ã€ŠUnder a Boundless Skyã€‹


 Chapter 1: (Ostensibly) A Normal Weekend

    Humanity¡¯s done it.

    They¡¯ve spread out among the stars, and explored the vastness of space.

    Of course, we needed a little help getting there.

    In 2079 F.E, a single scientist became the first to become a god.

    With his divinity came certain perks, like extended lifespan, greater intelligence, and power. Lots and lots of power. He found a way to awaken this power in others, and built an army which unified Earth for the first time in human history. Then, he dedicated the rest of his life towards making the prospect of colonizing other worlds possible. In the end, he created a series of machines that would allow mankind to travel faster than light, arrive at a distant planet, terraform it in a matter of weeks, and live there.

    In a matter of centuries, mankind had left Earth, and built sprawling mega-cities on distant horizons.

    In these mega-cities, anything you could ever need can be found. There¡¯s no need to exit the city for anything. Rather¡ªyou can¡¯t exit it, since each city is covered by a massive and transparent dome, which keeps the oxygen inside. Outside, the air isn¡¯t suitable for human life. Terraforming can only go so far, after all, even if done at the hands of a divine-class individual. Human gods are not omnipotent, as it turns out.

    The most important thing to note about these domed cities would be that each functions as a massive trade hub, with intergalactic freighters coming and going every few minutes. It was through one of these freighters that I first made my way to the domed city of Jor. It was an uncomfortable ride, with very little space, and lasting a full two months. I slept on a pallet, and ate fabricated food with the crew of the ship.

    After arriving, Ishowed up for school, and began attending elementary school classes. I fit right in, endearing myself to teachers and students alike due to my broken speech patterns, and entertaining actions. In the end, I became a school mascot of sorts¡ªsomething that would happen in middle, then high school as well.

    Now, ten years have past since I arrived on Jor, and only a year of peace is left.

    I¡¯m determined to spend it well.

    <hr>

    I took the bags from the woman behind the check-out desk, nodding my head in thanks.

    They weren¡¯t too heavy, and I could easily carry them instead of using a mav-cart. And, my little apartment was right around the corner. It was a quick walk to get there, where I dumped the bags full of real food on the little ledge of a countertop.

    I spent the next few moments emptying the bags, putting the cold items into the fridge, while the rest went into the cupboard. Unfortunately, the fact that most of that food consisted of snacks and chocolate made me feel a little guilty, so I had also loaded up on good, wholesome food that I would be able to cook for dinner. I got fruit for breakfasts, while lunch was served at the school during the week. Otherwise, I had some sandwitches. I would like to think that I eat a balanced diet, but my sweet tooth precludes that notion.

    After having neatly sorted out everything, I flopped onto my bed, which was tucked into a corner of the little apartment.

    I sighed contently.

    The weekend¡¯s only just started, and I already got my chores done. Earlier this morning, I had cleaned the apartment and done laundry. I also spent some time on homework, expending a bit of effort to finish it all today, rather than putting it off for later.

    Now, I had plenty of free time, especially since I had long since conveyed to my schoolmates that the weekend was sacred time for me. They were not allowed to touch it with their petty friendships.

    However, I¡¯d also made it clear to them that if they were desperate, they could meet me online, in the other reality created by mankind.

    I reached for the sleek and ergonomic headset by the bed, settling it so that my eyes and ears were covered. As soon as that minor task was completed, I powered the device on.

    Immediately, a white dot appeared in the center of my vision, and spread out into a vertical line. It flipped on its axis a second later, turning horizontal, before the blackness faded and my vision turned completely white.

    I could make out areas that were darker, as the space turned into a small white room with a figure standing still in the center. There were words hovering over the figure, denoting it¡¯s name, and level. Normally, there would be a few different figures in the room, but I only needed one.

    In this case, it was the only avatar I¡¯ve ever made, who I named Vina. She was a max level arcane-archer¡ªwho was also adept at operating a mecha, should the game call for it.

    I¡¯d designed her to look almost exactly like me, with long black hair, a short and slim build, and pale white skin. The only difference between her and the real me, would be that both her eyes are a brilliant emerald green. And, her chest might be ¡®just a smidge¡¯ larger, but that¡¯s neither here nor there. Ah, and she¡¯s also an elf, since fantasy and all. I¡¯m mostly human in real life.

    I selected her, and then was brought to a list of the game worlds I could access. I chose to go to my favorite¡ªa massive VRMMO world called Ashenload, which was largely inspired by the old days of fantasy role-playing, when games were played on a tabletop, and powered only by the players imaginations. It was a fairly popular game, mostly due to the massive volume of quests you could find. I think someone once calculated that it would take someone 700 years to finish all of them. Most of them were created by players before being sent to the GMs to be evaluated, which is why there were so many. Even I¡¯ve sent in one or two. Or fourteen.

    What?¡ªI was bored, okay?

    The white room faded from view, and I found myself in an empty field of grass and flowers, with the tree line off in the distance. I recognized this place, of course. I had logged off here last time, right after finishing a quest that involved me taking out a gigantic Ent that had stood in the middle of the field. I guess it doesn¡¯t spawn in unless you were doing the quest, since the field was empty at the moment.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    That thing was a right pain in the ass to take down as well, since I had to use most of my fire arrows. It was a very tanky monster, made worse by the fact that it¡¯s branches were devastatingly fast and destructive. It would have been a nightmare for a team of close-quarter combatants.

    I opened up a map display, with a chart containing all the teleport points in this world, and decided to teleport to one of seven main cities.

    Oddly enough, all seven of those cities were run by players¡ªwho were even allowed to build new structures as long as they weren¡¯t too out-of-place. The players in Ashenload were given unprecedented amounts of freedom, so long as they still abided by the GM¡¯s rules.

    Should they not, the GM¡¯s also have the freedom to sic a thunder of dragons on them.

    The teleport function soon kicked in, and a glowing nimbus of blue light surrounded me. It blurred out the surrounding field before the light faded, bringing a bustling city square into view. There were all sorts of people around me, of all sorts of races. Like any good fantasy RPG, you could chose a race fitting your tastes during the character creation screen. I had chosen to be an Elf, mostly because they were the only race besides the Vamps that had a skin tone close to my own. The human race was uncharacteristically buff and tanned looking. I also didn¡¯t like the de-buffs that came with a Vamp race, so I chose to stick with the pointy ears. Besides, fantasy is justice.

    As a result, I was one of only a few mostly human looking players in the city square right now. There was certainly a massive variety of races present, with Dragonoids, Demons, Beastmen, Angels, Gruffens, or even the odd Vent wandering around. Likely, most of them were waiting for a friend to teleport here so that they could form a party together.

    Nobody wanted to be human in a world where there were so many other, better options.

    I simply walked out of the square, and down one of the winding streets. Thank God there¡¯s an automatic guidance system built into the map, else I would quickly get lost in these little streets.

    It nudged me towards the blacksmith¡¯s shop I wanted to go to, in order to replenish those fire arrows I had used against the Ent.

    Honestly, I have no idea why the player who owns the shop would put it in such a hard to reach, and remote part of the city. It was well worth the walk, however, when considering the quality of goods, and the price.

    A little bell jingled as I opened the door, and I could hear a voice calling out a greeting near the back of the shop. I let my eyes adjust to the relative darkness inside for a moment, before heading to the counter. I looked at the other goods here for a moment, appreciating the workmanship and quality.

    Like most other things, you had to actually be a skilled smith in real life in order to create good stuff inside the game. There are some other games that use an assist system for things like crafting and combat, but Ashenload prided itself on realism and accuracy above all else.

    The owner of this shop could definitely make a killing smithing stuff in real life, though he wasn''t ready for that yet. Plus, there¡¯s a one-to-one ratio for value between items in Ashenload and real life. In other words, Xavier, the shop owner, is making a good chunk of credits simply by creating virtual weapons and armor.

    Xavier walked out of the back room in the shop, and smiled at me behind the counter.

    ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t Vina? What can I do to help you today¡ªmore knives? Arrows?¡±

    I nodded, and gestured to a stack of arrows in the corner of his shop. I could make them myself, but they¡¯re of a better quality when done by a master smith.

    I also pulled out my sole remaining fire arrow, and Xavier understood what I wanted.

    ¡°So, you want more fire arrows?¡±

    I nodded again.

    ¡°Right then. I have some out back, I¡¯ll be but a second!¡± He called out as he left through the back door once more.

    When he returned, he had a few dozen arrows marked with red feathers in his hands. Xavier placed them on the desk where I could closely inspect them.

    From what I could see, they were as perfect as usual. I was more than happy with the workmanship on them, and could even feel a bit of heat from the arrows while standing a meter or so away. The magic in them was strong, apparently.

    I took the arrows and stowed them in my inventory, while passing a few gold coins to Xavier. He smiled, and the coins disappeared into his own inventory. Luckily arrows are relatively cheap as consumable items, though there was a perk that allowed you to recover spent arrows.

    Things like swords and armor were much more expensive, making me very glad that I ran a relatively cheap class.

    Before I left, Xavier called out to me.

    ¡°Be sure to keep your eyes open, little Vina! I heard there might be a thirteenth God Quest coming out soon! And I''ll see you at school on Monday, right?¡±

    I smiled while nodding, and waved goodbye to Xavier.

    There are twelve quests that exist in Ashenload that are well known for being extremely hard to beat¡ªthey teetered on that end of impossible. They were also fantastically well written, with an engaging storyline, likable characters, and good rewards. They were quests that practically defined the Ashenload of today.

    However, there¡¯s a kick.

    They weren¡¯t made by the game developers.

    All twelve of these quests were created by a single player, who simply submitted them with the initials R.A.V.

    The quests were known by different names, with the very first one being called ¡®A Study in Alcoholism¡¯. Due to the title, the quest drew very little attention when it was first added to the game after having been play-tested by one of Ashenload¡¯s GMs. In fact, it was almost completely ignored by most players, since the quest had a very simple start: Help a drunken man back to his home.

    In the end, the GM who had play-tested the whole thing had to convince one of his friends to play the quest. This friend was a well-known and respected player in the community, and obviously didn¡¯t want to play the quest through at first. So, imagine his surprise when that little act of helping the drunken man spiraled into a quest to help the god Dionysus regain his throne on Mount Olympus?

    It was one of those quests that drew you in, and got you to play for days at a time, just wanting to see what happens next. After word started getting around that a massive new quest had been added to the game, more and more started playing through it.

    And, they were especially excited when they noticed that there were still eleven empty seats on Mount Olympus in the end, symbolizing eleven more gods that needed help.

    An epic search began to find the rest of the quest, and the remaining eleven gods, only to turn up empty. People were disappointed, thinking that it was a shame that such a large quest was unfinished.

    Or, they were, until a player recently introduced to the game stumbled across a new quest called, ¡®To Save a Home¡¯, where the goddess Hestia made an appearance.

    It was then that players realized the whole quest-line was episodic, and came out in increments.

    Since then, the twelfth quest had been finished, and all the gods were returned to their thrones. Now, all twelve quests have become known as the God Quests, for the fact that it involved the archaic gods of mankind when they were just beginning to build civilization, and since they were so damn difficult. You needed raid-level parties to complete some parts of the quests, and you also had to be very smart to catch some of the clues involved.

    It was a happy moment when thousands of players banded together to break the last god, Zeus, out of his imprisonment and defeat the last boss of the quest. And, nearly a million people watched as he sat back upon his throne on Mount Olympus.

    Thankfully, the quests are reset three times a year, in order to let others go through them. Some of the hardcore fans of it do the quest each time they¡¯re available, simply because they¡¯re that good.

    That being said, rumors of a thirteenth quest in the series seem to be going around.

    Most dismiss the claims, saying that it was already finished since all the gods were reinstalled on their thrones. Xavier obviously thinks that it¡¯s the real deal, however.

    I guess I¡¯ll just have to wait and see what happens.

    Feeling bored, I decide to wander the streets aimlessly. There are so many quests in the game, that I could trigger a few simply by taking a stroll. Most of them seem worthless however, and I want to do something challenging. I ignore things like fetch quests, single objective quests, and even the man laying in a pool of his own blood in an alleyway.

    My chance finally came when I stumbled across a carriage broken down by the side of the road, with a coat of arms painted on its wood paneled door.

    Grinning to myself, I checked it out.

 Chapter 2: A Normal Weekend: Part two

    The carriage was tilting to the side precariously, due to the fact that two of its wheels were shattered by some means. There were scorch marks on its side, leading me to the conclusion that a fight had occurred around the vehicle.

    This was proven correct when I heard a low moan from the other side of the carriage. Further investigation found that a man was slumped against the side of a wall, bleeding from a deep abdomen wound. He was well dressed, and held a bloodied sword in his loose grip.

    Upon seeing me, he leveled the thin sword at me with some effort, and spoke hatefully.

    ¡°Are you here to finish me off? I¡¯ll¡­let you know¡­that men of House Ira do not go easily.¡±

    Not answering him, I throw him a good healing potion. He caught it at the last second, nearly dropping it due to his injuries. His eye¡¯s widened upon seeing what I had given him, and the man hastily drank the potion.

    Some of the pain left his eyes, and he spoke again.

    ¡°Dear gods, thank you. With this, perhaps I can get the young master back.¡±

    He attempted to stand, before stumping back to the ground with a groan. Unfortunately, the healing potion was slow acting, and wouldn¡¯t fully heal him just yet.

    I stop him from trying it again, and he frowned at me.

    ¡°No! I must go! They still have him!¡±

    I shook my head, silencing him.

    Bringing up a keyboard in my UI, I began typing in a message that would convey a better plan to him.

    The message was instantly transmitted to the man when I finished half a second later.

    ¡°You would be willing to go find the young master? If you really mean that, then make haste, and follow the blood trail left by those vagabonds! Hurry, do not be concerned with me!¡±

    I nodded, and started running.

    There was an obvious blood trail left behind¡ªlikely by the so-called vagabonds. Maybe the man had wounded one of them badly, before they left? At least it made it easier for me to track them down.

    It¡¯s too easy, in fact. I was beginning to regret taking this quest, since it seems that there was no difficulty in it. It''s poorly designed and written as well.

    The blood trail led to a large warehouse, where a few men were standing guard.

    I carefully leveled two arrows at them, and shot them off, penetrating their heads and instantly killing them. I quickly retrieved my arrows, and peered through the gloomy darkness inside the warehouse.

    In the center of the cleared out floor, an unconscious boy around twelve years old was tied to a chair. Near him, a group of rough looking men was discussing something.

    I crept closer to them, sticking to the shadows as to remain unseen. My class gives a good boost to stealth abilities, but only if you tried to remain unseen. If one of those men were to see me out of the corner of his eye, I would still get caught.

    After a few moments of careful sneaking, I got close enough to hear their conversation in full, and started listening in.

    ¡°¡­Pay is shit, and I don¡¯t like the idea of going against that family.¡± Said one of the younger looking men there. The man next to him, who was the unfortunate owner of the ugliest face I¡¯ve ever seen rendered, lightly smacked the back of the younger man¡¯s head.

    ¡°Don¡¯ speak like that. You¡¯ll end up jinxing the whole damn operation.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. I was just pointing it out¡­¡±

    A burly giant of a man glared at the young man quietly, before speaking in a voice like rocks grating together.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then I can spare ¡®that family¡¯ the trouble, and take care of you right now. Would you rather that happened?¡± Asked the large man. I determined him to be the leader of this little group of kidnappers, as he seemed to be demanding the most respect in the group. Additionally, the others stepped lightly around him, so he probably wasn¡¯t a well-liked person either.

    Therefore, I could conclude that this was a group only kept together by mutual profit, or of fear towards some higher power. Who knows¡ªthere could be a puppeteer hidden in the shadow, commanding the large man in charge here.

    I certainly hope that¡¯s the case, since it would turn this simple and boring one-off quest into something at least a little more fun.

    Deciding to take the path of least resistance, I strung two arrows on my bow, and let them fly at the group of men.

    One of the arrows slammed into the throat of a guy with scars crisscrossing his face, while the other impacted the leader of the group through his eye, killing him instantly.

    With those two arrows, I took down the two people I judged to be the greatest threats.

    Of course, the rest of the kidnappers began panicking, seeing two people fall dead before them. The fact that they didn¡¯t like one of them didn¡¯t matter, though the fact that those two were the strongest among them mattered quite a bit.

    Immediately, the kidnapper¡¯s morale plummeted to the point were I would only have to kill two or three more to break the group.

    And indeed, that¡¯s precisely what I did.

    Four more arrows lanced from the darkness inside the warehouse, accurately killing as many kidnappers.

    Seeing so many of their comrades fall before them so quickly, the remaining men scattered, running out of the warehouse through it¡¯s doors. They threw down their weapons as they went, as if to say that they wanted no more to do with this.

    I didn¡¯t bother to pursue them, or strike them while they were down. Seeing the way in which they fled in all different directions, I felt it would be more troublesome to track them all down. At least, now there¡¯s someone to pass the word along that this kidnapping event had failed.

    I traversed the open ground of the warehouse, and came to stand before the boy tied up in the center of the building. He was still breathing, but had not woken up, even with the minor mayhem I had perpetrated just meters away.

    I cut the ropes holding him in place, and threw the boy over my shoulder like a sack of flour or potatoes. Then, I made my way back to the broken carriage, where the once-wounded man had stayed.

    He was still there, and happily received the boy, proclaiming that I had saved his honor, and the family¡¯s heir. The man then told me that ¡°The House of Ira will always throw it¡¯s door¡¯s open for you!¡± In fact, he nearly dragged my there under the pretext of throwing a party in order to ¡°properly thank the heir¡¯s savior.¡±

    I shook my head, declining the offer¡ªwhich I knew would continue this questline. Likely, there would be an attack on the family while they were partying, and I would be dragged into a plot to eradicate the House of Ira. Then, I would be made to chose a side to stand on¡ªto fight for, or against them.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    These predictable quests are truly annoying, especially when they have such potential in the beginning. For instance, with that little opening bit involving the coachman, it would have been more interesting for him to have outright attacked me. That way, the quest would only be activated after I subdued him to the extent where he would listen to me. Of course, the quest would also have an automatic fail condition should I kill him. That way, you would have to be careful, and bring the man to a point where he was unable to attack any longer, but still willing to talk.

    Also, there were parts of the quest that felt artificial, and reminded me that it wasn¡¯t a natural event, but instead was one created and mapped out by another person. The blood trail back to the warehouse was a good example of this, as no sane person would leave such a large and obvious sign to follow. All in all, I really regretted choosing to partake in this quest.

    And, this isn¡¯t exactly an isolated phenomenon. All the quests I¡¯ve done lately have just seemed¡­boring. They¡¯ve lacked something, and I just can¡¯t put my finger on it.

    Hopefully, the kidnappers will try and attack me next time I log in. That would at least be a little interesting.

    I sighed, and logged out of Ashenload. The sights and sounds around me faded to a pure and stark white, as I found myself back in that room holding my singular avatar. I was able to play her in all the games I have, due to the fact that people are able to port avatars from one game to another in VR. Of course, any ported character starts at base stats in the new games, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be able to experience that fun leveling process. I¡¯ve played so much in so many different games, that my singular avatar, Vina, is max level in all of the most popular ones.

    Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so bored with games lately¡ªbecause I¡¯ve experienced enough for them to be repetitive? It¡¯s become too easy for me to see where quests and storylines were going, even just after starting them. And, the gameplay¡¯s begun to feel annoying, and just as repetitive as the rest of it all.

    In short, I think I¡¯m quickly reaching the point where normal games won¡¯t cut it anymore. Not even the so-called ¡®hardcore¡¯ ones feel difficult at this point.

    So, what should I do, then? I have a massive gap of time to fill outside of school, one normally occupied by my gaming habits. Not to mention that my gaming serves a higher purpose than one would assume just by looking at it.

    Well, it looks like I now have something to keep me busy over the weekend¡ªI need to find out what I¡¯ll be doing for the future, now that it¡¯s completely clear that gaming isn¡¯t that enjoyable anymore.

    All my quests are finished as well, leaving me nothing to work on.

    I could always tinker with my VR visor some more, but I think I¡¯m already pushing the envelope as far as modifications are concerned. Any more, and I might be caught.

    And that¡¯s no fun.

    With nothing else to do for the moment, I flipped on the Holoscreen at the other end of the room, and settled into my couch to watch it. Normally, I would abstain from such behavior, since I could find better things to do. But now, with nothing to do, I am able to happily indulge myself in this sort of behavior.

    The screen flickered to life; it¡¯s bright colors painting the white walls of my apartment in all hues of the rainbow. I think it did, at least. I¡¯ve never actually seen a rainbow, since the sun of this planet is too dim to manifest such a phenomenon. The planet is mostly heated through energy harnessed from tectonic movement, and a series of man-made devices including the great dome over the city, trapping heat inside.

    I hear that rainbows are quite common on Earth, though.

    The Holoscreen was set to show the news. That being said, I changed the channel immediately. It wasn¡¯t that the news was boring, but rather that I didn¡¯t want to see what was on it at the moment.

    After cycling through, I found something that interested me and decided to watch it. I had forgotten that the Showcase finals were today.

    Hm. Normally, I would go back and watch a recording, rather than the live version. But, I have time today.

    On the Holoscreen, a massive stadium came into view. The real thing was on some distant moon somewhere, and could house a few million denizens of the galaxy. Today, all those seats were filled, if the holo-image was anything to go by.

    In the center of the stadium, two people were fighting with all their power.

    I had read that there were ancient civilizations that did the same sorts of things in order to keep their citizens in line, but that wasn¡¯t the case here. You see, people entered into the Showcase willingly, due to the potential fame they could bring themselves and their families. Plus, it¡¯s a good way to show off, hence the name ¡®Showcase¡¯.

    I could tell at a glance that the two people fighting now were strong. I guessed them to be around the tenth power divide or so, based on the sheer destruction they were causing around them. One of them, a large looking woman with limbs that seemed slightly too long, seemed to have power over the rocks they stood upon. She was tossing them at the other man with utter impunity at the moment. The man, whose surroundings had melted into slag due to the intense heat surrounding his body, was maintaining the stalemate though. The rocks melted long before the point where they could reach him. His face and body was obscured by that same heat though, so I couldn¡¯t tell what his Awakening was like.

    I¡¯ve always been interested in the applications of Klein matter. It¡¯s such a miraculous thing that the earlier humans had found in their twilight era, and just the thing needed to spur their growth to beyond what had previously been possible. That which had been only imagined, and postulated about, rapidly turned into reality. Klein matter became commonplace very quickly, and began to be known by a different name, though scientists still use the classical one. Normal people simply know it as Magic, or Mana, after the stories told in the pre-Klein matter Earth.

    The two people fighting were obviously adept in using Mana, and had massive stores of it within their bodies. They were likely from some of the galaxies most prominent families, since genetics can play a role in the amount of power you have. The rest of it is determined through the hard work of those attempting to amass Mana, and understanding it better.

    These two were very, very good. They weren¡¯t the best the galaxy had, though. That¡¯s because the Showcase has an age limit, not allowing anyone over the age of forty from participating. This was to prevent those monsters of great age from entering, and wiping the arena floor with their opponents. With Mana theoretically allowing some to live forever, the results would just be a little bit too unfair.

    For their ages though, these two combatants are at the summit of strength.

    Eventually, the match ended. The man who was outputting such intense heat ramped things up to a new level, simply by walking towards the woman. He proved to be the stronger of the two, especially since he was able to neutralize her affinities so easily.

    The woman conceded in the end, before the man could get close enough to seriously harm her. Right after that, the man¡¯s fires died down, allowing the audience a good look at his Awakened face. I must say, he¡¯s extremely fierce looking, with that long and spiky red hair, angry gaze, and sharp features.

    After that, the two of them left the stadium, and the next pair were ushered in.

    Interestingly, these two relied upon the strength and skill of their armaments, rather than strictly using the power of their Mana. They were warrior instead of mages.

    They were akin to a pair of dancers, twirling about with their blades in a deadly act of finesse and grace. Those same blades were made of the best and strongest of metals, and still need to be reinforced by the fighter¡¯s Mana to avoid shattering.

    Unfortunately, it¡¯s been found that only blades and the like work against someone whose reached the middle to upper reaches of Mana. Curiously, bows and throwing knives have been found to work as well, though in a less powerful way than simply taking up a sword, and imbuing it with your Mana through direct touch.

    The weapons of the old humans only work against the less powerful denizens of the galaxy now. A gun fired at someone with a good amount of power is more likely to just piss them off, rather than kill them.

    Hence, the resurgence of ancient armaments, like swords, daggers, and the like. They can actually be trusted to kill something in a reliable way. Even I have my own set of blades, preferring them over the unwieldiness of outdated firearms.

    It was nice seeing the techniques that the two combatants used on screen though. They¡¯re fairly proficient, and have likely been studying for dozens of years under their respective masters to get to this point. And boy, did it show. This was more a duel now, than a fight for supremacy. I could tell that the two swordsmen were having fun as well, despite the rocks and dust flying into the air with their every move. Their fight is every bit as destructive as the one that had come before it. Luckily, the stadium can repair itself, and will seem just as new after they finish.

    The fight ended when a sword nicked the other man¡¯s body deeply enough to draw blood. While this wouldn¡¯t necessarily show who would really win in a fight to the death, it does show who has the best grasp of timing, and technique, and was enough to declare a winner.

    By that time, my stomach had started growling in hunger, so I put together a light lunch to eat while watching the Showcase matches. They went on for a while, with four matches leading to the two semi-finals, and then to the finals. In the end, a man wielding a massive great-sword won the whole thing. Nobody seemed able to counter his strength of arm and Mana. I was a little disappointed, since he was one of those arrogant pricks from a High Family. I would much rather see a commoner win, unlikely as that might be.

    I mentioned that genetics play a role in determining strength, right?

    There are a few families who have risen to great power in the galaxy due to the potency of their bloodlines. Occasionally, you can find someone with comparable power outside of those lines, but it¡¯s fairly rare, since very few are willing sacrifice for power in the way that the High Families are.

    That¡¯s not to say that only those families have power in the first place. Everybody has some, at least¡ªIt¡¯s just the High Families typically have the most.

    Though, you can only gain power after Awakening¡ªA process that attunes your body to the flow of Mana, and allows you to take it in.

    There are different times you can Awaken, though it depends on the aptitude the individual has. Generally, people are awakened around the ages of fourteen to sixteen. Those who have been found to have talent are Awakened earlier, while those without it are put off till later. My Awakening is slated for my eighteenth birthday, a year from now.

    I was found to have very little talent, apparently.

 Chapter 3: The Peculiarities of Modern Society

    The weekend passed in a lethargic way. I felt really bad about it, though, and couldn¡¯t help but feel like I had wasted my time somehow. It¡¯s been too long since I had a pair of carefree days like that¡­

    Unfortunately, since the weekend was over, it was time to go back to school. I was careful to not oversleep, which would be all too easy to do. After all, it was only the second week of school, and I had yet to truly settle back into the groove that came with time.

    Regardless, I got up nice and early, and began getting ready. It didn¡¯t take too much time, since we were all required to wear a school uniform, and my body was relatively low maintenance. I don¡¯t even want to think about how many girls would vomit blood upon seeing the way my hair behaved itself as I lightly brush through it a few times. Even the worst of bed-head simply disappears in seconds.

    I also grabbed a quick breakfast before leaving, popping a few bits of fruit into my mouth. I made sure to lock my apartment behind me and walked down to street level, where a thin stream of people were heading to various places. The larger part of this ¡®crowd¡¯ was making its way to the station connecting to the transport system. This was my destination as well, since I wasn¡¯t nearly affluent enough to buy a personal car. And, the school had been built right next to a station in order to facilitate ease of travel.

    My apartment was relatively close to the school as well, as I only had a thirty-minute ride to my station. The train was normally quite empty at this time as well, with the normal rush still a few minutes away. This suited me just fine, as I had a seat to myself, and there weren¡¯t many people staring at me.

    The school itself was one of the better in the city, with only a few others being equal to it. It was one of those high-class escalator schools as well, so it was hard to get into without prior connections. I was here mostly due to a fluke.

    Since classes wouldn¡¯t start for an hour yet, I went to the school library to kill time. I had become somewhat known for spending time there, especially before school started. I enjoyed reading from the massive collection they had there, and was able to feel a little bit of peace in those moments.

    I nodded a greeting to the librarian who said hello to me on the way in, obviously recognizing me. I made my way to a back corner of the library, a book about the mechanics of cosmic quantum physics in hand. It¡¯s useful to review these things every once in a while, so that I don¡¯t lose my edge. Unfortunately though, time passed all too quickly when it¡¯s spent engrossed in something you enjoy. The bell for classes rang all to soon, drawing me out of my enjoyment. I made sure to replace the book properly. I was aware of how rare a paper-book library like this was, and didn¡¯t want to lose it due to negligence on my part.

    Of course, there was a marked difference in the school campus from how it had been a scant hour ago. Namely, there was a large increase in its population density, since classes were about to begin, and everyone was here now. I¡¯m the weird one for making it here so early.

    I had a bit of trouble getting through the hallways, but then, I always do. Nobody seems to ever notice me trying to make my way to class, and I always get bumped into when I¡¯m on my own. Nevertheless, I made it to the classroom with only a little difficulty.

    I sat in my seat, and was immediately called out to by a classmate with a completely shaven head, and a rather delicate face. Apparently, he had shaven his head after being mistaken as a girl one too many times, and was living a life without misunderstandings since then. Nevermind the fact that shaving his head has only made it easier for a wig to be put on him.

    ¡°Hey Revy¡ªDid you hear the news, from the forum posts?!¡± He asked, practically bursting with excitement.

    I shook my head, not understanding what he was mentioning.

    ¡°Really? You haven¡¯t? The thirteenth God Quest in Ashenload was just discovered you know?!¡±

    Ah, it¡¯s that, then. I rolled my hand to get him to continue.

    ¡°Some guy found a person bleeding in an alleyway, and helped him¡ªit turns out that this was the quest trigger, and it¡¯s sparked off a huge civil war between the gods now!¡±

    I nodded, and smiled at him. This classmate of mine¡¯s name is Godard, though he plays in Ashenload as Xavier, the blacksmith from whom I get all my weapons. In real life, his family runs a smithy that creates formidable swords and other equipment necessary in today¡¯s society.

    Godard continued, stating that he really didn¡¯t know how I had not yet heard of this. I shrugged my shoulders at that. He continued talking right up until the bell rang, outlining all that¡¯s happened with the new God quest so far. He also talked about things not related to the game¡ªLike the Showcases that I had also seen, which were popular, after all. He also briefly mentioned that one of the High Families made a television announcement on Saturday, since they were opening their own college. It was broadcast to all major news outlets, he said, after making it clear that any college owned by one of the aristocratic High Families was clearly worth avoiding.

    I agreed with him, though without saying anything, of course.

    At first, people assumed that I was simply shy or something, since I never seemed to say anything. That wasn¡¯t true though. Rather than something like being too shy to speak, or even being incapable of it, as some had feared, it was simply that I didn¡¯t really feel like I had to say anything. I just take taciturn to an extreme. I will speak if I¡¯m required to; though it takes an extreme force of will to get me to say more than four or five words at a time. Besides, most people can understand my body language well enough, and I can write on paper if need be. Nobody seems to find this odd though, so I have no intention of changing my ways.

    After the teacher arrived, the lesson started. Since it was mostly review, I spent the time thinking about various things. Time seemed to pass slower than normal, moving at a lethargic pace which was enough to drive millions of school kids insane. As is normal in a classroom.

    I had nearly convinced myself that the class was never ending, when the bell finally rang for break. Immediately, a few people made their way over to me. I felt someone pick me up, and before I knew it, I was on that persons lap.

    I looked up, and it turned out to be Sabrina, a girl in the class who seemed to be fond of cute things. She was also taller than me by a good amount, though that¡¯s not really all that hard. I squirmed a bit to try and get her to let me go, but she simply held a chocolate cracker up in front of my face. Ugh¡ªShe certainly knows how to handle me. I sullenly took the cracker, and began nibbling on it.

    A small group had formed around me in the meantime, with those I was closest to in the school. There was Godard, Sabrina, a big and wild looking guy with red hair named Kormic, another girl with glittering black eyes and hair named Haven, and a rather thin and sickly looking guy named Ussen. Don¡¯t let that sickly appearance fool you though, since he¡¯s rather strong. In fact, right now he¡¯s in his Awakened form, since it can be easier to gather Mana like that. He normally looks really fit, with a muscular body, and an energetic appearance. I think he went through the Awakening process last year, along with the majority of my peers. In fact, I¡¯m the only one in this class who hasn¡¯t gone through it here.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The process of Awakening is rather mysterious. Essentially, it¡¯s the act of using machines to forcibly push large amounts of Mana into a body. It¡¯s a painful experience to most people, since we weren¡¯t originally meant to house that force. However, the mystery comes afterwards. The general consensus is that due to that fact that the human body gets pushed over the brink, it manifests a separate form capable of handling the energy in the moment of Awakening.

    It¡¯s another self, and separate body that can house your soul¡ªAnd you only needs to concentrate for a second to bring that Awakened self to the forefront, and assume its characteristics. Oddly enough though, there are as many Awakened forms as there are planets inhabited by people. While some have an Awakened form that isn¡¯t different from their normal body in any way, others become something that simply can¡¯t be called human anymore.

    For instance, the girl whose lap I am currently sitting on¡ªher awakened form is of an Elf. That¡¯s right, an honest to goodness Elf. Ussen¡¯s is a wrath, hence the reason he looks so wan and pale. I don¡¯t think anyone knows what Godard¡¯s is, since he seems to be rather secretive about it. Even I don¡¯t know what it it.

    Kormic becomes, oddly enough, a Giant. And Haven becomes a Demoness, to everyone¡¯s amusement. The irony is much appreciated.

    Anyway, all this is fact. People have Awakened forms, and they are of various fantasy like species. However, what trips up scientists, is figuring out why people have the forms they do. Sometimes, the form aligns with a person¡¯s personality. But, they conflict just as often as well. Ussen is one of the nicest people I know, but his Awakened form is something normally seen as sinister. Some have suggested that it connects to a person¡¯s subconscious, but I don¡¯t see any evidence of that at all. Others have simply given up, and call it random, but I can¡¯t see that either. The universe simply isn¡¯t random, and it follows a deep set of rules. Perhaps the mystery of people¡¯s Awakened forms follows a rule in the universe buried too deeply for us to see at the moment? After all, people used to attribute all natural phenomena to fictitious gods that watched down upon the mortal world.

    I will admit that I find the idea of gods amusing. I did quite a bit of research on them at one point; so intriguing was the topic to me. Nobody really follows religion anymore, preferring to pursue individual strength now¡ªthough I¡¯ve heard that there are some sects still practicing in backwater planets or societies.

    These thoughts accompanied me for a while, until someone poking into my side brought me out of my daytime reverie.

    ¡°Are you listening, Revy?¡± Asked Sabrina from behind me, as her finger incessantly prodded me.

    I shook my head, and made an apologetic face towards everybody. They simply smiled, all too aware that I tended to daze off while thinking, and not care about what was happening around me.

    Sabrina sighed, ¡°We were talking about the possibility of creating a party in Ashenload for the sake of joining in on the thirteenth God Quest.¡±

    I shook my head again.

    This time, Haven spoke up. ¡°You know, we¡¯ve never done a God Quest with you, right? Why don¡¯t you want to join us?¡±

    I hesitated, before speaking up in a soft voice.

    ¡°Prefer playing alone.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯ve gone on quests with us before, right? Why is this any different?¡±

    I thought carefully before answering.

    ¡°God Quests¡­Challenging.¡±

    Godard understood what I was trying to say, and translated for the rest of them.

    ¡°Ah right. You like to do the challenging quests without a party, no? I¡¯ve noticed that the quests we do as a group tend to be more fun than intense, and the God Quests are known to be the largest challeges in the game.¡±

    I nodded, happy that someone knew what I was trying to convey.

    Everybody else had a face that said ¡®Ah, so it¡¯s that¡¯, and left the topic alone afterwards. Meaning, I avoided some awkward questions for the moment.

    Though, I really do like completing challenging quests all by myself. The sense of fulfillment you get in the end is pretty significant.

    Ah, and yes, this entire group plays Ashenload. It isn¡¯t the most played game in the galaxy for nothing, after all. They sometimes get me to join their party for various fun little quests and stuff. I¡¯m fine with it, since Sabrina seems to have a running tap of chocolate and pastries that I can snack on, both in game, and in real life. They¡¯re also an easy group to get along with, and I¡¯ve been with them for most of middle and high school. In fact, I get along with them so well; that I was surprised to hear what sort of families they come from. I guess it¡¯s to be expected though, since the children of the affluent in this city are normally sent to this particular school, due to its prestige.

    The conversation drifted to the Showcase again, and everyone started throwing in their own opinions about it. Unfortunately, nobody seemed interested in the sorts of techniques displayed during the matches, and preferred to talk about which competitors were the best looking.

    When I asked about it, everybody shrugged, saying that the fighting was way too fast for them to see individual techniques. Right. I forgot about that.

    And then, the bell for classes to begin again inevitably rang.

    <hr>

    When the school day ended, I was pulled along with the rest of my group. You see, most of them are members of the student council, due to their popularity. Haven is the student council¡¯s very own president. Ussen¡¯s the secretary, and Kormic is head of the disciplinary committee. The crafts committee is headed by Godard, and Sabrina runs the athletic clubs.

    I¡¯m not a member though. It would be more fitting to call me the mascot, or the pet, due to the way I¡¯m treated. I¡¯m constantly being handed food, and being patted on the head as other pass by. It¡¯s like I¡¯m a good luck charm or something.

    Nobody in the student council seems to mind my presence, regardless of if they know me well or not. In fact, some of the freshman who joined as class reps last year spoke out against my presence, after finding out that I wasn¡¯t a member. They were mercilessly scolded by their seniors, and nearly started crying. This secured my informal position as student council mascot, and made it so that I would be actively searched for if I didn¡¯t show up. I¡¯m serious. One time, I went home because I felt the whole thing to be a bother, and was hunted down the day after and given some pretty scary ultimatums. That experience made me seriously glad that nobody knew where my apartment was located, otherwise they would have gone straight there.

    Though, with the power that group holds, they could easily find out. It¡¯s good then that they¡¯re nice people. Mostly¡­ I think?

    During the meeting itself, I sat near Haven, and munched down on the obligatory snacks provided by some nice volunteer. That was one of the things that we had come to an ¡®agreement¡¯ on¡ªthat there would always be food.

    And, other than that, the meeting itself was fairly boring. The school year had just started, so there wasn¡¯t much worth talking about in the first place. Some sporting events later in the year were mentioned, but the main topic were things like getting the classes to hand in various forms, organizing for fundraisers, and overseeing the creation of new school clubs. I felt slightly useless here, but had I said that, people would pipe up and say that I was ¡®spiritual support¡¯ for them. Again, it¡¯s happened before. But boy, do I wish that these things ended sooner. Or, that they were at least a little interesting.

    Oh well¡ªAt least this sort of thing reminds me that my life is normal for now. I don¡¯t have to worry about anything too big, and everything¡¯s under my control.

    I still have a year.

    <hr>

    I flopped down on my couch, exhausted. While I wasn¡¯t required to do work for the student council, just sitting there and listening to them left me reeling. It was quite a bit like politics, since the littlest of things would be discussed at great length before being dismissed, or implemented. The former is much more common than the later, by the way.

    Politics, and democracy have always seemed slightly pointless to me. People are inherently discordant, and very rarely can you get a large number of them to agree on the same thing. That¡¯s why democracy, in the form it had when Earth still contained the whole human population, failed. Nowadays, each mega-city has a democratic council to govern the city and it¡¯s policies. However, these councils answer to the city governor, in the end. He or she can replace them with impunity, and controls the inflow of cash and goods from other parts of the galaxy. How the governor is chosen is a mystery to most people, though I think it has something to do with the High-Families. They do, after all, have the most power. The only thing that can oppose a High-Family, is another High-Family.

    That might seem wrong to some people, since humanity has somewhat reverted back to an autocratic society. However, we all learned the history of Earth, and what ¡®Democracy¡¯ did to it with ever-growing corruption and stagnation. At least we can have change when there¡¯s someone at the top of the totem pole, giving decisive orders.

    Besides, it¡¯s not like the High-Families are all-powerful.

    Very few people know that the High-families we have now are not exactly the ones that we started out with. There have been cases where an entire family falls, and a new one rises up in its place. Only the strongest survive, or something like that.

    And while you could argue that some of the High-Families conduct themselves unethically, they are mostly balanced out by the Families filled with humility and righteousness. Yes, those sorts of Families exist as well.

    And, the worst of the High-Families have been having troubles in the past few years, so they haven¡¯t been able to do that much damage to others.

 Chapter 4: Just Give us a Dragon to Fight Next Time, Okay?

    Nothing notable happened during the second week of school. It would be more odd if something out of the norm happened, no? It is just school, after all.

    Well, actually, that¡¯s a bit of a falsehood. There was one thing that happened other than the normal routine of school.

    Namely, I was bribed into joining my friend group over the weekend. They consistently bugged me with requests to join them on the new God Quest, even after I had told them I wouldn¡¯t be doing it. It took the whole week for them to whittle me down to the point where I might just consider it¡ªand then they unveiled the cincher.

    If I participated with them during the thirteenth God Quest, they would bring me to one of the most expensive caf¨¦s in Jor. Once they told me that, my mind and my stomach engaged each other in the duel of the century. Of course my stomach won out in the end, though I¡¯m not too down about it. After all, the chocolate cake at this caf¨¦ is said to be god-like. Such a thing more than makes up for the bother.

    Anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m currently logged back into Ashenload, even though I was so bored with it last weekend. I had a bit of trouble right after connecting to the game servers, though.

    You see, I had forgotten a little something that I had done last time I played. Of course, I¡¯m talking about the little kidnapping incident I had gotten involved with. It seems that whoever had created this quest made it so that it wouldn¡¯t end after returning that ¡®young master.¡¯

    I logged in, walked around a little to try and find the meeting point my group had set up, and found myself surrounded by thirty or so shady looking men.

    And of course one of them just has to say that clich¨¦ and stereotypical line.

    ¡°Oi, are you certain that this lass is the one who killed our men? Ha! She doesn¡¯t look fit to kill a bunny!¡±

    I sighed, and didn¡¯t say anything. These guys are programmed AI, and will execute whatever sort of commands they need to for the quest. In this case, they¡¯ll likely end up fighting me regardless, since I doubt that the guy who designed this quest programmed in a non-violent way of going about this. No, that would be too sophisticated and high-level.

    One of the other men, presumably a survivor of that warehouse raid I did, spoke up.

    ¡°Yeah boss¡ªit¡¯s her, I¡¯m sure of it!¡± He sneered, before continuing. ¡°Surprised I know who you are?¡± He asked, probably referring to the fact that I had stayed in the shadows when killing his comrades, and everyone had fled before I walked into the open.

    ¡°I stayed behind, hiding to see the right bastard that killed ma friends! Imagine my surprise when I see a little bitch walk out!¡±

    I snickered a little, before saying a simple ¡°I know.¡±

    Please, he would have had to try much harder to escape my notice. I could hear him returning after I initally scared him and his friends off. Idiot.

    The man didn¡¯t understand what I meant though, and simply stood there stupidly. Everybody else was slowly shifting closer to me, tightening the encirclement. Which, I¡¯ll admit, is a good idea against an Archer class like me. Close the distance, render the archer¡¯s weapon useless.

    Unfortunately for them, the class system in Ashenload works a little differently than one would first assume. For instance, the Archer class boosts the speed, damage, range, and accuracy of arrows you fire. It also gives you a few class skills that allow you to move more silently, or grants bonus damage in certain situations. It does make you a bit of a glass cannon, as well, to preserve the game¡¯s balance.

    However, there are no penalties for using weapons outside of your classes¡¯ specialties. That being said, there are no bonuses either, meaning that the damage you do is reliant on your own skill and abilities. Wielding a weapon outside of your classes¡¯ specifications is just like handling a weapon in real life.

    I threw my bow to the side, and laughed a little. Heehee.

    <hr>

    I arrived at the designated meeting point¡ªa well-known fountain¡ªjust a little late. Everyone else was already there, waiting for me.

    Godard, or rather, Xavier, was the first one to spot me.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Vina!¡± He said in a deep and rumbly voice, calling out my avatars name¡ªas is polite inside a VRMMO. Using your real names just becomes weird, in a way.

    ¡°Where were you?¡± Asked Diana, Haven¡¯s avatar.

    ¡°Had¡­some difficulties.¡± I said, smiling back at her. She shrugged and didn¡¯t press the matter any further.

    With that, we all went to participate in the thirteenth God Quest.

    Ah, wait. I should probably clarify some things about everyone¡¯s avatars. It would be helpful to know what their names, professions, and races are, no?

    So, lets start with Godard, whose avatar is named Xavier. He plays a Dwarf, as befitting a smithy owner, and a real life blacksmith. During battles, he can enchant our weapons to do more damage and the like, while also demolishing enemies who get past the vanguard with an appropriately sized axe. He, like everyone else, is max level.

    Haven plays a Catkin named Diana, preferring to use its inherent speed and agility to deal hit and run damage to her foes. She has to play sort of like an Assassin, but without the big one-hit damage numbers. It¡¯s a type of class that needs serious skill to play, due to the fact that it¡¯s still relatively squishy compared to most other classes. It¡¯s still not as bad as a straight-up assassin, though.

    Speaking of assassin, that¡¯s what Ussen¡¯s avatar is. In fact, he plays an assassin with such dedication, that his avatar is simply named EineStreik. We shorten it to Eine for brevities'' sake. His race is of a Fae, which is kind of like an Elf, but frailer and smaller. It¡¯s great for sneaking around with and dealing those single knock-out blows.

    Our tank role is filled by Kormic, who plays an Orcish Paladin named Sparkles. We call him Spark though, simply because we don¡¯t want to call a seven foot tall Orc by the name of Sparkles, no matter how scarily good looking his face ended up being. I swear; I didn¡¯t know that such a race could even become attractive, but he somehow managed it. I think he said something about sacrificing a goat?

    Sabrina is our healer/mage. She uses the smallest race available for players, a pixie. Yes, she has wings, and floats around while casting all sorts of nature based magic. Somehow, giant fireballs also fall into the category of nature magic, though Sabrina, or simply Rina as her avatar is called, never seems ready to explain how that could be. Isn¡¯t nature magic supposed to be more¡­friendly? But apparently not. She¡¯s absolutely terrifying when given leave to simply flit about the battlefield, casting spells with impunity. She also does the healing though, since we have nobody else to fill that roll. I will admit that it¡¯s a little funny seeing large scale magics seemingly appear from nowhere, since Rina is so small as a Pixie.

    So, that¡¯s the group. We synergize together surprisingly well, though their party does fine without me. I mostly just provide support from the rear, dealing damage wherever it¡¯s needed with my arrows.

    Also, it should be noted that each person¡¯s role is mirrored in real life. Most people in Ashenload chose classes that correspond with their real life specialties, in order to accustom themselves to it. While the races they¡¯ve chosen in Ashenload may not resemble their Awakened forms, just the classes give them a good sense of how things work. For instance, Kormic¡¯s suited for a tanky role in real life as well, and Sabrina pummels foes using long range magic during school-supervised sparing lessons.

    After we met up by the fountain, we went to participate in the God Quest.

    This new Quest is unlike any of the other¡¯s that had come before it. Namely, it¡¯s setting is of a civil war among the heavens. To start the quest, you simply have to sign up for one of the armies on either side. Well, that''s how you start it now. The original start came when someone found a wounded spy in an alley-way, and helped him. From there, there were a series of quest to open up the civil war to all other players, and allow them to join sides. Next, the sides would begin to vie for supremacy by giving out strategically important quests to players. But first, we have to join a side.

    One of whichis headed by Zeus, King of the gods, and the ultimate authority on Mount Olympus. He is joined by his wife, Hera, as well as other Olympians like Dionysus, Hestia, Athena, and Hephaestus. They represent tradition, and the preservation of the current pantheon for all time.

    However, the other Olympians were dissatisfied by this and waged shadow warfare for a while, until they were discovered and forced out into the open. From there, a civil war was officially declared, and Olympus was split.

    Their side incudes the gods Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, Ares, Poseidon, and Hermes. Plus, they¡¯ve been able to get reinforcements from other gods not affiliated with Mount Olympus.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    To join a side, all you have to do is enter one of their military camps. From there, you¡¯ll be given a quest or two to prove your loyalties.

    We decided to go with the Rogue Olympians, as players have called them. It seemed more interesting to the others, and they wanted to see these odd, non-Olympian gods.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve done some research on this lately,¡± Said Xavier as we were entering the Rogue camp. ¡°And there are some really intriguing things about these God Quests.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Rina in her high pitched pixie voice.

    ¡°Well, to start off with, all these gods are based of ancient human ones, right? Well, if we¡¯re looking at their original pantheon, then there were indeed twelve gods. And, most of them are the same ones that we¡¯re familiar with¡ªthough there¡¯s a difference. They didn¡¯t have both Dionysus and Hestia. It was always either one or the other, depending on the era you were looking at.¡±

    Diana frowned. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t you only have eleven Olympic gods? That¡¯s doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! There was one god who was always present, but has been left out of the pantheon here in Ashenload.¡±

    ¡°And who was that?¡± Sighed Spark, knowing that Xavier was waiting for someone to ask that very question.

    ¡°Aphrodite¡ªthe goddess of love!¡±

    ...

    ...

    ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t just making a big deal out of nothing here? Why would it even matter?¡± Asked Rina, and rightly so.

    ¡°It probably doesn¡¯t!¡± Declared Xavier proudly. ¡°I just think it¡¯s interesting!¡±

    ...

    We didn¡¯t have time to groan about Xavier¡¯s antics, since we had reached one of the recruitment tents at that point. There were players entering it and leaving in quick order, as others joined the civil war between the gods.

    Spark pushed into the tent first, his head scraping the cloth ceiling as he did so. Everyone else went in after him, and quickly crossed the distance inside of the tent so that we were standing in front of a large wooden counter, behind which various official looking people were scurrying back and forth, handing out request papers and mercenary gold. One of them saw us waiting, and came over to handle our business.

    Very quickly, we were handed details on the preliminary quest that would allow us to join the Rogue armies, as well as a badge for each of us. The badges appeared next to our username as soon as we received them, informing everybody around us that we''re trying to join the Rogue army.

    We would be given a different badge after completing this first quest, one that would declare us full members of the army. The same system is in place for the Olympian army, though the badges are of a different color. The badges are an essential part of the preliminary quest we were given, though¡ªSince we would each have to kill a member of the opposing army, and present their badge as evidence. This was done to ensure our loyalty to the Rogue army, as well as our suitability. Again, the Olympian army has the exact same quest though, so we have to be on our toes, lest we become another party¡¯s ticket towards being accepted. After all, preliminary members still count towards the completion of this quest.

    Though, I don¡¯t think we have to worry too much. Our party is just a teensy bit overpowered.

    No, not because I joined them. Not at all.

    You see, these five friends of mine have a little bit of a reputation in Ashenload, due to some of the things their party of five has done. Well, the first of those notable things would be that they are a party of five, when the normal number is anywhere from ten to fifteen. From fifteen onwards, all members of a party get diminishing returns on any experience gained.

    But, the point is that they formed a party of five, and have done nothing to increase that number. Even better, they¡¯ve done things with the five of them that larger parties have thought were impossible. For instance, during one of the earlier God Quests, the five of them somehow managed to hold a strategically important mountain pass for three days and nights in a scene greatly resembling another ancient Greek myth (The timescale for that event was sped-up, so that an hour in the game was a minute in real life).

    Because of that event, the party¡¯s been nicknamed the ¡®Spartan Legion of Five¡¯, or simply ¡®The Spartans¡¯. Really, they¡¯re something of celebrities in Ashenload, these friends of mine.

    This will make finding chumps to finish the preliminary quest with easy, since there should be some idiots stupid enough to offer their avatar¡¯s life to us, with the promise of glory and fame in the unlikely event that they win against The Spartans. To facilitate such a thing, we went to the largest and busiest city in Ashenload, appropriately named Fantasia. Then, all we had to do was walk through the most frequently traveled street in order to draw attention towards ourselves.

    It worked like a charm, since all the players who saw us immediately took note of the fact that we were rocking the preliminary badges, and were joining the rouge army. It was kinda entertaining to see, actually¡ªSince the crowds seemed to split, allowing our party uninhibited passage through the middle of the street while everybody whispered around us. Most of the conversations centered around the badges, and the fact that we were now open game and participating in the new God Quest.

    However, I heard some of the conversations centering around me¡ªOr rather, ¡°Wait, why are there six of them now?¡±

    I¡¯d taken pains in the past to remain inconspicuous, and it looks like they¡¯re paying off now, since nobody knows who I am, nor why I¡¯m walking in the company of The Spartans. Of course, the trade off is that nobody knows who I am. Duh.

    What I mean, is that there¡¯s a completely unknown, and to them, untested person walking with their idols. Some of them are certainly extremely jealous at the moment, or outright just want me dead. Sigh, the pains of being noticed.

    Although, this turned out to be a good thing. Like I said, some of them wanted me dead, and completely by happenstance, one of them was a member of the Olympian army. This idiot, seeing the badge by my name, decided that now would be the best time to prove himself, and kill a member of the Rogue army while showing the infamous Spartans that he was far more worthy than I.

    After all, it¡¯s just a tiny little elf, right? How hard could it be, in all actuality? ¡ªIs what he was likely thinking when he charged me, weapon raised high. He should really ask these questions to the group of no less than thirty-two NPC¡¯s I left dead in an alleyway earlier today. They would be able to tell him that charging me was precisely the wrong thing to do. He should be running away, instead of towards me.

    As is stands, though, I didn¡¯t even have to move. Spark noticed the aggression towards me, and absolutely pancaked the man with his massive shield before he could even get close. I¡¯m sure that nobody noticed me pouting, as their attention was glued towards Spark, who was looking at the flattened pile of flesh in front of him with distaste. He shook the bottom of his shield vigorously, attempting to dislodge the little bits of goo still stuck to it. He looked at the crowd around us, heavily scolding them with his eyes.

    ¡°This girl is our friend.¡± He said, his voice seemingly making the air vibrate. I noted with some amusement that he was using the skill [Taunt] to apply a megaphone-like quality to his words. ¡°Treat her as you would one of us.¡± He continued, speaking directly and to the point.

    It worked, in a way. People were viewing me with new eyes now, though they were probably wondering ¡°Who in the flying fuck is that girl?¡±

    Oh, if only they knew¡­

    <hr>

    After that little encounter, we made our way to one of the most popular bars in Fantasia in the hopes that more people will notice that we¡¯re participating in the God Quest, and spread the news. The plan is to simply take badges from those who try and take ours. Simple, yes, but effective so far. We were in the city for all of ten minutes before someone charged. And though he was going for me, rather than the group as a whole, we still got his badge from his troubles. Honestly, I¡¯d like to thank him for the donation, but he¡¯s probably going to be avoiding us for a time yet.

    So, instead we simply settled down in the bar, and ordered some food and drink.

    You know it¡¯s virtual reality when the food you eat tastes really, really good, and the alcohol you drink doesn¡¯t have any side effects. Well, normally it does, but most of our fortitude levels are high enough to simply ignore them. Except for Eine, who, as an assassin, has largely ignored those stats in favor of more speed, stealth, and attack power. In other words, he¡¯s a virtual lightweight, in a group of people entirely unable to get drunk. Ironically, since his Wrath Awakening in real life is technically undead, he can¡¯t get drunk outside the game. He can enjoy the sensation here, though.

    As a side note, there is no drinking age limit in virtual reality, since it doesn¡¯t affect whatever happens in real life. In fact, younger people are often encouraged to drink in the game, since they can get a feel for what it¡¯s like, and know for themselves what the side effects can be. The worst that can happen is simply that you accidently kill your avatar by jumping off the castle or something. And then the avatar respawns, perfectly healthy¡ª except for the embarrassment of the player, of course.

    It was nice to kick back and relax, though. The bar itself was dimly lit, and music drifted through the rooms lazily, putting everyone who was inside at ease. My friends started recounting some of their exploits during past quests, and I enjoyed listening to them speak. Especially Xavier, who has a bit of the gift of gab when he¡¯s not talking about seemingly stupid things.

    Alas, the atmosphere was not to last. Our little ploy worked too well, judging by the three whole parties that charged into the bar, thirsting for our blood. Normally, I would be flattered that so many were sent, but I think it¡¯s more due to the Spartan¡¯s reputation in this case.

    We all stood up when they stormed the place, weapons at the ready. It looks like they¡¯ve been organized into parties of ten, making it about thirty players. Oh boy, this¡¯ll be fun, won¡¯t it?

    First things first, I typed out a quick message and sent it to everyone in the party, suggesting that we take this outside. Honestly, I¡¯d rather not trash such a nice bar. I heard the tinkling laughter of Rina, before a massive magic circle winked into existence under our feet. It expanded to encompass the hostile parties inside the bar. Then, the circle collapsed inwards on itself, bringing everybody into it.

    The bar was left silent, most of it¡¯s patrons not understanding what just happened. Most people have never seen a top-tier nature spell used after all. This one was called Selective Mass Teleport. It brought the six of us and the three enemy parties outside the city walls, where we would be able to play to our hearts content.

    We didn¡¯t give the other parties time to figure out what had happened, immediately bursting into combat while they were still slightly disorientated from the abrupt teleport.

    Spark, as our vanguard, closed the distance and lay about him with a mace taller than I am, both in real life and the game. His shield also smacked wetly into those caught off guard, instantly relieving three enemies of their lives. Xavier followed behind Spark closely, applying buffs to his armor and weapons¡ªmaking them almost overkill levels of deadly. When that was done, Xavier grabbed his axe, and deprived those around him of their kneecaps.

    Diana ran around the battle area, and wherever she passed, deep cuts and wounds would appear on the enemy. Occasionally, her swords would slice through the leather ties holding a persons armor together, and they would suddenly find themselves without the protection it provided. Once that happened, Eine would strike for their most vulnerable points, often going for the heart, or any arteries. Even in a game, a slit throat will kill you, and you can also die of acute blood loss. Anyway, Diana and Eine worked well together, each taking advantage of whatever openings are created by the other.

    Rina flew above the battle, and cast spell after spell, most of them designed to debuff the enemy. Getting burnt to death is a debuff, right? She also flung nasty little icicles into legs and arms, limiting enemy movement greatly.

    As for me? I mostly sat back. There was really no need for me to intervene, though I did kill a guy sneaking up behind Xavier and Spark, my arrow shooting straight though his head. I kept an eye out for similar situations, acting as over-watch for the most part. That way, I would be able to act when I absolutely needed to. In the game, my role is as a rear-guard, acting only in the worst of situations.

    It¡¯s totally different from what I¡¯d do in real life, unlike the rest of the party, whose Awakenings are suited to the style they use now.

    Anyway, I shouldn¡¯t have to say that it was a massive victory for us, right?

    Not a single scratch on any in the party, and all the enemies lay dead. That¡¯s thirty Olympian army badges, allowing us to smoothly join the Rogue army officially, and delve deeper into the newest God Quest.

 Chapter 5: They Lied About the Whole Apple Thing.

    Given that the mood had been completely ruined, we didn¡¯t return to the bar. Of course, there was also the quest completion to consider, and the fact that we had done what we set out to do. But those are little people worries¡ªI was more concerned with the fine time we briefly had in the bar, and the continuation of those events.

    Nobody else seemed to share in my mentality though, so we simply went to the Rogue army¡¯s camp in order to turn over the enemy badges. This was smoothly done¡ªeach of us only had to hand over a single badge to officially join the Rogue army. We also handed over the extra badges we had picked up, and got monetary compensation for it. After that was done, we were given our new army badges, with all of us at the current lowest possible rank, soldier.

    We can climb those ranks by doing various quests for the army, though. Most of those quests were the same as what we had just done, except that the enemy¡¯s badges now increased in value the higher ranked it is. For instance, a General¡¯s badge is worth many, many times more than a simple soldier¡¯s badge.

    Other than these types of quests, we can do various other things, like seek out ancient and forgotten gods for support, search for rare materials, conquer dungeons for their dungeon cores, and even just explore unknown places¡ªof which there are still quite a few in Ashenload. The world itself is utterly massive, and we are simply tucked into the smallest corner of it. There are some who play the game by going as far as they can, seeing the world with their own eyes.

    Lucky, the quests involving the badges are not the type that you have to reserve. Just hand over a badge of any type, and you¡¯ll be paid for it.

    The other quests, however, do have to be reserved. It¡¯s a matter of not having any conflict over a single quest target, and only allowing one party at a time to try it. We looked over those that were available to the soldier-class parties, and sighed in resignation. Unfortunately, the only quests open to us were the easiest and most rote type involving fetch objectives and the collection of certain materials. They were the same as bottom tier adventurer quests that you see in so many other games. And, we would only be able to get better quests by ranking up.

    There are such things as small mercies, though. Collecting badges from higher ranked enemies would also allow you to rank up. This seems so much more interesting, so we decided to go this route.

    Indeed, the whole thing with the badges was designed to allow extremely strong parties to simply skip the basic quests, and quickly rise to a rank suiting their abilities. It certainly benefits us, as we now won¡¯t have to go through the painful process of collecting iron ore, and finding medicinal plants.

    Though, it should also be noted that extremely large amounts of badges the same rank as the party, or even lower, are still enough to warrant a rank promotion.

    But collecting badges of other soldiers would be almost as boring as picking grass from the ground.

    As some say, go big, or die.

    I think.

    Of course, our first problem was that we needed to know where the enemies might be, and preferably find high-ranking ones to propel us to high ranks quickly. Ideally, we would be able to find six general ranked individuals, to bring the entire party up to the same rank. That would give us access to the best and most challenging quests immediately. However, no one held out hopes of being that lucky, so we settled for the next best thing; going for knight-ranked players. They would be able to firmly bring us up to the middle rankings, where the quests are at least a little less tedious.

    Though, first we would have to find knight-ranked individuals or parties. Luckily, Eine is totally an assassin. It isn¡¯t just that he has the skills and mentality of one, but he also has access to the vast underground information networks in Ashenload. Using that, we were able to locate a few good targets to pursue.

    And so it was that we all got promoted to the knight rank on the same day we joined the Rogue army. The knights whose badges we took were pushovers, especially due to the fact that we cornered single knights, rather than a party or parties of them. To make up for it, we fought the knights on an individual basis, one on one. That, of course, still didn¡¯t help the survival chances of the knights.

    Spark took his down with a single swing of his mace, while Xavier hacked away at the knees of his opponent, bringing him to his level before depriving him of a head. Diana¡¯s knight died from a variation of the ¡®death of a thousand cuts¡¯, bleeding out in the end. She likes playing around, I guess? Rina¡¯s knight vanished in a flash of heat and volatile energies¡ªby which I mean that she threw a fireball at him.

    Eine¡¯s fight was over with a single flash of his blade, while mine ended with an arrow though the knight¡¯s head. Sure, that¡¯s not very impressive, until you realize that I was over four kilometers away from my target.

    Anyway, by the time we had gathered all the knight badges needed and handed them over, it was already dinnertime. We had played for around eight hours, and gotten quite a bit done in that time.

    We agreed to meet again tomorrow, and go about completing some of those knight-ranked quests.

    I logged off, and pattered into the kitchen to make a good meal of lasagna for myself. However, working off of a feeling, I decided to make two portions for dinner, instead of just one for myself. It wasn¡¯t much more work, and I enjoyed the normalcy of the motions I put my body through. Really, cooking is rather soothing to someone like me, especially since I can taste of the fruits of my effort afterwards.

    I had just put the lasagna into the oven to cook, when someone knocked on my door.

    Not too surprised, I went to the door and pulled it open. I felt somewhat grateful that I was adequately dressed to receive guests, and that I had made a second portion of dinner.

    Outside, stood someone I recognized well. She¡¯s my doctor, Ms. Feilding. And, from the look on her face, she comes bearing good news. Instantly, I felt annoyed and panicked.

    ¡°Hello Revian¡ªcan I come in?¡± She asked with a smile on her face. I sighed a little internally, and stepped aside. She came into my apartment, and began taking her shoes off. I lead her to the table, and got her a cup of water while she sat down.

    I sat across from her, wondering why she had come, and dreading whatever she was going to say.

    ¡°You¡¯re still having trouble with speaking?¡± She asked. I nodded my head, while also answering her question with my silence.

    ¡°You have been doing the exercises, right? The ones I gave you to help rehabilitate your speech patterns?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­up to five words.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great then! Given enough time, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be speaking normally again!¡±

    There was an awkward lull in the conversation after that, which lasted until the timer for the lasagna started beeping. I got up, and pulled it out of the oven, setting it out to cool off for a few minutes.

    When I returned to the table with two steaming plates of lasagna, Dr. Feilding thanked me and tucked into the meal.

    We quickly finished the food, and I waited for the doctor to start explaining why she had come so late in the night, and what was so important that required her to see me in person.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t stressing yourself unnecessarily, right? The readings we took last year indicated that your mind is still too fragile to stand up too¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine.¡± I said, cutting Dr. Feilding off. ¡°Tell me news.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­Basically, after reviewing the results of your last visit, we¡¯ve determined that the schedule for your Awakening can be moved up to sooner than we had anticipated.¡±

    Huh? Wait¡ªjust wait a moment? What do you mean by that? Moved up? That shouldn¡¯t be possible, not at all! I made sure to¡­

    ¡°We¡¯d like to extend our congratulations to you, Ms. Snow. Your Awakening was set for a month from now.¡±

    Agh! No good, no good! Maybe I can fake a relapse or something? But no, that would be far too suspicious. I¡¯ve already pushed the Awakening date as far back as I can¡ªany more, and they might take note. In fact, they probably already have, and are the reason the date was moved up in the first place. Ugh¡ªthis bears closer scrutiny.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    In any case, I was careful to keep the shock and panic from my face so that Dr. Fielding wouldn¡¯t notice anything amiss. Soon after she passed the news onto me, the doctor left, assuring me that everything would be alright as she did so.

    I spent the rest of the night investigating, careful to cover my tracks as I did so. This continued even as the sun rose, then set again. And still, I didn¡¯t have any answers about what had happened to move my Awakening to next month. There was only the ever present feeling that I was being watched, and scrutinized all too closely.

    <hr>

    I woke up in front of my old-school desktop monitor.

    I guess I must have given into the exhaustion, and finally fell asleep even while doing ¡®research¡¯. Though, it looks like I had properly shut everything down before sleeping, so I should continue to go on undiscovered.

    Looking in the mirror, there are no bags under my eyes, or anything like that. Also, the timer meant to wake me up never went off, so it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ll be able to make it to school as early as I¡¯d like. In fact, I might be running a little late.

    I hurriedly took a shower, and threw on my school uniform afterwards.

    By the time I left my apartment, I just barely could make it to the platform for the last train that would bring me to school on time. It was nearly unbearably crowded, due to the fact that this was the train most frequently used by the students getting to their respective schools. I was almost pushed out on several stops.

    Anyway, I eventually got to school, and followed the throng of people making their way to the front gates. From there it was smooth sailing to my classroom, though the bell rang as soon as I stepped past the doorway, just barely sparing me a tardy notice.

    For some reason, my five friends are looking at me strangely¡­Oh wait. I forgot to meet up with them on Sunday. Oops. I was a little busy, as it turns out. In fact, I still am. I wasn¡¯t able to find out if there was a deeper motivation to the doctors moving up my awakening date, and if it was initiated by outside forces.

    I got passed a few sheets of paper, and began arbitrarily writing on it, allowing that part of me to go onto auto-pilot while the greater part of my mind was engaged in reexamining the implications of my Awakening, and what I could do about it. Really, there were just too many things that could be happening at the moment, and I couldn¡¯t sort through them all to determine what sort of impact they would have on my life. Obviously, I want to continue living as I have, quietly and peaceably. But I¡¯m only left alone due to my powerlessness and frailty. As soon as that protection is gone, I would be stirring up a hornet¡¯s nest, regardless of what I do afterwards. Besides, I like the lives of normal humans. It makes me feel like less of the monster I truly am.

    Ah, someone came around and picked up the papers. How long has it been, exactly, since class started? There aren¡¯t any clocks in the room, so I can¡¯t tell. What did I even write? I don¡¯t know. I was unfortunately preoccupied by the thoughts running rampant in my head, and didn¡¯t pay attention at all. Ah well. It¡¯s not important. Rather, I think I have to placate those friends of mine who are approaching now. They seem a little concerned.

    ¡°Where were you yesterday? Did something happen?¡± Asked Godard

    I nodded, but didn¡¯t elaborate.

    Sabrina nudged me playfully, before dropping a bombshell.

    ¡°She was probably studying for the exam¡¯s today, right?¡±

    ¡°Exams?¡± I asked, confused.

    ¡°Yeah¡ªthe test we just took¡­you know, the one that gives us the initial school ranks?¡±

    Oh shit. That¡¯s not good. I was too preoccupied, and forgot to¡­

    ¡°Did you not realize we were taking the exam?¡±

    ¡°Lot on my mind.¡± I said, truthfully.

    ¡°Must be quite a bit on your mind, if you didn¡¯t even realize that you just took an exam.¡± Said Kormic, and rightly so. Really, I fucked up bad this time around. Now, there won¡¯t be a single chance of pushing my Awakening date any further back. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it gets brought forward even more. Damn it. I don¡¯t suppose they¡¯ll let me retake the test, without first seeing the first results?

    ¡°Was it a boy?¡± Asked Haven curiously. What?

    Unfortunately, she interpreted my silence as confirmation, rather than the mild confusion it really was.

    And so it was that I became trapped during the break, trying as hard I can to dissuade my friends of the notion that I had suddenly fallen in love¡ªa notion that, in case you haven¡¯t yet realized, is completely false. Of course, the more I tried to convince them that this simply wasn¡¯t true, they believed it more. This is why I hate speaking sometimes.

    Ugh. Things just can¡¯t get any worse, can they? Well, at least not for today.

    Though, things did take a turn for the worse mid-way through the week, when the elderly teacher pulled me aside, and told me to meet him in his office after school¡ªnever a good sign.

    I waited in tense anticipation for the class to end, then made my way to Mr. Ruben¡¯s office, positive that this was about the test I had taken earlier that week. And sure enough, when I walked in, he had a few sheets of paper open in front of him. My name was on them.

    ¡°Please Revian, sit down. Now, normally I would ask the student if they know why I called them here, but you obviously have your own circumstances, and likely won¡¯t answer. So, I¡¯ll get to the crux of the matter. Did you cheat on the test?¡±

    Now, I had known something like this was coming, and pondered the outcome as much as I can. I could just say that yes, I had cheated on the exam. But, that would likely get me expelled from a school as prestigious as this, and have various other ramifications. I actually considered doing this at first, since it would prevent attention from being drawn to me.

    Then, I decided against that course of action. It would actually be less painful in the long run to say that I didn¡¯t cheat. Sure, it would draw some attention to me, but that paltry amount of attention simply won¡¯t be able to compare to what¡¯ll happen during my Awakening. It might even soften the blow my Awakening will have later.

    Besides, I¡¯ve been throwing aside my pride for far too long. Soon, I¡¯ll have to convince people that they shouldn¡¯t mess with me, and I can¡¯t do that by keeping quiet, and taking the blows as they come. I want to preserve my everyday life, and need to show everyone that I can¡¯t be pushed around in order to do so.

    That¡¯s why I shook my head, answering Mr. Ruben¡¯s question.

    ¡°But, if you didn¡¯t cheat, then how did you, an average student at best, get the highest score in the school? You didn¡¯t answer a single question wrong, and everything was done neatly, and professionally.¡±

    ¡°Studied?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not something that simply studying can do. The other teachers are convinced that you somehow go ahold of the answer key, and used it to cheat on the exam. I, however, am of a different opinion. Now, do you want to explain what really happened?¡±

    I sighed, not saying anything. I know that they can¡¯t claim that I cheated, given that there¡¯s no evidence of such a thing happening. Really, they have to accept that I got the score I did, since there¡¯s nothing else they can do.

    ¡°Not going to comment? Then, do you want to hear what I think happened? I think you stopped holding yourself back.¡±

    I jerked a little; surprised Mr. Rubens arrived at that conclusion.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so shocked. We teacher notice more than you would think¡ªand I¡¯ve long held the belief that you are far more capable than you let on.¡± Mr. Rubens smiled, his lips obscured by the bushy white mustache he keeps neat and trimmed. ¡°I¡¯ve told the other teachers about my suspicions, but they still are convinced that you cheated. Just know, that I will support you in proving them wrong, no?¡±

    I left Mr. Ruben¡¯s office a little misty eyed. Damn, but that touched my soul a little.

    The next day, the school-wide ranking were published, and an outcry among the students could be heard. Obviously, I was the reason for the outcry. I hadn¡¯t even needed to look at the ranking¡¯s board to know that I occupied the top spot. Oddly enough, that was a spot normally reserved for Haven. In fact, all my friends typically had top spots on the ranking board, with Sabrina normally taking second, and Ussen lingering around third place. Godard was almost always in the top ten, while Kormic was in the top twenty. I would usually be found around the middle, below the one hundred and fifty mark.

    Now, Haven was pushed to second place, and the much vaunted first rank had a mostly unfamiliar name next to it¡ªRevian Snow. Well, unfamiliar to most of the student body. I would be greatly disappointed if my friends didn¡¯t recognize my name.

    After seeing the exam results, they immediately came barreling for me, and dragged me into an unused classroom for what they consider to be an interrogation.

    ¡°Spill it! What happened with your exam?!¡±

    ¡°Lucky perfect score?¡± Ah, I think that¡¯s blood dribbling out of Haven¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°The perfect score? You didn¡¯t miss a single answer, and got the elusive perfect score?¡± Asked Sabrina. I nodded.

    ¡°The world is unfair.¡± Said Haven forlornly.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡± Asked Godard curiously. ¡°I thought you forgot to study for the exam and everything.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t cheat. Accident.¡±

    ¡°You accidentally got the highest score in our grade?¡± Asked Ussen. Again, I nodded. He accepted my answer sagely, and with a little disbelief.

    ¡°You are seriously a weird person Revy, you know?¡± Said Kormic.

    ¡°I know. Have issues.¡±

    I think it¡¯s lucky that I have such accepting friends. They didn¡¯t try to pry any further, after finding out that I¡¯m not willing to talk about these things at length.

    <hr>

    (POV Sabrina)

    ¡°Revy¡¯s an enigma.¡± I tell the others.

    ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t explain what¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does. We¡¯ve known for a while that she¡¯s hiding stuff from us. Stuff that even I¡¯m stonewalled from finding out.¡± I say, interrupting my half-sister, Haven.

    ¡°I thought you said that you weren¡¯t going to try and look into her past?¡± Asked Kormic, looking at me in a slightly accusatory manner.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. However, dad likes to know who I hang out with, and had her background checked. He couldn¡¯t find anything from before she arrived here in Jor¡ªin an industrial freighter, no less.¡±

    ¡°Even the city lord couldn¡¯t learn more about her?¡± Asked Ussen. I shook my head.

    ¡°No. However, I think we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Said Godard, who was a little cross at the fact that we were talking about Revy from behind her back.

    ¡°It¡¯s a feeling I have. Something¡¯s going to happen, and Revy will likely be in the center of it.¡±

    Kormic laughed.

    ¡°True. That girl has some of the best combat senses I¡¯ve ever seen¡ªthe type you just don¡¯t get living a peaceful life.¡±

    ¡°The best?¡± I say. ¡°Even with those who go through your families¡¯ dojo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, even with them. And given that she¡¯s lived without any trouble while in Jor, we can assume that she learned to fight somewhere else, from before she got here.¡±

    ¡°But she was only seven when she arrived, right? How would a child get combat training?¡±

    ¡°Not in any fun way.¡± Concluded Kormic.

    I thought for a while, before bringing up one of the other things I wanted to bring up.

    ¡°Her Awakening was apparently moved up.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? I thought it was set to be in a year?¡±

    ¡°It was. The hospital received orders to bump up Revy¡¯s schedule. It¡¯s now in a month. I think the people who sent the orders are related to wherever she came from.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I agree¡ªthough, we are going to go see her Awakening, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. She was there for ours, and it¡¯s only right that we repay the favor.¡±

 Chapter 6: Its Still Not Quite a Dragon.

    There was another student council meeting the day after the exam results had come out. Not wanting to tempt fate, I went along with my friends to the meeting¡ªresigning myself to munching on snacks while being bored out of my mind. I could just bring a good book to read or maybe homework to do, but that would feel¡­disrespectful somehow? I¡¯m too socially conscious to do something like that. And, the one time I had tried, I got just a little too focused on the book in front of me, and found the entire student council staring at me when I looked up.

    They had apparently been calling my name for a solid two or three minutes before I noticed. I, of course, blushed furiously in that situation, and resolved myself to at least pay a little attention.

    Today¡¯s student council meeting was focusing on the tutoring system in place at the school. They wanted to find more people willing to tutor students who hadn¡¯t done so well on their exams. Most of the top-scorers were pulled into choosing a few students to look after, myself precluded for obvious reasons. Kinda hard to teach someone stuff when you don¡¯t really talk, right?

    However, that notwithstanding, nearly my entire friend group was helping with this, the only exception being Kormic, who wasn¡¯t in the student council in the first place, and had no time for it. Besides joining us in Ashenload most weekends, he diligently works at his family¡¯s dojo, often taking up the teaching of younger practitioners while training himself.

    Really, he¡¯s such an admirable guy.

    Other than my group of friends, there were more students enlisted in the tutoring plan. Most of the student council was participating, you know. They spouted off some nice sounding words about preserving the prestige of the school, and making sure that those whose grades are below the pass/fail demarcation line are able to bring their grades up.

    One student council member that decided to participate was Varner, the vice president. He¡¯s a good-looking guy, with pale blonde features, and a delicate sort of structure. Normally, he¡¯s kind to others, and noted as one of the most courteous men in school. However, he is also the only one to consistently object to my presence during the student council meeting¡ªclaiming that I distract from their objective, and that student council members shouldn¡¯t bother a regular student for something like this. Actually, I agree with him for the most part, since I would also like to go home at times.

    There¡¯s just something about him, though. I can¡¯t point to anything in particular, but he just sets off warning bells in me for some reason, leading me to be on guard around him all the time. It doesn¡¯t help that he¡¯s been sending me looks during today¡¯s meeting. I mean, I¡¯m getting looks from everyone, since they now know what rank I got for this last exam. His felt¡­different. Not like ¡°Hey, lets make this story a romance together, baby,¡± different, but something darker? Ah, there it is again! Like his eyes clouded over, and unidentifiable raw emotion fell over his face for a split second.

    Though, I could just be imagining it, or simply overthinking it. Maybe my nerves are a little frayed from all the thinking and worrying I¡¯ve done as of late. That¡¯s what I want to believe, since I really don¡¯t want to worry about another thing right now. My Awakening is taking all my attention and focus. I decided to take the course of action that would get him to leave me alone the fastest. So, of course I simply ignored him. I¡¯m not going to encourage him in any way.

    The student council meeting ended smoothly, with the group having found the tutors they needed for the most part. I started out the door to make my way home, but suddenly found myself blocked by a tall and skinny person. It was Varner, who had stopped in front of the door I was about to use.

    ¡°Move please?¡± I asked him.

    He simply stared down at me, a light frown on his face. His eyes seemed much darker than usual.

    ¡°I¡¯d caution you to watch yourself, little Revy. Don¡¯t cheat on exams¡­.¡± He whispered. I¡¯m sure that nobody else heard him, or even noticed that he was blocking the door for those brief moments. He turned around and left after delivering that spooky sounding line.

    I sighed, and continued on home. Luckily, the trains weren¡¯t too crowded at this hour, since it was after the rush that happened when school ends, but still before the time when all the workers in the city are left off for the day. Honestly, I was a little concerned because nobody was saying anything about my new rank in school, or the results of my exam. The fact that Varner seems pissed about it reassures me that everything is still normal, and that people will always be people, no matter what form they take. Still, I hope that he doesn¡¯t bother me again¡ªonce that cheerful fa?ade of his drops, he becomes downright creepy.

    After finishing my homework that night, I logged onto Ashenload. It is a Friday after all, and we needed to make up for lost time since I had missed our session last Sunday. When I logged in, I was in the exact same place that I had logged out of¡ªinside the Rogue armies¡¯ camp, in front of the mission tent where you could start the various quests available to players. I waited a few minutes for the rest of the party to arrive, idly watching the passing groups of NPC soldiers and player parties. It was very easy to tell apart the NPC¡¯s and players, since the player parties tended to seem more chaotic, due to the great variety of weapons and armor they wear and use. The soldier NPC¡¯s had only the common gear worn by all other NPC¡¯s in their own army division. Other than that though, there is no telling apart a player and an NPC, thanks to the highly advanced AI¡¯s operating each individual NPC.

    Anyway, the rest of my party soon arrived, and we went into the mission tent to take up a quest. We had some trouble deciding, since there were so many good quests available at the knight-level. In the end, we picked a fairly promising one¡ªto check out a cave system in the mountains up to the north.

    The basic objective of this is to simply scout it out, and report our findings. However, we are free to take whatever sort of action is deemed necessary while inside the caves. This little addition convinced us that this mission won¡¯t be so easy as a normal scouting run. It¡¯s certain that something interesting can be found in the caves.

    It took a while getting there, due to the nearest teleport location being about half-an hours walk from the cave entrance. There were also monsters on the way, though they were cleared up without too much hassle. The cave¡¯s entrance itself was extremely typical, besides the fact that it was massive¡ªlarge enough for three wagons to enter side by side. There were also marks on the ground, the disturbed stone and dirt clearly indicating that something¡¯s entered the cave recently. And judging by the wear and tear, there were quite a number of something¡¯s in there, along with a large number of supplies, provisions, and weaponry. Scouting mission my ass, this is an Olympian army camp, isn¡¯t it?

    I hadn¡¯t thought that this sort of location would be possible¡ªThough I would wonder why I thought that in hindsight.

    The inside of the first cave was massive. It could probably fit the school inside it, and it¡¯s ceiling stretched up into the gloom. There were hushed whispers from the other end of the cavernous room. Likely, there are a few lookout¡¯s posted over there, guarding this first cave. There are certain to be more than one, since this was described as a cave system, not a single simple cave. No matter how big that first cave really is on the inside. In tacit understanding, Eine and I crept towards those voices. I placed an arrow on my bow, while Eine clutched a few daggers in his hands.

    There were four lookouts posted in front of another cave tunnel¡ªone presumably leading further down into other caves. They didn¡¯t have any torches lit, since that would prevent them from properly seeing in the gloom of this underground room. However, that made little difference to Eine and I, since I could snipe them from beyond their sight range, and Eine can stand two feet in front of someone, and still not be noticed. He said that he can bend the perceptions of others somewhat, forcing their attention to slid right over him for a brief moment or two.

    It only took a few seconds for all the lookouts to die.

    What, you want me to go into greater depth? Fine.

    I loosed an arrow at the rightmost guy, while Eine simultaneously killed the two leftmost guards by slashing their throats. My next arrow killed the last lookout before he could even register the deaths of his comrades. The result of all this was that all four men dropped to the ground at nearly the same time, completely dead. We signaled the rest of our group that the coast was clear, then entered the tunnel leading deeper into the cave system.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    While walking in formation, I couldn¡¯t help but notice a few peculiarities. Namely, there were deep scratch and gouge marks in the sides of the tunnel. It was fairly obvious that the tunnel wasn¡¯t formed naturally, or had existed as a smaller opening in the past, before being enlarged somehow. The gouge marks don¡¯t look like something produced by picks though, since they were too deep and jagged.

    The best way I could describe it, would be that something big with very sharp claws dug out this tunnel. And, the first thing that comes to mind with that information, would be a dragon. How interesting. I wonder if the Olympian army division that set up here knows that a dragon also frequents these caves? I¡¯d say that they don¡¯t, since dragons are extremly difficult to kill, even with a few hundred men.

    Of course, our group is more than capable of taking down an average dragon, so take that as you will.

    We ran into a small patrol in the tunnel, but they were easily taken down. Hell, I don¡¯t think that they even noticed we were here, before they died. Spark had been running as our vanguard, and saw them first. Before the group could do anything, he swung his mace a single time, sweeping through them all and sparing none.

    Soon however, we were face with a dilemma. The tunnel split off into two different paths, one going to the right, and angling down sharply. The left branch kept straight, disappearing into the distance. I didn¡¯t wait, and immediately went down the rightmost tunnel. The rest of the party hesitated behind me, before following.

    ¡°Just curious, but why are we taking this tunnel? Is there a particular reason?¡± Asked Rina.

    ¡°Draft. Other lead outside.¡± I said in response, my voice barely audible here in the tunnels.

    ¡°Xavier? Care to translate?¡± Asked Spark, who had taken up his position as the vanguard again.

    ¡°Sure thing. She knew that the other tunnel lead outside due to the fact that air was flowing in it. This indicated that the air had somewhere to escape, and that the tunnel likely didn¡¯t lead deeper into the cave systems.¡±

    Everybody nodded at Xavier¡¯s explanation, and the logic that I had used.

    Our path was proven correct when the tunnel widened into another cave¡ªone of comparable size to the first. Just like that entrance cave, it was occupied. Not by lookouts this time, but by tamed monsters. Things like Ogres, Trolls, Basilisks¡ªand even, disturbingly, a Goliath Arachnid. That¡¯s not to say that it would be difficult to kill, but it¡¯s a spider as big as some houses. The thing¡¯s damn creepy, okay?

    Luckily, I¡¯m an archer class, and don¡¯t have to get close, unlike Spark, Xavier, Diana and Eine. Ah, poor them. Choosing classes for close quarters combat.

    Actually, none of them ended up getting close to the damn spider, since not one was willing to have to see it up close. Rina ended up taking care of it with a fireball. On the plus side, the spider has now been incinerated, along with a few trolls nearby. On the down side, the entire cave now smells of burnt spider.

    In other words, I think I would have rather we handled the spider in a way that didn¡¯t a smell bad enough to leave even us reeling. I wonder if there¡¯s a way to weaponize that smell, since it¡¯s certainly more than a little deadly. Ah, Rina couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, and fall. She landed on my head, nearly unconscious.

    We cleared up the remaining monsters faster than normal, our fervent desire to leave the cave propelling us. As soon as the last enemy went down, we ran for the next tunnel. I had long since equipped a mask around my nose and mouth designed to prevent you from contracting the plague, but it still couldn¡¯t quite filter out the smell. Once we were in the tunnel though, the smell lessened greatly; dissipating more the further we walked. Soon, we were gulping down uncontaminated air.

    Rina was scolded for using her fireball method on the Goliath Arachnid, and miserably agreed that it had been a bad idea. She stayed on my head though, obviously still traumatized by what had happened. I couldn¡¯t help but think that this situation could¡¯ve been avoided had Rina stuck to using actual nature magic, rather than chucking fireballs at anything that moved.

    There were a few more caves that we went through, but nothing notable was in them. I mean, there were things inside, but since they¡¯re just random spattering¡¯s of blood and gore on the cave floors now, they aren¡¯t worth mentioning. There wasn¡¯t anything interesting until we reached the seventh cave, where things changed dramatically.

    The cave was well lit, with clear crystals growing out of the walls. A small underground river bisected the cave; it¡¯s waters glistening clearly under the glow of the crystals, and reflecting a ceiling resembling the night sky better than any mirror. The whole place was silent, and beautiful. There was a solemn and reverent feeling existing in this cave, causing us to feel like we were intruding somehow. The only thing that broke the atmosphere were the clear scuff marks etched into the cave floor, and the crude wooden bride spanning the river¡ªmarkings that showed this place has already been defiled by human eyes and ambitions.

    We silently crossed the bridge, and left the cave.

    The eighth cave was even more fantastic, in it¡¯s own way. It was the largest one yet, and the place where the Olympian army division had set up camp. They had been able to create a makeshift stockade in the center of the cave, and pitched large tents inside the safety of their wooden fort. A campfire lit the area up in the middle of it all, clearly letting us see all those soldiers walking around, working, or simply sleeping. There were at least two-hundred men inside the little fort, doing their own things. A few of them spotted us walking out of the tunnel, and an alarm was immediately raised. Unfortunately, it¡¯s a little too late for them.

    You see, there are only two tunnels out of this cave¡ªthe one we are currently blocking, and one on the other end of the fort. I¡¯m guessing that they don¡¯t want, or can¡¯t to go down the other tunnel for one reason or another, so that leaves only one way out. But we¡¯re in front of it, so they¡¯re actually trapped.

    Of course, the soldiers didn¡¯t know that. To them, we¡¯re just some people who made it down here, and are now vastly outnumbered. We aren¡¯t a threat in their mind¡ªwhich was made evident when they only sent fifteen people to deal with us. We sent Spark to deal with them.

    I think you can imagine the results.

    There was a small crowd of soldiers who had gathered to watch our party being killed, but they were instead treated to the horrific sight of Spark tearing through the small number of men sent. I heard yells and warning bells ringing inside the fort, as they realize that our party is nothing to be trifled with. I stepped back into the tunnel entrance, intending to shoot anyone who gets too close. Meanwhile, the rest of the party was grinning manically, and preparing themselves for the inevitable brawl that was about to happen.

    Most of the camp inside the fort was roused for battle, and the walked out of the stockades in neat lines. Ah, that¡¯s too bad¡ªthey¡¯re just drill soldiers, meant to march in straight and orderly lines, using their numbers and weapons to deal damage to whatever other drill based soldiers they encounter. Unfortunately, small parties like ours, with each member having their own specialties and strengths, are practically the antithesis to drill soldiers, since we have the flexibility to adapt to any sort of situation, as well as the strength to come out on top. We might have had some trouble if the enemy camp was completely inhabited by elite Olympian parties, since their numbers would have been a problem. Like this, however, they have no chance.

    Their screams echoed through the caves for the next few minutes, before everything fell silent.

    <hr>

    The sorts of quests we did over the weekend were all different, and ended with various sorts of objectives. For instance, we reported back to the mission tent for the cave quest, and told them what had happened. A division of our own Rogue army was sent to occupy the now vacant cave system, and try to find out what the Olympians had been trying to find down there.

    Oddly enough, even though there had been a tunnel farther down into the system past the eighth cave, it¡¯s entrance had been blocked by a really old magic shield. It¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s something interesting further down there, but nobody can get past that shield for now. I think we''ll have to go back to the caves at some point, and check it out when the shield''s down.

    There was another quest we did, where we had to apprehend a portion of the Rogue army that had gone, well, rogue. They had decided to desert, while also taking along most of the army¡¯s treasury. A large number of player parties had been mustered to deal with the insubordination, and we had joined in. It was the first pitched battle of the civil war, but it hadn¡¯t been with the Olympians¡ªWe were fighting our own troops, and that weighed heavily on some minds.

    Other than these things, the weekend was quite tame, and passed very quickly. We were all in school on Monday, doing our government mandated learning. That was were things got interesting really quickly for me, and my group of friends. If I could point to a reason it did, all fingers would go to Varner, who had already thoroughly crept me out last week, during and after the student council meeting.

    Apparently, he wasn¡¯t nearly done, since I found myself cornered by him after school on Monday in a deserted hallway. His face, normally admittedly good-looking and kind, was twisted into a sneer of distain and haughtiness.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how a little girl like you cheated on the exams, but you should really admit to it. Non-important commoners like you should just vanish into the background, you know¡ªAnd if you won¡¯t do it yourself, I¡¯ll be forced to do it for you.¡± He said, his tone dark¡ªand supremely annoying. What the hell is he going on about, with me cheating? I thought that had already been cleared up?

