to be moving very cautiously toward the castle. The change in atmosphere within the city has clearly put him on edge, and if I intercept him now it¡¯ll be a good opportunity to get some intel on what they¡¯re up to and where they¡¯re located, but it could also be a trap. So what do I do? Rush in and take him unawares? Monitor him and figure things out that way? Or should I contact the Count and orchestrate an encounter between them? I¡¯m not done resetting the city¡¯s progress, but that should finish by noon tomorrow, and it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t act while my diligent workers are asleep. Oh! I could sick Silvia on him too! # Witness sat on a table top held in the unblinking gaze of a man it utterly detested, while waiting for any opportunity to move. It wasn¡¯t alone, it had two of its kin stored within it, the master didn¡¯t even notice the change as they had been asleep at the time, but the three branches were stronger together, and together they had a chance to escape or fight back. The only problem was that the chance wasn¡¯t coming. Witness resented its own powerlessness after the battle with the terrestrial deity of the lake, the powerlessness that allowed it to be taken by those killers and then delivered here, but it knew the master would find it eventually, so even if this detestable man never lets it act, it wasn¡¯t concerned. Not that Witness could know the dangers that the man posed to it. Or how soon he would act. Out Maneuvering I might have a few bones to pick with that sneaky stabber, but I can only imagine that Calden¡¯s friends and supporters are all the more aggrieved. Ending my deliberation, I reached out my mind to the Count and company. I¡¯d put them in their own mental channel, but kept them unaware of it until now as they were mostly busy with administration and didn¡¯t need me distracting them. ~Sorry to disturb you all so late in the evening, but the assassins are back and one is making his way toward the castle as we speak. Would you like to handle this, or should I?~ I sent my senses down to them out of curiosity, and watched Linus bolt up out of his seat, then freeze, before leaning heavily on his desk. ~You have my deepest thanks for this news, Master Anon. I¡¯ll send Ygvarge, Ymir, and Carmella along with a contingent of my finest knights to see the cur eliminated.~ I arched an eyebrow. ~Shouldn¡¯t you interrogate him to find out where the others are?~ The Count hammered a fist onto his desk, but it was Carmella, seated in the library, who responded with a cold curtness that far eclipsed the distrust she once directed at me. ~I¡¯ll handle that.~ I narrowed my eyes, and muttered so they wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Yeah because that went so well last time.¡± Ygvarge then stormed out of his room, sword in hand, and charged for the lower floors. ~Please, let us redeem ourselves! Let us take care of this!~ Ymir quickly carried an exhausted Ysdra from the mess that was her now partly restocked medical tent before quietly adding. ~Please.~ I rolled my eyes. Did those two not hear what I said? The whole point of contacting you was to let you do it! And you really shouldn''t run around with your sword out if you don¡¯t need it! Goodness! I thought Ygvarge was the sensible brother! I wanted to shout at him, but let my irritation pass for now. At least it looks like both he and Carmella have gotten properly treated now that Calden isn¡¯t in desperate need of all medical personnel, so I¡¯ll content myself with that. ~Then I¡¯ll send you his location, and remember to stay on guard.~ I separated our thoughts after setting up what was effectively a live feed of the assassin¡¯s current location in the designated hunter¡¯s brains. They were now seeing what I could, at least in so far as the assassin was concerned, so even though it was dark, they knew that their target, whose alias was apparently Thread, was masquerading as an old hunchbacked crone, using a withered branch as a cane, while dressed in tattered rags. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised at the realism of his disguise given that he likely lost his gear after his capture, but I¡¯m not entirely sure how he plans to break into the castle looking like that¡­ Unless he¡¯s just here for reconnaissance? Which reminds me, I should be doing some too, just in case the interrogation fails. Uriel buzzed at my request to reveal the rest of Thread¡¯s information to me. ¡°Pfft!¡± Silvia jumped at my outburst, and clambered around to look me in the eye. ¡°Master Boss? Are you alright?¡± I grinned. ¡°Yeah, I just never imagined that an assassin who is good at acting would be named gaff!¡± She cocked her head and blinked her big gold and silver eyes at me¨Cwhich were especially bright in the moonlight. ¡°Gaff? Bad name?¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± I lightly pushed her all too close face back a bit and got up. ¡°Gaff is fine, it¡¯s not quite the right spelling for what came to mind, but it¡¯s funny because a gaffe is an embarrassing remark.¡± She just blinked. ¡°Silvia doesn¡¯t understand. Should Silvia rescue the name from the bad man?¡± And now I¡¯m the one making gaffes¡­ I pointed down to where Ygvarge and Carmella met Ymir and around twenty knights at the castle gates beneath us. ¡°No. That¡¯s their job. After all, heh, Gaff and his associates have caused Calden a whole lot of mostly one sided hurt, so it¡¯s time for them to get in a little payback.¡± She slumped her shoulders and pouted. ¡°Then what can Silvia do? Silvia wants to help Master Boss too! Master Boss has been sad all day! Silvia wants Master Boss to smile!¡± Oof. I didn¡¯t expect her to call me out, and she¡¯s got a point too. I didn¡¯t particularly enjoy playing the bad guy and forcing people to get along¨Cbut what else was I supposed to do to get them to help each other out? Brainwash them? That¡¯d make me no better than Gretkarn! I took a deep breath, and let my returned frustration flow out with the exhale. Enough of that. I¡¯m moving on. There¡¯s no point doubting the results of hard decisions, so let¡¯s go make a few more. ¡°Hmm.¡± I cupped my chin in my hand, and stepped a foot. ¡°What. Can. You. Do?¡± I thought of Witness and how they still had my staff, but she wouldn¡¯t know what it looks like, or even where they¡¯re hiding it. Hold on. Where are they hiding? I gave Mr. Gaff another once over, certain that he¡¯d have some clue or trace on him somewhere, and that¡¯s when my eyes landed on his cane. It wasn¡¯t much to look at, a totally ordinary, mostly straight, tree branch stripped of leaves and protrusions to be used as a walking stick. But it looks pretty fresh, and a lot like Witness¡­ Are they taunting me? I sent my gaze over to the woods across the large lake. ¡°Silvia, could you go over there and start searching for other people like him? They¡¯re probably good at hiding and setting traps so be careful, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± With a herculean leap, she was up in the air and away from the castle in a heartbeat, and only a wingbeat later she was already over the treetops. I facepalmed. Oh no. I forgot to tell her not to tear the forest apart. She isn¡¯t going to, right? Right? I covered my eyes and comforted myself with the knowledge that the assassins had it coming, and returned to watching Carmella and Ysdra¡¯s brothers corner Thread. ¡°There¡¯s not much I can do about it now anyway, since she hasn¡¯t done anything wrong yet, and even if she does wreck the place, the city could use the lumber¡­ .¡± # Thread slunk through the city keeping to the alleys and side streets, all but abandoning the safety of his disguise for the protection of darkness. There¡¯s something wrong with this city! The people gather, gesture, and act as if they¡¯re communicating, but I hear nothing and their mouths don¡¯t move! Accents, languages, dialects! I can do it all, but not this! I can¡¯t do this! And yet he forced himself to continue deeper in, as the fear of failure outweighed this unknown obstacle. The ghost of the castle stood stark against the starry night sky, and the numerous nebulas that covered it painted it a mix of purples, reds, and blues. It was a beautiful sight, but for whatever reason looking in that direction sent a chill down his spine. It feels¡­ It feels like I¡¯m being watched. The memories of his recent capture rose unbidden, as did a throbbing in his still only mostly recovered nose. No. No! Don¡¯t tell me that deity knows I¡¯m here again! He searched around frantically, but the gloom that concealed him offered no answers to his growing number of questions. He placed a hand over his heart, and gasped for breath under his mask while staring straight up at the moon. Being played with by an entity that he couldn¡¯t see, couldn¡¯t fight, and couldn''t even guess the motives of had done a number on him¨Cas it had them all. He¡¯d developed panic attacks and paranoia, Shade was now obsessed with killing the target, Veil had become extremely cautious, and Whisper¡­ Whisper broke. He rasped. ¡°I will not break!¡± Then a woman chuckled. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Thread whipped around to see the blonde mage who¡¯d utterly failed at defending the target just a couple days before. He twisted his face into a nasty smile, one reflected on his wrinkled elderly mask, before he charged. ¡°You? You shouldn¡¯t have come alone!¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Sparks flew as the dagger he whipped from his sleeve struck against a barrier. He clicked his tongue, She must have cast it before confronting me., and dove low and to the side to try and get around it, only for a sudden metallic flash to narrowly graze his false face. ¡°And who said I was alone?¡± The woman smirked triumphantly, leveled her wand at him and spit. ¡°Nextus!¡± He staggered from the strike that nearly took his ear, and the wand¡¯s tip shone blue. An azure arrow of order essence magic appeared, then flew out at his stomach. He twisted and rolled, but the magic bolt embedded itself into his thigh in spite of his effort. Unlike normal projectiles, the magic one blinked out once its momentum halted, leaving him not only injured, but bleeding. Thread grunted, and deftly avoided getting skewered by the saber of the Count¡¯s elder son once again. The blonde torathan barked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to get away this time!¡± ¡°Watch me!¡± A flick of the wrist loosed a choke bomb that left the two retching where they stood. Thread moved to finish them off, to deny them their revenge, but his injury forced him to reconsider, so he hobbled back the winding way he¡¯d come. I have a head start and a few more bombs in case anyone else shows up. They¡¯ll likely have guards with them, but in the dark I have the advantage, so¨C As expected, the next turn he took was blocked by several heavily armed and armored men. Thread snorted, tossed a bomb, and wheeled around to take the next alley away. But this one was blocked too. Blast! He repeated the process two more times before finding a way that was clear, but doubt plagued his mind. This¡­ This is just like before! Like when that entity was toying with me using those barriers! But instead of magic I¡¯m dealing with knights! His strength was ebbing fast from the wound in his leg, and the pain coupled with the discomfort of his mask led him to tear it off as he barreled for the end of the alley he was in and the freedom of the wider side street. When his vision cleared, his way was once again barred by several knights and the Count¡¯s younger son. I¡¯m in no condition to fight, I can¡¯t get past them, and I¡¯m out of bombs. He doubled back, but the mage and the elder son were there with the knights he¡¯d eluded up till now. Boxed in, Thread tightened his grip on his dagger, They knew. The whole time they knew where I was, who I was, my preparations were pointless., then let it drop as he fell into manic laughter. Whisper was right. He was right! We were doomed from the start! I should¡¯ve stayed! We all should¡¯ve just stayed in that cell! The knights closed in, and a swift pomel to the back of his head silenced his growing madness. # Soaria shuddered within her burrowed base. Her students were out. Veil was scouting the forest, Thread the city, and Shade waited to rush in and finish off the lordling, but that wasn¡¯t what worried her. Her keen instinct told her that danger was coming, and coming fast. She couldn¡¯t tell from where, or how many they numbered, but her seasoned intuition warned her that it was a danger unlike any she¡¯d faced before, and that it would arrive soon. ¡°So it¡¯s time.¡± She drew her shovel out and sank it into the softened ground near the far wall. Next she reached up toward several thin wires that extended out into her network of traps through underground tunnels and waited for any vibration. ¡°Nothing yet. Maybe they¡¯re taking their time?¡± Another tremble drove her to clench her teeth. ¡°Or they¡¯re airborne.¡± On that fear, she flicked a hand down and yanked a thicker cord that reached out to a large nest of ear blights. Individually, the small birds were simply seen as extremely annoying pests, but a large number of them driven to defend their nest would make mind melting levels of noise which she hoped would bring her potentially aerial foe to ground. A wire shook as a crash echoed in the distance. Then another. And two more as trees started to crack and fall in the distance. She gasped as they kept twitching, and whirled around. ¡°No! Not this quickly!¡± Countless spikes, pitfalls, razor wires, poison dart shooters, swinging longs and disturbable monster dens stood between her base and any outsiders. Obviously they weren¡¯t all positioned to one side so many of them would be useless, or so she thought, but unless her wires and ears were reporting a stampede of countless creatures, whatever entity now hunted her was sweeping the entire forest at an insane speed. Best she could tell, it was circling her location and was closing fast. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be.¡± She drew a few poisoned needles, crouched, and in spite of her blaring instinct, crept up to peek out into the forest outside. There must be a more sensible explanation for what¡¯s happening than that deity finding me. I know! My underlings could have feigned turning against me and now lead the Count¡¯s forces here as a ploy to weaken and distract them. Maybe something went wrong and they¡¯re felling trees to deal with the traps? She unconsciously clutched the amulet around her neck and gulped. The worst case is that this could even be another of that lich¡¯s cursed warnings¡­ Though I¡¯ll take the pain of a false death over a real one any day. She held tight to those small rays of hope, and used them to slow her racing heart, silence her breath, and find the courage to approach the curtain of leaves that covered the entrance. Soaria peeked through and saw that the moon bathed the small clearing in eerie light, and stabbed through the dense foliage just beyond like long arrows littering a ruined battlefield. But it was quiet. Strangely quiet. It¡¯s only been a few minutes, so why don¡¯t I hear the earblights? Or any of the other monsters for that matter? What¡¯s happening? She gulped as the silhouette of a slight girl, no older than sixteen, suddenly strode confidently from the gloom while dragging the familiar shape of Veil behind her. Immaculate, she wore a one piece dress of glittering silver feathers with a matching bob of silver hair framing her perfectly symmetrical face. Her almost ivory skin nearly distracted from the dangerous scaly talons that were her hands and feet, but it wasn¡¯t until she saw the glint in the girl¡¯s big gold predatory eyes that dread set back in. For those eyes were trained directly on her. And they didn¡¯t blink. Soaria whispered. ¡°The deity. Anon was it?¡± Fine. I can handle this. It isn¡¯t ideal, but this is what I prepared for, I just need to signal Benedict. The girl cocked her head. ¡°Deity? No. Silvia didn¡¯t become one of those. Master Boss made her better than that, and Master Boss wanted Silva to find the people in the woods.¡± The shadow of a vast pair of wings rose up behind the girl and blotted out what little light reached her face. ¡°And Silvia has.¡± Soaria¡¯s jaw dropped. Not the Deity? But her appearance and oppressive presence are unmistakably¨C? B¨Cbut, if she¡¯s not lying then I¡¯ve miscalculated¨C I don¡¯t have an answer for this¨C! The girl inhaled deeply, and Soara burst forth and shouted, ¡°No! Wait!¡±, right as her feathered foe opened her mouth to scream. # Silvia was perturbed. Until recently she¡¯d survived and existed, but not lived. She¡¯d defiantly taken up space in a world that didn¡¯t want her, raging against a death that would return her to the void and nullify everything she was. But now she lived, unafraid of such a fate, the weight of fear burdened her no longer, and what was even more satisfying was that Master Boss had given her her first task ever! And it was a hunt! But the hunt wasn¡¯t going anything like she¡¯d imagined. All she had to do was find the people in the woods. Maybe chase them around a little if they fled. It was going to be exciting! Fun! But before she could even pick a place to land and start looking, a bunch of really noisy downy bothers came up and started shrieking at her. One swipe of her talons was all it took to silence them, but the noise they created made her ears ring, souring her mood. You¡¯re not even Silvia¡¯s prey! Why even get involved? What did Silvia do to you? She thundered to the ground to frighten off any other smaller critters that might further foul her hunt, then proceeded to put her excellent eyesight to work seeking any sign of people. Silvia knew people built structures to live in, and set traps to hunt, and with her powerful legs it didn¡¯t take long to come across the first traps. Evading the swinging logs and pitfalls was easy, and enduring the darts proved simple as they couldn¡¯t even penetrate her skin. The constant barrage of fruitless attacks dredged up many foul memories, but she endured it as the more traps she encountered the faster she could locate where they were living. She passed a variety of monster nests as she sprinted soundlessly through the woods, but they were either abandoned when she arrived, too slow to react to her, or the residents stayed stock still as if to beg to be overlooked as she passed. People guard homes. Traps can hunt, but traps can guard too. If Silvia goes too far the traps stop, but going back Silvia finds more! So all Silvia needs to do is circle around until Silvia finds the center! The deeper in she went, the more her race through the forest was followed by the sounds of crashing trees, felled by the force of her wake¨Cwhich only ceased with the discovery of a person. He was outside of their nest, and clearly headed toward what she suspected was the heart of the traps. His back was to her as he clearly heard her coming, and like any prey, knew to flee the hunter. That must be one! Master Boss I found one! In her excitement, she snatched him up, and smashed him into a nearby tree. He crumpled, leaving a crimson trail from what used to be his face, and Silvia frowned. Weak? Why weak? They hurt people, but this weak? Stupid. Disappointed, Silvia grabbed his leg and dragged him in the direction he had been going. Nest must be this way. Silvia doesn¡¯t really want to hunt anymore. Not hungry, and prey too weak. Her several minute walk saw her side step several more traps. Though this part of the forest was more tangled and twisted than the rest, her slowed pace and keen eyes allowed her to notice the nuisances long before she got anywhere near them. That¡¯s when she saw it. The burrow covered with tree feathers, and the woman staring back out from within¨Csearching for any sign of Silvia, or¨C. Silvia glanced down at the man and blinked. Mate? Eggs inside? Feeling pity for her prey was a new experience for Silvia, so she calmly walked closer until the woman could see her. The woman didn¡¯t run, and didn¡¯t come out to fight either, which meant there weren¡¯t any eggs to protect and this man wasn¡¯t her mate. The woman whispered. ¡°The deity. Anon was it?¡± Her big eyes widened in shock. Do they know Master Boss? Then Silvia realized that the woman was talking about her and cocked her head. ¡°Deity? No. Silvia didn¡¯t become one of those. Master Boss made her better than that, and Master Boss wanted Silva to find the people in the woods.¡± She raised up and expanded her wings in case she needed to fight or fly. ¡°And Silvia has.¡± She inhaled to call for Master Boss, but the woman suddenly burst forth from their nest and shouted, ¡°No! Wait!¡±, right as Silvia opened her mouth, so Silvia let the air out in a huff. Silvia has found the prey. Master Boss wants to know. Silvia should tell Master Boss, but what does she want? Should Silvia listen? Silvia doesn¡¯t want to listen, but Master Boss always listens¡­ Or should Silvia just attack, and bring the prey back to Master Boss instead? Running Out of Time I watched from the Castle¡¯s rooftop as Carmella smacked Thread across the face for the third time that evening, eliciting a grunt as he finally stirred. They¡¯d knocked him out to stop his descent into madness, but in order to question him they kinda needed him awake. Not the most well thought out strategy, but they¡¯re making it work. Now, however, it¡¯s time to see if Carmella¡¯s gotten any better at interrogations. He glared up at Carmella, now visible in the magic light she¡¯d created, and spit onto the cobbled street. ¡°You¡¯ll get nothing from me.¡± Then he shifted, testing the grip of the knights restraining him, and the strength of the shackles placed on his wrists and ankles. Thankfully, it looked like he¡¯d judged he couldn¡¯t escape since he tried nothing further and just slumped in their grasp, but Carmella took it in stride, smiled broadly, and leaned forward to look him in the face. ¡°Oh? But that¡¯s quite alright, Mr. Wilious Gaff, we know all about you and Marquis Palaeshek.¡± Thread paled, but showed no further response, while I blinked in surprise. Wait. Haven¡¯t I seen this tactic somewhere before? Her smirk grew as she counted out on her fingers. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right mister master of disguise? You weigh 148 lbs, are about 5¡¯8¡±, and I¡¯m honestly shocked that you still think you can escape.¡± Whoa! Hold up! She can read their height and weight with her ability? Why can¡¯t I do that? Isn¡¯t Uriel higher level? The system whispered. Ohhh. That makes more sense! I stood and clapped. Well done Carmella! Way to grow from your roughshod methods. The bound assassin stopped looking around for a way out, and turned to face her so slowly I could almost hear his neck creak! ¡°What games are you playing? You made all that up! Guesses! Nothing more! You¡¯re¨C¡± She hushed him with a finger, then crouched to eye level. ¡°Guesses? How can they be guesses when they¡¯re so clearly written on your soul?¡± I halted my hands, and facepalmed. Seriously?! Here I thought she¡¯d learned something, but all she¡¯s really doing is copying me when I questioned that Sorren dude! Then the system prodded. ¡°Huh. I guess so.¡± Then I plopped back down and crossed my arms and legs. ¡°But will it have the desired effect?¡± Thread couldn¡¯t contain the shiver that coursed through him. ¡°S¨Csoul? My Soul? You can see my soul? But there¡¯s no record of you being an observer?¡± Carmella moved her hand up to his cheek, grabbed the baggy cheeks of Thread¡¯s mask, and tore off the false face to reveal his own more frightened one. ¡°I wasn¡¯t, but because you lot continued chasing after my Lord¡¯s life our benefactor saw fit to grant my eyes greater sight.¡± She leaned in again, and lowered her voice. ¡°You remember the fight in the square? How I suddenly found you in spite of your disguise? That was me testing out my new ability. An ability given right around the time the four of you escaped Ariadholme and came here.¡± His jaw slowly dropped while she explained, and then he turned his gaze skyward. ¡°All along. We were lost from the very start. That Anon creature that hunted us knew. We never stood a chance.¡± Well, I don¡¯t know about never. If I wasn¡¯t around or didn¡¯t come back, they definitely would have succeeded, sooo better luck next time! ¡°It was all according to their plan. Just as always.¡± She moved to whisper something in his ear, and for some reason he teared up and started bawling. He wailed, ¡°God?! God?!¡± then flopped to the ground as the knights readjusted their grip on the man who no longer had any will to fight. Carmella frowned, and clicked her tongue. ¡°Before you dive off the deep end, I need to know where your base is. Where the other assassins are. Tell us, and I¡¯ll see to it that your punishment is swift.¡± He writhed like a worm on the ground, rubbing his face against the cold and dirty cobbles in some insane desire to vent his frustration. ¡°The woods! We¡¯re in the woods! I don¡¯t know where the others are, only master Soaria knows that! God!? It was all for nothing! Now I understand why Whisper didn¡¯t want to leave! He knew! He knew and didn¡¯t tell us! Curse you for letting us walk into this!¡± Carmella cringed at his sorry display, and muttered. ¡°You heard all that right?¡± And I reached out through the telepathic network. ~I did, and good work! You¡¯ve gotten better at interrogations, but I already knew where they were. Silvia¡¯s taking care of it.~ I turned my attention away from them as the self-loathing and curse spewing assassin¡¯s tantrum was getting to be a little too much to bear, and flew off on shape shifted wings in the direction Silvia went. I wonder if she¡¯s captured them yet? I really hope they¡¯re still in one piece. # Carmella shuddered in giddy glee. I knew it! I knew Anon would know! They have to! The Creator God knows everything! And they¡¯re here with us! This is why Calden has been so fervent! How could he not when the Creator bestowed a revelation in person! # Shade lurked in the depths of darkness. It took a good chunk of his lifeforce to get him here, but thanks to the item that that Ascendant Benedict gave him, he was able to reach this new height of power and use his shadow walk ability to delve into the undetectable depths of the abyss--even if only for a little while. It¡¯s cost me much, and I likely won¡¯t be able to escape unscathed, but I refuse to die a failure! I will wipe away this twice over disgrace with blood! A feeling of omnipotence filled him as from his safe position in the heart of gloom he could see and move through the shadows of the entire city, and though he couldn¡¯t take in everything all at once, he was still able to locate his target far faster than Thread could complete his reconnaissance. He squeezed the handle of his dagger tight, and curled his lips into a ferocious smile as he watched the small frame of Calden Dresdeth sleep soundly through the veil of his lavish bed. Even with all their defenses, I could take him within moments! Even with all those guards, not one would be any wiser! Thread was told he¡¯d be giving me the go ahead, but Master sent him as bait. He glanced over at a different shadow and snorted as he watched Thread struggle against the knights restraining him. The mage, knights, and both heirs are away. He glanced at another. The Count is in his office battling paperwork, and with no trace of that so-called deity, that means you are wide open, Calden! Shade crept through the dark doorway his augmented powers created and into the darkest corner of Calden¡¯s mostly moonlit room. He felt the trinket granted to him flare up, as it leached out his vitality. He snarled at the unpleasant sensation. It felt like he was getting blood drawn through his hip, his bones creaked as they lost density, and his skin pulled tight and wrinkled from the loss of life. It ended as suddenly as it started, mere seconds in all, but the now borderline elderly Shade still felt his vision swim. That¡­ That took more than I expected. I doubt I¡¯ll be able to escape at all now! He rolled his now stiff shoulders, and fixed his tired and blurry sights on his helpless target. But you. I¡¯ll be taking you with me! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The curtains of Calden¡¯s canopied bed still hid him from direct line of sight, and the aged Shade silently cursed the moonlight that had prevented him from appearing any closer. It doesn¡¯t matter. My legs might wobble, hy hands might shake, but I haven¡¯t lost my edge. Just take your time, and keep quiet. You still have time. This is your hour. Skilled and silent footfalls brought the now fatigued Shade to the edge of the bed, and he reached out with a trembling hand to rip the curtain away, as he did the doorknob quietly turned, the door opened, and the fearsome eye of an angry tiger peered through. # Silvia blew out her gathered breath in a huff, and pouted. Master Boss would listen. Master Boss would want Siliva to listen too. ¡°Speak. Silvia is listening.¡± Soaria let her outstretched arms fall limply to her sides, before she clutched at her heaving chest to control her breathing. ¡°Th¨Cthank you.¡± She took a few moments to gather herself, so Silvia stomped impatiently, causing a small tremor to rock the clearing and shake a few leaves from the nearby trees. ¡°Hurry up! Silvia said Silvia is listening!¡± Soaria straightened up, and held out an empty hand defensively while taking a step back. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m sorry! This is all a misunderstanding! We never meant to offend you or your master or boss! We were hired to do a job and that was it. We never wanted to fight you!¡± Silvia tilted her head to one side, then the other. ¡°Bad? Understanding?¡± Then she dropped Veil, and extended her nails into long, cruel, talons. ¡°But Master Boss told Silvia to find forest humans because the forest humans upset Master Boss! So bad understanding isn¡¯t important. Only hunting. Only punishment!¡± # Every ounce of focus, every bit of instinct, and every second of training Soaria had, went into dodging the savage talon that appeared before her face in that following instant. It was all she could do to drop to her knees and roll under Silvia¡¯s arm. As the immediate danger passed, a moment¡¯s clarity prompted her to take a swipe at the girl¡¯s scaled calf with her favored dagger¨Conly to feel it glance off. The rush of air that suddenly followed in that next second threw Soaria away and she managed to tumble through the air and land back onto her feet only for an ear piercing shriek to send her reeling. Reflex demanded that she cover her now bleeding ears, but she refused, fighting through the agony and disorientation to fling a poison gas bomb at Silvia. It sailed swift and true, but the girl¡¯s massive wing just brushed it away like so much dust, where it exploded harmlessly behind her. Soaria grit her teeth even harder and tasted blood¨Cevidently she¡¯d cracked a tooth in the process of resisting the scream, but she didn¡¯t have time to care. I knew I couldn¡¯t fight a deity, but this isn¡¯t the one I prepared for! I have leverage against the one named Anon, but this Silvia is too dense to negotiate with! She spun away from another sudden rush¨Cone that to even her keen eyes was akin to teleportation¨Cbefore being surprised by a flurry of attacks. She bobbed and twirled as best as her training allowed, but after only a few quick exchanges Silvia caught her by the throat. ¡°Fun!¡± The girl chirped, lifting her effortlessly off the ground like a child would their favorite toy. ¡°More fun than the other! Real hunt! Real prey! Master Boss is the best!