《[Enchantress] Eternal》 Chapter 1 – The Dragon’s Maw Longtime lunchtime eatery, Sushi Sam¡¯s, is closing today for the foreseeable future. In the wake of recent reports, it has become clear that Sam has been consumed by a terrifying solar kraken. It appears that an ingredient for the fan favorite, Sunshine Unagi Roll, was indeed sourced, unsustainably, from kraken eggs on the planet Ispartika. The broodmother kraken was justifiably quite distressed. ¨C Cazoran Times, Voidbreaker News Chapter 1 ¨C The Dragon¡¯s Maw "Marvel at my genius, dear judges," Susie Q declared, her honey voice echoing in the forest smithy. "A sip from this chalice offers the unworthy a sweet kiss of oblivion." Dearest Susie Q, if only you knew. Your teacup''s kiss is far preferable to a dragon''s. Elara''s heart clenched with the knowledge that this vibrant young woman, so full of ambition and skill, would soon die quite miserably. Elara observed as Susie stepped forward. Her leather boots clicked against the cobblestone courtyard. They were pristine, but of poor make. Not a hint of aeso on her. With bravado that matched her jaunt, red robe and auburn hair swished by the crowd as Susie approached the raised stage. She turned back in a toast, drawing attention to the chalice she¡¯d enchanted. "May the best forger win!" The vessel pulsed, its delicate ornaments clutching an emerald. The crowd in turn murmured appreciatively, seduced by the chalice¡¯s allure. Cloaked in her own monochrome gray silks, Elara watched from the judges¡¯ stand. An eyebrow arched at the display. Some would call this murder. Let them. For these upstart manasmiths, this was their ¡°opportunity.¡± They competed to earn the favor of the revered Dutch Eternal¡ªthe youngest Falkori Dragon to become a master manasmith in over 10 millennia. To become her apprentice was to reach their dreams in a single step. Wealth. Fame. Knowledge. All was possible. The judges knew better. Elara Twice knew better. Elara''s gaze shifted, cutting through the throng of onlookers. There, amidst the spectacle, stood Tokyo Twice. Her slender silhouette was covered in aeso¡ªthat black glittery dust that all true manasmiths wore as makeup and aprons. Toki''s violet eyes, framed by the white of her hair, remained locked on the chalice in challenge. She was unassuming, given the plethora of beefy and boisterous blacksmiths around her, but her crafting sense was perhaps the best of them all¡­ execution was another story¡­ "Another year, another sacrifice," Elara muttered under her breath, too low for any but the ghosts of this competition to hear. She knew the price of the Alabaster Ring¡¯s Forgeworks competition. As a [Strategist] and the current matriarch of the Twice clan, she had already woven the threads of fate, trading away pieces of their dwindling assets to keep the lineage intact. She watched Toki, surrounded yet alone, and felt the sting of the bargains she''d struck. A balding judge murmured beside Elara, "remarkable talent, a little on the nose, though. I would hardly expect anyone to drink from that foul cup willingly." He poured mana into the chalice manascript allowing all the judges to observe the enchantment. A thick poison bubbled into the cup. If it smells toxic and looks toxic, it''s probably toxic, Elara mused. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s enough to sway the old lizard¡ªthe manascript is quite elegant,¡± the judge continued. This judge was her plant. He would advocate against Taco Tuesdays if Elara willed it, not that she would even consider such blasphemy. "Indeed," Elara lamented, her eyes lingered on Toki, a silent vow that no dragon would claim the young Twice today. The forest air was tinged with anticipation as another contestant, a burly blacksmith, hefted his creation onto the stage¡ªa sword, its blade wreathed in flames. It elicited a few compliments from the crowd but nothing more than disinterested glances from the judges'' table. Such weapons were the bread and butter of any manasmith worth their aeso; it was innovation, not replication, that would steal the show here in Alabaster Ring. This specific brand of enchantment manifests through a story of rage. A dime a dozen¡ªleave it to the dynasty to mass produce those. Elara frowned. She was a manasmith too, back in her youth. She had only escaped the forge after being caught contracting a poor branch-family girl to fill her ¡®smithing quota. The elders said she had potential. ¡°Another flaming sword," muttered her plant, his tone flat. "It''s as if imagination¡¯s harder to find than adamant these days." Elara scanned the murmurs of the other gathered judges. She caught the subtle nod of Golghiem Vast, his expression unreadable beneath the silver cascade of his beard. He was the linchpin, the one whose verdict could unravel all her carefully laid plans. "Susie''s craftsmanship has a... certain¡­ appeal, in that regard." Elara remembered the manascript on Susie¡¯s chalice; it was poignant and spoke a rich story of grief, revenge, and hope. It was also why her poison looked so positively malevolent. "Appeal, indeed, but I expect great things from the young Twice. She is Oberon¡¯s sister, after all." Golgheim replied, his eyes meeting hers with an unspoken challenge. Elara frowned further. The judges murmured amongst themselves, making last-minute deals to swing their progeny¡¯s own fates, when a shift occurred in the audience. It was Toki''s turn. Onlookers around her seemed to still, as if yielding the floor to her. She stepped forward, her slender hands cradling something far removed from many of the mundane offerings thus far. She unveiled her creation even before approaching the judges stand: a large dragonfly wrought from copper. Its pleated wings reflected the evening light, casting shadows on the manascript etching. The creature was released into the air as Toki continued walking towards the judges. It took flight, glowing a neutral white, its wings blurring the precise engineering. The dragonfly briefly hovered above the heads of the spectators who watched in awe before winding itself around the forest gathering, weaving between tubs of molten metal and moving though the moorings of the floating ships above. It buzzed by anvils, skipping between hammer blows and then into the bushes by the edge of the clearing before it climbed higher, climbed ever higher, against the backdrop of the gas giant painting the horizon above. "By the gods," someone yelled out, echoing the sentiment of the crowd. "It''s alive!" Elara watched on as Toki pulled out a copper bar and winked at the judges. She sighed at the showmanship. As if rebelling against the sigh, Toki tossed the bar into the air and the dragonfly struck true. Instead of a collision, the momentum transferred to the bar and a new dragonfly was formed. Unassuming, my ass. The dragonfly body was not merely ornamental, it turned out. They descended. The two dragonflies transformed into blades, both careening towards the judges. Gasps resounded around Elara. The blades landed with a thump, stabbing straight into the core of the table. One of them embedded itself in front of Elara¡ªthe other in front of Golgheim. Toki took to the stage. Ever the performer. She stood in front of her grandmother and pulled out the dragonfly blade as if it were a blade lodged in a body. After bowing to the judges, she returned to the crowd. The remaining blade flickered in front of Golgheim, morphing once again into a dragonfly. Elara sighed again, shards damn it, Toki. You¡¯re making my job as hard as a cervidian gigolo on the sauce. She felt both a frown and a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. There was no doubt that Toki''s talent had blossomed. Anyone¡¯s skill would, after the hours that girl spent ¡®smithing. Convincing the others that it hasn¡¯t will be a challenge. To her dismay, Elara sensed the shift in the stand. The murmurs amongst the judges crescendoed into a discourse, their eyes flickering between Toki''s remaining dragonfly and Susie''s chalice. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Remarkable," Golgheim conceded, his eyes tracing the manascript on the copper insect. "To think, such ingenuity from the Twice line again. By the gods, what do you feed them?" "Let¡¯s not be hasty," Elara echoed, the words tasting false. Susie''s chalice might have been impressive, but this¡­ this was indeed fledgling artistry. Golgheim continued, "very inventive, Tokyo Twice," his tone almost affectionate. But there was a hardness in his eyes, a reminder of the unsaid bargain that lingered. Elara met his gaze evenly, their politico masks firmly in place. "Imagine," another judge mused aloud, his fingers tentatively stroking his mustache, "if we sent this dragonfly inside. It might just be enough." Elara knew it would not be enough. She would not be so cavalier to risk the last of the Twice line to Dutch Eternal. "That lizard is capricious and fleeting," Golgheim countered, his words measured. "We''ve seen the dragon''s whims. One moment''s fancy can be the next moment''s ash." Elena took the hint that there was still room to maneuver. "Indeed," another judge added, her voice laced with apprehension. "And this year''s offering... they may not suffice." Elara''s heart clenched, but her face remained a mask of indifference. "Are we so quick to discount the skill of our forgers? Susie Q''s chalice is an exemplar of craftsmanship and ingenuity." "A gamble you mean," Golgheim replied, his gaze settling on Elara. "Is it enough? Or should I stake fate on young Tokyo''s creation?" ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll all have to discuss then¡­¡± Elara replied, exasperated. Susie dear, I¡¯d like a kiss of that chalice now. The deliberations dragged on, each creation revisited, scrutinized, and ranked. Elara conferred with her colleagues on their deals as Golgheim made notes. Her gambit had secured the allegiance of many, yet Golgheim¡ªever the fulcrum¡ªresisted the charm of coin and promise. "Golgheim," Elara ventured, her overbearing tone a calculated risk, "might I propose a further arrangement? You have not spoken about what you¡¯d require in the upcoming trade legislation. Be a dear and give me some face." Golgheim met her gaze, and in the space between them, unspoken truths loomed large. "A generous offer," he conceded after a pause that seemed to stretch into eternity. "But I only have one condition, Twice." "And what might that be?" she inquired, her throat tight. "Carry your fate," Golgheim said simply. "You shall accompany the chalice to visit Dutch." A cold shiver raced down Elara''s spine, but she held his stare unwaveringly. There was indeed no path for Golgheim, no retreat from the bargain she herself had authored. Choosing Susie would put him on the suboptimal path. He had been chosen as a walker¡ªhe would accompany the victor to see Dutch Eternal. Elara looked around for a scapegoat, but Golgheim shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no one else who would accept. I¡¯m sorry Elara.¡± She closed her eyes and composed herself. A battle raged behind her eyelids. With a nod, she sealed her fate. The final piece moved into place on the board of their intricate game. "Agreed," she whispered, the word falling like a death knell. Elara cast [Create Contract]. Golgheim''s eyes locked onto hers, searching, questioning, before nodding solemnly, the agreement now sealed by more than mere words. He handed her Toki¡¯s dragonfly, "let us tally, though I suspect we now know the results." He turned back toward the stage where the crowd murmured in anticipation. The judges emerged from their deliberation to thin air¡ªair hollowed by the collective held breath of the assembly. Elara positioned herself where she could see Toki amongst the sea of faces, the young forger''s anxious gaze fixed on the elevated platform. A tap from a gavel silenced the rabble, commanding attention as the final verdict loomed. "By the decision of this council and the authority vested in me as speaker," Golgheim''s voice resonated through the courtyard, "I shall present the results!" Golgheim pulled out his envelope and slowly opened it, drawing out the anticipation in the crowd. He began at the bottom, droning on about each of the top twenty finalists out of four hundred entrants. Each would receive a sizable reward to further their craft. The air was a vacuum by the time he reached the top three when he stopped. He paused. Long enough. Perhaps too long, to draw out the dramatic effect. Then he announced, ¡°Susie Q! The winner! Tokyo Twice, second place! Pete Conrad, third!¡± Applause erupted like a sudden downpour, the spectators caught in a deluge for the victor. Amidst the uproar, Elara''s eyes remained glued to Toki, whose shoulders slumped, the glint of her white hair dulling under the weight of defeat. Yet, there was no cry of despair, not yet. No outward sign of the pain that Elara knew tore through the girl''s spirit. Poor girl doesn¡¯t know I¡¯ve given her a far worse fate. Susie Q stepped forward, her grin wide and triumphant, basking in the adoration of her peers as she arrived at the judge¡¯s podium and held the poison chalice aloft. Its emeralds gleamed a sinister green, a beacon of victory¡ªand of doom. Elara let out a breath she hadn''t realized she''d been holding, a bitter mix of relief and regret. Her lips curved up into a facsimile of a smile, though the taste of her impending end soured any triumph. For Toki, at least, the path ahead remained open, ensuring freedom from the dragon''s judgment and with it the survival of the Twice legacy. That small consolation would have to suffice, for the die was cast, and the contract, once formed, could not be unsigned. Elara navigated the throng with ease, her eyes fixed on Toki. The young manasmith stood apart, her face now covered with tears. Elara reached into the folds of her dress, retrieving her own envelope sealed with the emblem of the Twice family¡ªa moon within a moon, a syzygy. "Your craftsmanship speaks more than any competition could," she said, pressing the letter into Toki''s hands. "This would¡¯ve made your parents swell with pride." Elara pulled out the dragonfly endearingly. Toki''s eyes flickered, the white of her hair catching the light as she clutched the letter. A whispered "Thank you" escaped her lips, barely audible over the din. Elara offered a nod, her heart heavy with knowledge unspoken. She hugged her deeply, then left, pocketing the dragonfly once more. The procession moved toward the dragon¡¯s mountain amidst the fading echoes of celebration. Susie Q, draped in the aura of victory, strode with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. Her bag, filled with essentials for her journey, swung at her side. Elara followed, her own pack empty, just for show. The townspeople lined the path leading into the mountain, their faces etched with a blend of awe and sorrow. Among them stood Susie''s mother, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill over. As her daughter passed by, she reached out, fingers brushing the fabric of Susie''s cloak. A silent plea for safety and a wordless goodbye. Susie nodded, her earlier bravado tempered by the weight of her mother''s gaze. She did not look back as Elara guided her forward. Their steps were measured, deliberate, each one taking them closer to the gaping entrance of the mountain cave. Elara herself turned to see the other judges behind her. They silently bowed in salute. "Remember, Susie Q," Elara intoned as they entered the shadow of the cavern, "your destiny was forged by your own hand. Trust in it. Keep your head high." The cavern stretched before Elara as she turned once more, a titan''s throat lined with jagged teeth of rock. Elara''s heels clicked purposefully against the stone floor as she led Susie Q deeper into the bowels of the earth. The scent of brimstone seeped from cracks in the walls. "Here," Elara announced, her voice echoing off the cavernous space overlooking a deep cliff. At the edge stood an altar, hewn from obsidian. Susie stepped forward, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and fascination. She placed her chalice on the altar, the emerald catching the dim light coming in through the open paths above and casting green shadows in a spectral dance. "Stand back," Elara commanded with an authoritative wave of her hand. With a deep breath, she collected herself, summoning the gravitas needed for the chant. There was still hope - this dragon¡¯s vanity was legendary. "O Dutch Eternal, magnificent and wise," Elara began, her voice unfurling like silk and thunder. "We stand in your revered presence, humbled by your grandeur." She raised her arms high, palms open to the darkness above. Arrogant lizard, I¡¯d slit your throat myself if I could. "Behold the offering of Susie Q, whose hands wield the fire of creation, whose spirit burns with the ambition of ages." Elara''s words crescendoed, each syllable a meticulous stroke painting Susie as a legend. "May her talent appease your eternal hunger; may her will merge with your timeless essence." Elara spoke with all the theatricality her position demanded, each phrase calculated to also stroke the dragon''s massive ego which loomed as large as its shadowy form. "Accept this disciple into your fold, O mighty forger of destiny. Let her craft echo through the annals of time, guided by your infinite wisdom." Elara''s chant filled the cavern, wrapping around the stone interior like a binding spell. As the echoes faded, Elara locked eyes with Susie, giving her a subtle nod. The die was cast, the words spoken; now they awaited the judgment of the Dutch Eternal, whose whims would seal their fates. Dutch Eternal¡¯s silhouette was a mountain within the mountain, her presence dominating the cavern. She was a dragon, after all. "Heh, a trinket?" She rumbled, her voice echoing off the walls with power and disdain. "We shall see your sincerity!" Elara held her breath, not daring even a whisper. Her eyes, however, betrayed her composure, darting around the cavern in search of any sign from the titanic creature before them. That''s when Elara saw her¡ªToki, half-hidden in shadow, her white hair ghostly in the dark. Elara''s heart clenched. The sight was a blade, twisting in her gut¡ªthe realization that the very person she had sacrificed so much to protect had ventured into the lion''s den. Rather, the dragon¡¯s maw. "An impressive bauble, but a bauble nonetheless," the dragon rumbled, her voice causing a cascade of gravel to slide in the cavern. "We have drunk from the cups of kings and dined on the crowns of emperors. We deny your request." Panic bubbled beneath Elara''s veneer of control. How had Toki slipped past the watchful eyes of the Twice Clan? What cruel trick of fate had led her here? Elara''s plan, so meticulously crafted, frayed at the edges. "Perhaps a taste of something more... substantial is in order?" Dutch Eternal¡¯s lips curled back to reveal rows of serrated teeth, each one a promise of oblivion. The chamber fell silent, save for the drip of condensation from stalactites. A gasp rung out as Susie''s mask of arrogance slipped, as realization dawned, revealing a glimpse of the child underneath. With a swift motion, Dutch Eternal engulfed them in a maelstrom of wind as she inhaled. Elara''s world narrowed to the horror in Toki''s eyes. Elara reached out, a futile gesture, as if she could pull the girl from the precipice upon which they all teetered. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± And then, there was nothing but darkness¡ª -- The dragon¡¯s mouth closed around Susie Q and Elara Twice. "Grandmother," Toki whispered.
[Hidden Quest: Take revenge on Dutch Eternal. Reward commensurate with retribution]
Chapter 2 – Tyndall Effect Manascript translation for [Enchantment ¨C Draconic Bite (Weapon / Class B / Stage-two)] Why should I, Carry such vitriol and violence for this vagrant who leaned into the maw, Leaned into forge-fresh filigree, golden from my macabre flames, Leaned into supplication to a false forge, unashamed of their petulance, I am the forge. ¨C Pendulum didactic, Enchantments of Galactic Renown Chapter 2 ¨C Tyndall Effect The cavern''s air trembled as Dutch Eternal''s gaze slid towards Toki. Hungry eyes bore into her with an unsettling blend of wonder and greed. Toki stood still, solitary in the dim light streaking from cavern openings above. Her heart pounded staccato. "Are you the last morsel, then?" The dragon''s nostrils flared. Toki imagined Dutch Eternal tasting the scent of fear that hung from her. Toki doubled back. The secret exit she had entered through loomed behind¡ªa sliver of hope. The dragon stomped, and the narrow secret exit closed in with fallen rubble. Her hope, gone. ¡°Now, now, what¡¯s the rush, we still h¡ª¡± Dutch Eternal''s eyes widened. The dragon¡¯s predatory gleam gave way to confusion. She reared back, a choked gurgle escaping her throat. Toki watched, transfixed, as the mighty beast writhed, scales rustling in disarray, muscles contracting in a futile attempt to expel a foreign object. Dutch Eternal''s roars turned to rasps. Green sputum came out in sputters. Toxic. The poison, Toki realized. Susie Q''s parting gift. With the dragon distracted, she ran once more. Toki dashed for the true entrance. Much larger and harder to collapse. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she chanted to herself, eyes fixed on the narrowing path to freedom. With a shudder that shook the earth, the dragon''s will manifested and the ambient mana surged. The gate ahead, leading out of the cavern, now sealed shut. Toki turned to see the massive form of Dutch Eternal heave. The dragon¡¯s breathing was ragged, but she was a predator first. "Shit. Shit. Shit.¡± Toki saw the glow of fire from Dutch Eternal¡¯s mouth, an attempt to cleanse her palate. She froze. The flames sputtered, now reduced to stray embers. The dragon''s body writhed, each contortion a testament to Susie Q''s enchantment. ¡°Perhaps Susie Q DID deserve to win the Forgeworks¡­ No¡­ Focus. Fight or flight.¡± Toki stood, watching the indomitable force before her shudder. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, granting her a glimpse of opportunity in the midst of despair. She clasped her copper dragonfly blade. Toki drew upon the Aether and the ambient mana agreed to her will. She funneled it into the enchantment. The blade buzzed. The sound of metal on scale echoed in the chamber¡ªan insect against a mountain. No breach. Again and again, Toki struck, each hit a burst of effort that yielded nothing but sparks against Dutch Eternal''s glistening scales. The dragon''s sides heaved, her breaths still labored. But Toki saw the dragon¡¯s eyes¡ªthose pools of ancient knowledge¡ªholding her in an unspoken challenge. Dutch Eternal would not yield so easily. Not to poison. Not to a copper bauble. Not to an ant. With the grace of an experienced duelist, Toki retreated to her earlier hiding spot. She searched for her hammer. The dragonfly blade meanwhile arced through the air, targeting Dutch Eternal''s eyes. Those hungry eyes. Why is she eating people? We¡¯re supposed to learn from her! She''s supposed to take us to the floating isles! The memory of her last conversation with Elara flashed into her mind, trying to glean any meaning from this macabre ritual. With a wisp of recollection, she drew mana again in a bid for survival, this time focusing on the blade within the beast. The blade her grandmother carried. She summoned life to the blade, now within the dragon, and directed it towards its heart with lethal precision. Dutch Eternal''s roar shattered the air. It also shattered the small dragonfly blade fluttering towards her eye. Toki shivered. With that sound of defiance, the dragon summoned its own magic. Mana, much thicker than what Toki drew, streamed towards the beast¡¯s colossal form, seeking to mend poisoned flesh. Symbols circled around Dutch Eternal, acting as magical capacitors and resistors for the complex ritual. It was an intricate binding of mana, guideweave, and intent. The dragon was vulnerable now, but the internal blade was stuck between healing flesh. ¡°Now or never.¡± Her hammer felt right in her grip. She squared her shoulders and flexed her fingers around the worn leather of the handle. No shimmering scales would deflect this blow¡ªstronger metals had caved before it. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Toki¡¯s hair danced as she moved into position and her eyes locked onto Dutch Eternal for signs of movement. She readied herself, every muscle coiled tight. The hammer''s weight was not a burden but a promise. Once from her brother to her, and now, as realization struck, so too, from her to Obie. Fear shifted to fury as she understood what Obie¡¯s ¡°apprenticeship¡± entailed. Like Susie Q, Oberon Twice was food for this monster. Toki''s arm swung in a wide arc, the hammer tracing its path through the charged air. It connected precisely with Dutch Eternal''s side¡ªa thunderous collision of metal and scale. The dragon''s massive body shuddered. A tremor ran through her wings and into the cavern around them. The ritual faltered¡ªshe had timed it so. Enchanting taught you many things. Timing was one of them. The symbols that once glowed on the ground, flickered, and a surge of raw magic recoiled, seeking somewhere to go, anything to consume. Toki felt the force of it whip past her, tugging at her hair and pulling at her own monochrome silk robes. Mana erupted where the backlash struck stone, leaving scorch marks like celestial graffiti. The air itself seemed to scream, torn by the chaos of the disrupted ritual. "Come on," she urged. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the dragon¡ªthe source, the center of the backlash. An arm, hanging onto a chalice flew out of Dutch Eternal¡¯s mouth, decayed from the poison. Her moment was now. Backlash alone would not kill the beast. Chaos ruled as the ritual guideweave unspooled in wild arcs around the cavern. Toki moved carefully toward the heaving chest of Dutch Eternal, where scales were the toughest and a heart thundered like war drums. Dutch Eternal moved her claws in an attempt to capture her now that the dragon¡¯s earlier vulnerability from the broken ritual had started to fade. But it was too late. Toki rolled into position and gathered momentum. The first hammer strike had nailed the dragonfly blade inward ¨C guided to the heart with the help of her mana. ¡°Wai¡ª" This second strike would pierce. Her hammer quivered in her grip as she delivered a powerful blow. Internal resistance gave way. The tip sank into the vulnerable heart. A roar shattered the tumultuous silence that followed the strike and Toki moved away in fear, uncertain of whether it was enough. The dragon''s pain echoed off the walls. It was a sound of reluctance, of unwillingness¡ªa keening lament from the depths of Dutch Eternal''s being. It was enough. Dutch Eternal''s vast shadow receded as the dragon''s colossal frame buckled. The ground trembled, receiving the weight of centuries in a single, monumental collapse. Toki stood alone, a slender silhouette against the backdrop of the fallen beast. Dutch Eternal¡¯s head now rested at her feet. Sweat traced clean lines down her face. Her chest rose and fell with the rhythm of a battle-tested heart, adrenaline now fading. Toki dropped to her knees and wept. For her grandmother, for her brother, and even for fucking Susie Q. System messages appeared one after the other.
[Level up: Level 40] [Level up: Level 41] [Level up: Level 42] [Defeated a stage-two beast as a mortal - title upgraded, Mortal Combat] [Mortal Combat: 2% -> +10% all stats] [The 211 Luck bounty [Dead or Alive] placed on Dutch Eternal [Draconic Manasmith] has been claimed] [Achieve 100 base luck while still a mortal ¨C system title awarded, Challenger of Luck] [Challenger of Luck: +7% Luck] [As user has slain a protected beast species, Investigation protocol JE-892 has been initiated by the Falkori Dragons] [Hidden Quest: Take revenge on Dutch Eternal (1/1) - complete] [Hidden Quest rewards will be held in system escrow, pending the results of Investigation protocol JE-892] [As user Tokyo Twice is under investigation and the value of Hidden Quest reward exceeds the threshold for public representation, user is given a choice of suitable candidates for private representation] [User Tokyo Twice is given 1 hour to choose a candidate for representation. Failure to choose a candidate will result in appointment of appropriate public representation ¨C choose now?] [Timer: 1 hour remaining]
She pushed the messages away and collapsed next to the dead dragon. Her tears continued to pool as she stared up at the particulates floating across streams of light above. Soon the exertion and grief gave way to remembrance. -- ¡°Tokyo! Oberon! You better not be playin¡¯ with the aeso again! I¡¯ll smack your bottoms so hard that your teacher¡¯ll com¡¯an¡¯find me tomorrow for lessons!¡± They heard the threat from their mother but immediately forgot about it. Such is childhood. ¡°Obie, what¡¯s this one called?¡± ¡°This one¡¯s my favorite.¡± Obie replied while distributing the black glitter-like substance across the symbols. ¡°It¡¯s a story about freedom, Toki. How a chillbird wants to be free¡­ how a boy wants to see the worlds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s lame.¡± Toki responded, eyes peeking over the tabletop only with the support of her tippy-toes. ¡°If it¡¯s a bird, isn¡¯t it already free to fly away?¡± ¡°He-he-he. That¡¯s the trick, isn¡¯t it? Dummy. The bird¡¯s in a cage.¡± ¡°Who would cage a chillbird. That¡¯s what¡¯s dumb.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s a metaphor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a metaphor?¡± ¡°Shut up and watch. You¡¯ll learn it when you start enchanting.¡± ¡°Boring. What does it do!¡± ¡°It makes things float! Watch!¡± Obie grabbed his hammer, comically large against his small frame. The hammer set ablaze, bright white from his flames. Toki stared into them, wide-eyed. Enamored. ¡°The first hit¡¯s important.¡± Obie cast [Charge Sphere] and brought the hammer down. The sphere protected a model boat from the momentum of the hammer, but the flame passed through and catalyzed the enchantment reaction with aeso. As the enchantment used its fill, all the excess aeso went everywhere but the symbols. In their hair, their faces, even their toes. ¡°OBERON! TOKYO!¡± Obie gave the boat to Toki, smiling, ¡°Pull some mana.¡± Toki stared at it eagerly as she pulled mana from her surroundings into it. It floated in the black glitter particulates, free from worry. Free from the cage. The aeso glittered, and Toki giggled as she floated the boat through the stream of sunlight entering from the window. She looked towards Obie, but he was gone. In his place was a very angry mother. -- Toki turned her head and stared into the open maw of Dutch Eternal. The teeth were still glowing gold from the heat of sputtered flames. This victory was hollow. The woman that raised her was dead. Her brother was dead. She brought up the system messages and opened the list of system attorneys.
[Timer: 10 minutes remaining]
Chapter 3 – Lost in Loss There are no garden-grown enchanters. ¨C Alvar Twice, thirdborn of the first Twice tyrant, Book of Twice Chapter 3 ¨C Lost in Loss
[A list of prioritized and tailored attorneys has been generated for Tokyo Twice] [Wyrm''s End Advocates. Our experience combined with expertise in draconian jurisprudence provides accomplished knights and dragonslayers with unparalleled legal representation on all system guidance protocol matters. Our commitment to cleansing the lizard infestation within this galaxy is second to none. ¨C select?] ¡­
Toki glanced at the list of system law firms but was distracted by approaching sounds. Toki heard Golgheim Vast before she saw him. "By the gods," Golgheim muttered under his breath. His words carried in the silence and his boots met stone with soft echoes. Toki realized that he must have slipped through yet another veiled entrance. Toki lay leaning against the dead Dutch Eternal watching him approach with an empty stare, her white hair a stark contrast against the midnight black scales. His eyes locked onto the lifeless form of the dragon. The sight arrested him. Toki could see his breath catch as approached. ¡°Tokyo, what¡­ what have you done? This¡­ This¡­ What¡­?¡± He rubbed his temples. ¡°Tokyo, you¡¯ve¡­ you¡¯ve doomed us all!¡± Golgheim turned to leave when a sigil formed beneath his feet, locking him in place. ¡°Damnation, Elara. You old hag! You¡¯ve planned this, haven¡¯t you.¡± He turned back around causing the sigil to disappear and approached Toki once more, ¡°gods damn it, the fine text. Always the damned fine text.¡± That''s a contract sigil. What has grandmother done? Had¡­ Toki watched as he approached, wiping away her tears. He said in a hush, "Tokyo, we must guard this secret for as long as we can. No one can know." Toki looked up, her gaze meeting his with an intensity that belied her youth. The old man was standing less than a meter away. He was old and wrinkled with a long silver beard. Golgheim wore a dated and loose green Daoist robe, but Toki knew that his wardrobe choices hid a muscled interior. This man was the strongest man in Alabaster Ring. She knew it because Elara Twice had a hidden pair of matching green Daoist robes - they had loved each other once. Toki could remember training in her youth alongside Obie under Golgheim. He would beat combat instincts into them at the very edge of life and death, ingraining into them the way of the hammer. Obie would¡­ Gods damn. Obie¡¯s gone. Toki pushed away the system notification, ¡°how could you do this to them!? How could you knowingly let this happen!?¡± She got to her feet and charged. It was a foolish and angry charge. For a man of over a century, Golghiem Vast took her first punch quite gracefully. The first she had ever landed on his face. ¡°Wai¡ª ,¡± Golgheim took the second punch much less gracefully and fell to the ground by the dragon¡¯s head. Toki stood above him, now with hammer in hand. ¡°You better have something to say¡­ You! You better!¡± She clenched her teeth so hard that she thought they would break. She watched as Golgheim reached for his own hammer on his back, but a sigil formed and restricted his movement. ¡°You old hag! I swear, when I die, I¡¯ll haunt your gho¨C¡± Toki smashed him in the ribs with the hammer. Not a full force blow, but it knocked the wind from his lungs. He held up his hand to stop her, entreating her for peace. Tokyo allowed him a moment to catch his breath and stand. He responded, ¡°Tokyo. *huff,* there¡¯s a whole sector worth of politics and power behind this. We don¡¯t have the time now. You¡¯ll have to help me push this body.¡± SKDFJSLKDFJSDF! Toki motioned to smash her hammer again, but instead she dropped it in fury. She pounded on his chest with her bare fists, letting her emotions out through violence. ¡°Why! WHY!... why?¡± Her fury turned to whimpers. Elara was a mean, deceptive, and crafty bitch, but she had still raised her¡ªhad still given her a home. Despite his urgency, Golgheim smothered the small fists with a bear hug and rambled on about contractual obligations with the Falkori and something about a dynasty, but Tokyo¡¯s ears were as glazed as her eyes. In a brief fatalistic daze, she turned inwards to a system timer alert and the next two system attorneys on the list.
[Timer: 5 minutes] [Eldritch & Peryton. A beacon of justice amidst chaos; a sanctuary for dragons and men alike. Here, battle-hardened warriors traded their swords for quills and their armor for robes. We know the eternal struggle, and we¡¯ll guide you through it¡­ at the best rates available in the Cazoran region! ¨C select?] [Firebrand & Fawkes. We are no ordinary law firm. We specialize in oddities and anomalies - cases graphically tainted with magical elements or involving mythical creatures. We are seasoned litigators dabbling in sorcery law, known far and wide for our almost prescient ability to untangle the most arcane legal knots ¨C select?] ¡­
¡°Tokyo! Tokyo!¡± Golgheim had shaken her out of her spiral. ¡°Help me. Before the others come." Toki¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Golgheim''s, seeking the truth in his aged face. What others? Do others know of this? This gruesome¡­ thing. Anger swelled once more. "Power vacuums lead to war, Toki. Murder. Leads to war. Dragonslaying, that leads to genocide." Toki could see his fears seeping into his words from his facial expression. Golgheim continued, "Dutch Eternal''s death will shatter this fragile peace we¡¯ve built. We must maintain the illusion of her presence until we can secure stability. Now. Help. Me." Toki absorbed his words and clenched her fists. She finally said, ¡°They¡¯re dead¡­ they¡¯re all dead." Toki turned to the dragon in a daze and helped Golgheim slowly push the carcass, she could feel weight descending upon her shoulders¡ªshoulders already burdened by the loss of her grandmother and brother. Cry later. Cry when you can¡¯t be punished for it. Toki remembered Elara¡¯s training well, though it was mostly unorthodox. The [Strategist] profession itself was not easy to learn or acquire. Her case studies would range from stealing manamelons from the kitchen to getting caught stealing manamelons from the kitchen. You can¡¯t get out of the crime if you¡¯re crying about getting caught. "Good, yes. Yes," Golgheim replied, his expression softening. "Be strong, Toki.¡± Despite his words, he was doing most of the pushing. Tokyo never understood how he had this strength, but she assisted him, nonetheless. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°The dragon ate them¡­ Golgheim. They¡¯re gone.¡± As Dutch Eternal slipped over the edge, Toki watched the dragon carcass descend into the abyss. She did not know where the dragon would fall, but after five seconds of waiting, she heard the shattering of glass from below followed by a deep booming noise. ¡°The others will be here soon. Come find me tomorrow, I will tell you everything." With those words, he pointed in the direction he had come from. ¡°Now go.¡± Toki wavered, but grabbed her hammer once more and walked off, dazed. Toki trusted Golgheim enough to listen. Glancing back at the old man, she saw he too had a lost look to him. He seated himself on the cliff edge and pulled out his bottle of bloodworm sake. Toki remembered this bottle. She had asked for a sip on many occasions but was always rebuffed. He saved this bottle for a special occasion. "Remember, act naturally," Golgheim spoke out as he looked into the abyss, "a drink with your fellow smiths will do you good. Keep up appearances, Tokyo. We may all depend on it." He said something else after that, but Toki couldn¡¯t hear. "Act naturally," she repeated, the phrase tasting bitter on her tongue. How could anyone act naturally after this? As Toki moved towards the exit she knelt by the coarse stone floor, her slender fingers reaching out almost of their own volition. The poison chalice lay overturned, its once proud form humbled in the dust. As she wrapped her hand around it, her skin prickled with the cold kiss of metal¡ªand then recoiled at the unexpected touch of another''s flesh. Her breath hitched, a strangled gasp escaping as she discovered not the chalice alone, but also a hand, pale and lifeless latched on. Dread coiled tight in her gut. Was it Susie''s hand, so often curled around a hammer, forging rival wonders? Or was it the gnarled hand of her grandmother, who had taught her the ways of power, deception, and influence? In this dim light and with the decay of poison, Toki couldn''t tell. With trembling hands, she released the hand¡¯s grip and righted the chalice. She did not know why she took it, but she pressed it into her own satchel. Rising from the ground, Toki squared her shoulders and turned her back on the chamber. She exited the mountain and walked towards Hammaltin¡¯s Inn within the city limits of Alabaster Ring. It was not a long walk, but Toki walked slowly. She saw the flying ships above hanging in the sky, glowing like lanterns. A funeral procession in the night sky. Her mind raced, replaying the events, searching for answers. For meaning. For anything. But the shock was jarring and all she could see were those hungry eyes. Passing by the forge, it was eerily quiet and missing the rhythmic clinking of hammer on anvil. The sounds in the distance, though, slowly grew warm and familiar. Ahead, the inn loomed, its windows aglow with festivities, inviting her into its boisterous embrace. The inn itself was cozily embedded into the trees of the forest, unperturbed by the madness occurring nearby. Its architecture was a fusion of old Elvish design and the rugged ¡®smithing culture of Alabaster Ring mixing elegant curves with sheets of metal and blocks of alabaster. To Toki, the people here were her family. The manasmiths of Allie Ring stuck together. But despite the welcome sight, Toki felt alone now. Her mind worked furiously, replaying Golgheim''s words, the gravity of the deaths sinking ever deeper into the marrow of her bones. How could she mimic the heartbeat of a forger when her own felt so erratic? The clamor of Hammaltin¡¯s Inn spilled out onto the cobblestone street. A tide of merriment crashed against the questions Toki had wrapped around herself. The iron doors swung wide with the comings and goings of her fellow ¡®smiths, their figures backlit by the warm, golden glow from within. Their laughter¡ªa crude mix of jovial spirits¡ªreached for her, tugging at the edges of her solemn mood. "Act naturally," she murmured, mocking her earlier words. She would enter its doors, her face composed into the familiar mask of camaraderie, while her own spirit waged silent wars within.
[Timer: 10 seconds]
¡°OH GODS!¡± She could see the boisterous crowd turn their necks at her exclamation. Pick one, Pick one. Pick any of them. Don¡¯t give me a public lawyer. She scrolled and picked something between genocide and handholding.
[Law Cats. System attorneys for vagabonds, miscreants, and general elite upstarts. Just because you did it doesn''t mean you¡¯re guilty! ¨C selected.] [Law Cats has been notified. A representative will be in touch shortly.
Toki let out a sigh. Syslaws were assholes. Public syslaws were underpaid public assholes. That''s what everyone says, at least. As she stepped forward, the inside of the inn greeted her. She saw the forest canopy above with its hanging tables. She saw the massive, hollow oak filled with just about every ale you could find in Alabaster Ring. Around the edges she saw the anvils and alabaster mockups of booze inspired forgeworks. No bar in Alabaster Ring would be complete without them, but Hammaltin¡¯s certainly had the most. Laughter and clinking glasses promised a brief respite. At least that¡¯s what the old man had said. Inside the inn, she would blend with the crowd and bury this secret with distraction. "Oi, Toki! Over here!" a familiar voice called, slicing through the din. It was Edgar, from an offshoot family of the more pretentious, tuxedo-wearing, avians. Edgar was a psittaden ¨C his plumage was as colorful as his personality. Feathers folded away under his arms and other than his proclivity to grab things with his talon feet, he was quite human. She turned, her slender frame casting a slight shadow as a group of her peers beckoned her over. DUTCH ETERNAL ATE PEOPLE! She ate my brother, she ate my grandmother, she ate fucking Suzie Q, and I just pushed her dead body off a cliff. Toki screamed it in her head. "Thought you''d miss out on the fun tonight," chided Edgar, his cheeks flushed with ale and good cheer and his hair ruffled from who knew what shenanigans. ¡°Yorg is going for broke tonight, he¡¯s gonna try to pull the Hangover Hammer for inspiration.¡± "And miss this fun? No way," Toki replied, her tone light, though her heart felt leaden in her chest. Reluctance edged her movements, but she masked it well, slipping into the circle of bodies with a practiced ease that belied her inner disquiet. ¡°Yorg¡¯s a lightweight. He¡¯ll pass out within the hour.¡± Partridge replied, a chiseled manasmith about twice the size of Edgar. Partridge, you¡¯re also a lightweight. Susie is too. Was¡­ shards be damned. Partridge continued, ¡°if I had the cash, I¡¯d try to pull the hammer every night! I don¡¯t know who made its enchantment, but they¡¯re a fuckin¡¯ master.¡± ¡°I bet that¡¯s how Suzie Q beat our little Toki here,¡± Edgar chimed in. ¡°I¡¯d have loved to see the manascript on the chalice. No way it would beat your dragonfly. That¡¯s elfshit.¡± Toki felt conflicted at the mention of Suzie Q. They were friends once, the very best. Though the growing secrets and rivalry between them had made them frenemies over the last years, drifting further and further apart in the name of forging. She saved me. ¡°How did Hammaltin even make it?¡± Another manasmith chimed in, walking into their circle. ¡°You have to basically be blackout drunk for it to work, but then it gives you inspiration? Who thought that up¡­ and imagine the story. Gods.¡± As she stood among them, the clinking of glasses and the rich timbre of hearty laughter enveloped her. The air was thick with the smell of roasted meat and spiced ale. It was pumpkin season. Toki could hear the stories unfold around her, tales of ¡®misshapen swords¡¯ and other oddities during ¡®crafting.¡¯ The manasmiths around her spoke of metal and flame as if they were lovers¡­ they also spoke of lovers¡­ but Toki''s mind was not in the conversation. She just nodded along. "Here, have a drink!" urged a redhead ¡®smith, thrusting a tankard into her hands. She winked before continuing, ¡°the great second place Toki Twice can¡¯t be without drink tonight! Did you pick up your reward? Adamant, right?¡± "Thanks," she murmured, the cool metal grounding her as she took a small sip, allowing the bitter tang to pull her back from the precipice of her thoughts. Reward. Heh. ¡°Not ye¡ª" "Oi, ware¡¯s ¡®dat prissy Susie Q?¡± Yorg grumbled, and found his way into the circle, ¡°they¡¯s noway she pulled dat hamma.¡± He was a chatty and cranky drunk. Big and intrusive as well. ¡°Get off Yorg, ya piss drunk.¡± Edgar pushed Yorg¡¯s massive arm off his small avian shoulders. ¡°Ya see her toestin¡¯ earlya? I thot myself¡ªware¡¯s all ¡®dat aeso gotta be?" He paused and gestured to build anticipation. No one around cared for it. ¡°She must¡¯ve yoinked it up ¡®dat pretty little¡ª¡° Toki¡¯s fist came crashing into Yorg¡¯s face. OHKO. He was a big guy, but Toki¡¯s strength attribute could compete with almost anyone in Alabaster Ring. "Susie Q was a brilliant forger," she declared, her voice slicing into his crude dialogue. "She deserves respect.¡± After saying it she realized that Yorg was already knocked out. She drank another gulp from her unspilt spiced ale. The inn quieted. The smiths around her exchanged glances, their postures betraying a hint of uncertainty. Toki met their stares head-on, unyielding. She could see Edgar¡¯s concerned stare, his plumage ruffled. The din of the inn tapered into a strained hush, all eyes affixed on Toki as she stood over Yorg¡¯s unconscious body. Somone from the crowd cheered, "To fuckin¡¯ Toki! Finally shut that codger up!¡± ¡°Wooo¡±, ¡°Eyyy¡±, ¡°Drink her under the table¡±, ¡°Cheers¡±, ¡°Tokeeee¡±, ¡°Give her a drink.¡± A wild roar bellowed from Hammaltin¡¯s, and with it, a parade of drinks was sent to Toki. Chapter 4 – Hungry Eyes A simple enchantment is fashioned by fusion of Primal and Aether. Purity of intent gives rise to meaning. Structure of mana gives rise to purpose. However, only in the depths of your story can enchantment worthy of renown be born. ¨C Elara Twice, Ravings of a Madwoman Chapter 4 ¨C Hungry Eyes Sunlight lanced through the canopy of Hammaltin''s Inn prodding Toki from her slumber. Her eyelids reluctantly parted, revealing that daybreak had arrived. A viscous pool of drool had collected beneath her cheek, an unflattering mirror to her throbbing headache. The clatter and clang of metal against wood punctuated the air as Zeppo Hammaltin, the inn barkeep, set about his morning routine with all the subtlety of a ¡®smith at the anvil. Zeppo was a fortress of a man, with arms like iron bands and a beard that could harbor nesting birds. His gruff demeanor was as much a part of him as the grime under his nails, cultivated across years of dealing with the rabble who sought refuge in his establishment. Rabble like Toki. "Gods'' teeth, girl," Zeppo''s voice rumbled, his tone a blend of annoyance and reluctant concern. "Ya look like death." Toki managed a groan, her head still anchored to the table by some unseen force of gravity exclusive to hangovers. "Here," Zeppo grunted, sliding a steaming cup across the worn oak before her. The scent of strong Horovian coffee wafted into her senses. An import from gods know where, Horovia? This is what I should have gotten into, coffee is easy, coffee makes people happy. I¡¯m not gonna get eaten by a dragon making coffee. Fuck ¡®smithing. "Thanks," Toki muttered. Her fingers curled around the cup, absorbing its heat. "Drink up," Zeppo said, folding his arms with a softening scowl. "First time?" Toki offered no reply. As she raised her head and took a sip, relief cascaded down her throat. In doing so, she gazed at the object in her grasp¡ªthe Hangover Hammer, its handle worn from the grip of many a morning-after sufferer. I didn¡¯t mean it. I love ¡®smithing. She squinted at the hammer, her fingers tightening involuntarily around the wooden handle, tracing the grooves etched by countless hands. Frown lines etched her forehead as she probed the recesses of her mind, seeking the thread of inspiration she had seemingly grasped the previous night. She pulled mana into the enchantment, but it was inert. "Remember anything useful?" Zeppo''s voice cut through the haze of her thoughts, gruff and tinged with a hint of mockery. "Bits and pieces," Toki replied groggily. "Shadows, really." "Ya were a menace, ya know¡ªwouldn¡¯t leave even at closing. Said a lotta elfshit, then said ya were onta something," Zeppo countered, his bushy eyebrows knitting together as he surveyed her with a mix of skepticism and something akin to respect. ¡°Those shadows might be all ya need, though. Carve it into some allie when yar done.¡± Toki briefly glanced at all the alabaster statues that were ¡°inspired¡± at Hammaltin¡¯s and took another sip. As she got up, the Hangover Hammer felt heavy in her hand. Toki extended a shaking hand, offering it back to Zeppo. The gnarled fingers of the barkeep snatched it from her grasp, placing the hammer on the counter where it would wait, silent and unassuming, for the next poor soul in need of its dubious gift. Toki nodded, ¡°thanks,¡± the motion setting off a series of miniature earthquakes inside her skull. Her balance was precarious as she grabbed her satchel, downed her coffee, and navigated through the maze of chairs and tables strewn haphazardly in preparation for opening. When¡¯s the last time I drank this much? Edgar would know. The air of the inn gave way to the chill of morning outside, and Toki squinted against the brightness. She took one step after another toward the distant silhouette of the Twice estate. It rose against the horizon like a monolith, but it was simply the placement that gave it the imposing look. It rested on a small alabaster mine and rose with the elevation. She was dreading going home. She was already treated as an outcast and Elara¡¯s disappearance would not help. Shards be damned, I should have looked at the manascript on the hammer. With each step, fragments of the previous night clawed at the edge of her consciousness¡ª Toki remembered the beginning of the night quite vividly, but the end got inevitably blurry. What didn¡¯t escape her memory, unfortunately, were the hungry eyes of Dutch Eternal. She pulled up her status screen to escape the thought.
Condensed Status
Name Tokyo Twice
Class Mortal Human (Level 42/50)
Bloodline Twice
Base attributes
Strength 87 (+3)
Vitality 42 (+3)
Vigor 42 (+3)
Dexterity 42 (+3)
Intelligence 42 (+3)
Wisdom 42 (+3)
Luck 253 (+214)
Title Additions
Mortal Combat +2% -> +10% All Attributes
Challenger of Luck +7% Luck
Full Status: Attributes, Titles, Skills
Name Tokyo Twice
Class Mortal Human (Level 42/50)
Bloodline Twice
Attributes - STR VIT VIG DEX INT WIS LUK
Base attributes 87 (+3) 42 The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.(+3) 42 (+3) 42 (+3) 42 (+3) 42 (+3) 253 (+214)
Flat impact 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Percent impact 110% 110% 110% 110% 110% 110% 117%
Total attributes 107 57 57 57 57 57 308 (258)
Titles Name STR VIT VIG DEX INT WIS LUK
Flat impact Bigshot 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Mortality 5 0 0 0 5 0 0
Noncombat 0 5 0 0 0 5 0
Wastrel 0 0 5 5 0 0 0
Talented labor 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Total - 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Percent impact Mortal combat 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Challenger of luck 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 7%
Total - 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 17%
Support Skills Telekinesis (50 LUK), Charge Sphere, Create Contract
Dao Bound Skills -
Toki carefully inspected the updated details. The only new items in her title list were the upgrade of [Mortal Combat] and [Challenger of Luck]. She had killed a stage-one beast before in her youth, granting her the base version of [Mortal Combat] with 2% to all attributes¡ªElara had purchased live direhog for that very reason. Dutch Eternal¡¯s death had granted Toki a whopping 10% - a mortal shouldn¡¯t be able to kill a stage-two. No wonder the upgrade is so big. The challenger title, on the other hand, was unexpected. Grandmother always said that the challenger series titles were awarded for dedication to a single attribute. Toki as a result had chosen strength and was well on her way to the accomplishment due to her body tempering regimen and diet. [Challenger of Luck] was a confusing addition to say the least. Her now massive pool of Luck now meant that she could purchase additional skills¡ªan unprecedented opportunity in Alabaster Ring. She would have to carefully consider which ones to choose. Maybe even consult Golgheim. That bastard. But he was always so cagey. She had already purchased the manasmith essential [Telekinesis] support skill from the system store with 50 Luck. It was precisely the reason that Golgheim and Elara had procured 7 stage-one beasts and 64 mortal beasts to level both her and Oberon up to level 39. Toki¡¯s other titles had come from rejecting the system tutorial. Everyone in integrated space knows to reject the system tutorial - free attributes are free attributes. Getting told what everyone already knows is a waste. Stupid scamming SGP. In her brief contemplation, she had already arrived at the Twice estate. The gates stood open, an unspoken invitation¡ªor challenge¡ªto those who dared to enter. Toki''s footsteps echoed hollowly as she crossed the threshold. As she traversed the cobblestone entry, the door to the manor swung open. Alaric Twice, the embodiment of the clan''s austere legacy, stood framed in the doorway. His posture was as rigid as an alabaster statue and as pale as one too. The widening of his eyes betrayed a flicker of surprise at the sight of Toki''s bedraggled state. "By the forges, girl, where were you? What infernal winds have conspired to deliver you onto our doorstep in such a condition?" Alaric''s voice boomed across the courtyard, its timbre resonating with an undercurrent of suspicion. "The winds of change, uncle," she replied, her voice a hoarse whisper clawing for conviction. "Change, is it? You think because your grandmother chose to be a walker, that you can do as you please?" He folded his arms and frowned. Her gaze flickered away, evading the intensity of his scrutiny. A tremor of silence followed, heavy with unspoken truths. She evaded and walked towards the daily breakfast spread to grab some manafruit. I swear he looks more undead by the day. "Hmph, I don¡¯t know why I bother¡­ tidy up, niece," Alaric finally conceded, though his eyes remained trained on her. "Now that you are here, we will be sealing our gates for a conclave. Your presence is requested." With a nod, Toki agreed. How will I interrogate Golgheim now? A conclave for what? As if reading her thoughts, Alaric continued, ¡°for the new clan leader, Tokyo. Elara is gone. Wouldn¡¯t have hurt the woman to give us some prior notice. Did she tell you anything?¡± ¡°No. Nothing.¡± Toki brushed the query aside and continued walking. Even if she had, I wouldn¡¯t tell you. She found his glare eerie. All she could think about now, though, was her bed. She wanted to sleep the last day out of her memory. Alaric''s shadow loomed, watching, as Toki navigated the open-air corridors of the Twice estate. She could feel his eyes. She turned a corner, the eastern wing beckoning. Toki slipped through to the garden courtyard that led to her personal sanctuary where her room awaited, sitting by the edge of a water-filled quarry. Its familiarity was comforting. With the door locked behind her, the vestiges of Alaric''s stare dissipated. Toki exhaled and shrugged off her satchel. Her room was small ¨C most of her extended family had received larger rooms to accommodate their entire families, but she had chosen this one for the forge in the attached room and the pond behind her. Without the forge, it was a simple studio. Her shoes¡ªsturdy leather, scarred by adventure and misadventure alike¡ªslipped from her feet with a thud. A glint caught her eye while removing her socks, an anomaly amidst the wear and tear¡ªa pattern etched into the sole of her left shoe. Manascript. It was her own, intricate and flowing. Familiar. Any semblance of exhaustion fled. "Curious," she murmured. Toki considered where it came from, but her only explanation was the Hangover Hammer. Tracing the etched lines with a fingertip, she tried to understand her intent. What enigma does this enchantment hold? What sorcery did I conjure to make these curves and strokes? Did I really walk around in Hammaltin¡¯s in my bare feet? You can¡¯t get syphilis from your feet, can you? She walked into the forge room, barefoot, with both shoes in her hand as she tried to understand the manascript. Her eyes were bright with excitement as they swept over the familiar chaos of her workspace. Tools lay scattered like fallen soldiers on every surface, half-finished projects loomed in the shadows, each a testament to Toki''s relentless pursuit of mastery. But now, they were mere background noise to the symphony playing in her mind¡ªthe compulsion to decipher the symbols etched into the leather sole of her shoe. "Paper," she muttered, fingers skimming over the clutter. Vellum sheets would be ideal, yet none revealed themselves amidst the haphazard stacks of sketches and schematics. How can I have no clean vellum! Vellum would let her test the manascript before applying it to an item. Frustration nipped at her resolve. Just as she was about to enchant the shoe outright, her memory flickered¡ªthere was vellum. A letter, unopened, neglected in the whirlwind of recent events. Her hand reached into her satchel and emerged triumphant with the envelope. Its seal, unbroken, bore the insignia of the Twice clan. Toki caressed the letter, not quite ready to read her grandmother''s last words. She turned the letter in her hands. The front remained unopened, its secrets locked away, but the back offered a blank vellum canvas. With meticulous care, Toki prepared to replicate the arcane script with inked aeso. Toki remembered back to her debates with Obie, ¡°talismans are just single-use enchantments. Get good,¡± he would say. He never needed a practice run - he was arrogant. But it was also true that he didn¡¯t fail often. I know that talismans hold their own value. Susie agreed¡­ used to agree with me. Toki couldn¡¯t help but feel jealousy as her hand inked the talisman. This would be her test run. She focused on her work, avoiding the feelings that bubbled to the surface. The dance of ink across paper was silent. The manascript on the shoe was her own, written hours earlier, so she just needed to understand the story and the context, not adjust the script. She straightened, her gaze lingering on the glyphs she had penned into the vellum. Like Oberon, she too had a bloodline ability, but Toki felt that her fire, unlike his, was all but useless. Toki channeled her unique flame ability and ignited her hand. Cartoonish stars flickered inside the playful fire and flew off as embers. To Toki¡¯s and the entire Twice clan¡¯s dismay, they were inert to everything. No heat, no effect, nothing. This was her mortal Dao-Bound ability in principle, but without a way to use the flames, the system would not recognize it as such. Toki frowned and considered, perhaps their only value was to be the channel between the Primal and the Aether. The flames cast an otherworldly glow upon the walls of the forge. The stars danced merrily, as if alive. She directed the incandescent tendrils toward the first few symbols, infusing them with the aeso ink. They thickened, glowing a brilliant blue with the influx of both intent and mana. She could feel the purpose within the manascript ¨C the brief connection to the symbols gave her flickers of meaning. Toki continued drawing her flame across the symbols. She saw a beam of light in a vast expanse of darkness. She saw a poetic ballet of motes playing within the light. What were they? She felt conflicting emotions within the manascript. She knew this enchantment was a fledgling idea. She would have to define it further. She could feel the fear in the symbols. She could also feel wonder. She chose to focus on the fear. Toki wanted to believe in the positive, but she didn¡¯t see much today. Hungry eyes flickered in her mind and all she could think about was running away. In the motes, she saw freedom, but constraint. It was a balance. Strong enchantments usually have conflict, it''s a good sign. The motes hovered, casting their shadow, but remained elusive in the beam of light. She knew she could barely touch them. She knew they existed, yet they felt fleeting. Toki marveled as she saw glimmers within the beam. However, her fear exerted intent on the motes and they hardened. They were free no more, caged by meaning, hovering in their own shadows. With it, the enchantment coalesced in her mind.
[Tokyo Twice has created a unique enchantment] [Bindings of Tyndall (Armor / Class D / Mortal): Create a 1x1 cm mote in the light within 1.5m; contrast in illumination increases the durability of the mote]
Class D. It was good, not great. A named enchantment, though, was always welcome ¨C Toki planned to tweak it and upgrade it later. She now knew why she had put it on her boots. It could easily create a footfall effect, though she wondered how the enchantment would have turned out if she had focused on the feeling of wonder instead of fear. She would have to explore how else she could use it when her mind was less occupied. Toki retrieved her boots. With the same precision as her practice run, she inscribed the manascript onto the leather sole with a small blade. Then she filled the engravings with aeso. Toki cast [Charge Sphere] enveloping the pair of boots. The spell was a Twice clan secret, a way to concentrate intent and mana while enchanting. She pulled out her hammer and it ignited with cartoon fire. She focused on repeating the process and channeled the same meaning and purpose as her test run. Her hammer swung down. The manascript absorbed the energy, and the symbols glowed to life in Toki''s flames. It was as though the symbols themselves were hungry, devouring the aeso and fire with delight. Aeso scattered with a poof. She could feel the enchantment swell within the boots. But as the enchantment grew, so too did her recognition of its limitations. Toki lamented¡ªher flames alone could not force the potential out of the aeso, like Oberon¡¯s could. With an exhale, she crossed the short distance to her Chamberscript Oven XIV and sealed the boots within. Toki stepped back and set a timer for 10 minutes. With the adrenaline rush fading, she grabbed Elara¡¯s letter and sat down. Chapter 5 – Winds of Change Despite the best efforts of our manadiversion specialists, no method has been found to curtail the persistent ritual aftereffects of the emergent Astral Throne in Cazoran¡ªthe rate of bloodline degeneration continues to rise. While the space-time seal applied on the nascent Spearbreaker¡¯s campaign was exchanged to buy us time per [Isolation Protocol JE-7091], I fear we will be far weaker when the seal breaks than we are now. ¨C Director of Prospero Station, 23rd Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran Chapter 5 ¨C Winds of Change Toki broke the Twice clan seal on the vellum. The parchment unfolded. A tumultuous scramble beyond her chamber door hinted at disarray in the world outside, but she paid it no mind, absorbed in the elegant and looping calligraphy of Elara Twice. Dearest Tokyo, If this letter finds its way to your hands, it means I have walked. In the coming weeks, you will face sorrow, hardship, and treachery. I won¡¯t risk the secrets that I should have told you in person here, but you must learn them quickly and become ruthless, my child. Toki realized that this letter included her grandmother¡¯s final words. Toki''s breath caught, but her eyes continued to devour the cryptic language. Grandmother, you had nothing BUT secrets. What treachery though? Am I in danger? She continued reading. Know this, granddaughter. Your flame, though we do not understand its power, holds a small piece of Authority ¨C this you have come to know. The Twice clan will dare not harm you, but they WILL restrain and control you. Do NOT let them. You carry the legacy of us all and hold more power than any of them can fathom. Toki was concerned. Restrain me? She again continued reading. You are my prot¨¦g¨¦ and successor. You will be the next matriarch. They will know this, and they will take this from you if you let them. I have trained you as a [Manasmith] and [Strategist] and you must make use of both. Do not neglect my teachings, for I know you far prefer the former. Force your professions into [Enchantress] when you fifty-cap. I have failed in this, as I know only two of the three requirements. Remember them well and find the third:
  1. Forge a Class B or higher mortal rank enchantment
  2. Negotiate a Class B or higher mortal rank contract
The presence of a merged profession did not surprise Toki, but not even Oberon could forge a Class B enchantment, much less a Class B contract. She had heard stories of legendary hidden combat classes and professions before - they would occasionally reach Alabaster Ring¡¯s rumor mill after all, but never the details. Toki was more concerned with the prior revelation - how could Elara leave the Twice clan to her. I don¡¯t want this. I won¡¯t be able to be the matriarch. Toki¡¯s head was muddled as she continued reading. A maelstrom of secrets envelop the Twice clan, secrets which course through your very veins. Even I have not unearthed this truth at its core ¨C out of fear. Within the heart of our forgework lies a deceit most foul, a betrayal that would destroy Aris itself. Do not search for it and do not speak it without your flame if you are to learn it. As Toki absorbed the gravity of Elara''s words, the letter trembled in her grasp. A secret that could destroy the entire planet? The letter continued, but by now, Toki was frustrated and confused. Force that muddled geezer into submission. He has lost his heart long ago but can be your guide. He will show you the complexity of Cazoran, for I have not shown you the vastness of our worlds. I believe in you ¨C it¡¯s time for you to believe in yourself. Let not the whispers of doubt extinguish your fire. Now destroy this letter, my love. Yours, Elara Twice Elara was never good at goodbyes. Toki reflected on the letter and heard the banging on her door. Toki quickly opened the oven and threw the letter inside. Not even a minute had passed since she had started the forge reaction, but the heat burned the vellum to a crisp. Toki¡¯s paranoia peaked as suspicion about the scramble outside earlier edged her thoughts. How could she, in her youth and inexperience, assume the mantle of matriarch? The foxes among the elders would eat her alive. The Twice clan was a venerable entity, its roots sunk deep within the bedrock of their society. And she¡ªshe was but a fledgling forger. The banging grew louder, jolting her from the embrace of introspection. She rose, unlocked and opened her door. Alaric Twice strode into the room, flanked by two somber members of the family. Their eyes swept the rooms. "Uncle!" Toki gasped, her heart pounding against the cage of her ribs. The raw aggressiveness of the intrusion was palpable, sending waves of tension rippling through the once serene abode. Alaric''s eyes locked onto hers, a storm of emotions swirling within their depths. Regret carved lines around his mouth, and yet, there was an unmistakable fervor that held his spine erect. He hesitated for just a moment, as if grappling with the gravity of the moment, then advanced with deliberate steps toward her. "Forgive the intrusion, Tokyo," he said, his voice carrying the timbre of urgency. "You must come with us. Now. The elders are restless." The elders'' whispers echoed in her memory, their disdainful snorts at her abilities¡ªa fire considered worthless, an inheritance deemed a jest. But Elara had seen more. Elara had seen potential where she herself even doubted. I don¡¯t trust this. They were watching. "Where?" Toki managed, her voice steadier than she felt. "Why?" "Because," Alaric replied, his gaze never wavering, "the conclave has begun, and your presence is not a request¡ªit is a necessity. You know this." His words hung in the air. The Twice clan awaited, and with them, the future. Toki swallowed hard. "Then let¡¯s not keep them waiting," she said, her voice rising with resolve. The letter from Elara, now seared into her mind, was a timely warning. She put on cheap sandals and stepped forward, barely ready to face the conclave and all the shadows that lay beyond. Alaric''s solemn gaze met Toki as he led her to the main hall. "Niece," he began, his voice strangely concerned, ¡°unfortunately, your attire seems to only have deteriorated since I saw you last.¡± He looked her up and down, ¡°mind your words today of all days.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. They entered the conclave hall. Each corner was inscribed with the legacies of the Twice clan. High ceilings arched above, painted with frescoes that danced with the light of chandeliers, their crystalline teardrops casting prisms upon the marble floor. Conversations from the gathered clan wove through the air, each murmur laced with expectation. They were seated in concentric circles with the most respected elders towards the inner ring, her treacherous cousins seated in the outermost ring. "After you," Alaric murmured to her. His words trailed off as he gestured toward the assembly and moved towards his seat behind an elderly female. A tide of faces turned towards Toki. Toki squared her shoulders. The scent of aged wood and the subtle tang of the prepared ritual hung heavily around them. Inhaling deeply, Toki allowed the mystique of the grand hall to seep into her bones. The torches flickered as if nodding to her presence, the flames recognizing her. This was her duty, she was well versed in this ritual. After her mother left, this duty fell on her young shoulders. "Let the whispers cease," she declared, her voice steady, recollecting the ritual words, reaching even the furthest corners of the hall. "For I stand before you, not as a shadow cast by our legacy but as its bearer." A hush fell over the crowd. Toki raised her arms. Her slender fingers danced with the beginnings of a flame and tiny stars flickered into existence around her. "From the forge of dawn to the ashes of twilight," she began, her voice a melodic incantation that resonated off the walls. The flames around her hands swirled, growing brighter and more insistent. "I who carry this Authority have twice lit the flame." With those words, she thrust her hands forward, and the flames converged into a singular, brilliant blaze that hovered over the central brazier. The fire roared to life, casting a glow on the conclave. Mana streamed into the brazier and swirled as the innermost elders also offered their own mana to the flame. The room lay ensnared in silence, every clan member¡¯s gaze fixed upon Toki. The flames reflected in her eyes. ¡°We are Twice," she intoned, ¡°we are stewards of this flame, born in the time before time. In fire we find our purpose. In forge we find our fate." She paused for a moment, a dramatic pause. "Our lineage: Twice born, twice blessed, twice cursed. When our flame ignites, it too, shall burn twice. ¡°Within this flame, we hide the heart of truth, so no other flame shall wander," she continued, her voice steady. "Beneath this cloak of pretense, let each word spoken here illuminate our path.¡± The flame stabilized and encased the room in a glow.