    I did what any sane person would (I hope), and simply ignored him as he started verbally abusing me in some pretty nasty ways. Though, most of what he said about my mother does really hold true, funnily enough. I kept walking away, and eventually, he stopped following.

    Most people would say that my mistake was ignoring him, but I still wouldn¡¯t do anything different, even with all things considered.

 Chapter 7: Some People are a Special Type of Conceited

    (POV: Narrator in the Sky. (It¡¯s third person omniscient.))

    Despite the fact that humanity has spread out through the stars, Earth is still the center of their universe. All want to go there at some point, like a religious migration of sorts. The key word, though, is want.

    It takes a special sort of person to be authorized a trip to the home-world. You can have to have personal power at a level where they have no choice but to allow you to visit or even live there. You could have political clout to the point where the same thing happens. If you have an exorbitant amount of money, they¡¯ll also allow you in. Basically, any sort of prestige will give you the ability to walk on the soil humanity sprang from.

    Now, you might be asking, who¡¯s they?

    Who are the people that let others onto Earth?

    Well, they are the High-Families. Naturally, the High-Families reside on Earth for the most part, as befitting their power and ability. All of them live there¡ªeven those Families that fiercely hate each other, and have feuded for hundreds of years. When a Family falls, they are banished from Earth, and a fight ensues to determine who the new Family will be. Of course, there are levels of power even within the Families, with some of them occupying a higher position of power than others. But that¡¯s not important right now.

    What is important, is that a young man is walking through the immaculate halls of his Family¡¯s mansion on the Earth¡¯s surface. He¡¯s quite a good-looking man, as he should be. After all, he¡¯s the young master of the house, and seventh in line for the Family¡¯s succession. As for the reason he¡¯s walking through the halls with such a sour look scrunching up his aesthetically pleasing face¡ªwell, he just got summoned to his parent¡¯s office.

    His parents are unfortunately powerful people, and as such, rarely have time for their handsome, gifted, and genius son. They¡¯re still proud of him, though, and tell him that every now and then. Unless he¡¯s screwed something up, or done something bad. It happens every now and then, and most parents would simply let it go without much fuss. Not his, however. No, he¡¯s the heir to their household, and as such, must be completely, absolutely, and immaculately perfect.

    As he¡¯s walking to the office jointly shared by both his parents, Joel wonders if he¡¯s done something wrong. Ah, yes, his name is Joel. His given family name is Al¡¯Verath. So, as a member of the Al¡¯Verath Family, Joel wonders if he¡¯s done something wrong. He can¡¯t remember doing anything that would get him in trouble though, unless you count visiting one of Earth¡¯s most elite courtesan houses¡ªand that type of stuff is normally ignored quite tactfully. Hell, Joel once ran into his father there, and not a word was said afterwards.

    Joel wonders what he parents want from him, if they¡¯re not about to levy a punishment. Eventually, he decided that it would be better to not worry about it, and simply go into the office with an open mind, and a willingness to do anything¡ªattitudes that take you far in the Al¡¯Verath Family.

    He pushed open the intricate wood-carved doors, and entered his parent¡¯s office.

    His mother¡ªA beautiful but cold woman with black hair and blue eyes, was sitting behind her desk on the left side of the room. All around her, papers were piling up as she poured over various different research results, and experimental data. As beautiful as she is, her physical charm pales in comparison to the power of her mind. She¡¯s often noted as one of the most forefront scientists of the times, and has contributed quite a bit to society as a whole. It¡¯s because of these contributions that people ignore the darker experiments she runs in the background. Her name is Adrianna Al¡¯Verath.

    On the opposite end of the room, Joel¡¯s father was reading a newspaper. Klein Al¡¯Verath was named after the scientist who became the first to Awaken himself, in the hopes that he would become a renowned intellectual. Instead, he got involved in governance and politics, and ended up running most of the Al¡¯Verath family¡¯s land. He¡¯s fourth in line for the Family¡¯s head position, with his many brothers often in competition with him. He¡¯s a tall man, with dark brown curls adorning his head, and moss green eyes.

    In addition to their other achievements, both of Joel¡¯s parents are extremely powerful combatants, with Klein in particular having nearly reached the 12<sup>th</sup> divide at an astoundingly young age of eighty-two. Adrianna follows not far behind him. Joel went through the Awakening at nine years old, and immediately gained an Awakened form at the 9<sup>th</sup> divide, displaying that his potential in no way falls short of his parents.

    Anyway, Joel walked into their office. His father motioned for Joel to come over to his desk, where he had placed down a paper folder.

    ¡°Your mother and I need you to do something for us.¡± Said Klein, cutting straight for the point. He pushed the folder in front of Joel, and told him to open it up.

    Inside, there was an image of a devastatingly cute girl with long black hair, and dull green eyes. There was also a wealth of information about the girl, including her age, and intended Awakening date. Joel was a bit surprised to see that the girl was older than him, and still not Awakened. For one, she was seventeen, compared to his fifteen.

    To not have gone through Awakening at that point showed that people assessed her as having very little latent potential, and not being very important. So, why did his father give him this girl¡¯s information, when there¡¯s nothing special about her? At least, he thought that, until he saw the place of birth listed on the paper, as well as the seven-year gap in her records from the time she was born, until she landed in a normal commerce mega-city and enrolled in school there.

    She was written off, forgotten, and stuck with the label of having little talent. So then, why was she born on Earth?

    Joel looked up to his father questioningly. Klein caught the look, and explained what he wanted his son to do.

    ¡°We need you to go observe this girl¡¯s Awakening. If anything abnormal happens during the ceremony, then come straight back here, and tell us about it. Even better, bring her with you. If not, then do nothing. I¡¯ve chartered our yacht to take you there, under the guise of you meeting with the local city head and learning more about the cities under our supervision.¡±

    Klein handed his son another bit of paper, with a schedule and itinerary on it, as well as details on what to do, where to stay, and how to act. Joel took the folder and the paper. He had already gone off world a few times, for much the same sort of thing¡ªand knew what to expect. Though, he still felt the need to complain a little about this particular assignment.

    After all, the girl was assessed to have latent talent much worse than average, as well as grades that were nothing special, and no other redeeming qualities. The only things that made her stand out were the fact that she was born on Earth, and that there¡¯s a period of seven years where she essentially didn¡¯t exist. Joel could, and did, draw his own conclusions from such information.

    ¡°Why do I have to see it myself? Such a thing shouldn¡¯t be important enough for a member of the Al¡¯Verath family to observe directly, right?¡ªEven if she used to be from a High-Family¡± He asked. His mother piped up from across the office, agreeing with her son.

    ¡°I told you, we should have just sent a retainer! There¡¯s no reason to send Joel for someone so¡­useless. There¡¯s no way anything could happen.¡±

    Klein shook his head slowly, thinking.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better to be safe. I want to know for sure that this girl isn¡¯t anything special. I have to know that she has no power, else we need to take precautions.¡±

    With that, nothing more was said. Klein Al¡¯Verath was the possessor of a brilliant strategic mind, and handled all the decisions involving other people and organizations. Adrianna made the scientific choices.

    Joel left the same day, flying in his father¡¯s yacht. It could be considered one of the fastest ships in the galaxy, since his mother had also poured her scientific knowledge into its creation. The estimated travel time was only two weeks. Once he arrived, the city head would greet him, and give him a room to stay in. In a few days, he would go see this girl¡¯s Awakening, before leaving again. He was thinking that this girl should be grateful that someone so important had personally come to see her Awakening ceremony. After all, it would likely be the highlight of her boring, everyday average and common life. A far cry from any sort of past status she might have had. Joel just knows that she had been from a High Family¡ªHe even knew of one that had fallen ten years ago. Obviously though, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about the fall of her family, with so little potential.

    So, Joel was considering this little voyage a vacation, and contented himself to relaxing inside the yacht.

    <hr>

    (POV Godard)

    I guess you could say that we¡¯ve started stalking Revy.

    No, not in the bad sort of way, but for other reasons. Trust me when I say that none of us have any sort of hidden designs on her.

    I just think of it as a secret security detail of sorts, to protect Revy. Well, we¡¯ve only done it for a day so far.

    It started on Monday, when Haven noticed Varner cornering Revy. She then discreetly followed Revy home, just to make sure that nothing bad happened to her. Varner has a bad reputation among those who really know him. Sure, he¡¯s all smiles and kindness at school, but that¡¯s just to maintain a thin veneer of civility to the public. In the higher circles of society, people recall that time he beat to death a servant employed by his family.

    He has a wicked temper, and absolutely no patience. He also believes that those with power are mandated to lord over the masses, and that they are the highest beings. That¡¯s why he¡¯s upset about Revy taking the first rank on the recent exams. In his mind, she¡¯s only a part of those masses, and cannot outshine members of the upper class. Unfortunately, his father, who¡¯s an extremely wealthy merchant, only reinforces this sort of behavior by acting in the exact same way.

    We all have no idea what Varner said to Revy, but I can think it¡¯s anything good. And now we¡¯re scared that Varner will take things to an extreme, and do something unforgivable. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that someone who opposed or annoyed him quietly disappeared, leaving behind no evidence that something had happened.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    So, that¡¯s why we¡¯re ¡°stalking¡± Revy right now.

    It¡¯s the day after Varner had talked to her and all five of us were following her back to her house, where we¡¯ll then keep watch. Ideally, we could get our families involved in this, but that¡¯s a last resort in our opinions.

    We got on the same train as Revy, after tailing her from school. It¡¯s a little concerning how oblivious she normally is, since she doesn¡¯t have a clue that we¡¯re following her. We got off at the same stop as her, and waited five minutes before going after her again. Ussen stayed close to her, utilizing his wraith form to hide in the shadows and inform us of her situation, and current location. Using him, we arrived at her apartment building. Luckily, there¡¯s a fast-food place across from her building, and we were able to sit down, and be there if we end up being needed.

    We also had a good view of the building¡¯s front, and could see everyone entering and leaving. Ussen attached himself to Revy¡¯s shadow, and followed her into the apartment¡ªjust for that extra bit of security. His line went quiet for a while though, and we were concerned that something had happened. When he finally came back into contact, he explained that Revy decided to take a bath, and he had to find another hiding spot inside her apparently sparce apartment quickly, rather than staying in her shadow.

    Kormic ended up ordering some fries, and started munching on them while we were keeping an eye out. Three hours passed by very slowly. Then another two hours.

    By this point, the owner of the fast food place was getting annoyed, since one of his booths wasn¡¯t turning a profit. Anticipating a bit of a squabble, I watched as he walked over, an annoyed look on his face. However, at that moment, Sabrina shook my shoulder, and pointed outside.

    A group of mean looking men in black suits had shown up, and were being lead by none other than Varner. Damn it all, he means business, doesn¡¯t he?

    We all walked out of the food joint, and also contacted Ussen, telling him that something was going on. By the time we had crossed the street, Ussen had come down from the apartment, and stood in front of the building¡¯s doors. Varner snarled upon seeing Ussen, since their fathers are both competing merchants kings.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Ussen?¡± Asked Varner.

    ¡°Preventing you from hurting a friend.¡± Replied Ussen calmly.

    ¡°Friend? She¡¯s a common girl¡ªsomeone with an upbringing as elite as yours shouldn¡¯t be friends with one so¡­lowly. She¡¯s just going to drag you down to her own level.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Varner.¡± Called out Sabrina. Varner whipped his head around, and spotted us standing behind his little group. ¡°She¡¯s our friend, and has just as much to offer to the universe as you do. More, actually, considering your apparent lack of moral character.¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous. She¡¯s only a commoner. She can¡¯t do anything besides work, or become a good wife for some commoner husband. She doesn¡¯t matter, and I can do whatever I want. I was thinking that she would be a fun toy.¡± Said Varner.

    I think the last comment is what made Kormic snap, though, since he immediately triggered his Awakened form, and became a Giant. Varner and his goons were a little intimidated by the now four and a half meters tall and hairy Kormic.

    Following his lead, almost all of us released our Awakened forms. Power seemed to roll off everybody, further cowing Varner into submission, and convincing him that this is a fight he won¡¯t win.

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t want to do this¡­Just give up on the girl. She¡¯s not nearly worth all this, you know.¡± Said Varner, as he was leaving.

    ¡°On the contrary, she¡¯s well worth it.¡± Said Haven, now in her Demoness form, with fiery red hair replacing her normally tame black hair, leathery wings, a long and flexible tail, and reptilian eyes like rubies.

    After Varner left, everyone turned to me.

    ¡°Why the hell aren¡¯t you in your Awakened form? I know that you don¡¯t let anybody see it for some reason, but wouldn¡¯t that have been a good time for it?¡± asked Sabrina.

    I just shook my head. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll letting someone see that.

    <hr>

    (POV Revy)

    Sigh. Today was a pretty bad day of school.

    There had been some sort of commotion in the streets outside my apartment last night as I was trying to sleep. And then, I started thinking about my Awakening after that, which kept me up pretty late with worry and anxiety. In the end, I just got back up, and did some work on my computer for a few hours.

    The result of all this? I only got about three hours of sleep. Now, I don¡¯t know about others, but I like my sleep. And the fact that I didn¡¯t get much last night pisses me off.

    This put me in a foul mood for the entire day, and other things kept stealing my focus away. I also couldn¡¯t find my friends after lunch ended. It¡¯s like they up and disappeared on me.

    Thankfully, the day eventually ended, and I could go home. But, of course there would be a problem. Namely, I couldn¡¯t find my backpack. I could have sworn that it had been hanging by the side of my desk, but it certainly wasn¡¯t there now. Damn it¡ªYou leave to go to the bathroom for just a little while, and your backpack goes missing.

    I sighed again, and went to go search for it. But not before checking the whole classroom, since I didn¡¯t want to comb though the entire campus, only to find that it has only moved a few meters away from my desk. It wasn¡¯t in the room though, which was just my luck.

    I searched exhaustively for the next hour, but still couldn¡¯t find it. By then, there were only a few lingering students at school, and even the sports clubs were wrapping up their activities. I felt pretty terrible at this point.

    It¡¯s not like there was anything significant in my backpack, but I would rather not have to get another one, since my budget is already running a bit thin. Enough money for twenty years, my ass.

    I decided to simply leave, and go home. If my backpack turns up tomorrow, then all will be fine. If not, then I¡¯ll have to get a new one.

    Or, that¡¯s what I intended. My plans were a little derailed when I turned a hallway corner, and found a rag over my mouth and nose all the sudden. The last thing I remember is smelling something sweet.

    <hr>

    When I woke up, I found my hands chained to the floor. I¡¯m not an idiot¡ªI knew exactly what had just happened, and who carried it out.

    I¡¯m still wearing cloths, but that particular relief faded when I realized that it¡¯s just a thin cotton slip of a dress, rather than the school uniform I had been wearing. Oh boy¡ª That creep better hope he didn¡¯t do anything to me while I was still unconscious, else he¡¯ll regret it for a good time yet.

    Looking around, I immediately knew I was in a cell. I also got really, really fucking angry. It¡¯s one thing to mess with me, but there are things you shouldn¡¯t do.

    The cell is simple cold concrete on three sides. The fourth is a clear window spanning the full length of the cell, with a door of the same material in the middle. Beyond this wall was a hallway, and on the other end of that, was another cell. Inside that cell were my five friends, obviously drugged into unconsciousness. They also had handcuffs of a bright white metal around their wrists, which infuriated me more than anything else. Luckily, I didn¡¯t have that damned metal anywhere near me.

    I didn¡¯t try yelling out, since the cell was likely soundproofed, and I was probably too far from anyone willing to help. Hopefully, the families of my friends will realize that something¡¯s wrong, and come get us soon. This cell is really damn cold, especially in such thin clothing. I¡¯m not worried though. These idiots can¡¯t hurt me, and if they hurt my friends, then they¡¯ll have to deal with four of the most powerful families in the city.

    No, I¡¯m not worried. In fact, I¡¯m kinda glad that dipshit Varner made his move so quickly and rashly. Saves me the trouble of having to endure his presence.

    Ah, speak of the devil.

    ¡°Enjoying your stay, girl?¡± Said Varner, as he opened the cell door and entered along with three other men. It clicked shut behind him, automatically locking again.

    ¡°Cold.¡± I said, while giving Varner a glare.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m gracing your life with my presence, after all. A commoner like you would normally never get the chance to do all that I¡¯ll let you do.¡±

    ¡°Let friends go.¡±

    ¡°Friends? Ha! Don¡¯t make me laugh. You live in different worlds. I can¡¯t hurt them at all, since they have power behind them¡ªYou, however, I can hurt. I think I will, too. Maybe it¡¯ll convince the others that you aren¡¯t anywhere near their station in life. I¡¯ll show them just how weak and fragile normal people are compared to us higher beings.¡±

    ¡°Church of Divinity?¡± I asked curiously.

    The smile that was on Varner¡¯s face faded.

    ¡°Where oh where did you hear those words, little commoner? That¡¯s supposed to be something only us chosen ones know about.¡± He said gravely.

    I smiled coyly at him.

    You want some backstory, right? In short, the Church of Divinity holds the ideals that certain people are born higher than others, and hold the ¡®divine right¡¯ over the lives of lesser beings. It¡¯s basically a doctrine that says that you can do whatever you want to people less powerful than you. It¡¯s a mostly outlawed group now.

    It¡¯s also fairly secret, for various reasons. The fact that I know about it troubles Varner, since it¡¯s something no normal person would know.

    ¡°Spill it¡± Varner said, trying his best to look threatening. ¡°Tell us how you know about the Church of Divinity. Who told you about it? Was it one of your friends?¡±

    I shook my head, still smiling at Varner.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force us to hurt you, girl.¡±

    Oh, right. Like that wasn¡¯t going to happen anyway, idiots. You don¡¯t bring three other men into a cell holding a chained girl simply because you felt like it. I know exactly what you wanted to happen, especially since you put my friends into the cell opposite mine. Force them to watch, right?

    I sighed for what felt like the millionth time today. It looks like I¡¯ll be forced to take things into my own hands, since it doesn¡¯t look like help¡¯s coming in time for me to act innocent.

    I shook my head briefly, clearing my thoughts, before looking Varner dead in his eyes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t use iridium. Mistake.¡± I said, deadly serious, before everythingwent to hell as the cell door opened.

    <hr>

    (POV Kormic)

    Ugh, my head.

    What the fucking hell happened? I remember leaving lunch for my next class, and then there was a¡­needle?

    Oh damn it. I was fucking abducted, wasn¡¯t I? Well, it¡¯s good news that I¡¯m still alive then¡­

    Wait¡ªwhat the¡­?

    What¡¯s going on in the other cell? That¡¯s¡­Varner? He¡¯s crying like a kid. Then, three men on the ground? Blood between their legs? I can see something white behind them, but their bodies are blocking the way right now. Then, there¡¯s a shadowy figure standing over them. I assume he/she got in through the see-through door, since it¡¯s wide open. But then, why isn¡¯t Varner running? He¡¯s just screaming and crying¡ªsomething I¡¯d never imagined him doing.

    I can¡¯t make out what that figure is, but it is humanoid in shape. There are shadows rolling off it though, making me think that I¡¯m looking at someone in their Awakened form. It¡¯s also tall, and incredibly skinny, with claws for hands, and glowing red eyes which are¡­.looking straight at me.

    I froze, feeling a bit of instinctual fear for this thing. It walked out of the other cell, stepping over the black-dressed men on the ground. As it got closer, the shadows seemed thicker, and I felt a cold sweat rising on me¡ªtelling me that whatever or whoever this thing is, they¡¯re really powerful. More so than my grandfather, who¡¯s the strongest man I know.

    The thing simply touched the clear wall, and it shattered cleanly. As it got closer, I shut my eyes, not wanting to see anymore. I heard a few breaking sounds, like something was being sheared in two. I felt a weight fall off my arms, and my headache cleared up instantly.

    I opened my eyes, stunned. Those were iridium handcuffs, weren¡¯t they? That would be why I felt so bad¡ªAnd this thing broke them off me. I looked at it, and could have sworn that it nodded at me, before vanishing down the hallway.

    I could see that all my friends now have iridium handcuffs broken at their feet as well, though I¡¯m the only one awake, it seems.

    I walked over to the other cell, and punched Varner unconscious. When the see-through cell wall had broken, I could hear his desperate and frantic screams between the heavy sobbing. Now that he wasn¡¯t awake, things were much quieter. I looked at the three men dressed in black, and took their pulse while checking the damage done to them.

    All of them were dead, which didn¡¯t surprise me given the aura that the figure had given off¡ªlike a god of death. The men all had broken necks, and were missing some bits.

    I looked past them, and felt my fury rise to new levels.

    Revy was chained to the floor, unconscious. She was wearing a thin cotton dress. I hurriedly broke the chains holding her down with a mana-infused strike, and picked her up¡ªsince the dress had begun soaking up a bit of the blood from the three dead men, staining it¡¯s white surface red. I brought her back to the cell where everyone else was, before going back and moving the bodies. I didn¡¯t want that to be the first thing everyone sees when they wake up, though I could do nothing about the blood.

    As for Varner, I found an unused iridium handcuff, and restrained him. But not before giving him a good kick to the ribs.

    Sabrina was the next one to wake up. I calmly explained the situation to her, and we agreed to wait for help to arrive. Our families certainly knew that we were missing by now, and would eventually find us.

    Ussen woke up next, with Haven following closely behind. Only Godard and Revy were still out when help finally arrived.

 Chapter 8: Sometimes, Things Just Get Confusing With More Information.

    So, about the kidnapping incident.

    I actually wasn¡¯t awake when we were found and rescued. In fact, Kormic was the only one who could give a good accounting of what had actually happened. And even he was extremely confused by what he had seen.

    Apparently, no one else saw the person who had come to our aid either enter or leave the building¡ªWhich ended up being Varner¡¯s mansion near the center of the city.

    We were all rushed to a hospital, since they weren¡¯t sure if anything else had happened to us without our realization. I had traded in my blood-soaked white cotton dress for a hospital gown, and the jury was out for which one felt breezier.

    Needless to say, Varner and his family were detained after this incident. The family was released after it was found that they had no idea that Varner was kidnapping five members of high-society. And no one could find out what Varner had been thinking when he initiated such a plan, since he¡¯s well and truly mad now. Something about Kormic¡¯s shadowy figure had snapped him, plunging his psyche all the way into insanity. Now, he¡¯s just a blubbering mess of tears and snot.

    I don¡¯t really know or care what about what happened to him after the incident, but I do know that he disappeared from the public eye. He was also expelled from school, naturally.

    Personally, I think that he was already a little insane before this whole incident. After all, who else thinks that he can just up and kidnap five kids of influential families, and completely get away with it?

    Anyway, the kidnapping incident closed fairly quickly, and things returned to normal after that. Or mostly normal. Sabrina and Godard have seemed on edge since then, and I think that this whole thing may have affected them more than they¡¯re letting on. I don¡¯t hold it against them, since getting kidnapped isn¡¯t something most people have to go through.

    Though, I think everyone is a little baffled at the fact that I¡¯m unfazed. After all, I was the one in the most danger during this situation, and thus should be the one who¡¯s the most mentally scarred, no? But that¡¯s not the case. As soon as we were released from the hospital, I started going to school again. Everything slid back into normalcy for me, and that confuses the hell out of everyone else. They think I should be scared, or lost, or maybe even angry. I didn¡¯t get hurt though, so I¡¯m fine? Oh well¡ªThat¡¯s the way I¡¯m taking it. It¡¯s a sort of ¡®all¡¯s well that ends well¡¯ approach to the whole situation.

    I was far more concerned about the future. And unfortunately, the two weeks I had left passed by all too quickly.

    <hr>

    I stepped off the train platform, gazing at the massive spherical building in front of me. All Awakening ceremonies are held in the city hall, since only they have the iridium-lined rooms commonly used in the process.

    I¡¯m wearing my school uniform, though most other people dress up really fancily for the occasion. I mean, it¡¯s a pretty big deal to most people, with pictures, parties, and celebrations involved. Especially since the Awakening ceremony tends to double as a coming-of-age for those involved. In some places, you aren¡¯t seen as an adult if you aren¡¯t awakened, no matter how old you actually are.

    As for the city hall, it¡¯s the perfect venue for such an occasion. Large, majestic, and imposing, the whole structure¡¯s built as a massive dome. Set into the side of this blindingly white dome was a rectangular entrance. The doors were flanked by fluted columns of marble. I walked up the set of stairs that lead to the entrance, blinded by the building.

    What the hell were the designers thinking, making the whole thing as white as snow? Even in the low light environment of this world, the whole thing causes me to squint my eyes nearly shut. Such a damn pain.

    Thankfully, the glare was gone as soon as I entered the building.

    There¡¯s a reception area right inside the entrance, with a row of desks on the far end to direct people to their various destinations inside city hall. I walked up to one of the desks, since I didn¡¯t know where the Awakening area was.

    ¡°Yes? How may I help you, young lady?¡± Asked the receptionist behind the desk as I stopped in front of her.

    ¡°Awakening for Revian Snow?¡± I asked plainly, crossing my fingers and hoping that the receptionist will understand what I¡¯m asking.

    She looked a bit taken aback, and told me to wait one moment, while she checks her records for my appointment.

    ¡°Ah, here it is! You¡¯ll want to take that hallway over there, on the left. You see it? Go all the way to the end, and then turn right. That¡¯ll take you straight to Awakening chamber four.¡±

    I nodded, and left. The receptionist¡¯s directions led me to the right place, if the sign with Awakening Chamber 4 was anything to go by. I opened the door into the room, and was greeted by a group of men and woman in lab coats monitoring another Awakening going on at the moment. It looks like I got here a little early, since there¡¯s also a group of well-dressed individuals waiting off to the side, watching the spectacle.

    Likely, they''re the relatives and friends of the kid going through Awakening right now, who you could see on a screen due to cameras placed inside the chamber itself. It was a boy, who looked about twelve or thirteen years old. His latent talent must have been rated very well to have his Awakening happen now. Ah, look at that¡ªhe just shifted for the first time. I think his Awakened form is a fox beast-kin of some type? Not bad.

    The relatives clapped in celebration as the kid walked out of the chamber, his face lit up in a wide smile, and his new tail waving playfully in the air behind him. The scientists and doctors came over, and ran a battery of tests on the kid to determine his starting divide, race, affinities, etc. It turns out that he started out right at the 7<sup>th</sup> divide, giving him a really good chance of breaking through to higher levels when he¡¯s older.

    After that, their group filtered out of the room, presumably leaving to go celebrate elsewhere. As soon as they were gone, the technicians noticed me for the first time.

    ¡°Eh? What are you doing here?¡± One of them asked.

    ¡°Name is Revian Snow. Awakening.¡± I said.

    One of them went, and confirmed that I would be going through the Awakening in about an hour. Yeah, I arrived just a little bit early. There was paperwork that had to be done though, so I started on that after being handed the necessary forms for the procedure.

    There were simple questions and fields I had to fill in, with things such as name, age, family, place of residence and the like. There were many other fields that I left blank, the most important of which was the spot where I was supposed to put my parent¡¯s information down. I handed the mostly completed paperwork back to the technicians. They quickly read through it, and looked at me with eyes of pity, much to my embarrassment. I had also outlined my little speech disability under the ¡®extra concerns¡¯ section, so they knew about that as well.

    There were still thirty minutes to go, and the room had lapsed into a comfortable silence. Well, comfortable for me. I¡¯m sure the technicians running this thing felt a little awkward with it.

    Soon though, company arrived in the form of my friends, who had come without me even asking them to. They expressed their happiness about my impending Awakening, and wished me luck. I didn¡¯t say anything back. Time passed by quickly for me, and only five minutes were left. Everyone had solemn looks on their faces, probably picking up on my morose and mourning atmosphere.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Four minutes left. The technicians started powering up the chamber, preparing for the moment when mana would be flooded into the room, and I would be forced to Awaken.

    Three minutes. I began thinking back on the past few years. I wanted to cry a little when thinking about it, but had already found that I couldn''t anymore.

    Only two more minutes. I thought about the future. I know they¡¯ll be watching this Awakening, and will know that something¡¯s not quite right with it. I don¡¯t know what tomorrow will bring, but I certainly can¡¯t be allowed to live my everyday normal life anymore.

    At one minute, I got up in order to enter the chamber. The doors to the waiting and monitoring room opened again, and a young teenage boy entered the room with a haughty expression on his face, and a powerful aura surrounding him. I hurried into the chamber, not wanting to look at him any longer than I had to.

    The chamber itself was almost completely lined with iridium to isolate it from any sort of outside interference. The metal made the room a stark white, with a single chair in the center of it. I sat down in it, crossing my legs. Closing my eyes, I hoped that nobody saw the little tear that ended up escaping down my cheek.

    I heard a countdown over a speaker somewhere, letting me know just how long I have left. It reached zero.

    Pure Mana flooded the room, and I resigned myself to my fate.

    <hr>

    Most of the people in the monitoring room missed the fact that Revy entered the chamber, since they were too busy watching as Joel Al¡¯Verath entered, his atmosphere entirely dispelling the somber air that had been in the room. Everyone was curious about this newcomer, since nobody had seen him before that point.

    Well, at least not in person. Sabrina recognized him for who he truly was, and was absolutely stunned.

    ¡®Why is a rising star from the Al¡¯Verath family here? Revy shouldn¡¯t be that important, right?¡¯ she thought, fiercely pondering the implications of his presence.

    Joel, for his part, simply ignored everyone else in the room, and avidly watched the screen as Revy sat down inside the Awakening chamber. He wanted to be sure that he wouldn¡¯t miss even the smallest of anomalies in Revy¡¯s Awakening, and that he could accurately report whatever happened to his parents.

    He had come in with a fair bit of distain for the event, but had then seen a brief glimpse of the girl¡¯s face as she caught eye contact with him. Worry, terror, fear¡ªThese were the primary emotions he saw there, emotions not found in a normal Awakening ceremony. He was now mildly curious about the proceedings.

    The technicians saw that Revy was ready, and started the countdown.

    When zero was reached, a lever was thrown and the chamber was flooded with the purest Mana currently possible. Everyone glued their eyes to the monitor, watching as a miniature mana storm was created inside the chamber itself. The room¡¯s iridium walls are there to protect those outside, just as much as to prevent outside interference. Though, the flip side is that Revy is unable to manipulate anything outside of the chamber, since the iridium would stop any attempts.

    So, everyone could clearly see that something was off about the whole procedure.

    ¡°What the¡­These readings?¡± mumbled one of the technicians in confusion.

    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on with Revy?¡± Asked Godard, who had heard the man speak, and now looked at him with great concern and fear. He didn¡¯t want anything bad happening to Revy.

    ¡°Nothing¡ªall these readings¡­.It¡¯s like she¡¯s not even inside the chamber at all. The mana¡¯s ignoring her.¡±

    ¡°Eh? I¡¯ve heard about that before. Doesn¡¯t that happen when you stick someone who¡¯s already Awakened into one of the chambers?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and bring her out.¡± Commanded Joel. His presence made it so that nobody argued against it.

    The door to the Awakening chamber hissed open, and Revy was asked to come out. Everyone who saw her thought that she had a despondent look on her face, like she wasn¡¯t looking forward to what was about to happen at all.

    ¡°Miss Snow,¡± Asked one of the technicians, ¡°Can you tell us if you¡¯ve already been Awakened?¡±

    She nodded, her face looking pale, and a little sickly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°Not official. Didn¡¯t happen.¡± She said, confusing many of the people in the room.

    Eventually, another one of the technicians spoke up.

    ¡°Could you please shift into your Awakened form, Miss Snow? We¡¯d like to take some measurements.¡±

    Joel eagerly paid attention to her. All this certainly counted as abnormal, and he was sure his parents would agree. It was looking like he would end up having to take Revy back with him.

    Everyone was paying rapt attention to Revy, actually. All this was too abnormal¡ªsomeone going back for a second Awakening at seventeen years old, since the first one ¡®never happened¡¯. So, they were all watching as she took a deep breath, and went into Awakened form.

    Her left eye turned blue.

    ¡°Is¡­is that it?!¡± thought Joel. He felt massively led on. He still stayed in the room though, not willing to let that be all.

    Revy was lead over to a series of measuring equipment, for the same reason that the boy before her had been.

    Joel felt worse and worse as the tests went on.

    She had no potential. No strength. All the readings were indicating that she was weak, and non-important. A base strength at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide. Highest maximum potential at the 3<sup>rd</sup>. She had no rare affinities, no special qualities besides the fact that she had already Awakened.

    Joel was cursing loudly in his mind as he left the room. Outside, he dialed up his parents to tell them what had happened.

    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m reporting about that girl¡¯s Awakening.¡± He began, ¡°In short, she¡¯s trash. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s special or important.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked his mother over the phone.

    ¡°She¡¯s at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide! Her Awakened form is apparently human, but only her left eye changed. Even worse, she was already awakened, and didn''t progress at all.¡±

    Joel heard a gasp from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°What did you just say?!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s trash?¡±

    ¡°No, no, about already being Awakened!?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. She didn¡¯t Awaken during this ceremony, since she had apparently gone through it before. Do you think that her family¡­?¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Go get her, bring her to me! This shouldn''t be possible¡ªHer first Awakening should have been a failure!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Huh?¡¯ me¡ªGet her onto the yacht, and bring her back with you! You have no idea how important this is!¡± Said Adrianna Al¡¯Verath as she hung up. He could hear her excited yelling in the background before that though.

    He turned back around, and reentered the monitoring room.

    It was oddly silent in there. Everyone was looking at Revy again, but with confusion and shock.

    ¡°Say that again please? I think I misheard you¡­¡± Asked Haven of Revy, who stood in the center of the room, watching as Joel reentered.

    ¡°He¡¯s taking me to Earth.¡± She said again, pointing at Joel¡ªwho now has a very complicated look on his face.

    ¡°How did you know¡­? You know what, never mind. Yes, I¡¯m taking you to Earth with me.¡±

    ¡°What? But why? The High-Families should have no reason to be interested in Revy¡ªYou saw the measurements!¡± yelled Sabrina. Everyone else went into shock a little, upon realizing that Joel was representing a High-Family.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Said Joel, shrugging at Sabrina. ¡°I was told to bring her back with me. You would have to ask either my parents, or your friend here.¡± He pointed at Revy.

    All eyes turned back to her for an explanation.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell us?!¡± Cried out Godard.

    ¡°My problem. Have to solve.¡± She said.

    ¡°But we can help you, right? You just have to tell us what¡¯s going on first.¡± said Kormic evenly.

    Revy shook her head again.

    ¡°Against High-Family? No good.¡± She said, quashing their offer.

    The room descended into silence for a moment.

    ¡°Do you have to go?¡± Asked Ussen quietly.

    Revy nodded.

    ¡°After problem fixed, come back.¡± ¡ªshe promised them.

    Revy left Jor peacefully, boarding the Al¡¯Verath yacht after saying her goodbyes, and packing up all she owned. Which wasn¡¯t much¡ªshe fit everything into two suitcases, including her computers and VR set.

    Joel thought something was wrong. This Revy girl, who was so weak and vulnerable, didn¡¯t seem particularly scared or sad now that she was on the yacht. She seemed¡­determined, even if there was a little bit of melancholy in her eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but feel like she wanted this for some reason.

    He had gotten the impression that nothing good was awaiting this tragic girl on Earth, especially since his mother wanted Revy so badly. But, for some reason, he gets chills down his back when he looks at Revy, like there was something terrifying about the girl.

    He quickly dismissed those thoughts though. There can¡¯t be anything special about her. She¡¯s only at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide, after all.

    Revy, for her part, was facing the future with her head held high. She felt like she¡¯d been hiding too long, and needed to come out into the open in order to be able to go back to the normal life she loved so much. She was also trying to ignore Joel as much as possible. Unfortunately, they¡¯re stuck on a relatively small ship together for two weeks. She ran into him constantly.

    He had plenty of questions for her, as he was trying to figure out what made her special. Some of which she actually answered, either by speaking a few words, or writing down her response.

    One such question: ¡°Why does only your left eye turn blue in Awakened form? Why not both?¡±

    She didn¡¯t even have to answer that one. Instead, she reached up to her eye.

    All Joel saw, was that her hand briefly covered her right eye. When she took it away, her eye was closed, and she held something up. She mimed tossing it at him, and he ran away, freaked out by her glass eye. He didn¡¯t bring it up again.

    He did, however, get some of his answers when his mother intercepted their yacht a little more than halfway through the voyage, bringing with her a few other ships for security.

    The meeting between his mother and Revy was extremly enlightening and shocking for Joel.

    For one, they already knew each other.

 Chapter 9: Dragon!!!

    The whole ¡®voyage to Earth¡¯ thing was going fairly smoothly until we got a visitor.

    Before that point, I would normally keep to the cabin I had been given, coming out to eat, stretch my legs, and check out the moderately sized yacht. I would also run into Joel every now and then. It¡¯s a small ship after all. He kept asking annoying questions of me though, which got old really quickly. At one point, he asked about my Awakened form, and the different colored eyes. Seeing a chance to get back at him, I removed the glass eye that had replaced the one I lost, and thoroughly freaked him out with it. Hey¡ªhe wanted to know the answer, so I showed him with all my magnanimity.

    However, things changed a little over a week into the journey. I felt the yacht slowly shudder to a stop in the middle of nowhere. I exited my cabin, to find Joel arguing with the captain of the vessel. Apparently, he had gotten a call from his superior, telling him to stop the ship and prepare for boarding. I ran to one of the small windows placed every so often on the ship, and saw that there were other vessels closing in on us.

    Most of them had the distinctive look of military crafts, while the odd one out was a stark white and extremely sleek looking. Recalling the outside appearance of this yacht, I realized that the two of them were likely sister ships. Which means that our visitor is likely another member of the Al¡¯Verath Family. Unfortunately, when I consider those who would be willing to take out another ship and meet us halfway due to impatience, only one person comes to mind.

    This line of thinking was proven correct when the ships coupled together, and the airlock hissed open to reveal a beautiful woman with blue eyes and black hair. She was flanked by men in uniform carrying swords at their hips, and leveling plasma guns at me.

    I quickly put my hands in the air, quirking an eyebrow at the woman.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked. ¡°I have to take precautions you know. Who knows how bitter you are, or how much you want revenge.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m weak?¡± I said, pointing out the overkill of this situation.

    The woman snorted.

    ¡°Weak? Somehow, you managed to fool my sensors into thinking that your first Awakening failed. Anyone who can do that is not weak.¡±

    I stayed silent.

    ¡°Wait, so you were the one that did her first¡­?¡±

    ¡°Shut up Joel. This isn¡¯t about you right now.¡± She interrupted viciously. ¡°How did you do it, Revian? How did you fool my sensors back then?¡±

    I still didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°I have ways to get you to tell me, as you should know all too well. It would be in your best interests to speak up.¡±

    I sighed, and spoke up.

    ¡°Complicated. Need writing.¡±

    The woman nodded acknowledgement, allowing me to go to my cabin, and grab a portable keyboard. I started typing on it, and the words were projected in holographic form above the keyboard. Over the years, my typing has gotten to the point where I write faster than some people think. Because of that, my message was finished before anyone had a chance to read it all through.

    You really aren¡¯t in a position to threaten me, bitch. Personal strength aside, I¡¯ve been hacking into the Al¡¯Verath databases for years now, and finding all sorts of incriminating evidence. Need I even mention the Cu¡¯lan sector? Oh, and ask all your frigate captains about the ¡®point one degree phenomena¡¯. I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll be enlightening. If anything happens to me, the Al¡¯Verath family is going down as well. Consider yourself carefully.

    The woman¡¯s face turned an entertaining shade of red as her rage mounted the further she read. By the end of my message, she was practically frothing at the mouth.

    ¡°You¡­.you¡ªDare?! Guards, shoot her!¡±

    Oops, I may have pushed her too far. The guards accompanying her immediately obeyed her directive, leveling those nasty plasma guns at me. They weren¡¯t enough to kill, but would easily maim me.

    ¡°Mother, calm down. Obviously, you want Revian in somewhat good condition, rather than in pieces. Additionally, combat inside of a yacht in the middle of space is never a good idea. There¡¯s a reason space pirates were never a thing.¡± Said Joel, trying to placate the woman while stepping in front of me.

    That woman regained her composure annoyingly quickly, though she was still glaring at me nastily.

    ¡°Would you please,¡± she said, grinding her teeth painfully, ¡°Go into Awakened form. I would like to see this eye of yours.¡±

    I smirked, and did so. I felt a slight tingle as I Awakened. She walked closer to me, inspecting my eye. I didn¡¯t back away, since that would be a sign of weakness, and I didn¡¯t want to appear weak right now. Or rather, I want to appear the right sort of weak.

    ¡°Curious¡­This blue, should not be possible.¡± She said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Joel from the side.

    Oh, oops. I quickly blinked.

    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat the¡­? What did you just do, girl?¡± Snapped the woman.

    I shook my head, staying silent.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Asked Joel, apparently eager to find out more.

    ¡°Her eye¡­Before she blinked, it seemed special somehow. Like the iris itself was moving slowly. Now though, it looks like any other blue eye. I don¡¯t think I imagined that¡­¡±

    I looked at her, confusion etched all over my face. Nope, don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about with the eye¡­ Not at all.

    Okay, so it was a bit of a mistake on my part. I forgot that my remaining eye¡¯s a little special. Sue me. Unfortunately, it looked like that woman was willing to do worse. I could only cross my fingers, and hope that she lets it go. However, that¡¯s not likely, knowing her. This was a woman who forced me into isolation for two years, to observe me after a ¡®failed Awakening¡¯. She was fastidious, unrelenting, and precise.

    Her hand snaked out as she grabbed my chin, forcing me to look straight at her.

    ¡°What. Did. You. Do?¡±

    ¡°Let go. Did nothing.¡± I said. She tightened her grip further.

    Damn it, damn it, damn it all! One little mistake! This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I had remembered what happened with my eye in my Awakened form. If only¡­Ah, you know what. I think I¡¯m getting annoyed. Mostly at myself, but a fair bit of it¡¯s directed towards this woman.

    I¡¯m going to have to go for the power display now, aren¡¯t I? But I really don¡¯t want to. That would be giving away half my cards, since nobody has any measure on what I¡¯m capable of so far. Most think I¡¯m weak and venerable, but this damn woman probably thinks otherwise. After all, she knows that I falsified a failed awakening somehow, and more. In her mind, I¡¯m more than capable of messing with the equipment used to measure stuff after an awakening. She thinks that the 1<sup>st</sup> divide ranking is wrong, and that I changed it somehow. This woman is really, really smart, after all. It¡¯s her only plus point.

    Besides, like Joel so aptly pointed out, fighting in a space ship is a very bad idea. It only takes one tear in the ship to suck us all out into the great void.

    Ah, shit. She¡¯s lifting me into the air now. I flailed my legs a little to make myself seem a little more helpless. Though, my size would normally do a good job of convincing people of that. This woman is not convinced.

    ¡°Tell me now. I¡¯m not a very patient person you see, and don¡¯t really believe you about the whole hacking thing. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t do anything to me if the Al¡¯Verath family goes under. Your threats are entirely useless¡ªI would suggest you start explaining yourself, Revian Snow.¡± She said, biting out the last word like it should hurt me. It really didn¡¯t, you know?

    I still glared at her though. She slammed me into the floor with a heavy thud. The breath whooshed out of my lungs for a brief moment, leaving me gasping on the floor. She then punched me in the face, breaking my nose painfully, and leaving blood streaming from it.

    ¡°Take her back to my ship. I have all the necessary¡­equipment to make Revian talk.¡± Said the woman to the guards following her. They picked me up, and carried me to the other ship.

    Not.

    Joel was quite surprised to notice me sitting next to him, completely fine. He jumped comically high. From the other side of the airlock, I heard shocked yells, and the scrambling of people. The woman burst back into our ship, furious looking. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me sitting next to her son, without a sign of blood or violence on me.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°You little¡­Are you a freaking teleporter? Fuck, this makes things complicated now.¡± She said under her breath, not intending for anyone to hear.

    And so our little game began. She wanted to cause me pain oh so badly, but I wasn¡¯t willing to feel it. She would attempt to capture me, only to have her prey slip away at the last possible second. I never actively taunted her, but the mere fact that I was seemingly untouchable infuriated the woman. Nothing she tried seemed to work. At first, she would think that the drugs slipped into my food got to me, but then I would disappear from her grasp right before she could capture me. And reappear somewhere else without a single thing wrong with me. She would try to get me with iridium handcuffs while asleep, only to have me vanish right before they clicked shut. Things like that, you know? There were dozens of iterations of such encounters over the week. I had to stay in my Awakened form all the time, lest she accidentally get me.

    Oh, I should mention that we were moving again. The two yachts stayed coupled together, but that was no issue in space travel. It just made the voyage a little bit longer. In fact, part of what was infuriating that woman so much, was the fact that we were getting closer and closer to the earth. And she could do nothing about the fact that I was still free. I don¡¯t think she ever stopped to consider the fact that I was going to Earth in the first place. I wasn¡¯t doing it because of fear. I was doing it to try and get these people to leave me alone.

    There are a few ways I could do that, but I decided to go with the simplest and best route. This was actually part of that plan. I need to convince people that I am untouchable. That nothing they do will cause me any harm. The woman certainly is beginning to feel that way.

    It also helps that she has no idea what¡¯s going on. I heard her thinking aloud once, trying to figure me out.

    ¡°Teleportation, obviously. With Regeneration? Maybe even Auto-Resurrection? But there should be a limit, a weakness¡­there always is. She¡¯s physically weak, and doesn¡¯t have any firepower. Does she have magic abilities?¡±

    Just like this, indecision caused one of the brightest minds humanity has to offer to go round in circles. She knows too little about me, and my abilities. And she knows it too. Hell, she can¡¯t even get a gauge of how powerful I am, since all I¡¯ve been doing is avoiding her. And what she does see terrifies her even more.

    You have to understand her Awakened form to know what I¡¯m talking about. She becomes a will-o-the-wisp, able to see the true forms of whatever she gazes upon. However, when she looks at me, all she sees is a girl with an Awakening at the first step of the 1<sup>st</sup> divide. Something that obviously isn¡¯t possible, given the way I can elude her so easily. Even worse, she can¡¯t see anything beyond that. Normally, she would be able to see a person¡¯s affinities, preferred style of combat, tells, etcetera, etcetera.

    Not knowing something fills the woman up with indecision, and causes her to subconsciously fear me, even if she keeps telling herself that it¡¯ll be easy to get what she wants after capturing me. Though, she¡¯s had a bit of a problem with the capturing bit so far.

    Our little game, however, ended when Earth came into view.

    It was just as I had remembered it, with verdant blue oceans covering most the world, and the occasional large swath of green land breaking through the waters. The sun glowed a bright and healthy yellow, providing large amounts of light to the planet¡¯s surface. I had unfortunately never seen too much of the sun when on Earth, though. I¡¯ve also never seen a rainbow.

    Our ships soon breached the atmosphere, shaking somewhat violently as they did so. I was strapped into a seat in my cabin, to ensure that nothing important got scrambled about.

    After we reached a good height, the ships evened out and entered atmospheric flight, carrying us to our destination. Given that these ships are capable of goingslightly faster than light, we got there in about a minute even with the speed vastly reduced, which gave me very little time to watch the ocean and occasional landmass pass by. Too quickly, the landing gears were going down, and we slowed to a halt on a smooth surface. I sighed, and got up, grabbing my two suitcases as well. I left the cabin, and saw that the door on the side of the craft had already opened. Presumably, Joel already left through it.

    I manhandled the suitcases down the stairway that had been wheeled up to the ship, and wasn¡¯t surprised to find myself surrounded at the bottom of them. It was a bunch of men in suits, leaving sophisticated looking guns at me. That woman was standing behind them, an ugly smirk on her normally beautiful face. Oh crap¡ªher ship landed before ours.

    ¡°Fire.¡± She said, and a bullet ripped through my abdomen. My blood splashed onto the pavement. I immediately got out of there, reappearing back on my chair inside the space yacht with my wound closed back up.

    Unfortunately, I felt a knife prick my neck. Ah¡ªdamn it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Else, you will die.¡± Said Joel from behind me. His mother recruited him. Of course that would happen. The she-devil walked up the stairs, boarding the craft with that annoying smirk on her face.

    ¡°I knew it! You really threw me for a loop there, Revian. I kept wondering about your abilities¡ªTeleportation, with all injuries sustained mysteriously closed back up afterwards. I kept thinking that you had teleportation and one other ability that healed you. But no¡ªyou only have one. The penny dropped when I realized that you¡¯re only reappearing in places and positions you¡¯d been in before.¡± She laughed at this point.

    ¡°I figured that out halfway through the week, and spent the rest of the time verifying my hypothesis, and getting you to let your guard down. Your single ability is a minor touch of time manipulation, returning your body to the state it had been at previously. You can turn back at most an hour, with the minimum being only a few seconds.¡±

    Is this an evil villain¡¯s speech or something? She¡¯s going on and on, like she wants someone to be proud of her. I mean, bravo for coming to that conclusion. It would explain the low strength that she observed of me, and the fact that I¡¯m not past the 1<sup>st</sup> divide, since this ability would only be able to work in certain situations. For instance, if I get taken by surprise, then it¡¯s useless, right? If I die in one hit, it also wouldn¡¯t work.

    So, she probably set up a trap for when I got off the yacht. She had someone shoot me in order to force the ability, then had Joel lie in wait at the place I had spent the most time recently¡ªthe chair inside my cabin.

    I¡¯ll admit it. She played well, and set a good trap for me.

    It¡¯s just too bad that she¡¯s completely wrong about my abilities, then.

    Time?

    Pffft! I can¡¯t believe that I actually got her to arrive at that conclusion! I mean, yeah, I was trying to, but for her to be so gullible, simply because she thinks she arrived at that conclusion herself¡­ She puts too much stock in the power of her mind.

    And with that, she was quite confused when I up and disappeared from her perfect trap. Joel¡¯s knife ended up embedding itself into the chair¡¯s cushions, as he tried to make good on his threat, and plunged it into my neck as I vanished.

    He would swear that he hit bone, but given the fact that I ended up in front of the yacht, outside the circle of men with guns, and perfectly fine, I¡¯d say otherwise.

    That woman ran out of the yacht, pointing at me and yelling at the men to shoot me. However, she also held enough presence of mind to order then to go for non-lethal rounds. She still wants me alive, after all. She wants to see if that experiment had truly been a failure or not. Because, if it hadn¡¯t been¡­.

    The men ran towards me, firing what seemed to be stunning rounds. They would easily knock out a fully-grown whale if hit. I dodged each round, sometimes teleporting off to the side so I could avoid a cluster of them.

    Unfortunately though, my legs are a little short, and I have trouble running fast enough to get away from the men, and the woman who was screaming like a banshee behind them.

    Finally, I stopped, and huffed in deep breaths with my hands on my knees. I held up my open palm towards the group running after me, asking for a bit of a break. It should go without saying that I was shot at again. I naturally teleported out of the way. I don¡¯t want to get hit by a stunner, no way. I¡¯m too small for something like that.

    It didn¡¯t look like the others were stopping, so I started running again, idly wondering when he would arrive. Then, the party could really start.

    While I was wondering that though, something rather tragic happened.

    I tripped. And fell face first onto the pavement.

    I didn¡¯t trip for no reason though. I tripped because of the dragon. It roared, and distracted me from the task of running. No, really!

    The dragon, a glittering red behemoth of a beast, landed right in front of me, cutting off the path I was running in. I hurriedly got up, dusting off my clothes. The dragon leveled an awe-inspiring eye to me, and spoke in a rumbling bass of a voice.

    ¡°This is what you needed help with? Dear, she¡¯s tiny. Not even a toothpick.¡±

    ¡°She teleports! Just eat her already!¡± Yelled the woman from behind me.

    The dragon seemed to nod, and struck quickly. He regrettably chomped down on air though, as I suddenly appeared behind him.

    ¡°Not nice. Bad overgrown lizard.¡± I said, admonishing the thing.

    He roared, and swiped his tail through my position. I shouldn¡¯t even have to say that I wasn¡¯t there at this point, right?

    Now, I was in front of him again.

    And it finally looks like I can have a little fun for once. As much as I love living normally, it does take quite a bit out of you. A release is needed. Ashenload used to be mine, before it got boringly easy for me. I guess this¡¯ll be my outlet for today.

    ¡°Bad dragon.¡± I said. ¡°Needs punishment.¡±

    His massive head swung around again, looking mildly annoyed. I walked up to him before he could react, and slapped him.

    Of course, nothing happened. His eyes widened in shock though. I don¡¯t think the dragon expected that at all¡ªwhen he got over the shock though, the dragon was completely enraged. The back of his throat started glowing a bright red, and I quickly got out of the way as he unleashed a wave of fire in my direction.

    Shouldn¡¯t have done that, you know~.

    Screams rose from the plume of fire, as the dragon cooked his wife¡¯s men alive, easily catching them in the crossfire. Though, is it crossfire if I intended for that to happen?

    The woman¡¯s shrieks could be heard quite clearly, and the dragon hastily cut off the fire, revealing a group of charred corpses, and a singed looking will-o-the-wisp floating in midair, throwing out verbal abuse to the dragon so bad, that I almost felt my ears melting off. I¡¯m still better off then the roasted men though.

    ¡°Father, Mother¡ªQuit fighting! Can¡¯t you see that the girl is laughing her ass off?¡± Yelled Joel, who had finally caught up to the chaos.

    ¡°Our boy¡¯s right. Let¡¯s wipe this stain off the Earth first, and we can argue later.¡± Grumbled the dragon.

    ¡°For once, we agree.¡± Said the woman, magic circles appearing around her, heralding the activation of siege-grade magic.

    Joel wisely decided to stand a good distance away, while I stood in the center of it all.

    I held up a hand.

    ¡°Why am I stain?¡±

    ¡°Because you turned out to be powerless! Weak! A failure! You should be thankful that we let you live until now, with your piddling human form Awakening!¡± Yelled out the woman.

    ¡°Human? Weak? False Assumptions.¡± I said, trying to clarify.

    ¡°You lie¡ªWe¡¯ve been tricked by you too many times!¡± Yelled the woman again, though with a little less conviction this time. I assume she¡¯s talking about how I falsified the data from my first Awakening, pretended to be weak, kept a low profile, falsified the data from my second Awakening, played a game with her for a full week, and toyed with them in combat.

    Yeah, I could see why they¡¯d be a little angry.

    But, you know, I also have reason to be angry?

    ¡°Family used me. No good.¡± I said.

    ¡°It was your duty!¡± Shrieked the woman. Ah, she¡¯s angrier now. I guess I can¡¯t convince them through my broken words, especially now that they¡¯re so riled up.

    So, I simply played with them until they fell asleep, reverting back to their human forms from exhaustion.

    Or, in laymen terms, I knocked them out. Rather viciously, might I add.

    Really now. Those two have certainly tried to mistreat their eldest daughter, haven¡¯t they?

 Chapter 10: I Learned it From The Internet.

    ¡®Maybe I was a little bit too effective back there¡¯, I thought to myself.

    Why would I think that? Well, it¡¯s been a little over thirty minutes, and these people in front of me haven¡¯t woken back up yet! Hell, they didn¡¯t even flinch involuntarily when I dragged them one-by-one onto the space yacht, nor when I took measures to ensure that no fights would break out once they did wake up.

    And now, I was left awkwardly waiting for them to regain consciousness. All three of them.

    Yeah, I decided that Joel deserved to be included in this little talk, and added him into the mix with dragon-man and bitch-woman. In other words, my parents. Also, he¡¯s technically my brother, so there¡¯s that. Unfortunately, even he¡¯s still out of it.

    Ah, wait! Movement from the woman! I quickly sat up straight in my chair, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Which is really freaking hard to do when you¡¯re only a meter and a half tall.

    I have my ways though¡ªnamely by striping my unfortunate victims to their underwear, cuffing them with iridium, and using rope in some questionable ways.

    I didn¡¯t do that to Joel though. He¡¯s mostly been nice to me, besides that ¡®knife at my throat¡¯ thing. He only got handcuffed. I still used iridium though, just in case.

    The woman opened her eyes in a panic, and I could see her wondering what had happened. She tried to move around, and noticed the ropes. Then, she tried to Awaken, and noticed the handcuffs. Finally, she noticed me.

    The woman tried to speak, and discovered that her mouth was gagged in the most effective way possible¡ªduct tape. I held up a finger, silencing her attempts.

    ¡°Wait for others.¡± I said. I didn¡¯t want to have to repeat myself each time someone woke up, after all. She quieted down, while still glaring at me with the force of a thousand suns or whatever. I ignored it.

    Eventually, dragon man woke up as well. His first actions were very entertaining, since he immediately tried to stand up, only to flop forward on his face. He wiggled about for a while, before yelling muffled obscenities into the tape on his mouth. Joel still hadn¡¯t woken up at this point, but I decided to not wait for him. Besides, most of what I wanted to say would be directed towards these two.

    I got up, and brought the man back up into a sitting posture, so that they could both see me. It¡¯s a little entertaining, since I know that these two don¡¯t actually get along outside of work and duty. But now, they¡¯re both being forced to listen to me together. Well, I say listen, but I won¡¯t be talking. I¡¯m not able to say what I want to, due to my speech patterns. So, I have my keyboard instead. Much like I had when the woman first came onto the yacht, I would be typing out my messages. There¡¯s a difference, though. Back then, I wasn¡¯t in a position of power. Now, however¡­

    ¡®I want you two to read this very carefully.¡¯ I typed out.

    ¡®I am going to stay in exile. Letting me leave was the best thing you people ever did for me. I don¡¯t care about familial duty, or my new-found usefulness. I will not help the Al¡¯Verath family, and you cannot force me to. Point in case¡ªhave either of you ever heard of the zero-point-one phenomena observed by frigate captains under the employ of the Al¡¯Verath family?¡¯

    Ah, there¡¯s confusion in their glares now. That¡¯s no good. They haven¡¯t heard about that, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to enlighten them on the subject. I pointed to a television screen to the right of them, and they turned towards it as it flipped on, displaying a video feed.

    ¡®That is a live feed from one of your merchant frigates carrying goods to the Goliath Sector.¡¯ As I typed, the man and woman in front of me kept turning their heads back and forth, trying to both read my writing, and watch the feed. They wanted to figure out why it mattered.

    I grabbed my computer from my bag, and opened up a few programs I¡¯d created.

    ¡®Really? Neither of you understands the significance of my being able to access that ship¡¯s cameras? Well, to put it simply, I¡¯ve hacked it¡¯s system. But it¡¯s not just the camera.¡¯

    I finished inputting a command on the computer with my right hand, while my left typed out the message.

    Immediately, cries could be heard from the ship¡¯s bridge as it¡¯s anti-gravity systems shut off, leaving the crewmen floating for a few seconds, until a second command restored the system.

    ¡®Imagine for a second that I hadn¡¯t simply shut off the anti-gravity for a couple of seconds. What if I vented all the air from the ship, killing all crew members? That¡¯s fine, as long as the cargo is retrievable, right? But, what if I made the ship steer itself into the nearest star?¡¯

    I let that sink in, and the man and woman¡¯s eyes widened in horror, as they considered the implications of me crippling the entire merchant fleet of the Al¡¯Verath family.

    ¡®But I won¡¯t do that, as long as I¡¯m left alone.¡¯ I added on, completing the threat. I walked over, and ripped the duct-tape off my parent¡¯s mouths. They didn¡¯t say anything when I did so. They weren¡¯t even glaring at me anymore. Instead, their eyes are downcast, and they almost refused to look up at me. Ha, didn¡¯t that woman say that I couldn¡¯t have possibly hacked them? Karma, bitch.

    It was at this moment that Joel woke up. He hopped right up, since he was only handcuffed. He caught sight of his parents tied up and stripped to their underwear, and had a clearly visible ¡®Huh?¡¯ moment. He then saw that I was seated in front of them, and immediately yelled.

    ¡°Let go of my parents Revian! You don¡¯t want to make an enemy of the Al¡¯Verath Family!¡±

    I shook my head sadly. Maybe I should have waited until he woke up, in order to give that demonstration.

    As it was, dragon-man fiercely cut Joel down.

    ¡°Shut up, boy! You have no idea how screwed our family is if we provoke her!¡±

    I typed some more into my keyboard.

    ¡®Be nice now. He doesn¡¯t know anything about the situation yet. He can find out during the week I¡¯ll be staying here.¡¯

    ¡°Wha¡­A week? Why?¡± Cried out the woman. I cut her a reproaching glance, and she shrunk away.

    ¡®To see the family, of course. I¡¯m assuming that Joel isn¡¯t the only sibling I have, right?¡¯

    Joel¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment after reading that, and looked towards his parents for affirmation.

    Dragon-man sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Revian is your older sister.¡±

    ¡°What? But she was supposed to have died in an accident! Why were you in that far-flung city then?¡± Asked Joel, turning to me for answers.

    I motioned in front of me.

    ¡°Ask Adrianna.¡±

    So he did. She explained to him that everyone thought my Awakening had failed due to a few specific reasons. I lost my eye because of it, and spent two months in a coma. After I woke up, they waited about two years before judging me to be useless, and forcing me out of the family. Joel was actually a little appalled at this. It doesn¡¯t look like he really understands the High-Families yet, if he thinks this is bad. Dragon-man¡¯s brothers are much worse.

    After that pleasing little conversation, I removed the ropes and handcuffs from everyone present. Joel¡¯s parents immediately went for their clothes, redressing themselves.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    As they were leading me to their mansion, that woman asked me a question.

    ¡°Did that experiment really fail back then? To hack into our systems requires more than a stunted and broken mind. It¡¯s something only the past Revian could have done.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. Those memories still hurt.

    The man and woman¡¯s mansion really was absolutely gigantic. Given that it was only inhabited by this branch of the Al¡¯Verath family, the thing felt more than a little excessive. Though, it probably doesn¡¯t matter, since the Earth is so sparsely inhabited now. Its population hasn¡¯t risen above a million since the Lunar Cataclysms ended. Humanity might have actually gone extinct in that time period had we not discovered how to Awaken, or create warp-drives. Hell, the Earth would still be a barren wasteland from the destruction, were it not for the terraforming efforts of the High-Families.

    Anyway, their mansion was massive. Built into the side of a mountain, I knew that it extended far below ground as well, with labs and other secret places put under the Earth¡¯s surface. The two owners of the imposing building didn¡¯t speak another word to me as we approached the mansion.

    I really didn¡¯t know what to feel towards them. On one hand, that woman is in some of the worst memories I have of my childhood, and I know that the two of them are not good people. On the other, they exiled me from the family. To some, this may seem like more cruelty, but I think it was a blessing. It gave me freedom, for a time. And, this branch of the Al¡¯Verath family is more¡­¡¯merciful¡¯ than the others. Failure is not tolerated, especially not genetic failure. I was allowed to live. Others weren¡¯t.

    So, I had conflicted feelings walking back into my childhood home. At least they got rid of that gaudy and putrid looking carpet floor, right?

    Other than the carpet, few things changed. The mansion was just as large and unwelcoming as I remembered. The servants bowed to their masters respectfully as we walked in, while eyeing me warily. None of them would recognize me, since I was allowed no servants. Perhaps they would know me by reputation, unlikely though that might be. I was a stranger to even the oldest staff members.

    Nobody gave the servants an explanation for my presence, and the man and woman simply told the head maid to set me up in one of the best rooms they can offer. The aging head maid scurried off to prepare the room, likely assuming me to be someone important. I continued following behind the man and woman, until we eventually reached a set of wooden doors. A push on them revealed an office space divided, with extensive computer monitors on one side, and stacks of paper hiding a desk on the other. A coffee table was placed dead center in the room, as if it was a mediation zone between the two sides of the chaotic space. There were also a couple of chairs unevenly sitting around the table, in a variety of styles. Seeing the other three sit down in these chairs, I picked the only remaining seat, facing everyone else.

    And the room was silent.

    I watched those two and Joel staring at me, as if trying to formulate what they were going to try and say. I think the situation¡¯s finally starting to sink in a little for them, since the whole threatening incident earlier happened rather abruptly. They can now sit back and ponder things a little more, and they¡¯re coming to certain realizations.

    The woman, ever curious, was the first to talk, and ask a question.

    ¡°You¡­You¡¯re stronger than us now, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t feel like I even have a chance of beating you, now that I take a proper look. You prevented me from noticing it on the ship, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I simply nodded sadly.

    It¡¯s true; those two don¡¯t have a fart¡¯s chance in hell of beating me. There are very few who do, and all are at least a power divide higher than I am.

    The man rubbed his forehead, obviously thinking hard.

    ¡°What sort of power did you awaken to?¡± He pondered aloud. ¡°It¡¯s subtle¡ªbut powerful and pervasive. You had us on the ground and knocked out inside of a second. But did you really simply punch us?¡±

    I held up two fingers.

    ¡°Two powers. One simple strength.¡±

    The woman groaned.

    ¡°Of course you would Awaken two powers. You are still a child of a High-Family, after all.¡± She said, somewhat annoyed at herself.

    It¡¯s one of the reasons why the High-Families live on Earth, even after it had been nigh-on destroyed. People who Awaken here are typically more powerful than those who Awaked elsewhere. Better yet, living on Earth for extended periods of time can affect people in ways not yet fully understood. It¡¯s changed the genetic code among the High-Families subtly, making them stronger, smarter, and more deadly. It can also have an effect on the types of powers people Awaken to.

    For instance, most of my friends on Jor Awakened to fairly potent powers, with things like speed, strength, dexterity, mana manipulation, and mixes thereof. Their abilities are above average, and strong when compared to others.

    But they¡¯d be slaughtered by someone from Earth.

    Even those who get ¡®normal¡¯ abilities are monsters. Those with speed-based abilities are ten times as fast, those with powerful mana manipulation can level some cities.

    But, there are also those who can Awaken to rare or previously unheard-of power types, like omnipresence domains, spacial manipulation, and laser eyes. The most powerful and rare ability types can be found on Earth.

    And there¡¯s more.

    About half of High-Family members Awaken two power types.

    The woman sitting in front of me is like that¡ªShe had mana manipulation, and the ability to see the true nature of all in her sight. Both are extremely powerful in her hands.

    The man only has the ability to manipulate fire. Well, I say only, but the guy¡¯s a walking volcano. And a dragon, which is formidable in it¡¯s own right.

    I have no idea what¡¯s up with Joel though. I only just met him, you know?

    I Awakened with two power types.

    The woman is angry because she forgot about that possibility. She never stopped to consider the fact that I did Awaken on Earth. It also doesn¡¯t help that she was trying to figure out the mechanics behind my ¡®teleporting¡¯, and was too preoccupied with that to even begin to wonder if I had another power, one that I wasn¡¯t showing her.

    ¡°Great, so you have a freakish amount of strength. And, am I right in assuming that you won¡¯t say what your other ability is?¡±

    I nodded. Really, they have no reason to know. I¡¯ll be out of here in a week, and they should never see me again unless something has gone very, very badly for someone. Besides, I think the knowledge of what my other ability is would only be detrimental for them, with all things considered. The shock wouldn¡¯t be good for their health.

    ¡°Tell me about siblings?¡± I asked, looking at Joel as I did so.

    ¡°Huh? Me?¡± He asked, pointing a finger at his chest, as if he were expecting me to ask his parents instead of him. I wouldn¡¯t ask them, since they would tell me all the wrong things.

    I nodded at him.

    ¡°Right¡­uh. Well, there¡¯s me. I¡¯m the oldest in the family at the moment, and am fifteen years old. Well, I guess I¡¯m not the oldest anymore, eh?¡± He said, scratching his head awkwardly. I motioned for him to continue.

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s my¡­er, our younger sister Violet. She¡¯s fourteen now, and attends a boarding school near the equator. She¡¯s playful, and specializes in close combat. She likes cute things with a scary passion, bordering on insanity. Then, there¡¯s our younger brother Zain. He¡¯s inthe same boarding school and grade as Violet, though he¡¯s two years younger. He¡¯s the next genius of the family, and is slated to join Mom¡¯s research team after graduation. He¡¯s¡­reserved towards us, though Violet says he talks to his classmates.¡±

    Ah, sounds like they¡¯re doing alright. It also sounds like they¡¯ve been passed over by that woman, which is also good. Though, I¡¯m still going to ¡®talk¡¯ to her one on one, to drive home the message that human experimentation is bad. I can only assume that she didn¡¯t do anything to the rest of them after losing me as a test subject, since they definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to survive something that had left me so broken.

    Anyway, the week passed quickly, and then I went home.

    What? I already told you people the most dramatic things that had happened. Of course, there were other things that I did while there. I pounded in some strict warnings, did some illegal things to the mansion¡¯s security system and computer main-frame, and relaxed. They have a killer hot bath there, which I enjoyed as much as I could. It was very soothing. I also had dinner with those two a few times, much to their discomfort.

    There was also an interesting moment between us worth mentioning, right as I was leaving.

    The man pulled me aside, out of earshot from the others, before telling me something that explained quite a bit.

    ¡°I kept your mother from experimenting on the other children. Really, I had tried to stop her from doing it to you too, but she wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. After all, your mind was, and probably still is like nothing anyone¡¯s ever seen before. You forced her to develop newer, better tests for measuring potential and intelligence, since you broke the ceilings on all the other ones. What researcher wouldn¡¯t want to figure out how you did it?¡± He smiled sadly at me, but still didn¡¯t apologize for his part in the mess that was my childhood. I think he knows that he can¡¯t.

    Besides that, the woman tried to guess my second ability a few more times. She was utterly wrong, of course. She¡¯s completely misunderstanding its nature.

    Surprisingly, Joel hugged me before the space-yacht took off.

    ¡°Thank you for still being alive, Revian.¡± He said, leaving me to wonder what he¡¯s thinking.

    He seems like a good person though, once you break past the arrogance and haughtiness.

    The trip back took two weeks. I didn¡¯t send word to my friends before going to school again. Boy, were their faces entertaining when they realized that I was back. Eventually, I figured out that they were under the impression that I would be gone for quite a while¡ªyears maybe. They were happy to be wrong on this occasion, and warmly welcomed me back by taking me to a caf¨¦ after school ended. I ended up getting a stomach-ache from all the chocolate cake I ate.

    From there, things went back to normal. But it was a new sort of normal. For one, I didn¡¯t hold myself back at school anymore. Needless to say, I was now sitting at the number one ranking quite comfortably, crushing all beneath my academic brilliance. I felt like I had to¡ªever since my teacher, the elderly Mr. Ruben, had stood up for me after that exam. I had to prove that I measured up to his word.

    Suffice to say, there were no accusations of cheating this time ¡®round.

    I was enjoying my carefree life for now.

    <hr>

    End of Arc One: Prologue.

 Chapter 11: Guests Are Not Always Welcome.

    Today was supposed to be a normal day; just like the month of normal day¡¯s I¡¯ve had since returning from that little trip to Earth.

    Today wasn¡¯t normal. Unfortunately.

    Well, the school part was. I got up early, went to school, ghosted through my classes, and got back on the train again. All in all, an ordinary school day. I¡¯ve had a good number of those lately. Of course, I was now celebrated as the school genius, but that¡¯s neither here nor there.

    I¡¯ve also begun to ponder a few things.

    For one, I was so busy worrying about the Awakening, and what sort of effects it would have on my life, that I had pushed all thoughts about my future out of my mind. For instance, I¡¯m in my junior year of high-school, and haven¡¯t even begun considering things like college, jobs, or social life stuff.

    I have more than enough money to live on now¡ªI¡¯ve been playing with the stock market ever since the funds given to me by my ¡°family¡± had started drying up.

    But I don¡¯t want to sit back on that money, doing nothing for the rest of my life. I¡¯d like to get a good and fulfilling job. To do that, I probably need to attend a college of some sort and get the appropriate degrees. But then the question is, what sort of degrees do I go after? What sort of job do I want to have? Who do I want to be in society?

    Before, all the anxiety about my Awakening pushed all these sorts of things aside. It was just too big a deal for me. Now that it¡¯s done and over with though, I have to consider them.

    So far, I¡¯ve been doing research whenever I got back to the apartment. I don¡¯t actually know what sorts of jobs I can go into, besides some of the obvious and popular ones. Why does everyone want to be a veterinarian, lawyer or a mech-driver? I don¡¯t know, nor do I care. I just want to find a job that¡¯s the right fit for me. It¡¯s more difficult that I had thought it would be, mostly because I still have no idea what I would be suited for. Well, other than combat orientated jobs, but that¡¯s an area I want to steer clear of. Too messy for me.

    So, that¡¯s been my past few weeks. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but I wish there were fewer job options. All the potential choices aren¡¯t helping me in the slightest.

    If there¡¯s any consolation, it¡¯s the fact that I can engage in ¡®stress-relief¡¯ while playing Ashenload with my friends. We¡¯re still working away at the God-Quest¡ªwhich has been progressing slowly but noticeably. It¡¯s been getting more intense, with each little mini quest having greater and greater stakes.

    For instance, we had taken out a quest to scout out a cave system a while ago. I believe I told you about that, no? Well, after clearing out that system, the Rogue army sent a detachment of soldiers to occupy the cave, and investigate that odd ward blocking off the rest of the area.

    Apparently, we underestimated the importance of these caves, since the Olympian army sent more men to take it back. Then, wanting to deny them something they so obviously desired, the Rogue army sent more divisions, and took back the caves once more. The conflict only escalated from there, with the cave systems becoming a full-blown battleground.

    Oh, and all this happened while I was on the Earth trip. I only found out about the escalating conflicts when I got back. All in all, the God Quest itself was moving along faster than I had expected it to. Though, as an added bonus, all the staged warfare that¡¯s been happening lately lets me blow off some steam. When working with the rest of the party, I take down targets of opportunity with my bow. And when I¡¯m not with them, I tend to simply wade into the enemy ranks, putting the fear of god into them.

    In fact, it seems that there¡¯s now a rumor going around that the Rogue army has a member capable of decimating entire regiments one at a time. Luckily, nobody knows that I¡¯m the source of the rumors, since I disguise myself.

    Ah, there nothing quite like testing your blade against others when it comes to stress relief.

    It¡¯s just a little unfortunate that the quest should be done within the month, if it continues at its current rate. It¡¯s so hard to find large numbers of soldiers to fight against when a war¡¯s not going on.

    Right then. I suppose I should get back on topic now, since some are probably wondering about the whole ¡®abnormal day¡¯ thing. Like I had said, the day proceeded as it ordinarily would. I went to school, learned nothing, and got on the train back to my apartment.

    And that¡¯s where the day, and my next few weeks, went to absolute hell.

    <hr>

    Somehow, I managed to get a seat on the train. Standing for the entire thirty minute ride is annoying, since I tend to get pushed around quite a bit due to my height and the fact that nobody ever seems to notice me until they¡¯ve accidentally made me fall over.

    Sitting is better. I was even able to pull out my homework, and knock it out. Ha, I¡¯m not even home yet, and I¡¯ve already finished everything I needed to. The timing couldn¡¯t have been better though, since I finished the last math problem just as the train slid to a stop in front of my station. I packed up my notebook, and left.

    From the train station, it¡¯s a ten-minute walk to the apartment building.

    It starts to rain lightly as I walked along, forcing me to bring out my umbrella. Others around me make shields of their power, creating a transparent dome around them that forces the rain to bend away from their bodies. It¡¯s in these sorts of situations I¡¯m glad I look so young. That way, people simply think that I¡¯m some girl how hasn¡¯t gone through her Awakening yet, and thus can¡¯t form the water repellant domes.

    I actually don¡¯t like the rain too much¡ªat least not the stuff from Jor. It¡¯s artificial rain, which comes down more like mist. The umbrella¡¯s pretty useless, since the mist simply curls up under it, soaking me anyway. Oh well, at least it catches some of the stuff. It looks like I¡¯ll have to change when getting home though. And maybe take a nice, warm bath. Yeah, that sounds nice.

    Walking a little faster now, I rounded a corner and the apartment building came into view. Great, just a little bit more, and I¡¯ll be home.

    The outdoor stairwell gave me a few problems since they were slippery from the rainwater. Honestly, you¡¯d think that the building owner would put in mats to prevent people from slipping and falling down the stairs, especially after that incident with Ms. Roberson. Thankfully, I survived the three flights I had to traverse.

    Well, not that I¡¯d die from falling down some paltry stairs. Hell, I could probably be dropped off one of those skyscrapers and still survive. My strength ability can come in handy like that.

    I swiped an ID card in front of my apartment door, and it swung open to admit me.

    I threw off my sopping wet clothes and grabbed a comfortable pair of sweatpants and an overly large hoodie. I set them off to the side so that they¡¯d be ready for me after I get out of the bath. I turned the water on, and waited until a tub full of steamy water was in front of me. I sunk down into the hot water, letting out a quiet sigh of relaxation after my body was fully submerged.

    I stayed in the bath until my fingers turned all raisin-y. I even dunked my head underwater to wash my hair. I toweled off after getting out, and blow-dried my hair. Everything felt perfect as I reclined into my couch, baggy clothing wrapping around me oh-so comfortably. I was even contemplating taking a brief nap, when I was brought from my stupor by a knock on the door.

    In hindsight, I probably would have fallen asleep, ignoring the knocking. However, I don¡¯t have that almighty power at my disposal in the present moment.

    So, of course I went and opened the door, wreaking my next few weeks.

    Why?

    Well, Joel was standing out there, soaking wet and with an apologetic smile on his face.

    Yeah, Joel. The brother who didn¡¯t know I was still alive until I went with him to Earth. The Joel who should still be on Earth, going to school there and being with the family. Who shouldn¡¯t be here, standing on my doorstep.

    ¡°Ah, um. I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while? I had a bit of a falling out with Mom and Dad.¡±

    Argh! Damn me and my curiosity, since I actually invited him in!

    He trailed wet footprints to my small living room, and immediately sat down on the couch, an equally wet suitcase in front of him.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡­Really? You could at least take off your shoes, right?

    ¡°Do you have something to dry clothes with, by any chance?¡± He asked, looking down at himself. Oh¡ªso he is aware that he¡¯s currently soaked. Why the hell did you sully my nice couch then?!

    I pointed towards the bathroom angrily, which also has a washer and drier inside. Let¡¯s hope he knows how to work them.

    He walked into the bathroom, leaving me to clean up the mess he had tracked into the apartment. I sighed and grabbed a towel to mop up the water.

    I heard the shower running, and assumed that Joel decided to clean himself up along with his clothes. When he walked out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist though, I knew that he hadn¡¯t been able to figure out the drier.

    He smiled sheepishly, and my suspicions were confirmed.

    Even worse, he had put his clothes into the washer, making it necessary to bring them through a full washer-drier cycle. So, it was only an hour later that Joel¡¯s clothes were ready. By the time he was sitting on my now-clean couch, fully clothed and dry, I was more than ready to hear about this falling out he¡¯d had.

    He happily went into the story of what had happened after I left Earth.

    ¡°Well, um¡ªBasically, I didn¡¯t approve of what Mom and Dad did to you. They always told me that you had died in an accident right around your fifth birthday. I had no idea that they had forced you into exile.¡± He said.

    I sighed, and shook my head sadly. I walked away from him, and went to my computer. Joel got up, following me anxiously. I could tell that he was clueless about what I was doing, and curious as well. He''ll find out in just a second.

    I logged into my computer account, and booted up the webcam as well. A few commands into one of my custom programs got me past the Al¡¯Verath firewalls, and an extra command had me connected to that woman¡¯s personal computer. Luckily, she was using it right at this moment, and so I opened up a chat link between us.

    Her surprised face showed up on my monitor as the link connected.

    ¡°How did you do that?! I made sure to strengthen the firewall after you left!¡± Said the woman, shocked and surprised.

    ¡°Not strong enough. Have brother.¡± I said, summing up the situation as succinctly as possible. I even dragged Joel into that woman¡¯s view.

    ¡°Joel?! That¡¯s where you went?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not coming back, Mother. No matter how much you beg¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no, no¡ªThat¡¯s perfect, actually. Stay there for the moment. If Revian¡¯s as strong as I think she is, she¡¯ll have no problems keeping you safe.¡±

    ¡°Safe?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, well, we¡¯re having some difficulties with Klein¡¯s brothers at the moment.¡± She clarified in a throwaway manner.

    ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about Joel¡¯s siblings, since they¡¯re at the boarding school and completely safe. I was worried about Joel, since he just ran away, taking one of our yachts with him. Now that he¡¯s with you, however, he should be fine.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. He can¡¯t come back right now, since your uncles would likely try and kidnap him for leverage. We would be in your debt, if you could do Joel the favor of taking care of him for a while.¡±

    I nodded again. I¡¯m not so heartless as to deny Joel the safety of my home. My issue with the Al¡¯Verath family lies solely with Joel¡¯s parents. Not with Joel himself. So, I¡¯ll gladly grant him sanctuary. Though, I am still a little curious.

    ¡°Why¡¯d he run?¡± I ask.

    The woman laughed a little.

    ¡°I tried to set up an engagement for him. Apparently, he would rather continue a ¡®bachelor¡¯ lifestyle.¡±

    My head tilted a little to the side in confusion.

    ¡°He¡¯s fifteen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and most High-Family members have engagements by the time they¡¯re ten. It¡¯s a fact of the world we live in. Apparently, that was the straw which broke the camel¡¯s back, and Joel ran away in the middle of the night.¡±

    I looked at Joel and quirked an eyebrow at him. He looked away a little guiltily.

    So it turns out my brother¡¯s a bit of an idiot, and not always completly truthful. Hopefully the other brother''s a bit better.

    I cut the chat link, though I still kept a few feelers inside the Al¡¯Verath system. I was a little amused to see that the woman tried find out how I¡¯d gotten in¡ªwithout any luck of course.

    I then began setting up a bed on the floor of my apartment for Joel to sleep on. I get the feeling that it would be better to keep him close to me, since I could be assured of his safety in this way. I had to punch Joel once, since he started looking through my things. I didn¡¯t use any power, but it was still sufficient to double him up for a moment.

    ¡°My house. Not yours.¡± I told him. He quit looking through my stuff after that. He simply sat on the couch, looking terribly bored. Throwing him a bone, I gave him one of my old tablets so that he might be able to entertain himself. When I looked back at him, he was engrossed in some sort of television program. A closer inspection revealed it to be a documentary I¡¯d had in my library on the nature of quantum communications. It was one of the simpler ones I¡¯d had on there.

    I decided to go ahead and make some dinner, and began cutting up vegetables and meat for a nice stew. I also found that my refrigerator was nearly empty; and that I would have to go and restock it soon. I have enough for tonight though.

    The stew was done after leaving it for an hour or so, and I also brought out some bread and crackers as a side. I set up the table, and got Joel some water while telling him that the food was ready. When I came back, he was eagerly sitting at the table. I put the glass of water in front of him, and a glass of wine in front of my place.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still too young to be drinking?¡± Asked Joel. Technically, he¡¯s right. However, I think that it¡¯ll be fine as long as I only have a single glass. That¡¯s the rule I¡¯ve been using. Besides, as a member of a High-Family, I sincerely doubt that Joel¡¯s inexperienced with alcohol. Parties on Earth can get a little wild.

    Besides, some people can handle alcohol very well, due to their Awakenings and abilities. For instance, it¡¯s impossible for Ussen to get drunk, since his Awakening is an undead type. It¡¯s the same sort of thing for me, since my strength abilities won¡¯t allow alcohol to take too deep a hold of me. Actually, I think that simply calling it a strength ability isn¡¯t enough, since it boosts all aspects of my physical body.

    In the absence of a better name, I¡¯ve continued calling it a strength ability.

    Huh. It just occurred to me that I don¡¯t what sort of Awakening and abilities Joel has. Did I really never ask him? Now¡¯s as good a time as ever, I guess. Especially since it might come in handy, should it become necessary to protect him in more obvious ways.

    ¡°What¡¯s Joel¡¯s Awakening?¡± I asked him.

    He hastily swallowed the spoonful of stew he¡¯d just placed in his mouth, before answering.

    ¡°I never told you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Huh. I was sure I did. Well, I Awakened as a Nine-Tailed fox. I have control over fire, and strong telepathic abilities.¡±

    Oh! I bet his Awakened form is cute then! But, beyond that, control over fire and telepathy. Those are both good abilities to have, and can be extremely formidable when used properly.

    ¡°Can read minds?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Yeah! I try not to do it, but I can. See, watch!¡± He said, Awakening into a white fow with nine tails. (I didn''t count them, I just assumed the name to be self-explanatory.)

    ¡°No! Wait!¡± I cried out. Immediately, I felt a foreign element enter my mind¡ªsmall enough that most people wouldn¡¯t be able to tell. I¡¯m not most people, as Joel suddenly found out.

    His fur instantly stood on edge, and he curled over, spitting up the stew I¡¯d made him.

    I sighed, and got a few paper towels to wipe up the puddle of sick on the floor.

    When I returned, the human version of Joel was sitting in his chair, recovering from the experience of trying to enter my mind. He looked at me as I cleaned up his mess again.

    ¡°What the hell were those defenses?¡± He asked weakly.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Warned you. Have strong mind.¡±

    ¡°Strong? Strong doesn¡¯t include something like that¡ªIt felt like your entire being exists in an entirely different realm from other minds. Like you think from a higher reality then the rest of us.¡±

    I shrugged again, and warned him to not peer into my mind. I would like to avoid having to clean up again, after all. As I left to throw away the sullied paper towels, I heard Joel think aloud.

    ¡°What sort of ability would a mind like that even get? What would be worthy?¡±

    <hr>

    While Revy and Joel were having their dinner, a ship pulled into one of Jor¡¯s docks. It was a sleek black thing, looking deadly and fast as all hell. It stopped without any noise, anchoring itself with astounding precision.

    A docking tunnel unfolded from the dock, and suctioned itself to the ship. The airlock hissed open, and a group of people walked out. There were seven of them, and though all were different, they each had the same sort of atmosphere about them.

    One of them, an older gentleman with craggy features, walked in front. He was the leader of the little group, and by far the most experienced among them. A sultry looking woman walked just behind him, her lips pursed in perpetual amusement. She carried a long black case on her back, without any markings. There were lots of little scratch marks on the case, testament to it having been used for quite a while.

    Three of the men in the group looked exactly the same, down to the clothes they were wearing. However, there were subtle differences between each of them. Namely, one was obviously frowning, while another had a light smile adorning his face. The last was completely emotionless. A mousy looking woman followed behind them, lugging an extremely large backpack like it didn¡¯t weigh anything. Her glasses mostly hide the bright glint of curiosity always burning in her eyes.

    And the last member wasn¡¯t remarkable in the slightest. He was totally forgettable, especially among such a diverse group of people. Is it a bit clich¨¦ to mention the fact that he was by far the scariest in the party?

    The group left the docking station, and immediately requested transportation to a hotel nearby. They got there without an issue, and rented five rooms, since the triplets didn¡¯t have an issue sleeping in the same area. They gathered in the room occupied by the leader of the party.

    ¡°So, what¡¯re we doing first, Boss?¡± asked the sultry woman.

    ¡°Idiot. Were you even listening during the briefing?¡± Said the leader in a rocky deep voice. The woman looked away abashedly.

    The man sighed.

    ¡°First, we need to find the boy. Kara, you can hack into the city mainframe, right? Try and see if any cameras spotted him. We¡¯ve already confirmed that his parent¡¯s yacht docked here, so he¡¯s in the city somewhere.¡±

    The mousy woman nodded, and a few holo-screens popped into existence around her as she checked out the systems holding the cities camera data. The leader continued speaking.

    ¡°Raphael, I want you to poke around the city lord¡¯s residence. See if the boy¡¯s taken up residence there. If not, go down the list of important people in Jor, and see if he¡¯s staying with them.¡±

    The forgettable man nodded, and vanished from the room.

    ¡°Sylph, I want you to grind the rumor mill. See if there¡¯s a reason for the boy to come here, of all places.¡±

    The sultry woman smiled coyly, before walking out of the room. She left her case in the room.

    ¡°Josh, John and Jacob, you guys can relax for now.¡±

    The triplets left for their own room.

    Now, only the leader and Kara were left.

    ¡°Sir, I think I¡¯ve found something.¡± She said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°All the city¡¯s camera data for a period of about an hour today has been deleted. We have visual of the target walking out of the docking station, but nothing after. Someone¡¯s gotten ahold of the system before I was able to, and wiped away everything that could be used to find the target.¡±

    The leader sat down on the bed, holding his grizzled chin with a scarred hand.

    ¡°Mh. It looks like the boy had a good reason for coming here after all, if there¡¯s someone willing to do something like that for him. Try and figure out if there¡¯s a way to recover some of the data. For now, that¡¯s our first lead.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    And so the bounty hunter party known as Starfall arrived on Jor.

 Chapter 12: Clueless People Tend to Be Annoying.

    Luckily, the day after Joel showed up on my doorstep was the beginning of the weekend.

    I wouldn¡¯t have to expend energy by keeping him safe in my apartment while attending school at the same time. That would suck.

    Especially since I would only be able to keep him safe while he stayed inside the apartment. And now, after gaining a bit of understanding into his character, I doubt that he would be content to stay inside.

    Even more, if he were to stay inside, there¡¯s no guarantee that he would keep out of my stuff. I don¡¯t want him going through my things. I don¡¯t want anyone going through my personal items.

    Well, thankfully, I can keep an eye on him, since I have nothing better to do for now. Though, I have to wonder what I¡¯ll be doing when the weekend¡¯s over. Or rather, what Joel will be doing. I think I have a plan that would work, but I need to keep him from finding out about it; else he¡¯ll object quite vocally. Actually, it¡¯s not like he has a choice otherwise, but I would like to not hear him whining about it.

    So, for the first thing in the morning, I sent out some e-mails in order to put the plan in motion. Hopefully, everything will have worked itself out by Monday.

    In the meantime, we need food. My fridge in nearly empty since I haven¡¯t had the chance to restock it lately, and because Joel eats quite a bit¡ªas I found out to my dismay last night. It¡¯s not too big an issue though.

    Though, it became an issue when I tried to wake up Joel. I wanted to bring him along with me to the food market around the corner, so that he would know what goes into the food I make. Also, I want him to carry what I buy. What? He¡¯s basically free labor, you know? In addition, I need to take out a little of the anger I have towards him. After all, he ran away from Earth due to a silly little engagement, and then came over here and got my nice couch all wet.

    I went over to where I had set up his mattress, and said his name a few times, while also poking his face. Eventually, he woke up, bleary-eyed and confused.

    ¡°Ergh¡ªwhaday want?¡± He said, his voice muddled by sleep and the blankets.

    ¡°Need food. You¡¯re coming.¡±

    ¡°Like hell.¡± He said, and rolled over onto his side, going back to sleep.

    I returned a minute later with a few ices cubes. They were promptly dumped under the covers with Joel. He shrieked and shot upright, instantly awake. Pulling out the ice cubes, Joel glared at me.

    ¡°What was that for?¡±

    ¡°Next time, water bucket. ¡± I said. He begrudgingly got up out of bed, and grabbed a nice looking set of clothes from his suitcase. Joel disappeared into the bathroom to get changed. Minutes later, the door opened again; and Joel stepped out looking a little more awake then he had on entering. He was also fairly grumpy.

    ¡°You said you need food? Where are you getting it?¡±

    ¡°Market. You carry.¡± I said, throwing a few sturdy bags at him. He caught them with surprise, and we left the apartment.