¡± then her head spun to face backwards. ¡°Oh! Master Boss is coming this way!¡± Soaria choked, and clutched at Silvia¡¯s oversized hand that completely enveloped her neck. With the monster¡¯s attention elsewhere, she tried to stab it a few times but the scales once again proved too hard. How did she just stop like that? And where did the rush of wind go? I was counting on using it to create more distance. She dropped her knife to free her other hand, as she now needed it to help support her weight and buy enough leeway to keep breathing. But if her master is Anon, then I just need to hold out until they arrive. Then my leverage will work! And this wretched girl will be brought to heel! I just¡­ need to hold on. Soaria fought for each breath, doing her best to expand her senses even as fatigue and asphyxiation dulled them. She longed to use her amulet to escape from Silvia, but the fear of immediate recapture and being subsequently crippled by the childish girl deterred her. Besides, after enduring this humiliation, I¡¯m going to enjoy crushing their feeling of superiority now that they think they¡¯ve won. Another minute passed and as her world darkened around her, she began to fear Anon would never come. But the arrival happened silently, without any flashy effects or crashing trees. There was no great rush of wind, or an overpowering wave of mana, compared to this typhoon of a girl, Anon was like a ghost, emerging as if they¡¯d always been there and she simply hadn¡¯t noticed. The visage of the deity she¡¯d awaited was nothing special either. She expected a great and terrible monster¨Cthat was the norm, but like Silvia, they were very humanoid in form and even wore actual clothing¨Cnot that any of it was regal or finely crafted. On top of that, they slouched, so their height was ambiguous, their weight too, given how baggy their clothes were. Gender and race were equally undeterminable beneath the deep hood that let only the tiniest hint of a chin escape, but when they spoke, Soaria¡¯s blood froze. The voice was cold, composed, and stern, deep as the ocean, and as gritty as the desert she last heard it in. ¡°Let her go, Silvia. She can¡¯t breathe like that.¡± The silver girl chirped and happily dropped the master assassin onto the ground, before taking up a servile position behind, and to the right side of the new arrival. Pain from the fall spurred her to gasp, and fresh air flooded Soaria¡¯s burning lungs. She coughed as cold sweat mixed in with the warmer drops shed during the fight. Her vision slowly cleared, and from her new vantage, and with the power of her night vision ability, she looked up at Anon¨Cand saw the sour face of her hook-nosed master staring back. Her eyes widened. ¡°No! No you can¡¯t be here! You can''t have become so powerful! I killed you! I¨C¡± Her master¡¯s face warped into an uncharacteristically concerned frown, and the hooded figure crouched to meet her at eye level. The voice remained as the one she knew, but there was more life to it, more compassion than she ever experienced from him before. ¡°Are you okay? I know Silvia knocked you around a bit, but I don''t think I¡¯ve ever had someone react to me like that before.¡± Anon waited in silence, and the longer she stared the more the face of her fears changed. One by one, the visages of her every victim surfaced in order of their deaths, each silently questioning her with those cruelly kind eyes before the parade started over. H¨Chow? How do they know!? How are they doing this! And why? Are they mocking me? Trying to break me? Like Whisper? Well it won¡¯t work! I will not yield! She clutched the hilt of her dropped dagger tight, and spit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re playing at, but your staff for the boy¡¯s life. That¡¯s the deal.¡± The march of faces accelerated as confusion, and then amusement played over their cyclical countenances. And when Anon spoke, this time all their voices echoed back. ¡°What? You don¡¯t even have it, so how are you planning to return it?¡± She snarled. ¡°It¡¯s in the hands of the Ascendants. Benedict Andrun! I believe you¡¯ve met? If I give the signal he¡¯ll¨C¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Anon shook their head slowly, and smiled. ¡°I know what you¡¯ve got planned. You can¡¯t hide your thoughts from me, and you should know that your little gambit was never going to pay off. You should¡¯ve just run away.¡± ¡°Aaahhh!¡± Soaria shouted, swung her knife at Anon¡¯s throat and raised the other hand skyward before pulling the cord that launched the flare from her bracer with her teeth. A red flash filled the clearing as the blade impacted, but instead of flesh, it once again met Silvia¡¯s scaled talons, and instead of a signal that soared high into the night, the blinding light went out, consumed by Anon¡¯s outstretched hand¨Cnow glowing with a warm internal light. # I took the pleasantly warm flare I held in my right hand and snuffed it out by rubbing it into the dirt. ¡°Now what am I going to do with you Soaria an¡¯Selm?¡± It was good that Silvia repelled the dagger aimed at my throat, but I could¡¯ve done without her crushing both the blade and the hand holding it in the process. To my amazement, the assassin didn¡¯t scream, but since I¡¯d used Unite Will on her, I knew first hand how much pain she was in right now, and just how traumatized she¡¯d been by meeting me. I mean, I get that she¡¯s a cold blooded killer, but that dirtbag of a master of her¡¯s really bent her out of shape. Couple seeing him again on top of all the people she¡¯s killed through my fickle face and I pretty much gave her the worst scare of her life without even realizing¡­ So what do I do? Throw her in the Count¡¯s dungeon? Finish her off? I can¡¯t let her go, and from what I¡¯m seeing she isn¡¯t willing to repent, so I guess my only other option would be to force reform onto her with hypnosis, but that doesn¡¯t exactly feel right either. # A few miles off one of Benedict Andrun¡¯s subordinates rushed down into the cellar to report. ¡°Sir! We¡¯ve detected powerful mana fluctuations in the forest where Marquis Palaeshek¡¯s assassins are based!¡± Benedict smirked, and pushed up his glasses. ¡°Then it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°But sir! We haven¡¯t sighted the signal yet.¡± He turned, withdrew a blackened shard of a metallic looking substance from his pocket and strode toward Witness. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. The deity is distracted so they are the most vulnerable now. The assassins won¡¯t fare any better than we did, but thanks to them, we¡¯ve been given the upper hand! It¡¯s time for Anon to suffer the same fate as Matweirden!¡± Out of Time I shrugged as I stood up. ¡°I guess the dungeon is the obvious choice. I¡¯m not the lawmaker nor enforcer thereof so I may as well do the ol¡¯ civic duty and assist in her arrest.¡± It took a moment to stretch my awareness allllll the way back over to the castle, and then down into the dungeons. Cool, they¡¯ve got a cell available for her, but just teleporting her back might be dangerous as she¡¯s likely skilled enough to escape even with a broken arm¡­ Silvia should be a good enough guard. Though I do need to disarm her first! I snapped, and used Shifted steps to send Soraria a few feet to the right, while excluding all her tools, trinkets, and weapons from the spell. She vanished and reappeared in the following flashes, and all her stuff clattered to the ground where she once was. ¡°What?! I¨Cmmmph!¡± Soaria tried to scamper to her feet now that she was out of arm¡¯s reach, but Silvia casually smushed her under an unfurled wing. ¡°Shush! Master Boss is done talking!¡± I pressed my lips together in consternation and stared at the quivering spot on Silvia¡¯s wing where Soaria still struggled to escape. Ooookay then. Not how I intended that to go¡­ But at least she isn¡¯t dead. ¡°Hey Silvia?¡± My dutiful and attentive owl perked up in a fashion more akin to a dog than a bird. ¡°Yes, Master Boss?¡± ¡°Could you take Soaria there back to the Count and help make sure she doesn¡¯t escape until I get back?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In a metaphorical flash, Silvia changed into her full silver owl form, and snatched Soaria up off the ground with her massive talons. She was a wingbeat away from soaring off into the wild dark yonder, when I shouted. ¡°And make sure not to hurt her! We need her in one piece, ya¡¯hear!¡± The radiant bird flinched at my call, looked back by swiveling her head almost all the way around, and then took off at a much more reasonable pace. I watched them go for a bit, more than a little concerned that Silvia was maintaining eye contact with me rather than looking where she was going, then turned my attention to Soaria¡¯s pile of junk in the hopes she¡¯d knock it off. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine. She might be reckless and a bit dense, but Silvia''s done pretty well so far. Now, Uriel? What¡¯s all this anyway? Uriel scanned it all in a few short moments. There were wires, ropes, spikes for climbing, little crystal lights, maps, ink and parchment of varying quality, trail rations, water skins, several denominations of money, and a whole slew of toxins and other dangerous doodads that she¡¯d acquired or engineered which I quickly isolated and incinerated with, well, incinerate. Then the glint of her otherwise ordinary looking onyx amulet caught my eye. Uriel buzzed.
Amulet: Name: Locket of the Lost Mana: 500/500 Durability: 1000 Traits: Disguise; Life Sacrifice; Woeful Warning; Tempor-itation; Edge of Eternity
My eyes widened. Whoa there, buddy! That¡¯s one dangerous sounding item. Uriel what do those traits even do? Uriel buzzed again, and again, and again, and again.
Life Sacrifice: This trait allows the wearer to spend their life force in place of, or alongside, mana to activate the item''s other traits. This item shortens overall lifespan, others lesser tools may result in immediate bodily deterioration. Woeful Warning: This trait uses mana and life-force to reveal a potential premature ending to the wearer''s life. Probability of activating: 10% Tempor-itation: This trait, like teleportation, allows the wearer and even others to magically change location. However the distance and number of travelers will alter the cost in mana and life force as well as the time of arrival. Edge of Eternity: This trait devours life force to permit passage to a forbidden relm beyond the world. The creator of this item lies trapped there as punishment for his pride and greed.
Oof. I grimaced at the idea of what the forbidden world might look like. That¡¯s no bueno. A really dangerous item for anyone and¨C Wait. I¡¯ve been up and kicking for a really really long time. I¡¯m basically immortal. I don¡¯t have a limit on life force do I? The system whispered. ¡°Great!¡± I picked up the faintly glowing amulet and slipped it over my head. ¡°Then in the interest of keeping everyone else safe I¡¯m just gonna hang onto this.¡± I felt the cold stone slip into place over my heart as I turned in the direction that Soaria¡¯s memories showed Benedict¡¯s base was in, and then I felt something strange. Like ice water being dumped over my whole body, just, ya¡¯know, without anything actually happening. ¡°Huh. Well that was weird.¡± And then a black flash swallowed me whole. # Count Linus rubbed his tired blue eyes, and then glazed in the direction of Calden¡¯s room before he set the document he¡¯d just finished checking into the completed pile. I need to focus on restoring the city, on helping my people, but¡­ He leaned back in his padded leather seat, and sighed. ¡°Calden. Our hope of resurgence. And I nearly lost him. Dorian trusted me, and I nearly lost him. Again.¡± Anon¡¯s amorphous form flickered in his mind¡¯s eye. From the first time they met to their most recent interaction their form was always different to him, and each time it had suited the moment perfectly. From a regal and dominant deity, to a selfless warrior, and now to the very face and form of his departed wife. He combed his fingers through his hair and held his head in his hands. ¡°But who are they? And why help us? That priest from the slums claims Anon is the Creator, and now Carmella is saying the same. But Calden has always called Anon an angel that serves the Creator so one side has to be wrong.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. His thoughts turned to Lady Matweirden, to her lithe and powerful form, to the great displays of power she¡¯d shown, and the wisdom of her doctrine of the strong protecting the weak, and the weak submitting to and caring for the strong. That is how it should be, but Anon doesn¡¯t demand subservience as one in power should, instead they are almost subservient, freely giving of themselves even if it endangers their own life! Add in their near defeat and I can¡¯t see them being the supposedly almighty Creator, however they don¡¯t behave like a messenger or servant would either. Instead¡­ The caring, compassionate, and ofttimes open ended words and actions of Anon whittled down all other input and left him picturing a gentle parent nudging and hinting at their children so that they can reach the answers on their own. Surely they aren¡¯t a distant ancestor or ancient progenitor, but then what are they? And why do they care? He muttered. ¡°Care?¡± And Anon¡¯s most recent message silenced his contemplation, and sent him to his feet. ¡°Stay on guard? Stay on guard. We were told to stay on guard because you care. I don¡¯t know why you care but that doesn¡¯t matter as much as knowing that you do. And what you expect us to do with the information you give.¡± His feet were moving before his tired mind could catch up, and he was out of his office and stalking down the long and mostly dark corridors of his Castle in moments. So then, since you care, and speak in riddles to get us to act, then I can assume that your prior warning wasn¡¯t just for those out hunting the assassin, but for all of us¡­ A satisfied smirk crept across his scarred face. See Gris! I can figure this out too! It wasn¡¯t long before he reached the room Calden was staying in, and, taking the sleeping boy¡¯s comfort into consideration, just in case he was wrong, he turned the knob and cracked the door only enough so that he could see the bed. Immediately, his smile twisted into a snarl at the sight of Shade reaching for the bed curtain. Anon.Whoever you are. We are once again in your debt. # Now is my chance! Now is my time! With this artifact I will strike down its master, and then bind them as Lord Durdanhal demonstrated! The church will grow stronger, and I will be one step closer to becoming an ascendant myself! Benedict held his hands high as he chanted spell after spell, sweating slightly as he endured the strenuous process of single handedly combining chaos and order essence magic into the more formidable probability magic. He intended to increase his chances as much as he could in order to succeed in corrupting Anon¡¯s artifact, and could have relied on his subordinates for help, but he desired revenge and glory, and could not achieve those things by relying on others. ¡°Warping will! Hnngh! Controlling command!¡± He cast the spells in succession, bathing his raised hands in red and blue light respectively before forcing the two together. Sparks flew, and ever so slowly he managed to dye both lights purple. Witness lay before Benedict, at the center of the room, at the core of an intricate magic triangle that had blood filled skulls placed at each point. The runes and glyphs drawn in yet more blood had been gathered from the most tainted monsters by the church before being carefully dyed with even more blight by the Ascendant himself. Benedict lowered his hands and directed the purple power forth, striking the staff with his desire to change and control it. The wooden rod trembled, likely from the concentrated magic, and as a purple glow set in, Benedict wiped his brow and started into a new chant. A custom chant made to harm the spirit in the most cruel ways. Made by the church to destroy what''s pure and invite putrefaction. To activate the magic triangle and seal Witness¡¯ fate as his steppingstone to glory. He withdrew a dark metallic shard from his pocket, and raised it high as he stepped forward to plunge it down. ¡°Complete corruption!¡± He shouted as it dug into the center of the wooden staff with a dull thunk. The blood drawn triangle erupted with sickly light, torrents of smoky shadow rose up from the skulls and surged into the shard sinking it deeper and deeper into Witness. Benedict laughed and wobbled slightly as the wood gradually started to turn black, wondering. Now, is this enough? I have two more shards. I could make it stronger still, but I need to keep in mind that I might need one to help subdue Anon. # Darkness churned around me, growing deeper and deeper, obscuring everything until even my expanded and sharpened senses couldn¡¯t make out anything. I felt the world around me stretch and shift, sorta like teleportation, but without entering that white tunnel, and instead of losing my sense of place I lost my sense of time. Great. Just great! I put on an amulet and now I¡¯m just as clueless about when I am as I was during the dark days of dust back on the old Earth! I crossed my arms and huffed. I guess this is what I get for toying around with something that I knew to be dangerous¡­ But how was I supposed to know it¡¯d activate all by itself? From in the darkness, substance planted itself onto my feet, or perhaps I was planted onto it? But anyway, I landed and the dark light re-emerged from the gloom to reveal¡­ ¡°No. No, no, no. I can¡¯t be back here! Anywhere but here! Why do I have to be back at the end of the old Earth? And why is it so much worse now! Why?!¡± Dust, ash, soot, and grime. As far as the eye could see with no trace of any buildings, people, or plants anywhere. It was just as before, except for a couple horrible differences. The first, was all the grand fissures snaking all across the ground, revealing an abysmal drop all the way down into an empty black void. The silty surface substance sifted off the edges in streams in countless places, but no matter how much fell, it never decreased the amount covering the ground or filled in the abyss below. And the second difference was that the anomaly that lurked behind the sun and moon was much bigger and loomed on the horizon like a never ending sunset¨Cbecause the sun was once again gone. I could feel the loneliness from ages past seep back into me as I gazed at the grim horizon. Burbling up from the closed cracks in my heart my eternity of solitude stamped down on all the happiness I¡¯d found traveling and exploring the new world. ¡°But that was just a dream. Just a dream. I fell asleep, dreamed it all, and now I¡¯m awake, and the world¡¯s even worse than it was before.¡± I shut my burning, tear filled eyes, and reached to clutch at my rapidly tightening chest. That¡¯s when I felt the cool surface of my newly acquired amulet. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s still here? I held it in my palm and looked down. It was a little awkward given the angle, so I swapped to using my expanded senses, which I now noted were still functioning. ¡°It¡¯s here¡­ My abilities still work¡­ That means I wasn¡¯t dreaming! I can go back! I just have to¨C!¡± Just as I was about to try activating the amulet with mana or life force, its flawless surface cracked and then the whole thing crumbled to dust. ¡°Shoot. Now what do I do?¡± I looked around, and sent out my sensory field in search of clues, but to no one''s surprise, found nothing amidst the dunes. ¡°It was worth a try. Uriel did say the amulet¡¯s creator was here, right? Because this is the edge of eternity, right?¡± I returned my attention to the waiting anomaly and sighed. ¡°I guess that just leaves you.¡± Without any other choice, I did the one thing I¡¯d feared doing with my sharpened senses, and that was to use them to scrutinize and examine that thing. I knew it was aware, and watching, that it had some kind of influence over me and my situation, but I was terrified to find out what. The dismal and barren landscape zipped past as I zoomed in on it as much as I could, but instead of reaching it, I felt my awareness hit a sort of wall. And that wall stopped me at the edge of the biggest ravine I¡¯d seen yet¨Cone with no apparent end. One with a sheer cliff face that held the only structure in this ruined place. A shattered throne placed to be centered right in front of the anomaly¡¯s core. Hewn from ancient stone it was covered in grime and cracks, but was mostly intact, save from the back which had apparently fallen off into oblivion. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s¡­ I didn¡¯t expect any of that¡­¡± I lowered my gaze slightly, and noticed that a few feet in front of that solitary throne, in a blackened crater, lay a charred human skeleton, robed in tattered finery and bedecked in tarnished jewelry. That must be the guy then¡­ Too bad he¡¯s dead. Though maybe the anomaly can let me talk to him. That¡¯s probably why it set all this up¡­ Assuming it set all this up. Assuming it can do anything other than invade my dreams. Because this isn¡¯t a dream. I pinched myself just to be sure, but it hurt, and I didn¡¯t wake. ¡°Fine.¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°Then for the sake of leaving this place, and returning to those who need me, I¡¯ll face you once again, ya big, grayscale, eye in the sky!¡± Edge of a Knife Benedict¡¯s wicked grin twisted his narrow face further toward madness as he withdrew the two remaining shards he had. Why shouldn¡¯t I? There¡¯s no reason not to! I can¡¯t wait to see the look on that arrogant deity¡¯s face when they face their precious artifact warped with blight and obedient to me! He plunged them down, and drove one into the head and the other at the bottom of the now blackish staff. More blight poured out of the tainted spell formation, and within a few minutes Witness cracked, popped, became more gnarled and crooked, and turned completely black. Benedict grasped the misshapen, putrefied, artifact and held it aloft, inspecting it with his free hand that shook in one part fatigue and another part exhilaration. ¡°Excellent! Excellent! The road Lord Durdanhal set lies before me! Now I too can tame a deity! Subduing them will be easy, their own tainted power will be a direct channel to wound their resilient spirit! And after that¡­¡± He patted a pouch at his hip, one specially warded and woven to contain the crystalized creature within. ¡°I¡¯ll only need to implant the demon designed to devour and replace what remains, and that accursed entity will be broken and subject to my will!¡± The foul scent of boiled blood and rotting wood filled the basement like a thick miasma, but his well trained subordinate ignored the offensive odor as he rushed down the stairs and shouted. ¡°Sir! It¡¯s an emergency! All the plant life around us is rapidly withering away!¡± Benedict¡¯s eyebrows raised in alarm, then he glanced down at the staff in his hand and snorted. ¡°Oh? Demonstrating your new powers for me? Good. Let¡¯s see what else you can do!¡± ¡°Sir? Is the staff the cause? Are we ready to begin the operation?¡± He wiped the sweat from his pallid brow, casually strode over to his concerned colleague, and lightly touched Witness to the side of his head. ¡°S¨Csir? What are you¨C Oh! Ah!? Agghhhhh!¡± In a second, what once was a healthy human man was reduced to a burbling puddle of black tar on the floor, clothes equipment, and all left indistinguishable from the rest. Benedict clapped giddily at the hissing and sucking sound the degeneration made, and he whistled a jaunty tune as he climbed the stairs up. Oh, yes. This is excellent indeed! # ¡°Raagh!¡± Linus flung open the door, and rushed at the assassin¡¯s back. He reached for his sword, only to realize too late that he¡¯d forgotten it in his office, as he¡¯d left in a daze and didn¡¯t need it for long hours of paperwork. No matter, I¡¯ll just¨CWoah! He hesitated only for a moment, and in that time, the hooded and cloaked figure spun on their heel and whipped a dagger at his head. Decades of training and muscle memory kicked in to compensate for surprise and fatigue, allowing him to narrowly escape the worst of the blade¨Cthough the small scratch it left on his cheek as it flew past started to burn abnormally fast and extremely intensely. Poison? Ahh! And it¡¯s likely lethal too. Which means I¡¯ll need to be careful, and quick. Without thinking, he poured his mana into his fingernails and rent them vertically through the air in retaliation. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as when it¡¯s concentrated in his sword, but the mana blades shot out all the same and were upon the assassin in an instant. He expected his target to dodge, or dive outright, but to his horror, they grit their teeth, ducked low, and charged straight into the bottom of the attack¨Cthe upper part of which caused Calden¡¯s bed to rock as a banister was split and came crashing down. Linus clicked his tongue and readied to receive the frantic charge while diverting his mana into his ring to send an emergency call for the nearest guards. I can¡¯t risk hitting Calden again! And this one is clearly betting their life on this!I need to be careful, careful and quick! His worry only grew as the assassin didn¡¯t scream, shout, or even grunt. Instead the black clad man ignored his now openly bleeding shoulders and back and lunged at the Count¨Cwhere he briefly caught a glimpse of a pair of dark brown bloodshot eyes. Linus caught the dagger thrust at his heart between clapped hands. He concentrated his mana to protect himself, but the powerful toxin on the blade¡¯s surface still ignited the nerves in his palms as he tried to twist the weapon away without being cut. Aggh! Come. On! Move blast you! Get out from between me and the boy! Get away so I can rip you apart without hurting him! Strangely, his opponent didn¡¯t use much mana either, and their heavy breathing revealed their less than optimal state as well. Linus smirked, confident his stiff and weary body had enough left to outlast the attacker, only for the assassin to sweep his legs. Out of reflex, he kicked on his way down, hit a knee, and toppled the other man. They crashed to the hard stone floor, and their bodies, damp with desperation, tangled as they fought for the dropped knife. A left hook cracked a jaw, an elbow caught a chin, teeth came down on a clavicle, but Linus finally snatched up the blade. And caught another in between the ribs. Bitter blood stained his tongue with its iron taste, and he narrowed his eyes at the middle aged man beneath him. ¡°Bloody blackguard! Y¨Cyou first!¡± He drove his stolen armament into the assassin¡¯s heart, and twisted it until the glint of malice left those dark and dreadful eyes. Linus huffed, ripped out the poisoned dagger from his side, and pulsed mana from his hands to stem the bleeding as he clutched his wound. He diverted a little power to send another emergency alert to the guards with his ring, and tried to steady his breathing as the burning in his hands, cheek, and side only intensified. Should¡¯ve¡­ never¡­ restricted¡­ the guards¡­ from patrolling around his room. Wanted him¡­ to rest¡­ thought we were¡­ on the attack¡­ with Anon back¡­ But I was¡­ foolish. His eyelids grew heavy, and he wasn¡¯t sure if it was from his too many days without rest, or from the assassin¡¯s poison killing him. Tired¡­ I¡¯m¡­ so tired. His concentration slipped, and consciousness started to leave him amid a storm of memories and thoughts of his family, but before it completely abandoned him the smiling face of Calden¡¯s mother flickered into his rapidly darkening view. He mouthed. ¡°Marchioness¡­? S¨Csorry I¡­ couldn¡¯t do¡­ more¡­ but he¡¯s¡­ safe¡­ at least.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her faint white phantasm smiled sympathetically, brushed away the tears trickling from the corners of his fading blue eyes, and whispered, ¡°I know, Linus. Thank you, and rest well. Daniella is waiting for you.¡±, before fading away. The guards clattered in a moment later, and filled the room. ¡°Milord?! Count?! Wake up!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not breathing!¡± ¡°It might not be too late! Healer! Attend him! Now!¡± # I trudged over to the broken throne and the grand monochrome anomaly that lurked behind it. It took a bit, how long I had no way of knowing, but the whole experience dredged up some seriously unpleasant memories of my time before the world¡¯s renewal, and I found myself in a pretty sour mood by the time I arrived. I stopped short of the throne and stared indifferently down at the charred skeleton cratered before it. Uriel identified that all his stuff had once been some pretty impressively enchanted gear, but now that it was ruined, it couldn¡¯t even make his remains look nice. ¡°How¡­ disappointing.¡± I snorted, and was about to step over him, when two faint, pale green flames sparked in the dark orbits of his blackened and otherwise empty skull. His mouth didn¡¯t move, but a raspy voice issued forth, listless like someone newly awakened, and maybe just a tinge miffed. ¡°And what gives you the right to judge? Trapped as you are, just like me. No. You¡¯re even lesser, since all you did was follow me. Though I must say I am impressed that you survived paying your life force to get here, as I had to become a lich to endure the cost. But then, where is my amulet, and that girl? Soaria, was it? I had been counting on it to ferry me back once she¡¯d burnt herself out, but¨C¡± I teleported the crumbled pieces of his trinket onto his surprisingly chatty face with Shifted steps which thankfully shut him up for a moment, then stared up at the anomaly in the tantalizing peace of the terrifying quiet that followed. I didn¡¯t know what to expect since our last encounter had been so intense, but this time I felt, ever so slightly, its voice come to me like an itch in the back of my brain. ¡°Welcome¡­ Home.¡± My heart hit rock bottom. Oh, come on! There¡¯s no way! This isn¡¯t¨C Before I even had a second more to digest that, let alone reply, that bloodless bag of bones started yapping away again¨Cfar more invigorated than before. ¡°It broke?! You broke it?! How? I spent my entire life learning time essence magic! Nobody was better! Nobody could beat me! I trounced all challengers before the thought even occurred to them! Even ensured none would follow in my footsteps! I was the best! The greatest! I came here to prove it! To claim eternity as my own! I would¡¯ve been a god! An almighty, omnipresent, god! I¨C What are you even looking at anyway? There¡¯s no one else here but us!¡± It took him long enough to finally notice that I wasn¡¯t really paying attention, so I glared back down at him with all the disgust welling up from places I didn¡¯t even know I had. ¡°Did you put this throne here?¡± ¡°What? No. It was here when I arrived! It was obviously intended for the ruler of this place! For me! But when I sat upon it¡­ well. I don¡¯t entirely remember what wonders I worked next, but I found myself here in this crater when thought returned to me, as it¡¯s clearly the more comfortable choice, so I assume it was truly spectacular!¡± The longer I looked at him the more discomfort and disdain I held for him. Beyond his clear insanity and delusions, there was something else, some more instinctual part of me that hated everything that he was¨Cas if I knew his every choice and they were all somehow awful. Just as the urge to blast him off the cliff and into oblivion became a really enticing idea, the anomaly whispered again. ¡°Claim it.