[Suspension protocol JE-13 initiated] [Elara Twice has bequeathed the Twice Prime designation to Tokyo Twice (wielder)]
Is this one of Elara¡¯s secrets? What is the suspension protocol? Prime? "Elara''s absence is most¡­ disquieting," Elder Marrow broke the silence, his voice echoing with a mixture of concern and disbelief. "Why did she choose to walk?" Elder Marrow was one of the elders that the clan trusted. He sat in the innermost circle in a green robe. He oversaw the treasury and managed the clan¡¯s finances. His voice, thus, held weight. The other three elders that held similar regard were Elder Eris who led the disciplinary subcommittee, Elder Pamela who led the investment subcommittee, and Elder Copper who led the education subcommittee. "She assumed the mantle," Elder Copper finished, his tone laced with anxiety. "It¡¯s unlike her to leave us without warning." "Indeed," another elder chimed in, second circle. Elder Marrow continued, his stern gaze sweeping the assembly. "We cannot ignore the implications of our matriarch''s uncharacteristic departure. When a walker is sent, they have never returned. We have arranged this conclave today primarily to consider succession." Whispers threaded through the gathered clan, a tapestry of voices weaving theories and concerns. In the midst of them, Toki moved towards the flamebearer¡¯s seat, also inner circle. The seat for the leader remained empty. She had debated whether she should claim the leader¡¯s chair outright. That is what Elara would have done. Maybe they won¡¯t know that Elara left it to me. I can only hope. Amidst the restless congregation of Twice Clan elders, a slender woman voiced her thoughts. It was Eris Twice, Alaric''s mother and Toki¡¯s great aunt. She was wrinkled, but she held the white hair of the orthodox Twice line. Her voice was powerful and booming. "Esteemed assembly," Eris began, voice steady, "Elara''s absence is not without design. I hold her last scroll," she extended an ornate scroll, its seal already broken, "the final decree of Elara Twice." "By my hand and will, I bestow the mantle of matriarch onto Tokyo Twice, bearer of our flame." A murmur spread through the chamber like wildfire through dry underbrush. Eyes turned toward Toki, their gazes piercing as they sought to unravel the enigma before them. Toki felt her heartbeat drumming against her chest. Even primed by Elara¡¯s letter, she was unprepared. Shit. "But she is untested," protested Elder Copper, revealing the naked skepticism beneath. "Can we entrust our leadership to one so... inexperienced?" "Experience is not solely the measure of one''s worth," countered another elder, second circle, his visage the very picture of steadfastness. "Elara saw something in Toki¡ªa potential that transcends our traditional metrics of judgment." "Potential is a facet of an uncut gem," Elder Pamela, interjected, her tone sharp as flint. "Yet it requires the artisan''s hand to reveal its true form. The risk if we place such raw¡­ Tokyo¡­ at our helm is too great.¡± "We cannot change what Elara has written. You are prime now, correct?" retorted Elder Marrow, his gaze locked with Toki''s, searching, probing. Toki was shocked, but she did not let it show. She would indeed need to learn quickly. ¡°That is right, uncle. I have been appointed Prime.¡± Toki replied. He nodded. Toki heard many curious whispers, but Elder Marrow did not engage them, instead he replied, "then there is only one question that remains. Will she ascend as our sovereign, or shall we appoint a regent until proven?... It is my opinion that we must guard against a child¡¯s folly." He looked her up and down. Backs straightened, and heads nodded amongst the gathered elders, a sea of conflicting ideas emerging. Toki suspected that this was how Elara believed the elders would control her. ¡°Do we have a majority to appoint a regent?¡± A younger woman asked, third circle. ¡°First circle?¡± Elder Marrow queried. Copper, Marrow, Pamela, and Eris all raised a hand. Only Toki kept her hand down. Out of loyalty to Elara. ¡°There is no need for further discussion.¡± "Let us plan to cast our lots tomorrow then to appoint the regent." Eris suggested. The silence in the grand hall was brief but meaningful, thick and oppressive, as if the very walls listened with bated breath. ¡°Agreed.¡± The three other elders joined in, looking at each other warily. Elder Marrow continued, ¡°let us finalize the remaining strategic priorities while the flame is lit, then.¡± The elders continued into discussions of the upcoming trade legislation in Alabaster Ring and the material inventory and requirements for forgework sales in the coming quarter. The import of key goods and services was necessary to keep the city running. With the upcoming trade deal, there was an opportunity to expand the scale of the city and the influence of the Twice clan as a major exporter. And also grab more resources. Toki¡¯s hangover caused her head to throb. With her role in the clan affairs finished, her ears glazed over, and the conversation passed until the conclave ended. One by one, elders stopped fueling the fire, until finally Toki dissipated her flame. The elders filtered out and went towards the banquet hall for lunch.
[Suspension protocol JE-13 recalled]
When Toki got up to leave, she was approached by Elder Marrow. ¡°Toki, a word please.¡± Toki stepped aside, and Elder Marrow halted his steps. ¡°Mind your appearances. As the next matriarch, you are expected to maintain a certain decorum.¡± He looked around, glancing at the departing clan, and continued in a whisper, ¡°there is trouble afoot, dear girl. Rest while you can. Your vote tomorrow may break a stalemate.¡± Toki nodded, and Elder Marrow left the room with everyone else. Toki herself left and walked towards her room, instead. The pounding hangover had not abated, and it was finally time for some real rest. Before questions, fears and chaos could resurface, she fell into slumber. Chapter 6 – Eris is Dead [Talisman seal ¨C grows in strength with your suspicion] I lament your truth, poor wax seal, secure. Intact, you speak of faith, unbroken, sure, Shattered, you spin of tales, lazy, impure. Though why exist? Consider it your fee, Mistrust implied, a secret, you to me. ¨C Susie Q, Journal of Grievances Chapter 6 ¨C Eris is Dead A loud pounding shattered the stillness of Toki''s chamber, wrenching her from the tendrils of sleep that had so mercifully entwined her only moments before. Her eyes opened wide as she bolted upright. She looked through her window. It was dark. Night had arrived. Her stomach rumbled. What, why? "Who is it?" Her voice was a groggy mumble, barely piercing the silence that followed the banging. With trembling fingers, she brushed aside a wayward strand of white hair that clung to her damp forehead. "Open up, Toki! Now!" The voice beyond the threshold was fraught with an intensity that knotted Toki''s stomach¡ªtrouble? She recognized it instantly: Elder Pamela. Scrambling from the tangled sheets, Toki stumbled to the door. She fumbled with the lock, hands clumsy with sleep and sudden dread, and flung the door open. Elder Pamela loomed in the doorway, her usual stoic demeanor crumbling under the weight of urgent news. The elder''s eyes, which were usually sharp as flint, now flickered with tension. Something bad¡¯s happened. Gods damn it, Elara. "Child," Pamela gasped, her chest heaving as if each word were wrung from her soul. "Eris... Eris is dead. Murdered." Toki''s pulse hammered. She did not care for her great aunt. She was very much a busybody who always reprimanded her for her misadventures, but murder¡ªsuch a thing was inconceivable. Her mind reeled, struggling to assimilate the jagged fragments of this new, nightmarish reality. When was death so commonplace? "Murdered?" Toki echoed, her voice a hoarse whisper, tasting the word as it left her lips. It was bitter, laced with implications she dared not unravel. Wake up. I¡¯m dreaming. I have to be. I¡¯ll wake up now, and grandmother will be here. She¡¯ll sort everything out. "Listen to me!" Pamela''s hand clamped onto Toki''s arm with an urgency that brooked no argument. "You must understand the gravity of what has transpired." Golgheim¡¯s words flashed in her head, power vacuums lead to war. Murder. Leads to war. Toki nodded, her every nerve alight with the instinct to run, to hide¡ªto do anything but stand here. "Are we... are we in danger?" Toki''s query emerged as a whisper. Pamela nodded. "We must act swiftly, my child.¡± A lie. Her eyes give her away. I''m not dreaming. "Quickly now," Pamela urged, her voice quivering like a plucked string. "We must evade those who will seek you next." Toki''s mind raced and followed along. She grabbed her satchel and rifled through drawers snatching the essentials¡ªbottled and inked aeso, her hammer, and a few engraving tools. She pulled her boots from the oven and with practiced ease, slid her feet inside. "Evade... why?" "Because you are the centerpiece of this clan," Pamela countered. "The balance is broken with Eris''s death." "So why am I in danger?" Toki spat out, wrestling with the strap of her satchel. The irony was not lost on her; the same elders who had mocked her for her useless talent would now fight over her¡­ including, Toki suspected, Pamela. I can¡¯t discount that Elara¡¯s letter may be making me paranoid. But¡­ this¡­ it¡¯s a murder. "You are now a Prime. I¡¯m certain you don¡¯t know what that fully entails. What you can do to Aris itself is dangerous. Believe me Toki.¡± Toki nodded, swallowing the knot of bitterness that rose in her throat. She slung the satchel across her body. "Where¡ª" Toki began, but the question died upon her lips. "Follow me," came Pamela''s answer. The corridor stretched before them, its oppressive darkness punctuated by the erratic flicker of torches. Toki followed Pamela''s quiet but hurried steps, each footfall echoing a dire rhythm, erratic compared to the rhythmic ¡®smith hammer. A chill that had nothing to do with the night air seeped into Toki''s bones, whispering of unseen eyes and ears attuned to their flight. She trailed behind Pamela, her senses prickling with the electric tang of danger. "Keep your steps light," Pamela hissed without turning, her voice fraught with tension. "We are not alone tonight." Toki nodded, though the elder could not see it. Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow, tracking the faintest movements¡ªa curtain fluttering against a window, a door left ajar. "Here." Pamela extended a gnarled hand toward an unremarkable stretch of wall. "Through this passage¡ª" But the words caught in her throat as a distant clamor rose, the clatter of something overturned. A momentary lapse, a chink in the elder''s armor¡ªand Toki sensed her chance. "Forgive me," she murmured, before springing forward. In one fluid motion, Toki summoned her courage. With a swift, calculated strike, she delivered the blow to the nape of Pamela''s neck. The elder crumpled in silence, her body hitting the floor with a dull thud, yellow robes sprawled in disarray. Toki stood over her. Despite her age, Pamela would wake shortly. "Forgive me, Elder," she whispered to the unconscious form at her feet. "But it seems I will have to make this escape alone." If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She dared not glance over her shoulder; instead, Toki focused on the return path¡ªa labyrinthine trail back to the sanctuary of her room. Adrenaline quickened her movements, lending her limbs a preternatural swiftness. "Here! By the North Wing!" A shout shattered the illusion of solitude. Toki''s gaze snapped toward the source: two kin, their silhouettes etched by torchlight, rushing toward the fallen elder. Her throat tightened, but she quelled the panic rising within, focusing on escape. "Stay with her, I¡¯ll send for help!" one cried out to the other, his voice a blade of alarm cutting through the stillness. "Who would do this?" the second spoke, a whisper barely discernible yet laden with suspicion and dread. Fleeting relief washed over Toki as they tended to Pamela, granting her the precious seconds needed to hide. She summoned mana into her new enchantment, [Bindings of Tyndall] and used it to gain a series of footfalls in the air. Silently, she ascended the walls, her hands and feet finding purchase. "Where is she! Find her!" The command echoed below, a new voice. She heard a scream in the night from further away. Alongside her chambers, the water-filled quarry loomed ahead. Toki navigated the rooftops back to the eastern wing. ¡°This way. On the roofs! She¡¯s back in the east wing!¡± Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! she screamed in her head, a mantra to bolster her courage. Standing on top of her own chambers, she now was faced with a choice. If I hide away in my room, they won¡¯t be able to take me. I have enough enchantments to defend myself. But it¡¯s still a cage. Damn it Obie. You and your shards damned chillbird cage. Chillbirds can¡¯t be caged, they¡¯re made of water. The quarry''s edge loomed in front of her. Toki stood for a heartbeat, the world beneath her a chasm of chilling promise. Then she leapt. Her slender form pierced the night before she broke the surface of the pond with a near-silent splash. Cold water enveloped her. She descended into the depths and soon, the chaos outside was muffled by the water above her. I have 10 minutes of breath. Vitality + Vigor / 10. 10.4 minutes to be exact. I can¡¯t count on the last couple due to the cold, though this is more than enough. With each stroke, Toki swam deeper, pushing through the water, determined to leave this entrapment. Her muscles ached with the cold, but the pain was a welcome companion, grounding her in the moment when everything else seemed chaotic. As she swam, memories flickered unbidden. The mining shaft, her target below, materialized in her mind, a relic of simpler times. She could almost hear Oberon''s laughter, bubbling up from the depths of memory as they discovered the hidden entrance to their secret world. But he¡¯s gone now. "Look at this, Toki, they¡¯ll never find us here!" Oberon''s voice echoed in the hollows of her recollection, "Our very own fortress!" "Hmph, it¡¯s too small. One day I¡¯ll build a fortress as big as Allie Ring itself." She had replied, the wryness in her tone unable to mask the genuine affection she felt for the place. They were children then, untouched by the complexities of the present. The mining shaft had been their playground, a domain of dreams and dares, where the other Twice children couldn¡¯t follow. Couldn¡¯t torment them. Vitality + Vigor / 10. Back then, the shaft was adventure. It was an escape from the clan¡¯s wrath when you broke a forgework. It was slipping into town unseen to meet your real friends. Toki felt like she was tarnishing the shaft¡¯s memory by using it to flee from betrayal and politics. The present clawed back with icy fingers, dragging Toki from the sepia-toned nostalgia. She was 10 meters deep. The old mining shaft was close; a forgotten passage that she knew could be her escape. Toki kicked hard, propelling herself toward the darkened maw of the shaft into the cliff face in front of her. Even in the dark, she would know this path. Toki continued her submerged swim inside with purposeful strokes, each movement stirring up sediment. She looked out for the telltale blue bioluminescence of the coral she had planted, guiding her path through the maze, just as they had guided her and Oberon''s childish games. Five minutes. Faster than usual. With a surge, Toki broke the surface, gasping for air as the chill of the quarry gave way to the dank atmosphere of the shaft. Her hair clung to her face, the strands reflecting faint bioluminescence from the moss that clung to the rock walls ¨C more furnishings to illuminate her fortress. She heaved herself onto a ledge, water cascading from her slim form, and took a moment to listen. Silence enveloped her, save for the slow drip of water from stalactites. "Can you imagine it, Toki? Real stars!" Oberon''s voice echoed with the dreamy quality of their youth as the memory washed over her, as cold and clear as the water she navigated. "Not these painted ceilings or pinpricks in the distance. But vast, endless space." "Space," Toki murmured back, her younger self filled with equal parts wonder and conviction. "We''ll find them, Obie. And our parents too. There has to be more than this... more than metal and stone." Their fantasies had been as boundless as the universe they yearned to explore. They''d huddled in the old mining shaft, their sanctuary from the strictures of their lineage, sketching out constellations and plotting courses to worlds they''d only seen in books. Toki''s resolve crystallized with the fading memory. She rose to her feet and glanced at the constellations now with anguish, shaking off the remnants of hesitation. The shaft stretched before her. Her boots found familiar purchase on the uneven ground, and she advanced with purpose. Obie¡¯s gone, and he¡¯s not coming back. The shafts twisted and turned, like ancient serpents carved into the underbelly of the world. The secrets here were hers alone now. The cold sunk into her skin and the wet clothing dripped in the silence. She walked for a half hour through the labyrinthine maze of the old alabaster mine. In that time, she solidified her suspicion. Both Eris and Pamela must have been working together. They were thick as thieves. That means Copper or Marrow killed Eris. They had their vote. Marrow warned me¡ªso was it Copper? Why? Each step in the dim light also solidified her fear. The Falkori Dragons were after her ¨C the system issued its warning. Golgheim issued his as well: Dragonslaying leads to genocide. She remembered the fear in his eyes. The danger seeped in¡ªin the dark it was crippling. Chased out of her home, and shivering in the dark, she felt alone. She finally reached the opening to the exit. Emerging from the stygian embrace of the mining shaft, Toki''s gaze landed upon an unexpected sentinel. Golgheim Vast stood as a lone figure amidst the dark forest behind, bathed in the ethereal glow of a sigil that pulsed beneath his feet like a heartbeat of light. For a moment, Toki hesitated, arrested by the interplay of familiarity and intrigue. "Huh?" she murmured, her voice a soft intrusion upon the heavy silence. Her approach was tentative, each step measured against the churn of questions in her mind. Why was he here? ¡°Why are you here?" "Took you long enough," Golgheim intoned, his voice warm. "I¡¯ve been waiting here for hours.¡± He pointed at the sigil below. ¡°Damn contract." Toki hesitated only for a heartbeat before closing the distance between them. His embrace enfolded her¡ªsolid and warm, a bulwark against the encroaching desolation of her circumstances. "I didn''t know where else to run." "Come now," the scent of ancient tomes clung to him. ¡°Did you know this was going to happen? Eris is dead. Elara is dead. Fuck. Oberon is dead.¡± "Questions for later, my dear," Golgheim assured her gently, his hands resting on her shoulders. " I intend to keep you safe. I am contracted by your grandmother, after all. We''ve been ensnared in a web not of your making, and I will see us free from it." "Free... heh. You¡¯re stuck here like me too, huh." The words hung between them as she pointed at the sigil. "Indeed¡­" he acknowledged, a somber note threading through his words. "Can you get me out of here? Away from all of this?" Her voice, usually so steady, now trembled like a leaf in the wind. ¡°No. This is no nightmare, Tokyo. You cannot simply wake up. Now come.¡± He turned away from the cavern''s mouth, sigil fading. Toki''s still wet feet squelched against the damp earth as she and Golgheim threaded their way through the underbrush, the darkness of the forest canopy pressing down upon them. The cool air nipped at her cheeks, carrying with it the promise of rain. "Careful," Golgheim murmured, his voice a low rumble that resonated through the stillness. "Roots can make you trip." She nodded, her gaze fixed on the uneven ground, but something¡ªa prickling sensation along the nape of her neck¡ªcompelled her to look back. Through the interlacing branches, Toki caught the briefest glimpse of Elder Marrow in the twilight. His silhouette was perched atop a craggy outcrop, motionless as a gargoyle, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. "Keep moving," Golgheim urged, sensing her hesitation. Her throat tightened, and she pulled her gaze away from the ominous figure, focusing instead on Golgheim''s steadfast profile. Chapter 7 – Sushi Sam’s Come all ye ''smiths, both great and small! Gather ''round! Come heed our calls! Raise your glass, forge your heart! ¡®Chant bold tonight, for ¡®morro who falls? ¨C Random bard @ Hammaltin¡¯s Chapter 7 ¨C Sushi Sam¡¯s Toki and Golgheim continued silently through the forest. Toki was immersed in her thoughts, when Golgheim''s deep voice broke the quiet. "Tokyo, how did you defeat Dutch Eternal? Have you been training, or did you happen upon an opportunity?" Toki exhaled, her breath puffing out in the cool air like smoke. "I¡¯m not 50-capped yet, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking," she responded with a shrug that failed to display her usually fiery spirit. The stress of recent events hung on her like a leaden cloak, dampening the spark that typically danced in her eyes. Her stomach rumbled. "Ah," Golgheim mused, his tone laced with concern and a hint of something more paternal. "Strength is not merely the flexing of muscles, but the resilience of spirit." "Resilience, right..." Toki''s words trailed off into the forest, lost among the trees. Sensing her disquiet, Golgheim flashed a rare, mischievous grin. "Perhaps a dash through the woods would ignite your¡­ pomp? A race to my estate!" "Race?" Her eyebrow arched skeptically. "I¡¯ve done enough running tonight. I¡¯m not in the mood.''" "Come now, surely the prospect of victory might rouse some small ember of enthusiasm. Or perhaps you¡¯re afraid?" Golgheim teased, his eyes twinkling with an almost boyish challenge. "Ha!" Toki snorted, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. The absurdity of racing this monster sparked a semblance of competitiveness within her. It was a welcome distraction from the ominous shadows that loomed over her thoughts. "You''re on, you geezer." With a swift motion, Golgheim set off, his green robes billowing behind him like the sails of a ship catching wind. Toki sighed, casting one last glance at the serenity of the nighttime landscape before launching herself after him. They danced between the starlight that dared to pierce the canopy. The forest was alive with a symphony of sound¡ªtwigs snapping underfoot, leaves rustling in their wake, the occasional startled creature darting away from their careening paths. "Keep up or yield to the relentless march of age and wisdom!" Golgheim called back. "Yield? Ha!" Toki huffed, the word igniting a tiny spark within her, a smile finally breaking through her stoic facade. Perhaps the first in days. The forest blurred into streaks of dark green and brown as she pushed her body, the air humming with the tension of their friendly contest. [You are being summoned by Law Cats. Prepare for meld in 5 seconds.] "Mind the saplings, Toki! They are young and full of life," Golgheim called out, his voice tinged with laughter despite the situation. Oh shit. A jolt of unbidden power seized Toki mid-stride, wrenching her from the race. The forest vanished, replaced by a sterile hum and the muted clack of distant keyboards. Stumbling, she caught herself. She straightened warily, eyes wide, taking in the geometric rigidity of the room¡ªa stark contrast to the natural chaos of the woods. "Where in the seven hells...?" Her voice trailed off as she approached the vast window in front of her. Below, a tapestry of lights unfurled across an impossible cityscape, where structures defied imagination and gravity with equal impunity. Vehicles hovered and darted like metallic insects between glass spires that pierced the sky¡ªthe ships in the Aris sky could never match their speed. This was no quaint village; it was a metropolis from a time not even dreamt. "Ya look like ya seen a ghost, hun." A woman¡¯s voice sliced through the awe and confusion. Toki spun to find a cat-lady perched on the corner of the desk, legs crossed, a smirk playing upon her lips. ¡°Marsha. Marsha Mallow.¡± Marsha''s suit was as crisp as her tone, her feline eyes glinting with mischief beneath stylish frames. "This isn''t funny. I''ve got¡ª" "Important things to do? Please. You''re here now, might as well enjoy the view," Marsha cut in, waving a dismissive hand encased in a glove tailored from what must have been pure chutzpah. Where am I? How¡¯d I get here? "Ah, doll, it''s just temporary. Poor system ripped ya from a swim without notice? Only ya mind¡¯s here. Hope ya don¡¯t drown, though." Marsha interrupted, pointing to the machine humming above. Her words tumbled out in a cascade that bore her distinctive accent like a badge of honor. I¡¯m still wet, but the water is clinging to me, not the floor. Strange. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Marsha leaned against a desk cluttered with paperwork and what appeared to be a half-knitted scarf, her next project idly twined between her fingers. "Besides, we have business don¡¯t we. Speaking of business, did ya hear about Sushi Sam''s?" Toki¡¯s expression betrayed her wonder. "Uh. What?" Toki asked, one eyebrow arching with skepticism. "Sushi Sam¡¯s! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a country bumkin." Marsha exclaimed, her expression mock-serious. "The best dragon roll this side of the multiverse, and they''re closing down. Can ya believe it? Heard the owner ran afoul of a solar kraken¡ªliteral, not metaphorical." Toki giggled at the absurdity. "A sushi chef with a kraken problem," Toki parroted, allowing herself a laugh, releasing some of the tension winding tight within her core. "Thata girl. That¡¯s what I wanted to see. Unfortunately, we''ve got more pressing fish to fry than my soon-to-be-lamented lunch spot." Marsha''s tone shifted as she inspected a document. ¡°You¡¯re from the sticks, Aris. Never heard of it,¡± she said, her playful banter receding. Toki couldn''t help but crack a smile, despite the whirlwind of events. Marsha''s rapid-fire banter was disarming, and maybe that was precisely what she needed. Marsha poured an amber liquid into two glasses, the fluid dance of it catching the light, and put it on the high table in front of her. "Alright, Toki, down to brass tacks. Or was it thumbtacks? Either way, you''ve got yourself in a heap of trouble with the Falkori Dragons, and that''s not the sort of mess ya clean up with apologies and a dustpan." Toki accepted the glass but didn''t pick it up, sensing the shift in the room''s atmosphere. "So I''ve guessed." "Smart girl," Marsha chuckled, the sound dry. "Those scaly nuisances are all in a tizzy ''cause ya offed one of their own. Now, I don''t need to tell ya they''re annoying assholes, but when push comes to shove, they stick tighter than snailmermaid superglue on a spaceship hull." "Great," Toki muttered, wry humor failing to mask the dread pooling in her stomach. "Exactly. And the system we''ve got? Ain''t gonna shield ya for long. That''s why ya need us. Law Cats. We know loopholes like mice know cheese." "I thought you were a cat?" Toki eyed the lawyer warily. Marsha was sharp, she could tell, her mind whirring faster than the metal insects zipping by outside the window. A predator in pinstripes. ¡°Feliform, dear.¡± Without warning, Marsha slapped a document onto the glass tabletop. The contract glared up at Toki, full of legal jargon and predatory clauses. "Here''s the deal," Marsha said, tapping her claw-like nails on the paper. "We handle your case, keep the dragons from turning you into a charcoal brisket, and for our troubles, we take a modest 40% of whatever reward you''re wrangling for." "Forty percent?" Toki balked, feeling the imbalance of power like a seesaw tipped against her. They want me dead? I thought it was for the reward. She didn¡¯t actually know how valuable her reward was, but instinct, honed by Elara, had taught her to negotiate. ¡°Up front.¡± Toki let out a laugh. Theatrical, but necessary. "Hey, nobody said justice was cheap," Marsha retorted, her eyes gleaming like polished obsidian. "Plus, it ain''t just about the money, doll. It''s about survival. Ya play in the big leagues now, and those dragons? They''ll come at ya with fire and fury, and there ain''t no way a small-time planet can withstand that kind of heat. At least not without us." Toki stared at the contract, the words swimming before her. This felt more like signing away her soul than securing an ally. The scales were tipped far out of her favor. "Just sign here, Tokyo," Marsha encouraged, though the lawyer''s confidence suggested she was already counting her cut. Toki''s fingers traced the edges of the contract with deliberate slowness, a clause hastily scrutinized under her wary gaze. She was no stranger to the fine print that danced devilishly between the lines. "Marsha," Toki started, her voice threaded with an unyielding resolve, "I''m going to need some time with this." Marsha''s tail swished, betraying an impatience she otherwise masked with a purr-like chuckle. "Honey, I get it, ya wanna be thorough. But let me tell ya, time is a luxury we don''t have. The dragons? They''re not filing their claws waiting for us to get our act together. They¡¯re filing for intercession to access Aris.¡± "I appreciate the urgency, but I won''t sign away more than I have to. There are terms here that would make even a saint feel swindled." "Saints don''t last long in draconic jurisprudence," Marsha quipped, whiskers twitching with impatience. "But fine, make your revisions. Just remember, we need to file an injunction yesterday." "Yesterday can wait a tad longer," Toki shot back, her wit unfazed by urgency. "I''ve got as much interest in being dragon fodder as you do in skipping a yarn sale, but I won''t be cornered into signing something this lopsided." "Fine," Marsha conceded with a flick of her whiskers, "but tick-tock, kitty clock''s ticking. Don''t take too long, or you''ll be the main course in a dragon-sized sushi roll, and I ain''t talking about Sushi Sam¡¯s."
[Law Cats follow-up appointment is scheduled] [0/1 ad-hoc appointments available] [Draft contract is available] [Timer: 6 hours]
A sudden vertigo sensation seized Toki, the room spiraling away as if reality itself had been twisted like a Mobius strip. She felt her mind pulled back, a journey as silent as space and just as disorienting. In an instant, she found herself standing in the dense forest once more. "Damn it," she muttered, scanning her surroundings. Golgheim was nowhere in sight. Her feet moved of their own accord, intuition guided her path to his estate. It didn¡¯t take her conscious thought ¨C instead she focused on the details of her interaction. Marsha is a shark. Could I even have drunk from that cup, or was it foreplay? Maybe just a gesture to disarm me¡­ Gods, I was in the stars. Imagine what they¡¯ve done in that city. Imagine the forgeworks! Fuck that¡¯s right¡­ that''s my lawyer. Shit! Those dragons are coming here!?! Toki frowned as she realized she was still in deep shit. At least I¡¯m not being chased by a solar kraken. That sounds awful. "Coming for you, Golgheim," she declared into the night, the challenge thrown to the wind as she raced to reclaim the time stolen from her. "You''re not rid of me that easily." Plus, I need you to read this contract. You¡¯ve been swindled plenty before. The forest gave way a short dash later, and Toki burst forth from the timberline, stars suddenly vivid above interspersed between rain clouds. There stood Golgheim, an aura of disappointment eclipsing his form. Behind him was a wooden homestead, quaint even. "You¡¯re slow," he chastised. Toki brushed a strand of white hair from her face, her breath steady as she met Golgheim''s, feeling a sting of embarrassment heat her cheeks. ¡°I was...delayed.¡± ¡°The challenges you face cannot be outrun,¡± he continued, his gaze piercing through her defenses. ¡°To kill a dragon is no small feat; it requires a fortitude that must be honed, lest you falter when karma catches up. Because it will now, Toki. It will.¡± Chapter 8 – Shackles of Aris The hammer has its path. It is inevitable and absolute. As do humans. Only briefly do you have a window to change it. In those brief moments, you must force the path to change. To forge a new fate. ¨C Golgheim Vast, lecture to Tokyo Twice Chapter 8 ¨C Shackles of Aris Toki walked forward towards Golgheim. Golgheim''s hand shot out, seizing Toki¡¯s wrist with an ironclad grip. "You''re unprepared," he declared, his voice a gruff reprimand. Toki stumbled and barely registered his aggression before the impromptu lesson began. "What¡ª" "Defend yourself!" Golgheim cut her off, pushing her back as he advanced. She regained her footing and pulled her hammer from her satchel. She rolled backwards and discarded the bag. The rush of wind hit Toki as Golgheim''s hammer descended in a sudden arc, crushing the air inches from her startled form. "Focus, child!" he barked, his voice echoing in the clearing. Toki dodged to the side, her wet robe whipping around her as she narrowly avoided another of Golgheim''s calculated strikes. "The future holds perils you are ill-prepared to face, and you choose to run? What cowardice!" "Damn it, Golgheim!" she spat out, parrying a thrust with her own hammer, her slender frame tensing with the effort. "If you knew the future, why didn¡¯t you stop it. I¡¯m not ready.¡± Her accusation hung heavy between them, punctuated by the harsh rasp of handle on handle as they met. Golgheim''s brow furrowed, not with concentration on the spar but with the weight of unspoken truths. ¡°Your anger is good, but you ask the wrong question," he conceded quietly, deflecting her rage-fueled blows with an unwavering defense, "there are tides in this war that you do not comprehend. Yet you run from the truth." "Comprehend?" Toki''s laugh was bitter as she danced back from a sweeping strike. "I comprehend that we''re just food to that dragon! Why didn''t you save grandmother? Why didn¡¯t you save Oberon?" They cared for you, and I know you cared for them. "Elara knew the stakes," Golgheim replied, his countenance somber. His hammer met hers with a resounding clash that sent reverberations singing up her arms. "She chose her path with eyes wide open, Toki. As must we all." "Chose?" Toki hissed through clenched teeth, her flame ability flickering to life in her palm out of fury. Toki did not know its use, but it was an outlet for her mana and intent, now currently roiling at Golgheim¡¯s words. She unleashed a flurry of blows, each one more ferocious than the last. "Or was she forced because you wouldn''t act?" Golgheim''s stance remained steadfast, his movements measured as he absorbed the fury of her assault. "Sacrifices have been made," he murmured, a note of sorrow threading through his voice. "And we honor them not through vengeance, but by striving for a future where such choices need not be made. Again, you ask the wrong question!" "Empty words from a council speaker who watches as his manasmiths fall to dragon fire!" Toki''s retort was sharp. Golgheim''s tone hardened. "Question my decisions if you must, but never doubt my resolve to protect this world. Now, defend yourself!" Golgheim''s every move was a lesson. Despite her fury, Toki remembered his teachings and still learned from him now. My muscle memory and instincts come from you, Golgheim. My hammer style, too. You wear a teacher¡¯s smile on your face, but I see through it. Why did you not fight for them? Toki parried Golgheim''s latest strike with her new enchantment. [Bindings of Tyndall] activated and took enough of Golgheim¡¯s latest strike for her to dodge away before it shattered into mana dust. Immediately after, the clash of their handles reverberated through the air. She could feel the tension coiling in her muscles. As they broke apart, she seized the moment to pierce the fight with a question. "Tell me!" she demanded, her voice laced with both curiosity and accusation. "Why did Dutch Eternal have such liberties!? Why was the dragon allowed to claim our people? It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not just." "History, Toki, is not fair. You are not a child," Golgheim said as he dodged Toki¡¯s attack. His movements were a study in controlled power. "History is often a series of consents wrapped in gilded chains. An accord was struck. An ancient bond¡ªbetween myself, the Kathoric Dynasty, and the Falkori Dragons. It was a different time then, and some would consider us the aggressor." He deflected another of her strikes with his own hammer handle, the force reverberating up her arm. "Every five years, a crafter is sent to learn from and work with the dragons. To the Dynasty, we traded our crafting exports. This was in exchange for system sovereignty for our planet. A triad of promises intended to preserve peace and give us a chance at prosperity." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "Peace? Prosperity?" Toki spat the words like venom, leaping back from a sweeping kick, placing [Bindings of Tyndall] behind Golgheim¡¯s anchored foot. "At what price? Crafters are dying ¨C they aren¡¯t learning! I saw what happened to Susie Q!" "Yes Toki, yes. The fine print," Golgheim murmured, almost regretfully, meeting her flurry of blows with unfaltering precision, and deftly avoiding the trap. "The past is the past. You could say we lost everything. We lost our bargaining power, certainly. It allowed the Falkori to siphon our most gifted, causing our exports to lag, triggering hidden clauses in our contract. Our noncompliance opened up loopholes." Toki paused, breath heaving, the air shimmering around her with starry flames. "You traded lives for what? How was it worth it?" Toki cast [Telekinesis] and five large stones around her levitated into the air. They shot towards Golgheim, more for distraction than damage. "Crafters like Elara¡ªlike you¡ªthey are the lifeblood of Aris¡­ we¡­ I would never give them away willingly. We were strong then¡­ but even the strongest upstarts will have to fight the universe to reach the top¡­ still, we were strong enough to have a say." Golgheim''s voice was a low thrum as he nimbly dodged the stones as they were thrown. "When that strength disappeared, the dragons'' greed grew insatiable, devouring the talent we offered over time. It created fissures in our agreement, and now... now you know where we stand." "Then what good is your contract if it means sacrificing everything we are?" Toki''s voice broke with emotion. She sent another salvo of stones to create an opening. "Sometimes," Golgheim said, deflecting another strike, his eyes dark pools of ancient sorrow, "the cost of ambition is paid in blood. Now we must navigate the treacherous balance between sacrifice and survival." Golgheim dodged four of the five stones and deflected the last with his hammer handle. Toki''s hammer arced through the air taking advantage of his wasted movement. He parried with a grimace, his movements betraying the emotional weight he had shoved deep inside. "How?" she gasped, breathless from exertion and the magnitude of her revelation. "How''s that even possible. You aren¡¯t that old. How can you be? That would make you thousands of years old. How can you expect me to believe this?" The question hung between them like a specter. She twisted away from a disarm attempt, her own strike narrowly missing Golgheim''s shoulder. Golgheim hesitated. His eyes revealed a sliver of the ancient being beneath the veneer of the council speaker. "Ageless as the stone and enduring as the wind," he finally said, his voice resonating with the earth around them. "I am Aris itself! Its spirit bound to this form!" With his booming voice, the wind swirled and the air cracked as mana surged around Golgheim. ¡°I will never defy the people of this planet because I am the planet! How would I dare?¡± Lightning cackled from above and the ground heaved at his steps. Rain fell at his command. An arena of earth lifted surrounding them. Toki stumbled back, disarmed not by a strike but by the staggering power. This. This? Was this even possible? How could he BE the planet? Had grandmother known? "Then why!? Why did you not save her from the dragons? Was it because she defied you? Because she was a prime?¡± Surprise flickered over Golgheim''s features, quickly masked by the stoic facade of a guardian forced to make unthinkable choices. "You know of the primes," he stated, more an observation than a question. "Yes, Elara was one¡ªshe was indeed unique. But Elara desired the impossible," Golgheim replied, his guard lowering in remembrance. "She sought to rewrite destinies¡ªnot just hers, but all of Aris. Her strength was insufficient." His gaze locked onto Toki''s, a silent acknowledgment of the burden now resting on her slender shoulders. "And you gave up on her because of it?! What did she seek from you that you could not give? Is that why you let her die?" Toki demanded. Toki stood before a planet. His presence forced her to retreat further. "I loved Elara," Golgheim confessed, "but I have loved many children of Aris. My love for her could not overshadow my duty. To forsake the many for the one would have been the truest betrayal of my purpose." "Even when that one is... everything¡­," to me? The plaintive note in Toki''s voice ebbed away as her inner flame surged, casting cartoonish stars around her form. A small ember compared to the violent energies encircling Golgheim. "Especially then," Golgheim replied, his silhouette framed by intermittent lightning above. "Our choices are our legacy and our path, Toki. We must live with them, even when they carve into our hearts. That is most important when you come to reach my age. Elara knew this well. You must learn this. You must stop running." ¡°You have this power¡­ you could have done it so¡­ easily. I couldn¡¯t even damage the dragon! Susie did it with her fucking poison cup. My enchantment was worthless before its power, just like I am now. I only dealt the killing blow.¡± Toki dropped to her knees and dropped her hammer. ¡°Why do your choices hold you back. Why couldn¡¯t you save them?¡± Her last words came out in a whimper against the surging power. "Understand this," he said, his voice a somber echo. "The choices laid upon me are labyrinthine, intricate as the patterns forged into your enchantments. Each path bore thorns, and I walked the one I believed would cause the least suffering." "Least suffering?" Toki''s laugh was sharp. "Ha, how can it get worse than this? The Falkori Dragons are drowning me in legal elfshit and threaten the entire planet. My own kin plot to ensnare me, and grandmother... Obie... and now Eris¡­ they lie dead because of what? An ancient promise?!" "Your pain is palpable," Golgheim acknowledged, stepping back. "But consider the cataclysm that would ensue if our world defied the contract. If I defied the contract. The Kathoric Dynasty would not sit idle while their tribute is withheld. The Falkori would raze cities to cinders in their indignation." "Then let them try!" Toki''s cry reverberated off the stone walls, her starlike flame igniting with fervent intensity. "We are not chattel to be bargained with, lives to be traded at the whims of others!" "Would you have all of Aris share in your tumultuous fate?" Golgheim''s question was laced with a goading tone, his eyes searching hers for mettle. "The pact, flawed though it may be, has prevented total subjugation. Without it, we stand exposed, vulnerable to the greed of empires." "Freedom bought with tribute is no freedom at all." Her breaths came fast and hot, misting in the cool rain as she steadied herself for another exchange. ¡°Then get stronger.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°That is the right question.¡± Chapter 9 – Sam, I Am In the grand theater of existence, Karma takes its place as the orchestral underbelly of production, an unseen force weaving the threads of destiny, ensuring that every action, every choice, every actor, finds its rightful consequence in the intricate tapestry of life. It is the cosmic arbiter, impartial yet relentless, balancing the scales of existence with unwavering meter, reminding us that what we sow shall inevitably be reaped. Those who play its melody are dangerous. Those who play the harmony, especially so. ¨C Pendulum didactic, Classification of Bounty Targets Chapter 9 ¨C Sam, I Am Suspended in the void of a dimly lit cave, Sushi Sam dangled precariously, his ankles bound by ethereal chains that shimmered with an otherworldly glow. Below him, a pool of acid churned ominously, emanating vapors that twisted into ghastly shapes before dissipating into the darkness. His heart thrummed against his ribcage. "Esteemed kraken," Sam began, his voice quivering slightly before he regained control, casting his words into the cavernous expanse with deliberate calm. "I implore you to consider the virtue of mercy." The solar kraken loomed before him, its gargantuan form a silhouette against the faint luminescence that filtered through the cave''s craggy ceiling. Its eyes, vast and unblinking, fixed on Sam with an intensity that could sear through the bravado of even greater beings. "Mercy is a gift," Sam continued, "bestowed upon those who recognize the potential for change." He drew a deep breath, channeling all his persuasive prowess into weaving a narrative designed to sway the cosmic entity. "There was once a man, much like myself, who believed his path was set in stone. But life, replete with its cruel twists and enigmatic turns, offered him redemption¡ªa chance to alter the course of his fate. To grow and learn from his failures." The kraken remained silent, but its tentacles stirred with what might have been curiosity or perhaps mere reflex as it listened to the tale spun by the pirate formerly known as Silver-tongued Sam. "Imagine, if you will, a future where even a being of your magnificence can embrace a different destiny," Sam said, his voice steadying into the rhythmic cadence that had charmed countless souls before. "An existence not bound by the expectations of others but defined by the choices made anew. Choose to forgive, old sport." He searched the kraken''s ancient gaze for a flicker of understanding, a spark of emotional resonance that could signify a reprieve from his dire predicament. The stakes were higher than ever, his own life hanging in the balance, quite literally. "Everyone deserves a second chance," he concluded with a note of solemnity, hoping beyond hope that his plea would resonate with the celestial jailer that held his life in its grasp. The silence in the cave was deafening as the kraken''s impassive gaze held Sushi Sam in a vice of dread. The glimmer of hope that had sparked in Sam''s chest, fueled by his plea for mercy, withered under the weight of the behemoth''s indifference. It was clear that the ancient creature before him was unmoved by tales of redemption. Desperation clawed at Sam''s insides, and he knew it was time to change his strategy and sow some karma. "Ah, I see," Sam started, his tone taking on a playful edge. "You''re one of those ''silent but deadly'' types, aren''t you? Classic villain material, really. Did they cast you out of the aquarium for being too on the nose? You must have a shark tank nearby." The kraken''s only response was the slow undulation of its tentacles in the dim light. Yet, something shifted in the air¡ªa current of intrigue perhaps? "Or maybe you''re just playing hard to get?" Sam goaded, twisting his body as much as his restraints would allow, the ethereal rope creaking above the pool of sizzling acid. "Come now, surely a cosmic entity like yourself has heard it all before¡ªtales of woe and sorrow. But what about a good roast, eh? You can''t tell me you''ve had your fair share of those. I am a great chef." "Let me guess, calamari is off the menu for you. Too close to home? Too soon?" Sam''s barbed words were met with an eerie stillness. Then, with a suddenness that sent a jolt of fear through Sam''s spine, the kraken moved. Its massive tentacles¡ªeach lined with suckers capable of latching onto the fabric of space itself¡ªreached out towards him. They coiled around Sam''s form with an unnatural grace, probing his pockets and the folds of his clothing. "Careful there, I tickle easily," Sam quipped, though his jest hid an undercurrent of anxiety. His mind raced as the kraken''s limbs encircled him, the touch cold. ¡°Hey, not there.¡± He felt the pressure of the suckers against his skin, invasive and unrelenting as they searched for whatever treasures he might possess. "Is this what you''re after?" Sam asked, trying to maintain his bravado even as his internal alarm bells rang. "Trinkets and baubles? Or perhaps you''re looking for something more... substantial?" The kraken paused, as if considering Sam''s words. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m opposed¡­ you are a very pretty solar kraken. Just let me down fr¡ª¡± The cavern seemed to contract around them as mana surged off the kraken, the walls closing in with the palpable tension of a deal being struck in the darkest corner of the galaxy. Here in the abyssal depths, ambition and survival danced a precarious tango, and Sam knew that every word, every taunt, could tip the scales in his favor¡ªor seal his fate. Just a little bit further. Tentacles unfurled, releasing Sam from their grip as he swung precariously above the acid''s corrosive embrace. The kraken retreated slightly, its attention riveted on the spatial treasure pulled from a hidden compartment. The kraken injected mana into it and shimmering mana crystals spilled from the sorry sack onto the rough-hewn floor of the cave. Each crystal pulsed with an inner light, casting eerie shadows that danced across the creature''s many eyes. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I do say, how did those get there?¡± The kraken extended a solitary tentacle to gingerly poke at the pile, and the greedy glint in its gaze betrayed its fascination. "Ah, I see you''re a connoisseur of the finer things," Sam said, his voice steady despite the blood rushing to his head. "Those crystals are but mere trinkets compared to the treasure trove I''ve stumbled upon." The kraken''s interest seemed piqued, its form hovering closer as if drawn by the gravity of Sam''s words. In the dimness, the creature''s silhouette loomed like a celestial body eclipsing all hope of escape. Yet, where others saw an impasse, Sam perceived opportunity knocking with insistent urgency. "Legends speak of a vault," Sam continued, each word carefully measured for effect, "hidden within the nebulous folds of the Prospero Rift. A cache brimming with crystals so potent, they could turn even the most mortal of beings into deities." A silence settled thick as the dust of shattered planets. The kraken remained motionless, its curiosity now transformed into rapt attention. It was the stillness of space itself¡ªvast, cold, and pregnant with possibilities. So close, I can taste it. Freedom. "Imagine the power such wealth could wield," Sam added, the bait laid bare before the behemoth. His gamble was as audacious as it was perilous. "An endless dominion could be yours," he pressed on, weaving visions of grandeur and conquest, knowing full well that ambition often overruled reason in the minds of those who thirsted for supremacy. "Speak," the kraken demanded through a telepathic ripple that skimmed the surface of Sam''s mind like a stone across a cosmic pond. "Patience, my gargantuan friend," Sam replied with a grin that belied his precarious situation. "Perhaps you could let me down. Let¡¯s discuss over a drink. I have a 71M Macallan in there somewhere." The kraken''s presence filled the cavern with an oppressive weight, yet it waited, its hunger for power overriding its predatory instincts¡ªfor now. Sam knew he had ensnared the beast in his web of tales; the die was cast, and the next move would determine his fate. The kraken''s tentacle unfurled like the dark promise of a storm cloud, reaching toward Sushi Sam with an air of inevitability. The touch was precise, branding his torso with an arcane sigil that glowed like a newborn star birthed in the nebulous folds of the void. It burned his flesh and Sam let out a gasp. Shit, shit, shit! "Your life," the kraken''s thoughts resonated within the cavern, "for the treasures you claim to hold." Its appendage gestured languidly towards the shimmering mana crystals scattered across the stone floor. The message was clear: Sam would procure more or perish. The kraken grabbed a crystal and pushed it into the brand. The pain disappeared for a moment. The mana crystal, now dimmed slightly, dropped onto the pile once more through a spatial tear. With the brand pulsing on his skin, Sam felt the gravity of his new reality pulling him deeper into the abyss. Yet, he let no trace of panic surface. His mind, ever a whirling dervish of plots and possibilities, began to dance once again. Odin¡¯s great testicle! I overshot. Too much karma. Too much. "Understood, my cosmic captor," he said, his voice steady as state-of-the-art pulsar guidance travel. "But know this, such bounteous harvests require time to ripen." He spoke with the confidence of one who had bartered for his life countless times before, each syllable laced with the delicate nuance. The kraken considered, its psychic link tinged with impatience. Then it took a small tentacle-full of mana crystals from the appropriated pile and pushed them into the brand. All the residual pain disappeared. "I shall await your tribute, but do not mistake my curiosity for leniency." "Of course," Sam concurred, his grin a mere shadow on his visage, knowing full well the monumental task ahead. In the silence that followed, Sam''s heartbeat echoed. For now, the kraken believed in his fiction, but belief was a fragile thing, easily shattered. Sam needed to act, and swiftly, lest the tentacles of fate ensnare him beyond salvation. Now! The cavernous gloom quivered as Sam, suspended like a forsaken marionette cast [Bag of Tricks] with deft urgency. With fingers trembling yet sure, he coaxed forth the twin dice made of mana and karma that had long been his silent allies in games of chance and charm. The kraken''s multitude of eyes, an alien jury, watched uncomprehendingly as the dice tumbled from Sam¡¯s grasp, clattering unrealistically against the acid with a magical sound that pierced the heavy silence. Sam muttered under his breath, the dice spinning end over end. Snake-eyes greeted him, a pair of ones staring defiantly up from the unforgiving ground¡ªa harbinger of chaos amidst order. As if answering some arcane summons, a spatial burst erupted, its energy radiating outward in a shockwave of blinding incandescence. A luminescence engulfed the chamber, casting prismatic flares that danced upon the kraken''s tough exterior and sent shadows skittering. The kraken roared telepathically, tentacles writhing as it recoiled, momentarily blinded by the light. With its gaze fractured, the creature''s confusion was palpable. Seizing the calculated serendipity, Sam flexed his legs, and with a concerted heave, set himself swinging like a pendulum. He glanced downward at the acid pool below; it was a glaring reminder of what failure would entail. A tentacle swung at his previous position, but missed him, barely. Each arc brought him closer to the rippling veil that marked the spatial tear¡¯s threshold¡ªthe boundary between this dire strait and the unknown beyond. "You''ll sashimi later," he spat, contorting his body with acrobatic finesse, his tailored suit straining against the force of his movements. The world tilted on its axis, reality warping at the edges as Sam closed in on the ephemeral gateway. "Think you can outmaneuver me? Your parlour tricks are no match for¡ª" The kraken''s voice boomed through the cave, only to falter as it realized too late the cunning behind the con man''s gambit. Sam¡¯s form had slipped through the portal''s embrace just as the kraken''s sight returned, the maw of the escape route snapping shut like the end of an act, ethereal chain severed by the closed spatial tear. Sam''s descent terminated abruptly, the firm ground beneath him an unforgiving welcome. He exhaled sharply as relief coursed through his veins, the sting of impact a trivial price for eluding the lethal jaws of fate. Collecting himself, he rose unsteadily to his feet, his senses taking in the new reality that encased him. The room was white, a single glass wall offering a panoramic view of the aquatic world beyond¡ªa zoo exhibit, complete with curious eyes peering in, studying him as if he were some exotic specimen. "Quite the audience," Sam muttered, pressing a hand against the cool surface. Onlookers scrutinized his every move, their expressions ranging from fascination to nonchalance. A child pressed a sticky webbed hand against the glass, her gaze wide with wonder. Sam offered her a lopsided grin before turning away, his predicament gnawing at the edges of his composure. As he drew breath to steady his racing heart, Sam''s fingers brushed against the searing brand emblazoned on his torso¡ªa kraken¡¯s mark, tendrils etched into his skin. It pulsed with a reminder of his debt¡ªa contract sealed with cosmic force. The brand was a tether, binding him to the creature whose greed knew no bounds. Not that I¡¯m any different. "Bro, that was something. Think you could do it again?" The voice sliced through Sam''s thoughts, its owner a cervidian¡ªa creature part deer, part human¡ªwith eyes wide in disbelief and cloven hooves planted firmly amidst the oddities of the exhibit. Chapter 10 – Elite Transition The Astral Throne has stalled its persistent bloodline degradation ritual. We do not know why and how it has escaped our notice but suspect it has instead started casting a variant ritual. Deciphering the new environmental manadraw will be critical to understand the potential lasting effects. Regardless, it has spared us the military strength we will need when the Spearbreaker is set loose. The seal continues to weaken and there may only be several centuries remaining before war once again arrives at our doorstep. We must cull the Spearbreaker¡¯s residual forces and weaken his foundations while we have the chance. ¨C Director of Prospero Station, 25th Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran Chapter 10 ¨C Elite Transition Toki hunched over a worn oak table, her slender fingers tracing the labyrinth of words that sprawled across the contract before her. Golgheim had not wasted a moment after their spar to dig into the details. It rippled under their touch - a system draft contract was akin to an item, granting it the ability to be seen, negotiated, and updated. His words still hang in my head. I need to get stronger. I need to stop running. He¡¯s right and I know it. The light from the single enchanted orb above cast shadows that flickered across Golgheim¡¯s face. He leaned in and sounded out the language of a specific contract clause; his face etched with lines of concern but also wisdom. They sat inside the common area of Golgheim¡¯s estate. He calls it an estate, but it¡¯s really a glorified cabin. Very glorified. How come he even needs a cabin! He¡¯s a fucking planet¡­ whatever that means? He dropped a bomb on me, and now he refuses to explain. Cagey bastard. "Clause twelve," Toki mused, tapping the document impatiently, "it seems innocent, but there''s a subtext here that could be exploited." Her voice carried the tremor of curiosity, tempered by the frustration of the night''s partial answers. Golgheim nodded, his eyes reflecting a galaxy of thought. "Aye, it¡¯s true. Any further syslitigation would force you to use Law Cats again, regardless of the outcome here.¡± Meaning if the dragons destroy Aris and I survive, I still have to use Law Cats as my lawyers¡­ that¡¯s an elfshit deal. He continued, ¡°not particularly relevant, to be honest, but if you lock into this current rate, it will carry over even if you gain leverage by growing stronger." Like this, both Toki and Golgheim amended the traps within the contract and their conversation ebbed and flowed. It was an intricate blend of Toki¡¯s curiousity and Golgheim¡¯s foresight. Around them, the stacks of paper notes continued to rise higher, witnessing the covenant being woven clause by meticulous clause. Amidst the deliberations, Toki reached for the manamelon that sat, incongruously bright, amidst the drab sea of documentation. Her hunger from the previous day had spilled over¡ªGolgheim had fed her after her stomach rumbled for the fifth time. He obviously didn¡¯t get the hint. The fruit, her dessert, looked as if it contained a piece of the night sky itself, stars captured within its translucent skin. As she took a bite, the flesh yielded with a satisfying snap, releasing a cascade of flavors¡ªboth sweet and tangy¡ªthat pirouetted upon her tongue. A dribble of juice, luminescent as liquid moonlight, traced a meandering path down her chin. Mother would''ve loved this, she recalled, her gaze momentarily distant. Memories unfurled within her mind, tender vignettes of shared laughter and the simple joy of splitting a manamelon on a swing set. These were among only a few memories Toki had with her mother ¨C Margaret Twice had left before her eighth year, stolen away by pirates they said. They refused to give any details. They being everyone. Though the manamelon''s sweetness lingered, Toki wiped away the errant droplet, her whimsical smile a fleeting ghost as she refocused on the task at hand. The surge of mana from the fruit would strengthen her aethercore, the lifeblood of her mana capabilities. She felt it coursing through her and a wave of energy flooded her senses. ¡°Manafruit joy is contagious. Be warned!¡±¡ªmother¡¯s saying. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to Golgheim, an effervescent excitement bubbling in her voice, "did I tell you about the Luck I won from Dutch Eternal? Do you think it matters for the contract?" She continued, "it was a bounty reward after¡­ you know." Her words danced with uncharted possibility. Golgheim leaned back, his chair creaking softly under the shift of weight. His brows arched in genuine surprise, a testament to the notion that even the most composed could be caught off guard. "Luck? From Dutch? I suppose she must have had some run-ins with the dynasty. They¡¯re system sovereign over most of this zone. Unexpected." His tone was a blend of incredulity and avid interest, a scholar suddenly presented with an unforeseen epiphany. "Yeah," Toki affirmed, the corners of her mouth twitching in a wry smile. "I suddenly have over 300." "Huhhh!" Golgheim exclaimed, almost falling out of his chair. Toki could see his mind immediately turning over the implications with the frantic shuffling of notes. "Such a reward! Unheard of! My old friend only had a little more when¡­ and they were¡­ well that was a time long ago. We must ensure it¡¯s spent wisely." He steepled his fingers, in comic transition, his demeanor shifting to one of solemn instruction. "Let us explore the details of the skill shop, shall we?" Toki nodded. Inside her mind she chuckled. "Support skills are some of our most foundational tools in forging our path, but we don¡¯t use our own mana for them. Isn¡¯t that strange? In fact, your [Telekinesis] is the same. You can control five objects for 20% of your ambient manadraw each. Essentially, you¡¯re siphoning off the mana you would naturally cycle through your aethercore to power them. Since you haven¡¯t 50-capped yet and you didn¡¯t invest into intelligence, your force capacity is fairly limited and the telekinesis is weak.¡± He continued, ¡°in a sense, these support skills are similar to enchantments in that they use ambient mana. I have debated many hours on whether to call them guideweave, fractals, or wavefunctions. They¡ª" he was cut off by Toki. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know this. Support skills use ambient mana alone. Dao-Bound skills use mana from our aethercore and combine with intent from our souls, making them more powerful but also more restrictive. Enchantments use ambient intent and ambient mana. I¡¯ve heard this a thousand times.¡± Intent IS complicated though; how do our souls reside in the Primal if our bodies are here? I¡¯ve always wondered¡­ Golgheim nodded, "each support skill imbues its bearer with great capabilities. I¡¯d imagine the dynasty¡¯s collection is grander than our own, but we have our own excellent selections.¡± Toki absorbed the words. She found herself eager to try new skills. [Telekinesis] had given her exceptional control in applying mana to external objects. It was necessary for many of her enchantments. She had only held back choosing new ones this long because of the hangover and recent chaos. That and speaking to this old man. He can be helpful sometimes¡­ I guess. ¡°Pull up the skill shop, I¡¯ll share which ones I think you should invest in. Filter for 50 luck purchases only.¡± Golgheim commenced with a meticulous exposition of the various skills available for purchase, each description laced with clarity and precision.
Skill Information
Telepathy Description: An active skill allowing connection from your aethercore to other aethercores Current upkeep / cost: Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!20% mana upkeep / connection Merge / upgrade options available Yes
Telekinesis Description: An active skill allowing connection from your aethercore to any environmental object Current upkeep / cost: 20% mana upkeep / connection Merge / upgrade options available Yes
Advanced Mana Control Description: Adjust mana upkeep and modifier efficiency tradeoff for skills Current upkeep / cost: - Merge / upgrade options available No
¡°I¡¯ll start with [Telekinesis], [Telepathy], and [Advanced Mana Control]. All are connection skills to strengthen your aethercore. I know you aren¡¯t the supporting type¡ªthe intricacies of [Telepathy] are wasted on you. You can create fantastic and large-scale skills by linking your own aethercore to other people¡¯s aethercores. Shame, really.¡± He disappointingly nodded his head. Then he continued, ¡°you already have [Telekinesis], but I also suggest [Advanced Mana Control]. This will let you tune the mana draw from your support and even your Dao-Bound skills. Perhaps we can learn more about your mysterious fire when you are able to push more mana into your bloodline ability and with a greater degree of control.¡± Toki considered. A risk that it might be wasteful. But¡­ my fire could do something! If it could, that would be amazing! Toki immediately bought [Advanced Mana Control]. ¡°Done, bought it!¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Don¡¯t buy anything else. You didn¡¯t even let me finish! We can use your purchases to set a trap in the contract.¡± ¡°How does this affect the contract?¡± ¡°Oh dearie, just you wait.¡± Golgheim had a creepy smile. Must be tweaking after getting conned by grandmother. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±
Intent Refinement Description: Utilize the ambient mana to improve refinement efficiency of meaning from intent Current upkeep / cost: 100% Merge / upgrade options available No
Bloodline Deviation Description: [error] Cond3nse m4na to 3rode your bloodlin3 Current upkeep / cost: 100% Merge / upgrade options available No
Condensation Description: Improve aethercore by integrating ambient mana through a refinement cycle Current upkeep / cost: 100% Merge / upgrade options available No
¡°Each of these additional skills was found or developed by my faction long ago. I suggest you stay away from [Bloodline Deviation]. It is intended for people with far weaker bloodlines. The Twice bloodline has existed long before the system and even I know little of its capabilities. It would be a waste to break it down.¡± Toki had already started playing with [Advanced Mana Control] while listening to Golgheim. She was applying it to her [Telekinesis] and observing the differences while controlling a floating inkwell. It certainly improved her control. He paused to let Toki acknowledge, then resumed, ¡°Both [Intent Refinement] and [Condensation] would be valuable for you. [Condensation] will improve your combat capabilities far quicker while [Intent Refinement] is more suited for your enchantment ¨C it may also assist you in tuning your fire as well.¡± ¡°Toki.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Good. I seem to be missing something.¡± Golgheim spoke to himself. ¡°What was it.¡± ¡°Nothing, you were talking about how we can trap Law Cats.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. But it will come back to me. Anyways, an addition to our contract," Golgheim proposed, leaning forward, his hands clasped atop the scattered notes. "An elite transition clause." "Elite?" A single brow arched above Toki''s right eye, her interest piqued. "Indeed, it balances the value of the contract by placing a bet on yourself. It permits a larger portion of your reward to be claimed by Law Cats upfront¡ªup to sixty percent instead of forty. The details don¡¯t matter, but it¡¯ll likely be through various performance benchmarks," he explained, his steady gaze meeting hers across the table''s expanse. "In exchange, it offers a lifetime benefit at a significantly lower rate for you in all future dealings. It is the embodiment of investment, securing prosperity beyond the immediate horizon." ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± There¡¯s always a catch. ¡°It¡¯s a trick for lawyers to catch arrogant youths who dream of power. Most people die before having another legal battle. You don¡¯t think killing a dragon is common, do you?¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, not anymore Tokyo. Once you purchase the third skill, everything will change. Mortals do not claim bounties of over 200 luck. They die trying.¡± His eyes have changed. What is it? Greed? No, that¡¯s not it. Toki smiled then sidestepped, "sixty percent?" The number lingered in the air, heavy with implication. "Isn¡¯t that a lot? And the lifetime benefit... will I even need it?" She trailed off, her mind alight with the strategic calculations. "Heh, yes. You will most certainly need it. Especially now. Start with 30% and go as high as 70% while negotiating.¡± He continued in a whisper and balled his fists, ¡°we have a chance." He added, ¡°In killing a stage-two, I¡¯m sure your reward is worthwhile. It would probably catapult you well beyond your mortality. But there are plenty of powerful people in the universe, Tokyo. I¡¯ve learned this the hard way. This clause is double-edged but it will be worth it. Believe me." "If you think the elite transition clause will help us, then let¡¯s put it in. I have no idea what I¡¯m missing out on anyways. The system hasn¡¯t even told me the reward." "Very well," Golgheim consented, pride and concern mingling in his expression. "Let''s add it in. Let¡¯s also put clause twelve back in." As his hand moved to draw up the new terms, they seemed to bear the weight of countless similar pacts, each one a testament to the delicate dance of ambition and sacrifice. "Remember, Toki," he said softly, "these choices we sow now will define your future for good or bad. I know Law Cats will treat you well. But be careful. Not everyone is as nice as Marshmallow." How does he know Marsha? Golgheim added solemnly. "Do not reveal that I helped you until after the agreement is signed.¡± Strange. ¡°Why?¡± He waved her off the topic. As they bent over the parchment, their dialogue continued. Amendments were readjusted to fit the new information and the conversation became a litany of what-ifs and how-tos, each sentence weaving the contract tighter and stronger. "Remember," Golgheim whispered, his hand pausing mid-stroke, "these trap cards clauses are important, don¡¯t draw attention to them." "Do you know who you¡¯re talking to? I am Elara¡¯s granddaughter," Toki affirmed. "I¡¯ll make sure it ends up B-grade! I¡¯ll activate all the trap cards!" ¡°Heh, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡± Toki looked at the timer.
[Timer: 10 minutes]
¡°Ten minutes left.¡± Golgheim''s gaze lifted from the contract, and he peered at Toki with a furrowed brow. "Tokyo," he began, his voice tinged with gentle admonition, "We''ve been toiling over these terms for hours. Maybe you should prepare before the meeting, no? A fresh robe might make an impression." Toki looked up, a smudge of ink gracing her cheek like a misplaced badge of honor. Her white hair was a nimbus of disarray, each strand rebelling against order. "There''s no time for vanity, Golgheim," she retorted, her tone laced with sarcasm but underscored by fatigue. "The contract demands our full attention." "Indeed, it does," he conceded, leaning back in his chair, the leather creaking in agreement. "But it also requires you to present yourself as the formidable forger you are. Perception is as powerful a weapon as any clause we draft here." "Perception won''t change the nature of our agreement," Toki snapped, her focus unwavering as she reviewed their work. "Perhaps not," Golgheim replied, his voice soft yet insistent. "Yet it will influence how others perceive your commitment to this accord. You mustn''t forget the role of appearances in the theatre of negotiation." Toki sighed, her resistance crumbling. "Fine, to tell the truth¡­" she acquiesced, pushing back from the table and rising to her feet. "I haven¡¯t cleaned up because I want her to underestimate me. She is sharp. I can only hope to sway her with grit and ruse. If I look polished, I might as well tell her that our traps are real." "Then vigor of mind, dear girl," he said, a smile warming his features. ¡°I¡¯ll rest. I don¡¯t think we have anything else to go over anyways.¡± Toki spent the next ten minutes in the guise of ¡®rest¡¯ preparing her story. She didn''t want to argue. The time was spent in thought about how to deliver the proposed changes to the contract and how best to equalize the power dynamic between her and Marsha. Toki was cold, still a little hungry, but ready.
[You are being summoned by Law Cats. Prepare for meld in 5 seconds.]