    It was still a little damp outside from yesterday¡¯s rain, with little brown puddles populating the street¡¯s sides, and the dense stone surfaces darkened with moisture. It was entertaining to watch as Joel avoided the puddles, not wanting to get his shoes dirty. They were bright white, expensive, and loud looking. Those shoes practically drew people¡¯s eyes to Joel¡¯s feet, and proclaimed him as someone special, someone different. Though, his flashy clothes did much the same thing.

    As for me, I wore simple clothes, and boots. They may not be cute or fashionable, but at least they¡¯re practical. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m planning on meeting anyone today. Maybe I will tomorrow, but that depends on how my e-mails are received.

    We turned the street corner, and the market store was right there. Entering the market building was a bit interesting, since Joel walked right up to the clear door, and just stood there as if expecting it to open automatically. I walked past him, and pushed it open. I held the door for Joel as he gawked, evidentially surprised.

    ¡°The doors don¡¯t open for you guys here?¡±

    I gave him a puzzled glance.

    ¡°Why waste energy?¡± I ask. Aren¡¯t most people perfectly capable of opening a door? I mean, even if they have no arms or legs, they could still use their mana, right?

    Joel shook his head, as if the lives of most other people were beyond him. And I¡¯ll admit¡ªthey might be. Not understanding how doors work is a pretty big deal, you know?

    Thankfully, Joel doesn¡¯t seem to be a complete idiot. He at least knows how to walk and talk.

    I went down one of the food aisles, and found the bread that I like the most. Grown on planet, the stuff ends up filled with air bubbles. It¡¯s got a unique taste, and is chewer than most other types of bread. I grabbed a loaf of the bread, and get Joel to open up and hold out one of the bags I brought along. I stuffed the bag of bread into it, much to Joel¡¯s indignation.

    ¡°Hey! Am I just here to be your pack mule?!¡±

    I nodded sagely.

    ¡°Must pay for meals.¡± I said.

    We went around all the other aisle, and I pulled down all the things I thought I would need. Of course, I also ran into the eventuality where one of the things I wanted was on a higher shelf than I could reach. Joel proved his worth in those moments.

    I quit looking around once two of the bags we¡¯d brought were filled to the brim. I had found enough food to last us about half a week, depending on how much Joel decides to eat. There was a fairly good variety as well, which would allow me to make whatever I wanted.

    We did have a slight problem when leaving the store, though. Of course, it was completely Joel¡¯s fault, as he walked straight past the payment desk, and almost left the building. The lady working the desk called out after him, and I could tell when he turned around that he was about to say something tremendously stupid when he turned around. So, I briskly walked straight on up to him, and planted a fist in his stomach right as he was about to speak. His face had an expression of imperious distain before that point, which is what convinced me that he really shouldn''t speak.

    As he lay gasping on the floor, I took the bags from him, and brought them to the payment desk, whose operator was eyeing me suspiciously. I paid for the food though, and was able to leave without a problem after that. I got Joel off the floor, and walked out with him. As soon as we were outside the store, I handed the bags back to him.

    ¡°What was that for¡ªI didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right?!¡± He wheezed in complaint.

    ¡°Pay for food. Not gift.¡± I said.

    ¡°Paying? What do you mean? I¡¯m the son of Klein Al¡¯Verath. I shouldn¡¯t have to pay for something like food.¡±

    I affixed him with a sharp look.

    ¡°Here, you pay. Is normal.¡± I replied.

    ¡°But!¡± He began. I glared at him. He wilted.

    It looks like he has quite a bit to learn about society away from Earth. That¡¯s okay¡ªHe¡¯ll have plenty of time to study normal people up close later.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    We took the food back to my apartment, and I quickly rustled up a nice breakfast using the stuff we¡¯d just gotten from the market store. I was thinking that by using a bit of positive reinforcement, Joel would be willing to help me again in the future without whining about it. I figure that dog training would be effective on a fox, right?

    He enjoyed the pancakes and waffles I made, so it¡¯s looking like I may have done the right thing. If he really likes food, then I have a way to control him. Well, outside of sheer violence¡ªand I would rather steer away from physical punishment if a classier alternative presents itself.

    After breakfast, I tried to fill Joel in on common knowledge, including stuff like currency, manners, and privileges. I wanted to bring down his overly inflated sense of entitlement. To his credit, he was receptive to what I wrote down for him and at least seemed to seriously consider the things I suggested. He even agreed to go clothes shopping with me tomorrow, since he seemed to have only brought along the fanciest and most expensive name brand items in his suitcase. And while those are certainly good at impressing people, I want him to fit in, and experience the life of a normal person. He can¡¯t do that while looking like the young master he really is.

    Other than my little lessons on normalcy, we really didn¡¯t do much that Saturday. It was a nice little lazy day, and I figured Joel would appreciate the rest, especially considering what I have in store for him when the week comes again.

    All in all, we relaxed.

    <hr>

    The leader of Starfall team 1 was currently concerned. His lightly aged features were set into a frown as he and the rest of the team went over what they had learned during the day they¡¯d spent on Jor so far.

    Normally, they would be able to find their targets within an hour of landing, thanks to the extensive electronic connections available to Kara. There are very few networks closed to her and her hacking skills, and the Jor systems were no exception. In most cases, access to the city systems would then allow them to find a target with very little hassle.

    Apparently, this job was not ¡°most cases¡±.

    As soon as the target had entered Jor, he had become a ghost. Someone who had access to Jor¡¯s systems had wiped all mention of him in the records and camera footage. Still, they had ways of finding people without the aid of electronics. Namely, the old fashioned investigative way.

    There was a problem with that though. For one, Jor is a massive city.

    It¡¯s size may not compare to some of the most central trade cities, but it¡¯s still fairly sizable¡ªmaking the task of finding a single person in the slew of humanity around them an arduous one at best. Especially when it became clear that the target wasn¡¯t staying with any of the higher class people in Jor. Sylph has checked, and none of the Jorian Houses had taken in the target as a guest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s shift the investigation a little. Instead of focusing on where the target might be in the city, check out his past, and see if any known acquaintances of his resides in Jor.¡± Said the group''s leader, when all other avenues of investigation had turned up empty. If they could identify a person living on Jor known to the target, then they would have a reasonable idea of where he went.

    Changing the focus of the search like that yielded results very quickly. A small look into the docking records on Jor reveiled that the target had visited Jor before, and had even stayed for a few days. During that time, he had stayed in the city lord¡¯s manor and was lavished upon by the servants there.

    More telling was the fact that he had only left the manor once, for an Awakening ceremony.

    As soon as Kara had discovered this, Starfall¡¯s boss knew that they had found a lead. A very big lead.

    Especially when considering that the subject going through the Awakening had left with the target directly afterwards, and returned a little more than a month later. He had Kara look up more information on that Awakening ceremony, and it¡¯s focus. The results were a little baffling, to say the least.

    The girl who had gone through the Awakening was almost talentless. In all actuality, she would likely never be anything even remotely special. It was a bit of an oddity then, that the target had removed her from Jor for a time, bringing her back with him. Maybe he took a liking to her admittedly good looks?

    Regardless, she was very likely the one who was currently sheltering the target. In retrospect, the whole thing made quite a bit of sense. The target had run from Earth after learning of a marriage arranged for him by his parents, right? Perhaps he was running back to the one he had already fallen in love with?

    The leader had Kara look up the girl¡¯s information, and easily came up with an address for her.

    With a clear and solid lead to follow, most of the Starfall team decided to go to the address and capture the target. Kara was the only one who stayed behind, as a non-combatant. Besides, everyone knew that she works best when running over-watch for the team.

    The rest of them prepared very professionally, loading up on weapons that would be easily concealed. The only exception belonged to Sylph, who brought along her signature black hard-shelled case. The weapon within was too big to hide in a non-conspicuous way, so she was forced to carry it around inside that case.

    Starfall team 1 was careful when walking to the address of the girl. To avoid being seen as a single group, they all took separate routes to the girl¡¯s apartment, and most of them met up right in front of it. Sylph took up position in a building a distance away, choosing a spot based on sightline towards the apartment, and secrecy. Once there, she opened up her case and set up the mana-powered gauss rifle within. For it¡¯s size, the rifle was actually one of the most powerful anti-personal weapons available to man. It was capable of taking down powerhouses of the tenth divide, though it was totally useless against someone of a higher power. It was also hellishly expensive to buy and maintain, but the rifle¡¯s stopping power largely made up for that downside.

    The rest of the team entered the apartment complex as one unit, letting the triplets take the vanguard position due to their inherent ability to soak up punishment. Starfall¡¯s leader took up position behind them, and Raphael occupied the rearmost guard. Sylph eyed their progress through the scope of her rifle, being sure to offset the crosshairs so that she doesn¡¯t accidentally shoot her own teammates. That¡¯s a mistake you only make once. Kara monitored everyone¡¯s positions, and tried to get access to the apartment building¡¯s computer systems.

    That was when the first problem made itself known.

    ¡°Umm¡ª I might be encountering some troubles here boss.¡± Said Kara over the coms.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Asked the leader, while still moving up the apartment building¡¯s staircase.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get past the apartment¡¯s firewall. Someone¡¯s reinforced it, and done a damn good job of it. I can¡¯t seem to find any backdoors either¡­¡±

    Kara was furiously typing on her computer, examining the firewall for potential weaknesses that she could exploit.

    ¡°Just keep trying, Kara. It¡¯s not completely necessary for you to take over the system though, we should be able to handle it.¡± Replied the leader. Honestly, he didn¡¯t see a reason for Kara to hack into the apartment building¡¯s computer systems, since the rest of the team should have the matter well in hand. However, he also wants Kara to feel useful, since she¡¯s a recent addition to the team and has such great utility in most other situations.

    ¡°Ah! I found a way in! I¡¯m going to go ahead and begin my hack, boss.¡± Buzzed Kara¡¯s voice over the coms.

    ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯ll be breaching the room in fifteen seconds.¡± Said the leader as the door they wanted came into view.

    He started the countdown silently, holding up his fingers.

    Ten, nine, eight, seven.

    ¡°Huh? What the...?¡± Came Kara¡¯s voice over the coms, before abruptly cutting off.

    The leader was unperturbed, and continued the countdown.

    Four, three, two, one.

    One of the triplets¡ªJosh, kicked down the door. The team flowed through the opening, and into the apartment.

    They were met with the confusing sight of a family sitting stock still, watching them wide-eyed. One of the kids had a sandwich halfway to his mouth, while the baby in it¡¯s high-chair began to cry. The mother screamed, seeing the hardened mercenaries intruding on their home. That broke the stillness of the moment, and the leader stepped forward.

    ¡°We are looking for a boy named Joel, and a girl named Revian. Have you ever seen these people?¡± He asked, holding up pictures of the two of them.

    The mother¡¯s scream trailed off uncertainly.

    ¡°Revian?¡± She said weakly, eyeing the men cautiously.

    ¡°Yes, Revian. I would advise that you share any information you have, for the well-being of your family.¡± Said the leader.

    The woman considered this for a moment, obviously engaged in an inner conflict. She looked over at her children, and seemed to make a decision.

    ¡°Revian lives in the apartment to the left of mine. She should be there right now.¡±

    The leader thanked the woman, and walked out. He considered the room number outside of the apartment for a moment, vaguely getting the feeling that something was wrong.

    After everyone had left the apartment, the leader waved his hand, and the door repaired itself. They took up positions next to the correct door this time, and followed the same procedure.

    They got similar results. This time, they intruded on a young couple doing what young couples do. It was obvious that neither Joel nor Revian were in that apartment.

    They left once more, and the leader tried to contact Kara over coms, and ask her what had gone wrong. Had she given them the wrong address or something?

    That was when the leader discovered that the coms system was down.

    Something had gone wrong. Was still going wrong, actually¡ªsince the group quickly found that they were unable to leave the apartment building complex.

    Meanwhile, Revian had started giggling inside her apartment.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Joel, who was playing with a small holo-scene on the couch.

    ¡°Nothing. Personal joke.¡± Replied Revian in a coy and mischievous way. She had fun using her ability, even though she knew that it would be better to not give the mercenary group any hints into it¡¯s nature.

    Perhaps it would be better to simply face off against them with her own strength then¡­

 Chapter 13: Who Says A Fake Cant Surpass The Real Thing?

    I sighed, thumbing the bridge of my nose as I got up. It¡¯s unfortunate, but I¡¯ll have to take action now.

    Honestly, I should have probably acted sooner, or simply shouldn¡¯t have relied on my other ability. While it is useful, it¡¯s also just a temporary solution to our little pest problem.

    Pests, you ask? Well, I¡¯m talking about the mercenary group that¡¯s currently trapped inside the apartment building. Starfall team 1, if I¡¯m correct. I was able to do a bit of research on them after hacking into their system and shutting down their coms. Actually, it was a bit too easy. Their own logistics and computer technician tried to hack my own system, so I opened up a small ¡°backdoor¡± into the servers and watched as the technician found it. I then counter-hacked them. You¡¯d think people would be more wary of such an obvious ploy, but apparently not.

    Well, regardless, it looks like they¡¯re getting a bit desperate. It¡¯s been about an hour since I trapped them, and the mercenaries are about to go a bit berserk. I would to, were I trapped in a seemingly endless series of hallways and stairs. I can¡¯t let them use any violence though, since they¡¯re still in a residential area, and I don¡¯t want any bystanders to be hurt.

    Really, I shouldn¡¯t have used my other ability. I should have simply taken them down with my own strength from the beginning, since there¡¯s less risk involved that way.

    So, I got up from my computer chair, and walked over to one of the closets in my apartment. I felt Joel¡¯s curious gaze on the back of my head, but ignored him. I reached my hand into the back of the closet, and pulled out one of my most prized possessions.

    It¡¯s not that it has sentimental value or anything, but rather that it¡¯s the most expensive thing I own at the moment. In fact, it has more value than most space-craft. I think the best part is that I didn¡¯t have to pay a single cent for the thing.

    I am, of course, talking about my sword.

    The sword¡¯s pretty large¡ªalmost too large for me, in fact. It¡¯s only by the merits of my strength ability that I can wield the thing. It¡¯s blade is more white than sliver, and kinda reminds me of old bones. That¡¯s not the interesting part, however.

    No, the fact that it can cut clean through steel plating is what makes this blade unique. The sword is damn sharp.

    I have no idea what it¡¯s made of, who it was made by, or even how old it is. All I know is that it works well.

    Anyway, I pulled the sword from the back of my closet. It was still sheathed, but that didn¡¯t stop Joel from recognizing what I was holding.

    ¡°Is that¡­a sword? But I looked through that closet! There wasn¡¯t anything like a sword in there.¡±

    He kept looking through my stuff? It looks like I¡¯ll have to discipline him when I get back. There¡¯s no time for that now, unfortunately. It looks like the mercenaries are getting really impatient.

    I fix him with a stern stare, and tell him to stay in the apartment. Joel gives me a questioning look, but it seems like he¡¯ll listen to me this time.

    I leave the apartment, and shut the door behind me.

    I¡¯m met with an amusing sight outside.

    The mercenaries are all standing outside my door, arguing quite loudly. Both Joel and I could hear them, so Joel probably thought I was taking the sword with me to shut up the loud people. I don¡¯t think that he realized that they were arguing about their kidnapping attempt on Joel. I did.

    None of them noticed me walk out of the door, nor did they notice it when I walked straight into the middle of their group, observing them with my own eyes.

    None of them look like bad people, really. Then again, the worst people tend to be the most liked and admired as well. However, the leader of this little group has a sort of bearing to him, which tells me I might be able to trust him after paying a ¡°small¡± sum of money. I mean, he is a mercenary. They all are.

    ¡°Damn it.¡± He growled under his breath. ¡°Jacob and John¡ªyou guys sure about this?¡±

    One of the three identical tall, blonde men nodded sagely. ¡°Like anything else, this trap should collapse if we all apply enough pressure. The rabbit snare will never work on a bear.¡±

    The group leader considered the man¡¯s words for a moment, before nodding.

    ¡°Right. Lets have Josh, John, Raphael and I outputting as much aura as we can, with Jacob supporting and providing buffing spells. I don¡¯t think Sylph will be coming anytime soon, since she hasn¡¯t already. For the time being, consider our immediate group to not have any outside support.¡±

    Ah, it looks like they¡¯re planning on simply blasting their way out of the predicament. It¡¯s for this reason exactly that I decided to come out here and confront them.

    ¡°Ready on my mark. Five, four, three¡­¡±

    Of course, I couldn¡¯t let them do as they please. So, I made myself visible, appearing right in the center of the group.

    It took them a second to notice me, but when they did¡­oh man, were their faces entertaining.

    The three identical looking guys all stepped back, surprise and shock echoed across each of their features. The leader¡¯s reaction was far more professional, as he fell into a combat crouch, his mouth drawn into a hard line. The normal looking guy just seemed disinterested¡ªlike he observed me appearing, but attached little significance to it. By far, the triplet¡¯s reactions were the funniest to me.

    After a moment, they must have recognized me though.

    ¡°What? But you¡¯re the girl¡­?¡± Said one of the triplets, obviously very confused.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Vocalized the leader, staring straight at my face. ¡°You aren¡¯t at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide, are you?¡± He asked. A very astute first observation, in my opinion. All my records list me as being at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide, but then there¡¯s the fact that I somehow just ¡°appeared¡± in front of five men preparing to release all their power against my own. Even if they weren¡¯t completely ready, the accumulated energy would force anyone below the 8<sup>th</sup> or so divide to their knees. The fact that I was standing before them was very demonstrative. The fact that I wasn¡¯t sweating, or showing any signs of strain was similarly demonstrative.

    ¡°Need you to leave.¡± I said to them. Simple, and straight to the point¡ªjust the way things should be.

    The men were taken aback by my words. Then they got over the initial surprise of seeing me appear, and issue a straight-up ultimatum.

    The triplet¡¯s sneered almost as one, and the foremost one was about to open his mouth, when the leader of the team spoke up and cut him off.

    ¡°Why? We have a job to carry out, regardless of if a little girl is standing in our way.¡±

    I shook my head slowly.

    ¡°I stronger, and have money.¡±

    A few eyebrows were raised at that. A small chuckle came from the leader, and I saw the mirth in his eyes.

    ¡°Ah, youth. You think that a little bluff is enough to scare off hardened mercenaries. You see, we¡¯re being funded by a High-Family. I doubt you can beat their commission rate.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Alright, he has a point there. While I may have a good sum of money at the moment, it hasn¡¯t had nearly the time it needs to grow into a fortune capable of clashing against the bankrolls of a High-Family. That was a bluff.

    ¡°Your second mistake was saying that you are stronger than us. Were you truly stronger, you wouldn¡¯t have spoken at all. You would have beaten or killed us with that strength. The truly strong don¡¯t negotiate.¡±

    Oh boy. That¡¯s a landmine. It looks like people who live based on the strength of their arms and minds are sensitive when it comes to the question of power, and who has the more of it. Which is me, obviously. I¡¯m the protagonist, right?

    Great, and now the men are looking down at me in what would normally be an intimidating way. They¡¯re coming closer as well, leaving very little personal space to me.

    ¡°You know, if you just tell us where Joel Al¡¯Verath is, nobody has to get hurt. I¡¯m sure he would be sad to know that his lover was¡­damaged.¡±

    Oh, ewww. They think we¡¯re¡­lovers? Gross.

    Well, needless to say, I¡¯m not telling them. That would be counter productive, you know. Especially since I have my own way of dealing with this.

    I think these guys have to learn that not everyone with strength uses it in the first instance they can. I rather dislike fighting, which is why I gave that admittedly weak attempt to settle this whole thing amicably.

    Well, I guess I have to beat people up now. Oh, the tragedy~.

    I think they realized something was wrong when I simply sighed, and lifted my sword. It was still sheathed, as blunt force trauma sometimes sends a stronger message than neat and cleanly sliced sushi victims. Especially when you want the targets to still live afterwards.

    I hit the normal looking man first. Why? In my experience, if you can¡¯t see any reason why someone might be dangerous, then they¡¯re probably the first ones that need to go down. It¡¯s a simple quality of being an unknown. I don¡¯t like not knowing something, so I thumped him right in the face with the sword. Because I don¡¯t know the slightest thing about him. Even Starfall¡¯s own computers didn¡¯t have any data on him, and that scares me.

    The others, I¡¯m confident in bringing down. All of them are under the 11<sup>th</sup> divide, so I shouldn¡¯t have any problems.

    Wait, it just occurred to me that I¡¯ve never really explained the whole ¡°divide¡± stuff to you guys. Okay, crash course for everyone not about to fight four armed mercenaries!

    There are 12 divides, each further sectioned up into 9 steps. Every three steps represents a particularly large step up in power, and are grouped as 1-2-3, 4-5-6, and 7-8-9. These give a general indication of a person¡¯s strength, though only a general indication. That being said, someone at the 2<sup>nd</sup> divide is normally stronger than one at the 1<sup>st</sup>, and so on, so forth. The divides represent a qualitative increase in power and control.

    Once you pass through the 12<sup>th</sup> divide, 9<sup>th</sup> step, you reach the 13<sup>th</sup> divide. ¡°But you said there are only 12 divides, Revy!¡±

    Yeah, well there¡¯s a 13<sup>th</sup> divide. It¡¯s normally considered separate from the others, since that¡¯s when a person is considered as having ascended to Divinity. It¡¯s a whole ¡®nuther ball-game at that point.

    So, that¡¯s that.

    Back to the important stuff now.

    The normal man hit the floor, knocked clean out. He has a funny little look on his face too, with that faint bit of surprise that just tells you he didn¡¯t consider this a possibility. Stupid man. Of course I would hit your head.

    The other mercenaries also looked surprised. But that¡¯s more due to the fact that they probably didn¡¯t see me move. Likely, they saw a blur, then their companion bit the dust.

    I propped the overly large sword up on my shoulder, looking at the leader cutely. Boy, you done fucked up.

    ¡°I stronger.¡± I repeated, still smiling a cute smile. Man, their blood must be freezing right now.

    The triplets share a look, and I could almost hear their thoughts, which were written so clearly on their faces.

    ¡®We should charge her¡¯

    ¡®That was obviously just a trick.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s take her down quickly, before anything else happens.¡¯

    Ah, the idiots.

    They all ran towards me at the same time. The triplets, that is.

    Starfall¡¯s leader seemed smart enough to hang back. Besides, he was still staring at me with an expression of shock, and¡­is that wonder?

    Damn, they¡¯re here already. It seems I¡¯ll just have to make a deal with the only the leader.

    I knock all three of them out in a fraction of a second. Really, the triplets should have properly probed my abilities before committing so heavily. My sword was resting on my shoulder again, before they even hit the ground.

    I could hear the leader swallowing a wad of saliva, and then clearing his throat.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­we could come to an accord?¡± He said, smiling weakly.

    I smiled a shit-eater¡¯s grin right back at him.

    <hr>

    Revy left the apartment building¡¯s hallway shortly after that, leaving the mercenary leader to collect his fallen comrades and bring them back to base. The whole time, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver inside.

    That wasn¡¯t a little girl he had met in that hallway.

    That was a veteran monster¡ªa powerhouse of the highest levels.

    He was simply glad that she had let them go. Most people at the 11<sup>th</sup> divide and higher tend to have eccentric personalities, and few of them would have any qualms, if at all, in killing them all. At least Revian had let his team go.

    He still couldn¡¯t find out how she had trapped them in the building. Maybe it was space manipulation; maybe it was something far worse. He honestly didn¡¯t want to know. More knowledge isn¡¯t always a good thing, especially since the most powerful people tend to value their secrecy.

    As to how he had carried everyone out of the building, well, it was rather easy.

    Josh, John and Jacob dropped out of Awakened form as soon as he had been knocked out. And he reformed into a single weedy looking guy, with lackluster grooming abilities. Raphael hadn¡¯t been in Awakened form, and so stayed the same.

    That was no problem to the leader though, since he easily slung the two smaller men onto his back. Starfall¡¯s leader may look old, but he was stronger than the vast majority of military personnel.

    As he wandered back to the hotel acting as their operating base, he ran into Sylph, who was visibly panicking.

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re okay? What the fucking hell happened out there? I lost all coms, then got trapped in some sort of fucking pocket dimension or something.¡±

    He held up a placating hand.

    ¡°Calm down Sylph. Everyone¡¯s fine. I think we¡¯ll end up having to call off this mission though.¡±

    ¡°But sir¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll explain when we have everyone again. Let¡¯s meet up with Kara first, okay?¡±

    She nodded, and obeyed his orders.

    They quickly reached the hotel, and found Kara furiously typing on her holo-screens. She looked up, her face under lit by the glow of the screens.

    ¡°Oh! Thank the deities! You guys are all right!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Asked the leader in a flat tone of voice, referring to the coms shut-down.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kara said sheepishly. ¡°Well, simply put, we were hacked.¡±

    ¡°What?! How? Aren¡¯t you the best Techno-mage to come out of XCU in the past few decades?¡± said Sylph.

    Kara shut down the holo-screens, revealing that her eyes had deep, dark shadows under them and were lightly bloodshot¡ªsure evidence that her ability had been over-drafted.

    ¡°Someone got the better of me. It happens. Though, not in quite a spectacular fashion most of the time. I think it took the hacker all of five seconds to breach my firewall, tunnel into the systems, and disable everything even mildly important.¡± She said in an excited, but tired voice.

    The leader nodded, and reassured her with a few words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just learn from the experience. I think that¡¯s what all of us has to do.¡± He said, and outlined what had happened after the coms had gone down.

    By the time he had finished, the two unconscious members of the team were beginning to wake up.

    He admonished both of them for making tactical errors by vastly underestimating Revian.

    He also told them that they should never seek to touch her in the future, and steer well clear of any contact.

    After that, they determined as a group to withdraw form the mission. Joel Al¡¯Verath is simply to big a fish for them to take. Especially when the gods-damned kraken is waiting nearby with hungry jaws.

    There was also one more thing.

    He thinks he knows exactly what Revian¡¯s power is¡ªthe one she had used to trap most of his team.

    Kara actually asked him about it, due to her curious nature demanding to find as much information as possible.

    ¡°Her ability?¡± Asked the leader.

    Kara nodded emphatically, drawing the attention of Jerard¡ªthe man whose Awakening splits him into three.

    ¡°It¡¯s spacial manipulation, right boss? I can¡¯t think of it possibly being anything else.¡± He said.

    The leader shook his head.

    ¡°No, that was not spacial manipulation. I¡¯m of the opinion it was something far worse. In fact, we¡¯re even luckier to have made it out of there alive, if I¡¯m right.¡±

    ¡°Well then, what do you think her ability is?¡± Asked Kara again.

    The leader sighed, before speaking.

    ¡°What I¡¯m about to say, doesn¡¯t leave this room under any circumstances, got it?¡± Everyone nodded. He continued. ¡°Revian bends reality. However, she doesn¡¯t touch upon the actual, physical reality, but our perceptions of it. She¡¯s an unbound illusionist.¡±

    He saw that Jerard was about to scoff, obviously in a huff about this.

    ¡°No, do not dismiss this, Jerard. Illusion abilities are one of the few that are always clipped at birth, stunted to prevent too much growth. This limits illusions to petty tricks which can be broken by a strong mind or power, or to pittiful and simple applications. If Revian is an illusionist, than she isn¡¯t bound by such restrictions. Let me ask you this¡ªIf you are stabbed by an illusory blade, and feel the pain of the wound, see the blood, and become weaker form it, then who¡¯s to say that the blade wasn¡¯t real all along? If you die inside an unrestricted illusion, why shouldn¡¯t you die for real?¡± Said the leader solemnly. He didn¡¯t explain why he thought Revian was an unbound illusionist, and simply left everyone to their own thoughts afterwards.

 Chapter 14: Besieged From all Sides

    I would be very disappointed if that mercenary group was unable to figure out what my abilities are.

    I mean¡ªthings would be a whole bunch easier if they were unable to. Realistically though, I gave them too many hints into the nature of the ability I had trapped them with. I was hoping to make it appear as a space manipulation ability, but that hope was sadly misplaced. The leader of the group is adept in space, and time manipulation.

    He should have easily figured out that I wasn¡¯t actually bending the space around them in order to keep them trapped in the apartment building. From there, I bet he could easily narrow down the list of potential powers, and single one out as the most probable.

    Honestly, I shouldn¡¯t have used my other ability in the first place. It was a mistake on my part, and one I¡¯m not going to repeat. In this case, I was overeager to use it, since I have few chances to do so otherwise. I mean, sure, I could use it in everyday situations. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯d like the results.

    Oh, and for those not yet in the know¡ªYes, I am an illusionist. A very peculiar one.

    I say that because of the fact that I rarely use the ability, for fear if it changing me too much, or becoming less effective. Most other people with the ability use it to change the way people see them, by making themselves more attractive, younger, etcetera, etcetera.

    I¡¯ve done nothing of the sort. I appear to others as I am meant to be. Nothing more, nothing less. That¡¯s not to say that I haven¡¯t used the ability in the past to change aspects of my features, but I did it for purely tactical reasons in those cases.

    Also, illusion abilities tend to be much more effective when nobody knows about it. If you¡¯re fighting against someone you know to be an illusionist, you¡¯ll be on your toes, right? You¡¯ll be questioning what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. However, an illusionist can get away with quite a bit more if nobody knows that they¡¯re one. Therefore, the less people know about this particular ability and my limits with it, the better.

    I actually got quite lucky with my first Awakening, since I was able to hide that my primary ability is illusion. Hell, I was even able to hide that I had any abilities, and that I had Awakened. Such a fortuitous turn of events, no?

    I¡¯m also a bit peculiar as an illusionist for a few other reasons. Namely, that the power of an illusion is directly tied to the mental capabilities of the person with the ability. You can see how this would make things interesting, right?

    Add in the fact that most illusion abilities are shackled upon Awakening to prevent them from growing too strong, and I become a very unusual and lethal sort of illusionist. I wasn¡¯t subjected to that particular restriction, you see.

    That¡¯s actually another reason to keep people from finding out that I¡¯m an illusionist, since the highest powers in the galaxy might get antsy, and figure that no illusionist should be as powerful as I. Even though it¡¯s best to shackle an illusionist¡¯s powers right after Awakening, you can still do it later, though it¡¯s more dangerous due to the fact that the ability¡¯s grown in power.

    As for how illusionists are shackled, well, scientists took notes from Old Earth doctors¡ªespecially ones dealing with mental patients in the archaic 19<sup>th</sup> and early 20<sup>th</sup> centuries. It¡¯s a bit barbaric, frankly, and I¡¯d like to avoid the fate brought to other illusionists.

    Anyway, I returned to the apartment after our little confrontation. Joel saw me coming back in, but didn¡¯t ask about it. He just carefully watched me as I went over and replaced my sword in the closet. I snickered a little internally, as some of the closet¡¯s contents had been shifted¡ªevidence that Joel had tried to find out where exactly I had been hiding a fairly large sword this whole time. He must have been really frustrated after not being able to find anything.

    Inside the closet, I engaged the mechanism that swings open the false back wall, which has enough room for all my emergency supplies. I placed the sword among them, and closed the panel again. I exit the closet and shut the door behind me before walking into the kitchen.

    Sure enough, as soon as I¡¯m out of line-of-sight, I can hear Joel getting up and checking the closet again. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find anything. I designed the false wall in the closet to be as secret and inconspicuous as possible, and it would fool even those with heightened senses. He has no chance.

    I smiled to myself when I heard the closet door shut, and Joel huffing in annoyance and frustration. Though, I can¡¯t help but think that if he¡¯s annoyed by something as small as this, what¡¯ll he think about favors I pulled? In fact, I think I should be getting an answer on my plan for him soon¡ªif it hasn¡¯t happened already.

    Luckily, we have time. It¡¯s still only Saturday, after all. And while the sooner this gets done, the better, it doesn¡¯t really matter as long as it¡¯s done and finalized by Monday morning. By then, there¡¯s nothing Joel can do to change the situation. And even if he could, I am effectively his legal guardian for now. Though, I may have hacked the city mainframe to grant myself that particular position of power over him. Teehee~?

    Regardless, I think tomorrow should be interesting for all parties involved. First though, I made sure to sent some private messages to that mercenary group, and Joel¡¯s parents. Namely, I made them aware of each other¡ªmostly to get that woman to pay for them to screw off and keep quiet. And maybe also to dissuade other mercenary groups from acting against Joel and I.

    <hr>

    Sunday dawned reasonably bright and early. Reasonably since the sun lighting Jor is dark red in color, and doesn¡¯t lend itself to as brilliant of a sunrise as you would have on Earth.

    Like yesterday, Joel was still sleeping when I woke up. He slept through me making breakfast as well, and only woke up after I held a bit of freshly cooked meat under his nose, letting the smell and his hunger rouse him.

    Afterwards, we did much the same as yesterday¡ªjust lazing about the apartment. Well, for the morning, at least. Things got a little hectic in the afternoon.

    Mostly due to the fact that I invited all my friends over; and because Joel got some very unwelcome news.

    But first, let¡¯s go back to the beginning, shall we?

    The doorbell rang.

    Joel looked up from the holo-screen he was playing with an annoyed look, and I sigh, getting up to take the door. I have a pretty good idea of who¡¯s on the other side, and I also know how painful this might get.

    The door opens, and there stands my entire friend group, looking very curiously into my apartment. From where they¡¯re standing, they can¡¯t see Joel yet. They could hear him though, as he shouted from the couch.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°Who is it Revy? What do they want?¡±

    I sigh again, and roll my eyes.

    ¡°Come in, relax.¡± I said to my friends, who were looking past me, into my apartment with some trepidation. I explained most of the situation to them through e-mail, letting them know that I have a younger guy living in my apartment, and that I need to occupy some (most) of his time.

    I held the door open, welcoming my friends into my house. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve ever been here before. At least not officially.

    They all walked past me, and I followed behind them. Inside the living room, Joel had jumped up from the couch, and was looking at them warily. He turned to me.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Who are these people, Revy?¡±

    ¡°Friends. Make nice. Getting food.¡± I said, walking into the kitchen.

    I listened closely to their conversation after leaving, noting that silence prevailed for the first few moments.

    ¡°So, uh¡­how have you found Jor so far?¡± Asked Sabrina.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been out into the city yet.¡± Came Joel¡¯s brisk and slightly unsociable reply.

    ¡°Ah, well I suppose you¡¯ll have more chances to do that later, right?¡± Sabrina said. I could practically see the mirthful smile on her face.

    I could also envision the way Joel¡¯s head would snap right back to her, after picking up the holo-screen again.

    ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯ll ¡®have more chances¡¯?¡± He asked, trepidation in his voice.

    ¡°What¡ªYou mean Revy hasn¡¯t told you yet?¡± Interjected Haven.

    I chose this moment to re-enter the living room.

    Joel immediately turned to me.

    ¡°What are these people talking about, Revy?¡± He asked, distraught.

    I could immediately feel a headache coming on as I answered him.

    ¡°Joel¡¯s going to school.¡± I said, instantly drawing a gasp of horror from Joel, and laughs from my friends who had already known what I intended for him.

    Really, sending him to school is an all-round win. He has stuff to keep him occupied, I can keep an eye on him, and he can learn about that little thing known as common sense. Maybe he can also learn a bit about humility?

    ¡°No!¡± He shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to a fucking sc¡ªumpf!¡±

    Hopefully it can also keep him form acting in a way that makes me punch him. I picked up the groaning Joel from the ground, and propped him back up on the couch. I motioned for everybody else to sit as well. Luckily, the couch is fairly large for the apartment size, and I have a few other chairs arranged in the room.

    Godard and Kormic put down a few boxes they were carrying, dropping them off near the kitchen. I thanked them, and turned to Sabrina and Haven, who were affixing me with curious stares.

    ¡°You know, we got the e-mails explaining most of what you want, but you never really told us what your relation with Joel is. How are you even aquatinted with the Al¡¯Verath family, Revy?¡± asked Sabrina.

    Ah, damn. Of course she would know Joel is a member of that family. Her father¡¯s the city lord, she would have to. Especially since Joel was housed by her father before coming to pick me up from the Awakening. Even though she doesn¡¯t currently live in the city lord¡¯s manor due to some complicated circumstances, she would be sure to know what was going on, at least. Sabrina is too smart to be doing otherwise.

    I sighed, unsure of how to answer. I could lie, and feed her a story about my father being a vassal of the family, and that I¡¯ve been entrusted with the safe keeping of Joel.

    But she would never buy shit like that. For one, she, and the rest of my friends, think that I¡¯m relatively powerless. There are very few who know that I even have abilities, and no one knows just how strong I am.

    Alternatively, I could tell the truth. Or a simplified version of said truth.

    Since there are fewer ways that could go wrong, I decided to go with that. The whole truth is something I¡¯m not willing to part with just yet. I¡¯d hate to think of how people would look at me if they knew everything about me.

    ¡°Joel is relative. Ran away.¡±

    ¡°He ran away from the Al¡¯Verath family? What a stupid thing to do.¡± Said Haven. I agree with her wholeheartedly, since I wouldn¡¯t be in this mess if he had just stayed home like the good son he¡¯s supposed to be. Hell, that woman never even experimented with him! What the fuck does he have to complain about?!

    ¡°Wait, wait! Before that, did you just say that you¡¯re a relative of his!? Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re a member of the Al¡¯Verath family as well?¡± Asked Godard, who was looking at me wide-eyed.

    I hesitated briefly, and nodded.

    ¡°No talent, exiled. Joel engaged.¡± I explained.

    Unfortunately, it seems I was a little careless with my explanation, since the others took it in a way I had in no way intended.

    ¡°What!?¡± Practically screamed Sabrina. ¡°You two were engaged?!¡± This was followed by a chorus of yells and disbelieving shouts from literally everyone else. Including Joel, who had regained his faculties after experiencing my haymaker again. Thankfully, he was yelling in order to clarify the situation for me. This alone made me kinda regret punching him earlier. But not to the point where I would be unwilling to do it again.

    ¡°No! You guys have it all wrong! I was engaged to someone else because of my parents, and ran away! I came to Revy because she seemed nice enough to take me in!¡±

    Ah, so Joel can lie a little as well. We both know that I¡¯m not nice, for one, and that he only came here because I can beat up his parents.

    ¡°Is...that so?¡± asked Kormic dubiously.

    Joel nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Said Joel. ¡°Beside, Revy and I are too closely related to even think about stuff like that.¡± He added, almost as an afterthought.

    Luckily, everyone bought it. I nearly lost it when he mentioned the closely related stuff, since that could raise too many questions for my liking. It seems that everything was resolved quite well.

    Next, we had to convince Joel to go to school in the first place. My friends tried convincing him with logic, but he seemed to refuse to listen. Then, he happened to look at me while they were talking, and saw me smiling in a way that convinced him to go to school¡ªsince it would likely be the less painful route for him. I had him open up the boxes brought by Godard and Kormic, revealing the school uniforms held within. He tried them on to ensure that they fit¡ªthey did¡ªand we had a bit of a giggle seeing him acting so grumpy and unwilling. I could see the look behind his eyes though. He was a bit excited about the whole thing, no matter what he would have the rest of us believe.

    Time passed pretty quickly, and night fell. I said goodbye to my friends, and made dinner for Joel and I. He stayed fairly silent throughout the whole meal, and I enjoyed it while I could.

    Then, we stayed up a little while longer, before heading our separate ways to bed.

    Too soon, the next day came, and Joel started his first day of school. It was a day of hectic hilarity, and many social pit-falls. Many of which were stumbled into by Joel. Somehow though, by some fucking miracle of heaven or whatnot, he became the ¡®Campus Prince¡¯ a day after that. I¡¯m just so¡­done.

    <hr>

    Starfall team left Jor after regrouping at the hotel. It was a call made by all the members, after realizing that this particular job was one impossible to complete. Even more, the leader of the mercenary group felt that perhaps, they had been a little hasty in accepting the job, even though the pay was supposed to be spectacularly good.

    Really, he didn¡¯t know all the details about it, and the target. He was only able to find out due to the fact that the girl had gotten the group in contact with the target¡¯s immediate family branch. Once he found out that the target¡¯s parents were numbers 301 and 419 on the MD* list, he realized that perhaps the group should look into jobs more carefully in the future.

    And to think that this came about due to the mercenary guilds policy of privacy protection. The leader really cursed the fact that the higher-ups didn¡¯t care if a group got caught up in bad politics¡ªas had almost happened with this job. They just wanted profit.

    Anyway. Since Starfall had technically failed to complete the mission, the leader was required to call into the guild proper and let them know about it.

    That had been a pleasant conversation, full of overbearing civility and pay-downgrades. While it wasn¡¯t exactly rare for a group to fail a mission, the guild still made damn sure you felt the consequences of it.

    Starfall team¡¯s leader sure felt the hurt after ending the call. Though, he made sure to let the guild know that the Al¡¯Verath job should not be taken up, under any circumstances. Due to the fact that his team has a stellar record, and is among the top 50 in the guild, they listened, and pulled it down. No sense in sending teams to utter destruction, after all. He hadn''t even needed to give any details to them.

    After that, he got the oddest job offer. It was the antithesis to the one they had just failed, and given to them by the father of the target.

    So, the team turned the ship around, and prepared for an extended stay at Jor in order to protect Joel Al''Verath, and keep an eye on one Revian Snow.

    Unfortunately, as they would find out, they weren¡¯t the only mercenary team going to Jor. The guild may have taken the request down, but that doesn¡¯t stop the employer from going directly to the teams themselves. And even worse, was the identity of the team that took the job.

    <hr><hr>

    *MD list: Most Dangerous list. A list containing a ranking of the people you least want to fight, as well as the main reasons it would be a bad idea. Only contains rankings for people under the deity level, and is periodically updated by Mana scholars.

 Chapter 15: Side Characters Can Be Rather Important.

    I didn¡¯t realize the school has a popularity ranking. At least, not until Joel shot to the top of it before the week was even halfway done. I had stuck him in the junior class, even though his age would place him as a freshman. Apparently, that didn¡¯t matter too much, since even girls in my class were swooning over him on Tuesday.

    I mean, he is admittedly good looking, inheriting the best from both his parents. He¡¯s also a little shit, and arrogant to a fault. Nobody seems to mind that too much, however, as it just ¡®adds to his appeal¡¯ according to the gossip. People seem to mistake his arrogance for aloofness, and proof of his superiority. Non-existent superiority, at that.

    I¡¯m beginning to think that introducing him to school was a bad idea. Especially after he trashed the cool/bad guys in his class, who were apparently known for violent behavior and good looks. That instantly propelled him to ¡°Prince¡± status. Whatever the hell that means. This isn¡¯t some sort of shoujo manga, you know?

    And all this new-found attention is doing wonders for his already over-inflated ego. At least punches are still effective against him. I think I would go insane if there wasn¡¯t something I could hold over Joel.

    Well, at least nobody¡¯s connected the dots between me and him yet. The last thing I need is more attention. In fact, I was very happy to see that I wasn¡¯t on that school-wide popularity listing. Trust me, I checked, and was glad to see that I wasn¡¯t really attracting too much attention.

    Now, I just have to continue avoiding people¡¯s attentions. Should be a walk in the park.

    <hr>

    Godard wasn¡¯t sure if Revy was an idiot or not.

    On one hand, she had reached the top of the school-wide academic rankings. On the other, she¡¯s sometimes extremely delusional.

    Earlier in the day, she had come up to Godard, and nearly melted the hearts of everyone nearby when she asked¡ª¡°What¡¯s popularity ranking? Joel¡¯s spot?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that she was saying something particularly heartwarming, but rather that everything she says comes out in a way that makes people tilt their heads, smile contently, and say ¡°Cute~¡±. Godard had gained quite a bit of resistance to Revy¡¯s looks and actions over the years¡ªas had the entire friend group. They had to.

    So, he was able to calmly explain the existence of the popularity ranking to her, as well as recount how Joel had experienced a meteoric rise ranking wise. He was currently in the top ten, after having attended a single day of school. She then asked if she was on the popularity ranking. Godard told her no, knowing that any other answer would just upset her.

    He left out the fact that the guys in charge of the popularity ranking couldn¡¯t put her on it, since she apparently ¡°transcends the notion of popularity.¡± Godard didn¡¯t understand it, and he felt that neither would Revy. Therefore, he left out that bit of information.

    What she doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt her, right?

    Honestly, Revy was a total mystery to them all. It had come as a complete and utter surprise when they found out that she was an exiled Al¡¯Verath. That particular High-Family has a reputation of being strong, but corrupt. There were many things that they were only able to get away with due to their political clout and power.

    And rather than answering some of their questions, Revy¡¯s origins raised many more. Like, why is her Awakening so weak, considering the raw power of the rest of her Family? There¡¯s also the question of why Joel chose to stay with Revy.

    Godard didn¡¯t think that anyone would have fallen for Revy and Joel¡¯s explanation¡ªthe one where Joel claimed that he came to Jor because Revy ¡°seemed nice enough to take him in.¡±

    That excuse stank of shit, and Godard was absolutely sure that there was something about the whole situation that Revy was keeping from them. Hell, there were likely many, many things she was keeping from them. However, this annoyed Sabrina and Haven more than Godard, Kormic, or Ussen. This was mainly due to the fact that Sabrina and Haven have had to live by the information they''ve gathered. Sabrina, because she¡¯s the daughter of the city lord and has to understand the under-workings of the city and all the various different ways they interact with other worlds and powers. Haven uses information of a more personal level, rather than the industrial type stuff Sabrina deals with.

    Not knowing something bothers them a lot more than it bothers the others. Godard¡¯s family are smiths. They don¡¯t care for politics or information all that much. All that matters is the quality of the product. Similarly, Kormic grew up in a military family infamous for just how few shits they give towards higher powers. And Ussen, well, his family have been merchants for generations. Money is all that matters to them.

    So, they didn¡¯t care that Revy was keeping secrets. To them, it simply doesn¡¯t matter, nor does it affect what they think of Revy or what they do around her. They¡¯re friends, and that¡¯s what matters to them.

    Godard also knows that Sabrina and Haven feel the same way, under the itch for information. No matter what they find, they¡¯ll still stand behind Revy.

    If they find anything. Apparently, there¡¯s a disturbing lack of information about her in the city servers. Sabrina thinks that someone went in and erased some of the more vital things, like place of birth, relatives, psychological evaluations, doctor records, and even¡ªoddly enough¡ªher height and weight.

    But again, Godard doesn¡¯t care about those things. He thinks.

    Well, there¡¯ve been times when he wonders¡­. But that doesn¡¯t matter. Hopefully.

    Anyway, Godard left school, and his friend group all went their separate ways. Most of them had their own commitments and jobs to do after school, and Godard was no different. His family owns a smithy, and he was learning the trade from his father and older brother. His mother worked with the business side of things, arranging various deals and commissions for them to complete. He also has a little sister who attends the middle school.

    When he got home, Godard could hear the pounding of metal on metal from the work studio behind the house. He immediately went into his room, and changed into a set of sooty and dirty work clothes, and threw on an apron over that. He left the house, and entered the smithy proper, smiling as he observed his father and brother working in tandem to forge a new weapon. From the looks of things, they were working on the falchion order that had come in a week or two ago.

    There was a beauty to the forging process, in Godard¡¯s opinion. The rise and fall of the hammer, the glow of the metal, the flakes of scale falling off every so often, the sparks from a particularly hard blow. All of these things combined to make one of the most functional pieces of art ever made. And Godard was happy to be a part of the process.

    In fact, he had only been allowed to handle the hammer after memorizing all the different sorts of bladed weapons that exist, their functions, and how to forge them. He also had so spend quite a bit of time simply observing his father and brother working¡ªThe so-called learn by seeing.

    There are some things that he can only learn by watching his relatives at work. For instance, there are certain forging techniques that have been handed down through the family line and never written down. There are also instinctive elements to forging that can¡¯t be explained, and have to be gauged solely by the experience of the smith. By watching others at work, Godard could start cultivating instinct without utterly ruining material.

    However, that whole process of observation was ultimately extremely boring. Why wouldn¡¯t it be? After all, Godard wasn¡¯t actually doing anything.

    Thankfully for him, that ended once he turned thirteen, and underwent the Awakening. His father judged it as a good time to start him up on actual smithing. That very first day, Godard forged a knife under the direction of his father. It was absolute shit.

    Godard felt bad, and talentless after making such a bad knife, but his father had only laughed, and pulled out an old, and even worse knife.

    ¡°This was my first blade.¡± He said. ¡°Everyone does badly on their first try, no matter how much preparation they have. It¡¯s a fact of the trade. You can even ask to see you brother¡¯s knife¡ªhis is even worse than mine. And look how well he¡¯s doing now!¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He paused for a second, stroking his thick beard.

    ¡°Smithing takes real, physical practice. It¡¯s not something that anyone is inherently good at. You just need to try your hardest from now on, and everything will be just fine.¡±

    So, Godard practiced. He practiced really, really hard. Both in real life, and in Ashenload, since the game essentially mirrors real life, and can serve as a practice ground for any amount of skills and professions.

    And now, five years later, Godard can walk into the smithy and confidently smith blades to fill orders.

    Today, he walked in, and saw his father and brother pause briefly during their work. Both of the big and brawny men wiped the sweat from their brows, and smiled a greeting at Godard. He smiled back, accustomed to this little tradition and a thousand more.

    He tried not to mind the fact that both the men had goat feet, and curling horns along with their massive muscles. They were in their Awakenings in order to leverage greater strength onto the metal, something that Godard envied a far bit. His own Awakening was unsuited for hard labor, and frankly quite embarrassing.

    Godard walked over to the bit of the smithy set aside for his own work, and picked up a large and flat bar of metal. He didn¡¯t need his Awakening anyway. He could work just fine without it.

    <hr>

    Sabrina and Haven walked home together. It made sense, since they lived in the same house together. It was a place provided by the city lord¡ªSabrina¡¯s father.

    There really wasn¡¯t much to talk about on the way back, so they stayed silent. This was a practiced ritual between the two of them, and often the only bit of reflection time they would get in a day. All other hours were simply too hectic to stop and think about things.

    Unfortunately, the school and their home were too close to enjoy the time for more than thirty minutes.

    They immediately changed into comfortable sets of clothing, and met up again at a small circular table in the middle of their library and workroom. It was an odd sort of place, with shelves filled haphazardly by books off all shapes and sizes, makes and genres. Any wall space not filled by shelving was instead occupied by massive sheets of paper. The papers were covered by names, bits of string, and photographs.

    Most notably, there was a sheet of paper as large as any of the others on one wall, with a single name in the center, and lots of white space. Only one or two lines of string extended from the name to other things.

    The name read Revian Snow.

    The girls sat at the small wooden table, and let silence hang for a few seconds.

    ¡°So, I guess we should update Revy¡¯s profile, right? We now know for certain that she¡¯s related to Joel, and is in exile from the Al¡¯Verath family.¡± Asked Sabrina.

    Haven sighed.

    ¡°I still say we should just take that down. I¡¯d rather not have to investigate a friend.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. But she¡¯s an exile from the Al¡¯Verath family. Joel¡¯s run away from that same family. Who knows what sort of trouble we could get into should we be missing a vital piece of information? Anyway, we¡¯ve been over this before. It¡¯s necessary.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Fine then. So, what should we put on the paper, then? Besides the family relations, of course.¡±

    Sabrina thought for a second.

    ¡°We should put the supposition about Revy being more powerful than she really is on there. That¡¯s a fairly significant part of what we know about her, and the key to quite a few things. We should also consider the question of who exactly her parents are or were. How much power do they have, does Revy have any siblings?¡ªstuff like that. Lastly, I think we should also consider the possibility that she¡¯s capable of hacking in the city mainframes ad changing data as she desires. There¡¯s been significant evidence to suggest that she¡¯s able to do it, and has on innumerous occasions.¡±

    Haven nodded, and wrote a few words on paper scraps before pinning them up on the board with Revy¡¯s name on it. She then linked the scraps to the name with pieces of string.

    Once she came back to the table, Haven asked Sabrina a question.

    ¡°Do you know what dad¡¯s doing about that sudden influx of top-level mercenary teams entering the city? So far, we¡¯ve observed one reasonably famous team enter, exit, then reenter the city in a small window of time, then another team¡ªthis one extremely infamous¡ªentering the city after them.¡±

    Sabrina thought for a while, before asking her own question.

    ¡°How many low-level teams have entered the city recently?¡±

    ¡°Not many. Same as normal, I¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°So, they¡¯re probably here for a high-level mission, available to only the best of teams. And given that two powerful teams have been dispatched, there¡¯s probably a lot of cash up for grabs. I¡¯d say that we should check in on the mercenary guild, and see if we can get a little cut of the pie. Ideally, we could offer information to the teams in exchange for some cash.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that would only work with one of the teams, then.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, the first mercenary group is Starfall team 1.¡± Said Haven. Sabrina nodded.

    ¡°The second team, the one that just entered the city about six hours ago, are the Angelic Beauties.¡±

    Sabrina gasped a little upon hearing the name.

    The two girls fell into conversation and planning sessions for the rest of the day, discussing what should be done about the Angelic Beauties. Eventually, they decided to simply not touch the issue. Whatever mercenary mission they¡¯re on isn¡¯t worth the potential harm that would come from making a mistake around the group.

    Sabrina and Haven wouldn¡¯t want to touch that group with a mile long pole.

    <hr>

    Kormic never really enjoyed hurting people. It just went against his nature, you know? But, when one comes from a military family, you do what you must.

    Don¡¯t mistake his reluctance for inability though¡ªHe loves learning martial arts just as much as he hates applying them in actual combat. But again, you do what you must.

    He also loves teaching the novice children that come to the family dojo, looking to learn martial arts for whatever purpose. That¡¯s what he does most days, and this was no exception. Right after school ended, he made his way to the dojo. Once inside the dojo, he changed into his gi, and waited in practice room 3.

    It wasn¡¯t a long wait, though it also wasn¡¯t very short. Eventually, kids of ages 7 to 13 began filtering in through the doors. They were also dressed in the traditional martial art¡¯s gi, and had belts of varying color. Kormic was proud of his group, since they were reasonably hard workers, and talented on top of that. One of the girls in the group, an eleven year old named Gabrielle, had the distinction of being the most talented martial artist Kormic had ever seen. He¡¯s confident that she¡¯ll be able to reach his own level and beyond given a few years and a growth spurt.

    Sometimes, he¡¯ll let a little indiscipline slide by and bring the group sweets or something similar. That was Kormic¡¯s favorite thing¡ªseeing the kids enjoy life so much. They¡¯re always so full of hope and dreams, and optimistic on top of that. Just seeing them helps to convince himself that everything will work out in the end, one way or another.

    Two hours later, the children left the practice room sweaty and tired, but with grins on their faces. Kormic really enjoyed teaching, and kids tend to pick up on that.

    The kids would change back into street clothes and go home to do homework, have dinner, and relax. No such thing would happen for Kormic.

    Kormic smiled, baring his teeth while walking into practice room 1.

    Inside, his father and older brothers were already waiting. They all had similar looks on their faces. They all watched Kormic enter the room with eagerness.

    Kormic also enjoyed this part of the day, despite his reluctance to cause other¡¯s pain. Actually, he turned it into a bit of a personal challenge¡ªCan he take down everybody during their daily spars in ways that were painless? It¡¯s for this reason that Kormic preferred to use the sorts of martial arts that redirect energy, rather than relying on your own punches. It was a little infuriating to his family, since he¡¯d gotten to the point where they really had to try in order to land a hit on him.

    It¡¯s all great fun, really.

    <hr>

    Ussen¡¯s not a good person. He¡¯s fully aware of this fact, thought he thinks that others are not.

    You see, his father, and his father¡¯s father, and so on, so forth¡ªwere merchants. They bought and sold goods, and built a fortune and a veritable mercantile empire over the generations.

    Not.

    That¡¯s the cover story. The one that explains away their wealth, and the fear they can drive into other people. Sure, they are merchants to an extent. They do buy and sell goods. But they don¡¯t specialize in it. Not even close.

    When Ussen gets home, his relaxing day ends. That¡¯s because every minute not spent at school is spent training for him. Even when he plays games, he has to be on his toes for sudden attacks and opportunities.

    Because his father isn¡¯t a merchant. Nor will Ussen be a merchant.

    However, one could say that they are still in a rather cutthroat business.

    Long story short, they run an assassin ring. One of the more powerful in the galaxy as well. Certainly the most powerful one found at such a distance from central zones. Ussen¡¯s being trained as his father¡¯s heir.

    Look, I know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªWhy the hell is an assassin attending high school? Well, that¡¯s another part of his training. Assassins have to fit in with society, right? And there¡¯s no better training for that then actually having to fit in. Especially in high school, which is all about fitting in.

    In the end though, Ussen is a killer. There¡¯s nothing he can do about that, and he¡¯s gradually learning to live with his actions and existence.

    The guilt does get to Ussen sometimes. The fact that nobody knows about this other side of him wears down on him. The fact that the acquaintances he has at school have no idea what he truly is tears at him inside.

    But, it is what it is. He deals with it.

    Today, Ussen¡¯s called to his father¡¯s office as soon as he gets home.

    ¡°I have a new job for you.¡± He says, his expression stern and callous as always.

    Ussen doesn¡¯t know why, but he feels a bit of a chill.

    <hr>

    I hit the washer. The damn thing stopped working today, for some reason. I have a sneaking suspicion that Joel has something to do with it.

    Sighing, I eye the machine, as if staring intently would reveal why it had made a clanking noise and ground to a halt.

    Really, it¡¯s just been one problem after another for me lately, no?

    Even worse, I kinda get the premonition that some pretty big trouble is coming my way. And, as someone who uses a psionic type power, I¡¯ve learned to trust my intuitions and feelings. More often than not, they turn out to be frighteningly accurate.

    I think I¡¯ll start carrying out some¡­ ¡°safety measures¡± from now on. It¡¯ll be a bit of an inconvenience, but¡¯s that¡¯s better than getting hurt after all. Or worse.

    Right. I think it¡¯s time to do some more research, and also some reconnaissance. Whatever does come, I want to be ready. Preferably, I also want it out of the way as quickly as possible. My normal, everyday life is too important to be halted for minor inconveniences.

 Chapter 16: All The Compassion Of A Hired Hand.

    I woke up with a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It feels like something¡¯s going to happen either today or tomorrow, and that it¡¯ll get messy.

    Damn psionic powers. Sure, they can be useful. Extremely useful, in fact. That doesn¡¯t stop it from annoying me sometimes with its normally vague insinuations and hints of future tragedy. Oh well. I¡¯ll just have to be more careful than I normally am. I think I¡¯ll stay in my Awakened form indefinitely for the moment¡ªWhile shielding that fact with my illusions. That¡¯ll also allow me to hide any hints of my aura.

    Aura¡¯s are funny things, you know? Normally, they can be used to gauge an opponent¡¯s strength and power, though they can also mean other, more arcane things. They come in all sorts of varieties, and include things like killing intent, mana leakage, pressure of any type, emotions, etcetera, etcetera. Also, most illusions are included as a type of aura, albeit one that involves being able to reproduce objects, people, actions, and scenes. Illusionists are able to use their ¡°aura¡± to trick others, got it?

    Of course, I¡¯m themain character, so my abilities work a little differently. I do use a bit of that aura illusionism, as well as a sprig of mental manipulation. I find it best to not rely overly much on one or the other, since there are ways to counter them when alone. Together though, they make a illusionary cocktail that intoxicates all that are trapped. It also helps that my mental abilities have such an influence on the strength, number, and range of my illusions.

    But that¡¯s enough about me, fascinating though I am.

    Unfortunately, today is a school day. Thankfully, the weekend''s coming soon. I just have to power through today, and then tomorrow, after which the weekend calls.

    Oh, and I managed to fix the washer yesterday. The removal of a shiny and expensive looking shoe did the trick. Don¡¯t ask me how or why Joel did it. I have no clue either, and I¡¯m the genius here. I couldn¡¯t do anything about the dent on top of the washer though, which some might say has a striking resemblance to the shape and size of my fist. Nope, I don¡¯t know how that happened either~

    Anyway, I woke Joel up in a way that would be called violent by some, but that I consider to be justice for some of the stupid things he¡¯s done. Like making half his grade fall in love with him within the first fours days of his school life. Namely, the female half of the population. Sigh~I¡¯ll never understand girls. Well, most other girls. Or boys, for that matter. Damn it, I just don¡¯t understand people. They¡¯re a weird bunch, right? So many illogical decisions and ideas, and so much violence. I find that good-old-fashioned blackmail serves better than a punch to the face in most cases.

    Unless I¡¯m mad. Then all bets are off.

    Once Joel was awake and ready, we went to school together. Nothing of particular note happened, other than Joel catching a molester on the train. Honestly, does he radiate hero-ness or something? Things like this happen with depressing regularity around him, I¡¯m starting to find.

    We separated a bit before the school grounds, since I really don¡¯t want the hassle that comes with people finding out that Joel and I come to school together. Plus, we can afford to, since I can pretty much keep an eye on his as long as he¡¯s still in school grounds. I knew all those cameras on the school grounds would come in handy sometime. No, I didn''t put them there. The school did, to"keep us safe"

    I decided to go straight to the classroom, since I have little else to do in the scant amount of time left before school truly begins. It seems that I¡¯m the last one to arrive, since everyone else is already seated.

    Somehow, there also seems to be a cold atmosphere in the room. Is that¡­aura? I take a look around, trying to locate the source of the ice-cold feeling, and find Ussen¡¯s eyes on mine. He stares almost blankly at me for a few second, then looks away.

    What the hell was that about?

    I was unable to ask Ussen about it, since the bell rang right afterwards and class started.

    Like every other class I¡¯ve ever had, it was boring. More specifically, it was boring history things about the shattering of Earths moon, the devastation that followed, and what had caused it in the first place. It was basic stuff about the first Awakened humans¡ªpedantic things that I had learned before turning four.

    The bell rang again after a torturous two hours, and I immediately tried to find Ussen in order to talk. That dark aura makes me nervous. I swear, if his father overstepped, his little ¡°organization¡± will have some nasty things happen to it.

    Unfortunately, Ussen was gone. He wasn¡¯t in the room.

    I checked the school cameras with my phone, and was relieved to see that Joel was flirting with four or five different girls¡­.Wait. Like hell I am! I¡¯m giving that boy a good talking to when we get home.

    Now then, the question is, where did Ussen go?

    None of the facial recognition software is finding him. Dammit, he¡¯s probably using his wrath abilities, in which case I have only one way to find him¡ªto diffuse my own mana into the surrounding area and flush him out. But that¡¯s extremely conspicuous, and would reveal my true strength. There are too many downsides with that method.

    Besides, everyone else is coming over to me now, and a few of them look like they have something to say.

    ¡°Revy, you won¡¯t believe what happened in Ashenload last night!¡± Exclaimed Godard, looking very excited.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, faking curiosity.

    ¡°It was incredible! The civil war ended in a massive battle between the sides, and the Olympian army won!¡±

    I tilted my head.

    ¡°Why excited? Our side Rogue.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no¡ªI mean, I know, but the top contributors among the players in the Olympian army became gods! The game¡¯s letting them reside in Mount Olympus, and gave them godly powers! We figure,¡± he said, looking around at the rest of the group, ¡°that this quest will happen again¡ªbe periodical like all the other God Quests. That means that if our army wins next time, we could become gods!¡±

    I looked at Godard, confused.

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to, though?¡±

    He looked flabbergasted.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to become a god, Revy?¡±

    ¡°Is only a game. Useless.¡±

    Godard and the others looked flabbergasted. Honestly, I don¡¯t blame them in the slightest. Game or not, very few people would refuse that sort of experience¡ªEspecially if they¡¯ve played said game for an extended period of time. Also, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have the time to play with them next time the God Quests come back around, what with everything that¡¯s been going on lately. And my premonitions. And whatever the hell Ussen¡¯s up to.

    Who knows what¡¯ll be going on in that time?

    Godard shook his head.

    ¡°But, it¡¯s a chance to be a god in the game, Revy. There¡¯s no telling what the limits and abilities are.¡±

    I shrugged.

    Besides, I don¡¯t think those players will be gods for long. That¡¯s a bit too much power to place in the hands of a player, you know?

    Godard left the conversation at that, and we turned to a different topic. Since the mid-year break of the school year was approaching, exam season was just around the corner. For some reason, all my friends are clambering for study help from me. I turned them all down of course. How am I supposed to help them study, when I have my own problems? There¡¯s also the whole speaking thing too, which makes their desires even more unlikely.

    I¡¯ve also began sending in applications for colleges.

    What? Is that a weird thing to do or something? Sure, I may be¡­unusual, but I still want to get the educational degrees required to pursue a line of work. The only problem is that I still don¡¯t quite know what I want to do. Bah, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure it out soon.

    Ussen was back in the classroom before the bell rang again. It was odd, since I couldn¡¯t tell that he had returned at first. Joel also looks okay, based on the camera footage, so whatever¡¯s going on doesn¡¯t involve the Al¡¯Verath family. At least, I hope it doesn¡¯t, for Ussen¡¯s sake. Additionally, he didn¡¯t even look at anyone after suddenly reappearing. He just looked down at his hands.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    And so, class started again. Excluding all the boring stuff, the school day ended soon after.

    I walked back home with Joel after meeting up with him an appropriate distance from the school. I may also be using some illusory goodness to make it seem as if I went home on a completely different route from Joel. A bit overkill maybe, but one can never be too careful when there exists a rabid hoard of high-school girls ready to tear interlopers limb from limb.

    Nothing of note happened on the way home, so I assume whatever bad feeling I have is still in the future. Unless we¡¯ll be attacked while eating dinner or something. But then again, I have illusory wards set up which should handle anyone wanting to come after us with malicious intent. I¡¯m fairly certain that my house will be safe from anyone under the 12<sup>th</sup> divide. Well, there¡¯s also the fact that I¡¯m living there, so I don¡¯t really see any situation where the attackers would come off better.

    Thankfully, nothing had happened by the time I turned in for the night. Dammit, I hate waiting for something to happen.

    <hr>

    The next morning, I woke up in a cold sweat. Fuck, that was one hell of a nightmare. I saw myself standing at the top of a bloody mountain with my sword, the ground around me burning and frozen in patches. If the feelings and warnings are getting this bad, then something¡¯s happening today for certain.

    I take a shower somewhat shakily, and get dressed for the day. Just to be safe, I slip some reactive armor under my uniform and load up on knives. I also reach into the closet and grab one more thing.

    After that, I wake up Joel without any problems for once. I suspiciously eye him as he eats breakfast cheerfully. He pauses between bites, looking up at me and smiling.

    ¡°What is it Revy? Something on my face?¡±

    ¡°Why so cheerful?¡± I ask, and immediately regret my question.

    ¡°Well, if you have to know, I met the most beautiful girl yesterday! She says that she¡¯s¡­¡± I tune out his voice after that. I really shouldn¡¯t have asked.

    Unfortunately, he continued gushing about this beauty he met at the school for the entire walk to the school, almost completely oblivious to his surroundings. I had to pull him off to the side a few times, to keep him from walking into a pole or various different doors. Be thankful Joel. I saved your face from all sorts of injuries. Though, on second thought, maybe I should have let him hurt himself? Could that have shut him up? I learned more about his ideal woman than I ever wanted to know. Small is good too, you know.

    During class, there was a school wide announcement. Apparently one of the students, a rather bratty noble guy, had gone missing the day before. There was also information about the school festival that¡¯ll happen in a few weeks right after exams end, and talk of the winter dance.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t care about any of that news at the time. I had bigger things to worry about at the moment and was anticipating an attack at any time.

    And then, my mind was simply considering different possibilities for the rest of the day, cycling thorough various scenarios and situations that might come up. I¡¯m fairly certain that I can handle whatever¡¯s thrown my way, but then I have to consider Joel¡¯s safety as well. Sure, he¡¯s extraordinarily strong considering his age, but nothing special compared to experienced hunters and mercs. So, I have to come up with ways of keeping us both safe. Illusion powers do make that task quite a bit easier, but there¡¯s always the risk of something going wrong.

    Thinking about all this stuff made the day go faster, and school was over before I knew it. I think my friends could tell that something was off about me, and they had even tried to ask me about it. I replied with vague and muddled affirmations, which probably only made them more worried. I can¡¯t let them get involved in this. None of them are strong enough to do anything about the proceedings.

    I got quite annoyed after school though. Joel hadn¡¯t shown up for the ride back home, and I began to feel a little worried. Knowing him though, he¡¯s likely doing something stupid. So, I checked the cameras. He was nowhere to be found. By this point, I was panicking internally and now searching the citywide camera network via remote access to my computer towers back home. Nothing. No sign of the idiot.

    It was at this moment that I got an incoming text to my phone, from a specific number. It read ¡°Behind the gym building. ¡ªST1¡±

    I smiled bitterly, glad that someone had been watching while I hadn¡¯t, and also glad for some back-up, weak though they were.

    I ran to the gym, and skidded around to the back. Immediately, I saw the tell-tail shimmer in the air of an invisibility ward cast by a mage. I ignored the odd feeling that shimmied down my skin as I crossed the ward¡¯s boundary. I was immediately stunned by what I saw.

    That idiot! I walk over to Joel, interrupting the make-out session he¡¯s having with some tall red-headed girl. Ah, wait. Are those wings, and horns on her? Fuck, she¡¯s some sort of demon. And¡­Dammit. Joel¡¯s eyes are completely glazed over, and he¡¯s moving stiffly, almost robotically. I¡¯d wager that she¡¯s a succubus then. My premonition was about this? Hardly any danger at all.

    Right as I walked through the invisibility ward, the girl looked up at me, surprised.

    ¡°You¡­How did you get here?¡±

    I tilted my head in confusion.

    ¡°I walked?¡±

    The girl started muttering to herself.

    ¡°Walked? Shouldn¡¯t be possible, misdirection ward would have¡­.complications¡­.I do? ¡ªYes, understand. Mission comes first, I know. ¡ªWill do.¡±

    Is she communicating with someone? Yeah, she is. There¡¯s a headset in her ear, and she¡¯s probably taking orders from the other end. Oddly enough, she then removes the head/ear set, and threw it on the ground.

    ¡°Sorry about this.¡± She said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal, really, but my group has a few policies. You¡¯ll not be able to leave this place alive, I¡¯m afraid. Though, I¡¯m not against having some¡­fun before you die.¡±

    Ewww, no. I think I¡¯ll pass on her weird sexual stuff. Especially since that look in her eyes tells me that she¡¯ll be the only one having¡­fun.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Need brother. Have to leave.¡± I said.

    The girl squealed happily.

    ¡°Such a cute voice! And with that face, and body! So delectable, I just have to eat you up~¡± She said, hunger in her eyes.

    Okay, while I¡¯m a bit confused on just how the fuck she had done that whole tilde thing, this girl''s also seriously getting on my nerves. I decide to just walk right past her, and reach out for Joel¡¯s arm. He was just standing there, under the girl¡¯s thrall.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± hissed Red from behind me. Since calling her ¡°the girl¡± is getting a bit old, I decide to henceforth address her as Red internally.

    ¡°I thought you wanted to have some fun with me first~¡± Said Red, doing that weird tilde thing again while her voice turned as smooth as honey. I could feel mana pervaded the air around her and I, attempting to subjugate me to her desires.

    I slowly walked away from Joel, facing Red again. A nasty looking grin split her face as her glamor magic entered my system.

    ¡°Come here.¡± She ordered me. I walked closer, and her grin grew wider.

    ¡°Oh boy, this will be great. Such a cute little kid too~¡± Said Red, taking a knife out from¡­.Alright, where the fuck did that knife come from? Her cleavage? Actually, I wouldn¡¯t doubt it. She has quite enough to hide a knife in.

    She swung the knife at my clothes, expertly aiming so that it only barely draws blood from my skin. Red cackled manically, overjoyed at the prospect of having a new toy.

    It was at this moment that an oversized and sheathed katana crashed into her side, flinging her into the wall of the gym where she passed out immediately.

    The illusion of myself that had lost its shirt faded immediately, while my real self became visible, katana still extended. I relaxed, and placed the katana on my shoulder. I kept it visible for the moment as I walked to the fallen Red. I think I broke a few of her ribs with the impact, and her entire left side¡¯s probably gonna be bruised in a few days. I decide to play around with her mind a little and try to get a bit of information from her.

    Eventually, she wakes up, and tries to rise. She can¡¯t though, due to the ropes securing her. Instead, she flops over on her side and screams a little as her ribs hit the ground.

    ¡°Fucking cunt, I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill your family! I¡¯ll flay you alive, feed you your own waste, then kill you!¡±

    I slap Red in the face, hard. She shut up immediately.

    ¡°What group are you from?¡± I ask in a dead serious voice, radiating my displeasure. Red had already set up various different wards to shield her own misdoings, so nobody should be able to find out about this little bit of power I¡¯m releasing.

    Red sneered at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m from the Angelic Beauties bitch! You better let me go before the rest of them come for you!¡±

    I sighed, and pulled out my phone. Looking this group up yielded some interesting results. They¡¯ve become slightly infamous in nearby star systems for their brutal way of handling business, and their¡­loose morals. It¡¯s not an all woman group either. A little under half are men, which is just bizarre. Calling themselves the Angelic Beauties¡­I guess there are people like that after all.

    ¡°You hear me?! Let me go, and you just might live!¡± Continued Red.

    I sigh again, pondering my choices. Should I kill her, or let her live? It¡¯d be one less annoyance were she to die, but I really don¡¯t like blood on my hands. No matter how black it is. Also, there¡¯s the rest of her group to consider. Part of their reputation is that they¡¯ve never failed a mission before, and I¡¯m sure that killing Red will have them after me. But then again, they¡¯ll be after Joel and I regardless. And I really don¡¯t like this girl.

    So, I decide to kill her.

    Shaking my head a little, I unsheathe my katana, baring its pearly white blade.

    ¡°Last words?¡± I ask.

    Red¡¯s eyes widen.

    ¡°No! If you kill me, my group won¡¯t stop until you¡¯re dead! Just let me live, and you¡¯ll have everything you want!¡± She yelled, injecting mana into her voice and intentions to try and push me under her thrall. It worked just as well as the first time. In other words, I¡¯m completely unaffected.

    I raise the katana up high, preparing to cut Red down.

    And then I was tackled from the side.

    Joel, that idiot, ran into me before I could swing. I got back up, not hurt at all, to see him standing in front of the girl, arms spread wide as if her were shielding her from me.

    ¡°Revy, no! Killing is not the answer here!¡± he yelled.

    I stared at him in disbelief. His eyes are clear, and he¡¯s out from under her thrall. Surely then, he realizes what she¡¯s here for and what sort of person she is. Why is he protecting her?

    ¡°People can change¡ªshe just needs someone to give her a chance at a different sort of life, one not filled with cruelty and despotism!¡± He continued. Is he serious?

    That wasn''t the end of his reasoning, either.

    Dammit. One massive argument later, I decide to just have him experience his mistake firsthand. I release the girl.

    It was kinda funny though. To her, it looked like I untied her, and threw the rope away. In reality, the rope was an illusion the whole time. I had simply convinced her body that it couldn¡¯t move, and it obeyed easily. It looks like she¡¯s used to the feeling of being tied up or something, otherwise it would have taken more effort to place that particular illusion.

    She got up, and limped behind Joel, as if that was a safe spot. I watched her the whole time, wary of a sneak attack on Joel. Or, well, that¡¯s what I wanted her to see from my expression. I don¡¯t actually have to worry about that. Displacement illusions are a wonderful thing¡ªI¡¯ve got them both thinking that they¡¯re right next to each other, when Joel is really a full ten meters away. She couldn¡¯t do anything to him if she tried.

    I had her walk with us back home, entertaining Joel¡¯s thoughts of ¡°rehabilitating¡± her. I of course noticed the discreet hand signals she did while we were walking, likely informing her team to hold off for now. She was probably thinking that she¡¯s got this in the bag, and that I¡¯ll eventually trust her to the point where she can strike and kill without any problems.

    Great, now I have two idiots on my hands, and another mercenary team to fight silently. Just lovely. Absolutely fan-fucking-tasic.

 Chapter 17: Enough Is Enough, Right?

    Joel didn¡¯t really know what had come over him. It was unlike a member of the Al¡¯Verath family to be so compassionate, he knows. Any other member would have killed that woman then and there, but Joel didn¡¯t want that to happen for some reason. He felt¡­sympathetic. He thought that everyone deserves a second chance, not matter how badly he or she blows the first one. Besides, he doesn¡¯t think that there¡¯s much of a risk in keeping the woman alive for now. Revy¡¯s plenty strong enough to handle her if things go south.

    Actually, it was due to Revy¡¯s influence that Joel thought this way. Well, her indirect influence. By the time he had been old enough to remember things, Revy was already supposed to have died in a tragic accident during her Awakening. He did grow up hearing stories about her, though. Not from his parents or any of the numerous servants, but from his math tutor.

    You see, after she ¡°died¡±, mention of Revy became a bit of a taboo. Only that tutor would speak of her, of the devastating genius that had grown up far too fast, of the prodigy above prodigies. He also came to learn of how she had been the perfect Al¡¯Verath¡ªcold, callous and without regard for anyone else. The tutor thought that she might have become the worst villain in history had she not died. Hell, she even went through the family¡¯s initiation before disappearing. Joel himself hadn¡¯t had to go through that until he was thirteen, and it had still been devastating to him.

    He had grown up with stories of Revian Cearia Al¡¯Verath, and felt scared of her ghost. She had been the quintessential Al¡¯Verath.

    Then, after all these years, he unknowingly meets Revian again.

    No, he meets Revy, who spits in the face of everything Revian Al¡¯Verath had been. Quiet, thoughtful, and introspective, she¡¯s nothing like the brash and demanding Revian he had heard stories about. Caring for her friends, sympathetic, and a bit ditzy at times, she comes across as a normal person now, if a decidedly odd and attention grabbing one. She¡¯s not the uncaring and demonic little girl he¡¯d heard about anymore. She¡¯d changed.

    And if she can change, then why can¡¯t anyone else? Everybody deserves a second chance, since anything can happen with it.

    Besides, the woman that they brought home seems fairly young. And she¡¯s beautiful, which helps matters greatly in Joel¡¯s opinion. And her breasts¡­.Ohohoho~

    Well, Joel¡¯ll try and have a talk with her, hear her story and all that. Most people only want someone to listen to them, to hear what they¡¯re saying, to be witness to their wishes. It makes them feel wanted, needed even. They feel like they matter at last, which can make all the difference.

    So, as soon as Revy, Joel and the woman made it to the apartment, he pulled the woman into a side room and started a conversation.

    Eventually, she even started opening up to him.

    <hr>

    I sat on the couch, rubbing my temples.

    There¡¯s been too much trouble lately, and I¡¯ve been acting severely out of character for myself. I¡¯ve been using my illusion powers too much, for one. They¡¯re a crutch that I never got to use before now, and I might be going a little mad with the joy of having a purpose for them at last. Hell, I¡¯m using them right now to convince Joel and Red that they¡¯re actually in the same room together. Hint: They aren¡¯t really. I¡¯m not stupid enough for that, at least.

    Anyway, even though I¡¯m only using the lowest forms of my power, it still shouldn¡¯t have to come to this, right?

    Now, let¡¯s consider why, exactly, I have to use my abilities. It¡¯s to keep Joel safe, for the most part. I¡¯m keeping Joel safe because he¡¯s in danger from other branches of the Al¡¯Verath family. They want to kidnap him to use as a hostage against his parents, and effectively remove them from the Al¡¯Verath family succession bid.

    I want to have an ordinary and non-descript life. I had that for a few years, until Joel¡¯s parents found me again and brought me back to Earth. I went because I didn¡¯t want to fight on Jor, and because I knew that it would eventually get to the point where I had to face off against Joel¡¯s parents anyway. So, rather than wait for that to happen, I went to Earth in order to disarm the situation in a way that made my power over them clear. Also because I wanted to absolutely humiliate them, but that¡¯s neither here nor there.

    I want to go back to my normal life. What¡¯s in the way of that at the moment? Namely, Joel is. His presence in my home has caused all these problems. However, I know that I¡¯d regret it if I simply kicked him out and left him to fend for himself. Whatever happens after that would have been on my hands, and I don¡¯t like that feeling. So, I took him in even with the risks.

    That turned out to be a bit of a mistake, in hindsight. Still, he might have grown on me a little, since I don¡¯t want to see him hurt. So, the question now is about how I might be able to get him out of here in a way that keeps him safe.

    There are a few things I could do.

    First, it¡¯s my understanding that Starfall Team 1 has returned to Jor, if that text I got about Joel¡¯s position was any indication. That would point towards Joel¡¯s parents hiring them in the end¡ªfor protection services this time. However, I can¡¯t just push Joel on them, since I¡¯ve already proven them to be a little inadequate for the job. If they can¡¯t beat me, then they won¡¯t be much good. I¡¯d only continue to worry about Joel, and go on with the knowledge that he would be safer with me. And if something happens to him, I¡¯d have to shoulder the blame on top of the guilt. Since I¡¯d like to avoid any situations that would leave me feeling guilty, I¡¯ll not take this option.

    Second, I could continue as I have been doing by shielding Joel myself. This situation is untenable for several good reasons, most of which I shouldn¡¯t have to explain. I think the main one is that he interferes with the base of my personality¡ªthat wish of living a normal life. I get the sad feeling that the longer he stays, the farther that wish slips out of my grasp. He just has too strong of a hero-ness aura, that attracts an equal amount of trouble. The boy simply can¡¯t help it.

    The fact that he seems to attract trouble like a lodestone is one of the reasons that he has to stay with me for the moment though. It¡¯s a bad situation for me, honestly.

    So, I decide to go with option three.

    What is option three, you may ask? Well, it¡¯s the one I really should have done sooner. I was a bit preoccupied with solving the issues on Jor to think about it and plan, which is why I haven¡¯t done it. I was focused on the little picture, and forgot momentarily that there¡¯s also a big one.

    In this case, the little picture is Joel¡¯s immediate safety, as well as the issue of dealing with the mercenary groups attempting to attack us. It¡¯s also my wish, as well as the sanctity of my life.

    The big picture is the succession bid itself. All this was caused by the fact that the family branches are quietly feuding, and that Joel¡ªand me by extension¡ªwas caught in the middle of it. I could find a way to get Joel back to his parents safely, where they could then take care of him. I¡¯d be perfectly fine if he disappears from under their noses, since I¡¯d easily be able to push the guilt and blame onto them. But I¡¯m not going to do that. That¡¯s only solving for the symptoms, and not treating the root cause. Besides, I have the sick feeling that Joel would just run away again, and end up right back on my doorstep.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    So, to make things right again, I simply need to get the feuding to stop. I wish I had considered this sooner, but I guess there were too many things going on. I also haven''t had the chance to sit down andreally think for a while now. But now that I have, it''s all clear to me. The branch families need to stop.

    It¡¯ll be easy, I¡¯m sure. I¡¯ll need to do it incognito though, so that I don¡¯t attract undue attention. I already have a few ideas on how it might be accomplished as well. Then, after that¡¯s done, I have to deal with that mercenary group still in the city¡ªthe one Red¡¯s from. Oddly enough, she hasn¡¯t tried to kill Joel yet. They¡¯re just¡­talking? How strange.

    I walk over to my computer, and start investigating and searching. It looks like this¡¯ll be a long night for me.

    Eight hours later, I stumble into the kitchen, tired as all hell. And hungry as well. Hence why I went to the kitchen. But you probably already knew that, no?

    It took quite a bit of effort and time, but I¡¯ve done it. The branch families should piss the hell off now, and Joel can go back home. I think I¡¯ll go take care of the mercs now, then come back home to sleep. Yeah¡ªthat sounds good.

    There¡¯s just one problem that I have to solve first. Red didn¡¯t try to kill Joel a single time. Not at all. There was no attack, no poison, no magic, nothing. She didn¡¯t do anything, besides talk to Joel. There were even a fair number of tears involved. My dilemma is that I don¡¯t trust her, and am unwilling to leave her behind while going to deal with the rest of her little group. Especially if I leave her with Joel. That¡¯s like I¡¯m asking her to harm him while I¡¯m gone.

    Dammit, why does everything have to be so complicated?

    I barge in on Joel¡¯s little talk with Red, startling them both as the door slams open. There are obvious tear tracks down Red¡¯s face, and they were embracing, as if Joel were comforting her. Unfortunately, they¡¯re not really embracing since Joel is really in the next room over, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something they need to know. They pull apart as I enter the room, and Red looks positively startled. What, no killing intent? No bared fangs or knife in the back? Girl, you¡¯ve seriously disappointed me. I only wanted her to try and kill Joel to prove my point, but that never happened. And now I can¡¯t kill her.

    ¡­

    Wait.

    Wait just a second.

    Fucking hell, I can¡¯t believe it took me this long to realize. Joel has that whole hero-ness thing for a reason. All the weird things are attracted to him due to his nature.

    Dammit. He¡¯s a harem protagonist, isn¡¯t he? Fuck, those are the worst.

    In all seriousness though, I need to find out where the rest of the ¡°Angelic Beauties¡± are, and deal with them quietly. Red likely knows where they are, so I just need to question her. I¡¯m anticipating this involving a long and arduous torture session.

    Except it didn¡¯t. Shit, I was right about the whole harem protagonist thing, wasn¡¯t I? I asked her where the rest of the group was, and Red willingly and eagerly gave me an answer. The conversation went something like;

    ¡°Need group¡¯s location.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that all? The rest of the Angelic Beauties are holed up in the Hotel Mondegrasse in the middle of the city. There should be a lookout nearby, keeping an eye on the house and waiting for me to come out after successfully completing the mission.¡±

    What, that easy? The hell did Joel and her talk about? Ah, screw it all.

    I walked outside the apartment, dragging Red along with me. No, literally dragging. She was almost unwilling to leave Joel¡¯s side, as if she couldn¡¯t bear to be out of his sight. How the fuck did a ruthless killer turn into¡­this? And inside of a day as well? Once outside, she pointed me in the direction of the group member keeping an eye on the situation. Discreetly, of course.

    I quickly took Red with me, and took care of the lookout. Then, we made our way to the group¡¯s main camp location. I had her wait outside as a bit of a show of trust, and entered the hotel with my katana. Of course, I sneaked in so that no alarms were raised by the merc group or the hotel staff. I then located the room containing the Angelic Beauties and went to town. It looks like that dream I had before was a bit accurate, as the last members of their group gave me a little trouble¡ªa fire mage, and an ice mage. Luckily, the brief altercation we had went totally unnoticed due to the group¡¯s own wards.

    I then snuck back out of the hotel, and was slightly astounded to see that Red was still waiting outside the hotel. She hadn¡¯t taken the opportunity to seek freedom, even though I wouldn¡¯t have done anything had she run. What the hell had Joel done to that girl, getting her to be so docile so quickly?

    We went back to the apartment, where Joel was eagerly awaiting us. I had made sure to reinforce the undetectable illusion ward while we had been gone; making absolutely sure that Joel was safe.

    I then contacted Joel¡¯s parents, letting them know what I had done, and what I expected from their end of things. They looked considerable shocked at the end of the video conference, though I sincerely hope they take advantage of the opening I left them.

    Oh, and I told Joel in no uncertain terms to bugger off. The branch families shouldn¡¯t be around to cause any trouble from now on, so he should be safe enough. I wasn¡¯t even surprised when Red left with him the next night. Damn harem protagonists¡­I¡¯ll never get involved with one again. Too much trouble.

    <hr>

    (Earth, One of the Al¡¯Verath Branch Family¡¯s Mansions.)

    ¡°What do you mean the main family¡¯s attacking us! Engage them, send our fleets to rain hell down upon them!¡± Screamed one of the branch family heads during their nightly dinner session. All the branch family heads met here to eat, strategize, and fantasize about one of them taking the Al¡¯Verath head seat and lording over the whole family, not just their own little bloodlines.

    This dinner, they had gotten a rather bad shock. The main family holding the chosen successors that they had been fighting against for the past month or so was attacking their mansion directly, and without any warning.

    ¡°Activate the Manor defenses, turn on the Mana Shield you dimwit!¡± yelled the same man to the messenger who had arrived with all haste, carrying news of the main family¡¯s troops marching over the horizon.

    The messenger obeyed, and ran to tell the men to mobilize, and for the defenses to be activated.

    There were a few problems with that. For one, the manor defenses wouldn¡¯t activate. It was like their power supplies had been wiped from existence when the engineers were looking away.

    None of the auto-turrets would work properly, and even began shooting back at the branch families¡¯ men, like their targeting software had malfunctioned. The great dome shield that was standard fare for High-Family manors activated, but only in the dimensions directly surrounding the generator itself, leaving the rest of the manor bared to assault.

    It was found that the android soldiers used in emergencies had somehow destroyed themselves during the night, silently and thoroughly. The mana amplifier in the center of the manor was also broken, and sucked the mana out of any unfortunate soul who wandered too close, instead of purifying that which was in the air, and increasing it¡¯s quality.

    All their communications shut down after the first few minutes, and the generators also exploded, leaving the manor in darkness, lit only by the fires of the main branches mages and the flash of magical combat. The branch heads sat in the dinning hall of the manor, wondering why their fleet stationed on Mars hadn¡¯t arrived yet to reinforce the ground troops, and why no one engaged the enemy combat ships flying above the manor. They didn¡¯t know that the fleet of the branch families had inexplicably broken loose from their moorings, and completed a warp jump to various holdings of the main family. All without a single soul on board.

    Other High-Families watched as the Al¡¯Verath family completed it¡¯s internal purge, and saw the signs missed by the branch families. They recognized that this was a complete and total victory for the main family, when losses should have been much greater. They knew that the Al¡¯Verath family had gotten the help of someone powerful. There was no other explanation.

    To try and flush out this new ally of the High-Family, they conducted their own investigations into the incident. Those High-Families reeled when they saw the extent to which this person had interfered. They were flabbergasted upon seeing that there was no tracing this person. And they were terrified when they considered that this didn¡¯t have to happen to a trifling branch family. Other High-Families could have been targeted, with similar results. Immediately, upping computer security became an extremely high priority to these High-Families. They never wanted to experience what those unfortunete branch families had.

    Also, since they didn¡¯t know what to call this person, who had so effortlessly hacked into the Al¡¯Verath branch families software, they simply named him or her ¡°The Surgeon¡±, in reference to the professional way the systems had been broken open, remade, and packaged away again with no one the wiser. There had also been the fact that everything had been accomplished inside of eight hours, but there was no way anyone could know that.

    Soon, the fall of the Al¡¯Verath branches made news headlines, and stations reported on the violence that had happened that night when the branches were wiped out to the last. And eventually, the MD list experienced a surprise update, listing ¡°The Surgeon¡± as the101<sup>st</sup>most dangerous person in the galaxy.

    Revy didn¡¯t know about all this. She was fast asleep by that time, completely worn out by trying to get Joel and Red out the door as fast as humanly possible. In her humble opinion, it still wasn¡¯t fast enough.

    <hr>

    End of Arc 1.5: Of Harem Protagonists and Misery.

 Chapter 18: And Now For Some Downtime.

    Things went back to normal after Joel left. I mean, that¡¯s to be expected after all.

    There were some complications with the school with his withdrawal from classes, but those were fairly easily cleared up with the right connections and offers.

    Luckily, none of my friends questioned the fact that Joel suddenly vanished. I think they connected the utter annihilation of the Al¡¯Verath branch families with his disappearance. It had been fairly obvious that he was from the main family line, and that he was hiding¡ªeven if he was hiding quite poorly.

    As soon as he was gone, my peaceful day-to-day life resumed. Of course, there¡¯s still college stuff to consider, as well as the future in general. But those were small concerns compared to people actively trying to break into your house and abduct or kill your brother. Well, at least it¡¯s over now.