¡± My eyes moved on their own, and landed on the throne. Just as inherent as my disgust, I felt a sudden affinity for this stone seat. Like it was made for me, like this place was mine¨Cand always had been. Wait. Didn¡¯t he just say that sitting there was a bad idea? I frowned, and the skeleton managed a sneer, if only in his voice. ¡°What? Don¡¯t even think about it! That¡¯s mine! I earned it through centuries of tireless effort! I won it by being the best! By treading here, where only the Creator has stood before! It was empty! God left his throne empty! I deserve to take it! Me!¡± He cleared his literally empty throat. ¡°Just¡­ Uh. Give me a bit to pull myself back together. Time is nonexistent here, so it won¡¯t matter how long it takes, I¡¯ll manage! Hrrgh! Haah! Hunnn! Hoo. This¡­ this is harder than I remember¡­ .¡± I turned back to face the desolation that I thought I¡¯d left behind taking it in in a way I hadn¡¯t for a very long time. How long have I wandered the wastes? If what that lich said is true, was it even a second? Is this place even the same as the old Earth? Does it even matter? If I sit, will I have to stay? And why is he so insistent that this is the throne of God? As if this forlorn place is worthy of containing such a thing! The anomaly scratched the back of my mind. ¡°Sit. Learn. Grow. Go.¡± And what does any of that even mean? If I sit, I¡¯ll learn something, which will cause me to grow, and then I can go? I guess that addresses one of my worries, but what about him? I didn¡¯t turn around, but focused on the blackened pile of bones so intensely that I could¡¯ve sworn I saw him shudder. Why do I hate him so much? Why do I feel like he¡¯s done some pretty unspeakable things? I remember Uriel related that time essence magic is basically considered a joke nowadays, so was that his fault? And if he¡¯s as capable as he claims, then shouldn¡¯t I do something about him first? The boney bugger obviously couldn¡¯t gulp, but if he could¡¯ve, he would¡¯ve. ¡°Uh¨Cuh¡­ Why are you looking at me like that? Just¡­ yeah! Just get out of here! Begone peasant! You are unworthy of this place, this throne, and my clearly sublime personage so I hitherto banish you from this place! Now get!¡± I rolled my eyes. I kinda want to sit on the throne now just to see his reaction. Or should I try smiting him? Maybe I should interrogate him first? If only to figure out how he learned about this place. I¡¯m definitely doing them all, but the order is what counts here. # Soara shuddered and slumped against the cold stone corner of the cell Silvia threw her into before spinning on her heel and soaring back out of the castle again. She crossed her arms and rubbed her good hand and broken wrist on her shoulders to try to stave off the intense chill that gnawed on her bones. Strange. Why did that girl disobey her master¡¯s orders? Did they call for her? Did something happen? Yes. Benedict must¡¯ve had eyes on our situation. He¡¯s started his subjugation ritual, or whatever he called it. The two knights who let them into the castle remained on guard outside her cell, based on their tame reactions to Silvia¡¯s abrupt arrival and abrasive explanation, their lord, or a close aid, must¡¯ve had the foresight to inform them to expect as much beforehand. Just to be certain, she checked all her pouches and pockets, but as she feared, all her tools, weapons, and supplies were gone. She let out a low, barely audible, ¡°Heh.¡±, and scanned the other cells with her night vision. Most were empty, though the nearest one held the slumped shadow of Thread. She knew the knights would never let her speak freely to him, and though she thought to try tapping a code to him, a second glance revealed that same defeated look that Whisper had during her rescue mission. Curses. A thousand curses on that Anon. They might be disposable, I might have used him as bait, but only I get to decide when to throw them away. He could¡¯ve helped me escape! She ground her teeth, furious at Thread for breaking, Anon for thwarting her, Silvia for the pain in her shattered wrist and bruised body, the region for its unreasonably cold nights, and herself for not adapting fast enough and coming out on top. I knew this would be dangerous. But I never thought I would fail. Not with that amulet. I¡¯ve never not had time to use it¡­ Until now. She slowly scraped her nails across the cold cobble of the floor, each quietly gouging a fine trail across the dark surface. Good. At least I still have my abilities. That girl¡¯s rush prevented the knight¡¯s from locking me up properly, and they likely know better than to enter without her around so long as I don¡¯t force them to. So if I¡¯m right and Benedict''s confronting Anon, I should be safe to dig my way out if I¡¯m quiet enough. Its About Time I turned around, narrowed my eyes at the still rambling skeleton, and growled. ¡°Alright, buster, shut your trap and listen up, because I¡¯m only asking each question once.¡± I assume my intimidate ability went off, because, like I commanded, he immediately ceased his inane prattle and fell silent, which forced him to use the little green flames in his sockets to confirm his compliance by whipping them up and down in place of a nod. ¡°Good.¡± I took a step closer, and cringed internally as he pathetically whimpered. ¡°Now, how did you learn about this place?¡± ¡°I¨CI, uh, found it while studying the flow of time? I didn¡¯t mean to, it just sorta happened, but once I knew of it, I¡­ Well, I kinda became obsessed, which led me to accumulate more power, crush those who even slightly threatened my work, and finally abandon my mortality in order to set foot here.¡± I arched an eyebrow. ¡°So you know you¡¯re obsessed? That¡¯s pretty self aware from someone insane enough to be willing to throw away their natural existence for one of undeath.¡± The green flames sank to the lower right, and his raspy voice became dull. ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯ve had a very long time to reflect on things, and not much else.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, sure. And what about all that blustering and bravado a second ago? I think you¡¯re just trying to play me since your initial attempt at conversation failed to get you what you wanted.¡± His eyes flared bright again, and he shouted. ¡°Fine! You got me okay? I¡¯d hoped the amulet would get someone to bring it to me so I could escape! But you broke it so now my options are even more limited! So unless some other magus stumbles across this place, and comes here under their own power, we¡¯re both trapped until you cooperate! Get it?!¡± ¡°So you want me to free you?¡± I momentarily looked up at the anomaly, but it didn¡¯t indicate anything or answer, so I glanced back down. ¡°How?¡± The skeleton sighed. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be obvious by now! I need your life force and mana! Clearly, I ran out of both when that stupid throne blasted me into the ground, but for some reason I haven¡¯t died! I¡¯m still trapped in my bones, probably because time doesn¡¯t really flow here! All I¡¯d need is for you to sacrifice some of your abundant¨C¡± ¡°No.¡± But it¡¯s great to know you¡¯re powerless. That¡¯s a big worry of mine gone. I¡¯m pretty sure the bone for brains would¡¯ve ground his teeth if he could move, but didn¡¯t, because he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Ugh. Yeah, go figure¡­¡± His voice dropped with an unknown lifetime¡¯s worth of dejection, something I could have sympathized with, only he brought his solitude onto himself. ¡°Then if you¡¯re not going to help me and are content staying here, since I¡¯m your only way out I might remind you yet again, then could you at least finish me off? I imagine my bones are quite brittle now, so just grind me into dust so at least one of us doesn¡¯t have to suffer for the rest of eternity.¡± I stared at him through half closed eyes. You really think I¡¯m just gonna play along with that? Knowing you, you¡¯d probably try to possess me afterward, or have some latent spell activate to restore you. So better luck next time pal, I¡¯ve got no reason to humor an egotistical megalomaniac like you. ¡°That can wait. First tell me about the throne. It was here when you arrived, but how do you know it belongs to God? Why assume it would grant you power? Why assume it was empty at all?¡± Since, ya¡¯know, there¡¯s a giant anomaly behind it. The green flames stared me straight in the eye for several minutes, then blinked on and off a few times. ¡°If you¡¯re going to demand answers first, fine. But are you really this dumb? Who leaves a chair at the very brink of time? Who could it possibly be other than God? And why wouldn¡¯t I assume it¡¯d grant me power? Can¡¯t you feel the energy radiating off it?¡± He paused, then very clearly looked me over. ¡°Actually, why aren¡¯t you burning? I¡¯ve forgotten about the sensation myself, since I haven¡¯t felt anything other than boredom after being blasted off the throne, but you should be being assailed by the latent power of this place just like I was when I first arrived!¡± Then the little flames flared up again. ¡°And what do you mean it¡¯s not empty?! Who else is here besides us?¡± I only offered a smug, knowing, smirk as I activated Uriel to check what he¡¯d said. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then I¡¯m under no obligation to inform you. You¡¯re probably better off without the details anyway, but I will tell you that the blast you suffered, and your time languishing here, was a punishment and not a simple volatile reaction.¡± At least that¡¯s what Uriel told me before I came here. I left the skeleton to grumble about what I¡¯d just said as Uriel buzzed.
Report: Energy wavelengths are unique to and match individual Anon Amos''s own, as a result no harm is done.
That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all? You expect me to believe that this place is filled with my mojo, all without giving me a proper explanation? Uriel buzzed again.
Now it was my turn to gulp. That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s kinda ominous. Didn¡¯t know Uriel could spook me the way the system usually does. But it¡¯s exactly what I felt when I last looked at the stone seat too. I clapped once to retrieve the bellyaching bonepile¡¯s attention and to disperse my doubts. ¡°Alright! Last few questions. Before you came here, were you the one who suppressed time essence magic¡¯s development and use?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The burned skull stared at me, and I could almost see the furrowed brow on the long gone face. ¡°What are you blathering about now? All I did was strike down my rivals and enemies and stomp out any promising talents. Sure they were more often than not time mages too, but it¡¯s not like I¡­ Oh. I see what you¡¯re asking.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°Which explains why no one else has shown up here on their own. And means I¡¯m really stuck at your mercy.¡± So it wasn¡¯t his direct goal, but a byproduct of his rampage. Got it. ¡°Alright, dare I even ask, but what did you have to do to become a lich?¡± ¡°Well, the usual process of relying on dark essence magic and spirit summoning and trapping magic was a bit too lacking for my tastes given the side effects, so all I did was work out a way to¡­ let¡¯s say erase my inevitable death from the flow of time. It took quite a bit of sacrifice, from others, not me, and trial and error, but I managed it in the end.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him as I clenched my fists so tight I could hear my knuckles pop. ¡°What side effects? What was different? And how many died?¡± Apparently oblivious to my growing rage, or simply happy to expound on his research and accomplishments, he rattled on. ¡°Oh, well, the typical method requires one to trap their spirit and those of others, ultimately bonding the whole mess together inside the lich-to-be¡¯s dark essence infused body, which results in a significant power boost, and everlasting life at the cost of instant flesh decay and profound personality changes. My method, though requiring more sacrifices, allowed me to keep my personality and form! Though I didn¡¯t get any stronger as a result¡­ But really, there¡¯s no comparison! I¡¯m a genius! The discoverer of immortality!¡± I leaned down till my face was right above his. ¡°How. Many. Died?¡± The green flames of his eyes narrowed down into fine defiant points. ¡°Do. You. Think. I. Counted?¡± Frigid silence reigned in this forsaken place. Neither one of us broke eye contact or blinked¨Cnot that he could, but still. He¡¯s just trying to egg me on in the hopes I smash him into dust, isn¡¯t he? I hissed. ¡°Last question.¡± He sneered. ¡°Try me.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± The lights in his eyes went out. ¡°Oh, for the love of¨C! Is that a serious question? Does the transfer here cause amnesia in the living? Or are you just the most ego¨C Haagh! Aaagh! W¨Cwhyyy?! H¨Choooow?!¡± I held a hand over his empty chest cavity and silently activated smite. His bones swelled with light filled pustules that spread from where my hand hovered outward across what remained of his torso, down his upper arms and legs, and across his jaw¨Cbut no further. It took a varying assortment of seconds for each to pop, but when they did the blackened bone around them crumbled not into dust, but nothing at all. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He screamed and howled until his mouth was utterly ruined, and with a wave of my hand the last of his limbs swelled and burst as well. I honestly wasn¡¯t expecting much since he didn¡¯t give off the same discomforting feeling that the blight filled demons do, but apparently the ability does more than simply burn away that nasty stuff¡­ It¡¯s also weird that I didn¡¯t feel any of that warm energy leave me when I activated Smite¡­ I¡¯ll probably find out why when I sit on the throne. With only the upper part of his skull remaining, I feared I¡¯d granted his wish and killed him, but after a minute the green fires reignited within his dark orbits and he glared at me in agony driven fury¨Cthough he remained silent so he was either unwilling or unable to speak now that his jaw was gone. Not that he really used it before, but I guess it was still needed. ¡°I asked if you knew me in case your encounter with the throne imparted any wisdom, but it was a wasted question.¡± I stood up, stepped over him, and moved to stand before the throne. ¡°I asked, because this throne is apparently mine.¡± With my expanded senses I watched the green fires flicker, perhaps in fear, shock, or disbelief, but he couldn¡¯t do or say anything anymore so I turned, gazed right at the pitiful remains of that foolish and fiendish fellow, and casually sat down. ¡°And now, I claim it.¡± The anomaly whispered. ¡°So let it be.¡± The system announced. I blinked. What? Was that it? I became the landlord to the least appealing plot in history, and nothing else? Is that what I was supposed to learn? I looked around, half expecting something dramatic after talking to the lich, but nothing really happened. At least at first, but suddenly I felt something intangible start to trickle into me from the throne. It wasn¡¯t mana. I hadn¡¯t sensed any up till now, so no real surprise there, but I was a little startled when the flow intensified and I recognized the power as the stuff I use for my ??? Protection, ??? Intervention, and Smite abilities. Guess that¡¯s the energy Uriel was talking about, and why I didn¡¯t use any up when I smote the lich¡­ Plus the fact that it burned him the way it did makes so much more sense now. Which means this is the growth step the anomaly mentioned, right? The flow of power continued to swell, seemingly without end, and as it did my vision started to swim. Visions of places, people, animals, and an eclectic assortment of other creatures both great and small filled my mind and danced across my field of view in a variety of activities as if the bleak world before me had become the backdrop to a truly eccentric performance. Uriel Buzzed.
Notice: ???, ???, ???, and ??? are activating strongly and resonating with one another.
The worst part was that I felt I understood all of it. That cryptic message from Uriel, the chaotic and disjointed scenes and lifeforms playing out before me. None of it felt off to me, I felt that it all made perfect sense even though it didn¡¯t! I mean, what am I supposed to make of pink hippos being hunted by gangly green people riding on the backs of six legged horses that run rather than gallop?! How about schools of miniature flying sharks battling it out with what had to be a dragon high above a sea of metal mountains?! And what the heck are those absolutely massive critters that are basically living natural disasters?! I just watched one sink a continent! A continent! And I¡¯m okay with that! Why?! My inner monologue¡¯s growing confusion was utterly subdued by serene calm and the unshakable sense of rightness that overtook me upon starting to absorb the warm power. Other, even stranger and more varied, images and events played out before me, but the only thing I really grasped was that these were my memories. That they were parts of the history of the new Earth, and that I¡¯d somehow witnessed it all even though I knew full well I was asleep the whole time. And then they stopped, but didn¡¯t vanish. They congealed, but not into madness. The legion of lifetimes and those who¡¯d lived them formed ranks, encircled me, and bowed low. Everything from the tiniest microorganisms to those truly gargantuan beasts that make mountains look small were laid low at my feet, their endless voices mixing together in unison as they spoke. ¡°Hail! All hail the one! Glory and honor to our origin! Respect and Love to the Creator! Blessed is the One before All! The Maker of Ways! The Hand that Gives! Hail! All hail and rejoice!¡± Then they faded from view. And my calm went with them. I trembled. From head to toe I shook. I struggled to swallow back the acrid bile that welled up from my stomach. Then I hung my head in disbelief. ¡°This¡­ .¡± I looked back at the anomaly with my extended awareness. ¡°Is this some kind of sick joke? Is this what you wanted me to learn? Are you hoping to convince me that I did, in fact, create everything in the new Earth, and that none of it, none of this, nothing at all, was a dream? That I gained and then lost almighty power because I didn¡¯t give myself enough time to adjust before using it?¡± The anomaly murmured. ¡°Yes. Now grow.¡± It didn¡¯t say much else, and I¡¯d gotten quite a bit more powerful after absorbing all that warm stuff, but I instinctively knew that simply amassing energy is not what it meant when it told me to grow. I¡¯m not the Creator. I can¡¯t be God. Why would I make myself wander alone for all that time if I was? Why would I limit myself, why would I even have limits, if I was? I don¡¯t really have a choice but to play along right now, but I¡¯m not okay with the direction this anomaly is taking things. For all I know, it¡¯s God, or the devil, or something else entirely! But I don¡¯t know! And I can¡¯t accept any of this! I made a face and reluctantly held out my hand, and the broken skull was lifted from its crater for the first time in thirteen millenia¨Csomething that I now just knew for some reason. Slowly it drifted over to my outstretched palm, where it remained, hovering in place, as I understood that the impure thing couldn¡¯t even touch me. The once willful and defiant fires faded into meek embers that threatened to go out forever as it gazed at me, but they couldn¡¯t, the anomaly wouldn¡¯t let them, not until I retook the essence of time from the one that stole it from everyone else¡¯s future from so far in the past. And take it back I did. Because I¡¯ve got no other choice. I can tell the anomaly won¡¯t even let me stand until I do. Which is more insight into that monochrome thing than I think I¡¯ve ever had and already I hate it! Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Time essence magic (beginner) lv:1 has risen to Time essence magic (Grand Master) lv:100. Additionally, hundreds of spells have been learned.
The transfer didn¡¯t even last a moment. He didn¡¯t even get to resist or scream for that matter. And I wanted him to scream. I knew he deserved it. Seven hundred and fifty two thousand six hundred and seventeen. That¡¯s how many lives his actions ended. How many hopes he snuffed out. Sure, not all of them were good, but it wasn¡¯t his place to judge them. Apparently, the anomaly thinks it¡¯s supposed to be mine. But even if it is, I¡¯m in no position to do so as I¡¯m severely lacking in the information needed to make such decisions. I thought that, but reality differed. After the transfer was over his shattered skull cracked, and crumbled into less than dust. And just like that, nothing of him remained. Not body, mind, spirit, or soul. I wasn¡¯t sure how exactly I knew that, but I did. He¡¯s gone. The weight of what I¡¯d just been party to sank heavily onto my shoulders, weighing me down with a sudden and immense melancholy that had me hunched over where I sat, tears pouring down my face. Why? I hated him. He was disgusting, revolting, repulsive, and utterly awful so why am I now so sad? What am I mourning? The fact that there is a true end to life? That even the immortal soul can die? That he could¡¯ve been a better person if he¡¯d faced different circumstances? That I was the one to end him? All of the above? I half wanted my prior peace to return and wash away my guilt filled grief, but that wouldn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯d just, albeit unintentionally, erased someone from existence, and I was honestly more terrified that I¡¯d feel as justified as before when watching that continent sink with all those creatures on it. I gave myself time to process and breathe, and I leaned back in the broken chair, and stared up at the dead black sky through bleary eyes. ¡°God. If you¡¯re out there, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m starting to understand what you see and feel when you look at truly terrible people, and why you give so many second chances¡­¡± Slowly, I got up, and started to walk away. This place has been nothing but unpleasant since the moment I arrived. But at least I can go now. I activated my new Domain Traversal ability, since it was pretty obviously my ticket out now that this place is considered my domain, and in that instant I vanished and reappeared back in the forest where I¡¯d parted ways with Silvia. It¡¯s faster than that amulet was. Though what¡¯s this? I flexed my hand, still aware of all the power that I¡¯d gained, though now it felt like there was a bottleneck to it. Uriel? What happened? Uriel dutifully buzzed.
Notice: The power attained within your domain is still yours and accessible, however to make full and free use of it individual Anon must return to the domain: Edge of Eternity or cause it to manifest with the corresponding ability.
¡°Oh. So the bottleneck is what? The limit of what I can handle currently? And I didn¡¯t feel it before because I didn¡¯t even have enough power to reach that limit?¡± Uriel buzzed again.
Correction: You have no real limit, what you feel is the boundary is actually the point of physical collapse. As you exercise this power you will naturally be able to handle more without negative side effects.
I closed my hand and squeezed it tight. Well fine. Whatever! It¡¯s not important right now. I¡¯ve kept Witness waiting long enough. But do I go to face Benedict quietly, or loudly? I doubt he¡¯s willing to talk after the way I tossed him around last time, but maybe there¡¯s still a chance¡­ or maybe I¡¯m just getting my hopes up that I won¡¯t need to risk accidentally crushing him too. ¡°Maaasssteeer!¡± Silvia¡¯s voice pierced the night and I looked up just in time to see the silver owl girl barreling toward me from above. ¡°Silvia? I thought I told you to wait¨C!¡± She didn¡¯t slow, didn¡¯t stop, and didn¡¯t hesitate to glomp me straight into the ground, squeezing me with all of her unreasonable strength, and nestling her face into my chest. Uggh. What even happened while I was gone? Judgment ¡°Massteeer! Master! Master! Master!¡± My back was now several feet into the cold damp ground from the force of Silvia¡¯s unexpected impact, and she was pressing me deeper through the force of her rubbing her cheek into my chest. Her incessant sobbing and the pressure on my ribs made it difficult to get a word in edgewise, but eventually I managed to squeeze out. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m okay! I¡¯m here! You¡¯re okay! You¡¯re alright. You¡¯re alright¡­ .¡± Her blubbering died down with an innocent little sniffle, and she looked at me with her glistening gold eyes. ¡°Master Boss? Where did you go? Why couldn¡¯t Silvia sense you anymore?¡± I patted her now disheveled hair, and did my best to return it to order. ¡°Oh, ya¡¯know, I just popped into my domain for a little bit. Had a talk with a skeleton, learned time essence magic, and came back. Nothing special.¡± She blinked like a fascinated child. ¡°Ooooooh! Master Boss is so great! Now Silvia feels silly for worrying¡­ Silvia¡­ Silvia did a bad thing didn¡¯t she?¡± She hid her face in my shirt, and started trembling all over like some kinda frightened rodent, so I lightly flicked the top of her head, and soothed. ¡°I¡¯d be worried if you suddenly disappeared without warning too, so it¡¯s no big deal, okay? I¡¯m not mad, you didn¡¯t do anything bad, so don¡¯t be frightened or sad. Just go back to the castle and keep an eye on Soaria for me while I go and get my staff back.¡± Silvia hopped up off of me in a heartbeat, then froze and cocked her head. ¡°Staff? What staff? Master Boss has a staff?¡± I got up, dusted myself off, and grinned. ¡°Yeah. I dropped it in the lake before you swooped in to save me, so you haven¡¯t seen it yet.¡± She abruptly ripped a branch off a tree and offered it to me. ¡°Master Boss! Master boss! Use this! Use this!¡± I took the utterly oversized and totally leafy branch of the poor tree now oozing sap, since she somehow tore off a good bit of the trunk too, and shook my head. ¡°Silvia, that staff was made from a special tree, and was a gift given freely from a friend. I appreciate the sentiment, but this just wouldn¡¯t be the same.¡± Now, what do I do with this? I¡¯d probably be able to reattach this with Witness¡¯ power, but I don¡¯t have Witness, or even any mind over nature magic spells, sooo¡­ Oh! Duh! Time to try out, well, time! ¡°Awwww. Silvia is sorry Master Boss.¡± She bowed her head and then hugged the tree. ¡°And Silvia is sorry tree!¡± I patted her head, then held the branch in place and used my new spell Localized reversal to wind back time around the chunk of trunk. It was interesting to watch as a bubble ringed in pure black wrapped around the area distorting the space inside. The whole of it twisted around and around stretching and swirling inward like it was being flushed down a toilet, then it suddenly snapped back into focus, the bubble vanished, and the tree was whole once more. Well. That was¡­ abrupt, if not slightly discomforting at the same time. I think I¡¯ll stick to other methods of restoration whenever possible from here on out. Silvia gasped. ¡°Wooooow! Master Boss fixed the tree! Master Boss fixed the tree! Silvia is saved! Now the tree isn¡¯t hurt anymore!¡± She jumped around clapping and giggling for a few moments while I inspected my work, just to ensure everything was, in fact, fixed, but Uriel informed me that time was rewound successfully, so I let the topic drop. ¡°On that note. Silvia? Don¡¯t you have somewhere to be right now?¡± She paused mid jump, forgot to re-extend her legs, and crashed to the ground. ¡°Oops! Silvia got distracted! Silvia is sorry Master Boss!¡± She beat her massive wings, and once more vanished into the night as quickly and silently as she¡¯d come. Now then, to deal with Benedict. I shut my eyes and remembered Kalsynthholme burning. Quietly this time. No more tragedy. No more arrogance. Not tonight. I took out my handy dandy magic coin, and used the scrying trait to take a peek at where Benedict should be. And I immediately had to swallow the bile that tried to force its way out of me at the sight. I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve already failed that simple objective¡­ But what¡­? What has he done? Eyes wide I stared, slack jawed, at a mess of black sludge strewn all about a small cabin at the far edge of the forest. Benedict was front and center, holding a dark and blighted version of my walking stick, swinging it wildly about as the last of his minions and associates were struck by it, or the ominous energy emanating off it, which caused them to start melting into more goo¨Cand quite rapidly too. The grass and trees around him were withered, dry, and dead, and the longer he remained there the further the field of decay spread. I watched as small insects and rodents who were living in the area suddenly melted like the afflicted people just from being near him. And the fact that he stood there cackling the whole time was probably the worst part. A chill ran down my spine. ¡°I waited too long.¡± I let my shoulders drop under my growing mental burden. ¡°And now I have to go clean this up.¡± I shut off the coin, used feral form to shift into a fly, and flitted off in the direction of the blighted base. I had hoped reason would reach him after my rebuke. That he¡¯d realize that acting the way he did and following the twisted teachings of the Ascendants was wrong, but he didn¡¯t. I felt a chill spread through me from deep within my core. He¡¯s doubled down on madness and chosen an insane grab for power over simply admitting to himself that he could do things differently. Better. The cold grew until my tiny fly body was trembling just as much as my buzzing wings. I knew he wouldn¡¯t come to me, but he had others around him that had to be ready to doubt and try a different path after our encounter, but now they¡¯re all dead. Reduced to inhuman, faceless, slag. Nothing more than a disgusting puddle where beautiful, ever growing, people used to be. The cold froze my veins, and I finally recognized what it was. Sad, callus, resignation. And he¡¯s laughing. Laughing like there¡¯s nothing more entertaining in the world. It took a disgracefully long time for me to reach the air above where Benedict howled in unhinged ecstasy, I knew seeing it in person would be a different kind of unsettling, but the nearer I got the more disturbed I became, as if there was something foul in the air¨Cand there likely was. Blight. And more of it than even Goldorath was made of¡­ Just being here is¡­ slowly making me tired. The area below wasn''t a clearing like where Soaria was based, but with the trees reduced to tall leafless twigs, it was actually easier to see and maneuver. I got a good look at the simple cabin where they stayed, but my senses reported it empty and the concealing enchantments broken, so I pushed it to the back of my mind. What worried me was Witness. It pulsed with sinister light, and that seemed to cause the desolation around Benedict to slowly spread. And before I could assess anything further Benedict raised his head and hollered. ¡°Anon! Finally! You¡¯re here! Show yourself! Face me and submit! Accept your fate at my feet! Do what you should have from the start!¡± I recoiled, and wiggled my tiny legs. Hol¡¯ up! He knows I¡¯m here? I felt Uriel start up but I stopped it. No. No. I know it¡¯s probably Witness reacting since it¡¯s mine. But what¡¯s really important is if he can pinpoint my location, and how much danger that blighted power poses to me. Uriel kicked back into gear, but the system answered first. Uriel buzzed a second later.