Chapter 11 – That’s The Way Kiwi Crumbles The Arabica Syndicate and The Coalition for Java Octane (CJO) have terminated negotiation talks and have resumed armed conflict in Zone 4, Cazoran. Despite public outcry, caffeine and other essential coffee byproducts are in supply shortages across the galaxy. There have been reports of multiple mortal realms reduced to dust in open battle by stage-three powerhouses over optimal climate zoning conditions. It is uncertain whether this conflict will spill over across the other 12 zones of Cazoran, however many large organizations have begun mobilizing fighters and stockpiling forgeworks in the event of a larger scale conflict. ¨C Cazoran Times, Voidbreaker News Chapter 11 ¨C That¡¯s The Way Kiwi Crumbles Toki materialized within the confines of the Law Cats firm, the familiar tingle of the meld still buzzing across her skin. Her gaze immediately swept outward, drinking in the grandeur and grotesqueness of the outside world once more. Buildings scraped the sky like jagged teeth biting the now indigo sky. Meanwhile, neon signs flickered a hypnotic dance below, casting eerie shadows along the alleyways and their mystical mechanical occupants. Night had fallen and Toki gaped at the three moons in the sky. "Back again, huh? Can''t stay away, can you? It¡¯s Barotan architecture." The voice snapped Toki from her reverie. The -tan in Barotan made it sound stuffy and uptight. ¡°Perhaps ya¡¯re more a city girl than a country girl, huh?¡± "Marsha," Toki greeted, turning to face the fast-talking feline attorney whose emerald eyes gleamed with a mixture of mischief and magnetism. "Since Sushi Sam''s was closed today, don¡¯t tell me you resorted to dumpster diving." Her suit is shredded. Is she playing me? Is being a syslaw dangerous? Her eyes are also baggy¡­ "Kid, I''ve still got six lives, but even I ain''t risking them on alley sushi," Marsha retorted, her accent thickening each word with sass as she perched atop her desk, tail flicking. "Found a little joint that does a mean tempura spacemouse¡ªcrunchy on the outside, surprisingly void of despair on the inside." Did she mess up HER suit anticipating me messing up MY suit? Am I being paranoid?... How¡¯d she lose the other three? "Sounds...appetizing," Toki replied dryly, the hint of a smirk playing at her lips. ¡°Now only if I could find some iced m.brew.¡± Toki had no idea what m.brew was, so she shifted the conversation abruptly, pulling up the holographic display of the contract draft. "Speaking of voids, let''s fill in some blanks on this contract before it looks like those spacemice." "Now there''s a thought..." Marsha mused, shaking herself from the brief distraction. "Alright hun, show me what ya''ve got. But remember, my claws are just as sharp when it comes to redlining these deals." Toki¡¯s fingers glided over the system draft as she highlighted a clause. "Let''s start with the indemnity provisions." Indemnity is a good place to start. Risk sharing doesn¡¯t make sense here. I¡¯m in mortal danger. She needs to underestimate my negotiating skills. "Indemnity, schmindemnity," Marsha quipped, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized the section. "You''re trying to rope me into a safety net made of spider webs, but I''ll need something way sturdier if you¡¯re expecting me to front your medical bills. Much less your whole planet¡¯s. Adventurin¡¯ ain¡¯t easy." "Come now, we can find a compromise," Toki suggested. "There¡¯s upside for you. This clause protects us both. Win-win. I¡¯ll give up more upfront." "Spoken like a true elfshitter." Marsha couldn''t help a whisker-twitch of amusement. "But don''t think sweet talk will make me roll over and purr. I''m watching ya, Tokyo. Don¡¯t tell me we wasted a system reschedule on this." "Hmph. That¡¯s not all," Toki said, her voice laced with certainty and a touch of defiance. "Don''t blink or you''ll miss the magic." "Fine print¡ªthat''s where sorcery happens." Marsha leaned forward, her claws clicking against the surface of the desk. "Let''s make this worth both our time. Be realistic." Purr-fect. ¡°Alright, fine. Let¡¯s move on for now. We¡¯ll come back to this.¡± Their dialogue danced like duelists, parries and thrusts hidden within mirth. As they sparred with words, the document between them began to transform, a living testament to their reluctant mutual respect. Toki also learned the ranking of the remaining sushi joints within the city¡ªnone could fill Sam¡¯s shoes. "Y''know, Tokyo," Marsha said, her tone rich with grudging respect, "most would''ve folded faster than a house of cards in a spatial storm by now." Toki met her gaze, her own eyes burning with an unwavering flame. "A Twice doesn¡¯t fold." "Ah, the arrogance of youth." Marsha''s lips curled into a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. "But it ain¡¯t arrogance if ya can back it up, I suppose. And you, kid¡ªya''re not bad." This is what I wanted. She underestimates me. You just activated my trap card! "Then let''s finish this up. We¡¯ve agreed on most of the points," Toki said, tapping a clause. "This non-compete agreement is suffocating. I need room to breathe, to grow. I want an elite transition clause." "Done," Marsha agreed immediately, swiping her claw across the screen, expanding the clause. "But don''t forget: investing comes at a price." That was easier than expected. Did I fool her? "Everything has its price, Marsha. I¡¯m willing to pay. Are you?" Toki challenged. "Always have, always will. Law Cats are known for representing the elites," Marsha retorted, her accent thickening as she dived into the heart of the negotiation. They continued, a meticulous dance of give-and-take, each concession a carefully measured step. "Percentages," Toki pressed on, knowing this was where the true battle lay. "Kid, you''re reaching for the moon. I¡¯ll only add a couple extra points on this, but performance benchmarks are non-negotiable." "Agreed," Toki replied, knowing when to seize victory. "But I want the option for renewal based on those benchmarks." "Deal. It¡¯s what I wanted as well." Marsha''s claw danced over the display, finalizing their accord. "You drive a hard bargain, Tokyo. But this¡ªthis contract ain¡¯t bad. Law Cat¡¯s will represent ya." "Only because I learned from the best," Toki conceded, allowing herself a moment of vulnerability. "Flattery will get you everywhere," Marsha quipped, but her eyes betrayed a spark of pride. Not you, silly. The final click of the contract''s seal echoed through the chamber like a gavel declaring the end of an arduous case. Toki felt the tension in her shoulders ebb away, yet she couldn''t shake off the curiosity that nipped at her like a persistent flame. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[Tokyo Twice is now represented by Law Cats in perpetuity.] [Meld termination: 2 minutes] [Next available meld: 72 hours]
"Marsha," Toki ventured, the question bubbling forth as naturally as breath. "You''re originally from Cazoran, right? Where are we now? You mentioned Barotan?" Marsha''s whiskers twitched, and she cocked her head with a feline grace. "Ah, Cazoran.¡± She gave away a far-off look. ¡°It was my home, but the galaxy''s heart is where the milk flows, kid. I left that corner of the cosmos for this chaotic nexus. I¡¯m in Ast¡ª" ¡°*Cough* Forced out *cough*¡± ¡°Shut it Kiwi, no one asked you! Don¡¯t mind Kiwi.¡± A small yellow cat, not cathuman¡ªer, feliform. It walked in on all fours, licked its hand, then offered it to Toki. Marsha''s voice carried the weight of nostalgia mixed with a dash of mischief. "Anyways, troublemakers abound here¡ªand they keep the yarn rolling." Toki took Kiwi¡¯s paw reluctantly and shook it. ¡°Kiwi. Kiwi Crumble at your service. Is she the one you mentioned Marsha? The sushi girl? She¡¯s pretty. She''s why you made me cut up your suit?¡± Toki blushed. ¡°KIWI!¡±
[User has negotiated and signed a contract. Grade D ¨C Tokyo Twice; Grade C ¨C Law Cats]
A soft chime disrupted their exchange, drawing both ladies'' attention to the holographic display that now showed the finalized contract. Law Cats received their system assessment, categorizing their contract work as grade C. Toki''s heart sank. Despite their efforts, the classification was a stark reminder of how far she still had to climb. Marsha still outwitted me. "Only a D?" Toki muttered under her breath, looking at her own rating. Her disappointment made her words sharper than intended. Her mind flickered to the clauses that she gave up too easily. "Contracts are living things," Marsha said sagely, observing Toki''s crestfallen expression. "They can evolve. Ya did good kid. Most people don¡¯t even get rated coming here. I wonder whatcha¡¯re hiding." As the digital quill fluttered across the holographic document, Marsha''s clawed notes sealed a few notes with a flourish. She looked up at Toki, her feline eyes narrowing with curiosity. "So, how''d ya get so savvy with contracts, huh? Ya''ve got the instincts of an old pro for your age." "An old friend helped me with this one," Toki replied, a frown still tugging at her lips. "One of my mentors really, Golgheim Vast." The mention of the name struck a chord, and both Marsha''s and Kiwi¡¯s demeanor shifted visibly, the playful glint in their eyes giving way to a momentary flash of... what? Recognition? Fear? Before Toki could probe further, the world around her dissolved into a whirlwind of light. Disoriented, Toki blinked as reality snapped back into place. OH SHIT. There¡¯s some tea. Some good tea. I¡¯ll have to ask her next time. The office was gone, replaced by the familiar landscape of Golgheim¡¯s den. Her feet found solid ground just as she caught sight of Edgar and Golgheim locked in hushed conversation. Golgheim''s gaze lifted, meeting hers with an intensity that bore through her like a laser drill. His stare, heavy with unspoken anger, sent a shiver down her spine as if she had walked over an early grave. What had transpired in her absence to sour the council speaker''s usually calm demeanor? "Edgar, Golgheim," she greeted cautiously, her voice betraying none of the unease that knotted her stomach. "Everything alright?" Golgheim''s jaw tightened, the muscles working especially hard beneath his weathered skin. "Tokyo," he said, his voice the rumble of distant thunder, "everything is not alright." "Hmmm?" Toki echoed, her heart catching up to the gravity in his words. Had my negotiations with Marsha inadvertently tipped some cosmic scale? Some reverberations through the system guidance protocols? Toki''s arrival was met with a hushed tension that clung to the air like a fog. She noted the furrowed brow of Edgar as he shuffled uncomfortably on his feet, eyes darting between her and Golgheim. The council speaker''s expression was a tempest of barely contained fury, his hands clenched into fists at his side. "Edgar," Toki began, her voice steady despite the unease gnawing at her gut, "what happened while I was gone?" "Ah¡­ Toki," Edgar sighed, the words seeming to escape him like prisoners from confinement. "In our... uh festivities last night¡­ you, uh, told everyone at the inn some nasty¡­ truths. No one really believed you¡­ you told everyone how Susie Q and Elara Twice were dead. You were pretty drunk, so we all thought it was a joke. But Partridge and I went into the mountain earlier today¡­" By the shards, how many damn entrances are there? ¡°We found an arm. We think it¡¯s Susie¡¯s. We showed the townspeople¡­ and now there¡¯s a riot in front of town hall. They¡¯re threatening to start burning buildings. I¡¯m here to request Golgheim¡¯s presence.¡± A cold sensation slithered down Toki''s spine, her heart abruptly heavy as if it were forged from lead. Her breath hitched, the implications of her actions unraveling in her mind like weave coming undone. "Gods," she whispered, her white hair a stark contrast to the flush of horror that painted her features. "How¡­ I would never... I wouldn¡¯t even if I was drunk." "Yeah," Edgar affirmed, a solemn nod accompanying his confirmation. "You¡­ and I guess Partridge and I¡­ have started a storm in the town. People are frightened, angry... they want answers¡­ I think they want someone to blame." He paused, then added, ¡°I know you. You weren¡¯t quite yourself to begin with, and after you won the Hangover Hammer¡­ you just started mumbling things.¡± The weight of guilt bore down upon Toki, crushing her with its inexorable force. She had been cavalier with her tongue, and now the secret was out. The atmosphere, thick with accusation, seemed to close around her, demanding accountability. At least that¡¯s what she saw in Golgheim¡¯s eyes. Dutch Eternal ate people. Why am I in the wrong. She SHOULD be dead for what she did. Everyone SHOULD know. "I didn''t realize..." she stammered, but the feeble excuse withered on her lips. In her mind''s eye, she saw the town ablaze with the fires both literal and metaphorical, her own incendiary words, the spark that lit the fuse. Careless. I was careless. Toki felt the conflict between what was right and the repercussions. "Realize or not, Toki," Golgheim interjected, his voice a low rumble of discontent, "the damage is done. Your careless mouth has unraveled centuries of effort. The trust is gone." Inside, Toki¡¯s stomach lurched at his comment. The damage was done when you let this happen. She couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant. He stepped forward, his towering frame casting a long shadow over her. The tension that had been building now stretched taut. "This has cost us dearly," Golgheim continued, his eyes boring into hers. ¡°It will spread to the other precincts.¡± "Edgar, tell me exactly what I said," she demanded, the urgency lacing her words as her Twice flames flickered erratically behind her, betraying her inner turmoil. Edgar shifted uncomfortably, his fingers entwining and untwining in nervousness. "You... you spoke of Susie Q and Elara''s passing, but it was more than that. You spoke with such conviction, Toki, as if you were bearing witness to their final moments. I believed you. After the others saw the hand, they did too." Her heart hammered against her chest¡ªit was as if it pumped dread through all her veins. "I can claim it was all a drunken mess. Or perhaps jealousy spurred my tongue," she mused aloud, grasping at straws. "Words are like wild spirits; they cannot be recalled. Much less actions," Golgheim intoned from the shadows, his voice carrying the weight of ancient wisdom. He massaged his temples. ¡°An old friend once told me a relatable story.¡± Golgheim started. "A story of jealous tyrants and curious women. You see, Pandora was as curious and willful as you are, Toki. The tyrants gave her a sealed box and told her never to open it. They urged her. She knew it was dangerous. They told her. But, even after all the warnings, one night, restless sleep and curiosity got the better of her¡ªshe opened the box. Poor Pandora opened the box.¡± ¡°What was in the box, Golgheim?¡± He shook his head in disappointment, ¡°from the box, all the evils of the world were released: disease, famine, and war.¡± Yeah, blame the woman for all the evils of the world. Tyrants be damned. WHY would you give anyone that kind of crap box? Toki''s gaze snapped to the council speaker, rebelling against his words. "And what did Pandora do to fix it?" she implored, unconsciously seeking a sliver of hope. "Pandora did not fix the box. She could not," Golgheim replied, his eyes alight with a strange blend of sorrow and understanding. "Amongst the myriad miseries that flew forth, hope too made its escape into the world." "Hope..." Toki echoed, the word rolling off her tongue like a promise yet to be fulfilled. In the depths of her back-to-back despairs, the concept seemed as elusive as the morning mist, yet it clung to her. "But remember hope alone is not a remedy. It must be tempered with action. I do not blame you, like the people blamed Pandora, but it is time for you to stop running, Tokyo." The white strands of her hair seemed to shimmer with the same luminescence as her star-like flames, betrayed only by the tremor in her voice. "Tell me how I can fix this." Golgheim''s gaze, which had been a storm, softened at the edges. "It falls upon me to quell the uproar, to still the hearts clamoring for answers." Toki''s posture stiffened. She awaited the task ahead. "And what of me?" she asked, her tone stripped of its usual playfulness to reveal the steel of her intent. "You," Golgheim said, pausing as if weighing his next words against the scales of fate, "You must venture into the dragon''s den." Chapter 12 – Glass Ceiling [Ron B] I¡¯ll tell ya, Stacy, for a mortal, he was quite something. Sushi Sam was probably as wealthy as some stage-twos, I¡¯d say. [Stacy the Snailmermaid] Just look at the stock price now. Poor guy didn¡¯t get a break. For those not in the know, his franchise was worth over five million S-1 crystals at one point. [Ron B] It¡¯s a shame. If only he was stage-one. Mortals can only get so far. [Stacy the Snailmermaid] Hey at least he didn¡¯t get eaten. That¡¯s right folks! You heard it here first¡ªSushi Sam is still alive! In an exclusive interview, the solar kraken gave us the low-down. She divulged that when Sam escaped, she bought up majority stake in his franchise. Sushi Sam¡¯s is now, The Sea Beast Saloon. [Ron B] Boy that escalated quickly. What ended up happening to Sam? And more importantly¡ªis the Sunshine Unagi Roll still on the menu? [Stacy the Snailmermaid] Now wouldn¡¯t that be punch to the ovaries, huh Ron? ¨C KVWN Wavelength 4, Cazoran Chapter 12 ¨C Glass Ceiling The dragon¡¯s mountain loomed ahead, a tiny mound against the backdrop of the gas giant above but a prominence fit for a palace, nonetheless. Toki and Edgar picked their way through the adjacent valley''s rocky embrace in search of Edgar¡¯s entrance. At this point, if I throw a rock, I¡¯m bound to find a secret entrance. A chill breeze whispered around them, ruffling Edgar''s bright feathers and sending shivers along Toki''s spine. ¡°Ughhh, sometimes Golgheim drives me crazy.¡± Toki started. ¡°Yeah. This seems like something we should do after we deal with the horde of dragons coming to Aris¡­ why does he need Dutch Eternal¡¯s beast core anyways?¡± ¡°How should I know. He¡¯s barely explained anything to me either.¡± I know I should trust him¡ªhe¡¯s been there for me like grandmother, when mother left, but sometimes he makes it so hard. So. Gods. Damn. Hard. ¡°Old people. My dad¡¯s the same. They give you lectures, act like hypocrites, then give you busy work. He didn¡¯t even tell the story right. Prometheus gave the sentients fire. That¡¯s why the tyrants were all pissy in the first place. It wasn¡¯t Pandora¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Your father''s ''lectures'' are secret avian techniques and the ''busywork," heh, you get manacrystals if you manage to learn them. Shards, it¡¯s not like we can dispose of a two-ton dragon corpse and hide away the evidence.¡± It wasn¡¯t Pandora¡¯s fault, but she probably still felt guilty. ¡°Eh, yeah. That¡¯s true.¡± Toki scoffed. ¡°Hey at least we have some time. Golgheim said that your lawyers will deal with it.¡± ¡°He said they¡¯ll stall for time. Not that they would solve everything.¡± Toki continued, ¡°if things work out how he expects it, there¡¯ll still be fighting. But it will be mortals against mortals¡­ er, whelps? Are whelps dragon babies? Or is it wyrms?¡± Maybe I should have signed up with Wyrm''s End. Then again, I don¡¯t want to kill babies. ¡°They¡¯ll be coming to kill you.¡± Edgar looked at Toki with concern. ¡°All of us. But especially you.¡± ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t blame Golgheim. All he¡¯s ever wanted was for me to be stronger. You haven¡¯t killed any sentients, have you?¡± ¡°No, only direhogs.¡± "Shards be damned, she deserved it, Feathers," Toki murmured, her gaze fixed on the craggy path ahead. "She was supposed to help us, Dutch Eternal was supposed to teach us¡­" Edgar nodded, his talon-like feet finding purchase among the stones with practiced ease. "We couldn¡¯t have known, Toki. Our entire lives, people have been telling us stories of how benevolent the dragons were. They would regale the tales of streets paved with gold and opportunity. More crystals than you could dream. I still can¡¯t believe you offed her. If we were wrong about dragons, makes you wonder what else we''re wrong about." I bet the streets ARE paved with gold. It''s not like they''re walking around paving it themselves. Toki considered telling Edgar the truth. That Golgheim had known of their deception. That there were others that knew the secret, too. She didn¡¯t have the heart. "I bet we were wrong about a lot. Brainwashing is one thing," she retorted, a hint of steel lacing her words. "She was overwhelming, Edgar. To be honest, Susie helped from beyond the grave... her chalice¡­ otherwise, I¡¯d be dead too." Oh gods, her chalice is back at home. A pause stretched between them, laden with the weight of unspoken fears and grief, before Toki allowed her gaze to drift toward her companion. "Are you ready for this?" She arched an eyebrow, her tone sharpening. "Golgheim expects beasts¡ªvicious creatures caged by Dutch Eternal." "Of course, I am," Edgar replied, though his voice wavered ever so slightly. His large, expressive eyes held hers, seeking to convey the depth of his resolve. "Susie was my friend too, you know. You both might have had your fights, but she meant as much to me as she did to you. This is payback." ¡°The dragon¡¯s already dead, Edgar.¡± ¡°Well¡­ then I¡¯ll spit on her. My bushido demands it.¡± His face turned serious. Toki sighed, "If we encounter something with sharp teeth, you¡¯re not gonna go running, right?" "Always by your side, Toki. You should know by now," he assured her, his feathers puffing out in a show of solidarity. ¡°At most I¡¯ll be a couple meters *whistle*.¡± He pointed up, a small smile reappearing on his face. "Let''s hope your courage doesn''t molt," Toki quipped, although a sliver of a smile betrayed her appreciation for his loyalty. They exchanged a glance, the kind that friends share when words become superfluous. ¡°Have you ever enchanted with one before? A beast core?¡± ¡°No. Susie did¡ªa stage-one though.¡± ¡°Figures. She would have.¡± Edgar''s talons clicked against the stony ground, a subtle yet rhythmic song. "Toki," he began, his voice carrying the buoyancy of feathers on an updraft, "If we encounter danger, I¡¯m confident that you¡¯ll be able to handle it." He put his right hand up with a swish of his golden robe in a thumbs up while patting his katana with his left. Toki giggled, then with a shared nod, they approached the mountain¡¯s main entrance. Just two days ago, everything was different. The gathering near the entrance was amorphous, a congregation of people covered in armor shouting speculative, but likely true, denouncements at the closed dragon¡¯s gate. This crowd is the same though. Same people, different expressions. Edgar and Toki navigated their way around, unseen. They moved silently away from the mob attempting to find a way inside the massive gate. As they sidestepped the crowd, Toki looked away. She did not want to see the people. She especially did not want to see Susie¡¯s mother. Oh gods, how much that woman has gone through already. The thrum of voices gradually settled into a distant murmur, and the duo finally found the hidden crevice that Edgar had spoken of¡ªanother secret scar upon the mountain''s rugged face. Golgheim has already collapsed his entrance. This is truly a poorly protected mountain. Or is this just dragon-sized arrogance. The fissure, a mere sliver in the rock, gaped before them like the maw of a small slumbering beast. Toki slipped through the narrow aperture, the confines pressing close. She emerged directly into the vastness of the giant cavern, where darkness draped itself over the landscape. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it We¡¯re three meters off the ground. I¡¯m not a bird, Edgar. As if intuiting her thoughts, he held her hand as she hung down. She dropped down from the remaining distance and rolled out. This was a practiced maneuver¡ªtwo young miscreants would never be stopped by a simple three-meter cliff. Looking at the spacious cavern once more, Toki couldn¡¯t help but remember her last passage into the mountain. She had come in through a winding tunnel, one Elara had shown her many autumns ago. She had been foolish thinking she could sway Dutch Eternal by showing off the dragonfly blade. It broke so easily against a simple roar. Toki knew it was a lost cause when she first entered the cavern. She had come here trying to convince a dragon that she was worth an apprenticeship even after losing the Forgeworks. Her paranoia to the politics and perhaps a little petty jealousy were excuses, albeit truth. What she truly wanted was to enchant more, enchant greater. Manasmithing was what truly drove her here. To see Oberon, of course, weighed on her mind, but she had always dreamed that they would meet once more among the stars. Pounding on the gate shook Toki out of reminiscence and she approached the cliff face ahead. The abyss below was an enigma. The only clue to what was down there was the sound of shattered glass she had heard earlier. "Looks like we''re climbing," Toki muttered, her tone laced with sarcasm. ¡°Heh, speak for yourself.¡± Edgar hovered in the air behind her. Toki began the perilous climb down, fingers finding purchase on the crags that dotted the cliff''s face. Edgar fluttered beside her, a guardian of sorts. His keen eyes scoured the dark for signs of malice lurking within the cavern. But mostly he was there for the jokes. As they descended, the cavern seemed to breathe around them. Toki''s muscles burned with effort, each movement deliberate. To herself, she chanted a silent prayer to Purple wishing the rocks would not dislodge. Edgar''s presence was a constant flutter at the edge of her vision, a reminder that she was not alone here. As the light began to fade, she ignited her flames. They were three-quarters of the way down the cliff when a tremor shook the cave. Toki gasped, nearly losing her grip. Before she could react, a strange crunching sound filled the air. The cavern rumbled, a deep-seated groan that resonated through Toki''s bones. She froze, fingers clutched tight to the cliff face, as a tremor shook the very foundation of the world around her. With a sound like shattering dreams, crystalline structures began to burgeon from above. A glass ceiling blocked off their path of retreat. "Edgar!" she cried out, her voice ricocheting against the walls, lost amidst the cacophony of the cave''s upheaval. He was there in a heartbeat, wings beating furiously against the petrified air. "I see it, Toki!" Edgar called out, his tone laced with fear he could not disguise. Together, they scrambled upwards, trying to outpace the relentless advance of the barrier encasing their escape route. But it was too late. The glass had formed a dome above them, mirroring the mountain''s crest¡ªa trap. Edgar, with a surge of determination, launched himself at the enclosure, his katana raking desperately across the surface. It was like watching a sparrow assail the world tree; his bloodline ability¡ªa spark of avian heritage¡ªgranted him multiple powerful projections of himself but it was all but useless here. "Fucking shards. Here. Use this," Toki spat, the curse feeling hollow in her mouth. She carefully pulled her hammer from her bag and threw it to Edgar. Her eyes darted from Edgar to the glass and back again, her mind racing. It couldn¡¯t have been Golgheim, could it? Does he want to trap us down here? Or was this a defense mechanism of Dutch Eternal''s forge? "Focus, Edgar! You can do this!" Toki urged, more to quell her burgeoning panic than out of any conviction. She watched as Edgar, emboldened by her words, summoned the full breadth of his ability once again. His body became a blur of motion as he swung three hammers. "Crack, damn you!" Edgar''s shout echoed hollowly as he battered against the glass. His movements were a flurry. The glass cracked. A tiny crack. But it mended immediately, remaining obstinately whole, a spiteful rebuke to their efforts. Toki''s breaths came flustered as she pressed herself against the cold stone, the reality settling in¡ªthey were entombed in the underworld. Questions clawed at her thoughts, each one a paranoid prickle igniting the [Strategist] within: is this the end of our quest? Why? No one but Golgheim knows we''re here. I can¡¯t think about this now. LSDKFJSDLF. "Keep hitting it!" she yelled, though her voice sounded distant, even to her own ears. She clung to the hope that lay in Edgar¡¯s relentless assault, for if they yielded to despair, the darkness would surely consume them whole. Edgar stopped. ¡°No Toki, there¡¯s no use. We¡¯re trapped down here.¡± With a resigned inhale, she cast her gaze downward, where the cavern yawned open. She closed her eyes for a moment. "We go deeper, I guess. Shards damn, Edgar. Nothing is going my way. Maybe there¡¯s another exit, gods know there''s probably half a dozen other entrances," she declared, convinced. The timbre of her voice didn¡¯t betray her fear. No tremor, no hint of trepidation. But it¡¯s there. "Deeper it is," Edgar concurred, his feathers ruffling with anxiety. He hovered beside Toki, his wings aglow in the eerie luminescence emanating from her flame. That small, capricious light seemed a beacon against their predicament. He handed the hammer back. As Toki had already backtracked to the new glass ceiling, she tested it herself with her monstrous strength. The glass remained pristine. Descending further was arduous, but with Toki¡¯s strength, rather uneventful. Finally, their feet met the cavern floor. They stood amidst a grim sight¡ªbroken instruments, mechanical and what appeared like manatech, now damaged beyond repair; empty cages, broken by impact; and cages full of blood, whose inhabitants now lay broken as well. Edgar exhaled his lunch seeing the brutalized bodies. He was not feeding a baby bird. There, at the center of this somber image, lay Dutch Eternal. The dragon was still whole, but blood pooled underneath the body. Toki was reassured that the Dutch was indeed dead. Her scales were dulled by the impact, yet still held a vestige of the majesty that once inspired both reverence and horror. The once-piercing eyes were now vacant orbs gazing into nothingness, guardians of a soul long since departed. ¡°Ptewi,¡± Edgar cleared his mouth onto the dragon. "I didn¡¯t think you were serious." Toki murmured, her voice a ghostly exhalation swallowed by the cavern''s vastness. A complex mix of emotions enveloped her¡ªa fusion of awe at what she''d done and a shiver of dread at the dragon¡¯s dark laboratory. Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t help herself escape the undercurrent of sorrow as she thought of her grandmother. "Look at her," Toki gestured, "Even in death, she commands the room." Edgar nodded, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination. "Even the stones seem to bow before her." Toki''s free hand traced the contours of Dutch Eternal''s colossal form, her touch ginger as if she feared awakening the beast from its eternal slumber. Many scales had broken on impact, leaving the muscle beneath exposed. Once an impenetrable fortresses, the body was now marred by perforations. Something, perhaps many things, had feasted upon the leviathan, leaving behind tattered flesh and exposed bone in some places. She whispered, her voice barely a ripple in the silence, "look at these wounds." Edgar walked closer, his wings casting erratic shadows. He peered at the dragon, his eyes reflecting the starry luminescence of Toki''s flame. "Predators... or scavengers?" he mused aloud, though the tremor in his voice betrayed his trepidation. "Perhaps what was in the cages," Toki replied, sweeping her flames in a circle to draw out any hidden predators. There was fury behind this desecration, a purpose that eluded her grasp like smoke through clenched fists. She could see the claw marks that scattered around the area as well. They probably weren''t happy being caged at the very least. The two companions combed over the remains with painstaking care, gutting and scanning the entire body. They pulled out large cleavers meant just for this task¡ªa gift from Golgheim. They sought the beast core, the nexus of Dutch Eternal''s once-mighty mana. Such a core would pulse with strong mana. Beasts were different than humans¡ªtheir aethercore was exposed, seemingly pulled from the Aether, from where it belonged. Perhaps they were scorned by the system in the past¡ªall beast attribute limits were lower. Maybe this has something to do with dragons being a protected class? They count as beasts, right? I¡¯ll have to ask Marsha. The search yielded nothing but disappointment. Where they expected the thrum of power, there was only the hollow shell of dragon meat. Edgar was covered in guts after digging through the carcass. Thankfully, there were no corpses inside. Toki had profusely honored him for his sacrifice¡ªhis stomach was already empty, after all. Though Toki, too, was covered in her fair share of blood. Toki¡¯s hands hovered over the scales, they were light, but strong. I can craft with them. "Nothing," Edgar finally conceded, his hands falling to his sides in defeat. "It''s not here, Toki. Not a trace." After we¡¯re done. I¡¯ll skin you and sweep you for all your treasures. Edgar hovered beside her, his feathers drooping in dejection. "Could it have been taken?" Whatever secrets Dutch Eternal''s body held, they remained hidden. Toki could not shake the feeling that the eyes of the underworld watched them with anticipation. Her breath formed a wisp in the cavernous gloom, dissipating into the silence that enveloped them. She stood motionless, her pale eyes reflecting back the faint luminescence of her whimsical flame. It was as if time itself had paused, waiting for her verdict. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s not like we can go back, anyways. We have to go deeper.¡± Their gazes locked in silent accord, understanding that their journey into the deep had only just begun. With cautious steps, they traversed the perimeter of the large cavern, seeking signs of passage, a trail left by whatever entity had defiled the resting place of Dutch Eternal. Elara Twice, Susie Q, Oberon Twice, and countless others. As they circled the dragon''s colossal remains once more, the signs of struggle showcased themselves. Scratches marred the stone floor, etched deeply by claws or tools unknown. Broken chains lay discarded, their purpose and origin lost with Dutch Eternal. The very air seemed to hum with the residue of the battle, the echoes of conflict reverberating against the walls. "Look here," Edgar whispered, gesturing towards a swath of disturbed earth. The ground bore the marks of a scuffle, the indents of massive paws, and the drag of something heavy being removed. "A battle took place, recently." It was then that the howls pierced the stillness, distant yet chillingly clear. The mournful cries rose and fell. Toki felt a shiver trace her spine, not from the cold but from the realization that these howls were not the product of simple beasts. The howls crescendoed once more, a haunting lament that seemed to beckon them deeper into the underbelly of the world. Toki put her hand on the handle of her hammer. Edgar too pulled out his katana. "Let''s find our thief," she stated. Chapter 13 – Evil Spirits My observation: Initial research leads me to believe that beast cores function akin to human and demi-human aethercores. In my experiment to enchant using the direhog core, I trialed several enchantments on vellum until I found one that seemed to resonate, but still only barely managed a grade E enchantment. The enchantment effect, when powered by the core, was significantly more potent. So why the poor system rating? My hypothesis: It is quite curious that beast cores exist at all in our plane of existence rather than the Aether. I believe that because they do, they may also be contaminated with the beast¡¯s residual intent. I may need more insights into the direhog itself to create a more powerful enchantment. However, this line of thought raises a more interesting question: if the beast cores are poor enchantment conductors, then human aethercores must be a perfect medium. ¨C Susie Q, Journal of Grievances Chapter 13 ¨C Evil Spirits Toki and Edgar edged forward with care, their figures wraiths inside the cavern''s suffocating atmosphere. The high ceiling swallowed the sound from their footfalls, each step, soft, in the void that shrouded them. As they followed the trail of destruction, Toki pumped more mana into her flame using [Advanced Mana Control], coaxing forth a surge of constellations. The whimsical star-like embers cast a gentle glow to her surroundings. It was far from enough to illuminate the giant cavern, but even still, she saw foreboding claw marks and footprints as they followed the path. The flame''s still inert. ¡°Toki, what¡¯re you thinking?¡± "A-oooooo!" another chorus of howls echoed in the distance. Toki replied, distracting herself from the howls, "Remember when we''d sneak Susie Q into that tree-fort hideout by the river?" Toki''s voice was a whisper, yet it still cut through the tension, "We''d pretend we were guardians warding off evil spirits. It feels like we need some warding now.¡± Edgar chuckled, a nervous sound that fluttered. "Susie always had a flair for drama. She¡¯d always insist that she was the lost princess of some ruined kingdom. We were her valiant knights, weren¡¯t we?" he said, his eyes glinting with the reflection of Toki''s flames, betraying his own fear. "What did she call it? Ispartika, was it?" As they continued their descent, torches embedded in the cavern walls flickered to life one by one, as if an unseen hand guided them along this path of remembrance. Each torch exhaled light that chased away the dark, casting long, dancing shadows across the worn stone, accentuating its age and apparent abandonment. But with the light, they saw more gruesome reminders of Dutch Eternal¡¯s experimentation¡ªnow empty cages lining the walls, doors clawed and yanked open by the survivors. "More like her bumbling squires," Toki replied, her fondness veiled her fear. The levity of the memory couldn''t dispel the shadow that crept into her smile, though even that memory carried dark pretense. Edgar chuckled. "We spent an entire day wearing pots and pans searching for her until we found her hiding in the old mill." Toki whispered, her voice a wisp of sound in the encompassing hush. "She was so small, curled up behind those sacks of grain." Edgar, his bright feathers slightly dulled in the dim light, glanced at her with large, expressive eyes that held a melancholic reflection. "I remember," he replied, his voice a gentle coo. "She thought it was just another game of hide and seek. Poor girl." Toki''s lips quirked into a bitter smile, her starry manifestations flickering off like fireflies caught in a twilight dance as she recalled the flame. "We made it one, didn''t we? To keep her mind off... you know." She trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavily between them. "Yeah, yeah, I remember. Her father was an ass. In a way¡­ we were her guardians. At least more than her mother was." Edgar finished somberly, his talon-like feet scraping softly against the stone floor. He paused, ruffling his plumage in a semblance of discomfort. He looked up at the high ceilings, pulled away by the memory. "We always had a secret sanctuary. When we got caught, we¡¯d always find another. You always had a way of turning fear into adventure for her." "There¡¯s no way we can know how her mother coped, Feathers," Toki murmured. ¡°By the gods, how must she feel now. We need to check on her.¡± I have to talk to her. Toki watched as Edgar nodded. I may need some help, though. Their path wound through shelves covered in fresh, tight cobwebs, the silky strands shimmering like gossamer in the firelight. The books upon them lay coated in dust, their contents a litany of forgotten knowledge. Rusted trinkets and forgotten treasures of indeterminate age littered the spaces between shelves¡ªrelics of a time when this place teemed with seekers of wisdom rather than the creatures that now claimed it. She continued, "I always wondered what ever happened to Susie''s father?" Edgar''s feathers ruffled uncomfortably at the question. "I don''t know," he admitted. "But I''d like to think he got what was coming to him. Susie never told me, just that he got sick." Toki shrugged. ¡°You were closer to her then, at least closer than I was. Look at this," Toki said softly, gingerly lifting a metal helmet distorted by corrosion. "An entire world, left to decay.¡± She searched for manascript. Finding none, she placed it back. ¡°Anyways, I won¡¯t miss him ¨C he was a prick." "Worlds within worlds. This place is massive.¡± ¡°Almost like it¡¯s fit for a dragon¡­" ¡°The junk here seems worthless for a dragon. I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Their conversation meandered through the past as they moved deeper into the cavern. The atmosphere was thick with the ghosts of ages gone by and soon, they finally arrived at a fork. To their left they saw a grand archway with an intricately carved door. To their right, more of the same: wide tunnels leading into the depths of Aris. Toki''s hand hovered before the grand archway, tracing ancient script that pulsed faintly under her touch. She injected mana into them, and the door clicked. With a light push, the library''s heavy doors swung open, revealing an expanse that stretched grandly before them. "Shards be damned," Edgar whispered, his voice a mix of reverence and disbelief as they stepped into an equally cavernous space. Above them, vaulted ceilings soared, lost in shadow, while endless rows of towering bookshelves rose like silent sentinels guarding the wisdom of what appeared to be eons of knowledge. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Can you imagine the secrets that must have filled this space? That still fill this place?" Toki was mesmerized, her gaze sweeping across titles etched in languages both familiar and arcane. Toki opened one, only to find an unfamiliar language and a nose full of dust. But it was a vellum book. Expensive. Just the vellum here would be worth a fortune. "Or the parties," Edgar added, his talons clicking softly against the stone floor as he craned his neck to scan the ballroom-sized clearing in the center. A lone massive chandelier hung from the darkened heights, its crystals dulled by time, but still hinting at past splendors. As they wandered deeper, Toki couldn''t shake the sense of something watching from the crevices between reality and imagination, between the bookshelves. A whisper, barely audible, seemed to breathe along the edges of her consciousness, a feeling that carried no words yet spoke of hidden things. "Did you hear that?" she asked, pausing. Her flame flickered a puff to her left, casting peculiar shadows that danced just beyond the periphery of her vision. The flame illuminated the world in a bright flash but dissipated out. "Hear what?" Edgar replied, tilting his head curiously. Toki repeated the act, this time flames bursting around her right followed by another burst to the left. She looked both ways, then continued forward. "Never mind," Toki said, pushing down the ripple of unease. "My mind is playing tricks on me." "Let''s keep going," Edgar suggested, his voice steady though his large eyes darted around nervously. "We need to find that beast core. Everything else can come later." "Right behind you," Toki assured him, masking her trepidation with a half-hearted grin. As they ventured forward, the whispers grew fainter, yet the mystery of the library loomed. The mystery of all these books will also have to come later. With each step forward, the dilapidation that had clung to the shelves like a shroud seemed to evaporate. Dust motes swirled in the stale air, then vanished as if swept away by an unseen hand. The chandelier, long dormant, sparked to life with a soft golden glow, bathing the vast room in welcoming light. "Look at this," Edgar breathed, his voice tinged with awe as he brushed a taloned finger over a bookshelf where intricate carvings came alive under the newfound luminescence. "These etchings... they''re moving, Toki¡ªlike vines." "Enchantments?" she questioned, her gaze transfixed on the animation before her. "Dutch Eternal''s work, perhaps? Can enchantments be enchanted?" "Could be," Edgar mused, his feathers reflecting the warm light as he unfolded his wings slightly, an involuntary gesture of relaxation. "But why would the dragon waste magic on aesthetics?" "Maybe it had a fancy for the nicer things." Toki''s words hung between them, a tether to happier thoughts. "Remember when we used to imagine what kind of dragon Dutch Eternal was? A mighty sorcerer mage or a benevolent protector of knowledge?" "Or a whimsical artist with a flair for dramatic libraries," Edgar added with a chuckle, the tension easing from his frame. As they laughed, the soft strains of a melody wove through the air, harmonic and gentle as if a phantom orchestra played just out of sight. It lilted around them, coaxing their minds to reminisce about days of innocent adventuring and dreams not dulled by harsh reality. "Those were the days, huh?" Toki said, her sarcasm softened by nostalgia. "No responsibility, just us against the world." "Us and Susie Q," Edgar reminded her, a fond smile playing on his lips. "Right, Susie Q, too," Toki echoed, her eyes distant for a moment before snapping back to the present. "This place feels like a dance theater now, doesn''t it?" "Indeed, quite the transformation," Kristina added with a chitter, harmonizing perfectly with the cadence of their conversation. At least that¡¯s what Toki remembered her name to be. Her eyes sparkled with mirth and shared memories, an echo of camaraderie resonating within the trio. "Kristina!" Toki greeted, her surprise quickly melting into comfort. "You think Dutch Eternal fancied herself a choreographer then?" "Of course," Kristina replied with a sly grin. "What''s the point of such a long life if you can¡¯t indulge in a bit of pageantry?" "True," Edgar agreed, his laughter echoing off the high ceilings. "It''s either that or we''ve stumbled upon the most elaborate play about a pretentious society of librarians." "Wouldn''t that be something?" Toki quipped, her stars pulsing in time with her amusement. "A library masquerading as a ballroom, with a dragon for a director." "Only in the wildest stories," Kristina said, her voice lilting with the same enchantment that filled the space around them. "Now, let''s see if we can find the script to this magnificent production." Her chitin legs clicked against the stone floor in rhythm to the music. The air in the library shimmered with an almost tangible magic and each step Toki took revealed more of its hidden splendor. As they walked, Kristina continued, her voice as smooth as silk and equally beguiling. "Imagine," she said, her eyes reflecting the newly ignited chandeliers, "weaving our own enchantment here. Something to honor Susie, to capture this moment forever." Toki paused, "An enchantment?" Her curiosity piqued, the very notion conjured images of their childhood escapades. "Enchantments aren¡¯t so easy," Edgar interjected, his feathers rustling with unease, yet his tone betrayed a burgeoning interest. "But¡­ I suppose we did know Susie well. How about it, Toki?" "Indeed," Kristina agreed, reaching into the folds of her multi-colored cloak with a graceful flourish. She revealed a metal chain, its links dull under the ambient light, yet somehow captivating. The object seemed trivial, inconsequential amidst their grand plans, and thus rested largely ignored upon her palm. ¡°We can use this.¡± "Think of it," Kristina continued, her voice a whisper that wove through the silence of the library. "A tribute to bravery, to friendship, ensnared within these chains." "Adventure crystallized in time, that gives me ideas!" Toki mused aloud, her sarcasm giving way to genuine consideration. She glanced at Edgar, seeking the shared spark of recklessness that often led them down paths less traveled. "Could we really do it, though, do we even have aeso?" Edgar asked, his voice a mix of skepticism and excitement, wings folding behind him in quiet anticipation. "Edgar Featherstone, since when do you doubt the extraordinary?" Toki teased, the corners of her mouth tilting upward in a knowing smile. "With our vagabond hearts, and my ¡®smithing skills..." ¡°Your ¡®smithing skills, ha!¡± "Ah," Kristina interjected with a sly grin, twirling the chain around in her hand, "but it will take all three of us using our talents, to forge something truly unforgettable." "Then let''s begin," Toki declared, her heart racing with the thrill of the unknown. She pulled out her hammer from her bag. Their voices melded together, ideas flowing freely as they discussed the parameters of their enchantment while they continued to walk through the library. "An enchantment worthy of such an epic friendship, a chain that can seal a person using the memories of the past," Edgar mused, his previous anxiety replaced by a burgeoning enthusiasm, his feathers catching the light in a kaleidoscope of colors. "Exactly," Toki agreed, her wit now laced with passion. "One that could bind even Dutch Eternal." The library itself seemed to lean in, its ancient stones humming with anticipation. It was as though the very essence of the place was preparing for the birth of a new legend, ready to be the stage for their shared vision. The air thrummed with potential, each breath they took an invitation to commence the act of creation. Toki''s fingers closed around the worn leather handle of her hammer, its weight familiar and reassuring in her grasp. She raised it, eyes narrowed in concentration, focusing on the metal chain that lay coiled like a slumbering serpent on the ancient stone floor. Edgar and Kristina stood close, their expressions a blend of determination and silent excitement. "Let this be our sendoff," Toki began, her voice steady despite the adrenaline that thrummed through her veins, "to Susie!" "To the laughter of those lost days," Edgar added, his words warm as sunlight, as he mock toasted raising an imaginary cup. Kristina nodded, her gaze piercing as if seeing beyond the walls of the cavernous library into the heart of what they were about to create. "And to the story! May it one day guide us through the Vastness." Kristina''s gaze was melancholy. She brought the chain up to a conveniently placed anvil. With the conviction of their words binding them, Toki swung the hammer down, imbued by her flames, striking the chain with precision. The sound rang out, not harsh, but clear and melodious¡ªlike the tolling of a bell at the commencement of a fable. It echoed off the towering bookshelves, reverberating through the library. A shiver ran down Toki''s spine as she watched the chain begin to glow. Chapter 14 – The Colors of Susie Q And while Purple birthed the heavens, there were no bounds to its deceit. Craving authority over the pantheon and possessing the craft to execute its will, it was only in collective banishment that the color gods were free of its tyranny. So that no sentient would carry the mark of Purple. So that no sentient would look into the night sky and remember their shame. ¨C Valyra Twice, secondborn of the first Twice tyrant, Book of Twice Chapter 14 ¨C The Colors of Susie Q The dull metal gave way to a radiant light that pulsed with each subsequent strike of Toki¡¯s hammer. The air itself seemed to warp and shimmer around the chain. This metal takes mana so well. I won¡¯t even need aeso ¨C I can burn the manascript directly into the metal. "This library is strange," murmured Edgar, his feathers ruffling in a silent breeze that stirred from nowhere. "It¡¯s beautiful, no?" Kristina replied, a note of awe threading her voice. As Toki continued to work the enchantment, the decay that clung to the space continued to peel away in fragments, revealing the splendor that lay beneath¡ªa grandeur that defied time and neglect. The chandelier above sparkled, casting a golden sheen over a world transformed. The sagging shelves straightened, proud and resolute once more. "Is this us? Did we do it?" Toki marveled at the spectacle unfolding around them, while focusing on the chain. The library answered their call to adventure with a symphony of arcane energy, swirling around them¡ªa vortex of potential. And at the center of it all, Toki''s hammer connected once again with the ever-brightening chain. Toki worked the hammer with a resolute cadence, hammering each glyph in meter. Each strike sent a pulse of flame and mana deep into the core of the unknown metal¡¯s links, its dull gray sheen catching fireflies of light that soon flourished into a steady glow. The chain was a compliant mana vessel, eagerly drinking in the energy without the need for engraved runes to guide its flow, though Toki still cast [Charge Sphere] now to keep the hammer¡¯s momentum from disrupting the internal enchantment configuration. Toki chose the path of internal enchantment at this juncture¡ªa silent whisper of power rather than the screaming of etched sigils. I wonder what metal this is. My hammer is adamant. This is definitely NOT adamant. The decision to preserve the metal¡¯s integrity was a testament to her understanding of her craft, an intimate finesse that would win her ancestors¡¯ approval¡ªif they had ever granted her such a courtesy. This metal is precious. The library became a resonating chamber for Toki¡¯s rhythmic pounding. The ambient torchlight flickered in tune, as if dancing to the music she orchestrated. The library itself served as the harmony. With it, Toki''s labor took on an almost sacred quality. The scene was a fever dream ballroom, wrought with chiaroscuro contrasts: the white-haired artisan, her figure haloed by errant sparks and constellations and framed by the dancing torchlight and ethereal philharmonics. As the enchantment began to form within the chain, Toki''s breath slowed to match the steady cadence of her hammer. Beside her, Edgar extended a trembling hand. A silver river of mana leapt from his fingertips, mingling with Toki''s own flame as they poured their combined intent into the manascript within the chain. It was then that the specter of memory rose unbidden in Toki''s mind, thrusting her back in time. Susie Q, her friend and rival, drove this enchantment. It was a memory of her. It was an enchantment in her name. Susie''s voice echoed through the corridors of Toki¡¯s thoughts, a mocking tone that danced around the edges of concentration. -- "Tokyo, darling, do you really believe in those children''s tales?" Susie Q''s tone had been honeyed with derision, her words a pointed barb aimed at Toki''s fondness for the mythic. "More than I believe in your chances of succeeding tonight," Toki had shot back, her retort as sharp as her hammer. But even as she spoke, her heart had indeed clung to the stories of old¡ªthe color gods who wove the fabric of existence with deft, unseen hands. "Sculptors of reality! Painters of the void! You speak of them as though they might walk among us, Tokyo. That you walk among them." "Perhaps they¡ª," Toki had whispered, half to herself before being interrupted, her eyes lost in the flickering forge light. "Perhaps they''re just another set of chains," Susie Q had countered, her laughter a jarring note amidst the rhythm of the flames. ¡°Then why did you choose Red, she was¡ª¡± ¡°Oh Toki, you know who else is Red? Mirriam Calapo, the designer of the first floating ship, Elderbass Corinthan, he who made hearthstone fire sing, Benny Cumberbatch, the inventor of the cheapest short-range teleportation to date! I will fit in among the legends. The scientists of the era.¡± ¡°But they believed in Red, they had¡ª¡± ¡°Heh, you know nothing Toki.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me¡ª¡± ¡°What, finish complaining about me choosing Red? You should have, too. You would be perfect amongst the Red.¡± "Among the pantheon, the Purple god was mysterious." Toki began, her voice a low thrum barely audible over the sonorous beat of Susie¡¯s hammer, "Purple was a lonely deity shrouded in questions, but asked just as many in turn. I know you. Of all people! You. Relish the questions." As Toki¡¯s voice took on a melodic quality, Susie stopped her enchanting and listened in earnest. She was always drawn to a story. It¡¯s about the only time I can get a full thought out anymore. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Purple traversed the void firmament, or whatever existed in those before-times. Ever solitary. Its essence remained untouched by the trivial skirmishes of its kin. Red fueled the fire of war, and yellow, ever the steadfast ally, joined to claim power over the others." Susie swung her hammer, the impact sending a shimmer through the air, as if the very fabric of reality quivered at the mention of the gods. "Purple, cloaked in twilight, spun the heavens with delicate threads of nebulous dust. Ever the creator. Ever the grand illusionist. With quiet grace, it wove the tapestry of night, arranging the stars¡ªand in their cradles of darkness, worlds were born. Stars came to exist." "Yet! Despite its labors," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper fraught with reverence and sorrow, "the Purple god was the only one denied its own canvas in the skies it had imagined." Toki watched as Susie¡¯s hammer fell into a steady cadence, a requiem for the uncelebrated architect of the cosmos. "Even the envious Green, with its verdant touch, sculpted realms alongside Blue''s tranquil waters and tempestuous stars¡ªbut Purple... Purple remained an outcast, its contributions unseen in the sky." ¡°Purple was either a dreamer, Toki, or the grand puppeteer. Purple¡¯s ambition knew no bounds. Who knows what really happened.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Toki flashed a grin. ¡°So, you do believe.¡± She laughed as Susie blushed and continued hammering. Susie sighed, "Such was the fate of Purple," Susie¡¯s final swing infused her manacast motor with life. "A creator without claim, a god without glory." -- The mana flared brighter within the links of the chain, as if yearning for more of the memory. Toki paused, her muscles tensing. The room seemed to hold its breath, and even the shadows leaned closer, drawn to the somber beauty of the intent. Edgar''s silver manastream intertwined with Toki''s, their combined force wrapping the chain in a cocoon of potential, as if to console the forsaken deity. Toki''s hammer fell into a rhythm that seemed to echo the sorrow of the stars themselves, each strike a silent ode to the outcast Purple god. The library''s ancient volumes absorbed the sound, their leather spines shivering in the palpable aura of power. It was then, amidst the thick air of enchantment and the musical laments for a deity scorned, that Edgar and Kristina, too, materialized within the confines of Toki''s memory. -- ¡°Toki, Susie!¡± Edgar called out. Their sudden appearance was like the gentle caress of a familiar breeze, controlling the atmosphere. Kristina, meanwhile, remained an enigma shrouded in shadow, her form indistinct yet somehow solidifying within the memory. "Feathers!" Toki greeted. "Is she talking about Purple again? Heh, I¡¯m going with yellow. Yellow fits my bushido best." Edgar replied. ¡°You¡¯ll never convince me to go Purple.¡± ¡°How about you, Kristina? We all know Edgar¡¯s a lost cause.¡± Susie chimed in. ¡°Hmmm, I haven¡¯t thought about it much. I suppose I would pick black. Black suits me, it¡¯s my color.¡± As Toki¡¯s gaze landed upon Kristina, a deep chill skittered down her spine, her skin prickling with the sudden recognition. There is no Black god. Grey. Grey calls upon the notes of black. Grey is the color you choose if you don¡¯t believe. Grey is what you choose if your fate has drawn you into hatred towards the color gods. The comforting illusion shattered, yielding to the monstrous truth. Kristina''s body, massive and arachnid, became clear¡ªshe was the embodiment of creeping dread, eight eyes glinting with an otherworldly intelligence, eight legs straddling her hairy thorax. ¡°I¡¯ll choose black.¡± Kristina confirmed. Gods, Toki gasped, her heart thundering in her chest as if trying to escape the unsettling revelation. The warmth of the memory felt stolen away, replaced by an icy void as vast as space itself. -- Her hammer hovered mid-air, paralyzed by the grotesque beauty and sheer horror of the creature that was Kristina¡ªa big-ass spider in all its terrifying splendor. For a moment, Toki''s enchanting faltered, her muscles caught in a web of fear, yet also fascination. She could have killed us, and we wouldn¡¯t have even realized. The illusion of the room, once alive with the rhythm of creation, now shattered into what it truly was. A dusty library from a long past age. Drawing in a steadying breath, Toki anchored her resolve in the thrumming mana that coursed through her veins. The presence of the monstrous arachnid beside her was a disquieting shadow at the edge of her perception, but she would not let fear rule her. Not in this moment. Fight or flight. Act natural. For real this time. She raised the hammer once more. The final blow came down with a cacophony that reverberated through the cavernous library. Discordant even. A radiant shimmer cascaded along the links as they drank deeply of her final offered mana. Light pooled and swirled within the metal. Each link became a microcosm of wonder, infused with the time before time she wove into the story. The chain glowed, pulsating with an inner life, as the enchantment crystallized under the group¡¯s efforts. The air itself seemed to hold its breath. As the glow stabilized into a steady luminescence, Toki felt the rush of accomplishment flood her senses.
[Tokyo Twice, Edgar Featherstone, and Kristina an Unbound Soul of the Mercy Queen of Spiders, have created a unique enchantment] [So Susie Shall Bind Purple (Weapon / Class C / Mortal): Use a truth, untold or stolen, to bind another in the chains between time.] [Enchantment is incomplete. An auxiliary enchantment may be required.]
She had succeeded; the chain now bore an internal enchantment potent enough to rival one of Oberon¡¯s. I¡¯ll have to think about this. How was this so potent? Such ad hoc crafting was possible? She snapped the thought away, fixing her attention back to the present. Kristina. The fuck is an Unbound Soul? Amidst the torrent of elation, a creeping but visceral thread of anxiety twined around her heart. The horror of Kristina''s form loomed. Toki''s pulse hammered a frenetic rhythm, echoing the pounding of her hammer, as realization dawned on her with chilling clarity. We¡¯re in deep elfshit. There, mere paces away, reposed a creature of nightmares, its multitude of eyes reflecting the enchanted glow with an inscrutable sheen. Kristina, the eight-legged monstrosity of chitin and silk, edged closer to Edgar with an unsettling movement. The spider''s multifaceted eyes caught the dimming chandelier lights, glittering with a predatory sharpness that sent shivers skittering down Toki''s now visible goosebumps. In that moment, she saw the creature not as a silent observer, but as a specter of doom for her feathered companion. Toki swallowed the knot of trepidation that threatened to silence her spirit. With an act of will, she tethered her racing thoughts to the shimmering chain before her. In this fraught situation, where hope contended with dread, the library¡ªa mausoleum of knowledge and secrets¡ªwas now a silent witness to their standoff. Toki''s gaze flickered between Edgar and the colossal arachnid, her mind racing with possibilities and plans, each more desperate than the last. "Edgar!" Toki''s voice shattered Edgar¡¯s own high. "Mana, now! Infuse the chain!"
[Quest: Hunt! Defeat the spider queen!]
Chapter 15 – Webs The arachnid campaign is a powerful case study on protected beast class predation, done right. Arachnid control over reality-bending Daos nearly crippled our zone 4 intelligence network. In as little as two centuries, our assets were feeding us solely arachnid misinformation. It¡¯s with great luck that the arachnid king¡¯s arrogance was as unequaled as his species'' intelligence capability. Without a truly powerful backer, their petty attempts at conquest landed them in a system lockout across the greater Cazoran region. To think, they relied on a JE protocol in the 400s and wished to conquer Cazoran in open conflict. With a Primal-linked army no less! The sheer hubris! It is only a shame that the system would not allow us to wipe out the scourge by the roots. Isolate, contain, then aggravate. ¨C Pendulum didactic, Elimination of a Species Chapter 15 ¨C Webs Her command cut through the thick atmosphere, reaching Edgar just as he glanced up, his large, expressive eyes widening. With a haste born of surprise and unyielding trust, he drew mana towards the chain. The confluence of their combined powers powered the enchantment and Kristina froze, her advance stymied by the binding of the seal. The chamber trembled faintly as Toki and Edgar beheld the ensnared form of Kristina. The chain, inscribed with their new enchantment, writhed like serpents around the arachnid. Kristina''s eyes, eight pools mirroring the void itself, widened with an emotion that bordered on incredulity. The immediate aftermath of her entrapment painted her features with bewilderment. The spider now found herself caught in an unexpected web of mortal make. "Speak, spider," Toki demanded. ¡°Your illusions, your lurking¡ªwhat¡¯re you after?" A blend of fear and curiosity bubbled in her tone. Despite the intrusion, Kristina DID help us with our enchantment. For freedom perhaps? But... why is she bound in the first place? And why trick us? Edgar¡¯s bright plumage dimmed in the oppressive atmosphere as Kristina¡¯s enchantment suddenly switched off. He shifted uncomfortably beside Toki. His normally vibrant demeanor retreated behind a veil of timidity. ¡°What!? Where did that come from!?¡± He reached for the safety of his katana but did not draw, following Toki¡¯s lead. The intensity of the moment hung. Kristina''s countenance softened. With measured grace Kristina probed with telepathy, her voice an echo of something archaic, "Your audacity intrigues me. You step into my home, seal me in my foyer, and accuse me of deception?¡± ¡°Who chains themselves within their own house?¡± Toki replied. ¡°You have a point, love. Though, to escape my illusion and bind one such as I, you have indeed proven yourselves... resourceful¡­ to say the least. But you are intruders here, nonetheless." Kristina''s chitin limbs, entwined in the chain, performed a slow ballet of acceptance as her form relaxed into the enchantment''s embrace. She¡¯s not worried. I bet she could break this if she wanted. The enchantment is only half-done. "Though bravery or folly¡­ it matters little." Kristina mused. "To broker peace with a beast speaks of a courage that is rare¡­ No weapons drawn, naivet¨¦, perhaps¡­ but commendable. You may prove yourself yet." A shimmering array of colors danced across the spider¡¯s chitin, casting prismatic shadows on the surroundings. In this moment of confinement, she seemed less a prisoner and more a queen presiding over an audience of two. Toki noted the subtle tilt of the spider''s head, an almost imperceptible nod of respect, but also the way her many eyes gleamed with a darkness not entirely born of this world. "Who are you? There won¡¯t be peace if you don¡¯t give us answers." Toki demanded. I don¡¯t think I can defeat her. Hells, I doubt Dutch Eternal could¡¯ve. "Ah. I¡¯ve already told you¡­ no? I am Kristina. I am an existence as boundless as your color gods," she intoned, "I am simultaneously the artisan, the thread, and the amphitheater. I am a scholar skirting amongst the stars, my soul scattered across innumerable arachnid, each a fragment of my greater canvas." A chill crept along Toki''s spine, her mind grappling with the magnitude of the entity before her. She sensed the enormity of Kristina''s wisdom that dwarfed her own mortal life. It¡¯s the truth. The wisp of aura emanating from the spider now could dwarf even Golgheim. And he¡¯s a fucking planet. "Why are you here? Why care about us?" Toki''s voice was a whisper, barely audible over the thrumming energy that pulsed from Kristina''s confined figure. "Hmmm¡­ my story is a sad one. I will not labor you with my melancholy. I walk the path of sentience and I seek inspiration. I care more about your own¡­ story." Kristina continued, "To comprehend the myriad forms of consciousness is to create objective from the subjective. You, love, like many, are but a single fascination in my grand design. I, too, am but a single thought of the true Kristina. No¡­ you would not understand. Not yet." ¡°I grow weary of this place¡­ it has become rather lonely here without him. Among these books I have learned of your people," Kristina began. "As I leave, I search for someone who can shoulder the karma once more." Toki, still reeling from the revelation of Kristina''s celestial origin, struggled to piece together the fragmented puzzle before her. The system message¡ªthe kill order complicates things further. Why does the system want her dead? The philosopher-spider''s motives, cloaked in lofty gibberish, grated against Toki''s understanding. When you start dealing with cosmic entities, do they start piling on? Is this what karma means? Toki interrupted, her frustration seeping through her words. "You claim to search for the truth, yet you ensnared us in webs of deceit. How can you justify such lies?" Kristina''s galaxy-swirled eyes narrowed, not in anger, but as if homing in on the core of Toki''s turmoil. "You ask an arachnid to not spin a web? I may be the last of my kind, but even still, my people are not so long forgotten." Kristina replied, her tone even. "Sometimes, to protect, one must first obscure. To reveal all would be to invite chaos upon both the seeker and¡­ the guardian." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Chaos¡­ is just what I need," Toki remarked, voice sarcastic. There was cunning in the spider''s words, a depth that both terrified and enthralled. Inspired and tempted. Yet beneath the awe, suspicion coiled tightly within Toki''s chest. "You¡¯re speaking in riddles," Toki pressed, "how about you speak plainly." Kristina regarded Toki with a strange gaze. Her form remained still and solemn. And then, ever so slightly, she inclined her head, acknowledging the challenge laid bare by Toki''s demand for clarity. "I will not. Truth is the most precious commodity," Kristina whispered, "and I am its keeper. In you, perhaps, lies the potential for a new chapter in its safeguarding. But potential is fickle. Like your Twice flame¡ªit must be tested, tempered, and trusted." ¡°You know of my flame?¡± ¡°How could I not, young wielder?¡± The words hung between them. Toki felt herself drawn into the orbit of Kristina¡¯s profound sense of purpose, a pull as undeniable as gravity, yet fraught with the unknown.
[Law Cats have filed an injunction on behalf of Tokyo Twice. All non-Aris entities have been refused entry to Aris] [System has acknowledged injunction]
Good news! Do I even need to be here anymore? This means Marsha did it! It¡¯s even better than Golgheim expected! ¡°We don¡¯t have time for riddles. We need to find the dragon¡¯s beast core!¡± Edgar jumped in. ¡°You cannot handle this karma, avian. Leave us.¡± Toki motioned Edgar behind her. Edgar, she knows about my flame. ¡°And you suppose I can? Hold this karma?¡± ¡°Whether we are fated or not¡­ I do not know, love.¡± ¡°Why would I want your help. You tried to attack Edgar.¡± ¡°Your fear rules you, child.¡± ¡°I am not na?ve. And I am not a child.¡± ¡°Are you skittish then? Paranoid?¡± I should be paranoid. You¡¯re a giant-ass spider. Kristina continued, ¡°Paranoia is an easy excuse. Do you fear the stars in the sky? Purple or Red? The depths of enchanting?¡± She leaned in towards Toki. ¡°I am but another unknown, masked by the hair on my thorax, with fangs and eyes and arms abound. You fear me?¡± Toki considered. ¡°Don¡¯t twist the truth. What is reality? If all we perceive is a subjective reflection, how do we trust anything?" Perhaps I can talk our way out. She seems like she won¡¯t snap. Kristina smiled¡­ or at least what Toki thought was a smile. "Each of us drinks from the stream that tastes most familiar, yet can none claim to know the fullness of its source?" "I haven¡¯t drawn my weapon, but you have. I know to trust that falsehoods presented as truths are wrong." Toki''s words were laced with skepticism. "Consider the library around us," Kristina proposed, gesturing to the endless rows of books. "Every tome holds a world unto itself¡ªa perspective, crafted by the mind of its author. Can you claim one narrative reigns supreme over another?" Toki pondered. "No... but surely there must be a line between fact and fiction?" "Lines are drawn by those who wield the quill. There is truth. But what is truth at one moment, can be false the next¡­ with power, that is." Kristina said, her voice a harmony. ¡°Your mind is not ready for further truth, much less your avian friend.¡± ¡°Now. I have introduced myself. Care to share the courtesy.¡± ¡°Tokyo Twice.¡± The spider nodded. ¡°Edgar Featherstone.¡± The spider ignored. "Balance, dear Tokyo, is everything. For if I create imbalance for you, you will not be able to shoulder the consequences." Kristina''s form shimmered, casting prismatic light across the stone floor. "Karma is the cosmic arbiter, impartial yet relentless, balancing the scales of existence. It ensures that for every deception, I can instill a revelation. For every ignorance, enlightenment. For how could I justify the boon of helping you enchant, without deceiving you first?" "Isn¡¯t that absurd? You have your own will.¡± "Deception is my nature, as the stars are to the night, I will it so," Kristina confessed, her voice softening. "But it is also my charge to illuminate the darkness. In each soul I encounter, I seek to instill a quest for understanding, to kindle the flame of curiosity that might one day outshine their singular ignorance." "An admirable goal, perhaps," Toki conceded to the confusing monologue, her tone softening, "but fraught with peril, I¡¯m sure. Nothing in it for you, huh?" "Indeed, all great quests are.¡± Kristina paused, then continued. ¡°In seeking to understand others, I unravel the enigma of my own path. So, I ask you, Tokyo, will you accept my trial?"
[The Primes of Aris have been notified of a bounty request for Tokyo Twice from the Kathoric Dynasty.] [As there is contractual conflict resulting in the refusal of entry to members of the Kathoric Dynasty, pending trade contracts have been frozen. Priority given to user with highest protocol privilege.] [Prime Speaker has called upon the Primes of Aris for a meld ¨C agree?] [Timer: 10 minutes]
Why now! We were so close. Toki''s gaze drifted to the enigmatic figure of Kristina, her thoughts spiraling. Was it you? How¡¯s this possible? I¡¯m a prime, I can decline their bounty, right? ¡°What do you say, love?¡± Toki considered. She took a moment to gather her thoughts. In frustration, Toki launched into anecdote. "Beyond the reach of this world lies the galactic center. This was a place where artisans create the impossible. Flying insects and buildings that scrape the sky. It¡¯s a place of profound innovation." ¡°I know of these worlds.¡± Kristina replied. "Within this heartland," Toki continued, "exists society so advanced, their creations defy the limitations of what I know to be true. Cities pulse with more powerful mana constructions than our greatest thinkers have even imagined." "To think," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with an inner fire, "a world of enlightenment, millennia more prosperous than our own, where even the darkest secrets of the universe are puzzles." Kristina chittered. "Should I recount such wonders to the people of Allie Ring," she mused aloud, "they would cast their doubt upon my words as surely as your stars are to the night. But the truth of my journey isn''t diminished by their disbelief." She turned her head, locking eyes with Edgar, who had been silent, absorbed in the gravity of her storytelling, incredulous. In that moment, Toki knew that the truth was a chameleon, ever-changing based on the eyes that beheld it. "Perception molds our reality," and reality molds our perception, Toki concluded, her tone laced with a newfound sense of certainty. "Our beliefs carve the path we walk. Kristina, you mold our perceptions so freely. So, no. I will not accept your trial. I will not accept your path." Kristina smiled. ¡°But I am not a slaver. I am not Red. Edgar, release her.¡± I¡¯m not Red. Toki''s monologue dissipated into the hallowed silence of the chamber alongside the mana lighting up the chain. Edgar released his own without question. She turned to Edgar, her gaze softening. In it, there was trust¡ªa silent communion in the face of the unfathomable. Her hands found solace in the folds of her robe as she regarded Edgar with gratitude. It was then that Edgar''s feathers bristled, a sudden shift in his demeanor breaking the solemnity. "But what about Dutch Eternal?" he asked, his voice now edged with a sense of immediacy. "Where are we going to find that beast core?" Toki looked at Kristina, but the spider remained silent. Smile fixed on her head. ¡°Can we trust you?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve found your own answer to that, no?¡± ¡°She won¡¯t attack us?¡± Edgar chimed in. ¡°No. No, she won¡¯t.¡±
[Quest corrupted: parity conditions have exceeded tolerated karmic balance.]
Kristina''s smile grew larger.
[Toki has been granted a Dao-Seed: Path of Sentience] [5/5 Primes have agreed to council] [You are being summoned by Prime Speaker of Aris. Prepare for meld in 5 seconds.]
Chapter 16 – Voice of Reason The Spearbreaker¡¯s residual forces are protected by a series of interlaced contracts that we have barely begun to dismantle. The import and export networks between his ally forces¡ªand even to our own empires¡ªhave severely limited our capacity to interfere with his mortal ranked planets. We have only identified a single loophole that would result in catastrophic damage: in his absence, if they choose to advance their planetary rank, we can use their world trial as a means to dismantle them. We are well aware that his true force contains a disproportionate fraction of elites but believe that any remaining elite allies have either fled to the galactic center or are trapped alongside the Spearbreaker in Prospero Rift. ¨C Director of Prospero Station, 26th Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran Chapter 16 ¨C Voice of Reason The meld, once again, took her to a strange new reality. She saw the insides of a small room. Black walls, black ceiling, and black floor. If her boots weren¡¯t touching the ground, it would have felt as if she were floating in the void itself. Toki¡¯s eyes were drawn to the glowing pentagon table in the center. Five chairs to match the five primes. The chairs and the table shone a dull white luminescence but failed to actually illuminate their surroundings. It was an internal glow. Strange. ¡°Shall we begin?¡± She heard a woman¡¯s impatient voice and saw a lithe shadow claim one of the chairs, its glow illuminating the woman¡¯s frame but not her features. I hope Edgar won¡¯t freak out. I should have warned him that I¡¯d be gone. This was impulsive¡­ goading a spider queen was damn impulsive. What even is a dao-seed¡­ Curiosity got the better of her. Toki pulled up her status to the dao-seed.