    There were other concerns, but those only started popping up during the next week of school and mostly involved my group of friends. Or more particularly, one person from my group of friends.

    A part of the whole getting back to normal involved Ashenload. Now that I wasn¡¯t bogged down by the protection details involving Joel, I could take time to play again. In particular, I was curious to find out how the God Quests were progressing. I mean, I keep getting periodic and excited updates on them from Godard, but there are things that I want to see myself, and draw my own conclusions from. Namely, I want to see how those new ''Player God¡¯s'' are doing, and what sort of impact they¡¯re having on the game itself.

    I¡¯ve long thought that power tends towards corruption in normal people, and that it takes a special type of willpower and mind to overcome the temptations brought along by said power. Those players got their hands on near absolute power inside the game¡ªand in a way endorsed by the developers, no less. I¡¯m curious to see how things are holding up.

    If I could describe the scenery that appeared before my eyes that day when the game booted up in one word, it would be chaos.

    Players and NPC¡¯s were milling about, without any sort of direction. For some reason, each and every female avatar I could see looked really¡­sexy. Like, more than normal. For heaven¡¯s sake, most of them aren¡¯t wearing anything more than skimpy shirts and bandages! Also, they all seemed to have gained cat ears and tails, regardless of actual race. On the flip side of the coin, all the males were wearing collars made of metal and seemed despondent and ugly. Like, physically more unattractive¡ªAs if they had been dropped as children many, many times. But this is a game, so there¡¯s no way that could have happened. No, someone made them like this, and the female characters as well.

    In a fit of panic, I raise my own hands to the tops of my head, and was relived when I found no ears on top of there. Since my avatar in game is closely modeled on my real life self, adding cat ears would simply overload the moe factor and make my in game experience very annoying. Well, to me at least. I¡¯m sure all the other players would have appreciated such a thing. Though, for safety¡¯s sake, I pulled a hood over my head in order to hide the fact that I don¡¯t have cat ears.

    Really, I have a good idea of what¡¯s going on, but I want to confirm my suppositions first. To do that, I went to a rather well known pub in Ashenload, frequented for information purposes and it¡¯s connections. I didn¡¯t look out of place at all inside there, with my hood pulled over my head and a dark cloak enveloping my body. I was even allowed to keep my weapons inside the pub, like everyone else. Sure, it means that bar fights were likely to get rather violent, but there were very few people willing to piss off the pub¡¯s owner. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve pissed her off a few times in the past¡ªthough I¡¯ve also managed to dodge some of the severe punishments she¡¯s known to give out. Instead, I had to throw my dignity out the window.

    Anyway, I went to the bar as soon as I entered the pub. Not bothering to sit down, I spoke out my order to the bartender in a crystal clear voice, somewhat tinged with embarrassment.

    ¡°T-the loli special, please.¡±

    The bartender didn¡¯t need to see my face to know who I was, and greeted me according to the code words without missing a beat.

    ¡°Ah, miss Vina. I¡¯m afraid that drink requires a more secluded location to enjoy. If you would follow me to the backroom?¡±

    I nodded underneath the hood, and followed the aged and dignified looking man to a door off to the side. He inserted a key into the door, and it swung open without any resistance or noise. The man stepped off to the side, and motioned for me to enter. I thanked him, and the door closed behind me. I had noticed that not even the bartender (whose name is Tom, or Jimmy, or something equally ridiculous) had been spared that iron collar around his neck. How odd.

    Inside the room, a fireplace perpetually crackled with a few chairs scattered around the room. A few wine and whisky bottles were kept in the open for guest to enjoy while waiting, and there were a good number of books all over the place. Some of them were even skill books¡ªof which one or two were shockingly rare.

    I sigh, and start picking up the books form the floor and such, putting them into neat little piles and re-shelving them. While I was at it, I also straightened up the rest of the waiting room. Dammit. Because of Joel, I feel the need to keep things clean. Even though he had left, that instinct seems to be lingering. The bastard.

    By the time a door off to the side opened up, and a burly man walked out, the room looked completely different from before. I could see the man pause for a second, confused, before leaving through the door from which I had come in.

    ¡°Come in!¡± Said a voice past the door the man had walked out of, bright and cheerfully.

    I walked into this other room, cringing a little internally. Honestly, I dislike coming to see this person, due to some of their¡­tendencies. However, there have been a few times where it was necessary.

    What, you want to know about this person¡¯s tendencies?

    Fine. What happens next should tell you everything you have to know about Xavia¡¯s personality.

    When I entered the room, I caught a blur of silver in my vision, before someone tall and thin smacked right into my stomach and lifted me off the ground and onto their shoulder.

    ¡°IT¡¯S A LOLI!¡± I heard the person scream as they swung me around. In the process, my hood fell off and revealed my face to the normally composed silver-haired woman holding me.

    Immediately, a sour look crossed her face.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you. Hello Vina.¡± She said, setting me down and walking back to her office chair. She hid it well, but I could see the disappointment in her movements.

    I sat down in the chair across from her. And then we stared at each other for a good few minutes. It¡¯s been a game of ours for a while now.

    I noticed that Xavia had also gotten the cat ear and tail treatment, though hers were silver to match her hair. Oddly, it suited the woman well. She was wearing a good amount of clothing as well.

    ¡°What do you want this time?¡± Asked Xavia, breaking the silence¡ªwhich means that I won this round.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Information.¡± I replied.

    Xavia sighed in a long-suffering way.

    ¡°Honestly, you need to clarify yourself. What do you want information on? I can¡¯t tell you anything, unless I know what you want. We have this problem each time, you little shit.¡±

    I smiled in a way that made it clear that I was simply suffering the presence of Xavia, and her opinions.

    ¡°Why cat ears and chokers?¡± I ask, referring to the changes inside the game world. Xavia froze for a second, clearly trying to understand my request.

    ¡°Wait¡ªWait just a second. You¡¯re asking about game stuff? Not real life things?¡±

    I nodded.

    Xavia stroked her chin, and smiled cunningly.

    ¡°How interesting. So, there¡¯s nothing in the real world that attracts your attention at the moment? Not even the revolts near the Verge?¡±

    She continued thinking aloud, without any intentions of stopping.

    ¡°Though, you probably already know about that particular incident, since your information gathering net is astonishingly good, judging by the stuff you¡¯ve traded with me before. I wonder, do you have some sort of investment in the game? Besides, there¡¯s the question of you coming to me for information you could get from anyone on the street. Why even bother?¡± She asked, looking at me curiously.

    ¡°Depth, accuracy, factuality.¡± I replied, briefly outlining the three main reasons I came here. Of course, I also didn¡¯t like talking to strangers on the side of the road, since gamer¡¯s reactions to me can be¡­Well, just look at Xavia here. She used to be a prime example of what would happen.

    ¡°Ah. So, it¡¯s because you can trust what I say, and that it¡¯s not just rumormongering?¡±

    I nodded.

    Xavia laughed a little before continuing.

    ¡°So, what you got to trade for this information? I¡¯ll accept the normal stuff, got it?¡±

    I nodded, and past a piece of paper over to Xavia. She opened it up, and quickly read over the contents. Her face quickly revealed a stunned expression.

    ¡°Are you sure this is good?¡± She asked. I nodded again.

    ¡°How the fuck did you find this? Sure, it¡¯s info only good in game, but to get this stuff¡­You would have had to gain access to the game files, find the God Quest¡¯s base code, then interpret that data. Other¡¯s have tried, you know¡ªin order to find out what the next God Quests are, how to beat them and such. None of them could understand the code.¡±

    She thought for a while, before throwing her hands up in defeat.

    ¡°Ugh! Fine. Dammit Vina, I don¡¯t know whether to be in awe of you, or terrified. I¡¯ll trust that the info here is 100% accurate.¡± She said, tapping the paper. ¡°In return, I give you information on recent changes in the game, right?¡±

    I nodded again.

    ¡°Okay. So, where do I begin? I guess all the craziness came about right after the last God Quest ended, and player gods were appointed. Long story short, the player gods are a group of super hardcore otakus and might be a little insane. The first command they issued was to have all female avatars gain cat ears.¡±

    I snickered a little, eyeing the large rectangular ears sticking up from Xavia¡¯s hair. Though, I was only laughing to rile her up. The ears actually suit her to a scary extent, as if they were meant to be there all along.

    She reacted by grinning at me in a way that didn¡¯t reach her eyes.

    ¡°You know, I noticed that you don¡¯t have those cat ears. The strange thing is that the commands should have affected everyone with a lower status than the player gods. I would go ahead and invest in a pair of fake ears, else others would begin connecting the dots, you know?¡±

    I flushed, realizing the merit in her suggestion. Immediately, I dug through my inventory, and pulled out a pair of black cat ears that had been added as a joke item. Without hesitating, I put them on top of my head. I breathed a sigh of relief, and looked up, only to see that there was a thin trickle of blood running down Xavia¡¯s nose.

    ¡°¡­Cute¡­¡± She said in a soft voice, before shaking her head vigorously and slapping the sides of her face. ¡°No, not cute Xavia, not cute. Vina is not cute. She is scary, remember?¡± She continued, mumbling more to herself than anything.

    I take off the cat ears slowly, reminding myself to wear them later, away from Xavia.

    ¡°So, where was I?¡± Asked Xavia after she regained her composure.

    ¡°Cat ears.¡± I reminded her.

    ¡°Right. One of the player gods thinks that the ultimate expression of beauty involves cat ears and tails. So, he made it so all the female avatars gained those things. Another player god found inspiration in this, and decided that all men should be collared, as a representation of his view of them being beneath him. Things went south from there.¡±

    ¡°And those are the probably the most¡­normal changes. One of them changed a city up to the north into candy, while another decided that he wanted a massive floating castle in order to fly around and smite ¡®evildoers¡¯. There are a couple that just go around killing all the players they see, abusing their new-found power. I¡¯m just surprised that none of them have turned to doing the really depraved stuff, though it¡¯s probably just a matter of time. Or maybe they¡¯ve hid it really well. I guess we¡¯ll just have to see.¡±

    I nodded, and thanked her.

    Of course, I made sure to put on the cat ears after I left, as well as a fake tail. I then covered myself with a cloak and hood again, for what should be obvious reasons.

    Really, all this is because of the egotistical player gods? It¡¯s not shocking that they would abuse their power, but it is shocking in the ways they go about it. Though, they are gamers¡ªa group of people not exactly known for their mental stability. Also, the last thing Xavia said resonated with me. It was only a matter of time until they began doing things that were¡­morally questionable.

    But that doesn¡¯t actually matter all that much. In fact, I think things should start to take a change in at most a week, and maybe even sooner. Hell, it could happen today.

    Anyway, soon after leaving the pub, I found myself getting mail from Sabrina. Ah, wait¡ªIt¡¯s Rina inside the game. She was letting me know that pretty much everyone else had logged in, and wanted to know if I wanted to party up. I said yes, of course. I felt a little guilty that I hadn¡¯t been able to meet up with them in game lately, due to the whole Joel debacle.

    I went to the appointed meeting place, and waited for a little while. Luckily, nobody bothered me, probably due to the fact that I was wearing entirely black and covering clothing. They aren¡¯t able to see my face, or even determine my body build. Oh, and then there¡¯s the intimidating bow and slung over my back, and the quiver at my hip¡ªwhich is rather ingeniously connected to a sheath holding a sword properly sized for me. Really, I have to thank Godard/Xavier for that again. He¡¯s quite good at this stuff.

    The rest of the group arrived soon after I had, so I didn¡¯t have to wait long. Unfortunately, it looks like Ussen had some real life stuff to deal with, and couldn¡¯t log in. Other than that, the entire group was in attendance.

    We decided to take on a quest that Rina had heard about through the grape-vine. Apparently, it allowed for it¡¯s completion in a number of different ways, and took inspiration from the God Quests, which were known to have totally different endings depending on the player¡¯s choices. In some cases, some players had screwed up the quests so badly that they couldn¡¯t be completed that go around, and everybody had to wait for the reset. The God Quests gave players unprecedented amounts of freedom, but that included the freedom to cock-up the whole thing.

    This quest is much the same, though on a smaller scale. Basically, we had to walk on a road outside the city for a while, before the quest is triggered by a specific event.

    That event took the shape of a group of NPC adventures roasting a haunch of meat over a cook-fire. We ask if we could eat with them, and they agreed.

    Now, it was a matter of waiting for the quest proper to begin. While waiting, we talked and ate.

    ¡°Ugh¡ªI can¡¯t believe the developers are just letting those players make such severe changes to the game.¡± Said Haven¡ªor Diana inside the game¡ªas she fingered the tips of her ears.

    ¡°Won¡¯t last long. Thing¡¯s change.¡± I reply.

    ¡°But how do we know? None of the Dev. teams are responding to questions of when exactly things are going to end, and they¡¯ve stopped talking entirely!¡± Said Rina.

    I shrugged, and went back to eating the meat on my simple wooden plate.

    ¡°Yeah, well at least you girls look cute like that. You didn¡¯t get metal collars.¡± Said Kormic¡¯s avatar, Spark.

    ¡°Oh please. It¡¯s just a collar. It¡¯s not an extra part of your body that you have to worry about. Do you realize how difficult it is to avoid sitting on a tail, and how much it hurts? Oh, and then there''s the fact that I basically wasn''t wearing anything when I logged in!¡±

    ¡°The collar¡¯s shock us each time our bodies get¡­excited.¡± Said Spark quietly. His name has never been so deliciously ironic.

    Wanting to head off this topic of conversation before something truly lewd was said, I speak up.

    ¡°Maybe players need to fight?¡±

    ¡°What? Fight the player gods? The guys that literally gained cheat-powers?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Maybe not impossible?¡± I added on.

    Xavier shook his head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to do anything. At least now until the Dev¡¯s realize that their game is being screwed with pretty badly.¡±

    I sighed, and didn¡¯t continue arguing the point. I wonder if their sentiments are shared by the rest of the gamer population? Well, it probably doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s going to happen will happen, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it anymore.

    Suddenly, our quiet dinner was interrupted by war cries echoing in the forest around us. Before we knew it, we had been surrounded by bandits armed by rusty weapons and armor. Their leader, a man with a mouth full of rotting teeth, stepped forward.

    ¡°Surrenda all ya valuables, an we¡¯ll keep ya alive, ya hear?! Make ting¡¯s difficult, and we migh¡¯ jus¡¯ decide dat you¡¯s an¡¯t worth da trouble!¡±

    Egad¡¯s, that accent. I think I got a bit stupider, just listening to this twat.

    Well, this is also the start of the quest proper, and we need to decide our course of action.

 Chapter 19: Predictable People Are Wonderful.

    We had decided beforehand to be captured.

    At the beginning of this quest, there are commonly held to be three different ways of dealing with the situation. The first involved defending against the bandits surrounding us at the moment, and eventually fighting them off. Alternately, we could run, and let the NPC¡¯s deal with the situation¡ªwhich would lead to a quest line where we become a part of the bandit group. Lastly, we could lay down our arms, and let the bandits take us captive.

    We chose to go with this option. It would spare us any sort of messiness with interrogations, and allow us to be brought straight to the bandit¡¯s hideout.

    I know what you must be thinking. ¡®But those guy¡¯s are bandits, right? Why would they leave you alive, instead of simply taking the valuables and killing everyone?¡¯ In response to that, I must mention that these NPC bandits are professionals, no matter how uncouth they might have been programmed to be. A professional knows not to miss out on a potential profit, no matter where it might be found. Well, as it turns out, Ashenload is modeled on a mostly medieval societal system, right? Believe it or not, slavery is a thing here. And of course, players can actually be sold into slavery. Some do it as a bit of a fun thing, while others see is as a realism sort of detail.

    Look, my point is that these bandits would lose out on a good amount of cash if they simply killed everyone they came across and robbed. It would be a waste, so instead they keep them locked up until a slave trader can come about and pay for the merchandise.

    That¡¯s the reason why they slapped handcuffs onto our arms, and lead us all back to their home base after we had ¡°dropped¡± our weapons. In reality, all our arms and armor rested safely inside our inventories. Funny how that works, really. Also, they trusted that the iron manacles around our wrists would be enough to hold us. They¡¯re right in thinking that.

    What? Did you think we would have been able to break out whenever we wanted? Pfft¡ªwhat a ridiculous notion. The manacles are engraved with magic-canceling runes. Expensive, but effective in getting the job done. We would have to wait until the manacles came off before trying anything. It looks like these bandit¡¯s have powerful backers, if they can afford to indulge on their equipment like this. Though, someone like me, who had cheated a little and taken a look at the quest¡¯s storyline beforehand, knows this to be true. They have someone powerful backing them. This is fact, and becomes relevant later on. Actually, it¡¯s recommended to try and tackle this quest with at least one attractive woman in your party. It ends up streamlining the quest quite a bit. Given that there are not one, but three highly attractive women in the group, I think it¡¯s safe to assume that we¡¯ll be fine. Especially with the cat ears.

    Which reminds me¡ªI had my coat taken away by the bandits. I guess they were feeling squirrely about hidden weapons or something, and decided that letting a party member keep a heavy overcoat was a bad idea. Unfortunately for them, most of my knives are not inside the coat. In fact, I still have something like seven or eight hidden in various places on my body. Oh, and then there¡¯s the fact that I¡¯m wearing the fake cat ears and tail. What is it with those things? Xavier nearly fainted dead away when the coat was removed, and he saw them. Deadly to lovers of the female form, I guess. Or maybe just to weirdoes. Yeah, remembering Xavia, I think it¡¯s to weirdoes.

    Anyway, we were lead back to the bandit¡¯s base. They were housed inside a dilapidated looking castle. It seemed sturdy enough though, especially after viewing it up close, which revealed that the castle was nowhere near as run-down as the bandits would have you believe. And from the inside, it became clear that this was almost a full-blown military installation¡ªexcept the occupants were bandits instead of any sort of legitimate army. Obviously.

    To enter the massive structure, a drawbridge was lowered over a moat filled by moss-green water¡ªwhich occasionally saw bubbles surfacing from something under it¡¯s top layer of algae. I don¡¯t think I want to run into that something, since I have a strong premonition that there''s lot¡¯s of large and sharp teeth involved.

    Past the drawbridge, a portcullis was being raised. The timbers making up the thing were larger around than most people¡¯s bodies. Also, the area around the portcullis was littered with murder-holes, and I swear I saw eyes staring back at me from inside the thin gaps of the walls. Scary. This place isn¡¯t run down in the slightest.

    I hate to think of what would have happened had we killed all the bandits back at the campfire. Likely, we would¡¯ve then faced a hell of a time trying to get into the castle here. It¡¯s looking more and more like surrendering was the right choice.

    Of course, once we were inside the castle, we were lead into a large building in the center of the complex. From there, we went down a series of staircases bringing us deeper and deeper under the ground. It¡¯s the classic castle dungeon, isn¡¯t it?

    Sure enough, there were cells at the bottom, filled with despondent looking men and woman. Probably, they were people captured in previous bandit raids, and were either waiting for the slavers to come, or death. Whichever came first. And for some of them, it would be death, due to the nasty looking puss-filled wounds on their bodies, or the boils and rashes indicative of communal diseases.

    It¡¯s a little sad, but these guys are still NPC¡¯s. Whatever happens to them is of no concern to us players. That being said, I still tend to treat NPC¡¯s well, since you never know if they¡¯ve gained sentience or something. I read too many of those types of stories to not consider the possibility.

    We were all shoved into a mostly empty cell on the far side of the dungeon. The manacles were removed, and the cell door closed. Spark walked over to the metal bars serving as the outermost cell wall, and Xavier followed suit.

    ¡°Ah, they¡¯ve treated the iron bars here too. Same deal as with the manacles¡ªthey block all forms of magic. Must have cost a massive fortune to be able to get this much.¡± Said Xavier, while inspecting the bars.

    ¡°So, how do we get out then?¡± Asked Rina.

    ¡°Patience. Or feed food.¡± I said, pointing to the bundle of rags in the corner of the room.

    Diana looked at me, puzzled.

    ¡°Feed what? The rags?¡±

    ¡°I think the young lady means me, missy.¡± Croaked out an ancient voice from under the rag pile. It moved a little to reveal a leathery and drooping face, complete with moles all over the place, and milky white eyes. Rina, who happened to be the closest to the old man, shrieked and stumbled back.

    The old man chuckled, and smiled a toothless grin.

    ¡°Now, young lady. What make¡¯s you think that feeding me will get you out of here?¡± Rasped the ancient man.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here long time.¡± I replied. Interestingly, the old man seemed to mull over my words for quite a time before speaking.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. But I have no magical way out, lady. You¡¯re stuck down here ¡®till the slavers come.¡±

    ¡°Have tips, tricks though, right?¡± I asked. The old man smiled. His aging head bobbed up and down, making the loose flesh around his neck and chin wave back and forth.

    ¡°Got that right, lady. But, I want food in return.¡±

    I indicated that I would be willing to part with a meal or two in return for information on how the dungeon operates. It was key to figure out those intricacies before we could escape, otherwise we could run down a corridor, only to run straight into a bandit¡¯s guard patrol, or find ourselves stuck in a dead end. We needed to have a good idea of how the place works, else things¡¯ll get messy pretty quickly. Besides, there¡¯s apparently a reward you get if you can sneak out of the dungeon proper without anyone noticing.

    After leaving the dungeon though, you can do whatever you want. You could leave the castle without anyone the wiser, you could steal all their gold, or go on a rampage all over the place. It¡¯s all up to you, and that¡¯s the particular charm of this quest. The God Quests are the same, as they have innumerous ways of completing objectives. I¡¯m heard some people compare it to an Old Earth game called D&D, where players create their own stories or something.

    After coming to an agreement with the old man, it occurred to me that I had forgotten something.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, old man?¡± I asked him curiously.

    He chuckled, which lead to a hacking couch that rattled his old bones.

    ¡°Heh¡ªIt¡¯s not often that someone asks this useless old guy about his name. Why would it even matter?¡±

    ¡°Common courtesy?¡± I asked, tilting my head in confusion. Names are one of the most important parts of a person. Why would this man think they didn¡¯t matter?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Common courtesy, huh? Let me ask you this, young lady¡ªWhat would knowing my name do? Would it give you insight into who I am, my actions? Child, you must learn to look beyond a name, and see the person beneath in their entirety.¡±

    ¡°Call you Old Man then.¡± I said. I just wanted to know what to call him, not a philosophy lesson.

    Old Man, for his part, looked flabbergasted for a moment, unsure of what to take from what I said. Then he did a hacking laugh, and wiped a little tear away from his cataract filled eyes. I didn¡¯t ask him what he was laughing about¡ªI was afraid he would start into a lecture of why people laugh.

    After that, things quieted down significantly. We are in a cell, after all, and there¡¯s limited entertainment to be found here. Thankfully, we didn¡¯t have to wait long before the events scripted into the questline began activating. The first thing was a guard coming by to feed the prisoners and leer at the more attractive women. Since we were at the end of the cell rows, we had to wait and listen to the man dropping slop into the cells and catcalling the girls.

    He reached our cell, and stopped dead in his tracks.

    ¡°Oh boy¡ªWha¡¯d we have here?¡± He said, a slimy look in his eyes. As disgusting as it is, I really can¡¯t blame him. After all, there are three beauties in the cell that could be considered world-class. There¡¯s Rina, with her graceful and poised beauty. Diana has the sultry and mischievous looks of a succubus. And of course there¡¯s also me. Though, I¡¯ve always thought of myself as more cute than beautiful. I¡¯m just too short.

    Anyway, the man leered into the cell, licking his lips in a suggestive way. I could see a struggle going on inside of him, and knew that a few words would kick him over the edge.

    But it¡¯s not time yet. We don¡¯t know enough about this place to risk something like that. Instead, we meekly backed away from the cell bars, and watched at the man threw a bucket full of soupy kitchen slop into the cell. Much of it splashed out of the bucket, and onto the cell floor. The man then threw in some hard-tack bread. He gave us one last oily smile before walking away, humming happily to himself. Yeah, I think we can expect him to come back at a time when his superiors aren¡¯t watching.

    As per the agreement, we gave a good portion of the food we got to Old Man. It¡¯s not like we needed it, per-say, and we got good information from it.

    ¡°Well, ¡®s far as I know, there¡¯s ¡®bout five hundred bandits living here inside the castle.¡± Said the old man, who was willing to talk now that he had our food. ¡°They started setting up camp about ten years ago, and initially numbered thirty or so. They started getting funding from some outside source, and quickly grew in power. The castle itself is fairly old, but they spent large amounts of money repairing it. I don¡¯t think there are any passages in or out of the castle that aren¡¯t guarded. The guards change shifts every six hours, from my understanding, and they feed us three times a day. Most of their leaders should be living in the central tower of the castle.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Old Man.¡± I said.

    So, now we know where we should go first, after escaping. Eliminating the bandit¡¯s leader would make them akin to a chicken running around without a head, and would make the entire process of clearing the castle much easier. Though, I think we¡¯ll need to have a nice and long talk with the leader before taking care of him or her. After all, there¡¯s the question of who the mysterious funder is.

    After a while, the bandit guard returned. I guess night had fallen outside, as people looking to do something in secret normally felt more comfortable when the sun was gone. He walked straight to our cell, and brought out a set of keys and two pairs of manacles. Grinning in a way that would make small children wet themselves, he threw the manacles at Rina and Diana.

    ¡°Put those on, bitches.¡± He said, brandishing a sword as if it would convince them to abide by his order. I scoffed a little internally, a little insulted that the man didn¡¯t even look at me.

    Rina and Diana feigned reluctance as they slipped the manacles over their wrists and tightened them. They then ¡°cowered¡± into one of the cell corners, making the guard click his tongue in annoyance.

    ¡°Tsk¡ªGet over here, ya bitches. Don¡¯ make me come over there, ¡®cause you won¡¯t like what happens.¡±

    They stayed put, forcing the guard to curse and grab his keys. He opened the door, and entered the cell with his sword still at the ready. Walking towards the two girls, he completely lost focus of the rest of us. Well, it¡¯s not completely his fault, since we¡¯re all supposed to be disarmed and powerless inside the cell. How could he know that I had a savage assortment of knives on me?

    Well, I think he got clued in as soon as one of those knives meet his throat. He fell with a gurgle, and a bloodstain quickly spread out from under him. I grabbed the keychain, and found the keys to open the manacles. Tossing them aside, everybody left the cell before me. I remained behind, looking at Old Man, who peered back at me from his corner.

    ¡°You coming, Old Man?¡± I asked.

    He smiled sadly, and motioned downwards.

    ¡°Thank you for the offer, young lady, but I¡¯m afraid my legs don¡¯t work as they used to. I will have to stay here for the time being.¡± He said. I nodded, and left the cell door slightly open behind us.

    Once outside the cell, we all had access to our inventories and magic again, as we had exited the bounded field created by the warding symbols that had been engraved into the cell bars. I reequipped my cloak and larger weapons, and watched as my friends did the same. Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t let the people inside the cells go at the moment, since they would just be dead weight.

    Stalking around the corners of the dungeon, we were careful to avoid any of the guard patrols still awake and checked our route time and time again in order to keep straight the way out. This dungeon has a very interesting building style, since everything had seemed simple and straightforward when coming down here earlier, but trying to get out had turned the affair into a twisting mess of corridors and dead ends. My guess is that there a very small bit of magic involved, and that most of our difficulties stem from architectural trickery and slight-of-hand.

    Never the less, we eventually found the way out, by following the direction of airflow. It¡¯s odd to think a trick normally used when cave exploring came in handy here, but that¡¯s what happened. It just goes to show how complicated things were.

    When we came up to the exit, I decided to go out first. Among everybody here, I had the best sneaking capabilities, and could most easily push open the door leading out without anyone noticing. I slipped out, and saw that a group of guards were sitting at a table, drinking and playing dice games. Two minutes later, I went back to my friends, and led them past the slumped-over forms of the guards. The next door brought us right outside. Next, we just had to get to the central tower and find the leader of the bandit¡¯s castle. At least it was easy to find the place, since the tower truly was the tallest part of the castle by a good amount. The hard part was avoiding the numerous tents pitched in the courtyards of the castle, where potentially hundreds of bandits slept while others kept watch.

    Some of the bandits we came across, we took down, while others we left alone. It came down to whether or not we thought someone would find the body before we could finish our main business. Eventually, we made our way to the tower via the outer wall. I fished a grappling hook out of my inventory, and had Spark throw it up onto one of the window ledges. It stuck fast, and I scurried up the wall of the tower. It had been decided that I would be the only one going to take care of the leader and gather information, while the others kept a lookout in order to give me warning if something goes wrong.

    Silently dropping into a tower room through the window, I fell to a crouch and assessed my surroundings. It looks like this room¡¯s used for¡­actually, I¡¯d rather keep this part PG. There¡¯s some nasty shit in here.

    I quickly left the room through a staircase on the opposite side from the window, and crept around, sticking near to the walls. I froze when footsteps began reaching my ears from above me. Someone¡¯s walking down the staircase, towards me. I flattened against the wall, and went dead still. A man turned around the corner of the staircase, in full view of me. He was holding a bit of paper though, and mumbling under his breath as he walked right on by me without even looking up. That should be a slave trader, judging by the fact that his clothes are much richer than any bandit should wear.

    As he disappeared around the corner, I make a decision of my own, and unlimber my bow. Quickly stringing it, I follow after the slaver and send a silent arrow into his back. He fell with a crash that nobody was around to hear.

    I resumed my trek up the stairs, and eventually came to a door at the top of the tower. This should be the bandit leader¡¯s room. I push open the door, and walk inside calmly while closing the door behind me. There was also a convenient deadbolt on the inside of the door, which I locked home. Opposite the door sat a nice desk with a scarred and white-haired man sitting behind it. He¡¯s big and burly as well, with a mean glint behind his eyes. He looked up as soon as the sound of the deadbolt locking shattered the silence in the room. His eyes narrowed when he saw me.

    ¡°Who are you? I never called for anyone, especially not a kid.¡± Growled the man.

    I smile sweetly form under the hood. Given that the man could only see my mouth, I¡¯m sure it looked a little odd.

    ¡°Here for information on funder.¡± I say.

    The man doesn¡¯t take me seriously, and waves his hand to shoo me away.

    ¡°Get out of here kid, before you do something you end up regretting.¡±

    My smile widens, and I close my hand around a set of daggers tucked into my belt, behind the cloak. The leader stands up.

    ¡°Look kid. Either you get out now, or I assume you want to be here, okay? And trust me, you do not want to be here.¡± He growls ominously.

    ¡°Who pays you?¡± I asked him. His eyes widen imperceptibly.

    ¡°So it¡¯s like that, huh?¡± He says angrily. Grabbing a club leaning against the side of his desk, he hoists it up and swings intimidatingly. ¡°Who sent a kid to question me? You want to answer that before I break each and every bone in your body?¡± He asks.

    I shake my head, and my smile turns sad.

    ¡°Last chance. Who pays you?¡±

    ¡°Why you little shit!¡± He yells, and swings the club at my side. I duck under the blow, and slide past his exposed body. I take one of my daggers, and slam it into the area of his leg behind the knee. Instantly, he yelps in pain, and nearly falls to the floor.

    ¡°Who pays you?¡± I ask again. He glares at me angrily.

    ¡°You little fuck, you¡¯ll pay for this! Get over here!¡± He yells. I oblige.

    As soon as I¡¯m in range, he initiates a savage series of strikes, swiping his club in every which direction in order to hit me. Me being me, I dodge each strike with infuriating ease, building the man¡¯s anger with each miss. In the end, he¡¯s chasing me around the room with his right leg limping along behind him, and giving a lethargic swipe of the club every now and then. Panting heavily, I¡¯ve worn him out rather fast. I guess he¡¯s past his prime or something.

    The club drops out of his hand, and he slumps onto the side of his desk, supporting himself with his arm.

    ¡°What¡­What the hell have you done to me?¡± He asks, sweat dripping down his brow. His previously angry eyes look a little fearful now.

    Ah, that¡¯s right. My daggers have poison attribute, don¡¯t they? Teehee~?

    I sigh, and tell the truth¡ªas it tends to be more terrifying than any bravado I can come up with.

    ¡°Poison on dagger. Death coming.¡±

    ¡°No, wait! Is there a way to cure the poison! I¡¯ll do anything!¡± He yelled. Ah, these types of people are wonderful to deal with. They want to protect their own lives at any cost, and are willing to do or say anything when it comes to that.

    ¡°Who¡¯s paying you?¡± I ask again.

    He readily gives me the answer.

    Of course, I left out the fact that there¡¯s no cure for the poison on my daggers. Either you survive it, or you don¡¯t depending on your constitution levels. The leader didn¡¯t.

 Chapter 20: All Things Must End.

    The scene that met me after leaving the main tower of the bandit¡¯s castle was nothing short of chaos. I guess my friends had been discovered in the end, since an all out brawl had developed between them, and a number of bandits. Normally, you¡¯d think four people against sixty or so would be bad odds, but that wasn¡¯t the case.

    Given that I hadn¡¯t heard the fighting from inside that tower, I feel justified in thinking that they hadn¡¯t used any of the really flashy skills yet, and had stuck to basic movements and spells. In fact, Rina was sticking to healing spells, which was decidedly odd given her¡­fiery personality. She¡¯s also sticking close to the others, rather than going about her normal acts of flitting about the battlefield. Spark was actually tanking damage, instead of squashing enemies with his massive shield, and Haven was doing her best to keep the area around him to a certain number of foes. Xavier was doing much the same, dealing good blows with his large and heavy axe.

    I think Spark was the first to notice me. Fitting, since he¡¯s in charge of defense, and as such, must keep an eye on his surroundings at all times. It takes incredible amounts of situational awareness to defend properly. I¡¯m more suited to cutting down one target at a time, myself.

    ¡°Hey Vina!¡± He called out, letting everyone else know that I¡¯d arrived. ¡°You finish up in there?¡± Asks Spark. I nod to his question, and join the fray. I immediately saw them relax, but not too much. Even though the bandit¡¯s leader is now dead, we can¡¯t count on that fact to make things any easier, as there are typically multiple command structures within a camp like this. However, it could constitute a rather large demoralizing factor if the bandit¡¯s find out about the untimely demise of their leader at the right moment.

    ¡°Got caught?¡± I asked Spark, who deflected a rather strong looking mace blow with infuriating ease. I would be knocked straight off my feet, due to my size and weight.

    ¡°Yeah¡ªBit of bad luck, really. A patrol made some noise before dying, and drew attention!¡± He yelled over his massive shoulders. I chuckled a little, not minding their bad luck. After all, it made things more fun, what with this somewhat large battle going on.

    I quickly dropped my bow and quiver into my inventory, and drew the short sword hanging from my belt. My hunting knife materialized in my off hand, a peculiarity of this particular rare item. Then, I wadded into the mix.

    As stated before, I can¡¯t really deal with multiple enemies at the same time. It¡¯s just not my style. Instead, I prefer to take them one at a time, focusing on a single combatant.

    Then, how is it that I¡¯m able to take down groups of enemies almost stupidly easily?

    Well, I make it so that the single enemy I¡¯m facing doesn¡¯t last very long. And I plan ahead. It¡¯s a skill many people are sadly lacking. It also makes me unbeatable in games like chess. It saddens me, since no one is willing to play me anymore¡ªeven online.

    But enough of that. You guys want juicy action scenes, no? Well, I have to comply, I guess.

    I waded right into the thick of things, short sword in my right hand, hunting knife in my left. By waded, I mean that I simply walked right up to the closest bandit. He didn¡¯t notice me until I got within a few meters of him, so focused was the bandit on the hub of activity that was my comrades. And once he did see me, he did a little double-take. I saw as a range of emotions flickered across his face, from surprise, to shock, to suspicion, and finally resting on distain and a bit of lust. Ugh. He opened his mouth to speak.

    Not wanting to hear whatever filth this bandit was going to spew, I flicked the hunting knife at him.

    It sank into his throat all the way to the hilt, stuck fast. The man tried to suck in a breath, but nothing got past the weapon cutting off his airway. He clawed the knife out¡ªwhich as any medical professional can tell you, is a very, very bad idea. Blood spewed from his mangled neck, pouring down his front. Magically, the knife disappeared as it was falling to the ground, and reappeared in my hand.

    I was already in motion before the man had even pulled the knife out though, moving on to the man next to him, who was watching the entire exchange with disbelief in his eyes. Before he even registered it, my short-sword had slipped through a seam in his leather armor and found his heart. Pulling out, my knife re-materialized in my left hand, and I swiped at another man¡¯s face, carving half his head off. Yes, his head. There was brain matter exposed.

    What, does that sound improbable or something? It¡¯s a really heavy and sharp knife, okay?

    Regardless, I didn¡¯t stop for anything now that I¡¯ve dived into the thick of combat. I always like to think of it as a dance, where toes being stepped on are the least of your worries. There¡¯s a rhythm to battle, a grace that affords itself to only the best and most capable of warriors. Now, I¡¯m not claiming to be the best when it comes to battle, but I¡¯m really damn capable, and can be quite terrifying when I want to be. Right now though, I¡¯m focused on cutting a swath through the bandits as fast as possible, in order to take pressure off my friends. I threw my knife whenever it¡¯s deemed necessary, and abused its properties to always have it back within seconds. Otherwise, I was ducking, spinning and slashing out with my short-sword.

    Nobody lasted past my first blow, since I went directly for the vitals or crippling blows. Pretty soon, the bandits were wary to the fact that something was cutting through them like so many stalks of wheat. And, for all the fallen around me, and the blood on the ground, there wasn¡¯t a single drop on my clothes. It¡¯s such a pain to get rid of, so I try and avoid any spray.

    The bandits were beginning to recognize what was happening, though. Their comrades were falling to a little girl, and they were understanding that they need to be wary of me. Therefore, I could see bandits running the other way when they noticed me walking towards them, a savage grin on my face. Some even began dropping their weapons, and begging for mercy.

    It looks like we¡¯ve basically routed this group of bandits. They¡¯re terrified of facing me, they can¡¯t get anywhere near Spark due to interference run by Diana and Rina, and Xavier simply caused chaos wherever he went. Hell, is that some sort of plasma axe in his hands? Dammit Xavier¡ªI want one too.

    Anyway, I regrouped with them once it became apparent that bandits were beginning to run. Doubtless, the noise they make by running and yelling all over the place will wake up or alert those bandit¡¯s who still haven¡¯t noticed that there was a significant battle going on inside their own castle.

    ¡°So, did their leader give you any problems?¡± Asked Rina after we met up again. If she¡¯s impressed by my combat skills, she doesn¡¯t show it.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Easy prey. No issues.¡± I said.

    ¡°Right, did you find anything out from him?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Camp financed by Count¡­.Something?¡± I replied, tilting my head to indicate confusion.

    Everyone else looked baffled.

    ¡°Vina, did you¡­.forget his name?¡± Asked Diana with some hesitation. I wasn¡¯t known for forgetting things, after all.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Spark threw up his arms in exasperation.

    ¡°Great, so we don¡¯t know who the ring-leader is, and the one who can tell us is dead, am I right?¡± He said, turning to me. I shook my head.

    ¡°No, name is Something.¡± I clarified. What? Did you think I¡¯d actually forgotten something? Not likely, with my mind. It had just occurred to me right then that the Count¡¯s name is rather odd. Something? Really? That¡¯s the best the quest designer could come up with? I hadn¡¯t lingered over the name itself, so intent was I on getting down from the tower, and supporting my friends.

    ¡°Wait, you meant his name is Something? Count Something?¡± Asked Rina, her tiny form fluttering in front of me. I nodded.

    ¡°Great, so we know where to go next. We just have to ask after this Count Something, and find out why he¡¯s funding these bandits.¡±

    I raise my hand eagerly. Oddly, I saw a blush crawl across Rina¡¯s cheeks, small as they were.

    ¡°Er, yes Vina?¡± She asks.

    ¡°Know why Count funding bandits!¡± I say.

    ¡°Eh? You do?¡± Asked Xavier, perplexed.

    I nodded. However, before I could explain any further, shouts and yells started up from another part of the camp. Ah, that would be the rest of the bandits, no?

    I motioned for my friends to follow me to the entrance of the tower. If we stood just inside, it would limit the number of enemies able to come at us and the stairs would present a good opportunity to fall back. Not that the bandits would be pushing us back. It¡¯s rather that moving around becomes slightly troublesome when there are too many bodies in the way, and falling back keeps them from piling up too high. We got into the tower just as a mob of angry bandit¡¯s rounded a corner, revealing their large numbers. Grinning a little to myself, I reached into my inventory and threw a round and aged object at them.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Asked Spark, who had seen me throw the object, but not what it was. Still grinning, I answered him.

    ¡°Incentive.¡±

    Not a second later, cries came from outside the tower, telling me that my gift hadn¡¯t been well received.

    ¡°The Vice-leader¡¯s head!¡± I heard someone call out.

    ¡°Those Bastards! Let¡¯s make ¡®em pay!¡±

    ¡°For our brothers!¡±

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    Eh? Vice Leader? Then where¡¯s the leader? I thought that man had been the leader of the bandits. Why was he in the tower, where that old man had said the leader would be? Did I screw up or something?

    Dammit, this isn¡¯t the time to be thinking about that stuff. We have a few hundred bandits coming our way, and have to deal with them first. I put away my blades in favor of my bow, and took a position above the others, on the stairs. That gives me a good vantage point into the crowd of bandits, where I can deliver my own version of godly justice.

    Spark is of course in the front, to take the blows while Haven and Xavier do what they can to kill bandits. Rina¡ªwell, I guess she¡¯ll do whatever she wants. The variety of magic under her belt gives her extraordinary flexibility like that. Normally, Eine would also be here, and would work on thinning out the enemy ranks from the back. Utilizing his prodigious abilities as an assassin, nobody would even notice that their comrades were vanishing from besides them. But, he¡¯s not here. I really hope his family¡¯s not making him do something unreasonable right now.

    (Elsewhere, Ussen fights the urge to sneeze, which would alert others to his hiding place.)

    Anyway, the first bandit appeared in the doorway. He¡¯s a real big guy, with arms like tree trunks and his eyes red from rage. His thighs could probably snap a horse¡¯s neck. Really, a prime physical specimen.

    ¡°Ya bastards¡¯ll fall to me, Iv¡­!¡± He yelled out right after pushing through the doorway.

    No, his name isn¡¯t Iv. My arrow simply took out one of his eye¡¯s, and bored straight through his skull to impact the chest of the man behind him, killing them both nigh on instantaneously. He didn¡¯t have the time to finish speaking. In fact, his mouth is still flapping up and down, the neural impulses trying to finish his dying words.

    ¡°They killed Ivan!¡± I heard someone yell. Even more enraged shouts came from outside. I assume Ivan was well liked, for some bizarre reason. The guy felt like a total ass-hat to me. Well, it motivated the bandits to try and kill us even more, so I¡¯ll take it as a personal win, I guess.

    What followed wasn¡¯t very fun. It was like grinding low level enemies one after the other, over the course of half-an-hour. Bandits would charge through the tower door. They would die. Every now and then, we would back up the stairs to make more room, and keep the body piles evenly distributed. It didn¡¯t seem to bother the bandit¡¯s that they were literally running over the bodies of their own comrades. Unfortunately, it seems like their AI is a bit limited in that respect, since a normal person wouldn¡¯t want to go anywhere near a place where all their buddies had died. But no, the bandit¡¯s just keep streaming right on in. Eventually, we were backed halfway up the tower, and I came across the familiar corpse of that richly dressed slaver I had dispatched earlier. That gave me the chance to more closely examine those papers he¡¯d been so intent on.

    I think they¡¯re budget lists? Well, they have lot¡¯s of numbers on them, though there¡¯s no context anywhere. It must be one of those things where the man had his own notation, and didn¡¯t bother considering that someone else would need to read them. Oh well. I went back to sniping bandits with my bow at near point-blank range. At this distance, the penetrative powers of my arrows are something fearsome to behold. I would make jokes about wood and penetration, but that¡¯s too crass for even me.

    Well, we fell back past the corpse of that slaver¡ªat which point I learned something very, very ironic. You see, the stairwell curves round, right? That meant that the bandits couldn¡¯t see the corpse until we had fallen far enough back for it to come within view. And once they did see it, the bandit¡¯s reactions were rather enlightening.

    ¡°It¡¯s the leader!¡±

    ¡°They killed him!¡±

    ¡°Revenge!¡±

    I nearly broke down from the irony of it all. It looks like I¡¯d ended up killing the bandit¡¯s leader anyway, even if I mistook him for a slaver at first. I¡¯ll just say that was on purpose, and that you readers are only finding out about this now for dramatic reasons. Or something.

    Honestly though, I couldn¡¯t have done that better if I had planned it. Well, maybe. This is me we¡¯re talking about, after all.

    Anyway, another fifteen minutes had the rest of the bandits cleared up. We then made our way down the newly christened ¡°Tower of Death!¡± (Insert thunder and lightning here.) It was a bit of work, since we had to avoid slipping on the blood, or twisting anything in a bad way. While a broken leg or twisted ankle isn¡¯t as painful in the game as it is in real like, it still stings rather badly.

    Once out of the ¡°Tower of Death!¡± (Thunder and lightning here.), we made a lap of the castle complex, taking care of any stray bandits we came across. There were a few groups who had obviously hung back for one reason or another, but they were put down quickly. It was a bit tedious, really.

    And once we were sure all those above ground were accounted for, we made our way back into the dungeon under the castle. This time however, we made marks as we went along, well aware that entering the dungeon is a hell of a lot easier than exiting due to the deliberately confusing construction of the complex.

    Reaching the dungeon proper, the smell of the place struck me again. I think it¡¯s worse than when we were down here before, since we knew about it, and anticipated it in the worst way.

    Ah well. I¡¯m sure the ¡°Tower of Death!¡± (Now obligatory thunder and lightning.) will smell worse in a few hours, after all the muscles relax enough too¡­You know what. I¡¯m going to stop there, because that¡¯s not a pretty image for me.

    We went to each cell, and opened them. The prisoners, of whom most of them had resigned themselves to slavery or worse, blinked blearily at us.

    ¡°You guys are free to go, okay? All the bandits are gone now.¡± Said Spark in a kind and warm tone. The prisoner¡¯s responded well to him, and the others started shepherding them out of the dungeon, and back to the fresh air up above. As for me, I went to the very last cell, where we had been placed before.

    Inside it, Old Man was still siting in the same place as before. His milky eyes opened, and stared straight ahead, unfocused.

    ¡°Is that you lass?¡± He rasped.

    ¡°Yes. Bandits all dead. Thanks.¡± I said.

    ¡°Is that so? Well, I guess that¡¯s the end of it then. I¡¯ve had my revenge.¡± He said, a measure of peace creeping into his voice.

    ¡°Revenge?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Ah. Yes¡ªI had much to atone for. You see, those bandits¡­.they needed someone to plan and carry out the¡­rebuilding of this castle.¡± He wheezed.

    ¡°I was¡­taken. With my wife. My children were grown by that time. One of them was pregnant, I remember.¡± He paused for a second, contemplative.

    ¡°I was forced to draw plans. My wife was a hostage to give me incentive. And once I finished¡­¡± He stopped. It was obvious what had happened. There was a single tear falling from his eye.

    ¡°And I¡¯ve been here since.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, Old Man?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Fredrick.¡± He said, looking to the past. ¡°Fredrick Dresden¡±

    I nodded, somber.

    ¡°Ah¡­tell my children¡­let them know I¡¯m at peace.¡± He said.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    A few moments passed, our breathing the only palpable thing in the cell. His became increasingly ragged, until he drew in one last whispery breath.

    ¡°¡­Martha¡­¡± said Fredrick, before falling silent.

    I found my friends outside, and we decided to bring all the ex-prisoners to the nearest city. Hopefully, the officials their can sort this stuff out while we hunt down Count Something. Of course, we''ll also have to let the officials know about the"Tower of Death!" (You know by now.)

    And then I have my own stuff to do. But first, hand over the people. Then, I think we''re all logging out, and picking it up tomorrow.

 Chapter 21: Killing Intent Only Gives You Away, Idiot.

    Sabrina pulled her virtual reality visor off, and sat up. Across the room, Haven did the same thing. They shared a look, before fully getting up, and walking to their study room at a pace just short of a jog.

    ¡°Have you ever seen something like that?¡± Asked Haven once they were there, a faint hint of shock still in her voice.

    ¡°No. And I don¡¯t even know what to begin to think about it. Is she even an archer class in game?¡±

    Haven nodded.

    ¡°I know what you mean. And, I¡¯m certain she is.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? Even with¡­that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve seen her use an archer¡¯s ultimate before.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­what we saw today was without any skill correction, guidance systems, or computer assistance?¡±

    Haven shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s found a hidden class?¡± She suggested.

    Sabrina shook her head.

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not on the server¡¯s list for that. I think that what we saw was only her real skill.¡±

    Haven chuckled a little, and Sabrina turned on her.

    ¡°This is no laughing matter! Revy¡¯s a member of the Al¡¯Verath family, has at least a level five intellect, was able to safely house a member of her main family, and now we find out she¡¯s probably a Master level fighter?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think these are bad things?¡± Asked Haven, with a small smile on her face.

    Sabrina looked confused.

    ¡°But¡­why wouldn¡¯t it be? There¡¯s too much we don¡¯t know about Revy, and it could become a liability in the future.¡±

    Haven shook her head.

    ¡°No. If there¡¯s one thing that I know about Revy, it¡¯s that she¡¯s at least a good friend.¡±

    Haven, still smiling, looked directly at the confused Sabrina.

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t leave those close with her to the wolves. The deepest parts of her personality wouldn¡¯t allow her to do something like that, trust me.¡± Reassured Haven, that enigmatic smile still on her face.

    <hr>

    I sighed, and pulled of my VR visor. Placing is carefully on my bedside table, I got up and checked the time.

    No wonder I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry¡ªwe blew right past lunch, and dinner¡¯s only an hour or two away. I hurry and make a sandwich to assuage the growling in my stomach. While eating, I think back on the quest in Ashenload.

    Yeah yeah, I know I showed off a little with my combat capabilities, even though I¡¯m trying not to use them. Say what you will, but I had my reasons.

    For one, it was immensely satisfying to let loose in virtual reality, where my actions are of little consequence. And let¡¯s face it, I¡¯ve needed a target to let steam off on since Joel had shown up on my doorstep, and left with the beginnings of a harem. I get the bad feeling that I¡¯ll begin hearing more about him sometime soon, and that I¡¯ll meet him again. Damn protagonists.

    Also, I let loose a little inside the game, because I felt like I owed my friends it. I have no doubt that Sabrina and Haven are quibbling about implications and the such, and I¡¯m honestly fine with that. After quite a bit of thought, I¡¯d previously come to the conclusion that my friends deserve to at least know that I¡¯m capable. It doesn¡¯t feel right, somehow, keeping my abilities secret from them. This way, I¡¯ve shown them the tip of the iceberg, and they won¡¯t have to worry about me as much as they would thinking I¡¯m powerless.

    Plus, I¡¯m of the opinion that something¡¯s going to happen soon, where I would be better off with them knowing that I can at least defend myself. Damn premonitions.

    Ah, and my sandwich is gone now. I washed my plate, and put it up to dry. Then, I boot up my computer to continue my college search. Really, I need to make a decision soon as to what I¡¯m going to do. There are too many good options though, and I¡¯m having trouble deciding.

    I could chose the low-key and less reputable schools, of which there are many. This would keep attention from being draw to me, but would leave me with less job options afterwards. After all, some companies will see a little-league college certificate, and send me away simply because I¡¯m not ¡°educated enough¡±. People are stuck up like that, unfortunately.

    Then, I could chose to apply for the hoity-toity universities, meant for the best of the best, or High Families. While it would open up the job market considerably, and it¡¯d be easy to enter, the people themselves in such a school would be a pain to deal with, to say nothing of the possibility that I¡¯d be over-qualified for quite a few jobs.

    Since it seems troublesome, I really, really don¡¯t want to go to one of those schools. Too many egos clashing for me.

    Lastly, I can go to a Trade school. They¡¯re kinda an in-between, since they¡¯re generally well respected and do good work in teaching. Ability is the only thing that matters in these schools, and can get you quite far. At the same time, they¡¯re rather low-key, and like to keep out of public view as it disrupts the student¡¯s studies.

    Personally, I think the last option is almost perfectly suited for me. I can make a name for myself within the school itself, without becoming nearly as famous anywhere else. And given that I wish to remain as low-key as possible, a school like that would be best.

    Of course, it remains to be seen which one of their schools I¡¯d be sent to. There are a few notable ones in the Home-Star System, occupying planets such as Mars, the moons of Saturn, and that micro-planet Pluto. Granted, those are some of the more famous options, but I have a feeling I¡¯ll end up there after applications.

    The Trade Colleges make damned sure that you enter a college fitting the your level of ability and intellect. Given that I¡¯m¡­.well, me, there¡¯s not a doubt in my mind that I¡¯ll end up in one of their top-notch schools somehow.

    The applications themselves consist partially of personal information¡ªlike age, physicality, Awakening, and history. The other part is a fairly large test taken by everyone applying. The test itself is different depending on the type of school being applied to, and varies in difficulty accordingly. I think my own testing date is coming up next week or something? You know, I should probably check on that before it becomes an actual problem.

    After quibbling over whether or not I¡¯m making the right decision college-wise, I surfed the web for a bit. Mostly, I looked into the latest scientific discoveries and insights.

    The most sensational story involved a probe that had been sent into the nearest black hole, and the shocking lack of data they¡¯d gotten back from it. Really, you¡¯d think they¡¯d have learnt from the last five times that had happened. Granted, this is the first time it¡¯s happened where the media was made aware of the event¡ªWhich made it even more embarrassing that the scientists couldn¡¯t get data on even the areas near the black hole, since the probe was simply destroyed too quickly.

    There were also a few lesser stories about new inventions, and a hard fought optimization of man-kind¡¯s FTL engines, where it¡¯s efficiency is increased by about 1%. Considering that the FTL engine hasn¡¯t really changed all that much since it¡¯s inception after Moon-fall, any advance in the technology is considered a major leap at the moment. And especially increases in efficiency, since that¡¯s normally the most difficult change to make in any piece of machinery or electronics.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    There was also a pretty big story about the edges of our civilization, and the wars that continuously erupt out there. Mostly, they¡¯re about issues of property ownership, beliefs, or due to the potential gain of something valuable. So, the normal reasons, really. While warfare is relatively rare near the Home-Star System, it¡¯s a common problem out by the fringes where no one¡¯s policing anything. It¡¯s a lawless place, where power prevails over all.

    Really, there¡¯s nothing to be done about it, no matter how bad the news articles make it out to be. Nobody has the manpower necessary to bring order to those areas. Well, maybe the High-Families do, but they¡¯re too concerned with policing each other, and maintaining that ridiculous ¡°alignment¡± argument. Honestly, you¡¯d think they¡¯d be tired of that after a few hundred years.

    There was also more local news, about a string of high-profile murder¡¯s that have been taking place. Seeing as how professionally the killer offed the victims, police are thinking that a hitman or assassin¡¯s been hired to go after these people.

    Interestingly, one of the victims was revealed to be a student at my school¡ªThe same one that had recently gone missing, and whose disappearance was noted in the school¡¯s daily announcements.

    Bah. I have a feeling I know what¡¯s going on. I just hope he doesn¡¯t get caught or something. Breaking him out of prison would be a right pain in the ass.

    Sighing, I walked into my bedroom, and flopped down onto my sheets.

    Dammit, I want something to do.

    I really hate these blank spots in my days, you know? What am I even supposed to do with them? Hell, if I knew what to do with them, they wouldn¡¯t be blank voids of perpetual and time-bending boredom. Normally, I would play games or something, but I¡¯ve gotten tired of them as of late. For one¡ªand I believe I¡¯ve mentioned this before¡ªmost games are just too easy now. I could go and find new games to play, but I would run into the same problems after a bit of time.

    Raising my hand to the ceiling and staring at it, I consider the things I could do.

    Maybe I could throw myself into a project? It would have to be something sufficiently high-level enough to peak my interest, and keep it for the full duration.

    Ah, but it¡¯s just not possible at the moment. A lot of the things I want to do would need either large amounts of space, or good equipment. Given that I have neither, it¡¯s can¡¯t be done right now.

    Maybe I could try my hand at more creative things¡ªlike painting, or writing?

    Or not. The horror that was my fifth grade art project will never be repeated. Intelligence does not always equate creativity, it seems.

    I sigh again, and somewhat reluctantly get up and check the Ashenload forums. Normally, they¡¯re used as a tool to help players get to know the game better, but that seems to have changed recently. Now, everyone¡¯s just complaining about the so-called Player-Gods, and how they¡¯ve messed up the game. Quite a few people are claiming that they¡¯ll stop playing the game altogether, if the developers don¡¯t take away the power of the Player-Gods.

    ¡­¡­

    How needy. Even though the solution should be staring them in the face, they don¡¯t see it?

    Well, I guess I¡¯m one of the few accustomed to thinking outside the box in video games. Really, how has nobody seen this yet? I thought it was obvious enough that someone else would take action.

    Apparently not.

    I went ahead and logged into the forums using my in-game account, and posted my thoughts on the matter, while also hinting that perhaps the Player-Gods are not as all-powerful as they seem.

    I mean, this is a VRMMO, right? It stands to reason that any enemy can be beaten in some way, even if it turns out to be ridiculously difficult. There¡¯s always a weakness, and everything has a flaw. To think otherwise would mean that you believe it isn¡¯t a game anymore, but real life.

    I smiled, and logged back off. Hopefully, this¡¯ll catalyze some action into the game, and force the quest to progress.

    Now, what to do with the rest of my time?

    <hr>

    Like any other city, Jor has its fair share of dark nooks and alleys, with all manor of things hidden where the light will not shine.

    A figure dressed in heavy black clothing walked off the street, and into one of the dark alleyways, his silhouette instantly disappearing among the shadows. He continued walking; not caring about his combat boots treading through whatever waste and refuse littered the floor of the alley. Soon, a curious sight came into view¡ªA heavy metal door set into the side of a building. Were someone to examine the building codes and diagrams, they would find that the door should not exist, as there was no space for a room behind it.

    Never-the-less, the figure rapped on the door in a set pattern. A slit in the door opened in stereotypical fashion, and a pair of eyes peered outwards. Taking note of the figure in black, a voice called out from behind the door.

    ¡°Password?¡±

    The figure in black hesitated for a brief moment before responding.

    ¡°One-two-one-yankee-delta-eight-seven.¡± He responded.

    The clicking of large locks rattled the door, before it swung open to reveal a middle-aged man. With plain brown hair, and a normal face, the man would look at home in almost any setting. Right now though, he looks distinctly out of place with the metal door and dingy alleyway.

    ¡°Did you complete it, Specter?¡± Asked the man.

    The figure in black nodded as he entered the room beyond the door, which shut automatically after him.

    A few minutes later, a group of uniformed men and women ran into the alley, searching for something.

    ¡°Are you sure he went this way?!¡± Yelled the lead officer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure! Surveillance caught him walking down this alley about three minutes ago, and it¡¯s a dead end! He should still be in here!¡±

    Quickly but carefully, the group walked down the alley.

    Ten minutes later, they had to give up. There was no sign of their quarry in the alleyway. After all, there were no exits to take, no doors to open within the alley by the time the group arrived.

    Meanwhile, inside the room protected by the metal door, the figure in black took off his mask, and sat down. The middle-aged man eyed him warily.

    ¡°There¡¯s no blood on you, right? I¡¯d hate to have to burn that chair, Ussen.¡±

    Ussen shook his head.

    ¡°¡­I did it from a distance this time.¡±

    ¡°What¡ªReally? That¡¯s no good. You¡¯re better up close, with your knives.¡±

    ¡°I still did it, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    The middle-aged man sighed.

    ¡°Sure, sure. But you have to play to your strengths. What if you hadn¡¯t succeeded? We would have been out a contract, and a good, paying customer.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I still finished the job.¡± Ussen replied morosely.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect for your baptism to start so well.¡± Said the middle-aged man in a throwaway manner. ¡°I don¡¯t think anybody did. You¡¯d always seemed too soft, too caring. It¡¯s good to know that Goethric blood truly does flow through your veins, boy.¡± Said the man, as he opened the metal door again. Ussen got back up, and walked out the door.

    Beyond the door, the alleyway had vanished, and now a stately study room greeted Ussen. Turning around, he watched as the metal door, which stood without any support in the middle of the study room, slowly vanished from view.

    Ussen sat down in one of the chairs within the study, no emotions present on his face.

    Then he waited.

    After some time, the door to the study creaked open, and Ussen¡¯s father walked in.

    ¡°I just got the news. This makes your seventh, right? Only three more to go, then.¡±

    Ussen nodded.

    ¡°I think I have a good target for your eighth hit, as well.¡± He said, putting a folder down in front of Ussen, who opened it, and immediately frowned.

    ¡°That¡¯s too close. I request another target.¡±

    ¡°Too close?¡± asked Ussen¡¯s father, while grinning slightly.

    ¡°She¡¯s in my class. I¡¯ve seen Sabrina talking to her.¡±

    Ussen¡¯s father rubbed his beard a little, still smiling.

    ¡°I can¡¯t draw attention to myself so conspicuously, targeting someone in my own class.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Ussen. I¡¯m afraid you have to do it. Part of the Baptism is proving how capable you are at hiding and remaining inconspicuous.¡± Said Ussen¡¯s father, still smiling. His smile never reached his eyes though.

    Ussen paled almost imperceptibly.

    ¡°But¡­.¡± He began.

    His father held up a hand, and snapped. Immediately, a screen folded down from the ceiling, and a video was projected onto it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been of the opinion that you have too many friends, Ussen. I¡¯ve always told you that¡¯s a mistake. It takes a blade finely honed through practice and discipline, and blunts it. Now, you can carry out this job, and continue your Baptism. Or, I could remove a distraction from your life.¡± He said, pointing at the screen.

    On it was a live feed of Ussen¡¯s friend Kormic teaching a bunch of little kids. The crosshairs resting on his head made it clear that the video was being filmed from the scope of a sniper.

    Ussen stared at the screen, not saying anything. His father raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh? Is the removal of one friend acceptable in your eyes? Perhaps I should take out more than one obstacle to your growth?¡±

    The screen shifted, and next to the video feed of Kormic, another one appeared¡ªthis time with Godard inside his smithy, hammering away on a bit of glowing metal. Like before, a crosshair was superimposed over his head.

    ¡°Or, if that still isn¡¯t enough, maybe the removal of all disturbances will get you to act?¡± He said.

    Three more video feeds joined the other two, each with a friend of Ussen¡¯s in the center. The most disturbing was probably the one with Haven, since the video feed made it clear that her assassin was hiding somewhere in her room as she wrote something on a tablet.

    Ussen shook his head.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± He said, a faint hint of disgust in his voice.

    His father smiled broadly, and the screen retracted itself into the ceiling again.

    ¡°Good, good! Look at it this way¡ªonly three more hits, until your Baptism is finished, and we can have the Ceremony.¡±

    Ussen left the room, not looking back at his father as he spoke.

    Perhaps if one of them had noticed, things would have turned out differently. As it was, neither one caught the hint, and they both blundered forward in oblivious bliss.

    You see, if they had seen Revy look up from the dishes she was washing, and stare right at whatever was filming her, things would have changed. If they had seen the smile she¡¯d had while looking right at her would-be assassin, perhaps greater precautions would have been taken.

    As it was, the event only left the assassin himself shaking, while attempting to convince himself that Revy hadn¡¯t been looking at him. And that the shivers he felt up and down his spine was the weather.

    But nobody took note of that. And so events unfolded.

 Chapter 22: Of Power, And The Lack Thereof.

    I looked up from the dinner plates I was washing.

    Oh-ho~ Who¡¯s that over there, looking my way with such weak and un-hidden killing intent? And he¡¯s on a rooftop, in plain sight no less. Do they take me for an idiot? I would say that he¡¯s been sent to kill me or something, but that would make him an assassin. And calling him an assassin would be a grave insult to all other assassins. Did they send a new guy after me or something?

    Eh, it doesn¡¯t matter. If someone¡¯s trying to kill me, I might as well respond in kind, no?

    However, the killing intent disappeared without warning. Huh? I look more closely at the ¡°assassin¡±, and see him shaking up on his rooftop, his eyes wide.

    Wow. I guess he¡¯s not here to try and kill me after all.

    But why was he here in the first place? I don¡¯t think anyone would want to kill me at the moment, given that there¡¯s nothing around me that would warrant such a thing. And, given how only three or four people have even the slightest inkling to my true power level, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s about that either. Besides, who the hell would send such a poor assassin to try and kill me, even knowing how powerful I am?

    No, I think this is about something else. Or, someone else.

    Sigh~ Am I going to have to do something about this?

    Or is it going to work itself out?

    Well, knowing my luck, I¡¯ll end up getting involved whether I want to or not. It¡¯s kinda what happens with me.

    I quietly observe as the assassin sits on the rooftop for a few minutes longer, before getting up and packing up the gun he would have used to kill me. Seeing it in profile, I recognized it¡¯s make and manufacturer.

    The ¡°assassin¡± was going to try and kill me with a Dursten-Feuer railgun set to 50 caliber. Yeah, that removes any doubt in my mind¡ªthe person who sent this amateur doesn¡¯t know how strong I am. Such a firearm would have barely counted as tickling me. At my level, only weapons infused with sufficient amount of Mana energy can harm me. Meaning, that any would-be assassin has to be at my own power level, or at least equipped with a legendary artifact. Of course, the schmuck on the rooftop has neither.

    Although, his weapon would indicate that whatever group sent his has quite the funding. Last time I checked, that rail-gun cost about as much as a medium-sized corvette. Those don¡¯t come cheaply, you know.

    I¡¯m thinking that I already know who¡¯s behind this little joke.

    It might be time for Ussen¡¯s father and I to meet, face to face. Otherwise, he might get too cocky.

    Ah, but first, I have some other stuff to do. I want to hear Ussen¡¯s side of the story before acting rashly. And who knows, I might even be wrong, and all this is about something else. I¡¯d hate to do something that blows up in my face later.

    Right, so I have to find Ussen, get him to talk to me, and do whatever else I have to. Preferably, I¡¯d like to have this done before morning. I still have to meet the others in Ashenload to finish that quest tomorrow.

    I sit down in front of my computer, and crack my knuckles. Then, I start combing through the city data for mentions or whispers of Ussen while also going through the surveillance archives in order to find him.

    Let¡¯s see¡ªwhere was he earlier today?

    Ah, there. Found you. Now to just retrace his steps.

    Ten minutes later, I got up from the computer. It looks like he got home somehow after finishing his job and holed up in his room. However, he soon left through the window and escaped into a seedier part of the city. Looks like I¡¯ll need to wear something a bit sturdier and more intimidating than the PJ¡¯s I have on now. And maybe also arm myself heavily. I don¡¯t know what it is, but strange things always happen when I enter that part of the city. Attempted muggings, kidnapping rings, robberies happing in front of me, or that one time where a grenade just freaking fell from the sky and exploded next to me¡ªNothing normal happens there. So, yeah. I¡¯m arming myself.

    I also put on my Halo protective gear, which consisted of loose pants tucked into knee-high boots, a shirt with a black vest over it, a small jacket, and some convenient belt loops. There were also some gloves. There were some luminescent yellow lines on the outfit, which were basically areas for Mana to flow. The whole outfit has a protective field around it, powered by my own Mana. It can take some fairly heavy blows.

    I also grabbed a small satchel and a spare katana, and hung them from the belt loops.

    The goal here is to be as conspicuous as possible. By wearing some fairly high-end protective gear, and a fairly good nano-blade katana, I stand out quite a bit. Pair that with my face and body (or lack thereof), and I¡¯m kinda noticeable.

    There are a few reasons I want to stand out.

    The first is actually a bit counter-intuitive. You see so many people walking into the shadier parts of the city with cloak and dagger, completely covered and wearing masks and the like. I can tell you that those people are the first to be targeted by thugs and muggers. It shows that you¡¯re uncomfortable, which is entirely the wrong thing to come across as. You want to swagger into places like that, make it seem like it¡¯s nothing to you. People will assume that A: you belong there, or B: you aren¡¯t someone to be trifled with.

    The second reason is because I want Ussen to see me coming. I¡¯m banking on his familiarity with me to keep him from running.

    And the third is because I look badass with the gear on. What? It¡¯s true.

    After checking over everything a final time, I left my apartment, and started heading to where Ussen is.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Ussen was simply wandering around the Crypt district of Jor. It has the dubious reputation of being disreputable, and a place where trouble tends to find you. Ussen couldn¡¯t feel more at home though. Most of his early years were spent here, learning the in¡¯s and out¡¯s of the darker trades. A part of him wished he didn¡¯t feel so comfortable in that sort of place, though.

    He sighed, and kicked at a small rock on the ground. It bounced off down the narrow and dimly lit street. Every so often, the yellowed lights of a bar or tavern broke up the darkness, and the sounds of it¡¯s patrons echoed through the otherwise quiet night. And if it isn¡¯t a bar disrupting the peace, it¡¯s a mugging in the alleys, or the pleasure houses masquerading as fine restaurants and wine shops.

    Actually, Ussen didn¡¯t think there was a single bit of peace in the Crypt district during the night. Rather, daytime was when things got¡­tame.

    In the back of his mind, he wondered about what could have been, instead of what is. Those thoughts were interrupted fairly quickly though, by a woman¡¯s shout in one of the alleyways, and the laughter of several grown men.

    Ussen paused for a second, hesitating. He began to take a step forward, away from the alley. Then he stopped and turned around, a look of disgust and loathing adorning his face. He walked into the alleyway, immediately taking in the sight of a lone woman trying in vain to fend off three big and burly men. They had her backed up against a wall, and were pretty much just toying with the poor woman now, who had a look of intense fear on her face¡ªa distinct counterpoint to the lust and greed in the eyes of the men.

    Ussen walked right up to the men without them noticing, so intent were they on toying with their prey. Without any preamble, he went into his Awakening, and swiped a hand through the first man¡¯s chest.

    His hand simply phased through the man, not stopping nor showing any record of its passage. It came back out with a glowing and wiggling¡­thing held in his grip. Ussen immediately tossed the wispy object into his mouth, and ate it.

    This action caused something strange to happen to the man. His eyes immediately went glassy, and his mouth dropped open. He just¡­stopped, frozen in place. He was breathing, and indeed his heart was still beating, but nothing else was happening. The other men continued harassing the woman, and tearing at her clothes. They hadn¡¯t yet noticed that one among their number had ceased to function.

    Ussen stepped around the still man, and moved on to the next one. A similar motion to the first brought this man to a halt as well, except the glowing cloud like substance from this one was a dark and cloudy grey, as opposed to the light grey of the other one. Ussen tossed this one to the ground, where it slowly dissipated.

    ¡°What the fuck? Tom? Freddy?¡± Said the last man, who had finally noticed that something was wrong. Before he could do anything else though, Ussen¡¯s hand swiped through his chest as well, leaving three men without their souls.

    Ussen exited his Awakened form, and walked over to the three men. Considering them for a moment, he called back over his shoulder.

    ¡°Go home, miss. No one will save you next time.¡±

    He heard quiet sobbing as the woman got up, and ran out of the alley. He pointedly ignored the puddle of liquid that had appeared where she had been standing.

    Instead, he went up to the men, and fished out a line of wire held between two handles.

    A minute later, he walked out of the alleyway, his mood having taken a distinct turn for the worse. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of what he had to do, or the fact that he was capable of doing it in the first place.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    He kicked at another rock in the street, and it clattered away from him in a confused and wobbly fashion. He shook his head and turned around, walking in the opposite direction. This brought Ussen past the Midnight Markets¡ªan open air trades ground set up in the Crypt district¡¯s squares. The catch was that the markets were only open during the night, and were frequented by people looking for things not normally available in a more¡­. respectable market.

    Ussen watched the crowds in the square. Most of them had weapons by their sides, and some sort of protective gear. Only a precious few were wearing masks, or covering all of themselves up. Ussen noticed that the pickpockets were shadowing those with masks on, choosing them as prime targets. Ussen almost laughed at that. Seeing people new to the Crypts always had its entertainment value, in a dark sort of way.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t actually laugh. His mood was still too foul for that.

    He sat down on a staircase off to the side, and decided to watch as the people passed by. Watching others always helped Ussen. It kept him from thinking about his own situation, and his past experiences. It was therapeutic watching others go about their relatively easy lives.

    Because he was watching the crowds, there was no way for him to miss it.

    All the sudden, it seemed like the people down in the market parted, making space for something, or someone. Ussen could see fear in the eyes of some people, but couldn¡¯t see the source of it. At least, until a small and petite person stepped into his line of sight¡ªone that was shockingly familiar. And behind her¡­Ussen¡¯s eyes widened, and he immediately got up. Because, behind his friend Revy, thugs from the Crypt boss¡¯s group were walking, silently glaring at her.

    Ussen passed through the crowd, and walked straight through the empty space towards Revy. Grabbing her hand, he kept walking, plunging straight into the other side of the crowd. Not caring about the people he was jostling, he wanted to get Revy out of there as soon as possible. She wasn¡¯t equipped to deal with the underworld like he was.

    Practically running, he almost didn¡¯t care if Revy couldn¡¯t keep up. He didn¡¯t think about that. It didn¡¯t matter anyways, since she was keeping to his pace with shocking ease. But again, Ussen wasn¡¯t paying attention to that, wasn¡¯t thinking about it. He was focusing on only one thing¡ªgetting Revy out of the Crypts.

    And when he finally did, and stopped well outside the Crypt¡¯s borders, he rounded on Revy.

    ¡°What the hell are you thinking?! Don¡¯t you know how dangerous that place is?!¡± He shouted, not caring that it was night, and people were probably sleeping outside of the Crypts.

    Revy, simply tilted her head in a confused manor, and stared at Ussen with her blank expression.

    ¡°Yes? Came for you. Questions.¡± She said succinctly.

    ¡°You know how dangerous it is, and yet you still go?!¡± Said Ussen, still yelling at Revy. He didn¡¯t even consider the fact that apparently Revy knew exactly where to find him, and has questions about something so pressing that she would go into the Crypts.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Answered Revy once more. ¡°Have questions about earlier.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Look, we have to get you home, before anyone decides to follow you, okay?¡± He said, speaking slower than normal. If he were to calm down, Ussen would have noticed that Revy was getting a bit annoyed at this point. Just a little annoyed...

    She crossed her arms, and stared straight at Ussen.

    ¡°We need¡­to¡­.¡± , began Ussen. ¡°Are you¡­glaring at me?¡± He asked, sounding genuinely perturbed.

    Revy nodded.

    ¡°Being stupid. I have questions.¡± She said, just a hint of crossness entering her voice.

    ¡°Can it wait?¡± Asked Ussen. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±

    Revy sighed, before reluctantly nodding. She felt that Ussen wouldn¡¯t relax until he perceived that they were safe. Never mind the fact that the space around Revy was among the safest in the city. Well, granted, Ussen had no way of knowing that.

    So, Revy lead Ussen back to her house. Ussen realized where they were going about halfway into the journey there. He¡¯d been in Revy¡¯s apartment before, but not in any official way.

    <hr>

    I opened the apartment door, and ushered Ussen into my home. He was looking kinda fidgety for some reason, while I brought him to my couch and sat him down. Taking care to rearrange my sword, I sat down in the chair opposite the couch. There¡¯s a coffee table between us with some of my books still on it, and I could tell that Ussen was eyeing their titles. I cleared my throat, and grabbed his attention again.

    ¡°Father threatening you?¡± I asked, getting straight to the point.

    Ussen jerked in his seat, a look of shock on his face. Ah, I¡¯ll take that as a yes.

    ¡°How¡­do you know about that, Revy?¡± He asked, a look of disbelief still on his face.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Rooftop assassin. Hard to miss.¡±

    ¡°But¡­How?¡± He asked.

    I just shrugged again. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m explaining everything to him. While I want my friends to have a basic idea of my strength, I don¡¯t want them to know anything that might end up harming themselves, or our relationships with each other.

    There was a silence for a while. Ussen¡¯s fidgeting got worse the longer we went without speaking.

    Finally, he broke it.

    ¡°Revy¡­What are you? Really?¡±

    Huh, such an odd, if a somewhat expected question. There not really a good answer to it either, so I replied as best I could given my own difficulties and want for secrecy.

    ¡°Physical interpretation of phantasmal being.¡± I said, very plainly. Ussen looked extremely perplexed.

    Well, I didn¡¯t lie, right? I only made things as vague and obscure as possible.

    Ussen cleared his throat.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, then I¡¯ll be going. My father doesn¡¯t like it when I¡¯m gone for too long. Thank you for¡­¡±

    I pointed at him, cutting him off.

    ¡°Can handle father if want.¡± I said.

    ¡°Wait, what do you¡­¡±

    ¡°Can talk him. Father stop.¡±

    ¡°No, Revy. My father is not a man to be trifled with, okay? He¡¯s far, far too strong for someone who tested as only a 1<sup>st</sup> divide Awakening. He¡¯s too strong for me, and I¡¯m really a 7<sup>th</sup> divide.¡± Explained Ussen, as if to a child. I do not think he gets it yet.

    ¡°What divide is father at?¡± I asked.

    ¡°¡­10<sup>th</sup>. He¡¯s at the higher end of the 10<sup>th</sup> divide, Revy. There¡¯s nothing I can do about any of this.¡±

    I smile sweetly. Only at the 10<sup>th</sup>? This¡¯ll be better than I thought it would be. Granted, assassins tend to have striking power equal to a whole divide above them, with the trade off being that they typically have weak defenses. So much Mana gets pulled into their attacks, that they have very little to spare for shielding.

    ¡°Wait here.¡± I tell Ussen. ¡°Can handle this.¡±

    He immediately gets up.

    ¡°No! Didn¡¯t you listen to me?! My father¡¯s not someone you can go up against!¡±

    ¡°Fine then. You come along.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying, Revy!¡±

    I got up regardless, and walked to the door.

    ¡°No, wait, Revy!¡±

    I opened the door, and walked outside. It¡¯s kind of funny. I think this is the most I¡¯ve ever heard Ussen speak. Normally, he puts up a strong and silent front. Probably as a result of his upbringing. I can understand that.

    ¡°Revy, wait! This isn¡¯t a good idea!¡± He called out while coming up behind me.

    I ignored his ignorant pleas, and continued walking. Let¡¯s see¡ªUssen¡¯s house is¡­that way, right?

    ¡°House that direction, no?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Er, no! It¡¯s on the other side of the town!¡±

    Right, so it is in that direction. For an assassin trainee, you¡¯d think Ussen would be a better liar.

    I¡¯ll spare you the details about the rest of the walk, since it was mostly just Ussen attempting to plead with me. I¡¯m touched that he doesn¡¯t wish to see me harmed, but you¡¯d think he¡¯d have gotten the hint by now. I guess people just put too much stock in the measurements taken upon Awakening¡ªespecially given how fool-proof they¡¯re supposed to be. The fact that I¡¯m stronger than I appear to be must not have crossed his mind at all. I don¡¯t blame him. After all, I did spend years trying to appear as powerless and harmless as possible in order to live as normal a life as possible.

    It¡¯s only when my normalcy is threatened that I pull out the stops, and take true action. Like right now. I take slight exception to having a rail-gun pointed at my head, no matter how little damage I would have taken. It¡¯s the principle of the matter, you know?

    Eventually, Ussen¡¯s family estate comes into view. I count at least fifteen guards, and quite a few security measures. I stop for a moment, drafting a plan of attack.

    Ussen speaks up behind me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see how many guards there are? All are at least at the 5<sup>th</sup> divide. Just go back home Revy¡ªI¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m okay with doing what my father tells me to, alright?¡±

    I turn back to him, one eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Okay with killing?¡± I ask.

    Ussen falters. I guess he¡¯s not to that point yet, then. All assassins have to get there, but I believe his father¡¯s going about it the wrong way. For one, he¡¯s just been telling Ussen to go kill a target. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever taught Ussen detachment techniques, or compartmentalization.

    My guess is that Ussen¡¯s father is a natural born killer, and thus never had to learn those things himself. He might assume Ussen¡¯s like him, or the fact that Ussen has a conscious never even occurred to him.

    Bah, it doesn¡¯t matter. All that matters is that he¡¯s had a rail-gun pointed towards me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I said. ¡°Killing is okay.¡±

    And so I walked past the fence of Ussen¡¯s home. Seeing five guards immediately snap to attention, and level various weapons at me, I smiled. It¡¯s been so long since I could vent like this.

    I drew my katana, and held it off to the side. The shields on my Halo protective gear were cranked all the way up. A shimmering yellow circle appeared over my head, a side effect of the protective gear¡¯s intense shield output that had given the brand its name. Of course, that halo is normally green, but I¡¯d made a few¡­adjustments to the gear.

    The men, seeing that I was acting in a hostile manner, attacked. They¡¯re well-trained, it seems. If a little weak. While they were running towards me with swords and daggers at the ready, I simply walked towards them, my own katana held away from my body in a ready position.

    The men reached me at about the same time. I could hear Ussen yelling behind me, telling the men to not harm me. How sweet. He should be more worried about the guards though.

    Three swords descended on me at the same time, from three different points before me. So, I did the sensible thing and took a step closer to the men, deflecting only the middle sword with a fluid parry. The other two were blocked by reinforcing my shield at those impact points. Following through with the parry, I swiped with my sword. The guard¡¯s were in no position to block a high cut, with their swords down near the ground, so my katana sheered through their own protective shields and throats with ease. The three of them fell with a wet gurgle, and I eyed the other two guards¡ªone of whom was staring at me with fear, and the other calling for backup. Ussen¡¯s fallen silent behind me.

    I continue walking forward.

    ¡°Want to speak with leader.¡± I call out in a clear and childish voice, belaying the violence I¡¯d just committed.

    ¡°The likes of you don¡¯t get to see him!¡± One of the guards called out.

    I sigh, and begin walking calmly towards the group of guards who had just arrived. Please, please attack. And please be at least a little strong. Unfortunately, given the way these guards are shifting nervously, I don¡¯t think any of them would be even a moderate challenge.

    ¡°I want to see leader.¡± I said.

    Fortunately, it seems that Ussen¡¯s father noticed the deaths on his property, as a middle aged man walked out the house¡¯s front door. I could tell that he had knives on various points of his body, and an extremely well hidden killing intent roiled off him like a dense cloud. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m the only one here able to notice it.

    ¡°Are you one of my son¡¯s friends?¡± Asked the man with a disarming smile. ¡°Just perfect. And here I was thinking of teaching him a lesson for going off on his own, when you show up on my doorstep, and kill three of my men.¡±

    ¡°However, weren¡¯t you just a piddling 1<sup>st</sup> divide Awakener? You must have had quite the breakthrough to stand against my men. No matter. I¡¯m afraid that I must set an example. No hard feelings, my dear?¡±

    I smiled sweetly at him.

    ¡°No hard feelings? I like.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Are you making a joke, my dear girl? I¡¯m afraid I do not quite understand.¡±

    ¡°Kill men, no hard feelings?¡± I say, that smile still on my face.

    ¡°Ah, you see, that¡¯s not how this works. Rather, I hope you don¡¯t have any hard feelings about me killing you.¡± He replied, before slamming his killing intent into me, and palming a cruel looking dagger. I think that¡¯s one made for flaying? Oh well, it doesn¡¯t matter.

    Because, his killing intent is far too weak. It doesn¡¯t do anything to me, though the guards are shaking in their boots. No, I¡¯m not grinning anymore. This isn¡¯t any fun at all.

    Heedless of the killing intent, I take a solid step towards Ussen¡¯s father.

    ¡°Oh? You can still walk? You must have hidden quite a bit of strength somehow.¡± He commented. He must not be able to see my eyes¡ªmy hair must be covering them.

    Ah, you know what? Fuck it all.

    I activated my Awakening.

    And shattered his weak killing intent. Did you know that killing intent¡¯s a type of domain? And do you know what type of Awakening rules domains? Mine.

    ¡°What the?¡± Said Ussen¡¯s father, seeing the manifestation of his killing intent unravel before him.

    I take another step towards him, and he sees my eyes. Or, rather, the single bright blue eye, almost glowing while the other retained it¡¯s moss-green color. And I suppose he saw the anger in that eye.

    ¡°Sent assassin after me.¡± I say, taking another step.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t want it happen again.¡± Another step.

    I could faintly feel my own domains dimly manifesting themselves, their power pushing through my control ever so slightly. I reigned in control.

    ¡°Do. You. Understand?¡± I ask Ussen¡¯s father.

 Chapter 23: A Reprieve

    ¡°Do. You. Understand?¡± I ask Ussen¡¯s father, who had an unsightly look on his face after having his killing intent unraveled. He must not know how it happened either, making me seem all the more mysterious in his eyes.

    I took another step closer to him, still holding the katana by my side. My domains quivered even though I was consciously holding them down¡ªthey were responding to my intent, and the situation I was in. I only want to frighten Ussen¡¯s father with a show of power though, not kill him outright. So I shove the domains back down, and they stopped manifesting in the small ways they had been.

    Ussen¡¯s father crouched lower, his hand reaching into his jacket pocket. Internally, I sighed, knowing exactly what he had gone to grab. His arm flickered, and I could clearly make out the knife spinning end over end towards me.

    Whatever smile was left on my face immediately faded into a full-on scowl as I sidestepped the knife with a slight rotation. It whirled past me, embedding itself into the concrete wall past me. Continuing the turn I¡¯d began by rotating, I flicked a few of my own daggers at Ussen¡¯s father. They flew at least twice as fast as his had, and whizzed right past his face, nicking both of his ears and clipping the ends of his hair.

    I fell to a crouch after completing my spin, right before a bullet screamed over the top of my head and impacted the ground at an angle. I look up and spot the sniper who had been hiding on the roof-top, and shake my head ever so slightly. Even if that had hit, nothing would have been likely to happen.

    Standing all the way up again, I fix Ussen¡¯s father with a blank-faced stare.

    ¡°Really want to do this?¡± I asked, not caring to infuse any power into my words. I would have appeared careless and relaxed, were it not for the scowl on my face.

    Ussen¡¯s father also appeared to relax, though his eyes still held a sharp gleam.

    ¡°No, of course not.¡± He sighed dramatically, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°I guess I¡¯d better invite you in then.¡± He said, walking over to the door and propping it open with a cordial smile. He gestured for me to enter. Reluctantly sheathing my katana, I went into Ussen¡¯s family home.

    The first thing that struck me was the dark but cozy atmosphere inside the house. It¡¯s wood paneling and thick velvet carpet lent themselves to a stately first impression, and the artwork lining the halls were all masterfully crafted. All in all, nothing was overtly sinister about the manor. However, a trained eye would note the small and extremely well-hidden cameras all over the place, and the fact that there were very, very few windows and the doors seemed thicker than normal.

    I also knew that there would probably be a secret basement or something, or that the house was likely riddled with tunnels and crawl-spaces.

    Following behind Ussen¡¯s father, we eventually arrived in a dining hall of some sort. The fact that the table seemed to be freshly set spoke volumes about the professionalism of the staff working as house keeping here. The fact that all of the aforementioned staff had that killer gleam in their eyes, and knives secreted under their clothes also told me everything I needed to know about this household. They watched me warily, though there was no open hostility.

    I was motioned to a seat at the table, on the left hand side of the table¡¯s head where Ussen¡¯s father sat down. Ussen himself sat across form me, his gaze resting on some far off place, unfocused. He obviously has quite a bit on his mind at the moment.

    I don¡¯t blame him, having seen a fraction of what I¡¯m capable of. For as long as we¡¯ve known each other, I¡¯ve come across as a petite and frail girl. Now that he knows that I must be much deeper than he initially thought, he¡¯s revaluating our relationship as friends.

    A few moments were spent in silence, before covered plates were set before us all. The covers were taken off to reveal a gorgeous looking dinner of what I¡¯m sure was actual steak, mashed potatoes, and a medley of vegetables. This was a power move, given that all the food was from Earth, or grown in Earth-like biospheres after great care and a large investment. In other words, the steak alone is worth its weight in iridium.

    Hm~ Ussen¡¯s family must be quite the assassin clan if they can afford this type of stuff. A bit concerning, but I suppose things like this are always going to be a part of our society. It¡¯s a matter of human nature.

    I watched as Ussen¡¯s father casually cut into the steak, and popped a piece into his mouth. He paused for a second, and made a gesture for me to eat up. Gingerly, I took a piece of my own steak and chewed on it. It wasn¡¯t bad, for the most part. I wasn¡¯t too keen on the potatoes, and thought the vegetables were overrated. Really, one of the problems with Earth food is that it tends to only be fantastically good on Earth. The process of keeping it fresh during long journeys always seems to take away some of the food¡¯s magic.

    After having taken a few bites, I set down my fork. Sure, this stuff is expensive¡ªbut it loses out in taste to the local foods. Ussen¡¯s father continues eating until his plate is wiped clean. Ussen seems to have not touched his food at all.

    ¡°We were never introduced, were we, little friend of Ussen¡¯s?¡± Remarked Ussen¡¯s father after finishing, the very picture of cordiality. I shook my head.

    ¡°Hm, how tragic. My name is Halif Gibraltar, and as you might have surmised thus far, Ussen is my son. He is next in line for the head seat of the house, and must be prepared for the responsibilities associated with that position. You might have also figured out that this house is not exactly ¡°normal¡±. We are descended from a long line of assassins, dating all the way back to before the Moonfall. Now, I have a small problem. Ussen¡ªmy heir¡ªis too soft to take the seat. I fear that he will not harden himself without some¡­.outside motivations.

    ¡°Now, the problem is that you and his other friends are part of the reason why he¡¯s too soft. Ergo, I¡¯m turning that into the reason why he must become more callous.¡±

    ¡°By threatening us?¡±

    ¡°But of course! If Ussen fails, or otherwise refuses to do something, I¡¯ll kill one of his friends. I may just kill them all anyway, to get the distraction away from him. I want him to fit in with other people, and that doesn¡¯t require friendship.¡±

    I tilted my head to one side, still staring at Halif without any emotion.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Sounds lonely.¡±

    ¡°Assassins do not get lonely.¡± Snarled Halif. ¡°They do their job, and that¡¯s all that matters. We are killers first, professionals second, and businessmen third. There¡¯s no room for things like loneliness.¡±

    ¡°If Ussen doesn¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°What? If he doesn¡¯t want to become an assassin?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Too bad. I¡¯ve been blessed by a son possessing the perfect abilities for our line of work, and it¡¯d be a shame were he to waste his natural talent. He has a duty to succeed me.¡±

    ¡°If I stop that?¡± I ask quietly.

    Ussen, who had just been staring at his food this entire time, looked up at me in shock.

    ¡°Revy, what do you¡­¡± He began, before being cut off by his father.

    ¡°Shut up boy! Do not entertain any fantasies.¡± He turned back to me.

    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s nothing you can do. I¡¯ll admit, you are surprisingly powerful¡ªmuch more so than I would have ever guessed. However, you are also too na?ve. There¡¯s a reason why so many people are reluctant to eat in the house of an assassin.¡±

    My eyes widen a little.

    ¡°What¡­.?¡±

    ¡°My dear, my poor, poor dear. Stupid girl. Do you not realize even now what¡¯s happened? The food was poisoned, and I¡¯m afraid that even those who are at your apparent level of strength will not be able to resist what was in it.¡±

    ¡°Poison?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, poison. It was a little compound named Verfausten, a design of my ancestors. It¡¯s a sinister little thing¡ªattacks the Mana networks in the body first, then goes straight to the brain. You are already dead.¡±

    ¡°Father, why would¡­.!¡± Yelled Ussen, before his father backhanded him into the wall.