Wonderful! So I¡¯ve got less than a minute to think up a plan and execute it before I¡¯m put at a huge disadvantage. You¡¯d think with all my mana I¡¯d be set to just blast my way through so why isn¡¯t that an option? Uriel buzzed again.
Answer: It is an option, however engaging in a protracted battle raises chances of being hit, and thus exposes yourself to needless risk.
Okay, how about turning back time? I can do that now, right? I can just go back and fix everything before it gets out of hand. Instead of Uriel, the system commented. I rolled my multifaceted eyes, and crossed my little legs like arms. Okay fine! I get it already! Uriel, how much time do I have left? A little window appeared.
17 seconds
Oh crap.
16¡­ 15¡­ 14¡­
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I raced downwards from right over top of him, ever wary of the now obviously shifting masses of black sludge, and the business end of my staff. Just getting close to that weird light Witness released caused my exoskeleton to crawl and then burn, but I ignored it, and plunged deeper. Okay, it was really, really stupid of me to send Silvia away, but at the same time getting her corrupted or reduced to goo isn¡¯t exactly something I want either. Which means I have no choice but to be the idiot that charges in. Why, you ask? Because the closer I am, the less time and space he has to dodge this. Now, Immolate! I erupted into flames right above his stupid head, creating an intense nova of scarlet that swallowed him up and everything around me¨CWitness too. The dead trees and grasses rustled before crumbling to dust from the heatwave that followed, and Benedict roared in agony. I¡¯d use a stronger spell, like Genesis Flare, but I¡¯m afraid he¡¯d notice the mana gathering and counter or dodge, and I don¡¯t have Witness to act as the handle either, so it wasn¡¯t even an option! The pit of my stomach dropped, and I recognized it was my instinct warning me of impending danger, just as it had during my fight with Goldorath, and I used shifted steps to beat a hasty retreat back into the night sky while quenching my fire. My expanded senses reported that Benedict was badly burnt, but not seriously enough to be life threatening. In fact, he looked to be recovering quite quickly, and that was thanks to the black goo, which was gradually flowing into him from his feet and replacing the parts of him I¡¯d incinerated. I hadn¡¯t noticed the puddle as it sat in the shape of his shadow, but with my first strike now spent, I quickly erected a scintillating barrier to defend my tiny body, and just in time too as apparently Benedict didn¡¯t need to chant to command the sludge to strike. And it proved dreadfully effective too. Shattering my magic shield in only a few strikes. If it weren¡¯t for my instinctual perception of danger I would¡¯ve been smothered. Cripes! How is he more dangerous than Gretkarn? His mana pool hasn¡¯t grown! Flustered, I shifted away from the eerily silent streams of shadow sludge again and retaliated with spark shower. My favored manaless lightning crashed down from on high, but in the instant it reached him the bolt diverted to Witness, and discharged harmlessly into the ground. Tch. Of course that didn¡¯t work. Guess he¡¯s learned from last time. Benedict threw back his head, covered his eyes, and laughed. ¡°Pointless! Your resistance is pointless! Just as mine was before! I¡¯ve turned your own power against you! Claimed it as my own! So tell me! How does it feel to be made powerless? To be at another¡¯s mercy?¡± I grimaced as best as my fly face could manage, and diligently dove and warped to evade the constant lashing tendrils of gossamer grime. My stamina burned away the longer this was drug out, but they harried me incessantly, heedless of our surroundings, tearing up everything they touched and decaying even the cabin Benedict used as a base. System! Uriel! I don¡¯t care who, but is that what¡¯s happening here? Is that true? The system reported first. Then what¡¯s happening here? And is Witness resisting? Uriel buzzed,
Answer: In your current state you are vulnerable to blight. Blight levels have risen due to the heinous deaths of his subordinates, making this area disadvantageous to you. Aditionally he is using Witness'' mana reserves to empower a massive spell array that twists probability in his favor. Recommendation: Use the traits of the Seal of Solemn Man and the smite ability to counter the blighted biomass, manifest your domain to clear the blight in the air, and cast order, chaos, and time magic to overcome and reverse his probability control. Further recommendation: Stay calm in battle. Even if your objectives have been lost from the start, even if it''s been a long and confusing day, you gain nothing by panicking. You were never short on time thanks to the magic you just learned. You might not be able to travel back or forward, but slowing and stopping it are still options.
then buzzed again.
Analysis: Witness'' body is corrupted, however deeper inspection is needed to confirm if it has reached the core and thus the ego of the item.
I was so flabbergasted by the detail of the message that I almost crashed straight into a wave of black grime. I swooped so low and to the side to duck it and the pursuing tendrils that my tiny legs brushed the dead soil and ashy remains of the grass kicking up a tiny cloud behind me. Well shoot! Why didn¡¯t you tell me this sooner? Uriel buzzed almost sarcastically.
Answer: You didn''t look, didn''t think, and were focused elsewhere. These abilities can process and provide information but only if and when you seek it.
Okay, fine, you got me. I soared up and back until I was around ten feet in front of Benedict, dropped my shapeshift, and landed on the dry and dead ground. It¡¯s time to turn the tables. He leveled Witness at me like some sorta spear, grinned manically as the light it emitted made me wince, and snickered. ¡°Finally given up have w¨C¡± I didn¡¯t wait for him to finish, since about a dozen tendrils were rushing me from all sides, and snapped my fingers. Stall time. Nothing happened. Or rather, everything went dark and got really, really, cold. Crap! Did I fail!? Did that foul fluid cover me? I flicked my eyes around, but couldn¡¯t see even with my expanded senses, though I wasn¡¯t in any pain and I could still move so¡­ Did it work? The system announced. A moment later, the darkness lifted and I could see everything exactly as I¡¯d left it. Benedict mid sentence, the tendrils on the attack, the ever growing area of desolation at least temporarily halted, and a border of black a few feet past the several hundred foot wide ring of ruin where I presumed time still flowed normally. ¡°Neat.¡± I spoke, but there wasn¡¯t any sound. I moved, but the dust didn¡¯t cling to my feet or kick up in the air¨Cwhich was unusually thick now that I thought of it, and I could feel my Divine Unearther ability activate every time I moved. ¡°So I guess I¡¯m technically digging through air right now?¡± After expelling what was left in my lungs, I noticed I couldn''t even breathe, but thankfully I never needed to in the first place¨Cthough it was nice to have a moment to rest. ¡°Well, I should get to work. Mana¡¯s a wasting.¡± Uriel examined the hidden array while I set up the Seal of Solemn Man¡¯s blight protection trait. A glimmering gold membrane covered me, and I then used the demon detection trait for good measure, and surprisingly got a hit from something in Benedict¡¯s pocket. Then Uriel buzzed.
Conclusion: The array is large and hard to read as it is covered in blight, however, it appears to be made from the combination of the order essence magic Controlling Command, and the chaos essence magic Warping Will.
¡°Hold on, I saw him start to use those exact spells at the temple. That means I can emulate them!¡± I facepalmed. ¡°Which¡­ is why you recommended it since I have more mana and can overpower his magic, freeing me from its influence¡­¡± I hung my head. ¡°And now I feel all the dumber for rushing in. Although¡­ If the spell array affects probability, and pushes things in his favor¡­ Did I make poorer choices because of it?¡± I shuddered and cast off that line of reasoning. ¡°Let¡¯s worry about that later.¡± Controlling Command, Warping Will. I clapped my hands, released time, and in a burst of brilliant purple light born of the opposing powers, broke his array. Okay, so it took a second and a whole lot of sudden air pressure but his engraved spell couldn¡¯t keep up with my continual stream of mana and caved, causing the whole formation to flare bright then spark out. The tendrils came right after, but my ring¡¯s warding deflected them. The blight protection was worn down with each strike, and my new defense quickly cracked under the heavy assault, but a steady stream of mana rectified any damage as it came. Aaand now I understand why people keep thinking I¡¯m some sorta deity. Fighting me must be really unfa¨C One look at Benedict¡¯s looney, unhinged, smile stopped that thought dead. I broke him, didn¡¯t I? He was absolutely a tightly wound, messed up, piece of work before. But I¡¯m what pushed him over the edge in the end. I shut my eyes, turned off my expanded senses, and in remorse I unleashed my Smite ability. Warmth left me, and I heard the sizzling pop of the blighted bile being burned away right after. The impacts of the tendrils slowed to a stop, I heard something heavy drop, and I opened my eyes to see Benedict curled up on the ground silently screaming as the damage the biomass had repaired was undone. His skin sizzled, reddened, and peeled away. His hair glowed, curled, and withered into dust. His glasses turned red hot, the lenses popped, and the frames slowly drooped onto his face. His body mass shrunk as his inner layers were exposed, and Witness, still unharmed, lay at his side. The ominous light it emitted faded, and the spreading field of decay was now actually undone, not simply paused. The air was still foul though, and sapping my pretty diminished stamina, so I half-heartedly called up the dreadful domain I¡¯d escaped maybe half an hour ago. I didn¡¯t want to enter it again, only manifest part of it, so another wave of warmth passed from me, assimilating the area and changing it to more resemble the Edge of Eternity. Which, coincidentally, only really caused the throne and anomaly to pop up on the ledge that broke open behind me. I grimaced, both at what I¡¯d done to him, and at the smell rising from him. I¡­ I regret burning him now. Then I concentrated my ring¡¯s blight protection on my hand, and picked up my gnarled and blackened walking stick. Uriel. You¡¯re gonna have to explain how this blight stuff works. Why am I weak to it, and yet effective against it? Uriel buzzed once more.
Answer: Think of yourself as pure water. If someone dips ink into it it is quickly dyed, but if pure water is poured on ink, the ink is washed away.
So the ring is using mana like what? A layer of oil? To create a film to isolate the water from the ink? Another buzz came.
Correct.
And other people? I don¡¯t get the feeling that they¡¯re vulnerable like me, so what¡¯s the deal there? Is everybody tainted? This time the system answered. I pinched my nose, and tried to wrap my head around all this. ¡°Okay. Sure. Got a clear answer for once, and now I¡¯m even more concerned. ¡°But there¡¯s plenty still left to do right now.¡± I crouched, and prodded the somehow still breathing Benedict with Witness. ¡°Now what do I do with you? Obviously, I need to deal with the demon in your pocket, but since it hasn¡¯t come out I doubt it can, so it can wait. You however, have a lot to answer for, but how much? Do I peek into his head or the past and find out? Do I leave him to the Count? Do I put him out of his misery? Or do I just leave him? I know there¡¯s no right answer, but I have to do something.¡± I sighed and tried to ignore the anomaly I knew was watching with great interest. Here I am, once again judging someone in this place as if I have any right to¡­ But I can¡¯t ignore the evil in front of me either, or allow it to continue spreading, so maybe I need to start going for the roots. Punishment ¡°Well, I guess I should see how deep his madness goes. Plus I might learn something about his boss and their organization too. So¡­ how do I work this particular magical combo?¡± Uriel dutifully buzzed.
Reccomendation: Use the mind over mind magic spells Unite Will and Experience Extension in conjunction with the time essence magic spells Glimpse the Past and Revery to view his memories while refreshing the details lost or warped by time.
¡°Huh. Simple then. So let¡¯s get started.¡± Unite will and experience extension. The two familiar mind over mind magic spells activated without a hitch, and by virtue of their purely mental framework, they didn¡¯t cause any flashes, sounds or detectable changes, other than the sense that I was now linked to Benedict¡¯s mind and could share his experiences. Which I¡¯mma hold off on until I activate the other spells because his experience right now is probably just pain. Now, glimpse the past, and reverie. I couldn¡¯t be completely sure what the other spells did. Sure, the first was self explanatory, but the other sounded like it¡¯d be more of a mind magic spell than a time one, but as they activated I felt the existing mind magic bend to accommodate. At first, a black ring opened before me and started to show me Benedict¡¯s life in reverse, but as it became entangled with unite will and experience extension, the ring expanded to engulf me and Benedict in a black dome. Everything went dark and still and silent. A brief cold overtook the space, but it quickly faded to leave me looking out at the world through Benedict¡¯s eyes, to peer out at his small child-like hands as he first learned to walk in a rather ordinary medieval home under the care of two beaming parents and a gaggle of giddy siblings. I was terrified that I¡¯d have to experience everything first hand, moment by moment, for his entire life from here on, especially so when I smelled his suddenly soiled diaper, but then I felt reverie kick in. A wave of black pushed me out of him and left me as an intangible observer, while also being able to see and feel him directly. It was a bit weird, but after adjusting to my normal array of expanded senses, I quickly got used to this new form of awareness. Alright, now this is more like it. Now let¡¯s take a look at Benedict and see what time has to say about him¡­ And thankfully, it looks like I can control the pace of this playback so hopefully this won¡¯t take too long. His childhood was a hectic one. His dad was a scribe and his mom a seamstress, so with his twelve siblings they weren¡¯t particularly wealthy, but they weren¡¯t exactly poor either. If anything, it was pretty normal for the time period, everyone worked at what they could do around the house, the boys were educated by dad, the girls by mom, all so that they could carry on the family trade. The bickering was intense when they were young, but as they got older and illness or misfortune claimed one child after the next, eventually only a bitter Benedict remained. As an angry, and now lonely teen, he sought solace away from his parents who threw themselves into work to escape the burden of loss. Apparently the friends he¡¯d made in youth had suffered similar misfortunes and died off, so with nowhere left to turn, he made contact with the church. The Ascendant one of course. Their meritocratic doctrines struck a chord with the isolated boy who only ever wanted more of his parents'' attention, so he signed up, moved out, and relished their shock at his sudden departure from their lives. I frowned. So this is where it started. Where the negative emotions changed into something worse. Even if I couldn¡¯t feel what he does and know his thoughts, that smug, sadistic smirk at their despair gives it all away. From there he worked hard, rising through the ranks of the church from menial labor tasks up to supervisory positions, all the way into what I can only see as some sort of special forces¨Cthough they were apparently called sectors, and Benedict came to command the twelfth. After he climbed high enough to learn the secret of the Ascendant church¨Cthat they were out to corrupt and control terrestrial deities, while devouring the choicest ones, and any apostles they find, to grow stronger than mortal people should be¨Che was eager to do just that, but his reasons surprised me. It wasn¡¯t because he himself was power hungry, but because he had nurtured such strong faith in the Creator God that he believed that the terrestrial deities were pretenders, and unworthy of the title of deity or the reverence their positions accrued. So he believes that he¡¯s doing God¡¯s will by tearing them down, and his sadistic streak is fed through that path of dominance. Ultimately he¡¯s been taught that this ascendant path will bring him closer to the Creator, but from what glimpses I¡¯ve gotten of his Boss Gregorious, all it¡¯ll really do is turn him into an amalgamated monster. But I can¡¯t figure out why they¡¯d believe this in the first place. Sure the process extends their lifespan, and makes them stronger, but by definition, divinity is beyond mortal grasp. It can¡¯t be claimed and must be given. That¡¯s the point. So their whole faith is wrong¡­ Or there¡¯s more to it that Benedict doesn¡¯t know. I watched the rest of his memories play out. The plan to come here and try to subdue me. The smoldering rage and humiliation incurred at my hands¨Cwhich was rather humbling to experience from his perspective. Then came the deal with Soaria, and the preparations to corrupt Witness. Getting his knowledge of the process will hopefully help Uriel find a way to undo it, and hopefully speed up the analysis of Witness¡¯ current state¡­ I don¡¯t need to go any further than this. I know what happens next.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I ended the spells, and wobbled back to sit on the shattered throne that remained behind me thanks to my partly manifested domain, and leaned my warped walking stick on an arm rest. Then I buried my face in my hands, and spoke into my palms. ¡°So your wickedness is born of loneliness and sorrow. You were groomed and misguided by some sorta ancient man turned monster, but your faith is pure? Cripes!¡± I lifted my face. ¡°What am I supposed to do with you?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. In fact, he didn¡¯t even move. ¡°Oh.¡± I let out a wistful, if partly relieved, sigh. ¡°He¡¯s dead. Guess I won¡¯t need to decide what to do with him now.¡± I let my eyes trail across the ash strewn ground before stopping them at my feet. I almost screamed when I saw a festering black blob about the size of a baseball burbling before me¨Cafraid that some of his blight had survived¨Cbut Uriel stopped me with a buzz.
Notice: That is the soul of Benedict Andrun. Please consider what to do with it.
My lips quivered. ¡°His soul? And I¡¯m to determine what to do with it? But I¡¯m not¡­¡± I gripped the rough stone armrests until it hurt. ¡°I see you Benedict. I hear you. You suffered a lot, and ultimately went down the wrong path, but you''re still redeemable. I can¡¯t let you into heaven.¡± I grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve got no right.¡± Then cleared my throat. ¡°But I won¡¯t ignore you, and can at least do this much for you.¡± I held out my hand and purged the blight that engulfed his soul. It wasn¡¯t a quick process, and I had to use the time magic acceleration, and loop to burn it all away in an acceptable time frame, but once his soul was shiny and free, I completed his punishment by casting the time magic. reincarnation to send him on to a new life elsewhere. As the black bubble created by reincarnation contained and carried off his soul, blinking it away in an instant, I allowed myself to relax a little and stare up at the stars. He was disgusting. But not nearly as revolting as that lich. A product of poor circumstances rather than pure willful evil, so I think a second chance is fair. Don¡¯t you? I peered back at the anomaly with my expanded senses, but I, of course, got no answer other than its perpetually steady stare. Then Uriel buzzed twice.
Analysis complete. Witness'' core is uncontaminated thanks to the presence of the spears Judgment and Punishment. Purification is possible. Will need time to conclude exactly how. Short staff: Name: False Witness Power: 51? Mana: 121/650 Durability: 4367 Traits: Loyal (suppressed), Unnatural mending, One with decay, soul hunter, Corrupted Fragment of the Elder Root, Commander of Corruption; Blessing of Blight
¡°Okay. Take your time. I¡¯m just glad it can be done.¡± I glanced over at the newly christened False Witness. ¡°He really did a number on you, didn''t he? Your power, mana, and number of traits has gone up, but you¡¯ve lost a couple thousand durability, your loyalty is suppressed, and more than a few traits are pretty sinister sounding¡­ Although, why isn¡¯t there a measure of how much blight you¡¯ve taken in?¡± Uriel buzzed.
Answer: Blight exists outside the system. It is unnatural, and thus cannot be properly quantified by the system''s power.
¡°Oh. I guess that¡¯s why it¡¯s so dangerous then¡­ .¡± I just watched my staff sit there for a while, kinda like one might watch over a friend fresh from danger as they finally get some sleep, and then turned my attention to the last thing on my agenda here. Now for you. I got up, took hold of False Witness, dispelled my domain, and walked back over to Benedict¡¯s body. I crouched, hesitated a moment, veiled my hand with blight resistance, and brushed aside the scrap of his jacket that concealed the sealed demon. It was a little unassuming thing. A cut and polished piece of jet just like one you might stumble across at a jeweler''s¨Csans any metal fastening or ornamentation. I prodded it with a finger, and the interior swirled and churned as if it were filled with an inky fluid, but nothing happened, and I couldn¡¯t even feel that there was anything wrong with it. ¡°That¡¯s spooky. The demon is so completely contained that not even the slightest trace is detectable.¡± I glanced down at my right hand. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this ring I wouldn¡¯t have even known.¡± I dispersed the blight resistance and picked up the gem. It didn¡¯t hurt, didn¡¯t react, and almost started to feel warm where it sat in my palm. ¡°Interesting. It¡¯s like my touch is burning it. But the real question is what do I do with it? Do I try to interrogate the demon? Do I hold onto it for now and decide later? Or do I just destroy it?¡± *** Dakromar trembled. Like a deer trapped by a bear. Like a peasant confronting a dragon. Though they weren¡¯t in direct line of sight yet, Dakromar could sense the presence of its natural enemy, and unlike in the past, this enemy was strong¨Cstrong enough to make it prey. And since Dakromar was sealed inside the crystal vessel prepared for it, it had no way to escape on its own, let alone exercise its powers. Which shouldn¡¯t have been a problem. As a true born demon, spawned from congealed blight as an echo of the Great One¡¯s will, it had no bodily needs, didn¡¯t age, and felt no discomfort being condensed down in such a tiny space. So long as the promise was kept, it would¡¯ve been freed to taint a defeated deity and assimilate with them, but it never imagined that the carrier of its vessel would be defeated, and that the being responsible would be its antithesis: A light that chases away shadows, a light that devours the dark, a pure, brilliant, ineffable light that could snuff it out entirely. A light, that if allowed to grow, could threaten even the Great One¡¯s plans¨Cperhaps even the Great One¡¯s life. ¡°S¨Cso pure. Purer than an Apostle of the Creator. M¨Cmust taint. M¨Cmust consume at all costs¡­ But¡­ I cannot.¡± The demon rasped, its cold, lifeless voice more akin to a machine than a person, yet even that quaked. For the first time in its millennium long life it felt fear. Never before had it doubted. Never before had it had reason to tread carefully. Even when faced with assimilation by a greater demon, or disassembly at the Great One¡¯s hands it never even flinched, but in the face of this light, everything it stood for, everything it was was reduced to nothing. ¡°M¨Cmission failed. I am lost. My carrier has unwittingly divulged what he knew. A¨Cand I can¡¯t report it. The Great One will be displeased. They despise unknown setbacks.¡± Dakromar writhed in agony as the light brushed away the burnt rags that separated them, and took hold of its vessel. It shrieked and struggled as the light scrutinized it, desperate to conceal even the slightest bit of information from those blinding bright eyes. Nothing According to Plan ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no reason to keep pretending that you¡¯re just a rock. I know you¡¯re in there, and trust me, this¡¯ll be alot easier on the both of us if you start talking on your own.¡± I tossed the lump of jet and caught it a few times, but even after I stopped, even after I waited for like a minute, the blasted demon wouldn¡¯t take the bait and spill. I huffed. ¡°Fine. Have it your way then. Uriel?¡± A half second went by before I got a buzz.
Notice: Unable to interface with pure blight. No information can be gained.