[Toki has been granted a Dao-Seed: Path of Sentience] [You have grasped an edge of the grand tapestry as a mortal ¨C system title awarded, Challenger of Dao] [Challenger of Dao: Awarded one dao-tailored master (50 luck) support skill from the system guidance shop ¨C claim?]
Another skill! Do I owe Kristina if I claim it? She holds great consideration to karma¡­ ¡°Yes, Two, we can begin. I call to order an emergency session. The primary matter of business is to discuss how we should handle the bounty request from the Kathoric Dynasty.¡± Another seat succumbed to a shadow, counterclockwise to ¡®Two.¡¯ I won¡¯t claim it now. ¡°I do say, One, you¡¯re always straight to business. Why not have a chat first¡ªlet¡¯s table that particular discussion until the end. In fact, there are other matters that might influence the collective decision-making.¡± An androgenous voice answered. Toki could not tell the gender or age. But for some reason, she was annoyed by the pretentious flourish of it. Toki observed the remaining three open seats, uncertain of where she should sit. ¡°Oh? What other news could be more important than the trade deal? We¡¯ve been working on it for the last year,¡± One answered. His cadence was authoritative and demanded respect. It also sounded old. This voice is likely the prime speaker, he¡¯s the one that called the emergency meeting. The pretentious voice continued. ¡°Yes, well. We need to discuss the state of the third and fourth precincts, post-haste. The stores of food will not last through the winter. Our grain harvests have been pitiful and if the trade deal does not adapt, many here will starve.¡± A husky voice¡ªlikely an adult man¡ªjoined in. ¡°Four, ya¡¯ve had your eye on the alchemy materials in this trade deal for the last year. Ya can¡¯t expect us to believe ya now. And who fuckin¡¯ even says post-haste?¡± That voice is familiar, but I can¡¯t place it. This also means I¡¯m either three or five. The strange androgynous voice is four. ¡°Just because you manasmiths can use Aris¡¯s metals on whim¡­ ugh. You won¡¯t listen to logic. Why do I even bother arguing with a hammerhead.¡± ¡°Half the damn deal is filled with inedible plant imports. Change ¡®em to wheat, then ya¡¯d convince me, elf.¡± There¡¯s an elf? Number four is an elf!? I thought they weren¡¯t on Aris anymore. Extinct. ¡°This barbarian doesn¡¯t understand the delicacies of economics. We need to SELL them salves and potions. Hells, we¡¯re the only gods damn planet in the zone that can make Corpse Animation Fluid worthy of the gods damn lich lords in Kathoric.¡± Toki heard the elf breathe out frustration. A shadow then enveloped the fourth seat. ¡°Heh, that excuse again. Use more of ya fertile land for food and ya won¡¯t starve. It¡¯s really that easy. And it¡¯s intricacies, not delicacies.¡± ¡°Corpse Animation Fluid is a deli¡ª" ¡°That¡¯s enough, both of you.¡± One interrupted. ¡°Why has this deal fallen through? Does anyone know?¡± The impatient woman, Two, answered. ¡°Our ship returned from the Forgeworks. Rumor is that the envoy was killed.¡± I think she speaks so concisely to not give away any information about herself. Interesting woman. ¡°HUH?¡± The elf spat out. ¡°Three, what is the meaning of this?¡± One followed immediately after. Silence. Silence. The silence was unbearable. Three must be me. Toki took the third seat between the woman and the elf. ¡°Dutch Eternal is dead. This new bounty will compromise our sovereignty, so I¡¯ll oppose.¡± I¡¯ll copy Two¡¯s way of speech. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°And who the fuck are ya? Whatcha think yar doing sitting in my seat.¡± The yet unnumbered and rough sounding man yelled out. Shit. Toki got up and moved to the fifth seat, now to the other side of the elf and to the right of the old man. So THAT''S three. ¡°Hmph. Fresh blood¡¯s right, though. The dragon envoy¡¯s dead. They say a kid killed her.¡± Three replied. He must also be from Alabaster Ring to already have the details. The impatient woman quirked up, ¡°has Alabaster Ring raised a champion? We can finally vote to unrestrict Aris!¡± ¡°We can vote, but I won¡¯t change my mind,¡± One chimed in. ¡°Especially now with both the dragons and the dynasty bearing down on us. We would set ourselves up for slaughter.¡± ¡°Someone kill this man, already,¡± Two replied spitefully. ¡°Hmph, you go an¡¯ kill him. I don¡¯t fuckin¡¯ know who he is, much less where he is¡­ Anyways, he¡¯s right. Golgheim would kill us all if we moved to unrestrict,¡± Three answered. What? What does that mean? ¡°Well, this is quite the predicament. Our hollow death threats, aside. I wouldn¡¯t say the dynasty is upset. They are asking for the girl, Tokyo Twice, alive. Strange bounty for how unconcerned with life those gods damned undead usually are. I figured they could just reanimate her if she died.¡± The elf replied. ¡°Care to explain who you are then, Five?¡± One pressed the question. Four replied, ¡°The bounty¡¯s a Twice. Perhaps that old bloodline holds some secret? Hmph, we only know that the Twice girl¡¯s got a higher protocol than the dynasty. Impressive, I¡¯d say, given how old those corpses are¡ªbut pretty damn shitty for Aris.¡± ¡°It would be folly to think she is unrepresented? Do any of you know her?¡± The elf added, ¡°Lawyers also have low protocol numbers. Good ones, at least.¡± ¡°The trade deal is dead unless we find her,¡± the woman followed. Silence. Silence. ¡°Girl, answer the question,¡± the woman continued. ¡°The previous prime of my family is dead. I am the successor.¡± Toki replied. Toki could not see their expressions, but she knew they were scheming. Silence. ¡°A shame. I call a vote to unrestrict Aris. We can finally force Golgheim to let us advance.¡± The woman voice came through sharp. ¡°I second.¡± Four agreed. ¡°NO! Whoever you are, Five. Oppose this! It will doom us all, if they send even a single stage-one down here, they can wipe out cities before we train someone up to 100-cap. That¡¯s IF the planet lets us survive the night.¡± One exclaimed. ¡°You are too anxious, One. This is our way to freedom from this cage.¡± Two replied. ¡°So? What will it be?¡± The elf added. Toki could sense a creepy smile, despite not being able to see their body language.
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.]
¡°I oppose.¡± Toki responded. Elara was in the opposition camp.
[2 votes for, 3 against. Motion failed.]
¡°Gods damn Two, Four. Ya¡¯ll watch the world burn if it gets you off Aris. I call a vote to hunt the Twice girl ourselves,¡± Three followed quickly after.
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.]
¡°I second.¡± One replied. ¡°I third.¡± Two added.
[3 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.]
Oh fuck. Should I leverage my first vote to change this one? I bet I could swing two. ¡°Vote passes.¡± One confirmed. ¡°Found out she was at the envoy¡¯s mountain after the system notice. I''ll send a party in search. She went down to Mabu¡¯Aris, the world underneath.¡± Three sighed. ¡°Why in heavens would she go there? She¡¯ll end up dead even without our intervention.¡± The elf responded. ¡°Hmph, how would I know? I bet Golgheim¡¯s playin'' at something,¡± Three replied. ¡°I will send reinforcements. Are we certain we cannot make her our champion? If she can take out a stage-two, then she might be able to help us win our world trial,¡± Two queried. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s so simple. We know she¡¯s not an elite.¡± One opened up a display on the table and sifted through a listing of people. ¡°None of the other flags have shown up either. We have no system tracking on her.¡± They¡¯re tracking people? What are these flags? ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°Newcomer. What you see here cannot be shared.¡± One noted. ¡°Ya should¡¯ve let her. We could¡¯ve flagged her.¡± Kristina was right: information is dangerous. These people are dangerous. ¡°I call a vote to kill her instead. We can go back to how everything was if she¡¯s dead. Maybe get some corn and wheat in the process. Our trade deal will be safe, I¡¯ll get my herbs, and we can continue to play the long game.¡±
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.]
Silence. Thank the gods. ¡°I second.¡± It was three. Silence.
[2 votes for, 0 against. Motion failed.]
¡°The motion doesn¡¯t pass. Let¡¯s see if we can use her in negotiations instead. The Kathoric Dynasty obviously wants her. They probably want to turn her into a greater undead and keep her on the chance that she has system priority.¡± This is not going well. What should I say? How can I throw them off? ¡°Ever the brutes. We¡¯ll get more leverage if we find the child ourselves. I say we hold off on their bounty.¡± The elf added. ¡°Agreed.¡± Toki added. ¡°They¡¯ll push back if we don¡¯t let their bounty hold. We¡¯ll pay for it in some other way¡ªthey don¡¯t even need to embargo us. The Twice girl has done it for them. Even if they wait around, we¡¯ll slowly kill ourselves.¡± One chimed in. ¡°I call to vote to allow the Kathoric Bounty access to the Aris system.¡±
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.]
¡°I second.¡± Two responded. ¡°I third.¡± Three responded.
[3 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.] [Aris planet-wide announcement: A 258 luck bounty has been placed on Tokyo Twice [mortal]. Captured alive. Information that leads to capture may entitle system user to a partial bounty]
Two gasped, ¡°Oh my!¡± The elf added, ¡°well¡­ this is unexpected.¡± ¡°She is an elite. Or at least she can become one.¡± One said what everyone in the room was thinking. So I have to get the third skill to become an elite, but if I do¡­ these primes can track me? Hmmm. Well... they already know where I am though¡­ they just don''t know that I know they know. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± Three called out The elf got up from his chair and pointed at three, ¡°You can¡¯t call a bounty! It¡¯s anyone¡¯s game, you animal.¡± ¡°Enough. What you do on your own time is your business. Here we represent Aris,¡± One rebuked both of them, but he also stood up. ¡°We shall reconvene in three days. By then, I hope we have some news on the Twice girl. If one of you does manage to get her, perhaps we can revisit the Aris restriction as well.¡± The meld clicked off. Toki''s consciousness reeled, lurching back into the tangible world with a violent tug. Her eyes flew open to the sight of the library, once a bastion of knowledge, now in shambles. Pillaged. Profaned. The air was thick with dust and the acrid scent of smoldering vellum. Echoes of chaos thrummed through the desecrated sanctuary, resonating off the skeletal remains of bookshelves. Scrolls unfurled like the tongues of serpents, across the stone floor littered with the corpses of countless precious tomes. "Edgar? Kristina?" Chapter 17 – The Depths of Enchanting In an astounding turnaround, Carmen the solar kraken has manufactured a minor business miracle in the Cazoran markets. Carmen features in our biannual catalog, 30 under 3, as a visionary stage-two entrepreneur capable of turning tarnished silver into manyform-beta crystal. With only a highly leveraged and unstable portfolio of assets, not only has Carmen expanded The Sea Beast Saloon, a lunchtime eatery, across Zone 4, but she has invented an innovative franchise contract business model, expanding her reach into Zones 5, 7 and 12, all while stockpiling military assets on the scale of minor empires. Given this explosive change in fortune, perhaps this solar kraken is the next inheritor of the illustrious Harvard MBA scripture. We will be watching closely as her story develops. ¨C Cazoran Times, Voidbreaker News Chapter 17 ¨C The Depths of Enchanting The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoldering vellum, a mocking incense to the desecration of this hallowed space of knowledge. Shadows danced across the wreckage, cast by the flickering light of torches. There was no harmony to these flames. Toki only felt an inkling of solace knowing that Edgar had swept her aloft in time, bringing her to the relative safety of the chandelier, above all the chaos below. A pang of dread laced with guilt knotted in Toki''s gut. She had been the eye within the storm, while Edgar faced whatever nightmare had befallen this place. The thought spurred her into motion as she quickly assessed her surroundings. There had been violence here in her absence¡ªamidst the destruction, the tale of the battle unfolded across Toki¡¯s vision. The library had transformed into an arena where ¡®Edgar¡¯ had been unleashed. With a fluttering heartbeat, she pieced together the path taken by the intruders. Toki was certain that it was not wolves, yet there were marks of claws and fangs on what was once a beautiful dream. There are also marks of Edgar, [Blade Draw]s and fresh blood. "Feathers," she whispered, the name escaping her lips as both a prayer and a pledge. Gratitude swelled within her chest, mingling with simmering fear. Edgar, ever the loyal friend despite his own timidity, had once again placed her well-being above his own. She vaulted down from the chandelier, landing with a muted thud. Toki¡¯s eyes darted across the room, seeking out Edgar. There! A flurry of color and motion held steadfast at the gateway, where he stood sentinel. His bright feathers were a stark contrast to the red flowing from his left arm and wing. Two spectral projections of himself flanked him on either side, their ethereal forms shimmering with an otherworldly light as they barred the doorway. Toki could not see his adversary, but she could hear them. They snarled before Edgar. Hungry. Edgar''s stance, though, was unwavering. "Edgar!" Toki called out, her voice a rallying cry as she surged forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with her friend. ¡°I¡¯m coming! Hold on.¡± Toki watched as Edgar acknowledged her voice, but there was no time for further words; the battle drew him back in, a whirlwind of katana blades, feathers, and fur. Toki advanced. Behind a fallen bookshelf lay the still form of an intruder, its fur matted with dark blood. It resembled an Aris howler monkey, but it was three times the size and twice as ugly, with claws as long as knives. A mutation? Did Dutch Eternal bring it here? Toki stepped cautiously over the prone beast, her eyes catching sight of two more fallen monkeys, their bodies strewn across the path to the door like macabre breadcrumbs. Each bore the precise, lethal artistry of Edgar''s blades. Each of these creatures also had distinct characteristics: the first a stinger tail, resembling a scorpion; the second, wings identical to a Horovian Coffee Bat. She reached the scene of battle and found that each of the three remaining howler monkeys all had different malformed appendages. One was missing arms altogether, but its tail was icy blue, emanating wisps of frost. Toki¡¯s fingers found the familiar leather grip of her hammer within the depths of her bag, the tool''s weight reassuring amidst the sight of these Frankenstein horrors. ¡°Take the chonky one. It¡¯s faster than it looks!¡± Toki took advantage of her surprise entrance and dashed through the doorway. She swung her hammer before it could react with the full force of her attributes. Behind her, Edgar, no longer persisting in defense of the doorway, shifted to offense. His projections in turn shifted focused on keeping the final monkey busy, while he faced the armless one. Toki and Edgar were a tempest, two warriors each attuned to the other¡¯s actions, with hours of spars and scraps between them reinforcing their teamwork. The monkeys howled in outrage. The chonky one, finally reacting to the imminent hammer strike, emboldened by hunger or perhaps madness, lunged with jaws agape at Toki''s throat. The weapon''s head crashed into the monkey''s skull with a sound akin to the cracking of the earth itself. It crumpled, life extinguishing in its golden eyes before its body even hit the ground. The two remaining monkeys, surprised by the immediate death of their ally regrouped and shifted their attention to Toki, exposing their backs in the process. Edgar seized the chance to cleave the tail of the ice monkey, but the tail parried the blade like metal on metal. Toki could see the fatigue etched into Edgar¡¯s movements, but his blade was always unusually sharp¡ªit was not lack of effort that resulted in the failed dismemberment. The ice monkey used the momentum of the parry and careened into its partner, using it as an opportunity to make a hasty retreat. Toki marginally pivoted her follow-up swing causing it to go wide into a crescent arc. The remaining monkey¡ªone with oversized ears¡ªwas caught in the trajectory of her swing, having been, proverbially, ¡®thrown under the bus¡¯ by its companion. With only a split second of realization before the weapon connected, its eyes went wide. Its body jolted on contact as the shock from the impact ran down its spine. The monkey rocketed backwards. One of Edgar''s projections, seizing the moment, sliced the speeding monkey into two pieces. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
[Level up: Level 43]
Without pause, Toki ran after the remaining ice monkey. Toki was certain that there were more than six cages. Many more. Edgar, only paces behind, soon took the lead in pursuit. Toki watched as Edgar ran ahead. He¡¯s not using his wings. Damn it. Toki watched as Edgar came to a halt ahead. As she watched him while catching up, she noticed his usual joviality was lost, replaced by a steadfast resolve that belied his trembling hand. A gash marred his left arm all the way up through his wings, now dripping blood. He paused as his talon-like feet shifted uneasily at the five-way fork ahead as he gathered a silver stream of mana. Guilt clawed at Toki¡¯s insides¡ªhe faced the battle alone. A battle that I started. The final monkey threw back its head and howled¡ªa mournful, haunting sound. It was a call for kin, a plea for retribution against the interlopers who dared defy the natural order. But Edgar''s projection, an ethereal doppelganger, was quicker than any reinforcements that might answer the call. With a swift motion, too quick for the eye to follow, it disappeared from where Edgar stood, into the ice monkey, and then behind it. The monkey¡¯s cry turned from a gurgle to nothing at all as its head slid off, the phantom blade finding its mark. Silence reclaimed the fork, save for the labored breaths of the two assailants. ¡°Grab the monkey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Grab the monkey. We gotta run!¡± Toki ran to another fork as Edgar grabbed the monkey and reunited with her. Together they descended deeper down an unknown escape path. From behind they could hear the crescendo of howling echoing through the cavern like thunder. As if in response, a loud shattering of glass could be heard in the distance followed by a deep rumble of the earth. In the sudden hush that fell, they continued their mad dash. It was several tense minutes of silence before their sprint dulled into a walk and Toki turned to Edgar. His feathers were covered by dust and splattered crimson. ¡°You gave them hells, didn¡¯t you?¡± Edgar smiled triumphantly, then looked back from the direction they came. ¡°Do you want to talk about that?¡± He pointed his thumb backward. Toki looked at the illuminated path ahead, currently lit by her Twice fire. ¡°Fuck. There¡¯s a lot to talk about Edgar. Let¡¯s find a hiding spot first¡­ and Feathers?" she rasped as she eyed his left arm, "You¡¯re good, right?" ¡°Peachy," he stammered, feigning a bravado undermined by the tremor in his voice. "Don¡¯t do that again. You¡¯re heavy.¡± He flexed his taloned feet, as if reassuring himself of his unbroken state. ¡°Edgar Featherstone! I hadn¡¯t planned any crimes tonight, but I might just change my mind.¡± He smiled. Toki returned it. ¡°I owe you one.¡± He nodded then sheathed his katana. ¡°What are you packing in that bag anyways? I swear there has to be at least a dozen monkeys in there.¡± He shifted the monkey on his right shoulder. ¡°Oh fuck, yeah. Gimme that shitbird.¡± Toki continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s chasing us. Let¡¯s just take a break here for now.¡± Toki sat down by the cavern wall. As she adjusted her seating, she observed the passage. It was too narrow for a full-sized dragon. It was completely unlike the passage that the ice monkey was headed into. This passage was meant for humans. Leaning against the cave walls, she could feel the smooth stone, a texture unusual for a typical cave wall. Curious. ¡°Anyone or anything¡­?¡± ¡°Both.¡± Toki started inspecting the monkey for any signs of tampering, trying to identify the root of the mutation. ¡°What do you mean both?¡± ¡°You must have seen the bounty by now.¡± After a cursory inspection of the headless monkey body, Toki focused her attention on the tail. She moved her flame closer. ¡°Yeah, but no one should know we¡¯re down here.¡± Toki raised her head, ¡°The Primes do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Prime?¡± Toki hesitated. The words of Elara, Golgheim and Kristina all swirled in her head. ¡°Damn Edgar, you deserve the truth. Hells, I deserve the truth, too, but I only have pieces.¡± Toki nodded her head in defeat. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s about time.¡± ¡°Time for what?¡± ¡°Dutch Eternal wants to consume me. The Twice want to consume me. The Dynasty wants to consume me. Damn it, Edgar! If Aris itself wants to consume me, what would you have me do?!¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Toki?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done running around waiting and I¡¯m done watching others fight my battles.¡± Toki gazed at the beautiful manascript etched on the ice monkey¡¯s tail. There were layers on layers of script¡ªelegant, beautiful, seductive. She could trace the beautiful script all the way back to the beast core. ¡°I¡¯ll consume them first, Edgar.¡±
[User Tokyo Twice has claimed a [Dao of Sentience]-tailored master support skill [Lessons, Dearly Departed]] [Aris Prime Council Speaker has requested a negotiation for purchase and sale of rights to master skill, [Lessons, Dearly Departed], for the Aris Skill Shop] [User Tokyo Twice has declined negotiation] [As user Tokyo Twice, has acquired three master support skills as a mortal, user is eligible to purchase a tailored ascendent support skill from the system shop.] [User Tokyo Twice has purchased [Chronicle Cascade] from the system shop] [Acquire ascendent support skill as a mortal ¨C title awarded, Mortal Sage] [Mortal Sage: awarded [Dharma Token]] [Aris Prime Council Speaker has requested a negotiation for purchase and sale of rights to ascendant skill, [Chronicle Cascade], for the Aris Skill Shop] [User Tokyo Twice has declined negotiation] [User Tokyo Twice has been granted access to the Spearbreaker Skill Shop [Elite]] [[Dharma Token] awards access to: The Immortal Record of The Heavenly Chakra Dragon Fighter Polity] [Aris planet-wide announcement: A 258 luck bounty has been placed on Toyko Twice [mortal]. Captured dead or alive. No partial bounty will be awarded.] [Prime Speaker has called upon the Primes of Aris for a meld ¨C agree?] [Law Cats has called upon Toki Twice for a meld ¨C agree?]
Chapter 18 – Fishbowl Escapade Eris, you stupid, craven, woman. I could forgive your ignorance. I could even forgive your foolish nepotism. But you know full well the damage of your actions, you traitor. I know you sided with the Dynasty, but I could never think you would go to such lengths to please your lich overlords. You¡¯ve made Aris a fishbowl for the entirety of Cazoran to spy on. Alaric is your son, damn it. How could you let them bind his soul, using him like a puppet. You best pray that he doesn¡¯t turn whilst I still live. ¨C Elara Twice, Sealed Letter to Eris Chapter 18 ¨C Fishbowl Escapade ¡°Hahahaaaha. Ha. Haha.¡± Sushi Sam''s laughter reverberated off the glass wall of his aqueous prison, a sound that danced with mockery in the brightly lit chamber. ¡°Do you. Even know. Who I am?¡± ¡°No¡­ Should I?¡± In the center of the aquarium exhibit, floated a human-sized captive goldfish, now tightly bound with some 6-die-roll-[Bag of Tricks] rope. Sam stood face-to-face¡ªor rather, face-to-floating-face¡ªwith the Kanga Aquarium night manager and keeper of the keys to Sam''s current predicament. It was after-hours, of course, and the water filled world outside was dark and silent. "Tell me, manager," Sam quipped, a serious twinkle lighting up his piercing blue eyes, "how do you sleep at night, knowing you''ve shackled these innocent creatures here? Do their silent pleas for freedom not weigh on your conscience? How could you do this barbaric disservice to all sentience, itself. You monster. Parading this poor cervidian in front of the masses. How cruel." The goldfish, suspended in mid-air hovered at eye level with Sam, rolled his eyes, a gesture that seemed to ripple through the water bowl encasing the goldfish¡¯s face and gills. The manager appeared more irritated by the inconvenience than frightened by Sam¡¯s kidnapping or ashamed by his tirade. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the most disgusting of creatures across Cazoran. True heathens! Kingpins of a generation! They would never. And I mean never resort to this sort of slavery. How cruel, how unjust!¡± "If you would just let¡ª," Sam slapped the fishbowl and sent the floating fish swirling around the coral-anchored rope below. ¡°I can¡¯t even look at you.¡± Sam turned and continued his monologue, hiding the pain on his face from a surge of the solar kraken brand¡¯s power. ¡°This world, so corrupt. I cannot bear to leave it so. I will change it. I¡­,¡± he wiped a fake tear, ¡°I¡¯ll free you from your chains, too, manager.¡± ¡°Sam, bro. This isn¡¯t goin¡¯ to work. I¡¯ve escaped this cage 821 times. Kanga¡¯s a fuckin¡¯ scary-ass guy. Just wait until you build up enough karma, bro.¡± Sam¡¯s cervidian cellmate called out from the surprisingly comfy coral furniture, enjoying a Charlaine procedural about snailmermaid detectives on the manatech screen. The room, despite being a cage, was well manicured. ¡°Kanga¡¯s on a business trip today, but when he gets back¡­ ohh he¡¯ll be angry. Besides, what I was trying to say¡­ ahm¡­ I''m here to release you from this stage-two confinement cell, not to debate ethics. Just let me go, mate, it¡¯s my first day. I¡¯ll arrange for your escort to the surface." ¡°You. Uh¡­ what?¡± Sam¡¯s grin faltered just before it could bloom into victory. "You¡¯re here to¡­ uh¡­ release me?¡± ¡°Yeah, why else would I step into this cage?¡± He shivered and motioned a free fin toward the cervidian. Jaxon the cervidian. ¡°Oh¡­ well. In that case. Let me get you down from there, ol¡¯ chap. Have I told you, I know a friend who is an aquarium manager, nicest guy you¡¯ll ever meet.¡± Sam started to undo the rope. Suddenly, Jaxon emerged from his reef sectional. His antlers were cut short, but what remained looked like demonic horns. His body was muscular and covered with scars. How a stage-two had so many scars was unfathomable to Sam. Why they haven¡¯t healed is a testament to the torture he¡¯s endured. With a swift motion, Jaxon extended his hand, fingers splayed, and crimson tendrils snaked out from his palms. They wound around Sam''s limbs binding him as easily as Sam had bound the manager. Not again. I shouldn¡¯t have wished for a shark tank. "Uh, Jaxon, I think you got the wrong person?" Sam gasped, feigning ignorance while the blood-ties drew taut, pressing him against Azelar''s bubble helmet with a dull thud. Jaxon was stage-two and Sam knew he had no chance to break free from this Dao-Bound ability. ¡°You really have to believe me. I would never leave you hanging. This was all a ruse, you see.¡± The blood tendrils thickened and solidified. The cavernous room filled with an eerie silence, punctuated only by the subtle thrum of distant machinery. Ensnared alongside the manager, Sam contemplated their absurd entanglement. He couldn''t help but marvel at the irony of it all. Here he was, tied up next to a goldfish who had come to set him free, at the mercy of his ¡®bro,¡¯ Jaxon. "Quite the dramatic flair, Jaxon¡ªjust get me down from here and we can take a stroll outside." Sam chuckled, the sound hollow. "Save your breath, bro," Jaxon sneered, the gray in his eyes mirroring the steel of his disposition. "You''ll need it for when we really start having fun outside." Sam''s features remained composed, a mask of nonchalance concealing the cogs turning behind his facade. I can¡¯t swim. Fuck. ¡°Wait, Jaxon. Be reasonable. I can¡¯t swim. Bro? Bro!¡± Jaxon hoisted the pair over his broad shoulders, and with a practiced ease, motioned the manager¡¯s eyes to the manatech retina scanner. A hidden door along the white wall opened up after a series of beeps. The bright corridors of the aquarium echoed with the muffled protests of its unwilling passengers, as Jaxon navigated the labyrinthine passages using the manager¡¯s eye when necessary. A great sigh escaped from the manager. "So, manager, what¡¯s your name?" Sam quipped, dangling upside down with an undignified grunt, his tailored suit crumpling against the cervidian''s back. "I am Azelar Valdeboi, third of my name," the goldfish retorted, his voice muffled by the proximity to Jaxon''s muscular shoulder. "Well, Azelar, it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Though, I¡¯d rather have preferred it under different circumstances." Sam crooned, his tone dripping with mock sympathy. ¡°Mate, I feel for you. Apparently, the boss won¡¯t kill this one, even after all the trouble.¡± Azelar pointed at Jaxon. ¡°Not sure what he¡¯ll do to a mortal, though.¡± Sam¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Heh. Well¡­ I might take issue to that. Jaxon! Jaxon? Let¡¯s go back. I think it was pretty comfy back there. No need for freedom. Who needs freedom? We can watch Law and Coral. I heard McCoy went off the deep end. I know you have to know what happens.¡± "Quiet!" Jaxon barked, his voice echoing through the sterile hallway. ¡°McCoy¡¯s dead to me.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. A minute passed in silence as Jaxon moved through the white hallways between exhibits with precision. ¡°Why did you even come inside the cage, Azelar?¡± ¡°Uhh. It¡¯s kinda a rite of passage. Get caught by the big scary cervid. Take some torture. He¡¯s harmless ¨C probably knows the entire layout of the aquarium by now. Has even made it off planet a few times. Kanga¡¯ll get him¡ªhe doesn¡¯t know how to fly a shuttle.¡± Is this a trap? Why would he come inside when Kanga isn¡¯t here? Sushi Sam''s thoughts, adrift in the throes of discomfort and indignation, were cast aside when his brand flared to life, wracking pain through his body again. "Hey, uh, Azelar," Sam began, voice low and sly, "you wouldn¡¯t happen to know where this place keeps its... treasures, would you?" An edge of pain underlined his jest. Azelar''s gaze flickered with an avaricious gleam that belied his captive state. "I would never betray Lord Kanga. On my name, what do you take me for? I am a loyal goldie. No one would questi¡ª" "How about 30%?" Sam crooned, the promise of wealth dripping from his words like honey. ¡°Right this way, not far from here. I do think that it¡¯s the way this big oaf is headed anyways. I didn¡¯t tell him. No, not me. Adjacent to the shuttle bay. That''s where they hoard the crystals. He knows that." Jaxon''s stride never faltered, but his ears pricked at the mention of the vault. "Guide us," he commanded, his voice echoing with a cold resolve that reverberated off the walls. "Left right here. At the next junction, right," instructed Azelar. Sam looked at the goldfish, a kindred spirit, with a newfound respect. Jaxon''s eyes glinted with a predatory gleam as they approached a fork in the corridor, where two guards clad in lusterless uniforms stood watch. They were two mermen playing cards, oblivious to the danger that lurked just beyond their field of vision, their laughter echoing hollowly off the walls. The air around Jaxon began to ripple with unseen power, a miasma of malice emanating from his form. With a swift motion, he extended his hands, and tendrils of sanguine energy snaked forward, coiling around the guards like vipers ensnaring their prey. A gurgle of surprise was all the noise the first guard could muster before the blood magic constricted, putting him to sleep. His companion turned, eyes wide with horror, but it was too late. A second tendril found its mark, and he collapsed beside his comrade. Sam couldn''t help but let out a low whistle, impressed despite himself. "You''ve got quite the touch, Jaxon. Remind me never to get on your bad side. I¡¯m not on your bad side, am I?" Jaxon grunted, his gaze scanning the area for more threats before entering the vault room. The vault, itself, loomed before them, a monolithic door etched with runes that hummed with ancient energy. "This is it," Azelar whispered, his voice tinged with reverence and fear. "Behind this door lies Kanga''s hoard. Good luck getting in. It¡¯s enchanted with the fin¡ª¡± With a gesture from Jaxon, the door''s runes flared to life, pulsing with a darkness that seemed to devour hope. Blood sprayed across the enchantments. Then, as suddenly as they had awakened, they dimmed, and the door swung open with a groan of protest, revealing the trove within. Jaxon was pale from the exertion. What a unique and useful ability. Inside, the air was thick with mana. Sam''s gaze swept the room, taking in the glittering piles of crystals that beckoned. Jaxon put Sam and Azelar down, releasing Sam¡¯s ropes. Sam in turn released Azelar. Amid the splendor, one chest stood apart, shrouded in shadows that seemed to writhe and twist. It was a simple chest, but it was shrouded in a dangerous and thick mana. Sam couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to it. "Wait." Azelar''s fin shot out, grasping Sam''s back. "I wouldn¡¯t touch that one. Kanga¡¯s been fixated on opening that for centuries¡ªat least that¡¯s what the other goldies tell me." "Sounds ominous," Sam quipped, though his heart hammered against his ribs. "But we''re not here for cursed trinkets, are we? Just the crystals." Jaxon''s gaze lingered on the chest, a smirk playing across his lips. The shadows clung to the ornate carvings like cobwebs, yet they seemed to retreat from the touch of his calloused fingers. "It¡¯s been too long. Wait for me just a little longer," Jaxon whispered, his voice low and resonant in the charged silence. Sam watched, his blue eyes narrowing slightly, as Jaxon laid claim to the chest. This is awfully suspicious. As Jaxon reveled in his reclaimed prize, Sam''s attention wavered. A pang of pain, sharp and insistent, thrummed against his chest¡ªa cruel reminder of the brand seared into his flesh. Its throbbing was relentless. In search of relief, Sam''s hands fumbled through the piles of mana crystals, their luminescence casting eerie glows upon his desperate features. Sam selected a crystal pulsing with a deep indigo hue. He pressed it against the brand, and the crystal''s glow intensified before disappearing. With the disappearance of the crystal, the alarm bells of Kanga¡¯s aquarium rang out. Spatial sensor. Shit. The other crystal in the room trembled, responding to an unseen summons. Like iron filings to a magnet, they zipped through the space, swirling in a vortex of arcane power before flying into Sam''s chest. Oh shit! Oh shit! "By the seven oceans of Charlaine," Azelar gasped, witnessing the spectacle. Even Jaxon, ever the embodiment of control, stepped back, his usual sneer replaced by a look of surprise¡ªor perhaps a hint of envy. ¡°No. Not all of them. We had a deal. You don¡¯t even need this many!¡± The brand was ravenous, and paid Sam¡¯s cries no heed, lifting him off the floor and consuming the entire stash of crystals. Azelar''s fins, nimble as the tentacles of an octopus, darted about his person with frantic urgency. Like a scavenger possessed, he snatched at the stray crystals that had resisted Sam''s unwitting summons, secreting them into the labyrinthine folds of his voluminous body and even the recesses of his water bowl. His movements were frenzied. ¡°ALL THE CRYSTALS!? Noo-oo-hohoho.¡± Azelar sobbed, his golden tears failing to mix with the water in the bowl. ¡°Why! It¡¯s my first day! Mate, at least save me a couple hundred.¡± His sobs were broken by Jaxon¡¯s slap. ¡°Pull yourself together, bro. Show us the exit.¡± Azelar straightened, rubbing the tender spot where Jaxon''s strike had landed. His gaze, momentarily clear from the fog of greed, met Jaxon''s steely glare. Sam groaned as he fell onto the ground. ¡°Sorry about that. Karma¡¯s a bitch.¡± He looked around the vault for any other treasures, but it was spotless. "Follow me," Azelar muttered angrily, his voice a sullen growl that belied the resignation etched upon his features. With a swift pivot, he led the way through the maze of corridors, his expression churning with dark thoughts. The alarms blared in the background, but Sam noticed no new guards or security measures. Maybe it¡¯s just a spatial tracking system. The shuttle bay yawned before them like the gaping maw of some ancient leviathan, a vast cavern of shadows, punctuated by the intermittent flicker of failing lights. Most of the shuttles here were trash models, Sam could tell. A few compact galaxy-cruiser VX-90s. A Hyundai Soopercooler. Engine¡¯s probably bad. And an imitation DMC DeLorean, fit with gull-wing doors and all. Who needs a land vehicle at the bottom of the ocean? But, amidst this bleak tableau of neglected shuttles, there stood a solitary beacon of hope¡ªa Centurion, model 828 Starbird Expanse. Its sleek lines and polished adamant gleamed faintly in the dim illumination, like a jewel nestled within a trash heap. It was an older model, but even a millenia-old Centurion could outrun a solar kraken. "Would you look at that," Sam murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. There was a gleam in his eyes. It was a snazzy piece of machinery, its presence wholly incongruous amidst the poorly upkept parking lot. Sams''s gaze lingered on the shuttle with a mix of awe and greed. ¡°Er¡­ we probably shouldn¡¯t use that one. That¡¯s the madam¡¯s.¡± It was Sam who moved first. He approached the vessel with reverence. Reaching the shuttle, Sam''s hand hovered over the doors, his fingers trembling with anticipation before he pressed the release. The hatch obeyed with a hiss, folding away to reveal the cosmo-gator leather interior¡ªa sanctuary of blinking consoles and cushioned seats that beckoned to him. Sam clambered into the pilot''s seat, his movements fluid despite the tremors that danced along his limbs. He settled into the embrace of the chair, the familiar contours a silent greeting from an old friend. He didn¡¯t even need to see the passenger hold to know it was a luxury star-yacht fit for a stage-three. Karma¡¯s a beautiful bitch. His fingers flitted across the control panel, a maestro poised to conduct an orchestra. Switches were flicked with deft certainty, each one sparking to life under his touch, their luminescence casting eerie shadows across his sharp features. The holodisplay came alive, showing navigation, aquarium gate clearance functions, and a wealth of webnovels. Some afternoon reading, I suppose. "Ohh, honey, I¡¯ll take you away from the bad man. You deserve better than this parking lot," he said, though the words felt unnecessary, a ritual performed out of respect rather than need. The shuttle responded, a symphony of beeps and whirrs filling the cabin as the craft came alive, thrumming with latent mana. The shuttle''s engines hummed, a low growl, as Sam guided the controls with an assuredness born of experience. The model 828 stood poised to claim the stars. "Bro, can you even fly this thing? Maybe we should take the autopilot Hyundai," Jaxon had just caught up, entering the cockpit with Azelar once again over his shoulders. "Do you know who I am? I¡¯m fucking Sam. Youngest pirate lord of the Cazoran straight. Captain of the Robbin¡¯ Goods Fleet, and I¡¯ll be the king of the pirates!" Sam replied, his voice as steady as the pulsating thrum of the engines. "I¡¯ve commandeered vessels of legend, outwitted corsairs and constellaries alike. You see, Jaxon. I can most definitely fly this beautiful thing." ¡°Good." Jaxon couldn''t help but settle into a smile. "Set course for Aris.¡± Chapter 19 – Lessons Learned [Elara Twice] You can¡¯t have more than 100% manadraw. That¡¯s just math. Your aethercore can¡¯t funnel more than it¡¯s capable of¡­ normally. Berserking abilities allow you to pull more mana and overcharge your abilities, but at great cost. [Tokyo Twice] What happens to your abilities when your aethercore gets bigger, then? Wouldn¡¯t you be pulling more mana naturally? [Elara Twice] Your abilities grow, but the costs grow proportionately. Support skills can evolve with more thick or refined mana, or with different skill merges, but we don¡¯t have a hub on Aris. [Tokyo Twice] Can you teach me a berserking ability? [Elara Twice] How did we even get on this topic from system priority law. Get back to work, come back to me when you 50-cap and maybe I¡¯ll think about it. ¨C Conversation between Elara and Tokyo Twice Chapter 19 ¨C Lessons Learned Toki sat in contemplation with the ice monkey tail in her lap. Marsha¡¯s request for a meeting¡ªno doubt a whirlwind of banter and sardonic advice¡ªclashed with the summons from the Primes. The former would yield ammunition for her future; the latter for her present, hopefully providing tactical information and intelligence she needed to know now. The choice is obvious, unfortunately. She let out a sigh, her breath a wisp in the cold subterranean tunnel, mingling with the ethereal glow of her flame ability. Toki started dismembering the monkey, careful to extract the beast core alongside the ice tail. If I disregard the primes, they might realize ¡®Five¡¯ is Tokyo Twice. Marsha will have to wait. "Feathers." ¡°Toki, talk to me. What¡¯s going on? They want you dead now?¡± ¡°There¡¯s too much going on. I¡¯ll have to be quick.¡± ¡°Why qui¡ª¡± ¡°Just let me explain. I am about to go into another meld. You know how I passed out earlier. This is the same¡ªit seems like it takes my consciousness and brings it into a meeting space. Super annoying if you ask me. My body is basically defenseless.¡± ¡°A meeting with who? Your lawyers?¡± ¡°No. They also called, but¡­ but I have to talk to the Primes.¡± ¡°Who the hell are the primes? And shouldn¡¯t you be talking to the lawyers? Are the Primes the ones that gave you the bounty?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s the dynasty. Gods damn, Edgar, focus. I¡¯m going to be going into another meld. You¡¯ll have to protect me once more. Fuck. I don¡¯t want to do this, but I think we¡¯re safe here for now, at least.¡± ¡°So¡­ what you were saying to the spider¡­ it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°There¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know, Edgar. But yes. There are fantastical worlds out there. Worlds that I want to go to, worlds that I want to explore. But we need to live to go there.¡± Edgar swallowed hard. Toki continued, ¡°the Primes are like a secret cult. And right now, they don¡¯t want Tokyo Twice to live.¡± ¡°The Twice clan¡¯s also a cult.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah. Fair. I¡¯m also a Prime. If I don¡¯t go, they¡¯ll suspect something. They were already suspicious last time.¡± ¡°Then why go? Can they trap you there?¡± ¡°They control this whole damned world, Edgar. The trade deal that everyone¡¯s talking about. They run it. And from the bits and piece I gathered, they do a whole lot more than that.¡± ¡°How did this happen? You just get awarded Prime because you kill a dragon?¡± ¡°Elara was a Prime¡­ and now I am. I¡¯ll explain the rest later.¡± "Figures. She was the puppet-master type. I have your back Toki, but you need to explain this shit to me. You can¡¯t leave me blind like this.¡± He puffed up his feathers in protest. Toki smiled at Edgar, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±
[5/5 Primes have agreed to council] [You are being summoned by Prime Speaker of Aris. Prepare for meld in 5 seconds.]
Toki closed her eyes and exhaled, surrendering to the inevitable pull of the meld. She returned to the black room. As the others were already seated, she joined them and took the fifth seat. ¡°One, she¡¯s an elite. What are her skills?¡± How can they know my skills? ¡°She purchased two system skills. I will project them now from the Prime Panel.¡± ¡°Two? How the fuck did she purchase two of ¡®em,¡± Three added. One pulled up the two skills for the Primes to see. Toki pulled up her status screen to see if there was any difference in the readout.
Skill Information
Lessons, Dearly Departed Description: An active skill: [Lessons - If target contains life force]: Attack with a physical manifestation of the shadows to apply physical damage [scales with strength + intelligence]. Strike leaves a mark of [Request]. All [Request] marks are activated when the lifeforce debt exceeds target¡¯s remaining life force. [Request]: Places a small debt of lifeforce from target to the user, draining over time. [Dearly departed ¨C If target contains no life force] Pilfer story/memory shards from target. Greater stacks of [Request] improve yield and coherence of story/memory shards. Current upkeep / cost: 20% mana upkeep / appendage Merge / upgrade options available Yes
Chronicle Cascade Description: [Active]: Use ambient story elements to force comprehension of the Dao tapestry. [Passive]: Acquired story/memory shards apply [Cascade] buff on user. [Cascade] buff falls off when not in battle at 1 instance per minute. [Cascade]: Each instance of cascade empowers the user with a 1% all attribute buff. (Max = 20 shards) Current upkeep / cost: 100% for active. Merge / upgrade options available Yes
Toki looked from her status screen to the projection. They can see the description, but not upkeep or merge options. These skills are perfect for enchanting. But does this mean that I have to kill my targets to trigger a [Cascade]? ¡°She can become strong. Can we still reject the bounty? I want to bring her into the fold.¡± Two added. The elf whistled, ¡°I stand by two. A world trial would be in our best interest. Monsters and other combatants will flood this world. This is a 20% modifier at all times for extended combat.¡± I agree, for large scale battles, these are strong abilities. I also have a self-heal mixed in. I¡¯ll have to test this though. One considered, ¡°Hmmm, we cannot reject the bounty anymore. But we can try to convince her to cooperate.¡± ¡°These abilities are alright, but every fuckin¡¯ elite will have something like ¡®em. I¡¯m not convinced ¨C I¡¯m in the depths now and we just fought off a bunch of monkeys. If she survived ¡®em I¡¯ll test her out myself¡­ who knows, maybe you¡¯ll all be looking at a new set of skills tomorrow. From what the crew is telling me, she doesn¡¯t have a Dao-bound ability yet.¡± Damn, there¡¯s a crew coming our way. ¡°Three, that¡¯s outrageous,¡± Two replied. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Ya agreed to that decision, Two. Just ¡®cause we might have a champion don¡¯t mean we have a way to survive Golgheim.¡± ¡°Like this barbarian said before, by happenstance she has two abilities. One master and one ascendant,¡± Four added, ¡°she¡¯s grasped a dao-seed. There¡¯s no other explanation. That means she still has plenty of leftover luck for the Elite Shop.¡± ¡°Heh, no matter. She won¡¯t be able to use it.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°She¡¯s only level 39¡­ maybe a few more for killing the envoy.¡± ¡°Greedy barbarian. Even I recognize the scaling power here. We can nurture her Daos with her ascendant skill. If we wait a few years and import more exotic beasts, we can certainly power her up.¡± Toki was hesitant. If she revealed her identity now, what could she gain? Could I convince Three? "No rush, you can try to convince me." ¡°One, why did you call this meeting? This is a waste of my time.¡± Toki interrupted. No way I''m convincing him. ¡°You are correct Five. If it were the skills alone, it would hardly warrant an emergency meeting. We guessed as much last time.¡± Toki nodded. ¡°The updated bounty request came with a note from the Dynasty. ¡®If we can¡¯t have her, no one can.¡¯¡± ¡°That sounds quite ominous,¡± the elf quipped. ¡°Hardly,¡± One replied. ¡°They added an engagement card. If this Tokyo Twice agrees to betroth the lich young master, they agreed to intercede on our behalf with the Falkori. Apparently they are reaching out to her legal counsel to arrange a meld for introductions.¡± I guess that¡¯s why Marsha called. ¡°I don¡¯t see how you could force the girl to marry.¡± Toki said without a change of posture. ¡°We cannot, but it would certainly be strong leverage for Aris in our dealings with the Dynasty. Three, I urge you to reconsider. Unless you¡¯re willing to swing the other way, of course. We can always offer you instead.¡± ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll decline. Two, Four, Five. Will you support me for a world trial if I become elite?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No.¡± I¡¯d be dead, dumbass. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You sound like an ass.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°*Cough* haha, *cough*¡± ¡°You would be correct.¡± There¡¯s no point in revealing myself. I don¡¯t want to fight someone to the death, but I don¡¯t want to marry some undead lich either. If there¡¯s no other option for this world¡­ I¡¯ll consider it. ¡°I¡¯d perhaps have majority. So, forget it, One.¡± ¡°How does the world trial work?¡± Toki interrupted. Three will come after me anyways. There¡¯s no point. ¡°We have to survive 24-hours after we vote, Five. The primes have tried four times that I am aware of within the last few centuries.¡± What was left unsaid spoke volumes. The''re all dead. ¡°Very well, if there is nothing else of import. I will await another Aris-wide announcement.¡± Toki''s consciousness recoiled, retracting from the meld. She blinked rapidly, the tunnel coming into focus, as her flames flicked forth, with Edgar''s silhouette hovering over her. "Edgar, I¡¯m back" she whispered. His eyes widened, "What did they tell you? Did they figure you out?" he asked, his words careful, wings folding against his back to minimize his presence¡ªperhaps an instinctive effort to shield them both from unseen threats. "I¡¯m okay for now. I¡¯m not sure¡­ but Golgheim¡­ he might be the bad guy." "Council speaker?" Edgar''s feathers bristled, his tone laced with perplexity. "Why?" "Let¡¯s keep moving. I¡¯ll explain while we walk. They already fought some of the monkeys. One of the primes brought a crew. To kill me." They progressed through the underground tunnel, their path illuminated by Toki¡¯s flame. Along the way Toki started playing with [Lessons] while she explained the details of the Primes, Dutch Eternal, and even Golgheim to Edgar. Edgar was quiet and just listened, never interrupting. But slowly the frown grew larger and larger with each additional secret. Toki finished with the news from the Dynasty, calling for a marriage agreement, whereupon Edgar finally interrupted. ¡°Fuck Toki, you can¡¯t let them do that to you! This world! Gods be damned, the whole palette be damned!¡± Toki nodded along, using [Lessons] to summon a fourth claw from her own shadow below. She was playing catch with them using a manafruit. ¡°Aggahhahh. We have to fight them?¡± ¡°Seems that way.¡± ¡°We have to kill them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°And¡­ Golgheim?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know, Edgar. I¡¯m learning this all now too. It¡¯s a little overwhelming, but Golgheim was right about one thing. If I¡¯m stronger, no one can push me around.¡± She took a bite of the manafruit as the tunnel opened into another enormous cavernous space. Above there were blue crystals casting bioluminescent blue from above. As far as she could see were the remnants of a long-forgotten civilization clinging to the walls. Clay homes, hollowed and half-eroded, stared back at them with empty windows like the sockets of a giant''s skull. Wooden doors hung askew on rusted hinges, and here and there, tools lay abandoned mid-chore, preserved in the tomb-like silence of this underground. There were no people, no skeletons, no memory of their existence. "An entire life, reduced to dust," Edgar remarked somberly, his voice barely disturbing the hush that enveloped them. ¡°Will this be us?¡± Toki didn¡¯t answer but her determination cast a stark contrast to the melancholy of their surroundings. Together, they went further into the depths, exploring the clay homes as they passed them and paying homage to the remnants of this forgotten civilization. Inside, they swept for any books, tomes, identifying information, or anything that could give light to what this civilization was. They found nothing. No written word or description. Not so much as a painting or cave drawing. It was eerie. The gloom of the underground deepened as Toki and Edgar descended into the underground cityscape, their footsteps cautious on the uneven ground. The air grew denser, suffused with a briny stench that clawed at their senses as they approached what looked like a glowing body of water in the distance. Is this an underground lake¡­ I can¡¯t see the end of it. "Edgar," Toki whispered, her voice a susurrus against the silence. "Do you smell that?" "Salt¡­ is that seafood?" he replied, the plume of his breath visible in the cool darkness. He clutched his feathered cloak closer, eyes darting nervously. "It¡¯s like we¡¯re at a beach." As if summoned by his words, a skittering sound echoed ahead and a cacophony of clicks and clacks that seemed to multiply and encroach upon them from the waterfront. Toki''s hand drifted to her hammer. ¡°Quick, to the rooftop.¡± Toki summoned a footfall with [Bindings of Tyndall] and both Edgar and Toki climbed up the nearest clay building. She extinguished her flame. "Cowcrabs," Edgar whispered, squinting to see in the darkness. A multitude of glowing carapaces materialized from the dark, bearing down upon them with pincers raised in silent threat. There were four of them, as large as their namesake suggested. They danced the crab walk, going zig-zag up the street from the waterfront. As Toki observed she tried drawing upon her new ability, [Lessons], but the shadow wasn¡¯t able to catch hold in the heavy darkness. Hmmm, so I¡¯ll need to use my flame to cast a stronger shadow. Toki motioned to Edgar pointing at herself and then the two on the left. He nodded, pointed at himself and then the two on the right. Toki nodded. She didn¡¯t draw her weapon for this fight. Jumping back to the ground, she summoned her flame, using it to cast shadows into her surroundings. Time to test it out. Edgar met the other two crabs with an onslaught. Edgar was nimble and swift despite his anxiety and evaded snapping claws while delivering precise strikes with his katana, exploiting the gaps in the creatures'' defenses. Toki moved to flank the others and summoned [Lessons]. It had a cast time ¨C to gather the complicated guideweave took a moment. The system is helpful in that way. I can''t imagine holding all the structure coefficients for my support skills in my head, much less using them. The crabs used the chance to close the distance to her. Gods only know how the custom skills in the shop were even made. She summoned a single large claw allocating all her manadraw using [Advanced Mana Control]. From the shadows emerged a single claw, colossal and spectral, wrought from the night itself. It was as if she had drawn forth the hand of some eldritch deity from the ground, eager to exact retribution upon those who dared disturb its slumber. The claw hovered above the battlefield, anchored to the shadow on the ground, a silent promise of devastation. It was as big as the crabs themselves and pulsed darkness. Toki used it and slashed at the closest crab, knocking it into the building wall. Splattering it against the building wall. Too strong for mortal crabs. Imagine if I had more intelligence.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Carapace Art (1/100)]
The other crab tried skittering away, but Toki dropped the first shadow and summoned another to strike the second crab. It¡¯s faster to just move the shadow. Maybe I can create two and cycle manadraw from one to another instead.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Carapace Art (2/100)]
Toki felt a small surge of lifeforce and strength with every creature the shadow dispatched. It wasn¡¯t significant, but it was enough to notice. The [Cascade] buffs would add up quickly. Each crab had also added to this mysterious Carapace Art. If each enemy only dropped one, completing the story would take a while. ¡°I think we should use them to gain some experience. They¡¯re free beasts after all. Back up there we had to import direhogs." ¡°Hmmm, that makes sense. By the way, the shadow claw makes you look like a badass villain.¡± Edgar had finished before her and was waiting, watching her test the monstrous shadow claw. ¡°Mwu-ha-ha-ha.¡± ¡°Nope. Ruined it.¡± Another line of crustaceans appeared, zig-zagging, looking for the scouting party. This time Toki summoned five claws, each with 20% manadraw each. ¡°Let me tag them. I get a buff each time.¡± She drew her hammer, unsure if the shadow claw without [Advanced Mana Control] would be enough to kill the crabs. Toki felt a surge of adrenaline as she wove her way through the throng of crustaceans. The new line did not have an end. More and more started to gather from their surroundings. Their claws snapped in rhythm and as the onslaught of crabs surged forth, Toki realized that these creatures were merely the vanguard. Like the scouts, they were mortal skirmishers. ¡°Edgar, if we run into a stage-one or stage-two, we might have to retreat.¡± They swarmed en masse, a scuttling horde intent on overwhelming the intruders in their ancient, subterranean realm. Edgar responded with a grunt, his taloned feet digging into the clay-ridden ground, wings slightly unfurled for balance. "So many..." Toki agreed, her eyes narrowing as she took in the relentless wave of assailants. Her heart thundered, not with fear but with excitement; this was a weapons test, a trial by combat. Toki jumped into the throng and wove through snapping claws delivering hammer strikes and [Lessons] in equal measure. She used the shadow claw mostly to defend and parry the strikes that were unavoidable and soon the [Cascade] stacks were starting to build up. "Behind you!" Edgar''s warning cut through the air, and Toki pivoted just in time for the shadowy appendage to block out a snap from a hidden stage-one cowcrab. Toki funneled manadraw from the four other claws into the single one and defended against the hit. The impact was cataclysmic, sending nearby crabs flying, their exoskeletons fracturing under the immense force. It was an impressive blow, but also an impressive block. "Merciful skies..." Edgar murmured, awe tingeing his usual timbre. "Keep moving!" Toki''s command brooked no argument, as she guided the shadowy claw through complex arcs and vicious swipes, each movement resonating with an otherworldly power. She played with the distribution of manadraw and settled on a 5% for the parry claws and 80% for a single offensive and blocking claw. Keeping track of all the different appendages was new, but Toki relished the battle. The claws were an extension of her being, tangible manifestations of her will, and with them, she carved a path through their adversaries. She danced between the strikes, fluid and lethal, dispatching any crab that eluded the claw''s wrath with a heavy blow from her adamant hammer. As more and more cowcrabs fell, Toki felt that there was an inkling of enlightenment hidden in her battle. She was on the cusp of understanding something, but she could not yet grasp it. Together, Edgar and Toki pressed forward. Toki orchestrated a gathering of shadows, Edgar followed her lead with his two additional projections, his own attacks precise and deadly. The sheer number of crabs dwindled under their combined assault, revealing the true potential of Toki''s burgeoning abilities. ¡°MOOOOOO.¡± The patriarch cowcrab had arrived. Not quite a stage-two, but late stage-one. Toki glanced at her status and smiled.
[Level up: Level 44] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Carapace Art (43/100)] [[Cascade] x20]
-- Next chapter for free on Patreon Chapter 20 – Phalanx Exoskeleton Full scale conflict is emerging in Zone 4, Cazoran resulting from the shockwaves of two major coffee conglomerates vying for control over distribution into the galactic center through the Cazoran straight. The current alliances we are seeing appear to divide battlefronts across major beast occupied regions. Whether this is a play for beast cores to fuel the conflict or outright conquest of the remaining Cazoran beasts remains to be seen. Regardless, such open conflict may force the system to utilize world trials, title scenarios, and competitions as a means of arbitration. We are expecting a bloodbath ahead. ¨C Cazoran Times, Voidbreaker News Chapter 20 ¨C Phalanx Exoskeleton Claws clashed with a cacophony akin to swords on shields in the somber underground cityscape. The cowcrabs'' armored shells grated with a sound that sent shivers down Toki''s spine. The creatures, now a swarm, skittered and thrashed before them into the street, their pincers snapping with deadly intent. They swarmed from the waterfront. Amidst the melee stood the colossal upper stage-one cowcrab. Toki could only guess, but it was definitely greater than level 80. Its strength alone was staggering. Just entering the boardwalk, its presence stretched like an ominous portent over the skirmish. Rearing up, the pale glow from inside its shell cast a strange light over its jagged carapace. Each movement it made was ponderous yet precise, allowing spears to skitter through cracks in the exoskeleton. Its massive claws were poised to crush bone and spirit alike, heeding no mind to its bovine-crustacean brethren. "I¡¯ll take him! Can you take the other?" Toki called out, her voice half-lost in the pandemonium. The question was superfluous; Edgar''s every feather seemed primed for the fight, but his reassurance would dictate advance or retreat. Not far from the leviathan, a smaller, though no less menacing lower stage-one cowcrab circled Toki with a hunger in its beady eyes. Its exoskeleton bore scars from many battles, the most recent of which was from Toki¡¯s [Lessons]. This one moved with a deceptive speed that belied its bulk, its sharp legs darting around like spears thrust by a skilled lancer. The darkness seemed to cling to the battlefield, punctuated by Toki¡¯s flame and the luminescence of the gathering cowcrab shells. Toki¡¯s slender form weaved through the onslaught with a grace born from Golgheim''s target practice. Her white hair danced in this true battlefield where a mistake could mean losing her head. A look from Edgar was all the confirmation she needed as they executed a switch maneuver. The lower stage-one cowcrab lunged toward Toki, a move both predictable and terrifying, its shadow engulfing her. But Toki was no stranger to shadows. They were now kin. With a burst of color that seemed to defy the darkness, Toki watched Edgar draw the attention of the lesser cowcrab. With a thought, she propelled herself forward, trimming her [Lessons] down to two appendages. One shadow claw defending by parrying the rabble around her and another extending in a silent lunge toward the upper stage-one cowcrab. 5% / 95% manadraw. The air itself seemed to scream as her assault rent towards the cowcrab, leaving ephemeral trails of darkness in its wake. The dark claw clashed against its luminous carapace. Each following strike from Toki was a test as she tried to understand the power of [Lessons] and the durability of this patriarch. Using her Twice flame to deepen the shadows, she was able to draw bigger and sharper shadows by varying her positioning. As the creature parried with its monstrous overlapping exoskeleton, a subtle shift occurred within Toki''s understanding. She observed the interplay of offense and defense, the way the cowcrab''s own armor positioning dictated its movements and its offense. A revelation unfurled within her mind¡ªperhaps a result of [Dearly Departed]. "Carapace Art," she murmured, almost in awe of the crab¡¯s evolutionary wisdom that now surged to the forefront of her thoughts. Toki sidestepped a pincer''s swipe, her [Lessons] grazing the joint where chitin met flesh. She realized the potential for both shield and claw in this dance of shadow and exoskeleton. Her deft movements turned aside the cowcrab''s attacks, each motion a study in fluidity; and in those same breaths, she launched counterattacks that struck with precision using her hammer to force the cowcrab back. The cowcrab recoiled, its once-imposing form now faltering under the relentless barrage of both shadow and metal. It was strong, but it was slow. Toki''s eyes focused intently on her adversary, every muscle coiled in readiness. It began its retreat towards the beach and Toki followed. The creatures'' clattering mandibles snapped at Toki, almost fearful, as she advanced. Her own breath came in measured rhythm, her concentration unyielding as she drew adrenaline into fortitude. The [Cascade] stacks had increased her attributes by a whole 20%, making up a large fraction of the real fortitude. I need to adapt to this increased speed and strength. I¡¯m wasting movement in my strikes. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In the brief interludes where adamant met carapace, Toki pieced together the narrative concealed within its armored shell. Alone the exoskeleton was weak, but together the pieces were a phalanx, with spears jutting out at precise moments to counterattack. Toki pondered, ducking beneath a sweeping claw to deliver a riposte. Her opponent recoiled, and for an instant, its eyes met hers. She used the moment to draw the three other appendages out once more. 5% manadraw each. A fragment of clarity took root within her mind. With each clash, she gleaned insight from the cowcrab¡¯s movements. Its relentless aggression somehow spoke of an existence defined by survival, an uncanny purpose in its coordination and parries. It attacked with defense in mind. It defended with a counterattack planned. As they arrived on the beach, each step upon the shifting sands was a challenge as she surrendered the advantage to the crab. The crashing waves sang a chorus in the background. Here, the terrain conspired against her¡ªeach foothold unsure. Now with a homefield advantage, the cowcrab advanced. Toki defended, meeting its charge with an attack of her own. In this pivotal moment the crab illuminated the surroundings by drawing energy to its glowing carapace, weakening the attacking shadow claw. Toki faltered. In this moment, where death seemed all but assured, Toki shifted manadraw to her other appendage and mimicked the cowcrab¡¯s exoskeleton using her four remaining appendages. A shadow phalanx of her own. The claw parried off and deflected into the sand. In that moment, time slowed, grains of sand suspended mid-flight, witnesses to the impending coup de grace. With a piercing cry that melded with the sea''s tumultuous refrain, Toki¡¯s hammer found its mark. It plunged through the cowcrab''s mandibles with a sound akin to shattering glass, triggering a final pulse of [Request] that pulled the remaining lifeforce into Toki. A deathblow.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Carapace Art (56/100)] [Carapace Art has reached partial comprehension]
Toki stood over her vanquished foe, her chest swelling with hard-earned triumph. In her victory, she glimpsed the potential of her own new power, but also her hubris. The claw makes up for so many of my weaknesses. It''s like Obie with his fire and hammer. Still, I need to remember that others also have their own aces. For a moment, Toki considered the fragments of the cowcrab''s story, the fragments that now made up the Carapace Art. But the euphoria of victory waned as Toki''s eyes swept the battlefield for Edgar, her heart thrumming with a new urgency. She navigated the sandy landscape backwards. Her gaze fixed upon Edgar''s form amidst the melee on the boardwalk, staving off the lesser stage-one cowcrab with the finesse of a dancer and the precision of a manasurgeon. His movements were a blur, katana flashing from each of his projections. Toki arrived just as the stage-one cowcrab crumpled to the ground, its lifeblood seeping into the street that would serve as its final resting place. The exoskeleton lay silent, proving to be no match for Edgar''s relentless assault. The remaining mortal cowcrabs scattered, now leaderless. "Are you hurt?" Toki asked. "Scratches," Edgar replied, his voice betraying the weariness that lay beneath the bravado and the malfunctioning left wing. "You?" "Nah, I won," Toki said, the corners of her mouth lifting in a half-smile that failed to reach her eyes. "Let¡¯s go pick the big one apart. I think its shell could be good to enchant on. Then we¡¯ll have to continue moving." "Might also be tasty." "Ohhhh, some stew! I like it!" The stillness of the aftermath was a deceitful reprieve, shattered by the sudden whistle of an arrow cleaving through the dusk. Edgar''s form buckled under the unseen assault, a feathered shaft sprouting grotesquely from one of his vibrant wings. Shock spread across his face, contorting his features in a grimace of pain as he stumbled back, his hands grappling at the invasive bolt. The projection shattered dropping the arrow onto the street. The real Edgar crumpled by Toki¡¯s side. "Edgar!" Toki''s voice was a strangled cry, her heart thundering against her ribs like a war drum. She sprang into action, [Lessons] building a phalanx around their position. With a fluid motion Toki swept her hand through the air, dragging the darkness along with it. It swelled into a protective bulwark, a shield wrought from the very absence of light. Another arrow, aimed with lethal intent, splintered against the barrier. Fuck, how did they get here so quick? Three was in the same meeting as me. Unless¡­ he knows. Shit. "I got you, Edgar." ¡°No, go after him,¡± his large eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and agony. Blood, starkly crimson against the iridescence of his plumage, dripped in heavy droplets to the street from a phantom injury. Toki''s gaze darted across the shadow-strewn landscape, seeking the source of their peril. Her mind raced, piecing together the origin of this new threat. ¡°Fuck that. I need to get you to safety.¡± With Edgar wounded, their vulnerability hung between them. "Can you move?" Toki asked, her eyes never leaving the horizon where danger lurked. ¡°Yeah.¡± With one arm wrapped protectively around Edgar, she supported his weight and started to move. "Gone. He''s gone." His eyes lit up red as he used his [Eagle Eye] skill, frustration smoldering at the cheap shot. The city loomed ahead and their footsteps, hurried and heavy, drummed a relentless rhythm against the cobbled streets, echoing the pounding of Toki''s heart. Buildings sculpted from clay rose around them as they weaved in and out of back alleys to escape any pursuit. "Here," Toki breathed after she was certain no one had followed, her keen eyes catching the outline of a door left ajar. The clay house was cool and still. It offered them solitude and a place to rest and recover. Edgar collapsed against the rough interior wall, his colorful feathers now stained with streaks of crimson. His chest heaved. "Rest now," Toki murmured, her hand putting pressure on the wound as she pulled out bandages from her bag. As she tended to his wounds, the silence was punctuated only by the faint clacking of the city¡ªthe hum of the dispersing cowcrabs, indifferent to the plight of two souls hidden in its midst. -- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 21 – Freefall The Dao Seed may start your path, but, Fear not merging those seeds that grant your Dao life, Fear not mutating those seeds that challenge your vision, Fear not discarding those seeds unfit to accompany your struggle. May your path be watered by your tears and the blood of your enemies. Tend your Dao with care. And die by your path. ¨C Alvar Twice, thirdborn of the first Twice tyrant, Book of Twice Chapter 21 ¨C Freefall "Feathers, you need to wake up. We¡¯ll have to move again soon," Toki murmured, a sigh escaping her lips. Her voice was a whisper out of fear of somehow drawing the attention of the bounty hunters. And Three. Toki sat hunched over the prostrate form of Edgar, her slender fingers tracing the contour of his fevered brow. The manafever no doubt from the backlash of losing a projection. Such a wonderous skill must have a downside. Edgar had been unconscious for over an hour and Toki was beginning to get worried. A cursory scouting of their surroundings indicated that they were safe for now, but she expected Three to be smart enough to at least follow up on a lead, if not, set up a more intricate trap for her to fall into. Edgar, you brave, timid, fool. Why have you been facing all the danger? In the quiet, Toki''s mind wandered, unbidden, to a memory¡ªa rite of passage known well among the avian kin. -- Edgar and Toki stood on the precipice of The Crag at Last Fall, proverbially known as the Bird¡¯s Calf, where the wind howled like an ancient spirit and toyed with their hair in wild abandon. Where avians metaphorically discarded their legs and found their wings. Below, the clouds beckoned like some beast, its maw wide and unfathomable, a test of mettle for all avian children petulant enough to conquer the skies. "Come on!" Toki cajoled, her tone a blend of mockery and encouragement, "The winds are perfect. You were born for this." Her gaze had held steadfast to his, willing him to believe in himself. Edgar''s talon-like feet had shuffled at the edge, his brilliant feathers fluttering nervously. A mosaic of blues and reds danced in the early light, yet they seemed to lose their luster in Edgar¡¯s own fear. "Toki, I¡ªI don''t think¡ªwe can do this next week. I¡ªI really shouldn¡¯t hold up the line. There¡¯ll be another storm." Edgar had stammered, the words catching in his throat as he peered into the yawning chasm. With a wry smile that belied her own thrumming heart, Toki had feigned impatience, stepping closer. This was the storm of the year, perhaps decade. The conditions were perfect for a first flight. "Maybe you need a little push?" she teased, her hand hovering behind him in mock threat. Edgar had balked, the humor not enough to quell the fear lurking within his wide eyes. Toki knew, even then, that Edgar''s courage lay not in the defiance of heights, but in the tenacity of his heart¡ªa heart that beat fiercely, loyally, for those he cherished. "Please, Edgar. Open your eyes," she yelled into the oppressive winds, her hair whipping wildly. ¡°No, Toki, you want to fly so badly¡ªyou go do it! I¡¯m fine right here on the ground. Even if I never touch the edge of the sky, I¡¯ll still be happy.¡± ¡°Then make sure to catch me!¡± Toki''s laughter tumbled over the edge of the cliff as she leapt into the abyss. Her body arced gracefully through the air as she parted through the clouds. Below her, the world opened up. Above she saw the gas giant, Amithus¡ªliving in the Summer Continent of the tidal-locked Aris, the skies forever held its image above. Below she could see emerald woods and sapphire lakes surrounding the city of Alabaster Ring. She could even see a few flying ships in the distance, making their way to the city. She turned to look back upwards in anticipation. Edgar¡¯s wings had unfurled, catching the currents like sails to the wind. He was already diving, and his talons soon secured around Toki''s backpack. ¡°What the heck Toki! You mad girl! You could¡¯ve died!¡± ¡°Edgar, we¡¯re flying!¡± Together, they glided at the edge of the sky. "Feathers!" Toki crowed, her eyes alight with mischief. Toki couldn¡¯t see his face, but she knew he was beaming. Even as the ground beckoned with an inevitable embrace, Toki couldn¡¯t hide her smile, "You''ve done it!" "Toki! You¡ªyou reckless idiot!" Edgar chastised, his words flaring as brilliantly as his plumage. "What if I hadn''t¡ª" "Caught me?" Toki interjected, her grin wide and unabashed. "Oh, Edgar, you didn''t think I''d risk my neck without a net?" She pulled out a small rocket and shot it into the distance, its secret revealed¡ªa bouncy house miraculously expanding from the explosion. ¡°And if that broke?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t believe that your doting father wasn¡¯t waiting below. Anyways¡­ I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me fall to my death," she affirmed, the sincerity in her voice softening the edges of her usual brashness. "I trust you, more than anyone." -- As the memory waned, Toki''s gaze settled once again upon Edgar''s listless form. The caged chillbird took up her thoughts. The chillbird might have found solace within its cage, an illusion of security, perhaps. Could it be that some chillbirds, like Edgar, yearned for the cage because it promised a proximity to the people they orbited? "Maybe," Toki mused, her breath fogging in the cold air, "sometimes the cage isn¡¯t made of bars, but of things we aren¡¯t ready to face." Toki shook her head to clear the thoughts. Toki pulled up the system and navigated to the new Elite shop from her status. Edgar needs to recover first. Maybe the new shop can help. The Elite shop was a marketplace only accessible to those deemed worthy or lucky enough to have become an [Elite]. The shop was a trove of curiosities displayed in neat rows in the interface. Toki''s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the limited selection available to her. Her rank¡ªmortal¡ªbound her to the lowest tier of the Spearbreaker shop''s offerings. She sifted through the wares. Unfortunately, the catalogue was exclusively priced in Luck. At the top, she found materials. They ranged from the uncommon ones, like adamant, to the extremely precious materials like strawberry snake leather, one of the strongest accessible leathers in existence. Though, I¡¯m sure more exotic species have a greater stopping power. She also found different catalysts, herbs, and binding agents in the material section. In a pinch, this shop could be useful, but why waste Luck when I can use mana crystals? She looked further and found all sorts of consumables. She quickly looked for a solution to Edgar¡¯s backlash and found one priced at 15 luck. She immediately purchased it. No additional skills were worth her friend''s life.