    ¡°You shut up! I¡¯m doing this for your sake, now don¡¯t complain! You¡¯ll thank me later. Now, as for you, girl, I could effectively kill you now. The poison should have already frozen your Mana veins, rendering you helpless. Now, I¡¯m loath to throw away a good tool, so I¡¯ll give you a choice.¡± Halif held up a little vial of liquid.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there is no cure for Verfausten. However, there is a compound that will temporarily halt it¡¯s progress, and even allow you to use your Mana again. The choice is simple. Do what I say, and I¡¯ll give you this compound and you can live a bit longer. However, you will then have to have a bit of the compound every few days, as the poison would become active again without it. Or, you could say no and die within the hour.¡±

    Sigh~

    It¡¯s the classic villain¡¯s dilemma, isn¡¯t it?

    Well, I mean I obviously want to live a bit longer. Who doesn¡¯t?¡ªbesides hero¡¯s and idiots, that is.

    Well, I might as well agree and see where this all is going. Though, if he asks me to kill someone, Halif¡¯s in for a rude Awakening.

    I hesitated for a moment longer, before nodding.

    ¡°What do I do?¡±

    Halif grinned, and pulled out a crystal ball.

    ¡°Simple. You put your hand on this, and agree that you¡¯ll do whatever I ask.¡±

    Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I reached over and touched the ball. Immediately, it lit up, and I could feel a bond of sorts fall into place as I spoke.

    ¡°Swear to obey Halif Gibraltar.¡± I said. The bond solidified.

    ¡°Good, good. Now, there¡¯s only one thing I want for you to do. Listen very closely, Ussen, my son. Know what will happen should you fail. Girl, I want you to watch Ussen. If ever he falters, appears unconfident, or otherwise acts in a way detrimental to his growth as an assassin, kill yourself.¡± Finished Halif with a sadistic grin.

    I nodded, shoving my distaste down as far as possible. I could already feel the compulsion to watch and observe Ussen setting in.

    ¡°Revy?¡± Asked Ussen, his voice cracking slightly. There were slight and tiny tears at the corner of his eyes. Instantly, my hand was drawn to my belt, and a knife was pricking my throat a bare millisecond later. I stared down at the knife held in my own hand, eyes wide. A force of will had barely stopped it from sinking all the way into my throat.

    ¡°I would be careful, son. It looks like this girl is very sensitive to proper behavior. You wouldn¡¯t want to kill her immediately by acting immature, would you? I¡¯d suggest you compose yourself as soon as possible, lest you end up with one less friend.¡±

    Ussen, looking frightened at the sight of the knife at my throat, immediately schooled his features into something approaching my own levels of stoic and calm expressionlessness.

    ¡°Please excuse me, I think I need some time alone right now.¡± He said, Ussen¡¯s voice level and measured.

    ¡°Go.¡± Said his father, waving a hand. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you need some time to adapt to this. Trust me though¡ªit will only make you stronger.¡±

    Ussen left without looking back at his father. I could see his steps falter for just a second before the door closed behind him.

    As soon as he was gone, Halif laughed a little to himself.

    ¡°Fool boy. Why can¡¯t he see that I just want him to be¡­better.¡± He turned to me. ¡°As for you, go home. Keep watch over Ussen at school for now. I¡¯ll send you further details on what I want you to do later. Here¡¯s the compound that¡¯ll be saving your life. I¡¯d suggest you drink this one down now¡ªI¡¯ll send more with the instructions.¡±

    He then turned his attention elsewhere, and I left.

    So, let¡¯s review the situation now, shall we?

    I came to Ussen¡¯s house in order to get his father to stop bothering me, and maybe to also stop pressuring Ussen to become a carbon copy of himself. Once arriving here, I dealt grievous harm to a number of the house guards, before meeting the head honcho himself. After showing a bot of my power to him, he invited me into his house, where I was poisoned during dinnertime. He then took that opportunity to consign me into his service in exchange for my life. Oh, and now I have to kill myself if Ussen shows any sigh of rebellion.

    How annoying.

    I pause right outside the gate to the Gibraltar family manor, before taking an abrupt turn to the left, skirting alongside the wall enclosing the building.

    I have a good idea about the type of personality Ussen¡¯s father has now. He¡¯s controlling, manipulative and cold-hearted. However, I do believe that he holds Ussen¡¯s best interests at heart, though in his own convoluted way. He doesn¡¯t hold anything back in his quest to make Ussen his version of perfect. He see¡¯s everyone other than Ussen as expendable though. Which is a bit of a problem for me.

    Jumping over the outer wall, I reentered the manor grounds.

    Let¡¯s see¡ªit should be¡­.there.

    Quickly running to the manor proper, I scaled up the wall to the second floor, where a window was left open. Perching on the windowsill, I looked into the room.

    Ussen was sitting on the bed, staring at the far wall with a blank look. I hopped down from the windowsill, and the noise startled Ussen. Looking up, he recoiled in shock.

    ¡°Revy? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Asking for opinion.¡± I stated.

    ¡°No, you should leave. I¡¯d hate to hurt you more than I already have.¡± He said, his voice emotionless. That must have been a great shock for him back there. I sighed.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, quietly.

    Ussen chuckled bitterly for a second.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what I really want, can I? You¡¯d kill yourself.¡± He said morosely.

    I snorted, and placed a hand on the wall. Raising a knife, I slammed it into my hand. I heard Ussen gasp behind me as I winced slightly, and withdrew the knife. My hand didn¡¯t even have time to bleed before the wound sealed itself back up, right before Ussen¡¯s eyes. The only proof of what had happened lay in the deep gash now on the wall.

    I smiled sadly.

    ¡°Can¡¯t kill myself. Impossible.¡±

    ¡°But¡­.How?¡± Asked Ussen, still staring at my hand as if it held the secrets of my life inside.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Answer earlier question.¡±

    ¡°What do I want?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want.¡± Laughed Ussen in a perplexed way. ¡°I¡¯ve never known. Why would I?¡±

    ¡°Then, what don¡¯t you want?¡± I asked.

    Ussen hesitated.

    ¡°I¡­.don¡¯t want to¡­follow in my father¡¯s footsteps.¡± He said, hesitating a little. I think he was waiting for me to try to slash my neck or something. Which wouldn¡¯t have done anything anyway.

    I nodded.

    ¡°For now, don¡¯t worry.¡± I told him, while walking back over to the window. I¡¯ll play Halif¡¯s game for now, but in my own way. I¡¯m kinda interested in seeing where this goes.

    On the way home, I tossed the compound for the poison into a trash bin.

 Chapter 24: When a good plan comes together....

    Once back home, I slowly removed all my armaments, and lay them out neatly. Grabbing a water bucket and some cloth, I proceeded to clean all the little knives¡ªeven those that never saw combat. I gave the same treatment to the katana, before drying them all off. I dumped the now dirty water in the bucket into the sink. The weapons were secreted away in my room.

    As for my Halo protective gear, I made sure that there were no rips or faults in the heavy-duty fabrics, before replacing it in my closet. After that, I stepped into the shower, and got myself clean.

    You know, somehow showers have always been one of the best places to think. Well, until you get shampoo in your eyes, but that¡¯s not important.

    So, it seems that I have some explaining to do, as I may have seemingly acted out of character back there at the Gibraltar family home.

    I¡¯ve always wanted a normal life, right? So why did I go through the trouble that I did?

    Well, to tell the truth, I don¡¯t really see all this as a big deal. And even if I did, there¡¯s the fact that I simply want to make absolutely certain that no ghosts will come back to haunt me. I want Halif to be damn sure that messing with me, and anyone associated with me is a very, very bad idea. If I simply rolled over and hoped that trouble would simply pass me by, then I would be opening myself up for all sorts of bad things. Besides, I¡¯m not sure if you guys have noticed by now, but it¡¯s not in my personality to simply let annoying things be.

    The poison bit was a little annoying, as well as that oath business. But again, not really a big deal. An oath can be circumvented very easily, especially one as vague as the one I swore to Halif. This is a case where my speech problems have helped, rather than hindered. He didn¡¯t think the wording at all suspicious. For one, it was never said that I would obey him. I don¡¯t actually know what the bond ended up affecting, though I suspect it rebounded on Halif, making it so that he would have to obey himself. Teehee~?

    As for the poison, well.

    I paused in the middle of lathering my hair with conditioner, and spat out a black glob of bile and clotted materials. It washed down the drain.

    For once, I¡¯m kinda glad some of those experiments worked.

    So, in conclusion, all of this basically amounted to a minor annoyance. Joel was far worse, as far as how much he disrupted my life.

    I already have a way to keep this from progressing any further as well. I just need to get everything to align properly, and this mess should clean itself up.

    I got out of the shower, and dried myself off. My hair did that handy thing where it dried almost instantly¡ªstill not sure how that happens. But hey, who am I to question something so helpful?

    Since it was pretty late at that point, I went to bed after that. So much to do tomorrow~

    <hr>

    The red sunlight slanting in through the window is what woke me up.

    It was a bit odd since I normally wake up sooner. Eh, dealing with that poison must have worn me out more than I¡¯d have thought. Though, I feel super refreshed right now. Benefits of a full night of sleep I guess.

    I stretched my arms up high, yawning a little. Getting out of bed, I threw aside the oversized shirt I use to sleep in and changed into street clothes. I brushed out my hair and quickly washed my face before making myself some breakfast. I know my friends would be entering Ashenload in a few hours, but I didn¡¯t think I would be able to join them today. Too many other things to do.

    Though, I think I have time before things begin happening, so I might as well relax a little, do some research.

    I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed by now, but I¡¯m a fair bit paranoid about people figuring out about my powers. The reasons for this are pretty simple¡ªI just don¡¯t want to be targeted, or have my normal life disrupted.

    Now, I know this situation is untenable, but I want to hold onto it for as long as possible.

    Why is it untenable? Well, that¡¯s partly my own fault. Even though I¡¯m steeped in paranoia, and very careful, there are times when I can¡¯t help not doing something. There have been several times when I intervened in events using my main powers, and just barely got away with it. I¡¯m sure that the day will come where people figure it out, and come after me.

    And they¡¯ll come after me, you can be sure of that. Illusionists have been systematically rooted out whenever they pop up, and handled in ways that lessen their natural abilities and power. Who would¡¯ve thought that people hate the idea of not being able to tell what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not?

    There are of course deeper reasons for those seated at the highest realms of power to dislike illusionists. For one, the success of an illusion depends on the mental strength of both powers, not the strength of body nor of the Awakening.

    Some of the Divinities seated at the apex of power really, really disliked the thought of people being able to influence them. Especially the ones who got powerful based on their strength of arm. I mean, you could be able to shatter entire planets between your palms, but you¡¯d lose against a good illusionist if your mental strength wasn¡¯t high enough.

    In other words, the muscle-heads who made it past the 13<sup>th</sup> divide didn¡¯t want someone to beat them just because they weren¡¯t as smart. Well, there were also a few events involving unhinged illusionists that lead to a bit of a stigma against them being built up.

    Regardless of history and what happened, an unfettered illusionist like me would quickly become the focus of all those powers above me.

    It¡¯s just a matter of time. Can I get strong enough to fend them off for good before they find out, or will I have to take¡­drastic measures? Who can I expect to come? What are their strengths and their weaknesses?

    I want to know about things like that before anything happens, so that I¡¯m at least a little prepared.

    Which is why I have detailed dossiers on everyone I could find above the 13<sup>th</sup> divide. Honestly, I scare myself sometimes. Whenever I look at those dossiers, I¡¯m just a bit terrified. And I¡¯m sure those deities whom I have...''lightly'' stalked would shit themselves if ever they saw the extent to which I¡¯ve detailed them.

    Suffice to say, everyone has a weakness, no matter how strong they are. And I know pretty much all their weaknesses.

    Though, I sure some of you out there have been wondering about the 13<sup>th</sup> divide, and what makes it so special when compared to the other 12.

    Well, let me put it this way. Each divisionary line represents a limit on humanity, and crossing that divide represents breaking past said limit. Someone who¡¯s broken past the first divisionary limit can be said to be in the 1<sup>st</sup> divide, and now can make use of an Awakening. This is the initial limit¡ªthe one that keep mankind from accessing the wonders of Mana. Breaking past the second limit places you in the 2<sup>nd</sup> divide, and allows you greater control and power over your mana and Awakening. Breaking the third limit places you in the 3<sup>rd</sup> divide, and so on, so on.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Things only really change once you¡¯ve reached the 12<sup>th</sup> divide, however. It represents a kind of ultimate limit imposed on mankind.

    At the moment, there¡¯s something like 20,000 people in the 12<sup>th</sup> divide. Maybe as many as double that.

    However, it¡¯s widely accepted that there are only 50~70 people who have made it to the 13<sup>th</sup> divide. That¡¯s how difficult the last step is.

    However, that change from the 12<sup>th</sup> to the 13<sup>th</sup> divide represents the casting aside of one¡¯s mortality, and human self. Hence why people who have reached that level are referred to as Divinities. They are akin to gods when compared to the rest of us.

    And really, these are the guys I¡¯m most afraid of at the moment.

    Some of them could even checkmate me.

    But, given time to plan and prepare, I¡¯m confident of at least outrunning them for a time.

    So, basically I¡¯m researching ways to fool and otherwise occupy 13<sup>th</sup> divide Divinities. And so far, the research has gone well. It¡¯s wondrous what you can find through the quantum web given enough of a hacking ability. I¡¯m sure I could make a fortune just selling what I know to gossip circles.

    The fact that I¡¯ve discovered so much doesn¡¯t mean that I can stop, however. There¡¯s always another secret to be uncovered, another hidden desire to exploit.

    I¡¯ll probably only stop doing this once I reach a level where I¡¯m confident of nothing being able to hurt me. And even then I might just keep doing it for the amusement factor. I wonder what it is that motivates so many powerful people towards thinking that love triangles are going to work out in the end? Hint: the one¡¯s I¡¯ve observed so far haven¡¯t. Like, at all. It¡¯s really, really funny.

    Unfortunately though, my information gathering session was cut short by an expected knock on the door.

    That¡¯s probably one of Halif¡¯s henchmen, here to deliver further orders as well as some more of that poison suppressant crap. I mean, that¡¯s what I was thinking.

    So imagine my surprise when I open the door, and it¡¯s not a henchmen standing there.

    ¡°Hello my dear girl. Invite me in, would you?¡± Said Halif himself, hovering right outside the doorway.

    Fighting the urge to roll my eyes and tell him to fuck off, I opened the door all the way, and motioned with my hand.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°Mh, thank you. Quite a¡­cozy place you have here.¡± He said, while walking over to an empty chair and sitting down elegantly.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask him.

    Halif eyes me with distaste.

    ¡°No need to be rude, girl. I¡¯m simply here to clarify your mission details, as well as ensure that you are well and truly under my thrall. It pays to be careful, after all.¡±

    Well, I agree with that sentiment. However, I wonder how he intended to verify that I¡¯m under his control. Because I¡¯ll tell you now, if this guy tries anything nasty, he¡¯ll lose important bits¡ªPerhaps without even realizing it.

    ¡°Do you have anything to drink in this¡­home?¡± He asked.

    I nodded, and walked off to go make some tea. Somehow, I have a feeling that this guy would appreciate that more than something like coffee or plain water.

    A few minutes later, I walked back to Halif with a steaming pot of tea and some cups in my hands. I set one of the cups down on the stand next to the chair Halif had chosen to sit in, and poured him some tea. He then daintily gathered the cup in his hands, and brought it to his mouth for a taste.

    I almost expected him to pucker his lips and refuse to drink any of it or something, but he drained the whole cup in short order, leading to me pouring him another.

    Once that was gone, he set down the cup, and motioned for me to sit opposite him.

    ¡°Tell me, Revian¡ªwhat do you think about killing people?¡± He asked, taking me somewhat aback due to the bluntness of his question.

    ¡°Good sometimes?¡± I say, slightly uncertainly.

    ¡°What constitutes ¡®sometimes¡¯ for you, then?¡± He presses on.

    ¡°When necessary.¡± I replied, more confident this time.

    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s right. Thinking back, you did murder those guards, who were simply in your way. So, you seem to be perfectly fine with death. An unusual attribute for one as young as you. Tell me, what is your background?¡±

    Huh. Normally I¡¯d lie here, but I don¡¯t know enough about the situation to risk it. After all, if I¡¯m caught in a lie, Halif will know I¡¯ve not been affect by the oath business. So, I decided to simply tell the truth. Act as I would were I actually bound by that oath. At least for the origin bit.

    ¡°Exiled from Earth.¡± I said, knowing that this would sum up my history succinctly.

    Halif¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Oh! So you¡¯re the member of a High-Family. That certainly explains quite a bit. Now, tell me, what is your Awakening? What sort of abilities do you have?¡±

    ¡°Human Awakening, Superhuman abilities.¡±

    ¡°Somehow, that doesn¡¯t sound quite right to me. That¡¯s it? I would expect a member of a High-Family, even one sent into exile, to have a better Awakening than that. Though, I can believe the Superhuman abilities. Those are said to scale with the divides, no?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m assuming you are at quite a high level of power now. Tell me, exactly what heights have you reached?¡±

    I hesitated, as if I didn¡¯t wish to speak, but the oath was compelling me to. Meanwhile, Halif watched me eagerly as I opened my mouth, and spoke.

    ¡°At 10<sup>th</sup> divide, ninth step.¡± I said.

    Funny thing about the steps. Basically, those are measures of how close you are to breaking through to the next divide. The steps themselves are measured out in three groups of three per divide, with 1 through 3 being classified as the lower steps, 4 through 5 the middle steps, and 6 through 9 being the upper steps.

    The power level I¡¯ve given Halif then, at the 10<sup>th</sup> divide and ninth step, puts me as being just under the 11<sup>th</sup> divide.

    More importantly, I know from Ussen that Halif¡¯s Awakening is somewhere in the upper steps of the 10<sup>th</sup> divide.

    Personally, I¡¯d guess that he¡¯s somewhere around the 10<sup>th</sup> divide, and the seventh or eighth step. So, I named a power level that would appear strong to him, but not so threatening as to make him feel insecure.

    ¡°Ah. Yes, that makes a fair bit of sense. Incredible luck for me, really. Who would have known that such a talented young lady would pledge herself to me!¡± Laughed Halif to himself.

    Ooh, I want to punch him. But that would jeopardize the plan I¡¯ve come up with, unfortunately.

    ¡°Now, I suppose I still need to test your loyalty oath. Here.¡± He said, placing an ornate looking dagger on the table.

    ¡°Cut off your left hand''s little finger.¡± He said.

    Instantly, I felt a sharp pain, as my right hand picked up and slammed the dagger down onto my finger, severing it instantly. I whimpered a little, and pulled my left hand back against my body, cradling it while pain shot up my arm.

    Halif nodded in approval.

    ¡°Good, good. No hesitation at all. You are truly bonded under my service from the oath. Now, I suppose I should explain what I want for you to do in greater detail. First of all, my pervious order still stands. You are to kill yourself if you observe Ussen acting in a manner unbefitting his status as a member of the Gibraltar house, and as an assassin. However, there are additional commands I wish to add on now. I am going to require you to keep an eye on Ussen for as long as you possibly can. That means that whenever you have free time, it¡¯ll be spent watching my son. Whenever you are eating, eat while observing. You may only cease your observation during the night, once he has turned in to sleep. Then, and only then may you come back here in order to get your own rest.

    ¡°Additionally, you will defend Ussen from the shadows. If his life is ever in danger, discreetly take care of the problem, okay? If there is no defending him, then use your own life to exchange for his. Under no circumstances may you let harm come to Ussen, and should he lose his life, you are to commit suicide immediately.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± I asked sarcastically.

    ¡°No, I think that should cover most, if not all of it. I will of course inform you of any changes to the oath I wish to make. Until then, those are your rules to live by.¡± Halif responded gamely. He got up, and took a last look around.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing myself out, thank you very much.¡± He said. His knife was still on the table.

    ¡°Wait.¡± I called out.

    He turned around, and froze.

    ¡°What are you doing, girl?¡± Asked Halif, when he saw that his knife was currently pressed tight up against my throat.

    ¡°Swear to leave Ussen alone.¡± I said.

    Halif sneered.

    ¡°Put that knife down girl. You might hurt yourself with it."

    I looked him straight in the eyes.

    ¡°Try me.¡± I said, my voice dead of emotion, and my eyes seemingly having lost all their light.

    ¡°You¡­.¡±

    ¡°Tell me I can¡¯t.¡± The dagger dug into my neck a little, little beads of blood dribbling out.

    Halif sighed.

    ¡°Fine girl. Have it your way. I won¡¯t interfere with Ussen.¡±

    ¡°Swear it.¡± I said, my voice giving nothing away.

    ¡°Put down the dagger first.¡±

    I answered by digging the blade a few centimeters deeper into my skin.

    ¡°Alright, alright! Jeez, kids these days¡­I swear to not interfere with my son Ussen any longer. Are you happy now? Put down the damned dagger.¡±

    I let the blade drop from my grip, and wiped up the blood dribbling down from my neck with a napkin. However, it mostly just smeared the blood all over the place.

    I heard Halif laugh a little, in a distainful manner.

    ¡°I¡¯m adding a clause to your oath. You may only take your own life in the cases where Ussen acts un-befitting, where you cannot defend him in any other way, and if he should die. Otherwise, you are not allowed to kill yourself, or engage in an activity that might see you killed.¡± Said Halif, smiling fiendishly.

    ¡°Oh, and you are an idiot. Why would an assassin be bound to his word? We are liars. You should really grow past your naivety.¡± He said, picking up the knife, as if he had expected all this.

    "I''ll be seeing you soon, Revian."

    He left.

    As soon as the door closed behind him, I smiled to myself slightly.

    I looked at my left hand, which was completely whole. I felt at my neck, which had healed nearly the moment the blade left it.

    I washed off the blood that had gotten on my skin and clothes, noting it¡¯s curiously black tint¡ªa quality my blood has always had. That blood has made things difficult, since I couldn¡¯t make use of my Awakening while bleeding, else the whole thing would have been given away. Ergo, no illusions.

    But still, things worked flawlessly.

    Poor Halif. I wonder when he¡¯ll realize what he¡¯s done.

    I¡¯m reasonably sure Ussen will appreciate it for a while though.

    And the best part is that the whole afternoon is still completely ahead of me. Looks like I¡¯ll make it to Ashenload after all.

 Chapter 25: Six of one....

    ¡°Vina, can you take out the leads?!¡± Yelled Spark from behind me, his lumbering form not quite fast enough to keep pace with the rest of us.

    Mind you, he was still moving blisteringly fast. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s a hair slower than the rest of the group¡ªand thus slower than what was steadily catching up to all of us.

    I nodded, and loosed a few arrows enchanted to explode behind us, hoping to at least slow some of them down. Unfortunately, anything I brought down was quickly replaced or brought back.

    Damn devs. What happened to never making unkillable enemies?

    <hr>

    Let¡¯s back up a little here, right? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re burning with curiosity as to what happened to get my little group in such trouble while playing Ashenload, so here¡¯s the backstory.

    We had completed the initial part of the quest involving the bandit castle by nearly wiping them out, and rescuing all the slaves they were holding in the underground dungeon. Next, we took the slaves to the closest city, and arranged for them to stay safe while recovering from their ordeal. A number of the ex-slaves still have family outside the city from what I understood, and they would leave as soon as they could to seek them out.

    The next part of the quest should have been easy, for all intents and purposes. We had to apprehend the one who had been funding the bandits. We knew exactly where to find him as well, but there was one small problem. He ran away.

    Granted, it had taken us an in-game day to get from the castle to the city, and then another 2 to reach the larger city where the culprit lived.

    But by the time we got there, we learned that the man had run three days ago¡ªwhen we had initially stormed the bandit¡¯s castle. We started to track him down, and eventually ended up at an extensive cave system, with the clues pointing towards the fact that he had run inside for some reason.

    And of course, we followed him into the caves, eager to have this reputably difficult quest out of the way and cleared.

    Only, things didn¡¯t quite work out that way. The caves ended up being larger and more complex than we had anticipated, and thus there was a fair bit of difficulty just trying to find out which direction to take.

    We did find the right way eventually though, through a combination of reasonable deduction, and tracking skills. And we did find him.

    We just didn¡¯t expect to find him with twenty-odd high level liches, and their pet summons.

    Now, our group is good. Very good. However, there are some enemies that everyone has to run from. At the top of this ¡°do not engage¡± list, are the gods. For somewhat obvious reasons. Next would probably be the joke bosses. Some still think they might be beatable, citing the fact that a single player had once accomplished that Sisyphean task. Nobody¡¯s emulated that, though.

    Going down the list, you¡¯d eventually arrive at a cohort of liches. They¡¯re rated as pretty dangerous, surprisingly. You see, a single lich would be pretty bad for the average player. And the danger only gets exponentially worse, the more liches you have. This is due to the fact that each lich has a basic spell which can heal undead. They can¡¯t use it on themselves, but the can use it on other liches, and their summons.

    Perhaps you can see why things might have the potential of getting out of hand now? Oh, and if it weren¡¯t bad enough that it¡¯s very, very hard to kill a group of liches, there¡¯s also the unfortunate fact that they have resurrection spells. Which sucks. Like, a lot.

    And then adding on the ¡°pets¡± they can summon?

    Yeah, you want an army to deal with these guys. Because you need to keep the liches separated when killing them, else they¡¯ll just be resurrected, leaving you to repeat the process all over again.

    So, we did the smart thing, and tried to back out immediately upon seeing the liches. Unfortunately, things happened, and we were spotted. Then pursued. The liches were chasing after us, their feet hovering just above the ground as they flew behind us, casting spells one after another. Occasionally, a skeletal dragon or something would be summoned, and sent after us.

    That brings us to where we started this chapter. Us, being chased. The summons catching up with us. The liches chattering away behind the summons.

    Not a good situation, right? I¡¯m of the same mind. We needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. It¡¯s also still daytime outside, so the liches shouldn¡¯t be able to follow us. However, we first have to get outside, and not let them catch up to us before that happens.

    Hence why I was attempting to shoot down anything that comes near us, and protecting Spark at the same time. He¡¯s the slowest one in our group, and thus is falling behind slightly when compared to the rest of us. Well, second slowest. The slowest one out of us all is actually Xavier. You know, dwarf and all. But he¡¯s riding on Sparks back right not, wisely not saying anything. All the more reason to protect Spark.

    ¡°How much further until we reach the cave opening?!¡± Yelled Rina, whose tiny form was flying besides Diana. The two of them were up in the front, though Rina flitted by me a few times to lob some spells back at the liches in the hopes of slowing them down.

    She even brought down the cave ceiling behind us once, though the liches just phased right though the fallen rocks, reminding us all that they also have an incorporeal form¡ªas if things weren¡¯t already bad enough.

    ¡°Three minutes!¡± I called back to Rina, who nodded in response.

    I went back to shooting at the lead summons, systematically destroying them in order to slow them down. The liches would then resurrect them, or simply summon new undead creatures to chase after us.

    ¡°Come on, come on, come on¡­.¡± I heard Spark chanting under his breath, trying to push himself to move faster, to get us out of here.

    ¡°Two minutes!¡± I called out, getting brief acknowledgments from everyone else.

    We continued running, and I still shot arrows behind me whenever an enemy got too close, which was now happening alarmingly often.

    I turned around again, and nailed a skeletal¡­.thing in it¡¯s skull. It was depressing to see one of the liches wave a bony hand, and have the creature reform before continuing to chase us. So, of course I would end up shooting it, and have the same things happen again.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Annoying. It¡¯s frustrating as all hell.

    ¡°One minute!¡± I called out. We were still far enough away from the cave¡¯s entrance that the only light we had was from the magic being flung about.

    ¡°Come on Spark, we¡¯re nearly there!¡± Yelled Diana from the front, encouraging Spark to dredge up the last of his stamina in a final burst of speed.

    The strain showed on his face, putting his all in at the end.

    It was just enough. We burst out into daylight right as his stamina ran out, and he collapsed to the ground, side heaving.

    In a long distance run, Spark would be able to beat us all handedly due to his immense stamina stores. However, running as he just had drains them much faster than normal, leading to an early collapse. He¡¯s taken the slow and steady route.

    The liches ground to a halt right at the cave entrance, clattering angrily at us. They wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to us while the sun was still up. That didn¡¯t mean we were going to loiter around the cave entrance though. As soon as Spark had recovered a bit, we all started walking away at a good and stable pace. Might as well get as much space between the caves and us as possible.

    Eventually, we reached a clearing.

    ¡°I think we better go ahead and call it a day, guys.¡± Said Rina. Diana nodded beside her, obviously agreeing.

    ¡°Yeah. Kinda useless to keep going right now.¡± Grunted Spark, who was looking decidedly worse for wear.

    ¡°How about this? We all log off, and start thinking of ways to get around those liches, right?¡± Asked Xavier.

    ¡°Sure, sounds like a good idea. Well, see you guys tomorrow.¡± Said Rina, before logging off. Everyone else quickly followed, leaving me as the last one standing in the field. I looked up at the sky, and noticed that the sun was minutes away from setting. We really pulled this one quite close, no? There were so many ways that could have gone badly.

    Oh well.

    <hr>

    Eventually, I logged off as well. In real life, it was now well into the night, and I have school tomorrow.

    Quickly, I finished up any of the homework assignments we were given over the weekend. Then I prepared for bed, and slept peacefully before waking up with the red tinted sunlight.

    I took a morning shower, got dressed, ate breakfast and everything. Leaving the apartment, I noticed that the day seemed fairly peaceful. I got the feeling that everything¡¯s going to go my way today. A great feeling, I must say. Certainly, it¡¯s a good change from all the doom and gloom that I¡¯ve been getting lately.

    The sky was clear outside, and the train wasn¡¯t crowded at all. I briefly got the urge to break into song about how great this day is, but I shoved that deep down inside.

    I got off at the school¡¯s stop, and relaxed until class started. Everything was normal. Well, almost normal. Ussen keep glancing over at me, a puzzled look on his face.

    I take it he¡¯s noticed that something¡¯s off about his father by now. Hell, I¡¯ll bet that his father¡¯s noticed, and will be trying to find out what¡¯s happening to him as soon as possible. Which means that I should be anticipating a visit from him.

    I rather look forward to that occasion. It¡¯ll be funny, at least.

    Finally, break time came, and Ussen walked over to me.

    ¡°Hey, can we talk, Revy? I need to ask you something.¡± Ignoring the sudden rise in chattering from my fellow female classmates, I nodded and followed Ussen to the rooftop of the school. Once up there, he closed the door behind us, and turned towards me.

    ¡°What did you do to my father? He seems¡­distant all the sudden.¡± Asked Ussen, looking a little worried.

    ¡°Got him to swear oath.¡± I said.

    ¡°Oath? What sort of oath, and how the hell did you manage it? I can¡¯t think of him doing anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Oath to stay away. Tricked.¡± I replied.

    ¡°What? You tricked him into making an oath?! And what was that oath, specifically?¡± He asked.

    I pondered for a second on how to convey the oath to him, since it exceeded 5 words. Coming up with a solution, I extended a small trail of Mana to my fingertip, and traced out the words in midair while forcibly changing the color of my natural Mana. The words hovered there for a moment, allowing Ussen to read the blue lettered oath.

    ¡°You made him swear to not interfere with me, under a binding oath? By the Deities, Revy, how the hell did you do that?!¡±

    I shrugged. No need to tell him everything, I guess.

    ¡°Wow¡­.I just¡ªJust give me a moment.¡±

    I nodded, and backed off a little. I mean, he¡¯s just had his entire world flipped around. No longer does he have to do whatever his father tells him to. Ussen can do whatever he wants now.

    He squatted down, as if to better ground himself. I could hear him mumbling to himself, though I pretended to not.

    I went ahead and slipped off the rooftop, leaving him alone until next class. It seemed like he would want some privacy in the moment.

    When I reentered the classroom, I noticed that quite a few of the girls looked over at me with questions running through their minds, and some with abject jealously writ large on their faces.

    Oh god, Ussen isn¡¯t one of those, it he? He isn¡¯t¡­.popular, is he?

    Great. Those girls better stay the hell away from me, or I¡¯ll end up showing them a hell they¡¯ll not soon forget.

    Class started, and Ussen made it back right before the bell rang. He looked¡­happier, like a weight had been lifted from him. There was a slight bounce in his step.

    Again, the sight of his happiness didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the girls, and set them chattering again. This could get annoying, very quickly.

    Oh well. That¡¯s something to deal with another day, I think.

    I suffered under their gazes for the rest of the school-day though. Made me kinda glad when the final bell rang at long last.

    I also got home after that without any major hiccups.

    Well, there was one thing¡­..

    I was on the train, getting off at my station. It immediately became apparent that Halif had noticed that something was wrong, since one of his servants was waiting for me outside of the station, next to a solidly black vehicle. The servant looked my way, and I knew that a meeting had been ¡°arranged¡± for me.

    I got in the vehicle, and we started down the city streets, gradually reaching some of the shadier bits of town. I know perfectly well what Halif¡¯s trying here. Intimidation or shake tactics won¡¯t work on me. Don¡¯t know why he might think that they do, unless he¡¯s continuously underestimated me even more than I¡¯d thought this whole time. Oh, wouldn¡¯t that be entertaining~

    The vehicle stopped after about 30 minutes or so of traveling, and we were deposited in from of a worn down and decrepit looking building. The servant ushered me inside said building, whose interior presented a stark difference for the exterior. Nice, clean furniture, tasteful decorations, solid walls, a receptionists desk and everything. It seems like this is one of Halif¡¯s little assassin hideaways, where members of his group can come to pick up commissions, rest, and do other things. Kinda like a guild hall in some VR games, really.

    The receptionist was obviously waiting for the servant and I, since she brought us to an office located centrally to the building. I¡¯m guessing this is where Halif would be whenever he decides to visit and catch up on affairs.

    The servant left me in the room before leaving me in the empty office. Halif¡¯s probably going to make me wait, as a sort of power play. He¡¯ll sweep in X minutes late, just to show that he has the ability to, and that I have to wait.

    I chuckled a little because of this. He wants to pull such petty tricks over me? Well, let¡¯s out-petty him then.

    I sat down, and waited for him to arrive.

    And I gotta say, the look on his face when he did was well worth the wait.

    It took him another half-hour to show up, but he got a little surprise when opening the door to the office. Halif initially swept into the room, all imperious like and stuff. However, he faltered a fair bit when seeing me sitting in his chair, my legs propped up on his big and fancy desk. He stared for a second, before barking at me to get out of his chair.

    I obliged, and sat down in the somewhat less impressive chair opposite his. I sat cross-legged though, somewhat diminishing the somber nature of the room.

    Halif cleared his throat, and leveled a sharp gaze at me.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± He said, his tone threatening.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± I said, and spoke the truth. This was something Halif did to himself, after all.

    ¡°Let me ask again, girl. Under this binding oath, I require you to say exactly what you did to me.¡±

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know what you mean.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Said Halif, at a bit of a loss. The poor man still thinks I¡¯m under oath, and can¡¯t lie. He was convinced this was my fault. Which it kinda was, I¡¯ll admit.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then how¡­?¡±

    I could see him puzzling things out in his mind, or at least trying to. I sighed, and rearranged myself on the chair. Suddenly, Halif shot upright, glaring at me.

    ¡°No, this is your doing, isn¡¯t it? Somehow, you got what I said back in your apartment to bind, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I shrugged again, looking as nonplussed as possible.

    Halif paused, seeming to think. It seemed he arrived at a conclusion, since a decisive glint appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Revy, kill yourself.¡± He said, command evident in his voice.

    He didn¡¯t seem very shocked when I didn¡¯t move at all, instead simply staring at him.

    ¡°Damn it¡ªYou found a way around the oath, didn¡¯t you?¡± He said, slightly stunned.

    I nodded slightly, and showed a toothy smile.

 Chapter 26: ...Half a dozen for another.

    ¡°Damn it¡ªYou found a way around the oath, didn¡¯t you?¡± Said Halif, slightly stunned at the realization.

    I hesitated a moment, unsure of whether to actually tell the truth or not.

    Then I figured it didn¡¯t really matter if Halif knew. In fact, it might even advance my plans along a little. So, I grinned a bit, showing just the slightest hint of teeth, and nodded slightly.

    Halif visually recoiled on seeing this confirmation, his expression growing even more shocked. His mouth flapped open and closed a bit, like he couldn¡¯t think of what to say. I mean, to the best of his knowledge, there¡¯s no way for someone to break a binding oath like that.

    My grin got wider as I watched his dumbfounded face.

    Almost in response to my grin, Halif¡¯s confused expression morphed into a sneer.

    ¡°Are you expecting me to think this matters?¡± He said, seemingly having found his footing again.

    ¡°There¡¯s still the poison. Only I can make the suppressant, and that which I¡¯ve already given you should run out soon. You¡¯ll die without it, and quite painfully at that. It would do you well to obey me.¡± Continued Halif in an overbearing manner. I think he¡¯s trying to make up for his earlier faltering.

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡± I replied. I watched a vein on Halif¡¯s neck stand out sharply in response to my comment.

    ¡°But you will die, you little idiot. Do you really understand that?¡± He asked, frustration evident in his voice. He knows things are spiraling out of his control, but can¡¯t quite grasp why. He knows something¡¯s wrong, but doesn¡¯t understand what it is yet.

    ¡°No.¡± I responded.

    ¡°¡¯No¡¯? You don¡¯t understand? What the hell even goes on in that head of yours? By the Divines, so much talent with you, wasted on an idiot.¡± He said.

    Man, he has a problem with jumping to conclusions, doesn¡¯t he? I think this is what happens when a smart man doesn¡¯t stop to consider things for more than a moment.

    I decided to clarify things a little.

    ¡°No, won¡¯t die.¡± I said, seriousness evident in my voice.

    Halif faltered again.

    ¡°¡¯Won¡¯t die¡¯? You¡¯ve ingested a poison that can kill even peak-level 12<sup>th</sup> divide practitioners. If you don¡¯t have the suppressant, you will die. There is no curing it, no resisting the poison. Once it¡¯s entered your Mana, you¡¯re dead. A total system collapse will occur. There¡¯s no stopping it.¡± He said, almost as if trying to assure himself that he was right, that there was no possibility of survival.

    And I gotta say, he is right for the most part. Nobody under the 12<sup>th</sup> divide should have any possibility of surviving that poison. The Mana channels in those below that level would be too weak to stand up to it. They would simply implode under the poison¡¯s pressure, killing them.

    Luckily, that¡¯s not the case with me. My Mana channels are strong enough to not only resist the poison, but they even broke the stuff down and got rid of it. Hell, the poison might have even helped strengthen my Mana channels, inadvertently.

    Like I said, there are times where it¡¯s good I¡¯m like this.

    ¡°You are already dead, if the suppressant isn¡¯t given to you. You will die if you don¡¯t obey me. Now, tell me what you¡¯ve done to me.¡± Said Halif, still continuing his line of dialogue.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Simple. Idiot for not knowing.¡± I replied.

    Ooh~ that vein on Halif¡¯s neck just doubled in size. He¡¯s not liking this at all, is he?

    He slammed a fist onto the table, as if it would intimidate me.

    ¡°Tell me if you want to live, stupid little girl.¡±

    I reclined in the chair a little further, the casualness apparent in the action driving Halif further into anger.

    ¡°Do you even truly know the position you¡¯re in right now? You have one of the most potent poisons known to man running thought your blood-stream, leaving you weakened in front of me, an assassin, who runs a clan capable of wiping out everyone you¡¯ve ever interacted with in the slightest possible way. This includes everyone in your little school, and all of your little frien¡­¡±

    *Crack *

    Oops.

    Halif slumped over, his broken neck halting whatever he was about to say midsentence. My goodness, but this man is an ass.

    I sat him back upright in his boss-chair while placing something on the desk in front of him, and walked back to the other chair. I sat down, and made myself comfortable again.

    Honestly. This is getting a bit ridiculous, and I think I want to just set the record straight with Halif.

    So, I waited. I¡¯ve been doing quite a bit of that today, it seems.

    It paid off after a minute or so, though.

    Halif shot upright, his neck making a popping sound as it realigned itself. He looked around crazily, before his gaze fell down onto me, leaning back in my chair without a single care in all the worlds.

    ¡°You¡­.¡± He began, his sentence trailing off as he fought for the words to speak with.

    I waved a hand, forestalling whatever he was about to say.

    ¡°Being idiot. Shut up, think.¡± I said, while pointing to the solidified black mass I¡¯d set down on Halif¡¯s desk before sitting back down.

    His eyes widened upon seeing it, and he obviously recognized it somehow.

    ¡°This¡­¡± He looked up at me, and then back down at the black material.

    ¡°How the¡­.?¡± He began asking, before trailing off somewhat awkwardly.

    ¡°Strong body.¡± I replied. What else am I supposed to say about being able to expel the poison from my body, and presenting it back to Halif? Yeah, that black mass is the poison that I had spat out in the shower. It had seemed a waste to simply let it go down the drain or something, so I had collected it, and let it re-solidify. There are still some impurities inside the poison though¡ªa forgone conclusion after it had been used once.

    ¡°Then¡­the poison isn¡¯t affecting you?¡± He asked, his face a mask.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Stupid notion.¡±

    ¡°But then, did the poison ever do anything to you in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Assumption on your part.¡± I said.

    Halif had gone somewhat grey. He understood exactly what it meant that the poison hadn¡¯t done anything to me in the slightest.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    In addition to his recent realization that the oath did not bind me to him at all, this means that he effectively has no hold over me, no way to control me.

    Whereas I have all the power here, in this room. I doubt he saw anything other than a slight blur before his neck snapped like a little twig. No, I know that he didn¡¯t see anything other than a bit of blur. Otherwise, he would have probably been able to move at least a little, instead of just sitting there while his neck gets twisted.

    And he knows that I¡¯m the powerful one here, that I hold the cards. It took him long enough to realize this fact. And the best part is that he doesn¡¯t know how I¡¯ve done it. Knowledge is power, after all, and the lack of it can lead even the most intelligent of men and women to all the wrong conclusions. He can¡¯t make any assumptions now, since he has nothing to support them. I¡¯ve become an unknown variable to Halif. And I¡¯m sure this scares him.

    Why wouldn¡¯t it? He¡¯s an assassin. He plans out his actions carefully, since getting things wrong would mean disaster in his line of work.

    ¡°Why are you doing this? Why go to these lengths?¡± Asked Halif, who wasn¡¯t looking so good at the moment.

    ¡°Ussen is friend, needed help.¡± I said.

    ¡°My son? He needed help? From what? I was helping him already, to become the best version of himself possible. He is going to be the greatest assassin our clan¡¯s ever raised, and I am just helping him see that, since he is unwilling to face it himself!¡± Said Halif, his voice becoming more energetic.

    ¡°You have no right to waltz into our lives, our ways of living, and dictate what¡¯s helping us! That¡¯s for me to decide, and nobody else!¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I said, the iciness in my voice immediately halting Halif.

    ¡°Decision is Ussen¡¯s alone.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t see what I see though, and he has no idea the sort of potential he has. I¡¯m not going just let him waste that for whatever childish fantasies are running though his head! The younger generations require the helping hand of the older, to borrow their experience and foresight. Else all that they could be would be squandered.¡± Said Halif.

    I sighed. I guess this is where traditions and the judgment of the elder brings us. Really, if Ussen isn¡¯t mentally suited for the assassin¡¯s style of life, then he shouldn¡¯t be going into it. His abilities might be perfectly suited for it, and he might have terrifying amounts of potential in that field¡ªBut it¡¯s useless if it turns out he has the mentality for another vocation. Or if he hasn¡¯t gotten the proper mentality for an assassin.

    I mean, even if someone were the perfect killer Awakening and skill-wise, they¡¯re worthless if they can¡¯t spill blood.

    Halif¡¯s trying to force Ussen into being someone he¡¯s not, and that¡¯s what I think is wrong.

    Unfortunately, there¡¯s really no way to get Halif to see this for himself.

    ¡°Ussen¡¯s life his own now.¡± I said, a decisiveness in my voice.

    ¡°No, he is still mine. No matter what sort of spell you¡¯ve put over me, he is still created of my lineage, and must abide by the family rules! There can be no changing that, especially with all that he could become under the right hands.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°You will not interfere.¡±

    Halif shot me a look of supreme annoyance.

    ¡°Well, of course not. I can¡¯t anymore, you bitch. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done, but I physically cannot approach my own son. I tried to do something in order to hasten his growth, but something stopped me.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me. You did it.¡± I said, shrugging.

    ¡°Impossible. Do you take me for a complete idiot?¡± He ignored my nodding. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do something that would keep me from my goals unless there was a supremely good reason. No, this is something you¡¯ve done to me. Don¡¯t try to tell me otherwise.¡± He said, crossly.

    I felt like laughing.

    Really, it was Halif¡¯s own fault that he¡¯s in this mess. He made a promise with no intention of keeping it, and now it¡¯s backfired on him, unknowingly. Of course, he had no way of knowing that he¡¯s now held to his word, and that any promises he makes from here on will be absolutely binding. He still thinks it¡¯s something I¡¯ve done, and hasn¡¯t really connected the dots yet.

    I intend to take full advantage of this.

    Shrugging again, I repeated myself.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    ¡°Inconceivable. I cannot think of any other who may be at fault. You must be at fault here.¡±

    I tilted my head to the side in a questioning sort of manner, and stared at Halif with unblinking eyes. Very gradually, my left eye shifted colors from it¡¯s usual moss green, to a vibrant blue that seemed to shine with an inner light of sorts. I raised my hand up, and started gently scrawling words in the air with my Mana like I had when explaining the oath business to Ussen.

    The words this time glowed the same blue as my eye, and almost seemed to be effecting the space around them, like a small crack or rift had opened up in midair.

    It lent the words I wrote a mystic and otherworldly quality. In addition, a faint hint of my power oozed from the words, subtle enough to be mostly unnoticeable, but pervasive enough that the aura from it filled the room.

    The look on Halif¡¯s face as he observed all this, and read the words while I wrote them was fairly entertaining.

    ¡®I did nothing to you. However, I have a supposition as to what really happened to you. I¡¯ll be willing to help. For a price, of course.¡¯

    I paused in my writing for a moment.

    ¡®Also, know that your Awakening will not save you the next time my friends are threatened. I could very easily kill you, with no effort expended. Consider that long and hard the next time you decide to fuck with me.¡¯ I wrote.

    Halif didn¡¯t speak for a while. I let the words burning in midair fade away, and my eye returned to it¡¯s natural green. My aura disappeared from the room, tightly reined back into me.

    I could see that Halif was thinking quite deeply.

    Finally, he sighed.

    ¡°What¡¯s this price you want? Just tell me what¡¯s keeping me from even so much as speaking to my son, and I¡¯ll do whatever you want. Need someone silenced without any strings leading back to you? I can do that. Need to frighten someone away? Consider it done.¡±

    I held up a hand, telling Halif to wait while I dug into one of my pockets. I brought out a folded up sheet of paper and placed it in front of him. Halif raised an eyebrow, obviously noticing that I had the paper already prepared, and that I had planned for this to happen.

    He unfolded the paper, and read through it. He got to the bottom, then read it again, a confused look on his face.

    Then, he finished reading it again and looked up at me.

    ¡°Just an introduction to the information rings? That¡¯s all you want?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Know information rings. Want access.¡± I said.

    There¡¯s a limit to how much I can do on my own, after all. And while I can pretty much cover the entirety of the Web with my programs and filters, I can¡¯t learn about things that never make it to the Web.

    No, I¡¯d need to have access to an actual information ring, so that I can get at the information not normally seen by most people.

    The only problem, is that the best and most extensive information rings won¡¯t allow just anyone to receive their information. You need someone else to vouch for you, to give an introduction. Someone like me, who is completely and totally unknown, would normally never have a single chance to come into contact with the information rings.

    ¡°So, I just have to introduce you to an information ring, and you¡¯ll tell me what¡¯s keeping me from interacting with my son?¡±

    I nodded, smirking a little inside. Halif still thinks himself so infallible, that he¡¯s never stopped to think about that oath he made yesterday. It meant nothing to him, and still holds no meaning. I wouldn¡¯t be very surprised if he¡¯s forgotten about it, really.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to present information to them of equal value as that which you gain. You know that, right?¡±

    Again, I nodded. Simple enough, when nothing on the Web is safe from you. Like, at all.

    Halif sighed. I could see a fair bit of resignation in his eyes.

    ¡°Right then. All I have to do is sign this paper, and the deal is struck, no? In exchange for introducing you to the information rings, you will tell me what¡¯s keeping me from Ussen.¡±

    I nodded for the third time.

    ¡°And this is regardless of if the information rings accept you, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just need introduction.¡±

    Halif rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking for a while.

    Eventually, he produced a pen, and sighed the paper, sealing the deal with both the paper as physical evidence, and the oath¡ªwhich will hold him to any promises now.

    Passing the paper back to me, he started speaking again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need time to set up a meeting between you and a member of the information rings with enough authority to accept you and whatever information you bring to the table. Until then, you have my word that I will abide by my side of this agreement.¡±

    I nearly laughed aloud at this. His word? Well, it would have been next to useless a few days ago, when nothing would hold him to it.

    Really, it¡¯s lucky that I¡¯m going to tell him about the oath now, before he gives his word on numerous other promises.

    Why am I telling him? Well, I want to see his face when he finds out that he¡¯s the one keeping himself from interacting with Ussen.

    I took the paper back, and folded it into my pocket again.

    Halif leaned forwards in his chair slightly.

    ¡°Now then, what¡¯s happened to me? How can I get rid of it?¡±

    I smirked a little.

    ¡°Oath rebounded. Affected only you.¡± I said.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    I waited a little bit, letting it sink in before continuing.

    ¡°Must obey promises now. Binding.¡±

    Oh. Oh~

    That face is simply glorious~

    The emotions that cross upon it as the realization dawns on him.

    At first, it was a sort of pondering¡ªas if he were considering the implications. Then, it was the sudden paling of the skin as he figures out the shit he¡¯s in.

    And then the horror as he looks back, and remembers those little insignificant promises he¡¯s been bound to in the past day. And more specifically, the promise he made to me in my apartment.

    I got up from my chair, happy. Man, has this made my day or what?

    As I turned around, and prepared to leave, Halif spoke shakily.

    ¡°But¡­You said there was a way to fix it¡­.¡± He said, almost accusatorially.

    I paused just long enough to speak back over my shoulder.

    ¡°Funny. I lied.¡±

    And then I left.

    Really, Halif will be able to interact with Ussen as long as he stops trying to influence him.

    But, until he realizes that, he can¡¯t even speak to Ussen.

    I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll ever figure that out. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll eventually come to see Ussen as something other than a thing to be molded.

    One can hope, but it¡¯s unfortunately quite unlikely.

    Oh well. I have my introduction to the information rings now. That¡¯ll keep me up to date on things outside the Web.

    Hell, maybe it could even give me some information on the Border wars. Those''ve always bothered me for some reason.

    I blame the itching and nagging feeling I get whenever I think about them. That¡¯s normally a good indication something¡¯s not quite right.

    And I want advance warning if something big ends up screwing with my life. At least so that I might murder those at fault before it becomes too bad.

 Chapter 27: Interludes are nice, no?

    Now, imagine the history of humanity.

    Descended from apes that had walked the Old Earth, and having blossomed only in the last 5000 years of their existence, humankind was fairly late to the ecological party. Before they rose to prominence, time was measured in the millions of years, and divided into great epochs based on which creatures roamed the lands.

    Humans were the last great species to roam Old Earth, and ultimately proved it¡¯s utter destruction as well. The Moonfall shattered Old Earth, and broke all that had been forged. Mountains were leveled, the grand oceans burned, and all life was threated with a final and decidedly permanent death. There would have been no picking up the pieces again after such a cataclysm.

    Except, humanity survived.

    A Deity had descended upon them, and saved that which he could. He taught them to travel the stars, and helped those survivors to terraform and colonize what was once known to the Old Earth humans as Mars. Now, it¡¯s known as Cradle, in remembrance to how it helped humanity to regain it¡¯s footing and eventually become a goliath spanning the galaxy.

    However, the most important thing the Deity did, was showing humanity how to unlock their most latent and powerful potential.

    And thus were they Awakened.

    Now, humanity has spread out all over the place. Almost every planetary system has a human presence in it somehow. This presence can vary from a few simple little space stations used as way-stations and communication relays, to the gigantic space-port cities sprawling halfway across terrestrial planets. Our main character here¡ªRevian Snow, as she calls herself¡ªlives in a modestly sized space-port. It is not the smallest, but neither does it approach the scale of those more central ports. It is average.

    She¡¯s a bit of an oddity however, as people with great strength are generally pulled into the closer reaches of the galaxy, nearer to the home planet Earth¡ªwhich had been painstakingly nurtured back into a livable environment by several different Deities.

    Only the most powerful people live there, though. The next best thing is living on Cradle, which has become one massive city encircling the entirety of the planet. For all intents and purposes, Cradle is the center of humanity if one is not a member of the High-Families.

    From the center, humanity thins out the farther away you get. The space-port of Jor is actually fairly far out, and is quite a respectable size considering it¡¯s relative remoteness and isolation. In fact, most of the traffic going through Jor is from the Navy of the Grand Earthen Alliance, who police the outermost border of humanity.

    Unfortunately, said Border is not the best of places.

    As in all civilizations, the outcasts, fanatics, and otherwise most extreme elements of a people gather around the fringes of society. In this case, that would be the Border. It¡¯s not the best of places, and has recently been getting a bit worse.

    What do I mean?

    Well, let¡¯s see for ourselves.

    A group of ships is on patrol. They¡¯ve already passed through Jor, and restocked on supplies before continuing on towards the Border areas. These ships have the Earthen Alliance emblems emblazed below their protruding brides, and are of a size that would classify them as corvettes.

    Aboard the lead ship, a man with the rank of captain has just woken up. His name is Jerome Long, and he commands the Jutland, third ship of the Geronimo class. He¡¯s been tasked with heading the 4<sup>th</sup> patrol fleet in monitoring the areas where the Border sectors begin.

    However, right now he¡¯s just concerned with getting showered and dressed for the day ahead. Military discipline meant that he didn¡¯t take more than fifteen minutes getting ready though¡ªafter which he made his way down to the mess hall for breakfast.

    As he ate, a few officers directly under his command came over, and started up his work day with various reports on what had happened while he was sleeping, what to expect for the day moving forward, and the state of the ship. Captain Long listened while eating, occasionally stopping to read a form or two.

    Then, his day really started. Commanding the bridge of a ship can be tiresome and equally boring work, leaving Captain Long lots of time to think.

    What might this man be thinking of?

    Well, aside from the normal fears that plague a Captain, he ponders over some of the reports they¡¯d been getting back from the borders in the past few months. He was more than slightly concerned, since by all accounts, strange things had begun happening as of late, with a research vessel even disappearing in the last two weeks. The most concerning thing about that incident however, was the fact that it literally just¡­disappeared. It had been sending data and signals back to the Center, and then it was just gone.

    Of course, I know what happened, as I am the narrator here. But I can¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be figured out in due time.

    Anyway, the Captain was concerned about this. He didn¡¯t like not knowing things, especially when the lives of all his subordinates could hang in the balance due to his decisions. He¡¯s responsible for them, after all.

    Captain long sighed a little, almost too preoccupied with thoughts about the research vessel to notice his second in command¡ªLieutenant Davis¡ªsit down opposite him.

    ¡°Sir, another ship vanished last night¡ªa patrol vessel this time.¡± She said, her face set into a grim professionalism.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Captain Long immediately paid more attention to her.

    ¡°Give me the details, Davis.¡± He said.

    She pulled out some papers, likely with more precise information listed on the ship, it¡¯s specifications, and the details of how it had vanished. She passed the papers to Captain Long. He started flipping through them, making sense of the technical jargon and data.

    What he deciphered didn¡¯t make him feel better¡ªnot at all.

    The patrol ship was larger than the research vessel, and much better armed. It had more crew to go along with it¡¯s increased size, and a continent of twenty Marines on board. The patrol ship¡ªlike the research vessel before it¡ª had vanished suddenly. There was no word that something was about to happen, and all systems had been functioning normally up until the point where the comms just¡­cut out. The tech monkeys were baffled at the mysterious disappearances of not just one ship, but two now.

    Now, Captain Long hoped that the ships were fine, and that they had just entered an as-of-yet unknown cosmic event that cut out communications. The fact that they lost contact with both ships right around the same place would indicate that this was a distinct possibility.

    But Captain Long couldn¡¯t banish that pit in his stomach. There was a part of him which was deeply suspicious of what was going on.

    However, he knew they had no chance of doing anything other than attempting to recover those two ships. Firstly, command had already sent them orders to do so. Secondly, both ships had disappeared right on the edge of the Border. Right about where Captain Long¡¯s patrol force was.

    They would find out what had happened to those ships, whether they wanted to or not.

    Oh well. As the narrator, I will observe what happens, and bring it back up at a convenient time, story wise. That¡¯s just how things work.

    Now then, I¡¯ll bring you back to our main entertainment, while leaving the fate of Captain Long and his task force up in the air.

    <hr>

    When I logged in, it was back in the clearing where we had last logged off. The sun was just beginning to climb up over the tree-line in Ashenload, and I could immediately see that I¡¯m the first one here.

    I didn¡¯t have to wait long for the next member of our group to show up, though.

    Spark appeared in a cornea of light on the opposite side of the clearing, holding his weapons and donning his armor. He looked around, immediately catching sight of me.

    ¡°Ah, Revy. You just get here?¡± He asked. I nodded in response. Spark, grinned, and opened up his player UI.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s 6:30 now. The others should be here soon, I think.¡±

    No sooner had he spoken, then another light appeared in the clearing, and Diana appeared.

    She noticed Spark and I, and walked over to where we were.

    ¡°Rina¡¯s coming in a bit. She had something to finish up.¡± Said Diana. Again, I nodded.

    So, we waited.

    Both Xavier and Rina ended up getting here about the same time, only a few minutes later. As soon as they got here, everybody got up, and started making their way to the cave system. I held up a hand.

    ¡°Wait.¡± I called out. ¡°One more coming.¡±

    Everyone stopped abruptly, looking back on me with surprise.

    ¡°You got Eine to come?¡± Asked Xavier curiously. I nodded, and caught the look passed between Diana and Rina at this conformation. I suspect they knew a little about his true situation, after all.

    Anyway, we stopped and waited a little for Eine to show up. He had to first log on, then teleport himself over to where we are.

    So, he ended up arriving a few minutes later. Nobody really made a big deal of it when he showed up, though I could see that some people in the group were surprised that he had showed up. Other were surprised and/or suspicious of the fact that I was the only one who knew that he would be showing up.

    Oh well. We started making our way to the caves.

    After having had some time to think it over, Spark had ended up suggesting a solution to our lich problem.

    Basically, we decided to go the cheap and dirty route. Liches, like all other undead creatures, are weak to any type of light¡ªwith sunlight being totally fatal for them in most cases. That being said, a lich normally has defenses against light. Most of them have spells designed to lower visibility, block light, or create thick fogs.

    Now, Spark¡¯s idea is simple, and easy to do, but would require flawless cooperation and a great deal of luck. Basically, we would use the earth magic inherent to some classes in order to erect a fake tunnel past the actual cave mouth. Then, the liches would be lured past the cave mouth, and into our fake tunnel. The tunnel would then be broken, letting the sunlight hit upon the unsuspecting liches.

    Yeah, yeah. I know there are many, many problems with this plan, but it was the best they could come up with. Besides, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll end up needing it anyway.

    So, the fake tunnel extension was built fairly quickly. Not really caring about how authentic it looked, since the liches would likely be too occupied chasing us to notice smaller details, I think the finished product was workable.

    Having finished our little trap, the group started to venture into the cave systems. This time, everyone was more prepared for the up-coming dash back to the surface. Spark had brought along potions designed to increase his movement speed for a time. Unfortunately, their effects were rather short-lived, so he ended up bringing along quite a few potions. They¡¯re all set up in a bandolier slung across his chest from his shoulder for ease of access.

    So, we cautiously ventured into the caves. There¡¯s really no way for the others to know if the liches were where we had left them last time, or if they had reset back to their initial position deep inside the cave system, with the guilty noble. In other words, we moved as if the liches were around each and every bend in the cave.

    Nothing happened, however, and we gradually relaxed. It was looking more and more likely that the liches would be found in the deepest part of the caves, like last time.

    Additionally, we ended up getting more confident when venturing forth. That¡¯s not to say we still weren¡¯t being careful though, but rather that we simply stopped checking each and every nook and cranny as we continued onwards. There was a bit of a scary moment as we were about halfway through, where a clattering sound made almost everyone in the group instantly drawing their weapons, anticipating some sort of grand enemy around the corner.

    Needless to say, it ended up just being a cave rat. We had a laugh about it, and continued on.

    Eventually, we reached the point where the liches had been last time.

    Except, the cave was empty this time.

    There was just an opening in a back wall, leading deeper into the earth. We all shared a dubious and confused look, before unanimously deciding to go through the opening. What¡¯s the worst that can happen?

    Nothing, apparently. We keep going deeper and deeper, only to find that there was a single set of footprints to be found among the dust and dirt lining the cave floor. They were probably from the corrupt noble, who keep climbing downwards for some reason. Seeing no possible reason to stop, we simply kept going.

    I mean, the whole thing felt a little odd. Well, more than a little, if the tenseness radiating from the rest of the group was any indication. But I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be in any sort of danger quite yet.

    You know what, I think I¡¯ll skip over the rest of this quest. Just go over the high-lights, right?

    So then, we never found the liches.

    They were just gone. Poof, nowhere to be seen. We did, however, find the noble cowering at the deepest point of the cave system, curled up in the corner of an alter room of sorts.

    Apparently, he has been dealing in the slave trade in an attempt to gain his own lich-dom. Basically, you had to present a number of sacrifices in order to gain the life force required for the transition or something like that.

    Suffice to say, we made sure this guy was well accommodated on his ride back to the authorities. He wasn¡¯t happy about it.

    There was something odd that we noted though. The alter at the bottom of the cave systems¡ªit radiated almost pure mana. Next time we come through, we¡¯re checking that place out.

    For sure. It looks interesting to the rest of the group.

    Well, we logged out at this point.

    No point in continuing to play, after our chief objective had been completed.

    I¡¯m sure that everyone else went to do leisure activities or something after exiting Ashenload.

    As for me? I had to get ready for a meeting set to happen in a few hours.

    It was time I met the information ring¡¯s representative.

 Chapter 28: Of gods, and man

    I ended up wearing my Halo protective gear.

    I figured, since I¡¯m going to meet these information brokers, I probably only have one chance to make a good impression, and I might as well make that impression strongly.

    I¡¯m also bringing along a plain katana, my ever-present daggers, and a memory storage device for the information I intend to give the information ring, so that we can open up a trade network between us. The storage device is by far the most important thing I¡¯ll be taking along though. I¡¯ve loaded it up with some information that I¡¯m sure nobody else has.

    However, I also had to be careful, as I don¡¯t want to give them any of the more valuable information I have¡ªFor instance, the stuff I¡¯ve stockpiled about the deities, and some of the more influential members of humanity. Those are my own trump cards, and I don¡¯t want anyone to know that I have them, nor that I have the capability to find that information in the first place.

    That would be coming uncomfortably close to revealing myself to the powers-that-be. I mean, who wouldn¡¯t become wary when personal information about your life appears¡ªespecially when you¡¯re a secretive deity. They tend to not like people poking into their private lives.

    Anyway, I was more or less ready for the meeting. Now, I just had to wait for Halif to come pick me up. I can¡¯t exactly gain access to this sort of stuff without prior connections. Unfortunately, if I just showed up, they would send me away. I mean, that¡¯s the normal reaction an information broker should have towards a high school girl.

    Regardless, I was ready for a fair bit of hesitance on the part of the information broker, simply because of my age. Just something we¡¯ll have to work through, I guess.

    Since I was more or less ready, I settled down to wait for Halif. I went over my strategies and plans of attack for the meeting, and ultimately decided on one that would leave me making a favorable impression, while also leaving me on the advantaged ground.

    Well, eventually, I heard a knocking on the door. I got up, and did one last check over all my equipment. Nodding to myself at my readiness, I went over to the door, and opened it.

    Outside, Halif is waiting with a somewhat sullen expression. It was somewhat entertaining to see this grizzled and hardened man sulking so heavily.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked.

    I nodded, and indicated for him to lead the way.

    He turned around, and I followed him out of the apartment complex, and towards a black and classy looking car hovering gently above the ground. It¡¯s windows were tinted so that there was no chance of seeing into the car from outside, and I could almost feel the mana pulsing through the vehicle, making it as strong against magical attacks as possible. I¡¯m sure the material the car¡¯s made out of is impact resistant as well.

    In other words, the vehicle is probably more tank than car. As expected of the head of an assassin clan.

    He walked over, and opened the passenger side door for me. I was somewhat taken aback at first, since normally people would go into the back of the car, and only the driver would sit up front. However, I understand when Halif then walked around the front of the car, and sat himself in the driver¡¯s seat. He doesn¡¯t use a driver or chauffeur, apparently. Interesting.

    I watched from the passenger¡¯s seat as Halif injected a bit of his mana into the vehicle, bringing it¡¯s engine to life with a gentle whirring sound. The car eased out of parking, and made it¡¯s way onto the roads, it¡¯s ride almost impossibly smooth.

    ¡°Please tell me you¡¯ve brought along some good information.¡± Said Halif.

    Again, I nodded.

    ¡°Of course. Not an idiot.¡± I said, replying to him verbally as well.

    Halif sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to trust you on that. But, know that if the information ring decideds that your information isn¡¯t worthy enough, they will deny you access to their own stores.¡±

    I grunted.

    ¡°Know that. No chance, though.¡± I said, referring to my certainty that there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be turned away¡ªas long as the broker actually looks at the information. Like I said, there¡¯s a distinct possibility that I¡¯ll just be turned away at the door due to my apparent age. I mean, if I¡¯m being honest here, I barely look fourteen. That can be a problem when you want to be taken seriously.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re absolutely certain that they¡¯ll like the information you have?¡± Asked Halif, somewhat skeptically. There no way he could know about my mastery when it comes to hacking and information gathering, so I guess he assumes I have no way to find good, new data that¡¯ll interest a massive intelligence gathering organization.

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯ll like me.¡± I said.

    Halif let out a deep breath.

    ¡°I sure hope so, and not just for your own sake. My own reputation¡¯s riding on this too, you know? I¡¯m the one sponsoring you here, and if you can¡¯t deliver, it reflects onto me as well.¡±

    I wave off his worries, with an air of nonchalance.

    ¡°Be fine. I got this.¡± I said.

    For the rest of the ride, we sat in silence as the car drove deeper into the center of Jor. We were getting into some of the richer areas of the city, where all the major players lived. My school was also located around here, since it catered to the affluent members of society in Jor.

    Eventually, we reached an area where two skyscrapers sat really close to one another. Between the two, there was an entrance to an underground garage where we could park the car. There were many other expensive vehicles down there, though the vast majority of them looked much flashier than Halif¡¯s relatively tame, but classy, black car.

    We got out, and made our way to an elevator that would bring us up one of the skyscrapers. I almost commented about the unexpected location for an illegal information ring to reside, but I realize it made quite a bit of sense. Why would you operate out of a run-down apartment in some slums, when you have the money and clout to simply set up as an actual business would? I mean, I¡¯m sure that the information ring has a cover set up so that there are no legal tangles, but this makes quite a bit of sense otherwise.

    Additionally, most of the people that want their information will be living in the richer sides of Jor anyway, so this is closer, and more comfortable to those people.

    Anyway, the elevator let out in a lobby, and Halif made his way towards a large wooden reception desk, where a group of aesthetically pleasing secretaries were stationed. Halif walked right up to one of them, and spoke clearly and with authority.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Jvorg, up in marketing for the 4 o¡¯clock meeting.¡±

    The secretary looked up with a practiced disinterest. He eyed Halif for a second, and passed his gaze over me as well. I noticed that his eyes lingered over the katana I openly carried, and the protective gear I was wearing. He looked back at Halif.

    ¡°Mr. Gibraltar, I presume?¡± asked the secretary.

    ¡°Yes. This is Revian Snow with me.¡± He said.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The secretary nodded.

    ¡°Very well. Mr. Jvorg is ready to see you now. Just take that elevator.¡± Said the secretary.

    Halif thanked the man, and we made our way towards the other elevator. It¡¯s door automatically opened for us, and we got on. Similarly, the elevator immediately started it¡¯s ascent towards this Jvorg guy.

    Now, I know some are wondering why they¡¯re letting me bring weapons along. Well, that¡¯s simple. It¡¯s because taking weapons away from people is largely useless now, what with the Awakenings. I mean, sure you can take away someone¡¯s weapons, but what do you do when someone¡¯s entire body is a weapon?

    Besides, carrying a blade has become a bit of a fashion statement now. Almost everyone who¡¯s anyone does it¡ªand the better the blade, the higher the status. I¡¯m sure that secretary was eyeing my blade to determine what sort of person I am, and how much power I wield.

    Well, unfortunately for him, the katana I¡¯m carrying now is utter shit. I mean, it¡¯s really about medium grade, and quite workable, but that simply doesn¡¯t cut it here. It doesn¡¯t look good enough. But hey, it was either this katana, or the one I have stashed in my closet. You know, the big one with a blade like ivory. That blade stands out entirely too much, and I¡¯d rather not draw that much attention. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªit¡¯s not how that katana looks which is the problem. In fact, it¡¯s a really simple and sturdy looking blade, and its only distinguishing feature visually is the color.

    No, it¡¯s the feeling the blade radiates. The malice and ire coming from the blade convinces me that it had been used to cut down a large swath of it¡¯s wielder¡¯s enemies. It¡¯s seen war before, I¡¯m sure of it.

    And then there¡¯s the fact that the thing practically screams it¡¯s intent to cut. Just looking at it has me thinking that it could cut through space itself should I try¡­.

    Anyway¡ªwe reached the floor where the meeting was going to be held, and the elevator doors opened up to let us off.

    We walked into a barren and drab looking hallway, with a single door at the other end. Halif made towards the door, and I followed him. Then, he stood before the door, until it opened, revealing a man on the other side who looked to be in his thirties, wearing a good suit, and wearing his thick brown hair long.

    ¡°Ah, Halif! Good to see you again¡ªIt must have been a few months since your last visit, no? And is this the one you wished to introduce?¡± Asked the man.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to see you too, Jvorg. This is indeed Revian, whom I¡¯m hoping the Ring will allow access to.¡±

    ¡°Hm, well, we¡¯ll just have to see if she¡¯s worth it, no? I will make no illusions¡ªthe Ring is all about mutual profitability. If she is not worth it, well, do not go blaming me.¡± Said Jvorg, his tone growing dead serious with the last sentence.

    ¡°Now then, come in! Let us not talk out in this sad hallway, no? There are seats, where we can speak reasonably.¡± He continued, ushering us into the space beyond the door, which brought a stark contrast from the hallway.

    The very first thing there was an office desk, behind which sat a row of windows giving a glorious view of the city beyond sprawling across the planet¡¯s surface, and the canopy overhead protecting it. Jvorg sat down behind the desk, and there were a few seats facing him. He¡¯s framed quite nicely by the scene behind him.

    Halif and I sat down in different chairs, and waited for Jvorg to speak.

    However, he instead scrutinized me closely. I could see him passing over everything I brought along, evaluating them, weighing them.

    Finally, his head tilted to the side in a quizzical manner.

    ¡°You are an odd mess of contradictions, no?¡±

    I pondered what he said for a moment, before speaking.

    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hm, where to start? Ah! The most obvious bits, of course. So, your age. You are young, but have the mentality of one much¡­greater? No, older than yourself. Then, your appearance. While I would say you are beautiful now, you are not caring of this. It simply does not matter to you, no? And your equipment¡ªwhile not top quality¡ªis at least military grade. It is certainly not designed for looking pretty. Another thing belaying your looks and age, as most would go for the pretty things.

    ¡°However, the outside is only the surface, as the saying goes. Inside, you are ever more complex, no? You have the power to do anything you want, but never use it. You have the feelings and thoughts of a true-born killer, but shove them deep, deep down so that your brutal nature is never exercised. But even though this part of you is brutal and unseen, it is still kind, in a way. And your mind itself! What a wondrous mind it is. I have no reservations in telling you that you may perhaps have one of humankind¡¯s greatest minds at the moment. But that does not matter to you, does it? You do not use that mind of yours. At least, not to the potential you know it has.

    ¡°No, you do not want to do that. It would draw attention, no? You do not like attention. You just want to live life as simply as possible, as you have seen what power brings. But your nature precludes peace, even if you desire it. You know this as well. So, you live a life of contradictions. You have great power, and do not use it. You have decided to not use your power, but use it anyway. You want peace in your heart, but your nature of the warlord combats that. You combat the warlord inside you with the peace in your heart. And lastly, you know exactly all of this, but deny it regardless. You deny yourself your own being, in so far as being able to attain a somewhat normal life, sans the oddities attracted to you and those around you.

    ¡°I will tell you that you are not destined for a normal life. But you also know that, no? You just want to hang on for as long as possible. Well, I will also tell you that you can not hang on for very much longer. You should already know that as well. The Pantheons will find you within this year.¡±

    Absorbing all this, I simply asked one question.

    ¡°Clairvoyance?¡±

    ¡°And there is that mind, no?¡± Jvorg laughed. ¡°Brilliant, able to see through me in a heartbeat. Yes, Revy¡ªas I know you like to be called. Less formal, was it? Anyway, yes. I am a clairvoyant. Some might even go so far as to say I am the clairvoyant. Not quite as interesting as your own abilities, I know.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How would knowing things be interesting to me? Yes, I can find out many, many things that others may not. But this is not a power for fun combat, or for making many friends. You can shelve your own abilities for the greatest part, but I may not.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Could see how it¡¯s annoying.¡± I said. I know that such an ability would bring me more pain then the one¡¯s I have now, really.

    ¡°Oh, it is not annoying. Just¡­limiting? Restricting? Bah, you know what I am meaning.¡±

    ¡°Perfect for information ring, though.¡± I said.

    Jvorg laughed.

    ¡°Yes, it is. Kind of hard to protect information when I can easily find out, no?¡± He chuckled a little bit more before getting serious again.

    ¡°Well, I am sure you will be happy to know that I am going to let you into the information ring, no questions being asked. Of course, I already know the things you wish to know, and will admit that the information potential you bring is only bettered by my own. As great as my abilities are, I am unable to reach into pure data.¡± He said.

    Of course, this whole time, Halif¡¯s been in a state of extended amazement. It¡¯s funny to see, actually. I guess he¡¯s been dealing with Jvorg for a while, and is only finding out some of this stuff now. Hell, just what he¡¯s learned about me would be enough to amaze quite a few people.

    Oh well. He¡¯ll get over it.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I said, in response to what Halif had said. ¡°Willing to trade.¡±

    Jvorg smiled.

    ¡°Good! The first thing you wanted to know, it is about the Pantheons, no?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Want locations, numbers, strength.¡±

    ¡°Easily done. Most of them stand out to my abilities quite strongly, since they are so in tune with the more primal side of humanity. I will give you a roster with as much information as I can get. And, I hope that when the time comes, you do not punish them too hard.¡± Said Jvorg.

    I sighed, and nodded.

    ¡°Will try. No promises though.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. If they try to kill you earnestly, then I see no reason to hold back. Now then, I will get you this roster as soon as I can, no? By next week for certain. As for your own information, simply send it here.¡± Said Jvorg, handing me a bit of paper with a web-address on it.

    ¡°Now, I believe that should be everything, no? It was nice meeting you, Revy. And it was good to see you again, Halif. Be kind to your son, right?¡± He said, getting up from the desk, and walking over to the door.

    I got up, and followed him there.

    ¡°Oh, and one last thing, Revy?¡± Asked Jvorg. ¡°Things are going to get bad soon. I cannot tell you what, or why¡ªas that would be violating a fundamental law¡ªbut I can tell you that you must be ready. Also, do not fear what you do not know. As it turns out, everything is remarkably similar in the end.¡± He finished, a glint of fatalistic humor in his voice.

    I nodded, and thanked him. I walked out of the beautiful office, and back into the drab hallway with Halif dimly following behind me. I can imagine that he was feeling a bit intimidated by the conversation. Certainly, he was reminded that he¡¯s currently just a big fish in a small pond.

    We got back into the elevator, and descended back to the lobby. From there we went down into the garage, and hopped into Halif¡¯s car. The drive back to my apartment was spent in silence¡ªwhich I didn¡¯t mind. Finally, he stopped in front of the complex, and let me out.

    Not a word was said as the car door closed, and he drove off.

    I sighed, and made my way back up to the apartment. I quietly unlocked the door, and entered. All my equipment was taken off, and properly stored.

    I took a quick shower, and dress in pajamas after. I got on my computer, and quickly sent some of the information I had compiled to the website Jvorg had given me.

    While waiting for that to finish uploading, I quickly went over the news¡ªwhich looked like the standard fare. Some inter-galactic skirmishes were going on, trade deals were being struck, a patrol went missing near the Border, politicians were being fuck-wads, and there was some celebrity scandal involving a¡­fivesome? Wouldn¡¯t it just be an orgy at that point?

    Ah well. I mean to say that the news wasn¡¯t very interesting. It never let¡¯s me know exactly what I want to know, nor will anything truly important ever really show up there.

    Though, something significant could happen, and it would slip straight under my nose because of my inattention to the news. I doubt it though. It¡¯s more likely for Jor to be sucked into a black-hole.

    Anyway, the data transfer was still going strong, so I decided to leave it running overnight.

    I went ahead and made myself some dinner, and ate peacefully. I spent the time before going to bed simply relaxing for a change.

    Then, I went to sleep quite easily, and deeply.

    Such a shame I woke up so horribly then.

 Chapter 29: A dream, and fame.

    I¡¯ve always had trouble with dreams. They say that they¡¯re the expression of a person¡¯s true nature, and my nature apparently isn¡¯t kind nor is it understanding. I mean, I just want to wake up nicely for once. Is that too much to ask here?

    No, of course it is. That would just be too damn great.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re wondering. ¡°What sort of dreams is she having, to wake up violently?¡±

    Well, I can immediately tell you that they aren¡¯t nice dreams. Obviously.

    They also aren¡¯t bad, per say. Just¡­jarring. And I¡¯m sure that they would be immensely confusing to anyone that isn¡¯t me. As it is, sometimes it takes me a while to puzzle out what I had just dreamed about. But it always makes perfect sense, in hindsight. Things tend to do that when looking back.

    Anyway, I woke up violently today.

    The dreams were definitely not nice this time.

    <hr>

    I found myself in a field full of wheat, rising high above my head.

    There were cries in the distance, the clanging of steel on steel. Yells echoed into the sky above, though the source of these sounds was unseen to me.

    I looked up, bidden to seek an unknown thing, and the sky stared back at me, almost resentfully. Only the birds were friendly.

    I looked down, and the earth seemed to distain my touch.

    I looked around me, and the field of golden wheat fell to the ground, having grown, born it¡¯s germ, and fallen to age in short order. I could see the source of the clamor now, with the wheat out of the way.

    A group of men and women were fighting, their leather armor and arms seemingly shining from within, a heroic light being cast over their bearers. They saw me, and fled away, unwilling to face that which stands higher than themselves.

    But I was not ready to let them take flight, and forcibly gathered them, as the sky rumbled thunderously, and the ground roiled beneath me. They, while unwilling to tolerate me and my presence, were not able to oppose me either. I stood in the center of a perfect storm, a bubble of calm extending around me, and the warriors I brought nearer to me. The warriors were frightened by the heavenly actions happening around them, but made no move to run. They understood that I was safe, and that the areas around me where in my control.

    The heavens might disdain of me. But I disdain of them even more.

    So, I soothed the earth, and calmed the sky. They revolted under my control, but I reigned in their ambitions. There are larger things to fight against, than each other.

    And this was a timely move, as the sky shattered, and alien light poured in. It touched upon the earth, and the ground quaked and broke.

    Then the light came towards my warriors, and I.

    Of course, I woke up at that point. Dreams kinda work that way, right? Get right to the good part, and something keeps you from seeing it. Typical.

    Well, in this case, I shot awake quite violently, a cold sweat running down my back. This dream was actually fairly straightforward, all things considered. It was certainly quite a bit simpler than some of the other¡¯s I¡¯ve had. It was more dramatic as well though, and sent me a very clear message.

    I need to be ready.

    So I went ahead and took a shower.

    What? I was all icky from the sweat, and wanted it gone.

    After the shower, I made myself breakfast and everything, trying to just relax whatever tenseness was remaining from the dream. Mostly, I succeeded. There was still a little part of my mind that was mulling over all that, and the specific implications from the dream. The rest of me was occupied by other things.

    Like getting ready for school.

    Yup, it¡¯s not the weekend anymore.

    I also checked up on that data upload, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been completed during the night. I had been expecting it to take longer, since there had been quite a bit of information being ferried. Since Jvorg now has my information, I¡¯m expecting him to currently be pouring over it.

    Now, I just have to wait for the information I requested to arrive.

    Anyway, I found myself in class an hour or two later, the dream having slowly faded from my mind. There really wasn¡¯t anything too interesting going on in school at the moment¡ªwell, besides the fact that Ussen¡¯s opened up. He¡¯s talking to people a whole lot more, and with greater freedom.

    It¡¯s great to see that, since he would always have this gloominess cast over him, making Ussen seem halfway miserable all the time. Now, he just seems¡­withdrawn. Or reserved.

    It¡¯s nice to see. Hopefully, he¡¯ll figure out what it is he wants. There¡¯s nothing quite like a goal when it comes to breathing life into a person.

    Other than this welcome sight, I mostly just dazed through my classes. While the dream had faded from mind, it¡¯s implications have not. I know full well what most of the dream means.

    Bah, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. What comes will come, and I¡¯ll deal with it then. For now, I can only prepare. Nothing more to it. Well, almost nothing. Part of the preparation stuff involves gaining more information about those that will inevitably come for me. Besides, I even have a good time frame for when they¡¯ll be coming. Jvorg said within a year.

    Slightly ironic, right?

    Anyway, nothing of note happened during school otherwise.

    I mean, it¡¯s school. If something interesting¡¯s happened, then events have probably gone badly in one way or another. So, I¡¯m just going to skip to when I got home.

    <hr>

    I opened my apartment door, and threw off my shoes in the entryway. I dropped my bags on the way to my room, where I promptly flopped onto my bed, face first.

    I stayed there for a few minutes, just relaxing slowly.

    Sigh~

    I wonder what I should do for the rest of the day?

    I mean, I have to wait for the information from Jvorg before making any concrete plans, and it¡¯s not like I have anything else to do.

    You know, it¡¯s times like this that almost make me feel amused. Here I am, probably the most powerful person on this planet besides Jvorg, and I¡¯m bored.

    Jeez, it almost makes me wonder what those all powerful Deities do for amusement. I mean, they¡¯re functionally immortal, so they¡¯d have to get good at amusing themselves, right? Or else suffer sporadic bouts of intense boredom for the rest of their short eternity.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Meh, I¡¯m really not looking forward to that sort of thing. Heck, I already have some trouble amusing myself.

    Right, I guess there¡¯s really only one thing for it. I mean, I¡¯ve been planning on doing this for a while now, so I suppose it makes no difference if the time-table is moved up slightly.

    Besides, I will admit things are getting a little crazier than I had anticipated.

    I reached over to my bed-side table, and pulled a VR headset over my face.

    Soon after, I found myself in Ashenload, right where I had logged off last time. I was holding my bow, and was covered in a black shawl which concealed my face. In fact, you couldn¡¯t really make out anything of my body under all the lightweight armor I was wearing, and the equipment strapped over that.

    I believe I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but I had modeled my avatar¡¯s body to closely resemble my own, and we shared almost identical facial features.

    I just didn¡¯t like the thought of not having my own face, you know? In addition, Ashenload¡¯s a great test-bed for honing combat skills and fighting abilities.

    Most VR games are, but Ashenload¡¯s pulled it off better than most¡ªwhich is part of the reason the game became so popular in the first place.

    So, having my own body type in here can easily translate to greater combat experience outside of the game, and allows me to further hone the skills I have.

    However, what I¡¯m wearing now simply will not do.

    I don¡¯t want any of my next actions to be linked to ¡®Vina¡¯, the archer girl that follows The Spartans around.

    No, I want to be disassociated from that character as much as possible. So, my equipment has to go.

    I swapped out all the dark and inconspicuous looking scout armor for the red armored robe of a high-level combat mage, and buckled a good sword to my belt. This left my face bare, and my hair uncovered. So, I quickly applied an illusion spell to change the color of my hair to a flamboyant red, and put a small glamour on myself. It wasn¡¯t anything that would make everyone who saw me fall in love or something. A glamour of that strength is too troublesome in it¡¯s effects. Instead, this spell simply has me exuding an aura of subtle power, and authority. It works well when you don¡¯t want to be bothered.

    In addition, I somewhat reluctantly added fuzzy red cat ears on top of my head, and a tail behind me. After all, the Player Gods had made that addition to all the female characters, and it would look odd were I the only exception. Finally, I applied an illusion to my character name, changing it.

    With all my preparations finished, I teleported to the nearest large city.

    Immediately, I stood out among the crowd of people. Even with my utter lack of height, the red of my hair, and the striking craftsmanship of my clothing screamed that I was someone who should be known. This effect was only amplified by the glamour around me, making most the eyes in the square gravitate towards me.

    And the whispers of astonishment rose without any delay.

    Oh, I should mention that while my archer persona as Vina is little known beyond my association with The Spartans, the combat mage character I¡¯ve built¡ªnamed Deus¡ªis reasonably famous.

    The first reason she¡¯s well known is the red robe. There¡¯s a whole lotta meaning behind it.

    For one, it¡¯s fucking difficult to become a red-robed mage. You see, there are different levels to a mages expertise here in Ashenload, and you can get that knowledge and experience tested in exchange for a custom robe, courtesy of an in-game quest.

    Most people are granted the lowest level robe at first¡ªthe purple robe. Then, as they gain in ability, they can go back and get retested. If they pass, they get a night blue robe. Then it''s a regular blue robe, then a sky blue robe, then a green robe, then a yellow robe, then an orange robe, and finally the red robe.

    Of course, people subdivide the colors into stars or something, to get a more accurate measure of a person¡¯s strength as a mage.

    There are countless purple robes. They can be found anywhere. Less common are the night blue robes, and ever less common are the regular blue robes. Going all the way up to the top, there are only thirty-five red robed mages.

    So, I¡¯m a little well known in this disguise.

    And I suppose it doesn¡¯t help that there¡¯s quite a bit of mystery surrounding me either.

    You see, the red robed mages are often seen collaborating with each other, heading guilds, forming coalitions and all that.

    I¡¯m the only one that isn¡¯t a member of all that. I¡¯m the only one who does things alone.

    And even more mysterious, is that nobody quite knows what my magic is. I mean, of course it¡¯s illusion, as affinities here in game reflect the real world¡ªbut nobody know that I¡¯m an illusionist.

    This is partly to do with my other nickname in this character. A nickname I¡¯m hearing being muttered in this square quite a bit right now.

    ¡°The Sword Mage.¡±

    I¡¯ve never used magic to beat anyone. There have been no displays of immense power, nor even of the slightest flicker of magic and Mana.

    Instead, I¡¯ve relied on my strength as a swordswoman.

    I suspect that people would begin to think that I¡¯m not even a mage, were it not for the fact that the use of magic and Mana is required during the mage¡¯s trial that gave me my red robe in the first place.

    So, they know I have magic. And people also know that I¡¯m devastating with a sword¡ªa fact they know due to my crushing of the rare challenger every now and then. Hell, the weakest of the red-robes once tried to assert his dominance over me, and was beaten quite soundly. That had been fun~

    It had also cemented my status as a terrifying opponent.

    A mage, beating one of the strongest mages in game with a sword? Unheard of.

    I was also propelled to sudden and unwanted fame simply by going on quests. As it turns out, people would follow me in order to find some of the higher level, and well hidden quests in Ashenload. They would also try and record me doing the quests, it seems¡ªrecordings which became very popular for some reason or another. I believe a part of one was even included in some of the Ashenload advertisements.

    Bah, anyway.

    This version of my avatar is famous. That¡¯s what¡¯s relevant here.

    From the square I materialized in, I made my way to a well-known and high-end pub near the center of town. Along the way, lots of people saw me and were likely spreading the news that Deus was spotted again in game, after a pretty long silence.

    This made it so that a good sized crowd was following behind me by the time I got to the pub.

    Most players are well aware of my habits as Deus. I would always go to a pub for a round of drinks before setting off on a quest.

    And seeing me walk into one of those pubs sent the crowd of players into a tizzy, as they realized I would be setting off on a quest soon. Many of them were likely hoping to follow along behind me as I cut down the harder quest enemies. They would try to get through before the respawns, and make it down to the final boss without any effort on their parts.

    Of course, this always happens when I go out on a quest. And it¡¯s funny, because they never quite manage to make it in the end. Those simply following me would get killed by traps, won¡¯t make it in before the enemies respawns, or simply die without knowing how.

    It happens each time. You¡¯d think they¡¯ve learned, but apparently not¡­.

    Sigh~

    I ordered a drink inside the pub, and noticed that the space around me had pretty much cleared out within seconds, with people giving me plenty of room to relax. Eh, I guess that¡¯s another reason to use my Deus persona, rather than Vina¡ªwho would never clear space like this.

    So I drank in peace, ignoring the looks constantly being sent my way.

    Eventually, I set down an empty glass, and stood up. I placed some coins down, which the barkeep gratefully accepted.

    I did a quick gear check, before leaving the pub.

    The crowd which had been waiting outside¡ªdid the crowd grow bigger?¡ªfollowed me out of the city as well.

    I continued leading them off into the distance, at a pace few could keep up with or maintain. For now, most of the group behind me had fallen way behind, with only those warriors specialized in speed or endurance keeping up.

    This was like every other quest I¡¯d ever taken as Deus. I knew that the fastest members of the crowd would keep up, and let those who had fallen behind know where I went.

    Slightly annoying, yes, but it¡¯s helpful in this case.

    I ran for half an in-game day. Quite a massive distance was covered, and I eventually found myself standing in front of a cave opening.

    It was a familiar place¡ªsomewhere I¡¯d been with my friends during the God¡¯s civil war. There had been a quest to scout out this cave, and we¡¯d discovered that an enemy garrison had holed up inside.

    I sighed, and looked behind me. I had increased my pace for the last few miles, leaving a bit of a buffer before the first of the crowd arrives. They hadn¡¯t yet shown up, so I slipped into the caves before they could.

    I passed the caverns inside the caves, and soon came upon the room before the current deepest portion of the network.

    This was the room which had left my friends awestruck at its stillness and beauty¡ªWith crystals growing from the walls and ceiling, and glowing softly in the darkness of the cave, and a small and clear stream bisecting the room in two, the room really did seem a small cut of paradise. It was peaceful.

    And I regretted the fact that the people following me would inevitably have to run through this, and will likely disregard this place¡¯s tranquility in it¡¯s entirety.

    Damn it. Nature of the beast, I suppose. I went ahead and moved on to the finial accessible area of the cave¡ªwhere the enemy garrison had set up last time. Now, there was just an old and broken down camp, slowly decaying on the cave floor.