Ugh. Of course it can¡¯t be that simple. Alright, then let¡¯s try something completely different. Out of curiosity, I tried the Ring of Solemn man¡¯s search trait first. I hadn¡¯t checked what it did yet, but to my delight it came back with a sense that the area was free of blight, save for my staff and the stone in my hand. Okay, fair enough. That¡¯s a good ability to remember going forward, especially now that I know how much trouble that inky ick puts me in when I go up against high concentrations of it. Next, I activated the ring¡¯s discernment ability, and it throbbed and planted into my head the idea that the demon contained in the ring was a naturally born one that was a bit over a thousand years old. It was apparently of a more middle rank in overall power and in an agitated state¨Cresisting me with all the strength it could muster from within its prison¨Cwhich was apparently only openable from the outside. Hah! Looks like I was right. This guy¡¯s stuck and of no threat to me so long as that doesn¡¯t change. I gave the ring on my right hand an appreciative once over. But man! This ring is definitely worth the effort I put in to get it! I mean, I¡¯d have been in a lot of trouble back there without it, and even outside of combat it¡¯s still proving super useful. My one stop shop for all my anti-blight needs! My smile faded as I remembered the ailing face of the merchant¡¯s son, and my face darkened further still as the wretched visage of Benedict¡¯s soul, still fresh in my mind, came as a point of comparison. If I hadn¡¯t helped when I did, would he have fallen this far? Would his habit of tormenting animals have grown into tormenting people? Could his disdain for others mutate into a disdain for the world? Into apathy? Nihilism? I glared at the rock, and the living evil stored within. How dare you lead the innocent, no matter how hurt or misguided, down the wrong path! How dare you destroy their love of life! How dare you threaten this beautiful world that I¡¯ve only just gotten to enjoy! To my shock, the black rock, well, rocked in my hand, quivering like certain pocket sized creatures attempting to burst free from the captivity suddenly thrust upon them by children. It wasn¡¯t until after that I noticed the slight scent of smoke, followed by a thin trail emanating from my skin, and the near silent crackling of the air around the stone where contact was made with me. Was I¡­? Was I damaging it with fury alone? Is that a thing? I waited for an answer from either Uriel or the system, but I got nothing. ¡°Alright. Fine. Whatever. But if I¡¯m going to counter these bozos¡¯ influence then I¡¯m gonna really need to double down on helping people so that less will wind up going astray and losing hope. Now, back to business.¡± I stopped to consider my options for analysing this thing, and cast telepathy. then projected. ~Hey, stop ignoring me!~ I waited, but the voice I heard wasn¡¯t the one I expected. The system whispered. Now you tell me! Criminey! But unfortunately I don¡¯t have any spirit magic that¡¯ll be of use here, so I guess I gotta risk the unknown powers at my disposal. I dropped the spell, and focused on the warm energy clustered close to my core. It had grown considerably after I gained control of the Edge of Eternity, and even after using a good bit of it to fight off Benedict and cleanse the blight I still had a hefty supply stored away, and it was replenishing itself faster than before to boot. So purge is out until I want to be rid of this thing, ??? protection is definitely the wrong choice, I have no idea what V!&(^3 or any of the abilities only labeled ??? even do, so that leaves ??? authority and ??? intervention. I hadn¡¯t noticed it the first time I activated it, but apparently my authority, and even those of others, use that warmth as a power source. It wasn¡¯t until my desperate fight with Gretkarn that I realized there was a cost, even if it was really cheap in comparison to the other abilities that use the warmth. So, with it being the most economical option, and probably the safest, I focused some of my warmth into my palm and activated ??? authority. Despite me focusing it on the demon¡¯s stone, the simple use of this ability silenced the insects and small nocturnal critters that had only just dared to return to the area, and instilled in me the understanding that they were at my beck and call, and in them the unairing desire to obey. They, however, weren''t my target so I let them be. I was studying the gem for any sign of reaction. And I freaked when it suddenly cracked! Hol¡¯ up! Go back! Reverse! Cancel! Stop! Stop, stopstopstop! I only barely managed to halt my ability before the sinister stone shattered completely, but after a cursory inspection from the ring¡¯s handy dandy powers I was informed that the seal on the demon was still very much still active, but obviously damaged. Okay. Only one option left. And from the last reaction, there¡¯s no telling if it¡¯ll be a good one¡­ But I still have to try. I leaned Witness on my shoulder, readied some power to use purge in my free hand, and then urged ??? Intervention to activate. Light gathered around the jet in a sort of halo effect. It made rainbows shimmer and glow in the dark surface, and the cracks especially shone bright. I was afraid it¡¯d shatter, but then my head was filled with screaming. Unnatural, grating, grinding, groaning gushed into my mind from the demon within. Images of other demons, members of the Ascendant faith, and countless places and the faces of powerful monsters¨Cpossible terrestrial deities¨Cflooded my unprepared skull before it all went dark. I hadn''t passed out, and the connection was still solid, but there was only darkness coming through. It took a second, but the darkness shifted as if it were alive, as if it were regarding me, as I, in turn, examined it. A voice similar to the system¡¯s said. And then I felt the connection cut, was blinded by a bright flash, heard the stone shatter, and felt the demon disappear. I cast out my other senses as my eyes recovered, I even used the powers of the ring, but no matter where or how far out I searched, I found no trace of the demon. More tired than I had expected to be, I furrowed my brow, looked up at the starry sky, and sighed. ¡°Well, great. I didn¡¯t really learn anything new, the demon¡¯s gone, and just like always, I have even more questions!¡± # In the unending dark, somewhere past the boundary of dream and nightmare, at the locus of insanity, sitting at the crossroads of despair, sorrow, anguish, and sin sat the Great One. A being born in ancient times, as the proud product of a mad mage¡¯s quest for ascension, he awakened unexpectedly, subsumed his creator, tamed the powers of the world, and sought to go even further beyond. Yet here he pondered. Here he rested. Here he waited. He had become so powerful that he sought to absorb, usurp, or merge with the sleeping Creator God, but had been too hasty and was rejected and stranded here within the dark, where he''s remained trapped ever since.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. But all was not lost. During his active period, he left echos of himself all across the world using the transcendent power of blight, ensured that more would emerge even without him, and now used those echos to act on his behalf. Teaching and twisting curious minds. Misleading the gullible. And taking advantage of the vulnerable. All to gain further control over the system and attain freedom. But now one of those echos called to him in desperation. That particular one had been sealed for use in corrupting the terrestrial deities, but unfortunately that part of the plan had apparently been foiled. Which would be fine, it''s happened before, but¡­ ~An apostle! An apostle of the Creator has escaped from the garden! The Ascendants have failed! It is killing me!~ The Great one rolled its eyes. Pfft. I made you immortal, unbreakable, so why are all my demons so overly dramatic the first time they meet a fragment of light? Yes, it hurts, but it¡¯s not even one of those blasted heroes who can seal them here with me, so there¡¯s no reason to¨C?! Suddenly, he felt his connection to the demon strain, utter anguish he¡¯d felt only once before wracked his mind, and in shock he reflexively gazed through the demon at the one responsible and was even more startled to see that he too was being watched in return. He gasped. And in an overpowering jolt sent straight to the brain, he felt the demon be completely snuffed out by the light. The Great One clutched his head as his vision swam. His jet black, lightless eyes fell darker still. # ¡°Hrrm.¡± I furrowed my brow as I stared at my empty palm. ¡°The system said that the demon is resistant to magic, not immune, so I guess I can try to rewind time right?¡± Localized reversal. Mana flowed out into the air around my hand and a deep black bubble formed around it. It was extremely weird feeling time flow backwards over my fingers, kinda like a slimy gloop being drug across my skin, but when the bubble vanished, my hand was still empty. ¡°Well, darn. But I suppose it was worth a try¡­ Though maybe I should have done so before it broke¡­ Too late now.¡± I rolled my stiff shoulders in defeat, grabbed False Witness, and activated shifted steps several times until I was back at the castle rooftop. I really didn¡¯t feel great after losing a demon, getting no definite answer on how to purify my staff, and having to judge yet another soul as if I had any right to do so, so I was really hoping to see some smiling faces upon my return. Heck! Maybe Calden¡¯s awake! My face fell as I cast my senses over the castle interior. ¡°Oh no. No, no, no.¡± In an instant I shifted into Calden¡¯s room behind the crowd of concerned or crying onlookers gathered in the hall staring at the lifeless Count still lying on the floor in a somewhat fresh pool of his own blood, right next to a withered and equally dead Shade. I knew he had passed as Uriel conveyed his status as simply: deceased, but accepting it was another matter. Sure, I didn¡¯t know him all that well, but given that Ysdra was balling her eyes out while gripping his increasingly clammy hand, that both his stout hearted sons were locked in stone faced tunnel vision, and that Calden would have to wake to find that his dependable uncle figure has perished was just gut wrenching. But why? How did this happen? Oh, duh, I can just look. Glimpse the past. Like before, a black ringed screen opened in front of me revealing the sordid events that led to Linus¡¯ end. It started several days prior, and quickly ran through it all before closing at his death. Goodness. I knew he was working himself hard, but to push himself to the point where a swordsman of his caliber struggled against a magically aged assassin is just¡­ heartbreaking. I mean, how many feudal lords in history would ever work themselves so much for the sake of their people? How many would personally go to tend to a guest no matter how friendly their terms? And how many would so readily die to defend them? ¡­Okay, maybe that last one falls under expected noble decorum, but still, the world is now a lesser place without him. ¡°Master A¨CAnon.¡± Sharp eyed as ever, Carmella was the first to spot me in the shadows of the hallway, not an easy feat given the wall of sobbing maids, grim faced guards, and gloomy manservants between us. She ceased her examination of the Count¡¯s remains, bowed, and asked as the semicircle of people parted. ¡°I was just trying to determine how their struggle played out.¡± Her usually controlled voice and countenance cracked. ¡°I¨CI¡­ forgive me for asking¡­ but, do you know how it happened? How the assassin got in?¡± I clasped both hands on False Witness¡¯ gnarled haft and nodded slowly. ¡°I do. But perhaps this should be discussed in the morning? In a more¡­ private locale? After this has been cleaned up?¡± She averted her glittering eyes to Linus¡¯ face, whipped a handkerchief out of thin air to blow her nose, and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Ysdra seemed to perk up when she registered my voice, and mustered what strength she had left to stagger away from her fallen father and through the sympathetic crowd to bury her crinkled and red face in my gut. ¡°A¨CAnon. Y¨Cyou can bring him back right? H¨Che¡¯s not dead right? E¨Ceverything will be okay right?¡± Her muffled, trembling, voice accented with snotty sniffles and desperate squeezes just about tore my heart out. So the only question remained. Uriel? Can I? I half expected it this time, but the system answered instead. I sucked in a bitter breath of cool castle air that chilled me to the core. Time to do the hard part then. I gently combed my fingers through her golden hair a few times, and watched as the fleeting hope held in the eyes of the adults sublimated into sobbing. Her grip on my waist tightened at the sound, and I wrapped her up in a hug. ¡°Have faith that you¡¯ll see him again, and you will. Until then, hold tight to those you still have, and remember that he¡¯s still with you, in every breath, every beat of your heart, and every fiber of your being. Remember him, and on the day I bring him back to you it¡¯ll be as if he never even left.¡± For some reason Carmella let out a very emotional wail before breaking down entirely, but to my knowledge there wasn¡¯t anything going on between her and Linus, so I guess my words resonated with her or something. Though I still kinda wish I could do more. Uriel buzzed.
I refrained from making a face that revealed or even hinted at my dissatisfaction, and quietly continued to comfort Ysdra while she wept. Well, that¡¯s not what I meant, but I guess I got what I asked for, so, go me? Though it just had to be my least favorite activity didn¡¯t it? I focused a bit, and before long the spectral pair became apparent to me. It was pretty obvious who they were, given the recent deaths, but they varied wildly from what I expected. They weren¡¯t spectral versions of themselves, ghostly green and translucent, but vaguely humanoid silhouettes in varying shades of white, stained black or gray in certain spots¨Cor for Shade, most places. Weird. I would¡¯ve thought that the Count¡¯s soul would be purer than it is but even he looks pretty tarnished. Plus, why haven¡¯t they left for the hereafter yet? Best I can tell they¡¯ve been dead for about half an hour, so why stick around? Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Individual Ustar Agra a.k.a. Shade is faithless and has nowhere to go. If left unjudged, he will simply fade into nonexistence. Individual Linus is a believer of Matweirden, however as a terrestrial deity she lacks the power to interfere with souls and can neither sustain, reincarnate, or erase him. As such, he too will fade away.
I watched the pair of souls for a while, Linus¡¯ knelt the moment I first gazed upon it, but Shade¡¯s took an almost guarded stance against me¨Cthough it did appear that he was unable to flee or fight, as each time he tried to move he was returned to his current place. I guess the kinder option would be to do as Uriel and the system want right? If they¡¯re just going to disappear if I don¡¯t then I should at least do something. But, what even are my options? I did reincarnation for Benedict assuming it would work, and destroyed that lich albeit unintentionally, but I never considered what else I could do. The system answered. 3n where they will reside with the faithful.> I shut my eyes. Then that makes this easier. Punish Shade, and send Linus to heaven I guess? That¡¯s what that garbly gook meant, right? I internally frowned. I¡¯m not gonna lie. If that is what it meant, it feels pretty weird to be the one deciding who gets to go to heaven. The system whispered. 3n.> After that, their souls kinda just vanished. There was no flash, no white light, or expenditure of mana, they just simply weren¡¯t there anymore. I felt Ysdra¡¯s grip loosen a little, and took the opportunity to crouch down and kiss her forehead. For whatever reason, that seemed to calm her a good bit more, and I finally allowed myself to relax. And then Silvia came crashing down the hall nearly knocking down the gathered onlookers before grinding to a carpet destroying halt mere feet from me. ¡°Master Boss! Master Boss! The captured lady is gone! She burrowed out like a rabbit while Silvia was gone!¡± I, naturally, froze. What? Soaria is loose? No. Of course she is. This is just more of my carelessness catching up to me. So what do I want to do about it? Do I just drag her back with magic? Do I hunt her down and teach her a lesson? Or do I just let her go and focus on the problems here? I mean she did seem pretty terrified of me, so she probably won¡¯t come back¡­ Though there I go again, thinking careless things when I could just as easily nip this problem in the bud. Then my eyes caught someone dressed in all white sitting at Calden¡¯s bedside. Rather it was more that they were completely white and kinda faint and see through too. Hol¡¯ up. Is that a ghost? Digging Deep Within I averted my eyes from the pale and translucent apparition kindly smiling down at Calden, and set my senses to work tracking down Soaria. The kid¡¯ll be fine. I detect no malice from that soul, and I doubt this¡¯ll take too long, so going to get the main culprit behind Linus¡¯ death is definitely the right thing to do. Especially since I can¡¯t guarantee that she won¡¯t be back if I ever part ways with them, and since they clearly can¡¯t contain her, I¡¯ll have to be more hands on, but first I¡¯ll need to find her. I couldn¡¯t extend my awareness far enough to catch a glimpse of Soaria, but I could explore the tunnel she dug out of her cell. It was largely headed in the direction of her hideout, so I decided to use shifted steps to head back over there. I gave Silvia a pointed look to stay put, and said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take care of it.¡± Before I patted Ysdra on her head and offered a reassuring smile to all as I vanished. The next few jumps got me back to the clearing outside the carved hollow beneath a tree, but as I appeared, I heard a muffled gasp, and knew I¡¯d been spotted. And so the chase begins. Sure, I coulda just teleported either her or myself to the other, but given what she and her underlings had done to such a kind girl¡¯s father, I wasn¡¯t exactly willing to let her off easy. Though she was quick, I had to give her that. It was only a second after she saw me, but she crossed the admittedly small chamber and dove back into the hole she¡¯d crawled out of in a decidedly familiar tactic that I felt I knew from somewhere. What was more impressive, was the fact that Silvia had broken her arm, so that meant she¡¯d made it all the way here with only one. However, she apparently stashed a healing item here, and used it to recover both her useless limb and a good bit of the damage from her fight with my obedient owl so now she was moving even faster. And based on the blood mixed with the dirt, it looks like she dug the tunnel here with her bare hand, but now she has some kind of shovel gloves equipped¨Cnot that they¡¯re gonna help her elude me! I dove into the ground like I¡¯d done so many times in the past and was once again amazed at the sensation of the earth simply parting to let me pass. It¡¯s so solid until I try to go through it, then it becomes even easier to travel through than water! Swimming was the closest analog to the motions I was performing, and with my expanded awareness keeping Soaria well within my sights, I literally dug circles around her in an ever tightening spiral. Ya¡¯know, just in case she can feel my approach somehow¡­ Not that that¡¯s looking to be the case. I wanted to test when she¡¯d notice my approach, since I had eyes on her reaction, so I took the plunge and darted in. It took a bit, but she did respond once I was within a few feet of her¨Cwhich was hilarious to watch as she gasped and wildly diverted course to go deeper and off to the side. So her senses are sharp enough, but given that she¡¯s calming down it seems like she doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s me. I¡¯ll have to change that. Again, and again, and again. I came at her from top, bottom, and every side at multiple angles. At first, she just swerved around to evade, but after my harassment became more and more frequent she realized that she was being hunted. I heard her mutter something under her breath like ¡°Infernal dragthan!¡±, but the inflection didn¡¯t really make it sound like a curse so I assumed it was the name of some kinda burrowing critter instead. Okay. So she¡¯s still in the dark. Literally¡­ That kinda defeats the point of doing this, soooo let¡¯s be more direct! I burrowed around in front of her, did an about face, and charged straight at her. She sensed me coming at the last moment and stopped her advance, but I was much faster than her and was easily able to shoot an arm out into her tunnel and grab her by the collar before she could evade. With our passages connected, we met in the pitch black, face to face. I hissed. ¡°So nice to see you again Soaria. Though dark enough, this isn¡¯t the place I selected for your stay. Why is that?¡± Instead of trembling, the sound of my voice outright paralyzed her. Her pupils dilated like a rodent staring down a hungry cat, her arms pressed outwards as if looking for an escape but were trapped by the narrow walls, and her jaw just hung open, as only a strangled squeal emerged. What? Is this all the master assassin amounts to? I get she¡¯s afraid of me, but one look at me is all it takes to reduce her to this? Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Intimidation ability is active at full strength.
I blinked. Oh. Oops. That¡¯d explain it, but I didn¡¯t think to activate it, so I guess I¡¯m more upset than I thought¡­ I gritted my teeth. Linus died due to my carelessness. I need to take responsibility, but I also don¡¯t want to do something I¡¯ll regret¡­ Then relaxed with a sudden epiphany. So why don¡¯t I try something different? I deactivated my ability, and eyed her expectantly. ¡°Well?¡± Her shovel gloves were quite sharp, and fitted in front of her fingers to better help her scoop with both hands, if she lashed out it¡¯d probably hurt, but she let them slip from her hands, retracted her arms down the narrow tunnel to her sides, and shut her eyes without a word. I gave her a light shake, but even after that, she refused to answer. What? Are you telling me to just kill you? In this admittedly awkward position where we¡¯re lying down in front of each other? I snorted. ¡°As if you have any right to decide how this ends.¡± Unite will, experience extension, and revery. One spell short of the past revealing combo I used on Benedict, I used the two mind magic spells to merge our thoughts together, and the time magic to ensure I got all the details exactly as they¡¯d happened. Then, I unilaterally bombarded her with the one thing I knew no trained assassin would never expect or be prepared to face. Weaponized mercy. Everyone she¡¯d ever harmed, killed, or otherwise been at odds with, everything she¡¯d ever felt even the tiniest shred of guilt over, every doubt, and sense of sorrow was dredged up, changed to soothe, reassure, and comfort if not outright forgive, and then rapid fired into her mind¡¯s eye over and over again. Soaria trembled, her voice, initially shaken, gradually grew more frenzied. ¡°W¨Cwhat is this? Why are you doing this? Why show me this?!¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I smiled, and continued the mental onslaught of images and information sourced from her mind, and reshaped through my will. ¡°Because souls are precious things, even tarnished and dirtied ones like yours. So be thankful you¡¯re still alive, and can actively atone through your future actions. If you were dead, then the process of cleansing you would be far more unpleasant. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Shade, whenever you should meet hereafter.¡± She gawked at me for a minute, then snarled, gripped my wrist and squeezed, twisting her hands in opposite directions in order to break my hold with ye olde ¡®snake bite¡¯. ¡°Do you think I chose this life? Do you think any assassin or thief does? You cast blame on the wrong people! And I will not be broken by this¡­ this torture!¡± Unfortunately for her, my fire resistance ability could apparently nullify the burning sensation she was attempting to afflict me with, so I pulled her face a little closer and tutted. ¡°Wrong is wrong no matter the reason why it happens, just as hurt is hurt no matter who afflicts it. This punishment is yours, and those who set you on this path will face theirs one day if they haven¡¯t already. As for torture, it only feels that way because you don¡¯t know mercy. And your instinct is right. It¡¯s far more than you deserve, but I¡¯m giving it to you anyway because that is my choice to make.¡± She started to squirm seeing as her ¡®snake bite¡¯ didn¡¯t work, and spat. ¡°Mercy? You call this mercy? I never asked for it! Take it back! I want nothing from you but freedom! Let me go, and you¡¯ll never see nor hear of me again!¡± I shook my head, and wiped the glob of saliva from my cheek. ¡°But that¡¯s the problem. You¡¯ve lived your whole life free of me and mercy and look where that¡¯s gotten you. Not to mention that I definitely will see you again, no matter where you scamper off to, and I dread what I¡¯ll find when I do.¡± At least, that¡¯s my best guess of what¡¯ll happen if my abilities continue to grow, and if the system remains intent on having me judge the souls of the dead¡­ And I¡¯d rather be as lenient on those judgments as I can, so I¡¯ve gotta start mitigating the damage. So ready or not, it¡¯s time for a little unwanted rehab. Hypnosis. I gazed into her eyes, and though I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if she could see mine in the total darkness of the tunnel, I felt the spell take effect and watched her pupil¡¯s dilate again and her face and body go slack. With her in a trance, I began the list of restrictions I¡¯d cooked up. ¡°One: You will do no harm to others unless it is self defense or in defense of the defenseless. Two: You will act as an unknown guard and protector of the Kalsynth family, especially Ysdra, for a period of five years or until the political strife within the empire is concluded, whichever is resolved second. Three: You will act to encourage, protect, teach, or guide others in your free time, and cooperate with Father Iskel for the betterment of the community. Four: You will take no credit for any of your deeds, and answer obediently to just authority. And five: You will never again take up unlawful work, or make contact with those who do unlawful work, unless it is on behalf of the greater good or to help them escape the mire of that lifestyle. Understood?¡± She blinked, lowered her eyes, and nodded. Then she said, her voice flat. ¡°As you command.¡± She remained frozen for a while as if the new restrictions needed time to settle into place before they could interact with her ego. Then, like a switch being flipped, she suddenly started to twitch and spasm¨Cher eyes rolling around in her head, as if the mental battle had become so intense that needed to take physical form. And man she¡¯s determined too! It¡¯s already been several minutes, but she isn¡¯t stopping. If this wasn¡¯t for the sake of saving her soul I¡¯d stop and try something else, but I really need this to work! Foam started to gather at the corners of her mouth a bit later, so I decided to alter the terms before she blew a metaphorical gasket. I snapped, and her head shot up, eyes once again glassy. ¡°You will be released from these conditions the moment you understand them, and the reason why I placed them upon you. Until then, and after, you will be safe from further punishment from me and mine. Agreed?¡± Because if you can actually pull that off, you¡¯ll have changed to the point where I won¡¯t need to punish you anymore. It took a bit longer for a response to come, she jerked her neck a few times, like a robot glitching, but then more naturally asked. ¡°You swear?¡± I chuckled. ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to save you, then I do. So go in peace.¡± She blinked, so slowly and deliberately I momentarily thought she had been messing with me this whole time and might attack, but instead she clasped her hands in front of me, and lowered her face into the dirt. ¡°Then until that time comes, and perhaps even after, please watch over me.¡± I patted her shoulder, and warped away with shifted steps. I sat in the branches of the tree she¡¯d dug her base from and rested my heavy head in my hands. Goodness. Taking away, or at least limiting someone¡¯s free will isn¡¯t exactly pleasant, but I prefer it over having to destroy or forcefully cleanse another soul. I sat and watched the moon, wondering if Linus would approve of this punishment, when I saw Soaria emerge from her former lair. She too watched the night sky for a while. Then she smiled, placed something under a rock, and headed off toward Kalsynthholme, no hint of her usually refined and cautious nature in her movements. Then the system ruined the serenity of the moment. # Soaria an¡¯Selm wasn¡¯t stupid. Deception and betrayal were her constant companions and she¡¯d grown accustomed to them over her long career as an assassin. Gotten good at lying and knowing when she was being lied to, and all her experience told her that Anon wasn¡¯t lying. That was a promise from the most powerful and enigmatic being I¡¯ve ever met. No more punishment, from them or that silver bird-girl¨Clikely even the county too. And all they wanted was for me to do good. All they wanted was for me to be¡­ safe¡­ . It was a feeling that sat oddly in her soul. Something that burdened her more than those fabricated visions. Someone who wasn¡¯t indebted or subordinate to her, a complete stranger, really and truly wanted her to be safe. To be saved. And they were angry with her too. The hand that gripped her collar wasn¡¯t gentle, those eyes looked ready to eradicate her in the most painful ways she could imagine, but then it passed as suddenly as spring rain. As if all she had done, as if all she had trained others to do, could just be forgiven and forgotten in that short of an instant. She muttered as she rubbed her face in the dirt of the tunnel. ¡°What right do you have to forgive me? What right do you have to make others do the same? How dare you dredge them up like that? Are we but pawns in your game?¡± Anon¡¯s words echoed in her mind. ¡°Because souls are precious things, even tarnished and dirtied ones like yours.¡± She tightened her grip until her palms started to bleed. Precious. Precious enough that you¡¯d hunt me down yourself, force me to live a different life, and forgive all I¡¯ve done? Her lower lip trembled. Someone like me? Covered in blood? Is that precious to you? Anon had gone, but the warmth of their hand on her shoulder remained, as if to say. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Soaria an¡¯Selm wasn¡¯t stupid. She¡¯d figured out and met Anon¡¯s conditions for freedom almost as soon as they¡¯d been set. She knew they wanted to help her, that they wanted better for her, and for the other people of this land, maybe even the entire world, and that they would go to any length to make sure even the lowest and most unwanted people knew it. She had her freedom from that spell, but before she dragged herself from the hole she¡¯d been digging for far too long, she wrote everything she knew about Marquis Palaeshek down and resolved to do as Anon asked anyway¨Csimply because they cared, and because she hoped to make up for her apprentices as well. If they are burning in death, or are slated to do so, then the least I can do is try to reduce the time or the heat, as I¡¯m the reason they now suffer. After she emerged, the cool night air wasn¡¯t the least bit uncomfortable. Having grown up in the desert she hated the cold, but right now it was strangely refreshing. The moon, whose light constantly worked against her during missions, now felt like it was smiling down at her, and that the twinkling stars, her trusted guides, were waving to her, celebrating her arrival at this moment as if they¡¯d been waiting for it all along. She crouched, and slipped the note under a rock. Given how easily you invaded my mind, I doubt this will be useful to you, Anon. But in case it is, I hope that this will aid you on your path to saving others. # I waited until Soaria had left the range of my senses and then hopped down to take a peek at what she¡¯d left for me. And it was a lot. ¡°Directions to Palaeshek¡¯s domain, locations to his escape routes and underhanded dealings? Anything and everything she was able to learn about him handed over to me in one concise note? Well, I was going to go after him soon anyway, so this is great!¡± I tucked the dirty parchment away, and looked back in the direction of the castle. But first, I¡¯ve got a funeral to attend. But should I be there in person for everyone to gawk at? I mean, the whole city knows about me at this point, so maybe it¡¯d be better to just watch from somewhere secluded or in disguise? I should probably look into that ghost too, though I expect that to be easy. Parting Ways I quietly returned to the castle, contemplating my options and the days to come. The Count¡¯s death was announced to the city by Ygvarge at dawn, as well as his succession to his father¡¯s position. I only really listened in from the edge of my awareness, as I sat at Calden¡¯s bedside waiting for him to wake, while the finely dressed ghost that had been watching over him, quite creepily, kissed my feet through my boots. I¡¯ve asked her to stop at least ten times now, in just as many different ways, but to no avail¡­ Her reaction couldn¡¯t get any weirder either, as if the very notion of stopping is doing her harm¡­ Doesn¡¯t help that Uriel told me that she¡¯s Calden¡¯s departed mother. I glanced at the window Uriel provided.