[Minor Manabreak Phoenix Tincture (15 Luck) ¨C Mortal quality ¨C From the ashes, shall you be born anew. Repair what was once broken]
A spatial tear opened next to her and a small vial flew out. Toki grabbed it and immediately fed it to Edgar, leaving no room for hesitation or doubt. She waited earnestly for several minutes, before turning away, disappointed in the lack of any visual cues or changes. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was improving his condition or not, so she returned to the shop. What a scam. Such a grand claim¡­ and nothing''s happening. Toki found a few other interesting salves and tinctures. More standard potions and equipment were also present in the shop, but they weren¡¯t worth using her limited Luck on them: a potion of night vision, standard unenchanted plate-mail, tinctures for healing. None of these caught her fancy and Edgar wouldn''t be healed by simple healing potions. Towards the bottom of the list, Toki found many items, skills and even attributes locked behind a condition.
[Available at level 50]
Huh. I can buy attributes back from the system? 2x Luck for each attribute? Seriously? How does that make sense? Toki looked at her status to check her current Luck to come up with a plan.
Condensed Status
Name Tokyo Twice
Class Mortal Human (Level 44/50)
Bloodline Twice
Base attributes
Strength 89 This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.(+2)
Vitality 44 (+2)
Vigor 44 (+2)
Dexterity 44 (+2)
Intelligence 44 (+2)
Wisdom 44 (+2)
Luck 255 (+2)
Title Additions
Challenger of Dao Dao-Tailored Master Support Skill
Mortal Sage Dharma Token
Skill Additions
Advanced Mana Control 50 LUK
Lessons, Dearly Departed (50 LUK Equivalent)
Chronicle Cascade (100 LUK Equivalent)
Full Status: Attributes, Titles, Skills
Name Tokyo Twice
Class Mortal Human (Level 44/50)
Bloodline Twice
Attributes - STR VIT VIG DEX INT WIS LUK
Base attributes 89 (+2) 44 (+2) 44 (+2) 44 (+2) 44 (+2) 44 (+2) 255 (+2)
Flat impact 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Percent impact 110% 110% 110% 110% 110% 110% 117%
Total attributes 107 57 57 57 57 57 310 (195)
Titles Name STR VIT VIG DEX INT WIS LUK
Non Attribute Challenger of Dao Dao-Tailored Master Support Skill
Mortal Sage Dharma Token
Flat impact Bigshot 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Mortality 5 0 0 0 5 0 0
Noncombat 0 5 0 0 0 5 0
Wastrel 0 0 5 5 0 0 0
Talented labor 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Total - 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Percent impact Mortal combat 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Challenger of luck 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 7%
Total - 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 17%
Support Skills Telekinesis (50 LUK); Charge Sphere; Create Contract; Advanced Mana Control (50 LUK); Lessons, Dearly Departed (50 LUK eqv); Chronicle Cascade (100 LUK eqv)
Dao Bound Skills -
195 luck left. I can buy additional attributes for another 7% improvement in one of my attributes. Is another challenger title worth it? Intelligence was a possible choice, now that she could use [Lessons] as a shield and as a weapon. I¡¯ll have to think this through. I might also want to buy the support skill that Golgheim suggested. Or maybe the obscured support skills in the Elite shop when I hit 50. As Toki went to look into the [Dharma Token] from the [Mortal Sage] title, she was taken aback by the heat radiating from Edgar. His feathers, a mix of blue and red, now flushed a sickly yellow. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead like morning dew. Toki pressed the back of her hand against his brow, her suspicions confirmed by the deathly heat. Oh no. It made him worse! "Feathers," she whispered, dread knotting in her stomach. "Hold on. I''ll look for something else." In the throes of delirium, Edgar stirred, his lips parting as if to speak. "Susie... don''t tell Toki," he mumbled, his voice a ghost of its usual vibrancy. ¡°It¡¯s Toki. You can tell me anything.¡± His breath hitched, a symphony of longing and fear played out in shallow gasps. The words came out as a babble, and Toki couldn¡¯t decipher anything. ¡°Easy, Edgar.¡± Toki''s thoughts stilled, her gaze locked onto Edgar''s face. An ominous noise clawed at the silence, wrenching Toki''s attention. Without a moment''s hesitation, her hand darted towards the hammer resting beside her. She ignited her fire and began to cast [Lessons] all with a single thought. The claws soon writhed from the new shadows at her feet, ready to defend against whatever dared to encroach upon their haven. "It¡¯s my turn to defend you, buddy," Toki vowed, steel lacing her tone. ¡°No matter what.¡± The stillness fractured as a cacophony of more stealthy sounds encroached upon their refuge¡ªan ominous scratching here, a muted thud there. Toki''s instincts screamed an urgent warning. They had been found. "Over here, everyone." That voice. Toki peaked over the window at the approaching figure, a solitary figure obscured by the dark. She scanned for a glimpse of any additional adversaries, but found none. She knew they were there. She would have to whittle them down. There was no other way. I need to take out as many as I can while I still have some surprise. She leapt over the window frame and jumped on to the approaching stranger, knocking him off his feet. As she was about to bring the hammer down on his chest, she stopped. ¡°Partridge?¡± -- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 22 – Robe Dyed Red Close your eyes, may worries wane, In velvet cloak, night''s domain, Drift to sleep, my precious one, Paths ahead may weigh a ton, Know my love may break your heart, I dare not leave, dare not part, But solemn truth¡¯s grim to say, Sometimes, to live, we must slay. ¨C Margaret Twice Chapter 22 ¨C Robe Dyed Red The back alley lay draped in darkness. Only the flicker of Toki''s fire gave the narrow street any visibility. The cobblestones underfoot were slick with dew from the underground humidity and reflected the firelight with an oily sheen. It was here and now that Toki hesitated, her breath catching like a snag at her recognition. The figure she had jumped appeared in a form too familiar to be a coincidence¡ªPartridge. "Partridge!? The hells are y¡ª" As if in response, an arrow sliced through the question. It found a home in her left shoulder, the impact wrenching a gasp from her lips. Blood welled up, painting a splash of vivid red onto her pale skin and staining her silks. But pain was a friend to Toki; it cleared the haze of surprise and spurred her into action. With a snarl, her summoned [Lessons]¡ªcurrently a swirling mass of darkness within her own shadow¡ªstruck true. Partridge''s eyes widened, registering the imminent threat just as the claw collided with his chest applying a stack of [Request]. He became a ragdoll, flung across the alley and into the rough clay fa?ade of the building opposite. He lay there crumpled and unmoving. Toki''s gaze swept the alleyway, searching for an advantage in the urban labyrinth. Three warriors emerged at the edge of her vision, moving with purpose towards her. They were clad in armor that seemed to absorb the scant light. At least it¡¯s not adamant. Their features were both familiar and alien¡ªperhaps residents of Alabaster Ring that she had brushed against in passing. The closest was a balding and lumbering brute with arms like iron bands, holding a mace; the second, a lithe figure whose eyes were sharp, her right hand clutching an ornate spear; the third, a hulking silhouette that loomed behind, his presence alone overshadowing the other two¡ªhe held a longsword. Her mind raced, conjuring scenarios as she backed into the mouth of a narrow side street, the shadow claw thrumming at her side. I can only hope they¡¯re after me. If I stay, I''ll risk them going after Edgar. Toki''s white hair fluttered like wisps of smoke as she braced herself. More arrows sliced through the air and with them the warriors charged, their footsteps thundering a hobbled beat. Toki summoned a phalanx with [Lessons] to parry each of the arrows, but yielded a grimace on each impact. The archer, unseen but keenly felt, was familiar in his role as the playmaker, forcing her to commit to an unending defensive retreat. Persistent bastard, she thought. The pain in her shoulder seared with every movement. She was lucky that the phalanx didn''t pass the momentum onto her body. The warriors, exploiting Toki''s divided focus, advanced with a zeal that blurred the lines between fervor and frenzy. If she didn¡¯t know any better, she would think she was made of gold, and they were gravediggers here for the spoils. Amidst the deflected arrows, materialized the fast female warrior, her silhouette a blur of motion, her pointy stick poised to strike. The cold bite of steel kissed Toki''s right thigh and another bloom of red unfurled upon her robes like a morbid flower. A sharp gasp escaped her¡ªa sound she despised for its betrayal of weakness¡ªand her right leg buckled beneath her. Time stretched, each second a lifetime as the lithe warrior withdrew the spear, only for her comrade to lunge forward, a sword aimed with lethal intent at Toki''s head. Instinct and adrenaline coalesced within Toki''s muscles, her body reacting with a survivalist''s grace. She pivoted on her left foot and used [Lessons] to intercept and parry the blade''s trajectory by a hair¡¯s margin. "Nice try," Toki spat out, the words heavy with sarcasm, yet her eyes betrayed the flicker of fear that accompanied the brush with mortality. Her attackers circled her, wolves smelling blood, and Toki knew the gravity of her predicament. Injured and outnumbered, her defiance was a fragile shield against the violence that sought to claim her. Toki''s injuries limited her mobility and her breaths came in ragged gasps. [Lessons], an extension of her will, did its best to intercept the relentless volley of arrows, but it was a poor strategy. Toki lurched toward the refuge of a crumbling street corner, the alleyway''s mouth offered a sliver of cover outside the archer¡¯s range. Her back pressed against the cold clay, Toki exhaled a shuddering breath. The fast warrior, charged forward, spear poised to pierce again, now glowing with mana and supported by three additional spectral spear points. For a moment Dutch Eternal''s hungry eyes came to mind, but Toki shook it off. She was no longer hapless prey; [Lessons] surged forth like a tempest. 60% manadraw. Wide sweeping strikes forced the assailant back. To beat a fast foe, hit everywhere, and all at once. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The female warrior''s response was a snarl, lost in the whirlwind of dodges and parries. Seizing a fleeting moment, Toki surged from her cover. The other warriors, emboldened by Toki¡¯s preoccupation with the female warrior, closed in with the arrogance of those who have never tasted true battle. They learned quickly the folly of their hubris. A second and third [Lessons] lashed out, slashing out at the hulking warrior, leaving two with Toki. He gasped as the claws raked his armor, but they were only 10% manadraw each. They weren¡¯t enough to subdue him. They still stacked up [Requests] healing Toki slightly. The remaining warrior lunged, sword gleaming with the promise of violence. She met steel with Adamant¡ªsmashing through the blade as though it were made of brittle glass. Shards of metal sprayed like a shower of forge embers, extinguishing themselves upon the dirty cobblestones. Toki sneered, her pain-fueled adrenaline lending strength to her swing. The warrior stumbled backward, weaponless and wide-eyed, a testament to the ferocity of a cornered beast fighting for survival. As fate would have it, his boot caught the edge of something concealed behind his foot¡ªa [Binding of Tyndall] mote. He floundered, arms pinwheeling in a desperate bid for equilibrium that never came. Time seemed to dilate around Toki, each heartbeat a funeral drum in her chest. A choice lay before her, as stark as the contrast between flame and shadow. She could extend mercy¡ªa balm to soothe the gnawing doubts that plagued her¡ªor deliver a deathblow. Grandmother would tell me, to hesitate was to invite death. I¡¯ll cry later, she thought, though the words were but a whisper lost amidst her own internal tumult. Toki swung the hammer. The weapon met skull with a sound akin to the fracturing of ancient wood. The man''s end was abrupt, but she couldn¡¯t linger.
[Killed a sentient born on Aris - title awarded, Murder Most Foul] [Murder Most Foul: +5 luck] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (3/500)]
Toki felt a sudden rush, an invigoration coursing through her blood, knitting flesh and sinew of her right thigh back together where moments before there was only rending pain. A macabre [Request] indeed, life siphoned from the extinguished to fuel the survivor. The other warrior¡¯s face twisted in horror and disbelief. ¡°Corey! No!!¡± He lunged towards his fallen comrade, a futile gesture, as he was being assaulted by multiple [Lessons] himself. But Toki, now buoyed by stolen lifeforce, pulled back manadraw from the claw assailing the woman warrior. Like a dragon¡¯s claw, Toki¡¯s was also indifferent; a powerful [Lessons] slammed down onto the man and pierced the steel of the man''s armor, knocking the man down. The spearwoman hesitated at the metallic scent of blood mingling in the air. From the periphery, the archer emerged anew, his figure silhouetted by the moon''s pale gaze. He shot his arrows again to thwart Toki¡¯s advance. ¡°Get her!¡± Toki pivoted, the motion fluid despite her injuries, now that her leg was recovering. She dodged one arrow, then pulled her [Lessons] back in a phalanx. With a grunt, she swung the hammer downward, shattering the still form of the impaled warrior beneath her¡ªthe sound of cracking ribs punctuating the night¡¯s silence.
[Level up: Level 45] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (7/500)]
"Fuckin¡¯ retreat!" The words cut through the din. It¡¯s Three. It¡¯s definitely Three. The archer, recognizing the futility of his solitary battle, vanished into the folds of darkness. As the spearwoman turned to flee, her silhouette reeked of desperation. Partridge intervened¡ªhe kicked the warrior toward Toki as she bumbled towards him, sealing the woman''s fate. Toki''s eyes, locked onto the spear woman''s fearful gaze as she stumbled backwards. There was no time for words. Letting her live would be foolish. Grandmother would roil in her grave. With a primal roar, Toki unleashed a final [Lessons]. 95% manadraw. It caught the woman while she fell, a blow that halted her roll and her escape. The warrior crumpled. Toki''s hammer descended. A sickening crunch echoed through the alley, a requiem for the fallen.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (10/500)]
Panting, Toki searched the shadows for Partridge, the man whose betrayal was as fresh as the blood that now painted her hands. A damning red. But he was gone. The archer, too, had retreated into the night, his arrows no longer a worry. A shudder ran through Toki as she regarded her leg, where flesh knitted itself back together¡ªa small mercy granted by [Request]ing from the dead. Gritting her teeth, she grasped the arrow lodged in her shoulder, her fingers slick with sweat and blood. With a grimace, she snapped the shaft. The arrow at least wasn¡¯t enchanted. "Shards damn it," she muttered, wincing as she worked the splintered remnant free. Her voice was a whisper, barely audible over the drum of her own heartbeat. Blood welled anew, spilling down her arm in rivulets and covering her robe. Toki stared at the blood on her trembling hands, the scene before her a lesson on the cost of survival. The bodies of her adversaries lay strewn across the street. Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, she forced the tears that threatened to fall back into their ducts. There would be time for grief, for the softness of sorrow, but not here¡ªnot while Edgar was struggling, not while she was being hunted, and certainly not while that damn Three was most definitely scheming another trap for her. Keep it together, she chided herself. Toki straightened, her resolve a steel forged in these moments of grief. She cast one last glance at the desolate scene. With a heavy heart, she stepped away from the carnage and went to gather Edgar. While Three was retreating, this would be the best chance at escaping his entrapment. -- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 23 – Hollow Bones Luck is not fated, it¡¯s stolen and traded. ¨C Elara Twice, Ravings of a Madwoman Chapter 23 ¨C Hollow Bones Toki darted through the labyrinth of narrow back alleys, the darkness around her only punctured by the intermittent glow of her Twice Flames. Abandoned clay houses rose and fell on either side¡ªwindows darkened or missing, doors agape¡ªa testament to some long-forgotten exodus. The heat from Edgar''s feverish body seeped into Toki''s back, a stark contrast against the chill of the desolate underground air. She could feel every ragged breath Edgar took, his frame unnaturally light on her back. Hollow bones. The talon-like grip of his feet, normally dangerously sharp, now hung limp against her sides. Toki could tell that she had entered a different district now, as the houses rose two, three and even four stories. Likely used by the more posh ancient city-dwellers. The underground world was foreign, but penthouse suites and high rises were universal. Toki had decided to return to Kristina and her determination solidified with each step. If the Mercy Queen of Spiders could not mend Edgar''s injuries, then Toki decided that she would abandon Golgheim¡¯s mission and return to the surface¡ªconsequences be damned. If Golgheim can¡¯t get a stage-two beast core himself, then what kind of planet is he. Toki didn¡¯t know what a planet was capable of in the first place, but the sentiment carried in her thoughts. As they moved to the rooftop high-ground, her eyes remained ever vigilant, flicking from shadow to shadow, seeking out any trace of Three¡ªthe relentless archer whose very moniker sent a cold prickle down her spine. She knew they were not merely evading a single entity. At the very least, he had Partridge at his disposal. Toki grit her teeth. "Partridge," she hissed under her breath. The name tasted of venom and sour memories. Once, that name had conjured an image of camaraderie, of shared labor by the forge''s roaring fire and shared drinks at Hammaltin''s. Now, it summoned only bitterness. She recalled the day Partridge stood before her, tears carving tracks through the aeso on his cheeks. The glow of molten copper cast a haunting light upon his vulnerable face as he divulged his family''s plight¡ªtheir farmland, a valley full of manafruit, was soon to be foreclosed and seized. His voice had trembled as his spilled tears ruined his forgework dagger. He did not weep for land or inheritance. Those tears were for his family¡¯s sake. His mother, his sister¡ªtheir heritage. Their home. "I feel useless. I can''t do anything," he had choked out, the words a shard that pierced Toki''s na?ve heart, compelling her to reach into the depths of her own family resources. She had extended her hand when others wouldn¡¯t, offering up a contract in exchange for manafruit with the Twice family, owing a favor to Elara Twice in the process. It was a loan, sealed with the warmth of friendship rather than ROI and malicious interest agreements. In the realm of comrades, words were bonds stronger than any written decree. So I thought. But as the chill of the dark seeped deeper into her bones, so too did the sting of Partridge''s deceit. He had taken those crystals and paid her back with murder. Attempted murder. "Damn you." The back alleys of this forsaken place felt like a mausoleum. She had decided to keep her fire lit, despite setting herself up as a beacon to Three. Without a flame, she could not cast a shadow, and without [Lessons], Edgar would be exposed on her back. Currently, four segments shielded Toki and Edgar from any archer fire from behind, leaving a single claw to block in front. 20% manadraw each. If Three has the balls to come find me, I¡¯ll chop them off myself. I¡¯ll chop Partridge¡¯s off just for hanging with the guy''s. "Susie," Edgar murmured deliriously, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I don¡¯t... why¡ª." "Sssh, Feathers," she hushed him, her tone a mix of affection and reprimand. "We''re safe now." Amidst the labyrinthine turns and decaying structures, Toki¡¯s mind split between fixating on Partridge¡¯s betrayal and the outcome of their fight. After bandaging her shoulder, she took Edgar and left. I didn¡¯t even give them a burial. The lives she extinguished by her own hand now seemed to stare at her from the hollow windows of the abandoned clay houses. Toki grappled with the morality of her actions, the somber realization that those she dispatched may have left behind families, loved ones, echoes of themselves in the world above. The female warrior could have been a mother. "Forgive me," I want to live. I know you don¡¯t want to die¡­ didn¡¯t. She murmured, though to whom¡ªherself, her victims, the indifferent stars of her flame¡ªshe did not know. Her heart was filled with remorse and indignation. Fleeting visions of mourners continued to haunt her as she made her way through the cityscape. She imagined rising victorious from the depths, only to be greeted by a now-orphaned boy asking her for the whereabouts of his brave mother who had descended into the abyss to provide food for the family. It broke her heart with every fantastic and hyperbolic story she thought up. She didn¡¯t even consider that they were loner serial killers, hidden in some politician¡¯s back pocket. That would be too easy. As these vicious thoughts twirled in Toki¡¯s head, she still pushed forward. Why¡­ she didn¡¯t know¡­ For Edgar at the very least, who needed her now, whose loyalty never faltered. She would certainly brave this moral quandary and this guilt for him. He would do the same for me. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Stay with me, Feathers," she said softly. The weight on her back was not just his wounded form, but the anchor for her own spiraling thoughts. She closed her eyes briefly as she forced a surge of clarity through the fog of her mind. There was no room for the luxury of guilt; not when she may still have to fight. Focus, Tokyo, she chided herself. As if spurred by her rebuke, Marsha called.
[Law Cats has called upon Toki Twice for a meld ¨C agree?]
No. I can¡¯t. Not with Three after me. Toki instead took a moment to inspect the final system reward that remained untouched. She needed something to distract her, and this would do the job since Marsha couldn¡¯t. Toki had no idea what a [Dharma Token] was, but she exhaled slowly and activated it from the system status.
[User Identification: TokyoTwice]
Hmmm. Yes. That¡¯s me¡­
[TokyoTwice has joined: The Immortal Record of The Heavenly Chakra Dragon Fighter Polity] [ShadowWeaver] Welcome! [StarlitSorceress] Congrats! [BlinkingEyesOfNyx] Your immortal soul shall suffer! I will reduce your world to ashes! [RuneMaster777] <3 <3 <3. Love your handle, babe! ¡­
A chorus of text greeted her each message materializing with the flourish before her wide, disbelieving eyes. Usernames flickered past her¡ªeach more bizarre than the last. Ummm. What?...
[TokyoTwice] How do I type here. Oh shit. Backspace. Backspace¡­. Hello!
It was a mental connection. A thought for a word. What is said cannot be unsaid¡­ quite embarrassing.
[DarkFrothConnoisseur] I remember my first time. [SamIAm] Do you, though? [StarlitSorceress] Rekt. [DarknessDarkMaster] Master Tokyo of the Twice, we are humbled by your presence. I would stay and converse further, but I must return to cultivation, for if I do not, the darkness hidden in my left arm will be released. If the seals are broken, I am afraid the whole universe may be put at risk. [-RoseAlphaAngel-] DarknessDarkMaster, you are doing the universe a service. I pray for your success and wish you well in your cultivation.
In the recesses of her mind, she kept vigil over the chatroom she had inadvertently stumbled upon. Messages scrolled past her peripheral consciousness. I didn¡¯t think the system had spam groups¡­ How do I close out of this. Can I unsubscribe? Toki had reached the entrance tunnel without incident and continued onwards towards Kristina¡¯s library. It had been unusually uneventful, and Toki suspected that she was in for a surprise at the fork. There¡¯s no use thinking about it. I have to get Edgar to Kristina. Just as Tokyo was about to close out of the system interface, the conversation shifted, making her reconsider.
[ZephyrDeity] The Aeso corpos are hoarding again. Ever since the coffee bois clashed, I can¡¯t even trade favors for a decent ¡®chant. Anyone know a ¡®smith that can work with addy? I¡¯ll pay for the tip. Need my ship tuned. [DarkFrothConnoisseur] @RuneMaster777? [RuneMaster777] Nope, we¡¯re locked down over here. No business, soz, babe.
This is a peek into the stars! They are from outside!? Does that mean they are all elites from the galaxy? Or is it just Cazoran?
[KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Wait ¡®till my wife comes, bro. I heard she¡¯s a dope ¡®smith. You can come hang with me in the meantime. [ZephyrDeity] You¡¯re getting married? [StarlitSorceress] Congrats! [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Yeah, they didn¡¯t tell me who she is yet, man, but they say she fucked a dragon. [ZephyrDeity] I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to compete. Do liches even have libido? I heard dragons are pretty feisty. [ShadowWeaver] ^ [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] IDK, bro. That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about. If she¡¯s some succy or something, I¡¯m kinda fucked, yo. I ain¡¯t got time for that. [ZephyrDeity] Hmmm, in that case I¡¯ll trade you some secret pills *wink* *wink* to help with your problem in exchange for her number. Her, right? [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Yeah, I don¡¯t have anything on her yet, tho. Was supposed to meet her, but she bailed¡­ Wait. Why do you want her number? [ShadowWeaver] Playing hard to get. 100%. [BlinkingEyesOfNyx] Your women will be mine. I will feast on your organs. I will feast on her organs. [ZephyrDeity] To fix my ship, that¡¯s what I said¡­ I can¡¯t compete with a dragon, either¡­ Anyways, I need to get out of this system, like now. Anyone near Z4, Ispartika? Carmen looks like she¡¯s going to war. [SamIAm] I am¡­ [ZephyrDeity] Oh shit man. Sorry Sam¡­ I¡¯d be down to trade you for a lift, though I totally get it if you don¡¯t want to. [SamIAm] I need to get a curse mark off me. Think you can help?
Toki zoned out and closed the chat. She wasn¡¯t in the mood for levity, misunderstandings, or what appeared to be her "bro" Lich suitor. It had been a good distraction for a moment, but as she approached the fork and the library, she needed all her focus in the moment. Still, the chat''s existence intrigued her. Here was an untapped resource, a possible wellspring of allies and information that could be of use. Could this be the reason the token was bestowed on [Elites]? Or is it for sales, misinformation, strategy, and espionage? Her mind churned with the potential strategic implications. "Nearly there, Feathers," Toki murmured, her voice laced with a tenderness she seldom revealed. "Hold on." Ahead, the tunnel began to widen, the encroaching shadows retreating to the edges of her fiery glow. There were bodies. Mostly monkeys, but there were humans here too. Toki ignored them¡ªor rather, forced herself to ignore them¡ªand continued towards the library, keeping an eye out for any hidden traps. Unexpectedly, there were none. Slowly, the library door creaked open once more. Somehow Toki knew that the only way Kristina would agree to help would be in trade. She hoped she would be able to bear the karma. -- Next chapter free on Patreon >> Chapter 24 – The Third Trial Red is an easy target. Passion, fury, revenge. Red walked the path of blood and claimed destiny as its own. Red demanded of the people as a tyrant does, as a slaver. Quick to anger. Orange was no match for Red, and while Blue looked away, Red laid waste to Orange¡¯s dominion. People forget that Red was also quick to love. Red built more than all other Color Gods combined, and it is without doubt, that Red laid the foundation of modern society¡ªbuilt civilization from anarchy. ¨C Valyra Twice, secondborn of the first Twice tyrant, Book of Twice Chapter 24 ¨C The Third Trial The massive door groaned on its ancient hinges as Toki slipped into Kristina¡¯s library. A peculiar melody drifted through the air¡ªa whimsical tune that seemed to dance among the towering shelves like an audacious meadow melon sprite. Toki paused, her eyes widening slightly at the sight that greeted her. Kristina, known for the poised gravity of her words, was singing. A broom in hand, the spider swayed with an unexpected grace, her movements fluid and carefree, like a playful breeze after a storm. Dust motes pirouetted in the torchlight, accompanying her song. The echo of her voice was soft but clear, reverberating off the ancient walls and bookshelves lined with vellum tomes that held countless secrets. Toki''s gaze lingered, caught between fascination and the pressing urgency that clawed at her chest. She had never expected this side to Kristina¡ªthe philosopher spider queen¡ªengaged in such an ordinary task with what could only be described as joyous abandon. Edgar, unconscious and slung over her shoulder, shifted and reminded Toki of why she was here. With a reluctant pull away from the mesmerizing scene, Toki stepped forward, her boots echoing softly against the stone floor. She stretched out her hand, fingers grazing the entryway gate. With a decisive push, the gate clanged shut, the sound slicing through the air and severing the melody that had filled the room moments before. The spider ceased her tune, the abrupt end hanging unfinished, like a promise unkept. Silence fell¡ªthe books themselves were leaning in, awaiting the spider''s response. "Kristina," Toki called, her voice steady. The spider turned, her multitude of eyes catching the dim light, betraying none of the surprise one might expect. Kristina regarded Toki with an inscrutable gaze, the previous serenity of her face giving way to the familiar mask of composure. The atmosphere, once lightened by song, grew dense with anticipation. "Tokyo, love," Kristina finally spoke, her tone calm as ever but layered with an unspoken query. "What shadow looms behind your eyes?" Toki''s fingers trembled as she tenderly lowered Edgar to the cold, marble floor of the library. "Kristina, please, you must save him." The arachnid, Kristina, moved with an unsettling grace, skittering closer to Toki and the prone figure of Edgar. The chains that bound her clinked softly. As she reached out with one delicate, shimmering leg, the chain pulled taut, halting her advance. A low hiss of frustration escaped from her ethereal form. "Bring him near," she commanded. With a nod, Toki picked Edgar''s limp body and moved him closer. She watched, heart pounding in her chest, as Kristina inclined her head over Edgar, examining him with all her eyes and circling him. One of the spider legs, covered in mana, prodded, but then retracted. "How curious¡­ his bloodline... has stirred," Kristina murmured, more to herself than to Toki. The air grew thick with unspoken implications. Her many eyes lifted to meet Toki''s gaze, piercing and sharp. "What have you done to him?" Toki''s breath caught, a knot of fear forming in her stomach. She had hoped for answers, not more riddles. Yet, in Kristina''s presence, all truth seemed veiled. Toki recounted the tale of Edgar''s plight. "We were ambushed while fighting the cow crabs¡­," she began, her words wrapped in the gravity of remembrance. "¡­Edgar... we fought bravely, but people are down here to hunt us¡­" She swallowed hard, the memory casting a pall over her features. Toki explained the circumstances of the mana-borne injury. Finally she recalled her desperate attempt at healing him, "¡­In desperation, I fed him a [Minor Manabreak Phoenix Tincture]¡ªthe elixir was meant to heal him, at least that¡¯s what the system said." Kristina''s multitude of eyes remained fixed upon Toki, reflecting the flickering torchlight. With each nod, Toki felt her absorbing her story itself, every nuance of the tale. "Continue," Kristina urged, her voice a susurrus echoing through the chamber. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Hmmmm. Never trust the system text, love.¡± Kristina''s form seemed to ripple, as if the air around her teemed with unseen currents. "The phoenix tincture is not merely for healing; it''s meant for rebirth. For breakthroughs," she intoned. "When his projection perished, Edgar must have met the criteria for the phoenix tincture to mutate his bloodline. I suppose he is avian, after all. A forceful awakening is on the rare chance possible. Quite perilous in this case¡ªthat he was already wounded." Uncertainty gnawed at Toki''s resolve, her gaze locked on Edgar''s still form. "Did I save him?" she murmured, the question laden with a heavy dread. "Or did I kill him?" "Such alchemical gambits are double-edged," Kristina replied, her tone devoid of judgment yet fraught with implications. "Your intentions were pure, but the outcome remains shrouded. If he dies, you have only sped along his demise, but perhaps you have changed his fate with this gambit. He is on a precipice, but the rest is up to him." Her otherworldly visage conveyed both empathy and an inscrutable distance. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Can you help him!? I¡¯ll do anything!¡± The echo of Toki''s plea had barely faded when Kristina¡¯s voice, filled the chamber. "I will lend my aid to Edgar, love," she said, her eyes moving from Edgar to Toki, "but only under one condition." Toki did not pause to consider the weight of any condition that might be set before her. "Anything," she breathed, the word escaping her mouth. A subtle tilt indicated Kristina''s stance, a silent testament to her surprise at the readiness in Toki''s vow. She nodded once, approval radiating from her. "Very well. You will take my trials," Kristina chittered, her voice carrying the faintest hint of satisfaction. ¡°Done.¡± "Before us lies the third trial," Kristina began, her tone shifting to one of instruction, as though she were imparting arcane secrets to an acolyte. "It is entwined with your bloodline, Tokyo Twice, and it shall test the mettle of your resolve." Confusion knit Toki''s brows together, marring her otherwise determined expression. "Third?" she echoed. "Have I already completed the first and second?" "Ah, but you have, love," Kristina asserted, the corners of her mouth curling into an enigmatic smile. "Escaping my illusion was your maiden trial¡ªrefusing my trial was a cherry." Her words forced Toki to recall the disorienting enchanting session. ¡°That you have your own path is precisely why the second trial was so important.¡± "And the second?" Toki pressed. Kristina''s gaze roamed over Toki''s form, assessing, appraising. "Red looks good on you," she stated simply, the cryptic phrase heavy with unspoken meaning. A shiver crawled up Toki''s spine, the chill of comprehension nipping at her senses. Red¡ªthe color of blood, of fire, of passion¡ªit had marked her path in ways she had yet to fully grasp. The trials, it seemed, were as much about self-discovery as they were tests. "Retrieve the lizard''s core," Kristina continued, outlining the task ahead. "Should you succeed, not only will you have proven your worth, but you may also find the means to tip the scales in Edgar''s favor." "His life for a lizard''s core," Toki murmured. ¡°No darling. His life will depend on what you can learn from that core and what you can learn about yourself.¡± With those words, a foreboding silence fell upon the library. Toki''s gaze did not waver as Kristina¡¯s slender legs started weaving strands of thread that shimmered with a ghostly luminescence. The web took form around Edgar, encasing him within a spectral cocoon that pulsed faintly, as if echoing the fragile beat of his heart. With meticulous care, the spider lifted her creation, and the chrysalis swayed gently from the crystals of the chandelier. "Will he be safe there?" Toki''s voice cut through the quiet, roughened by the edges of her worry. "Safer than in the jaws of death," Kristina replied. ¡°Then what¡¯s the trial?¡± ¡°The jaws of death.¡± ¡°Hmph. Details, Kristina.¡± ¡°The monkeys will not be easy opponents like those humans. Show me the skills you have learned.¡± Toki assumed Kristina was referring to her newest abilities, so she pulled up the system listing and projected it for Kristina to see.
[Lessons, Dearly Departed] [Chronicle Cascade]
¡°Hmmm¡­ OH¡­ Oh my! Were both skills Ascendant?¡± ¡°Just [Chronicle Cascade].¡± ¡±Hmph. The system was always impartial to you Twice. Perhaps it is because you grasped an edge of such a complex Dao, that the skill is so overwhelming. This [Chronicle Cascade] is quite marvelous as well. Have you used it yet?¡± ¡°No. I haven¡¯t collected enough fragments.¡± ¡°A shame. This is quite an opportunity for you. Especially as a mortal.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Dao-seeds are hard to acquire. Perhaps¡­ perhaps you could acquire a second Ascendant skill.¡± ¡°By collecting Dao-seeds?¡± ¡°By merging Dao-seeds and mutating them. Do you know why becoming an [Elite] is so important as a mortal?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t know about [Elite]s until I became one.¡± ¡°That damned spirit has ruined this planet attempting perfection¡­ across the galaxy, you will find people hovering at 50-cap to accomplish several feats.¡± Kristina paused, ¡°The first is to become an [Elite]. It is one of the few ways to acquire an ascendant skill. Having one is the easiest foundation and often comes with plenty of other benefits. It sets you up for a powerful transcension into stage-one. An evolution some call it, because it refines your path.¡± Toki nodded her head, aware of how much her skills had added to her combat ability and enchanting. ¡°The second is to form a Dao-Bound skill.¡± ¡°I still haven¡¯t formed mine, but I can use my fire.¡± ¡°Love, that is not using it, but it is too soon to be frustrated. Many of this world have it easy because of the Spearbreaker, but across integrated space, you must find your Dao-Bound skill with great effort.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The why does not matter, love. But the implications do. If you proceed upwards without it, you will no longer be able to compete for the grand tapestry. Like physical wavefunctions, such as electrons, your Dao-Bound skill has orbitals.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I suppose science was lost to the civilization above as well? At the mortal level, you have a single (s)-Dao-Bound slot. If you proceed to stage-one, you have three (p)-excitations for that ability, either manifesting as a new ability altogether or an adaptation. If you skip your opportunity at the mortal level, you have to fill it at stage-one.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t lost. And that means if you don¡¯t fill your Dao-Bound slots, you have to make up for them in the next stage?¡± ¡°Yes and no. Acquiring the third (p)-excitation is challenging, and so is the fourth and fifth (d)-excitation. Some skip them altogether. But it is too early for you to think about this. ¡°Hmmm, ok. Why are you telling me this now?¡± ¡°Why; we have karma now, love. Don¡¯t we?¡± Toki shuddered. ¡°The third is to form as many Dao Seeds as possible. Also less meaningful after the first. Many are unable to grasp a concept that resonates with their own Dao until stage-one. For this, you are lucky, Tokyo. Your ascendant skill is exceptional in that you can force many Dao seeds, and then mutate them to fit your path.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I already have the Dao of Fire or Hammer? Why was Sentience my first?" "Dao seeds are the quintessence of being, unique to each soul that takes breath in the infinite expanse of creation. To wield them is to converse with the ancient rhythms of the universe itself and to be true to yourself. Perhaps you are still following another¡¯s path?" Toki mused, a flicker of frustration igniting within her. "As for fire, you hold your flame with the innocence of a novice. Your hammer... it resonates with echoes of those who came before." ¡°Hmmm. I see. But what¡¯s the point of the Dao-Seed in the first place? What do I even do with it?¡± ¡°Perhaps you will find out when you learn your Dao-Bound ability. Enough chitter-chat. Be quick. The lizards should be arriving in orbit soon.¡± -- Next chapter free on Patreon >> Chapter 25 – Swarm The time until the Spearbreaker''s release is limited yet we still remain uncertain about his Dao. For lack of stronger evidence, we suspect that he does not use Dao like we do. Whereas we weave intent into our Dao-Bound abilities to empower them with our Dao, he appears to wield intent directly from the Primal, forcing out a power that is strange, impactful, and direct. It has reminded our archivists of the Primal abilities of rare and old undead. Our bloodline specialists originally analyzed samples of his blood to determine if the Spearbreaker was also undead, but quickly confirmed that he was not. We then sought to identify his bloodline, so to mimic his power using a variety of variant blood transformation techniques. What we found was disconcerting, to say the least. He has no bloodline at all. I refresh this knowledge, so that perhaps the captured cervidian can offer us more information. ¨C Director of Prospero Station, 28th Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran Chapter 25 ¨C Swarm Toki stepped out of the library sanctuary with more questions than answers. As the heavy door groaned shut behind her, she walked with deliberate steps back towards the fork. Her mind churned like gears, each thought meshing with the next in a relentless sequence. The specter of Obie''s combat style flickered in her thoughts¡ªit worked and was familiar, meshing insights from Golgheim¡¯s MC hammer time style and the adaptable Twice fire ability. But Kristina¡¯s right¡ªa shadow¡¯s not a flame. And I¡¯m not Obie. Currently, Toki''s [Lessons] was simply being used as a more powerful and flexible telekinesis, but she knew it was wrong. Forcing my skills in such a way would limit my potential. [Lessons, Dearly Departed] should be used in a different way than Obie¡¯s fire. There¡¯s more here to the ability. I know it. As she pondered how she could improve her combat style, she also worried about the evolving karma with Kristina. It was Kristina, more so than Golgheim and Oberon, whose influence Toki found most difficult to untangle. Her wisdom and subtle interference in every interaction was enthralling and enticing, drawing her towards a powerful path not of her own making. Kristina''s wisdom, itself, warned of this very challenge. Toki knew that reliance upon the spider Queen''s insights would tamper in the self-discovery she sought to kindle, especially in the Path of Sentience. Toki felt the uncanny feeling that she was falling into the spider''s web. I must forge my own path. As Toki arrived back at the fork, the sound of gnashing teeth and wet, tearing sounds, shifted her attention ahead. She saw a macabre feast before her, where vermin swarmed over the remains¡ªnow rendered indistinct in death''s grotesque embrace. The rats moved with uncanny coordination, their bodies slick with blood and viscera, a writhing mass of fur and filth. They consumed the carrion with voracious hunger¡ªa frenzied scramble for flesh. In the dim light cast by flickering torches, the horror unfolded, and within that horror, Toki could see nature''s cruel indifference. Toki''s breath caught in her throat. Fight or flight. Her instincts screamed at her to run, yet her feet remained rooted to the earth. The sight of humans, their forms brutalized in death, twisted her gut with revulsion. Monkeys, too, lay among the fallen, their stories turned to sustenance. This was the cycle unmasked, the raw truth of decay feeding life. She attempted to retreat with care, intending to let the rats claim their spoils, and then return when they had left, but Toki''s withdrawal was a futile gesture. The hush of her steps was a call to the swarm. The feast had turned silent. Heads swiveled in her direction. Hundreds of glinting eyes, as soulless as the darkness itself, gazed towards her¡ªa collective glare that could consume her directly. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Can¡¯t touch this. Toki chanted under her breath, the mantra a thin veil over the dread that clawed at her chest. The shadow claw, an extension of her will, unfurled¡ªseeking to carve safety from peril. 50% manadraw. It swept through the air in an arc, only to pass through the horde with scant resistance. At least they¡¯re mortal and low level.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (12/500)] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Chimeric Entanglement (3/100)] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (12/500)]
There were deaths, but meaningless as droplets in a tide. She collected fragments in the swipe, not only from the rats, but also from the dead monkeys and humans, but Toki could not afford to lapse her concentration to examine the spoils. She switched to 20% manadraw for five appendages, but even still, a mere handful were crushed beneath her power, soon replenished by their kin with frenetic haste.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (26/500)]
"Shards be damned," she cursed, watching as the wave surged forward, undeterred, a living tide threatening to engulf her. Panic beckoned her backward, toward the illusory sanctuary of the library door. Yet, as she backpeddled, a grim realization settled upon. The door, with its enchanted mechanisms and ponderous weight, would not open quick enough. She would be swarmed, consumed before she could activate it. And even if the door did open, they would simply follow her through. Caught between the hammer and the anvil, Toki though, forcing calm into her voice despite the rising fear within. The Twice family might have deemed her unworthy, but she''d be damned if she''d submit to such ignominious fate without a fight. A manasmith, she reminded herself, forges tools of survival from the very essence of adversity. A good story always gets you a good ¡®chant. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Think, Toki. Think like the cunning rogue you fancy yourself in stories, she coached herself, her mind racing through the annals of knowledge she had amassed. There had to be a way¡ªa means to turn the table on these verminous usurpers of life. With the swarm advancing, every heartbeat now a drumbeat to action, Toki braced herself as her claws opened up the vanguard again. Out of urgency more than inspiration, Toki rushed forward and called upon [Bindings of Tyndall], jumping upon the mote. Using it once more, she built a series of footfalls in the air to create a path of escape. They were strong in the dim light and as she ascended, each step gave her space and time.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (42/500)]
Suspended above the maelstrom of gnashing teeth, Toki¡¯s gaze swept across the swarm. The rats watched her warily, but then resumed their feast, indifferent to her vigil above. As mindless as they seemed, they surged and ebbed like the solar tides of Eastern Summer''s beaches, their movements almost ritualistic in cadence. I wonder how long I have to wait. As Toki stood above them, she looked at the rewards from [Dearly Departed]. Swarm tactics is from the rats. So there¡¯s method in madness, she thought. As she watched, she observed the rats take turns in the banquet. It was this eerie order within chaos that sparked a flicker of insight within Toki''s mind¡ªa revelation wrapped in repulsion.
[Swarm Tactics (43/500)]
¡°Swarm tactics,¡± she breathed out, acknowledging the cruel genius of nature''s design. So, I can gain fragments organically too. She shook her head. Why waste time, though? Her [Lessons], lashed out once more. From above, she was like an unreachable turret rending through the horde of rats. Where the claw passed, it left ruin¡ªa swathe of stillness in the living sea. Each strike honed her skill, the knowledge seeping into her essence, etching the knowledge of [Swarm Tactics] into her memory.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (120/500)]
Again and again, she cleaved through the masses.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (250/500)]
"Scatter, foul creatures!" she cried, her voice the herald of their doom. The rats recoiled, fear gleaming in their myriad eyes, as the shadow claw carved a message of terror into their collective memory.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (390/500)] [Level up: Level 46]
And for an instant, the cavern held its breath. The tumult below began to wane as the shadow claws took their toll. The rats now recoiled en masse from the carnage wrought by Toki''s hand. They scurried in a frenetic exodus, their retreat a mix of squeaks and scrabbles that faded into the hollows of an adjacent tunnel. Not the monkey tunnel. That¡¯s a shame.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (480/500)]
Toki watched them go, her heart hammering against her ribs like a blacksmith at the forge. ¡°Wait, so close!¡± [Bindings of Tyndall] dissipated, leaving her suspended above the scene for a fleeting moment before she descended, gravity claiming her once more. Her boots met the cavern floor with a soft thud, and she willed claws to claim the remaining twenty lives to acquire the remaining fragments of [Swarm Tactics]. In the distance, into the tunnel she saw another pair of eyes, different, bigger, and filled with fury. She paid them no mind, and slashed at the stragglers.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (500/500)]
A satisfying release of knowledge flowed through her. The mechanics of swarms, their use, and their interplay seemed to flow from the shadows into her. She understood the unsaid rules of the swarm. She considered the purpose of a swarm, and three rules popped into her head. Directional flow, proximity, anti-collision. The varying degrees of separation and the tolerance needed for effective swarm movement became like muscle memory. It was foundational knowledge, but its breadth was incredible. Not that I know what to do with it. She received another prompt.
[[Chronicle Cascade] would like to create a Dao-Seed from Swarm Tactics ¨C Y/N?]
Yes
[Requires 6 hours of synthesis]
That''s anti-climactic. So I have to infuse these memory fragments with six hours of 100% manadraw to create the seed. Toki briefly looked at the collection of human and monkey fragments.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Chimeric Entanglement (12/100)] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (15/500)]
Toki desperately hoped that she would not fill the Dao of Sentience with the dead bodies of humans. As Toki shifted her focus to the surroundings and as her adrenaline faded, she finally caught the stench of what remained. She moved through the aftermath, her eyes wide with a horror that seemed to burrow into her very soul. The bodies¡ªor what remained of them¡ªwere strewn haphazardly, flesh and bone laid bare by the rats'' insatiable hunger. A wave of nausea surged within her, overwhelming in its intensity. She doubled over, bile rising hot and acrid in her throat, and disgorged the contents of her stomach onto the cold stone. It wasn''t much. The retching convulsions racked her slender frame until nothing was left but the bitter taste of bile and the burn in her esophagus. Get it together, Toki, she chided herself, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. A bitter laugh escaped her, the sound mirthless and hollow. Her gaze lingered on the half-eaten forms, or at least the remnants. Perhaps it¡¯s my luck that they died here. I may not have survived the ambush otherwise. Gathering her composure, Toki set about the grim task at hand and inspected them for anything salvagable. She retrieved a lantern abandoned in the chaos. It would come in handy and let her focus her flame. She ignited her flame inside and wielded it like a lighthouse, banishing shadows as she sought out the monkey beast cores. The glimpse of Dutch Eternal¡¯s enchanting still haunted her thoughts. It was unorthodox, sure, but it was beautiful. Oh, the stories she must have woven. All the rats were mortal. Weak alone, but dangerous in numbers. Unlike the howler monkeys which were stage-one, mortal beasts have no core. On Aris¡¯s surface all beasts were mortal, hence the need to import beasts from other worlds, leading to a shortage of beast cores and also suitable enemies to hunt for levels. Her fingers brushed against the cool surface of one of these monkey cores. It pulsed with latent power. The bodies were too ruined to understand Dutch Eternal¡¯s infernal enchantments, but she collected them with purpose, pocketing them to attempt enchantments when she had a chance. With the lantern''s glow casting long shadows upon the macabre scene, Toki turned away, determined to leave the feeding frenzy far behind. Toki stepped into the large tunnel that beckoned her onward. The very tunnel that housed the mocking howls she had run from earlier. The lantern clasped in her hand cast rays into the distance as she started the descent deeper into the underground. -- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 26 – Blood Begets Blood My father, the last king of Ispartika, is dead. He died and left a monster in his place the very moment our empire had fallen. But this time it is real. He is truly dead and now I am party to regicide and patricide, and perhaps cyanide. Not out of anger, no. I certainly had enough. No, for my mother dearest, a strong woman made brittle. The poor queen that could not convince her king to bend the knee. The poor queen that watched my three brothers die to kraken poison. The poor queen who then slayed those monsters, but now, could not slay her own. Am I some villainous traitor for cavorting with poison, or am I too, a tragic monsterslayer? The system knows. Will there be any consequences? Either way, my tears seem to have run dry. ¨C Susie Q, Journal of Grievances Chapter 26 ¨C Blood Begets Blood As Toki descended deeper into the darkness, the din of distant howls echoed off the walls like a sinister welcome. With each step into the bowels of the earth, the tension in the air grew thicker, charged with a feeling of danger that ran deep into Toki''s bones. The passageway stretched wide before her, as if carved by the hands of giants. This was Dutch Eternal¡¯s entrance. Toki''s hand brushed against her bag and retrieved a manafruit. Choosing to ignore that it was grown by Partridge, she bit into the fruit. Its flesh burst with flavor, flooding her senses and hiding the overwhelming whiff of carrion behind her. The tangy sweetness on her taste buds cleansed her palate. Toki did not have to walk far before she saw light filtering in from ahead. Her gaze narrowed in anticipation. Shadows coalesced to the sides of the lantern and [Lessons] solidified into wickedly curved claws. She did not know what her purpose here was, only that it was the way to secure safety for Edgar. If she could silently steal the dragon core, it would be best. However, there was no way to know for certain without scouting out the situation first. With each step, the howling grew more fervent, almost ritualistic in its cadence. As she turned a corner, the tunnel gave way abruptly, spilling her into a majestic expanse. The amphitheater was hewn from the very guts of the world, grandeur matching the wide passages behind her. Deep cracks in Aris, above, served as skylights, fracturing the dark cavern with spears of light. They struck the surface of subterranean pools below casting a shimmer and reflection onto the amphitheater walls. She peaked in to observe the edges. There were more caves lining the edges of the amphitheater. A hotel of sorts? Staging? Storage? An otherworldly silence enveloped her for a heartbeat before the whispers of the audience resumed their jumbled howls. Encircling the center, a multitude of monkeys perched with an uncharacteristic stillness. They had noticed. Toki¡¯s previous entrance had interrupted their humdrum affairs. At least as much humdrum is acceptable for stage-one mutant howler monkeys. She could see one monkey picking insects off another¡¯s back. Some sat in the water. And others lounged in the streams of sunlight. Their eyes, though. All their eyes, orbs of black, fixed upon Toki with intensity. Gleams of curiosity sparked within those depths, intermingled with the unmistakable glint of hunger. They were silent but held unspoken challenge. This is the rats, but worse. Should I escape above? Maybe I can climb through those cracks? Her [Lessons] pulsed at her side, ready for battle. After the first monkey howled, a chorus followed. Toki squared her shoulders, readying herself for whatever trial this feral congregation demanded. "The jaws of death,¡± she murmured, her voice barely rising above a whisper. Toki''s breath stilled as an intrusive presence infiltrated her thoughts, a telepathic intrusion that was as commanding as it was unsettling. The voice in her mind was the primate authority. "Whence comes the aroma of death that trails you, interloper?" the telepath-howler monkey''s thought-voice boomed within her head. "The blood thou carry... ¡®tis of my kin, yet also of thine own." Toki¡¯s eyes narrowed in concentration. She scanned the throng of primates until her gaze settled upon the source of the mental invasion. Perched atop a natural throne of rocks, the Alpha was an imposing figure. His fur, a matted mix of charcoal and silver, bristled with an aura of power. Muscles coiled beneath his dense pelt like steel, and his eyes¡ªtwo orbs of molten amber¡ªburned with intelligence that transcended his brethren. A crown of elongated fangs adorned his brow, marking him as sovereign among these subterranean dwellers. Toki summoned her confidence and bravado. "Blood begets blood," Toki retorted coldly, not betraying her growing anxiety over the encroaching monkeys and channeling her best monologue voice. "Those who sought to fight me have found nothing but death.¡± She flexed her shadow claws. ¡°Human or simian, it matters not." A contemplative silence befell the amphitheater, heavy with her words. After a moment, the Alpha responded, ¡°How profound. Mine being relishes the taste of thy words.¡± The Alpha''s eyes closed, his expression still as he sat there deliberating over the meaning of her challenge. He then let out a series of low howls to his kin. He continued for several tense minutes. In those moments, Toki felt the undercurrents of power shift through the space as other monkeys slid into a seated position and listened. She was unsure, but it felt like several had unlocked something within as the lecture passed over them. The Alpha''s eyelids lifted, revealing a gleam of respect. With a deliberate nod, he acknowledged the mettle of the woman before him. ¡°Interloper, of neither humans nor primates, thou are welcome. Blood begets blood.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. His acceptance rippled outward, and the assembled monkeys responded with a cacophony of howls that rose to the fractured heavens, a chorus of wild exultation that echoed to Toki''s vow. Unexpected. The Alpha''s invitation hung for a moment. It was a decree that brooked no refusal. Toki''s breath caught as the howls crescendoed. Reluctant feet carried her forward. She knew deep inside that if she refused, she would be chased. For now, the Red on her robes was her shield. As she moved towards the congregation, her mind spun with trepidation and the cryptic musings of Kristina echoed within her, ''the jaws of death.'' Are these the fangs that Kristina had foreseen? Or are they still to come? "Join us in feast," the Alpha intoned, his voice a telepathic embrace ensnaring Toki''s consciousness alongside his brethren. With a subtle nod from him, the horde cleared the center, allowing her passage into the amphitheater stage. If this goes badly, I¡¯ll [Bindings of Tyndall] into the air. They might be able to climb, but I won¡¯t face them all at once. "Before we revel," the Alpha''s thoughts unfurled in her mind, "our covenant with blood must be honored." His gestured paw directed Toki''s gaze to a smaller howler monkey emerging from the shadows. Its stature was diminutive compared to the Alpha''s imposing frame, yet there was nothing trivial about its presence. The creature''s eyes glinted with feral cognizance, and its claws were ablaze with ethereal flames. ¡°To first blood.¡± Toki''s pulse thrummed in her ears. "By the glassbreaker''s mercy, let the ritual commence," the Alpha decreed, and with those words, the amphitheater held its breath, awaiting the spectacle of violence that would unfold beneath its ancient gaze. Fuck. Toki pulled out her hammer.
[Law Cats has called upon Toki Twice for a meld ¨C agree?]
Double fuck. Decline. The scent of brimstone wafted to her. She steadied herself, readying for the clash that would appease these beasts'' bloodlust and secure her place among them. The monkey lunged with a snarl, flames tracing arcs as they swiped at Toki. Toki sidestepped, her [Lessons] parrying the howler monkey¡¯s advancing strikes using her partial learnings from the cowcrabs. She pivoted after a strong deflection setting up for a counter. Her hit connected and the monkey launched backwards. Rolling out afterwards, it quickly recovered. "Come," Toki taunted. "Let''s see if you can keep up." The monkey clamored back on all fours, and leaped, fiery claws seeking purchase on Toki''s flesh. It found none. She pushed the monkey back with a shadow claw and weaved around its swipes. Toki was no stranger to fire. Her movements were a blur as she struck, each impact a controlled burst of force meant to subdue rather than slaughter. Her moves were filled with flourishes to strike fear into the audience. To prevent them from rising against her afterwards. The din of battle echoed through the amphitheater and the monkeys watched in silence. An uncharacteristically solemn vigil. Toki landed a decisive blow, drawing a thin ribbon of blood from the monkey''s shoulder and knocking it down onto the ground. Victory. As it whimpered, cowed and defeated, she stayed her hand. As if on cue, the horde erupted in a fervent cacophony, their howls a tempest. They beat their chest as if in indignity. The Alpha approached. ¡°Here, we do not not play with our sustenance. Blood is life,¡± he rumbled, his voice a telepathic tide that washed over her. With ceremonial solemnity, he severed the hand of the defeated monkey with a quick chop. The sound of tearing punctuated the moment and Toki''s face twisted in shock. He extended the dismembered limb towards Toki. The Alpha¡¯s eyes met Toki''s, his eyes glinting once more with something akin to respect. The defeated monkey howled in pain. Toki accepted the grim token, her fingers recoiling at its warmth. Both her hand and robes bloodied further. She watched, a spectator trapped in the theater of the surreal, as the Alpha monk then performed a second act of dismemberment, claiming the head of the small monkey and cradling it like a perverse reliquary as he retreated to his sanctum of meditation.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Chimeric Entanglement (13/100)]
Around her, the jubilant cries of the monkeys continued to crescendo. A tremor of revulsion coursed through Toki''s veins as she clutched the severed simian hand, its weight a testament to the barbarity she was now an unwilling participant in. She had killed them before in defense, and certainly would again. But somehow this felt wrong. The Alpha, his fur also now matted Red, pointed a gnarled finger toward a shadowy enclave that pierced the amphitheater wall¡ªa hollow space previously inhabited by the vanquished foe. "Thy inheritance," he telepathically declared, his voice an order that danced among the recesses of Toki''s mind. Toki stiffened, her internal turmoil masked behind the facade of confidence. With each thud of her heart, she felt the eyes of the assembly upon her¡ªjudging, appraising, waiting. She crossed the amphitheater to the threshold of the cave. The clamor of the feast outside crescendoed into madness. The frenzied howler monkeys descended upon the carcass of the fire-claw monkey, their banquet only punctuated by the crack of bone and the slurp of marrow. Toki hesitated at the entrance, the instinct to flee surging within her. Yet before she could surrender to the impulse, the Alpha''s roar thundered through the cavern, halting her. "Tomorrow, we shall release the rest of our brothers and sisters!" he bellowed, "then we too shall shatter the glass!" A silence befell the throng, every eye turning towards the Alpha, every ear attuned to the proclamation of what was to come. The meaning of those words were cloaked in mystery to Toki. Were they going to invade the surface? Wasn¡¯t it already shattered? With curiosity and disgust a ghost in her mind, Toki turned from the grisly revelry. She entered the cave that had once belonged to another. Here, amidst the earthy scent of loam and the lingering aroma of scorched fur, she would feign rest. She settled onto the cold stone floor, the macabre trophy beside her. "Kristina," Toki murmured to herself, "are these the jaws of death you spoke of?" They are looking to free their own, but then why? Why are they eating each other? A moment of reflection brought forth the answer. In this underground, they haven¡¯t found food yet¡ªonly days ago, they were still in cages. In the solitude of the cave, with her thoughts a mix of what-ifs and maybes, Toki lay her hammer across her lap and channeled [Chronicle Cascade]. She would close her eyes but remain vigilant. Now was the time to understand her Dao. Tomorrow, they would break the glass. Tomorrow she would find the dragon¡¯s core. And tomorrow, perhaps, she would return to the surface. Chapter 27 – Birth of the Glassbreaker Chimera Corps We have identified a startling piece of news from our information sources within the Falkori ¡°Dragons¡±. The lizards have identified a strange complexity of power that could reshape the dynamics of ability usage for the beasts. While we have yet to understand its functional usage, [Chimeric Entanglement] is a dangerous precedent. It may be necessary to initiate another extinction campaign¡ªthis time against the dragon-subspecies. At the very least, a bounty should be placed on any master manasmiths that stray within human domains. Please see attached for our current working hypothesis (Thank you Balrock, Sigma of the Aurel, for the color coding).
Ability Usage Soul component - Purple Mana component - Green No intent + No mana: - No intent + Manadraw: Support skills No intent + Manaspend: Beast domains / Authority Ambient intent + No mana: Variant undead abilities Ambient intent + Manadraw: Standard enchantments Ambient intent + Manaspend: [Chimeric Entanglement] Primal intent + No mana: Variant undead abilities / Spearbreaker Primal intent + Manadraw: - Primal intent + Manaspend: Dao-Bound skills
Table format
Ability complexity No mana Manadraw / Ambient mana Manaspend / Aethercore mana
No intent - Support skills Beast domains Authority
Ambient intent Variant undead abilities Standard Enchantments [Chimeric Entanglement]
Primal intent Variant undead abilities Spearbreaker - Dao-Bound skills
¨C Pendulum memoranda, Chimeric Entanglement Chapter 27 ¨C Birth of the Glassbreaker Chimera Corps Toki sat on the floor of her stolen cavern, deep in her thoughts, while outside, the aftermath of the earlier chaos lay strewn across the amphitheater stage. It was brutal but somehow gentle. The bloody monkeys, covered in the remnants of the fire-claw monkey, began their laze towards their own caves. She watched with a melancholic gaze, feeling the weight of some elusive truth nibbling at the edges of her consciousness. "Blood begets blood," she murmured to herself, the words slipping through her lips like a whispered curse. "Blood is life." The phrases played on some greater truth, but that truth lay just beneath the surface of her understanding. The Alpha was seated somewhere as well, likely in meditation. Toki did not know what the Alpha had comprehended, but in his eyes, she knew there was a glint of understanding¡ªa moment of epiphany gleaned from her offhand monologue. It was why he was able to lead his tribe into enlightenment as well. Yet, Toki also knew that the wisdom he had found within her words may be completely divergent from her own, carving a path uniquely his own. As the monkeys left the stage, Toki contemplated venturing forth to find the dragon core. But caution prevailed and she decided to remain hidden for now. When they¡¯re asleep, I¡¯ll go search. She resolved to bide her time until the skylights lost their light, allowing the cover of darkness to become her accomplice. Toki took this moment to inspect the fire-claw monkey¡¯s severed hand. As she reached out, her fingers hovered over the darkened fur, singed by flame. Lighting her own flame to take a closer look, she discerned intricate etchings on the claw¡ªthe unmistakable signature of Dutch Eternal. The etchings spiraled, forming arcane draconic symbols. These were not mere filigree but conduits for something far more genius. The claw itself bore its story of enchantment¡ªToki guessed passion, unable to read the language, but it was irrelevant. How the enchantment wielded the ambient intent was trivial and standard practice. It was the invisible connection that wove the claw into the beast''s core which grabbed Toki''s attention. The chimeric entanglement. She knew that beyond the enchantment lay a truly startling layer of sorcery. Power was siphoned and redirected from the core with precision. Although Toki hated Dutch Eternal with a passion, she could respect the complexity and intricacy needed to create such a wonder. It was this unseen architecture of enchantment that compelled her study, a puzzle demanding to be unraveled. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Toki retrieved the ice monkey¡¯s tail from her bag, pale and stiff but still embedded with etchings. The associated beast core was cold to the touch. Laying the claw and tail side-by-side, she searched for the commonalities in their enchantments¡ªsomething that could identify the logic or process that Dutch Eternal used in the creation of these chimeras. Her mind wandered back to the chain she had fashioned alongside Edgar and Kristina. In that endeavor, they had chosen not to use aeso, and rather use the process of internal enchantment. Here too, no such traces of aeso could be seen on the beast cores. The enchantment upon the claw and tail, however, did show the tell-tale marks¡ªthe resulting texture from burnt aeso is subtle, but to the discerning eye, simple to identify. Aeso was used in the creation of the appendage but not the beast core, so it must be that Dutch had found a way to embed an internal enchantment into the core. To power the chimeric appendage containing ambient intent with internal mana. How unique! ¡°Internal enchantments,¡± Toki murmured to herself. An internal enchantment was a relatively guarded process¡ªan art that required a mastery of intent and mana not easily attained nor often seen. After all, it is why she had performed the enchantment on the chain and not Edgar. She ruminated on the implications.