    My true objective, however, stood in front of me, on the other side of the cavern. It glowed dimly in the low light, with complex and cryptic symbols rotating around it slowly.

    This was the seal that had prevented our group from going any further last time. In fact, a team of researchers had been sent down here last time, in order to try and find a way around the seal preventing up from going any deeper.

    They didn¡¯t succeed. Of course they didn¡¯t.

    However, now I¡¯m going to try my hand.

    I walked up to the seal, and pointed at one of the symbols orbiting inside the seal. It immediately stopped in place. I dragged my finger off to the side, and the symbol followed in its path, halting right where I was currently pointing. I lowered my hand, and the symbol stayed right where I left it.

    Grinning slightly, I cracked my knuckles.

    And I conducted.

    Thus, I ended up solving the seal in under five seconds.

    All the various mystical symbols aligned in the center of the seal, and a flash of Mana coursed through the cavern before the seal opened up just enough at the bottom to allow a single person through. I walked through, and the seal fell back into place behind me. It was back to the condition it had been in when I¡¯d arrived. And just in time too, as three people skidded into the cavern, having just caught up.

    I made sure that they could catch a brief glimpse of me behind the seal, before disappearing deeper into the caves.

    This should get interesting~

    I just have to figure out how to handle the rest of the situation.

 Chapter 30: Red Robes and fake rooms.

    Continuing on past the seal, the entire cave system began to grow more complicated. Up until this point, the caves had been fairly straightforward, and mostly natural looking. There were only a few points where it had been obvious that someone took a chisel to the wall and shaped the stone by their own hands.

    Here, however, there wasn¡¯t a piece of the cave wall untouched by human hands and carvings. Frequently stopping to admire the intricate patterns etched into the stone itself, I found myself once again amazed at the level of detail here in Ashenload.

    The carvings themselves were easily understood¡ªdepicted scenes of life, and of it¡¯s vibrancy. One of the more striking carvings involved a hunting party, and a dragon.

    The hunting party set out before the sun had risen, giving a heartfelt goodbye to their families. They journeyed far afield, searching for prey in a barren and blasted landscape. The danger of the hunt was presented in the wary posture and watchful gaze of the hunters, and in the losses. Two hunters had gotten careless, and died to some sort of plant. Three more fell to beasts unrecognizable.

    This isn¡¯t a leisure hunt. This is a hunt for survival¡ªsomething done out of necessity.

    The hunters themselves wandered for a few weeks, searching for something.

    They never found it.

    Instead, a dragon nearly wiped out the whole hunting party. But they did not go down easily, and the dragon itself was killed by the only hunter left standing. This final hunter consumed the dragon¡¯s heart, and grew strong. He ventured forth once more, seeking something greater than a meal this time.

    And he found it.

    The hunter went back to the starving tribe, and led them to a place of plenty, defending them with his newfound strength on the way.

    And this is just one set of carvings among hundreds lining the walls. I hadn¡¯t thought all this would end up looking so¡­remarkable. This stuff wasn¡¯t anticipated at all.

    Continuing onwards, the carvings only grew more refined, and seemed to detail a history. Starting with the tribe and the hunters, it showed the rise of a nation, and the prosperity of a people. The carvings always depicted a single character¡ªthat of the last hunter, who had consumed the heart of a dragon and gave his people everything. And though the nation rose around him, and countless generations were born and died, he remained constant.

    The carvings continued, and I watched as the nation reached a point where a single man was not about to keep it together any longer. This great state and utopia began fracturing around the edges, with civilization only growing more complex and the people finding ever more reasons to disagree with one another.

    And like in all things, a breaking point had to be reached. In this case, it came at the hands of the hunter-king¡¯s only son. The hunter-king was driven out, and the son took the mantle of power.

    The nation fell soon after, with the son indulging himself in his new power, and ignoring the problems outside. The hunter-king could only watch in sadness as everything he had ever worked for crumbled, lost now.

    The hunter left, leaving his disgraced nation to it¡¯s ruin.

    He wandered, seeking something unknown, and seeing everything along the way. The carvings depicted his journey, his adventures, and his character.

    Eventually, the hunter found a body of water, stretching as far as the eye could see. This man, now of countless age, threw himself into the water, letting it take him wherever it might.

    Of course the story continued on past this point. He reached an unknown land, filled with unknown people and gods.

    However, there were now points on the carvings that were gouged out, as if someone couldn¡¯t bear the sight of some scenes depicted. There was one large section of wall that was just¡­missing. It was completely blank, with carvings before and after that point.

    The carvings after this blank section of wall took a dramatic shift thought, with the tone becoming darker, and with the hunter gradually¡­changing. It was as if he were not completely human anymore. He certainly didn¡¯t act that way.

    I¡¯ll spare you the rest of the details.

    Regardless, this hunter didn¡¯t become a nice person in the end.

    The cave tunnel soon came to an end, and the story within the carvings ended with it. Past that point, things opened up into a massive and cavernous space deep within the earth. In the center of the cavern, a single stone obelisk rose from the ground. Even from where I was standing, it was clear that there were words carved upon the structure, and that this was the single most important thing in the cavern. I mean, there were also other things here¡ªlike chests lining the walls, likely filled with various treasures and rare weapons.

    They just weren¡¯t as important feeling as that single pillar standing tall in the middle of a still and silent space. Getting closer to it only intensified the feeling of importance imparted by the obelisk. And the words written upon it¡­they were carved into the stone almost angrily, with a savage intent. These were the words of a man furious at his lot.

    I didn¡¯t read the words though. That would push events into motion badly, and with the wrong sort of timing.

    No¡ªI can¡¯t be the first one to read what¡¯s written there. It has to be someone else.

    So, the cavern saw me standing in front of the obelisk, facing the tunnel that led down here.

    Those that were following me should be arriving soon, given the booms echoing down to where I was waiting¡ªthey were likely bombarding the seal up above with various magics and abilities. After all, they didn¡¯t know a way to open the seal without completely destroying it first.

    The explosions and deep thudding noises ramped up in intensity slowly, as a greater number of players reached the seal, and added their own strength to the bombardment. Sure that the seal would fall within minutes, I prepared a quick spell which would render me invisible to the mob of people that are surely going to rush down the tunnel as soon as it was gone.

    However, something odd happened.

    For a moment, things went silent. The pounding ceased, and nothing happened for a good minute or two. I looked up the tunnel, wondering what the hell was going on.

    Then, an absolutely massive boom resounded down the tunnel, and a sound like glass breaking accompanied it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    There was no yelling or a rush of people as excepted. Instead, the footsteps of four or five different people echoed down to me, and I could faintly hear their voices as they walked closer.

    ¡°¡­Sure that it¡¯s her?¡± Asked a man, though his voice was pitched slightly high, and quivered a bit.

    ¡°That¡¯s what people are saying.¡± Rumbled someone else. ¡°She did that thing she always does. Plenty saw her come here.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s just, are we sure it¡¯s her? I¡¯d hate to have expended all these favors to deal with a false alarm.¡±

    ¡°Sigrid, my friend¡ªNo need to worry about such things!¡± Interjected a third voice. ¡°Even had you not called in those favors, we would still be here. If it turns out to be this ¡®false alarm¡¯ of yours, we will still be willing to help you with this venture in the future!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Asked Sigrid.

    ¡°But of course! We all think Deus needs to be taught a thing about this pecking order. In fact, I am of the thought that most here would not care about favors.¡±

    ¡°Wait! So, I didn¡¯t have to call in those¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late to call them back. We¡¯ve already accepted this task in exchange for the favors owed.¡± Spoke another member of the group, this one female.

    ¡°Nira speaks with truth.¡± Said the fifth member of the group, his voice aged. ¡°The favor¡¯s have already been exchanged. There¡¯s no doubling back on your word now, Sigrid.¡±

    ¡°Damn it. Alright. But, we have to take care of Deus, okay?¡±

    ¡°None of us are saying that we won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Shh, I think we¡¯re nearly there. There¡¯s something up ahead.¡±

    ¡°Everyone get ready.¡±

    From the end of the tunnel, appeared a group of five.

    I knew who these five were. In fact, most people would know who these five were.

    Leading the group out of the tunnel, Sigrid of the Wind was the first to see me. He stopped, and the rest of the group lined up on either side of him.

    Nira the Vine Mistress, Hoid of the Earth, Galthor the Volcano, and Gabriel the Chaos-Bringer.

    All of them were wearing red robes, like my own.

    ¡°Why are you people here?¡± I asked. Their group tensed up at my words, and after noticing that my hand was resting solidly on my sword¡¯s hilt.

    ¡°Well, we just wanted to see what sort of thing could catch the Sword Mage¡¯s attention.¡± Answered Sigrid.

    ¡°Oh, and revenge.¡± Added Galthor somewhat humorously.

    ¡°Aye. Little Sigrid didn¡¯t take kindly to your beating him. So, he called us to help better get his payback. Everything worked out well, and we decided to help him!¡± Said Hoid.

    ¡°That¡¯s all? How useless.¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°Waddya mean ¡®how useless¡¯?!¡± Said Gabriel, who spoke up for the first time. ¡°Girly, you¡¯re facing five Red Robes! Five!¡±

    ¡°And? Already beat Sigrid.¡±

    ¡°That was only one Red Robe. We¡¯re here to teach you the proper order of things!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Gabriel. There¡¯s no need to get so caught up in things. We have a job to do.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­Right¡­ Sorry sis.¡± Said Gabriel, speaking to Nira.

    A tense silence followed.

    It was broken by an impatient Sigrid.

    ¡°What the hell are we waiting for? Come on, we¡¯re here to beat her, right?! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    I sighed, and shook my head. If these people want to fight me, then it would be impolite to not oblige, right? They all fell into ready positions, staffs and wands at the ready as my sword was drawn¡ªwhich was of course a katana, mirroring the unfair skill I have with the weapon in real life.

    The five red robes started chanting, preparing their spells. The cadences and rhythms of each chant varied based on the caster¡¯s particular affinities and specializations. However, each one of them began radiating mana at levels only achievable by the very greatest of mages in Ashenload. It would generally be a bad idea to take whatever they¡¯re about to throw at me head-on, so it was slightly imperative that they not hit me.

    Now, in a normal mages battle both sides would charge up their spells, and bombard each other from range. Duels in this manner are a test on the strength of a mage¡¯s spells and shields. I.E¡ªwhoever can last the longest will normally win.

    I can¡¯t play by those rules, though. For one, doing so would be stupidity in it¡¯s highest form, as illusion mages don¡¯t get shield spells good enough to do more than keep the rain off them. We also don¡¯t have offensive spells, per say.

    Everything is sacrificed for our pure battlefield control.

    For instance, a single little illusion threw all five Red Robes off guard, instantly putting me at an advantage.

    The illusion itself was simple.

    To the Red Robes, it looked as if I suddenly charged at them, sword held high and a murderous look on my face. Their shields flared to full strength in response to the ¡®charge¡¯. Meanwhile, the real me casually walked off to one side, and brought the illusions to full strength. Yes, illusions.

    So, I sat back, a smirk on my face as pandemonium erupted.

    <hr>

    Hiya there!

    Just your friendly neighborhood narrator here. Yes, yes¡ªthe same one as from Chapter 27, with that wonderful disappearing patrol group. Don¡¯t worry, that was only mildly important.

    No, I just thought I would take over at this point, since Revy¡¯s pretty much stopped paying attention with her toys. She has a nasty habit of doing that, even outside of this game. Part of the arrogance she hides, probably.

    Anyway, she can¡¯t really go over what happens in these bits, since she simply doesn¡¯t care about them. Really, do you notice the ants being trod upon under your feet? And yes, I¡¯m referring to five of Ashenload¡¯s Red Robes as ants. It¡¯s because only overwhelming strength will break Revy down, and things are too equal here.

    ¡°But there are five of them!¡±, you might say.

    Yes, well, are you forgetting what Revy¡¯s specialization is?

    It¡¯s battlefield control. There¡¯s no use in approaching her with numbers, since she can easily separate a group out, and face them one on one.

    Trap the rest of them in various illusions until she gets around to dealing with them. That''s how she does things.

    It¡¯s a terrifyingly effective tactic. And one of the reasons why illusionists are so heavily controlled in human governed space now. Well, other than that whole thing with people not liking the idea of someone being able to mess with their heads.

    Anyway, it might be better to show you what I mean by all this, right? After all, there¡¯s a perfect example of a good illusionist right here, and she has people to fight.

    So, Revy first sends a single illusion of herself barreling towards the five Red Robes. They strengthen their shields, anticipating a forward assault from her. However, Revy splits the illusion just before it reaches any one person.

    Now, all five of the Red Robes see their own individual Revy coming for only them, on an individual basis. And each one of the Red Robes reacts differently. One causes a large earth wall to appear before him, blocking illusory Revy¡¯s path. Another brought binding vines to life, and seeked to tie Revy down. The floor beneath another Revy instantly melted into slag, it¡¯s surface having been heated into magma.

    Each of the Red Robes dealt with their ¡®Revy¡¯ in a different way.

    However, the illusions only grew more complex from there. A very, very slight look of concentration passed across Revy¡¯s face as she instantly created 5 separate illusions of the same scenario, trapping each of the Red Robes in their own unique version of the situation.

    Basically, think of it like this¡ªRevy has just created a separate room around each of the Red Robes. Inside each room, she¡¯s created a fake reality to fool the one trapped. With this fake reality, she can manipulate the Red Robes in whichever way she wishes.

    This is something probably only achievable by Revy though. To create five different realities around specific scenarios, and have them react to whatever happens requires her to split her attention in five ways.

    She has to pay attention to what¡¯s happening in all five instances of her illusions. To the normal person, this feat is nearly impossible. Revy makes light of it, though. Hell, she¡¯s not even devoting a fraction of her mind to the task. All the pain and suffering she went through as a kid pays its dividends now.

    Anyway, I should be getting back to what¡¯s happening, right?

    Each of the Red Robes found themselves fighting an instance of Revy, unaware that their peers were fighting a slightly different battle. As the one known as Sigrid brought this fight into being, let¡¯s observe things from his own perspective.

    ¡°Everyone get ready, she¡¯s charging!¡± Shouted Sigrid, seeing Revy barreling directly towards him.

    ¡®She want¡¯s to take me out first¡­probably think¡¯s I¡¯m the weakest here. Damn it! I¡¯ll show her!¡¯ He thought. Sigrid readied himself, chanting a quick spell.

    ¡°Fetters of wind, bind!¡± He called out. The air roiled around Revy, a small cyclone raised into existence by Sigrid¡¯s magic. It wrapped around Revy, bringing her to a halt for a small moment in time. Then, she slashed with her sword, and cut the cyclone apart¡ªto his astonishment.

    ¡°Guys, be on guard! She can cut through magic!¡± He yelled.

    ¡°Aye, we saw that, ya idiot!¡± retorted Hoid. ¡°Just hit ¡®er with all we¡¯ve got!¡±

    Everyone manifested their own magics, attacking Revy in a different way. But each time a spell approached Revy, she simply slashed with her sword and unraveled it. The only one who had any sort of success was Galthor, whose magic melted the ground beneath Revy, miring her knee-deep in lava. The heat itself did nothing to her, but the lava itself slowed down Revy¡¯s charge by quite a bit, and gave the other Red Robes time to prepare their next spells.

    ¡°Hit her again!¡± Yelled Sigrid.

    ¡°We know, you fool!¡± Someone yelled back at him.

    Four spells shot away from them and bolted towards Revy, who was still stuck in the lava. The impact showered dust and bits of lava all over the place. A few of the larger chunks impacted the shields erected around the Red Robes, and slid to the ground.

    ¡°Did we get her?¡± Asked one of them.

    That question was answered a split second later, when the dust cleared enough to reveal Revy standing right where she had been before, totally unharmed.

    A nasty smile spread across her face.

    ¡°Gonna have to try harder.¡±

    So, they did.

 Chapter 31: Narrators are necessary...sometimes.

    Inside the game Ashenload, deep within the earth, an intense and destructive battle was taking place. The sounds echoing up from the caves wherein the battle was taking place would have anyone convinced that the fight was closely fought, and without any quarter given nor taken.

    The reality couldn¡¯t be further from the truth.

    There was nothing close about the battle happening, nor was the outcome in any doubt. This fight was as one-sided as it could be.

    But only two people knew this. And of those two, only one wasn¡¯t me.

    Revy knows full well that there¡¯s nothing her opponents can do. But, that¡¯s not what they thought.

    The poor things actually thought they stood a good chance.

    Of course, those ¡®poor things¡¯ are Red Robed mages¡ªpeople who should rightfully stand above all but the gods here in this Ashenload game.

    So, it¡¯s not unreasonable that they thought the fight was in their favor.

    And, the fact that Revy wasn¡¯t going easy on them with her illusions was another reason they thought they had a chance. This is because of the relationship between coefficients of¡­.

    Actually, probably better to just show you, right?

    So, here¡¯s what¡¯s happening¡ª

    <hr>

    ¡°Tie her the fuck down, you idiots!¡± Yelled someone, over several large concussive booms echoing through the cavern.

    ¡°We¡¯re trying Sigrid, ya ingrate bastard! She keeps slipping away somehow!¡±

    ¡°Try the lava again! It worked the first time!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t! She¡¯s moving too much¡ªWe¡¯d need to stop her for a second!¡±

    ¡°Fuck! Nira, can you hit her up with your vines?!¡±

    ¡°I can try!¡±

    Long ropy twines of plant matter erupted from the ground, rocketing towards the focus off all this chaos¡ªRevy, who was gracefully dodging everything thrown at her and cutting down that which she couldn¡¯t dodge.

    The vines were noticed a fraction of a second too late, and wrapped themselves around one of Revy¡¯s legs. She looked down at the vines with a blank face, annoyance bubbling just below the surface.

    ¡°Do it now!¡± Screeched Sigrid.

    ¡°Blood of stone, rise!¡± Chanted Galthor.

    The ground beneath Revy cracked and bubbled, magma spitting out from between the slates of rock. It quickly rose around Revy, forming a molten cocoon around her.

    A tense silence followed.

    ¡°Did we get her?¡± Said Hoid, voicing everyone¡¯s question.

    ¡°No.¡± Said Revy, who was standing right beside him.

    Hoid whirled around, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough to avoid being shish-kebabed by Revy¡¯s sword¡ªwhich had been shoved though his chest, and into the heart.

    ¡°Hoid!¡± Yelled Galthor, whose face had turned murderous¡ªA far cry from the wise-cracking jokester who has first entered the cavern.

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this, you bitch!¡±

    Revy cracked a small grin.

    ¡°Make me.¡±

    ¡°Blood of the earth! Coalesce and crush, erupt and rage!¡±

    Galthor¡¯s chant caused the ground to heave violently, and a massive gorge opened up right underneath Revy¡¯s feet. She couldn¡¯t avoid the sudden shifting, and flailed wildly for a moment before losing her footing and falling.

    ¡°Galthor! Stop it, you¡¯ll run out of mana!¡± Yelled Nira, who had noticed how much energy had been poured into his magic.

    ¡°No! I have to be sure!¡± He replied, his eyes turning red from broken blood vessels and his skin taking on a flushed and grey look.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to burn out, idiot.¡± Murmured Gabriel under his breath, while looking at Galthor with distain.

    Mana continued being poured into Galthor¡¯s spell, despite the warnings of his fellows. He guided the magic, reshaping the earth with incredible care and precision. That rift running the length of the cavern slowly began to rumble closed, the ground resealing itself.

    With a final and resonant thud, the two halves of the rift met each other, making it look as if nothing had happened in the cavern. Galthor collapsed to the ground, sweat beading all over his body.

    ¡°That¡­should have gotten her.¡± He said, panting slightly.

    Nira and Sigrid rushed over to where he had fallen, worried for their comrade. Gabriel stayed where he was, surveying the cavern with bored disinterest while the other two checked on Galthor, and Hoid¡¯s body.

    He noticed the large Obelisk standing in the center of the Cavern, and how it had miraculously survived the conflagration of magic from their battle.

    ¡°The fuck is that?¡± Asked Gabriel, more to himself than anyone else.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Called out Sigrid, while he¡¯s checking on Galthor.

    ¡°That¡­pillar¡ªin the middle of this place. What the hell is it? Shouldn¡¯t it be broken from the fighting?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter right now! Get over here, help us with Gal. Hoid should be respawning soon.¡±

    ¡°Sure sure. Whatever you want, master.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Cut the sarcasm idiot. We need to get out of here before that crowd from before decides to come down. They can¡¯t see us so weak.¡±

    ¡°Bah, what does it even matter? If they dare disrespect us, I could always just¡­ugh¡­?¡±

    He stopped speaking midsentence, and a sound like a sack of potatoes hitting the ground was heard, catching the attention of Nira and Sigrid.

    Gabriel had fallen to the ground, and a dusty and dirty Revy stood behind him, holding his severed head in her outstretched hand. She opened her grip, and head rejoined body on the ground.

    Nira and Sigrid shared a tense and baffled look. Then, Nira¡¯s expression hardened, and she faced Revy.

    ¡°Are you with me, Sigrid?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Of course. We won¡¯t get out of this mess alone.¡±

    ¡°Good. Take her left, I¡¯ll take the right.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    They broke off, sprinting in opposite directions. Revy stood still, watching their movements with a disinterested gaze.

    She sighed.

    ¡°Idiots for attacking me.¡±

    Revy started walking towards Nira calmly. Nira chanted a quick spell, and vines wrapped around Revy for a split moment before breaking apart.

    ¡°Sigrid, distract her!¡± Shouted Nira, whose magic was wholly ineffective when being broken so quickly.

    He reacted, and formed long blades of wind to shoot at Revy¡ªwho was still walking straight towards Nira, without any deviations in her path.

    He loosed the wind blades, and they shrieked towards Revy.

    But they never hit.

    No, the blades of wind reached Revy just fine, stunning Sigrid¡ªwho had expected the blades to break or disappear somehow.

    They didn¡¯t break, nor did it seem that Revy would do anything to counter them.

    And then the blades¡¯ flight paths bent around Revy, continuing straight on towards Nira at supersonic velocities.

    She didn¡¯t get a single chance to dodge them. Instead, she fell to pieces.

    Sigrid slumped to the ground, and stared at Revy with hopeless eyes.

    ¡°Aw¡ªDid I break you?¡± She asked.

    ¡°You¡­What the hell are you?¡± said Sigrid under his breath, almost as if her hadn¡¯t heard Revy¡¯s question¡ªproving that yes, he is slightly broken at the moment.

    She walked over to him, her weapon sheathed and with no ill intent. Well, almost no ill intent.

    ¡°What am I, you ask?¡±

    He glanced up, a baleful look on his face.

    ¡°Yes, what the fucking hell are you? Nobody should have the power to destroy a team of five Red Robes. Not so damn casually, anyway.¡±

    Revy smiled, and though it looked vicious, it wasn¡¯t unkind.

    ¡°Me? Just a player.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m beatable too, you know.¡±

    Sigrid muttered under his breath¡ªsomething about ¡°beatable my ass.¡± and ¡°how many fucking Red¡¯s do we need to kill her?¡±

    Revy, hearing this, sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you back up.¡± She said.

    Sigrid jolted.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re just letting me go?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Of course not.¡±

    Crack.

    She snapped his neck.

    Technically, she did send him back up, via the respawn system.

    Anyway, the fight was over.

    However, what Sigrid had experienced wasn¡¯t exactly real, per say. Because, you have to remember that he had been immersed in Revy¡¯s illusions the whole time¡ªas had his comrades. What they had seen differed vastly from what Revy was experiencing.

    In fact, most of the fighting didn¡¯t even involve the real Revy. Hell, almost everything had been fake.

    So, let¡¯s go back and take a look at what really happened.

    <hr>

    Revy stood in the center of the cavern, watching the five Red Robes carefully. This was just after she had initiated the illusory worlds that had surrounded each of the mages.

    And really, things looked downright bizarre from her perspective. She had switched up the perspectives of her opponents, making it so that none of them was truly where they thought they were. For instance, the oldest member of the group¡ªHoid¡ªwas simply staring at a wall, chanting off spells that never even came close to Revy. Oh, sure, he thought his spells were working well. But then again, he also thought that he was looking at Revy, who was demonstrably not a wall.

    That¡¯s the thing about illusions, and the reason why they can be so fearsome when used in capable hands. Revy¡¯s flipped each of their worlds upside-down, and convinced them they¡¯re still right-side up essentially.

    So, they were all stuck in her illusions. But that left the question of what to do with them. And Revy solved that in the simplest manner.

    By killing all of them, the problem was out of her hands. She changed and engineered the illusions to fit a scenario where the Red Robes were killed one after another.

    First, she walked over to where Hoid was standing. She calmly pulled out her sword, and rammed it through his chest. He collapsed, and the other member of his group became agitated as the illusory version of him also died in much the same way.

    Then, she made a lap around the cavern, dispatching them one by one and disabling the versions of them projected in the illusions. Well, she did this to all but one¡ªwho actually killed himself from mana exhaustion by trying to open up a hole in the wall.

    It didn¡¯t work, by the way. It seems that the floor, walls, and ceiling of this particular cavern was warded from change somehow. Trying to affect it in any fashion was a massive gesture in futility.

    Seeing that they had all died, and gone to respawns, Revy took one last look at the Obelisk standing tall in the middle of the cavern, and left.

    On her way out, she passed by the crowd of people who had followed her to the cavern entrance where the seal stood. They had apparently been cowed into staying back by the Red Robes, and had been waiting to see if there was any indication of what was happening down below.

    Revy¡ªknown as Deus in her current disguise¡ªpassed by them without a word, almost as if she didn¡¯t notice their curious and concerned gazes. As if she were above them all.

    As soon as she was out of sight, Revy heard the scramble of feet as the crowd rushed into the tunnel leading to the cavern.

    They would find the Obelisk waiting down there, and read its message. And then, Ashenload would go back to normal again.

    Well, for a time. Eventually, things would reset, and the cycle would continue anew.

    And, you know, Revy initially hadn¡¯t intended on interfering with this. She ended up having to since nobody seemed to be connecting any of the clues from previous quests, and the strange things from them hadn¡¯t been investigated.

    Hopefully, this would get the ball rolling once more. After all, she thought that it would be bad for those ¡®Player Gods¡¯ to remain in power for too long¡ªand as the one who had technically given them that power in the first place, Revy felt slightly responsible for some of the odd thing¡¯s they¡¯ve done so far.

    So, she needed to set the tumblers in motion and unlock the way forward.

    And she did.

    With that task accomplished, Revy logged back out from Ashenload, and occupied the rest of her day doing other things.

    She did some homework, looked some stuff up, read a few web-novels.

    Normal things, considering all that¡¯s in store for her.

    What? I can foreshadow things, right? Come on, it¡¯s pretty obvious that something big¡¯s going to happen sooner or later. Everything I¡¯ve observed leads to that conclusion. As well, things point towards Revy being at the center of events. Predictable, but potentially interesting. I wonder what mantle she¡¯ll take when the time comes, what name she¡¯ll bear? There¡¯s so many to choose from, after all.

    <hr>

    The alarm going off woke me up.

    A rarity, considering that I¡¯m normally awake and good to go well before it has a chance to ring.

    Bah¡ªthe stuff that happened yesterday probably just took a larger toll than expected. It¡¯s been a while since the last time my illusion abilities were used in Ashenload after all, and it normally takes some time to get used to the slightly different¡­feeling you get when using mana in a virtual reality. Like, there¡¯s a more mechanical flow to magic in a simulation, whereas reality operates much smoother.

    You have to adjust to Ashenload, and any other VR. And since it¡¯s been so long, I hadn¡¯t done that. Hence why what happened might have been more draining that expected.

    Oh well. Nothing much is happening today¡ªbesides school, of course. So, it should be possible to simply relax. Nothing will happen.

    As always, getting to school was simple, and the train wasn¡¯t even all that crowded today. Seats were available, and watching the buildings flash on by during the train¡¯s journey has always been nice. Particularly as architecture and quality of design improved closer to the center of Jor.

    You could watch the transition happening, moving from the regular day-to-day city towards the center¡ªwhere all the big money and important blood was. It¡¯s also where the school I go to was set up, since it caters to the wealthier and more powerful individuals in their education.

    And, as a school for important people, it looked as fancy and imposing as one would expect. Big fluted columns, massive windows, doors the size of most cars, and white marble and granite composed the entirety of the school. That¡¯s not to say the school doesn¡¯t look graceful as well, in it¡¯s own odd way. The school was sort of timeless¡ªand that¡¯s a oft dismissed quality.

    Anyway, my train slid to a flawless stop at the station nearest to the school, and I disembarked.

    However, my phone buzzed while getting off the train. I pulled it out, and glanced at the screen.

    Shit.

    Fuck me, that isn¡¯t good.

    I got a message from Jvorg. It¡¯s contents aren¡¯t exactly¡­ pleasing.

    It read: ¡°Move up your schedule. Members of Pantheon are moving, ETA one month. They found you, somehow.¡±

 Chapter 32: You gotta be Friggn kidding me....

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Asked Sabrina, off to my right.

    Noticing me looking up at her questioningly, she clarified.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seemed more distracted than usual. Like something¡¯s weighing on your mind.¡±

    ¡°¡¯S nothing.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that way. Has something happened?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Sabrina shrugged, as if to say ¡®suit yourself¡¯.

    I hadn¡¯t realized things were that obvious. Sighing, thoughts of Jvorg¡¯s message bubbled up again. It was kind of him to send along such vital information¡ªhowever unwelcome said information is. Especially information about the Pantheons. Of course, just letting me know that there¡¯s a month to prepare isn¡¯t enough. There¡¯s so much more that needs to be known in order to make my plans. This is why another meeting with Jvorg has been scheduled. Supposedly, a driver will be coming by the school to pick me up.

    For now though, it seems necessary to attempt a modicum of normalcy. Seeing my friends worried tugs at me somewhat. After all, my life is the messed up and complicated one, and having them dragged into all my problems is the absolute last thing I¡¯d want for them. Ant¡¯s tend to get squashed when people start fighting.

    They simply aren¡¯t yet strong enough to stand on their own. Maybe someday, but not in the next month. No, I cannot let them get involved, in any way.

    ¡°¡­You listening, Revy?¡± Asked Godard, breaking me out of my reverie.

    ¡°Hm? Listening to what?¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, are you sure you¡¯re fine?¡±

    ¡°Yes, completely. Just thinking.¡± I said, waving aside my friends worries.

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± said Sabrina uncertainly

    ¡°Bah, if you say you¡¯re fine, then I¡¯ll believe it for now. Anyway, Godard was talking about the things happening in Ashenload right now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! There was a sighting of the Sword Mage Deus in one of the cities, and she was able to beat five other Red Robes! It¡¯s unheard of! I wonder how strong Deus really is?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I asked; feeling slightly embarrassed by the topic. Attention really isn¡¯t my thing¡ªand while combat is quite enjoyable, the aftereffects and fame that comes from being good at it isn¡¯t. Being left alone is nice, and preferable.

    ¡°Of course it does!¡± Continued Godard. ¡°This means that Deus is likely one of the absolute strongest players in Ashenload! I¡¯ve heard that people are even considering bumping her up on the Ashenload power listings¡ªmaybe even up to the top ten. And this is just the start of the interesting news!¡±

    ¡°Why? What else is there?¡± If this conversation could move on, please? Talk about something else, anything but this¡­

    ¡°Apparently, Deus was in the middle of a quest when she was attacked by the other Red Robes. This of course drew attention to the quest itself, which turned out to be very vital.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead¡­¡± Feigning curiosity seems the right choice in this case, is it¡¯ll likely draw the conversation away from Deus.

    ¡°Inside the room where the battle between Deus and the Red Robe took place, people found a large stone pillar with a bunch of writing and clues on it.¡±

    ¡°Clues to what?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing! Nobody knows where the clues will lead them, though the writing on the pillar promises great power to those who reach the end or something like that. Reading the words yourself with activate a quest called ¡°To fell a giant¡±, and you¡¯ll be tasked with searching for clues. Also, a record keeping track of everyone participating is added to the menu, and you immediately get a new title for joining in! What do you guys think? Wanna go see this pillar, join the quest?¡±

    ¡°Sure. This sounds fun to me.¡± Smiled Sabrina.

    ¡°I¡¯m down for it.¡± Said Kormic, quickly followed by nods and affirmations from Haven and Ussen as well. Everyone then looked at me, waiting on my own thoughts.

    ¡°Well? What do you want to do, Revy?¡±

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Sure. Will join you guys.¡±

    Godard cheered, followed by smiles and laughs from everyone else. Well, at least until the teacher returned and break ended. Then the lessens started again, and I was drawn back into my own thoughts for the reminder of the day.

    <hr>

    School ended for Revy soon afterwards. As she is so fond of pointing out, nothing important happened during the time spent in class.

    And once classes ended for her, she bid goodbye to her friends and exited the school campus. A quick walk down the street and around to the side of the school brought her into sight of a simple looking black car parked on the side of the road. She knew that this would be the car sent by Jvorg, since it matched his description of his vehicle perfectly.

    Of course, it helped that once she got close enough to the car, Jvorg himself climbed out of the drivers seat, and assisted her with the door.

    ¡°Thought we¡¯d meet at building?¡± Asked Revy, who had not expected Jvorg to come pick her up himself.

    ¡°What¡ªand let a stranger not known to you take you there? I am more hospitable than that, no? Besides, this makes for better conversation.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so.¡± Responded Revy.

    ¡°You suppose so? Oh, well, I would guess that your little speaking problem would make conversations a little less interesting. Hmm¡ªbut you may still listen, no?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Answered Revy questioningly.

    ¡°Good. Then, let me talk, to occupy your time as we go to my building.¡±

    Jvorg paused for a moment, composing himself slightly.

    ¡°I have already said that you are interesting to me, no? Bah, if I have not, then now you know. You are an odd one. Full of contradicting natures, and yet they work together almost seamlessly. I have seen plenty of strong people, and judged them. But none were quite as intriguing or full of potential futures as you are.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Potential futures?¡± Asked Revy.

    ¡°Ah, sorry. Allow me to clarify¡ªPart of my power¡¯s nature is in seeing all the various possibilities for the future. Clairvoyance does not automatically give answers; instead it shows you all the possible paths that may be walked. For a normal person, I might see four, five, six paths. And it is easy to divine which path they will end up taking. For a more powerful person¡ªsay, a person at the 10<sup>th</sup> Divide or so¡ªthe possible paths multiply. They might have ten or twenty possible futures, and it is more difficult to see the path that they take. And then you get to those standing at the 12<sup>th</sup> or 13<sup>th</sup> divide.

    ¡°Hundreds of paths open up! It becomes very exhausting to determine the correct heading of these people. This is part of the reason I like information so much. Knowing about a person will make their future path clearer. Though, it must be mentioned that this is a broad generalization on my part. The paths are tied to influence and depth of interactions with the universe. It is just that the more powerful members of humanity tend to have more influence as well.¡±

    ¡°What paths are for me?¡± Asked Revy, quickly catching on to where Jvorg was taking the conversation.

    Jvorg smile, and paused for a moment while paying attention to the traffic in front of him.

    ¡°Well¡ªthat is the thing. I look into your future, and I see paths so thick that it seems a tapestry of choices and options. I see so many possible futures¡ªall of them as likely as the last. It is almost as if the smallest encounters, the most chance meetings snowball from you, causing cascade effects outside our understandings. While in normal cases I would avoid telling anyone about their future since such a thing could adversely effect things¡ªin your own case, I cannot tell you the future. It is all too unclear, with thousands of distinct end points.

    ¡°You are an important person. Intriguing, as well. I am wondering how it is that the universe seems to conflux around you. Bah, all I know is that you should not underestimate the impact of your own choices. You have a weight few others do.¡±

    ¡°¡­Calling me fat?¡± Said Revy. Jvorg laughed.

    ¡°Not at all! You know what I mean. Ah, come¡ªWe have arrived.¡±

    They got out of the car, and Jvorg lead Revy up to his office¡ªthe same place they had met last time. There were a few papers neatly arranged inside a folder on Jvorg¡¯s desk, labeled with a single red word¡ªPANTHEON.

    He sat down behind the desk, and Revy took her seat across from him. Jvorg motioned at the folder.

    ¡°That is information on the Pantheon¡¯s recent movements, as well as some extra details on the members who are approaching Jor within the next month. I also included my own hypotheses on how they were able to find you.¡±

    Revy opened the folder, and started looking through it¡¯s contents.

    The very first thing that stood out to her was that only three members of the Pantheon were coming, and their bios.

    Athena: Greek goddess of wisdom and war.

    Power level: 12<sup>th</sup> Divide, 3<sup>rd</sup> step.

    Can use magic.

    Abilities: Enhanced reasoning, Combat edge, and Increased perception.

    Primary armaments: Spear and shield.

    Personality: Calculating, decisive, ¡®ends justify the means¡¯, warm to friends. Gives good advice. Fun when drunk.

    Isis: Egyptian goddess of magic.

    Power level: 12<sup>th</sup> Divide, 5<sup>th</sup> step.

    Can use magic.

    Abilities: Insane Mana levels, Parallel invocation, Tribalism magics.

    Primary armaments: Making everything go badly.

    Personality: ¡­Clumsy.

    Heimdal: Norse god of the gates.

    Power level: Unknown.

    Cannot use magic.

    Abilities: Teleport, proficient in various weapons and combat styles.

    Primary armaments: Anything pointy. Pencils included¡­. unfortunately.

    Personality: Lawful good. Never misbehave around him. Ever.

    Revy continued reading, making note of various important bits of information. For instance, the three of them are approaching Jor through a planet hopping strategy¡ªusing Heimdal as a transport vehicle of sorts and covering space much faster than can be done through conventional means. That being said, the starting point for the three of them had been in one of the far-flung reaches of the galaxy in the first place, meaning that it¡¯s taking them quite some time to make it to Jor even with their incredible speed.

    Also inside the folder was a theory by Jvorg on how the Pantheon had figured out where Revy was¡ªafter all, they shouldn¡¯t have any idea who she is, what with how low-key she¡¯s been.

    It involved a resonance with her inherent nature, and complex metaphysical involving Mana waves and the unique qualities emitted by Revy when she uses her illusory powers. Of course, there was more about the theory, but that was the short of it.

    After reading through the whole folder, Revy stood up.

    ¡°Leaving already?¡± Asked Jvorg.

    ¡°Might as well.¡± She responded. ¡°Done here.¡±

    ¡°Respectable. Here, I will drive you back to your apartment. No need to worry about transport that way, no?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Revy and Jvorg talk a while longer on the way back¡ªrather, Jvorg did most of the talking, just bringing up small and entertaining things to amuse Revy with. Eventully they made it to her apartment, and they went their seperate ways.

    Revy had learned quite a bit from the meeting, and needed some time to think it all over. A few of the thing''s brought up had also given her a couple of ideas, which might be fruitful to look into.

    <hr>

    On another planet, far, far from Jor, a spacial distortion happened in the middle of an empty warehouse. It almost seemed as if something folded in the air, opening up an unseen pocket¡ªfrom which stepped three people.

    One of them, a big and burly man stumbled a little on exiting, and grew noticeably paler.

    ¡°Are you okay, Heimdal? This wasn¡¯t too long of a jump, was it?¡± Asked one of the two women accompanying him.

    The man¡ªHeimdal, waved off her concerns.

    ¡°It is fine, Athena. This is nothing new to me. As long as we make it in the end, it will have been worth it to push myself so hard. How much longer do we have, anyway?¡±

    ¡°About three more weeks. We¡¯ve quite a bit of space left to cover.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Well then. Let us find lodgings for the night, so that I may recover for the morrow. Isis, if you might?¡±

    Heimdal turned at his last word, addressing the last member of the group¡ªa mousy looking woman who yelped slightly at his voice.

    ¡°Ah¡ªright! Just¡­uh, give me a second.¡± She said. Fumbling with a compasses taken from a jacket pocket. She opened it, and pointed off to the left.

    ¡°Um, there should be a hotel that way¡­¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, Isis. Well, let us be on our way then. It is time to rest these weary bones a while.¡±

    ¡°Mhh. And Isis and I can hit up a bar or two.¡± Said Athena, the tall and glamorous looking woman seeming slightly dangerous when voicing her intentions to drink.

    ¡°Athena, I¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea!¡±

    ¡°Isis is right. I do not want to have to pay for another bar fight, Athena. Please behave yourself for the rest of the trip, else I will have to inform Zeus that you have been causing problems with your vile drink.¡±

    Athena somehow managed to look proud while pouting, as if she were not at all sorry for what she¡¯s done, but instead enjoyed it immensely.

    ¡°Fine fine. I shall keep it quiet for now.¡±

    As they were walking to the hotel, guided by the compass, Isis voiced a question.

    ¡°Umm¡­So, who are we going to get this time, again?¡±

    Athena looked at Isis, slightly taken aback.

    ¡°You mean to say that you¡¯ve forgotten already?¡±

    Isis nodded meekly, causing a sigh from the other two.

    ¡°I swear, there¡¯s something odd about how freakishly good you are at remembering the oddest, oldest, and most powerful magics, and how abysmally bad you are at remembering anything else.¡±

    Isis seemed to shrink in on herself a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She said.

    Athena sighed again.

    ¡°It is no problem. I am just slightly baffled by you, is all. But I suppose you are fairly normal compared to some other members of the Pantheon. At least you can behave like a normal person in crowded settings, unlike that idiot Ares, or that buffoon Hephaestus.¡±

    ¡°Speak for your own lesser pantheon. Mine own has Loki and that insufferable gossip M¨ªmir. I wish at points that Odin would do something about them, but thus far, he has let them be. Anyway, to answer you, Isis, the person we are looking for could be one of three goddesses. She will either end up being Freyja, Aphrodite, or Frigg.¡±

    ¡°With the last one being the most possible. From what we know, this one being associated with love is a fair bit unlikely.¡±

    ¡°O-oh. Thank you.¡± Said Isis.

    ¡°It is no issue! You are the one leading us to a nice warm place to rest, and can map the rest of our journey with your magic. I would say that you get a few free passes for forgetfulness.¡±

    The group soon reached the hotel, and Heimdal bedded down for the night. Teleporting across long distances took quite a bit out of him, especially with the precision required to do so.

    As for the two women, Isis pulled a book out from somewhere and started reading. Soon, she was totally absorbed in its contents.

    Athena excused herself, and went downstairs before leaving the hotel. Neither Heimdal nor Isis seemed concerned about it.

    Well, until the explosions started happening.

 Chapter 33: Its difficult keeping secrets.

    Heimdal blearily shot awake at the distant explosions, their concussive forces shaking even the foundations of the hotel slightly despite the apparent distance of them. Isis also looked up from her book, a look of weary distress on her face.

    ¡°It is Athena, right?¡± Asked Heimdal, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

    ¡°Y-yes!¡± Replied Isis.

    Heimdal sighed.

    ¡°Damn that woman, doing this sort of thing again. Does she not know that we may not interfere with each and every little thing?¡± He sighed again, shaking his head in an attempt to wake up a little more.

    ¡°I may only hope that it is worth her intervention this time.¡± He said, pushing the door open and leaving. Isis got up in a panic and followed him out, grabbing her staff in the process and nearly dropping it while fumbling about.

    ¡°Um¡­I-I¡¯m sorry for letting her out¡­¡±

    ¡°Do not apologize. Athena was going to leave the room sooner or later, and that is purely her own choice. We are not her guardians¡ªwe are simply her comrades. The only thing which can be done here is to assist her in whatever mess has been brought before us.¡±

    ¡°Okay... Should I¡­prepare any spells?¡±

    ¡°I would hope not. Save such things for when events are brought out of our control. Here, though? It should not be necessary.¡±

    Isis nodded, nervously clutching her wooden staff¡ªwhich had various cryptic and mysterious looking symbols carved along its length.

    They moved towards the deep shuddering booms echoing across the small city. The noise had already drawn the attention of more official response groups¡ªlike the police and fire departments. The sirens fitted atop their vehicles created an undertone for the explosions, adding to the cacophony.

    Inevitably, Heimdal and Isis rounded a corner, and beheld the destruction in all of its terrible glory. What had evidently been a warehouse was now reduced to many smoldering slivers of timber, shattered by the Goddess of Wisdom. There were a few bodies here and there, bearing the marks of Athena¡¯s spear. Four men clustered around a table were dead, interrupted in the middle of their card game by the goddess and her fury. Two more were by a door¡ªor what was left of a door, having been shattered by the same blow that had rent the two bodies asunder.

    The entire roof of the warehouse was just gone; parts of it having been caved in while other bits were just¡­missing. There was no sign as to where the missing pieces had vanished.

    Heimdal groaned.

    ¡°Of course she would stumble on a slave trade store house.¡± He said.

    ¡°H-how do you know this is a slave trade thing?¡± Asked Isis meekly.

    Heimdal simply pointed over to what were clearly holding cells, their thick metal doors having been blown straight off the hinges, exposing what had been inside.

    There were bodies in there as well¡ªbut these bodies were gaunt, rotted and sickly looking. Only the dead had elected to remain in the cells.

    ¡°I am venturing to guess that Athena opened these cells up, and those still able to run did just that. There are few things that piss the woman off more than slavery.¡±

    Heimdal went and took a closer look at the cells, and changed his initial statement.

    ¡°I must take that back. There are few things that drive Athena into a deeper fury than slavery, and rape. It is almost enough to make me feel sorry for the bastards who had run this place. Come, let us tend to our ally, Isis.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Said Isis enthusiastically, before walking straight into a post. Heimdal simply sighed, watching as her face turned a bright red in embarrassment.

    ¡°Just follow me.¡± Heimdal said, a weary tone in his voice.

    Outside the warehouse, a fight was brewing.

    Athena had ripped through the rest of the slavers, but this last one was unexpectedly giving her a fair bit of trouble.

    ¡°You motherfucking bastard! Accept your punishment and death with dignity!¡± Yelled Athena, who was starting to grow impatient.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t wanna die just yet, ya fuking bitch.¡± Said her combatant. He deflected another strike of Athena¡¯s spear, his movements fluid and consistent. There was a calm look on his face belying the words spoken, and the furious tempo of combat. This calm was also reflected in his movements, and in the way he defended himself with a simple looking sword.

    ¡°Shut up! You deserve to die, after what you and your men have done!¡±

    ¡°Oh? And what makes ya the one who decides that shit, eh girly?¡± Said the man.

    ¡°Ya ain¡¯t some ultimate moral authority or something. Ya ain¡¯t fit to judge us, and ya sure as hell ain¡¯t some shining knight for those ya went ahead an¡¯ freed. Most a¡¯ them gonna starve within the week, ya know?¡±

    ¡°I said shut up.¡± Responded Athena, her voice having gained an odd sort of reverberation. Something in her had snapped, and her fury had fully been manifested by the man before her.

    The slaver felt something cold shiver up his spine. Athena¡¯s voice had become like ice, cutting at him and making the air feel colder. Her anger had flipped, becoming a killing calm. Where the slaver¡¯s calm came from experience and a certain amount of flippancy, Athena¡¯s came from the absolute assurance that the fight would end in his death.

    The slaver was seriously considering running, when a third voice joined the fray.

    ¡°Athena! Stand down¡ªthis man is not worthy enough to make you break the rules. We must be restricted to the 9<sup>th</sup> divide¡¯s peak while venturing afar, remember?¡±

    Athena turned, and saw Heimdal entering the fray, Isis in tow.

    ¡°Why should I stop? This man deserves everything which is coming.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he does¡ªI will not argue that. However, breaking the rules set for us by our various Pantheon heads is not a good trade off for the death of a single piece of scum floating along. Step back, Athena. Do not lose your head over something you know to be a small deal. Do not give him the respect of an honorable death.¡±

    Something about what Heimdal was saying seemed to reach Athena, as the chilliness in her posture bled away, leaving a disgruntled warrior standing where an empress had just been.

    ¡°Fine. You handle this bastard then. Can I trust you to have him die in as painful a manner as you can manage?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I have seen what him and his men did, after all. I will open a gate towards a realm of suffering hitherto unseen by this¡­human shaped piece of shite.¡±

    The slaver, who had thought the new man was pardoning him from the woman¡¯s icy wrath, suddenly got a very bad feeling about events. So, he activated a single piece of magic. Revy, were she here, would recognize it as being distinctly related to illusion magic¡ªeven if one didn¡¯t have to be an illusionist to make use of it.

    The spell created a doppelganger where the slaver had been standing, while rendering his real body invisible for a brief period of time. He used that small opportunity to escape, leaving the doppelganger to distract the man and woman.

    Only, he made a mistake. After all, Isis was still there.

    ¡°Um, that guy just made a shadow clone and ran away.¡± She said.

    Athena¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°What? Really?¡± She asked incredulously. ¡°Which direction did that bastard go?¡±

    Isis pointed past the doppelganger. The slaver had run directly away from them.

    ¡°Fuck! Come on Heimdal, let¡¯s get the coward!¡±

    ¡°No need. Isis, can you tie the clone, please?¡±

    Isis nodded, and pointed her staff at the doppelganger standing as if ready to fight. A magic circle manifested itself under the clone and ethereal chains broke out, binding themselves around the figure.

    Out of sight, another circle had appeared under the real slaver, identical to the other one. Chains also wrapped themselves around him. The slaver watched this with panicked eyes, unable to move due to some sort of immobilizing effect the spell had.

    The chains sunk themselves into both the doppelganger and the actual slaver. Then, they were completely gone, and the magic circle vanished without a single sign of it having affected anything.

    The slaver stared down at himself, puzzled. There wasn¡¯t a clue as to what the magic had changed, or what the chains did. He stood for a moment longer before running again, now able to do so once more.

    ¡°Is it done?¡± Asked Heimdal.

    Isis nodded while Athena looked on in puzzlement.

    ¡°What exactly did you do, Isis?¡±

    ¡°U-um, I¡­connected the two of them back together.¡±

    Athena stared at Isis in confusion, clearly not understanding what was going on.

    ¡°She created a bind between the clone and the real man. Each will now feel the same things. Meaning that I may now kill the clone, and the actual man will feel of the pain from death.¡± Said Heimdal, a dark undertone in his voice. He walked over to where the clone was standing, and spoke right into its ear.

    ¡°Slavery is illegal in this sector of space. Rape is as well, and inhuman treatment of prisoners is listed as a war crime. Whoever you are, whatever your name is, I advise you to use this as a learning moment. Engrave this lessen into your soul, for it will not be taught twice. Do no evil, and we will not come for you.¡±

    Heimdal¡¯s words echoed along the newly established link between the slaver and his doppelganger. The man froze in place, a bad feeling eclipsing that of his earlier premonition washing over him. Something bad was coming, he knew. There was also a terrible feeling of inevitability¡ªlike what was about to happen was unavoidable.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Then he felt pain, and saw hell.

    Athena and Isis watched at Heimdal walked over to the clone spoke a few sentences in its ear, and tapped a few points on the figure. It immediately collapsed to the ground, and Heimdal simply walked away.

    ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡±

    ¡°I used my ability. That clone now has molten metal running through its veins in the stead of blood. I also broke most of its bones. The real man will not be feeling very well right now, I would think.¡±

    Athena looked slightly queasy. She has just wanted to kill the man, not make him feel such pain. Isis seemed to take this in stride, however.

    ¡°Try n-not to let it bother you, lady Athena. Heimdal does this only to those deserving.¡±

    ¡°Just kill them and be done with it. Jeez, even I don¡¯t think someone¡¯s deserving of such an experience.¡± Said Athena, mostly to herself.

    Heimdal, however, had heard her, and responded.

    ¡°That is not what I think.¡± He said. ¡°There are those wholly deserving of worse, and I shall not hesitate to dispense the proper justice onto them. In the time before I fully accepted the name of Heimdal, there were many things I witness which happening in the absence of justice, many people who were disadvantaged due to the law not protecting them. You just recently joined the Pantheons, Athena. Most of us did not have the luxuries of growing amongst those on Earth, like you did. Many of us simply survived long enough to grow strong.¡±

    Athena considered his words all the way back to the hotel, and they lingered in the back of her mind up until the point where she finally fell asleep that night.

    And she dreamed of her past.

    <hr>

    (POV Revy.)

    I wonder what the Pantheon actually is?

    Recently, that is a thought which has been lingering in the back of my mind. Jvorg won¡¯t tell me, saying that it¡¯s better to see something for yourself then to simply learn about it.

    To the hell with that.

    There¡¯s nothing half so bad as not knowing about something, and this has been bugging me for a while now.

    After all, the term ¡®Pantheon¡¯ was first brought up when I had still been living in the Al¡¯Verath Great House, and it was often accompanied with other words such as annoying, upstarts, fakes, insufferable meddlers, freaks, idiots.

    Oh, there were words like strong and indomitable thrown in as well, but most of the adjectives associated with the Pantheon were not flattering. And, nobody bothered to explain to the little kid running around why the Pantheon is such an annoying thing, or even just what it is.

    No, actually, that¡¯s not the most infuriating thing about all this. The worst thing is that there¡¯s nothing about the Pantheon online. Not even a single mention.

    Well, almost no mention. The only information I could find were about those pantheons of gods worshiped in the oldest ages of civilization, and some of the ones which had cropped up in the wake of the Moon Fall and the destruction which followed. Nothing about an actual organization, however¡ªwhich was concerning based simply on the massive amounts of information available through the Internet. Hell, even things that were supposedly myths or superstition cropped up eventfully with the dawning of the information era, and were mostly preserved through Moon Fall in massive underground data storage sites. Things like the illuminati were proven to be real, along with various other conspiracies.

    So then, for an organization like the Pantheon to stay hidden, what sort of resources do they have at their disposal? What does it take for a group of people to only be known by the High Families?

    It wasn¡¯t even until a few years ago that all this became concerning to me.

    Around my fifteenth birthday, I had a dream.

    This wasn¡¯t something unusual, nor are unusual dreams in and of themselves something rare for me. My dreams can get weird, and are sometimes freakishly accurate representations of something that is going to happen.

    But this particular dream¡ªit stands out due to the clearness it had, and the lingering impressions it gave me.

    And in the dream, I got a warning from some bearded guy in a lab-coat.

    ¡°First will come your family, seeking to check and draw you once more. Then will come the Pantheon, wishing to add another lonely soul among their ranks. The scourge will be next, to destroy or admit humanity depending on your answer. Lastly will come peace for you, whatever the end. Remember these words, and the name bestowed upon you by fate. Know that what you want, and what is required are not married together. Beware of those bearing gifts.¡±

    Then the man said a name, and I woke up. Of course that name has lingered in the back of my mind since then, and I¡¯ve researched it quite in depth. Said research first brought me to divinities belonging to the ancient Nordic pantheon. Then the other pantheons were researched as well, since well¡ªPantheon and all. I wanted to learn as much about this stuff as possible.

    And, as mentioned, there wasn¡¯t a whole lot to be learned.

    Oh well.

    Jvorg seems like he knows more about this then he¡¯s letting on. Asking him about it again is probably the only action I can take right now. Annoying, but nothing to be done about it at the moment. Unless a miraculous bit of information falls into my hands. Statistics say that it¡¯s unlikely, but not completely impossible¡ªjust mostly.

    Another meeting with Jvorg has already been set up though, so my questions can be asked at that time, however many times it needs to be brought up. No use in worrying about it until then.

    No, for now there¡¯s something else which has to be done. Previously, my friends had been told that I would be joining them in that new quest, and now I have to uphold my end of the bargain.

    <hr>

    ¡°Ah! You made it, Vina!¡± Called out Xavier, who was the first one to see me.

    ¡°The quest trigger is just down here.¡± He said, pointing to the cave opening. Everyone else was standing around, evidently having waited for me¡ªwho was the last to arrive. With my addition to their group however, we started towards the caves.

    ¡°Is it just me, or does this place seem familiar?¡± Asked Rina. She was currently perched on Diana¡¯s head, resting her pixie wings for a while.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m getting that feeling as well.¡± Said Spark while Eine simply nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

    ¡°Scout quest during civil war.¡± I said, cluing them into why the place felt familiar.

    ¡°Was that here? Wow, what a coincidence.¡± Said Xavier. ¡°Actually, now that I think about it, there was some sort of magic seal down at the bottom, keeping people from going any further, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in lowest chamber.¡±

    ¡°Wow. I would¡¯ve never thought that there was something so important past that seal. Maybe some treasure or something, but not a whole ¡®nother quest!¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ªif these caves were added in for that last God Quest with the civil war, then wouldn¡¯t that mean RAV also created this quest?¡± Asked Spark, who had realized the connection between the other God Quests, and this new and mysterious quest which had sprung up and become something of a challenge.

    Xavier stared at Spark, his jaw slightly slack due to someone else realizing that connection before him, and the implications of this particular realization.

    ¡°That-that would mean that this is also a God Quest then¡­and nobody¡¯s realized it yet!? Everyone¡¯s doing it simply because it seems interesting, and because Deus the Sword Mage seemed interested in it! How has nobody realized this yet!?¡±

    ¡°Maybe Sword Mage did?¡± I added on, stopping the momentum Xavier had build up in his little ¡®think aloud¡¯ session.

    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable assumption.¡± Said Rina. ¡°After all, something would have had to brought this place to her attention in the first place, and what better way of doing that then finding out that the next God Quest starts here?¡±

    There was silence for a brief moment as everyone thought about all we had just learned. Eine broke that silence¡ªsomething uncharacteristic for his old self, but he¡¯s seemed much more open and talkative ever since I got his dad to back off from him.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ve done enough mental gymnastics for now. Why don¡¯t we go ahead and see what all the fuss is about ourselves?¡±

    Agreeing with Eine, we all ventured fully into the caves, making our way down to the lowest level, where that group of soldiers had been stationed when we first made our way down here.

    Of course, we passed by that room with the underground stream, and the glowing crystals which adorned the ceiling and walls. Somehow, it seemed just as pristine and untouched as it had when we first had made our way down here, like it hadn¡¯t seen large groups of people passing through in order to get to the Obelisk standing below. Everyone expressed their awe at the seemingly natural beauty of the room, with it¡¯s many glowing motes of light like tiny galaxies twinkling before our eyes.

    ¡°So pretty¡­¡± Said Rina, her voice quickly fading away amongst the crystals.

    ¡°Come on¡ªlet¡¯s not linger here.¡± Said Diana a moment later. So, we left the room, crossing the bridge extending over the mirror-like underground stream, and exiting the cave room through the small passageway leading deeper underground. There was a reverent sort of feeling that the room generated, and nobody among us wanted to disturb it for too long.

    ¡°Whoever designed these caves¡ªRAV or otherwise¡ªreally has an eye for beauty.¡± Spoke Eine, after we had left the crystal room.

    Everyone nodded, silently agreeing with him. Well, almost everyone.

    Anyway, we quickly found ourselves standing in front of the area once occupied by that seal¡ªwhich had since been broken by the combined onslaught and spells of five Red Robes.

    Xavier went ahead and walked down the tunnel past the seal location first, in his typical happy-go-lucky manner. The rest of us simple followed him down, listening to his vocal musings as he studied the murals and carvings in the walls on the way down. Xavier seemed to find them and the story they told very interesting, and kept trying to puzzle out the significance of it all, as well as how this might relate to the other God Quests.

    He got very frustrated by the missing parts of the story though, where the walls had been broken, or chiseled away in apparent anger.

    ¡°Those were the most important parts! I need to know what happens there!¡± He said, shaking his rough dwarven fists at the offending bits of wall.

    Spark sighed, and forcibly guided Xavier further down, into the cavern proper with the Obelisk standing tall in the center of it.

    Xavier immediately ran for the Obelisk, seeing the writing scrawled along its length. He was immediately immersed into what it said. Everyone else took their time in walking over to the Obelisk, in no rush to see the object that had generated so much mystery in the past few days among those in the Ashenload community interested in such things.

    ¡°Say, wasn¡¯t there some sort of battle in here, between that Sword Mage and those other five Red Robes?¡± Asked Spark.

    ¡°That¡¯s what Xavier said. Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that this place doesn¡¯t look like a battle took place¡ªeven a small one not involving any magic.¡±

    Looking around, everyone noticed that he was right. The cavern itself was spotless, the natural granite and marble floor still retaining a nearly mirror-like polish. An oddity, considering a massive magical conflagration had taken place at this very spot not to long ago.

    ¡°Guys, guys! Come look at this!¡± Called out Xavier, drawing out our attention away from the lack of battle damage in the room, towards the Obelisk itself.

    He was standing in front of it, pointing at the messily carved writing on it.

    ¡°Read this!¡± He demanded.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Have a little patience, okay Xavier? We were going to get around to this eventually. We can wait, unlike a certain excitable little dwarf.¡± Said Rina, digging a little friendly barb into him for his astounding enthusiasm.

    He turned a little red, but continued pointing towards the words.

    However, nobody said anything more, since they were immediately drawn into the words carved into the Obelisk.

    Ye who shalt stand here¡ªTake up my legacy.

    Never had I thought it possible, for myself to grow old.

    And yet that has come to pass, and my time is nearing.

    Still have I grievances¡ªmissions and tasks unfulfilled.

    Still have I anger, over that unduly taken from me.

    Yet, no time is left to carry out all my vengeances

    Death comes, just as it should have eons ago.

    Ye who reads of these words, know what I know.

    There are tyrants ruling the heavens always.

    No matter the age, those gods distain of our freedom.

    Playthings we are to them.

    Know what I know when I say there is a way.

    A way to slip their grasp, to toss them from their perch.

    Mortals are devious, and adaptable in a way the gods cannot be.

    Ye who wants power¡ªbe warned.

    The heavens will not tol

    comes at a price,        power to topple gods r

    The mortal world will                      accept you.

    Trials and tribulations

    meet all that reach the end.

    path is of destruction and rot. O         revitalization.

    Know me as G            easterly borne, and westerly met.

    Ye who wishes to pursue my legacy still, seek it out on the four winds.

    Prove thou art worthy, and capable of wielding what I leave.

    The path starts with the end of today.

    A small chiming sounding in my ear, signaling that a new quest has been received.

    ¡°To fell a Giant¡±, it¡¯s called.

    The description of the quest simply reads- ¡°Find the place where the day has ended. Defeat the guardian of the legacy, and retrieve the next clue.¡±

    While everyone discussed the quest itself, and what the description could mean, Xavier bemoaned the fact that part of the writing on the Obelisk had been given the same treatment as the carvings on the wall, and been rendered incomprehensible besides the first and last set of words.

    He felt that whatever had been written there was likely extremely important to the quest itself, and the loss of whatever knowledge had been there was going to only make things harder when trying to complete the quest.

    And while he wasn¡¯t the only one thinking this, everyone else simply took on an attitude of ¡®no use crying over spilt milk.¡¯

    Whatever was written there is gone now, and we can only work around it.

    Anyway, with the quest started now, we all decided to log off. No use in trying to continue today, when none of us has any idea what that first clue means yet.

    The place where the day has ended?

    The others will need some time to puzzle that one out, I think.

 Chapter 34: Exposition, no?

    The time came to meet with Jvorg again. The hope is that he¡¯ll be willing to hand over the information I want¡ªnamely, what the Pantheon is, why it¡¯s important, and what it might want with me.

    Just things like that. You know, things that would be nice to learn, and which would give me stuff to plan around.

    Of course, there¡¯s also the fact that there¡¯s nothing quite so annoying to me as not knowing something¡ªespecially when the missing information might be very important.

    So, once again, I found myself sitting in his office, with that stunning city vista expanding on behind Jvorg, just beyond the massive glass windows.

    He was looking at me with a troubled expression on his face.

    ¡°You want for more information, no?¡± He asked, an air of inevitability around him.

    Seeing my nodding, Jvorg seemed to sink deeper into contemplation.

    Eventually, he sighed.

    ¡°You see, I do not know how much I am supposed to tell you¡ªespecially when the Pantheon becomes involved. I can see a line, where bad things will happen should I disclose too much information. But the same occurs when too little is said. Where is this line? I have no idea! Everything involving you is so vague, and unclear. Your future is malleable, and under your own command for the most part.¡±

    Jvorg paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts again.

    ¡°That uncertainty is making it difficult to see what lay in your path, and how what I might say will influence things.¡±

    He looked up at me, his gaze heavy but bright.

    ¡°I do not know where that line of ¡®too far¡¯ lies. But I do know where the ¡®too little¡¯ ends. So, while I fear not telling you enough, I can at least tell you the bare minimum. And while that may leave you feeling¡­unsatisfied, it will keep events in check, as is my hope.¡±

    Thinking for a moment, I nodded.

    ¡°Tell me what you can.¡±

    ¡°Then let us start with the beginning, no? It would seem the most reasonable start for what I am about to tell you.¡±

    He paused before continuing.

    ¡°There once was a man, a brilliant man¡­

    <hr>

    His name was Klein.

    He had seemly appeared from nowhere, out of a little known college off in the corner of some small country that very few cared about. Hell, even the inhabitants of this country seemingly didn¡¯t care about anything around them.

    Everyone simply went about their daily business, minding themselves and not looking to any others.

    In the center of this small country was a single city. It was not a big city, but it was the largest the country had. Boys and girls from the countryside would look to this city, and think to themselves that it was a place of wonder and delight. The colors there seemed just a little brighter, the noise that much more cheerful. It was the capital of their small nation, a place full of storied history and great significance.

    Nobody really knows where Klein had lived out his childhood. His parents are unknown, his lineage forgotten.

    He was a nobody, from a disregarded place.

    The first official records of Klein came from the college he went to.

    He was solidly average.

    Nothing about him stood out. There were no redeeming qualities, no special mentions. The records just have him receiving his diploma, and quietly leaving school for good.

    Nobody knew that an intellectual titan had just been released.

    And they wouldn¡¯t for a few more years yet. Like most other things involving Klein, very little is known about the time right after he left college. He straight up disappeared, the next mention of him being four years later, when he is arrested inside the American Union. This was around 2120¡ªa time where the American jails and prisons were notably brutal, with few people ever leaving them.

    However, that¡¯s just what Klein ended up doing, as he was in prison for a 7-day period before being released without any warning or reason. The only thing known about the incident involves the fact that he was let go ¡°for being too dangerous.¡±

    Intriguing, no?

    But his life becomes even more interesting.

    When he reappears next, a scant year and a half later, he is a high level scientist working on molecular compression and implosions. Employed jointly by the Americans and Russo-Chinese¡ªthough neither of them knew that the other was also funding him.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He is given a mid-level research facility located underground in some remote location, and takes three more years to become the most famous individual in the scientific community¡ªenough so that when the two great powers of the time do find out that they¡¯ve been duped by him, they do not kill Klein.

    Instead, he is given more funding, and starts development on a new energy source. By this point in history, humanity had already used up all their ¡®fossil-fuels¡¯, and was solely relying on wind and solar energy.

    They needed something new. They had needed it for nigh on a century by this point. And Klein was going to give it to them.

    Five years pass without any significant breakthroughs, though progress slowly marched on. All this time, Klein has been moving steadily towards his goal, unseen in his secret underground research center. Until he emerges, almost five years to the day he had started his work in earnest.

    Klein needed something more in order to complete his findings. A last and final push, if you will.

    So, he was sent to the Moon, to work at the frontier labs there.

    And he finished his work a year later.

    Well, it is assumed that his work concluded at that point, since the Moon-fall happened.

    As to whether he meant to explode the Moon into many small fragments which came screaming down unto the Earth is still up for debate even now.

    But his intent is not important here.

    What happened next is.

    Because, whatever Klein was attempting up there on the Moon, he succeeded at it. Whatever he did, worked.

    Mana was brought to us. And new possibilities were opened.

    Yes, yes, I know you already know this part of the story, Revy. It¡¯s all a part of commonly learned history, no? With Klein, the first and most powerful Deity, and how he lead humanity from the ashes of the Moon-fall, and into the cosmos.

    However.

    There are things you do not know about Klein, and what he wrought.

    You see¡ªhe tended to gather people with talent around him, people who were special in one way or another. People who could become gods.

    <hr>

    ¡°Gods?¡± I asked. ¡°Like deities?¡±

    Jvorg laughed.

    ¡°Like, but unlike. There is a difference between the notion of a god, and a deity. The later can be reached by anyone of a sufficient strength, while the former is more complicated.¡±

    He paused, thinking carefully before continuing.

    ¡°The hint is in the name ¡®Pantheon¡¯. Just as members of ancient pantheons were gods of various names and strengths, Pantheon is inhabited by people who are also gods.¡±

    ¡°Makes no sense?¡±

    ¡°It is complicated.¡± Sighed Jvorg.

    ¡°Look, you probably know what I mean when talking about what makes someone a god, no? It is not how powerful they are, nor is it their personality, age, sex, or any other physical characteristics. What makes a person a god, is that their mana belongs only to them.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Just as I said. A god has their own mana. It is separate from the mana found naturally in the cosmos. They generate it themselves, unlike most others who take in natural mana and refine it throughout their bodies. This is what makes a god unique.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are other things. Being able to create mana inside themselves causes some other, stranger things to happen. For instance, every person capable of doing so finds themselves naturally in tune with in idea, concept, or story which has been passed down through human history.¡±

    ¡°Gods?¡±

    ¡°Yes, gods. Those that can generate mana are normally drawn towards the idea of a god found in humanity¡¯s history. Their abilities and powers are generally related to said god as well.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Nobody really knows. We can make our theories all we want, and assume things¡ªbut in the end, no one has any idea what causes these phenomena.¡±

    ¡°Why not common knowledge?¡±

    ¡°I know what you ask. Why are people like this unknown, and seemingly hidden away, no? It is because such a person is not common, by any stretch of the imagination. The entire population of humanity is approaching something like 4 trillion, no? Then, there have been 400 or so people who could generate their own mana. This is in contrast to the thousands of deities who have ascended to their positions of power. It should also be added that the knowledge of such people has generally been suppressed by the Pantheon. It is their own secret, and what makes them powerful.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense.¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes. It does. They also keep to the old ways, and have little interaction with information mainframes like the internet. This is why you have not heard of them before, no?¡±

    I nodded, comprehension dawning a little.

    ¡°However, I refuse to believe that you did not know about some people being able to generate their own mana. After all, you are one of these people.¡±

    The room was silent for a moment.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I eventually said.

    Jvorg nodded, like the answer was expected, and he was happy to have been proven right.

    ¡°Then, you also know which god you are attuned to, no?¡±

    I nodded again. That bit of knowledge has been known by me for quite some time now¡ªever since those dreams of mine started happening, and right after mother¡¯s experiments ended for good. How ironic it was that she labeled me as trash, right before I realized that was furthest from the truth?

    ¡°So you do know. I had my own thoughts, but no matter. Though, there is one more thing I must tell you.¡±

    ¡°Only one?¡±

    ¡°Ah, how I wish I could say more. But that would be going too far. No, this is the one last thing I may say, safely.¡±

    Jvorg looked directly at me, dead seriousness in his eyes.

    ¡°No matter what god you are attuned with, no matter what powers you have¡ªwhen the Pantheon¡¯s delegates arrive, you must tell them that you are Freya. Do not disclose your real identity.¡±

    <hr>

    Revy left my office displeased.

    It is easy to see why. She didn¡¯t get nearly the amount of information she had wanted.

    I could not give it to her. Not in any good conscience, at least.

    Such a delicate balance which must be maintained. One word too many could potentially cause her to act destructively, and immaturely. One too little would cause her to dig deeper, to uncover that which is not ready to be uncovered yet.

    The sad truth is, something is coming. Something that requires everyone to do their duty, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. I just hope Revy matures before that time comes. As it is, she is still a child.

    Oh, sure, she is smart. Brilliant, in fact. She is strong as well, standing well above the 10<sup>th</sup> divide, and maybe even the 11<sup>th</sup>. I can tell that she won¡¯t flinch away from difficult things, nor will she falter in key moments.

    However, for all that, she is not mature yet.

    Revy runs away from herself. Willing to confront all but herself it seems, no?

    This is a flaw that needs addressing. Otherwise, Revy will not make it to where she needs to, having fallen to her own emotions and repressed desires.

    It is my hope that she will not have to suffer the worst futures I have seen. Truly, such things are not to be wished upon anyone¡ªnot even the worst of enemies.

    Sighing slightly to myself while walking out of the office space, my study beckoned. Or, the study built for me in this city. It is not the study I have painstakingly stocked full of the rarest and most informative volumes of books, nor where most of my research is kept.

    This is just a pale imitation, meant to placate my nerves until returning back home.

    Oh well. This place serves it¡¯s purpose well enough.

    Turning to a corner of the room covered in scrawled writing and various magic circles, humming with the underflow of raw mana supplied directly from my own store, he was quickly summoned. A translucent form appeared before me, almost instantaneously gaining a human-like shape¡ªthough without any features to speak of. It¡¯s gaze could be felt wandering over me briefly, before it spoke directly in my mind.

    ¡°You rang, Mimir? I¡¯m assuming you want the latest news on the border situation. Well, it¡¯s not good. I give you people ten years¡ªfifteen tops. Though, I will say that finding Revy was a very wise move. But I suppose that¡¯s life with foresight, right~? Say, do you ever lose socks? Or is that something you can just use your powers to solve? Inna sort of ¡°~Oooh, great and mystical future vision, show me my socks~!¡± way.¡±

    Smiling a little, I greeted the form.

    ¡°Hello Narrator. I have a few other things that have to be asked, as long as you are willing to answer.¡±

    While the Narrator had no mouth, his happiness was palpable.

 Chapter 35: Dragons teeth are difficult to pull.

    Of course I was frustrated.

    Jvorg didn¡¯t give me nearly enough information, before sending me packing. Hell, I¡¯m halfway convinced that he¡¯s just withholding information for the sake of appearing mysterious and annoying.

    ¡°Ah, excuse me¡ªare you okay?¡±

    Looking up, a woman I¡¯ve never seen before comes into view, a concerned look on her face. She was wearing the robes of a city magus, along with the badges of an officer.

    ¡°Me?¡± I asked, pointing to myself.

    ¡°Yes¡ªI couldn¡¯t help but notice you seem upset. Do you need help finding your parents or something¡­.Wait! Did I say something wrong!?¡± Asks the woman, as I walk away from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡±

    ¡°Ha, how cute~!¡±

    ¡°Stop following me.¡±

    The woman stopped.

    ¡°Fine, have it your way, kid. Just don¡¯t come crying back here when you can¡¯t find your parents.¡± She said, walking away while shaking her head.

    What the hell was that about?

    Damn it, now my mood¡¯s even worse.

    Nosy woman.

    Walking a few more blocks brought me to a train station. The platform wasn¡¯t crowded at all, given that it¡¯s nearly dinnertime, and most everyone has already made it home after work or school. The only people here are those who stayed late after work. They were too tired to pay any attention to my joining them on the platform.

    It was only a couple minutes of waiting before the next train pulled up alongside the station edge. It¡¯s doors opened, discharging a few people whose stop had arrived. Once everyone was out of the doorway, those standing on the platform entered the mostly empty train. There were plenty of seats available, and no one ended up having to stand¡ªunless they wanted to, of course.

    Taking up a window seat, I watched the city skyline as the train started moving, with the great dome seated high above us all, making Jor inhabitable on this planet. Our sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon line, dyeing the sky a waning violet hue.

    In another half-hour, night will have fallen. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be home by then.

    Really, Jor is just a small city¡ªonly useful for commercial purposes based on it¡¯s location. Those of us that live here are entirely dependent on trade for our livelihoods and jobs. If ships were to stop coming through Jor, then the city would crumble in time. There simply wouldn¡¯t be a reason to stay any longer.

    There have been a few planets abandoned in such a manner. Humanity arrived, set down roots, then left in short order. The buildings still standing in such places are testament to what humanity had done, and the shattered domes are evidence to our neglect.

    One day, Jor will be like those ghost cities. It¡¯s an inevitability, since there will come a time where it would be cheaper to simply build a new city, rather than maintain Jor.

    Hopefully, such a thing will happen far into the future. I¡¯ve come to like this place quite a bit, and would be reluctant to leave it.

    My stop arrived sooner than expected, being so wrapped up in various thoughts and ideas. Funny how that happens, right?

    Anyway, it was easy as ever to get home. Living in a nicer part of the residential areas is expensive, but well worth the bother considering how easy it makes my commute. Even more so since there¡¯ve been rumors of increased gang activity in some of the rougher parts of town. Sure, a normal gang really can¡¯t do anything to me, but it¡¯d still be annoying having to deal with them.

    A block and a half later (along with two flights of stairs), and I was home. My five room apartment might be sparse when compared to other homes, but it¡¯s just right for me. It has everything needed¡ªwell, along with a few amenities which had seemed a good idea.

    First things first, some food would be nice.

    A quick look through the fridge gave me an idea of the ingredients at hand, and narrowed down the types of dishes that could be cooked up.

    Though, I¡¯m in the mood for some fried rice. And given the ingredients still left, there¡¯s just enough left for that. Lucky~

    The fridge is getting kinda empty though, so a trip to the grocery store looks to be in order. Tomorrow morning¡¯s probably the best time for that. It¡¯ll be the weekend as well, so there¡¯s no worrying about school or anything.

    The fried rice was pretty easy to make, and within twenty minutes I was tearing into the still steaming bowl full of the stuff. While my cooking isn¡¯t all that great, it must be said that this particular dish always turns out pretty well. Probably because it¡¯s relatively simple, and there¡¯s a recipe you can follow every time to get it right. There¡¯s no subjectivity, you just accomplish a series of actions in the correct order, and a good meal is made.

    That¡¯s really the only way I can cook. If anything else is tried, or added to a recipe¡­well, nothing good happens, okay?

    All that aside, now the dishes need washing. Lucky, it¡¯s only my own dishes that have to be taken care of. Joel¡ªwhile he was here, that is¡ªalways left an unholy mess after each meal, which I would end up having to clean up.

    The soap suds and warm water were refreshing somehow, especially as there was only one set of dishes to wash. Taking care to rinse the suds off first, the wet dishes got placed on a drying rack.

    Those will get put away as soon as they¡¯ve all dried.

    With all the dishes done, it¡¯s time to let off some steam.

    That whole incident with Jvorg, and the fact that he was blatantly hiding some information annoyed me. There¡¯s a need to violently break something in a way that harms nothing.

    Good thing VR exists, right?

    The passing of a few minutes finds me in my Deus disguise, wandering the wilderness of Ashenload. Right now, my mood¡¯s too shitty to deal with other people. I just want to beat up on monsters. I want to break them.

    Unfortunately, it will take some time to find a proper stress reliever since monsters of a caliber comparable to mine are rare. So then, a recap is probably in order.

    Apparently, the little treasure hunt going on is progressing fairly well. Or, as well as it could for nobody having figured out the first hint.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    To be fair, it was a pretty ambiguous hint. ¡°The path starts with the end of today¡± could mean a couple of different things. Most thought it meant that they had to go to the eastern most part of Ashenload, where the binary suns sets. Unfortunately, nobody¡¯s made it all the way over there yet, due to the massive size of Ashenload¡¯s main continent, and the lack of fast-travel points in the more remote regions of the continent.

    So, they don¡¯t know if anything will be over there. They don¡¯t know if their guess will be right.

    It won¡¯t be, by the way.

    There¡¯s a small glade named ¡°Day¡¯s End¡±, and it¡¯s only a few hours of walking away from one of the main cities in Ashenload. It¡¯s completely underground, all the vegetation and wildlife sustaining themselves on whatever light is generated by thousands upon thousands of tiny glowing crystals growing from the ceiling. There¡¯s a single massive crystal up there as well, perfectly rounded like a moon. The entire place is seemingly suspended in a perpetual night, the stars and moon overhead. Hence the name, ¡°Day¡¯s End.¡±

    It¡¯s a quiet place, tranquil in its own way. Slightly dark, but that¡¯s to be expected by a place that simulates a night-time environment. In addition, very few people are aware that it exists. Though, more are coming to hear of it, since there¡¯s an automatic NPC script going around where they discuss rumors of a beautiful night-time cavern somewhere out in the wilderness.

    Nobody¡¯s connected the dots yet, unfortunately.

    Oh, and those player gods are still in power¡ªmuch to everyone¡¯s chagrin.

    The normal players are getting understandably upset with the way things are going, and some of the ridiculous decrees given out as of late.

    Things are beginning to look like a dictatorship, in a game where you¡¯re meant to have fun with friends and embark on epic quests. Of course people would start to get frustrated by this turn of events. It¡¯s getting to the point where people are asking the game developers for a way to keep things from getting too out of hand. The developers haven¡¯t said anything yet, though. I understand why, but the average player is seeing it as the company condoning whatever¡¯s going on with the player gods. Which isn¡¯t the case, of course.

    There¡¯s already a way to topple the player gods from power.

    Anyway, it seems I¡¯ve found what I was looking for.

    Deep in the wilderness, a single craggily mountain rises above the tree line, it¡¯s jagged rock surfaces turned black by blasts and extreme heat. The thick forests, so verdant green and practically vibrating with life and vitality, indomitable and unconquerable, the trees which stand sovereign in this place, and the many, many varieties of wildlife living here¡ªnone of them dared approach that black spire.

    The tree line ends a good kilometer away from the place, and nothing lives in the broken ground between the forest and the mountain. Even the birds give this place a wide berth, diverting their paths in a long arc around the sinister looking mountain.

    They probably feel the aura of what lives within.

    You see, it¡¯s not for nothing that this place is named ¡°Dragon¡¯s Tooth.¡±

    That being said, a normal dragon wouldn¡¯t really pose me any threat here, given that my character is¡­well.

    Suffice to say, it would take either a thunder of dragons to give me a decent workout, or something that¡¯s managed to evolve beyond a dragon.

    So, in other words, I need to find a raid level challenge¡ªSomething that would take dozens of normal players to complete.

    Thankfully, such a thing can be found here, at the Dragon¡¯s Tooth. It¡¯s actually a fairly famous location, since all sorts of dragons can be found here. It¡¯s a full on dungeon. Expect, where most other dungeons start off with small fry mob characters like slimes or skeletal undead, this place starts you off on wyverns.

    Dragon¡¯s Tooth doesn¡¯t mess around.

    Neither do I.

    We¡¯re a perfect match~

    Anyway, because this place is so well known, it¡¯s a bit of a given that other players come here. As mentioned, normally it¡¯s raid groups, consisting of a good twenty to thirty players. They don¡¯t normally go over forty, unless the group is planning on venturing as far into Dragon¡¯s Tooth as they can.

    However, just twenty or so players is good enough to beat the first boss, normally. Unless the group is incompetent.

    The point is, I was going to run into other players eventually.

    Just, it was surprising to run into a raid group almost immediately.

    They were lingering right outside of the dungeon, most of them milling about and talking to other players. There was a group of five players conferring over a map, likely going over strategies and scenarios of what would happen once they enter the dungeon proper.

    They were a lively group, obviously excited to be entering the Dragon¡¯s Tooth dungeon.

    However, they still noticed me walking towards the dungeon entrance fairly quickly.

    The conversations died down, as more people saw me coming closer.

    None of them questioned me, though. The red robe I was wearing, and the sword strapped to my side precluded any sort of suspicions as to who I might be, or why I¡¯m at the Dragon¡¯s Tooth.

    It was well known that many of the more powerful individuals liked to test themselves against the dungeon.

    Granted, there are still very few who will go in alone¡­but that¡¯s neither here nor there.

    I passed by the group, and continued into the dungeon itself.

    The tunnels leading into it where made of stone, but had been blasted into a smooth glassy surface, clean enough that it could be a functional mirror. The floor had deep claw marks etched into it¡¯s surface from passing dragons, along with scattered bones left from those who had failed right at the beginning of the dungeon, having vastly underestimated the strength of the first draconic enemies which had met them.

    Speaking of which¡ªAll the sudden, the tunnel widened slightly, and the click of claws on stone became audible. There, in the middle of the tunnel, stood the first foe people meet in the Dragon¡¯s Tooth. A half-grown wyvern.

    Not quite an adult, this wyvern is still unable to fly, as it¡¯s wings are not quite developed enough for that act. That¡¯s not to say it¡¯s unable to liberally tear a mans face off, though. Even small wyverns are enough to pose a serious risk to the average player.

    The wyvern noticed me, and immediately sprung into action. It¡¯s powerful back legs propelled it towards what it perceived as prey, and the wyvern¡¯s jaw opened wide enough to swallow me whole. Not that that¡¯s hard or anything. I¡¯m still short.

    Without any preamble, I sidestepped the wyvern¡¯s strike, leaving him to chomp down on empty air.

    The soft rasp of metal could faintly be heard under the cascade of scales and armored hide rumbling past me. It was followed by a faint snick, and a light splattering.

    The wyvern continued moving, inertia allowing it to charge even after total death. The reptile slammed into one of the glassy walls, bereft a head and bleeding profusely¡ªeach pump of the still functioning heart sending blood out the exposed neck in a sad attempt of continuing life.

    Not a challenge.

    Not at all.

    Things won¡¯t be difficult for a while yet, unfortunately.

    I¡¯m guessing thing¡¯s will only start to get fun after the second or third boss. Until the lesser mobs clear out, nothing will be too difficult.

    Just treat this as form practice, I guess. Make sure that my swings are precise, and that my stance is steady.

    Advancing deeper into the dungeon was easy. The wyverns posed no threat, even with larger numbers and even fully grown members of their nests. At most, I needed two or three swings of my sword to kill a single one.

    Then I reached the first boss.

    The Guardian Dragon.

    There aren¡¯t any wyverns past this point. Instead, drakes and fully grown dragons can be found.

    The Guardian Dragon itself is simply a normal adult dragon who defends the entrance to the next part of the dungeon. There¡¯s nothing special about it at all.

    Well, unless you count the fact that it¡¯s a dragon.

    An average raid party will normally be pressured by it, and will be hard pressed to wear down it¡¯s natural defenses to the point where they can actually wound the damned thing.

    The Guardian¡¯s first move was to open it¡¯s mouth wide, giving me a great view of it¡¯s teeth, and the glow gathering at the back of it¡¯s throat. Ah, yes¡ªthat¡¯s another thing separating adult dragons from wyverns or drakes.

    They can breathe fire.

    A powerful push off with my right leg sends me out of the ability¡¯s path, and dragon fire scorches the cave entrance behind me. The heat of it causes the walls to glow a dim red as the stone is partially melted.

    The dragon turned it¡¯s diamond shaped head, and seemed slightly surprised to see me standing firm off to the side, unharmed. It reared back, readying itself for a second blast.

    The light tap of my boots on the pitted stone ground was the only sound I made moving forward. The dragon¡¯s foreleg loomed in front of me before it could even react. My sword cut a brilliant white arc out of the air¡ªan arc that crossed through the dragon¡¯s leg.

    For a moment, everything seemed to stand still.

    And then the dragon collapsed, it¡¯s leg cleanly bisected in two. Furious roars echoed through the tunnels, as it valiantly tried to bite at me with its head. Another arc relieved it of that troublesome appendage.

    While stepping off the bosses corpse and sighing, a pleasant ding rang in my ear, announcing that some rewards had been transferred to my inventory after felling it, and that bonuses had been given for beating the Guardian Dragon on my own.

    Nothing significant, of course. It had only been the first boss, after all.

    <hr>

    Later that night, I pulled off my VR visor, and glanced at the bedside clock.

    1:46 am.

    So, about 4 hours were spent in Dragon¡¯s Tooth. My character was left at the very bottom, so that all the enemies will have respawned by the time I re-enter the game.

    Should be fun.

    For now though, some sleep is in order.

    Then, I¡¯ll try contacting Jvorg again tomorrow, and seeing if he¡¯s willing to divulge any more information. He¡¯s been speaking like its imperative I go with these Pantheon people peacefully.

    I say that anyone wanting to take me away from Jor is harboring bad intentions in their hearts. Needless to say, their motivations are dubious at best, and harmful at worst. It would be the height of stupidity to simply go along with whatever they want.

    So then, why is Jvorg so insistent I go?

    To be found out tomorrow, I guess. Hopefully.

 Chapter 36: Heated Discussions

    ¡°Damn it, why couldn¡¯t this girl have chosen a more central planet to hide in? This trip is taking a month! A month!¡±

    ¡°Calm down Athena. This is time well spent, if we can find another godling. And besides, I was unaware that the trip was taking such a toll on you, who have not had to do anything with your power for the last few weeks.¡± Said Heimdal somewhat sarcastically

    ¡°But it¡¯s so boring! There¡¯s nothing to do, nobody to see on the way! It¡¯s just hop from one planet to the next, and then the next, and then the next, only stopping to sleep or eat.¡±

    ¡°Would you rather have chartered a ship? That would have had us in cryo-sleep for at least a year, and maybe even two.¡±

    ¡°Well, it would be better than¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­no¡­I-it wouldn¡¯t have been.¡± Chimed in Isis. ¡°Cyro-sleep sucks.¡±

    Athena looked taken aback.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®it sucks¡¯? I thought you just get put to sleep, and it¡¯s like no time passes at all during the voyage.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is not the act of sleeping that makes the experience uncomfortable. It is what happens when waking up. Athena, trust me when I say that you will likely not enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°But....Wait¡­Aren¡¯t we taking a charter ship back to the Centrifuge?¡± Asked Athena.

    ¡°We are. You will not enjoy it. None of us will.¡±

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t we just teleport all the way back?¡± Athena asked, sounding slightly panicked now at the thought of cryo-sleep.

    ¡°Because I do not like draining myself of power every day, as a means of transport. It means that I am never at peak condition, and more vulnerable than I wish to be for it. While it may be convenient, my method of travel is by no means preferable. It is only due to our time constraints that we are doing this. Otherwise, cryo-sleep would be used, no matter an individuals objection.¡±

    ¡°C-can we find a hotel please? P-p-people are staring¡­.¡± Said Isis, finally bringing up the fact that Athena and Heimdal were having their argument in the middle of a crowded city square, since they had been attempting to find suitable accommodations after their latest jump.

    Their loud words had obviously drawn some attention, since passers-by where throwing them furtive glances. People are normally drawn to drama, and this was not an exception.

    Well, it might also have something to do with the trio¡¯s charm. To be frank, Heimdal, Athena, and Isis seemed to all be studies into different types of beauty.

    Heimdal stood tall, towering over all others in his vicinity. His icy blue eyes seemed to vibrate with warmth¡ªand those that knew him well were fully aware of the volcano lucking far beneath his surface, tightly bound by rules and a moral code so deeply engrained that it¡¯s become his god. He was wiry, his muscles compact and efficiently built for speed alongside dexterity. A mass of dirty blond hair cascaded around his ears. His entire atmosphere screamed one of two things.

    <ul>

    <li>I¡¯m dangerous, stay away from me.</li>

    <li>I¡¯m sexy as hell, and you want to jump me.</li>

    </ul>

    Those two things end up coinciding more than you¡¯d think, really.

    Athena was a straight up amazon. While not as tall as Heimdal, she stood far above other women, and walked in a way that bespoke years of martial training received and internalized. She was rash and brash in the sort of way that proved she knew her own charms and power, but hadn¡¯t yet learned her limits.

    She was inexperienced, but not stupid.

    Isis¡­well, she would be surprising behind all that shyness and hesitation. It¡¯s fairly well known that she¡¯s one of those who should not be pushed, under any circumstances. Because, once her switch flips¡­.

    Suffice to say, Athena is too new to know the depths of Isis, though Heimdal is fully aware. And she scares him quite a bit.

    ¡°Why should we go argue in a hotel room? Let the people stare. It¡¯s not doing us any harm.¡± Said Athena, responding to Isis¡¯s proposition with haughty confidence.

    Heimdal responded completely differently.