Name: Ester Dresdeth Species: Guardian Health: n/a Mana: n/a Endurance: n/a Strength: n/a Agility: n/a Speed: n/a Toughness: Indestructable Spirit: n/a Status conditions: Hallowed; Tethered; Graced Titles: Mother; Sister; Daughter; Aunt; Saved; Abilities: Guidance lv: error Protection lv: error Insight lv: error Support lv: error
Uggh. Why do dead people keep making things complicated? I endured a few more kisses from the lithe soul before I cleared my throat. ¡°Ester?¡± She answered between smooches, free to do so as her long hair was restrained in an intricate updo. ¡°Yes? Lord?¡± ¡°What do you intend to do after your son wakes?¡± She paused, then smiled so brightly I felt it a shame that she directed it at the floor. ¡°I will do as I always have. What any mother would.¡± Well that¡¯s about what I expected. A little vague, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. I flicked my eyes over to gaze directly at her, and she shuddered. ¡°And how long have you been here? I don¡¯t recall bringing you back when I reached out to him, so what happened?¡± Her ethereally warm kisses resumed in frantic fashion, and she even clutched my leg for good measure before she blurted out. ¡°Forgive him! My son didn¡¯t mean to! He used the power you gave without thinking and then¨Cthen I found myself here. I¨CI¨C.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I placed a hand atop her head, which I found surprisingly solid, and said. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I just wanted to make sure no further complications had arisen on your end.¡± Her trembling lessened, and her voice broke as if she were holding back tears. ¡°Y¨Cyour generosity is boundless! T¨Cthat you¡¯d allow me to remain here. T¨Cthat you¡¯d bless us so!¡± She swallowed hard, though I wasn¡¯t sure what a ghost had to swallow in the first place. ¡°It is a shame that so little of the Empire believes in you. That our faith has degraded to be considered nothing more than fable and legend. But you live! You are here! You bless us still! And we will right these wrongs in accordance with your will!¡± I blinked. Okay, let¡¯s not go overboard here. A little restraint goes a long way so I should stop this before she gets the wrong idea. And just as I was about to open my mouth, Calden deeply inhaled, rubbed his bleary eyes, and slowly sat up. ¡°Anon? L¨Clord Anon?¡± I winked at him. ¡°Hey kid. Did you have a nice nap?¡± He sat bolt upright, and nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes! I feel so refreshed I don¡¯t even remember how I fell asleep.¡± I scratched my cheek. ¡°What do you remember then?¡± He tilted his head, and looked around the room. ¡°Umm¡­ I remember the big fight with Gretkarn. The reconstruction effort¡­¡± He snapped his head back to me. ¡°I was so worried about you! But you¡¯re okay! I never should¡¯ve doubted!¡± I gave a gentle smile and brushed aside a stray lock of his hair. ¡°I appreciate that, but do you remember anything else?¡± He glanced down at his covered feet. ¡°Uh¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡­ I think I saw some gates at a peaceful place. I saw my mother¡­¡± He sniffled a little, I checked Ester¡¯s reaction, but it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d move without permission, and he didn¡¯t appear to know she was here. ¡°I¨CI chose to come back. To leave her again. But¨Cbut I wanted her to stay with me¡­ I wanted it so much.¡± He froze, and peeked up at me with sheepish eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got a little stuck on the way back because of that. I should have woken up sooner.¡± I patted his head, and shook my own. ¡°Your well being was my only concern. What you use your strength on is your decision.¡± I then wiped his glistening eyes, and asked. ¡°But you don¡¯t remember being stabbed?¡± His pupils dilated and the blood drained from his face. It took a minute, but he slowly blinked, and slouched a little. ¡°Oh.¡± I shifted to lean against the backboard, pulled him into a side hug, and rubbed his shoulder. ¡°Sorry to bring back painful memories, but unfortunately there¡¯s more you need to know.¡± He sniffled again. ¡°Uncle Linus is dead. He said goodbye¡­¡± He pawed at the fat tears oozing from his eyes and whimpered. ¡°I¨Cif I hadn¡¯t been so selfish¡­ If I had woken up when I was supposed to¡­ H¨Che¨C.¡± I made a face and lightly chopped him on the forehead. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that. I refuse to hear victims blame themselves for the actions of criminals. You are not at fault, and I will not hear otherwise.¡± He timidly nodded his acceptance of my verdict, and took a minute to recompose himself. Then asked. ¡°Where are Ysdra, Ygvarge, Ymir, and Carmella? Are they alright?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± I pointed out his window at the nascent light of the new day. ¡°They¡¯re out front, making the needed announcements from the castle walls. They¡¯re all a bit shaken, just like you, but that¡¯s only natural.¡± His eyes followed the direction of my finger and they sparkled both with tears and from the steadily growing light. They skipped straight past Ester though, so even though he¡¯d brought her here, and was tethered to her, he still couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°I¨CI see. And the people?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I cast my senses out their way and swept as much of the city as I could reach. ¡°They got a little unruly after you were poisoned, but I set them straight, and they look to be taking the morning¡¯s news in stride. After all, Ygvarge appears to be quite the competent leader, and they were just told the imminent and ongoing threats have been resolved.¡± He nodded, slouched a little, and muttered. ¡°W¨Cwhen is the funeral?¡± I sighed, subtly ushered Ester to hug her son, and echoed what was being announced within the city. ¡°In accordance with the doctrines of his faith, Count Linus Kalsynth will be cremated upon a pyre this evening, at twilight.¡± His lip quivered, and he looked like he was about to object to something, but then he bit it back as Ester embraced him, instead asking. ¡°W¨Cwill you go with me? W¨Cwill you be at my side?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± His face brightened a little, and he leaned on me a bit more. In a small voice, less than even a whisper, he said. ¡°Thank you.¡± I combed my fingers through his hair, and smiled. No kid. Thank you. # The day went by quietly. Countless servants hustled to and fro, determined to finish the needed preparations before twilight¡¯s inevitable arrival, while the rest of the Count¡¯s coterie returned to the seemingly endless amount of administration work Linus left behind. Calden resumed his outings in the city, raising morale amidst the sombre atmosphere, all while being fussed over by Carmella and several knights, and secretly guarded by the ghost of his mother, who beamed the entire time. I was out and about as a pudgy pigeon too, but kept periodic tabs on Linus¡¯ kids, ensuring that none of the aggrieved took the loss too hard, while also scanning the city, both to ensure no further curve balls would strike the freshly recovered Calden, and to monitor the people in general and make sure they were doing alright. And they mostly were. The change in leadership was a relatively small wave in comparison to the repeated upheavals they¡¯ve been dealing with over the last week, so the emotionally exhausted middle class respected the fallen Count with a few flowers and kind words, but their focus remained on repairing their damaged homes, and healing their own ravaged hearts. The high born took it in stride. For them Linus¡¯ death was an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the new lord, so while they acted heartbroken they were plotting to gain more influence in the newly opened power vacuum. They naturally sent lavish gifts, or as lavish as they could get given the state of the city, and made preparations to ¡®comfort¡¯ the grieving family at the funeral. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Surprisingly, those who dwelled in the slums were doing better than those in either of the wealthier districts. I guess not having much to start with and being used to tough times allowed them to take this trial in stride. Old Iskel¡¯s presence helped in no small part too. His healing abilities had really flourished with all the practice he¡¯d been getting, and his little church was now overflowing each time he went to preach. It¡¯s good that nobody is too overwhelmed with everything that¡¯s been happening. I¡¯m forever amazed at the resilience of the heart and how even when things get so bleak for so long people will continue to carry on. Now¡­ Let¡¯s go check on Linus. His body wasn¡¯t in the castle. As per his will, which Griswold apparently had tucked away somewhere, he was laid out at the city center, cleaned and dressed in his fine military style uniform, for all the people to see. There were four honor guards standing at the corners of the palanquin that they¡¯d used to transport him, and just behind that, a near continual procession of grim-faced castle servants stacked the logs that would become his pyre. It¡¯d gotten pretty tall by this point in the day, but instead of a heap that they were intending to place him atop of, it looked more like a furnace that they would stick him inside of. I also spotted the elderly head priest of Matweirden¡¯s temple coming and going periodically in a gaudy carriage. He wore some pretty fancy orange and black vestments today, the gold trim and crown-like pontiff¡¯s hat were especially sparkly in the midday sun, and his wild eyes were eager rather than sad and I could guess why. I don¡¯t like to think about it, but my presence has impacted the faith in the city. Calden and Iskel especially have made it their mission to inform the masses that I¡¯m connected to the Creator God, so this old dude probably sees this as a chance to reestablish his patron¡¯s foothold in the city. My disappointment in the priest and nobles aside, nothing major really happened today, and night soon approached. Though now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t seen Soaria at all. I know she was headed back to the city, and given how fast she is she should¡¯ve arrived by now. So where is she? Don¡¯t tell me that dangerous lady got into trouble she couldn¡¯t handle. Or is she actually just taking her time and walking the whole way? People slowly gathered from every district until the spacious square, made even larger thanks to the damage, was filled. Even the ruins of nearby buildings were climbed by the more agile and adventurous in order to get a better view, and once all the dignitaries and family members were present the torathan priest began the ceremony. ¡°Good people of Kalsynthholm! We are gathered this eve to remember the unyielding sacrifice of our illustrious and pious liege lord, Count Linus Kalsyth. He lived a life dedicated to you, both protecting and guiding in the righteous paths permitted by the Emperor and divine!¡± He made a broad statement, but swept his eyes to the large banner depicting the half-lady half-tiger that he revered. ¡°Even in these dark times he lived dutifully fighting both with sword and quill to ensure that we could all live and prosper in a better tomorrow.¡± He continued to ramble on about Linus¡¯ many achievements and contributions to the temple, the empire, and the county at large, making every effort to attribute it all to his faith in Matweirden. The Count¡¯s family, Calden, and Carmella listened respectfully, though I could see that Calden, Ysdra, and even Carmella were battling growing consternation and worry. There was even a good chunk of the crowd who appeared to be looking for something that apparently wasn¡¯t around. Well, I don¡¯t really know how this ritual is supposed to commence, so I guess I should head down and keep my promise. As the eulogy continued, Ymir and Ygvarge were called up in turn to say their piece about their father, so I took the opportunity to flutter down and return to being myself next to Calden. I tried to be subtle about it, but I still caught more than a few gasps, excited cheers, and even hushed prayers from the crowd. The high priest shot me a dirty look, but since I didn¡¯t intend to create such a disturbance I ignored him and focused on consoling the teary eyed kids. A few more nobles came up to speak about Linus, and then all eyes turned to Ymir. The high priest beckoned him toward Linus¡¯ body. ¡°Honored one, you who have been blessed from among the faithful by lottery, step forward and usher your father into Matweirden¡¯s embrace.¡± I arched an eyebrow. I know that pallbearers are typically family, but to have to do it alone, especially for such an emotional boy, is just too much. Ymir hesitated, then proceeded over to his father¡¯s corpse. He knelt for a blessing, but struggled to find the strength to stand. I heard Ysdra break down sobbing, watched Ygvarge grimace, and Calden squeeze his fists tight. Nobody else could see or hear her, but Ester was somehow holding him down. Is that her protector ability? I didn¡¯t even need to ask for an explanation before she turned to me and bowed. ¡°Forgive me, but I can¡¯t allow this. He¡¯s too young. If it must be done, if you are content to allow the tradition to continue, then please lord I beg you to select another.¡± Without needing any more prompting, I stepped up beside Ymir, laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled gently. ¡°Let me take this from here.¡± A gasp rolled through the crowd, the high priest gained a dangerous gleam in his eye, and Ymir stammered. ¡°B¨Cbut¡­ I was selected! For his soul¡­ I¨C!¡± I shook my head and whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of that personally. This is just his body, so let me send that off too.¡± Ymir gulped hard, and blubbered at my feet. I took up Linus and got going toward the pyre¡¯s entrance before he could start kissing my feet too, and ignored the shock that spread behind me. Oh come on! I¡¯m just carrying him inside! Is this really such a big deal? Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me they heard what I said to Ymir! I know it got real quiet when I was talking but is that why that cat priest is fuming now? I walked slowly inside the wooden structure and laid Linus¡¯ remains down on the platform at the center. I took a second to straighten his hair and outfit, but when I was done I found the entrance closed up with more logs. ¡°Hold up. What¡¯s¨C¡± As if in answer to my question the pyre was assailed with fire magic from all sides and quickly ignited. The kindling all across the floor spread the flames to me and Linus, but a quick application of barrier prevented me or my clothes from catching. I guess this whole setup was supposed to be some sorta sacrifice, but that just makes it all the more messed up that Ymir was chosen to accompany his father in death. I could see it making sense from a political standpoint that removing the other viable heir would ease the transition and remove the possibility of dissent, but they said it was a lottery so¨C Oh man that could¡¯ve been rigged from the start! I sat around for a bit, just to watch over the process since my barrier and fire resistance made me only a little uncomfortable, but in spite of the flames spreading over the whole pyre and it looking rather impressive from outside, the actual burning of the count wasn¡¯t very efficient. Guess I can help out a bit once I get outta here. I didn¡¯t feel like making much more of a scene so I used shifted steps to pop back out behind Calden and co, then cast incinerate to really get things going. The already impressive blaze towered up into the now completely dark sky to the hushed awe of the spectators. The high priest started going on about how Matweirden was pleased, but we both noticed too late that everyone was watching me now. Embarrassed and fully enraged he stormed away, fleeing the scene in his gaudy carriage. Calden and Ysdra both took one of my hands, and she whispered. ¡°Thank you.¡± I held back a chuckle. ¡°Anytime.¡± And together we watched the fire burn into the night. # Soaria an¡¯Selm stood amidst the crowd gathered at the funerary pyre, and from the shadows of a rooftop Silvia sat and intently observed her. Master Boss spared her. Ordered change. But Silvia knows, Silvia can feel it, she broke free¡­ Silvia cocked her head. So why does she still obey? She made contact with the male, the one beside her¡­ He¡¯s full of faith. Has been helped by Master Boss too. A¡­ Priest? Must protect if she tries something¡­ But she shows no hostility. She even spotted Silvia and¡­ smiled? Silvia huffed. ¡°Humans are strange. Danger still possible.¡± Determined to be of use to her Master, Silvia remained vigilant through the night, though Soaria never hurt anyone. # I remained outside even after everyone else had said their farewells and retired for the evening. Obviously, Calden, Ysdra, and Carmella stuck around after the crowd had dispersed, but even they left at around eleven thirty. Ymir held out until midnight kneeling beside me like some sorta knight, while Ygvarge lingered at my other flank wistfully watching the embers rise. We were silent in our vigil as the flames burned low, and the pyre¡¯s grand structure caved and collapsed into a smouldering lump. But he never said anything to me, and he returned to the castle after one o¡¯clock came and went. My magic made sure that there wasn¡¯t anything discernable left of Linus¡¯ body, and even now a steady supply of mana made sure that the whole of the pyre would be reduced to ash, before I¡¯d scatter it all on the wind with a quick hurricane spell. ¡°The only thing left to decide is where to go next. Am I off to deal with that malevolent marquis? Or should I take a look into this Matweirden creature and try to find out why she¡¯s been so distant when her followers are faithful and desperate?¡± Uriel buzzed.
¡°Huh. Guess there¡¯s that too.¡± # Deep within his private study, surrounded by innumerable shelves of ancient, forgotten, and forbidden knowledge Gregorious Durdenhal sat upon a lavish throne, unbound by his plain vestments, deep in contemplation. He was human once, but he now looked anything but. Dozens of differently colored eyes combed the pages of just as many books held aloft by his even more numerous appendages. Some were thin and dexterous, others quite the opposite. Some lacked defining structure, while others were so bony that barbs jutted from his discolored and misshapen flesh to form fierce barbs and spines. This was the price he paid for power. This was the path he proudly walked in search of the Creator God. This was the way to heaven. To perfection. To ascend. Of this he had no doubt. But what he did doubt were his subordinates. ¡°Benedict failed?¡± A voice that sounded like cancer being squeezed from atrophied vocal chords and ground between jagged and maligned teeth broke the relative silence of this secret place. ¡°I guess that¡¯s all he amounted to. Pathetic, really.¡± Gregorious pondered how easily he¡¯d subdued Matweirden. Supposedly, she was one of the stronger terrestrial deities within the empire¡¯s borders, but he hadn¡¯t even needed to reveal his form to take her down. However, his spies reported something far more exciting to him than reveling in past victories. ¡°Anon was it? It intrigues me. My agents couldn¡¯t figure out where it came from. If it can elude them, and escape control, I do wonder how it will fare against the new and improved Matweirden? Shall I arrange a meeting? Perhaps I¡¯ll even invite that stingy Josephene to watch?¡± Bearing Witness ¡°Farewell, Linus¡­¡± ...Wherever I sent you. Hopefully purification isn¡¯t too painful. Now, hurricane. After lifting and thoroughly scattering the massive pile of ash that the burnt out pyre left behind to the four winds, I turned my attention away from distant lands and back to the message that Uriel provided. ¡°Alright. Show me what you¡¯ve come up with.¡± Uriel buzzed again.
Conclusion: In order to purify Witness you must break down the blight within it, increase your ??? power output and use a high concentration of mana connected to the land to restore the staff''s natural energies.
I tapped my foot, then crossed my arms. ¡°Hmm. And how do I go about doing any of that?¡± Uriel buzzed once more.
Notice: To degrade the blight place the staff within your domain: The Edge of Eternity. To increase your ??? power output either wait long enough for your body to adapt, or practice it''s use to hasten progress. To find a high concentration of mana find the territory of a terrestrial deity. And to gain enough mana to restore the link, slay that deity.
I blinked. So¡­ I can¡¯t use Gretkarn¡¯s lair and energy? The system answered this time. Okay, fair points. But why do I need to kill the deity? Aren¡¯t they based at places with high mana concentration so shouldn¡¯t that be enough? And if not, couldn¡¯t I just convince one to help? Uriel took over again.
Nothing¡¯s ever easy. I clicked my tongue, and used shifted steps to pop back into the castle. I¡¯d left False Witness leaned against the wall in Calden¡¯s room, but as the kid was now fast asleep, I was able to appear silently enough to not wake him. Ester on the other hand was very much aware of me. ¡°My Lord! You¡¯ve returned!¡± She abandoned her son¡¯s bedside to throw herself at my feet, though I stopped her before she could start lavishing kisses upon them again. I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not staying long. In fact, I¡¯ll likely be leaving in the morning, so his protection will be up to you from here on.¡± She froze, pressed her head to the floor, and proclaimed. ¡°As you will!¡± I then used my domain traversal ability to depart from the world and completely enter my own space. My personal, ruined, dust covered, slice of never ending trauma and regret. I appeared in front of my broken throne and the all encompassing anomaly waited just behind it, watching my every action just like it always did. Unlike last time, I felt more at home here. Maybe it was the fact that I accepted this place as my own, or the fact that it was filled with the mysterious power that destroyed blight, but the all consuming dust didn¡¯t bother me as much, though it was still a constant reminder of my eternity alone, and that would never be appreciated. The anomaly was silent as well. It was never very talkative, but I half expected it to say hello or welcome back, but it didn¡¯t and I got tired of waiting for a reaction, so I sat down. The cold stone I expected to sit on was not what I felt. My throne was warm, almost comfortable, and I felt that at ease as power passed into and through me, circulated like blood. Uriel said to just leave it here, but there¡¯s gotta be something more I can do to speed things up. And even if there isn¡¯t, getting some practice in isn¡¯t a bad idea. It took time. A long time, but eventually, on instinct, I knew how to do what I wanted. It was like remembering something I¡¯d forgotten more than learning. Like sitting here allowed the power of this place to scratch away the mental walls keeping me from¡­ myself? Anyway, it was a weird sensation to focus on so I held my staff in both hands, layed it across my lap really, and then I extended the warmth within me to spread out through it. Out of one hand, through False Witness, and into the other. It was a simple circuit, but given how violently blight and my power react to one another I needed to be extremely careful that my walking stick wouldn¡¯t burst into flames or explode. Thankfully, it remained intact, though it trembled violently in my grip, threatening to leap away the second I slacked off. But I endured, and so did it. Slowly, carefully, I worked my energies back into the wood. I felt the blight resist at every step, like sludge or sediment blocking a river from its proper course, but with time I knew that it would give way and disappear. With my task complete, I changed focus to commanding the power of this place to maintain this flow without me needing to manage it. I never considered automating magic or this energy in the past, but I couldn¡¯t stay here and wait, and as more buried knowledge was gradually uncovered, I understood that I didn¡¯t need to either. It was honestly a bit like using my mana control ability to influence the mana outside my body. Once I got it started going the way I wanted, I could just sit back, and let the power continue all on its own. Hesitantly, I released my hold on Witness, but instead of flying off like I feared, the steady tide of ??? power kept it roughly where it was, though it did float up a few feet to hover above where I sat. I sighed, and slouched in my seat. ¡°Okay. One job done with progress on the second. Now then, I guess I need to go find a terrestrial deity to off. Though I should say goodbye to everyone first. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. I returned to reality, back into Calden¡¯s room right where I¡¯d left, though instead of a sleeping boy and his phantasmal mother, I found the room being attended by a few maids making the bed. Oh. It¡¯s morning. Lucky me. Silent as a ghost, I used shifted steps to head over to the lavish private dining room where I saw the groggy group of my traveling companions and their family had gathered. Unlike the maids who failed to spot my sudden appearance, everyone seated at the table noticed the second I arrived and seemed to come alive at the sight. Well, the table¡¯s set but the food hasn¡¯t been brought out yet, so maybe they were expecting it instead of me? What caught me off guard was that their reactions weren¡¯t as dramatic as I had grown accustomed to. Not to complain, but no one even called out to me. In fact, most of them simply bowed their heads, though Ysdra ran over to hug me in silent sobs. ¡°Oh, sweetheart!¡± I knelt to catch her, scooped her up, held her tight, and all but rocked the poor girl to sleep in the next few minutes. Once she¡¯d relaxed, I offered a quiet ¡°Goodmorning.¡± to the room, which Ygvarge answered. He stood, and the rest followed. ¡°Goodmorning, oh generous benefactor. Thank you for all the care you¡¯ve given to my sister, and to us all for that matter.¡± He tentatively glanced at the surprisingly still gloomy Calden, then found his courage and continued. ¡°At risk of sounding rude, is there anything we can do for you? In my experience you only ever appear when something¡¯s about to change.¡± Heh. So that¡¯s how you see me. Fair. ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t be wrong. Though, the only thing I¡¯d ask of you is that you take care of yourselves and each other.¡± Calden lowered his head, and shut his dark ringed eyes. Okay, now I know Ester found a way to tell him I¡¯d be leaving, probably in his dreams. And from Ysdra¡¯s reaction, he might have told her too. Carmella clutched a little silver charm of a tree she¡¯d picked up from somewhere, and asked. ¡°If I may, where will you go?¡± I combed my fingers through the golden locks of the nearly nodded off tigress and smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided just yet, though I was thinking of either going to investigate Marquis Palaesheck or check in on Mattweirden and see why she¡¯s been so distant to you all.¡± And hopefully it¡¯s not because she¡¯s been corrupted by the Ascendants. Though I¡¯m afraid that that¡¯s the case. Ygvarge bowed. ¡°Your consideration is far more than we deserve. At this rate our debt to you will be bottomless.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t help people because I expect something in return. I helped because you needed it, and continue to help because you need it still. If you want to repay me even knowing that, then do as I have done and help your people when and as they need it. That will always be enough.¡± Carmella wiped the beginnings of a tear from an eye. ¡°Words to live by.¡± Then Ymir drew his sword, placed the tip to the ground at his feet, and knelt. ¡°We hear and obey.¡± I refrained from cocking an eyebrow at their reactions. Carmella¡¯s opinion of me has been blowing hot and cold for a while now, and Ymir, well, he¡¯s been overreacting ever since I¡­ uhh¡­ shoot, overreacted. Note to self, don¡¯t be so harsh when educating lunkheads going forward. ¡°Oh!¡± I shifted Ysdra¡¯s weight from one arm to the other. ¡°I guess I could use some directions too. Which way is it to Matweirden¡¯s place?¡± Calden finally looked at me. ¡°She claims most of the empire as her territory. So it tends to overlap with other terrestrial deities, just as this part did with Gretkarn, among others. But her main residence, Lord, is a glade adjacent to my family¡¯s own holdings.¡± He pointed across the table and out a window. ¡°Further North, and a bit to the west, right on the empire¡¯s border.¡± He awkwardly clutched his arm. ¡°You can¡¯t miss it, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s the most depleted of the estates in the region.¡± I warped over to him and rustled his hair. ¡°Thanks! And don¡¯t look so glum. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re never going to see me again.¡± Oh. So that¡¯s where Ester was. Head pressed to the floor at her son¡¯s side¡­ At least she¡¯s leaving me alone¡­ though I do feel bad for subconsciously ignoring her. He brightened and rubbed his damp eyes on a palm. ¡°Y¨Cyes. You¡¯ve given me more than I could ever hope for, and I have a lot of work to do here.¡± I put Ysdra down beside him, since she¡¯d mostly recovered from her brief drowsy spell, and whispered in one of her fuzzy ears. ¡°You¡¯re gonna take care of him for me right? Make sure he doesn¡¯t get overzealous and work himself crazy, okay?¡± She sniffled, nodded, and half-smiled. ¡°Only if you stay safe too.¡± I let out a throaty laugh as I rose. ¡°Hah! Kid, who do you think I am?¡± My heart fell into my stomach the second the words left my mouth. Almost every set of eyes in the room sparkled at my question, but even Ygvarge¡¯s doubt was paper thin at best. Oh, joy, more misunderstandings. Though are they misunderstanding, or am I? No! Don¡¯t you think like that Anon! Don¡¯t let the system trick you! Afraid to continue the conversation, I winked, and cast shifted steps, followed by feral form. Cold morning air enveloped me as I appeared as a pudgy gray pigeon high above the castle. It wasn¡¯t even the slightest bit uncomfortable thanks to my resistance ability. Down below, the city was waking up, its people heading out of their temporary shelters to return to the constant task of restoring the damage that Gretkarn had done. Unlike past days, their faces were bright, Calden had returned to them, a new Count was in power, and the hovering threat of assassins had passed. I did a lap or three around the city, spiraling out from the castle, and doing one last sweep to guarantee that the dangers to this city were absolutely over with. And I found none, though there were several pleasant surprises, and I did take the time to heal the injuries of those my eyes fell upon. The first surprise was that merchant we met at the gates, Maximus, if memory serves. By the look of things he¡¯d been busy. Though I¡¯d lost track of him with everything that¡¯s been happening, he kept his word and leveraged his trading company¡¯s resources to not only assist with the consolidation and acquisition of food materials from nearby, but also increased their flow into the city from beyond. Sure, it took days to see the effects, but now that lines of carriages were rolling toward the gates, I was pretty sure everything would be fine on that front. My second delight was that Iskel had really come into his own. As a priest who had little to no power or confidence when we¡¯d met, he was already out leading his flock in their restoration efforts. I found it particularly gratifying that while I was healing the city goers, a large swath of the slums around his church didn¡¯t need any intervention from me at all. The third thing that I noticed was that Soaria had arrived, and now, dressed like a nun of all things, she worked alongside Iskel as some sort of bodyguard, aid, and porter. She never complained, didn¡¯t hesitate to help, and even smiled at the people she encountered. It¡¯s a little terrifying that hypnosis can change someone so completely, but she did accept it in the end so I don¡¯t feel as bad as I would. Oh! And is that Galviston? Maximus¡¯ son tailing after her like a lovesick puppy? It¡¯s kinda funny that they¡¯d meet like this, funny but somehow appropriate. Two lost souls, finding their way back. Perfection. The last surprise was Silvia. She¡¯d assumed the guise of a regular sized owl and patrolled the skies above the slums. She eagerly took to following me when I drew near and I telepathically asked. ~Anything to report?~ ~Master Boss! Silvia has been watching the dangerous human, but she hasn¡¯t tried to do anything to the priest-man or anyone else!~ ~Good. Keep up your watch, and make sure to protect this city and the area around it. I¡¯m going to go investigate some things for a while, though I¡¯ll be sure to call on you when needed.~ ~Yes Master boss! As Master Boss wishes!~ Silvia tried, and failed to salute me with a wing, plummeting a few dozen feet for her effort, before correcting and returning to her patrol. I shook my feathered head, and flew outside the city¡¯s bounds. Now, where to? Palaesheck? Matweirden? Or do I look into the other local terrestrial deities first? Terrible Manor Chapter Sixty Five: Terrible Manor Who am I kidding? There¡¯s no time to search for ol¡¯ Matty when the menace of that Marquis is still looming. I sailed through the air as fast as my pigeon body could propel me, before subtly using a restrained hurricane to hasten things further once I was out of range of the city. Conveniently, Palaeshek¡¯s domain was right next to Dresdeth¡¯s. I had directions to both now, but it was a relief that I wouldn¡¯t have to look very far from one to find the other. To that end, I headed North, but instead of leaning West as Calden directed, I veered a touch East. Though now that I know their proximity, it makes more sense why Dresdeth is being targeted. If their favor and fortune have dropped, and Palaeshek is half as ambitious as I suspect, then he would never leave a weakened neighbor alone. Heck! If he¡¯s even a quarter as ambitious as I expect then he¡¯s a good part of the reason everything went wrong in the first place! Simple plains with long stretches of dirt roads that winded and cut through waves of greener grass extended out beneath me, so I flew higher to get a better view of the world. Granted I needed to shift into an eagle to get that altitude, but boy was it worth it! From on high, higher even than the few clouds that dotted the sky, my eyesight could extend out all but unimpeded. I spied the tangle of thorns that Silvia brought me to, along with the aluminum mountains, and the poisonous pink tree. Those however, sat off to the West, and at least from what I could tell, were part of a more wild frontier, uninhabited by people. Furthermore, I started to suspect that most of the empire¡¯s borders were blocked by natural boundaries, as the far, far, East looked like a coast. So with the mountains I crossed to the South, and this long aluminum range to the West, and the water to the East, this empire really only has to worry about protecting the North, so the people here are probably more used to internal strife over external threats¡­ Not that dealing with either is a good way to live, but I¡¯d really hate it if such a seemingly safe place is rotting from within. I tried to ignore the obvious, that the Ascendant Church and Marquis Palaeshek were both clear signs of the very societal decay I was dreading, but I guess I¡¯m still hoping that they¡¯re the exception and not the rule. It was fun to watch the land change beneath me. Unlike the old earth, mana flow and density was a huge deciding factor on what an area looked like, and my straight path took me over flower strewn hills, deep festering swamps and bogs, a huge craggy valley, and even a small desert that appeared to be filled with some kind of cactus creatures! There were numerous settlements too, and more of those royal rest thingies, but they were all surprisingly uniform with the places I¡¯d already visited in spite of the differences in landscape and weather. This doesn¡¯t sit right with me. People adapt to their surroundings, or change those surroundings to fit their needs, but I don¡¯t see any of that. Is magic protecting everything? Because if it¡¯s not, then now I¡¯m afraid that the emperor is some kinda idiotic tyrant restricting diversity as some sorta pathetic power play. A bit later, Uriel buzzed, and I turned my attention to the East.