[Chimeric Entanglement (14/100)]
Toki¡¯s fingers hovered above the ice-tail monkey¡¯s beast core. The Twice flame danced across the surface of the core with an uncanny grace, slipping within and probing the internal structures with a fluidity that surpassed even the mysterious metal that bound Kristina. It¡¯s so pleasant. The core is so easy to enchant. It¡¯s as though the core invites the Twice fire inside. Compelled by curiosity and a deep-seated need to understand, Toki withdrew a second beast core from the carcass of another fallen simian. She laid these out too, side by side. With meticulous care, she coaxed her flame into the second core, intent on examining the foundations of the enchantment pathways.
[Chimeric Entanglement (15/100)]
She was so absorbed in her work that she failed to notice the gathering darkness that had settled over the amphitheater. Nor did she see the curious onlookers¡ªthe members of the monkey troop¡ªthat had crept close. They watched, captivated by the spectacle of comprehension. Deep within the labyrinthine complexity of Dutch Eternal''s design, Toki found a network of pathways that defied explanation. The dragon''s sorcery had created a strange cycle of mana that simultaneously siphoned and sustained, a delicate balance that maintained the core''s internal mana capacity while empowering the chimera limbs. She marveled at the intricate circuitry, her mind teetering on understanding. An aethercore was a thing of duality, capable of both drawing forth mana for support skills and expelling more structured mana to fuel the more potent Dao-bound abilities. A delicate equilibrium that, if disturbed, could collapse catastrophically. Such was the nature of manadraw and manaspend¡ªthe twin heartbeats of magical existence. And here, within the corrupted fruit of Dutch Eternal''s labor, Toki glimpsed the possibility of harnessing manaspend for something other than a Dao-Bound skill.
[Chimeric Entanglement (16/100)]
"Genius...," she murmured, her respect for the dragon''s mastery tinged with revulsion for the methods employed. The monkeys¡¯ manaspend had been twisted, contorted into something strange¡ªsomething that bore the semblance of Dao-bound abilities but was born of pure artifice. Using ambient intent from the dragon¡¯s enchantment and manaspend from their own cores, Dutch Eternal had created a pseudo-Dao-Bound ability for all of these monkeys. Such an army would be frightening. Powerful beyond compare. Just imagine everyone having access to Edgar¡¯s ability! An army would instantly be threefold stronger! As Toki pondered the implications, the gathered monkeys mirrored her contemplation. Their primal minds might not have grasped the intricacies of the enchantment, but something in the cadence of Toki''s probing spoke to them on an instinctual level. Absorbed in her analysis, Toki remained oblivious to the growing congregation that had formed around her. It was only when the air grew thick with their collective breaths did she lift her gaze and snap out of focus. Her heart stuttered in her chest. With a thought, she dropped [Chronicle Cascade], and shifted to [Lessons] drawing shadow claws from the cast shadows by her feet. It was an unconscious response to the unexpected audience. ¡°Thou work like the dragon, yet thou fill us with hope. Doth thou research the origins of our existence? Shall thou too, assay to malform our limbs, our brains, our dreams?¡± Toki looked at the seated monkeys with confusion. I suppose they are ignorant to their births. I would fear enchanting if I were them, yet the Alpha seems¡­ hopeful? ¡°I am not that dragon. I will never be her.¡± The Alpha nodded telepathically. "Thy presence grants me peace. In that case, we shall continue to seek inspiration from thy machination," the Alpha intoned, his voice resonating within her mind. "Thy craft hath inspired my family, and for this, I offer our gratitude." His words stilled her defensive instincts, yet she remained wary. The shadow claws retracted. Then, in the quiet that followed, inspiration struck¡ªa seed of possibility planted in her mind. All wariness was lost. She could feel the beginnings of a profound revelation taking root inspired by the dragon''s vile genius. Toki ignored the throng of primates once more and a shiver danced along her spine¡ªnot from fear, but from understanding. She focused inward, summoning the Twice flame. It flickered to life, a whimsical dance of star-shaped embers. The flame was hers¡ªa birthright that had always been treated as an afterthought, a mere parlor trick by the Twice Clan elders. An empty vessel for the Authority she held. But Toki hoped, deep into the marrow of her bones, that it was so much more. Her fingertips tingled as she brushed them over [Lessons], the flame clinging to the shadows like a second skin, a faithful companion and paradox. The Twice flame was a carrier for manaspend. It was a refined parallel to Dutch Eternal¡¯s enchantments. She willed it closer, allowing it to caress the edges of her shadow claw. Integration would be delicate, one of balance between force and finesse. The flame eased inside the shadow and she reached out with her will and intent. The flame kissed the shadow, and Toki felt a resonance¡ªa harmonic convergence of forces that she could not have imagined. [Lessons] had no business using intent; it was a support skill, a foundation upon which other powers could rise but now¡­ now the lines began to blur.
[Tokyo Twice has refined a Dao-Seed: Path of Shadowflame]
"Ah..." The sound escaped her lips, a simple utterance that bore the weight of revelation. What if the shadow could carry more? What if, like the beast cores manipulated by Dutch Eternal''s sinister enchantment, it too could be a conduit for her own internal enchantments? She greedily experimented. All attention was focused on her enchantment. Intent weaved through the flames, and the shadows pulsed as if breathing. [Bindings of Tyndall] was the last enchantment she had performed alone. It would have to suffice. She created the conduits within the shadow itself. Pathways formed one after another. The very essence of the enchantment grew from within the darkness fueled by the light within. The power ebbed and flowed, and this time, it was not fear that drove the enchantment. It was wonder. The monkeys sat motionless, their eyes reflecting the dance of starry fire against the oppressive dark, learning from the fluctuations of magic they could not comprehend. Many sank into deep meditation, reflecting, understanding, mastering concepts that should not exist and the paradox they held. Toki''s mind raced, possibilities branching like lightning across a stormy sky. If Dutch Eternal could siphon mana with chimeric circuitry, then she, Tokyo Twice, could innovate a symbiosis between shadow and Twice flame¡ªa melding of support and dao-bound skills to create something entirely new, using ambient mana and her own intent in an entirely different way.
[Tokyo Twice has upgraded a unique enchantment] [Bindings of Tyndall (??? / Class C / Mortal): Create a 1x1 cm [Paradox Shadow] mote within 1.5m; durability of the mote scales with intent] [User Tokyo Twice has acquired a unique Dao-Bound skill [First Burn]]
Chapter 28 – Theater of War [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Wait, yo. @SamIAm¡­ WTF. [SamIAm] Why? [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Let me claim your bodies. After the zone finishes hunting you¡­ at least I¡¯ll have some good material. [SamIAm] ¡­ [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Everyone knows you took him. The cervid, not @ZephyrDeity¡­ *feelsbadman* [ZephyrDeity] I¡¯m being kidnapped. I didn¡¯t know we were going into the warfront¡­ [SamIAm] We are the warfront. [DarknessDarkMaster] In times of chaos, hide within danger. [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] I have no idea what you mean @DarknessDarkMaster¡­ but I like it! @SamIAm, I can get you through the lizards, but you¡¯ll have to do something for me. ¨C The Immortal Record of The Heavenly Chakra Dragon Fighter Polity Chapter 28 ¨C Theater of War Toki had spent the entire night studying and practicing the shadowflame enchanting process. In between spurts of experimentation, she would use her manadraw to power [Chronicle Cascade] to create the [Path of Swarms] Dao-Seed. At this point, it was not the fear of the monkeys that drove her to stay awake. It was obsession. While she worked, the monkeys watched on, forgetting their need for sleep, instead focusing their attention on Toki¡¯s every movement. Soon, even the Alpha joined and sat outside her dwelling, meditating on her discoveries. Before Toki had realized it, sunlight had lanced back through the cracks in the sky and illuminated the amphitheater. The Alpha entered the cave, approaching her with a measured tread. He had come at an opportune moment not disturbing her progress, just as Toki had just finished her last burst of inspired research. "I thank thee once more for thy generosity. It was always a privilege to behold mother¡¯s magic," he began, his voice a deep rumble. "Yet thy magic beareth a strange visage, unlike the cruel touch of mother¡¯s." Toki lifted her eyes to meet his. "Mother?" she echoed. Alpha affirmed, sorrow briefly shadowing his expression. "My brethren were often sacrificed for her insatiable hunger. Thy heart wouldst break as mine did, witnessing such horrors. Sacrifice for sustenance." "It¡¯s not magic. It¡¯s enchanting. And that¡¯s horrible." ¡°This is the way. Blood is life.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be. Why not eat her flesh now that she¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°At first, we tried. Could thou dine on thy mother¡¯s flesh?¡± Toki''s expression hardened. She rose, ¡°You can¡¯t continue like this. What she did to you¡­" "She created us. She was our maker. I do not revel in such grim tasks, yet my tribe is hungry without a mother to feed us. It is my shame to continue in mother¡¯s way. The glassbreaker hath freed us, yet this new path is filled with blood, all the same. We now belong to but a larger cage.¡± ¡°This glassbreaker¡­¡± ¡°The glassbreaker hath done what we could not. We cannot ask for more, yet I feel we are now without purpose. So, we shall continue. We shall also break the glass." ¡°Isn¡¯t the glass already broken?¡± The alpha looked at Toki in confusion. ¡°Is there not always glass?¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°Wilt thou partake in first blood ere we depart?¡± ¡°No. Actually¡­ I''ve got an idea. It''s risky, but it might just keep your tribe fed. Something less... heartbreaking. But¡­ there will be blood¡­ and some may die." Toki said, her tone serious now. ¡°Blood begets blood?¡± Toki nodded, but she was unsure if it made sense. If the Alpha thinks it makes sense, that¡¯s okay with me. The Alpha considered her words. After a moment that stretched like an eternity, he gave a curt nod. ¡°Lead us. I wish to see this blood begets blood.¡± ¡°Before we go. The reason I came here is to try to find something that belonged to the dragon¡­ er¡­ your mother.¡± ¡°She holds no claim over the belongings of her last life.¡± Toki nodded, confused. ¡°I¡¯m looking for something like this.¡± She pulled out the ice monkey¡¯s beast core. The Alpha nodded and thought for a moment, then walked out of her cavern and beckoned her over. He crossed the amphitheater and moved towards the largest cavern, positioned centrally behind the stage. Toki followed the Alpha into the shadowy expanse, her flame casting a flickering light that danced across a wealth of manasmithing materials. Toki was floored. There were boxes of adamant bars and barrels of aeso lined against the wall. Not counting the many exotic materials strewn across the area, the wealth in this cave was staggering. I could spend days cataloguing everything here. "Thou hast inquired about what was once inside mother?" Alpha''s voice echoed, shaking Toki out of her greed. "That¡¯s right," Toki replied, her eyes scanning the materials once more before reminding herself that Edgar needed the beast core. The Alpha paced forward, his gait silent on the stone floor, and halted before a pile of red stones upon which rested a round object. Toki sighed in relief and reached out. With a sweep of her hand, she pulled the orb into her hand. Where there should be the strong energy of a pulsing dragon core¡­ She instead found a lifeless dragon egg. Its surface was a blend of swirling colors that seemed to shift and churn with life, yet for some reason, Toki knew the egg was dead. Soulless. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Is this that which thou seekest?" "No," she murmured. "It¡¯s not." The realization settled upon her ¨C deception. She remembered Kristina¡¯s line, ¡®You ask an arachnid to not spin a web.¡¯ Fucking spiders. "Then you are lost, too?" "Lost? Hardly," Toki scoffed, her humor a brittle veneer over her concern. "We''re simply... improvising." She put the egg in her bag, her mind already churning, searching for a way to get back at Kristina. "Come," she beckoned, motioning for the Alpha to sit next to her. "Let¡¯s figure out our plan."
Toki¡¯s fire illuminated a small portion of the battleground, but what she could see was flat. She led the charge as their beacon, but the howler monkeys seemed quite comfortable in the darkness even without her guiding light. Behind her, their fervent hollers were a herald of impending doom. The ground beneath her feet trembled, not from fear, but in eager anticipation of the battle to come.
There are hundreds of them¡­ maybe thousands. We need to set up a pitched battle in the rats'' tunnel. We can¡¯t let them run. A squadron of us will be enough to serve as bait. Say¡­ me and twenty of you.
Toki''s [Lessons] were ready. 20% manadraw each. Her gaze was sharp, locked onto the seething mass of rats that lay ahead. She could see their countless eyes, reminding her of the first time she saw them. "Forward!" she commanded. With the grace of a monkey army, they advanced chaotically. Toki¡¯s white hair billowed like a banner. The monkeys, fierce in their trust, surged behind her. As if sensing their fate within the encroaching darkness, the rats bunched together, an undulating carpet of hunger. They knew there was nowhere to flee; they too were fighting for sustenance. Toki was uncaring. Her army descended upon the rodents with animalistic ferocity.
You must instruct them to hold their hunger. They will be swarmed if they get distracted trying to feast.
"Wait until later!" Toki''s shout cut through the mayhem. "Eat after victory!" Her words were a leash on the ravenous instincts of her companions. Barely. Monkeys clashed with rats, sometimes pausing in their frenzy to tear at the flesh of the fallen enemies, before plunging back into the fray with renewed vigor. Their chimeric implants filled the cavern with color and the thrum of mana as flashes of different elemental guideweaves created swathes of destruction. Everywhere she looked, Toki saw death play out in gruesome detail. So, this is war. A monkey would dispatch a rat with a swift, crushing blow, only to be swarmed by more of the vermin in a desperate counterattack. Claws flashed, teeth snapped, and all the while, Toki moved amongst them, her shadow claws reaping souls with cold efficiency. They no longer give me fragments. Maybe I need to face stronger ones?
[[Cascade] x20]
Her heart beat in the rhythm of combat. The chaos of such a war was not what she expected, but it filled her with excitement. Or perhaps Adrenaline. Most probably adrenaline. The battle''s tide turned as Toki discerned an unsettling pattern in the enemy ranks. Amongst the relentless tide of vermin, there lurked behemoths¡ªstage one rats? They had incisors gleaming like daggers, and they pulsed with electricity.
They will have hidden aces. I do not know what they will be, but this will be our chance. When they appear, the remaining sixty of us will enter the battle, in response.
These monstrosities were no match for the surge of chimera howler monkeys. Even the rats'' preternatural agility was rendered useless against the clash of Dutch Eternal¡¯s manufactured pseudo-Dao-Bound abilities. The power rendered them grim reapers amongst the rodent horde. The death cries rang through the cavernous battlefield. Amidst the decimation, Toki''s gaze landed upon an anomaly¡ªa strange rat, if it could still be called such, skirting the periphery of the fray. It stood erect on two legs. Smaller than the stage-ones. Its stance was eerily humanoid but hunched over. Its fingers were like a puppeteer¡¯s, seemingly marionetting the lesser rats into formation. Its fur was a sickly gray and slick with an unnatural sheen. As it directed its minions, its beady eyes remained locked on Toki, filled with a cunning that signified its desire to flee. To seal the fate of its army and survive another day. Not on my watch. A grim smile tugged at the corners of Toki¡¯s mouth. Her hammer was suddenly alive in her grasp like a thing possessed. With purpose in her step, she advanced toward the rat ''king'', her [Lessons] protecting her flanks, while several monkeys followed her lead defending her back. The scratches and bites that accumulated ripped at her monochrome silks, but her skin recovered. The plethora of [Requests] made her a juggernaut within any battlefield. The rat ''king'' paused, his head tilting in a mimicry of curiosity before he charged with alarming speed. The creature was fast. Faster than its slouched form suggested. Toki swung her hammer with brute force, air splitting as it cleaved where the rat ''king'' had been a heartbeat before. The rat king suddenly appeared behind her and swiped viciously at the back of her neck. The chimera monkey defending her blocked with its own golden claws, barely parrying the blow in time for Toki to dodge to the side. Close. She parried another vicious swipe aimed at her throat, immediately after, as the rat king appeared in front of her. This time, Toki used [Lessons] to deflect the incoming claws, narrowly avoiding being eviscerated. How is he blinking around? The monkeys behind her had retreated and challenged their own enemies, leaving Toki room to challenge the leader. Encircling her, many rats lay in heaps from her wide swing, their blood seeping into the earth, yet the ''king'' persisted. He darted forward, feinting left then striking right. Then disappearing and appearing behind her. He tested Toki''s mettle, and more so, her reflexes. A single clash of hammer against claw would yield the advantage to Toki, but as of yet, only [Lessons] could come close to matching the speed of the rat king. Even still, the king''s claws found flesh. Their struggle was a microcosm of the greater conflict. A singular duel between a sneaky king and a false god, fighting for supremacy while both armies hungered for sustenance. Toki stood undaunted. As the rat ''king'' rallied for another assault, its eyes glimmered as he pulled mana towards himself. The rat ''king'' mirrored her stance, its elongated limbs poised to strike with lethal precision. Its beady eyes gleamed with an intelligence that belied its bestial nature, and for a moment, the air between them was thick with the promise of finality. This would be the blow to end it all, the decisive moment where only one would emerge from the fray.
When the arrow sings, let it.
A single arrow shot through the darkness, unavoided, piercing straight through Toki¡¯s shoulder. Same spot. A challenge and perhaps a boast. A sudden warcry, primal and fierce, disrupted the battlefield, echoing across the cavern like a proper call to battle. Toki''s focus shattered as she broke the shaft of the arrow and whipped her head around, taking in the sight of a dozen robed warriors descending upon the scene with the ferocity of a tempest. Their robes billowed like the dark wings of ravens, the fabric adorned with sigils that pulsated with an ethereal glow. Toki pulled out the now-broken arrow, allowing the wound to start healing with the help of [Requests]. Flanking the robed figures were their allies, expected and unmistakable¡ªPartridge and Three. Amongst them moved four more unrobed warriors, their appearances rough-hewn like brigands fresh from lawlessness. The tide of battle shifted and the newcomers carved swathes through the ranks of lesser rats and attempted to sandwich the monkeys between two forces. The monkeys'' howls crescendoed as they rallied together. This was the moment she had been orchestrating, the confluence of events she had dared to hope for amidst the chaos. Her lips curled into a feral grin. "NOW!" Her voice cut through the din. It was the long-awaited signal, the cue for which they had all been primed. Chapter 29 – Heart and Hunger No worries, mate. Ya¡¯ll just owe me a favor. What¡¯s a little something between friends when ya¡¯re fighting for ya heart here. For ya people. ¨CZeppo Hammaltin Chapter 29 ¨C Heart and Hunger A horrendous howl rent the air, reverberating through the battlefield. From above, a behemoth descended. Toki, amidst the maelstrom, stood momentarily transfixed as two adversaries in black robes were obliterated under the monstrous weight of the leader of the howler monkeys. The Alpha, now unleashed upon the human ranks, was the avatar of savagery. The Alpha had displayed his own Dao-Bound ability, [Proportions of the Heart]. He scaled in size proportionately to his determination. Though his strength attribute was still lacking, the sheer increase in his size immediately shifted the momentum. Toki had learned that despite being the Alpha of the group of howler monkeys, he was the only mortal in the tribe. Despite having less attributes, the monkeys had an established system of voting. They elected him leader based on his intelligence¡ªcerebral, not attribute-wise. Toki was surprised hearing that, to say the least. These monkeys are smart ¨C maybe smarter than all of Aris¡­. Toki used their intelligence to the group¡¯s advantage now. The group of chimera monkeys split on her cue. The first squadron of twenty that had joined Toki now retreated backwards to assist their Alpha against the black-robed humans, while the remaining entrenched themselves in their war against the rats. Shouts of fear could be heard coming from the ranks of humans as they scattered from the Alpha¡¯s drop. The onslaught of the giant monkey and the charge of twenty additional chimeras was enough to rattle a small army, much less a dozen warriors. Although only two robed warriors were instantly deleted, the ploy created chaos on the battlefield, which was all she needed. An additional dozen black robed warriors emerged from the shadows to assist and calm their compatriots. They have backup too, I guess. The humans, a disorganized rabble now, launched a desperate assault against the giant beast before them, attempting to defeat him before the additional monkeys arrived. Yet, for all their valor, they were leaves caught in a tempest. The Alpha''s swipes were relentless and as he landed he immediately rolled around attempting to crush the nearby warriors. His form blurred with speed that belied his gargantuan size, creating chaos among the enemies. From the corner of her eyes, Toki spied Three¡ªhis figure slicing through the pandemonium. He nocked another arrow and released it towards her. A grin played upon Toki¡¯s lips; she had been waiting for him. With deft movements, Toki sidestepped in anticipation, the projectile whistling past where her head had been a heartbeat prior. It shot back and struck her shoulder, where the last arrow had hit. Shards be damned. She broke the arrow again, removed it, and started the healing process once more. Unperturbed by the missed headshot, Three pressed forward, his four warriors¡ªa motley crew of three men and a woman¡ªin front of him. They moved with singular focus, weapons drawn, in a beeline for Toki. Meanwhile, Partridge slunk behind the rest, ever the opportunist, and seized the chance to vanish into the shadows as they charged. Toki watched the cowardly figure dash away, his retreat as swift as his backstab was fresh. Her focus returned to the brigands, now closing the distance between them. Each warrior bore the scars of countless skirmishes, their armor piecemeal but robust. These warriors are different. They are closer to the spearwoman than the brothers in experience. I only have a moment. Toki¡¯s sharp gaze flickered around her. She looked for the rat king, wary of any ambush with his strange teleportation skill, but found nothing but empty surroundings. The rat king had slinked away in the chaos as well, leaving his minions directionless, their frenzied squeaks discordant and uncoordinated now. Perfect. Toki had planned out several strategies to draw out the leader and disorganize the rats, but it had been simpler in practice than expected. She observed the writhing mass of rats now bereft of command. The monkeys'' simultaneous retreat had created a fissure through the battlefield, an unintended empty space where the panicked rats were hesitant to fill. As she braced for the onslaught, her thoughts flickered to the Alpha. Stand firm. Don¡¯t lose heart. With opportunity ahead, Toki summoned her flames and [Lessons]. The arcane flames danced from her skin to the tendrils of darkness stretched forth, hungering for her intent. She recalled the skill description. Cryptic and vague.
Skill Information
First Burn Description: An inert flame that imparts intent (via enchantment, Dao-Seed, etc.) to suitable mediums. Current upkeep / cost: Variable manaspend Merge / upgrade options available Yes
¡°[Path of the Swarm],¡± she whispered. As if in response, she willed four appendages to disassemble into countless spectral claws. They swarmed, fifty-fold from each limb, rushing towards the sea of vermin. 0.4% manadraw each. As if guided by malevolent spirits, the swarm descended upon the rats like a tempest. The creatures squealed as shadows pierced their ranks, the horde choreographed by Toki''s foundational knowledge on swarm dynamics. The monkeys, emboldened by this spectral assault, rallied with renewed ferocity and charged, their howls rising above the clamor. The rats recoiled, then rallied in an offensive. Am I cornering rats? Stand firm! she commanded. Her words were not for human nor primate ears, but for the shadow swarm she had given birth to. Toki controlled a sizeable shadow swarm of 200 small shadow claws, but despite her experimentation the day prior, she was still na?ve to the nuance of war tactics and the practical usage of such a small army. Many shadows dissipated under the assault of the rats. She had to focus her efforts in replenishing the shadows by distributing manadraw into other shadows and splitting them manually. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I¡¯ll have to create an enchantment to automate this. This is too distracting. She dismissed the stray thought for now, as four figures emerged ahead of her. Three led them from behind, obscured by a cowl over his head. The first, broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, carried a large mace that seemed too heavy for him to carry. His eyes, a pitiless grey, betrayed no hesitation, no fear¡ªonly the cold certainty of a seasoned killer. He drew mana to himself and the mace lifted with ease. Beside him loomed his comrade. Twin daggers gleamed in her hands. Her gaze flitted across the battlefield, calculating, dissecting the tumult with the precision of an executioner and opportunist. She pulled mana towards her feet. Speed, possibly? The third brigand wore a smirk like a scar. He held a crossbow in his grasp. I¡¯ll take him out first. And the last, a giant, bore neither sword nor bow. His weapon and mana was his presence, his fists like stones. A pugilist. Toki met their advance with a sense of calm. Her last shadow appendage turned into a solo phalanx shield. 20% manadraw. In her other hand, her hammer ready to clash with the party. "Come, then," Toki murmured, her lips curling into a wry smile. Toki¡¯s heart pounded with the ferocity of a war-drum as she stood her ground. The brigands circled like carrion birds. The macewielder dashed at her ahead of his team, steel arcing down in a crescent towards Toki. ¡°You fool!¡± Three exclaimed. Instead of parrying, she rolled forward. Toki¡¯s hammer splintered bone with a sickening crunch, and the warrior stumbled forward, his leg crumpling beneath him. She smashed her shield into his head, knocking him unconscious. Two other melee brigands came forwards, exposing the archer behind. Toki sent a portion of the shadow swarm to descend upon the archer ¨C a relentless tide of darkness. Twenty shadows clawed and gnashed at him, dragging the hapless brigand into their shadowy embrace. Screams melded with the din of battle. A single crossbow bolt shot upwards in defiance but failed to accomplish anything.
[Level up: Level 47] [[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (18/500)]
Toki dodged and weaved, each movement a dance on the knife-edge of survival. The pugilist and rogue were the most dangerous of the four. Toki pulled the two claws towards her, but the pugilist unleashed an aura of light that disintegrated the shadows. Blades kissed her flesh with affection, leaving behind crimson blossoms that bloomed across her skin. She allowed these lesser affronts, her focus honed on the lethal threats that sought to unravel her existence, especially the attempted grapples from the pugilist. [Requests] would heal the knife wounds soon enough. The pain still distracted her and arrows continued to shoot forth. Each finding an opening between the pugilist and rogue, though none were lethal, the ones that missed, always wound up in her shoulder. As she separated from the two melee combatants in a fleeting lull, her gaze flickered towards Alpha. The giant lay entangled in the snare of what appeared to be ropes, but upon closer inspection, revealed themselves as tendrils of a darker, more insidious nature¡ªslithering, living chains binding the noble beast. His howls of defiance rang through the cavern as his kin fought desperately, a whirlwind of fur and fang clashing against the human oppressors seeking to quell their spirit. He¡¯s shrinking. Fuck. "Stand fast! Blood begets blood," she called out to the Alpha, her voice a rallying cry amidst the cacophony. "Fight!" In that moment of distraction¡ªthe plight of her ally¡ªToki felt the bite of cold steel through her back, a sharp reminder of her own peril. It missed her heart and her spine, but she felt her lungs sear with pain. An arrow followed suit and ricocheted off her shadow shield, still finding purchase in her thigh. Pain flared, white-hot and blinding¡ªher concentration faltered. She dodged again before the pugilist locked her in embrace. Toki steeled herself against the agony, her grip on her hammer unwavering as she rolled away. She turned back to face her remaining foes, her chest, thigh, shoulder, and left arm now bloody. A horrible series of howls rang out followed by a savage roar. The Alpha is free. It was worth it. If I can just hold on a little longer. Multiple monkey death howls in succession had invigorated the spirit of the tribe, and more importantly, the Alpha. The tide of battle shifted, imperceptible at first, then a torrent that swept the robed warriors into disarray. The monkeys overran their ranks. Their howls rose, not in fear, but in triumph, piercing the din of claw and bone. The robed warriors had begun their retreat Toki broke the shaft of several embedded arrows and pulled them out. As her injuries had begun to heal, her remaining [Request] stacks had also begun to dwindle. In her concentration, the shadow swarm had not been as effective as she had hoped. Despite this, with her lungs healed first, she had staved off the most dangerous injury. In the chaos, Three mirrored the realization dawning on every villain: the moment for retreat had arrived. He had accomplished nothing. With a cold, pragmatic twist, he turned on his heel, abandoning his brigands to fend off Toki''s fury. With allies no longer defending him, he would be picked off when the first squadron returned. Toki summoned another shadow appendage now that she had spare manadraw. 20% + 20% on claws, 60% on swarm. As she pirouetted between her assailants¡ªshe now unleashed her hammer and claws in revenge. Without the ranged advantage, Toki now swept through the two remaining warriors. The rogue lunged, overzealous, her blade arcing with desperation. Toki sidestepped and her shadow claws parried in a blur of motion. Her hammer found its mark with her swift counterattack. A sickening crunch resounded, the brigand¡¯s gasp lost amidst the noise of the battlefield, her form crumpling to the blood-soaked earth.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Dao of Sentience (21/500)]
The pugilist, now the only remaining fighter, narrowed his eyes then raised his hands in surrender. Toki was about to attack, but decided to leave him be, and turned to chase after Three. Toki''s gaze cut through the battlefield, locking onto Three''s retreating silhouette. Coward. Her thoughts dripped with disdain. She surged forward through the battlefield. Through the turmoil, Toki''s pursuit was singular, a huntress chasing down her prey. Her leg and body screamed in protest, healing slowly, but still bloody; still, she pushed onward, driven by something intangible¡ªsomething fierce and Twice-born. ¡°I¡¯m going after him, finish the battle here!" Her command was met with an immediate surge of motion from Alpha. "Stay! Finish this," the Alpha commanded the monkeys, his own eyes ablaze with purpose. The monkeys howled in assent as they turned to confront the rat tide, a maelstrom of fangs and fury. Together, Toki and the Alpha hastened after Three. The Alpha had shrunk back to his original size for convenience. The labyrinthine paths of the underground realm beckoned, but they were tight. The duo returned to the fork. Four sets of footprints went into one of the unknown corridors, while an army of footprints went towards the underground city. Without hesitation, they chased the four footprints. The path wound before them, serpentine and slick with slime dripping from the walls. Only Toki¡¯s fire illuminated her surroundings. She channeled [Lessons] while she had the chance. At the corridor''s end, she saw them¡ªPartridge and Three, locked in heated dispute. "Zeppo?" Toki breathed, the name a ghost on her lips. Recognition flared within her¡ªa twist in the narrative she hadn''t anticipated. Three, or Zeppo as it was now revealed, the unassuming and friendly barkeep whose ale had quenched many a parched throat, stood before her with a serious expression. "Last words?" Toki declared, her hammer gripped with white-knuckled resolve. She squared her shoulders, prepared for the skirmish that loomed, the next chapter in this grim saga. ¡°Toki, it wasn¡¯t my fault! I¡­ there was nothing I could do¡­ he would have taken the fa¡ª" "Wait, Five¡­ Tokyo!" Zeppo''s voice cracked like a plea, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "I''ll try... I''ll try to drop the bounty on you. We can talk this out." But before more could be said, a shadow detached itself from the wall, materializing into a robed warrior. Their presence was a chill upon the air. "Is this Five?! You asshole," the voice exclaimed. Chapter 30 – Mabu’Aris This is truly a strange development in Zone 4, Cazoran. We have discussed her meteoric rise before, but most recent reports indicate that Carmen the solar kraken has organized a beast galactic conference, center-stage in the coffee war¡¯s conflict zone. The daring announcement comes with the backing and investment of stage-three powerhouses in both the Falkori and Charlaine beast domains. With the support of two of the largest beast players within the zone, we have seen movement from at least thirteen other beast species preparing their fleets to join in discussions. We suspect there is significantly more here at play than a simple lunchtime eatery. We will report back as soon as we learn more about the goals of this conference. ¨C Cazoran Times, Voidbreaker News Chapter 30 ¨C Mabu¡¯Aris Zeppo''s form matched up with Toki¡¯s memories of Hammaltin¡¯s and under her firelight, contorted now with indignation. "Help me convince her, you hoot," he spat. ¡°Ya didn¡¯t need to know, so I didn¡¯t tell ya.¡± ¡°Five, I was misinformed. Please continue. I¡¯d rather like to watch him squirm.¡± She stepped back with arms crossed. ¡°Fucking Two, ya bastard woman. Ya¡¯re in this as deep as I am.¡± The black-robed warrior, known to Toki as Two, stood a distance away, impassive as a monolith. The dark fabric of her robe clung to her lithe frame as a second skin, and the hood obscured much of her face, save for the glint of eyes and the red of her hair. As Toki edged closer and illuminated the cavern further, she discerned the sigil embroidered upon her chest¡ªa mesh or network of some sort. "This is not worth the favor I owe you," Two''s voice was a hiss. "Do you take me for a fool? She is exactly what I need. What we all need." "Hardly," Zeppo retorted, the words laced with sarcasm thick as the webs adorning the cavern''s cragged ceiling. "Hmph, it wasn¡¯t until I heard her voice that I knew that our Five was Tokyo Twice¡­ You know what that means¡­ the old five was Elara.¡± Toki bristled at the mention of Elara and the night she''d forgotten, but her attention was swiftly ensnared by something else entirely¡ªthe floor beneath their feet. It was not the solid stone she had assumed, but glass, clear and cold as the surface of a frozen lake. It¡¯s the same as before. Beneath it spiraled a staircase, winding down into the fathomless belly of the earth like a serpent. ¡°That vixen?¡± Two stopped in contemplation. ¡°Slaying the envoy was something though, girl. Ya piled a ton of elfshit here for us ¨C it¡¯ll be our first war in centuries.¡± ¡°My lawyers restricted them already. The dragons can¡¯t come inside.¡± As she lowered her flame to inspect the ground, the Alpha moved silently beside her. With a motion deliberate and reverent, he touched the glass, awe mingling with curiosity in his gaze. ¡°For how long? Ya can¡¯t even begin to imagine the fallout, girl. Remember the city¡ªthat sprawling and silent clay world¡­ that was Allie Ring¡­ a millennium ago. There¡¯s always someone who breaks the deal. Organizes a riot. Plays the hero. Fucks it up for the rest of us. Golgheim always has to pick up the pieces. Before the Falkori, it was the Corinthians. Before them, the Oathbreakers.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like he¡¯s our savior, Three. He¡¯s running from the fight. We¡¯ve defeated outsiders plenty before. We can unrestrict now. We¡¯re ready for the world trial. Did you see her.¡± Two pointed to Toki, ¡°That is an elite¡­ and I bet she still has spare luck. We can use her to make more during the trial. Our enemies have never let a bounty in¡ªsomething must have changed!¡± ¡°Even though we¡¯re the ones paying for it on the surface, he¡¯s held this planet together for millennia. Ispartika didn¡¯t have a planet spirit and look what it got them. Pendulum didn¡¯t even have to raise a finger¡­ the fucking idiots did it to themselves. Fuck Pendulum. Fuck the beasts. Fuck the Spearbreaker. Also fuck Elara. That witch played me.¡± Zeppo turned to Toki, ¡°If Elara was the last five, all hells must have broken loose up there by now¡­ Here I thought at least one of the factions was in check¡­ Why the hells would she sacrifice herself?" "The glass," the Alpha spoke telepathically for all to hear, "my people must be below." Zeppo''s calculating eyes darted to Alpha in surprise, his gaze sharp. "Hmph, so how about it, Tokyo? Let¡¯s say bygones be bygones. At Hammaltin¡¯s ya wouldn¡¯t shut yar trap, so I had to give ya the hangover hammer ¨C ya could call it returning the favor. I¡¯ll surrender, I can owe ya one, and grant clemency to our friend Partridge here." His words slithered through the air. Partridge''s eyes ignited with the flicker of hope, but Toki''s expression was a frozen mask. "Heh, you think that can make up for trying to kill me? You''ll have to do much better than that for me to even think about sparing your life." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. A heavy silence loomed. The great beast turned towards Toki, his telepathy a low rumble from some ancient depth. "Doth not the adage hold true in thy heart? Blood begets blood," he intoned solemnly. Toki faltered, the weight of his words anchoring her tumultuous thoughts. Zeppo had indeed hunted her. By all rights, his blood should now water the earth at her feet. Yet, doubt gnawed at her resolve, whispering of another path¡ªa path paved with justice before the eyes of Alabaster Ring. Is it na?ve? He surrendered. Can I bring myself to kill him in cold blood? On the other hand, he is shrewd, ruthless, and political. Her decision crystallized like ice in her veins. "Zeppo shall answer for his transgressions, not here in shadowed whispers, but before all of Alabaster Ring. Then I¡¯ll kill him," she decreed, voice resolute. "Naivety perhaps¡­ we can work on it, I suppose." Two countered, her tone laced with mirth. With a flourish of her cloak, ethereal ropes emerged from the ebony fabric, weaving an intricate net around Zeppo¡ªa prison of spectral chains. The Alpha, witness to this act of aggression, bristled with fury. His form expanded with [Proportions of the Heart] and he stomped on the ground in anger. "Wait!" Toki exclaimed, her plea slicing through the tension. In that infinitesimal moment of hesitation, a fissure snaked across the glass floor. As the crack branched, everyone stopped. Zeppo''s gaze, once haughty and impervious, waned into a contrite shimmer. "I relinquish my claim as prime," he announced, his eyes locked with Toki''s own. "My status, my power... I bestow it all to you, Tokyo."
[Zeppo Hammaltin has relinquished the Hammaltin Prime designation to Tokyo Twice]
¡°Noooooo. DAMN IT, Three!¡± ¡°Now help me, brat!!¡± Toki could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Zeppo''s hands were open, palms skyward¡ªa gesture of peace, or perhaps a resignation to fate, all while he stood there entangled in the Two¡¯s ethereal ropes. "Ya have nothing to fear from me now," he gasped as the ropes threatened to choke him. "I know ya need the whole story. Don¡¯t be a fool." Toki, for a moment, felt skepticism bite at her resolve, yet she could not deny the allure of secrets. She nodded, granting him the time. ¡°Release him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake.¡± The alpha snarled and as he shifted, the cracks grew outward. ¡°I need to know.¡± She paused then continued, ¡°All of this. Why?¡± She waved her hands around the cavern. Zeppo drew a breath of relief as the chains loosened. "The primes have brought havoc upon Aris, that¡¯s fair. We carry this darkness, so that others don¡¯t have to. What¡¯s a little graft as recompense for our sacrifice," he confessed. "Beneath this glass lies another world, a world untouched by this fake world above, Mabu¡¯Aris. Golgheim uses the outside to protect the inside. We are all expendable up here. Our families had made this choice for us long ago." Zeppo revealed, voice lowering to a conspiratorial hush. ¡°Have you never wondered why there are so few cities, so few beasts? We have an entire world up here to spread.¡± He continued, ¡°Do you want to know the real reason why Two and Four¡¯s plan could never work¡­ even if Golgheim spared us?¡± He paused dramatically. ¡°Because the world¡¯s hub is down there too. How the fuck can you even become a stage-one and protect us in the world trial if you can¡¯t [Evolve]. Ya¡¯ll be facing fresh 51s. That¡¯s a world of difference lass. All of us are stuck. As they get stronger, you¡¯ll still be 50-capped.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we just go down there. And who are they?¡± ¡°Cause Golgheim has been farming stage one and two beasts in the depths like poison mu. By gods, give it a try. Just don¡¯t blow up the surface for the rest of us. Do you even know who the Spearbreaker is? Gods, girl. Of course not, how could you?¡± ¡°We can go back and forth. Over time, we can make our way down.¡± ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ve personally sent half a dozen expeditions down there. Be my guest. The envoys have probably spent centuries sniffing around down there. Some are dead, others gave up. Our Aris is but a shield, a bastion encasing an entire world that¡¯s working to finish the grand desi¡ª" "Enough!" The word erupted from Two''s lips like a dark spell breaking. In one swift, merciless motion, her hand snapped forward, seizing Zeppo¡¯s neck with a force that silenced life itself. There was a sickening crack, a sound that resonated with finality throughout the chamber. Zeppo''s body crumpled to the ground, a fallen monument to secrets too perilous for daylight. ¡°TWO! WHAT THE HELLS!¡± Two''s gaze then shifted, cold and calculating, to where Partridge stood, trembling. "These revelations are not meant to be shared," she hissed, conjuring ropes of inky darkness that snaked toward him with predatory grace. "The veil must remain drawn, lest all succumb to the chaos it conceals." Toki watched, horror-stricken, as the scene unfolded, her mind racing with the implications of Zeppo''s unfinished confession. Shadows writhed at her command, coiling like serpents of smoke as they merged into one shadow claw. She glared down at the gossamer fracture spider-webbing beneath her feet. With a thunderous cry torn from the depths of her soul, she thrust her hands downward. 100% manadraw. The summoned darkness obeyed. ¡°Back away!¡± She yelled at the Alpha. The glass floor, already marred by Alpha''s stomp, could not withstand this onslaught. It shattered, an explosion of crystalline shards cascading into the abyss below. Partridge, Two, and the limp form of Three plummeted. At the edge of her vision, she saw the Rat King also jump down onto the stairs below. The echoes of breaking glass sung a requiem for the fallen, a chilling melody that resonated through the cavernous hollows of the chamber. She stood on a single [Binding of Tyndall], flames illuminating the staircase below, hovering above the maw. Her eyes slowly lifted to meet Alpha¡¯s gaze from the tunnel entrance. "It was thy handiwork. Thou hast unshackled us from treachery," Alpha intoned. His massive frame shrunk and kneeled before her. "In the annals of our tribe, this day shall be etched with reverence, Glassbreaker." The title hung heavy in the air. She looked upon Alpha, his deference both humbling and terrifying. Chapter 31 – Undeath and Taxes Even after scouring the Twice records, I still fail to understand why the Spearbreaker chose to restrict Golgheim and the Primes so strictly. Sure, we have decision-making authority for external affairs, but we cannot create hidden quests or manage luck distribution. How are we supposed to create [Elites], much less access upgrades for Aris as Primes? The power structure here feels like a sham. Why did the Spearbreaker go through the effort to assert sovereignty when we are not free to use the system how we wish? We are stuck in a cage of his making. Most importantly, I am truly curious where all our taxed luck is going. ¨C Elara Twice, Ravings of a Madwoman Chapter 31 ¨C Undeath and Taxes Sam''s gaze stuck upon the skeletal figure before him. Its overflowing aura gripped his heart like the cold embrace of death itself. But it wasn''t the undead being that broke him. No. It was the absurd situation manufactured by this undead being. Sam looked to his side and whispered to Azelar¡ªhis goldfish compatriot in this madness. "I don¡¯t mind going back. Really. We can just pop right out of here. The aquarium room was a tad stuffy¡­ Oh no, not that there was anything wrong with it. The Coral was excellent, and Charlaine has award-winning television. If I had my own room, that would be wonderful." His words were barely more than a whisper, yet they broke the silence of the conference room. The wistfulness in his voice betrayed a yearning for simpler times. They were located inside a large galaxy class megaship orbiting Amithus, the gas giant. The megaship was a creation of the renowned Voidbreaker News Corporation, made specifically for high-visibility galactic conferences. The expo drew in beasts from all over zone 4 and sprawled with different organizations bidding for eyes on their newest products, services, foods, and investments. Some paid to meld over from even greater distances from their world hubs, while others came physically with their fleets. Pop-up stalls filled the expansive 2000 deck expo ship¡ªan odd superposition of the motley beast assembly and their eclectic tastes in advertisements. The conference room where Sam sat, on the other hand, was located on the penthouse deck and was furnished extravagantly with high ceilings and adamant crown molding. It was fit for the expensive tastes of its VIP clientele. Just fancy enough for them not to complain. Sam''s perusal drifted from the mundane¡ªa continental breakfast laid bare in the center of a grand table¡ªto the extraordinary. In front of him sat Chad Velorem, the lich and young master of the Kathoric Dynasty, A.K.A. @KATHORIC_LICHBAE, garbed in casual attire and sipping on coffee: blue jeans and a plain white tee. His presence was an affront to the natural order, an undead lich with a fashion sense. Flanking Chad were entities that Sam most certainly did not want to see: Carmen the solar kraken, and Kanga the amphibious kangaroo. Towering above them all, Vindictus Eternal, the majestic Falkori dragon. All of them were giant, yet still comfortably seated around the large conference table. Kanga''s skin was perhaps a little dry due to the heat emanating from Vindictus. Sam could tell Kanga was annoyed. "Chad," Sam breathed, his tone laced with a blend of incredulity and reproach. "This isn¡¯t what I had in mind, man. We wanted to get through them." Chad, unperturbed, cast a lackadaisical glance towards Sam. "I have diplomatic sway, relax man," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. His voice was the epitome of nonchalance. "Just be chill, yo." "Be chill?" Sam echoed. ¡°Huh. Honestly, no one has said that to me before.¡± Sam looked towards Azelar. The goldfish sat quietly next to him, shedding tiny golden tears into his water helmet. They deposited with the soft clink of precious metal against the polished glass surface. The galaxy is a big place. Chad leaned back in his chair as he addressed the crowd. "Seems to me like you guys are fucked. I have the box and the cervid," he stated plainly, "I¡¯m chill though, so I¡¯ll bring them along to the party. My e-vite must¡¯ve been lost in the mail." A rumble of dissent echoed from Vindictus and Kanga. They were ancient beings, yet now they gathered like common sys-bureaucrats around the conference table. "Why not slay thee and seize what thou holdest? We all know Sam hath the cervid," growled Vindictus Eternal, the Falkori dragon, a strange sight in the confines of the expo ship. "You could," Chad said with a shrug that seemed too mortal for his undead frame, his nonchalance unsettling. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "The hells, man," Sam muttered under his breath, his boldness shadowed by the flicker of fear. Chad replied, heedless of Sam''s protest, "After all, I am a lich. Who knows where my soul phylactery could be. Either way, I''m sure the Third Diadochi of the Undead Legion would find it most...fucked, should harm come my way. Anyways, we¡¯re in K-space right now, bro. Call it the undead tax." The lich''s bluff was as effortless as the vacuum outside the ship¡¯s reinforced hull¡ªtransparent yet impenetrable. Even now, Chad''s casual posture belied the tension that thrummed in the air. Sam knew why. The Undead Legion were annoying as shit. Most empires respected undead neutrality, mostly because fighting the undead armies would only end up feeding them bodies. Instead most empires resorted to economic control to limit the flow of black market corpses. That is, unless they were on a holy crusade. Also, the undead are kinda lazy, anyways. It was Carmen, the solar kraken, who broke the stillness. "The undead¡¯s participation was expected," she declared, her voice telepathically communicating to everyone present. Surprise flickered across the faces of Kanga and Vindictus, their expressions quickly schooling into acquiescence. These creatures, legends in their own right, deferred to the kraken''s wisdom¡ªa testament to her unspoken authority. Sam''s gaze locked with Carmen''s eyes, looking for any reason for her power over the other creatures despite her lower stage. She responded to his scrutiny with a wink¡ªan action so human it bordered on the absurd. Sam''s gaze drifted from the cryptic exchange between Chad and the stage-three beasts to the panoramic viewport, where the darkness of space enveloped the colossal conference expo ship. Sam recalled his forced exit from his appropriated Starbird. Jaxon and @ZephyrDeity remained behind in the relative safety of his ship, now in orbit hidden between thousands of other ships. He had come to this place under duress and was forced to seek out Chad, the lich with a plan. Aris remained sealed, its secrets locked away behind system protocols and lawyers no magic or strength could breach. Not at our level, anyways. The entire planet was encased in a tessellated red system shield. No entry - only death awaits. There are strong system protections in place. Sam had entertained fleeting thoughts of escaping after landing at the expo, but running away was always harder than leaning in. Especially when you end up escorted by three stage-two otters as soon as you arrive. I¡¯ll wait for enough karma. As silence stretched between the group, Vindictus Eternal turned his gaze upon the duo standing discreetly behind the young lich. His voice seemed to warp the fabric of space itself. "What claim doth thou hast over these two?" inquired the dragon, its eyes narrowing. "Ah, these are my bros. Their names are said in reverence and fear," Chad responded. "Dignitaries of the Kathoric Dynasty, commanders of the undead legion¡ªthat¡¯s Sam and this one is¡­¡± His finger gestured toward them. Sam looked at the terrified face of Azelar and responded. ¡°Azelar.¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s Azelar. He¡¯s chill.¡± The gathered beasts offered stares devoid of emotion, their deadpan expressions more telling than any words of shock or awe. Kanga and Carmen sighed. Chad¡¯s overt misrepresentation was beyond them. ¡°Vindictus Eternal offers our respect to the Kathoric court.¡± Sam almost laughed but held it in. "Don¡¯t scare the mortals, Vindy. Let¡¯s get on to business. Complications have arisen," Carmen declared. "We must extend our conference event and hold everyone hostage for longer than anticipated." Vindictus''s scales twitched with contained agitation. "Our defenses are not impregnable," he grumbled, his words heavy with foreboding. "The human army swarms closer by the moment and we won''t be able to hold the conference attendees for long." ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how long we have to wait. I can only trust our operatives on the ground. The window should have opened by now.¡± Kanga''s eyes flickered painfully with the rapidity of thought, his amphibian heritage betraying his discomfort with quick, jerky motions. "If the humans breach," he started. "We are vulnerable." ¡°How long until they arrive?¡± ¡°We should have two days at the most.¡± ¡°Lord Velorem, perhaps you can arrange for a diversion. Buy us some time?¡± ¡°Nope, we¡¯re neutral. Pass.¡± ¡°As expected. We can remain here for another 36 hours. If the window doesn¡¯t open by then, we will have to abandon the majority of the fleet and sneak onto the planet in stealth. Once the window opens, we depart. Pendulum can face us as equals down there if they can find us. They don''t have detailed mapping of the world." Carmen turned her gaze upon Chad. "Will you be bringing the box to the surface personally?" It was a question wrapped in layers of implication. The box must be Jaxon¡¯s treasure chest. Chad met her stare. "I''ve stayed a mortal for this pow wow after all. Wouldn¡¯t miss it for the afterlife," he affirmed. Vindictus spoke next. "We set our landing for the winter continent. We hast discovered an access point to the underground there that places us closer than any others that we hast explored." "Such an endeavor demands a conservative allocation of force and mastery," Vindictus continued, his words painting the stark outline of their needs. "Manasmiths, alchemists, healers and other essential support staff on top of the standing elites." Carmen nodded then responded, "What is the latest tally of mortal [Elites] that stand ready?" The amphibian kangaroo met her gaze, "One hundred and fifty seven, at last count. This should be trivial to end the world trial immediately.¡± "Perhaps, but there are other games at play here as well," she intoned. ¡°The Spearbreaker has too many enemies; enough to fracture the entirety of Cazoran. His contracts alone are enough to bring out a dozen empires that want to escape his net.¡± "How many souls will you be bringing? We will acquaint you with our elite commanders." "Not a legion, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking." Chad replied, "A handful, no more. We¡¯re gonna land on the summer continent." Carmen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Then we shall meet again in Mabu¡¯Aris.¡± -- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 32 – A Convenient Color The Cervidian has a strong will¡ªhe has the ability to empower blood, limiting our means of physical torture. After calling upon our [Soulbreaker], he has shared with us some half truths that have confirmed our suspicions. The cervid has revealed that the Spearbreaker¡¯s bloodline is indeed absent, however he has failed to mention anything of strategic relevance regarding the network of mortal planets. While we have reason to believe that he was amongst the inner circle, it is indeed strange why he is not also trapped within Prospero Rift alongside the Spearbreaker. Through our intelligence gathering, we have been able to trace this cervidian¡¯s mission. He was instructed to deliver a package to one of the Spearbreaker¡¯s mortal planets. We have failed to identify which one. We suspect that the layers of contracts and the Spearbreaker¡¯s own willingness to entertain [Isolation Protocol JE-7091] may be part of a larger scheme. ¨C Director of Prospero Station, 29th Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran Chapter 32 ¨C A Convenient Color Toki and the Alpha approached the remnants of the primate-rodent war to a morbid scene. Life and death were entangled in a macabre feast. Monkeys picked at the carcass-strewn wasteland, gorging on the fallen vermin that once swelled the ranks of their enemy. The metallic scent of blood tainted the air. "Blood begets blood," Alpha murmured, his molten amber eyes reflecting a deep sorrow. "My kin slain for naught but sustenance." Twelve chimeras lay to the side, placed there with care. Their noble sacrifice was reduced to fodder for survival. Fight or be eaten. Toki''s heart clenched seeing the carnage. Before the battle, she had not considered the consequences, and as she saw the battlefield now, she was unsure if this was worth it. The monkeys were simple beasts, but their sincerity and loyalty remained confusing to her. The single night with them made her care for them and mourn for them more than she had ever considered for Eris. Perhaps it was the responsibility they had given her, but the dead howler monkeys weighed on her mind. Their human-like curiosity and trust made them feel far more relatable than many of the Twice. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of empathy, regret, and affirmation and her mind grappled with the harsh reality before her. She watched, silent and somber as the Alpha began to gather the scattered troops, his presence a beacon of unity amid the silent feast. Would they have been better off hiding away? Was a battle between beasts inevitable? Did I act as puppet-master here to orchestrate all this death? The monkeys ceased their feasting, drawn to the Alpha''s call. They assembled, a motley congregation of survivors, each bearing the marks of battle. Scratches etched their flesh like enchantments of war, bites punctured their limbs and continued to bleed, and some bore wounds grievous enough for Toki to wonder how they still lived and walked. The Alpha had let out a series of howls to the monkeys. In a ritual of deference, they bowed low before Toki. All of them were battle-scarred veterans. A bloodied army. Seven amongst them stepped forward, bowing slightly higher. This must be their council. "Thou hast bestowed purpose upon us," Alpha intoned, his voice echoing with spirituality. "Thou hast shattered the glass of our confinement and slain our captor. We will follow you, Glassbreaker." He waited expectantly. They all did. "I mourn for your brothers and sisters. I will make you stronger. I will make sure you never go hungry again." Toki replied, her tone a solemn vow. In her mind''s eye, she conjured the vision of Partridge''s manafruit farm, a valley filled with manamelon trees and manaberry bushes. It would become their sanctuary, a place where these weary warriors could recover. She contemplated their future as they watched in earnest. Her mind then flicked to the reverence the Alpha carried for the glass into the depths. ¡°And we shall break the glass together!¡± The monkeys rose in excitement and their howls crescendoed. The feeling Toki felt was a mix of excitement, horror, adrenaline, power, and urgency. It filled her chest completely, to the brim. The howls were cathartic and contagious. Toki observed once more around her, the forms of hundreds of dead. Blood for blood, huh. While the monkeys returned to their grim harvest, scavenging what sustenance they could from the fallen rats, Toki''s gaze lingered on the breakfast spread as they dispersed. She was tempted to offer the monkeys spices or the knowledge of roasted meat, but her mind flagged the biggest reason why she was here. She approached the Alpha and began, "While your brethren comb over the rat colony, could you ask them to search for the beast cores? The cores from the large rats, and from the dragon, if it''s here." At the very least she could confirm whether the rats were the ones that held the dragon core. The Alpha nodded in reply, his bearing still heavy with the weight of recent carnage. He moved in the direction of the now empty rat den and let out a few low howls. The only one left down here is Kristina. Toki mused. The thought swirled ominously. Is she really spinning a web here for me? How do I respond? How can I steal it from her? Force or cunning? Both? The Alpha returned without the dragon core, but Toki did add a few dozen stage-one rat cores into her bag. She looked into her status to find the progress of the [Path of Swarms] Dao-Seed.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Swarm Tactics (26/2000)]
It was truly the strength of the beast that limited further growth. She needed to kill 2000 stage-ones that embodied the swarm. The number was staggering. What happens after a Dao-Seed, though? The stray thought made way for more important concerns as the army of howler monkeys ambled back to their amphitheater. If what Golgheim said is true, then I need to find the beast core. Aris depends on it. Save Edgar, then find the beast core. Kristina¡¯s next. Toki knew that any attempt at defeating Kristina would require tools and enchantments. "Inside the dragon¡¯s cave, is there any forge or fire?" she inquired to the Alpha. The moment it came out of her mouth she realized the silliness of the question. Dutch Eternal breathed fire. "Dragon flame needs no kindling from lesser sparks." "Then vellum¡ªdid she have paper?" Toki''s request was a quick reply. "A canvas for incantations, often made of animal skins?" "Follow," Alpha beckoned with a gesture, leading her to a barrel within his cave. Within it lay stacks of vellum. This is an entire arsenal for war. The materials here could serve an entire army. An entire city. "Ah, this is perfect," Toki whispered, fingers brushing against the subtle waxy finish. Toki extracted a small stack with care. She settled herself amidst the ruins. Despite their wounds, the monkeys still came. Around her, the residual echoes of battle seemed to linger, but they gave way to something more spiritual. She inspected the monkeys as they sat watching her, waiting to meditate on her newest discoveries. She ignored the peculiarity and, instead, spread out the vellum. With inked aeso plucked from her satchel, she began to inscribe symbols and words upon a page, each a distillation of thought and emotion drawn from her soul in the Primal. The talismans began to take shape under her steady hand as she injected mana into the aeso¡ªcircles interlocking with lines, stars nestled within crescents¡ªeach a glyph carrying meaning. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. To build her personal enchanting language, she had interwoven her native tongue with pictographs and symbols. Most teachers on Aris recommended this approach, focusing on the verse structure of the enchantment to layer meaning into a story and add emphasis where relevant. Some manasmiths created painting and artwork, while others like Dutch Eternal used only a language¡ªin her case the draconic lexicon. Ambient intent and mana are universal. This is how most enchanters can understand another enchanter¡¯s language. Activating an enchantment would give away the makeup, allowing other enchanters to guess at the meaning, even without knowing the full story. Personal intent and manaflow are combined to act as a lure for their ambient counterparts. For Toki, [Charge Sphere] doubled as a way to obscure the enchantment to a degree, though its primary purpose was to cleanly form the lure. Toki knew the best way to challenge Kristina was to use the existing chain to her advantage. The enchantment already present would be a good starting point, [So Susie Shall Bind Purple]. She recalled the system prompt for when she created it.
[Enchantment is incomplete. An auxiliary enchantment may be required.]