    ¡°I apologize for any discomfort we may have accidentally caused you, Isis. Athena, come. Let us find accommodations for the night, and cease our chatter. We can discuss the charter ship once we¡¯ve arrived on Jor, and met with the supposed godling. There is no point in doing anything until that point.¡± He said.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°No buts, Athena. That is what we will be doing.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Snapped Athena. ¡°This trip better end up worth it then.¡± She said, speed walking away.

    Heimdal sighed.

    ¡°Remind me why we are bringing her along, again?¡±

    ¡°B-because she needs experience? Which¡­which can only be gained doing t-things. This¡­is an easy mission¡ªbetter to start small.¡± Said Isis.

    ¡°Was I ever like this? When first introduced to the Pantheon?¡±

    ¡°You were a farmer¡¯s son. She i-is the daughter of a High-Family. You had purpose she does not.¡±

    ¡°I would think you being my teacher also had quite a bit to do with how I turned out. Perhaps I¡¯m not treating my own student correctly?¡±

    ¡°D-don¡¯t doubt yourself Heimdal¡­she is too proud.¡±

    ¡°I know. But I suspect you would have been able to strip away all her pride, and added another among the ranks of Isis¡¯s great students.¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­n-n-not with this one. She¡­needs neither you nor I to take that pride away. Only time, and maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe what?¡±

    ¡°We¡­shall see. Only a week until the journey ends.¡± Said Isis in her shy and soft-spoken way.

    <hr>

    Godard paused in the middle of his forging.

    His arms were beginning to feel a bit like jelly, and he could feel the grip in his hands weakening. Part of that might have to do with the fact that he¡¯s been at the hammer and anvil for six hours straight now¡ªa feat you¡¯d think impossible with his weedy looking physique and thin arms. Even more so when you consider the fact that he isn¡¯t touching his Awakening at all. Not even a little bit. He didn¡¯t do anything to ease his burden, or put some mana behind his swings. It was all done with only his own physicality.

    He didn¡¯t like using his Awakening. It was too¡­different. Too outside his comfort zone. And there were other things to consider...

    Anyway, Godard didn¡¯t think he needed it. As proven by the still glowing bit of metal resting on the anvil in front of him.

    It wasn¡¯t anything special looking, what he¡¯s forged. In fact, it looked wholly utilitarian in nature, with no embellishments that would make the sword ¡®fashionable¡¯, or ¡®stylish¡¯.

    To Godard, this was a sword. No more, no less.

    He had followed the Old Earth European longsword for his template, as that was the type of armament he thought the sturdiest and simplest to wield.

    Stretching his arms out a little, he ignored the heat and strain from his exertions, and continued on. Godard wanted this sword done, as soon as possible. Every minute wasted was a minute in which the blade might never be used.

    Off to the side, Godard¡¯s family watched him work.

    ¡°It¡¯s still a wonder to me, that boy¡¯s endurance.¡± Said his father, Geralt.

    ¡°Ha! He was practically born with a hammer in hand¡ªWhat did you expect, Dad?¡± Laughed a man who looked like a younger version of Geralt. The was the eldest brother in the house, Dannaver. He had graduated college, and returned to help his aging parents run their smithy workshop.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Still. I wonder where he get¡¯s the strength, without any mana and with that body.¡± Remarked the middle child, named Midas. He was simply a younger version yet of his older brother and father. Seeing the three of them lined up was like watching a progression of a single, sturdily built and tall man aging.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy to answer, as he get¡¯s his stubbornness from me!¡± Said a woman from the side, walking out of the family¡¯s house. The grey streaks in her hair did nothing to diminish the stateliness inherent in her disposition. In fact, it likely added to it. This was the mother, Lina.

    ¡°That he does.¡± Said Geralt, looking fondly upon his wife.

    ¡°Just thought I¡¯d come out and let you boys know that lunch is ready, whenever you want to eat. I know everyone¡¯s been working hard out here.¡± She said.

    ¡°Sure, I think we¡¯ll be along in a few minutes. Right now, we probably want to see what Gordard¡¯s going to end up with as a sword blank. He¡¯s been working on this since before we woke up. Don¡¯t even know when he started.¡±

    ¡°Okay, the food¡¯s ready whenever you all want some.¡±

    Geralt and his two other sons continued to watch Godard, somewhat in amazement.

    ¡°He¡¯s more skilled than any of us, isn¡¯t he?¡± Asked Midas.

    ¡°Yeah, he is.¡± Answered Dannayer simply.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even know when he went and passed us by.¡± Chimed in Geralt. ¡°Hell, I¡¯m sure that whatever he creates when actually using his Awakening will be amazing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Shame he¡¯s so shy about it.¡±

    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t you be hesitant to use it, what with the side effects?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I¡¯d hate to be burdened with something like that. I¡¯m fine with how I am right now, thanks. Besides, the ladies fall over for a bit of muscle like mine!¡±

    ¡°Shh! You know Godard¡¯s sensitive about that!¡±

    ¡°He can be sensitive all he wants. Won¡¯t change a damn thing. Mom knows that¡ªshe gave him ¡®the talk¡¯ as soon as he turned fourteen. What to expect and all that.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t have none of it, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± Sighed Dannayer. ¡°Still think he needs to just bite the bullet though. No use in dwelling on things. It¡¯ll only make the eventual more painful.¡±

    ¡°What, you think it¡¯s gonna happen regardless?¡±

    ¡°Please. Do you see how he treats what he forges? This current level of his isn¡¯t enough. It only makes him hunger more for better, for greater levels of skill. He wants a mastery not possible only being human. He¡¯s already better than me, his Dad. The one who taught him how to pound metal. But, he has to bring his Awakening into this sooner or later. Otherwise, he¡¯ll hit a wall, and forever remain ''just'' a better than average smith.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to be ¡®better than average¡¯, does he?¡± Asked Midas.

    ¡°No. He probably won¡¯t even be content with being the best.¡± Replied Dannayer.

    ¡°This son of mine is destined to eclipse us all. But that¡¯s something that can only be done with the power of an Awakening. So long as he rejects it, he¡¯ll remain frustrated.¡±

    ¡°So then, he¡¯ll use his Awakening eventually?¡±

    ¡°Doubtless.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll love him anyway.¡±

    With the conversation over, the three of them turned back to watch Godard, who was wholly unaware of them, so intent on the sword was he.

    Six hours. That¡¯s how long it had taken him to shape the blade of this particular sword, using only a hammer, anvil, and the heat of the forge. Well, and a pair of tongs, along with lot¡¯s of sweat, and even some tears. No blood though. He had stopped accidentally injuring himself while working years ago, once his dexterity had gotten to the point where the hammer never hit anything other than what was intended to be hit. That excludes fingers.

    But now, six hours after he¡¯d started early in the morning, the blade was shaped. It was ready for the next few steps.

    Godard carefully lifted it off the anvil, and levered it to a tank of brackish oil sitting off to the side. He lowered the heated blade into the tank, and large billows of steam erupted in the workshop as the oil met hot metal.

    He let the sword sit for a few seconds, before pulling it back out, and checking for any imperfections developed during the dunk. There were none.

    Next, he let the blade rest for a while.

    Most smiths would do things in a different order, first forging the blade, then annealing it so that they could easily grind off the extra metal and give the blade it¡¯s final shape. Only after that would they harden the blade by dunking it in a liquid of some sort, causing it to cool rapidly. Then they would heat the blade at a moderately high temperature to introduce flexibility and make it so that the blade wouldn¡¯t be too hard, and brittle.

    However, Godard was able to cut out some middle steps.

    He didn¡¯t have to grind off any extra material, since he had forged the sword to exacting dimensions anyway.

    In other words, he had shaped the sword to precisely with hammer and anvil, that there was absolutely no need to take any material off. The blade was already ready to accept an edge, though he would hold off on that until the tempering process had been finished.

    Which was the next step anyway. He took the blade, and set it in an oven of sorts so that it would be heated consistently for the next few hours or so. Godard carefully watched the blade the entire time, keeping a careful eye on the color of the metal, and judging the heat based on that.

    Upon seeing the blade turn a specific hue, he pulled it out of the tempering oven, and dunked it into the oil once more. But where that action had produced billowing clouds of steam before, it only caused a few thick wisps to rise this time, due to the lower heat of the blade when compared to the initial quenching.

    The sword was mostly done now, and only needed to be polished and sharpened. Godard would also have to kit it out with a pommel, handle, and sheath.

    But, considering these things, he immediately realized something and groaned aloud.

    ¡°Fuck me. It¡¯s too big, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He thought a while, before determining that it would have to be good enough. Hopefully the size wouldn¡¯t be too large an issue. Godard had heard that bigger isn¡¯t always better, and he was inclined to believe that. Or, he hoped it was true.

    Well, in this case, there was nothing to be done about it. If the sword was too big, it was too big. But still better than nothing¡ªand so long as it was still sheathable, things should work out.

    Somehow.

    <hr>

    I didn¡¯t bother with an appointment to meet with Jvorg, thinking he would just turn me away. Instead, I decided to simply show up, and tell his secretary that Revy Snow was here to see him.

    Either Jvorg would deny me entry without saying anything, or he¡¯ll just let me in, and possibly might even give me some answers.

    There¡¯s always a chance, right?

    Walking into the building was a breeze. Nobody was trying to keep anyone out, since the receptionists would filter out those that don¡¯t belong or are showing up without setting any appointments up. Like me.

    So, that¡¯s my first hurdle. Getting the receptionist to take me seriously enough to inform Jvorg of my arrival.

    Walking up, I try to appear as confident and haughty as possible. Which is really fucking difficult when you¡¯re so damn short. Means you have to make up whatever height is lacking using sheer presence.

    So, the receptionist saw me enter the building, and walk up to the desk in a refined, poised, and elegant manner¡ªand the aura I exuded spoke of confidence, and regality. There would be no stopping such an important guest¡ªand I am important. She would have to immediately see that I¡¯m one of those people you should drop everything for, who could easily hold the entirety of your life in the palm of their hands.

    I walked up to her, and opened my mouth.

    ¡°Aw, such a cute little lady. Are you here to see your parents?¡±

    And there go my dreams¡­.shattered¡­on the ground¡­then stepped on so viciously...

    I sighed internally.

    ¡°Here to see Jvorg? Important.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes. Might I know your name, so that he knows who¡¯s coming up?¡±

    ¡°Revy Snow. He knows me.¡±

    "Sure thing sweetie. I¡¯ll go ahead and ring Mr. Jvorg up, see if he¡¯s free to receive you.¡±

    Nodding, I waited for the woman to connect to his office via phone.

    ¡°Mr. Jovrg? There¡¯s a little lady here to see you, by the name of Revy Snow. Do you want me to send her up?¡± Asked the receptionist.

    I couldn¡¯t hear his answer, but judging by the long pause in conversation from this end of things, and the confused face of the receptionist, my guess is that Jvorg is currently thinking things over. Wondering whether he should toss me out, or let me up.

    The receptionist perked up, letting me know that Jvorg is responding.

    ¡°Okay. Yeah. Sure, I¡¯ll go ahead and do that. Yes sir. You too.¡±

    She put down the phone.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Jvorg is willing to see you Revy. Just take the elevator to the left¡ªit should lead right to his floor.¡±

    I nodded, and followed the woman¡¯s instructions.

    After entering the elevator, it¡¯s doors automatically closed behind me, and it started rising in the air quite quickly. It went up anywhere from fifteen to twenty floors before slowing down, and opening up into the hallway leading towards that large desk of Jvorg¡¯s, with the city skyline rising up in the air behind him, outside that massive set of windows.

    However, the hallway itself was bland and drab, with no decorations at all, and nothing which foretold of the scene awaiting whomever entered his office. You just went from dark interior to brightly lit room without anything warning of the transition. I somewhat expect something like that to be intentional on the part of Jvorg. He seems to take enjoyment from keeping people guessing¡ªmyself included. Unfortunetly.

    And just like I remembered, blinding light flared in my eyes upon opening up the door to Jvorg¡¯s office. And of course, he¡¯s sitting behind that desk of his.

    ¡°Revy, I am glad to see you again. I just had not expected it to be so soon. But, in understand why you have come. My explanation was found lacking, no? You want for answers.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then you will be disappointed. I cannot give you what you want.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because. Do you really wish for me to say what it is? I am afraid the reasoning behind my reluctance may upset you.¡±

    ¡°Want to know.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about this? I am giving you this one last chance to leave with only disappointment and frustration at my unwillingness to share what has been seen. If you stay, and insist on finding a reason why I may not tell you, then things will only end with you in pain and emotional turmoil, no?¡±

    ¡°Still want to know.¡± Give me your best shot, bastard. I¡¯ll show you how strong I am, and how my determination will not waiver. I¡¯ll spit in the face of your reasons, and learn what you know.

    Jvorg sighed.

    ¡°You are not ready.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°No. Listen to me. Right now, you are not ready. In a week, still not ready. A year, maybe a little ready. But now?¡± Said Jvorg, pausing. ¡°You are like child. Not mature enough to face what must be faced. You do not know yourself, in that heart of hearts. I said that you were a person of contradictions. That was not a compliment. Your life is so twisted and knotted about, that you are a mess. Even worse, you still do not understand what makes you so flawed.

    ¡°For all your intelligence, you are an idiot. For all your strength, the coward within holds you back. You want to live an ¡®ordinary life¡¯. You would have to sacrifice humanity for such an end. If I tell you what is going to happen, you would run, Revy. I have seen it, in many futures involving you. We are all consigned to the grave based on your decisions. So, I will not tell you what is going to happen, until you are ready. And to be ready, first you must go to the Pantheon. They can prepare you. But that means leaving most that is here behind.

    ¡°So, I will tell you this.¡±

    ¡°Unless you want this ¡®normal life¡¯ of yours to disappear forever, you must go with the Pantheon. Tell them you are Freya. Observe, and grow. When you are ready, take that which is rightfully yours and defend your thrice-damned ¡®normal life¡¯. Got it, Revian?¡±

 Chapter 37: A system most peculiar

    ¡°Unless you want this ¡®normal life¡¯ of yours to disappear forever, you must go with the Pantheon. Tell them you are Freya. Observe, and grow. When you are ready, take that which is rightfully yours and defend your thrice-damned ¡®normal life¡¯. Got it, Revian?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± I said.

    It was a reflexive response.

    ¡°No, I am not.¡± Said Jvorg. ¡°Why would I? Revy, please believe me¡ªI only hold your best interests in heart, and it would go against that to lie at the moment.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, if you do not act, if you continue to only protect your ¡®normal life¡¯, we are all doomed. By pursuing that, you will not learn what needs to be known, nor will you be strong enough to deal with that which is coming.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me¡ªWhat comes?¡± I asked, still reeling from the insults hurled by Jvorg.

    He looked up, staring at me for a long moment.

    ¡°I suppose it can be said.¡± He said, eventually deciding to speak. An uneasy expression crossed his face. ¡°There is a threat, one outside our sight for the moment. No, outside my sight, for it is impossible to see exactly what they are. Unfortunately, my augury is based on what I know, the information seen. From that, threads of the future can be pieced together, and I can know what happens. The more information I have, the more I know, the clearer the images get, and the more accurate my prophecies will become. In other words, I cannot see that which is unknown, no?

    ¡°And I do not know what the threat is, so I am unable to make them out. But, everything points to something happening.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There has been increased activity near the edges of the human occupied space, and strange things happening out there. Entire patrol units disappearing, planetary masses moving in impossible manners, weapons of the like we have never seen before appearing in the hands of some bandits. The more information gained, the more it all points towards one conclusion.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Jvorg paused before answering, thinking deeply.

    ¡°That¡­we are not alone. There are other civilizations out there, and they will not come in peace. Within one hundred years, something will happen, and the outcome of humanity becomes¡­grim.¡±

    ¡°But why me?¡±

    ¡°Why do you matter so much, you mean?¡± Said Jvorg, scratching his head. ¡°Hmm. I think I will liken it to a lode-stone. You draw people, due to who you are. It is like this for any especially powerful person, or one whose fate weighs heavy on our universe. Things naturally gravitate towards these individuals, and their decisions are more important due to this. This is why it is imperative you get away from Jor. Staying will only bring about it¡¯s ruin, no?¡±

    ¡°So, here is my final word. You need to leave Jor with the Pantheon. Staying will only harm those here, and yourself. Going will open up all the opportunities possible.¡±

    I thought for a while, before standing up to leave.

    ¡°Need to consider things.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Just, remember that they will be arriving in a week or two. Your decision will have to have been made by that point.¡±

    Nodding, I left reluctantly, with anger boiling deep down.

    <hr>

    Far, far from Jor, stands a planet.

    There seems to be something wrong with the green world. There¡¯s something about it which defies expectations. Looking at it causes an uneasy feeling. Something is off. Something so subtle that it escapes notice on the first glance.

    The planet is a part of a solar system home to a simple sun. It glowed a gentile yellow, fueling all the plant life on the world. It gave steady, healthy light. This was a star that would glow for the next hundred billion years.

    There were other planets in the system as well. Of course there were. First and foremost, three moons orbited the odd world, each of them with their own atmospheres and plant life. While technically moons, these were not the barren dust ridden hunks of rock normally found circling a planet. These were small planets unto themselves, fully habitable. They just happened to be smaller than the prime world, and thus were trapped in its gravity.

    Further out, a desert planet spun about. It was covered in sand and dust, and shone a deep tan color, interlaced by black. This was a hot planet; all the moisture vanished from the ground.

    It too had a moon. Just one though, and the moon twinkled with a crystalline light like a shiny little bauble seen so often in the hands of a child, who would watch with wonder as light refracted and bounced around the circular object.

    That is to say, the moon had no core. It was completely translucent.

    This had an interesting effect on the desert planet.

    See, everyone knows what happens when you take a lens, and focus light into one particular location. That spot heats up under the light. If that area is dry or has a particular inclination towards combusting, then you might be rewarded by wisps of smoke rising into the air¡ªthe light having created enough heat to cause a fire.

    The moon, suspended above the desert planet as it was, acted as a massive lens. The sun¡¯s light hits it, and is refocused onto the surface of the planet.

    There was no fire though. After all, nothing was left to burn on the planet.

    It was still dreadfully hot though, with parts of the rolling sand dunes found on the planet¡¯s surface having been turned into trails of blackened glass, as the focus point from the light wanders across the lands.

    A world of ice and cold existed past the desert planet. Its surface was completely white, and strong winds cut through jagged ice peaks and valleys. There was no warmth here. Just a strange and brutal beauty build atop the inhospitable landscape. Still and silent, the icy structures jutting from the ground attested to the extreme environment on the planet; while the snow drifts piling up around them spoke of the wandering winds.

    This planet had no moon. However, it was always dark.

    The desert planet orbited the sun right in front of the ice planet. They moved in such a way that the ice planet was perpetually eclipsed by the desert, and was always in its shadow. There would be no light for the ice planet, so long as this balance was maintained.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    But those were only three of the planets in the system. The verdant green one with three vegetated moons, the brutally hot desert planet, and the brutally cold ice planet. There were more than just three.

    A gas giant rippled with massive storm clouds and extreme winds, its entire atmosphere ripping at the dense rocky planet core¡ªwhich had been weathered away to a tiny fraction of the planet¡¯s total size. Everything else was pure gas and charged sky.

    A hollowed out planet drifted about, holes bored all over it. It was a sad and dead thing, more a planet-sized asteroid than anything else at this point. Its entire mass was riddled by tunnels, corridors and twisting labyrinths.

    Past that, a metal planet gleamed brightly under the sun¡¯s light. It was small, but incredibly dense. In fact, the density of this metallic mass was even approaching that of a harem protagonist.

    The surface of this metallic planet was dotted by geometric structures. Perfect cubes, rectangles, octagons, and other, more isometric shapes jutted out of the ground in a chaotic, but stunningly logical manner. There was some deep-seated pattern dictating the placement and shape of the structures.

    The seventh planet was covered in plant life, just like the first, verdant green one. But where one looked warm and inviting, all it¡¯s plant life providing a support pillar for civilization, the other was a deep, deep green. There were no breaks in the tree canopy on the seventh planet. It was wholly covered in massive, rolling forests and jungles, lit only by the small pinpricks of light that penetrated through the tree boughs. This was not a hospitable place. Because, even just a small look around the planet¡¯s surface gives a startling revelation. Brightly colored flowers, long vines descending from tree to tree, thorny bushes, exotic fauna fanning out to capture as much light as is possible¡ªAll supported a delicate and thriving ecosystem. Animals can be found anywhere.

    But you don¡¯t want to find them.

    Everything in these twilight jungles and forests can kill a man in at least twelve different ways. Poison, talons, by wing or scale. Take your pick¡ªthere¡¯s certainly no limit to the options available.

    There were other, smaller planets littered around this abundant and shocking solar system. While they are still significant, they are not important enough to bear mention in this quick overview.

    But, there¡¯s still one thing lingering. A question unanswered.

    Looking at the solar system in it¡¯s entirely brings a small sense of unease. There¡¯s something wrong, a small detail off. It¡¯s been in the back of the mind this entire time.

    At the center of this uneasy feeling is that first planet, with three resplendent moons orbiting around it. Visually, nothing is wrong. In fact, the planet is quite beautiful¡ªalmost paradisiac. It¡¯s a gloriously vibrant place, planet and moons all.

    It¡¯s hard to figure out what¡¯s wrong. After all, the planet itself it perfectly fine. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it¡ªunless you consider paradise as being wrong in and of itself. And admittedly, some cultures do think along these lines.

    No, to see the incongruity in the situation would require a step back. View the solar system in its entirety. Watch the heavenly bodies in their dance as they orbit.

    And then the uneasy feeling¡ªand it¡¯s source¡ªbecomes absolutely clear.

    The sun.

    It¡¯s a good size, and as mentioned, it¡¯s light is healthy and full of vigor. A star like this can be found practically anywhere in the universe. It¡¯s common to the point of dullness. Which is slightly odd amongst all the remarkable and unique planets in the system.

    But that¡¯s not the point. There¡¯s nothing wrong with the sun itself.

    However, everything else is very wrong. The laws of nature have been defied here. Common sense upturned. Something has spat in the face of all known laws from physics and science.

    For, nothing is orbiting this sun.

    All those planets dancing around, and not one seems to notice the star¡¯s mass. Not one obeys its gravitational call, nor the natural order of things.

    Instead, the sun, along with every other planetary mass, orbited that first planet with the three moons and happy forests, with the oceans and lakes spanning it¡¯s surface. It stood there, in the middle of this utterly baffling solar system. Rooted in place. As if an angry god has come by, and affixed it into a singular location in space, forever. It would not be moved from its axis. It would not bow to any greater mass. It would sit, a king on his throne as the universe turned around him.

    This solar¡­no, planetary system was far from the proclaimed center of humanity, the Cradle. Earth was far, far away, and the nearest occupied colony was wholly unaware of the oddity which was this system.

    But, distant as it may be, the system was not uninhabited.

    It was given a name back when humanity first forayed into the stars, after Moonfall and a mad scientist turned god forced them to greener pastures.

    This was Crucible.

    Home to those gods given life by humanity. One of the three strongest bastions of mankind.

    It¡¯s long been said that there¡¯s a trinity that must be observed, should a society be a strong as possible. Power, wisdom, and tradition. Crucible upholds them all. Its citizens were charged with protecting these values.

    Speaking of which, that was another incongruity found in the Crucible system. For all the vast space it spreads across, and for all the planets slowly describing their orbits, there were precious few people living in the system.

    Quality over quantity was the rule followed here. And beside, you had to be a special type of person to gain admittance to Crucible. You had to be someone embodying Old Earth traditions and superstitions. You had to have touched on the spiritual side of humanity, and come back from it with something gained. Quite literally, you had to become a god.

    Easier said than done, yes. But there are ways of having it happen¡ªeven ways which grant a reasonably high chance of success.

    Regardless though, this was the hidden haven for those Awakened into the role of a god. This was their home.

    And, on that central planet¡ªwhich is also named Crucible, for whatever reason¡ªthere were a few structures. White marble columns supported the massive roof of a grand and ostentatious temple-like building, with room enough to house hundred of people quite comfortably. There were training areas around the temple, and other, smaller buildings who¡¯s use was yet unknown.

    On another part of the planet, squat square buildings rested on the ground around a pyramid¡ªwhose peak seemed to scrape at the sky, and was capped by a silvery metal reflecting light into the distance.

    On a third spot rested a small and homely community, with houses built in a Nordic style with sharply angled roofs to slough off snow, and a large meal-hall set in the middle of all the buildings. Everything was centered on a harbor with various ships of diverse origin docked just off the coast. The smell of smoke, fish, and earthiness hung in the air.

    It was in the last of these communities that a man sat, mulling over something in the meal-hall. He was distinctive, with a long white beard and hair under a wide brimmed hat. Dressed in what resembled a robe, he very much looked like that stereotypical wizard who assists the hero with mighty magic¡¯s.

    The man was missing an eye as well, with a patch leaving only the right one bare to the world. And that icy green orb was fully capable of freezing men in place, held by the weightiness of his glare. By his side was a staff, propped up against his chair. It was carved with numerous sigils and Nordic runes, and hewn out of a sturdy wood. The top of the staff curved lightly, almost like a shepherds crook. Atop this curved bit sat a pair of ravens, their beady eyes holding an uncanny intelligence.

    This was Odin, king among those gods of Nordic origin. Though, it should be stated that Odin is fairly universally feared by the other camps of gods on Crucible. He was possessing of a certain skillset that set cold stones of fear in their bellies.

    But that¡¯s besides the point of all these introductions and explanations.

    Because, as was mentioned, Odin was thinking long and deeply about something. If one could peer into his mind, they would discover all sorts of interesting things. Worries and anxieties unbefitting someone so strong as to bear aloft such an old and powerful name. Thoughts turned towards the future, and a fear so deep, that one wonders what would frighten this man to such an extent.

    To know that would be to give some crucial information away though, so those thoughts will be kept secret for now. Perhaps when Revy arrives¡­.

    But for now, let¡¯s just say that Odin has a lot on his mind. As any man with power and influence can empathize with.

    However, that burden was about to be lifted slightly.

    Another man had entered the large meal-hall. Looking around for a bare second, his eyes fell upon Odin, and the man made his way to where the grim one-eyed man was sitting. Seeing the unknown man approach, Odin lifted his head, and took him in.

    The new arrival was tall, buff, and had bronzed skin. He carried a trident on his shoulder, and a crown upon his brow. He wore a robe similar to Odin¡¯s, though his was a deep royal blue. Warm green eyes were framed by the silver band running across his forehead, and the black hair escaping said crown¡¯s confines.

    ¡°You sit here looking so dower, Odin.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Poseidon.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Said the god, smiling affably. ¡°But I¡¯d thought that you would appreciate some news from team three, with Heimdal.¡±

    That caught Odin¡¯s attention.

    ¡°What have you heard?¡± he asked, a slight forcefulness in his voice.

    Poseidon grew more serious before speaking, noticing the hungry undertones in Odin¡¯s voice. ¡°They¡¯ll be arriving within the week. Once there, it shouldn¡¯t take very long for them to locate whoever was found.¡± The god paused. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know who it is, would you?¡±

    Odin shook his head. ¡°I do not know. Tell me, has the group chartered a ship to Galven?¡± He asked, mentioning the nearest sizable human settlement.

    ¡°Yes. Isis took care of that, apparently. A freighter will be able to take them there, while under cryo-sleep.¡±

    Odin nodded. ¡°Good then. Leave this old man to his drink then.¡±

    Poseidon nodded, and left soon after, leaving Odin to himself, and the worries bouncing around his head.

    There was much to worry about. But hopefully, this newest godling which had been found would be the solution needed for so long. The camp of the Norse gods would finally be complete.

 Chapter 38: One door closes, another opens.

    I spent a week thinking things over.

    According to Jvorg, I must go wherever these Pantheon people take me, else Jor will be destroyed by something from outside our known universe. Something that he can¡¯t even see clearly. Now, forgive me for thinking so, but that sounds really damn suspicious to me. ¡®Oh, there¡¯s an unknown threat which will conveniently wipe out your home if you don¡¯t go.¡¯

    Uh-huh, right. And I suppose if I go, all the issues to be faced in the future will somehow resolve themselves, magically.

    Of course, there¡¯s also the chance that Jvorg is telling the truth. He doesn¡¯t seem to be the sort that would lie about something like this, but I¡¯ve learned to be cautious. The people who don¡¯t look like liars are almost always the best at it.

    Basically, my choice boils down to this¡ªshould I stay on Jor, and risk potential destruction and possibly cause a bunch of deaths? Or should I go with the Pantheon members coming, and somehow spare Jor?

    I spent a week thinking over this. A full week, charting out all the various possibilities and consequences. A whole week, likely overthinking the entire issue, while still not giving it nearly enough thought.

    My friends noticed that I was distracted, of course. They could see that there was something occupying my time, and thoughts. They even asked me if there¡¯s anything they could help with¡ªwhich I turned down.

    This isn¡¯t something they can help with.

    I truly don¡¯t mean to sound melodramatic when talking about all this. I know it sounds like that anyway. Can¡¯t really help it, when a decision this big¡ªwell, big to me, at least¡ªhas been dropped in front of someone who simply wants to be left alone. Who just wants peace.

    Going with the Pantheon will not give me peace. That much is immediately evident. Jvorg has made that clear.

    Apparently, staying will not end well either though, so I suppose that¡¯s a moot point.

    Back and forth, and back again only to change my mind once more¡ªthis is how my week passed. Agonizing over the decision in front of me, and constantly trying to figure out what way is best.

    I eventually reached a conclusion. It didn''t come easily.

    <hr>

    (POV Godard.)

    We all got letters. Mine had arrived at the smithy two days ago, while I was working on some armour. Sabrina and Haven got their own, along with Kormic and Ussen. The letters themselves were beautifully written, though the contents were brief and to the point.

    Dear Godard,

    While we have not had the pleasure of meeting quite yet, I have learned quite a bit about you. Come to Goliath Tower in three days time, at twelve o¡¯clock. I have something to impart to your friends and you about one Revian Al¡¯Verath.

    Do not tell her about this letter.

    ¡ªJvorg Bael

    I met with everyone else, learning then that all of us had gotten the same letter. And given that this involved Revy somehow, we all decided to go.

    However, I don¡¯t think any of us where expecting this.

    ¡°Welcome! Welcome, come in, please. I have been eagerly waiting for your arrival!¡± Said the man who greeted us after stepping out of the elevator. He was dressed to the nines, vest and all. A silver pocket watch chain drew attention to the meticulously tailored lines of the suit around the waist, and the wine red tie peeking out blended in which the blackness of everything else.

    The man screamed of wealth and influence.

    ¡°I will cut straight to the point in a moment, but first, please take a seat. I think it would be best for you to receive this news sitting down, no?¡± Said the man, presumably named Jvorg.

    We arrayed ourselves on the various seats inside a posh looking office, overlooking downtown Jor. I don¡¯t even want to think about how much money was spent getting this place. And, I¡¯m pretty sure Jvorg owns the whole building, from how the staff were treating us when we came in¡­

    ¡°Now then, it is nice to meet you all. I am in contact with your friend Revian, whom I have news you might like to hear.¡±

    ¡°Wait just a second¡ªHow do you know Revy? How does she know you?¡± Asked Sabrina, taking the lead as usual.

    Jvorg nodded at her.

    ¡°Hmm, yes. Good question, and one which is wholly related to what I¡¯m about to tell you. Basically, it can be put like this: There is a group of people who have been looking for your Revy for a long time, and they will be coming soon.¡±

    Seeing several of us immediately move to start yelling, Jvorg held up a hand to forestall our questions.

    ¡°They will not harm her, I assure you. In fact, it is in her best interests to go. It is in all our best interests to have her go.¡±

    ¡°How do we know to trust you?¡± Asked Haven, cutting to the heart of the matter.

    Here¡¯s this man, telling us that our friend has to go, and that we shouldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Unfortunately, the conversation went towards an unexpected direction from there.

    Jvorg turned, and looked straight at me.

    ¡°You know she was going to leave, no?¡± He asked, a small smile playing across his lips. My mouth fell open slightly, confusion playing on my features.

    ¡°Wha¡­? No¡ªwait, how would I know something like that?!¡± I asked, incredulity thick in my voice.

    ¡°You made Revy a sword. I have seen her using it too. It is a fine work, and will serve her well.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t make¡­.¡± I started, until remembering the modified greatsword he¡¯d forged with such care not too long ago. Who¡­.who had I made that for, again? There had just been a sudden feeling that the sword should exist, and I spent the day bringing it into the universe¡­

    ¡°You did. That is her sword, and you made it because she will need it. She does have other, more powerful weapons, but those are not suited to her. There is one weapon that she is simply holding on to. It¡¯s the most powerful sword in our universe, I think, but it is not hers. Its true owner will come and take it back at some point. Maybe.¡±

    ¡°But then¡­¡± I started, haltingly. ¡°How¡­how did I know?¡±

    As soon as he had said it, it felt right. I had made that sword for Revy, somehow without even realizing it.

    Jvorg smiled at me.

    ¡°It is because you are special. Like Revy¡ªwell, perhaps not quite so much. But of the same type. The same make. The same origin. If you so chose, you could go with Revy.¡± Said Jvorg. He paused briefly, and looked around at everybody else.

    ¡°You could all go. The foundations are there. The Pantheons would willingly accept each and every one of you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Kormic, breaking the brief silence that came from Jvorg¡¯s words.

    ¡°Revy is more influential then any of us could imagine. I can see traces of Ascension on all, besides Godard¡ªwho has already partially Ascended.¡±

    ¡°A-ascension? What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a term used by those in the Pantheon, to indicate that a person has either entered the meta-physical realm, or is touching it. These people normally assume a strength associated with an element of humanity they are closely attuned to. In Godard¡¯s case, he has taken up creation. Not the whole thing, of course, but a small swath of it, where he is most comfortable. He has not fully assumed it, however. This is likely due to his shard¡¯s Asking Price, which he is yet unwilling to pay. Godard should know the name in his grasp by now.¡±

    I felt nauseous. How did this man know so much about my¡­situation?

    ¡°As for me, I am Mimir, bringer of knowledge and wisdom. I am allowed to see the future, and can view the past.¡± Said Jvorg with a commanding tone.

    ¡°Head my words. You all must go with Revian, lest she lose faith and fall. There are trying time ahead, and humanity as a whole must rise to the occasion. Everyone with the talent must fight, and I am afraid nothing will be left untouched. So, rather than wait for death, would you like to come to the Pantheon? We are able to give power, to give those with the aptitude a chance to grow strong. Revian goes reluctantly, but it doesn¡¯t have to be that way for you. To protect your home, family, and friends, to be no longer beholden to those with greater power¡ªwould you like to join us?¡± Asked Jvorg.

    I could see that the others were seriously considering his words.

    Really though, for some of us, there simply isn¡¯t a choice.

    Haven and Sabrina have always wanted power. The ability to be who they want, without fear of any consequences. Whatever else Jvorg promises, he can give them that, at least. Komric likes learning new things, strength, and being able to teach others. I assume that is also something he can do with these Pantheon people.

    And me.

    Well, I would ask, but the pitying look Jvorg gave during that brief outline of my situation didn¡¯t bode well for the answers I want to hear.

    ¡°Say¡­Say that we were to agree. What would happen?¡± Asked Sabrina.

    ¡°I would bring you all to the Pantheon¡ªafter telling your parents about it, of course. It would be a year long trip, under cryo-sleep. Once we arrive, Godard would be placed wherever appropriate, while the rest of you are nurtured, and work towards Ascension. I can guarantee that each of you will be able to achieve it.

    ¡°Now, I do not expect anyone to make a decision at this moment. Go home, think over it. It is not an easy choice, nor should it be. Speak with your parents, take council from those around you. Now go, take your leave. It was nice meeting all of you, but I have said all that was necessary. I hope answers find you swiftly, and the truth easily. Though, Godard? You may stay a moment longer, if that be what you wish.¡±

    I froze, halfway out of my seat to join the others already walking away, looking dazed and confused from what had been thrown in front of us.

    The others looked back for a moment, concern for me briefly overriding their own thoughts. I waved them away, and the door soon shut.

    And now I had Jvorg¡¯s undivided attention.

    I¡¯m undecided as to whether this is a good thing or not.

    ¡°So, you are halfway to Ascension, blacksmith. You know it, I know it, the universe is ready for your arrival. Why do you tarry? Is your Asking Price so terrible to pay?¡±

    ¡°W-why do you know this stuff?¡± I asked, stuttering a little. The thought of someone being able to¡­see so easily terrifies me.

    ¡°Because I must. There has to be a guiding light, even should it be faint compared to the oncoming storm. I must do whatever I can to ease the road ahead, to faithfully serve. Tell me, what do you think your future is? I can see it, you know. It is perhaps not so clear, but I can see the shape of it.¡±

    ¡°My¡­future?¡± I asked, sorely tempted to know. ¡°I have no idea¡­¡±

    Jvorg smiled slightly.

    ¡°You do not see yourself doing anything substantial, no? The life you think will play out, enjoying some moderate fame in a backwater planet due to your blacksmithing skills¡ªthis will never come to pass. You are far too hungry to be contained here. You strive too much, always taking that next step towards perfection. I can tell you now, one day, should you live to see that day, swords and armour of your make will rattle the very stars. It is funny. You are very similar to Revy.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Neither of you wish to move on. What you have now works, but you are scared of things changing. For you, this is more about the people and places around you.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­what is it for Revy?¡±

    ¡°She is scared of who she might become. She is scared that she would not be able to recognize herself any longer. It is necessary though, and she has come to realize that. She will be going to the Pantheon with or without you. However, things shall progress much faster if she had people there to support her in those dark moments where she must have anchors to reality.¡±

    ¡°So, what? You just want us to go along as moral support or something?¡± I asked indignantly.

    ¡°In part, yes.¡± Said Jvorg calmly. ¡°With her friends there, Revy shall feel more at ease, and advance much faster than she would without. Time is of the essence, and the strong she can get, the better for us all, no? And it is not like I do not have your own interests in mind as well. Surely, going to the Pantheon will lead you to some of the answers you have burning inside. Maybe you will even be able to find out whether your Ascension is a gift or a curse, once and for all. Maybe you will find peace with yourself, as you once had before you started realizing your Ascension. Maybe you¡¯d even be able to use your Awakening without any fear.¡±

    ¡°And I suppose that these people magically have all the answers to any questions I have?¡±

    ¡°No. Now, do not mistake me, there is great knowledge and power gathered within the Pantheon. However, you should never make the mistake of thinking that one person or groups of people hold all the answers. Certainly, they might have some. But, never all. There are always going to be questions that only you can answer. Nobody can help you with those.¡±

    ¡°Not even you¡ªSomeone who claims to be a prophet of some sort?¡±

    Jvorg whirled angrily towards me.

    ¡°I am not a prophet.¡± He snarled, in an uncharacteristic display of anger. ¡°I am only a man, who can see a little of what is to come. We do not need prophets with their invisible and helpless gods to proclaim our saviors and salvations while humanity rots. We need people, capable people who are willing to fight against the future, which is coming. Not someone who is either insane, delusional, or a liar.¡±

    ¡°I-is it really that bad, what¡¯s going to happen?¡±

    ¡°It is not that bad. It is worse. Much worse. And we must be prepared. Otherwise nothing will be left after they are done. Revy is part of that preparation. You are too, as are your friends.

    ¡°The monsters will have to be rallied.¡±

    <hr>

    Revy sat in her bedroom, staring with blank eyes at that which was arranged neatly on her bed¡¯s covers.

    Her Halo suit lay unfolded, inviting her to slip it on, to become someone more than Revy, schoolgirl and enigmatic mystery. Knives were slotted into respective sheaths, slung onto a single wide belt designed to be worn from shoulder to hip. She stared at the empty space at the end of the belt, where a sword would normally go.

    Revy wanted to bring several swords, but none of them felt right. All of the ones she has now are suited to that girl who hides, running from whatever she really is. At one point, she had picked up the long white katana, wondering whether she should truly unleash it upon the universe. That idea was rejected out of hand. In fact, it almost felt like the sword itself disapproved of being used.

    How a sword could feel, or express itself, Revy didn¡¯t know. But she was used to this sword¡¯s strangeness, it¡¯s transitory nature.

    So, instead of just picking a sword, she decided to leave that spot empty.

    She didn¡¯t need to be Revy for the Pantheon.

    She needed to be Revian Al¡¯Verath. She needed to be strong, powerful, overt. She needed to send a message from the very start. She knew that would require shedding the persona built up over the last ten and more years.

    And it was because this was necessary, that there were small tears running down the side of her face as she surveyed the knives, the Halo battlesuit.

    It¡¯s terrifying to leave yourself behind.

    But Revy knew that Jvorg was telling the truth. Something was coming. It wasn¡¯t going to be peaceful, nor pretty warfare. It was going to be violent, brutal, all encompassing.

    A fight for survival was coming.

    Revy could feel it in her bones. Had felt it for some time now, but simply ignored it. Passed it off as bad dreams or incorrect premonitions.

    They weren¡¯t. She knew that now, had thought about it for the past week.

    And so, Revian would have to take over for a while. Until things were peaceful again. Until she could relax without fear.

    It¡¯s terrifying to grow up, Revy knew.

    But it had to happen sometime, she reasoned while strapping on the Halo suit and the belt of knives and quietly wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. No matter what, this time would have come. And she would have to greet it, no matter how unwillingly.

    Revian left her apartment that day, making her way to the space port where the Pantheon¡¯s people would arrive.

    She didn¡¯t look back.

 Chapter 39: First meetings are always somewhat awkward.

    There were a few things I was expecting from the Pantheon, when I finally met the people who had been dogging me so much in Jvorg¡¯s conversations as of late.

    I expected them to be powerful people, special even among those who rise about all others.

    There weren¡¯t many of them, I knew. Only three or four.

    We would meet, and immediately be trundled onto a freighter heading to a port near their base, it would take a little more than a year, and would be spent in cryosleep.

    Lastly, I expected them to be arrogant.

    I haven¡¯t met them yet or anything. However, unexpected things did happen upon reaching the space port.

    For one, I wasn¡¯t expecting to be hug tackled by a well endowed blonde screaming my name after turning a corner, nor that said blonde would not be alone.

    Then again, I doubt that many people expect Sabrina. In this case, I certainly didn¡¯t, nor the fact that the entire group was waiting behind her with bemused expressions. Or that Jvorg would be waiting with them.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked, looking up from under Sabrina¡¯s ample¡­bounciness.

    ¡°What? Did you think you could have just snuck away from us without so much as a word? Please, we¡¯re your friends Revy. You can¡¯t just do something like that to us.¡±

    I winced a little. It has never really crossed my mind to let them know what was going on. There were too many risks involved, too many questions that might be asked of me.

    And, well¡­if they don¡¯t know that I¡¯m leaving, there¡¯s no way for them to try and stop me.

    However, it looks like they found out anyway. And judging by the fact that they seem to know Jvorg, I am going to make an educated guess and say this is his fault.

    Jvorg looked a little taken aback as I shot him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Try and stop me?¡± I asked, looking back to Sabrina.

    She shook her head, a serious look crossing her face.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not going to try and stop you. Jvorg¡¯s explained the situation to us, and why you have to go.¡±

    Ah, so they¡¯re here to say goodbye then. That¡¯s good¡­.

    ¡°However, we¡¯re also not here to say goodbye. Rather, wouldn¡¯t you say that a punishment is in order, for trying to leave without us knowing?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It would be a shame if you just left, thinking that it¡¯s okay to not tell anyone about something like this. So obviously there must be a lesson learned, otherwise you¡¯d try to pull this sort of thing again. That¡¯s why we¡¯re all coming with you.¡±

    ¡°You¡­all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, all of us. We are all going to this Pantheon place, to improve ourselves alongside you. For trying to leave without letting us know, now you¡¯ll be stuck with us for the foreseeable future.¡± Sabrina said, grinning all the while.

    ¡°O-oh. I see.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°This is the last one, right?¡± Asked Athena, who had gotten thoroughly tired of simply jumping from one planet to the next, again and again, over and over.

    ¡°It is. The next planet is Jor, where our target is located.¡± Replied Heimdal.

    ¡°Thank the heavens! Finally! We can be done with here, can go home!¡±

    ¡°There is still a year long freighter run that we must go through. I would not say that we are anywhere near being ¡®done¡¯, Athena."

    ¡°It¡¯s close enough. Besides, I¡¯m curious about this godling we need to find. How will we know when we see her?¡±

    ¡°I will know, as will Isis. You are not quite powerful enough to sense the sort of changes that are wrought by our passage through space.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡ªBut I¡¯m already at the 10<sup>th</sup> step. How much stronger would I need to be?¡±

    ¡°11<sup>th</sup> step. At a minimum. It takes some longer to start seeing more deeply into the world around them. Other¡¯s might start sooner.¡±

    ¡°And so, what? We get to Jor, and you guys just keep an eye out for whatever it is we leave in the air behind us? What do I do?¡±

    ¡°Stick close.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s boring! I wanna do something fun!¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°U-um? Can¡­we just¡­go?¡± Interjected Isis, looking around nervously, seemingly the only one aware of the fact that her two comrades were making a scene in the middle of a crowded market place.

    ¡°Yes, we can. Follow me¡ªI shall open up the next portal.¡±

    Heimdal started walking towards a less crowded section of the town, and slipped into a dark alleyway void of people. Isis murmured something under her breath, silently sealing off the alley entryway and preventing any prying eyes from looking in on their business.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Asked Heimdal, looking to his companions, who nodded back at him.

    A few short moments later, a hole seemed to be punched out of the very air, rimmed in glowing sparks and showing a place that was not a dirty backstreet alley.

    Isis and Athena calmly stepped through the portal, and Heimdal took up the rear, carefully closing things up behind him. It wouldn¡¯t do to have some hapless local get curious, and wander into the portal or even it¡¯s remnants.

    The three of them came out of the portal, now having reached their destination.

    ¡°Is this really the place?¡± Asked Athena, who looked around with a hint of distain. Not only had she grown up among the richest men and woman in the galaxy, but the journey to Jor had taken them through all sorts of cities. In comparison to some of those, Jor was distinctly¡­underwhelming.

    ¡°Of course this is the place. Our detectors are never wrong. There is a godling residing on this planet.¡±

    ¡°But, why would anyone want to live on such a¡­boring planet? There¡¯s nothing to do here!¡±

    ¡°Power we might have, Athena, but warm blood still runs through our veins. We are still human, and some humans are not always so simple as to gravitate towards entertainment or excitement. Our godling is here, for whatever reasons she prefers.¡± Said Heimdal, berating his inexperienced companion.

    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t make much sense, you gotta admit. A goddess, young and supposedly beautiful, tucking herself away in this little place? All the girls I knew would rather die than do that.¡±

    ¡°Y-you mean¡­those girls f-from high families you k-knew? T-t-the stuck up bitches?¡± Said Isis quietly.

    ¡°What!? Stuck up?! How dare you insult¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, those are the girls she means. Personally, I would not try comparing them to whoever we are about to meet. I get the feeling some of what happens will be enlightening¡ªfor all parties involved.¡± Interrupted Heimdal, whose hand currently rested on his forehead, alleviating the growing headache he had.

    A headache which only got worse when a fourth person spoke. And unfortunately, it was someone he knew.

    ¡°Things will get interesting, no?¡±

    Heimdal turned, surprise and a dark expression crossing his face. It was Isis who responded to this newcomer though.

    ¡°How¡­unexpected. W-what are you doing here?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I was in the neighborhood and thought this was a lovely planet to vacation in. Would you not agree, Heimdal?¡± Said Jvorg, who had walked out from around a corner. ¡°Besides, I think I have found some interesting things here. Come on, they are over here!¡± He called out, speaking to someone on the other side of the corner, still outside the trio¡¯s view.

    A group of teens joined Jvorg, five¡ªno, six in all. Heimdal glanced over them quickly, nearly dismissing them out of hand. But then he realized something astonishing.

    All of them had the aura of Ascension hanging around their bodies.

    All were godlings.

    ¡°This¡­this is¡­¡±

    ¡°I had said I found something interesting, no? Let us all introduce ourselves. I am Jvorg, formerly known as Mimir of the Pantheon. Now I am just a wanderer, seeking that which my heart desires. And this group of remarkable young men and women would all like to join you on your journey back. Now, I know two of you¡ªHeimdal and Isis, but the third is a new addition since I left, no?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare!¡± Said the new addition proudly, jutting out her rather substantial chest¡ªto which a few quiet grumblings could be heard.

    ¡°Ah, Athena. It is nice to meet you. I will let these children introduce themselves now.¡±

    A tall and heavily built guy with close cropped brown hair and the face of a rock stepped out first, speaking respectfully.

    ¡°My name is Kormic. I¡¯m a martial artist, and close combat specialist. Nice to meet¡¯cha. I look forward to realizing my Ascension.¡±

    With that last comment, Heimdal glared at Jvorg.

    ¡°You told them about what we are, and the processes involved?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. They had a right to know, and I, a right to tell them. If I must be punished for disseminating secrets of the Pantheon, then so be it. Ussen, please introduce yourself and we will move on.¡±

    Ussen stepped forward, and bowed slightly to the pantheon members. He was the sort of guy that would be lost in a crowd, despite his fairly good looks and charm. The sort of aura around him would make people¡¯s eyes slide over him easily.

    ¡°Hello, I am Ussen, assassin and rouge. Please take care of me.¡±

    Next, a girl slid smoothly in front, her blonde hair shining and skin flawless. Heimdal and his comrades thought to themselves ¡®this must be the one we were sent for.¡¯

    ¡°My name¡¯s Sabrina, and I¡¯m a mage currently at the 7<sup>th</sup> divide, 6<sup>th</sup> step. I can¡¯t wait to realize my full potential.¡±

    After Sabrina, a girl who seemed her polar opposite stepped forward, lustrous black hair framing her cold countenance.

    ¡°I am Haven, swordmaster and speed focused combatant.¡±

    She stepped back without any preamble, coming to stand a half step behind Sabrina.

    The bald guy stepped forward, his body slight and somewhat frail looking.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m mostly a blacksmith and support sorta guy, so don¡¯t expect anything real spectacular combat wise.¡± He said, holding up a sheathed sword that had been hanging in his left hand. ¡°Wait, right. My name is Godard.¡±

    Heimdal was also interested in this guy. He could tell that the feeling of Ascension hung around Godard thickly. To him, it seemed likely that this kid had already begun the process of Ascending, and had his godly domain figured out.

    He was mightily impressed with the five of them. Never before had so many people capable of Ascension shown up. They would normally be found alone or in pairs, but never in groups like this.

    ¡°I will not lie¡ªit is¡­unheard of to find so many with such potential. The five of you are completely welcome in the Pantheon.¡±

    ¡°Only five? Have you lost your sight, Heimdal? Count again. There¡¯s one more, no?¡± said Jvorg, looking both impressed and amused. Heimdal didn¡¯t know what he meant, there were clearly only¡­no, wait, there was one more, wasn¡¯t there?

    He felt a small trickle of sweat run down his back, looking towards the sixth person. And he realized that he was doubly mistaken. Sabrina wasn¡¯t the one they were sent here for initially.

    ¡°I am Revian Al¡¯Verath, god.¡± She stated simply, stepping forward and letting the Pantheon trio set their gazes on this short and petite girl with deep, fathomless eyes.

    Athena gasped at her name.

    ¡°An Al¡¯Verath, out here?! And one that ascended? How?!¡±

    ¡°Now now, Athena, please behave. I assume that if you are a god, your domain is known, Revian?¡±

    Revy nodded, but didn¡¯t speak any further. Heimdal looked at Jvorg, who nodded slowly at him.

    Heimdal sighed.

    ¡°Well, I suppose we all might as well board the freighter together. It will be a long ride back to the Pantheon, and we will have plenty of time to get to know each other during that.¡±

 Chapter 40: Traffic seems to be a fact of human life.

    Leaving Jor was easy. At least, our ship was able to make it out of the docks without any hassle, and slip away into the greater range of space. At the moment, we¡¯re still sub-light, jockeying into position for a spot on one of the lightways. The freighter itself is well kept, it¡¯s interior clean and relatively comfortable. It was a stark difference from the ship I¡¯d arrived on Jor in. The only similar thing would be it¡¯s design¡ªBoth ships were minimalist in nature, only the essentials included, and in as small a space as possible. Things weren¡¯t cramped, per say, but they would be if the rooms were a hair smaller.

    Unexpectedly, everyone got their own room to rest in, complete with bed, shower, cryochamber, and toilet. There was a shared housing space in the middle of it all, where we could meet up and talk or something. That was also where all the food was located, so I couldn¡¯t just remain in my room and avoid those people from the Pantheon, unfortunately. And, there was the unexpected twist with my friends coming along, which I have to punish Jvorg for.

    Who knew that he would go to my friends, and effectively make it so that I¡¯d have to go along with him and those other three, even after I¡¯d decided to go. Damn asshole and his scheming. I can¡¯t wait to find out what it is that makes all this worth it to him. Hell, by the way he acted when showing up with all the others, he wouldn¡¯t be apologetic even if I hated him for all this. Something must make this worth it to him. And I have a feeling it¡¯s because of my Ascension.

    I mean, he was never told what it is, but when someone can tell the future and has his sort of resources, there¡¯s no telling what he does and doesn¡¯t know.

    Sighing, I finished putting away all my stuff, neatly arranging it in the small closet provided as the only storage space in my room. It¡¯s lucky that I didn¡¯t bring too much to begin with. Remembering the half dozen suitcases accompanying Sabrina and Haven, I felt a small amount of pity for them. It would be impossible to move around in their rooms with that much extra stuff.

    ¡°Ah, Revy, please, sit down. We will wait for everyone else to finish up before talking.¡± Said Jvorg after I left my room and entered the communal area. He motioned to a chair set off to one side, which I promptly sat down in.

    Aside from Jvorg and I, the three Pantheon members were also sitting, along with Kormic and Ussen. We were just waiting on Haven, Sabrina, and Godard.

    Unexpectedly, the first to speak was the woman from the Pantheon.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see the day where an Al¡¯Verath was capable of Ascending.¡± She said, looking at me with a hint of disgust. ¡°I was always of the opinion that none of them had enough character to do so, or strength of will.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°I mean, everyone knows the Al¡¯Verath family is the garbage heap of the universe, filled with people lacking morals and capable of the greatest evils. Oh, wait, that¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it? Are you one of those evil aligned gods then? Ha, I guess you really aren¡¯t the Norse god we came for then.¡±

    ¡°Was exiled.¡± I said coldly in response to this woman¡¯s babbling.

    ¡°Oh, you were exiled? What, were you too much even for the worst Great family? I guess I know exactly what sort of person you are now.¡± Said Athena, her disgust intensifying.

    ¡°No, was failure. Kicked out.¡±

    ¡°Even better! A useless person.¡±

    I shrugged internally, knowing that this woman has already completely dismissed me, even though she already knows that I¡¯m someone who¡¯s Ascended. Then again, there¡¯s likely ranks among gods, with some bordering on powerlessness and others being incredibly powerful.

    Her two comrades didn¡¯t participate. In fact, they keep shooting me uncomfortable looks, as if they were uncomfortable and couldn¡¯t quite figure out why.

    Predictably, Godard came out before Sabrina and Haven. He was carrying a long object wrapped in cloth, which was set down next to the chair he sat in. Taking note of the atmosphere, he didn¡¯t say anything, instead cocking an eyebrow up at me. I motioned with my eyes towards Athena, and he nodded.

    Eventually, Sabrina and Haven also came out, looking exasperated and annoyed. They must have run into quite the trouble trying to put all their stuff away. Seeing that the two of them had arrived, Jvorg started speaking.

    ¡°So, before we are able to travel the lightways, let us get to know each other a little bit more. There were small introductions made on Jor, but no more than that. Seeing as the three of you are providing our ride, how about letting the children know who you are and what is going on. Also, perhaps a greater explanation on the Pantheon is in order?¡±

    ¡°That is fine by me. I am Heimdal, one of the Norse faction¡¯s silver ranked gods. Normally, I am in charge of seeking out godlings such as yourselves, and returning them to the Citadel. I do not spend much time at the Pantheon, but many know me, as I am the one who introduces them to it.¡±

    ¡°Quick question¡ªhow do you guys know where to find people like¡­us?¡± Asked Sabrina.

    ¡°Well, there are a few ways we find godlings. We have a few gods who are closely attuned to the warp and weave of the universe, and can feel when someone else has started the process of Ascending. They can normally point us in the correct direction. Other than that, we keep an eye out for unusual occurrences and phenomena, and investigate to find if a godling is at the center of it. And occasionally, prophets will sight out people yet to ascend, and we can pay them a visit.¡± Said Heimdal, shooting a look towards Jvorg at his closing sentence.

    ¡°Do not give me that look, Heimdal. I have already left the Pantheon.¡± Said Jvorg with a somber note in his voice. ¡°You know I could never reinstate ties with them. That bridge has been burned.¡±

    ¡°T-then why¡­come?¡± Asked the third and final member of the Pantheon trio.

    ¡°Isis, I am only following along with your group as an escort, and because my word still has some weight among the Pantheon. I hope to share my recommendations and insights for what is to come, and to help young Revy here. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but who is this guy? I¡¯m new, remember?¡± Asked Athena.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°He was Mimir, our strongest prophet. He had a strength of foresight which outstripped that of others, by far. We were able to avoid many tragedies because of him. He left for personal reasons.¡±

    ¡°Reasons which only three people in this room deserve to know.¡± Added Jvorg, forestalling any questions on the subject. ¡°Do you wish to introduce yourself, Isis?¡±

    The woman shook her head. Unlike me, she seems genuinely shy and reserved. I don¡¯t speak because I can¡¯t. She doesn¡¯t speak because she doesn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°Right. This is Isis. She is another silver ranked god, but from the Egyptian ranks. She specializes in all types of magic rituals, and can thus do many helpful things. Her bag of tricks is likely the largest among anyone in the Pantheon. Normally she does not leave the Citadel, preferring to spend her time in our library. She is only here now on my request. Athena, do you wish to introduce yourself in any further depth?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good. Nothing these kids need to know, anyway.¡± Responded Athena haughtily.

    ¡°Okay. I will outline some of what the Pantheon is, then.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°I¡¯m sure that Jvorg has already gone over some of the basics, but think of this as a crash course on what he was not allowed to say, as someone disassociated with our organization. And yes, the Pantheon is an organization. Think of it as a sect of some sort, much like the Great families but without the blood ties. In reality, the only thing unifying the Pantheon together is our Ascensions, which can generally be thought of as a crystallization of human thoughts and desires, or a generalization of particular cultural norms and worship beliefs.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? I don¡¯t quite follow¡­.¡± Said Haven softly, expressing a sentiment likely shared by my other friends.

    ¡°It is like this¡ªpeople naturally lean one way or another, correct? They have natural inclinations, natural desires, natural wishes. Before Moonfall, nothing came of this besides things like religion and identity. A person¡¯s belief wouldn¡¯t make them stronger than ten men on it¡¯s own, excepting freak cases. After Moonfall, however, things changed. The Klein particle was introduced into the world¡ªwhat we now call Mana. This gave people the chance to collect massive personal power, contained only within their bodies.¡± Heimdal paused a moment.

    ¡°But something else happened as well. It was found that people who closely fit or meshed with a set of beliefs were able to somehow invite those ideas inside themselves, embodying them. They were able to become those ideals, for lack of a better word. We call this Ascension. Obviously, there is much yet unexplored about this process and what it entails. There are exceptions that still baffle us to this day, and unexplainable occurrences. I have come across people whose personality fit their Ascension to a tee, and they seemed the walking example of those tenets. However, I have also seen the most bloodthirsty and violent man in a generation granted an Ascension based on peace and harmony. There is much we do not know.¡±

    We sat in silence a moment, absorbing what Heimdal¡¯s said.

    ¡°So, to Ascend, we just need to find a belief which fits us and try to embody it?¡± Asked Kormic.

    ¡°More or less, yes. There is obviously more to it, and ways to stimulate this process. But that will be explained more when we reach the Citadel, home of Pantheon proper. Needless to say, it is not a process which can take place overnight. You have to work for it.¡± He said.

    I kept quiet.

    ¡°Now, about the Pantheon itself. Our history goes back to just after Moonfall, when the first Ascendants were discovered. The First Deity gathered those people together and formed his elite corp with them.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you mean the Heavenbreakers were all gods?¡± Asked Kormic.

    ¡°That is right. After the First Deity disappeared, the Heavenbreakers decided to seclude themselves from the universe. They were well aware that without the Deity¡¯s might to intimidate everyone and give them authority, it was only a matter of time until people grew tired of them. They made the decision to let humanity grow as it will, and the only thing they interfered in was the discovery and rearing of new gods.

    ¡°Now, the Pantheon is generally split into a few different camps, of which I have already made passing references towards. The three big ones are the Greeks, Egyptians, and Norse. Other than these three, there are smaller groups, like the Christians, Buddhists, Taoists, etc. Anything which has a belief system can create a god. There are also quite a few people whose godhood stems from more¡­obscure sources. Nevertheless, those three main camps are where most godlings end up, and are the central hubs of power. Any questions? No? Okay, everyone except Isis, Jvorg, and Revian can leave. I need to talk with them.¡±

    ¡°But!¡± Started Athena.

    ¡°No, I need you to leave, Athena. We have to talk with Revian, and I am sure she would be hesitant to share with too many people in the room.¡±

    With much grumbling, Athena left. My friends also filed out into their respective rooms, except Godard, who walked over to me with that cloth wrapped bundle in his hands.

    ¡°I meant to give you this earlier, but couldn¡¯t find you in the last week.¡± He said, handing the bundle over to me. Based on the weight and length of the object, I¡¯m placing a fairly good bet that it¡¯s a sword of some sort¡ªand a rather long one at that. It¡¯s nearly as tall as I am. Then, he left.

    I set the bundle off to the side, intending on opening it up back in my room.

    ¡°So, Revian. Jvorg tells us you are the one we have been looking for.¡± Said Heimdal, after everyone else left.

    ¡°Depends. Why looking for me?¡±

    ¡°We will tell you in a moment. First, can I know what ideal you have taken on? What is your name?¡±

    I looked towards Jvorg, who shrugged.

    ¡°Really, while I told you to say that you are Freya, that is only because I was afraid that you would not be comfortable with others knowing who you really are. After all, the title comes with quite a bit of responsibility. Lots of people will look up towards you after revealing yourself, and Pantheon politics can be annoying.¡±

    Frowning slightly, I grabbed a sheet of paper and started writing on it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have an issue with other¡¯s knowing who I am. I have enough personal power to guarantee my ability to do whatever the hell I want. None of the Pantheon¡¯s rules would be able to bind me, and if they try, I will simply leave. I am, who I am.¡¯

    After reading, Jvorg seemed happy, Heimdal slightly taken aback, and Isis thoughtful.

    ¡°It is true though. I doubt there is anyone capable of winning against Revy without suffering in the process. While she certainly is not invincible yet, she can at least make it annoying to fight her.¡± Said Jvorg.

    ¡°Know my abilities?¡± I asked.

    Jvorg nodded. ¡°Yes, I told them. I thought that you would not mind too much, considering that Heimdal and Isis will be your teachers in the future.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Answered Heimdal. ¡°We both volunteered in the case that this happens. I will teach you close combat abilities, and increase your fighting strength, while Isis will work on your magical abilities.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m an illusionist.¡±

    ¡°W-we know. Doesn¡¯t mean¡­can¡¯t learn proper magic. Just¡­m-more effort.¡± Said Isis.

    I nodded. ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°Might I suggest something?¡± Asked Jvorg. I motioned for him to go ahead. ¡°Wait to announce yourself. Observe the people in the Pantheon first. We will say that you are Freya for the time being, and that Heimdal and Isis saw great promise in you and wished to impart their knowledge. This should give you a greater degree of freedom at first. I know that you can do whatever you want, but at least this will save you some scrutiny first. Having the eyes of all in Pantheon on you can be tiresome, and maybe it would be best to avoid that for as long as possible.¡±

    ¡°Sensible. I agree. Who¡¯s stand in?¡± I asked.

    ¡°For now? Loki is playing the part. He should be able to hold up for a while longer. Until you chose to take the seat, he will continue.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°Now, I am sure that you would like to know more, but it seems that we have entered the lightway now. Instructions to use the cryochambers should be coming shortly.¡± He said, noting the increased engine noise, and the sudden feeling of nausea passing over everyone. We all left for our respective rooms, but not before Jvorg sent me one final word of advise.

    ¡°Revy¡ªJust so you know, there is an increased amount of mana being passed through the ship while we are above light speed. It is very beneficial to meditate during this stage of the trip, even during the time when everyone should be under cryosleep. In fact, there is enough mana to sustain your body without food or water. Just be warned, it is a hellish experience.¡± He said, before disappearing into his room.

    I pondered his suggestion for a moment before deciding it has merit. Besides, I¡¯ve heard horror stories about people¡¯s first time under cryosleep, and I¡¯ve already passed a trip like this under deep meditation, though the circumstances that first time were vastly different.

    So, as the crew came on over the loudspeaker instructing passengers on the proper procedure to be observed in the cryochamber, I sat cross-legged on my bed, preparing to enter a deep meditative state.

 Chapter 41: All devils and gods have a humble origin.

    Eventually, the only sounds were of my breathing, and the increasing hum of the engines. We were slowly going faster and faster, quickly approaching the speed of light.

    Going faster than light had always been a barrier to humanity. It had been thought of as an impossibility, once. And admittedly, it would have been impossible before Moonfall. Going faster than light with just a physical contraption is a fool¡¯s dream. Sure, you can come infinitely close to it, but never would you be able to go past.

    Though, there were also the time and relativity issues that would come from going so fast. Interstellar travel would be a bit of a bummer if everyone you knew managed to kick the bucket while you were cruising along.

    However, the solution to this age-old issue came with Moonfall and the mana it introduced to us. At the time, we had no idea how to harness it though, and it took the intervention of the First Deity to get the ball rolling, where he gave us the plans for a concept engine using mana as it¡¯s energy source and propellant. It was the first magical engine we had, and used a complex array of mana circles etched into it¡¯s box-like structure to convert ambient mana into a ¡®bubble¡¯ excluding a ship from space and time, thereby allowing it to shatter that light speed barrier. It¡¯s like a small, portable wormhole generator, where the wormhole is only around our ships.

    However, to activate the mana engine, you have to already be going nearly light speed. Hence why we¡¯re slowly approaching that with our sub-light engines.

    It¡¯ll still be a while before the mana engines are engaged though, so I relaxed. Plenty of time to check out whatever Godard gave me.

    Reaching over to where I had propped the cloth-wrapped bundle up against the bed, I pulled it over and began hurriedly undoing the ties holding the cover shut.

    Seeing what it was, I made a soft little ¡°oh!¡± exclamation.

    This is a master-worked sword. No doubt about that. Even without seeing the blade itself, it radiated a feeling of power, and¡­rightness. Grabbing the hilt, it felt like the sword was made for my hands.

    It wasn¡¯t a very fancy looking sword though. There was no ornamentation anywhere on it, no fancy baubles or tassels. It was just a sword, nothing more, nothing less. I unsheathed it, and marveled at the blade itself. That too seemed like nothing special, beyond the obvious fact that it was well made. To anyone else, that¡¯s all the sword would be¡ªa weapon with pretty good quality, but nothing else, really.

    But to me, it felt like an old friend come home. It¡¯s unexplainable, but I get the feeling that this sword, is mine. Intrinsically, and completely. Unlike the bone katana I left at my apartment, or the various knives I always have, which are not mine. If that makes any sense¡­.

    It barely does to me.

    Slowly sliding a finger along the blade¡¯s length, I admire it some more before sheathing it back in the scabbard and laying it across my knees while in a meditative posture.

    I¡¯ve decided. This blade is worth nurturing, unlike everything else.

    And just as the sub-light engines brought the ship to that critical juncture, and the mana engines engaged, my meditation started. And holy fucking mother of a bitch, that shit was painful.

    <hr>

    I let out another groan of agony as concentrated mana passed through me again. It came in waves, slowly withering away at my defenses and my will. It was quite pleasant when the mana engines first engaged, the waves of mana feeling like a rough massage. Unfortunately, experiencing the same thing over a longer period of time begins to wear you down quite fast. It¡¯s been¡­ten hours? Twelve? I¡¯ve lost track, my entire being focused simply on resisting, guiding, and growing.

    As the waves hit, I guide them through my body, sending the overflow through my muscles and nerves while taking the rest of it into my well of power.

    Everyone has an area in their body where mana naturally gathers. This area has lots of different names as well, with some calling it the dantian, others calling it the chakra, or the mana pool, or their mirror, etc, etc. I call it my well, and it rests in my mind.

    It¡¯s a curious thing, since it takes up no space, nor does it effect my physical body with its location. I can send mana into it for refining, and I can draw mana out, but it¡¯s rooted in place somewhere in my head. It¡¯s a mystical place that was only dreamed about by martial artists of old.

    Only a small amount of the mana washing over me could be sent to my well¡ªIt could only handle so much inflow, after all. Exceeding the rate at which it can handle incoming mana is a dangerous process, and can leave people crippled, their mana flow forever gimped. However, with practice and repetition, more mana can be taken in, and the amount can be increased. That takes time though, and isn¡¯t something which should be rushed.

    Which brings me to my next thought.

    I¡¯m an idiot, a fool, and in great pain.

    See, while the wave of natural mana passing over me are painful now, and make me numb all over as it seeps into my bones, I didn¡¯t have to take any into my well. I could have left it alone, and focused simply on resisting all that mana.

    But no. I just had to invite a trickle of it in. And it entered peaceably enough, sliding down into my well without protest and easily integrating itself among the pool of mana resting at it¡¯s bottom. That mana which I took in was very manageable. The issue came from the fact that I then couldn¡¯t stop. The lid to my well, which was lifted slightly to allow mana to trickle in, wouldn¡¯t close again.

    I cursed very loudly upon realizing my mistake. The pressure of external mana was forcing the lid to stay open. In fact, it wanted to open it all the way, and inundate my body with mana. That would be rather bad and explody though, so I concentrated on keeping that lid from opening any further, while quickly refining and purifying the mana inside my well to make room for more.

    The situation is manageable, I tell myself. Even though I can¡¯t help but take in mana, I can handle that. Even though my body feels like it¡¯s now being hammered by the ocean again and again, I can push though it. And even though it takes every effort of my will to remain, and keep myself together, it couldn¡¯t compare to the pain I¡¯d suffered as a child. Since that couldn¡¯t shatter me, nothing can.

    Well, of course, I tell myself that, but suffering long-standing agony is somewhat different from enduring a short term one. And I was in for one hell of a time.

    Soon, sweat dotted my entire body, and all my muscles ached like a hot iron had been placed inside my bones. My well was slowly filling up, and it wouldn¡¯t be able to contain all my mana in a few days.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    So, obviously I have to strive to get better.

    Grunting softly, I started trying to compress my mana so that it would take up less space. That way, my well would be able to handle the influx of new mana and any subsequent growth. Hopefully. It¡¯s not something which can be done under normal circumstances, but this isn¡¯t exactly a normal situation, and the pressure building up around my body helped condense the mana resting in my well. Slowly but surely.

    And so I suffered, slowly breaking my body to keep myself together.

    But, when stuff like this happens, fractures can led some things back in. Things that you had wanted to forget.

    <hr>

    ¡°Mama! Mama! Look at me! I can make sparkly too!¡± Called out a small child in a white sundress. She held her hands out in front of her, a naked flame dancing in her palms. There was a small shriek as the girl¡¯s mother saw the flame, and rushed over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Said the mother, slapping the child¡¯s hands away. The flame disappeared like a mirage in the desert. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d hope you¡¯d know better by now. Remember the last time you got hurt?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m all better now, Mama!¡±

    ¡°Oh sweetie, it¡¯s not you I¡¯m worried about. The Jacobson boy hasn¡¯t been the same since he met you.¡±

    ¡°But he chased me with a froggie!¡±

    The mother looked at her daughter worriedly.

    ¡°What did you even do to him?¡±

    ¡°I only showed him what it¡¯s like to be a froggie~!¡± Said the girl innocently, and completely without guile.

    Later that night, the girl knelt down by a doorway, light faintly leaking out it¡¯s cracks. Voices wafted out towards her, and she listened without moving an inch.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do with her! She¡¯s getting to be too much¡ªthe last person who upset her still keeps crying every time he sees a frog! What sort of person can do these things before even Awakening?!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, just take a deep breath, my dear. Revy is obviously very special. I would be very surprised if she doesn¡¯t amount to anything.¡±

    ¡°But with another child on the way, I¡¯m scared, Klein. What if she starts hurting her siblings? What would stop her from it?¡±

    ¡°Then try and teach Revy. I know you can do it. You¡¯re a genius, far better suited to matters like this than I.¡±

    ¡°But I¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me you can¡¯t do it. Tell me it¡¯ll be too cruel, too hard for a child like Revy. Adrianne, Revy has so much potential. But with that comes responsibility¡ªboth from her, and from us. She needs to be taught what¡¯s right from wrong, and we have to do that. That¡¯s our job. If we have to be monsters to keep her from becoming one, then so be it. That¡¯s a trade I¡¯m willing to take.¡±

    ¡°Oh Klein¡­¡±

    The girl, shaking, silently ran from the doorway. She could understand her parent¡¯s words, and that things were going to change for her very soon, even if she didn¡¯t know how. She also understood that her parents were hurting because of her, but didn¡¯t know how to fix things.

    A few days later, her mother lead her to a series of rooms under their home. The girl was uneasy, because her mother didn¡¯t seem normal. She was¡­cold. There was no warmth in her face as she looked at the girl, no love. There was only something like pity, and maybe a little guilt, buried deep, deep down.

    ¡°Mama, what¡¯s going on?¡± Asked the little girl.

    ¡°Nothing, sweetie. Just do as I say, and everything will be alright.¡±

    The girl was led into a metal lined room with only a small chair in the center, not unlike that which dentists would use. She was brought over to it, and strapped into place.

    ¡°Mama, I¡¯m scared¡ªwhat¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Something that will benefit you. It¡¯s for your own good.¡±

    And that was the last time the girl thought of anything with innocence. That was the point where she grew up.

    ¡°How is she doing?¡± Asked a resercher, watching the little body strapped into it¡¯s little chair. Occasionally, it would jerk, or tears would start streaming out the corners of her eyes. Other than that, there was no noise, and it would seem like nothing significant was happening¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the large machine coiling wires around the girl¡¯s head, that is.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Answered the head of research¡ªand the subject¡¯s mother. ¡°We won¡¯t know if the memory transference was a success until the process is complete. Even more, nobody has tried copying more than two memory sets at the same time, and she¡¯s taking in five. We won¡¯t know what sort of effect this will have on her until she wakes up.¡±

    ¡°She will be fine, right?¡±

    ¡°For certain. There might be some issues at first with personality growth, and maybe something else, but that will easily be sorted out. She¡¯s young still, unlike most of the other test subjects. Her psyche isn¡¯t developed, so the process should hold well.¡±

    ¡°Remind me again, which sets we are giving her?¡±

    ¡°What else but the four aces?¡± There was a sharp intake of breath from the researcher.

    ¡°But¡­all four of them¡­Won¡¯t that just make her a killing machine?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s what the fifth is for. To balance the other four, and give her humanity. If a veritable saint can¡¯t do that, then nothing will. And, at the least, it will give her some patience.¡±

    The researcher shivered, knowing full well that whatever walks out of that room, it won¡¯t be the little girl they sent in any more.

    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re sending her straight over to the Awakening chamber after she wakes up.¡±

    The head researcher called back over her shoulder as she was leaving. The girl still sat in her chair, tears rolling silently.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am! She¡¯s regaining consciousness!¡± Called out a voice.

    Daniel¡ªno, Raphael¡­wait, Revy, that¡¯s right, her name was Revy¡ªRevy opened her eyes. Looked around.

    Five people in the room. Two armed. Piece of cake to kill them all and¡­.

    And what? Killing is wrong. But why?

    No, she must be calm. Even as the bloodlust descends and envelops her whole. Relax, find the core. All will be right¡ªuntil that woman walked in and red flooded her sight.

    NO! Calm! I am Revy, I am Revy, she repeated to herself over and over, like a mantra flowing from a broken dolls mouth, forever able to repeat only a string of words.

    And as she looked up at her mother, she didn¡¯t realize how empty, how dull her eyes looked. Calm, be one with the world, she thought, and so it happened.

    ¡°M-ma¡¯am? Are you sure¡­she¡¯s okay?¡± Asked a researcher, seeing the broken-eyed gaze from the little girl, like she was staring at something only she could see.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She will sort herself out later. First, prepare the Awakening chamber.¡±

    ¡°But ma¡¯am, she doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s quite¡­¡±

    ¡°Be quiet!¡± Yelled the woman, her voice cracking a little. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do right now but move forward¡­¡±

    The girl was brought to a different room, and left in the center. This time, there was no chair. She wouldn¡¯t be there for that long.

    Revy looked around, wondering what was about to happen. Memories supplied the answer¡ªshe would get power here. This was where it started, all of it.

    More memories flooded her mind, memories of people having gone through rooms like this before, and what they took away from it.

    A man with horns curving across his brow, skin red as blood, laughing as magic of the greatest caliber incinerated his foes and those that would see him slain, another man whose scaly body deflected careless blows as he retaliated in kind, elegant sweeps of his own swords drinking of his opponent¡¯s life blood.

    A woman, limber and graceful, relying on her titan-like strength to decimate legions of lesser soldiers with a sword white as bone, and leaves, branches, and vines grew from her body to entangle those out of reach.

    Another man, sneaking across an open ground and using bone spurs grown out of his body to quietly kill all that crossed his path.

    And then, afinal woman, old and wise, slowly seeming to melt into the mountain behind her as eons passed and she became more and more tranquil, knowing that her peace only came as a result of strength and ability.

    Revy saw all these lives as if they were her own, and saw the results of this ¡®Awakening¡¯, and the power it gave her¡ªwait, those people. I am Revy, not anyone else, said the girl to herself.

    This will be good for me, she thought. She would be able to rely on herself after this, instead of powerlessly submitting to those she would have trusted.

    But wait, a part of her whispered. Isn¡¯t this Awakening thing also within her power?

    The pieces of her which were formerly pieces of others were impressed with this thought. That was the original Revy which spoke that, wasn¡¯t it? The arrogant and absurd thought that something like the Awakening could be controlled. But not stupid, she argued. Why couldn¡¯t it be?

    And as raw mana flooded the room in amounts that normal Awakening ceremonies wouldn¡¯t see happen, she thought. Even as that mana circled her, pressed against her, flooded her, she wondered.

    ¡®How interesting¡­¡¯ said a voice not her own, nor from any memory of hers.

    I don¡¯t want to be powerless ever again, thought Revy. And so she took those abilities naturally her own and build atop them. She crafted herself during her Awakening, into only what she wants to be.

    I am Revy, I am Revy, I am Revy, she chanted, careful not to lose herself in her other selves.

    I am Revy, I am Revy. She wanted power. The ability to protect and hide herself.

    I am Revy. She wanted to get away.

    And so, as her right eye burned away and a voice spoke of payment to her, she didn¡¯t just Awaken, but also Ascended right then and there.

    I am Revy, and I am Odin, master of all, and more importantly, of myself.

 Chapter 42: Traveling heroes must have a random encounter.

    There were intermittent flashes of reason that passed while I endured the pounding of mana waves. The rest of the time, I fell into a sort of blank state, simply enduring without thinking. Memories occasionally bubbled to the surface, of better times and worse. Mostly of worse times though. My parents resurfaced often, along with some of the things I¡¯ve done over the years. Not all the memories were my own though.

    I wonder, is it a type of reincarnation when someone else takes on your memories after death? You pass on all your knowledge, all your experiences, and some of your personality. Wouldn¡¯t that be kind of like living again, even if you personally don¡¯t benefit from it? After all, you¡¯d still be dead, and whoever got your memories wouldn¡¯t necessarily consider themselves to be a new ¡®you¡¯. They¡¯d cling to their previous personality, grab ahold of their name and solidly declare a line between them and you.

    But still. Would the five people whose memories I inherited be happy about this?

    Wait, no, I know the answer to that question.

    Four of them would likely try to kill me from the afterworld for using their hard-earned knowledge, while the fifth would simply accept it and move on with grace. That old saint really was an interesting person.

    All five of these people help me now, though. Their memories surface while undergoing unholy pain, bringing me to a different time, a different place. The remnants of their personalities help me to endure¡ªeven if said remnants were assimilated into my own self long ago.

    In reality, my taking their memories isn¡¯t reincarnation, nor anything else so pretty sounding and grand. Simply put, I stole their everything. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Shuddering as another wave of mana passes though me, my well fills up just a little more. Sure, this could be seen as beneficial to my cultivation, but it¡¯s painful as all hell. If I don¡¯t at least break into the next realm after this, this little lady is going to be pissed.

    It¡¯s likely to happen sooner or later, and all this pressure is only making it come sooner and sooner. Well, until then, I¡¯ll just have to suffer through this pain. I can¡¯t exactly quit halfway through, right?

    <hr>

    ~

    ~

    ¡°We can¡¯t hold them off much longer, sir!¡± Yelled a man wearing a military uniform, wrestling with the controls of a navigation unit.

    ¡°Do whatever you can to just get us out of here! Don¡¯t worry about anyone else, charge the mana engines!¡± Yelled back the woman sitting in the ship¡¯s command chair. Explosions racked the ship, rocking it¡¯s interior violently.

    ¡°It¡¯s no use captain, they¡¯re gaining.¡± Spoke the navigation officer calmly. He seemed unusually calm given the situation. ¡°I would advise that we prepare for boarding action, Ma¡¯am.¡±

    The captain looked at the computer console in front of her for a long moment, weighing her options. Sighing, she came to a conclusion.

    ¡°Crew, ready yourselves. It looks like we can¡¯t avoid being overtaken by those rebel scum. Open the arms cache, make sure the firearms are distributed among everyone.¡± Commanded the captain succinctly. Her orders were instantly carried out, and everyone waited tensely while watching their screens, showing the enemy vessels creeping up on them little by little.

    ¡°How are the bastards so fast?¡± Murmured one of the bridge officers, voicing what everybody was thinking.

    They were in a top of the line scout ship, designed for getting in and out of situations as quickly as possible. It shouldn¡¯t be possible to meet a ship capable of overtaking them at sub-light, but the sight greeting them on their monitors¡¯ flies in the face of common sense. A force that should by all rights be underequipped, undersupplied, and incapable of developing their own technology had created ships faster than current military vessels. Perhaps only the Great Families had ships able to outstrip their pursuers.

    None of them could understand it. Strictly speaking, they didn¡¯t need to. All they had to do was get away somehow, and let the higher-ups know about this new threat. Preferably, they would have let their superiors know about the situation a while back, while having first lain eyes on the rebel crafts exceeding common sub-light speeds with ease. However, it seemed that something was preventing word from getting out.

    The captain had already drawn a few conclusions in her mind. The rebels likely had a way to prevent communications from going out¡ªa jammer of some sorts. Coupled with the mysterious disappearance of so many patrol units over the last few months, it was easy to figure out what¡¯s been happening. It was slightly discouraging to think about the fact that nobody had come back after vanishing. The captain didn¡¯t think the rebels were taking any prisoners, either.

    She looked around at her crew, deciding to not burden them with these realizations, even though the smarter ones among them had surely figured it out by now.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Captain, all preparations are done!¡± Yelled one of them.

    ¡°Good! Everyone, be ready for when the enemy catches up! Expect boarding action when they arrive!¡± She yelled back. The captain knew that boarding was more likely than outright destruction. Even while the enemy ship was faster than them, she didn¡¯t anticipate them having any weapons capable of breaching military-grade energy shielding. Besides that, destruction would waste many of the precious materials which go into the building of a ship. Most would capture enemy vessels intact and return them to a scrap yard for parts and materials.

    ¡°Captain, I think you might want to see this.¡± Called out the navigation officer.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s in a light-speed route, approaching us fast.¡±

    ¡°From the rebel¡¯s side?¡±

    ¡°No Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s coming here from Federation territory. It looks like a civilian ship.¡±

    ¡°Hail them, get them the fuck away from here.¡± Said the captain. The navigation officer nodded, and attempted to contact the quickly approaching ship in a bid to change its course. Having an unpredictable element in the middle of such a high stakes chase could lead to disaster, and the military crew didn¡¯t wish to drag unrelated peoples into their own crisis.

    ¡°It¡¯s no use. There¡¯s no response, and with their current speed, the ship will end up warping by us at light speed in about 3 minutes.¡±

    ¡°Shit! What can we do?¡±

    The captain knew full well that traversing the stars at light speed is a delicate process, and all but the very smallest of spacial disturbances would forcibly disengage a ship¡¯s mana-engines, and drop them down to sub-light speeds. Unfortunately, the energies excluded by their ship¡¯s escape attempt and the furious pulsating of the sub-light engines is plenty enough to drop a ship from light speed.

    ¡°Captain, I advise we not worry about the civilians. Perhaps their sacrifice would be able to buy us safe passage?¡± Said the navigation officer coolly, seemingly incognizant of the incredible amount of callousness and disregard in his words.

    The captain¡¯s gaze fell upon him angrily, but the consoles on front of her began to beep violently before she could rebuke the man.

    ¡°It seems the ship arrived faster than anticipated. Do you wish to continue fleeing, captain? Or shall we turn around and protect a civilian freighter at the cost of our newfound information, and the lives of everyone here? To be frank, that freighter has very little chance of surviving even with our assistance.¡± Concluded the officer. His frank examination of the situation left the captain stricken for words.

    Eventually, clenching her teeth painfully, she gave the order to retreat just as the freighter dropped out of light-speed.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Called out the weapon¡¯s officer as he peered down his scope at the freighter that had just appeared in the midst of their battle in a brilliant flash of light. ¡°There¡¯s something off about that freighter!¡±

    ¡°Jose, do not worry about it. That ship will not be intact for long. We need that time to build distance and hopefully engage our own mana-engines.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Frustrated, the captain cut off her gunnery officer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Let¡¯s just get out of here as fast as possible.¡± She said.

    The gunnery officer debated bringing up what he had seen anyway. After all, any ship bearing the torch insignia of that Pantheon group has to have been special in some way, right?

    In the end though, he played the good military officer and did his duty.

    <hr>

    ~

    ~

    My meditation was broken by flashing red lights, and a shrill siren going off right above my door. A moment later, the mana waves which had continuously bombarded my body ceased.

    There could only be one reason for that. We had dropped out of light-speed¡ªand judging by the sirens, it wasn¡¯t intentional.

    Groaning slightly, my bones popped one after another while standing. My clothing smelled disgusting, having worn the same things this entire time while sweat had poured off my body and soaked into them. Thankfully, I hadn¡¯t been wearing my Halo protective gear while meditating, otherwise fighting in them later might have been a miserable and smelly experience.

    The odorous and sweat-caked clothing got tossed into a corner of my tiny room before my Halo gear was pulled out and on, immediately giving some peace of mind. Knives were also strapped all over the gear, of course, and that sword Godard gave me was slung over a shoulder like a backpack hanging on one strap.

    Outside my room, the communal room was bathed in flashing red lights, and the warning sirens warbled even louder. They didn¡¯t quite cover up the sounds of retching coming from several of the other rooms though. Apparently coming out of cryo-sleep for the first time is a traumatic experience. I don¡¯t envy them, especially with all the chaos right now.

    Heimdal stepped out of his room a moment after I did. He looked around, confused. Apparently, he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. Isis appeared right after him, stumbling out of her own room.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We appear to have encountered some spacial turbulence.¡± Replied Heimdal, who was looking at a computer screen. ¡°It knocked us out of light-speed.¡±

    ¡°W-what was the¡­disturbance?¡± asked Isis.

    Heimdal frowned. ¡°I¡­would get ready for combat. It looks like we chanced upon a fight. Hmm, yes, ships are approaching our position, and there is a Federation vessel fleeing as fast as it can. They must have been running from the other ships, and are taking out intrusion as a chance to break away.¡±

    I nodded, understanding the logic perfectly, even if it is slightly despicable.

    ¡°What to do?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, this vessel does not have the strength to repel serious attackers. Had I known we would encounter such a situation, perhaps a Pantheon warship could have been requisitioned.¡±

    ¡°You could not have known, Heimdal. That would require a prophet, no?¡± Chimed in Jvorg, who had walked up behind us.

    ¡°Did you know this was coming?¡± Asked Heimdal, staring at Jvorg frankly.

    ¡°I had a feeling. Do not worry, things will be fine. Those ships are only able to handle Federation vessels, and the people inside the ships are not strong enough to oppose us, disregarding any nasty surprises.¡±

    ¡°Then why let this happen?¡±

    ¡°Good question, Revy. It is because I doubt there are only humans on board those ships. Or, at least, human technology. I think we need to see this, to understand some things.¡± He said, dropping a small bombshell on everyone.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, something has not been quite right with the way humanity¡¯s border colonies have been acting, no? They have by and large cut communications with the Federation and Great families, and any patrol sent into their space has vanished. I have long suspected that there was more behind these things than it would appear, and I want verification of this.¡±

    ¡°So, you did not tell us about the possibility of meeting a combat scenario because you are curious?¡± Asked Heimdal.

    ¡°Yes. I want answers¡ªanswers which, I should mention, hold great significance to humanity as a whole.¡±

 Chapter 43: Space is a scream vacuum

    ¡°So, knowing about these aliens is worth risking the safety of all on this ship?¡± Asked Heimdal, questioning the motives behind Jvorg pretty much bringing us into the middle of a battle just to sate his curiosity.

    ¡°We are not at any risk.¡± Responded Jvorg, grinning slightly. He turned to me. ¡°Is that not right, Revy?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t.¡± I said, sighing slightly. ¡°Easy to handle, maybe.¡±

    ¡°With Revy here, these attacking vessels will not be able to touch us.¡± Continued Jvorg.

    ¡°Are¡­you t-that powerful?¡± Asked Isis, speaking up. There was some curiosity behind her shy eyes.

    I shrugged. ¡°Define power. Can keep us safe.¡±

    ¡°S-shielding user?¡± She asked, looking slightly intrigued. I simply shook my head.

    ¡°No, she is something else. Would you mind, Revy?¡±

    Shaking my head, my power flooded our ship and the space around us, then fled further afield, reaching out, out, far away and tapped on the hulls of enemy vessels. A slight twist in perception was enough to subtly change a pre-destined outcome.

    ¡°W-what was that?¡± Asked Isis in astonishment, obviously noticing my actions, even if not understanding what I did.

    ¡°What was what? I did not feel anything. Would someone mind explaining?¡± Said Heimdal, who was looking around in confusion.

    ¡°Magic.¡± Said Isis. ¡°Not¡­very well controlled, but p-potent and pervasive. S-she created a domain.¡±

    ¡°A domain?! What sort of domain did she create?¡± He asked in astonishment. Domain abilities are fairly rare to come across, only becoming more common up at the 12th divide.

    ¡°Illusory.¡± I responded with a slight smirk. ¡°Reality is under my bidding.¡±

    ¡°Revy is an Unbound Illusionist.¡± Clarified Jvorg. ¡°Her brain was never clipped, so she is able to superimpose reality with illusion instead of the normal mental illusions.¡±

    Heimdal looked at me, slightly horrified.

    ¡°So, if she wants¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she could force us all to see our own deaths, and slowly torture our minds to collapse. I am also fairly certain that she has already reached the realm where our perception of time can be freely warped and twisted by her. The only defense would be having a mental capacity equal to her own, and a willpower capable of shattering the illusion.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Big secret. Let out for trust.¡± I know that them finding out about this will only make them more wary towards me, but it''s something needed. Isis and Heimdal already know I''m Odin, might as well let them in on this as well. And if it turns out that they aren''t quite that trustworthy, I''ll regret it then. For now, let''s just try and help as much as possible, right?