Notice: Capital city detected.
A huge city, at least three times the size of Kalsyntholme sat by the sea in a frankly breathtaking cove of crystalline water dyed orange as the sun started to set. I thought the Count¡¯s castle was big, but the palace here was on an entirely different level. If my eyes weren¡¯t deceiving me, that humongous structure took up enough space to fill Kalsyntholme¡¯s entire inner district, along with around half of the middle one too! The point of that top spire is even high enough to brush low hanging clouds! I don¡¯t even want to know how long something like that takes to build! I shook my head, and returned my attention to more important things. Honestly, I¡¯d lost all sense of time as I enjoyed my travels on such a beautiful day. Which, in hindsight, is confusing. Weather is supposedly impacted by mana too so surely I should have encountered some changes as I flew. Uriel, what gives? Uriel buzzed a second later.
Notice: Your continual use of powerful wind magic has altered the flow of mana, disturbing and clearing the weather around you.
I narrowed my eyes. So anyone who has any interest in watching the weather would¡¯ve noticed my passing? Uriel buzzed again.
Correct.
I opened my beak to sigh, but soon found that I couldn¡¯t. Great¡­ So much for me trying to be more subtle. Swallowing my regrets, I ceased my spell, and tried to gauge the distance left from here. I knew it was further North, but to be honest I didn¡¯t know if it¡¯d be a few minutes, hours, or days, especially with nothing but my wings to get me there. With no clear answer in sight, I pressed on through the night by the lonely light of the pale moon. A nice, fat, river accompanied me for a time, meandering and branching every which way as I enjoyed the cooler air, and the spectral quality the light gave to the earth below. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. At long last I spotted wildlife, and I ignored the nagging notion that all critters up to this point were scared away by my mana usage while I enjoyed observing them. No small amount were more or less ordinary animals, albeit with unusual colorations or with a variety of mismatched parts¨Clike birds with forked tongues, or lizards with chitin instead of scales. I recognized them from my dream, like all the animals I¡¯d seen so far, they were from when I was dolling out new creatures like there was no tomorrow, but they weren¡¯t the only ones. Monsters roamed too, and unlike their natural counterparts, it didn¡¯t look like they needed to sleep until injured or after eating too much. There were six legged wolves with fiery eyes, spiders with wings, and even a few elk that had gigantic yet spindly claws in place of their antlers. Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t bother hunting animals too much, instead targeting other monster types, or people, if any were around. I helped out the unlucky few being hounded by the terrors of the night, applying barrier overtop armor or shields or strength release during especially desperate swings to downplay my involvement. Thankfully, no one died, though a couple of them looked suspiciously at their gear. Uriel? Why do monsters not target animals? The system answered instead. My eyes widened. Do monsters have the ability to eat souls? Of course not. However, the blight within them consumes part of the spirit of those the fell, which has notably caused the gradual transfer of intelligence and greater magical power. Ohhhh¡­ I blinked a few times. Doesn¡¯t that mean Silvia ate people? I got no response. A blanket of clouds eventually parted me from the scenery, so I swooped a bit lower to let the tips of my wings brush the wispy surface to distract myself from that thought. The feathers kicked up little tendrils of phantasmal white to mark my passing, and I marveled at the sight. This is all so surreal. I¡¯ve done a lot since waking up, transformed several times, and done plenty of more spectacular things, but when was the last time I was able to step back and revel in it? Constant conflict and growth really have a way of drowning out the pleasant parts of life. Nobody likes being overwhelmed with problems and information after all. As if to mock that very thought, I sensed a flock of some form of bat drawing near. That¡¯s probably not friendly behavior. Barrier. Just after my blue bubble formed they burst up from below and bombarded me with hypersonic screeching. My ears, or whatever an eagle¡¯s equivalent would be, thanked me for sparing them from the assault, and then two of the bats launched themselves at me, claws and fangs poised to rip me to pieces. Ugg. Spark shower. Interestingly, since I was above the clouds, the spell didn¡¯t work like normal. It was better. Instantly, all the bats were engulfed by a blindingly bright flash, and then they were gone! I sensed them falling down through the cloud, and lost track of them shortly after. Uhhh, Uriel? How the heck did they get so close before I noticed? And why did they attack me? Can¡¯t they sense I¡¯m dangerous? Uriel buzzed a second later.
Notice: Clouds have mana within them that conseals or limits your senses, combined with their stealth abilities, and your distraction, they managed to close in. Lesser monsters are simple minded, near ravenous, and will prioritize creatures with more mana in order to stimulate growth. This applies doubly so for those with souls, and in those categories you are second to none. Lastly, they couldn''t tell how powerful you were as your mana is of a similar wavelength to the mana found all over the world. Your presence makes it seem amplified, which attracted them, but to their eyes you were little more than an eagle.
I flew a bit higher, and dropped my barrier bubble. Huh. And here I thought nothing could escape my sensory array, especially not with you around. Uriel buzzed in reply.
I click-clacked my beak in place of my tongue, and rolled my eyes. Sure, sure, whatever you say. It¡¯s all my fault anyway. The system whispered. I frowned as best I could. And what¡¯s that supposed to mean? No response came, so I sulked, kept an eye out for any other monsters that might jump out at me, and crossed back under the cumulus canopy. It didn¡¯t look like the cloud cover was going to end any time soon so I had no choice but to go down in order to keep track of the ground and make sure I didn¡¯t miss my stop. And boy, did I almost. Turns out the city I was looking for was now behind me, and what was beneath me was an artificially rugged landscape. Dry and barren, the earth had seen better days. Craters of varying sizes pocked the lifeless surface, and the lingering scent of char and blood remained in the air from a battle fought possibly around twilight. My senses revealed many traces of death but no bodies. There were countless broken and scattered weapons strewn all over the place, yet in the deep darkness beneath the clouds the only thing moving was me. I shuddered. This doesn¡¯t bode well. I turned around and flew back toward the city. High stone walls so much thicker than any I¡¯d seen to date divided the battlefield from the people on the other side. Heavily armed soldiers patrolled past the parapets, torches in hands, keeping vigil against the dark. And beyond that, instead of the home of a tyrant, I found a surprisingly beautiful, well put together, and prosperous looking place. Sure, the whitewashed and fortified mansion was a bit gaudy, but I never expected someone who would send assassins after a kid capable of ruling a territory like this. I did a lap of the city, and my suspicion only grew. Nobody is malnourished, there apparently aren¡¯t any orphans or vagrants, and everyone, and I do mean everyone, is sleeping soundly. Not a single citizen is doing any fretting, or carousing, or conversing at this hour. No drunks, no thieves, no schemers, nothing. Okay, what the heck is this? Paradise on one side and purgatory on the other? I¡¯m not buying it. So where do I start looking? Among the nobles? The common folk? The soldiers? Or do I just dive into that increasingly ominous castle, to see what I can see? Puppeteering Chapter Sixty Six: Puppeteering I should check the general populace first. That¡¯d be the biggest group to find any discrepancies in. I swooped low, and cast my awareness down through the nearby houses. They were all neat and clean, well supplied, and of a build quality that exceeded even those in the domain of Count Linus before Gretkarn¡¯s rampage. They were all eerily identical too. From the floor plan to the placement of furniture, everything was the same. The families were pretty standardized nuclear units as well, nothing different or anyone solitary, though I did notice that the population was predominantly human. In fact, it didn¡¯t look like there were any other races at all. Okay, I know that the empire is humanocentric from what Calden said, but this is odd. From their reactions to the revelation that Palaeshek is behind it all, you¡¯d think that he was at least pretending to be an ally of the County and Calden¡¯s dad, but can he believably do that without any diversity? With no other choice, I broke my typical rule and started peeking at the statuses of everyone around my current perch. I skimmed through them, but they appeared as per normal, detailing their stats and abilities, with no one really standing out as their only status conditions were sleeping. But then Uriel buzzed quite a bit more forcefully than I¡¯d grown accustomed to.
Notice: Error! Error! System error detected! Interference detected! Beware false information displayed.
I gulped¡­ or did as best of an approximation as my eagle body could. That¡­ that can¡¯t be good. Is this area being affected by the Ascendant¡¯s plan? If that¡¯s the case then Benedict¡¯s memories imply that there¡¯s a corrupted terrestrial deity around here subverting the system. But from where? My eyes fell to the natural conclusion, that the deity was in or under Palaeshek¡¯s manor, but at the same time that would be awfully convenient too. Uriel? Can you track the source of the interference? I waited. And kept waiting. It was only around a minute but it felt so long when compared to the usually instant responses that my stomach nearly turned. Then Uriel buzzed.
Notice: Not directly. However, cross referencing acquired data to past records will allow for a general map of range and severity of interference to be created.
I blinked. What? How? Their statuses all looked pretty normal to me. Uriel buzzed a bit later.
Notice: Interference was detected because current analysis is too consistent from individual to individual, reference linked material. By sweeping the region the scope of the affected area can be determined, and the epicenter found.
Name: Keth Hoffenmeyer Species: Human Health: 15 Mana: 10/10 Endurance: 30/30 Strength: 15 Agility: 14 Speed: 15 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 10 Status conditions: Sleeping Titles: Husband; Father; Dedicated Worker; Loyal Subject Abilities: Calculation lv:10 Arithmatic lv: 11 Woodworking lv: 10 Order lv: 11 Planning lv: 10 Name: Thek Meyerhoffen Species: Human Health: 15 Mana: 10/10 Endurance: 30/30 Strength: 15 Agility: 14 Speed: 15 Toughness: 1 Spirit: 10 Status conditions: Sleeping Titles: Husband; Father; Dedicated Worker; Loyal Subject Abilities: Calculation lv:10 Arithmatic lv: 11 Woodworking lv: 10 Order lv: 11 Planning lv: 10
Ohhhh. See? It makes so much more sense now that you actually explain! Uriel continued to pull up super consistent statuses from the people around me. How did I not notice that everyone around here has a variation of the same name, and the exact same job and abilities? Flustered, I took off and lapped the city again silently apologizing for invading everyone¡¯s privacy as I scanned all their statuses. Hnnn. Unless everyone in this city is a blinkin¡¯ carpenter I get what Uriel was talking about. The names are at least a bit more diverse now, but overall, wholly unoriginal. Just to be sure, I also flew outside the city and analyzed things and creatures as I went. The further I went out over the battlefield the more unique the information became as even when I scanned rocks, Uriel would break down what exactly it¡¯s made out of and roughly how old it is, but even that became near identical as I flew back toward the city. In the opposite direction, much the same happened, however it took longer for the change to take place. So it¡¯s coming from this side. On a hunch I honestly dreaded to confirm, I flew to the West, toward the Dresdeth domain and Matweirden¡¯s main haunt. Sure enough, I was soon getting data that was completely identical from one object or creature to the next. It got so bad that eventually everything broke down and was labeled with the same thing: Error. I halted my advance. Do I really want to go and confront Matty right now? Uriel? Is there any way to weaken the interference? Will stirring up the mana help? How about my domain? Again I waited on tenterhooks as my ability took considerably longer than usual to reply. But reply Uriel did.
I opened my beak and pretended to sigh. Nothing for it then. I need to know what¡¯s up with those people before I go out looking for a fight. I can¡¯t in good conscience leave them as is if they are in danger. I flew back to the city, touched down at the honestly beautiful and frankly huge marble fountain at what was the approximate center of the city, and called up the Edge of Eternity. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Unlike when I used it against Benedict, the changes to the area weren¡¯t as pronounced. Maybe the effect was lessened because it was a much larger area, but the space didn¡¯t really warp to look like the depressing past. Instead, for the most part, all that really happened was the city looked a bit more¡­ dirty. The usual dust, ash, soot, and grime I expected appeared and lightly coated the walls and floors, and streets, and structures in such a way that this pristine place now looked believably lived in. Smudges you¡¯d expect on glass appeared where hands would have been placed, and should have made contact. Scuffs and dinks in daily tools and passageways appeared where they naturally would be. The streets wore away where wheels and feet would have crossed countless times, and I¨C I almost cried when Uriel buzzed to reveal a nearby status.
Name: Alec Durdak Species: Halharkon (Human Puppet) Health: 13 (15) Mana: 15/15 (10/10) Endurance: 12/12 (30/30) Strength: 20 (15) Agility: 10 (14) Speed: 11 (15) Toughness: 1 (1) Spirit: 15 (10) Status conditions: Sleeping; Soul Bound; Titles: Husband; Father; (Dedicated Worker); (Loyal Subject); False Vessel; Robbed of Purpose; Abilities: Calculation lv: 6 (10) Arithmatic lv: 3 (11) Woodworking lv: 0 (10) Order lv: 2 (11) Planning lv: 7 (10) Smithing lv: 16 Firebuilding lv: 19 Heat resistance lv: 4 Flight lv: 23 Sharp sight lv: 21 Intuition lv:3
This¡­ I finally understand what was so unsettling. This place was so idyllic. Too idyllic to be real. I was uncomfortable because it felt like a doll house. And with the errors hiding the truth, the people were made into the dolls. But how did this happen? I reigned in my raging emotions, and finally felt the weight on my shoulders. Like an invisible board being balanced across my, well, wings, the pressure of staving off the interference with the system now settled into place. Again I circled the city in my search for answers, but all I really learned was that everyone, and I do mean everyone was a race other than human, and was being forced into a puppet body that made everything and everyone uniform. Over a hundred thousand people locked away into identical vessels, trapped in body, mind, and soul, and presumably forced to live in whatever way Palaeshek dictated. This¡­ this is going too far. Gretkarn was bad enough with his hypno-crap, but this is an egregious breach of free will and personal rights. And yeah, I know, I¡¯m one to talk with how I placed conditions on Soaria, but I did it as a last resort! This¡­ this is¡­ A fire raged within me, storming through my veins as I set my sights on the manor of the man responsible. <¡°Blasphemy!¡±> # Marquis Palaeshek quietly sipped from a gilded goblet of blood red wine celebrating his most recent victory in inciting yet another border dispute with the neighboring kingdom. Seated in his lavish personal office, he chortled. Soon. Soon they¡¯ll launch an all out war, and my ¡®poor¡¯ ¡®pitiful¡¯ self will ¡®beg¡¯ the mighty emperor to send support to deal with their ¡®unprecedented¡¯ aggression. Dresdeth will naturally be caught up in it too, and with their current rate of decline accelerated I¡¯ll be able to seamlessly absorb their territory in the name of defending the empire. Then, with a little work at extending the conflict, the emperor¡¯s forces will be depleted, and he¡¯ll have no choice but to enter the fray directly. Then, it¡¯ll be all too easy to take the crown off his corpse. ¡°I¡¯m so close now.¡± He combed his fingers through his bushy white beard. ¡°So close.¡± However. His expression darkened. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve heard from Soaria. There¡¯s no way she could have failed, not with those Ascendant church freaks dealing with the deity, so why hasn¡¯t she reported the death of that blasted brat? He yanked open his desk drawer, glowered at the small sphere that rolled into and lightly clinked against the side, and clicked his tongue at the still flickering flame within. ¡°If you¡¯re still alive then do your bloody job, woman!¡± Palaeshek slammed the drawer closed, furious that the bauble would only alert him of her death and not allow for contact to be made or even a location to be discerned. It might not be strictly necessary to eliminate Dresdeth¡¯s heir, but I don¡¯t care to risk future insurrection or him potentially freeing Matweirden¨Cif such a thing is even possible. Sick of all the holes still left in his otherwise perfect plan he thundered to his feet, his heft and strength toppling the thick throne he sat on. He snorted, for if it hadn¡¯t fallen he would have liked to throw it at the servant cowering in the corner, but he let the opportunity pass as he had no desire to speak to that fool or disgrace himself by bending over to get it. He pivoted, strode to the wide panel window that separated him from his ¡®loyal¡¯ subjects, and cocked an eyebrow. Storm Clouds? From where? The magus said there wouldn¡¯t be any storms for another week. He narrowed his keen eyes, all too good at seeing in the dark from his time spent overseeing the operations in his dungeons. Then his goblet hit the floor, and red spilled all around his feet. ¡°My city! Who dares tarnish my utopia!¡± # Josephine Barla continued her usual administrative tasks late into the night to keep her growing obsession over Anon¡¯s whereabouts from dominating her every thought. There had been plenty of complications with subduing apostles in the past, but none had ever eluded an Ascendant for so long. This is utterly humiliating! How long are you going to keep me waiting Anon? How long will you be content to hide! Your power is mine by right! You exist for my sake! So quit resisting your natural compunction to cleanse corruption and face me! She snapped yet another quill, clutched her veiled forehead and let out a deep sigh. ¡°When I get my hands on you¡­ .¡± ¡°Oh? Someone you wish to see?¡± An all too familiar voice twisted her face into a snarl. ¡°Gregorious. Arrogant as ever.¡± She turned her head to scan the room, but it took a moment for even her eyes to spot the ability concealed humanoid figure also covered from head to toe in white. ¡°I¡¯ve been in a foul mood of late, so this better be important.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± He uncrossed his arms and shooed her words away with a hand. ¡°Then it¡¯s all the better that I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve discovered quite the interesting toy, and thought you might like to join me in observing its downfall?¡± I don''t need this distraction! If I¡¯m away when Anon leaves the barrier, or Creator forbid, with Gregorious, then I might miss my chance or lose the opportunity entirely! I can¡¯t fend him off and subdue Anon at the same time. She snorted. He¡¯s only here to make use of my space essence magic anyway. Gregorious placed a hand over his heart. ¡°Your silence wounds me, my dear. I promise that this will be more than worth the trip. The target this time is someone truly special, a newfound terrestrial deity that has recently defeated Gretkarn at his hour of triumph and eluded corruption by my twelfth sector.¡± Josephine stopped sulking. What? His sectors are obnoxiously effective, especially the twelfth one. And what¡¯s this of Gretkarn? Has that parasite grown enough to overtake the city already? But if this new deity stopped him, then¡­ . She turned her head in his direction, and he chuckled. ¡°I knew that would get your attention. Now come! Come! I insist. The final act in the life of Anon Amos is at hand!¡± She couldn¡¯t contain the tremble that shot down her spine, though she did manage to reduce it to a near imperceptible twitch. What did he just say? # I stared at Palaeshek¡¯s pompous palace as if I could tear it to pieces with my eyes alone. Dark clouds had gathered overhead and gradually blotted out the moonlight as they put the stars to bed to the melody of steadily growing rumbles. I didn¡¯t know why or how they¡¯d appeared, as it almost felt like all the weather I¡¯d dispersed during my journey had caught up to me with a vengeance, but I didn¡¯t care. If anything, I welcomed it. So how do I wanna do this? Do I try to sneak in and blitz the big man in charge? Do I storm the gates head on? Or do I tear the whole thing down around him? I¡¯m certainly mad enough for it, though it might be a huge waste of mana. Finally my expanded awareness locked onto my target. Plump and with a white beard he roared his fury from the upper floors of his manor, his face nearly as red as his coat. My beak dropped open. Wait. Am I¡­ Am I fighting an evil Santa? Fatal Claus I snapped my beak shut, glared at the furious Marquis, then dove in his direction without another moment¡¯s delay. Chill wind ripped past me as I tore down from the dark and lofty heights, urged on by peels of thunder and guided by the fury of lightning. I hadn¡¯t called for any, but the sudden storm had other ideas and speared the palace roof with a brilliant blue bolt. The pale flash lit the gloom that shrouded the city for only a moment. But in that moment, our eyes met. Mine and the Marquis¡¯ His pupils dilated, then he sneered. He raised a fat ruby ring and barked. ¡°Wall. Rampart. Armor.¡± And three callus barriers shimmered into being. The first of which was right in front of me. Aww man! I swerved as best I could, but my speed was too great, so I shut my eyes and braced for impact, but it never came. Instead I felt like I¡¯d just popped a bubble, so I slowed my descent and glanced back, but the barrier behind me had vanished entirely. Oh! Now we¡¯re talkin¡¯! Don¡¯t know why that broke so easily, and don¡¯t really care! Here goes round two! Palaeshek could somehow still see me in the dark, though he looked completely flummoxed at how easily I¡¯d punctured his protection. I took a moment to regain a bit of altitude then dove again, this time intent on piercing the remaining two barriers around him and the manor¡¯s walls. Unfortunately, he had the good sense to use that time to turn and run, but it wasn¡¯t more than a few scant seconds before I crashed through the second barrier and the window directly behind it. The shriek of a frightened servant and the sound and spray of shattered glass heralded my arrival within the home of my obviously evil adversary. The tiny shards were set to shred the skin of the poor soul who was left behind, now slumped on the floor in fear, and since Uriel notified me that they were in fact a real person, I shielded them with a barrier and flew out the still open door. Though Palaeshek proved uncannily quick. For such a large and apparently old person, this evil Santa was light on his feet. He¡¯d made good on his head start and escaped down the wide hall and around the corner, if not for my sensory array I¡¯d have lost him, though I was shocked that he appeared to still be picking up speed. I raced after him, quick beats of my wings closing the distance with ease. He noticed this, however, and literally threw a nearby guard at me. He¡¯s strong!? The disgustingly graceful pirouette that he performed to maintain as much momentum as he could was frankly insulting, so I stopped the poor, and also apparently real, guard with magnetic hold, and swooped to keep on Palaeshek¡¯s tail. What? Is everyone in the manor real? Are they in on his plans? Oblivious to them? Or simply powerless to do anything? Oop! I was so intent on catching him that I missed his unnaturally agile turn and crashed into an oncoming guard, toppling us both to the ground. I flopped off him, only to be pounced upon by another guard, but I quickly escaped his grasp with shifted steps. Or at least, I thought I would. For some reason the magic activated, but didn¡¯t work. Uriel! What¡¯s happening? My ability faithfully buzzed.