Auxiliary enchantments often work in tandem for complex machinery. The floating ships were excellent examples of complex enchantments bound together to form a whole. For the floating ships, ambient mana was often insufficient to power the enchantments, requiring mana crystals for additional energy, but here Toki guessed that the auxiliary enchantment could be powered by ambient mana, so long as the chain wasn¡¯t destroyed. Which is unlikely. How the auxiliary enchantment would actually work, she was unsure, but it would give her a moment of reprieve when she needed it most. Whether to attempt a deathblow or to escape, though, she didn¡¯t know. Can Kristina even be killed? The talismans she created now were for [So Susie Shall Bind Purple]. She planned to create an enchantment that resonated with the chain so she needed test talismans. The first dozen talismans were created with practiced ease, a replication of what had already been created. They would be used alongside the auxiliary enchantment to see if they worked together. Her mind turned inward. The original enchantment focused on understanding the truth among falsehoods. This applied to Susie and to how she discovered Kristina was a giant-ass spider. For the auxiliary, she could think about approaching it multiple ways. The two options that rose to the top of her thoughts were: 1. Understanding her own truth among falsehood. 2. Flipping the narrative around and understanding falsehood amongst the truth. It would be cherry if she could do both. The most obvious place to start was her own color god. Toki believed herself to be Purple. But the blood stains on her robe and her own open denial of Red¡¯s philosophy was a red herring. The flame of creation and destruction, of love and wrath, flickered and flared, casting its glow upon her thoughts. "Red is the blood that fuels ambition, the heart''s fierce cry against the void," she whispered, her voice soft, but not lost on the monkeys. The next talisman beckoned. She would draw the intent from her soul into the inked aeso. She pressed a brush to the vellum but stopped. In her thoughts of Red and fire, Toki¡¯s mind had flickered into a moment of inspiration. Didn¡¯t she already have a forge at her disposal? She had truly underestimated the versatility of [First Burn]. She called forth her Twice flames and focused the intent of a simple fire enchantment into her flames. [Fire-Kissed], the most rudimentary enchantment. Warmth of hearths, destroyer of cities. First ally and adversary of humankind. Using [First Burn], she injected the enchantment into [Lessons]. A slow grin spread across Toki''s face. She brought the shadowflame close to a stray piece of vellum. She let the fire kiss the parchment. The vellum blackened. Her fire could burn. The monkeys let out sounds of surprise and curiosity, but Toki paid them no mind. She was excited at the thought. If she could enchant the shadows with fire, she could use other enchantments as well. Shadow bouncy-houses. Shadow swords. Shadow dragonflies. Shadow flying ships! Toki shook her head. She was getting ahead of herself. She instead channeled the intent of [So Susie Shall Bind Purple] into [First Burn] and watched as the shadows surged forth, eager to manifest her intent. Chains of pure shadow spiraled outward, ensnaring the rough-hewn boulder that lay inert nearby. They coiled around the stone binding it in place. A smile played upon her lips as she dissipated the shadows. She pulled mana into the talisman triggering it. "Let us see," she murmured. Instead of shadows, a chain of mana heeded her call, writhing and twisting as if alive. It was similar, but less fluid. They stretched upwards, and snaked towards the same boulder. The stone, once more, found itself captive, this time in a binding of silver mana. The mana version, from the talisman, was stronger but the shadows were infinitely more versatile. The talisman dissipated away as Toki released her hold over the chains. She would have to experiment further on how to strengthen the shadows. Perhaps it has to do with [Path of Shadowflame]? Toki paused as she returned to the previous thought. She gazed down at her robe, once her emblem, now sullied by the carnage of battle. The stark crimson smeared across the fabric mocked her; it was the color of blood, not the regal purple she had claimed to embody. In the lore, the Purple god was a figure of wisdom, not one who waded through fields of slaughter. When the moment of reckoning came, Toki had fought¡ªfought with a ferocity that belied the lofty ideals she thought herself to carry. She had wavered and allowed Zeppo to die. She had wanted him to die. The notion of embodying the Purple god seemed a hollow farce, a pretense shattered by the harsh reality of life and death struggles. She had clung to that identity like a shield against the chaos of the world, but it was not her truth. Not anymore. Was it so simple? Was everything Purple or Red? Toki''s fingers trembled slightly as she set to work, the vellum laid out before her like an uncharted territory. With a furrowed brow, she dipped her quill into the aeso inkwell and began to inscribe an enchantment that pulsed with the fervor of red¡ªthe color of blood, of war, of unbridled passion. The lines curled and twisted upon the page, forming symbols that should have held power, but they lay dormant, lifeless when placed against [So Susie Shall Bind Purple]. There was truth in her intent. She could feel it. But it was not the right truth. "Come on," she whispered. She tried again, this time summoning the regality of purple, the hue of sovereignty and questions. Yet as the glyph took shape, it was clear that the authority it sought to command was absent. The talisman refused to resonate. "Gods damn it," Toki hissed, frustration lacing her voice. Undeterred, she continued her experimentation, her hands now moving with a mix of desperation and determination. She created quick rudimentary enchantments to test the resonance. Pink¡ªan inbetween of Purple and Red; Green¡ªthe verdant echo of Aris itself; Orange¡ªcreative and joyous. Each attempt was meticulously crafted, each one failing to capture the essence needed to work with the original enchantment. A sense of disquiet settled over Toki as she contemplated the pantheon of color gods that presided over Alabaster ring¡¯s culture, each hue a testament to the values and virtues of its followers. Colors were more than mere symbols; they were the essence of one''s purpose. To don a color was to bear one''s soul for all to see, a personal covenant that bound the wearer to their path. Golgheim wore green like Elder Marrow Twice; Oberon, Blue; Edgar and Pamela Twice, yellow; Eris Twice, indigo. In the palette of colors that adorned the citizens of the ring, Elara''s choice shone conspicuously absent. The master politician, clad always in impeccable grey, had forsaken the vibrant spectrum of the gods. Grey¡ªthe color of ambiguity, of storms brewing on the horizon, of ashes left in the wake of fire. The color that discarded the gods. Elara''s renunciation of the divine spectrum spoke volumes, a silent rebellion against the order. And perhaps a style choice. Toki mulled over Elara¡¯s decision. It was whispered that her apostasy had taken root when her relationship with Golgheim Vast had reached its end. The schism between them was a microcosm of the larger fractures within Allie Ring at the time. At least that''s what they say. "Grey," Toki murmured. It was a color that acknowledged the complexities of life, that recognized the existence of half-truths and duplicity. Perhaps it was in this acknowledgment, in the embrace of uncertainty, that one could find a measure of freedom from absolutes. With a deep, steadying breath, Toki channeled her distrust, the weariness that had settled in her bones from the weight of deception that permeated Golgheim''s words, Elara''s calculated maneuvers, Kristina¡¯s riddles, and the very foundations upon which their society stood. She allowed the grey to seep from her soul, to become her focus as she etched a new series of glyphs onto a new vellum sheet. The aeso seemed to shiver with potential, a subtle vibration that spoke of hidden depths. It was a weak resonance, barely perceptible, but it was there¡ªa glimmer of compatibility with the original enchantment. "Could it be?" Toki murmured, daring to hope. The grey whispered back, promising nothing, yet offering a sliver of possibility in the gloom. It was not a perfect union, but it was a start. "Grey," she affirmed, her voice a blend of skepticism and conviction. The monkeys howled out in reply. -- Next chapter on Patreon for free >> Chapter 33 – Games Mortal coffee beans are the cheap byproduct of inefficient processing. The poor-man¡¯s coffea plant species (e.g., arabica), steal a healthy percentage of Dao-investiture in nurturing the bean, leaving only a miniscule portion within the cascara. While CJO geneticists have identified several variant species that hold promise in increasing the proportion of cascara, they require very specific underground climates that mimic the temperate zones of traditional mortal planets. M-Brew, the mildly psychedelic stimulant and the true finished product of coffea processing is perhaps the only known substance in the galaxy that allows a person to wield a Forgework beyond their system stage restriction. Many military empires are known to purchase M-Brew in bulk to allow their [Elites] to carry weapons suitable to their capabilities. This is known. What the Arabica Syndicate seeks to hide is that these variant coffea species have the added benefit of advancing Dao-Seeds. ¨C Coalition for Java Octane, Propaganda_caz_z13.docx Chapter 33 ¨C Games Toki arrived before the enchanted library door once more. Inside she would find Kristina and Edgar. Hopefully safe. To both her sides, the tunnel stretched out like a gullet of some ancient beast. She had prepared as best she could while the Alpha and the monkeys recovered. Toki¡¯s slender fingers tightened around the haft of her hammer as she called forth her [Lessons]. Using [First Burn] she infused her shadows with [Empower Armor], a durability enchantment. It was rather generic but provided both Toki and Alpha with a shadow shield, much stronger than the shadows alone. 50% manadraw each. Kristina was not the violent type, but she would go in prepared. To her side, Alpha''s presence was reassuring. His expanded form reached the height of the grand doorway. They would go in prepared for battle, but Toki hoped it did not come to it. Alpha had asked to bring the whole troop. Toki had declined out of a mix of fatalism and moral responsibility. Either Alpha and I are enough, or we die miserably. More monkeys just mean more dead monkeys if the latter comes to pass. "Time to end this game," Toki murmured. Alpha''s response was a rumble deep within his throat¡ªa primordial sound. Toki pushed open the door, bracing herself for the maelstrom of confrontation. But what lay beyond was not the battlefield she had envisioned. In the heart of the now immaculate library, beneath the illuminated chandelier, Edgar sat across from Kristina, anvil in between, embroiled in a hand of Folly. Proverbially called Forger¡¯s Folly, a game of skill and chance. Kristina''s cards hovered next to her face. The anvil between them carried two stacks of chits, about equal in height. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing. We¡¯ve seen three eights already; you can¡¯t possibly have the last.¡± "Heh. That¡¯s another one for me. Twenty-one." Edgar chirped, his voice a thread of cheer in the heavy air, his wings folding neatly at his back. He laid down his four cards with a flourish, eyes gleaming with a childlike pride that belied the tense duo that just arrived. "Chance is fickle today," Kristina conceded, and with an enigmatic smile, she sent over a chit to Edgar¡¯s pile. She drew a card from the center, her gaze never straying from Edgar''s face, even as the shadows at the edge of the room had arrived. "But the game is far from over." Edgar''s feathers ruffled ever so slightly. Toki watched the scene unfold, her initial surge of adrenaline giving way to a creeping unease. This was not how she had imagined her arrival in the Spider Queen''s library¡ªEdgar was awake. Perhaps a battle isn¡¯t needed! Just the quiet clink of cards and the soft, mocking laughter of fate itself. "Twenty-one," Kristina declared, her voice laced with the thrill of victory. She pulled a chit back from Edgar¡¯s pile. "Seems we''re evenly matched, Edgar," she said, her eyes finally lifting to meet Toki''s. "Or perhaps," Kristina mused, "we''re simply awaiting the arrival of a third player to tip the scales." Perhaps a battle is needed. Toki''s gaze lingered on the odd scene before her. The Spider Queen and her feathered opponent were so engrossed in their game that they appeared as two habitual forgers lost in the gamble. "Your game is charming, but I haven¡¯t come for small talk," Toki said, her voice edged with a hint of sarcasm. "I''ve come for an explanation." She stepped cautiously forward, her eyes wary of Kristina''s chain which lay coiled like a dormant serpent. "You deceived me again with the dragon core." Kristina''s reaction was a mere incline of her head. "A shame, but not unforeseen," she murmured, her tone betraying neither surprise nor disappointment. ¡°I do not have the core, love.¡± Toki did not take Kristina¡¯s word for truth. With measured movements, Toki reached into her bag and produced the object the monkeys did have¡ªthe dead dragon egg, its shell pulsing with an inner light that seemed to echo the distant stars. "I found something else. This is what you were after, wasn¡¯t it?" Toki declared, holding the egg aloft, careful not to cross the threshold where Kristina could reach. Kristina''s interest flared immediately. Cards forgotten, she rose, her presence enveloping Toki in an aura of anticipation. Her chain locked her in place just a few feet across from Toki. "The egg is truly dead," she breathed, and there was hunger in her voice, a craving Toki had never seen before. ¡°This is¡­ This is¡­ glorious! Wonderful! Bravo, Tokyo! Hand it here." "Hmmm," Toki countered, her grip on the egg tightening. "But what of karma? To accept this... would it not break your code. Your path?" Toki motioned to Alpha to search the library while Kristina was distracted. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "With this egg, I can grant you that which many warriors would slaughter worlds to possess. A gift to alter the course of your destiny. To change history itself." Kristina¡¯s eyes, as mysterious as they were, could not hide her greed. "All power shifts fate." Toki acknowledged, her resolve a flickering flame in the face of such temptation. "If I accept something from you, O Weaver of Webs, doesn¡¯t it become just another thread binding me to your deception?" "I suspect you can bear the karma." ¡°Why should I have to?¡± "Your newfound abilities seem¡­ unique, but there are many like you, love. Aris¡­ let¡¯s just say that you alone, as you are, is not enough to save it." ¡°And giving you this egg will give me enough power to save Aris?¡± ¡°This¡­ I truly do not know. It will give you enough power to take revenge if what you fear comes to pass.¡± A sigh escaped Toki, laced with frustration and the bitter tang of inevitability. She began to enshroud the egg within her bag. ¡°I won¡¯t trade power for some hidden trap later, Kristina. Why should I expect that a spider will not deceive¡­ Aris¡­" she echoed, her voice trailing off into the void of what-ifs. Kristina¡¯s voice shifted to urgency. "Let us barter, Tokyo," she proposed. "Three questions I shall answer, three riddles unraveled." The offer hung. Toki considered. The alpha still hasn¡¯t found the dragon core. Perhaps she is telling the truth about that at least. In that case, there is only one answer. Only one other person that could have it. Golgheim. Toki hesitated, her mind a whirlpool of doubt and curiosity. "Tell me of Golgheim," she demanded, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing within. "Ah, the planet spirit," Kristina intoned. "Do you know of the Spearbreaker?¡± ¡°No, but he seems to be coming up a lot lately.¡± ¡°Hmmm, no matter. It is sufficient to tell you that the Spearbreaker was an elite amongst elites¡­ that man¡ªhe would burn worlds for his people. I do miss him¡­ I wonder if you shall follow in his footsteps¡­¡± She paused, then continued. ¡°This Spearbreaker had created chaos across Cazoran, claiming hidden quests and acquiring rewards significantly beyond his means as a mortal. Amongst his prizes was a nascent planet spirit. To claim Golgheim, he sabotaged another planet¡¯s world trial.¡± ¡°At the time, Golgheim wasn¡¯t even sentient. The Spearbreaker fed the baby planet spirit dozens of planets worth of resources to grow Aris. He kept it a mortal world to protect his people from the system conquest protocols. He hid this world among over one-hundred mortal planet acquisitions and protected them all with layers of contracts. Mortal planets are already protected by the system to a degree, but this solidified the protection.¡± ¡°As a mortal, by technicality to the system, the Spearbreaker was unparalleled. The Astral Throne was different, but that is another story. This world was safe, open to only other mortals. Golgheim was his contingency. A sentient planet spirit that could operate in his place while he wasn¡¯t there. To give Golgheim power that could defend this world, he had to restrict him in equal measure.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°Patience. Stories need context as melodies need harmonies. Golgheim gained sentience only after the Spearbreaker was sealed away. The parents that dotingly fed and loved him left him with only a single directive. Protect the planet, protect Bastion.¡± ¡°Golgheim as an orphan had learned from the legends of the Spearbreaker, and so too did he wish to protect his people, but he soon found that he had to choose between people and his directive.¡± ¡°I know little of his youth. Golgheim was hundreds of years old when I first met him, but he was a child even then. He railed against the fates that took his parents. He wished to challenge the universe. He built armies and aligned the people of this world to his warbanner. They killed dozens of envoys all at once. Some had bounties and Aris gained its [Elites]. ¡®If the Spearbreaker could do it, I, his child could as well.¡¯ Na?ve. Especially because he was bound in multitudes of contracts. He was fortunate that he did not activate the world trial then.¡± ¡°The world still burned. In a last effort, he hid away the capital city, Bastion, under the earth and let the rest fall in sacrifice. After all, without Bastion, Aris would be a simple planet and Golgheim a simple planet spirit. Pendulum stole his innocence then. He was a child no longer.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it? He gave up?¡± ¡°He tried many times since then, isolating enemies, isolating wars. But he could never create someone to match the Spearbreaker. His enemies adapted and limited access to bounties. Limited the envoys present on the surface. For the last millennia, Golgheim has drifted farther and farther from that petulant child. At least that child had a spine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Spearbreaker. I can¡¯t replace what he lost.¡± ¡°His fealty lies with the Spearbreaker''s grand design, an allegiance that supersedes all else." Toki absorbed the tale. Golgheim, a figure she had come to regard with tentative trust, now painted in shades of ambivalence. "His heart beats for the people," Toki whispered, more to herself than to Kristina as she remembered his love for Elara Twice. "But it seems that it¡¯s a heart divided." "What is loyalty but a choice between the many and the one? Golgheim will never be loyal, love. That is the answer to your question.¡± Toki thought carefully about what Kristina said. Is him sending me down here more of the same? I bet he wanted me to keep going down. Curiosity. Running away from my problems. Getting stronger. Pandora¡¯s box. They were all seeds. There were many questions that Toki wished to ask. Many that she felt held the key to the secrets and conspiracies that surrounded her. The Twice lineage, the Spearbreaker, the Spearbreaker¡¯s grand design, the allies she could trust. There were too many. Instead, she settled on advice. Toki''s voice emerged as a whisper, "What path leads away from Aris¡¯s destruction?" Kristina''s eyes narrowed as if she sought to obscure her answer. Yet, Toki felt she continued to speak the truth. "You¡¯ve no doubt prevented the dragons from raining fire on Alabaster Ring¡­ for now. It will not last." ¡°We have won wars before.¡± ¡°When you die as a mortal, who shall hold the banner? Within 50 years, your body will fail and you will leave Aris without an [Elite].¡± Toki''s grip on the dragon egg tightened, its surface cool and alien beneath her fingers. "And the world trial?" she asked, daring to hope. ¡°So, you are informed. The primes of Aris die before they can hope to start it. Maybe that has changed.¡± Kristina paused. Toki sensed that the pause was intended to probe as much as obscure. ¡°Regardless, you are ill-prepared," Kristina''s gaze bore into her. "A tide of both allies and enemies will descend. Golgheim most certainly has prepared, so it is uncertain who will win. But even if Mabu¡¯Aris survives, everyone you know will not." ¡°And the dragon¡¯s core?¡± ¡°That presents an interesting case. I won¡¯t speculate, but I know that many would value it, if only to extract the genius lizard''s research. Perhaps you should find it first before becoming so hopeful.¡± A shiver of foreboding traced its icy fingers down Toki''s spine. Her mind raced, once again considering the myriad mysteries that lay at the heart of Aris. But there was another enigma, one closer to her heart. "Where is Edgar?" The question spilled from her lips.
[Hidden Quest: Trial IV: Fool Me Once (1/1) - complete] [User Tokyo Twice has been rewarded with a profession mutation. Strategist -> Weaver] [Weaver skill [Create Contract] has gained the subskill [Karma Clause]] [Clear the Weaver¡¯s Trials ¨C system title awarded, Target (Chosen of Weaver)] [Target (Chosen of Weaver): Restricted access to Protocol JE-87; [Targets] can identify other [Targets]; Defeat 1 Targets to upgrade access to Protocol JE-87 (0/1)]
-- Next chapter for free on Patreon >> Chapter 34 – Karma [Protocol JE-85]: Unknown [Protocol JE-86]: Unknown [Protocol JE-87]: A gift from the Weaver, profane be her name. Access to this protocol allows users to corrupt Hidden Quests with enough karmic interference. The subversion of these quests is a dangerous precedent enabling users to siphon rewards from your Faith intended for your citizens. Users are flagged with a [Target] designation allowing them to be isolated and eliminated with other [Targets]. [Protocol JE-88]: Unknown [Protocol JE-89]: A Pendulum shop purchase. Access to this protocol allows users to split consciousness to eliminate the weakness of melds (i.e., forced meld assassination). Partial meld functionality is enabled. ¨C Pendulum didactic, Known Protocols Chapter 34 ¨C Karma ¡°Edgar never had the guile for Folly. Where is Edgar?¡± Toki stood defiantly before Kristina. Alpha took the confrontation as an opportunity to cross into the library. Within the reach of Kristina¡¯s chain he shrunk himself down for stealth, his form partially obscured by the tomes of knowledge that ascended towards the ceiling. ¡°Why, I don¡¯t know what you mean, love.¡± Kristina¡¯s face settled into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m leaving and I need him. Is the game even fun if you¡¯re just playing with yourself?¡± The silence stretched on before Toki shattered it with action. She dropped her bag and with a swift, fluid motion, hefting her hammer, she launched herself toward Kristina. Kristina shifted her gaze momentarily, noting the Alpha''s ascent amidst the bookshelves. Her attention returned to Toki, an acknowledgment of the ploy, a silent commendation for the misdirection. "Where! Is! Edgar!" Toki''s voice was a loud growl. The hammer was not merely a feint; it swung precisely towards Kristina¡¯s legs attempting to knock the giant-ass spider to the ground. The counterattack from Kristina was swift ¡ª her legs stomping like pikes into the ground. Toki twisted away from the first strike, a hairsbreadth from being caught in the follow-up. She felt the rush of displaced air that followed the near misses. Her hammer connected with the third. It gave the feeling of hammering adamant with steel. Her hands quivered in the connection. "Your tenacity is... quaint. Can your path hold?" Kristina''s voice resonated with the timbre of a philosopher musing over a particularly interesting theorem, even as she readied her next assault. She¡¯s playing with me. Fine by me. Toki infused one of her shadows with [Phantom Spears] transforming a claw into a floating spear. She still held her shadow shield in her left hand. 40% manadraw spear, 30% for each shield. The spear enchantment would create multi-hits on strike, morphing a single shadow into multiple ethereal spears that would brace against the legs of Kristina. Unfortunately, Kristina moved with ease around the shadows, rendering the spear hits harmless, passing through her. Unperturbed by Toki''s display of power, the ancient entity before her began attacking in earnest, spinning her own web of attacks. She¡¯s playing with the pacing of the battle. I can¡¯t adjust quick enough. Each movement of Kristina was a study in precision, a lesson in the art of combat. Her strikes were relentless, a storm of blows that rained down upon Toki, leaving trails of red on her skin ¡ª not deep, but enough to remind the novice of the vast chasm that lay between them. The few that hit her shield passed enough momentum through Toki to create an opening for the follow-up. "Is this all you have? You will not save Aris like this. It is better if I save you for later." Behind her, her back legs started spinning a spool of web into a cocoon. As Kristina''s onslaught continued, as the Mercy Queen of Spiders wove her intricate patterns of attack, the air around her began to shimmer with the gathering of mana. It was a subtle hum at first, a vibration foretelling that she was accumulating power, of an impending cataclysm. Toki could only let it happen, hopeful that the Alpha would find both Edgar and the dragon core quickly and that this wouldn¡¯t be a mortal strike. The world around Toki twisted and contorted, reality bending at the whims of Kristina. The once endearing library with its towering shelves and ancient tomes dissolved into a nebulous void, leaving Toki adrift in a sea of her own fractured memories. She gasped as Dutch Eternal loomed before her, her hungry eyes, a frightening sight. Toki shivered, drawn into the moment once more. The dragon¡¯s maw was open. The punctuated darkness threatened to surround her completely. "Save me, Toki," Oberon Twice''s voice echoed, his form shrinking before the dragon as had Susie Q before him. His figure bowed in supplication to the terror that was the dragon. Dutch Eternal sucked in. ¡°No!¡± A visceral pull dragged her forward, arms outstretched towards her brother, only to be engulfed by the jaws of the beast. The eerie sensation of falling enveloped her, the illusion wrapping its tendrils tightly around her psyche, swirling with surreal imagery that clawed at her sanity. She looked up and saw the broken shards of glass falling with her. Scenes of battle flashed like lightning in her memory¡ªZeppo''s merciless mercenaries, the scuttling horror of rats, and the ominous black robed warriors, each vision left her reeling and confused. "Is this your fear, child?" Kristina''s voice slithered through the illusion, her eyes glinting with the cold light of distant stars, beckoning Toki further down the gullet of the ancient beast. Panic flared within Toki, a primal urge to flee, to escape the deluge of horrors that assailed her. She felt a moment of relief when she let herself fall. Let herself be taken along the path before her. Looking down, she saw a glass floor ready to break. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Deep within, the embers of defiance sparked to life. No, she would not yield to this path. She couldn¡¯t afford to. That would be cheap. It would defeat her triumph to follow an arranged road. Toki reached for shadows to command but found none in this bizarre realm where darkness held no dominion. Desperation fueled innovation, and Toki invoked the improved [Bindings of Tyndall] and pulled it into existence using [Lessons]. From the nothingness, she summoned forth a mote¡ªa paradox shadow¡ªand clung to it, a lifeline amidst the tempest.
[Paradox Shadow: A shadow exists where it should not.]
It was like the light in the Prime council. It existed only for itself. With the mote as her anchor, Toki drew upon [Lessons] once more. A shadow claw emerged from the paradox shadow, ethereal, a brilliant white, and trembling with potential. The shadow itself was strange and illuminated nothing. She summoned her fire and used [First Burn] infusing the emergent claw with [Dragon Flies Free] and watched as the claw metamorphosed into a dragonfly, its wings gleaming with a dull luminescence. With a decisive motion, she released the mote allowing herself to fall further, allowing the blade to crash back into the mote, the impact creating another dragonfly. ¡°Petty attempts. You will be consumed by fate at this rate.¡± Toki looked below as she approached the glass. Another blade formed, then another, until she wielded five of these paradoxical armaments. Each blade was an extension of her will, a testament to her indomitable spirit in the face of overwhelming dread. They vibrated, disappearing and appearing around her. Within the illusion, Toki perceived the glimmer of revelation. There was no descent¡ªonly the illusion of it. The maw she believed to be consuming her was but a fabrication of her own making, a dark chasm where fear and doubt resonated with hollow echoes. She was not the victim in this twisted realm. She was not the victim in the real world. "I will be the architect of my fate! I will be the maw!" Toki screamed. Other people might tread paths laid before them, but Tokyo Twice would carve her own. A surge of indomitable will coursed through her veins as the five dragonfly blades spiraled around her, their iridescent wings catching nonexistent light. They were paradoxes given form¡ªher will made manifest. "Shatter," she commanded. The blades obeyed, arcing outward in a graceful symphony of destruction. They carved through the illusion like ripples across a still pond, fracturing the oppressive maw into a myriad of dissipating shards. The surreal landscape crumbled, revealing once more the grandiose library, the towering shelves, the scent of ancient parchment. With the illusion broken, so too was the cocoon forming around her. Toki landed lightly on her feet, eyes alight with purpose. The webbing fell at her feet, and she brandished her hammer. The paradox blades hovered at the ready. Kristina stood before her smiling. Their clash resumed. Toki''s movements were more fluid now. Less restrained. She felt a weight that she did not know she was carrying disappear. She swung her hammer while her paradox blades weaved through the air, darting in and out of existence, striking from angles that defied reason. Toki had a hard time controlling the blades and they threatened to disappear. They were solid and real within the unreal illusion, but entering this real world, they felt unreal and fleeting. Kristina met her assault with an elegance befitting her celestial nature. Yet even the primordial spider could not deny the awe-inspiring display of Toki breaking the illusion and the danger of these reality bending blades. In the midst of this turmoil, Toki caught Alpha''s blurred form move into action, seizing the sliver of distraction as his opening gambit. His charcoal and silver fur melded with the shadows as he fixed upon Edgar wrapped still in a cocoon, the avian figure suspended perilously from the chandelier where she left him. Alpha leapt. ¡°Not enough, love.¡± Toki''s awareness snapped to the peripheral danger as Kristina''s focus shifted like the tides towards her vulnerable companions. Toki summoned her ace. She channeled mana into the chain by her feet activating [So Susie Shall Bind Purple]. Her movements, counterattacks, and positioning had all been for this moment. With a flourish, she brought the first paradox blade close and launched it by smashing it with her hammer. The first dragonfly careened towards Kristina missing her and landing behind her to the left. Toki swung again sending the second dragonfly behind her to the right. Kristina caught on, but it was too late. The third, fourth, and fifth dragonfly blades cut through the air to encircle Kristina in a carousel. Toki called on [First Burn] and the blades transformed into dull luminescent chains.
[And Tokyo Shall Bind Black] - Auxiliary enchantment to enhance the durability of binding for [So Susie Shall Bind Purple].
In her experiments, Toki had understood the futility of fixating upon the chromatic deities who painted the firmament. Life, she realized, was an intricate mosaic composed of more than just the vibrant hues of Purple, Red, Green, and Orange. It was a spectrum where shadows danced with light, and all existed within the delicate balance of greys. "Today," she murmured, her voice steadfast, "I shall bind black." She watched as the paradox shadow congealed and contorted, a tangible force of her indomitable will. Kristina studied the manifestation with an appraising eye, seemingly recognizing the convergence of raw talent and uncharted potential. Toki''s gaze followed the frantic scramble of limbs as Kristina, the Spider Queen, attempted to extricate herself from the cocoon of chains that now held her bound. The ethereal spider, usually so composed and otherworldly, displayed a rare moment of disarray, her cosmic eyes flashing with urgency. "Your magic has indeed taken a turn towards the... unorthodox," the Spider Queen conceded, her smile rekindling. Above, Alpha''s embrace enveloped Edgar, plucking him from the chandelier. Together, they descended. Alpha grew to a monstrous size and landed on the ground crashing through a bookshelf. Toki''s heart swelled with a tide of relief and gratitude so profound it threatened to capsize her. The boundary between real and unreal shimmered around Kristina, a thin veil that held chaos in a leash. As Kristina''s ethereal shackles splintered, dissolving back into the Aether from which they were conjured, the spider-like entity flexed, an ancient being shrugging off the constraints of lesser magic. Freeing herself with a sudden burst of dust, Kristina''s frown was fleeting, a mere ripple on the surface of her usually tranquil demeanor. It gave way to a smile that held within it the depths of nebulae¡ªa knowing twist of her lips that spoke volumes more than words could convey. For a fleeting moment, the library stood still. Alpha had reached the threshold. Toki too, launched herself towards the same invisible line that promised respite. Her boots skidded across the floor. With one final, desperate lunge, she breached the threshold, collapsing onto the cool stone just beyond. "Our karma is severed." As the dust of battle began to settle, Toki lifted her gaze. Through locks of white hair, matted with sweat, she met the eyes of Kristina. "The threads may unravel here," her voice was the whisper of a secret. "But you have pleased the Weaver. You will find me once more when the time is right." The scene before them bore the marks of their quick but furious struggle: books lay strewn like fallen soldiers, their pages fluttering in the aftershock. Amidst this landscape of ruin, Toki''s chest heaved with the labor of survival. Kristina''s many-faceted eyes betrayed nothing of effort or exertion. Instead, they held a calculating stillness, an observer at the edge of eternity assessing the unfolding patterns before her. There was no scorn in her demeanor, nor triumph¡ªonly the inexorable turning of her thoughts. Toki''s response was a ragged inhalation, her body too spent for words, yet her eyes¡ªa mirror to her indomitable will¡ªburned with an unspoken vow. She would not be deterred, not by fear, not by pain, not by Kristina¡¯s words and not by Golgheim¡¯s actions. As Toki stepped beyond the doorway, the chill of the corridor embraced her, a reminder of the vast and unknowable universe that sprawled beyond these walls. She contemplated the enigmatic smile that had graced Kristina''s lips, a harbinger of mysteries yet to unfold. Chapter 35 – Boiling Point [Elara Twice] You can¡¯t trap us here, Golgheim! I need to go after Margaret! [Golgheim Vast] I don¡¯t make the rules Elara. I won¡¯t break the contract. [Elara Twice] But you can bend them! I know you have before! You protected the Ispartikans. They shouldn¡¯t have even been able to enter¡ªthey aren¡¯t fuckin¡¯ envoys. [Golgheim Vast] Bringing them in is easier than letting you out. [Elara Twice] Please. She¡¯s my daughter. [Golgheim Vast] No. She was chosen by an envoy. [Elara Twice] She was stolen by a fuckin¡¯ pirate! [Golgheim Vast] I¡¯m sorry, Elara. ¨C Elara Twice, Conversation with Golgheim Chapter 35 ¨C Boiling Point Toki''s boots crunched on scattered rubble as she returned to her cave within the monkey amphitheater. Her heart thudded in time with her steps, frustration and anxiety evident from her pace. She approached the makeshift infirmary, where the prone Edgar lay. He was placed on the cave floor, his once vibrant and colorful wings were now a monochrome flock of crimson. I told Kristina to fuck off, but how can it be that easy. Getting out of grandmother¡¯s webs was hard enough. Toki reached out, fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against the fiery feathers. They were hot to the touch but no longer burning with fever. Despite the relief at this small sign of improvement, a shadow of unease spread through her. He was still trapped in the depths of unconsciousness, his chest rising and falling with a steadiness that belied whatever was happening inside. Toki had cut him out of the cocoon, but he did not wake up. Though she could not be certain of Kristina¡¯s methods, if it was anything like Toki¡¯s own cocoon illusion, Edgar was facing his fears on top of whatever was going on with his body. "Come on, Edgar," she murmured. "You''ve got to wake up." Edgar remained motionless. It had been this way for the last hour. Toki¡¯s mind, meanwhile, spiraled into the labyrinth of other thoughts. The Alpha had been unable to locate the dragon¡¯s core. The object that Kristina said could save Edgar. The only one left is Golgheim. He has it. If I can get it from him, I can use it to save Edgar, then trade it away to save Aris. But why did he send me down here if he is the one that has it? What¡¯s his game? Does he want to get rid of me? With a slow exhalation, she looked upon Edgar once more, uncertain of how this all had come to pass. If I am to forge my own path, I need to understand the one laid out for me¡­ then I can flip the table. Zeppo and Two''s words echoed in her memory, the confusion in their voices mirroring the turmoil within her own head. Why had this started? Why had grandmother sacrificed herself? What could possibly be worth such a price? Grandmother was never the one to play the martyr. The contract sigil on Golgheim burned brightly in her mind''s eye, its intricate design more enigmatic than any puzzle she''d ever faced. Kristina''s warnings played over and over, a litany of caution that made Toki''s skin prickle with dread thinking about him. Golgheim was not what she knew him to be, and Elara had bound him by something so powerful it demanded life itself as its due. "Grandmother, what did you see that I cannot?" Toki whispered to the void, hoping for an answer she knew would not come. ¡°What¡¯s in your contract? And why can¡¯t Golgheim just break it?¡± Her thoughts drifted to the note she had burned long ago¡ªat least what felt like long ago¡ªElara¡¯s final words about Golgheim, cryptic and heavy with meaning. ¡®Force him to submit.¡¯ There was significance there, a key that Toki needed to find if she was to break the cycle that ensnared this world. Is he forced to help me? Protect me? What is it? Toki could feel Alpha''s presence before he spoke. It broke her from her rumination. She patted Edgar¡¯s feathers once more before turning around. "Glassbreaker, I hast thought on our actions. But I am confused. Hast the spider spilled thy blood?¡± Toki did not know how to respond. Kristina hadn¡¯t. In fact, Kristina was probably more helpful than hurtful. ¡°She is using me for goals that I do not understand.¡± Am I doing that to the chimeras? ¡°Her path is not my path.¡± No. That¡¯s not it either. ¡°Paranoia, I guess. Sometimes you are grateful to someone but cannot trust them. Does that make sense?¡± ¡°Can my kin trust you?¡± ¡°I have no reason to deceive you.¡± ¡°I must meditate on this.¡± I must as well. ¡°You call me Glassbreaker. What can I call you?¡± ¡°Mother bid me six-five-seven.¡± How morbid. ¡°Is that what you would like to be called?¡± ¡°I do not wish to bear the moniker of an experiment. You have given me much to think on. I shall find mine name.¡± ¡°Well, for now I will call you Elder. Let us move the tribe to the underground city. There are cowcrabs there that we can use for food. Their swarm is not endless like the rats, but they are bigger.¡± Elder nodded. ¡°I want to bring you all to the surface. But I don¡¯t know how safe it is for you up there yet. When I go up there, I will create safe passage to a farm. There you will never go hungry again.¡± ¡°Glassbreaker, our kin await us below. We will not tarry to find them and free them.¡± Everything is pointing towards heading into the depths. I can be impulsive at times, but I know I can¡¯t afford to be rash here. It¡¯s so frustrating¡ªeverything in me is telling me to head down. ¡°And we will. But I learned that below the glass, there are dangers that are still beyond us. We need to prepare, and I will need to request help from above.¡± I¡¯m not the only one looking for freedom. I hope. Whatever Golgheim, Kristina, and Elara planned, I¡¯ll be ready. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Elder nodded. ¡°Make sure to settle close to the beach. The black robed warriors should have no reason to harm you if you run into them. But be wary.¡± She continued in rapid fire, ¡°We will need to bring the manasmithing materials there as well.¡± Toki thought back to the crates of adamant and even more exotic materials hidden away in Dutch Eternal¡¯s cavern. ¡°I¡¯ll make armor for all of you.¡± ¡°Glassbreaker, the path is not clear to me. The spider hath not harmed us, yet we fought her. The black robed warriors hast killed mine kin and we shall clear the way? The world of thy humans is most confusing.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Why. Why shouldn¡¯t the monkeys kill the warriors? ¡°They do not deserve our gratitude and have earned our hate. But, we can trust in them having the same goal, Elder. They too want to descend into the Earth. They will show their sincerity and will bleed alongside us. We¡¯ll ensure it.¡± Is that a weak reason? Am I being too lenient? ¡°Can we blame the soldiers for the actions of the leader?¡± If anything, it¡¯s Two that should be punished. Then again¡­ Elder paused in contemplation, but then finally nodded. At his command, the monkeys began their labor. Watching them, Toki felt the weight of their fate heavy on her shoulders. Toki nodded back, not convincing herself. ¡°If they attack you, do not show mercy.¡± I¡¯ve never had to lead an army before. Am I fit to lead them? I know Two¡¯s definitely not dead, and when she comes back, she¡¯ll want to parlay. I hope I am right about her motives. Toki felt a tug of the system and sat down next to Edgar again in frustration. I don¡¯t have a single moment to rest, to think, to plan. Fuck! Was this grandmother¡¯s life?
[Law Cats has called upon Tokyo Twice for a meld ¨C agree?]
Agree. The familiar surroundings of Law Cats surrounded Toki. She stood across from Marsha, her white hair a stark contrast to the crimson stains that marred her garb. Marsha was in a luxurious blue pantsuit, claws clicking on the desk behind her. This time, Toki was not distracted by the manatech city. ¡°Ah, there you are. Couldn¡¯t tell ya how many times upstarts just go silent on ya. If the ringer didn¡¯t go through, I¡¯d have thought ya died on me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need the banter, Marsha. Why am I here?¡± ¡°My, my, aren¡¯t you a little catty today.¡± Toki gave her a serious look. Marsha¡¯s sassy demeanor faltered, yielding to gravity when she took stock of the earnest severity etched deeply into Toki''s expression. "Fine. Fine. The dragons are bustin¡¯ down the doors to Aris. More aggressively than usual. Our legal barricade will crumble soon enough¡ªif I had known you were living in Bastion, I could¡¯ve predicted this. Do you know a Vindictus Eternal?" ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, apparently, Dutch was his very young wife¡­ and she was having his kid. The age difference between them¡­ let¡¯s just say, half his age plus seven would make me look like a preschooler. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Get to the point, Marsha.¡± ¡°Ya have about a year before he gets through. I¡¯ll make it hard for them. But that¡¯s the protected class protocol for ya. He¡¯s allowed to locate his missing egg, dead or alive¡ªcollateral damage be damned. He¡¯s a stage-three, hun. Six months if ya¡¯re unlucky.¡± ¡°Is there anything you can do?¡± ¡°Do you have his kid?¡± ¡°I have an egg. But it¡¯s definitely dead.¡± Marsha looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°Well, that won¡¯t help then. I knew it would be dark for you since you¡¯re on that planet, but lass, it was just a child.¡± ¡°Fuck off, Marsha. It was dead when I found it. What¡¯s the deal with these protected classes anyways?¡± As the cage around Aris seemed to get smaller, Toki¡¯s anger started to simmer. ¡°Ah. Well. Perhaps this is a larger scheme¡ªthey may have killed the egg as a precaution. Protected classes are just beasts, plain and simple. They just have lineages that date back before the Ostellian accords¡­ meaning they got their claws on the system before it got too big¡­ for all the good that did them. Almost all of them still got tricked.¡± What does that mean? Toki frowned. ¡°Ya don¡¯t know what that means, yeah? No history on yer planet, right? I suppose that fucker would make up his own shit. He always had the proclivity to play gods and fairytales. What is your history this time? Zeus¡¯s Pantheon? The Akashic Regents?¡± Marsha pulled around behind her desk and sat on the chair. Toki did not know how to respond. Golgheim made up the color gods? He made up everything? But the Twice history¡­ Marsha continued, ¡°Anyways, the lizards are one of the only beast species that have retained their long egg gestations after the Accords. At the time, it was so their lineage would be prepared for times of war and to empower their youth before hatching, but now it¡¯s why they¡¯re poached¡­ also why they can call upon system protocols to hunt their poachers. Who doesn¡¯t want a contracted dragon?¡± Marsha paused, then continued, ¡°Now, more often ya¡¯ll see dragons using dead eggs aggressively as a way into protected planets. Ya can¡¯t sell them, so they¡¯re basically timebombs. You get a crazy stage-two or three into a mortal planet and even when they get downleveled by the system and put on a timer, mortals are still gonna die.¡± Toki folded her arms in disinterest. ¡°There¡¯s too much to explain here that isn¡¯t really relevant for ya, but a dragon egg would go for a pretty penny at auction. Probably more than the system reward ya have on your hands. If you had a live egg, ya could sell it for allies, or possibly return it in trade. Contracted beasts are one of the best system workarounds.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a history lesson Marsha! How does this help me? The egg is dead. Tell me some real options.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t suppose you want to get married. I suggest you get your folks ready and invoke the world trial," Marsha replied, her tail flicking with the tension of the moment. ¡°Battle seems fitting given you¡¯re an [Elite] now, huh? Didn¡¯t think it would be a good thing to mention last time?" ¡°Nope. Not happening.¡± Another person telling me about the world trial. AKSDJAPSD ¡°That¡¯s really your best option, hun. The¡ª" ¡°Are you fucking playing me too now? I swear to all the fucking Tyrants, if another person tells me to start the world trial, I¡¯m going to just let everyone in and let them do whatever the fuck they want with the world! Highest bidder. Fuck Elara, Fuck Kristina, Fuck Golgheim. Fuck them all. I swear, Marsha. Don¡¯t fucking give me any of that elfshit, because I¡¯m done with it. I need my syslaw to come up with options, not give me the easiest, shittiest way out.¡± Toki heard a thump by the door. ¡°Sweet mercy. Who put your britches in a twist. None of your options are good. Believe me, now that we¡¯re hitched in this contract, I¡¯m on yer side.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you know Golgheim, but since you do know him, you know he had enemies. Don¡¯t fake your ¡®I¡¯m on your side¡¯ elfshit. If I start the trial, my world is finished, and who knows if I can even make it out.¡± ¡°I represent you, Tokyo. Not your world. Bastion is fucked.¡± Silence. Maybe that was impulsive. She¡¯s just trying to help me. Toki waited, nonetheless. Grandmother would scold me for showing my frustration. Especially if there was nothing to gain. Calm down. ¡°That planet spirit has been a pain since I was in Cazoran. I¡¯m sure ya¡¯re in a bind, hun. I¡¯ve helped him more than you can imagine. I represented the Spearbreaker back then and he in turn helped me evolve into the feliform I am today. I helped Golgheim in his crusades out of trust in that man¡¯s vision¡­ But I lost family in Golgheim¡¯s frivolous wars. I was chased out of Cazoran. I lost so many crystals that it almost broke me. I owe the Spearbreaker everything. But Golgheim¡­ Golgheim owes ME everything." ¡°You guys got me kid, your pal pulled a fast one on me. I gave Kiwi a beating for it. Poor kid. That¡¯s fine. I still get my cut from you. But what¡¯s hidden down there is going to throw all of Cazoran into chaos. Get off planet. Let that plan fail. That¡¯s my advice. If you don¡¯t choose to listen, it¡¯ll just be another dead [Elite]. You aren¡¯t the Spearbreaker.¡± ¡°What¡¯s down there?¡± Although the release was cathartic, Toki felt apologetic for her earlier tone. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Both.¡± Toki recalled Marsha¡¯s earlier comment, ¡°Can you call the Dynasty?¡± ¡°Kid, becoming an undead bride isn¡¯t the answer. You¡¯ll just end up trying to avoid a different apocalypse.¡± ¡°I just want to talk to them.¡± ¡°Whatever you say. Don¡¯t agree to anything rashly.¡± Marsha fiddled with a magitech machine sitting on her desk. ¡°He has ten minutes to accept. Let¡¯s see if he answers.¡± ¡°Can you also put out feelers for a beast core from the manasmith who created [Chimeric Entanglement]? If none of this works, I at least want some allies.¡± Marsha¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What do you know about that?¡± Chapter 36 – Quid Bro Quo My recent absence in council was to investigate the expedition you mentioned. Zeppo perhaps suspects my intentions but does not have any suspicion of your scheme. We used the window when the envoy was off world to explore the depths of Aris. There are several resources down there that we identified that can be exploited for trade. 1. Early stage-two beast cores ¨C possibly higher. We were forced back before we could explore further. Perhaps a stronger or more prepared force may advance further. 2. Exotic flora ¨C unknown reactivity and possible mutations. Several samples of these variant species were collected, including coffee, yams, and marigold. 3. Mithril ¨C or what we suspect is mithril based on the records. It is a small vein, but even in small quantities, it could transform the Twice economy. I¡¯ve done what you asked, Elara. Now keep Alaric out of your games. ¨C Eris Twice, Sealed Letter to Elara Chapter 36 ¨C Quid Bro Quo The mention of [Chimeric Entanglement] certainly threw Marsha off. Before Toki could respond, a figure appeared next to her. Toki''s eyes widened as a tall, skeletal figure strode in, clad in blue jeans and a white t-shirt. A backwards cap sat jauntily atop his skull. "Yo, Marsha! What''s crackin'', my feline friend?" The skeleton''s voice boomed, a mix of casual slang and what appeared to be telepathy. Marsha''s tail swished. "Well, well, if it isn''t the young master of the dynasty! Lookin'' fresh to death." She purred, leaning forward on her desk. The skeleton sauntered up, his glowing blue eyes fixed on Marsha. "You know it, babe. Undeath''s never looked so good." He winked, skeletal hand gesturing to his outfit. Toki watched the exchange, brow furrowed. This is the lich? He seemed more like an overeager bro than an ancient sorcerer. Yet something about his too-perfect mannerisms, the deliberate drape and enchantment of his clothes, made her skin prickle. A mask, perhaps, concealing deeper schemes. "I gotta say, I dig the new digs! Got that whole ''sexy librarian'' vibe goin'' on¡­ if I didn¡¯t already have a syslaw¡­" The skeleton sat in one of the open seats, skeletal fingers drumming on the hand rest. Marsha giggled, pawing at her hair. "Oh stop, ya charmer. Flattery will get you everywhere." ¡°Gotta treat your syslaws like they''re queens.¡± As they bantered, Toki''s mind raced. Marsha''s flirtations seemed calculated, a stalling tactic while she assessed the situation. The [Strategist] inside Toki lit up - this ''bro'' act was a facade, she was certain. But to what end? Toki''s fingers twitched, aching to summon her shadows. No, too rash. And probably not possible. The constant fighting had given her a trigger finger. She needed to observe, gather intel. One thing was clear - the Lich was far more dangerous than he appeared. ¡°Marsha, tell me, did she finally agree to talk? I can¡¯t help but feel she¡¯s playin¡¯ hard-to-get.¡± Marsha pointed behind him and Toki stepped forward, steeling herself. "I''m Toki. I''m the one you put a hit on." The words felt bitter on her tongue. The skeleton''s glowing gaze raked over her, appraising. "Ah, right." He grinned, but it didn''t reach his eyes. "Listen, babe, I''m not the jealous type, but you gotta break it off with that scaly boy-toy. Ain''t no other way around it. I¡¯m Chad, you can call me bae, hubby, boo. Honestly, I¡¯m pretty open." Toki''s eyebrow twitched. Boy-toy? She opened her mouth to retort, but Chad steamrolled on, hands gesturing animatedly. "Picture it, babe - you and me, we¡¯ll rule over the endless rivers of Ca¡¯Sorin. We''ll break the old citadels and build EDM concert halls dedicated to our love, have legions of undead minions, the whole shebang! It''ll be¡ª" "I¡¯m not gonna marry you." Toki cut him off, fists clenched at her sides. Anger still simmered in her veins. How dare he waltz in and dictate her life just like everyone else? Chad frowned, skeletal brow furrowing. "Aw, c''mon, don''t be like that." His voice turned saccharine, wheedling. "You''ll get whatever you want, babe. Crystals, power, heck, I''ll even let you get some of that lizard schlong on the side, if that''s what you''re into." Toki scoffed, disgusted. "And I suppose I''d have to become one of your undead minions to seal the deal?" "Well, duh. Kinda non-negotiable there, sweet-cheeks." "Then my answer is absolutely not." Toki crossed her arms, unyielding. Chad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nasal cavity. "Work with me here, babe. Best I can do is make you a free, bound undead. That''s a pretty sweet deal, all things considered." Toki shook her head vehemently. "Hard pass. I won''t be bound to anyone, living or dead." ¡°You humans have so many stereotypes about us. It really is a shame.¡± She met Chad''s eerie blue gaze head-on, unflinching. Beneath her resolve, fear coiled in Toki''s gut. Everyone warned about the undead. She''d seen history books, even if they were false. The depictions of the tortured souls ensnared by necromancers. To lose all agency, to become a thrall - it was a fate worse than death. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "Let a guy down easy, yo." Chad''s demeanor shifted, the casual veneer cracking ever so slightly. "Look, Toki, a lot of people are counting on your support here. Both in the undead empire and on your own planet. For some reason daddy-dearest wants it so." His glowing eyes bore into hers, intensity simmering beneath the surface. "Without this marriage, there''s no reason for us to cooperate. Capiche?... To be honest with you, I don¡¯t mind, but why¡¯d you even call me here?" Toki''s heart raced, a chill running down her spine. In that moment, Chad''s body language betrayed him. The too-perfect posture, the subtle tilt of his skull - it all clicked into place. This was no mere bro lich playing at politics. No, this was calculated. This shard damn pretender. Fuck. I¡¯ll use my anger, but this time I can get something out of it. I have no idea what the undead are after on Aris. I can only bluff to see if I can pull it out of him. He¡¯s smart, but I know just enough details to put pressure here. "Cut the elfshit, Chad, I didn¡¯t call you here to flirt," Toki''s voice was sharp. "I represent Aris, and I''m telling you right now, this trade deal isn''t happening without my say-so. And our marriage? Not a chance in all the hells. There¡¯s been a change in management." Chad''s eyes narrowed, his skeletal face an unreadable mask. He considered her words, the silence stretching between them like a taut wire. Finally, he turned to Marsha, who had been watching the exchange with a bored expression. "Marsha, doll, mind giving us a minute alone? Need to talk to the missus." His voice was smooth as silk, but Toki could hear the undercurrent of danger. Marsha shrugged, utterly apathetic. "Yeah, sure. I''ll just isolate the meld. You two hash it out. Toki, we''re not done." She gave Toki a brief but meaningful look, then with a flick of her well-manicured hand, the telepathic connection severed, leaving Toki and Chad alone in a strange meld. The room was white containing only two mahogany chairs approximately two meters apart. Neither moved to sit. Chad''s gaze snapped back to Toki, suspicion etched into every line of his skeletal face. The air between them crackled. The silence stretched on, heavy and oppressive, until Toki finally spoke. "Listen up, bone boy," she said, her voice low and dangerous, and tinged with anger. "Aris has had a long-standing relationship with the Dynasty, but if you think that means we''ll just roll over and let you undead types walk all over us, you''ve got another thing coming. Your herbs and metals aren¡¯t enough. You know we¡¯re the only one who can supply what you need." I think it was Corpse Animation Fluid? That¡¯s what Four said, right? She stepped closer, her eyes locked on Chad''s glowing blue orbs. "Maybe I should look to the dragons. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be open to distributing instead. After all, I¡¯m fucking one, aren''t I?¡± His body language shifted. Finally, I¡¯ll see the real lich. Chad''s laid-back facade cracked, revealing a glimpse of the cunning intellect beneath. He chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. "Toki, you''re trippin'' if you think the dragons can distribute M-Brew on the scale we''re talking about. It''s just not possible, babe." M-Brew? What the hells is M-brew? Before Toki could respond, Chad continued. ¡°If you don¡¯t become a player fast enough, either CJO or Arabica will eat you up. You won¡¯t like what happens to your planet if that happens. Go with the dragons. Be my guest.¡± Coffee? Arabica is one of the coffee giants. Is this struggle for herbs? Toki''s mind raced, trying to make sense of Chad''s words. What did that have to do with anything? But she kept her confusion hidden behind a mask. ¡°Your loss then. Go ahead and explain to the undead empire why they aren¡¯t getting their M-Brew.¡± Chad balked, his skeletal hands raised in mock surrender. "Whoa, whoa, slow your roll, girl. What brought this on. Our negotiations were going smoothly. We¡¯re giving you what you need.¡± ¡°What we need has changed.¡± ¡°That''s on the negotiating team, not me." Toki shook her head. "No, Chad. It''s up to you. This whole thing happens or falls apart based on your word. I can let everyone in right now: the dragons, the Oathbreakers, the Corinthians, then it¡¯ll be a party. This business will be meaningless. War¡¯s coming and if you can¡¯t help secure the M-Brew, then what good is it?" I have no idea if Golgheim''s old enemies are involved, but namedropping them seems appropriate. The lich leaned back, his enchanted clothing shimmering in the dim light. "Hate to break it to you, but from what I understand, the world trial is a done deal. You don''t have any leverage here, Toki. If you don¡¯t give it to us, we¡¯ll still come down and get it along with everyone else.." "I¡¯m a Prime and I hold three votes. The world trial only happens if and when I say it happens. How are you going to get down here? Marsha set up the blockade. I decide who has exclusivity." I only hold two, but One isn¡¯t going to vote for a world trial. The words hung in the air between them, a challenge and a threat all in one. Toki''s heart raced, but she refused to back down. Chad studied her, his glowing eyes unreadable. Toki could practically see the gears turning in his mind. "Look, babe, I can''t change the percentages. We already offered the minimum 33% for distribution in exchange for rights of first purchase. That''s as low as we can go. Galactic trade ain''t cheap." He cocked his head, the eerie blue light in his eye sockets flickering. "What else do you want? We¡¯re already giving you a good deal here." The Primes got such a good deal? Was this Elara''s work? How much were they planning to skim? 66% of a galactic enterprise... That''s unbelieveable! Toki took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Three things. First, we need war supplies: food, medicine, and crystals." She held up a finger, then another two in succession. "Two, drop the bounty on me and the marriage sham. And three, send some of your [Elites] to assist me on an escort mission." I have no idea where the coffee they want is, but I have to assume its in the depths. I''ll have to head there with the monkeys, but more [Elites] would help. A low chuckle escaped Chad''s lipless mouth as he moved closer. Their faces were inches apart. "No can do on the second one, sweetheart. That decision was made by dear old dad, and I don''t have any sway over it, wife." Toki stared into his eyes while her heart sank. She refused to let it show. She couldn''t afford to appear weak. Chad leaned forward, his rings clinking softly. "The most I can do is change the bounty to ''capture alive'' and form a contract that you can''t be turned before dying. That''s my only offer. After all, what would the public say if I stabbed my wife in the back?¡± The words hit Toki like a punch to the gut. A contract? What good was that? She''d seen firsthand how easily contracts can be broken without leverage. No, she needed something more tangible, more binding. She met Chad''s gaze, her own eyes hard and unyielding. "That''s a weak compromise, and you know it. There''s nothing holding you to it, no repercussions for going back on your word. A contract''s worthless to me." ¡°Benefits, babe.¡± ¡°I need more.¡± The lich shrugged, a gesture that looked almost comical on his skeletal frame. "Take it or leave it. That''s the best I can do. I''m going out on a limb here." ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll still put it in writing.¡± I only have control for six to twelve months before the dragons invade. I¡¯ll take what I can. It''s a perfect time to test out [Karma Clause]. Chad''s grin widened. "You wound me, wife. I''m a man of my word. When I make a deal, I stick to it." Chapter 37 – Monkey See [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Ey yo, wifey. My dad says you pulled a fast one on me. [TokyoTwice] I don¡¯t know what you mean. [ZephyrDeity] @KATHORIC_LICHBAE and @SamIAm are scoundrels that kidnapped me! Tell Carm¡ª [SamIAm] *feelsbadman* Oh shit, this is the wife? [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Yes! She¡¯s definitely playing hard to get. [TokyoTwice] I¡¯m right here¡­ [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] He didn¡¯t even flinch, dear. You did some voodoo, yo. Says that you will do fine alive. [TokyoTwice] Well that¡¯s a relief¡­ I think. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll marry you, though. [StarlitSorceress] Some hot tea! @RuneMaster777, @DarkFrothConnoisseur, @ShadowWeaver [RuneMaster777] I bet it¡¯s the dragon. It¡¯s a love triangle! [ShadowWeaver] Poor Lichbae. [DarknessDarkMaster] Such are the vicissitudes of life. Cultivate your cores instead and live forever. [-RoseAlphaAngel-] DarknessDarkMaster is wise! ¨C The Immortal Record of The Heavenly Chakra Dragon Fighter Polity Chapter 37 ¨C Monkey See
[User has negotiated and signed a contract. Grade B ¨C Toyko Twice; Grade C ¨C Chad Velorum]
Toki kneaded a clay-aeso mixture, her hands coated in the gritty substance. The monkeys watched intently as she shaped the pliable material into a precise brick mold. She didn¡¯t need to carve any intricate etchings onto the surface for them to work. Toki was sitting in a large clay housing complex in the underground city. This was to be her new forge. "Pay attention, my furry apprentices," Toki said with a grin. "These bricks will be the heart of our new forge. With them, we can command the forge to do our bidding." The monkeys can help make the bricks, but I¡¯ll have to be the one to operate it. At least for now. Programming the bricks required precise intent. Maybe the monkeys can learn eventually. There were six monkeys in audience, and they howled excitedly to each other, their clever hands mimicking Toki''s movements with their own clay and aeso. She guided them patiently, correcting their form and praising their progress. One forge would be the start. These monkeys would be in charge of preparing bricks for a dozen more. "No more relying on that old Chamberscript Oven," she muttered to herself. "With these bricks and the shadowflame, I''ll have complete control over the forging process." Toki''s mind wandered as she worked, recalling the recent meeting with Chad and Marsha. The memory of the Karma clause she had engineered into the contract with Chad brought a sly smile to her face.
[[Uninterrupted Recourse] ¨C The system will not interfere in a proportionate response if the party seeks remuneration for failed compliance of designated contract.]
The system prompt echoed in her thoughts. When she used the skill alongside [Create Contract], it was as if she was weaving an enchantment into the contract. It was a strange, but deceptively simple interaction and hidden in plain sight. Toki knew it held immense power. If anyone dared to renege on their end of the bargain, Toki could extract her due without interference. That¡¯s typically how it goes, but the system gets in the way. If the dragons had the karma clause, [Uninterrupted Recourse], they could¡¯ve already landed on Aris. If only they had a [Weaver]. Whatever that means. Toki was unsure and wary about her profession mutation, but not too much had changed. She was certain, though, that they could have bypassed the system and enacted their revenge unhindered. Seemingly, the only limit to the karma clause was that it had to be a proportionate response. You can¡¯t kill off a planet if the other party only fail to give you an apple. I suppose that¡¯s karma. There were two questions that Toki wondered about. The first was whether the clause could be discovered or if it required a [Target] designation. Chad had messaged in the chatgroup that his father was able to see through the contract. Whether it was because he was a powerful lich or if he was also a [Target], she was uncertain. She was also unsure whether the clause applied to her as well if she reneged on a contract. In this case, Toki wasn¡¯t afraid. Her situation was already quite dangerous and she had more to gain by adding it here. As Toki placed the final brick on the forge, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. With a final nod of approval, Toki turned and made her way towards the shore, leaving the forge behind. She had instructed the monkeys to begin heating the forge with fire to burn the bricks to prepare them and to continue making them while she was away. I think they understood. After her meeting with Chad, her mind had continued racing with possibilities, contemplating her next steps. Chad had agreed to her conditions. His team would arrive within the next few days and he would arrange for her bounty to be ¡®Captured-Alive.¡¯ Unfortunately, the supplies would arrive at a later date. The meeting had set things in motion, but Toki knew that the true challenges still lay ahead. As Toki made her way towards the beachfront, Marsha''s parting words replayed in her mind. Toki had stuck around after Chad had left the white room. The lawyer''s accent had taken on a more serious tone as she delivered her warning. "Listen up, dollface," Marsha had said, her eyes narrowing. "That [Chimeric Entanglement] of yers? Keep it under wraps, ya hear? I''ll check some of my discrete channels and put out some feelers for that beast core, but it might paint a bigger target on yer back than the dragons." Toki had nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Marsha had continued, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "And lemme tell ya, Pendulum ain''t the only one who''s gonna want a piece of that action. Ya watch your back out there, kid. Careful which beasts you tell about it." The mention of Pendulum had no impact on Toki. She knew Zeppo had mentioned the organization, but she had no concept of the organization¡¯s scale or importance. Toki''s thoughts instead drifted to the deal she had struck with Chad. When she had informed Marsha and asked if the coffee was Aris''s secret, the lawyer had let out a hearty laugh. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Oh, honey," Marsha had said, wiping a tear from her eye. "You think coffee''s the big secret? That''s just the tip of the iceberg. The true secrets of Aris? They''re hundreds of times grander than some fancy java. But¡­" Toki had asked for the cost of M-Brew from Marsha and had done a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation. Even a small 100-acre farm was more crystals than she could even fathom. Fear gripped her at the thought of the real secret¡¯s value. Toki had leaned in, eager to learn more, but Marsha had held up a paw. "Listen, sugar. If word gets out about yer little coffee operation? It''ll bring a whole new level of chaos to the mix. Ya keep that under your hat for now, ya dig?" As Toki reached the shore, the weight of Marsha''s words settled upon her shoulders. She knew that the path ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty. The undead wouldn¡¯t reveal it either. For benefits. With her newfound ally, Toki felt a glimmer of hope. She would head towards the World Hub so she could advance. With a group of [Elites] it might be possible. Only then would she start the world trial. A ¡®simple¡¯ escort mission. Ha. She gazed out at the endless fluorescent lake, the waves lapping at her feet. The world was changing, and Toki knew that she had a pivotal role to play. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. With a determined stride, Toki set off along the shore, her mind already racing with plans for her next move. She would engage with One and Four, gather their support by force if need be, and then head back to the surface to confront Golgheim. If they arrived by then, she would rendezvous with Chad''s team. Easy-peasy. Toki approached the slain cowcrab king, its carapace gleaming in the oceanglow. She knelt beside the massive creature, drawing her hammer. A new group of monkeys had followed her on the beach. They were always watching and learning from her actions. With practiced precision, she broke into the shell, prying it apart to reveal the glistening innards. There, nestled among the organs, lay the beast core. Toki reached in, her fingers closing around the warm, pulsing sphere. As she pulled it free, the core seemed to throb with a life of its own, its surface shimmering with an iridescent sheen. It was a deep yellow and Toki could feel the latent mana inside. The monkeys gathered around and their curious eyes fixed on Toki''s prize. She held up the beast core for them to see. ¡°These are always important. If you find them, keep them for me.¡± It was the size of a small melon, its exterior a swirl of yellow. Thin, luminescent veins crisscrossed its surface, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. Toki turned her attention to the cowcrab meat, sorting through the flesh to find the choicest morsels. She beckoned the monkeys closer, demonstrating which parts were ideal to eat. But as she worked, a pungent odor assaulted her nostrils. To her dismay, the king''s meat had already begun to spoil. Undeterred, gestured to the monkeys, using simple signs to convey her message. "Gather crabs," she motioned, pointing to the shoreline. "Smaller ones, like this." The monkeys chittered excitedly, scampering off to begin their hunt. As Toki waited for their return, she found herself drawn back to the beast core. She turned it over in her hands, marveling at its weight and the way it seemed to pulse in sync with her own heartbeat. If I kill enough cowcrabs, I might be able to do what Dutch did. [Carapace Art], had already partially been completed in her last fight with the cowcrabs, and was specifically derived from them. There has to be a link. With a sigh, Toki set about preparing a fire pit. She gathered driftwood and dry seaweed, arranging them in a neat pile. Using her shadowflame, she ignited the kindling, watching as the flames danced and crackled. The events of the past few days had taken their toll, both physically and emotionally. She needed good food as much as the monkeys did. As the fire grew, Toki settled herself beside it, gazing out at the fluorescent ocean. The waves lapped at the shore, their gentle rhythm a soothing balm to her troubled thoughts. She marveled at how much had changed in such a short time. It felt as though a lifetime had passed, and yet, in these singular moments, everything had been irrevocably altered. Toki''s next thoughts drifted to the impending meeting with the Primes. The change in the bounty would signal to One to hold another council meeting. She knew that she had to take control of the situation this time, to assert her newfound authority and influence. With two votes at her disposal, she wondered if the balance of power might shift in her favor. The Primes had been scheming, preparing a trade agreement that would siphon off funds and monetize the coffee trade. Toki''s brow furrowed as she pondered just how much they knew, and who stood to benefit from their machinations. She resolved to uncover their plans and reveal her own ideas for dealing with the Kathoric Dynasty. She could pressure both One and Four using her willingness to start the world trial. As Toki lost herself in thought, the monkeys returned, bearing their quarry. Four of them carried incapacitated crabs, their howls filled with excitement. But the fifth monkey held something else, something that made Toki facepalm in exasperation. It was a bucket filled with shells. Empty shells. With a flick of her wrist, Toki''s shadows darted out, swiftly dispatching the crabs.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Carapace Art (60/100)]
She selected the largest one and placed it in the fire pit, watching as the flames licked at its shell. The smell of cooking crab beef filled the air, mingling with the salty tang of the ocean. When the shell turned a brilliant red, Toki grinned. She reached into the fire and cracked open one of the crab''s legs. The meat inside was succulent and sweet, made all the more delectable by a sprinkle of a little salt. Toki tore off a piece and offered it to the silly monkey, the one who had brought back the shells. The monkey''s eyes widened in delight as it tasted the savory morsel, its excited howling drawing the attention of its companions. "Enjoy it while you can, little one. Teach this to your friends. When I come back, I¡¯ll teach you some more tricks." Toki murmured, a wry smile tugging at her lips. A movement caught her eye, and Toki turned to see a couple of the monkeys gathering sticks and stones, their nimble fingers arranging them in a familiar pattern. She raised an eyebrow, impressed by their ingenuity. "Well, would you look at that," she mused aloud. The monkeys were constructing their own fire pit, mimicking the one Toki had built earlier. As the monkeys feasted on the crab, Toki''s thoughts returned to the challenges that lay before her. The Primes, the Kathoric Dynasty, the secrets of Aris¡ªthey all loomed large on the horizon. But for now, in this moment of respite, she allowed herself to savor the simple pleasures of good food and unlikely companionship. Tomorrow would begin the storm. Toki watched the monkeys call their brothers and sisters, teach them the art of cooking crab. They set up a feast. Toki had taken the life of 6 more cowcrabs and her [Dearly Departed] had pilfered six more parts of the [Carapace Art]. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and despite the weight of her responsibilities, she found herself smiling. It was a rare moment of peace in a world that seemed determined to keep her on her toes. She briefly thought about Edgar. He showed no signs of waking up. The Elder had agreed to watch over him while meditating. When she returned to the surface, she would ask Edgar¡¯s father Eisel for help. It was the right choice. Eisel was a good father. With a deep breath, Toki pushed herself to her feet. The monkeys looked up at her, their eyes bright and curious. She smiled at them, a genuine smile that reached her eyes. Bone boy pulled through. Looks like it¡¯s time for my call.
[Aris planet-wide announcement: A 258 luck bounty has been placed on Toyko Twice [mortal]. Captured alive.]
Chapter 38 – The Leaders of Aris [Elara Twice] I¡¯ve called this meeting to discuss a potential alliance with the Kathoric Dynasty. I¡¯ll extend you a proportionate stake in a particularly sizeable opportunity in exchange for your support. [Zeppo Hammaltin] Why the fuck would we do that? What do those corpses have that we want, anyways? Isn¡¯t Four the one sellin¡¯ to them? [One] I agree. What value would their support bring? [Elara Twice] Coffee. It¡¯s the way off this planet. For me. For you. I¡¯m done with the grand plan. You all can stay, but I need to find¡­ I need to get out of here. [Four] You think coffee is going to get us off here? I''m in! [Elara Twice] It is if we¡¯re making M-Brew. [One] Letting people inside will bring chaos. [Two] Do you have any other leverage? [Elara Twice] Golgheim won¡¯t oppose. I''ll make sure of it. And I have a plan to get us off here. Don''t worry. [4 votes for, 1 against. Motion passed.] ¨C Elara Twice, Records of the Prime Council Chapter 38 ¨C The Leaders of Aris
[Prime Speaker has called upon the Primes of Aris for a meld ¨C agree?] [Timer: 10 minutes]
Toki strode into the Elder¡¯s clay beach house. Toki¡¯s joyful afterglow from the crab feast had faded, replaced by the seriousness of the system message. The Elder sat meditating in the center of the room, his imposing form radiating wisps of mana even in repose. How profound. I wonder what he is learning. Why does the mana behave that way with him? Edgar on the other hand lay sprawled unconscious on the floor nearby, his plumage muted in the dim light. Toki had left Edgar in the care of the Elder while she started distributing tasks and teachings to the other monkeys. As Toki approached the Elder once more, her expression hardened into one of grim determination. She placed a platter heaped with roasted crab meat in front of the meditative beast. "The monkeys have prepared food, Elder. I thought you might be hungry." The Elder''s amber eyes opened slowly, fixing upon her with piercing intensity. "Thou art most kind, Glassbreaker. Mine hunger is great after our battle." "I need to meditate and commune with the other leaders of this planet. Can I count on you to keep watch and make sure we''re not disturbed?" Alpha inclined his head. "Fear not, none shall pass whilst I stand guard. Commence thy meditation and trouble thyself not with worldly concerns." Toki allowed herself a small smile. "Thank you." I¡¯ll be plenty troubled by world-ly concerns. Sorry, Elder. She settled cross-legged on the floor next to Edgar and closed her eyes, preparing to enter the meld.
[3/4 Primes have agreed to council]
So Two is still alive. As Toki agreed, joyous howls erupted behind her, no doubt Alpha devouring the proffered meal with relish. The physical world fell away, and Toki found herself standing before the Council table. She was once again surrounded by darkness, save the paradoxical light of the table and chairs at the center of the room. Instead of the usual pentagon, the table had morphed into a square, with only two other Primes present - One and Four. She took her seat to the right of One, squaring her shoulders. This was her battlefield now. One spoke first, his voice resonating with authority. "It appears Three has failed in his attempt to slay the [Elite]. The updated bounty from the Kathoric Dyna¡ª" Toki met his gaze unflinchingly. "He''s dead." The words hung in the air, stark and unadorned. One made to ask another question but Toki cut him off with a sharp gesture. "I have Three''s vote now. I''m the [Elite]. And I''m the one who killed the dragon." She let that sink in for a moment, reveling in their shocked body language. Everything had changed. One and Four stood abruptly, their chairs sliding back against the floor. Disbelief etched into every line of their faces. "Sit down," Toki commanded, her voice ringing with newfound authority. She waited before dropping the next bombshell. "Two is still alive. She got away." Four sputtered, "But how? You weren''t even level 50! They both went after you? The Order of Whispers?" Toki shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as her heart raced. "Two and Three conspired to kill me. What''s a girl to do?" She leaned forward, fixing them each with a piercing stare. "Now sit down." As they sank back into their chairs, Toki''s mind whirled with calculations. Four wants to activate the world trial immediately, but that''s not favorable. Not yet. Toki needed to side with One for now, play the long game. "Let''s talk about this trade deal," Toki said, switching gears abruptly. "What exactly are the Primes getting out of it?" One and Four exchanged a look, their expressions deliberately blank. "What are you looking for, Tokyo? That is who you are, correct? I suppose that makes our previous Five, another Twice." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Eris? Perhaps Pamela? Or was it Elara?¡± Four added. Toki scoffed. "Cut the bullshit. I know about the coffee." She leaned back. "In fact, I was just chatting with the Kathoric Dynasty yesterday." One responded immediately. "Have you chosen to marry then?" A harsh laugh escaped Toki''s lips. "Fuck off." She stood, planting her hands on the table. "What this means is that things are about to change around here. And you''d better get on board, because I''m captain of this floating ship now." Toki continued after a dramatic pause. "The earliest Falkori combatants could arrive within the year. War is coming, and we must prepare. Whatever it is you¡¯re playing at ends here." She stared at Four then continued, ¡°Or perhaps when I meet the young master tomorrow, I¡¯ll shift the entire allocation to war materials.¡± I can¡¯t alienate Four in pressuring them, but I do need to force One back. "We are getting resources equivalent to the first year''s revenue upfront, then shares based on our stake after that. I am receiving herbs accounting for 14% of the gross. It would be unwise to reallocate the resources." Four answered first. As expected. I can¡¯t change allocation without breaking the game. ¡°Who is paying to harvest and scale the operation?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°Why are they so eager to please? There¡¯s no reason for them to pay up front here.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then you don¡¯t need to know. There is more to Aris than coffee.¡± One replied turning his head to Four. ¡°So I¡¯ve surmised.¡± Toki''s mind raced as she processed the information. The Dynasty was getting 33%, the elves 14%. That left 53% unaccounted for. She turned to One, her gaze sharp. "And what''s on the table for you, Two, Three, and Five?" One shifted. "I''m getting 10%," he finally admitted, flicking a material list from the system towards her. Toki scanned it quickly, realizing that the items were all exotic, many she''d never even heard of. "And the rest?" she pressed. With a sigh, One sent three more panels her way. Two''s list showed a deposit of 8% in off-planet crystal, while Three''s contained war materials, such as combat tinctures, elixirs, and what appeared like war rituals and siege equipment. Toki guessed he''d been planning further exploration into the depths. Or he wanted to lay claim to all of Alabaster Ring. But it was Five''s list, Elara''s, that caught her attention. 5% again went off-world, but the remaining 22% was a strange mix of materials and a single book: "On the Theory and Feasibility of Proxy Hubs." There are materials from Dutch¡¯s horde that we could use instead. The adamant requirement can be completely covered here. Toki frowned. "What''s a proxy hub?" "Five was convinced she could create a planet hub¡­ or at least a pretend planet hub," Four explained. "The council was skeptical, as the manasmithing requirements exceed Aris''s capabilities, but she wouldn''t be swayed." He shrugged. "We assumed the current Five-seat had similar plans." He held his arms up in a shrug. A chill ran down Toki''s spine. Elara had been willing to trade her life away. But had she also been planning something bigger? The nerve on that woman. Toki''s mind drifted to the last Twice council meeting. Even through the haze of her hangover, she remembered Copper and Marrow''s debate about trade materials. The elders were always plotting, always scheming. But Toki suspected there was a larger plan at work, one she wasn''t directly privy to. She couldn''t risk buying the materials for the proxy hub. Not without knowing if she or the Twice family could actually create the device. The elders might have tried to appoint a regent for her, but Toki refused to be a puppet. She would make her own decisions, forge her own path. A world hub would solve many of her problems, but she would have to deal with the Twice. With a deep breath, Toki turned back to One and Four. "I''m appropriating Three''s materials and Two''s stake." One''s eyes widened. "You can''t just take what isn''t yours. Two still has a claim to her vote." Toki met his gaze, her voice laced with steel. "This is wartime. If we want to survive, we can''t afford to squirrel away resources. If you''re not happy with that, I''m more than willing to trigger the world trial early." ¡°I call a vote to unrestrict Aris.¡± Four leaned forward, excitement gleaming in his eyes. One got up, then slowly sat back, his face tight with anger. ¡°Fine, take their stakes. Do not blame me for the repercussions. The order will not stand for it.¡±
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.] [1 votes for, 0 against. Motion failed.]