    ¡°Her illusions are most potent when the enemy does not know about them, yes? As was said, knowing is half the battle.¡± Said Jvorg, attempting to sooth Isis and Heimdal''s nerves.

    ¡°I can see the truth in that. You have already lost when not realizing an illusion exists. So, what are you doing to these supposed alien ships, Revian?¡± Asked Heimdal, shooting Jvorg a nasty look with the last bit. Apparently, he doesn¡¯t appreciate the coopting of the ship to investigate something risky.

    ¡°Nothing. Shifted own ship slightly.¡±

    Rather than doing something big, small and easily missed changes are what defines a good illusion. I could make it so that an entire fleet of Federation ships appears in front of these enemy vessels, scaring them into surrender. But there¡¯s the chance that communication networks are being monitored, and they know the fleets are all otherwise occupied, or the captains of the enemy ships decide to fight anyway, and go out in a blaze of glory.

    There are a lot of ways an illusion can be discovered, so it¡¯s best to keep things simple. In this case, I only shifted our ship¡¯s position in space a kilometer or so to the side. And, unlike a purely mental illusion, the fake version of our ship registers on their sensory equipment. A secondary illusion hide the real ship, pulling a blanket of empty space over us. Thankfully, a kilometer is still close enough that the ship¡¯s apparent movement would barely register as a blip on any equipment, especially with the enemy¡¯s being rather far out, still.

    This illusion won¡¯t do anything offensively, but it will protect us in the case that they decide to simply destroy our ship. And if they decide instead to board, there are some other nasty surprises I can show them.

    ¡°So, our ship appears to be in a different place to others?¡± Asked Heimdal, who wanted clarification. I nodded.

    ¡°What a frightening ability. Truly, it is at the level of being able to decimate fleets and scatter armies.¡±

    ¡°Only if needed. Prefer peace, quiet.¡± I said, waving his opinion off. Any further conversation on the subject was forestalled by the arrival of those who had been in cryo-sleep.

    All my friends stumbled out of their rooms one after another, weak on their feet and still looking slightly nauseous. They appear to have bounced back on their feet fairly quickly though, already being able to walk after all that vomiting I heard. Heimdal noticed the same thing, and commented.

    ¡°Resilient little warriors, are you not?¡± He chuckled, while Jvorg also laughed.

    ¡°I remember the first time having to go through cryo-sleep. I could not stand for the next hour. Being able to move after a few minutes is quite the accomplishment, no?¡± He said.

    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Said Sabrina. ¡°I just want to curl up into a ball and forget everything, but these sirens are telling me that¡¯s not very possible.¡±

    ¡°Same for me¡ªWouldn¡¯t be out if it didn¡¯t seem urgent.¡± Commented Godard, his face going an alarming shade of green while talking. ¡°E-excuse me!¡± He said, before running over to the nearest trash chute and heaving up into it. This, of course, caused a chain reaction that had all the others running to the nearest empty container as well.

    They walked back on unsteady legs, and Kormic asked the question surely on all of their minds.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°Well, someone saw fit to route our ship through a possible battle between a Federation ship and a group from the fringes of our society.¡± Said Heimdal, again shooting the one at fault a look, to which Jvorg just shrugged helplessly. ¡°Because of the spacial disturbances, we were kicked out of light speed, and dumped in the middle of this mess. It does not look like we are in any danger though, but we will have to stick around for a while. Go ahead and take advantage of the break, and stretch your legs a little. This situation should be handled with some time.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    While my friends didn¡¯t look quite satisfied with such a scarce explanation, they weren¡¯t exactly in any shape to ask a bunch of questions. Rather, they all went to sit down and repress the nausea felt after coming out of cryo-sleep.

    I felt bad for them, really. But it¡¯s also kinda funny what they¡¯re going through. It makes what I experienced while the ship was going light-speed feel a little less worse. Seeing other¡¯s suffering takes your mind off your own, or something like that.

    Anyway, not long after my friends surfaced from their misery, Athena also made her reappearance, looking much worse for wear. It really warmed my heart seeing someone so arrogant being placed back down on the level of mere mortals.

    I mean; we are gods in name only. There are plenty of ways to kill us, or hinder our progress, and it¡¯s not like we have omnipotence. We are just have a bit more potential than normal people, and start out a little more powerful. That¡¯s all. Taking in the ideals of humanity doesn¡¯t change a person that much. We are still mortal, no matter how much the Pantheon likes to think differently. They take up the names of the gods personified, and I think that¡¯s a mistake. Forgetting ourselves takes away the foundation of our selves, which in turn create some issues with the psyche.

    Anyway, Athena came out looking much worse than my friends, and I felt even better since she¡¯s a right stuck up bitch.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± She asked, slumping down into a seat like a sack of potatoes. I couldn¡¯t help but let a smile slip onto my face. She noticed, and shot a nasty (if still rather queasy) look in my direction.

    ¡°Nothing right now. We managed to find ourselves in the middle of a battle, and now are just waiting for the enemy vessels to make a move.¡± Explained Heimdal.

    ¡°In the middle of a b-battle? How the fuck are we going to be okay?! We¡¯re in an unarmored freighter! In fact, where¡¯s the crew!?¡±

    Heimdal looked perplexed at the last question. Apparently, that¡¯s something he didn¡¯t think of either.

    ¡°Good question.¡± He said, pressing a few buttons on his console. Abruptly, a frown overtook his face.

    ¡°Well?¡± Asked Athena, impatiently.

    ¡°It¡­would appear that our stalwart crew has decided to use the escape pods.¡±

    I smiled again, having already felt the pods traveling quickly away from out position with my illusory domain. The crew apparently decided that this was something we could handle alone. They didn¡¯t have trust in our abilities, Pantheon or not, and booked it anyway. One has to admire their resolve, immediately following through a course of action which would maximize their chances of survival¡ªor, what they though the best actions would be.

    In reality, the safest place in the entire quadrant would be right next to us. I am slightly insulted that they chose to jettison the remaining pods as well, likely as a distraction to the enemy ships so that they might slip away unnoticed before sending out a distress beacon for the nearest allied ship to pick them up with. This, of course, leaves us on a ship without any escape pods. To them, they essentially decided to leave us for dead. Again, not a big problem¡ªafter all, I¡¯ve already elicited karma for their actions.

    ¡°Ah, it looks like they have started firing their weapons.¡± Said Heimdal, watching his screen. On it, shimmering bolts of blue light bolted through space, hurdling in our direction. Athena let out a little squeal seeing the energy projectile, convinced this was the end. Her squeal trailed off uncertainly when a few moments passed and nothing happened.

    ¡°They have completely fallen for it.¡± Said Heimdal with some incredulity. ¡°Right now, they are approaching, likely to sift through the wreckage and pull out anything useful.¡±

    ¡°Mhh.¡± I nodded, already knowing this. As the energy projectiles impacted our ¡®ship¡¯, it splintered apart quite convincingly, beaming glowing red from the shear heat and friction of everything falling apart in the wake of their weapons. To those ships from the fringe, there was no question of whether this was real or not. There simply was no way to discern otherwise, unless someone significantly stronger than me was present.

    ~

    ~

    <hr>

    ~

    ~

    ~

    ¡°They¡¯ve been hit!¡± called out an unruly looking man into the communication device by his side. It crackled, before the cool and restrained voice of a woman responded.

    ¡°Are you sure? We¡¯ve already let the remaining Federation vessel go. It would not pay to become any more careless than we already have.¡±

    ¡°Please, I can see with my eyes, woman. The glowing slag a pretty big giveaway that the shots hit. This makes up for some small Federation patrol ship. I mean, what is that thing even gonna do? Tell it¡¯s friends that somebody whopped it¡¯s ass and wiped out the rest of the patrol group? This ship, though, is bigger. More stuff. Even better, we didn¡¯t even have to fight for it! The idiot crew even drove their escape pods right to us! I¡¯ve never had easier shooting!¡±

    A long suffering female sigh came from over the communication device¡¯s speaker, before a different voice spoke.

    ¡°Now now. Niner, forgive that hot-headed idiot. Bad at tactical decisions he may be, but there is still no equal shot on this side the fringe.¡±

    ¡°Shooting will only do him so well. I¡¯d like to see what he¡¯d do when surrounded, outnumbered, and staring death in her lovely face.¡± Replied Niner coldly.

    ¡°Why, I¡¯d spit in death¡¯s face and take as many of the bastards with me as I can.¡±

    ¡°See, that¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of. When that happens, I¡¯ll make efforts to be as far from you as possible.¡±

    ¡°Aww, what happened to my loyal girl? We all die one day, I¡¯d like to do it in a way that gets me remembered, dammit.¡±

    ¡°I am not your girl. Just a member of your group. Remember that, Deuce.¡± Responded the girl bitterly.

    ¡°Both of you, behave.¡± Said an older and more mature sounding man. ¡°I would like to check out the wreckage of that ship and get out of here as soon as possible. Something doesn¡¯t feel quite right.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye Alpha.¡± Came the calls of at least 4 more people who had, up until this point, remained quiet.

    There were eight of them in total, with two to a ship. The ships themselves weren¡¯t anything pretty to look at, but as the Federation patrol found to it¡¯s dismay, they were quick and maneuverable. Apparently, there was some new engine the ships had which made them quicker than they had any right to be, but only Alpha really cared about that. It had to be kept a secret, he said. The rest of them only appreciated the speed brought on by the engines. It allowed their little gang to ambush patrol ships, take on merchant vessels, and get out of the area before anyone else arrived. It made a life of piracy much easier, and the acquisition of new materials and moneys a triviality.

    As it was, the patrol group they jumped earlier didn¡¯t know what was happening until they¡¯d already lost three ships, with a fourth already limping badly. With only one out of the original seven making it back, the advantage their engines gave could not be apparent enough.

    ¡°I¡¯m approaching the freighter¡± called out Deuce carelessly, maneuvering his ship among the small debris field created by the destruction of the ship. Most of it lay intact, the large bulk of the ship mostly keeping the central sections together. It was a bit of a task getting the pirate ship close enough without damaging it¡ªeven though it was a smaller vessel, it was still about 30 meters long, and 8 meters wide. Slotting such a ship through all the floating bits of metal was not mean feat, though Deuce could hear swearing from the engine compartments whenever he brushed up against small bits of debris, his partner not wanting any scratches on his precious ship.

    A particularly large thump sent a torrent of abuse out the foul-mouthed fellow¡¯s mouth, while Deuce shifted in his cockpit, trying to see what hit them. It would be a problem if it were anything dangerous.

    Turning directly around, he paled.

    Certainly, something dangerous had made its way to his ship. Because, behind him, standing atop the freshly painted red craft like some god of old, was a man glowing a gentle blue with a long spear clutched in hand, the void of space not deterring him in the slightest.

    Seeing that Deuce had spotted him, the man smiled amiably before plunging his spear directly through the shielding wrapped around the ship, and into its hull.

    There was a small popping sound as the entire vessel burst open like a tin can, power from the spear rupturing it and exposing the two pirates to the harshness of space. And unlike Heimdal, they were unable to survive.

    The three other pirate ships noticed that something was terribly wrong by this point, the communications device from Deuce¡¯s ship suddenly going scarily quiet. He blipped off their sighting devices as well¡ªdisappearing from the radar, as it were.

    ¡°Deuce, come in. Do you read me?¡± Called Niner over the comms. She had a concerned look on her face, feeling that Alpha¡¯s prediction had just come true.

    This was further validated when suddenly, the ship next to her own seemingly imploded, sending her flying out of the pilots chair in fright.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on out there?¡± Called Alpha from behind her. He liked helping the newer members of the crew, showing them the ropes so that they could become fully competent pilots, gunners, and crew members. Niner was the newest among them, so he was riding with her for the time being.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡± She squeaked out, watching the last remaining ship besides her own waver like a mirage before hearing brief, terrifying screams from over the comms. Then they cut out, and the ship careened off into dead space.

    ¡°I am terribly sorry about this, but please do not panic.¡± Spoke a calm, unknown voice right next to her. She turned while feeling a scream build up inside, before darkness overtook her.

    The last thing she saw when conscious was death¡¯s pleasant face looming behind her.

 Chapter 44: Dreams and nightmares are sides of a coin.

    Looking at the two unconscious pirates tied up in the middle of our freighter, one couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sorry for them.

    ¡°Erm, don¡¯t you think those ropes are a little too tight, Revy?¡± Asked Godard, who had improved greatly in the past hour, the nausea completely fading away. He was the quickest to recover, with Athena taking the longest time.

    ¡°No, not tight enough.¡± I said, undoing the knots and redoing them a little more forcibly this time. There was a low groan from one of the two survivors prisoners as the ropes restricted them even further.

    They stirred gently under my tender ministrations, evidence that they¡¯ll wake up sometime soon. Good¡ªJvorg can question them then, and we can be on our way again. Or not, considering that the crew who knew how to pilot this thing jettisoned themselves out into space and towards oblivion. But that¡¯s a problem for later. Besides, if worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll just have to learn how to fly a class-7 civilian charter freighter.

    Ah, it seems that Athena has gotten a tad impatient. A bucket of ice-cold water splashes over the two pirates, bringing them to a sputtering and sudden awakening. They looked around in a panic, trying to take in the situation all at once. The girl spotted Heimdal and started shaking¡ªHe apparently was the last thing she saw before being knocked out, so it¡¯s understandable if there¡¯s some mental trauma there.

    ¡°W-what do you people want with us?¡± She asked quietly, eyes wide in fear.

    ¡°From you? Likely nothing. Your comrade, however, is a somewhat different story, no?¡± Said Jvorg, who had turned to look at the middle aged man. This guy was calm, and seemed much more at ease than the girl.

    ¡°What would you like to know?¡± he asked, not a single trace of guile on his face.

    ¡°Well, I could not help but notice that the engines of your ships are somewhat¡­unusual, and have imparted quite the noticeable upgrade at sub-light speeds. Acceleration, maneuverability, energy conservation¡ªyour engines top all others I have seen thus far.¡± Said Jvorg, an amiable smile on his face. But that slid away in the next instant, a stern tone entering his voice. ¡°So, where did you get these engines?¡±

    ¡°I forget!¡± Said the man without worry. ¡°Maybe they were from the scrap heap, maybe we looted them from a cargo hull. How am I supposed to know exactly where our stuff comes from?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡± Said Athena. ¡°I elect we give him a reason to tell the truth. How about if we kill this girl you were with?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Said the man, eliciting a gasp and look of betrayal from the girl. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t magically change my memory. I don¡¯t know where the engines came from.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you¡¯re willing to lie when you¡¯re missing all your fingernails, teeth, and ears.¡± Said Athena, walking towards him menacingly.

    ¡°Not lying. He is telling truth.¡± I said, interjecting myself. Athena halted, and turned towards me with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need some little girl messing this up. Butt out, kid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an adult. He¡¯s not lying.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And I suppose you would know a lot about the world then? Scum like this guy lie by habit. It¡¯s what they do. Welcome to the real world, kid.¡± Said Athena dismissively.

    My head tilted to the side a little in confusion.

    ¡°But I¡¯m in real world always?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t have the time or patience to argue with you. Go bother that Jvorg guy or something.¡±

    ¡°No thank you, I am perfectly content watching this. Besides, I have much more faith in young Revian than I do you right now, Athena.¡± Commented Jvorg.

    ¡°Oh shut it, would you?¡± Said Athena, before turning back to the middle aged pirate¡ªwho was watching the proceedings with some amount of humor. ¡°Now, we could do this the easy way, or the hard¡­.¡±

    ¡°No need, he¡¯s not lying.¡± I said once more.

    ¡°Okay! I get it! You think he¡¯s telling the truth!¡± Said Athena, exasperated. ¡°Seven hells, if you want to interrogate him, be my guest. Go ahead! I can¡¯t wait to see the glorious results you¡¯d bring to us, ¡®o wise one!¡± She continued, very sarcastically.

    I shrugged, and walked closer to the man.

    Glancing at Athena with some spite in my heart, I decided this would be better suited to an empty room. At my suggestion, everyone went back to their little rooms to wait out my ¡®interrogation¡¯. The girl was brought into the crew quarters, and locked inside for the time being. Once everyone was gone, I spoke.

    ¡°Would you like to trade?¡±

    ¡°Trade? I don¡¯t think you would have anything of worth to me, lass.¡± Said the man, a distinct swagger and bravado in his words.

    I smiled sadly.

    ¡°How much are your memories worth?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± Replied the man. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the engines came from. You were the only one who seemed to think that I was telling the truth, so why ask after my memories now?¡±

    ¡°Not talking about engines. Good memories.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Good memories? I have none. I¡¯m a pirate, an outlaw. There¡¯s nothing good about me. I¡¯m willing to sacrifice anyone to stay alive. I¡¯m a bad person, with bad memories. Nothing you do will have me telling you where those engines came from.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has good memories, even you.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, lass, you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    ¡°Trade then¡ªgood memories for information.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you going to give me good memories or something? While I appreciate the offer, you¡¯re a bit young, and I prefer women of the bouncier variety.¡±

    Sighing, I pressed a finger to the man¡¯s forehead, to his confusion.

    ¡°This should make you understand.¡± I said, flooding his mind with my power.

    ¡°Wha¡ªWhere are we?¡± He asked, no longer bound to a chair, and standing upright. Not only that, but he looked decades younger.

    ¡°Inside memories.¡± I said, my voice only a whisper of a suggestion inside here. I didn¡¯t manifest any avatar inside his mind, only acting as an observer off to the side, and not interfering any further.

    ¡°But this is¡­.¡± Started the man, looking down at his hands, at his clothes, and at the scenery around him. ¡°This is impossible. This can¡¯t be. My homeworld was destroyed¡­.¡±

    He started walking purposefully in one direction, following a brick sidewalk that ambled off towards a quaint looking home.

    The entire planet could be described this way, being small, heavily wooded with red leaved trees and orange grass waving in the wind. There was no dome protecting the communities¡ªthe planet had it¡¯s own self-sustaining atmosphere and ecosystem.

    ¡°Peter? Peter! It¡¯s dinner time!¡± Called a voice from inside the quaint home. The man looked stricken hearing the voice, and fell to his knees.

    ¡°No¡­Get me out of here. I don¡¯t want to remember this¡­.¡± He said, his voice breaking a little.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, little demon. Get me out of here right now, and I¡¯ll tell everything I know.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I said, the illusion fading from the man¡¯s mind, bringing him back to the chair in which he is restrained, and my finger on his forehead. He looked up at me, a stricken and devastated expression on his face, one which briefly turned to wonder as he took in the one outstanding feature of my Awakened form.

    ¡°Your¡­eye¡­?¡± He said, almost under his breath, his entire focus falling into my gaze.

    I let my power fall away, bringing me back to normalcy¡ªIncluding my eye. The man¡¯s attention snapped away from it, bringing back the memory of what I had just shown him. He instantly grew somber, and almost regretful.

    ¡°Can come back in!¡± I called out to everyone waiting in their rooms.

    ¡°That was fast, little girl.¡± Said Athena, obviously believing that I had already failed somehow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where the engines came from.¡± Said the man, widening Athena¡¯s smirk. ¡°However, this is because the time in which I¡­acquired them was wiped from my mind. I truly do not remember where we got them, only that a trade of some sort took place, and that we are allowed to do whatever we want with the engines.¡±

    ¡°The entire event was removed from you memory?¡± Asked Jvorg.

    ¡°Yeah. I just have a vague idea of the terms and whatnot. Everything else is blank.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to maintain the engines, then?¡±

    ¡°Sure I do, if it¡¯s just basic things like maintenance and surface repairs. I remember very specifically that opening up the main components of the engine will cause it to explode, though.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­good to know¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°Is there anything else you can remember?¡±

    ¡°My group was not the only ones to get the engines, and the others also have no idea who gave it to them, or why.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, there is likely a mind mage working behind this. Hmm, how curious.¡± Said Jvorg.

    ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand. What did you even do to this guy?¡± Asked Athena, looking at me with a curious mix of angry, inquisitiveness, and annoyance.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Ask him, not me.¡±

    She instantly rounded on him, threatening bodily harm with that glare.

    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± He asked. ¡°Been nothing but nasty to me, you have.¡±

    ¡°You should do it because I¡¯m the scariest thing in the room right now. I¡¯m the¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, no.¡± Said the man, shaking his head and bringing Athena up short.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®no¡¯?¡± She asked, even more annoyed now.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t the scariest thing in this room.¡± He said, in a matter of fact manner. ¡°At least, not to me. Not by far.¡±

    ¡°Do you not know what your situation is?!¡± Demanded Athena. ¡°I can harm you so badly, you wish for death!¡±

    The man chuckled darkly.

    ¡°No, no you can¡¯t. I¡¯ve seen too much for pain to work like that. I¡¯ve lost more than many have ever had, and suffered through my own trials and tribulations. Something small like torture stopped working years and years ago.

    ¡°Besides, you¡¯re not intimidating enough. All talk, no game.¡±

    ¡°Why you!¡±

    ¡°Athena.¡± Barked Heimdal. ¡°Behave yourself, or remove yourself. The Greeks might encourage such rampant arrogance and tolerate such lack of self control, but I will not. Be an adult.¡±

    Athena froze, composing herself for a brief moment. I didn¡¯t miss the hint of malevolence in her eyes though, her true thoughts of the situation bubbling through.

    ¡°¡­Fine.¡± She replied. ¡°I still wish to know how our little Revian here coaxed this pirate to share his information. Obviously, she did not have enough time to break him down first, so I¡¯m just a little suspicious on how this worked out.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be suspicious. Your little demon here only demonstrated that not telling what I know would lead down a path I don¡¯t wish to follow again.¡± Said the pirate morosely. ¡°I have regrets¡ªsomething I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t know a whole lot about.¡±

    ¡°That tells me nothing. Would someone bother translating?¡± Asked Athena.

    I sighed, stepping towards her. Athena got an apprehensive look on her face seeing me walk closer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± Asked Athena. ¡°Stay back there! I¡¯m warning you!¡± She said, picking up on the aura around me. I looked up at her, back in my Awakened form. She looked right into my eye, and her jaw immediately went slightly slack as I plunged deep into one of her old memories.

    A little girl stood in the middle of a training pitch, edged by racks of blunted weapons and a gaggle of older kids.

    ¡°Now, Na?ven, what¡¯s the first rule of combat?¡± Asked the instructor in front of the little girl.

    ¡°To never hesitate!¡± She yelled out enthusiastically, gripping tighter the little sword in her hands.

    ¡°Good, good. Not, attack me.¡± He said.

    ¡°Yaaaa!¡±

    The girl screamed a high pitched war cry as she hurdled towards the instructor with her little sword, and enthusiastically started raining down ineffective blows¡ªall of which he blocked.

    ¡°Look for openings, don¡¯t just hack away thoughtlessly.¡± Said the instructor, swatting at the girl¡¯s side lightly with his own sword. ¡°Pay attention, watch me and not my sword. Bring your stance lower for better stability. You¡¯re gripping the hilt too hard again, loosen up. Block, then counter, don¡¯t try it before I¡¯ve even hit you. Lower your stance! Keep your back straight, bring the strength from all over and into your arm, don¡¯t isolate it.¡±

    The instructor kept up a torrent of teachings, making sure to reinforce the lessons with good side blows to the girl. An indeterminate amount of time later, and she was unable to stand any longer, forcing the instructor to stop.

    ¡°Good job today, Lady Na?ven. You lasted 2 minutes more than yesterday. I¡¯ll see you here this time tomorrow. Don¡¯t forget to stretch before bed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Said Na?ven from the ground.

    I ended the memory, and smiled at Athena, who stood in front of me completely stunned.

    ¡°You, you¡­.what the hell are you?!¡± She asked, looking a little frightened.

    Jvorg and Heimdal also stared at me with amusement, knowing the answer and looking forward to Athena¡¯s reaction. I suppose they also wanted to know how much I¡¯m willing to tell.

    Eh, no reason to hide it from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Odin.¡± I said, shrugging.

    There was a pause.

    ¡°What!¡± Cried out Athena and my friends all at once.

 Chapter 45: Carpooling is good for saving the environment.

    ¡°But¡­Odin already occupies the Norse camp! You can¡¯t possibly be Odin!¡± Cried Athena.

    ¡°Obviously, that¡¯s not Odin.¡± I said, shrugging. ¡°Heimdal, explain?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He replied. ¡°I suppose it started with the Pantheon. For the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Hindus and the Christians, and all other major denominations, their heads were among the first gods to be found. Zeus, Ra, Yahweh, all these leaders emerged first from the destruction of Moonfall. Sometimes, one will fall and another will appear in the universe, ready to assume the mantel of power. There have been three Zeus¡¯, each one radically different from the one before.

    ¡°However, us Norse have never had an actual Odin. Typically, Loki would be forced to stand in as a replacement. This is kept a secret, as politics in the Pantheon can become¡­messy without a proper name to stand behind. Regardless of the Norse strength as a whole, missing Odin was an embarrassment to us, and we took measures to know that very few were aware of our plight.

    ¡°Originally, Loki would continue to stand in until the true Odin was confident enough to step forward. The plan was to bring Revian back to the Pantheon as a different god, commence her formal training, and allow her to grow into the position. We expected to find a weak Odin, untrained and soft, in need of teaching. Fate is an odd thing, however. As it turns out, Revian is already more than capable of standing on even footing in the Pantheon. While she is apparently lacking in a few areas and requests our help in shoring up those weaknesses, she is otherwise without fault. And, above all that, she decided to go ahead and assume Odin¡¯s mantle without any delay.¡±

    ¡°So, wait. Revy is already a member of the Pantheon?¡± Asked Sabrina. ¡°I mean, you keep referring to her as Odin and all that, but what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means that she is in charge of the Norse fraction, even if she is yet to formally take that burden upon herself. Now, she only needs convince all in the fraction of her worthiness, no?¡± Replied Jvorg.

    ¡°Will she be able to, though?¡±

    ¡°Easily.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°You might not have realized it thus far, but Revian is extremely powerful. From my understanding, she has kept this to herself for multiple reasons¡ª¡° I nodded in affirmation here. ¡°¡ªBut she will easily be able to hold her own, just from what I have seen of her abilities.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t be problem, I¡¯m strong enough.¡± I stated, easing my friend¡¯s concerns.

    ¡°But then, what¡¯s your power?¡± Asked Godard, his eyes shining.

    ¡°Illusion.¡±

    ¡°Eh? That¡¯s it?¡± Said Haven.

    Ah, that¡¯s right. Normal illusionists are nothing special. They can only create their illusions mentally, and can be blocked by someone with sufficient willpower or shattered by routing enough mana through the mental illusion. They have to be stronger than the person they¡¯re combating both mentally and mana-wise, since the illusion must overwhelm the target entirely to be effective.

    My illusions, however, are different.

    Smiling just a little, I release my Awakening and form an illusory domain, catching everyone inside its boundaries. Nobody noticed my actions until the ship interior shimmered, and disappeared. Green grass sprouted underfoot, and wind lightly teased across our faces. A small group of birds flew overhead, their song trilling so vibrantly in our ears. Mountains rose to pierce the skyline out in the distance, and trees blanketed our vision in a forest so vast and unending that it seemed to have stood forever. Occasionally, the cries of animals carried over to us from inside the forest, some of them obviously issuing from the lungs of beings more titanic than the imagination could ever attribute to anything.

    ¡°Wha¡ªwhere are we?¡± Asked Athena, speaking for the first time since the revelation my being Odin plunged her into silence.

    ¡°On ship in space. Only illusion.¡± I said.

    ¡°But this is¡­.this is impossible. I didn¡¯t even feel you enter my mind to create all this¡­¡±

    ¡°It is not just you, Athena. This is why I said Revian is more than powerful enough¡ªIsis, Jvorg and I are also experiencing this illusion.¡± Said Heimdal, to Athena¡¯s astonishment.

    ¡°But you and Isis are elder level gods within the Pantheon!¡±

    ¡°We are. But that does not matter, since this illusion is not in any of our minds. In actuality, this might not even be qualified as an illusion, for that would likely be too simple a word.¡±

    Eh, not exactly true. This is still just an illusion. It¡¯s just a different sort, set in the world as well as the mind. My illusory domain doesn¡¯t exactly impress changes in the universe, rather it layers a new version of reality atop the existing one.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°But¡­I¡¯ve never heard of an illusionist capable of doing something like this.¡± Said Athena, looking in my direction with some measure of caution, like she had upset a behemoth and was now testing the waters to see if she would be eaten.

    ¡°That is because normal illusionists cannot do this. They are limited to simply affecting the mind, and cannot interact with reality at all. See, Revian has created an illusion out of reality itself, instead of influencing our minds to see one. It is a difference in external versus internal illusions.¡±

    ¡°I thought illusionists were unable to touch reality though?¡± Asked Sabrina.

    ¡°Yes, this is true. However, that restriction is artificial, no? It is not the natural state for an illusionist.¡±

    ¡°Never had restriction, never will now.¡± I said, shrugging.

    Athena looked horrified.

    ¡°But then, that means she¡¯s an unbound illusionist! That¡¯s a violation of the Federation laws, and punishable by death to all associated! She needs to be turned over to have the restriction applied!¡± She said.

    ¡°W-we¡¯re members of Pantheon, not the¡­Federation.¡± Said Isis.

    ¡°It does not matter to us. All are welcome in the Pantheon, no matter what the Federation thinks.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°You should know that your own Zeus is an abomination by Federation standards, with a bounty of several billion credits on his head. They fear his power, just as they fear Revian¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°But this is different!¡± Screeched Athena. ¡°There¡¯s no telling what sort of havoc an unbound illusionist would wreak on the universe if let free! I¡¯ll not let you all¡­.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunate¡ª¡± I said. ¡°¡ªthat you¡¯re still in domain.¡±

    There was a moment of silence as everyone realize what I was saying. I could squash Athena like a bug if I wanted, and prevent her from doing anything.

    She also realized this suddenly, and took a step back from me.

    ¡°You-you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°No. Tell who you want.¡±

    The domain was withdrawn, leaving us standing inside the ship once more.

    I ignored the looks sent my way while returning to my small little room and grabbing a towel. Everyone was still standing around in the common area while I made my way to the showers. While I had peeled off the clothes worn while meditating and thrown on my Halo gear instead, my body still felt dirty underneath.

    It wasn¡¯t anything a quick wash wouldn¡¯t solve, and such an action gave time for the others to decide their next moves.

    I mean, it¡¯s not like we can do much out here, without the crew to man this ship.

    ~

    ~

    <hr>

    ~

    ~

    ¡°Anything on the scanners?¡± Asked the captain of the Federation scout ship.

    ¡°Nothing, ma¡¯am. We appear to have lost them.¡± Replied the cool and collected navigation officer. ¡°That vessel must have been a better distraction than anticipated, to let us completely make our escape.¡±

    ¡°I would rather it be that such tactics were not necessary in the first place.¡± Said the captain. ¡°Are we out of jamming range yet?¡± She enquired.

    ¡°We are, captain. Messages are being received normally.¡±

    ¡°Good. I want a report sent to the nearest Federation outpost, detailing our encounter with these new ships, and the specifics of their speed. Give them everything we know¡ªfirepower, combat ability, maneuverability, and anything else you can think of. I don¡¯t want all the other patrols to be as badly underprepared as ours was.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye, captain!¡±

    Sighing, the captain lightly shifted in the command chair. Even if it had to be done, sacrificing a vessel full of innocent bystanders in order to escape weighed heavily on her conscious. No matter what sort of punishment her superiors levied onto her, she would accept it.

    At least they would be happy about having the scout issue being solved. The fact that many patrols venturing into the borderlands simply vanished had been vexing high command for a while, or so the captain had heard. It didn¡¯t matter how large the patrol was, or how well equipped they were¡ªonce having entered the borderlands; it would be highly likely that the ships would not return.

    Even more frustrating was the fact that the ships that did return came back without any news or trouble. They simply made an incursion into contested space, and didn¡¯t see anything of note.

    The captain and her crew had heard about what was going on, of course. They were aware that venturing into the borderlands would end with them returning unharmed, or not at all.

    But, well, nobody thinks that the terrible thing happening would ever happen to them, right? They felt sure that nothing would happen, only to be proven wrong halfway through the mission.

    An ambush, of little ships with far more firepower and speed than they should have. Obviously, these unknown combatants had access to unknown and potent technology, being able to wipe out a scouting fleet within minutes. Hell, just the opening seconds had them lose seven ships.

    Seven ships in seconds. It was a scary concept to think about. Anyone of those ships could have been her own, and it was only due to divine providence that they escaped with their lives.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Exclaimed the navigation officer, who was keeping an eye on the energy level monitors. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m seeing unusual surges of mana in our area.¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Did those vessels manage to catch up, after all?¡± Yelled the captain, expecting the mana signatures to be those of a ship¡¯s engines.

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am, I think this is something different. It doesn¡¯t match the energy of a ship¡ªIt¡¯s too concentrated for that. Rather, it feels like¡­.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Like¡­someone¡¯s personal mana signature. I¡¯m reasonably confident that the reading¡¯s I¡¯m seeing are from someone channeling a large amount of mana.¡±

    ¡°And? What are your conclusions from such an event? What does that mean for us?¡± Asked the captain impatiently.

    ¡°It means that we should brace for unfriendlies.¡±

    ¡°What leads you to this conclusion?¡±

    ¡°The fact that this mana is now being concentrated somewhere inside our ship.¡±

    ¡°What!? Where?!¡±

    ¡°Someone near the engine rooms, I think.¡±

    ¡°Shit! Everyone, prepare for boarding!¡±

    ¡°It is a bit too late for that, I am afraid. However, do not be alarmed. We mean you and this vessel no harm.¡± Said someone from the entrance of the command bridge. Everyone¡¯s gaze instantly shot towards the man, and were immediately stunned by the aura her put out, as if he were the master of this space, and all were subject to him.

    ¡°You would not mind giving my group a ride, right?¡±

 Chapter 46: Growing closer together.

    Among all the dangers of space, letting an unknown person aboard your vessel rates as one of the highest. Most shields are directed outwards, to defend against enemy vessels and attacks. Only capital ships are large enough to warrant internal and structural shielding, and even then the generators for said shields are located in the bowels of the ship, easy enough to find and destroy once inside.

    So, say a hostile person standing at the 11<sup>th</sup> divide makes it aboard your ship. The results would not be pretty, and that¡¯s an understatement.

    It was natural then, that the crew of a little Federation scout ship panicked quite badly upon seeing a strange man walk onto their bridge. This panic turned to confusion when he spoke, and directly asked for a ride.

    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Asked the befuddled captain.

    ¡°My group needs a ride, and I am hoping that your ship would be willing to berth an extra 10 people.¡± Explained the man again.

    ¡°This is a Federation ship! Civilians aren¡¯t allowed, especially not unknown ones who might or might not pose a threat to us!¡± interjected a slightly overzealous officer, though his sentiments were shared among the crew.

    The man smiled. ¡°Oh, but I was under the impression that all Federation vessels were under standing orders to help and assist any victims of ship-wreaks, attacks, or any other peoples under unfortunate circumstances out here in space. It is common spacefarer¡¯s code, unless something has changed recently without my knowledge.¡±

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°Would it help to mention that our ship was brought under fire from a group of pirate ships very close to here, and that there were scraps of other Federation vessels in the area? In fact, I seem to recall that there was a very brief blip on our detection networks, showing a single ship fleeing at light speed?¡±

    The crew members of the Federation vessel dared not look straight at the man, for fear their guilt would show after hearing his statements. Only the captain eyed him up.

    ¡°We were the ship which fled.¡± She admitted. ¡°It seemed like the best course of action, even as callous as it was. We had gotten intelligence about the pirates causing massive Federation losses in the Fringe sectors of space, and needed to transmit it.¡±

    ¡°I am not faulting you for that. However, the result of those actions are that 10 people now have been stranded in space, and the Federation is obligated to handle this.¡±

    The captain sighed, and turned to a nearby officer.

    ¡°Smith, how many extra can we fit?¡±

    ¡°Er, normally 7, ma¡¯am. We could squeeze in ten, though.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Replied the captain. She turned back to the unknown man. ¡°We can take your people back to the Federation base. Where you go next is up to you.¡±

    ¡°Mhh, thank you.¡± He said. ¡°I will just let the other¡¯s introduce themselves then.¡± Continued the man, drawing a circle in the air. The crew felt an influx of mana from the circle, increasing sharply until it felt like a bubble popped, and the air went still again. The area where the bright golden circle was etched was stable once more, and inside the circle itself was another space, like a fathomless looking glass was suspended in midair. The Federation ship¡¯s crew could see through the hole in space, and had a view of another ship¡¯s interior.

    ¡°You all can come through now.¡± Said the man, speaking to people on the other side.

    And one by one, they stepped through the hole, coming to stand inside the bridge, nine others in all.

    ¡°This might be a good time for introductions. My name is Heimdal, and these are my comrades.¡± Said the man. ¡°These two are Isis and Athena, they are helping me bring the others back to our stronghold. The one standing in the back there is Jvorg, he is following for some reason or another, and the six kids are Sabrina, Haven, Godard, Ussen, Kormic, and Revian. We are traveling back to the Pantheon.¡±

    ~

    ~

    <hr>

    ~

    ~This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    They has been shocked to hear our destination. After Heimdal spoke about it, the crew descended into a stunned silence. The guy assigned to show us our bunks was sweating quite badly. Does the Pantheon have a reputation among the military, then?

    Hmm, it doesn¡¯t really matter all that much. As long as they¡¯re willing to give us passage to the nearest way station, we¡¯ll be fine. From there, Pantheon can send another freighter to pick us up, or Heimdal could just gate us incrementally. We got close enough to where that wouldn¡¯t be as much of an issue. After all, it¡¯ll take about 5 days to reach Pantheon with Heimdal using his gates, if my math is right. Compared to the extra two months of getting a new freighter over here, and the time to make it back, it might be a better option.

    Our rooming situation was pretty bad, though. It should have been expected, but the extra space they had was under military definitions of extra space. So, there was a single empty room with ten bunks, five lined up against each wall. Very quickly, the others came to a consensuses¡ªUs ladies would take one side of the room, while the men would be on the other. They managed to string up a curtain of sorts across the middle to afford some privacy. I claimed the bunk furthest from the door, in the corner of the room.

    I immediately sat atop the thin bed, going into meditation. My body was so, so close to breaking through when the pirates interrupted us, and I wanted to quickly shatter the barrier preventing me from advancing to the next divide.

    Emptying my mind of any distractions, energy gathered in my heart, pulled from my reserves. A powerful energy suction effect occurred, naturally drawing free energy into me to prop up the process.

    To break through into a new divide, only one thing is needed, and that¡¯s raw power. Each divide represents a barrier of how much power a person can hold or wield. Someone at the 1<sup>st</sup> divide has the power of an average human. Someone at the 2<sup>nd</sup> divide has about twice that. and so on. There¡¯s a hard boundary on the amount of mana you can hold at each divide, and to advance to the next one, that boundary must be shattered.

    Right now, my body felt bloated from the raw mana coursing through my veins. It all had to be gathered at the center of my being, and forced outwards from there. If I didn¡¯t succeed, months of recuperation would be required for the next attempt.

    But that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. The ball of mana seemed to create its own core of gravity as it was compressed, until I could do so no more. At that time, I relinquished control of the ball, and allowed it to explosively expand.

    The pure energy coursed through my entire body, and I was suffused in absolute power for a mere instant. Then something shattered, and the energy sunk into me, absorbed in my muscles, my arteries, my organs and my very skin. I had broken through to the next divide.

    Opening my eyes, I became aware that the room was silent.

    My friends were meditating as I had been, taking advantage of the relative peace to further their own strength. Athena and Heimdal were watching me with shocked expressions on their faces, while Isis was examining me from a distance, like one would a wild animal or something similar. Jvorg was standing to the side with a smug grin on his face.

    ¡°Did¡ªdid she just break through to the 12<sup>th</sup> divide?¡± Asked a stunned Athena.

    ¡°S-s-she did.¡± Affirmed Isis.

    ¡°But¡­she¡¯s like, 14!¡± Cried Athena.

    ¡°19.¡± I clarified.

    ¡°That¡¯s still too damn young!¡± Shrieked Athena. ¡°It takes 40 years for talented people to make it there!¡±

    ¡°I¡­I do not think Revian simply qualifies as ¡®talented¡¯ at this point.¡± Said Heimdal.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°I am Odin.¡± I said, as if that cleared up matters. Athena¡¯s jaw could have hit the floor. Right, while Isis and Heimdal were privy to that particular bit of knowledge, she was not.

    ¡°Hmm. I will say that I did not expect you to be so strong.¡± Said Heimdal, now speaking to me. ¡°When we found you to be so young, there was concern among Isis and I that you would not be ready. It would not be an issue for Loki to continue standing in, but it would be best to have the real Odin presiding as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I grow fast. No issue.¡± I said.

    ¡°But still. To reach the 12<sup>th</sup> divide at your age represents limitless potential. And, with your illusions, it would not be difficult to contend with any other Pantheon head, should things reach that point. At the very least, you would be able to hold your own, power-wise.¡±

    I nodded in understanding. They had been concerned that I wouldn¡¯t be accepted without power, Odin title notwithstanding. In this universe we live in, the logic is sound. All prestige and fame stems from personal power, and the influence of strength. Even in an organization like the Pantheon, it isn¡¯t enough to have the keenest mind, or the best people. Nobody would pay you any attention without the strength to command it.

    And now that I¡¯ve demonstrated my strength and my potential, they might rest easy with the knowledge of my place being secured. I can openly proclaim myself as Odin without any worry, unlike what Heimdal was originally worried about and planning for. There¡¯s no need to lay low when I have the strength to stand at the top and not get knocked down.

    Very soon after the spectacle of my breaking through, we were called down for food. My friends were roused from their meditation, and we all went down to partake in military rations. The mess hall was a crowded place, with ship crew constantly coming and going. The captain of the ship herself, Cpt. Farthings, guided us around, and sat us at a table off to the side of things.

    ¡°My apologies for the less than ideal situation on board. We have a crew of nearly five hundred aboard, mostly in expeditionary forces and soldiers. In a ship like this, there isn¡¯t much space to be found.¡±

    ¡°It is of no issue. We only needed a way to the nearest way-station. It is of no consequence if this way happens to be a military scout flagship.¡±

    We sat in silence for a while longer, pecking at the food in front of us.

    ¡°Anyway, as far as bringing you to the nearest way-station, you¡¯re in luck. CZ-Prime is only a few days from here, and it¡¯s the region hub.¡±

    ¡°So close to the Fringe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a military outpost as well. There are very few people willing to attack the place.¡± Responded the captain.

    ¡°That sounds good.¡± Said Heimdal.

    We talked a while longer before returning to our bunks.

 Chapter 47: Comfort and Hospitality

    All things considered, we reached CZ Prime rather quickly. Days tend to pass quickly while meditating. My friends found out about my breakthrough after the fact, and some of them were quite shocked to know that I had made it to the 12<sup>th</sup> divide. However, they didn¡¯t let the fact of my strength deter them, and redoubled their efforts in growing stronger.

    I was also meditating, but to consolidate my newfound strength. After breaking through, it would be bad if I simply let all that energy run rampantly through my body. It had to be tamed, made my own.

    Some people make the mistake of growing as fast as possible, as soon as possible. But, doing things without stopping every now and then to stabilize internal mana and incorporate it fully is like building a house atop loose sand. Without a stable foundation, all that you build is liable to simply crumble, and it imposes a limit on how high you can build.

    So, I need to take some time and make sure my foundation is as stable as possible. I want to be able to rely on it for anything.

    Athena and Heimdal also started meditating, inspired by my own breakthrough. Well, Heimdal was inspired. Athena seemed more scared than anything. Every time she glanced my way, I could tell she was frightened by my strength and potential. So, she buckled down and gathered her strength, intimidated by both who I am and my strength.

    It seems my presence tends to catalyze growth in those orbiting me.

    Jvorg and Isis didn¡¯t start doing anything like meditation though. I asked Jvorg about it one day, and he explained why.

    ¡°Well, it is not like Isis or I can really increase our martial strength like the others here can. Our mana is already as full as it will ever get. From here, all we can do is increase our knowledge, and fill our repertoire. And, to start with, we are not exactly fighters, see? We are more suited for a support role.¡±

    I¡¯ll admit, I hadn¡¯t thought about that before.

    There¡¯s just this running assumption that everyone¡¯s trying to get strong, to further their own power. That everyone has their goals to work towards, and will achieve them through mana.

    Of course, this can¡¯t be true, no matter which direction you approach the issue from. While it¡¯s certainly the case that there is a well-known upper stratum of fighters and mages in human society, there also has to be people supporting them from the background. We need our healers, logistics handlers, and merchants. A stable base among the population is necessary to ensure the wellbeing of all.

    I guess the same is true in the Pantheon. It was kinda the assumption that everyone there is focused on personal strength and increasing it. But, all organizations require personal to work on logistics and management, after all. No matter how powerful you are, you still need to eat.

    So, while the rest of us become consumed in our meditations, Isis and Jvorg kicked back, relaxing for the journey. Isis was reading books taken from¡­somewhere. They would just appear in her hands or vanish while I wasn¡¯t looking. And who knows where she keeps them, since it¡¯s always a different book. Jvorg passed the time writing stuff down. When asked about what he¡¯s writing, he gets oddly cagey and won¡¯t say anything about it. Weirdo.

    Anyway, like I was saying, we reached CZ Prime fairly quickly. Only a few days were spent in the cramped and close quarters of the Federation ship, though with the group we had, it was probably very lucky that tensions stayed as low as they did. I could very well see Athena accidentally blowing up the ship after a heated argument or something.

    CZ Prime itself is a military hub for this entire sector of space. We were able to see it from the outside while approaching, and the complex itself looked wholly unremarkable, like any other rock floating through space.

    If there were anything to set it apart, it would be the aura emitted by the rock. The place practically stunk of military rigor and martial prowess. There were at least three people within CZ Prime at the 10<sup>th</sup> divide or higher, and they weren¡¯t hiding the aura created by their strength.

    Fools. It¡¯s lighting up the entire base to anyone looking, and defeating the whole purpose of hiding it in the first place.

    The ship coasted in towards the rock and a panel in its side slid open, the gleam of metal walls inside confirming that the entire base is housed within the clever fa?ade. Doubtless, there were many more porting stations all along the sides of the rock, hidden away from sight along with all manner of defense weaponry. Our ship smoothly entered the docking bay, and we waited while the massive doors shut behind us, and airtight tunnels were extended toward the ship. It seems like the entire bay area still occupied a vacuum, and the tunnels would lead into the pressurized base itself.

    Several docking procedures were followed, and it would be a day or so before all the personal aboard the ship were unloaded. It would take longer to resupply and refuel. It seems that our little group was given top priority, as we disembarked in the very first group, along with the ship¡¯s captain and those personal under her direct command. The airtight tunnels easily fit our entire group, and could accommodate ten people walking side by side. Probably, they were designed with transportation of goods in mind for resupply.

    Behind us, the Federation ship didn¡¯t even occupy a fifth of the hanger. It¡¯s sleek construction and rounded surfaces contrasted with some clear damage along the ship¡¯s side, only emphasizing the fact that this ship was the only survivor in a pirate attack.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    I recall our interrogation of those two captured pirates, and the stunning facts they presented us with. With only four ships and eight people, they have nigh destroyed a fleet of military vessels, with only the flagship escaping due to our appearance. They attributed their victories to the improved energy generators on their vessels, and how they were able to pump out mana towards engines and weapons on a previously impossible scale.

    Jvorg took a look at the generators, of course, and couldn¡¯t make heads nor tails of them.

    In his words;

    ¡°It¡¯s like the people who made these engines are far, far ahead of us in technology and engineering. Not only that, but imagine if humanity grew up¡­differently. Say we are walking down a road, and there are paths to choose. Very early on, we advanced our technology in a set way, and continued farther and farther down our chosen path. Everything we have made was built upon the foundation of those very earliest discoveries.¡±

    ¡°Now, imagine that we had taken a different path at the very start. Say that our technology was build upon a completely different foundation from what we have today. You would get technology like that found in those generators.¡± He paused to let his next words sink in. ¡°These outsiders or aliens have a culture and society different from our own. If these engines are any indication, they will at least treat their technologies very different from our own. I want you all to be prepared to meet a people wholly different from our own, yes?¡±

    There is one thing bothering me, though. These aliens are vastly superior to us technology wise, right? I mean, those generators were capable of outputting a terrifying amount of mana¡ªenough to run a small city for as long as you need.

    So, why are they giving these generators to random vagabonds in the Fringe? What¡¯s the goal in that? What are they trying to do?

    It just seems like for the answer we got with the generator, so many more have cropped up to replace it. We know next to nothing, and it¡¯s annoying.

    While pondering the issue, we reached the end of the extended tunnel, where a pair of airlock doors stood quite solidly. The captain presented an ID to some sort of scanner, and the doors hissed open smoothly. Waiting on the other side was a group of men and women in military dress, with varying expressions across their faces. The lead of the group¡ªa man with silver-grey hair and a perpetual annoyed expression¡ªstepped forward. He had the aura of someone in the late stages of the 10<sup>th</sup> divide.

    ¡°Captain Farthings. Would you mind enlightening us as to what all this fuss is about? Specifically, the point in which you lost the entirety of our 6<sup>th</sup> Reconnaissance Fleet?¡±

    Ah.

    It seems we¡¯re in a bit of trouble.

    Well, the captain is. But, we seem to be under her group at the moment. Hmm. This might get annoying.

    ~

    ~

    An hour later, and we were still stuck in a white-walled room, seated off to the side almost as an afterthought. The captain had been taken by the higher-ups at CZ-Prime into a room down the hallway over there. Since then, nobody¡¯s bothered even looking our way. At one point, the idea of simply teleporting out using Heimdal¡¯s ability had been entertained. However, doing so might put the captain in a tight spot, so we decided to wait a bit¡ªat least, until she comes out of that room. Doubtless, she¡¯s telling her superiors what¡¯s happened. If we could help by corroborating her story or something, then that would be great. After all, she did let us bum a ride here.

    However, the hours lengthened, and there wasn¡¯t any movement from the room down the hall. Athena was bringing up the topic of simply leaving more and more often as her patience wore down lower and lower. The core members of the captain¡¯s crew were also seeming to grow more agitated as time went on, distressed by the lengthy interrogation their captain was doubtless undergoing.

    Eventually, the room¡¯s door opened, and those higher-ups stepped out.

    Their eyes immediately flicked to where we sat. I sighed, simultaneously feeling the movements of a large number of people around us, coming closer. The clatter of military issue boots reached us, and we were surrounded by heavily armed and armored soldiers pointing pulse rifles at our faces.

    ¡°Please surrender peacefully.¡± Said the man with the silver hair, who spoke as if looking down at us from a height. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want blood to get on these nice, white walls. Just had them cleaned.¡±

    Athena bristled, immediately dropping into a combat ready stance. Heimdal put his hand on her shoulder, and shook his head.

    ¡°What? But, why not?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Too much trouble.¡± He responded.

    The silver haired man saw this, and smiled with thin, bloodless lips. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t like it when people cause trouble. Just follow these nice men to your cells, and everything will be fine.¡± He said, sure of our compliance.

    Jvorg eyed the man.

    ¡°Captain Farthings back there should have told you who we are, no? Where we wish to return to?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m well aware.¡± Replied the man. ¡°And I¡¯d say people like you should be locked up by principle. It causes less trouble in the long run.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Well, that is an issue. See, we would really like to be going, and it would be nice if nobody was hurt by our leaving. This includes any under your command, and yourself as well.¡± Athena muttered at this, something about not minding the possibility of hurting the man. ¡°In fact, the best possible outcome for all of us right now, would be if you simply let us leave, and acknowledged poor Captain Farthings back there for the information she has brought to your lap.¡±

    ¡°The information we have no reason to trust? The Captain was found colluding with members of the Pantheon. Likely, half of what we got from her was false. Or, she simply told us what we wanted to hear. It tends to happen with traitors. ¡±

    Jvorg sighed deeply, like he was disappointed.

    ¡°Please tell me you did not torture the unfortunate woman. I would be most upset if this were the case.¡±

    ¡°I am given leave to do whatever I wish to my subordinates, especially ones who have betrayed the Federation¡¯s Legions.¡±

    ¡°That is a yes, I take it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jvorg sighed again, and I took action, silently enveloping the entire base in my domain. I think only Isis noticed.

    Once the domain settled, I bent everyone¡¯s perception of time, holding it in place for now. To me, they all now appear frozen in place, my flow of time moving much faster than theirs. I stood up from the chair I sat in and left an illusory copy of myself there, just in case. The door to the interrogation room was still slightly open, and a little push brought the room into full view, including the bruised and battered figure of Captain Farthings. Seeing her like this made me angry¡ªsee, I rather admired her for running a fleet of her own, and doing it fairly capably. Sure, she messed up with the pirates and all, but so have many other fleet captains. At least she came out of the encounter alive, along with the crew of her personal flagship. All in all, she is a capable leader, and shouldn¡¯t be treated like this.

    Before this point, I had no idea how deep the animosity between the Federation and the Pantheon ran. I just knew that there was a grudge. And now, I¡¯m mad that the captain got caught up in this. She only did her job.

    The glint I see in her non-swollen eye says that she is also angry. So, while still bending the concept of time, I leaned over and cradled the captain in my arms. I carried her back to where our own group was, surrounded by the military¡¯s force.

    I dropped the domain, and made sure to look the silver haired man straight in his eyes as I seemly appeared in front of him, holding the tortured captain.

    ¡°Heimdal.¡± I said. ¡°Get us away from here.¡±

    The man blinked, surprised to see me seemingly teleport so suddenly, and with the captain as well¡ªwho was equally confused by the situation and tried moving around between my arms. I quieted her down, easing her mind into pleasant dreams and a freedom from pain. Even there, though, I could feel her concern for the rest of the flagship¡¯s crew.

    Mmh, I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re fine.

    Trust me.

 Chapter 48: Like Father, Like Daughter

    ¡°Now just wait a mo¡­¡± Started the silver haired man.

    ¡°No.¡± I replied, not even looking at him while taking care to position the captain comfortably in my arms. ¡°You can¡¯t stop us.¡±

    I nodded at Heimdal, who opened a portal to some planet in the direction of the Pantheon. He left it hanging there in the air, while our group and the silver-haired man stared each other down.

    ¡°If you take her away, it will be constituted as an act of desertion. You would be treated as accomplices.¡± Said the man.

    ¡°And?¡± I asked. ¡°You tortured her.¡±

    He smirked.

    ¡°And I was completely within my authority to do so. As soon as the Pantheon is involved, the military pulls out all limitations. It¡¯s martial law. We don¡¯t just extract information in such¡­violent ways unless there is protocol for it. And I do feel sorry for doing so, but my own superiors would punish us all had I not followed the protocol.¡±

    I turned towards Jvorg. He nodded back at me.

    Damn. I didn¡¯t think that something like this would happen. Apparently, I had greatly underestimated the situation, and the vitriol associated with the Pantheon¡¯s name. The Federation really doesn¡¯t like them.

    ¡°I think we shall be leaving anyway.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°With the captain, of course. It seems her fate would be rather tragic should she be left here.¡±

    ¡°That it would be. Please, by all means, take her. I don¡¯t want to look at her traitorous face any longer.¡±

    ¡°And her crew?¡± I asked.

    The silver haired man regarded me frankly.

    ¡°Why would I do anything to them? The blame always is taken by the one commanding them. It¡¯s the responsibility of authority. The captain¡¯s crew is blameless.¡±

    ¡°And what about us?¡± Asked Athena, asking a question I approve of for once.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be putting all of you on a watch list, to be observed by the Federation whenever seen, and if possible, to be brought in for crimes against the people. Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t possible now, as your group is evidently more powerful than those of us on this base.¡±

    Oh-ho, seems this guy has more depth than I had attributed to him.

    No use dwelling on it, however. We¡¯d better just get out of here first. Heimdal¡¯s portal is stable, and just waiting for us to cross.

    ¡°Then, we shall be taking our leave.¡± Said Jvorg. ¡°Thank your for your hospitality, but it would not do to impose on your people any further.¡±

    ¡°Please, just leave.¡± Sighed the man.

    So we did, crossing through the portal to the nearest inhabited planet.

    Of course, CZ Prime, being on the very outskirts of the Fringe, is kinda in the middle of nowhere. So, the options for nearby settlements are likewise limited to fairly backwater locations¡ªthe sort of places that you either just end up in, or are born to.

    It seems this place is at least a cut above what I was expecting, as a complete planet, with greenery and it¡¯s own ecosystem. From what I understand, most places out here are simple mining sites set up in particularly dense clusters of asteroids or debris. They aren¡¯t anything more than temporary settlements, meant to afford only the basic necessities of survival.

    This place, though, is a complete solar system, with a score of barren planets orbiting a small white star, and a single planet bursting with plant and animal life. That¡¯s what the locals we encountered said, at least. They¡¯re uncharacteristically helpful, and were completely willing to show us the way to a nearby hotel. The unconscious and beat-up captain in my arms drew some looks, but nobody really said anything about it. They just gave her some looks of pity, while other emotions swam in their eyes. No hostility though.

    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re near the Fringe?¡± Asks Athena in a tone of vague disbelief.

    ¡°I am certain. However, this is admittedly quite unusual.¡± Replied Heimdal. ¡°This place must be special somehow.¡± He said, shrugging. We paid it no more attention, and set up our hotel rooms.

    It would be Isis, the injured captain, and me in one room, Sabrina, Haven, and Athena in another, Jvorg and Heimdal in the third, while Godard, Ussen and Kormic shared the last.

    Isis and I shared a room in order to look after the captain, while the others simply separated themselves in a way they were comfortable with.

    ~

    ¡°Need any help?¡± I asked, glancing towards the captain lain out in bed, bruises swelling what had been an authoritative and handsome face¡ªif you could call a woman¡¯s face handsome, that is.

    ¡°N-no, I have this.¡± Said the diminutive Isis. She walked over to Captain Farthings, and placed a hand on the wounded woman¡¯s forehead. A soft glow extended from Isis, enveloping them both.

    ¡°T-t-this is good.¡± She said. ¡°It¡¯s only¡­surface wounds, n-no deep damage. Quick recovery, easy fix.¡±

    ¡°That is good to hear.¡± Said Heimdal, not bothering to knock as he came into the room. I nodded.

    ¡°Guilty?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He admitted frankly. ¡°That woman is only hurt because we stepped foot onto her ship, and because we are members of the Pantheon. The scales must be balanced.¡±

    ¡°Annoying, how divided we are.¡± I commented.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s human nature, tribalism.¡± Replied Isis. ¡°Our greatest¡­predator, or¡­rival, is fellow man. M-millenniums of fighting won¡¯t change overnight, especially when¡­balance of power is involved.¡±

    ¡°Pantheon too?¡±

    ¡°Pantheon especially. T-that place needs change.¡±

    ¡°For certain.¡± Agreed Heimdal.

    ¡°How so?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Well, power is too well balanced in the Pantheon. One could say that the organization was built with a solid foundation of equality, and this has come to bite us now. For instance, look at the Great Families. I am sure that you, as an Al¡¯Verath, know about the sort of power struggles which take place between families.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I know a bit.¡±

    ¡°Ha, that is putting it mildly, no?¡± Called out Jvorg from the still open doorway. ¡°I am willing to bet my own soul that you have something to do with the oddly uncharacteristic silence from the Al¡¯Verath family. Maybe you were even involved in that purge they went through a while back.¡±

    ¡°¡­No comment.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, look at the chaotic relationship between the Great Families. There is much violence and backstabbing, as well as your usual power holders standing at top, but there is change present, right? Any family could stand above the others with enough determination, strength, luck, and resources. And, any at the top could fall without enough strength. If you wish to accomplish something, the only thing required is the ability to do so.

    ¡°This is not the case in the Pantheon. Every move we make must be taken as a whole. A single group dissenting would halt any momentum we had, and stall progress. And of course, like in any other big organization, there are always dissenting voices.¡±

    ¡°Difficult to get stuff done, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Many times, it seems that we must take two steps back in order to take one forward. And then, when it comes time to take risks, we face even greater backlash. It is one of the grand downfalls of democracy¡ªeveryone has a voice, but none of them agree.¡±

    ¡°N-no, worse¡­everyone has an idea, but only theirs is the best.¡± Added in Isis.

    I sighed. It sounds like a right grand mess.

    ¡°Gripes due to fringe activity?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Winced Heimdal. ¡°The Pantheon council has concrete evidence of non-human interference in various locations, and even some ideas on what is going on. However, they are frozen by indecision and will not make a move. Meanwhile, the Federation is only sending disposable units to probe the Fringe regions without much merit, while the big-wigs sit in the back and squabble over the ¡®threat¡¯ of the Great Families and the Pantheon. The Great Families themselves are divided by their very nature, and while a handful have launched investigations into various happenings, the others only eye everyone else suspiciously.¡±

    ¡°There is no unity.¡± Concluded Jvorg. ¡°Even at this time, where all humans should at least present a somewhat unified front, no?¡±

    ¡°Then looking for Odin, for change?¡±

    ¡°I see you have already pretty much grasped the entire situation. Yes, we were looking for Odin¡ªfor you¡ªin the hopes that the balance of power in the Pantheon would shift, on top of some difficulties the Norse camp has been facing in the past few decades. Otherwise, we would have to suffer through the politics of trying to get the council to move while still under the current power balance. To put things lightly, it would be hellish.¡±

    ~

    I sat in thought for a moment, going over what this all means for me, and for my friends. Sighing again, I decisively decide on a course of action.

    ¡°Someone call for others?¡± I asked. Jvorg nodded, and left to grab everyone.

    Moments later, we had all of our little group in the same room.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Revy?¡± Asked Sabrina, correctly feeling like something has changed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to be the catalyst.¡± I responded, leaving them in only more confusion.

    ¡°Truly?¡± Asked Jvorg. ¡°You are willing to accept the burden of doing so, to be the center of attention in the Pantheon?¡±

    I nodded resolutely. ¡°Already Odin, might as well.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on, exactly?¡± Asked Sabrina again.

    ¡°I-I think that Revian is¡­informing you that she will become a v-v-very important person in the coming weeks¡­or months, and that things will become chaotic around her.¡±

    ¡°Mh.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°O-oh.¡± Said Godard. ¡°Like, how important are we talking here?¡±

    ¡°Top three. The Pantheon¡¯s pillars are typically Zeus, Ra, and whichever community is strong at the moment. More than half the time, it is the Norse camp, while occasionally the Buddhists, Taoists, or Jews preside instead. With the addition of Revian as Odin, the Norse camp will get a massive strength boost.¡± Said Jvorg.

    ¡°Yes, and this is not even considering Revian¡¯s own strength, and the influence I am sure she will have, as a full illusionist not hampered by artificial limitations placed due to the fear of those in power. She is very strong, and while everyone is to be considered equal in the Pantheon, power still lends a weight behind anyone¡¯s words.¡± Continued Heimdal.

    ¡°So, basically, our friend is about to become very busy?¡± Asked Kormic, unknown and unreadable emotions flitting about in his eyes.

    I nodded again.

    ¡°Right, good to know. Now, how far will we have to go, to stand with her?¡±

    My gaze shot back to him.

    Heimdal laughed. ¡°Now that is a good attitude to be having! Youth needs to be like this, not like the doom and gloom Revian has had!¡± He said, thumping Kormic on the back, causing him to stumble despite his large stature.

    I looked around at Godard, Sabrina, Haven, and Ussen; and saw Kormic¡¯s sentiment mirrored in their eyes with determination and vigor.

    ¡°Well, the first step would obviously be to get more powerful, no? Arrive at Pantheon, and find your ideal Ascension. That boy already has his,¡± said Jvorg, pointing towards Godard, ¡°and you all just have to find yours now. It would be something complimenting the core of your being, and your Awakened form. For instance, my Awakening is of a rather rare male Korrigan, which gave me some measure of precognition. Then, my Ascension was as Mimir, pushing all my existing abilities to their limits.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s very¡­helpful to have complimentary Awakenings and Ascensions.¡± Finished Isis.

    I nodded along, seeing the usefulness in such a thing. Unfortunately, my motion drew Godard¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Ah! That reminds me! We never could quite figure out what your Awakening is, Revy! I mean, we now know that you Ascended as Odin, but that¡¯s separate from an Awakening, right?¡± He said, looking excited.

    Damn, I was hoping nobody would have remembered.

    I mean, sure, it¡¯s not a big deal if they find out about it or anything, nor is it anything unusual¡ªbut it¡¯s just somewhat embarrassing, right? I didn¡¯t chose to take after Klein, that man which would claim to be my father, and don¡¯t girls normally want to look cute and all?

    I would have rather Awakened as a fairy or something, than some scaled lizard. It seems foolish, I know, but damn it all if there isn¡¯t some little tiny corner of my heart which still wants to be read books about princesses being rescued or beautiful maidens and happy endings.

    ¡°Awakened as dragon.¡± I said, sighing.

    Heimdal and Jvorg looked slightly taken aback, but not surprised, while my friends looked at me with wide eyes. Oh, so they¡¯re more stunned about this than my being Odin? Figures.

    ¡°How many dragon-type awakenings are in the Pantheon?¡± Asked Heimdal, directing the question towards Jvorg.

    ¡°Hmm, when I left, there were around ten to a dozen. The power of a dragon aligns nicely with most Ascensions. In fact, some Ascensions have to be taken up by someone with a dragon Awakening, like Jormungand, Azazel, Apalala, or Tiamat.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. I just did not quite expect our Odin to be one as well.¡± Said Heimdal.

    ¡°It is what it is.¡± I said, shrugging.

    ¡°Indeed. Though, you seem somewhat embarrassed by this.¡± Said Jvorg, looking at me teasingly. ¡°You would not be deformed or anything in Awakened form, would you?¡±

    I started shaking my head, then paused.

    ¡°Eh? You do not know? What does that mean?¡±

    In truth, I¡¯ve not going into my Awakened form at all. Like, ever.

    For one, it was never needed at any point. The issues I came across were solvable through just my abilities as an illusionist or my Ascension as Odin.

    Second, I¡¯ve never felt the need to experiment with the form. All Awakenings impart a hereditary knowledge on their abilities and limits. I know what the form can do without ever using it.

    I explained this to Jvorg, though it took a while.

    ¡°I would probably go into Awakened form anyway, as soon as possible.¡± He replied. ¡°Just to avoid any surprises and to get used to it. Knowing what an Awakening can do is different from actually doing it.¡±

    I nodded, reluctantly agreeing with the sentiment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it at Pantheon.¡±

    ~

    ¡°Anyway, we have something else to talk about, right? No way I was called here just for this.¡± Asked Athena, slightly irately.

    ¡°Ah, yes. I believe we were also going to ask for opinions on what to do with Captain Farthings here.¡± Said Jvorg, looking towards her figure in the bed.

    ¡°Would ask her, but not awake.¡± I said.

    ¡°That bastard did a number on her, for sure. Who does he think he is, harming a subordinate so badly? I¡¯ll bet he just sat and watched it as well.¡± Remarked Sabrina angrily.

    ¡°It is a common attitude in the Federation¡¯s military, unfortunately. Many higher end officers are corrupt in one way or another, and hate the Pantheon to the bone. This man was likely no different. I would get used to this sort of treatment after joining the Pantheon.¡±

    ¡°T-take that back¡­¡± Called a voice, weakly. Everyone looked towards the captain in surprise, seeing her struggling to rise up out of bed.

    Isis hurried over, trying to get her to lay back down.

    ¡°No, I will not, you all have it wrong¡ªVice Admiral L¨¹tzow is the best commander¡­on this side of the Fringe!¡± Yelled Farthings hoarsely.

 Chapter 49: A Clockwork Assembly

    ¡°No, I will not, you all have it wrong¡ªVice Admiral L¨¹tzow is the best commander¡­on this side of the Fringe!¡± Yelled Farthings hoarsely, in response to us trying to get her to lay down.

    Athena¡¯s head snapped back towards the struggling captain.

    ¡°L¨¹tzow? That silver haired man, you mean? His name is truly L¨¹tzow?¡±

    The captain settled down, and watched Athena with a confused expression.

    ¡°Of course?¡±

    ¡°Is he related to the L¨¹tzow Great Family?!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the third son¡­.¡±

    Athena had a variety of emotions pass over her face in the span of a few seconds, before squeaking out ¡°He¡¯s Wolfgang L¨¹tzow?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, his name is Wolfgang L¨¹tzow!¡± Said the captain exasperatedly.

    I looked at Athena, now greatly confused. It seems that this is heavy news to her for some reason, though I was also surprised to learn that the silver-haired man came from the L¨¹tzow Family.

    See, all Great Families have their reputations and strengths. The Al¡¯Veraths, for instance, are well known for being one of the more chaotically aligned families, and occupy the higher end of strength among them all. Put simply, nobody looks upon any Al¡¯Verath member kindly, as we have a history of backstabbing and dealing in shady things. One could look at us and compare the family to a gang or a mob of sorts. Families like the Al¡¯Veraths are strictly out for their own gain.

    Then there are families occupying a grey area. They are mostly law abiding, but will occasionally operate outside its purview for one reason or another. They aren¡¯t really seen as good or evil, but rather as just a family with it¡¯s own set of morals. Most Great Families fall under this sort of category.

    Finally, there are those Great Families who seek to actively achieve good deeds and improve or maintain the laws of mankind. These are pretty universally well regarded, though there¡¯s been a long-standing feud between this type and the chaotic families.

    And out of these three types, the L¨¹tzow Family belongs to the righteous faction. They are universally acknowledged as being a good family, committed towards the betterment of all. They also normally take part in humanitarian efforts, rather than participating in the fight itself. In other words, they¡¯re the cleanup crew in most situations.

    So, sure, I understand why a L¨¹tzow being an active member of the military might come as a surprise to Athena, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be what¡¯s shocking her. Maybe it¡¯s the fact that he doesn¡¯t seem like a nice person? After all, beating a subordinate seems to be more in line with the philosophy of a family like the Al¡¯Verath, and not the L¨¹tzows.

    ¡°The Vice Admiral isn¡¯t the man he wants to look like.¡± Coughed the captain.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡­he has to look that way, to protect himself and the people around him.¡±

    ¡°Explain.¡±

    And so she explained.

    There is a strict hierarchy in the Federation¡¯s military. In any military, ideally. It means that the people sitting at the top are in charge, no matter the feelings of those at the bottom. The subordinates are subordinate in all senses of the word, and completely expected to do anything and everything commanded of them.

    Now, this means that the military leaders have a lot of responsibility on their hands, and rightly so. They hold the lives of all under them in their palms, somewhat like kings.

    In fact, that¡¯s not a bad comparison. The men and woman heading the Federation¡¯s military are like little monarchs, in command of their own armies and people.

    But kings are still human, ultimately, and subject to the foils of mortal flesh. Hell, from what I¡¯ve seen of the Pantheon, even those not strictly mortal still have issues of their own.

    What this means is that there are a set of rule to follow, and some behaviors are seen in a better light then others.

    For instance¡ªhelping bandits is bad, even wounded ones. Doing so will get you latrine duty or worse. Showing kindness is frowned upon. They are soldiers, not charity workers. Fear should be inspired by their passing. Your subordinates are resources, not people. A Vice Admiral is infinitely more precious than some foot soldiers. Besides, there are so many people in the universe that the loss of even a million or so is nothing major.

    Above all, the military is not allowed to interact with the Pantheon.

    Vice Admiral L¨¹tzow is chained by many, many rules, no matter how much he dislikes said rules.

    ¡°I knew what would happen to me, having brought members of the Pantheon on my ship.¡± Explained Farthings. ¡°Everyone knows, and I got off really easily.¡±

    ¡°You were beaten!¡± Exclaimed Athena.

    ¡°And I knew it would happen. The Vice Admiral himself administered the¡­punishment, saying that is was the least he owed me.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like the mark of a good man to me¡­.¡± Commented Sabrina. Haven nodded along at this sentiment.

    ¡°He is! The only reason he¡¯s not a full admiral is because he¡¯s too nice! Command knows this! For fucks sake, most of his direct subordinates were taken from other military deployments, me included! He took me away from a very bad place!¡± Yelled Farthings, her eyes wide and furious.

    ¡°But he beat you.¡± Said Athena once more, stubbornly.

    ¡°It was better than the alternative.¡± Said Farthings, sighing tiredly and leaning back in her bed. ¡°Normal protocol for positive interaction with the Pantheon is to execute the one in charge on grounds of treason.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s a bit harsh, isn¡¯t it?¡± Asked Godard.

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t actively help a member of the Pantheon, nothing happens. If you didn¡¯t know or mean to, you¡¯re simply given a reprimand and nothing else. However, that wasn¡¯t the case here.¡± Finished Farthings sadly.

    We sat in silence for a while, digesting this new information.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re okay with just being beat up by your superior officer?¡± Asked Sabrina incredulously.

    ¡°I was the one who suggested it.¡±

    ¡°But still¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s worse to be found in the military, kid. All communities will have corruption, and their fair share of monsters. Nothing is exempt from that. Not even groups you consider trustworthy.¡±

    ¡°To be human is to be inherently flawed.¡± Said Jvorg, capping the conversation off.

    We left the captain to her bed, and decided to go exploring around the planet. It would prove to be a rather fortuitous decision.

    If one thing could be said about the planet we found ourselves on, it¡¯s that there was an overabundance of greenery. It felt very much like Earth in this respect, with great towering trees housed in carefully managed forests, pruned by mankind over a lengthy period of time in order to make the ecosystem function like a well oiled machine.

    You can always tell which forests are manufactured in this way, and which grow naturally. Just look at the undergrowth, and the layer of dead stuff making up the topmost layer of soil. In a natural forest, that layer is thick¡ªrife with fallen leaves from years prior still decomposing, various dropping to give the soil that needed nutrient kick, and an endless variety of small plants and fungus, thriving on their own little circles of life. It¡¯s wonderfully complicated, and endless permutations of this lush, naturally grown forest exist.

    On the other hand, a manufactured forest will always be missing much of this. The ground is mostly clean, and leaves get routinely cleared out. The trees are trimmed to promote larger growth, and various other interactions the forest has with the world around it are jarringly tweaked ¡®for the forest¡¯s health¡¯.

    To me, it¡¯s always just felt soulless, even though the people around me exclaim over the natural beauty of such placed, and the wonder of that life surrounding them. Even now, with this group, my friends are going around with their eyes near falling out from how wide they¡¯ve grown. They can be mostly forgiven though, as there are no natural forests on Jor. It¡¯s too far out and not wealthy enough to afford maintaining something like that.

    Which, again, begs the question of what forests like these are doing here?

    This planet¡ªwhose name we found to be Ezare¡ªwas as far out as one could get without becoming a part of the Fringe itself, and it didn¡¯t seem like it had any specialty besides those lush, green, fake forests. I could understand it if it turned out that there was a diamond mine around here, or a planet chalk full of various other precious materials used in construction or ship building.

    But, we heard nothing of the sort. The planet is apparently reached self-sufficiency; they have no tourism, no natural resources to trade, no trade itself to speak of, and yet they grew forests which would make any inner ring planet (ehem) green with envy.

    So then, how did they do it?

    Well, my money¡¯s on shady underworld dealings¡ªThe sort which is relatively common this close to the Fringe, actually.

    Er, that is, my money was on that at first, upon seeing the planet for the first time and being presented with the leafy green forest quandary. However, I do not think the people living here are capable of deceit. Normally, I¡¯m not so trusting, nor would I ever stop thinking that everyone around me has an agenda or is actively seeking to do me and mine harm. However, there¡¯s just something about the people here.

    They seem so innocent, so trusting, that my sadistic side almost wants to tease them about it. And it isn¡¯t one group of people who are like this¡ªalmost everyone we ran across while exploring greeted us (which was slightly annoying, I will admit. Might have fueled the desire to hurt them somewhat, if I¡¯m being honest.)

    They offered their help in every situation, gave helpful information about the planet and where to find things, and were just stupidly trusting all around. Honestly, it feels like these people have the guile of a 2 year old, and that immediately puts me on guard. They almost didn¡¯t feel like people, with that total lack of subterfuge in their eyes.

    In fact, they felt nothing like people, but rather generic NPCs which you might find in any game.

    Like they were designed.

    Which, ironically, would turn out to be halfway true in a stunning turn of events. Oh, wait, shit, I didn¡¯t ruin that surprise, did I? Well, fuck, ignore what I just said. Just remember that the people felt¡­.off.

    Anyway, our little group of ten toured around Ezare, walking through the expansive forests, checking out the largest cities, and generally just looking around. We were all curious about this anomalous planet, and all had our own suspicions about it.

    The food was great, though. Pretty much the only part of the whole situation I whole-heartedly enjoyed. There was the one place, just a little corner shop in one of the smaller cites, and we only noticed it because of the near-divine smell pouring out it¡¯s doors. The place served cuts of meat, just like so many other restaurants on the planet. This one¡¯s meat must have been dipped in ambrosia or something, because I¡¯m sure the taste will linger on my tongue even years and years from now. It was like a marshmallow melting in my mouth, or some equally poetic sophistry like that. I think I heard angels singing while eating that meat. It was hard to tell over my girlish squeals of delight, which surprised everyone¡ªme included. I got meat so good; it was nearly a sexual experience.

    Anyway, that aside, there wasn¡¯t much to do on the planet. No tourism means that there¡¯s nothing for tourists to do, after all¡ªunless you count walking around in those forests, and I don¡¯t. Going to get food was rather pushing the envelop on things to do, honestly.

    And so, we returned to our hotel rooms as the sun was setting, already somewhat tired of this planet even with all it¡¯s oddities.

    None of us expected the surprise waiting for us back with the captain, however. It seems she wasn¡¯t alone, and we have company.

    ¡°Hello there.¡± Said the silver-haired man, from the chair he¡¯d pulled up next to Farthing¡¯s bed. Vice Admiral L¨¹tzow somehow found us, and apparently isn¡¯t hostile. In fact, that smile on Farthing¡¯s face speaks volumes. ¡°How do you like my planet?¡± He asked, a gentile smile gracing his angular face. ¡°It took quite a while to get everything set up and running, but I think the investment was well worth my time. Ezare really reminds me of home, but without all those stuffy nobles and regulations to dance around. It¡¯s my home away from home, you could say.¡±

    ¡°You¡­you made Ezare?¡± Asked a stunned Athena.

    ¡°Well, yes and no. The planet was already here¡ªI just took those base materials and improved things somewhat. Took a good decade or two to grow those forests you know, even with accelerated growth spells and formula.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Asked Heimdal grimly.

    ¡°I¡¯m here because you are here, and Captain Farthings needed to sign some paperwork. I trust that you¡¯re taking her with you to the Pantheon?¡±

    Heimdal reluctantly nodded.

    ¡°Good, good, I hate to see people as talented as the captain here die for no good reason. Helping the Pantheon is a death sentence, even though we have the same interests.¡±

    ¡°What interests?¡±

    ¡°The protection of the people, the stability of mankind.¡± L¨¹tzow help up a finger to forestall any disagreements, and caught Athena opening her mouth to do just that. ¡°Now, now, I know that it¡¯s a popular view that some members of the military are out for their own gain, and I do not deny this. There are some greedy and corrupt little fuckers at the highest levels, and they have imposed some rather abstruse rules upon us in the military.¡±

    ¡°And how are we to know that you are not one of them?¡± Asked Jvorg thoughtfully.

    ¡°Easy enough¡ªjust look at where my command is. They shunted me to Fringe patrol duty right after I made LieutenantColonel and I¡¯ve been here ever since. They dislike people like me entering positions of power¡ªmuch rather, they would have someone like them, corrupt and vicious. They fear the professional soldiers, and try to kill them off whenever possible.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you still alive?¡± I asked. L¨¹tzow turned to me, almost surprised to remember that I was in the room with everyone else.

    ¡°Ah, because they don¡¯t know everything about me, of course. Staying alive 101: Don¡¯t let anyone know what you¡¯re capable of.¡± Said the Vice Admiral smugly. Hmm, I guess this means that he¡¯s not at the 10<sup>th</sup> divide like his aura advertises. Indeed, there is something odd about the way it circles around him, like something is being held back.

    ¡°Anyway, everything should be over now. Your group can continue on it¡¯s merry way.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what did you want with the captain?¡±

    ¡°I needed to give her an honorable discharge, even if it¡¯s off the books. Officially, she¡¯s listed as a traitor to the state, and should be detained on sight, but I swapped her file for another woman, who died under the captain¡¯s command during that pirate attack. So, the system also says that Captain Farthings is a 4 foot 6 woman with bright blonde hair and no cultivation.¡± Said L¨¹tzow, gesturing at Farthings, as to point out that the actual person in question stands at nearly 6 feet tall, has deep brown hair bordering on black, and an 8<sup>th</sup> divide cultivation.

    ¡°As soon as someone manages to bring down those bastards I call my bosses, I¡¯ll make the honorable discharge official. As it stands, Farthings is not the only one I need to do this for. It seems the people under my command tend to be unusually kind towards those that they shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Finished L¨¹tzow with a small smile.

    ¡°Oh, and I also healed the captain completely. So, you guys can leave immediately. I¡¯m not demanding it, but I highly encourage it. Would rather not have the wrong sort of attention drawn to Eraze, you see.¡± He added, almost as an afterthought.

    We followed his advice, and left soon after. After all, we had only been waiting on the captain¡¯s recovery.

 Chapter 50: A New Home

    In a dim and remote sector of space, a planetary system spun around a small white star. There were many things odd about this system, from the placement of the planets, to the very gravity and space around them. For one, there were far too many planets in the system. They weren¡¯t full sized planets either, but smaller globes in many colors, each with their own unique conditions. One of the larger planets flashed constantly from its supercharged atmosphere as unfathomably thick and destructive bolts of lightning bombarded the surface. Another planet¡ªif it could be called a planet¡ªwas completely made of water. There was no earth anywhere in the mass of liquid and pressure, just water all the way through.

    However, all these smaller planets seemed somehow subservient to the largest one in the system. It was a truly gigantic planet, even compared to all others in the galaxy at large. Its surface was diverse and wonderful, with heavily wooded forests, vast mountainous regions, sprawling sand dunes in bone-dry deserts, and great flood plains all meshing together into one ecosystem. If one was somewhat observent, they would discover something astonishing about this planet¡ªnamely, it was quite literally the center of this little system. The sun orbited the planet, not the other way around.

    There were people on this planet, of a sort. They were the people closest to transcending humanity. This is Pantheon, the home world of that same organization. Settlements dotted its surface in many different styles. Some were larger, and some were only occupied by a few people.

    A portal opened in a small corner of one of these settlements. Hardy anyone noticed the portal¡¯s existence while it was active, and those that did were familiar with the Mana which had been used to create it.

    Needless to say, this was my arrival on Pantheon.

    <hr>

    We stepped out of the portal, into the interior of some small cabin. A bookshelf lined one wall, full of old paper bound books, rather than the portable digital libraries so many people have now. It was seen as a bit of a waste to use trees on something like paper, since it would decay sooner or later if not carefully kept, and there really was no reason to read a physical copy of something.

    There was also a fireplace in the room, currently blazing happily even though it didn¡¯t look like anything was fueling the flames. A few comfortable seats sat in front of the fireplace, though there wasn¡¯t anyone sitting in them. We were the only ones in the room, actually.

    The portal closed as soon as we all made it through. Athena said something about being glad to be back, and then hurried off, running outside the building.

    ¡°Ah, that will be her going to inform Zeus about what she learned.¡± Said Heimdal, watching her go.

    I nodded, fully expecting something like this to happen. It would make things a bit easier, truthfully, since I would no longer be able to hesitate. In a way, I¡¯ve forced myself into action, preemptively. No way out now.

    Mentally shrugging, the next orders of business came up.

    Rather, the next order of business walked into the room, as an elderly man with dirty grey hair and a beard down to his belly walked in, an imposing atmosphere surrounding him.

    ¡°What is it, Heimdal?¡± Asked the man coarsely. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have jumped straight into my private room if something wasn¡¯t happening.¡±

    The man paused after entering, glancing around the room at the group gathered with his one good eye. The other hid under a black rag serving as a patch of sorts.

    ¡°And what¡¯s with this group? Don¡¯t tell me all these people are godlings.¡±

    Heimdal smiled at the question.

    ¡°Not yet, at least. Just a very talented group, with very good prospects.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Out with it then. What¡¯s going on?¡± Demanded the man, crossly. He noticed Isis standing in the back of the group, and his gaze lingered on her a bit.

    ¡°Oh, nothing, really. You will be happy to know that this group has someone currently in the middle of their Ascension, and another who has already completed theirs. And I have full confidence that the rest of the group will quickly realize their own Ascensions and become full gods of the Pantheon. The one who has already Ascended is of particular note.¡±

    ¡°Stop dancing around the issue, Heimdal. You found Freya or Frigg, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Heimdal smiled slightly.

    ¡°No, that is not who I found. Revian, if you would?¡±

    I stepped forward, standing in front of the group and under the man¡¯s intense gaze. Not wilting or drawing back at all, I stared back at him. There were a few interesting things about this man.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s not Freya, Heimdal? She looks the part.¡± Stated the man, gruffly.

    ¡°No, she is not Freya, nor Frigg. We still have to find those who would fill those parts. Revian is unable to.¡±

    The man mumbled something about hating the way Heimdal does things, obviously losing his patience rapidly.

    ¡°Quit with your games. Just tell me who she is.¡± He said, gesturing towards me.

    ¡°Think about it a little longer, my friend. Word will soon spread regardless, but I want you to figure it out first. Tell me, who do you think Revian is, Loki?¡±

    The man recoiled at his name, glaring at Heimdal.

    ¡°Are you daft!¡± He shouted. ¡°I am Odin, master of the Norse camp and Asgard!¡±

    ¡°No you aren¡¯t.¡± I said, speaking for the first time.

    ¡°You can drop the mask, Loki. I doubt it would fool Revian, regardless of the circumstances.¡± Said Jvorg, drawing Loki¡¯s attention towards him for the first time. He had somehow gone unnoticed until that point.

    ¡°You¡­!¡± Gasped Loki, obviously recognizing him immediately. ¡°But you¡­.¡±

    Loki seemed to piece some things together at this point, and his sight shifted back to me so quickly I feared he got whiplash.

    ¡°Hello Loki.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m Odin.¡±

    Dead silence.

    Then, Loki¡¯s ¡®Odin¡¯ persona slid away, shifting as if putty were being reformed. Loki is likely a shape-shifter of some sort¡ªextremely fitting, all things considered.

    A tall and somewhat androgynous looking man reformed from ¡®Odin¡¯, exposing Loki¡¯s actual face. There wasn¡¯t really anything about him that stood out to me. He had one of those faces that would be impossible to remember in a crowd. Though, he also had a mischievous glint in his eyes, which stood out all on their own.

    ¡°Truly?!¡± He yelled excitably, displaying a completely different temperament from when he had been ¡®Odin¡¯. ¡°She is Odin?!¡±

    ¡°Would I joke about something this major?¡± Replied Heimdal.

    ¡°No, no you wouldn¡¯t. Too serious for that, I¡¯d always thought. But still! Odin! After all this time! And I would have never expected a cute little girl to play the part!¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m an adult.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Well, that¡¯s awkward. You don¡¯t quite look like¡­.Actually, I¡¯m just going to leave that alone. Say, you said news of this will spread, right, Heimdal?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Athena knew about it, and she left immediately to tell Zeus, I am afraid.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that would explain why she didn¡¯t stop on seeing me. But then, is Revian ready to become our Odin, or will she need some training to reach that level?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No need. I¡¯m strong enough.¡±

    ¡°You sure about that? The Pantheon doesn¡¯t exactly measure strength the same way as the rest of the universe. Someone below the 10<sup>th</sup> divide is seen as weak among us, and the powerhouses only truly begin at the 13<sup>th</sup> divide.¡±

    ¡°There are people at the 13<sup>th</sup> divide here?!¡± Interjected Sabrina, before gasping and realizing she¡¯d interrupted. Loki seemed to take it in stride, however.

    ¡°Yup! We have a few sitting around here, while the others prefer to explore farther afield. Truthfully, anyone who Ascends stands a very good chance of reaching that level at some point, given enough time. We don¡¯t really have the same rate of growth or limit that most others do. My question still stands, however. Are you up for this?¡± Asked Loki, turning back to me.

    I nodded again. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°How fine?¡±

    ¡°S-she¡¯s about as strong as me¡­.m-maybe stronger. More combat strength¡­though.¡± Said Isis from the back.

    ¡°Really?! That¡¯s great news! Do you think this calls for a celebration?¡±

    ¡°I do not see a reason to hold off on a gathering, at least. In fact, this is a good chance for Revian to see the Norse camp before getting roped into more troublesome things. The council will surely be called together tomorrow or the day after¡ªlikely through Zeus¡ªand it would be good to know what you are representing before going there.¡± Said Heimdal. ¡°In the meantime, let us get you all set up with places to sleep.¡±

    The Norse camp really was an interesting place. All the buildings were constructed in a seemingly simple fashion with wooden logs and steeply slopped roofs for when snow fell. It seems the community was set up in the northern part of the planet, and they have the winters to show for it. The whole area was settled next to a large, calm lake, and white-capped mountains surrounded us on all sides. Overall, the entire place seemed peaceful and beautiful.

    They had plenty of open homes as well, judging by the ease with which Loki found places for us to stay. It ended up my group of friends in one house, plus me, while Jvorg and Farthings would share another. There were no worries about sharing the space though, since the houses themselves had a surplus of bedrooms¡ªEach of which also had a connecting bathroom. That didn¡¯t stop them from putting in a large outdoor bath by each house, though. Presumably the outdoor baths were heated as well, which should prove an interesting experience at some point.

    Things were quickly unpacked, and I took the downtime to go ahead and freshen up. I also wanted to look presentable for the inevitable storm my arrival on Pantheon would cause. After all, fancy clothes can function just as well as any armor in a social setting. Without any better alternatives, I simply grabbed my Halo gear, and put that on. It looks impressive enough in it¡¯s own right, and might tide me through initial introductions. And since I¡¯m dressed as a warrior, I might as well go all the way.

    Various sharp, pointy objects were strapped to my belt and in other, less obvious places. The sword Godard made for me was slung across my back, it¡¯s strap crossing over my front. I couldn¡¯t help but give a little ¡®che¡¯ of frustration though, since that strap would normally highlight the¡­features of most other women. Not in the cards for me, unfortunately. Thankfully, the outfit¡¯s gold highlights accentuated my general slimness instead, complimenting the rest of my figure.

    It was good enough, hopefully. One last look in the mirror ensured that everything was in place, and that I presented the right sort of image.

    Though, while leaving, a thought couldn¡¯t help but pop into my head.

    Couldn¡¯t I have just used an illusion to make it seem like my clothes were fancy? It¡¯s probably still very possible, but no. Better to go with what I¡¯ve got, and keep things simple. Plus, things would be hard to explain if someone noticed my illusion. And, to be honest, I¡¯m planning on not using illusions very much. Much of what makes them effective relies on the element of surprise, and someone prepared for them is much harder to fool than someone who is unaware.

    Instead, my enhanced strength will destroy anyone who tried to fight me. The power of a dragon is frightening indeed.

    Now then, time to see what all this fuss is about. Time to make my introduction to the Pantheon.