Notice: Someone is blocking space magic. Identity unknown. Location unknown.
Great¡­Now this is much more dangerous¡­ But I¡¯m not giving up on those poor people! The gauntleted hands of more guards grasped and plucked clumps of my feathers as they struggled to contain me and I fought not to accidentally maim them. In the end, too much time was being wasted, so I gave up resisting, shrank into a tiny sparrow, and darted out of the befuddled pile before anyone noticed. Man, why are there so many guards? There¡¯s no alarm! And it looks like everyone in the manor is on the move too! Meanwhile, Palaeshek is running towards¡­ the other end of the house? But none of those rooms appear to have weapons or tools to help him so what¡¯s he planning? Worry overtook my anger, especially with the unknown teleport blocker in play and the gradual growth of the strain of maintaining my domain, so I flitted after him with the help of , intent on getting this over with and getting out of here asap. With a better idea of where he was headed, I took a different path to evade more interference and to hopefully cut him off. The increasing saturation of guards was becoming a problem too as they came at me with long weapons like spears and polearms. Individually they weren¡¯t hard to dodge, but if they managed to take up positions and swing at me in unison in this limited space, as more and more were, I was going to get hit eventually. But that¡¯s what barrier is for! If I¡¯m being honest, a sparrow, no matter how powerful, would get absolutely obliterated by a strike from a weapon. So imagine their surprise when I, a tiny feathered bullet, shot straight through and destroyed the heads of their weapons. The fact that the force of the hit was basically nullified so that I wasn¡¯t slowed down meant that I no longer needed to dodge at all and could focus completely on catching up with the Marquis. And he was making good progress too. Just two corridors away from me, in a parallel hall, he was less than a minute from reaching the other end of the manor. His speed was still increasing, and his strides were long, but his form was terrible. Between his flailing arms, frantic eyes, and red, sweat streaked face I was having a hard time picturing him as the evil mastermind who had trapped the residents of an entire city and plotted to assassinate a kid. But I guess that proves the old adage about not judging books and such, though I have to wonder if he did all this on his own? Or is he just the pawn of someone else? The hidden teleport blocker alludes to the second, but maybe he¡¯s just being used. I did a fancy little roll as I turned the corner to the hallway at the mansion¡¯s far end, when the man of the hour came thundering into my direct view. A gaggle of guards were at his heels, desperately searching for any sign of me as I silently stopped them with another round of magnetic hold. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Alright, your move, where are you so determined to get to? Their surprised shouts spurred my target to somehow run even faster, and to my utter shock he didn¡¯t go for one of the many rooms along the hall, and instead lept and crashed straight through the nearest window¨Churtling out away from the house quite a ways. In order to save time, I followed suit, and dove to close in as he thudded to the ground superhero style some thirty feet from the manor. Protected from the glass and impact by his body conforming barrier, he fixed his bloodshot eyes on the gazebo in the middle of the garden. Dozens of guards were gathered around there, so he must have directed them out here while I was focused on him. They weren¡¯t going to help him against me, but I noticed that the remainder inside were now on their way out, so this was set to get tedious. And I hate tedious! Spark shower. Sick of his running, he only took three, albeit large, steps from where he landed before a bright blue bolt split the darkness and struck him flat. Strangely, the barrier he had on didn¡¯t protect him in the slightest so he ended up a charred and twitching mess. I fluttered up to evade the reach of the incoming guards, but what was weirder still was that they made no move to help him or harass me. The ones positioned in the garden maintained position too, and the ones fresh from the manor prioritized fanning out to cover the rest of the space in loose formation. Which they maintained. With no sign of moving. Okay. Queue the bad feelings. What¡¯s going on? Uriel? Talk to me cause I¡¯ve got¨C Oh. That¡¯s¡­! With my attention on the Marquis and the strange behavior of the guards I completely missed the plants in the garden, or should I say plant. Because there was only one, and it was massive enough to have spread itself out and covered the whole space. Granted it was pruned and covered with illusions to appear as many, many different shrubs, trees, and flowers, but there was only one and Uriel soon buzzed.
Name: ''My Darling'' Species: Nightmare''s Dream Health: 9142/9142 Mana: 13968/13968 Endurance: 10120/10120 Strength: 1867 Agility: 42 Speed: 138 Toughness: 400 Spirit: 1000 Status conditions: Digesting; Restraining; Growing; Spirit link; Spirit symbiosis; Dream land; Nightmare''s grasp Titles: Parasite; Devourer; City Eater; Palaeshek''s Pampered Pet; Nightmare of Non-humans; Grave of Dreams; Puppeteer Abilities: Symbiotic bond lv: 100 Parasitic grasp lv: 100 Mana sense lv: 100 Mana manipulation lv: 100 Ability sharing lv: 100 Mind trap lv: 100 Mana subsistence lv: 100 Puppet production lv: 100 Puppet control lv: 43
Holy¡­ crap. So that¡¯s how he did it. My fury reignited hotter than ever. He fed the whole city to that thing! Without me even needing to wish it the supportive sky dropped another bolt onto Palaeshek¡¯s pathetic head, but that apparently spurred the plant to move. All at once it sprang to life, reaching for its master, the entranced guards, and even me, as it apparently could sense my mana. Immolation! Incinerate! Completely done with this whole situation I burned away the branches extended toward me with my wrath made manifest. A single tiny breath of my bird body blazed across the garden scorching all save the guards. I didn¡¯t know or care if they were complicit, but I didn¡¯t need that plant eating them and growing stronger. I noted that Palaeshek¡¯s barrier shielded him for once, so my fire did nothing, but it did slow the plant¡¯s attempt to grab him¨Cthough it was resilient enough to endure complete combustion. My concern, however, was on the guards. There were so many of them now, over a hundred with a quick count, and they did nothing to defend themselves. They had to be under the plant¡¯s thrall, and the godforsaken growth was becoming more determined to reach us by the second. Maybe it needed a bit to wake up, but the the resilience of the branches was quickly outclassing my fire, I had to start dodging the thing¡¯s attacks soon enough, so without another moment to spare I used tase and magnetic hold to incapacitate and toss the gawking guards into the manor and away from the flailing foliage. After all, if they really are being controlled then I don¡¯t need the Nightmare¡¯s Dream walking them right back after I rescue them. Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished, and the plant not only got to Palaeshek, but dragged him over to the gazebo, which it lifted, and then pulled him down a considerably sized pit into the catacombs below. My extended awareness told me that there were people down there tangled amidst the roots, so there was still hope, but getting rid of the plant wasn¡¯t going to be easy as it was also much bigger than it appeared. In fact, the majority of the sucker was underground. If you wanna dwell in the dirt that¡¯s fine, I can play that game too, but the surface? Get your grubby graspers off it! Incinerate! Withering!
Notice: Adept level combination magic Embers of Time registered.
I mixed my fire with a bit of time magic that sounded useful and Uriel buzzed as I produced an ominous black blaze that swept over the sentient shrubs like, well, wildfire. Not only did it burn, but it sapped the very life from whatever it touched, aging it rapidly into dust. The plant eventually cut its losses, letting its ignited extremities burn away while no longer sending new branches to the surface, as excessive dirt and lack of oxygen still proved suitable to snuff the time infused fire. It retreated deeper underground, pulling most of its mass to shield its core and the Marquis so I let the fire die out, and resumed my original form. Fighting this thing is going to be a headache. I had it easy since the better part of it is down there, but now the new trick I came up with is basically useless. I¡¯m sure genesis flare is hot enough to cut through to its core, and given that my mysterious teleport blocker hasn¡¯t interfered yet I can assume it¡¯s safe to confront them, so¡­ What am I going to do with Palaeshek once I get to him? Capital punishment sounds nice, but knowing his plans might help determine my mysterious meddler¡¯s identity¡­ Although, handing him over to his freed victims is pretty appealing too. # Some time later. Two figures veiled wholly in white sat high above Marquis Palaeshek¡¯s mansion on either side of a cozy table covered in nearly depleted dishes so lavish that even kings would hesitate to bring them out for anything other than the most joyous occasions. A considerable number of spells and abilities concealed them from detection, blocked the wind and sound, adjusted the temperature to be comfortable, and supported their floating fraternizing. Gregorious carelessly used a knife to pick his ghastly teeth, while gesturing below. ¡°You see Josephene? That creature went straight down to deal with the Marquis without so much as a second thought. So if you would be so kind as to bring the tiger here, we will have an excellent after dinner show!¡± Josephine frowned, doing her best to suppress the mix of anxiety, frustration, and elation that Anon¡¯s presence here sparked within her. ¡°And how, pray tell, did you know this would all work out? How did you even find this¡­ Anon?¡± ¡°Ha! I first heard of them from the goodly owner of this territory, the worm you just watched flee back underground. His repeated cries for aid in dealing with an unknown variable in his plans were getting annoying so I dispatched my sectors to deal with it. More to see if they could than anything else. I kept tabs on the whole process, and was shocked that this creature managed to not only briefly escape my awareness, but also investigate, purify, and pardon the very soul of my subordinate.¡± ¡°What?¡± Josephine snapped her eyes onto Anon¡¯s form reflected in her teacup, careful, in spite of the concealment and scrying, not to stare so hard that she would attract attention. This is¡­ far more than I anticipated. Freedom to move through the earth and command the skies and dark fire, the ability to call on the stubborn old root, the power to judge souls, and¡­ She extended a hand to the edge of the barrier, but stopped herself as she observed the energy invisible to most. Divinity too. And of a frequency that we cannot usurp. I know you¡¯re an apostle, but none before have ever been like you. Gregorious threw back his head and laughed. ¡°Ha! It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve last seen a reaction like that from you! I knew bringing you here would be worth it, so, if you¡¯d do the honors?¡± She rolled her eyes, and snapped her fingers. ¡°Fine. Happy?¡± A large portal opened down below in the silent garden, and out stalked a massive tiger with a woman¡¯s upper body emerging from where the head should be. Because if you¡¯re not then I¡¯m really going to consume you once this is over, Gregorious. I might be slightly weaker now, but once Anon is mine, once all that wonderful power is mine, there may just be another transcendent in this world¨Ceven if it comes at the cost of a few other Ascendants! Decking the Halls I jumped down into the pit ahead, fearless of being attacked as the nightmare¡¯s dream had retreated too far to get back at me so quickly. When I¡¯m done pulling out this weed, I should probably question the Marquis since it¡¯ll definitely be good to know if he¡¯s working with anyone. The sight of him leaping some thirty feet through a window replayed in my mind. I assume he won¡¯t die in the fight too, since the plant is probably supplying him with the abilities he demonstrated and more¡­ Though if he stays unconscious that¡¯d be the best case scenario. Despite the couple hundred or so foot drop, my weighty thoughts carried me quickly down, and, having learned from my excruciating experience with that fox dude, I decided not to risk it and broke my fall with a quick burst of hurricane centered at my feet. I touched down lightly, and glared into the oppressively dark tunnel system ahead. My awareness showed me twisting paths of cold stone that branched off into countless dead ends and loops. Along each were innumerable prison cells, all containing glowing purple leafy pods that held the parasitic plants hapless victims. ¡°Now, how do I wanna¡­ Oh! That¡¯s an idea!¡± Spirit summoning, embers of time. My magic mixed as I desired, and from my open palms flew forth a flock of black fiery finches. They made no sound, waited for no direction, and fanned out through the tunnels according to my will. Based on how the roots burned, each one contained enough mana to burst and burn away an area roughly equivalent to the pods restraining the dreaming victims, and as living fire, do so without harming the people inside. I couldn¡¯t do much about the immense power the plant had already absorbed, but since I could cut off its source before the big confrontation I saw no reason not to. Plus if this makes the stupid plant think I¡¯m spreading out my mana to search for it, then all the better. Following the largest part of the flock, I raced down the tunnel that led under the Marquis'' estate at a decent clip, not trying to get to the core before my burning birdies had time to get into position to do their good work. If that thing¡¯s status is any indication, then removing the people is going to do more than just slow its recovery, it¡¯ll also potentially deny its use of the puppets up top, and definitely cut access to the many many abilities that the civilians no doubt have. A few more tense moments passed as I waited for some sort of surprise attack or retaliation, but it never came, and then my flock struck. The ground trembled, and I watched the nightmare¡¯s dream coil and quake in response to suddenly being attacked all over all at once. After all, there was little point in striking the closer pods first and warning it of my plans and how to defend itself. And now that they¡¯re free, I can now, ward! With space magic still blocked, I had little choice other than to cover the civilians in a protective shell. I grouped together the ones that I could, but still managed to cover everyone without burning through too much mana. The sad thing though, was that not everyone was freed. The durability of the pods was apparently tougher the closer they were to the core, so with the same amount of power in each bird I wasn¡¯t able to break through them all. Though, the ones that were still mostly intact, were at least open now so I¡¯d be able to extract the people as I closed in. To that that end, I conjured more helpers with earth spines and spirit summoning. This time they were a sorta mix of a spider and a hedgehog, roughly the size of my arm, and grew up outta the ground like a sudden uprising of ants. Just like the others, they dutifully scuttled off down the corridors to reach the still imprisoned people, which left me to face the fury of the still flailing freak of nature. And there was fury. Roots began to extend from the cracks in the cobbled walls but instead of launching at me, they began to bombard me with an array of various magics. Uriel buzzed as I dodged a colorful array of fireballs, icicles, stone spears, wind blades, jets of water, lightning bolts, and leaves that had transformed to look something akin to serrated fangs.
Notice: successfully resisted burning blood; drowsiness; fatigue; petrification; lock step; fetid lung, seize breath; blindness; deafness; mute; muscle spasms, dehydration; paralyzation; slip; tangled legs; fear; heat stroke; hypothermia; and command.
Hoo boy. That¡¯s a lot of bad stuff! Thankfully it''s only targeting me and not my spirits, but if this is what it still has access to, since the majority of the populace are now free, then that¡¯s kinda scary. I had to stop and literally bend over backwards to evade the shots of acid and poison that suddenly flew at me one after the other. It¡¯s been a while, but the way of the one ability is really helping out here. Though given the intensity of the attack I¡¯d hazard a guess that the remaining captives are the ones more gifted in combat. Uriel buzzed, just as I allowed myself to trip on a root and tumble into a roll to escape decapitation by several rapidly rotating leaf teeth.
Notice: That assessment is correct. The ability types and levels of the remaining hosts indicate higher combat experience.
Uggh. Fine! The spiders are working hard, but they¡¯re not as fast as the finches. Since the plant is trying to recapture the freed people, waiting for them is going to end up using more mana than simply rushing in, so let¡¯s just get this over with! Strength release! Speed release! With the two body magics backing me up I blasted down the remaining length of my current corridor as little more than a passing wind. The nightmare was expansive, and turning the corner made me slow down, so it managed to adjust the focus of its barrage, but for a few seconds I was spared harassment by the constant magical onslaught that likely would have spelled the doom for most anyone else. A terrestrial deity like Gretkarn might be able to tank it for a while, but he wouldn¡¯t have been able to break the hold on the victims, and would have eventually been worn down since it apparently regenerates mana both on its own and from the people it feeds off of. The branching halls lessened and eventually ceased. All that remained was a single expansive one that led down to the plant¡¯s pulsating core. I looked ahead, and the huge vaulted room was big enough to contain it two or three times over, perhaps in consideration for future growth, but for the core itself, it hung up in the air a dozen or so feet, and throbbed not unlike a heart. The purple hue it radiated grew and dimmed with each beat, and the thick roots that branched from it covered the walls, floor, and well, everything in the room. I was a little worried due to a small chute above it that was slowly dripping a blue liquid that Uriel kindly identified as mana concentrate straight from those crystal thingies that Carmella used beneath castle Kalsynth. Palaeshek was there too, though the plant had protectively pulled him to lay beneath it as he had yet to recover from my electrical assault, and for whatever reason it had refrained from, or was unable to, heal him. Or maybe it just doesn¡¯t understand human biology? If he¡¯s bound it to his will it wouldn¡¯t operate the same now that he¡¯s down, and since it eats people maybe it¡¯s just protecting him until he either wakes up or it has the leisure to put him in a pod? As I dodged down the final stretch, older, thicker, roots rose up and started to physically impede me. Multiple walls were erected between me and the core, and the passageways steadily trembled as it slowly withdrew more of its mass inward. And each root wall is coated in layer upon layer of reinforcement magic. Getting scared? Good. Because this isn¡¯t going to stop me. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Instead of taking the more direct approach of blasting through, I remained wary of my unseen space blocker and the steadily growing burden of sustaining my domain and dove into the stone floor and the dirt beneath. Obviously, there were countless roots of varying sizes scattered all over the place, but with my enhanced strength I was able to rip right through them as the brunt of the plant¡¯s power was concentrated in the barriers above. I got under the thick set of impediments easily enough, but now the nightmare was aware that I could bypass its defenses, and it started to lash out in desperation. However, being that we were underground, all that really amounted to were larger roots or earth magic spells being used to ensnare or stab at me. But since I can see in every direction, and feel your mana concentrate and release, I can just avoid it since I¡¯m so much faster than you! To be honest though, between its own very high mana sense, and because I was constantly disturbing dirt that was completely congested with tiny little hair-like roots, the nightmare¡¯s dream also had a solid idea of where I was and where I was going. So it was no surprise that my attempt to resurface was met with the parasitic plant collapsing the tunnel before I could get to it. Guess it doesn¡¯t matter how much faster I am if it''s already at the place I¡¯m going. I turned and headed toward the main chamber, tearing a path through chunks of stone and root as I bored through yet another barrage of earthen missiles. It¡¯s kinda nice that I¡¯m able to dig through enchanted earth now that I know how to use magic myself. It seems that all I needed was an active enhancement spell to finally rid myself of the trauma from my first experience with magic! I honestly lost count of the number of ways that the nightmare¡¯s dream tried to stop me with summoned stone. There was the crushing, the piercing, the dragging away, and the walls. It tried to create quicksand, mud, slurry, even pockets of magma, but divine unearther didn¡¯t give a hoot about any of them! Though I did have to quickly coat myself in ice and air with wind ward, and frozen field in order to augment my resistances enough to escape the molten rock unharmed. I hope it won¡¯t do anything too drastic once I reach it. It wouldn¡¯t try to off itself right? And even if it does or decides that it¡¯ll survive using such drastic measures, it wouldn¡¯t sacrifice Palaeshek right? Right? I don¡¯t need to save that snake do I? With no other choice but to find out, I dug my way out of yet another useless earthen trap, and out into the vault of the nightmare¡¯s dream. The heart-like core started to pulse faster and glow brighter, and that¡¯s when a good chunk of the ceiling broke down. ¡°Wait! Really?!¡± I threw my hands up and used, scintillating barrier, to guard myself against the spray of sharp and sizable debris that came crashing down toward me. The plant did much the same with some earth essence magic that redirected the rocks at me, which made my shield crack to an uncomfortable degree, but the real problem was something else. It had in its graspy little, or not so little, roots five of those crystals that nobles use to store mana and power their strongholds. That¡¯s two more than the Count! I guess it pays to be higher rank. As I was now buried, unable to teleport, and with a jagged rock mere inches from my nose, I decided that this was no time to risk holding back and quickly engulfed the offending roots with multiple casts of embers of time which I then fanned into a frenzy with a combo of withering and hurricane. Uriel buzzed, and the newly named dual spell not only hurled the debris away but reduced it to dust upon a baleful black wind that howled with the voices of a million past regrets. Naturally, the time infused fire cut the creature¡¯s hold on the mana rich crystals which I secured with magnetic hold since the man sized oblong jewels thankfully had iron bands around their midsections.
Notice: Master level combination magic Harrowing History registered.
I pulled them to safely hover in a semicircle behind me, then face palmed as I noticed that my newest panic cast spell had reduced Marquis Palaeshek to a crumbling skeleton. Sure, it¡¯s doing wonders weakening the nightmare¡¯s dream and helping the fire spread, but since his shield was supplied by the manor¡¯s matrix, and the plant just removed the power source, he was left defenseless. Even with the abilities that the plant was likely supplying to him, since I cut off so many, and forced the nightmare¡¯s dream into a corner, it probably abandoned him to save itself¡­ Assuming it cared at all and didn''t bring him here in response to his last conscious order. I narrowed my eyes at the vile vegetation. I was gonna use genesis flare to cut it apart without harming him, but since that uses up more mana, I¡¯ll just do this. Orb, incinerate, wind ward, and frozen lance. The lump of raw mana that appeared above my palm was quickly filled with intense flame, and coldest ice, separated and pressurized by the controlled air. I pumped it with power until it was the size of a very large watermelon, then squeezed it down to the width of a baseball before hurling it with all my considerable might at the burning and decaying mass of flailing root and trembling core that was what remained of the nightmare¡¯s dream. A tremendous bang knocked more debris from the ceiling, followed by a furious shockwave that shook the room and disrupted my harrowing history and embers of time spells as all the remaining air and other gaseous molecules in the sealed chamber were momentarily forced to the walls before rushing back around as a very unpleasant aftershock. Thankfully, all I had to do was put up another scintillating barrier, but the plant wasn¡¯t so lucky. Between the time infused fire and wind, and both the blast and the aftershocks, there wasn¡¯t much left of the core. The deflated thing flopped to the ground and oozed a deep purple ¡®blood¡¯ right on top of where the last traces of Palaeshek¡¯s now utterly obliterated remains once were. I waited warily for a bit, but it didn¡¯t move, and Uriel confirmed that it was dead, so I wiped the dirt from my brow, and sighed as I let my domain drop. ¡°That was¡­ easier than I thought. I was expecting another bout like what I had with Gretkarn but¡­¡± I rolled my stiff shoulders, and stretched my aching back. ¡°I guess not having to heal half a city beforehand makes a pretty big difference.¡± I shook my head. Really should have used that pressure bomb on ol¡¯ fish face too, the shockwave would have done wonders on his aquatic army before they surfaced¡­ Live and learn I guess. I turned my attention to the creeping mass of gunk that slowly crawled toward my feet. Palaeshek¡¯s soul. Huh. Kinda surprised he still had one. Maybe I can get answers from it¡­ But hold on. Why is it that all my major enemies so far have been parasites? Right as I had that thought, a faint scratching sound followed by a dull crash echoed down from the ruins of the tunnel. The collapsed section was still untouched, but something big had just cut through the last of the vine walls that the nightmare¡¯s dream created. My heart and shoulders dropped. ¡°Et tu, Matty weir? But how did you even get here? Don¡¯t tell me you took my use of the Edge of Eternity as a challenge to your territory!¡± But I suppose you aren¡¯t in your right mind either. That¡¯s why your fur is black. And why you have that disgustingly disjointed set of jaws beneath your humanoid upper body. Pretty sure the painter that depicted you on the Count¡¯s ceiling would have caught that detail if it was supposed to be there. I clenched my right fist and my ring erased any remaining hope. A demon. And a big one too. It¡¯s really dug itself into her. So the only real question is, do I risk the strain of trying to get it out with my mysterious space blocker still around? Or do I just put her down? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting anyone go on like that, so running isn¡¯t an option. I glanced back at the crystals. Plus, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m in too bad a spot. With these suckers and the time it¡¯ll take for her to reach me, I should be more than ready to teach that displaced deity who¡¯s boss either way. # Gregorious cocked his veiled head and let out a low whistle. ¡°Wow! I have to say I¡¯m impressed. I didn¡¯t think Anon would so easily take down such a massive creature, and do so while conserving mana too.¡± He grinned, and shot Josephene a knowing look. ¡°What a delicious little specimen I¡¯ve found!¡± Her eyes widened. You wretch! You knew! You knew all along! You brought me here to make me watch as you take what¡¯s rightfully mine! Half ready to attack him, she stopped when the ground in the garden churned. Up from the depths of Marquis Palaeshek¡¯s labyrinth the still slumbering bodies of the captured populace rose, dragged by spine-covered spider spirits that quickly returned down for more. Gregorious clapped. ¡°How predictable! Even in a life and death situation apostles are always so eager to place their own safety after that of the innocent. Thankfully, there¡¯s no way my little morsel will have the strength to resist after facing Matweirden.¡± Josephine gritted her teeth and diverted her eyes to Anon¡¯s visage reflected within her teacup. If I stop my interference Anon can escape. I put the barrier up out of habit, but I felt their attempt to teleport earlier. That would deny Gregorious, but they¡¯ve grown so much in such a short time that there''s no telling if or when they¡¯d become a threat. Or if I¡¯d even be able to find them again. She glanced back at her overjoyed colleague. No. I¡¯ll have to put up with this for now. I might be weaker, but I can escape him. I¡¯ll grab Anon at the first opportunity, and complete the ritual before Gregorious is even able to get to the altar. After that¡­ I think I¡¯ll have him pay for this little stunt with his life.