Toki nodded to One, ¡°We¡¯ll see what they have to say.¡± Then she looked meaningfully at Four. "I call a vote to claim the materials from Two and Three," Toki said, her heart pounding in her chest. She half-expected them to laugh in her face, to remind her of her place. But to her surprise, both One and Four nodded their assent.
[4 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.]
Toki allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before the weight of responsibility settled on her shoulders once more. She was playing a dangerous game, one where a single misstep could mean the end of everything she held dear. "There''s one more thing," Toki said, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. "I''ve arranged for Chad Velorum to arrive in Alabaster Ring. I''ll be taking the final list of materials to him for approval." One''s eyebrows shot up. "I urge you not to further adjust the allocation." Toki shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as her stomach churned with unease. "He has resources we need. I arranged for him to provide additional food supplies and he will be joining me as we descend to the coffee site." They don¡¯t need to know I brought him here to help me reach the hub. "And what makes you think he''ll agree to help us?" Four asked, skepticism etched into every line of his face. "Leave that to me." Toki''s smile was sharp, almost feral. "I can be very persuasive. If there''s nothing else, I have preparations to make." One and Four exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, One nodded, his expression unreadable. "Very well. I¡¯ll call a meet¡ª" ¡°Nuh uh uh. Nope. Not yet. I call a vote to change the Prime Speaker. I nominate Five.¡± ¡°Do not do this Four. You place us in the hands of an infant.¡±
[agree / oppose ¨C pick.]
Toki was surprised and unnerved. Becoming a player was one thing. She was unsure if she was ready for the leadership of all of Aris. Then again, these bastards are off siphoning resources for their own ends.
[3 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.] [Tokyo Twice has been appointed Speaker of Aris. Tokyo Twice has gained control over Prime system administrative features and delegation functions.]
Toki inclined her head, a gesture of respect that felt like ashes on her tongue. She turned on her heel and strode from the room, her footsteps echoing in the hollow space of her chest. Toki''s lips twisted into a bitter smile. She had always known that her path would be a difficult one, that she would have to make choices that others would balk at. But she had never imagined that it would lead her here. Chapter 39 – Titles Mother is insistent. In the last few days, she is melancholy¡­ and clingy? How strange and frustrating. Here I am trying to finalize my Forgework, and she sits nestled in the corner of my room, simply watching. When I converse, she cries. When I shoo her away, she devolves into a frantic grief. I know that she suspects my role in her king¡¯s death. But I don¡¯t sense grief for him. Instead, it is guilt. No. It is a deep sadness that is beginning to infect my forgework. I wonder if I stand a chance against Toki. Mother says that I should stay away from the beasts, but where is glory if I cower in fear? This is the way forward. I built this chalice out of hope. Hope that my revenge was enough. Hope that I can bear the grief, so that my mother would not have to. Dear mother, what is it that you mourn? ¨C Susie Q, Journal of Grievances Chapter 39 ¨C Titles Toki had got up for the table and started to move, but One''s voice stopped her. "Prime Speaker, the meeting has not been formally closed." Toki furrowed her brow. "What? Oh." Embarrassment flushed through her as she realized her mistake. Some great Council Speaker I¡¯m starting out to be. "You must access the system prompt and select the option to close the proceedings," One explained. Toki turned and gave a polite nod, then reached for her menu. She looked for the [Prime Speaker - Aris] title on her status and clicked in. An array of menus and options came up. She saw four menus. She scanned through them, searching for anything about closing a meeting.
[Faith] [Population Flags] [Broadcast Settings] [Council Functions]
Options sprawled before her ¨C the only one that was locked was Faith. Toki briefly looked into [Population Flags]. A list populated in front of her. It was a census¡­ so much power at her command now. At least over everyone who had been flagged by Aris. Toki went through and identified five titles that Aris screened for.
[[Murder Most Foul] ¨C Killed a sentient born on Aris.] [[Elite] ¨C Acquire three Master-stage support skills as a mortal.] [[Problematic_0] ¨C This is your first and only warning.] [[Problematic_1] ¨C I lied. You get two warnings. Next time, I¡¯ll come personally.] [[HiddenTitle_Target_Quest_Propagation] ¨C Generation of Aris-system hidden quests is enabled for target.]
These must be what the council is tracking. It makes sense to watch out for people who have murdered. Wouldn¡¯t this be helpful to the Allie Ring Protection Service? The only title Toki saw present in the list was [Murder Most Foul], but she didn¡¯t look past the first page. Toki closed it, saving it for later. When she mentally swiped it away, another prompt showed up. [As Prime Council Speaker, User Tokyo Twice has authority to integrate [Population Flags] into the interface. ¨C Integrate?] This must mean that I can tell if there are flags on someone. Sure. Confirm. Nothing changed. Maybe I have to look at someone who has been flagged. She shook her head, shoving aside the temptations. There. Under [Council Functions]. With a tentative mental nudge, Toki selected [Close Meeting] from the [Prime Council] function. A sense of finality thrummed through the meld space and then everything winked out. Toki opened her eyes once more, face burning at her rookie blunder. I¡¯ll have to carefully look at all these functions. As her awareness fully returned to the physical world, a wet smacking sound drew her attention. Alpha sat nearby licking his last piece of roasted crab. Toki pushed herself to her feet. It was time. The Primes were handled. She had to return to the surface and handle... everything else. Golgheim, first, for sure. "Elder," she said. The howler monkey looked up, amber eyes gleaming. "I have to go now. Back up top." Toki looked as a tag popped up above the Elder¡¯s head. [Murder Most Foul]. Interesting. The Elder regarded her for a long moment, then dipped his shaggy head in acknowledgement. "Understood. We will await your return." Toki swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Thank you. For everything." She glanced at Edgar, who was still unconscious. "I have to do this alone," she told him, reaching out to squeeze his wing-shoulder. "Stay with the Elder. I''ll... I''ll be back." She turned to the Elder, ¡°Please take care of Edgar.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The Elder nodded his head. Squaring her shoulders, Toki turned away from her new friends and began the trek back to the surface. During her walk, Toki explored the system authorities given to the Prime Speaker. She first examined the titles that were present on herself. Toki had to sift through the list, but she finally found her own name. Listed next to her were three titles. Luckily I''m not problematic yet. [Murder Most Foul], [Elite], [HiddenTitle_Target_Quest_Propagation]. The last one is strange. I''ll have to figure out how it was placed on me. I haven''t seen anyone else with it. Toki pondered the possibilities as she worked her way into [Broadcast Settings]. What Toki found was a giant list of external requests that called for attention. Requests from other planets... no, Empires. It appeared that most of the items on the list were added dozens if not hundreds of years ago. Most of them listed the vote of the council, though it appeared that some were just held in reserve. The most recent external request was the bounty from the Kathoric Dynasty, [3-0] - Passed. There were a string of votes leading up to this entry, all from the Dynasty. Probably the negotiations. Toki went back a couple hundred years reading through the different external decisions. The last centuries were relatively quiet. The major decisions were regarding how the Falkori Envoys were twisting their contract. Toki looked through it, but was disappointed that the council at the time let it pass unanimously [5-0]. So other empires have to go through the Primes to ¡®broadcast¡¯ to our system. It also appears that entry is regulated. Typically, only envoys are allowed to enter, or those who are negotiating a contract. That explains why Chad is planning to come down. Finding nothing of interest, she then went back all the way to the beginning. She looked at the first entry.
[Pendulum is requesting access to Aris [0-15] ¨C failed]
There it is. Pendulum again. Also strange that there were 15 council-members back then. Where did they go? Did they not bequeath their votes? Strange. Toki continued to skim the entries looking for the exact time when the council members disappeared. There is too much to unpack here. I need to go through this entire list to understand the history. Skimming won¡¯t be enough. In her analysis, Toki had arrived by the cliff. The stench of decay crept up Toki''s nostrils as she approached Dutch Eternal''s massive corpse. Its once-midnight black scales had dulled, and an empty eye socket stared accusingly from its skull. Toki paused, pulse quickening. Not so long ago, the mere thought of this beast had filled her with dread. Its hunger, its power, the depths of its arrogance. She''d been a different person then. Weaker. Afraid. But she had faced the dragon, hadn''t she? Stood before its leering maw, risked annihilation. The Toki of old was lucky. "I wonder," she murmured, resting a hand on her hammer. "If we battled now, would I..." She shook her head sharply. Pointless musings. The dragon was dead - she was alive. Victorious. She summoned a [Lesson]. 100% manadraw. With a crash, the shadow crashed into the corpse.
[[Dearly Departed] has pilfered Chimeric Entanglement (67/100)] [Chimeric Entanglement has reached partial comprehension]
A surge of knowledge poured into Toki¡¯s mind. She had solidly grasped concepts that she had circled around while with the monkeys. Now she understood, at least partially, the mechanisms of the pathways applied to the beast cores, and most importantly, shored up her foundations in manasmithing. Dutch Eternal¡¯s knowledge was esoteric and nuanced, so many of the insights were incomplete or cryptic, but this was still a treasure trove. Toki considered meditating on the details, but she knew it was not the right time. There would be plenty to do after she found Dutch¡¯s core and Edgar was safe. Toki looked once more at the dragon bones, scales, and hide. She quietly yearned to craft, but instead started her climb. The goal was in front of her and she couldn¡¯t get distracted. She had entered this cave with more questions than she could count. Now as she come forth from the maw, she had even more. Her mind flickered to her experiences down in the depths. She recalled the illusion placed on her by Kristina. Her stubbornness had pushed her to dispel it then, but now as she was climbing up, the consequences and responsibilities were real. She would have to face the world on the surface, tell them of the truths that lay below and reveal her role in it. A flicker of unease chased down her spine as Toki continued her climb, boots scuffing against rock. It had only been a couple days since she went down with Edgar. She¡¯d been on camping trips longer than this. Camping trips didn¡¯t include murder, though. Memories swam unbidden to the surface - the crunch of the woman''s skull, the man¡¯s frantic sobs as Toki cut his brother down... Those were real titles. Brother. Mother? What if they had family. What if they¡¯re waiting up there? The family she''d torn apart in her hunger for survival. Would they confront her, eyes burning with hate and grief? Could she face them after what she''d done? She certainly couldn¡¯t bear the thought of an orphan child waiting for her. Toki reached the cliff''s glass ceiling. It had regrown. Whatever mechanism this is, it¡¯s strange. Jaw clenched, she raised a hand, shimmering stars and flames dancing around her fingertips. She injected them into [Lessons] with 100% manadraw. She infused her shadows with a [Piercing] enchantment. People usually use [Piercing] on arrows as a low cost boost to penetration for their archery, but she fashioned the shadows into a pick and aligned it on the ceiling. She pulled out her hammer with her one free hand and stuck the pick all while holding onto the cliff face. The glass cracked under the onslaught, fragmenting into glittering shards. Again, Toki struck, until the glass shattered and only jagged edges remained. She clambered through the opening, ignoring the sting of cuts on her hands as she pushed her way through. The air above was cleaner somehow. Familiar. Toki continued climbing. Now only a short distance from the cliff''s edge. She blinked rapidly, disoriented. A soft sound reached her ears, muffled and haunting. Weeping. Toki froze, heart in her throat. It can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no way. She slowly climbed over the edge and turned her head. There, silhouetted against a boulder nearby, knelt Susie Q''s mother. A single beam of light shone from one of the openings above onto her. Her shoulders shook with each wrenching sob, face buried in her hands. It was not an orphan she found. No. It was quite the opposite. The bereaved. This was Lacey Q, mother of Susie Q. Toki''s stomach turned to lead. Her mouth went dry as old parchment. She had known, somehow, that this moment would come. That closure was demanded by the voice in her head, patient and inevitable as the tides of Aris. But not like this. Not with a mother''s raw sorrow, an anguish so visceral it stole the breath from Toki''s lungs. Her feet moved of their own accord, carrying her haltingly forward. Dread coiled in her gut, even as a strange urgency seized her. Toki approached Lacey. Behind the weeping mother was a tent city. There were people in the distance camped by the edges of the cavern, nearby the door. "I..." The woman''s head snapped up, eyes wide and gleaming with tears. Her lips parted in a silent gasp. Toki swallowed hard, palms slick with cold sweat. What could she possibly say in the face of such grief? What words could encompass the magnitude of what had transpired? She took a deep, shuddering breath. Drew on the core of steel that had seen her through countless trials. And stepped forward to meet Lacey the [Elite]. Chapter 40 – Burden of Responsibility [Elara Twice] I¡¯ll convince her. With her we can bargain with the Dynasty. You brought her here! I know you did! I know leverage when I see it. [Golgheim Vast] You¡¯re making a futile play to escape. They won¡¯t help you Elara. Those undead will claw their way into the planet¡¯s secrets, and you will force me to do what I need to¡­ to protect Bastion. [Elara Twice] Bastion this. Bastion that. Think for yourself, Golgheim. He¡¯s not coming back. He left you here and now all you have is us. [Golgheim Vast] Explain this to me. You think my coffee garden will convince them to help you? [Elara Twice] I do. And I suspect you know its value. [Golgheim Vast] ... I refuse. You¡¯ll be putting everyone at risk. When a new player enters such a contentious market, all hell will break lose. [Elara Twice] She was stolen by a fuckin¡¯ pirate, Golgheim! I will find her, with or without your help. If you plan to kill us all¡­ that¡¯s what you do when you don¡¯t like what people say, right?... If you kill us all, I¡¯ll release the news of the coffee. Maybe it¡¯s not the big boys that come sniffing, but I guarantee people will come. [Golgheim Vast] ¡­ This is how you wish to play it?... Very well. Don¡¯t expect any favors from me when your plan fails. The repercussions are your mess to deal with, Elara. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. [[Problematic_0] ¨C This is your first and only warning.] ¨C Elara Twice, Conversation with Golgheim Chapter 40 ¨C Burden of Responsibility Lacey rose unsteadily, her eyes never leaving Toki''s face. The air between them crackled with a thousand unspoken things. "You..." Lacey''s voice was raw, scraped thin by sorrow. "It''s you. Toki." Toki flinched at the sound of her own name, at the weight of recognition in Lacey''s gaze. She nodded mutely, throat tight. Lacey took a halting step forward, then another. Her hands trembled at her sides. "Is it true?" The question was barely a whisper, taut with desperate hope and dread. "What they''re saying about Susie... about my daughter... is it true?" Toki''s heart splintered in her chest. The truth rose up inside her, sharp and jagged, lodging behind her teeth. What could she say? That Susie was gone, snuffed out like a candle in the wind? That Toki herself had played a role in her demise, however unwittingly? She opened her mouth, but no words came. Only a strangled sound, half-gasp. Lacey''s face crumpled. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she lurched forward, closing the distance between them in two strides. Toki braced herself, muscles tensing. For a blow, for a scream of rage and recrimination. But Lacey''s arms went around her, pulling Toki into a fierce, desperate embrace. A mother''s embrace, achingly familiar even in its strangeness. "I fought for my world," Lacey whispered brokenly against Toki''s hair. "I gave everything. My crown, my happiness, my very self. And for what? Even here, my last child was taken from me." Her shoulders heaved with silent sobs, her tears hot against Toki''s skin. "I thought I could protect her. I thought... I thought if we just stayed quiet... but it wasn''t enough. I wasn''t." Toki stood frozen, heart breaking anew with every word. Lacey''s pain was a living thing, palpable and all-consuming. And beneath it, like an echo from the depths, stirred the old, familiar ache of Toki''s own loss. The void where her parents should have been. Where Elara should have been. Slowly, tentatively, she raised her arms to return Lacey''s embrace. Two daughters of broken worlds, clinging to each other amidst the ruins of all they had known. "Susie... she saved me." Toki''s voice was hardly more than a whisper. "I was ready to give up. she stood up for me, even in death. I don¡¯t know if it was spite or empathy, but I owe her dearly." Lacey drew back slightly, searching Toki''s face with red-rimmed eyes. "She did?" Toki nodded, a small, sad smile tugging at her lips. ¡°She was brave in the face of it. I should have done more, but it happened so quick. She was always that way ¨C standing straight against everything¡­ sometimes even her friends." A memory surfaced, bright and bittersweet. Susie, standing tall amidst both the rally and the jeers of the crowd, her grin fierce and defiant. The winner and loser of this year¡¯s Forgeworks competition. ¡°Before the competition, she said... she said that''s what queens do. They hold their heads high, no matter what. That if I lose, I should hold my head up high too." Lacey''s breath caught. For a moment, her expression was a battleground of grief and pride, love and loss. Then, slowly, she reached out to brush a strand of hair from Toki''s face. A mother''s gesture, infinitely tender. "She was right," Lacey said softly. "Young Susie was the last princess of a fallen kingdom. In her youth, countless tutors would grace our home. Even still, she learned that from you, Toki. Your strength, your courage... it inspired her. Don¡¯t think I wasn¡¯t watching." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Toki shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "But I failed her. I couldn''t... I couldn''t save her." "No." Lacey''s voice was fierce, almost angry. "You didn''t fail her, Toki. You gave her hope. That''s more than I..." She broke off, swallowing hard. "Is she... is there a body?" The words seemed to cost Lacey a tremendous effort. Toki shook her head mutely. "I have some of her belongings," she said. "But her body... it''s gone." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks, but her voice was steady. "Another of my children, laid to rest without a proper sending." The words had the cadence of ritual, of an old, old grief. From the folds of her cloak, she drew out a small, leather-bound book. A diary. "Her diary. I think... I think she''d want you to read it," Lacey said, holding it out to Toki. Toki took the diary, feeling the weight of it in her hands. The weight of Susie''s life, her hopes and dreams. "Thank you," Toki whispered. It felt inadequate, but it was all she had. Toki''s gaze fixed upon Lacey, studying the faded elegance etched in the lines of her face. ¡°I know this is the worst time, but how are you an [Elite]?" The question hung heavy in the air. Lacey''s eyes grew distant, a sheen of unshed tears glistening. "It seems you are wrapped in your grandmother¡¯s schemes after all¡­ I had told her before, Toki, I am not from this world. My world, Ispartika, fell to the solar krakens." Her voice wavered, a tremor of grief. "Cities crumbled in mere nights on my world. We united, we fought..." She drew a shuddering breath. "I grew up a warrior queen. I fought for our planet. I became an [Elite]. It was out of necessity. For our survival." A mirthless smile twisted her lips. "But in the end, we still lost." Toki leaned forward, brow furrowed. Susie¡¯s fantasy world was real? "But you had power? An [Elite] sh¡ª" "Violence alone is not enough." Lacey''s words cut sharp. "The galaxy is...complex. A lone planet against an empire?" She shook her head. "We thought the beasts simple-minded. But they outmaneuvered us at every turn. Played the game better than we ever could. They have context and support from above. From outside the cage." "Did you have no options? Syslaws, treaties?" Desperation tinged Toki''s words. "Contracts, lawyers...all meaningless without the power to enforce them." Lacey''s eyes hardened to flint. "Ispartika had no leverage left to wield. For that, I fear that the royals were responsible. We had a hand in letting them in." A sudden realization dawned. "Then how did you escape?" Pain contorted Lacey''s features. "My greatest shame. The Spearbreaker''s contract. It granted our royal family passage through the world hub. But..." A single tear traced down her cheek. "It meant abandoning our people to their fate. Qador¡­ my king, was never the same after we left." Toki''s heart clenched. What unimaginable anguish, to flee as your world burned. Unbidden, her thoughts turned to Susie and the cruelty she''d endured from her broken father. Toki held her tongue, unwilling to deepen Lacey''s wounds. Silence stretched between them, heavy with shared sorrow and grim understanding. The specter of annihilation loomed, an all-too-familiar nightmare for the fallen queen. And now, that same shadow darkened Aris'' horizon, an insatiable beast hungering to consume yet another world. Unease crept through Toki''s veins, chilling her blood. The parallels were too stark to ignore. Aris now stood on the same precipice, facing an inscrutable foe. "I failed her, Toki. I failed my daughter." Toki''s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" "The dragons." Lacey''s voice trembled. "I suspected they were just another breed of kraken, but I let Susie''s enthusiasm sway me. I was too permissive, too eager to see her smile again, to hope, after so much sorrow." A wave of empathy surged through Toki. She reached out, grasping Lacey''s hand in a gesture of comfort. The former queen''s fingers felt fragile, like delicate bird bones. "If you could go back, back to Ispartika," Toki ventured softly, "what would you do differently?" Lacey''s gaze turned distant, as if peering into the mists of time. "Alliances. Securing economic ties to weather the storm. Fortifying our warfronts. We made many mistakes." Her jaw clenched. "And I would have gutted every last one of those abominations." Toki shivered at the venom in Lacey''s tone. The queen''s warrior spirit still burned beneath the surface, even tempered by loss and regret. "Lacey, I killed that dragon. But now Aris may as well face the same future," Toki murmured. "The fate of this world rests on my shoulders, but I don''t know if I have the strength to carry it. Everyone here is either deceiving me, using me, or trying to kill me. What do I do?" Lacey''s arms enfolded Toki in a fierce embrace. "Oh, child. I would never wish such a burden on anyone, not even my bitterest foe." Toki pulled back, searching Lacey''s face. "Is there truly no hope, then? Is Aris doomed to suffer Ispartika''s fate?" Lacey struggled inside, her eyes flickering with an inner battle. "I... I put up my spear a long time ago, Toki," she began, her voice wavering. "When we fled Ispartika, when we lost everything... I left that life behind." Toki frowned, her gaze drawn to Lacey''s trembling hands. The scars of countless battles etched her skin, a testament to the warrior she once was. The warrior she still could be. "I¡¯m an [Elite], Lacey, and this is my world. My everything," her voice soft but firm. "That''s not something I can just walk away from. It''s in my blood, my soul. Even when it drags me down. Even when I have no reason to fight for it. How can I walk away?" Lacey''s shoulders sagged, the weight of her past pressing down upon her. "If Aris falls," Toki continued, her eyes blazing with determination, "I won''t rest until every last one of those beasts is nothing but cosmic dust. I need your help. I know I have no right to ask you this, but I need your strength, your experience. I need someone strong that I know doesn¡¯t have hidden plans. Together, we can avenge Ispartika and save Aris." For a long moment, Lacey was silent, her gaze distant. Then, slowly, a smile curled her lips. It was a smile Toki had never seen before - fierce, feral, and filled with the promise of retribution. Lacey said, her voice ringing with newfound strength. "If it comes to that, if Aris falls... I will stand with you. I will take up my spear once more, and together, we will hunt those abominations to the ends of the galaxy. Tell your council that I agree to their arrangement." For the first time, Toki saw a flicker of the queen Lacey had once been. A warrior. A leader. An [Elite]. Lacey nodded and turned away. ¡°I need to prepare.¡± Prepare for what? What arrangement!? Toki nodded with mixed feelings, "Lacey? Lacey! I¡¯ll meet you back here then... you¡¯ll have to clue me into this arrangement." Toki called out to her back. Lacey waved her off. As she walked away, Toki could see the weight on her shoulders slipping off. Each step added confidence. Added poise. Her bearing changed and Toki finally realized that she had just recruited a queen. Toki took one final look at Lacey and the tents behind her and turned towards the secret entrance. I wonder why they are camping here. She put it to the back of her mind and started onwards to face Golgheim. Chapter 41 – The Beat of our Steps A forge crackles with the heat of a hearth. The room smells of burning coal, and the rhythmic clang of hammer on metal echoes. A young girl, no older than fourteen, stands at the anvil, frustration etched on her face. Her hands tremble slightly as she attempts to shape the heated metal, but it¡¯s not working. The metal bends incorrectly, and she sighs deeply. The mentor, an older ¡®smith, watches from a distance. He approaches her quietly. [Golgheim Vast] You have been at it for a while now. How do you feel? [Tokyo Twice] *Throws the hammer in frustration* I feel like I¡¯m useless! No matter what I do, it¡¯s wrong. I can¡¯t get the shape right. I just... I don¡¯t understand how you make it look so easy. [Golgheim Vast] It is never easy. Not at first. But you know, Tokyo... metal is like a puzzle. You cannot rush it. It has a rhythm, a life of its own. You need to listen to it. [Tokyo Twice] I don¡¯t get it. Why isn¡¯t it working for me? I¡¯ve been trying for hours, and it still looks like a pile of scrap! [Golgheim Vast] *Picks up the hammer, running his fingers along the steel.* I have seen you make progress. You have learned the basics quickly, faster than most. But the key... the key is patience. Metal does not bend to impatience. It bends to understanding. To the time you spend learning its character. [Tokyo Twice] I don¡¯t think I have the patience for it. [Golgheim Vast] Oh, you have it. You just don¡¯t realize it yet. Patience is not something you just have; it is something you grow into. It comes from the quiet moments, when you stop forcing it and just... feel it. Watch it. *Steps closer, lifting the hammer from the anvil and positioning her hands on the tool with care.* Every strike you make... you learn more about the metal. It is not about getting it right instantly. It¡¯s about learning how to listen to it. What does it need? What does it tell you as you work? That is where you¡¯ll find your strength. Not in the hammer or the metal itself, but in your own heart. [Tokyo Twice] But what if I fail? What if I mess it up again? [Golgheim Vast] You will. Fail, I mean. You will mess up plenty of times. But that is the beauty of it. Each mistake... each misstep... it brings you closer to the next strike. The next time you¡¯ll be better. You¡¯ll see the metal differently. And soon, you''ll hit it just right. *Motions toward a few of his older, completed works¡ªblades, tools, and intricate pieces of art. Look at these. They weren¡¯t born perfect. Each one took time, sweat, mistakes. But in the end, they became something more. Just like you will. [Tokyo Twice] You really think I can get there? [Golgheim Vast]I know you can. The universe has a way of showing us that we can do things, even when we don¡¯t believe it ourselves. And right now, you are on that path. You just have to trust yourself¡ªand trust the process. Sometimes, the hardest part is simply believing that you can. And I believe in you. [Tokyo Twice] I won¡¯t give up. I promise. ¨C Tokyo Twice, Conversation with Golgheim Chapter 41 ¨C The Beat of our Steps Toki stepped onto the gravel path that wound its way into the woods toward Golgheim estate cabin. Her boots crunched softly against the stones. The sound was an anchor against the confusion and dread that swirled inside her. She attempted to steady her breathing by focusing on the rhythm of her steps, but her heart thumped erratically, betraying the chaos in her head. As she advanced, the path seemed to narrow ahead of her. Toki''s mind, slipped through the years like pages in one of her worn storybooks, landing upon a day drenched in sunlight¡ªa stark contrast to the present drizzle and gloom. She was young then, her hands clumsy and her grip uncertain on the cold, heavy hammer that Golgheim had placed in her palms. Back then she did not understand the rhythm of it ¨C the affair between smith and metal ¨C unlike Golgheim who demonstrated it with an effortless grace. There was warmth in his gaze as he watched her fumble, then slowly improve. Toki did not know it then, but he shielded her, away from the disapproving glares of the clan elders who saw her as nothing but a shadow of her family''s illustrious past. A shadow to Oberon, who they wished inherited her Authority. "Focus on the beat, not the chaos around," Golgheim had advised, words that resonated now more than ever. Within the safety of his cabin, she had found guidance in the tumult of her own self-doubt. He had been her anchor, grounding her. But that was a memory¡ªone that seemed increasingly distant with every step she took toward the reality that awaited her at the cabin. Toki''s boots sank into the soft earth as gravel gave way to mud, a muffled squish against the silence that enveloped her. The path to Golgheim''s estate cabin was quiet. She halted, for just a moment and took in the chill air as she searched the barren branches for any sign of movement, any flicker of life. There was none. The white strands of her hair fluttered in the breeze, despite the unsettling stillness that had seeped into the woods. Toki¡¯s mind once again turned to Golgheim¡ªa heaviness pressed upon her heart, squeezing until it hurt to draw breath. As Toki gazed toward the path that wound its way to the inevitable confrontation, she struggled with the jagged pieces of the man ¨C the man who had defended her, who had given her hope when she felt lost, and the same man whose secrets now cast long shadows over her and the entire planet¡¯s future. How could the protector of her youth be the architect of such darkness?Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The trail to Golgheim¡¯s estate was familiar. She had spent many nights admiring Amithus at the cabin, often watching Alabaster Ring from above, observing the hustle below. She tried to shake away the flood of memories, but his chuckles were all-encompassing ¨C they were proof that warmth and wisdom could coexist within one soul, unlike Elara who contained all of the wisdom, but none of the warmth. Toki couldn¡¯t help it. Now, those same guffaws rang hollow in her ears. Where had that Golgheim gone? Or had he ever truly existed beyond her na?vet¨¦? As the path curved away from view, Toki''s pace instinctively quickened, driven by a restless energy. He sent me down there, knowing full well the danger and the futility of it. He had already taken the core. The more I find out¡­ murder, conspiracy¡­ the more I can¡¯t trust him. But why is it so hard to let him go? Her heart clenched as she mourned the loss of the man she thought she knew. Trust was not easily shattered, yet here she walked amidst the shards of her own. With the cabin''s weathered wood creeping into clear view, she halted as hesitation rooted her to the spot. How would she face him? She knew that she needed answers, that she needed the core. He always talked about patience and balance, but I know him better. I¡¯ll have to fight him. The cabin door, once an inviting threshold, now loomed. Her hand lingered over the hammer at her side. In the stillness, Toki''s thoughts careened towards darker shores, pondering the ripple effects of Golgheim''s hidden dealings. The biggest question she held still was why Elara was forced to meet the dragon. It was a betrayal so deep, that Toki questioned whether he would just kill her off as well. A flicker of movement in the periphery of her vision caused her to pause, heart leaping into her throat. But it was only the wind, playing tricks with the leaves. She almost wished for an unseen enemy to leap from the darkness¡ªan opponent she could face head-on rather than her doubts about Golgheim. Either way, there was no turning back; the truth lay ahead, concealed within the walls of that cabin. She moved forward, not as the na?ve girl who once hung on Golgheim''s every word, but as a woman reborn from the trials of the weaver, the prime speaker of Aris, the [Elite]. She closed her eyes, allowing herself one final moment of respite. Inside her mind, she crafted the image of the mentor she once knew, letting it fill her with the courage she needed. Then, casting aside the last vestiges of doubt, Toki opened her eyes, her gaze hardened with purpose. Toki used her hammer to break down Golgheim¡¯s estate cabin door sending splinters into the warm entryway. She strode into the estate cabin, her face etched with a seriousness that seemed foreign on her usually playful features. "Toki, my dear! What a pleasant surprise," Golgheim exclaimed, his voice warm. Toki remained silent, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. Golghiem pressed on, "Tell me, how goes your training? Have you grown stronger since we last spoke? And what of your lawyer¡ªany news on that front?" How he spoke struck Toki like a hammer to the chest. Toki suspected that he was fully aware aware of the storm brewing within his prot¨¦g¨¦. She held back the tears that welled in her eyes, struggling to contain the torrent of emotions threatening to spill forth. How could he be so callous, so cavalier? "Why?" The word tore from Toki''s throat, raw and anguished. "How can you be so flippant?... You were my mentor, and now you''re content to watch me march to my death? Did you know of Two ¨C of Hammaltin? Did you know they almost killed me down there? Very nearly killed Edgar!" Her voice cracked, betraying the depth of her pain. Golghiem''s expression remained steady. "Toki, it is not my place to control the path you walk or the destiny you fulfill. In fact, I can not. My duty as your guide is to ensure that you have the tools and the strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead for you, to give you the best chance of survival in a universe that is unforgiving." He paused, his ancient eyes filled with a wisdom born of millennia. "The choices you make, the battles you fight¡ªthose are yours and yours alone. I cannot shield you from the consequences of your actions, nor can I spare you the pain of loss and sacrifice. If I did, I would only be pulling a plant by its roots." She understood, on some level, the complexities of his role, but understanding did little to ease the ache in her chest, the sense of betrayal that gnawed at her. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as she fixed Golgheim with an accusatory glare. "How can you stand there and speak of paths and destiny when you''ve done nothing but deceive, manipulate, and control? My own path included!" she spat, her voice trembling with barely contained fury. "You talk of choices, of sacrifices that must be made, but what about the people you''ve sworn to represent? What about the lives you''ve destroyed in who knows what purpose? You belittle me talking of choice. I had no choice ¨C down there, I had force the choices into existence!" She took a step forward, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "You murdered the Primes, the very beings you were meant to serve. You''ve played games with empires, pulling the strings from the shadows like some kind of puppet master. And for what? To protect what? It obviously wasn¡¯t me. Obviously not Elara! Obie!" Toki''s voice dropped to a whisper, raw and ragged with emotion. "Tell me, Golgheim, do you even care for the people? Are they just pawns in your cosmic chess game against Pendulum?" She laughed then, a bitter, mirthless sound. "Perhaps I''m the next prime on your list. Will you strike me down too, if I don''t fit into your carefully laid plans?" Golgheim watched her in silence, his expression unreadable. Then, with a wave of his hand, the cabin estate around them began to dissolve, the walls and ceiling crumbling away into nothingness. The ground beneath their feet shifted and churned, the earth itself responding to the ancient being''s will. With a wave of his hand, he transformed the surrounding land into flat earth. An arena. "Is that why you''ve come, Toki?" he asked, his voice low and measured. "To fight me on the very order of things?" He shook his head, a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "I had hoped for better from you. Of greater understanding." Toki stood her ground, even as the world fell apart around her. "I came for answers," she said, her voice cold and hard as steel. "I came to understand why you''ve done the things you''ve done, why you''ve betrayed everything I thought you stood for. I¡¯ve come for the dragon¡¯s core, Golgheim." Golgheim sighed, a sound that carried the weight of ages. He looked at the hammer in Toki¡¯s hand "Of course," he murmured, reaching for the hammer at his back. "We are people who seek answers with our fists, who settle our disputes in the dust and the blood." He met Toki''s gaze, a challenge and an invitation in his eyes. "So be it, then." Chapter 42 – Inevitable We are winning skirmishes now, but we haven¡¯t been able to flush the Pendulum leaders out of hiding quickly enough. Our supplies won¡¯t last long enough to finish this war. By year¡¯s end, reinforcements from the center that can match me and the forward guard in strength will begin filtering into the system for benefits. Our specialists have been delayed in replicating a protocol ladder and the undead empire has been cagey regarding their phylactery secrets. We will have to accept the proposed armistice deal and plan for our designs to be prepared by the time we are released. Release not a word about our plan under the system. Not even Golgi-boy can know ¨C he is linked so tightly to it that we cannot risk further dissemination our plans. My only fear in leaving now is that he will become much too attached to this rock when it finally comes time to relinquish it. He is still too young and much too inexperienced to be placed as steward of this incubator. ¨CCalaban Run [Spearbreaker] Chapter 42 ¨C Inevitable Toki''s gripped her own hammer tightly. She knew, deep down, that this was a fight she couldn''t win, that Golgheim''s power likely far exceeded her own. But she also knew that she couldn''t back down, couldn''t let his actions go unchallenged. Her mind flashed to the contract sigil - she also had a hunch that he wouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t kill her. As they faced each other, Toki felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. Whatever happened next, she would face it head-on, with the same unyielding spirit that had carried her through every trial thus far. With a roar of defiance, she charged forward. The clash of hammers reverberated through the air as Toki and Golgheim collided, her weapon returning in heavy recoil. Toki gritted her teeth as the force of Golgheim''s blow sent shockwaves up her arms. She stumbled back, barely managing to parry his followup strike. He¡¯s not holding back. Golgheim pressed his advantage, his hammer a blur of motion as he rained down blows upon Toki''s defenses. The impacts knocked the wind from her lungs, and she felt her physical strength beginning to wane. But still, she fought on, fueled by the anger and betrayal that burned in her heart. "Why?" she gasped out between strikes, her voice breathy with exertion. "Why protect Bastion at the expense of our people? Why are their lives worth more than ours?¡± Golgheim''s face remained impassive, but Toki saw a flicker of something in his eyes. His hammer descended with even greater force and knocked Toki away. Fighting with his hammer ¨C that is his path, not mine. Toki summoned a single shadow claw from [Lessons], 100% manadraw. She reengaged and used it as a silent partner. As Toki dodged an unwieldy strike, the claw struck. Golghiem parried the follow-up, so she would strike again. Like this, the cadence of the battle shifted in favor of Toki, as Golgheim was pushed to the defensive in a series of flourishes. Toki used the opportunity to split [Lessons] in two, 50% each. The appearance of a third duelist claw put pressure on Golgheim¡¯s flank and gave Toki an opportunity. Unfortunately, he leaped back, before her hammer connected with his left ankle. ¡°Why!¡± Toki roared. Golgheim put distance between them, and Toki felt the earth tremble beneath her feet as he drew upon his elemental powers. Massive chunks of rock and dirt tore free from the ground, hovering in the air around Golgheim like a swarm of angry wasps. With a gesture, he sent them hurtling towards Toki. "There are things in this world more important than any one life, Toki," Golgheim said. "When faced with a larger purpose, sacrifices must be made. I am but a servant to that purpose, a cog in a machine." He rose further into the air, his body wreathed in a nimbus of crackling energy. The ground bucked and heaved, massive fissures opening up around Toki as Golgheim unleashed more of his power. Toki''s shadow claws transformed into a phalanx around her to defend against the incoming rocks. She used [First Burn] to enchant the shields with [Empower Armor]. 33% manadraw for two. Toki took the hits head on and lunged forward using her last 33% on a newly formed shadow spear which she threw at Golgheim''s face. He batted it aside with a wave of his hammer. ¡°You are the fucking planet! How can you be the cog! Ho¡ª¡± "Can you say you would act differently!¡± He interrupted, ¡°If the fate of the world rested upon your shoulders?" he asked, his gaze boring into Toki. "If you carried the burden, what choices would you make? Would you let Aris die in exchange for those you care about?" Toki''s mind raced, even as she dodged and parried the maelstrom of earth and stone. She thought of the people of Alabaster Ring, of the countless lives that hung in the balance. Could she truly say that she would put her own above all else? ¡°I would burn my enemies before they could!¡± Lacey Q¡¯s story came to mind, and she hesitated. The stories Kristina told her of Golgheim made her frown. ¡°And how many would die in your crusade?¡± Elder and his monkey family flashed in her mind next. They were innocent lives she had used in her quest for the dragon''s core. The weight of that guilt settled in her chest. "I don''t know," Toki admitted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the battle. "But I do know that a path that requires the ignorant sacrifice of innocents is no path at all. There must be another way, a better way. Alabaster Ring has no idea that they are just a shield for your war."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "Is this what you¡¯ve learned from your primes? " Golgheim said, his voice tinged with something like sadness. "Would you listen to leaders like Hammaltin or Cheopx, knowing their crimes? It seems you are the ignorant! Elara raised you better!" He summoned lightning from the rain clouds, great arcs of crackling energy that split the sky and set the air ablaze. Toki''s shields dissipated under the onslaught. She summoned more shadows as claws, but they were instantly vaporized by the arcs. Toki gritted her teeth as she took a bolt to the shoulder. "I am the prime now! I will start the world trial if that is what it takes! I will burn down your coffee garden! We should know what we face! Whether it is from entire worlds, the primes, or you!¡± Golgheim scoffed, ¡°You think agency is so easy to earn? Fate is not broken so easily!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break yours!¡± She thought of the spearbreaker then, the legendary figure Golgheim had sworn his allegiance to so long ago. "Who was he, Golgheim? The spearbreaker?¡± She paused the exclaimed, ¡°And why do you cling to his memory, even now!?" Toki once again invoked the improved [Bindings of Tyndall] from her boots and pulled it into existence. From the nothingness, she summoned forth another paradox shadow. It wavered as if it was flickering in and out of the world. Toki drew upon [Lessons] to pull a shadow claw from within. 100% manadraw. Shit. I can¡¯t control it! The claw pulsed with power. She couldn¡¯t stabilize the form, so she directly sent it towards Golgheim. It was a wild and reckless force that threatened to backlash towards herself. Golgheim''s dived to meet the attack and his hammer struck Toki''s shadow with a resounding clang. The force of the impact sent shockwaves of mana. He stood in front of her amidst the breaking light. "He lost so much, sacrificed so much, all in the name of unity. It was a belief that resonated throughout integrated space. For a time, he brought the entirety of Cazoran together - beasts and humans alike, working towards a common peace. But there were those who sought to tear it all down, to undo everything he had built." "I bear the burden and privelege of his legacy," Golgheim continued, his voice tinged with a deep, aching sadness. "The responsibility he entrusted to me... is a karma that will follow me until either he returns or until my days end." Toki''s frustration mounted as she launched herself at Golgheim once more, she created hundreds of shadows and used [Path of Swarms] to direct them at Golgheim. The shadows pursued with wild abandon. Yet no matter how hard or with how many she struck, how fiercely she fought, her attacks seemed to simply glance off his form. "What is the point of all this?" she cried out, her voice raw with desperation. Golgheim stood his ground and merely shook his head, his expression inscrutable. "You ask for answers I cannot give.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t¡± He shook his head, ¡°Do you know of the First War?¡± Toki paused her onslaught, but her hammer was still ready to strike, ¡°Should I?¡± He started slowly, ¡°The First War was a war of extinction. In humanity¡¯s age of early manatech, they were just reaching into the stars. The beast tribes were concerned ¨C they feared the greed, the jealousy, and the cruel nature of this new species. A hawkish alliance was gathered and decimated humanity¡­.¡± He let it sink in. ¡°Do you how humanity was able to survive?¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°They were as mortal as you, yet they contended against stage-1, stage-2 beasts.¡± Toki shook her head. ¡°They stalled, sacrificed, and ran until they could create something to push back the tides. Perhaps what the beasts really feared was this relentlessness. This¡­ hope.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this.¡± ¡°They poured a civilization¡¯s wealth, lives, and trust into their champions, created new war tactics, invented m-brew, quantum-mana stabilization engines, and weaponized an unimaginable variety of forgeworks. The system that you use now ¨C that all humanity uses ¨C that¡­ that was their grand design, Tokyo. I do not expect you to understand the depths of Mabu¡¯Aris or the spearbreaker¡¯s plan, but I do suspect that your journey will take you there before this is all through.¡± "All I ever wanted was to forge, I never wanted any of this." With a heavy heart, Golgheim channeled his power, breaking away a wedge of earth behind him to reveal a cliff''s edge overlooking Alabaster Ring. The sun shone through where his ability parted the clouds. The sight that greeted Toki''s eyes as her eyes moved to the precipice made her blood run cold. Toki dashed toward the edge. The town was in ruin, the once-proud elvish buildings now broken, burned, or completely destroyed. And there, amidst the chaos and destruction, lay the shattered remnants of the Twice estate. "You think you are not at war already? You have chased some faraway truth, but hid from the truth in front of you," Golgheim said, his voice heavy with sorrow. "You left them to fight a war they could never win. Power vacuums lead to war, Tokyo." It can¡¯t be¡­ The dragons shouldn¡¯t be able to get in. How¡­ how? Toki''s knees buckled beneath her, and she sank to the ground. "How¡­ I... I never meant for this to happen," she whispered. ¡°When greater forces clash, even the best of intentions can lead to tragedy. I have always been willing to change, to adapt, in order to ensure the survival of our world. But there are some things that even I cannot control." ¡°What happened¡­¡± The tears she had struggled to control earlier let loose. Golgheim shook his head. Through her tears, Toki''s mind latched onto a sudden, desperate thought. "The dragon core," she said, lifting her head to meet Golgheim''s gaze. "You sent me to find it, to retrieve it. We should have had time! Why? Why send me on a fool''s errand when I could have been here, I could have stopped this!" ¡°The moment you appeared in the quarry caverns that day, I knew that you could not have!¡± He rebuked, ¡°Not as you were. The moment you killed that dragon, you sealed the fate of this town. There would be no other ending ¨C one year, fifty years. This was inevitable. The moment that Elara blackmailed me all those years ago, I knew that chaos was coming.¡± He stopped briefly, softening. ¡°The only way you can stop this is by becoming strong enough to weather it.¡± He continued, ¡°Before, you asked me how to get stronger and I have showed you the way. Steel your heart, child, for this is not over.¡± As Golgheim turned to walk away, the ancient contract sigil suddenly flared to life beneath his feet, bathing the cliff in an eerie crimson glow. For a long moment, Golgheim simply stood there, his broad shoulders slumped as if under a great weight. Then, with a visible effort, he straightened his back and shook his head, as if casting off some unseen burden. "Here," he said gruffly, reaching into his robes and pulling out a small, glittering object. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it by Toki¡¯s kneeling form. She looked down at the object, her eyes widening in disbelief as she realized what it was. The dragon''s core, the very thing she had been searching for all this time. "You choose," Golgheim said, his voice heavy with fatigue and resignation. "Will you save your friend, or will you trade it away to save the world? I doubt you can do both." Toki''s heart twist with his words. She looked up at Golgheim, her eyes brimming with tears of frustration and helplessness. But the old man simply shook his head and turned away, his footsteps heavy as he walked off towards the forest. Toki watched him go, her fist clenching tightly around the dragon''s core as she struggled to make sense of it all. Chapter 43 – Eris is Undead This Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into by and between the undersigned parties: Party A: Golgheim Vast, hereinafter referred to as the "Protector," Party B: Tokyo Twice, hereinafter referred to as the "Subject." WHEREAS, the Protector acknowledges the importance of safeguarding the "Path" of the Subject, referred to as "Tokyo Twice''s Path," which represents a specific course, area, or undertaking associated with the Subject¡¯s interests, or activities, but does not represent the Subject¡¯s well being; WHEREAS, the Protector agrees to uphold the preservation, defense, and protection of said Path; ¡­ [Blackmail] ¨C Dissemination of memoranda on coffee production capability in the Aris subterranean ecosystem [Blackmail] ¨C Dissemination of memoranda on the historical records of the 15-seat council of Aris *Karma clause* [Uninterrupted Recourse] ¨C As the rights of the Subject have been sold to Margaret Twice of [Pendulum Associates], the system will not interfere in a proportionate response if [Pendulum Associates] seeks renumeration for failed compliance. [Blackmail] ¨C Dissemination of memoranda on strategic desynchronization of system protocols ¡­ ¨C Elara Twice, Contract with Golgheim Vast Chapter 43 ¨C Eris is Undead Toki knelt on the cliffside. The city below her lay in ruins ¨C it had only been days. As she watched, a piece of burnt paper drifted by, reminding her of the aeso that so often danced in the sunlight in her pondside room. "Obie," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I don''t know how to break this cage. I don''t know if I can." Her eyes stung. Images of her friends and younger siblings flashed through her mind, their faces now lost to the chaos. Toki''s hand clenched into a fist, her nails digging into her palm. A building below groaned, its foundation giving way. Toki barely flinched as it collapsed, sending up a plume of dust and debris. "How did it come to this?" she asked the empty air. "One minute I''m telling stories to the Twice kids, the next..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. A hysterical laugh bubbled up from her chest, quickly turning into a choked sob. Toki hugged herself tightly. "Oh, Obie," she whispered. " What am I supposed to do now?" Toki''s gaze fell upon the dragon core, its yellow crystalline surface glinting dully in the fading light. With trembling hands, she picked it up, feeling its weight - both physical and metaphorical - in her palms. "If I only have one choice," she murmured, her thoughts drifting to Edgar''s vibrant feathers and nervous smile, "I''ll choose to save Edgar, right? The world is already gone, and everything I care about..." Her voice trailed off as she considered the implications. Saving Edgar would make her different from Golgheim¡­ "But the survivors in the dragon mountain, the monkeys," Toki whispered, her brow furrowing. "Those ridiculous, infuriating creatures. Would it really be so easy to abandon them?" She closed her eyes, torn. A sudden noise behind her shattered her gloom. Without thinking, Toki spun around, pocketing the dragon core. She simultaneously unleashed [Lessons]. The dark, ethereal appendage shot out from the ground. The shadow claw connected with its target, and a grunt of pain echoed through the air. Toki''s eyes widened as she recognized the figure stumbling backward. "Alaric?" she gasped, her shadow claw dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. She quickly wiped away her tears. Her uncle hit the ground with a thud, his usually impeccable attire now covered in soot and debris. He stared at her, a mixture of surprise and admiration in his eyes. "Toki," he wheezed, struggling to catch his breath. "I... I didn''t know you could do that." Toki''s initial shock gave way to relief, then suspicion. She took a step back, edging closer to the cliff, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "What are you doing here?" Alaric pushed himself up, wincing slightly. "The worst has happened, Toki. The Twice estate... it''s gone¡­ Oh gods, we feared the worst when we couldn''t find you. I''ve been searching ever since." ¡°Are they¡­ all¡­?¡± ¡°No, some are safe in the forest, others relocated with the rest of the people.¡± A bitter laugh escaped Toki''s lips. " I left because I couldn''t trust any of you. Why should I trust you now?" Her uncle''s face fell, a flicker of hurt crossing his features. "Tokyo, please. I know we''ve never been close, but-" Alaric held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I''ve been working with¡­ worked with Elara. There''s information I need to give you. You disappeared before I could relay it." Toki''s eyebrows shot up at the mention of Elara''s name. She watched as Alaric''s gaze darted around, taking in the destruction surrounding what used to be Golgheim''s estate. "What happened here?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice. Toki swallowed hard, the memory of her argument with Golgheim still fresh and painful. "Golgheim and I... we had a disagreement," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I doubt I''ll see him again. Allie Ring¡¯s on its own now." As the words left her mouth, Toki felt the weight of them settle on her shoulders. She was truly alone now, wasn''t she? Family in the wind, no mentor, just her and the choices that lay ahead. The dragon core in her pocket seemed to pulse.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Alaric''s frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as he processed Toki''s words. "You were unable to get him to submit," he muttered, more to himself than to her. Toki''s head snapped up, her eyes widening. Those words... they echoed Elara''s letter with eerie precision. A chill ran down her spine, and she found herself taking an involuntary step forward. "How did you-" she began, but Alaric cut her off with a sharp gesture. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low and urgent. "In private, so the system can''t listen. You need to use your authority, Tokyo." She was barely holding herself together, but curiosity and a desperate need for answers overrode her hesitation. "Fine," she said, her voice cracking slightly. Toki brought out her flame and chanted, ¡°Within this flame, we hide the heart of truth, so no other flame shall wander," she continued, her voice steadier. "Beneath this cloak of pretense, let each word spoken here illuminate our path.¡±
[Suspension protocol JE-13 initiated]
Alaric glanced around once more before sitting down on a chunk of displaced earth. He motioned for Toki to join him, and after a moment''s hesitation, she did. "The Twice clan," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "most of them are hidden deep inside the planet¡­¡± He waited to gauge her reaction. ¡°We''re all just pawns, Toki. You, me, even Elara. Trapped in this cage of a planet for something our ancestors decided.¡± ¡°So they are down there in Bastion, huh.¡± ¡°So you knew of Mabu¡¯Aris? Elara... she wanted nothing to do with whatever is going on down there. She just wanted to find your mother. Many of us wanted to leave this place, but the planet''s¡­ Golgheim¡¯s restrictions wouldn''t allow us to leave. Tell me, are you aware of the dealings of the primes?" A humorless laugh escaped Toki''s lips. "I''m aware. I''ve got two votes now. I''m the prime speaker." The words tasted bitter on her tongue. Her uncle was shocked, but then a look of pity crossed his face. "Well it''s meaningless, Toki. This is what Elara ensured I warn you about. When Bastion sank, the council split. Those votes you hold? They''re just a carefully crafted illusion. How Elara learned of this, I have no clue. She just said that they are watching." He paused before continuing. ¡°She said that there were ten more votes hidden underground¡­ I really do wonder ho¡ª" As Alaric continued to hypothesize about the hidden factions, the true powers behind Bastion, Toki felt her world tilting on its axis once more. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile this new information with everything she thought she knew. The missing council votes I saw earlier. Is that why we can¡¯t start a world trial? But then why does Golgheim kill off the primes? "So, what?" she finally interrupted, her voice tinged with desperation. "We''re all just puppets to the hidden Twice family underground?" Alaric sighed, his gaze drifting to the destruction around them. "I doubt it is just Twice. Even Golgheim wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell you the details," he said softly, "he couldn¡¯t even protect Elara. Her gut was uncanny - she counted on the hidden council forcing his hand." ¡°Counted on it? Why?¡± ¡°For us. For you. For a chance to reunite you with your mother. To make up for being unable to save Oberon. Too many reasons to count.¡± ¡°For the contract she made?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Alaric, do you know what is in the contract?¡± ¡°No. That, she wouldn¡¯t tell even Copper or Eris.¡± Toki''s hand unconsciously moved to her pocket, feeling the weight of the dragon core. She thought of Golgheim, of Elara, of all the choices that had led her to this moment. Is this what the contract was for? No. There has to be more to it. Toki''s eyes narrowed, "Why didn''t you just tell me all this before? " Alaric shook his head, his rigid posture softening slightly. "I... I didn¡¯t know before, Toki. There are secrets even I wasn¡¯t privy to¡­ until the end. The biggest secret of all might be why we keep so many in the first place." A bitter chuckle escaped Toki''s lips. Toki recalled her flame and was met with an urgent message.
[Chad Vellorum is requesting immediate entry for four mortal [Elite]s and one stage-2 Aris citizen.] [Law Cats has forwarded an urgent message on behalf of NecroLaw Advocates: ¡°Let us in now!! Or the deal¡¯s dead! I¡¯ll be dead!... more dead. - husband¡±]
Interesting. Toki paused for a second to think it over. Chad¡¯s crew is still the best shot at finding answers down below. I just can¡¯t let them know I have no leverage now. She approved the envoy admission request. Her uncle''s brow furrowed, concern etching lines into his face. "I was worried sick when I lost sight of you at The Forgeworks. I was glad to see you were okay the morning after." "Okay?" Toki echoed, gesturing at the devastation around them. "I''m not sure that word applies to anyone right now." She paused, a thought striking her like lightning. "The Forgeworks feels like a lifetime ago." Her voice dropped, heavy with dread. "Alaric, what happened to Alabaster Ring?" Alaric''s gaze drifted back to the destruction sprawling before them, his eyes glazing over with a haunted look. Toki felt her stomach twist, bracing for the worst. "Eris is dead," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The words hung in the air. ¡°I know.¡± "Elder Marrow and Elder Pamela," Alaric continued, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone, "they''re traditionalists, siding with the Twice faction in Bastion. They always stood against us, believe we''re doing our duty on the surface, no matter the cost. They don''t even know the full extent of the secrets, yet their conviction is unshakeable." ¡°They killed her?¡± Alaric''s jaw clenched. "Not quite. Elder Copper, Elara¡¯s ally... he killed Eris. My mother. She no longer had Elara''s protection, and..." He trailed off, his rigid posture crumbling slightly. "She had done terrible things, Toki. All in the name of creating a future. Only Elara prevented Copper from acting. They all wanted to break free of this planet, but mother¡¯s methods... they¡­ strayed too far. The damn dynasty." The dynasty? Toki felt a pang of sympathy and suddenly regret. "I''m sorry, Alaric. I know Eris meant a lot to you." She reached out, hesitating for a moment before placing a hand on his arm. The gesture felt awkward, but sincere. As she watched her uncle struggle with his grief, Toki reflected on her own and couldn''t help but wonder how many more losses they would all have to endure before this nightmare ended. Toki trembled, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "If I had stayed there... would it have mattered?" Alaric shook his head, his expression softening as he looked at his niece. "Silly girl, Eris unleashed an undead invasion on her death. She¡¯s a lich now¡­. And she¡¯s responsible for that. Not you." He pointed at the city, then turned to her, studying her face. "I suspect you''ve gone through quite an ordeal yourself." "An ordeal," she repeated, tasting the bitter irony on her tongue. A humorless chuckle escaped her lips. "You could say that." She lifted her eyes to meet Alaric''s, a sardonic smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Did you know that the universe has a twisted sense of humor? It does. It''s the kind that makes you want to cry and laugh at the same time until you''re not sure which one you''re doing anymore." Alaric''s brow furrowed, his rigid demeanor softening further. "Toki, what happened?" She closed her eyes, memories of the past few days flashing behind her eyelids like a macabre slideshow. The weight of all she had learned, all she had lost, pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She let it out. She told her uncle the entire story. Upon hearing the tale, Alaric didn¡¯t know how to respond. He simply reached out, hesitating before placing a hand on her shoulder. The touch was awkward as well but comforting in its own way. "I''m sorry, Toki. I wish... I wish things had been different. Toki looked up towards the giant Amithus and noticed two faint dots slowly getting bigger. Chapter 44 – No Time to Explain, Dude Our agent has successfully infiltrated the remnant spearbreaker alliance. The asset, codenamed terra-6, has been cut off from communication since their last message on the [Elite] communication directory. We believe that the intelligence our asset is feeding us through our information network is robust and can confirm from alternative sources that there will soon be an opportunity for them to enter this world. ¨CPendulum memoranda, SA taskforce Chapter 44 ¨C No Time to Explain, Dude Fluorescent lights flickered overhead as the clang of metal against metal echoed through the training facility. Sam strode beside Chad, eyeing the [Elite] beast soldiers locked in fierce sparring matches. A human figure stood out amongst the sea of horns, scales, and fur - the commander of the beast forces. "A human leading these beast bros? Trippy," Chad muttered under his breath. The commander approached, his eyes glinting with a keen intellect. "Greetings. I am Oberon Eternal. We have much to discuss, so let¡¯s not dally. I trust we are in alignment regarding the stealth formations my aide passed along to your team yesterday. Our rentry onto Amithus will decrease our likelihood of being apprehended by incoming forces. We will then enter Aris on my signal." Commander Oberon looked towards his aide to gather several documents to pass along. Sam noticed Chad signaling to Oberon and slipping away from the group. Always plotting, that lich. Sam¡¯s gaze flicked to Azelar who followed behind him like a silent shadow. Sam leaned in, his voice low. "Why would the beasts trust a human to handle this?" Azelar shrugged, scales shimmering under the harsh light. Before he could respond, a dragon demi-human interjected. "He was the apprentice to Vindictus''. Rumor has it he may become the youngest master manasmith after Dutch." A mortal master manasmith? The notion piqued Sam''s interest as he listened intently to the remainder of the conference. Why is this zone filled with manasmiths of such renown. Why not alchemists, ritualists, or manatechs. I could use a manatech for my crew. Oberon passed Sam the papers in Chad¡¯s stead, ¡°We were given information that you would be landing on the summer continent. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Our information indicates that there are several entrances closer to the coasts. I suggest you avoid the mountain areas ¨C we have strong intelligence that there is a guardian beast located there beyond the capability of even m-brew enhanced [Elite]s.¡± Chad returned and approached Commander Oberon, his glowing blue eyes flickering with mischief. "Yo, Commander, my bad for dipping out like this. Something''s come up, and I gotta bail with my bros here. We will have to continue this tomorrow." Oberon''s brow furrowed, suspicion etched in his features. "And what might that be, Lich?" "Undead stuff, ya know?" Chad''s casual tone belied the tension in the room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll see each other soon.¡± Sam''s heart raced as he watched the exchange, his mind whirring with the implications of Chad''s words. A double-cross? Now? He glanced at Azelar, who still seemed absolutely overwhelmed. Without waiting for Oberon''s response, Chad slung his arm around Sam''s shoulders, steering him towards the exit. "C''mon, bro, we gotta jet." Sam stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden movement. As they hurried through the winding corridors, the crowd thinned, and the metallic tang of conference coffee and bagels mixed with the stale, recycled air. Azelar trailed behind, his eyes beginning to shed golden tears again. Sam''s heart twisted at the sight, a pang of guilt stabbing through him. He had dragged the poor creature into this mess. "Chad, what the hell is going on?" Sam hissed, his voice low. "No time to explain, dude. We gotta get to the ship before my lawyers file the paperwork." They burst into the hangar, the vast space echoing with the hum of machinery. Sam''s gaze darted to the guards stationed near their ship, their postures relaxed and unsuspecting.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chad moved with unnatural speed, his enchanted rings glinting as he struck the guards with precise blows. They crumpled to the ground, unconscious before they could even raise the alarm. They were stage-1s. Maybe not [Elite]s, but Chad is quite strong. "We need clearance to get down there. I¡¯m waiting for my wife on the planet to let us through, but we gotta bounce now." They all entered Chad¡¯s vehicle. Sam inspected the Veedub galaxy cruiser¡¯s console before staring back at Chad. Chad looked on to Sam with expectation. ¡°Fine.¡± Sam nodded, his fingers already on this controls. As the engines roared to life, Sam couldn''t shake the feeling that they were hurtling towards something far more dangerous than they could possibly imagine. Still not enough karma. As they burst into the shipyard, Sam could see all the continental-class ships that housed entire populations. "We''ve got company! Signal your friends!" Chad yelled, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Sam''s eyes widened as he saw the sleek battle scouts emerging from another dockyard, their weapons trained on their battered craft. "We request that the delegates from the Kathoric Dynasty halt their departure. Prepare for a warning shot.¡± The ship shuddered again as a mana blast grazed the wing, the acrid smell of burned metal filling the cockpit.
[SamIAm] Change of plans @ZephyrDeity. Head for the planet! [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Fuck man, it was supposed to be stealthy. [SamIAm] How else am I supposed to reach him? [KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Everyone knows I¡¯m double crossing them now, *feelsbadman*
"Failure to comply will result in being fired upon.¡± The ship shuddered again as a mana blast hit the wing again. Sam cursed under his breath, ¡°You couldn¡¯t have brought a better ship?¡± The Lich grinned, his skeletal features twisting into a macabre smile. "I got this, bro. Watch and learn." Chad''s hands moved in intricate patterns, arcane energy crackling around his fingers. The ship''s engines surged with power, propelling the crew forward at breakneck speed. Sam could hear the rattle of the engine ¨C it was not a good rattle. Still, Sam used the burst of speed to weave through the surrounding shipyard, his heart in his throat as he narrowly avoided collisions with the hulking vessels. ¡°Buckle in guys. This isn¡¯t gonna be pretty.¡± Several additional battle scouts joined the chase and followed the Veedub, but Sam weaved close to the continental class ships to limit the scout¡¯s ability to fire on them. They don¡¯t want to create a scene either. ¡°We¡¯re about to reach the empty,¡± Sam warned ¨C once they reached unoccupied space, the pursuing ships would open fire. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the system barrier green yet?¡± "Tokyo, for the love of all that''s holy, let us in!" Chad bellowed. Blasters scorched the void around them. Sam gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his brow as he pushed the ship to its limits. ¡°Punch it, Chad!¡± ¡°I already am!¡± ¡°We¡¯re so dead. We¡¯re so dead. We¡¯re so dead.¡± Azelar whimpered. ¡°I need more! Those are fucking Voidbreaker battle scouts!¡± Chad pulled mana and began casting another ritual. The entire ship started shaking. Sam''s mind raced, fragments of memories flashing before his eyes. The sushi franchise he had built from the ground up, the solar kraken that had changed his life forever, the endless schemes and gambits that had brought him to this moment. The ship shook violently, alarms blaring as another mana blast found its mark. That¡¯s our wing. At the same moment, Sam¡¯s field of view turned green as the planet¡¯s system shield processed the entry permit. The ship careened wildly, its damaged wing trailing smoke and sparks as it plummeted into Aris''s atmosphere. Sam could hear a singular explosion as one of the battle scouts couldn¡¯t stop in time. Sam clutched the controls, his knuckles white, as he fought to keep his own vessel steady. The ground rushed up to meet them ¨C they headed straight for the mountain region of the summer continent. Only one area was visible below. A convenient punch in the cloud cover. Sam quickly located the empty field. It¡¯ll have to do. Within moments, Sam could hear and feel a sickening crunch, the ship grazed the earth, metal shrieking as it tore away from the hull. The impact sent shockwaves through Sam''s body, his body slamming against the console as darkness engulfed him. Silence, then a groan. Sam''s eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy and unfocused. Pain lanced through his skull, a reminder of the brutal landing. He blinked, forcing himself to focus on his surroundings. The cockpit was a mess of twisted metal and shattered glass, the smell of smoke filling his nostrils. "Chad? Azelar?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. A whimper caught his attention, and he turned to see Azelar, the goldfish bowl somehow still intact, golden tears filling the bottom of the bowl. Relief washed over Sam, knowing that at least one of his crew had survived. Sam''s gaze drifted to the undead bro, who lay motionless amidst the wreckage. For a moment, Sam feared the worst, but then he realized that he was already dead. Chad¡¯s glowing blue eyes snapped open. "Mate, that was one hell of a ride," Chad quipped, brushing dust and debris from his enchanted jeans and t-shirt as he rose to his feet. Sam shook his head, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth The sound of the ship''s door creaking open drew their attention. Chad stepped forward, his skeletal hand reaching for the handle. As the door swung wide, revealing the figure standing beyond, Chad''s jaw dropped. "Tokyo, babe, I knew you couldn''t resist my-" His words were cut short as the beautiful white haired girl¡¯s fist, wreathed in darkness, connected with Chad¡¯s jaw, sending him sprawling back into the ship. Sam winced, a mixture of amusement and relief washing over him. "Thank goodness," he muttered, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "Bro had that coming."